Disclaimer & Notices
Please refer to Chapter One for disclaimers and notices.
Started: May 28, 2009
Series 2: No Fate, Story #2
I, Human
by Red Hope
Chapter 6 – Lunch Date
Cameron turned her head at hearing the gentle knock against the door. She already knew who it was and softly called the CEO of Cyberdyne Systems into her room. She remained resting on her bed, hands tucked under her pillow, and she voiced for the television to mute.
Sarah Connor entered the room, and she was formally dressed in tan slacks and a black blouse that was left untucked. She'd just finished putting make-up on, which made her lips ruby red compared to her dark top and hair.
"Hey," Sarah greeted. She approached the resting terminator, who was in her pajama pants and a clean tank top. She noticed how Cameron seemed to have a relaxed posture in the softly lit room. She briefly wondered whether Cameron had been sleeping, but she brushed the crazy notion aside.
"Morning," Cameron carefully offered. She wasn't sure of Sarah's mood now that it'd been five hours since they'd arrived home. However, she read Sarah's attitude as calm rather than tense or built up.
Sarah sat on the bed's side and faced the younger woman. She could recall a time when she was the younger one, physically. But she was finding out that Cameron was in her mid thirties emotionally. "I'm getting ready to head to work."
Cameron suspected as much yet couldn't figure out why Sarah felt the need to let her know. She knew there had to be some other purpose to Sarah's visit.
"I was thinking," Sarah hesitantly started, "that maybe around noon or one o'clock if you wanted to have lunch together." She shrugged and casually added, "I know it's a bit of a drive to Cyberdyne but..."
Cameron moved her hands to her stomach where her tank top and pants left her skin exposed. "I will be there."
Sarah had followed Cameron's movements but her eyes flickered back to Cameron's face. She nodded and showed a faint smile. "Alright." She climbed up from the bed and started for the door, yet she faltered and turned around. "Cameron..."
The terminator actually sat up and her ice blue eyes locked on the returning human.
Sarah clenched her hand in a nervous habit, but she went around the bed to Cameron's side. She sat down and rested her right hand on her knee. "About last night..." She lowered her gaze for a moment then looked back up. "I know you said you didn't want to argue anymore." She watched Cameron's faint nod so she continued talking. "I don't either. I just... I have a hard time controlling my temper after a few drinks."
"Yes, I know," Cameron replied. "Perhaps if you did not drink it would greatly improve it."
"Maybe," Sarah muttered. However, it was obvious she didn't want to let go of her drinking habit.
Cameron sensed it and concluded it probably was the human's only vise to dealing with life's stresses. She would later research more about this topic.
"I know I get nasty," Sarah admitted. "It's wrong and not fair to you when you're trying to help." She took a shaky breath and whispered, "I'll try working on it."
Cameron was grateful that Sarah recognized it although she didn't expect Sarah could completely control it if the alcohol induced it in the first place. For now, she didn't know enough about constant, heavy drinking and what it did to humans. So she merely replied, "Thank you."
Sarah felt a bit vulnerable discussing it, especially with the terminator. She was glad to close out the topic, and she stood up. "I'll see you at lunch then." She crossed the room to the door.
"Have a good day," Cameron politely offered. She received a smile from Sarah.
"You too," Sarah softly called then she was gone.
Cameron eventually left her bedroom and took a shower to get ready for her day. She wore soft green khaki pants, a creamy white camisole, and a gentle pink blouse over top. She buttoned only so high so that it left her camisole exposed and some of her cleavage. She then put on her black boots and matching belt before she went downstairs to make breakfast. This time she planned to eat with Jean then she would deal with the motorcycle and such.
By mid morning, Cameron went to the workshop and took care of the motorcycle. She carefully put it back on the concrete slab in the workshop then took some time to clean the windshield of the bugs from last night's rides. While she cleaned the bike, she linked up to the internet and began heavy research on human consumption of alcohol. She downloaded over ten gigabytes worth of data, research, and knowledge about alcohol, history, its effects, and alcoholics. It would take Cameron much of the day to process it all and relate it to Sarah Connor.
After the terminator finished with the motorcycle, she picked up the bucket of automotive cleaning products and took it into the small office. She neatly returned the items onto the shelf that had other automotive products. She then went to the right of the shelving unit and set the yellow bucket down, but she paused at catching the bold faced stamp on the side of a box to her right.
Cameron scanned her recent data download and compared it to the name on the box. She now had a match that Talisker was a single malt scotch that was made it Carbost, Scotland. She straightened up and grabbed the box's lids, which were already loose. She pulled it open and stared down into the box that had four blue caps peering up at her. Cameron instantly grabbed a bottle and pulled it out.
