Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Invader Zim.

Chapter 7



In space there is of course no day or night, but designated hours for sleeping are usually kept on a craft. Jania's ship, the I.S.C. Query, was fairly large, and she had three different rooms that could be used as bedrooms. Jania and Tak shared a room while Dib and Gaz stayed in the one right beside them. Tak had insisted that Zim stay in the room at the far end of the ship with Gir, which worked out fine because he didn't want to sleep next to the filthy pig-humans.

Tak stretched out comfortably, sure that Mimi was more than able to pilot the ship. She sat in a corner and performed some basic maintenance on her hologram chip. Everything was quiet, as things tended to be when Jania was in the room. A cancerous hush seemed to follow her, which must be why she always seemed so mysterious. Tak looked up at Jania's Irken form, sitting and staring off into nowhere, obviously lost in thought. Of course Tak wasn't foolish enough to actually think there was a supernatural hush that followed her companion. It was just that she moved with such silent fluidity. Also, she had the habit of leaving things out when she spoke – keeping secrets. Tak understood. Although she didn't know what Jania's mission had originally been, she knew its conclusion and realized that whatever this mysterious person had to do, it must have required stealth and secrecy. Hence the behavioral quirks.

She stared at her companion and realized she was bored. She'd been occupied with thoughts of gaining the mission that was rightfully hers for all those years…but now she had to put that plan on the backburner while she did something more important. Yet, while they were sitting, waiting for the Query to reach the Massive, it became strikingly apparent that she had nothing to do. She decided to interrupt Jania's reverie. "Why of all places did you choose to stay in Dib's house? Why didn't you just wait for me to set up my base?"

Jania laid en her bed with her arms behind her head. "I…" she thought for a moment. "I'm sorry, I'm still not used to telling people about my plans. You never know where those Karmites will show up, sneaky little bastards." She smiled. "It's good to have a friend to talk to."

Tak raised an eyebrow. She never realized heard Jania refer to her as a friend, and she'd only described her as a friend to Dib because Jania had helped her so much before. However, when she considered it, the two had only met a couple of times.

"I remember you telling me about how much smarter Dib was than the other humans," continued Jania. "I figured that it was best that I keep a close eye on him. I figured that if he realized there were more aliens that he'd just get involved and possibly cause problems." She laughed quietly to herself. "Just goes to show how stupid that plan was… he not only figured out who I was, but is now tagging along on my ship with his sister!" She smiled, but a flash of annoyance gleamed in her eyes. "I wish I hadn't of done that…I didn't intend to get them into danger."

Tak shrugged. "There was no way you could have predicted that boy's capabilities. I underestimated him myself. I never imagined he'd turn off my magma pump."

Jania's smile widened. "Besides, I wanted to meet this human that you seem to admire so much…" She turned her head slightly and winked.

Tak bristled. "Don't start up with that again! I don't see how you come up with these ideas of yours – must be too much time alone in space. I am an Irken Invader…or I should have been! I will be!" She clenched her jaw and fumed at her situation. "I don't have time for your games! Neither do you!"

Jania stared up at the ceiling and mused. "I wonder what he thinks of you…I know he respects you a lot. He was telling me about that whole adventure…" She was suddenly hit with Tak's hologram chip.

"Stop being ridiculous. Dib isn't only a filthy, stinking human, but he's a mere child! What kind of sick person do you think I am?"

"You know, I bet he's going to be really tall, like his father."

Dib turned when he heard a thump and Jania's playful giggle in the room next door. He'd been glued to the window, watching the stars slowly pass by. He knew he was moving at speeds no human had ever reached, but he felt as if he were still standing on Earth. It had been his wildest dream to go up into space, and here he was. He closed his eyes and reenacted the thrill he felt as he saw his home planet speed away until it became a mere speck in the vastness of space. He was so excited. He was not only hurtling through space in a fascinating alien vessel, but he was going to see the Massive and the Irken Armada and be involved in an intergalactic plot. He felt more happy and exhilarated then he ever had in his life. He wondered how Gaz felt about the ordeal… ever since takeoff she'd just been pounding away at her Game Slave. "Gaz! Don't you want to see this?" He motioned towards the window. She just grunted. "Come on, Gaz! What can compare with the glories of outer space?"

"You're voice is annoying me!"

Dib sighed. "How do you feel about going off on a dangerous mission in the far reaches of space to save a couple of alien leaders? We're going to help fend off a dangerous menace in the galaxy!" His sister shrugged. Dib eyed her. "Don't tell me you're still being freaked by Jania! Sure, she's not telling us much, but it's not like she's trying to conquer the Earth like Zim. She's doing good, I just know it!"

Gaz turned away from him and said reluctantly, "I guess she's okay. I suppose coming out here isn't too bad." A very slight grin flitted across her face. "We're missing school."

Dib smiled. "Yeah, no more Ms. Bitters! I wonder if they'll hold us back…"

Gaz lifted a fist. "If they do…they will pay…"

Dib backed away from his scary sister and turned back to the window. He wondered how many planets they were passing by, how many civilizations were out there.

On the other side of the craft Zim sat on his bed, head tilted back and drooling as Gir happily sang. "Doom doom doom doomy doomy doom doom doom doom doomy doom doomy doomy doomy doom doom doomy doom doomy doomy doomy doom doom doom doom doom doomy doomy doom…"