Chapter 349

Not Pretty

Cameron wanted to interrogate then male prisoner who was captured earlier. It would be a 'Terminator interrogation'. It would be violent and brutal. It would result in a bloody termination. There was also the female prisoner. She needed to be dealt with as well.

It bothered her somewhat because Savannah wanted to be a part of it. She was unsure if she wanted to do it. She wanted Savannah to witness and understand her true nature. She didn't want Savannah to be appalled at her personally, as opposed to what happened to the one being interrogated. She didn't want Savannah to hate her or turn away from her. It would be a test of Savannah's love for her. She would know if Savannah really loved her or not. Maybe it was a test. It could be the right test or the wrong test. Either way it was a test. Maybe it was a test to see if she loved Savannah.

It began to make her question what exactly in life wasn't a test. It seemed each new day was full of tests. It was only as if some of them mattered more than others. They could matter more at some times than others. Did any of it really matter? What was any different at the end of the day? What seemed like it could be different really wasn't when it was analyzed. What really mattered, and what didn't?

Cameron went to see Savannah. She couldn't help but think about what she saw the last time she was there. It was Savannah wearing her wedding dress. She also understood it was something Savannah was hesitant to try, even if she wanted to, for several different reasons. One of the reasons was her. It appeared once again her presence would disrupt the 'Natural Order'. She needed to do more for Savannah elsewhere. Savannah's loneliness and isolation bothered her greatly.

She paused outside her room and went over everything she wanted to do again. It was time to 'face the music'. She knocked and entered.

They exchanged pleasantries and then Cameron got down to business.

"I understand you want to see the interrogations which will be conducted." Cameron said.

Savannah wanted to know how to do everything. There were always a few factors involved. Not everything would probably be what she wanted to see. She did need to know how things worked. She needed to know how they were done. The safety of their group is what was important and mattered. The enemy didn't.

"I need to see and learn everything." Savannah said.

Cameron wanted to share everything with Savannah. She saw it as a test of love. She thought Savannah would see it as further training. She wanted to make sure Savannah understood what exactly was going to happen. The end result was going to be the same whether the interrogation occurred or not.

"First of all this isn't something you need to do. You don't need to get your hands dirty. You know what I mean. It will be brutal. It will make you sick. It will end in death for the subjects." Cameron said. "It's not pretty. It's violent and gruesome. You will see me as a Terminator. You will see me as what I really am. You may not still think of me the same way once you witness things."

Cameron was sure Savannah's love for her was about to be tested. Maybe it was better to know now how strong it actually was. She believed it was strong enough to last through anything.

Savannah believed she knew Cameron in her entirety. She didn't see the flaws in Cameron which Cameron seemed to 'see' in herself. She wanted to make Cameron understand things from her point of view. It was clear things were going to be a little violent. Life was violent. Life was deadly. It was about survival when it came down to it.

"I will see you as Cameron." Savannah said. "It's their actions which have determined their fates in the present or the future. We merely carry out the sentence they've given themselves."

Cameron wanted to harden Savannah. She wanted her to be able to kill against her natural instincts. She wanted Savannah to be able to execute the enemy, and not offer them quarter. It wasn't offered by the enemy in the future. Females would be abused by the Grays first before they were put into the work camp where further abuse would occur. They would then be worked until they terminated. The abuse would continue until such time.

Savannah was going to need to make some hard choices. It would occur at the culmination of the interrogation. Once the subject no longer could provide any type of valuable or useful information, their existence was no longer required.

"When the interrogation is over, and I ask you to terminate one of them, will you?" Cameron asked. "Will you be able to take a life in cold blood? The person may beg for their life and plead to your humanity. It is something which you possess. I don't."

Savannah drew in her breath slightly. She was warned in so many words from Cammy and Camille about the next part. It was what it was. It would be what it needed to be. Things didn't happen by thinking about them. It was time to step up. She wasn't sure she was any more ready to kill a prisoner, than she was to be in John's bed. They were simply things which needed to be done. Even if she thought she was ready for everything, was she?

"No, I'm not ready." Savannah said. "I must learn to do what is necessary, even if I don't like it."

Cameron wanted to take the guess work out of it. She wanted to make her position clear. It wasn't just about the prisoner either. There were other functions Savannah needed to perform. The greater good always needed to be considered. What mattered and what didn't?

