Disclaimer: IZ does not belong to me.

"So, I was like, 'uh-huh', and she was all like, 'nuh-uh', so I, like, said-"

The older Irken yawned, not caring enough to hide his boredom from his younger college The younger Irken, in fact, seemed not to mind, and continued talking on and on and on about... whatever. The older Irken briefly wondered if she even remembered what she was talking about. The Irkens walked through, not noticing the soft sound of moving metal. They were being payed to patrol these halls, nothing more, nothing less. So, naturally, they didn't do more than walk up and down the corridors.

Seconds after they rounded the corner, the ventilation shaft fell to the ground, creating a slight 'clang'. Dib hopped out of the shaft, scanned the area for possible threats, and moved forward. He was in so much trouble. He left without telling his dad. His sister and the two Irkens waiting outside, where they could easily be overrun and captured. He was infiltrating a ship full of angry Irken guards with angry Irken tech. Yet for some strange reason, all he could think about was Zim.

Was his friend all right? Was he being tortured? Was he blaming Dib? None of these questions had answers. At least, not obvious ones. The one thing that puzzled Dib, though, was why were these Irkens capturing one of their own kind? What use did Zim have? Nonetheless, Zim was in trouble.

Rounding the corner, Dib spotted a terminal of the computer kind. He skid to a stop and hopped up upon the stool used to seat smaller Irkens. The text was in all Irken, but he remembered enough from Zim to crack the code. A few letters and the entire thing translated to a familiar Earthen dialect: English. With no blockade keeping him from the answers, it took little time for Dib to bring up a plan of the ship. Zim was in the prisoner's level, bottom of the ship. Near impenetrable from the outside and internally impenetrable, save for a ventilation shaft that emptied right into the Prison Keeper's office. Unfortunately, that ventilation shaft had one major disadvantage.

It was right over the mess hall, where at least twenty Irkens would be eating at all times. Dib felt like throwing up. It wasn't fair. These things never were.

For a second, Dib considered heading back outside, giving the information to Red and Purple, and simply being done with it. Then he remembered Zim's face, shocked and hurt and with this coldness Dib hadn't seen him possess in such a long time. It made his heart tear in two. He had to be the one to rescue Zim. It was the only way to make things right.

Some time later, Dib was sitting outside the entrance to the mess hall. Irkens came and went, but the place never seemed to be empty or closed. At least half the crew must work somewhere in that kitchen. Zim had told him snacking was an Irken tradition, but this... this wasn't just snacking. This was obsession! Irkens went in and came back out minutes later smothered in chocolate. Some didn't leave for hours. At this point, it wasn't just abnormal— it was kind of creepy.

To gain entrance, each Irken had a card which, when slid in a slot near the door, unlocked it for them to pass. Which meant so long as he failed to possess an Irken card, he wasn't simply getting inside. Then, something peculiar, perhaps downright lucky, happened. A single Irken walked up to the door. Irkens coming to the mess hall seemed to always travel in flocks of two or three but, for some reason, this one had no friends joining it. When he reached out to swipe his card, Dib jumped out and tackled him, knocking them backwards. Dib hit the Irken. The Irken hit a metal wall, sliding downward, unconscious, with a metal thud.

Dib blinked, surprised at his own actions. Then he grasped the card and set the Irken aside. Disguising himself as an Irken was simple enough. Green spray paint from one of his previous adventures with Zim still laid untouched in his backpack. The already pink sack looked like a PAK, Zim had told him once, and would probably fool the other Irkens. Most other aspects would cause no question.

Indeed, when Dib used the pass card and entered the hall, nobody looked his way. Nobody attacked him with pointy things or shot lasers at him. Always a good sign. He slipped through the room, generally unnoticed, making his way to the shaft. He was almost there, just a few more-

"Hey you! New guy!"

And he was toast. Dib turned around and flashed his best 'I'm-smaller-than-you-please-don't-eat-me' smile, "May I help you, sir?"

He ushered Dib to sit down, "Why don't you have a seat here? We could... talk."

Dib, feeling he had no other choice, complied. The Irken female smiled at him as she ranted on about herself. It seemed she was he captain of the vessel, for she wore clothing Zim had mentioned were of the highest honor and smiled kindly the entire conversation. He half-listened and munched on a sandwich she had offered until she mentioned Zim's name.

His heart raced, but he fought and controlled himself, "Huh? Something about Zim?"

"I said the Irken's going to need stronger sedatives. The ones were giving him have a limited effectiveness. Or maybe we need to give him more..." The look in her eyes suggested she was not kidding. Dib found himself spooked, "I mean, he's already woken up twice today, and we're trying our hardest to keep him under control. Luckily," She held up a silver ring, decorated with silver keys of all shapes and sizes, "This is the only key into Zim's cell," She picked out a key, "and it will never leave my sight, never!"

Dib then did the most noble thing any hero could do for their damsel in distress. He gave the captain half of the cherry pie he'd picked. She dug in, thoroughly enjoying the food and, best of all, completely ignoring Dib as he fumbled through the keys and picked out the right one. Whether she even knew he had it or not had yet to be seen.

"So, uh, I'm gonna go now, yeah," He smiled faintly at her, "Thanks for the meal."

"Thanks for the pie," She flashed him a grin before digging in, once again, to her pie. Dib inched away, towards the ventilation shaft which, luckily, had been hidden by a table. Dib slipped under and unlocked it with a screwdriver, then slid through. He made his way through the prison block, checking every room, searching every cell.

When he came to the cell third in the row, he gasped, "Zim..."

The Irken, groggily, looked up at him, "Dib?"

I have a feeling these are getting shorter and shorter. Well, I'm tired, so THERE.