Episode 4: Behind Enemy Lines
Episode Summary- Zim has found the perfect use for Gir's slip up but can he really pull it off and make it back to his body in time?
Disclaimers: I Do Not Own Invader Zim
Author's Notes: So here we again! Thank you all for reading and please review.
Yours Truly, RoxieDivine :)
Episode 4- Behind Enemy Lines (Part 1)
(Back with Zim…)
This had to be the stupidest idea he had ever conjured up…
And Zim had defiantly had some stupid ideas!
Yes surely this was far stupider then his idea about destroying Earth with mutating weasels, or programing the humans with Irken head gear to buy more chocolates then simply ordering them to serve and obey him. And yet here he was standing before Principal Razi while stuck in Cadet Scamooch body declaring that Joseph (who was actually the real Scamooch stuck in his own body) wanted to become his minion!
Principal Razi was beyond shocked that the two had come before her about the subject, and for good reason. Joseph maybe a human, but he was no quitter, and folding to Scamooch's efforts to break him was not like him. "Cadet Scamooch will you please wait outside?" She asked.
Zim was not surprised at the request, no doubt Principal Razi wanted to make sure that Scamooch was not forcing Joseph into a life of slavery, she was always easier on him and Dib, though he was not sure why? So without a word he left to go wait outside of the office.
Principal Razi sighed before speaking. "Joseph be straight with me." She said.
Scamooch tried his best not to panic, why had she told Zim to wait outside? Where they in trouble? They didn't have time for this! "Yes ma'am?"
"Did Scamooch say something?" She asked.
"Ma'am?" Scamooch asked, barely remembering to stay in character.
"Did Scamooch force you to agree to this?" Principal Razi asked getting to the point.
Scamooch's eyes widen. 'Oh that's what she's getting at.' He realized. 'She thinks I'm being forced to make this decision.' He sighed. "No ma'am, the truth is I've been having a hard time holding a job since the trail, and I thought for Josh's sake it would be best to just…"
"Give in?" Principal Razi finished.
"It's not such a bad thing." Scamooch said. "Josh and I could finally have a normal life, no more worrying about bills, and whether or not we'll have enough rations to make it to next pay day."
Principal Razi nodded. "I am glad you came to this decision." She said. "To swallow your pride for your brother's sake is a very responsible thing to do." She went on. "I just want to be sure this is of your own doing."
"It is." Scamooch assured her.
Principal Razi smiled. "I'm very proud of you Joseph, I know the other members of the Staff think I show favoritism towards you and your brother, but the truth is I simply want all of your children to make the best choices. The world you are entering after school is not the same world your parents entered when they graduated. And in order for both Earth, and Zec to function as a well-oiled machine we all must find our place. And unlike the other Earth children you and Josh are on your own, who else will guide you to your rightful place if not me?"
Understanding suddenly fills Scamooch, Principal Razi simply wants the Campbell twins to be law abiding students. To be part of the solution and not be recruited by the resistance and become part of the problem. She thought by being their alley in the school she could sway them to becoming a part of the Irken machine instead of becoming another tool for the enemy. And Now that Joseph was becoming a minion, he and Josh were in the clear, no one would dare think they were the enemy.
It was the perfect cover, to hide in plain sight.
Scamooch nodded. "Thank you Principal Razi, your words only ensure me that I have made the right decision."
Principal Razi smiled. "You have, thousands of parents have made the same decision for their families. You really are giving your brother, and yourself the best chance of having a pretty normal life once you get out of High School." She assured him. "As a minion you will get to live on Zec with the privilege humans, and be guaranteed any career you want. You'll never have to worry about surviving until the next pay check. Plus you won't have to work anymore, think of all the free time you'll have now."
Scamooch allowed himself to smile. "Yes that would be nice." He agreed.
"How does Josh feel about it?" Principal Razi asked.
"He's not happy." Scamooch admitted. "But he understands that it's necessary, if we keep this up we might be put into the system, at least this way we get to stay together."
