Chapter 13
Cameron Phillips just completed the gamma shift and quietly approached her quarters. She wasn't tired, but she was relieved to be off duty after receiving a hefty lecture from Thomas Welsh about following protocol. Despite several soldiers gave her a slap on the back for saving Nico, she knew it was six inches from a kick in the ass by superiors such as Thomas, John Connor, Kate Connor, or others. She just hoped she wouldn't hear it from John later too.
The terminator set aside her thoughts and stole a glance at Sarah's quarters. But she didn't want to wake the human when it was just after six in the morning. She would wait until Sarah came to her quarters later this morning. With that in mind, she entered her dark quarters yet hesitated after closing the door because her night vision enabled her to see Sarah Connor tucked in the bed. She hadn't expected such a move from the normally solitary human.
Cameron faltered at what to do because she didn't want to accidentally waken the worn human. She nearly left the room so that she wouldn't disturb Sarah, but she saw Sarah lifted her head a bit.
"Hey," Sarah sleepily called, "Is it six?" Her voice was low yet inviting too.
"Yes." The terminator cautiously approached the resting human.
"How'd it go?" Sarah rubbed her face but didn't bother getting up.
Cameron faltered for a beat and simply replied, "It went." She tilted her head and suggested, "You should rest more." She remained a few feet from the bedside that Sarah was closest to.
"Lay down with me." Sarah was shifting under the covers. "You've been on your feet most of the day... you should relax some." But after blinking a few times, she could make out Cameron's reluctance, and she suspected it was because Cameron wasn't sure how to approach Sarah's offer. She developed a thin smile then scooted to the other side of the bed that was cold. "Come on, tiger."
The terminator couldn't refuse the invite so she first shrunk her size until she reached her slight form when she posed as a human. She then gingerly climbed into the bed and rested on her back. She felt Sarah adjust the sheets over them, and Cameron turned to the human.
Sarah rolled onto her left side and faced the blue light next to her. Her earlier grin returned as she recalled their conversation days ago about how Sarah's favorite color was blue. She couldn't believe it hadn't been that long ago because their relationship had altered so significantly that it seemed much more like years rather than days.
Cameron seemed suspecting about her blue eyes and mentioned, "I'll shut off my eyes."
"No," Sarah refused, "you're fine." She backed up her point by stretching out her hand and gently clutched Cameron's forearm. "It doesn't bother me." She closed her eyes though and started relaxing. "So what was interesting about patrol duty?"
The terminator parted her metal lips, but she faltered and decided it was much too lengthy for right now. "We will discuss it later."
"Mmmm," the sleepy human agreed. "Wake me in two hours or so?"
"Yes," Cameron promised.
"Thanks." Sarah curled up some but still held onto Cameron. Her forehead nearly touched the terminator's shoulder.
The terminator shut off her HUD after a minute, and she suspended many of her internal systems so that it nearly gave her a relaxed, calm state. Her processes were mainly critical other than her low consumption of thoughts. But about an hour later, her systems were jarred to full percentages because of the human's low whimpers and restless movements.
"John," Sarah muttered then her brow furrowed. She developed a more painful expression as her heart rate shot up, her skin burned, and she harshly gripped the terminator's arm. "Please... John, no."
Cameron slightly lifted up but onto her right side. She softly called, "Sarah." She gingerly touched the human's hot cheek. "Sarah, it is a dream." She wasn't exactly sure how to handle the human's nightmares, like prior in the forgotten subway station.
Suddenly, Sarah inhaled and partially sat up, which caused the comforting touch to leave her face. "Cameron?" She made out the soft blue hue that calmed her. For once, the safety wasn't false or misleading compared to other times. Sarah had a searching and worried expression. She sought out her metal protector in the bed.
The terminator found the human coming into her body, and she welcomed Sarah. She went onto her back and allowed the small human to settle on top of her. She shifted the blankets over them and wrapped her arms over the still sleepy human. Cameron wasn't sure if Sarah was totally cognizant of snuggling up to the terminator despite Sarah had briefly opened her eyes.
But Sarah was now resting on her stomach, half on and off the terminator's warm metal body. She'd turned her head to one side so that she faced Cameron's neck. Her right hand lazily gripped Cameron's opposite shoulder while her left arm was snaked under the pillow. She started breathing easier and was finding more peaceful sleep.
A little past eight-thirty, Sarah stirred and tightened her grip on the warm body that held her. Consciousness caught up to her better once she recalled her entire situation including her bedmate. She knew by now that Cameron detected her wakeful state. There just wasn't much she could do to casually separate from the terminator like it didn't happen between them. She instead attempted bypassing it like it was a normal event between them.
"Mornin'," Sarah offered quietly. She didn't bother hastily rolling off Cameron like it was a wild sin. At some point in the night, she'd obviously needed it, and she was honest with herself that it was nice to wake up like this.
"How did you sleep?" Cameron inquired. She was back to full awareness after being in a relaxed state.
"A lot better after that damn nightmare," Sarah admitted. She started recalling what'd happened despite it was vague in her mind. She pulled her head away so that she could see the terminator's glowing features. "Did you... rest?" She wasn't sure of the right word.
"Yes," the terminator replied, "I was able to perform normal maintenance while you slept."
