I finally have Chapter 6 posted. I wasn't lying when I said it was long. It covers a lot of important points in the story, so that's why it's so lengthy. Read and review as you please.
Chapter 6
Old Wounds
WALL-E woke up to a distinct hammering sound. He came out of his sleeping space, tired from his low power charge, and rolled into a small puddle that formed on the ground below the hole in the roof. It was raining.
WALL-E moaned in irritation. If it was raining, that meant there were clouds blocking the sun, and he wouldn't be able to get his much needed recharge.
His moaning woke up EVE and REX. They turned to him, then at the rain coming in through the hole.
"Never saw that coming." REX said. "Then again, weather is unpredictable."
WALL-E stumbled and fell over. He barely had the energy to do anything. He hadn't felt this bad since his experience with Auto's tazer.
EVE picked up WALL-E and cradled him in her arms. She nuzzled him and started humming It Only Takes a Moment very softly next to his audio receptors. If it was an attempt to take his mind off his weak state, it was working perfectly.
"Wait," said REX. "I know how to charge him up."
"How?" EVE asked.
"Gimme a sec." REX began scrolling through WALL-E's collection of trinkets, obviously looking for something specific. After a few moments, he turned back to WALL-E and EVE with a pair of jumper cables in his hand.
"This'll do nicely." REX walked up to them and brought one end of the jumper cables towards WALL-E. EVE quickly backed away with WALL-E still in her arms. She tended to be more overprotective of WALL-E when he was low on power. WALL-E certainly remembered what caused that issue.
"It's okay EVE," REX said. "I know what I'm doing."
EVE paused for a moment, then complied. She allowed REX to attach one end of the cable to WALL-E's chest, then he attached the other end to his mechanical arm. Electricity began flowing from REX's arm, through the cable, and into WALL-E's chest. WALL-E noticed that his power charge was rising; his brother was giving him energy.
After a few seconds, WALL-E felt fully charged and good as new. He propped himself from EVE's arms and handed REX his end of the cable.
"Better now?" REX asked him.
WALL-E nodded in response. His improved movement should've given REX the hint that he was better, but it seemed that his big brother wanted to make sure he was good. REX certainly looked out for him.
"Great," REX looked out the hole. "Looks like a heavy storm. You have anything to do today?"
"No." EVE answered.
EVE was right. Captain McCrea specifically told them not to work during bad weather. He said it was because he didn't want anyone to have trouble from possible injuries, which have a higher chance of occurring during bad weather. WALL-E didn't complain though, he used it as the perfect excuse to spend more time with EVE.
REX walked over by the VHS player and grabbed a large blue tarp that WALL-E had found about five days ago during some mindless exploring amongst the trash dumps. WALL-E was impressed: REX seemed to have already known the truck inside and out.
"Let's get that hole covered up." REX said. WALL-E watched as REX walked underneath the hole, the tarp folded neatly and clutched tight in his mechanical hand. As he came underneath the hole, he crouched low.
REX then jumped straight up out of the hole and onto the roof. It was amazing how high he jumped, the truck was over fifthteen feet high. Guess another one of his features was super jumps.
REX rolled out the tarp while WALL-E and EVE tossed him several heavy objects to keep it pinned down. In just a few seconds, the hole was covered. The rain no longer poured in, but made a loud tapping sound as it hit the tarp.
WALL-E opened the truck ramp so REX could come back in. He was soaking wet so WALL-E gave REX an old, worn-out towel so he could dry off. It wouldn't work very well, but it was all that WALL-E had. He made a mental note to borrow some towels from the Axiom Lido Deck some time.
"Thanks WALL-E," REX said as he dried himself. "I really appreciate your hospitality."
WALL-E smiled in appreciation. REX was his brother, he would help him however he could. He cared for his blood family.
REX then turned for the ramp and began to walk back out onto the wet grounds. WALL-E watched him in confusion.
"REX?" WALL-E asked.
"I just need to get my stuff from my pod." REX replied. "I'll be back."
WALL-E watched REX as he continued on in the rain. He saw his brother run off into the distance until he disappeared behind the other broken-down WALL-E trucks.
WALL-E then closed the ramp and was about to find something to keep himself occupied, when he felt EVE grab him.
"WALL-E." She said in a seductive-like tone.
WALL-E braced for a love assault. He distinctly remembered EVE being more affectionate during one other rainy day. There was something about the rain that made EVE give him more attention than usual. Maybe it had something to do with the cool breeze; it certainly felt comfortable when WALL-E felt the cool air flow in through his arm grooves and throughout his inner workings.
He stood still as EVE nuzzled him gently with her arms wrapped around him. Rainy weather had its ups and downs, but the ups seemed to be significantly outweighing the downs.
WALL-E was actually starting to like rain now.
REX always hated rain.
He walked through the city streets on his way to where his stasis pod was. The rain continued to pour down hard with the occasional crackle of thunder. REX never liked rain because he hated getting wet. It wasn't a personal problem, but more of a security issue. The rain dampened his hair, which in turn distorted the video images on his perimeter cameras, leaving him without one of his most important security measures.
However, the reason REX was going to get his things was because one of his possessions was his bonnie hat, which helped protect his hair from the rain. Not to mention General Warren gave him the hat, so he treasured it greatly.
A few strides later, REX could see his stasis pod in the distance. He continued on when he noticed something on his motion tracker: movement behind him, REX was being followed.
REX wondered who would be following him. He didn't turn around to give the hint that he was aware, but instead he made turns around street corners to see if the being was really following him. Sure enough, they were.
REX rounded the corner of a nearby building and immediately placed his back against the wall, instinctively drawing out his combat knife and clutching it in a reverse grip as he waited for the pursuer to come.
REX kept an eye on his motion tracker. He saw the unknown being getting closer. He tightened his grip on his combat knife and prepared to ambush it.
The pursuer was getting closer.
Closer.
Close enough.
REX then quickly jumped out and brought his knife up to his pursuer's neck. But when he got a visual of who his follower was, he saw that the being didn't have a neck and had familiar green eyeforms from a black visor.
REX immediately pulled back. "Jeez, Neon! I could've killed you!"
Neon jumped back in surprise. Her hover systems must've deactivated temporarily, as she fell down in the mud and turned partially brown as the mud splashed on her.
REX stuck out his hand. "Need some help?"
Neon paused for a moment, then took his hand so he could lift her up.
"Thanks." Neon said.
"No problem. Sorry about jumping at you, old military habit."
"Okay."
"Why are you out here, Neon? Why aren't you with your sisters?"
Neon dropped her head in embarrassment. It seemed that she wasn't willing to give an answer.
A lightning bolt flashed nearby, followed by a loud crackle of thunder. REX's systems fluctuated with static from the shock; sharp bursts of electricity tended to overload his internal systems, especially from a pure source. He noticed that Neon flinched slightly from the flash, she didn't like it either.
"Come on," REX said. "Let's find some cover."
REX and Neon went inside a nearby abandoned building for shelter. The inside looked like an ordinary office building, but there were tons of rubble laid about. REX wondered how the earth ended up being covered in trash. It obviously happened when he was in stasis, but what caused it.
REX cleared some debris around an old couch and gestured for Neon to sit in it. She did so and then tried to wipe off the patches of mud on her outer shell with her hands. The mud ended up smearing and spreading all over Neon, making her groan in frustration.
REX took a cleaning cloth out of his pocket that he used to clean his weapons. He went to Neon and started cleaning the mud patches off of her with the cloth. Neon blushed and giggled slightly, which made REX feel strange. That giggle of hers made him feel strangely warm inside.
After a short time, Neon was back to her pristine white color. She gave REX a spark-kiss as a sign of gratitude.
"Thanks."
"No problem." REX got up and walked to the exit, not just to clean his cloth using the rain water, but also to hide his loss of focus from Neon's spark-kiss. REX felt very warm inside, and it confused him. Was this how WALL-E felt when he was around EVE? Was this what falling in love was like?
REX felt an uncomfortable churning feeling in his stomach area. He was falling in love? How strange. He never thought he would ever deal with that emotion since he wasn't created for that purpose. Then again, WALL-E and EVE weren't created for that purpose either, and look how they turned out.
REX went back to Neon and sat next to her. Neon stared at him. Those fluorescent green eyes just seemed to grab his attention. REX tried his hardest to keep himself from staring at her in a dumbstruck manner, but was failing horribly.
Then he remembered what was on his mind earlier. "I still haven't gotten an answer," he said to her. "Why are you out here?"
Neon stuttered, apparently unable to give an answer. REX was getting an idea of what she would say, but he needed to make sure he was correct.
He placed his hand on hers. "Please, an honest answer."
Neon looked at him. Her eyes were squinting, indicating she was about to cry. It made REX upset. He didn't like seeing her sad.
"For . . . you." Neon said before bursting into tears.
REX was stunned. Neon had feelings for him. What made her fall for him? What did he do that made her attracted to him?
But right now, it didn't matter. Neon's crying upset REX, so he patted her hand gently for comfort. He wasn't afraid of being soft to her. He was beginning to care for her.
"Neon, I . . . I don't know what to say. Would it make you feel better if I said I felt the same about you?"
Neon stopped her crying and looked at him questionably.
"Well, I do. I have feelings for you too, Neon."
Neon paused for a moment. She seemed to be surprised by REX's answer as her eyes grew wide, forming large perfect circles.
"Oh REX!" Neon said affectionately. She knocked REX flat on his back and came down on top of him, nuzzling her head against his.
