〃Ten yards。〃
For a moment； the great creature turned sideways to the habitat； and they could see its profile…the enormous glowing body； thirty feet long； with the huge unblinking eye； the circle of arms； waving like evil snakes； the two long tentacles； each terminating in a flattened； leaf…shaped section。
The squid continued to turn until its arms and tentacles stretched toward the habitat； and they glimpsed the mouth； the sharp…edged chomping beak in a mass of glowing green muscle。
〃Oh God。。。〃
The squid moved forward。 They could see each other in the glow through the portholes。 It's starting； Norman thought。 It's starting； and this time we can't survive it。
There was a thump as a tentacle swung against the habitat。 〃Jerry！〃 Ted shouted。 His voice was high； strained with tension。
The squid paused。 The body moved laterally； and they could see the huge eye staring at them。
〃Jerry！ Listen to me！〃
The squid appeared to hesitate。
〃He's listening！〃 Ted shouted； and he grabbed a flashlight off a wall bracket and shined it out the porthole。 He blinked the light once。
The great body of the squid glowed green； then went momentarily dark； then glowed green again。
〃He's listening；〃 Beth said。
〃Of course he's listening。 He's intelligent。〃 Ted blinked his light twice in rapid succession。
The squid blinked back； twice。 〃How can he do that？〃 Norman said。
〃It's a kind of skin cell called a chromatophore；〃 Beth said。 〃The animal can open and close these cells at will； and block the light。〃
Ted blinked three times。
＇＇227＇＇ The squid blinked three times。 〃He can do it fast；〃 Norman said。
〃Yes； fast。〃
〃He's intelligent；〃 Ted said。 〃I keep telling you。 He's intelligent and he wants to talk。〃
Ted blinked long； short； short。
The squid matched the pattern。
〃That's a baby；〃 Ted said。 〃You just keep talking to me； Jerry。〃
He flashed a more plex pattern； and the squid answered； but then moved off to the left。
〃I've got to keep him talking；〃 Ted said。
As the squid moved； Ted moved； skipping from porthole to porthole； shining his light。 The squid still blinked its glowing body in reply； but Norman sensed it had another purpose now。
They all followed Ted； from D into C Cyl。 Ted flashed his light。 The squid answered； but still moved onward。 〃What's he doing？〃
〃Maybe he's leading us。 。。。〃
〃Why？〃
They went to B Cyl； where the life…support equipment was located； but there were no portholes in B。 Ted moved on to A； the airlock。 There were no portholes here； either。 Ted immediately jumped down and opened the hatch in the floor； revealing dark water。
〃Careful； Ted。〃
〃I'm telling you； he's intelligent；〃 Ted said。 The water at his feet glowed a soft green。 〃Here he es now。〃 They could not see the squid yet； only the glow。 Ted blinked his light into the water。
The green blinked back。
〃Still talking；〃 Ted said。 〃And as long as he's talking…〃 With stunning swiftness； the tentacle smashed up through the open water and swung in a great arc around the airlock。 Norman had a glimpse of a glowing stalk as thick as a man's body； and a great glowing leaf five feet long； swinging blindly past him； and as he ducked he saw it hit Beth and knock her sideways。 Tina was screaming in terror。 Strong ammonia fumes burned their eyes。 The tentacle swung back toward ＇＇228＇＇ Norman。 He held up his hands to protect himself； touched slimy； cold flesh as the giant arm spun him； slammed him against the airlock's metal walls。 The animal was incredibly strong。
〃Get out； everybody out； away from the metal！〃 Fletcher was shouting。 Ted was scrambling up； away from the hatch and the twisting arm； and he had almost reached the door when the leaf swung back and wrapped around him； covering most of his body。 Ted grunted； pushed at the leaf with his hands。 His eyes were wide with horror。
Norman ran forward but Harry grabbed him。 〃Leave him！ You can't do anything now！〃
Ted was being swung back and forth in the air across the airlock； banging from wall to wall。 His head dropped； blood ran down his forehead onto the glowing tentacle。 Still the arm swung him back and forth； the cylinder ringing like a gong with each impact。
〃Get out！〃 Fletcher was shouting。 〃Everybody out！〃 Beth scrambled past them。 Harry tugged at Norman just as the second tentacle burst above the surface to hold Ted in a pincer grip。
〃Off the metal！ Damn it； off the metal！〃 Fletcher was shouting； and they stepped onto the carpet of B Cyl and she threw the switch on the Green Box and there was a hum from the generators and the red heater banks dimmed as two million volts of electricity surged through the habitat。
The response was instantaneous。 The floor rocked under their feet as the habitat was struck by an enormous force； and Norman swore he heard a scream； though it might have been rending metal； and the tentacles quickly drew down out of the airlock。 They had a last glimpse of Ted's body as it was pulled into the inky water and Fletcher yanked down the lever on the Green Box。 But the alarms had already begun to sound； and the warning boards lit up。
〃Fire！〃 Fletcher shouted。 〃Fire in E Cyl！〃
Fletcher gave them gas masks； Norman's kept slipping down his forehead； obscuring his vision。 By the time ＇＇229＇＇ they reached D Cylinder； the smoke was dense。 They coughed and stumbled； banged into the consoles。
〃Stay low；〃 Tina shouted； dropping to her knees。 She was leading the way； Fletcher had stayed behind in B。
