A/N's: So, this is my first real long fic. Funny that it happens to Invader Zim. Anyway, I've always loved tumblr user's rinsfw's artwork for Irken Dib, and they have a particular drawing which is of Zim taking Dib on an escort mission. Since I saw it months ago, I've wanted to write something for it! I have at least four chapters written for this already, and a good idea as to where the story's going.

Hmm, well, that's it. No Earth shenanigans in this fic- we're entirely in space! The saddest thing about this fic is that, Gir doesn't have a dog suit…. Tragic.

Please enjoy!

On the great Resisty ship something terrible had gone awry. A Supreme scientist, in long, grey robes burst through the doors to the captain's quarters. The Resisty's captain, a short Vortian known as Lard-Nar had been speaking with another Vortian named Cleek, a tall red alien who's shell-covered horns were twisted cruelly towards his face. Both he and the captain turned in alarm to face the scientist.

The scientist was nearly out of breath, gasping as he gripped his knees. Sweat beaded his brow, his eyes wide, terrified. "The Terrible, Horrible Doomsday Device that we said could never be stolen,"

"Yes?" Lard-Nar drew forward, terror looming on him.

"It's been stolen!" The scientist cried, flinging his arms into the air. A collective of despairing cries filled the captain's chambers. The horror of it all! The device, a terrible, apocalyptic prototype to a future weapon against the Irken empire in the wrong hands..! But whose?! Lard-Nar whirled towards the windows that outlooked the vastness of space.

"No," he growled through the pathetic crying behind him, "this will not sway us! We'll get it back from whatever filthy creature stole it. Do we know anything about the thieves?"

The scientist had begun to retrieve the papers he'd thrown onto the floor in his panic. "Well, sir, the security drones seem to indicate it was an… Irken soldier who took it,"

"Damnit," Lard-Nar slammed his fist down. The Irken empire, their most terrible enemy, whom they'd sworn to defeat… Somehow, if such a hope were possible. But if the Irken's had located their ship and yet not destroyed it on sight, it meant at least something, didn't it? Perhaps they thought the Resisty to engage head on right now… Or perhaps they think we are not worth the effort. That just made him angrier, and ten times more anxious. But yet, the Irken empire had no qualms with going out of their way to squash nobodies….. Nonetheless! He had a secret weapon of his own now. "It doesn't matter who it was, Irken or not. We'll get it back. Is the tracking device within it still online?"

"For now, yes sir, but the further they go, the harder it will be to track… And soon it'll go offline entirely…" Lard-Nar nodded at this news. He turned to the Vortian, Cleek, who had at least two inches of height on him. Strapped over his black Resisty uniform, Cleek wore two spears across his chest; one was hooked and serrated; the other was long and needle-like. He narrowed his eyes.

"The Irken's cannot be allowed to use the Terrible, Horrible Doomsday device. Ohh, we'll get it back alright…" In the captain's quarters, Cleek met his eyes, flashed a horrible sharpened grin. For as a member of the Resisty for the last ten years, he was perhaps their most dangerous soldier - and highest paid bounty hunter, one they'd set on the empire before. He'd made some successful kills in the past, had gotten the empire's attention, and though they didn't know yet who he was, they seemed at least aware that the Resisty was not just some ragtag of fleeing Vortian's and other aliens disgusted by their treatment of literally any species not their own.

In the depths of space, Lard-Nar allowed the scientist to show him where the device was being tracked, and how much time existed between them and whoever had wrongfully stolen it.

MONTHS LATER

"It had to have been an accident, Zim. Just ask them to assign you something, I'm sure they'll apologize and get it fixed," Optimistic as ever despite his own bad luck, Invader Skoodge sat beside Zim in the cafeteria of Planet Conventia. Zim's arms were crossed tightly over his chest in bitter, smeet-like frustration.

"This is ridiculous," Zim grumbled beside him. "The second assigning and still they've given me no mission! What do they want me to do, rot on this stupid, overexcited planet…?!"

"Well…" Skoodge considered the facts for a moment. During the First Great Assigning, Zim had been told by the Tallest that he was to prepare for a greater, secretive mission only he could take on. Except the second assigning had already taken place, and Zim with his waiting, malfunctioning SIR unit (that Skoodge had offered several times to repair but Zim was determined nothing was wrong with it), had been told… Nothing. No secret mission had appeared, nor even a promise of said mission. He'd simply been skipped over ,somehow ignored despite his protests. Skoodge had personally just barely conquered his own planet, called Blorch, and he'd been reassigned to another more terrible planet called Squorch. He wondered if the Tallest had some vendetta against him; his assignments were always with the worst guys. Or perhaps they want me to prove myself…! He could only hope.

