Episode 9: Defective

Episode Summary- Judgment Day has arrived! Will the Tallest's ingenious plan to figure out who the members of the resistance work? Meanwhile Crystal devises a plan to get caught by the Irken Police.

Disclaimers: I Do Not Own Invader Zim

Author's Notes: And we are back with another exciting part of Invader Zim Renegades! Thank you all for all your comments and dedication to this series.

Hope you guys enjoy!

Yours Truly, RoxieDivine :)

Episode 9: Defective (Part 1)

(Back with Dib…)

He had never felt so much anxiety in his entire life.

Dib gulped as he entered his homeroom class in intense anticipation, he knew this was what it must feel like; to stand before a parent knowing you've been caught red handed, but still desperately hoping for miracle. He shook his head, he had to get into the right mindset.

'You are Joshua Campbell, and this test is nothing.' He shook his head; the greater student body didn't even know about the test yet. So just knowing about it could single him out as a possible target to the computer brain.

Joseph bit his lip nervously as he followed his brother in. Students rarely went to homeroom for anything. In fact, the Irkens found the class so useless that it was often debated that they should remove it entirely. However, since Human education was so alien to them, the Irkens did little to change the structure that was already in place. Even the new classes that were added such as Irken History and Irken Mechanics were conducted with Human course structure in mind.

Several students were chattering as they took their seats. Everyone knew that something was up the fact that there was homeroom this morning was all the evidence they needed.

Rachel was next to arrive, James as usual was by her side, and Mark followed close behind.

Homeroom was the only class they all shared together. And yet they still didn't dare sit together. No Joseph took his usual seat by the door, his brother to his left. Rachel sat in the middle of the front wall three seats away. James and Mark shuffled to the back.

The bell rang, and Mark was sure he felt his hear dropped into his stomach.

Homeroom was usually a call for celebration, it was one of the few classes that no Irken attended; even the teacher Mrs. Kilmer, was human. And yet, it was as if someone had written a warning out on the board in invisible ink, because everyone was on edge.

"Class please take your seats." Mrs. Kilmer said.

Silence followed the request.

Mrs. Kilmer cleared her throat. "Class today we will be taking a new standardized test." She explained. "Shortly a general from the Irken Military will be joining us to administer said test."

An Irken General!

Now that got the class talking, the fact that a general of the Irken Military would be leaving Zec to come to their school! Why, such a thing had never been heard of. Only low-ranking soldiers ever came down to the planet surface, the rest stayed in the floating Irken City above.

"Class please." Mrs. Kilmer sounded like she was begging. "I must go over this now before he gets here." She insisted.

The class settled down almost imminently.

"When he arrives, you will all stand up at attention." She said quickly. "Make sure your uniform is presentable now." She instructed. "Especially those on the front row."

Joseph didn't waste time following instructions, not that he needed to worry, he was always presentable. His brother however…

"Josh sweetie please move to the back." Mrs. Kilmer advised.

Dib felt kind of embarrassed but obeyed all the same.

Zim felt his absents almost imminently, but he pushed the sickening feeling of dread aside. He couldn't hold Dib's hand through this one. He had given him all the tools he could ever need, but it was up to Dib now to find his own success.

There is a single knock on the door, and the students waste no time getting up and standing at attention.

Mrs. Kilmore cleared her throat once more and then said with a shaky, but firm voice. "Please come in."

The door opened, and it was as if the very air around them had turned into ice.

Zim shivered despite himself, he knew this feeling; a chill so cold that it's owner could kill you with a single glare of his distant and cold orange eyes.

General Kazar walked into the room as if he were a serpent slowly closing in on his prey. His eyes met with Zim's and the Ex-invader resisted the urge to choke him out. This couldn't be a coincidence, him being assigned to his homeroom. The snake must have arranged it this way, was he dense? Did he not know how much this could backfire on them if the general's treachery was ever discovered by the Tallest?

Or perhaps Zim was the one that was about to be betrayed!

No, Joseph shook his head, he couldn't think about that now. He needed to focus on the task at hand.

"Take your seats." General Kazar's order was obeyed before he could even finish giving it out. He didn't even acknowledge it. Instead he moved on to the next matter at hand.

Zim, or rather Joseph couldn't help but smile, it would appear somethings never change.

"As you have no doubt been informed, the school board has administered a new exam." Sensing the tension in the room he paused. "Relax it's a simple test, one you won't even need a writing utensil for."

Now the students around him were really scratching their heads. This was good, no one looked prepared, which meant word hadn't leaked out to the other students.

"In a moment, a computer Brain will enter the room and attached itself to your person." He explained. "Once attached the Test will begin." He paused. "Any questions?"

One head raised.

It was Beth Summers; she was new to the school having just moved here a few months before. Her long black hair covered most of her face.

"Speak." General Kazar ordered.

"General Sir." Beth addressed him with a respectful bow before continuing. "Are we allowed to know what the test is about." She asked. "I've had no time to prepare."

"One who takes time to prepare is a waste." General Kazar informed her. "But to answer your question, I am not allowed to tell you what the test is about." He said. "All I can say is it is exam of the mind. See it as a behavioral analysis exam." He went on. "If it helps to ease your mind here is my advice. Just respond naturally to whatever scenario the brain presents you with and it will be fine." He advised. "You have all day to complete this exam. All other classes are canceled for the day as all students are taking this exam."

