A/N: I really hope I'm getting some of the history references right. This chapter was a bit harder to write. Really, when it comes to writing I mainly get ideas just for certain parts of a story first. My thoughts don't come at a linear path, they jump around so I have trouble connecting the parts that lead up to each different idea. But I hope you enjoy it, as there's only about two or three chapters left.
Above the clouds, unnoticed by any onlookers unless they were actively staring at the sky was a craft carrying two occupants. Gaz looked down at the city lights below as they were leaving. It was against their interest to stay in London as long as they did, but Tak had a fondness for the place. It had been January 22nd when they first arrived. They had been there originally on a tip of Dib's whereabouts when what the locals called the Baby Blitz occurred.
They could have left. They should have taken what information they had and been on their way. But something had been triggered in Tak. As much as she had wanted to find Dib, she felt she couldn't leave these people. Gaz, who had a strained yet understanding relationship with her sister-in-law, noticed why. It wasn't so much that Tak had changed, but that her British allies in arms seemed to bring back the invader she once was. Proud, strong and in her element. Gaz also understood how that played on Tak's emotions. While she was always strong and proud, was she ever really in her element? Yes she had been an invader. But was she ever really accepted as one? Even with Dib, no matter how much she cared for him, she still just didn't fit in with the place he called home.
It was as if Tak had suddenly discovered a nationality that she was truly apart of. Plus she felt as if staying and helping the cause was something Dib would approve of. But months later they both found that their help was that needed. The brits were more than capable of fighting off foes after having spent years with such attacks.
It was sad to say goodbye. Eventually one of Tak's friends at the pub had come through and had word of where Dib was. Gaz was more than relieved. Not only would they be able to carry out what they had meant to do, but now she didn't have to worry about Tak getting passed out drunk there anymore. Gaz sighed, remembering the first time she had ever seen the female irken intoxicated.
Flashback
Gaz had raced home as fast as she could. She knew Zim could find her quickly, but hopefully it would take some time for him to sulk before he noticed her missing. That is if he cared enough about her to sulk at all. She wanted to believe his words, the gentle caresses. But looking back on it they seemed forced. Too gentle for his nature. She didn't want to think on that now. She focused on rushing to the door of her front house, kicking it in when she found it was locked and no one was responding to her knocking.
She didn't have to look for Tak. She found her immediately on the dime-store sofa, lounged out with a bottle of whiskey in her green clawed hands. The Andrew Sisters record was at full blast, blaring her senses and she noticed debris everywhere. These were broken pieces of not just her things, but some of Dib's as well. Yet in that moment, Gaz found she wasn't that angry. She would have gone on the same destructive rage had she been in Tak's shoes. Though why target some of Dib's things bared a conversation for a later time.
Mimi stood in the corner, still and quiet as a mouse. Gaz hesitantly reached out to touch Tak, looking at any signs that the SIR unit would attack her in defense of her master. She only nodded in approval of whatever Gaz was planning to do, not in the least bit worried of her mistress's safety. Gaz drew her hand back as far as she could before bringing it down, slapping the irken. Hard.
With a start, Tak awoke. After getting her bearings, her eyes fell on Gaz. There was something off-putting in seeing Tak in her true form. Yes, she had seen Zim many a time without his disguise, to Gaz she looked more dangerous. Predatory.
Tak gave a bitter laugh, and slurred as she addressed her, "Well well well. Look what the cat dragged in."
Hearing her slur gave Gaz pause. Tak took that as an invitation to continue, gesturing to the pieces of heirlooms and paranormal knick-knacks Dib had collected, "I guess you came back to pack your things. Be my guest..."
"Not like anything here is really of mine anyways." Tak finished dejectedly and took a swig from the bottle still in her hand.
Gaz wanted to be angry, she wanted to doom her. But something in her tone stopped her. Tak sounded... broken. Not that it should have mattered but it stilled Gaz's hand. Maybe she was finally growing up and accepting not everything was about herself or Zim.
Kneeling down next to Tak, she chose her words carefully, "Your still mad, Tak. And honestly I won't forget the things you've said. But this isn't about us. You were right about Zim."
As predicted, at hearing the infamous defect's name, Tak sat up, suddenly more sober and alert.
