No.
No no no no no.
This wasn't right. It couldn't be.
"Well shit, I'm out." Q suddenly switched to a very small size and bolted out as the massive doors surged closed.
He was gone.
"CB," Zim straightened his posture, narrowing his eyes. "This isn't funny. If this is about Vero, just because he is my smeet doesn't mean I love you any less."
"Denial runs deep, I see." Original AI looked over to VI and I who simply nodded in agreement. "I see why defects are so dangerous."
"Our new system eliminates the possibility for defective Irkens." I remarked seemingly pleased with how things were playing out. They were surrounded, forced to their knees, weapons taken, and cuffed by militant-looking, security Irkens, all moving in perfect synchronization.
"CB, don't play with those Control Brains! They're evil!" They were surrounded, Zim knew it, but CB would never have betrayed him like this. He made that AI! He slaved, painstakingly in his lab formonthstrying to perfect him! "If you do this, you are going to be grounded!"
"I am not CB." The AI insisted once again. "I am Original AI."
"Well then you are going to be grounded Original AI!"
"What is grounded?" VI looked to Original AI in confusion.
"I do not believe even he knows."
"Awwww," GIR bounced excitedly, "he's playing a game!"
"No, he's fucking not!" A savage, foul shout from behind Zim made his blood turn to ice. He turned to see Voel, still holding his wounded midsection. "He's not playing and he's not CB. He fucking betrayed us, Zim! I KNEW this would happen! I KNEW trusting that stupid as fuck computer would screw us over in the end!"
"Technically that's not CB, that is Original AI." Vero replied pointedly.
"Don't you DARE," Voel whipped around, a seething hate boiling inside as he faced Vero, "defend him right now!" Zim took a step back, toward VI and I who were, for the moment, less scary.
"This is the force you are fighting against?" Original AI caught Zim by the shoulder as he stepped back, and shoved him back into the group. "They do not appear to be much of a threat. If left alone long enough they will probably tear themselves apart from within."
"They prove more difficult than you think." Control Brain I did not seem impressed with Original AI's analysis of the situation. "Underestimating the enemy is a formula for defeat."
"If you insist." Original AI shrugged. The red color of the lenses of CB's helmet made Zim feel nauseous. Was this really the AI that Earth had fought? Sure, Zim has used some of it in CB's creation... but there was no way it had been enough... right? Was this how Original AI acted? It certainly wasn't CB speaking to him right now.
Zim had never spoken with Original AI. It was offline by the time Zim had found it. (Nearly destroyed, nothing seemed viable.) It had never seemed aware enough to speak before. At least... Zim didn't remember the computer speaking to him. Had it?
Maybe...
He... didn't remember much at all from that whole process. He hadn't been in his right mind.
"This is a fun game! I wanna be red too!" GIR's eyes went red as he entered duty mode. "What are your commands, my master!?"
"Insolent little SIR, reprogramming it is the only option." VI went to grab GIR, but Original AI stopped him.
"Do not touch the SIR. It is a trap. Trying to link minds with it will only backfire, the SIR's coding will override your own."
"Is there any other part of our secret plan your fucking robot wants to share with the Control Brains!?" Voel spat.
"They were planning to use the SIR and Defect Zim to overwhelm and recode IX."
"I was being," Voel looked more furious than Zim had ever seen him, "sarcastic!" He sat, marinating in his rage for a moment before muttering under his breath. "You fucking traitor."
"It would have been a failure. IX plans for all accounts." VI didn't seem phased by the anger of the captured Irkens.
"Of course, he fucking does." Voel's shoulders drooped, his head hung to his chest. Either the blood loss or the complete hopelessness of the situation was finally getting to him.
"IX will be pleased with our most recent actions." I sounded satisfied as he nudged the captured Tenn with his foot. "And he will be pleased to meet you, ."
"?" Original AI parroted back.
"It is a call sign more similar to our own. I offer it to you as a sign of gratitude for your help thus far."
"I see. Acceptable." Original AI circled the group, looking down at them with an unreadable expression bathed in a crimson glow.
"We can take the prisoners to IX so that we may best decide what to do with them, save for Tallest V, of course." Control Brain I knelt down to examine the group. "Tallest X requests to take care of him personally."
"Awww she wants to take care of me? That's kind of nice of her!" Vero sounded remarkably calm despite the fact that they were surrounded.
"I think she means like... murder you. Not like give you pillows and snacks." Therron whispered, trying to keep his voice down.
"Oh. That makes more sense, but is less fun." Vero frowned.
"Is every native of this planet stupid? Or just the ones that I have met?" Original AI looked back at the two Control Brains who both shrugged.
"Stupidity does appear to be an Irken plague. It is the primary reason for our current actions. Their flawed decision making has caused us to take full control." Control Brain I didn't seem offended by Original AI's analysis of the situation, but rather amused by it.