Still, it disappointed him to see Zim so frustrated. Zim had been among his hatching mates, around his age although just centimeter smaller than him. The tiny Irken was notoriously difficult, angry, and a ball of roiling energy determined to go above and beyond to prove himself, even if that above and beyond was detrimental to anyone watching. Skoodge had seen a lot of these disasters, but still he could see the determination in all of it, and he couldn't help but find it endearing. Plus, he thought Zim was pretty funny and weirdly genius. Strange no one else saw it, too.

"You should really go speak to them, Zim. I'll even help you if you'd like-"

"No! I do not need your help. I'll go myself." Still, he didn't hop from the bench. Zim drummed his fingers against the table; his own tray had been pushed away, untouched. His other claw held his chin, glare fixed on nothing in particular ahead.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Stop asking!"

"Well then, what are you waiting for?"

"Why wasn't Invader Tenn assigned anything?" Zim asked suddenly, lowering his voice just a smidge.

"Huh? Oh, Tenn. Uhh. I dunno." Skoodge shrugged, looking over his shoulder. Among all the invaders and soldiers in the cafeteria, he could see Larb and Spleen sitting in their own little clique. Skutch was there, too. He and Zim were sitting near the corner with a noticeable gap between them and anyone else at the same table. This was a trend that had kept up since their training in the academy. Skoodge was always vaguely aware that if he was alone, other Irkens would approach him, but if he were with Zim, they'd avoid him like a brain parasite. Well, sometimes that's what friendship was all about. Sacrifice or whatever. He didn't mind that much.

"She looked smug, too, like she'd known something…" Zim was hunching forward, claws brought together and eyes narrowed in a familiar way that meant he was cooking up something terrible in that big head of his. "I don't see her anywhere here…"

"Perhaps she was demoted?" Skoodge offered.

"Demoted! HA! We would've heard all about it, you idiot! The Tallest would have made a big deal about it, too, just to humiliate her! And yet I've heard no such thing… No, it's something else…"

"Maaaybe…. She's gonna be on a mission with you!" Skoodge grinned, pointing to Zim who shot him a disgusted glare. Skoodge slumped his shoulders, returned to his green and pink dinner of Vortian hot dogs and sporchy pudding. Not his favorite, but he never complained. Zim continued muttering to himself for a long while, putting his head in his hands. Skoodge popped his spoon out of his mouth, frowning.

"Aww, come on, Zim. Don't seem so sad. I'm sure-" Zim slammed his palms down onto the table. Skoodge jumped, the table rattling as Zim leapt to his feet, standing on the bench.

"That's it! I will be humiliated no longer! I shall demand their greatest mission from the Tallest and they will bestow it upon Zim!" His voice, overloud and booming, carried across the cafeteria drawing attention their way. Skoodge smiled nervously, waving at the eyes stuck on them.

"What the hell are you going on about now, Zim?" A voice from one of the groups of soldiers asked bitterly. If he'd heard the question Zim gave no notion of it as he scampered off, disappearing into the crowd. He had always been so small; it was so easy to lose him. Skoodge watched him go off, growing increasingly anxious as all the eyes remained on him.

"That your friend or something?" An Irken sitting at the far end of the table asked him. Skoodge swallowed.

"Uh. Uh, yeah, yes. He's- um. He's my friend. He's just, you know, uh, excitable." Despite his flaws, Skoodge couldn't let the idea go on that Zim had no friends... That would just be terrible..!

"Huh." The Irken squinted, scooted further away, and whispered something to the Irken's beside him. Skoodge did his best to ignore the giggling hurled his way.

In the corridors outside of the cafeteria, Zim stomped forward. Blind determination made him grit his teeth. He'd been on this stupid planet for over a year now, and he was already sick of it. All it had to offer was sub-par snacks and booths selling weird artwork and expensive toys. Gir was easily impressed by such meaningless garbage, but not Zim!

Since he'd quit his own exile, he'd been waiting on Conventia for a mission worthy of such a powerful Irken. It had yet to come, and he was becoming antsy. And now that the other Irken's had returned from their missions (after such long months! Zim could've completed his own invading mission in half the time, he just knew it!), he'd had to watch them take their new missions, one by one, smiling and grinning, laughing at Zim, who'd stood empty handed… Zim squeezed his fists.

