Terminator: The Connors Chronicles

"Cameron's Identity" F05E08

Written by Lumir G Janku

This document is fan-produced fiction based on the television series, Terminator - The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and two seasons worth of fanfiction, F03 and F04, written by CJ Carter. This is done in spirit of fan fiction, to have fun and enrich the total fan experience beyond the limitation of the original story vehicle. In that spirit, and holding to the long tradition of free promotion and support that fanfic brings to the fictional verse, this story is being made available to the show fans for entertainment purposes.
Copyright 2011 Lumir G Janku

2. ACT ONE FADE IN: INT. ZEIRA CENTER, CONNORS' APARTMENT -- DAY CATHERINE, TOSHIRO, LAUREN, LES and MIA with ALENA in a sling enter the room. CATHERINE Cameron! Glad to see you awake, finally! CAMERON Hello. Cameron looks from one to another and stops at Mia. CAMERON (CONT'D) Can I see her? MIA Yes, of course. She's sleeping. CAMERON Mia, what's her name? Mia looks quickly at Lauren and Catherine, as if giving a signal to play along. She approaches Cameron and takes Alena out of the sling, and hands her to Cameron. Alena opens her eyes and looks at Cameron. Cameron smiles and Alena smiles back. MIA Alena. CAMERON That's a nice name. LES It seems that she wants you as a godmother, Cameron. CAMERON Les-Cameron is suddenly quiet and seems as a confusion is overtaking her. Cameron'sface displays frustration and incomprehension. CAMERON (CONT'D) John, do I have amnesia? LAUREN Cameron, I...

3. LAUREN I need to tell you something. I wanted to wait, but John was insisting that you should know right away. Hope that he's right. CAMERON Something bad? LAUREN No, not bad. Something you may not expect-CAMERON I-Cameron is turning her palms up and looking from one to another, as if she's trying to read from them some sort of mystery that may be etched into them. She looks up at Lauren. CAMERON I suppose I can't be more confused than I'm already. LAUREN Very well, then. Cameron... you are a human. CAMERON I am a... what?? Cameron's eyes enlarge. She's looking at all of them, one after another as if that may bring the end of her torment. CAMERON But how can that be? That's not possible! LAUREN When we got the chip, there was not much to salvage. We could only retrieve the images and their structure and sequences. But we couldn't retrieve the logic, you personality threads, just some fragments. It was gone. We've came up with the idea to use Allison's clone that we got from a defunct Skynet program and implant the memories into the clone, to let it become you.

4. TOSHIRO It's a bit more complicated, but in essence, that was how we got you... that was the only way to get you back. CAMERON (all serious, looking at John) And you agreed to this? JOHN Cameron-CAMERON (interrupting) Am I? AM I CAMERON? CATHERINE A good question. Let me ask you... who did you think you are when you woke up? CAMERON (thinking) Catherine, you... you're right. I thought of myself as Cameron. I have my memories as Cameron. Some are a bit ... fuzzy ... not that clear. All right, maybe I am Cameron, for now it seems like a good presumption. Cameron's expression changes, her eyes' movement reveal that she is trying to comprehend. CAMERON (CONT'D) (scared look in her face) I'm mortal! JOHN Cameron, you died. Being a cyborg does not a guarantee immortality. CAMERON Apparently not. Cameron takes her head into her palms for a moment. Then looks up at John. CAMERON (CONT'D) This may take a while getting used to. Not being strong. Fragile. Inaccurate perceptions.

5. CATHERINE You've got all of us and we'll help you as much as we can. CAMERON I appreciate it. Thanks, Toshi, Lauren, Catherine... and... CAMERON (pointing her index finger) Les... <beat> Why do I... How do I know who you are? I haven't seen you and Mia before, or did I? MIA You know us on a... subliminal level. We've been in the program since it started. Or rather, even before it started. CAMERON (NODS) A strange explanations's better than none. I feel a bit... tired? LAUREN Yes, it is understandable. It is quite a shock, I imagine. CAMERON I have this weird pain in my stomach area. It is not really a pain, I am not sure how to define it. JOHN (laughing and then smiling) Cameron, you are hungry! LAUREN OK, let's give Cameron a rest and I'll ask nurse to bring a lunch, something really yummy for Cameron's tummy. CAMERON John, please don't go! JOHN I'm not going anywhere! I prayed for months that one day you do wake up. I want to have as much of you as possible!

6. CAMERON Good, we have to talk. My only regret is that I don't have a coltan skeleton, it will be so much more difficult to beat you up! But I'll give it my best! (smiling) TOSHIRO Retreaaaat everybody! They all leave the apartment, and John sits himself close to Cameron. CAMERON So, I am Allison's sister now? JOHN You sort of were since we've got to this timeline, or shortly after, but now it is even more so, a twin sister in fact. CAMERON How soon I can get out of here? JOHN There need to be some tests done. I have to teach you a thing or two. Toshi has to finish some neural work with you. Lauren has to give you a thorough physical. Les has to see to it that your DNA and RNA is working correctly. Mia has to give a seal of approval. And Catherine is the final arbiter. I tried to teach you while you were asleep-CAMERON (interrupts) Unconscious. JOHN More of a sleep state, really. I tried to teach you as much as I could. But there are things a girl would be better at explaining to you. I'll get Allison in here soon. CAMERON Yes, that would be nice to have her here. Does she know?

