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Chapter 17 Tears of Joy and Sorrow
Chapter 17
Tears of Joy and Sorrow
Tears of Joy and Sorrow
“Whether they’re leaving or coming back, it’s never easy for Marines or their families.”
Michelle Mitchell, The Desert Sun, January 28, 2007
Sarah Connor, “I’ll always find you.”
John Connor, “I’ll always find you.”
Extract from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, The Demon Hand, 2008.
Sarah Connor: Are you saying it’s from the future?
Kyle Reese: One possible future. From your point of view... I don’t know tech stuff.
Sarah Connor: Then you’re saying you’re from the future, too. Is that right?
Kyle Reese: Right.
Sarah Connor: Right.
Excerpt from The Terminator 1984
“Listen, and understand. That terminator is out there. It can’t be bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.” Kyle Reese, The Terminator 1984
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CUE Track10 - Sarah Connor's Theme; Reunion Part 2 Armageddon
CUE Track10 - Sarah Connor's Theme; Reunion Part 2 Armageddon
2027, Day 44, 10:15 PM
John and Sarah are sitting beside each other on her bunk. Savannah still stands by the door. She can’t help but smile as she watches the two of them together. All she heard growing up were stories of Sarah raising John and some of the adventures they had in fighting Sky Net.
“How long have you been here?” Sarah asks her son.
“Six weeks. I thought you were dead, mom. I thought everyone I knew died on Judgment Day.”
“Cameron took us deep into the mountains, where we survived, far from the missiles. We lived there for years until recently. We were making our way south when we stopped at an old state park. We set up camp in the few cabins that were still habitable, that is when Savannah and I heard you on the radio.”
“Your mom cried when she heard your voice.” Savannah says. “It was only the second time I ever saw her cry.”
Sarah closes her eyes momentarily then asks, “Is it true, what you said on the radio about being leader of the resistance?”
“Not all of it Mom, just resistance group Grizzly, out of L. A. I’m sorry I gave you such a hard time about my destiny, mom. I couldn’t accept it, but I guess I never really had a choice in the matter.”
They sit there a few minutes just enjoying the time they now have together. Sarah looks at her son, and sees the man she always knew he would be. John looks at his mom and wonders how he could have been such a fool for not believing her. They have so much to say and so many questions they want to ask, that they don’t say anything for a few minutes.
John’s thoughts turn to the last time he saw his mom.
“Mom, what happened after I left? Why did Judgment Day come two years earlier than we were told?”
“I’m so sorry. It’s my fault. I tried to stop it and failed.” Sarah’s eyes fill with pain .
John hugs his mom and holds her. “It’s okay mom. I’m here now. No matter what happened, I need to know. We can still stop Sky Net.”
“I don’t know if I can tell you.”
“Just start that last day we were together and work your way forward. Take your time.”
Sarah looks at her son. She runs her hand through his hair and down the side of his head to his shoulder. “First let me tell you I was pretty pissed off with you for breaking me out of jail instead of running. But I’m also proud of you for rescuing your mom.”
John smiles briefly at her. “Were you sick? Cameron told me that day you were sick.”
“I was sick John, but it wasn’t cancer. Not then anyway, but I thought it was when I was going to leave you with Charlie. It turned out I didn’t have cancer, but I was sick with an intestinal infection. I couldn’t eat anything and keep it down. I kept it hidden from you as I didn’t want you to worry. Our lives were complicated enough at the time. While in prison, their doctor gave me a jab of something which helped.”
Ignoring her comment for the moment about her not having cancer then, he asks, “What happened at Zeira Corp.? Why did you stay behind?”
“I saw the time setting on the computer. I knew what year you were going to. I couldn’t go with you John. Your father told me about the future he came from. The stories he told fueled my nightmares for the remainder of my life. I decided to stay and do what I could to help you in the present.”
“It’s okay mom. You put Cameron’s body in a safe place where I could find it, along with my computer and other things. You managed to live through it. You’ve experienced more of this future than I have. But what happened? Why did Judgment Day come early? You’re the only person who can tell me.”
“I can’t....”
“Mom, I need to know.”
“I can tell you.” Savannah says as she walks over and sits in a chair across from Sarah’s bunk.
“Your mom did what she could to stop it from happening, but they were too well prepared. Sarah even had help from Detective Macklin of the LAPD and Agent Auldridge of the FBI, and Cameron.”
“You had help from the authorities?” John asks his mom incredulously. “Since when did you start trusting them?”
“Agent Ellison trusted them. They knew the truth. They died because of it.” Sarah says.
“What happened? Please tell me.”
“Your mom and the two law men were investigating an industrial complex in Topanga Canyon. Cameron was protecting me. The three of them were captured and Macklin and Auldridge were killed.”
‘Topanga Canyon again’ John thinks. “And what happened to mom?” he says.
“She was tortured John. That’s why she couldn’t tell you. She was tortured to reveal where you were.” Light tears run from Savannah’s eyes. “She held out for as long as she could. Don’t be angry. None of us could have withstood what he did to her.”
“What did he do to you mom?” John shouts, not in anger but in pain. “What did he do?!”
Sarah doesn’t answer. She just lays back on her bunk and pulls her shirt up to reveal her stomach and the scars from all the puncture wounds.
John can’t believe what he is seeing. In just the small area she exposes are dozens of pink scars from puncture wounds. He reaches out lightly touches the scars with his hand.
