Chapter 411

Single Tear

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Events continue from Chapter 409

In Some Future: Cameron Prime

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Cameron went with Cammy to join the fight that was near Skynet central. They were on their way there now.

She explained a few things along the way to Cammy as to why she was there now with Savannah.

There were a few things that didn't make sense to Cammy.

"Why did you come with me now to fight instead of Cameron - Duplicate Cameron?" Cammy asked.

Cameron knew her sheath was permanently damaged. She wanted John to have a 'whole' Cameron. Duplicate Cameron wasn't damaged much at all.

Cameron stripped off her Skynet uniform shirt as soon as she came across a fallen Restorator. She didn't wish to look like the enemy. She was alone with Cammy. She touched her sheath and now held a medium sized ball of Liquid Metal in her hand. Her horrific damage was evident. She briefly let Cammy see the damage to her sheath.

Cammy's eyes widened some as she took in the damage.

"That's why." Cameron said. "The damage is permanent. I will not disgust John and further shame myself before him with this damaged sheath."

Cammy saw the bullet wounds in her back first and then the damage to the front of her torso. The rumpled nub of her right breast looked terrible.

She knew she was a clone of 'Cameron' but Cameron Prime herself was so dominant. She immediately stepped into the role of 'Commander Connor' and she'd only been in this timeline for a few hours. She gave Cameron updates on everything and everyone. She explained the large battle she'd been in not long ago. As of yet, none of the Restorators knew Cameron wasn't actually Duplicate Cameron. She made sure the transition was seamless for her.

Cammy did tell Bob when they linked up that Cameron was 'Cameron's sister' who would also be called - Cameron. They were twins and Cameron was not to be addressed as Cameron II or any other name.

Bob thought what was highly unusual. He wondered why this 'new one' wasn't called Cameron III. He would understand later on once he knew all the details.

"Affirmative." Bob said.

He still carried the chip from Cameron II with him. He touched his pocket and felt the chip there. He wasn't sure what all of these new developments meant. He still needed to give the chip to Allison. He planned to do that personally.

Cameron liked how Bob responded.

"Some things never change." Cameron said. "I like it and I like Bob."

Cameron and Cammy joined the battle that raged on. Things seemed to have developed into a stalemate before they arrived. That needed to change. They both took groups of Restorators and counter attacked the Skynet Terminators.

With 'Commander Connor' leading them, the Restorators soon smashed all the hostile resistance and became the victors. It was something to be awed by to see the Commander and her clone Cammy fight. The only direction was forward when they were on the battlefield.

Skynet in this area was totally defeated with the series of battles that occurred. The parent computer was destroyed. That was what they believed anyway.

Cameron watched a transport arrive. A very attractive Restorator named Ginger spoke with Bob. She joined them.

Cameron knew this was what she'd told Duplicate Cameron to do. She didn't think she would survive the battle. She did somehow. She wanted that warhead for herself. She doubted there were many left in this time period. She didn't know how long she would be there.

"I will accompany Bob." Cameron told Ginger.

Ginger told her of the 'other' Commander Connor's order to retrieve the damaged Restorators and any salvageable Skynet Metal.

Cameron liked the idea that Duplicate Cameron set up a recovery and repair operation for the Restorators. She hoped there was a female chassis that could be salvaged.

"I need a damaged Skynet female Terminator to repair my sheath." Cameron said.

Ginger tilted her head slightly. She wondered if Cameron's sheath was defective. She looked perfect right now.

"Won't yours regenerate?" Ginger asked.

Cameron reached under her shirt and the Liquid Metal formed into a medium sized ball in her fist. She lifted her shirt and showed Ginger the actual damage.

Ginger felt a stab of 'pain' as she viewed the damage. She could see right away the area wasn't regenerating properly. That seemed odd.

"No." Cameron said. "My right breast has been blown apart and even off too many times. It is now permanently damaged. It never regained its full appearance after its last destruction."

Cameron knew after her last reinfusion of DNA from Allison that her right breast did regenerate but it was still slightly smaller than the original one. It was unnoticeable to a human but every Resistance Terminator could 'see' it was smaller than it originally was. They all looked at it but no one ever commented about it.

