Running on Empty

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Stressed
She could hear the whistling and she gripped the metal in her hands tighter. It was her only lifeline now. Her blood dripped against the floor steadily as she waited for that damn Irken. The door swished open and she swung the metal with a scream. It felt unreal as she felt her reality begin to blur. A smack was heard, but nothing else. Her tired amber eyes gazed at the figure in front of her.

"Zim." Gaz whispered.

His hand had caught the metal bar. He ripped it from her hands and tossed it across the room. She was too tired to run. Gaz could only watch as he reached forward and grasped her throat. She softly chuckled as he began to choke her. There was something amusing about an alien with two fingers now, strangling her. His grip tightened and she watched as he lowered her to the ground. She could see that his own eyes were dulling and she wondered if he would die soon too.

"Little Gaz…you should have hid," Zim sighed.

Gaz felt her eyes narrow and she weakly raised her hands up. She didn't go to pull his wrists away, she didn't go to claw his eyes out, and she reached up and ran her fingers along his antennae. Gaz smiled as she remembered the time in his house that he had let her do this to comfort her. She watched his crimson eyes widen at the action. Gaz was careful of her claws as she continued to feel the antennae. She could feel his grip on her throat lessoning.

"Gaz?" Zim questioned in confusion.

Her own amber slightly darkened. It was like he had switched back from a different person. Gaz scoffed at this and continued to caress the antennae. Zim's eyes closed a bit as he enjoyed the touch. Gaz dropped a hand and ran it down his face and along his shoulder. She dropped her hand to the floor and searched for a weapon. He hand came across another piece of metal and she gripped it tight. Zim's eyes searched her pale face and noticed there was no bulge in her stomach.

"The smeets!" Zim panicked.

"You have a son and daughter," Gaz replied as she watched him smile.

"Really?" Zim questioned. "Can I see them?"

Gaz bit her lower lip and felt herself breaking inside. She could feel herself fading. There was too much blood loss to continue on. Irk had no human blood and her body couldn't accept Irken blood.

"Are you happy?" Gaz softly questioned.

She watched as Zim stared at her in confusion. His eyes were finally taking in the damage done to her body. He could see the bruises around her throat and his eyes widened in anger.

"Who did this to you?" Zim growled as he smoothed her hair back.

Gaz rose up a bit and embraced him with one arm. Her face buried into his shoulder and she softly shook. Zim's eyes widened when he felt something wet touch his soak his shirt.

"Are you happy?" Gaz suddenly choked out again.

"Huh?" Zim replied.

"Just answer it!" Gaz shouted.

"Yeah!" Zim worriedly shouted. "I'm happy when I'm with you!"

Gaz pulled back and gave him a smile; the tears stained her face. Zim was shocked at her tear stained face. Zim went to wipe away a tear and she turned her face from him. Zim raised an antenna in confusion.

"No," Gaz simply whispered, "you won't see them and neither will I."

Zim's eyes widened and his mouth dropped as a groan of pain escaped him. Gaz's face was full of pain as she pushed the metal bar deep within his chest. She knew that she was damaging organs, but she gave one last hard shove. Gaz could hear the metal tear through the PAK and she slammed her eyes shut. He was going limp and she looked up at him. His crimson eyes were beginning to dull. Gaz could see his mouth trying to form words and she placed a finger over his mouth. Gaz pulled the metal from him and watched as he twitched. She threw it to the side and laid him on the floor.

"I love you," Gaz softly said as she lay beside him.

Her eyes remained open as she watched his eyes fully dull. Gaz scooted closer to him and closed her own eyes. She tried to warm her own body within his fading warmth. Her amber eyes closed and she knew that things would never be the same. The blood flowing from her body was the only warmth she felt now. Gaz lay there enjoying hermoments. She weakly smiled at the bitter memories and sighed. Life wasn't fair.


