Genre: Gen, drama, futurefic, crossover.
Rating: G
Summary: John Connor does what he's supposed to do.
Fic Notes: Completely disregards canon of the novelisations, because hey, Rise of the Machines did, too.
Personal Notes: This was an itch that needed to be scratched.
Last Day of Tomorrow
John was dreaming of dominoes falling upright.
That was an oxymoron and a part of him knew that, but this was dreamland and there the dominoes twisted easily against gravity and inertia. John watched them dizzily for they were somehow as small as his fingernails and at the same time large enough to crush him under their weight.
They moved like dancers in an ever-narrowing circle; petals drawing inward to a single point of origin. John found that he was running with them but his legs were like lead weights and he was gripped with panic that he would miss it. In the distance the final domino turned toward him, revealing a face with red-point eyes.
Wake up, someone said.
John woke up to find himself in familiar darkness. Fingers were on his bare shoulder, and he took them in his hand to draw their owner close.
"Rise and shine, soldier," his wife whispered into his mouth.
At least Kate still knew what to say because John sure didn't. All he had left after twenty-odd years were blurred pictures in his head of metal hands and red eyes, and he was sure that Kate didn't want to hear about them.
"They're all awake," she said, passing him his jacket.
John nodded, shrugging into his uniform. They'd let him sleep in, naturally, and the thought was as touching as it was annoying. He heard movement outside their little room drawn closed by a single curtain (it was one of the extremely few places that had any privacy nowadays) though there were no distinct words. Just the sounds of people moving quietly, and in waiting.
The gears that they'd lived by were slowing down. Not in an act of stopping, but in holding its breath for that one last blow.
John stepped outside with his head turned back toward Kate. He didn't want to see the eyes turn to him all at once, because there was never any getting used to that.
"Have they signalled the Techyon base?" John asked.
"Yes," Kate said, stepping out to stand beside him. She tilted her head towards their waiting troops. "But we're the ones leading the strike."
John let his eyes sweep downward, away from the three-dozen-odd people watching him and countless more in the distance. His gaze rested on Gret, who was sitting near the wall with his laptop open.
"Sir, the strike teams are ready," he said. "Right on schedule."
"I want the team leaders together for one last briefing in twenty minutes," John said. "And see if you can pencil in one more person to join the secondary mission."
Gret frowned. "Sir?"
"Me," John said.
Gret stood up quickly. "Sir, you can't..."
"I have to be there when Skynet falls, Gret," John said simply.
Around him, he felt the ripple grow. While they were awake before, they were at attention now. John Connor was joining them out in the field for the last strike. John Connor, who'd never set foot outside the main camp for nearly eight months.
All he had to do was tell them they'd succeed, and they'd believe him. He didn't need to make inspirational speeches a nymore, which was one of the many perks of being great hero, along with the fact that he'd never run out of people willing to die for him.
Though personally John hoped that he'd be the only one to die today.
The camp was in motion now, with the troops moving quickly along the ripples that carried them. John Connor is joining us. John Connor. It's finally here.
Still Gret's faced remained tightly pale, even when John went over to his console and patted him on the shoulder. "Bring up the schematics of Cyberdyne's outer compound again," John said. "And keep focused."
"Yes, sir," Gret said quietly.
At that moment John knew that the rest of the day would crawl by in slow ticks. The last sprint was always the longest.