Here is the next chapter. A bit of a delay from the length of the chapter, but it's finished now. Also the rough draft is finished and I can focus on posting the rest of the story. Enjoy!
Chapter 3
True Colors
REX continued to follow the increasingly strange, yet interesting robots to their unknown destination.
He wasn't feeling too pleasant. Everything was so different. The buildings were worn out and long since abandoned, there was trash everywhere (piles amounting up to over fifty feet), old BnL holographic billboards still broadcasting old advertisements and something called Operation: Cleanup.
REX turned back at his stasis pod as they continued. The condition of the pod wasn't looking too good. It had obviously gone through several years of neglect. He was in there for a long time.
REX then paused for a minute to check his internal systems using his advanced tactical HUD. He needed to make sure he was still fit for combat since he was in unknown territory. His readings weren't coming up so well. The long duration of stasis put his energy level at a critical low and most of his built-in weapons systems were locked down. Further scans showed that 96% of his self-healing nanobots were in hibernation and in the process of coming back online.
He would eventually reach full capacity, but the process would take several weeks, he had so many functions all working furiously to bring him back to maximum power. So for right now, he was almost completely defenseless.
REX tried to get a satellite link. Being an advanced military robot, he had direct access to all BnL satellites that orbited the planet. He was treated with a denied request: Unable to establish link, no functional link detected his HUD read out.
Now REX was getting nervous. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of satellites in the earth's orbit. How could there not be a single one that was operational? Without a satellite link, he couldn't figure out what was going on.
Now that he thought of it, where was he? What happened to General Warren? What happened to the shady confines of Blackwing HQ? And what happened to the Blackwing staff responsible for monitoring his condition?
"REX?"
REX snapped out of his thoughts as the small, cube-shaped robot WALL-E came up to him, probably concerned as to why he stopped.
"Oh sorry," he said to him. "I was just thinking about something, let's move on."
WALL-E still seemed concerned and didn't move, but looked reassured when REX made a slight grin to show he was okay, then he turned back to the other robot EVE and took her hand as they continued moving, occasionally turning back to make sure REX was following.
REX studied the two with interest. They were unlike anything he's ever seen, and since he was military, he's been around. He seriously doubted they were threats, even though EVE had a gun trained on him at first. Their innocent-looking appearances suggested they were standard BnL models. If they were Syndicate bots, they would've attacked him on sight. Instead, EVE just held her gun on him while WALL-E stood back for a moment, then approached REX and introduced himself.
Not to mention the two robots were sentient. REX was the only robot in existence that was sentient as he was created with that function. The only plausible conclusion was that those two somehow developed sentience.
It also showed that they had personalities. WALL-E seemed to be very cheerful and positive-minded. His choice to confront REX also showed that he was somewhat fearless and also friendly. REX actually took a liking to him.
EVE was a bit different. She was obviously very protective of WALL-E and didn't seem to have any kind of fear. REX would have to watch himself around her as he detected traces of ion in her right arm, where she kept her gun. Ion could do serious damage to REX's systems in his current state.
But what interested REX the most was the two robots in love. He didn't understand much of the concept of love. Only from what he heard is that it is a very strong bond between two beings. Much like the bond of brotherhood he was taught in the military.
REX continued to follow the two as they came to a part of the city that was inhabited. There were both humans and robots working together on the surrounding area to get it cleaned of trash.
The humans all wore red BnL jumpsuits and were strangely overweight. REX wondered how they could all be in such a state of obesity. However, they did seem to be attempting to work to their limits in clearing the area of trash.
Some of them stopped working to look at the trio moving through the area.
"Hey look," REX heard one say. "It's WALL-E and EVE, and they got someone with them."
REX noticed WALL-E and EVE waving to the humans, both were smiling in their own unique ways. Apparently, the two were very popular around here. He also noted that everyone was talking about him as if they have never seen him before, which they haven't.
"Who is that man?"
"How is he so skinny?"
"Anybody notice the metal arm?"
The humans continued to watch him for a few more seconds, then returned to their work as REX continued on with WALL-E and EVE.