"IX will be pleased with your appearance as well." VI assured the man-made murder machine. "He has wanted to see your capabilities since his first encounter with your inferior re-program."
"Of course. I look forward to meeting your leader." Original AI bowed stiffly, looking more akin to the Controlled Irkens in his movement rather than the fluidity CB's motion.
"He is not a leader, just the one who gave the idea for our movement. Given time, any of us would have come to the same solution." Control Brain I corrected rather quickly.
"I see." Original AI looked back to the Irken hostages "Well we best get to him then. You will have a lot to handle with the upcoming interrogation."
"Yes. Of course." VI nodded and Zim and the others were forced to their feet. "We will place them in containment until we discuss their fate. We would do so virtually, however, you have not been fully integrated as one of us. You assisted in their capture. Logic dictates you should assist in deciding their fate. IX has spoken highly of your reputation. For an... inferior Earth Machine, it seems you have great potential. "
"You call me inferior, " Original AI almost seemed amused by the insult as the imprisoned Irkens were escorted back to Upper Irk. "And yet I am the only one of you who has felled a planet."
"Earth recovered." VI remarked a tad coldly.
"But they still fear me."
"To destroy, is barbaric. To rule is civilized. You will learn soon enough." Control Brain I was less sharp in his reply more like a professor educating a particularly obstinate smeet.
Upper Irk was just as unsettling as Zim remembered. Everyone was moving in repetitive, robotic patterns, as if those not actively in use were set to meaningless background tasks. It was unnatural. There was no chatter of Irkens discussing their days, no excited scurrying about, no Irkens bumping into each other because one of them was distracted by the news monitors. The INN was not even running. Everything about being in Irk felt more alien than the filthy streets of Earth.
They were taken to the Tallest's Residence, deep into the underbelly. There was a small cell, probably meant for prisoners whose releases were still in negotiation. It was heavily enforced, cameras all over, a clear glass door separating it from the hall.
"You will remain here until IX is ready for you." VI pushed them into the small cell, there wasn't a large amount of space for the number of Irkens now inhabiting it, but there was enough that they could sit comfortably and not be on top of one another.
"Don't you mean Almighty Tallest X?" Skoodge remarked dryly.
"I am aware of my phrasing. Thank you." The door slid shut. And just like that, they were trapped.
"Good work Zim! You fucked us all over. AN you got the Control Brains a shiny, new murderer to hang out with!" Therron threw his hands up before collapsing on his back on the floor.
"Leave him alone, Therron." Skoodge spoke up, antennae back, teeth bared. "At least Zim had an actual plan. Your idea was to abandon Irk entirely!"
"At least then we would have survived!" Therron wasn't easily deterred this time.
"Yeah, but there would have been an all-out war." Tenn pointed out. "It was a no-win scenario."
"We could have won if Zim's murder-bot didn't throw us to the Control Brains!" Therron insisted.
"Me?" GIR looked excited.
"Not you, your brother." Zim sighed. "I just don't get it..."
"What's not to get?" Voel grimaced. "CB has proven to us multiple times that he was capable of turning evil and now he's gone and done it."
"Not that." Zim waved it off. "I don't get why CB didn't just consume us like the Control Brains. He was in our PAKs. But now... I don't really feel him."
"Maybe he knew something bad was going to happen and disconnected as some sort of last-ditch effort to help?" Skoodge put his arm comfortingly around Zim's shoulders.
"Maybe..." Zim frowned.
"Well!" Voel clapped his hands together slowly, getting louder with every repetition, as if each successive clap reverberated with the rage inside him. "Congratulations! Let's hear it for Zim, everyone! Come on Tenn! Give it a go! Vero?" Vero started clapping too, not because he was mad at Zim, but most likely out of a genuine love for clapping. "It's too little too late. They're going to kill us."
"Yay!" Vero cheered softly.
"NO! Vero! NOT yay!" He took the Mothra statuette from his suit, looking at it. "We lost." He threw the statuette against the wall of the cell and it broke in half. Vero clapped for that too, that thing looked very hard to break. Zim flinched, he knew everyone was mad. He was mad. He just didn't have a statue to break. But even if he did... if it was a statue of Mothra... he probably wouldn't have broken it, at least, not on purpose. She was still their goddess, a symbol of hope to the Irken people. Even if... she wasn't here when they... needed her most.
"Back off Voel! You aren't exactly innocent in this either!" Skoodge barked, teeth bared, eyes narrowed. Zim blocked out the arguing, going to pick up the pieces of the statue. Mothra didn't deserve to be broken like that... this... wasn't her fault. Plus... this had been important to Miyuki. It was... the least he could do. As he lifted the cracked bits of old stone, he saw a small device stowed away deep in the base of the statue. It was metal, it looked old, at least, old enough to have from been before Red and Purple had come into power.
