1.1.1 Chapter Twelve - Guns and Bullets
Do No Good
Dib ducked underneath the shallow mound of dirt that served as a barrier against the rally of gunfire. Never before had he seen anything like this. Guns, killing - there wasn't a place you could go now without these things. The journey was taking longer than Dib had previously anticipated. This was so because he expressed much caution to ensure his life. He didn't want to die if he didn't have to.
Callista entered his mind quite often nowadays. Dib wished he never left. Slowly he pulled out his photograph and at the smiling image that was before him. He had taken a picture of Caitlyn and taped it next to Callista when he left. Now was the time he looked at it. Dib's mission had been to take care of Merchenyl, but he got held up on the way. Had he let on the real intent of his journey it would have been prevented.
Questions of morality plagued him as well. He was about to take the life of a human being. He knew it was wrong, no matter what his reasons. Dib wanted to go back, but knew he couldn't. He decided he would change his strategies against Merchenyl. Though these were her descendents that had upheld the old rule, Callista told him that she had preserved herself throughout the years. Whatever the case, Dib was going to save Callista and Caitlyn no matter what the cost.
The fighting subsided for a while when everyone ran out of ammunition. Dib walked with the other soldiers on the Serenitians' side and attended lunch there. He also saw Callista. "Callista?! What are you doing here?!"
"I think you should know by now. I've come to help you."
"What about Caitlyn?"
"She's right here with me, holding my hand this very moment."
"How'd you –"
"I used the matter transporter. Listen, I have a confession to make."
"What kind of confession?"
"Well…I am going to take care of Merchenyl for you. I'll save this planet by myself. I don't need your help."
"You – don't need my help?"
"What I mean is that I'm going to disarm the bomb instead of you."
"What bomb? Callista, just what, exactly, are we facing here?"
"Merchenyl's going to set off a numerous amount of bombs to blow up the world. I'm frightened."
"You have every right to be. Even I'm afraid of that."
"I don't think I'll live long enough to do anything in life."
"You've done plenty to satisfy me. You've saved my life. Being able to save another's life is something very great. Very few can accomplish it. You have. Be very proud of yourself."
"I know I've done a lot, but there's so much more that I planned. I had a family to look forward to in the future. I had a successful career to look forward to. If I lose it all – I don't know what I'm going to do."
"Don't worry about that. I'll make sure you're alive. I swear to it."
"I just don't know. I never thought I'd have to gamble my life like this. I knew it was awful risky bringing you with me to the Gauveuntains, but these risks are much greater. I wish I didn't have to take them."
"Me too. But what is there to do? The choices are simple: Run, or save this world. Running is the cowardice choice. Saving the world takes valor and will save the lives of many. Even running there is no guarantee. What would you rather do?"
"I know which choice is better, but you have to remember that we are no longer just a couple. Caitlyn is with us. There is only one thing to be done."
"What's that?"
"You take the transporter with Caitlyn and find a home. She'll live with you. I will go and find Merchenyl and save this planet. If I survive, I'll track you down and join you."
"But –"
"Dib, I know how she operates. I can succeed in disarming the bomb. All you have to do is go into Seralio's ship and he'll have guards to protect you two. At my word he'd be glad to. Dib, this is for you and Caitlyn. This is the best thing for her."
"I don't want her to grow up without a mother. Not like me. I lost her at an early age. Your going out there is like promising that my child will have no mother. I don't want that."
"What other choice is there? You'll probably be a better parent than I would, and I have the best chance of penetrating Merchenyl's fortress, so this is the best way. Don't say a word more about it. I'll leave tonight."
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye." The two of them hugged as they knew there wasn't much time left.
"Well…what do you want to do today?"
"I guess…I don't really care."
"Thank you."
"Huh?"
"Thank you, in advance. I know you'll be putting yourself in danger and we'll be separate for the good of our family."
"You're very welcome."
"There aren't many words to say…"
"You know how I proposed, and then we got caught up in the middle of a war?"
"Yes. I do recall that."
"I want to make that up to you. I want to marry you. Today."
"Today? How?"
"They always have someone for marriages during wartime."
"What are we waiting for? Let's get married."
"Yes. That'll take a burden from me."
Wedding
Dib and Callista are awaiting for the marriage to be official. Kristen couldn't make it, with Zim's recent passing, so the only person there was four-year-old Caitlyn. Once the ceremony had ended, a little boy, no more than five years of age, walked in.
"Do you know where I can get help?" Callista was quite startled by his presence.
"What?"
"I'm lost. Do you know where I can get help?"
"Uh…you can probably get help at the office of…whatever it is. I'll take you." On their way, Callista interrogated him. "What's your name?"
"Dillan. Dillan Syntosh."
"How old are you?"
"Five."
"Where are your parents?"
"I'd rather not talk about it."
"Okay, we don't have to talk about it. What do you want to talk about?"
"I want to tell you about the war. It's awful! I hate it! Merchenyl…I hate her!"
"Me too. Why do you hate her?"
"Same reason you probably hate her. She – I hate her!"
"Maybe it hurts too much for you to talk about it, but I'll tell you about what she did to me. Dib, my husband, has a daughter with me. We rescued her during the escape from Starland. Well…" Callista let out a sigh, "She tried to kill Caitlyn, my daughter. She tried to kill Dib and I, and she almost accomplished it too. I got a dagger in my throat and Dib got stabbed repetitiously."
"How'd you survive that?!"
"I have a crystal, the Cosmic Energy Crystal, and its energy saved our lives. I also owe my life to Kristen, whom used it and willed us alive. Merchenyl also killed my parents before my eyes and assassinated Dib's mother. She later murdered the rest of his family."
"That happened to me," the boy suddenly grew dismal, "She killed off my family!"
