Her dreams that night were filled with trouble, an unknown terror chasing her to a dead end. She couldn't escape this time and there was no one there to help her. Somehow she was unable to feel bad for herself. She knew this was all her own fault.
Gaz awoke to Zim shaking her shoulder vigorously. As she slowly opened her eyes she was more than a little bit annoyed.
"What is it Zim," She asked.
"Look," He responded quietly pointing out the window on her side of the ship.
She gasped; it really was as beautiful as he had told her it was. The planet was enormous and was a deep color of red. Like a giant blood spill. It was surrounded by clouds of red gas that seemed to sparkle and shimmer with pure energy.
Zim simply smiled, he knew what she was thinking and felt there was no need for words right now.
Slowly, the ship lowered into the sparkly red clouds around the planet and Gaz found she was unable to see anything through the bright shine of thousands of stars that had exploded in this gas. Zim suddenly started going into hyper speed. His hands were flying over the dashboard, pushing buttons and pulling levers at light speed.
It seemed like hours until they were able to dock onto the planets surface. Gaz had never experienced a feeling so awkward and humbling as looking out a window and knowing that no one outside could possibly look even remotely like you. She waited until Zim stepped out of the ship and came around to open the doors for her. The ship slowly decompressed and she felt herself starting to adjust to the sweltering hot climate of the planet's surface.
"Maybe black wasn't the best choice," She mumbled to herself as she stepped out into the sun.
Glancing around she attempted to see how this new strange planet was similar to earth. It seemed like a social place, petite Irken children were running through the streets screaming to their friends and parents to come outside; after all it was such a nice day. Some older Irkens, they must have been her age, or maybe they were really all 184 years old as well. The girls were tall and elegant, with curly antennae and eyes from silver to purple to blue. The boys were shorter and seemed to resemble Zim except they were not wearing his invader uniforms.
"ZIM, ZIM," came a shrieking voice from the crowd of teenagers.
A shorter girl with fluorescent pink eyes emerged from her group of friends. Under her arm she was holding a small circular metal disk.
"ITS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU," She screamed as she flung her arms around his neck.
"Mal," He said calmly returning the hug, "You don't have to yell, I'm right here."
She finally released herself from him and slowly turned to Gaz.
"Who's this," She asked slowly, eyeing Gaz carefully.
"This is Gaz," Zim replied, "She's from Earth."
Mal simply gave her a small smile as a glint went through her eyes. The glint didn't leave it stayed there as she shook her hand and then invited them to dinner at her house that night as a welcome.
Malwas dangerous, but she was just the beginning.