Chapter 7

Tallest Purple glared at the giant screen in the Main Transmission Room. "When the HELL are we going to find out if he's dead or not!?" He ranted, eye twitching.

Tallest Red glared at the screen as well. "Well, he hasn't shown up yet, so maybe he is."

"You have a point, but Invader Jaz was supposed to tell us yesterday if he was dead! Something is wrong here. She always calls back right after a mission. Why isn't she NOW?"

Red just continued to glare at the screen until a loud beeping interrupted his thoughts.

"Incoming transmission from Earth." A drone working at the controls informed them.

Red remained staring at the screen as he spoke. "Send it through."

The drone worked at the controls. The screen went fuzzy with static for a brief moment before a small, ruby-eyed Irken pops up.

"Invader Zim reporting in, Sirs!" The small Irken stated as he saluted his rulers.

The Tallests could only stare in shock and horror.

"Sorry I didn't receive your call. I was out investigating further on this planet's ways and weaknesses." Zim said, hands behind his back.

Red's expression hardened and he muttered under his breath. "Of course..." He raised his voice so that Zim could hear. "How goes the preparations for the Invasion? Everything going smoothly, I hope?"

"Yes, very smoothly, My Tallest. Everything is going according to my EVIL plan. I have a few plans, actually, but I'm trying to decide on which one is bes—" Before Zim could finish, Purple interjected.

"Yeah yeah, that's great Zim. WHY ARE YOU STILL ALIVE!?" He demanded.

Zim stood there in confusion, staring at the two Leaders. " HEH? What are you—?"

This time, Red interrupts. "Uh...What he means to say is...um...OH LOOK! We have another transmission coming through!"

"But I—" Zim began.

"You there! Cut this transmission!" Red ordered, pointing at an Irken drone.

The drone immediately obeys and the screen goes black.

Purple stared at the screen for a moment before turning to his companion.

Red returned the gesture, obviously less than pleased.

"WHAT?! I was ANGRY!" Said Purple defensively.

Red replied by bringing his hand up to his face and groaning.

"It's not like he would've understood anyway! He's an idiot!" Purple continued, still trying to save face.

"And we're INCREDIBLY lucky he didn't catch on. Next time try to control yourself." Red told him.

Purple crossed his arms, pouting like a child.

Red turned back to the screen. "Now. I think we owe Jaz a call."

Purple turned to the screen as well. "Yeah."

Red snapped at another Drone. "You! Send a transmission to Invader Jaz!"

"Flik, NO! Stop pulling on the dog!" Yelled the blue-eyed female Irken. She was trying wrestle a tiny wiener dog out of a much younger Irken's grasp.

"IT BIT MY ARM OFF, I WANNA KILL IT!" Retorted the Crimson-eyed smeet.

"Let GO! Or you'll be suspended from the next mission!" Jaz shouted.

The smeet's eyes went wide with shock, then narrowed in anger as he released the poor canine.

Jaz carried the crying dog to the door, allowing it to leap out of her arms. The dog immediately fled down the street, yapping its head off. Jaz closed the door and looked back at the young Irken. "I TOLD you to stay away from the animals on this planet."

"It was barking like hell! I had to try to shut it up! And then it attacked me!" The smeet shouted.

"Yeah, well that's what you get for disobeying my orders." Said Jaz, unimpressed.

Just then, a computerized voice sounded from the house itself. "INCOMING TRANSMISSION FROM THE MASSIVE!"

Jaz froze in shock and anticipation. "Oh boy...Send it through!"

Tallests Red and Purple immediately pop up on the television screen.

Jaz stood up straight like a soldier, saluting the Irken Rulers. "Greetings, My Almighty Tallests! I apologize for not calling in yesterday, but there was—"

"Why is Zim still alive?" Red asked, cutting her off.

Jaz tried to keep her cool as she answered. "My Tallests, I can explain! There was a, uh, horrible accident that happened, and it prevented me from getting anywhere NEAR Zim!"

"I find that hard to believe." Said Purple skeptically.

"Why don't you explain what it was exactly that prevented you from getting to him?" Red demanded

"M-my...base blew up." Jaz stammered.

Both Rulers stared at her as if she was crazy.

"It's true." She insisted. When neither of them looked convinced, she proceeded to explain further. "The BRAIN of the base got fried and it caused all kinds of malfunctions, and eventually my base began to blow up."

