Tenn's discussions with Skoodge over their transmissions were getting way too annoying for her own good. He continued to pester her about mating with him for the sake of the smeet and then threatening to kidnap her back to the Massive so she could be out of harms way. What was stupid was the fact she would still be in harms way.

"Skoodge I appreciate the sentiments, but I am remaining here." Tenn firmly informed him. She wasn't going to yell at him.

"It is dangerous there for you. For the smeet." He argued.

"It is dangerous also on the Massive because that creature is coming to the Armada as well." She countered back with more of a raised voice.

Skoodge bristled at those words. "Why won't you be my mate?"

The second time this was raised in this conversation but only this time he placed a demand in that question. "I don't love you. I don't feel any of those urges at all to want to mate with you."

Skoodge deflated with those words. "Pressner is a murderer and a rapist. Do you feel you have a future with him?"

Tenn never seen Skoodge spit out so much hatred in all her life. She didn't want to do it but she cut the transmission immediately without another word.

Skoodge saw the transmission cut and of course cursed in his own language not aware of another audience member behind him.

"Why did you feel the need to do a communication from here, Skoodge?" Zim wondered in almost a bored tone. "Also why are you trying to stress her out in a subject I can see she isn't happy in pursuing?"

His shoulders slumped for a bit before shooting back again to turn to look at him. "Because I still had duties to attend on the bridge so while it was on my mind..."

"You thought you would attend to something deeply personal." Zim finished for him.

Skoodge felt like his veins were filled with ice with his tone of voice just now. Zim was unhappy with the situation going around that mostly included Gaz being attacked so the way he looked at him made Skoodge feel a bit ashamed of his actions. "I will apologize to Tenn soon for my behavior."

"Make it later when you are off duty because as of now you need to focus." He reminded him. "Also since we are on this subject with mating, do you have feelings for her?"

"She is but a friend." Skoodge provided.

"And yet you are very persistent." Quirking one antenna up, Zim leaned down to try to get more eye level with his friend. "Friends don't persist that much in mating rituals. I didn't pursue Gaz like a friend and you seen what I did. Do you get my drift?"

Skoodge's eyes looked every where's to see if they were being looked at just now before he spoke again. "Fine. I like her more than a friend, but she only wants me as a friend."

First Zim gave him a lopsided smile before cocking his head. "See? That wasn't so bad to admit and no one was placed on fire." Straightening up, he added, "It is still Tenn's decision on what she wishes to do so please don't push it."

"Yes my Tallest!" Skoodge saluted.

Zim just quirked an eyebrow ridge up before turning his attention back to the entire bridge.

Meanwhile in her quarters, after Tak laid down Jack to rest after a long day, she was looking through her datapad when she felt that annoying presence in the room making her glance up to see Pressner standing there. Datapad down, she stood up quickly preparing to attack him.

Pressner automatically raised his hand up. "I'm not here to cause harm or to kidnap you or your child."

"As if I should believe you." Curling her lip up in anger she still wanted to rip him apart. "Tell me what brings you here and than leave."

"To apologize."

He said it so simply and easily that Tak almost broke out in laughter. "For which part? Helping to keep me captive? Watching me feed my baby like some type of pervert? Raping me? Oh wait, murdering me and using me to kill my own kind? Please stop me when I'm getting warm."

His eyes half lidded he chewed the inside of his mouth. "All of the above. I apologize for all of it. I was hired to keep you captive and torture you in a few ways. The..." He couldn't exactly say the words. "The taking advantage of you was my emotions getting the best of me. I apologize."

"It is taking every ounce of me not to scream at you right now." Tak took her pak legs out to prepare them. "I have to live with those nightmares every day of what you made me do. What is bad is that what I did before was a cake walk before I met you. Right now I am so lucky to have a mate that loves me and is very patient with me. I have no idea how in the Irk I got that, but I do."

Pressner watched her come near with all the anger in the galaxy radiating off her body. She actually looked far more lethal right now.

Quickly wrapping her pak legs around his body she slammed him into the floor knowing full well it really didn't hurt him, but she hoped it shocked him enough. "If you are doing this to get into Tenn's good graces than I hope it disappoints you in the end because you deserve a lonely life. You and not her."

Feeling her loosen up her legs around him, Pressner stood up. "I fell in love with her. Deeply so."

Tak's tone was very deadly and very cold. "Than I hope you are deeply lonely for the rest of you existence because she deserves better."

Pressner realized she just delivered a more deadly punch than actually killing him right then. Feeling a call from deep within him he had to leave the Massive to attend to that call.

For Tak, she looked outside the window just taking in deep steady breaths to calm herself. She could handle seeing him in the company of another, but by herself it was too much.

Dib was visiting Gaz in her room as she sat there looking at Gir just rolling around aimlessly on the ground giggling. Dib noticed in the past that at least Gaz would find this amusing to see, but right now she just stared at Gir, but he knew she wasn't comprehending Gir at the moment since her mind was somewheres else. She was far more silent than ever before. It was like her ego was bruised more than anything. Did his sister really have an ego? He wasn't completely sure since she never looked at herself in the mirror in the, 'I'm so hot' kinda way, or 'I'm a bad ass.' He was concerned for her and as his concern reached another peak Dib felt her hand touch his own in a very gentle way. She was so silent, but he felt what she was doing.

"Gaz, why?" He was so confused.

Gaz's eyes shifted to look at his own, but she said nothing as she came forward to brush her lips against his temple. "We have to share our strengths now."

It was perhaps the most soothing tone of voice she has ever used and with that action on his temple he felt their powers mold together as one. To Dib it was indeed strange to be completely on the same page as one just by this one thing as he turned his attention fully to her to take her other hand to help complete it. He only truly discovered what he could do just by protecting his own family and to see the tiniest smile grace Gaz's doll-like face he comprehended so much more to all of this.

As quick as it happened it stopped as they sat there staring into each another's eyes. They didn't let go of their hands and Gaz looked at him proudly for once.

"You weren't kidding when you said you are a protector, Dib. It always has been your duty."

Should Dib think that after an Invasion on Earth and now an impending Invasion on Irk along with her marriage to Zim and him mating to Tak result in their sibling relationship to be more solid than ever? He would like to think so. He knew he was an optimist. He enjoyed at least being closer to her now.