Being Tall Isn't Everything

by P.A.W.07

Zim was about to destroy the world, his dying adversary at his feet … yet he doesn't kill Dib. He wants to use that cunningly huge head of his, especially now that they are both so tall. Now, years later, the newest Tallest finds himself in a web of secrets, the past and the future seemingly tearing him apart. As usual ... this is all Zim's fault.

9. What is Mine

Chapter 9: What is Mine

"Tak?" asked Dib, eyes widening as he stood up from his work station. "What are you doing here? If you've come for Zim, you're going to have to get in line."

The female Irken laughed, sauntering into the room like she owned the place, Mimi racing around her legs and through the room to properly investigate. Dib didn't miss the way in which the cat-disguised SIR unit stalled in front of him, looking all the way up as if measuring his height. It was at this time that Tak also stepped before him, her head craned back and her eyes squinted. It was as if she was observing his height as well. In fact … Sizz-Lorr had done the same thing a few times when he didn't think Dib was looking.

Dib had felt freakishly tall in hi-skool. Somehow, this was worse. Instead of judging him, calling him a towering freak, everyone looked up at him almost enviously.

He wasn't used to it and didn't know how to deal with it.

"Me, come for Zim? It's more like the other way around. That fool came here for me and my plan. Planet Dirt is my official posting after all," she said with a smirk, Dib finally noticing that she seemed to be wearing some kind of cleaning gear and was covered in a fine layer of dust. "You don't really think all of this ingenious plan was Zim's, do you? He couldn't blast his way out of a sack and certainly not through the Massive's defenses."

Dib opened his mouth, about to comment, but Tak was now on her spider legs and up in his face. The female Irken's fierce eyes glared into Dib's soul and before he could react, she grabbed his face with both hands, squishing his lips awkwardly as she tilted his head back and forth.

"Blue. Now that is an interesting color," said the female, Tak letting go of his face and landing back on the floor. "Have you chosen an Irken name befitting of it?"

"Irken name?" asked Dib awkwardly, the changeling turning his head towards a shiny piece of equipment so he could look at himself. Truthfully, he had been ignoring his own reflection lately, but now he saw what Tak meant. His eyes were turning a deep shade of blue. No wonder everyone was adamant about the color of his advisor robes. He just liked the color blue so he went with it.

"Yes, the name we are going to add to your pak. You don't think it's going to be Dib, do you? I'm not saying you are famous in any way, except for maybe a mockery in those Earth videos of Zim's, but we can't risk anyone noticing you if you are going to infiltrate the Massive successfully," said Tak, taking off the cleaning vest she was wearing. "Its already going to be hard enough with you acting like an Irken. We don't need your name being weird as well."

"My name isn't weird," grumbled Dib, part of him suddenly protective of his Earth name. "And why exactly would Zim come here for you? I thought you two hated each other."

"Oh, we all hate Zim," piped in Sizz-Lorr, still sitting at his work station. "Everyone here does."

"But … he also has something we all want," added Tak as she gave a solemn nod in Sizz-Lorr's direction, acknowledging him. "Titles. Power. We all want it. Deserve it even. You see, I was captured by the Irken Justice Division after Earth and forced back onto this horrible planet as a janitor even though I had proven how cunning and resourceful I was. They said that because I couldn't even defeat an idiot like Zim, I could even retake the placement test to be an Invader. I am stuck here! A mind trapped below her grade."

Dib frowned at this … his mouth moving of its own accord before he could fully dwell on his words. "The Irken's have a Justice Division? And what could you offer as a janitor anyway?"

Tak was suddenly on her pak legs again, her claws inches from his face. Dib closed his eyes, expecting the end, but when it didn't come he gingerly opened one eye. Tak was looking up at him again, confusion on her face. This time, instead of squeezing his cheeks, she took out what could only be called an Irken tape measure and measured Dib's height despite his confused terror. She then threw a look at Sizz-Lorr and the Irken solemnly nodded as if they were both agreeing on something.

What? Dib wasn't sure.