“Mom. I’m so sorry. I’m so very sorry. I never should have left you.” He cries not taking his eyes off the scars.
“He did more than just her abdomen John. He cut deep wounds into her entire torso. He was sadistic and took pleasure from the pain he inflected on Sarah.”
Spinning about staring at Savannah, he shouts, “Who did this? WHO DID THIS?!”
“His name is Kreilley.” Sarah says quietly. “He’s a liquid metal terminator. He built Sky Net and it launched the missiles on May 18, 2009.”
John takes his mom’s hand. “It’s okay mom. I don’t blame you. No one will blame you. Sky Net did this to you and to us.”
“Savannah, how did mom get out of there?”
“Cameron risked leaving me behind to rescue your mom. She found your mom in a concrete building, chained, naked and bleeding from over a hundred wounds. Sarah was left to die by Kreilley. Cameron killed many of Kreilley’s human agents to rescue her. She brought your mom to where she left me and together we treated, cleaned and bandaged your mother’s wounds. We were making our way through the mountains leaving Los Angeles when we stopped to help your mom finish dressing. That’s when we saw the missiles being launched. Sky Net was born that very night and launched the nations nuclear missiles against every nuclear armed nation in the world.”
“What did the three of you do then?”
“Cameron drove all night. She stopped in a mountain resort town and broke into a medical center to steal medical supplies. Including blood and a transfusion kit for Sarah. She also broke into a camping/survivalist store and stole canned food and vacuum sealed food supplies. Cameron was amazing. She refueled the truck by stealing gas from RV’s and campers and she drove us well into the following day not stopping until we reached an old military bunker built inside a mountain in the Sierra’s. It was built sometime in the 1960's at the height of the cold war. I have no idea how she did it, but she managed to get past the security system and get us inside. We lived there for the next eighteen years.”
John is still holding his mom’s hand. She grips his hand tight as Savannah’s story makes the memories come alive in her mind.
“When we arrived, the banks of computers were almost all dead, but a few were still operational. The radios were buzzing with chatter as civil defense groups and state militias were looking for direction from the military. Ignoring the radios, Cameron got Sarah comfortable and set up a feed for the blood she took and gave your mom injections of antibiotics and anti-tetanus to stem any possible infection from the torture. She left me to watch Sarah, and Cameron got on the radios and started answering everyone’s calls. She was amazing John. She got everyone organized and started the foundation of the resistance for your ultimate arrival. For those who couldn’t leave to join us, she provided them with intelligence and information to aid them in their fight. She never slept. When she wasn’t on the radios, she was rebuilding the computers or helping Sarah or helping me. She and Sarah were like mothers to me.”
Savannah is crying a little.
“Hey, hey, it's all right.” John says, reaching over and patting her arm. “It must have been very hard for you being so young. Your whole world turned over in an instant. But you made it. You survived. What happened next?”
“Cameron was able to rebuild most of the computers. She linked them together increasing their computing power. By that time several days had passed and Sarah was doing much better. People were beginning to show up. Some of them had new computers and other electronics which Cameron put to use. She was able to use the computers to hack into the nations defense network. We were able to monitor Sky Net and learn when its satellites would be passing so we wouldn’t reveal our location.”
“The first people to arrive were locals, but soon people who were stranded on the roads when the missiles destroyed their home cities began arriving, then former military veterans who used to work at the old bunker arrived. They were able to get in touch with their former comrades. They knew the old military codes, ones that Sky Net didn’t know about as the old codes were abandoned in the 1980's as computers began to be used to encode signals. Soon the members of the regular armed forces began to arrive, reserve and guard units all left without command or structure when the government fell. Sarah built an army from all of them.”
“I’m proud of you, mom.”
“I did it for you, son. I knew you would be coming and would need an army.”
“Sarah was tough. She told them about Sky Net and what it did. And how it was building machines to destroy the human race. Most believed her. Some doubted her. Some old retired army general tried to stage a coup and take command. Sarah broke his jaw. She never had problems of that sort again.”
“Good for you mom!” John says with pride and a huge grin.
“Thanks. We built the army for you like Savannah said. Cameron was right there with us the whole time. We raised Savannah together. Savannah is like a daughter to me. Cameron was of great help to me, son. I couldn’t of done it without her. She was my friend.”
“What happened to her? I would have thought she’d still be with you.”
“She wanted to see you again, but she left us almost two maybe three months ago. Cameron told us that her power cell had begun to leak and she was going to leave before it could cause any of us to become sick. I don’t know what became of her. We never saw her again. But before she left, she told us there wasn't enough fuel for the generators, and it was time for us to move. After she left, we began heading south. How did you know I needed her?”
“Bad things happened mom. I was involved in capturing a plasma rifle factory from Sky Net. There were two machines present that no one, had seen previously. Their technology was beyond anything seen before. On top of that, the chips that were easy to reprogram when I arrived, suddenly were able to fight the reprogramming. Catherine found out that Judgment Day came not on April 21, 2011, like we expected but on May 18, 2009. When I learned that, I decided that when I got Cameron repaired, I would send her to help you. As much as I love her, I knew you were alone and would need her help.”
“Catherine!? You’re not talking about that tin-*****, who pretended to be my mom, are you?”
“Savannah, please. She....” Sarah tires to speak.
“She abandoned me! She abandoned me to go chasing after John Henry. She could have stayed! She....” Savannah marches out of the room and slams the door behind her.
