Emergent Properties.
It was a lazy Saturday morning. The first weekend since Cameron's memory failure. It was not spoken of, even with John, who true to his word had kept it a secret. Derek had maintained his usual policy of avoiding the machine when not on a mission, so he hadn't noticed anything unusual happening with Cameron, and Sarah was interested enough in the life and worries of their pregnant neighbour Kacey to be too involved at the moment herself. John was playing around on his laptop, and Cameron was looking out the windows, guarding the house, when Sarah came inside.
"How's Kacey?" John asked without looking away from the screen.
"Healthy, and heavy." Sarah said, heading for the kitchen.
Derek, who had come into the house just soon enough to catch that sent John a look, "See? We couldn't get away with saying that."
Sarah came out of the kitchen with some bottled water. "Cravings haven't been kind to her. She's gaining weight too fast and it's starting to bother her. Her doctor said to start some exercises."
"And?"
Sarah shrugged. "Where do we keep our exercise mats?"
"You're going to teach her pregnancy exercises?" John asked in surprise. "Yourself?"
Sarah narrowed her eyes at him. "I was gearing up for a war; you think I was going to wait nine months to start getting in shape?"
John sent Cameron a look. "See, that's what we call an obsessive personality."
Cameron looked right back. "In the future you call it good thinking."
Derek laughed as he left the room. "Point to the machine."
John rolled his eyes. "Exercise mats are upstairs in the guest room closets."
Sarah went upstairs. "Thank you."
John turned back to his computer, Derek was already back outside, and Cameron had come over to the table, looking at John.
John glanced up at her, back to his screen.
Cameron continued to stare at him.
Finally, John looked up. "Something you need?"
"I want to get the baby something."
John chose his next words very carefully. "Really? What?"
"I do not know. I have scanned one hundred and twelve online catalogues for baby products and have been reviewing their selections. My research indicates that a gift should be something the recipient will enjoy, something practical, or something that will remind the recipient of the giver." Cameron paused. "A newborn baby will not know what it will enjoy. A newborn baby has never met me, and if it had..."
"A newborn baby doesn't need a 9MM." John agreed.
"I have little experience in things for infants."
"Okay." John said very slowly. This was getting weirder and weirder. "You should know that I don't either."
"But you have experience in giving gifts. I do not want to give a bad one."
John licked his lips and closed the laptop screen. "Okay. Um… for the most part, a gift should… uh." He had to stop and think about it. "It should be something nice. Something that makes her think that it was a nice gesture. Something… that gives a positive thought."
"It's the thought that counts." Cameron recited.
John seized on that. He didn't know where she picked that up, but it helped considerably. "Right. The price of the gift doesn't make it more appreciated. The effort you put into it does. That's why giving a gift is usually something personal. The gift should demonstrate something that you put thought into because you wanted to show you cared enough."
Silence as Cameron processed that.
Cameron looked at him, still completely deadpan. "I'll knit something."
John had been taught tricks to resist mind-altering drugs and hypnosis in case of capture and interrogation. He employed some of these methods and decided that this was really happening. "I wouldn't get too involved for the first gift." He said tactfully. "For the first gift you've ever given at all, in fact."
"I gave Jordan some makeup when she was sad." Cameron protested.
"Jordan? Right before she committed suicide you mean?" John said pointedly.
Long silence.
"I should pick my gift carefully." Cameron agreed. She seemed disappointed. As disappointed as she ever seemed, anyway.
"You could always get something more later on." John suggested, not wanting to squash the Terminator's sudden interest in a non-violent subject.
"I agree. Future gifts could be easier to select."
Sarah came downstairs, carrying her workout mats, and headed for the door. "I'll be back later. You know where I'll be. You need anything while I'm out?" She said as she headed for the front door. She wasn't going any further than the next house, but it was habit to ask.
"John and I are discussing possible maternity products we'll get in the future." Cameron told her and John wished to die.
Sarah froze, halfway out the door, and very slowly tilted her head, still not looking at either of them. "John?"
"Communications breakdown." John offered.
