Truthseeking

Transmission of Doom

Dib sat, contemplating, on the couch of his living room.

Half of his mind huffed about any and all the possibilities after Zim had ran, the other half scrambled to process what he'd said beforehand.

"It doesn't matter! There's only a day until the armada arrives! There's no time for a rebellion!”

One day.

It was an impossibly shocking concept, surely it'd take longer to travel here than just one day.

Well, more accurately it'd take two days, if you counted today.

But even still, surely his species weren't close enough to earth to take just two days to travel here.

He recalled a conversation with Zim that'd felt years old, just after he'd been saved from the brink of death ; when he'd confessed that his leaders had been stringing him along all this time.

With them essentially abandoning the alien, they had no business near his planet.

Dib sighed. He had known that the Irkens were advanced, but it still came as a shock to realise just how far that stretched.

A harsh change of light quickly brought his attention to the TV, no longer playing meaningless cartoons.

Rather, displayed on the screen, was none other than the irken leaders.

For a mere second, he stared, dumbfounded, hesitant.

Zim had specifically instructed him not to answer any transmissions.

But… When had he ever listened to his orders?

Ok, maybe a lot more than he'd admit. But that's besides the point!

“.. Answer?” Dib ordered, standing, unsure as to if the system would work.

Much to his worries, it did. He was once more met with the two green aliens he'd seen on this very screen only a few days ago.

But this time it was different. This time Zim wasn't here.

“You! ” he yowled at the Irkens pointedly, their faces contorting from surprise to confusion.

There was an awkward pause as the three stared at each other.

“Who is this? ” The purple one asked boredly, yet their antennae perked in a way that Dib thought could've been a sign of interest.

“I am Dib membrane! One of the inhabitants of the planet you want to destroy. ” He scowled, venom dripping from each word.

The leaders shared a glance, but he did not allow them time to reply.

“Why do you even want Earth? Are you so desperate for new slaves that you had to run back to an Invader you'd cast out just days prior? ” Adrenaline coursed through him like tiny snakes shooting for their prey, baring their shiney teeth as if they were prizes.

They opened their mouths in an offended manner, but he paid no mind to their failed attempts of a reply.

“Don't try to justify yourselves. You know what you're doing is horrible, casting one of your own out so terribly that they lose the will to live? And then just going back to them like nothing happened? ”

“you're sick. Pathetic, selfish monsters for what you're doing. For what you've done. ” Dib felt as if he was burning, every ounce of anger suddenly felt alight, blaring any other emotions that tried to sleep through.

“Hay! This is the Irken leaders you're talking to-”

“The Tallest? Yeah, I'm well aware. You may be the leader of an alien army, but without your support you'd be useless. Less than useless! You're nothing but self absorbed slobs. ” Dib silenced their attempt to save their dignity, voice harsh and mocking.

He heard the door swing open, and felt his adrenaline spike all the more.

Zim was back.

“You're unworthy of your power, and when Zim realises that, he's going to turn his back on you. ” He spat hurriedly, yet he maintained the poisonous tone that carried through his words.

“Computer, end the call. ” He finished, just as he'd heard the alien do those few times.

The screen cut, with the faces of the Irkens bleeding into darkness.

Silence ruled the air in thick huffs, for he dared not speak up first.

Just in the archway stood Zim, his body stiff and rigid as he stared at the blank television, horrified.

Dib watched him blankly, offering no apology for what he'd just done.

“What have you done.. ” He whispered, voice low and disbelieving.

He did not answer.

“What have you done?! ” He repeated, this time in a wail as he shifted to look at the human.

“What you couldn't. ” Dib spoke, his anger webbed away as he considered the consequences for what he'd done.

“What I couldn't? Are you insane?! What did you say to them? ” He spluttered, eyes searching him wildly as he dragged away from the entry.

He looked away, shoulders hitching slightly in defence.

“What did you say, Dib!” Zim repeated, voice growing louder with desperation.

He looked into the aliens eyes, truly looked.

“I… said some things that you wouldn't have. ” He half admitted, shifting as he tried to figure out how to tell the Irken the things he'd said.

“Don't be stupid with me, human. Tell me what you said to my Tallest! ” Zim bristled as he took threatening steps towards him.

“... I just- ” he chewed his lip, brows furrowing.

“Look Zim, I don't think you'd wanna know. ”

He growled in response, throwing a punch to his stomach.

Dib hissed, pain bursting from his torso. That was definitely gonna leave a bruise.

“What you said, Dib. ” he hissed once more, voice strained through gritted teeth.

“I told them that they were selfish. ” It was a half truth, he knew.

“Fool! Why would you insult them?! ” He scowled, yet the human could still see the anxiety that coursed through his expression.

“They deserved it! ” He argued back, regaining his posture.

“Childish idiot! Do you have any idea what you could've just caused? The empire will want my head! ” Zim growled, desperation seeping through his voice once more.

He looked away, guilt slowly pouring down on him.

The irken glared for what felt like hours more, stance deflating.

“You'll regret all of this tomorrow.” he hissed lowly as he stepped over to the couch.

Dib watched him meekly, as the alien snuggled himself into the corner of the left side.

After a moment of still silence, he joined him on the opposite side of the couch.