Chapter 17
Never Again
Zim's eyes were fastened upon Rogue. The sinister look in her deep purple eyes seemed to plow into his mind. His legs were frozen though his mind said to walk towards her. Something was holding him back.
"…What happen to…?" Zim started. He stopped and glared up at the Tallest on the monitor screen. They were snickering.
"What did you two do to her?" Zim asked in a serious sound to his voice.
Red regained his composure and answered, "Not much, if you really want to get into it. After all, she isn't like the others with all that bio-cyber built into her."
"What does that have to do with it?" Zim said. He looked at Rogue's eyes again. The shine that should be there was gone; like she was dead.
"She wasn't following our command, so we took measures to fix that problem." Purple said. "All it took was a slight tweak and maybe a few other little things…"
Rogue turned to face the display with the Tallest on it. Zim noticed a strange piece of equipment on her PAK. It was fused to it and had two smaller tubes that looked to be attached to the back of her head.
"…My Masters." She said and bowed into front of the screen. "I will do what you say and kill Irken Zim, if that will bring you amusement."
"Great!" Purple burst out with a big grin. Red too displayed a smile.
Zim put two and two together. "…An override device."
"That right!" Purple said. "It isn't too hard to make one or to have it installed on a PAK."
"And it was necessary for her." Red added. "She's a danger to us and to anything around her. We just want her to do one more job before we order her complete deletion."
Zim tighten his fist. "The only reason she went against her orders was because she knew you two were going to destroy her after she killed me! But that's changed! Rogue is a superb fighter! You two shouldn't have the right to take that all away! She just wanted to prove herself!" His body began to tremble. "…Like I wanted to prove myself…"
The Tallest suddenly exploded in laughter. "Prove yourself!" Red said. "Zim, you are just as dangerous as Rogue, if not more! You've killed off two Tallest, caused massive blackouts all through Irk, caused the failure of Operation Impending Doom 1, should I go on!"
"You should have been destroyed the day you were activated, Zim." Purple added.
Those words were like a sword through Zim's chest. He hung his head then fell to his knees.
"Oh, are you begging for forgiveness now?" Purple said sarcastically.
"…let her go…"
"What was that?" Purple asked in a confused tone.
"Could you repeat that?" Red said; in a disrespectful manner.
"I said LET HER GO!" Zim screamed at the tops of his voice.
"No." Both Tallest answered flatly.
Zim jolted to his feet and ran towards Rogue. He placed his hands on the override. In a heartbeat, the female Irken raised her arm up and around grabbing Zim by his neck. She slammed him on the floor still clinging to his neck and gripping tighter.
"..gak..GAK…"
"Bravo, Rogue!" Red clapped his claws. "Now don't forget what we told you…"
An eerie smile appeared on Rogue's face. "…Kill him slowly."
Dib was beginning to lose his nerve. It's only been about fifteen minutes since Zim was dragged away and he hasn't heard anything of what they were planning to do to him. The two guards were still standing outside the door with their guns geared up.
He sat in the middle of the dirty cold floor thinking that by now his enemy was most likely killed by the orders of his rulers. If it was only just that, then things wouldn't be so unpleasant at the moment. At the same time, any minute, he could be pulled from the cell and dealt with.
"…Do you have any nachos?"
Dib's head jerked up and saw Gir all in his face. The robot stared at him without even blinking.
"NACHOS!" Gir repeated in a high pitched tone.
"Will you shut up!" Dib snapped. Gir tumbled over backwards and landed sitting up still watching the boy. Dib gawk a bit back before he let out a tensed sigh. "…Why didn't they take you away too?"
Gir's blank expression refused to change to his remark.
After a brief moment of silence the little SIR plainly made his way over to the door. He hopped up and gripped the edge of the small bar window.
"What the-? What do you want?" One of the guards said when they noticed Gir's face through the tiny space.
"I want nachos!" He simply put. Dib slowly shook his head at the robot.
