Sometime later, Graham and Peterson are preparing to venture into the nest.
H. MEDFORD: Marvelously made, marvelous! Tell me, you only saw the one live ant?
GRAHAM: Yea, it seemed to try to get out rather than get us. He stopped moving almost as soon as the gas hit him. Then he dropped out of sight. We didn't see or hear a thing from then on.
PETERSON: You think they're all dead down there, Doctor?
H. MEDFORD: Oh I thinks so, you used enough gas. All parts of the nest should be thoroughly saturated by now.
PETERSON: Good.
GRAHAM: Boy if I can still raise an arm when we get out of this place, I'm going to show you just how saturated I can get.
PETERSON: I'm with you.
H. MEDFORD: Well if I were a younger man I would . . . .
Patricia shows up with field gear and clothing on.
GRAHAM: What are you made up for?
P. MEDFORD: I'm going with you and Ben.
GRAHAM: Oh no you're not.
P. MEDFORD: Listen Bob, someone with scientific knowledge has to go. My father's physically unable to do it. That leaves me.
GRAHAM: That leaves you here. Now look, we don't know what we're going to find down there or what will happen. But there's one thing for sure, it's no place for you or any other woman.
H. MEDFORD: I didn't ask her to go, Robert. She wanted to, but being a scientist myself, I couldn't very well forbid her.
P. MEDFORD: A trained observer has to go into the nest.
GRAHAM: What for?
P. MEDFORD: There are more important things to find out than whether all the ants are dead. You wouldn't know what to look for.
GRAHAM: Well you tell us what to look for, there's . . .
P. MEDFORD (interrupts): Look Bob, there's no time to give you a fast course on insect pathology. So let's stop all the talking and get on with it.
GRAHAM: Okay, okay.
P. MEDFORD: Don't worry, Dad.
Patricia gives her father a hug.
At the mound entrance, Peterson starts descending down the hole.
O'BRIEN: Good luck, Sargeant.
GRAHAM: You come last, Pat. . . .And throw the rest of that stuff down when I signal, will you?
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