〃Yes。〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Is he okay？〃
〃I don't know。 I think so。〃
Still looking through the microscope lens； she said； 〃Did he tell you anything about what happened inside the sphere？〃
〃Not yet。〃
She adjusted the microscope； shook her head。 〃I'll be damned。〃
〃What is it？〃 Norman said。
〃Extra dorsal plating。〃
〃Meaning？〃
〃It's another new species；〃 she said。
Norman said； 〃Shrimpus bethus？ You're making discoveries hand over fist down here； Beth。〃
〃Uh…huh 。。。 I checked the sea fans； too； because they seemed to have an unusual radial growth pattern。 They're a new species as well。〃
〃That's great； Beth。〃
She turned； looked at him。 〃No。 Not great。 Weird。〃 She clicked on a high…intensity light； cut open one of the shrimps with a scalpel。 〃I thought so。〃
〃What is it？〃
＇＇157＇＇ 〃Norman；〃 she said； 〃we didn't see any life down here for days…and suddenly in the last few hours we find three new species？ It's not normal。〃
〃We don't know what's normal at one thousand feet。〃
〃I'm telling you。 It's not normal。〃
〃But； Beth； you said yourself that we simply hadn't noticed the sea fans before。 And the squid and the shrimps…can't they be migrating； passing through this area； something like that？ Barnes says they've never had trained scientists living this deep at one site on the ocean floor before。 Maybe these migrations are normal； and we just don't know they occur。〃
〃I don't think so；〃 Beth said。 〃When I went out to get these shrimps； I felt their behavior was atypical。 For one thing； they were too close together。 Shrimps on the bottom maintain a characteristic distance from one another； about four feet。 These were packed close。 In addition； they moved as if they were feeding； but there's nothing to feed on down here。〃
〃Nothing that we know of。〃
〃Well； these shrimps can't have been feeding。〃 She pointed to the cut animal on the lab bench。 〃They haven't got a stomach。〃
〃Are you kidding？〃
〃Look for yourself。〃
Norman looked； but the dissected shrimp didn't mean much to him。 It was just a mass of pink flesh。 It was cut on a ragged diagonal； not cleanly。 She's tired； he thought。 She's not working efficiently。 We need sleep。 We need to get out of here。
〃The external appearance is perfect； except for an extra dorsal fan at the tail；〃 she said。 〃But internally； it's all screwed up。 There's no way for these animals to be alive。 No stomach。 No reproductive apparatus。 This animal is like a bad imitation of a shrimp。〃
〃Yet the shrimps are alive；〃 Norman said。
〃Yeah；〃 she said。 〃They are。〃 She seemed unhappy about it。
〃And the squid were perfectly normal inside。 。。。〃
＇＇158＇＇ 〃Actually； they weren't。 When I dissected one； I found that it lacked several important structures。 There's a nerve bundle called the stellate ganglion that wasn't there。〃
〃Well 。。。〃
〃And there were no gills； Norman。 Squid possess a long gill structure for gas exchange。 This one didn't have one。 The squid had no way to breathe； Norman。〃
〃It must have had a way to breathe。〃
〃I'm telling you； it didn't。 We're seeing impossible animals down here。 All of a sudden； impossible animals。〃
She turned away from the high…intensity lamp； and he saw that she was close to tears。 Her hands were shaking； she quickly dropped them into her lap。 〃You're really worried；〃 he said。
〃Aren't you？〃 She searched his face。 〃Norman；〃 she said； 〃all this started when Harry came out of the sphere； didn't it？〃
〃I guess it did。〃
〃Harry came out of the sphere； and now we have impossible sea life。 。。。 I don't like it。 I wish we could get out of here。 I really do。〃 Her lower lip was trembling。
