Ahh, the sweet smell of winners. Which might I add have helped me to create a very bloody good idea for upcoming chaps. I would like to thank the winners of my little contest, AquaTH who was first to get it all. They will be receiving two chapters and a picture in my story. My second place winner is Invader Grim. They get a chapter and I've decided a picture is in store for Invader Grim as well because I was that inspired. May take a little while though to get the pictures done though. I have a habit of starting and stopping on those projects but they will get done in a mix of the original Zim style and mine. Not much difference though. Lol.

I will also contact my winners to get their permission to let others see their pictures. I will also let my winners, if you contact me, have a sneak preview of what I have planned next.

Now, I hope to get this story up faster but with my track record that may be farfetched. But I'm going to try my best. I think this chapter may be average length of all my chapter so I hope you enjoy it.

Words- Regular speech

Words- Thoughts

Words- Chapters and changes

(Words)- Bez speech

Chapter 40—Findings and is that a Vacation in our Future?—

Narrator's P.O.V….

A few hours later….

"So basically we didn't find much," a scientist said looking a little down at having to report such a failure. There were no spikes or anything on any of the monitors before the attack."

Wren stood smiling and patted the poor, down scientist on the shoulder as she passed him to look out the window. She looked out for a few seconds only to turn back to the table, "You guys did your best. That's all we ask of you guys. Thank you."

The scientist smiled, even though it didn't reach his eyes. "Just call if you need anything else," he said, "I've got to get back to the lab and finish a project."

"Good luck with that Mikeal," Wren said as the scientist thanked her while walking out the door.

Wren turned to her audience in the meeting room. Rachel, Curtis, Zim and a few of the other head officers looked at her waiting for her to speak as she ran a hand through her hair. When she didn't for a moment, Rachel spoke up.

"So we've got nothing?"

"Basically," Wren replied with a heavy sigh, "The only chance was the vids and we don't even have those because two S.I.R.s screwed with them."

"I knew I should have checked everything," one of the officers said rubbing his temple.

"We didn't expect this to happen," Curtis said. "Don't blame yourself. Those S.I.R.s are like a force of their own."

"We got lucky though," Zim said. "One casualty and the others were just injured. No one got a chance to see who or what was on this ship."

"And we haven't been able to see what brought this on," Rachel added. "We weren't doing anything."

Wren sat back down. "Well, I think that we will never know if we did anything or not. There are a few species out there that will attack without even a reason as to why. I think we just need to move out of this sector as fast as Bez is comfortable with. I want to find a moon or something for him to land on so we can take the pressure off his wings."

"We do need to check him out fully," Krish said. "It'd be easier on one of the moon's that has very little gravity. You're right about it taking the pressure off his wings because he supports himself constantly with his wings regardless that space makes everything weightless. It won't be hard at all to do a full check because we will not be moving."

"I like that idea," Rachel said with a nod.

"I do too, I think it'd be to the greatest benefit for everyone if we did that," Curtis said. "Everyone is really shaken up over what happened."

"We all just need a vacation," Zim said.

Everyone laughed and agreed.

"We might as well find a planet with a reduced gravity moon and a beach on the planet then," Rachel said. "I wouldn't mind just to put my feet on terra firma again. Nothing against Bez or anything at all. Being planet side raise I miss being planet side."

Wren nodded, "I think that is the best idea though. It just needs done." She grinned then, "Hopefully we won't get shot at on our search."

Everyone started to laugh and agreed with what she said.

Wren's P.O.V….

A few weeks later….

~No sighting of the space anomalies have been recorded since we started in this new direction. Everything is fixed on the bridge but we all have been on our toes just in case. G.I.R. and C.A.D.I.E. have been kept out of the way amazingly by video games. You know, the things many people on Earth said would rot our brains? Well that's keeping them busy and out of the way. And everyone has never been happier about video games till now. Amazingly we didn't just have Irken game creators on board, we had a handful of Human ones as well. I honestly forgot how nice it was to just relax and do something mindless for an hour or so. Not to mention, I'm learning a few strategies while I'm at it! So two plusses while I'm at it.~

I looked up from my log as someone knocked on my door. I raised a brow and looked toward the time piece on my desk, surprised at what it said. It was a lot later than I had thought it was. I started to put a few things away while calling out a, "Come in!"

