Ch 10
In the crew's mess, the crew sat at tables, watching Lt. Booker, John, Cameron and Mrs. Weaver standing in front of the serving line at the back.
Lt. Booker, said, "Men, I called everyone her to discuss an important Matter. We've been wondering about what happened, and how big it is. Mr. Connor here has answers, and will explained."
John spoke up. I'm John Connor, leader of the human resistance. Beside me Lt. General Cameron Connor, and Catherine Weaver, leader of the machine resistance. I case you didn't know AI's are real. Before this war broke out, Catherine ran a very successful company. Now, her and I are working together to save everyone we can. Let me give you a short explanation of what's gong on."
"The Air Force, we think, developed an AI to prevent human error in the missile defense of our country. It is called Sky Net. The branch of military that developed it isn't that important. The results are. Sky Net is a true AI, it thinks, it acts independently. That was the first big mistake, letting a sentient entity take over all high tier military operations that does not full understand the effects of what it does. Sky Net knows efficiency and tactics. It knows self defense. That is all it knows. It has no concept of things like negotiation, morals or interaction. When it started doing things out government didn't want, they tried to unplug it. Being in our military network, and most likely other also, it saw this as an attack on itself. To protect itself from the humans that were trying to kill it, it launched all the nuclear weapons it could. The only reason you have not launched all of yours is that the satellites that would have given you the order, was destroyed. Most everyone else did launch. I mean everyone, us, Russia, China, India. Nuclear Armageddon has happened guys. Millions upon millions dead. Few people are left. Since there are people left, Sky Net is building machines to hunt the rest of us down. Hunter Killer drones and tanks, humanoid AI's called terminators. Their mission is to exterminate us. That is why Sky Net was after your sub. It wanted the nukes. Not to threaten with but to use to eliminate us."
"Sky Net also does not like AI's it does not control. Cameron and Mrs. Weaver are only a couple of them, and there are more who are working with us to get rid of Sky Net. Yes, Mrs. Weaver is an AI who is much more advanced than Sky Net itself. So is Cameron here. We are working together to stop Sky Net before everyone is dead and the planet is destroyed. Any questions so far?"
The crew were staring at them. "This shits real?" one man asked.
"It is," John said firmly.
Another man pointed at Cameron, "Wait, she's an AI?"
"TOK-715," Cameron stated.
"But …. You look human," the man complained.
Catherine cleared her throat and said, "We do. It is necessary to conform into society. Unlike Sky Net, who's only goal is to destroy whatever it does not control, we want to live free. This may be a hard concept for you, but we are free thinking beings."
"This isn't a joke," the kaki clad man said.
"No Joke," Catherine stated. She lifted up and hand and morphed it into a long silver blade. "Normally, we do not make ourselves known to people unless we are very close to them. Currently, we are operating in a dire emergency situation. If anyone is to live, we must all work together." The long blade shrunk back down and her hand reformed. "I am T-1001. As John Connor said, we are trying to save as many as we can and form a force to defeat Sky Net. It will not be easy, and many more will die. Sky Net is world wide, and we have the small advantage that due to satellite destruction, Sky Net cannot immediately see what happens here in North America. Other places in the world are not that fortunate. Once Sky Net wipes out the rest of the world, it will be coming to kill us also. We need to act before that happens."
"Damn," a couple men whispered.
"So, what do we do?" another man asked.
"First, we try to help those on other continents to survive by using your missiles here to create high air bursts," John stated. "The EMP effect will wipe out Sky Net's receivers. That will give whoever is left on other continents, time to react, hide, whatever they are trying to do. We need your help, guys."
One of the crew stood up and said, "I say we do it! We've been sitting here with our thumbs up our asses ever since we got nuked. What in the hell do we have these missiles for if we're not going to strike back at the enemy? Guys, everything you knew outside this boat is GONE! Our wives, girlfriends, kids, have been burned to ash. What's it gonna take for us to get our asses in gear?" He looked at John and asked, "Can these AI's bypass the safeties so we can launch?"
"Once we know the circuitry, we can," Cameron replied.
"Then let's to it!" he said, fist clenched.
