Donna and Chen both open fire, but the enraged mother bullsquid scarcely seems to notice the various projectiles striking her body. When she does finally keel over, her momentum sends the corpse sliding into the pit on top of her offspring. The calves squirm madly, letting out cries halfway between the squeal of a pig and the yowl of a cat in heat.

Answering cries echo from all the way up and down the beach--some from other babies, and some from adults.

"Ohhhh shit..." Chen blanches. "RUN!"