"Here's the plan!"
Zim shouted, snapping the attention of his anxious crew mates. He snapped his heels together with his hands clasped behind him, standing at the end of the meeting room.
"Irk is under martial law. 'Anyone taller than you is your commanding officer'." Zim proudly gestured to himself. "I am taller than ninety percent of Irk." He remarked.
"The other ten percent will be entering the ceremony at the time of our arrival. When we arrive, you will remain on the ship. I will do the talking and you will be doing the silence-ing." Zim's antennae flattened, annoyed. "Does anyone have any questions?"
"I don't get it." The goo blob piped up, drooling. "If you're shorter than ten percent of Irk, what makes you so sure you'll be Tallest?"
"That's for me to know and you to have unquestionable faith in." Zim snapped.
Hushed murmurs were cut short with a hand in the air.
"Yes, female?"
"What will we do after you leave for the ceremony?" The hooded female questioned.
"Stand alert of course! Anything could happen! ANYTHING could go wrong. Don't you remember how poorly you executed the last mission?" Zim snapped, earning collective shouts of protest. Skoodge tried to yell for the angry crowd to stay quiet, to no avail. Zim rubbed his forehead as they yelled insults at him, he and Skoodge exchanged a look.
"I'LL LEAVE." Zim boomed. The crowd went silent. He leaned on the table and studied every face in the room as he spoke. "If the plan fails, I'll need a getaway. Then that's it. If this goes wrong it's over. I'll resign. Your goat creature can return to its post, and I'll go away."
"How do we know we can trust you?" The three-head glared at Zim.
"Because, regardless of your trust, the Vortian will remain in his cell until we enter Irk's atmosphere. And when we get there, you'll be surrounded by Irken drones until I explain the situation. You will cooperate, or we'll all die."
Nobody moved. Nobody breathed. Even Zim held his breath, but he began to tap his fingers on the table, impatiently. Finally the hooded female bowed her head, hiding her icy glare.
"We have no other choice." The crew muttered in agreeance. Zim sighed and rose off the table, smiling.
"I was wondering when you'd catch on to that." He sneered, proudly. He began to walk out of the room, still studying each wary face until he met Skoodge's eye again. Skoodge flicked his antenna and Zim smirked, walking out of the room with the crew following, begrudgingly. Zim continued as he walked.
"I will expect the same process as our last mission. Fueled ships, armor on, weapons loaded. I do not expect this to come to a fight, but if it does, you will be ready." Zim caught a glance behind him, most of the glaring eyes evaded his gaze. They were still in a regrettable state, but they were no longer limping and obvious wounds had been patched up and healed, for the most part.
They won't put up much of a fight. He thought, turning his attention down the hall as he made his way to the control room. He could hear muffled voices as he approached the sliding doors. When he stepped inside he saw a disgruntled Lard Nar trying his best to ignore Spleenk, who was leaning on the wall beside Lard Nar's cell, looking quite smug.
"Will you shut up?" Lard Nar yelled.
"Look, all I'm saying is, it wasn't my idea to trust the Irk-."
"WHY aren't you at your post?" Zim snapped. Spleenk leapt off the wall and ran for the control panel, tripping over his feet up the steps.
"W-w-we've been running on autopilot. We're st-still on our course for-." He gulped. "Irk."
"Fine. Prepare yourselves for lightspeed!" He snapped at his crew. Spleenk pushed a button and chairs unfolded from the floor of the three raised levels, the crew all scrambled for a seat. Spleenk buckled himself into the chair that appeared in front of the control panel. Zim, naturally, stepped down to the captain's chair on the second level and strapped himself in.
"Hey! Guys? What's going on?" Lard Nar pressed his face against the glass, looking slightly worried.
"Check your coordinates, mantis-man!" Zim yelled as Spleenk reluctantly typed into the controls.
"Everything's r-ready, captain." He stammered, hovering a shaky hand over a big red button. Zim could feel the ship begin to quake as the engines warmed up. "On your command."
"Ready for what?" Lard Nar yelled, desperately trying to gain someone's attention.
"NOW!"
Spleenk hesitated, but slammed down on the button. The ship lurched forward, driving everyone deep into their chairs, everyone except Lard Nar who was thrown into the wall of his cell. Zim gripped the sides of his chair and struggled to keep from sinking deeper. Through misting eyes he saw the white streaks of stars zooming past them in the windshield. The whole ship shook and slowed and Zim was able to pry himself out of his seat. Everyone groaned as they unbuckled themselves and stretched out of their chairs.
"Lard Nar!" The green, bug-eyed alien shot out from his seat to run to Lard Nar's cell. Mini-moose, who had remained in place during the jump, flashed red eyes at the alien who backed away. A few members of the crew gathered to peak in. Lard Nar was lying unconscious on the floor with spirals in his eyes and a large bruise on his head. Zim approached with his hands behind his back, frowning down at the Vortian.
"He okay?" The green blob spit pink goo as he spoke.
