A New Beginning

3.4 Universal Call

Book 3: Chapter 4 Universal Call

With a faint clink the ship was landed upon the metallic surface of the Gargantis Array. The place didn't bring any good memories for Dib but still it was just as impressive as the first time. Perhaps even more since he could now focus on actually examining every massive detail about this gigantic space transmitter. 

Zim hopped down of the ship and glanced towards the human who seemed absorbed with the surroundings. "We have to make this quick. We need to hurry!" 

After hearing Zim's words Dib snapped out of his amazement and followed him into the structure. Their steps echoed within the metallic corridors that were illuminated by lights on the side. 

"Looks even bigger on the inside!" Dib said while he looked everywhere. 

"Uh huh" Zim agreed. The irken stopped in his tracks and looked down their way. The place was indeed huge and last time they visited they spent two days looking for the control room. Luckily, he remembered the way which will cut  a huge amount of time and he had his PAK. Zim, activated his PAK legs and now hanged above the ground. With one swift motion he took Dib by his forearms and lifted him in the air as well and brought him along the journey. Zim heard Dib complain but luckily that didn't last long.

Once they reached the control room Zim let go of Dib at the entrance. "Victory! Now, let's hack this thing."

"Hack it?" Dib raised a brow but was met with a sly almost devilish little laugh from the alien. 

Zim took out small metallic pyramid from his PAK. He attached one of its ends to the panel and soon a holographic screen projected. He worked and worked, moving, sliding and reorganizing elements on the screen. Dib only watched intently until at some point he sat on the floor and waited for Zim to finish. 

After an hour of reorganizing and coding Zim yelled. "It's done!"

Dib looked at him. "What did you do?" 

"Easy! I reprogrammed the transmitter to identify irken tecnologies, especially irken transmitters and not send footage or anything to those. Now, we have a message to deliver." The irken opened his PAK once again and this time took out a floating metallic sphere. Soon it also projected an image of Zim. He configured the footage until it was dark, him barely visible. "Activate the Array human!" 

"How?" 

"Just press the button on the side of the pyramid."

As soon as the button was pressed, one tiny red light turned on in the sphere indicating that it was broadcasting the adjusted image of Zim. 

"The irkens have destroyed our planets, our people, and taken our lives... It is time to fight back. We must resist the empire and fight for justice. For a universe where we can all have the right to choose our own path.  The rebels  are growing stronger but we must stay together, working as one mind towards a common goal. Together is the only way to bring justice upon the fallen. This is your call to be part of a new era." 

Zim replaced the footage of himself by the coordinates to the Resity's base on Mars. Then the image faded to black and resumed to the normal programming. 

"Are you sure it will work?" Dib eyed the alien curiously. 

"Zim never fails."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A week had already gone by. On Mars the rebels gathered and the member's kept growing by the day thanks to Zim's message. Of course, Lard Nar was hysteric at first but then understood that this growth  was indeed needed.   Thanks to it everything had been running smoothly and on schedule.

Zim was on Rakel's bed back on Dib's house. He was wide awake but mentally resting although his subconscious wondered about his Rakel. Soon the bracelet lit up in pink light. Zim noticed and activated it thinking that it was damaged. A live holographic image of Rakel appeared. 

The Irken swiftly sat on the bed and could feel how his eyes became a bit watery. "Rakel?" His voice was barely audible. "How are you? And is that an irken Elite uniform?" 

"Zim! I don't have much time. I'm so glad we can communicate. Yes, a lot of things happened here but we can discuss that later. The Armada is docked at Irk and it will be here for a time. I believe knowing that will help you organize the Resisty's next move."  

The irken blinked a few times as he gathered his thoughts and nodded a yes. He mentally revised the plans and analyzed how much they had to rearrange them. However he paused the plan and focused on her. The Hybrid had always made him feel at peace, stronger, and happy even. And now she had become one of his main reasons to fight against death.  

"I'll keep you updated now that I can finally communicate with you. Maybe everything will work out for the best." 

"Rakel..." The irken's voice was soft. 

"Zim?" 

"Stay safe... I will go rescue you. I... want you by my side."

Upon hearing his words a warm sensation flourished in her chest and caused her to smile. Something she felt like she haven't done ever since she was taken to Irk. "I want you by my side as well, Zim. But for the time being I want to help out in anyway I can. And better yet if it is from the inside." 

Her strategy made Zim chuckle. "We're counting on you to be our official informant and to also destabilize the system from within. The Tallests will never know what hit them."  

Rakel nodded in agreement. "True. For now I should return to my duties but I will contact you again soon."

The Irken's antennae lowered as he felt a weight that pulled him down by the chest when it was time for her to leave. His hand lifted until his fingers could caress her holographic face while deep inside he wished for her to be there with him."...Please..." He whispered.. "Stay safe." 

"You too, Zim." 

The transmission cut and the bracelet's light dimmed. Zim stared at his bracelet and noticed how his squeedly spooch was crushed with foreign feelings that a human could name by guilt, anger and sadness. He wanted to keep her safe and he couldn't. And even though she was fine it felt like a loss. The loss of someone important and the loss of confidence in himself. Was he really going to be able to rescue her? Was he capable of protecting her against their own kind? Was everything actually going to work out? Zim tried to not get carried away by those thoughts. He fought and struggled against them as he reminded himself to give it his all to fulfill each task.

 Deep within another flame sparked. A flame that reminded him that the loss was only temporary, she was going to get back. He was going to get her back.