Rachel burst through the door bouncing which only caused me to give her a suspicious look. "You won't believe it!" she said excitedly.

"I probably won't get it, but go ahead and shoot," I said finishing my log entry.

"Bez has found a planet that's habitable and has a moon he can rest on!"

"Wow," I said blinking at her. "That was fast."

"I know! But isn't it great! Hopefully this planet doesn't have any surprises like the last one."

I stood, "I agree. I'm getting tired of surprises personally. And I'd rather not spend weeks with another healing shoulder." I looked at Rachel and laughed, "We need a huge break, don't we?"

She started to snicker, "Yeah, we do."

Zim's P.O.V….

I fell back on my bed unceremoniously and sighed a deep sigh. "I hurt so damned much…" I muttered moving my arm to cover my eyes.

GIR sat on my bed and watched me for a little. "I sorry Master. Want me to make it go away?" he asked patting me on the head.

I looked at him from one eye for a moment, "Uh… that's quite alright GIR. I'll be fine. Thank you for asking though."

"Aww…. Okie dokie!" the unit said and just rolled off the bed.

I blinked at the empty spot where he once was. "Ok… maybe that's a sign that no one will bother me."

(Fat chance,) Bez said laughingly in my head. (Wren's lazy so she said to come to the bridge.)

"But I just came from there," I whined sitting up. "And before that engineering, and before that the ship bays and before that I had to be in the greenhouse!"

(I know you were, but Wren has good news.)

"I get a vacation?" I asked perking up.

(Maybe, she said she wanted to talk to you before she makes a decision.)

"Oh, that means I might get a vacation," I said slowly moving to get off the bed.

(It also means you might not,) Bez cut in.

"Don't burst my good mood," I grumbled stamping my feet into my boots.

I stood up and headed for the door of my room. I was on my way to the bridge via elevator because right now I didn't think that I could handle a chute landing.

"Took you long enough," Wren said as I walked onto the bridge.

I waved her comment off. "I would have been here sooner but I'm too sore to handle a chute right now." I said as I sat in the chair beside her.

"I'm sorry," she said, ears receding to lie down along her head.

"Eh, today's not going to kill me," I smiled at her and rested a hand on hers. "Now, what did you need to talk to me about?"

"Well, Bez found a planet that we could vacation on and a moon he could rest on. I just want to know if, and only if, this would be ok. It has water though. I must warn you, but Irkens would be ok if they stay away from it a good bit. It'd probably be ok regardless. This planet doesn't seem as polluted as most others containing water."

"I like the idea," I said. "Any life forms?"

"Sent a team down after scanning the planet. Wildlife mostly and a casino."

My antenna perked up and I raised an eye brow, "Casino?"

She nodded. "It seems to be a recreation planet for the species of the Sharshans."

"Wait… the creatures that we made a treaty with first?"

"Yep. Turns out that this planet was more or less created by the Sharshans with something or other to make it habitable. Terra forming or something."

"Huh…" I murmured. "Interesting. So if our people just ask them if we can stay about three flins, we probably could. As long as we don't leave or ruin anything."

She nodded, "Most likely. We'll probably have to send a message to their leaders for permission though."

We sat in silence for a few moments. A vacation would be really nice if we could get it. Making sure that everyone had an equal chance at getting a vacation would be the problem.

"Let's try contacting someone in charge planet side," I said finally after some thought. "They could get a hold of the necessary people to ask. We'll figure everything else after that's done."

"Sounds like a wonderful plan to me," Wren said. "Coms, send out a message to the planet. State who we are and what our intent is. If they don't want us here ask if there is a planet close that we could rest on."

"Ma'am yes ma'am," Coms said, hands running over the control panels quickly and starting to relay the message.

"So, it may take a while to get a reply or anything. Care to join me in a nap?" I said to Wren catching her yawning.

"Nap? What is this, nap you speak of? I have no clue what you are talking about," she giggled only to break out in another yawn. She tried to cover it with her hand to be discrete about it but it didn't quite work.

