Episode 11: Battle Lines Blur (Part 2)
(Back with Reed…)
He thought it was funny that he was doing this now. Only months ago, Reed had sworn to Zim that he would never convert him, and yet…
The former commander did his best to tread lightly as he walked the halls of the Palace. Now that he was no longer a commander he had very little to do. Of course, before he was fired he was supposed to be getting a fleet ready to lead a counter attack against the Resisty's and their rebels. The galactic outlaws had attack sever of their factories, and had encourage the workers of several others to raise arms and fight back.
This was why many supply lines would now be run here on Zec with the help of the human prisoners. Reed's forces were supposed to get everything back under control to alleviate some of Zec's work load. The new capital was not equipped for supplying the entirety of the Irken empire, in all reality it was simply meant to be a look out point. A place where soldiers reside to watch over the planet.
However, since Earth was so valuable a large amount of personnel was needed. This forced soldiers who would usually act as instructors for Cadets to answer the call to arms. Of course, a new generation of soldiers still needed to be taught, so the cadets had to follow their instructors. This caused the training of the cadets to be greatly altered. Instead of locking them up in a room for ten years they were forced to learn alongside the human children.
This would allow the schools to be monitored by Irken soldiers standing in as teachers, which relieved man power for an even greater task; like neutralizing the Resistance. Of course, the rebels only made things worse for Zec, their rebellious nature inspired some humans to refuse to register, and since these humans were not in the Irken data base they were…unknown, and their great numbers could be added to the enemy ranks.
So, I order to ensure they never joined the Renegades they were captured and held in a prison on Zec far out of Zim's reach.
Or so they had thought, but Zim had managed to get to Zec, and though he had left several of his rebel friends had stayed. Sure, they were in prison now, but Reed could not help but think that getting caught was all apart of the plan. Not that it mattered, his focus was not the prison, no his job was to make Red and Purple turn against each other.
He doubted he needed to, and when he enters the docking bay he soon sees his suspicions are correct. Red is assembling the troops for War, to carry out the mission that Reed was supposed to do. However, it does not take long for him to realize a problem, or more Importantly Purple.
"Red, we've disbanded our commanders." He says. "Who will lead the fleet?"
"This fleet is no longer going to sector eight." Red reasoned. "We have managed to track down Zim's flight path. We will hunt him down and be rid of him for good."
"Red we can't leave, if we do the rebels will seize their chance." Purple argued.
"I know, that's why only one of us is going." Red answered.
"You mean separate?" Purple looks fearful. "Why not let Reed run the operation like we had plan?"
"Why? So that coward can freeze up again?" Red spat.
Reed hid behind a Voot as they continued to argue.
"Then get Kazar to do it." Purple was pleading now.
"No, I want to keep him in my line of sight. Zim was his student, and now Scamooch another former student of his has joined his ranks."
"You think he's in league with Zim?" Purple asked.
"He never wasn't." Red growled. "He saw Zim's potential, said he would became a powerful Irken someday, and he has. Besides, you and I both know how he hates to lose!"
"Then Diaz, she's good for it." Purple tried one last suggestion.
"No, don't you see? We've been wasting time trying to get others to get rid of him for us. First Skoodge, then the royal guard, then Koi, and then those worshipers." Red reasoned. "We have to finish this, it's the only way we know it will be done right."
Purple nodded. "Then I will go." He stated.
Red looks unsure.
"Look I am not trying to out you." Purple stated. "You are the stronger one, if Zim defeats you…"
"He won't!" Red snapped.
""If he wins." Purple hissed over him. "The strongest of us need to here waiting for him to return and finish the job. You and I both know that has to be you!"
Red stops, he hadn't thought of it that way. Perhaps Purple was right, still the chances of the other dying was great. The two had never stood without the other, if he was in his right mind he would wait for Zim to come to them. But that just it, Red was not in his right mind! He was so clouded with rage that he had disbanded his commanders and now he was about to divide himself from his fellow Tallest.
"Take Skoodge with you." Red ordered. "That lazy twit needs to finish the job if he wants to keep his reward."
Reed stiffened at the mention of the former invader. During the initial takeover of Earth, the plump Irken had been given a chance at the good life if he captured Zim. He succeed, and was given credit for the conquest of Earth. Skoodge was now the sole reason for the success of Operation: Impending Doom 2! However, when Zim escaped everything he had been promised was put in jeopardy.
