[Dave and Frank are inside the pod while HAL looks on. The sound to HAL has been cut]

Dr. Frank Poole: Well, whaddya think?

Dave Bowman: I'm not sure, what do you think?

Dr. Frank Poole: I've got a bad feeling about him.

Dave Bowman: You do?

Dr. Frank Poole: Yeah, definitely. Don't you?

Dave Bowman: [sighs] I don't know; I think so. You know of course though he's right about the 9000 series having a perfect operational record. They do.

Dr. Frank Poole: Unfortunately that sounds a little like famous last words.

Dave Bowman: Yeah? Still it was his idea to carry out the faiure mode analysis experiment. Should certainly indicate his integrity and self-confidence. If he were wrong it would be the surest way of proving it.

Dr. Frank Poole: It would be if he knew he was wrong. Look Dave I can't put my finger on it but I sense something strange about him.

Dave Bowman: [sigh] Still I can't think of a good reason not to put back the number one unit and carry on with the failure mode analysis.

Dr. Frank Poole: No - no I agree about that.

Dave Bowman: Well let's get on with it.
Dr. Frank Poole: Okay. Well look Dave. Let's say we put the unit back and it doesn't fail uh? That would pretty well wrap it up as far as HAL was concerned wouldn't it?

Dave Bowman: Well, we'd be in very serious trouble.

Dr. Frank Poole: We would, wouldn't we. What the hell could we do?

Dave Bowman: [sigh] Well we wouldn't have too many alternatives.

Dr. Frank Poole: I don't think we'd have any alternatives. There isn't a single aspect of ship operations that isn't under his control. If he were proven to be malfunctioning I wouldn't see how we'd have any choice but disconnection.

Dave Bowman: I'm afraid I agree with you.

Dr. Frank Poole: There'd be nothing else to do.

Dave Bowman: It would be a bit tricky.

Dr. Frank Poole: Yeah.

Dave Bowman: We would have to cut his higher-brain functions...without disturbing the purely automatic and regulatory systems. And we'd have to work out the transfer procedures of continuing the mission under ground-based computer control.

Dr. Frank Poole: Yeah. Well that's far safer than allowing HAL to continue running things.

Dave Bowman: You know, another thing just occurred to me...Well, as far as I know, no 9000 computer has ever been disconnected.

Dr. Frank Poole: No 9000 computer has ever fouled up before.
Dave Bowman: That's not what I mean...Well I'm not so sure what he'd think about it.