"Talking"
'Thinking'
StressedIt had been thousand yesterdays since he had been promised to be left alone. Dok had dragged him out of his room and to the snacking area. He didn't wish to socialize with the other Irkens. They wouldn't even approach him. Zig knew that it was because of Dok or his status. Zig glared at passing Irkens and they quickly bowed and ran off. The corners of his lips turned up in a smile before he turned back to Dok. The scientist was scowling at Dez.
"You've been failing at your job," Dok coldly said with a small scowl.
Zig raised an antenna at this. He looked to Dez and saw that his Sangria eyes were dangerously narrowed. Dez was dedicated to his job and hated to be insulted. Zig had learned that the first day Dez was assigned as a royal guard.
"It is hard to guard a Tallest when they are a placed as a…primary target," Dez gritted out with a smirk.
'Primary Target?' Zig thought.
"Nonsense," Dok growled, "You're just a weak guard."
"Then why am I top in all my ranks?" Dez challenged.
Zig watched at Dok's goggles narrowed. He always moved his head a certain way to make the light reflect off the black lenses when he was angry or amused. Zig watched him calmly, but shakily set his soft drink on the table. He could hear the can groaning under the pressure in his hand. Zig set his own drink down and looked from Dok to Dez. He didn't like the silence or unspoken anger.
"I will not be undermined," Dok dangerously warned.
Dez smirked and chuckled before he leaned back in his seat. He hated Dok, hated that he put a mere smeet as a target. Dez considered it cowardly to do such things. He found that showed the Irken blood weakening. Dez leaned forward and his Sangria eyes almost turned black in the light. He crossed his hands on top of the table and glared at Dok.
"You can't be undermined because you are not a Tallest," Dez sharply reminded. Zig frowned hating to be dragged into this. "I can only undermine those above me in rank."
"Watch you tongue else I'll send you back to whatever hole Mun got you from!" Dok snarled.
"If you think I'm so…weak," Dez began. "Give me another guard to work with…or do you have something else in mind?"
Dez and Zig could see the twitch at the corner of Dok's mouth. They knew that his antennae would be flattened in anger if he had any. His hands began to scrape into the metal of the table. He wasn't relaxing. The Irkens in the bay were carefully watching him. They didn't know what was happening, but they did know that it wasn't good. An angry Dok meant bad things, things that they knew their future Tallest had an idea of. Dez quickly stood up and grabbed the back of Zig's chair. He tilted the chair back and spun it and Zig behind himself. Dok stood up and Dez already had the gun drawn and ready to shoot. He wouldn't hesitate if Dok so much as twitched.
Zig was staring at the other Irkens in the bay and shrugged. He twisted around in his seat and turned to see that Dez already had his gun out. Dok was grinning as he leaned over the table. Zig held his breath hoping that if anything, Dez would come out the winner. Dok had raised and taught him, but he had listened to Dez. Dez seemed more practical than Dok. Zig couldn't understand how Dok could hate PAKless Irkens and yet, still raise him. It didn't make sense.
"Fine," Dok whispered. "I'll give you another Irken."
"Who?" Dez questioned, he didn't like this.
"I'll give you Zorya," Dok smugly answered.
Zig's eyebrow ridges lowered in confusion as Dez softly cursed. Dok just grinned and softly chuckled as he stood back up. He cracked his fingers and looked over Dez and at the other Irkens. His look turned to a glare and the other Irkens scuttled away.
"Zorya…I can't work with it," Dez growled.
"Why not?" Dok questioned already knowing the answer.
"You know perfectlywell why…don't make me say why!" Dez growled.
Dok picked the dirt from under a claw as he replied, "I can't seem to remember why."
"What's wrong with Zorya?" Zig questioned as both Irkens turned to him.
"Zorya is his-" Dez pointed at Dok "attempt at creating a better Irken!"
"But it is a better Irken," Dok sighed.
"It's completely insane," Dez argued.
Zig raised an antenna at this. He had heard of Dok's experiments, but he had never been allowed within the labs. There had been rumors upon Irk about the labs, but most rumors died within a few days. His eyes lowered and squinted and he tried to remember the name of the Irken the mentioned. The name didn't seem familiar, but it disturbed him. There was an air to he name that chilled him.
