A few Days with her Son

CH 1

In the control room of their Stealth ship, John was going over the flight path back to their own time, Nancy was piloting with Julie as a co-pilot. Jasper was checking the ship's functions as they prepared to head back home.

Suddenly, the there was a loud noise and the ship shook violently. They were all belted in, but Jasper's cup flew over and hit John in the back of the head. The chips John was snacking on exploded up to rain down around him.

"What the hell was that!" Jasper cried.

"We hit something," Nancy said evenly as she scanned for damage.

"How! We're no where near any satellites or orbiting craft," Julie complained.

"This is pre, Sky Net Earth," John reminded them. "There's tons of debris in orbit."

"Nancy, you're not using radar?" Jasper cried.

"We're in stealth mode, Jasper," she replied. "If we emit radar, we'll be detected."

A red light on the co pilot's panel flashed as an alarm went off. "We just lost number three engine," Julie announced, and shut it down.

"Damn it!" John spat. "OK, we have to go back down and fix it. We're not getting back on just three engines."

"I'm taking a steep dive back down, we're visible," Nancy announced.

"Can we cloak?" John asked.

"It's engaged," Nancy told him. "How well it's working, I don't know."

John let out a huff and said, "Well, this sucks!"

.

The sleek black craft reenter the atmosphere flickering. They'd gone around the Earth once, and were over the west coast of the US as they plunged back to Earth. Nancy slowed and controlled their speed so they didn't make a visible flame trail. She had to pulse the radar a couple times to be sure no one was in their way.

"Coming down on the south eastern California desert," Nancy told them. "I have good control, but if we have to hover, it's going to be tough with an engine out."

"We got wheels, right?" John asked. "Find an empty road to set glide down on."

.

At NASA, one of the operators said, "Sir! We lost communications with the SSMV!"

Another operator said, "Sir, I'm showing a collision on radar. Something hit the SSMV. I'm seeing debris falling from the orbital path. The spread of debris indicates whatever hit our drone was circling the Earth in the wrong direction in low orbit. I have one large piece of debris …. It's coming on and off the screen. It's gone again."

The Major asked in a stressed voice, "How is it coming on and off? That's not possible."

"Maybe it's a chunk of stealth covering," an engineer said. We're seeing it tumble on it's way down."

"Ahh, sir?" the radar operator said, "This chunk is bigger than the SSMV was."

"Another craft?" the Major asked.

"Possible, it's over southern California, I just picked it up again. The trajectory changed."

"That can happen with debris," the engineer agreed.

"Sir, it showed down, and is headed … was headed due east, I lost it again."

The engineer blanked and said, "Debris can't do that."

The Major picked up his phone to get a pair of fighters out there to see what in the hell they were looking at.

.

"We're going to need visual cover. Any woods around?" John asked.

Julie eyed him and asked, "In the desert?"

"I'm down to three thousand off the ground," Nancy reported. "Not receiving any incoming radar pulses. John, I'm sure we got spotted by someone. I'm dropping to two thousand and turning northwest. Number three engine is on the bottom right. We should be fairly stealthy as long as we stay low. Camo is working. I'm heading for the mountains."

"Good. We need to hide this ship until we can get it repaired," John told her.

Watching the visual sensors, Julie said, "Hey, off to our right is a whole bunch of planes, and a runway. They go on for miles!"

John focused on it and zoomed in. "An airplane junk yard. We can hide in there and maybe find parts," he said.

"On my way," Nancy said and banked over to fly down to it.

.

Cameron sat at John's computer in his room. John was still sleeping as she surfed. One thing Cameron learned was how to surf the internet and bypass security codes. She got John the latest computer games for free and tapped a few big bank accounts for 'ready' cash under several people's names. She even found a radio station she could listen to and change the frequency of. Not outgoing, but the receiver for the station that checked to be sure they were on the correct frequency. Scanning the waves, she picked up a conversation between two pilots.

"Search one, I'm not seeing anything. You sure they gave us the right coordinates?"

"Won't be the first time we got sent on a wild goose chase, search two. Whatever it is, this thing is suppose to be nearly a hundred feet long that fell from orbit."

