Chapter 8
Cameron lifted her head a bit when she heard the movement outside in the hallway. She suspected who it was at this early hour, and she peered down at Sarah Connor. Before she could wake up the human, there was a knock at the door.
"Sarah?" the terminator gently called. She studied how the human's lower half was under the covers but her upper body was snuggled up to Cameron. At some point in the night, Sarah had curled up to her and never moved again. "Wake up, Sarah."
"Another hour," the sleepily woman complained.
Cameron tilted her head at this remark and hadn't expected Sarah to just be so casual. She then explained, "I believe Lauren is here to see you."
"This early?" Sarah complained and groused, "Damn." She opened her eyes and discovered why she was so comfortable. Her cheeks flushed once she focused on the terminator, who held her close. "Um..."
Cameron detected the human's uneasiness so she offered, "I will see to her why you get up." She carefully separated from Sarah then got out of bed.
Sarah sighed in relief then sat up. She scooted to the side of the bed and mentally gathered herself.
The terminator made it to the door before the third set of knocks. She flipped on the lights and cracked open the door. There in the hallway stood Lauren Fields. "Good morning, Lauren."
"How are you, Cameron?"
"I'm well."
Lauren was about to ask about Sarah, but she faltered when she saw somebody pass behind the terminator. "Just who I was looking for." She had suspected that maybe Sarah was with Cameron.
"Come in," Cameron offered and stepped aside once she heard the bathroom's door click shut. "She'll only be a few minutes."
"Sorry I'm so early, but I wanted to see her before I went to the hospital. I missed her last night." Lauren was dressed in her usual doctor attire and brought her medical bag. "How's her fever been?"
"Her temperature has steadily dropped." Cameron shut the door then reported, "Her temperature is currently one hundred point one."
"It's almost gone," Lauren happily concluded. "Good." She decided to take the desk chair that Cameron offered her. She settled her medical bag in her lap. "How are you feeling?" She strained her neck to see the tall, large terminator.
"I'm at optimal levels," the terminator reported. She tilted her head then softly admitted, "I'm ready to return home."
Lauren grew smug and teased, "So, 2008 is home to you now?"
Cameron seriously considered this and realized it indeed was true. "Yes."
Lauren chuckled and crossed her legs after she adjusted the medical bag. "I've seen the order floating around in the hospital to gather or grow your organs. They already had most of the organs ready like the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and so on. But the more... specific designed organs like the skin, eyes, and such have to be properly matched to you."
"Do they require any data from me?" Cameron checked.
Lauren shook her head. "The hospital has your files still." But her attention was drawn to the bathroom door when Sarah Connor came out. "Good morning, Miss Connor."
"Lauren," Sarah warned in a slightly grouchy tone, "if you 'Miss Connor' me one more time then I'll have Cameron hold you upside down."
The doctor smirked and challenged the threat by asking Cameron, "Would you?"
Cameron folded her arms and exchanged a glance with Sarah Connor before she replied, "Yes."
Lauren bit her lower lip so her smirk wouldn't get wider, but her eyes playfully lit up. She turned her amused features to Sarah Connor, who glowered at her.
Sarah knew exactly why Lauren was so entertained, and it had nothing to do with the Miss Connor threat. She hastily snapped, "Did you come here to check on me or get yourself into trouble with me?"
Lauren softly laughed then stood up after she placed her bag on the desk. "Sit, please." Once her patient was seated, she checked over Sarah's vitals and current symptoms.
Cameron had backed up to the bed and idly watched the pair. From her position, she could tell that Sarah Connor felt a lot better both physically and mentally. With a tilt of her head, Cameron realized that Sarah was actually upbeat despite the early morning hours. After a few minutes, Cameron pushed off the bed's frame and made the bed.
"Be sure to stay on a regular, normal diet," Lauren insisted. She tucked away her supplies into her kit after she'd checked that Sarah's eyes were dilating properly. But Sarah sighed at her so Lauren seriously ordered, "You need to eat more regularly. I can tell you're neglecting your body." She tilted her head and quipped, "Does your diet consist of coffee and sugar?"
"Please," Sarah brushed off.
"But it fails to make her any sweeter," Cameron joked from her still position off to the side.
Sarah shot a dark glare at her protector for the smart remark. But yet her lips pulled with a grin. "Alright, peanut gallery." She focused back on Lauren. "I had dinner last night, thank you."
