Everywhere I look, there's nothing. Nothing behind those masks and shells who pass themselves off as humans. It's almost maddening to think that they believe me to be insane. But then again, shells aren't capable of reason. They say humans are creatures of reason, but nothing I see here adds up.

Dib closed the journal and turned off his laptop. Everything had saved automatically anyway, so he wasn't worried about losing this entry. It was really too bad that such a brilliant mind had dedicated himself to something so twisted. Dib smiled at the thought and readjusted his glasses.
"Dib, get downstairs and eat."
Gaz appeared in the doorway, having somehow gotten past security. Several
broken and mutilated security gnomes littered the floor. She smirked and pointed toward the stairs.
"Now, Dib."
Dib growled and grudgingly moved toward the door. Just his luck Gaz had figured out how to kill the gnomes. Even with his own modifications, Irken security droids were notoriously bad at protecting anything. Gaz smiled when Dib passed her and shut the door after clearing the threshold.

"I know I'm not really a cook, but ramen is good, Dib. You need to eat sometime. I don't need you developing an eating disorder. Now come on and eat it before the noodles get cold. I have chopsticks…"
-clickclickclick- Gaz brandished the utensils like swords. Dib only glared, and she abandoned her attempt at cheerfulness. A bored look replaced her fake smile, and she ate silently, focused on her GameSlave 6.

"Hello, human," remarked Tak lazily, her own food half-eaten in front of her.

"Hey, Tak." Dib took a bowl of noodles and sat down, letting his negative aura spill over and flood the table.
"Dib, if you insist on being a downer, go eat in the living room. There's already a cloud of dark energy hovering around the television." Tak picked up a clump of noodles and shoved them into her mouth. "Off you go."
Dib stood and left the room, not bothering to take his food. The door slammed behind him, and he immediately felt the brisk November air rush past his face. He allowed himself a small grin and climbed up the side of the house to his room. A quick second to get his laptop and a book bag, and he was on the roof.
The city looked so pretty from rooftops. The harsh reality of the grimy streets and the even grimier inhabitants was softened from high up, and Dib could almost kid himself for a minute that the city could be a beautiful place. Then a scream and a thud shattered the dream, and the city was dark and evil once again.
It was easy to move from house to house. They had been so tightly packed together a few blocks away thanks to overpopulation that the gap between roofs was usually less than a foot wide. A hushed silence had fallen over the eerie landscape, jagged angles and sloping platforms echoing the sounds of traffic.
And then his foot caught on a protruding power cable, sending Dib and book bag flying across the rooftops. The teenager came to a rest-and by that the author means he hit an unyielding surface and ceased to move-against a wall.
He gasped for breath, then struggled up and began to look for his book bag. His laptop was battered, but it worked alright. It's not like the new scratches were detectable, anyway, considering the once-smooth plastic case was already covered in dents and scratches and partially melted. Hey, nobody said being a paranormal investigator was all fun and games.
Once he had gathered everything, Dib turned on the laptop and logged on to the Net. (Long ago it had been called the Internet, but then access opened up to most of the planets within the galaxy and the one next-door, so they started calling it the InterGalacticNet, but that was too long, so now it's referred to simply as the Net.) He opened a link to the Presidentland EXTREME database. It was time to mess up some security.
When the air raid sirens started going off, he decided that it was time to stop messing with international databases and leave.

Of course, he didn't go home. There was no point in it if he had his laptop. Gaz would more than likely forget about him after awhile and reimmerse herself in videogames. And Tak…well, she hated him anyway. So Dib set his sights on the cul de sac which had been Zim's base since the fourth grade.

"Gir? Open the door! And call off the gnomes while you're at it! They're gonna-"

The door flew open, and an insane robot tumbled out. It ran around poking at the gnomes until all of them had fallen over. Dib wondered why he didn't think of that and followed Gir back inside.

"Where's Zim?" asked Dib upon entering the living room.

"He makin stuffs in the lab!" squealed Gir.

"Like what?"

"Zimmy don't wanna be disturbed," answered Gir matter-of-factly.

"Aw, come on. I'm sure it's not that-"

BOOM

"On second thought, maybe I should stay up here. Anything weird happen lately?" Dib sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. "There's never anything good on before Mysterious Mysteries…."

"Gaz was here." In a surprising show of intelligence, Gir formed a complete sentence. And another. "She and Zim like playing videogames. I like Gaz. She brings tacos. And MOOSE! Minimoose is fun!"