"Remember those words, Savannah." Cameron said. "You WILL have to do it. You will need to hurt those you love sometimes. It's all about protecting John and the future, nothing else matters."

Savannah listened to Cameron. She knew what her other reference was about. She would sidestep them for now. It did make her question what she wanted out of life. It made her question what life actually could offer her. It didn't really matter in the end. Life still went on.

"Let's get it over with." Savannah said.

Cameron noted what Savannah currently wore. She would need to change for now.

"Bring an extra set of clothes." Cameron said. "Wear old ones."

Savannah looked down at her attire. She didn't think there was anything special about it.

"Why?" Savannah asked.

Cameron wanted to reinforce her earlier warning about the brutality of things.

"The ones you have on are going to be covered in blood and small pieces of tissue. It will be easier to throw them away." Cameron said. "Bring ear protection also."

Savannah wondered how many people would need to be dealt with.

"Will there be much gunfire?" Savannah asked.

Cameron's face was void of any expression right now.

"No." Cameron said. "There will be intense prolonged agonizing screaming. There will be people begging for their life, or begging for you to end it."

Savannah was determined to do what needed to be done. She still questioned her resolve going forward. She was aware not everyone could do everything the first time when they tried. It didn't really matter what it was. Some people could, some people couldn't. It often depended upon what the task was. There was one thing she did know. Things didn't get done by thinking about them. She didn't want Cameron to understand her commitment to her.

"I'm still going." Savannah said. "I'll try to do as much as I can this time. If I crack or falter, I'll try harder the next time."

Cameron could see Savannah was a trooper.

"Just remember, you've been warned." Cameron said.

Savannah looked down at her clothes. They weren't any she wanted to throw away.

"Let me change and we can go." Savannah said.

Cameron went to leave. She wanted to give Savannah a little privacy. Maybe she wanted to give her a little time to reconsider.

"I'll be back." Cameron said.

Savannah didn't want her to go. She wanted Cameron to see her.

"No, please stay. I'll only be a minute." Savannah said.

Savannah stripped down and threw some old clothes on. She decided to skip the underwear and bring it with her fresh set of clothes. She was going to need to throw things away, She didn't want to have to throw everything away.

Cameron watched her the entire time. It was what Savannah wanted Cameron to do….

Savannah tried to 'communicate'. She wanted to remind Cameron what was available. She wanted to remind Cameron she needed more.

Savannah moved quietly into the darkness. She wore her night vision and took her seat. Once she was seated she removed the night vision. Now she would see what the subject would see and experience.

She sat there alone in the darkness as she waited. It seemed like hours. There was no accurate way for her to gauge the time. She understood it was part of the process.

A raw metallic voice startled her. Where did it come from?

Savannah saw the red eyes.

It was unnerving. She felt fear. She wanted to run. She wasn't restrained so she could.

NO. It was Cameron. It was the real Cameron. She was a very scary robot from the future.

She buckled up and held her ground. She was a witness, not the subject. She listened to Cameron question the man.

At some point she realized there were three sets of red eyes and rapid angry questions. They came from all directions almost all at once. They seemed to give contradicting orders simultaneously. Their demands for answers were incessant.

One voice threatened to rip the man's tongue out if he lied again.

Savannah lifted the night vision to her eyes. Cameron and two of her female clones were in the room. She watched as one of them forced his mouth open.

She saw Cameron reach forward. She told him the next lie would be the last words he would ever able to speak. She remembered seeing Cameron before with blood on her clothes and her hand. She figured it's what Cameron must have done then. She didn't know for sure. She swallowed hard. She lowered the night vision. She looked down and off to the side. She prepared herself for the screams. She could imagine if it was her in his place.

What if the enemy wanted to know how they could get their hands on Cameron or John? Would she be able to withhold the information? It seemed it would be hard to do under the current circumstances. If she were to lie with the same threat made to her, she wouldn't be able to devolve the information without a tongue. She could only imagine the agony which would follow until she lost enough blood to black out. She even wondered if she would be able to hear her own gurgling screams. She refocused back on the interrogation.

The man told Cameron everything she asked. The two clones asked questions as well.

"I think we've covered everything." Cameron said in her normal voice. "Thank you for your cooperation."

