Picnic

[screeee]

who ; Raptor Red and everybody else
what ; Picnic beach party adventures
where ; Garden Zone 04
when ; probs backdated to 3/26 HERPA DERP
warning(s) ; NONE YET.

OOC: In case you missed it here is the OOC/plotting post for this little soiree. Everybody is effectively invited to this and I hope there can be plenty of derpy shenanigans to offset all

Comments

Later that evening...

[screeee]

[Once the sun has set and the sand has cooled, the bonfire begins. It's cozy and warm-- the perfect place for story telling, reflecting, and drinking beer.]

[robots_omgh8u]

She's fine I'm sure. You're the one I need to be checking on.

[His voice was commanding, but there was concern in it as well. He's genuinely worried.]

[terminatenomore]

John. [ It stopped making eye contact. ]

That wasn't a request.

[robots_omgh8u]

[John stares at the machine for minute before closing his eyes and turning away. He's still unsure if he should leave, but the way the Terminator is acting he decides that for now listening to it might be the best course of action.]

I'll go find her, but we're not done talking about this. We'll get in touch with Delta and go through your systems, alright?

[hows_the_knee]

[Sarah's been watching for you, buddy. You're late.

Oh yeah, and she's already in a terrible mood.]

Took you long enough.

Everything all right?

[watching carefully, looking for any more signs of the...weirdness from earlier.]

[terminatenomore]

[ Well, seeing as you're in a terrible mood. It might as well be blunt and give you the worst possible news first. Because it never usually does that. ]

I've exhausted all possibilities. I confirmed Legion's permanent disappearance. That is why I was delayed.

[hows_the_knee]

[Sarah just looks at the Terminator for a moment. She hasn't forgotten his...dalliance with Legion, but that was over months ago. Honestly, at this point, with all the other shit she's been dealing with...why the fuck should she care?]

And...?

[If anything, she's relieved that Legion is no longer a variable they'll have to worry about. He was a bad influence on you anyway, you'll be better off without him.

[terminatenomore]

He is just that. Gone.

[hows_the_knee]

[No, you don't get it, she doesn't care.]

You said that.

Anything else to report?

[terminatenomore]

No,

[ If it had a heart, you would be stepping on it so hard right now. ]

there is nothing else. Do you need assistance?

[hows_the_knee]

[good thing you're nothing but an emotionless machine then amirite]

I want you to run a full self-diagnostic.

[terminatenomore]

[ It picked a leaf off of its jacket, tossing it aside. The terminator looked at its hands, knuckles cracking without efforts as it clenched its fists tight over and over. It was thinking- considering. The look on its face going from blank to vaguely contemplative to something wide eyed. Fear as if in a split second it learned to feel terror at some horrible realization before it vanished. ]

...No.

[hows_the_knee]

[Even before the Terminator spoke, Sarah knew something was wrong. The response was too long in coming, and Sarah watched, instantly alert, as the machine clenched its powerful hands, the expression on its face something she'd never seen before.

She stepped forward, so cautiously, her mouth suddenly dry. Please God, no.]

Something's wrong.

I want you to run a diagnostic.

[terminatenomore]

[ That earlier momentary lapse of expression was nowhere to be found in its face, though it's posture and movement still implied hesitance. The terminator stepped back, though behind thick sunglasses there was still the feeling that it was maintaining steady eye contact but less like a predator and more akin to a cornered animal. ]

I can only register this as

[ It went quiet, not because the cat had its tongue- it was checking something. No, this wasn't right. ]

-a request.

[hows_the_knee]

What?

[Sarah shook her head, stepping forward to follow when the T-800 stepped back.

This couldn't be happening. Something was wrong and now he wasn't taking orders, and God, he couldn't, she coudn't deal with this.]

It's not a fucking request.

I am ordering you to run a diagnostic.

[terminatenomore]

[ This time, the T-800 returned and also stepped forward- closing the space between them that it was looming over her. Its large shadow falling over her, making looking nonthreatening about as possible as buoyancy for the titanic. ]

Sarah Connor. Repeat to me- what is my mission? Comply.