Taking a step back, her anger seemingly gone, Tak continued, "Everything, idiot. Everything is my idea. As Tak I could never be an Invader but as another Irken … I could be one. In fact, I got the pak you're wearing now. I didn't care about the danger. The title of Invader was going to be mine. I was going to use a fake resistance of junked ships to attack the Massive while I changed the records. I would make Tak the cleaning drone die, leaving my old pak behind, and become someone else entirely with my newly encoded pak. Someone that could be an Invader."

Beside himself, Dib was impressed, "Really … this is all your idea."

Then, on second thought he added, "Why would you invite an idiot like Zim into it?"

The purple-eyed Irken revealed her claws once more in threat, making Dib step back before she added, "I'm only one Irken, you fool. Even if I automated most of my fake resistance ships, I'd still have to infiltrate the records and not die at the same time. Besides, pak transplants are dangerous … and cannot be done alone. I would have needed help sooner or later."

"But luckily," added the female, heading to a wall that had diagrams of the fake flagship for the resistance, "You went through that danger for me, Dib. Now, you can recommend me to be an Invader without a pak transplant. Just like I deserve."

Dib threw a look at Sizz-Lorr as if looking for confirmation. The bulky Irken nodded, stating coolly, "It is her price, just like mine is to get off Foodcourtia. Zim promised I could be a General."

The changeling swallowed. No pressure … it's not like he barely knew their inner culture or anything. Yeah, he was just going to assign people wherever he pleased. Yep, Bloaty for the next Tallest. Gir for Control Brain. Zim for cheese lord.

Yep … this was going to backfire spectacularly.

Then, as if to pull Dib out of his forming mental spiral, Tak slammed a bulky digipad onto Dib's workstation, the janitor waving him over. Awkwardly, he stood there a moment before straightening his spine and heading back over to his station. Tak was supposed to be his ally after all. Besides, they had gotten along on Earth … before he discovered she was going to destroy the planet that is. He could do this.

"Your job will be to learn about Irkens. Not impersonate one. Be one. You will take the tests smeets are required to and the advisors' exam as well. Your job will be to learn and in the evening, if your pak allows it, you will have combat training. And then, after that if your pak can still take the abuse, you will help with the construction of building fake warships from junk," said Tak, her tone like a training sergeant as she leaned in. "You will learn, fight, eat, and even recharge when we tell you to smeetling."

And with that, she stood up, waving at the learning pad, "Right now, you will learn."

Not knowing what else to do, Dib swallowed and nodded. She was shorter than him but somehow terrifying at the same time. Yet, before he could even power on the digipad, Tak turned back around and smiled almost hungrily at him, "And Dib, it really is a good thing you are so tall."

Tall…

Tall…

Tall…

"My Tallest, are you conscious? You seemed to have passed out on us again," asked Rigg as he rose from a nearby table, apparently having taken a shine to Blue's ship designs and small Voot builds while he waited for his Tallest to awaken.

Blinking, confused as to why he hadn't learned smeet symbols as a smeet, Blue tried to collect himself as Lepo leaned over him and took his vitals. He was about to open his mouth and asked if the battle was over when the mute echo of an explosion caused him to stiffen.

Immediately, he threw a look at his advisors and all three of them lowered their antennae in shame.

Pixen was the first to speak, his soft voice offering little comfort in the situation, "The Ark released a barrage of armor-piercing ships a few minutes ago, my Tallest. Most carried explosives … and others did not. The Massive's security has been trying to stop the fires and subdue the infiltrators since they were discovered, but the humans are sabotaging anything they can get access to. They are trying to destroy as much as they can and are running from direct confrontation when they can. This is their usual tactic from what I understand."

Blue blinked … oddly not surprised before he nodded and spoke, "Have security focus on the stragglers. We can't have them destroying us from the inside. Have any areas with fires evacuated and then blow the airlocks to kill the fires. We'll just have to abandon those areas instead of risking the fire spreading."

"Of course, my Tallest," said Pixen almost thankfully, turning towards the far corner of the room near the entrance as he opened a communication with the bridge, likely to put Blue's commands into action.

