She had done it again. Saved him again. Another insane plan of his that worked brilliantly because it was insane, but should have killed him. He was making a habit of it. His bad habit never killed him because she had made it her habit to save him. It might not be possible to stop Judgment Day – paradox and all that – but they were pushing it back, preparing for it, perhaps molding it. And at every step, she was by his side, now even more so than his mother.
She had suffered managing the latest miracle. But she still was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She was looking at him with what he knew beyond a shadow of doubt was concern, even though machines weren't supposed to feel concern. His feelings, pent up for what seemed like forever, spilled out uncontrollably,
"Cam, you're the most amazing creature that has ever existed. Brilliant, beautiful . . . uh . . . battle-tested, and the best friend anyone could have. I love you, Cam. I love you!"
"No you don't." Cam's response was instant, her voice was the standard monotone and her face held the barest hint of . . . disapproval?
But John was prepared for something like this and did not flag. He smiled at her, "Yes . . . I . . . do."
"No . . . you . . . don't."
Now there was clear disapproval and John felt a slight panic bubble up. "How can you be so sure?"
Cam examined herself closely, as he had seen her do many times before. "I will be able to regenerate fully."
"So what's the problem?" John's voice went up an octave – he hated when it did that.
Cam continued as if there had been no interruption, "but if that rocket-propelled grenade had impacted 0.7 meters closer, this body would have been irreparably damaged. You would have had to remove my chip and seek another body."
John relaxed, "Not a problem. I'd love you in your new body."
"Really." It almost sounded as if Cam was mocking him. "Future John initially considered sending me back in the chassis you were familiar with. Would you love 'Uncle Bob'?"
John hesitated for just a moment, and Cam pounced.
"As you know, in the original timeline your mother died of cancer. My suggestion was to alter one of the reprogrammed terminators to most closely match your mother's appearance. Would you love me if I looked very much like your mother – perhaps an Aunt Barb?"
Aunt Barb? Where had she come up with that? "Cam, that's gross. And it doesn't change the fact that you aren't Uncle Bob or . . . anyone else. You're you, and it's you that I love."
Cam was not finished, "What if my mission required that I appeared to be an old man? What if it required that I appeared to be a 400lb woman? Would we be having this conversation?"
"Again, you aren't . . ."
"Would we be having this conversation?" Cam had raised her voice, which was rare. She had also interrupted him, which was unheard of. And she was staring him down, though that happened all the time.
"No, but you didn't come back as any of those things and we ARE having this conversation." John could raise his voice, too.
"John, you think you love me because I appeared as an attractive girl about your age. I am not an attractive girl about your age. I am not a girl of any age. I am an artificial intelligence in an artificial body. My behavior would not change if I were transferred into a chassis resembling that of a 9 year-old boy, but your behavior would change dramatically. That is because you don't love me as an AI, you love me as an avatar of a human girl."
"An avatar – where are you getting this stuff?"
She stared at him.
"Oh right, the true enemy – future me."
"Yes, he informed me there was a high probability that in your late teens you would claim to love me, and we crafted responses."
"I hate that guy," John muttered under his breath.
"John", Cam lightly touched his hands, instantly winning all his attention. "The probability that I survive this mission is low, the probability that I survive it in this chassis is very low."
He tried to move away but she held him fast, "I may become a disembodied chip, you might have to place me in a controllable mobile object such as a car, we might have to build an endoskeleton that would only look remotely human. It would still be me – do you think you would love a car?"
John was muttering again, "David Hasselhoff did."
"John, . . ."
"No, no I couldn't. Of course, you're right. You and future John are right, as always. I'll go back to my room now with the full understanding that you are not a girl, I don't really love you, and I'm a complete and utter loser. Well played, future me!"
Cam let him go. The conversation had gone exactly as General Connor had predicted, despite the timeline divergence. He had told her that it was not only unavoidable but absolutely necessary. It was just as well she had not told John that part – he would not have enjoyed hearing it.
- flashup –
"Are you sure it is wise to agitate past John in this fashion? He may reject my presence, imperiling my mission."
"He won't reject you," General Connor assured. "He'll be angry at you for a while, then angry at Mom for giving him this life. But he'll get over it."
"Still, it appears to be a negative outcome for an uncertain duration, with no compensating gain."
"Oh there's a gain alright."
Cam cocked her head, the sign of a question. General Connor obliged.
"First he'll sulk. I was pathetic when I sulked. But when sulking shockingly didn't solve all my problems, I got angry. And I was very formidable when angry.
I know he can't stay angry at Mom and I bet a week's rations he won't be able to stay angry at you for any important length of time. Now who does that leave to be angry at, a vicious anger that never has to fade because the other party changes, or apologizes, or makes it up to you?"
"I see. Skynet."
"Skynet. That hot teen body of yours is going to win us this war, Cam." General Connor grinned nastily, "And I love you for it."