Ten minutes

Ten Minutes

Twelve years ago the Anshy arrived at Earth. An advance alien race that, according to them, fled to the stars because their sun was dieing. They were humanoid like us tall, dark gray skinned and ugly by most standards. I'm talking elephant man ugly. Their heads were large and deformed looking like they had just had been hit with a blistering agent... ugly!
Their ship was another matter, it was the size of a small moon or more closely Pluto. They said they came in peace offering technology that would help eliminate famine, disease and war. Never trust anyone bearing gifts... that's what many thought, myself included.
Or maybe it was all those alien invasion movies we grew up with. Hell I don't know, but many in the world didn't trust them. The ones that seemed to open their arms to them were the governments and the rich. Of course they would, they were the ones who would ultimately profit from Anshy generosity.
We took their technology and in return allowed them to land. They found places to live far from us humans, not because they feared us but because they preferred to be with their own kind. They took over uninhabited islands and large areas of land all over the earth that we were not using. They turned them into small cities for farming, growing their own food, and were quickly living on their own even though they still had their ship in orbit.
Over the years we did eliminate famine, increasing food production thanks to the Anshy. Reduced poverty and cured many diseases. But it wasn't enough for some. A few countries tried to take more by force. They were quickly defeated by the Anshy and their battle mechs. Others tried to kick them out of their countries, but the Anshy refused to leave.
People started to resent and fear the Anshy believing they were trying take over their country and possibly the world. So they went to the UN pleading their case to have the UN to put an end to the Anshy colonizing earth but the only thing the UN ever did was argue.
During this time, we made many new discoveries, thanks of the Anshy. New space ships were built that took us to Mars in only a day and to the rest of our solar system in a week. New technology was created that made our lives easier, still, we were not happy. We need new challenges and once again found them not just in fighting with each other but in science.
One of those challenges fell into the area of H.G. Wells. We wanted to know if we could create our own time machine. And the Anshy were all to happy and willing to assist. It was a challenge even they could not pass up. It was soon to be the beginning of the end.

The military project officer was Colonel Marvin Terrance. A Marine career officer, he had fought in a few wars before the Anshy arrived and one since. We all fought in one fight or another, even after they arrived we still fought each other, it's in our nature.
The colonel was the type of man who would run out into a minefield to rescue an injured man as long as it was his own. Tough, smart and very dedicated to the core but he didn't act like it. He argued for and against the Anshy over the years and that made him both respected and hated. I don't think he really trusted the Anshy, then again not many in the military did.
However, the colonel did get the job done when he was told to do so, that's why he was in charge of this project and its security. As for me, well I'm just another Marine assigned to keep the place safe and secure.
We were hand picked by the colonel, which always made me wonder why I was here. He only accepted the best and I never thought I measured up to be the best, just another Marine doing his job. I also had an issue with stupid people, be it civilian, enlisted or officers and it's gotten me into trouble several times.

