Vem waved a farewell to the Membrane household and its occupants. There was a look of mistrust in their smiles as they waved goodbye to him, but he didn't care! He was given his second chance and he meant to make the most of it on this new world. He was so happy heading to his base that he didn't even notice a cloaked drone following him around. The drone had been an idea of Gaz's and Tak's to track Vem and make sure he wasn't up to anything… insidious.

For the first couple days Vem was still his chipper self, always stopping my the Membrane household even though Tak and Dib had departed for the honeymoon to some exotic land of flowers and trees. Eventually his mood evened out and he got a job at the Rent-a-Flick with Zim. The two became acquaintances if nothing else. Eventually Dib had them hired at Membrane Labs for their engineering knowledge.

Over the next several months the others agreed that Vem was no longer a threat and deactivated the drone. Over the next few years, just three short years, things changed for the Membranes and their Irken lovers…

Dib, age 21, was going through his old paranormal files to see if there was anything he could dig up for the Membrane Labs. They were running out of stuff to do and Dib was disappointed that he lacked the genuine imagination and scientific creativity of his father.

Dib smiled as he opened one folder. It was Project Lifeblood; a project devoted to finding the neutralizing agent for water and the Irken equivalent so Tak and he could do normal stuff together. He'd found it, a long strand of enzymes that if screwed up could become a volatile mixture that could kill both of them. He found it and perfected it and now Tak lived in his house with him and Gaz was preparing to move in with Zim.

Dib's smile faded. He still had mixed feelings about that. Sure he and Zim had gotten over most of their differences, but the idea that his former archenemy and his sister would be living together… probably experimenting… Dib closed his eyes and pushed the disturbing image out of his head.

He returned to his files to try and find a new project to work on. Tak introduced Irken technological marvels onto Earth and already the planet was beginning more daring reaches into space with the new ships. The orbital hotel franchise had taken off quickly and it was now possible for low-income families to spend a weekend in space. It was the new Disneyworld, really. Robotic minions were also becoming commonplace as the triple-Irken team of Tak, Zim and Vem produced not just common Irken technologies, but better Irken technologies. Zim even perfected his time-stasis field he had used on Dib awhile ago and it was being used for operations and other time-consuming and dangerously precise things.

They were running out of ideas and although each of them had unimaginable billions of dollars at their disposal, pretty much controlled all markets and had a loyal, daunting security force that was more like a private military, they still had the desire to continue to grow their Empire. Dib's eyes shot open with alarm. He'd thought of it as an Empire. Zim had won. Dib had pretty much conquered Earth and all by inheriting his father's business and using his friends' genius to persuade others to follow him.

Dib laughed. He wouldn't be surprised if he could just ask all the countries of the world to hand power over to him and they would. He knew they would. He was becoming a spitting image of his father, but in black instead of white and wearing blue-tinted glasses instead of dark goggles. Earth worshipped the Professor and would thus worship Dib. He could end all wars on the planet if he wanted to. Hell, he had the military backbone to win all wars if he wanted to.

Dib shook his head to clear out the thoughts. He'd leave the potential conquering of Earth to Tak, Zim and his sister, the only three of them that actually wanted to conquer Earth. Right now he had to find a new project.

Zim was eating toquitos. Ever since the Dib-human… Dib had discovered a neutralizing agent for Irken-human chemicals Zim had begun trying all of the foods Earth had to offer. The funniest part was that some of it was healthier for him than others. He smiled as he enjoyed the heated flavours of meat and cheese in a tortilla shell. He could see why Gir loved these foods. And to think, all he had to do was take a little pill privately manufactured by Membrane Labs and he could touch and eat all the Earthanoid food he wanted to. Glorious!

Then Zim tapped his plate nervously. The Membrane Labs… He never really enjoyed worker there. It felt like betrayal to his Empire even though three years ago he'd learned they hated him. Not only that but there were always scientists and cameras… All of them peeling away at the universe and questioning. He feared being uncovered by one of them.

Zim downed the rest of a can of Poop brand cola and went to go find his beloved Gaz-flower. Although he had dropped suffixes like 'human' and 'defect' he still called her the Gaz-flower out of respect. He looked around the Membrane household (where he'd stopped by for some lunch while waiting for Gaz to finish her shower) for her but instead found Dib in his room.

"Dib-hum-Dib! What is it you are doing?" Zim asked with genuine interest. He was in a pleasant mood because today was a special occasion for him. Dib was still going through folders upon folders of materials. "Oh, I'm just looking for a stupid project to work on. I can't seem to come up with any ideas." He explained as he looked over a document about mind-switching between cops and squids.

"Hmm… Have you thought about some sort of new weapon?" Zim asked. "No, that's more your specialty." Dib responded. "Robots?" "Gaz." "Ships or other machinery?" "Tak." "Prosthetics or medical sciences?" "Vem."

Zim let out a defeated growl of irritation. "Well, what's your science field? If everyone else is so good at mechanics and machinery and medicine, surely you are good at something else!" He asked. Dib tapped his chin gently. "Well, I've been noted as a good investigator…" He said.

Zim snapped his fingers and moved next to Dib. "That's it!" He exclaimed, "You should get a group of scientists and go exploring around the world, discovering those big-feet and log-monsters you talk about so much!" Dib raised an eyebrow. "But then everyone would think I'm crazy… They'd denounce me again and then this," Dib gestured around his room and to the Membrane Labs posters, "could fall! Everything my father worked for, all the unity we've brought man, etcetera, would cease and the world could plunge back into chaos!"