7. JOHN Yes, of course. She had to consent. She was a bit reluctant at first. Not because of her ownership of the biology, it was more a concern that something may go wrong. We all were a bit worried about that. CAMERON Still might... as in something going wrong. JOHN The best brains were working on bringing you back. Including you. CAMERON John... does that mean I am fully... functional? JOHN What do you mean? CAMERON Can I... have children? JOHN Yes, of course you can. CAMERON (smiles) I think I may put the beating on hold. Cameron pulls John close and this time she initiates the hug. JOHN Cameron, I've got to go... I'll be right back, okay? Cameron NODS and submerges herself into a deep reflection. END OF ACT ONE

8. ACT TWO INT. ZEIRA CENTER, CONNORS' APARTMENT -- LATER JOHN is back at Cameron's bed. JOHN Missed me? No response. JOHN (CONT'D) Earth to Cameron! Cameron's mind returns from the far away place and she smiles. CAMERON John, my muscles seem to be in a good shape. And I can command them without much difficulty. How come? JOHN It took some work. Your bed's a tension bed. And I helped you to exercise. CAMERON I have some vague type of recollection of it. In third person... is probably the best way to describe it. JOHN You probably have it all in memory, just the recollection of it is another thing. I can imagine that not having your cyborg memory access may be a bit ... difficult. CAMERON Is there a word for an ultimate understatement? JOHN (smiles) Human memory is not that precise, but has more a wider aperture. Maybe it would be better if you talk with Toshi, it isn't something I can really explain in detail. You have a normal human brain, but your original memories are stored in a microchip and implanted.

9. CAMERON How that works? Why I need it? JOHN It's used to bootstrap your cognitive functions. But in the process, you may have lost the ability to access that directly. What you now recall are the reflections, copies. He may be able to teach you how to access it, in a conscious state. Cameron thinks for a few seconds. CAMERON So, I'm some kind of Brandi. JOHN No, not at all. She was at her latest stage almost a cyborg. You are a full human. The implant is ... a pacemaker for brain. Toshi will tell you how to work with it. CAMERON Enhanced human. JOHN Yeah, one may say that. It's rather specific to you, a part of who you are. No magic superpowers. CAMERON I'll stop torturing you. This hungry thing... I had no idea-JOHN Hmmm, where is it? Getting hungry too! CAMERON John, I want to try to get out of bed and we can sit at that table in the corner. I hope that I can. I am not sure, so stay close to catch me. JOHN Of course. You don't need to ask. CAMERON I do. You don't know if I am able to manage this body or not.

10. Cameron gets on the side of the bed put her legs over the edge and stretches out her right arm. John provides a support for the arm and gets ready. Cameron slides down on her feet and almost falls over. John catches her around waist. Cameron straightens up and starts to shuffle legs. Then she stops and looks down. CAMERON (CONT'D) This is not what it looks like... John, why is sand on the floor? Cameron closes her eyelids and tries to remoisten her eyes with her fingers. She opens her eyes. CAMERON (CONT'D) Sorry, thought I'm seeing beach sand. Cameron moves one of her feet forward again. CAMERON (CONT'D) Hmmm. More complicated than I thought it would be. JOHN You'll get it in no time! CAMERON I hope so. What good would be a decrepit Cameron? Let's get to that table! Cameron is now more certain after a few steps, but still prefers John's support. CAMERON (CONT'D) John, did we do this before? I don't know why I have this impression. JOHN Maybe you dreamed it. CAMERON (thinks for a second and then NODS) Maybe. Just as they sit at the table, the nurse (JEN) enters with a rolling cart loaded with food. JOHN (to Jen) Thank you. Jen looks at John and seeing that she won't be needed, leaves.

11. CAMERON I have this sensation... going through my nose, is that smell? JOHN Yeah. How does that feel? CAMERON Not sure, but it feels... pleasant. JOHN Then it's good. Let's eat! Cameron starts dumping food on her plate. John takes her plate and puts it in front of him and gets the other plate and puts a small quantity of food on it. CAMERON John! I am really hungry! JOHN I believe you. I fed you once every couple of days food through a tube in your throat, but your stomach is not trained yet, fully. You were on IV for... almost until a few days ago. CAMERON That doesn't-JOHN If you gobbled up all what you put on the plate, you may get very sick, or even die. CAMERON Thank you for... JOHN Explaining! CAMERON Explaining!

CAMERON (laughs) That sounded just like the old me! INT. FRESNO, ALEX'S HOUSE -- EVENING The sound of the DOORBELL cuts into quiet ambience. ALEX opens the door. She looks at a young man and turns her head half way in. ALEX Tawny, this one's for you. Alex leaves the door half open and goes back to the kitchen.

12. Tawny is not sure what Alex means but she goes to the door. She sees the young man. Her face turns to a radiant wide smiley. YOUNG MAN I think-Tawny puts her finger on her lips and gets closer to the young man. TAWNY (whispering) I'll explain later. (normal voice) Give me three minutes, okay, I'll be right out. The young man NODS, and waits. Tawny runs into her room and changes quickly, grabbing a small purse and some money from a drawer. Tawny runs out, in her better skirt and a colorful t-shirt. She inserts her hand under young man's arm. TAWNY (casually) Let's go. They are a few meters from the house. The young man is mustering all his wits to ask what is going on, and Tawny senses the tension. TAWNY I'll explain. Just let's get a bit further from the house, okay? Young man NODS, thinking that there seems to be enough justification to keep his mouth shut. TAWNY (CONT'D) What's your name? YOUNG MAN Alexei. EXT. FRESNO, NEAR ALEX'S HOUSE -- LATER TAWNY halts her walk for a moment. TAWNY I'm Tawny. ALEXEI Already know. Where we going?