Sarah slightly grinned and patted her friend's hip. "A little tune up huh?" She became more devilish and teased, "Do you need to get an oil change before you get your skin sheath?" There was a long silence, and Sarah seriously wondered if she made a mistake this time.
"I believe my thirty thousand mile service is due," Cameron quipped. Her tone was mostly even except for a hint of humor in it that Sarah only recently could detect now.
Sarah chuckled but was mostly relieved her joke wasn't taken badly. "I wouldn't mind one of those myself." She then became a bit more serious and asked, "Do you have to get checked over though?" She watched Cameron's head turn to her. "I mean, humans see a doctor once a year for a physical." She shrugged and waited for the terminator's response.
Cameron was considering it then explained, "Before I receive my skin sheath, Kate and John will most likely do an inspection of my endoskeleton. It is a highly opportune time to do it since I'm without my skin sheath."
"That would make since," Sarah replied.
"In many ways, my skin sheath," Cameron continued, "extends the life of my endoskeleton." She caught Sarah curious yet furrowed expression. "Organic systems essentially act as a lubricant for an endoskeleton. Also it acts as a protective barrier from such things as dirt, dust, and constant temperature shifts or even weather that may otherwise break down an endoskeleton faster."
"Huh," Sarah muttered. "But it makes sense." She felt as if she had new eyes and was gaining extensive knowledge about Cameron both physically and emotionally. In the past, she was only focused on keeping Cameron on track with protecting John. However, since they were now in 2028 then their mission was on standby until they were back in 2008. This inadvertently allowed Sarah to learn Cameron, a developing individual comprised of organic and cybernetics. There was a lot to still learn, Sarah suspected.
"We should get prepared for the day," Cameron softly commented.
"Mmmm." Sarah bit back a yawn then stretched against her friend. She softly admitted, "I could keep sleeping, but you're right."
The terminator felt for the worn human, who rarely had a chance to sleep and peacefully. She then suggested, "Perhaps while I'm going through the sanitization process, you can rest."
"No can do, girlie." Sarah patted the terminator's solid stomach, rolled away, and started getting out of bed. "I'm not missing it."
Cameron turned on the nightstand's small light to help the human. She decided not to argue about Sarah's choice but would at least mention it again later. She then recalled their brief conversation after she'd returned from the gamma shift. "I have met Nico Ford."
Sarah was halfway to the bathroom but skidded to a stop and hung out of the bathroom. She clutched the door's frame and asked, "Last night you mean?"
"Yes," Cameron replied. "She arrived last night at midnight."
Sarah really need to use the bathroom so she ordered, "Hold that thought." She disappeared into the bathroom with the light on and door shut.
Cameron had a tilt to her head, yet she slipped out of bed and started making it too. She focused on the older woman once she came out.
Sarah played with her messy hair and came over to the beside. She helped her friend finish up with the bed. "So what was she like?"
"Brazen," Cameron stated after a long pause.
The human arched an eyebrow at this simple reply. "How's that?" She folded her arms and patiently waited for a good response.
"She was due to arrive today at fourteen hundred hours. However, she arrived late last night on a motorcycle and was being chased by an HK plane." Cameron shifted her weight onto her left foot and studied the human on the other side of the bed.
Sarah snorted and muttered, "Sounds pretty stupid, honestly."
"It was highly risky," Cameron argued.
"Risky, stupid... they're pretty closely related." Sarah placed one hand on the bed. "Not that I'm the one to talk." She flashed a grin at her friend, but sternly asked, "So I take it she's fine. What happened to the HK plane?"
"I shot it down," Cameron factually replied. She immediately received a gawk from Sarah.
"You what?" Sarah then held up her hand. "Don't answer that." She dropped her hand back to the bed. "How did you end up doing that?"
The terminator told Sarah the story then answered a few more questions. She eventually came around the bed and stood closer to her friend.
"She sounds... wild," Sarah muttered. She peered up at the terminator. "Like the total opposite of Liz... she seemed more... sedate."
"Opposites attract." Cameron recalled the human saying. She caught the human's bemusement but stated, "Like us."
Sarah now softly laughed and teased, "Like us huh?" She then lightly jested, "I didn't know there was an 'us' now." She started towards the door but lightly ran her fingertips across the terminator's soft stomach. "I suppose I'm the wild one huh?" She was at the door but glanced sideways back at her friend.
Cameron turned her head towards the human. "But you do not have a motorcycle."
Sarah heartily laughed at the terminator's excellent response. She slightly opened the door but argued, "I have a terminator and that's plenty." She winked then started out the door. "I'll see you in a bit, girlie." She was gone and went to her quarters.
The terminator remained rooted for another beat or so then she went to the bathroom. She decided she'd do a fast shower too just so she could wash away any apparent dirt on her endoskeleton. She also started an analysis on the wound to her back from the plasma shot last night. She knew it could delay her skin sheath, but she hoped it wouldn't because she looked forward to having her skin sheath.
After the warm shower, Cameron went to her friend's quarters and found Sarah mostly dressed minus a shirt. This sparked her curiosity because she wanted to inspect her friend's shoulder wound. She noted Sarah's bashful features despite the black bra did conceal the necessaries. After some inspection, Cameron was pleased with the wound's remaining scab, but she frowned at the fact it'd unavoidably leave a scar. But Sarah brushed it off because a scar was a minor price compared to worse ones.
