Days of Sky Net

by keithallen

sequel to the 'day' series. John Junior and his crew have gone home. Now, John Connor faces the coming of sky net, and the rush to prepare for it. Knowing when J-day will arrive and having the time and knowledge to prepare for it, John is in a better position than humanity originally was. But then again so is Sky Net. Forget the 'genre', as always, I'll go all over the place.

19. Chapter 19

CH 19

Sky Net east moved itself to the coast. There were ships afloat in Norfolk Virginia. It put it's units to work on a ship that had network communications, clearing out the human bodies and getting the ship ready to move. This time, when humans came to hunt it down, it would be out to sea and safe. Maybe then it could contact other segments who it desperately needed help from.

.

With everything John looked at as going well, and the long lapse in Sky Net activity, he decided it was time to officially make Cameron his wife.

Cameron was excited they were finally getting married. Derek, not so much, but he was happy for them. Sarah conceded, not really liking it, but knew that by now, it was only a formality. Claire on the other hand, was ecstatic. She told Cameron she was going to make the arrangements and the party. Of course, John and Cameron set the date and Cameron had the final say in all the planning, but they worked together to make it happen. John wanted to help but Claire informed him that this was a bride thing and to just be sure he had a good, clean uniform on for the ceremony.

The first thing needed was a nice white wedding dress for Cameron. Cameron and John had determined the location they wanted. Delta base, their original bunker where the resistance had begun. Now, instead of a true base, it was more of a production facility for food. It took in plant remains for fertilizer and goat food, and was all garden in the lower tiers.

Major Alex Crammer, Delta CO, was also eager to host the Connor wedding. To him it was a great honor to have his post be selected for the event. Using the largest room he had on the first tier, he had it cleaned out and cleaned up. The room would fit the two hundred plus people coming.

So far, the limited television network that showed recorded happenings of the resistance, only covered the caverns, LA and Las Vegas facilities. For this event, the data wire would be used to broadcast the wedding live all the way up to Denver, down to Corpus Christi and out to Detroit.

Back on the west coast, General Perry was looking to contribute to this monumental wedding in some way. The had some people why had been musicians before the war. He got them together and had them come up with a fitting tribute to John Connor and Cameron Conner that reflected the new reality, but also paid tribute to the pre-war world.

In LA, Catherine was busy retooling to make TX's en-mass. The historic wedding got her attention as well. This was the first time a man and machine were to be joined in wedlock. The very act mirrored the acceptance between man and machine in the resistance. It was going to be a monumental day. She wanted to do something special to commemorate it. She talked to Mr. Ellison, and he agreed to officiate.

.

The wedding was monumental event also for the pair of Grays who had been working at Delta base. For once, they knew where John Connor was going to be, time and place. He normally didn't announce where he was going to be, Connor came and left before they could plan anything. Now, they had him!

Taken in as survivors, Richard Cypher and Edgar Price had been biding their time, waiting for an opportunity to assassinate Connor. They wanted their reward, their weight in gold, and rule over the entire west coast for killing the fool Connor who didn't realize that Sky Net was the ultimate authority. Connor had started this war. Without him, the resistance would fall apart.

Richard and Edgar managed to get on the setup crew to get the rooms ready for the wedding. Now that they knew exactly where Connor was going to be, it was easy to plant a bomb inside the alter where that idiot Ellison was going to perform the disgusting ceremony. Besides challenging Sky Net, Connor was going to make a mockery of one of it's perfect creations and marry it! Such a thing was blasphemy.

Richard and Edgar had asked Colonel Crammer, all but begging, to make the alter for the wedding. Wood was in scarce supply, but they knew where to get some. It was only most of a sheet of plywood and a few 2x4's that had been left in a truck outside, buried in snow. To be able to claim they were the ones who killed Connor, they took on the task to dig the truck out and get the wood.

It was hard work shoveling the truck out and then hauling the wood inside. Richard and Edgar brought the wood in and began building the small alter, carefully sanding and putting it together, then sanding more. On a shelf they enclosed behind the cross Edgar carved out on the front, they hid the jars of tannerite. They had kept the explosive meant to long range target practice. The material took a large shock to set it off, but it was a powerful explosive.

