– – –

Author's Note:

Invader Zim is -c- Jhonen Vasquez! Only the events of this story (and the character tweaking, heh) are mine. :3

Addendum: Xeer, Neem, Nacea, and most Meekrob terminologies/customs/etc. are also my own, from speculation based on the series.

~Jizena~

– – –

Dib's Records

I was able to re-join Invader Tenn in what the Chairman had called the 'back courtroom.' Now, I was expecting, by 'courtroom,' some kind of justice hall, but wound up in no such place. The Meekrob leader had literally meant that this was a court—a large, square, walled-in area ironically about the size of an outdoor tennis court. The floors were a shimmering black, like polished granite, which offset the bright white walls and made me feel like I was in some weird cubed version of a chessboard. There were black granite-ish balconies on all four walls, stacking up each storey of the capitol building, and an unsupported dias elevator ran vertically and horizontally around the walls as a means of getting to each floor, though the Meekrob did not have any use for it, as they were able to hover. I wouldn't call what they did 'flying,' really... just a really specific kind of levitation. The Meekrob were confusing but fascinating creatures: while they looked like butterflies, they behaved more like mythological will-o-the-whisps, yet they conversed like highly proper humans. Or, it was possible that they were able to tell what language was most comfortable for me and Tenn to use, and modified their own speech in order to converse with us.

Nacea led me over to the elevator, which whisked us up to the third floor. A door stood on the long granite platform, and Nacea ushered me inside, asking, "What is your preferred hygenic ritual?"

"Huh?" I had to yet again snap out of being so immediately and wildly obsessed with this other world I was on.

"In here, you may—what is your phrase for it?—wash up," said Nacea, glowing just before she spoke the last two words.

"Oh. Really? Um... thanks..." I said. And once again I was put a little on edge by the idea of the Meekrob being able to read my mind. "I'd really like to take a shower, actually. And wash my clothes, if I can."

"You do not clean both yourself and your clothing at once?" Nacea queried innocently.

"Uh, no."

"How is a 'shower' performed?" she wondered.

"Um, well, you know... or, heh, I guess you don't, um... water... d'you have water here?"

"Water. Yes."

"Wow, that's convenient," I found myself saying. I tended to have huge strokes of luck with alien races having similar substances and technologies to Earth, manmade or otherwise. "So, a shower is where water pours down on you..."

"Oh! We have that," said Nacea proudly, sounding almost like a child who had figured out a difficult equation. "Come in! Please."

I laughed a little to myself, and followed Nacea inside the next room. Within, there was a tiled white floor with a shimmering fountain at the center. The fountain poured down from the next storey up, and collected in a round basin. I did not question where it could possibly drain to, because Nacea was right... that would do for a shower. Nearby, too, was a smaller basin, in which I'd be able to soak my dirty clothes. That just left the challenge of towelling off afterward.

After a small and slightly embarrassing discussion with Nacea over why I wanted her out of the room while I washed up, I was, for the first time on Meekrob, alone. The door clicking shut after Nacea had floated out echoed through the room, and I heaved a sigh. Usually, I really enjoyed being alone. This loneliness, so far from home, only reminded me of how my sister must have been feeling at that point.

As I showered, I wondered if Gaz had, in my absence, attempted to contact Zim again. I wouldn't blame her for it... after all, he was the only other person she ever talked to, since Dad provided no company, and Gaz did not have a penchant for making friends. My heart sank with the thought. The only other person she cared for was him. My old enemy. I'd lost track of him, and hadn't been able to question Tenn any more on how much she knew him. She'd be able to provide at least some insight. But Gaz... how desperate was she? I had to contact her. Plain and simple. That had to be the next thing I asked any Meekrob about: a control center. A phone. A telegraph machine—anything.

Luckily, there was a little section of the room, which Nacea had pointed out to me before parting, that functioned as an instant solar panel. I set my clothes on the panel, a square in the corner of the room that glowed gold, and they were dry on the spot. After some hesitation, I did the same trick on myself: it was a weird feeling, like being shocked with a quick jolt of electricity, but it did the job. I dressed again, thankful I hadn't hit another growth spurt recently, then knocked on the door, hoping Nacea, or at least someone, was on the other side.