"Good," Lauren praised. "Now be sure to get breakfast, lunch, and dinner today. You need the energy to recover from the last of this infection." She was rather serious. "I don't feel like being called to your quarters in the middle of the night because you relapsed." She received a sigh from Sarah, but she lightened the mood by tormenting, "Or a call to Cameron's quarters."
Sarah had her head down, but she peered up with hooded eyes. She slotted her eyes at the direct poke about how she was caught in Cameron's quarters rather than her own. "Don't start trouble, Lauren."
"I wouldn't dream of it," the doctor playfully replied and offered a smile. She grabbed her medical bag then headed to the door. She pulled the door open but looked back at Cameron then Sarah. "It looks like you finally have your birdhouse to build." Then she was gone.
Sarah wasn't fast enough to shoot of a remark, and she softly cursed with her hands now on her hips. She bowed her head and thought about how Lauren Fields could so easily peg her and Cameron.
"What did she mean by a birdhouse?" Cameron inquired. She read the human's perturbed attitude.
Sarah sighed and dropped her hands to her side. "You remember when we were fighting that triple eights at the Fields' cabin?" She then amended, "You were fighting the triple eights... I was babysitting."
"Yes." Cameron approached her friend and waited for the rest of the explanation.
"Well," Sarah continued, "Lauren had followed me out to the shed by the cabin. I was looking for flashlights. Anyway, she was interested in my life... fighting Skynet and terminators compared to her dull life of building birdhouses with her father." She shook her head and softly added, "I told her I'd trade anytime... to be able to build a birdhouse."
The terminator quietly thought about what Sarah told her and what Lauren's last comment could have meant. She then concluded, "She believes we are nesting."
Sarah hooked the back of her neck and muttered, "Something like that, yeah." She freed her hand and gazed up at her friend. "I'm going to get a quick shower and have breakfast."
"I'll join you for breakfast," Cameron offered.
"You don't have to," Sarah objected.
"No, but I want to," the terminator informed.
Sarah smiled at this then brushed her hand across the terminator's taut, metal stomach on her way to the door. "See you soon." She disappeared from Cameron's quarters.
Cameron watched Sarah go then wanted to sigh but couldn't do it. She clenched her hand then lifted it up. For a beat, she turned her fist over in each direction and studied her endoskeleton that she barely knew because she was first brought online with a skin sheath. Her first skin sheath had been a basic female template, but it was greatly altered later to match the model TOK715 or informally Allison Young.
But Cameron pushed away her dark memories about those days, and she decided she'd also take a shower. She wanted to rid of any dirt and grime that may have worked into her endoskeleton since she'd removed her skin sheath. With that in mind, Cameron went into the bathroom, turned on the lights, and started the shower. Once the water was warm, she pushed open the glass door and stepped into the waiting steam. But she decided on shrinking her form down to her petite stature so that she easily fit under the shower head.
Cameron faced the shower head and stepped under it now that her size had been greatly reduced. She bowed her head just as the water cascaded down her silver skull, over her metal face, and caressed her alloy body. She lowered her head more and wished she could have closed her eyes like she often did when she took a shower.
It was the first time that Cameron experienced water flowing and gently pelting against her endoskeleton. She couldn't feel it like she could with her skin, but instead her alloy merely analyzed the water and gave her data such as temperature and mineral content. But she wanted to feel the water again instead of analyzing it.
Cameron raised her head up and the water hit her face, but she couldn't blink. She briefly wiped the water from her face after she stared down at the stone floor. She placed her palms flat against the shower wall, leaned forward, and darkened her HUD's screen once she bowed her head. It was the closest she could come to feeling like her eyes were closed. Very slowly, Cameron managed to recall the sensation of hot warm cascading over her human skin and soothing away the strain to her body.
The front door to Cameron's quarters quietly opened, and Sarah Connor entered with a curious expression. She heard the shower running and thought it was odd so she went into the open bathroom.
Sarah stiffened and hissed, "Jesus." She back stepped so her view of Cameron in the shower was gone. "I'm sorry, Cameron."
The terminator wasn't bothered by Sarah's entrance. "You can come in and sit. I'm cleaning my endoskeleton."
Sarah was hesitant but after a beat took the invite. She worried if she didn't come in then Cameron would think Sarah didn't want to see her endoskeleton. So she took a seat on the toilet after she put the cover down. "Do you need anything like soap?"
