Only Half A Light Year

She had been in the middle of a recharge when her eyes popped in a static jolt to the alarm resonating within the vehicle. Shaking her head, her pak disconnected roughly from it's station, eyes darting about in a frantic stir, "Computer! A diagnostic! Identify the problem!"

The cruiser spat static, and the entire voot jerked forward, throwing Tenn from her seating onto the control board. Grunting, the young Irken brushed herself off, surveying the surrounding space about her. There seemed to be a moon of sorts in orbit, bright and reflective of the sun blazing across. Running a hand along her head, Tenn knit her forehead, calculating her travel. This...this didn't seem right.

"Computer! How long have we been traveling?"

"...H-Half a light year from furthest known c-...c-coordinates."

Smacking her fist against the board, the Invader arched an eye, antennae twitching as the static crackled and popped, dispersing. "Only half...?" the Irken muttered in thought, scratching along her chin, "Why have we stopped?"

"The fuel levels have dwindled, Mistress. Exact travel time only allows for an hour of continued acceleration. Beyond that, and the Voot will automatically fall into stasis. Shall I search for a refueling reservoir?"

Curling a knee in, Tenn stretching her back, tilting her head toward the back of the ship. "Are there no reserve fuel tanks?"

"I took the liberty of utilizing them while you were in stasis, Milady."

Nodding lightly, Tenn tucked an arm over her knee, pressing between her eyes, "Yes, yes...how long was I in stasis?

"Your history feed suggests stasis since our last checkpoint."

Hand dropping from her face, the young Irken's eyes darted in thought. Drifting toward the computer's data screen, she tapped the surface, squinting as she searched for the last noted checkpoint and tapped the marker on the digital map, searching for their current coordinates. Without much discovery on this end of the galaxy, the numbers were correct, but the planets and moon markers were a bit dodgy. This was fine. She had no interest in what these planets had to offer, anyway, but the numbers in her head did not lie. She had been charging for about three months. Her gut tightened in hunger as her organs began to wake from their life support, reminding her that she was not entirely cybernetic, nor ever would be. She required some decent snacks.

Well, okay then. Perhaps these surrounding planets may have something to offer. Maybe.

Adjusting her seating, Tenn licked her lips as she chewed along the bottom one. She would only last so long without some edible eats. "Scan for lifeforms. Perhaps the creatures out here are naïve of the Armada's existence..."

"If I should be so lucky..."she quietly thought, eyes skimming the few surrounding planets.

"Irken technology detected."

Her eyes popped in sheer stupor, jaw hanging slack for a brief moment.

"Wh-What? How can that be? How is that even possible? These aren't even marked coordinates on the Irken map! Who would The Tallest send all the wa-" She leaned forward, mercilessly typing at the screen and searching the database for all possible Invaders in the nearby area. She skimmed, skimmed, and skimmed some more.

No one.

Not even close.

Not one Invader had been assigned so far from Irk.

Who was this fool hidden away in the very nook of the universe? Surely The Tallest were aware of...

Her forehead knit. Perhaps not. Perhaps this...stowaway...was also seeking refuge. She could only guess their reasons. The Irken race was big enough to get lost in. But she couldn't imagine the Control Brains forgetting a single pak. It all came down to data at that point, and as Super Computers...memory was kind of their thing. Unless...

Her head tilted, peering out at the strange mass of blue and green, the white of it's atmosphere swirling about in slow motion. It seemed a peaceful planet, but what did she know? Irk looked rather beautiful from space with all it's glowing lights and power generators.

She sat in silence, pondering her options. Was this Irken a threat to her? Was this their sanctuary as well? Was this ghastly displacement their punishment?

"Computer...search for the nearest Invader within the five closest planets."

"Search results: one."

"Identify."

"Invader Tenn."

The slight anxiety that had burrowed into her gut deflated for a moment, only confused. "And there's Irken technology around here?"

"Yes."

"Locate."

The bright planet she had previously gazed at popped on screen in full glow, the title beneath dictating, EARTH.

"Eeurrrth...?" she mumbled, squinting an eye.

"Earth." the program corrected promptly.

"What records are there of this planet?"