Indeed, when the door slid open, Nacea still hovered there, and she outstretched her thin arms in greeting. "Was it to your standards?" she asked me.

"Yeah, it was great, thanks," I said. "Hey, um, Nacea... am I pronouncing that right? Nah-kay-ah?"

"Nah-kay-ah," she corrected me. I heard it, I registered it, but somehow, after that, I still kept saying Nah-kay-ah. Nacea didn't seem to mind.

"Okay. Um, where's Tenn? She's still here, right?"

"Yes," said the Meekrob, dropping and clasping her hands, which somehow made her seem like she was nodding. "Tenn is now with your recovered ship."

"What?"

"Come with me. I will explain what our Chairman has decided."

I followed without question, but I did ask one thing along the way: "Do you have any means by which I can contact someone here? Like, do you have a control center with a video screen, or even a voice-activated communication system, or..?"

"We do not," said Nacea, a hint of sadness in her airy voice. My stomach flipped. Dammit. "We Meekrob communicate very rarely with other planets nowadays."

"Nowadays? So you used to?"

"Before the first Great War," Nacea answered. "It was the first instance of attempted Irken dominance, during which our sister planet, Kalleck, was obliterated. I have only recently undergone all of my historical schooling," she went on, "so I am regrettably not the best to ask, as to why we fully shut down our systems. Your ship is repaired, however, so perhaps if you have a communication device on it, it will be repaired as well."

My heart beat faster. "Yeah, good point," I realized. "So... schooling, huh? Sorry, if you don't mind my asking, are you pretty young by Meekrob years, or..?"

"I am," said Nacea, "in comparison to many others. Yes."

"How is it that you work with the Chairman?" I heard myself ask before I could stop myself from being that intrusive. Investigator at work, here.

"We are a similar clan. It is only natural that I work with him."

"Similar clan, huh? So, the auras you guys have... they're like family or status colors or something?" Answers! Answers were good.

"Our light? Yes," Nacea confirmed. "It governs how we move in our culture. We are a very integrated society, Dib Membrane. We live very peacefully, so status may not be quite as cut out as you may think."

"Oh. Well, thanks for that. I'm really curious about your culture, Nacea," I admitted. "Also, um... while I'm at it, why are you guys helping me? Us? Sorry, you were going to say something about what the Chairman had decided. I interrupted you."

"That is all right," Nacea said. As she led me down a few shining corridors on the next floor down, she continued, "Because we have not been in contact with other races for so long, our Chairman was very excited when you came to us. Both of you."

"But didn't Tenn come to—" I shut my mouth, since it hadn't exactly been brought up yet, but I realized that Nacea had most likely read my intended thought anyway.

"That is in the past," said Nacea kindly.

What a great thing to say. Too bad humans couldn't be more like that. Some are, some aren't (most I know aren't). I came to the conclusion that I really liked the Meekrob, even if I couldn't read their emotions too easily, and even if their manner of speaking did kind of freak me out. That could possibly be because they never seemed angry or judgmental. The more I talked to Nacea, the more I confirmed that idea.

"We are a simple society," the Meekrob went on, "and we wish only to preserve our culture. Our Chairman is hoping to work out an alliance with you, if you are interested. It will be an exchange of knowledge."

"Knowledge about Earth, or the Irkens?" I wondered. "I mean, I remember him saying something about sharing information, I just... Nacea, am I going to be held here?"

"Oh," she replied calmly, "no. I apologize if you were worried. The Chairman sees in you a possibility, Dib Membrane."

"You can just call me 'Dib,'" I said. It's tough for me to hear 'Membrane' repeated too much, especially in reference to me, but of course I did not bore Nacea with reasons why. Just omitting saying it would be enough. "Just use my first name. Please," I added. The Meekrob were more polite than anyone I'd ever known; it was hard for me to even want to keep up with their manners.

