Chapter 445

Temporal Terror

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Cameron's Future Timeline:

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Things quieted down some at the Connor compound. The initial wave of HK drones was repulse with minimal damage to the base.

Cameron watched as the last of the non Terminators departed the Connor compound. Some of them wanted to stay. She knew that was a bad idea. What was sure to follow would be much worse than what they'd already encountered. Future John urged them away and to follow him.

Now it was only the Resistance Terminators and the dead that remained in the compound. It didn't appear that many of the human defenders were hurt or killed but there were some casualties. Without that precious few seconds warning it would have been a different story. It still may be, the battle wasn't over yet.

Cameron was glad she'd left her spare chip in Ally's hands. Ally was going to need it. With her spare chip and rings, John would never know the difference. Cameron was sure she would fall in combat before this was done. She would stay and fight until the end. It was her duty to protect the 'Natural Order'. If Skynet wanted this small piece of real estate, they were going to have to take it by force.

The part that bothered her was Savannah. She was a sweet loving girl who did do so much for her. Savannah was always there for her. She'd even carried and delivered 'her babies' for her, like she always promised. Now she was worried she was going to end up getting Savannah killed. She loved Savannah to no end. She looked forward to the day Savannah and her would both share John's bed with Young Allison when she was a little older. She tried to think positive now. She would fight until termination to buy them time, especially Savannah, HER Savannah. She wasn't going to yield.

Cameron wondered who was out there in the unknown that put up the initial fight just a few minutes ago. She was sure it was some version of 'her'. They were out there for a reason. She surmised that she missed the rendezvous a month from now and someone from the past was sent to find out why. They must have been out there watching them all this time. They couldn't have known when the 'problem' would arise.

She often felt they were being watched. She'd specifically beefed up the compound's security because of that feeling. Now it appeared it wasn't a feeling but reality. Maybe that was part of it too. The base was better fortified now because of her concerns.

Future John questioned her on what she was doing and using their resources to fortify the base against an enemy that was already defeated. She needed to remind him that Skynet was 'defeated' several times previously but it always popped back up at some point. With the latest attack it seemed that point was sooner rather than later.

Cameron could hear the enemy in the distance. They were coming. It was more HK drones. There was sure to be transports with them as well. There was still a lot to come. This battle wasn't over yet. In fact it may have only just begun. She was a little dismayed that there was no armed response as there was before from the Wastelands as the next wave of HK drone approached. Skynet need to 'pay' for that loss.

"We fight until termination." Cameron shouted. "There's no retreat."

It looked like this was it….

Holly–Cameron worked on a few downed HK drones as she waited. She wanted to be able to use some of the armament on several of the damaged HK drones against the next wave of Skynet's attack. She heard them. It was the transports with more HK drones. There would be Skynet troops as well. This was a major attack.

She was able to get the plasma cannons on two downed HK drones operational. She would save those for the transports. She needed to try to take down the bigger targets on this round. She would be able to get one shot off before the HK drones would seek to target her location. She would need to keep moving on this round.

A small wave of HK drones flew past. Holly–Cameron let them pass. It was clear they tried to draw fire. She didn't take the bait. If she gave away her position too quick she would be attacked before she could engage the transports. She could hear the bigger fish to fry. They were in the distance still.

Holly–Cameron saw the first transport as she readied her weapons to fire. She saw a transport take a massive plasma cannon hit. She smiled. Bob was still in the game. He was doing what she was by using the downed HK drones against the transports.

Bob was still in the fight. He'd readied two downed HK drones as well. He heard and then saw the next wave of HK drones. It appeared they wanted to draw any fire. He resisted the urge for a few 'easy kills'. The transports were the issue this time. He let the first wave pass and soon the transports came into view. There were four of them. The first two were almost even with each other but not side by side. There were HK drones around the transports and between them. He fired and scored on the first transport. He selected and hit the control center on the front of it. It didn't matter if it was piloted or being controlled by Skynet. The control center was blown apart.

Holly–Cameron switched her plasma cannon to the second transport and targeted it. It took a plasma cannon hit from one of her weapons. Both Bob and her aimed for the control center on the transports. The transports were larger and more difficult to knock down through structural damage. If the control center was damaged or destroyed, it was the surest way to bring them down.

The two transports were still flying but lost directional control.

Holly–Cameron moved to a new position and prepared to fire at the third transport.

The first two transports drifted closer together. The second one began to roll onto its side. It made a sudden turn. Several of the HK drones between the two transports were impacted. One HK drone was knocked into the side of the other stricken transport. The two transports collided in mid air. The second transport was inverted at the time of the impact. There was another HK drone that was smashed between them. Either it's armament or powered cell ruptured. There was a massive exposing between the two giants of bent and twisted metal. They both erupted into a fireball and crashed. That was followed by a bigger fireball as the wreckage exploded even more. It was doubtful any Terminators would be functional from either of those two transports.

The explosion knocked both Bob and Cameron down. It also helped mask their positions. They both moved on to the secondary downed HK drone to target the next transports.