"Zorya is the best," Dok sighed.
"Who's Zorya?" Zig asked again, this time with annoyance. He didn't like being ignored.
"You should tell him…it's your creation," Dez spat, clearly upset.
"I have other things to attend to with Zig…but you may meet Zorya in the Box of Doom," Dok replied.
"Box of Doom?" Zig questioned as he stood.
"It's where unstable Irkens are held when a trial can't be scheduled," Dez calmly spoke.
"Very good…let's go Zig," Dok sighed as he turned to walk away.
"Where are we going?" Zig questioned.
"I can't guard him if you whisk him away," Dez reminded.
Dok waved his hand in the air and bit his lower lip as he rolled his eyes. Zig walked into both of their sights. He didn't want to be ignored anymore. He crossed his arms and cleared his throat.
"Where am I going?" Zig finally demanded to know.
Dok smiled and replied, "Empire business."
Dez and Dok locked eyes a final time. That stare told Dez that this was a setup to fail. Dez stood up and began to grin back at Dok. He softly chuckled and shook his head.
"I will meet Zorya and train it," Dez assured.
"Yes, yes, that's very…stupid," Dok chuckled. "Now we must be going."
Dok quickly turned on his heel and marched out of the snacking area. Zig noticed that the tension and fear left as soon as Dok did. Zig's shoulders slumped as he walked past Dez and stopped. He looked over his shoulder and smirked.
"You remember what I taught you?" Dez questioned with a serious stare.
"Go for the vital points and don't hesitate," Zig repeated as if reciting from memory.
Dez scowled at the slight mocking, but nodded. He watched as Zig left with a final shrug. The young Irken's steps were slow. Dez knew that Zig didn't like to be left alone with Dok. No Irken in their right mind liked to be with Dok, yet alone with him. Dez sighed and left the snacking area, he had places to go….a defect to see.
Lard Nar groaned as he watched Beta pace the room. Her blue eyes were narrowed in anger. She softly hissed and took a seat adjacent from the monitor on the wall. Lard Nar watched the door as the main members of the Resisty entered. He then turned back to the monitor and couldn't help glaring a little himself. Lard Nar had not realized that he would be receiving any transmissions at this time. Now he sat with Dib, Red, Purple, and Tak displayed on the monitor as the rest of the crew gathered. His ridges lowered as thought everything out. He began to sweat and smacked himself in the face.
"I didn't know that you were busy," Dib suddenly said as he eyed the crew.
Spleenk happily waved while Shloonktapooxis stuck his tongue out of his mouth also happy. Dib and Purple managed a small wave. Red sat indifferent and Tak just sighed at the idiots. She didn't believe this resistance had any chance to defect or cripple the Irken Empire. Her violet eyes landed on Beta and they glared at each other.
"I was about to welcome and discuss the newest member of the Resisty," Lard Nar said.
"New member?" Red questioned as his eyelids lowered in thought.
"When did you get a new member?" Dib questioned, he was curious.
"We received her when Scientist Mun sent her," Lard Nar answered.
"Mun?" Purple suddenly questioned. Lard Nar eyed him suspiciously.
"Tell him I said hi!" Purple quickly said with a nervous grin.
"You said received," Tak pointed out. "Explain."
Dib sighed; she was never one to mess around. Tak was always to the point and brutally honest. She was the only one that kept him from complicating small matters with long speeches. Dib grinned.
"It." Beta stressed with a growl. "It was sent to us."
"She's a cyborg," Lard Nar clarified.
Dib's eyebrows dropped and the corners of his mouth followed suite. Tak remained silent and silently snorted, not caring much. Purple made a little 'oh' before he began to think on this. Red's antennae flattened to his head when he heard this. There were many species of aliens that were cyborgs, but he couldn't shake a feeling.
"Is she Irken?" Red finally questioned.
"That's what I'd like to know," Beta grumbled as Lard Nar glared at her.
"No, she isn't," Lard Nar replied.
