Disclaimer: These characters belong to the Nickelodeon Animation Studios and Jhonen Vasquez.

May God bless you all.

"We're all tied up." Said the moderator.

It was true. The two teams had been answering almost one right after the other, and now at the last question Zeta had tied the score.

"We'll have to go to tie-breaking procedures for the first time in ten years." The moderator happily spoke. "One member of each team. Ten questions from randomly selected categories. Teams select your member."

"Obviously it should be me the mighty Zim!" He shouted.

"Get real…" Said Zeta. "…I answered the most questions."

"They chose Tak perhaps I should go." Dib suggested.

"Keep your hormones in check." Zeta told him.

"What… no just I think I…"

"Will you three just shut up!" shouted Gaz.

The three looked over to where the voice originated from. It wasn't in her designated seat.

"The two have been chosen." Said the moderator.

"What!?" They shouted in unison as they saw Gaz going against Tak.

"Gaz-Human… you… actually yeah that makes sense." Zim conceded.

"Are you ready?" The Moderator asked.

"Let's get this over with." Gaz said.

"Admitting defeat already are we?" Tak mocked.

Gaz didn't reply. She simply waited for the first question to be asked…

…and then went to town.

"Victory for Zim!" He shouted as they held the trophy.

*snap*

The picture was taken and the five separated with Zeta carrying the trophy.

It was an after-party of sorts with food and… well kind of like a meet and greet. They were encouraged to talk to the members from other schools.

Zim scanned the room, but couldn't see the one person he was looking for.

"Where'd Tak go? Asked Dib.

"She is probably crying in a corner after being defeated by the m…"

"Careful how you finish that sentence Zim." Gaz warned.

"Well… it was a team effort I suppose." He said as he walked off.

Zeta had gone to socialize, and the Letter M was getting something to help settle his stomach (which included bananas and some dry crackers).

Gaz would have taken out her gameslave, but she actually was concerned with Tak's sudden disappearance. Though she wouldn't admit it. Perhaps this was all some sort of sham to get back at the people who had defeated her or maybe she had some bigger plan this time or maybe…

"Congrats on the win." Said a voice to Gaz's left causing her to turn.

"Tak?" Asked Dib as she approached the two.

"Must say you of all people surprised me. You appear to be the weakest around but that hidden strength. It is definitely something." She told Gaz.

"Tell me about it." Dib commented. "Wait! NO! Spill it Tak why'd you return?"

"Return? I've actually been here for a while." She replied.

"What!?"

"And I actually have you two to thank for that." She told them.

"What are you talking about?" Gaz asked.

"When you two went to rescue your father on Moo-ping 10 on my ship mind you, I stowed away in the back, and after all that business with the florpus was done simply set up my base in another town and decided to observe from afar." Answered Tak.

"Wait you were in that space prison?" Asked Dib.

"I believe that's what she said." Gaz answered.

"Why were you there?" Dib continued.

"For abandoning my job as a janitor drone ironically enough. The Tallest usually send us to work or something but they couldn't find work that was considered a lower level than being a janitor so they sentence me to serve half a season in Moo-Ping 10." She told him.

"Oh… I…"

"There you are!" Zim screamed as he ran up to them. "Done crying after your defeat I see."

"You'll be crying soon if you keep that up." She threatened.

"Zim is not afraid of you!" He replied.

"Guys please at least not here." Said Dib.

"Okay, children." Said Mr Elliot. "It's a competition but remember winning isn't everything."

"Please win…" Zim began before Gaz gave a nudge with her elbow to his side.

"Thanks, Mr. Elliot." She said. "Yeah, Tak used to go to our school so we were just catching up."

"Oh, that's great. Well, carry on." He said as he left.

"Seriously Tak!" Said Zim. "Are you here to once again steal Zim's mission!?"

"You're mission." She mocked. "Please…" She said as she departed.

"Well this was more fun than Zim expected but now it is time to get back to figuring out the code." He said.

"You mean Miyuki's code?" Asked Tak who apparently had simply just done a walk around and was now behind the three.

"What!? How do you… Do you spy on Zim!?" He asked after turning to her.

"No, I spy on Dib."

"What!?" Dib jumped up in shock.

"I saw you trying to figure out what the code meant on your computer." She told him.

"You… looked wait how…" He began.

"Just some drones that relay messages to me from time to time. By the way, you should clean your room every once in a while I mean doesn't your father have robots for that?"

"He does but Dib doesn't trust them with his things." Gaz replied.

"Not the point. What are you up to?" Asked Dib.

"Listen do you want help figuring out the code or not?" She asked back.

"Please, as if I the mighty Zim! Need help from a janitorial drone who never even became and Invader!" He yelled.

"At least I was prepared for the exams!" She yelled back. "I didn't fail and have to get Tallest Spork's recommendation."

"What!? What are you talking about!?" Asked Zim.

"Okay, seriously." Said Mr. Elliot. "All the yelling needs to stop."

