Cameron versus the Queen
Chapter Six
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.
Connor Family Bunker…
With the last of the plates cleaned and put away, Cameron returned to the living area and sat down next to John, snuggling close to her husband. Taking his hand with her glitching left hand, Cameron sat and listened to the discussion.
"There's no real reason to continue this charade. They want something from us and have nothing we really need in return," Sarah pronounced.
"We could use fresh cut timber," John Henry replied. "But only if they deliver it. Otherwise, I will have my crews continue to secure what we need from the mountain forests near TechCom."
"Their offer of fresh food is a joke," Catherine reminded John. We have our first hydroponic farm in operation and Cook is satisfied with what he sees growing. We'll need more farms but that will be taken care of in time. No reason for a long term alliance that costs us for something we'll provide ourselves with as soon as construction allows."
John squeezed Cameron's hand and looked at his wife. "What did you pickup from your observations?"
"Comeaux is sincere in his desire for this alliance. He believes it will help his people be safer and will achieve some goal of his king. What that goal is, I am uncertain. He has shown only limited deception during the talks and I attribute this to the need to put forth a positive front.
Racineaux? That is a different matter. She hates the fact she is here. The presence of our Terminators both unnerves her and disgusts her. There is no doubt she is a bigot. The exchange between Catherine and her was insightful. Once she knew Catherine was a T-1000 and had a human child, her vital signs went through the roof.
But there is more going on there. She has her own reasons for being here and I cannot imagine them being positive ones. Comeaux is wary of her and frustrated by her. I believe he genuinely wants this alliance. Racineaux is conflicted. She only wants the alliance if it fulfills a need of hers.
This is all speculation on my part. I can only determine so much from a distance and with the data I can pick up. It's not like an interrogation or close conversation."
John nodded. "We are going to continue the talks. There are enough enemies in this world. If the northerners are up to no good, we need to learn as much as we can about them. We're going to drag out the negotiations and use the talks to gather information. If for no other reason, we need to do that. I don't want them to leave TechCom as enemies.
Mom, keep the pressure on Racineaux. John Henry, take Comeaux for a tour tomorrow of non-essential facilities. Find out what you can about the type of physical community they have. Talk to him as an engineer. Find out what their capabilities are."
"General, are you sure I'm the best person to obtain information from Delegate Comeaux? My social and infiltration skills leave a lot to be desired."
"And that John Henry, is why Comeaux will share what he can with you. Don't let him see anything classified or critical, but do let him see some of our construction accomplishments. Talk to him as a city engineer. Ask Comeaux how they handle sanitation, storage, things like that. You can do that and don't worry about being duplicitous. Be honest and forthcoming with him."
"I can do that General."
"Wilhelm, take Comeaux to inspect the airborne. Let's give him a small taste of what he is negotiating for. Make him eager to come to an agreement. Again, reveal nothing classified but talk to him as a soldier. Be proud of your unit. Don't demonstrate any equipment or stage a drop, just a for show inspection, but pump your guys up to him."
"Yes, my General."
"Ellison, I hate to ask you to do this, but you are going to take Racineaux for a tour of security. Be your professional self. Nothing personal Catherine, but Ellison learned how to deal with a difficult personality working for you."
"No offense taken John. Ellison is a professional in every word. He is indeed the best individual to take Racineaux around."
"Get a sense of what's she's up to, what is driving her. Give Racineaux a chance to ask questions. Perhaps we can pick something up from the questions she asks."
"I can manage that," the Agent replied. "I'll even ask about their security, see if she lies to me or provides some helpful information that might improve our efforts here."
"Derek, meet with the head of their security for this trip. Talk shop with him. See what you can learn. Take him down to hang out with Sergeant Brighton and the Assassin. Give them a heads up and tell them to be on good behavior."
Outside the Conference Area…
"I would appreciate it if you would refrain from annoying the TechCom delegates. The Terminator in charge of city engineering just took me on a tour of their sanitation plant. I was extraordinarily impressed. We need this alliance. We have much to gain." Comeaux watched as annoyed expression flashed across Racineaux's face.
"Look, we don't have a lot to offer TechCom at the moment. I don't need any additional fires to put out, so quit starting them."
"Are you threatening me, Delegate Comeaux?"
"No, my Queen. But I must remind you. I am here at the order of my King, as are you. He appointed me the head of my delegation, not you. The King will be most displeased if the reason we fail to obtain an alliance is because of your actions."
"Leave the King to me," Racineaux retorted, frowning with her nose in the air as she turned and walked away, leaving Comeaux to fume by himself.
The sound of boots approaching caught Comeaux's attention. He turned to find Major Wilhelm approaching, dressed in his combat uniform, ready for a drop.
"Major, it is good to see you."
"Are you ready to inspect my squad? This is my personal unit."
"I am honored. I take it these are hand picked soldiers if they are under your direct command?"
Wilhelm smiled as he reached inside his jacket. "The best." He withdrew his hand holding a pair of Cubans. "We are headed to no female territory. May I interest you in a cigar Delegate Comeaux? Cubans."
"Oh, my Major! It has been more years than I can count since I had a good cigar. Yes, thank you for your generous gift."
