Chapter 3: One's Sacrifice and Another's Legacy
Okay really sorry for not posting.
All characters associated with Invader Zim belong to Jhonen Vasquez
Narrative POV
Zim sat there next to Tak. Slowly, the two of them were dying, holding each other. They were both truly, at peace. For awhile, Zim dreamed of Tak, but his dreams started to become very bizarre. Things he could vividly remember, yet he knew they were not his memories.
Such as memories of brutal training to become an elite. Zim remembered his elite training and it wasn't that harsh. There were memories of people he could only call, friends. He remembered each one of them dying on the battlefield. Did these memories belong to Unit 387? Zim thought.
"Wake . . . up." Said a whisper that echoed through Zim's head. The whisper grew louder and louder. At one point Zim awoke and growled in pain and looked up only to see: a scarred up, crimson eyed, soldier in an old elite's battle damaged uniform. He walked slowly towards Zim and Tak and looked straight into Zim's eyes and said "We have to leave, now!" He scolded.
While moving as fast as possible, Zim tried to pull Tak to her feet. It seemed as if he was putting more effort into saving Tak then he was to himself. "Zim . . . you have to leave her." Said the mysterious elite. "If I can't save her then I'll die with her!" Zim responded "She'll slow you down. Leave her." There was something about this strange elite that Zim just couldn't explain.
"Never. She's all I have left." Zim was in an incredible amount of pain. It was amazing that he was even standing. "DON'T YOU GET IT! IF YOU DIE, SO DOES EVERY IRKEN IN EXISTNECE! If you die here, OPERATION IMPENDING DOOM 2 will be a successful galactic conquest! That will cause us, (left with no enemies) to revert to our past and separate. We'll fight each other tooth and claw until only a handful of us remains, thus ending the mighty Irkens reign. The data box must be exposed."
"Whether you like it or not, your coming with me! But he quickly became silent when Zim picked up and held Tak so carefully as if she would break into a million pieces if he so much as lost his balance. "Well okay than. Let's go" "Wait! You never did tell me your name." said Zim "I'm someone who dared. Nothing more." He responded. And with that they left the bunker.
After 20 minutes of horrible pain for Zim they found what they were looking for. Zim's Voot runner. Zim climbed in and set Tak in a comfortable position. Just as he was ready to enter the pilot's seat, the mysterious elite spoke up. "Zim. You are in no condition to fly. You need to rest." He said. Zim didn't complain, he just nodded and moved over close to Tak.
Zim was in agonizing pain and fell asleep almost instantly holding Tak close by him in a protective sort of way. "It's been a very long time since I flew. But I know enough." Said the mysterious elite. At one point in the ride Zim was awake enough just to ask one question: "Will I see you again?" Zim asked "You only get to see the dead a few times in your life. So probably not." And with that Zim just fell back asleep.
Zim woke up a few hours later in a medical area onboard some sort of ship trying to determine what happened. That elite that saved him . . . he looked exactly like him, but his eyes were closer to the color of blood than his eyes. His scars also reminded him of someone. "No. that's not possible." He thought
"Finally, your awake." Called a familiar voice. Zim looked up and saw Invader Tenn staring down at him. "What happened?" Zim asked. "I found your ship floating around with no pilot. So I went and I helped you. What I don't get is how did you two even get there? Your were both badly injured and unconscious."
"Is Tak okay?" Zim asked changing his tone a bit. "She's not awake yet, but all her vital signs are fine. Oh, by the way I gave you both some pain medication for your injuries. Was it enough? Said Tenn. "Yes, it was enough." He responded. "I almost forgot, Zim I saw that data box you were hiding in your ship."
When she said that Zim wasn't sure whether or not to be afraid or relieved. "What I found was horrible. I can't understand how the tallest could have done this." "I can. It's because their all greedy selfish assholes who only think about themselves." He responded.
"I've known that for awhile, but this . . . this is just awful." She said still trying to accept that this tragedy was caused by people she looked up to before they died. "Tenn. I have just one question for you: are you with us or against us?" Zim asked.
"Yes. I already have a plan to expose this and assassinate the tallest." With that said, Zim was now relieved. "Don't get ahead of yourself. We still have a lot of work to do. Now get out of my way. I have to visit Tak." And with that Zim left the room in search of Tak. Finding her was not a problem for Zim had her scent.
A few hours later, Tenn went to check on Tak and found Zim sleeping in a chair pulled up next to her bed. She just smiled and gently closed the door. Not long after, Tenn noticed there was an urgent message coming from the massive, so she rushed to the bridge and answered the call.
An Irken military symbol appeared on the screen and there was a robotic voice behind it. "Invader Tenn. You are wanted for harboring a fugitive. Please board the massive and an official will escort you to a cellblock." Soon after, tallest Red appeared on the screen.
"Tenn, if you had just turned Zim in like we planned this wouldn't be happening. Now, are you going to hand him over and turn yourself in, or will we have to board your ship and kill you all instead." At that point Tenn was just plain horrified. Without knowing what to say next she just cut the transmission and set the ship to self destruct.
Meanwhile Zim was woken up, again by the same elite from meekrob. "Zim! The tallest know you're here! Grab Tak, because we are leaving!" without a word, Zim picked up Tak and followed the elite closely. "ALERT. ALERT. HOSTILES ARE BOARDING." Said the ships VI
After about 5 minutes, they reached the hanger bay doors. "I hear them not far behind us. I'll stay and distract them" said the Irken elite. "That's suicide!" Zim yelled "Trust me. They can't kill me." The elite said calmly. "Who are you really?" Zim asked. "Well I guess you've earned the right to know. I am Irken military Unit 387."
Zim was shocked. "How is that possible! You died!" Zim said in confusion "Yeah I did die. But-" He was cut off by an explosion. "Damn. I'll explain later, now GO!" he yelled. With that Zim opened the door and rushed through holding Tak.
"Hey! In here!" yelled Invader Tenn. Zim rushed over into his Voot runner and set down Tak once inside. Tenn climbed in middle and the Voot runner left the hanger just before the explosion. It turns out that the explosion diverted attention from the Voot runner, giving them time to escape.
"Zim. Where are we going to run? They will find us." Asked Tenn. "Not where I'm going." Zim responded. "And just where is that?" "Back to Earth." "WHAT? ARE YOU INSANE?" she argued. "I was. I figured that Earth would be safe. That is until they realize were not dead." Tenn said nothing more after Zim's last comment.
They later arrived on Earth. Once Zim was back in his old base, he shut off all non critical power and things that sent out signals. Later on Tak woke up and began to search for Zim. Eventually she found him drawing out battle tactics and strategies. "Zim. About meekrob." She began. "I know, I know. We both thought we would die." For what it's worth, I really do care about you." He responded
"Well. What now?" she asked. "We got work to do." Zim said
OMG finally. It has taken a really long time to write this. Well anyway, I'd like to make some shoutouts. One to someone I will only call Jacob, hey Jacob. And to shodowolfwalker on PSN. Hopefully the next one won't take so long.