Chapter 449

Temporal Triumphs

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Cameron's Future Timeline:

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Cameron and Duplicate Cameron went through the chip of the Terminator she'd captured when he set out to repair the damaged HK drone. She needed to know where he came from. She'd also placed a tracker on the HK drone. That signal disappeared at one point. That left a second location to investigate.

The review process was finished for now. There wasn't much to work with but things needed to get started.

"So what do we really have?" Duplicate Cameron asked.

Cameron didn't have the answer to that.

"I don't know." Cameron said.

The information on the chip was mostly erased and inconclusive. It may have been designed to entrap them or even Cameron specifically.

"The information reeks of a set up." Duplicate Cameron said.

Cameron reached the same conclusion.

"I'm aware of that." Cameron said. "I'll still need to check it out anyway. I'm going alone."

Cameron left on her own. She made sure Duplicate Cameron stayed with Future John and the girls. She set out for the coordinates that the Terminator possessed as his home base. There was no footage of the interior. There wasn't much footage of anything.

The tracker Cameron placed on the HK drone showed it returned to a different set of coordinates before the signal vanished. That area would need to be checked as well. It was possible the tracker was located and destroyed.

The HK drone could be underground or in the side of a mountain as well. Skynet like to hide deep in the earth when possible. That was how it survived the bunker buster bombs and nuclear blasts in the past to continue to exist.

She would check out where the Terminator showed it was recently at first. She wanted another female chassis for Holly. She didn't know what the resolution in the past would be for her. The knowledge of that result would need to wait until she returned. Her biggest fear was that Holly would still self terminate over what happened to her even though Bob was supposed to 'fix' it. The damage that was done would still be on her chip. It would always be in her mind somewhere waiting to surface and rear its ugly head.

Cameron felt a glitch impulse. She still planned to relinquish her chassis to Holly if that was what was needed to quell her trauma.

She wanted a better solution. Maybe she was too close to all of it to see clearly and think of one. She wanted to preserve the timeline or she would go back in time and prevent Holly from going in the first place. That still left the risk of the Connor camp being wiped out. She could also return herself and do what Holly did or even go warn the Connor camp as herself. If that was what she would do, it seemed like it already would have played out like that. It hadn't.

Cameron looked around where she was and everything was still the same. There still needed to be a way to save Holly and preserve the timeline. She didn't want another deviation of her future timeline. The more timelines there were and they found out about, the harder it would be to protect John and Future John.

She was sure there were other timelines already and she'd probably been responsible for their creation.

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Cameron's Base Current Timeline:

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Cammy was unsure about what else Cameron was going to do in the future when they'd left. She thought Cameron hid something from her. She figured it was actually a lot that was hidden from her. She did wonder why Cameron or Bob never talked about Holly after the battle. Since she'd returned she could see how much Allison was worried about Holly. The fact that nobody knew anything about it, made her wonder even more.

She saw how upset and hurt Allison felt. It was very moving to see how deeply she cared about Holly. She watched as Savannah went to comfort her.

Cammy stiffened and her left hand glitched. She instantly knew how events were about to play out…. It stabbed her 'heart'. She saw this play out in the future they'd just returned from. History was about to repeat itself…. Cameron's words that Savannah needed human companionship echoed in her mind.

"I need to go check on some things." Cammy managed to say.

She told herself she must accept destiny and the future….

Cammy knew Allison was hurt and she knew Savannah was probably still angry at her. She felt she needed to sacrifice to provide Savannah what she wanted and deserved. Savannah too would need protection from assassination in the future if she was only seen with Metal around her. She knew she needed to let this play out.

"Comfort her and yourself." Cammy whispered with a small smile.

Savannah looked at Cammy with tear filled eyes.

It was clear that everyone hurt.

"Thank you for understanding." Savannah whispered back.

Cammy kissed Savannah on the cheek and left. She knew love was about sacrifice sometimes. This was one of those times. She also knew what Savannah was forced to leave behind again. It wasn't just Cameron either. Savannah needed to leave part of herself in the future. Savannah's comfort and mental well being was more important to her right now.

Allison lay on Savannah's bed weeping.

Savannah sat next to Allison. She gently stroked her face and hair.

Allison looked up through her tears and there was 'Savannah'. It was HER Savannah, the Savannah who saved her so many years ago. It was THAT 'Savannah' who held her and comforted her right now.

It gripped Allison tightly inside.

It was the 'Savannah' she first loved. The Savannah she always wanted…. THAT Savannah was here now soothing her.

"Savannah…." Allison said as she gently pulled Savannah to her.

Their faces were inches apart. They could feel each other's hearts pound, hear their breathing, feel each other's breath and see the hunger in each other's eyes….

They both knew they wanted each other. Savannah was hurt over Cameron not returning. She was worried about leaving Joy behind.

Allison was hurt over Holly not returning. What made it worse was no one would tell her anything. It was as if Holly vanished from the face of the earth. There was only desolation without resolution.

Now the 'forbidden fruit' was here in front of her. Their bodies called to each other. The love that was within them needed to express itself. They needed the comfort of each other.

