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 he was afraid。 At a moment of great personal danger； Beth had abandoned him。 There were only three of them left down there； and they needed each other…they needed to depend on each other。 But Beth was unreliable； and that made him afraid。 And angry。
〃Can you hear me？〃 her voice said； on the inter。 〃Anybody hear me？〃
Norman reached for the microphone； but Harry snatched it away。 〃I'll do this；〃 he said。 〃Yes； Beth； we can hear you。〃
〃I'm in the ship；〃 she said； her voice crackling on the inter。 〃I've found another partment； aft； behind the crew bunks。 It's quite interesting。〃
Quite interesting； Norman thought。 Jesus； quite interesting。 He grabbed the microphone from Harry。 〃Beth； what the hell are you doing over there？〃
〃Oh； hi； Norman。 You made it back okay； huh？〃
〃Barely。〃
〃You have some trouble？〃 She didn't sound concerned。
〃Yes； I did。〃
〃Are you all right？ You sound mad。〃
〃You bet I'm mad。 Beth； why did you leave while I was out there？〃
〃Harry said he'd take over for me。〃
〃He what？〃 Norman looked at Harry。 Harry was shaking his head no。
〃Harry said he'd take over at the console for me。 He told me to go ahead to the ship。 Since the squid wasn't around； it seemed like a good time。〃
Norman cupped his hand over microphone。 〃I don't the remember that；〃 Harry said。
〃Did you talk to her？〃
〃I don't remember talking to her。〃
Beth said； 〃Just ask him； Norman。 He'll tell you。〃
〃He says he never said that。〃
〃Well； then； he's full of it；〃 Beth said。 〃What do you think； I'd abandon you when you were outside； for Christ's sake？〃 ＇＇247＇＇ There was a pause。 〃I'd never do that； Norman。〃
〃I swear；〃 Harry said to Norman。 〃I never had any conversation with Beth。 I never talked to her at all。 I'm telling you； she was gone when I woke up。 There was nobody here。 If you ask me； she always intended to go to the ship。〃
Norman remembered how quickly Beth had agreed to let Norman go to the sub； how surprised he had been。 Perhaps Harry was right； he thought。 Perhaps Beth had been planning it all along。
〃You know what I think？〃 Harry said。 〃I think she's cracking up。〃
Over the inter； Beth said； 〃You guys get it straightened out？〃
Norman said； 〃I think so； Beth； yes。〃
〃Good；〃 Beth said。 〃Because I have made a discovery over here； in the spaceship。〃
〃What's that？〃
〃I've found the crew。〃
〃You both came；〃 Beth said。 She was sitting on a console in the fortable beige flight deck of the spacecraft。 〃Yes；〃 Norman said； looking at her。 She looked okay。 If anything； she looked better than ever。 Stronger； clearer。 She actually looked rather beautiful； he thought。 〃Harry thought that the squid wouldn't e back。〃
〃The squid was out there？〃
Norman briefly told her about his attack。
〃Jesus。 I'm sorry； Norman。 I'd never have left if I had any idea。〃
She certainly didn't sound like somebody who was cracking up； Norman thought。 She sounded appropriate and sincere。 〃Anyway；〃 he said； 〃I injured it； and Harry thought it wouldn't e back。〃
Harry said； 〃And we couldn't decide who should stay behind； so we both came。〃
〃Well； e this way；〃 Beth said。 She led them back； through the crew quarters； past the twenty bunks for the ＇＇