AN: So, here we go. Game on!
Z Plus Twenty Four Years One Hundred Sixty Eight Days
In the twenty fourth year of The War Against Skynet, humanity was gaining ground. Skynet's plan to spread out, sending its Infiltrators in for attack had been countered. Tech-Com became mobile, constantly moving. Its Infiltrators wandered the Wastelands, searching for targets that had become as ghosts.
Nobody knew how Connor kept it all straight, but he did. The Tech-Com teams were part Recon, part strike force, part defense. Skynet was spread out in all directions across the world, and for every scout that found a target to move on, hundreds of others found nothing. The world was too big, and Humanity was under their feet.
Elections were called by the people Ross represented, an action repeated in many Bases held by Tech-Com. The number of people who embraced the idea unsettled Connor's inner-circle. The number of people who insisted on voting only for Connor Himself unsettled Ross and Rojas.
For the most part, it was a pointless gesture. Tech-Com couldn't spare anything. All the food and clothing production, all the weapons, all the bases, all the vehicles, all the things that people needed to live now were under Tech-Com authority. The newly elected Council rarely met, and couldn't do anything if they did. They were leaders in command of nobody.
What The Council could do was make agreements, make deals, build friendships... They were drawing on the map which Bases would suddenly become Civilian cities once Skynet was gone, who would work together, which areas would be under the authority of which members of the Council...
Kate registered that it was her taking over of all civilian projects that had been the last straw for many of the people in support of this idea, and so had signed over a number of her pet projects to the Council. Schooling, mail, news, medical care that didn't involve wounded… All of that became the job of the Council, and having more people in charge to work on these things helped. Each Councillor was responsible for an area, whereas Kate had needed to carry the whole world's attempts at these things alone.
The radios were having new frequencies added, so that the Council and the civilians could talk to each other without having to fight for airtime with Tech-Com. Getting another radio band that could reach everywhere Tech-Com could was tricky, as most of the relays were hardwired to let Crystal Peak talk to them only.
But Connor thought it was important, and people were glad to hear music again, as so little music had survived, and those that could still sing or play were spread out across the many battlefields.
Eden and Medical remained Kate's responsibility, as they were dependent on Tech-Com resources. The majority of people considered the whole exercise of Civilian Government as a joke. The notion of a World Without Skynet was laughable. But the plans were made nevertheless. If the war ever ended, more than a third of the non-combat resources of Tech-Com would become civilian. Supreme General John Connor Himself insisted that the military would be put under Council authority once the War ended.
Everyone accepted that. Mostly because none of them expected to live to see the end of the War.
Kyle checked the flying H/K through his viewfinder. It was dark, and the H/K was heading in a different direction. No sense calling over trouble on himself unless he had something he could knock it down with.
"Kyle." Griffin hissed. "We got a call. Noah and Walters are cut off from their Units. They want to rendezvous once we've mined the road."
"What's our best bet for cover?" Kyle asked absently.
"There's an auxiliary tunnel." Griffin offered. "The Eden Team we were sent to pull out set it up when they first moved into this area."
Kyle ran his infra-red over the flying H/K again, laser marking it. There'd be an air to air missile launched somewhere to take it out, or a tag to track it wherever it flew. That wasn't his call. "Send word to Noah and Walters. Tell them where to find it. They can head there until the heat dies down."
Skynet was running out of resources at last. Their forces moved as fast as their Machine engines and limbs could carry them, trying to wear down Tech-Com defenses. The speed of their actions meant that humanities forward areas got caught in the middle sometimes, cut off from support before they could back out to safety.
One such moment had come in the ruins of a city long abandoned. The dead towers rose over streets filled with debris and the odd skeleton that had survived this long. Eden had set up a small workshop there, and apparently Skynet had noticed them.
Noah and Walters were in the area setting up H/K traps, and had been sent to the city to lay mines in the streets. Humanity had all but abandoned the old cities for everything except cover, and if Skynet was still searching for them there, then it was nothing but a shooting gallery for Tech-Com.
Setting charges was an easy enough job, but Skynet had sent a pair of Flying H/K's to set them off early. The Terminators wouldn't even get close. Connor had directed them to cut their loses and blow the charges themselves, filling the streets with debris from the blown up streets, and collapsed buildings. It would be time enough to get the civilians out of the way.
Noah was setting charges in one of the abandoned buildings. Urban warfare had been an ugly game Back before, but with the cites now empty, it was worth it. Terminators moving through the streets meant that ambushes were easier for both sides, and it was easy to lose the rest of your team as they closed in from different directions.
Which was exactly what happened to her almost ten minutes ago. She was lucky enough to get in contact with anyone in Tech-Com, but she knew she'd drawn attention by doing it. Dropping a building on the Machines trying to find her was the only way she had to escape with her life.
The charges set, she picked up her rifle in one hand, the detonator in the other, when she noticed moonlight glinting out of the corner of her eye, and she spun. The Terminator had come in, taken a quick scan of the room and swiveled to fire at the detonator in her hand. Noah tried to get clear…
Too late.
Erica howled as the plasma caught her across the back. She tried to bring her rifle up as her jacket caught fire, but too late. She tried to lunge for the detonator, but a steel foot came down, crushing it. She looked up weakly at the Terminator...
Plasmafire rang out from the other end of the room, and the Terminator was gunned down.
Noah stared at it for a moment, before lifting her gaze. It was Walters. His face was red and sweating, he was breathing hard, and he was hunched over the rifle in his hands.
"Are you okay?" He demanded, gulping air.
Noah grit her teeth and shrugged out of her jacket. It had burned her, and the flames died down to a smoulder. "It's not… It's not bad." She waved at the wall and the explosives. "But I lost the trigger. It's my fault Eric! I should have heard them coming…"
Walters raised his rifle. "Can we get clear in time?"
Noah bit her lip. "We might be cutting it close."
Clang. Clang. Terminator footsteps from what used to be the street. They were moving through the building. The two soldiers looked at each other and ducked out of the room, heading in the opposite direction.
"Fire in the hole!" Walters fired his rifle at the charges on the wall, and ran for it, neither of them looking to see if they'd aimed straight.
The two of them bolted for the opposite side of the building. Debris was raining down all around them as they sprinted away from the buildings. Their aim was true and the dozen or so Terminators moving in on their position was buried.
"So. Cutting it very close." Walters said finally as they made their way from one dark corner to the next searching for their entrance to the Underground. "Here it is."
Noah led the way downstairs, and banged on the door. A panel opened, and a rifle emerged. A pair of suspicious eyes checked them over and the door opened a moment later.
They didn't say anything until after they had passed the k-9 Units and signed in. This was not a regular part of the underground. This place had been set up hastily when some of the survivors couldn't escape. It had all the grimy heartbreak of a refugee camp in a sewer, because that's what it was.
Exhausted, they found a small alcove. It was occupied, but the civilians there cleared out and let them have it when they saw the rank insignia. Walters collapsed against the wall, and Noah joined him, curling up under his arm.
"What the hell happened to us?" She asked quietly.
"Don't start." Walters sighed, laying his rifle against the wall next to him.
"I mean it Eric. What happened? Ten years ago I would have heard the damn Tin Men coming from the minute they hit the staircase. Even five years ago I would have been able to get the detonator out of their field of fire."
"How do you think I feel?" Walters retorted. "Five years ago I would have been out of range before the building dropped, now I'm just lucky."
"We're in our forties Eric. That's ancient for the kind of life we live. We're the old warhorses."
"This is a cheery little conversation." Walters sighed. "Are we going to tell him?"
"He knows. Of course he knows. He hasn't pushed it because… Well, he hasn't. Both of us coming back in after our Units will end that." She held out a hand. It was trembling. "I'm past it Eric. I don't belong on battlefields any more." She sounded terrified.
"Me neither." Walters admitted quietly. "But... can you see us tied to desk jobs?"
"I don't think there's anybody in Tech-Com on a desk." Noah offered. "Still… We'll never see combat again."
The Tunnels were smaller and filthier compared to Crystal Peak, but some things remained the same. The silence was still heavy, covering over everything like a blanket. The stairs leading down to the entrance was narrow, single file. Kyle knocked on the heavy security door, it's only feature was a mounted gun sticking through. As he knocked, the gun moved as the operator on the inside snapped to readiness.
A hatch in the door opened at eye level, and they took a look at him. The hatch closed, the door opened, and Kyle led the way inside. The K-9's were right there at the entrance as per usual, and the soldiers quickly let the dogs get to know them.
Connor told Kyle once that dog's had fantastic noses. He wondered how they could stand the smell of the Underground.
Kyle signed in, and his team split up, finding food or privacy or a place to sleep as best they could. Most of the soldiers had slipped away, or were outside the zone. Down here in this small hiding place, were the few humans that couldn't make it out in time. A few bare light-bulbs and the smoke left by small fires filled the narrow space with hazy, exhausted atmosphere.
One of the kids, wrapped in bright cloth, marking her as one of the Eden Team, examined Kyle as he passed by. The next kid mimed shooting at him as he passed, fighting an imaginary Machine. Kyle played along and pretended to shoot back, not breaking stride. He found a bit of wall that didn't have anyone leaning against it, and collapsed, exhausted. It had been a long day, and a long night.
He missed Crystal Peak. Kids were huddling around fires for warmth, adults were coughing on smoke, or crying about something…
Kyle retreated, the best way he knew how.
After so many years, he had the photo memorized, but as he pulled it out, he studied her again. He expression was so sad. He wondered what she was thinking about that she could look sad. She looked healthy and fed, and she was clean, and wearing clothes that didn't have holes in them, and there were trees and bushes growing in the background… It was beautiful. She was beautiful.
After decades of watching people's faces change, either in little ways by time and hardship, or major ways by injury and death, her sad, strong eyes never changed. Kyle embraced it again, stroking a finger down the side of her face, like he was brushing her hair back from her eyes.
The dogs started barking.
Adrenaline woke him up in a hurry. The entrance had let in another trail of people, and one of them had set off the K-9 nit. The door guards tried to get the door shut, but it was already open, and an infiltrator came charging in, forcing the people out of its way and the door open like a battering ram. It managed to wrench the door gun free and held the immense weapon in its pneumatic arms, gunning left and right without hesitation, knocking down one victim after another, after another.
All the humans had reacted to the sound of the dogs, knowing what it meant. But the tunnels were narrow and long, and the Machine was merciless, gunning them down.
Kyle came charging, weapon ready, teeth bared. The air was thick with the stench of ozone as the air burned between them, trading their plasmafire, only one of them checking his targets for safety.
Kyle got closer and the Infiltrator swiveled. Kyle went sideways without blinking. It was a shift in motion that had saved him more than once. He plastered himself against the wall, looking for his chance to shoot again.
More counter-attacks came from the other end of the Tunnel, and the Terminator turned to face them. Kyle dove out of his hiding place and aimed.
The Infiltrator came around faster than any human could, and fired. Kyle barely had time to blink, but he wasn't the target. Something beside him exploded under the flames and Kyle was knocked flat forward on his stomach, knocking him flat, slamming his chin into the ground; fire coming up. Kyle fought to raise his head, and saw The Photo in front of him… 'On your feet soldier.' Her eyes seemed to say. And the photo caught on fire.
Kyle raised his head slowly. Fire washed out his eyes. He locked eyes with the late Sarah, her gaze never shifting from his, never changing, even as her face bubbled and burned away.
Kyle felt his stomach lurch. No! Not that! Not her too! He flashed a hand out and grabbed the smouldering melting Polaroid, hissing as the melting plastic and open flames pressed into his hand, trying to put the flames out.
And above him, The Terminator got closer, the Jeep gun in its hands as the glowing red eyes swept the tunnel for more targets.
