The Darkest Days

The continuation of the No fate series

section one

"It's all clear, we can start now-"

The locking mechanisms inside the door rotated open and then the doors hinged inward, The Terminator took Sarahs hand and Will stood on her left as they moved forward. A large group of soldiers followed them out into the outdoor courtyard.

Sarah looked around as she walked taking in the rows of white chairs, the podium in the front. The Terminator, Herself and Will all mouted the platform and took their seats behind the podium. The rest of the soldiers took their seats quickly and quietly.

Two wooden sawhorses sat 4 feet apart in front of the podium.

And on top of those sawhorses-

Two soldiers hit a slow marching beat, beating their slung drums, everyone rises and remove their hats. Following the drummers are six soldiers all distinguished and close friends of Kyle Reese, holding on their soldiers a white laminated coffin.

Sarah moved quietly up to the microphone.

"Present ARMS!"

There is an audible whoosh of air as everyone snaps up their hand in a salute, a tear rolls down Sarah's cheek. The group reaches the front of the rows and moves paralel to the wooden sawhorses, the drummers split and stand on either side continuing their somber performance. The soldiers slide the coffin onto the sawhorses with care then the move to the front of the coffin and hold the salute.

"ORDER ARMS! Let us pray-"

"Lord you have been with us throughout the war and we at times forget that...you care and watch over us. Sometimes within the war we neglect to look to you for the strength which for the strength to go on. It is with a heavy heart that I and we as a whole come before you today, we have lost a friend-soldier-brother in arms and he will be missed. Please Lord bless those who are here, bless those on the battle field and bless those in the sniper towers. Be with us all and comfort us Amen."

A loud Amen surges through the group, then at command they snap to attention, then they take their seats.

Will moves toward the microphone as he passes Sarah they squeeze hands for mutual comfort, he clears his throat and then speaks.

"My knowledge of Reese as a person and soldier is based on two instances that happened yesterday. First he met my soldiers and fought valiantly alongside Dugan and did hid damndest to save his life, that is the mark of a true soldier. And yesterday when everything...went to hell he wasted no time to dive on me and protect me. As I stared into his eyes I saw a calm assurance that I would have given anything to have, I knew as he held me down that I was going to survive....I knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt. It was then even in that short time that I realized this was a soldier who could handle any situation. But one never knows when death will strike, when a cold titanium hand will crush your beating heart and steal everything you hold dear. Friends, soldiers, squadmates and all you listening via pa Reese was a soldier and I consider him my friend."

Will moved back from the microphone and turned smartly to his right he marched down the stairs, and marched to the front of the coffin. Turning to face it he snaps to attention and snaps his hand up smartly in a salute, his fingers are trembling from emotion. After a few long moments he brings his hand down to his side and marches smartly to his seat.

Sarah stands again beside her is the empty seat put there to remind everyone of General Connors absence, she approaches the podium. She unfolds a sheet of paper and holds it to the wooden surface.

"I used to be a bit of a poet so I came up with a little something,"she stops to gather herself.

"Hear the screeching hunter-killer swooping through sky, see the soldiers dying the the fear bright in their eye. Feel the hand of reassurance, a helpfull hand watchin' o'er us. A soldier as powerfull as a thousand storms, a soldier who forces himself past all norms. A soldier who knows all the right things to say, and when the night is the darkest can find the only way. Reese your heart was as strong as the hardest of stone, you're the best kind of friend....I could.....have-"

Sarah can't continue she collapses to the floor of the stage in tears. Will and The Terminator move in to help her up and console her. The page of Sarah's notes is caught by the wind, The Terminator snatches it out of mid-air and looks it over. In the congregation other soldiers are also crying, loosing a soldier is always hard ...but Reese?

Will hold Sarah as Sarah cries into his shoulder, The Terminator approaches the pulpit and then speaks-

"Reese your heart was as strong as the hardest of stone, you're the best kind of friend I could ever have known-"

Sarah looks up at her own voice, she sees the Terminator speaking into the microphone, and although she still cries they are tears of laughter mixed within. In the congreagation others our laughing it's not as if any of this was funny, especially not the occasion. However the Terminator reading poetry with the voice of a woman just isn't somthing you expect to see and hear whan you wake up in the morning.

"-Reese you were a hero, a soldier, a confidant a lover. Thank You."

Sarah is laughing so hard she almost falls off her seat, Will isn't doing much better his face is red from laughter and tears. Everything is in an uproar, some soldiers and pounding the floor with their boots in unison, it builds like thunder.

"Are you okay,"asks Will to Sarah.

She nods and approaches the pulpit.

"This is what Reese would have wanted, he'd be smiling right now, he'd be laughing along with us. Probably harder than most of us. But we must conclude....we must conclude!"

The laughter dies down, and then everyone is standing and saluting the flag as they recite the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the Resistance.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the Resistance and the vision for which it stands. Many countries under one banner with liberty and retribution for all!"