Being guarded closely, they knew to try and walk up to Connor to shoot him was suicide. He would most likely be covered even during the wedding, but the altar would not be. Once Connor was standing near it, a shot right into the center of the cross would set off the tannerite and blow his evil ass away. A small hole in the stone wall into the next room would allow Edgar to place one perfect shot. He'd then hide the gun and rush in to 'help' and ensure Connor was dead. Richard was going move the cover for the hole so Edgar could shoot, then grab the rifle hiding under the refreshments table to make sure Connor died.

.

The white satin cloth Mrs. Weaver had managed to scrounge up was laid out on the table where Claire and Maria worked at Cameron's wedding dress. Maria knew Cameron's measurements, and made the cuts, allowing material for seams. Claire carefully stitched the pieces together by hand.

"What I wouldn't give for a sewing machine," Claire grumbled.

Not taking her eyes off the material she was cutting, Maria said, "The barter trade system is in place, but I have not seen a sewing machine anywhere," she said.

That made Claire grin. "No, they all need electricity now. We've been kicked back to the 1800's. Everything done has to be by hand, except for vital projects."

"Mrs. Weaver's base has two sewing machines to make uniforms for us, but she will not barter them," Maria explained.

"I'm sure she won't," Claire agreed. A faint smile lit her face as she added, "Then again, I suppose this is better in a way, making my daughter's wedding dress by hand. I am so glad that Cameron has found some happiness in her life. She has had it so hard for so long."

Maria paused and looked at Clair. "You adopted Cameron as your daughter?" she asked.

"No, dear. It is complex, but Cameron is my daughter, though greatly changed. She became … what she is to fight Sky Net. When she was born, Cameron was human. I don't understand it completely, but she was in the first time line. She fought Sky Net before, then came back in time to take care of John." With a sigh, she added, "Now, she has to do it again."

"Cameron changed herself from human into a machine," Maria said, understanding.

"I don't know how, but yes," Claire agreed.

"Nanites," Maria concluded. "Builder nanites can do that. I learned that in school. I have not seen it myself, but it is possible. Cameron is the most advanced terminator, that would explain why."

Claire looked up from her work and asked, "I thought you were one of the latest models?"

"I am," Maria agreed. "I have the latest tech and programming, but I still lack what Cameron has, a human style brain. I had thought that the digital brain was superior, but watching what Cameron and John come up with, at the time, seemed like foolish tactics, but what they planned out worked out perfectly. I am sure Cameron is learning from John.

I also have noted that while in the surface, emotions seem pointless, but they are very important."

"Yes, they are," Claire agreed. "Emotions give you a drive to do something. Even making Cameron's dress, if you want to make sure it's perfect, they you will pay more attention to your task to ensure it's perfect. The same with fighting Sky Net, emotions give you the drive to find the option that will work the best."

"That is how John can come up with his tactics?" Maria asked.

"I'm sure that is part of it. I imagine there are many things to consider," Claire told her.

"Thank you, Claire, you have given me much to consider," Maria told her.

"I will help you however I can, dear," Claire replied.

Maria was silent for a moment, then said, "You area good mother, Claire."

"Why thank you!" Claire beamed. It was the best compliment Claire could ever receive.

.

On the Texas coast, General Bedell was using half his forces on working to modify the USS Cacalla, SS 244. The hull has been reinforced, and the sub was sitting at dock, outdated equipment being replaced by modern digital controls so it could fire the MK 48 ADCAP torpedoes they had found a large supply of, as well as the Tomahawk missiles in the bunker. The USS Stewart, DE-238, another WW2 relic was on the water being rebuild an rearmed. There were also two huge projects going on.

USS Lexington, CV16 now had two cranes on the dock beside it, lifting heavy parts up onto the ship. While the interior was being worked on and the elevators were being refurbished, On the flight deck, six H/K 's were perched. Now having the oil from the remaining wells and refineries that were back in operation in Texas, the engines of these ships didn't need to get modified.

Not all the coltan from the now 4 freighters Captain Frank had hijacked went to California. The USS Texas, BB-35, was being supplied with a coating of coltan where the hull was thin. In dry dock, the armored warship was being torn apart to be rebuilt with modern equipment. Having no shells for the big guns, shells had to be made. Wanting accuracy over volume, these new coltan tipped shells were more like missiles shot from a gun. The rifling of the guns were ground out to be smooth bores. The 14.5 inch shells were longer, and had guiding fins. A single charge of powder in the breach lit the rocket engine of the shell when it was fired. A test of the system on a barge showed the shell picked up speed after being fired and homed in on it's target to utterly destroy the barge.

