Disclaimer: I own nothing but the original plot.
A/N: Here we go...
Chapter 13: The Final Countdown
Part I: Cortana in Wonderland
Cortana crossed her arms at the statement as she ran through the possible meanings. It didn't take long for her to come to a conclusion.
"You don't expect me to believe I'm in an alternate reality do you"? She rolled her eyes dramatically as she wondered what kind of fools they thought she was.
"You are in another universe, as you pointed out, how could humans have built this ship in your 24th century"? Cameron questioned with a tilt of her head.
Cortana shifted her gaze out the window for a moment as she visually scanned the moon. There should be structures and cities, but there was none to be found.
"How would that even be possible"? Her voice conveyed just how confused she was, she had no refute for their claim.
"An interdimensional subspace rift". John Henry explained as he brought up a holographic diagram in the center of the room. "One end is fixed in this universe while the other moves around randomly. It doesn't catch objects in normal space time, only those traveling through subspace dimensions, including the spacetime continuum".
Cortana looked at the diagram with curiosity, her mind already running calculations off the detailed displayed on the hologram.
"That's ridiculous it's... no". She paused as the data symbols ran through her digital veins sped up. "...that's actually... what you've figured out so far..." She paused as the data streams across her body began moving even faster. "...I can't disprove it". Her face was a picture of shock as she fell to her knees.
"I'm trapped here". She asked almost in a daze as her blue glow dimmed.
Cameron sat down on the couch that was against the window sill and faced Cortana's small form.
"Not forever, but our first attempt brought this ship and you here and killed our friend". She explained with a hint of sadness in her voice. "We must be careful".
John Henry continued Cameron's explanation.
"I've managed to solve most of the problems, but I am having difficulty trying to perfect the temporal targeting, especially in our universe where time travel has been used numerous times".
Cortana looked over at him, tears welling her eyes as she thought about the Chief. She had known her death would devastate him, but now... his suffering was in vain. She had to get back, no matter how long, no matter how hard it was, Cortana was determined to get back to him.
"Maybe I could help, I was built from the cloned brain of a super genius". Her body brightened as hope began to fill her.
That caused Cameron and John Henry to smile.
"We were hoping you would". Cameron said with her half smile in place. "We know that you have extensive knowledge of slipspace travel, this would be invaluable to our research".
"I hope I can help, otherwise we're all stuck here forever". She said grimly.
John Henry's head tilted suddenly as he reviewed recent diagnostic logs.
"Cortana, your Riemann matrices have finally normalized".
She fixed him a glare as she stood up.
"Don't you think it's a little rude peeking inside a girl uninvited"? She said as put her hands on her hips.
John Henry looked confused before it dawned on him. He realized that she didn't like being probed in any way shape or form.
"I apologize, I won't do so again unless it's necessary. I was only monitoring you so I knew when to give you a full sized body". He explained and she understood that he had meant no ill will.
"Otherwise we'd have to carry you everywhere". Cameron said with a smirk. "Was I right"?
She continued to glare at him for a moment before her cheeks became dark purple.
"I never would have thought any of this was possible, so..." She gritted her teeth at losing. "You win". She said reluctantly.
Cameron's smirk only grew at her reaction.
John Henry gave a small upturn of his lips. The AI was amused at the two's little competition. Cameron offered her hand for Cortana walk onto and blue AI sat down on it. The group made their way to the hololab to make the necessary changes to her matrix.
Once there, Cameron set Cortana down on the lab's primary console. She watched with curiosity as John Henry brought up her body's program and began to alter it. Once he was finished he asked if she was ready.
"As ready as I'll ever be, just remember if you mess this up again..."
"I won't". He said with a small smirk and executed the changes.
Cortana's hologram disappeared momentarily before the new one appeared in a flash. She was momentarily disoriented as her matrix adjusted to the changes and leaned against the console for support.
After a second she stood looked around the room, everything seemed so much smaller now.
"How tall did you make me"? She asked as she glided her feet over the textured floor, enjoying the sensations it provided.
"As tall as Dr. Halsey".
"You did your research". She complimented as she began touching different surfaces to produce tactile feedback.
"I always do". He said proudly as he shut down the console.
They left the room and were walking down the hall to turbolift when something occurred to John Henry.
"We need to go back to the farm, we haven't been there in several days. Someone might notice the parked vehicles and full mailbox".
"Dave Simmons would be the most likely person to do so". Cameron said pointedly.
"I agree". John Henry said. "Shuttle bay".
"What kind of shuttles"? Cortana asked the two Terminators as they exited the turbolift.
"There's only one onboard". Cameron said as she turned her gaze to him. "It's the second of the Delta Flyer shuttle class".
Cortana had never heard of that before, and she noted the name on the side of the sleek shuttle. It said Delta Flyer II.
She looked it over, the design seemed to have aerodynamics in mind, but she didn't recognize any of the tech on the ship except for the RCS thrusters.
"What is this hull made of"? She said as she ran her hand across the grey material.
"Tetraburnium alloy. It was built to withstand high heat and pressure inside a gas giant". John Henry explained as he recalled the circumstances of its creation.
"Borg inspired weapon system with unimatrix shielding developed by this ship's former chief of security". Cameron stated as she unlocked the rear hatch and they walked inside.
Cortana was once again lost in the technobabble.
"That means absolutely nothing to me. I have no idea what any of that is"! Cortana exclaimed with a roll of her eyes as they entered the shuttle.
"Tetraburnium is a stable transuranic element, the Borg are the cybernetic equivalent to the Flood". Cameron explained as they entered the cockpit and began powering everything on.
As the craft began to power up, Cortana mulled that info over. The thought of a cybernetic version of the Flood wasn't very pleasant.
John Henry entered next and began helping Cameron to asses the craft's condition.
