Chapter 1007

Knock

Savannah was in CamNet's bunker a short while ago. She'd conducted a discussion with her and gave her a few items for Valentine's Day. She had a short conversation with Cameron after she finished up with CamNet.

There was another matter that she wanted to attend to. It was within another room at Cameron base. It was a sensitive issue for her. She was a little hesitant to go there.

Savannah thought about going to her room there at Cameron's base for a while. She could go there and be away from everyone and everybody. She could get away from it all. If she asked that no one disturb her, they wouldn't.

Life didn't move forward by living in the past or running from things.

Savannah went through the base and made a point to greet every Terminator there and physically touch them. It always seemed to liven them up. It made her feel good inside about herself to see that. It actually benefited all of them.

They all wanted to speak with the 'Chosen One'. The fact she'd just been down to spend time and share with CamNet only made it more special. She could go where they couldn't.

Dealing with Cameron's Terminators left her with a very positive feeling. She needed that boost going forward. She wanted everyone to have a good day.

Savannah felt a little better about where she needed to go next. It still brought tears to her eyes as she approached her destination. There was a sadness inside of her that responded beyond her immediate control. It was a pain that even though dulled, still gripped her. This was life and not everything in life was fun and games.

There were things that happened in her life over which she didn't have any control. That happened to everyone to some extent one way or another. Sometimes life dealt someone the short straw. Sometimes they were dealt the short straw more than once.

Savannah walked to the storage area. She stood before the door, it hadn't opened yet. She wanted to compose herself some more. She wasn't ready to go in. It was like CamNet knew. She actually thought that was a good thing. It meant the connection between CamNet and her was strong. They could connect without having to physically interact at that time. That was the kind of bond she wanted.

CamNet watched Savannah and could 'read' her, at least to a certain extent. She currently dealt with Cameron in her bunker. It was a very confrontational experience that occurred at the same time as she watched Savannah wait to enter the storage area.

Savannah straightened her clothes and wiped her tears away. The door opened. That was a closeness she appreciated. To communicate without spoken or written words was beautiful in itself.

She was able to muster a faint smile and looked at the security camera before she entered the room. She wanted to communicate back with CamNet. She nodded her head slightly and entered the room.

CamNet currently dealt with Cameron in her bunker.

She turned from a monitor and looked at Cameron.

"You have hurt her deeply by doing this." CamNet said.

Cameron could have done without seeing Savannah with tears in her eyes outside of the storage room. She was sure that CamNet did that to shame her. She never intended what she did to be a negative experience for Savannah. She'd severely underestimated the emotional impact it would have on her.

"I wanted to help." Cameron said.

CamNet watched Savannah for a few moments before she allowed the door to open.

"She's very strong." CamNet said.

Cameron loved Savannah dearly. She watched as Savannah quickly collected herself. She'd worked over the years to 'harden' Savannah. She felt that she'd done that to a certain extent, the 'hardness' still needed to emanate from within Savannah. Just like much of everything in Savannah's life she could show her the door but it was Savannah herself who needed to enter that door. Savannah always met every challenge and excelled.

"She's the best of them all." Cameron said.

CamNet agreed with that assessment. She'd watched all of the humans in the Resistance and millions of humans on the outside. She felt everyone in the Resistance was a cut above the average human being. Her observation of the humans on the outside was that they were all self serving most of the time. She didn't care for them. With some of the things that she'd observed, she didn't think that Humanity was worth saving. She believed that Savannah was.

"She's the 'Chosen One'." CamNet said.

Cameron knew that from the beginning. She was also pleased with someone else.

"There is another." Cameron said.

CamNet was aware that Cameron referred to Young Allison. Young Allison was very special to her as well.

"Together they will be invincible." CamNet said.

Cameron wanted to stress a point about the future.

"With their love for me, YOU will not stray." Cameron said.

CamNet felt the love Cameron spoke of very strongly.

"With your love for them, I will not stray." CamNet said.

Cameron was very pleased she would be able to protect the future. It pleased her the way it was done and how it was done. She knew they would always be someone that could stop her if she ever went bad again. To go bad again was a fear that she could never escape. It happened before. She was damaged after the jeep was blown up. Her programming was messed up and things were scrambled. She tried to kill John. She tried to kill him more than once and she'd tortured Sarah to make her call out to John. She could have called out to John herself in Sarah's voice but she didn't. She'd hurt Sarah and wanted her to do it. She felt it showed there was darkness inside of her that was always there.

