Back； one at a time。
The crew members popped back in the tubes； materializing on demand。
All men。
The women were changed into men。
All women。
They all became women。
He had the power。
0200 HOURS
〃Norman。〃
Beth's voice over the loudspeakers； hissing through the empty spacecraft。
〃Where are you； Norman？ I know you're there somewhere。 I can feel you； Norman。〃
Norman was moving through the kitchen； past the empty cans of Coke on the counter； then through the heavy door and into the flight deck。 He saw Beth's face on all the console screens； Beth seeming to see him； the image repeated a dozen times。
〃Norman。 I know where you've been。 You've been inside the sphere； haven't you； Norman？〃
He pressed the consoles with the flat of his hand； trying to turn off the screens。 He couldn't do it； the images remained。
〃Norman。 Answer me； Norman。〃
He moved past the flight deck； going toward the airlock。 〃It won't do you any good； Norman。 I'm in charge now。 Do you hear me； Norman？〃
In the airlock； he heard a click as his helmet ring locked； the air from the tanks was cool and dry。 He listened to the even sound of his own breathing。
〃Norman。〃 Beth； on the inter in his helmet。 〃Why don't you speak to me； Norman？ Are you afraid； Norman？〃 The repetition of his name irritated him。 He pressed the buttons to open the airlock。 Water began to flood in from the floor； rising swiftly。
〃Oh； there you are； Norman。 I see you now。〃 And she began to laugh； a high； cackling laugh。
Norman turned around； saw the video camera mounted on the robot； still inside the airlock。 He shoved the camera； spinning it away。
〃That won't do any good； Norman。〃
He was back outside the spacecraft； standing by the air lock。 The Tevac explosives； rows of glowing red dots； ＇＇338＇＇ extended away in erratic lines； like an airplane runway laid out by some demented engineer。
〃Norman？ Why don't you answer me； Norman？〃
Beth was unstable； erratic。 He could hear it in her voice。 He had to deprive her of her weapons； to turn off the explosives； if he could。
Off； he thought。 Let's have the explosives off and disarmed。
All the red lights immediately went off。
Not bad； he thought； with a burst of pleasure。 A moment later； the red lights blinked back on。
〃You can't do it； Norman；〃 Beth said； laughing。 〃Not to me。 I can fight you。〃
He knew she was right。 They were having an argument； a test of wills； turning the explosives on and off。 And the argument couldn't ever be resolved。 Not that way。 He would have to do something more direct。
He moved toward the nearest of the Tevac explosives。 Up close； the cone was larger than he had thought； four feet high； with a red light at the top。
〃I can see you； Norman。 I see what you're doing。〃
There was writing on the cone； yellow letters stenciled on the gray surface。 Norman bent to read it。 His faceplate was slightly fogged； but he could still make out the words。
DANGER … TEVAC EXPLOSIVES
U。S。N。 CONSTRUCTION/DEMOLITION USE ONLY
DEFAULT DETONATE SEQUENCE 20：00
CONSULT MANUAL USN/VV/512…A
AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY
DANGER…TEVAC EXPLOSIVES
There was still more writing beneath that； but it was smaller； and he couldn't make it out。
〃Norman！ What're you doing with my explosives； Norman？〃
Norman didn't answer her。 He looked at the wiring。 One thin cable ran into the base of the cone； and a second cable ran out。 The second cable went along the muddy bottom to ＇＇339＇＇ the next cone； where there were again just two cables…one in； and one out。
〃Get away from there； Norman。 You're making me nervous。
One cable in； and one cable out。
Beth had wired the cones together in series； like Christmas…tree bulbs！ By pulling out a single cable； Norman would disconnect the entire line of explosives。 He reached forward and gripped the cable in his gloved hand。
〃Norman！ Don't touch that wire； Norman！〃
〃Take it easy； Beth。〃
His fingers closed around the cable。 He felt the soft plastic coating； gripped it tightly。
〃Norman； if you pull that cable you'll set off the explosives。 I swear to you…it'll blow you and me and Harry and everything to hell； Norman。〃
He didn't think it was true。 Beth was lying。 Beth was out of control and she was dangerous and she was lying to him again。
He drew his hand back。 He felt the tension in the cable。
〃Don't do it； Norman。 。。。
The cable was now taut in his hand。 〃I'm going to shut you down； Beth。〃
〃For God's sake； Norman。 Believe me； will you？ You'll kill us all！〃
Still he hesitated。 Could she be telling the truth？ Did she know about wiring explosives？ He looked at the big gray cone at his feet； reaching up to his waist。 What would it feel like if it exploded？ Would he feel anything at all？
〃The hell with it；〃 he said aloud。
He pulled the cable out of the cone。
The shriek of the alarm； ringing inside his helmet； made him jump。 There was a small liquid…crystal display at the top of his faceplate blinking rapidly： 〃EMERGENCY〃。。。 〃EMERGENCY〃。。。
〃Oh； Norman。 God damn it。 Now you've done it。〃
He barely heard her voice over the alarm。 The red cone ＇＇340＇＇ lights were blinking； all down the length of the spacecraft。 He braced himself for the explosion。
But then the alarm was interrupted by a deep； resonant male voice that said； 〃Your attention； please。 Your attention； please。 All construction personnel clear the blast area immediately。 Tevac explosives are now activated。 The countdown will begin 。。。 now。 Mark twenty； and counting。〃
On the cone； a red display flashed 20：00。 Then it began counting backward： 19：59 。。。 19：58 。。。
The same display was repeated on the crystal display at the top of his helmet。
