〃A black hole；〃 Harry said； 〃is a dead； pressed star。 Basically； a star is like a big beach ball inflated by the atomic explosions occurring inside it。 When a star gets old； and runs out of nuclear fuel； the ball collapses to a much smaller size。 If it collapses enough； it bees so dense and it has so much gravity that it keeps on collapsing； squeezing down on itself until it is very dense and very small…only a few miles in diameter。 Then it's a black hole。 Nothing else in the universe is as dense as a black hole。〃
〃So they're black because they're dead？〃
〃No。 They're black because they trap all the light。 Black holes have so much gravity； they pull everything into them； like vacuum cleaners…all the surrounding interstellar gas and dust； and even light itself。 They just suck it right up。〃
〃They suck up light？〃 Norman said。 He found it hard to think of that。
〃Yes。〃
〃So what were you two so excited about； with your calculations？〃
〃Oh； it's a long story； and it's just speculation。〃 Harry yawned。 〃It probably won't amount to anything； anyway。 Talk about it later？〃
〃Sure；〃 Norman said。
Harry rolled over； went to sleep。 Ted was still in the showers； hacking and sputtering。 Norman went back to D Cyl； to Tina's console。
〃Did Harry find you all right？〃 he said。 〃I know he wanted to see you。〃
〃Yes； sir。 And I have the information he requested now。 Why？ Did you want to make out your will； too？〃
Norman frowned。
〃Dr。 Adams said he didn't have a will and he wanted to make one。 He seemed to feel it was quite urgent。 Anyway； I checked with the surface and you can't do it。 It's some legal problem about it being in your own handwriting； you can't transmit your will over electronic lines。〃
〃I see。〃
＇＇94＇＇ 〃I'm sorry； Dr。 Johnson。 Should I tell the others as well？〃
〃No；〃 Norman said。 〃Don't bother the others。 We'll be going to the surface soon。 Right after we have one last look at the ship。〃
THE LARGE GLASS
This time they split up inside the spaceship。 Barnes； Ted； and Edmunds continued forward in the vast cargo bays； to search the parts of the ship that were still unexplored。 Norman； Beth； and Harry stayed in what they now called the flight deck； looking for the flight recorder。
Ted's parting words were 〃It is a far； far better thing that I do； than I have ever done。〃 Then he set off with Barnes。 Edmunds left them a small video monitor so they could see the progress of the other team in the forward section of the ship。 And they could hear： Ted chattered continuously to Barnes； giving his views about structural features of the ship。 The design of the big cargo bays reminded Ted of the stonework of the ancient Mycenaeans in Greece； particularly the Lion Gate ramp at Mycenae。 。。。
〃Ted has more irrelevant facts at his fingertips than any man I know；〃 Harry said。 〃Can we turn the volume down？〃 Yawning； Norman turned the monitor down。 He was tired。 The bunks in DH…8 were damp； the electric blankets heavy and clinging。 Sleep had been almost impossible。 And then Beth had e storming in after her talk with Barnes。
She was still angry now。 〃God damn Barnes；〃 she said。 〃Where does he get off？〃
〃He's doing the best he can； like everyone else；〃 Norman said。
She spun。 〃You know； Norman； sometimes you're too ＇＇95＇＇ psychological and understanding。 The man is an idiot。 A plete idiot。〃
〃Let's just find the flight recorder； shall we？〃 Harry said。 〃That's the important thing now。〃 Harry was following the umbilicus cable that ran out the back of the mannequin； into the floor。 He was lifting up floor panels； tracing the wires aft。
〃I'm sorry；〃 Beth said； 〃but he wouldn't speak like that to a man。 Certainly not to Ted。 Ted's hogging the whole show； and I don't see why he should be allowed to。〃
〃What does Ted have to do with…〃 Norman began。
〃…The man is a parasite； that's what he is。 He takes the ideas of others and promotes them as his own。 Even the way he quotes famous sayings…it's outrageous。〃
〃You feel he takes other people's ideas？〃 Norman said。
〃Listen； back on the surface； I mentioned to Ted that we ought to have some words ready when we opened this thing。 And the next thing I know； Ted's making up quotes and positioning himself in front of the camera。〃
〃Well 。。。〃
〃Well what； Norman？ Don't well me； for Christ's sake。 It was my idea and he took it without so much as a thank you。〃
〃Did you say anything to him about it？〃 Norman said。
〃No； I did not say anything to him about it。 I'm sure he wouldn't remember if I did； he'd go； 'Did you say that； Beth？ I suppose you might have mentioned something like that； yes。 。。。' 〃
〃I still think you should talk to him。〃
〃Norman； you're not listening to me。〃
〃If you talked to him； at least you wouldn't be so angry about it now。〃
〃Shrink talk；〃 she said； shaking her head。 〃Look； Ted does whatever he wants on this expedition； he makes his stupid speeches； whatever he wants。 But I go through the door first and Barnes gives me hell。 Why shouldn't I go first？ What's wrong with a woman being the first； for once in the history of science？〃
〃Beth…〃
〃…And then I had the gall to turn on the lights。 You know what Barnes said about that？ He said I might have started ＇＇96＇＇ a short…circuit and put us all in jeopardy。 He said I didn't know what I was doing。 He said I was impulsive。 Jesus。 Impulsive。 Stone…age military cretin。〃
〃Turn the volume back up；〃 Harry said。 〃I'd rather hear Ted。〃
〃e on； guys。〃
〃We're all under a lot of pressure； Beth；〃 Norman said。 〃It's going to affect everybody in different ways。〃
She glared at Norman。 〃You're saying Barnes was right？〃
〃I'm saying we're all under pressure。 Including him。 Including you。〃
〃Jesus； you men always stick together。 You know why I'm still an assistant professor and not tenured？〃
〃Your pleasant； easygoing personality？〃 Harry said。
〃I can do without this。 I really can。〃
〃Beth；〃 Harry said； 〃you see the way these cables are going？ They're running toward that bulkhead there。 See if they go up the wall on the other side of the door。〃
〃You trying to get rid of me？〃
〃If possible。〃
She laughed； breaking the tension。 〃All right； I'll look on the other side of the door。〃
When she was gone； Harry said； 〃She's pretty worked up。〃
Norman said； 〃You know the Ben Stone story？〃
〃Which one？〃
〃Beth did her graduate work in Stone's lab。〃
〃Oh。〃
Benjamin Stone was a biochemist at BU。 A colorful； engaging man； Stone had a reputation as a good researcher who used his graduate students like lab assistants； taking their results as his own。 In this exploitation of others' work； Stone was not unique in the academic munity； but he proceeded a little more ruthlessly than his colleagues。
〃Beth was living with him as well。〃
〃Uh…huh。〃
〃Back in the early seventies。 Apparently； she did a series of important experiments on the energetics of ciliary inclusion bodies。 They had a big argument； and Stone broke off his relationship with her。 She left the lab； and he published ＇＇97＇＇ five papers…all her work…without her name on them。〃
〃Very nice；〃 Harry said。 〃So now she lifts weights？〃
〃Well； she feels mistreated； and I can see her point。〃
〃Yeah；〃 Harry said。 〃But the thing is； lie down with dogs； get up with fleas； you know what I mean？〃
〃Jesus；〃 Beth said； returnin