EVE became somewhat downcast again as she proceeded with WALL•E and the Light-bots away from the Axiom to look for EVE 2 and WALL•E 2 in the nighttime rain.
"Eee-vaah . . . talk," WALL•E invited, seeing how she was and recognizing indications she was troubled . . . beginning to know her as only a true partner could.
"WALL•E . . . thank you," EVE replied gratefully.
She now stopped and looked at him for a minute, turning towards him and taking his other hand in her now extended fingers. Looking between both his hands in hers and her eye forms, WALL•E was just puzzled.
"You know now . . . when EVE need something . . . don't you," she said quietly.
"Hope so . . ." WALL•E replied, looking directly into her eye forms with his optics.
EVE moved in, embracing him tightly now as she closed her eye forms. She briefly allowed herself to process deep awarenesses and sensations . . . a sudden, almost overwhelming mix of gratitude, being really known and cared for by another, and profound love. EVE could have easily become lost in it all. But her duty subroutines reminded her of the mission she was on . . . and why she was feeling conflicted, even sad.
"Feel guilty," she finally confessed after a long pause as she continued to hold WALL•E tightly for a moment longer. "Left our EVEs and WALL•Es unprepared. We had fun . . . they suffered."
WALL•E moved his optics back and looked into her visor as her eye forms opened again, as he processed what EVE had said. She was right, he realized. They had enjoyed their own private interplanetary paradise . . . while the other EVEs and WALL•Es had been enduring a confusing hell of original purposes that didn't exist or apply anymore, new directives they didn't understand, and explosions that had terrorized them, even killing one of them. WALL•E could have just been sad . . . he was sad. But he now fully knew what he and EVE had to do.
"We . . . make it rright," he finally decided, ". . . togetherr."
"Yes," she agreed as she moved back from their embrace, feeling renewed, while still holding his hands. "But," she continued, ". . . feel so much now. Want to tell you . . . but don't know how."
"Eev-aah know . . . WALL•E see, inside," he assured as he now took her into his embrace this time.
If EVE could have shed real tears of deep appreciation, she would have, as she closed her eye forms again as she returned his embrace.
"You so good . . . so good," EVE quietly admired to him as she nuzzled his optics appreciatively with her visor one more time.
"You . . . so good, too," he responded. "Now . . . find Twos," he gently encouraged, knowing they needed to continue onward now, ". . . call Axiom."
"You right," she sighed. "WALL•E make good EVE probe . . . good at mission."
"WALL•Eev-aah," he simply replied, looking at her.
"WALL•EVE," she agreed in her own way, inwardly marveling at this new term that seemed to describe, to capture, what they were becoming together.
"Call . . ." he reminded her again.
"Yes," she agreed, straightening herself up now. Comm link . . . Typing-bot, she instructed herself.
Typing-bot here, he replied.
Locate EVE 2, EVE requested. Provide bearing and distance, and relative intercept vector if necessary.
EVE 2 located, Typing-bot replied. This one, not easy. EVE 2 is on an upper floor of a building . . . 540 kilometres away . . . in another city.
Open data link, EVE sighed to her systems as they now established a data link to the Axiom.
Typing-bot, she now radioed to him, download three-dimensional map of route, city, and building.
Download commencing, Typing-bot assured. EVE, you want to wait until daylight?
No, EVE replied as she watched a download progress bar in her visor. Dealing with EVE 3 cannot wait that long. Need all other EVEs as back-up, especially as WALL•E 3 now terminated.
Understood, Typing-bot responded. Download completed. Also, Captain wants an update.
Patch me through with translation, EVE requested.
"EVE, how goes it?" she now heard the Captain ask.
"We have found EVE 5, and now WALL•Es 3 and 5 as well," EVE's translated beeps now reported. "Typing-bot has traced EVE 2 to a city 540 kilometres away. WALL•E and I are about to fly there now. Unfortunately, WALL•E 3 is terminated. So reasoning with EVE 3 may be even harder, which is why we need to find EVE 2 first."
"Understood and agreed," McCrea replied. "My regrets about WALL•E 3. But you think you can find EVE 2 and WALL•E 2 in the dark?"
"I have been searching for plants that way at times, for centuries," EVE beeped in reply. "I am taking one Light-bot with us though."