The pair bit the end off their cigars, spit them out, rolled the cigars in their fingers, sniffed them and finally lit up, each enjoying several good puffs before they left to inspect the troops.
TechCom Central Park…
Racineaux sat in a bench in the large open space. She alternated her gaze between the rough-hewn ceiling, shaped like a vaulted roof in a cathedral. The bare granite was covered with marks from the tools used to shape it as well as rough edges not yet smoothed from the precise blasts that had removed the granite to create the large open space. The far wall of the open area was bare granite. The roofline indicated a second vault was in the process of being formed. She had learned from passersby the open space was called Central Park and was meant to one day be the center of TechCom City. It would be an enormous open space with sunlamps built into the lighting so the residents would obtain needed Vitamin D to ward off depression caused by lack of sunlight. The space was meant to be the city's green space, an area where the family pets and children could play, couples could spend time together and large community gatherings held.
The concept was impressive. The fact construction of the space had started despite all the other more pressing priorities told Racineaux something about the priorities of the Connor family. TechCom City was to be more than a fortress. It was meant to be a place where the residents thrived.
The people who would live here would be a truly dangerous enemy. People who have something to live for, to fight for, could be more dangerous than those filled with despair from having no reason to fight for.
An alliance with TechCom would make her husband more powerful, more secure on his thrown. An alliance would make him less vulnerable to her considerable charms in the bedroom. It would bring metal into their society. And that, that she would never allow.
Connor Family Bunker…
For the second evening in a row, Cameron had cooked for the family and leadership council. Ruth and Hailey and the family dogs had been shipped off to spend the night with Savannah and the Old Man had departed sometime ago to escort the girls to their destination.
Everyone had left after the evening meeting and an exhausted John had already gone to bed. Cameron finished cleaning and putting everything away. She decided to get her two hours of sleep first and patrol later. John was stressed and she wanted to make sure he got settled in and was not going to have any nightmares.
The light was out in their room. John's breathing was regular with a slight snore. With her usual stealth, Cameron slipped out of her clothes and into an old dress shirt of John's. Carefully she crawled under the covers and snuggled close to her husband, resting her head on his shoulder.
A quick scan indicated his blood pressure was slightly elevated, which Cameron had anticipated. His other vitals were all normal. Before Cameron could move her hand from his chest, John woke up. Pulling his wife closer, he kissed the top of her head and took a deep breath. Cameron smiled to herself, knowing how much John loved the strawberry scent of her hair.
"I want you to skip your patrol tonight."
"No. I want to check on the girls and pass by the delegates quarters."
"The Old Man is more than capable of watching the approach to Savannah's quarters and Wilhelm and Catherine are just down the corridor. The girls are just as safe there as they are in our bunker of Sarah and Derek's. Not to mention Savannah is with them."
"I want to check on them," Cameron stubbornly objected.
"They have the dogs with them. Nobody is going to be able to sneak into Savannah's. You need rest. Your glitch has been awful since the delegates arrived. I'm stressed and would like to have you to myself."
"You just want the Sexbot to play," Cameron pouted.
"Did I say that? Did I put my hands somewhere I shouldn't," John retorted.
"No, but I still need to check the girls."
"Cameron, I have never led a major negotiation before. This was not my idea. They just showed up. I have to get this right. I'm responsible for TechCom's future. We finally have a little breathing room from Skynet. I don't know how long that will last and neither do you. Alliances might be important."
"I want to check the girls."
"And I want to rest so I am at my absolute best. I also want my wife to be at her absolute best. I'm counting on you more than anyone else. And let's be honest, Racineaux has gotten under your skin. I'd almost think she was Riley's mother the way you act around her."
John regretted the words the instant they left his mouth. Cameron hit him squarely on his sternum with her left hand.
"She's not blonde John!"
"I'm sorry, that was uncalled for on my part, but I hope you get my point."
Cameron seethed as she lay next to her husband. Her glitch had sped back up, annoying her further. Her need to check Hailey felt more pressing and of course Ruth needed to be checked as well. John seemed to forget on a regular basis Cameron's compulsion to inspect and protect once she decided to do so. She also realized her anxiety level was too high and John was right. Not just as her husband, but as the leader of TechCom. She needed to let her systems have time to rest and self-repair, more time than normal.
"I need to check the girls John. Please! I won't be able to self-repair unless I go and check."
His wife rarely used the word please. John sighed. He could feel the fingers of Cameron's left hand working furiously on his chest, indicating her anxiety level was far too high. The conflict between her need to give in to the compulsion she felt to check the girls and obey his command to stay with him was only stressing Cameron more.
"Is this a Terminator thing?" he asked. "You know, the can't be reasoned with, won't give up thing?"
"Yes," Cameron answered evenly. "I need to check the girls."
John sighed a second time. "Compromise. Go check them right now and hurry back. I am setting my alarm clock for one hour. When it wakes me up, I want to find my wife using me for a pillow, is that clear?"
"Yes, John."
"And then, when the alarm goes off at 0530, I want my wife to have not gotten out of bed again. Is that clear?"
"Yes, John."
