Open Wounds
Zim gasped for breath as his body jolted back to consciousness. Coughing violently, he rid his tongue of loose debris before digging himself out from under a pile of rubble.
"Computer, status report!"
The AI chimed in from above.
"Sir, the base's power system is completely offline. Switching to reserve mode now."
Zim scratched his head. "I don't understand," he said, his eyes still adjusting to the darkness. "What could have caused the robo-parents to explode? They were designed to be fool proof! Nothing should have caused them to self destruct!"
He looked around and found the jagged remnants of the robo-parents scattered around in pieces. Their heads, which were still smoldering, were separated from their bodies, and their eyes were lifeless, like a doll's that had been cast aside after playtime.
He strode over and began shifting through their pile of debris. He picked up the severed head of the dad-bot and studied it carefully. After taking a closer look, he peered deep into the damaged cavity.
Bathed in the reddish hue of the base's emergency lighting, a small black object appeared in the center of the shell. It was no bigger than a marble and recognizable only by the trained eye.
His eyes narrowed.
Tak.
He plucked the device and held it firmly between his claws. It was as an automated explosive triggering unit, one specifically designed to be designated upon recognition of an individual target.
He stared at it profusely.
'I will never stop hunting you Zim. If it's the last thing I do, I swear, I WILL kill you.'
This hadn't been an accident. Tak had placed the trigger in the back of the robot's skull hoping it would detonate with him looking into the center of it. The malfunctioning robots had been a trap, and she wanted him to bring them down for repairs. She had intended to set off the bomb in the center of his base, taking out half of his resources with it.
The whole thing had been completely intentional.
Putting as much force into it as he could, he chucked the device clear across the room and watched as it bounced lightly against the wall. It ricocheted a couple more times before landing well out of sight, and he seethed in anger while her words echoed like a sour note through his mind.
'I will never stop hunting you Zim. If it's the last thing I do, I swear, I WILL kill you.'
Breathing heavily, he clenched his hands into fists. He'd been a fool, a complete and utter fool. She didn't care about him. She had only been playing him to get what she wanted all along, and like a love-struck fool, he had believed her.
He should have left her in the rain to rot.
He should have left her to die.
He closed his eyes, fighting the nagging thoughts trying to plaque his mind. He had hoped it wouldn't come to this, that by now she would at least had SOME minor change in heart. But it was clear from the devastation around him that such thinking had been pointless. She wanted him dead and this last attempt on his life had been irreputable proof of that.
He stood up, a look of determination crossing his face. He looked down at his claws which were still clenched in anger.
'I will never stop hunting you Zim. If it's the last thing I do, I swear, I WILL kill you.'
"No, I don't think you will Tak," he muttered, his piecing red eyes gleaming into the darkness. "I don't think you will."
Down in the communications bay
Tak worked diligently at the command center. She did everything she could to get it back up and running. After inspecting every wire and rerouting every connection, she finally got the console online.
Suddenly Tallest Red's image filled the large communications screen.
"Ah Tak!" he greeted happily, clasping his hands together. "We were wondering when you'd call. I take it you have some good news for us?"
Tak bowed in formal salute. "Yes my Tallest. I am happy to report that your troubles with Zim will no longer be a burden. He has been eliminated as well as most of the critical components around his base."
Taking a moment to process the information, the two leaders stared at each other blankly.
"So he's like...really dead?" asked Purple.
Tak nodded. "Correct my Tallest. He will no longer be a threat to the Irken Empire."
They looked back at one another again before breaking out in joyous celebration.
"Wooo! Yeah! Alright!"
They cheered happily, waving their arms around and giving one another high-fives.
"I can't believe we finally did it!"
"Yeah. I thought we were going to have to deal with him forever."
Tak waited patiently for them to calm down. "Thank you sirs," she said respectfully, offering another bow. "The pleasure was all mine. And as you know, I have been waiting for this day my entire life."
There was an uncomfortable pause as both leaders exchanged glances with one another.
"Uh, yeah...about that..."
"We lied!"
Tak's smile faded. "W-what?"
Letting out a heavy sigh, Red shoved his co-ruler aside.
"Look Tak, we are grateful that you took care of Zim. Really, we are. It's just that...well, it's not really up to us who gets to become an invader or not."
Tak felt her heart sink. Something seemed to twist incredulously in her gut as she processed the information.
"But-...but you're the Tallest," she said in disbelief.
The red-eyed Irken shrugged. "Yeah, but the control brains get to decide stuff like that. And if we went against their will, they would probably cancel our daily snack rations for an entire month."
