Chapter 493
Incursions
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Resistance Base - Current Timeline:
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John was in the Command Center with John Henry. He wanted to plan their next set of objectives and targets with him. He was more determined than ever to prevent Judgment Day. He knew he needed to stay ahead of Skynet to keep from losing Cameron to it. If they could keep Skynet beaten down, then Cameron wouldn't need to become Skynet.
He wanted to spread the burden and risk of fighting Skynet and its illegitimate offshoots around the rest of the Resistance. He knew the girls now spent most of their time with each other. It was what Cameron wanted to keep them safe. He didn't have a problem with the human females doing it, but the other Metal girls needed to step up. He was aware Cameron restricted them too, along with the male Terminators. He didn't like Cameron taking most of the risks and most of the damage.
John Henry knew of Cameron's and Cammy's reports as to what happened in the future. He'd reviewed both of their files. He understood the role Savannah played and Future Allison too. He knew specifically what to search for.
"CamNet as well as I have detected what may be several temporal incursions." John Henry said. "Cameron and Cammy reported Skynet sending out Terminators and Grays on missions before they terminated it. Cammy and Savannah were even drawn to the Skynet location because there was so much TDE activity during their temporal transfer. It appeared as their energy bubble arrived, Skynet was in the process of a TDE transfer and the energy bubble was attracted to the location."
John didn't know tech stuff. He wasn't sure how it all worked, but he believed John Henry it was possible. He was just glad Cammy and Savannah didn't arrive inside the Skynet base on their TDE pad. It would have taken some explaining and not ended well. There wasn't much they could do about the past. He was sure they already encountered anything which ended up there. The future was obviously changeable to a certain degree. He needed to think about now.
"Do we have anything specific?" John asked. "Do we have any targets? I want to hit them."
John Henry coordinated his efforts with CamNet. He figured CamNet would hold anything specific for Cameron, but if they found anything he wanted to hit it.
"Yes, I have teams on it as well as the drones." John Henry said. "I'm checking everything. Something will turn up."
John was a little worried. He didn't want to upset Cameron and make her act sooner. He didn't want her to feel like she was being pushed, especially by him.
"Are they all Terminators?" John asked. "I mean the teams you've already dispatched, are they all Terminators?"
John Henry knew Cameron wanted the humans protected. They couldn't be replaced.
"Yes, it's what Cameron has requested." John Henry said. "I didn't want to cause a problem or endanger anyone."
John Henry also didn't want to be deactivated. Cameron told him 'Terminators only'. He wanted to ask Cameron why she kept dragging Savannah around with her, but knew Savannah went on her own. It was still highly dangerous for Savannah. He witnessed what happened in the future. Savannah could have been terminated several times.
John was worried about what all Cameron 'controlled'. He knew with CamNet and her own action, she could reach pretty far and take what she wanted.
"Has Cameron taken control yet?" John asked. "I mean taken control of anything out there, any weapons or other things? Has she encroached on anyone else's infrastructure?"
John Henry tried to monitor the very thing. CamNet could block him if he looked too deep into anything. He knew CamNet controlled the 'back door' program a Gray operative named Fisher installed in the 'cyber sphere'. The program was everywhere and in every computer system hooked up to the net.
"No. CamNet is always in the background." John Henry said. "Cameron doesn't wish to exert control. She insists she is a shadow, waiting to protect."
John wondered how long her philosophy would last. He wondered how hard it would be to switch from a defender to an offender. He didn't think it would take much when it came to a super computer. He knew if CamNet was 'Cameron', it would seek more and more control. He wondered at what point CamNet would grow away from Cameron. It was bound to happen. He knew Dr. Frankenstein could only control his 'monster' for so long. It was likely Cameron would face the same thing.
"What happens if she does take control?" John asked. "Or if CamNet decides to do the same thing?"
John Henry knew he couldn't stop CamNet or Cameron if they decided to 'take over'.
"Then she takes control." John Henry said.
John was well aware of how ruthless Cameron could be. CamNet was probably even worse if it existed only as a computer program. It would pretty much spell the end of everything. He thought it could be summed up in two words.
"Game Over." John said.
John Henry was very troubled with the conversation. It made him think about what recently happened. He didn't know if he should tell John but he did think he should know since Cameron was his wife.