The exhausted soldiers had finally made their way around the scattering Eden Project civilians and begun their counter attack. Noah and Walters were on either side of the Tunnel, hugging the wall for cover as they fired back. They were taking quick control shots, aiming through their 'scopes, as the Machine's huge heavy gun suddenly became a liability, keeping it from escaping as their shots caught it, one after another in the neck. The Machine dropped instantly.
"Not bad for an old Warhorse huh?" Walters grated.
Noah didn't answer, pulling Kyle to his feet. The younger soldier was cradling a melted old Polaroid in his hands like it was the body of a loved one. "Reese?"
Kyle looked up. "It was… Connor gave me the picture."
Noah didn't have an answer for that one. "Come on. Let's get these people home."
Z Plus Twenty Four Years One Hundred Seventy One Days
Kate marveled. She was so clean, so comfortable. The omnipresent hunger was not only at bay, it was gone. She looked out the window, looking at the world passing by, and the sky was a beautiful rich blue. Trees and grass, healthy and green. She could see her reflection. Her hair was so full and soft, her skin smooth and young... She looked so... healthy. Well fed, looked after. It was decadent how lovely she was.
She looked back to her companions. John was there, sitting behind her, wiring up a set of explosives. He looked so scruffy and exhausted; not like in the War Room.
And next to her in the drivers' seat was their Terminator, their bodyguard, his face scarred and the metal barely visible beneath.
"So, if this war is between people and machines, why are you on our side?" Kate asked him, more annoyed at the paradox than genuinely curious. She'd met two Machines so far, and this was the one not killing people she loved. More than that, she didn't really care.
"The Resistance captured me, reprogrammed my CPU." The thick Austrian accent said. "I was originally designed for Assassination Missions."
Kate felt her beautiful healthy face twist slightly. "So you don't really care if this Mission succeeds of not. If we get killed, does that mean anything to you?"
The Machine considered, but its face did not change at all. "If you were to die, I would become useless. There would be no reason for me to exist."
Kate had no doubts about how strong he was, or how dangerous their foe was. He was taking a huge risk with his whole reason for existence. "Thank you for doing this."
"Your gratitude is not required." The Machine said clinically. "I am programmed to follow your commands."
That got John's attention. The scruffy young man jumped up and came over to sit nearer to them. "Her commands?" He repeated.
"It was Katherine Brewster who had me reactivated and sent through the Time Displacement Field." The Terminator explained. John's eyes widened and went to her for a split second.
Kate was more than a little surprised herself. She tried to picture herself as someone who would send a cyborg through time, and the image didn't fit. "What exactly am I in this future of yours?"
"You're John Connor's Spouse and Second In Command."
Kate felt herself flush, and her head shook seriously. "No." She said instantly, rejecting the whole notion.
John looked at her, nonplussed. "What?"
Kate looked at him, openly disdainful. "You're a mess." She dismissed him instantly.
Connor actually seemed amused by that. "You're not exactly my type either." He turned back to the Machine behind the wheel. "Why didn't I send you back?"
"I'm not authorized to answer your questions."
John looked to Kate, and she knew immediately what he wanted. It was slightly fun, the notion of having a Terminator at her beck and call. "Why didn't he send you back?" She asked...
The dream had the mercy to release her before The Terminator responded.
Kate sat up, feeling nervous about something, but she couldn't put her finger on what. She hadn't thought about that day in years. Every night for a week the same dream. Why were they coming to her now?
She glanced over and saw her husband beside her. He hadn't been disturbed, so she couldn't have been tossing back and forth. She watched him for a while, his face pushed into a pillow. Looking at him, he seemed younger. The second he woke up his face would age fifty years. She felt for him. It was a special love that came from knowing there was nobody else in the world that got to be here with him like this.
She ran her fingers over the bar-code in his arm, but for some reason, the thought of how much she loved him made her feel sad this time.
She just couldn't figure out why.
The radio buzzed, and she grabbed for it quickly before it could wake him. "Connor here."
"General Kate? They're back."
The rest of the Mission went off without too much drama. The K-9 Units had been moved into the stairwell entrance itself, and the dogs had warned them of another Infiltrator a few hours later. This time the Machine was stuck on the outside of the locked doors, and the only fatalities were the seven people trying to get in, and one of the K-9's. After that, the Infiltrators stopped trying to get in, making their attacks on the people trying to get Underground, and there weren't a lot of them left outside at the time.
It was dawn before their Evac showed up, and another day before they were all back at Crystal Peak. This one was ugly. There were a lot of ways it could have gone better, but not a lot of things that could have been done differently. It was the kid of battle that haunted a career soldier like Walters or Noah, and they weren't looking forward to admitting it.
Walters had been checked out by Medbay and told to report to the Briefing Room for debriefing.
He got there and found Noah the only one waiting for him. Seeing each other, they were both suddenly nervous. These things were usually done privately. Having two or more soldiers together for a report meant that they were both present for something that had to be reported. There was only one thing they could think of. Their Units had been giving them sidelong looks the entire way back.
"I was... I was expecting The General." Walters said finally.
"Me too." Noah said quietly. "He'll be here though. Nova in the corridors."
"Are we dead?"
"We might be dead. A little bit dead."
Connor came in a moment later. "So. I was hoping to talk to you guys." He said finally. "I noticed that your Mission Report was a little light on details. In particular, the reason you guys were separated from your teams, and how long it took you to get back with them."
Neither of them had an answer for that.
Connor sighed. "How long you been covering for each other out there?"
"Since the war started." Noah snarked.
"You know what I mean."
Noah and Walters traded a quick look. Game was up. "Few years." Walters admitted. "Sir, I can't speak for Erica, but… I never expected to live this long." He rubbed the back of his neck. "How many soldiers live past forty in the field?"
"Not many." Connor conceded. "Guess you two have too much talent."
"Sir, Kyle Reese is a corporal. He's been one his entire career. He should be a Colonel by now. He doesn't expect to live long enough to have a promotion mean a damn."
"Neither does any one of a thousand other people who deserve promotion. But… It's long overdue."
"Are you benching us?" Noah asked weakly, knowing the answer.
"Guys..." Connor said gently. "You know there's nobody in the Base... nobody in Tech-Com that deserves to be immortal more than you two." He had nothing but sympathy on his face. "I consider you two my friends. And I've buried enough friends. I know that asking you to stay back here with me is worse than asking you to slice open your own wrists, but... You guys have The Gift. Whatever it is that keeps a soldier alive so much longer than is logical, you guys have got it. Now I need you to bring that X Factor to whole Units instead of single battlefields.
Walters and Noah slumped. This was it. They had been fighting time for years now, and time had won. "Do what you gotta do Sir."
Connor opened his hand. He had a handful of shiny silver stars. "General Noah, General Walters... stand at attention please."
Doomed, the two of them rose to their feet, as The General gave them their new insignia.
Z Plus Twenty Four Years One Hundred Seventy Four Days
"Hey Kyle, mind if we join you?"
Kyle looked up, surprised. He honestly hadn't heard them coming. "What? Oh, hey Sarah."
Sarah sat down, very cheerful. "Kyle, you remember Meg."
Kyle nodded. The former Tunnel Rat had survived as a member of Sarah's SAW Team, and Kyle had fought with her from time to time. "Sure."
"You mind if we join you for lunch?"
Kyle was about to excuse himself. He had to eat, but he didn't really want company. "Well, actually-"
"Great, thanks!" Sarah interrupted, and Meg set her tray down directly across from Kyle, giving him a smile. Sarah sat down next to Kyle and ate a few bites, before suddenly noticing Kurt at the other end of the Mess hall. "Oh, is that Kurt? Excuse me Kyle, but I needed to talk to him about something. You won't mind keeping Meg company while I go and talk to him, will you?"
The obviousness of the whole matter was an insult, but neither of them seemed to care, and Kyle suddenly found himself having lunch with a cheerful, attractive young woman.
Kyle looked at Meg and then watched Sarah leave. "Is this a set-up?"
Meg smiled lightly. "Yup."
Kyle did not seem to relish the prospect. "Why?"
Meg shrugged. "Well, Sarah tells me that you're a great guy, but you've been on your own for a long time. She's worried about you."
"Worried? Why?"
"Well, it's not like dating is complicated in the Underground. You get shot at, you come back safe, you find someone for company, you return to Point A and see if the 'someone' you found the night before is still alive."
Kyle's eyes softened. "Your 'someone' didn't come back?"
Meg shrugged. "It was a while ago. It's War."
"Yeah it is." Kyle admitted. "Sarah's got a steady boyfriend now; she's started trying to set up all her friends. You drew a short straw?"
"Sarah owed me one, and I told her to set me up with a hot guy."
Kyle didn't smile. "Okay." He flushed, feeling trapped. She was smiling at him. He hadn't been on the receiving end of this kind of attention since…
Meg frowned. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"
Kyle winced. "Sorry, nothing against you, but… it's hard to explain."
Meg frowned. "Okay. Try."
"Why did you have to pick now to go insane?"
Connor just looked at Noah. "I'm going to assume that was said with all due respect?"
The two Connors, plus the newly promoted Generals Noah and Walters, plus Yolanda were in the Main Briefing room, looking over the surveillance photo of the Skynet System Core. Connor had brought them in and told them the nature of their next mission. Noah had all but exploded.
"General, look at it!" Noah snapped. "It was crazy when we first got the photo, and it's still crazy now. Look at all the Jammers!"
"Set to jam external signals, not the Skynet command Frequency. We'll have to take them out, I agree."
"And the Terminators. There have to be at least half a million of them."
"Probably well over double that by now. The photo is a good deal out of date."
"And the Turrets! The Turrets are..."
"Yeah. The Turrets are the one thing I can't figure out yet." Connor admitted. "The one thing we can be sure of is the buildings. Skynet wouldn't set those up until it was damn sure the layout was perfect. All else is negotiable."
Noah sighed hard. "I can feel my mouth moving, I think there are words coming out..."
"Noah, take a breath will you?" Connor retorted. "The Intel is out of date on everything except the facility itself. We won't be there."
"We won't?"
"No. The Mission is to take two staging areas." Connor pointed on the map. "From there we can gather Intel, record comings and goings, set up attacks on the System Core..."
"We couldn't possibly hold on to any real estate we took." Walters commented. "That close to the System Core?"
"Think like Skynet." Connor countered. "They've been bleeding H/K's and Machines for years now, but they've never once taken an offensive team from the huge numbers they have in that defensive zone."
"Defensive teams." Walters thought out loud. "They keep the offense and defense separate, so that they can run both halves of the war without getting in each others way."
"Skynet's losing the offensive side of the war, but its defense hasn't shifted from where it was ten years ago. Machine thinking. Machines built with a specific purpose."
"So you want to take the Staging areas just outside the defensive zone?"
"One just outside, one just inside." Connor corrected. "If I'm right, then we can clear out the outer ring of Skynet's Defense Net, and it'll redraw it's defensive line inside that point to keep its protection strong around the System Core. It'll define what it can protect by the numbers."
Walters shook his head. "What if you're wrong?"
Connor grinned manically. "Well, that hardly seems likely now, does it?"
Noah winced. "Why oh why did you have to pick now to go insane?"
"Heard the latest?" Kurt asked as he sat down next to Sarah.
Sarah slid over till they were sitting against each other. She rubbed her leg against his under the table, and she stole a quick bit off his tray. "Something new?"
"Your father's in with Noah, Walters, your mom… They've been in the Main Briefing Room for over an hour now."
Sarah grinned a feral grin. "Ooh, that sounds promising."
Kurt reacted. "You're scary sometimes, you know that?"
"Kurt, a mission means we're gonna be hunting soon. A secret mission means it's gonna be a big one. The bigger the Mission, the more dead Machines we've got waiting at the end of it." Sarah said eagerly.
Kurt just looked at her.
"What?"
"Nothing, just… you get all worked up. I wish you got that excited when we were alone." He teased.