Eventually, the pair ended up at the dining hall but without any incident this time. Sarah ate rather well too because she was famished this morning. She and Cameron pretty well carried on a conversation, which was unlike them in the past. Sarah found it easier to converse when she wasn't so focused on the next lead, next target, or next person to save from Skynet. She was starting to appreciate the fact that it was important to time-out from being consumed by Skynet and the future of mankind. Otherwise, Sarah would indeed lose out on those small habits that made her so human. She also noticed this was giving Cameron a better opportunity to develop and evolve as an individual. Sarah made a mental note that they needed to do this regularly. She now considered Big Bear City, snow, and a quiet getaway for a few days if it was possible this coming winter.
After breakfast, Cameron led the way to John's office in hopes the leader would be there. She was pleased to find him there and discovered that one of the main labs was prepared for Cameron already. John told Cameron that he and Kate wanted to do a hardware check over Cameron's endoskeleton then they could begin the first santization. Again, Cameron made another attempt at getting Sarah to rest but her friend absolutely refused it.
John merely held back his grin at the developments between his mother and his favorite terminator. He was very pleased by it. He tried wiping away his amusement because his mother flashed him a warning. He instead cleared his throat and mentioned to Cameron about last night.
The terminator nearly sulked like she was a teenaged human again. She received a mixture of praise and reprimand from the Resistance leader. But she conceded not to do anything else as risky during the gamma shift.
Sarah now was the amused one this time. In the past, she'd seen her son, the younger version, confront Cameron, but he didn't know exactly how to handle her. But this John knew exactly how to put the terminator into line, and it secretly impressed her.
Once in the lab, Kate Connor arrived and assisted her husband with doing a routine inspection over Cameron's endoskeleton. Sarah silently stood off to the side and idly watched or listened to them check over Cameron. She had a stern face and folded arms.
"You look pretty good, Cameron," Kate commended. "Your self-repairing endoskeleton makes you right for the job." She glanced at her husband.
John was knelt beside the standing terminator's right leg. "Cameron, open your alloy here." He mapped out the location two inches above and below the terminator's knee.
Cameron lowered her eyes but had followed the human's movements. She sent prompts to her malleable alloy, which started withdrawing from that particular location. She was perplexed by John's specific interest in her right knee, but she suspected what he may be after too.
"Kate, can you hand me that small flashlight." John squinted some but barely made out in the inners of Cameron's endoskeleton in the knee joint. He reached into the small hole yet snapped back his hand with a hiss. "Damn it."
Sarah grew briefly tense but watched her son shake his hand in midair.
"I keep forgetting that twenty second wait rule," John muttered. He received the small flashlight from his wife and flicked on the LED light bulb.
"You must be careful," Cameron reminded the leader.
John softly sighed because he knew better than to touch Cameron's inner endoskeleton that remained extremely hot until Cameron could cool the metal. He now pointed the light at the dark opening. He carefully studied the inner workings of Cameron's knee. He had a hunch that made him frown. "Damn," he muttered. He then tilted his head back and revealed his annoyance to Cameron. "Why the Hell didn't you say something sooner?"
Cameron remained silent and offered not even a facial response.
John grumbled and focused back on the problem with Cameron's knee.
"What is it?" Sarah asked first. She approached the pair and saw Kate joined too.
"You spoke too soon." John flashed a look at his wife then turned to his mother. "That damn Jeep explosion damaged some of her knee's internal structure." He lowered the light to his thigh. "I think Sarkissian hid that bomb in the dash right near Cameron's knee."
"So it took the brunt of it," Sarah logically concluded. She then recalled that chaotic day and focused up on Cameron. "You were limping that day." However, she couldn't remember when Cameron stopped limping because she was so focused on John. She frowned at this realization.
John was a bit frustrated and glanced over at Kate. "Can you call Nico? She's going to have to fix this."
"You want her to do it now or..." Kate waited although took one back step.
"Ask her to come down here and at least take a look at it." John shook his head and explained, "Tell her Cameron's hydraulics are leaking and..." He flicked on the light and studied the knee. "It looks like the outer portion of Cameron's socket is damaged." He caught Kate's brief nod then she was on her way.
Sarah worriedly looked from John to the terminator, who remained passive. She wondered if there wasn't some hard ridden pride in that metal.
"This damage to your hydraulic system looks recent," John commented. He gazed up at the terminator again. "You did this last night when you jumped off the wall, didn't you?" He grumbled and didn't really need an answer because he suspected the preexisting damage caused the hydraulic to leak from the harsh landing Cameron made last night.
Sarah had listened and now focused on her friend. "Why didn't you say something?"
Cameron had ignored John's same question earlier, but she had to answer it because Sarah expected it from her. She closed up the exposed hole once John stood up. "It was not relevant... it was healing fine."
Sarah bowed her head and rubbed her brow. "We need to work on that," she muttered and tilted her head, her fingertips touched her brow.
"Nothing could have been done for it at the time due to lack of technology," Cameron reasoned away. "It has been healing properly."
Sarah sighed and muttered, "Stubborn, girlie."
"Obviously it's healing better." John pointed the flashlight at the injured knee. "That's why you have a leak now too." He shook the flashlight at Cameron. "You should have told us when you got here."