"There is another concern," said Advisor Rigg, the Irken's antennae pressed against his head, "Apparently the Rabbit and Bear have been spotted on the ship … and they are creating a trail of carnage as they head in this direction, my Tallest. Medical Officer Lepo doesn't want to move you, but we think its best to move to a more secure location for your safety. Humans might be daft and squishy, but their determination is not something that should be ignored. Fighting to the death is not unheard of for their kind."

Beside himself, Blue raised an antenna, a mental image of two fuzzy beasts coming to the top of his mind.

"A bear and rabbit? I mean, bears can be kind of dangerous given their thick hide and claws, but a rabbit … they are harmless Earth fauna," said Blue knowingly, immediately feeling like he said something wrong as his medic and advisor shared a glance.

"You've been to Earth, my Tallest? I thought barely anyone had been there before its conquest," inquired Rigg, his antennae now poised and listening carefully.

Blue blinked, his hand covering his mouth as he thought about it. The knowledge was obviously there, but he was unable to find the context of the information. Nonetheless, the Tallest slowly nodded, "I … believe so. I just … can't grasp from where."

The medic and advisor shared a glance once more before Rigg continued, "Do not strain yourself, my Tallest. Though the actual fauna might have been harmless compared to an Irken Elite, the humans that wear their likenesses are not. The Bunny and Bear have been attributed to the destruction of at least nineteen Irken ships and their crews. And that's just the ships we were able to salvage the records from.

At this Blue felt a spike of anger and he suddenly felt very protective. Part of his mind groggily agreed that he had always been a defender and before the advisors could say another word he was to his feet, ignoring any feelings of discomfort as he started to disconnect himself from the recharge outlet.

"Bring me my battle armor, I will not be chased away," suddenly said Blue. "I defend what is mine."

The advisors' dewy eyes all went wide as if their Tallest had just said he was going to have a battle to the death with a blorkflork carrying nothing but a dull knife.

"But my Tallest, your battle armor is just for ceremonies. Y-your elite can handle this," said Advisor Ta-Boo.

Blue's robes made a swishing noise as he turned sharply, looking at his advisor, his words stern, "Are you saying I cannot fight my own battles? That my armor is just an image? A fake?"

"No, no," whined the advisor apologetically, "The armor is functional in case of emergencies, but … we can't lose you my Tallest."

The words were heartfelt and almost pleading. I always struck Blue oddly whenever any of his citizens showed such attachment. It … felt nice to be wanted, to be needed, but it also drove home the idea that he was a defender.

And so he straightened his spine, stating calmly, "Bring me my armor, now. We will be heading to the bridge where I can help govern better. And, if it calms your mind, I will not seek out battle, but I will not run from it either."

…

Gaz, still in the vents, rolled her eyes at Tallest Blue's little speech. She would say he watch Braveheart one too many times but she doubted Blue even knew what that movie was. She unfortunately knew it all too well. The ships that they cobbled together when escaping Earth only collected necessary cultural information.

Movies and games … were few and far between. She couldn't count how many times she pieced her Gameslave back together.

Resisting the urge to pull the handheld out of one of her many leg-pockets to center herself as she waited for Squee Bear and Nail Bunny, Gaz watched the advisors do as they were told and undress their Tallest. There was a saying among the humans nowadays about Irkens: you can tell how old they are by the number of scars they harbor. It also went hand in hand with your likelihood of surviving the encounter, honestly.

Strangely enough, for an Irken that had gotten to Blue's height … his green skin was fairly unblemished, except for one scar on his lower abdomen. It almost looked like an appendix scar and Gaz would know … Dib had had one. In fact, it had been such an emergency that dad had taken Dib down to the lab and removed it himself before Dib could become septic.

It was one of the few times dad had seemed panicked, forgoing science for a few days to make sure Dib was okay.

Honestly, she had almost been jealous of the individual attention though she doubted Dib would have agreed. He had been miserable for days, half of them spent floating in a vat.

Glaring as a new robe was placed over the Tallest's shoulders, decorative armor pieces starting to be added, Gaz rolled her eyes at the showmanship. Yeah, that armor was mostly decorative, but it still offered enough protection to be a hindrance to her.