“Savannah!” Sarah shouts after her to no avail.
“She knows that Catherine is a liquid metal machine doesn’t she?” John asks quietly.
“Yes, John. When she was old enough, I told her the truth. It wasn’t easy, but I told her everything in time. She was only six when she lost her mom, then her whole world. I think she still loves her mom, despite knowing what she is, and hates her for leaving her.”
“Mom, we had every intention of returning. It’s just that Catherine’s Time Displacement Equipment has only limited power now and we are unable to go back. We are stuck here for the time being. It appears my decision to chase Cameron’s chip is the cause for all of this. If I hadn’t left, Kreilley never would have launched Sky Net. You never would have been tortured and we would have had two years to stop Judgment Day from happening. Instead I only gave you five days. I’m sorry, mom. I’m so very sorry.”
Sarah cradles her son’s head in her lap. “It’s not your fault anymore than it was mine. If there is anyone to blame, it is Kreilley. To have been as well prepared as he was, he must have been planning it for years. You chose to leave and I was tortured until I revealed you were gone. This future is of Kreilley’s creation. He will be stopped, and you will do it. The army I built for you will help you defeat him.”
After a few minutes, John sits up. “Besides building an army, what else did you do?”
“I taught the people survival skills, how to live off the land. Luckily there were quite a few people who knew such skills and helped teach the others. I made it paramount everyone was to learn multiple skills. We had some doctors and other professionals in our group. The doctors trained the brightest of the young people in medicine and the professionals were given jobs as teachers for the children. Everyone was trained from small children to adults in military combat skills. I taught them like I taught you. We survived and we trained for the day you would arrive. I didn’t know what day that would be, but I wanted to have an army for you, son.”
“Thank you, mom. You don’t know how much that means to me. I lost most of my troops in just getting here. We came under heavy fire by HK’s, metal, and those two unusual machines I mentioned. It’s possible we’ve lost half of our machines, and Kyle says we’ll be lucky if even half of our forces survived.”
“Kyle? Kyle Reese is alive!”
“****! I didn’t want to tell you, this soon. But yes mom, he is alive. Time got all screwed up by my leaping forward in time. Kyle and Derek are both alive, but Derek is missing.”
“Kyle doesn’t know that he is or will be your father does he?”
“No. But this future was created by my traveling forward in time and Kreilley’s early launch of Sky Net. It is quite possible that in this time-line, that the Kyle Reese I know isn’t or won’t be my father. ”
“Have you told him? You never trusted anyone enough to tell them.”
“I haven’t told him or anyone else anything resembling the truth. But you are here, Savannah is here, and Martin Beddell is here. I’ll have to tell them the truth before they hear something that exposes the lies I told them. Though, Allison now suspects the truth.”
“Who is Allison?” Sarah asks giving her son a questioning look.
* * *
Allison is walking down the hall and finds Savannah standing outside Sarah’s room. Savannah is still upset but hasn’t gone any further than the door out of loyalty to Sarah.
As Allison approaches, Savannah’s eyes get big. “Cameron?” she asks, sounding surprised.
“No. I’m Lieutenant Allison Young, General Connor’s Adjutant, we met earlier. I have a message from Colonel Reese. I need to speak with John right away.”
“Um, not Kyle Reese by any chance?”
“Yes. Do you know him?”
“Uh, no but...wait here a moment.” Savannah raps on the door, then goes inside closing it behind her.
“John, your adjutant is outside with a message. She needs to speak with you. You’ve got a message from,” She takes a side long glance at Sarah. “uh, one of your Colonel’s.”
“Thank you. Could you give us a couple of minutes then send Allison in?”
“Sure.” Savannah glances at Sarah then goes outside.
Allison is still standing there, waiting patiently.
“John has asked me to let you in to see them after a couple of minutes.”
“I can wait.”
After Savannah closed the door behind her, John resumes talking to his mom.
“Mom, Allison Young is a Lieutenant in my army and my adjutant. We met when I first arrived. We are in love mom, and...I asked her to marry me.”
Sarah looks shocked. “Are you sure you want to marry this girl? You are still so young.”
“Mom. People my age already have families in this world. The life expectancy is very short. We are at war and that brings people close together, faster than ever. She strengthens me mom. I could have never of made it without her.” John hesitates a moment. “Mom, there is something I need to tell you about Allison....”
“What? I want to meet this girl who you could fall in love with so quickly. You came here chasing Cameron’s chip. You fixed her, and sent her back to help me. I understand it better now. You met someone else.” Sarah turns her head to the door. “Savannah, let her in.”
“Mom, wait....”
The door opens and Allison walks in followed by Savannah. Sarah’s eyes grow large and her mouth opens wide. She looks like she is about to pass out or worse, have a heart attack.
“Mom. Mom!” John gives her quick shake.
“John, she’s not, uh” she drops her voice so low that John can barely hear “uh, metal is she.”
“No mom. She isn’t metal. She isn’t Cameron either.” He whispers back.
“Mom” He says in his normal voice and stands up. “This is Allison Young. She’s one of our best officers and soldiers, my adjutant and adviser, my best friend and most important, my fiancé.”
“Allison, this is my mom, Sarah Connor.”
“Ms. Connor, I’m so pleased to meet you. John has told me so much about you.” Allison walks forward and grasps her hands.
“I’m very, uh, pleased to meet you too. Uh, John could you give me a...”
“... minute.” John finishes for her.