"Yeah," chimed in Purple. "A whole month!"
Tak watched flabbergasted as her leaders nodded in agreement. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had done what was asked from them, had eliminated Zim along with the rest of his base, and all they were worried about was losing their precious snacks?
Red tossed away his Slurpee cup, not having any consideration for which of the crew member it landed on.
"Besides," he said, not caring to clean up the mess, "we received multiple reports from Dirt on how you nearly killed several of their officers. An act like that will render a court marital and trust me, the control brains do NOT like dealing with that sort of thing."
"No they really don't, do they?" added Purple.
Tak felt a chill run down her spine.
Dirt? They want to send me back to Dirt?
Before her imagination could run wild, something off-screen caught Purple's attention.
"Woo! The couches from Invader Larb are here! I call trying out the first one!"
Red watched as his co-ruler ran off to help the unloading team and then turned back to the screen.
"Uh look Tak, we gotta go, but because you helped us with Zim, we'll just go ahead and report you as missing in action or something. You can return to Judementia if you want, but we don't really recommend it."
And without further consideration, he abruptly cut the transmission.
Tak stared at the now blank monitor in disbelief.
A trial? They want me to stand trial?
She felt the knot in her stomach tighten and her knees gradually go weak.
This cannot be. I was only following orders. I did what they asked. They promised I would become an invader!
Denial clinging to her mind, she fell to her knees in despair, claws digging into the floor.
It doesn't make any sense. Why would the Tallest do this? I have been nothing but loyal to the Empire and would have given anything they asked. How can they just throw me away like I am nothing?
Fists tightening with anger, she felt her whole body tense.
This has to be some sort of mistake! They gave me their word. They wouldn't just cast me aside like I'm some sort of...defective. I am not like him! I'm not like Zim!
Searched her mind for some sort of reasoning or possibility that the Tallest had made a mistake, she sat there motionless, just staring at the ground. But somewhere deep inside, she knew that it was the truth. They had used her like a tool and then cast her aside like some sort of disposable cup. She had been called upon to fix their biggest problem, and then thrown away like trash.
Just like Zim had been years ago.
She hung her head low, claws pressing hard against the metal floor.
"I did everything they asked," she muttered, her body still shaking with a mixture of anger and despair. "I gave them everything I could. They said I was going to be an invader..."
Not realizing that a dark figure had stepped out from behind her, she continued to wallow in pity.
I tried to prove my worthiness to the Empire. I just wanted to show them that I was...something...ANYTHING better than a lowly service drone.
Her antennae twitched slightly at the sound of approaching footsteps and kicking herself out of her miserable state, she wheeled around just in time to see Zim staring back at her smugly.
"Ha! Told you Tak!" he shouted, his grin growing ever wider now that he saw her up close. He stepped in closer, standing only a few feet away. "I knew the Tallest were lying to you! They used you, just like they did to me!"
She stared at him in disbelief.
"Zim? You're alive? But h-how...how did you-?"
"Survive?"
His tone carried a hint of animosity.
"I'm glad you asked!"
With an imperious grin, he clicked a device on his wrist and suddenly, surrounding him, was a spherical, semi-transparent, pink shield. It flickered with obvious signs of damage and enclosed him completely in what looked like a personal hamster ball.
"Neat huh?" he said, turning to her with his invention. "I developed this protective shield as a safety measure after some of my lesser experiments kept blowing up in my face. Most of them were all Gir's fault, but that's besides the point."
He clicked away the force field and shot her a cocky grin. "Guess this means I win again Tak," he gloated, rubbing her nose in his victory. "It's kinda sad really. As if a lowly janitorial drone could ever defeat a former invader like me. Ha! Pathetic."
She stared up at him dumbstruck. He survived again? I tried to defeat him a second time and he beat me, AGAIN?
"Oh, and since the Tallest abandoned you," Zim continued, not giving her a moment's pause to respond, "you might as well go on to accept your fate by becoming my personal servant drone. That IS the way of the Irken code after all. So go ahead and now surrender to me! ZIM!"
Following his evil laugh, he waited for her to snap back at him with an insult or lash out at him with a physical attack, but none came whatsoever. Instead, she only stared into her hands, her body shaking slightly as she brought them to cover her face.
Zim lifted one eye to look over at her. "That won't work on me, Tak," he spat, stepping closer. "Maybe you didn't hear me, but you are now my prisoner of war and as such you will be taking orders from ME and me only! Now for your first task, I command you to clean up that mess down in the repair bay! It was your pathetic attempt to destroy me after all."
He waited again for her to respond, but when she remained where she was, he felt the anger begin to rise.
