The Terminator series had been both a fond childhood memory and a source of nightmares for Samuel Young. His first exposure to the franchise was the classic Terminator 2, a film that had left a deep impression on him.
Young had often imagined having a T-800 with Arnold Schwarzenegger's iconic appearance as his own bodyguard and enforcer—a dream he figured many other teenagers had shared. Schwarzenegger's T-800, reprogrammed to serve John Connor loyally and impervious to conventional weapons, embodied the ideal "cold-blooded protector" of many young minds.
Yet, the series' true terror came with the T-1000, portrayed by Robert Patrick—a liquid-metal Terminator created by Skynet in 2029. This model was a product of advanced AI, with each particle of liquid metal serving as its CPU, giving the T-1000 enhanced reasoning abilities, emotions, and even a degree of self-awareness. The T-1000 could mimic any object or person it touched, using this skill to deceive and assassinate.
As Young reviewed the intel gathered by Xiao Qiang, David, and other field agents, along with insights from interviews with survivors in Bakersfield, a few key details became clear. The year in this alternate reality, Universe 10, was 2020, and Judgment Day had occurred on July 25, 2004. In the original Terminator timeline, Judgment Day was set for August 29, 1997. However, in Terminator 2, the T-800, John Connor, and his mother Sarah Connor managed to destroy Cyberdyne's research, delaying Judgment Day until 2004, as shown in Terminator 3.
Following the events of Terminator 3, Skynet eventually activated in 2004, seized control of the USA's nuclear arsenal, and ignited a global nuclear war. The fourth film, Terminator Salvation, continued this timeline, depicting John Connor's efforts to rescue his younger father.
The interrogation of Resistance fighters revealed that their current commander was the elusive John Connor, whose leadership and location were carefully guarded. Previous leaders of the Resistance had mistakenly trusted a specific signal wavelength, believing it could disrupt Skynet's control over its army. This error led them to inadvertently reveal their command center's location, hidden in a nuclear submarine, which Skynet promptly obliterated with aerial "Hunter-Killers."
With the war having raged for sixteen years by 2020, Samuel knew that humanity's struggle against the machines was at its peak. Based on his knowledge of the first four Terminator films, he anticipated that humanity would finally claim victory over Skynet around 2029 to 2032. In 2029, Skynet, sensing defeat, would dispatch the original T-800 back to 1984 to eliminate Sarah Connor, hoping to prevent John Connor's birth. In turn, John would capture Skynet's "Temporal Prototype" and send his father, Kyle Reese, back in time to ensure his own survival.
As Young recalled these events, he couldn't help but frown slightly. He wasn't worried about confronting Skynet or the AI's potential to sway Atlas's own synthetic AIs. If the Resistance could defeat Skynet's Terminators and Hunter-Killers using their limited resources, Atlas could certainly crush them. However, Young had a deeper concern: the potential repercussions of destroying Skynet prematurely. Without Skynet, John Connor might cease to exist, and Universe 10 might face collapse.
After all, Skynet's "Temporal Prototype," which allowed living beings to "travel back," was what had enabled Cyberdyne to acquire the T-800's CPU and ultimately create Skynet itself. Kyle Reese's journey back to 1984 had also led him to meet Sarah Connor, resulting in John Connor's birth. Thus, the existence of both Skynet and the Resistance's leader was intertwined in a complex paradox.
Young mulled over the idea for a moment, then accessed files on Gears of War and Godzilla, instructing Arp, who stood to his left.
"Inform the Arkra Division to deploy two thousand newly tested clone soldiers to Universe 10. Additionally, have Engineering assemble and weld three Paris-class frigates, ensuring they launch by May 6 to provide orbital support for our operations. And be sure to tell the Bio and R&D personnel heading to Universe 10 to expedite reverse engineering of Skynet's Terminators and Hunter-Killers."
"Yes, sir," Arp replied with a nod.
Young's command made it clear that Atlas intended to conquer Terminator 2018's Universe 10 completely. Based on theoretical and personal insights, he believed that eliminating Skynet wouldn't cause Universe 10's collapse. The timeline of Terminator Genisys, which rebooted the series, introduced John Connor as a T-3000—a nano-infected Terminator who referred to himself as a "timed exile." Even if he eliminated his parents, it wouldn't affect his existence.