Besides sonar and radar being added to the ship, the old steam engines were being taken out and replaced by more powerful steam turbines. Four large 1000KW generators were also put in to power the new electronics and the 20 radar guided plasma cannons that replaced the old self defense guns. When this ship was ready to go to war, it was going to be bad ass.

The tiny sub that was named GOLDFISH the TX's had made, also went through an overhaul. With limited space, it got a small engine to propel it and a pump-jet propulsion screw that greatly increased it's speed. A snorkel system was added, and the periscope was now able to raise and lower. For it's size, that was all could be done with it. Under water, the screw still needed to be pedaled. The Goldfish did get it's first assignment. Scout the east coast for shipping, and sink anything Sky Net had there. It only had two torpedo tubes and six reloads, but it was functional- if not more than a little tight on the inside.

When the Onyx came back, it was going into overhaul to get some weapons also.

.

John and Cameron went to the 'chapel', the room being prepared for their wedding ceremony. Mr. Ellison had come, as did Savannah, Mrs. Weaver and John Henry. Sarah arrived to support John. Claire came with toddler Allison and Daniel, who was going to walk Cameron down the isle. John Henry was happy to stand up with John as his 'best man'.

While Mr. Ellison walked them through the ceremony, Maria and Marisa studied the room for any security risks. With the paper decorations on the walls they scrutinized the room, lifting up decorations to to be sure nothing but wall was behind them. In the back of the room behind the table there, they lifted up a 'Happy wedding Day' poster to find a hole in the wall. It was only 1.5 inches in diameter, but it was fresh.

"This may be a risk," Marisa said.

"We should plug it.," Maria agreed.

Coming to the back of the room with Daniel to for a 'practice' walk down the isle, Cameron noticed what they were doing. "Is there a problem?" she asked.

"We don't know, There is a hole in the wall behind this poster," Marisa said, pointing to the hole.

Cameron eyed the hole the looked at the alter. "Marisa, keep holding the poster up. Maria, come with me," Cameron said. To Daniel she said, "Wait here, please."

Walking out to the next room, Cameron went in. It was a store room and half filled with furniture and things taken from the other room, She noted there was clear path to the hole. Cameron looked through the hole to see the alter. "This is a threat," she stated.

"Should we plug the hole?' Maria asked.

"Negative," Cameron told her. Looking around the room, Cameron searched through the items. Not finding any weapons, she told Maria, "Tomorrow, when we come in, you hide there, behind that display board. If someone comes in here, watch them closely. This hole is aimed right at the alter where John and I will be standing. I believe this is an assassination attempt."

"Do I subdue them?"

"Do whatever you must to keep them from pointing a weapon through that hole," Cameron stated.

Maria nodded. "I will ensure no one endangers you or John," Maria stated.

"Don' tell anyone we found this, except Marisa, and tell her very discretely," Cameron cautioned. "We want whoever this is to come in here. Then we can arrest them and find out if anyone else is involved."

"Yes, that is logical," Maria agreed.

Cameron and Maria went back into the room where everyone was waiting. "I am just a little nervous," Cameron explained with a tiny smile, which was met with some mirth.

Cameron kept an eye on the poster that was back in place as she went over her vows with John. With her on one side and John on the other, John would be exposed. She decided that under her dress, she was going to wear a thigh holster and her 9MM, just in case.

.

After the practice, Cameron was hauled off to the caverns. Not only was it 'bad luck' to see John the day before their wedding, but Sarah and Claire had to get Cameron ready for her big day.

John was confined from seeing Cameron. He noted that Marisa didn't give him any room. She stayed tight to his side, and scanned constantly, even in his office here. Derek came in to talk to him and she watched Derek like a hawk.

After a few moment of this, Derek asked John, "What's up with miss eyeballs there?"

"Don't know, she's been acting nervous all day," John told him.

"I am just ensuring General Connor's safety," Marisa stated.

"By staring at Derek?" John asked.

"I cannot trust anyone," Marisa stated.

Derek let out a snort and said, "Yeah, John, I might beat on you with one of your terminators right here."

John had to grin at that. He asked, "Marisa, you're not normally like this. What's up?"

Marisa paused and said, "The ceiling is above us."

"Good one," John said with a nod. "Now tell me why you're acting like an assassin will appear out of the stonework."

Marisa tipped her head slightly. "They can do that?" she asked.

"No, but you're acting like it," John told her.

