They walked through the alien forest for what seemed like hours. After the hour that Charlie crawled through the tunnel, his legs were already tired. But now they felt like they were going to collapse under the weight of his body. He had to stop and take a rest.
"We have to keep moving," the man said.
"We've been walking for hours," Charlie complained.
"It hasn't been hours. It just seems that way." The man kept looking in all directions, as if he was expecting to see something, or hoping not to.
"I only need a few minutes."
The man sighed. "Fine. We'll rest for a few, but when we go again, we're not stopping."
Charlie sat down next to one of the trees. "So what's your name?" he asked. "We've been walking for a while and you've never said."
The man grinned. "Sorry, I forgot that you're not from here. I'm pretty famous. Or infamous, according to who you ask. Colonel White," he said, holding out his hand. Charlie shook it.
"So, you're military?"
"Not exactly. I'm part of the resistance. But my father was military. He was a Major when ... well, never mind. We can talk about this later, when we've met up with the others. Can you walk now? We have to get going before moonrise."
"Sure," Charlie said, standing up.
"By the way, which time are you from?" asked White.
"Huh?"
"All outlanders come from the past. What year are you from?"
"2008."
"Early 21st?" White looked a little disappointed.
"Is that bad?"
"No. There have been outlanders from as far back as the 18th century, but I was kind of hoping you were from a post-Rengarian era."
"Rengarian? What's that?"
"Oh yeah, you wouldn't know. I meant around late 21st or onward."
"What year is it here?" Charlie asked.
"It's 2451."
