〃True。〃
〃Personally；〃 Beth said； 〃I'd like to go back to the ship。〃
＇＇236＇＇ 〃What for？〃
〃I'm not convinced we've found everything that's there。〃
〃It's a long way to the ship；〃 Norman said。
〃I know。 But if we get a clear time without the squid； I might try it。〃
〃Just to occupy your mind？〃
〃I guess you could say that。〃 She glanced at her watch。 〃Norman； I'm going to get a couple of hours of sleep；〃 she said。 〃Then we can draw straws to see who goes to the submarine。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃You seem depressed； Norman。〃
〃I am。〃
〃Me； too；〃 she said。 〃This place feels like a tomb…and I've been prematurely buried。〃
She climbed the ladder to her laboratory； but apparently she didn't go to sleep； because after a few moments； he heard Tina's recorded voice on videotape saying； 〃Do you think they'll ever get the sphere open？〃
And Beth replied； 〃Maybe。 I don't know。〃
〃It scares me。〃
The whirr of rewinding and a short delay； then： 〃Do you think they'll ever get the sphere open？〃
〃Maybe。 I don't know。〃
〃It scares me。〃
The tape was being an obsession with Beth。
He stared at the printouts on his lap； and then he looked at the screen。 〃Jerry？〃 he said。 〃Are you there？〃
Jerry did not answer。
THE SUB
She was shaking his shoulder gently。 Norman opened his eyes。
〃It's time；〃 Beth said。
〃Okay。〃 He yawned。 God； he was tired。 〃How much time is left？〃
〃Half an hour。〃
Beth switched on the sensory array at the munications console； adjusted the settings。
〃You know how to work all that stuff？〃 Norman said。 〃The sensors？〃
〃Pretty well。 I've been learning it。〃
〃Then I should go to the sub；〃 he said。 He knew Beth would never agree； that she would insist on doing the active thing； but he wanted to make the effort。
〃Okay；〃 she said。 〃You go。 That makes sense。〃
He covered his surprise。 〃I think so； too。〃
〃Somebody has to watch the array；〃 she said。 〃And I can give you warning if the squid is ing。〃
〃Right；〃 he said。 Thinking； Hell； she's serious。 〃I don't think this is one for Harry；〃 Norman said。
〃No； Harry's not very physical。 And he's still asleep。 I say； let him sleep。〃
〃Right；〃 Norman said。
〃You'll need help with your suit；〃 Beth said。
〃Oh； that's right； my suit；〃 Norman said。 〃The fan is broken in my suit。〃
〃Fletcher fixed it for you；〃 Beth said。
〃I hope she did it right。〃
〃Maybe I should go instead；〃 Beth said。
〃No； no。 You watch the consoles。 I'll go。 It's only a hundred yards or so； anyway。 It can't be a big deal。〃
〃All clear now；〃 she said； glancing at the monitors。
〃Right；〃 Norman said。
＇＇238＇＇ His helmet clicked in place； and beth tapped his faceplate； gave him a questioning look： was everything all right？
Norman nodded； and she opened the floor hatch for him。 He waved goodbye and jumped into the chilly black water。 On the sea floor； he stood beneath the hatch for a moment and waited to make sure he could hear his circulating fan。 Then he moved out from beneath the habitat。
There were only a few lights on in the habitat； and he could see many thin lines of bubbles streaming upward； from the leaking cylinders。
〃How are you？〃 Beth said； over the inter。 〃Okay。 You know the place is leaking？〃
〃It looks worse than it is；〃 Beth said。 〃Trust me。〃 Norman came to the edge of the habitat and looked across the hundred yards of open sea floor that separated him from DH…7。 〃How does it look？ Still clear？〃
〃Still clear；〃 Beth said。
Norman set out。 He walked as quickly as he could； but he felt as if his feet were moving in slow motion。 He was soon short of breath； he swore。
〃What's the matter？〃
〃I can't go fast。〃 He kept looking north； expecting at any moment to see the greenish glow of the approaching squid； but the horizon remained dark。
〃You're doing fine； Norman。 Still clear。〃
He was now fifty yards from the habitat…halfway there。 He could see DH…7； much smaller than their own habitat； a single cylinder forty feet high； with very few portholes。 Alongside it was the inverted dome； and the minisub。
〃You're almost there；〃 Beth said。 〃Good work。〃
Norman began to feel dizzy。 He slowed his pace。 He could now see markings on the gray surface of the habitat。 There were all sorts of block…printed Navy stencils。
〃Coast is still clear；〃 Beth said。 〃Congratulations。 Looks like you made it。〃
He moved under the DH…7 cylinder； looked up at the hatch。 It was closed。 He spun the wheel； pushed it open。 He couldn't see much of the interior； because most of the lights ＇＇239＇＇ were out。 But he wanted to have a look inside。 There might be something； some weapon； they could use。
〃Sub first；〃 Beth said。 〃You've only got ten minutes to push the button。〃
〃Right。〃
Norman moved to the sub。 Standing behind the twin screws； he read the name： Deepstar III。 The sub was yellow； like the sub that he had ridden down； but its configuration was somewhat different。 He found handholds on the side； pulled himself up into the pocket of air trapped inside the dome。 There was a large acrylic bubble canopy on top of the sub for the pilot； Norman found the hatch behind； opened it； and dropped inside。
〃I'm in the sub。〃
