Jessica:Get lost,you losers

Zim:I will get lost.But notice I will get lost with my bestfriend

Chapter 4:Dib learns about the Irken Race

"Stop moving,Dib!" Gaz said sternly."You're going to make it worse!"

Dib gripped tight on both his palms,trying hard to think beyond his excruciating pain.

"You're pulling too hard!"he cried tightly,"It hurts if you do that!"

Gaz held on the wooden piece and slowly tried to pull it from Dib's arm.underneath,he started to bleed continously like a river.

Zim,who was trying to figure out how to remove the one on Dib's leg,became impatient.

"Let me try"he said hastily.He gripped on the piece on Dib's arm.

"Wait!"Dib cried once more"don't--"

Too late.Zim pulled it viciously from the gash.Dib howled in total pain.

"OUCH!"he yelled"why did you do that?!It hurts!"

But Zim wasn't listening.He went over to the other wood piece and pulled it as quickly as the one before.The pain multiplied,and Dib felt the sting build up on his skin.

"AGH! STOP! IT HURTS ALREADY!"

"Thank me for ending your prolonging suffering" the Irken said.Dib didn't respond.He was lying on the floor as the wounds pained him more.He could barely catch his breath,not to mention the pressure he was on.Half of his body was covered in his own blood,and he felt more coming out of his system.

"I'll get some water and towels"Gaz said,standing up from a small puddle of Dib's blood.She turned to Zim.

"If you let that thing eat him,I'm going to eat you" she warned.Gaz left with the flashlight and left the two boys by themselves with the candle.

Dib was hyperventilating with a paled face.Zim calmly sat on the chair beside him,dangling his feet in silence.It legthened into minutes,as the only think heard in the room was Dib's rasp breathing and the creaking of the chair from Zim's feet..His eyes focused on the red pool of his enemy,then cocked his head.

"Weird" he muttered.Dib turned his head to the Irken.

"What?"he asked.Zim got off his chair and touched the bloody pool.

"Your species is the first I've seen with blood in the shade of red.My race holds the shade of blue and deep teal"

Zim reached a dagger from his boot("An Irken is always prepared"-Invasion Authority).He pressed it on his hands,making a deep opening.Dib watched as navy blue blood trickled from the aliens hands.

"Teal and blue?" he asked,"you have two difrent kinds of blood color?"

"Any color within the shade of teal and blue.It seperates those who are destined to rule our planet from the ones who will become invaders to serve them"

"So blue stands for what?"

Zim frowned at him.

"Well,what do you think?"he snapped back,"I'm here in this ball of dirt,not back home.Do the math,inferior-child"

Dib was silent.He tore his eyes away from Zim and stared at the ceiling.He thought about how the invader referred his planet to as "home".Is that why he was desperate to destroy earth?for the sake of his planet?Dib marveled that virtue.Perhaps Zim misses his home planet.

"Zim?"he said"do you miss your planet?"

"Why wouldn't I?"said Zim

"Does everybody there think of being victorious for the sake of his own race?"

"It's called optimism and being supportive"

"So how come no one's supporting you?"

"What?"

"When Tak came to earth,she sorta had a bigger ship than yours,and her robot whatever thing like your green dog has--no offense to you--much more discipline and sanity"

"What are you talking about?"

"Isn't it obvious that whoever your leaders are,gave you loads of junk for a mission?"

"GIR's advanced"

"Tsk...yeah.Advance my foot!Don't you see?There's something wrong!"

"Tak only has a bigger ship than mine because she was a higher ranked invader"Zim said simply.Dib was stumped for a moment.

"Well how come Mimi was functioning well while yours was a sycopathic tin can that has a liking for tacos?"

"The Tallest said he was advanced!"

Dib blinked.

"The who?"

"Beloved leaders of my home.Very trustworthy"

"Eh...what's with the adjective?Don't they have a name or somethin'?"

"Every past leader has been called that"

"Why?"

"Well,duh.Tallest.Get it?"

"So whoever is the tallest among all will be leaders?"

"Basically...yes"

"Isn't that a little too--"

"Unatural?"

"Don't you think so?"

"It's an original idea.We judge the hight because it symbolizes leadership"

"But what if some alien like your size is smart?Does he become exempted?"

"Personal Adviser"

Dib switched his position.His blood had stopped flowing,but he was still plastered with it.

"That's unfair"

"Size may not matter for you,but it matters for us.Respect my custom"

"Sorry..."

Silence.Then...

"Why do your leaders want to take over planets?"

"I don't know"

"Why won't they tell you?"

"Uh..well I--wait a minute,why are you so inquisitive about my empire?"

"What's wrong with that?I just want to know what kind of alien are you?"

"Irken"

"what?"

"I'm an Irken"

"I want details"

"Irkens of planet Irk are found aproximately 300 galaxies away from earth.That is equivalent to six months of travel"

"Whoa,wait a minute!Six months?It would take more than six months to get from here to there!"

"Not with the technology we have.Irkens posses the fastest power boosters using the speed of time and light.Other planets trade their stuff for our technology.We give them the speed of light,they give us weapons.Since our weaponry is sensitive,we rely most on our agility.There's the speed we must learn,and the speed in our instincts.Every Irken is born with the instincts of an eight legged creature.The one that you call 'spiders'.Then at a young age,we are trained to fly ships.I was trained too early,at the age of thirteen"

"If you were thirteen long ago,then how old are you now?"

Zim looked up the ceiling,mumbling numbers under his breath.

"Six hundred" he replied "I'm ten in earth years"

"Nice..." Dib said.

Gaz was back.She had a pile of towels and a blue basin full of water.She kneeled beside Dib and started wrapping his wounds with the damp towels.Then,all three paused,as familiar shuffling noises began.

"They're back..."Dib said weakly.

***