Funny / Changeling Space Program & The Maretian

Changeling Space Program

• One footnote makes reference to one of Equestria's earliest technomantic video games...
  At the time of the events in this story it was obsolete, with the old cabinets mostly junked to make room for the newest arcade game, E. T. the Extreme Terrapin. Of course, the old-school gamers scoffed at the idea that a video game about a racing turtle, even with a blue shell and spiky scales, would do anything other than blow up in the industry leader’s face.
• Tree Hugger donates solar panels for CSP-R2 (the second robot probe launch attempt). During the delivery a certain changeling decides to "snack" on her emotions, which leaves him, like a rocketman, high as a kite.
• During CSP-22 (Cherry Berry's Minmus flight) the pink pony takes advantage of a call to "adjust attitude" (turn the ship) to deal a sick burn to Chrysalis by imitating her. Chryssie totally No Sells the moment.
  Twenty-two, we show negative, repeat no joy on attitude adjustment. We read you as still being a geeky pink pony, negative on future world conquest and subjugation of the masses, over.
• The Diamond Dogs' attempt to join the space race in the final chapter is as hilarious as it is completely inept and ridiculously dangerous.

The Maretian

• Sol 38, when, after Fireball points out just how stupid it is to think he could eat a massive pile of pure perchlorate salts, he takes a taste anyway. Verdict- spicy.
• Sol 90, after the Hab breaches, Cherry Berry feels so guilty about not warning Mark and Starlight that she tries to resign as Amicitas commander. The other Equestrians aren't having it.
  Watney: [in English] What's all the noise? Mutiny?
  Dragonfly: What's mutiny?
  Watney: Mutiny is... um... mutiny is when a crew tells the captain, "We won't do what you say anymore!"
  Dragonfly: Oh.
  Spitfire: No.
  Fireball: Yes.
  Dragonfly: Maybe?
  [Mark sighs and goes away]
  Dragonfly: [in Equestrian] Is it a mutiny when the crew is forcing the captain to keep giving orders?
  Cherry Berry: Yes!!
• Sol 96. Twilight Sparkle's first attempt at an official First Contact message to humanity is too wordy to be transmitted over a water-based telegraph. Chrysalis sends Dragonfly a substitute which, she says, is "a perfect princess speech." Thus, Equestria's first message to Earth ends up being a sick burn:
  "I am Princess Twilight Sparkle. Hello to Earth. I declare this bridge / bank / library / store open.”
  [...]
  “What kind of alien fucking idea is this,” Annie growled, “for the first step in interplanetary diplomacy?”
  “The kind,” Teddy said, still smiling, “that every history book will print verbatim for the rest of time. I guarantee it.”
• Sol 109, Dragonfly's answers to a series of interview questions texted up from Earth:
  Question: What are your impressions of humans?
  Dragonfly: Well, if you don’t count television, I’ve only met the one, but he’s pretty nourishing.
• Sol 181. Deborah Kent asks Mindy Park about Project Elrond (contingency planning/preparation for the Purnell Maneuver). At this point, Mindy is completely ignorant of the project, so she improvises...
  "We're going to capture an asteroid, fit it with VASIMR engines, and send it to Saturn so we can take its rings and throw them into the Sun. The probe will be named Baggins."
  • Several minutes later, Mindy receives an email from Dr. Kapoor assigning her to the ELROND project, so Deborah was just a few minutes early.
• Sol 200. One of the ESA/CSP probes sent out to find the right parallel universe ends up crashing in the one for Equestria Girls — specifically, in Fluttershy's yard. Twilight Sparkle starts grinning like an idiot at the thought of being able to study it up close.
• Sol 221. After taking over English lessons from Mark, Starlight Glimmer began assigning essay writing to the other Equestrian castaways, usually based on topics from the current book reading. On this particular day she's grading the essays for the topic, "Five Smarter Things to Do Than Wait For the Evil Tyrant to Actually Take Over Before Going Into Hiding". Dragonfly protests her 80% grade:
  STARLIGHT: The English was correct. But I docked twenty percent because you only gave me four better ideas than waiting for the tyrant.
  DRAGONFLY: I gave you five!
  STARLIGHT: Join the Winning Team does NOT count!
• Sol 231. Fireball goes to great trouble to get a catatonic Watney behind the wheel of the rover for a trip to the cave. What happens next makes the unwisdom of this act obvious to all.
  FIREBALL: This was a bad idea!!
  STARLIGHT: What?? This was YOUR idea!
  FIREBALL: That should have been your first warning!
• Although NASA gives permission for Watney & Co. to use the Ares IV MAV (negating the source material's claim to Space Piracy), Cherry Berry still gets into the spirit of it when she unilaterally gives the ship a name on Sol 526.

[19:17] MAV: An interplanetary spaceship needs a name. Maybe this one won’t need to go that far, but it'll be able to. We're calling it Phoenix. What you call it is your problem. CB
[19:35] HOUSTON: Cherry, please remember, it is our ship.
[19:51] MAV: Was your ship. Arrrrrr. CB

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