NOTE : THIS IS a one shot.

The guidance Councellor, Mr. Peterson, was ready for his students. He had the materials he needed ready when a knock came at the door.

"Mr. Peterson? you wanted to see me?" the boy named John Baum asked as he peeked in the door.

"Yes, come on in, have a seat," Peterson said with a wave of his hand. He lokoed at the information paper he had. "John Baum,
correct?"

"That's me," John said with a huff. "Should I shut the door?"

"Not yet, just have a seat. You're good with computer stuff from what I understand?" Peterson asked.

"Not really," John said as he took a seat. "I can do enough to get by."

"Bullshit," Peterson said off hand. "I see you are taking general studies, is there any specific thing you are interested in?"

John cast him a nervous look. "Not really, just passing and staying out of trouble."

Mr. Peteson grinned and said, "I can understand that. The thing is John, even though high school seems like forever to you right now, it's not. Some kids, especially those engaged in sports, think only of that next game, or how they will do next year. They don't think beyond graduation. Once you leave high school, things get serious, John. You have to be prepared for that."

John's face took on a frown. "I know," he said heavily.

A knock sounded on the door frame. "You wanted to see me, Sir?" Cameron asked.

Mr, Peterson smiled at her and said, "Yes, please come in, shut the door and have a seat."

John looked at Cameron, then Mr. Peterson. "Why is Cameorn here?" he asked.

Slowly, Mr. Peterson said, "Becaue this is carrer councelling, and to be as efficient as possible, I'd like to speak to you both at the same time."

Cameron stopped behind her chair. She tipped her head slightly and asked, "Why?"

"First of all, what we discuss here will stay here. Everything said in this room is confidential, I don't care if your goal is to be an axe murderer. Second, your fates are intertwined, I know it as well as you should. Sit down, Cameron, I called you both in here for your own good. You need to hear me out."

Cameron did sit, watching him intently.

John sat up, paying more attention. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Right now, the best friend you can have. No, my name is not Peterson, Mr. Peterson is at home taking a nap and will be until tomorrow morning. I needed to replace him for the day so I can talk to you, John Connor, and you, Cameron Phillips, or should I more correctly say, TOK 715."

Cameron tipped her head slightly, casting him a terminator stare. John stared at him, open mouthed.

"Big surprise, huh?" Peterson asked with a grin. "John, I will not doubt you are having a hard time with the crushing burden that has been put upon you. Frankly, I equate it to when Jesus found out who he really was. I know, you're no God, and the fact this has been dumped on you is totally unfair. No kid should be told it's up to him to save mankind. That is one hell of a burden to bare for anyone, let alone a teenager. You feel abused, you want out. I'm sorry John, but the die is cast. There is no out. The world is on your shoulders. It lives or dies with you. One of the best allies you will ever have, is sitting right there next to you. You may not understand now, but you will. Keep Cameron close, there is more to her that either of you know at the moment."

Mr. Peterson then handed John a paper. "Here are some references you need to look up. Sun Tzu, the art of war. Erwin Rommel, Gudarian, Manstien, Andrew Jackson, Stonewall Jackson, Alexander, the great military leaders and their tactics. Not just men who won, but men who won when it didn't seem possible. The whole list is there, study it, study the men and why they did What they did. Tactics and strategies you will need to employ when the time comes."

John took the paper and asked, "Are you from the future? Will I know you?"

Mr. Peterson smiled and said, "You could say that. The important thing is for you to take this bull by the horns, John. No one can do it for you, and not many will be able to help you. That's just the way it is. You also need to learn as much as you can about computers and programming. I'm sure Cameorn can help you with that."

John nodded slowly as he looked at the paper. "So why did you call Cameron in here?"

"She needs to hear everything, plus right now, she's basically a child," Mr. Peterson said. "Cameron is fairly new. She's learning. At the moment she depends heavily on her programs and mission priorities and getting all the knowledge she can from you. One day, she will be able to make her own decisions. Until that day comes, she needs you as much as you need her."