Still, the invader managed to redeem himself by capturing Gaz, and had ben living the life of luxury within the East wing of the Palace ever since. Now, the Tallest were calling on him to finish the job, and worse still one of them was going with him.
Reed reached for his communicator and whispered. "Kazar we have a problem…"
(Back with Jamie…)
For some reason, the brain washing room reminded her of a movie theater. The room was dark, and several rows of chairs were lined up before a big screen. She knew it was silly, but she half hoped the screen would start playing the Avengers at any moment. Movies had been outlawed by the Irkens, they said it promoted humans to be violent and revolt against their power.
Now all television showed was Irken controlled products, the weather, the news, and not much else. This could also be said about several books, anything the Irkens deemed untrue, or inspirational was burned, fiction and none fiction alike. Generations of written human history destroyed and all for the Irken cause.
Jamie shook the thought from her mind. She had to focus, for this was the moment of truth. At that very moment she and Crystal were being led into the room by Bec. Jacob was following close behind, he had been tasked with brain washing the new recruits. He knew the other Irken worshipers were not pleased that he had allowed them the chance to join their ranks, but he could care less.
All he cared about was her safety.
Jacob allowed himself to steal a look in Crystal's direction before looking away. She had refused to speak to him when he had come to acquire her answer during breakfast. Instead, Jamie had spoke for her, saying she would join the group of Irken worshipers.
Crystal had nodded her agreement, but said nothing.
He did not blame her. After all, he had betrayed their trust, sold out his entire family.
And for what?
He had a reason, not so long ago…but now…
He was beginning to wonder if it had all been worth it. He glanced her way once more and to his surprise she is facing him. He knows she can not actually see him, but having her gaze in his direction fills him with a warmth that he had not felt since the day she had left.
Yes, he decided this was worth it, everything he did was for this moment. To have a chance for the people he loved to have a better life. Did he become the bad guy to do it? Sure, would he suffer the eternal persecution of his fellow humans for siding with the enemy.
Of course! But having her here, having everyone he loved this close to being safe made it all worth it. Even if she hated him forever that was ok, because at least here in this prison she and the others were finally safe.
However, he knew things would not stay that way. Oh yes, he knew Jamie intended to use him to aid in their escape. It was a good plan, join the enemy and then use them for your benefit. In fact, it was the exact plan that he had used. Still, even knowing this he did not stop them.
Why?
Because he didn't really care who won this war. His only worry was Crystal, and she was now safely by his side. And if helping Jamie allowed him to redeem himself in her eyes then it would have all been worth it. Still, he knew the others would be watching them like a hawk. He knew they didn't really trust him. He was only their leader because he had proven his worth by selling out his family.
He had to, they were starving in the sewers, and getting sick from disease. Many family members had died, others had been captured and enslaved while out looking for supplies and medicine. He knew the other worshipers sold out their families or selfish reasons, but not him. He had done it to keep them alive. All the undergrounders did was standby, they never fought back unless it was to save one of their own from a slave trader. Because of this they had been allowed to live here in the prison with the hope of getting out.
If they swear their loyalty to Irk.
Some had already, and now resided in the Ranks of the Irken worshipers as he did. But to his dismay some of them had changed. They were now mindless Irken Machines, only when he realized this had he seen his mistake. Of course, by then it had been too late. However, there was hope, Crystal! Since she was blind her brainwashing would be different, and untested, which means there is a chance it won't work.
And if she can convince them it had when she is in fact still the same; then maybe he'll finally have the help he needs to free the others. He wasn't sure what they would do once they were free, or if freeing them when they've been gone for so long was even possible.
He just knew that he wanted to fix this. He wanted his family back!
He wasn't the only one.
Crystal could feel his eyes on her, and she knew they were kind.
When he had addressed her earlier he was also kind, unlike he had been when the Irken worshipers had corned the Renegades months ago.
'Perhaps he was only acting cruel because the other Irken worshipers were there.' She thought. If this was true then what Jamie had said about him could be true. Still, she was weary to trust him again. What he did had cut her deep, and he could always be playing them.
"This is where we begin." Bec stated
"I will take it from here." Jacob said. "Watch the door."
Bec nodded, usually a human would be struck down for ordering an Irken around like this, but Jacob was an exception. He had given the Tallest all the unregistered humans ensuring they would never join Zim's ranks. Because of this he was given the respect that was reserved for only the most elite of Irkens.
This prison was his castle and he ruled with an iron fist.
Jamie was stunned by this. "They do what you say?" She asked as Bec left, closing the door behind him.