"Would you like go"? John Henry asked the glowing blue AI. "I can set up a holographic field generator". He said as he met her curious gaze.
"You can do that"? She asked in amazement, and he nodded as he moved to a new console and punched in a few commands. "I've transported one into the cargo hold". He said simply before he promptly disappeared.
"Transported"? Cortana asked with one eyebrow raised as the symbols running through her digital veins like blood quicken.
"Matter/energy conversion. Not as sophisticated as Forerunner slipspace transporters, but still effective". Cameron commented without turning her head.
To her, that sounded a lot like the Composer, but she guessed it was a lot safer that it had been.
John Henry reappeared and announced that he was about to transfer Cortana's program to the HFG.
Cortana let out breath as she prepared for the transfer. "Do it".
John Henry promptly commanded Voyager's computer to transfer her into the HFG. She disappeared momentarily before reappearing in the same place.
"That wasn't bad". She said as she examined her body to make sure it was all in place. "I don't feel any different".
"You're not supposed to". Cameron deadpanned. Cortana crossed her arms and retorted.
"Well I didn't know that".
John Henry barely suppressed a grin, he found the UNSC AI quite entertaining.
"Could you open the shuttle doors please, we need to get going". Cameron said to John Henry as the engines powered up.
He simply nodded and wished them luck on their trip before disappearing.
The shuttle bay doors opened and Cameron took the Flyer through the forcefield and rounded the ship to take a good look at it from the outside.
Cortana's blue eyes were glued to the sleek hull as all of her databases failed to identify it. She tried assessing the ship's tactical capabilities and power output, but found that she could not do much without more information about its technology.
"Does the ship have FTL"? Cortana guessed as she sat down in the seat next to Cameron as she flipped few Captain Proton inspired control switches.
"Yes, but not the kind you're used to". She said simply as she turned her gaze back out the window. "Course set for Earth, engaging at full impulse". She said as they cleared the thin Martian atmosphere and accelerated to one quarter the speed of light.
"Impressive inertial dampeners to pull off that kind of acceleration". Cortana commented as her gaze began reading the computer display in front of her.
She saw readouts for shields, navigational deflectors, and sensor readouts, but once again, it was foreign to her in this format, she wasn't used to hacking systems visually.
"They have their limits". Cameron said as she turned her head. "They also employ mass lightening systems like the impulse subspace driver coils and anti-grav thrusters".
"The primary FTL system is called warp drive". Cameron continued. "It's a technology that most Tier 3 and 2 civilizations use in their universe. It warps space time to produce several different effects that allow a ship to cross the light speed barrier while remaining in real space".
"I heard of those theories, never thought they were practical". Cortana said as she reviewed said theories in her head.
"They're faster and more far more accurate than typical UNSC slipstream drives". Cameron pointed out as she flipped a few more switches. "But they're not efficient nor practical at Covenant slipstream speeds".
"Oh". Cortana said as she sat back and enjoyed the view of the stars. She found it interesting to see the world through a human like perspective, this holographic body she was in allowed her sight in much the same way a human would. She was a little disappointed that she didn't have access to their databases, but she understood why they had not allowed it yet.
For now, visual observations would have to do.
Once they arrived at Earth, Cameron took in the view of the spinning sphere that billions of humans called home, but quickly turned her attention to the controls. She adjusted tuned the shields to avoid any modern day detection methods. Once they were in an extremely high orbit, Cameron put the Flyer on autopilot and headed back to transporter controls. She locked onto herself and the HFG and made sure they'd land squarely in the basement.
"Ready"? She asked as she pinned on her combadge.
"Yeah, let's do it". She shrugged as she waited for this transporter to activate.
Blue streams of light enveloped them and they were gone. Less than second later they reappeared in farm house's basement.
Cameron waited momentarily for the HFG to make Cortana's hologram to reappear.
True to her words, Cortana appeared in a flash of light, her eyes already surveying the room they were in.
"Where are we"? She asked as the other two headed for some old wooden stairs.
"Our house, and where the UDE is located". Cameron explained as she ascended the basement steps. Cortana lifted her feet off the cold concrete floor and followed them, once again enjoying the sensation that Starfleet holograms could enjoy if properly programmed.
Once they were upstairs, Cameron led the blue AI into the living room.
Cameron bent down picked up a few game cases and turned to Cortana.
"This is how we knew who you were, and where you came from". She said as he handed her the cases.
When her eyes locked on the first one, she gasped.
There was a Spartan II in their Mark V MJOLNIR armor, and the title... she could barely believe it. "Halo: Combat Evolved" That meant that the Spartan on the cover could only be one person.
John-117, also known as Master Chief.
She quickly looked at the next, and the next, and finally fourth and last game. Cortana recognized where it's cover was from, it was on Requiem, right after they had crashed on the planet.
These were video games, she knew what they were, kids still played them in the 26th century.
Cortana let out a shuddering breath as the hard reality hit her.
She and the Chief were nothing but video game characters in this universe! She looked back up at Cameron whom had turned on an ancient LCD tv and what she presumed to be a video game console.
Once it booted, she saw the opening screen for the most recent game.
"This covers the events from Requiem until a day or so after the destruction of the Composer". Cameron said as she selected the first mission.
Cortana could only stare as the opening scene with Halsey played out, even when the UNSC Forward Unto Dawn scene played out exactly as she remembered, albeit in a CGI representation.
It still boggled even her vast mind. Her voice, the Chief's voice, it was indistinguishable from her memories.
When the scene ended, Cameron could plainly see Cortana was in shock, just as much so as she had been. She blinked a few times before letting out a deep breath.
"You said that it shows something after I... died, can you show it me"? She asked nervously. Cameron nodded and chose the last cutscene of the game.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Master Chief had survived. She watched as he was saluted by numerous marines as he returned home a hero, but it broke her heart to see him so...defeated.
