Landing the ship had been easy, but getting past security was going to be more difficult. Zim held a tracking device in his gloved hands and determined their co-ordinates.
"The transmission came from the containment units." Zim explained.
"We gonna get Gazzie?" GIR exclaimed, pulling on Dibs sleeve.
Dib ignored him and continued to follow Zim around corners and down long winding passageways, Dib was positive that they were lost, but he didn't dare say anything with so many alien guards around. It was too risky. Plus, the slightest noise could set off another annoying musical number which could be catastrophic for them.
GIR skipped along playfully at their side, smiling and humming to himself. Zim wondered what kind of insanity was going on inside that little steel head of his. But he inwardly shook himself, this was not the time! They needed to continue to travel downwards to where the prison cells were based.
It wasn't long before they found themselves outside the entrance to the containment unit. A large Irken guard stood in front, blocking all hope of entry. They needed a distraction. Zim glanced down at GIR.
"Hey GIR, that man knows where they keep the tacos!" Zim whispered excitedly.
GIR's bright blue eyes widened in glee, his stitch-like mouth broke into a manic grin, "TACCO'S!"
He bounded up to the guard and clasped himself to his head, screaming for tacos over and over. The guard thrashed around trying to dislodge the crazy robot before falling to the floor. The force of the guards head on the metal flooring knocked him out cold in an instant. GIR stopped and poked him, sighing.
"Awe, taco man tired..."
"I'll get you some later, now let's get going!" Dib urged, forcing his way through the door.
Instantly, Dib wrapped his arms around himself, it was so cold in here. Zim's antenna curled in closer to his head and were quivering in the dropping temperature.
"It's designed to send any prisoners into forced hibernation. Our PAKs don't work well in icy temperatures and makes us sleep to save energy." Zim explained, picking GIR up onto his back to cover the PAK.
"Then let's hurry up before you drop down on us." Dib replied, looking at the tracking device.
There were plenty of cells, most of them empty and the ones that were occupied only had sleeping residents. None of which were Gaz or even mildly humanoid.
Zim began to feel weak and was turning oddly pale. GIR was already snoozing, but then again, Dib guessed that he was just tired and not really effected by the cold. They hurried along until the tracking device started beeping randomly. They were getting close!
"Gaz!" Dib called out, "Gaz answer me!"
"Dib?" a faint voice echoed, "Dib I'm down here!"
They followed the voice down the corridor until the found a large cell with a single figure inside it. A small girl dressed in black, arms wrapped around herself for warmth, obviously failing. She looked up, trying to cover her relief as her three rescuers sprinted into view. Dib reached through the bars to grab her hand while Zim leaned against the wall for support.
"Took you long enough..." she muttered through chattering teeth.
Dib laughed with relief, "We're getting you out of here!"
"Tak!" she cried.
"Yes we know, Tak was the one that kidnapped you." Zim replied, examining a control panel next to the cell.
"No, Tak!" Gaz pointed at a shadowed figure behind them.
They span around in time to see a large pair of purple eyes gleaming at them, "Welcome to the party!" And then, darkness.
When they all came too, they were covered in goose-bumps and shivering unwillingly. It was colder here, inside the cell. Gaz was shaking them, forcing them to stand up. There was a high pitched, cruel laughter, Tak stood just out of reach out in the corridor.
"Wakie wakie!" she sang, "My, it's been a long time."
"Tak! What is this?" Zim demanded, turning paler still.
"Revenge!" she cried, but there was a hint of reluctance in her eyes, "I never wanted this you know, I just wanted to be an invader, but you... both of you, had to go and ruin it! You put idea's in my head that are not the Irken way! You ruined me!"
For a moment, she paused and gazed at Dib, shaking her head in dismay.
"But that's all going to change now. You see, the Tallest think that I'm trying to get back in their good books, but you see, I just needed their facilities to get you all here, now, now my time can begin!"
"What do you mean?" Dib asked, narrowing his eyes, was that tears he would see in her eyes?
"I mean - "
Alarms rang out through the unit, lights flashing red and the sounds piercing their ears. The guards came running from either side of the corridor. They grabbed at Tak, restraining her and forcing her to the ground. Those inside the cell backed against the wall in shock as Tak screamed out in anger. Dib felt a pang of horror on her behalf. What was going on? They could hear her screams echoing as they dragged her away. No one moved, no one spoke, no one had any idea what to do.