Oh, well, it wouldn't have lasted much longer anyway…

Zim was of course working on a new plan to destroy the humans. This time, though, he was getting help. Though it made him make little sicky noises, he had enlisted the help of three fellow plotters. Two of them had been his sworn enemies, but after all, rules of war stated that alliances could and must be made to further the mission.

At that moment, he was attempting to genetically alter a piggie so that it could be programmed to attack humans, but so far the first three had exploded for no apparent reason. The weasel project had been put on hold, but it wasn't like that would ever go anywhere anyway, so it wasn't a big deal.

A noise made itself known upstairs. The sound was slight, but to Zim's soldier brain, it was loud enough to be considered a threat. He threw down his tools and crept stealthily to the elevator.

"COMPUTER!" he shrieked. "Take me to the…upstairs…thingy!"

The computer sighed and took him to the kitchen. It was hard enough obeying such a little irritant; the computer didn't need Zim YELLING at him. Zim, of course, didn't seem to notice, as his mind was focused on the source of the noise. He slunk around the back wall to the living room and-

"HA! NOW I"VE GOT Y-" Zim stopped short. "Oh. Greetings, worm baby. The Almighty ZIM was, er, just tell me when you're coming over, okay? You were almost reduced to a pile of jelly and teeth."

"Yeah, right, whatever, Zim." Dib allowed himself a rare smile and returned to his place on the couch. "Sorry to drop by like this, but I had to get out of the house."

Though every instinct screamed for him to kill the intruder and proceed with the mission, Zim controlled himself and managed a concerned look. The Dib human, after all, was one of the three whom he was working with now.

"What's wrong, Dib? You look more creepy than normal."

"Nothing, really. I'm just thinking about my dad, you know? I suppose you don't seeing as how you never had parents, but it's hard never having him around. I think Gaz desensitized herself a long time ago, and Tak isn't exactly helping. I'll leave soon, but for now I just need to cool down."

"Well, then, carry on. I'll be in the lab making an attack pig."

Well, at least Zim tried. He wasn't really worried about the human doing anything while he was in the lab. Dib had proven himself to be a trustworthy ally, bound as he was by human honor. Besides, as enthralled as his sister was with the Irken, Dib wouldn't do anything out of fear, if nothing else. Who knew what the Irken could to to Gaz, after all?

Zim allowed himself a smug smirk before continuing with his work. He would never do anything to harm a friend, but it was certainly amusing to have the human think that he would.

Minimoose hovered next to the work table, a confused look on his face.

"Meep," he cooed by way of communication.

"No, Minimoose, I'm not irritated. It's just a human."

"Meep."

"MAKE SILENCE, MINIMOOSE! ZIM NEEDS NOTHING OF YOUR CONDOLENCES!"

Minimoose gave a scared squeak and rocketed off, leaving Zim to his work.

"Hello, Zim."

Zim jumped. Gods, that Neptunian….If she wasn't careful, one of these days she'd find herself with a rather large hole in her chest. Not that a petty wound like that would kill her, but it would certainly be an inconvenience.

"Gaz! DO NOT SNEAK UP ON ZIM!"

"Zim, what did I tell you about yelling?"

"Er, sorry, Gaz. But…but stop sneaking up on Zim! I would not like to accidentally kill you."

"Oh, that would be unfortunate. Good thing you couldn't kill me if you tried. Why is my brother upstairs?"

"Something about your father and the humans hating him. I wouldn't know."

"This is the fourth time this week he's run off. Why can't we just put a tracking device on him or something?"

"His cells would reject it. The worm baby would be poisoned by his own immune system and die a horrible, HORRIBLE death."

"Oh, yeah…that's right…Well, anyway, just make sure he doesn't kill himself or something, okay? I don't want to have to go through that again."

"Trust me, Gaz, the human will be fine. It's just a small bout of that thing you call depression. He'll get over it soon enough."

"Last time he got depressed, I had to hide the sharp objects from him."

"Yes, yes, well he's going to be fine. He and Gir are watching Earth television. And if anyone can cheer a human up, it's Gir."

"I suppose so…" Gaz glanced upward and sighed. "Well, Zim, let's see what you're working on. Attack pigs? How about something a little more destructive? You know, like piggie droids that attack people. It's far too hard to experiment with organic things. They tend to explode on you. And from the looks of things, several already did. Do you need me to draw up some blueprints?"