"No," the terminator answered, "soap will lodge between my alloy." She turned her back to the water and allowed the stream to work her back.
Sarah thought about what Cameron needed to have done before they could travel back to 2008. She had to admit despite she looked forward to returning to 2008; this hiatus from the battle for the future was good for both her and Cameron.
"I think after breakfast," Sarah mentioned, "I'm going to take a walk around the city." She lifted her right foot and rested her ankle on her opposite knee. "I just need some fresh air."
Cameron could understand, and she'd considered finding John for more girl talk. She wanted to get his thoughts on his mother about last night.
"But I thought we'd meet up when John does that upgrade." Sarah felt like she was rambling.
The terminator softly smiled at Sarah's offer. She shut off the water flow and drew open the glass door. "That would be good."
Sarah stood up and grabbed a clean towel from the rack behind her. She brought it over to Cameron as it fell open. "So this upgrade will allow you to get on the internet or use GPS?"
The terminator gratefully accepted the towel and proceeded drying off her alloy. "Yes, it is called a network interface card. They're very common in computers back in 2008." She noted Sarah wore khaki corduroys that were cut like jeans, a black blouse, and Sarah's wavy hair was clipped back. Cameron hesitated and studied the nicely dressed human.
Sarah rocked on her boots' soles and slid her hands into her pockets. "I can't recall the last time I wore cords." She looked down at her clothes and tugged on right pant leg.
Cameron had the white towel against her chest but stayed motionless. She then seriously complimented, "You look nice, Sarah."
There was a small smile that pulled at the right corner of Sarah's ruby lips. She peeked up at her protector and whispered, "Thank you." Her jade eyes glowed from her pleased emotions. Then something shifted in her, and she stepped up to the terminator again. "Here." She took the towel and gently ordered, "Turn around."
Cameron obliged and was surprised that the human began drying her back. Occasionally, Sarah's hand brushed over her alloy which gave her an instant reading on Sarah's vitals. But Cameron emotionally ached because she wished she had her skin so she could feel Sarah's casual touches too. Despite how much Sarah's tenderness moved her, it also upset her that she was restricted to sheer, raw data from her alloy skin.
Sarah knelt down, and her right knee cracked in protest. But she dried the terminator's solid legs too then stood back up. Finally, she patted dry each of Cameron's arms and hands. She came to Cameron's last hand and gently dried away the water droplets. But the metal hand closed over Sarah's smaller one, and she gazed up at Cameron.
The terminator didn't look at Sarah and instead stared straight ahead at the mirror over the sink, which reflected part of her image.
Sarah read the sadness clearly etched on Cameron's silver features. She softly asked, "What is it?" She finally found hesitant blue eyes on her. "Did I go too far?" She swallowed after she asked what worried her.
Cameron shook her head in response then looked down at her hand, which rested on top of the towel and Sarah's hands were under the towel. She moved her fingertips forward until they touched Sarah's exposed wrist. "I can't feel," she murmured.
Sarah was also staring at Cameron's fingers against her skin. She furrowed her eyebrows at Cameron's confession and her stomach dropped because she could pick out Cameron's distress. She gazed up at her protector and checked, "You can't feel?"
The terminator parted her lips, but she didn't speak right away. She gathered her thoughts and finally explained, "I may have alloy skin, but I don't have a nervous system." She closed her fingers around Sarah's wrist. "I know your heart rate is seventy-three beats per minute. Your body temperature is currently thirty-eight point one." She could have kept going but knew her point was made. "I can read your temperature, but I can't feel your warmth."
Sarah was briefly tongue tied because she didn't expect the terminator to be so bothered by this. She also hadn't realized that Cameron's endoskeleton wouldn't allow her to feel like a human. "You've felt me before, do you remember?" She shifted her left hand over top of Cameron's hand.
"Yes," the terminator whispered, sadly. She lifted her gaze to Sarah. "But not like this... not freely."
Sarah swallowed after she understood what Cameron meant by them never openly touched like this. She stilled her nervousness and edged closer to her friend. "You will... soon." For emphasis, she squeezed the terminator's hand.
Cameron detected that Sarah's heart rate and temperature had increased but Sarah's gentle smile was true. She was reassured and gave a thin smile, but it slowly slipped. She emotionally revealed, "I feel... incomplete without my organic systems."
