"Mama! Mama! Ma—" He clenched his eyes. Determined to control his nightmare reaction, he took in deep, deliberate breaths. A dull ache throbbed in his head. He cracked open one eye, wincing at the harsh… Overhead light?

In spite of himself his lids flew open and he tried to sit up. A deep shock burst over him and he fall back, his head buzzing with electricity. Collecting his wits, he cautiously reached his hand up, grimacing as a second shot coursed through him.

Oh crud. Only one creature on earth has non-lethal force field technology.

"What is the matter, Dib-waste? Isn't your cell comfortable?"

Clenching his teeth, Dib slowly turned his head toward the voice. There he was, in all his green, Irken foreignness.

"So sorry for the headache, earthling, but soon these pains will be forgotten and overwhelmed with much worse pain!"

"Do your worst, Zim!" Almost as soon as he'd said it, Dib regretted it.

"Why thank-you, I shall. Right after we reach orbit."

"Orbit?"

"Yes, you echoing chasm of… echoes. We are currently in the outer atmospheric layer of your filthy planet."

Quirking his brow, Dib bit out, "Why so far out? Security of your lab been compromised?"

The smile that crossed the Irkin's face froze his sarcasm cold. "Apparantly you haven't experienced the capacity of a full human scream."

…… …… …… …… …… …… …… ……

"Wheeeeeeeee! Piggy says hi, Dib!" Dib had to smile. No one could help loving the insane little robot, whether he was Zim's slave or not.

"Hey GIR. What's that on your head?"

"MY PIIIIIIIIIIG!" GIR screamed as he zoomed around Dib.

"GIR! Watch out, I've got a force field around me."

"Oooooooh, and it can hold your big head! It must be reeeeeeely strong. Lemme see."

"No GIR! Don't—"

GIR zoomed down toward Dib's face, pulling out of the dive centimeters from the force field. "Wooohooohooohoohooo! Dib's got force field! Can I have a taco?"

Dib relaxed. "Sure, GIR, go get a taco. They're in…" He frowned, remembering they were not in Zim's house. "I hid them. You have to go find them, okay?"

"TACOS!" Shrieked GIR as he zoomed out of the room, leaving a rather confused pig and an amused Dib behind.