fe had he confronted patients who refused to acknowledge what was happening in their lives？ Even trivial ＇＇317＇＇ examples…a man； another professor at the university； who was terrified of elevators but who steadfastly insisted he always took the stairs because it was good exercise。 The man would climb fifteen…story buildings； he would decline appointments in taller buildings； he arranged his entire life to acmodate a problem he would not admit he had。 The problem remained concealed from him until he finally had a heart attack。 Or the woman who was exhausted from years of caring for her disturbed daughter； she gave her daughter a bottle of sleeping pills because she said the girl needed a rest； the girl mitted suicide。 Or the novice sailor who cheerfully packed his family off on a sailing excursion to Catalina in a gale； nearly killing them all。
Dozens of examples came to mind。 It was a psychological truism； this blindness about self。 Did he imagine that he was immune？ Three years ago； there had been a minor scandal when one of the assistant professors in the Psychology Department had mitted suicide； sticking a gun in his mouth over the Labor Day weekend。 There had been headlines for that one： 〃PSYCH PROF KILLS SELF； Colleagues Express Surprise； Say Deceased Was 'Always Happy。' 〃
The dean of the faculty； embarrassed in his fund…raising； had berated Norman about that incident； but the difficult truth was that psychology had severe limitations。 Even with professional knowledge and the best of intentions； there remained an enormous amount you never knew about your closest friends； your colleagues； your wives and husbands and children。
And your ignorance about yourself was even greater than that。 Self…awareness was the most difficult of all。 Few people attained it。 Or perhaps nobody attained it。
〃Norman； are you there？〃
〃Yes； Beth。〃
〃I think you are a good person； Norman。〃
He said nothing。 He just watched her on the monitor。
〃I think you have integrity； and that you believe in telling the truth。 This is a difficult moment for you； to face the reality about yourself。 I know your mind is struggling now to find excuses； to blame someone else。 But I think you can ＇＇318＇＇ do it； Norman。 Harry couldn't do it； but you can。 I think you can admit the hard truth…that so long as you remain conscious； the expedition is menaced。〃
He felt the strength of her conviction； heard the quiet force of her voice。 As Beth spoke； it felt almost as if her ideas were clothing being draped over his body。 He began to see things her way。 She was so calm； she must be right。 Her ideas had such power。 Her thoughts had such power。 。。。
〃Beth； have you been in the sphere？〃
〃No； Norman。 That's your mind； trying to evade the point again。 I haven't been in the sphere。 You have。〃
He honestly couldn't remember going into the sphere。 He had no recollection at all。 And when Harry had been in the sphere； he remembered afterward。 Why would Norman forget？ Why would he block it？
〃You're a psychologist； Norman；〃 she was saying。 〃You； of all people； do not want to admit you have a shadow side。 You have a professional stake in believing in your own mental health。 Of course you will deny it。〃
He didn't think so。 But how to resolve it？ How to determine if she was right or not？ His mind wasn't working well。 His cut knee throbbed painfully。 At least there was no doubt about that…his injured knee was real。
Reality testing。
That was how to resolve it； he thought。 Reality testing。 What was the objective evidence that Norman had gone to the sphere？ They had made tapes of everything that occurred in the habitat。 If Norman had gone to the sphere many hours ago； somewhere there was a tape showing him in the airlock； alone； getting dressed； slipping away。 Beth should be able to show him that tape。 Where was that tape？
In the submarine； of course。
It would long ago have been taken to the submarine。 Norman himself might have taken it； when he made his excursion to the sub。
No objective evidence。
〃Norman； give up。 Please。 For all our sakes。〃
Perhaps she was right； he thought。 She was so sure of herself。 If he was evading the truth； if he was putting the ＇＇319＇＇ expedition in jeopardy； then he had to give himself up and let her put him under。 Could he trust her to do that？ He would have to。 There wasn't any choice。
It must be me； he thought。 It must be。 The thought was so horrible to him…that in itself was suspicious。 He was resisting it so violently…not a good sign； he thought。 Too much resistance。
〃Norman？〃
〃Okay； Beth。〃
〃Will you do it？〃
〃Don't push。 Give me a minute； will you？〃
〃Sure； Norman。 Of course。〃
He looked at the video recorder next to the monitor。 He remembered how Beth had used this recorder to play the same tape； again and again； the tape in which the sphere had opened by itself。 That tape was now lying on the counter beside the recorder。 He pushed the tape into the slot； clicked the recorder on。 Why bother to look at it now？ he thought。 You're just delaying。 You're wasting time。
The screen flickered； and he waited for the familiar image of Beth eating cake； her back to the monitor。 But this was a different tape。 This was a direct monitor feed showing the sphere。 The gleaming sphere； just sitting there。
He watched for a few seconds； but nothing happened。 The sphere was immobile； as always。 Polished； perfect； immobile。 He watched a while longer； but there was nothing to see。
〃Norman； if I open the hatch now； will you e down quietly？〃
〃Yes； Beth。〃
He sighed； sat back in the chair。 How long would he be unconscious？ A little less than six hours。 It would be okay。 But in any case； Beth was right； he had to give himself up。 〃Norman； why are you watching that tape？〃
