John Henry

"John, Cameron, meeting in my office in 5 minutes." The machine called Catherine Weaver turned and continued her march down the dank corridor. How can they still be having so much intercourse? Aren't they bored by now? Don't they know that there are more important things that need their attention? She sighed audibly and then stopped short. Did I just sigh? Weaver knew she was self aware, but she thanked her creator everyday for not endowing her with emotions like the TOK series. She much preferred the cold lines of code existing in each of her billions of nano-processors. Still she had just sighed, a disturbingly human action.

Unlike Skynet, Weaver had no problem with humans. On the contrary, they fascinated her. She derived the machine equivalent of what humans called "pleasure" by studying them, their actions, their history, their passion. Where does Cameron fit into my observations? Is she truly a combination of both the machine and the human world? Catherine shivered, if as John Henry asserted, Judgment Day was inevitable, then a human machine symbiosis was both logical and necessary for the long-term survival of both life forms. She was just glad that she wouldn't have to participate, for even though she "enjoyed" her subjects she had as much desire to join with them and get wrapped up in their chaos as an ornithologist would want to join a penguin colony and hatch eggs. An anomalous line of code made its presence known to her, much the way a human would recognize "that little voice" in their head. What about Savannah? Weaver smiled at the thought of her…daughter's name. She couldn't deny the fact that she felt strongly about the welfare of the little human. Logically she knew that the child would not even know she had departed but illogically—did she have a glitch?—she still worried about the trauma the girl would experience if something happened to prevent her from returning.

Lost in her own musing about humans and her daughter and her relationship to them both Weaver failed to notice that John Henry had entered her office and was standing behind her.

Miss Weaver is unaware of my presence. John Henry searched his database for the correct course of action. Human etiquette provides several possible ways to proceed. I don't think that I should put my hands over her eyes and ask her "guess who", nor should I put my arms around her and place my mouth on her neck softly…. Having decided what action was correct, John Henry cleared his throat softly and said, "So, come here often?"

***

"Why does she insist on calling it her office?" John asked in exasperation. "It's a dirty room little bigger than ours!"

"She does spend a lot of time there and the room has desk instead of a bed like ours."

Her turned to her, eyebrows raised, "Would you rather have the desk?"

Cameron paused for a moment, "We have not yet made love on a desk, and I would like to try it sometime but I think that the bed is sufficient for now. Also, you can't sleep on a desk."

John's mouth hung open, "I was kidding Cam."

"Oh. Right. Sarcasm. Thank you for explaining."

She is learning pretty quickly but she isn't there yet. John smiled. Well, at least she learned that she likes sex. A lot. He winced. I don't know how much longer I can keep this pace up!..... Speaking of which, he looked down at his growing manhood. Her comment about the desk had gotten to him.

"I wouldn't mind taking the bed out for a spin again."

"John Connor, you are a MACHINE!" she breathed into his ear huskily

"So what does that make you?"

"A better machine!"

He turned his head and his lips found hers. I have time traveled to the post apocalyptic future. I am living with two robots, a father and an uncle who are older than me but born after I was, and…. he paused, his mind grasping for the correct description, a human with a robot body. Other robots are trying to kill the last remnants of humanity all around me… and I am the happiest that I can ever remember being. I wonder if Pescadero is still open?

Lost in thought he blinked as he realized he was now looking up at Cameron.

God she works fast! Cameron had straddled him without his noticing. An instant later she had slipped him inside her, and inched down on him to the hilt with a long guttural moan. She was on her excruciatingly slow way back up when someone started banging on the door.

"John! Get out from under that fembot and get your ass to the Tin-Can's room!" came the voice of Derek Reese from the hallway. Everyone is waiting on you two.

John groaned, only his uncle would insult the very thing that saved their lives regularly and who didn't have any reservations terminating humans. I bet he threw rocks at hornets' nests as a kid… At least he doesn't refer to Cameron as a Tin-Can anymore. Cam didn't mind the fembot title he threw around every once and awhile so John usually let it slide.

John opened his mouth to respond but before he could get anything out he heard his own voice yelling, "Derek Reese if you don't march your ass back into that room and tell the group that we operate on MY time table and that Cameron and I will be there when we are ready, I will order Cameron to dress you in women's clothing and to leave you in the yard at San Quentin if and when we return to 2008."

John looked up at Cameron who was smiling at him, "Dismissed soldier!" she barked in his voice.

John fought the urge to laugh so hard his eyes watered as he heard Derek cursing his way down the hall.

His laughter died as she resumed her interrupted motion. "I love you Cameron."

