Chapter 452

Temporal Thoughts

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Cameron's Base - Current Timeline:

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Camille took Young Jesse and her family to various sights to see around the local area. Gail and Jesse would fill in for her when she needed to take Young Jesse to the Resistance base. Jesse wanted to spend time with her parents too, especially with her sister. She understood the beauty of seeing those back from the 'dead', alive and well.

Young Jesse wanted to see Cameron before she left to return to Australia. Cameron thanked her before she went on her temporal mission but she hadn't yet returned. She really got to know Cameron in the future she was in with her for a year. Cameron worked with her to further her education as well as all of her Resistance training. Young Jesse saw the importance of those things in a Skynet decimated future.

There was nothing Young Jesse wouldn't do for Cameron at this point. Cameron taught her so many things as well. Camille did the same things for her in Australia. There was just something special about Cameron, even if Camille was a clone of Cameron. They were identical but different.

Holly came to speak with Young Jesse. She informed her that 'Cameron' would speak to her through her. That was because 'Cameron' was on her chip and it would be updated with Cameron when she returned, if she returned.

Cameron thanked her again. Young Jesse said she saw how bad the future sucked and wanted to do more to help prevent that. Cameron informed her that the 'service' she'd provided for Duplicate Jesse was more than sufficient.

'Cameron' didn't ask her directly but Young Jesse knew what Cameron wanted…. It would be a little closer to home the next time.

"I'll do it again for Jesse." Young Jesse said. "I just need to rest my body a little bit. I promise I'll do it again. I'll do it for you 'Cameron' and Jesse."

Holly-Cameron smiled. It was what she wanted for Jesse. There would be some complications the next time or two.

"Your parents will know…." Holly-Cameron said.

Young Jesse didn't see it as a big deal. It happened all the time in school.

"I don't care." Jesse said. "It's common now for single girls my age to have children."

Holly-Cameron wanted to push her agenda. She wanted Young Jesse to be happy. She thought Savannah could be too.

"I know Camille has trained you and gotten you combat ready. Savannah would like you to come and stay with 'us' to join the fight." Holly-Cameron said. "You two could be closer."

Young Jesse understood everything. She wasn't ready to leave her family yet. The year in the future reminded her how much she missed all of them. Duplicate Jesse told her how much she missed her family. Duplicate Jesse was just glad they were still alive in the past. That weighed on her.

"I understand." Young Jesse said. "I know everything you'd like me to do…. I'll take my place in the future when it's needed. I promise, Cameron. I'll be there for John to protect him. I'll help protect Savannah and you as well."

Young Jesse really hoped to see Savannah again before she left. Her parents hadn't noticed anything different about her, let alone the fact she'd given birth in a different future while they were eating lunch for a few hours on the beach. She did notice her mum checked her out but she didn't say anything. Logic dictated she was only gone for a few hours. How much could be different?

Savannah came up to where they were.

Holly retook control of her chassis.

"I have a few things to do with Cammy." Holly said. "'Cameron' has released control."

Savannah took Holly's hand and squeezed it.

Holly smiled at Savannah.

"I understand better now about everything and everyone." Holly said. "I really do."

Savannah helped Holly expand her sexual horizons in Cameron's future.

"There is so much love to be given and shared…." Savannah said. "It's all so beautiful."

Young Jesse noted the interaction between Savannah and Holly. It was obvious they'd 'shared'. That probably happened in the future they were in. She couldn't complain. She was with all the girls there 'in some future', even herself - Duplicate Jesse. That was one wild ride. She wondered if she would ever be that good, even if somehow she was.

"Did I miss something?" Young Jesse asked.

Savannah smiled at Young Jesse and took her hand.

"It was a lot." Savannah said. "I've learned a few new things…."

Young Jesse figured Savannah 'made the rounds' in Cameron's future as she'd done 'in some future'.

"Why don't you show me?" Young Jesse asked.

Savannah led Young Jesse to her room.

It soon became apparent they both learned a few new things on their temporal trips. It appeared they learned the most from their future selves….

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Cameron's Future Timeline:

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Future John and Cameron currently worked on a bigger raid at a suspected Skynet site. They hoped it was the real Skynet Central. They needed to get some more things into play first.

