Zaygam

Taken to Task

"My Tallest!" Red lifted his head to see an official looking Irken bustle in, apparently distressed. "We have teleported the alien filth—" He shot a peeved look at Mikko and her unchained wrists, "Into the building, unbound as per your request. There is a rather large dark tall one that refuses to allow any of them to come. At laser point, he only demands to speak with Zim 'if everything is really alright.' Shall we stun them and bring them all along?"

Red glanced at Zim, who sagged slightly.

"I think I need to speak with him." Zim's claws knotted in the sheets. "Mikko, you should go."

She frowned. "Why would I—"

"Please, Smeet." He said quietly. "I lost Tom's trust. I want to regain it myself." Reluctantly, she left the room as Red gestured to the official, who left to retrieve Tom.

"Da—Tallest Red." Zim hesitated, looking hard at his own lap. "You will hear some things you do not understand that happened. Please... please do not think less of Zim... I have done some terrible things since the last time you saw me. Perhaps Mother can explain."

Red frowned, turning to Gloria for explanation as Tom strode through the doors. He came to a stop uncomfortably close to Zim's bedside, his hands clenching and unclenching. His hands were all Zim could see, as he kept his head down and his antennae submissively low.

"You look up at me now." Tom's voice was low, and carried a hint of a threat.

Zim pulled together all the nerve he could and lifted his head. Tom's face was like a thundercloud, and his eyes held the hurt of betrayal. For a long time, neither spoke, each waiting for the other to speak. Finally, Zim broke the silence.

"Say something." He whispered. "It's why you're here. It's why you left the rest of them outside and I asked Mikko to leave."

Tom's whole arm tightened at the mention of Mikko. Zim, trained to see a violent move in the works, recoiled, alarm flooding him. Tom had never raised a hand against him...

And still he didn't. He seemed to be holding his arm in place by force of will, against the urge to strike Zim then and there. Zim filled to the brim with hurt and confusion. He had not harmed Tom, he had shown the man nothing but respect. Why now was he ready to hit him?

"You never think, do you?" He rasped darkly. "You never think about the consequences your actions have on other people. You make whatever deal with the devil in the desert and come back some kind of murderous maniac. You have to eat one of your own in the same building as us—my wife cooked it for you! My daughter watched you eat it!" Tom's voice kept rising, as Red's head swiveled toward them, dumb shock spreading across his face. "Then you up and vanish along with Gloria, this magician, and my daughter Mikko. Not one word to us, not letting us know where you're going or what you're doing, or if we're going to be living underground in a base that's a robot child for the rest of our lives or ANYTHING." His eyes narrowed. "And you put Mikko in danger."

The words twisted in Zim's gut like knives, and it was all he could do to keep his head up.

"Give me one reason, Zim." Tom challenged, his voice low and angry.

Zim sucked in a breath. He knew Tom was on the verge of leaving, never speaking to or seeing him again, he was that upset. Everything knotted up inside. Tom was not his Danem, but his respect for the human was near equal to it. He'd always helped Zim, given him the benefit of the doubt—often before Della even—and helped Zim pull himself to his feet after falling. Here on the verge of this human's rejection, Zim fumbled for the words that would keep him from leaving.