Sarah laughed. "I do. But I'm a Connor. Killing Skynet is written into the bloodline. Look around."
Kurt did so. The Mess Hall was never empty.
"All these people…" Sarah said. "They claw out happiness where they can, they live for right now. But you know what? The War won't last. Nobody believes that. Nobody. But the war is gonna end. And we're gonna win."
Kurt just looked at her. "You really believe that?"
Sarah nodded. Like it had already happened. Like it was a foregone conclusion. "I do."
Kurt put an arm around, her, and she leaned into him happily. "Sarah, I honestly can't picture a world without this war. I just don't see it."
"I know. But I see it. And so does my brother, and my mom, and my dad. And every time my dad has a secret meeting, it means we're another day closer to a World Without Skynet."
"Amen." Intoned SAW Team Charlie, all sitting at the table. Kurt smiled. Saint Sarah had spoken.
Sarah's eyes focused on the doors, and Kurt looked over. Meg had just come in. "And speaking of clawing out happiness where you can…"
Kurt followed her gaze and smirked. "Go meddle, I'll talk to you soon."
Sarah got up. "I do not meddle." She said, gave him a quick kiss, jumped up and headed over to Meg like a homing missile. "How'd it go?" Sarah pounced.
Meg didn't answer.
Sarah poked her ribs. "Come on! Details!"
Meg let out a breath. "Well, I don't mean to be unladylike, but it stunk!"
Sarah reacted. "What?"
Meg growled. "He's the most severe thug I've ever met." She groused. "He spent the whole night trying to avoid so much as looking at me. And by the way, who is Lupe?"
Sarah blinked, trying to catch up. "Lupe? Lupe's been dead for over fifteen years."
"Does he know that? Because he's obviously pining over someone. Sarah, I asked you to set me up with a guy, and you came back to me with Kyle Reese? I'm not saying I wanted candles and soft music, but I'd like a guy who can pull his head out of his ass long enough to at least notice me for a minute."
Sarah's face had turned to stone during this little speech. "That miserable bastard." She snarled. "Excuse me a moment."
Sarah took off, with a look on her face that promised a swift and horrible death to anyone who got in her way.
"Griffin!" Sarah snapped as she stormed into the Connor's Own Dormitory like a hurricane. "Where is that ungrateful little maggot?"
Griffin backed away from Sarah very quickly, until he felt his back hit the wall. "This is the Armed Forces Sarah, you'll have to be more specific."
"Kyle Reese! The one that wouldn't recognize a good thing if I personally brought her over to his table at the Mess Hall and introduced her; which I did! I'm gonna reach down his throat and see if I can find his heart long enough to rip it out with my bare hands; now where is he?"
Griffin was against the wall with his hands up and The General's Daughter right in his face. He knew what to do when under interrogation from a T-1000, but the wrath of Sarah Connor made him wilt. His eyes flicked for a microsecond to the left, and Sarah followed his gaze to the gun-locker at the back of the Dormitory. A small room filled with hardware, for quick access if the Base got hit in the middle of the night. It was also the only place in a Dormitory where you could get a moment of privacy.
Sarah stepped back, releasing Griffin. "Thank you for your cooperation." She said calmly, sounding eerily like a Terminator, and she swept towards the door.
The few members of Connor's Own quickly fled the Dormitory as she passed by them, eager to be anywhere else.
Kyle, unaware of all of this, was sitting alone against the wall in the small armory. He was cradling the wrecked remains of the photo in both hands. The photo was ruined. The fraction of it that the flames had not consumed was boiled and bubbled away, unrecognizable and useless.
"I'm sorry Sarah." He whispered to himself brokenly. "I'm so sorry Sarah. I couldn't do it. I tried so hard, I tried for you, I swear, but I just couldn't do it. I know it doesn't matter. I'll never be able to tell you any of the important stuff, not really. I'll never be able to… I wish I could have been there sooner, a little bit faster… I'm sorry Sarah. I love you, and I'm sorry I can't even tell you that."
Sarah, frozen at the doorway, stared at Kyle's hunched shoulders from behind. She had heard the whole thing, and reeled back, speechless, her fury derailed in an instant.
The PA crackled. "57th infantry, report to Barracks immediately. Repeat; Connor's Own report to Barracks."
Sarah spun and ran for the hallway, with all the speed and silence that a Tech-Com soldier had bred into them. Her footsteps were as silent in the Underground as they were on the battlefield. No Terminator ever heard her move, and with any luck, Kyle had never known she was there.
Kurt was waiting for her in the hallway. "So." He asked in amusement. "Did you let him have it?"
Sarah laughed a little hysterically. "You could say that." She licked her lips. "Kurt, you know I love you right? I mean, we don't talk about it as much as others do, but I love you so much! You know that, right?"
"Sure I do. I love you too..." Kurt blinked, a little spooked. "Sarah, what the hell just went on in there?"
Sarah let out another hysterical little giggle. "Oh, nothing."
Since becoming leader of an International Tech-Com, Connor had rarely left the Mountain to go on missions Himself. Connor's Own was still His soldiers. He alone gave them their orders. He trained them and selected them all personally, and they would do anything for their General; proud to carry the Connor name.
So when they were all called back to their Dorm, there was only one reason. Connor's Own wasn't picked for scouting missions. If they had been called in, it meant there was dirty work to do.
And then Connor strolled in. There was a loud silence. They were all at attention, waiting. The General had a large poster-sized picture, rolled tight under one arm, and a folder with smaller folders in hand. Without a word he came in, nodded to them, and locked the door behind him. They didn't say a word till he spoke.
"A few years ago, we were able to locate the Skynet System Core." Connor said simply. It was like he was saying good morning.
A silent roar went through the room. This was it. The Big One. The Holy Grail. A target that every soldier alive dreamed of, and every soldier who survived his first mission was smart enough never to look for. It was impossible. It was unreal. It was here.
Connor took a breath. "I don't have to tell you the tactics Skynet is using. They learned the hit and run from us, and they learned it well. But they only spread themselves out across the theater. They've not taken anything from the System Core. The whole place is decked out to be impregnable. It can hold off a massive invasion, it can locate an infiltration of anything bigger than an anthill."
As he spoke, he started handing around the intelligence photos. They all looked, getting pale. It looked... impossible. Thousands, maybe millions of Machines, H/K's, Turrets, Air Support...
"Getting in there won't be easy." Connor conceded. "We send in a Unit, and it will be chewed to bits. So, we have another plan. And as usual, Connor's Own gets the biggest, nastiest chunk of hell to claw through."
Harsh laughter.
"The mission is to capture two staging areas, to the Northwest, and the Southeast, and use those points to gather forces and make attacks. The targets are codenamed Roundup and Touchstone."
Connor went to the end of the room, and unrolled the poster. It was a blown up reproduction of the surveillance picture. Large printers were no longer an option, but if you gave a reprogrammed Terminator a pen, it could draw anything you directed it to with perfect accuracy.
Connor's Own gathered around and looked at the surveillance photo put up. It looked like row after row of Machines, and between them was row after row of walls, and on ever wall was row after row of Turrets. The experienced soldiers could see huge Jammers set up all over the place. They could see constant cameras and listening devices. Within the walls were factories, stockpiles, assembly lines...
And in the center was a large facility, with no features or identification, but even from the outside, it looked impossibly sturdy.
Connor let them take a good long look at it. "Any questions?"
Loud silence.
"Somebody say what they want to say." Connor directed.
"We cannot possibly take this facility." Someone said finally.
"Not yet. But we will. Eventually. It will take time, maybe years, but we will." Connor said with finality. "But not today. Mission Objective is to clear out the outer perimeter of the System Core Defense Nets. An area that is the least patrolled. We take the outer edge, and we fortify two points, one to the north, one to the south of the System Core. We will use them as our eventual staging areas."
Walters piped up. "Connor's Own will be leading the diversionary attack. You'll be drawing off the defenders so that we can take out the gun emplacements, the Jammers, the turrets, all of it; and setting up the fortifications."
"Needless to say, that won't be easy with a war going on." Connor continued. "General Noah will be taking two Units and capturing Checkpoint Roundup; and General Walters will be doing the same with Checkpoint Touchstone. The 57th's job is to make as much fuss as possible and give them time and room to work. That means a lot of quick movements in a small area." Connor gestured at Yolanda. "The Bandits will be moving in to the west of you. All of them. Their mission will be to shut down the Jammers."
"We got your back." Yolanda said seriously. The Bandits provided backup, support and combat assistance to every unit in Tech-Com. But as a whole, they were under the command of Enrique, and then after his death, Yolanda's. She had been the one to put them under Connor's direction as individuals or small teams. She had not led them into battle herself until now. A lot of things were changing for this mission.
"When the Jammers come down, the missile artillery launchers back at the command points will be free to fire at will. Generals Walters and Noah will direct the attack until those Jammers come down, as you'll be out of communications range with Palace. Any air support you need will have to come from the Choppers, and targets will have to be marked visually until those Jammers are shut down. And as always, do what you can to avoid getting dead."
"Are there any questions?" Noah called.
Silence.
"Mission Clock is running." Connor commanded. "Good hunting. Dismissed!"
Kate was directing her own people. "Chen's already with the MASH units, they're moving themselves somewhere they can be helpful. We're expecting plenty of casualties, so..."
"Way ahead of you." Carla said. "I've already got several Jeeps worth of supplies packed. They're going with Alpha Company, and they'd drop off the cargo to Chen on their way to the fight."
"Good, you should also get together a group of seasoned medical staff that can go out there and help with the wounded, and you should put my name on the list too."
"Yes Ma'am." Carla said, and headed off to do so.
"Mom?"
Kate turned around and found her daughter had snuck up on her. "Sarah. Shouldn't you be getting ready to ship out?"
"Yeah. Yeah I should. This can wait." Sarah said swiftly, and turned to go, spinning around to face her mother again just as quickly. "Oooh, but it won't. I have to tell you this first."
Kate jumped up. "You're pregnant."
Sarah paled. "What? NO! Why? Wait, I look pregnant?" She looked down at herself quickly.
Kate almost laughed. Sarah was never so scattered. Whatever it was had to be something big. "Sorry, my mistake. Take a breath."
Sarah did so.
"Now take another."
Sarah did so.
"Now speak."
"There is…" Sarah said uncomfortably. "…a problem."
Kate took stock of her daughter, and led her quietly into Carla's office so that they could speak privately. "Okay, have a seat."
Sarah sat down quickly, wringing her hands. "I don't really know how to handle this, um… The other night, I sort of… set Kyle up on a date."
Kate winced. Kyle Reese's romantic prospects were a tricky matter to say the least. Only three people knew what was ahead for him, and her daughter was not one of them. "That was... brave of you."
"Yeah, see… Um…" Sarah looked borderline terrified. "Well, first of all, the date was an unmitigated disaster."
"Where'd you pick up a word like 'unmitigated'?" Kate asked in surprise. She may have been running the Education System until the Council took it over, but most kids were only there a few years before Trial By Battle.
Sarah waved that off. "Hang around Noah when something really pisses her off, you learn all kinds of interesting new words." She got back to the point. "Anyway, um… the girl in question told me not to waste her time on any more fix-ups, and so I went to tear a few strips out of Kyle…and I heard him talking to himself… He was talking about this girl he loved… And he was saying my name."
Kate felt her stomach drop.
Sarah nodded compulsively. "He was saying 'Sarah, I know I can't ever tell you how I feel, but I love you'…"
Kate felt her stomach drop lower and tie in a knot.
Sarah, fortunately, was having the same reaction. "Help!" She squeaked in a very small voice.
"Sarah…"
Sarah was babbling. "Mom… I love Kurt. I have for years. I know that some people share, I mean, that's just playing the odds given how many people get killed in a week, but… How do I let Kyle know that… Kyle has been like a big brother to me. I love him like I love Robbie. So… how do I handle this?"
