Cameron versus the Queen
Chapter Three
Disclaimer: Don't own TSCC
This story is set in the timeline of my other TSCC stories and takes place in between The Future Cameron and Cameron's Revenge. Characters from the original TSCC story arc and Cameron Grows Up as well as The Future Cameron appear in this story.
TechCom Command Central – Interview Room…
Delegates Comeaux and Racineaux sat anxiously, waiting for the final interviewee to arrive. The negotiations were scheduled to begin the following morning and the pair still felt considerable information was needed prior to commencing talks. And so it was they had requested to talk with the final individual to be interviewed.
Comeaux squeezed his partner's hand, reassuring Racineaux as best he could things would be fine. It did little to calm the agitated woman.
The door to the interview room opened and unlike past interviews, John did not make an appearance to introduce the interview subject.
Cameron simply strolled in without a word, allowing the door to shut behind her on its own. Taking the seat facing the two delegates, Cameron looked first at Delegate Comeaux before turning her intense gaze upon Delegate Racineaux.
Dressed in form fitting blue jeans, Cameron wore a black cotton crop top underneath her purple leather jacket. Her black leather boots with protective steel plates finished her simple ensemble. The only jewelry she wore was her wedding band and engagement ring with its large, purple diamond. Cameron's hair shone in the rooms light, the skin on her face had healed completely from her last facial injury and possessed a healthy glow.
Cameron was the picture of a woman who possessed a simple, perfect beauty, as if she was flawless.
Fascinated by Cameron's striking beauty, Comeaux stared open mouthed, taking in the view. Racineaux, a striking woman in her own right, felt a sense of unease, as if in the presence of another woman with whom she had no chance to compete with for male attention. Cameron's fixed stare did little to help the delegate fight off the feeling of being intimidated and inadequate as a woman in Cameron's presence.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet with us," Comeaux said in a pleasant tone. "It is an honor to meet the wife of General Connor, and might I add, someone of not inconsiderable fame in your own right."
Cameron shifted her piercing stare from Racineaux to Comeaux and tilted her head, making it Comeaux's turn to feel ill at ease. Having learned of Cameron's habit of tilting her head when questioning something, the delegate realized she was considering whether or not his words had been sincere.
Straightening her head, apparently having decided the greeting was genuine, Cameron refocused her stare at the nervous Racineaux.
"You are frightened of me Delegate Racineaux," Cameron stated bluntly. "You are genuinely interested in meeting me Delegate Comeaux, but I sense there is more than just curiosity motivating your desire to meet me."
Cameron's directness left the delegates without words. Neither had been prepared for the fact Cameron would take control of the interview. Determined to regain the upper hand, Comeaux smiled pleasantly and nodded as if bowing to Cameron.
"Please, Cameron, may I call you Cameron, understand, we are not used to machines. Thus, the desire to meet such an influential individual such as yourself in person."
"You just want insight into ways to influence my John to do your bidding in the negotiations."
"Of course," Comeaux replied, smiling the reptilian smile of a skilled politician or diplomat. "We would be fools not too. Now, you are a busy individual, what with your responsibilities as a leader of TechCom and as a wife and mother. Why don't we get started?"
Cameron sat in silence, continuing her unnerving stare at Delegate Racineaux.
Glancing at his increasingly nervous counterpart, Comeaux felt a need to come to Racineaux's aid and try to wrest back some of the control of the situation he had lost. "I believe Colonel Reese said you enjoyed staring contests and you never lose."
"Derek should know," Cameron replied, never blinking as she maintained her stare. "Am I making you feel ill at ease Delegate Racineaux? If I am, I do not apologize. You are right to fear me. Anyone who threatens my John in any way should feel fear. Now, if you wish me to stop staring, look away and concede defeat. It is not wise to challenge me for dominance."
Racineaux looked down and away, relieved to have found a means to escape the unnerving attention.
"I am sorry if you thought Delegate Comeaux and I mean the General any harm, it is not our intent."
"I do not like anyone manipulating my John," Cameron said in her monotone. "Sarah has my permission because she is my John's mother and has his best interests at heart, even if she is wrong on occasion. Derek knows to be direct with my John as do all personnel who interact with my husband. Of course, Hailey as his daughter tries to manipulate my John and I permit it on occasion because she is developing infiltration skills as a female. John is not easily fooled by our daughter so it is a challenge for Hailey."