Sarah could tell it truly bothered her friend. Now she knew how much Cameron had become use to being a cybernetic organism.
"I took it for granted." Cameron had a frown and creased brow. "I understand better why humans are so unique... what is unique about them."
"Sometimes we don't know what we have until we lose it," Sarah explained.
"Yes." The terminator thought more deeply about Sarah's words and realized if she wasn't careful then she may discover how much the loss of Sarah Connor would pain her. She now voiced her worrisome thoughts. "I do not wish to find out what kind of loss it would be without you."
Sarah let out a heavy breath and looked down at their linked hands. She wasn't sure how to deal with Cameron's open emotions and admissions. She'd never done this before and didn't expect to face such a situation. She just wasn't completely sure what to say considering she was trying to cope with her future death.
After a long silence, Sarah gently managed, "I won't be around forever... and now I know my life has been shortened. That day will come for me, John, and you. But right now, all we have for certain is today, and we can make the most of it."
Cameron slowly nodded in agreement with Sarah's true words. She'd often thought, repeatedly, about Sarah Connor's pending, slow death from leukemia. If she were going to make the most of it, with Sarah, then she planned to cut back on the arguments, fights, and emotional blows. But when Sarah's day arrived, Cameron was unsure how it would rock her and John.
At this unknown future, Cameron shook her head and whispered, "You are the foundation."
"Foundation?" Sarah murmured in a perplexed tone.
"Yes." The terminator tilted her head and better explained, "You are the foundation in the mission, the future, and the family." She shook her head. "What will I be left with after you're gone?"
Sarah wasn't sure how much more she could take this spiraling, dark conversation. She couldn't imagine what'd prompted all this from the typically stoic terminator.
"I will lose my purpose," Cameron sharply added.
"Wooo, tiger." Sarah quickly tossed the towel onto the sank. She then moved into the terminator's space and took warm, alloy hands into hers. "Slow down." She gripped Cameron's hands tighter. "First, your mission has always been to protect John. It's not about me."
"But one day he will no longer need me," Cameron debated. "I will not have you or him. What is left for me?"
Sarah shook her head at Cameron's plunging thoughts. "Listen to me, you don't know what your future holds." She studied the terminator's strained features and argued, "When you were with Skynet, did you see yourself joining the Resistance then going to the past to protect John?"
"No," Cameron admitted.
"Then how can you be so sure what your future holds after me and John?" Sarah tried. She quirked a grin and teased, "You're not an oracle."
Cameron lowered her eyes and thought about it.
Sarah hooked the terminator's chin and raised Cameron's head until blue eyes met hers. "Maybe one day you'll be the foundation or a leader and maybe even a wife to somebody. It's truly hard to say because nobody honestly knows the future." She saw that her words were helping the terminator. "But with all that uncertainty, you just have to have faith... that's what drives me." She gave a smile despite the glisten to her eyes. "You'll find your way, even after me and John."
Cameron replayed Sarah's sincere words that settled many of her fears. However, one fact still remained the same, and she whispered, "I do not wish to lose you."
Sarah blinked against the sting behind her eyes. She then tried comforting Cameron with words she'd once been told some time ago. "You never really will unless you forget me." She searched the blue eyes that'd darkened above her. "Cameron, life is eternal... without a beginning or ending. I will return, time and time again."
Cameron processed her friend's meaningful words that made her now feel as if Sarah would always be beside her, even beyond death. She murmured, "Karma... many humans believe in karma."
Sarah nodded at this. She carefully asked, "Will you not worry so much about this stuff?" She wasn't sure she could handle such another talk like this anytime soon. Not only did it tax her, but it made her think too much about her bleak future.
"I will try not to," Cameron agreed.
Sarah felt her shoulders drop in relief then she stepped into Cameron's personal space. She freed her hands and hugged her protector.
Cameron drew her friend into her soft alloy body and held her close. She tucked her face into Sarah's neck after she bent forward far enough. She heard a shaky breath from the petite human so she whispered, "I'm sorry I upset you."
"It's alright," Sarah muttered. She swallowed and leaned more heavily into the firm, strong body that had her in a sure hold. "I'm glad we got it out there in the open. It's obviously been bothering us both." She had her eyes closed and actually found pleasure in being held after so long. She didn't expect this, especially since Cameron was a terminator without her skin sheath. But this made Sarah smile because she knew it meant she could move forward and accept Cameron's cybernetics. In reaction, Sarah hid her face into Cameron's soft chest and inhaled the unique, sharp scent of metal.