"When this is done, I want a real set of battle armor commissioned," said Blue, looking at the decorative bracers that were being placed on his arms.

Gaz almost snorted at that … as if he would live that long. In fact, why was he still alive? Just where were NB and SB? Her patience was wearing thin.

Then, as if the dark powers that be had heard her plea, she heard a scream echo thinly through the walls. Immediately, every Irken in the room stalled in what they were doing. The advisors' antennae were ramrod straight and before Tallest Blue could even frown completely, his armor was hurriedly finished, the advisors almost pushing their Tallest to the door.

"It is time to go my Tallest," said his handlers. "We will head to the bridge immediately."

Gaz frowned at this, part of her knowing that if Tallest Blue got to the Massive's bridge, he would be lost to her.

Whatever.

It was worth the risk.

She barely had time to shimmy to the nearest vent in the Tallest's chambers when the Irken was spirited out of the room, the door closing behind him with a swish. She swore at this, her heavy boots suddenly slamming at the grate, caring little if anyone heard her.

It took three good kicks before she was falling to the floor, rolling on her shoulder so that the impact wouldn't hurt her ankles. The lights in the room even flickered with her entrance, as if supporting her badass display … too bad no one was in the room.

Putting on her knife-tipped charge-assisted knuckle dusters, Gaz ran to the door and slid into the hall without a second thought as the door swished open.

Once again the lights flickered at her entrance. She didn't know if it was because of her mere presence or because of the electromagnetic attacks after effects. Either way, she didn't waste the sudden confusion. The two Elite Guards were at the back, their long shock-rods barely having time to turn on when she was already on them, her two charged two knuckle dusters slamming into their paks before they could fully turn.

Both elites screamed, the smell of charred components immediately filling the hall as they both crumpled, their paks now shocking their owners as they went haywire.

Not wasting another beat, Gaz spring-boarded off one of the guards and into the air. She went into a roundhouse kick, slamming her heavy metal-tipped boots into the face of one of the advisors. That advisor's head immediately knocked into the other advisor's head and both of them tripped into the nearest wall, advisor robs tangling around their falling limbs.

The medic unsurprisingly already had it scalpel-like tools jutting out of his pak, the sharp metallic limbs stabbing at her. Gaz threw herself flat against the nearest wall but one of them still managed her graze her, drawing blood across her arm… and this is why she hated medical drones.

Sliding into a crouch as another pak tool stabbed at her, she grabbed the tool at its connecting rod and pulled. He might have been a medic, but he was still the smallest Irken here meaning she could easily throw him. She pulled with all her strength and then created an arch so that the small medic went flying … right into the two elites that were still being electrocuted by their paks' life support systems.

The little medic squealed in pain as he was shocked as well, his medical tools flailing almost comically. Not that Gaz took time to admire her work. The two advisors she knocked down were already gathering themselves … and she had yet to take down the third and tallest advisor: the one with calculating green eyes.

Said Irken had already slid into a battle stance, his pak legs spreading across the hall almost protectively to keep her from getting behind him … from getting to Tallest Blue. This Irken looked like the scientist type given how he held himself.

This was going to be easy.

She immediately parkoured off the neighboring wall, the knuckle dusters crackling with electricity as she aimed for this advisor's head. He dodged, predictably, causing Gaz to go into a semi-spin midair to try and kick him instead. This time her boot made contact, but the advisor was smart enough to at least guard with his shoulder instead of his face.

Gaz took this as an opportunity and basically spring-boarded off the tall green-eyed advisor's body and towards the ceiling, grabbing onto a vent there like a spry monkey. The advisor barely had time to widen his eyes in surprise before she swung backward and then forward, both boots aimed towards his face.

She really did love aiming for the face ... it was just something about those bug eyes that she hated.

