The young woman touched her pocket, the disk was still there. Everything depended on her delivering the video it contained. High above she could hear the battle raging. Her world would soon be destroyed, but she could prevent the same from happening to another. Behind her the door slammed and she knew it was time.

"You have the disk?" Her father asked, helping her put on the small pack he brought.

"Yes." She patted her pocket again.

"And you remember the address?" Her mother fought back tears, brushing a kiss to the head of the sleeping infant strapped to the young woman's chest, threading the fingers of her hand through the hair of the little girl hugging her leg.

"Yes. You've been drilling me on it daily for the past three weeks" She rolled her eyes as she approached the artifact, it's liquid silver surface undulating showing a dark, nearly empty room. "You're sure this is the right one?"

"Of all the ones we've studied, this is the best bet." Her mother laid a hand on her shoulder. "You will be fine, they will be there."

"But they won't be you." She swiped at the tears she could not stop. "What if they don't believe me?"

The room shook and her father pulled the both down, covering them with his body as debris rained down on them. The little girl sniffled, latching her arms around his neck. Time was running out, she'd have to leave them soon.

"Show them the disk, tell the truth. They will believe you." Her father's stoic facade was failing as he hugged his younger daughter tightly.

"Why can't you come with us?" She begged again, knowing the answer.

"We both already exist there." Her mother brushed her hair from her face. "We would never survive. You know that."

Another blast from above shook the room as the small family clung to one another. In the hall they could hear the alarms as the countdown started. Hugging her parents tightly she took the little girl's hand and stepped back towards the artifact.

"You have to go now!" Her father shouted over the alarm. "Never forget how proud we are of you." He whispered in her ear before stepping away, pulling his wife to his side.

Taking a deep breath the young woman stood straight, squared her shoulders, reaching her hand out towards the shimmering surface. With a jolt she felt herself thrown to the hard ground of the storage closet, turning at the last moment to protect both children from a hard landing. The sounds of battle and the blaring klaxons replaced by a deafening silence for only a moment before they started anew.

Pulling herself to her knees she looked at the artifact, identical to the one she had touched moments before. She could see her parents on the other side, holding onto one another knowing the end was coming. She knew she should look away, she shouldn't watch the end, but she couldn't tear her eyes from their last moment's. She pulled the little girl to her, pressing the child's face against her neck.

Although she could no longer hear the countdown, she knew when it was coming to the end. She could see her parents tighten their embrace moments before they were obscured by a blinding flash of light. When the light faded the surface of the artifact was dark and still.

Stumbling blindly backwards she reached only stopped when her back hit the wall. Tears still flowing, eyes still locked on the dark artifact. She was only vaguely aware of the commotion on the other side of the door her thoughts still on what she knew had happened in the world she had left just moments ago. Her parents, her friends, everything and everyone she had ever known were gone, she, and the two children, alone had survived simply because they did not exist in this new world.

Her gaze on the artifact was finally broke as armed men flooded into the small room, weapons trained on her. She stared vacantly at them, the words of their commands jumbled in her mind only dimly aware of the girl sobbing on her shoulder and the high pitched wailing of the infant. Soon a woman pushed her way through the armed men leaning over her speaking, but she didn't hear her, a light behind her created a halo around her familiar golden hair. She had failed, joining her parents in the next life.

"I'm sorry, mom." She smiled sadly at the woman hovering over her as darkness closed in.