"Nico is on her way down now," Kate mentioned. She returned from the lab's small office. "We should get you up on a workbed." She settled her stern look on the terminator.
John silently agreed and followed the terminator over to the workbed where Cameron could lay down and Nico could work later. He had Cameron rest flat on it, and he took a few minutes to prep the area for Nico. He then ordered Cameron to reopen her malleable alloy but a much larger opening so Nico would have better access. He wheeled over an empty tool table nearby and flicked on the overhead white light, but pulled it down by it's moveable arm. He now had a better view of the terminator's damaged knee.
Sarah carefully approached the workbed and stood next to her son. She peered into the lit opening to Cameron's knee. She held her breath until she took in the internal metal workings.
"You see this right here?" John indicated the damage on the outer portion of Cameron's knee socket. "I think the explosion jarred the ball out of the socket. But since Cameron is made of malleable alloy then it started healing but improperly."
Sarah considered this and peered up at her son. "Sort of like not properly setting a broken bone that ends up healing wrong."
"Exactly." John then indicated the thin, black like vein that ran along the metal structure of Cameron's lower leg. "This here is a hydraulic line, basically that's pushing oil through but see this connection here..." He pointed at it with his index finger. "That's a flexible connection between the upper and lower line so that it can give and bend when Cameron walks, sits, or whatever." He lowered his hand and turned to his mother. "That explosion probably weakened it, but I bet when Cameron jumped off the wall last night it just did it in... caused the small leak."
Sarah indeed noted the oil droplet forming on top of the thin, braided metal on the side of Cameron's knee cap. She straightened up and glanced down at her friend, who remained rather silent.
The Resistance leader shook his head and mentioned, "That hose connection isn't made from malleable alloy like the majority of Cameron's endoskeleton so it can't self-repair or heal like the majority of her chassis."
Sarah silently considered this but her eyes flickered to the lab's main door when it was shoved open by a petite blond. She knew it had to be Nico Ford.
"Good morning, Nico," Kate first greeted. She met the younger woman not far from the door. She received a quick hug but mentioned, "You look worn."
Nico hoped her cheeks didn't color red, but she managed, "It's from that late night ride here."
Kate slowly smirked and teased, "I heard you arrived with a bang."
"I just reckoned John would like the HK as a gift."
"Pity Cameron shot it down," John Connor joked from his spot beside his mother and the terminator.
Nico flashed a grin at him, but she hefted her metal toolbox and followed Kate to her waiting patient. She lowered her eyes to the terminator once she was beside the terminator's head. "It looks like we do meet again, Phillips."
The terminator slightly tilted her head and regarded Nico, who had a short almost shaggy hairstyle that highlighted her warm jade eyes. Cameron realized Nico's eye color was just like Sarah's, which was rare considering about twelve percent of humans in this locale bore them.
Nico now gazed over at the only person she didn't know in the group. She set down her toolbox then stepped forward. "You must be Sarah Connor."
"Yes," Sarah agreed. She met the younger woman halfway and clasped hands. "It's good to meet you, Nico." She caught sight of the gold band on Nico's left hand.
Nico warmly smiled and argued, "It's an honor to meet ya. I've heard plenty about ya so it's great to meet you finally."
Sarah felt a charge between them and an instant comfort too. She mirrored the smile and released hands. She enjoyed the young woman's southern accent that she rarely heard in this part of the country. "Where are you from originally?" She couldn't help asking it.
Nico chuckled and replied, "South Carolina... I was born in Charles'tun. My family went way, way back in those parts."
Sarah folded her arms and curiously asked, "What brought you to California?"
Nico slowly peered up at the Resistance leader. "I reckon it was John." She gave Sarah a thin smile then nodded at John. "He was my inspiration as a kid."
John huffed but reminded, "We have a hurting terminator here."
Nico glanced at the terminator in question. "I don't reckon so if it's taken her this long to fess up to the damage." She picked up the toolbox. "How 'bout it, Phillips?"
"My chassis does not have a somatosensory system," Cameron stated in monotone.
"Exactly," Nico murmured. She now shifted down to the rolling tool table and set her toolbox on it. She started setting up.
"Mom, you don't have to stay," John mentioned.
"No, I'm good." Sarah shook her head and wondered why everybody was so concerned about her.
"Well," John suggested, "let's at least get out of Nico's way." He and Kate guided his mother over to a couple of chairs and stool.
"John," Kate started, "I think I'm going to go catch up with Lauren." She hadn't sat down and neared her now seated husband. "I'll be back in about half an hour to prep the tank."
"Alright." John was about to get up, but his wife's gentle push on his shoulder stopped him. He instead received a warm kiss to the cheek then Kate quietly left the lab. His eyes followed her until she was completely gone.
Sarah noticed this and bit back a smile, mostly. She contently reclined in her chair and became serious once her eyes fell on the terminator and Nico. She leaned closer to her son and asked, "So Nico is going to repair the damage?"
"Not really repair it," John explained, "but clean it up then it'll heal correctly." He crossed his ankles. "She will have to repair the hydraulic line though."
Sarah quietly considered this for a minute and watched the petite, blond woman set to work on the terminator's damaged knee. She folded her arms in her lap. "She knows what to do?"