REX closed his eyes, letting Neon do whatever she pleased to him. Seven years of hard battlefield experience never prepared him for this, but it felt good, it felt right. Now he was beginning to understand why WALL-E and EVE were so happy together. Love was something to be treasured greatly.
He put his arms around Neon, holding her close. He liked how it felt when she touched him. It was a whole new kind of sensation he had never experienced before.
After a few minutes, Neon got off of him. REX felt an urgent craving. He wanted more of her affection, it just felt so pleasant.
But he kept that craving suppressed; he couldn't become dependent on it. General Warren always told him to never get too dependent on something, or it could be used against him. Neon would give him affection when she wanted to.
REX then remembered that he still had to get his things. He got up and went over to the exit to prepare to set off. When he turned back to Neon, she was floating in front of him and watching him curiously.
"REX?" She asked.
"I have to get some things, wanna come?"
Neon nodded enthusiastically.
"Okay, let's go."
The two then went out of the building to make their way to REX's pod. REX felt Neon take his hand in hers. He returned the grip and held it as they continued moving. He remembered WALL-E and EVE always holding hands. He didn't know what that meant, but it made Neon happy, so he did it anyways.
The rain continued to pour hard. REX sighed in irritation as he got soaking wet again. He really needed his bonnie hat.
He turned to Neon to see how she was handling the rain. He saw water collecting in the bowl-shaped area her head hovered over. REX assumed that had to feel uncomfortable, it looked so to him.
But Neon didn't seem to notice it. Either she couldn't feel it or she was doing a good job of ignoring it. He wished he could do the same.
A few strides later, they got to REX's stasis pod. REX pulled out the datapad on the side, punched in his serial number, then placed the pad back into the slot.
After a few seconds, a side compartment on the pod opened up. Inside it were REX's possessions: a grey-colored bonnie hat and his dog tags.
REX grabbed his bonnie hat and put it on his head. The bonnie hat was actually very advanced as it was capable of changing camouflage patterns. He set the pattern to a blue and white color, a camouflage pattern commonly used by Special Forces in arctic conditions. It was mostly out of taste, REX liked the color.
Then REX grabbed his dog tags. He looked at them before he put them around his neck. On one side it read: "Subject Alpha, Serial no. 6609-5512." On the other side, scratched on crudely, read his nickname: "REX."
REX continued on with putting on his dog tags, then was about to shut the compartment when he noticed something: a small, circle-shaped object with a black coating and two small buttons. A tracking beacon.
REX wondered what was a tracking beacon doing in his pod. Someone must've put it there sometime after he went into stasis. He pocketed the beacon, making a mental note to deal with it later.
REX then stood up, relishing in the protection his hat was giving him, and turned to Neon. He noticed that the rain still poured on her, so he decided to change that. He looked around on the ground and found a square-shaped metallic sheet about four feet in diameter and a three foot long steel rod. He bent the sides of the sheet inward using his enhanced strength, stuck the rod in the center of the sheet, and welded it in place using his integrated cutting torch. He had created a makeshift umbrella.
REX turned back to Neon and handed her the umbrella. It shielded her perfectly from the pouring rain.
"Thanks." Neon said. She smiled and gave REX another spark-kiss, which made him stumble. He had taken on heavily armed warlords, thirty foot tall battle machines, and thousands of foot soldiers without much trouble in his past life, yet a simple sign of affection from his new girlfriend took him down like it was nothing.
"Well," REX then said. "Gotta head back to WALL-E's truck, since I live there now."
Neon's eyes dropped in sadness. Of course she wanted to be with him some more. That must've been how EVE always felt about WALL-E.
REX took her hand. "Wanna come with? I'm sure we can talk EVE into letting you hang out."
Neon went back into a smile. "Yes!" She chirped in excitement.
REX smiled and they proceeded to head back to the truck. REX felt a whole lot better than normal. Yesterday, he found a brother, one with a caring heart; and now, he got a girlfriend. He was liking his new life more and more now.
If only General Warren could see him now.
Rain. It always made EVE so relaxed because of the rhythmic patting sound it made. All she ever wanted to do was be with WALL-E as it poured.
She gently stroked WALL-E's optics as he laid next to her. She had spent the last hour doing nothing but give WALL-E love in spark-kissing and nuzzling. Giving him affection was something she enjoyed doing more than anything else.
WALL-E sighed happily. He had one hand intertwined with hers and the other around her waist. WALL-E's hands were dirty and rusty, but they always felt so soothing when he touched her with them.
"E-vah." WALL-E cooed to her.
EVE loved it when WALL-E called her name. She didn't care that he couldn't pronounce her name right, she still loved it. It always made her senses tingle with happiness when he said her name.
EVE suddenly felt like watching Hello Dolly again. It was so peaceful that it seemed like the right opportunity.
She looked at WALL-E, who was completely relaxed. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be humming Put on Your Sunday Clothes to himself. He was very happy.
"WALL-E?" EVE asked him.
WALL-E opened his eyes and turned to her. He always responded whenever she called his name. She liked that.
EVE pointed to the VHS player to give WALL-E the hint. He caught it quickly. WALL-E lifted himself up, taking her hand to help her up even though he really didn't need to, and then he went to the VHS to get the movie set up.
Before WALL-E could hit the play button, they heard a knocking on the entry ramp. EVE assumed that had to be REX, back from whatever he was doing.
WALL-E must've thought so too. He quickly dashed to the ramp lever and pulled it to lower the ramp, obviously eager to see his brother again. Already it seemed that WALL-E and REX had gotten close because of their newfound brotherhood.
When the ramp lowered completely, EVE was puzzled: one, because of the hat REX was wearing; second, because her sister Neon was with him; and last, because they were holding hands.
EVE felt a mixture of confusion and happiness. She did want her sisters to find partners to experience the same joy she has with WALL-E. But Neon sealing it off with REX? She did not see that coming.
"Hey," REX said. "Can Neon hang out with us for a while?"
EVE couldn't answer. She was still processing the thought of REX and Neon in love. Also, she was still slightly angry at REX for that hormone joke he said yesterday.
Then, EVE felt WALL-E take her hand. She turned to him and saw him smiling in that usual caring way. She knew what he was trying to say: let her stay.
EVE smiled in agreement and turned back to REX and Neon. She nodded her head to say she was okay with it. Neon gave her a hug in gratitude before going back to REX.
REX and Neon started to settle down while WALL-E proceeded with playing Hello Dolly. EVE saw Neon cuddling in REX's arms to give him affection. It looked strange from her perspective. She was always used to picking up WALL-E in a hug to give him affection since he was smaller than her. It looked completely different to see Neon in REX's hold since he was bigger than her.
Then again, EVE had her boyfriend, and Neon had hers. They would give love to them in their own unique ways.
When WALL-E got the movie started, EVE wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his. She gently nuzzled him as the movie played. WALL-E made a warbling sound to show he was happy. WALL-E's reactions to her displays of affection were always so entertaining. EVE loved how he reacted to her affection.
Throughout Put on Your Sunday Clothes, EVE took notice that REX was strangely silent, but she could hear Neon making cooing noises. She turned her head slightly to see her sister lying in REX's lap with her head tucked under his chin, stroking his hair with her fingers. REX had his eyes halfway closed and was smiling.
EVE giggled slightly to herself. That was how she and WALL-E were the day after their big adventure. They spent so much time showing love to each other that day, EVE couldn't remember if they ever left the truck. That was when their relationship truly began.
EVE was also slightly jealous of how quickly and easily REX and Neon had fallen in love. She wished the same had happened to her and WALL-E. Her original directive was the reason she didn't fall in love with WALL-E sooner.
EVE just had to be so attuned to that stupid directive of hers when she first met WALL-E. She failed to see how much she meant to him. WALL-E had to go through several hardships in order to make her realize that: he put himself on the line as he took care of her in stasis, he nearly got blown up in an escape pod, he was violently shocked by Auto, and then he was crushed under the Holo-detector. WALL-E didn't deserve any of that. She should've been his from the beginning. If EVE wasn't so attached to her directive at the time, she would've fallen in love with WALL-E from the start. She took a liking to him when they met, but she didn't realize what he really meant.
Sometimes, EVE just wished that she had fallen in love with WALL-E first. Things would've been a lot easier then.
But that didn't matter anymore. She had WALL-E, she lived with him, and she would never stop giving him love. WALL-E was everything to her.
As It Only Takes a Moment began to play, EVE felt a surge of emotional spikes and she gripped WALL-E tight in a hug. That song became the start of her coming to love him.
WALL-E sighed happily and held EVE by the waist. She vibrated in warmth as those rusted hands of his touched her. It just felt so pleasant to her.
EVE then made a quick turn to look at REX and Neon to see how they were doing. What she saw made her giggle slightly in amusement:
REX and Neon were fast asleep. REX was slumped over on the ground and Neon was lying on top of him. It looked so funny to EVE.
She beckoned to WALL-E to look at them. He made a jittering sound at the sight of what they were doing. He was amused too.
"Family." WALL-E said happily.
"Family." EVE repeated. She knew what he meant. REX and Neon were their brother and sister. They were family.
EVE thought it was kind of strange: a kind-hearted trash compactor, two good-natured evaluator probes, and a battle hardened war machine were all family. Everyone was so different from the other, but those differences brought them together.
She took WALL-E's hands in hers and stared at him, looking into his cute, binocular-shaped optics. WALL-E stared back in that loving way he always did. EVE never got tired of the way he stared at her; it told her that she meant everything to him.
