Chapter 8 Part of the event featuring Eve
Eve stayed frozen in her capsule the entire time. Gofour had earlier informed the Commander Auto that one of the capsules had tested positive when checked.
Hovercraft on which was Eve and Gofour reached the elevator, which led upstairs to the command bridge (Captain's bridge). The robot, standing at a small console on a high table operating the elevator and making sure that no one uninvited was trespassing (even though a force field was deployed at the door), did not notice for a moment that MVR-A was standing in front of him . He was so focused on clicking until Gofour grunted to get his attention. After looking, the robot confirmed the identity of the person and clicked the button that turned off the field and opened the elevator door.
Upon reaching the top, the deputy captain was waiting on the command bridge. After the hovercraft pulled up, Commander Auto turned around and approached Eve's capsule.
There were indeed green lights on inside, but he had to make sure before notifying the Captain. He started to check the capsule using the red light coming out strangely from his eyes hidden behind the viewfinder . He ran the scanner over her a few times and after a while his viewfinder displayed the results confirming the presence of the plant and the code A113 appeared , the meaning of which only Auto knows.
For a while the commander spoke with Gofour on the matter , and then went to the elevator and found himself after a few seconds in the captain's quaters. The captain was deeply asleep , and Auto without delaying any longer went up to him to wake him up.
''Captain! ''- called out to wake him up and after hearing the captain mutter in his sleep he continued: ''You are needed on the bridge,''
After passing on the information, he returned to the elevator , but even earlier he set the alarm clock for a minute to wake the captain as if he had fallen asleep again.
The Captain after heard the beeping alarm, barely turned it off, and the additional crackling of two robots emerging from the cabinets responsible for his morning hygiene, threw him into a slight self-consciousness.
After less than five minutes, he went on his hoverchair to the captain's bridge, and there some of the equipment turned on including the coffee express after the captain clapped twice .
'' Sir... '' - started Auto but the captain interrupted him.
''Coffee,'' he said as he went to the machine and grabbed a small mug.
''Captain, the annual …''
The Captain raised his hand interrupting him "Slow Auto, duties first ... Computer! Status report.
After these words, his hoverchair moved quickly about three feet to the right console and he called up all the most important things one by one and the computer checked to see if anything had changed by turning on each holoscreen.
''Mechanical system ?''
''UNCHANGED. NO DAMAGE''
''Reactor Core temperature?''
''UNCHANGED. LEVEL STABLE'''
''Passenger count?''
''UNCHANGED. NO BIRTHS OR DEATHS OF ANY KIND. CURRENT NUMBER OF PASSENGERS 750,000''
''Regenerative food buffet?''
''UNCHANGED. ARTIFICIAL ORGANIC CROPS REMAIN IN HIGH SUPPLY FOR PASSENGERS. ''
''Jacuzzi pH balance?''
''UNCHANGED''
''Atmospheric conditions? ''
''UNCHANGED''
'' Laundry service volume?''
''UNCHANGED''
At the last holoscreen, Auto turned on a holoscreen displaying all five capsules. There was a highlight of Eve's capsule which was first from the left, along with a marked plant symbol at the bottom.
'' Alright Auto. What did you want to tell me Auto?''
''As I said. The annual research mission…
''12:30 pm?!'' - shouted the Captain again interrupting Auto , when he saw on the panel , what time it was. ''Auto, why didn't you wake me up for the morning announcements?''
''Forgive me Captain, but you asked me to...''
Before Auto could explain , the captain made a quick half-circle with his hoverchair and found himself on the other side of the room facing the window facing the Lido Deck. In front of him was a panel showing the time of day and he immediately changed the time from 12:30 pm to 9:30 am.
Most of the things in the around changed for example in all the bars now was served breakfast instead of lunch , umbrellas have been folded, and the monorail stopped and went the other way (the one where Wall-e was).
''Well, good morning everybody. And welcome to Day 255 642 aboard the Axiom . As always weathers's a balmy 72 degrees and sunny and … Oh hey I see the ship's log is showing that today is our 700th anniversary of out five-years cruise. Well, I'm sure our forefathers would be proud to know that 700 years later, we'd be doing the exact same things they were . So be sure next meal time to ask for your free sep-tuag-centennial cupcake in a cup. Wow , look at that ! Also today we have a …'' The Captain here paused when he saw one of the buttons at the console begin to beep. Puzzled, he turned to his deputy : ''Hey, hey Auto, what's that flashing button? - said after which the transmission was turned off
''This is what I tried to inform you, Sir. Capsule 01 with a scout named Evelyn got a positive result,'' - Auto said
''Positive?'' - asked the surprised the Captain coming closer.