Cameron slowly withdrew and mentioned, "You must eat soon." She rested her hands on the human's small hips. "Lauren is right about your diet... it is lacking."
Sarah smirked and drew her arms across her chest. "Well, we know how great my cooking is anyway."
"That is why I do not consume any food at home," Cameron jested. She grinned at Sarah's glare but became serious. "Perhaps I should take over cooking in the house."
Sarah snorted and broke out of Cameron's hold. "I'd looove to see that one." She went back into the bedroom.
Cameron's right brow ridge lifted up at Sarah's challenge. "Indeed," she muttered and followed after her friend. She made sure to grab her armband identification and reattached it like Sarah.
The friends left the quarters and journeyed through the underground city until they came upon the cafeteria, which was bustling with early morning goers. Cameron separated from her friend and found a two-person table for them. Sarah eventually arrived with a plate full of steaming eggs, buttered toast, and two pancakes.
Cameron had reduced her size to her petite stature. She leaned her elbows on the table but sat ridged. "I see you are not hungry."
Sarah had put her plate down, but she stood next to the table. She let her fingers linger on the plate's edge while she turned her bright green eyes on her friend. "Breakfast is my favorite meal."
"Yet you fail to always eat it," Cameron remarked.
Sarah rolled her eyes and pulled her hand away from the hot plate. "I'm going to get coffee." She started moving but quipped, "I'll be sure to put extra sugar in it too."
Cameron slyly smirked but said nothing because Sarah was out of earshot. She observed the breakfast food and concluded it'd most likely be easy to make such a meal for Sarah back at home. She made mental notes.
Sarah soon returned and slid into her seat. She set her filled mug down and tugged her plate closer. "So, what you going to do with yourself?" She collected the rolled up napkin that had utensils in it too.
The terminator considered the question and honestly replied, "I'm going to visit with John."
Sarah nodded and thought about how close Cameron was to the future version of her son. She forked some of the scrambled eggs and asked, "You and John are close?" She peered up and corrected, "Closer than younger John and you."
Cameron didn't reply right away and carefully compared her relationship with John, both future and past. "This John I find it easier to speak to... he is not consumed by who he will be." She tilted her head. "He offers me advice and support that I can't find with younger John."
Sarah bobbed her head while she thoughtfully ate her mouthful. She briefly pointed her fork at Cameron then started on her pancakes. "But I can tell no matter what, John is protective over you."
The terminator bowed her head slightly. "Yes." She wasn't sure how she felt about that fact. "He was the first human to believe in me. There have been many occasions in 2027 that he stood up for me." She kept her head down and distant memories bubbled up in her. She then murmured, "I owe him so much."
"I'm sure he doesn't see it that way," Sarah debated. She found curious blue orbs on her, and Sarah just smiled in return. She polished off her scrambled eggs but mentioned, "Come find me in my quarters after you're done chatting with John?"
The terminator moved her head in agreement. She then started scanning the humans that collected in the cafeteria. But her more detailed scans identified about half a dozen terminators too, who were eating with the humans. This made Cameron straighten up because it didn't make sense to her.
Sarah saw it and quietly asked, "What is it?"
Cameron was fixated on a terminator, who sat with a female human about two tables away. But a hand on her arm jerked her attention back Sarah Connor.
"Cameron?" Sarah questioned in a worried tone.
Cameron showed a mixture of confusion and concern. "There are terminators here." She focused on the male terminator that ate breakfast with a female human.
Sarah lowered her fork onto her half eaten pancake and followed her friend's stare to the young man that ate with a blond woman. She noted he was eating, smiling, and spoke very animatedly like a normal human. "Cameron, he's..." She lost her words though when she looked back at her friend. "He can't be..."
Cameron had a deep frown and whispered, "He is a terminator."
Sarah closed her mouth and looked down at her half finished plate. "But he's eating, like a human." She was just as confused but quickly asked, "What series is he?"
Cameron shook her head and now stared down at the table's surface. She muttered, "I cannot determine his series... or any of them." She was clearly bothered by this revolution. Just then, she sensed somebody coming past their table so Cameron tilted her head back.
The passerby was an average height woman in her early twenties with honey-brown hair just past her shoulders. She had hazel eyes and looked down at the time travelers. But she twisted her head around to Cameron as she passed and stared at the unsheathed terminator.