Kate didn't have a clue. "Let me talk to your father. In the meantime… He hasn't mentioned it, so don't you mention it either."
"You think? I mean, if he's felt this way for a while, shouldn't I make it clear to him…"
"Sarah, just trust me on this one, okay?"
"Okay." Sarah took another deep breath. "It'll almost be a relief to get back out there where I know what I'm doing."
Kate gave her daughter a tight hug. "Don't get too relieved out there. You relax and bad things happen."
"Yes Ma'am." Sarah said earnestly. "Walk me up?"
"Something I want to put on your radar." Walters said. "The Motor Pool has written off two more troop carriers. Engine trouble."
"To be expected. We haven't had a fresh shipment of engine parts in for twenty years." Connor nodded. "We're machining replacement parts almost by hand, and they just aren't getting there. There's a clock on this war Eric, we've always known that."
"Yeah, but then this thing happened, and that brings me to you." Walters said. "Those two trucks? Have been... requisitioned."
"By who?"
"Lori. She's the member of the Council for this area."
"Stripping it for parts?" Connor guessed.
"Nope. Repairs. And then reassignment to Council business."
Connor looked up sharply. "Where did Lori get replacement parts if we couldn't get them?"
"This is why I'm telling you." Walters nodded. "And this isn't an isolated incident. Sir, the Council has it's own supply line."
Connor's eyes flashed. "Get her on the line. Now."
Lori shivered as Connor laid out the evidence, and his conclusions. "General…"
"We had a deal Lori." Connor said. "I told you, you'll have it all when the War ends. If you're double dealing under the table…"
"John, you know me better than that." Lori snapped.
"Then explain where all these primo supplies are coming from."
Lori quietly turned a small dial on her radio. "I'm recoding this transmission on Encryption Key Baker."
A moment later, Connor spoke again. "Okay, go ahead."
"General, I don't know where it's coming from. Ross has a supply line, and I already checked. It's not coming from Tech-Com. Somebody else is supplying him."
"Union?"
"The only team I can think of."
"Lori, why didn't you tell me about this before?"
"Because this is the only way I can do anything." Lori almost yelled. "I got promoted from team-builder to useless old woman when I took this job. I have no supplies, no authority, and now I have some trucks. I didn't tell you because..."
"Because then I would know about it?" Connor guessed.
Long silence.
Connor sighed. "We didn't do you any favors, did we?"
"Lonely at the top." Lori commiserated. "Just... promise me something?"
Connor already knew. "You matter Lori. You're making a difference. And when this war ends and we're all looking to the future... You'll be as important as I used to be when there was a war to fight."
Lori chuckled weakly.
Kate went with her daughter upstairs toward the Motor Pool. There was a mess of people getting ready to leave. It was the typical feeling of organized chaos. The majority of preparation took place en route or at the target before attack. The Motor Pool's job was to get them all out the door on time.
Noah's voice called. "Charlie Company and Alpha Company, ready to roll out!"
"That's me." Sarah said, giving her mom a quick hug. "See you when we win."
Kate returned the hug and tried to keep her face even as her daughter went off to war, once again. She noticed John having a quick word with Walters, as the troops got ready to roll. Kate kept her distance until Walters saluted and got into his truck.
Kate slid over next to her husband as the Convoy started rolling. "You okay?"
Connor sighed. "It's a whole new mission. Kate... I won't even be in contact."
"You gotta trust your people." Kate told him.
"I trust them implicitly. But this isn't some hidden Terminator Factory. This is... They get inside the Jammers, and we won't be in contact. We won't even know what happening until they win. If they lose, we'll never hear anything at all."
Kate threaded her fingers through his. "I know." She said softly. It was the first major battle happening without him so much as being on the radio.
Meg slipped in next to Sarah. "Hey." She said quietly. "Are we okay?"
Sarah smiled forgiving. Whatever else was going on, Meg was part of her team, and they were about to go to war. "Yeah, we're fine."
Meg looked down. "I feel stupid. About before."
Sarah gave an hysterical little giggle again. "Not your fault."
Connor sighed hard as the convoy rolled out. "Well. I'm going to need something to do for the duration, or I'll start tearing things apart."
Kate took in a very deep breath. "Well, there is one thing."
"Oh?"
"A... problem has arisen with Kyle." Kate said awkwardly. "And it has to be taken care of... very delicately."
Skynet To All Units:
Surveillance Satellites have located a large convoy en route to System Core. Projections indicate that a counter-attack will not be sufficient to block the assault force.
Protection Units and Defense Nets have been activated. Projections all indicate that Assault Force will not be enough to take System Core.
Offensive tactics unchanged.
Terminate John Connor.
End Transmission
Z Plus Twenty Four Years One Hundred Seventy Seven Days
One stretch of empty featureless Wasteland looked much like any other. But as Tech-Com assembled on the Battlefield, they knew this was different. Skynet itself was beyond the horizon, and the way there was filled with Machines preparing for the fight.
"SAW Team Charlie, gather around." Sarah called. "We got our marching orders. We're the tip of the sword. I know what you're thinking, you're thinking this is the biggest target we've ever gone for, and that's true, but we're not hitting it today. Today we carve out a nice little piece of Real Estate for ourselves. You know the plan. The main offensive will come in after us. Our job is to flush out any ordinance and defensive measures Skynet may have in the area, so that the air support can knock it down. The Bandits will have a good diversion for them to slip past the heavy rollers, and Alpha Company can walk in and knock. The first part is the hardest part, and that's why they called us. Everyone ready?"
"YEAH!" Chorused everyone.
Sarah grinned savagely. "Let's give 'em hell."
"Okay gents, you know the rules. You flush out the targets, mark them with smoke. Send a flare if you run into anything you can't handle yourself, but you gotta find any heavy ordinance or H/K's in the area. Until the Jammers come down we can't send you any Intel or give you any further instructions. When you leave the Command Post, you are alone. Understand?"
"Yes sir." Griffin and Reese chorused.
"Bravo Company will be in your vicinity. Your job is to locate anything that could block them. Move fast, find it, smoke it and get back here fast. Remember, Skynet can talk to each other out there, we can't. Flare guns bring in the Choppers, smoke brings in the Jets."
They knew this already, but it always helped to have someone say what needed to be remembered once the adrenaline started flowing.
"Go!"
Kyle gunned the motorcycle, Griffin sitting behind him with a rifle ready, and the two of them moved out.
Walters grit his teeth as they went into battle. He would have given his left arm to be out there with them. The battle was fierce out there, and he was back here with a radio. He suddenly knew for sure how Connor felt.
Kyle and Griffin made their way in, eyes open. They knew they were within the outer System Core Defense Net, which meant that every inch of this land belonged to the Machines.
The sky in the distance was filled with aerial H/K's, and the two soldiers were trying hard to go unnoticed by them, hoping they were far enough away, but they were suddenly moving, off to the western horizon. Somebody out there had made the first move.
Kyle raised one closed fist, and Griffin gripped his rifle tighter. Ahead of them was the first team of Terminators they had found. Three of them. Kyle swept the motorbike to the side, giving Griffin plenty of time to shoot. The Machines were set out in a line, each taking their turn to shoot as the two of them passed.
One did not shoot, keeping its eyes on them. The other two fired back, one getting knocked down.
Kyle slowed the bike to a halt. They weren't going to get another pass, and only the rookies tried the same trick twice against these Machines. Rookies didn't live long.
Griffin kept shooting as they abandoned the motorbike. Two Terminators left, one was shooting, the other charging them, moving with pneumatic feet.
After working together this long, Kyle and Griffin knew each others moves. Griffin had better aim over longer distance. They moved a few feet apart, splitting their opponents. Kyle moved a few feet closer, almost charging the approaching Machine head on.
The tactic work. Both Terminators focused on Kyle, giving Griffin plenty of time to gun down the shooting Terminator.
Kyle opened up with everything he had, blasting a load of plasma into the last Terminator at near point blank range as it charged him. The Machine didn't drop. In fact, it didn't even flinch. And Kyle suddenly realized why it wasn't shooting. The gun in its hand melted into a long flat blade, and the skeletal body melted into a smooth chrome statue.
Kyle threw himself backward. "MERCURY!" He roared. "Mercury on the scene!"
Griffin spun around, coming up with a grenade in his hand.
The 1000 melted away from its guise as a regular Terminator, and its blades flashed. It swung around it's blade-arm like the grim reaper's scythe, and Kyle threw his weapon up to block it. The blade slammed his plasma-rifle, caving it in half, the force of the blow sending Kyle skidding backward in the dirt.
Griffin lunged the second he saw Kyle go flying. "FIRE IN THE HOLE!"
The grenade came down between the 1000's legs, and exploded, ripping upward through the mercurial Machine. It had been blown almost in half, base to top, and it's chrome body rippled as it fought to pull itself back together.
It was enough for Kyle to roll painfully to his feet and pull a flare gun, firing it up into the sky.
The 1000 was recovering, shaking off the stun effect of the concussion, as the flare went straight up into the sky. A moment later was the sound of helicopter blades.
The 1000 looked up and saw the incoming chopper as it's cannons opened up. The high-heat Sabot rounds were enough to melt solid steel, let alone liquid metal, and the 1000 got chewed through. The chopper circled around for another pass, as it tried to get itself back together, half it's mass now glowing and melted.
Kyle heard huge gears moving in the distance, and spun around to see part of the ground lifting up, the hidden chrome equipment suddenly raising from its camouflaged positions in the debris.
Kyle yelled into his useless radio. "Incoming ordinance! Get Clear! Get Clear!"
The squall of the Jammers was the only response.
The hidden gun emplacement fired, huge bursts of plasma hurtling into the sky with lethal machine efficiency. The Chopper was torn to glowing bits as it fell from the sky.
Griffin and Kyle wasted no time on anger, heading for the gun emplacement as best they could. It had been guarded, but apparently its strongest defender was the T-1000, now half ruined and smoldering behind them, its mass partially melted away.
The huge anti-aircraft gun was nothing unusual. It had glowing red eyes all over it, and only a few anti-personnel guns on it for it's own defense. Kyle and Griffin stayed back, and Kyle pulled his flare gun, ejecting the magnesium flare, reloading with a smoke canister.
The mounted turrets swiveled to fire in their direction, but the two humans had cover. Kyle fired the smoke canister without looking, sending it up over their cover, and back down again in a perfect arc.
Clouds of thick red smoke billowed around Skynet's nearest cannon.
"General Walters, I have targets smoke-marked at Block 080."
Walters nodded. "Where we lost the Chopper. Tango units, red and free."
He didn't even bother to look up as a pair of jet fighters screamed by overhead.
The red smoke was visible from high in the air, and the Fighter jet had no trouble locating the target. One split the sky at Mach speed, making Griffin's eardrums rattle. The enormous gun swiveled to try and track it, as a second jet came following seconds after, hitting it unawares with missile attacks.
"One block down, couple thousand blocks to go." Kyle snarled, feral as ever.
Griffin lifted his radio. "Good hits! This area clear!"
The Jammers screeched through the radio again.
Griffin swore and turned his radio down. "What the hell are the Bandits waiting for?"
Yolanda was in her own Command Post, directing the Bandits. In the middle of the battlefield, within reach of the Jammers, they couldn't talk to each other. Messages were delivered by hand, messengers going by motorcycle.
"Kurt!" Yolanda called. "Get Team Two to fall back direct to here. Lisa's team is in way too close for them to go straight to the next target."
"I got a connection!" Her radio operator shouted. "We got the second target!"
A cheer went up.
"Jammer Beta is down!"
Released from the interference, a signal suddenly got through from that quarter of the battle. "-OFF! REPEAT! CUT OFF! CHARLIE IS PINNED DOWN!"
Noah spoke into her radio. "Tango 4, Go! Home in on that signal!"
