We have at our disposal a weapon that cannot be intimidated or bribed or bargained with. It cannot be fought with any of the Snakes biological terrors nor can it be convinced to sacrifice its principles for a greater good. It will show no mercy and no fear. We have at our disposal a sword and shield that will make the world safe for democracy.
-President Carmen Hiero
Archona, January 1992
"Well Archon, We know about the Stone Dogs" said Carmen Hiero in a firm and matter of fact way with a slight smile on her face.
"And we know about Skynet." Shrakenberg replied, and ended the conversation.
Eric Von Shrakenberg felt confused and frustrated for the first time in a long time. The past four years of the covert struggle were not going as well as they had all expected. Up till then it had been wonderful. India had been the beginning of a long line of victories for the Race. But he knew something had changed.
To the Militarists nothing had changed. The Yankees now had some kind of secret piece of technology but it would make no difference they claimed. These new drones they were fielding just proved they were cowards. The Prize fighter system they lauded as a weapon of total protection would change nothing.
But for the pragmatists it felt as though they were on the razors edge of annihilation. First all their intel on the Comp Plauge project became worthless overnight when the Alliance Brass decided to fund something called Project Prizefighter. Then for the longest time they were utterly unable to get anything on said project other than a few scraps. And of course the ultimate humiliation had been that the T-600 infantry drone could match a Drakensis for strength. Of course it had other drawbacks where the Drakensis could beat it, but Eric sincerely doubted they would stop at the 600 model.
"Skynet" he said to an empty room. "Skynet". It certainly sounded like a Yankee weapon. Unassuming, and from all accounts it did exactly what it said it did, caught attacks in the sky.
"did'ja say somfin suh?" said one of the gaurds outside his office.
"nothing." He replied curtly as he continued to try and think of what to do.
Of course the Stone Dogs would work. He thought to himself as he got back to the papers and information on his desk. There wasn't anything the Ferals had made that the Race hadn't been able to counter with something better.
For me, Skynet and the Final War was always a distant threat, something that I couldn't do anything about but knew we would all have to face one day.
-Sarah Connor
Los Angeles, 1984
Sarah jumped behind a grassy hill as the massive tanker truck went up in a fiery explosion. She looked behind her to see the torn up metal and wreckage as well as Kyle crawling out of the dumpster he had hid in.
"Kyle!" she yelled as she ran to him. As he hit the ground she feared for a moment that he just wouldn't get up, but somehow he found the strength to run to her.
"Sarah." he said as he embraced her in a tight hug. "We did it. It's dead."
The two of them held each other there for a moment, ignoring the pain and injuries for just a moment for the sheer fact that the Terminator was finally dead.
Until they heard the terrible screech of metal on metal as things started to push themselves apart. "No." she almost whispered as an immense metal skeleton pulled itself out of the wreckage. "No." She said again as they started running into a nearby building.
The two of hem just made it into the building, a factory of some sort, as the thing reached for her arm. Kyle put a bar between the door handles to try and delay it for a moment and kept running. Sarah looked back for a moment to see it trying to pry the doors open with the long blades attached to its forearms.
Kyle collapsed in the hallway, Sarah suddenly noticed there was several bloody spots on his stomach and right leg. "Leave me." He just barely spat out as he lay there with most of his body completely limp.
"No, Come on." She said as she grabbed his arm and half carried half dragged him deeper into the factory. "Get up. Get on your feet Soldier!"
He managed to stumble past a second set of doors where they saw an old dirty computer with a list of simple commands. He started typing into it.
"What are you doing we have to go!" Screamed as she heard the mechanical whirring of it's legs slowly getting closer.
"I'm activating the machines it will confuse its sensors! Go on ahead while I do this I'll catch up."
"No. I'm not leaving you."
Kyle grabbed her arm and looked at her. For a second everything seemed to be just a bit more calm "don't worry Sarah. I'll be right behind you. Just go somewhere and hide."
She was not quite sure why she did so but she ran deeper into the factory. Suddenly the machines started to come to life. What their purpose was she could not even begin to guess.
Eventually she found a place, it was off of the catwalks and between to massive hydraulic presses. She stayed there and waited. She didn't hear anything other than the machinery until a large explosion cracked out of the distance. She stood frozen. Did Kyle finally manage to kill it?
Then all the machines shut down and the factory went silent once more. With the exception of the terminators mechanical footsteps. Why? Why wouldn't it just die? Once again Sarah started to run. Maybe she could run out the back door of this place and go get help from someone out there. She eventually found a wall, looked around to see an exit sign just a few feet away. If she could just make it to the exit in time.
Then she saw it. The Terminator had its right arm blown off and its right leg was twisted at an odd angle. The various wires and functions inside its chest was exposed and sparking. even its skeletal head looked as though it was only hanging on by a thread. It was limping at a miserably slow pace towards her, almost like a wounded beast. But all of the damage done to it palled when compared to the fact that the blade on its left arm as well as most of the remains of the machine was covered in blood.
She bolted up the stairs, trying to get to the exit. She ran as fast as she could almost getting to the door, when she heard a slam from something hitting the ground. The Terminator had tripped and fallen off the catwalk of all things.
When she turned around she saw it impaled on some loose metal tubing. It moved its remaining limbs and head all over as if struggling, but didn't seem to actually be doing anything. Almost without thinking she started back down the stairs and grabbed a piece of rebar that was lying on the ground and started hammering on its head with every ounce of her might. Over and over and over again until the head fell off of its shoulders and the piercing red eyes went completely black.
Suddenly Sarah realized she was in the relative safety of a mental institution. She was unarmed, could not get to her son, and no one believed her. She was still alive. It was still just a nightmare.
As always comments and criticism is welcome
