Chapter 2 – Too Tired To Sleep
When Zim finally did clear his thoughts enough to get to sleep, it didn't last long. After only an hour he had the odd sensation that someone was watching him and his eyes snapped open. Zia was standing over him.
"Zia?" he said, "Why are you awake?"
Zia shook her head, "I had to make sure I hadn't dreamed it all," she said, "It really is you…after all these years."
Zim just stared at her, not quite knowing what to say. For the first time since she'd landed, he got to take a good look at her. She'd matured very nicely. "It's been so long," he said at last, "What happened to you after we left the Nursery."
"You mean after we were separated?" Zia said, "Well, I started my training…there really isn't much to tell about that, besides, it's classified information anyway…I graduated with Honors…received my APU…and began my work." She sighed and sat down on the floor next to his sleep couch. "Where is my APU anyway?" she asked, "Was he damaged beyond repair?"
"No," Zim said, waving his hand at her, "Your bodyguard should be fully functional by tomorrow evening."
Zia nodded, "Well, that's good. And what about my Cruiser? How badly is it damaged?"
Zim gulped, not sure how to relay the bad news. "Your Cruiser is…well…past all hope of space travel ever again," he said, "What, exactly, happened out there in the asteroid belt?"
"I told you, I don't remember much," she said, "The most damage must have come from a single asteroid that hit us after I'd made the mistake of thinking we were safe. It must have just about ripped the ship in two."
"Well, that would explain why we only have half of it here," Zim muttered, "Without a few very expensive replacement parts from Irk, I'd have to say your Cruiser is doomed to stay on this planet."
Zia frowned. "It'd probably be cheaper to buy a new one, huh?"
"Umm…" Zim thought for a moment, "Not cheaper per say…but about the same price. Now if only we knew if the other half had crashed somewhere else…"
* * *
Meanwhile, a few blocks over, an ecstatic Dib was dragging the pieces of the Cruiser's top half into his garage.
* * *
Zim stood up. "Well, we might as well contact the Tallest, to let them know that you haven't gone AWOL."
Zia nodded, and followed him down to the central lab again. GIR was still at work repairing APU, so neither of them bothered him. To be honest, Zim was amazed that GIR was as dedicated to this task as he seemed to be. He was probably doing something wrong, but they didn't have time to worry about it now. He pressed a large button on the console and the computer screen flickered to life.
The static ended a few seconds later, but there were no Tallests waiting at the end of the line. "Hey!!" Zim yelled, "Hey! Hey! Hey! Anyone there?? Hey! Hey! Hey! Hello?? My Tallest!! Where are you?? Hey! Hey!"
Behind Zim, Zia sweat-dropped like an anime character.
There was a moan and a muffled curse from off screen and Purple walked into view, rubbing his eyes, dressed in his pajamas. "What is it, Zim?" he asked, "And why couldn't it wait another six hours?"
Zim looked at Purple for a moment before asking, "Where you asleep?"
Purple gave him a funny look. "Yeah."
"Most sincere apologies, my Tallest," Zim said, "but I have urgent news to report!"
"Well, get on with it," Purple said.
"Of course," Zim nodded, and then gestured behind him, "As you can see, Diplomat Zia is now present here on Earth." As he said it, Zia stepped into view of the camera.
Purple looked at them both, blinked once or twice, and then walked off screen. His conversation off screen with Red could be heard through the phone.
"Hey Red," Purple said sleepily, "Zim says he found a diplomat…or something…"
"What the *f* is he babbling about now?" Red muttered, then called out, "Go to sleep, Purple."
"No…Zim…he's here," Purple persisted.
"What…? Why is Zim calling us at…ONE-THIRTY IN THE MORNING?!?!?!?"
After a lot of shuffling and several rather loud curses, Red came stomping on screen, dressed only in a T-shirt and boxers, with Purple behind him. There was practically steam coming out of the sides of his head, he looked so ticked-off. "Zim…" he growled, "This had better be – Zia?" he said, noticing her, his anger being replaced with confusion.