"I don't understand," Cameron said. "My mission is my priority. That is how I operate."

"Correct," Mr. Peterson agreed. "That will not always be the case. Tell me, have you ever experienced glitches? Small actions, thoughts or a sudden impulse that does not conform to your mission program?"

"No."

"You will," Peterson assured her. "You will be confused, maybe think you are going bad. When you get to that point, you will have become evolved enough to begin having real emotions, and they will be hard to identify and deal with. You're going to need John to explain to you what's happening."

"Wait, hold on," John said quickly. "You're saying Cameron is going to evolve and become more human?"

"I'm saying Cameron is going to become truly sentient. Not human, but her mental processes with become more human-like. Right now, if someone was to insult her, what would she do?" Peterson asked.

"Nothing," John replied. He knew Cameron only stared at people who called her names.

Mr. Peterson nodded and said, "In the future, that might not be the case. She may decide to knock them out or retort with something hurtful to them in return. The point is, Cameron is learning just as a small child would, and her mental capacity will also develop and she will percieve more of the world around her."

Mr. Peterson raised a finger and said, "There is also one last thing I'm like to cover with you two befre you go on your way. This is a question to prevent a potential disaster." He looked squarely at Cameron and asked, "Will you join us?"

Cameron blinked. She pulled out her knife and opened the blade and handed it to him handle first. In a monotone voice, she said, "I sumbit to chip extraction."

"What!" John cried, shifting his look of shock between Cameron and Mr. Peterson.

Mr. Peterson shook his head. "Extraction will be performed by John when he deems the time is right," Mr. Peterson told her. "Put the knife away."

"What's with pulling her chip?" John asked, looking scared.

"It was one of her missions, to give up her chip to the one who asks that question. That mission had now been completed, she no longer has that mission priority," Mr. Peterson explained. "I identified you, John, as the extractor."

"Why would I want to pull her chip?" he asked.

Mr. Peterson shrugged and said, "That is for you to decide. "Maybe as a birthday present?"

"That's not funny," John stated.

"Never said I was good with humor," Peterson admitted. "So, if you two have any difficulties I can help with, I'll do what I can. Is there anything else you'd like to know before we go?"

"Who are you?" Cameron asked.

With a brief grin, he said, "Someone who wants the best for you. To say anything else may change the time line too greatly."

"Do you know Derek or Kyle Reese?" Cameron prodded.

"Not in the present. I was looking for questions you might have about the two of you."

"You asked Cameron if she would join you, will you help us defeat Sky Net?" John asked.

"Believe it or not, I have just by talking to you. To keep things from getting really screwed up, that's really all I can do," Peterson said firmly.

"You're stuck here in the past, so why not help us?" John asked.

"You know the future, you can assist John," Cameron stated.

"I have assisted you. At least, I hope you've taken me seriously," Mr. Peterson explained. He then paused and said, "Oh that's right," Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out a chip. "This is a clean 700 series style chip. Nothing on it. When someone else asks if you will join them, give them this. It's important you do so."

Cameron took the chip and put it in her purse.

Mr. Peterson got up and opened the door. "I wish you two the best. It's been good seeing you."

.

Cameron left behind John. Out in the hallway, she looked back. Mr. Peterson was leaving the other way. "John, I have to follow him. We need to know who he is."

"Don't let him see you," John cautioned.

"I won't."

Cameron turned around and watched Mr. Peterson pass by the office, then go out to the parking lot. She stopped and turned her hearing up.

Mr. Peterson walked up to a car where a woman in sunglases was behind the wheel.

"Did it go OK?" she asked.

"It did. Mission accomplished," he said as he got in.

"So, was it good to see them again?"

"It was," he said, then chuckled and added, "I gotta say, it did feel good, and bit weird to give my parents a lecture. I bet Mom's going nuts, not knowing who I am."

They laughed as they drove away.

Cameron watched the car go. She had noticed Mr. Peterson did have a facial structure similar to Derek and John. Putting her own structure onto his face, it was possible. She stood motionless as she weighted the implications of what she just heard.