Chapter Three: The Trial
A colossal rumbling sound shook the classroom, and some creatures appeared before them. They were tall, slender aliens that greatly resembled the grays. "Your people, the humans, have proven yourselves to be a menace to the galaxy!" the voice of the first one thundered, "It is our assignment to take an unknowing group of people to see if they are worthy enough to exist."
"You can't destroy Earth!" Dib shouted out.
"Why not?"
"Because! There's good in people! It may not be noticeable, but Sal has proven it!"
"If this girl can prove that humans are fit to exist, we will allow you to live. If not, you will be terminated." The class gasped. "Well...?"
"Humans can love. We can love."
"You have the capability, but do you ever use it?"
"Yes. I do love."
"Who?"
"I love Zim." Zim blushed from the other side of the room.
"What else is there good?"
"Well...there's...there's..."
"A response this long shows there can't be much else worth anything, and since it is obvious that your people use their worst qualities more than their better ones, it is our decision to destroy humanity. We will begin with the one you call Dib."
"NO!" she shrieked out. "You can't kill him!"
"He would not be your ancestor, but you would still be born if he dies."
"I don't care! You aren't going to kill him! You'd have to kill me first!"
"Then so be it."
"Wait! I am not the one you should look for the goodness of humanity in! You should look to him! Dib is the one who is to save this Earth! He is destined to! Not I! There must be something in him to change your minds, or I would not exist!"
"We will try. What good is there in humanity, Dib?"
"Persistence! We won't give up without a fight!"
"What else?"
"Look into his mind! There must be some quality that is in there! Scan his mind!"
"How would we do that?"
"Let me tap into his thoughts and memories; then I'll relay them to you telepathically." She put her hands on the sides of his head, and instructed him to close his eyes and blank his mind. During the time, the two aliens were receiving images and thoughts and mused over them.
"He tries to save his kind, despite the fact they don't respect him...these thoughts confuse me. Why would anyone want to save a species not worth saving?"
"Perhaps he wanted to save them because they're his own kind."
"Maybe. Wait, this is an interesting thought. I've got a hold of something now...he seems to want...to prove something. Prove himself worthy. Interesting. We have decided to allow humans to survive, but we're going to have to erase the class's memory of seeing us."
"Okay." They disappeared, and the kids were in their usual trance Sal had brought them into. "Dib, thank you. You saved our lives."
"I...did? What did I do?"
"You trying to defeat Zim. That's what did it. I'm sure of it. But as I was saying before, someone's going to try to kill you, and they won't stop. We need to get you to safety somehow. You can't die."
"Where are you staying?"
"At an abandoned apartment building. Why?"
"I want you to come home with me tonight. You are my family."
"All right. I accept."
"So, how did your ears get like that?"
"It is guessed that it is mutation. You're probably going to be exposed to radioactivity at some point in your life, affecting your children, and your children's children, and so on. That's how we're very easily identifiable. We're the only family with the pointed ears, so your children or anyone who's descended from them has pointed ears."
"Do you think you should bring them out of it?"
"Oh, I suppose." Sal snapped her fingers, and everyone's eyes blinked closed and open again.
"Everyone go home!" Ms. Bitters snapped, and even though it wasn't even lunchtime yet, they did as she said. Zim helped Sal with her books as she carefully packed away her laptop.
"Sal, now I truly don't want the Dib-human to die, because you'll never exist."
"Thank you, Zim. That's kind of you. I would've thought you'd immediately loathe any descendant of Dib's. I can honestly say that I'm pleasantly surprised. But I warn you, if you harm him in any way, I'll hate you for the rest of my life."
"Oh, okay." She got up, and walked out the door with Dib. Zim ran to catch up. "Um, Sal? Can I...walk you home?"
"Are you sure you don't have a trick up your sleeve?"
"No! Of course not! I just want to walk you home!"
"What?! Zim, you're NOT walking my great-great-great granddaughter home!"
"Do you mind, Dib-monkey? Sal and I want to be alone."
"Sal, I won't let you walk home with Zim! He'll do something horrible to you!"
"Relax, Dib, I'm okay. I won't let him hurt me. I trust he won't."