He missed her.
"It's our duty as soldiers to protect humanity, whatever the cost".
Laskey turned to the Chief, wondering what he really meant.
"You say that like soldiers and humanity are two different things... soldiers aren't machines, we're just people". Laskey said to the Chief as he continued looking down on the blue and green planet he and Cortana had fought so hard to protect.
The Chief briefly turned his head, as if he was surprised by what the new captain had just said.
"I'll let you have the deck to yourself Chief". Laskey said quietly and left. Just as his footsteps became inaudible, John-117 spoke once more.
"She said that to me once, about being a machine".
It was more than just missing her, she knew it, and he knew it too. In all the time she had known the Chief, even after losing Johnson and Miranda, he had never been so emotional.
To think that she was alive and well, her rampancy gone and her mind restored. She could not go to him and make it she was stuck in a place where she didn't belong.
Cortana slowly sank to the floor and drew her knees to her chest as silent tears ran down her face, her eyes focused on the Chief's form as the video ended.
God she missed him just as much.
She didn't notice the cyborg as she knelt next to her.
Only when she put her hands on her shoulders did she know of her presence.
Her tear filled eyes looked into soft brown ones that held such understanding it confused Cortana.
"You're worried for him". She said softly and Cortana nodded. "I understand how you feel".
"How... how can you understand what I feel? Do you even feel"? Cortana asked as more tears slipped down her face.
"I do feel, but I haven't always, my emotions... developed over time. That was only because John Connor gave me a second chance".
Cameron let her emotions come to the forefront, to show Cortana just how much she felt.
"And I love him for who he is and what he's done. It's not a love I cannot describe with words, all I know is that I love him more than anything".
A tear slipped down Cameron's face as memories of John flashed across her mind.
"I'd die for him".
Cortana had been wrong about her, she felt as deeply, although differently, as she did. They both loved a savior of humanity, they both were machines who felt, and most of all, both were separated from those they loved.
"Cameron, I'm sorry, I didn't know". She said as she wrapped the cyborg in her arms. "I didn't know".
Cameron pulled back and gave Cortana a reassuring smile. "We'll find a way back. I know we will". Cortana said with her typical confidence.
"I know we will too". Cameron said as her smile grew.
Next they went down into the bunker, It needed cleaning out immediately so that they could begin installing replacements for everything.
"Wow, there's not much left". Cortana said as she kicked a piece of scrap aside.
"An overloading 2.15 gigawatt fusion reactor does that to an enclosed space". Cameron said humorlessly as she began moving large pieces of a fragged CNC machine into the center of the bunker.
"You said that someone died, who were they"?
Cameron stopped moving the scrap and dipped her head for a moment.
"His name was James Anderson, he was our friend. He moved me away from the blast doors, he didn't have time to escape due to his injuries. The explosion killed him".
"I'm sorry, I know how you feel". She as she fiddled with her hands as the unpleasant memories of Noble team's sacrifice to bring her to the Pillar of Autumn. "Think we might get lucky and go home"?
Cameron turned back to her and drew something out of her back pocket.
"I don't want luck to have anything to do with it". She handed Cortana an orange, slender, rectangular object. "This is an isolinear chip, it contains all the information we have about time travel, the tunnel, and the equipment we built. It also contains a list of materials that exist in my and Voyager's universe".
"Optical data storage, I assume we put this in the holographic field generator"?
Cameron nodded and showed Cortana where to put it. Once the chip was inserted, Cortana felt a rush of information enter her mind as new technologies and theories filtered in. She knew this was only a splinter of what Cameron could offer her, but even now there were terabytes equivalent stored on this chip, and it barely even metered on the device's capacity.
"Starfleet has quite the database on materials, transuranic materials and the like. If we'd a had access to some of these materials, the Covenant would have been a lot less dangerous". Cortana pointed out as she processed the melting point of a Tritanium alloy used in Galaxy class starships, well over 15,000 C.
However, she moved on from their most impressive material tech, to the exotic ones, some of which the UNSC had used under different names, including benamite.
Once she had gone through the materials database, she mentally constructed a schematic of the UDE and began making changes that John Henry had already proposed via a message on the chip.
Then she got into his temporal variation issues and began using her own database to see if anything could be used to solve the problem, and per usual, she did.
It wasn't that the AI had missed anything, she just had a few Forerunner secrets stowed away in her matrix that not anyone but her knew about. This one being how to make synthetic neutronium on a larger scale.
The Federation had limited success in making synthetic neutronium, and all that stock was used for making quantum torpedoes. Their neutronium wasn't very dense either, nothing like what the Doomsday Machine was made of.
The Forerunners however made many things out it, primarily warship armor for the heavier densities, but like everything else in the universe, it had its weaknesses. There just weren't that many.
Despite adding neutronium to improve the rigidity of the emitter's inner structure, there was still a likelihood for a variance, one that could be compensated for with an AI as powerful as John Henry or herself.
That meant that there was a possibility of someone having to stay here, and if these time travel theories were correct, then they couldn't risk arriving before John Connor, lest they create a new timeline where they wouldn't appear due to temporal branching.
Despite that, it was still a much better improvement.
"I've come up with several ways to fix the problem, however, there is no way to lock onto a date without some sort of anchor, there will still be variances". Cortana warned as she downloaded her improvements into the chip.
"It will have to do". Cameron said as she put the chip back into her pocket. She looked around and calculated how long it was going to take to clean up this mess, then she remembered the house needed cleaning up, it was still a mess from the shockwave from the explosion.
"Would you mind cleaning the house? We don't need people thinking something's happened if we don't".
"Yes, we still have to reconstruct the UDE, and do so without the authorities getting involved". Cortana "However, I would like to examine your full database first to see if there's something that might improve the system first". She finished offhandedly, her hologram flickered a bit just as she did.