Cameron watched to make sure John set his alarm clock as he had threatened. He set the adjusted clock down and rolled over, annoyed with his wife. With gentle pressure, Cameron ran her hand up John's back and massaged his left shoulder for a moment.
"Thank you for understanding," she whispered. John lifted his head slightly before reaching across his chest with his right and, taking her slender, powerful fingers in his and squeezing gently.
"Just be quick, okay?"
"I will."
Leaving the oversized shirt on, Cameron pulled on her pants and boots and left the bunker. She moved with her usual speed and stealth through the finished and unfinished corridors of TechCom, making her way to the quarters the delegates were housed in.
Nodding at the TechCom security personnel, she entered the quarters, slowing to a slow walk. She checked the security log to determine if all of the delegation were in their quarters. Noting they were, she left strict orders nobody was to leave without an armed escort and their movements reported directly to her at 0600.
Hurrying after her departure from the living quarters, Cameron broke into a run to make up time en route to Savannah's. Moving down the corridor leading to Savannah and her parent's quarters, Cameron was challenged by the Old Man. He promptly apologized for doing so and resumed his position in the unfinished service access. Cameron touched the T-600 and smiled at him, feeling better that the girl's protector had challenged her.
Stopping outside Savannah's door, Cameron raised her hand to knock only to have the sounds of the girls two dogs explode through the door. Within seconds Wilhelm's head emerged from the entrance to his bunker, followed by Catherine morphing around his wide body in order to step into the corridor.
"I'm sorry," Cameron apologized.
Catherine nodded without changing expression. "Checking the girls?"
"Yes. I know they are safe, I just couldn't help myself."
"We understand," Wilhelm replied. "Once you felt the need, you had to check. Come on now Catherine."
"Good night Cameron. Please get your maintenance sleep. We'll make sure the girls are safe."
The dogs quieted and the door to Savannah's bunker opened.
"Mom! What are you doing here? You don't need to check on us."
Cameron looked in to see a smiling Savannah standing behind the two girls, each of whom was holding one of the dogs.
"She's just annoyed because I won the bet," Ruth announced.
"And what bet was that?"
"That you would come check on us," Ruth replied with a broad grin.
"Mom, it's not logical. The Old Man is on duty as always. We have our dogs. Savannah is armed and Wilhelm and Catherine are across the corridor. We're safe!"
"I tried telling her this is not about logic, its about compulsion," Ruth told Cameron. "Hailey shouldn't have bet me. Takes a Terminator to know a Terminator."
"I'm sorry, Savannah," Cameron apologized.
"It's okay. I work with Terminators all day everyday and I have one for a mother. I'm surprised you're this late getting here. No harm done, but seriously, you need a long maintenance cycle tonight. Get."
Cameron petted the two dogs and told them they were good boys, kissed Ruth on the head, hugged Hailey and kissed her. Satisfied the girls were fine, Cameron made her way down the corridor. The Old Man waved as she passed.
Making good time, Cameron was able to return to her bunker, undress and slip back into bed with nine minutes and eleven seconds to spare. She listened to John's restless breathing until his alarm went off, waking him.
"I'm here, John."
"Girls okay?"
"Yes."
"I guess there's no point in telling you not to worry is there?"
"No point. I have to check."
"Come here, roll over," John whispered.
Cameron turned onto her left side and faced the entrance to their quarters. John spooned next to her and draped his right arm across her abdomen. Pulling her close, he whispered, "Get the scan done so we can both rest."
Hurriedly, Cameron complied, recording the data of John's vitals in her log.
"Done?"
"Yes, John."
John hugged Cameron tight and pulled her even closer against his chest as he draped his right leg over hers.
"I love you. You love me," he whispered.
Cameron smiled for a second and took John's right and in hers.
"I love you. You love me," she replied.
In minutes the Connors were both asleep.
0500 in the Connor Family Bunker…
Images of video from famous political summits flashed through John's mind as he slowly woke up. Feeling tired from the troubled sleep, he propped himself up on his elbows. Noticing he was not alone, John visually examined Cameron from the top of her head to her… boots. Lying flat on her back, Cameron was still dressed in the worn, long sleeved blue dress shirt of his she'd long ago taken to use as nightwear. John loved how her long dancers legs looked, seeming to appear stealthily from underneath the tailored tails of the shirt.
As his eyes followed the contours of her legs, John had expected to see Cameron's perfect feet, adorned by purple, sometimes pink, toenail polish. Instead, she wore her boots with steel plates.
She wanted to talk.
"You haven't been in standby self-repairing have you?"
"No," Cameron replied.
"You want to talk," John as a statement, not a question, thinking back to a conversation long ago in his room before Judgment Day when Cameron had climbed into bed with him to talk to him about Riley. During that conversation, she'd alluded to times in the future when Future John and her had long conversations.
"Yes," Cameron confirmed.
"Wife talk or second in command talk," John asked.
"Second in command."
Relieved she did not want to fight or spring some unforeseen issue on him as his wife, John relaxed slightly.
"What have you been thinking about instead of self-repairing."
"Racineaux."
"Are you sure this is not wife stuff?"
"Yes. She must not be trusted. By us, or the northerners."
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