Jacob nodded. "Take a seat."
"Why? So, you can strip us of our individuality like they did to you?" Crystal asked. It was the first time she had spoken to him and what he was about to say to her might make it the last.
"The brain washing didn't work on me." He whispered. And it was true, for whatever reason his view on the world had stayed the same. He knew this because he still hated the Irkens, and more importantly he still loved her. Had it of worked he would hate her, see her as unregistered human trash, but he didn't.
Crystal was stunned, a part of her had hoped he was brainwashed into betraying them, but… "You gave them up of your own free will?"
Jacob sighed; how could he make her understand? He couldn't, but he tried none the less. "You don't understand, after you left to find the Renegades things got worse, a lot worse. Two thirds of our people grew ill, many died. Those who were not sick got captured or killed trying to acquire supplies to help. Our numbers were dwindling more people got sick with every passing day…"
"You sold us out!" Crystal yelled.
"I did what I had to, to save our family!" Jacob yelled back. "If that makes me the bad guy…" He paused. "Then so be it!" He shoved her into a seat and strapped her in.
Crystal is too shocked to speak, too shocked to even fight back.
"When I turned everyone in they got the treatment they needed, they got better." Jacob whispered. "I know what I did was bad, but I couldn't just keep watching them die."
Jamie hears the sorrow in his voice and in a way she feels for him. If that had been her, she would have wanted to save her family too; even if it meant sucking up to the Irken scum.
Crystal could also hear his pain; she knew Jacob did what he thought was best. And she knew he wasn't lying about the sickness. The environment was awful, they were living among human waste, and people got sick often, and the numbers of the sick grew with every month. It was one of the reasons she had chosen to leave. In the beginning she only wanted to warn them about the human collars. But by choosing to stay she had hope to bring an end to this war once and for all. Still, it didn't change the fact that he had done this, he even used April as bait to force her guard down. He even had the audacity to blame her. He said she was their best fighter, and by leaving them they were defenseless. The hardest part about this was the fact that he was right.
She was their best fighter, their fastest runner. If she had stayed she could have helped get medicine, and supplies as she had done before. If she had stayed maybe Jacob wouldn't have been forced into such a tough situation. Either way, the truth was he wasn't the only one to blame.
They had both allowed this to happen, and now they must both fix it.
"I don't trust you." She told him. "And I will never forgive you."
Jacob nodded. "Look I'm helping because things are bad, the brain washing it's changed them. This isn't what I wanted."
"Then tell me Jake what did you want?" Crystal yelled.
"For you to be safe, for the people I care about to stop suffering, stop dying." Jacob reasoned. "Had I known our will would be stripped from us I would have stayed in that sewer." He revealed. "But once I became one of the fold, it was impossible to get out, not without risking putting you and the others in danger."
"That's a weak excuse." Crystal challenged.
"They said if I betrayed them you would all pay for it." Jacob whispered. "If I messed up you would all die, don't you see my hands are tied."
"Then why help us now?" Jamie asked.
"Because Crystal has made no such promise." Jacob reasoned. "And she's the only I know who can probably pull this off." He placed some head phones on Crystal.
"How did you do it?" Jamie asked. "How did you manage to avoid being brain washed?"
"You have to remember what you're fighting for." Jacob told her. He looked to Crystal, "You can hate me all you want, but my reasons to save all of you, it is what kept me, me. You're the reason I am still me."
Crystal nodded, she wasn't about to forgive him, but at the moment this was happening whether she liked it or not, and If what he said was true then she was about to find out.
'And if it did work then what?' She asked herself. 'If I am still me, does that mean he is telling the truth?'
"I don't want your forgiveness." Jacob said as he turned on the screen. "I just don't want you to change like they did." He said honestly. "What you choose to do afterwards id up to you, I won't stop you."
Jamie's eyes widen as the screen begins to flash words before her eyes.
OBEY IRK!
Crystal winced as she heard the words through the headphones.
"Remember what you're fighting for." Jacob reminded her. "And good luck, you're going to need it…"
(Back with Zim…)
He had to admit, the sight they were met with was more than a little intimidating.
Zim watched as they were pulled in by, an asteroid?
"Am I going crazy or is an asteroid puling us in with it's own tractor beam?" Scamooch asked.
It was!
Zim took his hands off the controls and allowed the ship to be pulled in. If they showed any slight bit of resistance it could cost them dearly.