Several miles later, a large ship appeared in the distance, casting a huge shadow that engulfed several blocks of land. REX analyzed the ship's design using his advanced scanner, which worked by just simply looking at the object of interest. The ship was BnL design, but it was more advanced than the tech he used to work with. The ship's hull was extremely pressure-resistant with several powerful thrusters on the rear. It was obviously designed for space travel. He didn't need a scanner to see the name of the ship: The Axiom.
WALL-E and EVE were moving towards the ship, approaching a ramp that lead into one of the side entry hatches. Maybe there was something or someone in the Axiom that could explain to REX what had happened since he was in stasis. If the ship was like naval vessels, then there must be records of past events onboard.
REX followed the two bots up to the entry hatch. EVE pressed a button on the hatch, causing it to open while WALL-E rolled up to REX and grabbed his hand to pull him in.
WALL-E was a strange little robot, seeming to have no fear of REX whatsoever. He found that interesting. Perhaps he should get to know a little bit of WALL-E and EVE. They seemed like such intriguing robots.
First things first, he needed to find out what had happened since he was out.
Captain McCrea stood in his quarters onboard the Axiom. He was consulting the ship's computer for the necessary instruction on recolonizing and taking detailed notes with a holographic notepad. He had lost a considerable amount of weight after the landing, but still had some degree of chubbiness, not yet at the skinny side.
"Define materials." He said to the computer.
The computer evaded the order. "Captain, you seem to have some visitors waiting at the main elevator."
"Who are they?"
The computer put up a live video feed of the entrance to the main elevator. The video showed two familiar characters and one McCrea didn't know.
"The visitors are Evaluator Probe One and the Waste Allocation unit, along with an unknown being."
"Unknown?"
"There are no records of the character in the Axiom database. Further scans reveal the character as a robot."
McCrea rubbed his chin in interest at the new character. "Send them up."
"Right away."
McCrea had formed a close friendship with WALL-E and EVE ever since WALL-E came along. He admired WALL-E's tenacity at getting what he wanted. Eleven days ago, he had helped return the humans back to their proper home when all he wanted was to win EVE's heart. McCrea would do anything for WALL-E if he needed something, not only because he respected WALL-E's nature, but also because of what had almost happened to him:
WALL-E had nearly been killed after being tazered by Auto and crushed under the Holo-detector. McCrea recalled how horrible that was for EVE since she had come to love him at the time. The way she screamed in fear was a nightmare that had been forever burned into his head.
McCrea felt guilty for WALL-E's near death experience. When WALL-E was about to be shocked by Auto, he did nothing. He could've launched himself at Auto to buy WALL-E time to get away, or he could've attacked GO-4, disabling his tractor beam so EVE would be set free and handle the rest. But he didn't, he just sat there and did nothing, and WALL-E paid the price for it.
But that was in the past. WALL-E was working properly and now he and EVE were living together happily. Their lives were much better now that they were together.
But still, McCrea felt like he owed WALL-E everything. Bringing them back to their home unintentionally, that little trash compactor deserved everything McCrea could offer to him.
A few seconds later, the elevator doors opened, and WALL-E and EVE came out.
"Good to see you two again!" McCrea said cheerfully.
The two robots smiled at their old friend, then turned around and beckoned to something still in the elevator to come out.
Then, a tall thin figure who McCrea assumed had to be the unknown robot came out. The character looked around the cabin before noticing McCrea and acknowledging him with a nod.
"You must be WALL-E and EVE's new friend," McCrea held out his hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Benjamin McCrea, captain of the BnL starliner, the Axiom."
The stranger approached McCrea and shook his hand with his silver metallic one. It was cold to the touch. "Lieutenant REX, leader of Squad 45 of BnL special forces division: Market Garden."
McCrea blinked in surprise. "You're military?"
"Affirmative, Captain."
"How did you end up here?"
"I've been meaning to ask you the same question," REX gestured to WALL-E and EVE. "These two just recently brought me out of suspended animation, and judging from the looks of things, I've been asleep for a long time. Would you mind telling me what year it is?"
"2805, how long has it been since you were out?"