I was on guard duty at the labs entrance with two other Marines when the colonel arrived. He had two other officers and three civilians with him. I knew who they all were but I kept quiet like a good Marine, never speaking unless spoken too first.
We came to attention when they arrived my weapon at my side while two other Marines stood ready to shoot if need be. I scanned their id, their retina and their blood to make sure they were who they were. You might be able to fool one test but not all three. I nodded to the other two and they lowered their guns to their side allowing them through.
But the colonel just stood there looking at me like he was mad about something. He had done this before but this time it felt... different. I was starting to get nervous about that. He looked at the other two they looked even worse.
"Do you know what's in there?" He asked them. It was his standard question and we always gave him the standard reply... well almost always. They came to attention and said together, "No sir!" Then he looked at me and asked the same question. I don't know why but I looked at the civilians then told him, "I could say no sir, but that would be a lie." He closed in on me going nose to nose.
"You know what they are doing in there?" His voice was low, cold and hard.
"Yes sir."
"Come with me." He started to turn I came to attention and didn't move.
"I can not leave my post until properly relived, Sir." He got back in face.
"Then call for relief." He said in a dead serious tone. I looked up at the camera.
"Lab post one requesting relief at the security desk by order of Colonel Terrance." Immediately we heard running foot steeps and two Marines came around the coroner at full speed with rifles in hand. The officers and civilians stepped aside and the Marines stopped short of the Colonel coming to attention.
"Lab post one security desk is relieved." One of them said. I stepped aside and he took my place while the other Marine moved to the wall in front of the desk. I turned looking at the colonel.
"Sergeant Johnson has relieved me Colonel." I told him. He raised his open hand.
"Give me your weapon."
"No Sir. I can not do that here."
"Give me... your weapon!" The others were looking at me wondering what I was doing. I was doing my job.
"If I give you my weapon sir, then who will protect you and the others?"
"Are you afraid of something in there?"
"Afraid? No sir, I just don't trust... very easily." He knew what I was going to say.
"You mean Ny."
"Yes sir." He leaned close to my ear. I thought he was going to scream until I bleed.
"Neither do I." He whispered. I kept my gun. He ordered the door open and I suddenly realized I had more clearance than any enlisted man on the base. The Colonel entered along with the civilians then officers. They all looked at me as they passed, I followed them in, the door slid closed behind us.
We walked down a short corridor into a very large room. Inside were ten human scientists and one Anshy. Most of the humans were on a walkway high above our heads walking around a fifty foot glowing orb that floated ten feet in the air.
The rest were on the ground floor in front of us looking over a large screen with information on it. I couldn't tell what was on it from this distance but I could guess it had something to do with the glowing orb.
We waited in silence until Ny saw them. Ny was not his real name, no one could pronounce his real name so he allowed everyone to call him Ny. It was not as disrespectful to him than trying to say his name. Personally, I didn't care one way or the other.
Some would think we in the military were condemning the Anshy due to race. Race had nothing to do with it if you ask me. The Anshy were at least a thousand years more advanced than we mere humans, yet they said they needed us. My question was, why? Again, maybe it was all the alien invasion movies I watched growing up or maybe it was my training, but I just didn't trust them or Ny
A woman walked over to us, greeted the colonel then the rest. I've seen her many times coming and going, Professor Karen Brinkman, this was really her project. She obviously knew them since they were the ones in charge of her funding. Yes, I knew more than I was suppose to. She saw me and nodded.
The other officers walked with her and the civilians as she led them to large screen on the wall and started to talk to them. However the Colonel stayed behind with me standing next to me on my left.
"What do you think?" He asked looking at the orb.
"It's big." I replied.
"Think it'll work?"
"If it does we are in trouble." He looked at me then back at the orb.
"Why?"
"Think of all the things we could change in history. We could create a paradox that could destroy everything." He looked at me again. "Or we could loose it to the Anshy then we really are screwed. Sir."
"You don't trust the Anshy do you?"
"As far as I can spit into a forty mile an hour head wind. Sir." He was quiet for few minutes while we stood there watching.
"Do you know why I picked you?" That question caught me off guard. Why would he ask me why he picked me?
"No sir. I have wondered about that a few times."
"Because you aren't afraid to say what's on your mind or do what needs to be done."
"With all due respect, sir. That's gotten me into trouble before."
"I know."
"I just hate stupid people... sir."
"You can't cure stupidity Lance Corporal. You just have to learn to deal with them." He started to walk to the others looked at me and told me to follow him.
As we listened to Professor Brinkman talk, I understood a lot of what she was telling them, even if the rest didn't. That's what happens when you grow up reading science fiction and watching sci-fi all the time. Most of the old shows were way ahead of their time.
When Ny took over he led them to the orb and started explain it to them. I didn't like listening to Ny, not because he was Anshy, it was when he spoke. His lips moved but his translator changed his word into English or any other language that was needed. It was like watching a foreign film with English dubbed in over them, annoying.
I stood there listening until I realized it was not just a power source from their ship, but the point of departure and return. The orb came from their spaceship, one of many and this one orb alone could power the entire United States. A hand on my shoulder made me turn around. It was Professor Brinkman.
"Lance Corporal Willis isn't it?" I was surprised she recognized me let alone knew my name.
"Yes Ma'am."
"Why are you in here? I wasn't aware anyone else had been given clearance to be in here."
"You'll have to ask the colonel that one ma'am." She just nodded.
"What do you think?" She asked me turning to the orb.
"Of the orb that could power all of America or the time travel bit?"
"All of it."
"A lot of wasted money in my opinion, ma'am." She just smiled, I wasn't trying to piss her off so I tried shut up.
"We have to have funding to advance science." So much for keeping my mouth shut.
"The advancement of science is all well and good but do we need to travel back in time to mess it up even more than we have?"
"Who said anything about going back and messing it up?"
"That's what you are going to do if this works. Someone will want to go back then they'll do something stupid creating a paradox that will change our future."
"No one said anything about traveling in time to observe it. We can do that here without physical interaction."
"For the moment... but if this works. Like I said someone will want to go back to see for themselves. Then all they have to do is step on the wrong butterfly, kiss the wrong woman or stop the wrong car from hitting a child that should have died but didn't, then where will we be?" I hadn't realized the others were watching us.
"No amount of safe guards will prevent someone from being stupid." I finished. She looked surprised at me.
"Read a lot of science fiction do we?" She was being condescending.
"It doesn't take a genius to see you're playing with fire. If it's hot then don't touch it! If it's already happened then you shouldn't change it!" Someone cleared their throat. I turned and saw the colonel and the others staring at us.
"I apologies colonel, for speaking with out permission." I said. He tilted his head to the side and I followed him to the door while the others turned back to Ny.
"Once again colonel I apologies. I'll wait out side until..." He held up his hand and was quiet for a moment.
"You said what needed to be said. It's what I've been trying to tell these people for over a year now. You can get away with it but I can't." He walked back and forth a few steps then stopped.
"Meet me in my office in two hours." He dismissed me and I left. I knew I was screwed.
"The Lance Corporal seems to have a better understanding of this than these politicians." Karen said stopping next to the colonel.
"Yes he does. But is he correct?"
"To a point."
"I'll take that a yes." They headed back to the group.

