Episode 6- Dangerous Ties (Part 3)

(Back with Crystal…)

She felt as if the air had been forced out of her lungs, and no matter how hard she tried Crystal could not find the will to breathe.

All this time she had been gone fighting this war…all this time she had left her family alone in what she thought was good hands. But she was wrong Jacob had never been her friend…he wasn't even a member of her family.

"It was you that day." She finally managed to speak, her voice sounded raspy and forced and rightfully so. Every word was a chore; every sentence a burden of guilt and despair. "The supply run that we went on shortly before I left." She pointed an accusing finger at him. "You're the reason why the Irken Slave traders showed up! You told them where we would be!"

Jacob smiled his smug smile. "Well it took you long enough to figure out." He scoffed. "Honestly you think the Irken Police would bother to look somewhere as filthy as the sewers? No! They needed a little help!"

"But why!" Crystal cried. "Why would you do this to us? To me!?"

"Why?" Jacob laughed as if it should be obvious. "Because I got tired of living like a rat!" he screamed. "So I left to register, but they wouldn't let me become a law abiding citizen for free. No, I had to pay for all the times our "family" stole medicine and food! If I wanted a better life I had to give them the ones that didn't want to conform!"

"You monster." Dib yelled. "How could you do that to them?"

"I gave them a chance!" Jacob screamed. "I tried to convince everyone that we'd be better off if we just registered. That becoming registered humans does not mean we've given up, I mean you guys are all registered…aren't you!"

"So let me get this straight." Zim said, he was still in Jacob's grasp, however this was the first time he had spoken. "You sold out the people who actually cared about you because you were tired of living like the filth that you obviously are?" He scoffed. "Did I get that right?"

"And you're one to judge me." Jacob said to Crystal completely ignoring Zim. "You're following this traitor who would turn on his own people and call humans filth."

"No he called you filth." Crystal said her voice growing in anger. "And you are filthy, more filthy than any Irken I have ever had the displeasure of knowing."

"Filthy?" Jacob scoffed. "The Irkens have saved us." He said.

"Oh is that the lie they told you?" Zim laughed. "He's not the brightest bulb in the room is he?"

"Oh come on." Jacob said. "You were on this planet for what? Seven years? You know what it was like before they came. Humans fighting each other over stupid things, poisoning our atmosphere with fossil fuels, rising temperatures, the melting of the polar ice caps. We all did that, humans did that! Now look at us, since the Irkens came the air cleaner, they have created ways to fix the wrong that we have caused. Those factories you carelessly destroyed made our water purer then it has ever been."

"Oh yes they've done plenty good." Zim admitted. "For those who fit their status quote."

"All you have to do is obey." Jacob reasoned. "And life is instantly better for you."

"I obeyed." Zim said gravely. "I followed orders without question, without hesitation, and life for me was never better!"

"He's right Jacob." Dib said. "The Tallest will only be good to those they think deserve it, all the humans they see as unworthy will never have a better life no matter how hard they try."

"I don't seem to problem." Jacob taunted.

"That's because you're not like us." Crystal reasoned. "Take me for example, you think the Tallest would ever allow mw to have a wonderful life. NO!" She screamed not waiting for an answer. "Do you know why my family didn't get registered? It was because of me! I have a disability! I can't see, I'm defective! Which means my whole blood line is flawed my parents would have been lucky to get jobs as service drones."

"Well it's not our fault you're blind, why should we have to suffer for your weakness." Jacob scoffed.

"It's not my fault I'm blind!" Crystal screamed. "And it does not make me weak, you said it yourself. I'm the best fighter we had."

"The best among other weaklings isn't something to be proud of." Cho butt in. "Now hand over the child and no one gets hurt."

"Crystal." April whispered. "Why are they doing this." She whined as she hold on to her tighter.

"April I'm doing this for us." Jacob reasoned. "Everyone thinks it's so bad to be a minion, but Zec is paradise compared to this waste land."

"Do you know what you sound like?" Zim asked his eyes never leaving Bec's.

The soldier of the Royal guard had been staring at him since he arrived, most likely he was wondering why Zim was allowing this human to use him as a meat shield.

It was a good question, one that Zim was about to answer.

