A/N: hey howdy hey, it's me, ur fav thot, bringing you what should hopefully be the final installment of this hellfic

A FEW THINGS TO SAY BEFORE WE BEGIN:

-this fic MIGHT take a little longer to complete bc for the last two I had multiple chapters written ahead of time before I published them. with this fic, i'm going one chapter at a time. but fear not, I promise you this fic will not be abandoned. it just might take me a little longer than usual to pump out chapters (the usual wait time is a week for updates and i'll try to stick to that!)

-this will MOST LIKELY be the last installment in this series. if this fic ends up getting too long i'll split it into parts, but i don't foresee that happening.

-while I'm working on this i'm going to try to get those oc arts out as well so yall know what these characters look like hhhhh

-i'm going to try naming chapters now, not a big deal, I just wanted to try my hand at chapter titles ;;

ALRIGHT.! with all that out of the way, i bring you chapter one!

Meekrob is every bit as it was when she left it.

Atra wasn't quite sure what she was expecting to find- it wasn't like she had been gone long enough for any drastic changes, at least on the outside, anyhow. But it felt like she'd been gone for hundreds of years and was finally coming home again, only this time the home she knew was gone. She was well aware of that. Things could never go back to the way they used to be, yet on the way here she was constantly having visions of what life was like before that fateful day- the day she had been assigned her mission.

The trip had been nearly excruciating. She was fighting with herself every other minute, debating on whether or not to turn back. She really, really almost had. The others- Lard Nar- they'd take her back without issue, she knew that. But she could only run for so long- if she didn't come for them, they would come for her eventually. Better to give them what they want now, rather than endangering the people she had come to call her friends. Besides, this would give them the help they needed. She just might be able to make this work, if she played her cards right.

The journey was an internal battle to the death, berating herself for not saying goodbye to anyone else, knowing full well that there was a big chance of her never being able to leave Meekrob ever again. And while her race did not believe in murder as punishment, she wouldn't be surprised if they changed the rules just for her- she couldn't say she didn't deserve it, after all.

It was probably for the best, anyway. If the others knew, they would've tried to stop her- especially Infera. The only reason she told Lard Nar is because she knew he would understand, or at least act like he did- and stop anyone else from doing anything stupid as the captain.

She had been hiding in shame for so long, too afraid to ever show her face anywhere near Meekrob. If there was one thing being on the Resisty taught her, it was that she couldn't live in fear any longer. That wasn't life. She even found that, if she somehow miraculously got out of this, she'd like to learn what life is. After all, she'd found the perfect teachers.

I will not be afraid. I will not be afraid. Be brave. Just this once, be brave.

The docking station finally came into view. Atra quickly began slowing down the engines, preparing for landing. She knew full well what was coming the moment she stepped out of the ship.

The Capital, or the Mun Ahka as it was called in her native tongue, did seem to have changed somewhat since she was last here. There were buildings she didn't recognize- and the security seemed tighter than usual. She could only hope that something drastic didn't happen in her absence, but it would make sense- they were technically still at war with the now crumbling Irken Empire.

She felt the ship lock into place, and after she was sure she was parked, shut the engines down. Although she didn't need to breathe, she took several deep breaths, preparing herself for what was inevitably going to come. Mustering every last ounce of strength she could, Atra opened the hatch and stepped out, reluctantly welcoming the cold embrace of the planet she once called home.

Vythani furrowed his brow, following after Lard Nar as he walked rather quickly back in the direction of his office. "But Meekrob? Why? That's going to cost us two months of time at least."

"Think of it as a pit stop," Lard Nar answered, without turning around to look at the doctor. "But it's a necessary pit stop, of course. We need to prepare before we head to Irk- and Meekrob will have the resources we need."

"I-I'm sure they do sir, but the new Tallest, Tallest Min. She is taking what remains of her soldiers back to Irk, and if they get there before we do-"

"They won't," he interrupted coldly. "I've already made plans to block their way- I got a few of our partners to send some fleets out to buy us some time."

"Like animals to a slaughterhouse, then," Vythani muttered lowly. He heaved a long sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "With all due respect, I'm not sure how much longer I can keep this up, sir."