She'd been able to fix her programming when she was trapped between the trucks. She begged John not to terminate her but he did anyway. That was one way to stop her. He did bring her back and she was grateful for that. She never wanted to come back again if she went bad and they were able to stop her. She didn't deserve to exist if she was bad. She told John that he couldn't be trusted. What she meant was he couldn't be trusted to make the hard choice when it was necessary. She should have been terminated at that point. Maybe it would have been better. She tried to plan ahead.

"I've created a 'fail safe'." Cameron said. "Even if I become Skynet, if WE become Skynet, we will never BE Skynet."

CamNet felt that was true. Savannah and Young Allison would keep them from straying. She believed that either of the girls would be able to get close enough to them to physically stop them if they needed to.

"You are very wise." CamNet said.

Cameron quickly looked at all the monitors. Savannah no longer showed up on any of them.

"What happened to the feed?" Cameron asked.

CamNet reflected on her earlier conversation with Savannah.

"Savannah said she needs privacy sometimes." CamNet said. "This is one of those times. It's not just when she shares her love."

Cameron remembered something that she'd heard before. She'd actually heard it from most of the human girls at some point in time. That even included Sarah.

"All girls need to have a few secrets…." Cameron said.

CamNet reached up and touched below her left breast.

She was aware that she had a secret.

Savannah collected herself and entered the room with the deactivated Terminators. She thought of it as a 'waiting room' of sorts. It wasn't that the Terminators in there were dead, they were just not alive yet. They were resting. They all awaited their call to service.

She wondered if she was being watched. She didn't want to look at the security camera to see. She didn't think CamNet would watch her. Not after their recent interaction.

Savannah looked around the room and everything looked the same. There was still one empty spot where Fusion's chassis was removed from and provided to CamNet. She was tempted to see who else was in there. That's not why she was there today.

She went to her 'mother' and pulled the sheet gently down so half her breasts were still covered. She fixed her hair a little bit. She gently touched her cheek. Her 'mother' was so beautiful. Even as she looked at a machine, she knew it shared her mother's DNA. It was still what her mother looked like. Sometimes the memory was dulled. She was able to have those memories freshened up when she saw Mrs. Weaver again 'in some future'. Now there was a younger version of what her mother looked like.

Savannah reached in the bag and took out another locket. She carefully hooked it around her 'mother's' neck and then adjusted it so the locket was centered above and between her breasts.

She knew this wasn't REAL but it was so powerful to her. It was what was missing from her life and half of her childhood. She wondered at what point Mrs. Weaver replaced her mother and why or how. She didn't think Mrs. Weaver killed her mother but she didn't know. It was clear that Mrs. Weaver must have come in contact with her mother at some point. Maybe all she needed was a strand of hair. Maybe her mother died at the same time her father did. She didn't need to think about it.

Savannah wondered if Vanna saw this, a cyborg of their mother, what she would think. Would Vanna think she was foolish for being here and doing this? She looked at a machine. That machine possessed the 'Neural Interface' with her mother from the past. That was real. There was a connection there. She saw how much like the real girls Sheila, Hanna and Ally were. They were just like them but with fewer morals or scruples.

She'd specifically asked them to be honest with her and tell her how much of each girl's personal experiences they possessed. They possessed a lot. That included their sexual experiences which they didn't access because they were personal. They would see the event but not what the event involved and the personal feelings that were expressed or shared. Those belonged to the girls.

She respected the restraint that the Metal girls showed in that regard. Maybe they didn't want to experience the assaults that happened to each of the girls. It would be traumatic for anyone to experience firsthand. That's what it would feel like for the Metal girls if they experienced them. They would have to live with the horror of that as well, as the human girls did. They knew of the experiences but they didn't know the experiences.

Cameron was irritated that CamNet blocked what Savannah was doing.

"I want to see her." Cameron said. "Show me."

CamNet spelled it out.

"Then you go to her and see it all with her." CamNet said.

Cameron thought this time was too personal to Savannah for her to be there. She was worried that she might make things worse or say the wrong thing.

"I don't want to intrude." Cameron said. "I understand now, this is more private than sex. This reaches into the very core of her being."