I waited out side the colonels office half an hour before I was suppose to be there. No point in given him more ammunition. The corporal spoke into his mouth piece then looked at me.
"You can go in." I knocked on the door once then entered, saluted and reported. Colonel Terrance saluted back then told me to sit so I did.
"I knew I had you pegged when I read your file when I was selecting my people." He said. He opened up his top right drawer pulled out an old paper file and dropped it in front of him. He opened it up and began to read it out loud.
"You graduated from Berkeley in 16 in Applied and Theoretical Physics, PHD's no less. That was two year after the Anshy arrived. Joined the Marines after graduating but refused commission as an officer."
"Two purple hearts and a commendation medal from then Lieutenant General Phelps for your actions in the liberation of El-Golea after it was seized by local terrorists. You disobeyed orders and led your team of ten men into the city, took the terrorist headquarters killing most of then in the process." He sat back looking at me. "Why?"
"It's all right there sir."
"I don't want the bullshit story you and your men cooked up for the investigation board! I want to know why you disobey orders and went in anyway." I sat there remembering what I had seen, my gut started to churn all over again.
"Those children didn't deserve to be killed let alone beheaded. So yes, I went in with my men and killed every damn one of them bastards." I felt the anger returning, anger I hoped I would never fell again.
"All but one."
"Yes sir. All but one. The leader, I left him to the people of El-Golea." I remembered watching as they cut off parts of his body one by one fore each child his men had killed. Fingers, toes, ears then hands and feet slowly working their way up; he didn't have enough body parts. We did nothing to stop them nor would we. They gave me medal for it.
"You were also busted back to private for violating your orders." Yes, they did that too. Slap me on the back then ripped my stripes off, I had no regrets.
"I'd do it again if I had too."
"That's why I chose you and now I need you leading my new team." He closed my file and put it back the drawer.
"That damn machine will be up and running soon. I need a team to make sure that if anything comes through that isn't suppose to, it will be dealt with." That struck me odd.
"I thought it was only going to be used to observe?"
"You figured out what you weren't suppose to. These damn fools want to set up teams... to go exploring."
"And she thinks I read to much science fiction. Will we be going through?"
"Only if need be, you'll act only as a rescue team. Until then all you'll do is stand guard inside."
"So, no big change of pace then."
"Lets hope it stay that way. I've already got the first team selected, all you have to do is make sure they are ready. You lead them, you train them and make damn sure they are ready... Sergeant." Sergeant? Crap!
"You can pick up the information on your team from the corporal on your way out. Dismissed." I stood up saluted then left. The corporal was standing when I closed the door then handed me a tablet with all the names of my new team and their information. I looked at it then at the corporal.
"Don't let him down, sergeant." He told. I nodded to him then left.