Cameron needed to go on a mission. Skynet needed to pay. She'd come across some new intel. It was time to slip away and act. It would keep her focused on the future here.

She quietly left the Connor compound. It always bothered her to leave. She never knew when it would be the last time. Dealing with anything Skynet related was deadly business.

Her junket this time would take her in a different direction. Maybe it would lead to a source of Coltan. It troubled her that Skynet was always able to have a supply of Coltan. It the past she'd worked hard to control all known sources. She suspected that Skynet in this time period found additional sources of Coltan and sent operatives back in time to secretly mine them for use in the past.

Cameron wanted to see if she could identify any of those sources and act on them when she returned to the past and take that Coltan for herself. The more Coltan she controlled through CamNet, the less there was for Skynet to use.

Most of the known sources of Coltan were overseas adventures. She was sure there was a domestic supply as well. She believed there was some in North America. The vast resources of Alaska and northern Canada were still yet to be harvested. Maybe that was something Skynet did. Mexico was pretty much played out as it was.

She'd scheduled high altitude reconnaissance flights for some of their drones. She wanted to broaden their view of everything and keep track of who was doing what and where. That last 'surprise' by Skynet dictated they obtain some better intel.

The drone flights were to be kept random and always approach from different directions. There were 'down on' cameras and 'side looking' cameras. All that data was processed to see if anything could be identified.

She arrived at the special operations base. It was an all Metal affair. John insisted there be some human involvement but it was minimal. Little was contributed to add to what happened by them.

Cameron did understand there was value to human involvement. She viewed them much like the use of canines by the Resistance. A human could still be active after an EMP attack. Terminators were vulnerable to an EMP attack. They could be knocked offline. The fact that Skynet needed to operate with the same equipment that an EMP could knock out as well, limited their use. The severity of an EMP blast could incapacitate Terminators for various amounts of time.

At large facilities she tried to keep two Terminators in a rotating standby status. One would always be in standby for various amounts of time. In the advent of an EMP attack one Terminator would still be functional. It would aid in determining what Skynet was up to.

Cameron inspected the operations at the special operations base. She quietly mounted a drone for its next flight. It would deposit her in the area to be checked and pick her up at a separate location in the general area.

The drone lifted off. It was set with a predetermined flight flan. It operated as close to the ground as possible for the beginning of the flight. It would only seek altitude once it was well away from the special operations base.

She actually liked to ride on top of a drone. It allowed her a chance to 'get away from it all' for awhile. The wind would blow through her hair. She was alone and free. There was no one but her and the drone. She was worried that she'd become complacent in her attentiveness in order to enjoy the experience and the view.

The drone overflew the area she wanted to check two days go. It landed and let her off twelve miles away. She ran at a moderate pace to near the area in question. She was there in just over an hour. She'd slowed to use stealth for the last mile.

The area was in a narrow canyon. It was covered by camouflage netting with shrubbery on top of it. Some of it was living foliage some of it was added from cut foliage.

She could hear a female crying in the distance. It sounded as if she was gagged. Grays were known to abuse captured females when they were brought into the work camps. Most of the females were assaulted for a week or two before they entered work duty. Usually only the disfigured were put straight into a work detail. The Grays always got first pick from one of the 'monkey wagons'.

She moved closer and found a pile of bones in a gully. The bones were scattered. Most likely dead bodies were dumped there and coyotes cleaned the remains off down to the bones. They would often take some in their stomach for their young. They would come back and feast for themselves later.

There were trip wires set up around the area. This wasn't a Skynet operation. These were Scavengers.

She spotted two men. One of them just emerged from a tent type hooch. She could still hear the female whimpering in the background. It was less intense even though she was closer.

The two men looked surprised as she appeared from nowhere. She grabbed both of them and slammed them down hard on the ground. She could hear bones break. She fractured their spines and tossed them alive and paralyzed on top of the pile of scattered bones in the gully. They should still be alive but unable to move when the coyotes returned….

Cameron approached the hooch. The whimpering was louder now. She entered the makeshift dwelling There was another Scavenger that was near the female.

She rabbit punched him and snapped his spine. She freed the bound and gagged female.

"How many of them are there?" Cameron whispered.

She asked before she removed the female's gag. She didn't want her to scream or cry out.