The two humans, one Irken and one little robot huddled together for heat. Gaz sat in-between her brother and her alien. She smirked, that's right, her alien. She'd missed them both, but she wouldn't admit it. Not to Dib out of pride, and not to Zim because of Dib. Although, they had already guessed as much, she hated being touched so why else would she be huddled with the both now? Cold was never a problem for her.
Gaz felt something lightly tugging at her hair, she glanced up and saw that Zim was making his antenna wrap itself around a strand of her violet hair. She tilted her head to make it easier for him. Dib had noticed this and was too cold to protest, besides, he was just so glad to have his sister with him unharmed, right now, she could do what she wanted. He didn't mind too much if she was happy. They needed a bit of happy in this situation.
All of a sudden, the bars of the cell snapped open and a limp figure was tossed inside. It was female and looked human, but there was something odd about her. She pushed herself up and looked around, tears spilling down her cheeks.
"Tak?" Dib gasped.
It was definitely her, but now in her full human disguise, PAK still visible on her back. Her short blue hair was dishevelled and matted, her clothes singed and torn.
"What happened?" Dib continued, trying to resist the urge to help her, she was still an enemy after all.
"They found me out. My plan, my dream, gone again..."
"What was that? I thought you were high up with the Tallest now?" Zim snapped.
She coughed and sank to the floor again, "I was just pretending to work for the Tallest. That's what I was explaining before! After being denied Invader status again after being recovered from my escape pod," she paused to glare at Zim, "I vowed revenge, on the Tallest. I was going to overthrow them the moment I had the chance."
"Then why kidnap me and bring them here if you're not after revenge on them?" asked Gaz sceptically.
"I forced you all here to make sure you didn't ruin my plan again! Every time I get close to achieving something, you always show up! By imprisoning you, I would ensure my victory, but someone must have found out and told the Tallest. They classified me a defect and... programmed my PAK to remain in human form."
Dib narrowed his eyes, "You, you were rebelling? You were never going to hurt us?"
She shook her head, "I just wanted to achieve something. I... I'm sorry."
Every music wafted around them, it seems even in prison cells, music can still find you.
(They - Jem)
Tak:
They made up all the rules,
I followed them like you,
Believed them to be true,
Didn't think my life through...
I'm sorry, so sorry, I'm sorry, it's my fault,
I'm sorry, so sorry, I'm sorry, I did this.
Tak sighed as they turned away from her. She meant every word, in this musical thing, she had no choice but to speak the truth. Surely one of them would see that. Dib... She had to convince him most of all. She sat next to him and nodded towards Zim and Gaz.
Hey it's ironic too,
The way I feel for you, he feels it for her too,
It's not meant to be that way...
I'm sorry, I mean it, I thought that, it was right,
I'm wrong now, I know that, and I'm sorry, we're stuck here.
There once was, a time that, you spoke and we were close yeah?
Can we go, back there please? I know it's hard but lets just try.
Do you see, what I see? Two races together.
We could have a go, we really aren't so different.
The Tallest, don't own me, I left them long ago.
I lied and, they found out, that's why I'm here right now.
I do care about you, it's just not Irken, I missed you, but hated, how we were parted.
My anger is gone now, please say yours is too, I want to start over.
I'm sorry, so sorry, I'm sorry, I love you.
The music came to a sudden stop, he jumped and stared at her in an uncomfortable mixture of suspicion and surprise. Tak broke eye contact and got to her feet, she walked over to the other side of the cell and examined the bars.
"You want to say that again?" Dib asked, his mouth suddenly dry, heart pounding.
Zim smirked, "Would this make things more awkward if we left you two alone?"
Dib slumped his shoulders and glared at him, "Yes, it would..."
Zim grinned, "Uh, Gaz can I speak to you privately on the other side of the cell?"
Dib glared at them as they left him alone with Tak. He stood next to her and noticed her shivering and turning awfully pale, the lights on her PAK dimming.
"No, I don't want to say it again." she snapped, "You should have listened the first time."
He didn't know what to say, so instead of talking, he did something. He pulled off his trench coat, arms shivering in the cold, and draped it over her shoulders. For a moment, she glared accusingly at him, but then smiled inwardly.