“That too, but I was going to say a drink. I’ve got just one bottle of tequila left. It’s up on that shelf behind the glasses. Get each us a glass. We will all have a drink.”
John gets the bottle down and four glasses. Sarah pours each of them a small amount, herself double.
“Allison. I apologize for the shock at seeing you. It’s just that you look like....”
“I know. John’s sister, Cameron. John told me how you took her in and raised them both as siblings. He told me I looked just like her. I understand the shock you must feel.”
“Right.” Sarah gives John a look which says, I know you didn’t tell her the truth and why. “Then let’s make a toast. Here’s to John and Allison. May they find happiness and peace in this world at war. And may Sky Net fall, never to be reborn.”
“Here. Here.” They down their drinks. John and Savannah cough and splutter as the burning liquid goes down their throats. Allison and Sarah swallow without a problem and exchange a look.
“I guess they just don’t know how to drink tequila.” Sarah says. “I’m surprised you handle it well.”
“I’ve drunk the Doc’s, homemade, rotgut whiskey, this stuff seems pretty tame in comparison.” she says sharing a smile with Sarah over John’s coughing fit.
Turning her attention back to John, she says, “John we need to go now. Kyle will be here soon and he has some information for you. Ms. Connor, I’m glad to have met you. I look forward to spending more time with you.” They hug briefly.
“Likewise.”
John lets himself get escorted out by Allison, as he still tries to make use of his throat. He’s not used to alcohol. At least nothing this strong. He used to sneak one of his mom’s beers back at the old house, but that never could have prepared him for the tequila.
After they leave, Savannah has a few words with Sarah.
“You didn’t tell him did you?”
“Tell him what?”
“About your cancer. How you will be lucky to live out the week.”
“Savannah,” Sarah says slowly. “I haven’t seen my son in nearly twenty years. He has only just arrived. How do you tell your only child, after that kind of separation, that you are going to die. I will tell him, but in my own time.”
“I understand Sarah. You’ve been like a mother to me, but you will have to tell him. Don’t let him find out after you are dead. He may be grown up, but he still needs you and he needs to know the truth.”
* * *
John and Allison are riding the elevator to the upper level where the hanger and offices are.
“You didn’t seem all that surprised to see my mom.” John says after he regains the use of his throat.
“After you left with Savannah, Captain Beddell told me of the surprise he and Savannah had prepared.”
“The bastard! I’m surprised he would do such a thing.”
“Well, it wasn’t exactly his idea. Sarah and Savannah though of it and convinced him to go along.”
John smiles thinking of his mom, and how still after all this time, she still loves him enough to pull a prank even on such a wonderful moment. He suddenly remembers Allison called him away because of Kyle.
“What’s the message from Kyle?”
“Shortly after you left Captain Beddell’s office, he showed me to the radio room. I was able to make contact with Kyle. He’s got both good and bad news for you.”
“Is he coming to Camp Pendleton now?”
“Yes. He should be arriving by the time we get to the upper level.”
“Good. We need to inform Captain Beddell we’ve got machines working for us. We don’t need a friendly firefight. We’ve lost enough troops today.”
The elevator comes to a stop on the upper level and the doors slide open with a chime.
“I’ll go inform Captain Beddell so he can alert his troops. You go meet with Kyle and John Henry. I’ll join you shortly.” John sounds a little somber while he talks.
“Are you okay?”
“What?”
“Are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine. It’s been a very long day, and it is catching up with me. You’d better get going. They’ve probably landed already.”
Allison gives him a quick smile then hurries to the hanger.
John knocks on Captain Beddell’s door.
“Come in!”
John enters the office. “Hello, I just received word that my troops are being flown in and should be arriving. I should tell you that we have a large number of re-programmed machines working for us.”
“You’ve managed to re-program the machines? How many do you have?”
“Yeah, I had help. Before today’s battle we had a whole company. I don’t know how many we’ve got now. I just thought you’d better know so your troops won’t fire on them.”
“****! I’d better go alert the guards. The helicopters are due to arrive.”
Beddell runs out of the office, John Connor on his heals. They run down the corridor and into the hanger as the first two Chinooks come in to land outside.
“Sergeant Adams!” Beddell yells as he runs out onto the hanger floor.
“Yes sir!” a guard smartly comes to attention.
“General Connor has just told me he has re-programmed machines working for him. Inform all guards. We don’t need an accidental fire fight.”
“Yes Sir!” The sergeant runs off and speaks to several soldiers standing by the hanger doors. A few of them go running off to other groups standing guard duty.
Men and machines begin to disembark from the first two Chinooks as three more Chinooks begin to arrive. The machines pull out heavy cases loaded down with plasma rifles and spare parts from one helicopter, while men carry stretchers with wounded soldiers and civilians from the other.
Allison walks over and stands beside John. His eyes look terrible as he watches the wounded get carried off the helicopter. Some are on stretchers while others are carried in people’s arms. Some being assisted as they limp along. The saddest sight of all is when a child is carried out. All four of her limbs are in splints. The child is crying in pain.
John can’t watch any more. Turning his back on the scene, he speaks to Allison. “When Kyle and John Henry arrive, bring them to me. I’ll wait for them in Captain Beddell’s office.”
He quickly walks off.
“John....” Allison calls out to his departing back.