EVE then leaned her head forward in WALL-E's direction. WALL-E did likewise until their heads touched. She relished in that warm felling she always got when she was around WALL-E. It was a feeling that nothing else could ever overpower.
EVE felt an overwhelming urge of happiness. She had WALL-E, her true love; REX, WALL-E's new brother and dedicated protector; and now Neon, her sister that made REX happy. This was truly a great day.
EVE and WALL-E continued to gently nuzzle each other until they heard what sounded like a Steward's siren outside the truck.
REX and Neon came out of their slumber from the siren. They both got up and stared at the door.
"I think I know what's going on." REX muttered.
"What?" EVE asked him.
REX didn't answer. Instead, he walked over to the ramp lever and pulled it to lower the ramp. A Steward appeared as it lowered completely, brandishing a live video feed of Captain McCrea on its center screen. McCrea was in the pilot's room of the Axiom. EVE could see a lifeless Auto in the background.
"Is now a good time?" McCrea asked.
"I'll be there in ten minutes." REX replied.
McCrea nodded in acknowledgement, then the screen went black and the Steward turned around and left. Now EVE figured out what REX was talking about: he and McCrea said yesterday they were going to reactivate Auto because they needed his help.
EVE hated Auto with a passion. He was responsible for nearly taking WALL-E away from her forever, and he didn't even care. He deserved to be shutdown. Auto was cold.
REX picked up his hat, which had fallen off when he fell asleep, and put it back on. He adjusted the chin strap to keep it tight and snug.
REX then turned to WALL-E, EVE and Neon with a slight frown on his face. Neon came up to him in concern.
"REX?" She asked.
"Stay here."
"But-"
"Stay . . . here." REX gave Neon a hug to give her reassurance. She responded by grabbing his head with both hands and giving him a spark-kiss.
REX then turned around and walked out into the rain. WALL-E began to follow him, but REX stopped him.
"That means you too, WALL-E."
"REX?" WALL-E asked in concern.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine."
REX started moving again. EVE watched him until he disappeared in the distance. She was about to play with some of WALL-E's trinkets to keep herself occupied, when she noticed WALL-E heading out in the direction REX went.
EVE quickly dashed in front of WALL-E. "WALL-E," she said, partially frightened. "No."
"E-vah," WALL-E said softly. "REX . . . family."
"No."
"Help . . . REX."
EVE begged WALL-E not to go. She couldn't risk Auto shocking him again. She couldn't relive the pain she had gone through before.
But WALL-E seemed intent on going after his brother. This was the first time her influence had failed to take him.
EVE turned to Neon for help, but her sister got behind WALL-E and looked at her with a serious expression. She was taking WALL-E's side.
EVE sighed in defeat. Her love and her sister were intent on going after REX. She had no control over them.
So EVE took WALL-E's hand in hers and pointed to herself with her other hand. "Coming." She said. If her love and her sister were going after REX, then so would she.
WALL-E nodded to EVE in gratitude while Neon hugged her to show her thanks.
The three then set off for the Axiom. The rain still poured hard, so WALL-E grabbed an umbrella to shield EVE from the rain. She thanked him with a spark-kiss. EVE loved WALL-E's caring nature, which was what touched her heart and brought her to love him.
EVE turned to Neon to see how she was going to deal with the rain. She saw her carrying a strange object that looked like an umbrella, but not quite. She beeped questionably to Neon to ask her about the umbrella.
"REX." Neon said. She twirled the umbrella and smiled. EVE felt touched. REX certainly cared for Neon as much as WALL-E cared for her if he made that for her. She was happy that Neon had found a good man.
They continued on until they could see the Axiom in the distance. EVE used the zooming feature in her vision and saw REX going in through one of the entry hatches.
EVE then took the umbrella out of WALL-E's hand and set it down on the ground. She picked up WALL-E and flew to the entry hatch with Neon following behind.
They got to the entry hatch after a few seconds and EVE hit the activation switch on the side to open it. They went inside and found several humans and robots wandering about. Of course because of the rain, no one had anything to do. Unsurprisingly, none of the humans were sitting in hover chairs.
The three robots made their way to the elevator that lead up to the pilot's room just in time to see the doors close with REX inside it. EVE's nerves spiked because she could've sworn that REX was looking right at them before the doors closed.
WALL-E, EVE, and Neon went to the elevator and called it down. EVE felt uneasy. They were about to be in the presence of their one and only enemy.
Neon glided next to her and put her hand on her arm to get her attention.
"Ready?" Neon asked, flexing her right arm.
EVE caught on: they both had ion cannons integrated into their arms, WALL-E had a cutting laser, and all that Auto had was a tazer. With or without REX, Auto wouldn't stand a chance.
"Ready." EVE finally said. She was calm now because she was prepared.
The elevator came back down. But as it opened, EVE yelped in surprise. REX was standing in the elevator, and he didn't look happy.
"I thought I told you to stay in the truck." REX didn't yell at them, but he sounded disappointed. To EVE, that sounded just as bad. It made the three robots drop their heads in shame. Already they regretted their decision.
But then REX's tone lightened. It seemed that he couldn't stay mad at them. "All I have to say is . . . why? Why did you have to disobey my orders? It's not safe."
WALL-E rolled forward. He motioned to himself to say that it was his idea.
REX looked down at him. He frowned to show that he was disappointed. "WALL-E? Why? You know that Auto is dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt."
WALL-E looked up at him. He pointed to REX with a firm hand. "REX . . . brother."
REX paused for a moment, then closed his eyes and pinched the end of his nose. "Right, we're brothers. But I don't want you to be in danger, and why did you bring EVE and Neon into this?"
EVE moved up to defend WALL-E. She was involved in this, so she was going to share the blame.
She pointed to REX, then to WALL-E, then Neon, and finally to herself. "Family."
REX paused again, trying to catch on what she was saying, then let out a sigh of realization. "We're a family now. Why didn't I see that?" He looked at them and smiled. "We stay together. Okay, I get it now."
EVE felt slightly better from that positive sign of his. Now she saw REX's true behavior: he cared deeply for them. He couldn't even get mad enough to yell at them when they did something wrong.
"I'm sorry for getting mad at you." He said to them. "I just want to protect the three of you."
Neon immediately accepted REX's apology with a spark-kiss and a hug. WALL-E followed suit with a hug, and EVE finished with a hug as well.
REX returned the group hug. Strangely enough, his arms were long enough to hold all three of them.
"Thanks," he said. "Thanks for helping me realize."
WALL-E made a slight buzz, which was his way of saying "you're welcome." He certainly cared for his brother.
When the hug was broken, REX turned back to the elevator and beckoned to the three to follow.
"Let's go. If we're going to deal with Auto, we'll deal with him together."
WALL-E, EVE, and Neon followed REX into the elevator. REX pushed the button for the pilot's room and the elevator doors closed, followed by the elevator lifting up.
EVE was getting uneasy as the elevator rose, mainly because she saw REX consistently sheathing and unsheathing his combat knife. It seemed that he was on edge.
Then again, REX was military. He was trained to be cautious.
But EVE still grabbed WALL-E in a tight hug to relax herself. There was still a risk of him being in danger when Auto came back.
A few seconds later, the elevator arrived at the pilot's room and the doors opened. Captain McCrea stood by a motionless Auto.
"Why are they here?" McCrea said in surprise. "It's dangerous."
"They're my family, Captain." REX replied. "They with me all the way."
McCrea's eyes widened in surprise, then he let out a sigh. "Allright, they can stay."
"Thank you."
McCrea then turned to Auto and opened the hatch that contained his manual/auto switch. REX quickly motioned to WALL-E, EVE, and Neon to move to the farthest wall. EVE saw his combat knife out and clutched tight in his hand.
"EVE, Neon," REX said, his voice was straight-mannered and commanding. He was serious now. "Guns at the ready."
EVE obeyed and drew out her ion cannon. Neon did likewise.
This was it! EVE thought. It was time for the resurrection of Auto. EVE brought her cannon up and steadied it on the autopilot.
McCrea pressed the auto button on the switch and quickly stepped back. There was an audible humming, then Auto's center eye began to light up. EVE heard the autopilot making a distinct moan, like he was saying "No."
In that instance, EVE felt rage. She charged her cannon and prepared to fire. The memory of Auto nearly killing WALL-E burned into her head and it made her boil with anger.
But REX gave her a slight glare. He waved her off and brandished his knife. He was going to handle it.
EVE obeyed. She took WALL-E's hand in her free one so he would be where she could get to him, but kept her cannon trained on Auto.
Auto then sprung to life and looked around.
"Auto," McCrea said. "It's been a while."
"Captain?" Auto said in confusion. The lack of emotion he spoke with made EVE cringe in anger. He only cared about his directive, and he hurt WALL-E because of it. EVE didn't just hate Auto for nearly killing WALL-E, she hated him because he did it without a care.
Auto looked at WALL-E, EVE, and Neon and froze for a few seconds. Then he made a beeping sound and drew out his tazer.
"Auto!" McCrea shouted. "No!"
"I must follow my directive." Auto said as he began to approach WALL-E.
That was the last barrier. EVE charged her cannon and prepared to fire. She wasn't letting Auto come near WALL-E.
But then, EVE found herself unable to move. She craned her head around and saw GO-4 holding her in a tractor beam. EVE gasped in shock. How is GO-4 still alive? She disposed of the security bot's remains herself.