"Good." Sarah answered and shut the door behind her without pursuing it. Such moments of confusion were not uncommon in the Connor household since Cameron arrived.
A moment silence and Cameron suddenly reacted like she'd had a great idea. "I know what to get." She stood up and went for the car keys. "Come on."
John looked up sharply. "Come on? Where are we going?"
"I can't protect you while I'm shopping if you don't come with me."
John just stared. How had the day gone so surreal so fast?
Liz, the Store Manager took Cameron and John in carefully as they came in. Two young people in a Baby Goods store. The girl was studying everything very carefully, the boy looking awkward and caged, trying not to stare at anything. Textbook first timers. Young, but she'd seen younger.
Liz came over to them. "Hi there. Can I give you a hand?"
Cameron handed her a list. "We need these."
Liz took the list and looked it over. Specific items. No clothing or bottles or strollers on the list. Kids were probably using hand-me-downs for the rest. Which meant they likely weren't able to afford brand new things for the most part. She decided to give them a break. "You shopping for yourselves?"
"Yes." Cameron answered.
John turned seven shades of red. Liz looked him over very quickly. No wedding ring, slightly slouched like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Poor kid was probably still in High School, and suddenly found himself shopping for a baby. Liz had seen it all before.
"This your first time?"
Cameron looked over. "Yes."
Liz wasn't sure if the girl meant first child or first time in the store, so she was more specific. "I mean your first child?"
"I've never had a child before." Cameron said honestly.
Liz smiled warmly. "Well, let's see what we can do about getting you our first timers discount then."
"Thank you."
"Can I get your name?"
"Cameron Baum. This is my brother John."
The store manager turned to look at John in alarm.
"Communications breakdown." John told her firmly, daring her to contradict.
Liz nodded finally, replaying the conversation in her head. "Right." She kicked herself. Usually she was right on the money about customers.
Silence.
"Why don't we just forget the discount? You get paid on commission right?" John suggested.
"Right." Liz agreed quickly, grateful for something to break the awkward moment, and went in back to organize the purchases.
"What was the CD player for?" John asked Cameron. "We've already got them."
Cameron looked unsure. "An unborn baby can hear music. It's easier with the right equipment."
John blinked. "You want to play the baby some music?"
Cameron nodded. "We'll need music too. I don't have any at home."
"I do."
"But then it's not from me."
After purchasing a CD player for expectant mothers, and a soft blue baby blanket, Cameron led the way out of the store, heading for a music shop at a quick march. She went to the CD rack and filed through the classical music section, before pulling out a CD.
John took it off her. "Chopin's Nocturne in C Minor." He read. "Why this one?"
"I've heard this one. I think it's the right one."
"Why is it right?" John pressed.
Cameron suddenly froze. Behind her eyes, a silent conflict raged as she ran another test.
Objective: Achieved.
Mission: Successful.
Justify Mission Standard: Error.
Explain: Program Has Insufficient Directives To Specify Choice.
Explain Result: Unknown.
Cameron scanned the rest of the CD's.
Begin Random Selection.
Random Number Generator Successful. CD Selected: Pearl Jam Greatest Hits.
Error: Incorrect Selection.
Explain: Objective achieved. Correct selection already made.
Justify Conclusion: Error.
Run System Check. Check Complete. 100/100. No errors.
Explain Random Number Generator Error. No Errors. Algorithm Correct.
Explain Selection Criteria. Unknown.
Aloud, Cameron confessed. "I don't know." She seemed worried. "Buying Music is not in my Mission Parameters. I have no Cultural Database."
John seemed to be enjoying himself. "Then why'd you pick this one?"
Cameron blinked. "I don't know. I just know that if I was going to listen to Music, I'd listen to this first."
John studied her face long and hard. "Excellent Answer. Get two copies."
Cameron did so. "Why?"
John smirked and pulled out his wallet. "Because, it's harder to find the right gift for you, than for a baby that hasn't been born yet."
John saw the sign by the side of the road. 'Now Entering Palmdale.'
He looked at Cameron. "Explain this. Now."
"We have to deliver the gift."
Things started falling into place finally. "This was never for Kacey was it?"