They hold their salute as the drummers drum and the flag is lowered it is then carried and draped over Reeses coffin. A fitting shroud for a soldier, a soldier who had given the ultimate sacrifice. After closing prayer those who wanted to see Reese's body were invited to see him one last time. Many soldiers filed past that day, including Reeses fiance a ceremonial flag tucked under one arm and tears streaming down her face.

Later as night settled the only thing remaining was was Resses coffin, Sarah stood beside it with The Terminator Will had retired to his quarters.

"What were his wishes?"

"He wanted to be cremated,"the Terminator replied.

Sarah used her radio to contact someone, then they waited.

Two warriors unleashed jets of blazing fire onto the coffin, Sarah and The Terminator wielding the flamethrowers like experts. Soon the fire accelerated without their help, and they watched the smoke and ashes rise into the very black sky.

The two men stood in the desert, near a raised Butte in the Arizona desert. One had a scar on his face over his left eye and under it, the other was very familiar- that's because it was Reese.

General Connor held the metal cylinder in his hand, he turned it over and tossed it a few times.

"You can't give up after all we've been through,"stated Reese he then held his fingers close together,"we're this close to defeating them-"

Connor looked up directly at Reese, you could see the fire had gone out in his eyes.

"I can't do it anymore Reese. I can't sentence anymore of us to death."

Reese couldn't believe this was happening, for once he had fought and felt that everything was going to work out- and now this.

"After all these years, all these hopes and battles you are just going to give up! Why?!"

"Because we had our chance and we fucked up-"

"Bullshit! You're just afraid that you can't finish what you started!"

The General visibly lost all his bluster, he sat on the side of the large hole. Reese sighed and then sat down beside him, the General handed Reese the metal cylinder. Reese turns on his helmet light and looks down the hole, he places his foot on the ladder.

"Come with me...you have to see this."

The General nods, and Reese begins to descend the ladder.

Earth: Epicenter Earth

Skynet

General Connor woke up. His vision was blurred, and he couldn't really take a clear breath. All he remembered was that Reese was very badly wounded, perhaps even dead. No though, not possible-if reese was dead then he was dead. Somehow Reese had to be alive, that was the only conclusion he could come to.

The door opened and two units walked in, completley incompassionate, the General heard the crackle of electrical energy. As General Connor watched he saw them, held in huge hands- Shocksticks!

General Connor stood up and braced himself. He watched the energy crackle between the twin prongs. He knew they would start the energy surge light and work their way up. However he was not going to give up anything-

KRACKZZZT!

The Generals left leg collapsed, the energy surged through his body. He gritted his teeth, the crackle from the electrical energy snapped in his eye- the prongs came closer-

From outside the cell you could hear the Generals bloodcurdling scream!

"Do you have anything to tell us?"

"No!"

General Connor watched as the Units thumb moved the selector switch twice, Energy now raced up and down the stick. Coursing bands of energy snapped around the Units wrist. The prongs moved closer-

CRRRAAACCCKKKLLLLE! SNAP!

The Generals body is lifted into the air and flies back into the wall. He starts to slump to the ground but then-

KEEERRRRRACKLE!

He's pinned up against the wall, he grits his teeth.

"Anything to tell us?"

"Go to hell!"

The Units thumbs the selector up all the way- The prongs contact the General. His back nearly breaks in half as he spasms, the energy seems to be kicking him through the floor. The constant barrage casts a stroboscopic light throughout the room- then it fades to darkness.

The hum and crackle stops, the two Units move toward the door. As the first one leaves the other turns to the General.

"Only after you and your Carbon based has beens!"

The door closes, and General Connor pushes himself up to his haunches.

"I'm never gonna tell you anything you-"

Then he went out like a light....

Reese walked in and passed a light switch, he called over his shoulder-

"You want to hit that for me."

General Connor flipped the switch, lights came on down a long and low slung room. There were metallic cannisters lining the walls, hundreds of them.

"This is my hell,"said Reese a hollowness in his voice.

General Connor did not understand for a few moments but then it dawned on him.

"This is the place you told me about! The place which is a constant?"

Reesed looked up from his work, and replied short and sweet-

"Yes."

General Connor swallowed a huge lump in his throat.

"How many?"

Reese held up the cannister, written on a white card taped onto it was the number: 2372.

"You now see my nightmare General? I've seen so many quitters...I thought I had a winner this time."

General Connor walked down the rows and found one strangely empty slot, he turned to Reese.

"Why is this slot empty?"

Reese moved up alongside him, his eyes glinted in anticipation.

"That's Earth, the first place Skynet emerged. They haven't given up....yet. I call it the Epicenter."

General Connor turned to him, he sighed.

"I'm sorry Reese...I tried so hard but I just....I just couldn't take it!"

Reese took the General by his shoulders, locked his gaze.

"You did so much more than some of these other Connors ever did General! You gave me a hope and an undying belief that I can indeed accomplish my mission."

"What is that mission Reese?"

Reese smiled....

"I'd tell you but it wouldn't make any sense...I hope you understand."

General Connor nodded, then saluted Reese.

"Good luck Soldier!"

Reese saluted back.

"Thank you Sir. It's been a pleasure serving under you."