Ginger felt bad about it for Cameron. She was in charge of the repair operation. She planned to address this at once.

"You will be given first priority once the repairs start." Ginger said.

Cameron didn't want that priority. Her troops needed to be led by example, not privilege.

"No. You will repair everyone else first and I will take what is left, if anything. My troops come first." Cameron said. "Everyone comes before me."

Ginger took one more look at Cameron.

"But you have a husband…." Ginger said.

Cameron had two Duplicates and a half dozen clones. More could be created….

"I may have a solution to that problem. There's a Duplicate of me." Cameron said. "I will return her in my place."

Ginger didn't see the need for everything to be lost.

"You're sacrificing too much, Commander." Ginger said.

Cameron tried to control her emotional state. She fought off repeated glitch impulses.

"Everyone sacrifices for John Connor." Cameron said. "That includes me."

A single tear slid down Ginger's cheek as Cameron left. Cameron was like no other. She was special, any Cameron was. She resolved herself to the fact she wouldn't let Cameron sacrifice herself for John Connor over her appearance. There were others who could do that as well.

Cameron wanted to collect the Nike warhead. She turned things over to Cammy.

Cammy took over the battlefield.

Cameron looked at Bob.

"Come on, Bob, let's go." Cameron said.

"Affirmative." Bob said.

Cameron looked at Cammy who looked back.

"It never gets old." Cameron said again with a smile on her face.

Bob wasn't sure what they referred to when he'd said the most appropriate and logical response - 'Affirmative'.

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In Some Future: Duplicate Cameron

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Cameron and Cammy left to join the battle. Duplicate Cameron made sure all the wounded and terminated Restorators were loaded on the transport. They flew safely back with Savannah, Allison and Mrs. Weaver. Savannah answered all their questions and asked her own.

Everyone tried to get over the fact they were a set of 'Duplicates'. What was even stranger was that there were actually two sets of Duplicates. This was all very mind blowing. They weren't clones or alternate timeline versions either. The fact that each version of 'Cameron' carried her locket was all the proof they needed to know that they were Duplicates.

The transport arrived at headquarters. Cam was there to greet them.

Cam looked Savannah over from head to toe and back again.

"Savannah, you're beautiful?" Cam said. "You're grown now. How long have the girls been gone from your timeline?"

There were a few sensitive things Savannah didn't want to discuss right now.

"For me it's been a few years since the incident." Savannah said. "A lot of things have happened…."

Vanna needed to deal with a few issues but hurried to see Savannah when she arrived in the senior command section of headquarters. She'd sent Cam ahead of her to meet the transport. Cam was also there alone to make sure everything was what it was supposed to be. Vanna didn't want any more surprises. She ran up to Savannah and hugged her and then backed up and looked at her.

"You're so beautiful, Savannah." Vanna said.

Vanna wondered if she'd ever looked that good. She didn't think so. She also knew this was how the 'Savannah' that Allison first knew looked like but only better. No wonder the Scavenger leader made the deal for her 'services and cooperation' if they were provided willingly. Savannah was Hot.

Jesse looked at Savannah, then at Vanna and back to Savannah. It was hard to believe. Savannah was younger and smaller when they'd left. It wasn't that long ago for them.

"You sure are a looker now, love." Jesse said as she gave her a big hug and kiss.

Jesse didn't know about Savannah and Young Jesse yet.

Savannah proceeded to tell them the entire story about everything. She did leave out the parts about the 'terminated' pregnancies with the girls from the future in her timeline and the fact she was pregnant now. She didn't mention any of the 'splits' or difficulties the girls experienced. Cam listened to everything as well.

Duplicate Cameron and Mrs. Weaver coordinated with Cammy and Cameron as well as Bob on the assault going on. It seemed it was a bigger and more determined threat than it was originally thought to be.

Ginger returned as soon as she could when she'd heard of the trouble that occurred with Cam and the anti-Metal operatives. Sandy stayed with the group of Restorators that won the battle and to watch over the anti-Metal group. She also watched over Unit One to make sure he did everything he was supposed to do.