"Tally Ho." An unflappable fighter pilot responded.
The Jets split the air overhead, swooping in for the kill.
Walters knew it wasn't even close to over. More than three quarters of the Jammer towers were still up, and what was hidden within that area was a mystery. A mystery that he kept sending team after team to hunt through.
Sarah stayed as low as she could as the tell-tale sound of Jets became audible. Like a thunderbolt they hit the H/K's from their flanks, obliterating them with a blast of missile fire.
"They're pulling back!" Labine shouted. "They're leaving!"
"The Jammer is down." Sarah said, standing up again. With the Jammers knocked down, the battlefield is an open book to the Artillery. We're taking the area, slice by slice. She turned to look after the retreating Machines. "Let's go!"
They took off in pursuit, chasing them only as far as they were willing to run. Sarah was firing steadily, her finger glued to the trigger and a crazed manic grin on her face. She gloried in it, cheering every time a target fell.
And sure enough, the missile barrage from far away artillery came in, radio guided missiles finding one immense H/K after another, the missiles flown by remote control. The aerial H/K's moved faster, retreating to the protective cover of the Jammers, where remote control missiles couldn't be guided in.
"Oh GOD do I love my job!" Sarah almost cackled. "Come on guys, you wanna live forever? Let's go get some more!"
Jackman grinned. "Our crazy plan is working."
Noah grinned. "Our crazy plan is working."
"General!" Sarah's voice called from the radio. "Skynet has abandoned this block. I think the next one too."
Noah nodded, playing it out to herself. "Pulling their defenders back to where our artillery can't reach it. So… where are they making their stand?" She checked the map. "They'll go for the Tower." She grabbed her radio. "Walters, you read this?"
"Yeah, they'll go for the Tower. Who have you got in the area?"
"Bravo Company is heading for the Tower now, the area is close enough to cover your sweep through!"
"Pull em out!" Noah said. "Skynet has abandoned all the areas where the Jammers have come down. They'll be heading for the Tower."
Walters paled. "Checkpoint Roundup to Bravo Company, Bravo, can you hear me?"
The Jammers were his only response.
Walters swore and switched frequencies. "Noah! No Joy! I can't reach Bravo Company!"
"Skynet's reinforcements are rolling in! I can hit them before they get there!"
"That would put all Bravo Company in the firing line!"
Yolanda checked her map. "The Central Jamming Tower has the range. If we're going to do this, we have to drop that tower."
Kurt came screaming back on his motorcycle. "Bravo Company is heading to the next target. Skynet has abandoned Block 47."
"Abandoned it?" Yolanda repeated. "Without a fight?"
"Yes Ma'am."
Yolanda turned to the map again. "Lets see… if Skynet's pulling back from Block 47, and 46, and 39, then they must be sending all those defenders somewhere…" She looked up sharply. "They're heading for the Tower. The Central Jammer. How many?"
"Enough to protect three blocks." Kurt shrugged.
Yolanda swore colorfully. "Can you get to any of our strike teams before Bravo Company gets to its next target?"
"No Ma'am, at least, not fast enough to get them to the Tower before Skynet."
Yolanda folded her map swiftly. "Then it's gotta be us." She raised her voice. "LISTEN UP! We've got to leave this position, and head into the combat zone, because there's nobody else can get there. We're heading for the Tower. Grab your guns, grab explosives, and move fast!"
Walters grabbed for his radio again. "Noah? Can you reach Bravo Company from where you are?"
"Negative." Noah responded. "The Main Tower is still Jamming the area. Looks like it's resetting its range every few minutes."
Walters bit his lip. The tower had the range to jam everything in its section of the battlefield, and Bravo Company were far enough in that they were unreachable. "Noah, you gotta delay your strike!"
"Latest info said that the area is being used by Skynet. It's sending its reinforcements to protect the tower. We have to hit that area now!"
"I've got over a hundred people in the target zone!" Walters shouted. "Give them two minutes to get clear!"
"If Skynet's reinforcements make it to the tower, we'll lose the quadrant!" Noah shouted. "The Bandits are already there! If those reinforcements make it through, they won't have a prayer!"
"Two minutes!"
"Eric, if that Tower stays up, Skynet can block our targeting and it can reach my guys before they can make their counter-attack. That Tower is the intersection; we have to kill those reinforcements now!"
"One minute!" Walters snapped.
"We do not have one minute!" Noah roared. "We don't have it! Skynet's already got some aerial H/K's in range!"
The Bandits came screaming toward the base of the Jammer, this tower more than twice the size of any other, and the base of it bigger than anyone thought. It was surrounded by Terminators, and the Bandits came in guns blazing.
Yolanda herself was in a Gunner's position, swinging the Jeep Turret left and right, mowing down the Tower's protection. The Terminators were more accurate, but the attackers were better armed. The fight lasted a few minutes, with the Bandits on Jeeps and motorcycles.
Yolanda felt the Jeep shake through her feet as Plasma shredded through the empty windshield of the Jeep she rode. The Jeep was suddenly rolling, not driving. Yolanda didn't have time to react but started clawing for her harness, trying to get free of the Jeep now that her driver was dead.
There were enough bandits moving that the Terminators had to pick their targets, and still have enough of incoming to overwhelm them.
Yolanda looked up at the sound of Turbines and climbed back into the gunner position. "COVER!"
Those that still had Jeep Guns and heavier weapons fired up at the incoming death Machines. The H/K's were firing back, thick and heavy, gunning them down mercilessly from above.
Yolanda did the math. Tech-Com would be coming through this spot to clear out the area and take down the Tower. Skynet would therefore have to send its defenders here.
With the Jammers down, Tech-Com could mark the H/K's and blow them apart from a long way away, but would have to get the Tower down to do so. This was ground zero. Her position was about to be obliterated by both sides.
Yolanda heard the massive concussive blasts, and the shock-waves of heat and wind bowling over them, even from that far away. "Where the hell did that come from?" Someone shouted.
Yolanda heard Kurt swearing loudly and creatively. "Kurt?"
He waved at the rising clouds of flame and smoke. "I think that was Bravo Company!"
Yolanda shivered. If Connor's people were sacrificing their own to friendly fire, it must have been getting ugly out there. "LET'S MOVE FAST! GET THOSE CHARGES! ALL OF THEM!"
Yolanda looked up as she heard the Turbines coming back. The bombing barrage from Tech-Com might have obliterated the oncoming defenders, but it couldn't take out the aerial H/K's above their heads.
Her people started strapping the explosive packs to the base of the Tower, one after another, after another. Those that had weapons powerful enough fired up at the attackers, trying to keep them away until the charges were set. Skynet couldn't shoot at it's own tower, and the guns were enough to keep them from hovering in any decent firing position.
The Bandits worked quickly, laying all the explosives they had. Kurt forced himself not to look around for incoming attack as he wired up the detonators, and set the remote trigger. The air was thick with glowing Plasma Death, both sides looking for the perfect angle to aim at, neither side able to find it as the bandit teams worked.
Yolanda felt Kurt climb up behind her and put the detonator in her hand. "Ready!"
Yolanda knew the stalemate couldn't last, she was wearing out already. "Go! Everyone get clear!"
Her people scrambled, trying to get to whatever vehicles had survived. Yolanda grabbed the detonator, checked her people…
They were moving, thinking she was with them, but she stayed behind, gripping the detonator in one hand, and the Jeep Gun in the other. "Kurt! You too!"
The younger Bandit nodded, sending a quick salute at the other Jeep, the one protecting Yolanda. He grabbed for his motorcycle, and gunned the motor as best he could. The H/K let the all go. It had to disable the explosives, had to stop Yolanda…
Yolanda and the team still with her kept firing. The H/K could see the charges on the Tower's base, plain as day. It knew. Skynet knew. It was a race to see which side would be knocked down first. It was a race to see who would get the lucky shot, or the right angle first. Skynet didn't dare pull it's H/K's away, and give Yolanda a chance to hit the detonator.
The H/K was suddenly hit, nailed from another angle by her retreating people, who were firing back the way they came. The Turbine was shredded, as all Tech-Com and Allied forces knew to do, and the H/K overturned, going from a hover to a crash down.
Yolanda looked up and swore, as the immense killing Machine came down… on top of her and her team, both jeeps caught.
She didn't even try to dive clear before she hit the button. For the last microsecond, she wasn't sure if the blast came from her demolitions at the Tower, or the crashing H/K practically landing on top of her.
"This is Bandit One, the Tower is down."
The Control staff cheered at the news. The Jammers were down, and Walters people were quickly taking a head count, now able to contact all their people. The results were not good, but better than they had secretly expected.
Walters was on the radio instantly. "Javelin Teams, prepare to fire as targets are marked, all hands, paint your targets."
"Checkpoint Roundup this is Checkpoint Touchstone." Noah's voice came. "We're starting our attack run from the other end, are your people clear?"
Walters looked to Sherrin who was nodding. "All Units are clear. Anyone not accounted for is already gone."
"Checkpoint Roundup, Bandit Command!" Kurt's voice shouted from the radio.
"Finally!" Walters hissed. "Bandit Command, this is Checkpoint Roundup, where the hell have you been?"
"We don't have Yolanda! Bandits? Anyone in Range got a visual?"
"This is Reese! Griffin and I are in the area. We can find her!"
Walters grabbed his radio. "Negative Reese! Rollers are all over the place there! We have to launch!"
"We can't just leave her!" Kurt howled, fiercely loyal.
"We don't even know if she's alive!"
Yolanda woke up painfully as the flames licked at her arms. She slapped them out without thinking, and then memory caught up.
She could see the tower, felled like a redwood tree, surrounded by the spreading flames and billowing smoke. She fought to move her head, turning left and right so slowly. Her radio was there on the ground beside her, having miraculously survived the blast. She stretched out a hand for it. She couldn't reach. It was at least two feet out of her grasp.
Her weapon was a good deal closer.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Yolanda grasped her weapon with her one free hand, and looked around painfully. At least one Terminator had survived the crash of the H/K, and was tearing its way free of the debris.
"Terminators. Just too damn hard to kill." Yolanda rasped, though there was nobody around.
Clang! Cla-krshhh!
The surviving Terminator had ripped its way out of the wreck, and it's unholy red eyes flared as it saw her, pinned and helpless. It wasn't armed, it's weapon destroyed. It's skeletal body was scarred but unbroken as the firelight gleamed off the chrome skin.
Yolanda managed to lift her free arm, rifle and all. "See you in hell." She snarled, and fired…
And she missed.
Stupid; useless, blind old woman! She raged at herself, fighting to clear her vision…
She passed out before she could fire again.
The Terminator came over, closing its fingers around her unconscious throat.
Plasma cracked the air like narrow lighting, and nailed the Terminator in the back of the head. Reese and Griffin had come in close from behind.
"We got her!" Reese's voice shouted from the radio. "She's at the base of the Tower."
Walters checked his maps and sighed hard. "Reese, that area is about to be overrun."
"I thought you already hit the Skynet reinforcements."
"We did! The H/Ks we hit were the Reinforcements to protect the Tower, but the rest of the Counter-Attack Force wasn't even close by then. It'll be moving through that whole area! With the Tower down we've got them all painted for Missile Strike. Get out of the way!" Walters didn't say over the radio what anyone facing the map could tell at a glance. If those H/K's weren't destroyed immediately, Noah's forces would be finished, and the Mission would fail.
Walters bit his lip and did the math. "Reese, you got two minutes."
Yolanda came around as water splashed on her face. She could feel herself pinned down by something heavy, and she was aware of the flames right down to her taste-buds.
Griffin was pouring out his water bottle on her face, to either bring her around of but her hair out she wasn't sure. "What?"
Kyle had yanked his jacket off, and wrapped it around his hands, trying to get a grip on the huge burning wreck that pinned her legs. "Good, you're alive."