When the blue stripes disappeared, Auto began to enter the activation code on the capsule and after a while the capsule began to open. Steam from the cold floated for a few seconds before it completely disappeared. Eve slowly opened her eyes , and as soon as she began to rise then the capsule began to transform. She sat on the hovercraft for a while more until the dizziness completely disappeared . After a minute she rose and stood in front of the Captain. The Captain looked at her very surprised especially seeing that the green symbol was glowing on her container.
''But... one by one... everybody always came back… empty-handed''
The Captain struggled to choose his words, not believing that it was really possible that they were in possession of a real specimen from the Earth. He drove back to the console, where there were two palm-sized buttons hidden under a glass plate. On the left side there was a round green button with a drawing of a plant, which was constantly beeping and flashing and on the right a square blue button with a drawn device. The captain pressed his thumb to the finger reader and after a moment the buttons slid out. When the green button was pressed, an alarm sounded and all the windows in the room were covered with metal blinds. The alarm went silent, and a holoscreen popped up from the other side of the room , where a video showing Shelby Forthright turned on:
''Greetings and congratulations Captain . If you are seeing this that means one of your scouts assessing extraterrestrial vegetation . Has returned from Earth with a confirmed specimen of ongoing photosynthesis. That's right. It means it's time to go back home.''
''Home? We're going back?'' - asked the startled Captain
''Now that Earth has been restored to a life-sustaining status , we can begin operation recolonize.''
A metal arm holding some kind of red object slid out. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound heard , and the Captain and Auto approached. The Captain grabbed the object, which was a book with a red cover . It was a little dusty so the Captain blew the dust off and it was now clearer to see the white lettering on the cover and the same green symbol. The continuation of the recording caught the captain's attention.
'' Simple follow this Manual's instructions to place the plant in your ship's hollow detector and the Axiom will immediately navigate your return to Earth . It's that easy. What are the effects of microgravity, you and your passengers may have suffered some slight bone loss but I'm sure a few laps around the ship's jogging will get your back in shape in no time.''
We have jogging track ? - asked the Captain looking at Auto, to which he only shrugged his shoulders.
''If you have any further questions just consult your operation manual. See you back home real soon.''
After the last words the recording turned off . The Captain began to look at the book from the outside and read the inscription . He started talking to it as if it was an automatically opened book , which will show him the instructions . After a few minutes, Auto was inwardly sick of seeing that the Captain didn't know how to use a normal book and approached him opening the book cover with his left hand showing the first page. The Captain was impressed with how it looked inside and started checking the contents along with Auto .
Meanwhile Eve stood alone watching as the Captain browsed through the book , and Auto stood next to him . She waited patiently until the procedure was performed to activate her container, where the plant was placed. She touched her glowing container but could not feel the contents through the hard walls , although she knew it was there , or at least she thought it was. When she thought about the plant like that then she almost forgot about the garbage man , which she met on Earth.
''I wonder, what Wall-e is doing now. I remember he was holding a plant in front of me, and then it all went away while I was scanning''.
When Eve thought about it like this , she wondered what had been going on all this time. She just hoped that all was well with him there. However, she had no idea that Wall-e in fact was on Axiom, and not on the Earth.
''All right'' - the Captain's sudden voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she straightened up looking at him. ''Step 1 voice command confirm acquisition.''
''CONFIRM ACQUISITION ''- sounded the voice of the computer surprising the Captain.
On the ceiling, four lines of green circular lights instantly illuminated the spot where the device began to slide out. The blue scanner turned on , which illuminated almost the entire room before it hit Eve . The color turned green and the scanner turned off . The device detached itself from the ceiling and flew by being now above Eve. It changed a little, extending the two metal arms that held Eve (even Eve wondered if that was necessary) and a green light shone on her.
''VOICE AUTHORIZATION'' - a voice reader slid out to confirm that's definitely the Captain.
''Uh?'' - murmured the Captain.
''UH'' - it was repeated by the device ''AXCEPT CAPTAIN B. McCrea''
After a while, the element returned to its place and one metal arm began to enter the activation code on the container, while the other held the basket against the container. The Captain covered his eyes with a book. Everyone waited impatiently for this moment. After a few seconds, the container opens showing ... NOTHING ?
