〃We had gotten a strange reading in the previous hour。〃
〃What sort of a reading？〃
〃Something out there。 Something very large。〃
〃But it didn't trigger the alarms；〃 Harry said。
〃No。 This thing was beyond alarm…set parameters。〃
〃You mean it was too big to set off the alarms？〃
〃Yes。 After the first false alarm； the settings were all cranked down。 The alarms were set to ignore anything that large。 That's why Tina had to readjust the settings。〃
〃And what set off the alarms just now？〃 Harry said。 〃When Beth and Norman were out there？〃
Barnes said； 〃Tina？〃
〃I don't know what it was。 Some kind of animal； I guess。 Silent； and very big。〃
〃How big？〃
She shook her head。 〃From the electronic footprint； Dr。 Adams； I would say the thing was almost as big as this habitat。〃
BATTLE STATIONS
Beth slipped one round white egg onto the stage of the scanning microscope。 〃Well；〃 she said； peering through the eyepiece； 〃it's definitely marine invertebrate。 The interesting feature is this slimy coating。〃 She poked at it with forceps。
〃What is it？〃 Norman said。
〃Some kind of proteinaceous material。 Sticky。〃
〃No。 I mean； what is the egg？〃
〃Don't know yet。〃 Beth continued her examination when the alarm sounded and the red lights began to flash again。 Norman felt a sudden dread。
〃Probably another false alarm；〃 Beth said。
〃Attention； all hands；〃 Barnes said on the inter。 〃All hands； battle stations。〃
〃Oh shit；〃 Beth said。
Beth slid gracefully down the ladder as if it were a fire pole； Norman followed clumsily back down behind her。 At the munications section on D Cyl； he found a familiar scene： everyone clustered around the puter； and the back panels aga