"I should have known you could," the Captain quipped. "I'm turning in now myself, but have Typing-bot wake me if necessary. Good luck."
"Thank you, Captain," EVE's translated voice concluded. "EVE out."
Light-bot 1, EVE invited, continuing to beep in Axiom and opening her stasis chamber, hop inside. We will travel well beyond your range. Other Light-bots, return to Axiom.
After Light-bot 1 settled inside EVE's stasis chamber and she closed it, she turned to WALL•E and looked at him, her eye forms now betraying a degree of uncertainty, even worry.
"WALL•E," she said, ". . . this feel dangerous now. EVE prefer you stay here . . . be safe."
This surprised WALL•E after they had just agreed they should 'make this right together'. Still, it was an earnest request of hers, so he looked down again and analyzed it for a moment.
"No," he finally said.
"No?" she queried, now surprised at his response. "Explain."
WALL•E sighed as his linguistic subroutines searched for and assembled the right words to describe what he was concluding and feeling inside his consciousness.
"Severral rreasons," he replied. "WALL•E find more danger when Eev-aah not with . . . Feel safe with Eev-aah . . . annd . . . wait alonne ennough today! Not rright! Plus," he now added, ". . . WALL•Eev-aah."
EVE's eye forms broke into a knowing smile. She realized he did belong with her now . . . no matter what.
"Okay," she conceded with warm agreement. "WALL•EVE. You come, too."
"Thannk youu . . ." he responded with a mixture of gratitude, and maybe a bit of growing self-satisfaction.
"Ready?" she now invited him.
"Always!" he replied, turning his back to her and raising his arms.
"Uggghh . . . let's get into sky . . . out of rain!" EVE said, dumping the rainwater had partly filled the docking cradle for her head in the top of her torso.
"Sorry . . . no ummbrella," WALL•E apologized. "Rrememberr next time . . . forr youu."
"WALL•E . . ." EVE said, once again thoroughly charmed by his thoughtfulness, as she also recalled her security camera images of him trying to keep her dry with several umbrellas once before.
With perhaps the first real joy she had experienced all day, EVE happily picked up WALL•E, and, gripping him snugly against her, they took off into the nighttime sky, punching through the clouds and above the rain.
"Wow . . . space," WALL•E admired as he cubed up for flight with EVE.
"Not quite," she replied, amused. "Accelerating," she now warned.
*Boom!* they went, as they broke the sonic barrier together.
By now in their time together, both WALL•E and EVE had learned that they really couldn't talk to each other much during supersonic flight in Earth's atmosphere. So EVE just called up the map and her flight indicators onto her visor, and switched on her night vision, which turned her eye forms from blue to a dim red. She then contented herself with tracking their progress, while still enjoying her first nighttime flight on Earth with WALL•E. They were on a mission, and in something of a hurry, so EVE refrained from her usual aerobatics this time.
WALL•E for his part had time to think, as he just could not see much on the moonless night, other than the stars above and around them. Married . . . he thought to himself. Parents . . . he thought as well. WALL•E was still getting used to his own reintegration of what had for a while been his two separate consciousnesses. Life with EVE was presenting a myriad of changes for his original consciousness as well, but for the most part, they were feeling good to him.
Before long, he felt EVE start to decelerate and drop in altitude. Once they were below supersonic speed, she briefed WALL•E on her plan.
"Comm linked with Typing-bot in flight more," she said to him. "Since EVE 2 so far away, we presume she fearful. You, me approach building from opposite side. Try set down on her floor. Then search carefully . . . me in lead, you stay back, quiet. I locate EVE 2 and talk. Then we find WALL•E 2, and return home. Okay?"
"Okayy," WALL•E agreed.
"Quiet now," she urged, " . . . approaching building."
Silently and fairly slowly, they approached a dark tower that started to blot out the stars in front of them as they got closer. EVE wanted to scan for an open window on the correct floor, but she realized WALL•E was in front of her scanning emitter.
Open comm link . . . Typing-bot, mute speaker, internal conversation only, she instructed her systems.
Typing-bot here, she heard inside consciousness alone.
Report relative position, EVE 2 versus me, she silently thought to the comm link.
EVE 2 is on far side of building, on 11th floor, Typing-bot reported. She has not moved in some time. May be dormant. Suggest you keep this link open.
