Green light. It was the very first thing to see in a small rocky-like and almost lifeless planet. A planet that appears to be in the middle of nowhere. Just clusters of stars in the distance and a small sun. But despite there being a sun, it barely peeks by the horizon. In fact daytime appear for several hours in a dawn-like view before dipping back down to let the sky go black again, the moon being the most noticeable. The green light is the main thing that lights up the planet, revealing piles of broken ships surrounding it along with scraps scattered about. The light turns out to be a device. A massive device towering over high to be seen from the other side of the planet. It had complex structures with the tip looking like a fist pointing up at the stars.
At a small distance, soft clattering sounds are heard getting louder and louder. The clattering reveal to be footsteps, created by small beings wearing armors that make them look like bug people. They are shown to be carrying about spear-like weapons with their body barely exposed except for their pinkish beady eyes. The clatters slowed and soften once they reached the area. When they made a halt, they made sure to keep a safe distance from the cluttered crashed ships. They all looked up at the vortexes spinning about from the sky. Several to be exact. They can be easily seen thanks to to the strange bright device. No figures moved except for one, who walked up to be in the front of the group. The leader's one eye squinted at the view of the vortexes until something caught his interest.
"This vortex looks active today," he pointed at the one that was swirling the strongest with Lightnings surging underneath the swirling clouds. The thunder however had a gentle sound, only making soft rumbling noises. The leader lowered their finger,
"It looks like we got another one coming for sure."
One of the bug looking people sat down on a boulder sighing.
"Do we really have to wait? What if it's just another false alarm?"
"Don't be lazy now, 680!" The leader glared at the one sitting, "we have an important job to do that doesn't revolve around monitoring others! If one of them arrives
and end up getting away, our ranking would be at risk!"
The leader looked back up at the active vortex.
"We got to be ready for when another newbie arrives."
680 sighs,
"The next one better not be as humiliating as the last two."
Another guard went over and poked at the leader.
"Hey, 501? Is uh...it alright if I patrol the area? Make sure there aren't any rejects wandering about?"
The leader thought about it. He sighed.
"Fine. But make sure you stay close by."
The big person dipped their head.
"Good! Will do."
They started to walk away while 680 looked at the bug person, the shape of their eye forming a irritated expression.
"How come he's able to walk about and not me-?"
"Hold on!"
The armored creature stopped what they were doing and both of them looked at their leader.
"What is it, 501?"
But he didn't say anything else. Instead fell silent. By that notion, they looked up at the active vortex and listened. And what they began to hear was a whirring sound. And it was starting to get louder. They right away began to recognize the sound with 680 standing up and the other one, who was going to go for a look out, turned back. They each sided with their leader and continued looking at the vortex.
"You think we got company?"
The whirring sound kept sounding more clear with 501 looking on. His eye squinted in pleasure and gripped his spear.
"Oh yeah. We got company."
The sound now became loud enough to echo the area. And just when it did, a small ship dashed right out of the active vortex. It was dashing so fast due to how much the vortex has quickened its speed that there was no way the driver within the ship can turn in time. And for that, it bombarded against the device and green electricity surged violently across the small ship enough for the engine to make a blow out. It floated in mid air, the engine making last few coughs before it started spiraling downward. The viewers were already aware at this point that the ship was completely destroyed after a zap like that. The ship spew out smoky trail as it slightly glided down. It finally hit the ground, causing it to bounce upwards with parts flying out of it.
It hits the ground again, flying upwards again but this time in a lower altitude. It makes one last crash to the ground and skidded across the ground with more parts being left behind (some even being softly lit up in flames). The ship then collided with the other broken ships, causing it to go into an extreme halt before finally fully resting. It was now a complete mess and looked to be unfixable, smoke continuing to spew out of the back of the cruiser. The people waited a little longer. 501 gestures to the guys behind.
"Let's go see what we got this time."
They both nodded, letting the 501 take the lead and start heading over to the newly crashed ship.
—-
The ship's driver can feel the consciousness return to him. His body feels badly sore as if he was tossed all about. But other than that, the first thing that came to his mind was that he was still alive. He grunted, trying his best to ignore the strongly aching pain and finally opening his eyes, seeing himself underwater within a glass. His vision looks wavy because of this. But it's not like it was brand new. In fact, this how he now always sees the world. He took notice on the very first thing he saw:
He was in his damaged ship, with his eyes looking out to see a bright device towering over him. There were stars at the night sky, glittering about, while some clouds would move about to cover it. He blinked at the sight, but tried to ignore it. He needed to get out of the ship. He let out a painful grunt as he started to sit up. He felt a little shaky, but kept using all his strengths to get out. In a good way, he can feel his body get stronger the more he used it. He pushed open the broken glasses and cracked his back with a short groan when stretching out his body. He sighed and then was finally able to pull himself out.
