"Something's wrong," Keef stared up at the Employer's mothership. Zim's team had entered the towering structure and had yet to contact any of the ground troops of any progress. "Captain Dwicky, I'm going in there!"
"I'm not actually a captain, but that sounds alright-Hyaa!," replied Dwicky as he stabbed a moose that was trying to sneak up on Keef. The red-headed human was neglecting the ongoing battle still going on between Diwcky's resistance and the moose. "At least we'll still have your monkey."
Dwicky pointed towards Keef's monkey companion, Sir Chuckie, who had ripped open the chest of a moose. Keef gave the monkey an approving smile, "Then I'm off. I'll be back with everyone else."
Keef ran off, fully intent on not letting another life get taken by the dreaded Employer.
"That kid gone yet?" Spoocti asked.
"Yeah," Dwicky replied.
"Good, no offense, but he was weird. Very weird. And he kept asking me if my squishy innards can gently caress the skin."
"That isn't nice, but I do feel happier that he's outta my sight."
"I had nice timing, wouldn't you say, Dib?" Keef said, the bodies of the rest of the fallen team still spread out around the room.
"A few minutes earlier would've been nice...but it's good to see you," Dib said, barely able to keep himself focused. Keef turned his attention back on the being attacking Dib, their blades still locked. He had Zim's face, but the metallic markings and tendrils informed Keef of the situation.
"You're the Employer, aren't you? I knew you could assimilate into machines but living Irkens? You monster!"
"Zim was the last Irken I wanted to assimilate to, but thankfully, his mind was so puny that I was able to order a burrito," Minimoose said.
"A burrito?"
"We forced him to take control of Gir also," Dib said.
"Hi human!" Shouted Gir, still attached to Zim.
"Hi Gir!" Keef enthusiastically replied.
"Shut up! Both of you!" Minimoose shouted. He pulled back the blade, "You useless monkeys keep popping up one after another. If you want to duel me then so be it!"
Minimoose charged with another swing, but was blocked and even repelled by Keef.
"I'll kill you with the power of my burning heart!"
"I'll kill you with the power of my seething hatred!"
The two clashed their blades and were locked in combat. Laser-blades were swung and parried. The duel was intense with Minimoose's display of power and Keef's speed and technique, but more importantly, it gave Dib time to escape.
Dib searched for the rest of his friends until he found a blood trail. He followed it, leading him behind a pile of broken technology and computer consoles. There he found everyone else. He saw the source of the trail, Kry's body, next to him was Daj, his hands bloodied from trying to stop the flow of liquid. Kor sat against a fallen wall, looking pissed off and frustrated, her hands had regrown and she held her broken gloves in one of them. Gaz sat across from her, looking downward and was probably the most frustrated amongst all of them.
"...How is he?" Dib broke the silence.
"I don't know," Daj had his hands pressed against the wound. There was no panic in the Darvon's voice, he was speaking calmly to not show his worry and sorrow. Dib took off his jacket and gave it to Daj, who accepted it. He ripped a sleeve and began wrapping the wound before returning the jacket. Dib thought he heard Daj mumble something about preferring Irken skin but Dib didn't ask about it. He sat down, evaluating the situation, wondering what else they can do.
"Let's leave," Kor spoke. She didn't speak with any snark in her tone, to Dib, it almost sounded like she was about to cry. He hadn't considered leaving. After everything that's happened, after all the effort, he didn't think giving up was an option. "We only stayed because we believed we could've done it. We could've beaten him. A part of me even believed we could've saved Zim. But now, after what we just fought, I even doubt if we can even escape alive."
"Alive? You can't even die! What are you even afraid of!" Dib yelled, louder than he had initially thought.
"I don't want to get hurt anymore..."
"Kor, you're not the only one getting hurt. We all bleed and break. You can't-"
"I wasn't talking about physical pain!" Kor was looking directly at Dib, but quickly looked back down and lowered her voice, "I don't want to see any of you die."
Dib didn't respond immediately. he felt like a jerk, yelling at Kor when he felt the same way. He can't lead like Zim, including his rival's disregard with their lives, Zim was also craftier, not smarter, than he was. Zim also had the drive to throw away anything and everything to achieve his goal, including the lives of his followers. Dib could never make that sacrifice. Kor was also right, they couldn't kill Minimoose, they almost died just trying to steal the Dimension Box. If they couldn't stop him, what was the point of staying?
"Let's leave," Dib said. "Any objections?"
Kor remained silent.
"There's nothing more we can do. The drone isn't worth Kry's life," Daj said, "I give up too."
Gaz was the only one who hasn't spoken yet. Dib and Kor look at her for an answer but she gave none. They just interpreted her silence as giving up also.
