History Fanfic / ChangelingSpaceProgramAndTheMaretian

* FlippingTheBird: During the final sol, as the crew sings a parody of David Bowie's ''A Space Oddity'', Mark instructs Fireball to "Tell Mars what [he] thinks of it". Fireball raises his middle claw to the surface, replying "It knows!"

Of course, first she needs to get there to claim it.

* IsThisThingStillOn: As [=CSP=]-23 is en route to the moon, Twilight and Chrysalis bicker on a hot mic. Neither co-flight directors Occupant and Applejack, nor [=CAPCOM=] Dragonfly want to be the one who tells them that they're supplying material for the reporters sitting in Horeston's press gallery.

* IsThisThingStillOn: On Sol 426 the castaways test voice radio communication with ''Hermes''. While waiting for message turnaround, Mark and Fireball have a long conversation about quitting the astronaut biz. (This while rescue is still over four months away.) Their mikes are hot for all of it. And because of lightspeed lag, they don't find out for ''over nine minutes''. Mark backpedals immediately once he finds out: the two realize and agree that they shouldn't resign until Mark gets his backpay and Fireball gets back his worldly possessions from the Dragon Lord, respectively.

* OverlyNarrowSuperlative: To create an instance of WorldsBestCharacter: After the ponies spent a sol, on Mars, grooming for photos sent to NASA, Mark proudly claims, "I am, after all, the most popular and exclusive spa host on the whole planet."

* ExactWords: After Rainbow Dash's Almost Bad Day, Pinkie withdraws from active work with the Equestrian Space Agency, declaring that she couldn't set hoof at Cape Friendship again and limiting herself to preparing food. However, that doesn’t mean she can’t show up at Horseton Space Center to help out with robotic control systems.

* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Before disappearing from the hive, Paussus held several different jobs both there and at Horseton Space Center over the course of a few months. Anything new is exciting to him the first time he does it, but unbearably boring if he has to do it again. He ultimately ends up working at a low-budget TV studio in Manehattan, where he gets to play a lot of different roles and do other jobs (writing scripts, building sets, etc.) from time to time. It's heaven for him.

* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Before disappearing from the hive, Paussus held several different jobs both there and at Horseton Space Center over the course of a few months. Anything new is exciting to him the first time he does it, but unbearably boring if he has to do it again. He ultimately ends up working at a low-budget TV studio in Manehattan, where he gets to play a lot of different roles and write scripts from time to time. It's his dream job.

[[folder:"Counting Noses"]]
!!!Tropes applicable to "Counting Noses"

* ''[[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/546559/counting-noses Counting Noses]]'': When Chrysalis decides to take a census of her hive, she discovers one extra name in the records -- belonging to a changeling who doesn't seem to exist. (Set between ''Changeling Space Program'' and ''The Maretian''. In progress.)

* "[[https://www.fimfiction.net/story/546559/counting-noses Counting Noses]]": When Chrysalis decides to take a census of her hive, she discovers one extra name in the records -- belonging to a changeling who doesn't seem to exist. (Set between ''Changeling Space Program'' and ''The Maretian''. In progress.)

There are four related works.

* HappyDance:
** Occupant and Marked Knee indulge in one of these[[note]]specifically, the Hustle[[/note]] when they find they have all of the elements[[note]]except authorization from CSP leadership[[/note]] needed to launch the ill-fated CSP Mission R1.
** To celebrate the successful trans-lunar injection of CSP mission R2, Marked Knee and Pinkie Pie do the Funky Chicken.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed / NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed: Many of the scientific and technical experts Chrysalis recruits are based on pioneers in rocketry, mathematics, and electronics. A few other pioneers and notable space-related celebrities make an appearance as part of competing programs or tourists.

** Often one of the recovery team leaders. In situations where no-ling knows where the capsule will land, it's her team that usually ends up the closest.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Many of the scientific and technical experts Chrysalis recruits are based on pioneers in rocketry, mathematics, and electronics. A few other pioneers and notable space-related celebrities make an appearance as part of competing programs or tourists.

* HeadDesk: On Sol 33, Starlight indulges in a bout of cranial percussion with a cabinet when she learns about how ''Amicitas'' misjumped.

* ExcitedShowTitle: For the ShowWithinAShow, the ''Look At It!'' documentary covering CSP Mission 9, complete with Changeling-positive commercial spots.

* OhCrap: Mark Whatney's reaction upon seeing Fireball trying to scoop some [[MadeOfIncendium perchlorate]] with a food pack.

Can you say, oh shit? Sure, I knew you could. And I’ll be waiting here until your mommies get done washing your mouths out with soap.''

* TryNotToDie:

* WritingLines: As punishment for being sloppy with ''Amicitas’'' power management, Starlight assigns Fireball to typing out "I will not fail to properly power down the ship when not in use." 100 times. Unfortunately, to the confusion and irritation of onlookers, he elects to use the ''Pathfinder'' chat system (rather than a word processing program or whiteboards) for the task.

* EverythingsBetterWithPlushies: Mark fancifully wishes for plushies of all of his companions. Hasbro, along with a plethora of not-necessarily-authorized independent fan-creators have them for sale by the time the castaways are ready to leave Mars.

* BrickJoke: The print version of the story includes a guide to the many footnotes at the start of the prelude, including how the reader "won't have to go farther than at most one page" to find what a footnote is referring to. This is all well and good, until footnote 308 on page 467 notes:
--> Admittedly, this is [[ExactWords the first page]] after the contents, dedication, and preface.

* BrickJoke: The print version of the story includes a guide to the many footnotes at the start of the prelude, including how the reader won't need to go back more than one page to find what a footnote is referring to. This is all well and good, until footnote 308 on page 467 notes:
--> Admittedly, this is the first page after the contents, dedication, and preface.

* BrickJoke: The print version of the story includes a guide to the many footnotes at the start of the premise, including how the reader won't need to go back more than one page to find what a footnote is referring to. This is all well and good, until footnote 308 on page 467 notes:

--> Mark read it again, frowned, and said, “License is permission to do a thing. In this case, a company wants to buy your name and face.”\\
“What??” Cherry Berry’s forehooves flew to her face. “You said you have no magic! I still using those!”

* GenreSavvy: Mark is snapped out of his catatonic state when placed in a situation common to many Sci-fi/horror movies: