Space Voyage

Chapter 9: The Truth Of Zim

Opening credits: Haruka Kanata, "Far Away" (Naruto season 2)

In the cold, blankness of space, a spaceship named the hope was travelling through it like a candle light down a dark hallway. Inside the ship new warriors from earth were still sorting themselves to their new a custom. On the bridge which was a large room with a chair looking over the different consoles. Beside the chair were two controls like levers that controlled the very ship and in the seat were the elected captain, matt sonicble sat wondering about planet irk.

"If they're an advanced race of aliens…how did they get taking over so easily?" he had been suspicious about Zims story of how an iron dictator took them over so easily and that his planet needed matts help, it didn't add up. As he approached him the door opened up and in walked Seras.as she stood at the table in the middle of the room she asked matt.

"Matt, can you come with me please?" Matt nodded.

"Okay, Maeve you're in charge!" he said as he pointed at Maeve. Maeve nodded she could tell matt was worried about sakura; she had been out cold since they left earth two days ago, That through card must have drained her of all her energy. As he walked down the long hallway with sears he had to ask her. "How's she Doing?" as sears looked at her clipboard, she told him sakuras condition.

"She's in a stable condition but she's still too weak to move." As they walked down the hallway matt said to sears about her training yesterday.

"I see that the training room has had an effect on you."

"What do you mean?" she asked matt. He suddenly stopped and turned to her and said.

"See when you spent two days in their you actually spent two years of training. So you have two years of knowledge in two days, without aging."

"How's that possible?"

"I don't know." said matt trying to figure it out for himself. For nearly a year now matt has been suffering from post traumatic stress but his knowledge on alien technology was still a mystery, even to matt. But he's main concern was for his partner sakura. As they continued walking down the hallway the reached a door with a green moon on the doors, sears wondered why matt we choose this symbol instead of the Red Cross. As the doors opened the first thing saw was sakura sitting up in her bed looking around, suddenly she saw matt and said happily but weakly.

"Hey Matt, what you doing here?"

"Came to see how my partner was, you feeling okay?"

"Yeah. I'll be better after some more sleep." As matt left he asked sears to keep an eye on her condition. She nodded and said she'll do the best she can. As matt walked down the hallway he smelt something, something sweet and he knew only two people that could cook something that sweet, but one of them was in bed so it had to be cream. As matt followed his nose it lead him to the kitchen and inside was…cream. As he watched her mix up a cake batter in a bowl he saw his girl, the chef of the ship. Matt laughed and walked back to the bridge. Meanwhile in the kitchen cream was looking through the recipe book looking what to do next.

"Okay, put cake mix in oven at gas mark 7 for 2 hours." As she clicked the ignition the cooker wouldn't spark. As she pressed it several times the gas still wouldn't ignite as she kicked it she said to the cooker. "Stupid cooker…hey Maeve could you light this, please?" suddenly Maeve popped her head round the corner and said.

"Sure cream! And here's that flour!" she said as she dropped it on the side, as she lit the fire she came back up and looked at cream. When she did she tried contain her laughter but laughed uncontrollably because cream was covered in flour. Cream didn't find this funny, as she clapped her hands she then blew some flour on to Maeves face, this cream did find funny and before they knew it they were in a flour fight giggling, throwing flour at each other and making a mess of the kitchen, just like Maeve and Seras had long ago, except Walter caught them and they said a ghost made the mess, unfortunately he didn't believe them. Back on the bridge Zim was piloting the ship straight to his home planet, but he was flying at low speed, why? Suddenly matt came in and looked up to see Zim flying the ship at low speed.

"Walter" asked matt.

"Yes, Master Matt!" answered Walter.

"Where's Maeve?"

"I think she's in the…kitchen, sir!"

"I'll be right back and Zim I want this ship to go faster."

"Yes…Captain." Zim said agreeing to his order, regrettably. Could it be possible that Zim does have a good side? As matt walked out of the room Walter kept an eye on Zim it wasn't that he didn't trust it was just that… if his home planets in trouble why were they taking so long to get their? As matt walked down the hallway quickly to the kitchen he had that look in his eye….the disappointed look. In the kitchen cream and Maeve were completely unaware that matt was on his way down, they were still enjoying their flour fight and creating such a mess. As they threw the flour about cream stopped in front of the doors.

"I got you now cream!" said Maeve as she cornered cream by the door with a fist full of flour. As Maeve threw the flour at cream, she moved out of the way of the incoming flour ball, but as she moved the door opened and matt got a face full of flour. As Maeves laughter quickly turned into fear cream asked Maeve.

"What's wrong?" as cream turned round she stood very still as she saw her dads face coved in flour and looking at them both with cold sharp eyes. Suddenly matt spoke calmly and slowly to cream.

"Cream… go wash off…now." As she left the room avoiding Matt's gaze the door behind her closed, With Maeve still in the kitchen. Maeve was in the kitchen covered in flour with matt looking at her. As he shook his head flour dust fell from his face and on to his black shoes, he then looked sharply at Maeve and said.

"What is this?" he said as he pointed to the flour on the side.

"Its flour, you know stuff that goes in a cake, sir!" she replied.

"No I call it…childish behavior." Maeve frowned "I'd expect this from cream but not from someone second in command on board this ship. Oh and while we're on the subject what were you doing in the kitchen anyway?" Maeve answered.

"I came here to help cream with the cakes, and she needed help lighting the oven. You know it's dangerous for my little sis to cook using an oven."

"Yes I know that, but Walter could have helped cream not the Co- captain. I chose you to be Co-captain for a reason."

"And that reason is?"

"Because I thought you could handle it… but I guess I was wrong!"

"What because of this Mess?"

"No! I put you in charge while I checked on a crewmate's condition after she collapsed getting us into space and when I get back Walter tells me you've gone off somewhere."

"Well maybe you should put sakura in charge then." She said angrily. As matt sighed he said to her.

"I'll give you more chance, but I'm not letting up on your punishment, you and cream are going to clean this kitchen top to bottom, starting now." Before Maeve could protest Walter announced on the incom.

"Captain matt, we're approaching Planet Irk you presence is requested on the bridge."

"And with that I'll say no more." As matt left the room, cream just got back and looked at her dad going back to the bridge with a disappointed look in his eye, it felt so cold.

"What happened?" she asked her big sis.

"Looks like we have to clean the kitchen for having fun." She said sadly. Meanwhile on the bridge matt saw Zims home planet it was, a lot smaller than earth but it was a planet in need of help. As matt looked at it he said excitedly.

"There it is planet…what's it called again Zim?" but Zim didn't hear him he was too lost in his thoughts suddenly matt shouted "YO! Zim" this made Zim jump as he evilly looked at matt, matt asked him "What's your planets name again?"

"It's Conventia."

"I thought you said it was Irk."

"Hey an evil genius like me can get one or two things wrong, right?" as they approached the planet they slowly landed on the planets surface and it was hard enough trying to get down in a two and a half mile long ship. As they landed a cargo bay door in front of the ship between the two engines that also provided as a ramp for loading and unloading of supplies and for other purposes. As Zim stepped out of the ship he saw that everyone was waiting for him and the 'legendary warrior of earth', why they called matt this was beyond Zim. "Greetings, everyone!" Zim shouted out to the crowd. But the crowd was silent; Zim looked disappointed because he thought his planet would cheer for his safe return from the dangerous planet earth, but they he would always come back. "Let me try that again." He said to himself. "Hello my fellow imperialistic Irken people I have returned with the legendary warrior of earth." Then all of a sudden a massive cheer roared from the crowd, Zim had never felt so accepted by his own people but the cheering wasn't for him, it was for matt as walked down the ramp.

"Now this is a welcome for future heroes!" meanwhile at the back of the crowd to tall figures were watching, one red and one purple. As they whispered underneath the roar of the crowd they said to each other.

"It's him!" said the red tall one to the purple one.

"You mean…" answered the purple tall one.

"Yes"

"What are we going to do?"

"What do you mean, what are we going to do, we know what we have to do."

"You mean…"

"Yes! The master wants him."

"How long do you think this charade will last?"

"As long as 'The legendary warrior and his warriors' don't know until they're dead."

"Which shouldn't be long" they sniggered and laughed evilly. As matt stepped forward the crowd separated into to sides like parting waves, as matt watched them separate he saw at the end two tall leaders walking towards him. The leaders thought matt wasn't that big but that's because they were far away. As they stepped ever closer they saw that matt was as tall as their dictator, the almighty black. No one knew what the dictator's face looked like but he seemed to know matt, very well…too well. As they stood in front of matt they looked up to him.

"Oh Mighty blue, red and grey." They said as they addressed Matt, Alucard and Walter. As they looked down they could see espio just coming up to their knees, because he wasn't as tall as them they thought nothing him except an underling. "I see you got an underling to help you." Espio was enraged by these two calling him an underling.

"Don't make me kick you in the knees."

"Easy Espio." He said as he stared at the two who called him an underling. "Our fight is with their dictator, not them." He then said to the leaders sternly. "We don't judge people on the size of their bodies, but on the size of their hearts." These two leaders looked stunned, he didn't agree with how they judge the importance of people by size. "Now show us where this dictator is."

"It's just over that hill." They said as they pointed to a mound of dirt several feet high it looked like an easy climb but the pressure on matt and the others felt different then it did on earth. As they crawled up to the top they were becoming more and more tired as they reached the top they could see a creepy and evil looking stone castle…yep definitely evil dictator's lair. As he turned to espio he asked him.

"Okay espio hand me the binoculars." Espio turned to him and said.

"I thought you had them." Suddenly Zim said to them.

"I got them." As he passed them up to matt, matt said to him with a smile.

"Thanks Zim, what would we do without you." Zim froze at matts words, what we do without you is something he had never heard before. As matt looked through the binoculars he could see, no way in unless…

"Ok, here's the situation." Explained matt. "There doesn't seem to be anyway in, there's motion detectors connected to what seems to be some laser cannons. So here's what we're going to do. Espio your gonna use your ninja abilities to get in close to that circuit box connected to laser cannons and deactivate it, once then infiltrate the castle and look for the security room. Once you find the security room shut everything down and that we'll be our cue for the rebel forces to take over the palace and bring down this almighty black." Espio nodded his head and he used his disappearing trick to get to work. As a dust cloud flew down the dirt mound matt could tell that was espio but after the dust cloud had stopped matt had no idea where espio was. Suddenly a footstep in the dirt appeared and lead all the way to a silver box connected to the motion detectors. As the lock on the box magically broke and then the box door flung open, suddenly the wires were cut, all three in an instant. As the doors opened espio walked inside looking everywhere for the security room but instead he found something even more interesting…The Plan Room. As he walked in he found that the door was unlocked? A plan room for global conquest of this planet unlocked just didn't make sense that was before he looked at the blue prints on the shelf. As he pulled out a blue print from the bottom shelf he unrolled it to discover it was blank! No writing or strategies or even further plans for domination he just had to report back to matt immediately.

"Matt, this is espio listen I'm in the plan room."

"Since when is the security room the plan room." Said matt reminding espio on what he was actually looking for. As matt and espio continued the so called "rebel forces" were preparing their weapons alucard and Walter noticed this and thought they were preparing for an invasion on the castle. "That's just it…there was no plan to take over this planet."

"What!"

"I'll bring the plans to you and you can see for yourself." What espio didn't know is that two shadowy figures were slowly approaching him. "You know matt I think this whole thing was a huge…" but before espio could finish he was knocked out from behind him. As the two dragged him away matt was trying to reach espio but no answer on his communicator. As espio was laid flat in a giant throne room the two figures turned out to be two of Zims people, short with purple eyes.

"Master!" they addressed the black figure. "We found this one snooping around in the plans room." The dark figure stood up from his solid gold throne. As he walked down his gold plated stairs to them he said to them evilly.

"Very good! Now wake him up!" as he clicked his fingers espio opened one eye and looked around he was on a stone floor. As he looked around he saw two feet covered in blackness he was petrified to move because it was the evil dictator of the planet. Suddenly one of those feet kicked espio in the face and made him roll over onto his back. "Get up!...Espio!" Espio's back became frozen with fear, the dictator knew him.

"Who are you?" asked espio nervously. The figure laughed and looked down at espio and smiled evilly.

"Come now! Don't you recognize me!" he said as he slowly placed his hands on his hood that covered his face. As he slowly moved his hood back espio's widened in fear.

"No! It's not possible! Matt told me you got burned…but you don't have a scorch mark on you."

"Let's just say I have a very good medic." As the figures shadow loomed over espio, he started to sweat and said to him.

"I've seen your plans, I know what you're going to do. It will never work. They'll see you coming. They'll rescue me you'll see." The figure just laughed and said.

"Well you've must've read the report wrong…because this whole thing was a trap." He said as a purple electric pulse came out of his hand paralyzing espio to a wall. Suddenly the figures voice became a distorted secondary voice, like he was possed or something. "Matt has interfered with my plans for the last time, I'll make sure he will never leave this planet….alive anyway!" as espio screamed in pain he collapsed on to the floor and laid lifeless. As the figure reached for his earpiece he spoke into it clearly saying "Zim…code Btray." As he hanged up he looked down to the two others "Well what are you waiting for!" he yelled "We have guest coming prepare the cell for them."

"Yes our liege." They said as they dragged espio to the cell. Meanwhile outside matt became worried about espio he wasn't answering his com link suddenly behind him he the sound of guns being charged as he turned round he could see that the "rebel forces" were pointing the guns….at them!

"What's going on?" matt asked the rebel forces.

"It's just as I feared." Walter said angrily.

"What?"

"This whole thing was a trap set up by someone you know."

"We can take them." Said alucard reaching for his guns but matt stopped him for he had a plan.

"Get going!" said red and purple "The master's waiting." as the small beings put the laser handcuffs on them they prodded their sides with the guns to tell them to move like cattle. As Zim walked along side matt he looked up to matt and said.

"I'm sorry; I didn't want this to happen."

"Admit it Zim, you wanted this to happen."

"I'm really sorry, I didn't have a choice."

"Everyone has a choice Zim…it's up to you to make that choice."

"Yeah but how…?"

"Only you know!" suddenly red shouted to Zim.

"ZIM!" as Zim turned round he said to him "The master has a better job for you… we wants to blow up their ship so they never escape this planet…. Not that they ever will." As he passed him a highly explosive and walked off laughing evilly and said to Zim. "Nice one Zim, maybe you're not completely useless." As Zim stood on the dirt mound that matt and the others were hiding he felt like he had a choice as he looked at the ship he felt a presences of good surrounding the ship but when he looked at the castle he sensed a dark cloud swirling around the castle. He didn't who to listen to. His master the one who had a chocking hold on his planet or the one who gave him a chance when no one else would…moments passed… he had made his decision, he was slowing walking to the ship with the explosive still in hand.

Maeve- What! What do you mean matt has been captured?

Zim- The dictator saw him coming and arranged an ambush for him

Maeve- wait how did they know we were coming, Wait a minute! You set us up!

Zim- I didn't have a choice

Maeve- so this whole thing was just a trap from the start, I knew you hadn't changed!

Zim- I know you shouldn't have but you got to trust me!

Maeve- Trust you why should we do that!

Zim- because I'm the only chance you got.

NEXT TIME: BREAK OUT!

Maeve- we'll give you one chance but cross us and I'll burn your insides into soup

Zim- sure I'd deserve that!

Closing credits: Rise, Power! (Instrumental) (Naruto)