Aurora Springer's Blog, page 45
October 16, 2017
99c Bargain Books #SciFi #Fantasy & #SFR This week only!
Oct 17-21: OTHER WORLDS 99¢ Mega Sale http://www.otherworldscollection.com/other-worlds-99-cent-mega-sale/
Oct 16-22: SciFi & Fantasy 99c http://sffbookbonanza.com/99c-books/
Oct 16-21: Clean Fantasy Reads 99c http://emilymarthasorensen.com/cleanfantasyreads99centbooks.html
Oct 19-21: Sci-Fi Romance Crosspromo http://www.rinellegrey.com/among-the-stars/
October 14, 2017
Alien beauty - Snippet from Europa for #WeWriWa #SciFiRom
Welcome to another Sunday with
Weekend Writing Warriors
. Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. I’m posting snippets from my latest novel set on Jupiter’s moon, Europa.
Tag line: What alien creatures lurk under the ice crust of Europa?
After Nikki’s lifepod crashed on Europa, she tumbled into a hole in the ice and saw a man’s face in the water below. You can read my last snippet here: https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2017/10/man-beneath-ice-snippet-from-europa-for.htmlI have skipped some sentences and added punctuation to fit into 10 sentences.
Kiron Arqin Ramis stared through the thin plate of ice at the space-suited body. The Earther lay with the faceplate of the suit touching the ice and one gloved hand with five fingers flattened against the sheet. He pondered the dilemma posed by the stray Earther: her people must never learn of the Watchers’ existence, yet, she would die without his help.Her eyes flicked open and focused on him, blue eyes in a pleasantly contoured face. Her fingers scraped the ice sheet between them, and her mouth opened in a soundless exclamation. He leaned closer and smiled in greeting. Her mirrored smile transformed her pale face with an alien beauty. Within a second, her lovely smile faded and her eyes shut. Kiron punched his fist through the thin ice. The Earth woman slid headfirst into the water.
BlurbDr. Nikki Bell’s plan to discover intelligent life in the oceans of Europa hits a rocky start when her spaceship crashes on the icy surface. Seconds before she blacks out, she spies a man’s face in the water beneath the ice. When she wakes on the submarine Station, nobody believes her story. Convinced the mysterious stranger saved her life, Nikki searches for him while she explores the ocean and its alien inhabitants. Kiron Arqin Ramis chose exile as a Watcher on a remote outpost to redeem his family’s honor. He never expected to find an attractive Earther woman close to death. He violates the prime policy by rescuing her. Despite suffering the penalty, he strives to warn her about his hostile leaders. Nikki’s unexpected meeting with Kiron triggers a chain of disasters in Europa’s perilous oceans. Can the daredevil scientist and scarred Watcher forge a new alliance despite their people’s antagonism? Book 1 in a new SciFi series, Taxyon Space.
You can read the first two chapters in your choice of format HERE .
The book is available for Pre-order for only 99cAmazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0764DFSDM/International: http://authl.it/B0764DFSDM/?d
I am running two other special discounts. The 3 books in my Secret Supers series are 99c this week or free with kindle unlimited.
Superheroes at college, snarky animals, and devious aliens living among us. Super Starrella, Book 1: Amazon Starrella Falls, Book 2: Amazon Gargoyle Hunt, Book 3: Amazon
My science fiction story, A Tale of Two Colonies, is discounted to 99c this month.
The giant alien spiders make it fit for a Halloween read. Fight for freedom. Fight to survive - For refugees from an overcrowded Earth, dreams of a better life on an alien planet transform into a terrifying battle for survival.Available at Amazon iBooks Kobo B&N
As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments. Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.
Find a catalog of my published stories HERE .
Join me on Facebook Twitter Google+
October 10, 2017
Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2 - New Release #SciFi #Romance
Thanks for having me as your guest today to talk about Embrace the Romance: Pets In Space 2!I thought today I’d share a true story I’ve talked about before, regarding a ‘pet’ who actually went into space and came back.Even though we’re writing about fictional pets for this anthology, I’ve seen an actual animal who went to space and survived to enjoy a well-deserved retirement on Earth later – Miss Baker, a squirrel monkey who became one of the first two monkeys launched together into space by the US and recovered alive in 1959. The petite one-pound lady had a sixteen minute flight including nine minutes of weightlessness (one wonders what she thought about all of that but the way she was strapped into her flight capsule, she probably didn’t float much.) Her nickname was “TLC” because her handlers appreciated the way she responded to their tender loving care.
Sadly, Miss Able, the rhesus monkey on board the same Jupiter rocket, also survived the actual flight but succumbed four days later to a rare and fatal reaction to anesthesia. Ironic to have been to space and back, and then be stricken with a more earthly fate.It’s hard to imagine now, in the days of the space station, and men and women who routinely remain in orbit for months on end, that in the earliest days of the space race, no one was sure humans could survive even a brief trip off. It was deemed necessary to send up other animals first. Monkeys, mice and dogs were the mammal test cases, and much was learned from each flight, even though sometimes there were tragedies. Other animals sent up by the USA and Russia before the double monkey flight didn’t fare as well as feisty Miss Baker. The Russians hadsuccessfully recovered two dogs before the time of Miss Baker’s flight, however.
She got to retire after her one trip into space and resultant fame, including her photo on the cover of LIFE magazine. In 1962, she ‘married’ a fellow monkey named Big George and when he predeceased her, she married again, to ‘Norman,’ although she refused to wear the wedding outfit someone had designed for her.I saw her several times at the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she lived from 1971 to 1984. She was a lively little thing, accepting the admiration of all the visitors, and enjoying herself, scampering around the enclosure. Miss Baker became the oldest recorded living squirrel monkey, so apparently her flight into space didn’t faze her much. Strawberry gelatin with bananas was her favorite food and she received approximately 100 letters per day from school children.The rocket she rode to fame was approximately 70’ tall. For comparison sake, the Saturn V rocket that sent men to the Moon was approximately 363’ tall.It’s said that people leave bananas on her tombstone in Huntsville, Alabama to this day.Snails, fish, spiders, moths, sea urchins, mice and baby chicks have been sent into space so far, but no mature birds like my alien eagle in the story. The theory is that birds would cope well with gliding about in the lack of gravity. Bees which were sent to the Space Station had a tough time at first but by the end of a week were flying normally. Nature finds a way, as they famously state in the movie “Jurassic Park.”