John spoke up. "Anyone who doesn't want to help, we have caverns we are taking people to that are radiation free, and for the moment, safe from Sky Net. Anyone who stays will be expected to do your jobs. Go or stay, is up to you."
The man standing said, 'I'm Petty Officer Salavati, and I'm staying. I'm a fire control tech, I can show you what you have to do to get some payback on this Sky Net thing!"
"Me too," another man stated, "I'm sure you're going to need the nuke plant fired up so we can move."
One by one every man was hot for revenge, and eager to get moving.
John looked at Lt. Booker and asked, "Will you stay and lead your crew?"
Lt. Booker nodded. "I will. We're going to need supplies and manpower, we're damn near out of food, and this is only a third of the crew. We had just pulled in the day before and we were on stand down. Not seeing anyone else, I must assume they are all dead.""
John turned to Mrs. Weaver, and asked. "Catherine, can you go ask General Bedell for some men and supplies?"
Catherine nodded and left.
"I can go begin learning about the targeting and launching system," Cameron said.
"Do it. Officer Salavati, will you show Cameron the firing circuits?" John asked.
"Do I get a commission?" he asked with a grin.
"You are acting weapons officer," John told him. "Go make this ship ready to launch."
"Yes, General! General Cameron, come with me." Salavati said eagerly.
"Captain Booker," John said, which made Booker look at him. "I have a couple things to attend to. Get this ship up off the bottom and prepare to get under way. The men coming have probably never seen the inside of a submarine, so they will need to be trained. I trust you have the men to do that?"
"I won't be easy, we'll do our best," Booker assured him.
.
Sky Net was analyzing the conflicting reports. The human resistance had not yet been formed. All humans had been eradicated in the northwest US area. A sizable force of Humans attacked from the south. It's forces went south to get rid of them. Next in an area where no humans were, a strong force of humans appeared right at the submarine they were trying to salvage. It's forces were recalled to help deal with them. Then, the last message was from the ship was it was being attacked with energy weapons.
It analyzed the reports, looking for errors. Some reports could not be true. The humans could not have been removed from the area if they attacked in force. The area had been hit with ground impacts first to help crumble underground structures before the air bursts wiped out anything on the surface. Terminators were stationed as far as a hundred miles out. How could a human force be in the area?
It sent out a request for status. One reply came back, the unit was immobile in deep snow and could not move.
If terminators were held immobile, how did humans move? This was a situation that needed study. It ordered the forces it had farther north to go to the Bremerton area to investigate, and finish salvaging that submarine that still had nuclear weapons and kill any humans they came across.
.
The USS Akaska was on the surface now and undamaged, only suffering a lack of paint on the sail above the waterline where the top of the ship had been exposed. The duty section had acted quickly upon the first blast that wiped out Seattle. They tossed off the mooring lines and sunk themselves at the pier. Three men didn't get back inside, and were vaporized when a bomb hit the base, but the rest of the crew, and the ship was saved. Shielded by water, and ground. the radiation from the closest blast was not enough to kill the crew or damage the ship. They all got high doses, but not lethal ones.
John and Cameron were in the control room, Cameron told John what they had to do as she showed him the metal box she had ripped open on the Conn.
"This is Captain's permission to fire. It is a key switch protected by a combination lock. I tore the box open and hot wired it on. There is another down in fire control, the Weapons Officer's permission to fire. I got the pistol grip out that is the firing button. There are other things that need to be done, and Officer Salavati with his men and a TX are getting the missile ready for launch. They should be done by the end of the day." Cameron explained.
"Outstanding," John told her, and slipped an arm around her.
Cameron smiled and put an arm around him. "This will be something Sky Net does not expect," she said, then in a more serious tone, she added, "And Sky Net will begin looking for us very hard. We will become it's number one target."
"I know, but it has to be done," John said in a huff. "Wish we have more time for … other things."
"Time is of the essence, Sky Net is sure to have terminators and H/K's on the way."
"For sure," John agreed.
"General I…" the man coming stopped short upon seeing John and Cameron in a hug. "Ahhh Cameron is an AI, right?" he asked weakly.