John marches quickly down the corridor and enters Beddell’s office, closing the door behind him. Captain Beddell hasn’t returned. He sits in one of the empty chairs and buries his face in his hands. John feels so tired and so hungry and the burden of his responsibilities and the realities of his situation are just too much for him to handle. The realities of his position hit home, harder than any bullies fist.
* * *
The last of the soldiers, civilians, machines and supplies are unloaded from the last helicopter. All five Chinooks leave to go collect the last of the men, machines and supplies back at the lake.
John Henry is assisting in carrying parts and tools for the machines. Several machines assist in carrying some of their more damaged comrades who are presently unable to move under their own power. The flesh on many are severely damaged revealing the metal endoskeleton underneath, whether it be their faces, heads, arms, legs or torsos.
Kyle Reese and Andy Keen approach Allison. There is a girl behind them that Allison doesn’t recognize. She knows nearly everyone in the camps, if not by name then by their faces, but then a lot of people did join them in the mountains whom she never met before.
“Allison!” Kyle runs up and gives her a friendly hug hello. “Where’s John? I’ve got some news for him.”
“Hi Kyle. He’s in Captain Beddell’s office. He wanted me to escort you and John Henry there for a private meeting.”
The girl behind Andy and Kyle steps forward. “Who is this?” Allison says almost coldly.
“This is Natalie Sky. John Henry and I found her in the wreckage of that huge flying HK. It appears to have been some sort of prisoner transport.”
“Hello Allison.” Natalie says with a warm smile. “Kyle has told me something about you. I would love to meet John Connor. I’ve heard a lot about him.”
Allison feels a little wary but can’t tell where that feeling is coming from. She only felt that way once before, when she met Catherine Weaver. “Maybe later. He is very busy right now. Kyle, as soon as you and John Henry are free, John would like to speak with you both.”
Kyle frowns a little. This isn’t Allison’s usual demeanor. She is always very friendly. “Sure Allison. Nat why don’t you go over there with the other civilians, maybe there is something you can do to help the wounded. Andy here has got some news for you Allison. I’ll go see if John Henry is free.”
Allison watches Natalie walk over to the civilians. She doesn’t know why this person is bothering her.
“Lieutenant.” Andy says trying to get her attention.
“Lieutenant!” Andy says louder when his first call was ignored.
“Oh, I’m sorry Andy, my mind was on other things. Kyle said you have some news for me?”
“Yeah. Guess what General Connor gave me on the battle field today?”
Allison smiles. “What?”
“I got a promotion! I’m now a Sergeant. He’s putting me in charge of all radio operations and operators.” He says cheerfully.
“I hate to burst your bubble Andy, but after today, you are probably our only radio operator.”
Andy’s face falls. Allison can’t help but laugh at the sudden shift in his face. “But there is some good news.”
“Oh!” He perks up a little.
“You are the only sergeant in Delta Squad, which makes you second in command of our squad.”
Andy smiles again.
“Don’t smile too hard. This promotion means your responsibilities just doubled. I’m serving as General Connors Adjutant which means you’ll be in charge of Delta Squad whenever I’m with the general, which will be most of the time.”
“Bloody hell. I didn’t think of that.” He says his face falling again.
Allison walks away chuckling to herself over Andy’s predicament. She meets up with Kyle and John Henry. Kyle is presently assisting John Henry in attaching a replacement leg on a T-888.
“Is that difficult to do?”
“Hello Lieutenant Young.” John Henry says, “Not if you have the right tools or the right parts. Luckily this leg just meets the specifications for this T-888. The T-888's were infinitely variable, more so than any previous T series machine. Finding parts that match are more difficult than the T-850 and previous models which were all built to the same specifications, only occasionally did the outer flesh vary.”
“When you are finished, General Connor is waiting for the two of you to deliver your reports. I’m suppose to escort you both to see him.”
The Triple 8 speaks up. “You can go with her now, sirs. I can finish the repairs on my own now.”
John Henry nods his assent and hands him the tools. He and Kyle follow Allison as she walks across the hanger floor and through the double doors.
When they enter the door to Beddell’s office John has recovered himself and is standing behind the makeshift desk.
“Kyle! John Henry! I’m glad to see you.” he says a little more cheerfully than expected. It is obvious he’s forcing the cheerfulness, trying to hide the pain he’s carrying.
“Captain Beddell has kindly let me borrow his office temporarily, while he makes arrangements for our people.” John tries to maintain a cheerful demeanor, but he isn’t fooling anybody.
“John, maybe I should tell you the news later after you had some rest. It is obvious you are exhausted.”
“Just tell me, Kyle.” John sits down and says more somberly. “What were our losses?”
“All right.” Kyle sighs, sits down then begins speaking. “We’ve lost 80% of the civilians. Most were killed in the first wave. The rest were killed while fleeing. Including all civilians who were with Allison and yourself and the few who found places to hide, we are looking at only 55 civilians still alive, mostly children and young adults.”
“How many of our troops?” John asks.
“Not as bad, but it is hard to get an accurate count as we are working from an estimate of how many soldiers survived the purge of the bunkers and the attack on the outpost. Our best guess is that we’ve suffered a loss of 55% of our forces. Out of all we started with, we probably have only the equivalent of half a company, 147 soldiers. Unfortunately, about 17% of them are wounded.”
Connor lets out a long sigh, dropping his head and placing his face in his hands. Allison walks around and puts her hands on his shoulders rubbing them gently.
“John Henry, how many of the machines survived?” He asks through his hands.