Blurb for Star Cruise: Songbird:Grant Barton, a Security Officer on the Nebula Zephyr, is less than thrilled with his current assignment to guard an Interstellar singing sensation while she’s on board the ship. It doesn’t help that he and his military war bird Valkyr are dealing with their recent separation from the Sectors Special Forces and uncertainty over their future, with their own planet in ruins.Karissa Dawnstar is on top of the charts and seemingly has it all – talent, fame, fortune and devoted fans, but behind her brave smile and upbeat lyrics she hides an aching heart. When a publicity stunt goes wrong, Karissa finds herself in the arms of the security officer assigned to protect her – and discovers a mutual attraction she can’t ignore.Trouble continues to plague the pair, driving a wedge between them and leaving Grant certain that Karissa is in more danger than she realizes, from overzealous fans and her own management. Grant is determined to protect Karissa whether she wants his help or not. Can he discover the truth behind what’s going on before he loses Karissa or is there someone else plotting to keep them apart – permanently?
The excerpt, where the singer meets the alien eagle:“Wow,” said Karissa, coming closer. “His claws are like knives. How can you hold him without getting hurt?”“The glove and the shoulder of my shirt are made from woven cartefl fibers, strongest material in the Sectors,” Grant said. “In the old days, a handler had to wear bulky leather gloves and thick padding but modern tech makes things much easier. Shall we go?”Karissa moved toward the door but gave him a dubious look. “You just carry him through the ship? What if he gets spooked and flies away?”“Valkyr is a highly trained military asset,” he said, entering the corridor behind her. “And a registered sentient. He knows how to behave in a noncombat situation. This way.”“So the two of you were in the war?”He really didn’t want to talk about his past or explain himself to this pop star. “Yes. We were in the Special Forces Z Unit until recently. Z for zoological.”“I saw a documentary on them once,” Karissa said as they entered the gravlift. Valkyr liked antigrav and flared his wings to the full 8’ span, posing dramatically as they drifted downward toward the hangar deck.Don’t show off for her too much. Grant chuckled a bit as Karissa gasped at the display his companion was making.“How can you keep him on a spaceship?” Karissa asked, her voice full of reproach. “How can that possibly be good for him?”They stepped off at the hangar deck, Valkyr folding his wings obligingly so Grant could get through the portal. “This a temporary job for me. I needed a place to land after the military, while I figured out our next steps.”The hangar deck was the single largest space on the Nebula Zephyr, as big as the two cargo decks combined, and ran the entire length and breadth of the ship. Currently the three shuttles, the captain’s flitter and two small exterior maintenance vehicles were parked neatly in their assigned spaces, with plenty of room left over for incoming shuttles when the liner was in orbit above a planet. A crewman greeted them, staring at Karissa so hard it was amazing to Grant that the man managed any coherent words. “Deck’s clear, as ordered. You have an hour.”“Thanks.” Grant watched the man leave as Karissa gave him a wave and threw him a kiss. The crew member stumbled and all but fell into the gravlift.“What now?” she asked.“Now he flies.” Grant lifted his arm in a rapid motion and Valkyr launched himself into the air, flying low across the deck at first and then beating his wings to gain height. He was soon lost to view in the far end of the deck.
Blurb for Embrace the Romance: Pets In Space 2: The pets are back! Embrace the Romance: Pets in Space 2, featuring twelve of today’s leading Science Fiction Romance authors brings you a dozen original stories written just for you! Join in the fun, from the Dragon Lords of Valdier to a trip aboard award-winning author, Veronica Scott’s Nebula Zephyr to journeying back to Luda where Grim is King, for stories that will take you out of this world! Join New York Times, USA TODAY, and Award-winning authors S.E. Smith, M.K. Eidem, Susan Grant, Michelle Howard, Cara Bristol, Veronica Scott, Pauline Baird Jones, Laurie A. Green, Sabine Priestley, Jessica E. Subject, Carol Van Natta, and Alexis Glynn Latner as they share stories and help out Hero-Dogs.org, a charity that supports our veterans!
10% of the first month’s profits go to Hero-Dogs.org. Hero Dogs raises and trains service dogs and places them free of charge with US Veterans to improve quality of life and restore independence.
Buy Links: Amazon USAmazon CAAmazon UKAmazon AUAmazon FRAmazon DEAmazon JPiBooksB&NKoboGoogle Play
Author Bio:Best Selling Science Fiction, Fantasy & Paranormal Romance author, as well as the “SciFi Encounters” columnist for the USA Today Happy Ever After blog, Veronica Scott grew up in a house with a library as its heart. Dad loved science fiction, Mom loved ancient history and Veronica thought there needed to be more romance in everything. When she ran out of books to read, she started writing her own stories.Seven time winner of the SFR Galaxy Award, as well as a National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, Veronica is also the proud recipient of a NASA Exceptional Service Medal relating to her former day job, not her romances! She recently was honored to read the part of Star Trek Crew Member in the audiobook production of Harlan Ellison’s “The City On the Edge of Forever.”Blog: https://veronicascott.wordpress.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/vscotttheauthorFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Veronica-Scott/177217415659637?ref=hl
October 7, 2017
Man beneath the ice - Snippet from Europa for #WeWriWa #SciFi
Welcome to another Sunday with
Weekend Writing Warriors
. Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. I’m posting snippets from my latest novel set on Jupiter’s moon, Europa.
Tag line: What alien creatures lurk under the ice crust of Europa?
You can read my last snippet here: https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2017/09/cruel-barb-snippet-from-europa-for.htmlI have skipped several pages to give you a glimpse of the hero. Nikki ejected just before her lifepod crashed on Europa. She has fallen into a hole in the ice crust. Please excuse any irregular punctuation to fit into 10 sentences.
She scrunched her eyes closed and lay motionless, dazed and light-headed from exhaustion and low oxygen. Seconds, or maybe hours later, she opened her eyes and bit back a cry of shock. A new face stared up through the transparent layer of ice. A finely chiseled man’s face with green eyes under straight reddish eyebrows, and prominent cheekbones, one bearing a triangular mark. Nikki stretched her fingers toward him, and his lips curved in a handsome smile.
BlurbDr. Nikki Bell’s plan to discover intelligent life in the oceans of Europa hits a rocky start when her spaceship crashes on the icy surface. Seconds before she blacks out, she spies a man’s face in the water beneath the ice. When she wakes on the submarine Station, nobody believes her story. Convinced the mysterious stranger saved her life, Nikki searches for him while she explores the ocean and its alien inhabitants. Kiron Arqin Ramis chose exile as a Watcher on a remote outpost to redeem his family’s honor. He never expected to find an attractive Earther woman close to death. He violates the prime policy by rescuing her. Despite suffering the penalty, he strives to warn her about his hostile leaders. Nikki’s unexpected meeting with Kiron triggers a chain of disasters in Europa’s perilous oceans. Can the daredevil scientist and scarred Watcher forge a new alliance despite their people’s antagonism? Book 1 in a new SciFi series, Taxyon Space.
You can read the first two chapters in your choice of format HERE.
The book is available for Pre-order for only 99cAmazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0764DFSDM/International: http://authl.it/B0764DFSDM/?d
I am running two other special discounts.
