VINDICATION

Chapter 42: Capitalize

********This chapter is dedicated to Lilli and EscagirlUK, my new reviewy-peeps of reviewy doom! Feel honoured, my pig-smellies!


Zim walked past Tak's ship and over to the window, looking out at the starry sky which was obscured by the occasional cloud. He’d been racking his brain for hours trying to think of a way to bring the Armada near enough to the Earth for an attack to be effective, and had come up with nothing. He sighed heavily, resting his forehead against the windowpane, closing his eyes. Perhaps he would just have to settle here on Earth after all. The thought made him cringe.

Turning, he was reminded yet again by Tak’s ship that his own Voot Runner was gone. Dib had made a suggestion earlier about converting one of the escape pods from his station in orbit around the Earth, but at the moment he was more concerned with how he was going to bring The Massive towards the puny little planet. Zim sighed heavily, shaking his head. Perhaps he should get some sleep.

As he walked towards the elevator he suddenly tripped over something, scowling when he saw that it was one of GIR’s toys. He kicked it hard, satisfied when it hit the wall and broke into pieces. Something rolled out in front of him and he stepped on it, then bent down and picked it up.

It was an Irken coin.

Zim grinned suddenly, his eyes narrowing as he clenched the coin in his fist and ran to the elevator, pulling his communicator out.

“GIR! Have the Dib-human meet me in the lab.”

“YES SIR!!”

*******************************

Dib yawned, sitting on the edge of the table in his boxers when Zim came into the lab. “I hope you’ve got a good reason for waking me up at two in the morning, Zim.”

Zim grinned. “I know how to bring the Tallests to Earth.”

Dib’s eyes widened. “Okay, that’s a good reason. How are you gonna do it?”

Zim opened his hand and showed Dib the Irken coin. “I’m going to capitalize on their greed.” He watched as Dib took the coin and inspected it. “What I need is a lump of metal I can pass off as Irken gold.”

Dib nodded. “From what I can tell, this coin isn’t made from any element found on this planet…but it looks just like copper…that stuff is readily available anywhere. You and I can melt some down ourselves.”

Zim nodded, rubbing his hands together. “Yes...but we need to make it look as much like raw ore as possible, or they won’t believe it.”

Hopping off of the table and handing the coin back to Zim, Dib stretched, then shook his head. “Genius, Zim. Pure genius.”

The Irken straightened a little, puffing out his chest. “Of course I am, Dib-worm. Now, let’s go find this copper and start—”

“Zim, we won’t find any copper at two a.m.” Dib chuckled. “Come to bed with me.”

Zim allowed himself to be led into the Dib-unit’s quarters, then stretched and removed his pak, setting it down carefully on a table in the corner.

Dib watched as the Irken removed his uniform, shaking his head and grinning to himself. Of all the possible partners he could have chosen on the planet, he’d picked one that wasn’t even of the same species. Go figure. However, he didn’t find it to be an unreasonable pairing; once he had gotten used to the difference in appearance, Zim was actually quite attractive.

“So what are you planning on doing once the Armada gets here?”

Zim debated on whether or not to leave his boxers on, then climbed out of them and tossed them aside, walking over to the bed and climbing onto it. “We’ll launch the Earth-fleet. While the Tallests are distracted by the battle, I will board The Massive and take them hostage.”

Dib nodded, lying on his side and leaning his chin on one elbow. “And me?”

Zim blinked at him, quirking an antenna. “What do you mean?”

“What am I going to be doing?”

Zim lay down on his back, looking up at the ceiling. “You can stay here.”

Dib frowned. “You’re going to leave me on Earth while you risk your neck against the Irken Armada? I don’t think so. What happens if they blow up the planet?”

Zim shrugged noncommittally. “You would be vaporized.”

“Do you want that?”

The Irken blinked up at the ceiling, then met Dib’s eyes. There was a long, heavy silence between them before Zim looked away. “You have been useful to me thus far…”

“That’s not what I asked, Zim.” Dib reached out and ran his knuckles gently over Zim’s cheek, then trailed his fingertips along one of the Irken’s long antennae.

Zim sighed heavily. “Make silence, human. We can discuss this matter in the morning.”

Dib nodded slowly, then wrapped an arm around Zim’s body, resting his head on the Invader’s shoulder and closing his eyes, eventually drifting off to sleep.

Zim lay awake for nearly half an hour before sleep started to tug him down, and he closed his eyes, nuzzling his face into Dib’s hair before the darkness of slumber enveloped him.

******
Well, sorry for the delay in posting this...I've been so consumed in finishing up a sketch of one of the smut scenes for this story that I kinda left posting the next chapter off for a day or so.

So go check out the sketch! I workededed for hours on it.... http://www.deviantart.com/view/21762352/

Anyways, love to all who reviewed, and yes, I am Canadian. Dib's comment was a shout-out to Canadians because we don't really get acknowledged very much out there.