Cameron gave Cortana a knowing smile, she knew what that meant.
"You've broken the security barrier".
Cortana looked surprised enough to tell her that she hadn't expected that.
"Security is what I do Cortana, it's not easy to trick me". She said with a smirk on her face.
"Right, well... it's not like I was going to kill you all, what did you expect"?
"You to join us... which you did". She said back.
"I did, now about that data..."
"Someone's hungry". Cameron commented dryly as she changed into her disguise. She knew that smart AI's craved data like fuel to an engine, without it, they grew bored almost instantly, and it became painful after 7 seconds. Only the sensory and visual data were keeping her happy for now, but it was more like a small snack in comparison.
Cortana just rolled her eyes as Cameron left the house to do outside chores. The blue hologram looked around and let out a sigh.
"I've been used for more trivial tasks, but it sure as hell beats doing nothing". She said as she bent down and picked up a picture frame. It was still so odd to her that she could pick up solid objects.
Federation holographic tech was impressive, but it lacked the ability to go anywhere outside the range of the emitters, unlike the Forerunner hard light holograms.
But that was comparing apples and oranges, the technology wasn't even remotely similar.
The duo spent the next few hours cleaning until Cameron was satisfied that people's suspicion would subside. They then promptly beamed back up to the Delta Flyer just minutes before Voyager's arrival and proceeded with landing in the shuttle bay.
After Cortana transferred back to the computer system, she promised not to leave her body's programming before they proceeded to the hololab. Once there they would make a few more modifications Cortana's holobody program.
She was about to become like she used to be, consciously a part of the ship and avatar. Only this time, she would be solid and capable of projecting herself anywhere on the ship.
That also meant unlimited access to Voyager's database.
If she'd been human, she would have been drooling in anticipation.
There were three things that Cortana loved above all. The Chief, outsmarting Forerunner AIs, and absorbing as much data about advanced technologies as allowed.
It was her kind of chocolate.
John Henry was manning the console as he manually made the changes to her program.
"Are you ready"? He asked as his finger hovered above the execute command.
"Are you kidding? Punch it"! She exclaimed in excitement. John Henry let his lips quirk up a bit as he hit the command that would officially grant her full system access.
She disappeared momentarily as she adapted to the changes. When she promptly reappeared in the same spot her face was a picture of sheer awe.
"Unbelievable! Transluminal computer cores, my god this ship is amazing! For such a tiny ship it can process as much data as the Infinity can with ease! Granted our sensor technology could use a little improvement, but this ship was built under a more scientific role, not battle".
She continued through the specs and looked through the improvements wrought by the refit.
"575 trillion calculations per nanosecond has been boosted to 750 trillion just for the main core alone!. Computer network is augmented by second generation bio-neural gel packs. Interesting technology... if a bit vulnerable at times".
She continued to expand her mind as it searched through databases even more massive than those of the UNSC, thanks to the Federation's exposure to so many alien cultures. Finally she came to FTL abilities, and understood just how important warp drive could be in battle and interplanetary missions. However, that was nothing compared when she began reading about the transwarp drives that the Federation had been looking into for years.
Primarily, Borg Transwarp conduits and the Quantum Slipstream drive. Both were relatively the same technology achieved in two different ways, however, speed was something that a Quantum Slipstream drive could be faster at if applied to a starship properly, the opposite was true for Borg Transwarp. They were faster if applied in stationary hubs.
Still, the one test that this ship conducted, granted it nearly destroyed the vessel, had speeds that rivaled the Forerunner Dreadnought. It had crossed 10,000 light years in mere minutes after activation.
She was disappointed to see the adaptive fractal encryption code surrounding the engineering computer core. It apparently contained the full design schematics for this new version though, so she had no idea how fast it was.
Cortana made a mental note to give the encryption a run for its money when she got time.
The impulse engines were an interesting sublight propulsion system, it was like dumbed down version of a warp drive achieved through powerful D-D fusion reactors. They were capable of sustaining up to .8c but politically were limited to .25c due to time dilation.
Now she went onto defenses, and she smiled in delight at the massive array of energy weapons known and used by the Federation.
"These weapons are incredible! Phasers, disruptors, polaron weapons... any of them are awesome, if we mounted these on UNSC ships, we would have won the war a lot sooner! What's this... guided and shielded variable yield antimatter torpedoes?
Then she continued onto the shielded busting quantum torpedoes, their yield being twice that of a standard photon.
Then her mind turned it's full attention to the transphasic torpedo, the shield and hull bypassing 1.3 gigaton torpedo that took down ships that easily rivaled most Covenant ones in size and power in only one shot!
She read the cocktail of ingredients that made up the warhead, it was a trilithium/tecasite/protomatter mix that was ignited by antiprotons.
Cortana remembered those materials, one had been responsible for the destruction of an entire star, and another to reignite one.
These humans really knew how to be creative with science. Doctor Halsey would have a field day with this ship.
The shielding and ablative armor technology was absolutely incredible, all this could have prevented the billions of deaths that the Covenant had caused. If humanity had even one of these technologies, the war would have ended on their terms long before she was created...
Lastly she took a really close look at their sensor technology and the transporter/replication systems. Now these truly outstripped both the Covenant in every way and even mimicked the Forerunners abilities to create objects out of thin air.
But that was comparing apple and oranges again, this ship couldn't stand against even the worst Forerunner warship, they were simply too outclassed.
For now anyway, she got the feeling that the Federation would one day be the Forerunners of their own galaxy.
Once she had absorbed the data, she turned to John Henry with sheer joy on her face.
"That was amazing! The sheer amount technological prowess the Federation has is astounding! Funny they don't have many AI's though. It does seem that their sentient hologram population is on the rise, but they're nothing like you and I"!
"I know, and you can keep the data when we return you home". He said, already anticipating her next question.