Gargoyle Hunt, Book 3 of Secret Supers, will be 99c until 22ndSuperheroes at college, snarky animals, living gargoyles and devious aliens living among us. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MDT6Y7Y/http://authl.it/B01MDT6Y7Y/?d
My science fiction story, A Tale of Two Colonies, will be discounted to 99c this month. The giant arachnids make it fit for a Halloween read. Available at Amazon iBooks Kobo B&N
As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments. Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.
Find a catalog of my published stories HERE. Join me on Facebook Twitter Google+
October 6, 2017
Early October #SciFi & Fantasy Stories - 99c and #FREE
This Weekend - Oct 7-8: 99c SciFi & Fantasy http://pattyjansen.com/promo
Oct 1-14: Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Fantasy Romance Mega Giveaway IF https://www.instafreebie.com/gg/OW4aH9djyd7OOKrDBdDf 
Oct 1-31: Superheroes at https://www.instafreebie.com/gg/QaXnPuzgNXpX1FYoTlbb
October 5, 2017
Europa for #SFRB Showcase
Welcome to the SFR Brigade Showcase for October For this month’s showcase, I’m posting an excerpt from my new novel. Please remember to check out the posts from the other participants at http://sfrcontests.blogspot.com/p/sfr-brigade-presents.html
This year, I began writing a new series intended to be science fiction adventures. But, romance slipped into the first story.
Blurb What alien creatures lurk under the icy surface of Europa?
Dr. Nikki Bell’s plan to discover intelligent life hits a rocky start when her spaceship crashes on the icy surface of Europa. Seconds before she blacks out, she spies a man’s face in the water beneath the ice. When she wakes on the submarine Station, nobody believes her story. Convinced the mysterious stranger saved her life, Nikki searches for him while she explores the ocean and its alien inhabitants. Kiron Arqin Ramis chose exile as a Watcher on a remote outpost to redeem his family’s honor. He never expected to find an attractive Earther woman close to death. He violates the prime policy by rescuing her. Despite suffering the penalty, he strives to warn her about his hostile leaders. Nikki’s unexpected meeting with Kiron triggers a chain of disasters in Europa’s perilous oceans. Can the daredevil scientist and scarred Watcher forge a new alliance despite their people’s antagonism? Science fiction thriller and romance: Book 1 of Taxyon Space, a saga of our journey to the stars.
Excerpt:We meet the hero in this scene. After Nikki’s escape pod crashes on Europa, she falls into a crack in the ice. She sees his face in the water just before she loses consciousness.
Her eyes flicked open and focused on him, blue eyes in a pleasantly contoured face. Her fingers scraped the ice sheet between them, and her mouth opened in a soundless exclamation. He leaned closer and smiled in greeting. Her mirrored smile transformed her pale face with an alien beauty. Within a second, her lovely smile faded and her eyes shut. Without making a conscious decision, Kiron punched his fist through the thin ice. The Earth woman slid headfirst into the water. He pulled her underwater and rotated her body, checking for telltale threads of bubbles. No leaks in the suit, instead he noticed a loose connection to her air cylinder. Glancing up through the shrinking hole in the ice, orange striped Jupiter cut into a crescent. Night was closing in fast. He tapped the gas cylinder strapped to her back. Surely the mechanism for air storage was similar to the oxygen tubes his people used. The cylinder felt light. He feared it was close to empty. She would expire from lack of oxygen. He had to save her. Kiron considered the options. He could take her to the hidden base of the Watchers, or else he could transport her to the other Earthers. Narrowing his eyes, Kiron stared in the direction of the submarine residence of the Earthers. If he swam warily, he could deposit her near their sensors without being observed and let them retrieve her. The alternative of bringing her into the Warrish Base was less attractive. His people would not welcome an alien female. Some would wish to kill her to prevent disclosure of their existence. Quickly coming to a decision, he wrapped a strap around the suit and hauled her toward the Earther station. In a dozen lengths, he halted under a depression in the ice, an inverted trough gouged out by the tidal waves. He had often sipped oxygen-enriched air from these oxygen-enriched. He enlarged the cavity and tethered the spacesuit to the ice crust. Holding her head above the water, he quickly deciphered the unfamiliar mechanism and unfastened her helmet. Loose strands of her brown hair clung to his hands as he examined her pale face in the dim glow of his night light. Under the fine arch of her brows, her eyes were shut. Her sweet lips held a hint of a smile as if she hoped he would save her. He could not detect her breathing. Taking a gulp of air, he parted her lips and blew oxygen into her lungs. The touch of her soft lips elicited a mixture of embarrassment and desire. He had not touched a woman during the four years he had been a Watcher. He leaned back to observe her face. Her mouth relaxed into a curve and a faint moan percolated to his ears. She still lived. Her eyes were shut. Yet, small motions of her nose and lips indicated breathing. Her pallor lessened, her cheeks darkening to the reddish brown natural to her species. Shivering in the cold water, he reattached the loose tube to her breathing apparatus. She had oxygen, although he suspected little remained in the cylinder. On impulse, he brushed his lips on hers and whispered a blessing for long life and happiness. She would never know, and nobody could see him. Her smooth skin felt strange, yet pleasant. Finally, he replaced her helmet, carefully tucking damp locks of her hair inside. Kiron held the Earther against his chest and swam toward the Earther Station.
Pre-order at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0764DFSDM/
Read a preview of the First Chapters in ePub or mobi at https://www.instafreebie.com/free/xvzau
Find a catalog of my published stories HERE.
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September 30, 2017
Cruel barb - Snippet from Europa for #WeWriWa #SciFi
Welcome to another Sunday with
Weekend Writing Warriors
. Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. I’m posting snippets from my WIP set on Jupiter’s moon, Europa.
Current Tag line: What alien creatures lurk under the ice crust of Europa?
I have skipped several lines. Now, Nikki and three survivors from the crashed space ferry are traveling to Europa in a lifepod. Based on Ed’s comment, this snippet gives some of Nikki’s backstory. Next week, I may give you a glimpse of the hero. Any suggestions for improvement are appreciated. You can read my last snippet here: https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2017/09/meet-him-on-europa-snippet-for-wewriwa.htmlPlease excuse my irregular punctuation to fit into 10 sentences.
Switching to a safer topic, Nikki grumbled, “I wanted a peaceful life studying the alien organisms in the oceans. Now, we don’t know when we’ll be able to dive, and we might have lost the frikking lab equipment.” “Don’t you even care about people?” Alita wailed. “Is nothing more important than your research?” Roy spoke up, “Calm down, Alita; can’t you see that Nikki’s only trying to distract us?” “She doesn’t have a missing partner,” Alita sniffed. “I care,” Nikki muttered though clenched teeth. The accusation rankled. Her friend had unconsciously delivered a crueler barb than she intended. Alita had never met Simon. In the three years since his death, Nikki believed she had worked through her grief, although she had deliberately shunned intimate liaisons on the voyage.