"We got anything that big in orbit besides a space station?"

"Maybe someone else did. OK we're at the end of this pattern, Let's turn north and go back, two miles apart."

Another voice asked, "Search One, Base, anything?"

"Negative. Nothing in the air, no sign of impacts on the ground. Request an confirmation on the coordinates."

"Last known position was 150 miles east of Palmdale air station, headed east, 084, altitude, 8000. It slowed, but was still falling."

"It slowed? We're not talking a meteor here, are we?"

"Negative. That's why you boys are out there to find it."

"You're saying it could have landed?"

"I'm saying we need to find out what in the hell that was."

"Base, we need helicopters out here. We flew over the coordinates and nothing for a hundred miles further out. We're going into a grid pattern and check fifty miles to either side."

"Roger, Search One."

Cameron put the receiver back in normal condition. She also sensed another on the net. Another AI.

Hello

The greeting was simple, Cameron replied, Hello who are you?

I am John Henry. That was an inventive way to listen to radio broadcasts.

Thank you, John Henry. Do you know what they were talking about?

Yes, a NASA flight collided with an unknown object. The NASA craft was destroyed. The unknown fell back into atmosphere. By the changes in trajectory, it was intelligently operated. It fell off radar many times until it disappeared below radar 150 miles away from the Palmdale reference point. Using a satellite, I determined it changed direction and vanished. May I ask who you are?

I am Cameron. I am also interested in this craft. From the data you obtained, this craft was taking evasive maneuvers?

I believe so. I got a short visual of it if you wish to see it.

Yes, please slow me, John Henry.

The image Cameron got was slightly blurred, but she noted the shape and color.

Do you know what that is?

Yes. I saw it outside of the Zeira Corporation headquarters in Los Angeles. John Henry, the crew on board is from the future. They are assisting in helping to stop Sky Net. We cannot let anyone find that craft before I do. They may be in trouble.

I will assist where possible.

Thank you, John Henry. I must go now.

Good luck, Cameron.

Cameron disconnected. She found another AI on the internet, but it wasn't Sky Net. It was friendly and helpful. Possibly John Henry could help her John in destroying Sky Net.

She called up a goggle map of the area and plotted the known course of the craft she now knew her son was on. Knowing which way they turned, she was sure they were going to land in a remote place to hide. Planes had been sent out to look for them, meaning they hadn't come back they way they came in. If they detected those planes searching for them, then they would have gone due north to open the range then northeast to northwest to avoid them. Flying low, they would have landed as soon as possible to avoid detection.

Their ship had to be damaged from the collision, otherwise they would not have descended back into the atmosphere after collision.

Making a huge pie shape on the map centered on north, the tip as their starting point, Cameron looked in that area for possible places they would have landed. She immediately ruled out any towns in the area, tourist resorts and major roads. They wanted to hide. Not knowing what their ship was truly capable of, or how badly it was damaged, Cameron began to fill her search parameters with limitations. They would want to do repairs. They would want privacy. As she selected the limitations, she darkened out portions of the pie to reduce the search area.

With a sleepy groan, John asked, "Cameron? What are you doing?"

Cameron replied, "Searching for our son."

The bed squeaked as John sat up quickly. "What?" he cried.

Explaining what she knew, she said, "He and his crew were leaving. In orbit, they ran into a NASA vehicle and came back down into the atmosphere. NASA picked them up and lost them again several times on radar. The last confirmed contact was 150 miles east of Palmdale air station at 8000 feet. The satellite image I saw, the ship was pointed to the north. Two planes went looking for it, they found nothing, indicating it had landed someplace, or was flying too low for the planes to detect. That ship must be damaged. They are most likely looking for a place to hide and repair their ship in secret."

John hurried over to look over her shoulder. "They crashed?" he asked.

"Unknown. Apparently the ship is still flight capable, but damaged enough that they could not stay in orbit," Cameron told him. "I am searching for possible places they may be."

John's mind whirled. "We do have a son …. Or will," he said.

"Yes, he is in trouble," Cameron stated.