"He looks fine." The blue eyed female bent down to examine him, a safe distance from Mini-moose.
"Tch." Zim rolled his eyes. "Pathetic." The crew all turned to glare up at him, silently. Zim flattened his antennae and snapped to Spleenk.
"How far are we from Irk?"
Spleenk ran back toward the controls. "We're on schedule! Only one cycle away!"
Zim stared at Spleenk, thinking, and turned down to the crew, eyeing each hateful face, his glare softened.
"I suggest you all get some rest. You will be hailed when we approach Irk."
Skoodge, who had been watching from his chair, hopped down and walked to stand at Zim's heel. Slowly, the confused crew began to filter out through the door, casting them suspicious glares as they left. The room fell silent and Zim looked out the windshield of the ship.
Only one cycle away. He dropped his antennae and sighed, his arms began to itch. Zim turned away and sat in front of the control panel, staring absentmindedly.
"Well, they bought it." Skoodge sighed, sitting next to Zim.
"Yes… fools…" Zim nodded, sounding distant. He flexed his arms and leaned back against the wall, looking out of the enormous windshield of the ship. Out at all the glittering stars and the emptiness hiding behind them.
Skoodge loudly cleared his throat, Zim turned to see he was holding out a small roll of gauze. He gestured for Zim to take it, and after a moment he did.
"How are you doing?"
"I'm well enough." Zim muttered, picking for the edge of the gauze wrap. He unrolled it and began to wrap one of his arms.
"You really think this is going to work?"
Zim bit at the bottom of the wrap and tucked it into a fold of his bandages, starting on his other arm. "I don't think it will matter much if it doesn't."
Skoodge's antenna flicked and he looked away from Zim as he quietly finished his other arm.
"It's a shame Gaz isn't here to see all your success." Skoodge smiled, trying to lighten the mood. Zim frowned, his antenna twitched. "I bet she would have loved to see you become Tallest."
"I would appreciate it if you didn't say her name." Zim snarled, he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall again, glaring in the other direction. Skoodge dropped his antennae and looked away as well, he fidgeted in his seat.
"Zim, can I ask you something?"
Zim grumbled. "Make it quick."
"What… what made you want to be a slorgak?" Skoodge asked, Zim winced and glared at him. "I mean, don't get me wrong, she was great and all. She seemed like someone you would have at least gotten along with, and she was intelligent for such a primitive alien race… it's just…" Skoodge darted his eyes away from Zim and tapped his fingers together.
"What made you want to… feel that way? I mean…you knew what would have happened, but you did it anyway, so... What's it like?"
Zim ground his teeth and huffed. He shook his head and darted his glare away. The absurdity. The audacity. He snapped his glare back on Skoodge, who watched him with wide, curious eyes. Zim softened and looked away again. He chewed on his tongue, and finally spoke.
"You would be wise." He began. "To heed the word of the Control Brains, Skoodge. Don't take a mate. It's not worth it."
Liar. Zim furrowed his brow, his antenna twitched. True, if he had followed his better judgement and ignored his feels for the human, none of this would have happened. He would have never strained his benign quarrels with the Dib-monkey, he would have never been discovered on Earth. Never been tried by the Tallests, never found out his mission was a lie. Never would have had to deal with the Resisty, and she never would have…
Zim caught himself staring into the void again and blinked. He glanced at Skoodge, who was still watching him closely, and furrowed his brow.
What was he supposed to tell Skoodge? How could he possibly explain himself? Even after every rational thought was ignored, or defied. Everything that has happened could have been avoided, if only he listened to reason. But to believe that it never should have happened? To write off every blissful, happy moment he had shared in her company as nothing more than a mistake? He couldn't bring himself to do it. Even with all the pain she had caused him, the ache that he felt now, even after all he's done to fill the hole she left behind. Perhaps it was his own selfishness or the nagging desire to have her back, but he'd do it again just to share her company all over again.
Zim smiled and spoke softly.
"She was terrible." He began. "And stubborn and ruthless."
Skoodge raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. Zim shifted in his seat.
"Well, you've seen humans before, you know how awful they are. How disgusting."
Skoodge nodded in agreement.
"But she was different, she even understood how insufferable humans were. She hated them almost as much as I did. She even assisted me in planning for their destruction."
He shook his head. "She terrified anyone she came across. She had this…" Zim rose his hands, trying to find the word. "Powerful, commanding aura. She intimidated the humans better than I ever could."
"Yes, I witnessed a bit of that." Skoodge chuckled.
"But it was more than that, she was… fascinating. There was something about her presence, perhaps it was in her eyes, or her scent, I can't explain it. She made me feel… good and warm and..."
As Zim droned he looked at Skoodge, who still wore a puzzled expression. He frowned and let his antennae fall, he looked down at the floor, embarrassed.
He's only a wretched, slorgak traitor, because he's defective. Zim winced.
