Jack frowned. “Heeeey, that could be a sea scorpion.” He grinned. “It was one of the apex predators in the shallows of the primordial seas.” He half turned. “Did you know they were the first creatures to leave the water, and they were big? The Eurypterids grew to nearly nine feet, and over half a billion years ago, they crawled up onto desolate Cambrian shorelines. The fish only followed them millions of years later. But they were a little smarter, evolving more efficient lungs and then turning into amphibians. The result was they pushed the sea scorpions back into the ocean, and went on to grow big and then rule all the lands.”

Abby blew air through compressed lips. “Imagine what our world would have been like if the scorpions had won the race – makes you wonder, if we, humans I mean, would even exist.”

“Sure we would,” Greg said, cheerily. “We’d just have exoskeletons and eyes on stalks.”

“Gaak.” Abby stifled a giggle.

“Look.” Greg pointed at something easing its way up behind the dining sea scorpion.

“Attracted by the blood,” Jack said.

“That is truly weird.” Abby tried to lean out over Jack’s shoulder, and Cate pulled her back.

“It’s more than that,” said Mironov softly. “It is a breathtaking wonder.” He leaned forward. “Anomalocaris, I believe. What do you think, Mr Monroe?”

Jack’s forehead furrowed. “Anomalocaris – impossible, impossible, impossible.” He exhaled slowly. “But if that’s what it is, it is a ghost from Earth’s earliest time, and one of evolutions marvels.” He turned briefly to Mironov, before going back to the strange creature. “Nature trying its hand at the weird and wonderful – nothing like it exists today, and nothing has for hundreds of millions of years.” He folded his arms, still shaking his head, as he remained staring at the thing.

The three-foot-long creature slowed as it approached the sea scorpion. It seemed to hover, its stealth approach unmistakable as it glided in and out of the thicker grasses. It had an oval ribbed body with flaps on the edge that gently undulated; golf ball sized glossy black eyes on stalks, and armor plating. But its front end seemed the work of a mad artist commissioned to design the most terrifying predator he could imagine. Below the head, two long appendages were tightly coiled as it came nearer the scorpion, then each began to slowly unfurl like a double elephant trunk.

Jack eased the submersible to a full stop, and the entire crew crowded in at the curved window. The team could see now that the coils had spikes on the underside and were in fact arms used for gripping and holding prey.

Jack carefully turned to Cate. “Thank you for bringing me.” He slowly eased back around as though worried a sudden movement might send the monstrosity darting away into the dark. He leant on the u-shaped wheel. “My bucket list is now officially empty.”