Author's Note: This will be the last part I am putting up.

Due to circumstances out of my control, I will be unable to add any more parts online after today.

But, like Arnie loves to say, "I'll be back."

The local library is upgrading its entire network next week, and I'm giving them most of it to sort it out. I'm also wanting to get the next few parts ready before I post more. The next part should be up around the 23rd July. And its a feature length "episode." As has been started in this part, a LOT of unresolved plot threads from "Balance of Power" are resolved in the next part, and if you've not read "Balance of Power"... you will still need to read it. Because things between Cameron and John will never be the same again.

You don't need lots of fighting, or big events to have a major change in your life. Sometimes a letter will do...

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The Predator

"So... This is how your adventure began," Jack comments. It is a shame that Major Shaw could not be here, but she needs to stay behind; she's still healing up, and we need a person inside the Cathedral to stop it from dematerialising. Jack has a plan to look through the store rooms, the labs, to take whatever equipment might be useful. He's talking about creating a team to not just fight Skynet but to protect and prepare Earth for the future, for when First Contact happens. Jane had told us all, when trying to explain things to Sarah Connor, the Victorian ancestor of Mom and John, that First Contact was just a few decades away. I believe, though, that she simply made it up; because she once told me, one night when we were lying together, that she'd not gone too far into the future, because she was scared that Skynet would learn of the Cathedral, and try to destroy it, or take it for its own use.

We need the Cathedral to stay put, though, because I have to built that... I guess it could be called a Chapel of Time, because I will never manage to make it as big as the Cathedral is. On the inside, of course. As much as the thought of losing the Cathedral hurts me all the more, the thought of building the Chapel, and having it as my own ship though time and space fills me with... excitement. Yes, it is excitement I am feeling. I have no idea how it will come together, but I know it will. I know I should be focussing on what is about to happen, but I can't. It makes me feel very unsettled, and I need to have my focus. I just hope that all I need is one bolt. I wish we had been able to secure a rapid fire crossbow, but we didn't have time. I'll just have to reload quickly. And aim well.

I glance at the JJ copy, crouched, scanning silently the surroundings. I turn to Jack.

"Does the Metal have a name?" I ask quietly. He looks at me, confused. I point to the Machine with my thumb. I don't like it being here, but we need all the help we can get. Jane ended up fatally wounded by the creature, causing her to Regenerate. It's something she gained from being partly Lord of Time. It's very unstable in a hybrid, but for a Lord of Time, death isn't necessarily the end. If it is very, very quick, then there won't be time for Regeneration. The ability to repair and rebuild their bodies. The thing is, it also changes their appearance, and alters their personalities somewhat. It didn't for Jane, though. It made her body go back to a set point in her life, where her body was covered with strange tattoos, and holes for multiple piercings. And affected her memory. It gave her amnesia.

"I was kinda leaning towards Poppy myself," he confesses. I see the Machine look at us, and frown in confusion.

"I don't understand. What is the significance in having a name?" I glare at her, resisting the urge to tear the things head off. I can't help but feel disgust at seeing it, being near it.

I hate Skynet.

Truly hate it.

"It's part of who you are. Make you individual." the thing's head tilts sideways to the right slightly, it's eyes to the ground, thinking.

"But there are many individuals named 'Poppy,' it is a common name," it says. It's eyes look up at me. "So is Cameron. How can you can you be individual if there are other females with the name of 'Cameron?' it makes no sense." Resist it, resist the urge to hit the Machine....

"It is a part of the things that make you unique," I say, unable to completely hid the irritation in my voice.

"But I am not designed for uniqueness," it says, still confused. "I am built according to specific parameters from mass-produced components-"

"And what about your brain? Your Neural processor? Is that standard?"

"Not for my design, however it is based around your processor. A standard design." I snort at that one.

"My chip is damaged, and has been repairing itself. Badly. Certainly far from standard." I can see it look puzzled and concerned. It looks at Jack.

"Why did you use a flawed design?"

"It was what I had available. Not to mention it'll allow you to become more unique," he says softly, still scanning the area, his revolver at the ready. I feel reassured by my crossbow...

