Chapter 3 - Let's avoid Exploding Please?
"Look I know what you're going to say but supernatural powers could easily explain the existence of a human with laser vision." Dib and Kam had been arguing for about half the walk to Membrane labs.
"And I already told you that the excess production of energy and radiation that close to a person's brain would fry them in an instant." Zim had never seen anyone continue to argue with the Dib monkey for so long without calling any of his paranormal theories crazy. Personally he knew Kam was right in the most part but he had never really cared to study Dib's theories.
"Zim. There must be at least one alien species that has laser vision right?" Dib asked half pleading.
Once again the Dib monkey had forgotten that his identity as an Irken was a secret to every human other than him and Gaz.
"I have no idea what you mean. I am not an alien. How would I know if there are aliens with laser vision?" I'll send GIR to his house later with a Meekrobian stink bomb, Zim told himself.
Kam punched Dib. "Really Cuz? I know you're obsessed with aliens but that doesn't mean Zim is."
"No but he's…" Dib shut up after Zim glared, with PAK pointing a laser at him.
After they arrived at the lab, the three of them had to go through the security checkpoints. Zim and Dib had worked together in the past to find a way for Zim to get PAK inside without setting off alarms for unauthorized technology. It was such a habit by now that they completely forgot Kam was there.
"Where's that backpack of yours?" She asked Zim as they walked through the final security check.
"Heh? Uhhh…." He gave Dib an 'Oh crap now what!?' look.
Dib to the rescue, "They had to scan it for… uhh… residual bacteria from Zim's… umm….. dog?"
"YES! My dog. He gets ill with normal earth dog diseases."
Kam looked at the two of them with a raised eyebrow then just shrugged and walked in. They each made 'phew that was close' reaction then followed. This human was smarter than most. Zim decided he would have to be more careful.
Dib lead Kam off to the area of the lab they usually worked in while Zim went and retrieved PAK. When he got to the room the two of them were already at work writing up equations and drawing blueprints. Zim leaned over the chemical-energy-output equation Kam was writing out.
"That part is incorrect. If you mix those two in that amount of pressure you won't be able to contain the output of energy."
Kam looked up at him then back at her equation. Zim watched fascinated as the human quickly scanned over what had probably taken her an hour to write out. "Oh that's where I messed up." She said pointing to a particularly messy area with multiple scratched notes. Zim had to look over the spot several times before he could see where the error was.
The three of them worked on, talking and comparing notes, though Zim did very little writing. He already knew the technology there was no point in pretending he didn't. Even if he had been a slightly unsuccessful invader that didn't mean that his knowledge of Irken technology was in any way lacking.
Over time the Dib human's questions got more annoying as he continually failed to understand why earth materials would be insufficient to contain the heated plasma at a proper pressure and still be able to progressively cool it. During one particularly drawn out question Zim simply stopped listening and found himself watching Kam as she worked at a nearby computer designing a program to test their increasingly large number of theories.
This human female is as skilled with computers as an Irken. Zim thought to himself. Even the Dib monkey worked by rewriting old programs, but here she was writing a program from scratch for a process she did not fully understand.
An elbow in the midsection of his squeedlyspooch brought his attention back to Dib.
"What's with you today?" Dib half whispered. "You keep losing focus, not that that's any different from normal, but usually you're… louder."
"Heh?" Had he been? He really hadn't noticed. "Me? LOUD!? Whatever do you mean?" Zim said folding his hands looking as innocent as a newborn smeet with a super weapon.
"Uh huh. Yeah ok. Well anyway couldn't we just… Zim?" Zim was looking at Kam again. Dib's confused look turned into an evil smirk when he poked the back of Zim's head.
Swatting at Dib's hand, "What do you want earth monkey? I already told you that there aren't any materials you can obtain on this planet that will allow you to get the…" Zim paused when he noticed Dib's smirk. "What?"
"You like her don't you?"
It took Zim a moment to process this.
"ZIM? Like a HUMAN!? Nonsense."
"But you keep staring at her."
"I am simply evaluating the differences between her greater intellect verses the distended size of your head."
Dib didn't have time to think of a return insult because a security guard walked in and told them they were locking up the lab for the night. They packed up their stuff and left. Zim was more careful through the security checks on the way out.
