1 Chapter Eight – Thank You, Mister,
1.1 For Saving My Family
It was morning. Callista and Caitlyn were going to visit Dib, who was now at the hospital quarters in Seralio's ship. They arrived just as he was regaining consciousness.
"Dib, you've got some guests," the nurse announced.
"Good. Bring them in." The nurse did so and left as they entered.
"Guess who."
"Callista. Thank goodness you're here."
"I've a special visitor for you."
"Caitlyn?"
"That's right. She's waiting on the floor. I want to talk to you first."
"Okay. What about?"
"Well, as you know, we have a child. According to Galactic law, any couple caring for a child automatically becomes a married twosome. Well, I don't want it to be just official by law. Dib, I want to marry you."
"I will. I love you."
"That's wonderful." Dib sat upright and kissed Callista. "I think Caitlyn wants to see how you're doing."
"Hi daddy. How are you?"
"Hi. I'm okay. Merchenyl hit my head pretty hard there, though. I'll probably be out soon. As a matter of fact, today."
"Yippee!"
"Caitlyn, your mother proposed to me. That means we're going to get married. Do you know why?"
"You love each other?"
"That's right. Do you know what love is?"
"Not exactly."
"It's when two people like being around each other and will do anything for each other. Even if it means their lives. I love your mother very much and I'm not going to let anything happen to her or you."
"I have something else to add to that," Callista said, startling them all, "We're going to move. We are going to move to a place where we'll be welcome and Merchenyl will never find us."
"Where's that?" inquired Caitlyn with curiosity.
"We are moving to the planet Irk."
"Irk? Isn't that the planet Zim came from?"
"Yes. We are going at a time before they became power hungry and began contemplating galactic conquest. This is a time before Zim's knowledge."
"So long as we're safe, it seems like a done deal."
"As a matter of fact, Kristen's going to join us later if Zim is feeling better by then." Of course, Zim was not even conscious at this point in time. No. What she meant in actuality was if Zim was alive by then.
"The doctor says I can go at any time now."
"Good. Let's leave now. I've got the transporter ready. Let's leave now."
"You seem hurried."
"Merchenyl's spies have links with all around. Without a doubt they'll be on my trail within a minute of the present time."
"Okay. Caitlyn, come here." Dib beckoned Caitlyn; then picked her up. Callista activated the transporter and they vanished without another word's notice. Next, they found themselves in a part of Irk that seemed fairly enough like Earth; our time. Callista strode over across the street and made a reservation at the nearest hotel. At present they waited in the lobby for consultation with the manager. At last the time came in which he met with them.
"I see...Callista..." he pondered the name with great care and speculation, "I'm wondering now...are you claiming to be Callista Nali- noka?"
"Yes. That is my name."
"Hmm...I see. I'll be with you momentarily." The hotel manager left the room and discussed some things that weren't audible with his secretary. Perplexed at what he might be saying, Callista became slightly alarmed. As he had promised, the administrator arrived shortly afterward. Though this wasn't what was so bone-chilling. What horrified Callista was the fact that armed guards were now filing in and surrounding them.
"Callista was ordered to death by Merchenyl! Her descendants uphold the order! Hands behind your backs! Move it!" Callista reluctantly complied without the intention of having Dib or Caitlyn harmed. The officers handcuffed her as she realized that the Sulfeitian Empire had lasted throughout the years.
"I'm so sorry, Dib, I didn't know –"
"No one expected you to. It's all right. We'll find a way out of this somehow."
"How do you know?"
"I don't know. Caitlyn...What about her? How will we be able to save her?"
"I don't know yet. I've never had to save a child. All I know is that we're getting out of here with her alive or we aren't getting out at all." Dib nodded. They continued onward and didn't reach a single stretch of grass the whole way through. As the guards stopped to break for lunch, they tied the three of them to the poles of streetlights. Callista circumspectly slid a portable laser from her skirt pocket and chiseled away at the wrought iron cuffs. When she at last freed herself, she attempted as inconspicuously as possible to release Dib – he stopped her. With a whisper that could barely be heard, he spoke, "Get Caitlyn. Get Caitlyn and go." She did so and worked away at the tedious task of setting apart Caitlyn's manacles. When finally her hard work paid off, Callista dropped the laser, picked up Caitlyn and ran as fast as she could.
The police, suddenly stirring, chased after her. Seeing that they had nearly caught up, Dib yelled at them and tried desperately to get loose of the restraints. He had no luck. Callista ran as if her life depended on it, as it was in this instance, and ever faster. She knew that there were two lives at stake here. She couldn't run any farther. She collapsed and fell flat to the ground. A shriek escaped her lungs as she instructed Caitlyn to proceed without her. 'Perhaps they would leave her alone if they had me,' Callista thought to herself. "Please! Please don't take Caitlyn! Take me, but don't take her! I'm begging of you!"