"See?" Purple said, "I told you. Weren't we looking for her?"
"I think so…" Red said, "Lemme check." He reached off screen and grabbed a data pad. "Yeah…yeah, we were…" he said, "What are you doing on Earth?"
"My ship crashed, sirs," Zia said, "If Zim hadn't found me…Well, I might not be here." She smiled at him, and Zim felt himself blush again.
"Oh that's nice," Purple said, looking like he meant it, "I'm going back to bed. You can handle this right, Red?" Without waiting for an answer, Purple walked off screen.
"Hey, no wait! Don't leave me here with this-" Red said, starting to follow after him. Frustrated, he stopped and turned to Zim, "Look Zim – call back at a less ungodly hour, ok? This is important, but not important enough to cut into my beauty sleep." With that, Red waked off screen. Seconds later he poked his head back on screen. "Just so you know, we sleep in different beds. I don't you getting any sick ideas." Then he ducked back off screen again and the transmission ended.
Zim and Zia blinked at the screen, then at each other.
"What sick ideas?" Zim asked.
Zia rolled her eyes, "Maybe it's better if you didn't know," she said, "And why they think we would even THINK that amazes me. They must be really self-conscious."
"Speaking of which," Zim said, "I think I just got the perfect form of blackmail – if I ever happen to need it." He smirked.
"You mean you taped that?" Zia asked.
"Every one of my transmissions is stored on the computers hard drive," he said, "I'll think I'll make a back-up copy of this one just in case." He pressed a small button on the console and it blinked.
Zia grinned, "You're evil, you know that?"
"Evil in the best possible sense of the word," Zim said, "Now come on. Let's get something to eat." The floor under them lifted them up through the ceiling and they emerged in the kitchen.
Zia glanced around. "Ugly, isn't it?" she said.
"Yes, well…you'll find most things on this planet are filthy that way," Zim said. He strode over to the refrigerator, and swung the door open, revealing a huge walk-in icebox. He stepped inside, and Zia followed quickly after. "This holds some of the most wonderful delicacies of the universe," Zim said, spreading his arms wide, gesturing to all the food, "You have whatever you like."
Zia walked up and down a few aisles of food and stopped in front of a tiny section with a flickering neon sign that read "Earth" over it. She chose a pint of cookie-dough ice cream and declared, "All right, I've picked." Then she left the ice box.
"What?" Zim exclaimed, hurrying after her, "Why would you choose that? Out of all the things you could have – you pick the Earth filth! Why??"
Zia seated herself at the kitchen table, a large spoon in hand and began eating the ice cream. "Mmm…this junk is delicious!" she said between bites, "It's gotta be what, 99% sugar!"
"Yes," Zim said, sitting down across the table, "The Earth monsters' junk food is probably the most worthwhile thing on the whole planet. I suppose the amount of sucrose they consume is the reason they're all so excitable."
"The Earthlings sure sound strange," Zia noted, "I'd like to see some of them."
"The time will come for that," Zim said, "I suppose I could take you to school with me tomorrow…that is, if you're feeling up to it." He cocked his head, concerned.
"Well, my head still hurts, but I think that's a good idea," Zia said, finishing her ice-cream and licking the bottom of the pint. She stopped and looked up, "Did you school? Isn't that for children?"
Zim put his chin in his hands. "Unfortunately, our height is equal to that of an Earthling child," he said, "We have no choice but to blend in with the filthy worm babies."
"Well that sucks," Zia said, setting the ice cream container down on the table.
"Don't I know it," Zim said, "But you really should be getting some more sleep. Your injuries will never heal if you keep up all this activity."
"Oh Zim," Zia smiled, "I couldn't possibly go to sleep now." And in seconds, she was sound asleep, resting her head in her arms.
Zim shook his head. "I knew that ice cream was trouble." Then seconds later, he was also asleep, leaning back on his chair and drooling slightly.