"You dare take me for a fool?" he shouted, stomping over to her. "You must think I'm pretty stupid to fall for any of YOUR pathetic tricks. Maybe I should teach you a lesson and show you what true misery really means! Gir, fetch my launching weasel! Quickly!"
While waiting for his minion to run off and get the requested tool, he stepped up to her stiffly, placing his hands on his hips. He waited for her to say something, but when she still didn't respond he knelt down, preparing himself to investigate.
He was about to issue out another insult when a silent sob stopped him in his tracks.
"Why?" she asked, tilting her head upward. "Why did you have to take everything away from me?"
Zim stepped back, her expression causing a large lump to form in his throat. He had never seen anyone so distraught. He could see the pain in her tear stricken eyes, the thin sheet of wet moisture that leaked down the sides of her cheeks. He felt something awful twist inside his gut, something that reminded him of all the horrible things he had done to make her life miserable in the past, and he could only stare back at her dumbfounded as his mouth dangled open to speak.
"Tak, I-"
He tried to get the words out, but his own voice failed him. He knew he should berate her, call her pathetic for allowing such weakness to be shown in public. But for some reason, he just couldn't bring himself to do so.
He looked down at her lamentably, trying to make sense of it all. Irkens never cried, at least not in front of anyone else. It was a horrible, shameful display of emotion, one that would almost certainly guarantee a lifetime of humiliation if caught doing so in public, and only a fool would allow anyone, let alone their greatest enemy, to witness such an act. So why was she letting him see her now? It didn't make any sense. The Tak he knew didn't grovel like this. She would have lashed out with a loaded insult or attacked him when he had his guard down. She would have used the proximity between them to execute her final move and she would have gotten the job done once and for al. Not shrivel up like a helpless prisoner.
For some time, he stared down at her with a blank expression, a cold slimy sensation creeping into the center of his gut. Her expression, the anguish in her voice, the way she was looking up at him. It was like a plasma shot to the chest. Her eyes, which were once full of confidence and distain, now bore into him like daggers, begging for any rhyme or reason for all the suffering and humiliation she had to endure over the years, and her tears, which she had fought so very hard to hold back, were now flowing freely, leaving wet glistening trails as they traveled down the light crevasses in her cheeks.
She looked absolutely heartbroken.
He took a step forward, holding a hand out to help her. He wasn't entirely sure why he was doing it, but like the time in the rain, somewhere something deep inside him was nagging at him to help. It was an urge that was growing stronger, and with every waking moment, he found it more and more difficult to ignore. He scooted in closer, hoping to appear as genuine as possible. At the very least maybe it would get the crying to stop. It was not something he cared to see on her battle hardened face.
Tak turned her head away, not wanting to face him any longer. In an effort to muffle her sobbing, she covered her mouth with her gloved hand. She couldn't bear the thought of her arch enemy witnessing such an act and hoped she could salvage what little dignity she had left. It killed her enough to know he was already seeing her like this, but if he were to watch her completely fall apart, she wasn't sure if she could live with herself.
She tried her best to silence the sobbing, but it was pointless. He was only sitting a few feet away, and any attempt to hide her disgraceful emotions would easily be seen or at the very least heard. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that he would in some way disappear and leave her to suffer in peace. But he remained where he stood. Silent. Like a statue.
She cried desperately into her hand and grit her teeth in an effort withstand the anguish taking hold of her heart.
It isn't fair. I wanted it more than anyone. Worked harder than anyone. And now I...I-...
She felt the pain well up inside as she gripped the fabric of her uniform, twisting it around so that her claws sunk deep into her chest.
How could he manage to take so much away from me?
Zim watched achingly and felt his insides begin to turn on themselves as the poor Irken girl who's life he'd completely destroyed broke down in front of him. He felt terrible, like something was gnawing on his internal organs and desperately trying to claw its way out. He wished more than anything he could do something to help her, to take back everything he had done. He hadn't meant to destroy her life. He truly and honestly hadn't. She had just been at the wrong place at the wrong time, and he had been the primary cause of all of it.
As if a lowly janitorial drone could ever dream to defeat a former invader. Ha! Pathetic.
The phrase suddenly sickened him as he repeated it over and over in his head. It was such a degrading title, one he knew she didn't deserve. She was the most talented Irken he'd ever met and far more brilliant than some lowly janitorial drone. She was strong, ambitious, courageous and... beautiful. Her ability to conquer worlds was unmatched and her technological skills far outpaced his own.
She had more than what it took to become an invader.