"Thank you, sir." Beth bowed before sitting back down.

Joseph's brow perked up, and he raised his hand…confused.

"Awe another question I see." General Kazar mused. "Speak."

Joseph stood. "General Sir." He bowed. "Did you say all students?"

"Yes." General Kazar looked cross. "Was that not clear?"

"Well I just…." Joseph paused.

"Speak boy!" General Kazar demanded.

"Well does that include the cadets?" Joseph asked looking worried now.

General Kazar nodded, a smile slipping slightly on his face. "Why yes, yes it does."

Joseph felt the answer hit him like a block of ice, hard and blunt. He was frozen to the spot.

He wasn't the only one.

Dread seeped into all the renegade members present in the room and as they all shared a look Josh knew they were all thinking about the same thing.

Scamooch!

Joseph wanted to strangle himself, he never thought to prepare the young Cadet for anything, and the proof is written all over his face, and it's obvious that General Kazar is enjoying this.

"Is that a problem?" The general dared to ask.

"No-o sir." Joseph answered.

"Then sit!" General Kazar ordered.

"Yes sir, thank you sir." Joseph bowed and then sat down still dazed.

Mark couldn't help but clench his fist. They were totally screwed! Scamooch had no time to prepare which meant he could accidently give them all away if he weren't careful. And the fact that the General was pleased to see them panic was proof that he knew that the cadets would be testing all along.

He set them up for failure!

Joseph's eyes narrowed. He allowed them to glow red with rage, he wanted General Kazar to see his furry. Once he knows the General is aware of his rage, he allows their gaze to hold for an instant.

General Kazar stands firm under that deadly stare, he knows better than to withhold information from his future Tallest, but for him this was a personal matter. Call it a test, he wanted to be sure Zim was indeed strong enough to lead their people.

To test this, he had to see through Scamooch's eyes how Zim's teachings were affecting him. Scamooch had been with him long enough to see how humans behaved, how they treated each other, and no doubt Zim had instructed him to do as the humans did. Weather he told him this through his words or just by his actions it did not matter. The cadet knows Zim is his future Tallest, so naturally he will do as his Tallest does.

The question was: did acting like humans make their race stronger or weaker?

Scamooch would tell him that.

Of course, Joseph can see the truth in an instant, and he is not happy to say the least. What gave him the right to test his future Tallest?

Suddenly, the computer brain storms in, and the students have no time to prepare before several arms reach out for them, one for each student. They latch on to their foreheads and they are out cold in an instant.

Mrs. Kilmer looks uneasy.

"Relax they are not in any duress." General Kazar assured her. "You may stay, or you may leave for the day." He instructed her.

"I will stay." She answered sitting at her desk and pulling out tomorrow's lesson plan. Normally she'd pull out a book, but she dares not do so with a general present. No, it was better to look like she was doing something productive.

"Very well, this could take some time." He said as he continued to stand. "Once a student awakes, I will have you escort them to the gym where they will remain under careful surveillance until the rest are done."

"Understood General." Mrs. Kilmer answered.

Silenced followed as the mental war began, however just down the hall a different war was ragging.

Scamooch couldn't help it as his hands shook due to the news he just received.

Commander Reed, chief in command of the fourth fleet of the Armada has just informed them that they too will be taking a behavior analysis exam. And the cadet could only think of one thing it could be about. It must be the defective test they had been warned about.

The cadet begins to panic internally, Zim hadn't prepared him for this, and General Kazar had not warned them. Was it possible he hadn't known? Or had his previous predecessor betrayed them after all? He has no time to decide an answer before the computer brain enters.

"Now let's see which of you is truly devoted to our people and who is not." Commander Reed hissed. He had no doubt that Zim must have turned some of the cadets traitor, it was the only thing that could allow the Renegades to stay hidden right under so many watchful eyes of so many Irken instructors. Yes, it was the only obvious answer, that was why he suggested to his leaders that all students including the cadets should take this exam.

And he wasn't blind to the fact that General Kazar was highly against it. In fact, he heard that his rival had even voted against his request. Only to change his mind later.

'What are you planning Kazar.' He thought bitterly, his eyes fell on Scamooch.

Crap, their gaze met, the cadet looks away quickly, but it's too late.

'He knows something.' Commander Reed realized.

No sooner did that thought enter his mind did the computer brain strike. Several arms reach out for them, one for each student. They latch on to their foreheads.

And just like that all the cadets, including Scamooch; are out cold.

(Meanwhile, at the Principal's office…)

"Final link complete." Principal Razi confirmed over a comm link with the Almighty Tallest. "All students are wired and ready for testing. Please confirm."

"Awaiting confirmation." An Irken Technician said from the control room within the Tallest Place.

Red and Purple sit comfortably behind him and sever others. Millions of monitoring screens hover above them.

Suddenly the screens come to life, projecting several different images, some changing from time to time.

"My Tallest the link is successful." The first technician reported.

"Excellent." Red said.

"Now we can watch the students and see how they respond to each scenario." Purple explained the obvious.

"Yes." Red said rolling his eyes. "Razi you may start the exam."

"Yes, my Tallest." Principal Razi answered and pressed the command button, and with that one motion Judgment Day had begun!

Episode 9-Defective (Part 1) END!