"No."
"How many other pregnant women have you met?" John asked her curiously.
"None."
John blinked. "You want to do this for… for a stranger?"
"Not a stranger."
Long silence. John felt cold all over. "You know this person… in the future."
"Yes."
Dangerous silence. John tried to say something, and then changed his mind. He revised what he was planning to say. Changed his mind again. Finally, he spoke, slowly and carefully. "Cameron. If she's not a machine…"
"She is human."
"Then she was part of the resistance."
"Yes."
"Did you know her… before you were reprogrammed, or…" He lost his nerve. "No. You know what? I don't want to know."
Cameron was silent for a long time. "When we got to this time, you snuck out of the house while Sarah and I were away. Was it because you went to see Charley Dixon?"
John nodded slowly. "Yes. I did."
Cameron looked up at him, as deadpan as always. "What happened when you got to his house?"
John smirked, in slight embarrassment. "I snuck into his house. He saw me, and I ran for it without saying anything."
Cameron seemed to take that very seriously. "So then, did you want to see him? Or did you just want to be sure he was still there?"
John actually looked stunned at that. "Both I guess."
"Why did you want to see him?" Cameron asked. "You had to know it would be dangerous."
John thought long and hard. "Mom and Charley were together… between attacks from the future. I… wanted to know that we hadn't gotten him killed, and I wanted… I dunno, I wasn't ready to pretend I didn't know him."
Cameron nodded.
John smirked. "You do this a lot you know. Try and make me explain things that humans never even think about."
Cameron pulled over at the side of the road, and pulled out a small notepad, and a felt tip pen. She stared at both of them for a long time.
John stared at her. "Or, are we both trying to figure out things we can't explain today?"
Finally, Cameron flipped the lid off the pen and wrote a quick message down. John took a look.
"For Allison. I think that she likes it."
John sent Cameron a look. She was inscrutable as she slipped the CD into the folded paper, put it with the music player, and wrapped them both into the baby blanket. "Wait here."
John nodded.
Cameron collected the bundle, tucked it under one arm, and left the car, sprinting lightly up the path to the door, slowing to a gentle creeping lurk as she passed the letter box, and she set the bundle down at the door, before knocking twice, and making a leap off the porch, out of sight.
The door opened, and a pregnant woman poked a head out. "Hello?"
Cameron had dissolved into the bushes, out of sight. John was still at the car, close enough to see her, not close enough to be noticeable.
The woman looked down, saw the bundle, and picked it up. She called out once more, to no answer, and went back inside.
Several seconds passed, and Cameron emerged, slipping back to the car. "Let's go home."
They drove in silence for several minutes.
"Allison." John said. "You thought your name was Allison when you were… away."
Cameron did not answer.
"Allison the woman, or the baby?"
"The baby." Cameron said. "You would like her."
John fought a smirk. "Would I?" he said, polite but non-committal.
Cameron ran a hand through her hair. "Skynet thought so."
John coughed. Weirder and weirder with each passing moment.
Cameron put the CD in the player, and started to dance as the music began.
Derek sat up sharply, two rooms away. He recognised that music. He clawed his way out of his chair in a near panic, and rushed to the Living Room. Cameron was dancing to the music again. John was sitting on the stairs, watching her, with an interest that Derek really didn't like.
Derek ran a hand over his face. He would have been more comfortable if she was pointing a gun at him.
At the very least, it had to be a different tune. Derek came forward, fully intent on smashing the CD player against the wall. If Cameron tried to stop him, he'd try throwing her too. Whichever one shattered first was fine with him.
He made it as far as the CD player, when Cameron stopped dancing. He turned to face her head on, but she had his wrists in both hands before he could follow the movement. Derek planted his feet, ready to move with the blow…
The blow that never came.
Cameron was looking at the Player, then back at him with a strange intensity. "Listen to this part."
Derek did, for no other reason than he could do nothing else. The music had changed in intensity, swelling up to a crescendo. It was beautiful. As long as he forgot that he'd heard it before. "Turn it off."
Cameron released him, she considered him, and ejected the CD. "I'll take it outside."