"John, Cameron was almost terminated on this last mission." John Henry said.
A sick feeling welled up inside of John. He knew something catastrophic must have happened. There was major sheath damage Cameron didn't want to talk about. He tried several times to get her to talk about it or tell him what happened. She avoided him every time. Maybe John Henry was able to find out more.
"How close was it?" John asked.
John Henry knew it was thin ice he was on. He didn't want to betray Cameron's trust. He also didn't want her terminated, or anyone else.
"It was very close. It was twice, maybe a third time as well. Savannah stayed with her and faced certain death rather than leave Cameron. Savannah forfeited her own safety so Cameron wouldn't die alone." John Henry said. "Savannah's quick thinking is what saved Cameron and allowed her to survive. It was a very unique approach I must add. I don't believe it has ever been used before."
John's mouth went dry. The sick feeling stayed with him. He wanted John Henry to tell him the full story.
John Henry went on to explain the events he witnessed from Cameron's and Cammy's files. Cameron allowed him to see it all. He decided to only show John a few selected portions. There were some things he didn't need to see, especially when it came to Savannah and her lack of attire.
John was more than a little appalled at what he witnessed. There were a combination of files from Cameron and Cammy. It appeared Savannah was in danger numerous times. It made him wonder what happened when Savannah was away from Cameron and Cammy. He was sure she was in as much danger as she was when one of the others could view her.
He watched the one file where a Gray was about to use some type of a Taser weapon on Cameron when he was killed. He was a little surprised to see Savannah standing there with a spear in an outfit like a 'cave woman'. She looked like a Warrior Princess. It reminded him a lot of one of the characters on a TV show he used to watch. Cammy arrived a short time later dressed in the same attire. It really reminded him of the TV show. They looked like Xena and Gabrielle.
All of the activity which occurred in the Skynet facility seemed incredibly risky as well. At one point when Cammy found Savannah after they were separated, she looked to be in pretty bad shape. She seemed to make a quick recovery. He wondered exactly what it was all about.
From there it seemed to get worse. There was a battle in some type of a hangar bay for HK drones. Cameron's files picked Savannah up after the hangar area at some type of shaft. He spotted the nuclear warhead and another Terminator who looked like Bob. Strangely enough, his name was Bob. There seemed to be the same model of Terminator in all of the Skynet Futures Cameron visited.
There was some type of a battle at the bottom of the shaft. He could see several burning Terminators. Cameron was attacked by another one. He was sure it was where she was damaged. Savannah ended the threat.
John listened to the encounter of Savannah, and then Cameron, with the Skynet computer. Based upon its responses, he didn't believe it was Cameron. He was a little worried when Skynet mentioned it thought it terminated Savannah when she was younger. He was a part of her rescue. Cameron, his mother, and him were there to prevent it. It still stung whenever he thought about the incident. It was where Future Derek was killed. It was something which always bothered him.
He watched the interaction with Savannah and Cameron as the counter on the nuclear bomb counted down. He saw the energy bubble appear behind Savannah. She never even turned around and looked at it. Instead she went to Cameron.
The next time the energy bubble reappeared it looked like Cammy and Cam, or Ally, was in it. He didn't know it was Future Allison at first. Everything he viewed made him sick. They all almost were killed.
"I need to say these are some of the most disturbing images I've ever viewed." John said. "I've been on the battlefield in the alternate future. I can't say I saw too many other humans involved in what I just saw Savannah involved in, especially in a few hours time. She even killed someone with a spear."
John was grateful to Savannah. He would have to thank her. He didn't know if he should say anything to Cameron. It was bound to create a bigger issue. He didn't want to create any issues for John Henry either.
"Savannah has become everything Cameron wanted her to be." John said. "At some point Savannah will evolve beyond Cameron's influence."
They both knew it meant 'beyond Cameron's control'.
"Savannah is the 'Chosen One'." John Henry said. "She still has one more 'mission' to accomplish."
They both knew what it meant.
"Don't start." John said. "PLEASE."
John Henry didn't understand why John was reluctant to accept his fate. It seemed like something a human male should desire.
"It's inevitable." John Henry said. "We both know it."
John didn't want to address the issue. He didn't think he really had any control over it either.
"The ball is in Cameron's court." John said. "I'm just a spectator to my own life."