He had been raised his whole life to be an Invader, had even passed the tests in the academy to become one. Sure, he'd destroyed the testing room in a fiery explosion when he'd tried to sharpen his pencil but that deserved well above passing marks, he thought. Even before the final testing, Zim had always been worthy. He was an excellent ship captain, a great marksman. He did, in fact, have the highest score on the shooting range, and the most versatile weapon ability. Hand to hand combat, laser swords, plasma guns, massive explodey-devices, mecha robots, he knew them all very well. Coming down the hall, he found, finally, the doors to the Tallest's temporary quarters on the planet. Before the doors, two guards stood at ease, spears in hand, faces hidden behind protective helmets.

"You two, step aside! I have some very important business with the Tallest."

The two guards gave an in-sync sideways glance his way before looking straight ahead again. The one of the left, taller, with a flatter head, said, "No one is to enter the Tallest's quarters unless called upon personal- Hey!"

Zim hadn't been listening, striding forward and throwing his hands against the door to fling them open. Just as he did, both guards rushed forward and brought down two spears in a criss-cross.

"You can't just ignore someone like that! And I said you can't go in there!"

"Yes, you did say that, but I have important business wi-"

"I don't care what you think you have with the Tallest's!" The one on the right cried. "He said you couldn't enter!'

The one of the left squinted down at him. "Hey, wait a minute…. You're that Zim guy, aren't you! We specifically have orders not to allow you in!"

"You must have me mistaken with another Zim." Zim crossed his arms, then tilted his head.

"No, that's incorrect. I'm the one and only Zim, so, you must've heard them wrong. Perhaps they were referring to Invader Sim or Tim or Jim or Kim or-"

"Enough! No, I am pretty certain it's you they warned us against," With the press of some button, the ends of the spears lit up in a terrible electric blue buzz. Zim startled, stepping back.

"Hey! I'm an Irken invader you know! You can't just-"

The one of the right opened a pad on his wrist, which flickered up a hologram of Zim. His little ID picture lit up, and beside it, a list of achievements. Or rather, a criminal record. Zim did not see the difference.

"Is this you?" The guard on the right asked. Zim narrowed his eyes at the rotating holographic of himself, taken years ago. He'd been tired that day and incredibly annoyed (he'd forgotten why) and so the picture was a little… Well… He could look better, not that he didn't look great as it was. Zim raised his chin a bit, squinting still.

"... Perhaps,"

The guard smiled, smug, snapping the wrist pad shut. The hologram disappeared. "Well then, it's settled. You'll not be seeing the Tallest's today, now be off with you! You're annoying,"

"Yeah," The other muttered, "Really annoying."

"Enough discussion of my annoying nature! Perhaps it would move you more, if I were to, perhaps, remind you that I am an Inva-"

"Your ID says you're a Food Service Drone."

Zim threw his hands into the air. "Ohh, this again. I have asked the Tallest time and time again to finally mend that mistake. I am an Invader, I promise you, I simply once dabbled in, ehh, food service work. For the experience, you see." Zim waved his hand. The two guards shot each other a look. "An Invader's training is never done, of course, but- HEY, WHAT ON IRK IS THAT?!" Zim pointed, wildly to the right. Both guards jerked in the direction he pointed.

"What? What is what, what is it?!" As they looked, Zim rushed forward, slipping past them to grab the door's handle-

And then he was being jabbed in the side by one of the electric spears. The jolt of electricity threw him back at least seven feet and he skidded on his butt back down the hall.

"Ah-ha, very clever," the guard on the right grumbled, coming forward, spear pointed at him. Zim scrambled back, growling. "as if you could've fooled us so easily,"

"Well," The guard on the left had joined him, "he almost did,"

"You insolent FOOLS! How dare you try to electrocute the almighty ZIM. I'll get you for this, you know, keeping me away from the Tallest's… A punishment will be in order for this-"

"Enough! You never tire, you tiny, pestering Irken! Go! Or I'll get you again!" The guard had come close enough to jab him a second time and Zim's PAK legs shot out, skittering on the metal floor as they pulled him away. He rushed down the hall, turning far down the corridor until he was out of ear shot. Angry, he kicked at the wall, hard enough to dent the metal and send throbbing pain into his foot. "OUCH!" He hopped backwards, gripping his foot, his PAK legs losing their grasp on the smooth floor. They slid beneath him and he crashed painfully down.