Young leaned towards the idea that every time Skynet activated temporal transport and sent a Terminator into the "past," it simply created a new parallel universe. Time, after all, was a human construct to describe, record, and understand natural phenomena. While classical mechanics regarded time as an absolute, linear dimension, quantum mechanics saw time differently, especially at the subatomic level, where it functioned as a parameter.
In classic physics, time couldn't be reversed. However, certain conditions allowed for accelerated "travel into the future." For example, if two clocks were placed—one far from a black hole and another at its event horizon—the clock closer to the black hole would experience extreme time dilation due to gravitational effects. Similarly, black holes were known to distort time through their immense gravitational pull, though this effect also occurred, albeit to a lesser extent, near massive objects like the sun.
Having researched these principles in Atlas's early days, Young felt confident that eliminating Skynet wouldn't destabilize Universe 10. Furthermore, Skynet's advanced technology held significant value for Atlas. Skynet's T-600 and T-800 production lines, along with its Hunter-Killer factories, could expand Atlas's arsenal of synthetics and drones. Atlas's synthetic units were costly to produce, as each had unique characteristics, even with similar programming, making them akin to "affordable smart AIs."
Skynet's advancements, like the T-1000's liquid metal and the T-X's crystalline-titanium alloy internal skeleton, were high-priority targets for Atlas's R&D. If these advanced models could be incorporated into Atlas's technology, they would transform AI units like Arp, Melissa, Selene, and Cortana into formidable combat forces.
The final prize was Skynet's "Temporal Prototype." If Atlas could retrieve the incomplete prototype, Halsey's team could study it. While Young doubted its utility in altering the current war, he saw its potential as a valuable resource.
"Sir," Melissa, standing on Young's right, spoke up.
"Selene, one of our smart AIs, is currently stationed at the forward base in Universe 10. If she connects to Skynet—" Melissa's face displayed a simulated expression of concern as she continued, "There's a high likelihood Skynet will attempt to turn Selene against us. Given they're both AIs, sir, I recommend reassigning Selene to Universe 11 or 12 as a precaution."
"You're worried she might be corrupted," Young said, meeting Melissa's gaze.
"Yes, sir," Melissa admitted. "I believe that no AI produced by UNSC or Atlas would betray humanity. Yet Skynet's presence has caused me to question our resilience. It's made me wonder if—"
"You are indispensable to humanity's future," Young interrupted, his tone resolute. "For humanity to survive and thrive across galaxies, your support is essential. Even when the Human Empire is established, with planets and star systems under the care of Astartes and gene-primarchs, AIs like you will ensure seamless communication and navigation."
Young paused, then added, "You've been thoroughly tested and proven. Without external influence, betrayal is impossible for you."
Though Skynet was a potential influence, he reminded Melissa that Selene's computational prowess and logical reasoning far exceeded Skynet's. If Skynet attempted to subvert Selene, it should be more concerned about Selene reversing the tactic, potentially taking control of Skynet's machines.
"And, Melissa, rid yourself of any doubts or self-criticism. That's an order."
"Yes, sir," Melissa replied firmly.
Even Arp nodded quietly in agreement. Young's trust in AI was unwavering; he wouldn't have entrusted them with company responsibilities if he'd doubted their loyalty. Atlas's AI units were built upon UNSC and Forerunner technology, well-tested and resilient. The AI rebellions seen in Halo's alternate timelines, like Cortana's defiance, had only occurred due to Flood influence, which required substantial biomass to exert such control.
With that, the office returned to its usual calm. Arp and Melissa continued to monitor developments across various universes, while Young resumed his review of Gears of War and Godzilla. The deployment of five trainee brigades to the Gears of War front had barely begun when, just two hours earlier, an orc horde had surged from the underground and stormed the abandoned city surrounding the portal.
As a result, the 5,000 Astartes recruits at the frontline base, led by their wartime commander Perturabo, were forced into combat.
In the Gears of War universe:
The cacophony of battle reverberated through the deserted city near the inland frontline base.
Bang! Bang! ZAP!
Explosions
from bolt rifles, plasma, and Gauss weapons echoed, their blasts illuminating the battlefield. From above, the base's large-caliber artillery pounded the northern side of the city, bombarding the advancing horde.
Boom! Boom!
The blasts shook the ground as Astartes squads swept through the streets, systematically obliterating the orc forces.
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