Cyborgbiotics

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Stressed

Memories


September 23, 2026

"The ICU must be preprogrammed before inserted into the PAK or else it won't take!"

Gaz's voice rose over the silence with each step she took into the room. The workers froze as the door slammed shut; it was testament that she had entered the room. Her amber eyes narrowed at the team of two in the corner. They held the delicate chip in between their tweezers. Their eyes locked with her eyes and she began to stalk towards them. She watched as they placed the chip safely back onto the tray that held their tools and closed the Irken's PAK.

"Anyone care to tell me what happens to an Irken if it gets a unit without programming?" Gaz questioned as she came to the middle of the room.

Her eyes scanned the room and she watched as most of the workers glanced at each other. She gritted her teeth in anger.

"Don't look to each other for answers!" She snapped.

"But we're all a team," a meek voice softly said.

She blinked and opened her mouth to yell at them. They were a team, but there would be a day when they would work alone. Someone wouldn't always be there to hold their hands.

"Theoretically," a calm voice began, "The Irken would have free will once more…or there would be a meltdown."

Gaz closed her mouth and quirked an eyebrow. She scanned the room and her eyes fell on the familiar face. He was her best worker, the only one that knew anything and that could be taught. The other workers were nothing but drones, but him; he actually learned and took joy from his work.

"Very good Matt," Gaz sighed and he beamed. "But you can't answer all the questions and hold their hands."

His smile didn't falter at any of her words. He knew what she meant and she actually smirked. Matt was the only one that knew the meaning of her words. He didn't bend or break because of her harsh ways. The employees looked at Irkens as something disposable and that's why they failed at their job. Their value of life ran lower than normal for humans. Matt, he took pride and he did value life.

"Congratulations," Gaz coldly stated, "Only one of you knows something. The rest of you still seem to need sitters."

Gaz turned on heel and marched toward the door. Her violet hair swayed against her knees with each step falling into a wave. She stopped and the door and turned to look at them all.

"If you all don't shape up, I will personally see to your training."

Gaz stepped out of the room and the door slammed shut. She leaned against the wall beside the door. Reaching up she ran a hand through her hair and stared down the halls. They were a plain shade of white and the floor was some shade of gray that she didn't care to place. The ceiling was also a white. The color scheme left the halls and building in a lack of color. The halls were empty, no paintings, no sculptures, no nothing. The glass elevator had more color in her opinion; at least there was a metal tunnel to stare at.

"Bitching again, are you?"

Her amber eyes narrowed and she went ridged. She didn't hear the steps that would normally echo down the halls and that made her realize she was spacing out far too long. His beady brown eyes narrowed on her much like a rat and she scowled.

"I wouldn't be bitching if there wasn't anything to bitch at," Gaz calmly replied.

He offered a warm smile and she felt the temperature in the hall drop. The smile made his eyes bulge a bit under his buzzed hair. She hated the fact that they only thing they shared besides their workplace was the same white jacket and black slacks. It seemed too intimate for her taste, but she refused to wear a skirt.

"I think your employees only mess up because of your…what's the word I'm looking for?" Iggins paused and grinned. "Harsh ways."

"I only demand the best," Gaz retorted, "and if they can't give me the best than they can leave."

Iggins scowled at this, he expected her to snap him. He raised a pudgy hand to his chin and stroked his face in thought. His brown eyes sparked in assurance and he tried again.

"Maybe they don't give the best because you have yet to give them a reason," Iggins figured he could hit her pride.

Gaz chuckled and replied, "Their paycheck should be reason enough."

Iggins deeply scowled and opened his mouth once more. Squeaking caused him to remain silent as he looked to his left. His eyes narrowed as he watched the short and fat Irken run around him and quickly to Gaz. His antennae wiggled as he closed his eyes. Skoodge than opened his eyes and expectantly gazed at her.

"Yes Skoodge," Gaz sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She wanted any excuse to get away from Iggins. She didn't need one, but she felt an excuse made her look less of a coward.

"There are problems in the Containment Area," Skoodge vaguely replied as his eyes shifted to Iggins.

Gaz immediately understood and nodded at Skoodge. Her eyes turned to Iggins and she could see the frustration on his face. He was the head Geneticist, yet she didn't give him full access to certain areas. She didn't trust him and it just wasn't because of the past with him, it was because there was something about him.

"Wait for me at the elevator," Gaz ordered.

"Yes, sir!"

