Europa's Child

In the year 2022 NASA decides it is time for a mission to Europa one of Jupiter's moons and a likely candidate for holding life under its surface of ice. Deep beneath the miles of ice is an ocean. An ocean that may be teaming with life. An ocean that holds the answer to the question of whether we are alone in the Universe. Is there life out there?

Ken Reagan is chosen to head the science team for the mission and develop a spacecraft capable of reaching Europa and bringing back samples for study from the icy moon. He and his team work for years to develop just such a spacecraft and conceive every possible way that the mission can fail and prevent it. This mission must be a success for the price tag that is put on it. If it fails future missions will be canceled as funding will be withheld. Much is at stake for his team.

A successful launch and years of waiting for the craft to reach Europa is cause for celebration for Ken and his team. But the celebration is cut short as all contact with the craft is lost. Something has gone wrong. Something was not foreseen in the planning. The craft is now on a direct course for the ISS and is unable to stop. A collision will occur and the ISS will be destroyed. The remains of the craft plummet to Earth and find their way to the most unreachable place on Earth. The Mariana's Trench. An unimaginable chasm that only a few highly trained and specially equipped divers have ever been able to reach it's murky depths.