Grumbling to himself, Zim slowly got back to his feet. He couldn't believe this! And still with that Service Drone business! He'd gone to every Irken Identification Division on the planet and each one had told him that the ranking couldn't be changed. To do so was illegal. Only a Tallest or Control Brain could change an Irken's ranking, and so Zim had sent a request to see the Tallest's about it… And then he'd sent another… And another… And another…. Sixteen during his time on Planet Conventia, and not a single response! He'd finally given up and called the Tallest's himself, and they'd promised to have it fixed by the morning. That had been four weeks ago.

He dusted off his uniform, crossing his arms and tapping one foot. Well, what the hell could he do now? He stared at the wall, then up at the ceiling, gaze passing over an air duct, some official Irken slogan in black along the-

Zim jerked his gaze back to the air duct, activating his PAK legs to raise him up, up until he coul peer into it. Steps from either direction of the corrridor made him yank a tool from his PAK, unscrew the dover and pry it carefully away. Scrambling like some insect, he climbed inside, hastily closing the cover behind him just before a group of Irken Invaders passed by, laughing together. Zim tuned gingerly to peer down the narrow, metal hallway. Perhaps he could find the Tallet' quarters from here? He crawled forward.

The air duct was tight, a bit claustrophobic and stuffy. For once, his small stature came in handy; his antennae barely brushed the ceiling as he crawled. Twists and turns to Irken bathrooms and janitorial closets led him nowhere, and he was about to give up when a familiar voice made his left antennae perk up. He paused, listening… Heard the words 'Tenn' and 'mission', 'secret', 'vital,', and began crawling as quietly yet quickly as he could towards it source. As it grew louder, he could see an air duct cover ahead. Pink light shone from it, and drawing nearer, Zim peered through. The room behind it looked cushion-y and comfortable .There was a snack bar before a long, long window which looked out to nearly all of Conventia's main city. He saw ships floating by and blinking lights; night had almost fallen and the sky was a purple, red color, like a sickly bruise. The sun was far enough away so that darkness always held Conventia, just some hours were darker than others. Within the room, amongst the sofas, trays of food and drinks, and a tall and long television, an Invader stood before Tallest's Red and Purple. Zim grinned, withholding a triumphant laugh. He leaned forward as close as he dared to identify the little Irken before them, face nearly pressed into the vent cover.

Is that… Invader Tenn?

As he peered through the vent, Zim saw Red holding out a thin tablet. Invader Tenn took it carefully, gazing at it with awe-struck eyes. Zim hissed in annoyance. Had he been too late to hear the most vital details of this meeting? Outside, Red began to speak.

"All of the information you'll need will be in here, Devastis' coordinates, where he should be sent, etc," Frantically, as they spoke, Zim had a PAK leg silently remove a tablet of his own, bring it before him. He began tapping away. "In the case of any emergency, say, you come upon Resisty fighters, more coordinates for other planets you might temporarily stay until it's safe again. Head Scientist Membrane is very, shall we say… Possessive of his assistants,"

"In a flamboyant sort of way," Purple added behind him, lounging on a couch with a drink in hand.

"Yes. He's rather neglectful, too. And loud. Anyway, we'd advise you not to engage with any Resisty fighters, should you come into contact with any. They should be easy to outrun. They're all using older models of ships anyway…" Red waved a hand, dismissive. Zim watched intently, intrigued. Tenn was being given a secret, important mission! So that was why she had been skipped; the Tallest's had felt all the other listening Irken's (and Zim amongst them!) were too unworthy to hear of it. He narrowed his eyes, jealousy swimming through his blood. For an instant, Zim considered the chance that Skoodge had been right, that the mission would be shared between them, but then why had Tenn been called alone? This mission was meant for me, Zim thought bitterly. Down below, Tenn gazed up at Red

"My Tallest's, forgive me, but this mission seems-"

"Too difficult?" Red's tone was deadpan. Tenn shook her head quickly.

"No, no, never, my Tallest's! Just- it's… Rather brief… Two days' time… I could easily be done sooner than that."

"Ah, I see." Red placed his arms behind his back, "Yes, we considered that, too… Thankfully, you do have another mission, an Invading Mission, if you are to complete this one proficiently,"

"Of course I shall!" She said eagerly, gripping the tablet close to her chest.

"Yes, yes, now you're dismissed. Good luck," Red raised his hand turning away. Zim gritted his teeth, annoyed. Those stupid guards made me miss the most important part! Oh well, what did it matter? He'd downloaded all her mission info to his own tablet. As Tenn went for the door, Zim began to crawl backwards. He'd return to his ship, docked in a hangar somewhere, and set the voot's coordinates for where this… Delivery mission needed him. He'd leave right away, before she could prepare- he wouldn't even waste time doing that! He'd wing it, and he'd wing it good, and when he arrived on Devastis with whatever package or smeet or whatever it was he was taking safely from the Resisty fighters, drop it right at the feet of the Tallest's. Oh, he couldn't wait to see the surprise, the shock, the amazement on their faces. They'd be so proud, and rightfully so.

