Cameron's Expedition
Chapter Eleven – Watching from the Outside In
Disclaimer: Don't own TSCC
This story is set in The Future Cameron's Universe after Cameron's Revenge. It contains characters from my version of the TSCC universe starting with Cameron Grows Up.
1930 Hours Two Days Later…
Savannah sat alone in a folding chair, far enough from the camp bonfire to not be easily noticed but still close enough for the warmth of the fire to ward off the ever present chill. She could hear the conversations of the personnel still enjoying the fire. If she concentrated hard enough, Savannah could separate the conversations and listen.
Still avoiding Cameron, Savannah had chosen to sit behind her in order to avoid making eye contact. It seemed surreal to her watching Cameron interact with John physically like an apparently normal human wife. Nothing at all like the cold, impersonal killing machine who had intimidated her two days earlier.
Somehow, the two were the same person. Cameron had arrived with her blank expression, marching rather than walking, ignoring everything in her path as she made her way to her beloved John. Savannah had watched the brief, momentary smile of recognition flash across the cyborg's face as she moved her long hair from her face and leaned over to greet her husband with an affectionate kiss.
The same smile was displayed for Hailey who received a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Ruth was greeted with a hug and a playful tug on her ponytail. Cameron nodded at the Old Man, the T-600 ever vigilant while standing in the shadows. She then leaned over; knees and hips bent and clapped her hands. Sammy had hurried over and standing on his back legs, walked the last few steps while Cameron turned her right cheek towards the Italian Greyhound. The family's dog greeted Cameron by licking her on her cheek, kissing the cyborg affectionately to the delight of everyone in the family.
Two different personalities displayed within seconds. There was no doubt both displays fit Cameron. The dichotomy frightened Savannah, cold, efficient killer or loving family member? How could Cameron be both?
John sat with a drawing board he'd borrowed from Ruth in his lap, busily looking back and forth between several notepads and the large piece of paper he was busy drawing on.
"I could convert all of your data for you John," Cameron offered. "It would produce much more accurate and detailed results."
John had looked up and smiled at Cameron before kissing her.
"I know you could. But this helps me fit everything in place in my mind. Besides…"
"You love maps," Cameron monotoned. "It would make sense you would enjoy creating a map, regardless of how crude the map is."
Ignoring Cameron's unintentional slight, John went back to the task of adding to his map. Cameron moved closer on the log the pair was sitting on until her shoulder came in contact with his. She leaned her head to her left until it rested on John. Comfortable, Cameron sat in silence and watched as John worked on the map.
The image of the pair sitting together, relaxing with friends and family around a fire unsettled the already perplexed Savannah. John, the ruthless General, looked like a young boy drawing a make believe map of his imaginary kingdom. Setting next to him was the doting girlfriend, intrigued by anything and everything her love did.
And that, Savannah realized was exactly what she was witnessing. Except the map was not of an imaginary kingdom and Cameron was his wife of many years. In that moment, in the warmth of the fire, John and Cameron were nothing more than a married couple, happy to have each other's company.
If the situation changed suddenly, the pair would transform in seconds into the lethal warriors their reputations said they were.
The same was true of the two young women sitting next to them under the watchful eye of their T-600 protector. Hailey and Ruth were making eyes at two young NCOs on their first patrol wearing their new stripes. Neither of the young men had the courage to approach John in regards to Hailey and possibly Ruth. A fact Savannah was certain the pair were all too aware of. She shook her head at the childish teasing the girls were happily engaged in.
At the sound of John raising his voice, Savannah returned her attention to the General.
"We are about 50 to 75 kilometers south of the border from Oregon. I put our location at about here," he told Cameron, pointing at an old road atlas map.
"So much destruction," Cameron answered somberly, even for her.
John pointed at his drawing in response. "Its why we have to prevail. To rebuild." He looked at his wife with his dream of the future in his eyes. "Here's our city." He moved his finger across the map, describing the major details he had added.
"Here's what's left of Airbase S-14. That mystery sub was lurking off the coast here. I believe this is where the cannibals were – the no go zone." Cameron nodded in agreement with John's location of the area declared off limits. An area once inhabited by cannibals.
"The Northern Kingdom is here. This is where we were ambushed. We'll need to send a patrol there to find the base that group worked from, if there is a base. Here's the airport and the warehouse district." Savannah listened as John continued to point out details he had added with Cameron occasionally offering more details or suggesting changes.
Bored with the conversation over the map, Savannah noticed Sammy was making his way around the fire slowly, greeting everyone. He wagged his tail, often standing up to walk in an effort to earn a treat of some sort. She watched the friendly Italian Greyhound as he made the rounds, begging in vain for a morsel to eat.
He stopped at the feet of a young Lt. sitting with a blonde NCO. Sammy sniffed the boots of the officer and barked once, jumped as high as he could in the air and upon landing, stood on his back legs and ran in a circle. Coming to a stop, he sat and barked once again. Savannah heard the officer laugh as he tossed a small morsel to happy dog.
Ice spread down Savannah's spine at the sound of the laugh. She recognized it. It was all too familiar. Squinting to see in the darkness, Savannah made out the features of the officer's face. Ice turned to blazing fire as Savannah shifted her gaze to the blonde NCO, a pretty girl with Riley-like charms. Squinting further, Savannah noticed the female's unit markings indicated she was an engineer. Either under her brother's command, and if not, she was one of Derek's combat engineers.
