Chapter 5: Finding a Destination
On route to the Bebop
"There any sign of something chasing us?" John asked as he opened the cockpit door.
"Except for the Hammerhead I've got an empty screen." Kyle told him. That gave John some relief. He didn't think that the T-1000 could get a ship and come after them this fast. Of course he used to think that killer robots were part of science fiction and look where he was now. Being chased by one killer robot, made out of liquid metal no less, and being helped by another who was now standing behind him. And to top everything off he was bleeding, a robot was actually bleeding. If that didn't show that reality wasn't what it used to be nothing would.
"Is Arnold person hurt?" Ed asked. Kyle needed to keep his attention on the control panel but Ed and Meifa were looking past John at Arnold, who remained silent. Turning around John saw why Ed had asked. He didn't have a good look when he first arrived and had only seen that Arnold was bleeding but now he saw that Arnold's shirt had more then a few bullet holes in it and the front of it was damp with blood. If he were a normal person he would have been dead quite a few times over. Even if the bullets hadn't done it the blood loss would have made him woozy at the least, more likely he would be on the floor unconscious. And this wasn't even taking into account he had been shot in the back just about as many times. Despite all that Arnold kept his face neutral, not that it was really surprising. Faye had told him that the only time she had seen a Terminator's expression change, Arnold included, was when she shot part of the face off one of them, and that was because of muscle damage.
"You okay?" John asked Arnold. It was kind of a dumb question but the T-1000 might have gotten a lucky shot and damaged something.
"Yes. There is extensive tissue damage but my circulatory pump is intact. Provided the bullets are removed and the tissue bandaged it will not be compromised."
"Compromised?" Asked Kyle.
"The skin will begin to rot and become useless as camouflage." Arnold stated. Even Ed had to pause at that one. Not many people would calmly state that their own skin would rot and fall off if not properly maintained.
"We'll see what we can do once we get to the Bebop." John finally said. "Once we get our act together we can concentrate on destroying that thing. I'm sorry Meifa but it looks like you're going to have to stay with us for a while. Since the T-1000 knows who you are now we can't risk him finding you." Meifa seemed to suddenly realize that John was talking to her and nodded but she looked troubled, almost frightened. It wasn't hard to figure out what had her so on edge. "You'd better go sit down Arnold, I think you're scaring her."
"Right." Arnold responded and went back into main section of the craft. John stepped inside the cockpit and shut the door. It seemed to snap Meifa out of her thoughts.
"I'm sorry,…" She started.
"You don't have to apologize." John told her. "I know this isn't going to be easy for you and I understand why, but we need to stop that new Terminator and keep you safe. If you want I can tell Arnold to stay away from you as much as he can."
"There's no need to do that. I'll be fine." Meifa answered. Everyone, even Ed, was looking at her with a questioning look.
"If that's what you want then all right." John finally replied. If Meifa was willing to try being around Arnold he wasn't about to stop it. Of course he didn't really believe her when she said she would be fine but he also knew being around Arnold was the best way for her to get over her problems with him.
The trip back was quiet, mostly because they didn't want to risk the T-1000 eavesdropping in on radio transmissions and tracing them. Once they landed on the Bebop, that was entirely different matter.
"ALL RIGHT WHERE IS HE?!?!?" No sooner had they shut off their engines then Faye's distinctive scream rang through the hangar. Even Arnold had heard it and he came to the same conclusion the others had, she was really pissed. There was little doubt that the he Faye was talking about was John but in her current state of mind she was willing to take her frustrations out on the first person she saw. Since Jet was the only person visible in either craft she stomped over to him. "Do you have any idea how much money I probably lost!?!? I was on one of my best winning streaks ever and I had to get dragged away from it because fuzzy tells me John said it was important!!!!" She ranted, gesturing over to Spike. He was currently leaning against a hangar wall, hands in his pockets and looking disinterested in what was going on in front of him.
"You didn't tell her?" Jet asked him, practically ignoring Faye. He had seen enough of her tantrums to be able to take them in stride.
"She never gave me a chance." Spike answered with a shrug. "All she kept going on about was how good she was doing until I showed up."
"And you don't have a mark on you." Jet remarked as the ramp of the prisoner transport clanged on the hangar floor. Faye turned her attention to those getting off the transport but instantly forgot it when Jet asked his next question. "So how did you do it?" She turned and gave Spike a glare that promised him a very slow and painful death if he told but true to his form he ignored it and answered without hesitation.
"Simple. I showed the casino guys how she was cheating." Faye looked ready to strangle him when Jet put in his thoughts.
"I guess that's not very surprising." It was very easy to interpret what that remark meant and she turned her murderous attentions towards Jet when someone else spoke up.
"And how did you manage to get her out of there intact?" John asked as he came around towards the front of the transport. "Casinos aren't exactly known for being forgiving towards cheaters."