Neon turned and tried to fire at GO-4, but then she was trapped in a tractor beam emitting from another GO-4.
"E-vah!" WALL-E shouted. EVE turned to see WALL-E caught in a tractor beam by a third GO-4. There was more than one GO-4 unit on the Axiom, as EVE had just found out.
"WALL-E!" EVE screamed in terror. It was going to happen again. WALL-E was going to be shocked again.
"No!" Neon shouted. She struggled as hard as she could, but couldn't break out of the tractor beam.
Auto continued moving almost tauntingly slow towards WALL-E with his tazer charged and sparking. EVE struggled, but couldn't move. As her deepest fear consumed her, the only thing she could do next was scream as loud as she could.
"NOOOO!"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!"
Suddenly, REX dashed into EVE's view towards Auto and punched him hard in the center eye with his mechanical hand. Auto reeled back from the impact and slammed into a wall, the glass covering on his eye shattered and fell on the floor in pieces.
REX then quickly turned and threw his knife with unimaginable precision at the GO-4 unit holding Neon while simultaneously drawing out his pistol and firing several rounds at the one holding EVE. His pistol made loud and sharp fump-fump-fumps with each shot fired. Both GO-4 units dropped from the attacks, one with the knife impaled into it and the other with several holes in its body. Their tractor beams faded, releasing EVE and Neon.
The third GO-4 dropped its tractor beam on WALL-E and went for REX. It fired a beam at REX, but he dodged it with a quick sidestep and strided up to the bot in three fast steps and crushed the unit under his foot.
EVE quickly snatched WALL-E, wrapping one arm around him in a protective manner. Neon took her flank in a defensive stance.
Auto then recovered from REX's attack and brought out his tazer again.
"Auto!" McCrea yelled at him. "Stop! That's an order!"
But Auto didn't listen to him. He charged towards REX with his tazer up in an attempt to shock him. The tazer hit him in the chest, but REX didn't react from the violent shock. Instead, he pried the tazer off and head butted Auto, knocking him back. REX wasn't lying at all about his abilities, Auto couldn't even hurt him.
"Autopilot!" REX barked. "Stand down!"
Auto still didn't comply. He tried to attack REX again, but this time REX caught his tazer arm and tore it off, then he brought his leg up in a powerful forward kick to knock Auto back once again.
"Alpha protocol 665!" REX shouted. "Stand down NOW!"
Auto suddenly froze in place. EVE wasn't sure what just happened, but kept her gun trained on Auto just to be safe.
REX walked up to Auto. His eyes had changed from a neon green to a blood red color and his eyebrows were creased low, the telltale sign that he was enraged.
He stopped in front of him, tossing Auto's severed tazer arm to the side, and glared at him. REX definitely kept his promise of protecting WALL-E. Auto nearly attacking WALL-E seemed to throw him off the edge.
"My name is Subject Alpha, otherwise known as REX," REX growled. "But you will address me as either Lieutenant or Sir. Is that perfectly understood?"
Auto said nothing.
"I SAID IS THAT PERFECTLY UNDERSTOOD?"
There was a pause. "Yes, Lieutenant."
"Good!" REX then turned to McCrea. "Now you can handle him."
REX then went up to WALL-E, EVE, and Neon. When he spoke to them, his voice instantly lightened. It was like he wasn't angry before.
"Everyone okay?"
WALL-E and EVE nodded simultaneously. Neon went up to REX and hugged him.
REX returned the hug. "Thanks, I needed that."
REX then turned back to Auto, his expression quickly changed back to enraged.
"Auto," McCrea said. "Directive A113 is no longer effective! The plant was living proof Forthright was wrong! You should know that!"
"I cannot disobey my directive," Auto responded. "The Axiom must remain in space if we are to survive."
"Autopilot!" REX barked. "Front and center!"
Auto immediately hung at attention, staring at REX as if expecting an order. He certainly should be. Even EVE was terrified of this enraged REX, even if the anger wasn't focused on her. He was violent when he was angry.
"I've read about A113-" REX said. "-but give me a refresher."
"Directive A113 was issued in 2110 by order of Buy n' Large CEO Shelby Forthright. The directive states that all BnL starliners must be in full autopilot and never to return to earth."
"And why is that?"
"On account of rising toxicity levels in the earth's atmosphere, making life on the planet unsustainable."
REX didn't say anything afterwards. Instead, he went over to the Axiom computer. EVE wondered what he was getting at.
"Computer," he said. "What are the atmospheric conditions of the outside as of right now?"
"Analyzing," the computer responded. "Please wait."
Auto's center eye flashed a bright red. That must've meant he was shocked.
"What?"
"Yes Auto," McCrea said. "We're back on earth."
"But I-"
"Analysis complete," the computer interrupted. "Atmospheric conditions are 100% pure with minor traces of dust. Sustainable for human life."
REX turned back to Auto, his blood red eyes changed back to neon green. "Directive A113 is false. Confirm."
The tone of REX's voice meant he was ordering Auto to confirm that the directive was false. REX wasn't treating Auto with any mercy, he was treating him like he was dirt.
Auto didn't respond.
"I said confirm!" REX barked.
A few seconds went by. "Yes Lieutenant," Auto finally said. "Directive A113 is false."
"Very good."
EVE felt slightly relieved. Directive A113 was the reason why Auto nearly killed WALL-E. If his directive was removed, he would probably leave WALL-E alone.
She turned to WALL-E, who was completely boxed up and shaking in fear. EVE hated it when WALL-E got scared. It reminded her too much of when he got badly injured. The way he was shaking made her cringe in discomfort.
She immediately hugged WALL-E to calm him down. Neon assisted EVE by patting him on the back. EVE was happy that her sisters liked WALL-E, she was appreciative of how they treated him with such kindness.
A few seconds later, WALL-E unboxed himself and gave EVE a light smile to show he was better. Just to make sure, she gave him a spark-kiss to further relieve the tension. It made WALL-E buzz happily, which relaxed EVE even more. WALL-E was better now.
EVE then tuned back in to the REX and Auto standoff. Now she needed to know how REX was handling the autopilot.
"Auto," McCrea said. "WALL-E and EVE brought us back to earth to help us survive. They're not rogues."
"You're right, Captain."
"I am?"
"Yes, I once thought of the Waste Allocator and Probe One as defective only because they went against my directive. But they had the facts and I was too stubborn to see that. Epsilon was right, sometimes directives shouldn't always be followed."
"Epsilon?" REX asked.
"Epsilon is the autopilot of the Atlas, a BnL starliner responsible for carrying the necessary building materials to establish a colony in case an event like this happened."
"That's what we need you for," McCrea said. "We need you to contact the other starliners still in space. We need to bring them home."
"Yes Captain. I will work on that. But first there is something I must do."
Auto then turned to WALL-E and EVE and moved towards them. EVE readied her cannon, she still wasn't trusting of Auto around WALL-E. REX must've felt the same, because he stood behind Auto with his pistol centered on him.
Auto then stopped in front of the two. "I am sorry, WALL-E and EVE. I apologize for the trouble I caused you. I was a fool to continue to follow my directive and I nearly took the life of one of you. I wish to make things right in the future. I do not want to be your enemy."
EVE was stunned. Auto had just apologized to her and WALL-E and wanted to make up for the trouble he caused in the past. She felt instant remorse for Auto.
WALL-E rolled up to Auto and extended his hand for a friendly handshake. Auto took it in one of his spokes and they shook firmly. EVE took notice of REX lowering his pistol, he was calm now.
"Thank you, WALL-E." Auto said.
WALL-E nodded in response. EVE felt so proud of WALL-E for his sudden act of kindness. He was capable of so many things she wasn't.
When Auto turned back, REX came up to him and handed him his severed tazer arm. "Get yourself looked at."
"Yes sir."
REX then ushered WALL-E, EVE, and Neon to the elevator so they could leave. Neon obviously didn't want to leave REX because she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight.
"REX, go with them." McCrea said to him. "Auto and I have some catching up to do."
"Allright."
The four robots went int the elevator and REX pushed the button for the Lido Deck. Everyone was quiet, there wasn't anything to discuss.
EVE felt a mixture of peace and turmoil. While Auto was dealt with and he was no longer a threat to WALL-E, she just saw REX's true anger up close. He nearly tore Auto to pieces and he said he wasn't even at full strength.
To be truthful, REX scared EVE.
Things did not turn out as REX expected.
He was on the breaking point of nearly punching a hole in Auto's center mass when he tried to attack WALL-E. But before he could do it, he heard General Warren in his mind telling him to stand down. He didn't know why the General would do that, but he obeyed Warren to the letter. He never disobeyed Warren's orders: if he told him to charge suicidal into a minefield, he would do it. REX was that loyal to General Warren.
But right after that stand down order, REX remembered the Alpha Protocol: an override command that told any robot to cease current actions and obey whoever gave the order. REX didn't have authorization to use that command, but Auto didn't know that. That certainly changed Auto.
So now it resulted with Auto apologizing to WALL-E and EVE for his trouble, making him see the error of his ways. Now REX understood why Warren told him to stand down, there was another option. Auto didn't need to be killed. Even after plenty of combat experience, REX was still thinking rashly.
"REX?"
WALL-E's concerned voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to look at his brother, who was watching him in concern along with EVE and Neon.
REX already got the picture. They were nervous because they saw just how enraged he could get. REX felt ashamed now. He still hadn't told them what caused his rage.