Savannah put the night vision back on. She watched as Cameron grabbed the man's neck. She lifted his bound form, chair and all, up in the air to the level of her face. Cameron flicked her wrist. She heard the man's neck snap. Cameron dropped him. The chair landed and toppled over. The man's dead staring eyes looked at her. She just watched as the man was executed. I was not pretty.

She remembered Cameron told her she was going to kill Future Allison in the same way. She was going to snap her neck. It didn't seem to take any effort either.

Savannah thought the termination actually was rather swift. Other than a few blows, and probably a few broken bones, the events leading up to his termination didn't appear too extreme.

Cameron looked at Savannah in the darkness. She wanted to give her a warning.

"Get ready for the lights." Cameron said.

Savannah took off the night vision and shielded her eyes.

The dead man still stared at her. He was covered in his own filth and waste.

Cameron needed to make a confession. She wanted to be honest with Savannah. She was still haunted with a lot of guilt about it. She felt the most guilt as she played with Young Allison when she visited Palmdale. It was time to test Savannah's love.

"This is similar to what I did to Allison in my future. This is what I did to your lover and mate." Cameron said. "This is what I am. This is what I do. Do you still want me? Can you still love me? I'm a killing MACHINE. It's what I was designed and constructed to isn't supposed to be any other function."

Savannah stared at the dead man. She looked at Cameron and her two clones. They both now looked at her. She didn't feel it changed anything. Cameron was who she was now, even if she wasn't always the same before. People changed. They expanded and grew. She stood and faced Cameron.

"Yes." Savannah said as she looked Cameron in the eyes. "You are what you are. What you were isn't what you are. What you are isn't what you will become."

Cameron tilted her head slightly. There was something profound about Savannah's words. It wasn't the current subject. She looked at her two clones then back to Savannah. Things were far from over.

"We've only just started." Cameron said. "The next one will be worse."

Savannah wasn't sure how they could be much worse. She wondered if maybe Sheila would be there. What if it wasn't Sheila? What if it was Jesse? What if it was only Cameron? What if it was her?

Cameron indicated they were to go elsewhere.

Savannah nodded her head and followed Cameron. Her two clones followed her.

When they reached the next room, Savannah was taken aback by what she looked at.

The woman was covered with dried blood. Something protruded from her skull.

Cameron looked at the female with utter contempt.

"This Bitch was anti-Metal. She wanted to terminate me and my brethren. Instead she will be terminated." Cameron said. "She would kill John and you as 'Metal Lovers'."

Savannah didn't like what she saw at all. It was much worse than the last one. She did know one thing. She didn't agree with what she saw.

"I really don't know about this." Savannah said. "What exactly is going on here?"

Cameron explained the socket protruding from the woman's skull.

Savannah could see it was inflamed and bloody.

"I'm going to copy part of my program into her 'Neural Interface'. It is actually connected to her brain. As this event happens, she will scream until she passes out. You may look away and cover your ears." Cameron said. "This process terminates her mind as it is now. It replaces it with my thoughts. She will become me…."

Savannah wasn't sure what it meant in actuality. As long as it didn't harm Cameron it was OK, she wasn't sure what she would observe. She did know none of it needed to happen. She felt the need to say something. She might not have much standing under the current circumstances. She did have a voice.

"This is wrong, Cameron." Savannah said. "If you have the information, you should just terminate her. You don't need to make someone suffer needlessly if they're usefulness is over."

Cameron wanted more for herself. She would get her wish to be human. She would be able to terminate 'herself' as well. It was all a thing of beauty to her, for all of the wrong reasons. She hoped to make Savannah understand.

"It allows me to become 'human'." Cameron said.

Savannah didn't want to hear it. Cameron wasn't a human. It was what made her special. She was a cyborg and she loved Cameron how she was.

"You don't need to be human." Savannah said. "You're fine how you are. If you aren't a cyborg, then you are no longer you."

It pleased Cameron to hear Savannah's response. It was time to test Savannah's love, again.

Cameron initiated the procedure. Savannah didn't watch. She covered her ears but she stayed. The woman screamed until she passed out. She could only imagine the intense pain and agony she must have gone through. Somehow, it wasn't actual physical pain either.

