Eventide

She waited in darkness, her white jacket and purple gloves standing out against the dim light. Her amber eyes turned to the men beside her. They were dressed in contamination suits, as if there was a plague. Red lights began to flash causing her to squint. She dug the tip of her boot into the cement as anticipation welled within. This was the moment where the first batch of Irken prisoners would be delivered. The ship's door opened, descending downward into a platform. The soldiers marched and formed two lines leading out.

"March! March, scum!"

Gaz watched as they dragged Irkens off the ship and into the building. Chains and collars bound them, their Paks restrained. Her mouth moved and she stepped forward with some unknown intent. The men beside her stepped in front of her blocking her. War was dirty, it was the ugliest she had seen humanity. A soldier followed behind the Irkens carrying a random Paks upon a line.

The Irkens had to be decontaminated, so they marched into the glass room. A white mist leaked out of the ceilings filling the room with screams of pain. The terror leaked out of the white room and filled her ears. Irkens were hydrophobic. She knew it hurt and wished there was another way.

'This is my future,' she thought. 'I have to be here.'

She began to lose herself, gazing with a glazed look at the decontamination chamber. She thought of games and remembered times before this moment. She looked through each Irken as they were processed.

"Gaz?"

"Sir." Gaz corrected with a glare as she returned.

"Yes, sir." There was disdain in the soldier's voice.

"Well?"

Gaz looked him over and found him holding a chain. The Irken attached to it was lying on the ground, blacked out from suffocation. His short, fat, body motionless. His uniform stained with his own blood. His body had yet to endure the mist.

"Chief wanted to know if we should burn the body."

"Burn." Gaz repeated. "He doesn't look dead."

The soldier dropped the chain and kicked the Irken with his toe. He smirked, replied, "Looks dead to me."

"All Irken prisoners are my property, leave him," Gaz ordered, her anger rising. She could feel a familiar rage rising up and it was a feeling she could thrive on.

"It has to be processed."

Gaz stepped forward and stood toe to toe with the soldier. She was reminded of how short she was, but her power exceeded this man's rank.

"It already has been," Gaz spoke, her voice low, but firm.

"I have to follow…"

"My orders! My rank dictates it."

"I'll tell Chief and he'll…"

"Listen. I control things now, you're dismissed."

He leaned forward, before he stepped back. The soldier muttered something as he walked away, leaving her with the awake Irken. Gaz knelt beside the Irken and reached out to undo the chain, once it was off his face resumed normal color. Her eyes rose as she watched him squint at her. His eyes were a bright red as he focused on her.

"What is your designation?" Gaz asked.

"In-invader S-skoodge."

Gaz nodded, she remembered him from Zim's memories. Reaching down she began to check him for broken bones and out of place joints. He shifted his hands which were still bound.

"Invader Skoodge, you are a prisoner of War," Gaz stated as his eyes widened.

She swore she saw tears.

The upper floors of Cybiotics hid what lay beneath the surface. It was a circular building with glass windows. On the outside, the lawn was well kept with plenty of trees and bushes surrounding the building. Inside, there was a circular metal desk where visitors could check in before accessing the elevators. The building was silent, people traveled by with their shoes wordless whispering. The worker's raised their eyes at the soft claks that echoed.

A middle-aged woman walked toward them. Her short black heels defying the silence. Her short blonde hair was parted in the middle, the bangs reaching her chin and curving around her jade eyes. The heels she wore balanced her at the height of a short male. Her three-piece suite was navy in color with a pink tank underneath. Behind her trailed an Irken female wearing an exact copy of the outfit, except with boots. The Irken fumbled as she struggled to keep up. Humans didn't move out of her way and she weaved in and out of traffic until she fell with a small cry. The woman stopped and looked over to the Irken. She walked back toward the Irken and offered her a hand.

"Are you hurt Zee?"

"I am fine Tallest Eve," Zee replied.

Tallest was a title Eve didn't prefer, but Zee seemed to be comfortable as labeling her. Eve was head of the IRC and had found Zee abused. Resuming their travel, Eve pulled out a wallet and showed her ID to the desk.

"My name is Eve N. and I work with the IRC."

The man looked up from his book and gazed at her intensely. His brows shadowed his eyes as he asked, "What? IRC...what's that?"

Eve quirked a brow wondering if this man was a natural as she slowly replied, "Irken Rights Committee."

"We didn't expect you to arrive so soon," an even voice spoke.

Eve turned and found her eyes looking down as an Irken approached. He stood at the height of a child, his eyes a deep shade of violet bordering on black. He wore a white coat and took a few steps closer allowing his eyes to study Zee.

"I'm here for the annual inspection," Eve informed.

