A/N: WOOP AN UPDATE FINALLY!

Red impatiently paced around the Massive's throne room; his blood red garments sharply moving with each stride. Purple watched him nervously from his own throne; his features full of worry; Red was mumbling to himself, though, most of it illegible even for a skilled linguist. Purple was stricken with worry, Red had been getting worse since Tak left to go find Zim and the human female. At first it was just stress induced anger, then it developed into an antennae twitching rage, filled with insanity. Red had already mutilated twelve service drones, earning them a trip to the medical bays. Purple had noticed that even the slightest question could set off the red Irken. His antennae twitched in anxiety and his incoherent mumbling was getting louder. All the purple clothed Irken could make out was, 'Gaz', 'will find', and 'mine'. And it appeared that he was repeating whatever he was saying over and over again like some sort of bizarre mantra. Purple wouldn't deny it any longer, Red was frightening him and his infatuation and obsession with the human female was driving him to the bowels of insanity, and he knew it wasn't healthy. His greatest friend was turning into another Irken entirely, one more violent and cruel. My friend, where have you gone? Purple thought to himself in complete muddle.

A rapid series of beeps resounded throughout the throne room and both Red and Purple were shaken from their thoughts. Red froze in his tracks and panted like a crazed animal as another Irken entered the room. The small, stout Irken with apple green eyes with long antennae briskly, yet carefully approached the Tallests, bowing quickly.

"My Tallests," he announced with slight hesitation, fearing a similar fate to the drones, "a transmission from General Tak is coming through." Red's eyes went wide and he took deep, yet rapid breaths. His lips curled into a large, crazed smile as his green hands flew out to the inferior Irken grabbing the Irken's shoulders and shaking him violently.

"What are you waiting for then? Huh? Put. The. Transmission. Through!" he madly foamed, digging his claws into the Irken's skin, causing the small Irken to cry out in pain. Purple stood from his throne in panic and quickly approached his demented red friend, putting a three fingered hand on his right shoulder; only, to his surprise, have it pugnaciously shoved away, making the purple clad Irken lose his footing a bit. When Purple looked at his friend, he saw his eyes were glowing a horrible and dark crimson, his eyes were filled with deranged anger and his frightening appearance caused Purple to take a step back in fear. Red saw that flash of fear and realized what he had done. The crazed look didn't leave, but he released the small Irken from his terrifying grasp. The Irken quickly left. Both Tallests were silent as Purple's growing fear was becoming more apparent the longer that mad look stared at him. A few more beeps were heard and a maroon screen descended from the ceiling, eventually coming to a halt. The screen flashed a few times before an image of a smiling Tak filled the screen. Red smiled widely at the dark purple-eyed Irken on the screen. He had to suppress his urge to rapidly breathe in excitement. He found her. He found her! "What is it that you wish to report Tak?" he asked with a crazed giggle.

*0*

Tak had sat in her leading seat in the control room, looking at her transmission screen. Tak had been excited to speak again with Tallest Red, she knew that he would be impressed and pleased with her report and she couldn't wait to give it, yet when she saw her Tallest, the smile that had once been on her face disappeared and was replaced with a stone-cold, dispassionate expression. She looked him over; his tattered appearance put her off. His antennae were twitching in anticipation and his smile was incredibly menacing. His crimson clothing was disheveled and it appeared that he hadn't been keeping his hygiene up. He looked like a caged animal looking at a piece of meat, but it wasn't his exterior that put her off; it was his eyes. She observed the unusual glow of madness in them; the crimson color was filled with crazed anticipation. They held such an insane malevolence to them that she physically shuddered. He looked, in a plain word, insane. This wasn't the Red that she was expecting.

"Greetings my Tallests…" she attempted to say normally, yet a slight hint of nervousness had sneaked out, "I am pleased to report that we have succeeded in capturing the human female and the traitorous Zim." She saw Red nod slowly.

"And their associates?" he asked, his smile now fading, his crazed look now becoming void of any emotion.

"They have been left to the mercy of the Irkens inhabiting Vort." She explained calmly, "And we are now en-route to the Massive." Tak was skilled at hiding her emotions, but when she saw the rapid change in Red's expression, she felt that she might have been noticed, and for the first time in her life she experienced a new, strange emotion: fear. Red nodded slowly again.

"Good," he said dispassionately, "Be sure you get here in a timely fashion, I've grown lonely since my mate has left me…" there was a long pause filled with awkward silence, and Tak could tell that there was tension in the air; her squiddly spooch sped up, and she reached for the end transmission switch.

"What do you think of me, Tak?" Red suddenly queried in the same monotone-like voice. Tak froze, her eyes still glued to the switch. She felt her squiddly spooch pump faster, yet unlike other times, this time it was out of fear. A while ago she could have said that he was the greatest Tallest who ever lived, that he was unmatched against any other Irken, that he captivated her and that she longed for his approval…that she even…yet now as she stared at the switch, one of her gloved finger frozen on it, she just couldn't get the words out, because she was afraid. Because now she began to do what an Irken should never do: to doubt a Tallest. "Tak?" Red reinforced, bringing her out of her trance, an inaudible gasp escaping her lips. She looked back to the screen of her Tallest, his features low with no trace of emotion. She could practically hear her squiddly spooch beat violently in her ears, and she took a moment to steady her sudden uneven breathing.

"You are a magnificent Tallest, one the Empire hasn't seen in a long time, it is a great honor to be in your service." She said in a slight bow. She looked back up to her Tallest on the screen; his head now slightly leaned to the left. He slowly blinked and then silently cleared his throat.

"I suppose then I shall see you when you return to the Massive," he replied impassively, "good work…End transmission." With that Tak quickly flicked the switch, and those crimson eyes finally disappeared. She finally released a breath that she didn't know she was holding and panted softly, those insane eyes still haunting her. She felt pathetic for giving in to such a useless emotion, but she couldn't stop the fear that was growing with every second. Red had been a completely different Irken, and this new frightening one was disturbed. She didn't know why, but she couldn't get rid of the fear, nor could she try to imagine the old Red whom she completely adored. Because she didn't adore him anymore, she didn't even know him anymore…

*0*

At first Red was completely excited to hear from Tak, but that crazed excitement was replaced easily when he detected her nervousness. She tried to hide it, but no being in the universe can hide the fear in their eyes, and Red knew Tak was afraid. The Irken whom he knew was in love with him now feared him. He had seen it in Purple too, they both feared him. It was the same with the drones as well! The fear they held in their eyes angered him. He knew what they were thinking! They think that Red is losing it! That this obsession with retrieving what is his is making him insane! Well, they don't know a damn thing! He was starting to lose the trust of the most useful Irkens around him and he knew that they would never be able to trust him again…

I won't need them, he thought to himself as he went to his royal bedroom, once I have my Gaz, I will dispose of them all…

A/N: Hmm, things are getting interesting, no? Oh my glob, Tak is having second thoughts, what is gonna happen?