Disclaimer: I forgot to do one of these. Oops. Anyway, here it is. I don't own Wall-E or the characters associated with the movie, books, short films, or any other type of media licensed by Pixar Animations. They are a fantastic group that has created many amazing stories from Finding Nemo to Cars. I can't wait to see what they come up with next.
Author's Note: Wow, this was a tough one to write. I really wanted to make sure that Eevee acted in an appropriate way to her sudden arrival in the distant future. I failed to do that the last time, and I appreciate the honest feedback on the subject. I kept trying to imagine how I would act if I experienced this same situation. Not as easy as it sounds, especially when I tried to write it out. Anyway, I hope I did a better job this time around.
Also, on a side note. I am actually an MA (Medication Aide) in real life. I work for a Nursing Home, and tend to people with various conditions. I'm not in hospice, but I do assist the hospice nurses who come into work with us. I've seen the good, the bad, and the really ugly sides of it. I decided to make Eevee a hospice RN because I think it is a hugely misunderstood field of medicine. I wanted to share my personal experiences, and the stories of different caretakers. You won't know which are mine or the stories of others, nor will the real names of the people involved be given. As far as the story goes, these are Eevee's patients, and no one else's. I hope you all understand. I simply want to clear the air about this – so many honestly hate hospice, hate what it represents; because they don't truly understand it. Hospice doesn't always mean death; it's a program that offers care and support to not only patients, but to their family and friends as well. It offers assistance to people who have entered their final phase in life – people who have become too frail to properly care for themselves or have lost the mental capacity to do so. As this story progresses, you will see many of these topics explored.
.
.
.
Chapter Three
.
.
This is Earth?
.
.
.
Eevee's eyes drift open; her mind is still slightly foggy; but she is no longer delusional. She slowly sits up, becoming instantly aware that she is naked. There is a white dress folded neatly by the end of her makeshift bed. Eevee grabs it and slips it over her head without even bothering to inspect it; style doesn't matter to a person like her – not anymore at least. She has known the feeling of being denied the basic necessities of life; things like food, water, and attire have been denied to her when she misbehaved. Eevee was only ever given enough to survive, and nothing more.
The gentle motions of getting dressed seems to strain her muscles – it's an aftereffect to being suspended in stasis for hundreds of years; but Eevee is not yet aware of that; in fact, she doesn't even remember being frozen. That is another side effect; her memories shortly before and right after stasis have faded or become non existent. She doesn't remember her interactions with Eve nor does she recall how she got into bed. Of course, waking up without recollection isn't abnormal for her – Eevee is actually rather used to it. The life of a hybrid is full of 'tests' that are nothing more than torture.
Eevee slowly stands up; her legs are rather shaky; but she is able to maintain her balance. Once she is sure she is stable, she takes a quick look around the room she is in. It's vaguely familiar; the desk and its computers, the large machinery that seems to fill every nook and cranny; then her eyes land on the reservoir. There isn't much left of it – the glass is now gone and there is something wet glimmering all over the floor. Some of the haze begins to clear from Eevee's mind. "Oh, now I remember…" It had taken eight people to force her into that reservoir. She had fought them tooth and nail until one of them had finally knocked her hard enough on the back of the head to make her lose consciousness.
Eevee finds herself rubbing her skull just above the hairline. She doesn't detect any pain or swelling – not that she expected to find any. Whoever had hit her had done so with more calculation than force. Dr. Hanson didn't want her dead after all; she is too valuable for that. As far as Eevee knew, she is still the only successful survivor of the Carnivore VORAH Fusion. Eevee is not sure why this is; Dr. Hanson, despite his evil nature, is still a brilliant man. He had created the Veterinary Operational Recreation of Animals and Humans as type of medication. That had been its original purpose – a miracle cure.
There is a fledgling company by the name of Second Chance Life; it originated in Africa with Dr. Hanson at the helm. He is passionate about big cats, and had dedicated his entire life to the protection and rehabilitation of numerous species of wild feline. The Cheetah had been one of his absolute favorites; it was also one of the more at risk animals on the South African Continent. This prompted him to begin experiments; unorthodox tests that left many scratching their heads. The fusion of DNA from two totally different creatures was something of pure science fiction. However, Dr. Hanson had figured out how to do it. The success he had with the Cheetah would make headlines around the world.
The Cheetah is an animal that suffers from inbreeding – each member of the species is very closely related to one another. This is because the species experienced two rapid declines in population; one was about 100,000 years ago when the cheetahs migrated from North America to Asia and South Africa. The second occurred anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 years ago. The cause of that particular decline is unknown. However, both events had negatively impacted the Cheetah to a point that ultimately threatens them with extinction. This led Dr. Hanson to attempt to alter the genes of certain cats to help lessen the strain of birth effects that permeate throughout each new generation – he had been successful. By replacing the genes that caused negative mutations within the species, he assured the survival of the Cheetah. This was the catalyst that lead to Eevee's own fusion.
With the success of the Cheetah, people started to notice Dr. Hanson's work and the potential it held. What if the same principle could be applied to humans? What if the genes that caused Alzheimer, Cancer, and Autism could be eliminated in a similar fashion as the genes within the Cheetah that caused mutations? However, as wonderful as the idea was, the actual process was not as simple. For whatever reason, the human genetic code is very resistant to change – it didn't matter what animal species was used – even the monkey; the human's closest relative within the animal kingdom was rejected. People who volunteered to have the VORAH fusion performed on them often experienced some sort of rapid mutation of animal parts followed by an agonizing death. This had not happened with the Cheetah, and it left Dr. Hanson very confused.
The world was abhorred by the results of the experiments; many calling for instant defunding of the program. Second Chance Life lost all of its subsidy and the VORAH project was dismantled. Dr. Hanson watched as all of his life's work was ripped away from him. The potential VORAH had was tremendous and he couldn't understand why people gave up on it so quickly. This would ultimately drive the man mad; he couldn't stop – wouldn't stop – his search for the proper formula that could perfectly fuse animal DNA within a human's. It had become his new obsession. He would show the world that they were wrong for dismissing him! VORAH would ultimately be the miracle cure it was always meant to be!