“Not as bad as my original estimate due to emergency repairs made on the field. We’ve lost only 40% of the machines we still had after the plasma rifle factory was blown up. We have 109 fully operational machines; 12 machines which require major repairs; 26 which require minor repairs; and 37 which have had their chips and or power cells damaged leaving them unable to perform their mission. They are being cannibalized for parts to repair the other machines.”
“Thanks John Henry.” John raises his head and reaches up and takes one of Allison’s hands in his own briefly.
“How many weapons were you able to recover? Specifically the plasma rifles.”
“We’ve recovered 90% of the plasma rifles. We were unable to locate the rest. We are assuming they got buried under that landslide in the first attack. We collected all other weapons found on the ground, including those used by the endo’s. Their plasma rifles were different from ours.” John Henry replies.
“In what way?” John asks, looking at him directly.
“They are more powerful. Kyle tested one on an endo we found, which was still semi-operational. Just one pull of the trigger and its whole head blew off. It’s chip wasn’t just destroyed, its whole head was blown off.”
“How many of those weapons did you find?”
“Twelve in all, which still function. The rest were damaged or destroyed by the Apaches gunfire.”
Looking at Kyle, John says, “Allison said you had some good news for me.”
“Yes, we do. With help from the helicopter pilots, we did a count of all fallen HK’s. Between our ground forces and their fighter jets, fifteen HK’s were found destroyed. We think there are probably more, but we couldn’t continue the search after the sun went down. Three centaurs were destroyed by yours truly and the combined forces of Alpha and Beta squads, and John Henry’s machines and the Apache helicopters completely decimated 113 endo’s.”
“That is impressive. Anything else.”
“John Henry and I investigated the wing that broke off of that giant flying HK, when attacked by the fighter jets. We found a survivor on board. That craft was some kind of prisoner transport. We are assuming that giant walking machine was some kind of guardian or something to that effect.”
“Who is this prisoner you found?”
“Her name is Natalie Sky. She’s about 24 years old and is part Asian and part Native-American. She heard your radio message and was walking to join our group when she got picked up by that machine. She expressed an interest in meeting you.”
“No.” All John can see or hear in his head is the screams of the civilians as they came under attack, and the sight of the child with all four limbs in splints. “I will meet with the three of you and the other officers of this resistance only. All others will just have to learn my time is needed here.”
“John?” Allison says with concern filling her voice.
“Please. Don’t say anything. You three are my friends and the best officers in our group. I just can’t....” He can’t continue speaking. The emotions threaten to steal control. Pain, exhaustion and something akin to despair colors his features for a moment.
Kyle and Allison exchange a look which goes unnoticed by John. John Henry just looks stoic as he listens to what John Connor has said.
“John Henry, would you please see to the repairs of your troops.” John says as soon as he finds his voice.
“Yes John Connor.” John Henry gets up and walks out of the office.
“Allison, thank you for rubbing my shoulders, but right now I need to tell you and Kyle something.” John sounds very tired.
She walks around in front of the desk and sits in the chair vacated by John Henry.
“What is it John? I haven’t seen you look like this since you arrived.” Kyle says.
“Funny you should say that. What I’ve got to tell you is about my arrival and my origins. You both deserve the truth now.”
“What are you saying?” Kyle asks.
“My mom is alive and she is here at this base. And what I’m going to say next is the absolute truth and then I’m going to take you to meet my mom. She and Savannah will back up my story and so will Captain Beddell. I would like to tell you both now, and would appreciate it if you would let me tell the whole story before asking any questions.”
“It is obvious this is pressing on your mind. Tell us what you need to say.” Kyle says.
Should he tell them about Kyle possibly being his dad? But with what he’s learned, this can’t be the future he came from. Nothing in this time line is anything like what he’s been told. So it’s just as likely that this Kyle isn’t his father. So much depends on how all this time travel has affected the future. After all, they’ve changed Judgment Day twice now already. After mentally debating it for a few seconds, he decides to tell the truth. John begins to speak. He talks slowly, going over every detail from the first attack made on his mom in 1984 up through the day he time traveled with Catherine Weaver. The only things he decides to lie about is having previously met Derek, continuing to refer to him as his Uncle “Eric” in his story, and to lie about his sister Cameron being a cyborg, and about Catherine Weaver being a liquid metal terminator. Other than those three white lies, and the things he shades because of those lies, everything he tells them is true.
By the time he finishes an hour has gone by. John sits there quietly waiting to hear what they are going to ask him. Five minutes go past and no one has said anything.
“Kyle?” John asks.
Kyle runs his hands through his hair before speaking. “I don’t know what to say John. Time travel, cyborg’s from another future attacking you and your mom. A Kyle Reese from an alternate time line being your father. It is a lot to take in right now.”
“My mom is here. She can verify all that I’ve told you. Beddell can back up my story that I time traveled here from twenty years ago. My uncle and I rescued him from a terminator attack in 2008.”
“John it is late. I don’t know how I’ll sleep after a story like yours. But if you want me to meet your mother, I’d suggest you let her sleep and we’ll all see her in the morning.”
John glances at the clock on the wall. He hadn’t realized it was so late. “Okay. Don’t talk about this with anyone. I mean it, not with anyone. It isn’t safe. Let’s go see what kind of accommodations they are providing us with.”
2027, Day 45, 12:45 AM
The accommodations are excellent for an underground bunker. There are multiple multi-level bunkers all interconnected with each other and connected to hangers built into the hills. There is room for hundreds of troops and storage for tons of equipment, arms, and supplies.