Principal Razi nodded once more. "Very well, you have permission to leave school early." She told him. "Now run along they close the same time school does, and let Scamooch know I'll phone in a bus to pick you to up and send you there."
"Yes ma'am." Scamooch said, and bowed respectfully before leaving.
Zim sighed in relief as Scamooch soon opened the door, a smile showing on his face.
"Principal Razi said we're good, she's calling for transportation now." He told him.
"Good now all we have to do is get to the bus ramp and wait for said transport to get here." Zim said leading the way.
"And what is going on here?" Vice Principal Gijon asked as he exit his own office which stood beside Principal Razi's.
"Sir." Zim addressed him at once, and thanked his lucky stars that Scamooch remembered to bow, and stay that way until acknowledged.
Scamooch suppressed a frustrated growl as he bowed, before Vice Principal Gijon, cadets did not have to bow to their Irken instructors, just address them properly. Humans however were lower than the cadets and had to bow when the higher staff positions such as the Vice Principal or Principal spoke to them. He felt so lowly having to bow to another Irken, but stomach it all the same. Still it did little to dull the guilt that he was starting to feel towards his new human allies, yes he was one of them now...a rebel. At least for now, though he was sure that nothing the Tallest said would change his mind.
Zim had told him to ask the Tallest why he was sentenced to Death, and Scamooch had decided that if he didn't like the answer that he would be joining the Rebels for good. Still he was tempted to join them anyways, being attached to Zim's PAK had opened his eyes to what the Tallest really were: Lying Monsters who cared nothing for Irk, or their people. All they cared for was power, so much so that they killed every last worthy smeet to make sure no one could take their power away.
And Scamooch swore they would pay for that, among other things.
"I am taking Joseph here to be marked as a minion." Zim went on.
"Really?" Vice Principal Gijon looks stunned.
"Yes, he has yet to find a stable job since his return from his trail, and after countless minutes of begging pathetically I decided to allow him the privilege." Zim went on.
Vice Principal Gijon smiled, not even trying to hide his smug look. "Finally throwing in the towel aye Campbell?"
"I'm just doing what is best for my family." Scamooch answered, as he stood up straight.
"Of course." Vice Principal Gijon mused. "Please leave us to speak, I will have a quick word with your master and then he may join you."
"Yes sir." Scamooch bowed once more before walking down the hall towards the bus ramp, he did not dare look behind him.
"So does this mean you are sure he is not a member of the resistance?" Vice Principal Gijon asked.
"Yes." Zim answered, not even in the least bit surprised by the question. It was no secret that Scamooch had been spying on the group for Vice Principal Gijon all along. "While their group is large that is the only thing suspicious about them."
"So even the Gaz girl has not stirred up anything?" Vice Principal Gijon asked.
"No, while I've heard she's here to figure out if the traitor Zim and his accomplice Dib are here she is only drawn to the group because a few of her old friends happen to be in it." Zim answered.
"I see." Vice Principal Gijon said. "Very well keep me posted."
"Yes Sir." Zim stated and moved to join Scamooch at the bus ramp leaving Vice Principal Gijon at his office door, none the wiser.
And it was true the Vice Principal had noticed nothing wrong, no one had. Zim and Scamooch had gone unnoticed all day, as if it was any other day, and now all they had to do was get to Zec, Mark Scamooch and find General Kazar.
He sighed as he noticed the bus waiting for them as well as Scamooch.
"So you know?" he asked as they boarded the bus.
"That you've been spying on us to Vice Principal Gijon the whole time?" Zim asked. "Yeah we all knew."
"You're not disappointed?" Scamooch asked.
Zim smiled. "I once reported to my superiors about the enemy." He said. "Believing their lies that is was for the betterment of our people. If anyone is going to understand then it's me." He assured him.
Scamooch smiled, felling relieved. He couldn't understand it but he didn't want to disappoint Zim. Perhaps it was because he could one day be his leader, or perhaps it was simply because the guy had saved his life. Either way he just knew that he wanted to do right by him. "So how do we find General Kazar?"
"He's your old mentor, we'll just explain that you wish to receive his blessing on the minion you have chosen. The royal guard will understand your reasoning and will send an escort to take us to the palace." Zim explained.