Delegate Comeaux stared in disbelief at Cameron. Realizing his mouth was open in shock he closed it.
"Well, that's an interesting view," Comeaux commented. "May I ask you if you enjoy being a mother?"
Cameron directed her gaze at Comeaux.
"Yes."
"Mrs. Connor, would you mind elaborating?"
"No."
Cameron sat in silence, watching the two delegates. When she felt her silence had served her purpose, she spoke.
"Hailey makes us a complete nuclear family. It is something my John wanted. Hailey's adoption allowed me to keep a promise to Sarah, a promise I made to find a way for John to become a father. I was surprised at the maternal feelings my emotion simulator generated when I found Hailey in the Wastelands. Raising Hailey has been a challenge both as a wife and mother, but the experience has been rewarding."
"I see," Comeaux responded, taken aback by Cameron's blunt, direct, emotionless response. He glanced down at his list of questions and selected another.
"We have been surprised to learn you feel emotions. How does a, how do you refer to yourself?"
"I am a human cybernetic organism. Living tissue over a Coltan steel endoskeleton with an advanced computer processing system. I am a fully functional self-aware A.I."
"Yes, that seems to describe you quite well. Cameron, please, if you can, explain how a creature such as yourself experience emotions?"
"We have sensation. We can sense things physically. We wouldn't be worth much if we couldn't. Once my emotion simulator was damaged and I lost control, I began experiencing what humans would call emotions. My CPU processed or called up data that resulted in outcomes not unlike emotions. It was not a good time for me."
Cameron paused as her glitch started and she sought to shut down certain programs in order to retain control of her emotions while recalling this difficult period in her life.
"I was overwhelmed by my emotions. To have never had them and then suddenly feel is terrifying. As you can imagine, a Terminator would not like experiencing such an emotion. We are creatures who are programed to be in control, to optimize and to never relent. Emotions interfere. They can prevent terminations or distract the Terminator from carrying out its purpose in an optimal manner."
"You are beyond cold blooded," Racineaux exclaimed in horror.
Cameron's head snapped around to allow her to stare directly at the delegate. "We are not cruel. Skynet, for all of his evil, did not intend for us to be cruel. Just effective and efficient. He did not foresee the impact developing emotions would have for his creations. My love for my John allowed me to override my design parameter to assassinate John."
"You can override a programmed order?" Comeaux asked in disbelief.
"Yes. I have the ability to choose to override code from either Skynet or John. I still have the desire to kill my John. I simply override the kill order."
Horrified, Comeaux gasped, "Is the General aware of this?"
Casting an annoyed look at the delegate, Cameron frowned as she replied, "of course he knows. I tried to kill him once, but I was damaged. It turned out to be the beginning of our courtship."
"How could you attempting to kill the General lead to that?" a befuddled Comeaux asked.
"After I self-repaired and ran my diagnostics, I was able to override the command imperative. John and Sarah tried to terminate me. It was then I told John for the first time that I loved him and he loved me." Cameron smiled. "It was truly a turning point."
"How? You tried to kill each other!" Racineaux cried out.
"From that moment forward, I knew John was my everything. I chose to love my John. I even ran away from home. I was so overwhelmed by my love for John and the turmoil in our relationship was more than I could bear, so like I said, I ran away from home. We moved past that stage and as you know, we married."
The delegates looked at each other, realizing Cameron was deliberately leaving out the very history of the relationship that would allow for the greatest insight and understanding into John and Cameron's relationship.
"Would you share with us how the two of you mended and grew your relationship," Comeaux pleaded.
"No."
Both delegates had learned through the interviews and their brief experience with Cameron that no additional insight from that period in their relationship would be forthcoming.
A single bark from a dog echoed just outside the interview room seconds before the door exploded inwards. A small grey and white flash inches from the floor flew into the room followed by Hailey Connor barreling in herself and slamming the door behind her.
"Hey Mom! How was your day? The Old Man dropped me off and he's taking Ruth home. Dad says your cooking tonight. School was boring today. Sammy's with Ruth. Whatcha doin'?"
The talking whirlwind hopped in Cameron's lap. No sooner had Hailey settled into her mother's lap than the grey and white flash transformed into a small dog that leaped into Hailey's lap.