"What caused the BRAIN to get fried?" Purple asked, sounding genuinely interested.

" Uhh..." Jaz pointed to the smeet standing next to her, keeping her eyes glued to the screen. "Flik downloading too many songs to his Earth-iPhone."

The smeet looked up at her, confused.

Purple stared at them both, contemplating what she said.

Red was getting annoyed. "Just make sure you get him next time, okay!?"

Jaz saluted again. "YES, SIRS!"

"Good! Because if you don't, you WILL be punished." Said Purple, eyes narrowing.

" Severely." Red added.

Jaz broke out in a cold sweat and gulped, saluting once more. "I shall not fail you again."

"Good. This transmission is over." Red replied coldly. The screen immediately went black.

Jaz stood there, frozen and mortified.

Flik looked up at her. "Uhh, Jaz? You okay?" He asked, concerned for his companion.

Just then, a blonde teenage girl walked through the door. As soon as the door shut, the holographic disguise disappeared, revealing the Irken underneath.

Jaz immediately turned and ran up to her, grabbing her by the upper arms and screaming in her face. "I'M GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"WHA!?" Danny replied, startled.

Jaz released her, dropping her face into her hands and crying hysterically. "If you had only let me kill Zim when I had the chance!"

Danny could only watch in utter shock and confusion as Jaz continued to sob. After a few moments, she finally gathered herself and her expression softened. "What happened?"

"The Tallests called and threatened to destroy me if I fail to kill Zim again!" Jaz replied, her face still in her hands. She looked up at Danny with tears in her eyes. "Danny, I have to kill him. He's my only chance of survival." She begged before dropping her face into her hands again.

Danny watched her sadly. "Jaz...I can't let you do that..."

Jaz looked at her. "But I HAVE to! Do you want me to die!?"

"Of course I don't! Listen, let me talk to Zim. Maybe we can work something out."

"Oh sure, let's PRETEND that I killed Zim so that when Operation Impending Doom II is over, Zim will come flying back to Irk, and the Tallests will be SO overjoyed with giving me OVERKILL!"

"Umm...yeah...? Except for that last part..."

"They're going to kill me no matter what we do, Danny! I'm DOOMED!"

" Now hold on a minute. The Tallests just need to THINK Zim is dead. right? Maybe I can convince Zim to give up his mission and stay here on Earth with me once Impending Doom II is over." Danny suggested with a nervous shrug.

Jaz looked at her, seeming to be perfectly calm.

"THAT'S NEVER GOING TO WORK!" She blurted out after a moment's silence. "Zim's not going to give up his mission! He's too convinced with himself that he's an Invader!"

"We'll see about that." Danny's human disguise appeared and she turned around, marching to the door,

"Wha? Hey! W-where are you going!?" Jaz stammered.

"To Zim's base." Danny responded curtly.

"Danny, as much as I love to support you in everything, I have to be honest, like always. This is NOT going to work! And if it doesn't, I will be forced to kill Zim..."

Danny paused in the open doorway for a few minutes before suddenly walking out and slamming the door behind her.

Jaz's human disguise appeared as she opened the door. She ran outside and in front of Danny, blocking her path. "Danny, please listen! I don't WANT to kill Zim because I know how much you like him. But, I still have things...and people I need to save...back on our home planet..."

Danny paused and stared at her. "What?"

"Slaves, Danny! I need to save those who have been enslaved by our own Empire! Zim's doesn't even care about them! He's too much like a Regular to think for the lowly! I'm the only one who knows how to get into the prisons and save them all. If I die, no one else can save them."

Danny just stared at her with an unreadable expression.

Jaz looked at her sadly. "Danny, please...I know it sounds horrible, but killing Zim will actually do everyone good. Including myself!"

Danny continued to stare at her for a few minutes before turning away, tears forming in her eyes. "I..." She turned back to Jaz, eyes narrowing. "Out of my way." She pushed her aside and continued walking. "And DON'T follow me!" She shouted without looking back.

Jaz, now scared for her life, watches her walk away. "You can't DO this to me! I'M YOUR BEST FRIEND!" She trembled in fear as she watched her friend walk away. "FINE! Go visit your little BOYFRIEND! He's going to turn against us anyway!" She screamed as angry tears formed in her eyes. She turned around in a huff and stomped back into the house, slamming the door so hard that it leaves a crack in the wall above it.

Danny broke into a run as she bolted down the street for Zim's base. The tears were flowing freely now.