"Er, yes, I suppose. Um…could the pigs have flamethrowers and rocket launchers?"

"Yes, Zim, whatever you say."

Gaz sat down next to Zim and pulled out a digi-draw appliance from a random pocket of her trench coat. A few quick sketches, and the prototype was ready for construction. A small grin graced Gaz's pale features for a moment when she handed the drawing to Zim, who looked vaguely annoyed.

"There. If there are any problems, let me know. You know where to find me."

Gaz stood and turned to leave, then froze. A hesitation, and she turned back to Zim. Almost embarrassedly, she hugged him and ran off, blushing furiously. Physical contact was not her thing. At all.

Zim just sat there, unable to move. He would never get used to Gaz's momentary lapses into emotion. Her scent clung to him, and he shook himself furiously, attempting to dislodge it. Neptunians always smelled strange. He felt the scent leave and went back to work. Better have that droid operational before skool tomorrow, or Gaz would kill him.

"Minimoose! Get the screwdriver appliance! We have serious work to do!"

Minimoose popped up from somewhere and handed Zim a screwdriver covered in peanut butter. Zim scowled and threw it away, prompting a mad game of fetch. A few minutes later, Zim finally found a replacement for the screwdriver and went to work.

Gaz was uneasy. Her brother had been even more depressed than normal lately, and he was so quiet that Gaz herself had trouble knowing when he entered a room. Now he had told her not to wait for him before heading off to skool like she normally did. Gaz left the house by herself, as Tak was always gone by the time she woke up anyway.

Zim looked surprised to see her without Dib trailing along behind. He swiftly concealed the emotion like he did any other and closed the door behind him, being careful not to let Gir get out. The small glances at Gaz betrayed the slight concern that passed for worry in the Irken's eyes.

"He says he's coming later," Gaz informed him, barely looking up from her GameSlave 6. "I think he's going to skip first hour."

"Oh. Er, I have the prototype ready…" Zim looked away. "It works well. I destroyed the neighbor human with it last night."

"Nice work. I'll take a look at it during lunch, okay?" A short pause, then "Let's skip first hour."

"But the teacher drones expect us-"

"Quit being such a hardass for once and do something crazy. We're going to hang out on the roof. Come on."

Gaz stowed her GS6 in some random pocket and jumped up onto a nearby parked car. Zim followed, and the pair took to the rooftops, much like Dib had done most nights since seventh grade. Their destination was the skool, but they weren't going inside.

"I love it up here. It's so peaceful." Gaz sat down and reclined against a pipe. "Nothing can touch you when you're up high. You can get away from everything, look down on everything. It doesn't matter that the ones down there are killing each other and hurting each other and making this world complete crap. Here, nothing matters except what's up here with you."

There was another small silence, and Gaz grinned at Zim. The grin was empty, though, and it gave none of the warmth of her other rare smiles. Zim shivered involuntarily at the void that the girl represented. Gaz was the only creature, living, dead, or otherwise, who could frighten him.

"Don't let me scare you, Zim. I'm just musing. Anything you care to add while we're on the subject?"

"Not really. I AM-"

"Yes, yes, we know. Do you have tourettes or something? This whole screaming thing is getting annoying."

"Er, sorry. You are right, though. It is quiet here. The humans seem so far away now. They will fall so easily…"

"Sit down, Zim. The roof is big enough for the both of us."

Reluctantly, Zim took a seat next to Gaz, being careful not to sit too close. Then Gaz leaned against his shoulder without a sound. They spent the next eternity, it seemed, just staring off into the bloody red sky.

"Just think, Zim," sighed Gaz, gesturing to the world they so loathed. "Someday, the sky will actually be red with blood and fire, not just this sunrise. Someday, the humans will be no more, and this planet will be retaken by nature, the very thing that humans smothered to the point of extinction. And I can't wait until that day comes, Zim. I just can't wait."

"Gaz, Zim, get off the roof. We should be getting to class. First hour's almost over." Dib landed in a crouch next to the pair, scowling as usual at their chummy behavior. "And if you insist on doing that, get a room."

"Shut your noise tube, worm baby." Zim stood up, being careful not to step on Gaz's hair. All he needed was to have HER wrath against him.

"Dib, why did you have to ruin this moment? I was musing about the destruction of mankind..." Gaz stood and brushed off her dress. "Oh well. Let's get to class."

