Episode 6- Dangerous Ties (Part 2)

(Back with Bec…)

He knew it was a trap the moment he took off into the woods…

The Sir Unit followed him instantly without an ounce of hesitation, and somehow Bec knew it had to be because of Goalit. He couldn't explain it, but somehow he just knew his old teacher had plan this all along. And in seconds his hunch proved true, Bec raced through the trees leading the bot as far away from his comrades as possible.

That was until a certain human female stood in his way.

He recognized her in seconds, she was the female scientist that had escaped with Goalit and the others.

Elma stood before him fearlessly, her weapon drawn, as Gir boxed him in from behind.

Bec turned left, about to flee for a better vantage point when he saw him.

Goalit stepped out from behind the tree right in front of him, and the look on his face made it very clear to Bec that his assumption had been right. His old teacher had planned this meeting from the beginning. "I believe you wanted to speak with me." He said.

The sound of his voice surprised Bec, he was calm, and for an Irken Scientist who had never seen combat it should be unheard of. Goalit should be shaking, and fearful, not poised and ready for battle at any given moment. Had his time with the Renegades change him that quickly? So quickly that the male Irken before him was almost unrecognizable. Goalit was wise and meek, not trigger happy and war bound.

"What have they done to you?" Bec asked angrily.

"I don't know what you mean?" Goalit stated simply.

You were so kind, and loyal." Bec hissed. "You weren't like the rest of us, you never wanted war!" he shouted. "But they!" He pointed to Elma accusingly. "They changed you!"

"What they have done is opened my eyes." Goalit told him.

"How?" Bec screamed. "What could they have shown you that would convince you to betray us…to betray me?"

"How about the fact that the Tallest have killed hundreds of worthy Smeets?" Goalit asked.

"No…" Bec shook his head. "They died of illness, the Tallest said so."

"Oh the Tallest?" Goalit actually laughed. "You mean the same Tallest who knew Zim was an Amon, and yet they still ordered his execution?"

"He's defective!" Bec argued. "He's not fit to lead."

"Really?" Goalit asked. "Then tell me, if he's defective then why are our ancestors willing to back him up in this war?"

"The Ancients?" Bec was floored. "They're on his side?" He couldn't believe it.

"I've spoken with them myself." Goalit revealed.

"But he's defective." Bec yelled.

"The Tallest lied about him being an Amon." Goalit argued back. "Do you really think they'd tell the truth about whether or not he's fitting to succeed them?"

"They…they're just trying to protect us." Bec reasoned, but it was obvious that his resolve was shaken.

"Bec." Goalit shook his head. "You know that's a lie." He said. "Even you doubt them now, why else would you willingly meet me out here."

"I came because I Want answers." Bec argued.

"You already know the answer." Goalit said. "The truth is Irk is broken, with leaders who only care about protecting themselves. Even General Kazar sees this."

"General Kazar…" Goalit was stunned. Kazar was routing for Zim too? Was there no Irken left that believed in their leaders? Where they all willing to abandon their duty to their emperor?

"I am not fighting for them." He pointed to Elma knowingly. "Yes we've wronged them, and many other planets." He reasoned. "But I am fighting for us! For our future! Did you know the group of defectives were meeting today were tortured by the Tallest for years?"

"Tortured?" Bec was stunned. Defectives were supposed to be given a swift and painless death, after all it wasn't their fault that they were broken.

"I've seen their scars Bec, Irken skin does not scar unless they are subjected to continuous torture!" Goalit rationalized. "The truth is the Tallest are broken, they've gone rogue and for the sake of our people we must put them down."

"And if we do?" Bec argued. "What's to say we'll be any better under him?"

"Bec Zim is willing to be evaluated by the Ancients." Goalit revealed, he knew telling the enemy too much could jeopardize everything, but he had to get through to him. "He's willing to undergo their judgment in hopes of putting Irk back in their good graces. Don't you see? If we receive their blessing everything will be instantly better for our people. Shews and Amons will be equals again, no more having to stab each other in the back, no more having to walk all over those beneath you just to gain some face. It will be back to the old times were you were judged by how hard you worked, and how much you care for the future of our people."

