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Day 3 of the STS-98 Crew hostage crisis
Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2001 09:17:33 EST

Subject: FD 13 Mail from Crew to MCC-Humor
19 February 2001
MET 11/23:56:58

Day 3 of the STS-98 Crew hostage crisis. We're out of film, food is running low, and Tom is beginning to look good. The alleged deorbit opportunities today did not come to fruition, and the crew is convinced that there is some sort of diaper DSO in the works. If we put Marsha in the suit again, no one is willing to risk taking her out.

The boys have stopped quoting lines from bad movies and have begun to quote each other. In setting up the ergometer today the boys lost one of the sound mounts. In an attempt to locate it, they released a package of beefsteak hoping it would migrate randomly to the place the mount had disappeared to. They lost the beefsteak too. A valiant attempt by Tom recovered the mount. The beefsteak is still at large.

Tom has begun sketching Earth obs views with crayon and pages out of FDF, while babbling bits of geographical trivia. No one else wants to be on the flight deck with him. Last night, Tom was overhead muttering softly in his sleep, "Balboa, Magellan, where's the beef?" No one is quite sure about this reference.

We're down to our last three feet of gray tape and Marsha is working her way loose.

We're afraid that we'll have forgotten most of our debrief items unless we get to the ground soon.

I fear I will not be able to hold the crew together if we wave off another day. The mere mention of the phrase 'working the weather' might put them over the edge. I feel the end is near. Tell our families that we loved them.

Taco

P.S. First Officer (aka PLT) addendum. The CDR can't find his Entry pocket Checklist and has been sulking about the cabin all day. I'm not sure of his ability to fly a HAC. I on the other hand am quite capable should you decide that this course of action is advisable.