Chapter 486

Temporal Touch

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Cameron's Future Timeline:

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Cameron was very upset Savannah didn't take her 'ticket to ride' earlier. Savannah should have gone back home to the past and left her to her fate. She knew it was what she deserved anyway. She planned to terminate with her father. It still wasn't too late.

Savannah hugged Cameron. She noticed one of her breasts fit into one the holes burnt in Cameron's sheath. She pulled off her shirt. She pulled closer and angled her body to align with Cameron's damage.

Cameron watched as Savannah's breasts filled and slightly bulged out around the damage to her sheath. Both gaps were filled this way. The exposed metal was covered.

"Cameron, if you hold me tight against you, will this work?" Savannah asked. "The metal doesn't show like this. I think we can transfer together."

It seemed workable to Cameron.

"If the energy bubble appears again, we're both going into it." Cameron said. "I'll hold you tight."

Savannah wanted to make sure Cameron didn't pull a fast one.

"Cameron, you have to promise to hold me tight and not let go." Savannah said.

Cameron would take a way out if it would work.

"OK." Cameron said. "I want to try, Savannah."

Savannah wanted Cameron to understand what she would do if Cameron backed out of the energy bubble again.

"If you let go of me, I swear I'll come back." Savannah said. "I swear it."

Cameron knew Savannah would transfer even if she didn't.

"OK, Savannah, we'll give it a go." Cameron said.

Savannah knew the plasma burns would never heal properly. She wanted Cameron to know there was a future for her.

"Cameron, I'll love you no matter how you are." Savannah reminded her. "I promise. You remember it. I'll love you however you are. However you are, is how you are. I love you more than anything."

Cameron made the calculations.

Maybe it would work….

The arcing and flashing started.

Seconds later an energy bubble began to form. It was clear they would try to rescue them again.

Cameron knew they would start to come one at a time, or in groups, to try and rescue them. They were going to repeat the 'Day Of Loss' again. It wasn't what she wanted.

Savannah knew they needed to move fast to enter the energy bubble. It was obvious there were people in this one. It meant it should reappear again in a few more seconds.

The energy bubble appeared. Cammy and Future Allison were in it.

The arcing and flashing ended.

Cammy and Future Allison both stood there naked.

"Come with me if you want to live." Future Allison said.

Cameron held Savannah tight against her at a slight angle.

Savannah wanted to make sure Cameron didn't let go of her at the last second.

"Cammy, hold me tight against Cameron. Hold Cameron and squeeze me tightly between you two." Savannah said. "Cameron is damaged with metal showing. My skin is covering it."

Cameron wasn't happy to see Future Allison there either, with just seconds until the warhead exploded.

Future Allison understood the gravity of the situation and tried to lighten the mood.

"Hey, Cameron, Savannah." Future Allison said. "Is this piece of crap Skynet?"

Savannah expected to see Cammy come for her. She didn't expect to see Future Allison with her as well. She wasn't even sure how she was there or why.

"Yes." Savannah said. "Hello, Allison, Cammy."

Future Allison spit on Skynet. She looked at the warhead which sat on the floor. There was a timer on it with rapidly declining numbers.

"That thing blew up like two weeks ago." Future Allison said. "They said it took out the whole mountain. I guess it's what we're inside of now."

Cameron knew they needed to hurry. They still needed to wait for the energy bubble to reappear.

"It is." Cameron said. "I guess we know it works then. I wasn't sure."

Cameron was pleased to know it worked as intended. It sounded to her as if both the Nike warhead and the power supply detonated simultaneously. It was nice to know her efforts weren't wasted. She wanted to make sure Skynet was defeated and destroyed. She planned on the giant power cell as a backup to insure Skynet's destruction.

Future Allison was a little concerned about the numbers on the timer.

"Does this thing blow up when it reaches zero?" Future Allison asked.

Cameron knew they were almost out of time.

"It does." Cameron said.

Savannah could see the warhead behind Cameron. It was right next to Skynet. They were almost out of time.

"We'll make it." Savannah said.

She wasn't sure if they would. She was pressed tight between Cammy and Cameron. She felt like she was part of a sandwich. For all practical purposes it was a 'Cameron sandwich'.

The arcing and flashing started.

Future Allison looked at the Skynet mainframe.

"You're terminated." Future Allison said.

If the situation wasn't so grave, Future Allison thought she would like to trade places with Savannah.

