"Atra!"

The gray-eyed girl looked over her shoulder, spotting one of her classmates heading her way. 'What was his name?" she thought. 'Oh yes, Dib.'

The boy caught with the female, looking purposefully at her lunch tray. "Do not eat that. No one knows what it is."

"I wasn't planning on it," Atra replied. "It looks toxic." She promptly dropped it in a garbage can as they passed. Purple smoke began wafting out. "And there's my evidence."

Dib held up a paper bag. "I'll split my lunch with you."

His companion looked puzzled. "Why? It's not like you owe me anything."

Dib, too, seemed confused. "I don't know. I... just get the feeling that... I'm supposed to look after you. I... can't explain it."

Atra smiled a little. "Well, I appreciate it. Don't starve yourself, though."

Amber eyes adopted a super-serious expression. "I won't. I solemnly swear, on my cheese stick." Both children erupted into giggles.

L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D~L~D

"Xilra, the communication screen quit working again, and the Tallests have to call Invader Tenn and see if the EMP pulse shut down those SIRs."

"Just a minute."

"They said now, Xil."

"Luf, come hold this."

The violet-eyed male rolled his eyes. "Xilra..."

"Fine," the female huffed, climbing out from under a Voot Runner and removing her goggles. " Tallest Purple probably dropped something in the wiring again." Annoyance flashed across yellow eyes.

Turns out, there was something in the circuitry, but it wasn't food-related. "What the...?" Then, the thing exploded, and Xilra got a face-full of shrapnel.

Screams echoed around the bridge, both Xilra's and frightened employees'. Luckily, one of the navigators had the sense to call medical personnel.

The medics took all the injured (about 6, Xilra got most the shrapnel) to the infirmary. Thanks to the wonder of Irken medicine and the poor construction of the bomb, there was no permanent damage, at least with most the casualties. A sharp piece of metal bounced off the wall and embedded in Xilra's PAK. It hit the memory chip; The chip was irreparable. Xil could remember nothing, other than her name, birth date, and the serial number of her cold unfeeling arm. Those and that she 'must find Zim, he needs me.'

And, with that, her existence was no longer meaningless, and Irk's god grinned. "Mission complete."