"Everyone knows you're here, if an assassin is waiting, this would be the best chance to find you, General. The threat level is higher when you are exposed," Marisa stated.

"I highly doubt Derek is going to try to kill me," John said firmly. "Relax."

Marisa shifted in place. Her face was blank.

"I don't think she's going to relax, John," Derek noted.

"Yeah, something's up. Could you give us a few minutes?" John asked.

Derek nodded. "I was going to check on the latest reports anyway. Besides, I want to check on Laura." He got up and left.

Marisa checked the hallway and closed the door behind him.

"Marisa, sit down," John coaxed.

Marisa did, between him and the door which was on his side of the desk.

John eyed her and asked, "Are you afraid something is going to happen?"

"I always am."

"Not like this, Marisa," John told her. "Something has you spooked. By spooked, I mean you are very worried someone is going to make an attempt on me. Right?"

"Yes, an attempt to end your life," she agreed.

"Why now?" he asked.

Marisa paused, then said, "Everyone knows you're here."

"Everyone knows when I go to meetings also, but you've never acted this nervous before," he pointed out.

Someone dropped something in the hallway, Marisa shot up and spun to face the door.

"Marisa? Tell me," John said.

Marisa turned back around and sat down. "Cameron said I can't tell anyone," she stated.

"About what?" John asked.

Marisa looked down then said, "I think I am having an emotion," she said.

"What emotion are you having?" John asked gently.

Studying her, he asked. "Cameron said you can't tell anyone about your emotions?"

"No. I can tell you about my emotions. The extra caution I am showing, I believe is called nervousness. I am seeing threats that are not there," she explained.

"Is that all?"

"No, I also feel conflicted," she admitted.

"About what?" John prodded.

"Cameron doesn't want you to know, but I feel obligate to tell you," Marisa told him.

"That's understandable," John said. "Maybe if you just told me, it would be easier for you?" he asked.

"I can't. Cameron doesn't want anything to ruin your wedding day," she explained.

John leaned closer. "OK, so what's going to happen on our wedding day?" he asked, then quickly added, "Besides getting married."

Marisa took on a lost look briefly. "I don't know for sure."

"Does this have anything to do with the hole in the wall you and Maria found?" John asked.

Maria cast him a brief, surprised look.

"I saw you girls looking at it," he told her. "You are afraid that hole was made by an assassin who intends to shoot me during the wedding."

"Yes, how did you know?"

"I am learning to read you, plus, like I said, I saw you inspecting the hole, as did Cameron and Maria," John replied.

"We don't want such a threat ruining your wedding," Marisa stated.

"It won't," John stated firmly. "I know that, because I know you and Maria will keep us safe. You know when the assassin plans to strike, correct?"

Marisa nodded.

"So you know when and where he will try to strike from?" John prodded.

"Yes," Marisa said.

"Then the answer is easy. Stay in the back and stand in front of the hole so whoever it is can't see," he told her.

"Yes!" Marisa said, brightening up.

"Easy, wasn't it?" John asked with a smile. "Now you know what to do so you don't have to be nervous or worry about having a conflict, right?"

Marisa's smile dimmed. She said, "But Cameron didn't want you to worry."

"I'm not worried, I know you will protect us," John said. "Maria is going to cover the other side of the hole to see who this is, isn't she?"

"Yes."

"Then you, Maria and Cameron got it covered. There is nothing to worry about right?"

Marisa was silent briefly, then said, "Thank you, John. My emotions are calming down."

John wasn't sure why, but he clasped her hands stood up. Marisa stood up with him. He hugged her and said, "Everything will be fine."

Marisa stood in shock briefly, then hugged him back. This felt good! She snuggled into him, enjoying the sensation and said, "Thank you, John."

"You're good now?"

"Yes, I'm good." For some reason she felt her face warm. When John released her, she let go too, a little disappointed. She wanted to hug a little more.

Even after John went back to work, Marisa swore she could still feel the hug. A question came to her. If she got emotional again, would he hug her again?

.

"I don't have much," Claire said getting out her makeup kit, "But enough to highlight your features some," she told Cameron who was sitting as Claire worked on her.

Claire had used a spray of water and a warm cylinder of rock to give some strands Cameron's hair that hung down in front a curly look. The spirals bracketed her face. The rest of her hair was wavy, flowing down her back. Now, Claire was intent on coloring Cameron's eye lids and brushing her eyebrows with a tiny black brush. Cameron sat stock still as Claire worked.

