Terminator: Catharsis

Just outside Pasadena California.
11:30 AM.

The Jeep pulled up at the empty desert, dust kicking up underneath the tires. Ben was at the wheel, his face emotionless. Jack sat beside him, with Kait in the back. Ben looked over at Jack, and said simply "We've arrived at our destination." The machine glanced at the sedan pulling up across from them.

Jack checked both of his sidearms then looked at Ben then nodded. "Alright Tinman, who's in the car, can you identify them?"

Ben looked out the window, his HUD analyzing the faces getting out of the sedan. It did not escape his scans that the men were armed at least as well the three of them, if not more. "Sgt. Victor Munez, Lt. James Collins and Gunnery Sergeant Bruce Collins. Third Cousins." He heard Jack get out of the door, and was about to follow suit when Kait stopped him.

"Don't. We don't know what these guys will do, so you might as well stay put. I'll go back him up. "

She got out of the car, careful to leave her metal prosthetic in the Jeep and let her missing forearm just be, with the sleeve pulled up to just before her stump. An annoyed face pulled over her features as Ben got out anyway.

"John told me to 'let nothing stop you from protecting my daughter.'"

Kait let out an exasperated sigh, recognizing that even if John had given him the order, it was at her mother's insistence. Clearly, even in the past her mother was overprotective. "Fine. But if they shoot you, it's your fault." Ben nodded and led her to stand on Jack's flanks.

Jack was already in conversation with the armed Resistance fighters. He nodded slowly in response to an unheard question. "Yeah, Connor sent a Machine to make sure I don't screw up." He said, glancing to Victor and Bruce. "Hey guys what's up?" he greeted in a friendly manner before turning his attention back to James. "So you guys got the weapons I asked you to pick up for us?"

"Yeah we got you some more hardware, had to use up most of the cash you gave us though Crane." James turned and nodded towards his cousin who then walked towards the pair and placed a large rucksack on the hood of the Sedan and unzipped it. The man pulled out a pair of submachine guns, one an MP5 with a fixed stock, the other a UMP 45, two high capacity pump shotguns, and two 5.56 carbines.

"These tide you over for now?" Bruce asked as he pulled out a few boxes of ammunition, Jack ran his hand over the weapons nodding silently. "Good because, we couldn't get anymore from 'them'."

"I appreciate it guys, this'll make sleeping easier." Jack said with a smirk and a look of relief upon his face.

"Oh one last thing." James spoke up before reaching into his jacket. "I got some of those empty cases you wanted." he said as he pulled out a small bag of empty .357 cases. Jack had requested them due to his preference for loading up hot ammunition in case he had to deal with hostile Machines.

Bruce was repacking the guns and ammo away and passed the ruck sac over to Jack.

"Thanks." Jack said nodding to the young Collins cousin. Kait sighed and stopped fingering the glock. Ben was cold. Just emotionless. He took the rucksack from Jack with ease, as if it weighed a feather.

"Jack." Kait said. "We got the weapons, now what?"

Ben grabbed the folder, watching intensely at the retreating before scanning the file briefly. Zeira Corporation, headed up by Catherine Weaver. Weaver was a person of interest, but there was an additional mission Connor gave him...One that needed to be completed if Kaitlynn was to live.

INTERLUDE

Los Angeles, CA.
Former residence of Jesse Flores.
Riley Dawson sat in the center of a giant circle of surveillance footage, naked as the day she was born. A gun was in her hand, a bottle of vodka on the floor. She sat cross-legged in a meditative position, her face an angry mask. The mask became an expression of deep love as her eyes settled in on the one man in her life she had ever loved.

John Connor.

He was the centerpiece in every photo spread out on the floor, his face literally on almost every wall. Riley had made it her business to make sure that she knew every move of "Her John" and in equal measure, that bitch. Riley set the gun down, and took a swig of the vodka. Tomorrow would be the day that she laid her final claim on John Connor. Tonight, though, tonight she simply sat and thought and nothing more.

INTERLUDE OVER

The trio returned home from their meeting with the other Resistance fighters, Ben upfront carrying the rucksack, Kait in the middle and Jack taking up the rear.