"I am," Cameron stated.
"Ahh, are you … together?" he asked.
"We have not made a baby yet, but yes, we are," Cameron told him.
"You can do that?" he asked in a squeak.
"I am fully functional," Cameron explained.
"What is your information?" John asked.
The man collected himself and said, "Oh, yes sir, All the new crew are on board, the stores are loaded. The new medic from Bedell's army is settling into sick bay, and Mrs. Weaver reports that General Bedell and Major Gentry are ready to depart."
"Thank you," John told him. "Tell General Bedell I'll be out in a few minutes, I want to speak to him and Major Gentry before they leave."
"Yes sir," the man said, and went on his way.
John cast Cameron sad look and said, "So much for some snuggle time."
Cameron kissed him and said, "When we get out to sea, We'll have time to snuggle. The sooner we get everyone out of this hot zone, the better."
"Very true. I'll be back after I send our troops on their way," John said and kissed her.
.
John noted the sleds of Major Gentry were filled with deactivated terminators. To Gentry he said, "After you get these terminators to Weaver's facility, make sure you stop by the caverns and load up on supplies before heading back to Las Vegas. Good luck."
Martin asked "John, why don't we stay and defend this place? You know Sky Net's going to be coming here."
"And this area is hotter than hell in radiation," John replied. "Anyone stayed here is going to be cooked from the inside. That's why I want everyone out. Post lookouts no closer than thirty miles away from any city. You have reinforcements coming?"
"We do, five thousand troops and 20 Stugs, all plasma shooters, with a supply train," Bedell said. "I take it we are to go heavy in camo?"
"Yes, remember, infrared and radar is what H/K's use. Post your men carefully in small groups. Stay off the radio unless it is an emergency. We want to give Sky Net as little information about us as we can. We're leaving too, Good luck," John said and shook his hand, and Gentry's. "Gentlemen, move out."
.
At sea, one of Weaver's AI ships , a destroyer, was cruising off the coast of Washington State and picked up a radar contact coming in from open ocean. It turned to intercept. After the maneuver, it saw a dozen smaller contacts spit from the single contact. It armed weapons and selected a ship-to-ship missile programmed to go around the incoming contacts and hit the large one. After that missile was off, it fired three more surface to air missiles at the incoming.
Watching the results, One of the incoming veered off to chase the ship to ship missile. The three anti aircraft missiles met the incoming. Three of the contacts went away. The ship to ship hit the large contact.
The close in 30 MM chain gun was activated. The destroyer launched two more missiles at the incoming. These hit, then the incoming was too close to shoot any more. The chain gun began blasting away. Aiming the forward gun, the ship fire that at the incoming also. Four more contacts disappeared as the visual sensors picked up the last five H/K's incoming. Another blew up from a the forward gun firing, and two more dropped into the ocean from the chain gun. The last pair shot plasma rounds, one after another at the middle of the ship.
Flooding sensors picked up a large hole in the ship. The ship kept shooting as it settled into the water. Finally getting the last two H/K's The last burning H/K dove into the side of the ship. The ship shuddered from the explosive impact and listed heavily to port.
Before power went out, it sent a battle report at high power. Power went out right after that and it sunk down out of sight.
The anti ship missile found it's target and rammed into the freighter's side, right where the engine room was. Exploding inside the freighter, It destroyed the ship's engines and the torn hull open to let sea water in. The freighter settled by the stern, taking all 5000 terminators and fifty H/K tanks to the bottom with it.
.
John didn't relax until they were out of the sound and into the ocean. Right after diving he, Cameron, Mr. Booker and Mr. Salavati sat and planned the missile strikes. One missile, spreading out it's warheads, could cover eastern Russia and northeast China Another to cover the rest of China, a third to cover central Russia, one to cover western Europe, and fourth to cover South America.
"Why South America?" Captain Booker asked.
John said, "We don't know if Sky Net is down there, but if we can, I want to EMP the globe, just incase Sky Net is there."