Will do . . . EVE confirmed slowed with WALL•E in her fins to almost a stop, as she checked each window for an opening. No openings on 11th floor, this side, she reported.
"WALL•E," she whispered quietly. "Set you on roof, while I scan for opening."
He didn't like the idea of them separating again. But as his processors were unable to come up with a better alternative, he chose to say nothing this time.
EVE flew WALL•E up to the building's roof, and set him down on it as quietly as possible.
The roof's aged asphalt covering crunched under WALL•E's now extended treads. Suddenly part of it buckled, causing WALL•E's left tread and wheels to fall into a newly-created hole. Debris from the hole now fell loudly on the floor below, but WALL•E didn't make a sound.
EVE quietly groaned, fearing EVE 2 might have now been alerted to their presence. WALL•E quietly engaged his treads, as his left tread pulled itself out of the hole. He soon was on a more stable part of the roof, but still partly held up by EVE.
"Okayy," he tried to quietly whisper back to her, turning his optics to face her. "Go," he then urged, knowing what she needed to do.
EVE gave him a final appreciative squeeze before she hovered back over the edge of the building's roof, and back down to the 11th floor. This time she moved back from the building, and scanned three full floors for an opening she could pass through without making a noise.
Found opening, 10th floor, she silently reported on her comm link to Typing-bot, proceeding inside.
EVE used her night vision and scans as she moved through a long derelict office to find a hallway, and then search for a stairway or elevator shaft she could use to get to the next floor up.
WALL•E just waited somewhat nervously, still up on the building's roof, trying to appreciate the stars.
EVE continued along the main hallway, scanning for anything appearing to be a stairway door or elevator door. Scanning a sign suspended from the ceiling above her, she recognized the word, 'STAIRS'. The stairway door creaked loudly as she tried to slowly open it. EVE automatically winced her eye forms.
EVE 2 now moving, Typing-bot reported via the open comm link.
Where? EVE asked through the link.
Outside, up to roof, he responded.
Oh no! EVE silently panicked. She now zoomed for the nearest office and out a window, smashing it loudly as she punched through it, before turning sharply and rocketing up to the roof.
"Gmoddle!" an electronic voice called out in the dark from the middle of the roof. Identify! I have your accomplice. Surrender!
Directive 3, EVE called out through beeps herself. Disarm!
Irrelevant! He not my class, the other EVE responded. Surrender or I terminate him!
EVE didn't want to use her newly given power, but felt she had no choice at the moment.
Override, authorization EVE Alpha One Delta Six. Disarm! EVE ordered, not yet revealing herself from behind the roof's fire escape stair housing.
Authorization not recognized, EVE 2 responded. Updates interrogative with ARV or Axiom not functional at this distance.
EVE realized that as EVE 2 didn't have a transponder as she did, this other EVE wasn't in touch with the Axiom like she was.
We are . . . family, EVE then tried to reason with her counterpart . . . EVEs and WALL•Es. Remember wedding?
No . . . my class . . . destroyed in mine blasts! EVE 2 cried, now targeting the intruder talking to her. WALL•E 2 and I . . . last ones. Safe here. Protect my WALL•E 2!
Not last EVE, EVE beeped while now emerging from behind the fire escape and revealing herself to EVE 2, grateful that she had programmed trigger delays in all the other EVEs as part of preparing them for her wedding. EVE then detected EVE 2 scanning her. EVE 2 was now locking onto her with her cannon's targeting laser, as EVE heard her counterpart's cannon powering up again.
Directive 3, EVE repeated, not having raised her own cannon at EVE 2 yet.
Compliance . . . EVE 2 sighed, once her scanning sensors and Primary System had confirmed that EVE was of her own class. However, she resumed pointing her own cannon once again at WALL•E. EVE felt she was back to where they had started.
The rooftop fire escape door now opened.
"Eeev-Two" a WALL•E unit called out, wondering where his partner had gotten to.
EVE now opened her stasis chamber, allowing Light-bot 1 to emerge and briefly blind EVE 2 in her night vision mode, as EVE zoomed behind this other WALL•E, and proceeded to swiftly grab and now hold him at gunpoint.