"Nico?" John briefly had wide eyes then fixed his gaze on his mother. "She's excellent at hardware... both computer and machinery." He settled more into his seat. "She has a gift."
"Like you do with software?" Sarah tested.
John bobbed his head then softly hummed while he watched Nico work. "I mainly handle software, Nico handles hardware. Then Lauren and Kate take care of the organic side of things." He had a relaxed posture and steadily observed Nico. "We're lucky to have this team, actually. Before, it was just really me handling the terminators. Kate was willing to help with any skin sheaths where she could manage."
"It sounds like a developing operation," Sarah murmured.
"Mmmm." John thought more about it then propped his right elbow back on the chair. "How are you and Cameron getting along?"
Sarah slightly tensed and wasn't sure how to go about it. She bit her lower lip then seriously replied, "We're doing better."
"You two seem... closer." John now turned his eyes to his mother. "You've both found common ground."
"I think so," Sarah murmured. She chewed on the inside of her mouth but observed Nico, who was grabbing a few more tools. "She's developing, John... very quickly too."
"Yes." John put his head to one side and better regarded his mother. "But she has a long way to go still." He gently smiled and mentioned, "She looks to you to help her get there. She doesn't have me anymore." He hesitated but shrugged and amended, "My younger self is too... self absorbed." He and his mom traded a grin.
"You're just being a teenager." Sarah now was the one to shrug.
John reached over and tenderly squeezed his mother's knee. "I'm sorry too." He withdrew his hand and elaborated, "I gave you a hard time as kid." He was regretful and shook his head. "I wish I could change that."
Sarah licked her dry lips then peered up at her son. "It's not exactly easy accepting when you grow up you'll be the hope of mankind." She sighed and muttered, "It's a heavy cross to accept and bear."
"So is being the mother of all destiny," John fought.
Sarah crossed her leg and casually joked, "There's nothing to it, honestly."
John huffed despite he had a grin.
"To be honest," Sarah continued and briefly leaned into her son. "There's a part of me that's relieved Cameron is there." She now caught his inquisitive look. "I may not like having to rely on a terminator, initially. But I'm starting to realize if something happens to me then Cameron will still be there, by your side... protecting you." She shook her head and argued, "She can withstand bullets, fire, being tossed around, and not get emotionally bogged down. I can't despite I try to."
"Why do you think you have to?" John tempted.
Sarah huffed and shot a dubious look at her son. "You can't be seriously asking me that?"
"Yes." John shook his head and fought, "Because I asked you to stop Judgment Day, right?" He shifted in his seat some and better faced his mother. "Why do you think I asked you?" He only waited a beat and supplied, "I was scared, Mom and thought you were invincible... that you could stop Judgment Day."
Sarah slightly bowed her head and shut her eyes. "What if I can't?"
"What if I tell you that you don't need to?" John found curious green eyes on him. "What if stopping Skynet isn't about Judgment Day but about raising me?"
Sarah sighed heavily then shook her head. "I just don't see it that way."
"I think in time you will," John fought. "Judgment Day will happen whether it's your lifetime, mine, or later down the road... there will be day like that." He relaxed into the chair. "And technology will evolve."
Sarah recalled the prior dinner talk about fate and destiny, what was definite and changeable. She just couldn't completely let go that humans had to suffer in such a way.
"In a lot of ways," John mentioned, "if it wasn't for Judgment Day I'm not sure if people would have ever joined together." He glanced at his mother and argued, "We as humans would have created Judgment Day... Doomsday."
Sarah quietly considered this and what she'd learned over her lifetime, especially about people. Even from the time leap between 1999 and 2007, she could see a decline in people's attitudes, respect, and consideration for others. She hated to admit that John had a good point.
"It took a computer to pull the trigger," John muttered. "A computer we created in our image... that we carelessly underestimated. We did it to ourselves in that regard." He could tell that his mother didn't like his factual speech. "But there's some good coming out of this."
Sarah took a chance at something that was hard for her and whispered, "The terminators...?" She now peered up at him.
John parted his lips some but faltered because he knew that despite they were quietly talking that Cameron could easily hear them. He posed his words carefully and explained, "I was a bit naive at first about terminators... I thought they were just tools. A way to fight fire with fire." He shook his head as late night thoughts on terminators resurfaced. He'd spent many hours trying to understand terminators, Skynet, and what the war was truly about. "I think it is about the terminators... about changing them from terminators to individuals. If the Resistance can do that then who will follow Skynet?"
"Skynet will just continue producing terminators," Sarah argued. She shook her head and sat up some. "I understand that technology is going to evolve... I can learn to accept that aspect." She glanced over at the terminator on the workbed. "Maybe Cameron is the first to prove this truth." She focused back on John. "But Skynet will not stop on its own choice."
"No," John softly agreed. "But we stand a better chance at stopping Skynet if we have terminators, like Cameron, who join us because they believe in our purpose. They find their own purpose and hope that they're meant to be more than walking tin cans under Skynet control."
Sarah let out a low breath, but she silently agreed with John's train of thought. Even if the Resistance destroyed Skynet, there would certainly be thousands upon thousands of free terminators and HKs roaming about the world with no meaning but survival. Then what would the Resistance do with them?