"But this does not make sense... everything is built to be the same. Machines, Cybernetic Life-Forms, Humans-"

"Yeah, but humans are build the same was as a guideline. But after that, there is always some variation."

"But-"

"Always," Jack reinforces this point with a finality of tone. My head jerks at a sudden sound. I stay utterly silent as I see the past versions of me and Derek appear next to the past version of the Cathedral. We all watch as the past plays out, me and Derek investigate, and then leave the Cathedral behind, and then run back towards it, in my arms a critically wounded Jane Smith in a torn and bloody Cheerleader's outfit. There. I know where the Predator is, I cannot see it visually. Wait... a vague outline. It has a camouflage a lot like my Cloak. Imbued with Glamours to affect perception. Its slamming itself into the side of the Cathedral, trying to get in. I try to aim, but it is moving too much. I want to get a good aim. Because I need to get the Cold Iron to penetrate deep into the Predator, and poison it.

The Cathedral dematerialises, and the Predator stops. It has this low rumbling growl, a hungry hiss at the end. It starts to sniff the air; a long, heavy noise with it intaking air with its mouth as well as its' nose. And a sickening sound in the process.

The bolt sails through the air, hitting the target perfectly in the side. It shrieks, a sinew scraping noise that makes my back shudder and start to pull my shoulders together backwards. I work towards re-arming. That has to be top priority. I have another one loaded up before it starts to come for us.

Another bolt flies through the air, and hits its right forelimb. I can tell, because of the disruption to the perception cloak. But as another bolt goes from my hands to the crossbow, I know something bad. Really bad.

The creature isn't fazed by Cold Iron. Whatever it is, it certainly isn't Arcadian. And this makes me worried.

Jack is firing his revolver, the bullets firing out with sharp cracks deafening the air. Some hit, and they make it stop for a moment, rearing up onto its hind-legs and with its head thrown back, it emits a screeching snarl that makes me shiver for no logical reason.

Derek has his gun aimed, clearly ready for a perfect shot. And the Machine is staring at the the oncoming creature, trying to assess what to do. I glare at it as I slide another bolt into the mechanism.

"Don't just stand there, fight!" I shout at it. The Machine just stares at me.

"I don't have any information in my databases about combat," it says. It seems slightly confused by the situation. The Predator lunges forwards, and my shot goes wide as it swings its head squarely into me, throwing me up in the air, and into a thick tree trunk. The tree groans in protest from the sudden impact. Gravity takes hold of me again, and I feel the air flowing past my face. With as much grace and skill as I can manage, I try to land on two feet. My right foot succeeds, but my left gives out, and I stumble to the ground. I abandon the crossbow, and run forward, hoping that my leg isn't damaged. Derek is now firing at point blank range, flat out on the floor, and using both hands to steady the gun.

No... with a downward swipe, it tears into Jack, deep lines of red on his front. That thing must some powerful claws... because it has just slashed him badly. My body moves forwards without me thinking, arms out to catch him. He lands on the floor, eyes open, blood trickling out of his mouth. I don't need to check to know that he's dead.

With as much rage and fury as I can manage, I create as big and powerful silver sphere of energy, and sent the crackling ball of light towards it. It seems to affect the creatures' ability to stay invisible. I launch myself at the head, gripping hard one of the bolts. I swing down, and impale the top of the skull with it. The Predator shrieks, and my hand grips hard, as I pull out one of my guns, and fires at the head at point blank. Shot after shot, deafening crack after deafening crack, until my gun is empty of ammo, and it finally staggers backwards, and falls to the ground, pinning me down in the process. My head slams the ground, and I feel something jar loose inside of it. I can't move... my arms are pinned down. And I cannot squirm my way free...

This is annoying.

And... And I killed this creature. It was a predatory creature, but I still killed it... and in rage and that was so wrong... I feel bad about it. A heaviness inside my chest. Tears well up and blur my vision. I see the Machine walk up beside me, staring at me in confusion. My ears register a gasp for air. My head turns, confirming that Jack is breathing again. The Machine is staring at him, head slightly tilted.

"The wounds were fatal. I checked him myself." I chuckle, despite how I am feeling. I hear someone joining me in that chuckle.

"Well, I'm certainly not a standard human design," Jack Harkness says painfully.