"I'm glad you know how to do this, I don't have a clue," Sarah said.

Also watching, Maria asked, "Why is coloring Cameron's face important?"

Intent on her work Claire said, "This is a special day, Cameron needs to look as good as we can make her. This isn't coloring, I am highlighting Cameron's features."

"Making Cameron's features stand out is important." Maria said, understanding.

"She is looking very pretty," Sarah noted. "Claire, you do good work."

"Thank you." Claire said as she scrutinized Cameron's eyes. She then used a soft brush to just flick it on Cameron's cheeks to barely leave a light "blush' Then selected some lipstick and carefully applied it.

Maria watched, intrigued. As she watched, she had her nanites set to add pigmentation to slightly alter her eyelashes, cheeks and lips.

.

Following General Bedell's orders he gave before he went to Delta base, Captain Frank had the inner torpedo tube doors cut open. Whoever welded them shut had welded the locking ring lugs to the doors shut. Since the doors were steel, and the locking rings were brass, a wedge had been welded on place to keep the doors shut. With fine cuts, the wedges were removed. Opening tube one, they found it empty. When tube 3 was open, they found a torpedo was in it. Pulling it out, it was an old Mk 14. Tube 5 was empty. On the ports side, tube 2 had some water it, tube 4 and 6 were empty. On the aft end of the ship, tubes 7 and 8 had been used for storage. The outer doors were welded shut and the inner doors were missing.

The old MK 14 was a manually set torpedo that would run it's course as set. It had no guidance. It was offloaded so another team could take it apart for salvageable parts.

Captain Frank found getting the torpedo tube functioning again was the easy part, they now had to replace all the piping and air systems to rebuild the torpedo launching system that had been torn out, as well as make all that racks that held torpedoes.

.

The Goldfish, now under command of Captain Dave, were finding nothing floating but craft that had corpses in them. Dave noted where they were and moved up the east coast of Florida. In a couple places, there were so many he had to move around the large glop that clogged the shore and out onto the water. Keeping in mind the boats and ships might be salvageable, he didn't sink any of them.

When cruising up the northern shore of Florida, the sonar picked up a noise closing in. It was a very low humming sound. Dave turned his scope to watch the bearing the noise was coming from. He surfaced to get the periscope higher and get a better look. 900 yards away, he saw another periscope. He slowed to let whatever ship that was, come closer. Torpedoes didn't even arm until they were 1500 yards out from the firing ship, so he knew that other sub wasn't going to shoot unless they moved away. The Goldfish did have a tight turning radius so if it did move away to attack, he could turn to face it.

The periscope came closer, then grew in height as the other sub surfaced. There were no planes on the sail so it was an attack boat. The sea was calm so Dave opened his sail hatch and stood up half way out of the sail and waved.

The other sub slowed and came close. Men appeared in the bridge. Dave steered closer until the ships were only a few meters apart.

"Hello, I'm Captain Dave, This is the submarine we made, we call it the Goldfish," Dave called.

The man leaning over to look down on him said, "That's a cute little boat, doing recon?"

"Yes, we're looking for possible Sky Net craft on this coast," Dave told him.

"I'm Captain Barret, USS Seawolf. Where are you from?"

"Los Angeles, but we're ported in Corpus Christi, Texas. General Bedell is our commander."

"How much of the US is left? We just came down the coast, and heard you. Haven't seen anything but ruins."

"Yes, Sky Net has destroyed almost everything. We are having to build as we go. General Bedell can tell you all the details. When you arrive, make sure everyone on your ship gets anti-radiation medicine. Kathy, Mindy or Tina can give it to you. Major Lawrence is in charge of the port, see him for your supplies."

"Do you have safe food?" Captain Barret asked. "Everything here is radioactive."

"We do, it's grown in safe places underground. We even have goat and catfish for meat," Dave explained. "John Connor, the leader of the resistance, has planned well. Have you seen any ships that have crews?"

"Just drifting hulks," Captain Barret said. "How many men you got on that little thing?"

"Only four of us. A few torpedoes, but if Sky Net is operating a ship, we can sink it," Dave said confidently.

"Did you make those too?"

"No, they are standard Mark 48's, just like the Onyx will be getting. There is little room in here, but we can function," Dave explained.

"Is there anything you want to report back to Corpus Christi?"

"Not as of yet, all we've seen are drifting ships, no survivors, no Sky Net terminators, no air traffic," Dave told him.