"Savannah…." Allison said again. "I need you…."

Allison touched Savannah gently.

"I love you, Allison." Savannah whispered.

Savannah rolled onto her back as she gently brought Allison on top of her.

"Savannah…." Allison said. "I want you. I NEED you…."

There were a million thoughts that went through Savannah's mind right now. She'd done a lot more in both of the futures she'd been to than she ever imagined possible. She experienced more love and sharing that she'd thought she ever would. Maybe it was all their parting gifts to each other. What better way to express love than to share it?

Savannah was with Allison right now. She wanted this too. She never told anyone that she'd been with Duplicate Allison several times in the first future she'd gone to. They vowed to never speak to anyone of what they did. She didn't want Cameron or her 'mother' to know and Duplicate Allison didn't want Duplicate Vanna to know she'd picked the 'forbidden fruit'…. It was a secret love affair.

What Savannah didn't know was that Duplicate Allison experienced an additional encounter with her - 'Savannah'….

Mrs. Weaver watched them share as the ceiling or the wall. She saw what each of them liked and how they each reacted. She knew they vowed to never tell anyone or speak of the encounters.

When Mrs. Weaver was sure Duplicate Allison and Savannah wouldn't be together again she assumed Savannah's form and was 'with' Duplicate Allison herself.

Mrs. Weaver was never this 'excited' or even knew she could be. She did everything as Savannah did. She 'saw' Duplicate Allison as both Allison and as 'Cameron'.

Mrs. Weaver wanted more now. She left Duplicate Allison and told her again they must never discuss it or talk about it ever, to anyone. 'She' reminded Allison that she didn't want her 'mother' to know or find out. Duplicate Allison said she understood.

Duplicate Allison was also happy Savannah really improved her love making skills. She hoped she'd been a good teacher…. She taught Savannah the very things 'her Savannah' - Duplicate Vanna taught her. She hoped Duplicate Vanna never found out.

Mrs. Weaver knew she wanted – MORE….

Savannah wanted this. It was more than 'just' her third 'Allison'. It was a call deep inside her. Her future called to her now.

"Take me. Please…." Savannah whispered. "I love you, Allison."

Allison pulled Savannah closer and softly kissed her.

"I love you too, Savannah." Allison said.

Savannah responded. She deepened the kiss as she pulled Allison into her….

Cammy listened from down the hall. A single tear slid down her cheek. She left Savannah to her destiny, Allison – ALL of them. She knew if she said anything that Savannah would really hate her.

She believed the 'Natural Order' was unstoppable in any form or timeline.

Cammy knew she too experimented in the future. She might as well in the past as well. Sometimes things just happened and someone was caught up in them. It was what everyone wanted anyway so it wasn't a big deal. Was it?

Ginger didn't like that everyone else was in combat and sustained damage. Her existence was mostly peaceful even if she'd been in combat many times. She'd remained relatively undamaged.

There were people here that cared about others. They loved them and they loved each other. It was time for her to sacrifice again. She could attend to herself once she returned to her future.

"Bob, I'm going to have you remove my frontal sheath around to the lower back side." Ginger said. "I'm giving Holly the sheath covering most suitable for her quickest regeneration."

Bob couldn't believe that. Ginger was about to 'ruin' herself. He couldn't allow that. She'd helped Cameron and just allowed her chassis to be 'used' for almost a year by Cammy.

"That will destroy you as a female, Ginger." Bob said. "I can't do that to you."

Ginger gave it some thought. She could still have some sheath replacement done here to keep her 'female'. Holly and Allison both needed something faster here and now.

"It's for Holly. She needs to be whole again. She has a lover who needs her. Allison needs her." Ginger said. "I can use the sheath parts from the darker chassis. They will take longer to regenerate and Resequence to my DNA. It doesn't matter to me."

Maybe Ginger said it didn't matter to her but it did to Bob. He already seen Holly destroyed. He wasn't going to let Ginger destroy herself on top of that. He needed 'Cameron's' input. Cameron was in the future and the machines here didn't want to activate Cameron's spare chip. He believed that was a mistake. He knew where there was a 'Cameron' at right now.

"No, Ginger, you can't keep sacrificing for everyone." Bob said. "I'm going to activate Holly's chip, 'Cameron' will have control. We can advise her on the situation and she will decide what we do. I will NOT ruin you. You are beautiful, Ginger. I can't take that from you. I refuse to do that unless Cameron orders me to do so. I will not allow anyone else to do so either."

Ginger appreciated the concern. She still viewed things a little deeper. She was sure it mattered who was on the table.

"And if it was Cameron lying there?" Ginger asked.

Bob hung his head. He would do as Ginger asked in that case. Right now he wanted 'Cameron' here.

He gently sliced Holly's abdomen open and removed her chip. He unwrapped it from the anti-static bag. He then sliced her scalp open and set the chip.

Ginger quickly put several sutures in Holly's abdomen as Bob put several in her scalp.

Holly rebooted. It should be as Holly-Cameron. It was.

"I've firewalled 'Holly' on her chip for now." Holly-Cameron said. "I won't be able to hold her indefinitely."