The bottle of scotch proudly held its Talisker label, and it was stamped that it was ten years old. The liquor inside was a rich amber shade that would entice many. The bottle contained exactly seven hundred fifty milliliters.
Cameron carefully returned the scotch bottle and noted that the case lacked the other eight bottles. She summarized that Sarah had most likely already drank the other bottles and the four were all that were left. She did a quick calculation and estimated a case of the Talisker was roughly a thousand dollars.
The terminator was rather displeased, but she closed up the box and left it alone. She knew she needed to get ready and leave in the truck soon. She exited the small office then started the F-350, which she reversed out of the workshop. She decided to top it off first before she left.
Two hours later, Cameron found herself parking her pickup truck in Cyberdyne's parking garage in a visitor spot. She wasn't quite use to the parking garage that'd obviously been built in place of the prior parking lot that John Conner had in his day. Cameron was directed back to the front security desk where she had to check in with the guards.
"Welcome back, Miss Phillips."
Cameron tilted her head at the security guard. "Hello, Donald." She casually leaned against the glass desk's high counter. "I'm here to see Sarah Connor again."
Donald cleared his throat and leaned forward. "Yes, she said she was expecting you today." He picked up a temporary security badge for her. "It'll take you to the sixth floor."
"Thank you." The terminator brushed past the security desk and returned to the elevator lobby. She found an elevator immediately opened so she stepped into it. She busied with clipping the badge to her right hip while Vicki, the security system, took her up to the sixth floor.
"This is the sixth floor, Miss Phillips." The elevator dinged then silently opened its door.
Cameron strolled out and approached the CEO's assistant, who was busy chatting over her earpiece.
"I have to go... alright, bye." Candice waved her hand over her desk's surface screen then stood up. "Afternoon, Miss Phillips." She came around the clear desk. "Mrs. Connor is in a meeting right now, but she said you can wait in her office for her." She escorted the young woman through the glass office doors that drew open for them. "I don't think she'll be much longer."
Cameron noticed how Candice was friendlier with her today than last time. She wondered if Sarah had anything to do with it. She continued to follow Candice to Sarah's office, but they passed the conference room. She turned her head that way and spotted the CEO seated at the head with a few others at the table. Besides Sarah, Cameron recognized one unique individual, and she couldn't help but stare on her way past.
Sarah Connor was gazing straight ahead, a stylus pen under her lip, and her expression serious. She broke from her stone posture and looked out the glass walls just as Cameron Phillips passed with Candice. Her features faintly softened, but she refocused on the speaker in the meeting.
Candice watched the young woman sit on the CEO's white, leather sofa in front of the coffee table. "Can I get you anything to drink while you wait?"
"I'm fine," Cameron replied. But she politely added, "Thank you."
"Let me know if you change your mind." The assistant took a step away. "The bathrooms are just past my desk out in the hall." After the visitor's nod, she quietly left and returned to her desk.
Cameron sat with a straight back, and she tucked her hands between her knees. However, she sighed because Jean's reminders about acting more human came to mind. She forced herself to relax in the sofa while she waited. But she couldn't help being somewhat curious so she tilted her head to the perfect angle then focused on the voices from the conference room.
"ZeiraCorp doesn't have the right technology for such a contract," Sarah debated. She lowered her stylus next to her touch sensitivity PDA. "How could it possibly end up in their hands?" She was clearly annoyed and was controlling her temper.
"ZeiraCorp has Andrew Goode," Emily Henderson explained. She stood at the other end of the table in front of a large but blank screen. She headed a subdivision of Cyberdyne Systems that was located outside of Los Angeles.
Sarah narrowed her eyes at Emily Henderson, who wasn't physically here in the emergency meeting but was represented by a two-dimensional hologram. She gave a low sigh and rubbed her brow. She looked at Emily's hologram and ordered, "Tell me about Andrew Goode."
The hologram lowered her head and seemed to be reading something that nobody could see. But behind her the screen flickered on and retrieved factual data about Andrew David Goode. She chanted his laundry list of expertise as a computer engineer and what developments he was best known for in the technology world.
"Wait," Sarah murmured. She raised her voice once she reread the ZeiraCorp employee's resume. "He worked for us in 2012?"
Emily skimmed through the information then did a deeper search. "Yes, he worked as a summer intern between his junior and senior year of college."
The CEO was stunned and wondered why Andrew Goode hadn't been hired after his graduation from CalTech.
"Your father never extended an offer to him," Emily mentioned. She looked up to the CEO. "From what the files say, it appears that Goode had a sexual harassment accusation filed on him from a coworker. It seems the accusation was not proven or disproved, but John Connor didn't want to hire him out of unnecessary risk despite his intelligence and skills."
Sarah silently considered this then mentally reversed to something that'd caught her eye earlier. "What's this Turk?"