"Alright, we'll go through the document and see what to do from there." Jack set the document down on the kitchen island.

"Everything in there refers to Catherine Weaver, CEO of Zeira Corporation. What the files don't tell, is that the real Catherine Weaver is dead, and has been replaced by a T-1001, who now designates herself by the same name." Ben said.

Jack gaped at Ben in shock and horror. "Well, shit ... a 1000 series." he looked towards Kait. "What do you know about them Teabags?"

Kait sighed, flipping him off again but started speaking nonetheless. "They're WAY more advanced than a Trip-Eight, and Skynet actually discontinued them. Reason being was that they could become so self-aware that they could choose to follow their own orders." Kait paused here to take a breath and continue after reattaching her arm.

"Funny thing is, is any Terminator could do so, given enough time in read/write. They'd override their base programming and become...Human-ish . Anyway, The 1000 series is liquid metal. The 1001 might not have an endoskeleton, maybe. They can mimic anything they sample by physical touch, given if its the same size and shape. Oh, and they can make stabbing weapons out of their liquid metal."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I heard a few rumors ... they can't be trusted. I suggest we keep away from Zeira Corp, I aint dealing with a K series, we haven't got nearly enough fire power or the man power for it." he told them, before he sat down on the nearest chair. "That just about rules out that ... any other suggestions?" he asked hoping either of the others would answer.

Kait shrugged, but Ben stepped forward. "Riley Dawson. She is planning to kill your mother and grandmother." Jack whistled in shock then turned to look at Kait.

"Looks like we're gunna be meeting your folks." he turned back to Ben. "And I guess you have the generals' location, am I right?" he asked the Machine. Ben nodded.

"We should proceed there immediately." He then promptly turned around, and walked back to the Jeep. Jack spoke up.

"Hey we need to organise the weapons, we need a plan and if I'm right Kait is your superior officer, she calls the shots NOT YOU Tin Can." he said angrily to the Machine.

Ben turned back. "I still do not know of Dawson's plan, and neither do the Connors. Therefore organizing weapons specific to this mission is irrelevant. Our mission has no defined threats."

Kait face palmed and whistled. "Jack, Ben, shut up! Ben, take all the weapons. Jack, get the damn car started. We're leaving, and that's that." She huffed and walked out the front door leaving a blank expression on one man, and a half-amused, half-bewildered on the other.


Mini-Timeskip (really, it's only a 20 minute drive.)


The jeep pulled up at the Connor-and-Reese home. Kait left her metal arm in the bag and ran her sole hand through her mid-back length hair, which she had Jack help her pull into a ponytail, with a few bangs of her raven-coloured hair hanging down her face. She walked up to the door, and knocked on it. Sarah Connor answered.

"Hi, Sarah. I'm your Granddaughter."

The loud smack of Jack facepalming could've been heard in Australia. ... "Subtle," he mumbled sarcastically, "At least it's out there now."

Sarah for her part just stared at the group infront of her confused. "Ugh, what?" the forty year old woman asked obviously confused.

Jack looked to his companions and stepped forward a little more. "Sarah Connor, we're from the future, I'm Sergeant Jackson Crane, Tech-Com DN-01992647." he reached out his hand; the Connor matriarch shook it hesitantly, Jack broke the greeting and thumbed towards Ben. "The big guy behind us is a scrubbed metal, she calls it 'Ben'." he said nodding his head in Kait's direction. "And as she said, she's your granddaughter, Kaitlynn Connor, John's kid."

Sarah looked them all over before turning around. "JOOOOOOHHHHHN!" she yelled.

The Connor matriarch(1) didn't sound very happy.

John Connor stumbled into the living room, having been sleeping until Sarahhad woken him up with her yelling. Derek followed as well, with Cameron walking in behind Derek. "What?" He said, sleep making his voice slightly slurred from sleep. Cameron tilted her head slightly in her usual confused fashion. Sarah eyed her son and opened the door fully revealing Kait and the others.

"Your daughter from the future has come to visit." she said

Derek stared confused at the three infront of him. "And to think today I thought we were gonna have a 'normal' day." John just stood there wide-eyed and speechless. It wasn't every day you found out that A) you had a daughter, and B) she's from after Judgment Day. Cameron simply stood frozen in place.