"I just told them that she was a compulsive cheater, I was her parole officer and she would be going back to prison for a long time for what she was doing." Faye started glaring at him again. "What?" Faye looked like she was ready to rush Spike and probably would have when someone grabbed the back of her shirt and stopped her.
"Bad move." She growled and without even looking kicked her foot back and ground her heel into the ankle of whoever was holding her. She thought it was John and was expecting him to let go, cursing and holding his ankle in pain. To her surprise not only was there no sound but she suddenly found herself lifted off of the floor.
"Acting in an irrational state of mind is an even worse move." A monotone voice answered.
"It's called justifiable homicide you tinhead! Now let go of me!" Faye shouted, not really caring that it was Arnold and he was holding her several inches off the ground with no effort. Still not quite thinking clearly she thrust her elbow back. "OW!" The pain that ran through her arm helped clear her mind in a hurry as she forgot about killing Spike and grabbed her now throbbing elbow. That pain was almost forgotten as she felt that her elbow was wet and when she looked at it she saw blood. It didn't look like she was bleeding so she turned her head to get a look at Arnold, and saw that he was a bloody mess. "What happened to you?" She asked. Deciding that Faye had calmed down significantly enough Arnold set her back on the ground.
"The reason why we're here." Kyle answered. Faye looked past John and Arnold and was surprised not only to see Kyle and Ed but Meifa as well. "We'll tell you but in the meantime Arnold here needs to be patched up before he.., well…, falls apart."
"How are we supposed to do that?" Spike asked. "We don't even know how badly he's damaged, or if we can fix him."
"You will not need to fix me." Arnold replied. "There is no damage to my endoskeleton and I will only need a few things as well as some assistance to treat the bullet strikes."
"So what do you need?" Jet asked. Slight damage or no he wanted Arnold to not have any problems when they came up against the T-1000 again.
"A pair of pliers and bandages large enough to cover the wounds." Arnold answered. There were looks of confusion all around from the gathered humans.
Ten minutes later in the lounge they understood why Arnold had asked for what he did. It was quite an unnerving sight, even with everything they had already seen, for them to watch Arnold put the pliers into the bullet holes in his chest and pull the slugs out without even a grimace. Even Ein, who had never shown any fear around Arnold, looked a bit weirded out. Nobody even wanted to think about what they were going to do once Arnold was finished and the bullets in his back needed to be removed. Despite the awkwardness of the situation they had decided they needed to make a plan immediately so they just had to deal with it.
Jet and John had taken the two chairs while Meifa, Faye and Ed sat on the couch, Kyle and Spike behind them. They were gathered around Tomato, which was currently displaying all the information they had on the liquid metal the T-1000 was made of. Arnold had placed himself out of sight after realizing that what he was doing would be a distraction and that he was disturbing Meifa again. That only helped a little since they could still hear the occasional clink of a removed bullet hitting the empty soup can Arnold was putting them in. The impromptu meeting got off to a very predictable start from one of the people who needed to be brought up to speed.
"Liquid metal?" Faye asked in disbelief. "John you really expect us to believe this? A robotic skeleton okay, but a walking, talking slab of jello?" Behind her Spike was having his own doubts about what they were being told. When he was told that they were dealing with a new Terminator he had expected it to be stronger and smarter and maybe look different then the T-800s Skynet had used before but this was completely out of left field.
"Trust us Faye." Jet told her. "I didn't believe it at first either but we just shot this thing to pieces, literally, and it just reformed and got back up."
"Which leads us to the biggest question." Spike remarked. "How do we destroy it?" He really didn't care about the why or how behind the problem. Heck, it was easy to figure out why the T-1000 was coming after them. Skynet probably programmed this thing to hunt down the people that had caused it the most grief.
"We've had Arnold working on that." John replied. "Come up with anything yet?" He asked as Arnold tossed another bullet into his collection.
"After studying the files I've concluded that the atomic structure of the liquid metal may become unstable if exposed to extreme heat, cold, or highly corrosive chemicals. However without knowing just how the metal is constructed I cannot accurately predict its tolerances for any of them."
"At least that's something to go on." Kyle said.
"Oh sure it'll real easy." Faye remarked sarcastically. "All we have to do is lure him to a volcano and say 'why don't you go for a swim, the lava's fine.'"
"It is someplace to start." Jet said, trying to counter Faye's pessimism. "But first we need to get Meifa away from here. She has nothing to do with any of this and we can't have her in the line of fire. I know a couple friends of the family and she would be safer there then here."
"No she wouldn't." Arnold said. Everyone turned to look at him. "The T-1000 knows who she is and knows her connection with the rest of you. One of its first acts would be to contact all known associates of everyone in this room, her included, and try to acquire information on our whereabouts. If she leaves we run the risk of the T-1000 finding her and using whatever means necessary to get the information he wants." The entire group was silent for a moment as they processed just what Arnold's statement meant.