Duplicate Cameron told Ginger to be ready with the transport. She was to pick up any damaged Restorators after the battle going on near Skynet Central.

Mrs. Weaver and Duplicate Cameron directed the troops as they saw needed. It was Cameron who was in control now on the battlefield and she'd only been in this future for a few hours. They all knew that, including Mrs. Weaver.

Mrs. Weaver wasn't sure about this new development and what new 'problems' it was going to bring. She knew Cameron helped her as did Savannah. She knew Cameron was going to be different to deal with for some reason. 'Cameron Prime' lived for more years and seemed to have greater knowledge than Duplicate Cameron. It was obvious Cameron Prime was also more experienced and dominant.

Things were different now even if they weren't really. The fact Savannah was here now changed everything too. The previous 'deals' and arrangements she'd made with Duplicate Cameron would all need to be renegotiated. It was disturbing enough previously to watch Duplicate Cameron 'take over' the Restorators in a very short time. It appeared that Cameron Prime was about to do the same thing in a matter of hours.

Ginger was very surprised to meet a young teenage version of Vanna who was actually the same person. She was also worried about the battle near Skynet Central. She wondered now if she should have taken some Restorators and gone there herself.

Duplicate Cameron tried to calm her fears.

"They will emerge victorious." Duplicate Cameron said.

Ginger wasn't so sure. They'd been able to wipe out the Grays and Terminators they fought by always having control of the battlefield. The battle that raged now was in Skynet territory near Skynet Central.

"How do you know they will win?" Ginger asked.

Duplicate Cameron found her next sentence a little hard to say but Savannah convinced her that was the new reality.

"Cameron is with them." Duplicate Cameron said.

Ginger tilted her head slightly. She knew where the battle was at and she talked to 'Cameron' now.

"But you are - Cameron." Ginger said.

Duplicate Cameron was confused a little about everything as well. If Savannah wasn't here to explain things herself she might not believe it. She'd scanned Savannah several times and she hadn't deceived any of them.

"It's a long story, Ginger. I just found out I'm a 'Duplicate' version of Cameron. I was created when the TDE malfunctioned. I didn't know I wasn't Cameron Prime and was a Duplicate until a short while ago. Cammy is with Cameron as well."

Duplicate Cameron didn't see this new development as something bad. She'd been deeply torn over the issue where to go once the TDE was constructed. She didn't know if she wanted to return to John or Future John. This shouldn't have been an issue for her. Why was she conflicted to start with? It was more than what Mrs. Weaver said about Future John and her. It now solved the problem about which John to return to. She would give Cameron Prime first pick and she would take the other John. It was a win - win for everyone. She would be happy with either John. She secretly hoped she could return to Future John, she'd already made her mind up about that anyway.

The next problem was what to do about the girls? Cameron was adamant Savannah be returned to her timeline no matter what. As to where to send the girls, that was going to be a problem.

With the destruction of Cameron II, Vanna and Allison agreed Cammy was more than enough for both of them. Allison hadn't really processed the fact Cameron II was terminated with Cameron and Savannah being here. The full impact of that would hit her shortly. Bob would later give her the chip from Cameron II, so it could be consolidated with Cammy or maybe with Cam too.

Duplicate Cameron called Ginger aside when Mrs. Weaver was busy going over troop movements. At Skynet Central Cameron quietly gave her specific instructions about the Nike warhead. It was to remain under wraps and handled with the highest security.

"There's a Nike warhead at Skynet Central." Duplicate Cameron said. "You will instruct Bob to remove it to a secure location and tell no one but Cameron or me where it is at. After he's done that, he will erase that data. If Bob is damaged or incapacitated you will retrieve it yourself and do the same thing for me.''

Ginger appreciated the high level of trust that 'Cameron' place in her. She still was upset she hadn't been there for the girls earlier when there was trouble.

"Affirmative." Ginger said. "It will be done."

Duplicate Cameron returned to Mrs. Weaver and continued coordinating the troop movements. They didn't want some hidden pocket of Skynet to reemerge or a group of Skynet Terminators to go rouge and try and create a 'new Skynet' in their defeat. It was a real possibility.