Down below, Tenn had stopped at the doors where she turned, one claw against the handle.

"My Tallest, I am only curious…. But if I may ask, what of that Irken Zim? He was also skipped over this assigning." Her eyes were narrowed not in curiosity but in the way a listener might await the cruel end of a joke. She was grinning, a slimey, very Irken grin. Zim's antennae perked up in anticipation. He was desperate for any information regarding his future, secret mission. He did not notice how Purple snickered, how Tenn's grin became knowing. How Red made a steeple with his claws, smiling as well. An unsaid inside joke between them all.

"Oh, yes, Zim," Red sighed; just the mention of the tiny Irken sent a spike of annoyance throughout him. "He has no mission. In fact, he'll be sent back to Foodcourtia tonight after- hey, what was that sound?"

In his horror Zim had almost shrieked, clapping a claw over his mouth. In the vent, he peeled back, watching just barely over the ledge as Red, Purple, and Tenn looked about the ceiling or the source of the noise. Back to FoodCourtia?! But- I can't go back there! There is no mission for me there! How could I ever prove myself as an Invader..!? Memories of vindictive customers and the heavy scent of frying oil came to him in waves, and he felt almost sick. Foodcourtia! What a filthy, stinking hell hole of a planet! Zim gripped his own tablet tight against himself. Sweat beaded at his brow, his eyes wide. This is a mistake..! It must be! Why wasn't he allowed to prove his prowess to them? A dawning sense of paranoia, anxiety, terror clung to him, making his antennae press against his skull. Why was someone always so willing to stand in his way

Below, Red shrugged. "Oh well. Anyway. That is all we need of you, Invader Tenn. You are dismissed."

She spun on her heel, chin raised as she pushed open the doors. As she did, Zim scrambled out of the vent, PAK legs tapping a bit too loudly against the narrow metal. He found a vent opening, kicking the grid cover. It flew across the corridor slamming into the other wall with a loud metal THUD as Zim fell down, landing on his feet. Just a Tenn was rounding the cover. She came to an abrupt halt, her own PAK legs extending to retrieve her tablet, hide it within her PAK.

"Zim! What on Irk are you doing out here?" She eyed the open vent above them, the vent cover on the floor, narrowing her eyes and drawing forward. "Were you spying on me with the Tallest's? Do you realize I could accuse you of treason if I wanted..!?"

Zim glared at her, crossing his arms over his chest. Knowing all she'd heard made his head swim. "I have no idea what you're talking about Tenn," He spat her name as if it were some sort of insult, and after what he'd just heard he supposed he meant it that way. Fury boiled within him, misplaced and terrible. Certainly he'd missed some earlier comment made by her to the Tallest's encouraging them not to assign him any glory. "I was simply on a walk. I'm to speak with the Tallest's about my mission very soon. What are you doing, hmm? Sneaking around the Tallest's quarters are you?"

Tenn's glare became deadpan as she straightened. Zim had not been around Tenn often in invader training; she was slightly older than him, almost a whole length of antennae taller than him, too. She was high strung, hard working, and dismissive of most of her other fellow Irken's, save for Larb whom she spoke the most with. Like he and Skoodge, she and Larb were hatchling mates. Still, Zim had sized her up throughout Invader training; she was strong, sure, a good Irken and a dominable soldier but he was Zim. And he was sure she'd conspired against him to the Tallest… Or something.

"Yeah. I'm sure whatever they've prepared for you, Zim, it'll be what your deserve-"

"Yes it will!" Zim shouted, leaning forward, fists tight. She didn't even blink. His hand was shaking when he pointed at her. "And when I receive my mission you'll see I could've done it all along, perhaps better than any of you could have! So much better! ANd you'll rue the day you'd ever dared to insult the almighty Zim-"

"I haven't even insulted you yet, Zim," She said, one hand on her hip. "Good grief, you never stop, do you? Now will you move? I don't want to be too late for the cafeteria before they close."

"Oh," Zim blinked, beginning to step aside before he recalled who he was talking to, "No! I don't care! You think you know so much, don't you-"

"You were spying on me, weren't you, you wretched little parasite!" She drew forward, glaring.

