(I don't own IZ, Still camping, I had fondue)
Dib was thoroughly sick of War, he hadn't heard about survivors yet from the defense platform, they did see several escape pods fire off before the final explosion, but it would be a while before rescue parties could go looking for them.
Only two troop carriers made it down when the defense platform was lost, the ground forces let them have it with everything they had and when the did land they were fired on mercilessly, everyone who could showed up did with whatever weapons they had on hand, the platform seemed to be the last straw for the population. Even places where they had already been overwhelmed the human race rose up and started to gain back ground, huge mobs roamed the countryside looking for Dhahmons who had gone into hiding. Up in space the tide had turned the numbers were even now which meant the Irken/Human forces had the advantage, yet the Dhahmons kept coming, it was a slaughter and that's why Dib was sick the battle was finished with the last Scow which was surrounded by the entire fleet and fired upon mercilessly till it blew. It was over and Dib felt like throwing up while everyone on the bridge cheered the massacre, only his sister seemed to share his opinion as she grimly watched the last of the Dhahmon armada was eliminated. Unfortunately they couldn't avoid the celebrants as they soon decided to congratulate their commanders, the Tallest, Gaz and himself were surrounded and before they knew it picked up and carried on shoulders to the hanger to await the victorious fighters to return.
In the hanger the fighters who returned looked grim but were willing to let the celebrants cheer them up. Kim found Dib "They don't understand death isn't something to cheer about I've learned that long ago perhaps before the Irkens found me. I can see in your eyes that you've learned that lesson, don't loose it." With that she left, Dib had no idea where she would find solace but he had hoped it wouldn't be alone. Even loners couldn't cope with some things and he believed that Kim wasn't a stable enough personality for it. He however couldn't leave, everyone wanted to talk with him "Gaz See to Kim would you" "Sure thing" she left and Dib stayed with the Tallest to Talk with Zim who had insisted on fighting in the fleet "I destroyed many Dhahmon fighters My Tallest and I didn't even hit any of our forces" "You have done well Zim, in reward we have decided to place you in Explorer training we will now need many Explorers to claim the old Dhahmon territory for Irk." "Thank you my Tallest, I won't disappoint you!" Zim was obviously ecstatic the Explorers were one step closer to Irken Elite. "Dib you will be in charge of Earth but we would like you to undergo some training, nothing drastic but you do need to learn how things are done in Irk so there won't be any mix ups, we will be willing to give Earth many leniencies since with this victory we will gain much territory from the Dhahmons, our expansion needs won't be drastic for a long time and when we'll need to expand again Earth will be so ingrained in the Empire that it would be difficult to harm it" "Thank you my Tallest" Dib was expecting something of the sort, he dreaded training, but he would be the one in charge of Earth not Zim he could protect it from the worst of the Empire at his own sacrifice, he hopped the training didn't change him too much.
"Where's Kim? We need to discuss her future." "My sister went to find her" "Good we will need to talk with her too, she will be in charge of Earth until you are done your training we have given her some basic instructions on our way here but some things need clarifying." They left to look for Gaz and Kim
"Hey we will be training together! We can room together! Isn't that great!"
"Zim we used to be enemies, are you sure?"
"Pah. You're an Irken now Earth is ours; there is nothing to be enemies about anymore."
"Thanks Zim a friend would be great; you can help me fit in"
"Yes we wouldn't want you to be an embarrassment to Irk, you still need to practice with your pak and learn more Irken your accent is atrocious"
Gaz found Kim gazing out at the battlefield, plasma fires still burned. When a scow was destroyed it left a glowing ball of plasma leftover from the shield generator there were dozens of such fires burning around Earth. Gaz sat beside Kim who glanced over and looked back out at the vista "war shouldn't be pretty" "You didn't mean everything you said to my brother did you" "I meant every word, but it's not advise I can follow myself, I don't want him to follow my path. I'm fated to war, I was made for battle. The Irkens own me body and soul but they don't know it, and there is noting I can do about it. I had deluded myself that I could resist the training they gave me, it had been hundreds of years without contact from Irk, then they brought me war, aside from training I hadn't seen real battle, I realized what I was made for and I craved it like a drug. When I was injured I would have tried to fight, broken bones and all, thankfully that agent put me out cold with a spell till the bones were mended. When I could move again I went straight back to battle, I hurt like crazy but I was ecstatic. I only came in for ship repairs then I took the next available fighter. The Irkens can give me more battle, my guardianship is over you and Dib can protect Earth now.
How long have you been listing to us my Tallest?"
"Long enough to reassure us that you won't be a danger to the Empire, we can certainly give you enough battle to keep you occupied, the Irken Empire has expanded not only in this direction there is still untamed planets where we can use your talents" "I look forward to it" "But we want to update your training yours is about 300 years out of date. Gaz as we said before you will be running this planet in your brothers absence, Tak will be our liaison, for now we will be setting up a communications, transport and supply station. We will need Earth as a staging point to take the old Dhahmon territories; it's possible that other alien races may try to move in on what we have rightfully won in war. So we will need to move quickly"
They discussed details for quite some time Kim was bored and wandered off she found Dib and Zim discussing Irken culture in Irken, she listened in and watched as Dib practiced with his pak. Zim learned that she would be training as well "You won't be staying in the same dormitories as us but I could help you out as you will be taking some of the classes I used to take. I wonder if they will give you a pak, you might need it, the atmosphere might not be breathable even for you." "It will be a last resort, the Explorers did make me for battle perhaps they built in the ability to adapt to noxious environments, we wont know until we get there." The three of them sat and talked for a long time it was good to get their minds off war as Zim told them all about what to expect.
Final cleanup took along time; there were still a few Dhahmons loose on the planet it would take along time to get rid of them all and some may never be found.
Professor .Membrane hadn't been found, it was believed that he died in the first explosion of the defensive platform. He was given a state funeral with full military honors since he died in battle. So many other funerals were held, Dib tried to attend as many as he could and often he seen many other familiar faces attending even the tallest showed up for his Father's and many of the defenders funerals.
All too soon it was time to depart; they kept the send off private, only the defenders and a few of the fighters attended. Gaz gave her brother a big hug and a package "Gaz it's your Game slave portable!" "The new ones coming out next week plus I'm giving you all the games I've finished. Plus I've given you a copy of a book I've been writing it's a guide to game strategies all my best tricks, cheats and other stuff it's all written down there, it will help you out on this training they will put you through. Which I'm sure you will do well at, you're my brother after all." "Thanks Gaz this means allot to me, and I know Earth is safe in your hands the Irkens wouldn't dare pull anything with you in charge."
Zim was eager to go his impatient hollering was getting annoying so everyone boarded their Eagles and joined the fleet that was headed back to Irk, the Massive had taken some damage to one of its snack pods so it was heading back as well, most of the armada stayed behind to protect the new Irken planet from other alien nations that might try to take the weakened planet from Irk.
Dib took one last look at Earth before entering the hanger of the Massive; it would be a long time before he saw it again.
(The End. Yay the fic is finished, A Character guide will be loaded up as well. I might continue with another sequel I may not. I'm itching to do a prequel involving the Explorers story but if I do it will be hosted on my Deviantart account under the same user name. The sequel if I have it will be on fan fic as well as Deviantart. Please Read and Review both Invader Dib and The Bitters invasion .Thanks)