Skoodge was off leaving only the echo of his squeaky boots. Iggins glared at him the whole time he ran off. Gaz cleared her throat and Iggins' narrowed eyes turned on her; she didn't flinch. She would send him back underground to his nest. She found it amusing that it had been nicknamed after a Wasp's hive.

"Go back to the Vespiary Iggins," Gaz plainly ordered.

The corner of his lips turned down bringing out the wrinkles on his face. Gaz remained calm and kept her gaze focused on him.

"Remember Gaz," Iggins calmly began. "A wasp queen is merely a tool that lives less than a year in the Vespiary."

Gaz quirked an eyebrow and turned on her heel. Her steps were slow and deliberate as she went the way Skoodge left.

"I never claimed to be queen," Gaz replied as she continued her slow walk.

"Bullshit," Iggins growled.

"That's the spirit," Gaz dryly mumbled as she continued.

She could feel his glare on her back until she finally turned the corner. Gaz blinked and rubbed her temples as she came to stand by Skoodge. He stood on his toes and stretched to push the elevator button.

"That human is strange," Skoodge pointed out as he stood back down.

"Understatement of the year," Gaz simply said.

"He wants to kill you," Skoodge suddenly said.

The elevator doors quickly opened the moment Gaz's eyes widened. Skoodge went first into the clear glass elevator. Gaz stepped onto the glass and her short heel clicked against it. The doors closed as she focused on the buttons. The building was built in a circular fashion with an elevator at the center of everything. There were three upper levels, a ground level, and four underground labs. The first lab was located directly in front of the elevator, North. It was the main lab known simply as the Vespiary, this was the Genetics lab that held seventeen levels fashioned much like a slinky shape. The second lab was known as the Operation Vespiary and was South of the elevator and behind it. This Vespiary had nine main rings, which were the rings that held the workers that placed the ICU and held the Irkens that received the ICU. The third Vespiary was to the East and was the smallest one. It was only three rings and this was simply a storage area. The Vespiary to the West was fourteen rings and it was the containment area. There were only five buttons on the pad, three for each of the upper levels, one for the ground, and another for the underground. The underground labs required walking. Gaz pressed the last button and looked down at Skoodge.

"What makes you think that?" Gaz questioned.

Skoodge raised his left antenna in thought and tapped his fingers against each other. Gaz patiently waited for answer knowing that he had never let her down. Skoodge was slow and gullible, but he was reliable. They were traits that were part of his personality and not the chip or his programming.

"He's a young male with ambition…plus he holds a grudge against you," Skoodge answered.

"A grudge is no reason for a murder plot," Gaz sighed.

"No, but power is," Skoodge wisely reminded in a nice tone.

Gaz nodded in agreement wondering how he kept that smile on his face. She looked passed the glass and watched the levels go by.

"What's the situation?" Gaz suddenly questioned. She didn't want to fantasize about Iggins plotting to kill her. It was another thing that she felt was too intimate.

"Do you remember the list of Irkens that were so supposed to be immediately deactivated?" Skoodge questioned. Gaz's eyebrows slightly lifted and she nodded. "It seems that two were overlooked."

"Two," Gaz repeated with a knowing tone.

Skoodge scratched the back of his head with a nervous chuckle.

"Yeah…about that…it seemed that the Processors marked the two as deactivated and continued on," Skoodge explained.

"Stupid humans," Gaz sourly muttered. "What's the problem?"

"They want to know if they should deactivate them," Skoodge answered.

"How long have they been down there?" Gaz questioned, she kept the concern from her voice.

Skoodge paused before saying, "Four years and eight months."

"They're not insane?" Gaz questioned, interest teasing her voice.

"No…they've always been insane," Skoodge quickly, but happily replied.

"Obliviously they should be deactivated if they were on that list," Gaz mumbled.

Skoodge nodded in agreement the best he could before he said, "I know, but this may interest you."

Gaz looked down at him with a questioning look, but the elevator came to a halt. Skoodge jumped through the doors before Gaz could question him again. She turned to the West and followed Skoodge. The halls down here were brightly lit and everything was white. She assumed that it would help any guards watch for anything weird. The two male guards watched her as she placed her hand upon the black pad. A green glow flashed over her hand and the doors opened. Gaz's nose twitched. This room was different from everything else in this building. She stepped onto a ledge and a platform came towards her. It hovered in the air and she glanced at her surroundings. It was a circle of cages from where she stood to the very bottom. The cages gave the Irkens enough room to stand and maybe stretch.