"You sound exactly like an Irken." He said his tone filled with hate and distain. "You ask if I remember what the world was like before the Armada came. Well I do!" He admitted. "And this town was not a wasteland of filth and trash until they came here!" he snapped. "Of course Zec is better, Zec is there's so of course they're going to treat it better. They've twisted your way of thinking. Of course the air is cleaner here, the Irkens have to breathe it, and they don't want to breathe your dirty air! This whole garbage about some people being born better than other's is just that garbage! Nothing but a mind washing tool to stop those beneath them from rising up and taking over. You humans should known that better than any race." He lectured still looking at Bec. "The fact that your kind can come together and see each other as equals no matter what race you are, are what abilities you might lack. That's what I love most about your world, anyone can be someone important, and the only thing that is stopping them is themselves. It was the one thing I found beautiful on this dirtball and you've let them ruin it!"

Bec flinched, because he realized that Zim was looking at him because he was talking to him. Sure he was talking to Jacob to an extent, but he was mostly talking to Bec and why was very clear to him.

How many times had he stood by them?

How many times did he stand by and watch the Tallest treat their fellow Irkens like less then dirt? How many times did he bite his tongue as he was forced to watch as an Irken he found no fault in was labeled a defective and deactivated for it?

And how many times did he allow them to do the same thing to one world after another?

Zim was looking at him because this was his fault, this once beautiful planet was a waste land because he allowed the Tallest to get this far. Heck even Irk which was once like Earth at one time was now a waste land, and it was all because of the poor decisions of his leaders. The moment they disowned their Ancestors was the moment they had doomed their race to darkness.

Irk was on path of self-destruction, and it would be taking all the worlds it captured with them.

Bec looked around him as if for the first time and realized Zim was right, this world had changed by their hand. Bec remembered how pretty and blue the Earth was, it fascinated him that there was still a planet out there so young and full of natural resources. And sure the humans were using it up faster than they should, and sure the planet wasn't as healthy as it could be, but that wasn't the point.

The point was Earth was theirs, whether to destroy or save that was their decision and the Irkens just took it away from them. Without care, without remorse the Irkens had taken away something pure and turned it into this!

Bec lowered his weapon in shock. "Where not making things better." He realized. "We're making it worse."

"You're not actually buying all of this?" Freddy asked him.

"Yeah what could an Irken possibly know about our planet." Jacob scoffed.

"I know enough to know that I never should have laid eyes on it." Zim admitted. "This planet was fine the way I found it."

"This place was a dump!" Caleb snapped.

"No this place was a world of opportunity, you just didn't like the fact that you had to work to get somewhere in life." Zim jeered, obviously hitting a nerve. "You like the fact that all you have to do now is sell out one of your own. It's easier than real work."

"Why you!" Jacob raised the butt of the blaster to knock Zim in the head only to find a muzzle of another weapon resting on his.

"Don't you dare." Mia hissed, and to her surprise Jacob actually laughed.

And he continued Laughing even as the rest of the Irken rebels snuck up behind the Irken worshipers and held them at gun point.

"Clever." He admitted to Zim. "Getting me all flustered so you merry band of defectives could sneak in and rescue you."

"They are not defective." Zim hissed.

"Of course they are just look at them." Jacob reasoned.

"I am." Zim said. "Only the only ones I see out of place is you, and your back stabbing friends."

"What?" Jacob asked.

"Face it Kid this whole planet is full of defectives." Zim mused. "It's what makes humans…well human. Here Irkens like us belong, but people like you." His eyes began to glow a dangerous red. "People like you don't belong anywhere." He growled. "And for the record I don't need any help with you!"

Bec was not prepared for what happened next and obviously neither was Jacob. Zim grabbed the plasma rifle by the muzzle and bended it upward.

Of course, Jacob pulls the trigger on instinct causing it to jam.

Zim then forces it out of Jacob's hands and throws it in the air seconds before it explodes into sever collective pieces.

Jacob falls to the ground stunned. "How."

"Let me guess you thought I'd make them handle it." Zim hissed. "You thought that I was like the Tallest, that I would hide behind someone weaker than me and make them fight my battles. Well you're wrong, I don't need to hide because I'm not a coward! I am a leader, and a leader stands in front of the pack, not behind it." He growled.

Goalit was tense as was the rest of the Irkens around them, Zim was very close to going full Amon on them, and if his temper caused him to kill these humans the Ancients would never see him as worthy. A true worth Amon did not need to change into that beast to get their point across, the beast was a weapon to defend their people with, not scare them into submission.