John’s troops are housed in several large wards with multiple bunks and complete bathroom facilities. Some of the troops have never seen a toilet or shower before, but the older men and women who were children when the bombs fell remember. Though the accommodations are Spartan compared to what we would consider nice, for the troops who lived in the devastation of Los Angeles, it is the equivalent of a spa.
The wounded are housed in the medical ward where doctors from Sarah’s army look after them. They are joined by Doc from the outpost. Outside of Allison, no other trained medics survived the attack.
The surviving officers take rooms close to the troops, including Kyle. However, John and Allison are given a large private room in the same bunker and on the same level as his mom.
John and Allison have just showered and changed into army green t-shirts and shorts for going to bed. They also have fresh uniforms provided by Captain Beddell’s unit.
John is contemplating shaving off the six week old scruffy beard that he has kept trimmed with scissors, when he sees Allison’s reflection in the mirror. She is sitting on the end of the bed, looking a little sad. Putting down the old fashioned straight razor, he goes into the room and sits down beside her.
“What’s wrong Allison?”
“You’ve changed, John. I thought you would be happy finding your mother alive after thinking she was dead all this time.”
“I am happy that she is alive. It is the best thing that has happened to me since you accepted my proposal.”
“But you’ve changed, John. Kyle and I both saw it. You are burying your feelings, and now you want to cut yourself off from other people.”
“Allison, it’s not that I don’t want to....” John tries to speak but all he can hear are the screams of dying people, the smell of burning corpses, and the sight of that poor crying child with its limbs in splints. “I feel the pain of the days battle. I just can’t deal with being with other people right now. Every time I look at them or think of them, all I can see is the horror of yesterday.”
“John we see it too, but we don’t let it bury us. You have to accept it and move on. It is the only way you will get through it.”
“Allison, until I arrived here, I never saw so many people die in so short a time. What happened out there today was a hundred times worse than when we took that factory. I was told of the horrors of this time, but hearing about it and experiencing it are two very different things. Nothing I was told could have prepared me for this. Just... please just let me handle it my own way. I’m not cutting myself off completely, not while I have you, Kyle, Catherine, John Henry, and now my mom and Savannah.”
“Look at me John.” Allison takes his face in his hands and looks into his eyes. “You died inside today. I saw it in your eyes. Don’t lose hope. I need you to be who you are, not what this war will make you into. Don’t lose that which made me love you. Don’t lose what made everyone place their trust in you.”
John can’t look away from those eyes. Allison’s beautiful brown eyes.
“They died Allison.” He gasps. “They all died.”
John breaks down. “They were my responsibility and they all died.” Allison holds John and comforts him as he works through the pain of losing so many people today.
“Its all right John. Everything will be all right. I’m with you. I’ll never leave you.”
2027, Day 45 6:30 AM
Kyle is up bright and early. From the time he was a child, he has always woken with the sun. He quickly gets up uses the bathroom. He hasn’t used a toilet since he has six years old. It is almost a novelty to see the water sluice through the drain. He flushes it twice, just for the fun of it.
After washing up he gets fully dressed. The new clothes he pulls on are a little oversized but they have the rank of Colonel on the pocket of the camouflage jacket and the appropriate insignia and striping. Not that he would know it if he saw it. Just seeing the officer rank on the front pocket is enough to make him smile.
The boots he pulls on are nearly new, which makes him happy as now he has boots without splits or tears being held together by bits of wire and thread.
The only thing of his old kit he retains is his holster and gun. The leather is worn and polished smooth from use. The gun is old but clean. A Desert Eagle, 50 caliber. Best **** hand gun in the whole unit. Every soldier who can, has one.
Though he has a new jacket. He decides to keep his old one. It has on it the insignia from his group and mementos he pinned to it. While going through the pockets, he finds the photograph John gave him of his mom, Sarah. John told him it was taken when she was pregnant with John. He flips the photo over and on the back is written a date and a note, ‘November 10, 1984, Taken on the Road to Mexico.’
He studies the handwriting. The penmanship is perfect, and not John’s. He read John’s report of the capture of the factory. His writing was readable, but not as neat as this. This must be Sarah’s writing. It must be, if taken before John was born. What John said last night was the truth!
Kyle puts the photo into the pocket of his new jacket and runs out the door. He nearly knocks down Natalie who was in the corridor.
“Hi Kyle. I was just looking for you.” Natalie says with a smile and a warm look.
“Sorry for bumping into you, Nat. I need to go see John.” Kyle smiles back at her.
“Can I come with you? I would really like to meet him.”
“Maybe later. I’ll talk to him.”
Kyle runs off down the corridor. He never sees the cold look on her face.
* * *
CUE Track02 - The Reese Boys; Reunion Part 2 Armageddon
CUE Track02 - The Reese Boys; Reunion Part 2 Armageddon
Allison and John are fast asleep. They spent a good part of the night talking. The recent ordeal took a heavy toll on John, but by talking with Allison he was finally able to come to grips with the tragedy of the recent days. Afterwards they fell asleep with Allison holding John, protecting him from the nightmares in his sleep.
They are woken suddenly by a knocking on their door.
“Just a minute. Just a minute.” John shouts as he gets out of bed. He pulls his trousers on and goes to the door. He gives Allison a minute to grab her clothes and disappear into the bathroom, before opening it.
It is Kyle.