Holly–Cameron fired at the third transport seconds after the first two flaming wrecks hit the ground and exploded. A second plasma cannon hit impacted the third transport also. Both Bob and her scored. It wobbled violently. A large section of the front part of the transport was blown off. The transport nosed over in a second and headed straight for the ground. It dropped from the sky like a rock. It exploded when it hit the ground.

She moved to a third downed HK drone. She was able to manually target the fourth transport with the air to surface missiles. They would be used in a reverse application this way. They were missiles and they now had a target. Two of the missiles fired. She didn't have any control of their guidance so she aimed for the center of mass. The fourth transport was hit and a large hole was blown in the side of it. Debris fell from the side of the transport. Several of them were Terminators.

They'd knocked down three transports and damaged a fourth. She was unsure how many transports there were in total. She thought there could still be more. One thing was for certain. Three of the transports wouldn't make it.

She'd changed her position three times to score the damage she inflicted. The retaliation she was worried about soon started. HK drones began to swoop around her location. They targeted all the downed HK drones to prevent any more of them from being used against them. She'd already moved off in anticipation of the retaliation. The damaged fourth transport flew overhead. She hit it several times with her plasma rifle as she changed positions. It continued toward the Connor compound. Smoke poured from one of the power plants she'd just hit.

Bob also anticipated an HK drone response to their attacks on the Transports. He didn't have any more downed HK drones ready to use so he headed in the direction Holly-Cameron was at.

He saw the forth transport hit with the missiles and the debris that fell out. The transport was already past him when that happened. Some of the debris were Terminators. They would be between Holly–Cameron and him. They would all be damaged by the fall if they weren't already damaged by the explosion that blew them out of the side of the Transport.

HK drones swooped in and attacked the two downed HK drones that he'd used. He chose not to engage them as he headed towards the area where Holly-Cameron should be. He heard her fire on several more HK drones.

Bob spotted some smoking debris up ahead and off to the side. There was a thrashing sound. There were several thrashing sounds. He spotted a Terminator. The legs were gone from it. It tried to move forward towards the direction of the Connor compound. One arm was blown off at the elbow. The Terminator held a plasma rifle. It was clearly still a threat. He moved in back of it and fired one shot from his plasma rifle and blew it's head apart. He moved on.

There were other pieces of the transport and parts of Terminators scattered about on the ground. He could still hear some thrashing noises. He carefully approached the area. There was another Terminator. It walked on the stumps of its legs. Both were truncated at the knee. The forearms were both blown off at the elbows. It turned and faced him. The sheath on the face was burnt off and only the metal showed. It's head leaned off to the side at a crazy angle. It was half torn off.

The 'midget' Terminator advanced on him. It was surprising fast even for the condition it was in. Bob sidestepped and kicked the Terminator. It sprawled on the ground. He moved forward and trounced his right foot down on it's neck and severed the head. He watched the red glow of the eyes of the rolling head fade away. He popped off the port cover and removed the chip. They could go through it for intel later. That was if they survived.

Bob moved on once he determined there were no more damaged Terminators able to move.

Holly–Cameron was able to take down a few more of the HK drones that targeted the downed HK drones as they searched for her. It was time for her to head for the camp.

She met up with Bob on the way. Both of them sustained even more damage from the latest encounter. Neither of their chassis would be able to go through the time transfer. It didn't matter. They both knew at this point they wouldn't be leaving here, the future.

Bob met up with Holly–Cameron.

She saw the look of horror on his face.

"Holly, you're - damaged." Bob said when he saw her.

Holly–Cameron looked down when he spoke. This seemed to be the first time she was able to physically look at herself. What little that remained of her clothing was shredded. The area between her legs was now only burnt metal. The sheath material was burnt away from the near plasma hit. She was no longer a 'female'. She was only a machine. The battle on the ground hadn't even started yet….

"It's going to be a lot worse, for both of us, before this is done." Holly–Cameron said.

Holly–Cameron was aware of facial damage and upper torso damage. Her scans showed only pulp where her large breasts once were. There was no damage feedback. The sensors were gone along with most of the synthetic covering.

Bob and Holly–Cameron did a lot of the damage to the attacking Skynet forces and they'd both paid the price, especially Holly–Cameron.

Cameron pushed Holly's damaged chassis even harder to keep up with Bob. They need to get to the Connor compound and assist with fighting the Skynet troops that would land.

Holly–Cameron looked down at her damaged sheath again, the burnt metal where her female parts once were made her angry at Skynet and sad for Allison. Holly and Allison would never share again. Sheath damage from massive plasma incineration would never regenerate properly, if at all.

Cameron and Holly on Holly's chip exchanged thoughts as they hurried toward the Connor compound.

'I'm sorry, Allison….' Holly thought, over and over.

Cameron attempted to suppress Holly's thoughts. She told Holly she was sorry.