13. TAWNY To the park at the end of the next block. They walk for a couple hundred meters, quietly. TAWNY (CONT'D) Okay, we're far enough. You can ask. ALEXEI What's going on? I went to the wrong house, Someone hired me for mowing grass. I'll lose twenty bucks. TAWNY Ever thought it may be possible that you were at the right house, at the right time? I've got forty bucks with me, so if you really need that twenty, it's yours. ALEXEI Really? TAWNY No sweat. Was the job one time or recurrent? ALEXEI One time. TAWNY Good. No biggie then. Can I ask you a few questions? ALEXEI Before I say yes, I need to ... I don't understand what's going on. TAWNY (waiting a few seconds) A chain of unlikely coincidences. I'll take a raincheck on explaining, but it's in some ways rather amusing. And I needed to find and excuse to get some fresh air. Is it my turn now? ALEXEI Yeah. Quizz'up. TAWNY Are you a grass mower?

14. ALEXEI (laughs) No. I just need to make some extra cash once a while. I work at a tooling warehouse. TAWNY Sutter? ALEXEI Yep. TAWNY Oh my! ALEXEI What, do I lose 50 points? TAWNY (giggling) You're funny. No. It just happens that the company's owned by a friend of mine. ALEXEI (long face) Sutter's your friend? TAWNY Sutter's just a manager now. Al Moss has 70% majority. ALEXEI Good or bad? TAWNY More like a small world. Neither good, nor bad. It just is. ALEXEI I saw Moss a few times. Thought he's a client. He's an old man. TAWNY Not that old. I think he's not even 60. And he's a nice guy. ALEXEI Does not help me. TAWNY Why? ALEXEI Sutter's a rabid pit bull.

15. TAWNY Why, how that manifests? He's morose, some reason, the time. No me and cause ALEXEI normally. But for he's on my back all reason. Just to annoy me a grief.

TAWNY I've got an idea. ALEXEI I object! It may just make things worse. TAWNY Alexei, you don't trust me? ALEXEI Well, we just met, Tawny. But that's beside the point. If you try to intervene on my behalf, he may really create a hell on earth for me. I'll deal with it. TAWNY But if that gets worse, I don't want to hear whining, just tell me "it's a go" and I'll fix it. ALEXEI You've got a funny vocabulary. Are you a spy or something? TAWNY (laughs) You're perceptive. Yeah, a bit. ALEXEI I am not sure there is such a thing as a spy-a-bit, either you're a spy-yes, or spy-no. TAWNY What if my job is tracking through a computer. ALEXEI Uh! Haven't thought of that. Tawny and Alexei reach the park entrance. END OF ACT TWO

16. ACT THREE EXT. FRESNO, PARK NEAR ALEX'S HOUSE -- EVENING TAWNY and ALEXEI walk along the path cutting through the middle of the park. Tawny has no longer locked her arm under Alexei's. ALEXEI Really? TAWNY Really what? My job? It's not really spying. ALEXEI No? TAWNY I'm a system configurator. But it's used for tracking. That's true. ALEXEI Sigh of relief. TAWNY Why? ALEXEI If you were a spy, I may accidentally reveal a secret and you'd have to kill me. I'm too young to die now. TAWNY (laughs) Well, I should go back, Alex may get worried. ALEXEI Who's Alex? TAWNY My step mom. Well, she's not really a step mom officially, but in a way she is. ALEXEI I saw her scars. What happened to her? TAWNY Skynet. She's sometimes called La Cazadora.

17. ALEXEI What? Oh my god! Tell me that you know John Connor and I'd slither away quietly. TAWNY John's my best friend. ALEXEI You're pulling my leg. TAWNY Can't help it. Serious. And don't sli... go. ALEXEI I don't know what to say. TAWNY How about where you live? Let's walk and you can tell me on the way home. Do you have a paper and ... wait, I have a pen. Give me your hand. Tawny is inscribing her phone number on Alexei's hand, tracing it several times so it does not get smeared off easily. They walk for a while quietly. TAWNY (CONT'D) Where do you live? ALEXEI With my aunt. She has a tiny house over there at Calwa. See that red roof? That's it. TAWNY What about your mother and father? ALEXEI My mother... died when I was 2. My father did not return from the EM. TAWNY I'm sorry to hear that. Your father was a hero. ALEXEI Many haven't. You could just go house to house and there is almost always someone missing. TAWNY Alexei, we're here.