I meet my new team of twenty two men and women in the training room on level three a few hours later. I had get my new rank on before I could meet them. I had worked with all of them before in one form or another and a few were like me. Congratulated and or busted for doing what was right instead of following orders. It would seem the colonel likes rebel Marines.
First I told them who my second was, Corporal Sarah Riley. She was a very good Marine tough as nails, many liked and respected her. Those that didn't like her still respected her or she kicked their butts till they did. She would help set things up for me and get everyone scheduled for training and duty get the duty roster posted for those inside the lab.
Then I told them why they were there, what was expected of them and how we were going to train to make sure we would come out on top every time. I split them up in teams of four with two people always watching to make sure we didn't kill each other. Then we trained and trained and trained.
Tougher hand to hand tactics, new weapons training as well as survival and medical training were top priority. During that time we stood guard three at a time in the lab even though the machine was not working, yet. I wanted the scientists to get use to us being there, they were not happy about that. Especially Professor Brinkman.
She complained to the colonel on several occasion about us being under foot, he finally just told her to accept it or the project would be shut down. He didn't have the authority to do that but she didn't know it. Soon we had our own little corner of the lab were we stayed, watched and learned.
After a month Professor Brinkman came to one of our training seasons. We were going over first aid on a wounded man when she showed up almost throwing up when she saw the body on the floor. Everyone laughed then went back to the training dummy.
"You okay professor?"
"Yeah, sorry I just didn't know you trained so realistically."
"High tech dummy like the ones they train medical students on, its the only way to learn. Do you need something?" We slowly waked back to the door so she wouldn't have to watch.
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry, for not wanting you and your people around in the lab. I started to think about a few things and, well, maybe if we do go through to do some exploring then we would need some training of our own."
"You'll only need training or us if you get into trouble. And you wont get into trouble if you don't do anything. But of course we both you will. The temptation will always be there to try and change one thing no matter how little it may seem."
"I know." She was quiet for a moment. "I read your file." I was surprised that she was even given permission to read it. "If you could change what happened... at El-Golea, would you?"
I knew where she was taking this. If I said 'yes' then it made it okay for her and her people to change the past. Yes, I really wanted to save those children but I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing that. I had to put my foot down and fast.
"What's past is past. Changing what happened would change the future in ways we can't imagine. You of all people know that." I turned away from her. "Go pedal your guilt trip someplace else because I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of easing some guilt in your own past that you want to fix." Yep, she got mad and left. I could tell she was a hard determined woman, beauty and brains mixed with a stubborn Irish attitude, sorta speak. All of that rolled up into one body that made her hot. I saw the others looking at me.
"That man is dead now! Next person."