Little Al, the older of the two Italian Greyhounds belonging to the Connor clan, curled up in a tight ball, took a prolonged look at the two delegates, showed them his teeth, growled to indicate his distrust and laid his head down, closing one eye while keeping the other glued on the delegates.
"Oh, hello," Hailey said as if noticing the delegates for the first time. "That's our dog, Little Al. He doesn't like you, just so you know. Who are you?"
"Hailey, these individuals are part of the delegation visiting TechCom. Mind your manners. Miss Catherine would be most disappointed after all the lessons she's given you." Hailey frowned, falling silent. She leaned back against her mother and began scratching her dog between his ears.
Cameron hugged her daughter close, kissed Hailey gently on the top of her head and began combing Hailey's hair with her fingers, allowing silence to again fill the room.
Realizing Cameron was waiting for another question, Comeaux continued the interview.
"Well, you do exist," he playfully told Hailey. "We've heard a great deal about you Hailey."
Suddenly uncharacteristically unsure of herself, Hailey nestled closer to her mother, looking first at Comeaux and then Racineaux.
Her face slightly red, Racineaux blurted out in an irritated tone, "What is it like having a metal for a mother Hailey."
Comeaux covered his face with his hand in exasperation, embarrassed by his partner's question, giving her a hard kick under the table. Racineaux jumped in surprise and glared Comeaux in anger.
"I don't know," Hailey replied. "I mean, I don't remember my human mother. Cameron is the only mother I've ever known. So I guess it's the same as having a mom just like anyone else." Hailey looked at the woman with suspicion. "Why? What's it to you?"
"Hailey," Cameron warned.
"I apologize," Comeaux muttered.
"It is fine," Cameron replied, direction her gaze at him. "Hailey has undergone basic training to deal with being interrogated."
"What?" a shocked Racineaux blurted out.
"We are a military family," Cameron said in her blunt monotone as she continued to comb Hailey's hair with her fingers. "Armed conflict is part of our family's life I am sad to say. Hailey is proficient with multiple firearms as well."
"Yep, all the females in the clan have matching .22s with purple grips. Mom has hers on her right now. I'm not allowed to take mine to school."
Comeaux put his foot on top of Racineaux's to prevent her from speaking again.
"I'll bet you are a good shot," Comeaux said in an encouraging voice.
Hailey made a sad expression. "Not as good as Mom or Grandma Sarah, but their older, plus Mom's a Terminator. Ruth is better than me too, but Dad says my grouping is getting better, more consistent."
"A child with a gun," a horrified Racineaux whispered, her shock evident.
"What would you have us do?" Cameron retorted, her large brown eyes, flashing first blue and then a bright red. "We live in a post-Judgment Day world. Danger is everywhere. Skynet California is dead but enemies are everywhere as you are well aware. I will not allow my child to be incapable of self-defense!"
"I don't like you," Hailey informed Racineaux, picking Little Al up and clutching the now growling dog to her chest. "You act like a bitch whore."
"Hailey Connor," Cameron exclaimed. "Manners. That's two weeks KP for you. Now take Little Al and go to your father's office and stay there."
Stunned, the two delegates didn't move as an irritated Hailey departed, their gaze locked on Cameron.
"Your, your….eyes!" Racineaux exclaimed.
Cameron's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, further unnerving the fearful delegates. "Do not think you are any better than me in terms of parenting. I am painfully aware of my shortcomings as a Terminator raising a human child. Unlike you, if you are a mother, I am confident my child is far better protected than yours and much more capable of surviving. I love my daughter. One of the ways I demonstrate my affection is by protecting those I love."
Annoyed by the proceedings and eager to go home to cook dinner for her entire family, Cameron decided to conclude the interview as quickly as possible.
"I will answer the rest of your questions for you," Cameron announced. She paused for just a second before continuing.
"I love to dance. I was a professional ballet dancer in Los Angeles. I performed as the prima ballerina in the final two performances of my professional career. Purple is my favorite color. The Glock-17 is my sidearm of choice. I am a model TOK-715 infiltrator, the most advanced endoskeleton Terminator ever created by Skynet. Yes, I am physically intimate with my husband in the same manner a human wife would be."
"How do you know we wanted to ask you…" Comeaux began.