BlurbDr. Nikki Bell’s plan to discover intelligent life in the oceans of Europa hits a rocky start when her spaceship crashes on the icy surface. Seconds before she blacks out, she spies a man’s face in the water beneath the ice. When she wakes on the submarine Station, nobody believes her story. Convinced the mysterious stranger saved her life, Nikki searches for him while she explores the ocean and its alien inhabitants. Kiron Arqin Ramis chose exile as a Watcher on a remote outpost to redeem his family’s honor. He never expected to find an attractive Earther woman close to death. He violates the prime policy by rescuing her. Despite suffering the penalty, he strives to warn her about his hostile leaders. Nikki’s second meeting with Kiron triggers a chain of disasters in Europa’s perilous oceans. Can they overcome deadly aquatic predators and their people’s antagonism to forge a new alliance? Book 1 in a new SciFi series, Taxyon Space.
As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments.
Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.
September 23, 2017
Meet him on Europa? Snippet for #WeWriWa #SciFi Adventure & Romance
Welcome to another Sunday with
Weekend Writing Warriors
. Meet writers in various genres and read 8-10 sentence snippets of their stories. I’m posting snippets from my WIP set on Jupiter’s moon, Europa.
Current Tag line: What alien creatures lurk under the ice crust of Europa?
Here are the next few lines of Chapter one. Dr. Nikki Bell is traveling to Europa to study the alien life in the ocean. Alarms rang on her spaceship and she has raced to the lifepod. Nobody else is there. It’s not a final version and any suggestions will be especially appreciated. You can read my last snippet here: https://auroraspringer.blogspot.com/2017/09/breached-hull-snippet-for-wewriwa-scifi.htmlI’ve altered punctuation to fit.
A groan from Roy, and negative shakes of the head from the other two confirmed her suspicions: they were the only ones to reach this lifepod. Clamping down her fears, Nikki took charge. She pointed at Alita, “Get Roy a pain killer and find a bandage for his arm; he’ll need help with his suit.” “What about Karl? Can’t we wait?” Alita whispered. She silenced Alita’s faint objections, “Karl is probably in a lifepod in the next section. We’ll meet him on Europa.” Once they launched from the ship, their target was obvious. They were close to their destination and the lifepod had enough fuel to reach Europa. “Does anyone know what happened to the ferry?” Petris asked.
BlurbDr. Nikki Bell’s plan to discover intelligent life in the oceans of Europa hits a rocky start when her spaceship crashes on the icy surface. Seconds before she blacks out, she spies a man’s face in the water beneath the ice. When she wakes on the submarine Station, nobody believes her story. Convinced the mysterious stranger saved her life, Nikki searches for him while she explores the ocean and its alien inhabitants. Kiron Arqin Ramis chose exile as a Watcher on a remote outpost to redeem his family’s honor. He never expected to find an attractive Earther woman close to death. He violates the prime policy by rescuing her. Despite suffering the penalty, he strives to warn her about his hostile leaders. Nikki’s second meeting with Kiron triggers a chain of disasters in Europa’s perilous oceans. Can they overcome deadly aquatic predators and their people’s antagonism to forge a new alliance? Book 1 in a new series – I’m still debating the name.
My promotion starts on Monday
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As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments. Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.
September 22, 2017
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September 21, 2017
Excerpt - Chapter 1 of Europa #SciFi Adventure & Romance
What alien creatures lurk under the ice crust of Europa?
Dr. Nikki Bell’s plan to discover intelligent life in the oceans of Europa hits a rocky start when her spaceship crashes on the icy surface. Seconds before she blacks out, she spies a man’s face in the water beneath the ice. When she wakes on the submarine Station, nobody believes her story. Convinced the mysterious stranger saved her life, Nikki searches for him while she explores the ocean and its alien inhabitants. Kiron Arqin Ramis chose exile as a Watcher on a remote outpost to redeem his family’s honor. He never expected to find an attractive Earther woman close to death. He violates the prime policy by rescuing her. Despite suffering the penalty, he strives to warn her about his hostile leaders. Nikki’s second meeting with Kiron triggers a chain of disasters in Europa’s perilous oceans. Can they overcome deadly aquatic predators and their people’s antagonism to forge a new alliance?
Chapter One
Solar Spirit shuddered, slamming Nikki onto the steel floor of the passage. Alarms wailed. Lights flashed red warnings. Biting back a scream, Nikki scrambled onto her feet. She glanced right and left along the corridor. A second jolt tipped the floor into an awkward angle. Her boots lifted from the tilted floor and she spun slowly in midair. Styx! The ship’s artificial gravity had failed. What next? No life support? She groaned inwardly. Her arms flailing for a grip, Nikki struggled to catch hold of the handrail. Her emergency training kicked in. Primed by drills every third day of the voyage, she knew what to do. She dived for the nearest oxygen canister. Working one handed while grasping the rail, she fastened the mask around her mouth and nose. Her mind cleared, clicking into logical mode. The spaceship was damaged, possibly hit by a stray asteroid on the outer fringes of the belt. What blasted bad timing. Solar Spirit had begun decelerating and she had expected to reach Europa in less than two days.Heavy partitions clanged shut, separating the damaged sections of the ship. The nearer set slammed closed, and a second, fainter clunk, sounded in the opposite direction. Her section was isolated from the rest of the ship. The ship’s layout fixed in her mind, she kicked off, traveling diagonally from wall to wall to propel herself through the empty corridor to the nearest life craft. The overhead lights flickered and faded to black, leaving only the line of red arrows marking the direction of the exit. The corridor bucked. She banged against the wall and stumbled onto her knees, cringing at the creak of overstrained metal. The siren’s whine cut to silence. What the styx did that mean? She had to get out. Nikki struggled upright and flipped on her headlamp. The bay with the lifepod was a few steps ahead. Its door was shut and no one was visible in the annex. Nikki staggered to the rack of spacesuits on the wall by the airlock. She selected the correct size and clambered into the bulky spacesuit, balancing against the juddering of the ship. Pulling an emergency kit from the shelf, she entered the inner airlock and fumbled at the door handle of the lifepod. She flung the door open, climbed into the cabin and dropped into the pilot’s seat. Panting with relief, she looked around. Where was everybody? The lifepod was sized for six people. She must be the first to reach its safety. Surely Alita and Karl would arrive soon. She had left them in the gym only minutes before the alarm sounded. Uncertain of her best course of action, Nikki waited in the lifepod. She didn’t want to leave anybody behind. Involuntarily, she touched her chest where her data stick hung on a chain under her overalls. She always carried a copy of all the files and software for her research in a pendant shaped like a spiral shell. Once she reached