"Okay, okay, we won't take her," one officer reassured, apparently annoyed, "just shut up."
"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Dib came rushing out. He had used the fallen laser to cut himself loose from the cuffs.
"Callista! Where's Caitlyn?"
"I sent her off! Go! Now! She needs you!" Dib bolted to the direction in which Callista had sent Caitlyn. To her dismay, no one tailed him. Not one person lifted a finger to even make a note of the direction that he had gone off in.
"You don't care where Dib goes?" Callista inquired in confusion.
"Well, you're the main focus, so the order's been changed. You're the only one we're taking."
"Oh, that's marvelous! Do you really mean it?"
"Well, is the sky hazy? Yeah, I mean it."
"That's such wonderful news! My daughter and my husband can live a life and move on! My child has a parent! You don't know how magnificent that is!"
"Yeah, yeah, let's move on."
"Okay. At least I'll be at ease that Caitlyn's going to be okay. It's too bad though. I looked forward to a future. I had a very promising one you know. A superb husband, a beautiful daughter – It's too bad. I love them. It'll be hard saying goodbye. They'll never really get over it. You can't just get over something like that. Merchenyl slaughtered my parents in front of me and assassinated my husband's mom. Later she killed Dib's sister and father. She attempted to kill Caitlyn and almost killed Zim, my best friend's husband. It's been sad. I used to swear revenge, but we can no longer risk our lives for something like that. We have Caitlyn. I was trying to escape all of that when I find that Merchenyl's rule is still active. I guess that after my death, Dib will be the only one left of our families. Do you know about Caitlyn and how I got her?" The officer shook his head no.
"We were evacuating from my home planet in which Merchenyl had set to destroy. A girl of four years was at the teleporter, alone. Her parents were paralyzed and couldn't move, so they sent her without them. I took her under Dib's custody and mine and that's how we met. It's ironic; every miserable thing in my life is due to Merchenyl, yet I wouldn't have met Dib if it weren't for my delivering the news of his mom's passing."
"That's a sad story. You can go."
"What?"
"Go with your family. I can't have it on my conscience destroying a family. Go. If we ever meet again, tell me how they're doing."
"Thank you..." Callista was nearly speechless at this point. She sped to Dib's direction and no one attempted to stop her.
1.1 For Saving My Family
It was morning. Callista and Caitlyn were going to visit Dib, who was now at the hospital quarters in Seralio's ship. They arrived just as he was regaining consciousness.
"Dib, you've got some guests," the nurse announced.
"Good. Bring them in." The nurse did so and left as they entered.
"Guess who."
"Callista. Thank goodness you're here."
"I've a special visitor for you."
"Caitlyn?"
"That's right. She's waiting on the floor. I want to talk to you first."
"Okay. What about?"
"Well, as you know, we have a child. According to Galactic law, any couple caring for a child automatically becomes a married twosome. Well, I don't want it to be just official by law. Dib, I want to marry you."
"I will. I love you."
"That's wonderful." Dib sat upright and kissed Callista. "I think Caitlyn wants to see how you're doing."
"Hi daddy. How are you?"
"Hi. I'm okay. Merchenyl hit my head pretty hard there, though. I'll probably be out soon. As a matter of fact, today."
"Yippee!"
"Caitlyn, your mother proposed to me. That means we're going to get married. Do you know why?"
"You love each other?"
"That's right. Do you know what love is?"
"Not exactly."
"It's when two people like being around each other and will do anything for each other. Even if it means their lives. I love your mother very much and I'm not going to let anything happen to her or you."
"I have something else to add to that," Callista said, startling them all, "We're going to move. We are going to move to a place where we'll be welcome and Merchenyl will never find us."
"Where's that?" inquired Caitlyn with curiosity.
"We are moving to the planet Irk."
"Irk? Isn't that the planet Zim came from?"
"Yes. We are going at a time before they became power hungry and began contemplating galactic conquest. This is a time before Zim's knowledge."
"So long as we're safe, it seems like a done deal."
"As a matter of fact, Kristen's going to join us later if Zim is feeling better by then." Of course, Zim was not even conscious at this point in time. No. What she meant in actuality was if Zim was alive by then.
"The doctor says I can go at any time now."
"Good. Let's leave now. I've got the transporter ready. Let's leave now."
"You seem hurried."
"Merchenyl's spies have links with all around. Without a doubt they'll be on my trail within a minute of the present time."