The Captain was puzzled to see nothing inside.
''HUH?'' Eve frantically checked her container not understanding why there was nothing.
''Where is the thing?'' asked the captain
''Plant," said Auto
''Plant, right right. Where is it?'' - asked the Captain starting to look through the book once again.
The Captain turned away from Eve and began once again to look through the book with Auto thinking that they had missed something. Eve kept checking her container without understanding why it was empty . Gofour just stood by not paying attention to Eve .
Eve, meanwhile, was frantically wondering what had happened to the plant My container is sealed how is it even possible that isn't inside ? She wondered in her mind until the Captain from Auto turned to her.
''Maybe it's better to scan her so we can be sure?'' - said the Captain to Auto
''Yes, Sir'' - said Auto and started the scanner. After scanning, Auto replied: ''She doesn't have the plant. I have detected a partial memory failure.''
''Mr. Captain...''- Eve spoke up but but they didn't listen to her
''So... we're not going to Earth?'' - asked the Captain while talking to Auto.
'' I confirm''
''Meaning... Everything will be as before, right ? ''
''Yes, Captain''
''Well, false alarm," said the Captain closing the book
''FALSE ALARM'' - sounded the voice of the computer after which the equipment above Eve returned the place and all the windows were exposed.
''But Mr. Captain , I don't have any damage . I really ...'' Eve tried to defend herself but was interrupted.
''Eve, I know it must have been a long journey for you, but you heard what Auto said.
''Yes , but I swear I don't have ...''
''Gofour!'' - called the Captain and he stood in front of him
''Yes , Sir''
''Take her to the Medical-Repair ward to have her examined,'' - he said
''Yes, Sir," - he said, then turned to Eve. '' Please follow me,''
''But, Mr. Captain, that's not all,''- she said, stepping back.
''What else?''
''There in the designated location on Earth where I was conducting scans . I also met a living person.''
''Are you delusional again ?'' - he asked, not believing her.
''No, I really met someone and even talked to him . He was the one who passed the plant to me.''
''Captain'' - spoke up Auto drawing the attention of the Captain '' I cannot agree with the information provided by the scout Evelyn . I hereby declare that for centuries there has been no indication that there could be any life on the Earth and even less so for human beings.
'' I thought so too, but I swear I'm telling the truth.'' - Eve tried by all means to prove that she was right '' There on Earth I met a live boy in goggles, probably being the same age as me, but ...''
'' Enough. I have listened to enough '' - said the Captain slowly getting fed up with listening to her tales even though it was all true.'' Gofour, take her''.
'' But Mr. Captain ...''
"No 'buts' Evelyn, it's an order," - the Captain said firmly
''Ehhh'' - upset, she gave up.
MVR-A left the elevator with Gofour and furious Eve, who was now sitting on an ejected one of the smaller seats that had previously been tucked under the flat surface. She was buckled a blue belt around her waist and sat silently thinking. She was so angry both for the fact that no one believed her and for having to go to that ward. She didn't like staying there due to the fact that the place was more for the physically and mentally ill, and there was often a tense atmosphere.
She had no idea how it happened . She knew very well that both her container and capsule were sealed and there was no option at all for someone to take her plant from inside. It crossed her mind for a moment that he could have done it to Wall-e but then she pushed that thought aside due to the fact that he wasn't here after all. Having no other options , she had to wait for them to reach this unfortunate ward. She was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't pay attention that right next door in one of the separate pools were splashing Mary and Wall-e, and she was entering the monorail.
Meanwhile, on the command bridge, the Captain handed over to Auto to continue to keep an eye on business related to Axiom , and he himself will go to his quarters. In the quarters, the captain pondered a bit about Eve's words, especially the subject of the word 'EARTH.'
Various pictures started to appear one by one. The captain was impressed by both the planet 'EARTH' and the natural elements associated with it and more. He also learned the meaning of the word 'OCEAN' , 'SOIL' , 'GROUND' and many, many others, until he dived so deep that he wanted to know even more.
After almost thirty minutes they arrived.