Europa Station, she would be ready to set up her lab. The incessant blare of the alarms revved up her stress level until the wait seemed interminable. At last, she heard voices outside and a scrape at the door. It swung open and Roy stumbled into the cabin, his right arm hanging limply at his side. Alita and Petris followed, already in their suits and carrying helmets. Petris toted an extra spacesuit over his shoulder. “This section is sealed off,” Petris said, between pants of breath. “The hull must be breached in three or five.” Tears poured down Alita’s pale cheeks. “I don’t know what happened to Karl,” she moaned. “He’s behind the barrier. When we left the gym, he went to section five to fetch a snack from the food dispenser.” “Did you see anyone else?” Nikki asked. A groan from Roy, and negative shakes of the head from the other two confirmed her suspicions. They were the only ones to reach this lifepod. Clamping down her fears, Nikki took charge. She pointed at Alita. “Get Roy a pain killer and find a bandage for his arm. He’ll need help with his suit.” “What about Karl? Can’t we wait?” Alita whispered. She silenced Alita’s faint objections. “Karl is probably in a lifepod in the next section. We’ll meet him on Europa.” Once they launched from the ship, their target was obvious. They were close to their destination and the lifepod had enough fuel to reach Europa. “Does anyone know what happened to the ferry?” Petris asked. Flipping on the intercom to the bridge of the Solar Spirit, Nikki said, “Let’s find out.” The raucous tones of the emergency system rang out, “Warning! Hull breached in sections five and six. Air pressure low, entering danger zone. Damage reported from sections seven and nine. Evacuate breached sections.” Nikki punched the code for the bridge, and then engineering, without receiving any response. She decided, “We’ll wait five minutes, and then we’re shooting into space.” Behind her, Alita was helping Roy into his suit, while Petris checked the supply cabinets.“Helmets on,” Nikki ordered, “and don’t forget to switch on your mikes.” His helmet clicked into place, and Petris grinned at her through the faceplate. His voice filtered through her ear plugs, “All secure, Captain Bell.”Counting the minutes under her breath, Nikki interrupted the repeating alarm call, “I’m lifting off in two minutes.” Scanning the faces of her companions, she made a swift decision. “Petris, you’re navigator. Plot a course to Europa Station.” Sliding into the seat next to Nikki, Petris bent over the control pad and tapped in the codes. “You got it.” Nikki continued, “Alita, look after Roy. Help him buckle up in the rear seat.” Checking that her crew members were seated with harnesses fastened, she hit the starter. The lifepod hatch opened in the hull, revealing the storm bands of Jupiter. The size of a tennis ball, the gas giant’s red and yellow stripes gleamed against the black of space. Ejecting on auto, the lifepod eased out of the hatch and steered away from the bulk of the large space ferry. Petris whistled. “Look at the size of that frikking hole.” “I can’t look!” Alita squealed, clapping her hands over her faceplate. A jagged tear ran along the side of the Solar Spirit, and Nikki wondered if anyone had survived in the ruptured sections. The passengers’ cabins were in section six and the crew slept in nine. Anyone asleep in their hammock would have little chance to escape. She nibbled her lower lip, knowing she had no way to help. “What on Earth smashed into the Spirit?” “Something big and fast,” Petris muttered. “An asteroid or stray moonlet.” Nikki swung round and frowned at her navigator. “How in styx did the sensors miss an a object of that size?” Petris groaned, “There’s a blind spot. Sensor on the blink in the stern. We planned to fix it while the ferry was in orbit round Europa. Stupid mistake, though I shouldn’t say it. Captain made the call to delay repairs.” “Understandable. Space walking’s risky,” Nikki said, aiming to soothe him. Emotional outbursts would heighten their stress and might lead to further dangerous errors. Alita was already close to hysterical with worry about Karl. “We should have fixed it.” Punching the console with his fist, Petris snapped, “Styx! We’ll be blacklisted by Flux Space. It’s their first serious loss since they started a regular service to the outer planets.” “How long is that?” Nikki asked.Petris shrugged. “Five years, if you don’t count the seven years of construction runs.”“I’d call that a success, going so long without a major accident.” Taking manual control, Nikki steered the small craft around the vast hull of the ferry. The bulbous cargo section was intact, but the crack in the hull extended into engineering. She shook her head, and tried the intercom to individuals. When she had almost given up, a ping came from the bridge and she opened the channel. “Hello, lifepod eight, who’s there?” the voice stuttered. “Chief Scientist Bell with Techs Farren, Steinhelm and Wong. What’s the damage?” “First Officer Cummings at the helm. We’ve several problems. Captain’s injured. Chief engineer noticed a glitch in the deflector field just before the ferry was hit. The drive shut down. We’re on emergency life support. Gabby’s checking the generator. Sections one, two and four are habitable.” His breath caught in an audible groan. “By frikking bad luck, we’ve lost our third shift crew. They were sleeping in their cabins when the section lost air. The rest of the crew is searching for survivors.” “What’re your orders for us? Roy…Tech Wong has a broken arm.” “Head for Europa Station. They have medics. Ours will be busy. Steer well clear of the Spirit. We’ll be deploying the solar wings to power life support.”“What will you do?” “Round up the survivors and count our losses. Passengers can ship out in the lifepods. The ferry can limp along with a small crew. We have to save the cargo. Europa Station is low on supplies. We’ve sent them a message.” He groaned. “Our best estimate is their shuttle will take thirty hours to arrive here.” “Okay. Good luck!” Shutting off the com, Nikki turned to her companions. “You heard Cummings. We’re flying to Europa.”
As they angled toward the yellow and orange ball of Jupiter, another lifepod emerged from the opposite side of the ship and sped in the same direction. Frowning at the controls, Petris said, “The course is set. We’ll arrive at the moon in twenty-eight hours and eleven minutes.” “Time to relax and enjoy a delicious protein bar,” Nikki joked. “I’ve got the channel open to Europa Station. Do you want to speak to them?” Leaning over to grab the mike, Nikki called, “Hello Europa Station. This is lifepod eight departing from the ferry, Solar Spirit. Do you hear me?” “Hello, lifepod eight. Com Officer Patel speaking. We heard the emergency SOS from the transport ferry. What’s your status?” Nikki named the personnel on board, and added, “Tech Wong needs medical help for a broken arm. I’m requesting permission to land at Europa Station.” “We’re on alert for three lifepods. The Station is on the moon’s side facing away from Jupiter. Aim for the black and white circle around our hatch. It’s marked in flashing green lights after dark. We’ll open the hatch when you’re overhead. Land on the platform and we’ll lower you through the tunnel to the Upper Station. Keep an eye out for turbulence. Jupiter’s in an active phase.” The submarine station had been constructed under the ice crust in the relative warmth of the ocean. “Okay,” Nikki said. After they had traveled for about an hour, a third lifepod appeared in the rear viewer. Presumably another set of passengers bound for Europa.