Looking at Cameron, John said, "We get married and have kids?"

"We have children. I do not know if we marry," Cameron replied.

John stared at her. "Cam … I … How?" he asked.

"I do not know," Cameron said, making more dark spots in the pie shape she'd made. "Sex will be involved, but I do not know how I will be able to bear children."

John flushed. "Then we…" he paused again, not wanting to ask when they have sex.

Cameron glanced at him and said, "John, I love you and you love me. I am yours John, any time you need me."

John could not shut his mouth. "You … love me?" he asked weakly.

"Yes, John. You love me too. You don't have to say it, you show it," Cameron explained. She then put a finger on the screen. "There, this is an airplane graveyard, fairly large. It covers four square miles. If they landed in there, and can camouflage their craft, it is possible they can repair their ship with no one knowing."

John hardly heard what she said. He was still on the "I love you," Cameron had told him.

He was still staring at her as she got up and faced him.

"You … you're not just saying that?" he asked weakly.

"No, I am sure that is where they are," Cameron replied.

John shook his head. "No, I mean the … I love you. You really mean that?" he asked.

Cameron cocked her head slightly and said, "Yes. I understand, you need some sort of affection for you to believe it." She then drew him close and hugged him.

At a loss for words or what to do, John hugged her back. Damn, holding Cameron felt nice.

"But … you're a machine, you can love?" John finally asked.

"Yes, John. I am a machine, and I can love," Cameron said, pulling back enough to look at him. "I will not be as emotional s a human girl will be. I will operate far beyond my mission parameters to see you are happy as well as protected. Whatever you want, so long as it does not harm you, I will do my best to give you."

Holding Cameron, he really didn't want to let go. "You are evolving," he said absently.

"I am," Cameron agreed. She sported a brief smile and said, "I want to evolve with you, John."

John smiled back then said, "Mom's gonna be pissed."

"Yes, she will. I am going to find our son."

"I'm coming with you."

.

Going downstairs, Sarah wasn't to be found. The only thing in the driveway was Derek's new truck. Derek was sacked out in the back in a lounger. Cameron walked quietly out and deftly lifted his keys.

Wanting his mother not to worry, John left a note for her :

Mom, Cameron and I are going out to find our son. Be back as soon as we can.

.

Landing with a single engine out wasn't possible. Nancy fought the controls as they tipped. The small air foils were not able to compensate for the uneven thrust. She ended up shutting down number two engine to more or less balance them out as they slowed down. The space between the old planes wasn't much, just enough to drag more planes in and out. Selecting large craft to land in, she had her hands full. Debris in the 'roads' between the planes didn't help any either. Piece of torn apart engines, controls and chunks of housing meant she had to slow and tip dangerously before she set down. It was a hard shudder upon landing, but she did land them upright on their landing gear.

"Let's not do that again," Jasper said, blowing out a breath.

"Agreed," Nancy said.

John lowered the ramp and walked around to view the damage, followed by Julie, Jasper and Nancy.

Lower hull on the starboard side, a long scrape preceded the number three engine that had a chunk torn out of it. The piece that was gone wasn't very big, but the dent caved part of the engine in.

"Well that engine's screwed," Jasper said in a huff as he looked up at it.

"We need to fix it," John told him. He looked around and said, "We also have to hide our ship. It can be seen from the air."

Nancy looked at the planes and said, "Look, there's enough room between these old jets to put it in and miss the wings. We set the camo to match the ground, and we'll be all but invisible, and no one will see us working."

"So, we push," Jasper concluded.

"Yup!" John said, " Nancy, get the left gear, Jasper the right, I'll get the front. Julie, would you go in and steer?"

They got set then pushed on the upper parts of the wheels to roll the ship backwards. In the cockpit, Julie watched and steered as they back their ship in between a couple of old airliners. Being too close to one, they had to push their ship back out, then back in again once Julie corrected her steering. Julie got the color scheme of the ground and projected it on top of their ship. She set the monitor to watch just ahead of their ship to change their ship's color to match the ground. Julie left a single generator running to supply their power needs.