The tall grunted as both boots slammed into his head, his stance failing. That moment of unbalance was all Gaz needed and she lashed out with her left blade, slicing against the top of his skull. Blood immediately pooled into his eyes. It was an old trick she used time and time again. Blind them and then go in for the kill. Yet, before she could bring her right blade forward and slash out the Irken's throat, maybe even behead him if she got enough monument, a blue-colored gauntlet was suddenly in her way.

The blade clinked heavily against Tallest Blue's arm guard, slicing into the metal slightly, but it surprisingly held up protecting the Tallest's arm and his advisor. Gaz almost laughed … maybe that armor wasn't all looks.

...

Blue acted on instinct even though their attacker seemed to be bounding off the walls. He slid in front of his advisor, knowing all too well she was going for Rigg's throat. He had moved just in time to save him, but now all her attention was on him … a slight smirk tugging at her painted lips.

She immediately punched him in the gut with a knuckle duster, Blue grunting at the impact, but she didn't distract him enough because he brought up his other gauntlet just in time to keep her other blade from stabbing him in the shoulder where the armor gapped. She didn't relent though, her fists striking fast with crackling electricity. Blue quickly met each one with his arm guards or pak legs. The whole time, from the way she moved to the sneer on her lips, Blue felt he should know something … recall something.

Then, when she finally got in a lucky shot, slicing right his neck, Blue floundered for a moment from the pain … and he barely brought his right gauntlet up in time just to watch it crack. Suddenly, he had lost his footing, his robes were dragging him down and the human was smiling.

But, before she could land another blow, a shock-rod played interference, the Elite Guards voice enrage as he shouted, "You will not lay another hand on my Tallest, Earthen scum.

And thought Blue never thought much of the Elite Guard that followed Zim and him almost everywhere like well-trained bort-dogs, it quickly became apparent why they had been assigned to protect their Tallest. The guard might have been stout with one mangled antennae, but his movements came to him quickly and tirelessly, his staff work unparalleled and his pak leg accuracy second to none. He was a warrior without a name … which Blue suddenly felt ashamed for not knowing. He really did try to learn everyone's names that he worked in close proximity with, but the guards all wore those stupid high collars.

Either way, the purple-haired fiend was forced back, a charged staff slamming into her chest. Her scream echoed as she was thrust back into the darkened hall, her body making a squeaky-dragging noise as she came to a crumpled stop a few feet away.

For a moment, all the Irkens in the hall stilled, watching smoke slowly curl off the human's body.

"Is it dead?" finally asked Pixen, the advisor stumbling to his feet while holding his head, popping his eye back in like it was nothing.

The Elite Guard tightened the grip he had on his prod and was about to head forward and check when suddenly there was a click-clack in the lightless hall, like calm footsteps down a well-beaten path. It immediately made all the Irkens perk up their antennae, each step seeming more and more wrong than the last. It … did not sound like Irkens boots and the pace was too confident and slow to be any Irken soldiers in this chaos.

"Identify yourselves?!" finally came out of the guard's mouth, the soldier placing himself between the darkness and the high officials behind him. "Or I will be forced to attack."

At this … a dry almost humorless chuckle escaped the darkness, the footsteps drawing closer, "Did you hear that? He acts like he doesn't know who we are, but he knows. He's always known."

The guard's antennae fell back, knowing the slow dragging tones of Earthen English anywhere, but he stood his ground nonetheless, his stance widening as his battle prod hissed with electricity. He refused to look at his dead partner on the floor and only looked forward. He would not become known as the Irken that failed to protect Tallest Blue and his advisors.

"You know … when I was on Earth, I kept reaching for the stars thinking there was some happiness up there. Some kind of joy hidden by its vastness," continued the voice, drawing closer and sounding more and more deranged with every word. "But do you know what I found when I got up here?"

Finally, a black boot with far too many buckles was revealed to the flickering light in the hall. Then slowly, like something out of a horror movie, a walking skeleton was revealed in the flickering light. He was seemingly all bone, not an ounce of fat on him as if he hadn't eaten since the Earth had fallen. His form was covered in black, the body armor seemingly offering the only curves to his lanky form. The only color on him was traces of graffiti, smiling faces … and the mask. The horrible smiling white mask of a bunny.