"All right. But be careful! I'll meet you at my house. If you're not there by a certain time, I'm going to call the police. Understand?"
"Yes. I comprehend in a flawless manner." Dib ran on ahead, and waited anxiously for her to get home. He heard her laughter and came out around the back way. From around the corner of the house, he watched them. "Goodbye, Zim."
"Goodbye, Sal." Zim hugged her, and Dib clenched his fist. He dipped her down for a kiss, but Dib leapt out from the side of the house and pushed him away.
"I'm not going to let you kiss her!"
"Dib, I think you're getting a little parental here."
"Technically I AM your great-great-great grandfather, aren't I? And there is no way on Earth I'm going to let you and ZIM kiss!"
"He said he'll stop invading Earth if we date."
"I don't care! I'd never let him succeed, anyhow!"
"Why can't I?"
"Because he's an alien bent on world domination, that's why!"
"Actually, galactic conquest."
"Whatever! Look, the point is that he's an alien, and he's dangerous!"
"I think he's kind of sweet."
"Sweet?! Has he brainwashed you?!"
"I don't think so...but then again, I'm brainwashed every day that I see commercials on the television set, so I might not know the difference."
"Please, trust me. He's no good for you. You deserve someone better."
"Just where do you expect me to find someone better than him? Within humans?"
"Maybe in your time."
"Okay. I'll look."
"That's better. Come inside now, it's getting cold."
"All right. Whatever you say..."
"Sal? Sal, are you looking out that window where Zim is? Sal, look away from there!" Dib dragged her into the kitchen, where they found Gaz.
"Dib, is this my great-great-great grandaunt Gaz?"
"Yes, this is my sister, Gaz. Gaz, this is my future great-great-great granddaughter, Sal." Gaz gave him a look that plainly said, 'you're crazy' and walked into the living room with her Gameslave. "I'm not sure that she believes me."
"Don't worry about that. But, you do worry about me and Zim getting together, so if you're going to be parental in telling me I cannot go out with him, you're going to have to make my meals and be responsible for me."
"Hey, do I really have to be a parent before I even reach my thirteenth birthday? I'm your age, you know."
"Yes, and you'll live to be ninety-six, too. So, why not break out the sweets and sugar-coated chocolate while you still can!"
"Sugar-coated chocolate is sickening."
"It is, but it's something sweet to suck on and keep you occupied. We do need to get down to business, though."
"Business? What business?"
"I'm not here for vacation, you know. Remember? The assassin that's after you to make sure I die?"
"Oh, yeah. What are we going to do?"
"Well, despite my original plan, we're going to have to stick right by each other for every moment." She pulled what looked like a pair of handcuffs from her backpack, and locked Dib's right hand in one, and her left hand in the other.
"Um...Sal?"
"Yes Dib?"
"I need to use the restroom."
"Hmm...I didn't think about that...can you wait for another hundred and fifty-three years?"
"No! I don't think I can wait another hundred and fifty-three seconds!"
"Um...hmm...let's think now...oh! I've got it! I didn't throw the key away, thank goodness!" Sal quickly unlocked him and let him go to the bathroom. When he returned, she locked him in again. "You better have washed your hands."
"Of course I did!"
"I'm hungry. Anything in the department of snacks?"
"Your attitude sure has changed since you first came here, now hasn't it? First you want to ignore me, and now we're handcuffed together."
"Well, I just want to make it last. I'm not going to be here forever, you know."
"I will see you later on in my life, won't I?"
"No, I'm afraid not. You're going to live to be ninety-six years old. That's old, but not nearly old enough to see me born. To see me as I am now, you'd have to live to be one hundred and sixty-five years old. That's much older than any human being has lived before. I'm so sorry. But at least we get to know each other at all. Just imagine - if I never came here, you wouldn't ever know of my existence until the day you die. That's about eighty-four years from now. Nearly a decade over three-quarters of a century."
"I'm glad I get to know you."
"Me too. Let's look at one of your magazines, shall we?" They looked through a few, and talked until it was about nine-thirty.
"It's time for bed. I'd better get changed."
"I suppose I'll have to unlock the handcuffs again." Dib nodded, and as he changed in his room, she went to use the restroom and came back to see him finished.