Savannah didn't want any problems. She wanted to remain part of the 'Cameron sandwich'.

"Cammy, you must squeeze me tight between you two and pull Cameron close." Savannah said. "You have to make sure I'm up against her."

The time bubble appeared and they stepped into it.

Future Allison moved in back of Cameron and reached around her and grasped Savannah and pulled as well. She wanted to make sure Cameron stayed where she was at too. Cameron would need to knock her out of the energy bubble too if she let go.

Savannah and Future Allison looked at each other around Cameron's head. She felt herself being tightly squeezed between Cammy and Cameron and Future Allison. She felt like a sandwich. It seemed the 'Cameron sandwich' just got better since Future Allison was a part of it now.

They all understood what Savannah and Future Allison were willing to sacrifice. It was themselves.

Cameron looked back at Skynet.

"I ALWAYS win." Cameron said.

Skynet was silenced, but it continued to flash insults and threats on the monitors.

Cameron faced Savannah. Their eyes were locked.

The arcing and flashing ended.

They were gone.

Two seconds later the warhead exploded.

A millisecond later the power source exploded too.

The mountain disappeared into a deep crater and a cloud of rising dust. The entire complex was destroyed.

Skynet was terminated….

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Cameron's Base - Current Timeline:

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The arcing and flashing started.

The energy bubble appeared, Cameron, Savannah, Cammy, and Future Allison were in it.

The arcing and flashing ended.

Ginger, Ally, and Sheila were there to greet them. Ginger was still armed.

Savannah knew Cameron didn't want anyone to see her. She understood the damage was very traumatic to Cameron. She wanted to mask it from everyone else. She especially knew Cameron didn't want John to see her in her current damaged condition. She couldn't blame Cameron at all for feeling like she did. She would feel the same way too. Cameron's physical condition didn't matter to her. She was extremely pleased Cameron was able to return with them. If the others hadn't come she wasn't sure if Cameron and her would have made it back.

"Cameron, keep holding me." Savannah said. "I need everyone else who's here to leave the room - NOW."

The Metal girls and Future Allison understood the severity of what must be wrong with Cameron. Questions were unnecessary at this time. They all understood Savannah wanted to 'protect' Cameron right now.

Cammy knew Savannah was going to need help with Cameron in whatever she needed to do.

"I need to stay also, Savannah." Cammy said. "I'm - her."

Cameron nodded at Savannah. She knew she was going to need some major assistance. She didn't want to dump her problems on Savannah's lap. There was another version of her there. It was Cammy.

"Sometimes it's nice to have help." Cameron said.

Savannah understood. She didn't know where to start to fix anything on Cameron. She was going to need supplies.

"I need everyone else out, please." Savannah said.

Ginger thought John could be a 'problem'.

"John is here." Ginger said. "He'll try to come to see Cameron. He is very difficult to control. I understand he's the General, but personal matters shouldn't be part of his domain."

Savannah knew it was a little bit more than a chain of command hierarchy. Cameron and John were married. They were husband and wife. It was a much more complicated issue than the General and a random Trooper.

"We need someone to run interference." Savannah said.

Cameron looked distressed. She didn't want John to see her disfigured. Most of her female attributes were gone. The part John wanted the most was still there and should be fully functional. It was her appearance elsewhere which would trouble everyone who saw it. She would find out soon enough when Cammy viewed her damage once everyone else was gone.

"He CAN'T see me." Cameron said. "I'll terminate first. I don't want John to see me under any circumstances. I need everyone's help. Please, I need you all to help me."

The severity of those words said it all. Everyone knew Cameron seldom asked for anything. She never asked for help. They could all see how traumatized she was. They could also see Savannah's devotion to her.

Savannah didn't want to take any chances. She knew Cameron was serious. She didn't like to ask anyone to lie. It was what she needed everyone to do right now based upon the circumstances. She understood John would be very hard to control if he found out Cameron was back and damaged. None of Cameron's Terminators were there. She would have asked one of them to do it. Technically they weren't part of the Resistance and didn't need to answer to the General.

Ginger was part of the Resistance but from two different futures where there was no John Connor as the General. The General in both of those futures was Mrs. Weaver. Technically, Ginger took her orders from General Weaver, not General Connor. She wanted to give her a plausible reason on how and why to do it.

