Terminator: Prime

The war with the machine had come to a head, at least, depending on your reality. A group of four Terminators known as the Rev-9i, humanoid cybernetic organisms, infiltrated another reality already at war with a supercomputer, an AI called Skynet, and its Terminators. The Rev-9is almost succeeded. Their mission was to reprogram Skynet for Legion, another supercomputer from their reality.

One of the Rev-9is, Chad, came up with the idea of capturing and reprograming another Terminator, ‘Bob’, to send further ahead to the next reality and begin construction of another RDE, reality displacement equipment. The RDE is a modified version in the software of the TDE, time displacement equipment.

Having killed John Connor and about to send Bob, Chad and his cohorts were surprised when Quin, a good friend of John, inadvertently merged with Bob and was sent further ahead to another reality. Concerned about his plans being affected, Chad and two others followed.

Retaining his body, Quin assumed Bob’s identity as a Terminator, helping Chad construct an RDE until the last minute. When the opportunity presented itself, Quin managed to get away and seek out the help of another John Connor.

This John Connor, along with the help of his wife, Katherine ‘Kate’ Brewster, and boss, Daniel ‘Danny’ Dyson joined Quin.

After destroying the two Terminators who followed Chad, Kate brought an end to his plans, shooting him with a special rocket courtesy of Danny.

Knowing that the John Connor of his reality was dead, Quin was desperate to bring him back. After failing to convince John to follow, Quin sincerely believed the only way to bring him along was to kill that reality’s Kate, promising John he could still be with her if he came with.

The fourth and final Rev-9i was then shortly eliminated when John found that this other Kate was pregnant with what would be his children in another reality. The Kate of his reality couldn’t bear any children.

Months would go by. Quin remained in a base with his wife, Ryka, and Kate. John did his best to lead the war against the machines, letting one of his generals, Shawn O’Neil, secretly and unknowingly, make all tactical decisions.

A Terminator’s infiltration of the base would expose Quin as a machine the moment Kate viewed him through a sniper’s scope when he stepped foot outside. The brief time he was out of the base was enough for Quin to receive new coordinates for Skynet’s location.

Quin was knocked unconscious from being shot and awoke to find himself a prisoner, and had to convince Ryka and Kate of his good intentions by telling them almost everything.

With Quin exposed as a Terminator, John felt compelled to reveal the truth about himself to Shawn. After receiving Skynet’s new location, John knew the war could be ended in a matter of hours and enlisted Shawn’s help to further his deception.

Having convinced Kate and Ryka of who/what he was, Quin set out with them in an APC to confront Skynet. John set out with Shawn and his forces as well, engaging the enemy just before Quin could arrive.

As the APC closed in, it took severe damage. With Ryka now the one unconscious, Quin decided it best to leave her and Kate in the APC as he moved forward alone. When he was close to Skynet’s facility, he received a message to ambush the APC when John Connor arrived.

Quin went back to disrupt the ambush and save his friends before returning to Skynet. Upon connecting minds, Skynet immediately ceased all hostile actions against humans and viewed Legion as the threat to its continuing existence. As long as humans provided it with all information, it would abide by its agreement of a cease-fire.

Part of the deal Quin managed to strike up with Skynet was that it would have no access to TDE/RDE technology. The only exception would be to send any help he might need. Reverting any changes made by the previous Rev-9i to cover its tracks, Quin made the TDE back to an RDE and left to confront Legion.

In Legion’s reality, Quin found a city of ‘Terminators’. Legion constructed its ideal society, its solution to world peace. Failing to convince the AI to stop, Quin asks it to solve a computer science problem to which Legion obliges. The question of ‘does P = NP?’ caused a system-wide overload that put an end to Legion and released a failsafe, another Terminator, the T-∞.

A short fight ensued in which Quin defeats the T-∞ with the help of a T-1000. He goes back to his reality and with the help of Shawn, splits his human body from Bob, the Terminator, to become normal again.

John and Quin then tell Kate and Ryka everything. With some convincing, they take their wives back to John’s former reality, one untouched by war, and leave Shawn in charge of the rebuilding.

With Bob tagging along to collect information, John, his family, and friends, return to his reality. He and Quin make a deal with Danny to provide him with information Bob knows in exchange for full sponsorship.

Now, months later on a sunny weekend.

Quin flipped a hamburger patty on the grill.

“Good,” John said. “Just like that. You don’t want to burn them.”

Quin gave a short devilish laugh as he flipped another patty.

Danny stood near, taking a swig of his drink before letting out a loud sigh. “Beautiful day,” he said. “Perfect for a cookout.”

Several feet away were Ryka and Kate in lounge chairs next to a pool.

Quin’s backyard was a newly fenced-off section of the property Danny owned.

Danny’s company, as well as a lake and forest at some distance, were visible from here. Quin was just happy he didn’t have to cut so much grass.

Bob was in his room, connected to the garage, away from the house. All he did all day every day was sit at his desk and use his laptop to send and collect information from Danny’s company. Rarely did he ever go out in disguise for studying. Like a Terminator, there was no need to eat or sleep.

The fact a Terminator was living with them was the reason Ryka could never be at ease, carrying her plasma rifle everywhere, even the bathroom. The weapon was always at least right next to her. Quin had no issue with Bob, being merged with the machine once.

Ryka could have a regular conversation with Bob, but she couldn’t get over the idea that something could go wrong. Even now, the rifle sat near her as she drank with Kate in the lounge chairs. The rifle was covered by a large towel she kept adjusting for her peace of mind to remind her it was there.