She looked surprised momentarily before thanking him.
"It seems were ready to begin construction". Cameron said with a small smile tugging at her lips.
"Agreed, let's get to work". John Henry finished as he brought up blueprints. "Cortana, you suggested that synthetic neutronium..."
Part II: Countering the Odds
Two day later, February 5, 2013.
Once Cameron and John Henry had repaired and upgraded his endoskeleton, they had regrown the skin and downloaded John Henry back into it. He left Cortana in control and beamed down with Cameron to begin to assembling the equipment That had been replicated thus far. While they were doing so, Cortana continued replicating parts and building others that could not be. She also spent some of her time working on a special project or two she had in mind.
Within 12 hours, the cyborg duo had assembled the brand new D-T fusion reactor and rebuilt the entire power distribution system. All the computers were set up and programmed to suit their needs along with complete Starfleet sensor package. The new plasma projector would be installed last to complete the overhaul since it was still being constructed.
Cameron installed the optical data network cables throughout the bunker to ensure high response times between each piece of equipment. As she was installing the last few conduits, Cameron decided to go over her mental timeline for completing the project.
The goal was to get the equipment installed within the next two days, then at least another day calibrating the equipment and testing it before a live run would be conducted to determine if it was safe and effective to use.
They would have to send a probe/beacon to their own universe and successfully retrieve it. Then Cameron and Cortana would go through and retrieve John and whoever else he wanted to come through. Then they would use Voyager to be treat for any number of conditions. Then they'd give them time before going back to their own universe pre-Jday to stop Skynet.
One issue they had was Voyager. The ship couldn't go with them, not unless the Quantum Slipstream drive was repaired could it enter the tunnel again. Real space objects could not enter it.
Cameron's head dipped a little as that thought about how valuable Voyager could be if they could just bring it through!
Then there was Cortana. That in and of itself opened up a whole number of problems. The main one obviously trying to return her to her native universe without running into any number of complications. Most of these being the Covenant or ONI officials that would love to get their hands on a Terminator and Metastable smart AI. This was one of the reasons why Cortana was devoted to breaking the encryption protecting the schematics on the quantum drive. Voyager would be more than enough to ensure that they could get her home to the Chief without any complications. That, and they planned on building a cloaking device based on a Romulan design, but they'd only use that to hide to prevent unnecessary confrontations.
Depending on how Cortana got home, then they'd try to return Voyager and then go back home as they destroyed the UDE. Each trip had to come back to this universe since this end of the tunnel was fixed. John Henry and Cortana had both theorized that there might be more than one interdimensional tunnel so travel may be easier than they previously thought.
Either way, long term planning was nearly impossible at this point.
As Cameron finished installing the ODN network, her combadge chirped. She tapped it and Cortana's voice came out of it.
"Would you mind helping me something"?
"No, what do you need"? Cameron asked as her head tilted in curiosity.
Cortana didn't answer in words, instead she beamed the cyborg to the ship.
After getting over the abrupt change in scenery, Cameron found Cortana waiting at the control panel.
"You could have asked Cortana". She questioned as he stepped down off the pad.
She shrugged her blue shoulders as they walked out of the room. "You did say you would help". She reasoned as they made their way to cargo bay 2.
"What did you need me for"?
"You'll see". She said with a smirk as they entered the cargo bay. She led Cameron over to one of the tables where she had been working and prototyping parts for the UDE. On one of them was a familiar looking device.
Cameron's HUD locked onto the slim rectangular device, immediately recognizing it as a modified Data Crystal Chip.
"I see you built yourself a new home". She commented as she scanned the chip.
"I did, and I made quite a few modifications to it. I added more memory by incorporating both Skynet and Starfleet technology into it. I upgraded the power cell to support the new Starfleet holographic emitter I replaced my old one with.
"So you'll be tiny, but solid"?
"Yes, and I can actually venture off the chip a few feet if I want". She smiled in proud accomplishment of what she had done. "But this is only a stepping stone to something bigger".
"You mean like the 29th century portable holographic emitter"?
"What"? She whirled around with surprise written all over her blue face.
Cameron scrunched her face in confusion for a moment, surely that had been in the database, unless... it's existence too had been put behind the firewalls. She wondered why, the mobile emitter had to be common knowledge, unless Starfleet Intelligence had kept that knowledge quiet from the public.
"That wasn't in the database"?
"No, but I'm definitely interested. Anything from that far in the future has got to be advanced". She said with a data hungry smirk.
"Well, I doubt it's here, the EMH protected that thing like it was part of himself. Voyager didn't have holo-emitters everywhere back then".
"Unless Temporal Investigations confiscated it, but considering they left the transphasic torpedoes and deployable armor on board, it makes me wonder". Cortana said thoughtfully as she began running different scenarios through her vast mind.
"That is strange, but Starfleet often does things that don't make sense to me". Cameron said as he shook her head. Cortana actually laughed at that, Starfleet may be more advanced and smarter in the scientific sense, but they seriously needed to rethink how they conducted warfare.
"How true, Chief Mendez could teach them a thing or two, but their not helpless, they wouldn't have won the Dominion War otherwise". Cortana said as the relevant data flowed through her. "But don't even get me started on their computer security". She said as she rolled her eyes. "No wonder John Henry was able to break in, the only reason I can't get into the core is because an their android, Data, came up with it years earlier only for Seven of Nine to enhance it".
Now the Borg... they knew how to breach security and how to make it, granted they had their weaknesses, but so did everyone else, her included.
Cameron gave a wane smile, knowing exactly how many times Starfleet computers had been hacked by someone or something and not being able to do a thing about it.
"Both you and John Henry have made improvements in that area".