18. ALEXEI Right. So quick... TAWNY Will you call me tomorrow? ALEXEI Tawny, I don't... no phone. What if we meet? For a while. Maybe after dinner. I can sometimes use the company phone, but if Sutter finds out, I'm a toast. TAWNY Seven? ALEXEI Seven thirty. My aunt has usually the dinner ready at six thirty, so eat, and run here... TAWNY Seven thirty here. You've got a girlfriend? ALEXEI Now? Uh... No girlfriends come to mind. Tawny has to stand on her toes to reach Alexei's face, to give him a quick kiss. She then turns around, runs the few meters, enters the house and closes the door behind her. Alex looks out from the kitchen toward the hallway. ALEX Fun? TAWNY (blushing) Um... yeah. ALEX It's uncanny. From all the young men out there, you just had to pick one that looks like John's baby brother. How did you pull that off? TAWNY A secret. And... whose name is Alex. Alexei, really. Alex's shaking her head.

19. ALEX What the world's coming to? Come here. Alex gives Tawny a heartfelt hug. Tawny then goes to her room grabs her phone and dials. TAWNY Al, Hi. MOSS (O.S.) Tawny! How are you? TAWNY Good. Al, how much would be a new phone? MOSS (O.S.) Your's broken? TAWNY No, I just need... one spare. MOSS (O.S.) LD? TAWNY No, local. MOSS (O.S.) Do you know where Sutter Tooling is? TAWNY Yeah. MOSS (O.S.) I can arrange for you to pick it up there. TAWNY Al... Do you know Alexei? MOSS (O.S.) Varga? From Sutter? (starts laughing) TAWNY What so funny? MOSS (O.S.) A spare phone, huh? It's okay, he's a fine lad.

20. MOSS (O.S.) (CONT'D) I'm planning to pull him out of there and give him a job managing one of my new offices, and that comes with a phone. So if we get him one now, he doesn't get one then. TAWNY Really? When? MOSS (O.S.) About a month from now. But keep mum about it, in your own best interest. If he thinks you have something to do with it, you'd be in a trouble. He's fiercely independent. TAWNY Yeah, I think you're right about that. MOSS (O.S.) Let me think... He's on Friday at the westside warehouse, so that would be the best time to pick up the phone, between 9 and 10 AM. Go to the main office and the receptionist, Lynn, will give it to you. Say your name, she'll know. TAWNY Al, I don't know how to thank you. MOSS Simple. Just say it. TAWNY Thank you. MOSS You're welcome. Gotta go. Give me a buzz when you get it. INT. ZEIRA CENTER, TOSHIRO'S LAB -- DAY CAMERON sits on a couch and TOSHIRO pulls a small box from his desk drawer. TOSHIRO Cameron, I need to put contact lenses on your eyes. CAMERON What're they for?

21. TOSHIRO They are tiny projectors. We used them for transfer of memories, at the start. But now you need to do that process consciously, so you get the feel for it. I hope that after a while, you would be able access the implant just by focusing. CAMERON Is this what's called a biofeedback? TOSHIRO Well, not exactly. It works in a similar way, but we are trying to access a non-biological element. CAMERON Oh, I remember! The bugs! That was a bit similar, no? TOSHIRO I wouldn't say so. But it helped me to get a head start on your development. Toshiro places the contacts on Cameron's eyes. Then he plugs in small earphones into her ears. CAMERON I see light but all's blurry. TOSHIRO Correct. The ambient background is blurred on purpose, so it does not interfere with the lenses projection . You'll see when we start projecting scenes. Toshiro turns on a switch. CAMERON Oh! That's amazing! TOSHIRO (smiling) Yeah, I think so too. TOSHIRO (CONT'D) Now, concentrate on the scene. We project it externally, but it is stored in your chip. Your brain knows how to access it.

22. TOSHIRO (CONT'D) It was a part of your initial entraining. But now you need to figure out how to match the projected scene with a scene stored in the chip. Toshiro turns the switch off. TOSHIRO (CONT'D) Now try to recall that scene, but not as a recollection of the projection. Retrieve it up from the chip. CAMERON Blank. TOSHIRO Expected. This would take a while. CAMERON How long? TOSHIRO Not sure. May take weeks. CAMERON Oh! So I am stuck here until I get it right! TOSHIRO (laughing) No! You can get out of here when all test are done and you are physically able to take care of yourself. You can schedule sessions and come here to get this worked out whenever you like as long as it is on a regular basis. CAMERON So I won't lose a... a track? TOSHIRO Trace, maybe. It is less mechanical. The neural processes are more distributed. CAMERON Do I really need it? TOSHIRO I think so. It is a part what you are. Your identity. Our team decided that it is essential.

23. TOSHIRO (CONT'D) Catherine was adamant that you need to be as close to your cyborg personality as possible. Even with your data, we wouldn't be able to make another Cameron. It was more desirable to try a human form. The cyborg would acquire its own personality. It may be close, but no cigar. CAMERON No cigar? I don't understand. TOSHIRO An idiom. A winner gets the reward-CAMERON The winner gets a cigar! TOSHIRO Yep, you grok! CAMERON Toshiro, be considerate. You are using a confusing vocabulary! TOSHIRO I recommend books. John's got a hookup to the library system, so ask him to show it to you. Cameron NODS. TOSHIRO: We are done for today. Tomorrow we'll continue at the same time. CAMERON Wait! Something just hit me... More desirable to use human form? The cigar aside, why? Is there more to it than a functioning platform? TOSHIRO Catherine can explain the rationale to you. CAMERON Will ask her. END OF ACT THREE