The group hurried off, leaving the rooftop empty and silent once again.

"So, guys, any new developments?" asked Dib, wiping off his glasses on his shirt.

"Not exactly. Zim's got an attack droid built, but other than that, I can't say. You?"

"I found out how to make a bomb."

"Nice. What kind?"

"Nuke-based atom devolutionizer. It'll destroy any atom that comes in contact with it."

"Ooh, I like. Zim?"

"Yes, yes, the very thought fills me with DOOM. I congratulate you on your developments. How long until we can carry out the plan?"

"I'd pin it at about Valentines' Day." Gaz smiled. "How lovely to destroy them on the very day of joy that they value above all else."

"Yes." Dib smiled. "I can't wait."

In reality, a sick twisting feeling was overtaking his stomach. Could he really follow through on his plan? Could he actually kill every human being on the Earth? Could he destroy even his own father? The man who was responsible for his very existence thus far?

And then the feeling subsided. His father may as well be dead already. Nothing could stop the plan now. Not even a father who was never there anyway.

"Dib? Dib? Earth to Dib."

Dib blinked. "What?"

"We're at the door now. Focus, and try not to look stoned. The last thing we need is you being put in a rehab center for a nonexistent addiction." Gaz gave him a sideways glance and opened the door.

The rest of the class was already seated. Then again, the bell had just rung a minute ago, so it made sense, but that made it no easier to enter the room. Dib tried not to let the fragments of nervousness crystallize into his mind and followed his sister into the classroom.

"You're late," growled their teacher, a Miss Bitters clone aptly named Miss Venom. "Now take your seats before the sentry rats gnaw off your legs."

"Can't she just die already?" muttered Dib to his sister.

"Patience, brother. Soon we will be rid of her. Just try to deal with it for now."

Dib sighed and sat down at his desk. Gaz and Zim took their seats next to him in the very back of the room, and class began. Miss Venom droned on about something weird like the implosion of space and the end of the world, and Dib was free to muse about whatever came to mind.

The bomb would need some modifications. He couldn't afford to have it destroy everything. He would have to program it to vaporize only human tissue. Having all life wiped out would leave the planet completely useless. His plan was to let the planet Earth start over, to perhaps fix its mistakes and make something better than the horrible pit it had become.

Humans were a thing of the past. Dib could feel the species' impeding demise, whether from war or simple extinction. He also knew that he was a much more advanced being, a small taste of evolution's plans for the survival of the fittest. Any human that survived the nuclear holocaust would be a being worthy of the chance to begin anew. Only the true heirs of the planet could live. It was part of natural selection, albeit from unnatural means.

Would Membrane be one of the survivors? He thought not. In fact, Dib would make SURE the professor was among the fallen. He could not risk having another genius ruin the plan. No, he would have to take care of Membrane in the VERY near future.

"Dib?"

Dib blinked. "What?"

"We're meeting today at Zim's to discuss our progress," muttered Gaz, careful not to look his way. "Bring your blueprints with you. We'll need them. Oh, and Dib..." Gaz gave him a single long stare. "We also have to sort out the issue of the professor."

"So what are we going to do, exactly?"

The three plotters were in Zim's labs, or more specifically, the "making stuff room." Gaz perched on an inoperational security gnome, her GS6 in hand. Dib sat across from her in the only chair while Zim paced back and forth, restless.

"I mean, we have a plan, but there's nothing that we really have specified. Dib's making a bomb, I'm working on a weapons upgrade for Zim's ship, and Zim is constructing attack droids. But we still don't know how we're gonna do this."

The others nodded in agreement. Gir ambled in, sucking away on a Suck Monkey, and left as quietly as he'd come. (That meant he ran into everything, attempted to use his jets, and crashed into the ceiling before finally finding the elevator.)

"Something concrete has to be laid down before we leave here today, guys." Gaz set down her GS6 and looked her fellow conspirators in the eye. "So what exactly are we going to do?"

Little by little, the plan came into being. First Zim would deploy the droids to take out the leaders of the planet. The droids would destroy as many power plants and security facilities as possible, leaving the humans completely vulnerable to attack. Then the droids would report back to Zim's base for storage until they were needed again.