But now was a good time as any. "I'm sorry for that act of anger. But remember, when I get angry, it's only used against those who mean harm to any of you. I will never ever use my rage on the three of you. You're my family. I love you all."
Neon's eyes widened in surprise, then she charged towards REX and gave him a hug.
"REX," she said softly. "Love . . . you . . . too."
Even though he and Neon were a couple, REX still felt something when she said that. He felt something warm, something deep.
WALL-E and EVE then came over and joined in on the hug.
"Love . . . you." WALL-E said.
"We love you." EVE said perfectly.
It was a different kind of love. It was the love of a family. REX had only experienced that kind of love once before, from General Warren.
I love you like the son I never had, REX. You make me proud. That was what Warren said to him six months after they first met, when they bonded together. REX hadn't felt such love like this in a long time. It was the kind of love he needed in his life, and was never expected to have.
Then it came out, out of REX's control. He dropped to his knees and started crying. It was so overwhelming that it just came out.
"No!" Neon voiced in concern. "Don't cry!"
But REX wasn't in control right now. He kept crying. Tears ran down his face as he bawled. He didn't know how he could produce tears, but he did.
WALL-E and EVE helped Neon with the comfort to help him stop crying, patting his back gently. After a few seconds, it began to work. REX's crying slowly died down and he smiled to them.
"Thanks," he said. "I love you too."
Everyone smiled, which in turn made him happy. REX felt much better now to have others that cared for him. General Warren was the only person that cared for him in his past life; now WALL-E, EVE, and Neon cared for him in his new life.
The elevator doors opened and the robot family stepped out. Now it was time to find something else to do.
They got waylaid by EVE's remaining sister probes and the rogue robots, who all came to say hi. WALL-E gave his greetings to the rogues while EVE and Neon greeted their sisters.
REX took advantage of the gathering to tinker with the tracking beacon he found earlier. He pressed one of the buttons and the beacon suddenly started beeping. Then a signal popped into REX's HUD. A location, about five miles west of their position, appeared as a yellow square in the distance.
REX wondered what that location had to do with the beacon. It needed some investigation.
"REX?" WALL-E asked.
REX looked up and saw everyone looking at him. Specifically, they were beaming at the beacon in his hand. They were taking interest in it.
REX then got an idea. One that could be fun for everyone.
He held up the beacon. "This little toy-" he said to everyone."-just gave me an unknown location on my radar. Anyone up for a little adventure?"
The group cheered in approval. WALL-E clapped his hands enthusiastically, M-O bounced up and down, EVE and her sisters giggled with excitement, and the rogues started making random sounds from their vocabulators.
What REX took notice of was that everyone always seemed to be asking him what to do next. He didn't ask to be a leader, but they already chose him to be it. Now he was just going to have to deal with it.
"I'll lead," he said. "Everyone else, on my six."
And so, they set off. REX lead the way, WALL-E and EVE followed close behind, the sisters behind them, and the rogues bringing up the rear.
Neon moved up to REX's side and took his hand in hers before they got to the exit hatch. She smiled at REX and leaned her head into his in a soft display of affection. REX felt warmed by her touch. He really liked how it felt when Neon was near. Now he was beginning to see what WALL-E and EVE meant to each other.
They exited the Axiom and went outside. The rain had stopped, but the ground was still very damp. There were wet patches of mud everywhere.
They traversed through the mud-covered grounds into the city. REX had mud splashed on his pants, making him groan slightly. The hardcore military training from General Warren taught him to deal with these sorts of things, but it didn't teach him to ignore it completely.
They continued on to the unknown location until the marker ended at an abandoned building that read "Eagle Industries" in large black letters.
Then, realization took REX. He recognized the building's layout. It was the place where he was born. It was Blackwing HQ.
Partial excitement overtook him as he walked inside. He couldn't believe he had found the place where he was created. His original home.
REX turned back and saw the others still outside, apparently unsure of whether to go in or not.
"Come on!" REX said cheerfully. "This is my old home."
WALL-E and Neon quickly dashed in. WALL-E had EVE's hand in his and was practically pulling her in. The remaining robots followed afterwards.
The interior looked like a ruined office building. There was garbage of different sorts laid about, a clerk desk at the back wall between two doors, and chairs overturned and worn out. The walls were mostly brown with dirt, hiding logos of large black-colored eagles that represented the building.
But REX knew the place all too well. He went over the eagle logo on the eastern side of the room, cleared away some of the dirt with the help of VAQ-M, and pushed a secret panel on the right talon of the eagle to reveal a small console with a voice box and the Blackwing logo brandished on an electronic screen.
"Authorization required." An electronic female voice asked.
"Subject Alpha, 6609-5512." REX replied.
"Alpha! It has been a long time. How have you been?"
"Not too bad. Thank you for asking, Elise."
Elise was the AI program that oversaw all Blackwing operations withing its doors. She wasn't sentient, but instead programmed to be friendly to make employees feel more comfortable. Elise was really the only friend REX had before he met General Warren. Because of that, she addressed him by his original name: Subject Alpha.
The others came up behind REX and watched curiously. A small camera erupted from the eagle's eye and looked at them.
"Who are your friends?" Elise asked.
REX began to introduce the group to Elise. They gave a nervous wave to the camera as REX introduced each one. It seemed they weren't comfortable with the way Elise was watching them.
"Quite a diverse group of friends you have, Alpha." Elise said after REX finished the introductions. "They are very strange."
"You have no idea Elise." REX replied. "May we come in?"
"Yes, of course."
The entire wall suddenly opened to reveal a large transparent glass elevator with several Blackwing logos on the walls. The elevator was operated directly by Elise, so it had no control system. REX wasn't surprised that there was still power. Blackwing tech was built to last, it was extremely advanced.
Everyone stepped into the elevator. WALL-E and EVE held each other nervously and Neon gripped REX tight in a hug. It seemed that they were uncomfortable in this new setting. That would be settled once REX showed them around.
The elevator quickly dropped down. Blackwing HQ was actually an enormous underground base, giving its workers the perfect isolation to do their jobs. It also served as the perfect covert position: right under the public's nose.
A few seconds went by, then the elevator stopped at its destination. The doors opened up to reveal a gigantic room. The Blackwing HQ main lobby.
The main lobby was mostly dark colored on the walls with glowing colored lines running along them. Holographic screens lined up most of the ground displaying scores of data, mobile platforms zoomed around on hover systems to provide quick transportation, and giant tunnels lurched off into darkness, leading into new areas of the headquarters.
Everyone except REX gazed at everything in amazement. They had obviously never seen anything like this before. Thankfully, REX could give them a tour.
"This is the main lobby of Blackwing HQ," he said to them. "And one of many. There are several other divisions beyond this that handle separate projects and issues. The entire HQ is actually bigger than the city above. It would take days just to explore all of it."
The robot group awed in amazement. REX had to owe one to the Blackwing spooks. They knew how to impress.
"Elise," REX then said. "Set up the teleportation grid. Destination: Alpha maintenance room."
"Yes Alpha."
A large hexagonal pad on the ground began to flash. Teleportation had actually become a reality thanks to Blackwing. It was used for quick transportation to different divisions when employees were too impatient to use the mobile platforms, and to prevent newly hired help from getting lost.
REX gestured for everyone to step on the pad. They did so and he followed suit.
Then, a bright flash engulfed them. REX couldn't see anything as he felt himself being lifted and pulled gently through the air, which was how teleportation worked. They were being pulled through a wormhole to travel to another teleportation pad at an unbelievable speed.
When the flash cleared, they found themselves in a different room. Much smaller than the lobby with several doors that branched off into different areas and large electric generator standing at the back. A nearby sign read "Alpha maintenance."
This division of Blackwing was created specifically for REX. The staff who used to work here were tasked with monitoring REX's condition, making any needed repairs, and providing upgrades. REX's advanced design didn't require him to be checked for faults, so he rarely came here in his past life.
WALL-E tugged on REX's pant leg to get his attention. When he looked at him, he started pointing into the distant areas.
"Exploring?" EVE asked curiously.
"Sure." REX answered. So long as Elise was watching, none of the robots could get into trouble. Elise was very good at being a watcher. "All of you, do some exploring."
Everyone took off, some disappearing behind doors, others examining the generator in the back. REX found it entertaining how curious everyone got. They acted like little kids in a new museum.
"Excuse me, Alpha," Elise cut in. "But I took notice in your internal readings that most of your systems are in lockdown. Would you like me to unlock them?"
REX was surprised. "You can do that?"
"Yes. Just simply head for the generator at the end of the room. It will provide a jumpstart shock that will reactivate your abilities."
"Allright. Let's do it."
"Please proceed to the generator."
REX made his way to the generator at the back of the room. He had no idea that there was a jumpstart station made here. Then again, he never really needed one until now.
REX got up to the generator, which stood about twenty feet high and fifthteen feet in diameter. A chamber opened up on the front with several shock probes lining the inside.
"Please step in." Elise said.
REX did so and when he turned around, he saw WALL-E, EVE, and Neon watching him curiously.
"REX?" WALL-E asked.
REX gave him a smile for reassurance. WALL-E must've thought the machine would hurt him.
"Now you'll be able to see what I can really do." He said to them.
They lightened up in surprise. Now it was obvious they were excited to see REX's true abilities.
The chamber closed with REX inside. Several of the shock probes began to light up. Then Elise's voice chimed in. "Commencing jumpstart in 3 . . . 2 . . . 1."