24. ACT FOUR INT. ZEIRA CENTER, CONNORS' APARTMENT -- DAY CAMERON is browsing through library files, marking up files for reading. She seems to be completely absorbed in the activity. JOHN exits the bathroom and stands beside Cameron, watching her. CAMERON John, there must be another way. JOHN What you mean? CAMERON How do you cross-reference things in your head? JOHN Comes with the hardware. Don't know, never thought of it how I do it. CAMERON I do understand the basics of how it works, but it seems to be so inefficient. Very fuzzy logic. I'd like to use something like a search function. JOHN Conceptually, it's a pattern recognition and relational chaining. CAMERON I'm smarter now. But really, how? JOHN The more you cross-relate things, the more you are able to pull them out. It's an associative process. You can chain associations in long strings. CAMERON Okay, say I've got two words that I need to relate. How I do it? JOHN Find something they may have in common. It does not matter what that is. It may be an association as well, something that has seemingly no connection.

25. CAMERON A semantic connection? JOHN That's one way. It can be something visual. And if it has some sort of emotional quality, it seems to work better. It's like you attribute a meaning to it. CAMERON So I have to do it consciously? JOHN Yep. Well, you do it subconsciously all the time, but that means you have less control over the results. CAMERON I was thinking about something more in the way how this library search works. Two words input, cross-reference, done. JOHN I don't think that's what your implant can do. It is a storage, not a processor, if I understand it correctly. You can ask Toshi, but he'd probably say the same thing. CAMERON I had that functionality. Before. JOHN As an auxiliary process. An algorithm that was not really internal. I think what you need to do is to create your own algorithm, consciously, something that works for you and then start using it. In time it will become almost automatic part of how you process information. CAMERON How you do it? JOHN It works the best if I find something funny, a common denominator that does not need to be really related.

26. CAMERON The juxtaposition creates the association. JOHN Right. You should talk to Les. The programs he used for your development may give you more ideas how this works. CAMERON I thought his field is genetic triggers. JOHN His main field. But the development part was also in his job description. He did not create the programs, but I think he's got a pretty good idea how they work. CAMERON What about Mia? JOHN She's... a good example how the integrated functions work. I'm not sure if she has the same depth of theoretical knowledge that Les has, but she sure knows how to apply it. CAMERON Well, they both got me so far-JOHN It won't be an imposition. They would be glad to help, I'm sure. I can only make somewhat educated guesses, based on materials that Les and Lauren gave me. Two buckets of salt, apply generously. CAMERON Two buckets? Uh! A grain of salt! Why two buckets all of the sudden? JOHN I feel generous! CAMERON I see... Since you are offering opinions right and left, I remember reading books... devouring would be better term. Now it's slow.

27. JOHN Not sure you can ever match the speed, but you can learn to read very fast. CAMERON Really? How? JOHN Take a page, and position your focus in the center and run your eyes down. Now, your brain does not know what you are trying to do. It would think that it's not important what you've just scanned. So, you've got to try recalling the content. CAMERON All right, let me try. Cameron pulls up a page on the screen. She scans it form top to bottom, in a 3 seconds sweep. CAMERON (CONT'D) I've got no idea what was on it! JOHN Practice. It doesn't come cheap. The brain's trying to limit input to prevent overload. You simply force it, after some practice, to do it right. CAMERON There seems to be quite a few trade offs. JOHN To being a human? CAMERON Yeah. JOHN It's not that bad. Maybe the initial software library's a bit lacking, but there's no limit what you can do with what you have. CAMERON Are we still at the two buckets of salt?

28. JOHN Nope. I sort of know what I am talking about, in this case. CAMERON (laughs) I want to believe! JOHN Ask Toshi for a second opinion... But it's the use it or lose it prerogative. He'd probably say the same thing. CAMERON Maybe you're right. The data access that I'm learning with him seems to be in the same mold. With some gadgets, but it's the same principle. JOHN There you go! I may get together with Les or Mia and find some shortcuts. Door opens and ALLISON half enters the room. ALLISON May I? CAMERON Allison! Come in! JOHN Okay, I think I can use a break! (terminator tonality) I'll be back. John leaves the room. ALLISON So, sis, how are you? CAMERON All my circuits are functioning normally. ALLISON (looks a bit puzzled and her eyes narrow) Cameron, are you all right? CAMERON (smiling) Did I fool you for a moment?

29. ALLISON (laughing) Just for a second! <beat> Well, a lot to talk about... CAMERON Where is Michael? ALLISON At school, no skipping allowed. But he wants to see you, so I'll get him here over the weekend. CAMERON And Jason? ALLISON On a trip. He'll be back in 5 days, so when he gets back, he'll visit too. Yea, he knows, I called him as soon as I knew. Allison looks for a few seconds like thinking. ALLISON (CONT'D) I think we start with a shower. How's your walking? CAMERON Not perfect, but I am getting there. You may need to give me a bit of support here and there. ALLISON Sure. Did you go to toilet already? CAMERON Yea, with the nurse. She's so sweet and helpful. I did not know at first she's a cyborg. I was quite surprised that she picked nursing. ALLISON I'm not that surprised. K's are good at what they do, and they're all over the map in their occupations these days. CAMERON It's quite new to me, the human messy stuff, that is. It works differently for cyborgs. One of these things that are harder for me to get used to.

