April 17, 1863
Corporal Luke Connor wakes up and sees a cloudy sky out the window. He sees the terminator standing watch a few feet away. He moves his right arm. The pain is still there; he notices it is somewhat reduced in intensity. "I prepared breakfast for you," says the cyborg. "I also fed and watered the horse. You are going to need him."
"Okay," says Luke as he begins to eat the scrambled eggs. He finishes his breakfast in minutes despite having the use of only one arm. He can get used to this kind of treatment. "You should get as much rest as you can," says the terminator. "You will need it."
"I'll go for a little walk first. It's my arm that's injured, not my legs."
Luke goes to the hallway and descends the stairs. He enters the living room, feeling the softness of the carpet on his bare feet. He notices framed pictures hanging them one the wall. A closer look reveals them to be photographs. He sees a photgraph of a teenage girl who could only be Celeste.
"That was taken about five years ago," he hears Celeste say.
"These are nice pictures," says Luke. He sees the picutre of an older woman wearing a simple black dress. "Who is this?"
"That's my mama. It was the only time anyone took her picture."
"I remember about six years ago when I had a family picture taken. My parents and my brothers and sisters all gathered. We stood before the camera, and then the guy with the camera took our picture. I remember when I saw saw it. It was like time itself was captured and printed on a piece of paper. It was almost like magic. You know, it's too bad cameras weren't invented when my mama and daddy were children. I would have loved to see what they looked like back then. Of course, it seems a lot less magical than my protector upstairs."
"You believe him?"
"His bones are made of metal. He is what he says he is." Luke looks out the window. "I have a feeling his twin might show up here."
"Nobody knows you two are here 'cept for me and Sadie. After you heal up, you can leave and then never have to come back."
Luke continues looking outside. So far, the current war with the Yanks has not reached the door of this house; he wonders if that will be true of the war with the machines.
The terminator's "twin" walks down a dirt street. His visual sensors pick up wooden and brick buildings lining the street. He reads the signs for the various businesses on the main street. He sees a wooden building with the sign identifying it as the Palace Saloon. He walks in.
Examining the main room, he sees that the walls and furniture are all made of wood. There are eight humans inside. The humans appear to be in their forties or fifties. He notices about six of them stare at him. The bar is in the back of the room, and glass bottles are racked behind the bar, preumably filled with alcoholic beverages. His sensors indicate significant quantities of dust. He walks to the bar and sits on the barstool next to an old man with white hair.
"What can I get ya?" asks the bartender, a little man with blond hair.
"Get me some whiskey," replies the killer cyborg.
The bartender pours some whiskey into a tiny little glass. "I'll pay for that," says the old man sitting next to the cyborg. "I'll buy drinks for those who risk lives for their countrymen." He takes out some bills and hands it to the bartender. He looks at the terminator and the eyepatch covering his left eye. "What happened to yer eye?" he asks.
"It was damaged in combat two days ago," replies the cyborg.
"Well, you know, I have a boy fightin' against the Yanks. I last heard from him three weeks ago. I wonder if he's still alive. You must be off duty."
"Wrong. I am currently on a mission."
"You know, you look like someone who bought somethin' from me earlier, 'cept he was in regular clothes," says the old man.
"Whom?"
"He looked just like you, without the eyepatch. He even talked with that same accent as you. He bought some tools from me."
"Did he say anything else?"
"Yeah, he said he was buying tools for the Hawkins place, about three miles or so from here. Is he your twin or somethin'?"
"Yes." The terminator stands up and leaves the Palace Saloon. "He didn't even touch his drink," says the bartender.
Luke lies down on bed, reading the Holy Bible. Looking out the window, he can tell it is a few minutes until sunset. There is not much to do in this house, though it is certainly a more comfortable setting than a field hospital.
The terminator enters the room. "We must leave," he says.
"Okay," says Luke, standing up. He moves his right shoulder; there is still pain from the gunshot wound.
"My counterpart will be here in five minutes," says the terminator. "He will throw an oil lantern into this house to start a fire. Then he will come in to acquire and terminate you."
"What is going on?" asks Celeste, who heard what the cyborg had said.
"His twin is coming here to get me," says Luke. "He's gonna set fire to this place and then try to shoot me. You have to get out of here."
"I will cover you," the terminator says, holding the modified Springfield Armory rifle. "Get down to the stable and get on the horse."
Luke runs out of the bedroom and out of the house. He dashes across a few feet to the stable. Inside the stable is the brown stallion he had been riding since he first met the terminator. He notices that the saddle and the bridle are already fastened. Not questioning why, he gets on the horse.
"Where are you goiong?" asks Celeste.
"Away," says Luke. "I suggest you flee and find a safe place. Celeste hops onto the horse. "You';ll need someone to watch over you, with that arm and all."
"I already have someone watching over me."
"What if he gets killed by the guy trying to kill you? Besdies, I know this asrea better than the two of you. We'd better get out through the back."
Luke tugs the reins, and the horse gallops towards the back of the farm.
The terminator stands in the bedroom, looking out a window whose glass pane he knocked out. He sees his twin running down the dirt road, with a lantern in hand.