REX's jaw dropped. "Too long," he said before turning away and staring at the ground, apparently shocked by the news.
WALL-E rolled up to REX's side, obviously concerned for his new friend's state. "REX?"
REX didn't respond. He just stood there, pinching the bridge of his nose in disappointment.
"REX?" WALL-E said again. He grabbed his mechanical hand to get his attention.
"I'm just confused, that's all." REX finally spoke. "Just a lot of questions and no answers for them."
WALL-E beeped like he understood. McCrea had found out that WALL-E was one of the caring kind. Whenever someone was down, he would do whatever he could think of to cheer them up.
WALL-E then rolled over to the captain's desk and grabbed the miniature replica of the Axiom. A couple days after the landing, WALL-E seemed to have taken a liking to the figure, so McCrea told him that he could play with it just so long as he puts it back when he was done.
McCrea turned to EVE, who was smiling. She was indeed proud of WALL-E's caring nature. It was how she fell in love with him when she first viewed her camera recordings of when she was in stasis and WALL-E looking after her during that time.
"He hasn't changed one bit," McCrea said to her. "Has he?"
EVE nodded her head in agreement and giggled slightly. She turned back to WALL-E and REX as McCrea followed suit.
WALL-E waved to REX for his attention. When REX turned to look at him, WALL-E held up the miniature Axiom model to him. REX looked at the toy, then back at WALL-E, evidence of confusion showed on his face.
WALL-E then pushed a small button on the side, which caused the miniature model to light up with several multi-colored lights. The lights continued to flash until WALL-E pressed the button again, then he held the toy up to REX again.
This time REX grabbed the model, finally catching on that WALL-E was trying to help him. He examined the model and pushed the button on the side, causing the lights to repeatedly flicker on and off. REX continued to play with the model for a few minutes, then gave it back to WALL-E and smiled to show he was better.
"Thanks WALL-E," he said. "I feel better now."
WALL-E smiled in accomplishment, knowing that his work was done. He turned around and rolled off to return the replica back to the desk, getting a quick hug and spark-kiss from EVE along the way. McCrea was proud of WALL-E. He couldn't help but feel the greatest respect for his good nature. There needed to be more individuals like him.
REX straightened up, then turned to McCrea. "Can I take a look at your computer logs for a minute? I need to find out what had happened in the past."
"Sure," McCrea pointed to the ship's computer. "Knock yourself out."
REX nodded in gratitude, then walked over to the Axiom computer.
"Computer," he said. "Copy all Axiom data since date of creation to my internal database. I want everything."
"Minimum of section five clearance required to initiate comma-"
"Subject Alpha, authorization code: 6609-5512."
". . . Authorization confirmed, transferring logs now."
REX had his head tilted down as all of the Axiom's data was being copied to his memory module. It looked like he was processing and reading the data as it streamed in.
McCrea stood back in surprise. How could REX possibly have all of the Axiom's data copied to his database? There was a ton of information: robot schematics, ship layout, and lots more. That amount of data would cause any robot's database to overload and crash.
A few seconds went by, then the computer chimed in. "Transfer complete."
REX lifted his head and turned back to McCrea. "Okay, now I know everything."
McCrea was shocked. "How can you contain that much data? I've never seen a robot that could do something like that before!"
REX avoided the question. "You are the only human society on the planet, is that correct?"
"As of right now, yes. The Axiom's passengers are the only humans on the planet."
"Then I guess I can tell you the story of my past, seeing that I am no longer restricted by protocol."
WALL-E, and oddly enough, EVE, bounced up and down in excitement. It seemed that they were eager to listen to REX's story.
"Uh . . . sure, go ahead." McCrea said. He called up his personal hover chair and sat in it. It felt a lot roomier since he wasn't as big as he was before.
REX leaned against the computer desk and proceeded with his story:
Back in 2085, Buy n' Large was at the peak of its development. It had over thousands of businesses worldwide and soon becoming involved in every kind of issue, from politics to manufacturing and even military affairs.
"The military?" McCrea said in surprise. "I never thought Shelby Forthright would be one for enforcing violence, if he was in charge at the time."