Another month went by and my team was working exceptionally well together, better than I had hoped. They knew what was at steak and wouldn't let the colonel, me, themselves or each other down. The tension of us being in the lab was easing up as well, except for Ny, but then I didn't care what he thought. We even lent a hand moving equipment when needed making ourselves useful.
I was in the lab checking on my people one afternoon when they tried to make another connection to the past. After several attempts they shut it down and started going over the data. I walked up behind them and looked at the information on the screen. Professor Brinkman saw me and smiled in amusement.
"Do you even know what you are looking at?" She asked.
"Yep and I see why you can't connect." She chuckled.
"And whys that?"
I kept it simple. "Forget the numbers. What you are trying to do is lock onto two points, one in time and the other a place on the Earth right?"
"Obviously."
"But you missed the third point, space."
"You can't lock onto space."
"I didn't say you lock onto space, it's the third point to lock onto." I pushed on through reached up moved the information they were looking at to the side and drew a triangle on the screen. Then I put earth at the top, the time they want to connect to at the bottom left and the point in space they needed to connect too in the bottom right.
"In order to get from A to B you need to know where B was at the exact time you want to connect. In order to do that you need to now were earth was in space at that time. It all falls back to the A, B, C's." They all looked confused, shocked and surprised by what I said, all but Ny, never could tell about him.
"And how do we do that? We cant predicted were earth was in space ten years ago let alone fifty or hundred." She told me.
"Yes you can." I turned to Ny. "You know where earth was in orbit around the sun when you arrived. All you do is start from there. Lock onto that point in time and space and you lock onto earth." I turned back to Brinkman.
"After that you can simply extrapolate where earth was at different points in space and time by stair stepping back a month, six months or a year at a time by understanding earth's true orbital rotational speed around the sun." I wiped my hands and headed back to the desk leaving everyone to stare each other.
"Let me know if you have any issues. I'll send your reliefs down in an hour."
"Looks like you showed them." Sarah said. She was smart maybe smarter than me.
"Don't rub it in, they'll be pissed off enough at me for the next week." I looked back at the scientists, Ny was just standing there staring at me. I nodded to him then left.

I was sitting at my desk in my office when professor Brinkman barged in.
"Who the hell are you?" She asked almost yelling. I looked up at her and sat back.
"I'm a Marine."
"Don't play dumb with me! Who are you?"
"You read my file."
"Only your carrier file. How come you know so much about physics?"
"Too much tv I guess." I tried not to laugh and she wasn't happy. "I graduated from Berkeley in 16." I told her nodding towards the wall behind her. She turned saw my diploma's went quiet then sat down.
"My father told me once that when you can't figure something out take a break and step back or find someone with a fresh prospective." I leaned forward. "I got lucky."
"The hell you did." She was mad but calm and not at me but at herself for not seeing the obvious. "Ny is working on a program right now that'll help us figure out earth's rotational speed and location around the sun at any given time. Once we have 'stair stepped' it back a few hundred times..." She didn't finish and didn't need too.
"That's nice." I opened my desk and pulled out a bottle of Crown Royal and two small cups then poured some in both. I slid one to her one and picked up my cup.
"Isn't this against the rules?" She asked picking hers up looking at me.
"I wont tell if you don't. Here's hoping you don't do anything stupid." I tipped my cup to hers then gulped it down she did the same and nearly choked.
"Not a drinker? Too bad. I have a feeling that after this you'll be drinking a lot more." She put the cup down then got up to leave.
"You're not a typical Marine." She told me. "Not sure if that's bad or good but... thanks for the help." She stopped just inside the door and looked back at me. "If you want a job some day look me up. You're actually cute... for a Marine." She winked then left.