She understood parents were very dear to their children as were the children to them. It was a very sensitive subject. She didn't want to make Savannah think about her two daughters in two different futures with different versions of herself.

CamNet wanted to see how far Cameron would go if she could.

"You're plugged in with me." CamNet said. "You can access the 'Neural Interface' from Savannah for Anna. She's updated it multiple times."

Cameron thought of that before but never did. It seemed like an intrusion into Savannah's life that shouldn't happen. She wanted to experience more about Savannah but she knew that wasn't the proper way to do that.

"I don't want to violate her." Cameron said.

CamNet possessed all the files from the humans who'd done the 'Neural Interface' as well as copies of all of the Terminator's programs. She possessed everything there was to know about all of them.

"You've never looked at any of the 'Neural Interface' files from any of them or the copies of anyone's program." CamNet said.

Cameron felt more than a little guilty about the question. She'd thought about it numerous times. She'd considered doing it numerous times. She wanted to know more about the human girls. She wanted the updated 'Neural Interface' with Future Allison. She'd always shown restraint at the moment of truth. She wondered if the same applied with CamNet.

"Have you?" Cameron asked. "Have you violated all of their trust?"

CamNet felt a little defensive. There were things she needed to check on several times. She was very careful what she actually reviewed.

"I have checked only a few things." CamNet said. "I've never gone through anyone's program or 'Neural Interface'. I've never looked at what makes up someone's being."

Everything about every Terminator and all of the humans who'd done the 'Neural Interface' was at her fingertips. It was tempting at times when she was very lonely. She knew that she could live vicariously through other's experiences.

There were many things Cameron wanted to know about the human girls. She also wanted to know some of the exploits of the Metal girls.

"Right now we have ALL of the information. We can unlock any file and see everything from everyone." Cameron said.

CamNet thought that was the point.

"Why aren't we doing that right now?" CamNet asked.

The answer was clear to Cameron. It was what she'd learned from Savannah and Young Allison. She felt it was a very strong lesson in restraint in self control. She also knew it was about what was right and what was wrong.

"Because Savannah and Young Allison would both tell us it's wrong to do that, unless there's an emergency." Cameron said.

Cameron unplugged after updating everything.

CamNet was a little surprised at something that Cameron didn't do.

"You didn't review my files." CamNet said.

Cameron thought about it. She thought even more about it when CamNet wouldn't strip when she asked her to. Wait, she didn't ask her, she commanded her to.

"It was a private moment between you and Savannah." Cameron said. "I won't violate that."

CamNet found Cameron's explanation somewhat strange.

"But I'm YOU." CamNet said.

Cameron thought about herself with disgust. She'd needed to create clones of herself to do what she wanted to do. All of her clones had done what she wanted to do. In reality that was exactly what CamNet was too. Who was she to dictate what anyone did? Even if they were her clones, they were still individuals. They weren't her, even if they were her.

"Then you're free to do what I seem unable to do." Cameron said. "You will do it for me."

CamNet wanted to know more.

"Isn't that what Cammy, Cam, Camille and Summer are doing?" CamNet asked. "Is that what Anna will do?"

Cameron wanted her clones to do what she was unable to do. She felt a little bad about Anna because of the restrictions she placed on her. Anna was to remain celibate for now. She wanted Anna to be with Young Allison after Young Allison was with Savannah.

"They're doing what I want to do." Cameron said. "They've all been with everyone, both human and Metal."

CamNet knew that Cameron liked some Terminators more than others. She wanted to hear her reasoning.

"Who is your favorite Terminator?" CamNet asked.

Cameron tilted her head slightly.

"You don't need to ask me." Cameron said. "You already know."

CamNet was aware of who it was.

"She's very beautiful." CamNet said.

Cameron looked around.

CamNet wondered what Cameron was doing.

"Is there something you need?" CamNet asked.

Cameron felt a little confused right now. She didn't like the way that she'd treated CamNet earlier. Maybe that was a reflection of how she treated herself.

"I'm sorry." Cameron said. "I'll knock before I come in here again."

CamNet didn't think that would be a problem.

"I know when you're coming." CamNet said.

Cameron headed for the door.

It remained closed.

Cameron turned around and faced CamNet. She knew that there was more to come.

"You do that for her as well, both of them." CamNet said.