There was no answer from Beth。 She probably couldn't hear him； surrounded by all this metal。 He looked around the sub； thinking； I'm dripping wet。 But what was he supposed to do； wipe his shoes before entering？ He smiled at the thought。 He found the tapes secured in an aft partment。 There was plenty of room for more； and plenty of room for three people。 But Beth was right about going to the surface： the interior of the sub was crammed with instruments and sharp edges。 If you got banged around in here it wouldn't be pleasant。
Where was the delay button？ He looked at the darkened instrument panel； and saw a single flashing red light above a button marked 〃TIMER HOLD。〃 He pressed the button。
The red light stopped flashing； and now remained steadily on。 A small amber video screen glowed：
Timer Reset … Counting 12：00：00
As he watched； the numbers began to run backward。 He must have done it； he thought。 The video screen switched off。 Still looking at all the instruments； a thought occurred to him： in an emergency； could he operate this sub？ He slipped into the pilot's chair； faced the bewildering dials and switches of the instrument array。 There didn't seem to be any steering ＇＇240＇＇ apparatus； no wheel or joystick。 How did you work the damned thing？
The video screen switched on：
DEEPSTAR III … MAND MODULE
Do you require help？
Yes No Cancel
Yes； he thought。 I require help。 He looked around for a 〃YES〃 button near the screen； but there wasn't any that he could see。 Finally he thought to touch the screen； pressing 〃YES。〃
DEEPSTAR III … CHECKLIST OPTIONS
Descend Ascend
Secure Shutdown
Monitor Cancel
He pressed 〃ASCEND。〃 The screen changed to a small drawing of the instrument panel。 One particular section of the drawing blinked on and off。 Beneath the picture were the words：
DEEPSTAR III … ASCEND CHECKLIST
1。 Set Ballast Blowers To： On
Proceed To Next Cancel
So that was how it worked； Norman thought。 A step…by…step checklist stored in the sub's puter。 All you had to do was follow directions。 He could do that。
A small surge of current moved the sub； swaying it at its tether。
He pressed the 〃CANCEL〃 and the screen went blank。 It flashed：
Timer Reset … Counting 11：53：04
＇＇241＇＇ The counter was still running backward。 He thought； Have I really been here seven minutes？ Another surge of current； and the sub swayed again。 It was time to go。
He moved to the hatch； climbed out into the dome； and closed the hatch。 He lowered himself down the side of the sub； touched the bottom。 Out from beneath the shielding metal； his radio immediately crackled。
〃…you there？ Norman； are you there？ Answer； please！〃
It was Harry； on the radio。
〃I'm here；〃 Norman said。
〃Norman； for God's sake…〃
In that moment； Norman saw the greenish glow； and he knew why the sub had surged and rocked at its moorings。 The squid was just ten yards away； its glowing tentacles writhing out toward him； churning up the sediment along the ocean floor。
〃…Norman； will you…〃
There was no time to think。 Norman took three steps； jumped； and pulled himself through the open hatch into DH…7。
He slammed the hatch door down behind him but the flat； spade…like tentacle was already reaching in。 He pinned the tentacle in the partially closed hatch； but the tentacle didn't withdraw。 It was incredibly strong and muscular； writhing as he watched； the suckers like small puckered mouths opening and closing。 Norman stomped down on the hatch； trying to force the tentacle to withdraw。 With a muscular flip； the hatch flew open； knocking him backward； and the tentacle reached up into the habitat。 He smelled the strong odor of ammonium。
Norman fled； climbing higher into the cylinder。 The second tentacle appeared； splashing up through the hatch。 The two tentacles swung in circles beneath him； searching。 He came to a porthole and looked out； saw the great body of the animal； the huge round staring eye。 He clambered higher； getting away from the tentacles。 Most of the cylinder seemed to be given over to storage； it was crammed with equipment； ＇＇242＇＇ boxes； tanks。 Many of the boxes were bright red with stencils： 〃CAUTION NO SMOKING NO ELECTRONICS TEVAC EXPLOSIVES。〃 There were a hell of a lot of explosives in here； he thought； stumbling upward。
The tentacles rose higher behind him。 Somewhere； in a detached； logical part of his brain； he thought： The cylinder is only forty feet high； and the tentacles are at least forty feet long。 There will be no place for me to hide。
He stumbled； banged his knee； kept going。 He heard the slap of the tentacles as they struck the walls； swung upward toward him。
A weapon； he thought。 I have to find a weapon。
He came to the small galley； metal counter； some pots and pans。 He pulled the drawers open hastily； looking for a knife。 He could find only a small paring knife； threw it away in disgust。 He heard the tentacles ing closer。 The next moment he was knocked down； his helmet banging on the deck。 Norman scrambled to his feet； dodged the tentacle； moved up the cylinder。
A munications section： radio set； puter； a couple of monitors。 The tentacles were right behind him； slithering up like nightmarish vines。 His eyes burned from the ammonia