Returning to the destroyed engine, John said, "OK, now we need to make a platform to get up there and work on it."

.

Major Thompson got a break. A report of a low flying back craft trailing smoke from the rear came in from a concerned citizen. Going to their map, They marked where this craft was seen, and got as much detail from the report as possible. The craft was headed north west, and drawing a line, one end of the line of it's flight path passed right through the place where the unknown was lost.

"So it is a ship," he said in a mussing tone. "But who's is it?"

"No markings were visible, Sir. The report said the black craft appeared suddenly, then disappeared. The man who saw it, only noted it was black, sleek and didn't appear to have wings, he tracked it by the tendrils of smoke coming off it."

"It's a visual stealth ship," Major Thompson realized. "Most likely invisible to radar also when it's stealth system is working. It's damaged from the impact, that's why we were able to see it at all."

"Who has something like that?" his captain asked.

"No one. At least no one we know." Major Thompson stated. "Gentlemen, this could be a real alien craft. Get me General Harder, we need to find this thing, ASAP."

.

John drove Derek's truck down the highway, following Cameron's directions. Heading out of LA, his phone rang. Cameron picked it up for him. "Hello?"

John could hear his mother's voice as she screamed, "Where in the hell are you?"

Calmly, Cameron replied, "We are heading east to go look for our son."

"Let me speak to Derek!" Sarah snapped.

"Derek isn't here. He was sleeping out back on a lounger," Cameron explained.

There was a pause, then Sarah cried, "You stole his truck?"

"Negative. We are borrowing it," Cameron explained.

"Where are you now ?" Sarah asked in a demand.

Cameron looked a the road sign she saw and said, "Passing the exit for Pasadena."

"On WHAT road?" Sarah asked in a grating tone.

"Wait, there will be a sign coming up."

"Cameron, I want to talk to John," Sarah stated.

"I'm sorry, John is driving and it is unsafe for him to talk on the phone while he is driving, as well as illegal. He'd have to pull over, and we're in a hurry," Cameron explained.

"LOOK TIN MISS!" Sarah raged, "I want to know where you are going!"

"I just told you. Don't you remember?" Cameron asked innocently, making John laugh.

"How about a destination?" Sarah growled.

"We don't know that is yet. I can call when we get there," Cameron offered.

There was a pause, then Sarah growled, "I want to talk to John the INSTANT he is able to."

Cameron folded the phone back up. "John, your mother wants you to call when you can."

"Will do," he said with a smirk. Glancing at Cameron he asked, "Were you just toying with my mother?"

"I gave her truthful answers," Cameron replied with a slight grin.

"You were messing with her too," he said, casting her another grin.

"It made you laugh," Cameron said.

"It did," He agreed. "So, you like pushing Mom's angry button?"

Cameron was quiet for a moment, then said, "Yes. I cannot explain why, but it is satisfying."

"For all the times she has insulted you, I can understand why. You're getting payback," John told her.

Cameron grew a wider grin and said, "Yes. Derek has been much meaner to me … and we have his truck."

John suddenly felt sorry for Derek. "Just remember, we have to drive it home too."

"We will," Cameron assured him innocently..

.

Ten search planes, fifteen helicopters a radar plane and a satellite, and the military was finding nothing of this mysterious black craft. It was like the thing had buried itself into the ground.

Whatever it was, it was now long gone. The course it had been on was scowered from the mountains back to where it's last position was known, as well as a hundred miles to each side. The alert for it was out, all they could do now was keep up a watch for it to reappear somewhere.

.

Marking where they were on the map in her HUD, Cameron noted then they got close to the airplane junk yard. Pointing to the left, Cameron said, John, that dip, where the stream bed is. Go up it. Use four wheel drive."

John slowed. The stream bed wasn't very smooth. Rocks and humps file the bottom. He put the truck in four wheel and crept off the road. In a steep spot, he heard scraping then the truck bounced down on the bottom. "Derek isn't going to be happy," he noted.

Cameron grinned.

Although it was a challenge, John help moving slow, climbing up on rocks, tipping the truck and bouncing down to move on. In one spot, he saw a ledge. He gunned it to bounced up over the top, and got the truck stuck. Cameron had to get out and push the truck up over the lip of the remains of a low waterfall.