Dib would then detonate the bombs, effectively destroying 90 of all human life. He would do so from the safety of Zim's ship, which would be somewhere in the upper atmosphere. As soon as the radiation had dissipated-the bomb's components had a half-life of two seconds-they would return to wipe out any remaining humans.

Meanwhile, Zim would target any major cities on the planet, vaporizing all traces of civilization. The entire operation would take less than six hours.

"Sounds good. We carry out the plan on Valentines' Day. I can truthfully say that..." Gaz giggled. "...that day will be the best one of my life."

"I'll get more droids operational," Zim pledged with an evil grin. "They should be simple after constructing the prototype. I should have them ready by Saturday."

"I guess I'll work out the last bugs on the bombs. Should be done by the end of the month." Dib looked up at the ceiling. "So we're really going through with this?"

Suddenly, Zim looked very serious. He stopped his pacing and glared at his allies. Nothing happened for a long time, but then Zim took a deep breath and began to speak.

"Friends, this is a very serious mission. If any of us faltered for even a second, the entire plan could be brought down. Are you both committed to the plan? Are you ready to take on everything it entails?"

No answer for a long time. Then Gaz nodded and smiled. Dib follwed suit, but the sick feeling was back. He wasn't entirely sure yet.

"Dib-human, I know you will be weakest. Can you really fight against your father in this, Earth's last battle? I know that humans do not care to wage war against their family. If you cannot handle it, I will be forced to destroy you, but I do not wish to make you do something you are incapable of."

Zim could really be eloquent when he stopped shouting. Dib saw the deadly look in the red orbs and knew that he wasn't kidding. An Irken was a heartless destroyer, and nothing could get in the way of that.

"Well what about Tak? Isn't she part of the plan?" asked Dib, remembering for the first time the other alien.

"She's told me that her part of the plan will be clean-up. Tak will go in with her superior monitoring system and eliminate any humans that manage to survive the onslaught. We don't need her to help plan at this stage. She's already way ahead of us." Gaz glared at her sibling. "Now are you with us or not?"

Destroy Membrane? Could he really?

"I'm planning on taking care of Membrane myself. He's not my father. A real dad would have listened to me."

Gaz was somewhat surprised at her sibling's reaction. Though she had expected him to be able to follow through, nothing had prepared her for an answer like that. She didn't know how much Dib hated his father.

"Good. When do you plan on dispatching with the professor-human?"

"Right before we initiate the plan. If I kill him too early, the lab would start to wonder. I think I'll do it the night before."

"I think it's time for you to leave. The humans might be getting suspicious." Zim gave shifty-eyed glances at nothing in particular. "Go! Be gone with you..."

Gaz rolled her eyes, but she knew Zim had a point. They had been spending too much time lately planning. If any of the humans actually did something intelligent, their plan might fall apart. She dropped lightly to the ground and brushed off her skirt, ignoring the continued muttering of Zim about the end of the world. A quick gesture to her brother, and the group made their way to the elevator.

"Er, Gaz?" Zim pulled her aside after Dib had gone up to the main floor. "Could I talk to you for-"

"What is it, Zim? I want to finish this level tonight."

"Well, er, the human, Dib...Are you sure he will be able to follow through with the plan?" Zim looked uneasy. "He seemed to have the brain worms."

"Don't worry about him not being up to the mission. He's actually scaring me with how into it he is. It's so inhuman."

"Inhuman? Is the Dib child not an Earthling?"

"Stop spazzing out. Just because he seems inhuman doesn't mean he's NOT human. It's just an expression humans use for when someone is weird. They called me inhuman all the time, but that doesn't mean they think I'm an alien. And even YOUR disguise is fooling everyone but my brother. Now can I go?"

"Yes, yes, fine...but watch out for your human sibling. I'm not an expert on the workings of the mind, but he seems...messed up in the head."

"I will, Zim. Just work on those droids, okay? I have to finish this level." Gaz gave him one last look and took the elevator up to the surface.

Dib was on the verge of collapse. Not physically, but mentally. The walls he had built to keep himself from going over the edge were weakening. If the onslaught continued, something was going to snap. He could blow the entire mission if something like that happened.

He took to the roof again, settling just above where his room was. If nothing could see him, nothing could push him into the abyss. All he had to do was stay there, and he would be fine. Nothing could touch him on the roof. Nothing.

And then he found himself curled in a ball, sobbing like a child. Dammit; he was supposed to be DONE with this. Why was he always so weak? Nothing was supposed to touch him up here. He was supposed to be safe.

