Episode 6: Dangerous Ties
Episode Summary-During their escape The Renegades come across yet another group of rebels and agree to temporarily join them in order complete their mission. However the agreement isn't all sugar cubes and lollypops and Zim soon begins to suspect that these rebels have a hidden agenda! Is Zim just being Paranoid? Or have The Renegades finally left their trust in the wrong hands?!
Disclaimers: I Do Not Own Invader Zim
Author's Notes: Awe Episode 6, I thought of this episode surprisingly while watching an episode of Star Gate Atlantis. Back then this story was just an idea in my head and I thought it would really be intense if something like this were to happen. I won't say what because it'll spoil the ending, but I'm really existed for this one. This episode brings forth a scenario that we see a lot in alien invasion movies/shows and I want to incorporate it in this story.
Hope you guys enjoy!
Yours Truly, RoxieDivine :)
Episode 6- Dangerous Ties (Part 1)
(1 Year ago…)
[During the second wave of the Irken Invasion…]
{Location: Planet Earth}
She had never known such fear…
Crystal Patterson clutched to her mother's arm in a desperate attempt to keep her close. Her mother Sarah held onto her just as tight, and rightfully so. Mother and Daughter had found themselves in the worst kind of trouble possible.
Irken Slave Traders, after the first attack against the human race during the closing credits of Operation Impending Doom the human race was given a choice:
Comply or Die!
Of course, the human race tried to out maneuver them, the whole world came together. Both Enemies and Allies band together to fight against the Irken Scourge, but human technology was far less advance, and in the end Irk had won. However, The Tallest seeing that much work would need to be done to harvest the planet of its resources decided to enslave to the human race, and send them to work.
At first, the human race revolted, refusing to work for their new dictators. With no work being done the Tallest feared that word would get out, and other races that were enslaved by irk would follow the human's example. Desperate for order, the Tallest allowed the humans to have their ordinary lives. Humans would register with the Irken Police and in exchange for labor would be supplied with a home, rations for food, and the chance to seek proper education.
Humans were even given the chance at normal jobs like being an Architect or a Doctor, some even became engineers and worked with Irken tools while making Irken technology. These humans were known as Privilege, and at least one member of their family Served as a minion to an Irken Master.
Privileged humans were seen as traitors to the human race, however this new strategy made order on Earth possible for the Irkens. By promising the human race a chance at being normal again most were willing to comply.
MOST!
However, some refused to register. These chosen few were known as the Under-grounders among the whispers of their enslaved human counterparts. Still, the Irkens had chosen another name for them: Sewer People. Mostly, because that was where they hid, among the sewers just outside the city limits of the Main human city. This city laid just under Zec and was known as Westville City. The Under-grounders did not have jobs, they did not have homes, or rations for which to buy food. In fact, according to Irken law, nonregistered humans didn't exist.
Still, these humans were known for stealing food to survive, and would even brake into stores and places of business in order to find it. In short they were out of control, and being the controlling monsters they were Irk could not allow this vermin to run through the streets.
That was when the Irken slave traders came, Irkens dressed in black would scout the streets late at night and snatch up nonregistered humans. Or anyone else who was foolish enough to be caught outside after curfew. Human slave trade was illegal, due to the fact that humans refused to work as slaves. As "Citizens" they were more likely to comply, but the Irken race had one loop hole to this agreement.
Those caught breaking the rules no longer deserved their "Human rights" and would be forced to a life of slavery as minions without the benefits of Privileged status. Those caught were labeled nonregistered humans, and since they didn't exist they had no rights, and deserved no special treatment. The tactic of Illegal slave trade became known as the "Second Attack" of the human race.
Those who were captured were never seen or heard from again, and the constant fear of capture made many consider registration. Yes, all humans still had a chance to register, but to do so would go against everything the Under-grounders believed in.
"Mom." Crystal said with a shaken breath. "What's going to happen to us?" She asked. The world around her was dark, but that was nothing new. Crystal had been blind her entire life, yet she did not need to see to know what had happened. She and her mother had been on a supply run with four others. They had always gone in groups of six, a different group each time, and they always went with the same people.