"Perhaps I was! Perhaps I wasn't, but you'll never know!" But by now Tenn had come close enough to grip a fistful of his uniform, jerking him backwards. He snarled, furious.

"What did you hear, you pest?"

"Zim heard nothing! I know nothing of whatever you're-" She shook him, hard, and Zim brought up his claws to shove her away. Her grip was ironclad as she leaned forward, teeth bared.

"If you get in my way, Zim, I swear to Irk. I did not conquer Meekrob to be bothered by the likes of you, a false Invader without a mission!"

"And yet the Meekrob still provide the Resisty with plenty of weapons! They're quite a splinter in the empire's side, I've heard, so much work for the Tallest's to clean up after. A fine job conquering them you did!"

"Shut up!" She hissed, PAK legs flying out to raise him higher above the ground.

"Get your filthy claws off of me!"

"I've no qualms with killing you, Zim. But I'd say you're less of a pest in my future now, given your circumstances," She'd begun to smile. Zim nearly sputtered.

"And what does that mean?!" Although he knew, he knew what he thought she didn't, what the Tallest planned to do. She opened her mouth, revealing a row of glinting, grey teeth. "You really think the Tallest's would-"

"Hey, what's the trouble over here?" One of the guards had come down the hall, hearing the commotion. Tenn dropped Zim, struggling wildly in her grip. He struck the floor with a painful thud.

"There's no trouble," She said, deadpan, PAK legs retreating to drop her cleanly to the floor on her feet. Zim growled, teeth bared as she turned from him, striding down the hall towards the cafeteria. Zim leapt to his feet.

"Fine! Flee since you're so intimidated by me, ZIM! But I'll prove it to you! I'll prove it and you'll rue ever having offending the almighty-" But by now, she'd disappeared. Zim's voice, irritating and determined echoed off the empty hall walls and found no one. His teeth were gritted, his fists balled tight. He was shaking. Truly this was not how he'd intended to spend the night. 'Oh yes, Zim. He has no mission.' He hadn't realized his antenna had begun to droop until they brushed his shoulders.

Perhaps they hadn't meant it? But then, why had it been said? Zim's mind fluttered with excuses, explanations, anything. There was nothing to do on this Irk forsaken planet, nothing! He couldn't stand it! And yet it seemed his Tallest intended on sending him back to Foodcourtia, where Sizz-Lorr ruled and made him wear that ridiculous mascot outfit filled with hot oil. He couldn't do that again, not when his potential as an Invader was so undeniable! Clearly their judgments were clouded! Yes, that was it! They simply didn't know of his prowess, his capabilities, despite the proof of it already from Impending Doom One! He would show them, yes, and they'd give him his mission. After I've completed this first one, of course…. Zim went to remove his tablet with Tenn's mission downloaded onto it when the announcing system suddenly clicked on above. "Attention all Invaders! Would Inva- I mean, Elite Zim please report to the Almighty Tallest's post haste! I repeat, Elite Zim please report to the Almighty Tallest's post haste! Thank you!"

Zim's atennae shot up. Perhaps this was about his supposed exile again? He stared up at the ceiling, chewing at his bottom lip. Should he go..? It would be wrong not to report as he was being called, but if they tried to return him to Foodcourtia now, he'd never complete Tenn's mission before her.

I'll simply have to convince them I must not be exiled again. The first time had been a fluke anyway, one he had, however, accepted. He was a soldier, he could take discipline, whether he deserved it, per se, or not. But a second time? He had to speak up for himself, and that was a skill Zim knew well. He was great with words. He straightened, shoulders thrown back, and raised his chin, looking quite serious. He lifted his communication device as he walked back towards the Tallest's quarters.

"Gir!" He hissed into the mic. Several beats and his SIR responded.

"Hi!" He had spent a year so far with Gir on Planet Conventia. He was still unsure as to how much help the SIR would truly be, although he'd yet had the chance to really use him for what he was meant to do. "Prepare the Voot for launch. We shall be leaving for our long awaited mission tonight, Gir."

"Yaaaaay!" Gir cried shrilly on the other line. "What are we gonna do? We gonna get snacks? We gonna get snacks, Master!?" Zim cringed; he'd yet to become accustomed to Gir's terribly pitched voice. He likely never would.

"When we are finished we shall have more snacks than you can eat, Gir! Now prepare the ship!" Zim disconnected before Gir could finish replying on the other side, something loud and incomprehensible and meaningless anyway. He marched for the Tallest's quarters, confidence restored.