He looked at the ship,
"Computer," he said to it, "see if you can scan the area."
There were glitchy sounds that lasted a while as he waited for it to respond.
"Zzzz-nnnzzzt. Y-y-y-yesssszzzz..."
He tapped his foot and looked at the ship impatiently.
"Oh come on now. You can't be that bro-"
Suddenly, the ships surrounding him were brought to life just a bit for him to flinch when they responded with the same voice as his own.
"Yezzzzziirrr-"
"Yezzzsurrrrs-s-s-"
"-Skannnnnn-"
"Skanzzzzzninnnn-"
One of them even did so as well, but with a squeakier tone, until they all shut off at the same time. His eyes traced at all of them, now feeling uncomfortable at what he just witnessed,
"...ken?"
It took him a several seconds to try and digest before looking about his surroundings. It was then he realized there is something off with the ships.
"Uh...why do the ships look a lot like mine?"
He looked back at his own ship.
"Computer, scan the ships."
But there was this time dead silence.
"Computer...computer!"
He knocked few times on the ship like it was some sort of door, but no response. He looked at it for a short while. He took out a floating communication device from his irken PAK and spoke to it,
"Computer!"
But there was no response except static sounds. He sighs and puts it back in his PAK.
"Great. Lost signal. Looks like I'm gonna have to use some junks around here in order to fix the ship...if there's anything useful here."
He suddenly remembered something and thought about it.
"Speaking of 'junk'..."
He looked about almost frantically, but also remained a calm attitude.
"Gir!"
There was no answer.
"Gir! Get out here!"
Still no answer.
He sighs in frustration,
"That's stupid little...Gir!"
He started walking about as he continued to call out for the one he's looking for.
Meanwhile, few of those bug people can be seen hiding behind some of the crashed ships as they peeked out to look at the newcomer. 501 took a look at him for a short while, and then turned to the other strange bug creature. He nodded at them. They nodded in response and looked at the newcomer. They went out from their hiding place and started to creep close to the stranger.
"Gir! Are you nearby?! Gir! G-"
The stranger that reveals to have fins on the side of his head perked up, causing him to stop making a sound and froze in place.
The person that was creeping up on him made a complete halt as well, hoping that he would just think he overheard it and let it go. The leader squinted, paying close attention to whatever the newcomer may do. The newcomer hesitated. He turns behind him.
"NOW!" 501 shouts out.
The newcomer harshly flinches when he sees three bug-like people start charging towards him. He turns and starts trying to run off. But the first two launched unto him, making him let out a panicky yelp, before tackling him down on the ground. They completely pinned him down, making sure he doesn't try to break free. He was shown to be growling and shouting as an act of defense until he began to give out and pant in complete exhaustion.
The guards were finally able to take a good look at him. One of them sighed and said,
"Ugh! See, 501? I told you that the next one would be humiliating!"
"Let me see for myself," he replied, walking up to them and taking a good look at the one who entered their world.
The one they were holding down out turns out to be an Irken. But it wasn't any other regular Irken. In fact, this Irken appears to be a mixture of a Irken AND a fish. Although it is uncertain what type of fish he really is, there's no doubt he requires water in order to live with the way he is wearing a scuba diver suit, with a round head tank that's completely filled with water. There was also a tube that attached to the back of the tank and his PAK, though it's hard to tell what it's true purpose is.
"Hmm," he said in interest, watching the hybrid look up at him with a mixture of frustration, confusion, and fear.
"I do agree with you, 680. He is indeed one of the most humiliating one we ever found."
—
The newcomer kept on showing to be struggling and baring his huge sharp teeth in order to try and scare the people who captured him. But that didn't do him any good as they dragged him over to a chamber. There were few other bug-looking people there working in the chamber until they stopped what they were doing and looked to see who they brought in.
"Nnngh-ah! Agh! Let go of me! Please let go of me-!"
"'Please?' One of them snorted, "did I just hear him say 'please'?"
"-Don't you even know who you're messing with here? Please get off me!"
"Calm down fishy," 501 said as they pinned him on a metallic table and started strapping him against, "we just need to get you set up first and you're good to go."
"Stop calling me 'fishy'!"
But they ignored him as the leader turned to one of them saying,
"You. Collar."
