Chapter 27 Cameron the Changeling

Sarah awakened with a start, momentarily confused as to where she was. After blinking several times, she recognized the exposed granite walls of Cameron and John's bedroom. The studs of the unfinished cosmetic walls exposed where John Henry's workers had left them, having been called away to be pressed into service on TechCom City's always evolving defensive network.

Her empty lap told Sarah things Cameron was either feeling better or simply getting ready for the Command Staff meeting. A glance at her watch told Sarah she had forty-five minutes herself to take a shower if she wanted one, get something to eat, and to leave for the meeting. Without warning, Cameron entered the room, dressed only in a black bra and panties, her hair still slightly damp from a shower.

"I know," Cameron montoned without looking at Sarah. "It's much better when I have clothes on."

The comment elicited a smile from Sarah. Tin Miss never forgot anything, her statement bringing back the memory of a regular admonition from Sarah when Cameron was still posing as John's sister. Cameron pulled on a clean pair of black denim pants and a worn t-shirt, tossing her hair from side-to-side as she did so.

"Put your face on," Sarah ordered, standing to leave. "John needs to see you looking pretty."

"My face is on," Cameron answered with a faint grin. Sarah smiled at her daughter-in-law's humor and left for her own bunker to get ready.

"Skynet versus Skynet. What is the world coming to?" Nobody in the leadership council responded to Derek's verbalization of what most were thinking.

"Paranoia," Cameron said. "A need to control as well."

"This isn't our Master as we knew him," Weaver added. "There has to be something different about these regional Skynets."

"I'm sure of one thing," John announced. "They're just as evil and still a danger to TechCom and humanity." He thought for a moment before adding, "I equally sure this St. Louis Skynet is a danger to any metal he doesn't control. Nobody is safe."

Sarah leaned further over the illuminated table map, straining to get a better view of the Denver area. She cleared her throat and spoke softly. "Does St. Louis know about us?"

"Yes," Cameron answered. "Intel we collected from prisoners indicated the primary objective in taking control of the Denver Skynet's territory was to prepare a major staging point for a military push into TechCom controlled territory. The attack could either be in our northwestern province which would allow for large territorial gains to be made easily considering the former states of Oregon and Washington belong to TechCom largely in name only since our defeat of Skynet Northwest. A direct push could be made across the desert and a frontal assault made on TechCom itself. The first contact made on the patrol was with a Skynet unit at Donner Pass."

"Or it could be a pincer movement, an attack from both directions," John mused. "Stretch our resources to the breaking point."

"This Skynet controls a vast territory now," Derek commented. "Plus, the slave population of its own territory and that of Chicago and Denver. Figure all surviving metal will be reprogrammed. John, that's a lot of resources."

"And it's a long, long way from St. Louis, Chicago, and Denver, to TechCom City," John observed. "Winter is coming and those supply lines are going to be stretched then."

Wilhelm brushed a bit of cigar ash from the bird on his collar. "How long do you think we have?"

"Over a year," John replied confidently, "but no more. Probing attacks and long-range patrols will become a regular occurrence."

"A year? That long? What makes you think we have that long?"

John glanced at Ellison, the head of Military Police and security.

"No satellites to use for recon for one. The distance involved as well. That's a long way to march. Terminators can do it without a problem. But HKs and the other heavy equipment will breakdown. The Grey's can't travel that far without supplies. St. Louis is going to have to establish bases where supplies can be stockpiled, maintenance facilities built and operated, and at the distances involved, where operations can be staged from."

"It will be a logistical nightmare," Weaver observed. "For both sides, but I would rather deal with our supply lines than those of the St. Louis Skynet."

"Well, John," Derek asked, looking his nephew square in the eye. "Off the top of your head, what is our strategy going to be?"

With a confidence he didn't feel, John answered. "I'd say a cross between the Russian strategy of withdraw and scorch the earth while waiting for winter to come and the guerilla tactics of the Viet Minh and Viet Cong. If this new threat from Skynet wants a piece of us, then he's going to have to bleed to get it."

John watched as the members of his leadership council nodded their heads in agreement. So long as a single Skynet still existed, TechCom would be in perpetual risk. It was time for the General to reassert himself as the strong-armed leader of TechCom.

"John Henry, you and I will meet in three days to establish priorities and production quotas and schedules. Catherine, I'm going to need detailed inventories of everything we have, what we can expect to have in three months after the next harvest, and project what you think we'll need."

John turned to Derek. "Call up all the reserves. I don't care how old they are, what their jobs are now, or any objection they will come up with. Starting this weekend, the reservists are to start training every weekend."

"Conscripts?" Derek asked.

"Scrap the draft. Everyone above the age of 15 just entered the military," John ordered. "I'll sign the order this evening." He sighed and gave Derek a look of resignation. "Everyone who hasn't done their two years of service yet is in for the duration. Let me know in three days how you want to handle intake and what you'll need to ramp up training."

Another five hours passed before the meeting ended and his staff departed to commence the nearly impossible tasks he'd assigned them to complete in just three days.

"John."

Looking up from the stack of work on his desk, John focused his tired eyes on Cameron who stood before his desk.

"We're going home," she said firmly.

"No, there's…"

"Too much to do," his wife finished for him. "Which is precisely why General Connor is going home. You can bring work with you," Cameron added, extending her hand towards John. "I'm going to cook for you and then we're going to take our time and have dinner. Afterwards, you're taking a long, hot shower, and then I'm going to give you a deep tissue massage. Then you're going to get eight hours of sleep."

John thought for a moment, considering how he could win an argument with Cameron that he had too much to do. Deciding it would be pointless, John collected his mapbook and tablet, placing them in his backpack as he stood up.

"Home it is."