Chapter 10
Kay walked back up the steps of the Membrane house and knocked on the door. She had brought cookies with her as an excuse for leaving, and stood eating one.
"I'm over here."
Kay walked around the house to see Dib, leaning against a huge mass under a sheet. His expression was happy, but she could tell it was faked. "Hey Dib. Sorry I went to get cookies from my house. Want one?"
"No thanks." Dib wouldn't look at her, he concentrated on the ground.
Kay reached out and put her hand on Dibs shoulder. "Are you okay? Zim didn't do something again, did he?"
"Not exactly."
"What's the matter?"
Dib didn't answer. Instead he held out his hand. "Hey, you dropped this when you ran out. Interesting pendant."
"Thanks…" Kay laughed nervously, putting it back on.
"It almost looks alien." Dib finally looked at her, smiling cheerfully, but already his eyes looked upset. "But that's just silly, because you aren't an alien, are you- Kay?" his voice almost sounded accusing as he said that.
"Of course not." Kay said, really scared now. "My dad gave it to me."
"Interesting. I'd like to ask him where he got it- I like it. Can I talk to him sometime?"
"He's not here. He, uh, is in the army." Kay answered pretty truthfully.
"What about your mom?"
"Dead."
Dib's smile faltered suddenly, and his eyes flashed with grief. "So is mine."
It was silent for a moment.
"So it's only you in that big house, huh?" He finally asked.
"No- my little sister too."
"Ah, Missy, right?"
"Yes."
"Odd name for a child."
"It's no weirder than 'Dib'."
Dib laughed at that, his laugh sounding just as fake as his smile was. "I guess so."
There was more silence.
"Zim sure is stupid."
"Yeah." Kay responded, slightly distracted sounding. "He really is."
"He and Tak. Both stupid."
"Uh huh."
"Actually, their whole race is stupid- and everyone in it. I mean, a society run on height?"
"Mm hmm…" Kay bit her lip.
"And the leaders are the most stupid."
Kay stayed silent this time, clenching her fist. She looked over at Dib, who seemed to be watching her intently.
"So what color are your eyes?" he asked casually.
"Purple…" she said slowly.
"Is that natural?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Interesting eye color." Dib was silent, then said: "So what does your pendant mean- I mean, such an odd symbol must have a meaning."
"I don't know…" Kay was really nervous now, and she felt herself start to shake.
"Kay, what's wrong? You okay?" Dib came closer. "You look kind of nervous. Why should you though- I mean, you are not an Alien. So why would you be nervous?"
"Of course I'm not I'm just… cold."
"Huh. Funny, it is 80 degrees out."
Kay clenched both of her fists now. She had no reply to that.
"You know, I made this device. It's an alien detector- pretty useful." Dib pulled out a small blue box with a wire sticking out of it. "The screen lights up when it detects an Alien life form. Maybe we should go around and find how many more aliens there are."
Kay froze, staring in horror at the box. If turned that on… her thoughts were broken by Dib once more.
"Why are you lying to me, Kay?" His voice sounded angry now.
"I'm not lying-"
"Oh really?" Dib grabbed the sheet over the thing he leaned on and pulled- bringing it down in a cascade of cloth. And inside sat a beautiful, red voot cruiser. And painted on one of it's engines was a large Irken symbol.
"Your pendant matches the symbol on Tak's ship."
"How did you get this?"
"That doesn't matter. Why should I tell you anything? You are an Alien, just like them, huh?"
"I- No, I'm not-"
"Just admit it! You are nothing but alien scum!"
"Dib, I'm-"
Dib switched on the 'detector', and it went off instantly. Kay winced at the noise- the same radio frequency that interfered with the PAK. She curled up in a ball. "Turn it off!" she screamed. Her disguise wavered and shut off, revealing her as an Irken.
"I knew it." Dib turned away from her and walked back towards the house, leaving the device on.
"Dib, turn it off, please… The sound hurts me…"
Dib paused at her words, then turned to look at her. "If I left it on, I could capture you and prove the existence of aliens. I would become famous! And everyone would finally realize I wasn't crazy! We could prepare for an alien invasion!"
"Dib…" Kay felt her PAK sparking. She had to get out of here before it sparked out. But the frequency was messing up her PAK so bad she didn't have the energy to stand. "Please… for your safety if not mine, turn it off…"
"My safety?"
"My PAK… it's malfunctioning… I could lose control… I would kill everything here… please stop…"
"What, you are trying to save me?" Dib held the device in one hand. "I doubt it."
"Dib…" she slowly reached up and took off her pendant. She pressed in one of the antenna and it opened a hatch and a chip fell out. She placed the chip on the ground in front of him. "Put this in the ship and watch it. Please though, let me go…" her life clock started flashing.
Dib looked at the device and sighed, then shut it off. He picked up the chip and turned away. "You have thirty seconds. Run."
Kay activated her teleporter and was gone.
Dib walked over to Tak's ship and put the chip in a slot. Instantly he saw Kay, Tak, and Zim standing around watching a screen.