The terminator opens fore with the Springfield Armory rifle. The automatic loading mechanism allows him to fire bullets at a rapid rate. His twon takes cover.
He no longer sees his twin. He searches through his memory files to calculate where his twin is. He then sees something flying toweards him. It is a burning oil lantern.
It strikes him square in the face. He notices that his clothes and flesh have been set ablaze. The carpet and the curtains also catch fire. His thermal sensors indicate the temperature is quickly rising. He goes to a room across the hallway and then jumps out the window. He checks his surroundings. He knows his twin is now searching the house. And he can see someone else.
Luke and Celste sit on the horse as they see smoke rising skyward from the main house. They notice a burning figure running from the house in their direction. Luke wonders for a moment if that figure is his protector or his assassin. He does not leave anything to chance. He kicks the horse and the horse gallops away. Soon the Hawkins farm is behind them, and they ride on the horse racing down the dirt road.
The other terminator searches the other buildings. He checks the barn and the stable- no human life signs are detected. He then goes into a small wooden building.
There are about five humans in this building. There are beds for the humans. Referring to his files about this time period, he concludes this small building is the slaves' quarters. None of the humans match the profile of his target, so he leaves.
It has gotten dark, the only light coming from the leftovers of the sunset, and Luke and Celeste get off the horse. They seem to be at the foothills in the base of the mountains. Up the slope are forests where they can hide.
"Where do we go?" asks Celeste. "Well, I've got to get back into the Army," says Luke. "No sense runnin' from an assassin if it gets me shot for desertion. You, he's not after you, so I guess you can go home."
"And you expect me to walk all the way back?" asks the young lady.
"Uh, no, Listen, as soon as I get back with my protector, you can take this here horse and ride 'im back to your place. I'm sire the Army can spare a horse."
They see a figure approaching them. It is dark, asnd they only see a silhouette. A silhoutte of a man with red glowing eyes.
Sudden;ly, they hear a gunshot, followed by the braying of the horse. Luke swears a bullet just flew above his head.
"It's me, Luke Connor," says the terminator. "I'm here to protect you."
"Why did you shoot at me?" asks the soldier.
"I had to show you that I was in a position to kill you, but chose not to."
Celeste approahces the terminator. She wonders if the terminator was wearing red-tinted glasses.
She suddenly gets weak in the knees, and sits down, shaking.
She had just seen the terminator's visage. But he did not appear to be a human. Instead, even in the dim dusk light, it is clear the flesh on his face is gone; his visage is now a skull.
Luke reaches forward and touches the skull. It feels cold.
"What happened to your face?" asks Luke.
"A burning lamp struck my face," replies the terminator. It caused third-degree burns. I cut the burnt tissue away."
Luke takes Celeste's hand and places it against the terminator's skull. Celeste can feel the cool surface of metal.
"I guess you are a machine," she says. "That is correct. We must continue."
And they all continue their journey eastward. They are soon traveling up a path into the Appalachian Mountains. The terminator guides the two humans and the horse, using his ultraviolet vision. After a few minutes of hiking up the slope of the Appalachians, the terminator sees a wooden sign that is too dark for the humans to read; it reads, "NO TRESPASSING". A minute after that, they stop.
"Here," says the terminator. Luke can see a cliff face in front of him. He hears the breaking of wood. "Inside," he hears the terminator say.
Luke and Celeste walk forward and then finsd out they are in some sort of tunnel. "What is this place?" asks the soldier. "This is a mine," says the terminator. "It is currently not in use, and will not be reopened until 2016, when the humans convert this into a bunker. We can hide in here for now."
Indeed, it is very dark inside the mine tunnel. The air is stagnant, and Luke figures the mine closed down a few years ago. He can feel the rails used to guide ore carts. "There is a question I have to ask you," says Luke. "You seem to know where your counterpart is going to be. You managed to find him just int time to save my life. You knew when he wasa going to show up at the prison camp and Celeste's house. How do you know where he's gonna be?"
"I calculate only a twleve percent chance that you will comprehend the answer," replies the terminator.
"Try me."
So the terminator gives his explanation, taking three minutes to do it.
"Uh huh," says Luke. "How can that be possible? I mean, you and him...."
"Cause and effect break down with dealing with closed timelike curves."
"Whatever."
"Just accept what I said. It is true, even if you can not understand it. And it is the key to your survival."
"Well, I guess I'm gonna go to sleep," says Celeste.
"you should go. My counterpart is not after you. If you stay out of his way, he will not kill you."
"I want to make sure Luke's okay."
"I already have someone watching over me," says Luke. "I think you should listen to this guy. Take the horse and ride back to your farm."
"He set my house on fire," says Celeste. "I want to see this through."
"One of these days, your recklessness is gonna get you killed," says Luke.
April 18, 1863
Luke Connor wakes up, feeling a little sore. Sleeping in a mine tunnel certainly is not comfortable, with an injured shoulder not helping matters. He removes his sling and moves his right arm. There is only a little pain. At least he can pick things up and hold them, as long as they are not too heavy. He sees a man-shaped figure walk in. "I have breakfast," says the terminator. .