If the mask could even be called white anymore. It was dripping pink Irken blood … and the rest of his body armor had a sheen to it as well, likely Irken fluids, There was even a slight drip-drip noise as the figure known only as Nail Bunny stepped forward, his words picking up almost an enraged tone, "Insects! The whole universe is full of buzzing disgusting flies! Maggots and flies that squirm about laughing and laughing and laughing down at me! And I for one am tired of it. I'm going to silence your laughing faces off. Every last one of you."

And with that, Nail Bunny slid two long blades off his back, already stained with Irken blood.

No one missed the smiley faces on the hilt of either one of them. The blades were iconic at this point ... the last thing you saw before Nail Bunny got you.

Not even allowing the Irkens to digest what he had said, the masked man tightened his grip on his blades, and then he was suddenly running forward, a maddening laugh echoing behind his mask as he threw himself at the small collection of Irkens. It was at this time, simultaneously, that a shorter and slightly plumper figure exited the shadow, his light feet immediately padding over to the purple-haired girl.

"Gamer Girl, are you alright?" asked Squee Bear, the younger boy kneeling down and pulling at Gaz's elbow.

A groan escaped her and slowly she sat up with SB's assistance, her eyes already glaring at the battle before her, sparks flying as blades seemed to meet endless sets of pak legs. NB's movements almost seemed inhuman, excited even.

Looking away for a moment, Gaz wiped the blood from her nose and lip, smearing the skull painting on the lower part of her face. There was barely any paint left at this point, which was a shame. She always felt it helped up her game.

"He got in a lucky shot," finally said the girl bitterly, "But I had to keep them here. Tallest Blue was going to head to the bridge … and then I would have never gotten my chance."

Squee Bear hummed, helping the girl to her feet as Nail Bunny cackled at the battle before him. For a moment, the two younger warriors watched the madman at work, observing as he seemed to fly around his opponents' slashing cuts on the back of legs and backs and shoulders. He was an artist when it came to carnage and had long since learned that when it came to Irkens … death by a hundred cuts would definitely take them.

"We attracted a lot of attention on the way here. I think the only reason we had any respite is that Nail Bunny killed all the guards currently chasing us. They called for backup though and it's only a matter of time before they get here," said Squee Bear, his tone almost tired. "We can have NB do it if you don't think you are up to it, GG. Revenge never fills the hole like you want it to."

Gaz threw a glare at Squee Bear, her tone biting as he hands became fists, "I will have what is mine."

Squee sighed, nodding his head in acceptance before he slid the hard-cased backpack off of his shoulders, unzipping it to show the girl. For a moment both of their eyes got big, like that of children that were forced to grow up too fast.

"Ladies first," said the younger man, his tone almost playful.

"Do I look like a lady to you?" chuckled Gaz as she grabbed the first water balloon from the pack, her cry almost playful as she threw the first one, "Water balloon fight!"

The Irkens that were forming a barrier between the humans and their Tallest barely had time to turn their dew eyes towards the hail of colorful orbs being thrown their way, both young adults laughing almost hysterically as they threw away. NB himself started laughing as the balloons exploded everywhere, even on him, drenching almost everyone in the little blockaded.

The Irkens … were less amused.

Hissing, cursing, and squeals of pain soon filled the hall. If someone like Sizz-Lorr or Zim took a water balloon to the face, there would be dissatisfaction of course. Their skin was bubbling after all but they knew this pain. Now, an Irken introduced to unfiltered water for the first time … it was a special kind of train wreck.

"My skin! My skin! It's melting my skin!"

"Ghaaaa!"

"It's in my eyes! I'm blind!

And a collection of other wails of pain joined the chorus. It was then that Gaz finally had her chance, sliding around Nail Bunny and the Irken's flailing about, she got right up to Tallest Blue. His arms were sizzling, like he had known exactly what water balloons were and moved to protect his head, but that didn't stop Gaz from leaping up into a high kick and slamming a boot right into the middle of his chest.