Bec had to admit that such a thought did sound nice, he hated how he had to treat some Irkens like dirt even though he knew they had the potential to be more than a service drone. To have a society built on skills, and not some popularity contest. And yet there was still one hung up. "And what if they say he's unworthy to lead us?"

"Then Zim has agreed to step down and allow the Ancients to breed a new Tallest." Goalit answered.

It was not the answer Bec was expecting, no he expected Zim to fight anyway, to claim the Irken throne with or without their blessing.

"Bec the truth is our ancestors are on his side." Goalit reasoned. "And they will rage war against the Tallest soon, and when they do all who support them will get what they deserve."

Bec knew he was right, to go against the Ancients was like they were begging to be erased. And yet the Tallest had claimed the Ancients were on their side, supplying them more worthy ones, worthy one that had yet to show up. Which meant the announcement was most likely another lie to buy them more time.

"Irk will die if it stays in their hands much longer. You know this." Goalit continued. "Is that what you want?"

"No." Bec admitted.

"Zim wants to make Irk great again, and I plan to help him." Goalit concluded. "What will you do?"

"I…" Bec froze the answer should be simple, his answer should be "I will defend my Tallest." As a member of the Royal Guard it was his sole duty, but he also had another duty, one that was to his people. As a member of the Royal Guard if he saw that the Tallest were unfit to rule then he was supposed to do the right thing. And let the next Amon in line relieve them of their position, and right now the only other Amon was Zim.

He sighed. "Just promise me this is what's best for Irk." He seemed to be begging now, and he was.

"I wouldn't be standing against you if I thought otherwise." Goalit said. "I promise this is the best course of action for our survival as a race and an empire."

"Then there is something you should know." Bec revealed. "The others of the Royal Guard dropped off a package for Zim to find over an hour ago. And believe me when I say what's inside it is nothing good."

Elma's eyes widen and she spoke for the first time. "What is it?"

"Not what." Bec corrected her. "Who."

"Bec who is with Zim?" Goalit asked fearfully.

"Vermin worse than any Irken." Bec revealed.

Goalit's spooch dropped into the pit of his stomach and stayed there.

Elma sees the look on his face and her fear heightens. "Goalit what's wrong?"

"We should have never left him." Goalit realized a little too late. "We have to go, we have to go now!"

"I'm coming with you." Bec decided, weapon ready.

Elma looked unsure.

"Trust me you're going to need all the help you can get." Bec reasoned.

"Is it really that bad?" Elma asked fearfully.

"Worse than you can imagine." Goalit revealed as they took off towards the city. "My only hope is that we make it in time…"

(Back with…Zim)

Vulnerability…

There were many times when he was convince that he had felt an amount of it that was just too great to handle. And yet, time after time, over and over again he was proven wrong. Still he was convince that the Renegades had never been this vulnerable in all of its existence.

They were in danger, Zim was sure of it, but everyone around him seemed to be in high spirits, like the worse of it all was behind them.

And that seemed to be true.

No soldiers populated the immediate streets around, and even though Zim could hear them a ways back from where they came the enemy seemed to be moving at a relaxed pace.

Like they had all the time in the world to catch up with them.

Of course this realization only made him more and more suspicious of their new traveling companions. It just seemed far too convenient that some poor helpless victims were left right where they would be during their escape. Victims who seemed a little too friendly towards Irkens to really be victims at all.

Several of their new "Friends" Were chatting with the Irken rebels like talking with Irkens was an everyday occurrence for them. And the way it was done so casually just didn't sit right with Zim, after months of seeing humans feel nothing but distain towards Irkens no matter what side they were on, Zim just couldn't believe there were people out there that would get along with his kind so easily.

"I'm telling you you're going to love our base." Crystal was telling Jacob. "It has plenty of room for everyone, we'll never have to struggle to survive again."

"Really?" Jacob's smile seems smugger than it should be.