"Ginger, I'm asking you to tell John that Cameron isn't back yet. Think of it as an infiltration mission." Savannah said. "You may need to physically keep him away from here. Ally and Sheila, PLEASE go help her."

The girls began to file out of the room.

Future Allison lingered a moment longer. She looked at Cameron and Savannah and nodded slightly.

Sheila paused for a moment and waited for Future Allison to exit the TDE room. She 'adjusted' her top and a breast with a nipple ring popped out. It wasn't an accident. She did it for Future Allison to see. She wanted to use it as bait.

Future Allison's eyes widened as she looked at it. Savannah told her about the jewelry some of the girls wore and where it was at. She told Savannah she hoped to be able to view some at some point. It looked like it was time.

"Damn, that looks HOT." Future Allison said.

Ally handed Future Allison the dress River used as they walked away.

Cammy waited for the door to close. She went over and locked it. She looked at Savannah who was still pulled tight against Cameron's sheath.

"How bad is it?" Cammy asked. "I need to know what's necessary to make repairs."

Cameron released Savannah.

Savannah was hesitant to move away from Cameron. She slowly backed away. Her eyes never left Cameron's eyes. The promise she made to be with Cameron, no matter what, still stood.

'I'll never leave you.' Savannah mouthed the words. 'I love you.'

Cameron looked at Savannah and nodded slightly. She knew there was a future for her no matter what.

Cammy wondered why Savannah moved away so slowly. When she was back several steps, she could see why. She looked at Cameron with horror in her eyes. There was no fixing Cameron's sheath. She began to wonder if her chassis may be compromised as well. She looked from Cameron to Savannah and then back to Cameron.

"I will relinquish my chassis at once." Cammy said. "Savannah, prepare for chip extraction and transfer. I will take the damaged chassis as my own. Repairs are going to take some time to do."

Savannah was pleased to hear Cammy volunteer. She didn't want to have to ask Cammy, but she would have. Cameron came first.

Cameron looked at Cammy's perfect figure and undamaged sheath. She couldn't steal her beauty from her. Savannah would love and accept her how she was now. She just reaffirmed it seconds ago as she backed away from her.

"No." Cameron said. "I won't ruin you too. This is how I look now."

Savannah wasn't about to leave Cameron damaged and scarred like she would end up.

"No, it's not, Cameron." Savannah said. "I'm going to fix you, Cammy and me. We're going to do whatever it takes."

Cameron could see Savannah was determined to fix her. She didn't want others to 'pay' for her 'sins'. She knew she could be pieced back together. It wouldn't be pretty. No one was below her. None of them owed her anything.

"I need my entire front torso section replaced." Cameron said. "I can't ask anyone to give up their sheath sections. I won't. Too many have sacrificed for me. I'm not worthy of their sacrifices. I'm ashamed anyone ever needed to sacrifice for me. I won't allow it. I'm not better or more important than anyone else is."

Savannah wasn't going to allow Cameron to make the decision. She already made one for her. If she was really the 'Chosen One', she would be the one who made the choices. She wanted to let Cameron know how it was going to be.

"You will be repaired and your beauty will be restored." Savannah said. "I'm going to make it happen. I don't care how many futures I need to go to, to make it happen. It's what I'm going to do."

Cameron didn't want Savannah back in any future if possible. She did enough for others already. It pained her some to know Savannah did them all for her, as much as she did for the other versions of herself.

She hadn't looked in detail at her damage yet. She only knew both her breasts were burnt away with most of each one missing. There were two holes burnt through the sheath down to the metal breastplate. It was now burnt black. It made her think of the damage Holly received by her actions, well, from a version of 'her' anyway. It was still her in the end, even if it wasn't her specifically.

Cameron knew it was her 'punishment'. She knew her past actions returned to haunt her. Now it was her turn to suffer. She wanted to make her own choice. She looked at Savannah and spoke honestly.

"I wish to remain like this." Cameron said. "This is the punishment I deserve. It will serve as a permanent reminder to me for all those I've hurt. With my sheath in this state, it will help John to move on and accept his destiny. I choose to remain in this condition. John may see me. I will inform him he is free to move on. There won't be any problems."

Cameron hoped with Future Allison there now, John would accept her, and then Savannah, as his mates. It was what she wanted for herself. He should want it as well.

"I want Future Allison to take my place." Cameron said. "It must be why she's here. I want both of you to do it together."