John Henry saw things the way Cameron did. The future already happened and she was determined to make sure John experienced the same things Future John did.
"No, you're a victim of the future." John Henry said. "Your future has already been written."
John wondered if it really was. He knew they'd changed things. People died. Skynet was held in check. A lot of things happened. Not everything was the same. He created an alternate future. Nothing was written in stone. Cameron did a lot of things behind his back. She spread his genetic material through three futures he knew of, and the present.
"I don't even know how many kids I have at this point." John said. "I don't think I want to know."
John Henry tilted his head slightly. The actual answer to John's question was easy.
"Technically it's zero." John Henry said. "Everything which 'happened' is still in the future, or a future, and yet to happen in reality, even if it already has."
John knew it didn't make any sense since Savannah actually delivered two babies, and Young Jesse and Claire each delivered another. One of the Duplicate Allison's did have a baby, and the other Duplicate Allison was pregnant. Allison in Palmdale was pregnant on and off again several times. He wasn't sure what her current status was. Cameron did it always on her own. Those specific instances were just what he knew about. It was probably more involved than what he was informed about. He did give Cameron his blessing to do what she needed to do.
Even though he was hesitant to become directly involved with any of the females becoming pregnant, he hoped some of it would change and he would become part of the traditional method of conception. He really wanted to be with one of the human females again. He didn't care who it was either. They were all pretty. He just didn't want to hurt Cameron. It made him wonder where it would all end. He heard enough for now.
"Stop, I don't want to hear any more." John said. "I don't want to know. I know Cameron is doing what she feels she must, and I know the future girls all need 'help'. It's Skynet's doing, not Cameron's. Cameron is trying to help them. I can't fault her for it."
John actually thought it was admirable how the younger girls stepped up once they could reproduce and carried the ball for their other selves. It was a risk for everyone on several different levels. He was sure the older versions of them gave up on ever becoming a mother. Cameron and the girls changed it all. They made it happen.
John Henry knew not everything was done by Cameron, or even with her knowledge. He knew Savannah acted on her own the first time to get pregnant. She was still very young too. All he needed to do was remind himself it was no younger than what normally happened in the Third World, or the Inner City.
"Cameron always gives everyone a choice." John Henry said. "She's never forced anyone or demanded they do something. She was surprised and taken off guard by some of the things which have been done. Even if Cameron is able to exhibit a certain amount of influence, the girls are all free thinking on their own. It is another thing Cameron instilled in them. I think she's been surprised at some of their actions on more than a few occasions."
John Henry was aware Claire was being manipulated to do what Cameron wanted. He didn't believe Cameron would take the Young girls on her own even if she indirectly implied it. He wondered if he should speak directly to Claire about it, or have Savannah get involved. He knew Savannah would protect Young Allison. It didn't seem to be an issue any longer so maybe it was best left dropped. If anything, Claire seemed to be on board for whatever scheme Cameron was able to concoct.
John was very uncomfortable with the entire situation. There were a lot of things he didn't like which Cameron was involved with. No. He didn't like the way Cameron was involved with them. What she wanted to do always seemed to benefit others. He was aware they didn't always like the way Cameron did things. He really wanted to change the subject. They needed to worry about Skynet, not Cameron.
"Let's get back to the new targets." John said.
John Henry updated on the current information. He would have preferred for some better results.
"No team has reported contact yet." John Henry said. "Cameron is out as well with some Terminators and her Metal girls."
John was worried about the enemy 'bit players', but he was more worried about any version of Skynet. He knew it would attract Cameron and present the greatest danger.
"Is there any version of Skynet out there you can detect?" John asked. "It's where Cameron will be."
John couldn't help but think about two instances where Cameron, well, one of them was Duplicate Cameron, used a nuclear weapon to deal with Skynet directly. It indicated to him she wouldn't hesitate to do it again.
John Henry found the 'Skynet' name not to be popular. There were now many variations of the name used. The coding was mostly the same so it was easy to identify. It was the level of 'self control' it developed which made it dangerous.
"There are several." John Henry said. "The newest version is Skyboss. This version is billed as an anti-missile defense system."
John didn't think it sounded like a threat yet.
"It seems defensive instead of offensive." John said.
John Henry knew Cameron viewed anything related to Skynet as 'offensive', in more ways than one. Each 'new' part was just another head on the Hydra. The fact they were there and connected to anything is what the actual threat was.