"Take me to the problem," Gaz muttered through her lips.

Skoodge nodded and herded her onto the platform. Gaz could feel the platform lower and shivered at the cool breeze the metal room made. It chilled her and she felt her stomach drop as she looked down. Four guards were standing in the middle of the small room and hidden underneath their forms were shocks of lights. Gaz knew they were using their stun gun. She watched the scene and heard a snort of laughter. Gaz stepped off the platform the moment it was an inch from the ground. A yelp of pain and she knew what the trouble was. These Irkens hidden by the group had no use besides entertainment.

"What's going on here?" Gaz shouted. Her voice was firm as she watched the men jump apart. She let her eyes glance at the floor and the Irkens. One was shielding another and she glared at the men.

"Gaz!" She raised an eyebrow. "Sir."

"Explain," she coldly ordered as she circled around them. Gaz wanted to be able to see the Irkens on the floor.

"These things decided to rebel and we had to detain them," one guard explained.

Gaz cocked an eyebrow and kneeled toward the Irkens. She held her hand just above their bodies knowing it wasn't wise to touch something injured. Gaz pulled her hand back and noted that their clothing had been burned through by the surges of electricity from the guard's weapons. This was more than detaining.

"In the process of detaining," Gaz calmly began as she stood up, "One simply stuns and detains. One doesn't gather around and torture."

"They kept trying to resist," the guard protested, his anger was clear.

Gaz looked at the Irkens and than back to the guards. She could see he was nervous and she smirked. There were no laws to protect Irkens, but she had laws within her own company.

"Skoodge."

"Yes sir."

"Contact Matt and have him prepare a medical area in the Second Vespiary," Gaz ordered. The guard's eyes narrowed.

"Before you think to question me. There are laws against property damage," Gaz dangerously warned.

"They are things," the guard growled.

Gaz coolly looked at him and replied, "They're my things."

He scowled and mocked, "Permission to be dismissed."

"Do so…and permanently," Gaz jeered back.

He quickly marched away, but not before spitting at the Irkens on the ground. Gaz sneered and turned her gaze to the three remaining guards. One stepped forward and quickly picked up the Irken. Another guard moved to do the same to the other. Gaz nodded and the third guard left after the other one. She sighed and looked at the two Irkens. They were both equal heights and very slender. Their structure could be considered slim and fragile. Gaz suddenly reached forward and pulled the first Irken's torn sleeve down. Her eyes suddenly widened and she covered his arm. She knew the reason why they were on the list and she knew the other Irken would bear the same ugly mark. It was a mark meant to mock who they were, who they no longer are. Gaz found that it appealed to her, marking a being as what it once was and what it would never be again.

"Sir, should we continue the deactivation?"

Gaz turned her gaze back to the guard and sneered again. He froze and she shook her head. It was a stupid question; repair something only to destroy it. Gaz reached out to the other Irken and pushed back his torn sleeve. The mark that had marred the perfect pastel green skin was the Irken Military symbol. The Irken military symbol was a blasphemous dark olive against the natural pastel shade. Gaz looked back to the original Irken and noted his skin was shade darker, but it didn't lesson the mark.

'They were even marked for death,' Gaz mused.

This meant so many things. This situation confused her to no end. Looking at the two Irkens, they were the worst ones to be alive. They would always be part of the original empire. Her eyebrows knitted in the center. She knew their personalities and knew there was no way they could change anything.

'Then why even bother marking them?'

She looked to the two guards and motioned for them to follow her. They didn't know who these Irkens were. They only knew that they were two marked for death that had never come. The platform easily supported them to their rise. Gaz had them carry the two back to the original Vespiary she had come from. They were laid upon a metal table. The guards turned to leave and she cleared her throat.

"These Irkens don't exist," Gaz firmly stated and watched the confusion set in. "If they did exist you'd both be dead."

The threat was clear and one guard laughed as the other raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"And without a check," the guard added through his laughter.

They both left Gaz alone and she looked at the two Irkens, one to her left, the other to her right. She would have those guards closely watched even though money seemed to keep them quiet.

'So many memories,' Gaz thought as she glared at one.

"I've come to help," Matt replied as he walked through the door with Skoodge and locked it.

His brown eyes locked onto the two Irkens and he grumbled a bit.

"Does Dib know about this?" Matt questioned as he walked over to one and pulled open his eye. It was violet shade. "Not a female."

"No," the reply was cold.