30. ALLISON I can imagine. All right, let's go where Cameron hasn't gone before. Cameron and Allison head for the bathroom. Allison and Cameron return and sit doewn at the table. John opens the door and peeks in. JOHN May I? CAMERON (categoric negation) Not now! <beat> (conciliatory tone) Sorry, John, can you please come back later... in 15 minutes? <beat> Love you! JOHN Um... Yes, 15 minutes. I'll be back... I think I should stop saying that. CAMERON (smiles and blows a kiss) Thanks! John leaves and mutters under his breath. JOHN Girl talk... John appears pleased despite being shown the door. INT. ZEIRA CENTER, TOSHIRO'S LAB -- DAY TOSHIRO looks up when CAMERON enters his lab. TOSHIRO Cameron, welcome back! CAMERON Toshi, I think I figured it out. But how, that would sound silly, I think. TOSHIRO Why? How's not important. I presume it's something rather idiosyncratic, correct?

31. CAMERON I had this dream. And there I had a chart of pathways how to reach my chip. But it was encrypted, I couldn't make a sense of it. But then I dreamed in my dream and in my dream within the dream I had a key for the whole thing. It was etched in sand on a beach. Circles and lines, several hundred meters of it. Not sure why, but when I woke up, I could access my chip. TOSHIRO It makes a perfect sense. I actually expected something like this to happen. The brain works in its own language that has to be translated into our conscious language, informing you that the pathways were in place and ready. It just was your brain trying to find a way to get you that information. CAMERON I'll take your word for it. I'm glad it's working. I feel more like myself, if that makes a sense. TOSHIRO Indeed it does, again. CAMERON But just to be sure, I want a session. I'll tell you what segments and indices, and you get that projected and you and I compare. If there is a match, then we know it's working. TOSHIRO Brilliant idea! Darn, I should have thought of that! Cameron, will you work for me? CAMERON Toshi, would love to, but I have other plans for a while. I'll take a rain check, okay? TOSHIRO (grinning) No pressure, but please soon! END OF ACT FOUR

32. ACT FIVE INT. ZEIRA CENTER, CATHERINE'S OFFICE -- DAY CAMERON is sitting at the coffee table and CATHERINE is facing her from the opposite side. CATHERINE You seem to be getting better with the locomotion. CAMERON Took a bit of time, but I now have pretty much a handle on this body. CATHERINE Glad to hear that. We were a bit worried how this all will turn out. Not the command of the body aspect, that was presumed to be without a glitch after some getting used to your body, but about you, Cameron personality, identity and essence. CAMERON Like you said the first day. I feel like Cameron. Most of the time. There are some short periods when I have doubts and I don't know who I really am, but I think that is something natural to humans. CATHERINE Existential uncertainty, I call it. Noticed that with humans. Savannah clued me in on that part of human makeup. CAMERON I think it is something temporary. Well, maybe it is always present, but in a different form. One is defining oneself all the time. CATHERINE Interesting. CAMERON I had a similar experience as a cyborg. CATHERINE Similar? In what way?

33. When my quite a and had thought it. CAMERON chip got damaged, I had few times of uncertainty to find myself. I just that humans have less of

CATHERINE Maybe some. Usually humans that are reaching their development plateau. But it's ... like a little death. They are reactive from that point on. Closer to automatons. Yes, it seems that there are far more commonalities between humans and cyborgs, they are just manifesting in forms that are typical for the species. CAMERON What about the differences? CATHERINE Cyborgs don't seem to get stuck. But humans that don't get stuck, have a tremendous potential, more so than cyborgs. CAMERON I've never thought of it in that way as a cyborg. It now seems more interesting. CATHERINE I think about these things often. There are many things I don't understand yet and I do want to understand. The more I understand, the more I am aware what I don't understand. It is quite frustrating. But that is not what we are to talk about today, is it? CAMERON Perhaps it's a part of it. <beat> I'll be direct. Why did you insist that I must be human? Catherine thinks for a few seconds before replying. CATHERINE Well, do you know the circumstances surrounding you death?

34. CAMERON Brandi killed me. Is there something I was not told? CATHERINE Probably not on purpose. I think everyone was waiting for me to explain it. After all, I insisted on the human form, so you should know my reasoning. CATHERINE (CONT'D) There were only two choices, really. One--to base your resurrection on the MPA platform and the second--on human platform. The MPA platform is not ready, not yet, maybe in 10 years. CAMERON I understand. But can't it be reverse-engineered based on your sample? CATHERINE Afraid not so simple. We'll get there one day. We've started on that just a short while ago, thanks to a serendipity. We simply did not have anything ready for you at the time. CAMERON Toshi's working on it? CATHERINE A new addition to our staff. Neal Hort. I'll introduce you to him soon. You'll like him. CAMERON Back to your selection-CATHERINE There was an epidemic caused by a virus that was released by Skynet. CAMERON How is that possible? Skynet is gone for years! CATHERINE That is what everyone thought. Catherine pauses for a moment.