Forthright was a little wary of rebellions, there were a few who disagreed with Buy n' Large's idea of global unification. And yes, he was in charge at the time. He was given a special formula in 2023, back when BnL was founded, that drastically increased his lifespan, courtesy of Blackwing.
"Blackwing!" EVE shouted with enthusiasm.
Blackwing was a special division of Buy n' Large tasked with creating the most advanced technology ever to exist. Only the best of the best of scientists worked within its doors. Because of its important task, Blackwing was a top-secret organization. Only Forthright and a handful of high-ranking officials knew of its existence. Also, they were my creators.
WALL-E, EVE, and McCrea all stuttered in surprise.
"Why did they create you?" McCrea had to ask.
Remember what I said about rebellions? There was one group in particular that threatened BnL's existence. That group was the Syndicate. The Syndicate was a terrorist organization that strangely appeared from nowhere to topple Buy n' Large's power for reasons unknown. Their numbers consisted of numerous factions: criminals, gangs, corrupt fanatics, and even other terrorist groups. They made their presence first known by conducting an invasion in Africa in 2088 after BnL had managed to restore the country, removing the common problem of disease and famine. Thus began the Control Wars, or the ill-fated World War 3.
The Control Wars erupted between BnL military forces and Syndicate loyalists. Buy n' Large had the money and the numbers, but the Syndicate had ways to keep up in the war. They recruited anyone that had a bone to pick with Buy n' Large, some of them being former BnL scientists, giving them technological experience. Also, several corrupt governments of third-world countries that were too stubborn to integrate with BnL as well as companies run out by the powerhouse provided financial support to the Syndicate cause.
"But how do you and Blackwing fit into this?" McCrea asked.
When the war erupted, Blackwing was tasked with manufacturing weapons for the military. They started out with advanced weaponry and better armor for standard infantry. Then there was antigravity tech and better maneuvering systems for aircraft in the air force. Next came diverse tech provided to Special Forces, ranging from auto sentries to personal force fields. Finally, there was me.
In 2089, a meteor crashed in New York. Blackwing agents were first on the scene; by the time the local authorities arrived, there was only an empty crater. The meteor had a unique energy substance that possessed the ability to instantly replace any lost portions. It was simply named "R-15" for time-saving purposes. R-15 was the start of my creation as it serves as my primary energy source.
My original name was Subject Alpha. I was created to be the strongest weapon ever to exist. The Blackwing scientists used the best tech they had to create me (some of the stuff they used were early prototypes). I was also created with sentience so that I could possess the qualities that made the perfect soldier: combat instinct and thought process.
It wasn't easy, my creation. The entire Blackwing company worked on me nonstop for over a year. The funds necessary for my construction nearly put the entire Buy n' Large company in bankruptcy. They wanted to make sure I was the best there is. It all paid off in the end though. When I was finished, I had thousands of different functions (weapon systems, tools, tactical readouts, and so forth), I was fully sentient, and I was ready for my directive, which was to bring an end to the Syndicate.
But I wasn't yet ready. I still had to develop the combat capabilities that made a soldier. Instead of having the knowledge flashed into my memory module, I was sent to be personally trained by one of the best soldiers of the entire BnL military: General Gerald Warren.
General Warren was a legend. He was an excellent fighter back in his infantry days, having quickly risen through the ranks and entering Special Forces in a very short period of time. His tactical genius was unrivaled as he became an officer; he made numerous decisions that saved thousands of lives during the war. General Warren was tasked with training me to be the best soldier and later served as my CO throughout the war. His training didn't go to waste. Not only did he train me physically, but also mentally. I learned to think more individually, think on my own.
When I was first created, I was blindly obedient to any official that gave me orders. Warren taught me human concepts: understanding, awareness, and even emotions. He wanted me to be more like a real person. The General's attempts weren't wasted: I developed an understanding of my situation and even developed a personality. Not to mention I realized Blackwing's intentions and developed a strong dislike for them.
"You turned against your creators?" McCrea asked. "I'm pretty sure you had a good reason for that."