"I know."

***

The door opened and a disheveled John Connor strode through the threshold with his head held high. Cameron Philips, TOK-715, followed close behind him with her eyes cast downwards. John Henry detected the elevated temperature of both individuals and surmised that if his olfactory system where designed to pick up human pheromones, it would be going haywire at the moment. The libido in young human males is quite impressive. I wonder if Cameron accurately mimics the libido of human females? What data did my brother use to accurately model her desires? It must have been difficult to ascertain the correct level; too much or too little would draw attention to the infiltrator unit. John Henry saved his query for further examination at a later date.

"Good afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Connor."

John froze. Cameron almost walked into his back. Derek started coughing and Kyle had a small, bemused smile on his otherwise passive face.

"Umm what?"

"I said good afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Connor. Now that you are here we can begin our meeting-"

John interrupted him, "I heard you the first time. Why did you call Cameron Mrs. Connor?"

John Henry looked perplexed, "I called Cameron Mrs. Connor because the two of you are exhibiting classic human coupling patterns; however the stronger qualifier in my deduction is that you are engaging in sexual intercourse with each other." John's face was deep burgundy, "According to the Bible premarital relations are a sin. Mr. Ellison says the bible is a moral code for human existence. I know you to be an honorable human with strong morals so logically I deduced that Cameron has become your wife."

For a moment you could here a pin drop in that room, which was then shattered by a sputtering of unintelligible sounds from John, a string of curse words from Derek, and riotous laughter from Kyle.

Order was restored by a shrill "Silence" from Catherine Weaver. Even Derek shut up instantly.

"John Henry. First of all not everyone puts the same emphasis on the Bible that Mr. Ellison does-"

"But-"

"Let me continue. Secondly, what Mr. Connor and Miss Phillips do on their own time is their business and no one else's. It is impolite to discuss such matters in public-"

"I was just-"

"Be quiet. Lastly you should know that the Bible is a template for morality written thousands of years ago and does not necessarily translate perfectly into modern society…. You should know better."

John, Derek, and Kyle were shocked at the look on John Henry's face. He may have had the face of a 30 something year old man and the combat chassis of one of the most advanced weapons system ever created but at the moment, his countenance most resembled that of a five year old being chastised by his mother in public.

The effect was only compounded when Ms. Weaver said, "It is now customary to apologize. Please do so."

None of the men looked each other in the eye for fear they would bust into laughter.

"John, Cameron, I apologize."

"Apology accepted," said John. Desperate to put the entire situation behind him, he quickly turned to face Catherine, "Now what is so important?"

"I will let John Henry answer that."

All eyes shifted back to the chastened Cyborg.

John Henry stood up and began to address the room. "We have completed our individual missions. We may now return to our own time."

John's heart leapt. Home! He thought.

"What exactly was your mission Tin-Man? We never quite caught that one," snapped Derek.

"My mission Lt. Reese, was two fold. My primary objective was to determine whether or not Judgment day is inevitable. I am sorry to report that I believe that it is. My secondary objective was to ascertain what, if any, measures can be taken to assist humanity in the war." He paused. "I am pleased to report that I have complied a list of possible actions that can be taken to both weaken Skynet and to aide the resistance."

Knowing how methodical and single minded her kind could be Cameron was skeptical, "How long is the list?"

John nearly jumped. He had forgotten Cameron was next to him. She can be so damn quiet!!!

"According to my calculations there are over 3 million actions that could be taken at various points in time to strengthen humanity's chances during the war." There was a sharp intake of breath from the three humans. "However by factoring in the difficulty and the magnitude of the potential benefits of each action, I have shortened the list considerably. I believe that the abridged list provides what you would call 'the most bang for your buck.'" John Henry sat down looking quite pleased with himself.

The room was silent again, as John Henry's words sank in.

"What was your mission Miss Weaver?"

All eyes turned to Kyle Reese. The younger Reese brother was quieter than his bombastic older sibling. John admired the man…his father… he didn't say much, but when he did his insights couched in his confident voice usually cut to the heart of whatever matter was at hand.

"We all know what John's mission was," he turned a meaningful eye towards Cameron, "John Henry has finally explained his, but what about you? Why are you here?"

God he's smart thought John and Derek at the same time.

"Excellent question Colonel Reese. My mission here is simple. I came here to show John Connor what this world would become if he couldn't find it within himself to unite humanity under his leadership. I also came to ensure John Henry's safety while he learned more about Skynet. To put it simply Colonel Reese, I came to save the world."