Connelly nodded and struggled to her feet. "The only way out is through the creeps in the other cavern. We can fight our way through. The PMS's will protect us from the brunt of the attack, but the TES sphere needs to be guarded. Without it, we'll never reach the surface."

"What do you propose we do?" Robert asked.

"I'll take care of that when we get there."

"How will we get there?" Willard asked. He did little to hide his annoyance at bringing up the subject again. "We don't know where we are or how to get back."

"I know the way back," Connelly said.

"How?"

Connelly looked at the wall of blue Europhids. "They told me.... Besides, if we get lost, we have guides." Connelly adjusted her view towards the cave's only exit. Two of the hulking, long armed aliens slid into view.

Robert shuddered, realizing that the creatures had been standing there the whole time.

Connelly gazed into Robert's eyes and the oddness of her stare struck Robert. Something was very wrong…but he couldn't place it. Was it the blue light playing tricks, or…

"No more arguing. Let's go," Connelly said. She turned and headed for the exit. She took only two steps before Robert reached out and took her arm. He pulled her around. "Robert, what—"

"I just realized what's different about you," Robert said. "Your eyes…they're blue."

*   *   *   *   *

For the first time since showering on Surveyor before leaving for Europa's surface, Connelly saw her own face in the reflection of Robert's face mask. He activated an unnecessary feature of the PMS that would only need to be utilized in Earth orbit—solar shielding. The external surface of the face mask became highly reflective, which distorted the bounced image, but functioned well enough for Connelly to look into the eyes of a stranger…her own.

"My eyes…" Connelly looked at Willard. A moment of hope squirmed through. "Your eyes are blue, too."

Willard shook his head. "My eyes have always been blue."

Connelly knew that. But had hoped the brilliant blue she had seen in his eyes earlier was still there. It wasn't. The solar shield retracted and Robert's frowning face appeared behind it. "All I need to know," Robert said, "Is that you are you."

"I am," Connelly said.

"That's not good enough."

Time was short and the pressure was building. If they didn't escape soon, they and the rest of the Surveyor's crew would die. "What do you want me to do, Robert?" Her voice was loud and forceful. She'd never used a voice like that with Robert, but it came naturally now.

"Prove it, Kathy!" Robert's voice was just as strong.

She was angry because the delay was putting his life in danger. He was angry because he didn't know if she was safe or not.