The ship is pulled up to the asteroid were it is forced to land.
As the ship touched down, Zim could not help but tense up. This was it, the moment he had been waiting for. Once the doors before him opened their judgement of him would begin. Zim looked down at his attire, it is then that he notices he is still wearing Human clothes. This of course is no surprise; he hadn't worn his Irken uniform in over a year. This was because he no longer believed in what that uniform stood for.
Still, he could have worn a nicer shirt. He groaned at the blue stripped T-shirt and faded jeans. He had been so worried about finding them he forgot to think of his appearance.
Not that it mattered, it was far too late now.
The doors open on their own accord and Zim steps out bravely, no sense and stalling the inevitable. Scamooch follows his lead and what they're met with is quite a sight to behold.
Several refugees, all of different alien species stood before them in formation. Each of them had blasters pointed right at them and standing in front of them were Six colossal Irkens.
Zim is amazed by the sight of them, even in their own worn attire the Ancients presents demanded respect. Still, he is unsure about what to do. If he was before the Tallest he would bow or salute and wait to be addressed. What was he supposed to do here? How did he present himself in a way the showed he was no threat to them or the refugees that stood before them.
Miz took the young Amon before her in inquisitively, he was indeed strong, she could tell by his sent. She could also sense that he was still pure, and had not yet spilled Irken blood. However, it was obvious to her that he was unequipped to handle the situation. Though she was not surprised that he had no idea how to greet them. So, she decided to start things off for them.
Zim, watches as the Tallest and oldest of the Ancients step forward. She walks until she is only feet away from him. "Irken Zim." She says bowing. "It is an honor to finally meet you."
Zim is stunned that someone should feel the need to bow to him especially on of her stature. It feels wrong to him, so he decides to bow to her as a response. She looks pleads by this act, telling him it was the correct thing to do.
Razor watches Zim carefully. The Amon was puzzled, yes it was obvious that he was clueless. Still, he was a quick study, and it wasn't his fault he had never been taught on how to greet his elders.
"The honor is all mine." Zim admitted.
"What is your objective?" Miz asked standing.
His objective? The question throws him off so much that he forgets to be respectful. "What?"
Razor growls, but Miz raises a hand and he grows silent.
"I mean what do you hope to gain by coming here." Miz clarified.
What did he hope to gain? Wasn't it obvious? He wanted to stop this war, give Earth back to its people, save Gaz! "I want to stop this madness." He stated simply. Of course, he knew this personal reasons were not the answers she wanted to hear. It was also not the true reason why he was here.
"That is not the reason." Miz said, as if reading his mind. "True you want to stop this war, save your people from the Tallest. Even correct the wrongs your people have made to those who stand behind me." She gestured to the refugees. "But that is not the most important reasons that you stand before me now." She said.
Scamooch was confused. What greater reason could there be? What could Zim want more than to stop this war when doing so would save the one he loved and her home.
"Now I will ask again." Miz said. "And if you are not fully honest with me, I will send you on your way."
Zim nodded his understanding.
"Why are you here?" Miz asked.
Zim took a deep breath, and exhaled. "Because I am lost." He admitted. "Everyone is looking to me to fix this, and I don't know if I can."
"Why not?" Mucoid asked.
"Because I am defective." Zim admitted.
The older Amons looked at each other as if understanding.
"Tell us who told you this?" Smoots asked.
"The computer brains, they labeled me defective after I…ruined impending doom 1." He explained. He felt shameful admitting this. True his outburst had been cause by the Tallest who sabotaged him but still he had set the first Impending doom back by nearly 2 cycles.
"You messed up a mission and was labeled unfit to perform the task as an Irken soldier." Tulu stated the obvious fact.
Scamooch winced, he could see it as plain as day, the Amons id not like what they were hearing.
Zim could see it too, and he knew what was coming next. They were going to side with the Tallest and cast him out. He was not fit to be their replacement. Worse, he was not fit to be an Irken at all!
However, what Miz said next astounded him. "Zim it is impossible for you to be defective."
"Why?" Scamooch spoke out. "Because he is an Amon?"
"No." Razor spoke gravely. "It is not because he is of a higher breed." Usually he would scold the child for speaking out of turn, but he looked it over for now. Zim needed to hear this next part more than anything else.
"It is because there is nothing wrong with you." Miha said, walking to stand beside Miz. "Zim, there is no such thing as being defective.
It's all a lie..."
Episode 11: Battle Lines Blur (Part 2) END!