Words- Regular speech

Words- Thoughts

Words- Chapters and changes

(Words)- Bez speech

Chapter 15—Bath and Breakfast…or Whatever Meal it is-

Rachel's P.O.V….

I had to admit I was terrified when the shockwave hit the ship. James and I were hugging each other so hard I though we both were going to crack ribs. Me in pure fear and him in a comforting sort of way. It was the only thing that I remembered for quite a while. Even after the tremors stopped and everything had calmed down I still clung to him. The scent of him and the feel of those strong arms protecting me calmed the pounding of my heart and the fear of my mind.

I looked up to see James looking at me. "I guess we made it huh?" He asked and kissed my forehead.

"I guess we did." I said with a weak smile and buried my face into his shirt again.

I turned to check Zim and Wren to see if they were ok. Wren had a grip on Zim's shirt like it was her life line as Zim's arms circled her shoulders. Sobs shook her slightly changed form. I looked up to see Zim looking down at her a little confused. He probably had never had to deal with a lap full of someone crying before this moment.

"Come on James." I said standing a little on shaky legs. "Let's go check out the rest of the ship."

James stood and steadied me. "That sounds good to me because I wouldn't mind checking this bio-mech out."

"I'll take you down to the mess hall if you want." Rouk said. "We could also check to see if there are any clothes at all on this ship and water. Then you guys can take a bath. You are splattered in blood, dirt, and who knows what else. Not only that you smell horrible."

James looked at me then to Rouk, "Thanks Rouk, makes me feel a lot better about myself. But it sounds like an idea to me." He started off with Rouk toward the lift.

I scratched my pet behind the ears as looked back at Zim who was now looking at me almost pleadingly. He looked slightly a little confused and scared at what he should do now. 'Just hold her for a while till she stops crying,' I mouthed giving the only advice I could think of. He nodded, though hesitatingly, and looked back down at the quivering girl on his lap. It looked like he was still very unsure of what to do.

I turned and looked at GIR. "Come on GIR. Let's go see if we can find some cupcakes."

GIR's azure eyes blinked at me. "Can we find cookies too? I want cookies!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Ok…. Maybe we could find some." I took his hand and walked to where James and Rouk were waiting for me.

Wren's P.O.V….

Just before the wave ended; everything just hit me. I would never see my family again or my planet. I had no clue where I was in space. I was most likely permanently changed forever into some freak mix of human and cat. And by this time it hit me full force that I had taken three lives in cold blood and I enjoyed it. It scared me. It scared me bad enough to just break down then and there. I started to cry totally forgetting that I was sitting on an alien's lap, and that my best friend and her boyfriend were there. All that I cared about was that I felt safe just to cry myself out in the arms that circled my shoulders.

I don't know how long I cried but every so often a hand would smooth down my hair and ears and that someone also whispered in a different language in my ear comfortingly. Well, it was comforting to me even if I didn't know what was going to be said. Slowly my sobs subsided. Zim rested his chin on the top of my head and rubbed my back as I sniffed back the rest of my tears. I relaxed into his grip further, resting my face against his chest and my ears back flat against my skull. I heard an unfamiliar heart beat in an unfamiliar chest. Comforted by that rhythm I dozed a little completely exhausted emotionally and physically.

Rachel's P.O.V….

We had found the mess hall first on our trek through the ship. There was a whole wall of what seemed to be glass cases. Nothing but these cases. We walked over to the windows and started looking. Inside each was a multitude of foods from the noticeable to the totally peculiar.

A thought struck me and I looked toward James. "Shouldn't we check the ship first?" I asked.

He paused. "You're right, we should. The ship right now is more important than eating and getting cleaned up." He started to turn from glass cases.

"No you two don't!" Rouk said placing her paws on her hips. "You guys have done enough just to survive. The spheres and I can check the outside. GIR knows where and what everything down here is and will get you something to eat."

My pet perked it head up and gave a few series of chirps. It flew off my shoulder and hovered above my head for a moment then looked at my face.

"Go ahead." I said waving towards Rouk. "If you can help out, do it. Be as careful as you can though. Come back as soon as you can without any harm to yourself. I don't want to lose you, understand. I just got you."

It bobbed its head and chirped at me agreeing to my terms. It rubbed its head against my cheek. He gave a few more cheeps flying over to hover over Rouk. She saluted then turned on the ball of her paws. Off she went with the two spheres and my pet.

I looked at James with a small smile. Turning back to the wall of cases I started to reach for a meal when something like a switch flipped in my head. It was the exact same feeling right before we escaped and I paused mid reach.

(You think of me? Why?) The ship asked sounding a little confused and slightly wary.

I sighed and James smirked. We walked over to a table and sat down unsure if we'd be able to handle such a shocking conversation with an actual ship standing up or even taking a bite of a meal.

"We need you and you need us. You are our new home for now." I said resting my chin on my steepled fingers. I looked down at the meals in the cabnets wondering what exactly they would taste like. Secretly I knew it would be ten times better than the crap they tried feeding us on the other ship. My mouth watered in anticipation.