Bob and Ginger quickly explained all the options to 'Cameron' in Holly.

Holly-Cameron didn't like any of them. She was most against Ginger disfiguring herself again for someone else. Her calculations soon focused on her current ability to use a TDE. The sheath was repaired to the point where that was possible. The fact she was here back in the past was proof of that.

The best solution to the currant issue regarding Holly was to prevent this disaster from happening to her in the first place. A lot happened since she was sent into the future the second time. The issue was how to prevent the carnage to Holly and still keep the timeline intact.

The attack on the Connor compound needed to be thwarted as it previous was or it would be wiped out. It appeared as if some temporal manipulation could rectify most of what happened. It still sickened 'Cameron' to know what happened to Holly. She decided on a 'work around' that wouldn't change the timeline. It would only change what actually happened to Holly. It would create a time loop that Holly was not a part of past a certain point.

Holly-Cameron needed Ginger's help in another way.

"Did Sheila show you how to operate the TDE?" Holly-Cameron asked Ginger.

Ginger was instructed how to operate the TDE in her future as well as the TDE here at Cameron's base.

"Yes." Ginger said.

Holly-Cameron looked at her featureless figure. It made the 'Cameron' in her 'sick'.

"No one is sacrificing anything on my behalf. I'm not going to be responsible for doing this to Holly in the first place." Holly-Cameron said.

Holly-Cameron looked around the room. She noted the other two deactivated female Terminators. They wouldn't be 'destroyed' either.

"I'm writing new programming as we speak." Holly-Cameron said. "You're going to send the time bubble for Holly in MY future before any of this happened. I'll give you the exact times and coordinates. As soon as she arrives back here, Bob will take her out of there and make sure no one enters. I will emerge from the storage room and you will send me back to those exact coordinates and time ten seconds after Holly left. I'll block this Holly from knowing what I've done to her sheath and chassis. I'll return to MY future and take the place of Holly for those events. The battle will take care of the rest…. I'll cease to exist when I leave the TDE pad. This chassis and chip will be in a temporal time loop. This will be a - Temporal Termination."

Bob and Ginger looked at each other. That was the perfect solution to a bad event. The damage would never occur to Holly and it would never be on her chip that way.

"I understand." Ginger said.

'Cameron' was pleased she would face a temporal termination. The fact this event even occurred would need to be addressed. Bob and Ginger would still need to delete their files related to this.

"Both you and Bob will delete and erase all files related to these events and what happened to Holly. There will be no record and no one will ever know." Holly-Cameron said. "I'm ashamed at what I've done to her."

Bob felt 'Cameron' was too harsh on herself. Things needed to happen to prevent a disaster. That was what happened and a disaster was prevented.

"You did what you did to save Future John and the girls as well as yourself…. there." Bob said. "Think of the babies. It needed to be done. That is our function."

Cameron thought the truth was ugly. There was a victory for the Resistance. It was a big one too. It came with a steep price. Not every victory was sweet. A win wasn't always a victory when the price was too high.

"I'm ashamed I ruined Holly, she's so beautiful…. I love her." Holly-Cameron said. "Make sure the coast is clear and let's get started."

'Everyone sacrifices for John Connor.' Holly-Cameron thought.

It wouldn't be Holly this time.

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Cameron's Future Timeline:

Temporal Replay: Seconds before the Skynet HK drones arrived:

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Holly waited for Bob to return. She was away from the bunker to provide security for Bob's temporal mission into the past.

The arcing and flashing started.

An energy bubble formed.

The 'Cameron' in Holly told her to immediately get into the energy bubble.

Holly did so without hesitation.

The arcing and flashing ended.

The energy bubble was gone.

Holly was no longer in Cameron's future.

Seconds later:

The arcing and flashing started.

The energy bubble appeared.

'Featureless Holly' - Holly-Cameron was in it.

She'd returned right after Holly left.

The arcing and flashing ended.

'Holly' stood and quickly put 'her' clothes back on. There was some type of block in her programming. She was unaware her body was now featureless and devoid of all female anatomy. The last few moments were blank to her….

Holly blinked and shook her head, something happened….

Holly was out a ways from the camp when she first heard them. It was the sound of HK drones. They were low and there were a lot of them. 'Cameron' immediately took control of her chassis. Holly–Cameron carried a plasma rifle. She quickly fired it over the camp in a pattern to alert them and give them a few precious seconds warning. She then turned to strike as Skynet targets approached the Connor Compound.

Everything in Cameron's future - happened as before….

Holly was already back at Cameron's base in the past before the first shot was fired in Cameron's future.

Nobody knew….

Triumph

It's been said before
To the victor goes the spoils
But at what cost
What are the toils

As strange as it may seem
A win isn't always a victory
Not every victory is sweet
Even if that seems contradictory

When one plays the game
Do they play it fair
Maybe they don't always
It doesn't mean they don't care

Short shuffle the cards
Go ahead and stack the deck
Deal from the bottom
Just say 'what the heck'

It may take longer to play fair
It might need that extra oomph
It will only increase the thrill
Of the next conquest's triumph

Nobody