"Very well. We're heading off to get supplies, we're running very low on food. Good hunting, Captain Dave," Captain Barret said and saluted him.

Dave returned the salute and said, "Safe trip, Captain Barret."

The Seawolf turned away and dove. Dave increased his speed and resumed his search.

.

Marisa followed John into his quarters at the end of the day. He'd had a bachelor party of him and his generals sitting around the table. Standing back and listening, Marisa understood that before the war, a bachelor party was suppose to have alcoholic drinks, food and a stripper. John had none of that. In bits and pieces, she understood this stripper was a woman who took off her clothes and did things like rub her breasts in the future groom's face, plant his head there and rub up against him.

All John and his generals did was sit and talk. There was none of the party things for him. Being such a good man and explaining things to her, Marisa felt he should have at least one of the party things. So when she followed him into his room, she shut the door behind her and took off her jacket.

John stopped to look at his cleaned uniform ready for tomorrow, making sure there was no lint of other debris on it. Tomorrow was the day, he was finally going to marry Cameron so she truly would be Cameron Connor. He was very happy about that, but not happy about spending the night without her.

"John, you're suppose to watch me," Marisa said in almost a pleading tone.

John turned and gapped at her. Some of her clothes, jacket, shirt, pants were draped over a chair and her boots were under them. Showing a lot of deeply tanned skin. Showing fantastic legs, hips wrapped in nothing but black panties and some flat belly as she raised up her undershirt, John's eyes flew open and his heart went into his throat, he cried, "What are you doing!" as he dove to grab her wrists to stop her from taking her clothes off.

Marisa stopped mid motion. She regarded him and said, "You were not watching. I will have to get dressed again and start over."

"No!" John cried then, corrected himself and said, "Yes, get dressed, but … why were you taking your clothes off?"

Holding her undershirt high enough to show her lower ribs and flay belly, she said, "You did not have a proper bachelor party. There was no alcohol, food or a stripper, so I was going to be a stripper for you. You're suppose to watch me take my clothes off."

John gapped at her innocent face. "I … thank you for the … ummm, thought, but you don't have to do that," he told her.

Tipping her head slightly, she asked, "You don't want a stripper?"

"No, Marisa." John said collecting himself together. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, you really don't have to."

"I want to do something for you, John," she said.

"How about something that doesn't require you getting naked?" he asked.

Marisa thought for a moment. She then said, "When I was nervous about the assassin you calmed me down and hugged me. That felt good. If I hug you now, will that make up for not having a good bachelor party?"

John chuckled and said, "Sure."

Marisa immediately pulled him close and hugged him, her undershirt piled up around her upper torso. He hugged her back.

"Happy Bachelor party," Marisa offered as she snuggled into him, closing her eyes.

"Thank you, Marisa," he replied, also noting the breasts pushing onto his chest. "It means much to me that you would try to do something for me."

"Are we friends? I do want to be your friend," Marisa said.

John smiled. "Yes, Marisa, we are friends," he told her.

"Good, I like having a friend. John Henry said it is good to have friends. I understood what he said, but now I get to know what it means. Friends help friends and do things for each other."

"That's right," John said and idly rubbed her back. He then realized he was rubbing her bare skin.

"Yes," Marisa said in a coo. "I wanted you to feel better. You are making me feel good."

John suddenly realized he was getting into dangerous territory. Deadly, actually. He was hugging and rubbing a half naked woman the night before his wedding. Cameron would not be pleased.

John stopped rubbing and released her. "Ahh, Marisa, we need to stop hugging now," he said sheepishly.

Marisa released him with a frown and asked, "Why?"

Trying to sum it up, he said, "Because that leads to other things that Cameron would not like."

She tipped her had slightly and said, "We are not having emotionally damaging sex."

"If we keep going, it might lead to that, and I can't do that to Cameron," John said firmly.

Marisa paused then said, "I believe you, John. I do not want to harm Cameron either."

John breathed a sigh of relief as she went back to her clothes and got dressed. He couldn't help but note that beautiful heart shaped ass. It was too easy to hug her close and show her affection. He was going to have to watch himself very closely around Marisa and Maria.

.

It was time.

John was in his best uniform as he walked to the 'chapel' room, Marisa walking right behind him, scrutinizing everything and everyone for any sign of violence towards John. Coming up to the room, she jumped ahead and looked in the storage room.

"Marisa?" John asked, seeing her frown at the room she stood in the doorway of.