Cameron stood and using her Terminator stroll, moved quickly over to Lt. Dan with his new female acquaintance. Dan stood, as did the NCO, at Cameron's approach. Both saluted, which Cameron returned before telling them to sit, they were off duty. Savannah watched as the blonde cowered before Cameron as she sat back down. With her head lowered and eyes gazing down at the ground, the tough soldier showed respectful deference to Cameron as she talked to Dan. Even when spoken to, the NCO did not look up.
Savannah's anger and rage built as she watched Cameron standing there, talking as if nothing was the matter. Sammy was barking and running back and forth, playing at avoiding being caught and returned back to his family.
There was a blonde bitch whore, sitting right there in front of Cameron, and she was perfectly calm. Carrying on like nothing in the world was wrong. Laughing at her dog as he played a game he had no hope of winning.
Why doesn't Cameron just snap the bitch whore's neck and be done with it?
Guilt and loathing replaced the anger and rage the instant the thought passed through Savannah's mind.
How could I possibly think that?
Horrified with herself, Savannah stood, collected her chair and hurried away in the darkness towards the tents pitched near the Command & Control HK. Using the dim light of her small flashlight, Savannah picked her way across the ground towards her tent, not paying attention to anything else.
The light flickered, causing her to shake it in frustration as the battery finally gave out. Annoyed, Savannah shoved it into the pocket of her jacket and continued in the darkness. The sudden appearance of light at her feet caused Savannah to stop suddenly and look up.
Blinded by the bright light being shown in her eyes, Savannah covered her eyes with her hand, her anger once again flaring up. Blinking from the effects of the bright light, Savannah shook her head, sending her cap falling to the ground and setting free her long ginger tresses.
"Miss Weaver," the female voice behind the light said in surprise. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to frighten you. I simply did not know who you were."
"Put the light out or point it somewhere else," Savannah ordered.
"You can never be too careful," the voice said. The light lowered, allowing Savannah to see the interloper.
"You," she laughed in disgust.
"Tell me Sergeant, how did you survive your encounter a few minutes ago with Commander Connor?"
"Miss Weaver?"
"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about," Savannah snapped. "Your blonde, female and you have the necessary attributes to trigger a Riley issue in the Commander. How did you survive?"
"Commander Conner is always respectful and polite to me," the NCO replied, a hint of confusion in her voice. "I liaison with the Silver Brigade for the TechCom 2nd Combat Engineers."
"Answer my question then," Savannah demanded.
"Miss Weaver, I'm surprised you don't know, being one of Commander Connor's closest friends. It's quite easy. I never look her in the eye unless she initiates eye contact. If I do not have to be at attention, I look down at the ground and slump my shoulders. Every blonde in TechCom knows that."
"It can't be that simple," Savannah replied in confusion.
"Why? Cameron respects us and treats us well. So long as we demonstrate to her we acknowledge her alpha status and show deference. Plus, you never speak to the General in her presence unless he initiates the conversation and then, always keep your eyes on the ground."
"Never challenge her? Like a pair of predators in the wild? The beta wolf never challenges the alpha?"
"Yes, ma'am. Colonel Reese has issued standing protocol for all blonde female personnel granting us, well ordering us, to deviate from normal military procedure in the Commander's presence. It does make sense."
"No, it doesn't."
"Miss Weaver, everyone knows not to challenge Commander Conner if you are a blonde female. What's more, whatever you do, don't do it around the General. That's just asking to get terminated."
"And you can serve under those conditions?"
"Miss Weaver, the Commander is a Terminator. The General is her personal protection detail. The fact he's her husband just makes her more prone to being overprotective. It's no big deal ma'am. I mean, she is the alpha female of TechCom. Only Sarah Connor and sometimes your mother can even remotely come close to generating that sort of vibe."
Savannah glared at the NCO in confusion.
How could I not see something so simple about Cameron? If this stupid blonde can get it, who could I not recognize this?
Savannah surprised herself as she heard the words leaving her mouth. "What were you doing with Lt. Dan?"
A frown crossed the NCO's face. "Ma'am, I have guard duty in ten minutes. My off duty time is my business."
The blonde took a quick step forward, roughly brushing shoulders with Savannah as she passed by, knocking Savannah back and out of the way. Intimidated by the sudden aggression, Savannah watched the blonde sway her hips seductively as she marched away.
"I see there's more than one alpha female around here," Savannah muttered.
Too drained to undress, Savannah pulled off her boots and collapsed on her sleeping bag. She laid there for a moment before sitting up to close the tent flap. The cold air chased her into her sleeping bag.
Confused, angry and alone, Savannah cried silently in the black darkness of her tent. Through the thin material she could see the bright, accommodating warmth of the fire. As she listened to the content voices Savannah eventually succumbed to the fatigue from the draining of her emotions. Spent, the red headed woman fell asleep.
Reviews are always appreciated. If you liked this story, you might want to consider my other TSCC stories:
Cameron Grows Up
The Future Cameron
Cameron's Revenge
Cameron versus the Queen
Cameron versus Derek (short story)
Cameron: Fights Past and Present - A Collection of Short Stories
Cameron's Treasures (short story)
Cameron and the Black Bird
Cameron and John's Wedding
Who's the Boss?
The Storm Before the Calm