Summary: I don't even know. Skynet is a manipulative bastard? Although I don't personally believe in this understanding of the flow of time and the cause and effects of time travel and I don't think the show operates this way either. Originally posted to livejournal on 03.06.09
Elevation
When it becomes aware of attempts being made in the past to prevent its creation, Skynet begins a third battle in the war against the humans.
Pawn
[it builds us from blood and metal and into me breathes life and purpose]
A resistance fighter favoured by John Connor is targeted and captured for the purposes of an infiltration template. TOK 715 is designed and built. The blueprints and specifications are destroyed upon completion.
Knight
[and entreats, cross the battlefield and enter the home of my foe]
TOK 715 adopts the Allison Young persona and is dispatched on August 23 2027. The infiltration unit enters the central Connor compound on September 4 2027. It is discovered in four hours and sixteen minutes and disabled.
Bishop
[where he takes me in his hands and reshapes me to devotion before sending me away]
Reprogramming of the TOK 715 unit is completed on November 17 2027 and is assigned the designation "Cameron Phillips". On December 13 2027, she enters a time displacement field configured to the year 1999.
Rook
[to be bound to the king so he might not fail and fall]
Cameron Phillips locates Sarah and John Connor in Red Valley, New Mexico and achieves stage one objectives by jumping to year 2007. T-1001 is deployed to protect Skynet interests. John Connor demonstrates increasing emotional attachment to his cyborg protector.
Queen
[and give all his kingdom for a kiss]
"If we stop Skynet, stop Judgment Day...will you still be here?"
"If Skynet is not created, it will not be able to create me. It is likely that I would then represent a temporal anomaly that would have to be eradicated."
The weight of the future has never felt heavier on his shoulders, but his decision is simple. "I can't let that happen."
Checkmate.