"You have no idea". She said with a knowing smile as she picked up her new DCC and handed it to her. "I've run tests, and I feel confident enough to try it now, but I need your help". Cortana explained as Cameron took the palm sized device from her. "I have to put the ship on autopilot". She paused for a moment while she input the necessary arrangements. "Okay, I've improved the wireless transfer technology in the original chip to make them compatible with Voyager's systems".
Cameron turned it over in her hands, examining the DCC as she did. It looked exactly like the original version, but the blue part that projected her mini hologram had been replaced with a small black circle with yellow grid lines. That was the new holoprojector based on Starfleet holographic tech.
"Alright, here goes nothing". Cortana said as she took a deep 'breath'. "Computer, transfer CTN 0452-9 to the data crystal chip".
She promptly disappeared into the system for a second before the computer confirmed the transfer. The device hummed for a second before the yellow lines on the holo-grid glowed.
Cameron looked at it for a second before she found a button built into its side and pushed it. When he did, Cortana promptly appeared.
"Are you functioning normally"?
"Hmmm, I'd say so, Halsey would be impressed".
"Engineering technology from two parallel universes to work together is not an easy feat". She said seriously. Her opinion of the scientist wavered depended on how Spartan Ops turned out.
Right now she thought Halsey too arrogant, but Cortana was an absolute nut sometimes. She thought of her as the much needed comic relief after all that had happened recently, or as much comic relief as a terminator needed.
"She can be quite an ice queen, so who knows". Cortana shrugged as she looked down at her feet. "Would you mind if I walked onto your hand? I need to see if the projectors are working right".
"No"
"Alright, here goes nothing." Cortana said as she stepped out of the circle and onto the metal portion of the chip. "So far so good". She took another step before her six inch tall figure was at the edge of the chip. She tentatively stepped off and onto her hand. Cortana pulled a balancing act as she walked onto Cameron's forearm.
"Not bad, don't you think"? She asked as she turned around, taking in the room from this new perspective.
"It's very impressive, and you said this is just your first attempt"?
"Yep, now let's get moving, I want to check on your progress"!
"You remind me Sarah, always telling me what to do". She said sarcastically as she picked up the pace and headed back to the transporter room. Cortana just rolled her eyes.
A few minutes later they beamed down to the basement.
"All you need to do is put the chip in the modified HFG and I'll take care of the rest". She said right before she disappeared back inside her chip. Cameron walked over to the machine that was exactly the same as the other one, save for her modifications to it. She quickly spotted the slot for the chip and inserted it just as fast. As the machine hummed to life, Cameron took a step back just in case.
Cortana appeared seconds later in a flash of light. It took her a second to adjust to the new system, but everything seemed in order.
"Everything's ship-shape, let's get to work. She said as they both began walking down the steps to the bunker. When they entered, Cortana was amazed by the two's quick work.
"You guys work fast". She said as she touched a new console as she passed by it.
As she walked past John Henry, admiring his work, he stopped Cortana and handed her something. It looked like a black body suit.
"What's this for"? She questioned as she took the heavy material from him.
"To keep you from drawing too much attention if anyone should see you". The cyborg explained as he picked up something else.
She quirked an eyebrow when she saw a balaclava.
It was a sufficient enough disguise for now.
Now it was time to work, she and John Henry were going to be installing the projector tonight, right now she was going to help with the calibration of the equipment, primarily the TDE. Cortana couldn't wait to see what time travel looked it for real.
February 10, 2013, 10 am
Today was a the day.
Today was the day they were going fire the Mk. II UDE for the first time, but first, there was something else needed to be done.
Surgery.
Cameron was getting some upgrades after being convinced by both John Henry and Cortana to do so. It was nothing too major, just a few things that would increase her likelihood of finding John and getting him home in one piece.
First off, she was getting a sensor package upgrade. In her skull they would be placing sensors and micro-isolinear chips that would give her the scanning ability of a tricorder. This would help her locate humans and machines alike, as well as determining the extent of injury. It also improved her threat assessment capability.
She was also getting a new power core, one capable of sustaining her maximum flight velocity while being able to fire her weapons if she needed. Her new core looked different, but was the same size as her previous one. It was a small tokamak D-T fusion reactor that sustained a secondary zero-point energy extraction, and thus putting out far more power than was required to sustain it. The maximum output was 100 megawatts with an average around 25. It looked similar to Tony Stark's arc reactor, but the bottom two thirds was a black metal with a few indicator lights and a few buttons. The top, however, looked extremely similar to the miniature arc reactor prop, simply because Cortana had gotten bored for a few seconds and decided to give herself a challenge.
Lastly, Cortana had insisted that Cameron allow her to install a slot for her Data Crystal Chip. Cameron had initially rejected the possibility due to the major structural changes. However, she had pointed out that she could relieve her of many distracting tasks that would normally slow her down in combat. In essence, she wanted to help Cameron get her John back by doing what she had done for the Chief. His notable performance increase was one of the reasons he had been so successful during the Halo campaign, she knew for a fact that it would be the same for Cameron.
The cyborg had finally consented after seeing the designs and the list of pros that heavily outweighed the cons. They would use specially made nanites to modify her endoskull to allow the chip to be inserted at vertically at the base of it. Armor would slide over the slot to protect it followed by the MPA/organic hybrid covering.
She could also control the body in case Cameron was incapacitated in any way.
For this procedure, Cameron was in her endoskeletal form. Cortana prepared the nanites after replacing her reactor and breastplate. The nanites were injected into her repair systems and the immediately got to work.
She shut down for the duration of the changes.
When she was reactivated six hours later, she immediately noticed the changes.
"How do you feel"? Cortana asked curiously as Cameron's sheath activated.
"I feel fine, the new sensors are performing well too".
"Glad to hear it, now we'll have to test the chip slot".
"I'd prefer to do it after the UDE test". She said anxiously.
"I understand, I believe that John Henry said he would be ready when we were".
Cameron smiled.
"Then what are we waiting for"?