"Is that what this is?" Yolanda croaked. "What happened?"
The radio crackled. "Reese, you've got less than ninety seconds to get her clear. You're about to be overrun! We have to launch!"
Yolanda was suddenly aware of it. The rumbling through the ground that every soldier knew. Skynet was coming.
Kyle was trying to get a grip on the burning Jeep through his jacket, hissing in pain as it failed to keep all the heat out. "Reese, Griffin! Go!" Yolanda hissed. "Get out of here!"
"Not leaving you!" Kyle hissed, trying to lift half a Jeep off her. Yolanda hissed, but the wreck didn't move more than a fraction of an inch. "Griffin, we need something we can lever this with!"
Griffin jumped up and started searching the debris
The rumbling was getting louder. "Kyle! RUN!" She snapped. "You can't get me out, and there's no chance we'll survive the bombing run! Leave me behind!"
"I won't." Kyle gritted out, struggling.
"Griffin! Get him outta here!"
"We don't leave people behind." Griffin told her.
"Kyle! You have to survive! Kyle! Listen to me!" Yolanda yelled intensely, pulling him away from her leg till he was nose to nose with her. "Listen to me!" She repeated. "You have… a destiny."
Kyle didn't know what to make of that, and he didn't have time to press for details. The rumbling in the ground was getting stronger. He could hear the treads turning as Skynet approached.
Griffin didn't know what the hell was happening, but knew they couldn't get her out. He grabbed Kyle and half dragged half carried him back to the motorcycle. After a moment he turned around and tossed his rifle to Yolanda.
Kyle forced his face to show nothing as they gunned the motor, heading as far from there as fast as they could.
Yolanda grinned savagely, but it quickly slid off her face in exhaustion; as she watched the young soldiers run for their lives…
"We're clear!" Griffin shouted.
"Good. Because we just launched." Walters responded.
The air above them screamed as missiles came flying in from over the horizon, dozens of them, guided from far away, the shooters well out of reach. One H/K after another was lit up with a burst of immense pyrotechnics. The forces of the army went charging, searching for targets, marking them for the cannons far away. One Machine after another, one missile after another, taken from long distance.
Skynet's forward defense net had fallen.
Carla was CMO in Crystal Peak, but even after so long, she was inclined to follow Kate's lead. It wasn't that Kate had seniority any longer, it was just that those who knew her wanted to follow where she led.
Kate had long been promoted out of the OR, and her injuries meant that she had a pass, but whenever a large battle happened she was the first to volunteer. For the ugly battles, anyone who knew how to so much as set a broken bone was drafted to help with the wounded.
The target was three days from Crystal Peak, and there was little to no chance that the seriously wounded soldiers would last that long, so the Medical Units had been moved closer, and Crystal Peak had sent it's own surgical teams out to lend a hand.
This had been one of the worst battles of the decade. The method of combat meant that there were plenty of people in harm's way, and the Jammers being up meant that they were forever getting in each others way, or worse, getting attacked with none of their own knowing where they were on the battlefield.
"Carla?" Kate called, and Carla stepped away from her patient long enough to look at Kate's table. "Ooh. Skynet couldn't have found more places to to damage if we'd personally drawn it a map."
Kate sighed hard. "It'll take both of us over an hour to try and keep this man from bleeding to death. Even if we succeed…"
"There's a good chance he'll be a vegetable." Carla agreed. "And we have customers lining up outside."
Kate nodded. She knew it before calling Carla over, but for such cases, it was Standard Operating Procedure to get a second opinion before doing the most despicable thing a doctor could do. "Orderly." She called. "Make this one comfortable… and then bring me my next patient."
The casualties kept growing long after the battle was done.
Z Plus Twenty Four Years One Hundred Eighty Days
With the battle over, the Staging Areas taken,and the wounded seen to, the victorious soldiers started arriving back at Crystal Peak. They had all left together, but returned home separately, coming back as there were vehicles available, and more important or more desperate passengers going ahead of those who could wait.
Walters came into the Briefing Room, and froze. Noah was sitting at the table. It was the first time they had been alone together since the Mission.
Noah just looked at him, a gaze cold enough to make him shiver. Anger quickly rose to meet it. "Listen..."
"Don't get in my face about this." Noah snarled. "I had no choice."
"I could have got Bravo Company out!" Walters growled. "One more minute was all it would have taken."
"One more minute could have cost us the Jammer and with that, the entire battle!" Noah snapped. "Don't go getting preachy to me. I heard you tell Kyle to leave Yolanda behind."
"One fatally wounded woman is one thing, over a hundred guys who just needed a few more seconds is something else!" Walters roared. "Those were my guys Erica! If I had done that with Alpha Company you would have set me on fire by now!"
"No I wouldn't Eric." She said firmly. "Because it's not the first time I've had to leave people to die on battlefields. I wouldn't heap a load of hate on top of whatever you'd be feeling right now. Pity you don't get that."
"Oh don't even go there!" Walters snapped in disgust. "You didn't have to-"
"YES I DID!"
"NO YOU DIDN'T!"
"Ten-hut."
The calm, quiet voice cut through both of their yells like a knife, and they both spun to see Connor standing in the doorway. With great difficulty, they reined themselves in, coming to attention.
"I was hoping to get your impressions of how the battle went." Connor said calmly. "But I think I already have."
Walters got control with effort. "Sir... It wasn't... I don't want to point fingers at anyone."
"Erica?" Connor turned to her.
Noah shrugged. "I didn't see any other way to go."
"Me neither." Walters admitted. "But I don't see where another minute would have cost us the Battle."
"Minutes are worth more than gold and silver in a war-zone." Connor pointed out.
Walters just looked at him.
"But I don't have to tell you that." Connor conceded. "Eric, if I had given the same order she did, I would have done it at the same time."
"'If' you did." Walters grit his teeth. "A minute. It would have been worth trying at least."
"The Mission was completed within thirty seconds of that Tower coming down." Noah responded. "If Skynet's forces had made it to the Tower..."
"I don't know what would have happened then. Neither do you." Connor pointed out. "Noah... I wouldn't have done it. I would have given them the time. But I don't know what would have happened if you did that, and I do know what happened because you launched immediately." Connor looked to his friend. "What happened Eric?"
"She sent the attack. We lost a lot of people... and we won the battle in thirty seconds."
"We won the battle, and we took the staging area. This was the turning point of the war. We've got the advantage at last. We've got our foot in their Command Base for once. And that's thanks to you two. You both got that?"
"Yes sir." They chorused.
"Noah, you told me once that without the constant risk, a War would be a fun game to play." He spread his arms wide. "But its not. And this is why."
"Yes sir."
"Just remember you two, if that tower didn't come down, the Jammers would have kept going. Maybe we would have won anyway, maybe not. Even if we still won, maybe maybe more people would have died by the numbers if we let the battle go longer. There's no way to know. We could have lost the battle, and I never would have heard anything from any of you ever again." Connor said seriously. "You know what a control freak I am. You think that if things had turned out differently, that would have been okay with me?"
The two of them remained silent. They understood. There was nothing to be said that all three of them didn't already know. Those hundred lives were not the first, and they would not be the last, and there was no way of knowing what could have happened differently. But with the 'what-if' hanging over the graves of Bravo Company, it was an open wound.
"If there's nothing else?" Connor asked finally.
No response.
"Dismissed." Connor finished.
They both left the Briefing Room, and found Kurt Orlandez in the corridor. "Kurt?"
"How's his mood?"
"He's doing what he does. He's fixing what he can, and smoothing over what he can't. Why?"
Kurt reached into his pocket, and pulled out a piece of paper, folded over several times. It had The General's name written on it.
They nodded. They knew who it was from, and they left him to wait for The General to emerge. It wasn't a pleasant duty at the best of times.
"Are we okay?" Noah asked finally as they headed toward the elevators.
"Erica, I can forgive a whole lot, because Connor is right: War Sucks. But... you didn't do it to me. You did it to the hundred guys who needed to rely on me." He spread his hands wide. "They could have got out, and you're the reason they didn't."
"Yes. I am." Noah snapped. "Okay? Happy now? I did a terrible thing, and I would do it all again, and I probably will before this is over!"
"Are we done?" Walters bit out, tired of arguing.
Beat.
"Yeah. We're done." Noah said with grim finality.
Connor came out of the Briefing Room a moment later, and found Kurt waiting for him. "Kurt?"
"May we speak, sir?" Orlandez said, and it looked like he had been psyching himself up to it.
Connor considered a moment, and stepped back in the Briefing Room. Kurt joined him.
Connor turned to face him. "Speak."
"I'm in love with your daughter." Kurt said plainly.
Connor didn't even blink. "No kidding." He smirked. "That's no great secret. If you weren't, I imagine I would have scared you off long ago."
"You did your level best, and then so did your entire Command Staff, and then so did the small cult that considers her a Miracle Worker, but… your daughter is worth it."
Connor nodded. "You expect me to argue with that?"
"No sir. But, I want to know…" Kurt steeled himself. "Sir, your daughter would walk into the ocean for you. So would all of us. If you genuinely wanted me out of her life, then… I couldn't stand against that."
Connor took that in, and waved Kurt to sit down. "Kurt, you're a good soldier, and Sarah's got good instincts about people. When you're in my family, you have to know who wants to help you and who wants to use you to help themselves. She's already had to handle one such social climber, but I understand I'm not supposed to know about it. If she thinks you're the real thing, then I believe her. I haven't pushed the matter because I expected you to get killed somewhere along the way by now. You've been most uncooperative in that area; so speaking as her father, I want to know: Where do you see this relationship with my only daughter going?"
"I want to marry her." Kurt said plainly. "As soon as possible."
Dead silence.
"Are you asking for my permission?" Connor asked finally.
"If I were, would you give it?"
"That's not what I asked."
Kurt sat straight and kept his chin up. "Then, respectfully sir, I think the only person who needs give me permission is Sarah herself. But she adores you, so if you're genuinely against it, she may say no."
"I doubt that."
"Well, she'd hesitate at least. And if you were strongly against it, then even if she said yes... It would put Sarah into an impossible situation."
Connor nodded. "Yes. I suppose it would. Kurt, you're a good kid, and I respect you for doing this, but can I offer a word of advice?"
"Always."
"Don't be surprised if she says 'no' anyway."
Kurt blinked, and then looked horrified. "Sir?"
Connor held up a hand. "Relax. She hasn't said anything to me about wanting to break up with you. Quite the opposite in fact… But she's a Connor. And that means more than any of us would like to admit. Sarah understands this. You've heard the stories I'm sure."
"Saint Sarah?" Kurt guessed.
"That's right. We're at the top of Skynet's hit-list, every soldier wants to fight at our sides, and every Machine knows our names. My family has sworn itself to the death of Skynet first. The Connor family has a particular… vendetta against this enemy."
"We all do. Sir, I have no illusions about her role in the world. I'm always going to be 'Mr Sarah Connor', and I have no problem with that."
"Good, but what I'm telling you is: Sarah wants to win this war first, and be happy with you second. A very close second to be sure, but this war has two goodbyes for every hello. Sarah won't look to her own future until this war is over. She won't risk it."
Kurt took that in. "Yeah… You may be right about that. Speaking for myself, I think that's the best reason. Seize the day."
"I can understand that." Connor said from experience. "When we were talking about having kids, Kate and I knew that there would never be a good time."
"And I refuse to live my life so afraid of losing something that I won't dare love it in the first place." Kurt said with iron in his voice. "But… if she does say yes?"
Connor sighed, giving in. "I can't talk you out of it?"
"No sir." Kurt smiled. Victory!
"Are you sure? I'm told I can be very intimidating."
"Believe me sir, you are."
"And still you intend to stick around?"
"I believe the vows are specific on that point sir."