"Two minutes. I bet you can't change faster."
"Wanna bet?"
"Yeah. Bet what?"
"Hmm...how about that lovely stack of magazines over there?"
"But those are my favorites!"
"Think I'm going to beat you?"
"Okay! The magazines! And if you lose...?"
"I'll give you my laptop."
"I already have a computer."
"Not one from the year 2207, you don't!"
"Okay. The computer. I'm timing you starting...now!" Sal reached into a pocket in her jacket and retrieved what looked like a miniature remote. She turned the dial, and she was changed into a short-sleeved black shirt with a UFO imprinted on it and the words 'they're here' written below in white ink, a pair of black pants, and midnight blue socks.
"Two seconds. Beat that next time. So, are you gift-wrapping the magazines for me?"
"That's cheating!"
"You bet that I couldn't change faster than you did. I did. Therefore, the magazines are mine. But, I'll let you have them anyway."
"Thanks."
"No problem. I also want you to keep my computer."
"I couldn't ask you to do that."
"Just so long as you give me your old one."
"I'll lose all my files though!"
"Nope. All you have to do is to save it to a disk. I can then process that in my computer, and save it to a data cube. I can do the same thing with all of my files. Just a little computer swap."
"You really mean it?"
"Why, of course. But let's do that in the morning. I'm tired. Oh! Almost forgot!" She handcuffed him to her wrist once again. "I don't want them taking you and killing you while I sleep." They got into bed, and sat up awake for a while.
"I thought you were tired."
"Yes, I am. But I'm very worried. You see, I had planned to just attend your class so that when they came looking for you, they'd find me here without anyone protecting me from them, so they could kill me."
"No! I won't let anyone kill you."
"I know, it's different now. That's why I didn't want you to find out who I was. I didn't want you to be sad. But now that you know, I can't let you just die. I want to be with you every moment, so that when I do die, I can be sure that we've gotten to know each other and things have not gone undone. But I will die. I can't let that be a surprise to you."
"I won't let them kill you."
"What are you going to do about it? You can't very well give yourself up for me, because I'd die anyway! It's hopeless!"
"No, there must be something we can do. There must be someone out there who will give their life up for you who's not your ancestor."
"I came here without authorization, you know. I heard of the plan to assassinate you, and I decided to give myself up. It's better that I die than for the both of us along with my entire family to die."
"Zim. Do you think he'll die for you?"
"I'm not quite sure. But I don't know what we're going to do. It's not just you. They can kill your future wife who's my great-great-great grandmother; they can kill my mother, my father, my grandparents, my great- grandparents, or my great-great grandparents. Or they can kill your father. Anyone who is my ancestor, they can kill, and it'll destroy the family. I don't know what to do."
"Wait, why didn't they target anyone else?"
"I don't know."
"Why do you think?"
"Because you're one of the most famous people in history, maybe."
"Who are these people who want you dead and are going to kill me?"
"They're Irken rebels. They're tall, and don't like the fact that they're not treated better than the short people."
"Didn't you say that it was because of me that everything changed?"
"Well, I said it was Zim, but it's mostly you. If you hadn't saved Earth from those aliens from the Department of Inter-galactic Relations, Zim wouldn't have gotten the nerve to ask to walk me home, wouldn't have nearly kissed me, wouldn't love me, and he'd conquer Earth like normal! Then why aren't you dead...?"
"No one's made an attempt on my life. Has anyone tried to hurt you?"
"No. Maybe...maybe if I'm dead, he'd have no reason to leave Earth unharmed, and without you in the way, he'd end up conquering Earth, it'd be covered in a conspiracy because it's not a well-known planet, meaning that things wouldn't be reversed on Irk! It all makes sense now!"
"Then why don't they just destroy Zim?"
"He has to conquer Earth, remember?"
"Oh yeah."
"I need to call up Zim and tell him this."
"Wait - what's your real name? You said it wasn't really Sal."
"Raina. My real name is Raina. And I am not what I have led you to believe." Shakily, she pulled something out from her pocket. It was a gun. Dib's eyes opened wide as she pointed it to him, straight in between the eyes. "Dib Membrane, I am about to kill you."