"The Turk," Emily echoed back. "It was a homegrown project that Goode began during his senior year of college. It was a computer solely focused on playing chess. He entered it into a chess match and won." She looked up at everybody again. "It put him on the map and landed him a job with ZeiraCorp."
Sarah leaned into her chair and decided she'd heard enough about Andrew Goode. She focused on the original issue and posed, "What can we do to win this government contract before ZeiraCorp?"
"Find an Andrew Goode," a remark was brought up.
Sarah's dark green eyes settled on her best and most dedicated employee at Cyberdyne Systems. "I have a Miles Dyson." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Tell me why you're not good enough, Miles?"
Miles Dyson, who had made the remark earlier, became hesitant but carefully explained, "The government knows that my specialty is electrical engineering. They need somebody's expertise to be in computer engineering, and Goode is the best out there." Miles sensed his answer didn't satisfy the CEO, who he'd known for many years. He sat only a few chairs away. "We can make the best technological hardware, Sarah. Everybody knows it too. But when it comes to our software, we fall short... especially compared to ZeiraCorp."
"Miles is right," Jason brought up. He was second only to Miles Dyson and had been working for Cyberdyne Systems for over ten years. "We don't make the cut, Sarah for developing a fully integrated AI."
But Sarah wouldn't let go, and she carefully asked, "How much is Washington playing into this?"
"A lot," Emily replied. "There's heat from as high up as the President down to the Air Force pilots that want this system brought up. It has a lot of attention on it, and ZeiraCorp has done an excellent job of marketing themselves to the Congressmen."
Sarah took a deep breath but still her frustration edged into her tone. "I thought we were doing a better job at lobbying in Washington?"
"We are," Emily replied, "but ZeiraCorp has had their foot in the door much longer than us."
"Sarah, we're better off focusing our efforts on the exoskeleton contract that the government is offering," Miles tried.
Sarah shifted to Miles and paused but remarked, "I want both."
Miles Dyson gave a silent sigh then leaned back into his chair. He was just as frustrated and couldn't understand why the CEO was so determined to have the artificial intelligence contract from the government.
Sarah was mulling over her choices then finally looked at the CFO to her right. "Rework the numbers... maybe I can woe them better in Washington."
The CFO, Tammy Fields, gave a brisk nod and promised, "I'll have them ready Monday."
"I want them by COB," Sarah ordered.
Tammy breathed in heavily at having to rework the quote with only a five hour window. Yet, she couldn't deny Sarah J. Connor II unless she wanted to lose her job. "By COB," she softly agreed.
Sarah nodded then focused on everybody. "Miles, I want you and Jason to keep getting the prepwork for the exoskeleton contract done. I believe that's due to the government by next week."
"Yes," Miles agreed.
"Alright." Sarah tapped her stylus once against the glass table then concluded, "I think that's about it. Anything else?" At everybody's long silence, she nodded and offered, "Have a good weekend, everybody." She received several chimes back, and she got up from her chair. She briefly watched Emily's hologram fade away then her other employees filed out. She gently called, "Miles."
Miles was talking to his coworker but told Jason to go ahead. He waited for the CEO by the open door and hid his hands in his slacks' pockets.
Sarah waited until they were alone, and she approached the department director. "You're pretty confident that we'll win the exoskeleton contract?"
"Extremely confident," Miles answered. "Our technology far exceeds anything our competitors can match... even if we are a little on the expensive side."
Sarah was sliding her stylus into her PDA. "The government doesn't mind spending extra." She shared a grin with him, but she became serious. "I also need you to start searching for a computer engineer. We've been putting this off too long and now it's going to cost us." She noticed that Miles agreed with her so she promised, "I'll check into my connections at UCLA."
"I'll see what I can do too."
Sarah nodded then asked, "I know it's lunch time but do you have a minute? There's a friend of mine I'd like you to meet."
"Of course." Miles followed the CEO out of the conference room and went to the office. He honed in on the striking, young woman that stood up from the white sofa.
"Cameron, I'd like you to meet Miles Dyson," Sarah properly introduced. "He's the director of the Special Projects Department."
Cameron stepped around the coffee table and took Miles Dyson's hand when he extended it to her. "It's nice to meet you." She gave him a warm smile.
Sarah noted the terminator's receptive attitude that she rarely, if ever, displayed to other humans. She filed this away and looked at her employee. "Miles, this is Cameron Phillips... she's from Vegas. She was just recently honorably discharged from the army. Now she's planning to go to UCLA this fall." She tucked her hands behind her back and revealed, "She's thinking about working part time too for Cyberdyne.
"Really?" Miles perked up at news about the young woman being at Cyberdyne."
Cameron blinked and glanced at the CEO then warmly smiled at Miles. She didn't miss a beat and stated, "I'll be replacing Candice."