Just a few feet outside the mine entrance, Luke, Celeste, and the terminator sit down around a fire made from wood that came from the boards that blocked the mine entrance. The sky is partly cloudy, and the radiation from the fire provides heat. The corpse of a deer hangs right above the fire. After a few minutes, the terminator carves up the deer he had shot and serves the venison meat to the two humans.
"Thank you for this," says Celeste, after eating a piece of venison. "You should go home," says the terminator. "You are not safe with us."
"So what's the plan?" asks Luke.
"I am going to get a few barrels of gunpowder," says the cyborg. "My counterpart will not be here for a few hours, so you will be safe as long as you stay in this vicinity."
"Okay," says Luke. "We'll stay here."
The terminator runs off. Soon he disappears from view. Luke turns his head to face Celeste. "You know, you don't have to be here," he says. "You take take the horse and ride back home."
"I have my reasons, Luke," replies the woman. They both look out. From their viewpoint, they can see much of Tennessee, including Knoxville. Luke wonders about how the war in the distant future will tear up that land.
The terminator arrives at the place. He sees a wooden fence surrounding some brick buildings. According to the data files about this time period, this complex is a Confederate arsenal. The Confederate flag flies proudly from a flagpole. He sees Confederate soldiers in the complex, wearing their gray uniforms. He himself is wearing a scarf to conceal his steel skull, which had been stripped of its burnt flesh. He walsk up to the gate of the arsenal. "Excuse me," says the guard. "Identify yourself."
The guard then looks into the terminator's red eyes. The terminator pushes the guard away and then runs into the building. He runs around the arsenal, reading the signs. He finds a building with a sign that reads. "DANGER- EXPLOSIVES DO NOT ENTER WITH ANY FLAME". He breaks the lock on the door and then enters the building.
He sees wooden barrels on the floor, all of them labeled as containing gunpowder. Using his massive arms, he carries two of the gunpowder barrels. He can feel how heavy they are; the barrels are full of gunpowder. He can hear the footsteps of Confederate soldiers running towards him. He looks around, sees a clear path, and then starts running as fast as they can. The Confederate soldiers look in amazement as they see how fast the "man" is running. They fire a few shots from their Richmond Armory rifle-muskets. Realizing how fast he was running, two of the soldiers sit on the backs of horses and then ride them. The horses gallop along the dirt path into the woods.
"Damn," says a Confederate corporal. "We lost him."
Just a few yards away, the terminator can see the two soldiers on horseback. He sees them ride the horses away.
He removes the cloth covering his face, revealing the visage of his steel skull.
Confederate cavalry scouts now scout the area near the arsenal, looking for the man who stole two barrels full of gunpowder. They all scout in pairs, searching the wooded slopes of the Appalachians and the nearby towns. There is much speculation among them about how one man can carry two full barrels of gunpowder.
One of the scouts come across a man dressed in a gray uniform. Upon closer inspection, they see that he is a lieutenant. An eyepatch covers his left eye. One of them dismounts from his horse and salutes.
"What is going on?" the man asks in a strange accent.
"Sir, we're looking for someone who stole two barrels of gunpowder from an arsenal," says the scout. "Any description?"
"Reports say that he broke in and just carried the two barrels and ran away with it. They say he can run as fast as a horse. Have you seen anything suspicious, Lieutenant? We will appreciate it."
"I have no information for you. Continue the search."
"Yes, sir." The two scouts gallop away.
Luke Connor sees a man-shaped figure approach. He sees the shiny steel skull, and figures out it is the terminator. And the terminator carries two wooden barrels.
"I retrieved the gunpowder," says the terminator. "Good," says Luke. "Are we gonna use it to destroy your twin?"
"No."
"No?" asks Luke, puzzled why his protector does not want ot destroy his assassin.
"The plan is to set a trap. Confederate soldiers are searching for me, and my twin has heard about my raid at the arsenal. He will locate this hideout. This is where we set the trap."
"What trap?"
"He will come inside and he will find you. I will stall him and you will escape. The gunpowder will be detonated and the mine tunnel will collapse, trapping us."
"Are you sure it will work?"
"It is destiny."
"Oh-kay." Luke recalls the terminator's explanation about how he knows what his twin will do next; he still has trouble understanding. "You should leave," the terminator says to Celeste. "there is a high probability that you will be killed if you are involved."
"Well, okay," says Celeste. She gets on top of the brown stallion and gives it a gentle kick, guiding the horse to where Luke is. "Luke," she says.
"What is it?" asks the young soldier.
"Don't die."
"I promise I won't die this day. I promise I will live so I can have children and my descendant can lead the war against machines."
The horse then gallops away with the young lady on top. "Let us head into the mine," says the terminator. The two of them head inside the dark mine tunnel. They walk a couple of yards. Then they make a right turn.
"I will put the gunpowder down here in this side tunnel," says the terminator, placing the two wooden barrels on the rocky ground.
"It's so dark in here," says Luke, stating the obvious. "I can't see."
"I will get an oil lamp and bring it here," says the terminator. "This side tunnel only goes about ten feet before it ends." He then walks to the main tunnel, his footsteps indicating his location. Luke hears something squeak.
"What is that?" he asks.
"It is an ore cart that was used to transport ore out of this mine," says the terminator. "It will aid in your escape. I will now get the lantern needed to light the fuse and detonate the gunpowder."