He looked around quickly。 Was there a video camera in the room allowing her to see him？ Yes： high up in the ceiling； next to the upper hatch。
〃Why are you watching that tape； Norman？〃
〃It was here。〃
〃Who said you could watch that tape？〃
＇＇320＇＇ 〃Nobody；〃 Norman said。 〃It was just here。〃
〃Turn the tape off； Norman。 Turn it off now。〃
She didn't sound so calm any more。 〃What's the matter； Beth？〃
〃Turn that damned tape off； Norman！〃
He was about to ask her why； but then he saw Beth enter the video image； stand next to the sphere。 Beth closed her eyes and clenched her fists。 The convoluted grooves of the sphere parted； revealing blackness。 And as he watched； Beth stepped inside the sphere。
And the door of the sphere closed behind her。
〃You goddamned men；〃 Beth said in a tight； angry voice。 〃You're all the same； you can't leave well enough alone； none of you。〃
〃You lied to me； Beth。〃
〃Why did you watch that tape？ I begged you not to watch that tape。 It could only hurt you to watch that tape； Norman。〃 She wasn't angry any more； now she was pleading； near tears。 She was undergoing rapid emotional shifts。 Unstable； unpredictable。
And she was in control of the habitat。
〃Beth。〃
〃I'm sorry； Norman。 I can't trust you any more。〃
〃Beth。〃
〃I'm turning you off； Norman。 I'm not going to listen to…〃
〃……Beth； wait…〃
〃…you any more。 I know how dangerous you are。 I saw what you did to Harry。 How you twisted the facts so that it was Harry's fault。 Oh yes； it was Harry's fault； by the time you got through。 And now you want to make it Beth's fault； don't you？ Well； let me tell you； Norman； you won't be able to do it； because I have shut you off； Norman。 I can't hear your soft； convincing words。 I can't hear your manipulation。 So don't waste your breath； Norman。〃
He stopped the tape。 The monitor now showed Beth at the console in the room below。
＇＇321＇＇ Pushing buttons on the console。
〃Beth？〃 he said。
She didn't reply； she just went on working at the console； muttering to herself。
〃You're a real son of a bitch； Norman； do you know that？ You feel so terrible that you need to make everybody else just as low as you are。〃
She was talking about herself； he thought。
〃You're so big on the unconscious； Norman。 The unconscious this； the unconscious that。 Jesus Christ； I'm sick of you。 Your unconscious probably wants to kill us all； just because you want to kill yourself and you think everybody else should die with you。〃
He felt a shuddering chill。 Beth； with her lack of self…esteem； her deep core of self…hate； had gone inside the sphere； and now she was acting with the power of the sphere； but without stability to her thoughts。 Beth saw herself as a victim who struggled against her fate； always unsuccessfully。 Beth was victimized by men； victimized by the establishment； victimized by research； victimized by reality。 In every case she failed to see how she had done it to herself。 And she's put explosives all around the habitat； he thought。
〃I won't let you do it； Norman。 I'm going to stop you before you kill us all。〃
Everything she said was the reverse of the truth。 He began to see the pattern now。
Beth had figured out how to open the sphere； and she had gone there in secret； because she had always been attracted to power…she always felt she lacked power and needed more。 But Beth wasn't prepared to handle power once she had it。 Beth still saw herself as a victim； so she had to deny the power； and arrange to be victimized by it。
It was very different from Harry。 Harry had denied his fears； and so fearful images had manifested themselves。 But Beth denied her power； and so she manifested a churning cloud of formless； uncontrolled power。
Harry was a mathematician who lived in a conscious world of abstraction； of equations and thoughts。 A concrete form； like a squid； was what Harry feared。 But Beth； the zoologist ＇＇322＇＇ who dealt every day with animals； creatures she could touch and see； created an abstraction。 A power that she could not touch or see。 A formless abstract power that was ing to get her。
And to defend herself； she had armed the habitat with explosives。 It wasn't much of a defense； Norman thought。 Unless you secretly wanted to kill yourself。
The horror of his true predicament became clear to him。 〃You won't get away with this； Norman。 I won't let it happen。 Not to me。〃
She was punching keys on the console。 What was she planning？ What could she do to him？ He had to think。 Suddenly； the lights in the laboratory went off。 A moment later； the big space heater died； the red elements cooling； turning dark。
She had shut off the power。
With the heater turned off； how long could he last？ He took the blankets from her bed； wrapped himself in them。 How long； without heat？ Certainly not six hours； he thought grimly。
〃I'm sorry； Norman。 But you understand the position I'm in。 As long as you're conscious； I'm in danger。〃
Maybe an hour； he thought。 Maybe I can last an hour。
〃I'm sorry； Norman。 But I have to do this to you。〃
He heard a soft hiss。 The alarm on his chest badge began to beep。 He looked down at it。 Even in the darkness； he could see it was now gray。 He knew immediately what had happened。
Beth had turned off his air。
0535 HOURS
Huddled in the darkness； listening to the beep of his alarm and the hiss of the escaping air。 The pressure diminishing rapidly： his ears popped； as if he were in an airplane taking off。
Do something； he thought； feeling a surge of panic。
But there was nothing he could do。 He was locked in the upper chamber of D Cyl。 He could not get out。 Beth had control of the entire