"What good is spite when the one you're trying to spite one who isn't aware of the action?" Matt questioned as he checked for a pulse.

Matt sighed when he didn't get an answer. He turned to the other one and checked the eyes. Crimson. He wondered where this would all lead.

"Just don't cause your own downfall," Matt warned.

Gaz smirked; he was loyal to her. Her eyes fell on the two.

'Almighty Tallest Red and Purple.'

They worked in silence and she knew he saw the mark. The mark had been something like a legend among most people. Humans didn't want to believe that they marked things for death, so they ignored everything. She knew the Irkens destroyed countless, yet something akin to pity dwelled within her for them.

"You know they're monsters," Matt suddenly spoke.

Skoodge glanced up at Matt and handed him an antiseptic. Matt unscrewed the cap and squeezed the gel into his hand. He tossed the bottle to Gaz who held up her hand and caught it. The tube was empty by the time she squeezed the remaining contents into her hand. Gaz began rubbing the gel into the Irken's skin.

"Monster or not, they were brilliant," Gaz mumbled.

"They destroyed forty races, enslaved thirty, and converted at least twenty-three planets," Matt reminded.

"Is it their faults that those planets were weak?" Gaz coldly questioned.

Matt raised an eyebrow and asked in fake surprise, "Are you claiming that those planets deserved their fate?"

"Survival of the fittest," Gaz sighed as she ripped the remaining shirt off.

"Hey Skoodge," Matt called. "Tell Kant to prepare the office for Eve's visit when ya' see 'em."

"You can go eat Skoodge," Gaz added.

"Thank you Sir and I'll deliver the message," Skoodge calmly said before he happily skipped away.

"Eve's coming? Eve N?" Gaz clarified once Skoodge left.

"Yeah, it's time for the yearly harassment," Matt chuckled.

"I hate dealing with the IRC," Gaz sourly mumbled as she reached around and flipped the Irken onto his front.

"You're chipping them?" Matt asked; he was surprised as he watched her.

"Got a problem?" Gaz growled.

"Actually…I do," Matt seriously said.

Why's that?" Humor laced her words.

"You already have one Irken that lives here, you don't need two more."

"Some people like cats, other like dogs, I happen to like Irkens."

Matt dryly smirked and shook his head in disbelief. He grasped a pair of scissors and quickly cut the dirty material from the Irken's body. The Irken's fingers two fingers twitched and Matt frowned.

"Seems like they might wake up," Matt mused.

He looked up and quickly grasped the small tub that was hurtling toward his face. His glared only served to amuse Gaz. Matt flipped the Irken and felt around the PAK on its back. He could hear Gaz already inserting the chip. His eyebrows furrowed as he reached into the PAK and held the chip to the main circuit board. He could literally feel the PAK taking to the chip. Matt pulled his hand back and closed the PAK.

"So…who are these two? Chip and Dale?"

Gaz glared at him as she closed her Irken's PAK.

"Lilo and Stitch?"

"I'm only going to tell you this because I trust you," Gaz calmly began.

"I'm touched," Matt teased as he sniffled and held a hand over his heart.

"Stop mocking me," Gaz sourly growled.

"No really," Matt honestly said. "It means something to me to know that you can trust me."

Gaz nodded and decided not to push the subject and continue, "These are the Tallest."

"Yeah, they are pretty tall," Matt agreed as his gaze turned to them.

"No, they're the leaders of the Irken race."

Matt scrunched up his face and asked, "Really…but they look…so…so stupid."

"I suppose they are since they got conquered," Gaz agreed.

Matt shook his head and jeered, "I guess you have fetish about control."

Gaz raised an eyebrow and shook her head. It was partially true, but she wanted to avoid the subject. Matt was grinning at her and she opened her mouth and suddenly felt the air choked out of her. Gaz wheezed and as the hand tightened around her throat. Her amber eyes followed the length of the arm and she made eye contact with crimson eyes. She moved her mouth to speak, but wheezing was her only sound. Matt's voice sounded in the room. The hand shook and she jerked back watching her attacker. He was convulsing on the table. Matt released his hold on the button upon the control and ran over to Gaz.

"Gaz!" Matt shouted as she collapsed to the ground.

He caught her and noticed that her eyes were glancing everywhere and not focusing.

"No…help," Gaz wheezed out before she fully passed out.