But perhaps that meant being safe to break down. He could cry up here without being found and ridiculed. Once he was sane again, he could go back and replace the mental shields, go back to the humans he so hated.

"Why are you leaking, human?"

Oh, dear God, no. Dib turned and saw none other than Tak sitting next to him, staring at him with an almost concerned look on her face. No, no, that couldn't be right. Tak didn't feel concern.

"Human? Answer me."

Dib tried to hide his face and failed. "I'm not leaking. It's just...just something in my eye."

"Bull. You're distressed."

"I don't want to talk about it."

Tak sighed and looked up into the stars. Her olive-toned features were smooth, expressionless, but there was some inner musing going on behind her eyes. She smiled.

"Well, Dib, I can't say I understand what's happening, seeing as how Irkens cannot feel, but I can say that you are feeling depression. Why, I do not know, but you should tell someone about it. Perhaps that will make the weight easier to bear."

"I'm not telling you. You wouldn't understand."

"You're probably right, you know, but I don't like seeing my ally sobbing like a little dirt child. What is bothering you?"

"Nothing. Everything. I don't even know anymore. Why I'm even telling you this is a mystery, but whatever. The humans hate me, my father could care less about me, and my sister doesn't care about anything. Now I'm plotting to destroy the Earth, and I still feel like killing myself. What ELSE could be wrong?"

"Lots of things. You could be in an asylum like when you were ten, or you could actually BE dead. The Earth officials could be at your doorstep to convict you for plots against mankind. You could discover that your sister is nothing more than an alien who was sent to destroy you and who has no feelings of loyalty for you or your life at all. I could also kill you. That's just off the top of my head." Tak laughed. "When I think of how good you have it now, human..."

"Shut up. I don't need your sympathy."

"I never said I feel sympathetic. Irkens don't feel, remember? I'm just stating the facts. If you don't think you've got it good, you must really be a lot less intelligent than we've all given you credit for."

Dib took a moment to think it over. He really DID have it pretty good, all things considering. The conspirators didn't even need to worry about money, given the fact that Membrane was rich enough to support a large country for years. If they put everything under his name, no one would even notice the massive amounts of stuff they would have to buy. Nothing was stopping them from bringing about mankind's demise.

So why did he feel so horrible?

"I'm sorry, Tak. I'm being an idiot. Really, I'm fine. Don't waste your breath talking to me. I'm not worth it."

"I have never met a being who thought like that."

Dib stared at Tak. "What?"

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself. I cannot BELIEVE you would think like that. No being is worthless. Some only exist to be killed, but every being has a purpose. And if nothing has killed you yet, I'd say you have something else in the way of destiny awaiting you."

"Since when did you start making inspirational speeches, Tak?"

"Well, since I acquired troops. Troops need inspiration. They need to have good morale. And you, soldier, desperately need good morale."

Of course. Tak only thought as a soldier. Dib sighed and sat up, not really feeling much better. Tak had tried, but she was just a soldier, after all. And soldiers, no matter how good their intentions are, can't do anything for an emotionally wounded teenager.

"Come on, Dib. Let's go inside. It's cold out here for a human. I can heat up some of that pizza nourishment you and your sister are so fond of." Tak skittered to the edge of the roof and dropped down onto the lawn. "Dib-human? Are you coming?"

Dib smiled. It was funny how she tried to be human. In the end, it didn't matter.

Time slowly passed. The plan went on as scheduled, with each conspirator working on their own portion of the plot. they had nicknamed their mission "In the End," after the song Dib had unearthed in his collection of old music. That music disc became the soundtrack to their lives, pouring out its tortured noise straight into their minds. With each new day, the four once-enemies became closer, bound as they were by a single goal, a common secret that they could tell no one. And as Christmas came and went, it looked like the end was finally in sight.

"Did you finish that upgrade, Gaz?"

"Depends. Did you work out the bugs in the droids?"

"Of COURSE I did!"

"Then yes, I did."

"How about you, Dib?"

"They should be operational by the end of the week."

"Good. I've got my ship upgraded to search out human DNA. Looks like we're all ahead of schedule. Is there anything we're not too strong on?"

"Well, we still have to perform the final tests on the droids. Maybe we can set them on the skoolchildren. I can't wait!" Gaz cackled evilly and was soon joined by her allies.