35. CATHERINE (CONT'D) The virus was released either by Brandi or by accident before John found her remains. In any case, all the humans got infected and it changed their genetic makeup. CAMERON So, I am infected too? CATHERINE All the humans except two as far as we know. John Connor and Allison Young. The virus did not touch John at all, except a mild discomfort. It made Allison ill, but not the same way as other humans. She recovered, except her reproductive system is somewhat affected. So, by inference, you are not infected and can't be. CAMERON What about the virus? What is it? CATHERINE We've analyzed it in detail. Still working on it, it's very complex. But I'll skip over the complexity and state the core issue. Skynet. CAMERON (shocked, her eyes enlarged, almost screaming) What? CATHERINE Skynet code. As far as we could decide, it is a fragment of Skynet, but it contains some core logic components. CAMERON But how-CATHERINE It was encoded in the RNA sequence of the virus. The virus attacked bone marrow and injected codons in all the cells with new information. It also attacked reproductive system, so all children conceived after the outbreak contain the code in all their cells.

36. CAMERON (horrified) That is incredible... horrible! CATHERINE Yes, it is. We don't know where the remainder is, perhaps it was not deployed. We may be lucky. But we can't be sure. CAMERON Wait... I am human. I can have children. I am not infected. John is not infected. CATHERINE Bright woman. I figured that it was not just John's leadership abilities why Skynet put a mark on him. That was just a notion put out by Skynet for a public consumption, for grays and cyborgs. But it seems now that Skynet knew from some other timeline what the real reason is. Or had a fair idea about John's other importance. CAMERON I understand. I can't say I agree with your choice, though. I don't know what to think. John could have children with Allison. CATHERINE: Yes. that was another option. I discussed it with Allison, but she felt reluctant to go with it. And I agreed. There are some aspects that I believe have some bearings. They are more in an intangible realm, as John Henry would put it. <beat> In fact, he did put it that way. Allison thought that resurrecting Cameron was the best option. CAMERON But what if my resurrection did not work out? CATHERINE It did work out. You are here. And all the tests we ran so far indicate a resounding success.

37. CAMERON But you couldn't know if I wake up and hate John, or-CATHERINE We did take some risks, admittedly. But given your mutual closeness and trust, we felt that the Cameron Project has a high chance of success. CAMERON How much John knows? CATHERINE Not much about the Skynet aspect. We-CAMERON We? CATHERINE I, Toshiro, Lauren, Mia and Les Danilo, who that raised you in a way before we took over the Skynet cloning project. CAMERON Oh, thanks. CATHERINE We thought that it may not be desirable to let him fully know all the aspects of the project for time being. His part was to decide for himself what mode of Cameron he'd accept. He was explained why cyborg Cameron may not work. He accepted the idea of human Cameron. He should know, though, in time. It would be up to you to decide when he is ready. CAMERON You trust my judgment? Isn't that a bit premature? CATHERINE There are always risks. In for a penny, in for a pound. I trust my judgment in that regard. It worked quite well so far for me. CAMERON (thinking, then) John Henry?

38. CATHERINE Yes. Let me ask you a question, if it is not too personal, and possibly inappropriate. Do you love John? CAMERON (searching herself for a couple of seconds) Yes. I do. I always did. He did not know for a long time. I tried to tell him in some moments, but were afraid to let him know in a direct way. CATHERINE Interesting. I think I got quite close to understanding that concept, but I still don't comprehend it fully. CAMERON Existential uncertainty. CATHERINE Pardon me? CAMERON It is the same principle. Love is not just something static, a set of definable parameters. It is always in flux, developing and growing, or fading out. That is how I understand it. Not the biological part of it, that is just a carrier wave. The relationship, that is what I mean. For me it is unconditional. I think the trust is a natural part of it. Destroy trust and it all falls apart. CATHERINE We have to talk more often, I think I can learn from you. CAMERON The feeling is mutual. I found in the past I can understand your motives. People often saw you as a mystery, but to me you were quite transparent. CATHERINE Based on that, you think you can trust me?

39. CAMERON (smiles) Yes. But that's not unconditional. CATHERINE (smiles) We do understand each other. You know, I think that the Cameron Project was even more success than I could hope for! CAMERON Thank you. CATHERINE Cameron, something rubs me an odd way. When you said you could understand my motives... Where that's coming from? You remember that? Or John somehow implied that in his narratives? CAMERON There's more that I remember than I should. I'm sure that John's narrating was very helpful. But that's not all. I can't tell you at the moment... I have a hunch, but want to make sure that I confirm it before telling anyone, or discard it. CATHERINE I hope I'll be among the first to know. CAMERON Affirmative. Well, I gotta go, must do something about that hungry thing. CATHERINE Please come in for a chat as often as you like. END OF ACT FIVE

40. ACT SIX INT. ZEIRA CENTER, LAUREN'S LAB -- DAY CAMERON knocks on the door to Lauren's lab but hears no reply. She looks through the door glass and sees LAUREN In the back of her lab. Cameron turns the door knob and enters. CAMERON Hi Lauren! LAUREN (looking up from her cell growth chamber scope) Oh, hi Cameron! What can I do for you? CAMERON I was talking to Catherine. LAUREN She told you about the Skynet code? CAMERON Yes. I have a question... Here's the part that I don't fully understand. I can have what... maybe 8 children. But there's nearly 400 million humans now. The genes I and John carry are dominant in my lineage, but may be not dominant with other people. So, in time, the dominance may disappear. LAUREN I see. Catherine probably forgotten to stress one aspect, or thought you would assume it and she emphasized metaphysics. The transfer via XX chromosomes is always dominant. That means that any male produced from yours and John's children would carry the immunity. CAMERON (looking surprised) Oh! It's the John Connor thing! As long as there is John Connor, Skynet does not win! I would not say that is a metaphysical concept. It is logically coherent.

