Chapter Text
Okay. Okay okay. Yep, this wasn't good. The plan failed, the Kratts ruined everything, it was time for the getaway, Zach was used to the routine by now.
Well, except... the jet didn't fucking start. Shit, shit shit. He didn't have any Zachbots left to fight back. Those idiot Ratts were closing in. What was he supposed to do? He wasn't going to run away, he refused to run even on a good day, and this day was going horribly. Zach slammed his hands on the console a few times and slumped forward, resting his head. What dumb mistake had he made this time? He really, really hoped it wasn't something obvious. Too late to think about it now, anyways, here the morons came.
He could hear the running footsteps approaching and the sound of the cockpit door opening. His breathing was starting to get faster, and his vision felt a little blurry. It's fine, it's fine! They're Kratts, what are they gonna do anyway, kill me? Actually... wait, no, he wasn't going to think about that.
"Don't move, Zach! There's nowhere to run this time!" One of them shouted, the green one... Chris. Nope. I'm not going to think about... that... either. Zachs anxiety rose as he was forced up out of the pilot seat and pushed out the door. He couldn't say anything, all he could do was put one foot in front of the other. He hardly registered the voices beginning to surround him, the 'we did it!'s and 'is he already planning something, look at him's, or the rope being tied around his wrists.
After quite a while of trying to imagine he was anywhere else, the world started to come back into focus. He was somewhere bright and airy, with a lot of tech, very... what was the word? Very solarpunk. Voices, too, the same ones as before, he recognized them this time.
"Well, what are we supposed to do with him? He'd just get bailed out of prison immediately and we'd be back where we started!" That was Koki, the oldest of the group. Oh god, would they really send him to prison? Zach wanted to vomit at the idea.
"Well, maybe we could leave him at an asylum? The guy is pretty crazy."
"We are not doing that, Jimmy, okay? I don't think you... fully understand what would happen to him." Jimmy Z, the annoyingly cheerful and relaxed one, and Martin, the older Kratt brother. They were all talking about what to do with him... he was in so much trouble.
"Uh... hello?" They weren't making any effort to stop him from listening, he was just sat in a corner of the room while the crew was gathered in the middle. "I'm right here, you know..." His voice was more shaky and nervous than he wanted it to be. Embarrassing.
"Yeah, we know," Aviva answered, glancing over her shoulder at him like he was an idiot. Well excuse me, miss ego, who won multiple science fairs, and later got accepted into more colleges? Won more awards? Me, that's who. Zach was clearly the smartest person in the room.
"Okay guys, I have an idea, but I know you won't like it." That was Chris talking. Everyone else turned to him. "We could just... keep him here? Not forever, obviously- but isn't it better than just leaving him somewhere and hoping for the best?" He lowered his voice to say something else, and Zach leaned forward to hear it. "And maybe, if he stays here long enough... maybe he can change? I know he's done some really messed up stuff, but if he can be a better person, wouldn't that be so much better than leaving him in prison or an asylum?"
The crew all had various faces of what Zach assumed was suspicion and disbelief, not that he knew expressions very well. The first to speak was Martin. "Actually... you might be right. I really don't want him to end up in an insane asylum, and Koki's right about him being bailed out of prison no matter what. This could be our best option."
Koki nodded, and Jimmy mumbled something like "Yeah, dude, totally." Aviva glared at Zach, who stared at the floor, unsure of which option he hated most.
Finally she said, "Alright, fine. We'll keep him here until we think of something better. But honestly Chris, I don't think he can change. He's just... not a good guy." She walked toward the door, calling out behind her, "Come on, Koki, let's go modify one of the spare rooms."
Well. This was going to be unpleasant.