Savannah looked at the woman, her head was slumped over. Fresh blood ran from the corners of her mouth. She screamed as her mind was destroyed until her throat was raw in places.

Cameron watched as Savannah looked the blood covered female over.

Savannah felt fire in her own eyes. She was angry at Cameron. What she just witnessed didn't need to be done.

The woman's head slowly lifted. There was no life in her eyes. The female knew she was already dead, even if she was still alive. The current version of the female knew what awaited her.

"Savannah?" The woman gasped.

Savannah felt her jaw clench. She couldn't help but take a step back.

More blood came out of her mouth from her throat. It was from all of the screaming.

Savannah didn't see how the woman could know who she was. Was 'Cameron' really inside her head now?

"Do you know me?" Savannah asked. "How do you know me?"

The woman's eyes now pleaded with her.

The woman looked from Savannah to Cameron and back to Savannah.

"Savannah, you must kill me. You can't leave me here with her. You don't know what she'll do to me." The woman gasped. "She is insane. Whatever you saw her do before, is only the tip of the iceberg as to what she will do to me."

Savannah was very unnerved. It was unreal. It was impossible. She tried to reject the premise there was some version of 'Cameron' in the battered body.

"I don't know you." Savannah said.

The woman looked desperate.

"Savannah, I'm Cameron. She's trapped me in here, in this broken body. You don't know what she'll do to me. You can't leave me alone with her." The woman gasped. "Listen to me, she is insane."

Savannah didn't want to believe it. She didn't want Cameron inside the battered body. It was severely beaten.

"Cameron? You're human now?" Savannah asked, very confused.

The woman was desperate. She was desperate for more than herself. Somehow because of it, it made it worse.

"You must make her stop and never do this again. She's done it before. You must make her stop." The woman gasped. "She enjoys it more each time, especially the more gruesome and painful the termination is."

Cameron stepped forward and slapped the woman hard.

Savannah jumped at the sound of the impact. The sound showed the level of force and cruelty. It looked as if she was battered at this point.

Cameron was prepared to beat the 'woman' into pulp. This version of 'her' was weak and useless. It was pathetic. She could feel nothing but contempt.

"Tell me your name." Cameron said. "And it will end."

The woman thought of resisting. She knew what Cameron would do to her since she was 'Cameron' too. She wanted to spare Savannah the need to have to watch her beat to death. If Savannah wasn't there she wouldn't yield to Cameron's demands.

"I am Nobody." The woman gasped.

Cameron was disappointed. 'She' normally put up a defiant fight the same way Future Allison did. She laid her Glock on the table. The magazine was empty and the slide back. She placed one round in Savannah's hand.

There was hope in the woman's eyes now. There was an avenue of 'escape' before her. There was someone there who she believed would show her mercy and terminate her.

"PLEASE, Savannah. You don't know what she'll do to me. She HATES herself. I've seen what she will do." The woman gasped. "LOOK at what she's done to 'herself'. She takes pleasure in this. She is insane…."

Savannah looked at the single round in her hand. She was asked to kill 'Cameron' by Cameron. She would die first.

"I won't do it." Savannah said.

Fear gripped the woman's face as escaped slipped away from her.

"Please, Savannah, I love you. If you love me, you will do it to save me." The woman begged. "She is insane."

Savannah wanted to help 'Cameron'. She didn't want to hurt her. She wasn't going to kill her. She would never kill any version of Cameron.

"I won't do it." Savannah said. "If you're 'Cameron', 'a Cameron', I will not kill you."

The woman knew she was doomed.

"Please." The woman wailed. "You don't know her. She is insane."

Savannah wasn't going to put up with this. Before she could act, Cameron did.

"Shut up." Cameron said.

Cameron slapped the woman hard. It sounded like a bone cracked or broke. One eye bulged out of the woman's head now. Her skull appeared to be 'dented' on one side. It only seemed to enrage her more.

The screaming intensified. More blood flowed from her mouth.

Savannah had enough. The madness needed to end.

"Cameron, stop." Savannah said.

The screaming intensified.

"I order you to stop." Savannah shouted.

Cameron paused.

"I HATE HER." Cameron said.

Savannah was serious. She wanted Cameron to hear her. She needed Cameron to hear her.

"I don't." Savannah said. "Don't MAKE me. PLEASE don't make me hate you."

