"Huh," the man looked surprised.

"What?"

"Just didn't take you for an ologist."

Connelly cringed. Ologist? Seriously? "Well...you don't look like a geologist either," she said, looking down at her clothes. She was dressed in jeans and a tight fitting white blouse. Not like an 'ologist'.

He smiled. "I guess we're even then. Where you headed?"

"Twenty-third floor."

"Me too. Mind if I keep you company on the way?"

Kathy wasn't sure if she should be excited or annoyed, but saying "no" in either case would seem rude. "Lead the way."

Michael paused at the next flight of stairs. He turned to Connelly and said, "You're not married, are you?"

Kathy stopped on the fifth stair to the top.

Who is this guy? The Don Juan of geologists?

"No," she said. "My line of work doesn't leave much room for romance."

"Ouch," he said, and gave another of his infectious smiles. "Guess we'll have to schedule dinner far in advance, huh?" He continued up the stairs, more slowly now, giving Connelly a chance to keep up.

Is he really asking me out for dinner or is this all a tricky geologist ruse? She pushed the conundrum from her mind. It didn't matter anyway. In three months she'd be standing on the surface of Europa and Michael the geologist would be millions of miles away.

*   *   *   *   *

Connelly scoured the door numbers as she walked through the maze of hallways, looking for room 117, where she was scheduled to meet the rest of the Europa crew. Michael the geologist was still with her, apparently unable to find his room as well.

"You been here before?" Connelly asked.

Michael scratched his head. "Once, but never on this floor. It's a maze."

"Maybe it's a test," Kathy said. "Whoever is smart enough to figure out where their room is, is smart enough to be employed by the GEC."

"Looks like we're getting pink slips tonight."

They rounded a corner and were faced with a long hallway. The door to the right was labeled 103. The door to the left was labeled 23. Michael shook his head. "Like driving in Boston."

"You been there?"

"Born and raised. Well, not in Boston, south of Boston. An island off the cape. Martha's Vineyard."

Connelly slid past Michael and checked the door numbers as they moved down the hall. "Ooh, someone grew up with a silver spoon," she said.

"Not everyone on the island is rich."

"Riiight."

"Ooh, I get it now."

"You're from the mainland. Let me guess. The North Shore? Salem?"

Kathy paused and smiled. "Beverly."

"Close enough," Michael said.

Connelly started down the hallway again. "Well it's not where I spend my time now."

"And where might that be?"

"Ass end of the world. Antarctica."

Michael laughed. "Wouldn't you know it? We're polar opposites! I spend most of my time under the skirt of the Arctic Circle. So much for dinner."