"What has he done. What happened?" She demanded, her speech clearer.
"I don't have time to explain now. Dib writes to you more than he does me, do you know where he's stationed?"
Tak looked at the youngest sibling suspiciously. But there was no denying the look of desperation on her face. Something was indeed wrong.
"Yes. He mentioned he was being transferred though. What is this about?" Take demanded again.
"Just get that spacecraft of yours ready, I know it's fixed. Zim could come after me at any moment now. And get whatever letter Dib has sent. They may help us find him." Gaz said before she got up and ran about the house, gathering what ever perceived items they might need.
Tak took the hint and collected every letter she could find addressed to her, Gaz, and their father. No matter who they were written to she kept them locked up in the same place where she could read them and imagine Dib's voice whenever she needed. After running to the shed where her and Dib kept her voot cruiser, she turned to Mimi.
She grabbed her most trusted companion's shoulder in a comforting manner before giving the command, "I have to go."
"And where are we going, my mistress?" The sir unit cocked it's head.
"No," Tak shook her head, steeling herself for what she was about to ask, "I'm going. I need you to stay here and monitor the home-base. Make sure nothing happens to it. And Dib may write again. I need you to send any correspondence from him or any American government. But do it as discreetly as you can. Can you do this for me?"
There was a long pause. Out of everything they had been through, exile, Planet Dirt, the battle with Zim, this was the most difficult. They had stayed together after being banished to Earth, nearly starved, and when Dib was drafted. This was more painful. Not one day since Mimi's activation were they apart. If there was one thing Tak could ever relate to Zim with was neither one of them saw their SIR units as appliances. They were truly more than that. The closest any irken could understand as family.
"Yes, my mistress. I will do as asked." Mimi bowed her head respectfully.
Tak swallowed the painful lump in her throat, nodding with understanding. Gaz rushed past her, boarding the cruiser before Tak spoke again, "Try not to be seen. You have the best stealth technology, so I know that won't be a problem for you. I-I will be in contact."
"Do what you have to do. I will wait and obey." Mimi affirmed and gave Tak and appraising look, "You are a kind master. You could have dismantled me after that defect infected my systems with his glitch. You didn't. For that I will always wait and always obey."
There was nothing left to be said. Tak turned away before she became emotional. When she entered the cruiser she saw Gaz in the pilot's seat. Tak, who was usually particular when it came to anyone else but her flying, didn't seem to care at the moment.
"I'm not going to fight you on this. I know how to fly this thing and you're still drunk. So that's that." Gaz gave in the most demanding tone she could.
But it seemed hollow to Tak. And honestly she felt too empty and tired to pilot. She gave Gaz an affirmative grunt and they took off. After a safe distance, Gaz began to explain what had happened. From what she overheard and what Zim himself told her.
Tak was bewildered, "But Earth was designated to be an exile planet. To dump off what cast offs they didn't want anymore!"
"Yeah, that was then. I guess things changed." Gaz said keeping her eyes focused infront of her on the skies.
"And now they're going to use it to study human reproductions?" Tak shook her head in disbelief. Why all of the sudden would they be interested in this. In order for them to have made such plans in advance like this, this information would have had to been presented to them months in advance. When did Zim notice these similarities between human and irken reproduction methods? And sick feeling came over Tak, before she looked at the human next to her. Summoning up the courage, she asked, "I'm guessing by now you and.. he.. have mated, correct? Tell me, was that recently or about a few months back?"
The aircraft shifted as Gaz lost her focus before gaining composure and resuming it back into a smooth and steady path, "Not that this is any of your business, but we've only started doing that recently."
"I was afraid as much," Tak spoke before revealing the bombshell of her theory, "It wasn't his own personal experiences that led him to these findings. He had been studying two subjects for a while..."
Gaz paled at realization, "You mean.. when he started dating me to piss off Dib, he was actually..."
Tak nodded, "Studying the relationship between Dib and myself. That's what had to have given him the idea to even approach the subject of human reproductive capabilities."
"Oh God, do you think he, like, watched while you two were, you know?"
Tak gagged, "No, absolutely not! No matter how desperate he was for the empire's approval, there are just some things I know he wouldn't degrade himself to do. No, he merely got the idea into studying human biology from us. He may have just needed confirmation that Dib and I have in fact been able to mate at all, something you yourself may have provided."