The terminator leaves the mind, and Luke looks outside, watching his protector get the necessary materials for his plan.
The terminator's "twin" searches the forest for his counterpart. He pays close attention to his sensors, allocating as much memory as he can to his sensory interpretation program. He calculates that if he can spot his counterpart unnoticed, he will find his target. He uses infrared scanners to check the heat signatures. He can identify various animals native to these slopes, as well as horses and humans. He stays out of sight of the searching humans. He knows he is too heavy to ride a horse, and his counterpart would know as well. He identifies a heat signature. The heat signature reveals the figure to be shaped like a man, but the temperature is too low. In fact, it matches the heat signature for a T-800 terminator wrapped in human flesh.
Keeping his sensors fixzed on his counterpart, he stalks his target.
Minutes later, the terminator comes back to the mine which would one day be a human base, carrying a lit oil lantern and the modified Springfiled Armory rifle-musket. Luke waits for him at the entrance.
"He's coming!" yells the cyborg. "Get inside the mine!"
Luke then sees his protector's counterpart, with the flehs still on his head. He sees the terminator fire bullets from the modified rifle at his twin. Luke decides to help, firing bullets from the Colt Army revolver he retrieved from the prison camp three days before. then they run inside. The light from the lantern illuminates the way. Luke can see the rock walls and floors, the rails on which the ore cart rides, and the support beams which balances the gravitational pressure from the uplying rock. They enter the side chamber where the gunpowder barrels are stored.
Luke knows this is it. If his assassin is not blasted apart by the gunpowder, then maybe he will be trapped in the cave-in. But it will only work if the makeshift fuse- a dry piece of cloth impregnated with gunpowder- is lit, and it will only achieve its purpose if Luke is clear of the explosion. Then he comes. His face is illuminated by the light from the lantern. He seems more frightening with only one eye. He points his rifle. The terminator pushes Luke out of the way even as the "twin" pulls the trigger. The bullet lodges in the terminator's shoulder. Luke finds the lantern on the ground, unshattered. He grabs it with his right hand and jumps into the ore cart in the main tunnel. Already, he sees the two terminators locked in close combat even through the poor lighting. He watches in amazement as the two fight over his life.
One of them- the one with the skull exposed, his protector- breaks free. "The lantern!" he yells.
Luke pitches the lantern with his right arm as hard as he can. He sees the lantern arc, and then shatter right above the wooden barrels filled with gunpowder. He sees a flame on the barrels.
The terminator runs up to the ore cart and kicks it a very hard kick. The ore cart speeds towards the entrance.
Luke ducks down and covers his ears, knowing the gunpowder will ignite.
And the gunpowder ignites.
The chemical reaction creates a huge v olume of gas, much more than the side chamber can take. It causes the chamber to collapse. The sound wave resonates through the tunnel, and Luke can hear it loudly even though his ears are shielded. He can feel pieces of rock spilling on him; he knows the explosion had weakened the supports. A good section of the tunnel is going to collapse. He feels the ore cart picking up speed; he figures there is a slight dwon grade to the mine entrance. Amid the sound of rock shards falling on the floor, he can see a figure running after him. He wonders if it is his protector. But then a shot is fired at him.
It is his assassin.
And he notices his assassin is catching up to him. Looking ahead, he can see a light in the distance. But it looks like that his assassin will get to him before he reaches the mine entrance.
He feels a rock hit his head, and it hurt. Either the terminator will kill him or these falkling rocks will. He sees the terminator only a few feet away. Luke makes fists. He has no intention of going without a fight. Suddenly, a huge pile of rocks fall, and the terminator is trapped. Luke takes cover to protect his body from the falling rocks as best as he can.
Then suddenly, the ore cart comes to a sudden stop. Luke is thrown against the cart, and his right shoulder hits the side of the cart hard. He wonders if he is trapped in the mine. He opens his eyes, and sees daylight. He looks around and sees the Appalachian Mountains. "I made it," he says.
He leaps out of the ore cart and looks towards the mine. Dust drifts out of the mine entrance. He figures the terminator- both of them- are trapped inside. He suddenly feels pain in his right shoulder. He had hurt it again, after it recovered from a gunshot wound. He then hears the sound of horse hooves impoacting the ground. He wonders if the Confederate soldiers have come to look for the one who stole the gunpowder from the arsenal.
He looks and sees Celeste on the brown horse that carried him since that fateful day. "What happened?" she asks.
"He ignited the gunpowder," says Luke. "They are both trapped. It's over. Aaaaah."
"Your arm."
"I hurt it again."
Celeste gets down and tears a strip from her dress. She uses it to make a sling to support Luke's injured arm.
"Thanks," says Luke.
"I had to come back."
"Well, these past few days were too weird." Luke looks back on the past four days, ever since his fateful meeting with the machine.
"Well, you're hurt and you need someone to take care of you. I'll take you back to my farm."
"But your house," protests Luke, remembering the fire.
"We can stay in the loft in the barn," replies Celeste. "let's go."
"Okay." Luke gets on top of the horse, sitting behind Celeste. Together they ride off to the future, whatever that might be.