Miles grew wide eye, and he didn't know what to say because Candice had been Sarah's assistant for six years now.
Sarah gave a weak laugh to play it off as a joke then grabbed Cameron's shoulder. She gave a hard squeeze in warning and looked at Miles. "Actually, Cameron will probably be in the accounting department." She pleasantly smiled at Cameron yet her eyes held a threat in them. "You're thinking about being a finance or accounting major, right?"
Cameron mirrored back the smile, raised an eyebrow, and muttered, "Apparently." She focused back on Miles Dyson. "I'm great at math... I really love it. But I'm even better at money."
Miles couldn't help a laugh at Cameron's joke.
Sarah relaxed finally and released her grip on Cameron's shoulder. She folded her arms. "Anyway, you'll be seeing more of Cameron around here." She then glanced at the terminator. "Are you ready for lunch?"
"Yes." Cameron slid her hands into her pant pockets. Then she turned back on Miles. "It was nice to meet you."
"You as well, Cameron. I'm sure we'll cross paths again." Miles then gave a smile to Sarah. "I'll touch base with you later this afternoon."
"Great... talk to you then, Miles." Sarah watched him go then she turned to the terminator.
Cameron raised an eyebrow at the human. "I am working for Cyberdyne now?"
The CEO grew smug and teased, "I didn't tell you?" She shrugged and further joked, "You'll get an offer letter in the mail later."
Cameron slotted her eyes at the CEO.
"You'll need a job," Sarah argued. She walked away from the terminator and went to her desk. She started checking her email quickly before they went to lunch. "I figured you could work part-time here." She lifted her head. "Or do you prefer to keep being bored all day?"
Cameron wandered over to Sarah but stood a few feet away. "Why in the accounting department?"
"Well, you are good with numbers," Sarah replied. She picked up her earpiece from the desk then approached the younger woman. "And I need a set of eyes in my accounting department. Somebody I can trust to make sure there's no fraud."
"You're concerned?" Cameron inquired.
"Only a little," Sarah replied. "I have loyalty in all my other departments... I feel comfortable. But in the accounting department there's just too much mystery." She started towards the hallway that'd take them out of the office. "I think you can clear it up for me." She paused in front of the seal doors. "If you don't want to do it then just say so."
Cameron silently considered the offer that would surely keep her busy. She'd also have more time around Sarah, possibly. Most importantly, she could help Sarah at Cyberdyne Systems and hopefully diminish one less stress for Sarah.
"Alright," Cameron softly agreed.
Sarah suddenly smiled and happily replied, "Excellent." She started out the doors, which opened for them. "I'll talk to HR about hiring you. I may have some pull with them." She winked at the terminator.
Cameron tilted her head and almost asked a question but held her silence because of Candice. She knew it was probably something she should know already.
"Cameron and I are going to lunch, Candice. We shouldn't be more than an hour and half," Sarah informed her assistant.
"I'll take care of your calls," Candice promised.
"Thank you." Sarah headed to the elevator lobby with Cameron at her side. "You look like you had a question earlier."
The terminator lowered her voice and checked, "What is HR?"
The CEO chuckled and entered the elevator. "It means Human Resources."
Cameron now understood and just nodded.
"I suggest you do some research on business, accounting, and finance." Sarah leaned against the wall and crossed her ankles.
"I will," the terminator promised. She then commented, "You seem in better spirits today."
Sarah considered it and pushed off the wall. "I guess so." She and Cameron walked off onto the ground floor and headed towards the front doors. "There's this local restaurant nearby that's nice. I haven't been in awhile."
"I'm not extremely hungry," Cameron solemnly admitted.
Sarah curiously thought about Cameron's statement and checked, "You're not hungry?"
"I ate with Jean this morning. I have eaten a lot recently." Cameron followed the human outside. "I only require nutritional supplements once a day." She placed her right hand over her stomach. "Otherwise, I may gain unnecessary weight."
Sarah opened and closed her mouth a few times then finally managed, "You're on a diet?"
The terminator debated about it and replied, "Essentially yes." She had a thoughtful expression and explained, "I must consume nutritional products so that my organic systems may stay healthy."
Sarah shook her head. "You never told me this back in 2008."
"It did not come up," Cameron refuted. She walked closer to Sarah because she almost bumped into two humans. "Also, Jean installed new interfaces with my organic systems so that I can better monitor them."
"Interfaces?" Sarah was confused and tried guessing what Cameron was telling her. "You mean you have a direct connection to... say your stomach?"
"Yes, exactly." Cameron crossed the street with the CEO. "Before, I periodically ate, but I was never aware of when I was hungry."
Sarah was becoming amazed and checked, "So now you can feel your stomach being hungry?"