A colossal rumbling sound shook the classroom, and some creatures appeared before them. They were tall, slender aliens that greatly resembled the grays. "Your people, the humans, have proven yourselves to be a menace to the galaxy!" the voice of the first one thundered, "It is our assignment to take an unknowing group of people to see if they are worthy enough to exist."
"You can't destroy Earth!" Dib shouted out.
"Why not?"
"Because! There's good in people! It may not be noticeable, but Sal has proven it!"
"If this girl can prove that humans are fit to exist, we will allow you to live. If not, you will be terminated." The class gasped. "Well...?"
"Humans can love. We can love."
"You have the capability, but do you ever use it?"
"Yes. I do love."
"Who?"
"I love Zim." Zim blushed from the other side of the room.
"What else is there good?"
"Well...there's...there's..."
"A response this long shows there can't be much else worth anything, and since it is obvious that your people use their worst qualities more than their better ones, it is our decision to destroy humanity. We will begin with the one you call Dib."
"NO!" she shrieked out. "You can't kill him!"
"He would not be your ancestor, but you would still be born if he dies."
"I don't care! You aren't going to kill him! You'd have to kill me first!"
"Then so be it."
"Wait! I am not the one you should look for the goodness of humanity in! You should look to him! Dib is the one who is to save this Earth! He is destined to! Not I! There must be something in him to change your minds, or I would not exist!"
"We will try. What good is there in humanity, Dib?"
"Persistence! We won't give up without a fight!"
"What else?"
"Look into his mind! There must be some quality that is in there! Scan his mind!"
"How would we do that?"
"Let me tap into his thoughts and memories; then I'll relay them to you telepathically." She put her hands on the sides of his head, and instructed him to close his eyes and blank his mind. During the time, the two aliens were receiving images and thoughts and mused over them.
"He tries to save his kind, despite the fact they don't respect him...these thoughts confuse me. Why would anyone want to save a species not worth saving?"
"Perhaps he wanted to save them because they're his own kind."
"Maybe. Wait, this is an interesting thought. I've got a hold of something now...he seems to want...to prove something. Prove himself worthy. Interesting. We have decided to allow humans to survive, but we're going to have to erase the class's memory of seeing us."
"Okay." They disappeared, and the kids were in their usual trance Sal had brought them into. "Dib, thank you. You saved our lives."
"I...did? What did I do?"
"You trying to defeat Zim. That's what did it. I'm sure of it. But as I was saying before, someone's going to try to kill you, and they won't stop. We need to get you to safety somehow. You can't die."
"Where are you staying?"
"At an abandoned apartment building. Why?"
"I want you to come home with me tonight. You are my family."
"All right. I accept."
"So, how did your ears get like that?"
"It is guessed that it is mutation. You're probably going to be exposed to radioactivity at some point in your life, affecting your children, and your children's children, and so on. That's how we're very easily identifiable. We're the only family with the pointed ears, so your children or anyone who's descended from them has pointed ears."
"Do you think you should bring them out of it?"
"Oh, I suppose." Sal snapped her fingers, and everyone's eyes blinked closed and open again.
"Everyone go home!" Ms. Bitters snapped, and even though it wasn't even lunchtime yet, they did as she said. Zim helped Sal with her books as she carefully packed away her laptop.
"Sal, now I truly don't want the Dib-human to die, because you'll never exist."
"Thank you, Zim. That's kind of you. I would've thought you'd immediately loathe any descendant of Dib's. I can honestly say that I'm pleasantly surprised. But I warn you, if you harm him in any way, I'll hate you for the rest of my life."
"Oh, okay." She got up, and walked out the door with Dib. Zim ran to catch up. "Um, Sal? Can I...walk you home?"
"Are you sure you don't have a trick up your sleeve?"
"No! Of course not! I just want to walk you home!"
"What?! Zim, you're NOT walking my great-great-great granddaughter home!"
"Do you mind, Dib-monkey? Sal and I want to be alone."
"Sal, I won't let you walk home with Zim! He'll do something horrible to you!"
"Relax, Dib, I'm okay. I won't let him hurt me. I trust he won't."