She went over the entire operation she'd been on at Skynet Central. There were still a lot of questions. The one that bothered her the most was the location of Skynet Central. It was right out there in the open more or less.

"Do you think we killed the parent Skynet?" Duplicate Cameron asked. "It seemed like it was the main computer but the location bothered me."

Mrs. Weaver didn't like being trapped. She was almost severely damaged by the Gray near the end of the episode. If Savannah hadn't been there she would have been. She would have been frozen solid still as the Gray destroyed her with his plasma rifle.

She was sure that Cameron and the others at the Resistance base did a better job of raising Savannah than she could have. That bothered her some too.

"I sure hope so." Mrs. Weaver said. "I need to personally thank Cameron for saving me and the both of you. I know Savannah, my little angel, helped her. Savannah saved ME. I can hardly believe it. Cameron has turned Savannah into a fine young woman. She's everything I could have hoped to do myself, maybe more."

Duplicate Cameron sensed a problem was about to manifest itself. She needed to address it before it got out of hand and became an ultimatum of some kind. There were parameters that were established before. Everything was different now. Savannah was here 'in some future' now.

"Cameron said Savannah MUST be returned to her timeline as soon as we get the TDE built." Duplicate Cameron said. "Savannah needs to get out of this environment."

Mrs. Weaver didn't say anything. The deal was made for her not to take Savannah. She didn't need to take her now. She wanted to keep her.

Duplicate Cameron wanted to remind Mrs. Weaver of the earlier arrangement.

"You promised me before." Duplicate Cameron said. "I took you at your word."

Mrs. Weaver wasn't going to relent without some input from Savannah herself.

"We'll let Savannah decide." Mrs. Weaver said. "I think that is only fair."

Duplicate Cameron possessed information from Cameron on the 'condition' of the girls from the future. All of their bodies were 'damaged' in some way for reproduction.

"You don't understand. She NEEDS to go back as soon as possible." Duplicate Cameron said. "This time period can damage her reproductive tract. She's no longer a girl. She must fulfill her destiny."

Mrs. Weaver could see there were few children born in this future. There were a lot of toxins present in the environment. She would need to see to it at once that anything Savannah and the girls consumed going forward would need to be tested.

There was also the issue about there being an 'extra set' of 'Cameron' and the girls.

"What about the fact you four are a set of Duplicates?" Mrs. Weaver asked.

Duplicate Cameron discussed this dilemma with the girls already. The girls all agreed they didn't belong in the past, especially a second or third set of them. They knew the conflict it caused Cameron and that it disrupted the 'Natural Order'.

"That's another problem. From what Cameron explained, there's also another set of Duplicates in another future." Duplicate Cameron said. "The girls will need to return to their future or stay here with you. Vanna said as long as Savannah returns to her correct timeline she will stay with you. Allison will stay as well. They don't want to be a set of actual Duplicates in any timeline they already exist in."

Mrs. Weaver's goal was to return to the timeline she was created in. There was no Vanna or Young Savannah there. There was only Savannah – Future Savannah who didn't know her. She didn't want to lose the 'love' the girls displayed for her.

"I want to return to my future." Mrs. Weaver said. "There is already a Savannah there. She doesn't know me as her – mother."

Duplicate Cameron was tired of playing games. They were back to square one again and it looked like all the 'deals' were off. This was not going to sit well with Cameron and it sure didn't sit well with her.

"Savannah's going back to her proper timeline." Duplicate Cameron said. "That is the one event that is going to happen."

Mrs. Weaver interpreted that as a statement, not a request….

Single Tear

It is only those that are loved
Who can ever truly hurt us
Things that should be a plus
Instead turn into a fuss

A stab to the heart
Is really a stab to the mind
Leaving one to feel resigned
While they remain intertwined

How does one ever win
When they always lose
It matters not the path they choose
Joy and happiness turns into the blues

A flood of tears can say a lot
It is the way of the soul
To make one again whole
There is no pardon or parole

What says more that a lot
Through the psyche it strikes like a spear
It is something that can involuntarily appear
It's the pain contained in a single tear

Nobody