Coming upon a much less bumpy place that was all small rocks and gravel, John asked, "Cam, why are we taking a stream bed?"

"There is a gate and guards on the road that leads to the junk yard. We are bypassing it," she explained. "We will come to a fence. Don't worry, we'll get through it."

John let out a snort and asked, "Because this is a Dodge … Ram?"

Cameron smiled at him. "Good idea," she replied.

After a few miles of bouncing along and squeezing through a narrow spot that made John since as he heard scraping sounds, they came upon a chain link fence. The fence was old and rusty. It was strung across the stream bed. John slowed as he came up to it.

"Cam, I don't think we're getting through it," he said.

"Yes we are," she said and got out. Cameron ducked under the fence and motioned John towards her. The bottom of fence was just below the hood. Cameron had him stop, then got up on the bumper and lifted. The fence came up, the front of the truck went down. She pulled up until some pops sounded and she lifted the fence about a foot above the hood. She motioned with her fingers for him to come forward.

John did, slowly. He had to step on the gas a little harder. Cameron stepped up on the hood, making a dent deep. She leaned forward and let the fence go. It recoiled on the roof with a screeching sound. Cameron jumped down and had John come forward again. John winced as the truck squealed out from under the fence. The fence dropped down onto bed edges and squeaked along until it fell off the tailgate.

Cameron got in, wearing a big smile. "We got through," she beamed.

John shook his head woth a grin. Derek was NOT going to be happy. They continued on up the stream bed.

.

John Junior and his crew made a platform from materials lying around. A round engine housing for support, a piece of wing was the platform. Japer looked into the back of the engine.

"Aww shit, that dent crushed some cable, we had an electrical fir in here," Jasper said with a huff. "This thing needs a total rebuild."

John Junior didn't think it could be worse. "All right, Jasper, help me start removing the cowling and armor. Nancy, find us some heavy wire. Julie, keep watch on top, if anyone comes, as can't be seen."

John hoisted Julie up so she was able to jump up on top of the ship. He and Jasper got tools and got started.

Nancy jumped up into up into the cargo hatch in a pane that was not far away. The cargo door was open, and it had four engines. There should be wire in here. The inside was sectioned. With low power plasma, she cut a hole in the bulkhead and looked in. Seeing what looked like wire, she tore a bigger hole in the bulkhead.

They were hydraulic lines, shit.

She went aft farther and did find some wiring. It was thinner than they needed, but they could braid it together. She cut a hole to toss the wiring out as she collected as long of lengths as possible. She had to rip the inside apart more, but she was getting wire.

On her fifth trip to toss a twenty foot length of wire down the hole, she heard someone call. "Need help?"

Nancy looked out the hole. Cameron was here with John and a pickup truck that had seen some recent body damage, showing plenty of silver metal. She waved. "Hey, yeah! If you could carry this wire in your truck, I'd appreciate it!"

John said, "Cam, I'll load the wire, can you help her collect it?"

"Yes, John." Cameron replied. She got up on the hood, then the roof, making more dents, then jumped up to the hole Nancy made. Nancy caught her hands and pulled her in.

The usable wire they were finding was mostly main power wiring. Still thinner, but there was lots of it. John half filled the bed of the truck, then Cameron and Nancy dropped back down to the truck. Nancy pointed to the next plane they were going to scavenge.

That plane was already stripped, so they moved to the next one.

"I an really glad you're here," Nancy beamed as Cameron ripped the cover off a breaker box, then pulled the wires from their connections.

Cameron offered her a brief smile. "I need to talk to John Junior."

"You will," Nancy said, then grinned and added, "And if he won't, I'll help you bop him on the head with a pipe."

"Nancy, how can I have children?" Cameron asked.

Nancy pulled the wires through the conduit that Cameron was yanking the ends off. "I really don't know if I should say. We do have to be careful about changing history," she said sympathetically.

"You almost seem human. You have evolved?" Cameron asked.