It was another week before they tried again, this time it worked. The colonel and I were there to watch it and he wasn't happy. An image appeared in the center of the orb it was the Anshy approaching earth, watching for almost an hour before a warning sounded. They shut down the machine and went to work trying to figure out the cause.
It soon became apparent that the power of the orb was not enough to maintain a connection for more than an hour. That alone was enough to realize that trips to the past were out of the question, for now.
They still had a long way to go even before they could try again. Still, It was enough for the colonel to prepare for what he called 'the inevitable'. Three days later they tried again this time they went back another six months. After five more tries and five more successes the colonel knew we were in trouble, so did I.
My team stayed on alert day and night after that. I told them we had to be ready when trouble arrived, when it did it wasn't what even I expected. We kept our normal schedule in the lab but also kept people on alert, ready to go the rest of the time.
With teams two and three not ready, we were pushing how long we could stay on alert. I was going to have to talk to the colonel about that. Sooner or later we would screw up and I didn't like that idea.
I was in the lab again when the seventh attempt was about to take place but something seemed off to me. I couldn't put my finger on it until it was too late. That's when I noticed Ny, he usually wore a long black robe but today he was wearing what looked like a one piece outfit... or armor. The alarm sound just then and everyone in the room froze, everyone but us.
I started giving orders over my headset for my team to take up position at the entrance to the lab floor. The three that were inside went out the door and took up position at the lab entrance along with the three standing guard. I told Sarah to take command at the lab floor entrance and keep me update.
I had to get these people to the shelter but when I turned to them I saw Ny with a very large gun in his hand heading towards professor Brinkman. He stopped and pointed it at her head, the fear in her eyes meant she knew she was going to die.
"Why do this?" She asked.
"To once again regain the glory of our empire that was taken from us. We shall rule the galaxy once more and this time no race will be able to stop us." He said. I fire my gun from behind and the front of his head came apart.
"Not today asshole." Karen stood there in shock his blood covering her face. "Shut it down!" I yelled. She wiped his blood off her face turned and went to work.
"Sergeant! We have Anshy and war mechs coming into the complex." Sarah told me.
"Activate the sentry guns! Take them out before they get to you."
"Already did but they aren't slowing down."
"Mine the road with everything you have. The Anshy want this time machine to regain their empire, slow them down Sarah while I destroy this thing!"
"Yeah. Good luck Sergeant."
"You too Sarah."
"It wont shut down!" Brinkman yelled. The others were already heading to the shelter lift but the doors wouldn't open.
"Why not?"
"Damn bastard locked it!" I heard the gun fire on the other side of the door. Ny and the Anshy set us up from the beginning. And we were out of time, I had no idea how to stop this or the Anshy.
"Wait! I have some control." She told me.
"How much?"
"I can send you back ten minutes." She said looking at me.
"Only ten minutes?"
"That's all. I'm sorry." I ran and grabbed my rifle then ran back to her. It was already five minutes since the alarm sounded, what was I suppose to do with an extra five minutes?
"What happened to not changing the past?" She asked.
"We're not changing the past, we're changing the present and our future!" I told her, she turned away from the screen grabbed me pulling me close to her, then kissed me hard.
"You're so hot." She said the pushed me into the orb.

I flew out of the orb sliding to a stop right at the feet of Ny. I jumped up pointing my rifle at him.
"Screw you and your empire!" Then pulled the trigger blowing the back of his head off. I ran over to myself hitting the alarm on the wall.
"We're about to be attacked by the Anshy! They want the time machine to regain their empire! Now protect them this time or I'll come back and kick your ass!" I ran out into the hall with the others to help protect the lab.
"What...? Who the hell was that?" Karen yelled. I was just as confused. The colonel came up on the screen a moment later.
"What's going on?" He yelled.
"I just killed Ny... or should I say the future me killed Ny, I think. He said we are about to be attacked by the Anshy."
"Damn it!" The screen shut off and I turned to Karen.
"What's going on?" She asked.
"Very bad things, now lets destroy this before the Anshy get a hold of it!" We ran to the screen while my team headed to their positions.
"Sergeant, we have Anshy and war mechs landing in the base compound!" Sarah yelled. "Sentry guns activated but they are barely having any affect."
"Mine the road and get everyone and everything out to stop them! They want the time machine to regain their empire, slow them down while I destroy this thing!"
"Yeah. Good luck sergeant."
"You too Sarah."
"I can't shut it down, damn bastard locked it!"
"I came back so you must have some control?"
"I do... but I can only send you back ten minutes that all. I'm sorry." The colonel came running in just as I turned around.
"Colonel I can go back and warn us before this starts but only ten minutes." He pulled off a chain from around his neck and handed it to me. On it was a simple remote device with a red button.
"Activate the Achilles heal when you get there. It'll do the rest." Okay, we had a plan I think. Now all I had to do was survive long enough to activate it. But was ten minutes long enough? I suddenly had an idea.
"What happened to not chancing the past?" She asked working the screens controls.
"We're not changing the past only the present and our future! Besides... we already started." Karen turned and grabbed me kissing me hard.
"You're so hot, maybe next time..." She didn't finish just pushed me into the orb.

