Invader Zim is an American animated television series created by Jhonen Vasquez for Nickelodeon. I am not Jhonen Vasquez or Nickelodeon and as such I do not claim any ownership of the series or the characters and I make no money from this fan fiction.
Title: Lugubrious
Author: Vel
Eventual ZaDf and ZaDr
Characters will most likely be OOC.
Will contain angst, possible humor, and my sorry attempts at romance.
There will be an established relationship between an original character and a character from the series.
There will be some references to the series including the canceled episodes. Any similarities to the comic however are completely coincidental as I have not read the comic.
The story begins during the summer break between Middle School and High School and starts with a very typical plot line. Also I know it's common for IZ fan writers to spell things the way they are spelled or pronounced in the series and comics like Skool, Erth, Hyooman (doubt if I even spelled that one right) but I'm not going to do that.
This is my first and will probably be my only IZ fan fiction.
lugubrious
[loo-goo-bree-uh s]
adjective
mournful, dismal, or gloomy, especially in anaffected,
exaggerated, or unrelieved manner:
Lugubrious
By Vel
Part 1
Zim sat quietly his eyes downcast; the static on the screen providing the only light in the room. He hadn't moved since the transmission was disconnected a few moments earlier. Not even when the computer warned him that he only had 25 minutes left until the final countdown began.
The Tallest had finally had had enough of him.
It didn't come as a surprise, he had known for a while that his Tallest had exiled him and had simply been playing with him for the last few Earth years. He tolerated it, tried to not let it bother him. Told himself that he could ignore the laughter as long as they kept answering his calls, allowing him a brief connection with his leaders and his people, a tiny moment to remind him that he wasn't alone and that he hadn't been forgotten.
But it was over now. They had finally gown tired of him, he no longer amused them and they were done pretending just to have some entertainment at his expense.
Earth would be marked for conquest so non humans would leave it alone, they couldn't risk him gaining access to a ship if another species tried to conquer the planet. However the Empire would be staying clear of it as well. They had no interest in it other than it kept Zim as far away from Irk and the armada as they could get him without executing him.
From now on he was completely grounded, cut off from all further contact with not only his Tallest but any other off Earth species, Irken or otherwise. He would never be allowed to come back, not even as services drone. He was exiled, banished. If he made any attempt to restore any disabled functions, send out a transmission, or leave the planet he would be terminated without a trial.
The data in his PAK was being purged from the collective. To the Great Irken Empire he no longer existed.
Tallest Purple had gleefully informed him that that everything he owned, his Voot, his base, Gir, the computer all belonged to the Empire and that they were now taking everything back.
He was being left on Earth with nothing. No mission, no home and no companions.
He had been given one half hour to vacate the base if he didn't want to be killed when it retracted back into its transport pod. Once the base had been dismantled it and his Voot would return to the Massive via remote control.
"Master," the computer prompted again. "There are only 20 minutes left before the base is recalled."
Zim snapped out of his shock and turned to the console and began typing furiously.
"Computer," he shouted "disconnect as much of the house from the base as you can, then create memory slugs that are compatible with Earth tech. If there is still enough time after that, transfer my personal belongings, food and medical supplies up to the house."
"Yes sir," the computer replied sounding oddly proud, the robotic arms instantly began moving around, pulling cables away from the upper levels.
Zim started yanking pieces out of the computer, tossing them into a nearby crate.
"Ah, ah, ah," Purple's voice taunted from the speaker, "None of that."
There was a loud pop and the console suddenly sparked, violently knocking Zim back. He fell to the floor with a cry of pain, his antennae pressed flat against his head as an ominous, deafening metallic groan echoed through the room and the floor beneath him shuddered. Gir screamed hysterically in the background then the floor lurched again then something above crashed down onto him.
Everything went dark.
He blinked as he realized that the lighting had gone out and as his eyes adjusted Gir grabbed his arm, shaking him while sobbing out of control, the computer still trying to complete the tasks while the Tallest remotely tried to disable the base. They hadn't waited the half an hour like they had promised, the moment Zim defied them they began tearing his home apart with him still inside.
"Computer," he gasped, his body aching from the heavy equipment that had fallen on him. He staggered to his feet and pulled Gir into his arms. "Bring me the Voot."
The room quaked as the computer struggled to fulfill Zim's command. As the platform lowered down into the base the floor unexpectedly sunk to the left, the entire room swayed and the Voot Cruiser pitched off of the platform crashing just yards from where Zim stood clutching Gir to his chest.
Setting Gir down he scrambled across, jumping over the wide crack that now ran the length of the floor and hit the hatch release. Nothing happened. The Tallest told him that they had rendered the ship inoperable and now none of his commands were working, the Voot was dead. "Gir, help me open it."
"Yes master," Gir shouted eyes momentarily flashing red. Spotting one of the flailing cables Gir grabbed it and swung over, crashing into the side of the ship, breaking open the already cracked glass.
He stared at his Voot for several long moments, moments he didn't really have to spare before quickly climbing inside to sit in the cockpit. Though he was risking his life he didn't move, he just felt the seat under his body, the controls in his hands. He closed his eyes and could almost imagine himself in space again, just him and the stars.
His guts hurt.
Swallowing firmly he crawled out of the seat and moved towards the back of the ship to get the supply kit. As he pulled it out he saw the stasis pod still in its compressed storage case, tucked securely beside it and pulled it out as well. Tossing them both down to Gir he looked around the cockpit one last time. There wasn't anything else to salvage from inside his beloved little ship, though it wasn't a vital necessity he grasped a toggle switch, gave it a vicious twist and wrenched it free.
Stumbling from the ship he scooped up the cases and Gir before making a mad dash towards the crate of computer parts. Throwing his armful inside, he picked it up and darted to the elevator. Part of the wall collapsed before him, blocking his path. "Computer!"
Metal screeched loudly as a circle appeared around his feet and a small platform rose from the floor, taking him to where the ceiling was opening above him, but falling debris threatened to knock him back down into the maw below.
He did his best to dodge the hunks of falling base and just as he arrived at opening a beam struck him across his back of his head and upper back making him drop the crate. The last thing his saw before he lost consciousness was the blue-green glow of Gir's eyes disappearing into the dark pit that had once been his base.
Tbc…