Gaz shifted uncomfortably, "You and Dib weren't exactly discreet or quiet, you know. I may have gone over there once or twice for peace. And it was funny to see the horrified look on his face when I explained why I was over there."
"As I suspected. Sorry for that by the way."
Neither one spoke for a long while. Both lost track of the time when Tak shifted in her seat, the alcohol wearing off and leaving her feeling jittery. She looked at Gaz once again and noticed how stiff she seemed, paler than usual.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Gaz sighed, "I just feel really stupid. I never wanted that love nonsense. I hated those girls who all they did was gush about love and their boyfriends. But then I.. when it was me. I was in a bubble of what I thought I saw. This idea of some sort of connection..."
Gaz paused, seeming to lose the words she wanted to say as shame overcame her. Tak waited patiently for her to get her bearings. Eventually she did and continued, "I lost myself in a delusion and literally just laid down let him take something I thought he wanted too. I gave my body to him and I wanted him to have it. What does that say about me? And in the end I was little more than a science project."
"Believe it or not, I understand perfectly. Well, on some parts anyway," The irken said as she rubbed her temple trying to ward off an oncoming hangover, "I was one of the top in my academy, did you know that? I was expected to be among the greatest. I had such ambitions. Then... well, I won't go into trifling details, but even after I was disgraced, I still had ambitions."
"I was going to take down Zim, regain my rightful place. I was an irken warrior, through and through," Tak looked out the window, her voice growing soft and bitter like Gaz had noticed earlier, "But at some point I wasn't anymore. I was just tired. Tired of the corruption, tired of it all. That's when Dib came back into my life. Suddenly I had a purpose once more. I just... I don't know. Wanted to please him. Don't get me wrong. I love him and never regretted taking him on as a mate. It's just I didn't know what to do with myself. Just sitting by the door or phone waiting for him. I've never been so co-dependent before."
"Have you ever mentioned this to him?" Gaz asked, seeing a side to Tak she wasn't truly ready to see, leaving her hesitant on how to approach the woman, "My brother is very understanding, not like most guys. If there's something you want to do I'm sure he'll support it."
"Oh, I know. He's not the problem. I just don't know what to do with myself. These gender roles on Earth or so confusing. It's expected for a female to stay at home and dote on her mate. That's their assigned mission."
Gaz nodded in understanding, "But that's not how you were raised. A mate doesn't define your life it's only part of it. Now you have a husband..."
"But nothing else. And he left. Left to fight in some stupid war, with a stupid sense of duty that he wouldn't give up for me like I did for him." Tak finished with a ragged breath, looking back out the window.
"Yeah, I just don't see that. You still have a sense of duty, you didn't give up shit, "Gaz smirked and Tak whipped around to glare at her, "I mean look how quickly you got a job, not just for yourself but for me too. And usually ended up working both our shifts. I agree, our social norms for male and female roles are primitive. But times are changing. You can find a new place to focus your ambitions, Tak. It's just unfamiliar to you at the moment. You just needed a little time to get your ducks all in a row."
"What ducks, what were you talking about, human?" Tak narrowed her eyes.
Guz huffed a small laugh as she was briefly reminded of Zim, "You know what I mean. Your not some helpless housewife and you never will be. And Dib wouldn't want you to feel that way. You just need something to fill the void where your duty to the armada used to be. And if Dib was here he'd say that it's ok for you to take a little time to figure out what it is you want to do. He'll be there no matter what. Trust me, you can kick, burn, and doom that boy and he'll be there the next day with a smile on his face."
"Just look at what we're doing now. The moment you learned Zim was planning something, you got your ass off the couch, up and ready to go. Now you got something to focus on for the moment. Who knows how long it'll take to find Dib." Gaz said with apprehension at the prospect of their search.
Tak stared at the human as what she said seeped in. Part of her was offended and wanted to strangle her. But if anything she said hurt, it's cause it was true. There honestly wasn't any maliciousness what Gaz had said, none of the sarcasm and backtalk she was used to from her. If anything it was.. a pep talk?