Cameron locked eyes with the woman and attempted a scan.
The young woman offered a smile to Cameron then unexpectedly her eyes flashed red then dulled back to hazel. She turned her head around and continued on her way with a full plate of food and glass of orange juice.
Sarah had watched the entire scene and her jaw slackened slightly. She quickly focused back on her friend and remarked, "I think I've lost my appetite." She dropped her fork on her plate.
"Let's go," Cameron decided for them both. She stood up and took Sarah's half full plate.
Sarah grabbed her coffee and stole a last swallow before she disposed of it with the plate. She and Cameron left the cafeteria but ducked around a corner away from the entrance. She moved closer to her friend and hotly asked, "How many were there?"
"At least seven," Cameron reported. She shook her head and whispered, "This does not make sense."
Sarah leaned back against the wall and bent forward. She tried thinking this out carefully, but she couldn't come up with anything that made sense to her. She shook her head several times.
"The girl smiled at you like... like she knew you," Sarah muttered. She twisted her head up towards Cameron. "Do you know her?"
"No, I do not recognize her nor did my scans retrieve any data on her." Cameron could tell her friend was nervous and now on edge. She moved closer to Sarah and offered, "I think we are still safe, Sarah." She listened to the human's low sigh.
"I don't know... they could be scrubbed terminators," Sarah tempted.
"But they would not be eating," Cameron debated.
Sarah threw her hand up and joked, "There's nothing odd about terminators casually dining with humans in the Resistance's headquarters city, right?" She straightened up and sputtered, "I mean it looked like that girl and terminator were dating, practically." She pressed her hand against her forehead.
"I will speak to John about this," Cameron decided.
Sarah dropped her hand to her thigh. "Drill him, Cameron... seriously." She shook her head and explained, "I'm not sure how safe I feel right now."
The terminator pushed off the wall and stood in front of the human. She moved in closer then bent over the petite human. "You are safe," she swore.
Sarah glanced off to her left when somebody passed them. She waited until she felt they were out of earshot. She peeked up at her protector. "I feel safe with you," she revealed. "I trust you."
Cameron had a sad smile and concluded, "But you don't trust John."
Sarah pointed a finger at her friend. "I don't trust what's going on right now." She lowered her hand and thought more about the 2028 tidbits. "We'll talk more about it later when we're alone." She peeled off the wall and moved in closer to the only being she trusted, completely. "Just see what you can find out from John."
"I will," Cameron promised. "Will you be okay without me?"
"Yeah," Sarah murmured. She slid her hands into her back pockets and nodded once. She smirked up at her protector. "You'll know if I need you." She freed her hands. "I'll see you in a bit." She slipped past the large terminator and started down the hall.
"Be careful, Blue," Cameron called to her friend.
Sarah spun around, walked backwards, and joked, "As careful as I can be." She gave a wink followed by a smile then she turned around again. Her small gait widened and took her around the next bend.
Cameron watched the human until she was gone. She retrieved the map from her memory and determined John's office. She hoped she could corner him, alone.
Sarah Connor finally found her way above ground and out into the beautiful day. She moved away from the entrance to the underground city and looked up at the sky. She rapidly blinked against the sunlight until her eyes adjusted right. The day's cool air slightly nipped at her skin, but Sarah didn't care and started on her walk through the city.
Sarah was truly intrigued by the three towers. She wanted to explore one because Thomas hadn't shown her and Cameron them yesterday. But first, Sarah decided on a brief lap around the walls that'd burn off her energy. It would also give her some time to think about what was happening here in 2028.
The stroll took a solid twenty minutes because the wall's length was so great. She came to an end when the wall connected with the cliff side. She paused several yards away from the turret anchored to the cliff side. She studied the gigantic plasma cannon that helped protect Little Troy from any airborne threats.
Sarah lowered her gaze when she saw a soldier marching out from the turret's ground level door. She drew in her eyebrows at the German Shepherd that walked at his side. She easily recalled the dog from the other night that'd been the one at the gates and didn't bark at Cameron. This intrigued Sarah so she approached the dog and owner.
"Hi," Sarah greeted the Resistance soldier. She offered him a warm smile.
The soldier slowed and returned the smile. "Hello, Miss Connor."
Sarah mentally sighed but poked out her right arm that displayed the time traveler indicator. "It's obvious huh?"