It took him a moment to put it together； to understand。 Staring at the cone； he read the yellow lettering once again： U。S。N。 CONSTRUCTION/DEMOLITION USE ONLY。
Of course！ Tevac explosives weren't weapons； they were made for construction and demolition。 They had built…in safety timers…a programmed twenty…minute delay before they went off； to allow workers to get away。
Twenty minutes to get away； he thought。 That would give him plenty of time。
Norman turned； and began striding quickly toward DH…7 and the submarine。
0140 HOURS
He walked evenly； steadily。 He felt no strain。 His breath came easily。 He was fortable in his suit。 All systems working smoothly。
He was leaving。 〃Norman； please 。。。〃 Now Beth was pleading with him； another erratic shift of ＇＇341＇＇ mood。 Norman ignored her。 He continued on toward the submarine。 The deep recorded voice said； 〃Your attention； please。 All Navy personnel clear the blast area。 Nineteen minutes and counting。〃
Norman felt an enormous sense of purposefulness； of power。 He had no illusions any more。 He had no questions。 He knew what he had to do。
He had to save himself。
〃I don't believe you're doing this； Norman。 I don't believe you're abandoning us。〃
Believe it； he thought。 After all； what choice did he have？ Beth was out of control and dangerous。 It was too late to save her now…in fact； it was crazy to go anywhere near her。 Beth was homicidal。 She'd already tried to kill him once； and had nearly succeeded。
And Harry had been drugged for thirteen hours； by now he was probably clinically dead； brain…dead。 There was no reason for Norman to stay。 There was nothing for him to do。
The sub was close now。 He could see the fittings on the yellow exterior。
〃Norman； please 。。。 I need you。〃
Sorry； he thought。 I'm getting out of here。
He moved around beneath the twin propellor screws； the name painted on the curved hull； Deepstar III。 He climbed the footholds； moving up into the dome。
〃Norman…〃
Now he was out of contact with the inter。 He was on his own。 He opened the hatch； climbed inside the submarine。 He unlocked his helmet； pulled it off。
〃Your attention； please。 Eighteen minutes and counting。〃 Norman sat in the pilot's padded seat； faced the controls。 The instruments blinked on； and the screen directly before him glowed。
DEEPSTAR III … MAND MODULE
Do you require help？
Yes No Cancel
＇＇342＇＇ He pressed 〃YES。〃 He waited for the next screen to flash up。
It was too bad about Harry and Beth； he was sorry to leave them behind。 But they had both； in their own ways； failed to explore their inner selves； thus making them vulnerable to the sphere and its power。 It was a classic scientific error； this so…called triumph of rational thought over irrational thought。 Scientists refused to acknowledge their irrational side； refused to see it as important。 They dealt only with the rational。 Everything made sense to a scientist； and if it didn't make sense； it was dismissed as what Einstein called the 〃merely personal。〃
The merely personal； he thought； in a burst of contempt。 People killed each other for reasons that were 〃merely personal。〃
DEEPSTAR III … CHECKLIST OPTIONS
Descend Ascend
Secure Shutdown
Monitor Cancel
Norman pressed 〃ASCEND。〃 The screen changed to the drawing of the instrument panel； with the flashing point。 He waited for the next instruction。
Yes； he thought； it was true： scientists refused to deal with the irrational。 But the irrational side didn't go away if you refused to deal with it。 Irrationality didn't atrophy with disuse。 On the contrary； left unattended； the irrational side of man had grown in power and scope。
And plaining about it didn't help； either。 All those scientists whining in the Sunday supplements about man's inherent destructiveness and his propensity for violence； throwing up their hands。 That wasn't dealing with the irrational side。 That was just a formal admission that they were giving up on it。
＇＇343＇＇ The screen changed again：
DEEPSTAR III … ASCEND CHECKLIST
1。 Set Ballast Blowers To： On
Proceed To Next Cancel
Norman pushed buttons on the panel； setting the ballast blowers； and waited for the next screen。
After all； how did scientists approach their own research？ The scientists all agreed： scientific research can't be stopped。 If we don't build the bomb； someone else will。 But then pretty soon the bomb was in the hands of new people； who said； If we don't use the bomb； someone else will。
At which point； the scientists said； those other people are terrible people； they're irrational and irresponsible。 We scientists are okay。 But those other people are a real problem。
Yet the truth was that responsibility began with each individual person； and the choices he made。 Each person had a choice。
Well； Norman thought； there was nothing he could do for Harry or Beth any longer。 He had to save himself。
He heard a deep hum as the generators turned on； and the throb of the propellors。 The screen flashed：
DEEPSTAR III … PILOT INSTRUMENTS ACTIVATED
Here we go； he thought； resting his hands confidently on the controls。 He felt the submarine respond beneath him。 〃Your attention； please。 Seventeen minutes and counting。〃 Muddy sediment churned up around the canopy as the screws engaged； and then the little submarine slipped out from beneath the dome。 It was just like driving a car； he thought。 There was nothing to it。
He turned in a slow arc； away from DH…7； toward DH…8。 He was twenty feet above the bottom； high enough for the screws to clear the mud。
There were seventeen minutes left。 At a maximum ascent rate of 6。6 feet per second…he did the mental calculation quickly； effortlessly…he would reach the surface in two and