That night, during the storm, what would a functioning Irken have done? Refused her service? Sent her away? Disposed of her for the use of her rain shield? Would it have been better if he had? If the only reason he fell for her was because he was defective, then how could Skoodge possibly understand? Skoodge was short, of course, and he had risked his life and status to save her, but he wasn't defective by any means.
"I was weak. I knew what I was doing was wrong. I tried talking myself out of it. I tried avoiding her. But it didn't work. She had this gravitating pull… I just had to be a little bit closer, like it was… instinctual." Zim brought his knees close to his chest and shook his head. "But I was a fool. If I had tried harder, none of this would have happened. I was too weak."
"I don't think you're weak, Zim." Skoodge consoled. "I don't really understand, but it sounds like you didn't have too much of a choice."
Zim didn't react and Skoodge scooted a little closer. "Y'know, she was the one who got us out of the Massive. She fought through most of the guards trying to stop us." Skoodge elbowed his side, Zim smirked. "She popped open this box and GIR jumped out screaming, she sprayed water all over them, I bet you would have been proud."
"You should have seen what she would do to her brother. Her merciless violence was something I really admired about her."
"Her what?"
"Brother. A… male sibling. Humans keep track of which smeet is biologically theirs, smeets from the same litter are siblings."
"Oh! Dib!" Skoodge nodded, then he frowned. "Oh… Dib."
Zim's reminiscent smile faded, he began to stare again. Skoodge turned to him, still frowning.
"Are you uh… what are you gonna… tell him?"
Zim flattened his antennae and turned on Skoodge again.
"Tell him?"
"Well… yeah? Ga- I mean… he was her-."
"I'm not going to tell him anything." Zim spoke slowly, his voice grew in anger as he began to rise off the floor. "Do you have any idea what I went through to convince him that my feelings toward her were genuine? That she was safe in my care? To bring her with me when I left Earth?"
"I just thought-."
"WHAT exactly am I SUPPOSED to tell him, Skoodge? That it wasn't really my fault? That I didn't mean to?" Zim's hands balled into fists as he yelled, he turned away and began to pace. "Besides! Dib lost his right to know when he almost had her killed!"
"But you- ."
"I KNOW!" Zim screeched, returning to his pace. "But he put her in danger on purpose! Just to get to me! He had no regard for her safety! He didn't care about her, he was only concerned with getting rid of me! I'm the only one who ever really cared about her! Me! Not Dib! Not her father, not her mother, nobody on that awful dirt ball! Me! And she…"
Zim's pace slowed, as a thought occurred to him. "She was the only one that really cared… about me." He stopped. Skoodge frowned and looked down at the ground, fidgeting in place.
"I care about you."
Zim's antennae flattened as he turned a hard glare on the little Irken.
"Thank you, Skoodge." He began to stomp towards him. "That means a lot coming from an intrusive, troublesome smaller who never seems to know when he's not wanted!"
Skoodge stared up at Zim as he towered over him, he looked back down at the floor and nodded. Zim's antennae fell, then he turned around and huffed, crossing his arms, defensively.
"Don't you have things to prepare for?" He snapped. He heard Skoodge quietly sit up and tiny footsteps headed for the door. When the room fell silent again Zim flicked his antennae.
Good riddance. He thought, his scowl darkening. Zim glanced down at his bandaged arms and huffed again. Turning to slump back in his spot by the console, he reached into his PAK and angrily scattered snacks on the floor.
Stupid Skoodge. He thought, picking out a bag of skoosh-beans and an orange starzen bar. The nerve of that hopeless, little smeetling.
Zim collected the rest of the little parcels of goodies and stored them away again, he ripped open the starzen bar and crunched down on the sweet, spicy treat. The spice lingered, and ate away at his tongue and cheeks, only worsening his mood. He quickly sat up and began stomping to the door, clutching the bag of skoosh-beans and taking another chomp out of his spicy-sweet.
WhAt MaDe YoU WaNnA bE a sLoRgAk? He mock-thought. As if he just chose to be bombarded with these awful thoughts and feelings. As if he wanted to be conflicted and confused all the time.
He kicked at the floor as he stomped down the hallway, munching on his starzen bar. Zim rounded the corner and spotted the sulking Irken shuffling down the hallway.
"HEY!" Zim snapped, stomping toward him. Skoodge jumped and whipped around, looking wide eyed at Zim, who hurled the packet of skoosh-beans directly at his face. Before Skoodge could react Zim turned and stomped back down the opposite hallway.
Pathetic, little nuisance. He thought, taking another bite of his snack.
Woohoo. I'm back! But for how long?
I've been having some trouble getting chapters out because of the subject matter. I'm trying to approach everything as seriously as I can, but I've been coming off very mushy lately. But hey! Mushy's good, right? For a romance novel? Eh?
But seriously though. Thank you all for sticking with me for this long and coming back after my random hiatuses. I haven't forgotten about Lost. I promise. An ending has been thoroughly planned out and I'm SO excited for you to see what I've got.
All the love.
Idakiller24