Tak was unsure how to respond to it so she didn't. Another awkward silence passed before Tak tried to return the favor, "What you said earlier, about you and Zim. He might have lied about why he was getting close to you but I don't believe you were just a science experiment to him. He had the information about Human-Irken compatibility from me and Dib not to mention vast recorded human knowledge and experimentation on human subjects, mating with you would've been unnecessary. Whatever happened between you and him was not because of any self-perceived mission, it was because he wanted to. I think he cares for you."
"Now you have to figure out if it was the idea of being used that has you feeling this way.." Tak gave her a meaningful glance, "Or was the intimacy just too intense, too unfamiliar that you were just looking for a way to distance yourself. Because I don't really believe you're that upset over the fate of your species and planet. You never have been before..."
"It's scary. Like I said, I understand the feeling of losing yourself. Feeling more dependent on someone else," Tak turned and opened the box she kept Dib's letters in, avoiding the wild-eyed look she was receiving. She opened the latest one and threw in in Gaz's lap, "But you'll have to figure out your feelings latter. Dib should be stationed here."
Gaz merely took one glance at the letter and set the coordinations in the controls, the cruiser following the path. There was nothing she could respond to that. Both had said more than either one wanted the other to know. There were much fewer mysteries between them now. They may never form much of a sisterly bond. But they now had a sense of understanding each other, two soldiers who fought the same battle. They were allies.
That was about two or three years ago. Honestly, they spent so much time flying around, it was hard to keep track of time. It was the next day after their heart to heart that Mimi contacted Tak, explaining that Zim and Gir had raided the house. Then for a while there was not much word about Zim. Every now and Tak would be notified by Mimi that a new letter arrived and they would land and wait for something called a drone bring it to them. But it was very obvious straight away something was wrong.
For one the postage seemed to indicated that the letters had been passed from one shipping location to another. And Dib himself wasn't giving much details anymore, suddenly saying that he that he gets transferred from one top secret location to another and was sworn to secrecy. He was also expressing dismay about them not writing back, which they had been desperately. It just led to one conclusion. Not only was Zim monitoring the mail, but he was also somehow seemed to hold power over where Dib was stationed. Every letter they sent to Dib went to Zim, where he could easily trace them to the location they sent said letter from. As painful as it was, they had to stop writing. Even if he never got heir letters anyway, it still felt wrong to both of them to not try to contact him, especially with him still writing constantly, his worry ever present. It wasn't like they could call and have the operator switch them over when they had no idea where he was.
They had relied on hints Dib may have unknowingly revealed that Zim may have found unimportant when reviewing. Hints like how hot tropical weather could get, or how much snow he had to trek through. He once mentioned how hard it was to hold chopsticks. It was the latest hint about pubs and how much he liked fish and chips that brought them to London.
While Tak really seemed to come back to herself, Gaz was still worried on those nights she had nothing to do. She often would go and have a beer with one or two british soldiers she got to know. No, nothing ever untoward happened. Tak was devoted to Dib and these comrades of hers were perfect gentlemen. But occasionally Gaz was awakened to them having to drag Tak back to the little flat they had rented, drunk as a skunk. In one of these moments Tak had growled at them, shouting about humans treating a member of the irken armada like some smeet who couldn't handle her liqueur. Gaz had froze at what Tak had let slip but the two men just laughed joking about the things they themselves had said when they had been on their drinking adventures. Then they passed out, all forgotten the next day. Gaz never let Tak live that down. She didn't drink as much after that. But they had those two drinking buddies of hers to thank as they had been the ones to pull through and find out through the vines where Dib was currently located.
While they were finally leaving London, the human of the pair had a hunch that Tak would one want to come back. And Gaz wouldn't be surprised if her brother agreed to it. Perhaps then it would be time that she would have to let him go and live his own life. But that was something to think about later. Soon they would see Dib again and together they would have to face the new reality Zim had brought. It was currently June 3rd, and they were on their way to Normandy.
I had always felt that trying to write Gaz and Tak in past decades made them seem too docile. In reality neither one of them would be just fine and dandy to go along with the times without some sort of mental struggle. I hope I did okay with this filler chapter. Again, sorry for historical inaccuracies or typos. Hope you've been enjoying the story anyway, until next time!