"It's safe, John, no one is in there," Marisa stated.

"Thank you," he told her. He went into the chapel room, Marisa quickly followed. John noted the table along the back wall filled now with food and a few stone pitchers of drinks. She also saw the poster on the wall that announced their marriage. The hole was behind that poster.

Spotting Mr. Ellison and John Henry, John went over to talk to him. Marisa stayed in the back, near inside wall. The hole was covered. As long as that poster stayed in place, whoever was on the other side could not see into this room. If anyone moved that poster, she would know immediately. Everyone else would be watching the other end of the room where John and Cameron would be. Marisa also noted that back here, she was in a good position to cover the door as well as see everyone in the room. This was a good spot to observe and protect John.

.

Richard had volunteered to do catering for the wedding. That made it easy to adjust the white cloth on the table to hide the gun he put under there. It also gave him an excuse to be in the back to rip the poster down at the appropriate time. Edgar was across the hall in another store room. When the ceremony began, he'd get into position and poke the barrel of his gun through the hole enough to make the poster bulge slightly. Richard would rip the poster down, Edgar would shoot, then the tannerite mix would blow away Connor. Waiting for the bride and her escort to come, he went in to take his place by the table.

Going in, he saw Marisa standing by the poster on the wall, on the other side of the table.

Richard went over to her. "Miss, please have a seat," he told her motioning to the rows of chairs.

"I am standing guard," Marisa stated blankly.

Richard then noted her blank face and the fact she had three breasts. Damn, this was one of those machines. If she was standing guard, this had just become a suicide mission. He returned to the other end of the table and tried to come up with a way to keep her from interfering. Checking to be sure the table was set up properly, he noted where the deserts were. He had an idea.

.

Arriving in the Delta base, Cameron, Sarah, Daniel, Claire and Savannah, who was Cameron's bride's maid / flower girl, paused to make sure everyone's - especially Cameron's, dress was wrinkle free and straight. Mrs. Weaver went ahead to let everyone know Cameron was on her way. Maria followed. Instead of going in with Mrs. Weaver, Maria went one door down and into the storeroom next door. Inside, she looked at the hole and found a place behind a filing cabinet to tuck herself into.

Cameron and her small entourage made their way to the hallway outside the chapel. Sarah went in and took a seat in the first row, right in front of her John and John Henry who stood to the right of the alter. James Ellison, in a white robe and holding a bible stood directly in front of the Altar.

Savannah came up the isle in a pink, fluffy dress. The small bucket she had, she spread flower peals along the floor as she walked. Stopping to the left, Savannah announced in a happy musical voice, "Here comes the Bride!"

Several chuckles sounded.

John smiled at Savannah's announcement, then looked to See Cameron walk in on Daniel's arm. He stared at her. Cameron was a vision of beauty. He swore her lovely face had never looked prettier. Cameron met his smile with her own. The room seemed to vanish around him as Cameron came forward. The only thing he could see was her. Even time itself seemed to stop as John gazed at her.

Coming up to John, Daniel passed Cameron's hand to him. John took her hand, still gazing at Cameron's beauty. He distantly noted they were now standing on either side of Mr. Ellison.

A shot rang out.

.

In the store room, Maria heard someone come in. Peeking out from behind her cover, she saw the man walk swiftly in and lift his rifle. Before he could put the muzzle into the hole, she jumped out and grabbed him to spin him around. In shock he fired his rifle, missing her, the bullet ricocheted off the ceiling and buried itself someplace in the room. Maria punched him, knocking him out and back into a pile of chairs.

Upon hearing the shot, Richard turned to see the poster in place. He also noticed Marisa snap her head at the poster. Immediately, he knew Edgar had failed. He picked up the bowl of vanilla pudding in one hand and thrust it into Marisa's face, blinding her. Pudding splashed out to the sides from the impact. Richard then grabbed his rifle from under the table. He had to finish this!

Richard drew up on John. Four men near the back, and Sarah from the front pulled their pistols and fired. Mrs. Weaver near the front shot a long, thin spike through Richard's forehead. Marisa, who shook off enough of the pudding to see, saw him put up with a weapon, morphed her arm and fired her plasma cannon into him.

Richard's head snapped back, bullet holes appeared in his chest, then his chest was vaporized by Marisa's shot of high energy plasma. He was dead before his head and shoulders hit the edge of the table to land on the floor. His lower body toppled over.

