Willard handed the equipment to her. She strapped the propulsion pack to her back. "Robert, give me the wrench from the toolkit." Robert opened a small compartment, removed a wrench and handed it to Connelly.

"Retract the fins and get the hell back to the surface. I'll be right behind you."

Willard couldn't hide the concerned look on his face. "Boss, what are you planning?"

"Methane gas," Connelly said. "All it's going to take is a spark."

CHAPTER 31 -- IGNITION

Choi swore she could hear an ancient tribe pounding on drums in preparation for a battle. But she was the only warrior around and the drumming pulse was her rapidly beating heart. She clung to the ATV, steering through the maze of ice spires, cracks and divots. Moving fast, each turn and obstacle threatened to throw her from the vehicle. But she didn't let up. She couldn't let up.

She'd been barreling across Europa's surface since she'd seen Peterson approaching TES. Rounding a large chunk of ice, she entered a clearing and could clearly see Peterson, silhouetted by the TES flood lights. She set the ATV on a ruler straight course, heading for Peterson.

She covered the distance in a minute flat and was approaching the vehicle's top speed. As she closed in, she could see that Peterson had yet to begin tampering with the equipment, but he was moving towards the control panel. Then he stopped and turned, as though he could sense her silent approach. Maybe he felt vibrations in the ice? Choi wondered. Figuring out how her surprise attack had failed would have to wait.

It was time for plan B.

Plan A had been to run Peterson down. It was a brutal tactic that was sure to kill her crewmate, but there was also no doubt it would work. She'd felt Peterson's enhanced strength first hand and knew she couldn't face him in hand-to-hand combat and win. Plan B would be slightly less effective and much more painful.

Choi pushed down on the foot rests and rose up in to the air. She planted her feet on the ATV's seat and rode it like a daredevil. She was only feet from Peterson. He was dodging to the side, moving slowly in the low gravity, but fast enough to avoid the straight shot ATV. Taking careful aim, Choi tightened her muscles and then launched herself off the ATV.

Choi curled into a tight ball, hoping to put all of the energy created by the impact into a smaller area, boosting the amount of damage done. As she flew forward, she couldn't see where she was going and prayed her aim was true. If it wasn't…if she missed, she'd plunge straight into the hole melted by TES.