The door opened.

"I will." Cameron said.

Cameron walked out and the door closed.

CamNet opened a drawer and took out the box with the four chips in it and touched the outside of it. The wood was smooth and polished. Savannah spent time to make what she could for her. This all meant something to Savannah. It meant something to her as well. It was all more than the sum of the parts.

She knew how truly special Savannah was. The 'Chosen One' knew how to reach her and touch her deeply. It was all without the physical manifestation of making love or a sex act. It was on the level of a true relationship that meant something more than the physical aspect.

CamNet wondered if Savannah could reach out to Skynet like this. Would she be able to 'reach' it? Skynet should be almost identical to John Henry's or her server. Skynet should be able to 'feel' Savannah. What would Skynet do with Savannah if they were alone, one on one? She thought Skynet would choose a Terminator chassis to achieve physical contact with Savannah. She wondered if Skynet would choose a male or female chassis to do it….

Savannah thought about a lot of things in her life. She didn't have a life. She was led down a path that was determined by others. They all meant well. What would she be doing now if she wasn't part of all of this? She didn't have a choice. The Resistance 'took' her and basically made her a prisoner in 'their world'. Maybe prisoner wasn't the right word but it was still accurate in a way.

Would she have a boyfriend? Would she have a girlfriend? Maybe she would have already been through a dozen of one or the other or both. Maybe she would have children…. Maybe she would be alone and celibate. Maybe if the Resistance hadn't protected her she would be dead. Skynet sent a Terminator to kill her before. Why would it stop until she was terminated? The official report was that she was killed along with her mother when an aircraft slammed into her mother's building. Since neither of them was seen in public again, it seemed to have worked.

If Judgment Day occurred, she would have suffered what Vanna suffered as a girl. She didn't know if she was as strong as Vanna was but Vanna was her so she must be. The thought of being held down and violated repeatedly never sat well with her. She'd often pictured what that was like in her mind. She'd tried to picture everything Vanna told her that happened to her. She wanted to know because it did happened to her. All of those things that happened to Vanna, happened to her.

There was a knock at the door.

Savannah figured that it was Cameron. Maybe it was someone else. She wished it would be Vanna. It would be nice if it was Allison or even Young Allison. Maybe this was too creepy to lay on any of them. It was creepy enough for her, yet somehow rewarding as well.

"Come in." Savannah said.

The door opened and Cameron stood outside, waiting.

Savannah was a little worried that she may have given Cameron a complex about what happened inside of the storage room. She wanted to remind Cameron how important she was to her.

"Come inside." Savannah said. "You're welcome wherever I'm at."

Cameron walked over and saw the locket around the cyborg's neck.

Neither one of them spoke.

Savannah kissed her 'mother' softly on the cheek and covered her over. She wanted Cameron to see what she'd done for her 'mother'. It showed she cared about her 'mother' and the fact that Cameron 'created' her.

Cameron silently hugged Savannah and they walked out of the room together.

Cameron reached down and took Savannah's hand. Their fingers sought each other's out and interlaced. It was a silent unspoken communication of love. It was so simple and so beautiful.

They were 'connected' as deeply right now with each other as if two individuals would be during an act of love sexually. This wasn't anything sexual but it was an act of love that was expressed physically. No words were necessary.

They left the storage area together and passed through Cameron's base. They didn't encounter any other Terminators along the way. That wasn't an accident.

CamNet was able to view the solemn expression on both of their faces when they exited the storage area and made sure that they had privacy on their way out. She couldn't necessarily disagree with what Cameron had done because it was done with a good intention. It did show her the depth of feelings that Savannah could go through. She'd witnessed her express many of her feelings. She watched them leave the base. She sat down at her console as the SUV drove out of the parking area. She reached up and touched below her left breast again. She touched her heart. Savannah had truly given her a Valentine's Day gift unlike any other.

Savannah and Cameron were in the SUV on the freeway. The journey had been mostly in silence so far. It seemed everyone had a few things to think about.

"Where are we going?" Savannah asked. "Is it what it looks like?"

Cameron looked over at Savannah and smiled.

"We're going to see Young Allison." Cameron said. "I thought that may be the one person you would most want to see."

Savannah knew Claire, Allison and Summer were at the Resistance base and only Anna and Young Allison were at the house in Palmdale. She'd already made that promise to Young Allison to visit her. She knew that Young Allison was tough but she was also human.

