Simple Machine
Based on the song, "Simple Machine." Written and performed by Kyler England, and used with her gracious permission.
"John, we never talk about the big things anymore"
Cameron looked across the bed at John, who was doing his usual slacker slouch.
"Its too hard, we have other things to do, bigger things. We have to focus on them, not us."
Cameron looked wistfully, "There's a canyon between us that we can't cross, it's too far. Whatever happened to you?"
John shrugged his shoulders, "Cameron, we're fighting a war."
"Not now," She replied. "You used to be the searching kind."
She shook her head gently, "Lately you turn and run like you're afraid of what you'll find."
"Cameron, we —" John shook his head in frustration. "We're not important."
"I know you believe this heart is just a simple machine."
She could take his breath away at times, this was one of them. John stared at Cameron in surprise, his lungs trying to inflate and not succeeding.
"Cameron. No, I—."
"And the love that's running through our veins, it's just a pulse of electricity."
Another wicked curve ball. Defenses crumbling.
John was taken aback by the simple eloquence of her words. Who would believe that a cyborg designed to infiltrate and kill humans could be this subtle—this hurt? She was relentless, and he knew she would not give up. He had to find something to take her off track while he thought about it.
"Do you have veins?" He said, desperately trying to throw her off her pitch.
"I do have a rudimentary nutrient fluid system, which feeds the organic part of my skin covering. It isn't a cardiovascular system, nor is my skin an integumentary system—."
"Okay, I get it Cameron," John smiled weakly. At least he'd sent the devastating pitches off past the foul ball line, for now.
She'd be back.
Waiting for the opportunity, Cameron dropped in another sinker.
"You've given up on finding meaning in this great big mystery." Cameron said softly, accusation in her tone.
There it was.
John was gut-punched at the hurt in her voice. His life was busy. Sure, but would he have a life at all without this girl? Would he have a life worth living? He got off the bed and took Cameron in his arms. He heard her whisper, "Baby don't give up, baby don't you give up on me."
"I'm not giving up Cameron, I'll never give up."
"It's not easy loving someone like you, who's got it all figured out." She whispered in his ear.
John's blurted laughter was so loud; Cameron had to turn down the volume on her audio reception.
"Why do you think I've got it all figured out. My life is a mess."
He looked gently across to his cyborg girl, "The only thing that I have close to working out is you. With you in the mood you're in right now, I haven't got that worked out either."
This quieted her totally. Since she had been reprogrammed, and her Skynet installed governors removed, her machine intelligence had been changing day to day. She often delayed answers, because she was more aware of human nuance and the incredible decision processes they went through before any action. When Cameron was slow in reacting, it meant she was thinking hard. Her decision trees, as an AI, were massive. Her dilemmas and choices were every bit as difficult as those the humans faced.
Cameron whispered in his ear again, as if she were embarrassed by her words and didn't want anyone else to hear. "It must be hard for you too, trying to wrap your arms around me and all my doubts."
John was taken aback by this burst of feeling from her. She was not one for emotions at the best of times, and she kept those strictly for when she was around him, but this tonight was a torrent.
"Don't think I've ever been that sure of anything I've always got a lot of open ended questions haunting me."
John went through everything that had been said as he held her tight, and went over them in his head. Cameron could remember every word, every nuance and inflection, while most things ripped through his head from one ear to the other without stopping for gas. This time he remembered and decided to try and reassure her.
"Cameron, uh—I refuse to believe the heart is only a simple machine. The love that's running through our veins, it's not just a pulse of electricity, I'm not giving up on finding meaning in this great big mystery so baby don't give up, baby don't you give up on me."
Cameron looked up into his eyes, a damp sheen on hers, trying not to hold him too tight and break his ribs again.
"You say we're like a light switch we're on and then we're off."
John smiled, "Uh, when did I ever say that?"
Cameron said, "and this is all there is—we're here and then we're gone."
"There is some truth to that."
"Then we're gone. We're here and then we're gone?"
"No, Cameron. I don't believe the heart is only a simple machine. Loving you has shown that to have no scientific basis."
"The love that's running through our veins, it's just a pulse of electricity?" She looked at him questioningly.
"Well, if that's the case, it's the same for both of us, right?"
Cameron smiled in reply, and nodded gently. "Don't you give up on finding meaning in this great big mystery and baby don't give up, baby don't you give up on me."
"I won't, Cameron. It's you and me till my bones are dust."
"I won't give up on you John, ever. Not ever."
John shook his head in wonder. His life had been difficult, sweaty and low at times, but his times spent in peace and quiet with Cameron gave everything he did a meaning not present the rest of the time.
He was one of the lucky ones.
No Fate.
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The song, "Simple Machine," is written and performed by Kyler England, who is both a solo artist and one quarter of, "The Rescues." I thank her for her gracious permission to use these lyrics in this story.
I cannot put a link to her site, because Fan Fiction prevent it, but if you google Kyler England, the link will appear.
Kyler is recording a solo album right now, and is seeking pledges towards its creation. Its well worth considering a pledge. You get in on the ground floor, with some neat rewards and knowing you helped to get art created and out into the wind.