"Why would Mun send you a cyborg?" Purple suddenly mumbled to himself, but it came out as a question.
"The Resisty has almost been wiped out by the new Tallest…we needed an advantage," Lard Nar explained.
"You can't go up against an entire Empire with your pitiful technology," Red spoke with a hint of amusement.
Lard Nar deeply frowned, but it was the truth. The Resisty had been growing as fast as it was being destroyed. Their technology was outdated and he had no way to reach Vort without being caught. The new Tallest had taken out all communication devices off of the planet. He had made it so that all planets under Irken control were isolated.
"That is why we have Xero," Lard Nar replied in hopes of regaining his confidence. "She is our hope against the Irken Empire."
"Why are you placing so much upon a cyborg?" Red questioned as he glared at the Vortian.
Lard Nar suddenly grinned and softly chuckled before he replied, "She knows things…things that are forever engraved upon her."
"My head hurts," Purple mumbled as Tak jabbed him in the stomach. "So does my Squeedly Spooch."
"This thing can't be trusted…much like those Irken Scum," Beta angrily spat.
Red smiled at her, bemused at her comment. He wasn't in denial anymore; it was easier for him to admit that he was scum. It didn't mean he wasn't ashamed of it; he was just practical.
"I am not Irken," a soft voice suddenly said. Irritation was laced within the words spoken.
Red's eyes widened at the voice and he blinked back the sudden memories. He quickly began to search for the face that the voice belonged to. There was no one in the room that could match that voice. Red blinked again and noticed that the crew was also looking for owner of the voice. Beta's scowl twisted into a look of rage and he watched as she stepped upon the table. Her darkened formed held out a covered hand to the shadows in the corner and he watched as a black mist formed off of her. It shot towards the corner.
"Beta!" Lard Nar shouted. "Cease this!"
A feminine figure dressed in black suddenly shot from the corner and easily tackled Beta to the ground. Xero gave a quick squeeze to Beta's throat before she jumped away. Xero landed beside Lard Nar and stood up. Beta rolled off the table coughing and holding her throat. Spleenk rushed forward and offered her a hand, but Beta smacked him away. Spleenk held his hand back with a look of hurt before he stepped away.
"So she is an Omega," Red sighed as he glared at Beta.
"One of the last," Lard Nar informed and Red smirked.
"I though Zim killed the last two," Dib suddenly said.
"What?" Beta snapped as he she coughed.
"They came to Earth trying to use Gaz to rebuild their race," Dib recalled.
"How did they die?" Beta questioned, her eyes were suddenly large and saddened.
"Zim killed them when they refused to leave Gaz's body," Dib softly answered.
Beta went silent before she melted into the shadows. Red frowned and than turned his gaze to Xero. She was standing as tall as her height would allow her. Her body was clad in black and her face was covered by a black mask and visor. Red closed his eyes; he could suddenly feel hands upon his body. His eyes snapped open at the memory and he found that Xero was looking at him. Everything was hidden behind that black, but he could feel eyes upon him.
"What species is she?" Dib questioned.
"I'm not sure," Lard Narlied as he glanced at her.
"How much of her is machine?" Tak questioned.
"Half of my body is machine," Xero replied.
"What's your name?" Purple questioned, he was the first to talk to her.
"I go by Xero, Purple," she answered with a small nod.
"How does she know you?" Dib asked.
"I know everything about Irk's history," Xero answered, she was becoming tired of being overlooked.
"She must be Irken," Tak stated as she ran her eyes along the cyborg.
"You must be Tak…Dib…and…Red," Xero named off as she looked at each one.
"Dib isn't in Irken history," Red declared.
"No…but previous Tallest Gaz was and as being a Tallest…everything about her is listed," Xero explained.
"What are you?" Red questioned her.
"Alien to almost all of you," Xero replied.
Red felt his antennae twitch in annoyance. There was something familiar about her. He blinked and quickly opened his eyes find that it was only Xero standing there. Her head tilted to the side and watched the blacken visor fade to a shade of gray. He got a flash of amber before the visor darkened again. Red shook his head and sighed.