"Okay, let's contact Tel," Everyone sat still, just waiting, then Dib realized something important, "Does no one have a working communicator?"
"My communicator died with my gloves," Kor replied.
"Both Kry's and my communicator broke during the fight," Daj added.
"Same with mine," Dib looked over to Gaz, hoping she still had her's, but she just shook her head. "Great, there goes our safest escape route."
"Wait, what about the Mini-drone?"
Dib had completely forgotten about Skoodge. He was probably still tied up, but he hasn't fought Minimoose at all. If any of them had a working communicator, it would be him. "Does anyone know where Skoodge is?"
"Chances are, he's still in the same place where I knocked him out."
"We have to find him."
"I'll do it. Take care of Kry while I'm gone." Dib nodded and Daj silently crept away, careful not to make any sound that would draw Minimoose's attention.
"What's the escape plan? Have Tel break in here with the Dibship and hope we reach it before the Employer kills us?" Kor asked.
"Pretty much."
"What about Keef?" Kor peeked at the ongoing duel between the two beings, it was clear who had the upper hand, "He's losing."
"We'll give him the opportunity to escape with us," Dib paused, Kor was mostly right about the plan, but once they board the Dibship, there was something else he was planning, "...but if he wants to keeps fighting Minimoose, then we have to leave him."
"That's pretty much condemning him to death."
"...Yeah, but that would be his choice." Dib took a peek at the fight between Keef and Minimoose. Keef had barely dodged a fatal blow to the head, but he was already a mess, his suit was torn, his face dirty from hitting the floor multiple times, and he had several gashes. Minimoose was damaged as well, but Dib couldn't tell if they were just carryovers from their battle or new wounds. "Daj better get here soon."
"Dib."
The voice made Dib do a sudden turn, it had come from Gaz. Dib was also surprised to find her standing. Her eyes were sharp and she wore a frown, nothing new to Dib, but for some reason, she didn't look like she was angry or even frustrated.
"Gaz?"
"Do you still have the Dimension Box?" Dib pulled out the cubic device from his pocket. Gaz had secretly thrown it to him during their fight with Minimoose, it was where Dib got the blaster that barely saved Gaz's life. She took the box from Dib's hand and stuck her own inside the pocket dimension.
"Gaz, what are you doing?" Dib had a guess, but he hoped it wasn't true.
"Getting ready."
"For what?"
"Fighting Zim. Kor, can you give me your boots? " Dib would've preferred it if she had just ignored him.
"No way! You can't! You won't survive against him!" Gaz didn't respond. She pulled out a laser-blade from the box and placed it away. She then began digging for another weapon.
"Gaz, please, you're going to die!" Kor spoke up against Gaz, "I know how you feel, but there's no point in doing this!"
"I can't leave you here either! Especially when...when I-"
"You're going to blow up this ship," Gaz interrupted. Dib didn't say anything at first. It was true that he was considering it, but he was reluctant. "It makes sense. Once everyone leaves, we use Dibship to destroy this place and possibly kill Zim. I would do it."
"Yeah..."
"You'd also probably kill Keef in the process."
"...yes." Dib knew that was possibility. If Keef refused to run, he would have to be a sacrifice. Dib was alright with killing beings that were evil, or at least he considered evil, but Keef was just annoying. Dib didn't want to do it.
"Don't do it."
"Huh?"
"You're not the kind of person to kill good people, even if they are annoying, and you shouldn't. Me staying should give you more incentive to not blow this place up." Gaz pulled out a medium-sized blaster. She then tossed the Dimension Box back at Dib.
"Why...Why are you adamant on staying?"
"You've always known me the best, Dib. I've always called everyone stupid, no matter who they were, including myself. I've always let myself be controlled by my emotions; anger, sadness, ...other things, but I didn't think I was wrong."
"What are you saying?"
"You don't want to leave either, do you?"
"...No."
"Why?"
"Because...because it doesn't feel right. After we came this far, after getting an opportunity to save the universe, just to run until the day the villain returns, stronger than before. That's not how the story is suppose to go."
"I...have my own reasons. I went through a lot of problems, and if I leave, none of them will ever end. I would just spend the rest of my life being pissed off and bitter."
"You already do!"
"Even more pissed off and bitter."
"Please don't do this! You don't need to!"
"I want to."
Dib didn't know what to say to her. Gaz was being stubborn. Dib couldn't say anything to convince her to leave, he couldn't even convince himself.
"Here," Kor held a pair of black boots, reconfigured to not crush Gaz's feet with each step.
"Really? You're supporting her, Kor?" Dib asked.
"No. Gaz is being crazy and stupid. If she walks in and tries to fight him, there's no way she could win," Kor handed the pair of boot to Gaz, who accepted the gear, "but now she has a chance."