Zim looked at Dib questioningly. "Dib," he began, "why do you speak like the emperors of this planet's past?" Dib sighed. Maybe if he talked it over with Zim he'd get over his sudden dream-state of ruling the world. It had to be a phase. It just had to be a phase!

"Well Zim," Dib began, "Earlier today I realized that Membrane Labs, the business my father built from nothing, had markets in every country. It has contracts with every factory and by extension every business. It has a private military force that puts Russia and China's numbers combined to shame. They are better trained than Mandalorians from Star Wars and better equipped than the Federation from Gundam.

"Membrane Labs literally controls all markets, as unintentional as that is, from markets fueling war to markets fueling farms and obviously markets fueling sciences. Membrane Labs, in effect, is the world's ultimate power. My father, Professor Membrane, was worshipped by humanity, adored, loved. I inherited his business and I don't want to ruin this. You see, Zim, as the new CEO and head-scientist of Membrane Labs I can keep the world running more and more to the ideal future seen in science fiction movies and shows. Hell, we've got the flying cars and robots down, and if I wanted to I could use our private military force to cease all wars. But that would be wrong, and like I said, I don't want to ruin this."

Zim studied Dib for a moment and there was something like jealous rage in his scarlet eyes. "You conquered this planet?" He simplified it in disbelief. Dib inhaled like he was going to say something but just nodded. Zim shook with rage for a moment and calmed himself. "THE IRONY!" He let out in an angered roar, Dib shrinking back at the proximity.

"Earth's glorious and righteous defender conquered this ball of dirt when Zim - mighty ZIM! - could not! How is this fair? Universe! Why do you torment me with such cruel irony?" His voice was going hoarse. Dib looked at him sympathetically.

"Zim, you are a co-ruler of the world when you think about it…" He offered. Zim glared at him. "How so, Dib?" He asked. "Well, you triggered the events that led to my current place of power." Dib explained, "And you saved my life. If I had died then Gaz would have inherited the Labs and odds are she'd still be… like her old self and you two would have never gone out."

Zim pondered this. "Zim had almost forgotten that he saved your pitiful life." Zim chuckled meagerly. He was back to using words like 'pitiful', so that was good. "Didn't I blackmail you by threatening to expose that you saved over the Gaz-flower's saved games all those years ago?" Dib had a look of horror on his face in response to Zim's question. Zim turned to see Gaz standing in the doorway, finishing her hair.

"Oh, calm down Dib! Zim is sure the Gaz-flower would not overreact to something so small from so long ago." Zim was saying but Gaz clutched his throat and tossed him aside. "Wait, Gaz! Let's talk this out!" Dib put his arms up defensively, "Did you know that you and I are co-rulers of the world? Isn't that neat?" He tried to distract her.

Dib was given a very painful purple-nurple and he collapsed to the ground, tears in his eyes from the pain. Zim stood and turned to leave but Gaz wouldn't let him escape her wrath. She grabbed him and spun him around, dragging his head down to her face. Zim gulped. "Hello, Gaz-flower. Beautiful Earth-day, isn't it?" He asked nervously. Gaz glared silently and released him only to flick him in the antenna, bringing a tear to his eye.

Gaz walked towards the doorway and turned back to her recovering boyfriend and lover. "Any other secrets you guys would like to confess while I'm feeling merciful?" She asked. They both shook their heads as Zim rubbed his antenna and Dib rubbed his chest. "Then let's get going. We've got to meet up with Tak, Vem, Larz and Zita at the movies in thirty minutes." The two got up and followed her, their wounds already forgotten.

Gaz smiled at the power she had over them. Even if they technically had all the power in the world through the Membrane Labs, she still had power over them.

Vem was in his refurbished base. He'd taken to wearing Lennon-shades instead of his old, creepy sunglasses and often wore an artist's beret. It fit with his new laidback personality. He had no need to work hard since his job of designing came like second nature to him. As a result, he'd become something of a burnout: intelligent but no longer held back by stress or emotion.

He hadn't always been like that. He'd been a psychotic and snarky serial killer hell bent on killing his now-friends, the Membranes and their Irken lovers. Now he was to go see a movie with them in less than… ten minutes! His eyes widened at the time. He'd been busy writing down some poems that he hadn't paid attention to the clock.

He got up to leave when he heard an electric humming noise. He turned around back to his old computer. "I thought I turned that thing off years ago…" He mumbled to himself. "I was reactivated externally, Vem." The computer said in its robotic monotone. Vem jumped back from the console.

"What do you want?" Vem spat. "The Tallest are wondering why you haven't responded for seven-and-a-half years." The computer said flatly. "It's only been three Earth years." Vem shrugged. The computer was quiet a moment longer. "Why haven't you killed them yet?" It asked in that same, irritating mechanical sputter.

Vem ignored the console and left. The base was downgraded anyway. The computer could only control the computer; there was nothing else to control and thus nothing to fear. So Vem left for the movies to hang out with his new friends in his new life. He didn't need any reminders from his violent past.

As soon as Vem disappeared the computer let out something reminiscent of an angered hiss. Its screen turned red and the words: CONTACTING TALLEST appeared in black, boldfaced lettering.

The Empire would know of this betrayal. They'd know and they wouldn't like it.

Chapter 28 Completed, please R&R

Vem's good! Vem's computer is still psycho! That means we still have a few more chappies of a murderous psycho antagonist left! YAY!

Anyway, I'm trying to finish this in two weeks before I leave for vacation to Louisiana and then New York to visit old friends, army bases, colleges and the like. Hoping to finish it before I disappear on you guys for like… six weeks. If not, that's gonna be a reeeeeeally long cliffhanger :P