Europa, July 16, 2027. 0900 Hours.
Mikael Heikkinen knelt by Europa’s ice, cracking it with a tool, his voice confident. “Water’s pure—we’ll have fuel in an hour.”
Li Wei monitored the extraction rig, his tone cautious. “It’ll work, but we’re still low on power for a Titan run.”
Rachel Voigt stood guard, flare gun ready, her eyes scanning the horizon. “We’re too exposed out here. Hurry it up.”
Anika Sharma reviewed the Overseers’ message, her voice tense. “They’re demanding the shard, Mitchell—or they’ll come for us.”
Xiaotong Zheng glanced at Anika, her sleek bun catching the icy light. “They’re bluffing, Anika. They’d be here already if they could.”
Anika frowned, unconvinced, her tone sharp. “Bluffing? Their tech outclasses ours—they mean business.”
Xiaotong crossed her arms, her voice steady. “Then we outsmart them. We’ve got the shard—they don’t.”
Anika nodded slowly, reassured. “Okay… let’s use that advantage.”
John Mitchell oversaw the operation, his leadership a steady force. “Zheng, any progress on that decode?”
Xiaotong turned to her tablet, focused. Again she immediately understood what’s going on. “It’s a warning—they’re tied to the Sumerer’s collapse.”
Elias Moretti shivered, his scanner beeping softly. “Collapse? You mean extinction?”
Yuri Leonov smirked, hauling a fuel canister. “Extinction? Sounds like a challenge to me.”
Kenji Sato adjusted his headset, his voice urgent. “I’m picking up a faint signal—something’s moving near Titan.”
Sarah Carter checked the crew’s vitals, her tone calm. “Stress levels are high, John. We need a breather.”
Mitchell met Xiaotong’s gaze, trust absolute. “We’ll rest when we’re safe, Carter. Zheng, keep digging.”
Yuri nudged Elias, grinning. “See, Moretti? We’re not stranded yet, my friend?”