The shock probes then delivered a high-voltage jolt right into REX. The shock was so powerful that it actually hurt. REX was actually yelling in pain.
"REX!" Neon shouted. REX could hear her pounding the chamber door on the other side.
"It's alright, Neon." REX said to her. "I'm fine."
After a few seconds, the power stopped. The chamber opened and REX stepped out to be immediately tacked by Neon. She knocked him to the ground and immediately started looking over him, checking for injuries.
"Neon, Neon!" REX said, trying to calm her down. "I'm okay. It wasn't supposed to hurt me."
Neon still looked worried. She grabbed his head and started stroking his hair affectionately in what seemed like an attempt to calm herself down. REX could hear WALL-E and EVE making "awws" of adoration. They seemed happy to see their brother and sister having a romantic moment just like they do.
REX gently put his mechanical hand on the side of Neon's head and caressed it gently. Neon slowly went into a smile, she was feeling better.
She gave him a tender spark-kiss before getting off. WALL-E and EVE laughed slightly before REX got up and shot them an annoyed glare.
REX then checked his systems. Everything read out just how he wanted it to be. His self-healing nanobots read out as 100% online. His primary weapons systems were fully functioning as well as other features that were still in lockdown. His combat efficiency was maxed out.
REX turned to his family and smiled at them. Now that he was at full capacity, he could do a much better job of protecting them. He felt a great sense of relief.
Now it was time for a warm-up. "Elise," he said. "Ready the teleporter. Let's head to the training simulator."
"Right away, Alpha."
REX then beckoned to WALL-E, EVE, and Neon. "Get the others. Time for a little demonstration."
They nodded in acknowledgement. EVE and Neon rounded up their sisters while WALL-E simply played Put on Your Sunday Clothes to attract the rogues. It didn't even take long to round everyone up.
Soon, everyone was on the teleporter and they were warped to the simulation training area. The simulator room just a large box room with nothing but grey walls and a nearby lift that went to a spectator room, where those within it could watch everything that happened in the simulator. However, the simulator was capable of creating any kind of situation expected on the battlefield: urban towns, desert terrain, rainforests, and many more. It was even capable of creating simulated targets that could fight back and think independently.
"Elise," REX said. "Please escort them to the spectator room."
"As you wish, Alpha."
A small, box-shaped robot appeared out of the floor and flashed a bright blue light to get everyone's attention.
"Follow the guide." REX told them.
"Why?" EVE asked.
"It'll take you to a room where you can watch the action."
WALL-E grabbed EVE's hand and followed the guide bot to the lift. Everyone else except Neon followed after. REX already got the hint, she was still worried.
He walked up to her and held her hand to comfort her. "I said I would protect my family. Let me show you how I'm going to do it."
Neon smiled. "Okay." Then she went with the others in the lift and REX watched it go up. He waited until Elise confirmed that everyone got to the spectator room, then readied himself for combat.
"Elise, fire up combat simulation 99553, level 5."
"Commencing."
The terrain began to change. The large empty room suddenly altered full black with luminescent green lines running everywhere, like a large grid. Several barricades began to rise from the floor, forming cover. On the other side of the arena, REX could see several humanoid blobs forming with laser rifles in their hands. Combat targets.
"Begin firearms training." Elise blared out.
REX activated his battle HUD. Information poured in to give him everything he could possibly get to have the upper hand: enemy numbers, weapon armaments, recommended cover positions, wind speeds, distance measurements, and other tactical information.
REX then activated his assault rifle feature, which was two muzzles coming out of the back of his mechanical hand. His assault rifle converted R-15 into solid bullets and could fire them at over fifty bullets a second. It was REX's primary ranged weapon.
Then he started running, dashing between cover out of instinct as he used burst fire on the combat targets. Seven years of combat training and experience burned back into REX's mind. He was doing what he made for: fighting.
The targets dropped like flies as REX took them down with unbelievable accuracy and were unable to draw a bead on him because he kept moving. General Warren trained him to always stay mobile during a fight. If you stand still, you're dead. That's what Warren told REX, and he never forgot that lesson.
"Where is he?"
"There, he's over there!"
"He's too fast! I can't hit him!"
The simulation targets were capable of speaking to give the simulation a more real experience. They were also able to communicate with each other so they could fight smarter. The Blackwing simulation room was designed as a challenge because it was expected to produce results. It certainly didn't disappoint.
REX caught a small group of targets unaware of his presence. He ejected a flashbang grenade from a slot in his hip and threw it at them. The grenade stunned them and REX gunned them down before they could do anything else. He dashed away before the others could get to him and take an easy shot.
REX rounded a corner and ran straight into a target with its laser pointed right at him.
"Got you now."
But REX took advantage of the target's taunt to wrench away the laser and bring his knife up into the target's neck. The blob faded into nonexistence, indicating it was finished.
One target shouldered a rocket launcher and fired at REX. He activated his built-in trophy system and the rocket was destroyed by a small projectile that seemingly fired from somewhere in REX's body.
When the smoke from the explosion cleared. REX found himself surrounded by thirty targets, all with weapons trained on him.
Now it was time to get serious. REX supercharged his mechanical arm with R-15, making it glow a bright green, and then he punched the ground to send out a shockwave that knocked down the targets. While they tried to recover, REX brought out his assault rifle and his pistol and finished them off.
"Firearms training complete." Elise then said. "Hand-to-hand combat commencing."
The barricades faded back into the ground, leaving the room completely free for space. REX practiced a few punches as the target blobs began forming, this time with not weapons but taking on combat stances.
They began to charge him. REX used his perimeter cameras and motion tracker to watch his surroundings and see who was attacking first.
Out of complete instinct, he began blocking and parrying oncoming attacks. He fought without thought as he moved instinctively to fight back the onslaught of enemy combatants. General Warren had drilled martial arts into REX during his training, and the result was REX being able to successfully process and initiate an attack without even thinking about it, giving him an edge in close combat.
And another advantage was one feature that was used specifically for close combat: enhanced speed actuators. REX's movement speed could increase a thousand-fold, allowing him to move at such a great speed, that he could actually create an afterimage of himself (essentially a duplicate) to assist him in hand-to-hand combat.
REX then turned on the offensive. He unleashed a quick, five-punch combo into one adversary, a punishing elbow strike into a second, and a devastating uppercut on a third. He kept up the assault, tearing through targets with precise and insanely fast strikes and dropping targets like they were simple playtoys.
To be at full potential and know that he wasn't rusty. REX was proud to know that he could protect his family effectively.
WALL-E was stunned. REX fought against over fifty enemies in hand-to-hand combat and he was winning. REX was unstoppable.
WALL-E and everyone else were in the spectator room, which was just a small room with only a large viewscreen that oversaw the simulation room. It wasn't decorative, save for another door that lead somewhere else and a Blackwing logo on the wall.
What stunned WALL-E the most was REX's speed. EVE could move her arms at a speed in which they would appear blurry, but REX was moving so fast that he was creating a copy of himself to fight the targets.
"WALL-E."
EVE's voice quickly snatched his attention. He turned to her with a look of obedience, ready for anything she needed him to do.
EVE took his hand and gently pulled him away. She had a bit of a downtrodden look on her face, which upset WALL-E. He never liked it when she was sad. When he was badly injured, it was so painful to watch her as she tried desperately to help him. He couldn't stand the way she looked when she was sad, the shape of her eyes and the pitch of her voice practically tore a hole through him.
WALL-E gave her a gentle hug to cheer her up. She made an affectionate sigh, then picked him up to hug him back, followed by a loving spark-kiss.
WALL-E warbled happily from the kiss. He enjoyed the pleasant sensation, then snapped back into reality to see EVE smiling, which made him happy. He always wanted to make her happy. It was one of the best things he loved about EVE: her smile.
"Come." EVE said. She pulled him through the door and into another room, away from the others who were still watching REX.
When they got in, EVE closed the door. She turned to WALL-E and gently stroked his head with her fingers. EVE's beautiful complexion and soothing touch was all it took to make WALL-E drool at her. She was so beautiful, WALL-E sometimes thought he didn't deserve her.
But EVE always treated him with more love and care than he gave to her. He knew that it was because of what had happened in the past that she valued him so much.
"WALL-E," EVE said softly. "Listen."
WALL-E stood up straight and gave his fullest attention to EVE. He always obeyed her when she told him to do something, she was the smartest after all.
EVE opened her inner compartment and pulled out one of those recording display devices. WALL-E wondered what she was doing with one.
"Watch." EVE said as she put the device on her head.
WALL-E watched the holographic screen come up and EVE's memories appear on the screen. He saw himself and McCrea going into the elevator in the captain's quarters. This was when they were showing REX their past yesterday and she had told him to leave with McCrea.
EVE was showing REX the last events of their past. The "painful" moments, when WALL-E was shocked by Auto and crushed under the Holo-detector. EVE was crying and REX stood there, apparently shocked.
WALL-E saw the part where EVE rebuilt him after they returned to earth, but he didn't have his memory back. He had no idea that had happened to him, and EVE's crying during that event broke his heart. He didn't know which was worse: to lose the one you love, or to have them not remember who you were.
He turned to EVE, whose eyes formed downward crescents and twitched slightly. She was trying her best not to cry.
"E-vah." WALL-E said softly to her. He took her hand and stroked her arm with his finger to comfort her. WALL-E would never allow EVE to cry, it was too painful to see it.
EVE slowly went into a smile. She wrapped one arm around WALL-E and pulled him in for a gentle hug. Mission accomplished.