Corporal Luke Connor wakes up and sees a cloudy sky out the window. He sees the terminator standing watch a few feet away. He moves his right arm. The pain is still there; he notices it is somewhat reduced in intensity. "I prepared breakfast for you," says the cyborg. "I also fed and watered the horse. You are going to need him."
"Okay," says Luke as he begins to eat the scrambled eggs. He finishes his breakfast in minutes despite having the use of only one arm. He can get used to this kind of treatment. "You should get as much rest as you can," says the terminator. "You will need it."
"I'll go for a little walk first. It's my arm that's injured, not my legs."
Luke goes to the hallway and descends the stairs. He enters the living room, feeling the softness of the carpet on his bare feet. He notices framed pictures hanging them one the wall. A closer look reveals them to be photographs. He sees a photgraph of a teenage girl who could only be Celeste.
"That was taken about five years ago," he hears Celeste say.
"These are nice pictures," says Luke. He sees the picutre of an older woman wearing a simple black dress. "Who is this?"
"That's my mama. It was the only time anyone took her picture."
"I remember about six years ago when I had a family picture taken. My parents and my brothers and sisters all gathered. We stood before the camera, and then the guy with the camera took our picture. I remember when I saw saw it. It was like time itself was captured and printed on a piece of paper. It was almost like magic. You know, it's too bad cameras weren't invented when my mama and daddy were children. I would have loved to see what they looked like back then. Of course, it seems a lot less magical than my protector upstairs."
"You believe him?"
"His bones are made of metal. He is what he says he is." Luke looks out the window. "I have a feeling his twin might show up here."
"Nobody knows you two are here 'cept for me and Sadie. After you heal up, you can leave and then never have to come back."
Luke continues looking outside. So far, the current war with the Yanks has not reached the door of this house; he wonders if that will be true of the war with the machines.
The terminator's "twin" walks down a dirt street. His visual sensors pick up wooden and brick buildings lining the street. He reads the signs for the various businesses on the main street. He sees a wooden building with the sign identifying it as the Palace Saloon. He walks in.
Examining the main room, he sees that the walls and furniture are all made of wood. There are eight humans inside. The humans appear to be in their forties or fifties. He notices about six of them stare at him. The bar is in the back of the room, and glass bottles are racked behind the bar, preumably filled with alcoholic beverages. His sensors indicate significant quantities of dust. He walks to the bar and sits on the barstool next to an old man with white hair.
"What can I get ya?" asks the bartender, a little man with blond hair.
"Get me some whiskey," replies the killer cyborg.
The bartender pours some whiskey into a tiny little glass. "I'll pay for that," says the old man sitting next to the cyborg. "I'll buy drinks for those who risk lives for their countrymen." He takes out some bills and hands it to the bartender. He looks at the terminator and the eyepatch covering his left eye. "What happened to yer eye?" he asks.
"It was damaged in combat two days ago," replies the cyborg.
"Well, you know, I have a boy fightin' against the Yanks. I last heard from him three weeks ago. I wonder if he's still alive. You must be off duty."
"Wrong. I am currently on a mission."
"You know, you look like someone who bought somethin' from me earlier, 'cept he was in regular clothes," says the old man.
"Whom?"
"He looked just like you, without the eyepatch. He even talked with that same accent as you. He bought some tools from me."
"Did he say anything else?"
"Yeah, he said he was buying tools for the Hawkins place, about three miles or so from here. Is he your twin or somethin'?"
"Yes." The terminator stands up and leaves the Palace Saloon. "He didn't even touch his drink," says the bartender.
Luke lies down on bed, reading the Holy Bible. Looking out the window, he can tell it is a few minutes until sunset. There is not much to do in this house, though it is certainly a more comfortable setting than a field hospital.
The terminator enters the room. "We must leave," he says.
"Okay," says Luke, standing up. He moves his right shoulder; there is still pain from the gunshot wound.
"My counterpart will be here in five minutes," says the terminator. "He will throw an oil lantern into this house to start a fire. Then he will come in to acquire and terminate you."
"What is going on?" asks Celeste, who heard what the cyborg had said.
"His twin is coming here to get me," says Luke. "He's gonna set fire to this place and then try to shoot me. You have to get out of here."
"I will cover you," the terminator says, holding the modified Springfield Armory rifle. "Get down to the stable and get on the horse."
Luke runs out of the bedroom and out of the house. He dashes across a few feet to the stable. Inside the stable is the brown stallion he had been riding since he first met the terminator. He notices that the saddle and the bridle are already fastened. Not questioning why, he gets on the horse.
"Where are you goiong?" asks Celeste.
"Away," says Luke. "I suggest you flee and find a safe place. Celeste hops onto the horse. "You';ll need someone to watch over you, with that arm and all."
"I already have someone watching over me."
"What if he gets killed by the guy trying to kill you? Besdies, I know this asrea better than the two of you. We'd better get out through the back."
Luke tugs the reins, and the horse gallops towards the back of the farm.
The terminator stands in the bedroom, looking out a window whose glass pane he knocked out. He sees his twin running down the dirt road, with a lantern in hand.