"Yes." Cameron had a faint smile. "I can feel my stomach growl." Her smile slipped though. "It is highly annoying, and I do not understand how humans cope with it three times out of the day."
Sarah laughed at the terminator's thoughts. She turned right and mentioned, "It's just down here." She slowed her walk when she spotted the restaurant's sign out front. "Did she add any others?"
"Several," Cameron replied. "She also updated some such as with my heart."
Sarah wanted to know more, but she held back her questions. She instead smiled at the hostess.
"Welcome, Mrs. Connor." The hostess knew the CEO, who ventured here now and again but was popular with the servers. "Just two?"
"Yes, please."
The hostess gathered two menus then directed the women to their table, which was a booth. She waited until they were seated then she handed them the touch-screen menus. "Your server will be Wendy."
"Thank you," Sarah replied. She didn't really need to look over the menu because she knew it well enough. She did skim over it quickly while she asked, "What did the interface update do to your heart?"
Cameron was studying the menu, but she easily fielded the question too. "Originally my interfaces between my chassis and organic systems merely supplied analytical feeds."
Sarah peered up from the menu. "So with your heart, you had a constant feed on your heart rate?"
"Exactly," Cameron agreed. "But after the update, I not only know my pulse, but I can feel my heartbeat."
Sarah was truly intrigued by this development, but she stayed silent because the server arrived at their table. She peered up from her menu and listened to Wendy's welcome to Harvey's, a fine steakhouse restaurant in Los Angeles. Then when Wendy asked for drink orders, Sarah nodded for Cameron to go first.
The terminator ordered bottled water with lemon for some flavor. She curiously waited to hear Sarah's order.
"I'll have an ice tea," Sarah told the server. She waited until Wendy was gone and focused back on Cameron. "Why were you given the update? Because the technology is new or...?"
Cameron tilted her head and replied, "I believe because the technology is new. However, I may be incorrect and which case then Jean did the update because she believed I was ready for it."
Sarah folded her hands in her lap and thought about it. "When did she do the update? Before or after you told her about us?"
The terminator easily replied, "Afterwards."
Sarah softly hummed and mentally debated whether Jean did the update because of new technology or because Jean believed Cameron was ready for it. She knew she wouldn't find out the truth so she let it go. She switched topics and mentioned, "I've been thinking about your... financials." She put her head to one side then purposed, "I thought we could open an account for you, and I'll put ten thousand in it."
Cameron was silent but looked up from her menu. "I do not require that much, Sarah. I have very few needs."
"True," the CEO granted. "But, I think you need to have it." She raised an eyebrow and suggested, "For emergency use."
The terminator quickly followed Sarah's line of thought and gave a low sigh. "Very well." She gazed up when their server returned with their drinks and took their entree order. Cameron went first and asked for a Caesar salad with salmon; she was growing fond of seafood.
However, Sarah ordered a filet mignon that came with Harvey's unique sauce glazed over it. Once the server left again, she mentioned, "You'll make a decent pay at Cyberdyne. I figure your monthly spending will be fairly low." She mentally considered a list. "I'm already taking care of your living, your food, and earpiece." She focused back on Cameron. "But, I think we'll need to get you a hover car later. I'm not keen on that much mileage going onto the truck or bike."
Cameron just nodded and knew that Sarah would arrange everything for her. She realized it was quite the opposite situation compared to 2008 when she took care of Sarah. Now, she was relying on the human for support despite she could easily go to Chola Santiago, who provided all necessary resources to UR agents. In a certain light, Cameron concluded that depending on Sarah for support pulled her away from the United Races because it was standard protocol to go to UR agents once arriving in the past.
"Where'd you go?" Sarah gently called. She found sky blue eyes shifted back to her.
"It has reversed," Cameron merely stated. She noted Sarah's inquisitive features so she clarified what she meant earlier. "In 2008, I supported you but this time you are supporting me."
Sarah thought about it for awhile then commented, "I don't mind returning the favor." Her tone was gentle despite her stoic features.
Cameron shook her head and explained, "I should not be dependent on you, especially because you are from this time period. My presence is impacting every aspect of your life. It is absolutely against the directives."
Sarah adjusted her napkin in her lap then picked up her fork. She toyed with it while she spoke. "Is it really a problem? I don't exactly fit into that neat little box the UR made up. I know about Judgment Day and the future."
"Only because of me," Cameron reminded.
The CEO bowed her head briefly then set her fork down. "Well, Omega and Jean did tell you to live with me." She peered up with hooded, dark eyes then slowly smirked. "I guess that sort of settles it huh?"
Cameron gradually developed a frown because she hadn't considered that side of it. "This is very contradictory to the directives." She regarded Sarah again and posed, "Why would they deliberately order me to break the directives, especially the Timeline Directive?"