"...Thanks, Kor," Gaz said.
"Kor is right, you're being crazy and stupid," Dib said, "but that's all we were in the first place, just a bunch of crazy idiots who thought we could take down the strongest empire in the universe."
"Gee, who knew it would be incredibly hard," Kor said, Dib couldn't help but smile a bit.
"Gaz, just make sure you win." Dib moved forward and hugged his sister. To his surprise, after a pause, she hugged back.
"If you tell anyone about this, I'll punch your face into your neck," Gaz whispered. She broke off from the hug first and turned around. "Thanks for always protecting me, Dib."
Gaz stepped out of the cover, holding a laser-blade in one hand and a blaster in the other. She jumped forward, Kor's power boots propelling her towards Zim. Dib watched his sister rush into battle, clutching the broken stub where his robotic hand used to be. He only had one thought in his mind.
This might be the dumbest thing I've ever done.
"Ahem."
Dib turned around, finding Daj holding a tied-up, half-conscious Irken.
"Daj, when did you get here?" Dib asked.
"I saw your sister talk about following her feelings and then you guys hugged."
"So everything. Don't tell Gaz or else she'll gut you."
"If she lives-" Kor slapped Daj in the face. "Oh, sorry, uh, hey! I got the mini-drone."
Dib tried to ignore Daj's earlier comment. "Where's his communicator?"
"I dunno."
"Wake him up then, the sooner we contact Tel, the better."
Daj turned Skoodge to face him, then began to shake the Irken, "Wake drone! Wake up! Mini-drooooooone!"
"Aaaah! What? Where am I?" Skoodge woke staring face to face with his Darvon conrade, "Lizard? Where's the Tallest?! I think he told me to kill you all."
"What do we say to him?" Kor whispered to Dib. Daj also looked towards the human for an answer, but he only shrugged.
Daj decided to improvise. "The drone's gone."
"What?! And none of you laid down your lives in exchange for his? How is that possible?" Skoodge spoke in a frantic tone.
"Because you killed him."
"WHAT! NO! That's impossible!"
"I saw the whole thing, your mercilessly ripped out Zim's heart with your laser-blade and then ate it. It was a tragedy!"
"No, I don't believe you!"
"Tell me, what is that you taste in your mouth?"
"I-it taste like metal and concrete."
"That is the taste of the cold, iron heart of Zim!"
"Oh...oh my Irk...No! NOOOOOOOOO!" Skoodge began having spasms in Daj's hand, his eyes twitching and mouth foaming at the thought of the sin he had committed. Dib and Kor both had their palms against their face.
"Gimme that," Kor took Skoodge from Daj's clutches.
"What, I couldn't tell him that Zim ordered him to kill us all!" Daj spoke in his defense. Kor shook her head in disapproval.
"Skoodge, Zim isn't dead."
"He-he's not?" The little Irken started to stabilize.
"No, in fact, he's aboard the Dibship with Tel. We need to contact him but only you have a working communicator."
"Release my arms! I must contact the Dibship!"
Kor undid Skoodge's bond and the Irken turned to his wrist. He pulled his glove sleeve to reveal a communicator strapped to his arm.
"See, Daj, this is called 'not being dumb'." Daj only glared at Kor's taunt. After a few seconds, Skoodge's communicator erupted with static until a voice was clearly heard.
"What do you want? I'm in a sorta tense situation!" It was Tel. By the sound of it, the Heboadian was still fighting moose in the giant Dibship robot.
"WHERE IS ZIM?!" Skoodge yelled.
"What?" Before Skoodge could say anything, Dib grabbed the Irken's arm and began speaking into the communicator.
"Tel, it's Dib. We need to you to get us out."
"What happened to the mission?"
"It's over. We failed, and if we don't get out of here soon, we're gonna die!"
"Did you all make it?"
"...No. Zim's gone." Dib's words shocked the Irken, but Kor grabbed and muffled him before he could have another freak out. "The Employer took over Zim's mind. This invasion is over."
"I got it. Shame about Zim. He wasn't completely reprehensible. I'll-Wesley, what is it? I'm getting distracted from wha-Argh!" The sound of electricity shocking Tel could be heard. "Oh Boad."
"Tel? Tel!" Tel had cut communications. Dib wanted to know what happened, but he knew it couldn't good. Cut transmissions never turned out good.
"Dib!" Kor yelled at him. He was staring blankly after Tel never answered and the sudden scream jolted him back to reality.
Kor and Daj were looking at Dib for an answer, a plan, anything. It was then that Dib came upon a realization: being the leader sucks. The leader always had to give his followers hope against all adversity, even in hopeless situations a good leader could fake confidence. Dib knew this, and despite knowing it, he still spoke.
"We're doomed."