That got Lard Nar to pause. He dramatically turned around to face his subordinate, his eyes narrowed into dangerous slits beneath his goggles. "They're weaker now, Vythani. Tallest Min is not a threat as long as she does not get to Irk, and she won't. Besides, we've had this conversation already. Sacrifices are required- did you not say that yourself?"

"I did," Vythani affirmed, "but I won't stand idly by and watch you throw people's lives away as if they're nothing, either. Even as a soldier myself, I can't approve of that. As a doctor I see now that life is precious, and I want to serve that cause."

The doctor was older, not old by his species' standards, but old enough to understand. Yet he seemed so childlike- the fire in his eyes reminded him of a determined, passionate child. To Lard Nar, it was just as invigorating as it was saddening. "And I admire that- you've always been that way, I could see it beneath that hard soldier exterior. You've always been gentle, kind… merciful to the weak and the strong alike- even those stronger than you, oddly enough. You see the good in everyone doctor, you believe in second chances for all. But I also knew that that fondness for life didn't come out of nowhere. I thought that at least you of all people would understand the decisions I have to make- for everyone- as captain."

Vythani's hard expression suddenly softened. He placed a hand on Lard Nar's shoulder- an act of reassurance, though he wasn't sure if it was for himself or for Lard Nar. "Believe me, I do not envy the weight that's on your shoulders, sir. I understand that you have to think about the bigger picture, rather than the lives of a few ragtag, expendable soldiers. As a former expendable soldier myself, I know that all too well. Back when I served on my home planet, my commanders all felt the same. When I was a child I had dreams of one day leading my own army, but looking back on it now, I can't believe I had such ambitions. I am far too weak to make the decisions you have to make, captain. And I know… that it is naïve to think that we can save everyone, but I just…"

"You wish we could," Lard Nar finished, looking down at his feet. "I know. I do too."

"Could we not… just this once, try and save everyone?" Vythani asked in a hushed tone, knowing full well what the answer would be.

"...We'd only be met with heartache in the end, I'm afraid."

"We're going to be met with heartache either way."

Lard Nar's eyes lit up with recognition. "Ah, there it is. Now you have an inkling of what it's like. To wake up every day knowing that no matter how much we succeed we'll only remember the cost, the sacrifices. There is no true happy end to this, doctor. I know that all too well. But maybe, if I do a good enough job, I can save people. Not all of them, and maybe not many. But- somebody out there, who I can say is alive because I saved them. Maybe they'll go on to live long and happy lives, maybe they'll die tomorrow- I have no idea." He paused to heave a long sigh. "Is that… is that enough, doctor?"

"Yes," Vythani said reassuringly, without hesitation. "It's more than enough. Forgive me, I didn't mean to make you feel like you had to justify your actions. Like I said sir, I know why you do what you do, and I would not want to be in your position. I just… don't know how much longer I can keep up with you. Ha… maybe Zim was right, maybe I am becoming an old man."

"Perhaps, or maybe you're finally coming to your senses and realizing that this whole thing is crazy. It's about time one of us did, quite frankly."

Vythani barely stifled a chuckle. "Right. I'll get out of your hair then, sir. I'll be awaiting further orders soon."

"Of course. Don't work yourself too hard."

Tak awakened first to the painful throbbing sensation in her abdomen, but was quickly made aware of that awful Earth sun shining directly in her sensitive eyes. Squeezing them tightly shut, she pressed herself even further against the mattress she was laying on. She wracked her brain, attempting to remember whose house she was at and why she was even on Earth in the first place. How had she sustained these injuries? Who had taken her?

"Oh, you're awake."

The voice was oddly calm given her situation, Tak noted. She forced her eyes open to look at her captor and was surprised to find that she knew her. Purple hair- an odd hue for an Earthling- and that same agitated tone that she recognized all too well. "You…" she croaked out, her voice hoarse. "The sister unit…"

"It's Gaz," the girl sternly reminded her, softly shutting the door behind her as she sat down in the computer chair across the room. "Not 'sister-unit'."

"Right… Gaz," she said, trying the way it sounded. It sounded awful, just like everything else coming from her mouth right now. "You… what am I..?"

Gaz took a sip from the mug she was holding. "Well, if you're anything like Zim then you probably won't believe me when I tell you this, but you came to my door a couple nights ago begging for my help."