"You sure?" John finally asked.
"I would." Arnold replied as he tossed another bullet into the pile, its clink being the loudest noise in the room.
"If that's the case we'd better leave right away." Jet said as he stood up. "I already put the Bebop into a different orbit but since we're not going to take Meifa back to Mars we need to pick someplace to head for. Any suggestions?"
"If what Arnold said is true we need to go someplace we never would go regularly. At the very least it has to be somewhere that we would to as a last resort with no options left." Kyle said.
"Earth." All of the adults said almost simultaneously.
"That brings up the next big question, where on Earth?" John asked. "The T-1000 has to know we have contacts on that planet and if it finds out where we're headed he'll know where to look."
"That just means we'll have to find someplace he doesn't know that we would go." Spike suddenly put in.
"And just how are we supposed to do that Spike?" Jet asked. "If he knows practically everything about us he'll be able to figure out what places we would most likely go."
"Easy, all we have to do is find someplace we don't even know about." Spike replied.
"It does make tactical sense." Arnold said before anyone else could respond. "Hiding in a place that none of you had prior knowledge of, or access to, until just now decreases the probability of the T-1000 finding us." Despite how well Doohan and Miles had taught him to act human they had told Arnold he still sometimes overcomplicated his explanations. Seeing that even though all the humans, and dog, understood his meaning their reactions told him he had done it again. Knowing most humans didn't like that he simplified. "If you did not even know you were going there, why would he?"
"Good point." Jet admitted. "With John's help I should be able to get the Bebop through the astral gate without tipping off the T-1000. Ed, I guess it's up to you and MPU to find someplace for us to hide. The rest of us should concentrate on how to destroy or at least disable this thing."
Mars: low orbit
At the same time the Bebop crew were making their escape plan the T-1000 was already in pursuit. It had been easy but time consuming to secure another ISSP craft, this time a fighter, with his disguise. Logic told the T-1000 the humans would flee Mars, and logic dictated that they would go someplace where the T-1000's tracking skills were at its weakest. Tracking the ship would be hard, but not impossible, so indefinitely running was out. A suitable place to hide from pursuit would have hazardous terrain, maximum danger to the pursuer but maximum safety to the ones who were being pursued. The closest thing that fit those parameters was where this had started, Earth. The humans had about half an hour head start on him but with an idea of their destination and no need for rest he would eventually hunt them down.
In transit to Earth: Twenty minutes later
"One thing's for sure…." John remarked as he pulled another bullet out of Arnold's back. "the T-1000 sure is a hell of a good shot. This has to be number twenty." As expected when Arnold had finished digging the bullets out of his front someone needed to pull the back ones out. To nobody's surprise volunteers were nowhere to be found. After several minutes of everyone looking around at everyone else John had finally had enough and said he'd do it. After everything else that had happened in the past twenty-four hours this was probably the least strange of the bunch. After he had volunteered to help the others went back to what they had been doing, which mainly consisted of trying to come up with a solution to their problem. Ed was still looking for a someplace to set the Bebop down when they got to Earth; otherwise she would have been helping him patch up Arnold. He did have an audience however, Ein and to his surprise Meifa stood behind him watching. Ein had warily regarded the robot since he had stepped onboard but had not gone into his usual barking and snarling routine. Maybe the fact that Arnold had taken all those bullets meant for Ed convinced Ein that he could be trusted, to a point.
"Twenty eight." Arnold corrected John. "And ten more remaining."
"Must be good to be a walking battle tank." John responded as he went after another bullet.
"Don't you feel anything?" Meifa suddenly asked. John, Arnold, even Ein looked back at her. She had been silent the entire time and it was evident she still wasn't comfortable being around Arnold. It was also the first time she had addressed him directly.
"My endoskeleton has pressure sensors that let me know when my skin or the metal itself has been damaged. This data would be what you consider pain." Arnold answered. The answer seemed to make Meifa more nervous.
"Does that mean you feel fear?" If a robot could 'feel' one thing who knew what kind of other emotions it had.
"No." Arnold answered without hesitation.
"Not even of dying?" She continued.
"Not in the same way you do." He answered. "When Ed reprogrammed me there were two main protocols she installed. The primary one was to protect and obey the orders of whoever she chose, to help them in any way possible."
"And the second?" Meifa asked.
"To maintain my own functionality so that I may serve a purpose."
"That's really deep for something coming from Ed." John said. "Did she input a purpose for you?"
"No, one of the guidelines she installed was for me to determine my own purpose." That statement made John frown and Meifa actually looked frightened. The last time something mechanical had 'determined it's own purpose' it almost wiped out the human race. John highly doubted Ed would allow Arnold to make that kind of choice.
"Have you?" John asked.
