A Whole New World
Walle trundled down the ramp, his toolbox slung faithfully on his back, his pet cockroach riding pillon. It was a day just like any other. Earth was practically a total wasteland, and those with any brains at all had left it behind and gone in search of new worlds again. The initial euphoria at plant life growing again had quickly worn off, and most humans had chosen to take off again, preferring the illusion of comfort in a cloistered shuttle.
His Directive was two-pronged and simple. 1) To Compact the infinite amount of rubbish into an infinite amount of cubes, 2) To pile up the beforesaid cubes. Over time he had developed a third Directive of his own, giving in to his instincts are as scavenger. He still had the ever growing rotating store of pretty objects which held value to him, and classified according to item-type.
His lenses defocused and became dreamy as he slipped into a day-dream trance as his robo-grippers mechanically went about the task. Earth was in such a sad state. The process of rubbish generating was absolutely virulent. It started in the states, and then europe, sweeping across the world like a particularly infectious strain of disease. People just couldn't stop themselves from creating rubbish and waste, and the process of incineration and waste disposal just couldn't keep up with the accelerating pace.
Finally there were only three last bastions of freedom - from rubbish; Cuba, Madagascar, Singapore.
The first survived by virtue of an iron-fisted dictatorship - 'Create rubbish over the quota and your rations will be halved.'
Madagascar simply blocked off access to the Consumerism Demon the world had set loose on itself by closing off its port and becoming self-sufficient. 'Don't need nobody better off alone was their motto'
Singapore was a unique case. It lived because it was a synthesis between the two, sporting a farsighted government with strict immigration policies balanced with the proactive chaotic forces of business. 'Burn your own rubbish' was the quote of the day.
Walle was based in New York, but had access to the three strongholds of clean, by virtue of being solar-powered and not generating any waste - in fact quite the reverse. He dulled his colours and became a street-cleaning bot when he went to cuba to scourge for parts. Quite a good pair of threads he got there!
He was terrified he couldn't get into Madagascar, because of the stem on influx, but the deranged robo-friends he had made on the roboship when saving the first plant happily smuggled him in. Walle shook his visual receptors from side to side as he recalled the miniture compulsive cleaner, the defective flapping umbrella, and the obessive boxer.. He supposed he could have gotten in from handshake celebrity status, but there were artificial intelligences who were sullen about leaving the utopian but ultimately empty and lifelessness of the mothership who might have a vendetta for frying his circuits. He did so need the audio receptors from Madagascar.
Walle supposed that he could go to Singapore first, where his hi-tech smooth curved milky girl-friend with the sophisticated sense of humor was based as National Guard - boy would any potential enemies be fried - quick and good! He did so envy her dot-matrix eyes and her intelligence... sometimes when he looked at his own rusted model and shitty job.. he really felt that he was way inferior to her. But the love was there. And that's all that matters.
He was lying to himself. There werent any parts from Singapore he could salvage. They were technologically on par with Eva - even if there were bits of machinery they did not fully process to be recycled and reused, it wouldn't fit into his antiquated frame. Singapore - all he wanted from it was Eva.