"W-What? I...WHAT?" John practically shouted.

The trio moved inside and sat on the couch, Ben laying the sack of weapons on the floor. Kaitlynn took a deep breath.

"I was born in the future, when Dad-John-was 25. I was born in the Sherlock. Holmes museum in London, England, which explains my accent. Jack here was assigned to be my bodyguard when I was 14. By then it was known that I have a genius level IQ and we were assigned to the London branch. I was mostly on reprogramming, but two years before we went back to here, I got into an...accident. Cost me my arm. I've got a prosthetic(2) but..."

She let it drop. Looking at Sarah she prayed that she didn't ask about her mother. Then Sarah opened her mouth and Kait's heart sank. She looked to Jack who nodded. He'd pick up the story. Jack had been quiet, patting her reassuringly on the back whilst she spoke, once finished he turned his attention to the Generals, Sarah Connor and Lieutenant Reese. He drew a breath and began to speak.

"Skynet, found out about John's daughter and saw her as a way to get to him, it seemed to be trying everything it could think of to get to her." he sighed slowly and leaned back on the couch. "Just before our departure our base was overrun by Skynet, John set the time machine and we went through while he evacuated and if everything went according to his plan he blew up the time equipment after we left."

Sarah and Derek sat in stunned silence. Derek for how much the future had changed, and Sarah simply stunned. Her eyes now lingered on her own grandchild, there was one question in her head, one thing she had to know.

"Who's your mother?" she asked looking directly at Kait.

Kait took a deep breath, her left hand shaking badly. Dad didn't prepare her for this, for telling Granny Sarah. Another deep breath.

"Cameron Connor."

She pointed at Cameron, who as she heard the words, went into a deep state of shock whilst blushing profusely. Her jaw dropped and John just shut down completely, staring off into space. Kait pulled out a Polaroid photo of a very tired looking Cameron holding an infant and a very ecstatic older John Connor. On the back was written in John's distinct handwriting: Kaitlynn Savannah Connor, May 19, 20XX. Below it was written in Cameron's handwriting: My beautiful daughter.

Derek stared at the young girl in disgust. "Metal freak."

"HEY! Shut up!" Jack roared angrily as he stood up.

"She is!" Derek shot back. "Born from a Machine, it's unheard of, it's disgusting." Derek turned to look at John. "You should be disgusted with yourself John."

At this Kait stepped forward. "Stand down, Derek. Despite my mother being whom she is, I am 100 percent human. If you like, have Mom or Granny Sarah check. But I did NOT lose this arm-" Here she motioned to what remained of her arm. "-So that Uncle Derek could bitch at me about being 'Human' just because you're a damn technophobe. I don't give a damn what the hell you think of me, uncle Derek, but you sure as HELL will not tarnish my parents like that. Y'Know what? It's cause of paranoid bastards like you that we can't beat Skynet at its own game. I mean for god's sake, SKYNET IS A MACHINE! and If we start fearing machines like you do, we'll never win! So get off of your DAMN HIGH HORSE, and ACCEPT ME AS YOUR NIECE!"

John and Cameron looked on with a strange expression plastered on both of their faces, a mixture of both confusion, awe, and in Cameron's case, glee. Derek grimaced but said nothing and walked out of the room moving towards the stairs. Sarah actually looked at the young girl with an impressed expression, Kait definately inherited her temper if nothing else.

Jack looked at Kait and pointed at her half heartedly. "What she said."

Ben simply stood blankly in the corner. This-Human emotions-was out of his depth. His chip was in Read Only, despite the fact that most trip-eights sent back are sent in Read-Write. It was John's decision to send him back this way, and thus, this way he would remain, unless Kait decided it was best for him to go into Read-Write mode.

Kait huffed and blew a strand of hair out of her face, sitting back down on the couch. Her temper was viable proof of her humanity, as Machines couldn't replicate that level of temper, that kind of anger. Maybe a read-write that had been left in society for decades, but that was unheard of, besides Mom. Even then it wasn't totally there, wasn't totally up to human standards.

