Galactic home world, near the secret space-port

The flashes of many blasts and explosions reflected across the skies. Land and aerial defense systems never stopped launching psi-missiles and explosives. Land, naval, and aerial used every bit of ammunition and energy reserves they had. Millions of shells and energy capsules disappeared in moments, emptying defense storage warehouses humanity built thousands of years gathering.

But that was useless. The last space fleet disappeared several hours ago, though the orbital defense system that stretched across the Solar system still held and bit back enemy forces; the situation was dire. Mercury and Mars had long turned to ashes, and Protoses were now storming Moon. At the same time, the first units started landing on the Earth, quickly transforming galactic capital into the battlefield where humans fought against invaders.

Soldiers, space marines, androids, drones, vehicles, modified animals, and even civilians took weapons into their hands. Missiles, grenades, and bullets could come from anywhere across the city planet. Human resistance was desperate. Everyone knew that they had nowhere to go. Protoses don't take captives. There was no shelter because the enemy fleet would blaze everything to ashes as soon as the planet's shield turned off. Hence, humans fought with vigor and no fear. Many preferred to explode, jumping at the enemy or depleting their vital psi reserves to launch strong psi attacks to inflict more casualties and buy as much time possible for their families now hiding in the underground shelters and bunkers. An extra hour fighting is an hour of living for everyone on Earth, and humans used everything they had for this simple wish to live...

At the same time, in the underground secret facility, a combined group of scientists, androids, space marines, and soldiers were rushing to finish preparations and load all supplies for the mission.

The secret mission with a code name: Prometheus. The last hope and plan to win this already lost war with Protoses. The desperate bet to smash down the war board, which humans had few chances to win from the start. A desperate attempt to change everything...

A spaceship called Enigma was equipped with an experimental time-traveling engine that would allow them to dive into the distant past where Protoses won't reach them.

And now, humans were finishing loading databases that held knowledge of all science spheres, economy, politics, and many other subjects that humans developed since time immemorial; terraforming vehicles to transform the planets, frozen genes bases to reproduce the humans, best defense and offense space ship equipment and cryo cabins for the best crew of the Earth and mission executors.

While the androids and scientists made the last preparations, the Enigma crew, consisting of 500 best of both sexes specialists of all spheres, best skills, and deep knowledge, gathered around a hologram device where they watched live the situation on the battlefield on which humans steadily lost more territories each hour.

- Enigma crew, you know what is coming, - said an old male with tired eyes, but a strong voice, appearing near another hologram; he was the supreme commander Stilichon, the living legend responsible for several harsh Protoss defeats. - We tried to use everything we had, but you know we failed each time. Our failures brought such an outcome to reality when we couldn't stop the Protoss in the outer galaxies, losing trillions of people and thousands of years of work of our predecessors.

Stolen novel; please report.

Stilichon sighed before clenching his fist.

- This is the harsh challenge; you will be the first humans who will travel so distant in the past. We don't know if nanobots, equipped inside your bodies, can handle all consequences, we don't know what you will meet on the Aurora, we have no idea how hard it is going to be to restore our civilization from scratch, and we don't know how hard it's going to be for you to live very long lives, knowing that your family, friends and close people are dead, or not born yet. But, please complete the mission regardless of the cost. You are the last hope, the last chance. Either you succeed, and humanity survives, or Protoss will turn humanity into ashes from the face of the galaxy. You must succeed, - said the supreme commander saluting to the Enigma crew, before an explosion resounded from the commander's side and the hologram turned off.

The Enigma crew was silent, scientists and androids finished the last preparations, and they stepped into Enigma, their new home, in total silence. Some thought about their families, war, and hate for Protoss, and some were riled up for the incoming adventure, but they all entered into personal cryo cabins and soon fell asleep. The next time they would wake up, they would be on the other side, in the orbit of the Aurora, the new homeworld, chosen to restart and prepare for the Protoss invasion when Galactic Human Union will have nothing against the new and strong enemy.

                                                                           ***

Space near Aurora

The space trembled for a moment before a spaceship appeared out of nowhere. The portal closed, and the spacecraft finally reached its destination. It was thousands of light years away from Aurora but was already inside the same galaxy.

As Gideon, the ship ai, launched systems to fix the ship and access the damage made when Enigma broke through the enemy fleet, Gideon turned all active scans towards the goal - the giant planet that must become a new homeworld for the Enigma crew.

The first thing Gideon saw were two giant moons orbiting around Aurora before scans saw the current condition of the massive planet. Oceans of magma, lava, and toxic elements were everywhere on the planet's surface. Even the strongest metallic alloys of the ship itself would not hold long in such conditions.

The ship system halted momentarily before Gideon moved all resources to the analytical bloc and decision-making. It was evident that Enigma arrived much earlier than expected, most likely due to interruptions made because of intense enemy fire.

- Approximate time before the terraforming 5 million years

- Current energy supplies are not enough, activating secret protocols for psi extraction from the crew

- A new calculation in progress...

- Calculation in progress...

- Calculation in progress...

- Distributing power. Blocking unnecessary blocs. Strengthening psi shield, supplying vital systems and storehouses. Starting an analysis on the best candidates for energy suppliers. A new plan is ready, moving to Aurora's orbit.

As an Ai's thoughts appeared in the ship console, Enigma distributed all energy to the psi shield and vital blocs for mission completion. The lights, androids, and drones turned off as the ship dived into total darkness.

Though Protoss caused a massive issue for the mission, the new generation Ai - Gideon - a secret mission sentry, created a new plan to complete the mission even if he just killed more than half of the crew for the psi energy. Ai doesn't age, and it will complete the task even after millions of years.