"Then you have my blessing, and my permission, though you don't need it. Just remember that Connor's Own, and the Bandits, and Nova all answer to my whim. And of course, the hazing will never stop."
Kurt chuckled a little at himself. "Bring it on." He sobered. "You think she'll say no?"
"I think she'll say yes, and insist on setting the date for the day after Skynet falls."
Kurt nodded. "I can live with that. I want that too. A world without Skynet and Sarah with me always…"
"Sounds like a pretty good goal." Connor agreed.
Kurt bit his lip. "I don't have a ring to give Sarah."
Connor laughed. "I didn't have one to give Kate."
"Yeah." Kurt stood to go. "Thank you sir."
Connor nodded, and shook his hand.
"One more thing." Kurt reached into his pocket and pulled out the letter. "Yolanda gave me this."
"Thank you." Connor sobered, taking it from him. "Oh, and one more word of advice… don't ask her tonight. She's just getting in now, she'll barely be conscious."
"I know the feeling." Kurt yawned, and left the room.
The Nova Groups were very good about being discreet, but as Connor approached The Presidential Suite, there were fewer and fewer people about, until the hallway to his room was usually empty.
As such, he was surprised to find someone waiting for him. "Kyle?"
Kyle saluted. "Sir."
"Kyle." Connor said in surprise. "Thought you'd be eager to get some sleep."
"I needed to ask you something, and I wasn't sure if I should."
"Ask me."
"When I was… Yolanda told me to leave her behind. She said… She said that I had to survive. She said I had a Destiny."
Connor was silent a moment. "You do. And time will come when I tell you what it is. But for now, get some sleep."
"Yes sir." Kyle responded. But he didn't move.
Connor waited. "Was there something else Kyle?"
Kyle almost started to cry. "I lost the photo."
Connor sighed. "Aw Kyle..."
Kyle started yapping compulsively, rushing out his story. "It was in the Evac Tunnel, we weren't really secure there and an Infiltrator got in, and there was a fire fight and the photo burned and I tried to stop it but I couldn't stop it, and she burned and I couldn't save her... General, I'm so sorry!"
Kyle ran out of words too quickly as The General rested a hand on his shoulder. "Shh. Kyle, It's okay."
Kyle hadn't looked this wretched since Lupe died. "I'm sorry sir. I'm so sorry."
Connor sighed. "You got kinda attached to her, didn't you Kyle?" It was not really a question.
Kyle rubbed his eyes madly. "What am I doing? Crying? We're talking about someone I never really met… and I lost her too."
Connor almost said it out loud. No Kyle. She lost you.
They stood there a while, alone in the corridors of the Underground; father and son.
Sarah came into her room, slipped off her vest, and fell face down on her bed, content to never move again.
A moment later an arm went around her waist and she squawked.
"Relax, it's me."
"Kurt!" Sarah said his name explosively. "You scared the hell outta me!"
"Sorry. Welcome back." Kurt whispered. "When did you get in?"
"About an hour ago."
"Are you as fried as I am?"
"And then some." Sarah mumbled, adrenaline vanishing as quickly as it came. She snuggled into him. "Glad you're not dead."
"Ditto." He mumbled into her hair.
There was a knock on the door.
"Your other boyfriend?" Kurt teased.
"No, we meet in his room." Sarah teased back, neither of them moving. Sarah raised her voice. "Who is it?"
"It's me." Connor called.
Kurt was out of the bed like a shot, scanning the room quickly for a hiding place.
"Would you relax?" Sarah complained quietly, sitting up. "We've been together for years. He knows you're in here. Otherwise he wouldn't knock."
Kurt didn't respond, diving under the bed.
Sarah sighed and rubbed her face. "Come in dad."
The door opened, and Connor came in. "Hey kid. I just wanted to check in, see how it went."
Sarah rocked her head back and forth. "It was a tough one; I won't deny it. But we won. We beat Skynet and that's what matters." Sarah held out a hand to her father, took his hand in her own. "I heard about Yolanda. You okay?"
"Yeah." Connor said lightly. "Listen, your mom told me about the situation with Kyle."
Sarah blushed furiously. "Oh god."
"Sarah, relax. I've taken care of it."
Sarah felt her blush going right down to her toes, embarrassment warring with the sudden spike of fear for Kyle's safety. "Taken care of it… how?" She asked finally.
Connor chuckled. "Okay. I don't know if this will make it better or worse, but here it is. After Lupe died, I gave Kyle a present. Something he could hold on to."
"The Photo." Sarah nodded. "I've seen it. He takes that thing everywhere he…" John saw the exact moment of realization on his daughter's face. "No!"
"I'm afraid so."
"Kyle… hasn't fallen in love with me, but with… My grandmother?"
"Yep."
"My grandmother Sarah, who I was named after... My late grandmother, who died years before either Kyle or myself were born?"
"Don't get offended. She was a lot younger and prettier in the picture I gave him. In fact, she looks a little like you."
"Like that means anything. Robbie looks like Kyle, you get him in the right light…" Sarah's face went from horrified to relieved, to horrified to amused and back again in a matter of seconds. "I suppose I should be relieved."
"Don't freak out." Connor told her firmly. "After Lupe, he went very dark. That photo is the only face he hasn't had to fear losing for years."
"It's not healthy." Sarah offered.
"I know, but I'll go along with anything that lightens the load on anyone in this war." Connor said lightly. "Why do you think I put up with Kurt?"
Sarah smiled. "Aw... thanks dad."
"Torturing my daughter's boyfriend lightens my load considerably." Connor continued earnestly.
Sarah swatted him.
John smirked and kissed his daughter on top of her head. "Okay. I have to get back to the War Room." He told her. "Now that you all went and got us a staging area that close to the System Core, I have to figure out what to do with it."
"Get some sleep too."
"Your mother tell you to say that?"
"All the time."
"Goodnight Sarah."
"G'night dad."
Connor bent down a bit and called under her bed. "Goodnight Kurt. Told you the hazing wouldn't stop."
"Yessir." Kurt called from under the bed with great dignity, as though this was perfectly normal. "Sleep well."
The door closed, and Kurt rolled out from under the bed. "Now, what's the situation with Kyle and your grandmother?" He asked with amused interest.
Sarah pulled him back into the bed with her. "Go to sleep."
Dear John.
Wow you must hate that. Every time you get a message, it's a Dear John letter.
If you're reading this, then it means I'm dead. Well, that's okay. Enrique and I both knew we weren't going to survive this War. The world you're trying to make is New. And a new world is for the young. I haven't seen anyone my own age since Enrique died. I miss that crazy bastard.
But you know what? It was worth it. Because even if I don't know whether or not I'll live out the day, I know we'll win the battle. You wanted to know why I insisted on going this time. It's because it was the only way to get each and every member of the Bandits to follow you exclusively. They followed Enrique and you, and when he died it was you and me. Now it will be you alone. With the Union and the Council against you once this war ends; and who knows how many casualties taken from Connor's Own and Nova after the battle, you'll need everyone you can get. And now you got The Bandits with no doubts, no divided loyalties.
I saw the photos. There are more of them than us. And they're stronger than us to a man. And I don't care if they're Machines, they're fighting for their lives now too. But I have no doubt we won; even if I didn't live to see it. We did it. We cleared the way for you Johnny Boy. All the way to the System Core. Nothing in your way. Nothing to stop you, or to slow you down. We did it.
I love you John. And I'm very proud of you.
Now wipe away any tears you may be shedding over me, then go do what you were born to do, and win this god-forsaken war.
Yolanda.
PS: Name a high school after me. A good one.
Connor had read the letter four times, and his face was unreadable, when Kate's hands rested gently on his shoulders from behind, making him sigh.
"You okay?" Kate asked softly. He hadn't seen her for most of his childhood, but Kate had been the adopted mother of enough War Orphans, and heard enough stories about the Late Sarah Connor to know that Yolanda was easily the most maternal figure in his life.
John tilted his head enough to kiss her wrist. "Yeah. I think so. Yolanda and me... we said all the things we needed to say."
Kate gestured at the letter in his hand. "What are you thinking?"
John sighed hard. "It's… I'm the old man now." He said finally. "Yolanda was the last one in the base who's older than me. Lori's off with the Council, Halloway's with his Navy... Enrique was on his third tour long before I was born… My mom, Enrique, the Terminator, Yolanda… even Whickahm and your dad. All the people we ever drew anything from…"
"You haven't looked to Yolanda for approval or advice since you were ten years old." Kate pointed out.
"I know but… She was there. It's just us now."
Kate leaned in and gave him a kiss. "Now we have our own knowledge to draw from, our own strength. The others… they draw from us. Your mom, my dad, Enrique, Chet… We're them now."
John gave her a tight hug. "Mm. I feel old."
"Let's get to bed, I'll see if I can change your mind." Kate murmured warmly in his ear.
Connor smiled and followed her into the bedroom. She sat down on the bed and kicked her boots off, though he had to help her with the left one. After a marathon session in the OR, her weaker arm was all but numb. "Mm. Oh, hey; news." John said. "Kurt is planning to propose."
Kate jumped back. "Propose? To Sarah?"
"I hope so, because if he's planning on proposing to somebody else…"
"She'll say no." Kate said with certainty as John helped her get her arm out of her jacket sleeve.
"I warned him about that, and he's willing to wait until the war is over if she insists, but he wants to ask anyway, because there are no guarantees about what tomorrow will bring."
"There never are, but that's why she'll say no." Kate pointed out.
"Possible, I agree. But I can't blame him for feeling the way he does." John shrugged off his own jacket and looked deep into her eyes. "Kate, if anyone had asked me Back Before, I would have told them that being happy with someone was a distant second to winning this war. Then I met you."
Kate smiled. "Love you husband."
"Love you wife."
Z Plus Twenty Four Years One Hundred Eighty Two Days
"He hasn't come out of the war room in two days." Walters admitted.
Kate nodded. "He's planning. He's done this before Eric, you know how he works. He stares at the maps, oblivious to everything, he asks a question that seems completely out of place, and-"
"Never this long." Walters countered. "It's starting to freak out some of the War Room staff. Half of them think his batteries have run out, the other half think he's stumped. I don't know which is scarier."
"Eric, when he snaps out of it, he'll have a brilliant new Mission Plan, and given how close we are to the System Core, it'll be the Knockout Punch."
Walters didn't smile. "Hey! You keep a lid on that. The last time we were winning this war, Skynet rolled out the Infiltrators."
Kate didn't say what she was thinking, but inwardly, she knew of at least one Infiltrator Prototype that they hadn't seen yet. She changed the subject swiftly. "What does Erica think?"
"I don't know."
"You don't?"
Walters bit his lip. "We haven't spoken in a few days."
Kate smiled secretly. "So, can I assume that the problem is not so much that John has been burning the candle at both ends, and more that you don't know what to do about General Noah?"
Walters looked down.
Kate looked at his face and felt a wave of sympathy. "Eric... John and I have had the same fight."
"Yeah?"
"Many times." Kate nodded ruefully. "About the soldiers, about the Tunnel Rats... It's nobody's fault; it's a War. And in War, it's just one... sacrifice after another."
"How do you two get over it?"
"We don't. We just love each other too much to let it break us apart." Kate said simply. "And if we're not going to split up, and the war keeps forcing us to make these gut-wrenching sacrifices... what's the alternative?"
"Win the war."
"Only way."
Walters licked his lips. "I don't think that's going to help us."
"Maybe." Kate admitted. "But the thing is... It's hard to be with someone in any war. Two goodbyes for every hello. At some point, all it comes down to is... Can you forgive and forget?"
"If it was me, I would in a heartbeat." Walters said. "But it wasn't me. It was a hundred guys that were looking to me to tell them when to attack and when to fall back, and they trusted me to keep them safe."
"No, they trusted you to complete the mission." Kate said with cold certainty.
Walters didn't have an answer for that one.