Gaz looked around to see that many were staring at them.

"Sorry, Mr. Elliot." Said Dib.

"It's okay…" He replied. "…It's about time we should be heading out anyway."

Gaz was relieved. There was Zim's uneasy tension with Tak and her brother's… well that was a little more complicated. It would definitely be better to get away from the female irken.

The male one too…

…but one step at a time.

"You're back!" Yelled Gir.

"Not now!" Zim replied as he headed for his lab.

"But I made waffles with extra anchovies!" The Robot yelled.

Zim paid him no heed and headed straight to his lab.

"So you going to figure out the code?" Asked a voice next to him causing Zim to jump.

"Ah! Where did you come from!?" He asked.

"What? You gave me access to your simulation room remember." Gaz replied.

"Yeah, but… ah nevermind, I still need to figure out this code!" He yelled as the elevator came to a stop and Zim got out.

"Good luck with that." Said Gaz just before the doors closed and the elevator took her down to the simulation room.

Once alone Zim thought to himself.

What did Tak mean? No, she must have been lying. He tried to convince himself. However, the feeling of unease just wouldn't leave.

"Computer!" He yelled. "Pull up the results from Zim's invader exam!"

"Well, it's good to see you to." Came the sarcastic response.

The results showed up on the screen.

"Computer!? Where is the mighty Zim's name!?" He asked.

"This is just the top 100 so my guess is… hold on… yes… 586 out of 800 potential invaders."

"What!?" Zim exclaimed. "How… but I thought only around the top 450 had scored enough to pass!"

"That's right." Replied the A.I. "However it would appear that Tallest Spork recommended 10 irkens as invaders and you happened to be one of those 10."

"What!?" He shouted. "…But… who were the other 9."

The computer pulled up a list and Zim scanned who was on it. Of course, his name was but there was also Tenn, Dooky, and some others.

"Computer!? Why would Tallest Spork recommend anything!?" He asked.

"Bringing up Spork's speech prior to invader exams." The computer replied.

Zim watched as Tallest Spork gave his speech which was mostly about Miyuki's death and how they lost a great leader and how they would press on with a new set of invaders… the usual stuff. Then came what Zim was looking for.

"…So as we go on we will actually be changing how we do things. It's what Miyuki wanted." Spork took a moment to compose himself before going on. "So all invaders will not only have the written, combat and infiltration exams, but we will be conducting interviews. Mostly on their ambition and what they want out of being an invader. It takes more than skill. You have to have the heart for it. These interviews will be conducted mostly by seasoned invaders."

With that, the video ended.

Zim was still baffled. Okay, Tallest Spork recommended Ten…

That's it. He thought as he made a call.

"Yes!? Zim!?" Asked Tenn as she picked up.

"Invader Tenn how goes the invasion?" He asked.

"Oh, just peachy…" She sarcastically replied. "…Yup nothing like being found out and having your entire base destroyed."

"Yeah, whatever…" Zim replied as he wasn't completely listening. "…Anyway you remember being interviewed by Tallest Spork all those years ago?"

"Yeah, what of it?" She asked back.

"Well, it would appear you me and 8 other invaders were personally recommended by Tallest Spork." He said.

"I know that Zim, and still don't know why you called." She replied.

"OH, well, as it would seem I the mighty Zim! Didn't do so well on the written part of the test. Zim must have been tired or distracted that day or something…" He told her.

"Zim if you don't get to the point of this call I'm hanging up." She threatened.

"Ok, fine!" He conceded. "I just want to know why… why did Tallest Spork recommend us!?"

"Beats me why do you care!?" She asked back. "He must have seen something in us and his recommendation carries a lot of weight, even if you are distracted during the written portion."

"But… but…"

"Listen, Zim! If this is about you realizing you weren't as good an invader as you thought then just get over it. Tallest Spork obviously just thought we would all make good invaders. Why is this such a big deal to you!?"

"Nothing, I just… nevermind." He replied.

"No…" Said Tenn. "…You're hiding something."

"It doesn't matter!" He yelled. "Goodbye!"

Zim ordered the call be ended and the Computer complied.

He grunted in frustration. He actually wanted to tell ten about the plan and the code but… no he couldn't risk it getting out there.

Zim sighed. He honestly didn't have many options left.

"Computer! Break the Gaz-human from her simulation."

"Are you crazy!?" The Computer screamed back.

"Just do it!" Zim ordered.

After a few moments, a raging Gaz came through the elevator.

"Zim you better have a good reason…"

"Zim accepts!" He interrupted.

"What!?" Asked Gaz.

"Tell your brother… " Zim hesitated to say. "…Zim accepts his help."

The room went silent for a few moments until Gaz finally broke it.

"Now that's a good reason."

Thank you for all who made it to the end. Don't forget to leave a review.

May God bless you all

Also apparently there was a deleted post-credit scene in florpus where it was revealed that Tak did stowaway on her ship when they rescued their father from the space prison.