Eevee had heard of VORAH; it was all over the news – its potential, its risks, and ultimately, it's defunding. She had hoped for its success. Eevee is no stranger to the devastation of cancer, Alzheimer's, and various other degenerative diseases. She is a hospice nurse; a person who brings comfort to those who are on their final journey in life – yes, it's a hard job. The first time Eevee had to watch a thirteen year old boy pass away from brain cancer; she had been riveted with grief. There has always been more to her career than checking vitals and prescribing pain medications – it is also about the personal relationships between caregiver and patients. Jeffery was more than a child with terminal brain cancer; he liked ice cream, loved playing soccer, enjoyed swimming, and played violin. Eevee would always take the time to listen to Jerry play – he was really good, and since his diagnoses, he had even more time to practice. The last song Jeffery ever played for her was Moonlight Sonata. Jeffery's body would begin transition the next morning, and he would pass away three days later. It was the first funeral Eevee had ever attended for a child; but it would not be the last.
Yes, Eevee wanted the VORAH project to be a success; she had even prayed to God for its achievement; but her prayers went unanswered, and she soon found herself living within a nightmare. Dr. Hanson hadn't stopped his pursuit of VORAH. No, he began to seek out other like-minded people – people with money to spare. On the surface, Second Chance Life had moved on to other fields of genetic research. However, hidden deep within its secret facilities, people like Eevee were being held against their will and experimented on.
Eevee had been walking her dog in the Hill Country of Central Texas the day she had been kidnapped. She had been born and raised in the area, and enjoyed long strolls along the numerous trails that carved their way through Austin's northwestern wooded landscapes. There are a lot of white tailed deer about all year long. Eevee loved watching them frolic and play; especially during the spring, when the doe give birth to their precious fawns.
It had been late in the evening when they nabbed her – Kota had been really far ahead; the dog had been rather hot and anxious to return to the car. However, the sound of Eevee's struggling cries for help had brought the massive canine back to her side immediately. Kota was an Akita; a powerful breed of dog with an impressive bite. The men attempting to take Eevee had been startled by the dog's sudden appearance. They hadn't seen it because it had been so far ahead of Eevee when they selected her as their target. Nevertheless, the dog's vicious attack didn't deter them; in fact, they went after Kota as well, stealing the dog along with its master. Eevee had gotten a sick satisfaction when she saw how badly several of her captors had been bitten – they would need medical attention.
Eevee, at the time, had not understood why they had kidnapped Kota along with her. Why had they bothered to take a large and very aggressive canine? Kota certainly wasn't being an easy captive; he barked, snarled, and attempted to attack anyone who came close to him or his master. It wasn't until Eevee arrived at the facility that she finally understand Kota's presence. That place, it had been a laboratory. It was filled with not only enslaved people, but with a variety of animals as well– dogs, cats, horses, birds, and even exotic creatures like lions and tigers. Eevee was astonished; she couldn't comprehend what she was seeing until she saw him. They called him Ange, and he was fused with the DNA of a Red Deer. He had been very sick when Eevee first saw him; pale and unable to move. Ange had gained the antlers of the deer and his hair had turned rusty red. Eevee never saw him again after that, and she had assumed he had died. It became rather clear to Eevee that she was going to share the same fate as Ange; that she too was about to be fused with some poor animal.
They put Eevee in a small cramped cage. She couldn't move, and had been forced to urinate and defecate on herself. Eevee was denied food, and forced to drink water laced with sedatives. This would continue for a week until three large men came to collect her. They took her to a shower where they stripped and cleaned her body from head to toe. Eevee was too weak to fight back, every muscle in her body hurt from being crammed into a small space for so long. Then she was dragged towards a metal table where she was picked up and thrown roughly on top of it. Quick hands tightened leather straps around her arms and legs.
There wasn't much to remember after that; Eevee knows they pumped her system with even more sedatives after she had been strapped down. She could recall the sound of people moving around her, Kota's snarls as he was also dragged into the room, and the beeping of a machine that monitored her heart. It all went black after that. Eevee never knew what they did to her body while she was under – she only remembered that she had dreamed.
The setting had been a void of white; both she and Kota were next to one another. She had called out the dog's name and he had happily responded by wagging his tail. Eevee had knelt down while Kota moved in towards her; his massive head pushing affectionately against her chest. For a moment, Eevee had thought that maybe she had died, and that both Kota and she would cross from the land of the living to the spirit world together. However, it wasn't meant to be, something was holding her back. Kota could walk forward freely, but Eevee couldn't move her legs; it was as if something powerful was holding her in place. She called to Kota who was still walking away from her. The dog paused, but didn't turn around. "Please." Eevee's voice had trembled. "Don't leave me." It was at that moment that Kota turned to look at Eevee. There were tears in his eyes – her dog was crying.
"Kota?" Eevee could finally feel herself moving forward. The grip that had been holding her back had weakened considerably. Kota seemed startled by this though, and he barked angrily at her. Eevee paused in confusion. "Why?" She somehow knew that Kota did not want her to follow him to the realm of the dead. That he desired she remain in the world of the living. "I don't want to go back to that place." Kota snorted as if aggravated by her words. He even shook his head side to side as if to say, "No." It was clear that Kota wanted her to continue living. "But Kota…" Eevee's words died in her throat when her eyes met his. She felt a strange tingle in her chest as a soft voice floated across her mind. "Because." It started Eevee – it felt so foreign to hear someone else's voice within your mind. "It is you who will see the future, and it is you who will educate those around you." Somehow, Eevee knew this was Kota speaking to her. She asks, "How could you know such a thing?"
Kota looks at the white abyss before him. "I am no longer of the living. I can see across time."
Eevee's heart flutters. "See across time?" It sounded plausible. The spirits of those who have died roam in a different dimension, or so Eevee thought. They very well could be unconstrained by time.