"Mom, everybody looks at me and sees hope," John softly told. He had his mother's attention again. "But where do I look to find that hope?" He bowed his head and muttered, "I use to look to you, but you're gone now." He met his mother's distraught features, but he pointed at the terminator. "I look at Cameron and see hope."
Sarah leaned into her chair and seriously mulled over her son's talk. She folded her arms in her lap again and watched Nico work on Cameron's knee. She slightly tilted her head and listened to Nico's instructions to Cameron.
Nico was bent over the laying terminator. She'd just finished carefully cleaning out the knee's socket then replaced the grease that lined the socket and ball of the joint. She wiped her hands clean on a rag hooked to her side. "Alright," she drew out, "I'm going to remove that leaking connection in your hydraulic line. Can you terminate the oil flow then disengage the connection?"
"Yes." Cameron took a beat to send commands to her right knee's machinery. She shut off the oil flow that ran through the leaking hydraulic line. Next she hear the low hiss that meant the connection at her right knee was loosened for Nico. She then commented, "You are apt with terminator machinery, specifically mine."
Nico brushed some hair from her face with the back of her clean hand. "I've spent time studying and learning the technology." She grabbed a small oil zorb sheet from under the table. She ripped it in half then carefully wedged it under the hydraulics line's leaking connection. She carefully started untwisting the connection from either end of the lines.
Cameron received an alarm that the connection was removed and that her right leg was critical. She couldn't use it earlier because she'd disengaged her knee's ball from its socket so Nico could clean it and reset it right. But now she surely could not use her leg without the hydraulics properly working in sync.
"Here's the culprit." Nico held up the silver connection piece and studied its threads, which were damaged. "Ya did a nice job." She grinned down at the terminator but went more serious. "I don't reckon it can be repaired... not worth it at least."
"Can it be replaced?" Cameron inquired. She zoomed her vision in on the small piece in the human's hands.
Nico now set the damaged connector down on the tool table. "Yes, I have a few spares down in my workshop." She was wiping her hands clean again. "I reckon I'll replace all your knee connections though. They've probably all taken some wear and tear, especially from that explosion." She then tilted her head at the terminator. "My connectors are also made from malleable polyalloy."
Cameron's metal lips slightly pulled from her curious thoughts. "They will be able to self-repair in the future."
"Yes." Nico shoved the rag into her jean's side pocket. "You're made up of about ninety-six percent malleable alloy?"
"Ninety-six point three seven percent," Cameron stated.
Nico's lips twitched with a grin. She recalled the first time she'd met Cameron, and she was entranced back then. But Nico appreciated how much Cameron had grown into an individual today because she wasn't exactly sure she could handle such a mission driven version of her wife. She repeatedly sent a thankful prayer to Sarah Connor for guiding Cameron in the right direction for all those years in the past.
"Well, I'll be right back... don't wonder off," Nico mentioned. She picked up the broken connector just for comparison. But she was fairly confident her malleable alloy connectors would be a perfect fit since she'd replaced them in her wife's arms not long ago. It wasn't until today that Nico understood how her wife had malleable alloy connectors in her knees but not her elbows.
"I cannot," the terminator reminded.
Nico shook her head at the terminator's seriousness. She tapped the terminator's shoulder and ordered, "Lighten up, will ya?" She walked away without waiting for a response and went over to John and Sarah.
Cameron was befuddled because she couldn't understand how she could 'lighten up' if her chassis was preset to certain weights. She would just have to get an explanation later.
"Hey, I have to run down to mah workshop and get a few replacements." Nico held up the connector in silent explanation. "I'm going to replace all her knee connections then she'll be good for the tank."
"Can you also check her back?" John glanced once at the resting terminator then back to Nico. "She had a run in with a plasma gun last night. It looks to be healing fast enough for the skin sheath tomorrow, but I want to hear your opinion."
Nico nodded and closed her hand around the connector. "I'll take a look at it." Her bright green eyes flickered to Sarah Connor, but she held silent and quietly left the lab.
Sarah watched Nico go then she patted John's leg. She got up and joined Cameron, who had to be slightly bored now. She gingerly touched the terminator's shoulder. "How you doing, tiger?" She study soft blue orbs that stared straight up.
John Connor remained in his seat and watched the pair converse. He had a wistful smile and aged memories from his past filtered back to him. He slightly bowed his head though when his eyes started burning.
Cameron almost replied with factual statement but corrected herself first. "I am ready to receive my skin sheath."
Sarah softly sighed at the terminator's admission. "Tomorrow, right? It's not far off." She felt for her friend, who probably had never been without a skin sheath since she was brought online. "Thanks for doing that," she mentioned. At the terminator's slowly furrowing brow, she clarified, "For removing your sheath so you could better protect me."
"It was the most logical thing to do," Cameron stated.
Sarah's lips slightly twitched from her rise of emotions. She didn't expect such a fact reply from the terminator but something more wholesome. She sighed but pressed her palm into Cameron's cheek. "But that doesn't mean you had to do it."
"I will do whatever is necessary to protect you," the terminator softly revealed.
Sarah bit her lower lip then after a steady breath, she murmured, "I know." She tried shaking away the moment by nodding at the terminator's open knee. "She's going to fix you up?"
"Yes," Cameron answered, "she is replacing all the hydraulic connections with malleable alloy so they can self-repair in the future."
