Here's chapter five! (What a wonderfully short intro!) Language warning ahead!
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He's been here five years now, and I finally think something's happening, something Dib never suspected, something I was worried would happen, almost since day one.
As the years passed, Dib and I became fast friends. I admit, we probably used each other a bit. I used him to get close to Zim, to spy on the only member of my species within six solar systems, and Dib used me to get around the world on the few occasions we could sneak away together to follow up leads on some paranormal phenomenon other than Zim. Our most visited place was Chile; the last known haunt of the Chupacabras, a creature both of us found we had a weakness for.
Dib's biggest fear was that Zim would conjure some alien army from the sky to rain doom and destruction on humankind. Since Dib didn't have quite the inside knowledge I did, he wasn't able to tell Zim was a laughingstock among his kind, and even though I wasn't present for the things he did, I could get the feeling why. My biggest fear wasn't that he would summon the Armada; it was…well, one of two things, actually. One fear was that Zim would discover who I actually was and reveal my location to the Tallest, probably resulting in my slow and painful death. The other was that the Tallest would realize exactly how much raw slave power was contained on this planet, and loathe they may be to do it, send a slaving excursion to see what exactly could be made of the human race.
And tonight, that fear was being realized. Dib didn't associate his newfound ease at penetrating Zim's base with my sudden accompaniment on his trips, but I knew the reason we could now sneak up to the windows and peer through them for hours was because of my Irken genes. Tonight, some inane reason had caused Zim to communicate with his leaders not in the deep safety of his true base, but in his living room.
Dib was eagerly soaking in everything he could but I couldn't bring myself to look at the screen, so I listened, and looked just about anywhere else but into Zim's house. Over the past years, I had been able to deal with the demons of my past by fusing them into one entity. The Tallest. They were no longer individuals to me. It was harder to make that distinction when I was forced to look at them, so when I could afford not to, I didn't.
If Zim ever noticed that the majority of his transmissions to the Tallest were none-too-covert jokes, he didn't show it, and he definitely didn't show that he acknowledged the change in tone this night from most others.
"So, Zim," one of them said. "How many of these human-thingies live on this planet?"
"Several billion, sirs," he replied. "Six, at least. Billion, that is. They just won't stop—"
"Yeah, yeah, that's nice. How are they, like, physically? Strong? Weak?"
"Tall? Short?"
"Some are tall, my sirs," Zim said humbly, "and some are short. There's actually a great deal of variation." Hmm. Maybe he did acknowledge the difference. Tonight, he wasn't being egomaniacal. "Physically, there is also much variation, both between individuals of both genders and individuals in the same gender."
"Ah, but the main question here is will they make good slaves?"
"Oh yes, sirs, of course, sirs!" Zim said enthusiastically. "The stink-beasts have no brain capacity! They could be taught commands, but will undoubtedly have no will to rebel!" I rolled my eyes. Obviously, this young Irken hadn't been paying attention in history class. Tsk, tsk. I'd have to slip his teacher an anonymous note and correct that little problem! Zim continued on, either completely oblivious to the workings of the mass human psyche or leaving bits of it out. The way he described the race of the planet I lived on, you'd have thought they'd make ideal slaves! Judging by the way Dib tensed beside me, though, he didn't agree, and neither did I.
"Zim," the Tallests interrupted sternly. "Can you obtain a couple of specimens of these human-thingies to transport here for us to assess?"
"Of course, my Lords," he said, voice suddenly smooth and quite delighted-sounding. "I'd be perfectly willing too! And I know just the two as well!" By then, though, the Tallest had signed off, leaving Zim to exultantly crow these last few words to a blank screen. I grabbed Dib roughly by the arm and pulled him away, past the perimeter of the property. For once, the rather opinionated lad was silent.
"Well, this could pose a problem," I hissed when I was sure we were out of his absolute hearing range…barring any tech devices, of course. Dib just shook his head and gestured for me to follow him.
When we were safe in his father's lab under his house, he turned to me. "This poses more than a problem," he said tersely. "Zim could be out capturing humans left and right for his race's sadistic experiments!! We've got to find some way to stop him!" I stared in disbelief for a moment.
"Did you not hear a word that pathetic excuse for an Invader said?" I snapped. "He's coming for us! Not one of the kids in your class; not that creepy old lady who walks her lawnmower; not one of the free-form poets who work in that coffee shop I like! Us!"