"Next to nothing, Mistress."

Optics shifting to her control panel, Tenn tapped her finger against it in thought, "And yet, an Irken has found their way here...and you're positive I'm the only recorded Invader in the area?"

"Positive."

Her jaw pouted as her options juggled.

"Shall I hail them, Mistress? Fuel levels dangerously low. Fifteen minutes at best."

Her teeth clenched as she glanced between the screen and the shield, generated image verses the real thing. Fifteen minutes of travel wouldn't get her very far. And without food or fuel...she would wither and die of her own accord. Clamping her hands to her head, the Irken groaned knowing her options had dwindled down to one choice, and it wasn't much of a choice to begin with. She hadn't come this far to expire. Pressing along a temple, she sighed and dusted herself off, "...Locate the Irken signal."

The screen dropped the image of Earth, now replaced with a static sound wave, a flash of green darting across the screen until an image of Earthly dormitories filled every corner, odd looking creatures walking about and enjoying their day. Her eyes skimmed the Earth beings, observing their general look until the focus of the screen zoomed in on an odd looking version of the domiciles and locked.

"Signal located. Hail?"

Scratching her chin, the Irken spied the home, debating the potential of a base or not. Her eyes darted to the fuel levels...

"...Hail."

The location disappeared, the insignia of the Irken Empire hovering directly center before a giant couch filled the screen, an odd looking beast framed as decoration staring back at her. Her face contorted into confusion, leaning close to identify such a horrid creature-

"HI!"

Flying back into her seat, the young Invader clutched her chest as she wheezed, her widened eyes hardening at the eager SIR Unit grinning back at her.

"Master! How'd you get in the TV?" the bot questioned curiously, his hands scoping about as if trying to free the image he was witnessing. "Can I come, too?" Brushing her hand stiffly against her uniform, the Irken adjusted her seating, noting how the droid's focal lenses were a bright cyan instead of their automated red...

A SIR Unit.

There WAS another Invader.

Her eyes glared up at the roof of the Voot as if to peer into the very circuits of the computer that had misled her-

"What are you talking abo-Who are you talking to?"

A shrill answered voice ripped through her antennae, forcing an instant wince and near tearing of her eye. Not even Vortian tampered sound waves were so brittle against the sensors.

The bot on screen only grinned as he looked to his left, giggling to himself until he was shoved from view, his body reverberating as he slammed across the floor, "M-My Tallest! Forgive me, I had no idea you were planning on contacting me to-..."

A small Irken occupied the screen, his panicked tone falling into flat silence as he stared at the caller, obviously disappointed, and barely curious. His eye perked as his antennae flattened, finger lifting in lazy point, "You're not The Tallest. What is this?" he suddenly snapped, teeth gritting in defense.

She, however, remained speechless.

Zim? That's who was on this rock? The one Invader who not only invaded, but destroyed everything he touched? How was this planet still in one piece? She was better off floating off into oblivion. But it was too late now. He knew of her existence. And of her coordinates, if he had cared to glance at those during the call, but he was too busy scrutinizing her through the screen, jaw protruding in irritation. Knowing his history, it hardly took much to set off the little devastator. Eyes darting in quick thought, she righted herself, hands tucking behind her, "Invader Tenn, requesting a docking station by order of The Tallest."

The small Invader's eyes popped, leaning close into the screen as if that would clarify anything for him, "Invader Tenn? I thought you were on Meekrob...?"

"I thought you was on the TV!"

Zim's eyes flattened as he glanced off the screen, but his curiosity had heightened over the span of the call. Glancing at her fuel levels once more, Tenn grew panicked, but remained outwardly calm, fingers tapping along her arm behind her in impatience.

"Why would The Tallest-"

"I'll explain everything once docked. My fuel levels are running low and I'd rather not be towed. I'll be there shortly. I expect snacks." she added sharply, and ended the call before he could question anything. She had exactly six minutes to hone in and land while the invisibility layer could still manage.

She also had six minutes to conceive the greatest lie ever told in her entire life.

Author's Note: I normally don't update so quickly, but I feel like this and the previous chapter go a bit hand in hand as an opener for the actual story. So...here you go.