Do No Good
Dib ducked underneath the shallow mound of dirt that served as a barrier against the rally of gunfire. Never before had he seen anything like this. Guns, killing - there wasn't a place you could go now without these things. The journey was taking longer than Dib had previously anticipated. This was so because he expressed much caution to ensure his life. He didn't want to die if he didn't have to.
Callista entered his mind quite often nowadays. Dib wished he never left. Slowly he pulled out his photograph and at the smiling image that was before him. He had taken a picture of Caitlyn and taped it next to Callista when he left. Now was the time he looked at it. Dib's mission had been to take care of Merchenyl, but he got held up on the way. Had he let on the real intent of his journey it would have been prevented.
Questions of morality plagued him as well. He was about to take the life of a human being. He knew it was wrong, no matter what his reasons. Dib wanted to go back, but knew he couldn't. He decided he would change his strategies against Merchenyl. Though these were her descendents that had upheld the old rule, Callista told him that she had preserved herself throughout the years. Whatever the case, Dib was going to save Callista and Caitlyn no matter what the cost.
The fighting subsided for a while when everyone ran out of ammunition. Dib walked with the other soldiers on the Serenitians' side and attended lunch there. He also saw Callista. "Callista?! What are you doing here?!"
"I think you should know by now. I've come to help you."
"What about Caitlyn?"
"She's right here with me, holding my hand this very moment."
"How'd you –"
"I used the matter transporter. Listen, I have a confession to make."
"What kind of confession?"
"Well…I am going to take care of Merchenyl for you. I'll save this planet by myself. I don't need your help."
"You – don't need my help?"
"What I mean is that I'm going to disarm the bomb instead of you."
"What bomb? Callista, just what, exactly, are we facing here?"
"Merchenyl's going to set off a numerous amount of bombs to blow up the world. I'm frightened."
"You have every right to be. Even I'm afraid of that."
"I don't think I'll live long enough to do anything in life."
"You've done plenty to satisfy me. You've saved my life. Being able to save another's life is something very great. Very few can accomplish it. You have. Be very proud of yourself."
"I know I've done a lot, but there's so much more that I planned. I had a family to look forward to in the future. I had a successful career to look forward to. If I lose it all – I don't know what I'm going to do."
"Don't worry about that. I'll make sure you're alive. I swear to it."
"I just don't know. I never thought I'd have to gamble my life like this. I knew it was awful risky bringing you with me to the Gauveuntains, but these risks are much greater. I wish I didn't have to take them."
"Me too. But what is there to do? The choices are simple: Run, or save this world. Running is the cowardice choice. Saving the world takes valor and will save the lives of many. Even running there is no guarantee. What would you rather do?"
"I know which choice is better, but you have to remember that we are no longer just a couple. Caitlyn is with us. There is only one thing to be done."
"What's that?"
"You take the transporter with Caitlyn and find a home. She'll live with you. I will go and find Merchenyl and save this planet. If I survive, I'll track you down and join you."
"But –"
"Dib, I know how she operates. I can succeed in disarming the bomb. All you have to do is go into Seralio's ship and he'll have guards to protect you two. At my word he'd be glad to. Dib, this is for you and Caitlyn. This is the best thing for her."
"I don't want her to grow up without a mother. Not like me. I lost her at an early age. Your going out there is like promising that my child will have no mother. I don't want that."
"What other choice is there? You'll probably be a better parent than I would, and I have the best chance of penetrating Merchenyl's fortress, so this is the best way. Don't say a word more about it. I'll leave tonight."
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye." The two of them hugged as they knew there wasn't much time left.
"Well…what do you want to do today?"
"I guess…I don't really care."
"Thank you."
"Huh?"
"Thank you, in advance. I know you'll be putting yourself in danger and we'll be separate for the good of our family."
"You're very welcome."
"There aren't many words to say…"
"You know how I proposed, and then we got caught up in the middle of a war?"
"Yes. I do recall that."
"I want to make that up to you. I want to marry you. Today."
"Today? How?"
"They always have someone for marriages during wartime."
"What are we waiting for? Let's get married."
"Yes. That'll take a burden from me."
Wedding
Dib and Callista are awaiting for the marriage to be official. Kristen couldn't make it, with Zim's recent passing, so the only person there was four-year-old Caitlyn. Once the ceremony had ended, a little boy, no more than five years of age, walked in.
"Do you know where I can get help?" Callista was quite startled by his presence.
"What?"
"I'm lost. Do you know where I can get help?"
"Uh…you can probably get help at the office of…whatever it is. I'll take you." On their way, Callista interrogated him. "What's your name?"
"Dillan. Dillan Syntosh."
"How old are you?"
"Five."
"Where are your parents?"
"I'd rather not talk about it."
"Okay, we don't have to talk about it. What do you want to talk about?"
"I want to tell you about the war. It's awful! I hate it! Merchenyl…I hate her!"
"Me too. Why do you hate her?"
"Same reason you probably hate her. She – I hate her!"
"Maybe it hurts too much for you to talk about it, but I'll tell you about what she did to me. Dib, my husband, has a daughter with me. We rescued her during the escape from Starland. Well…" Callista let out a sigh, "She tried to kill Caitlyn, my daughter. She tried to kill Dib and I, and she almost accomplished it too. I got a dagger in my throat and Dib got stabbed repetitiously."
"How'd you survive that?!"
"I have a crystal, the Cosmic Energy Crystal, and its energy saved our lives. I also owe my life to Kristen, whom used it and willed us alive. Merchenyl also killed my parents before my eyes and assassinated Dib's mother. She later murdered the rest of his family."
"That happened to me," the boy suddenly grew dismal, "She killed off my family!"