woman driver。〃
〃Do you have to make a joke of everything？〃
〃Do you have to take everything so seriously？〃
〃This is serious；〃 Beth said。
〃I'll tell you a different story；〃 Harry said。 〃This woman screwed up。 She was supposed to do something； and she forgot to do it； or else she made a mistake。 And then she went into hibernation。 As a result of her mistake； the rest of the ＇＇252＇＇ crew died； and she never woke up from the hibernation…never realized what she had done； because she was so unaware of what was really happening。〃
〃I'm sure you like that story better；〃 Beth said。 〃It fits with your typical black…male contempt for women。〃
〃Easy；〃 Norman said。
〃You resent the power of the female；〃 Beth said。
〃What power？ You call lifting weights power？ That's only strength…and it es out of a feeling of weakness； not power。〃
〃You skinny little weasel；〃 Beth said。
〃What're you going to do； beat me up？〃 Harry said。 〃Is that your idea of power？〃
〃I know what power is；〃 Beth said； glaring at him。
〃Easy； easy；〃 Norman said。 〃Let's not get into this。〃
Harry said； 〃What do you think； Norman？ Do you have a story about the room； too？〃
〃No；〃 Norman said。 〃I don't。〃
〃Oh； e on；〃 Harry said。 〃I bet you do。〃
〃No；〃 Norman said。 〃And I'm not going to mediate between you two。 We've all got to stay together on this。 We have to work as a team； as long as we're down here。〃
〃It's Harry who's divisive；〃 Beth said。 〃From the beginning of this trip； he's tried to make trouble with everybody。 All those snide little ments 。。。〃
〃What snide little ments？〃 Harry said。
〃You know perfectly well what snide little ments；〃 Beth said。
Norman walked out of the room。 〃Where're you going？〃
〃Your audience is leaving。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because you're both boring。〃
〃Oh；〃 Beth said； 〃Mr。 Cool Psychologist decides we are boring？〃
〃That's right；〃 Norman said； walking through the glass tunnel； not looking back。
〃Where do you get off； making all these judgments of other people？〃 Beth shouted at him。
＇＇253＇＇ He kept walking。
〃I'm speaking to you！ Don't you walk away while I'm speaking to you； Norman！〃
He came into the galley once more and started opening the drawers； looking for the nut bars。 He was hungry again； and the search took his mind off the other two。 He had to admit he was disturbed by the way things were going。 He found a bar； tore the foil； ate it。
Disturbed； but not surprised。 In studies of group dynamics he had long ago verified the truth of the old statement 〃Three's a crowd。〃 For a high…tension situation； groups of three were inherently unstable。 Unless everybody had clearly defined responsibilities； the group tended to form shifting allegiances； two against one。 That was what was happening now。
He finished the nut bar； and immediately ate another one。 How much longer did they have down here？ At least thirty…six hours more。 He looked for a place to carry additional nut bars； but his polyester jumpsuit had no pockets。
Beth and Harry came into the galley； much chagrined。
〃Want a nut bar？〃 he said； chewing。
〃We want to apologize；〃 she said。
〃For what？〃
〃For acting like children；〃 Harry said。
〃I'm embarrassed；〃 Beth said。 〃I feel terrible about losing my temper that way； I feel like a plete idiot。 。。。 Beth was hanging her head； staring at the floor。 Interesting how she flipped； he thought； from aggressive self…confidence to the plete opposite； abject self…apology。 Nothing in between。
〃Let's not take it too far；〃 he said。 〃We're all tired。〃
〃I feel just awful；〃 Beth continued。 〃Really awful。 I feel as if I've let you both down。 I shouldn't be here in the first place。 I'm not worthy to be in this group。〃
Norman said； 〃Beth； have a nut bar and stop feeling sorry for yourself。〃
〃Yes；〃 Harry said。 〃I think I like you better angry。〃
〃I'm sick of those nut bars；〃 Beth said。 〃Before you came here； I ate eleven of them。〃
＇＇254＇＇ 〃Well； make it an even dozen；〃 Norman said； 〃and we'll go back to the habitat。〃
Walking back across the ocean floor； they were tense； watching for the squid。 But Norman derived fort from the fact that they were armed。 And something else： some inner confidence that came from his earlier confrontation with the squid。
〃You hold that spear gun like you mean it；〃 Beth said。 〃Yes。 I guess so。〃 All his life he had been an academic； a university researcher； and had never conceived of himself as a man of action。 At least； nothing beyond the occasional game of golf。 Now； holding the spear gun ready； he found he rather liked the feeling。
As he walked he noticed the profusion of sea fans on the path between the spacecraft and the habitat。 They were obliged to walk around the fans； which were sometimes four and five feet tall； gaudy purple and blue in their lights。 Norman was quite sure that the fans had not been down here when they first arrived at the habitat。
Now there were not only colorful fans； but schools of large fish； too。 Most of the fish were black with a reddish stripe across the back。 Beth said they were Pacific surgeonfish； normal for the region。
Everything is changing； he thought。 It's all changing around us。 But he wasn't sure about that。 He didn't really trust his memory down here。 There were too many other things to alter his perceptions…the high…pressure atmosphere； the injuries he had received； and the nagging tension and fear he lived with。
Something pale caught his eye。 Shining his light down on the bottom； he saw a wriggling white streak with a long thin fin and black stripes。 At first he thought it was an eel。 Then he saw the tiny head； the mouth。
〃Just wait；〃 Beth said； putting her arm on him。 〃What is it？〃
〃Sea snake。〃
〃Are they dangerous？〃
＇＇255＇＇ 〃Not usually。〃
〃Poisonous？〃 Harry said。
〃Very Poisonous。〃
The snake stayed close to the bottom； apparently looking for food。 The snake ignored them entirely； and Norman found it quite beautiful to watch； particularly as it moved farther away。
〃It gives me the creeps；〃 Beth said。
〃Do you know what kind it is？〃 Norman said。
〃It may be a Belcher's；〃 Beth said。 〃Pacific sea snakes are all poisonous； but Belcher's sea snake is the most poisonous。 In fact； some researchers think it's the deadliest reptile in the world； with venom a hundred times more powerful than the venom of a king cobra or the black tiger snake。〃
〃So if it bit you 。。。〃
〃Two minutes； tops。〃
They watched the snake slither away among the fans。 Then it was gone。
〃Sea snakes are not usually aggressive；〃 Beth said。 〃Some divers even touch them； play with them； but I never would。 God。 Snakes。〃
〃Why are they so poisonous？ Is it for immobilizing prey？〃
〃You know； it's interesting；〃 Beth said； 〃but the most toxic creatures in the world are all water creatures。 The venom of land animals is nothing in parison。 And even among land animals； the most deadly poison is derived from an amphibian； a toad； Bufotene marfensis。 In the sea； there are poisonous fish； like the blowfish； which is a delicacy in Japan； there are poisonous shells； like the star cone； Alaverdis lotensis。 Once I was on a boat in Guam and a woman brought up a star cone。 The shells are very beautiful； but she didn't know you have to keep your fingers away from the point。 The animal extruded its poison spine and stung her in the p