During the tedious voyage to their destination, Nikki had plenty of time to agonize over her losses. Without news of the other passengers, she wondered who had survived the collision. After two years on board, she knew them all, some better than she wished. The senior scientists, two astronomers, Cleo and Ahmed, the geophysicist, Bernard, and their assistants, all eager to study Jupiter and its moons at close quarters. She chewed her lower lip. Alita, Roy and Petris were safe for the present, but the fate of the Sci Techs, Prya and Karl, was in question. Greta and Denton were replacements for the techs rotating out of Europa Station. Penny and Jeremy, her ten-year-old son, were joining her husband on the Station. Then, there was Greggor Falconer, the reclusive agent for Flux Space Ventures, who spent most of his time buried in engineering. Three Belters had joined the ferry when the Solar Spirit docked at Ceres. Stig, a lanky young man from a mining family, and Clem, his very pregnant wife, were traveling to the Medical Center on Europa Station. Europa and Mars had the only full-scale hospital facilities outside of Earth. Howie, a disgruntled prospector with a lame leg, was on his way back to the colony on Mars. Had they survived the collision? Surely, some of them must have escaped in the two other lifepods. Alita’s whiny voice interrupted her thoughts, “What about the others? Do you think they’re alive?” “You heard Cummings,” Nikki said. “And we’ve seen two lifepods leave the ferry. We’ll learn more after we reach Europa.” She refused to speculate when her assistant was already distraught over Karl’s absence. “The Station will be on alert to receive casualties,” Petris remarked. “It may be frikking messy for several days. Can’t imagine their Med facility is designed to serve more than a couple of patients.” “Blasted catastrophe!” Switching to a less sinister topic, Nikki grumbled, “I wanted a peaceful life studying the alien organisms in the oceans. Now, we don’t know when we’ll be able to dive and we might have lost the frikking lab equipment.” “Don’t you even care about people?” Alita wailed. “Is nothing more important than your research?” Roy spoke up, “Calm down, Alita. Can’t you see that Nikki’s only trying to distract us?” “She doesn’t have a missing partner,” Alita sniffed. “I care,” Nikki muttered though clenched teeth. The accusation rankled, although she realized her friend had unconsciously delivered a crueler barb than she intended. Alita had never met Simon. After three years, Nikki believed she had worked through her grief, although she had deliberately shunned intimate liaisons on the voyage. The close quarters of the ferry made it impossible to go through a flirtation and subsequent breakup in any privacy. She said, “I’m sure we can rely the ferry crew to rescue our friends. Even if they abandon the Solar Spirit, we can retrieve our stuff later.” Her small cabin held a few precious souvenirs of her life on Earth, her father’s medals from the war her mother’s wedding ring, and the engagement ring from poor Simon. She had kept the ring as a bittersweet memento of three months of bliss with her fiancé. In the years since his death, she had crushed her grief under the burden of her work and grown fascinated by the mysterious inhabitants of Europa’s oceans. Besides her personal possessions, she might have lost the instruments and research supplies for her investigations of the Europan lifeforms. And, possibly an assistant for her research if Denton had been trapped in the damaged sections. Nikki had promised to keep her mentor, Astrid Andersen, informed, but she was reluctant to call until they arrived at Europa Station. Astrid could do nothing from her office on distant Earth. In any case, as Chief of Xenobiology on Mars, Dr. Andersen would be among the first to learn of the disaster on the Solar Spirit. Once they were safe, Nikki vowed to send her a report on the accident and describe the conditions at the station.
As they approached, Jupiter expanded into a giant striped sphere, dominating the sky like a festival balloon. Nikki stared in fascination at Jupiter’s swirling storms. Giant vortices spun within the bright bands, eerily beautiful and deadly. The lifepod veered towards the moon of Europa, faintly visible as a tiny disk in front of a stormy yellow band. The radiation sensors shot into the danger zone, and she hoped the shielding was sufficient protection for the flight to the buried station. Soon they zoomed over the pale landscape of the moon, crisscrossed with ruddy lines. The zebra-striped circle of their target appeared in the distance, conspicuous against the glistening surface ice. Pointing a gloved finger at the target, Petris quipped, “Welcome to our new home.” He adjusted their flight path, angling lower until Jupiter vanished below the curved horizon. “We’re not there yet.” Alita shook her head, her face scrunched in worry. “It won’t be much longer,” Nikki said. “Call the Station, Petris. Tell them we’re in visual range and ask for landing instructions.” “Will do.” Petris keyed in the frequency. A high-pitched whine pierced the air. Their small craft juddered and the drive stuttered to a stop. Spinning out of control, they plummeted toward the ice. “What is it?” Alita cried, gripping the arms of her seat. “Turbulence,” Nikki said, recalling the Com Tech’s warning. She leaned toward the monitors, watching their altitude decrease, while Petris wrestled with the manual controls. “It’s not working,” he shouted. “Feels like the tiller’s jammed. Styx!” He hammered on the lever. A white peak loomed closer. “Prepare to eject!” Nikki yelled over the screech of the overloaded engines. Wearing their full suits, they could survive on the surface for several hours, long enough for a rescue shuttle to arrive from the Station. They whirled past a huge pillar of ice. Eerie yellow lights played across the glistening vertical surface. Inside the cabin, Alita unfastened the straps holding Roy in his seat. Taking Roy’s good arm, she tugged him into the airlock and jumped out. Their suits shot down. Seconds later, two parachutes ballooned. Their descent would be visible from the Station. “I’ve got it!” Petris thumped on the panel and held up his thumb. Too late! Glancing out the viewer, Nikki saw a solid wall of ice. She screamed and hit the ejection switch. Impact! White exploded in all directions. Wind whistled and she blacked out.