The Irken was restrained in his emotions as he replied, "I shall be your guide until you can talk to Gaz."

Eve's height loomed over him as she spoke. "If I do not speak to the President, she will fail inspection, Irken."

"My name is Kant," he stated with a small smirk. "And I will take you to her."

Eve's jade eyes narrowed as she watched the Irken march off toward the desk. They ignored him as Kant went behind the desk and ducked under it. A small button appeared on his glove and he pressed it. It shifted into a small speaker. He could hear ringing in his sensory implants within his antennae.

"What do you need Kant? I'm busy." Matt's strained voice spoke.

"The female unit, Eve demands a tour with Gaz, or else she fails us," Kant softly replied.

"Shit!"

Kant's antennae raised and touched the underneath of the table. He knew Matt was stressed, but didn't understand what was going on. Matt informed him that he was locking down the labs him and Gaz occupied.

"Take her to my office and tell her Gaz will be right there," Matt offered as he shut down communication.

Kant sighed, he already knew Matt's office code, so he stood up and pressed another button on the desk to operate the elevator. Eve moved closer to the desk and raised an eyebrow at him. Zee's antenna lifted in question.

"Please follow me to where Mistress Gaz will see us," Kant instructed.

'Matt better not leave me to pick up the pieces,' Kant thought.

"Tell me Zim." Gaz's voice was low, soft. "What are the Tallest like?"

She was kneeling behind him, her hands working the circuits in his Pak. Her touch was ghost light as she took care to not harm anything. Zim's antennae twitched a bit and he lowered his gaze to the floor.

"Why do you wish to know?" Zim questioned. There was a slow curiosity to his words.

Gaz glared at the back of his head as she said, "I've seen your memories, feelings, but none about them. I find it strange."

"The Tallest are tall."

"I would've never guessed."

"Tallest Purple is simple," Zim began, his speech slow. "He does nothing more than lounge around eating snacks. Purple is easy to deceive, but he can be blunt."

"Sounds...like a couch potato, and not too bright."

"Purple is the type that would throw someone out into space for fun, out of boredom,"

"What about Red?" She carefully removed a circuit board.

Zim shivered as he felt what she was doing.

"Red is different. He is smarter than Purple."

"None of this sounds horrible,"

"Red is the one who planned Impending Doom One and Two."

Gaz went silent as she worked. Zim's house had come under attack by a space virus. He had to download himself into the House in order to save it, unfortunately he had damaged some of his circuitry.

"Red takes joy in conquest, while Purple just likes to laugh at explosions. Red really enjoys the destruction, of course, we all did."

"Sounds like some humans," Gaz muttered.

Zim nodded.

"Explain this human!"

"Calm down!"

"Don't you dare order me around!"

"Calm down before I have sent back to Containment!"

The voices were steadily becoming louder as she drifted in and out of reality. Her amber eyes slid open and she found herself staring at a partially nude Irken growling at Matt. His antennae twitched and quivered with each word he spoke. Matt stood his ground verbally combating the Irken. Gaz ran her hand along her body until she cupped her head. The chill of her palm helped ease her back to reality. She pushed herself up and focused on the table as her vision came to.

"I told you to stand down!" Matt's voice was raised, his face flushing.

Gaz had never seen him angry, which made her stand up. She noted one of the Irkens was still unconscious. Gaz pushed herself between the two of them so they both stumbled back. Matt's brown eyes widened as his anger faded to worry. She looked tired and worn. Her amber eyes looked away from him and to the Irken.

"Red."

His left antennae twitched in question as his eyes narrowed. He met her gaze and took her in. She was shorter than him by about four inches. He sneered down at her short stature. His crimson eyes trained. The recognition flashed in his eyes as fast as he rushed toward her. Gaz held up her causing him to stop in his tracks. Growling, he reached out and grasped her wrist.

"You're sister to that wretch human," Red sneered.

"My name is Gaz."

"What have you done to us?" Red questioned, anger hiding other emotions.

"Inside your Pak, you'll find the ICU which will allow me to control you. You can no longer harm any sentient being, self-destruct, or be...you," Gaz explained. "If you attempt removal of the ICU it'll send a surge that'll fry your central core."

Gaz slipped her wrist from his hand and watched him take in the information. His eyes glazed, before flashing in anger. Gaz didn't blink as he advanced upon, she stood her ground and stared up at him. There was something in his smile that reminded her she wasn't dealing with an average Irken from the old empire.

"You're my prisoner now," Gaz stated.

"Am I your prisoner?" Red mocked.

"Your race is weak. It lost to mine, so yeah, my prisoner."

The silence was thick as they both glared at each other. Neither one wanted to back down. Matt cleared his throat, and they still didn't break gazes. He sighed and rolled his eyes. It seemed to him she was fighting with a caged animal.