"Okay. Caitlyn, come here." Dib beckoned Caitlyn; then picked her up. Callista activated the transporter and they vanished without another word's notice. Next, they found themselves in a part of Irk that seemed fairly enough like Earth; our time. Callista strode over across the street and made a reservation at the nearest hotel. At present they waited in the lobby for consultation with the manager. At last the time came in which he met with them.
"I see...Callista..." he pondered the name with great care and speculation, "I'm wondering now...are you claiming to be Callista Nali- noka?"
"Yes. That is my name."
"Hmm...I see. I'll be with you momentarily." The hotel manager left the room and discussed some things that weren't audible with his secretary. Perplexed at what he might be saying, Callista became slightly alarmed. As he had promised, the administrator arrived shortly afterward. Though this wasn't what was so bone-chilling. What horrified Callista was the fact that armed guards were now filing in and surrounding them.
"Callista was ordered to death by Merchenyl! Her descendants uphold the order! Hands behind your backs! Move it!" Callista reluctantly complied without the intention of having Dib or Caitlyn harmed. The officers handcuffed her as she realized that the Sulfeitian Empire had lasted throughout the years.
"I'm so sorry, Dib, I didn't know –"
"No one expected you to. It's all right. We'll find a way out of this somehow."
"How do you know?"
"I don't know. Caitlyn...What about her? How will we be able to save her?"
"I don't know yet. I've never had to save a child. All I know is that we're getting out of here with her alive or we aren't getting out at all." Dib nodded. They continued onward and didn't reach a single stretch of grass the whole way through. As the guards stopped to break for lunch, they tied the three of them to the poles of streetlights. Callista circumspectly slid a portable laser from her skirt pocket and chiseled away at the wrought iron cuffs. When she at last freed herself, she attempted as inconspicuously as possible to release Dib – he stopped her. With a whisper that could barely be heard, he spoke, "Get Caitlyn. Get Caitlyn and go." She did so and worked away at the tedious task of setting apart Caitlyn's manacles. When finally her hard work paid off, Callista dropped the laser, picked up Caitlyn and ran as fast as she could.
The police, suddenly stirring, chased after her. Seeing that they had nearly caught up, Dib yelled at them and tried desperately to get loose of the restraints. He had no luck. Callista ran as if her life depended on it, as it was in this instance, and ever faster. She knew that there were two lives at stake here. She couldn't run any farther. She collapsed and fell flat to the ground. A shriek escaped her lungs as she instructed Caitlyn to proceed without her. 'Perhaps they would leave her alone if they had me,' Callista thought to herself. "Please! Please don't take Caitlyn! Take me, but don't take her! I'm begging of you!"
"Okay, okay, we won't take her," one officer reassured, apparently annoyed, "just shut up."
"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Dib came rushing out. He had used the fallen laser to cut himself loose from the cuffs.
"Callista! Where's Caitlyn?"
"I sent her off! Go! Now! She needs you!" Dib bolted to the direction in which Callista had sent Caitlyn. To her dismay, no one tailed him. Not one person lifted a finger to even make a note of the direction that he had gone off in.
"You don't care where Dib goes?" Callista inquired in confusion.
"Well, you're the main focus, so the order's been changed. You're the only one we're taking."
"Oh, that's marvelous! Do you really mean it?"
"Well, is the sky hazy? Yeah, I mean it."
"That's such wonderful news! My daughter and my husband can live a life and move on! My child has a parent! You don't know how magnificent that is!"
"Yeah, yeah, let's move on."
"Okay. At least I'll be at ease that Caitlyn's going to be okay. It's too bad though. I looked forward to a future. I had a very promising one you know. A superb husband, a beautiful daughter – It's too bad. I love them. It'll be hard saying goodbye. They'll never really get over it. You can't just get over something like that. Merchenyl slaughtered my parents in front of me and assassinated my husband's mom. Later she killed Dib's sister and father. She attempted to kill Caitlyn and almost killed Zim, my best friend's husband. It's been sad. I used to swear revenge, but we can no longer risk our lives for something like that. We have Caitlyn. I was trying to escape all of that when I find that Merchenyl's rule is still active. I guess that after my death, Dib will be the only one left of our families. Do you know about Caitlyn and how I got her?" The officer shook his head no.
"We were evacuating from my home planet in which Merchenyl had set to destroy. A girl of four years was at the teleporter, alone. Her parents were paralyzed and couldn't move, so they sent her without them. I took her under Dib's custody and mine and that's how we met. It's ironic; every miserable thing in my life is due to Merchenyl, yet I wouldn't have met Dib if it weren't for my delivering the news of his mom's passing."
"That's a sad story. You can go."
"What?"
"Go with your family. I can't have it on my conscience destroying a family. Go. If we ever meet again, tell me how they're doing."
"Thank you..." Callista was nearly speechless at this point. She sped to Dib's direction and no one attempted to stop her.