Derek growled. "You do that."
Cameron took the CD, and headed upstairs, to the bedrooms, where the Portable CD player was.
Derek growled and headed toward the kitchen, ignoring John pointedly. The future Leader of the World had witnessed the whole thing.
Derek had gone straight to the kitchen and pulled a beer out of the fridge.
John's hand appeared from behind him, and took it away before he could open it, and Derek glared furiously at him.
"Derek, what does that music mean?!" John demanded.
Derek turned ferociously on his nephew. "Why don't you ask your girlfriend? You two don't have secrets do you?"
Derek took the bottle back and stormed out.
John came out to the backyard, where Cameron was dancing again on the patio. "Why do you practice?" he asked her curiously.
"You said if you want to be good at anything you have to practice every day."
"Since when do you need to practise movements? You learn by recording."
"Not this. Dance is the hidden language of the soul." Cameron said.
John blinked. This day just got progressively weirder. "Who told you that?"
"My Ballet Teacher." Cameron said. "She's dead."
John nodded. "I don't doubt it."
Cameron continued to dance. "She said I was too mechanical."
John fought a laugh.
"Do you dance?" Cameron asked.
"Rarely." John said. "Dancing is largely a social thing. I don't have much of a social life."
Cameron paused in her routine. "Social?" She asked. "My teacher never danced with other people."
John had a conflicted pause. Ah hell with it. John decided finally. Shopping for baby gear with a pretty girl often leads to things like dancing.
Aloud he said "Ballet's not a social dance. Wait here a sec, lemme get a different CD."
Sarah came into one of the upstairs bedrooms. She had heard Chopin's Nocturne playing outside, and immediately went looking for Derek. He had a bottle in one hand, and a gun in the other. She calmly came over and took the gun off him. He didn't try to stop her.
Derek was staring out the window into the backyard. Sarah took a look as the music changed suddenly to a Latin rhythm, and when she saw John teaching the machine to dance with, she swiped the bottle off him too. "Oh boy."
"Where'd he pick that up?" Derek asked her pointedly.
"Mexico." Sarah told him. "I was buying guns off the black market, just in case... I don't know if you've ever tried to smuggle guns into the country, but they don't like it when you do. I had to take John and stay hidden for a while. Villagers in Central American don't like ATF either, so they took us in. It was a poor town. Lots of unemployment, lots of music playing on street corners, lots of kids playing in the street. He was only eight at the time, so when the other kids wanted to play with him..."
"Why. Is. He. Teaching. The. Machine." Derek demanded.
Sarah smirked. "You ever seen a Terminator dance? Other than Cameron?"
"No."
Sarah took a breath. "Last time we had a reprogrammed Terminator with us; John taught it stuff too, about slang, about emotion..."
Derek shivered. "John..." He shut himself up.
"What?"
"In the future, Connor has his own team. The Elite. Half of them are recaptured machines. Sending captured machines on missions is a regular tactic for us, especially in strike missions, but none of the Commanders keep them close. Connor does. He calls them his Fifth Column. He... picks them. Like they're people. None of us can tell one Terminator from the next, even when they're reprogrammed, but... Connor can. Like he knows them. Like they've got personalities." Derek swallowed. "I never understood why. I didn't like it. A lot of Commanders don't, but its John Connor, so they keep quiet."
Sarah smirked. "I met my first Terminator when it tried to kill me. Kyle came outta nowhere and saved me. John met his first machine when he was ten; and another machine came outta nowhere and saved him. Some machines want to help him, some want to kill him. It's been that way since he believed that Skynet existed. John grew up around dangerous people. I learned from them, and he learned from Me." Her face hardened. "Some of those guys weren't real nice about having a kid around. Where John comes from Machines are like people. Some want to hurt, some want to help.""
Derek nodded, conceding that point. "Where I come from, Machines are the Grim reapers." he said quietly. "Some guys, who still have... I dunno, faith. They think that the machines aren't just robots, they're evil. Those guys... most guys actually, they think Connor was... blessed, like he saw things other soldiers didn't. And he did. Connor was the one who spotted the first infiltrator. Before we even knew they looked human. Connor was the one who taught us to take out the CPU chips and reprogram the machines. Before any of the techies knew where the CPU was." his voice had gone soft and reverent. "Connor had the Sight."