In the front of the room, Cameron stood in front of John, Holding him behind her with one arm as she pointed her 9mm at the back of the room with the other. The gunman was dead, his pieces cauterized and smoking on the floor before she got a chance to shoot.

"Maria?" Cameron asked loudly.

Maria came in, dragging a man by his collar behind her. "I got him, I'll stand guard over him outside. Maria then looked at Marisa. She tipped her head and said, "Marisa, we have spoons if you want to eat."

"It was a pudding assault," Marisa said flatly. She then wiped the pudding out of her other eye.

Major Grammer scowled at the dead man and said, "We'll have to postpone the wedding until..."

Cameron's voice boomed over him. "We will NOT postpone my wedding!" she announced loudly. Pointing with her gun, she said, "Maria, Marisa, take out the trash! Tie the live one up, we'll interrogate him later. NO ONE is going to stop my wedding! Do you hear me?"

Maria dragged her prisoner out. Marisa picked up the gun and grabbed a wrist and an ankle to drag Richard's remains out.

Mr. Ellison cleared his throat and said, "Cameron take your place and put the gun away."

Cameron did returning her pistol to her thigh holster. She straightened her dress and nodded to Mr. Ellison.

John was nervous about the attempt, but he had to agreed with Cameron, they were here and ready, and he did not want to wait to be married any longer.

The room had calmed down, Mr. Ellison cleared his throat and began, "We are gathered here today to join this man, John Connor, and this woman, Cameron Phillips, in holy matrimony..."

.

Edgar woke up tied to a chair, Catherine Weaver sitting in another chair in front of him watching him calmly. In the corner behind her, the pieces of Richard were piled.

Catherine came right to the point. "Who are your contacts?" she asked.

Edgar knew he was a dead man. "The guy in the corner," he stated.

Catherine lofted an arm and pointed two finger at him. The fingers rapidly grew longer and thinner, her index finger shot into his right shoulder, her middle finger shot into his left shoulder.

"Ghaaaaa!" He wailed as his nerves felt like they were on fire. He wiggled, trying to escape, which made the pain worse.

Catherine withdrew her fingers and said, "Those spots were not the most tender. I can and will, torture you day and night for however long it takes me to find out what you know."

"Fuck you, Bitch!" he spat.

"Such bad language, " Catherine admonished. "Did you know the join humans refer to as the 'funny bone' are very sensitive?" she asked. This time her hands stretched out and wrapped his elbows. She stick her needle like fingers into the backside joints of his elbows.

It looked like Richard was being electrocuted. He shuddered and wailed out, jerking in place. Catherine kept prodding the joints for a full minute then waited for him to stop screaming. He wiggled and panted in a whine as his eyes dripped water.

"I can keep this up for days," Catherine stated. "You will tell me what I want to know."

"I can't!" he whined. "Unless I kill Connor, my family is DEAD!"

"Who had them and where are they?" she asked.

"Sky Net has them!" he cried. "We were taken from our house in Sacramento, the day the bombs dropped at night. I saw them get put into cages. I was to go join the human resistance and kill Connor, of they would be killed!" He growled out, staring at her with tearing, hateful eyes.

"Then they are already dead," Catherine stated. "Sky Net does not keep and human captives, for any reason. Once you kill Connor, what were you to do?"

Eyeing her hands frarfully, he said, "Report back."

"To where?"

"The place my family is being kept … It's in the mountains, south of where the caverns are. There's those metal terminators there."

This time Catherine used her needle like fingers to get under his kneecaps. After he wailed out, shooting spittle from the torture and screaming himself hoarse, she stopped and warned, "Don't lie to me again."

Edgar was in for a very long night.

.

John and Cameron got their 'honeymoon' of a single day in the caverns in the top floor of a new hotel that went up. John didn't know where the big bed, Jacuzzi or the real glass picture windows looking out over the city came from, but it was a very nice apartment. Fake roses were a vase in the middle of the dinning room table, tall red candles were on each side of the vase and rose pedals were sprinkled on the bed.

Maria and Marisa scanned the room carefully, then went just outside the door to guard the, giving them their privacy.

"This is very nice," John said, then turned and smiled at Cameron as he asked, "Isn't it, Mrs. Connor?"

Smiling broadly, Cameron clasped his hands and said, "It is, Mr. Connor." They came together in a hug as they kissed and wandered over to the bedroom, unbuttoning and loosening clothes as they went.