The terminator opens fore with the Springfield Armory rifle. The automatic loading mechanism allows him to fire bullets at a rapid rate. His twon takes cover.
He no longer sees his twin. He searches through his memory files to calculate where his twin is. He then sees something flying toweards him. It is a burning oil lantern.
It strikes him square in the face. He notices that his clothes and flesh have been set ablaze. The carpet and the curtains also catch fire. His thermal sensors indicate the temperature is quickly rising. He goes to a room across the hallway and then jumps out the window. He checks his surroundings. He knows his twin is now searching the house. And he can see someone else.
Luke and Celste sit on the horse as they see smoke rising skyward from the main house. They notice a burning figure running from the house in their direction. Luke wonders for a moment if that figure is his protector or his assassin. He does not leave anything to chance. He kicks the horse and the horse gallops away. Soon the Hawkins farm is behind them, and they ride on the horse racing down the dirt road.
The other terminator searches the other buildings. He checks the barn and the stable- no human life signs are detected. He then goes into a small wooden building.
There are about five humans in this building. There are beds for the humans. Referring to his files about this time period, he concludes this small building is the slaves' quarters. None of the humans match the profile of his target, so he leaves.
It has gotten dark, the only light coming from the leftovers of the sunset, and Luke and Celeste get off the horse. They seem to be at the foothills in the base of the mountains. Up the slope are forests where they can hide.
"Where do we go?" asks Celeste. "Well, I've got to get back into the Army," says Luke. "No sense runnin' from an assassin if it gets me shot for desertion. You, he's not after you, so I guess you can go home."
"And you expect me to walk all the way back?" asks the young lady.
"Uh, no, Listen, as soon as I get back with my protector, you can take this here horse and ride 'im back to your place. I'm sire the Army can spare a horse."
They see a figure approaching them. It is dark, asnd they only see a silhouette. A silhoutte of a man with red glowing eyes.
Sudden;ly, they hear a gunshot, followed by the braying of the horse. Luke swears a bullet just flew above his head.
"It's me, Luke Connor," says the terminator. "I'm here to protect you."
"Why did you shoot at me?" asks the soldier.
"I had to show you that I was in a position to kill you, but chose not to."
Celeste approahces the terminator. She wonders if the terminator was wearing red-tinted glasses.
She suddenly gets weak in the knees, and sits down, shaking.
She had just seen the terminator's visage. But he did not appear to be a human. Instead, even in the dim dusk light, it is clear the flesh on his face is gone; his visage is now a skull.
Luke reaches forward and touches the skull. It feels cold.
"What happened to your face?" asks Luke.
"A burning lamp struck my face," replies the terminator. It caused third-degree burns. I cut the burnt tissue away."
Luke takes Celeste's hand and places it against the terminator's skull. Celeste can feel the cool surface of metal.
"I guess you are a machine," she says. "That is correct. We must continue."
And they all continue their journey eastward. They are soon traveling up a path into the Appalachian Mountains. The terminator guides the two humans and the horse, using his ultraviolet vision. After a few minutes of hiking up the slope of the Appalachians, the terminator sees a wooden sign that is too dark for the humans to read; it reads, "NO TRESPASSING". A minute after that, they stop.
"Here," says the terminator. Luke can see a cliff face in front of him. He hears the breaking of wood. "Inside," he hears the terminator say.
Luke and Celeste walk forward and then finsd out they are in some sort of tunnel. "What is this place?" asks the soldier. "This is a mine," says the terminator. "It is currently not in use, and will not be reopened until 2016, when the humans convert this into a bunker. We can hide in here for now."
Indeed, it is very dark inside the mine tunnel. The air is stagnant, and Luke figures the mine closed down a few years ago. He can feel the rails used to guide ore carts. "There is a question I have to ask you," says Luke. "You seem to know where your counterpart is going to be. You managed to find him just int time to save my life. You knew when he wasa going to show up at the prison camp and Celeste's house. How do you know where he's gonna be?"
"I calculate only a twleve percent chance that you will comprehend the answer," replies the terminator.
"Try me."
So the terminator gives his explanation, taking three minutes to do it.
"Uh huh," says Luke. "How can that be possible? I mean, you and him...."
"Cause and effect break down with dealing with closed timelike curves."
"Whatever."
"Just accept what I said. It is true, even if you can not understand it. And it is the key to your survival."
"Well, I guess I'm gonna go to sleep," says Celeste.
"you should go. My counterpart is not after you. If you stay out of his way, he will not kill you."
"I want to make sure Luke's okay."
"I already have someone watching over me," says Luke. "I think you should listen to this guy. Take the horse and ride back to your farm."
"He set my house on fire," says Celeste. "I want to see this through."
"One of these days, your recklessness is gonna get you killed," says Luke.
April 18, 1863
Luke Connor wakes up, feeling a little sore. Sleeping in a mine tunnel certainly is not comfortable, with an injured shoulder not helping matters. He removes his sling and moves his right arm. There is only a little pain. At least he can pick things up and hold them, as long as they are not too heavy. He sees a man-shaped figure walk in. "I have breakfast," says the terminator. .