When Zim finally did clear his thoughts enough to get to sleep, it didn't last long. After only an hour he had the odd sensation that someone was watching him and his eyes snapped open. Zia was standing over him.
"Zia?" he said, "Why are you awake?"
Zia shook her head, "I had to make sure I hadn't dreamed it all," she said, "It really is you…after all these years."
Zim just stared at her, not quite knowing what to say. For the first time since she'd landed, he got to take a good look at her. She'd matured very nicely. "It's been so long," he said at last, "What happened to you after we left the Nursery."
"You mean after we were separated?" Zia said, "Well, I started my training…there really isn't much to tell about that, besides, it's classified information anyway…I graduated with Honors…received my APU…and began my work." She sighed and sat down on the floor next to his sleep couch. "Where is my APU anyway?" she asked, "Was he damaged beyond repair?"
"No," Zim said, waving his hand at her, "Your bodyguard should be fully functional by tomorrow evening."
Zia nodded, "Well, that's good. And what about my Cruiser? How badly is it damaged?"
Zim gulped, not sure how to relay the bad news. "Your Cruiser is…well…past all hope of space travel ever again," he said, "What, exactly, happened out there in the asteroid belt?"
"I told you, I don't remember much," she said, "The most damage must have come from a single asteroid that hit us after I'd made the mistake of thinking we were safe. It must have just about ripped the ship in two."
"Well, that would explain why we only have half of it here," Zim muttered, "Without a few very expensive replacement parts from Irk, I'd have to say your Cruiser is doomed to stay on this planet."
Zia frowned. "It'd probably be cheaper to buy a new one, huh?"
"Umm…" Zim thought for a moment, "Not cheaper per say…but about the same price. Now if only we knew if the other half had crashed somewhere else…"
* * *
Meanwhile, a few blocks over, an ecstatic Dib was dragging the pieces of the Cruiser's top half into his garage.
* * *
Zim stood up. "Well, we might as well contact the Tallest, to let them know that you haven't gone AWOL."
Zia nodded, and followed him down to the central lab again. GIR was still at work repairing APU, so neither of them bothered him. To be honest, Zim was amazed that GIR was as dedicated to this task as he seemed to be. He was probably doing something wrong, but they didn't have time to worry about it now. He pressed a large button on the console and the computer screen flickered to life.
The static ended a few seconds later, but there were no Tallests waiting at the end of the line. "Hey!!" Zim yelled, "Hey! Hey! Hey! Anyone there?? Hey! Hey! Hey! Hello?? My Tallest!! Where are you?? Hey! Hey!"
Behind Zim, Zia sweat-dropped like an anime character.
There was a moan and a muffled curse from off screen and Purple walked into view, rubbing his eyes, dressed in his pajamas. "What is it, Zim?" he asked, "And why couldn't it wait another six hours?"
Zim looked at Purple for a moment before asking, "Where you asleep?"
Purple gave him a funny look. "Yeah."
"Most sincere apologies, my Tallest," Zim said, "but I have urgent news to report!"
"Well, get on with it," Purple said.
"Of course," Zim nodded, and then gestured behind him, "As you can see, Diplomat Zia is now present here on Earth." As he said it, Zia stepped into view of the camera.
Purple looked at them both, blinked once or twice, and then walked off screen. His conversation off screen with Red could be heard through the phone.
"Hey Red," Purple said sleepily, "Zim says he found a diplomat…or something…"
"What the *f* is he babbling about now?" Red muttered, then called out, "Go to sleep, Purple."
"No…Zim…he's here," Purple persisted.
"What…? Why is Zim calling us at…ONE-THIRTY IN THE MORNING?!?!?!?"
After a lot of shuffling and several rather loud curses, Red came stomping on screen, dressed only in a T-shirt and boxers, with Purple behind him. There was practically steam coming out of the sides of his head, he looked so ticked-off. "Zim…" he growled, "This had better be – Zia?" he said, noticing her, his anger being replaced with confusion.