Kota continues to stare ahead of him. It becomes apparent to Eevee he is seeing something she cannot. "The future is a very different place." Kota wags his tail. "But you will be happy there." He then becomes rather alert. "I must go now." Kota abruptly begins to walk away once more.
"Kota wait!" Eevee calls. The dog doesn't respond – it's as if his spirit is being called somewhere else. "Please, I love you so much."
Kota barks happily as he does a quick playful spin. He looks back at Eevee on last time as he fades away. The words, "I know," float across her mind followed by, "And I love you too."
What had transpired between Eevee and Kota had felt very real – she often wondered if maybe it had been real; that both she and Kota had gone to the entrance of spirit world together. It seemed plausible; Eevee did believe in the afterlife. However, in the same breath, it was very possible that what she had seen was nothing more than a delusion that had been brought about by the VORAH process. Either way, Eevee had never spoken of her experience to anyone. She found it rather irrelevant.
In the days following the VORAH Fusion of Kota and herself, Eevee was watched very closely. The treatment she had received was like night and day in comparison to when she first arrived. Dr. Hanson had made sure she was treated like a little princess. It was because she had survived – the first human to ever live more than a few hours after being fused with a carnivorous animal. However, Eevee was not his little pet. She would strike out at the staff, and attempt to escape constantly. Dr. Hanson would eventually grow frustrated with her, ordering various punishments be given that ranged from lashings to starvation. Nothing ever worked though. Eevee would not submit to him.
"You're awake?"
Eevee jumped – the sudden appearance of an unfamiliar feminine voice had her immediately on guard. She scents the air – she can't detect anything organic – the air is too saturated with oil and rust. This causes Eevee to become even more nervous. "Show yourself," She snarls out authoritatively as possible.
"Please, calm yourself. I mean you no harm." The voice is unnaturally electronic with a high pitch that aggravates Eevee's sensitive ears.
Something is moving – its advancement is extremely smooth; like it's floating – then there is a bright flash of blue. The glow continues to come closer. Eevee is able to quickly identify it as a set of electronic eyes – her hackles raise immediately in response to the strange creature that is approaching her. "Stay away!" She growls defensively.
Eve pauses just as she emerges from the shadows. She knows that she is being assessed by the young woman before her. Eevee's isn't too far away – maybe ten feet – her stance is wide and tense; a clear sign that she is ready to flee should she consider Eve a threat. "I not going to hurt you." Eve repeats her assurances.
Eevee isn't inclined to blindly trust this…what is it exactly? A robot? That would be Eevee's first guess. It's about the size of a large child; her metallic body is solid white except for her face; which appears to have some sort of black screen across the front. The glowing eyes are confined within. "Are you a robot?" Eevee hadn't really meant to inquire that out loud. The statement just sort of slipped out.
"Yes, I am." Eve then gestures to herself. "I an Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator." A green symbol glows on her chest as if to help solidify her words as truth. "Please, call me Eve."
Eevee continues to give Eve a hard look – it's clear that the she is not inclined to trust just yet. "You call yourself an Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator." Eve nods in confirmation. Eevee states suspiciously, "The name leads me to believe that you are not from here – Extraterrestrial is defined as life that exists outside of the Earth." Eevee pauses as if to consider something. "This is Earth right?" She then shakes her head side to side in embarrassment. The question sounded so stupid when asked aloud.
Eve finds the internal struggle of logic that Eevee is experiencing problematic. "Please, you must calm yourself." Eevee snaps back to attention – there is a slight growl in her throat, but she remains silent. Eve continues. "You must not berate yourself." Eve then motions as if to express the entire world around them. "Many things have changed – this true; but this place is on Earth – just not the one you remember."
There is something about those words that startle Eevee. "Not the one I remember? What the hell does that even mean?" Surprise quickly turns to fury. "What happened to my planet?" Eevee's stance becomes aggressive. "What did you do to it?"
Eve is surprised by the accusation. "I done nothing to Earth." She then points at Eevee. "It humans who destroy Earth!" Eve quickly realizes that was the wrong thing to say.
Eevee's eyes have gone wide as if in shock. "Destroyed?" A thousand things run through Eevee's mind; war is the most prominent – atomic bombs exploding, executions, genocide, chemical warfare – the vision of millions of dead bodies filtered through her mind. Eevee found herself gripping the sides of her head in horror – her own mind has suddenly become her worst enemy. "Is everyone dead? Am I the last?"
Eve can feel herself cringe. Eevee looks almost traumatized. There is no doubt; Eevee would have to learn the truth about her new existence – it could not be hidden that Earth had been destroyed by mankind nearly seven-hundred years ago. However, Eve also knows that she could have done a better job with the delivery. "Look, I not sure what you imagining over there; but I assure you, it wrong."
Eevee shakes her head as she falls to her knees. "What year is it?"
Eve isn't sure she should be honest about that just yet. Eevee still hasn't calmed down from the first piece of information she has received. "I tell you after you relax a little bit."
"I don't want to relax!" Eevee is pissed. Is this robot really trying to coddle her? "I want the year!"
Eve glares at Eevee. What should she do? She desperately wants to speak to Doc before saying anything more. However, that is not an option currently. "There history you must know first." If Eve can get Eevee to listen to her; she might be able to right her previous mistake.
Eevee is clearly annoyed by Eve's evasiveness. It can clearly be seen by the way she is flicking her tail back in forth – Eevee almost looks like a discontented feline that's about to claw out the eyes of her rival. "Speak then." Regardless of the anxiety Eevee is feeling; she knows she needs the information being offered – perhaps the answer to her previous question would be answered in due time if only she listened.
"You from year 2012?"
"That was the year I was kidnapped." Eevee suddenly finds herself feeling very tired – all the fight suddenly seems to seep out of her at an alarming rate. "I'm twenty-nine now." This sudden lack of energy is alarming; but Eevee can't stop it from ravaging her weak body. She feels like she is about to collapse.