John looked to Kait cautiously. "You're really my and C-Cameron's daughter?" he asked stammering a little in his speech.

Cameron however was rather inquisitive. She hadn't thought her interactions with a younger John wuld have altered the future so much, it would seem she was wrong. And with the possibility of John and her entering into a romantic if not sexual relationship still ambiguous between the two, the fact they had or rather would have a daughter was definately a positive sign as to how she and John would end up together.

Kait chuckled a little at her father's words. "Yup. You're my dad." John sat back and sighed as he began to take in everything that had just happened.

She looked over at Cameron, who was looking at her with a very strange look. "Mom, why are you looking at me like that?"Cameron meanwhile tilted her head as her eyes focused on Kait. "I'm sorry, I was thinking." she replied before another small smile crawled across her lips.

Jack looked between everyone then looked at the shellshocked Sarah.

"Shall I put coffee on?" he asked smiling a little awkwardly. Sarah looked at him and nodded.

"Add a little scotch to mine." she asked. Jack returned the nod, and went to the kitchen, almost eager to escape the awkwardness in the room.

Kait looked over at Cameron and proceeded to smirk as well. It was an exact replica of her mother's smile. "I realize you all might have questions...shoot." Sarah looked at Kait then glanced at Cameron and John then back to Kait. "How? How is it posssible for you to exist? Cameron's a machine, she can't honestly ..." Sarah spoke frantic, confused over how the girl before her existed. "... She can't give birth. It's impossible."

John glanced at his mother as she spoke and mentally noted he too was curious.

Kait smiled. The biggie. Of all the tips Dad had given her on dealing with Granny Sarah, this was the one he'd spoke the most often of.

"Mom's a machine, yeah. But Dad and Auntie Cathy looked into it, and actually managed to convert the synthetic blood into specific DNA. After that, it was Genetics. I am a combination of the two. Dad's DNA and Mom's Synthetic DNA. After the initial conception, it played out like an in vitro pregnancy. That isn't to say they aren't a..."She coughed uncomfortably, slightly blushing. "...REAL...Couple. There are SOME things from my fourth birthday party I'd like to forget."

John turned a very bright red and suddenly found immense interest in the floor all the while Cameron found her tiny smile growing slightly. Sarah just stared at her before turning towards the kitchen. "FORGET THE COFFEE! BRING ME THE SCOTCH!"

Moments later Jack came back, his cheeks red too, with the coffees, Kait's tea and the whole bottle of scotch for Sarah.

"Sorry Grandma. I don't know why I said that. I mean, I was four, and it was weird, and then Mom gave me the facts of life speech with my plush toy T-600 and...GAH! Are...is...Is there any other questions? I mean, I'm just a kid. Relatively speaking.(2)" Kait sheepishly took a sip of her tea, furiously blushing. Ben simply went to run the perimeter, hiding the 1911 in his waistband.

Cameron tilted her head for a moment before speaking. "I think that is enough for questions. There will be enough time for private questions later." she announced then looked at Kait directly. "Why have you sought us out?" she asked.

Jack spoke up once more. "Metal man would've been better to tell you this, but it's about someone you all know." That got their attention, as all three seemed to lean in closer in anticipation. "You guys remember a Riley Donkins(3) or something?" he asked.

"Riley Dawson(4)." John corrected.

"Bitch-Whore.(5)" Cameron stated he eyes narrowing at the memory of the girl. "What is she doing?" she asked.

"It seems she's here to put an end to you." Jack said looking directly at Cameron


TerminatorT888's Notes:

(1) Yup. that's my official nickname for Sarah

(2) her cybernetic arm is basically a terminator arm without the flesh over it. that's literally the only part of her made of metal. webmarket- site.f r/co ncor dim/components/termin ator-ro bot-ar m- i7.j p g

Originally it WAS fleshed out when they brought it back, but it was only fleshed out for the TDE.

(3) I laughed at this when JasonVUK wrote it. I like how he made his OC mistake Dawson's last name

(4) Yes, I prefer calling Riley by her last name. It's way more fun to say.

(5) Jealous Cam! I find a jealous Cameron adorable. If you see any good Jameron stories where Cameron is jealous, let me know XD