Just a few feet outside the mine entrance, Luke, Celeste, and the terminator sit down around a fire made from wood that came from the boards that blocked the mine entrance. The sky is partly cloudy, and the radiation from the fire provides heat. The corpse of a deer hangs right above the fire. After a few minutes, the terminator carves up the deer he had shot and serves the venison meat to the two humans.
"Thank you for this," says Celeste, after eating a piece of venison. "You should go home," says the terminator. "You are not safe with us."
"So what's the plan?" asks Luke.
"I am going to get a few barrels of gunpowder," says the cyborg. "My counterpart will not be here for a few hours, so you will be safe as long as you stay in this vicinity."
"Okay," says Luke. "We'll stay here."
The terminator runs off. Soon he disappears from view. Luke turns his head to face Celeste. "You know, you don't have to be here," he says. "You take take the horse and ride back home."
"I have my reasons, Luke," replies the woman. They both look out. From their viewpoint, they can see much of Tennessee, including Knoxville. Luke wonders about how the war in the distant future will tear up that land.
The terminator arrives at the place. He sees a wooden fence surrounding some brick buildings. According to the data files about this time period, this complex is a Confederate arsenal. The Confederate flag flies proudly from a flagpole. He sees Confederate soldiers in the complex, wearing their gray uniforms. He himself is wearing a scarf to conceal his steel skull, which had been stripped of its burnt flesh. He walsk up to the gate of the arsenal. "Excuse me," says the guard. "Identify yourself."
The guard then looks into the terminator's red eyes. The terminator pushes the guard away and then runs into the building. He runs around the arsenal, reading the signs. He finds a building with a sign that reads. "DANGER- EXPLOSIVES DO NOT ENTER WITH ANY FLAME". He breaks the lock on the door and then enters the building.
He sees wooden barrels on the floor, all of them labeled as containing gunpowder. Using his massive arms, he carries two of the gunpowder barrels. He can feel how heavy they are; the barrels are full of gunpowder. He can hear the footsteps of Confederate soldiers running towards him. He looks around, sees a clear path, and then starts running as fast as they can. The Confederate soldiers look in amazement as they see how fast the "man" is running. They fire a few shots from their Richmond Armory rifle-muskets. Realizing how fast he was running, two of the soldiers sit on the backs of horses and then ride them. The horses gallop along the dirt path into the woods.
"Damn," says a Confederate corporal. "We lost him."
Just a few yards away, the terminator can see the two soldiers on horseback. He sees them ride the horses away.
He removes the cloth covering his face, revealing the visage of his steel skull.
Confederate cavalry scouts now scout the area near the arsenal, looking for the man who stole two barrels full of gunpowder. They all scout in pairs, searching the wooded slopes of the Appalachians and the nearby towns. There is much speculation among them about how one man can carry two full barrels of gunpowder.
One of the scouts come across a man dressed in a gray uniform. Upon closer inspection, they see that he is a lieutenant. An eyepatch covers his left eye. One of them dismounts from his horse and salutes.
"What is going on?" the man asks in a strange accent.
"Sir, we're looking for someone who stole two barrels of gunpowder from an arsenal," says the scout. "Any description?"
"Reports say that he broke in and just carried the two barrels and ran away with it. They say he can run as fast as a horse. Have you seen anything suspicious, Lieutenant? We will appreciate it."
"I have no information for you. Continue the search."
"Yes, sir." The two scouts gallop away.
Luke Connor sees a man-shaped figure approach. He sees the shiny steel skull, and figures out it is the terminator. And the terminator carries two wooden barrels.
"I retrieved the gunpowder," says the terminator. "Good," says Luke. "Are we gonna use it to destroy your twin?"
"No."
"No?" asks Luke, puzzled why his protector does not want ot destroy his assassin.
"The plan is to set a trap. Confederate soldiers are searching for me, and my twin has heard about my raid at the arsenal. He will locate this hideout. This is where we set the trap."
"What trap?"
"He will come inside and he will find you. I will stall him and you will escape. The gunpowder will be detonated and the mine tunnel will collapse, trapping us."
"Are you sure it will work?"
"It is destiny."
"Oh-kay." Luke recalls the terminator's explanation about how he knows what his twin will do next; he still has trouble understanding. "You should leave," the terminator says to Celeste. "there is a high probability that you will be killed if you are involved."
"Well, okay," says Celeste. She gets on top of the brown stallion and gives it a gentle kick, guiding the horse to where Luke is. "Luke," she says.
"What is it?" asks the young soldier.
"Don't die."
"I promise I won't die this day. I promise I will live so I can have children and my descendant can lead the war against machines."
The horse then gallops away with the young lady on top. "Let us head into the mine," says the terminator. The two of them head inside the dark mine tunnel. They walk a couple of yards. Then they make a right turn.
"I will put the gunpowder down here in this side tunnel," says the terminator, placing the two wooden barrels on the rocky ground.
"It's so dark in here," says Luke, stating the obvious. "I can't see."
"I will get an oil lamp and bring it here," says the terminator. "This side tunnel only goes about ten feet before it ends." He then walks to the main tunnel, his footsteps indicating his location. Luke hears something squeak.
"What is that?" he asks.
"It is an ore cart that was used to transport ore out of this mine," says the terminator. "It will aid in your escape. I will now get the lantern needed to light the fuse and detonate the gunpowder."
