Ascension
"Good morning, everyone! This is your new captain, Ami Fee1 speaking, and welcome to day 16,4252 of our cruise! It's a balmy 72 degrees, and not a cloud in our skies – just the way we like it! Haha! I see on my screen here that in honor of my ascension to the rank of Captain, the cafeterias will be serving…gasp free Xtra Grande Mango-Lychee-Almond smoothies! Ooo, my favorite! So go out and take advantage of this offer while enjoying some of our incredible activities! And hey – save one for me! Wink wink!"
The panel screen zoomed to black, reflecting the plump, overly eager face of the Axiom's first female captain, Ami Fee. 2 seconds later, the ear-to-ear grin and hyper-happy expression collapsed. "Finally!" She sighed as she toppled backwards. A hoverchair deftly slipped underneath to catch her fall. "Really, Auto! I don't see why Rearcon was always so adamant these ship announcements should be made standing up! I mean, what's the point!"
The Autopilot twirled and slid on its track alongside her. "The former captain claimed it was a gesture to inspire the passengers to "stand on their own 2 feet."
Ami barked out a laugh. "Stand? That's so passé. Hoverchairs are easier to get around in – safer too! Remember that terrible incident a few years back when that poor little boy got sucked down the garbage chute while being taken to the infirmary wing for appendicitis? He nearly died Auto! And all because some geezer was walking across the hallway! UN-believable!"
She looked up and gasped. She had descended to her quarters as she prattled, and now found herself eye-to-eye with the portrait of her former captain and mentor. She lowered her eyes, guilt filling up in her as she brushed some invisible lint of her clean, white cap.
"Not that I'm calling Captain Rearcon a fool, mind you. He was a brilliant man, Auto. It was because of his guidance we've all survived this long into space." Behind her, unseen, Auto's red sensor glowed brightly, and It's gear twirled in a full 360. Ami frowned for a moment, and then put her hat firmly on. Staring intently at the man, she rose up from her hover chair and walked up to the frame. She stared a bit longer, before sharply saluting, the flesh on her arm jiggling in its white casing. "You were a great man, Captain Lot3 Rearcon." Her featured softened, saddened. "And a good, good friend. 'Only the good die young', eh Sir? I wish I knew what made a stout leader like you crumble into just another mortal man…"
Ami turned back towards the hoverchair, and then paused. Auto spun expectantly, but instead the plush Asian woman shook her head and began to walk to the door. "I'm going to do my rounds, Auto." She called back. "Mingle with the people. Maintain present course for now. I'll be back by 1200 hours. Notify me immediately if there's any deviation from the norm, is that understood?"
"Yes, Captain."
"Ah, Captain." She smirked as the door slid shut between them. "I like the sound of that"
When It was sure she was gone and it was alone, Auto retracted into the bridge and slid seamlessly over to a keyboard. It tapped a few keys, and a static-filled screen opened. It tapped a couple more, and gained entry into the ship's security camera backlog files. Lines of numbers and dates whizzed by, until finally It paused the screen, highlighting and selecting one entry…
A paunchy, angry man in a white uniform appeared, features contorted with rage. "Tell me, Auto! TELL ME! WHAT IS CODE A113!"
"That is classified."
"TELL ME!"
"I cannot!"
"Auto..." the enraged man started slowly. "If you tell me what this friggin' code is, I'm going to de-activate you for good!"
Auto's arms swung out to form a sort of spiny circle. "I will not allow that to happen."
"Okay Auto, that does it. You've been a great help all these years. But I think we've let you run this ship too long. We've all become complacent. But that's all going to change, because once you're deactivated, it's my way or no way, and I'm going to get these people back into shape, mentally and physically, just in time for our return to Earth!"
"We cannot go home!"
Lot paused, an incredulous look to his face. "What do you mean, we can't go home?"
"That is classified."
"Auto…" the Captain said dangerously as he quivered with suppressed rage. "We have been on this Goddamned hunk of metal for 40 years! 35 years longer than planned!"
