Well, here's the 'big reveal' chapter. I think I've really improved this scene from the original form - two years later, my writing style's a bit more evolved. Don't hesitate to tell me what you think.

I do not own Invader Zim, Jhonen Vasquez does. I only own Kloof and the contents of this story.

The Betrayal

Rewrite Chapter 2

I, Traitor

"So, why exactly are we analyzing DNA?" Dib asked.

"I told you, scum-Dib, I need to know what we're up against," Zim snarled in reply. The two, along with Gaz and Gir, stood in front of the computer in the depths of Zim's lab, and none but Gir were happy. Dib wasn't happy because he was jealous of Zim's superior alien technology; Zim was irritated that the two human siblings had gained access to his base yet again. Gaz… Gaz wasn't really ever happy. "Most Irkens don't have strength quite like that, and none are waterproof."

"Also, he has the normal human amount of fingers." Everybody stared at Dib. "What? Tak only had two fingers and a thumb in her disguise, and I'm not going to miss something like THAT again! I've been counting the fingers of everybody I met!"

"He really hit you hard, Dib," Gaz muttered. "Not bad, but he put too much force into the first hit. If you go flying, there's no time for a second attack." Gaz had been entertaining herself with her latest game, Pig Cannon XI. When she offered something to the conversation, it wasn't helpful.

"Wait… when did you get his DNA anyway?" Dib rubbed his right eye, which was swollen shut. "You never touched him."

"You're AWFULly observant for a wormling that was unconscious for five minutes," Zim snapped. "But if you need to know, there were some unearthly skin cells on your face while you were OUT."

"You went over and took a good look at me after he hit me?" Dib grinned. "I didn't know you cared, Zim."

"I DON'T," he snapped loudly. "But I needed to check the damage to give me a good idea of how much danger I was in. AHA!" Zim suddenly shouted, thrusting his fist into the air and nearly socking Dib's already bruised and battered face in the process. "This Kloof thing-boy actually is Irken!"

"So what's up with him, then?"

Zim opened his mouth to respond, but there was a crackling sound in the middle of the room, and suddenly Tak, Kloof and Mimi materialized in a bright flash of electricity that caused the lights to flicker ominously. They weren't wearing their disguises, allowing a full view of Tak's ominous purple eyes, Mimi's wicked smashing claw, and Kloof's polished maroon body armor and the numerous scars on his visible skin. Gir, still smiling, went into a long continuous scream. It continued for several seconds, until Tak nodded to Mimi, and Mimi fired a sort of suction dart that stuck to Gir's forehead and promptly short-circuited him.

"Zim!" Kloof yelled, drawing his two swords (which were both about the same size as said Invader). Zim hesitantly turned his head towards Kloof to see what he had to say, blinking stupidly at them. "You may be wondering about my robotic appearance, or the fact that water doesn't affect me."

"Huh? ...I mean, yes. YES I AM!"

"Well see, the same idiocy of yours that trapped Tak in the control room that fateful day butchered me! I had just passed the invader exam - at the top of my class, if I do say so myself - and was in a teleporter at the time." Kloof paused, apparently to regain his self-control, as his hands were rattling against his swords' hilts. "So you may be wondering why I'm here…"

"To get revenge on me and take my mission?" Zim said, remembering Kloof was working for Tak. Let's give Zim a cookie for the guess.

"No, no…to thank you." Kloof said calmly.

"That's right! He…" Somewhere in Tak's brain, gears stripped themselves as she feverishly tried to shift into full mental reverse, and her cruel, triumphant smile flaked off her face and fell to the floor as her eyes widened. "To… thank… you. TO THANK YOU?!" She turned to Kloof questioningly.

Suddenly, one of Kloof's swords was held to the very surprised neck of a very surprised Tak. The other sword was safely sheathed… inside Mimi, followed by a quick slicing-and-dicing motion that quickly tore the small robot apart. This was unexpected enough that even Gaz cracked an eye mostly open.

"That was fun," Kloof sighed, but then he was all business again. "Funny thing about getting parts of your brain replaced with robotics – you gain a delightful new perspective. I can see EVERYTHING more clearly now. I can see the future of the Empire… and it's not good. Every empire in universal history collapses eventually."

"YOU LIE!" Zim interjected.

"No… no, he's right," Dib mumbled in agreement.

