Cameron's Expedition
Chapter One – Trouble in Paradise
Disclaimer: Don't own TSCC
This story is set in The Future Cameron's Universe after Cameron's Revenge. It contains characters from my version of the TSCC universe starting with Cameron Grows Up.
The Connor Family Bunker…
"No. That's final Cameron. I have made my decision. The broad plan has been approved."
Cameron glared at John, annoyed by his persistence. "You have ignored every objection I have made."
"No, I haven't," John replied with firmness. "Each and every objection was duly noted, considered and deemed either irrelevant or of insufficient concern to alter my decision."
"This is a bad decision John."
"Enough. I have decided." John lowered his chin in order to look over his new reading glasses and glared at Cameron in anger. Raising his voice slightly he continued, "This is not your husband speaking now. This is the General. I have made my decision. It is final."
He watched Cameron closely. Pushing any Terminator once they had decided to be stubborn was not something one did without caution. His wife was clad in only a lacey pair of purple panties and a too small, thin cotton top with spaghetti straps. John smiled inwardly at her attire. Cameron clearly did not intend to give up the fight easily.
"John…"
"No," he barked, startling himself and Cameron.
"Enough," he snarled, suddenly irritated by her persistence. "This is both your husband and the General speaking now." Wanting to drive home his point, John spoke slowly, pausing between each word, "my…decision…is…final."
Cameron's big brown eyes suddenly flashed blue light from the optical sensors beneath the synthetic flesh that composed the organic covering of her eyes.
"Cameron, no more arguing. No scheming. No manipulating. No conniving. Turn off your infiltrator program and leave it off until I tell you otherwise. Now get in bed."
John took his glasses off, put them on his bedside table, tossed the maps he'd been examining on the floor and cut off the lamp.
"Good night Mrs. Connor."
He proceeded to pull the covers up under his chin and roll over on his right side, turning his back to Cameron. By squinting slightly, he could read his battered digital clock on his bedside table. He wondered how long before Cameron would lie down and if she would try to follow her usual custom of using John for a pillow.
After seventeen minutes John decided he was too sleepy to care anymore and closed his eyes to go to sleep. In less than a minute as he began to drift off, he felt Cameron push on his left shoulder. Wanting to go to sleep, John ignored Cameron.
Cameron on the other hand had the advantage of not needing much sleep. She poked John again.
"What Cameron?"
"You are actually going to go to sleep?"
"Yes, I had planned on it. That is what you usually do after you tell someone good night."
"I want to talk about this."
"I don't."
"You're being stubborn John."
"No, you are. I've made my decision. You don't have to like it but you are going to obey orders."
"John, this is a dangerous decision."
"Cameron, everything we do is dangerous."
"John…"
"That's it," John muttered. He stood up and walked clumsily in the dark to the small closet in their bedroom dragging his pillow. He stood up on his toes and grabbed the stack of clean, folded blankets from the top shelf.
"I'm sleeping on the couch. Good night."
Stumbling in the dark of the bunker, John managed to slam his bare foot into the end table by the couch. Gritting his teeth in pain he simply fell on the couch. Once the pain lessened, John pulled the blankets over him. Realizing he'd dropped his pillow, John slipped out of the couch on to the floor. Not taking additional chances, he crawled on all fours until he managed to locate his pillow.
Trying for a second time to get comfortable on the couch, John realized this was the first time in his married life he'd slept alone by choice on the couch. In fact, he'd never slept alone unless either he or Cameron was in the hospital or deployed.
Dismissing the realization, John also noted Cameron had never been so openly defiant in questioning one of his decisions before. Her normal strategy was to wear him down with questions, assorted manipulation, seduction and enlisting the aid of his mother or Derek. Pouting worked well at times and so did sheer stubbornness.
This time Cameron had quickly moved to defiance. Despite being dressed for seduction, Cameron had abandoned that tactic without even attempting to seduce John.
John shrugged. He'd made his decision. Cameron would have to deal with it.
Next Morning – TechCom Central Command…
"Just what did you do last night to wind Cameron up?"
John lifted his head, straining his sore neck muscles from his night alone on the couch. Sarah stood in the door of his office, clearly annoyed with him.
"I said no."
"Well, do something. Tin Miss is liable to go bad and terminate half the population of TechCom City."
"I'm not doing a thing. Cameron's going to have to realize she's not getting her way."
Looking back down at the list he was making, John heard Sarah sigh in disgust and leave. Before he could regain his concentration the family sound of Derek's boots entering his office forced John to look up again.
"You're a brave man John. Sleeping on the couch, alone, with an angry female Terminator on the loose in your bunker. Wow! You have my respect."
John frowned at Derek, not amused in the slightest by his uncle's lighthearted sarcastic jesting.
"I hardly slept. I'm tired, annoyed and my neck's killing me. Cameron can just get over it."