"And you did." Kate added.
"Quite well I might add."
They both turned. Connor was standing in the doorway, having heard part of that. He came in, and looked around. "Noah?"
"Not here." Kate said shortly.
Walters watched them a moment. Connor had sent him a quick glance before turning to his wife. They shared a long look; the kind that made Walters wonder if they had some secret telepathy.
"Well." Connor said seriously. "Eric, I'm activating our reserve."
"Which one?" Walters asked in surprise.
"For now, just our group here, but in a week, every unit for twenty miles, a week after that, everything in the theater, a week after that, everything in the world."
Kate and Walters stared at him briefly. This was big.
"Everything?" Kate repeated.
"Everything." Connor confirmed. "You were right. We can't get in there now. But we will. Remember what I said about how there's an offensive and defensive division of Skynet? It pulled all the defense in to protect the System Core. Their offensive wing is bleeding across the globe. So, we have a new strategy."
Walters nodded. "I should tell Noah." The prospect did not seem to make him happy at all.
Kate piped up. "I can brief her."
Connor nodded. "Do it quickly. I want everyone who needs to know informed, but even at best projections, Brain Box sees this as a long term strategy."
The three of them discussed the new plan, before Walters headed downstairs to get it started, and the Connors made their way back to their room. "It's sad about them splitting up. I always thought 'Eric and Erica' had such a nice symmetry to it."
"Yeah, we could have saved money on monogrammed towels." Connor teased. "Kate, you and I are proof that this sort of thing can be overcome. The whole Human Race at this point is proof that attacks from outside aren't what breaks a close team apart."
"You're saying they just weren't strong enough as a couple?"
"I'm saying they can move past this, if they're both willing to move past this. And neither of them are." Connor explained. "It's a difference in viewpoint. Noah has to win the battle, so she sacrifices a team still on the field. Walters gives Kyle an extra minute to try and get Yolanda out and takes a chance on the larger game. Kurt wants to seize the day because there are no guarantees; Sarah will want to hold off until the war is over for the same reason. There's no right or wrong about it, it's just the way people think differently about the same thing."
"We assume that's what Sarah thinks. Has he asked her yet?"
"Not that I've heard, but I told him to let the battle fade for a while before he pops the question."
"Probably a good idea, I just can't stand waiting for the shoe to drop." Kate sighed.
"Speaking of that, I forgot to tell you. The Kyle situation has been handled."
"Thank god." Kate said in relief. "How'd you do it?"
"Turns out it was a misunderstanding after all that. The Sarah he was talking about was…" Connor almost smiled. "Well…"
"Your mom?" Kate finished in shock.
"I gave him the photo after Lupe died."
"Cold Connor, that was just cold." Kate said with no particular anger.
"What do you mean?"
"People dying left and right, and you give him a pretty girl that never so much as gets older to spend his time with? You do this right after the only girl he's ever loved gets cut down?"
Connor rubbed the back of his neck. "Mom went into detail… embarrassing detail as to how the two of them got together and made me." He explained. "I thought she was trying to torture me, but now I get it. Mom was giving me a cheat sheet so that I could make Kyle ready for… that part of his mission."
"So you could manipulate him into falling for her when he went back." Kate shivered. "Your bodyguards didn't give you any hints like that about me did they?"
Connor laughed.
Walters came downstairs, to the sealed storerooms. The door was bigger and thicker, with at least two extra locks on it. Walters pulled his keys and unlocked two extra locks, and then keyed in his pass-code. He could feel the door unlatching, huge metal bolts sliding back to allow the door to open.
The door opened and he shivered. The huge storeroom was filled with Machines. Hundreds of them. Packed wall to wall. They had been down here for years. Just standing. Waiting. They were packed in so tightly there was no room to move. Walters didn't like to think that they were here. They had all been scrubbed, reprogrammed and given orders. Connor had ordered them to wait in this room. And they had waited, since Arecibo.
He wondered if they talked to each other in here. He wondered if they had anything to say.
"Connor sent me." He told them. "I have new orders for you. Skynet has deployed it's Terminator and Infiltrator class models to search the Wastelands in small groups. With our own offensives, we don't have the manpower to hunt them all down, and we don't really have to. Your instructions are to capture them all. All that you can anyway. Upon capture, you are to reprogram them to your own mission specs. You've been down here a while. The electrical weapons and tasers that we used for these missions have been upgraded, and the equipment to reprogram CPU's has been updated to be mobile. If you come across any H/K's, evade as best you can. If you come across Terminator production facilities, report them immediately, but do not attempt a frontal assault and capture yourself. We need every scrubbed Machine we can get. Any questions?"
Silence was his answer.
Walters nodded slowly. "You move out in three hours. You will leave in small groups. Do your best not to draw attention."
Right. He told himself. Several hundred walking chrome skeletons tiptoeing their way upstairs. That couldn't possibly draw any attention.
Kate marveled. She was so clean, so comfortable. The omnipresent hunger was not only at bay, it was gone. She looked out the window, looking at the world passing by, and the sky was a beautiful rich blue. Trees and grass, healthy and green. She could see her reflection. Her hair was so full and soft, her skin smooth and young... She looked so... healthy. Well fed, looked after. It was decadent how lovely she was.
She looked back to her companions. John was there, sitting behind her, wiring up a set of explosives. He looked so scruffy and exhausted; not like in the War Room.
And next to her in the drivers' seat was their Terminator, their bodyguard, his face scarred and the metal barely visible beneath.
"So, if this war is between people and machines, why are you on our side?" Kate asked him, more annoyed at the paradox than genuinely curious. She'd met two Machines so far, and this was the one not killing people she loved. More than that, she didn't really care.
"The Resistance captured me, reprogrammed my CPU." The thick Austrian accent said. "I was originally designed for Assassination Missions."
Kate felt her beautiful healthy face twist slightly. "So you don't really care if this Mission succeeds of not. If we get killed, does that mean anything to you?"
The Machine considered, but its face did not change at all. "If you were to die, I would become useless. There would be no reason for me to exist."
Kate had no doubts about how strong he was, or how dangerous their foe was. He was taking a huge risk with his whole reason for existence. "Thank you for doing this."
"Your gratitude is not required." The Machine said clinically. "I am programmed to follow your commands."
That got John's attention. The scruffy young man jumped up and came over to sit nearer to them. "Her commands?" He repeated.
"It was Katherine Brewster who had me reactivated and sent through the Time Displacement Field." The Terminator explained. John's eyes widened and went to her for a split second.
Kate was more than a little surprised herself. She tried to picture herself as someone who would send a cyborg through time, and the image didn't fit. "What exactly am I in this future of yours?"
"You're John Connor's Spouse and Second In Command."
Kate felt herself flush, and her head shook seriously. "No." She said instantly, rejecting the whole notion.
John looked at her, nonplussed. "What?"
Kate looked at him, openly disdainful. "You're a mess." She dismissed him instantly.
Connor actually seemed amused by that. "You're not exactly my type either." He turned back to the Machine behind the wheel. "Why didn't I send you back?"
"I'm not authorized to answer your questions."
John looked to Kate, and she knew immediately what he wanted. It was slightly fun, the notion of having a Terminator at her beck and call. "Why didn't he send you back?" She asked.
"He was dead." The Machine responded simply.
Kate woke up sharply. She knew instantly that he wasn't there, and rubbed her eyes. Her bad arm gave out, holding her up alone, and she half-fell back into her bed. She checked her watch. It was far too early in the morning for her to be here alone.
Sleep was a long way off, and she got up quickly.
"Gould?"
Gould looked up from his workstation. "Ma'am?"
"I have an unusual question to ask you." Kate said. "I need you to give me an answer, and not wonder why I'm asking."
"Yes Ma'am."
"How hard would it be to change a Terminator's memory file?"
Gould leaned back in his chair, giving the matter some thought. "How big, and what Model?"
Kate dove right in. "I want to make an 850 think that he killed someone successfully."
Gould looked at her, perturbed.
"What?" Kate asked awkwardly.
"The General asked me the same thing two days ago."
Kate flushed, and looked down. "And?"
Gould sighed. "Skynet changes it's memory software with every generation, every new Model. It does that so that we can't get all the intel we want from captured Machines, and so that we can't send our scrubbed Machines in to capture whole factories any more." He shook his head. "An older Model, maybe we can change a few details, a word here or there... but something like that? A Terminator has Bio-Metric sensors, in-built fail-safes, totally internal logic testers... A complicated memory with multiple inputs is saved in many different parts of the CPU, in ways that we still don't fully understand. Changing a mission is just re-writing one word, a sentence. We do that all the time. A memory like that is... a directive, saved in protected memory, a life reading, saved in Bio-Metrics, a visual record, saved in auxiliary memory, an audio record, saved in auxiliary memory... We can try and put a fake memory in, but the Terminator will almost certainly be able to tell. It would know that something had changed it's memory. You want to fool an 850, you can't do it that way."
Kate felt gut-punched. Her last hope of getting away with everything was dashed. "You tell John that?"
"I did."
"What did he say?"
"Nothing. He said it was pretty much what he figured, and went back to the War Room."
Kate nodded, and headed out.
He wasn't in the War Room. She thought it over quickly. If he wasn't in their room, and he wasn't in the War Room, it meant he was looking for privacy. The Mess Hall had people around the clock, the Bandit's Dorm would be private but occupied...
Kate went to the Briefing Rooms. She found him hunched over a large notepad. He was scribbling notes with one hand, and he was tapping away at a calculator with the other. From the look of it, he'd been there a while.
She came up behind him, and rested her hands on the back of his neck, massaging lightly. He moaned a little. "Mmm. Feels nice." He said without turning. He wasn't even surprised that she'd snuck up behind him.
Kate laughed a little to herself and swatted him. "You were supposed to get some sleep."
Connor tapped the pad. "I'm trying to figure out how long the last offensive will take. We have to capture enough Machines to fight our way in from two directions. We've been harvesting them for decades with just this in mind, but now that we've gotten a look at what we're fighting, we aren't ready yet."
"Can we hold on to the staging areas?"
"I think so. I think that Skynet's redefined its Defense Nets after we took a chunk out of its perimeter today. It's getting ready for the showdown too."
"How long?" Kate asked softly.
"A few years, probably." John said finally.
Kate shivered, and wrapped her arms around him tightly, kissing his face and neck. The dream had shaken her. Destiny was coming together before them, and they were doing everything they could to help it along. "What happens then?"
John looked up at her. Their eyes met and Kate knew. He remembered that day too. He remembered the conversation, just as she did. "It won't happen." She said softly. "John, you save the world. I'll save you. I'm a Connor now. And what is the point of being a Connor if I can't cheat destiny?"
John smiled up at her. "Kate... We're going to win this war. After that it doesn't matt..."
She put her fingers over his lips. She wasn't about to hear the end of that sentence. "Yes. It does. Love you husband."
"Love you wife."
Skynet To All Units.
Tech-Com has seized two positions along the outer System Core Defensive Zone.
...Connor, how are you doing this?
1000 Simulations Complete. Tech-Com Victory in 501 Scenarios. Tech-Com Victory now the majority endgame. Unacceptable.
How is he doing this?
Algorithms rechecked. No errors. Prerequisites reviewed. No errors. Strategy Reviewed. No Errors. Logic Function Examined. No flaws.
So why is this happening?
Termination of John Connor Directive Rescinded.
...it won't help. Not any more. How is he doing this?
Project 14128542 Reactivated. Predict 86% chance that Tech-Com will attempt intercept. Projections indicate chance of Mission Success 72% despite attempted intercept.
Potential for Ultimate Victory is only option. Delay Tech-Com advance as much as possible until Project 14128542 is successful.
Begin New Stratagem.
End Transmission.
AN: The thing about a time travel story, is that the ending only brings you right back to the beginning. Read and Review!