The terminator leaves the mind, and Luke looks outside, watching his protector get the necessary materials for his plan.
The terminator's "twin" searches the forest for his counterpart. He pays close attention to his sensors, allocating as much memory as he can to his sensory interpretation program. He calculates that if he can spot his counterpart unnoticed, he will find his target. He uses infrared scanners to check the heat signatures. He can identify various animals native to these slopes, as well as horses and humans. He stays out of sight of the searching humans. He knows he is too heavy to ride a horse, and his counterpart would know as well. He identifies a heat signature. The heat signature reveals the figure to be shaped like a man, but the temperature is too low. In fact, it matches the heat signature for a T-800 terminator wrapped in human flesh.
Keeping his sensors fixzed on his counterpart, he stalks his target.
Minutes later, the terminator comes back to the mine which would one day be a human base, carrying a lit oil lantern and the modified Springfiled Armory rifle-musket. Luke waits for him at the entrance.
"He's coming!" yells the cyborg. "Get inside the mine!"
Luke then sees his protector's counterpart, with the flehs still on his head. He sees the terminator fire bullets from the modified rifle at his twin. Luke decides to help, firing bullets from the Colt Army revolver he retrieved from the prison camp three days before. then they run inside. The light from the lantern illuminates the way. Luke can see the rock walls and floors, the rails on which the ore cart rides, and the support beams which balances the gravitational pressure from the uplying rock. They enter the side chamber where the gunpowder barrels are stored.
Luke knows this is it. If his assassin is not blasted apart by the gunpowder, then maybe he will be trapped in the cave-in. But it will only work if the makeshift fuse- a dry piece of cloth impregnated with gunpowder- is lit, and it will only achieve its purpose if Luke is clear of the explosion. Then he comes. His face is illuminated by the light from the lantern. He seems more frightening with only one eye. He points his rifle. The terminator pushes Luke out of the way even as the "twin" pulls the trigger. The bullet lodges in the terminator's shoulder. Luke finds the lantern on the ground, unshattered. He grabs it with his right hand and jumps into the ore cart in the main tunnel. Already, he sees the two terminators locked in close combat even through the poor lighting. He watches in amazement as the two fight over his life.
One of them- the one with the skull exposed, his protector- breaks free. "The lantern!" he yells.
Luke pitches the lantern with his right arm as hard as he can. He sees the lantern arc, and then shatter right above the wooden barrels filled with gunpowder. He sees a flame on the barrels.
The terminator runs up to the ore cart and kicks it a very hard kick. The ore cart speeds towards the entrance.
Luke ducks down and covers his ears, knowing the gunpowder will ignite.
And the gunpowder ignites.
The chemical reaction creates a huge v olume of gas, much more than the side chamber can take. It causes the chamber to collapse. The sound wave resonates through the tunnel, and Luke can hear it loudly even though his ears are shielded. He can feel pieces of rock spilling on him; he knows the explosion had weakened the supports. A good section of the tunnel is going to collapse. He feels the ore cart picking up speed; he figures there is a slight dwon grade to the mine entrance. Amid the sound of rock shards falling on the floor, he can see a figure running after him. He wonders if it is his protector. But then a shot is fired at him.
It is his assassin.
And he notices his assassin is catching up to him. Looking ahead, he can see a light in the distance. But it looks like that his assassin will get to him before he reaches the mine entrance.
He feels a rock hit his head, and it hurt. Either the terminator will kill him or these falkling rocks will. He sees the terminator only a few feet away. Luke makes fists. He has no intention of going without a fight. Suddenly, a huge pile of rocks fall, and the terminator is trapped. Luke takes cover to protect his body from the falling rocks as best as he can.
Then suddenly, the ore cart comes to a sudden stop. Luke is thrown against the cart, and his right shoulder hits the side of the cart hard. He wonders if he is trapped in the mine. He opens his eyes, and sees daylight. He looks around and sees the Appalachian Mountains. "I made it," he says.
He leaps out of the ore cart and looks towards the mine. Dust drifts out of the mine entrance. He figures the terminator- both of them- are trapped inside. He suddenly feels pain in his right shoulder. He had hurt it again, after it recovered from a gunshot wound. He then hears the sound of horse hooves impoacting the ground. He wonders if the Confederate soldiers have come to look for the one who stole the gunpowder from the arsenal.
He looks and sees Celeste on the brown horse that carried him since that fateful day. "What happened?" she asks.
"He ignited the gunpowder," says Luke. "They are both trapped. It's over. Aaaaah."
"Your arm."
"I hurt it again."
Celeste gets down and tears a strip from her dress. She uses it to make a sling to support Luke's injured arm.
"Thanks," says Luke.
"I had to come back."
"Well, these past few days were too weird." Luke looks back on the past four days, ever since his fateful meeting with the machine.
"Well, you're hurt and you need someone to take care of you. I'll take you back to my farm."
"But your house," protests Luke, remembering the fire.
"We can stay in the loft in the barn," replies Celeste. "let's go."
"Okay." Luke gets on top of the horse, sitting behind Celeste. Together they ride off to the future, whatever that might be.