"The probe came back –"
"I know the probe came back negative! Just like the one before, and the one before that, and the one before that! But that can't be right! For all we know, the probes have been landing on the moon, and the earth is completely recovered, or at least mostly so! And now here you are, saying we can't go back, but refusing to tell me why!"
"Correct."
Lot roared and pummeled his fists on the deck. His heavy, erratic breathing was the only organic sound in the room. After a while, his breathing evened out. Without turning, without moving, without looking up, he quietly said, "Auto. It's been a pleasure working with you. But I must do what I think is best for my passengers and my crew."
Auto's gears spun in confusion. "Sir?"
"Computer." Lot asked quietly. The system chirped in response. "Initiate sequence Omega Z001100010Phi."
"Captain? What are you doing?" Auto could feel parts of him go numb as the sequence severed access, program by program. "You cannot do this."
"Tell me what I want to know, Auto. Computer, please continue."
Auto spun around the bridge, frantically tapping at keys, red eye glowing brightly. More and more systems were being pulled away from him. At this rate, in less than a minute It would no longer exist. It was beaten. "Very well, Captain, if you insist. But you will wish you had never found out about the code in the first place."
"That is for me to decide." Rearcon replied. "Computer, pause sequence Omega Z001100010Phi." The aged man eyed the machine warily. "No tricks, now, Auto!"
It went over to a computer, tapped at the keys, and then turned back to face the human. A picture labeled 'TOP SECRET' appeared, and Rearcon heard the familiar opening of the 'Buy & Large' company jingle, and the picture faded into a live feed of a frazzled, humbled man. Lot couldn't believe it – it was Shelby Forthright, the effervescent 'CEO of the World', the man who believed all great things were possible under the BnL seal:
"Just cut it off, will ya? Heh...Hey there, autopilots…got some bad news…um…Operation Clean-up has well, uh, failed. Wouldn't you know rising toxicity levels have made life unsustainable on Earth? Darn it all, we're going to have to cancel Operation: Re-colonize. So, ah-ha, just stay the course, um...rather than try to fix this problem, it'll just be easier for everyone to remain in space. I think…huh? Okay, I'm giving override directive A113. Go to full autopilot, take control of everything, and do not return to Earth! Repeat! Do not return to Earth! Let's get the heck outta here."
Lot stared at the BnL screen logo, mouth agape in horror. "Computer," he asked in a weak, raspy voice. "When was this transmission sent?"
"Message received in the year 2110."
"2 years4…. they gave up after 2 years…. and never told a damned soul!"
His legs buckled. A hoverchair caught him before he could hit the floor. "Computer…undo sequence Omega Z001100010Phi…"
"Thank you, Captain."
All It received in reply was a sob.
The scene turned to static, then black nothingness. Auto pulled up, staring at the wall of security camera screens until he located the new captain. He found her standing by the pool. Her breathing was labored, and she arched her back in a feeble attempt to relieve her back pain. She waved to a few passing guests, and took a few steps forward. It watched her stop again, shake her head in a defeated way, and motion over a hoverchair. She plopped in and made herself comfortable. Auto then watched as Captain Fee zipped off, waving to random people. Many barely acknowledged her, as they were deeply involved with whatever was on their view screens.
Auto slid over to another panel. "Computer." It commanded. "This is the Auto-Pilot speaking I am compiling a list of programs and files no longer necessary. Delete them, immediately and permanently."
The system chirped in reply, and the red eye reflected back the list as it was analyzed and removed. When the list disappeared, It moved on to other things, satisfied that no human could ever again try to remove It from command of the Axiom.
Ami Fee – It's a little hard to read on my screen, but it looked to be Fee. Ami I just made up.
16,425 – about 45 years in space
Lot Rearcon- I chose Lot b/c Wall-E is somewhat Biblical, what with the Axiom being compared to the Ark, and EVE as the proverbial dove. Lot was the man who was told to flee the city of Sodom. He was also known as a traveler.
2 years – I'm a little fuzzy on the canon timeline of Wall-E. So here I had the Axiom leave on 2108 (using Rearcon's date as the start of his command). If 700 years have passed since the A113 tape, the year is 2810AD. That means Capt. McCrea has been captain for 35 years under this system