"Mimi's got the other SIR units rounded up. She's giving out orders as we speak. I hear they will perform the preliminary strikes against the world leaders, disabling their aircraft and any other vehicles they can find. Gir should be very good at that." Tak finally got her breath back enough to speak. "I can't believe we've really almost done it! I feel like the proverbial dirt-child in a sweets shop."

"That's 'kid in a candy store,' Tak," corrected Dib with a small smile. He'd been doing that a lot lately, smiling. It was rather pleasant.

"Dib?"

"What? Oh. Sorry. Just thinking about stuff. What were you saying?"

"I was asking you if you were going to dispatch with the professor soon," repeated Gaz, a slight scowl making its way back to her features.

"Oh, yeah, but not quite yet. I have to wait until he's really into working downstairs. If I kill him too soon, people will wonder."

How aptly that described his relationship with his father. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized...the professor hadn't said a word to Dib for weeks. Rather, it was everything he DIDN'T say that was driving his son over the edge. Dib almost hoped that someone would discover the plot, that his father might actually realize just how serious the teen's problems really were.

"Hey, Dib," Tak remarked, "you seem awfully quiet about all this. Not getting nervous, are you?"

Dib thought about it for a moment. Then he smiled, and that smile sent shivers down his alien allies' spines.

"No, Tak, I'm not nervous. In fact...I'm really excited. I can't wait to destroy them all. My ultimate revenge is just weeks away. Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

Gir dropped by to ask if the impending doom would kill the piggies and the moose. Once assured that neither pigs, moose, nor tacos would be harmed, he wandered off again to keep working on his part of the plan.

Dib glanced at the small black capsule in his palm. Once detonated, that tiny black cylinder would create a cloud of doom miles high and wide enough to envelope the entire country. The humans would feel no pain. Just a fleeting burst of light, and then they would be gone. Nature would again take over the planet, and all would be right with the universe.

"Guys, it's only a month until the plan goes into effect. What do you say we try to enjoy the last month of humanity's reign? I know a great amusement park."

Everyone looked at Dib, astonished. Why would DIB, of all people, want to enjoy humanity? Perhaps there was something wrong with his brainmeats. But none of them would pass up the chance to go out and enjoy themselves.

He would kill Membrane tonight. It was decided in Dib's mind as well as his heart. It was a little earlier than he had planned, but the chance was too good to pass up. Three days before the plan was to go into effect, Membrane had come home from the lab and immediately immersed himself in work downstairs. If ever there was a time to do it, now was it.

Dib took the knife from his pocket, marveling at its perfectly smooth surface, the sheen of the mirror-clean blade. Years before, it seemed, he had looked at this knife and thought of ending his own life, had almost succeeded. Now it was to be put to a slightly different use, to spill the blood of another.

Slowly, ever so quietly, Dib eased the door to the basement open. He made his way noiselessly down the stairs, pausing to make certain that he was not heard. The silhouette of the professor gradually made itself known, and Dib stopped trying to be silent. He couldn't just sneak up on him, after all. It wasn't fair.

"Dad? Dad, could I talk to you for a second?"

Membrane turned, but didn't falter in his work. "Yes, son?"

"I just wanted to say...I'm sorry for everything I've done, all teh times I've embarrassed you over the years."

Membrane put down his tools. "Well, Dib, this certainly is sudden. I, uh, forgive you for all of that. It's not your fault you're crazy."

Dib fell silent. The professor didn't seem to notice, as he kept talking.

"No, you're just too obsessed with that paranormal thing. You have to focus on REAL science, Dib."

"I'm not crazy, Dad."

Every trace of pity for the professor vanished. Dib turned coldly to the man he was forced to call Father and ran a finger over the blade in his pocket.

"I'm not insane. Zim is an alien, and so is that girl who's been staying here. I've been trying to save the Earth since the fourth grade."

"You keep thinking that, son. My poor, insane son..."

Dib pulled out the knife. Membrane's eyes widened behind the lenses, and he took a step backward. His son advanced, the knife glittering in the florescent light.

"Guess what, Dad?" Dib smiled. "I'm going to destroy the human race."

The knife flew through space. Its target loomed closer, and in a split second, scarlet covered the front of Membrane's immaculately clean white lab coat. In the end, Membrane was just human. Dib watched his father fall with a cold gleam in his eye.

"Sorry, Dad," murmured Dib, bending over the still-twitching body and removing the knife from Membrane's trachea. "I've already broken. Too bad you never cared enough to realize it."