"Mmmm," Sarah murmured. She then pointed a finger at the terminator. "And the best part about that is the fact that you can break the directives despite they're programmed into you, everybody knows it, and nobody brought that fact up with you." She dropped her hand to the table and smirked.
Cameron suddenly lost her thoughtfulness once she followed Sarah's excellent point. It was very true that Jean and Omega indirectly ordered her to break the Timeline Directive and never discussed whether or not Cameron was capable of it. Instead, Omega and Jean already knew that Cameron could and would break it.
Sarah chuckled once she saw that Cameron put two puzzle pieces together. "They gotcha, Cameron."
The terminator developed dark features. "They knew I could break the directives." Her tone held annoyance that was clearly human in nature. "Jean must have concluded I could after I told her about us."
"Regardless of whether that's the case or not," Sarah started, "it still tells us that Omega may know about what went on in 2008. Why else would he also order you to live with me?"
Cameron bowed her head and stared at the white table cloth. She started processing all the angles and what it could mean.
Sarah was somewhat amused because she didn't want to be annoyed about it anymore. She sipped on her ice tea while Cameron worked it out. She set down her drink then stated, "In the end, I think they knew what they were doing, and I think they're after something else." She found Cameron's curious features lifted to her. "I don't think it's malicious or anything. And you probably are really here to protect us. But there's something else going on too that we haven't quite figured out."
"It doesn't worry you?" the terminator checked.
Sarah shrugged and honestly replied, "I trust Jean... I trust you." She tapped her drink's base once. "It'll come to light in due course." She then relaxed some and mentioned, "I do feel comforted by the fact that I know you're here."
Cameron was pleased by the human's confession. She held her silence though because Wendy showed up with their entrees. She picked up her fork only after Sarah then she moved her salad around a bit with her fork.
After a minute or two, Cameron mentioned, "Thank you for introducing me to Miles Dyson." She caught Sarah's raised eyebrow, and she explained, "He is well known in the future for his work at Cyberdyne. He and you are icons in the future for terminator technology in the UR."
Sarah now understood why the terminator was so receptive to Miles Dyson earlier. She compared it to a fan meeting their favorite idol.
"In the future, there are still some Neural Net CPUs in use that have his signature on them." Cameron tried her salad finally and enjoyed the flavor. She especially liked the salmon's tender and moist texture that filled her mouth.
"That's amazing," Sarah murmured. "He does amazing... beautiful work. I shouldn't be that surprised that some is still in use."
"His design is the foundation for many advanced CPUs in terminators." Cameron paused between her eating. "Jean learned much from him too."
Sarah's head snapped up at this information. "Jean learned directly from him?"
Cameron let out a low sigh because she realized her faint mistake, but it no longer mattered in reality. "She will work at Cyberdyne later and work beside Miles Dyson. She told me that you wanted him to transfer as much of his knowledge to Jean as possible before his retirement." Cameron started piercing lettuce leaves with her fork. "You had plans for her to be the next director of Special Projects after Miles Dyson's retirement."
Sarah hadn't expected this because her daughter never showed any interest in Cyberdyne. She suspected that as Jean aged and matured that perhaps Jean would become interested in Cyberdyne Systems. She had always hoped for it despite she knew what it would mean, for them both.
Cameron had a mouthful, but she replayed the conversation she'd heard in the conference room earlier. After she swallowed, she stated, "You will not win the AI contract from the government."
Sarah was busy cutting her mignon, but she stopped and slowly lifted her eyes to Cameron. It only took her a heartbeat to figure out that Cameron had been ease dropping, again. She started narrowing her eyes but the server appeared and asked how were the meals. Sarah bit her lower lip then pleasantly looked up at the server.
"They're great," Sarah answered Wendy, who promptly left afterwards. Sarah then shifted back to Cameron and clipped, "You have an extremely bad habit." She set her fork down, and her tone became curt. "I know you understand the importance of privacy seeing as Jean was kind enough not to scan you when you came back from 2008." She tilted her head. "I wouldn't mind if you gave such courtesy back."
Cameron went still and carefully processed what the human was requesting. She retrieved the definition for privacy and understood she'd indeed broken it twice now. Last night she felt she had right because it concerned Jean, but today she had no real reason. She set her fork down and seriously replied, "You are correct. I have erred this time."
Sarah settled down once Cameron agreed with her. She took her knife again and continued with her filet. She remarked, "You are nosy, you know."
"Nosy?" the terminator murmured. She searched for the definition and posed, "I am unduly curious about affairs of others?"
"Exactly," Sarah replied. She ate her filet and enjoyed the beautiful taste behind the glaze that highlighted the tender cut.