'I must be snapping again,' Red thought with a dry chuckle.
"Her history of Irk probably isn't what makes her valuable," Tak suddenly said.
"Correct," Lard Nar replied with a smile. "She canpass any Irken barrier and knows exactly where everything is…plus she has come close to deactivating the current Tallest."
Red and Purple's eyes bulged at this. They knew that it was hard to get close to a Tallest. They were constantly guarded at all times. There was no private time, just floating in a bay full of guards or Irkens. Red's eyes narrowed and his attention was fully drawn to Xero. His eyes searched her form, hoping to find some beginning or end to her. He could find nothing, that black outfit hid everything. He watched as her head lifted and he had a feeling she was gazing at him.
"Who is the current Tallest?" Red heard Purple questioning.
Lard Nar's eyes suddenly widened and he began to mumble. He began to sputter and he finally went silent when Red and Tak glared at him. Dib just raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"I don't know who the current Tallest is…"
"You don't know," Red repeated.
"But she almost killed him?" Purple finished.
Lard Nar sputtered and defended himself by saying, "Xero is the only one who's gotten close enough to see the new Tallest."
"How are you sure that she's sure?" Dib asked as he turned his stare to Xero.
"How do you know who the Tallest is?" Dib calmly asked her.
"I know because I was there," Xero answered.
"There…for what?" Dib quickly asked before another could interrupt.
"I was there when the Tallest was first brought into the Empire," Xero answered as her head lowered and looked just below the screen.
"If the Empire is keeping the Tallest in hiding…then she can't know unless she's Irken," Dib argued.
"I am not Irken," Xero simply repeated.
"Then what are you?" Red asked.
"An alien to you," Xero calmly answered as he glared at her.
It was on the other side of Irk. A simple box structure no larger than six stories and no wider than a four long blocks. It was encased in a magenta colored metal with dark purple doors. It looked like there were little slits in the walls, those were the windows encased in a barrier. Dez stopped at the bridge and looked across the gorge in the land. His eyes followed the jagged walls of the dug out land and he focused. Dez shivered, he swore he saw something moving done there. He looked back toward the prison and saw a guard cross over on a floating dais.
"Name and Rank," the guard demanded.
"Dez, Royal Guard to Tallest Zig," Dez answered.
The guard nodded and the dais came closer to the land. Dez stepped aboard and focused on the prison as they crossed. He stood perfectly still; the fear of what was in the dark ate away at him. There were no bars on the dais; a malfunction and he would be thrown into that gorge. The dais stopped and he froze when he felt it jerk. Dez jumped off the dais and planted his feet on the ground with a sigh of relief. He hated traveling on that thing, or across giant gorges. He looked to the dark purple doors and approached them. The ground cracked under his feet and when he made it his PAK opened and his ID card plugged into a small hole. It clicked and the doors slide open, groaning with each movement.
Sangria eyes studded the plain metal walls in confusion. He knew that there were cells within this box, but he didn't see the doors. Dez had only been here once, and he had waited outside for Mun. A clicking caused his antennae to twitch and he looked up. A platform lowered and he stared at the Irken standing upon the thin metal disk. He was dressed in a long black coat and had no PAK from what Dez could tell. A set of forest green goggles covered his eyes. He didn't step off the platform, but lowered enough to be eyelevel with Dez.
"What do you want?" His nasally voice asked.
"I'm here to meet Zorya," Dez replied.
His face didn't change as he replied, "It will like being released…for now."
He stepped off the platform and stood next to Dez. Something similar to a PAK emerged from his chest and clicked open. He raised his arm and typed something into it. The entire building groaned. Dust fell from the walls as the building continued to groan. It sounded like a chain was clicking link by link. Everything went silent and his eyes turned to the wall on his left. It suddenly vanished leaving a only an invisible barrier between them and the Irken behind the glass.
"Here it is," the Irken sighed before stepping back.