"Eve is waiting in my office, waiting to see you," Matt announced.

"What!"

"Kant is dealing with her as we speak."

Gaz moved around Red and made her way to the door. She didn't have time to deal with a disgruntled Irken at the moment. Her voice echoed through the room as she continued her stride.

"When the other awakens, they can be sent to my office."

Gaz left the room leaving Matt to glare at Red. Red grinned as he moved closer to Purple. He poked him and found that he mumbled. Red leaned down next to Purple and looked at Matt.

"Watch out," Red warned. "It's Probing Day!"

Purple spazzed, he sat straight up and 'wooted'. He looked around the room and pointed to Matt causing his eyes to widen.

"I don't hear or see pummeling!" Purple shouted. "Why isn't there pummeling?"

"Get up, we're prisoners," Red snapped at him.

"So, no pummeling?" Purple whined.

Red growled as he spat, "No. No pummeling."

Purple sighed as he blinked and said, "And duh, of course we're prisoners. You don't keep guests in a cell."

Red smacked himself in the face.

Gaz rubbed her neck, there wouldn't be any yelling today. A soft sigh left her lips, she needed the break. Straightening her outfit, she stared at her reflection in the glass elevator. Her hair was flat from lying on it so long. She tried to fluff her hair only caring because the IRC Rep was here.

'Their laws are not near sufficient or enforced,' Gaz thought.

The IRC had laws protecting the Irkens, but they were basic. They were basic enough that people could dismember an Irken in the street and only get a verbal warning. And yet, IRC thought her company something to be shut down. Primitive laws, something her company should be above, but were slave to. Gaz knew the humans wouldn't be safe without Cybiotics Irkens wouldn't be safe without her.

The elevator stopped on the last floor of the upper levels with a ding. Her pupils narrowed and she gazed at her reflection one last time; she looked like a predator. The doors opened and she stepped through and looked down. Skoodge was waiting for her. His red eyes focused on a small cube with various colors.

"A Rubix Cube?" Gaz questioned.

Skoodge jumped, her voice was softer than normal. He tossed the cube up and caught it in his Pak with a nervous grin.

"Sir, they're entertaining," Skoodge firmly said with a grin.

Gaz raised a brow, she didn't get along with the toys. Her method of solving wasn't conventional. Gaz looked to the Irken and shrugged.

"Eve is waiting patiently in Matt's office with Kant."

Gaz took off down the hall toward the set of double doors in the distance. She opened the doors and stepped into the office with her hair flaring about.

"Mistress Gaz?"

She tensed at that title. Her eyes took in the situation. Eve was standing at the glass pane wall and watching a simulation of a beach play out. Kant was standing next to her and another Irken that Gaz recognized. Invader Zee had been one of the few of the original empire that she had managed to save.

"President Membrane," Eve addressed. "I am Eve from the Irken Rights Committee. I am the representative chosen to report upon Cybiotics."

Eve stood up and Gaz found herself lacking in height. It didn't stop Gaz from giving a firm handshake.

"I'm sorry for keeping you waiting," Gaz expressed.

"Quite alright," Eve assured. "Kant was keeping us entertained with a bit of your company's background."

"Really?"

"He spoke highly of you."

Kant cleared his throat and crossed the large room. He stopped in front of Gaz and wiggled his antennae.

"I must return to the labs," Kant spoke. Gaz nodded and he left the three of them alone.

"I met Skoodge as well," Eve casually began. "How did you come across him?"

"I saved him from deactivation and he was the first to receive a functioning ICU."

They both went silent at the word Deactivation. It was something in the past that if you had any decency you wouldn't praise. The Great Deactivation followed the Galactic War. The virus had shut down the Control Brains, but Dib...Dib had…

"How did you come across Zee?" Gaz questioned as she tried to pull herself from the memories.

Zee looked up from her tablet and gazed at Gaz in curiosity. Gaz's lips twitched in the corners, a remnant of a smile. How could she forget those who survived? Eve smiled.

"I collected her from a company mistreating her."

They met eyes and Gaz felt exposed. She blinked, she didn't like the idea of someone being able to read into her. There was an understanding, but there was also a danger. This woman wasn't meant to be her friend. Gaz narrowed her eyes and Eve smiled, revealing teeth.

Gaz looked to Zee and realized she must've left Skoodge behind. She wouldn't worry about him, Skoodge was always productive. Eve got to her feet and walked toward Gaz.

"Let's begin the tour," Gaz said.

Eve held out her hand and Zee shifted the tablet to her.

"Let's begin."

Author's Note:

I hope you're all enjoying the story!