"Are there little kids my age?" April asked hopefully.

Crystal's face fell for a moment. "No sweetie, but we have a robot named Gir who will love to play with you."

April's face lit up like the 4th of July. "Really? Will he play dress up and tea party?"

"I'm sure he'll play whatever you like." Zim said forgetting his worries for a moment. "In fact I bet Gir would love to have someone to play with for once."

"Sounds like your Sir unit is more of a child than a soldier." Jacob's tone was one of mockery, and just like that Zim was back on high alert.

"Gir is whatever I tell him to be." Zim hissed, his eyes glowing a dangerous red. "And you would be wise to mind your own business."

"Zim they're my friends." Crystal reasoned. "Even more they're my family."

"No offense." Zim said in a low whisper. "But you only know two of them, and don't you think it's a bit Suspicious that they happen to be here?"

Dib winced, he had to admit Zim had a point. What were the odds that Crystal's love ones would be in peril just moments after they had completed a manger attack on the enemy? The answer was that the odds were small. But the chances of her family being within arm's length as well was practically slim to none. And now the more Dib thought about it the more he was convinced that Zim was right…

Something was very wrong here, but what?

Mark tensed as he realized Dib's demeanor was changing, Zim was known to be aggressive and Mark had come to expect it. Dib however, usually gave everyone and everything a fair chance before giving a final judgment. Long story short if only Zim was hostile it meant the Irken was just being paranoid, and the same would go if it was just Dib. But if they were both on edge than it was definitely something to take notice of.

Why?

The answer was simple, Dib and Zim had been fighting this war longer than all of them, before the Armada was even here. And if both of their warning bells were going off than something was definitely wrong!

Mark held his weapon at the ready, suddenly on full alert, back in the beginning he would purposely take the opposite side of Zim in every argument just because he saw Zim as the enemy hiding among them. However, Gaz's betrayal forced Mark to realize that some humans actually prefer the Irken way of doing things. Some Humans liked the fact that all they had to do to get higher in the world was suck up to an Irken and life would instantly be better for them.

As hard as it was to believe some humans wanted the Irkens to stay in charge.

Such a fact cause Mark to look at everything differently including his rivalry with Zim, it made him realize that it was childish to blame everything on the only Irken that wanted to save them. After all if humans could switch sides than why couldn't the Irkens switch sides too? The answer was they could, and the proof was all around him. Seven Irkens stood around him, and all were at peace with the humans around them.

True they didn't speak much, but they answered respectfully when spoken to, and didn't show an ounce of distain for any of them. These were the kind of emotions that Irkens just couldn't fake, these rebels didn't see them as a lower species.

No they saw them as equals, and the realization gave Mark hope that maybe Zim's plans for a peaceful resolution wasn't so far fetch as he previously thought. Maybe they could save Irk too, and maybe, just maybe the Irkens did want to be saved or more so, needed to be.

Mark noticed the condition of his new Irken comrades the moment they saw them, not a single one of them was undamaged. Some were missing legs, or arms, one was even missing an eye, and this was not how the Tallest would allow their soldiers to be seen.

They were broken, defective, and the Tallest hated the defective.

Which meant the Renegades could trust their new allies, but what about the Under-grounders? Mark looked more closely at them and already he felt uneasy, and for good reason. For people who supposable lived in the sewers, only two of them actually looked the part, the rest looked like they had showered or changed their clothes as early as this morning. In fact Mark could smell the cherry blossom of Cho's shampoo.

It was then that Mark made his decision, he was going to follow Zim's lead on this one. He flanked to the left of their new Human guest an act that did not go unnoticed by the rest of his team.

James saw the shift in his cousin's mood almost immediately, and it had nothing to do with the fact that they were related. Sure he knew his own flesh and blood like the back of his hand, but it was more than that. After months of fighting for survival they were all more than just a bunch of kids working together.

They were family, and when one reacted the rest would soon follow, their unity made them a well-oiled machine, greater than any amount of Irken forces could ever hope to be; and the reasoning was very simple.