Crystal and her mother went with four other women; Heather, a girl who was about Crystal's age, her father Travis, Marcy, an elderly woman who could somehow move faster than all of them. And finally Jacob, he was an older boy who Crystal secretly had a crush on. They were close friends and many thought they would be great together. Heather was also close to Crystal, and even though they were not related, they often referred to each other as sisters. She had younger sister named April who was only three. Crystal adored April and loved braiding her long red air. She had promised her that she would her a new toy on this supply run. Most supply runs were uneventful, but today was different. Somehow the Irkens knew where they were going to go for supplies and cornered them.
Crystal remembered feeling the danger before it happened, since she blind her other four senses were shaper in order to make up for what she lacked. They jumped them, and used Taser rods to electrocute them into submission, and then they loaded them up into a large cargo crate. It was one of those metal one that you see aboard ships, and at the moment it was being transported deeper into the city.
"Mom?" Crystal said again when she received no answer.
Sarah held her daughter close, she was always very over protected of her daughter. Her blindness made her vulnerable, or so her parents thought. Jason Patterson, was the leader of the Under-grounders and at the moment was back at camp evaluating their supplies, they were in desperate need of medicine and he needed to figure out how they were going to get some.
Crystal feared for her father, what would happen when they never came home? Surely he would break under the pressure of their loss. Their whole way life would crumble if that happened, yes it was the Paterson family who held them all together,
"It's going to be okay sweetie." Sarah lied. "Just remember we never comply."
"No matter what." Crystal concluded.
"Maybe things would be better if we just listen." Jacob said, only it was so quiet that Crystal barely heard it herself. She wasn't surprised by his words, Jacob often voiced that he thought the other humans didn't have it so bad. That if they would just register, they wouldn't have to steal food; they could earn it. They could have easy lives not much different from their old lived before the invasion. Kids wouldn't be starving, or dying from disease, and in some ways Crystal had agree, life would be easier.
But if they complied then the war would truly be over, and they would lose for real. By resisting they were keeping the hope alive that one day Earth would be free again.
Suddenly, the movement of the crate stops.
"We're here." Jacob said making most shiver, but to Crystal he sounds almost grateful. No, she shakes the thought away. Jacob might want an easier life, but he would never want them all to be enslaved.
Suddenly, a loud commotion is heard, shots are fired, and then silence!
For what felt like forever no one made a sound, and then a familiar voice cried out. "Get this door open!"
Crystal ran out of her mother's arms and ran forward, it was her father's voice. "Dad!" She cried.
The doors open and she runs into his awaiting arms.
"Crystal." Jason held her tight. "Oh thank goodness. Sarah? Where is Sarah?"
"I'm here!" Sarah raced over and joined the embrace.
"I thought I lost you two." Jason said. "When you didn't check in over the walkie-talkie I sent out this search party."
"They were waiting for us!" Crystal exclaimed. "They knew which store we would be at!"
Jason stiffens. "We can't stay here." He says. "Well discuss this further when we get home."
Crystal obeyed as she always did, even though deep in her gut she knew this was far from over.
Far from over indeed.
(Present Day…)
[Back with Rachel]
Their escape was going smoothly…
Maybe a little too smoothly!
Rachel watched as her fellow Renegades raced through the woods towards freedom with their new allies in tow. Tonight's attack on the Water tower had been all for them, Six Irkens now joined their ranks as allies, but could they be trusted? Were they rebels or another clever scheme designed by the Tallest?
Rachel could not say for sure, but at the moment all that mater was creating enough distance between them and the tower. They hit the city streets without stopping, in fact many of them sped up. They were so desperate to get away, so eager to make it to the safety of their base that at first no one noticed the strange object left in the alley way.
However, Blind Bandit stopped by it knowingly. She maybe blind, but she knew the smell of the ocean, anywhere and it reminded her of the scariest time of her childhood.