"Glad it's you and not me taking the stand," Derek quipped as he sat down in a chair and leaned it back against the wall.
"Dad! What did you and mom fight about?"
Hailey stormed into the office, clearly outdone by the reception she'd received from her mother at breakfast.
"We had a disagreement. I made my final decision known. Your mother is not happy about not getting her way."
"That and you leaving before she could argue with you this morning. Dad, please, if you make mom mad like that again, man-up and stick around for mom's venting. She unloaded on Grandma, Ruth and me at breakfast. The Old Man leashed Sammy up and disappeared and I don't blame either of them for fleeing."
Derek burst out laughing, irritating John even more.
"Hailey, school. Derek shut up and get out of my office."
John didn't even bother to look up to see which family member slammed the door on the way out.
That Night – The Connor Family Bunker…
Sensing a presence that could only be Cameron, John looked up from the long list he'd been compiling. Standing with her hands on her hips was his wife, still angry with him and still determined to change his mind.
"Back for round two," he growled.
"How could you not sleep with me," Cameron snapped back.
"Easy. You defied your husband. You defied your General. Remember your wedding vows? I guess love, honor and obey meant only when you felt like it. Same with your officer's oath I suppose."
John pushed his reading glasses back up his nose and continued examining his list. After several minutes of silence he glanced at Cameron.
She clearly looked unhappy, even with her blank expression. John noticed she was dressed for bed but not for seduction. He sighed and pulled back the covers on Cameron's side of the bed and watched his wife as she slipped her legs under the blankets and leaned back against the wall, looking straight ahead. John watched her for several minutes, his heart breaking as he looked at a clearly miserable Cameron. John almost gave in and reached for his wife to take her into his arms and console her. Almost.
Cameron had to learn to control her Terminator stubbornness. He wasn't going to let her get the best of him. Not this time.
She'd never acted like this in combat or when planning an operation. Cameron gave her input and accepted his decisions, even when she disagreed. She'd never acted like this before.
"Why are you behaving like this?"
"Because my husband is making a mistake."
"I've made mistakes before and you did not act this way."
"That was different."
"Hardly, my mistakes in battle cost lives."
"John, this is foolish. It is an unnecessary risk."
"I disagree. What is an unnecessary risk is burning our key personnel out. What is an unnecessary risk is not knowing what is out there. If I don't get out from behind that desk, I'll lose my mind. And then how useful is the great General John Connor going to be then?"
Cameron folded her arms across her chest, saying nothing.
"What is really bothering you?"
Cameron shrugged.
"Fine. When you feel like telling me, I'll listen. This is getting old."
John tossed his glasses on the bedside table. The list hit the floor and he turned off his lamp.
"Good night Cameron."
John made himself comfortable and closed his eyes. Cameron could just stew all night if she was going to act like this.
From Cameron's side of the bed came a soft whisper.
"I love you. Do you love me?"
John rolled his eyes in the dark. This had gone on long enough. He raised his left arm and in a second Cameron was pressed against his side, nestling close.
"I love you, you love me," John whispered.
"I will not argue about this anymore," Cameron whispered.
"Thank you."
Something told John Cameron wasn't done.
"Since I am going to obey your command, I want to go all the way to the Cascade Mountains and return along the coast."
John stared at the ceiling. The other shoe was about to drop.
"Anything else?"
"A third HK and additional troops."
"Good night Cameron."
"Good night John."
The Next Morning - TechCom Command Central…
"So what was she so upset about then," Derek asked.
"Thinks it's too risky for me to go. Can you believe that? I was standing next to her when Cameron terminated Skynet California. How many missions and raids have I led? How many battles?"
"John, you know how Cameron is when it comes to your safety."
John grimaced in frustration. "Yeah. How can I forget? I think the truth of the matter is Cameron simply doesn't want to go on vacation without our entire family."
"She has to realize we can't all go on leave at the same time. Someone has to mind the fort."
"I also think it's been along time since she hasn't been able to get her way," John grinned.
"I hear you. I just try to not let it get that far with Sarah."
Two Weeks Later - TechCom HK Hanger…
Hailey and Ruth climbed up the short boarding ladder with their backpacks carrying one old, battered suitcase each. The inseparable pair stored their gear and promptly departed.
"Be back in an hour," John yelled as the two vanished into the tunnel to the underground railroad leading back to the main portion of TechCom City.
"They'll be back on time," Derek assured John. "Especially since they dumped the twins last week."
John shook his head. "Never that simple. Never. I seem to recall the two of us having a few rough patches with our wives before getting married."
Derek laughed. "Give me some credit John. Those two have been assigned duty on the far Southwestern Perimeter as part of their ROTC class requirements. The girls have no idea where to find them and Ellison has added encryptions Ruth doesn't now about so she can't hack in and locate them with the surveillance network."