"Twenty-nine?" Eve repeats slightly perplexed. She hasn't noticed Eevee's swift exhaustion yet. "Then you from year 2015?" The file hadn't listed any dates past the year 2012. How odd. Perhaps the record keepers were terrible at their job; humans are known to be lazy with their directives from time to time.
"I was frozen during the month of August in the year 2016." Eevee lets out a tired sigh. The sudden adrenaline rush from waking up in this foreign land has been replaced by pure fatigue. Eevee also has a pounding headache – she can feel each beat of her thundering heart in her left temple. "It was hard for me to keep track of specific dates while I was in captivity." Eevee has reached up to rub her pounding head.
"You ok?" Eve has finally noticed that something is off with Eevee.
"I'm so tired…" Eevee is losing strength fast. She has started to slouch and is slowly lowering herself to the floor. Eevee desperately wants to return to bed.
"Wait!" Eve proclaims surprised by Eevee's abrupt shift in energy levels. She rushes over to her; locking her arms under Eevee's in an effort to keep the young woman from falling over. "Rest in bed."
Eevee looks at the comfortable bundle of covers. She knows that Eve is supporting most of her weight; and although this bothers Eevee, she accepts the assistance. The effort to make it back to her bed was going to be tremendous. If she shrugged Eve away, she would never make it on her own.
Eve slowly lowers Eevee's heavy form down into bed before pulling the covers up and over her body. Eve didn't want her to catch a cold while she rested.
"Hay, robot." Eevee glares up at Eve from her resting place. "Why did you wake me up?" This is something that has been bothering her since she realized Eve was the one who released her from her frozen prison. What is this robot's incentive for being so kind?
Eve grunts grumpily. She really dislikes that Eevee is calling her robot instead of by her name. "I wake you because I wanted you to live. What a terrible fate if you died while still in stasis."
Eevee lets out a sigh. The answer sounded like an after-school special. However, Eevee is still relieved that the white robot has released her. The dream she had with Kota pops back into her mind; he had told her that she would see the future. Is this what he had meant? Eevee closes her eyes as she snuggles into her covers. No, that was just a dream. Kota's words had been nothing, but a coincidence. "You're going to tell me everything I want to know when I wake up."
"Whatever you want." Eve responds. It really would be best to inform Eevee of the many changes the world has seen before leaving for the Axiom.
Eevee closes her eyes. "I'm going to hold you to it." She then drifts off into a dreamless sleep with Eve watching over her.
.
.
.
Eve lets out a huge sigh of relief – yes, there is still plenty of work to be done – Eevee still has yet to learn about the changes of the world around her; but for now, she can take a break while the obstinate woman rests once more.
"You look tired." Doc's jovial comment filters through the air. Eve turns to face the now active hologram. It's been moved to the far right side of the room so that Doc can observes
Eevee while she rests.
"This no time for jokes." Eve's mood isn't the greatest currently. She is unnaturally stressed. "It normal for human to decline like that?" Eve is rather concerned by Eevee's sudden loss of energy – the regression had been abnormally fast.
"After stasis, yes." Doc looks over at Eevee's slumbering form. "It's not unusual for the human body to become overly stimulated by their new surroundings after being awoken. The crash was her brains way of resetting. It's kind of like us; when our hard drives become over heated and worked; they shut down for a short period of time. The human brain is no different."
That makes sense to Eve. However, this knowledge doesn't alleviate any of the frustration she is feeling. "She not very trusting though. She also rather argumentative." She recalls how grumpy Eevee had been shortly after waking up. This woman is not going to be easy to handle.
"I saw." Doc's statement isn't surprising. The hologram connecting to the bridge of the Axiom may have been severed on her end, but they had not disconnected from Earth. Doc had been dutifully watching everything that had transpired. "Eve, in all honesty, you did very well. Eevee is obviously not an easy person to deal with right now – that's to be expected. Put yourself in her shoes and think carefully about how you would feel if you were her."
"Yes, I know." Eve does get that Eevee is now in a foreign place. The transition from her time to nearly eight-hundred years in the future is going to be rough.
Doc can tell Eve needs a little more encouragement. "Look, just keep doing what you're doing and you'll be fine."
"I almost botch whole thing." Eve is referring to when she mentioned that human's destroyed the Earth. She had been so upset with Eevee's accusation that she had been the one at fault that she lost her temper. This resulted in her saying something that caused Eevee more stress than necessary.
"Nah, you're fine." Doc isn't concerned about Eve's little outburst in the slightest. "Humans who have experienced traumatic events are not usually easy to deal with – they often act out without even realizing it."
Eve is still concerned about her ability to handle Eevee appropriately. "I just worry that I say something again when she act out. I not want her to run away from me because I not able to control myself."
"You're overthinking it." Doc wants to build up Eve's confidence. She would need it for when Eevee woke up again. "You didn't do anything wrong the first time around; and please, don't be afraid to check Eevee if she being unreasonable. She is not mentally impaired; just in shock from the drastic changes around her – this means she can possibly be reasoned with. If she rejects you; don't let it offend you. Eevee is only trying to protect herself, and trust will come with time."
Eve is still reluctant. "What if I say something that make her really upset? What if she try to leave room? How I handle that?"
"Let her leave."
Doc's answer surprises Eve. "What?" Auto's interest has also been perked by this statement. He is currently in a security briefing with Go-4; but the conversation between Eve and Doc has been distracting them both from their work.
Doc explains. "Look, if you try to stop Eevee from leaving, it will only breed more mistrust. Humans – no, all creatures, hate the feeling of being trapped and controlled. If Eevee perceives you as an entity that is attempting to manipulate or force her into a situation she finds undesirable; she will pull further away from you."
Eve feels rather conflicted about this. "But, did you not warn us about dangers of Earth? Eevee not protected against new illnesses and infections on surface of planet. What if she catch something? What if she bring it back to Axiom?" This seems like an unnecessary risk. "I not care if Eevee dislike me – there many other robots on Axiom that can care for her once we return. I only want to do what best for her even if she not agree with it."