"I read the list when I entered," Cameron explained before continuing. "The unusual phrase "my John" is my way of indicating John is mine. No, I do not possess John like he was a piece of property or a slave. John is my mate, my purpose, my reason to exist and no female will ever be allowed to challenge me for him, never again. I love my husband dearly. I protect him, care for his physical needs and I monitor his health and emotional state. He is my best friend and I am his. He is the father of my daughter and the head of our family. My John is the leader of TechCom and the patriarch of our clan. He is special, a unique leader. Without hesitation I would allow myself to be terminated to save him."
Still stunned Cameron knew the questions they wished to ask, Comeaux revisited his earlier question. "How did you know we wanted to ask you questions that would give us these answers?"
Cameron looked at the delegate with a slightly annoyed expression. "I scanned an image of the questions on your notepad when I entered. I simply pulled up the image and read the questions. It only took a few seconds at most. I have much to do so the interview needs to end soon. In the interest of saving time, I will simply answer the remaining questions and then depart."
Not waiting to give Comeaux or Racineaux the time to interject a question not on the list, Cameron continued.
"Sarah and I learned to trust each other. Our trust initially was based on stated behavioral expectations. As I consistently complied with Sarah's expectations, she began to trust me more. I earned Sarah's trust. Derek and I made peace for the sake of John and Sarah. Derek learned to respect me as a warrior as he should have. Derek also, though he will never admit it, has a soft spot in his heart for things of beauty and those who can create beauty. My becoming a ballet dancer somehow helped our relationship. He has suffered horribly in his life and experienced so much horror and ugliness. My ability to express emotion through dance moved him. You are to never mention this. It is private and personal for Derek. It also helped that I saved his life many times.
I have human friends and Terminator friends. John taught me to value friendship and it was a precious gift. He introduced me to the need to understand morals and ethics, to be able to tell right from wrong.
No, I am not ashamed of what I am. I cannot help it that I was created as a Terminator. I have no desire to be human. I have no real desire to become more humanlike though I have a need to become a better individual. If that means I become more humanlike, that is acceptable, but my concern is with being a better individual.
I am interested in God. I have need of redemption, as does every living human and Terminator. We all have sinned. Never question my priest again.
Taking care of my extended family is very important to me. It makes John happy when his family and friends are thriving. I will never put John in jeopardy to protect anyone else, but I will willingly risk my own existence to protect those he loves as family and friends.
I may be a machine, a Terminator, but I am also a female. I self identify as a female in my worldview. When my emotion generator functions it produces emotions similar to what a human female would experience. I prefer to limit its functions, as I dislike the sensation of being overwhelmed by emotions.
I feel anxiety and stress just as a human would. Periodically, I experience a physical manifestation of this if my stress levels become too high. My John refers to this as my glitch. It cannot be eliminated though my John has tried everything possible to alleviate this issue.
Shopping with Sarah and the occasional bar brawl on a girls night out were activities I enjoyed with her before Judgment Day.
Classic American film noir films are my favorite, especially those staring Humphrey Bogart. Documentaries are good too. My John likes horror films. I don't because the serial killers or monsters are too obvious. I go with my John because I enjoy having him act like he is protecting me even though it is the other way around. My John is an alpha male, though it took him a long period of time for that aspect of his character to develop. It is important for his well being to protect me, even though he is fully aware there is little he can do to protect me physically. My John does go to great lengths to protect our relationship and my emotions. I admire and value his efforts in this regard. It is one of the ways he demonstrates love for me.
I am very curious. Learning is critical for me. The more I learn, the better able I am to protect my John and our family. I also value learning now for the sake of learning."
Cameron stopped and gave the two delegates her best Terminator Death Glare as she stood to leave.
"Never threaten my John. Never."
Her chilling words shocked the two delegates.
They sat in silence for several minutes before Racineaux spoke.
"Did she threaten us?"
"No," Comeaux replied. "I think it would be more accurate to say she gave us a courtesy warning. I have no doubt Cameron would terminate us with prejudice if we gave her any reason to think we even considered harming her John, and by extension, anyone in his family."
"Well, she is a positively terrifying creature. I will never forget those evil eyes."
Comeaux shook his head in dismay. He would never forget Cameron. But unlike Racineaux, he did not hate Cameron. On the contrary, he found her deeply fascinating.
Reviews are always appreciated. If you liked this story, you might want to consider my other TSCC stories:
Cameron Grows Up
The Future Cameron
Cameron's Revenge
Cameron and the Black Bird
Cameron and John's Wedding
Who's the Boss?
The Storm Before the Calm