Chapter One
Solar Spirit shuddered, slamming Nikki onto the steel floor of the passage. Alarms wailed. Lights flashed red warnings. Biting back a scream, Nikki scrambled onto her feet. She glanced right and left along the corridor. A second jolt tipped the floor into an awkward angle. Her boots lifted from the tilted floor and she spun slowly in midair. Styx! The ship’s artificial gravity had failed. What next? No life support? She groaned inwardly. Her arms flailing for a grip, Nikki struggled to catch hold of the handrail. Her emergency training kicked in. Primed by drills every third day of the voyage, she knew what to do. She dived for the nearest oxygen canister. Working one handed while grasping the rail, she fastened the mask around her mouth and nose. Her mind cleared, clicking into logical mode. The spaceship was damaged, possibly hit by a stray asteroid on the outer fringes of the belt. What blasted bad timing. Solar Spirit had begun decelerating and she had expected to reach Europa in less than two days.Heavy partitions clanged shut, separating the damaged sections of the ship. The nearer set slammed closed, and a second, fainter clunk, sounded in the opposite direction. Her section was isolated from the rest of the ship. The ship’s layout fixed in her mind, she kicked off, traveling diagonally from wall to wall to propel herself through the empty corridor to the nearest life craft. The overhead lights flickered and faded to black, leaving only the line of red arrows marking the direction of the exit. The corridor bucked. She banged against the wall and stumbled onto her knees, cringing at the creak of overstrained metal. The siren’s whine cut to silence. What the styx did that mean? She had to get out. Nikki struggled upright and flipped on her headlamp. The bay with the lifepod was a few steps ahead. Its door was shut and no one was visible in the annex. Nikki staggered to the rack of spacesuits on the wall by the airlock. She selected the correct size and clambered into the bulky spacesuit, balancing against the juddering of the ship. Pulling an emergency kit from the shelf, she entered the inner airlock and fumbled at the door handle of the lifepod. She flung the door open, climbed into the cabin and dropped into the pilot’s seat. Panting with relief, she looked around. Where was everybody? The lifepod was sized for six people. She must be the first to reach its safety. Surely Alita and Karl would arrive soon. She had left them in the gym only minutes before the alarm sounded. Uncertain of her best course of action, Nikki waited in the lifepod. She didn’t want to leave anybody behind. Involuntarily, she touched her chest where her data stick hung on a chain under her overalls. She always carried a copy of all the files and software for her research in a pendant shaped like a spiral shell. Once she reached Europa Station, she would be ready to set up her lab. The incessant blare of the alarms revved up her stress level until the wait seemed interminable. At last, she heard voices outside and a scrape at the door. It swung open and Roy stumbled into the cabin, his right arm hanging limply at his side. Alita and Petris followed, already in their suits and carrying helmets. Petris toted an extra spacesuit over his shoulder. “This section is sealed off,” Petris said, between pants of breath. “The hull must be breached in three or five.” Tears poured down Alita’s pale cheeks. “I don’t know what happened to Karl,” she moaned. “He’s behind the barrier. When we left the gym, he went to section five to fetch a snack from the food dispenser.” “Did you see anyone else?” Nikki asked. A groan from Roy, and negative shakes of the head from the other two confirmed her suspicions. They were the only ones to reach this lifepod. Clamping down her fears, Nikki took charge. She pointed at Alita. “Get Roy a pain killer and find a bandage for his arm. He’ll need help with his suit.” “What about Karl? Can’t we wait?” Alita whispered. She silenced Alita’s faint objections. “Karl is probably in a lifepod in the next section. We’ll meet him on Europa.” Once they launched from the ship, their target was obvious. They were close to their destination and the lifepod had enough fuel to reach Europa. “Does anyone know what happened to the ferry?” Petris asked. Flipping on the intercom to the bridge of the Solar Spirit, Nikki said, “Let’s find out.” The raucous tones of the emergency system rang out, “Warning! Hull breached in sections five and six. Air pressure low, entering danger zone. Damage reported from sections seven and nine. Evacuate breached sections.” Nikki punched the code for the bridge, and then engineering, without receiving any response. She decided, “We’ll wait five minutes, and then we’re shooting into space.” Behind her, Alita was helping Roy into his suit, while Petris checked the supply cabinets.“Helmets on,” Nikki ordered, “and don’t forget to switch on your mikes.” His helmet clicked into place, and Petris grinned at her through the faceplate. His voice filtered through her ear plugs, “All secure, Captain Bell.”Counting the minutes under her breath, Nikki interrupted the repeating alarm call, “I’m lifting off in two minutes.” Scanning the faces of her companions, she made a swift decision. “Petris, you’re navigator. Plot a course to Europa Station.” Sliding into the seat next to Nikki, Petris bent over the control pad and tapped in the codes. “You got it.” Nikki continued, “Alita, look after Roy. Help him buckle up in the rear seat.” Checking that her crew members were seated with harnesses fastened, she hit the starter. The lifepod hatch opened in the hull, revealing the storm bands of Jupiter. The size of a tennis ball, the gas giant’s red and yellow stripes gleamed against the black of space. Ejecting on auto, the lifepod eased out of the hatch and steered away from the bulk of the large space ferry. Petris whistled. “Look at the size of that frikking hole.” “I can’t look!” Alita squealed, clapping her hands over her faceplate. A jagged tear ran along the side of the Solar Spirit, and Nikki wondered if anyone had survived in the ruptured sections. The passengers’ cabins were in section six and the crew slept in nine. Anyone asleep in their hammock would have little chance to escape. She nibbled her lower lip, knowing she had no way to help. “What on Earth smashed into the Spirit?” “Something big and fast,” Petris muttered. “An asteroid or stray moonlet.” Nikki swung round and frowned at her navigator. “How in styx did the sensors miss an a object of that size?” Petris groaned, “There’s a blind spot. Sensor on the blink in the stern. We planned to fix it while the ferry was in orbit round Europa. Stupid mistake, though I shouldn’t say it. Captain made the call to delay repairs.” “Understandable. Space walking’s risky,” Nikki said, aiming to soothe him. Emotional outbursts would heighten their stress and might lead to further dangerous errors. Alita was already close to hysterical with worry about Karl. “We should have fixed it.” Punching the console with his fist, Petris snapped, “Styx! We’ll be blacklisted by Flux Space. It’s their first serious loss since they started a regular service to the outer planets.” “How long is that?” Nikki asked.Petris shrugged. “Five years, if you don’t count the seven years of construction runs.”“I’d call that a success, going so long without a major accident.” Taking manual control, Nikki steered the small craft around the vast hull of the ferry. The bulbous cargo section was intact, but the crack in the hull extended into engineering. She shook her head, and tried the intercom to individuals. When she had almost given up, a ping came from the bridge and she opened the channel. “Hello, lifepod eight, who’s there?” the voice stuttered. “Chief Scientist Bell with Techs Farren, Steinhelm and Wong. What’s the damage?” “First Officer Cummings at the helm. We’ve several problems. Captain’s injured. Chief engineer noticed a glitch in the deflector field just before the ferry was hit. The drive shut down. We’re on emergency life support. Gabby’s checking the generator. Sections one, two and four are habitable.” His breath caught in an audible groan. “By frikking bad luck, we’ve lost our third shift crew. They were sleeping in their cabins when the section lost air. The rest of the crew is searching for survivors.” “What’re your orders for us? Roy…Tech Wong has a broken arm.” “Head for Europa Station. They have medics. Ours will be busy. Steer well clear of the Spirit. We’ll be deploying the solar wings to power life support.”“What will you do?” “Round up the survivors and count our losses. Passengers can ship out in the lifepods. The ferry can limp along with a small crew. We have to save the cargo. Europa Station is low on supplies. We’ve sent them a message.” He groaned. “Our best estimate is their shuttle will take thirty hours to arrive here.” “Okay. Good luck!” Shutting off the com, Nikki turned to her companions. “You heard Cummings. We’re flying to Europa.”