"Hmmm." Cameron considered this further then shook her head. She was gathering more of her salad but before she ate anymore, she stated, "I am only excessively curious about your affairs. I do not care about others."
Sarah huffed at this news. "Why's that?"
"I wish to know how you've changed since 2008," Cameron confessed. She ate more of her salad while she composed her thoughts better. She then further ventured, "I also wish to understand how you act as the CEO of Cyberdyne Systems." She had a rather curious look on her face. "You are legendary in the future because of your work at Cyberdyne Systems. I have heard many discussions about you, but none have the opportunity as I do to see you as the CEO."
Sarah shook her head because to her, she was just doing her job day in and out. But to Cameron, she was like Miles Dyson, a celebrity, and was highly revered by many in the future. Sarah wasn't flattered at all because she disliked what she was fated to bring to the world.
"Just don't turn me into your research project, Cameron," the CEO requested. "I'm still just Sarah Connor." She forked her slice of filet mignon but paused and looked at Cameron. "I prefer you treat me like I'm just average... like it was in 2008." She lifted her fork some and softly added, "I deal with enough ass kissing and popularity from everybody else as it is."
Cameron tilted her head at the human's speech. She could relate to what Sarah told her because in the future, she was rather well-known since she was the Omega terminator. But here in 2030, she was just Cameron Phillips and nobody knew who she truly was or could do, and she liked it that way. She also liked that Sarah Connor knew her true nature so that she wasn't completely restrained.
After a moment, Cameron nodded and stated, "I understand."
Sarah was chewing on her piece of mignon but she studied the terminator's face. She could tell that Cameron did indeed understand, and it gave her comfort. She went back to cutting up the last of her steak into three bite size pieces.
"I apologize for my nosiness, Sarah." The terminator drank some of her water, but she noticed Sarah's pleased expression from the apology.
"Thank you," the CEO quietly replied. She felt the conversation was closed now that she and Cameron had an understanding. She took a piece of her sliced filet mignon and brought it over to Cameron's bread plate. "Here, try it." She remembered that Cameron liked red meat, particularly filet mignon.
Cameron had a thin smile at the human's consideration. "Thank you."
"Not a problem," Sarah murmured. She missed Cameron's growing smile because she was busy slicing her asparagus.
"This is excellent," Cameron mentioned. She recalled the filet mignon back in 2008 at the restaurant called A Cut Above.
Sarah set her knife aside and raised her head. "Isn't it?" She had a gentle smile. "I love coming here for their filet mignons."
"Yes," Cameron agreed, "I understand why."
Sarah ate her second to last piece but gave her last to Cameron. She then would move onto her sides. But she first drank some tea then set the glass aside and revealed a serious expression. "Listen..." She paused because Cameron focused on her now. "I need to fly out to Washington D.C. tonight in the company Learjet. I'm going to stay overnight, but I should be back home Saturday afternoon or so."
The terminator guessed that Sarah would be going to the capitol in an attempt to sway the congressmen, who were behind the artificial intelligence contract. She nodded then promised, "I will stay with Jean."
Sarah faintly nodded then mentioned, "I'll ask Jean to spend time with you... show you LA and whatnot. I know you could easily research it, but it'll keep her near you more so."
"Yes," Cameron agreed. She moved her salad around so that the dressing spread better. She carefully asked, "What of Charley?"
Sarah paused and gazed across the table with dark green eyes. "What about him?"
Cameron cautiously treaded the topic. "Will he be home this weekend?"
The CEO ate more of her asparagus and mashed potatoes. "I don't know what his plans are."
Cameron could sense the human didn't wish to discuss her husband, but she couldn't help pressing the human. "He is still angry about last night."
Sarah didn't bother looking up and just remarked, "He'll come around."
Cameron tilted her head at the comment then inquired, "How many times will he continue to do so? Humans are very persistent, but they have limits too."
Sarah ignored the terminator's words. She just didn't want to get into a fight, and she was grappling with her temper. But after a beat, she lifted her head and sarcastically stated, "But you'd keep coming back if you were in his place."
The terminator slightly tilted her head then seriously responded, "I am different from Charley." She heard the human's low grunt, but she reminded, "We are different together than how you and Charley are together." She caught how Sarah's defensive manner broke at her true words. "I may have never been married, but I can recognize that yours is failing because you two are separate individuals instead of a team."
"You think that's the secret to marriage?" Sarah was somewhat amused that the terminator, a machine and super-computer, had human marriage figured out.
"There are many aspects to a successful marriage," Cameron refuted. She was still quite stern despite the human's obvious entertainment. "However, from my human interactions I have learned that if two individuals work together then they are as one. But if they are in the mindset that they are separate then the relationship will not last for long."
Sarah picked up her ice tea, but it hovered just over the table while she thought about the terminator's speech.