"Smart move," Mr. Salavati said. "A trip around South America, and we can cover the rest of the world with … two more missiles. One for Africa, another for eastern Europe and western Russia, and the mideast. Maybe a third for the India, and all the 'Stan' countries in the area. Each warhead is going to cover about a thousand mile diameter with EMP, and spread out, they cover continents. No fallout, no radiation either since they will be going off so high up."
John nodded and said, "Captain, you may fire when ready."
.
John had never thought much about how missiles launched. The missiles didn't light off in the tubes, they were ejected like a bullet out of a gun. Like a gun, the submarine recoiled down slightly, shaking the boat as each missile left the tubes. Once all four were fired, Captain Booker ordered them deep and fast to exit the area, just in case there was something to shoot back at them.
The missiles were effective. The bombs exploding high in the atmosphere did fry every receiver Sky Net had on the continent, cutting it's communications. It also shut down every terminator in that area. In the two minutes that Sky Net's forces were immobile, Surviving humans either got away to safety, or smashed/ blew up the Sky Net machines before they ran for they ran for safety.
.
Two hours after launching, the USS Akaska came to periscope depth and raised the ESM mast up, searching for signals. There weren't any.
.
Now that the immediate jobs had been done, John and Cameron took a tour of the sub. The men the met told them about the ship. John was happy to learn they had torpedo tubes loaded in case they met a hostile. Gong down to fire control John praised the men on a job well done. Going back to the 'launcher' area he gave them the same praise. Continuing on, they stopped by the Sick bay to find Cindy inventorying some lockers.
"Cindy?" Cameron asked, staring at the girl. "WHAT are you doing here? How did you get here?"
Cindy cast her a smile. "Hi Cameron. I was picked as the medic for this ship. It's good think all this stuff was packed away tight, the ship really shook when those missiles launched.," Cindy replied.
"Who picked you?" Cameron asked.
"General Bedell," Cindy told her. With a shrug she added, "I was the only medic left, and so I was it."
"WHY were you with General Bedell's forces to begin with?" Cameron asked in a harder tone.
"I enlisted." Cindy said simply.
"You're underage."
Cindy eyed her and said, "OK, so I lied about my age. I came to do my part. Yeah, it was downright frightening, but someone had to try to help the wounded. If I wasn't there, no one would have helped those people," she stated.
"Does Mom know?" Cameron asked.
"I left Mom a note, I put it in the meal pack she had out for dinner. I didn't want her to know too soon. I was afraid she'd try to stop me," Cindy explained.
John let out a sigh. He could see Cameron wasn't happy with the girl.
"Of course she would!" Cameron snapped. "Cindy, you might very well die out here!" Cameron told her. Shifting to her terminator stare, Cameron said, "When we get to port, you're going back home."
"Why?" Cindy asked.
"I don't want you to die," Cameron said flatly.
"I don't want to die, but I have to help," Cindy told her. Motioning to John and Cameron, she added, "Do you think I want to loose either of you? No! Cameron, everyone knows we have to work together. There's a hundred people organizing and passing out food rations back in the caverns. Here, I'm making a difference, saving lives! It's something I have to do!"
John clasped Cameron's hand. "Cam? Let's go talk."
Cameron looked at John and said "I don't want Cindy hurt!"
"No one does, we need to talk about this." He tried to pull Cameron away, she resisted.
"John, Cindy should not be here," Cameron stated.
John was hoping to talk to Cameron where Cindy couldn't hear. That wasn't going to happen, so he just said it. "Cam, listen, Cindy has to find her place in this war as all of us do. Yeah, she's young, BUT for her to even volunteer makes her very brave and I applaud that. She's doing her part to stop Sky Net. At the moment, this is probably the safest place she can be. Honestly, I don't want anyone else to die, but it is going to happen."
"I don't like this, John," Cameron said firmly.
John gave a dry chuckle and said, "We just launched 4 nuclear missiles with multiple warheads. I don't like that much either, but it had to be done. Cindy is doing what she feels she has to do. If anything, you should be proud of her."
Cameron looked at John, then at Cindy.
"I have to help," Cindy stated. "Tell me you will go home and stay out of the war, and I'll follow you. If not, then I'm staying here, doing what I can until the war is over, or I'm dead."