Doc nods once. "Yes, Eve, you're right; there is risk associated with Eevee running off on her own. However, it would be more detrimental for you to attempt to stop her than for her to contract something."
"That not make sense." Eve didn't get it.
"That's because you not a DCS." Doc's response is not what Eve expected.
"What?" Eve is extremely confused. Auto is just as perplexed by the answer. Go-4 on the other hand, understands exactly what Doc is trying to say.
Doc tries to elaborate. "All robots, from you, to the service bots down on the Lido deck, to our wonderful autopilot here." He motions to Auto who simply glares at him in return. "You all have one directive in common – keep humans safe. It's rather generalized though; and it concerns itself with the physical body of the human, not the mind. DCS Probes, along with robots who are in security." He motions to Go-4 who salutes in acknowledgement. "Are programmed a little differently. We not only care about the physical aspect, but the metal one as well. There is a fine line between the two – sometimes, it's just best to stand back and let the human work out their frustrations on their own, even if it poses a some risk to their physical form."
"But why?" Eve just can't understand. "She could contract something fatal."
Doc nods. "Your right, Eve, she could. However, breeding permanent distrust of the robot race would be much worse."
"How restraining her do that?" This just didn't make sense to Eve. "The only distrust should be against me."
Doc shakes his head side to side. "Sorry, but no, Eve." He then tries to explain in a way that would make sense to her. "Under normal circumstances, your method of thinking would be acceptable. However, this is not a normal circumstance; not in the slightest." Doc turns very serious. "Right now, Eevee's mind is a blank slate concerning AI. She doesn't know anything about robots other than what she has learned from science fiction movies and the assumptions that she has heard from the great minds of her time. You, Eve, are representing the entire robotic race. If you attempt to force her into submission, you might create a lasting negative impact on Eevee's subconscious that may result in her developing a permanent dislike towards the robotic race."
Eve's eyes go wide with understanding. "Oh." This hadn't occurred to her in the slightest. "But what if she catch something?"
"Again, no need to worry," Doc reassures. "My team is already making preparations for Eevee's arrival. She will immediately be quarantined upon arrival; at which time, I will perform a full physical examination. I will run blood tests, as well as check her urine and stool for anything abnormal, and then I'll personally inoculate her with all the Axiom's standard vaccinations."
"How long she be in quarantine?"
Doc thinks about it for a minute. "I'm thinking three days should surface."
"That it?"
"It's standard." Doc then considers something. "But if she shows any abnormalities I'll keep her a little longer."
"Alright." Eve's tone suggests that she is still nervous about all of this. She doesn't want Eevee to get sick.
"Come on now, Eve. Don't look so gloom and doom; everything is going to be just fine." Doc then looks at Eve with a playful expression. "Besides, Eevee is stubborn and obnoxious. There is no way she'll just die; because people like that don't just go away. They like to remain a thorn in your side for as long as possible."
Eve finds herself giggling. Doc has always known how to make her laugh. "Thank you."
Doc suddenly turn rather mischievous. "Anything for a beautiful lady."
Eve is now on high alert. "No."
"What?" Doc isn't surprised by how precipitous Eve is. "I don't even get the chance to ask this time? It's just flat out rejection? Harsh." Doc then pretends to sulk as if his whole world is ending. "This is just dreadful."
Eve shakes her head side to side. "You terrible." She then lets out a playful giggle. "I going to tell Sandy how bad you're being. She will punish you later." Eve winks.
"Ah, don't do that!" Doc wines. "She's already put me on notice!"
"Bye." Eve cuts the connections.
"Wow, she really just cut me off?" Doc is mildly surprised. Normally Eve would joke around with him a little more than that. Perhaps it is because he on the bridge? He glances over at Auto and G0-4; the autopilot is sending him a death glare and Go-4 desperately looks like he wants to be anywhere else but here. That's not a good sign. Doc lets out a troubled sigh. He's got a good feeling that he is about to be lectured.
.
.
.
Eevee has the feeling that she is being watched. They feel close; like they are right next to her face. Eevee slowly cracks one eye open. There is indeed, someone very close. It's a little golden hummingbird with dazzling emerald eyes. It's staring intently at her from the top of her pillow.
"You almost had me fooled." Eevee slowly sits up; the covers that had been wrapped around her shoulders slip down to her waist as she moves. "You're so intricately designed that I almost thought you were a real bird at first; but you're actually a robot, just like Eve." The small delicate plates that make up Flint's feathers are interlaid so perfectly that it's difficult to detect that they are actually artificial. The tiny robot's wings, however; are more obvious since they're made of gossamer.
Flint wants to get off on the right foot. Eve had tried her best; but unfortunately came up short. Flint isn't so sure she can do any better, especially if Eevee's previous words are anything to go by. Nevertheless, she's going to give it her best shot. "My name is Flint and I'm a PCR; which basically translates into Personally Crafted Robot. This means that a single person designed, and built me for their personal use. Eve is a mass produced robot; this means there are multiples of her." Perhaps being transparent will help.
Eevee can honestly care less about the type of robot Flint and Eve are; she's more concerned about where they're at and what they're doing. "Speaking of the white robot: where is she?" Eevee cannot detect Eve's presence anywhere.
"She's scouting," Flint answers simply.
"For what?" Eevee can't help herself; she instantly suspicious. It's not that Eve has actually done anything to warrant this suspicion; it's just how she feels.
"Well, Eve and I can fly." Flint holds out her wings; they're tiny and stubby, just like a real hummingbirds. "But you can't, so she's trying to find a decent foot path for you to take." Flint then lets out a troubled sigh. "We haven't had much luck yet though. Eve might actually have to clear a path for you herself. It's a real mess around here. I'm actually surprised that the probe ship even found a place to land at all."
Eevee's face scrunches up in puzzlement. "What's a Probe ship?" She isn't sure she knows what that is exactly. The only time she has ever heard the words 'probe' and 'ship' in the same sentence is when NASA talked about space exploration. It's what they called the long range satellites that monitored distant planets.