He set the lab to take care of itself, to simulate human activity. The tears in his eyes obscured his vision to the point of blindness, but somehow he was able to get the cleaning crew to take care of the corpse. The only thing he bothered to keep was his father's glasses, a single small memento of the once-great professor. Then he left the lab as quietly as he'd come.

"I'm sorry, Dib."

Those were the only words of condolence that his sister had to offer on the day of their grand destruction. They were in Zim's ship high in the upper atmosphere, and Gir was already heading the preliminary strike. Soon it would be time for the droids to wipe out the world's leaders.

"Droids activated," announced Zim's computer. "So this is it, then? We're destroying the humans?"

"Yes, computer," answered the Irken with a small smile. "We shall destroy them today. It's been...fun."

"Droids have taken out world leaders. Awaiting detonation."

Dib let his fingers play over the remote. All he had to do was key in the sequence, and doom would be unleashed. Time passed, and he did nothing.

"Dib, are you okay?" Gaz looked worried. "Just type in the sequence. We've worked hard to get to this point."

Dib smiled and keyed in the first number. Nothing left now but the other three. Nothing left but his three allies, his friends. They were in this together. Next number. Only they, the superior ones, would be left. Earth could start over. Third number. Tears were coursing their silent way down from Dib's eyes, and still he smiled. The world had to end sometime. Last number.

Clouds erupted all over the planet. Dib could feel the life draining, the human race vanishing in one instant. He had destroyed them. He had killed everything that he knew. And he couldn't be happier.

"Commencing organic sweep," chorused Zim and Tak's computers in unison, and the Voot cruiser made a hard left.

"Good job, Dib," murmured Gaz. "You did well. The human race is past. The time for nature is now. Humanity will eventually rebuild itself...Mother Earth will begin anew and try to fix her mistakes. Someday, a better humanity will arise and bring honor to the name of Homo sapien. But until then, brother, we will keep watch and monitor Her progress, cheering Her on into Her new life."

"Dib," Zim called from the cockpit, "I think you need some time to let go. Why don't we check on the planet and move on, eh? I think Neptune would be glad to see us. Don't you think so, Gaz?"

"Yes, Zim," laughed Gaz, smiling at her Earth sibling's confusion. "I do believe they would love to see us and hear the story of the noble retaking of Earth. And while we're at it, I suggest renaming the planet. After all, Earth is no more."

"I like Terra. Sound good to you?" Zim's computer just had to be part ot the conversation.

"You know, Terra means 'earth' anyway, but I like it. It has a certain regal quality, you know? Fine. Terra it is."

Gaz looked out at the new planet. Terra was in for an interesting future.

"Hey, guys!" Tak came in over the intercom. "I think it's time to pull out. Nothing significant is left here. I've got our SIR units and encapsulated the labs. Yours too, Dib. By the way, you're no longer Human. You've graduated. Now you're a citizen of the universe."

The sky was turning red. Fires broke out all over the planet, destroying everything in its path.

Dust and smoke obscured the bloody red sky. Everything was fading away, the life Dib had known, the people he had hated.

They didn't matter in the end. They were just human, after all.

Nothing mattered in the end.

Dib smiled. In the end, the only things that mattered were the people who had been part of this plan. In the end, everything mattered. And in the end, he was with the only people who could truly understand him.

Author's note: Wow. That was...interesting. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but I think I destroyed the human race. It was a logical conclusion, I guess, but it's weird to write something so post-apocalyptic. Hope you liked this little journey into insanity, cuz I sure did. Lyrics by Linkin Park, by the way. Lovely angsty band, really. And never fear, I WILL be writing more zimfics. I can hear some of you sighing in disappointment, and to those people I say WHY THE HELL ARE YOU EVEN READING THIS IF YOU HATE ME FICS! O well. Anyway, I'm thinking about an epilogue kinda thing, maybe a side-story or two. I was gonna have Dib go crazy, but I guess that's not happening unless I make an alternate little series of fics. Hmm...eh, I'll stop musing and wrap this up. The two songs featured here were ones I kind of use as me theme songs, ya know? They fit well into this fic, and my apologies to anyone who was annoyed by them. I've never done a kind of songfic thingy before. Eh, this is getting long. Whatever. Pleasant something, people.

Raven, your Friendly Neptunian Insomniac