Already off-balance from the water balloons, Tallest Blue went flying into the flickering hall away from his protectors. Gaz even made sure to kick him down an adjoining hall once more so she could slam her fist on an airlock control for the hall, cutting off their fight from everyone else.

She wanted this to be memorable. So she swiftly took off her goggles, wanting her face to be the last thing Tallests Blue's pak recorded so that Zim would know exactly who had done this. She wanted this to hurt.

"You know, I've dreamed of this for almost six years," said the girl, stalking over to the downed Blue, the Irken still hissing in pain as the skin on his arms bubbled and hissed from the water. "What remained of my childhood was stolen from me. Along with my planet, my favorite restaurant, the countless sequels to Vampire Piggies … and my brother."

Her lip became a sneer at that, loving how Tallest Blue had seemed to freeze up and was now looking up at her in horror. It was like he couldn't look away.

"Zim took all those things from me," she continued, looming over the Tallest, hoping his pak recorded everything. "And if there's one thing you should know Tallest Blue, that Zim should have known, is that you don't take from Gaz Membrane. No one takes from me and gets away with it. And so its time to pay the price. I'm going to destroy the things Zim cares about one thing at a time … starting with you, Tallest Blue."

And with that said, Gaz pulled out a death ray, the origin seemly a cobbled collection of alien tech. A specialty of humans actually. They were great at taking the garbage left behind by the other races and making something to be feared.

Yet, before she could pull the trigger, before she could see the light fade out of those Irken eyes, Blue finally spoke … his words were almost a whisper, almost uncertain.

"You've grown up … and now you look like her. You look just like her."

Blue's dewy eyes seemed to be blinking, like he was about to cry. Which was impossible. Irken's didn't have tear ducts like human's did … it must just be from the water balloons.

"What are you going on about? Just shut up and die like a good Tallest," groused Gaz, part of her knowing her time was short because she could now hear a lot more shouting down the hall. Back up had finally arrived and she doubted it was back up for her.

"Melissa … your mother," said Blue, his eyes now blinking like he was fighting tears even though little wisps of smoke were escaping his face now. "You look just like her."

Gaz felt her throat close up, a voice echoing in her head of someone long since dead. Someone her young mind barely remembered. She was locked on the spot, her lips trembling in a feeling she refused to acknowledge. She couldn't keep the shock out of her voice, "How do you know that name?"

Tallest Blue was now trying to sit up, shaking his head like he was having his own case of denial, "I don't … I just …"

"How do you know her name! Zim shouldn't have known it! How do you?!" suddenly was screaming Gaz, her finger finally slipping and shooting … leaving a black spot on the floor next to the Tallest. Her aim was off. Her vision was blurry, wet. She was not crying. Gaz never cried.

She didn't cry anymore.

It was at this point, the Tallest now having dragged himself into a sitting position and leaning against the wall, that the airlock behind her snapped open, Squee Bear and Nail Bunny rushing in like their butts were on fire.

"You're not done yet?" was the first thing out of Nail Bunny's mouth, his clothes smoking from presumably laser fire.

Gaz was about to open her mouth, demand a few more minutes, when suddenly the hall was full of pak fire, a squad of armed Irkens suddenly chasing after NB and SB. Gaz barely had time to choke as Squee Bear grabbed her by the wrist, the human dragging her along as he apologized, "I'm sorry, we have to go GG. There's no more time. We can't stay here a moment longer!"

And with that the humans raced down the hall, mission unfulfilled with pak laser fire following after. Gaz honestly didn't care. She kept her eyes on Tallest Blue as long as she could ... and he never once dropped her gaze either.

It seemed she would have to leave him to live ... if only to figure out what secrets he was keeping.

XXX

Paw07: Ugh, writing that fight scene was like pulling teeth. It only came to me one sentence at a time while the rest of the chapter was like spreading butter on paper. But at least I got to show off Gaz's fighting skills. Gaz is a badass and Tak is a mastermind. What more could you ask for? ^.~

And I just adore protective Blue. Dib was always trying to defend the Earth so I figured that Blue's mindset is the same over his Irkens … too bad his mind is starting to get some really mixed signals. XD