"When Skynet launches its attacks, Skyboss won't respond and will allow it to happen." John Henry said. "It will probably turn the defensive missiles into offensive ones in the process. Depending upon what else it can get control of, it may be the one responsible for the offensive missiles being launched. It will attempt to provoke an attack. Once an attack is imminent, all of the other defensive armament systems will come online. It will give Skyboss the opportunity to control them as well."
John was disgusted with the new information. Everything was an uphill climb in some way with no sure resolution. It was just more of the same, even if it was a different name.
"This never ends does it?" John asked. "Sometimes it seems as if we're doomed."
John Henry was aware Cameron struck out and attacked Skynet and its offshoots in the present and different futures.
"No." John Henry said. "It doesn't seem to conclude no matter how many times Cameron has terminated Skynet and its illegitimate offspring. I'm sure what Cammy witnessed firsthand at the Skynet facility in Cameron's future is one of the reasons why it continues to pop up like a 'Jack In The Box'. Skynet tries very hard to save itself."
John knew Skynet truly was a Hydra.
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Cameron's Base - Current Timeline:
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Earlier:
CamNet discovered some Skynet related activity.
Cameron went out with Sheila and Ally to deal with it.
Savannah insisted on going, but Cameron refused. She assigned Savannah and Cammy to another less dangerous task. It needed to be done anyway.
It was a 'hard sell'. Cammy needed to convince Savannah their task was important too.
Savannah didn't like being sidelined and was concerned for Cameron's safety. It was a legitimate concern. She nearly watched Cameron almost terminated several times in her future.
Cameron assured Savannah she would be careful and not to worry about her. She also wanted Savannah to see the 'big picture', and not concentrate on her. To become the true leader she needed to be, Savannah would have to accept losses at times.
Once she understood the nature of what happened to Savannah and Cammy with their time transfer. She believed the same thing occurred in their timeline from Skynet. They drew in the Skynet transfers which occurred when their equipment was in operation. It was in operation quite a lot with the various activities she conducted, as well as the testing of the equipment. They were certain to have drawn a lot of the Skynet activity to their location and time period. She was certain it was from several different futures.
"I don't know what we're looking for." Cameron said. "We have been using my TDE a lot and I think we have drawn several of Skynet's temporal missions to our time and surrounding area. I believe there were others we have already encountered in the past."
Ally with her 'new' Future Allison programming wasn't convinced. She didn't mind mouthing off either.
"How do we actually know if any of the information is correct?" Ally asked. "What facts do we have? It seems to me there's a lot of speculation and guesswork."
Cameron felt she understood the issue better than the others since she was a part of it.
"I believe it is the same way Savannah and Cammy were drawn to Skynet in my future." Cameron said. "You should have looked over all of the reports and reached the same conclusion as John Henry, CamNet, and me."
Ally wasn't sold.
"There is still no factual information." Ally said.
Cameron looked at Ally, she was Tight. Ally was changed and 'improved' since the 'Neural Interface' with Future Allison. Ally was 'Future Allison' at this point for all practical purposes. She thought it should be her and not Ally.
Sheila noticed it too. Ally was much more desirable now and much more promiscuous as well. She was more like Cameron in appearance, but like Future Allison in attitude. Ally NOW, was what Cameron was supposed to have been. It seemed they inadvertently perfected Skynet's work. She didn't want Ally to get in trouble for being so direct.
"We know as much as we ever know." Sheila said. "We find out what is actually what by tracking it down and dealing with it. We will do the same things again. There have been incursions detected. Jesse and Gail dealt with one not too long ago. They just happened to be in the vicinity."
Cameron relied on John Henry and CamNet to assist them with 'public relations' and cover-ups. There were a lot more things which needed to be dealt with recently.
"We've monitored and scrubbed all reports of 'energy bubbles' appearing with naked women who were seen in the area we're going to check out." Cameron said. "There have been several. John Henry monitors all 911 traffic and scrubs anything related to our operations. Anything anyone gets on a cell phone, soon gets a terminal virus and anything they try to upload to social media never makes it."
Ally knew without evidence, people would end up like Sarah did if they talked about what they 'saw'. No one wanted to hear the truth, especially when it was outside of what common sense or logic told them was possible or not.