Blackwing may have consisted of the best minds the world had to offer, but those same minds were also uncaring. They thought of me as only a product. They didn't care about my condition or my development, they only wanted results. I was basically a dead man to them.
EVE gasped in horror. WALL-E immediately went to her and patted her hand gently for comfort.
But General Warren saw me differently. He distrusted Blackwing as much as I did for their cold-hearted attitudes, but he saw me more like a lost child. He took me in under his wing as my training progressed: teaching me moral concepts, asking me if I needed anything, and even defending me against Blackwing officials who tried to have me shutdown for numerous reasons. He gave me my nickname: REX. Warren was like a father to me.
"Wow!" McCrea spoke again. "It must've been great to have someone look out for you."
As my training concluded, I was ready to do my part in the war. Under General Warren's command, I served several roles in the war: frontline infantry, infiltration and sabotage, and even relief efforts. My hard-worn experience and advanced offensive capabilities made a huge impact in the war effort.
Later in my career, I was assigned as part of Squad 37 of an elite group known as Market Garden (named after the famous operation conducted in World War 2). Market Garden consisted of the best of the best of soldiers who were tasked with missions that couldn't afford failure. My skills were put to their limits throughout my time with them. I had demonstrated excellent performance throughout my time with Squad 37, surpassing my superiors' capabilities with my own. I was eventually given command of my own squad: Squad 45. I served with them the rest of my time in the war.
"And that's my story." REX concluded.
WALL-E, EVE, and McCrea stared wide-eyed in amazement by the context of the story. WALL-E then began to clap his hands to show applause.
"Glad you liked it, buddy." REX said with a slight grin.
"But how did you end up here?" McCrea asked.
"From what I remember, I was placed in a stasis pod for a routine diagnostics run. Not sure what happened afterwards, but it somehow ended up with my pod being abandoned for a very long time. Then these two found me."
REX gestured to WALL-E and EVE, who in turn smiled.
"Well you're certainly welcome to stay as long as you like with us."
"Thank you Captain." REX found McCrea to be a good man. He could trust him.
REX then looked at WALL-E and EVE, who seemed to be watching him with interest. An idea formed in his mind.
"So what's your story?" REX asked them. "Is it as good as mine?"
The two robots lit up in surprise, then turned to each other with puzzled looks.
"Is there a problem?"
"They weren't actually designed to talk." McCrea told him. "Their speech is limited so they can't say much."
"Oh, I guess another story isn't a possibility."
EVE suddenly raised her head to show excitement on her face. That certainly meant she had an idea.
She went over to the captain's desk and grabbed a small cylindrical object. She turned to REX and waved it enthusiastically. REX turned to WALL-E for help, but WALL-E had the same clueless look as he did.
"Of course!" McCrea said. "That can work perfectly."
"What is it?" REX asked.
"It's a holographic video display. It can replay a robot's memories on a holographic screen."
REX was intrigued. "So it can play a video of WALL-E and EVE's past?"
"Only from EVE's perspective. The display doesn't work with WALL-E."
"Interesting, how does it work?"
McCrea turned to EVE. "Would you do the honors?"
EVE nodded, then planted the device on top of her head. A large holographic screen erupted from the device in front of EVE and the video began to play:
EVE was flying through the air, soaring through empty city streets, a large crevice in the huge sand dune located in the city outskirts, and through the dune itself.
She was floating through the city streets, scanning random objects as she went. She came up to a large power station and ran her scanner over it. EVE then heard something and quickly turned around and fired her gun. A small cockroach came out of the crater she made. EVE withdrew her gun and let the cockroach crawl on her arm. She giggled as it crawled on her, but immediately drew her gun again when she heard a strange noise and fired three times at a distant figure who turned out to be WALL-E.
WALL-E shuddered at the scene. REX assumed he remembered that clearly. He certainly didn't like it when he was fired at, and being military, that happened a lot.
"Talk about a way to greet someone." REX joked.
EVE shot him an annoyed glare, then beckoned to WALL-E to come over to her. He obeyed and EVE wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on top of his as the rest of the video played. REX was eager to know what caused those two to fall in love. Learning new things was a strong addiction he had.