Matt cursed as he picked her up and placed her upon the table. He quickly crossed the room and locked the doors. Matt then turned to the Irken that had woken up first; he was unconscious again. He flipped him onto his front and opened his PAK. Matt quickly searched the PAK and found the chip. His fingers closed around it and he pressed it. It shocked his fingers and he pulled back. Closing the PAK, he glared at the Irken. The chip didn't take right away. Matt pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"Set a course of Omega System 9-2-3-1-9-8-6!"

Purple winced at the sound of Red's voice and crammed more popcorn into his mouth. He calmly chewed his snack as he watched Red float around shouting orders. Purple swallowed and turned his gaze back to the technicians. They were hurriedly typing in the coordinates. Purple stuffed more popcorn into his mouth and continued to crunch, the sound blocked Red's voice.

"We have to get moving!" Red shouted. "Get this ship moving!"

"My Tallest! The Massive isn't built for this level of speed!"

Purple swore he saw a vein twitching underneath Red's skin. Red loudly growled and floated across the dais and began to type in commands. Purple idly watched and shrugged as he continued to munch. His eyes turned back to the screen and he watched the approaching ships. Purple swallowed his remaining snack and turned around to stare at the aggravated Red.

"Hey, they're here," Purple shouted.

Red growled and his hands twitched. He pointed at Purple and shouted, "Do something!"

Purple glanced back at the screen and than to Red doubtfully. Red glared at Purple as the Irken popped a single piece into his mouth and leisurely chewed.

"Go fix…the laser thingy!" Red randomly shouted.

Purple raised an antenna and replied, "I can't fire it without power…which is what you're working to get back," Purple reminded.

Red gritted his teeth and slammed his hands against the console. The technicians pushed and got out of Red's way. He balled his hands together and floated over to Purple. His fist shook and he held it up to Purple's face.

"Do something!" Red shouted.

"Popcorn?" Purple asked.

Red screamed and slapped the bag of popcorn from Purple's hands. Purple protested and lost the remaining amount of popcorn as it flew from his protesting mouth. Purple glared at Red as he kneeled and picked up the fallen bag of popcorn. He brought the bag around and smacked Red in the face.

"What do you want me to do?" Purple shouted.

"Something!" Red shouted back.

"We're floating in space in a dead ship with a fleet after us. Irk is destroyed and so is Operation Impending Doom Two," Purple listed. "Now would you like some popcorn?"

Red's left eye twitched. Purple had managed to make sense and be calm in the same exchange. Red floated backwards and hit a control panel. He didn't know what to believe anymore.

"If you're done going psycho over our impending doom, you can have some popcorn," Purple offered.

"We're going to die and you're eating…popcorn," Red sighed.

Purple nodded and replied, "It's all about not doing stuff."

Red coved his face as the ships alarms went off. He could feel the lasers hitting the Massive and rocking the giant ship. Purple waved the popcorn bag in front of his face once more with a grin. Red grasped the bag and threw it off the dais. He quickly turned in the air and floated toward the controls.

"I'm not going to surrender!" Red shouted.

Purple shrugged and floated toward the screen. His eyes wandered pass the human ships. There was a small planet with white and blue.

'I hope they have snacks,' Purple thought as the screen went dead.

Author's Note:

First things first, Dear Kovo dezbawolfyahoo. com, I wouldn't like a piece my mind, I'm a vegetarian and don't eat meat. I didn't know that my title was the same as your title. I have never read nor heard of your "legandary fanfic of Zim called 'Cyborg Manifest Doom". So yes, it does amuse me, because I did make my own title. I thought that if someone might have had a problem with the title Cyborg Manifesto, they would have contacted me during May, when the story first came out. I did not base my title off of your "legendary fanfic of Zim called Cyborg Manifest Doom", since I have never seen nor heard of it. My title is based of the brillant work of Karl Marxs and Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto. A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. If you think I simply took Doom out of your title and added an 'O' to the end of Manifest, than I don't know what to think of you or that review. Or if you are upset that I have Cyborg as the first word than I still don't know what to think of you. Personally, I don't want to think of you and don't care to think of you, but I am interested in reading you fic since I'm always looking for "legendary fics of Zim."
Thank you and remember, spread love only if you use a glove! -smiles-

Other Note:

Thank you Invader Johnny and Wallflower-chan for being the first reviewers -hands flowers and plushies-
---Gir and Mini-Moose will appear in this fic. They are the only friends that Zim has in his sad, sad existence.
--Tallest Red and Purple, will not have the same roles as in the original. There will be no Koda in this fic.

-Thank you and please leave a review
Remember! Don't eat yellow snow...