"And it was sorta our fault that you might have been damaged." James added picking up a fork to look at it as if it would change into something completely different.

The ship paused a few moments before replying. (You mean that don't you. I know you mean that.) It said. (I called Bez.)

"Bez?" I asked startled. "You have names?"

(Yes we named. We have one name. Good name too.) Bez replied. (We named at birth. Bez means smallest one.)

"So you are the smallest one of your kind?" James asked with a raised eyebrow.

(Yes.) He said with a mental giggle. He paused again as if thinking. (You known as James. You navigate well.)

"Uh…thanks." James said rubbing the back of his neck. "I couldn't have done it though without a ship with such a response time."

(Thank you.) Bez rumbled with a hint of embarrassment. (Rachel is the one beside you! Rachel needs aiming lessons.)

James and I laughed. "Yes, yes I do need lessons." I giggled. "I've got something to ask Bez."

(Ask it of me,) He said.

"Are we safe here? On you I mean."

(You safe.) He replied honestly. (But only if helped by you!)

"Ah…" I said softly thinking about that.

James spoke up after a few moments of quiet. "Bez, sorry to bother you, but is there any chance of a hot meal and a hot shower since our guide walked?"

The ship gave a rumbling laugh. (A meal it is now. Shower after you eat. Food gets mushy and gross if you eat in the shower.) He then shut off the connection.

I burst into a fit of giggles after Bez said that. I watched GIR appear out of nowhere from the corner of my eye as he stood up and went over to the glass cases. He opened two doors that were beside each other. Quickly he pulled out two trays from their shelves. He grinned happily while bringing them over to us.

"Din din served!" he squealed setting our trays in front of us. He then ran off squealing about monkeys or something. Before he got out the door, though, he ran into a wall only to fall flat on his back. He jumped up giggling and disappeared through a door.

James and I shook our heads as we watched the mad little robot. "I'm almost afraid to look at it." I said. I looked down at the meal anyway.

Sitting in front of me was a whole meal, not just the gruelish type stuff they tried serving us on the slave ship. Food that looked almost like it was from back home. It looked like chicken and mash potatoes with gravy of some sort. On the tray also was bread.

"You know," James said poking at his food, "I'm too hungry to even care if this will kill me. At least I'll die with a full stomach!"

I agreed with a laugh. Thanking Bez absently we both started eating.

Later….

To our amazement we had enough room for dessert. The whole meal was so good that I almost could eat until I literally burst. I decided not too because I really, really wanted that shower.

As if on cue, Bez flicked on the connection in our heads and spoke up. (You want shower now?) He asked. (Or do you want Rouk's report first?)

Rouk then came in with her group. She grinned with a Cheshire cat grin while saluting us. She hopped up onto the table smoothing out her fur.

"I guess we don't get a choice Bez." James said. "Thanks for asking though."

The ship rumbled with amusement. (You're welcome!)

Rouk looked at us after she smoothed out the last of the rough spots on her person. "Ok then. There were a few scratches and dings. One wing's webbing was ripped a little but that was an easy mend once we got the edges together. The scratches and dings were repaired too with little hassle. Now Bez looks as flawless as a night sky." She reported. Then she cocked her head to the side, so much like Wren would have done. "Now, did someone say something about a shower?"

"Yeah. We're about ready to find them and a new set of clothes." I said.

(I don't know what you like.) Bez said, (But I can provide uniforms if you want.)

"Bez, as long as it doesn't have blood on it, I could care less." James said.

He rumbled with laughter. (Alright then.)

"Then let's take you up on the shower and a change of clothes then." James said standing. He pulled me up and looped an arm around my shoulders.

I only could nod because I was giggling so hard. And all I could do was follow Rouk out as James led me on.

We soon got there after a few twists and turns. All the showers were on one side of a hallway. In each room there were four showers at each corner of the room and these showers were a triangular shape. Each shower door had its own design. In the center of the room were four sinks with mirrors.

"These were the crew showers. The other part of the bathroom…" Rouk started to say but was cut off by GIR squealing something about a potty. She glared at him. "Yes, the potty part of the bathroom, along with the tubs, is on the other side of the hall. The higher crew, aka the captain and officers, had their own bathrooms in their quarters at this stage of Bez's growth."

"Then why don't we use those?" I asked.

Rouk shrugged then replied, "These were closer."

"Oh…" I murmured. "Whatever. At this point of time I don't care, as long as these things have hot water and soft towels."

I started over to one of the showers but paused. "Bez, can we have clothes ready for when we get out?"

(Of course! What colors do you prefer though?)

"Any color would do." James replied heading for the shower beside the one I was going for.

(Ok,) Bez said, (Rachel would look good in blues…and you in blacks.) It murmured to itself.

Two holes appeared in the ceiling and two uniforms came down folded on two platforms. One uniform was an aqua blue and the other all black.

"I don't know how you did it Bez, but thank you again." I said taking the folded clothes. I then headed for the shower I was originally heading to before.