"Blind Bandit?" Rachel asked as she noticed her behavior.
"Shadow Cat?" Crystal's voice is shaken. "Please tell me there is not a Cargo Cate beside us."
Rachel turned to her left and froze, there snugged in the alley was a crate. "Wow I didn't even notice it." She said.
Suddenly an unmistakable sound comes from the crate.
"Hello? Is someone out there?"
It was the sound of a little girl. "Please It's dark, we didn't do anything wrong."
Rachel watched as Crystal raced into action, feeling along the wall as she tried to find a way to open it. "It's okay!" Crystal yelled. "We'll get you out." She promised. "Rachel, Slave traders did this!" She exclaimed to her friend. We have to get them out! We have to get them out now!" She screamed.
They didn't have time for this, Rachel knew that, but she could image leaving these people to their fate. She also knew how passionate Crystal was about slave trade, so without much reluctance she scanned the crate until she found the door pad lock. She pulled out her blaster and aimed.
Zim froze as a shot was heard behind them. "Everyone freeze." He ordered.
The order was obeyed instantly.
Zim looked around and notice that he's missing two comrades. "Where is Shadow Cat and Blind Bandit?"
No answer, everyone looked around as if shocked to the fact that they were gone.
"That gun fire must be from them." Dib said.
"They'll attract too much attention." James realized. "Zim what do we do?"
Zim knew he should leave them, to risk the rest of the group for just two comrades was suicide, but he could help the feeling that something was terribly wrong. "No one gets left behind." He answered. "Everyone fall back to the gun fires location."
"Mia?" Tesi asked her leader unsure.
Mia shook her head. "Zim is our leader now." She told her and their Irken comrades. "We follow his orders."
The other Irken rebels nodded and follow their new allies back towards the danger that moments ago they were trying so desperately to leave.
They found the two missing Renegades just as they were heaving the big cargo crate open.
"Shadow Cat what id the meaning of this?" Zim demanded.
"They were trapped." Rachel said.
"They?" Mark asked.
Everyone looked to the now open crate, it looked pitch black inside, and it was quiet.
Too quiet.
However, Crystal smiles and opens her arms out to the darkness. "It's okay we're not going to hurt you."
Suddenly, a little girl about four runs out of the crate, a look of recognition on her face. "Kristy!" She called running into Crystal's Arms.
Crystal seems to deflate. "April?" She held the girl tight, finding it hard to breathe. "Oh my god, why are you here? Are you hurt? Where's Heather?" A thousand questions ran off her tongue so fast it was amazing that April could keep up.
"We got separated." April said. "The monsters found our home and."
"No…" Rachel fell to her knees as the news hit her hard, home was gone…the Under-grounders were…
"Crystal?" A voice asked as a young man came out of the shadows, several other kids cautiously followed behind him.
"Jacob!" Crystal ran to him and embraced him she suddenly felt weak in his strong arms. "Where?" She asked hopefully.
"All the adults were carried away in a different crate." Jacob said. "The kids were divided into two other." He explained. "Heather is on the other one."
"Where are they taking them?" April asked.
An answer did not come right away.
"They'll be headed to Zec." Zim answered.
It is then that Jacob and the others suddenly notice the Irkens among them.
"Irkens!" Jacob snatched Rachel's weapon from her hands and aimed it at Zim.
The instant response actually surprised him. Zim watched as his comrades all raised their weapons at Jacob, including…
"Crystal?" Jacob was stunned. "You're with…them?"
"These are my comrades." Crystal answered. "Irkens and Humans alike, together we are known as the Renegades."
"We help people, people like you." Mark said. "We are all on the same side now drop the weapon!"
"So this where you went!" Jacob snapped. "You came to join them, you left us for them." He shouted.
"I always planned to come back." Crystal said. "Once it was safe I was going to bring you all to our hide out." She said, tears running down her face. "It's safe there, with all the food, and the medicine we'll ever need."
"You were our best fighter!" Jacob yelled. "Without you we barley stood a chance." He pointed the blaster at her now. "Now thanks to you they're gone, they're all gone!"