"I…uh…yeah, I know," he admitted finally. "But…we can stop him! We've always been able to before! I know we can this time too!" I didn't say anything. Part of me knew that Dib had a good point. Zim was one of THE most inept Irkens I had ever seen! On the other hand, the look on his face when They told him he had to send them some subjects…I had never seen a look like that on his face. Not on Zim's. I abruptly bid Dib goodbye and turned on one heel, no longer in the mood to talk. I had countermeasures to come up with. He trailed me to the door, still talking, but I think my brain had disengaged by then, and I wasn't listening.
Nestled deep within the lab installed underneath the modest home I had taken on the outskirts of this city, I pulled up every file on Zim I had, be they gathered by Dib or by myself. I was trying to figure out how he would come after us, for I was sure it was us he'd come after. Several hours searching, though, and I didn't turn up a thing that we hadn't seen before and couldn't easily counteract. I kicked out at the computer console, spinning myself away and bumping against the far wall of the room. With a sigh that sounded more like a hiss, I got to my feet and paced the room once. I pulled one hand through my antennae, wincing slightly as I pulled a little too hard. I could feel the energy building in me, and knew if I didn't find a release soon, something would probably end up being lopped in half.
I thought that simply hanging out on the roof, enjoying the clear night would be enough. I was wrong. I thought the walk downtown, strolling the nearly deserted sidewalks, would be enough. I was wrong. I thought that a stroll in the midnight park would be enough. Once again, I was wrong.
I had to reassure myself, I realized as 1:00 quietly slipped into 2:00. So, after checking cursorily around to make sure I was alone, I deployed my mech legs from my pod and took to the roofs. A quieter, faster way of travel, I arrived at Zim's in a few moments. Clinging to the eave with two of the mechs, I quietly lowered myself over the edge and peered in one of the windows.
To my surprise, Zim was in there…and so was Dib. I flicked on my holo projector and continued to watch, antennae perked to pick up the sounds best. Zim was, predictably, happily proclaiming his VICTORY! Well, his half-victory, anyway. Dib was apparently unconscious, but other than that he looked okay—if 'okay' is read as 'I couldn't see any blood.' I leaned my head against the glass.
"Yesss," Zim was hissing, hands clasped menacingly in front of him. "The Dib-monkey has been vanquished! Now only for the other hyuuuuuman, the Alex-stink! Soon, both will be out of my hair and the path for invasion will be CLEAR!!!!"
"Not if I can help it," I murmured under my breath.
"Zim," a rather bored mechanical voice announced lazily. His computer. "The second subject is right outside. Shall I get it?" I stiffened, flipping myself back up onto the roof.
"Oh shit…oh SHIT!"
I didn't even get a chance to attempt to flee. An abrupt blossom of pain erupted at the base of my spine, just above my hips, and I half-turned in time to see a mechanical arm, equipped with a huge syringe, retract into Zim's roof. The edges of my vision were blurring with black as the tiny Irken emerged, and, unable to help myself, I collapsed back, unconscious, before that minuscule representative of my species (and I use the term as loosely as possible) even began to approach me.
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Oy, what a lame way to end a chapter. *Growls* Ah well. I tried, y'know? It took me so long to write that as the way it is! *Shrugs* Sorry 'bout it, folks. Now on to the shout-outs!
Chibiheartdragon: I'm *heart*-ed? Aw, I feel all special now! Yes, this truly is a sequel. *Nods*
MetaChi: Man, don't look at me. I don't even know what a kumquat is! I just like the way it sounds! ZaiFae thanks you for your (and I quote) "wholly deserved praise!" 9.9 What am I going to do with her, eh? NO, I didn't watch, but I heard they went thirteen for thirteen, right? It IS about time! XD It was 'The Nightmare Begins!' *Dances* I love that ep…any one with the Tallest in it I love! Samwise, eh? I'll hafta check that one out! *Cackles* Aw, you liked Zim and Dib? I'm so happy! I was worried I was gonna write 'em all funky. I never did like writing Zim…
Okay, people, review, please? Don't make me establish a review-for-updates quota, aight? *Wheedling voice* I'd hate to have to do that…*Puppy dog eyes* Please please please?
(Boy, do I sound pathetic or what? Oy…)