"Now if I were you." Zim hissed. "I'd realize how greatly outnumbered I am and walk away before Things truly get ugly."

Crystal waited for Jacob to get up and attack, to fight to the death, but to her surprise the other Irken Worshipers lowered their weapons as Jacob stood calmly and said.

"Fine with me, we already have what we came for."

Those words made Dib feel sick to his stomach. "Already?" He forced a laugh. "If you're talking about our base it's not here!" He snapped. "Only an idiot would someone they just met where their secret base is."

"We don't need to know." Jacob mused. "After all we have something you want." He taunted. "If you ever want to save them, you'll come to us."

Dib realizes in an instant he's right, if they ever wanted to save April's and Crystal's family they would have to go to Zec.

"Enjoy you small victory Taller Zim." Jacob mused. "Because it will be your last."

Taller Zim, Zim couldn't help but flinch at the term, and for good reason. If the enemy was addressing him as Taller Zim, than it meant this was really happening. Zim could deny the truth no longer he was the future leader of his people until told otherwise.

Even the enemy acknowledged him for what he was, the successor of the Tallest. And whether any of them liked it or not that was the case. Zim was next in line with no one but the Tallest standing in his way.

Dib watched as they took their leave. "Should we really let them go?" he asked.

"It's a lose, lose situation." Zim reasoned. "If we take them as prisoner they'll be inside the base."

"And if we let them go?" Dib asked.

"There's no telling what they've learned from just being among us." Zim said. "You all talked so freely with them."

Crystal gasped. "I promised them we could save them." She realized. "I practically told the enemy that we have a way on Zec."

"You have a way on Zec?" Bec asked, drawing their attention. He watched as the humans, and Irken rebels aimed their weapons at him.

"What do we about him?" Mark asked.

"He risked a lot to get Elma and Goalit here to warn us." Zim reasoned. "If they had not shown up when they did I would probably be dead."

"So whose side are you on then?" James demanded to know. "Because we don't encourage fence hopping if you get what I mean."

Oh Bec got it alight, they didn't want him changing sides over and over again, either he was with them or against them. "I want Irk to be great again." He admitted. "What I want to know is do you plan to save it or not!"

"I plan to try." Zim admitted. "But Irk will not change unless it wants to."

Bec lowered his weapon. "How do we convince them that change is even possible, they've oppressed us for so long?"

"We seek guidance from our Ancestors only they can get us out of this mess." Zim told him. "But you have to be dedicated to this new role."

"It's not like I can go back." Bec reasoned. "I stopped them, you were supposed to die tonight, it was supposed to ignite fear and disband your group forever."

"You really think we'd stop fighting if Zim died." Mark asked.

"You wouldn't?" Bec asked.

"I'd be insulted if they did." Zim snapped. "Especially after all I've done for them." He gave Mark a smug wink.

"Yeah like we needed you." Mark teased.

"I'm confused." Bec admitted, obviously thrown off by their behavior. "Do they hate each other?"

"Humans have strange ways of showing admiration." Goalit reasoned with him. "Mark's way is by saying the opposite of what he really means."

"That's stupid." Bec admitted. "Why not just admit his gratitude and be done with it."

"Because he's human." Elma said. "And we humans don't have to do anything we don't want to."

"And exactly how does a society work with that attitude?" Bec challenged.

Zim shrugged. "It hasn't failed them yet." He mused.

"Regardless what you did was reckless!" Bec began to lecture. "Putting yourself in danger like that!"

"And exactly who are you to lecture me?" Zim taunted. "You've been a part of this group for less than 10 minutes and you already think you're in the position to speak freely."

Bec deflated. "But I thought…" he began obviously getting defensive.

"Relax." Goalit warned. "He's teasing you, we all may speak freely here." He assured him. "And while we are on the subject I have to agree. What were you thinking putting yourself at risk like that? Seriously I am gone for one hour and you manage to almost get yourself killed!"

"I meant what I said." Zim answered. "A leader leads from the front."

"Yeah human leader do it all the time." Dib reasoned. "And they survive."

"Mostly." Zim added with a cruel chuckle.

"Taller Zim I am being serious!" Bec reasoned. "You're the future of our race you need to be more careful.