Scamooch nodded, this was a likely request that any of Kazar's past pupils would make, regardless of their current status. "We should probably call ahead and let them know." He suggested. "Just call my instructor and he'll arrange it."
Zim nodded and allowed Scamooch's computer to detach from his PAK, all Irkens had their own personal computers, even the Cadets; it allowed them to do class work, as well as contact their superiors for any given reason. He looks up the Instructor's Number, and learns that his name is Sargent Lak, and clicks on it to begin the call.
"What now Scamooch." Sargent Lak asked as he appeared on the screen.
"Sir, I just wanted you to know that I acquired a minion and might be late arriving back to the barracks." He said.
Sargent Lak seemed to nod. "Now this is what you should have done yesterday before sneaking off."
"Yes Sir, I have learned from my negligence." He assured him.
"Very good, Let me know how it goes, and bring him by I would like to meet the filth you speak so highly of." Sargent Lak said.
"Of course, also if it's not much trouble I would like to present him to General Kazar, I would like his blessing for my decision." Zim concluded.
"Very well, I'm sure he's eager to meet this exceptional human as well." Sargent Lak scoffed. "Just try to get back before curfew this time, can you manage that?"
"Yes Sir." Zim answered.
"Good." And with that Sargent Lak ended the call, and Zim reattached the computer to his PAK.
"Wow that went better than I thought." Scamooch admitted.
Zim smiled. "What can I say, I'm a grade A suck up." He mused.
Scamooch rolled his eyes. "Like I haven't noticed." He said.
Zim snickered, as the bus came to a stop. "We're here already?" He asked.
Scamooch nodded. "It's just right above the city." He explained as they got off the bus and headed down the street.
"You know you're just making my job easier." He told Scamooch. "If Dib and I move up here the Tallest will no longer be out of reach."
"I know." Scamooch said. "I want to do this. What the Tallest has done is wrong, and right now you are the only option I have of righting that wrong."
"So you're not fully convinced that my views are right?" Zim asked. The streets around them were like a busy hive full of Irkens rushing to their quarters after a long day of work. And Zim had to admit it felt great to be around so many Irkens again. Yes, just Irkens, without a human in sight. He knows it's traitorous to think so, but Zim misses this, being in the company of his people. A company that was not forced, but welcomed.
Many Irkens greeted him with a great amount of respect, and admiration, as they passed by. Sure Scamooch was a shrew, and only pretended to be an Amon. But while his fellow peers were bitter towards him, the older Irkens were wiser, for they knew Scamooch still spoke to General Kazar from time to time, and probably saw him as a way to get up in the world. Still Zim had to admit it was nice to be appreciated for once.
"No I'm not." Scamooch admitted. "I know humans have it rough, as do other races enslaved by the Empire, But-"
"But you think it doesn't matter to you because Irkens have it good." Zim finished.
Scamooch nodded. "I know the Tallest are mad, they must be stopped, but does that mean we have to change everything? Our people are just fine…Aren't they?"
Zim sighed, he knows as a Cadet Scamooch has been filled with the lies; that all Irkens have the opportunity to excel as long as they work hard, and show their devotions. However, this is not true, Scamooch is blinded by the fact that he has it good. Sure his peers hated him, and sure he was no longer an Amon, but he was still Cadet Scamooch, top of his class and his past relations with General Kazar as well as the Tallest will no doubt land him whatever career he wants once he graduates. All in all Scamooch's future is bright, but that cannot always be said for other cadets who have no leverage to help them get up in the world. And due to how good he has it, Scamooch fails to see how other cadets are treated poorly then most. But it is true, there are some cadets that are treated far worse than the humans, while others fight to be considered a part of the in crowd.
Meanwhile Scamooch notices none of this because he is at the center of that in crowd! Everyone is fighting to know him because he has the most powerful connections out of all the cadets. As General Kazar's old pupil Scamooch knows all the members of the Top Twelve as well as the Tallest. Sure he was no longer an Amon, but he still had those connections, and if he mentioned anyone to them they could become members of an elite fleet, or an invader, or anything else they asked for.