Kate stretched her legs. “Got any plans for tomorrow,” she asked. “I’m up for another jog, just leave the gun this time.”

Ryka chuckled as she caressed the rifle through the towel. “No way,” she answered. “This thing goes where ever I go.”

Kate grunted in frustration. “You don’t get out much,” she asked. “Do you?”

Ryka shook her head. “Not really,” she answered. “Tell me when you’re living with a Terminator how you’d feel.”

Kate looked awkwardly at Ryka. “Geez, you must be a mess,” she said. “How do you even sleep?”

“I use to have a comfy bed back home,” Ryka replied. “Now, Quin and I do whatever, then I go to the floor and sleep with my back against the wall in a corner facing the door and the wall I think Bob is likely to crash through.”

“Damn,” Kate said amazed. “I’m almost afraid to ask how you do grocery shopping.”

“That’s easy,” Ryka responded. “Quin goes out and gets it, or if he’s not around or busy, I tell Bob what I need at gunpoint, then he orders everything online and has it delivered.”

Quin took one patty from the grill and set it on a plate.

John rubbed his cool drink across his forehead. “So, I know you’ve driven a car here and there back in your place,” he said. “But do you know the Rules of the Road?”

Quin looked at John curiously. “The what?”

Danny took another drink. “You know,” he began. “Rules. You can’t just slam on the gas and go where ever willy-nilly.”

Quin nodded with a smile. “I’ve been watching John when he drives me around,” he said. “You go on green, stop on red, and yellow means hurry.”

Danny looked at John worriedly. “Dude, what the hell?” he semi-laughed.

John shrugged. “Ok, so I haven’t been the best example,” he said. “This weekend I’ll take you out so we can go over some lessons.”

Quin placed another patty on the plate. “Sounds good to me.” He replied.

John turned to Ryka. “You can come with too,” he said. “I’ll get you guys rollin’ in no time.”

“Sure,” Ryka smiled. “As long as I can take my rifle.”

Quin frowned and shook his head. “She won’t go anywhere without that damn thing.”

“Anywhere?” Danny asked confused.

Kate shook her head. “You don’t know what you’re missing.” She said.

Ryka proudly snapped back. “Can’t imagine it’s much!”

“The mall,” Kate added. “The bar, the movies? You can’t stay inside like you’re in a pandemic.”

“Oh yes I can,” Ryka responded, uncovering her plasma rifle. “Don’t call me crazy either. I’ve already avoided trouble with this thing.”

John, Kate, and Danny looked at Quin as he rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“What happened?” Kate asked.

“We went for a walk,” Quin answered. He placed yet another patty on the plate “At least that’s something she’ll do. Anything outside, or that doesn’t check for weapons is ok.”

“But what happened?” Danny asked again.

“I guess he was homeless,” Ryka replied.

John quickly ran over and grabbed Ryka’s arms. “Please tell me you didn’t shoot anyone!”

Ryka pulled her arms away. “Don’t worry,” she said, shocked John would even ask.

“It hit the wall,” Quin added. “Guy was trying to rob us. Unfortunately for him, he brought a knife to a gunfight. In the end, he just ran away.”

Ryka crossed her arms and said. “I refuse to be a victim!”

Kate gasped. “Aren’t you worried about cops?”

Ryka smiled. “You mean those law people,” she started. “What’s that guy gonna do? Report that he tried to rob someone and it didn’t go his way?”

Kate leaned back in her chair. “I guess you got a point.” She said.

Quin turned back to the grill and said. “At least there’s more to watch on TV than a fire.”

“Never should have shown me that,” Ryka said. “This world. A lot more violent than I thought.”

Kate took a drink. “What were you expecting,” she asked. “A utopia?”

Ryka shrugged. “Well, yeah,” she responded. “Back home, everyone was united against the machine. Here, people live in different nations and they’re threatening to kill each other. Each other!”

Kate sat up. “Yeah,” she nodded. “People can suck, but at least we’re not fighting a war and it’s still relatively peaceful.”

Danny began to rock back and forth on his feet. “It’s about to get a lot more peaceful,” he said looking at Ryka. “You’ll see. I promise.”

Quin flipped another patty. “Like I was saying,” he began. “Since Ryka isn’t willing to go to many places, we watch a lot of TV. I love that dating show about people doing this thing you call catfishing, pretty funny sometimes.”

John sat by the pool, looking at Ryka. “You,” he asked. “I can imagine you watch a lot being home all the time.”

Ryka thought for a moment. “Anything fantasy or sci-fi,” she answered. “Interesting to see what people think is possible. I thought this place would be like the United Federation.”

Danny stood by Quin and took another drink.

On the side of the house, connected to the fence, was a gate. When someone carrying a very large bouquet approached, they could easily be seen by those in the back.

“Delivery!” came a voice, gaining everyone’s attention.

Quin handed Danny the spatula. “Here,” he said. “Watch this while I get that.”

No one suspected anything was wrong as Quin opened the gate to take the bouquet.

“You didn’t think that stupid rocket would work,” the voice asked. “Did you?”

As Quin held the bouquet, obscuring his vision and taking a moment to think about the question, he suddenly felt a sharp, searing pain hit him in the stomach.

Everyone watched as Quin fell to the ground in pain with the bouquet, revealing the delivery guy.

John gasped.

Danny looked on in confusion saying. “Chad?!”