Nacea showed that she understood, then led me into the last stop on our little trip: a large docking bay, filled with Meekrob pod ships—which I later learned were called Nampla Pods—and a few scattered computers—which I learned were merely for information storage, not communication of any sort. At the center of the room, recovered and restored, and actually looking nicer than I'd ever been able to get it to look, was the Spittle Runner. It was huge compared to the Nampla Pods, but it made sense, since Irken ships were designed for a pilot, a possible co-pilot, and storage for food, collected items, and, though I hated thinking about it, a prisoner or two. Then again, I only knew about a few different types of Irken ships: the Spittle Runners were average, Invader-issued ships, and Tak's was a modified version of those, making it even a little bigger; the Voot Cruiser was an antiquated form of the Runner, and was the type of ship Zim had arrived on Earth in; finally, I knew about the Massive, the Irken mothership, for lack of a better word. It was a second home to most of them, I knew that much. I had yet to discover how 'massive' the ship actually was, but it was on my to-do list. Right up there with contact my sister and eat about eight meals at once. I was famished, and I only realized that when I walked up, awe-stricken, to my beautifuly-repaired ship, to find Tenn standing next to it eating a sandwich.

Before I could even say a greeting, I blurt out, "Where'd you get that?"

"Hi yourself," Tenn muttered, with her mouth full. As she continued chewing, I took in her condition: her uniform had been cleaned up, and her skin as well. I realized I had no idea how Irkens cleaned up, since they had an aversion to Water, but I figured the Meekrob must have had some trick to help her out. When she swallowed, she said, "I had this. That Neem guy started asking me questions about what I was doing here, and I figured it was kinda useless to lie. Plus, I was hungry. Told 'em where my base was, got my food back. It was that easy."

"You'd just out yourself like that?"

"Hey," she shrugged, ripping off another piece of the sandwich, which I had to restrain myself from grabbing right out of her hands I was so hungry, "these Meekrob actually aren't too bad. Plus, my mission's over. I hate the Tallest for that shit they threw at me anyway. I wouldn't go back even if they wanted me. I'm taking what I've got, now."

At that point, I gave Tenn a lot more credit, and upped her on my possible allies list. Sure, she was a strong soldier, and very astute, but best of all, she was logical. I liked dealing with other logical people. Tak, Zim, my dad, even most of the Swollen Eyeball... not many people in my immediate circle of knowledge used logic very much. Having an Irken on my side would be a good thing; having a logical one on my side was even better.

"Here," she then offered. I realized she was holding out a brown bag to me, and I took it before I could register what was going on. "I've got plenty more. Stocked up, you know."

I opened the bag and peered inside to find a wrapped sandwich, stamped on the top with an Irken insignia, and a can of what I guess was soda, also stamped with the insignia and written on in the indecypherable Irken language. Every time I'd dealt with the Irken written language on my computer, I'd just converted it through binary into English. Wouldn't work with reading labels. "Oh, uh," I said, taking the sandwich out, skpetical now that I realized that, yes, this was Irken food, "thanks, but... I dunno if I can eat this. I mean, even digest it."

"Well, it's that or Meekrob food," said Tenn.

I turned to Nacea. "What do you Meekrob eat?"

"We do not," said Nacea. "We ingest energy from the atmosphere."

"Okay, that's... not anything I can live off of, so... huh. Huh." I looked back at the sandwich and said, "Well... thanks Tenn. I do appreciate it, I just... hope I can eat it."

Zim had had a severe allergic reaction to human food, I remembered... well, up until he'd been human for a week, but that was different... so it stood to reason why I would be nervous about allergic reactions the other way around. Could humans eat Irken food? Only one way to find out. Bracing myself, I took a bite. And another one. Ravenous, I ate the whole thing before I realized it had actually not tasted half bad, and that I was keeping it down just fine. I went for the soda with a bit more trepidation, but found it, too, to be pallatable. Irken food was apparently a little more bland than its counterparts on Earth, but it agreed with me. The fact that I'd eaten Irken food didn't completely disturb me until later, because in the moment I was so grateful to have been able to eat something—anything.

"Thanks," I said to Tenn once I'd finished, and was working on the last half of the can of soda. "I really needed that."

"No problem," she said, giving me an odd look. "You want more?"

"You have more?" I wondered. "How much?"

"I told you," said Tenn, "I stocked up. The ship is full of food."

"Oh, okay. The ship is—WHAT?" Now, that I caught onto right away. And now I didn't care that I was glaring. Yes, Tenn had mentioned that she thought I could be her ticket away from Meekrob, but it seemed like she intended me to be her taxi driver.

Tenn shrugged. "I agreed. Like I said, the Meekrob actually aren't half bad."

