WALL-E 2.0, Day Six: Thrust

Well, THIS was quickly turning into an odd morning.

Captain McCrea found himself sharing a most uncomfortable handshake with the surprisingly fit Milton Forthright, a massive crowd gathered to greet them both.  As questions and exclamations filtered out into his ears, the Captain simply had to wonder just what this man wanted.  "And now I meet the third and final piece of the Axiom's descent to Earth!" the man...Milton, he'd called himself...exclaimed as their shake ended.  "Captain Maculkin himself!"

"Uh, that's McCrea, sir." the Captain offered meekly, not yet sure quite what to make of Milton.

"Of course it is." Milton laughed cheerfully.  "Now Captain, there's something...very important I need to talk to you about.  It's the reason I'm here, in fact."

"And that is...?"

"Well, see, the Axiom wan't the only ship out in Space.  Alllllll over the galaxy, there are BnL Star Liners cruising the Quasars."  Milton wrapped his arm in a friendly manner around McCrea's shoulder.  "I happen to live on one of them, in fact.  My very own Private Starliner, the Ordained."

McCrea paused at that...he vaguely recalled reading about the Ordained in the Captain's manual; it was a special ship designed specifically for Shelby Forthright, the Founder, CEO, and President of BnL, and his family.  Supposedly it had "special features" the other Ships lacked, probably explaining why Milton was so thin where the Axiom's passengers were all so plump.  "Now, as it happens, a few years back I decided the Ordained could help carry on the BnL Legacy started by Great Grandpappy Shelby, and started using it to make contact with some of the other Starliners.  And wouldn't ya know it, my plan was a smashing success!  The passengers' lives were improved, and I managed to carry on my Family's good name by creating New BnL!"

Suddenly, Milton's arm slipped off  McCrea's shoulder, and he now stood in front of the Captain.  He was still smiling, but there was something...grim...about his demeanor now.  "Unfortunately, when the Axiom returned to Earth, it set off a special signal in the other Ships letting them know they could return.  Thankfully, the Auto-Pilots kept that from happening, but now there's...whispers.  People're talking.  They want to come back to Earth, just to see what it's like..."

Now McCrea scratched his hat in puzzlement.  "Um...that's a nice story, sir," he said, "but...isn't that a good thing?"

"Are you kidding?" Milton laughed derisively.  "Look at this place; it's a dump.  I...er, I mean, the people are much better out in Space.  New BnL's been providing dozens of Ships with new services; it would've come to the Axiom eventually, but your Ship was the farthest from Earth and it left before we could reach it."

"So you want everyone to stay in Space?"  McCrea asked in surprise.  "To just...have their lives run completely for them for the rest of their days?"

"It's an easier thing than...whatever operation you've got going here." Milton replied, smile faltering ever so slightly.  "Look, Captain, I came here to set things right.  The way I see it, if Axiom goes back into Space, people get the right Message: Earth's beyond saving, Space is where it's at."

The Captain tensed a bit.  "You're asking me...to take the Axiom and its passengers...back into Space?"

"Yes." Milton answered, voice suddenly back to its kinder tone.

"No." The Captain answered simply; now he knew what to make of Milton: he didn't like him.  At all.

"Captain..."

"NO.  That's my final answer.  You'r free to stay and get to know this little home we've built for ourselves on Earth, but we're not leaving.  That's final."

"I see..." Milton answered.  "OK, Captain..."

As McCrea huffed off to cool down, Milton slyly whispered, "Have it your way."