Sarah said nothing.
"Then I came here." Derek said bitterly. "Then I met him."
"Disappointed?" Sarah's voice suddenly warned of near violence.
"No. Just... he's not a warrior. Not like the Connor I know. During the war, he's surrounded by people who believe in him. Kyle was one of them. My brother was the true believer. But he's… He's a normal kid Sarah. He's been living under siege his whole life, but where I come from that's not strange. He's just like the kids in those tunnels." Derek took the bottle back from her and had a swig.
"He's still John Connor." Sarah whispered.
"He is. That's the problem. This is General Connor, and He doesn't have the Sight. He's not Blessed, it's not the Universe directing him, or the Right Hand of God. He's just done it before. He was hiding from Skynet before there was one." He suddenly looked haunted. "God Sarah... Do you have any idea what that means? It means we put our faith in an ordinary man."
Sarah said nothing. There was nothing to say. They kept watching the backyard. Odds were Cameron had noticed them, but she hadn't told John anything. John had apparently finished demonstrating the dance steps, and had taken Cameron's hands, leading her through it now as a duet.
"Cameron's changing." Sarah said softly.
"No."
"Derek."
"Okay, maybe she is." Derek conceded. "I don't like her changing."
"Why not?"
Derek's jaw worked. "She's a machine. That makes sense. Everybody knows their place, everybody knows their job... The only times the reprogrammed machines change... they go bad. Sometimes, they just go bad, and even Connor doesn't know why."
Sarah noted idly that when speaking of her son, he called him 'John' and when speaking of John's future counterpart, he was always 'Connor'.
"She went bad once." She agreed quietly, still watching them in the backyard. She didn't like the machine's hands on her son.
Neither did Derek. "They didn't get into our bases just because they had skin you know. They acted human. They sounded human. Right up to the point when they pulled the plasma gun they even... Maybe she's changing, but don't believe it when she acts differently. John's seeing more in her because he wants to."
"I know." Sarah said. "But she doesn't have to act like a person around us. Around us she never does. So why does she... I mean, it can't be for our benefit alone."
Sarah remembered something she had thought to herself, when Cameron had taken her first Ballet lesson. They cannot appreciate beauty. They cannot create art. If they ever learn these things, they won't have to destroy us. They'll be us.
"Ever hear of the Turing Test?"
"No."
"Turing was a math genius during the Second World War, and he experimented with machines that could make responses to questions. He invented a test that would determine if a system was 'intelligent' or not. It became a standard test for Intelligent machines. The idea was that if machines could select and make responses that were indistinguishable from human responses, then it was the same as thinking, in practical effect."
"You and John know a lot about that sort of thing." Derek said.
"Artificial intelligence is a topic that comes up at our family dinners." Sarah deadpanned.
Derek smirked. "Yeah."
Long silence.
Derek finally spoke. "I came downstairs yesterday, and the Machine was on John computer. It was downloading online catalogues for Baby supplies."
Sarah shrugged. "Yeah. I don't know what's going on there. Must be something to do with Kacey though."
"I don't like it. I don't like her having little side projects. And I don't like John getting so involved in them."
"I'm not worried about John and Cameron."
"Yes you are."
"Yes I am," Sarah conceded, "But not as much as you. You know why? Because professor Turing and I agree."
"About what?"
"A machine becomes a human, when you can't tell the difference any more." Sarah said quietly. "I can still tell the difference."
"So can I." Derek never took his eyes off Cameron. "And you are as worried about John and the machine as I am."
Sarah watched John staring at the machine as she danced. "Yeah. I guess I am."
AN: Okay, this one was part logic, part crack-fic I know. I never know what to do with Cameron when she's not pure-Terminator, and the series producers have seen fit to make her inscrutable. So I needed something completely out of left-field to explain her bizzae behaviour. Allison From Palmdale ave me half of it. Read and Review, and be forgiving.
