Kind of a short chapter here. It's setting things up for the big finale. Hope ya'll enjoy!
Chapter 12: Come into my Parlour...
Zim scowled as he watched the viewscreen with Vim reporting to her computer masters. Suddenly, a large robotic face appeared on the camera, peering into the screen before a toaster and several condiments came into view from below. Immediately afterward, the transmission cut off into static.
"Foolish non-earth slimebutt!" he snarled, leaping from his chair, "She dare thinks her pitiful race can stop the mighty Irken Armada! Ha, I say!" Zim whirled on Gir, "Quickly, Gir! To the Voot Runner! I must warn the Tallest when they arrive."
"Um, y'know," Zim's computer piped up, "You could just... call them right now to warn them. No need to go travel."
"SILENCE!" screeched Zim, pointing an accusatory finger at a convenient display screen, "This is far too important to leave to hyperwave communications! I must go in PERSON! No doubt the Tallest will reward me greatly for my perseverance!"
"Yeah, whatever," the computer replied as Zim ran from the room to go and retrieve the Voot Runner, Gir happily skipping along in tow.
"And so you see, we don't have much time!" Dib exclaimed dramatically from his position on a soapbox, "The aliens will be here any minute! We, as the free peoples of earth must defend our countries – nay, the WORLD! from these hideous invaders! This is our finest hour! Are you with me?"
The crowd erupted into cheers.
That is to say, the one lone hobo watching sorta gave a wheezing hurrah.
"You're right!" The hobo stated, "I remember when my cousin's planet was invaded by aliens. Oh, man, it was bad that day, let me tell you." Dib just stared at the vagrant before he began to trundle away, "I will warn everyone else, too! The aliens are coming! The aliens are coming!"
"Okay, one filthy hobo down... just several billion people to go," Dib remarked as he watched the figure disappear into traffic before sighing and hanging his head. "This is hopeless! I'll never be able to warn everyone by the time the Armada arrives. There's gotta be something else I can do. C'mon, Dib, think..."
A moment later, Dib raised his head and grinned widely, "Yes! Of course! Dad's asteroid repulsor! It may not be much, but I might be able to hold them off just long enough for earth to marshal a defense. I really need to stop talking out loud to myself one of these days." With his plan in mind, Dib raced off back towards his house and the asteroid repulsor therein contained.
Meanwhile, in space, the Flargian fleet sat in waiting for when the Armada would arrive, hidden as they were behind Jupiter and in the asteroid belt. Although a patchwork of older weapons platforms melded with stolen Irken technology as well as new ultra-deadly vessels, the Flargian fleet was certainly a sight to behold.
Just then, the Massive appeared in the system with it's small contingent of escort ships. blissfully unaware of the trap they were waltzing into. The trap became immediately clear when several of the escort ships were ripped to pieces by explosions on entering the asteroid field.
"What was that?" Red asked to some subordinate.
"Sir! It appears the humans have mined their asteroid belt! We've lost two of our larger ships and several smaller escorts!"
Red blinked once then scowled, "Curse you, Zim! Man, you'd think he could have warned us about that. Well, do any of the explosives pose a danger to the Massive, soldier?"
The technician operating the terminal read the strange glyphs before shaking his head, "No sir! Just primitive plasma bombs, unable to scratch the Massive's hull."
"Well, then, there's no problem is there?" Purple replied with a grin, "C'mon, let's get going. ToastSnax(tm) are awaiting!"
"But sir, our escort ships"
"We have lots of other escort ships on the way," Red stated with a dismissive wave of his clawed appendage, "But if you really want to, just tell the other ships to stand back. We'll just conquer Earth ourselves."
Dutifully, the subordinate nodded and performed the warning.
As the Massive passed through the asteroid belt, being pelted by explosions, suddenly the hidden Flargian fleet roared to life and began to swoop in on the scattered smaller fleet now split from the Massive. Surprised and outnumbered, the Irken fleet scattered amid the bolts and beams of energy that surged around them.
"Sir!" the subordinate back on the Massive said, "Our fleet... is under attack!"
"What! By whom?" Tallest Red asked in mild annoyance, "The humans?"
"Unknown, sir! Their ships don't match any known configuration!" A silhouette of some of the attacking ships with analysis data scrolled across the main viewscreen on the Massive.
"Hey!" Tallest Purple exclaimed, pointing indignantly to the screen, "Those power signatures are close to ours!"
"The humans have stolen our technology!" Red exclaimed, just as indignantly and obviously incensed, "Alright, fine. That does it. Turn the Massive around and let's wipe these guys out. Then we can take Earth with no trouble."
The Massive turned in space and began to move back to the Irken fleet now suddenly fighting for their lives, their military discipline and training not having prepared them for such a surprise attack. As the Massive approached the ensuing battle, however, a shadow appeared behind Jupiter. It grew larger and larger until it came into view.
A huge spaceship, made predominantly in the Irken design, but again with alien bits and pieces grafted to it. The ship was a stark black which faded into the inkiness of space around it, the shape only really visible by the stars it blocked out and the sickly purple glow of it's engines behind. Atop the gigantic starship was a single lance-like structure which throbbed with power.
Both Red and Purple stared in disbelief at the screen.
"It can't be."
"It is!"
"The Colossal!" they both said in unison.