Sarah slightly grinned and argued, "I still rather keep you away from the car bombs."
Cameron would have sighed if possible. But after a beat, she asked, "How does one 'lighten up'?"
Sarah furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head. She gave a low laugh then asked, "What?"
"Nico told me that I must 'lighten up'."
Sarah had a slow grin shaping, yet she bit it back. "She's just telling you to..." She searched for the right words. "To not be so serious all the time."
Cameron considered this as her metal lips drew in tightly. "Am I serious all the time?"
Sarah patted her friend's broad shoulder and carefully explained, "You're just... focused, Cameron... on the missions and such."
"Should I not be focused?"
Sarah started chuckling and bowed her head because the conversation seemed ridiculous. She peered back up with amusement. "Cameron..."
The terminator's right brow crinkled upwards as if she were arching an invisible eyebrow.
Sarah shook her head a few times, smirked, and her eyes grew bright. "Just lighten up, tiger." She left it there and walked away with her shoulders shaking from silent laughs.
"Humans," Cameron muttered to herself.
But Sarah heard Cameron, turned her head sidelong, and shot back, "I heard ya, Tin Miss." She'd been affectionate about the old nickname. She smirked but went to John and sat with him just before Nico returned to the lab. She continued chatting with her son while Nico finished taking care of Cameron which was a good twenty minutes.
After Nico replaced the last hydraulic connector in Cameron's uninjured knee, she lifted her head because Kate Connor arrived with fast steps. She briefly watched Kate head across the lab and started preparing the sanatization tank for Cameron. Nico bowed her head and did a visual check on Cameron's left knee for any damage, but it was perfect. She was satisfied and went back to Cameron's right knee. She double checked that the leaking hydraulic line didn't seep anymore oil out since the replacement part was installed fifteen minutes ago. She found everything clean so she peered up at the terminator.
"I'm going to reset your knee's ball into the socket then ya can engage it." Nico saw the terminator's nod so she focused on her task. She grasped the outside of Cameron's leg then with her right hand, she carefully guided the ball into the joint's greased socket. She could instantly sense when the ball locked down on the socket. "Alright," she murmured. She withdrew her hands and watched.
Cameron engaged the knee joint and her system indicated that her lower right leg was back online. She saw the pressure in the hydraulic lines were running normal, finally. She now checked, "Can I close the access point?"
"One second..." Nico carefully patted down the inside of Cameron's exoskeleton around the knee joint to be sure all the loose hydraulic oil was soaked up. She checked her oil zorb each time and finally was satisfied. She pulled back and told Cameron to go ahead. She curiously watched how Cameron's metal skin started crawling and closed up the hole. Nico had seen it before, and it always awed her because there was no other terminator with alloy skin like Cameron.
Cameron sat up once Nico pushed the overhead light out of the way. She sat with a straight back and her feet brushed the floor.
"Ya need to take it easy on that knee for a few days," Nico warned. "It ain't gonna heal right if ya jump off anymore walls."
Sarah and John had quietly joined the pair by the workbed. Sarah had crossed arms, head to the side, and looked from Nico to Cameron. "Maybe no gamma shift duty then."
Nico shook her head and quietly argued, "Cameron will be fine." But she eyed the terminator. "She knows that damaging her knee further before it heals will just set her back from gettin' her skin sheath."
Sarah hid her grin at how Nico made it rather clear to Cameron. She had to give the young woman credit for putting Cameron in her spot.
"You need to check her back too, Nico," John reminded from his spot next to his mother.
"Right," Nico muttered. She turned to Cameron but before she could say anything, Cameron beat her to the punch.
"It is healing quickly," the terminator stated. She felt pried and poked at enough for one day and yet still had to go into the santization tank for half an hour.
Nico placed her right hand on the table just near the terminator's leg. "It wasn't an offer. Now turn around." She spun her left index finger in midair as a demonstration.
Cameron reacted in a very human like fashion; she groused then feverishly shook her head until she had her back to the humans.
Nico stepped forward, placed her hands on the soft metal skin, and started inspecting over the plasma blast's damage.
Sarah inched closer and visually studied it because yesterday she didn't have much of a look. She glanced over at Nico, who had a rather intense expression. She then posed, "You think it'll be a problem?"
"No." Nico lowered her left hand but pointed at the lower portion of the blast. "Ya see that dark metal there? It's kinda uh dark gray."
Sarah indeed noticed upon taking another step closer.
Nico dropped her hand to her side. "That's the malleable alloy healing there. After a hit like that, the healed alloy will scar a dark gray for awhile." Then something caught her eye when she gazed higher up. "Hmmm." She now pointed at the slightly jagged dark gray line at the back of Cameron's head. "There's another one."
Both John and Sarah instantly followed Nico's observation and became concerned about it.
However, Cameron explained the scar on the back of her head. "A piece of shrapnel was lodged in my head from the car explosion."
Sarah closed her eyes once she realized what'd caused Cameron to lose control that day, damage her chip, and hunt down her son.
John gingerly touched his mother's lower back and asked, "But it's healed, Cameron?"
The terminator now turned around so she could see the humans again. "Yes." She focused on Sarah, who slowly opened her eyes and met Cameron's stare.