"Yeah, yeah, um... agreed to what?"

Turning to Nacea, Tenn asked, "You didn't tell him?"

"I had not come to it," Nacea said. Her eyes focusing directly on mine, the Meekrob continued, "Our leader wishes to exchange knowledge with you. Whether this is done here or from your home is up to you. We thought that you would rather return to your home, as you continue to mention needing to communicate with somebody there."

"Yeah, and the screen on the ship's still fried," Tenn added, patting a gloved hand against the Runner. My Runner. Which was apparently being volunteered for something.

"Okay, so, wait, how could I send you information from Earth if Meekrob is cut off from other planets?"

"Our Chairman has appointed me as a representative to accompany you!" Nacea said, as if that was all the explanation anything required. "We are able to communicate without your technologies, we Meekrob."

I was floored. "You can't just say out of nowhere you're coming with me!" I yelped.

"It is not from nowhere, it is what our Chairman has decided."

"Yeah, and I'm going, too," Tenn added.

"WHY? I mean, what? I mean, no!" I shouted. This was too much to process. "No, no, no, no, no! I have too much on my hands already, I can't harbor two aliens at my house, I can't take you to Earth with me, this is ridiculous!"

Even so, my options were slim. It was clear that the Meekrob wanted something from me, in order for me to deserve all of their strangely immediate hospitality. I was sure I could get more on that from Nacea later, especially now that it looked like I was going to be seeing quite a bit of that Meekrob representative. Not to mention an Irken Invader. I was in over my head, and yet I couldn't deny, especially when both of them brought it up, that I needed allies. Plus, if I had them with me, I'd have proof. Proof to show to the Swollen Eyeball. Someone from Irk who could possibly spill a few things about Zim... if not to me, then to Gaz, to keep her satisfied.

It was either comply with the Meekrob this way, or stay here. Shit.

Things could always be worse, though, I suppose.

To be honest, though, and I told Nacea this, I was shocked and a little sad to have to leave so soon. I had only just started to take Meekrob in, and now, barely hours there, I had had my ship repaired and was being told that I could leave again. I wanted more time, to investigate, to learn about that world, but at the same time, I was dying to go home.

As I talked it all out a little more, with both Nacea and Tenn, I came to realize that I was going to have a bit more time here, due to something else the Chairman wanted me to do. It killed me that calling my sister would have to wait, but, again, I was in no position to want to displease any of the Meekrob. I had the promise of going home. That much was fine. With that as a prize, I told myself to work toward it, no matter what. I had, I estimated, a few days on Meekrob ahead. Tenn had packed up the ship in preparation (and her blatant desire to leave), but we weren't finished with the planet yet.

"It is as our Chairman has said," said Nacea, once I'd reached my final understanding. "Your coming here, Dib, is a sign. Whether you stay with us or not, you were meant to come, and you were meant to meet our Chairman. We were meant to be allies."

"Yeah, no, yeah, I remember him saying that," I told her, submitting, "and, honestly, I find it kinda weird. What's this 'sign' business all about?"

"Oh, that is simple," said the earnestly simple Nacea. "It means that everything is about to change."

And there I was, confused all over again.

"Change... how..?" I wondered. "For whom? Why?"

"For the better, for everyone impacted by the Empire," Nacea answered. "As for why, well..."

I sighed. "Lemmie guess. Something I'll have to figure out on my own, or something."

"Oh, good!" said Nacea. "You do understand."

"No, I mean—" Nacea blinked slowly, and then just stared at me, her blue eyes vast, endless. "Never mind." I'd ask someone else later, I made a note to myself. Change, huh? Something involving me? Well, if it was change I'd have to bring about on my own, I knew where to start, just as soon as I got back home. Things were going to change in the Network. The Swollen Eyeball would hear me out this time for sure. The Meekrob wanted change from me? Sure. I'd change the course of that ridiculous Invasion. Somehow. Step one was still get the hell home. Soon enough, I told myself. The Meekrob were on my side. Tenn more or less was, too.

And, oh, yes, change was indeed coming. I felt it then, though the true impact was something I yet could not fathom.

– – –

– – –

Author's Note:

A note on names:

Nampla: From Nam Pla, which is Thai fish sauce, a standard in Thai dishes.

~Jizena~

– – –