At least three lizards from the future (Numbers 17, 35 and 44) project themselves into the past to protect their remote ancestor.
The centuries will roll by and, one day, our race will reach its heights of glory.

Variants

(1)
  1. “Praiseworthy Saur” by Harry Harrison, in If, February 1969.
  2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . written by Harry Harrison