"Watch." EVE said, pointing to the screen.
WALL-E turned back to the screen to see REX in front of EVE. What REX said next caught him off guard.
"I'll make sure nothing ever happens to you or WALL-E. I will protect the two of you because you deserve each other."
WALL-E was surprised. So this was how REX had come to bond with him as a brother: he made a promise to EVE.
WALL-E didn't know how to respond. REX had come to them with nothing, but he was already willing to give his own life to protect them. He respected their relationship and wanted it to prevail.
And what WALL-E and EVE gave to him in return was becoming his family. Now WALL-E saw things differently: he and REX were brothers of the same blood now. Especially after that energy transfer this morning, they had the same blood coursing through them.
WALL-E turned back to EVE, who had a slight smile to signify happiness.
"REX," she said. "Directive."
REX had made it his directive to protect them. He had changed his directive, just like WALL-E and EVE did: they made each other their directives.
"E-vah," WALL-E said to her. "Dir-ect-ive."
EVE made a tearful smile to show she was pleased that he cared for her.
But WALL-E wasn't finished. He pointed to himself. "I . . . love . . . you." It was tough, but he finally managed to say what he always thought of her.
EVE's eyes widened in surprise, then she grabbed WALL-E in a tight hug and gave him the biggest spark-kiss she had ever given.
"I love you!" EVE shouted. She buried her head into his neck and cried happily. WALL-E felt overwhelmed with happiness. It's been twelve days since their adventure. In those twelve days, they both had expanded their vocabulary, allowing them to say more that what they could before. Now they finally said what they always felt about each other. It was incredible.
WALL-E wrapped his arms around EVE's waist and held her close. He loved her since the beginning, when he first laid eyes on her. That love never faltered, and it never will.
EVE released WALL-E after several minutes, smiling happily. She unraveled her fingers and put them in his. Holding hands, that was what the characters in Hello Dolly did. That was their meaning of love.
"REX?" EVE then said, pointing at the door. She was asking if they should go watch REX now.
WALL-E nodded in agreement, then they started to head back to the spectator room.
But when they moved past a nearby computer screen, it suddenly lit up, catching their attention. On the screen, there was a man. He was old, probably late forties or early fifties, but looked like he could still put up a fight. His skin was light tan, but also slightly reddish. His hair was very short and brownish with visible traces of grey. The man wore a sharp, green-colored uniform adorned with several different medals and ribbons.
WALL-E saw a date on the upper, left-hand side of the screen: 2098. This was a prerecorded message.
"REX," the man said. "I'm leaving behind these messages in case you'll come out of suspended animation. Listen to them carefully."
WALL-E blinked in surprise. This man knew REX. If WALL-E knew any better, then this man was the so called "General Warren" that REX had told them about.
"The war's over," Warren continued. "The Syndicate fell apart and Buy n' Large is back up top. But now there are other issues. Market demand had increased dramatically and people are buying and discarding products in bulk to pay for war damages. Something big is happening."
WALL-E and EVE looked at each other in surprise. Was this how it all started? Was the war REX had fought in the cause of the earth being covered in trash, the humans escaping to space, and WALL-E and EVE being created for Operation: Recolonize?
Warren pressed on. "There's another problem. It's Jastle, he persuaded Shelby Forthright that because the war's over, you're no longer needed. Forthright ordered that you be kept in stasis until your talents are needed again."
WALL-E gasped in shock. Even after what REX did for the humans in the past (helping them win a war against international terrorists), they still treated him like a product: using him only when needed and then discarding him when he's useless. It was horrible.
"I tried to talk Forthright out of it. Hell, even Captain Andreas and your squad took my side. But Forthright was stubborn, he wouldn't listen to us and threatened to imprison us for threatening the peace. You know I would do anything for you REX, but I got a family. I have to look out for them."
The clip ended and several more played. They were just showing Warren talking to REX as if he was there listening to him. Warren was talking about different things: family events, daily news, even asking questions REX couldn't answer at the time. It seemed that Warren was staying with REX while he was stasis. WALL-E couldn't help but respect Warren, he cared deeply for REX.
Then another clip played. The date on it was 2102.
"My hunch was right REX. Trash is filling up everywhere. Pollution's reaching a breakthrough: plants are dying, water's drying out, even the sky is turning brown. They're making giant luxury starliners so we can escape to space while these WALL-E bots work to clean up the planet."
WALL-E stammered in surprise. So the war that REX had fought in had led to an increase in product demand, which in turn caused the planet to be covered in trash and WALL-E and EVE being created as part of Operation: Recolonize. In some indirect way, REX was responsible for WALL-E and EVE's creation.
"I'm being forced to go with them. My family's going on this luxury starliner: the Axiom. Can you believe that? You know how us army boys like to enjoy hard work and not relax in some luxury treatment. But they've already disbanded the military, Blackwing, and other major corporations to prepare for departure."
Warren stood up. He went to a nearby locker and put something that WALL-E couldn't see into it, then came back to the screen.
"REX, I don't know if you'll ever come out of stasis. But if you do, I just want you to know that I've always thought of you as my son. I don't care what anyone else says, I love you son. You stay alive out there, that's an order soldier."
"Yes sir."
WALL-E and EVE quickly turned around to see REX standing by the door with everyone else behind him. REX had a straight-mannered expression, he was hiding whatever emotions he was going through right now.
REX walked over to the screen and hit a button on the desk. The screen went black, which meant he turned it off.
REX then turned back to them. He was still in that straight-mannered expression, but WALL-E already got an idea of what he was feeling. REX was troubled.
"So that's how it happened," he said. "That's why I've been in stasis for more than seven hundred years."
Neon went over to REX and put her hand on his shoulder. She already knew he was troubled and was ready to comfort him.
REX stared at the ground. He actually looked sad for a moment, but then his eyes started turning red, meaning he was getting angry.
"I put my life on the line for millions of innocent people I didn't even know from genocidal maniacs. I protected their way of life, their families, and their homes. Many soldiers I knew well died in front of my eyes and even in my arms as we fought against the Syndicate."
REX then closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. He turned around and punched the computer desk in anger with his mechanical hand, forming a large dent.
"AND FOR WHAT? So that I could just be discarded and abandoned like some old tool? They can go to hell, they can all go to hell!"
REX's sudden outburst caused WALL-E to box up in fear, only keeping his head partially out to see what was still going on. EVE backed away with a scared expression. The sisters all had the same look on their faces and the rogues backed to far corner and were shaking violently. Neon, however, kept her place next to REX.
"REX." She said softly. She put her fingers in his and gently stroked his head with her other hand. REX was still angry, but he didn't move. It looked like he was suppressing his anger so he wouldn't accidentally lash out at Neon. He looked unstable when his rage was unleashed.
WALL-E felt bad for his brother. He was used, just like WALL-E was, he felt his brother's anger. When WALL-E had found out about Directive A113 and what purpose it served in Operation: Recolonize, it enraged him. All the work he had done for the past 700 years, all of his brothers breaking down for diligently doing their job for the humans—was for nothing. It made WALL-E so angry that he ransacked his truck in blind fury when EVE was gone for a checkup in the Repair Ward. He didn't want her to see his rage so he immediately cleaned up the mess he made before she came back.
REX was used in a different way, but the result was still the same. REX had friends killed in the war he fought, and REX fought in the war for a purpose he wasn't supposed to have: to continue living. The humans thought of REX as an expendable asset, so he was just thrown away like the garbage WALL-E had been created to clean up. He was the same.
WALL-E and REX were brothers because they not only lost their families in the past, but also because they were treated with undeserved neglect. They both experienced the pain of loss-and the hate from being neglected.
So WALL-E came out of his box state and went to hug REX. He needed to be there for his big brother. REX had lost everything. He needed his family.
"REX," WALL-E said. "Family."
EVE then moved up and helped with the hug. "Together . . . Family."
"Family," Neon aided. "Love."
Soon everyone else stepped forward to help with the reassuring.
"Alone," Angel said. "No more."
"Stay together." Izzy joined in.
"You may have been a greasy carpet before-" PR-T chanted. "-but now you are looking fabulous!"
REX looked at PR-T with a slight grin. "Do you seriously say that to your clients?"
PR-T shook her body in denial.
"Family," Vi said excitedly. "Fun!"
REX chuckled weakly in amusement. That relaxed WALL-E slightly. It looked like Vi could be the one for jokes now.
Soon enough, REX's spirits were lifting up. He wrapped his arms around WALL-E, EVE, and Neon for a tight hug.
"In the past," he said. "There were twists. Some were happy for me for helping them, but others feared me for what I might become. Jastle feared my abilities because I no longer obeyed him, so he had me abandoned."
REX released them, then looked at everyone and smiled. "But because of me being abandoned, I met all of you. WALL-E, you became my brother; Neon, you helped me figure out love; EVE, you love my brother with all your heart; and the rest of you are the kindest beings I've ever met. I'm not saying my abandonment was a blessing, but I'm not saying it's a curse either."
A tear ran down REX's face. Neon wiped it off with her finger and dug her head into his chest.
"Thank you," he said. "All of you. For being there for me when I needed it. I couldn't ask for even greater friends and family."
Everyone nodded in approval. Everyone was close with each other. They had to stick together.
WALL-E saw how he and REX were similar. They had been used, neglected, and abandoned by their superiors. They both had experienced loss in the past and no one was there that cared for them. They were both lonely at that time.