Cameron's hand twitched. The left one that John was holding. He felt the pain and heard the crack. He bit back, not letting out a yelp. His wince did get Cameron's attention.
Cameron looked down and quickly let go. "John, I'm sorry," Cameron said weakly.
"That's gonna swell up," John said tightly. "Don't worry about it, I should have known better. Right now, I think Cindy needs your support."
"And I need to look at that hand," Cindy said firmly, and grabbed his wrist to inspect his hand. Feeling his bones, she said, Yup, it's called a boxers break. It's not bad, but I'm going to put it in a cast."
John let Cindy tend to his hand as Cameron gazed on, chastened.
"Cam, it's all right," John told her.
Cameron watched Cindy put John's hand in the cast, then waited for it to harden. She note Cindy's careful attention to him. Even though she didn't like it, she said, "John's right. I am proud of you Cindy. I just want you safe."
Cindy smiled at Cameron briefly and said, "I want us all safe. Until we can be, we must do our best to end this war."
Once Cindy was done with John's hand, Cameron hugged her. Cindy returned the hug.
"So, you're not mad at me?" Cindy asked.
"I am. I also understand. Do your best, Cindy Young, and stay alive. That's an order," Cameron told her firmly.
Cindy chuckled and replied, "I plan to. And be careful with John OK?" she added with a crooked grin.
"I will," Cameron assured her.
They left Cindy to her work and moved on. Going back to a machinery space, the crewman that was teaching two of Bedell's army men noticed them and said, "Welcome Generals Connor. Something I can help you with?"
"Just looking around," John told him. "We've never seen the inside of a submarine before."
"Well if you're interested, I was telling the noobs about the motor generator sets," the man said, motioning to a big unit that looked like two giant motors facing each other.
"Sure, please continue," John told him.
A the man talked and explained that one was AC and one was DC, both were motors and generators. One was able to drive the other. AC drove to charge the ships batteries, DC drove when they needed AC power. John looked over at Cameron. He realized that the man had called them Generals Connor. Without thinking about it, That was how he had been introducing Cameron, as general Cameron Connor, not Phillips. He was already considering Cameron his wife. As soon as he could, he wanted to make that official.
Cameron must have been reading his thoughts, because she looked at him and smiled.
.
After a dinner of MRE's John and Cameron were on their bunk, which had been the Executive officer's stateroom. The space was tight, but they had their own tiny shower, desk and a door. Sitting leaning against each other, John said, "I feel as if we're already married. Once we get back to the bunker, I'd like to find a priest, or any clergyman, and make it official."
Cameron grew a grin. "Yes, you're already calling me, General Connor. You know Sarah's not going to be happy about it."
"Some things you just can't help," John said vacantly.
"I love you and you love me," Cameron stated.
"That is what is most important," John said firmly. "Mom will learn to deal with it."
A knock sounded at the door. "Come in," John said.
"Sir, Sonar has a surface contact bearing 264, range 15000 yards, drawing right … north. Classified a US destroyer, " the man reported.
"Is it a problem?"
"No sir, It's not pinging active, and this deep, it won't hear us."
"Mrs. Weaver has been making ships she finds in San Diego into AI's to patrol the coast. It's probably one of those," John said. "Don't worry about it unless it becomes a problem."
"Yes, sir," the man said and left.
Cameron said, "If we find plane that are flyable, we can turn those into drones also."
"Great idea, my future wife," John told her. They kissed. The kisses turned deeper, the petting began. They took this quiet time to enjoy each other.
.
In the three calm days it took to get to a point between LA and San Diego that Catherine Weaver said was the best place to dock, John and Cameron were able to take more time with each other. The USS Alaska was now a resistance ship, and the US Navy formalities were not so formal. The resistance men were learning the ship and given qualification cards to work on so they would be qualified to be crew members.
John looked at these cards. It amazed him the amount of knowledge they had to learn. Basically, everything about the ship. Every piece of machinery and how it worked, every pipe and what went through it, valve, electrical circuit, weapons and the power plant. They also had to know firefighting and flood control and the special hazards of each in a closed environment and in specific areas. The even had to go see Cindy to learn basic first aide. As one crewman put it, "We can't call for help, it's up to us to deal with whatever happens."