"Corvin, you have the bridge. The Captain and I are going for a cat nap, no pun intended," I grinned looking at Wren. She was in the middle of another yawn and could only wave my comment off.

"Sir, yes sir. Anything else sir?" the young Irken at the Helms asked standing to look at me.

"No, you know who to contact if you need anything."

Corvin nodded and moved to the captain's chair as I pulled Wren to the lifts.

"You've been stressing yourself too much the last couple of days," I said as soon as the lift doors closed. Pulling her to my side I kissed her forehead.

"I know, I know," Wren sighed relaxing into my touch. "I've been worried about Bez and everything else though. I'm hoping we can relax on this planet."

"We hopefully will be able to take the time to relax. No worries there," I said as the lift stopped and I pulled her out to her room. Coaxing the half asleep girl beside me into the room I took the time to look around.

It was the same as every other time I'd been in her room. Everything was in red, black and silver. A few items of clothing were strewn around the closet, a vid screen or two sat on the kitchenette counter. Her room looked like, what I could only describe as, home like. The lived in sort of clutter that made it cozy.

My attention was caught by something lit in the corner of the room. Curious I decided to investigate as Wren went to the bathroom to change into something more comfortable.

There, sitting against the corner was a frame work. On it was an unfinished picture in something that was unfamiliar to me. I was puzzled.

Wren's P.O.V….

Feeling a little better after changing out of my uniform, I grabbed a hair tie and started into the bedroom braiding my hair. Taking a quick scan of the room I noticed Zim was investigating my new project in the corner of my room.

Walking till I was just right behind him I said, "Canvas and paint."

"Huh?" he asked turning to look at me antenna perking up.

"It's a painting on canvas. Primitive pigments with a base brushed onto a woven thread cloth that's primed with a mixture of a water base mixed with minerals. It's very a primitive way of catching pictures without technology at all. I'm painting in my spare time," I explained a bit more finishing off my braid.

"I've never seen anything like this before," Zim said stepping back to look at it from a distance. "I've been surrounded by technology all my life and have never experienced this before now."

"It's an Earth creation I'm sure. Before we were abducted I wanted to go to further my education in art and study painting. I thought that I had enough time now to maybe try my hand more at it," I said smiling at him.

"Makes sense, but it seems kind of…"

"Archaic?" I supplied laughing. "It's old fashioned and out dated yes, but to me that's what makes it relaxing to work on. At least to me. The process of working through and layering to create something that catches the eye without technology. Just the simple brush strokes and monotony of the blending is just relaxing."

"I'll trust your word on this and leave this to you. I'm technology minded, not artistic."

I laughed and kissed him on the cheek, sliding my hands into his. "If you say so. Now, let's take our nap."

He smiled at me and allowed me to pull him to the bed.

Rachel's P.O.V….

"So," I asked out loud more for myself than anyone else. "Wonder if we'll get that vacation."

"I hope we do," Curtis said with a sign as he sat down beside me. "Everyone needs it. That last incident with what ever it was isn't helping anyone right now."

We were in my room lounging on the couches in front of the TV that had come about with the last growth spurt that Bez had. I had reclined across part of the couches and my pet took his spot on top of my stomach. All we could really do was sit and wait for any answer from the planet or relations from the planet.

"This break will help with that. And I'm worried about Bez," I said. "His wings were mangled in that attack."

"Don't know what we'd do without him or if we had a different ship," Curtis said quietly while bushing some hair out of my face. "I don't think we'd even make it."

I gave only a slight nod letting that statement hang in the air. I closed my eyes enjoying Curtis' touch. It was much tenderer than James' touch was. I sighed softly, content with the moment.

Curtis' P.O.V….

I watched as Rachel closed her eyes to my touch. She gave a soft sign and a smile. I barely noticed the words that slipped from her lips.

"Bez almost feels like home now," she spoke softly looking me in the eye. "He's as much part of me as everyone is part of him."

Slowly I leaned down. "Anywhere is home as long as you're here beside me," I murmured brushing her lips with mine.

Well, another chapter done. I hope everyone like this chapter. There will be another chapter updating really soon because I'm kicking myself that I haven't typed these up sooner. Remember, if you want to know me just contact me. Please don't forget to review! I love reviews! And questions. Really like questions!