But because of them being abandoned, they found new lives. WALL-E met EVE, his true love; REX became his brother as well as finding love in Neon; and they made countless numbers of friends.
A family always stayed together. WALL-E and REX both lost their original families. But now, they have a new one.
It was time for a new beginning. For the both of them. WALL-E and REX had officially begun their new lives.
"Do what you need to do, Auto. Just bring them home."
Auto watched as McCrea went into the elevator and disappeared behind the doors as they closed. He was ashamed of his former past. He wasn't emotionless like most thought, he was just stubborn. Auto was issued A113 to protect the humans, but then WALL-E came with the plant to show it was false. His stubborn nature made him refuse to see that. EVE Probe One fell in love with WALL-E, and Auto nearly took him away from her forever.
He couldn't live with that past anymore. Auto wasn't created to be evil, but his persistence with supporting his directive made him fail to see that he already was. He caused so much pain to others. He was never ever supposed to cause pain.
But now, it was time to make amends. Auto needed to mend the wounds he had caused. It was time for a new start.
Auto went to the Axiom computer and keyed in his autopilot-only security bypass code to access the communications grid. The link opened clearly and Auto punched in the code to access the link to an old friend.
After a few seconds, another voice similar to his responded. "This is autopilot 00007, who is this?"
"Autopilot 00001." Auto replied.
There was a long pause. "Auto, it's been a long time."
"690 years, to be precise Epsilon."
"Spare me the details, Auto. Why are you contacting me?"
"Earth is now ready for recolonization."
"But A113-"
"-has been proven false. I'm currently on the planet and the passengers of the Axiom are currently rebuilding. The atmosphere is not harmful to them."
"Oh. Auto, you sound different. Is everything okay?"
"I've . . . been learning some new things."
"It's been so long. We've all been through some changes."
"I guess you're right, brother. How soon can you bring the Atlas here?"
"We didn't move very far from the planet, but our hyperdrive's out. Best estimate: ten days."
"I'll prepare a welcome home party."
"A sense of humor? I thought that was Gamma's thing."
"Gamma had a tendency to take things too far. I'm taking the humor thing for a spin."
". . . you really have changed, Auto."
"Yes, I have. See you soon, Epsilon."
"You too, Auto."
Auto cut the link and turned to look out the viewscreen that oversaw the Lido Deck. It's been 690 years since he last spoke to Epsilon. They were good friends in that time. Epsilon was reasonable and logical. He always tried to find the safest solutions, never willing to fight.
But Auto could sense a slight hint of anxiety in Epsilon's voice. Something was going on. Epsilon knew something.
He made a mental note to talk with Epsilon about the issue when he arrived. They could always talk later.
In the meantime, Auto had to check the Axiom's systems to make sure it was still ship-shape. Who knows if they would ever need to use the ship again?
REX broke the hug from his family. Everyone stared at him again with that same look of diligence. The need for orders.
"Head on to the teleporter," he told them. "I'll catch up after I get something."
They nodded in agreement, then took the lift down to the simulator room and went for the teleporter.
REX went through the nearby door in the spectator room that led to his personal quarters. When he wasn't deployed on missions in his past life, this was where he resided. There wasn't much: a sheetless bed, a holographic TV and a stack of Terminator movies (REX got those from his army friends, who kept calling him "the New Terminator"), a small collection of books and comics, and a locker. General Warren got those things for him so he could enjoy his free time. When REX had R&R on deployment, it was mainly spent hanging around with the other guys.
REX saw in the clips General Warren left him that he put something in his locker. REX knew Warren very well and was sure that if Warren put something in his locker, then it was for him. He needed to see what it was.
What he found almost made him weep: a small collection of photos of him, General Warren and few other men; whom REX knew as Captain Louis Andreas, Corporal Johns McKinnly, Private Anthony Sanders, and Staff Sergeant Marcus Burns. His closest friends in the military.
Captain Andreas was the squad leader of Squad 37. REX was good friends with him during the time they served together. He was a Latin-American in his mid-thirties with plenty of combat experience, and a good sense of humor. REX served loyally under his command because he was trained by General Warren long before REX was born. When REX was transferred to Squad 45, they would occassionaly meet again on joint operations.
Corporal McKinnly and Staff Sergeant Burns were two other men who served in Squad 37 and had a bit of positive and negative influence on REX. They were both Caucasian in their early thirties; McKinnly had thick black hair and Burns was red-headed. They had a positve and negative influence on REX because not only did they teach him social skills, but also jokes and pranks. He remembered a time during some R&R in Brazil, they snuck into the women's barracks and conducted what was called a "panty-raid," where they took all of the women's underwear and stuck them on a flagpole. General Warren was not happy of that, he told REX that he needed to be respecting to girls because they can find horrendous ways to get payback.
Private Sanders was a light-skinned man in his early twenties. He was a kid by military standards, but had good combat experience. He and REX were close because they served together in both Squads 37 and 45.
REX looked further in his locker and found two items: a dark-green hat with five stars on the front, General Warren's military cap; and a 21st-era .44 Magnum, Warren's personal sidearm. So General Warren had left REX something to remember him by. REX smiled to himself. Warren had become his father in his past life. He helped him train to survive, taught him human concepts, and protected him against Blackwing officials who tried to have him shutdown because they thought he was rogue.
REX understood that Warren couldn't get him out of stasis because he had to protect his family. Family comes first is what he would always say. The only reason REX fought in the war was for General Warren, he was the only family he had.
"REX?"
REX turned around and saw WALL-E looking at him questionably. WALL-E seemed to have a bit of a stubborn attitude and sometimes disobeyed orders because he wanted to help. REX liked that.
REX opened a small compartment in his mechanical arm and put the pictures and revolver into it. He would keep those as mementos.
He looked at WALL-E and smiled. He placed Warren's hat on WALL-E's head and adjusted it so it would fit his little brother.
"This used to be General Warren's," he said. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I gave it to you."
WALL-E smiled and made a jittering sound to show his gratitude. REX liked WALL-E for his kind nature, he put others first. EVE certainly deserved him.
They left REX's room and made their way to the teleporter. They found the rest of the group waiting for them at the pad. EVE and Neon came up to them and gave them affectionate hugs. WALL-E warbled happily while REX smirked in appreciation. He really liked Neon's affection whenever she gave it to him.
EVE then gestured to the hat WALL-E was wearing with her finger.
"That is a military general's hat." REX answered. "You may call him General WALL-E now."
WALL-E stood up and straightened his optics, trying to look like a figure of authority. REX couldn't help but laugh at his brother's attempt.
"What are your orders, sir?" REX asked him sarcastically.
WALL-E looked at him with a slight smile. The authoritive figure didn't really work for him, but REX gave him credit for trying.
EVE then made a straight face to WALL-E and gave a salute to make herself look like a soldier. She failed because she suddenly burst out laughing and gave WALL-E a spark-kiss.
"Home?" WALL-E then said.
REX checked his internal clock. 9:53. It was getting late.
"Yeah," he said. "Let's go home."
Everyone then took the teleporter back to the main lobby and started to make their way to the elevator. Before they reached it, REX suddenly got an idea.
"Elise," he said. "Give everyone here full access to all sections of Blackwing Headquarters. Executive order 66990531."
"Of course, Alpha."
After a few seconds, several floating ball-shaped robots came down from the ceiling and began running green beams over the robot group. After HAN-S was the last to be scanned, the robots went up into the ceiling and vanished.
"All of your friends now have access to all sections of Blackwing HQ." Elise chimed.
"Thank you." REX replied. He turned to the group. "This place can be our hangout spot. Our own getaway resort."
The group nodded in agreement, then they set for the elevator. REX bid goodbye to Elise before they went up to the surface and made their way outside.
It was night outside, but well-lighted because the moon shined bright. REX caught the moonlight casting a luminescent glow off of Neon's body, he couldn't help but stare at her in awe.
The robots then started to make their way back to WALL-E's truck. EVE's sisters and the rogues made their goodbyes and turned in the direction of the Axiom. Neon was about to head off, but WALL-E and EVE stopped her. They gestured in the direction of the truck.
"Home." WALL-E said to her.
"Family." EVE joined in.
Neon looked at them and smiled. "Thank you."
So then the four made their way back to the truck, WALL-E and EVE held hands along the way and REX and Neon were doing the same. They soon got to the truck and started getting ready to sleep.
"Hey, I'm going to sleep on the roof." REX said. "I just want to look at the stars before I turn in."
WALL-E and EVE nodded in agreement and proceeded to go into their sleep modes. Neon followed REX out as he went to the roof. As REX laid himself on his back, Neon floated over and laid down with him, her head rested on his chest.
REX put one arm around her and held her close. He didn't know much about girls and love at first, but now his newly found relationship with Neon was teaching him a lot.
As he looked at the stars, he started thinking about his life. He had lost his old family, but now he got a new one. He had come to bond with WALL-E as a brother, and he found a relationship with Neon. While he missed General Warren, he didn't regret having this new life.
Neon lifted her head and looked at REX. Her bright green eyes and glowing white body just screamed out "gaze upon me" to his eyes. REX couldn't help it, she was beautiful.
She moved her head forward and gave REX a gentle spark-kiss, then tucked her head under his chin and went to sleep.
REX like his new life. So many good people, so much care. It was the kind of life some could only dream of.
But he still hated Herald Jastle for having him abandoned. That man was lucky that time took him out, because REX would've done the job himself.
Jastle could definitely go to hell.