"Yes, sir!" The person dipped his head and left the room for a moment while 501 went over to a lever to tilt the table for everybody to get a good look at the prisoner, who was still shown to be struggling.
One of them walked up sounding unamused.
"Another fish hybrid? And he requires water? How embarrassing."
The prisoner immediately stopped struggling when he heard that comment.
"Yeah," the other one said, "and what's with that outfit? What is he, a pathetic human scuba diver?"
"He looks soft," another bug person said, "really soft."
"Oh you should have seen him!" 501 laughed as he turns to the group, "right as we were sneaking up to him, he actually started calling out for his Gir."
"Wait what?"
"Pfff-reallly?!" One of them snorted, causing all them to laugh along with him.
The prisoner gazed at all of them. He blinked into confusion.
"'My Gir?'"
"Oohhh my Gir," the leader suddenly imitated the prisoner in a very dramatic tone, "my poor poor Gir, where have you gone?!"
The gangs howled in laughter for a while longer. The newcomer just remained confused until another voice was heard.
"Hey 501!" The guard that left for a moment came back and showed something he was carrying, "you think this is the right size for him?"
The leader's laughter softened so he can take a look at it. The prisoner also turned to see what that guard was carrying. It appears to look like a metallic and purplish looking collar with a lock hole and four orange tiles that contain four digit numbers, all of them being 0 digits.
Whatever it was though, he started to feel very unsettled about it.
"Uhhhh yeah," the leader answered, "should be good. Someone hold his arms in case he tries something pathetic. I'll hold his uh...head...tank."
Two guards went ahead and pinned his arms down. While the leader went and ahead and made sure he doesn't move his head. As a response, the prisoner starts struggling again,
"Nnngh! What is that that thing?!"
"Relax," 501 said, "it won't hurt you. Just hold still."
The one holding the collar first looked at a paper that appears to be a list. He found something and uses a marker to check it off. He then walked over to the prisoner in order to put the collar around his neck and close it tightly. The prisoner watches as the guard then pulls out a strange looking key and plug it onto the lock hole. He turns it, making the four digits start changing in a fast rate with all random numbers. The twisting of the key slows, along with the changing of the digits, until it came to a complete halt. What remains were the following fours digits:
||2-0-0-2||
The guard pulls the key out and gives the collar a good tug.
"Alright, 501. The collar is locked tight. He's good to go."
"Perfect," he responded in satisfaction and lets go of the prisoner, who is seen analyzing his new collar, "you should be ready for your first job, 2002."
His analyzation was cut off. He turned to his eyes to the leader.
"2002?"
"Yup! That will be your name for now on."
"New name?" He looked extremely confused and dazed for a moment.
He shook his head and halted them,
"W-Wait wait wait wait wait, you cannot just change my name like that! Do you know who I am?! I am-"
"Zim," the leader responded, "We know, 2002."
"Exactly!" He narrowed, "so what makes you think you would give Zim such a ridiculous-wait."
His anger soften and pointed out,
"How do you know my name? I-I mean I know I'm uh, great and all. But still."
The guards all gazed at him. One guard went up to 501.
"Oh! Is it time we reveal it? Come on come on come on, I wanna see what face this one might make!"
501 glanced at him. He chuckled.
"Very well then. I guess we hid it a little too long now."
"Yes...!" He squealed a bit in excitement.
"Alright," he faces back to 2002, "let's show him who we really are."
He grew more confused, but decided to watch as the gangs all grabbed their helmet and took it off.
2002 gazed at the gangs and it took him a while to digest what he was really seeing. But as soon as it started to click him, his face went blank. Standing in front of him were creatures that looked...just like him? Well...not exactly like him. But they look extremely close. All of them were. It was almost as if they were all his identical brothers. Except they were not irken-fish hybrids like him, but instead normal irkens. Two of them had a single eye with a patch located where their second eye could have been. The third one had a scar across his eye and the fourth had a white mustache. They were like himself but all of them having parts of them that are different.
And they all had collars, just like the one they gave him. But they all came in different digits:
0-5-0-1, 0-6-8-0 and so on.
"W...w-wait..." he softly stammered, "I'm con...w...what are you?"
501, who is the one with the black eyepatch walked closer to him.
"You are not the only one who is Zim, 2002. I am Zim. He is Zim. We are all Zim."
At this point, the prisoner didn't know what to say. If anything he feels more lost and confused than ever before. And maybe even stunned and loss for words. 501 noticed this and he let out a pesky smirk.
"Welcome to the Zimvoid."