Flint is quick to elaborate. "It's a type of carrier ship. This particular probe ship's main directive is to transport Eve and her sisters to and from Earth annually."
A shiver of anxiety rushes down Eevee's spine; sending shivers of scary excitement straight through her core. "Are you talking about space travel?" The implications have Eevee on edge.
Flint realizes too late that she has slipped up. This is something that Eve was supposed to tell Eevee, not her. "Yes, the probe ship is a type of spaceship." Flint is going to have to handle her mistake; there is no taking back what she has said. "They are usually used for carrying cargo; but now they do simple escorting work."
Eevee takes a deep breathe; she holds it for a few seconds before releasing it. She needs to control her emotions if she is going to get the answers she seeks. "You said your name is, Flint, correct?"
Flint nods once in affirmation.
"Okay, Flint." Eevee runs her hands across her face in an attempt to keep calm. She is starting to stress out like she had done with Eve. "I want you to tell me exactly what I want to know."
"I'll try." This makes Flint very nervous.
Eevee's face turns stern as she shakes her head side to side. "No, there isn't going to be any trying about it. You hear me? You're going to be as straight forward with your answers as possible, got it?"
Flint really wished Eve was here. Eevee is really scary right now. "Okay."
Eevee takes in another deep breathe before releasing it. She's rather concerned about the information she is about to receive. Eevee has been told on numerous occasions that ignorance is bliss; she just hopes that saying doesn't ring true here. "First question: Has the Earth been destroyed?" That particular question has been bothering her ever since Eve mentioned the destruction of Earth.
"Yes."
Eevee closes her eyes as if to meditate. That answer is hard to swallow. The Earth is her home. "What about the people? Are there still humans around? What about the animals?"
Flint can tell that Eevee is very troubled over the devastation the Earth has experienced. "Both populations of humans and animals are safe. They all live in space aboard massive starliners."
Eevee feels instant relief; at least the Earth's legacy is still around. However, the knowledge that everyone is now living in space has Eevee's mind reeling. It's both miraculous yet troubling at the same time. "How was the Earth destroyed?"
Flint considers the question. "That's not really something I can answer with all certainty. I'm not even sure Eve can answer that one for you in its entirety."
"Why?" Eevee finds that difficult to believe. The death of a planet wouldn't be a subtle thing.
Flint shrugs. This really is a hard one to answer whether Eevee accepts it or not. "The only thing I know for certain is that the people of Earth had left the cleanup effort solely up to their government. However, something major happened and they left the planet while it was still half covered in trash."
Eevee finds herself very lost. "I don't follow you. Why is the Earth covered in trash?"
"Sorry, I got a little ahead of myself." Flint reprimands herself. She needs to pay better attention to what she says. The last thing she needs to do is confuse Eevee even more. "The world is a very different place from what you remember. Even now; you'll find yourself struggling to understand the culture of today's humans."
Eevee feels rather uncomfortable. "How different is it?" Change is expected; the flow of time alters all things. The question is: Was it for better or for worse? Eevee already had a hard time mingling with humans in her own time; people often thought her a freak with her animal appendages.
Flint contemplates on how best to answer this. There is a lot of history in-between Eevee's time and now. "I'm not an expert when it comes to chronicling the human's path through time. However, I do know the basics of what you're probably seeking." Flint adjusts her position on the pillow to get more comfortable. "The time you're from is now known as the Time of the Three Great Conflicts. The first two you should know very well; World War One and World War Two. These two wars involved a good portion of the all the nations in the world; hence the names."
"Yes, I am familiar with both." Eevee recalled learning about these things on several different occasions while in high school and again when in college.
"Well, there was a third world war." Flint's words, although troubling, weren't all that surprising. There was a lot of conflict before Eevee was placed in stasis.
"Who was involved with this one?" Eevee wanted to know who the key players where. "And what was the particular war over?"
Flint thinks back to some of the things she has read. "I'm going to answer both of your questions; but first I want to lay down a foundation of information so that you can understand the devastation this war caused."
Eevee nods in acceptance. "That's fine." She wants to know everything she can about this topic. This war obviously shaped the world into what it is today.
"Ok, where to start." Flint reflects on all the information she knows. "The Third Great War is known as the Siege of Robots. It was the first war where robots were deployed in actual combat." Flint recalls the images of the machines in the history texts. "They were scary; made to resemble different creatures like lions and bears. They could think for themselves and knew only their directive which was to kill the enemy." Flint's eyes are full of grief. "More innocents died during this war than in all the world's previous wars combined."
"That's horrid." What else could Eevee say? This type of war was what everyone in her time had feared. Artificial intelligence was a huge unknown; many worried about the brain power a computer can possess. However, that didn't appear to be the real issue at hand during this particular war. It had been the machine's directive; kill the enemy. It sounded like these robots may have murdered without discretion; that would explain why there were so many casualties.
"Yes, there was a lot of unnecessary death." Flint can tell that Eevee is disturbed by what she has just learned; but this is information is important. These machines are the predecessors of today's robots. They were also mankind's biggest mistake, and their defective programing has helped shape the current civilization. Eevee will not be able to understand the world around her unless she can understand its past. "This was the most violent and destructive war in history. The robot armies followed their directives without fail; killing millions in their pursuit of domination over the enemy."
A shiver runs down Eevee's spine. Flint's history lesson sounds more like a horror film. "How did it end?"
Flint's answers, "It ended when the leaders of the old world surrendered." She then looks up at Eevee sadly. "Two billion people had died by then."
"Two billion?" Eevee is shocked by the number. "That's a lot of people." The Earth had a population of just over seven billion people in here time. If two billion people had be killed around the year 2016 that means that over a quarter of the Earth's population would have been annulated. That's a lot of graves in a short period of time.
Flint nods. "The old world leaders realized that they could not compete; their enemy was armed with better technology and smarter AI. They surrendered July 10, 2045."