Up ahead； an angry red glow outlined the bulkhead door leading to E。 Tina grabbed an extinguisher and went through the door； Norman right behind her。 At first he thought the entire cylinder was burning。 Fierce flames licked up the side padding； dense clouds of smoke boiled toward the ceiling。 The heat was almost palpable。 Tina swung the extinguisher cylinder around； began to spray white foam。 In the light of the fire Norman saw another extinguisher； grabbed it； but the metal was burning hot and he dropped it to the floor。
〃Fire in D；〃 Fletcher said over the inter。 〃Fire in D。〃 Jesus； Norman thought。 Despite the mask； he coughed in the acrid smoke。 He picked the extinguisher off the floor and began to spray； it immediately became cooler。 Tina shouted to him； but he heard nothing except the roar of the flames。 He and Tina were getting the fire out； but there was still a large burning patch near one porthole。 He turned away； spraying the floor burning at his feet。
He was unprepared for the explosion； the concussion pounding his ears painfully。 He turned and saw that a firehose had been unleashed in the room； and then he realized that one of the small portholes had blown or burned out； and the water was rushing in with incredible force。
He couldn't see Tina； then he saw she had been knocked down； she got to her feet； shouting something at Norman； and then she slipped and slid back into the hissing stream of water。 It picked her up bodily and flung her so hard against the opposite wall that he knew at once she must be dead； and when he looked down he saw her floating face…down in the water rapidly filling the room。 The back of her head was cut open； he saw the pulpy red flesh of her brain。
Norman turned and fled。 Water was already trickling over the lip of the bulkhead as he slammed the heavy door shut； spun the wheel to lock it。
He couldn't see anything in D； the smoke was worse than before。 He saw dim patches of red flame； hazy through the ＇＇230＇＇ smoke。 He heard the hiss of the extinguishers。 Where was his own extinguisher？ He must have left it in E。 Like a blind man he felt along the walls for another extinguisher； coughing in the smoke。 His eyes and lungs burned； despite the mask。
And then； with a great groan of metal； the pounding started； the habitat rocking under jolts from the squid outside。 He heard Fletcher on the inter but her voice was scratchy and unclear。 The pounding continued； and the horrible wrenching of metal。 And Norman thought； We're going to die。 This time； we're going to die。
He couldn't find a fire extinguisher but his hands touched something metal on the wall and Norman felt it in the smoky darkness； wondering what it was； some kind of protrusion； and then two million volts surged through his limbs into his body and he screamed once； and fell backward。
AFTERMATH
He was staring at a bank of lights in some odd； angled perspective。 He sat up； feeling a sharp pain； and looked around him。 He was sitting on the floor in D Cylinder。 A faint smoky haze hung in the air。 The padded walls were blackened and charred in several places。
There must have been a fire here； he thought； staring at the damage in astonishment。 When had this happened？ Where had he been at the time？
He got slowly to one knee； and then to his feet。 He turned to E Cylinder； but for some reason the bulkhead door to E was shut。 He tried to spin the wheel to unlock it； it was jammed shut。
He didn't see anybody else。 Where were the others？ Then he remembered something about Ted。 Ted had died。 The ＇＇231＇＇ squid swinging Ted's body in the airlock。 And then Fletcher had said to get back； and she had thrown the power switch。 。。。
It was starting to e back to him。 The fire。 There had been a fire in E Cylinder。 He had gone into E with Tina to put out the fire。 He remembered going into the room； seeing the flames lick up the side of the walls。 。。。 After that； he wasn't sure。
Where were the others？
For an awful moment he thought he was the only survivor； but then he heard a cough in C Cyl。 He moved toward the sound。 He didn't see anybody so he went to B Cyl。
Fletcher wasn't there。 There was a large streak of blood on the metal pipes； and one of her shoes on the carpet。 That was all。
Another cough； from among the pipes。
〃Fletcher？〃
〃Just a minute 。。。〃
Beth emerged； grease…streaked； from the pipes。 〃Good； you're up。 I've got most of the systems going； I think。 Thank God the Navy has instructions printed on the housings。 Anyway； the smoke's clearing and the air quality is reading all right…not great； but all right…and all the vital stuff seems to be intact。 We have air and water and heat and power。 I'm trying to find out how much power and air we have left。〃
〃Where's Fletcher？〃
〃I can't find her anywhere。〃 Beth pointed to the shoe on the carpet； and the streak of blood。
〃Tina？〃 Norman asked。 He was alarmed at the prospect of being trapped down here without any Navy people at all。 〃Tina was with you；〃 Beth said； frowning。
〃I don't seem to remember；〃 Norman said。
〃You probably got a jolt of current；〃 Beth said。 〃That would give you retrograde amnesia。 You won't remember the last few minutes before the shock。 I can't find Tina； either； but according to the status sensors E Cyl is flooded and shut down。 You were with her in E。 I don't know why it flooded。〃
〃What about Harry？〃
〃He got a jolt； too； I think。 You're lucky the amperage ＇＇232＇＇ wasn't higher or you'd both be fried。 Anyway； he's lying on the floor in C； either sleeping or unconscious。 You might want to take a look at him。 I didn't want to risk moving him； so I just left him there。〃
〃Did he wake up？ Talk to you？〃
〃No； but he seems to be breathing fortably。 Color's good； all that。 Anyway； I thought I better get the life…support systems going。〃 She wiped grease on her cheek。 〃I mean； it's just the three of us now； Norman。〃
〃You； me； and Harry？〃
〃That's right