It wasn't going to take days to learn all about this ship, but months. No one was exempt from learning either. Even Cindy, who was the medic and spend her time in sick bay and inspecting food quality and cleanliness of the galley and crew's mess, had to learn the entire submarine from stem to stern. Between standing watches and studying the ship, the crew had no time for anything else.
.
The place Catherine picked for them to pull into was the last place one would expect to see ships docked. Normally, ports were up rivers or inside large bays with fairly flat land in the area. This area was tall, steep cliffs. The narrow channel in the split of the cliffs wasn't much wider than the Alaska. After slowly making their way in into the tight space, it did open up to show a small bay, just big enough for a couple tugboats to turn them around. Overhead, a ceiling had been built from cliff to cliff. It was all but an underground base.
They tied up to pinions set in the rock. The ten foot wide floating dock was tethered by cables in the same manner. At the far end, a few of John's hydrogen generators kept the air cleaners, lights, and de-salinization plant running. An elevator and stairs went up the side of the cliff to get to the surface.
Although the setup was impressive, John was sure most of it wasn't going to survive if an earthquake hit.
Everyone was relieved to finally get off the boat, especially the crew, who had been holed up inside for the last nine months. Ten of the original crew stayed on board with the 'newbies' to form a watch section, the others went out to look around, then ten more came back to the one who'd been on watch could escape the boat for a few hours.
Walking down the brow, which was a simple ramp to the dock, John noted only one other small ship was in this base. Captain Booker, John and Cameron went to the elevator to get lifted up into a tunnel. A room off to the side held a long table, hung a large world map on one wall beside a map of North America.
"Hello, Captain, Generals," Mrs. Weaver said. "John, your plan seems to have disrupted Sky Net rather well. Walter, AI-3 just came back, it has detected nothing of Sky Net communications."
"Fantastic. We still have more work to do," John agreed. "To cover the globe, we need to launch three more missiles. Captain Booker here also needs more crew."
Catherine nodded to Booker and said, "I have been arraigning that. I have twenty human volunteers and five TX's to help crew your ship. They have been learning bare basics of the Alaska, but will need much more training."
"They will get it. Thank you Mrs. Weaver," Captain Booker said with a smile.
Catherine then turned to John and said, "While you were underway, I got a signal from Pete, AI-1, my destroyer. It found a freighter headed for Northern Washington State. It moved to intercept and the freighter launched H/K's at it. It shot them down and was sunk in the process. It did sink the freighter before it went down. At least one freighter of Sky Net forces has been stopped."
"We may not be winning yet, but we're holding our own," John noted. "Any word from Derek?"
"Yes, the Nevada factory is nearing completion. Sky Net did send forces against him. Derek had to fall back, but is holding just east of Las Vegas. He wants the Fifth Cavalry back, as well as reinforcements," Catherine explained.
"He'll get them," John promised. "Have any TX's for him?"
"I do. Fifteen will be send along with 20 more Stugs," Catherine told him. "These Stugs you designed are turning out to be very efficient weapons against anything we've seen yet from Sky Net. I do strongly suggest an increase in protection. Side on to an enemy, they are more vulnerable. Plasma shots can penetrate low on the hull, between the wheels. I am working on an armor system to make them less vulnerable to side shots."
"Do you best," John Said. "Will Derek's factory be making them?"
"With the last reserves of coltan Sky Net's minions had collected," Catherine said. "We will need to find a source to make our own. The largest deposits in the Congo already have mines, if you can find a way to get there."
"An African assault," John said vacantly. "If the mines are there, I am sure Sky Net is too. We don't have the resources to take something like that on."
"John?" Cameron asked, "Sky Net will not expect us to attack Africa."
John smiled and said, "I know, that's why we must. We just have to figure out how to do it."
"General, what if we hit the area with low air bursts. That should stop them from mining," Captain Booker said.