Savannah wasn't about to listen to any of it. She was responsible for Cameron and her well being. She knew what was best for Cameron, even if Cameron didn't know it herself.

"Cameron, STOP." Savannah said. "I promise to fix you. You will be as good as new if not better."

Cameron saw her reflection in the polished metal of the TDE console. It was her first detailed look at her horrific damage. She wished she would have stayed behind with her 'father'. She would be vaporized right now. She wouldn't look like this. Her hand began to glitch wildly as she collapsed. She shut down. It looked like she was - dead.

Cammy and Savannah looked at each other. It was clear Cameron suffered another major traumatic event.

Savannah knew what she wanted to happen.

"We need to repair her, Cammy." Savannah said. "I need to do it. I don't care what we have to do to do it. I want it done."

Cammy knew her duty to Cameron, John, Savannah, and the future. Her time was done.

"I want YOU to place her chip in my chassis." Cammy said. "It's the quickest fix."

Savannah didn't want to lose Cammy.

"No, it's not going to happen, Cammy." Savannah said. "I'm not going to lose you too."

Cammy knew Cameron would push her away when she claimed Savannah for her own. There was a way for her to still 'exist' as part of Cameron's program.

"It's time we merge our programs, Savannah." Cammy said. "I want to be 'one'. I want to be whole again. We need to combine back into one 'Cameron'. You know it's where my program is from."

Savannah frowned. It wasn't something she could allow.

"No, I don't want it to happen." Savannah said. "I don't want anything to happen to you. I love you, Cammy."

Cammy knew there were other options available for a quick fix. Resequencing could 'correct' everything in a few weeks' time.

"Cameron has two deactivated female Terminators." Cammy said. "We can use one of those to place her chip in, or you can put my chip in one of them and Cameron can use this chassis. I can be Resequenced to any female you desire at that point. I will be whoever you want me to be."

Savannah knew those were other options. She made a promise to Cameron.

"Cammy, I don't know." Savannah said. "I don't want that. I want to fix Cameron. I promised her I would do so."

It pleased Cammy because Savannah wasn't ready to sacrifice her for Cameron. She didn't know Savannah would if there were no other options.

"We can remove the sheath components from one of the deactivated Terminators or I can donate mine." Cammy said. "I will use those components. Cameron can regenerate faster if we do it that way."

Cammy and Savannah dressed. They'd been naked the whole time, as was Cameron still. They needed to leave the TDE room and get started. Things didn't get done thinking about them.

"I want to carry her to the lab." Cammy said. "We can decide from there. We may need to pull her chip. I believe she will be unstable upon reactivation. I think she will attempt self termination after she saw what she looked like. I know I would."

Savannah was already afraid of the very same thing. She hoped her love for Cameron would be motivation for her to continue.

"I won't allow it to happen." Savannah said.

Savannah planned to let Cameron know she would terminate as well then. It was what she was willing to do in Skynet's bunker. It was actually what she expected to happen. She really believed she was about to terminate with Cameron. It didn't really bother her like she thought it would.

Cammy peeked out into the hall. No one was around as requested. She came back and picked Cameron up.

Savannah covered Cameron with a robe. She draped it over Cameron's chassis. She watched it sink into the holes in Cameron's sheath where her breasts once were.

Savannah held the doors and Cammy carried Cameron to the lab.

They laid Cameron out on a work table.

Cammy removed the robe draped over Cameron's damaged and burnt form. She knew the damage would never repair itself. She knew if it was her, she really would seek self termination if she looked like THAT. She was aware Savannah's love for Cameron was the only reason Cameron was there now. She didn't doubt for a moment it was Savannah's love which saved Cameron. She didn't think it was the first time either. She knew there were times when Cameron thought of self termination. She also thought about how much it would hurt Savannah if it happened. It was motivation enough for her to come up with an alternate plan during those occasions. She reached out and touched the blackened metal inside Cameron. It was a wonder Cameron was able to return.

"It was smart thinking, Savannah. I mean how you masked Cameron's damage for the time transfer." Cammy said. "I don't think it's been done before. There's absolutely no doubt you saved Cameron's life. She would have been stuck there if it wasn't for you."

Savannah knew she did a few things with time transfers which probably weren't done before. Delivering babies to the future was another one of them, twice, in two different futures. Her breasts began to hurt some now. She touched them through her shirt.