"Wow." Zim mused. "Maybe I should have you run off to recruit more." He said to Goalit. "Cause whatever you told him has change his entire point of view."

Bec was baffled, this Zim was nothing like the Tallest at all, and that confused him.

Goalit laughed. "You think keeping the Tallest safe was hard." He scoffed. "They don't even know the meaning of reckless."

"Zim on the other hand…" Dib trailed off, he wasn't sure why everyone was picking on the new guy, but he had to admit it was lightening the mood.

"Why did you have me corner them if they were just going to get away?" Mia asked Zim suddenly.

Zim gave her a puzzled look which caused Mia to correct herself.

"I mean you disarmed my Taller." She said. "I thought you wanted to be bait for the rest of us to catch them off guard and eliminate the threat."

"We did catch them off guard. Zim assured her.

"I don't understand." Mia admitted.

"They expected me to act like the Tallest, to hide behind my soldiers." Zim explained. "However, I showed them that I am more than just a figure head, I am a valuable member of this team."

"We all have our roles to play." Goalit reasoned. "True we have leaders, but they are not above you are me."

"We are all on equal ground." Dib continued. "We all contribute an equal share of effort and work."

"And that is why we are strong." Rachel said. "We embrace each other's ideas and talents and it allows us to be better for it."

"I know it's hard to understand now." Zim assured her and the rest of the newly added Irkens. "But give it some time and you'll see it too. We work better when we are not wasting time stepping all over each other."

Mia nodded it was a nice thought to be treated as an equal with everyone and anyone, but could that kind of society really last? She wasn't sure, but she knew one thing; it was working for them now, while the Irken way wasn't working for the Tallest at all.

Not anymore and the proof of that was this group… in as little as a few months the Renegades had gained several Irken members. Members who had lost faith in the Irken way and had found faith in a new way.

"I'm so sorry guys." Crystal suddenly said. "I risked all of us because I thought…"

"It's okay." Dib assured her. "They fooled us all."

"But they took my family." Crystal cried. "They have my parents, April's too! And her sister and our friends!"

"We'll get them back." Zim promised her. "But first we have to lay low for a while."

"Zim's right." Rachel reasoned. "The Tallest will not let this one go unnoticed."

"You just made it a lot worse for humans everywhere." Bec spoke openly.

"We know." Dib said, "But with every victory their suffering gets closer and closer to ending."

"And you think it's worth it?" Tesi asked.

"Unfortunately the suffering of the innocent is a common casualty of war." Zim said. "It cannot be avoided."

"We will get them back." Crystal added. "I will not rest until we get them back, and Jacob pays!"

"Oh he'll pay." Zim vowed. "You can count on it."

(Back with Jacob…)

[Location: The palace in the City of Zec]

"So you failed us?" Tallest Red hissed.

"No actually I'd say it was a success." Jacob mused.

"Success?" Purple snapped. "What part of 'we want him dead' did you not get?"

"I did you a favor." Jacob explained. "Killing Zim would not have destroyed the Renegades. It would have enraged them, motivating them to become even more of a nuisance than they are now."

"And what makes you so sure of that?" Red challenged.

"Because I am human, they are human." Jacob reasoned. "It's what we do!"

"So you were no use to us, and to make matter worse the Irken Rebels have joined his ranks along with one of our own guards!"

"Actually I'd say I've been plenty useful." He argued. "Like for example, did you know the Renegades have a way on Zec?"

"What?" Red asked in disbelief. "Impossible!"

"Nope, I bragged that we stole their family and friends and they didn't even blink." Jacob informed them. "They simply shrugged it off and said they had a way here, so they could save them with ease."

"But that would mean…" Purple began.

"We have traitor in our mists." Red finished the thought, his eyes glowing dangerously. "Which means if we find the traitor well have them all."

"See I told you that my mission was successful." Jacob mused.

"Yes well now it will be your job to continue it." Purple said.

"How so?" Jacob asked.

"Another Irken would be foolish to betray us alone." Red reasoned.

"Yes Zim would not trust an Irken he cannot keep his eyes on." Purple added.

Jacob smiled. "So we are looking for a Minion and his Irken master." He said realizing what they were getting at.

"Precisely." Red said. "We find the minion we find the back stabbing Irken scum of a traitor."

Jacob bowed. "As you wish my Tallest…as you wish."

Dangerous Ties (Part 3) END!