I sighed happily as I started to strip down to nothing behind the closed shower door. I discarded my old clothes over the top of the shower and turned the water on by waving my hand over a small sensor. The water came down from the spout overhead. I sighed again with contentment as I found the water was hot and I soon got lost in the mist that billowed out.

Wren's P.O.V….

I sat there not quite drowsing but not quite awake. Zim had stopped rubbing my back and had rested his head quite close to my ears.

"You know," he whispered, "they may start to worry about us."

I roused myself and sighed shifting in his lap slightly. My tail flicked across the floor, brushed against Zims boots, only to curl loosely around both his legs.

"You think so?" I asked softly only raising my ears up. I could feel them brush Zims cheeks and felt him smile. I then raised my head from its spot on his chest. Looking at him I lowered my ears again.

"I don't know for sure, but if they aren't then we shouldn't worry about it." He replied and carefully pushed a few strands of run-away hair out of my face. I took note on how his hands shook. Idly I wondered if he was nervous and why he was.

"That or they found something to do." I said with a hint of edge to my voice and looked away. If Rachel, Katie, or Traci would have been here they would have sworn that I sounded jealous. The scary thing was that I was jealous. I had been single much longer than any of them and it hurt now that I thought about it. I didn't feel I absolutely had to have someone beside me but it wouldn't have hurt to have a bond like Rachel and James' for situations this emotionally tolling.

"I don't know about you Wren." Zim said after a few minutes. "But I have to eat something."

I looked back toward him and made a face. He shook his head with a grin.

"Food sound good," I said then blushed, "but getting up is the problem. I think my sheet came loose."

I wasn't the only one to blush. Zim blushed, a light purple color staining his cheeks.

I started to giggle. "I can't believe I even said that."

Zim looked at me with an evil grin then. An equally evil glint in his eye accompanied it.

"Oh crap." I thought. "I have no clue how I got myself into this mess." I looked at him with caution.

Suddenly Zim picked me up. I yelped and half clung to him and half clung to my sheet. He wasn't just standing; he was using his spider legs as help.

"You are so bloody evil." I pouted.

"I, Zim, evil?" He asked playfully. "I think not female human! I'm just helping!"

"Put me down then, almighty Zim."

"If you wish." He said laughing.

"Oh ha ha." I muttered and he carefully set me down. "I'm glad you find this funny." I quickly adjusted the sheet but not before I revealed a few more inches of flesh that I didn't want shown. It was just bits of a leg and my back but I was embarrassed enough.

"Before I eat," I said turning to him, "I demand a shower."

Zim raised his hands in defense. "Fine by me."

"Good." I said crossing my arms over my chest. I turned and started for the lift.

"You seem to be over what happened." He pointed out as he followed me.

I paused for a second mid step. "Maybe." I said finally. "But only on the outside," I thought, "never on the inside. Not for a while at lease."

Zim caught up to me on the lift and soon we were on our way.

Just a little bit later….

I lead Zim to the crew showers since they were closer than the officer's corridor. When we got there we noticed GIR carrying a pile of clothes up the hall in the other direction. Zim and I looked at each other and shrugged and continued into an empty room.

"Are you allergic to anything?" I asked while looking at him from over my shoulder. I fully well knew that Zim was allergic to H2O but decided to let him tell me.

He winced and nodded. "Water. I found that out on the other ship." He said.

I saw in his eyes how scared he was of that and winced also. "That's bad. Maybe Bez could recreate something close to what Irkens use." I suggested.

"Maybe." He replied.

(Ready to change?) Bez asked. To me he sounded a little older than when we first met.

"Yep." I replied.

(Ok. Rouk suggested something for you Wren. So it is ready after you shower.)

"Thanks Bez." I said getting ready to find a shower stall.

(But I'm sorry Zim. I had no clue what to get you, even though you are used to uniforms most likely. I improvised on a design of clothing that Rouk suggested for Wren. I hope you can wear it.) The ship said.

Two panels came down with clothes folded onto them. I didn't check then to see what they were and apparently Zim didn't either. He had taken his and was talking to Bez about a formula used as a wash for Irkens.

I shook my head absently and took my clothes over to a shower. The design on it had caught my eye.

Two dragons were on the door. One was green, red, and black while the other was blue, purple, and black. Both dragons looked as if they were in flight.

I walked into the stall and dropped the sheet that was around me. I sighed in frustration and disgust that the blood had soaked through the sheet and was all over the front of my body. It had ruined my bra and underwear also.

As the water started I sighed in pure bliss. It trickled down by back and chest relieving some of the knots in my muscles. I soon got down to business though by starting to scrub at the blood on my front. It swirled down the drain in a pink river. I didn't stop scrubbing until it all was gone. By then my skin was almost raw and bleeding itself.

Not much changed in this chapter either. I think that's how it's going to be from here on out. But that means that I may get these out faster. I am also trying to fix the grammar mistakes and everything that I've missed. Which is a lot. Lol But anyway, I hope you guys are enjoying the story still.