Dez's right antenna lifted and he took a step forward. He could only see Zorya's back, but he had a feeling this was the right Irken. The lights upon its PAK was a dark blue. Dez slightly shivered remembering the few times he had met the Irken. It was completely insane in his opinion. He watched the flattened antennae suddenly stand up and twitch. Zorya wore a two-piece outfit. It was a machine gray shirt that had no sleeves and only came to the waist. It was connected to the pants by a metal strip that wrapped around just above the hips. The pants were black and were neatly tucked into a pair of boots that looked like belts had just been wrapped around the feet.
"Zorya?" Dez questioned.
The antennae quickly lowered and he heard a soft chuckle. He didn't think he would get that much out of the Irken. Zorya didn't bother to turn around and stop staring at the wall.
"Fear is the greatest emotion…what do you fear?" Zorya's cold voice questioned.
"I fear nothing," Dez replied as Zorya chuckled.
"Sometimes," Zorya softly began, "I hear the words that were said so very long ago…I see the sorrow that was weaved…and I feel things that shouldn't exist."
Dez remained silent as he watched the Irken slowly turn around. It raised its eyelids and the long lashes waved at him. Zorya's eyes were a dark blue, almost to point of being black. Across her cheek she had three long scars that ran from the corner of her lip to the corner of her left eye.
"Dez stepped closer and asked, "What was said long ago?"
"The things that I feel now," Zorya replied as she began to darkly smile.
"That doesn't make sense," Dez sighed.
"Do you want to know something?" Zorya asked with a smile.
"What?"
"Memories are worse than reality…"
Zorya broke out into a short laugh and took a step forward. The barrier was shut down and she grinned as her gloves were dropped back to her. She pulled them up to her elbow and flexed her fingers into the glove with a sigh. Zorya than turned her gaze back to Dez and grinned.
"What does the Almighty Dok want of me now?" Zorya mocked.
"Do you want to get out of this prison permanently?" Dez questioned.
Zorya's eyes softened and her eyes turned to the door. The corner of her lips briefly dropped in a scowl before she looked back to Dez with another grin.
"I can never escape the prison of my mind…but this will do," Zorya sighed.
"Than she is ready to go," the guard sighed.
Zorya's eyes narrowed as she glared at the guard. Dez watched as she approached the guard with a growl. She flexed her fingers and raised her hand to strike. The guard remained calm as he watched her. The sound of lasers charging caused her to freeze. Hundreds of small bots hovered around her with lasers ready to fire. Zorya relaxed and stepped back with a twisted smile.
"Remember…I am nothing," Zorya growled.
"As you wish," The guard sighed with a bored look.
Dez quickly turned and began to walk for the exit. He could hear Zorya walking behind him with no sound. She had always been silent. They were already waiting for the platform to come and he gazed at her. She stood just below his head and he watched her blue eyes glare at him.
"What?" Zorya snapped at him.
"Why are you nothing?" Dez questioned. "I've never understood that."
"Remember when we first met…in the lab that night?" Zorya questioned.
"Yeah…Mun brought me to meet you," Dez recalled.
"When Dok first activated me he found that the PAK had fragments of memories. He uploaded a new personality to the memories and thus created me. The memories are the defect within my PAK," Zorya explained as they stepped onto the platform.
"Strange," Dez muttered.
"I see things…hear things…feel things that are real…but they are not my memories. They are only a window into something else…something that makes me hate existing," Zorya spat.
"I would hate to be you," Dez spoke as she smirked.
"I would hate to be you too," Zorya admitted with a chuckle.
"Why?" Dez suspiciously asked.
"Because…you still don't know your purpose," Zorya answered.
"And you know yours?" Dez snorted.
"No…but at least I act like I do," Zorya replied with a grin.
Dez simply blinked and than shook his head.
Author's Note:
-steps around broken glass-
Gir understands Mini Moose, but I like using Purple as the translator, it amuses me in some way. I think I've introduced all the characters that will have a major role for now. This chapter will probably have you all thinking that Gaz is Xero, but I'm not going to deny or confirm it all I can say is...Xero is not Gaz with amnesia or anything like that. It'll be explained in later chapters how who Xero is and how she fits in with everything.
Sorry for the wait, but I've been working like crazy. I'll keep updating this story whenever I can.