The soldier grinned at the joke. "Yes, and word travels." He switched his dog's leash to his left hand and held out his hand. "I'm Andrew Marshal... it's a pleasure to meet you."
Sarah shook hands with the young man then she focused on the dog. "And who is this?" She knelt in front of the large dog and ran her fingers through his thick fur.
"This handsome fella is Max." Andrew ruffled the dog's fur on his back.
"He is handsome," Sarah softly agreed. She smiled at the German Shepherd that sniffed her over, carefully. She slowly stood up and asked, "He helps identify terminators, I suppose?"
"Yes," Andrew replied. He gently tugged on the dog's leash in a hidden signal for him to sit.
Max danced on his paws then finally sat down. He regarded the two humans that spoke.
"He's been with us for about a year now," the soldier informed. He glanced down at the dog and seemed to consider something. He lifted his features to Sarah Connor again. "Before he joined the city patrol, he was Cameron's dog."
Sarah had twisted features and thin lips because she wasn't sure how to respond at first.
Andrew had a half smile and better explained, "She couldn't take him with her when she went to the past." He pet Max on the head. "She gave him to me before she left."
Sarah gently cleared her throat and hesitantly asked, "You're friends with Cameron?"
"Not at first," Andrew replied. He showed a strained face and his voice was laced with old emotions. "What do you know about Cameron before she joined the Resistance?"
Sarah casually shrugged and replied, "I know she was with Skynet. She posed as Allison Young so that she could get close to my son. But she was stopped, scrubbed, and eventually sent back to me and my son when he was younger." She wondered if her remark about Cameron being scrubbed would be right or not. But she remembered that John told her that the Resistance believed Cameron had been scrubbed despite it never happened that way.
Andrew bobbed his head then explained, "Technically Max is Allison's dog." He licked his lips but continued the old story. "Most terminators will kill dogs immediately because they give terminators away. But Cameron didn't kill Max... most likely because she worried if she did so then everybody would know she wasn't Allison." His lips twitched with a sad smile. "Allison really loved Max."
Sarah folded her arms and carefully mentioned, "Cameron said her and Max came to an understanding."
"They must have," Andrew agreed. "We never saw it coming... a terminator who didn't kill a dog and befriended it instead." He huffed and shook his head with a sad smile. "I think Max was Cameron's first friend here." He gave a shrug. "After it came out that Cameron was a terminator sent by Skynet there was a lot of uproar."
Sarah could imagine there was especially because her son put on a front that he chose to keep Cameron rather than scrap her. She focused back on the conversation and asked, "So you wound up with Max later?"
"Yes," Andrew replied, "after Cameron volunteered for the mission, she asked that I take Max."
Sarah slightly narrowed her eyes when Andrew said that Cameron had volunteered for the mission. She made a mental note to ask Cameron about this later. "It must have been hard for you." She saw Andrew's confused look. "Been hard to lose Allison and see her machine replacement everyday."
The soldier wrapped the leash once around his hand and composed his response. He sighed and admitted, "It was at the start... I was angry, hateful." He had a dark stare. "I was close to Allison." However, his face lightened and focused on Sarah. "But I learned that sometimes your worst enemy can become your best friend." He could tell that Sarah Connor understood what he meant. "Cameron is the only terminator that I know who has made amends for her past."
Sarah was curious by his last words. She had to ask and know what he meant by that. "How'd she make amends?"
Andrew smiled at the question and merely replied, "She vowed to protect our future." He now tugged on Max's leash so that he'd stand. "I have to get going, Miss Connor but it was nice to meet you." He glanced down at his dog. "Right, boy?"
Max wagged his tail and looked between the humans.
Sarah petted the dog and a thought came to mind. She peered up at the soldier. "Feel free to stop by our quarters. I'm sure Cameron would like to catch up with you." She then smiled at Andrew. "Both of you."
Andrew was quiet then nodded after a beat. "I thought about it." He had a promising look. "Maybe I will." He then headed off but said, "Goodbye, Miss Connor."
"Bye, Andrew." Sarah watched him briefly then glanced at the German Shepherd's backside.
Max stayed close to Andrew's side, but he twisted his head around and looked at Sarah Connor.
Sarah tapped her right boot once against the soft ground then muttered, "Interesting." She realized she truly needed to chat with Cameron about her life with the Resistance. She knew very little, obviously but she would correct that tonight.