Savannah put the round in the chamber and hit the slide release.

"I love you, Cameron." Savannah said.

Cameron almost smiled. Savannah was going to end it.

Savannah handed the Glock to Cameron instead. She would put the bullet through her head before she ever would Cameron's head.

Cameron was disappointed. She reached for it. Savannah held it firm.

There was fire in Savannah's eyes. She was filled with anger and rage.

"You will NEVER do this again, EVER." Savannah said. "I want your promise. You better keep it too."

Savannah released the Glock. Cameron lifted it and placed it against the woman's forehead.

The battered female looked relieved. She knew her suffering would end soon.

"Thank you, Savannah. THANK YOU." The woman said.

Cameron wanted the satisfaction of victory from the battered human.

"What's your name?" Cameron asked.

The woman looked at Cameron with defiance. She was going to say 'Cameron'. She looked at Savannah instead and how upset she was. It was time to sacrifice for Savannah.

"I am NOBODY." The woman gasped,

The Glock fired.

Savannah cringed as the bullet hit the female. It was over fast. She was angry at Cameron.

"NEVER again Cameron, EVER." Savannah said.

Savannah started to walk away.

She turned around and grabbed Cameron's shirt collar. She yanked her close. Their faces nearly touched.

"NEVER AGAIN - EVER." Savannah screamed in Cameron's face.

Cameron was taken aback by Savannah's anger. She never saw her this angry about anything. What seemed to make it worse, was it was all directed at her.

"This is what I am. This is what I do. This is what I was constructed for." Cameron said. "I only wanted you to know what I am."

Savannah still held Cameron firmly.

"Cameron, you're better than this now." Savannah said. "This isn't you. It isn't who or what you are any longer."

Cameron knew she hurt Savannah deeply. She was afraid she lost her.

"Savannah, I promise." Cameron said. "I'm sorry about this."

Savannah released Cameron's collar and hugged her.

"I love you, Cameron." Savannah said. "I love you. You need to be what you are, not what you were. What you were is no longer what you are. I know it. We both know it."

Cameron wanted Savannah's love.

"I'm sorry." Cameron said again.

The two clones were both bothered by Savannah's response to Cameron's actions. It reminded them they were no different in reality.

"We will clean up here." One of the clones said.

Cameron glanced back at the terminated female. What was done was done.

"Let's go home." Cameron said.

Savannah hated Skynet and the evil and death it spawned. She wanted Cameron to see the truth.

"Cameron, this isn't you anymore." Savannah said.

Cameron knew she was different. She was just not different enough.

"I can't escape it, Savannah, no matter how hard I try." Cameron said. "I can't escape ANY of it. It all plays in my mind over and over. It never stops and it is all like it just happened. ALL of it."

Savannah wanted to do more. She needed to help Cameron.

"Please let me help you." Savannah said. "I don't know how."

Cameron thought about everything. There was no escape.

"I don't either." Cameron said. "I really don't."

Savannah held Cameron in her arms.

"Cameron, I'll find a way to help you." Savannah said. "I promise. I love you Cameron…."

Cameron waited for Savannah to say she would 'fix' her. It wasn't what happened. It appeared Savannah knew her better than she knew herself.

"I will help you to fix yourself from the inside." Savannah said. "I know you can do it. I love you, Cameron. I will always love you no matter what."

Cameron was surprised at Savannah's response. Somehow it was all different than what she expected. She wasn't looked down upon and degraded. She wasn't called names or threatened. Instead Savannah wanted her to help herself. She knew it was the only way to truly be 'fixed'. The 'Chosen One' stood at her side with her. She was still the chosen one by the 'Chosen One'.

Savannah was determined to help Cameron help herself.

Cameron felt the tears well up in her eyes.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Not Pretty

It's been said that
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
It would seem to be tested
As one grows older

Beauty is transitory
It will fade with time
To forget what it once was
Would be nothing less than a crime

If beauty is only looks
There are many that fall short
One may look much deeper
There are other reasons to court

There is beautiful, pretty, and cute
They are not all the same thing
Some can be only one, two, or all three
There are some things to which one will cling

Some get hung up on beauty
They may focus on the kitty
It's the wrong choice
Some things are just not pretty

Nobody