Eevee's mind is reeling. To think all of this had happened why she had been frozen. "Who were the old world leaders exactly? What did they represent?"
Flint's answer is unexpected. "The old world leaders were the type of people who ruled your world. They represented separate governments, varying laws, continuous conflicts, and inequality between nations."
"I'm not sure I follow." Eevee is confused by Flint's response. "How is it possible for those things not to exist?" It's sad; really it is; to think about the difference in lifestyle between certain countries. However, Eevee can't see a way to fix such things; it's just the way the world is.
Flint finds Eevee's mindset interesting. It's not like that of the modern human; in fact, Eevee seems more acutely aware of the things she is being told. She dissects it; before analyzing it and then ultimately questions its accuracy. Eevee doesn't take things at face value; meaning she's not going to be easily tricked or manipulated. This impresses Flint. "It's possible, I assure you. In fact, it has already been achieved."
"How?" It just didn't make sense to Eevee.
"By unifying all nations under one flag."
Flint's retort has startled Eevee. To her, such things are absolutely ridiculous. "That just doesn't sound possible. I can't invasion a scenario where all of the individual nations would agree to such a thing; they're all just too different. China for example: they are a dictatorship and I know they wouldn't just turn into a democracy overnight and openly accept foreign leadership into their parliament; in fact, the only time I've ever seen one country merge with another is when one has been dominated by another."
"You're right." Flint's words are extremely ominous. "That's why the Third Great War has come to pass."
Eevee finds herself flabbergasted. "Who the hell had enough power to take on the whole world?"
"The people." Flint's words are completely unforeseen.
"The people?" Eevee isn't sure she knows what Flint means. "As in the average citizen of a nation?"
"Yes." Flint nods. "It all started back in the year 2020. There was a new ideology that all people should be entitled to freedom, equality, security, and lifestyle. Basically, it was believed that if all nations were assimilated under one flag; the competition between lands would end; ensuring that the wealth of the world would be equally distributed."
Eevee finds herself even more astonished. Yes, this ideology did make sense to an extent. All nations are in direct competition with one another; better economy, better healthcare, better lifestyle, better military, and the list goes on. If the dominate countries shared their secrets of success with the smaller struggling nations, the people of these lands could greatly benefit. However, there is the concern that the corrupt leadership or terrorist organizations that usually permeate throughout these nations would use this knowledge against the greater good. This has made many of the profitable countries stingy. The security of the border will always be top priority; even if there are countless nations of sick, starving, and dying people. "How did the people gain the technology needed to overcome the world's many governments?"
"It started within the democratic nations." Flint thinks back to the beginning. "Countries that allowed the population to vote were the first to succumb to the desires of the people. This is because the people voted in likeminded congressmen, senators, and ultimately presidents. With the governments of those nations all on the same page, they began merging at an astonishing rate. It would only take about fifteen years for North America, various Island Nations, parts of the Middle East, and Europe to assimilate into one massive nation. This left countries like China, Russia, and North Korea scrambling. They feared that they would be next; and rightfully so. The people within were calling for change."
"Wow." Eevee wasn't sure what to think. "And it was this massive nation that attacked the others?"
"Yes." Flint nods again. "It was all orchestrated by one man, Morgen Kessler. He was voted in as the nation's first president; and with the support of his people he attacked the countries who resisted change. However, conquering isn't as easy as it sounds and this is where the robot armies came in. They fought alongside humans; but they didn't get their direct orders from the troops on the ground. They received their directives from the president himself."
Eevee shakes her head side to side. "That's so sad."
"In a lot of ways it was." Flint totally agrees. The loss of life was unnecessary. "However, Morgan was just doing what he thought was necessary. Those remaining nations would have ultimately attacked if Morgan had not stricken out at them first. They feared the massive nation and wanted it destroyed."
Something occurs to Eevee. "We keep calling it the massive nation. What was its real name?"
Flint answers, "It had several names at first: The True United Nations, The People's Nation, and The United People's Nation. It wouldn't be until after the Third Great War that a name would be chosen and kept. It would become known as the BNL World Nation."
"BNL? What does that stand for?" Eevee inquires.
"Buy and Large Corporations."
Eevee is suddenly confused. "Why would they name a country after a company?"
Flint's answer is rather surprising. "Morgan Kessler started and owned a company called Buy Yogurt. It later merged with a company called Large Corporations, which manufactured men's suits. The two companies were renamed Buy and Large Corporations or BNL for short."
"Okay." Eevee still wasn't following.
Flint elaborates. "The people of the World Nations were so grateful to Morgan Kessler for defeating the old rulers that they decided to honor him by placing 'BNL' into their country's name."
"Oh, now I see." Eevee looks down at her hands which are placed on her knees. She has learned a lot today.
"You had asked why the Earth is covered in trash." Flint returns to the original topic Eevee had inquired about. "It was because the world government directly benefited from the consumption of its people. They owned and controlled all manner of business; therefore, the leadership of the country always received all of the direct profits from the economy. In essence, the president of the BNL World Nation was more of a CEO than anything else."
Eevee finds herself unimpressed. "So basically everyone consumed until there was no place left to put their trash."
"Basically." Flint looks up at Eevee happily. "Now you're caught up. That's basically what happened while you were frozen."
Eevee didn't return Flint's chipper mood. A lot has changed since she was last around. "So everyone just goes off and lives in space, huh? Fuck the Earth. Who needs it, right?"
Flint is shocked by Eevee's sudden anger. "I'm not sure it's like that."
Eevee doubted that. "Then why hasn't anyone come back to finish the job? Why is Earth still covered in trash?" Something else then occurs to Eevee. "How long has the planet been this way?"
"Seven-hundred years." Flint's answer is not well received.
"Son of a BITCH!" Eevee's sudden curse is loud and penetrating. "Are you telling me that it's been seven-hundred years?"
Flint looks away. "It's been more like eight-hundred for you."
