Leaning to the side to maintain her balance, Choi saw the incoming assault and smiled. She knew the flaccid creatures didn't stand a chance. As the first wave hit, a geyser of crimson guts exploded into the low atmosphere like a brilliant firecracker. Choi was slightly surprised to see the Europhids continuing their fruitless assault. They kept coming—a constant barrage of rubber flesh spewed up and around, like frogs in an open blender.

As the ATV continued its shredding revolutions, Choi noticed that each consecutive spin had less power. She was slowing down. She tried twisting the throttle, but it was at full speed. Choi glanced down at her rear wheels and noticed a mash of red flesh and oozing innards gumming up the axles.

"Shit," Choi said as she realized what was happening. If the internal workings of the ATV got any more gummed up, it might not run at all. The Europhids weren't attacking, they were stalling.

Buying time.

For Peterson.

Choi eased up on the gas and slid to a stop. The Europhids immediately went for the wheels, clinging to them like blood starved leeches. Choi threw the ATV into reverse and hit the throttle. The wheels spun in the opposite direction, sending a spray of Europhid remains into the air. The ATV lurched backwards, plowing through the crowd of Europhids.

Satisfied that enough of the gelatinous creatures had been dislodged from the axles, Choi shifted into drive and launched forward. In fifteen seconds she was at top speed. In twenty she had cleared the remaining Europhids, swerving onto clear ice. As the remaining red ooze cleared from the ATV's system, Choi felt a jolt as the vehicle's speed jumped.

With clenched fingers, Choi worked her way around the wall of ice that had blocked her original approach. Feeling like a pin ball, Choi dodged in and out of ice heaves, bounced over small rises and spun around sharp corners. She was running a one woman race and had no idea if she winning.

A clearing opened up in front of her, allowing the ATV to reach higher and higher speeds. Choi realized too late that the clearing was actually a massive ice sheet that had long ago lifted from the flat surface of Europa and refrozen at an angle. Her rapid approach to the edge, which dropped thirty feet straight down, made it impossible for her to stop in time. If she attempted a stop she would simply topple over the edge and land in an uncontrolled crash.

She did the only thing she could; held on tight.

For the second time in her life, Choi felt what it was like to fly; only this time, the solid ATV beneath her body gave her a slight measure of relief. If she were able to land wheels down, the ATV would absorb the brunt of the impact.