John shook his head. "No, first of all, it would be a wasted effort, Sky Net would just send in more terminators. Second, that would create more radiation. We don't want to do that. We do high altitude bursts to screw up Sky Net comms. Since we can't take out the satellites, we take out what can receive Satellite comms." John told him.
"So we continue to carpet the globe with high air bursts," Captain Booker said.
"Right, when you get your men and supplies, head out and finish what we started. After that, take a run down the east coast of the US. Try to get some intel, but keep yourselves hidden. I suspect Sky Net is sending more forces here. If you see a ship you can identify as belonging to Sky Net, feel free to torpedo it. When you do, get the hell out of there deep and fast before they find you."
To Catherine, John said, "We're going back to Delta bunker and discuss invading Africa. There has to be a way to do it and at least shut down those mines, if not take them over."
.
John and Cameron went back, they stopped by the caverns to see Daniel and Claire. Daniel was upset Cindy had 'ran off' to join the army, Claire was just very sad she did.
Sitting down with Claire at the Way Point station restaurant, Cameron explained to her that Cindy was now a medic on the USS Alaska, and fairly safe. Although Cameron herself didn't like it, she explained to Claire it was what Cindy had to do to help defeat Sky Net.
While Cameron spent some time with Claire, John went to see his mother.
"Hi, mom," John said, coming into Sarah's office.
Sarah looked up, then got up and greeted him with a hug. "So, how did it go? People keep wanting news, and you're nowhere to be found," Sarah said in a half-scold.
John sat down in the chair across from her desk. propping his elbows on the desk, he said, "Better that I expected. The deep snow helped us. Terminators get stuck in deep snow, so a few, we just blew by. We got to Bremerton, got rid of the majority of Sky Net units there, sunk their supply ship and got a fully functional SSBN." Seeing Sarah eye him curiously, he said, "The USS Alaska, and it had a full compliment of missiles. Part of the crew was there, so we got it off the bottom and out to sea. We covered the Asian continent pretty good with high air bursts to cut Sky Net communications. Captain Booker will soon be on his way to cover the rest of the planet, making Sky Net reactions much slower all over the planet. I don't know if that will force Sky Net to stay in one place. I'm hoping so."
"Very good, John." Sarah replied. "We are getting more refugees Derek is finding. Most of them are at the factory he's making, helping out. Some have joined his army. I sent a few people with seed to grow food and a tunnel construction crew to help him expand. Last report, Derek has expanded into Utah and New Mexico. He is facing a few strong attempts by Sky Net at him, but has defeated them. Even with the losses Bedell took, we're up to 203,000 people, 32,500 in the army."
"That's good. We're keeping Sky Net away, and saving more people," John said.
"So, where's Tin Miss?"
John jerked a thumb over his shoulder and said, "She's seeing Claire Young. Their adopted daughter, Cindy, ran off and joined the army. Cameron wasn't happy about that, but it was Cindy's choice. I imagine Daniel and Claire aren't too happy with her either."
"I imagine not. About these nuclear weapons you're shooting off. Isn't that going to worsen the radiation problem?" Sarah asked.
"Nope. High air bursts only cause a powerful EMP that wipes out electronics. No radiation gets to the ground and no fallout," John explained. "We can mess up Sky Net comms and cause no further damage, radiation wise."
"And sends us back into the stone age," Sarah grumbled.
John chuckled and said, "Look where we are, mom. We're living in caves and hiding underground. We are already IN the stone age. We're just bringing Sky Net down to our level, where it is going to have a much tougher time existing."
Sarah frowned. "As long as we win," she conceded.
John then remembered he was going to bring up his and Cameron's marriage. Damn, he hoped she wasn't going to fly off the wall. He braced himself and said, "Ahh, mom? There is something else I have to tell you."
Sarah grew a smirk and said, "You married Tin Miss."
"Not yet," he said quickly, then paused and asked, "How did you know we're going to marry?"
Eyeing him, Sarah said, "When I get a message that the 'generals Connor,' John and Cameron, defeated Sky Net in Washington state, I figured you already did."
John winced. "I kinda… didn't think when I introduced Cam," he said sheepishly.