"No way. You get nothing!" The Irken replied.
"But…but…" Gir started to cry. "The nachos call meeee!"
"Go away!" The Irken pushed Gir backwards. He fell on his head with a clank sound.
"Just give it up already." Dib replied.
Gir's light blue eyes suddenly turned crimson red. "NAAAAAAAACHOOOOOOOOS!"
He rammed his head into the cell door at full speed. The impact startled the guards, even made Dib jump. The little SIR continued to slam his head into the door.
"NACHO! NACHO! NACHO! NACHO!"
In the heat of Gir's nacho rage the guards ran off in terror. Then with one finally strike the door ripped off its hinges and flew off, crashing into the opposite wall.
Gir suddenly stopped and stared at what he just did. Dib sat on the floor dumbfounded.
"………" The boy was utterly speechless.
"Yaaaaay, I can't feel my head!" Gir screamed before falling backwards.
"We're free!" Dib jumped to his feet and ran out the door. He looked around. "…I don't see those guards anywhere…" He looked back at Gir. "You scared them off…"
The robot sat up with his dented head. "Can I have my nachos now?"
Zim's body slammed into the cold metal wall. The force wrapped and bent the steel in the shape of his body. His vision was distorted; pain tearing every component of his being. He fell face first on the floor as Rogue slowly came treading towards him once more.
The Irken fought to lift his head but it was forced back down by Rogue's boot. In a flash her other boot came in contact with Zim's side. A cluster of cracking bones echoed into the room. A high pitched scream escaped from Zim's lungs.
Displayed on the screen behind them the Tallest were in their glory watching this unfair battle.
"Hey, are we recording this?" Purple suddenly asked.
"Are you kidding?" Red answered. "I want to have this for future enjoyment!"
His hearing was beginning to go, but Zim heard what the two were talking about. He laid there with his body busted up beyond words and they were enjoying every bit of it. It made him feel sick.
'…Why does this be…?' The Irken thought. '…This…this shouldn't be happening! …It's all their fault…using Rogue again…'
He opened his eyes but was only welcomed by Rogue's hand. She gripped his face and lifted him up; digging her claws into his skin. Zim was already numb from everything else. He could barely feel the pain this time.
"…You won't last much longer." The female Irken spoke with a dark grin on his face.
With what strength Zim had left he raised his arms and placed both hands on Rogue's wrists. He tried to shake himself loose but it was hopeless. He was too weak and she was too strong.
Laughter echoed throughout the area from the viewing screen. The Tallest were busting a gut over Zim's desperate struggle.
"What an idiot!" Red guffawed with tears in his eyes.
"He believes he can break free!" Purple followed.
As the two tall ones continued their mockery, Rogue prepared to wrap up the show. With the hand gripping Zim's face the gem embedded in it began to glow red. Zim's eyes shot open.
'NO!'
Instinct kicked in just in time. Sparks started flying out of his damaged PAK. The only function that was still working was the Jet-Pack. He summoned that and aimed the engines towards Rogue. In a fiery blast Zim jetted backwards with Rogue still hanging on to his face. They both ran into the gateway leading outside. The sudden impact shook Rogue loose; just as her laser fired. The discharge hit the glass windows of the gate.
The heat shattered all the windows. In seconds the pressure outside imploded the gateway and tore it off the Massive. The entire hanger began to rip apart. Rogue activated her jets and was fighting against the suction. Zim had grabbed the edge of the newly made hole and was holding on to dear life. His jetpack had shorted out.
"…Oh…that ain't good, is it?" Purple said staring at the damage.
"IDIOT!" Red shouted towards Rogue. "I'm activating the emergence lock doors for that area!" He started pressing a series of buttons in front of him. He looked back up on the screen. "Rogue! Finish Zim off now!"
"As you wish." She replied.
With those words she made a complete turn around and made a beeline towards the Irken hanging on to the entrance's edge. Zim saw her coming and did the only thing he could at that moment. He triggered his Air Bubble and released his grip. He went flying into space with Rogue still coming after him.