41. LAUREN Yes, one can see it that way. It's logical, it's just Catherine... she finds sometimes metaphysical aspects in things. John Henry's influence. CAMERON Yes, I remember bits of some of my discussions with him, he had that streak. LAUREN So, in the case there may be something going wrong with the rest of humanity, your lineage may be what saves it. CAMERON Isn't there some way to repair the damage, to get a rid of the Skynet sequence? LAUREN I hope so. So far, I am unable to find a way to reverse the change. Not mentioning the children... they are Skynet code through out. But maybe in time, we can get that out. Meanwhile, we have to be sure that we as species would survive. That's John and you, and to some degree Allison. Her immunity's not that strong as John's. Michael's infected, but she may have another child that may be not. We are not yet sure, and may not be for while. CAMERON I see. I never thought that Catherine's so ... fond of humans. LAUREN John Henry. He really influences her quite a bit. Maybe more so than Savannah. She thinks that the metaphysical aspects of human existence are very important. She would like to somehow transfer that to cyborgs as well, but she does not know how. CAMERON What specifically? Does she define it in some way?

42. LAUREN I'm not sure she really knows what that is. She talks about a soul. CAMERON I did die twice, didn't I? Once when Brandi got me and second time shortly after I was taken out from the growth environment. LAUREN How ... How do you know? No one was supposed to talk about it! CAMERON I know because I went on a ... journey. I have a vivid memory of it. It's hard to describe it, to put it in words. But I knew I died, but I also knew I have to go back. What happened? LAUREN We miscalculated the required adjustments for the transition from a tank to a normal environment. Fortunately, we monitored you all the time, so it did not take long to realize you flatlined. We got you back in 4 and half minutes. It was a scary moment. But I still don't understand how do you know. CAMERON Maybe that's the part of the metaphysics Catherine is searching for. I never experienced anything similar when I was a cyborg. There were several times when I was powered down and chip removed. I felt dying, but then there was a darkness, nothingness. This time, it was different, it was just the opposite, light and... I felt more alive. LAUREN Cameron, you should tell her. I am not sure what she would do with that information, but it may help her with her MPA project. At least she would know that her concept is not entirely hypothetical.

43. CAMERON So you think I was not just hallucinating it all, in some way? LAUREN Were you? I would be normally skeptical, but since there is no way you would know that you flatlined, I have to consider that your recollection is accurate. I don't know what it is, but that does not mean I'll shove it under the rug because I can't fit it into my concepts of reality. CAMERON Okay, will tell her. Do you still have that ladybug pin? LAUREN No I lost... Wait, you saw it? You couldn't possibly, your eyes were closed. CAMERON I were looking down. Cameron pauses and looks around as if collecting her thoughts. CAMERON (CONT'D) John... Does he have a clone too?" LAUREN No. John requested discontinuing. We can now produce replacement tissues when needed, like for transplants. But in your case, it was different. Everyone agreed on that. CAMERON Why was John not told about the true reason behind all this? LAUREN We thought he needs a bit of rest from thing related to Skynet, as much as possible. For all those years since his time jump, everything was on his shoulders, I can't imagine anyone but him being able to stand after all that. CAMERON Yes, neither can I.

44. LAUREN It has been a while since Skynet defeat, but you probably remember how fast he aged. During the last few years, he got some of his vitality and youthfulness back. I leave that up to you. Maybe if you prepared him a bit. CAMERON I can't keep things secret from him. I have to tell him and he has to decide what to do with it. Our relationship is based on trust. That is something I intend to preserve by any means. LAUREN Your call. I think you are the best judge. CAMERON Thanks. Will let you know how it goes. LAUREN You know, I'm reasonably open minded. But that ladybug pin... That's something. It blows my mind. CAMERON John says regarding physics that we don't know a half of it. I think he is exaggerating. What we do know is far, far less than we don't know a half of it. LAUREN Cameron, what are your plans? CAMERON Are you offering me a job? LAUREN (smiles) I see, someone already did. Toshi? Cameron NODS. CAMERON I have quite a mundane life ahead of me, at least for a few years. LAUREN Family?

45. Cameron NODS. LAUREN (CONT'D) Not mundane at all! That is mundane only for those that lack imagination. CAMERON I think that I will work part time for Toshi or Neal, just to prevent rust settling in. LAUREN You've met Neal? CAMERON Not yet, but planning to. Catherine told me about the MPA project. It sounds like quite a challenge. LAUREN We'll need the best brains for that project. No doubt. I have a feeling that yours is among those. CAMERON I'm not sure, but for what it is worth, it surely is unique! LAUREN Perhaps that's what's really needed. INT. FRESNO, ALEX'S RESIDENCE -- EVENING The door bell RINGS. ALEX is coming down from the stairs and heads toward the door. She opens it and at the same time as she's opening, has her speech ready. ALEX Al-For the moment she seems to be surprised. She steps a bit back as if allowing a room for a visitor to pass in. ALEX (CONT'D) That is not much of a disguise. I can't imagine what kind of pickle you must be in to show up here. Well, come in, Fred. FRED MIESSE enters and Alex closes the door. END OF ACT SIX