Having recently seen the previews for T4, I thought now would be a perfect time for this rec...

Title: Judgement Calls by Stephensmat (R)
Fandom: Terminator Universe
Pairing: John Conner/Kate Brewster
Categories: action, angst, romance
Length: very long
Warnings: violence, character death (not John or Kate)

Author on LJ: n/a
Website: n/a

Review:
Starting a few hours after Judgement Day and continuing through the first year or so, Judgement Calls tells how a young man locked down under a mountain can find himself the head of a resistance army. And, you know, how he and Kate finally hook up.

First, the heads up: if you're just looking for romance, this is *not* the story for you. Most of the action of the story is about how John finds the other pockets of humanity while he is stuck in Crystal Peak and then, later, about his first few skirmishes with the machines. There are also a few grammatical errors; not enough to make me stop reading, but they are noticeable.

So, why should you read this fic? Frankly, it is the most realistic, thoughtful, *probable* post-Judgement Day fic I've ever read. Life is not easy, love is even harder, and the machines always seem to be just a step ahead. John's personal journey from the boy who wanted to stop the war and avoid his destiny to the man who will lead the human resistance to victory is a compelling, fascinating tale and just as interesting is Kate's own personal growth as she acclimates herself to her new life and comes through the experience tempered into a warrior in her own right.

Disturbing and uplifting, this is a tale of the most extreme trial the human race could encounter and the first few steps they take to victory.

Judgement Calls (ff.net)