Diestel coughed as he ran through the vents. He figured thathe couldsteal a ship. Diestel had heard Gaz talk of Zeta and even read the reports that Dib had sent her. He remembered her large-headed brother. Diestel sighed as he recited the coordinates within his mind. He came closer to the dock and sighed. Irkens were scattered everywhere preparing for the coming invasion. Diestel narrowed his eyes and kicked the vent covering off. It fell to the ground with a clank, but he doubt the scattering Invaders noticed anything. He jumped down careful with the smeets and ran toward a ship. He ducked underneath and waited for things to clear.

'Zig and Zag,' Diestel thought.

His PAK opened and he quickly pulled out a small voice recorder. He licked his lips and turned it on.

"Irk is in ruins…Tallest Zim has contracted a virus that will eventually destroy him. Tallest Gaz was moments from death after giving birth to twins. The male is Zig and the female is Zag. These are the first of the mixing of Human and Irken DNA. They are also the last link to Tallest Zim and Tallest Gaz…"

Diestel shut the recorder off and noticed a pair of boots coming toward the craft he was under. They stopped next to him and he prepared to attack.

"Where are those smeets?" The voice growled.

'It's that Dok,' Diestel thought.

"I'm dancing like a monkey!"

Diestel's eyes widened at the voice. He could see the small metallic legs ruining around Dok. Diestel could also see Dok swiping at Gir. Gir laughed and dove under the hiding place. Diestel quickly covered the robot's mouth and frowned as Gir began to chuckle. Diestel turned his attention back to the Dok's feet. He impatiently tapped his foot before he walked off. Diestel sighed and removed his hand from Gir's mouth. Gir softly chuckled and noticed the baskets. He crawled over to them and his cyan eyes widened.

"That looks like master and the taco girl!" Gir exclaimed.

Diestel raised an antenna as he silently thought. He watched as Gir wiggled a metal finger at the Zig. Gir's head popped open and Diestel smirked.

"Squeak."

"I like babies!" Gir exclaimed to Mini-Moose.

"Squeak!"

Diestel wondered about the moose and Gir. He crawled over to Mini-Moose and cleared his throat. Diestel knew he had Mini-Moose's attention when his eyes met his own.

"Mini-Moose," Diestel softly said. He knew there were still guards around and he couldn't believe he was talking to such a puffball. "These are the smeets of Zim and Gaz."

"Squeak!"

"Yeah," Diestel assured. "But I need you to do something for me."

Diestel heard another squeak and he looked back to Gir. He quickly whispered something to Mini-Moose before he turned back to the outside world. The dock was clear and he knew it was time. He reached out and took the basket with Zig. Gir chuckled and took Zag from her basket. Diestel went to protest, but thought better of it. Diestel nodded to Mini-Moose and took off. Mini-Moose squeaked at Gir and began to float off. Gir laughed and quickly followed as he twirled the baby.


Diestel had taken Zig from his basket and held him close. The basket had been too much of a burden. He quickly ducked into a ship and searched the ship for any Irkens. He relaxed when he saw nothing inside the ship. Diestel quickly placed Zig into a seat and moved to the controls. His fingers clicked away on the pad and he grinned as he set the coordinates. Diestel turned around to grab Zig and cursed. The chair was empty. His thistle eyes narrowed and he quickly ran toward the door. He could hear laughter and frowned. Diestel figured that there was no use in hiding anymore. He stepped out of the ship and glared at the antennaeless Irken.

Zig was delicately held within the cradle of skinny arms. The long white jacket didn't disturb the smeet's sleep. Diestel glared at whom he assumed was Dok. The Dok smiled at him and his goggles rose a bit as his cheeks lifted. Zig moved a bit and Diestel took a step closer intent on forcefully taking Zig back.

"Relax," Dok scolded. "I don't want to harm the little hybrid."

"What you did to Zim and Gaz tells me different," Diestel firmly spoke.

"Zim was but a pest and Gaz…she served her purpose," Dok spoke as his fingers tapped softly against the smeet.

"What do you plan to do?" Diestel questioned.