The only thing that kept what was left of Holly–Cameron going was the need to protect 'her babies', Future John, Future Allison and both Savannahs. Nothing else mattered. She needed to keep repeating it as she hurried to join the impending fight on the ground.

Cameron and her Terminators were ready.

The HK drones attacked the base defenses again. Only one transport made the journey mostly intact and it set down. Terminators began to pour out of it. The Skynet forces began to take hits as soon as they exited the Transport. The entire first wave of HK drones was wiped out. The second wave that accompanied the transports was all but decimated at this point as well. It was clear Skynet intended to land more troops and provide them with plenty of air cover. That wasn't the case at all.

Cameron and the Resistance Terminators held the perimeter. A line of Skynet Terminators approached as they fired weapons. They were a combination of miniguns and plasma rifles. The defenders of the base were behind cover. The Skynet forces were out in the open and exposed.

There was a 'razor wire' fence with a depression on the inside of it. It ran around the perimeter of the compound. The Terminators crossed the cleared land in front of it. It was set up that way to be a 'kill zone'. Many of them fell to Resistance weapons. Cameron and her Terminators still held. The Skynet Terminators that made it across 'no man's land' or the 'kill zone' began to rip apart the 'razor wire' to attempt to cross the depression. They became tangled in it by design. It was laced with additional wires.

Cameron moved to a control box and activated a lever. The razor wire was energized with high voltage electricity. Dozens of Skynet Terminators tumbled into the depression. They were currently immobilized. The Terminators behind them forged ahead. They entered the depression and began to climb over there fallen Metal comrades.

She activated a second lever. The entire depression around the camp ignited in a ring of burning Thermite. Many of the attacking Terminators were trapped as they were incinerated. Everything was set up by design to be like this for the base defense. The fact there was only one quarter of the intended ground attack force present made the job of defense possible. If the entire force would have landed, the base would have been overrun. Every Resistance Terminator would have been terminated, including Cameron.

The last of the HK drones was shot down. Cameron was already up. She led her Terminators out from their concealment and advanced on the few Skynet Terminators that remained operational. They were terminated in short order. Several turned to retreat. As the base defenders watched, they were cut down from behind. Bob and Holly emerged from the Wastelands.

Cameron told her Terminators not to fire, they were Friendlies.

Every Terminator present deduced that these two new and damaged Terminators were the ones who foiled the Skynet attack. By the damage done to them it appeared they were the ones who paid the biggest price.

Cameron moved to intercept Bob and Holly. She came across an HK drone that still attempted to function. It was a crumpled wreck. She paused and moved in front of its camera. She wanted to let Skynet know it was her.

"It's me again. I'm back." Cameron said. "I'm coming for you and Hell is coming with me. I will personally terminate you."

Cameron smashed the camera.

Bob and Holly continued their approach. Holly was in back of Bob. Cameron went out to greet them. She was well aware that they'd been the key factor in the defeat of the Skynet attack. She was going to congratulate them for saving the compound. She looked at Bob. He was severely damaged. There was metal showing everywhere on him.

Cameron looked around Bob at Holly.

She stopped in her tracks. Holly was a mess. She couldn't believe her eyes. One of the most beautiful Terminators she'd ever known was damaged beyond cosmetic repair with plasma burns. She saw the burnt metal in the lower part of her torso where her female anatomy once was. Everything around that area was burnt away. The shredded remains of her sheath across her upper torso was now bloody pulp and nothing else.

Holly dropped to her knees before Cameron. She lifted Cameron's plasma rife to her head.

"PLEASE, Cameron. Please for Me. DO IT. Allison can never know I looked like this." Holly said. "PLEASE - finish it."

Cameron was flooded with intense agony and grief. Her left hand began to glitch. She couldn't terminate Holly.

"I can't, Holly." Cameron said. "I love you."

Holly could see Cameron was torn.

"I love you, Cameron. If you really love me you will do this for me." Holly said. "Allison must never know. PLEASE."

Bob said nothing as he watched the scene unfold. Holly asked him to finish her off earlier, he couldn't.

Cameron dropped to her knees and held Holly and began to cry.

"I'll fix you. I promise, Holly." Cameron said. "I promise."

Cameron looked up at Bob. He understood what she wanted done. He stepped forward.

As Cameron held Holly, Bob was able to remove her chip from her ripped open scalp. The port was already exposed.

Holly 'died' in Cameron's arms.

There was a noise like no one ever heard before as Cameron turned her head to the sky and screamed….

Everyone that heard it knew that was the 'death call' to Skynet.

Bob joined in as did every other Terminator. The scream of rage was heard for miles around.

Terror

Why are a few simple words
Able to cause one such fear
When the words of rejection
Come from one that is held dear

They are the words
That everyone will dread
They suck out the life
They make one feel dead

One is left shattered
They are full of fright
They can stay and fight
Or run and take flight

The fear of replacement
Leaves one more than scared
They wonder if it was worth it
For what they once dared

It fills one with horror
To know it was an error
The feeling going forward
Is one filled with terror

Nobody