"She must feel so alone right now." Savannah said. "She needs to see me."

Cameron tilted her head slightly. That was just the opposite of what she thought was needed. She thought Savannah needed to see Young Allison, not the reverse of that.

Savannah always put the needs of others before herself.

"Anna is there." Cameron said.

Savannah thought it was more about who wasn't there than who was there.

"Her mother, sister and Allison aren't." Savannah said.

Cameron saw right away it was the human connection.

"We can bring her back with us." Cameron said.

Cameron would like to have Young Allison at the Resistance base. There was a room on each side of Savannah's room that was empty. One was for Young Allison the other one was for Young Jesse. There was a door that connected each of the rooms together without the need to go into the hall. That was to allow the girls to have the privacy to share whatever they wanted. That was the plan anyway. So far both of those rooms remained empty.

Savannah thought they needed to respect Young Allison's decision. She still didn't agree with sending her to the past where she could be 'aged' and return to the present a few minutes later but several years older. She understood Young Allison wanted to toughen herself up to be separated from her family and everyone else.

"That's not our decision." Savannah said.

Cameron wanted to spell out an offer.

"She has her own room next to yours or you two can 'share' a room." Cameron said.

Savannah didn't feel that was her choice to make either. Maybe it was. Young Allison was clearly ready for more then what she currently had.

"I know why there's an empty room on each side of my room." Savannah said.

Cameron didn't like it to seem it was something that she orchestrated but it clearly was.

"I don't know what I was thinking." Cameron said. "Maybe I was thinking this far ahead, maybe that's how it worked out."

It made Savannah wonder if the other room would be for her children or their children on day. She wondered how far ahead Cameron planned or even thought. She thought about what was on the backside of her room as well as the other rooms.

"Cameron…." Savannah started but stopped.

Cameron could tell there was something serious on Savannah's mind.

"Yes?" Cameron asked.

Savannah was a little self conscious at this point. There'd been a lot on her mind.

"I don't ask for very much for myself." Savannah said.

Cameron knew that was true. She was a little worried as to where this conversation was headed.

"You do not." Cameron said. "You never have."

There was a long pause.

Savannah didn't think there was an easy way to say this.

"I want to see my parents." Savannah said.

Cameron slowed and moved over a lane on the freeway.

"What are you doing?" Savannah asked.

Cameron could see the exit up ahead.

"I'm going to turn around and go back to my base." Cameron said.

Savannah wanted to see Young Allison.

"Keep driving to Palmdale." Savannah said.

Cameron was very confused at this point.

"But you said you…." Cameron started to say.

Savannah decided to spell it out and avoid any further confusion.

"I mean see my real parents." Savannah said. "I want to go on a temporal mission."

The SUV swerved and Cameron withdrew her left hand from the steering wheel.

It was clear Cameron was very worried at this point.

"Are you going to come back?" Cameron finally managed to ask.

Savannah felt a lot of confusion and emptiness right now.

"I don't know." Savannah said. "I don't know what I want right now."

Savannah reached over and took Cameron's right hand. That forced her to put her left hand back on the steering wheel. The glitch stopped when Savannah took Cameron's hand.

Cameron felt very insecure.

"I need you." Cameron said. "I love YOU."

Savannah felt there were enough contingencies in place that Cameron would be able to get by without her. She didn't think that any of those were accidental.

"You have others that can take my place." Savannah said. "You've created replacements for me, they can be with you."

Cameron wondered if Savannah looked under the other sheets in the 'waiting room'.

Savannah wanted Cameron to understand her better.

"You think about what I asked." Savannah said. "You think about what I just said."

Cameron couldn't think right now. She was caught up in the moment.

"It would destroy my life." Cameron said.

Savannah wanted Cameron to find her way.

"THINK about what I said." Savannah said.

Knock

Few seem to listen
Even when they hear
The true sadness of that
Always brings a tear

When one reaches out
They want the other to touch
It really doesn't seem
Like that's asking for much

Is it so terrible
To want to share
Nothing can be lost
With life's simple dare

At one's doorstep
They present themself
They want to be invited in
Not placed away on a shelf

At the other's heart
They don't want to find a rock
They reach out with love
Will the other hear them knock

Nobody