"How could that happen?" Sarah murmured. "I can't imagine shrapnel cutting into a triple eight's skull."
Nico shifted on her feet and explained, "That's cuz they have a solid polyalloy. Have ya ever seen mimetic polyalloy... liquid metal?"
Sarah instantly recalled the T-1000 that'd hunted down John back in 1995. "Yes."
"Well, I'm sure you've seen how sharp or blunt objects can go into or through liquid metal at lower velocities." Nico was talking slightly fast because she loved explaining technology. "Of course, with solid polyalloy it'll just hit it and most likely will not go through no matter the velocity." She was now using her hands to talk and pointed at the terminator. "In Cameron's case, she has a hybrid of mimetic and solid so if a sharp object has a high enough velocity then it can pierce her malleable alloy. But like the mimetic alloy, she can heal from it." She lowered her hands and softly finished, "There's some give and take with each alloy type."
"That makes Cameron's endoskeleton somewhat fragile," Sarah concluded.
Nico folded her arms and argued, "She ain't as invincible as the triple eights, but she's far more agile and reliable in combat."
"Hmmm." Sarah glanced back at Nico and mentioned, "You know a lot about Cameron's endoskeleton."
Nico kept staring at Cameron as she debated how to response to Sarah's keen observation. She shrugged and brushed off, "Ya work on terminators enough, ya start to understand it all." She caught John's tense features too.
Sarah slightly narrowed her eyes and wanted to ask more, but her son cut her off.
"We need to get Cameron in the tank," the leader mentioned. He looked up at the larger terminator. "You feel up to it?"
"Yes." Cameron slid off the workbed once the humans moved out of the way. She followed them across the lab to where Kate Connor waited for them.
Sarah had a chance to find out what the sanitization tank was and would do for Cameron. She saw the twelve foot by eight foot clear tank was filled with a light blue water. She curiously watched how her friend climbed the metal ladder and stepped into the tank that went to her waist.
Cameron didn't need to reduce her size as she carefully lowered herself and laid down in the tank. She became fully immersed in the double-distilled water that contained sanitizing chemicals in it. Her blue eyes seemed to reflect even bright in the water.
"Tomorrow," Kate told Sarah, "we'll do this again just before she gets her skin sheath. But it'll all be done in a clean room." She slightly hesitated but added, "Unfortunately, you won't be able to join or see anything tomorrow." She then started explaining some of the procedures for tomorrow and how it's a bit hard for most people to witness who aren't medical inclined like doctors and nurses.
Nico broke away from the group and went to the tank's control center. She observed the settings and saw they were all accurate for a first sanitization. She'd seen this done in the past for her wife, and she still found it a bit eerie. She knew her wife as a living being and the non-mechanical side of her had a hard time fathoming how Cameron stayed underwater far longer than a human. But Nico knew it was because Cameron didn't have any organic systems such as lungs.
John joined Nico by the control panel while his mother and Kate chatted away. He gratefully offered, "Thanks for coming down so quickly and taking care of her."
Nico shook her head then brushed back a few blond strands. "Ya know I'll do anythin' to help her."
John folded his arms and kept his voice down so his mother wouldn't overhear. "So was Blue surprised last night?"
Nico huffed and mentioned, "She knew."
John softly laughed and teased, "It's hard to get one over her."
"One of these days though," Nico swore.
John amusingly met those green eyes that reminded him of his mother each time. "She is an AI, Nico. Her intelligence is-"
"Yadda, yadda, yadda," Nico cut off. "You're talking to the nerd tech here." She traded a grin with him. "AI or not, I'll get her one day before I'm dead."
John snickered then teased, "How about you tell her you're pregnant?"
Nico went bug eye and gasped, "Are ya nuts?" She tisked at him and reminded, "That ain't a good surprise because I'll be divorced afterwards." She shook her head at her brother-in-law's obvious amusement. "Ya know, I mentioned to her about kids."
John bit back a grin since he knew where this was headed. He cleared his throat some and asked, "How'd it go?"
Nico sighed and answered, "It ain't happenin'... at least not anytime soon."
"Give Blue some time, Nico." John shrugged then seriously explained, "We have the technology to do it. But she has to be ready."
"I reckon so." Nico shrugged too and rationalized, "It ain't like we have time for kids right now anyway... with all that we're doing." Nico now studied the submerged terminator, who was the younger version of her wife. She considered how different Cameron was today compared to her younger self. "But I'd like that though... someday."
John puckered his lips some, leaned closer, and whispered, "I think you stand a better chance at getting kids than surprising her."
Nico bowed her head and chuckled a few times. "I believe ya are very right, John Connor." She grinned at him.
Sarah let the conversation with Kate drift off. She glanced down at her son with Nico Ford. She curiously observed them and how they interacted so naturally. She decided they were family, which meant Nico's wife had to be family too. She slowly turned her thoughtful stare to her friend in the tank. She covered her chest with her arms, her hand over the time traveler armband, and she softly smiled at realizing tomorrow Cameron would be in her skin sheath again. She felt a thrill burn in her stomach at seeing those earthy brown eyes, full cheeks, and that beauty mark at the end of Cameron's eyebrow. Then she felt a laugh bubble to the surface at one random thought that popped into her mind.
Would Cameron paint her fingernails pink at first chance?