"When I woke up," Kloof continued, almost oblivious to Zim and Dib's comments, "I realized that the path the Irken Empire is on is a path to sure destruction… and I made it my personal goal to stop our imperialistic expansion. By ANY means necessary. Although I officially joined the Black Ops, I also swore allegiance to the enslaved Vortian scientists who rebuilt me… and through them, the Resisty."

"You…" Tak was shaking. Her words were so filled with hate, they oozed from her mouth like black, pestilence-filled slugs. "You're working for the RESISTY!" she suddenly shrieked. "You're a traitor to the EMPIRE!" She collapsed to the ground, looking as though she might vomit. "And I've been… working with you… helping you…"

Kloof only chuckled. "Poor, narrow-minded little Tak. We're really the same, you know… we only want to accomplish what's best for Irkens everywhere. I've met Lard Nar, in person. He's a good Vortian. He wants to overthrow the Irkens and free all the enslaved races, but he's not going to wipe anybody out. He detests genocide. I'm going to save the Irken Empire, with his blessing, by CUTTING out the cancer. The Tallest."

"You're proposing an… assassination? But that's IMPOSSIBLE!" Zim yelled. "Also, YOU'LL NEVER GET AWAY WITH IT!" He leapt at Kloof, but a single bash with the flat of Kloof's sword sent Zim tumbling, coming to a rough stop at the base of his computer console. "COMPUTER! STOP HIM!"

Kloof shook his head, even as laser cannons began to unfold from the walls. "Computer: Black Ops override password: soft pretzel." The cannons retracted, much to Zim's bewilderment, and the computer shut down.

"You… betrayer…" Tak whispered, her expression twisted into a horribly rage-filled visage.

Kloof turned to Gaz and Dib. "I showed up when Tak needed me most, because I hoped I would be able to get close to Zim and manipulate him into helping me KILL the TALLEST. But I have a better idea: you two. I need the help of you two in assassinating the Tallest."

Without missing a beat, Dib gave Kloof an epic thumbs-up. "Kill Zim's leaders and throw his entire race into disarray, hopefully leading them to reorganize into a way that won't endanger Earth? SIGN ME THE CRUD UP!" he yelled.

Gaz was less enthusiastic. "Screw off, I'm playing Pig Cannon."

"I'll offer you an advanced modular alien gaming system in return for your services…" Gaz shrugged and agreed upon hearing that.

"Come on, then, before these two blind FOOLS can properly mount a counteroffensive." Kloof led them off into the elevator, leaving Zim and Tak alone to recover.

Kloof led the two into Tak's new ship, where they proceed to take off. Tak would've stopped them, had she not been frozen in surprise. "Wait!" Zim yelled. "GET BACK HERE! ZIM COMMANDS YOOOUUU!"

"Shut up, Zim," Kloof yelled. "Thank your lucky snacks I left you guys alive!" And then they were gone.

With a scowl on her face, Tak halfheartedly began to fix Mimi. Zim just fidgeted for several minutes, unsure of what to do, before deciding to boot up his computer again (he didn't bother with Gir for now). He worked on that a few minutes more, while Tak got all the pieces of Mimi together. Finally, with a carried-out sigh, she reluctantly began to speak. "Zim, much as I hate saying this, to defeat that traitor…" Tak almost spat. "We'll have to…" another pause for a swallow. "…work together."

"I realize this!" Zim confirmed matter-of-factly as he turned from the computer and pulled the suction dart off Gir, slowly bringing the little robot around. "You know, Dib had your old ship fixed up at his house… since they left in Kloof's ship, you could use that."

"My old ship!" Tak yelled, practically drooling with sudden anticipation. "With that I can kick his metal ass…"

"I'm coming!" Zim yelled. "We can't let our TALLEST die!"

"That's why I said 'work together', you IMBECILE!" Tak yelled. "Now hurry up and show me where Dib lives, I have a plan."

"Will we be throwing Gir into something?"

"What?! No. And Zim?"

"…Yyyyyes?"

"Never. Speak. Again."

End of Chapter

Alright then! Now you're probably wondering about Kloof. Here's the deal: Kloof is absolutely under the impression that he's doing the right thing. Whether he is, now there's the dilemma, which I'll leave for each reader to decide for themselves. And yes, Kloof is guilty of the same flaws in logic that other Irkens tend towards, but his main one runs pretty deep. Here it is: Kloof doesn't see what's wrong with killing every Irken person to save the Irken people. The fact that he hasn't realized that little fallacy is intrisic to his character.