The two officers watched as the three HKs received their final ground check by the maintenance crews.
"Three?"
"It ended the fight. Besides, it gives us extra space to bring back more salvage or any refugees we might want to bring back."
Emerging from the tunnel was an unhappy pair of girls, followed by the Old Man with the family dog Sammy dressed in a small shirt. The T-600 carried a small pack, a portable kennel and a box containing dog food. Following close behind was Weaver, dressed smartly in tailored fatigues and boots. Wilhelm followed, encumbered with his own pack, Catherine's and four suitcases which he carried two to a hand.
Bringing up the rear was Savannah and he beau, Lt. Dan, each laden with a single pack. Following close behind was John Henry pulling a dolly loaded with storage containers.
A pair of T-600s greeted them, relieving the group of their equipment and storing it on the HK designated for the General's use.
"Dad, the Old Man wouldn't let us go back to the city."
"Sir, I suspect the girls were planning to engage in questionable activity. Departure is eminent and tardiness is not acceptable."
John responded by glaring at Hailey in silence, indicating he agreed with the Old Man's assessment of the situation.
The sound of Catherine's voice emanated from the HK as she provided "guidance" on how her gear was to be stored to the T-600s. Wilhelm shook his head, indicating he was glad it was enlisted personnel and not him dealing with Catherine at the moment.
"Ready to go on your working leave, Lt, Savannah?" John asked the young couple.
"Yes!" Savannah gushed. "I haven't set foot outside the perimeter in so long I can't remember the last time I was I in the Wastelands."
Wilhelm cast a menacing glance at his young second in command who remained silent.
"General, has Commander Connor arrived yet?"
"No, Cameron and Sarah seem to have some last minute packing that needed to be done."
Wilhelm nodded, cast one more glare at Lt. Dan, and left to save the T-600s from his wife.
John approached John Henry who was waiting patiently after delivering the crates his sister brought.
"You have the lists of items we need General?"
"John Henry, I think Catherine has them in triplicate and stored permanently in her memory banks. We'll do our best to locate as many items on your list as possible."
The genius Terminator nodded, took his leave of the General and Derek and made his way towards the HK where the voices of his mother, sister and a beleaguered Wilhelm could now be heard.
Three pilots approached to go over the first day's flight plan with John, distracting him from the chaos surrounding the loading of the HKs, causing him to miss Cameron and Sarah's arrival.
Half an hour later, Cameron approached John, exuding an air of caution. "John?"
He looked up from the final checklist he was examining.
"I'm not changing my mind."
Cameron frowned, indicating her displeasure.
John tossed the clipboard on the table he was standing by and hugged his wife. He felt Cameron tense in his grasp, uncertain how to respond to him.
"We have to explore this territory. John Henry's engineers need supplies and materials we cannot find locally. We need to know what military threats are out there. And I for one, need a change. It's a working leave Cameron. You need it as much as I do."
Taking in a deep breath, John held it and let it out, trying to relax himself and his wife. "The girls are with us. Hailey needs this kind of experience. Ruth and the Old Man will be there to protect her. Wilhelm and Catherine are as lethal a pair of Terminators as we have in TechCom. It will do them good for Catherine to be able to do what she was built for.
Savannah is here and we have three medics. We have Sammy and three warning dogs. We're traveling in the Command and Control HK. Wilhelm and his squad will be in his jump HK and the extra troops you insisted on will be traveling in the Gunship HK.
Sarah and Derek are more than capable of being in command while we're gone. The Assassin will be in the Wastelands with his scouts on patrol. Ellison will manage security like he does every single day. Father Hidalgo will run the school and everything else he takes care of. Last of all, Doctor Johnson is there in the Medical Center. It's all covered."
Cameron leaned back against John's arms and pulled on the faded cloth of the old t-shirt he wore. She kept her head down, not looking up at her husband.
Gently, John lifted her chin, forcing Cameron to look him in the eyes. "Tin Miss, I'm not the helpless 16 year old you met so long ago."
"I know you aren't."
John smiled at his wife and reached up to pull her hair behind Cameron's left ear. "You don't like not getting your way," he whispered as he tickled* Cameron behind her ear playfully. She squirmed half-heartedly in John's arms, not making a serious attempt to escape.
"Probably not," she whispered in reply, finally pushing John's hand away and kissing him.
"C'mon, let's go say good bye to Sarah and Derek. H-Hour is in three minutes."
* - see Cameron versus Derek for an explanation.
Reviews are always appreciated. If you liked this story, you might want to consider my other TSCC stories:
Cameron Grows Up
The Future Cameron
Cameron's Revenge
Cameron versus the Queen
Cameron versus Derek (short story)
Cameron: Fights Past and Present - A Collection of Short Stories
Cameron's Treasures (short story)
Cameron and the Black Bird
Cameron and John's Wedding
Who's the Boss?
The Storm Before the Calm