Flabbergasted, Tak forced herself to sit up, hissing slightly at the discomfort it brought her. "I-I did what now?"

"You were hurt. Bad. Although I'm guessing you already knew that," Gaz drawled, nodding slightly in reference to her injuries. "And you said I was the only one that you could come to."

"Doesn't sound like me," Tak muttered defensively.

"No, it doesn't," Gaz agreed. "But you seriously looked like you were going to die if I didn't do something."

Tak gently raised her less injured hand to her chest and slid her hand down, feeling along the various bandages that covered her torso. She had to admit, the human had outdone herself, dressing each and every one of her wounds, even though there was no fear of infection since her PAK protected against most known diseases. Though she doubted Gaz was aware of that. "I would not have died, but had you not stepped in, I may not have achieved a full recovery. As I've come to find out, Irken technology isn't as flawless as I thought it was."

Gaz smirked languidly. "So I've heard."

Tak shifted to get into a more comfortable position, mindful of her injuries. "You mentioned Zim earlier. W-Where the hell is that idiot? I couldn't find him anywhere. Not that I'd ever ask for his help of course, but-"

"In space," Gaz answered as if it were obvious, "fighting the Irken Empire. With my idiot brother."

Dead silence filled the room as she processed what she had just been told.

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" she asked, finally breaking the silence after a moment. Her voice came out as an undignified squeak and Gaz had to fight back the urge to laugh.

She took another sip of her tea. "It's a long story, but basically, Zim found out he was... what did he call it? Defective. Then he got all depressed and went into space, Dib found him and brought him back after he almost got himself killed, and now they're both in space again fighting against evil aliens- AKA, your people."

"...So the Tallest finally told him the truth then," Tak mused. "I figured it would only be a matter of time. I should've known Zim wouldn't listen to anyone but them about his mission. But why- why would Zim of all people turn against his own kind?"

"Beats me," Gaz said with a shrug. "Zim's always been weird."

"Never thought I'd see the day Zim would turn into a rebel. You said your brother, Dib was with him?"

Gaz waved a dismissive hand. "Yeah, they went off with- some other Irken rebel…"

"Another Irken rebel? What was their name?" Tak asked.

Gaz's eyes squinted as she thought, trying to remember back to she and Dib's conversations before he left. Dib had mentioned this Irken before, she was sure of it… "It was a girl, I wanna say her name was… Atria? Atrua-"

"Atra," Tak interrupted. "Yes, I remember hearing of her. She was the one leading an undercover attack against the Irken Empire. The Tallest had ordered for her immediate death if anyone saw her… I'm assuming she somehow escaped them."

"Yeah, her. Dib said they were doing okay the last time he called, but I haven't heard from him in a little while."

Tak scoffed bitterly, her bent antennae twitching slightly. "He's probably dead. A weak human like him wouldn't survive long in space."

Now, Gaz wasn't one to get defensive, especially over her brother of all people, but hearing her say that he was weak, that humans were weak, rubbed her the wrong way. "You know, you're staying as a guest in my house. I could kick you out for insulting my species."

"But you won't," Tak smirked. "You and your brother are not so different, you know. The Dib I remember would've jumped at the chance to have an alien held hostage in his house."

"You're not a hostage," Gaz calmly reminded her. "You can leave whenever you want. Actually, I'd prefer if you left ASAP. It hasn't been easy hiding you from my dad these past couple of days."

"Believe me, I want to. I'd like to get off this pathetic rock as soon as possible, but my ship is… it's seen better days."

"Can't you fix it?" Gaz asked.

Tak glared at her, silently asking if she was seriously asking something like that. "Well of course I can, but not without the right parts. If I could just get a hold of the Tallest…"

Gaz leaned forward in her chair, resting her cheek against her hand. "Didn't they leave you to die after you tried and failed to take over the planet?"

Tak was, admittedly, a little caught off guard by the question, and found that she was rather curious about that herself- but she certainly wasn't going to give the human the satisfaction of knowing that. "They probably didn't even know I was still alive, so they didn't think to look for me. Besides, it is not their responsibility to look after me," she reasoned.