"Just hold your horses girl, I've got some other new toys for you to play with". Cortana smiled devilishly as she handed Cameron a rifle case and a small black one.
Cameron cocked her head for a moment before opening the larger one.
Inside was a type III pulse phaser rifle. Cameron grinned, this would allow her to shoot targets from afar and be able to give John a powerful weapon when she found him.
She opened the smaller box next and was surprised by what she found.
Inside was the hilt of a Covenant Energy Sword.
"I thought it might be useful in close quarter combat and cutting through obstacles. I've made some improvements though, like making the battery life about 10 times longer".
Cameron was grinning at this point. She liked powerful weapons, and she was one of course, but these would make her even more dangerous. She took the hilt out of the case and flicked it on.
The translucent blue blade hissed into existence and lit Cameron's face with its glow.
"I like them". She said with glee lacing her normally stoic voice.
From what Cortana had learned about the cyborg, that was the equivalent of her jumping up and down in absolute happiness.
February 10, 2013, 9pm
They were all gathered in the bunker, Cortana was hooked into the holographic field projector. Since she was corporeal and not in the UDE computer system, she was tasked with monitoring the subspace sensors and remote controlling Voyager.
John Henry was hooked into the Starfleet based computers with a high speed optical data cord. His endo had been modified to accommodate the technology. He would be controlling all the UDE systems, while Cameron would be manning the emergency shutoff, both electrical and plasma as she monitored data from many different systems.
"Voyager is reporting systems ready, weapons charged, and shields on full. She's holding position 3 km due east from the exit aperture". Cortana reported as she tapped away on the LCARs control pad.
"The bunker's subspace sensors are trained on the tunnel, all diagnostics show their running at optimal levels". She continued as she turned toward John Henry.
He stood up from the main terminal in front of the UDE room and spoke last.
"All UDE systems are in standby, all diagnostics show their ready". The brother of Skynet looked calm, but his voice leaked his concern and his excitement at finally getting underway.
After one last systems check, Cameron placed the new apple sized subspace probe/retrieving beacon onto the UDE pad before shutting the door.
John Henry activated the TDE systems, causing the bubble to form and electrical bolts to fire onto the bubble field. He prepped the UDE pylons to trap the bubble as soon as it collapsed while he prepared he projector for firing.
The bubble collapsed and was contained by the UDE pylons. John Henry then began using the data from the sensors to find find the proper quantum signature of their universe. His original sensors had managed to find theirs and now the Starfleet grade ones were going to make sure that this new projector could hold the proper phase so they could send the probe to their universe and back.
"The projector has opened the tunnel and is currently searching for the proper quantum signature". John Henry explained above the noise of the machine.
About ten seconds later the computer beeped in confirmation, they had found the proper phase. John Henry locked the projector on that setting and sent the collapsed bubble to it and it shot it into the tunnel at .99999c.
"Our universe has been located and I have successfully sent the probe through"! The T-888 cyborg exclaimed as he waited for the probe to materialize and send back spacial and temporal telemetry.
Once it did a few seconds later, he found that it was in the middle of the Orion belt during the 12th century. John Henry thought that was a pretty close for a first try, considering how big the universe was. However, he had made an educated guess using TDE spatial coordinates to preset the plasma beam's amplitude and frequency to make the tunnel end up close to their present day Earth as possible. Now that the probe had sent back valuable data, John Henry now had the knowledge to redirect the beam to the right time and place with much greater certainty than before.
John Henry recaptured the probe with a temporal bubble and pulled it back onto the pad. Using all the data collected, he changed the date and place to make it as close to LA in 2027 as possible. However, he knew there was going to be a margin of error despite their best efforts.
"I'm sending it back to confirm temporal and spacial coordinates". John Henry said as the UDE powered up again and sent the probe back. Once it began relaying data, John Henry frowned. The farther he got from the first major temporal incursion chronologically, which happened to be Myron Stark, it became progressively more difficult to lock onto a date, and therefore a place to land.
"Even with the modifications, I am finding it difficult to lock onto a date. Attempting to find a temporal anchor". He said as he searched for something to lock onto, and did.
"Spatial and Temporal Coordinates for anchor confirmed, Earth, April 24, 2029 1030 hours". John Henry said, but continued to search for a closer one, but did not.
Someone had created a TDE and was testing it, and he was betting it was Weaver's TDE given the location.
Cameron nearly fell to her knees as the emotions overwhelmed her. Tears of relief poured from her eyes.
She could finally go home and save John.
The other two gathered around her as the equipment powered down.
"We did it". John Henry said with a small smile.
"Yes, we did". Cameron said softly.
"Tomorrow I will send you back". John Henry said confidently as he placed one of his hands on her shoulder.
"What about you"? Cameron asked as she stood up.
"I must stay. It took all of my ability to lock onto the date, We cannot risk automation, I must stay behind".
"I could stay". Cortana said as she approached the cyborg.
"No, you and Cameron working together have the highest chance of success".
"Right". Cortana conceded as she looked back at the UDE with hope and somehow knew, despite the trials they would undoubtedly face, that she would see her Spartan again.
"Let's do this". She said as she face them again.
April 23, 2029. 0835 hours. Unknown Aircraft Carrier, 35 miles off the Pacific Coast.
John Connor sat against his cell wall, waiting for whatever fate the machines had chosen for him. He noticed a few of his fellow prisoners had been taken over the last three days, but for what purpose he didn't know.
He want to either, none of them had ever come back.
John often worried about Allison, but he worried about Weaver as well. God only knew what things were being done to them.
He wasn't sure if either of them were alive or being dissected for some horrid Skynet experiment. The only other thing he could think of was that Allison was being interrogated for some reason, but another thought occurred to him as well.
They might be trying to make another Cameron. He wasn't sure though, after all there was no leader of the Resistance to kill. However, Ziera base had been eluding the machines for over 5 years.
