Zim tugged on the protective coat over his uniform, trying to swallow his unease.

Go on and do it then, scum! You don't have the guts!

Millions of blinking lighted eyes stared from the stands, unfocused faces emotionless. "Precede, Irken Zim."

Dib lay naked on the table in front of him, strapped down with machine precision. His golden brown eyes pierced Zim with hatred. I'll never give up on the Earth! Never!

Never.

The conqueror of Earth clutched at his chest. The Empire needed to know human anatomy for its records. It would be better than the other alternatives: testing, slavery, running forever.

Zim owed the Dib, after all.

Zim! Get your filthy, alien claws away from that button! You can't die so easy. I need to defeat and dissect you!

Silence, Filth! What happens between the almighty Zim and the Tallest is none of your business!

It is if you're seriously considering suicide!

Lost in memory, Zim gripped the steel-tipped vial of sedative and slowly approached the human in front of him.

What is this nonsense?

It's called a hug, stupid alien.

.It's… warm…

Machine clicks echoed dully, reminding the Irken of the recordings that would be downloading into all PAKs. Zim plunged the needle into Dib's bloodstream.

Zim, you filthy alien! You promised!

Irkens loyalties belong only to the Empire, foolish human!

Warning: The Massive is aiming at us.

What? What is the meaning of this my Tallest?

Nothing personal, Zim. We just can't allow you to live.

Yeah! You're far too annoying!

Hey! That's my enemy you're talking about!

Zim watched the light fade from the human's eyes. But even to the millisecond they closed forever, the message was clear.

You promised.

"Indeed I did, but some promises must be broken," Zim whispered.

With that, a tube snaked from the lights on Zim's back and ripped Dib from the table.

"What is the meaning of this, Irken Zim?" The lighted eyes glowed angrily with charging lasers.

Zim chuckled sadly, madness in his pink eyes. "A human that can destroy the Massive with a mere Spittle Runner is far too useful for Zim to leave in the Empires claws."

Blood bloomed around the scalpel erected in the Irken's throat. The PAK scuttled onto the closest living thing, gripping onto the skin, drilling into flesh.

Dib snapped open his eyes: one pink, one golden brown.

"I promised."