Eevee is in shock; she knows she is. This is all too much for her to take in. Learning that nearly eight-hundred years has gone by is placing a considerable amount of stress on her system. The war; the change in world government, the destruction of Earth – yes, it has all shaken her badly; but there is something about learning that eight-hundred years has gone by that shatters one's world. The amount of time that has passed by means that very little of the world she once knew is gone; all of her family and friends have died. There wouldn't even be any guarantee that there were direct descendants of these people around; and even if there were: why would they desire to know her? Eevee is nothing more than a science project; a freak hybrid cross between a dog and a human. Who wants something like that for a relative?
Eevee hunches over slightly in an effort to keep a sob from escaping her throat. It didn't stop the tears though; they began rolling freely down Eevee's cheeks before dripping into the hem of her dress. "I'm all alone." The statement is broken with a hoarse sob.
"Oh, Eevee." Flint feels terrible. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think about your family and friends being gone." To a robot, time can be endless. It had never even occurred to Flint that Eevee's precious people would be gone from this life.
"What am I going to do?" Eevee slowly stands up as she asks this; her knees are slightly wobbly, but she is able to maintain her stance. "What am I going to do now that I am all alone?"
Flint is quick to react. "You're not alone, Eevee. I'm here and so is Eve."
Eevee shakes her head. "But you're not my family."
Flint opens her wings and takes to the air. A pleasant hum fills the room. "I know, but we care about you. Home is anywhere you're thought about and loved."
Flint's words choke Eevee up even more. They are so sweet and sincere. "You are very kind." Eevee rubs her eyes in an attempt to clear the tears. She is unsuccessful. "I need to be alone for a while." Eevee begins to walk towards the door.
"Wait!" Flint rushes after Eevee alarmed. "You shouldn't go out there without us first clearing a path for you. It's dangerous!"
"I need to get away from here." Eevee only wants to run away. This place is causing her to much stress.
"And go where?" Flint doesn't like this at all. She'll never forgive herself if Eevee catches something while wondering around unprotected.
"Anywhere." Eevee's answer is not satisfactory.
"Please, reconsider." Flint knows she needs to try harder convince Eevee to stay within this room. It's the only place that has been thoroughly cleaned, and therefore safe for Eevee to linger in. If she leaves she'll be exposed to all the illnesses that plague this planet. "You could get sick if you wander aimlessly around out there."
"What does it matter?" Eevee no longer feels like her life even matters. What purpose would a creature like here have in this world? She moves towards the door and opens it. Hot humid air bursts in from the decrepit hallway on the other side. Eevee steps through the doorway cautiously while looking around. The right side of the hall has been blocked by an impassible wall of rubble about twenty feet down while the left side has virtually collapsed on itself revealing the outside world. She slowly takes her first few steps towards the exit; stepping over large chunks of concrete as she does so.
"Eevee!" Flint instantly chases after Eevee. "Stop! It's too dangerous!"
Eevee ignores Flint as she continues on her way. She didn't care about the risks. Eevee only wanted to get away from here.
"Eevee!" Flint still hasn't given up. "You immune system can't handle the newer illnesses of this planet."
Eevee shakes her head as she moves out into the daylight. There is a strong wind that has kicked up a dusty haze that is impossible to see through. Eevee also detects the scent of fresh water and electricity in the air. "There's about to be a thunderstorm."
"Eevee!" Flint calls out again. "Please come back inside." She could also tell the weather is about to turn very bad. "I don't want you to catch a cold from the rain."
Eevee looks back a Flint. She is having a hard time flying in all this wind; her tiny wings are working extra hard to keep her airborne. "I'm not going back inside; but you should. I can see you're struggling."
"Not without you!" Flint doesn't like this; she's terrified that Eevee is going to get hurt. "Now, please, come back inside." A heavy rain begins to fall from the sky, instantly soaking everything and forcing Flint to the ground. The water is falling too fast for her to remain in flight.
Eevee shakes her head side to side. This is the perfect opportunity for her to slip away; Flint is unable to follow due to the rain. "I may come back later; but I'm not sure. I only know that I want to be alone right now." Eevee then turns and disappears into the downpour.
"WAIT!" Flint screams out alarmed. She tries to follow the by walking along the ground; but her tiny feet are getting stuck in the mud. "EEVEE COME BACK!" Flint cries out. She can no longer see any trace of Eevee anywhere. "PLEASE, YOU HAVE TO COME BACK! EEVEE!"
"Flint?" Eve's voice can be heard vaguely through the rain. "Flint? That you?"
"Eve, hurry! I'm on the ground!" Flint has never been more relieved to see the return of her companion than now.
Eve appears out of the mist caused by the rain. "Why you out here?" Flint looks absolutely miserable. She is covered head to toe in mud.
"Eevee took off!" Flint exclaims worriedly as Eve reaches down to pick her up. "I was unable to follow her because of the rain."
"WHAT?!" Eve is suddenly just as alarmed as Flint. "Eevee out in this weather?"
"Yes." Flint answers worriedly. "We've got to find her quick."
"Okay, we go find her together." Eve rushes out into the storm as a streak of lightning flashes across the sky leaving thunder in its wake that is loud enough to shake the ground. Eve knows that finding Eevee in this storm is going to be very difficult. She can only hope that she can locate this foolish woman before she catches her death out here.
.
.
.
End Chapter Three
.
.
Author's Note: Ah, finally done! This seemed to take forever! Getting my ideas on paper can be difficult at times! I know what I want and say; but sometimes my brain just doesn't connect with my fingers! It can be frustrating. Anyway, I hope the wait was worth it! Again, I would like to think all of you for your continued support and reviews. They really make me smile!
Cheetah Information: Article: Inbreeding Threatens Cheetah Population with Extinction, Published: December, 10, 2015, Author: Arseny Kalashnikoff. I'm giving credit, where credit is due. I looked up all the information written in this story about cheetahs. They are one of my favorite animals and their struggle is a very real one. I also feel that it adds an interesting and original background to this story.