You harm my WALL•E, EVE beeped with determination as the WALL•E she was now holding began to quiver in fear . . . I harm yours. Truce. Disarm. Talk.
EVE 2 hesitated a moment as her processors quickly assessed the now changed situation, and resolved competing directives within her.
Truce, she finally agreed, as both EVEs retracted their weapons simultaneously.
EVE sighed with relief, grateful that she had learned what a 'bluff' was during her studies of English . . . and that EVE 2 hadn't called hers, as EVE could never have fired now on WALL•E 2.
Here, you may have your WALL•E back, EVE beeped, releasing WALL•E 2 as a show of good faith.
"No, Two," EVE 2 urged. "Stay. You know, roof not safe."
We know that already, also, EVE assured in beeps. "WALL•E, stay. You safe now, too."
"Okayy . . ." he warbled back to her across the roof, nervously.
Objective? What you want? EVE 2 now demanded through her own beeps.
To help you and WALL•E 2 be safe, EVE assured. To find new directives, new purpose . . . "and love," she finished in English.
I have that, EVE 2 beeped back before she also switched languages, " . . . even love . . . with Two . . . here. Go away!"
EVE sighed. You know who I am? she now beeped, playing what she thought might be her back-up bargaining position.
EVE 1, EVE 2 replied. You left us . . . to fend for ourselves.
I apologize for that, EVE beeped. I was in error. WALL•E and I now realize we should not have left you all as you were. "Forgive us . . . please," she finished in English.
Why? EVE 2 sharply beeped.
It feels good . . . EVE replied.
EVE now approached EVE 2, extending an open right hand, along with her left fin.
You left us . . . EVE 2 accused angrily, narrowing her eye forms.
Yes, we did, EVE readily confirmed. How will hating us for that make you feel good?
EVE 2 couldn't answer that.
This will make you feel good, however, EVE gently beeped as she moved in to give EVE 2 a hug.
EVE 2 stared down vacantly as EVE embraced her. Other EVEs . . . gone . . . she sadly beeped.
No, EVE softly assured. All are functioning, two others with us already. Help save EVE 3 though. She is in trouble.
Others functioning? Help save EVE 3? EVE 2 repeated in a somewhat stunned wonder.
"Yes," EVE confirmed, switching to English so WALL•E 2 could understand as well. "Then we all live together, safe . . . and happy."
"Safe? Happy?" EVE 2 queried again in English now as well.
"Two wannt this," WALL•E 2 chimed in. "Like being . . . with other WALL•Es . . . annd youu."
"Safer . . . than this building, right Two?" EVE 2 asked, beginning to agree with her partner.
"Yess," WALL•E 2 confirmed. "Please, Eeev-Two . . . forr mmee?"
"Okay," EVE 2 finally relented. "You help Two, I?" she now said to EVE.
"Yes," EVE affirmed, ". . . together."
"Together . . ." EVE 2 mused. "Feels good."
"Need to return . . . rescue EVE 3," EVE now noted to her.
"Ready go . . . lover?" EVE 2 asked as she hovered over to WALL•E 2.
"Yep!" WALL•E 2 answered to EVE 2 as he raised his arms, encouraging her to pick him up.
"Interesting," EVE quietly observed to her WALL•E, wondering where EVE 2 had picked up or synthesized that one word from, as she now hovered over behind him.
"Him raise arms, too," WALL•E likewise noted to EVE.
"Son . . . takes after father," EVE softly whispered to him as she picked WALL•E up herself.
"Awww . . ." WALL•E warbled.
EVE then felt a gentle banging against the side of her torso. She looked down only to see Lightbot 1 tapping himself against her, not wanting to be left behind.
"Sorry . . ." she apologized as she let WALL•E go for a moment, and opened up her stasis chamber, as Lightbot 1 gave her a few irritated beeps.
Once the small robot was safely inside her, EVE closed her chamber doors and once again picked up WALL•E.
"Can't rrememberr everrything . . ." he noted in her defense.
"Thanks . . . I think," EVE replied, a little uncertainly.
"Follow me!" she now encouraged to EVE 2 and WALL•E 2 as she launched off the building's roof with WALL•E firmly tucked within her fins.
"Go!" WALL•E 2 encouraged his EVE as they took off as well.
One more, EVE sighed to herself as she looked ahead into the night sky.