Sarah rubbed her forehead and said, "I saw it coming, John. I have to admit, Cameron is the best at taking care of you, so I can't complain too much."
"Thanks for understanding, Mom. So, are you coming to the wedding?"
.
Derek wasn't doing bad. He'd lost some ground when Sky Net sent an army after him, but with the shifting battlefield, his troops had given much more than they took. Even the 20 MM armed Stugs proved they could lay waste to a field of terminators, most of which were still using regular guns. He'd had a few reports of Terminators, and one H/K tank armed with plasma weaponry. In the cold, plasma also wasn't as effective at longer ranges. Passing through the chilly air, it lost heat all the way to the target. That and with the Stugs that could run in fast, break up the Sky Net line and hit them from behind, The orderly line Sky Net used to advance was turned into chaos.
Derek also used John's idea of making fake snow forts. Seeing the big target, Sky Net terminators went for the obvious, then were hit from the sides from units hiding in the snow. Using these, and tactics his Majors made up to trick and trap Sky Net units to get rid of small pockets of terminators, Derek knew his men were doing very well against what they faced. They even found gas and ammunition for the pair of M1 tanks. With ceramic frontal armor, they were his artillery, able to shoot much farther away that the Sky Net H/K tanks could in this weather. He also had a large pile of disabled terminators - with intact chips, to send back to Weaver.
The latest train of supplies and reinforcements came. Just before the train arrived, Major Gentry and his Stugs pulled into Vegas. Derek went out to meet them. Carrying a folder, Gentry saluted Derek. "We're back, General and with great news. Sky Net had been removed from the west coast," he said proudly. Handing Derek the folder he added, "General Connor has new orders for us."
Derek returned his salute and eyed the folder. "We're to take back the US?" he guessed.
"I'll let you read it, General. I'd say he's crazy, but, so far, crazy is working well for us," Gentry said with a grin.
Derek snorted and looked at the orders inside and read them aloud. "Increase scouting and searching for survivors. Search and destroy every Sky Net unit possible. Mark factories fit for possible production, army depots and when possible, scout to the Mississippi." He paused and said, "Yeah, he's nuts. This is a tall order, but we'll do our best."
"We got more Stugs and TX's coming too with the supply train," Gentry told him.
"Good, with this order, we need all the reinforcements we can get," Derek grumbled. "Split your Fifth into A and B. Tomorrow, you go out hunting for Sky Net units. Don't bite off more than you can chew."
"Fourteen units each," Gentry said. "Can we get a couple of those replacements?"
"Once I see everything we're getting, I'll let you know. Shouldn't be a problem," Derek said. "Plan on moving out due east, you can decide how far apart to put A and B groups. Just remember you're out there to hunt. If you find survivors, take care of them obviously, but I'll send people to pick them up."
"Yes , sir, I'll go tell the men," Gentry said. He saluted and left for his unit.
Not long after Gentry left, Captain Baker came in. "General, the train arrived. The supplies are being loaded and the reinforcements are waiting for assignments."
"How many did we get?"
"20 Stugs, 5200 men and women, 15 TX's."
Derek nodded in approval and said, "Send ten of the TX's, two Stugs and …a thousand men to Major Gentry. He's going hunting for Sky net units. The rest will be in Major Jacobson's division. The Major can decide how he wants to split them up."
"Yes, Sir."
Derek went back to his command truck to look at the vast area he had to cover. He decided to move his picket forward and north. John had gone through Idaho already, so he decided to have Jacobson send a force up there to see what Sky Net was around. With the depth of snow, and John's report of Terminators being stuck, immobile in the snow, he figured Montana had buried Terminators, if any were up there. Pushed east seemed to be the best option.
His door opened and shut, a female voice said, "General Reese, Sir, I was assigned as your assistant and personal guard."
Derek turned to look and his jaw dropped. All he could do was stare. He pulled the picture out of his pocket to be sure this was who he thought it was. He slipped the picture back in as he gaped at her. "Laura?" he asked weakly.
Laura beamed him a smile. "Yes sir, how did you know my name?"
Derek sat down, not taking his stare off her. Luckily, he hit the chair when he fell into it.