"See?" Purple said, "I told you. Weren't we looking for her?"
"I think so…" Red said, "Lemme check." He reached off screen and grabbed a data pad. "Yeah…yeah, we were…" he said, "What are you doing on Earth?"
"My ship crashed, sirs," Zia said, "If Zim hadn't found me…Well, I might not be here." She smiled at him, and Zim felt himself blush again.
"Oh that's nice," Purple said, looking like he meant it, "I'm going back to bed. You can handle this right, Red?" Without waiting for an answer, Purple walked off screen.
"Hey, no wait! Don't leave me here with this-" Red said, starting to follow after him. Frustrated, he stopped and turned to Zim, "Look Zim – call back at a less ungodly hour, ok? This is important, but not important enough to cut into my beauty sleep." With that, Red waked off screen. Seconds later he poked his head back on screen. "Just so you know, we sleep in different beds. I don't you getting any sick ideas." Then he ducked back off screen again and the transmission ended.
Zim and Zia blinked at the screen, then at each other.
"What sick ideas?" Zim asked.
Zia rolled her eyes, "Maybe it's better if you didn't know," she said, "And why they think we would even THINK that amazes me. They must be really self-conscious."
"Speaking of which," Zim said, "I think I just got the perfect form of blackmail – if I ever happen to need it." He smirked.
"You mean you taped that?" Zia asked.
"Every one of my transmissions is stored on the computers hard drive," he said, "I'll think I'll make a back-up copy of this one just in case." He pressed a small button on the console and it blinked.
Zia grinned, "You're evil, you know that?"
"Evil in the best possible sense of the word," Zim said, "Now come on. Let's get something to eat." The floor under them lifted them up through the ceiling and they emerged in the kitchen.
Zia glanced around. "Ugly, isn't it?" she said.
"Yes, well…you'll find most things on this planet are filthy that way," Zim said. He strode over to the refrigerator, and swung the door open, revealing a huge walk-in icebox. He stepped inside, and Zia followed quickly after. "This holds some of the most wonderful delicacies of the universe," Zim said, spreading his arms wide, gesturing to all the food, "You have whatever you like."
Zia walked up and down a few aisles of food and stopped in front of a tiny section with a flickering neon sign that read "Earth" over it. She chose a pint of cookie-dough ice cream and declared, "All right, I've picked." Then she left the ice box.
"What?" Zim exclaimed, hurrying after her, "Why would you choose that? Out of all the things you could have – you pick the Earth filth! Why??"
Zia seated herself at the kitchen table, a large spoon in hand and began eating the ice cream. "Mmm…this junk is delicious!" she said between bites, "It's gotta be what, 99% sugar!"
"Yes," Zim said, sitting down across the table, "The Earth monsters' junk food is probably the most worthwhile thing on the whole planet. I suppose the amount of sucrose they consume is the reason they're all so excitable."
"The Earthlings sure sound strange," Zia noted, "I'd like to see some of them."
"The time will come for that," Zim said, "I suppose I could take you to school with me tomorrow…that is, if you're feeling up to it." He cocked his head, concerned.
"Well, my head still hurts, but I think that's a good idea," Zia said, finishing her ice-cream and licking the bottom of the pint. She stopped and looked up, "Did you school? Isn't that for children?"
Zim put his chin in his hands. "Unfortunately, our height is equal to that of an Earthling child," he said, "We have no choice but to blend in with the filthy worm babies."
"Well that sucks," Zia said, setting the ice cream container down on the table.
"Don't I know it," Zim said, "But you really should be getting some more sleep. Your injuries will never heal if you keep up all this activity."
"Oh Zim," Zia smiled, "I couldn't possibly go to sleep now." And in seconds, she was sound asleep, resting her head in her arms.
Zim shook his head. "I knew that ice cream was trouble." Then seconds later, he was also asleep, leaning back on his chair and drooling slightly.