2

Rationally speaking, the chances are good that you'll all die in a fiery inferno, but the crew doesn't need to know that. You continue going through the landing procedures just like you all have trained dozens of times before. If you are going to die, it won't be due to wasting time on comms or making any simple mistakes.

Virginia Rein, an American astronaut and veteran of four dozen Earth re-entries is strapped in to your right. The g-force presses her cheeks back, robbing her of her usual warmth. "We've got about a thousand kilometers of wiggle room," she says. "Where we landing, captain?"

Overlaid on the screen projection of Europa are several likely landing spots. There's a smooth plain in the Annwn Regio, flat and easiest to land on.

To your left, Kosmo the philanthropist swivels his one metal eye towards you, and his vocoder voice echoes in your earpiece. "Let us be bold! We're here to find life, and life is in the cracks!"

Using the neuro-interface in his helmet, Kosmo highlights on the screen a potential landing spot on the top of one side of the Hyperenor Linea. The linea is formed of two parallel ridges of pushed-up ice that run for thousands of miles, with a permanent crack between them leading straight to the inner ocean.

You hear another voice in your ear. It's the melodic voice of Sungura Kikwete, the representative for the Habitus corporation. "Here's a big idea!" they say. "We should head straight to Callanish Crater. It will make dome building much easier."

An image of Callanish balloons up on the screen: vast concentric rings of ice spikes caused by an ancient asteroid impact. This could eventually be covered in a dome.

"Darlings, I hate to fault your judgment, but our number-one priority here is not dying right now," Rein argues. "My vote is Annwn." The way she pronounces it, Annwn sounds like "A Noon." You know she's memorized the names of all the features.

Kosmo exhales a digitized huff. "We only have one shot at the interesting life! If Hyperenor is too dangerous for you, I'd settle for Callanish."

It's a life-or-death situation, so it's your call.