After opening the door it was just as Eve expected. It was noisy and doctors and assistants were running back and forth trying to control the chaos. Two people began to approach the hovercraft. A doctor about thirty years old with brown hair and glasses and his assistant a little shorter having so somewhere nineteen years old holding a datapad. Both were dressed in white outfits in that the doctor had a white apron with black accessories. Both were dressed in white outfits in that the doctor had a white apron with black accessories. Gofour told Eve to come down while he gave the doctor the information. After a while, he left the medical-repair ward, leaving Eve in the doctor's care.
''All right, Eve. I invite you to the diagnostic room,'' he said, ordering her to follow him.
''Fine, but I repeat that I'm fine'' - she said following them '' Besides, you have my results even before I left the ship some time ago''
''That's true , but we got orders from Commander Auto himself to make sure that you are completely healthy. As soon as we finish all the tests , you will be released
'' Mhm, I understand everything,'' - she said with one arm folded over the other as they were at the entrance and led her to the first bed opposite the huge glass door. ''Let's hope they are over quickly. I want to get rid of this thing on my hand quickly'' - she muttered to herself, looking at the red band on her right wrist that the assistant doctor had put on her even before they took her to the diagnostic room.
There his assistant holding a datapad wrote down what the doctor said while examining Eve . There were also two other girls in the room, and Eve didn't feel uncomfortable by this when the doctor told her to take off her suit, to see if she had any marks on her skin.
To her left sat a girl (a little shorter than Eve) with short black hair that also had a few red streaks and defibrillators attached to her hands. It was apparent that she was having problems with the equipment both because the pieces kept slipping every now and then for some reason, and when she started using it on the dummy, that's when it started to burn due to being hit too hard. The fire was quickly extinguished with a fire extinguisher by one of the assistants, who kept at the ready for this type of situation.
As for the one on the right , she had light blue hair tied in a long ponytail and an umbrella problem. She never parts with it due to the fact that, as she says, she is allergic to sunlight . On her part, the doctors dimmed some light in the room in case this type of light also triggered an allergic reaction . She held her umbrella so tightly that neither doctors nor assistants managed to take it away from her to get it fixed. She herself was also not in the best shape because she still had red marks in some places. She guessed that she was not sensitized by the lights of the corridors , but she was not sure how it was with other types . However, despite this, she kept repeating that she was allergic to each type so that the doctors did not take away her umbrella. One of the service technicians was in charge of fixing the umbrella while two doctors examined Beatrice.
Eve didn't pay attention to her colleagues just waited until her examination was finished. At some points during the scan she even laughed a little.
Meanwhile on the command bridge, Commander Auto was typing on the computer until suddenly a message sounded. Auto was surprised because it had not happened for years that someone unexpectedly communicated with him.
''Commander Auto here''
''Commander'' - a voice spoke up ''This is Steward SC61. Along with SC56 we are on the corridor of D17 where we made a passenger detain...''
''You can take care of it yourselves, SC61. You unnecessarily bother me that someone escaped from the medical-repair ward again or someone broke the equipment!'' -shouted Auto clearly upset.
'' That is not the point Commander . This passenger stands out a lot ''
At these words, Auto has somewhat soften his nerves. '' Tell more details''
'' In addition to the fact that he was hit by us with arrows you can see that he is suffering and wearing strange clothing. Some kind of yellow and grey suit and he also has some kind of goggles that cover...
'' Wait, wait ... Did you say ...goggles?
''That's right''
Auto was surprised after hearing this. Lieutenant Eve mentioned a person with goggles , but everyone thought it was nonsense. On the holoscreen , which Auto was looking at during the conversation, a video appeared. After opening it Auto looked more surprised . Indeed, the person described by the steward was on it, which was a boy in a completely different outfit and actually wearing goggles. The video showed that the boy was not feeling well. Auto wondered when he heard another voice.
''Maybe you could call for some help! This boy won't last long.
In the recording, the driver shouted at the stewards.
Commander instantly spoke up to them.
''Take this stranger to the medical-repair ward to be treated and tell the staff to let me know when he can be taken away,'' - he gave them the order
''Yes, Commander''
There people sitting at the Wall-e did not hear the conversation between the Steward and Auto by the fact that one was a little further away from the other, who was guarding them.
After turning off the message, Auto looked at the paused video on the image showing Wall-e. It was obvious that the boy wasn't from Axiom because of his completely different clothing, which absolutely no one used. It seemed to the commander that this boy looked somehow strangely familiar. Auto decided that for now he wouldn't inform the Captain because he wanted to find out something about this person himself.