"There were three of them." The females whispered with terror in her eyes. "They've had me for two days. "

Cameron assured her the three Scavengers were all neutralized.

She checked over the female. She was in relative good health. Her name was Linda. She'd only been held for two days. They'd given her some water but no food. She found some food and water and gave it to Linda.

Cameron knew Linda was lucky. They hadn't started cutting on her yet. Cameron didn't burn the Scavenger camp. She would keep an eye on it. She was sure there were more Scavengers associated with it. She'd like to say 'hello' to all of them. She'd be back….

She tossed the paralyzed third Scavenger on top of the others. She left with Linda. In just a short while it was clear Linda was too exhausted to continue.

Cameron picked her up to carry her.

"Oh, my God…." Linda said. "You're one of them…."

Cameron smiled.

"I was but not anymore." Cameron said. "Now I help people."

Linda relaxed. She was saved and helped by this cyborg.

They talked as Cameron carried her.

"Do you always look this pretty?" Linda asked.

Cameron tried to keep herself plain in her future. Her natural beauty radiated from her.

"I try not to." Cameron said.

Linda soon realized who Cameron was. She'd heard of her daring and her beauty. Cameron was a legend.

"You're the one that destroyed Skynet." Linda said.

Cameron knew it was Duplicate Cameron and Future John that thought they'd destroyed Skynet.

"Everyone helped." Cameron said. "We're all in this together."

Cameron could hear people in the distance. She'd carried Linda for half of a day.

"Can you get back from here on your own?" Cameron asked. "A lot of people don't like me."

Linda was rested now.

"Yes." Linda said. "I owe you my life."

Cameron didn't want praise.

"Just pay it forward and help those who need help." Cameron said.

Linda looked toward where the people were. She wanted to thank Cameron. When she looked back, Cameron was already gone.

Cameron returned to the Connor compound. She watched the interaction of Future John, Duplicate Cameron and the girls. The girls were busy with the babies all the time now. Duplicate Cameron needed to assist them always. Both of the girls picked up lactating, so feeding the infants wasn't a problem any longer.

She studied the larger breasts on Future Allison now. She was still happy with the way hers were. She did have to admit that before it Resequenced to her DNA that the plump breast with the very pink nipple from Ginger intrigued her. If Cameron could alter her DNA, she would take the super pinkness over the plumpness. That actually seemed to draw more attention than the larger size. She'd only seen Savannah and her other future selves that were so adorned with that total pinkness.

Cameron always saw Future John look at her. She knew he wanted to tell her something. She wasn't sure she wanted to hear it. If Duplicate Cameron wasn't there to share Future John's bed, she knew she would be tempted to. It was John Connor, her husband. She loved Future John before she loved Her John. She'd also grown quite lonely at times. Savannah always came to her when she was down. Savannah was her angel.

She really didn't want to know at this point but she'd always been afraid Her John hadn't been her 'first'. The fact there was no 'proof' of that on their wedding night always bothered her. Then again, if she'd lived her life several times already, Her John could have been her first, several lifetimes ago. She used her same chassis. She didn't know and searched her files millions of times as she tried to find out. She wanted to know. She considered more than once to activate a clone of her that she knew was 'unspoiled' and be with John to see if anything was different…. She wouldn't tell him either. Sometimes she didn't feel John deserve that 'special moment' from her since he'd chosen Riley over her. It would just be for her to know what it was like. She was sure that actual experience was deleted from her files.

Other times she wanted to give John what she feared she hadn't. She kept telling herself she must have in her first lifetime here. She knew if she ever found her other chassis from 1999 in New Mexico, she would check to verify that 'question'. Then again, John chose Riley as his 'first' over her. John made a choice and it wasn't her. Maybe he got what he deserved then, Future John's 'leftovers'.

Who knows? Future John may have been with her. She didn't know. She only remembered she'd made herself 'available' to him. They used to talk about everything, especially the past.

Cameron hoped she'd never been programmed as a 'Metal Whore' when she was first captured. It always bothered her to think that. She knew people here, before she left, called her a 'Metal Bitch' and a 'Metal Whore' behind her back. It always bothered her. She hoped she'd be able to explode her power cell before that ever happened if she was captured by the anti-Metal group.

