Dib nervously took a seat near the door in the waiting area. The other aliens were staring at him, never having seen such a creature.
He was glad to leave when the intercom called for him, addressing him as 'the human.'
Dib stepped into the large room and started walking up to the desk. He glanced around and saw Zim standing off to one side of the room, his arms crossed and a slip of paper in one hand.
"Welcome back, human," Tallest Red smiled. "We.. err.. thank you for helping our race."
Dib bit back a response. He longed to tell them all that was on his mind. But, seeing as he was helpless on this alien planet, silence was best.
"Guards!" Tallest Purple called. Three armed guards, larger than Zim but far shorter than the Irken leaders, marched into the room. They stopped before the desk.
"Take this alien to the holding area and prep him for servanthood," Red instructed, waving a hand at Dib.
The guards turned and one of them stepped up to Dib.
The boy's eyes widened and he ran for the exit.
"Computer, lock doors!" Red shouted.
Dib slammed into the door but it didn't budge. He turned and looked up at the guards who were approaching him with weapons drawn.
The human looked at Zim desperately.
The alien was gazing at him with a shadowed expression.
"Zim, help me! Tell them to stop!" Dib dashed away from the guards, slipping between two of them. They turned and started following after him, obviously in no hurry.
Dib ran to Zim and stopped before him.
"What is happening?" he asked quickly, glancing at the guards. "Tell them to stop this!"
Zim stepped back, frowning. His gaze was hard and he said nothing.
"He sold you out!" Tallest Purple chirped.
Dib looked up at him, confused.
"Zim sold you out for another home and SIR unit." Red grinned, really not caring for either of them but finding it amusing as hell.
"He.." the boy looked back at the invader. "Why?"
The guards reached him. 0ne grabbed his arms and pulled them behind his back, locking his wrists together with a pair of Irken cuffs.
"Zim?" Dib stared at him. Zim looked away and the guards began dragging Dib away.
"Zim! I fucking helped you!" Dib struggled but it was useless. "I fucking took you in and helped you, you bastard! You fucking bastard!"
The guards took him out through a back door.
"Well Zim," Tallest Red said, "We thank you for your small contribution to our alien collection."
Zim glanced down at the paper in his hand and nodded slowly. He wasn't proud of what he did, but the Tallest had given him no choice. It was a trade; the human for his supplies. If he hadn't handed over Dib, then he would have lost his entire mission.
"Now leave, we have important work to be done." Tallest Purple waved a hand at him to go away.
Zim exited the building and looked around at the familiar streets. He was supposed to go to the military base and request the items at the supply center. The paper was a note granting him one programmable house kit and one SIR unit.
He started walking.
As Zim rounded the corner, he saw a transport vehicle parked next to the building. Inside were a few different aliens. Dib, hands still tied behind his back, was being led onto the bus.
Zim watched him, stepping back so as not to be seen himself. The human's words resounded in his head painfully.
He watched as the bus pulled away and sighed. There was nothing he could do now.