Sounds came first. Humming, buzzing of electricity and machinery, low voices speaking in an alien language. Then the bright lights began to show through his eyelids and he opened them slowly, squinting at the light above his head. He was vaguely aware of pressure around his wrists and legs. Then the pain returned to his side and he moaned softly, squeezing his eyes shut. Someone said something and the light dimmed. He opened his eyes again to see the older male leaning over him, peering into his face. He blinked and shut his eyes again in fear and confusion, head swimming with painful disorientation.
The younger male spoke in an eager tone and Zim flinched as something pricked his arm. The male exclaimed something else as he took a vial of Irken blood and set it aside for study later. Zim was then poked and prodded and spoken over and written about by the two males.
The female came down at one point to stare at him skeptically, then she left, obviously having better to do than look at the alien in her father's lab.
Zim slipped in and out of full consciousness, unaware of most of the things being done to him except for the pain and discomfort they brought him.
He fell out of it for awhile at one point, and when he awoke he found himself lying on a cold metal surface, surrounded by thick glass walls and a metal roof. He shifted to his side, a more comfortable position because of his PAK, and touched at the surface with bare hands. They took his gloves. He frowned and pushed himself into a sitting position, wincing and putting a hand to his side. He peeled up the tunic of his uniform and looked at the unusual Earth bandaging on his side. Green was already showing through and he swallowed thickly, feeling sick. He could feel the burning in the wound from the germs and Earth-filth on the knife, as well as the pollution in the air than managed to touch his opened skin. He didn't sense any serious internal damage, thankfully, although he was feeling quite sick from all the dirt inside him now.
Zim shifted to one corner and sat with his PAK comfortably between the two walls of the enclosure. He wrapped a hand around his side and looked around, frowning at the equipment, computers, monitors, and other such items around the large room. There were several more glass enclosures around the lab, all of them empty except for his of course.
He tried to extend the communication port in his PAK, but found the openings wouldn't slide. He reached behind him and touched at his PAK, frowning at the thick, rubbery substance coating it. He tried to scratch it off, but it was stuck tight and he began to panic. What have they done?
(Ducktape, of course. Nothing too serious in the world of humans, yet, if not understood or known of, can be quite terrifying.)
Zim shifted uncomfortably, shooting himself with pain but not caring. They removed his belt as well, and he was defenseless. He felt fear rising in his chest but quickly quashed it down again, recalling his training and remaining calm.
The young male stepped into the room carrying his computer. He set it on the counter and it began making odd noises. The human seemed to enjoy the sounds, and Zim watched warily as he began moving about the lab, collecting and organizing things. The music played rather loudly for Zim's antennae and he lowered them against his head to try and block out some of the rude noises, though they did appeal to him for reasons he didn't understand. They had a beat, and rhythm; something that didn't exist on his planet. He listened carefully to the English words sung, trying to understand them, make any sense of them.
Dib stepped over to his cage and peered in at him. Zim glared at him silently, huddled in the corner like a frightened and defensive animal. The man smiled and waved at him mockingly before turning back to his work.
The older man came and the younger showed him all the work he'd done. But the man ignored him, crossing the room and entering a key number to unlock Zim's containment.
He opened the door, Dib watching eagerly, and reached in to grab at Zim. The Irken's eyes widened and he swiped at him, claws scoring three deep marks in his arm. The man made a noise of pain and backed out, straightening to look at the cuts. Dib growled something and then he reached in, grabbing Zim's arm and pulling him forward sharply before he could react.
Zim yelped and struggled, twisting and clawing furiously with his free hand. The older man grabbed that arm and together the humans dragged him out onto the floor. The alien continues to kick and cry, shrieking in terror and calling for help even though he knew no one would assist him here.
He was dragged back to the table he'd been on earlier and they lifted him awkwardly, shifting him face-down onto the table. 0ne held him down while the other secured his legs and arms. Zim continued to scream, but they ignored him.
His tunic was cut off and placed in a sealed bag, leaving him in only his boots and tight slacks. The Irken thrashed and struggled, earning himself a thick leather strap drawn tight across his lower back to hold him down tighter.
The humans talked for awhile, examining the PAK attached to his spine. Then the older male picked up a scalpel and leaned down.
Zim felt the cutting pain below his PAK and screamed, claws scratching at the table and leaving permanent marks in the metal.
The male slid the knife between the plate on his back and the PAK, attempting to pry it off. Zim felt the wires inside him tighten, securing the PAK firmly to his body. It hurt, and he cried in pain as the man pulled harder, scratching the plate with the knife. Then the pressure was gone as the two began to talk again thoughtfully.
Zim panted softly, relaxing slightly now that it seemed they were giving his murder a short break.
The younger human circled around and leaned down into his face, saying something to him. He blinked and just stared at him, confused and worried. The man made a displeased face and moved back to his father, pointing something out. He then left at some command and returned soon after with a thick, flat piece of metal. The older male took the handle and pressed a firm hand on Zim's shoulder, wedging the metal in between the PAK and metal plate.
Zim shrieked as he pried hard. The wires tightened inside him and were pulled on, making him sick as his inside seemed to shift with it.
The younger male watched Zim's face curiously, saying something as the older male continued to pull. He finally stopped, letting the PAK snap back down. Zim coughed as the wires loosened again and closed his eyes, head swimming again.
The humans decided to leave his PAK alone for awhile after that, until they could find a better way to get it off.
Zim thought about the details of his mission; gathering information about the humans, the planet, the technology.. He was ordered not to hurt anyone, to be peaceful if caught and escape if at all possible. His leaders had been very clear that he be docile, for they did not know what this species was capable of and a war would be most unpleasant against an unknown enemy.
Zim swallowed thickly and opened his eyes again to see the two standing near his head, talking. Something shiny in one of their hands.
He closed his eyes again, listening to them talk and the music playing, quieter now as the father had ordered.
He flinched as he felt oily human fingers take hold of one of his antennae, rubbing over its velvety stalk. The sound was grating and painful, but he didn't react not wanting to draw attention to this fact. He could vaguely taste the skin and didn't like it at all.
The men talked, touched, poked the base of the stalks. Then Dib tried bending one and Zim cried out. He quickly let it go again and the Irken flattened them against his head, as if he could hide them.
The older male took hold of one, forcing it up. There was a brief sensation of cold, the taste of metal, and then exploding pain as the tip of one was clipped off.
Zim shrieked and began to struggle again, blood dripping from the maimed antennae. He flicked it painfully, sending green onto the table and humans, and then tried to curl it against his skull again, whimpering softly.
The humans discussed awhile longer, then released him from his binds and dragged him back to his cage. Zim willingly crawled into it and curled up in the corner, touching gingerly at the antennae and staring at the floor of the cage.
The humans left, taking the music with them and turning off the lights to leave him bleeding in darkness.