As they angled toward the yellow and orange ball of Jupiter, another lifepod emerged from the opposite side of the ship and sped in the same direction. Frowning at the controls, Petris said, “The course is set. We’ll arrive at the moon in twenty-eight hours and eleven minutes.” “Time to relax and enjoy a delicious protein bar,” Nikki joked. “I’ve got the channel open to Europa Station. Do you want to speak to them?” Leaning over to grab the mike, Nikki called, “Hello Europa Station. This is lifepod eight departing from the ferry, Solar Spirit. Do you hear me?” “Hello, lifepod eight. Com Officer Patel speaking. We heard the emergency SOS from the transport ferry. What’s your status?” Nikki named the personnel on board, and added, “Tech Wong needs medical help for a broken arm. I’m requesting permission to land at Europa Station.” “We’re on alert for three lifepods. The Station is on the moon’s side facing away from Jupiter. Aim for the black and white circle around our hatch. It’s marked in flashing green lights after dark. We’ll open the hatch when you’re overhead. Land on the platform and we’ll lower you through the tunnel to the Upper Station. Keep an eye out for turbulence. Jupiter’s in an active phase.” The submarine station had been constructed under the ice crust in the relative warmth of the ocean. “Okay,” Nikki said. After they had traveled for about an hour, a third lifepod appeared in the rear viewer. Presumably another set of passengers bound for Europa.
During the tedious voyage to their destination, Nikki had plenty of time to agonize over her losses. Without news of the other passengers, she wondered who had survived the collision. After two years on board, she knew them all, some better than she wished. The senior scientists, two astronomers, Cleo and Ahmed, the geophysicist, Bernard, and their assistants, all eager to study Jupiter and its moons at close quarters. She chewed her lower lip. Alita, Roy and Petris were safe for the present, but the fate of the Sci Techs, Prya and Karl, was in question. Greta and Denton were replacements for the techs rotating out of Europa Station. Penny and Jeremy, her ten-year-old son, were joining her husband on the Station. Then, there was Greggor Falconer, the reclusive agent for Flux Space Ventures, who spent most of his time buried in engineering. Three Belters had joined the ferry when the Solar Spirit docked at Ceres. Stig, a lanky young man from a mining family, and Clem, his very pregnant wife, were traveling to the Medical Center on Europa Station. Europa and Mars had the only full-scale hospital facilities outside of Earth. Howie, a disgruntled prospector with a lame leg, was on his way back to the colony on Mars. Had they survived the collision? Surely, some of them must have escaped in the two other lifepods. Alita’s whiny voice interrupted her thoughts, “What about the others? Do you think they’re alive?” “You heard Cummings,” Nikki said. “And we’ve seen two lifepods leave the ferry. We’ll learn more after we reach Europa.” She refused to speculate when her assistant was already distraught over Karl’s absence. “The Station will be on alert to receive casualties,” Petris remarked. “It may be frikking messy for several days. Can’t imagine their Med facility is designed to serve more than a couple of patients.” “Blasted catastrophe!” Switching to a less sinister topic, Nikki grumbled, “I wanted a peaceful life studying the alien organisms in the oceans. Now, we don’t know when we’ll be able to dive and we might have lost the frikking lab equipment.” “Don’t you even care about people?” Alita wailed. “Is nothing more important than your research?” Roy spoke up, “Calm down, Alita. Can’t you see that Nikki’s only trying to distract us?” “She doesn’t have a missing partner,” Alita sniffed. “I care,” Nikki muttered though clenched teeth. The accusation rankled, although she realized her friend had unconsciously delivered a crueler barb than she intended. Alita had never met Simon. After three years, Nikki believed she had worked through her grief, although she had deliberately shunned intimate liaisons on the voyage. The close quarters of the ferry made it impossible to go through a flirtation and subsequent breakup in any privacy. She said, “I’m sure we can rely the ferry crew to rescue our friends. Even if they abandon the Solar Spirit, we can retrieve our stuff later.” Her small cabin held a few precious souvenirs of her life on Earth, her father’s medals from the war her mother’s wedding ring, and the engagement ring from poor Simon. She had kept the ring as a bittersweet memento of three months of bliss with her fiancé. In the years since his death, she had crushed her grief under the burden of her work and grown fascinated by the mysterious inhabitants of Europa’s oceans. Besides her personal possessions, she might have lost the instruments and research supplies for her investigations of the Europan lifeforms. And, possibly an assistant for her research if Denton had been trapped in the damaged sections. Nikki had promised to keep her mentor, Astrid Andersen, informed, but she was reluctant to call until they arrived at Europa Station. Astrid could do nothing from her office on distant Earth. In any case, as Chief of Xenobiology on Mars, Dr. Andersen would be among the first to learn of the disaster on the Solar Spirit. Once they were safe, Nikki vowed to send her a report on the accident and describe the conditions at the station.
As they approached, Jupiter expanded into a giant striped sphere, dominating the sky like a festival balloon. Nikki stared in fascination at Jupiter’s swirling storms. Giant vortices spun within the bright bands, eerily beautiful and deadly. The lifepod veered towards the moon of Europa, faintly visible as a tiny disk in front of a stormy yellow band. The radiation sensors shot into the danger zone, and she hoped the shielding was sufficient protection for the flight to the buried station. Soon they zoomed over the pale landscape of the moon, crisscrossed with ruddy lines. The zebra-striped circle of their target appeared in the distance, conspicuous against the glistening surface ice. Pointing a gloved finger at the target, Petris quipped, “Welcome to our new home.” He adjusted their flight path, angling lower until Jupiter vanished below the curved horizon. “We’re not there yet.” Alita shook her head, her face scrunched in worry. “It won’t be much longer,” Nikki said. “Call the Station, Petris. Tell them we’re in visual range and ask for landing instructions.” “Will do.” Petris keyed in the frequency. A high-pitched whine pierced the air. Their small craft juddered and the drive stuttered to a stop. Spinning out of control, they plummeted toward the ice. “What is it?” Alita cried, gripping the arms of her seat. “Turbulence,” Nikki said, recalling the Com Tech’s warning. She leaned toward the monitors, watching their altitude decrease, while Petris wrestled with the manual controls. “It’s not working,” he shouted. “Feels like the tiller’s jammed. Styx!” He hammered on the lever. A white peak loomed closer. “Prepare to eject!” Nikki yelled over the screech of the overloaded engines. Wearing their full suits, they could survive on the surface for several hours, long enough for a rescue shuttle to arrive from the Station. They whirled past a huge pillar of ice. Eerie yellow lights played across the glistening vertical surface. Inside the cabin, Alita unfastened the straps holding Roy in his seat. Taking Roy’s good arm, she tugged him into the airlock and jumped out. Their suits shot down. Seconds later, two parachutes ballooned. Their descent would be visible from the Station. “I’ve got it!” Petris thumped on the panel and held up his thumb. Too late! Glancing out the viewer, Nikki saw a solid wall of ice. She screamed and hit the ejection switch. Impact! White exploded in all directions. Wind whistled and she blacked out.