Just as the emergency doors sealed the hanger, the cybrog got her hands around Zim's neck.
"…It's over." Rogue spoke. With her left hand around his neck she brought her right hand back and shaped her fingers like a spear's head. It was clear with her raw strength and blinding speed how she planned to finish her orders.
The sickest and scariest feeling overtook Zim. This is the feeling before death…
"Oooooh, where are you, my naaachos!"
Gir continued to repeat the same thing over and over has him and Dib roamed through the metal halls of the Massive. Moments ago the sound of the ship loosing one of its hanger doors shook the vicinity.
"What on Earth was that anyway?" Dib asked himself. "…And where the heck are we?" He looked over to the crazy SIR who was now sucking on a piece of metal tubing that he tore out from the wall.
"Hey! You should know where we are, right?" The boy called out. Gir stopped sucking and looked up at him with wide blue eyes. After a brief moment he shook his head.
"I don't know." Gir then answered.
"…Of course you don't." Dib said shaking his head. He stood there for a second or so watching the little robot drift back into its own world. As he started to turn around the sound footsteps stopped him halfway. The sound was coming from ahead of them. Thinking quickly Dib turned towards Gir and ran, picking up the Sir as he went by.
He reached the first door and pressed the button to open it, praying it wasn't locked. The door slid open and without a second though he jumped in. The entrance closed just as two Irken guards came walking around the corner.
With his back against the metal Dib took in a strong sign before taking the time to see where he was now. The only light in the room came from the stars shining through a large round window ahead of Dib. The first thing the boy noticed was what the light landed on.
Glass containers. Each one round like a perfect sphere; supported by individual hovers underneath. Each one with something inside.
"…What the…?" Dib worded as he slowly moved closer to whatever they were. He was about two feet away before he figured it out. "…Specimen samples?"
Inside each round glass bubble was an either an alien plant or a small, what looked like living, creature.
"Incredible!" The spiked haired boy whispered. He couldn't help but reach his hand out and just touch the glass. It was cold; a mini cryogenic chamber. "…Where does the power come from? Does it have an internal power source? Just what is in this one any-?"
"It tastes like candy!"
Dib swung his head around to find Gir sucking on one of the glass orbs. Saliva pooled around the small robot. The boy didn't see any harm in this random action.
Getting no 'real' candy taste out of it, Gir started to pound away at the glowing glass. Once again, Dib thought this was no big deal. He turned back to his own amazement.
"CANDY NOW!"
One strong punch and the contents came splashing forth. Dib immediately jumped and spun around. The super cold liquid caused the floor to crack and split. He hopped on top of one of the other orbs to escape the freezing ooze.
"YAAAY!" Gir screamed.
"What're you doing!" Dib shouted. Within seconds the sub-zero fluid rested and one danger was avoided, only to let another free. The sphere Gir broken contained a nasty little number.
A creature the size of a house cat but with fangs nearly as long as it's body slowly aroused from its cold sleep. It was an obsidian black and rather slimy looking. No really shape to it; more like a blob with teeth.
The room was suddenly filled with Dib's screams and Gir's fanatical laughter.
A dark greenish fluid danced in the emptiness of space. A pair of eyes frozen wide open. A small trail of the same green going down from his mouth.
Her metal claws met with his left side. Her other claw still gripped around his neck.
He tried to utter words but the pain held them back. The sensation from his waist down was gone. His vision began to go as well. He could feel his own blood seep out of him.
Her body started to tremble. Her hands too. Her mouth loosely hung open as she stared at her own work. Her eyes started to water.
Rogue's claws left Zim's side. He clutched his wound and coughed up more blood.
Suddenly he realized he wasn't dead. The injury…
He looked down and saw it. It wasn't a fatal wound. A fatal wound would have been right through his middle; where his squidalypooch is.
