Conflicting emotions began vying for superiority in Willard's mind. His sense of adventure had kicked in when he saw the shadow. His interest in the unknown began to thirst for more. But he was also responsible for the welfare of Robert and Connelly. His sole job was to keep them alive. On top of all that was the persistent scream inside his brain—run!

Willard replayed the shadow in his mind. It was low to the cave floor. Short. It appeared to have limbs, how many he had no idea. But its size seemed small enough to not be a threat. But it was something. He wanted to see it, needed to see it for himself.

Willard flicked on his PMS headlamp and stepped toward the entrance. "We mark every turn so we can find our way back. I go first. If anything goes wrong, anything at all, we hightail it back to the sphere and go topside, no questions asked, no complaints." He made eye contact with both Connelly and Robert. "I am understood?"

Robert nodded.

"Perfectly," Connelly said.

Willard opened a small pack that lay with the emergency equipment and took out an ice pick.

"What's that for?" Robert asked.

He gripped the ice pick tightly and headed for the cave entrance. "I'll be damned before I let anything else swallow me today."

*   *   *   *   *

With every light-footed step, Connelly felt her apprehension growing. They were entering the unknown once again. She wondered if turning back might be the wise thing to do. The information they had already amassed during their short stay beneath the surface of Europa was already full of scientific curiosities and amazing new discoveries. Several return missions to Europa would no doubt be scheduled. This moon would become her home for as long as the GEC would let her stay.

Connelly found it peculiar that her goals could have changed so radically over the past months, but she couldn't deny, no matter how much she loved Earth Oceanography, that the ecosystems on and within Europa were endlessly fascinating. She had rarely felt more challenged, more rewarded…more alive.

As Connelly took another step forward, she realized that the growing sensation within her belly wasn't just nervousness about facing the unknown, it was an awakening of her soul. Her mind was enraptured by her recent alien encounters and she longed for nothing else. Like a drug addict, she began to look forward to the next beast, the next fungus, the next predator, no matter how dangerous…she desired to learn everything there was to know about the organisms on this moon.

Willard stopped his forward motion with a quick jolt. Connelly stopped behind him. A swell of anxiety drowned her excitement, which now seemed irrational and foolish. She noticed Willard's grip tighten around the metal handle of the ice pick. He'd seen something.