"I'm sorry!" Crystal cried. "Please I can make it right, we can save them!"
"How?" A girl about Jacob's age asked. "They'll be at Zec by now. We're only here because the explosion." She explained. "After it happened the soldiers carrying us away ran towards it, leaving us here."
"We can make it to Zec." Crystal revealed. "We can save them, I promise."
These words caused Jacob to lower his weapon. "You know away on Zec?" He asked.
Crystal nodded. "I'm so sorry Jacob, I promise I won't rest until we save everyone!" She assured him. "Just please give Shadow Cat her weapon back."
Jacob paused, as if to think it over, finally he nodded and handed Rachel back her weapon. "Shadow Cat hu?" He asked.
"It's a code name." Rachel answered as she placed her blaster back in its hoister. "We use them just in case the enemy is listen over our comm equipment."
"Well I'm Jacob, Crystal and I…" He stopped looking to Crystal.
"Jacob and April are fellow Under-grounders." She explained. "But I don't recognize her voice." She pointed to the girl who spoke earlier.
"I'm Megan." The girl with short brown hair said. "A lot of us here joined after you left." She explained. She held out her hand to Crystal and she shook it.
"This is also Caleb, Freddy, David, and Cho!" Jacob introduced the rest of the kids.
Caleb hair was closely shaven and he was in pretty good shape for a kid who was supposable roughing it on the streets.
Freddy had big meaty arms, and looked pretty fit, again a strange characteristic. David who was obviously his brother look equally as strong and Cho the other girl besides Megan didn't look very friendly at all. In fact she reminded Dib of those Ninja assassins on TV. In Fact the only ones who looked like they lived underground was April and Jacob.
"So how many Irkens are there?" Cho asked.
The question hit a nerve with Zim, mostly because the girl didn't say Irken with any amount of hate, and for someone who claimed to be a victim of Irken Slave traders that seemed kind of off to him. "We should move." Zim said.
"Are we going to save our family?" April looked to Crystal hopefully.
"We have to get somewhere safe first." Crystal told her as she picked her up. "Once the heat dies down we'll go save them."
"You have a place to hide?" Cho asked, looking far too interested. "Is it close?"
A thousand red flags seemed to go off in Zim's mind, however his human comrades seemed oblivious. "We probably won't make it to the hide out." He informed them. "We must wait for Goalit and Gir to join us."
"Zim if we don't make it back by morning we're screwed." Dib reminded him. He gave Zim a knowing look as if to say. 'What's wrong?'
"Goalit and Gir will catch up." Elma assured him. "They'll probably meet us at the tunnel."
Zim tried to keep his baring, but everything was wrong about this situation, and yet he seemed to be the only one to know. Finally he caved, the enemy would be upon them soon and they had no time to stand out in the open and figure out who could be trusted. "Fine, but we go long way." He ordered, surprising them all.
"Zim the streets are about to be flooded with soldiers." Mark argued.
"I know, but it can't be helped." He warned. "If we're followed we'll be leading them to the base." He reasoned. "By going the long way we'll have time to shake anyone off our trail."
"Zim's right." Dib decide as he stood beside Zim. "This way our base stays safe."
Everyone nodded their agreement.
"Let's go!" Rachel said and took the lead, and Zim was glade to let her.
"You're letting one of us lead?" Jacob asked him, a smug look rested on his face.
"A wise leader watches his peoples back." Zim hissed. "Now get moving." He ordered, and to his surprise, Jacob and the other Under-grounders move on.
"Zim what is wrong with you?" Dib lectured. "They're the victims remember." He whispered harshly.
"The child maybe." Zim said gesturing to April, who was still being carried by Crystal. "But the rest of them I don't know what they are."
"What do mean?" Dib asked, and what Zim said next made him catch his breathe.
"What kind of human victims would accept Irkens among them so easily?"
It was good question, and Zim aimed to find the answer…one way or the other!
Dangerous Ties (Part 1)END!