He rose his head up to look at Rogue and was puzzled at what he saw. The Irken was staring vaguely at her hand; the one she used to injury Zim. It was covered in his blood. Not just that…
She was silently crying.
"……"
She finally gazed up at Zim. She looked at his wound and even more tears came flowing forth. But her face didn't match her feelings. It was as blank and soulless as before.
Something hit Zim; mentally. He felt sick, not because of the pain; but something else. He couldn't place it. It was different. He wanted to say something but he didn't know how to put it into words. It was an uncommon type of agony.
He felt it before. When the Tallest attacked Rogue and shut her down. His SIR called it that word he didn't want to think about. However, what else could it be?
He didn't want to see her cry; that was it; it was painful to see Rogue cry. But why? She just tried to kill him. Still, he couldn't let this feeling go.
Rogue's body began to violently tremble. She grabbed her forehead and let loose an ear piercing scream. The blood on her hand rubbed off onto her temple. Her eyes were wet with tears and they refused to stop. She continued to shriek to the point that it hurt Zim. Not his ears though. His chest…
Sparks flew from Rogue's PAK. The sinister override the Tallest installed into her was short-circuiting. In this spasm the cybrog reached over her shoulder and seized the device. She screamed louder as she began to rip the thing off.
Zim's eyes grew. The trauma from removing an override in this manner could bring permit danger to one's PAK.
"ROGUE! STOP!" He shouted. His lesion throbbed in an undesirable pain.
He tried to move in closer but the wound to his side didn't let him get too far. He watched in horror as Rogue tore the device clean off her PAK. She body frantically twitched and jerked. Then stopped…
The pain from his injury began to take hold of him. Zim slowly started to slip into an unconscious state. The sheen in his large round red eyes gradually grew dimmer. But this sensation was nothing compared to the pain he was feelings right now. The last thing he saw before the darkness came was Rogue lifeless body hovering right before him.
A single tear formed in his eye before they shut tight…
Moments later, the pods on her PAK gave off a little light before announcing, 'Re-activating'. Rogue's body jumped with energy. When it stopped her eyes reopened. She lift her head up, she felt dizzy for just a moment before she realized where she was. She touched her face. It was wet. Then she saw the blood on her hands. She recoiled quickly.
"…What hap-?"
She finally noticed Zim. His body suspended with space. His lower half was plastered in blood. His wound was still bleeding.
Horrified. Rogue's limbs started to shake. She then looked back at her hand. She pieced it together.
She had the scariest dream just before. She dreamed that she was killing someone; an individual close to her. She didn't know who it was but she couldn't control herself, till the very last second. She missed the fatal spot by a few inches…
The tears returned in an explosive manner. She didn't try to hold them back. She placed her clean hand to her mouth, believing she was about to be sick. She was now weeping; for the first time in years, she was truthfully crying. It was worst then when she preformed that Organic Sweep years before with her bare hands.
It was clear now and it was right in front of her the whole time. She just didn't want to admit it, or maybe she was stubborn.
"Zim!"
Her hands met with his face. She couldn't tell weather or not he could hear her, she wasn't even sure if he was still breathing…
"…Zim…? …Can you hear me?"
She saw the other minor cuts and bruises she had given him during her nightmare. A small trail of dried blood ran down his forehead over his left eye. She saw his PAK. It was a mess; stray wires poking out of the sides; dented and scratched up to an extreme.
"Did I do this too…?" Rogue asked herself. "…What have I done? …what have I done?"
She could not hide it any longer. It was bursting from her mental seams. She had never felt this lost and guilty in her life.
She pulled Zim's bruised and nicked face closer to hers, a gesture that's been lost from Irken society for countless years. The air bubbles they both had on didn't stop her from completing this act of hr feelings.
She pressed her lips to his and continued to sob.
"……Mm?"
Zim's eyes shot wide open. Rogue flinch and backed off. They both stared at each other for what felt like a long rather awkward moment.
"…Hmm…" Rogue's tearful expression was replaced by a bight flushed face.