"That is exactly what happened to us in 2008," Cameron reported. "We were separate individuals at the start; it was you and me. But halfway, it changed to we and us because we were a team." She saw how Sarah was now serious again and thought about Cameron's points. "We are headed in that direction again."
Sarah didn't drink her tea and instead put the glass back down. She pushed her plate forward some then crossed her arms on the table's edge. She silently stared at the terminator on the other side of the table.
Cameron held Sarah's intense stare, easily. After a long minute, it was only broken by the server arriving at their table. She and Sarah allowed the server to take away their plates.
Sarah asked for the check. Once the server was gone, she returned her attention to Cameron and asked, "So you think we're going back to how we were in 2008?"
The terminator detected that perhaps Sarah was testing her. She would be honest and upfront then Sarah could make her decisions. Cameron replied, "Emotionally, yes but it will be different too because we've changed." She moved her head to an angle. "I accept we will not be physically close again."
Sarah was quiet while she thought about the terminator's words. She picked up her half finished ice tea and took a good swallow. She slowly set the glass down while she organized her pending response. She leaned some against the table and quietly checked, "You still see me as your human, don't you?"
Cameron honestly replied, "Yes, I always will... nothing can change that fact, Sarah."
Sarah bowed her head and closed her eyes. She rubbed her brow as she seemed to struggle with something in her. She only dropped her hand and looked up when the waitress came with the check. She smiled at Wendy, despite it was weak. She silently took care of the check then told Cameron it was time to go.
The terminator quietly followed behind the CEO out of the restaurant. She noticed that customers were dressed business or business casual like Sarah. Once outside, she took Sarah's side and held back from saying anything.
Sarah stayed silent on the walk back. But unlike the walk to Harvey's, she was closer to Cameron during the pleasant stroll. She hadn't noticed it nor adjusted it.
Cameron had picked up on their close proximity but made no comment. She was pleased though because she suspected it meant Sarah was growing more comfortable. She concluded her earlier discussion about how they'd become close again was true since it seemed to be happening now.
They finally arrived back at Cyberdyne Systems, and Sarah told Cameron she can take the elevator down to the garage. But Cameron refused and said she'd see Sarah up to her office. Sarah didn't argue and just faintly smiled in return. She and Cameron rode up to the sixth floor and were greeted by Candice.
The assistant keenly observed her boss and the stranger, who she was becoming familiar with now. She went back to her work once they were beyond the sliding glass doors.
"I will keep in touch with you while I'm gone," Sarah promised the terminator. She stopped in the space between her desk and sitting area. She faced the terminator. "I'll either call, text, or visual."
Cameron nodded but checked, "The flight time to Washington D.C. is three hours?"
"About there," Sarah agreed. She nudged back until she could lean against the wood chair behind her. "Hopefully I can get this government contract despite doubt."
"You will not," Cameron factually stated.
Sarah just grinned and reminded, "It won't stop me from trying."
"Yes," Cameron agreed, "that is one of your enduring qualities as a human."
"Oh, I thought it was because I'm far more obnoxious?"
Cameron tasted the human's tease, and she managed to return it after developing some sense of humor. "You have many enduring qualities, Sarah Connor and there are some that are good."
Sarah chuckled and rested her hands back on the chair. "Well thank God your traits balance me out or we'd be up shit creek without a paddle." For the first time, she observed as the terminator crinkled her nose in a very young and cute manner. She realized it made her stomach flutter in reaction.
"Yes," Cameron murmured, "Thank God." She briefly had a thoughtful expression but became serious again. "Will you be home before you fly out?"
Sarah shook her head. "Too out of the way. I have backup of clothes and such here at the office for situations like this." She pushed off the chair finally.
Cameron nodded then stated, "I will see you Saturday then. Thank you for lunch." She obviously hesitated yet managed, "Be safe." She started heading for the doors.
The CEO went around her desk, yet looked down the hall at the leaving terminator. "Cameron?" she called.
The terminator half turned before she made it to the sealed glass doors. She arched an eyebrow and waited for the human's pending words.
Sarah took a deep breath and bit her lower lip for a beat. "You're right."
"I am right?" the terminator's voice echoed down the hall.
"That I'm still your human," Sarah elaborated. "And I know it."
Cameron stood motionless for a beat, but she wasn't sure what else could be said about the topic. She only nodded then left the CEO to her work.
Sarah was poised beside her desk, her left hand on the desk's edge, and she lost her confidence once the terminator was gone. She again had that broken sensation in her that always came to her after Cameron left her. She understood why she felt so alive when Cameron was near her then broken after Cameron left. However, now was not the time for her to confront it, if ever. She needed to get back to work because she had a duel with fate tomorrow in Washington D.C.
To be continued.