"All right. But be careful! I'll meet you at my house. If you're not there by a certain time, I'm going to call the police. Understand?"
"Yes. I comprehend in a flawless manner." Dib ran on ahead, and waited anxiously for her to get home. He heard her laughter and came out around the back way. From around the corner of the house, he watched them. "Goodbye, Zim."
"Goodbye, Sal." Zim hugged her, and Dib clenched his fist. He dipped her down for a kiss, but Dib leapt out from the side of the house and pushed him away.
"I'm not going to let you kiss her!"
"Dib, I think you're getting a little parental here."
"Technically I AM your great-great-great grandfather, aren't I? And there is no way on Earth I'm going to let you and ZIM kiss!"
"He said he'll stop invading Earth if we date."
"I don't care! I'd never let him succeed, anyhow!"
"Why can't I?"
"Because he's an alien bent on world domination, that's why!"
"Actually, galactic conquest."
"Whatever! Look, the point is that he's an alien, and he's dangerous!"
"I think he's kind of sweet."
"Sweet?! Has he brainwashed you?!"
"I don't think so...but then again, I'm brainwashed every day that I see commercials on the television set, so I might not know the difference."
"Please, trust me. He's no good for you. You deserve someone better."
"Just where do you expect me to find someone better than him? Within humans?"
"Maybe in your time."
"Okay. I'll look."
"That's better. Come inside now, it's getting cold."
"All right. Whatever you say..."
"Sal? Sal, are you looking out that window where Zim is? Sal, look away from there!" Dib dragged her into the kitchen, where they found Gaz.
"Dib, is this my great-great-great grandaunt Gaz?"
"Yes, this is my sister, Gaz. Gaz, this is my future great-great-great granddaughter, Sal." Gaz gave him a look that plainly said, 'you're crazy' and walked into the living room with her Gameslave. "I'm not sure that she believes me."
"Don't worry about that. But, you do worry about me and Zim getting together, so if you're going to be parental in telling me I cannot go out with him, you're going to have to make my meals and be responsible for me."
"Hey, do I really have to be a parent before I even reach my thirteenth birthday? I'm your age, you know."
"Yes, and you'll live to be ninety-six, too. So, why not break out the sweets and sugar-coated chocolate while you still can!"
"Sugar-coated chocolate is sickening."
"It is, but it's something sweet to suck on and keep you occupied. We do need to get down to business, though."
"Business? What business?"
"I'm not here for vacation, you know. Remember? The assassin that's after you to make sure I die?"
"Oh, yeah. What are we going to do?"
"Well, despite my original plan, we're going to have to stick right by each other for every moment." She pulled what looked like a pair of handcuffs from her backpack, and locked Dib's right hand in one, and her left hand in the other.
"Um...Sal?"
"Yes Dib?"
"I need to use the restroom."
"Hmm...I didn't think about that...can you wait for another hundred and fifty-three years?"
"No! I don't think I can wait another hundred and fifty-three seconds!"
"Um...hmm...let's think now...oh! I've got it! I didn't throw the key away, thank goodness!" Sal quickly unlocked him and let him go to the bathroom. When he returned, she locked him in again. "You better have washed your hands."
"Of course I did!"
"I'm hungry. Anything in the department of snacks?"
"Your attitude sure has changed since you first came here, now hasn't it? First you want to ignore me, and now we're handcuffed together."
"Well, I just want to make it last. I'm not going to be here forever, you know."
"I will see you later on in my life, won't I?"
"No, I'm afraid not. You're going to live to be ninety-six years old. That's old, but not nearly old enough to see me born. To see me as I am now, you'd have to live to be one hundred and sixty-five years old. That's much older than any human being has lived before. I'm so sorry. But at least we get to know each other at all. Just imagine - if I never came here, you wouldn't ever know of my existence until the day you die. That's about eighty-four years from now. Nearly a decade over three-quarters of a century."
"I'm glad I get to know you."
"Me too. Let's look at one of your magazines, shall we?" They looked through a few, and talked until it was about nine-thirty.
"It's time for bed. I'd better get changed."
"I suppose I'll have to unlock the handcuffs again." Dib nodded, and as he changed in his room, she went to use the restroom and came back to see him finished.
