The Almighty Error.

Sector Sixteen.

Dibs' Perspective.

It seems the longer Zim and I work together, the more it comes to my attention that we could've had the potential to become real friends all along. Had he not kept trying his stupid ideas to take over the Earth, of course. And had I not been trying to expose him for the alien that he is.

It's almost December now. We've already fine-tuned the Tallests' exact coordinates and velocity at which they were traveling to better assume when their arrival would be. From the looks of it, the armada would get to Earth by the next Summer. More specifically, the month of July.

But disappointedly, we didn't have that much time. Zim explained that he wants us to go to them before they can even get to this solar system. Which makes sense, but that doesn't mean I like it. I'm not so sure how to feel about it, honestly. Part of me is excited about returning to space. It was amazing the last time when Gaz and I saved Dad and got to see hundreds of other alien life in that prison.

But part of me was also afraid. Being stuck in a ship with Zim? An alien who's somehow so dangerous to his own species that they had tried to eliminate him in the past and are now seeing it through?

I still wonder what Zim specifically did to make his leaders see him as such a threat. Because ever since we've teamed up, I've gradually been seeing a softer side to this soldier. It's honestly made him so much less threatening.

Thinking back to what happened just a month ago and how Zim told me that he respects me was a feeling I'll never be able to shake off. In my time of crisis and frustration, he willingly stepped up to comfort me in the best way he knew how. And for that, I still want to thank him.

My eyes watch as the Irken makes adjustments to his ship. It's double the size it used to be, using parts from Taks' to expand the size of it. He explained that this was so he and I could each fit and take more things with us. We found it was easier to work on by bringing it down to his lab, since attempting to work on it where it was stored on the roof was proven to be difficult. So naturally, Zim designed a new tunnel to move it in and out of the underground facility of his.

Once he stops to take a break, I speak up. "Hey, Zim?"

"Yes, Dib. We can have a small time of rest since your human capabilities are limited—"

"No, thats not what I was going to ask. I was wondering if you could tell me about your species' first Operation Impending Doom. Why did it fail? You've told me in the past that this is the second one that you were a part of. What happened to the first?"

He stops moving for a moment, eyes not even trying to look in my direction.

I realize I might've struck some nerve, making me feel bad. We've come so far as partners but it must've been too personal of a question for him. "Sorry, I guess that isn't any of my business. I shouldn't have—"

"It's fine. I can tell you what Zim remembers." His voice sounds dull and lacks in his usual range in vocal pitches, only making me more uneasy. "It was a long time ago. About a century or so in Earth time. I was a part of it." He paused, his eyes shutting and a hand touching his forehead as if it was hard for him to remember.

"I recall being in one of the large machines made for destruction, ordering the other Irkens with me to push buttons, pull levers, and cause havoc. We were still on Irk and ruined the entire mission. I can barely remember the trials. They said I was guilty of murdering Tallest Miyuki and her successor, Tallest Spork. And that I was also guilty for almost annihilating Irk. They reencoded my Pak for banishment to Food Courtia. I still don't understand why Zim wasn't just erased. It.. isn't the way of Irkens to simply banish one for murder of a Tallest."