He gave her a hug and said gently； 〃We can't get out of here。〃
〃I know；〃 she said。 She hugged him back； and began to cry； pushing her face into his shoulder。
〃It's all right。 。。。〃
〃I hate it when I get this way；〃 she said。 〃I hate this feeling。〃
〃I know。 。。。。。 。
'And I hate this place。 I hate everything about it。 I hate Barnes and I hate Ted's lectures and I hate Levy's stupid desserts。 I wish I wasn't here。〃
〃I know。 。。。〃
She sniffled for a moment； then abruptly pushed him away with her strong arms。 She turned away； wiped her eyes。 〃I'm all right；〃 she said。 〃Thanks。〃
〃Sure；〃 he said。
She remained turned away； her back to him。 〃Where's the ＇＇159＇＇ damn Kleenex？〃 She found one； blew her nose。 〃You won't say anything to the others。 。。。〃
〃Of course not。〃
A bell rang； startling her。 〃Jesus； what's that？〃
〃I think it's dinner；〃 Norman said。
DINNER
〃I don't know how you can eat those things；〃 Harry said； pointing to the squid。
〃They're delicious；〃 Norman said。 〃Sautéed squid。〃 As soon as he had sat at the table； he became aware of how hungry he was。 And eating made him feel better； there was a reassuring normalcy about sitting at a table； with a knife and fork in his hands。 It was almost possible to forget where he was。
〃I especially like them fried；〃 Tina said。
〃Fried calamari；〃 Barnes said。 〃Wonderful。 My favorite。〃
〃I like them fried； too；〃 Edmunds； the archivist； said。 She sat primly； very erect； eating her food precisely。 Norman noticed that she put her knife down between bites。
〃Why aren't these fried？〃 Norman said。
〃We can't deep…fry down here；〃 Barnes said。 〃The hot oil forms a suspension and gums up the air filters。 But sautéed is fine。〃
〃Well； I don't know about the squid but the shrimps are great；〃 Ted said。 〃Aren't they； Harry？〃 Ted and Harry were eating shrimp。
〃Great shrimp；〃 Harry said。 〃Delicious。〃
〃You know how I feel；〃 Ted said； 〃I feel like Captain Nemo。 Remember； living underwater off the bounty of the sea？〃
〃Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea；〃 Barnes said。
＇＇160＇＇ 〃James Mason；〃 Ted said。 〃Remember how he played the organ？ Duh…duh…duh； da da da daaaaah da！ Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor。〃
〃And Kirk Douglas。〃
〃Kirk Douglas was great。〃
〃Remember when he fought the giant squid？〃
〃That was great。〃
〃Kirk Douglas had an ax； remember？〃
〃Yeah； and he cut off one of the squid arms。〃
〃That movie；〃 Harry said； 〃scared the hell out of me。 I saw it when I was a kid and it scared the hell out of me。〃
〃I didn't think it was scary；〃 Ted said。
〃You were older；〃 Harry said。
〃Not that much older。〃
〃Yes； you were。 For a kid it was terrifying。 That's probably why I don't like squid now。〃
〃You don't like squid；〃 Ted said； 〃because they're rubbery and disgusting。〃
Barnes said； 〃That was the movie that made me want to join the Navy。〃
〃I can imagine；〃 Ted said。 〃So romantic and exciting。 And a real vision of the wonders of applied science。 Who played the professor in that？〃
〃The professor？〃
〃Yes； remember there was a professor？〃
〃I vaguely remember a professor。 Old guy。〃
〃Norman？ You remember who was the professor？〃
〃No； I don't；〃 Norman said。
Ted said； 〃Are you sitting over there keeping an eye on us； Norman？〃
〃How do you mean？〃 Norman said。
〃Analyzing us。 Seeing if we're cracking up。〃
〃Yes；〃 Norman said； smiling。 〃I am。〃
〃How're we doing？〃 Ted said。
〃I would say it is highly significant that a group of scientists can't remember who played the scientist in a movie they all loved。〃
〃Well； Kirk Douglas was the hero； that's why。 The scientist wasn't the hero。〃
＇＇161＇＇ 〃Franchot Tone？〃 Barnes said。 〃Claude Rains？〃
〃No； I don't think so。 Fritz s