Now Cameron's hand started to glitch. She started to think of what she'd done to Holly. What the 'Cameron' in Holly did to Holly. She knew that should have been her, not Holly, that was ruined like that. If Holly was unrepairable or didn't want a new chassis, she was going to relinquish hers to Holly….

She didn't know what the resolution was in the past. She didn't know of the 'Temporal Termination' and the temporal loop that was created. She only knew Holly was sent back deactivated as a featureless cyborg.

Cameron ran all the 'bad' things through her mind, to 'hurt' herself for what happened. She 'punished' herself over and over. She needed to remind herself that whatever didn't kill her, made her stronger. Her strength continued to grow.

"…Cameron…?" Duplicate Cameron asked.

Cameron quickly tried to replay what the question was. She drew a blank. She'd been too lost in thought and pain.

"What?" Cameron asked.

Duplicate Cameron knew Cameron pains and fears. She also knew Cameron experienced a lot more of them than she had. She could see Cameron needed 'more'.

"Cameron, I want to you take my place for a day." Duplicate Cameron said. "I want you to know and share what you've given me."

Cameron thought about that herself many times. What would one day hurt to be who she really was or would be? No really, what could it hurt? She needed to wait 'her turn'.

"You know I can't do that." Cameron said. "I want that, Cameron. I do. When it does happen, it will be with MY Savannah and HER Allison - Young Allison, in my past timeline."

Duplicate Cameron could see Cameron needed more. She 'punished' herself relentlessly. It was unhealthy in every way.

"Cameron, I want to share this beauty with you." Duplicate Cameron said.

Cameron was tempted again. She could be with all of them once.

"I know." Cameron said. "YOU know how much I want all that."

Duplicate Cameron found Cameron in a bad way a few minutes ago. She really understood her pain and dilemma.

"You must move forward with this part of your life. You'll finally feel 'complete'." Duplicate Cameron said. "I know. I do now, I seldom glitch anymore."

Cameron tried to make light of the situation.

"Maybe you only want to switch so you don't have to change diapers for a day?" Cameron said.

Duplicate Cameron was in Cameron's debt many times over. She didn't like to owe anyone anything, even to 'herself'.

"There's that too. The gift of life, the children you have provided for John and me is beyond any debt I could ever pay." Duplicate Cameron said. "Please let me do this for you. At least share with Future Allison."

Cameron felt the urge to take Savannah and Future Allison and 'run' with them. It would be a 'temporal abduction' so they could never find them. She needed to do her job and refocus.

"Cameron…. If I'm ever terminated…." Cameron started. "I want John, MY John, to have a real Cameron as his wife."

Duplicate Cameron understood the pain Cameron needed to experience to say that. She also knew her duty.

"I understand…." Duplicate Cameron said. "I will replace myself here with a clone. I'll take your place as Cameron Prime. John will never know."

Duplicate Cameron held a tether in her hand.

"I'm you and you're me." Cameron said.

Duplicate Cameron didn't want Cameron to be terminated and not know the beauty she'd missed out on.

"Let me share my files with you if nothing else." Duplicate Cameron said. "I want you to know…."

Cameron wanted all her files from all her Duplicates. They all needed to be the 'same' person.

"OK, Cameron." Cameron said. "If I survive the attack on Skynet I'll take them. I'll firewall them and not view them yet."

Duplicate Cameron wanted what Cameron wanted. They all needed to be the 'same'.

"If you ever get the files of the other Duplicate Cameron and River, I'd like to share them as well." Duplicate Cameron said.

Duplicate Cameron took Cameron's glitching hand.

"You will survive Cameron and return to John." Duplicate Cameron said. "I promise…."

"Thank You." Cameron said.

The two Camerons held each other and cried.

Thoughts

Many believe love begins in the heart
It's actually all in the mind
The answers are there
That one must seek to find

To find the correct answer
One must ask the right question
If things take a wrong turn
It will create a bad impression

Through everyone's mind
Many things are mulled
It remains to be seen
What can actually be culled

It seems many things
Can start out as a wish
One begins the search
As they hunt and fish

One's insides may soon
Be twisted in knots
The sad part about it all is
It stems from one's own thoughts

Nobody