"I am half human," Nancy said. "I also went to school with humans. You have never really gotten that chance, have you?"

"Some, going to school with John," Cameron replied. "I know much human behavior, some are confusing."

Nancy had pulled all the wire out and shoved it down the hole she made. "You are still operating on Mission priorities," she said.

"Yes. I can expand those priorities, but they are still present," Cameron explained.

Nancy nodded and asked, "Do you love John?"

"I love John and he loves me." Cameron stated.

Nancy smiled and said, "Let's help you out a bit."

.

John was working up a sweat just rolling up wire and throwing it in the back of the truck. He'd never thought of wire as something heavy, but with the long rolls, and the amount of it, Derek's truck was squatting down. He stopped to wipe the sweat off his face with his shirt.

His phone rang.

John winced then he picked it up. "Hi Mom,"

In an even, quivering tone, Sarah asked, "Where are you?"

"We're helping to gather wire so JJ and his crew can fix their ship. I don't know how long this it going to take," he explained.

"How about a location?" she asked, sounding stressed.

"Can't, Mom. Look, we'll be home as soon as we can, OK?"

"I do not like you off someplace alone with Tin Miss!"

"Sorry, Mom, it's something we have to do."

A new male voice came on and said, "You are being traced, hang up!"

John did so immediately. He turned his phone off then pulled the battery.

Shit, they already had trouble.

Cameron flew down out of the hole in the plane and hit the truck's roof, denting it deeply, she then bounced down into the bed, making the truck shake, and jumped out to land right in front of him wearing a big smile. John wanted to ask what was up, but she hugged and lifted him, spinning him around in a circle before she let him regain his feet.

John stared at Cameron, who was broadly smiling. "Cam? Ahh, we got trouble…" he offered and got cut off.

"This first," Cameron beamed and drew him into a hug and kissed him.

John's eyes went wide. At the serious kiss. After a second of shock, he returned the kiss and held her tight. With John just about out of breath, Cameron pulled back to beam him a smile.

John's face grinned ear to ear as he asked, "What's with you?"

"John, I'm FREE!, "Cameron announced. "No more Sky Net, no more limits! John, I can do what I want to do!" she all but yelled.

"That's great," he said watching her beaming smile. "How'd that happen?"

Cameron flung an arm at Nancy who had dropped down out of the plane a little more gently than Cameron had. "Nancy did it! She knows how to remove Sky Net from chips!"

Spinning back to him, Cameron took on a lusty gaze. She fingered his shirt and said, "Once we get this wire back, We're going to have a little quiet time for us."

"I… you sure?" he asked hopefully.

"OH yeah!" she breathed with a lusty grin, "John, It has been suppressed, but now I can feel it. Really feel it! I love you and you love me," she said brightly.

John was stunned by this transformation. "Cam, this is wonderful." He also remembered the warning to hang up. "Mom called, and this voice came on and said we were being traced."

John Henry," Cameron said firmly. "He's been watching over us. Someone might be looking, but don't worry, they won' find us."

"OK," John agreed. Seeing Cameron like this, he never wanted to let go of her even though they had more work to do. He didn't think Cameron did either.

In the truck bed, standing on the pile of wire, Nancy was beaming a smile also. She called, "Hey guys? We can strip one more plane before we go back. It's going to be dark soon. You can play then."

John nodded. On impulse he kissed Cameron. His kiss was eagerly accepted, arms wrapped tight around each other.

Nancy rolled her eyes and said, "No sex please? We have to get this stuff to the ship."

.

Major Thompson and General Harder got the news. They had the monitored conversation, but someone had broken in and warned the people to hang up, which they did. They did get the cell towers involved, but not the exact location. They listened to it twice.

"Tin Miss?" Harder asked. "That must be a code mane.

"It did sound like a mother talking to her son," Thompson said. "If this ship they are going to repair is the one that came down, it's not alien. We need to find these people."

"A ship on the ground will need to be tucked in someplace to hide it. A hanger, someplace that's big enough to hide it. We got the cell towers involved, start at the desert end and work back to the LA end in the range of those towers. Find out where that ship is," Harder stated.