"The metal was still a little hot." Savannah said. "It hurt me some after a while. I don't think I'm damaged, but just uncomfortable."

Cammy began to scan Savannah.

"How bad is it?" Cammy asked. "I didn't notice it."

Savannah didn't know what the long term effects would be if any. It just didn't matter to her right now.

"It was very uncomfortable." Savannah said. "Cameron is back. I don't care. I would do anything for her."

Cammy asked to see Savannah's reddened skin.

Savannah opened her shirt up. Cammy carefully examined her. She was sure Cammy put a couple of playful squeezes in there as well.

"It is not very bad." Cammy said. "I don't think it's anything to worry about. It should pass soon."

There was a knock at the door.

Fear gripped Savannah. She worried it might be John. She wasn't going to let him see Cameron how she was. She wanted to have some 'muscle' to back her up.

"I want you to open it so you can forcefully close it if you have to." Savannah said to Cammy. "Cameron doesn't want John to see her like this. YOU know she doesn't. You are to physically keep him out."

Cammy was going to ask if it was an 'order', but didn't. She didn't think the General would have much say at Cameron's base. She opened the door slightly, it was Ginger. It was just who she wanted to see.

Ginger held one of the deactivated female Terminators.

"You know why I'm here." Ginger said. "I've come to help. I've repaired Cameron before, more than once. I am no stranger to her damage."

Cammy moved aside and Ginger walked in with her cargo. She knew they needed something to work with.

Ginger looked at Savannah. She respected the lengths Savannah went to, to 'protect' Cameron. She even put her life on the line.

"You know I've done this before with Cameron." Ginger said. "I have file fragments which indicate I have done this recently too in the last day or so. Something happened, but 'Cameron' made us delete our files. It wasn't this Cameron, even if somehow it was. I'll do so again."

Savannah remembered how upset Allison was when she believed Holly was damaged, terminated, or turned into a 'Metal Whore'. It caused her a high level of grief and distress.

"It must be what happened to Holly." Savannah said. "Allison was sure something happened to her."

Cammy didn't see any damage to Holly when she returned from the future.

"Cameron must have 'fixed' whatever happened somehow." Cammy said. "Holly is undamaged and unchanged. Everything about her is the same as it always was."

Savannah suspected some 'temporal management'. She knew it could turn into 'temporal malpractice' just as easily.

"Should we try any temporal fixes?" Savannah asked.

Cammy didn't want any more timelines, inadvertently or otherwise.

"No. If Cameron was terminated I would try to fix it. I would then replace her myself if I failed." Cammy said. "Whatever Cameron did, I don't think she changed the timeline. She must have created a temporal loop, or even a temporal termination."

Savannah didn't like the sound of the last part.

"Cammy, you're 'Cameron'." Savannah said. "You have the final decision on what we are about to do. You know what I want and promised."

Cammy thought they were given an 'ace'. Future Allison was in the past, their present, with them right now.

"We have Future Allison here." Cammy said. "I want a fresh DNA sample from her."

Ginger looked at Cameron. She looked at the deactivated female Terminator. She knew what needed to be done. Cameron made sure she was 'fixed' in her future.

"This Terminator is in good condition." Ginger said. "Sheath damage has been minimal. Her sheath should regenerate nicely. I'm ready."

Ginger explained what they were going to do.

Cammy could see Savannah was a little apprehensive.

"Savannah, is it acceptable to you?" Cammy asked. "Is everyone in agreement?"

Savannah wanted Cameron repaired. She knew the plasma burns would keep the sheath, on the damaged sections, from properly regenerating on the other Terminator. There would only be scar tissue there. Cameron came first.

"Are you sure about this, Ginger?" Savannah asked.

Ginger touched Cameron's cheek.

"I am." Ginger said.

Savannah nodded. She hoped Cameron would be pleased. She looked at the deactivated Terminator. She knew Cameron was going to look different for a while. Her torso was going to anyway.

"Let's get started." Savannah said.

Closing monologue by Cameron:

Touch

Time and distance
Keep me from YOU
But I still worry
About what you may do

With a sound mind
You are stronger than most
Introduce the attacks
You soon can be toast

We are the prey
It is US they will use
But make no mistake
In the end WE lose

From even far away
I can touch you like no other
I have been too afraid
That my feelings will smother

Now I fight back
With all that I can
Never forget for YOU
I am who I am

Nobody