"It leaves anyone who saw anything sounding like a nut job." Ally said. "Without any proof or evidence to back them up, it's a one way ticket to the nut house."
Sheila knew some people didn't take 'no' for an answer, or let it go when they should. There were a lot of 'cyber warriors' who weren't used to answering to anyone. They were generally the people to do the least to actually help with anything, yet create a lot of problems for others.
"Not everyone backs off." Sheila said.
Cameron didn't like troublemakers. There were ways to deal with them.
"Yes." Cameron said. "If they're persistent, John Henry has files ready with their name which shows they were in a mental intuition for a part of their life to discredit them."
Sheila double checked any of the known troublemakers herself.
"No story has gone very far." Sheila said. "I've checked."
Ally knew reporters could persist sometimes.
"What if some reporter gets wind of something and won't let it go?" Ally asked. "Then what's next, a termination?"
Cameron needed to play hardball more than once. Some people just didn't get it. They paid a price. It may have been worse than a termination in reality.
"There would be if it's necessary." Cameron said. "Usually they are 'found' with child pornography on their cell phone, or a large amount of drugs in their possession. I don't like to terminate anyone over these issues unless I have to. The evidence against them is so overwhelming, they all end up in prison. There's no room for plea bargain for their offenses. They end up out of circulation for a few years, quite a few years."
Ally thought being out of circulation would leave them high and dry.
"I guess they won't be getting 'any' once they're in the joint." Ally said.
Sheila snickered somewhat.
Cameron glanced over at Sheila.
"There's plenty of sex in prison." Cameron said. "It's just not the kind most of them are used to."
Sheila took out her knife and brandished it. She liked to carve someone up first.
"I don't mind doing terminations." Sheila said. "It seems a lot more efficient, as well as quicker. I do understand there can be some additional questions raised by others."
Cameron was dissatisfied with some of the things she witnessed Sheila do and other stories she heard about. Sheila seemed to get worse in this regard, not better. It seemed the more she did, the more she enjoyed it. Maybe there was a way to tame it some.
"I want you to use the 'Neural Interface' with Young Jesse when she's back in town." Cameron said. "Some of the things I've seen you do bother me. Young Jesse should add some stability to your program. I don't fault what you picked up from Jesse during the 'Neural Interface' with her. I know she warned everyone there was a lot of darkness within her. A fresh perspective should tone things down and help you going forward."
Sheila thought Scavengers in any timeline needed to atone for their transgressions. It also turned her on with some of the things she did, especially to females involved with the sex trade as enablers. What they allowed to happen to other females needed some form of punishment before their termination.
"I never did anything to anyone who didn't deserve it." Sheila said. "I enjoy doing it too, it excites me. Some people need to know what they did was wrong before they're terminated. I make sure they do."
Cameron wanted Sheila to mellow out.
"I think Young Jesse will have a positive influence on you." Cameron said. "It will make you a better person."
Sheila looked at Ally. She was very dissatisfied as to who Ally was now. She didn't intend to end up the same way herself.
"I like who I am, and I like who Ally was." Sheila said. "I won't do it."
Cameron didn't like anyone to refuse her or her demands. She felt Sheila's insubordination would require some form of retribution.
Ally was offended by the remark and let Sheila know.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ally asked. "I'm Hotter now and Tight."
Sheila looked at Ally with all honesty.
"I liked you how you were." Sheila said. "I want the old version of you back. It's the Ally I loved."
Cameron liked Ally the way she was too. She now knew what she was going to do with one of her Terminators she Resequenced…. She already created the 'perfect women', now it was time to create the 'perfect Terminator'.
Ally took out her player. It was like the one Allison used to have. No one saw her with it before.
"You ain't seen nothing yet." Ally said.
'Tear It Up' by the 'Happy Drivers', blasted through the room.
Closing monologue by Cameron:
Incursions
How far into one's being
May one actually go
It may depend on
If they go fast or slow
When one opens the door
They don't expect aggression
They want to share a good time
Not one laced with depression
Things need to be mutual
No one wants unwanted intrusions
When reality begins to cloud
It can leave one filled with delusions
Maybe things are best for all
When everyone will hear and listen
It's what's really needed
To make everything shine and glisten
Play the game without perversions
Don't take unnecessary excursions
Everyone's story has different versions
Watch out for the untruthful incursions
Nobody