Kneeling down beside her, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. He had hoped that in some way it would comfort her, or at the very least get her to stop crying. He could do without all the pain stricken guilt eating away at his heart.
"You um...shouldn't shed tears," he said looking away sheepishly. "They...don't suit you."
Antennae perking up, Tak lifted her head to look up at him. Her pain stricken expression suddenly mixed with confusion.
"What?" she asked, her voice almost nothing more than a whisper.
Zim dropped his hand immediately and turned away, cheeks still blushing. He looked away from her as he fought the urge to run out of the room. "Nothing. Nevermind."
Tak spent the next few minutes recollecting herself. She took in a few deep breaths and used tips of her claws to wipe away the last bit of moisture from her eyes. "Perhaps you're right Zim," she murmured, causing his head to turn back around. "Maybe I was never meant to be more than a janitorial drone. The fact that you've bested me twice now proves that."
Zim felt his antennae fall back. He wanted to tell her that it wasn't true, that she was meant to be more than a lowly servant drone. He wanted to tell her what he really thought, how he really felt about her, but his pride wouldn't allow it. Instead he remained silent, patiently waiting for her to continue.
"You have earned the right to kill me, if you wish," she explained, using the back of her glove to wipe away the few remaining tears. "I will not resist. But if you could find it within you to grant me one final request..."
Zim held his breath as he waited for the answer.
Tak bit her lower lip. "If you could grant me a...painless death, I would be most grateful. I do not wish to suffer any longer, and I know it is not honorable, but at least I'll be able to relish a moment of peace before my life has officially come to an end."
There was a moment of silence between them and Zim stared back at her while his heart ached with pity. How dare she ask that of him? Especially now, after all they had been through. Surely she did not wish to die so unceremoniously? Why would she be willing to throw away her life away?
A swirl of emotions battled within his mind as he brought a hand to the base of her chin. He lifted her head slowly, a small spark of excitement shooting through him as her stunned gaze rose to meet his own.
"Tak," he started, looking at her a brief moment before shifting his eyes to the ground. "Those things I said... about you being a service drone. I- ...I didn't mean-."
She cut him off, waving his hand away. "It doesn't matter now Zim," she muttered, looking back down at the ground. She let a few more tears fall freely as she closed her eyes. "I've already lost everything. Just go ahead and get it over with."
Feeling his insides ache with pity, Zim stared back at her helplessly. A few weeks ago, he would have had ended her life at the drop of a hat, but now, things were different. He didn't want to kill her, especially not when she was like this. He had grown too attached, like a pathetic mithmoth to a glowing emerflame. The idea of ending her life now only filled him with misery.
If only she knew how wrong she was, he thought, staring back at her with grief. She must see her limitless potential! She deserves to have her name glorified throughout the Empire! She deserves to be an invader!
Bringing his gloved hand up again, he gently rested it against the side of her cheek.
She froze at his touch, her eyes growing wide in surprise.
What's going on? she thought, lifting her head to stare back at him curiously. W-what is he doing? Why is he acting like this?
He looked back at her, a small smile forming on his face. He seemed completely oblivious that a slight blush that had formed on his own cheeks as well, and he used his thumb to wipe away the last few remaining tears.
"I do not wish to follow through with those orders," he said quietly, staring into her.
Tak felt a fluttering feeling shoot through her stomach.
What is going on? Why is he acting like this? Why is he doing this to me? Why is saying such strange things?
She looked back up at him, the panic beginning to rise.
Oh no. No no no no no. It can't be that he-...that I-...?
She closed her eyes in disgust.
No. It's not possible. Not with him. Not after everything he has done!
Her mental state began to degrade slowly as she struggled to back away and she did not notice the distance between them start to close.
No. I can't get mixed up in something like this. Not with him. It would just be too insane! It would just be-
She never got to finish her thought, because in that moment, she finally felt his lips connect with hers.
It took Tak a solid minute before she realized what was really going on. Her first instinct was to pull away, to kick and scream at him for daring to even lay a finger on her. But she didn't pull away, and instead of clawing his eyes out, she remained right where she was. Frozen. Her body paralyzed in shock.
She let her mind go numb as his lips gently caressed her own. The feeling sent a shiver down her spine. It felt good, and not in a way like she had just beaten all the other recruits at the academy. She slowly felt her defenses crumble and eventually found herself gripping the cuff of his uniform to pull him in closer.
I must be completely out of my mind.
Deepening their their contact, she let her eyelids close halfway as a swirl of emotions cascaded through her body. She wasn't sure what had compelled her to do it, but she soon found herself Deeping the kiss. She decided to part her mouth a little, inviting his tongue to slip in. He did so willingly, and when it made contact with her own, a whole new sensation began to take over.