"Two minutes. I bet you can't change faster."
"Wanna bet?"
"Yeah. Bet what?"
"Hmm...how about that lovely stack of magazines over there?"
"But those are my favorites!"
"Think I'm going to beat you?"
"Okay! The magazines! And if you lose...?"
"I'll give you my laptop."
"I already have a computer."
"Not one from the year 2207, you don't!"
"Okay. The computer. I'm timing you starting...now!" Sal reached into a pocket in her jacket and retrieved what looked like a miniature remote. She turned the dial, and she was changed into a short-sleeved black shirt with a UFO imprinted on it and the words 'they're here' written below in white ink, a pair of black pants, and midnight blue socks.
"Two seconds. Beat that next time. So, are you gift-wrapping the magazines for me?"
"That's cheating!"
"You bet that I couldn't change faster than you did. I did. Therefore, the magazines are mine. But, I'll let you have them anyway."
"Thanks."
"No problem. I also want you to keep my computer."
"I couldn't ask you to do that."
"Just so long as you give me your old one."
"I'll lose all my files though!"
"Nope. All you have to do is to save it to a disk. I can then process that in my computer, and save it to a data cube. I can do the same thing with all of my files. Just a little computer swap."
"You really mean it?"
"Why, of course. But let's do that in the morning. I'm tired. Oh! Almost forgot!" She handcuffed him to her wrist once again. "I don't want them taking you and killing you while I sleep." They got into bed, and sat up awake for a while.
"I thought you were tired."
"Yes, I am. But I'm very worried. You see, I had planned to just attend your class so that when they came looking for you, they'd find me here without anyone protecting me from them, so they could kill me."
"No! I won't let anyone kill you."
"I know, it's different now. That's why I didn't want you to find out who I was. I didn't want you to be sad. But now that you know, I can't let you just die. I want to be with you every moment, so that when I do die, I can be sure that we've gotten to know each other and things have not gone undone. But I will die. I can't let that be a surprise to you."
"I won't let them kill you."
"What are you going to do about it? You can't very well give yourself up for me, because I'd die anyway! It's hopeless!"
"No, there must be something we can do. There must be someone out there who will give their life up for you who's not your ancestor."
"I came here without authorization, you know. I heard of the plan to assassinate you, and I decided to give myself up. It's better that I die than for the both of us along with my entire family to die."
"Zim. Do you think he'll die for you?"
"I'm not quite sure. But I don't know what we're going to do. It's not just you. They can kill your future wife who's my great-great-great grandmother; they can kill my mother, my father, my grandparents, my great- grandparents, or my great-great grandparents. Or they can kill your father. Anyone who is my ancestor, they can kill, and it'll destroy the family. I don't know what to do."
"Wait, why didn't they target anyone else?"
"I don't know."
"Why do you think?"
"Because you're one of the most famous people in history, maybe."
"Who are these people who want you dead and are going to kill me?"
"They're Irken rebels. They're tall, and don't like the fact that they're not treated better than the short people."
"Didn't you say that it was because of me that everything changed?"
"Well, I said it was Zim, but it's mostly you. If you hadn't saved Earth from those aliens from the Department of Inter-galactic Relations, Zim wouldn't have gotten the nerve to ask to walk me home, wouldn't have nearly kissed me, wouldn't love me, and he'd conquer Earth like normal! Then why aren't you dead...?"
"No one's made an attempt on my life. Has anyone tried to hurt you?"
"No. Maybe...maybe if I'm dead, he'd have no reason to leave Earth unharmed, and without you in the way, he'd end up conquering Earth, it'd be covered in a conspiracy because it's not a well-known planet, meaning that things wouldn't be reversed on Irk! It all makes sense now!"
"Then why don't they just destroy Zim?"
"He has to conquer Earth, remember?"
"Oh yeah."
"I need to call up Zim and tell him this."
"Wait - what's your real name? You said it wasn't really Sal."
"Raina. My real name is Raina. And I am not what I have led you to believe." Shakily, she pulled something out from her pocket. It was a gun. Dib's eyes opened wide as she pointed it to him, straight in between the eyes. "Dib Membrane, I am about to kill you."