Gaz was quiet for a few seconds, clearly having trouble believing her dismissive explanation. "Right. Of course. Well, call whoever you want, just don't go bringing your freaky alien leaders here to blow up the Earth or whatever- I don't want this place destroyed until after I get out of art school."

What was it with humans and their irrational fears of extraterrestrial life? (Well, perhaps not so irrational considering she had tried to destroy the planet, but still). "I already told you, your planet is safe. Do you really think I have the materials to do such a thing anyway?"

"Guess not," Gaz muttered with a shrug. "Anyway, I have to get ready for work."

"You're leaving?" Tak asked as she watched the purple-haired girl rise to her feet.

"Yeah, why? Do you get lonely or something?" she teased, searching for her jacket.

"No, of course not."

Gaz eyed her almost suspiciously as she grabbed her jacket from the floor. "Dad won't be home until late tonight so… I guess you can look around if you want, just- don't go through my stuff, okay?"

Tak huffed indignantly. "Please, I have no interest in your stuff. Besides, I don't know if you've noticed, but moving is…"

"-Not in the cards for you," Gaz finished. "Got it. I only have a four hour shift today, so I'll be back before dad gets home."

"Where are you employed anyway?"

"The grocery store," Gaz answered as she made her way to the door. "Any more questions or am I free to go now?"

Tak's antennae twitched in annoyance as she angrily flopped back against the bed. "Just go."

Although she couldn't see the human's face as she walked out, she was almost one hundred percent certain she was smirking.

"State your name and your purpose."

"A-Atrana Astralle, former commander of the failed conquest of the Irken Empire," she stated.

The leader from the group of soldiers surrounding her recoiled. He exchanged looks between her and the other soldiers before reaching for his helmet, slowly pulling it off of his head. "A-Atra?" he stammered. "Is that you?"

If she were a creature with a heart, it would've stopped. There was no mistaking him- he always chose to manifest himself tall, larger than life with big expressive blue eyes and unruly hair. "Z-Zevven?" she questioned shakily. "You're alive..!"

Zevven blinked slowly, as if he still couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Yes… I escaped, not long after you…" he trailed off, averting her gaze.

She lowered her head shamefully, unsure of where she could even begin. How could she explain her absence? Would he even want to listen? "I-"

He held up a hand. "I remember you. And if you're about to launch into a long story about how you regret leaving, then save it. Right now, all I want to know is why you've come back. Frankly..." He cocked his gun, keeping it pointed at her chest. "You have a lot of nerve, coming back here."

Atra remained almost deathly still, keeping her hands held up high to show her surrender. "…I know I am not welcome here," she said weakly, "but I have come offering a proposition."

"And what could you have to offer that we would be interested in?"

"Me."

"...You?"

She nodded. "Yes. Me. You see, my friends- you may know them as the Resisty. We're partnered with them. They're coming here. They have a plan to take down the Irken Empire once and for all, but they can't do it without your assistance. So if you agree to help them, then you can have me. I'll turn myself in as a criminal of war and you can do whatever you'd like with me."

Zevven smirked. "Rather bold of you, to think you're an even trade for such a thing."

She shrugged, mirroring his smirk. "I'd like to think it's pretty fair."

"Mm… your offer is tempting, I'll give you that," he admitted. "But unfortunately, it's not up to me. You know who you have to speak to, right?"

She was no fool. She knew she wouldn't be able to get out of this without speaking to the Grand Council- they were the ones who would ultimately decide her fate, after all. "Yes."

The group of soldiers, including Zevven, started to close in around her, pointing and aiming their guns, ready to pull the trigger at any moment if need be. "Then do you willingly place yourself under custody of the Meekrob Grand Council?"

Just this once, be brave.

Be brave.

Be brave.

She knew this was coming, thought she had accepted this fate long ago, so why was she still feeling hesitant? Why did she want nothing more than to turn around?

No. I will not let down my comrades twice.

For once, she was going to do something right. She'd never been much of a soldier, no matter what side she was fighting on. Now was her chance, her opportunity to prove that she was capable.

No one else will suffer because of my mistakes again. And this… this will make sure of it.

"I willingly place myself in the custody of the Meekrob Grand Council."

And just like that, she was home again.

A/N: please be sure to follow me on tumblr at invxder-hxils for updates