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 fumes。
He came to the bunks； a narrow space near the top of the cylinder。
No place to hide； he thought。 No weapons； and no place to hide。
The tentacles reached the top of the cylinder； slapped against the upper curved surface； swung sideways。 In a moment they would have him。 He grabbed the mattress from one bunk； held it up as flimsy protection。 The two tentacles were swinging erratically around him。 He dodged the first。
And then with a whump the second tentacle coiled around him； holding both him and the mattress in a cold； slimy grip。 He felt a sickening slow squeeze； the dozens of suckers gripping his body； cutting into his skin。 He moaned in horror。 The second tentacle swung back to grip him along with the first。 He was trapped in a vise。
Oh God； he thought。
＇＇243＇＇ The tentacles swung away from the wall； lifting him high in the air； into the middle of the cylinder。 This is it； he thought； but in the next moment he felt his body sliding downward past the mattress； and he slipped through the grip and fell through the air。 He grabbed the tentacles for support； sliding down the giant evil…smelling vines； and then he crashed down onto the deck near the galley； his head banging on the metal deck。 He rolled onto his back。
He saw the two tentacles above； gripping the mattress； squeezing it； twisting it。 Did the squid realize what had happened； that he had gotten free？
Norman looked around desperately。 A weapon； a weapon。 This was a Navy habitat。 There must be a weapon somewhere。
The tentacles tore the mattress apart。 Shreds of white padding drifted down through the cylinder。 The tentacles released the mattress； the big pieces falling。 Then the tentacles started swinging around the habitat again。
Searching。
It knows； he thought。 It knows I have gotten away； and that I am still in here somewhere。 It is hunting me。
But how did it know？
Norman ducked behind the galley as one of the flat tentacles came crashing through the pots and pans； sweeping around； feeling for him。 Norman scrambled back； ing up against a large potted plant。 The tentacle was still searching； moving restlessly across the floor； banging the pans。 Norman pushed the plant forward； and the tentacle gripped it； uprooted it easily； sweeping it away into the air。
The distraction allowed Norman to scramble forward。 A weapon； he thought。 A weapon。
He looked down to where the mattress had fallen； and he saw； lining the wall near the bottom hatch； a series of silver vertical bars。 Spear guns！ Somehow he had missed them on the way up。 Each spear gun was tipped in a fat bulb like a hand grenade。 Explosive tips？ He started to climb down。
The tentacles were sliding down； too； following him。 How did the squid know where he was？ And then； as he passed a ＇＇244＇＇ porthole； he saw the eye outside and he thought； He can see me； for God's sake。
Stay away from the portholes。
Not thinking clearly。 Everything happening fast。 Crawling down past the explosive crates in the storage hold； thinking； I better not miss in here； and he landed with a clang on the airlock deck。
The arms were slithering down； moving down the cylinder toward him。 He tugged at one of the spear guns。 It was strapped to the wall with a rubber cord。 Norman pulled at it； tried to release it。 The tentacles drew closer。 He yanked at the rubber； but it wouldn't release。 What was wrong with these snaps？
The tentacles were closer。 ing down swiftly。
Then he realized the cords had safety catches： you had to pull the guns sideways； not out。 He did； the rubber popped free。 The spear gun was in his hand。 He turned； and the tentacle knocked him down。 He flipped onto his back and saw the great flat suckered palm of the tentacle ing straight down on him； and the tentacle wrapped over his helmet； everything was black； and he fired。
There was tremendous pain in his chest and abdomen。 For a horrified moment he thought he had shot himself。 Then he gasped and he realized it was just the concussion； his chest was burning； but the squid released him。
He still couldn't see。 He pulled the palm off his face and it fell heavily onto the deck； writhing； severed from the squid arm。 The interior walls of the habitat were splattered with blood。 One tentacle was still moving； the other was a bloody； ragged stump。 Both arms pulled out through the hatch； slipped into the water。
Norman ran for the porthole； the squid moved swiftly away； the green glow diminishing。 He had done it！ He'd beaten it off。
He'd done it。
DH…8
〃How many did you bring？〃 Harry said； turning the spear gun over in his hands。
〃Five；〃 Norman said。 〃That was all I could carry。〃
〃But it worked？〃 He was examining the bulbous explosive tip。
〃Yeah； it worked。 Blew the whole tentacle off。〃
〃I saw the squid going away；〃 Harry said。 〃I figured you must have done something。〃
〃Where's Beth？〃
〃I don't know。 Her suit's gone。 I think she may have gone to the ship。〃
〃Gone to the ship？〃 Norman said； frowning。
〃All I know is； when I woke up she was gone。 I figured you were over at the habitat； and then I saw the squid； and I tried to get you on the radio but I guess the metal blocked the transmission。〃
〃Beth left？〃 Norman said。 He was starting to get angry。 Beth was supposed to stay at the munications console； watching the sensors for him while he was outside。 Instead； she had gone to the ship？
〃Her suit's gone；〃 Harry said again。
〃Son of a bitch！〃 Norman said。 He was suddenly furious…really； deeply furious。 He kicked the console。
〃Careful there；〃 Harry said。
〃Damn it！〃
〃Take it easy；〃 Harry said； 〃e on； take it easy； Norman。〃
〃What the hell does she think she's doing？〃
〃e on； sit down； Norman。〃 Harry steered him to a chair。 〃We're all tired。〃
〃Damn right we're tired！〃
〃Easy； Norman； easy 。。。 Remember your blood pressure。〃
〃My blood pressure's fine！〃
〃Not now； it's not；〃 Harry said。 〃You're purple。〃
〃How could she let me go outside and then just leave？〃
＇＇246＇＇ 〃Worse； go out herself；〃 Harry said。
〃But she wasn't watching out for me any more；〃 Norman said。 And then it came to him； why he was so angry…he was angry because