Zim blinked a few times before his injury gave him more trouble. He grabbed his side and moaned.
"I thought you were dead." Rogue suddenly uttered. Zim looked up at her with hazy eyes.
"…I thought you were too…" He answered back. More silence followed. Zim then add, "…what were you just doing there…?"
Rogue's face got redder. This was turning into quite an embarrassing situation. Even so, it was clean to her now, but was it to him?
"…I thought you were dead…" She repeated. "…Don't you dare die on me, understand!"
This unexpected outburst caused Zim to jerk a bit. He was about to voice his own opinion, say that it was all her that did this, but his thoughts immediately changed when he saw the tears still flowing from his deep purple eyes.
Rogue continued, "…I don't want you to die! I didn't mean for this to happen! I'm sorry!"
Zim placed his fingers to his lips. There was something he wanted to say but he wasn't ready. He could feel the heat come to his face. This was all so…different. He should be yelling and screaming at her; threaten her for nearly killing him, but that just didn't seem like the right time for it.
What does he really want to say? What was the word for it?
"I love you, you idiot!"
Flat, dead, silence. Zim's eyes were as wide as satellite dishes. Rogue's face was like burgundy. He didn't say a word at first.
"What? You want to add something now? Is that it!" Rogue shouted. "I didn't plan for this to happen you know! It just happened! And if you want to add your two cents then do it! Give me your best shot, Zim!"
"…I love you too?"
A question more then an actual answer. Rogue shut her mouth up and looked right at him. "…What was that?" She asked.
"…I…love you…too?" Zim repeated the question. "…I guess Gir and that filthy human were right…"
"Gir told you about this?" Rogue said. "I told him not to say anything! …Well, I guess that doesn't matter anymore, right?" Her eyes then perked.
"What?" Zim said.
"…You're blushing." She answered with a little grin.
"NO I'M NOT!" Zim screamed in a reaction manner. He grabbed his wound again.
"We have to get that patched up before you make it worst." Rogue confirmed.
"I'll be fine! It's not that-" He stopped and hung over in pain.
"Sure it isn't." Rogue said with a sigh. She opened the hatched to her PAK and pulled out a small aidkit. She proceeded to clean and wrap the injury as Zim continued to insist that it wasn't that bad.
"I command you to stop that!" He shouted.
"I'm already half way done so stop being a baby." She said. She then started to chuckle a little.
"What is it now?" Zim said.
"You know…" She finished wrapping his side with a tight bandage. "You're sort of…'cute' when you act all tough."
"CUTE? Zim doesn't know the meaning of that word!" He protested.
"Just stop it already." Rogue said in a pretty laid back tone. This sort of freaked Zim out.
He then began to think about the rest of what the Dib said when they were in that cell. Was he really just…lonesome? How could he be? He has Gir as a companion. But with Rogue it felt different. It was different as to the things they could converse about. An Irken to another Irken. Perhaps…he could use another hand around the base…
No, it was more then that. Having another one of your own to help out wasn't all it was about. There was something else there as well. It was a unique type of acquaintance. Someone you could truly put your trust in. A person you could just talk to, maybe even vent. Zim does that a lot to himself.
"…Rogue?"
"Yeah?"
"…What about the Tallest?"
During the whole episode, for once Rogue had forgotten just who cause all of this. She turned and looked at the enormous Massive still hovering behind them. She didn't remember much but what she did know made her tighten her fist.
"Never again…" She worded. "I'll never let them use me like they did again!"
Zim 'swam' himself over to her side. Rogue moved her sight towards him. "Your jets are shot, aren't they?" She asked.
"Yes, but that's what saved me and brought us out here." He answered. "I'll have to hang on to you to get back to the ship." He hung his head. "…Our plan as been turned upside down. Any ideas?"
Rogue held out her hand to Zim. He look at it and then at her. She had a small yet sharp smile on her lips. He reached and took her hand.
"I've got only one strategy…" She stated. "We finish this any way we can."
TBC…