WALL-E took EVE into his home to escape a sandstorm. He showed several of his collectibles to her and she proceeded to play with each one. He played a movie on a small screen and EVE watched with interest. WALL-E then gave her a small plant in a boot, then her screen went black.
Her security camera activated and everything was in black and white. WALL-E stood in front of her, worried by the look on his face as he tried to figure out what was with her. Days passed by as WALL-E did numerous things to take care of her: during a storm, WALL-E kept an umbrella over her while he got struck by lightning-twice; when extremely bad weather came, he placed a large container over EVE to protect her; during a cold front, WALL-E wrapped a blanket around her while he slept bare right next to her. It seemed that he never left her side throughout her time in stasis.
Throughout the scene, EVE gave WALL-E a spark-kiss every time he did something for her—which was a lot. WALL-E nearly fell over from her affection, making her giggle. REX suddenly felt great respect for WALL-E. Caring for someone while risking yourself was something to be proud of. If General Warren had met WALL-E, he would have most certainly taken a liking to him.
"WALL-E's a great guy," McCrea said to REX. "One of the most respectable individuals I've ever seen."
"I've been in the military for a while and I've learned things," REX replied. "Caring is one of the most important attitudes to have. WALL-E has a lot of that. He deserves EVE."
"Can't argue with that."
WALL-E and EVE were being sent to the Repair Ward after the plant went missing and McCrea thought she was defective. EVE wasn't too happy with WALL-E since she thought he took it. She was getting a checkup from the Repair Ward's mechanics, which were large arms hanging from the ceiling. EVE was enjoying it, but then WALL-E crashed through the glass with a look of fear. He took EVE's gun arm from one of the mechanics and accidentally fired it at the Repair Ward's control board. The defective robots broke free and carried WALL-E out.
EVE and WALL-E went to the Axiom's escape pods. EVE was intent on sending WALL-E back to Earth because she thought he was just trouble. WALL-E got stubborn and refused to go into the pod. GO-4 then appeared and they quickly went to hide. They found out that GO-4 had taken the plant from EVE and was trying to remove it by placing it in the pod and setting the pod to self-destruct. WALL-E went to get the plant, but got stuck in it as it took off. EVE took a nearby exit tube and gave chase. Fear consumed EVE when the pod suddenly blew up, but she was relieved to see WALL-E survived. WALL-E gave her the plant and she rewarded him with a spark-kiss. Then the two flew together in space in what seemed like a dance.
WALL-E and EVE both sighed at the scene. They must've really liked that time they spent together. Maybe REX could help them enjoy a moment like that again.
REX suddenly felt confused. Was he caring for these two? There was something about them that made him feel strange. He would have to think about it later.
WALL-E and EVE were hiding behind a towel rack just outside the Lido Deck. WALL-E played a song on his recorder and was trying to say something to EVE. She quickly turned off the song and told him to stay while she went up to the captain's room via the trash chute.
EVE gave McCrea the plant, leaving him stunned. He put the video display on her to see what the Earth looked like. EVE looked at the scenes of WALL-E taking care of her and was moaning softly. She had fallen in love with him.
Suddenly, the screen froze. WALL-E jumped up in surprise, apparently wanting to watch more.
"Captain?" EVE asked.
"What is it EVE?" McCrea replied.
"WALL-E." She pointed to WALL-E with a tilt of her head, then pointed to the elevator door.
McCrea caught the hint. "Hey WALL-E, why don't we explore some of the Axiom's shopping districts? I hear that they got some interesting stuff there."
REX wasn't stupid. He knew EVE was trying to get WALL-E out of the room. But why?
WALL-E seemed to ponder the idea, but went to the elevator with McCrea when EVE gave him a tender spark-kiss and told him to go. When the elevator doors closed, EVE resumed the video with REX still in the room.
Auto could not return the Axiom to Earth under Directive A113. GO-4 threw the plant into the trash chute, but WALL-E emerged out of the chute with the plant in hand. GO-4 held EVE with a tractor beam as Auto violently shocked WALL-E with his tazer.