Dok tilted his head to the side and grinned. Diestel raised his antennae and wiggled them a bit. The laid back on his head and he continued to glare at Dok. Dok tutted and gave the smeet a small hug.

"I plan to change the Empire," Dok assured with a grin.

"It was running fine with Zim," Diestel mumbled. His eyes caught sight of Gir and he grinned.

"Zim made the Empire weak!" Dok growled. "Irkens were meant to rule!"

"Really?" Diestel doubtingly asked.

"Zim made Empire weak…but this wonderful hybrid can change that!" Dok explained with a smile.

'He thinks there's only one,' Diestel thought.

"Change? What change?" Diestel questioned.

"Zim abolished the ways of height…but I will change that. This smeet will change everything and make us stronger!" Dok passionately spoke.

Diestel's PAK opened and his legs extended. The tips charged and he fired at the Dok. He watched his goggle-covered eyes widen and he jumped out of the path of the lasers. He smirked and yelled for help. Diestel ducked past the lasers and ran for the Dok. He watched as the Dok widely grinned before vanishing. Diestel quickly stopped and jumped away.

"Fool…I've existed far too long to be like the Irkens today," Dok's voice laughed.

Diestel frown and reached for his weapon. He cursed knowing that it was still with Ayra's body. Diestel jumped back from the array of lasers and frowned. He needed to get that smeet upon the ship.

"The Empire has grown weak, but I will make it rise from its ashes," Dok whispered.

'Insane,' Diestel thought as she rolled under an aircraft.

His thistle eyes narrowed and he rolled to the other side. He ran around the other side and quickly jumped behind a soldier. The others turned to fire and he threw the soldier in the path of lasers. He jumped up and his mechanical legs extended and caught the ceiling. Diestel moved across the ceiling and fell in between the soldiers. His hands ripped away PAKs and he spun around using his legs to knock down guards. He moved through the bodies again and listened for the Dok.

"Fool!"

Diestel felt his PAK ripped away. His eyes widened as the wires disconnected from his spine. He turned around and watched as it was flung into the distance. Diestel could hear it clink as it met the floor. The time clock flashed within his optical implants and he swiped at the air with his claws. He heard a hiss and watched as the air began to bleed. Diestel grinned and he dodged past the guards as he sought the bleeding air. He could see his clock counting down and knew he had to reach that smeet. He jumped over more soldiers and grimaced as his vision blurred. Diestel fell to his knees and struggled to get up. His body was shutting down and he knew he wouldn't make it. Thistle eyes watched as Dok reappeared and he struggled to his feet.

"Pitiful Irken, you're just another defect," Dok sighed.

Diestel raised his antennae and wiggled them one last time. Dok laughed at this and walked over to the falling Irken. He kicked him and flipped him to his back. Dok blinked and chuckled again.

"Respect?" Dok questioned. "You've lost."

Diestel smirked as his eyes began to dull. Dok raised a brow ridge at this and jumped. Smoke filled the room and the firing of engines caused Irkens to cover their heads. Dok quickly turned his back to the ship and covered the smeet within his arms. The ship rose and blasted through roof. Dok waited until the debris had fallen to turn and glare at the ship.

"No," he hissed.

His goggle gaze turned to Diestel's shell and he hissed. He knew something was upon that ship. Dok glared at the hole in the ceiling and growled. He had lost something and the feeling left him angry. Dok kicked Diestel's empty shell once last time before he marched away with part of his prize within his arm. It was time to rebuild the Empire. Dok deeply laughed as the crying of a baby echoed throughout the halls.


Author's Note:

This is it for the Zim and Gaz storyline...yep Zim is dead...Diestel is dead...Zig is left with the evil Dok.The next chapter will probably be the ending for everything.
I don't plan to write anymore for Zig and Zag, it's vague with possiblities, but I think you could guess Zig's future. Gaz could possibly survive, but Zim is dead.
And I do like Star Wars, I just didn't realize I had that vibe...oh well.

May the force be with you!