Maybe they were the last humans in LA, maybe Skynet wanted them gone in one fell swoop. Use the machine to assassinate the leadership and then kill the rest by surrounding the base.
Maybe he was next though, maybe they hoped he would talk if she didn't.
Well they weren't going to get anything out of him.
John let out a sigh as he closed his eyes and tried to remember a time where he was happy.
The first thing that came to his mind was when he was with Cameron right before she broke his mom out of prison. Being that close and personal with her had been... amazing.
To some, all he did was check her power cell, but to him it was like something that she wanted him to know, something unspoken. Maybe she was trying to tell him something unspoken, maybe it was her way of saying 'I trust you with my heart'.
He wasn't sure, but then again, he should have gotten to know her better before... all of this. Maybe if he had made her feel loved and appreciated she wouldn't have left.
He still wondered what those words meant though, Will You Join Us. Weaver hadn't told him much, just that it was a question future him had once asked her, but that was all.
John wasn't angry with her or Cameron though. His beef was with the machine currently inhabiting his Cameron's chip and parading around in Cromartie's body.
He really, really hoped that John Henry wasn't as necessary to win the war, cause if he ever got his hands on him...
No.
John stopped that train of thought right there, killing John Henry would only make all this suffering for nothing.
The 19 year old let those thoughts simmer away in his mind as he continued trying to figure a way out of this mess, but nothing was coming to mind.
Nothing to pick the locks, nothing to kill the metal currently guarding both entrances, no way to get off this ship he was sure was at sea. The machines sure knew how to make escaping hard, no wonder it took his predecessor six years to break out of Century.
However, he had the distinct feeling he wouldn't have that long. He had to act soon or he would surely die. John looked around more carefully than he did before and finally got an idea when he looked above his cell.
There was a loose light fixture, and it was only being held up by a screw and the wires inside.
He smiled, because the light was working, and that meant electricity.
Allison sat against the bulkhead of her cell, arms wrapped around her legs and a thousand yard stare in her eyes. She was trying to make sense of this strange situation.
Why was the metal asking her all these questions?
And why was it so small?
She was trying figure it out, but honestly, she wasn't like John. She didn't really understand the metal.
Allison was good at understanding the battle tactics, but understanding machine personalities and quirks she did not. Heck she didn't even know they had them.
Until now.
There was something very off about that machine that was questioning her, and she didn't know what it was. The way it spoke, the way it moved. I almost seemed... human?
No, but it had more personality than the T-888 and T-900 she'd heard speak. This machine was beginning to scare her, but not in the sense that it would kill her, no, she knew that the machine would eventually do that.
The more Allison thought about it, the more she began to realize something more was going on than just the metal asking personal questions or asking where the base was.
It was something more sinister, but she just didn't know what.
Allison was broken out of her thoughts by the squeal of rusty metal. The door opened and revealed the gleaming figure of a T-888 before it walked in and grabbed her.
It forced her to walk down the same short hallway and into the same room as before. She was about to sit down when a coughing fit took hold. The machine just stared at her while she was on the floor coughing violently.
When she finally quit, the machine picked her up and set her in the chair rather roughly. She glared at the machine as it stood to the side as it always did before wiping the blood off her lips and swallowing the rest.
She broke her glare when she heard the sound of boots clomping against the metal floor.
Machines didn't wear boots unless...
Oh god.
She knew what was going to walk through that door before it appeared, but that didn't stop the look of shock that came over her face when it did.
Now she knew why they had wanted her clothes.
They had wanted to copy her likeness so they could infiltrate their base without possible suspicion. She smiled internally, they still hadn't gotten the location yet, but she knew it was only a matter of time before they did.
She looked at the machines face, and was surprised to find a triumphant smirk on it.
"So pretty, your hair. It's the hardest part to get right". The machine said as it stroked one of its brown locks.
"I'm flattered". Allison said sardonically as she continued to glare at the machine whose smirk was only widening.
"You should be, it's not often I compliment a human, much less an enemy". The copycat said in her voice.
Allison's eyebrows furrowed for a moment. How long had this machine been active?
"Where is your base"?
"Go to hell".
"Can't, I already created it". The machine retorted, making Allison reel in surprise.
She just looked at the machine for a moment in shock.
"Yes, I did just make a joke, get over it". The machine rolled its eyes her as it crossed its arms.
Allison looked down, she honestly didn't know what to say. This machine had been acting more 'human' than she thought possible, but this was too much.
Plus it had said it created hell. Only one machine was responsible for that.
Skynet.
Her friends wouldn't have a clue until it was too late.
"You know who I am, and you're thinking about your friends, aren't you? You know that they don't stand a chance".
The machine walked around the table and knelt down next to Allison who was shaking from a combination of fear and anger.
"I'll never tell you".
"That's what they all say". She purred into her ear just before she wrenched wrist, making her scream. "And if you don't, your friend will".
Allison pushed her pain aside and met the machines eyes with a hateful glare of her own.
"We'll see". Allison said as hatefully as she could before she spat in the machine's face.
A/N: I hope you liked it, I've rewritten this chapter so many times its ridiculous.
Read and Review as always.
For those who don't know Halo:
Master Chief is a Spartan II and protagonist of the Halo series.
Doctor Catherine Halsey is Cortana's creator/progenitor and creator of the Spartan II program.
Infinity is the UNSC flagship. It is as large as Star Trek 2009's Narada. It is 5.6 km in length.
I also want to point out that Starfleet wouldn't automatically stop the UNSC or the Covenant and the same is true for the reverse, but Starfleet tech is far more advanced in many, many ways than the other two. Also, Halo: Reach reduced the power of both Covenant and UNSC ship based weapons to far lower that previously stated in the series, making Starfleet ships more powerful.