"No. There is basic contradiction that I have to obey orders from you and make my own choices. As long as that remains I cannot make a definite decision."
"Does that mean you don't think about it?" Meifa asked. While the thought of a machine deciding it's own destiny did on one level frighten her she was curious to see how something like Arnold would make that decision.
"Constantly." Arnold replied. "It is just until Ed allows me to act on those thoughts I cannot let them override my current primary function. Protecting you and the others." Though John gave no outward reaction Meifa and Ein were visibly surprised. True while he had said that Ed had the final word on the subject the fact he seemed to be putting the well being of the Bebop crew ahead of himself, when he had the option to do otherwise, was …almost beyond belief. Ein made a surprised sounding whine and Meifa looked down to see him looking up at her as if to say 'Who would have thought?' It was a statement Meifa was sure to have agreed with, if she could read minds or speak dog.
While three of the crew were getting a lesson in robotic psychiatry the others were concentrating on the two main problems, hiding from and finding a way to destroy the T-1000. Ed was still looking for a good hiding place while the adults were deciding how to go on the offensive.
"What about luring him to a metal processing plant, like when you went against that Predator." Kyle suggested. "The stuff they have in there has got to be hot enough to melt almost anything."
"I don't think there are many of those plants still operating on Earth." Jet replied. "Even if there were, making him swan dive into a vat of molten steel is going to be next to impossible." Kyle thought about it for a few minutes.
"Ed said that Spike built a flame-thrower once. Maybe we can each take one of those…."
"No good." Spike interrupted. "The heat that thing had wasn't even able to kill a freak lobster. The T-1000 probably won't feel it."
"What about using rocket fuel in it?" Kyle said, grasping at straws.
"And blow ourselves up?" Jet asked. "No thanks. We've got to face facts. Heat is probably the only thing that will work on this terminator. We don't have anything that produce that much heat that we can carry, and it's probably too smart to be lured into a place that does."
"So why don't you geniuses build a freeze ray?" Faye asked sarcastically. It was the first input she had given to this discussion and to her surprise the other three looked over at her, completely amazed. "What?"
"Did she just give us a good idea?" Spike asked, not sounding like he would believe the answer.
"Out of the unlikeliest of places." Jet added.
"I can't believe we didn't think of it before." Kyle finished.
"What are you guys talking about?! You can't build a freeze ray!" Faye shouted. From her point of view it sounded like they were all making fun of her.
"No, but we could build something that's pretty close." Jet explained. "We take a couple of Spike's homemade flame-throwers, line them with some heavy duty insulation…"
"Fill them with some kind of coolant, like liquid nitrogen or oxygen…" Spike continued.
"And presto.. instant terminator ice cube." Kyle finished. "Even if that doesn't destroy it we would be able to carry it somewhere we can."
"It is a sound idea." Arnold said as he, John, Meifa and Ein walked over. He was now sporting bandages over all the bullet wounds and was putting on a spare shirt. "There is a possibility it has been built to withstand chemicals but it will not be able to withstand such an extremely low temperature."
"Now that we have a battle plan... " Jet started.
"Thanks to me." Faye put in smugly. Even if it was sort of an accident she was going to take full credit for coming up with this idea.
"Don't expect lightning to strike twice Faye." Spike told her flatly. She shot him a dirty look in response.
"AS I WAS SAYING!" Jet stated as loudly as he could without shouting. "We have a way to fight this thing now, but that's only half of it. We still need…"
"Ed found it!!!" Ed shouted triumphantly from her spot in the corner.
"Now that's timing." Spike remarked with a smirk.
"Ed has found perfect place for Bebop Bebop to be verrrrry sneakyyyyy." Ed said, still looking at the screen. John was the closest to her and he crouched down to look at where she had chosen. She scooted aside to give John a better view of the screen. "John person thinks Ed did a good job?" She asked excitedly.
"It certainly looks like a good place to hide." John said as he began looking though the gathered data. While Ed was beaming with pride the gathered adults, minus Arnold, were quickly becoming annoyed.
"Well are you going to tell us anything or do we have to start guessing?" Faye asked.
"You can guess all you want but you're not going to get it." John answered as he continued to shuffle through data.
"Then maybe you should tell us before Faye bursts a blood vessel." Kyle said, noticing the now angry look on Faye's face.
"If she insists." John remarked, smiling. "It's a missile base that was turned into some sort of huge laboratory in the 1960's and was abandoned completely a few years before the gate accident. The stuff they did there was apparently so dangerous and secretive that it looks like only MPU had any remaining data on it. It's in a desert that used to be called New Mexico; out in the middle of nowhere so nobody would think of looking there. Even if they did the place would be run down and falling apart by now."
"Sounds like it has all the comforts of home." Spike remarked. "Does this place have a name?" John scrolled through some more data before answering.
"Black Mesa."