"We've run into some kind of interference," Harris said. "All transmissions to Earth are being blocked somehow. Photos, video, audio, nothing's getting through. Solar radiation is normal right now so my only guess is that it's our proximity to Jupiter that's causing the problem. I'm currently running a full diagnostic to rectify the issue."

Connelly's trepidation skyrocketed. Harris was about to drop some kind of bomb.

"In addition, we will soon be on the far side of Jupiter, meaning that even if communications were restored, we still wouldn't have communications until we clear Jupiter again."

"How long will that be?" Willard asked.

"Forty-three hours," Harris said. "Typically we wouldn't make our next move, and that includes the analysis of alien organisms, until we had reported to and received clearance from ground control."

Connelly's heart sank. They were going to be sitting on their hands for forty-three hours!

"However," Harris said, "We did not come to Europa to twiddle our thumbs waiting to hear from mission control."

Feeling hope return, Connelly smiled. "So we can start our analysis?"

Harris shook his head. "No."

Now all the scientists in the room were looking upset.

"Well, which is it," Peterson said. "Can we get some work done or not?"

Robert pushed his glasses higher onto his nose. "This, ah, this is quite possibly the greatest discovery mankind has ever made. We can't just ignore it. There are hours, countless hours of study, research, analysis to—"

Harris held his open palm up. A smile was creeping onto his face. "I understand," he said, his smile growing wider.

"He finds this humorous," Peterson said to Robert, then glanced at Connelly, "He finds this humorous."

"I'm afraid," Harris said in a loud voice, "that there are much more urgent matters that need all of your attention."

Connelly felt her trust in Harris's decision making abilities begin to wane. How could he not see the importance of this work? Nothing else could be as important. Nothing!

"While what we have discovered here already is beyond all predictions and expectations," Harris said. "I'm afraid that this mission cannot be deemed a success until we accomplish what we came here to do."

"And what is that," Connelly said, her heart pounding beneath her ribs.

"I'll pose this as a question," Harris said. "We have discovered life on the surface of Europa, which is, as Kathy reminded us, a statistical improbability. But what we came here for, was not to find life on the surface of Europa, but beneath the surface, in the ocean that we now know exists."

Connelly's mind felt as though a vacuum cleaner had just been inserted and was now sucking out all the confusing, demanding thoughts within. Even the Europhids were beginning to lose ground in the battle for her attention.

"If there is life on the surface of Europa," Harris said, "how much more likely is it that we will discover life within the seas of Europa?"

"What are you saying?" Connelly asked.