On the opposite end, Zim felt his own muscles grow weak and get lost in the sensation. He felt his alien equivalent of a heart beat wildly in his chest, his blood pounded like a beating drum against his veins. Never in a million years would he have imagined a female could have had such a profound affect on him. It was like his nerves were on fire and some inner motivational drive was telling him to satisfy an ever growing appetite. It seemed to only worsen the more he gave in, and he began to wonder what would happen if he allowed it to go any further.
He pulled her in close and instinctively slid his hand around to the base of her neck to caress her gently. She responded with a moan and moved her body to be closer against his. He felt his blood began to boil. Her movements were becoming more assertive, and his desires only seemed to increase the more she responded to his actions. He inhaled deeply, taking in her intoxicating scent.
"There must be more you can show me," he groaned, careful to keep his voice low and near the base of her neck.
Too lost in euphoria to actually process what he had said, Tak felt a shiver run down her spine. His warm breath lightly brushed against her skin and his husky tone sent a shiver down her spine. She pressed firmly against him, begging for his hand to gently carcass one of her antennae.
It wasn't until she actually felt his claws slide along the fragile appendage that it occurred to her what he was doing. Snapping back to reality, she pushed him away, mustering into it as much force as she could. Heat steadily rising in her cheeks, she stumbled back and turned away embarrassed, refusing to acknowledge the look of confusion suddenly strung across his face.
What am I thinking? Another moment and I would have-... We would have been-
No. She wouldn't let this happen. Not with him. She needed to put an end to this before it was too late.
I'll...I'll return to Judgementia. I will go through the trial as the Tallest requested and hope for a merciful verdict. Maybe if I leave now, they will still grant me mercy. Maybe I can still get out of here before things get out of hand. Maybe I can-
"Please don't go Tak."
She felt something in her stomach drop and and turned around just in time to see the sorrowful expression plastered all over face. His tone, his appearance, his body language. It all couldn't have been more apparent. He wanted her to stay with him. Here. On Earth.
She paused a moment and wondered if maybe she was being hysterical, if perhaps she was just imagining all of this happening. But something in the back of her mind assured her otherwise. His actions were far too genuine, too pure, and even his request to stay seemed to pierce the depths of her very soul.
She looked up at him, an uncomfortable feeling rising in her chest. She knew very well what was on his mind and there seemed to be a general yearning about him, a yearning only recognizable to an experienced female Irken. His skin was flushed a deep dark green, and his antennae twitched with anticipation. She doubted he understood what it all meant, and for a moment wondered if it was purely physical, that perhaps her charm over him had worked too well.
Do I really want to go through with this?
She paused a moment, weighing her options. She knew what she was getting into, and pairing with him would certainly guarantee a lifetime of degradation and ridicule. If the word got out, she would be the laughing stock of the entire universe. Any hope of ever reintegrating into the empire would be forever lost and there would be no one else to blame but herself. She would never live it down. And no one would ever let her.
She looked back at him, his hopeful but saddened eyes eating away at her conscience.
I guess I'm an outcast now too now though, aren't I? she thought, looking back at him sympathetically. The Tallest abandoned me just like they did to him, and now that they assume he's dead, they think I am was alone on this miserable little planet with no way of contacting them.
Wrestling with her thoughts, she recalled all of the interactions she had with him in the last few weeks. Despite his egotistical attitude, he wasn't ALL bad. He showed great effort when caring for Gir and even went out of his way to make sure the little robot didn't bother her while she was trying to recover. He had shared all of his labs with her and even his own communal space, and whenever she had asked for something or needed a favor from him, he had always happy to oblige.
She tilted her head up, taking in his look of concern. He seemed almost desperate, like he was waiting for her approval.
She sized him up from head to toe, determining if she really want to go through with this.
I suppose it wouldn't matter if I chose to spend one night with a defective. It's not like anyone would know. Besides, what do I have left to lose?
Making up her mind, she gave him a slight nod, and a warm feeling stirred in her gut as the edges of his lips curved into full, relieved smile. He leapt forward, wrapping his arms around her in a happy embrace.
She felt a warm smile form on her own face as he began kissing her. She grabbed the cuff of his uniform and dragged him to the ground, finding herself face to face with the one Irken she thought she hated most in the whole universe.
Oh who am I kidding? she thought, getting lost in emotional bliss. Perhaps I could stay for a little longer. Yes. Just a little while longer...
Author's note: Ah, and there it is! Tak has finally accepted him and they are finally together. There's still so much more in store for these two! Happy reading!