This was why Scamooch still had a large posy of followers, because even though they openly hated him, they needed him to move up in the world.
"There is a lot you don't notice about our world." Zim said as he gestured to a Janitor drone sweeping the side walk. "What about him? Do you think he likes the Irk of today?"
Scamooch watches as several higher ranking Irken soldiers walk past the drone, purposely knocking him down as they go.
The Janitor drone falls to his knees, in obvious pain as his efforts are tarnished, by other soldiers who stop though his pile of debris, spreading it all over the street.
Scamooch openly winced. He had never noticed it before, when walking the streets any other day Janitor drones were proactively invisible to him.
"They're invisible because you see them that way." Zim says as if reading his mind. "If Irkens are the superior race then why are some Irkens better than others?" he challenged. "We are all Irkens, who cares who's taller or smarter?"
"That's human talk." Scamooch argued. "Not all creatures are born equal." He argued. "Some are faster, while others are smarter, some are born rich while others are born poor."
"Yes, and yet all have the opportunity to rise above their small beginnings." Zim cut in. "Even our Ancestors see this. Why else would they back up the Resisty and other Refugees from the Irken Empire? Why harbor them if they do not believe in their views?"
Scamooch had to admit Zim had a far point, still… "How do you know they are there?" he challenged. "All you know is Lar Nar told Goalit they are there, but you've never seen them yourself." He said, he knew this because he was still connected to Zim's PAK, he could see his memories.
"You're right I don't know if they are there for certain." Zim admitted. "But I plan to find out."
"You're going to go look for them?" Scamooch asked.
"I must." Zim said. "If I truly want to change Irk for the better then I must receive their blessing only then will they rejoin Irk. Once they do more worthy ones can be produced, Irk's Structural order will be saved."
Scamooch was amazed, but he was also not fooled. "You don't care about saving Irk's Structural order." He said. "You think they'll say your defective and refuse to give you their blessing, this is your way out of leading us!"
Zim sighed, he had been had. The truth was Zim had been secretly hoping the Ancients would see him as unfitting for the job. He could live with that, he could continue to lead Irk to greatness while one of Ancients filled the roll as Tallest while the new worthy ones were produced and taught the right way. "I'm defective Scamooch." He said. "Besides even if I am not I am still a member of the old Irk. I once believed in its methods, and they may fear that I'll convert back to my old way once I get any kind of real power."
Scamooch wanted to argue, but he knew Zim had a point, the Ancients might not think he's right for the job. He did support the old Irk at one time, and could just be backing the humans in hopes of gaining a higher status of power. After all weren't they hoping that General Kazar would do the exact thing for them? "I understand." He said, before adding. "But I don't like it."
"Scamooch-"Zim began, but the cadet cut him off.
"No you listen to me Sir." He said seriously. "I don't care that the Tallest or the stupid control brains say you're defective. You are wise, forgiving, and kind, and there is nothing wrong with you." He snapped. "I would be honored to serve you as my leader." He said.
And he meant it, he meant every word. Sure he may not fully understand the whole equality thing, but he knew Zim, heck at the moment he was Zim, and he knew that Zim only wanted what was best for them. And if acting more like the humans was what he thought they should do then he would back him up.
Why?
Because Zim was right, they needed to be back in the Ancients good graces if they ever hoped to continue the Irken race. Without new worthy Smeets, Irk could crumble as a society, and any Smeet produced by the Current Tallest's DNA could produce an ever worse future, full of berserks and the shedding of more innocent blood. Yes, he could see it now, Irk was on a fast path to self-destruction, and if they didn't act fast they would fade into darkness until they reached extinction.
And Zim was their ticket to salvation he just knew it.
"No matter what it takes I will make you see yourself as the leader you are." He vowed.
And it was a promise he planned to keep…
Episode 4- Behind Enemy Lines (Part 1) END!
Author's Notes: Thank you for reading and please review.
The next Chapter will be up soon.
Yours truly RoxieDivine ;)