“John I need to ask you something.”
“Come on in and ask your questions.”
Kyle walks in and leans against a small table in the corner.
“You never intended to tell us the truth about your origins did you?”
“No I didn’t. The truth is so bizarre, and Derek and you needed to know how I got to be here. I just told you what I hoped would be believed.”
Kyle pulls Sarah’s photo out of his pocket. “So when you gave me this photograph of your mother, you had no idea you would find her still alive?”
“No. I thought she was dead. Why are you asking me these questions?”
“The photograph John. On the back is a date and a note. This whole time I had the photo, and on it is proof of your real story. Look!” Kyle holds the photo out to John.
John takes the photo. He looks briefly at the picture and flips it over. On the back is a date and a note, ‘November 10, 1984, Taken on the Road to Mexico,’ written in his mom’s handwriting.
“I had no idea it was there. I only ever looked at the picture. It was one of the few she ever had taken of her.”
“I believe you John. Everything you said makes sense.”
Allison walks out of the bathroom, clean, dressed, looking fantastic.
“Wow. I haven’t seen you look this good in years.” Kyle exclaims.
“Well it’s a wonder what a working shower and clean water can do for a person. You don’t look half bad yourself. What were you two talking about?”
“I believe him. I believe John’s story.”
“I’m glad to hear it Kyle. I always believed him. We’ve talked a lot the last few weeks. He’s let things slip when talking to me.”
“I have?” John asks.
“Yes John, you have. What he said last night was the truth, or as much of it as he feels we should know.”
“What do you mean by that?” John asks.
“You have a tell, John. I know when you are lying and I know when you are telling the truth.”
“Mom must know it too.” He says with a grin. “She could always tell when I lied to her growing up.”
“Speaking of your mother, are you going to introduce us?” Kyle asks.
“Yeah, let me get dressed and use the toilet first.” He disappears into the bathroom.
“What’s his tell?” Kyle asks Allison when the door closes.
“I’m not telling you. And you have a tell as well. It must run in the family.” Allison smiles at him.
“Oh Great!” Kyle says rolling his eyes while sitting down in a chair.
A few minutes later John comes out. “Why don’t you wait here. I’ll see if she’s awake and willing to meet you. Um, Kyle, I should tell you she loved her Kyle very deeply. She might not want to see you, and if she does, she may not stay long. Its been a hard life for her. I just thought you should know.”
“I understand.”
John leaves the room and closes the door behind him.
* * *
Savannah is in Sarah’s room. There is a tray on the table with medicine bottles, a small stainless steel bowl, a bottle of alcohol and some gauze pads. Savannah is drawing a fluid out of a medicine bottle with a syringe. She taps the needle to get the air bubbles out and depresses the plunger shooting a stream of liquid into the air. Savannah wipes Sarah’s arm with an alcohol swab and then pushes the needle into a vein and presses the plunger slowly. When it is fully depressed, she pulls the needle out and bends Sarah’s arm back at the elbow and removes the strap from her upper arm.
“How many doses do we have left?” Sarah asks.
“If we continue to use half doses, thirteen at best. We don’t have any more and there isn’t any at this bunkers medical center. They aren’t set up for treating cancer. You haven’t got that much time left, and the medication won’t stop it.”
“No, but it makes the pain more bearable.”
“You need to tell John.”
“No Savannah! He’s got enough to worry about right now. He shouldn’t be burdened with this as well.”
“I think you are making a mistake.”
“Enough! I will not be lectured to. It is my decision, and don’t you tell him either. I forbid it.”
“I won’t tell him. But I promise you, the first sign your remission is over, and I will. So you’d better find a way to tell him soon.”
“You sound as stubborn as me.” Sarah glares at her a moment then smiles. “I’m proud of you .”
“I know and I love you too.”
They are interrupted by a knock at the door.
“Just a minute.” Sarah calls out.
Savannah quickly puts the medical supplies away in a footlocker. A piece of used gauze falls to the floor unseen. When she is done, she goes over and opens the door.
“Hi John.” Savannah gives him a hug. “Come in.”
“Hi Savannah. Hi Mom. Do you feel like meeting with some people this morning?”
“You got cleaned up. I see Captain Beddell has been looking out for you. That’s good. I didn’t want to say anything last night, but you were smelling a bit ripe.”
“Mom!”
“Just teasing. Are you going to shave that beard off?”
“I was thinking about it, but then Allison and I got to talking and then we fell asleep before I made my mind up.”
“Well perhaps it’s best you keep it for now. It does make you look a little older.”
“Kyle would like to meet with you this morning. Are you willing to meet him? I know he isn’t your Kyle, my father. But he is my friend and an excellent officer. He’d like to meet the woman who raised me. I’ve told him all about you.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“Allison and I will be there, Mom. He’s at the base. You won’t be able to avoid him. It be better if your first encounter is private. Will you please come with me?”
Sarah ponders the question then says, “Savannah, what do you think?”
“I think he is right. Meet Kyle in private. It would be better than if you met him in public.”
“All right, I’ll go with you. Savannah, I want you to come with us.”
Savannah nods her head in agreement and follows Sarah and John out the door.
As they walk down the corridor to John’s room, someone arrives in the corridor behind them. Stopping in the shadows, the person watches the three of them walk away. A fluorescent light fixture suddenly flickers causing their eyes to reflect silver light.
The1Russter |
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, Sep 5 2009, 3:35 PM EDT
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