Trust!

Irkens walked all over each other, and stabbed them in the back just to move higher, but for the Renegades no voice was higher than another's, because their five leaders listened to all of them, and in return they listened to their leaders commands. Whether they be verbal or not, the Renegades did not miss an order.

Rachel wasn't slow on the up take, she instantly began to herd Crystal who was still holding April away from the others until only Jacob and the other "Victims" were in the middle.

The middle of what you may ask?

Mia saw it all happen in one smooth motion, the members of the Renegades began to flank around the human civilians as if to protect them from anything that might come after them, however once the child was separated from the group it became very clear that this act wasn't for their new "Friends'" protection.

Humans protect their young from danger, and if the middle was the safest place right now than that was where the child would be. But she and the blind girl were in-between Taller Zim, and the Human Dib as far away from the middle as possible.

"Mia…" Tesi whispered, she too had noticed the change in behavior that their new allies were displaying.

"I know." Mia whispered back, she knew her comrades wanted her to take point like she always did, but she did not wish to disrespect Taller Zim. He was their leader now and as painful as it was she would wait for him to give her an order. After all, the Renegades didn't seem to even remember they were there, so perhaps it was best to stay out of their way.

Or so Mia thought until she saw it.

It was a small gesture one she could have easily missed if she had not been looking at Zim at that very moment.

Zim shrugged his plasma rifle strap over his shoulder disarming himself.

"But now he's an easy target." Rae noticed it as well.

Mai smiled as she watched that the human known as Jacob also took notice. "That's the point." She whispered.

"I'm confused." Kiel admitted.

'The enemy is among us.' Mai used the Irken sign language in hopes of not tipping off the enemy. 'They will go for Taller Zim since he is unarmed.' She continued. 'And when they do we disarm him.'

It is then the Irken Rebels understood, they were being ignored by their human allies for a reason, the enemy would not expect them to be a part of them, and since they are new they will not be ready to fight by their side. However, the enemy had miscalculated one important thing.

All Irkens are ready for a fight.

It was never about if or where a fight would happen, but when?

And the answer came moments later.

"Well here we are!" Kathy exclaimed as they reached a random man hole. "Just pass this hole is our top secret base."

Crystal made a face, the ground under her didn't feel right for them to be where Kathy was claiming. The road was newly paved, meaning it was used often by Irkens and made to look nicer because of this. Such a road would be too crowded with the enemy to be used safely, and for a moment she fears the girl has forgotten where she is. Perhaps the fear of being caught has clouded her and she has forgotten that the opening is 2 more miles east.

Crystal moves to correct the girl but Rachel stops her, placing her hand on her shoulder knowingly. It is in this very moment that Crystal begins to understand that the mood of her fellow Renegades had shifted slightly, the air around her was hostile now, and she would have noticed it sooner if she was not distracted by the fact that her family was in danger.

However, now she knew that they were all in danger.

What happened next took her by surprise, Elma, Goalit and some other Irken she didn't recognize came swooping in weapons drawn.

"It's a trap!" Elma cried.

And at that exact moment Jacob moved for Zim, snatching his weapon by the sling off his shoulder, aiming it to his head. "Nobody move." He warned, "Or this one gets it."

"Jacob…" Crystal was amazed. "What are you doing? These are my friends." She tried to reason with him. "We're all friends here."

"There not our friends." Goalit said.

Everyone's weapons were drawn and pointing Jacob now, and to his surprised Jacob's comrades pulled out weapons of their own which they had been hiding all along.

"What?" Crystal couldn't process what was happening around her. Why was Jacob doing this? Was he still angry about what happened to the rest of their families?

"They're Irken Worshipers!" Bec revealed. "They work for the Tallest, their job is to gain the trust of unregistered humans and turn them over to Irken authorities."

Crystal's world shattered, her family, her parents, Heather they were all gone because of…

Jacob smiled. "I told you, you were our strongest fighter Crystal, and without you." He scoffed. "Well they didn't stand a chance…."

Dangerous Ties (Part 2) END!