REX's amplified hearing wasn't deceiving him, he could hear EVE sobbing. Although she couldn't produce tears, the noise she made was all too real.
REX instinctively put his hand on where her shoulder would be to try and comfort her. "If this is too much for you EVE, you can turn it off."
"No," EVE pointed to him. "Learn."
REX understood what she meant. He had to know how their relationship formed, even if she had to go through some painful memories again.
WALL-E was very weak, his power was low and his central CPU chip was badly damaged. EVE tried to help him however she could. WALL-E tried to give her the plant to fulfill her directive, but she threw it aside, saying that he was her directive now.
REX was awed. EVE had just defied her directive and instead took on a new one: WALL-E. A directive was what made a robot live, it was their only purpose. He found instant respect for EVE; she was a one-of-a-kind robot.
WALL-E was holding the Holo-detector open while EVE was preventing a large chair transporter from crushing several humans. WALL-E's tread slipped and the detector came down on him in a sickening crunch.
EVE winced, then started sobbing louder. It was only getting worse for her.
"WALL-E risked his neck out just for you!" REX blurted out. "You deserved him EVE; I've never seen anyone else with that big a heart."
EVE was back at WALL-E's truck, repairing him in a desperate attempt to bring him back. She was successful, but WALL-E's memory was lost. EVE desperately attempted to make him remember using several methods, but they didn't work. She took his hand in hers and gave him a farewell spark-kiss, which brought his memory back.
Something inside REX shattered from EVE's reaction to this scene. She broke out, crying openly and covering her face with her hands. REX saw how much WALL-E meant to her now. He had given everything he could to her and when she finally realized his nature, she nearly lost him forever.
REX promptly snatched the display off EVE's head and threw it aside. EVE was suffering badly from these memories and needed help.
REX looked at his directive, remove the Syndicate threat, and deleted it. The war was long since over and the Syndicate was no more. His directive had no point so he needed a new one. And he knew exactly what that new directive would be, so he put it in without hesitation.
REX got in front of EVE and got on one knee to level with her. "EVE, look at me."
EVE dropped her hands to reveal her face. Her eyes formed downward crescents, signifying sadness, and she was shaking slightly.
"I understand how much WALL-E means to you," REX said softly. "I understand why you love him so much, and I respect that."
EVE slowly calmed down. Her crying reduced to stifled sobs.
"I was taught to look out for the ones I cared for in the military. Protecting someone that you care about very much is important. It's a natural instinct."
EVE was calming down even more now as her sobbing slowly faded away.
"I've seen many good soldiers lose their lives, some of them were my closest friends. I know what it's like to lose someone you care for. So this is what I will do:"
REX had his new directive.
"I'll make sure nothing ever happens to you or WALL-E. I will protect the two of you because you deserve each other."
EVE's sobbing faded to almost nonexistence. "Promise?"
REX balled his mechanical hand into a fist and thumped it against his chest. "With my life."
REX's new directive was confirmed and he didn't regret it. If General Warren was here, he would've been proud of him.
EVE made a weak smile and gave REX a hug. "Thank you."
REX knew the feeling of that hug all too well. On relief missions, young children would give him the same kind of hug when he told them he was there to help them. It was a sign of trust, EVE now fully trusted him.
He returned the hug and held it for a few seconds, then released her. EVE was now smiling, she was feeling much better.
"Why don't we head down and find your boyfriend," REX said with a smile. "I'm sure him and the Captain are waiting for us."
EVE giggled and quickly glided over to the elevator and activated it. They both stepped in and EVE pressed the button for the Lido Deck, making the elevator drop down.
REX decided that he should develop some bonding time with WALL-E. He liked the little robot. His quirky nature reminded REX of his first years, when he was full of enthusiasm.
He turned to EVE, who was smiling. Those memories were a thing of the past. They didn't have to matter anymore.
It was time for a new beginning.
And here is a new surprise. The next chapter is even longer. It's certainly going to take a while to get the next one out. Hopefully all of you readers can bear the patience (I know I can't and I'm the writer for crying out loud).