I slid to a stop right at the feet of Ny. I jumped up and blew his head off them ran to Karen.
"The Anshy are about to attack the base and thanks to Ny you only have partial control. Set it for ten minutes ago." I ran up to me stopping next to me handing him the remote.
"What the hell? What do they want?" I asked myself.
"They want the time machine to regain their empire now take this and go! Press it when you get back then hold on to her!" I went back and took Karen in my arms kissing her long and hard.
"Damn your hot! Maybe next time..." I told her then took off out of the room with the other guards hitting the alarm on the way.
I watched myself charge out of the lab then looked at Karen, she took me in her arms and kissed me long and hard.
"Save me and you'll never regret it!" I smiled just then she pushed me into the orb.

I slid to a stop right at the feet of Ny. I jumped up blew his head off then ran over hit the alarm then went and grabbed Karen and pushed her to him/me. He/me held onto her both looking confused as hell, then pressed the button.
"Maybe next time you'll listen to me because this is what happens when you mess with time!" I yelled. The whole room shook hard and parts of the ceiling and walls started to crack and collapse. I held onto Karen hard looking into her eyes then kissed her while the lab came apart.

Thankfully, most of us in the lab survived. When we were done looking after the other wounded scientists Karen and I spent time just holding onto each other and talking. Thank goodness the lab had its own little kitchen or we would have been in trouble again.
When they finally dug us out two days later, we got to the surface and saw dead Anshy soldiers and destroyed war mechs every place. The colonel was walking towards us with my team right next to him. They were bloody, wounded and tired but alive.
"You did it son." He said looking around. "Not sure how the hell you did it but you stopped the Anshy and their invasion. We still have a fight on our hands with them still here on Earth, but I know we'll win." He pause pulling out his remote key from around his neck.
"Just one question, how did you get my activation key for the Achilles heal?"
"I guess you gave it to me." I began to tell him about me coming through the time machine and what I had said just before all hell broke loose. He looked up into the night sky so did we. All we saw was a big ball of fire floating there in space where the Anshy world ship was. He started to tell us what Achilles heal was.
When we first made contact we meet here on Earth but after a while we started going to their ship. When we finally got to keep representatives on their ship we has set up our own embassy building powered by our mini reactor.
To them it was not a threat but we slowly and quietly kept bringing more fuel to it until we knew we had enough to blow the ship to hell if we had too, and we had too. The bad news was we lost ten politicians in the process... bummer.
As for the base and lab, it turns out the base had better defenses than anyone knew and that was kept secret on purpose as well. No one really trusted the Anshy and once I activated the Achilles heal it also activated the base defenses along with every other US base, they made the sentries look like pop guns. That's what tore the base apart but the lab entrances was blown by Sarah and our team to protect what was inside. I'm just glad we all survived this time.
"You two go get checked out by the medics then get some rest, we still have to kick these aliens bastards off earth!" I looked at Karen and smiled again.
"Buy me a drink Marine?" She asked wrapping her arms around me.
"Think you can keep up?"
"The question is can you keep up with me? I'm a Vodka drinker not Crown." She kissed me long and hard, I knew we wouldn't be doing any drinking. The colonel and Sarah smiled before walking away.
They never did find the other me in the rubble of the lab. I guess once we stopped the invasion the time line took a different path and he no longer existed. It was a path where the galaxy no longer had to deal with the Anshy. And those left on Earth were going to have a very bad day ahead of them. They had pissed off the wrong people and we were about to show them just how bad it was going to be, for them.