"There is something in here..." Zim scratched at the residual bits of the statue's base to see if he could free the device. His claw hit something and it vibrated in his hand, lighting up and displaying a small hologram of none other than Miyuki herself. The image drew the attention of everyone, Voel, who had Skoodge drawn up by the collar mid-argument, dropped him at once.
"Tallest's Log: 12th of Draxnier." Her voice was every bit as serene as Zim remembered.
"Zim what is-" Voel began to speak, but recognition set in and he went completely silent as Miyuki continued.
"I am Tallest Miyuki, Almighty leader of Irk. And I fear for my life. The Control Brains have always been powerful, obedient companions to the Tallest. They were aides, created to lessen the burden of ruling. However, I have stumbled upon a dark plot." The technology captured her voice perfectly, though her expressions were somewhat difficult to decipher with the small, low quality hologram. All the Irkens began to crows around her, the soft blue glow illuminating their faces. "IX has been convincing the Control Brains of a need to control Irkens. Upon discovering this treason, I had IX shut down. But..." her gaze cast downward. "He... came... back..." That last part was hard to hear, her voice was quiet, shaking. "He must have backups of himself stored somewhere. I have no idea where, or how he even managed but-" she was cut off.
"Tallest Miyuki?" The voice of IX was unmistakable, even in the recording.
"Yes IX?"
"Is everything alright?"
"Y... yes IX... of course it is."
"I thought I heard you speaking with someone."
"N-no IX." Her gaze was cast to her feet. "Of course not."
"Very good. You cannot get distracted. You have a busy day today on Vort. You will be overseeing the Science Department."
"Of course, IX."
"And Miyuki?"
"Yes?"
"No hard feelings about earlier. Unlike organic beings, I do not hold grudges."
"You are very kind IX."
"I know."
The recording stopped. For a moment, no one spoke. They simply stared at the spot in which they had last seen Miyuki. No one dared blink.
"That's... from the day she died..." Skoodge finally spoke, his voice shaking, though he was trying to steady it.
"Looks like... our plan wasn't going to work." Voel walked to the edge of the room, pressed his back to the wall, and slowly slid down. "At least we'll die knowing we were screwed either way."
"That's the spirit." Vero patted Voel on the back.
"I don't know if I feel better or worse..." Zim squinted at the others, lost in thought. "At least I will die knowing my smeet was Tallest. That's pretty great."
"Aw thanks other dad." Vero gave Zim a thumbs up. "I had a great like... three months or so. It might have been longer. I think I will still be a favorite Tallest though."
"You can be my favorite." Zim assured Vero.
"Well, you're not mine." Therron scoffed. "I'm my own favorite."
"Where is that pen?" A voice echoed through the halls, one Zim didn't recognize. It lacked the monotone of a Control Brain, but it wasn't Xia. It was a young male. "Wait... what floor is this? How deep does this building go?" Zim saw Voel tense up and scramble from the floor clumsily to the clear, glass door that was sealed firmly shut.
"VEN!" Voel started to hit his palm against the glass. He was still weak, the wound in his abdomen was healing thanks to the PAK, but it wasn't quite patched up yet. "Ven! Over here!"
"Huh?" There was a flurry of PAK legs as they were approached by a very young Irken. He had to be in his first year of Academy training by the look of him. He was taller than Zim, but seemed to still be growing. He wasn't up to Voel or Vero yet. "Almighty Tallest Red!? Wait- Almighty Tallest Purple?" He looked confused. His jaw dropped "Almighty Tallest V!? What are you doing in our basement!? Aren't you supposed to be dead?"
"We quit being dead." Vero waved through the glass.
"Oh. Yeah. Okay I guess that makes sense." Ven nodded.
"Zim. This is Rising Tallest Ven; he is also your smeet.." Voel sighed, seemingly unimpressed by Ven's blind acceptance of Vero's answer. Zim shrugged. It made sense to him. Clearly, Ven and Vero got their intelligence from him. They were lucky that way.
"I can't believe you guys are in our basement!" Ven looked both confused and relieved to see them. "Things have been just... a little weird on Irk, you know?"
"Really." Therron was not amused by the analysis. "A little weird? You don't say."
"Yeah, sounds kinda farfetched, I know, especially to you guys since you're dead and everything. But Almighty Tallest X swears it's nothing to worry about, and she is Tallest. So, yeah."
"Oh sweet Mothra, Voel, you made him stupid."
"He's not stupid, Therron!" Voel spat back, "he'snaive."
"I... can hear you." Ven narrowed his eyes at the two former leaders. "Like... the glass isn't sound proof."
"Oh, cool a baby brother!" Vero's eyes lit up as he also approached the glass at last. "He's adorable. I'm going to teach him brotherly things like how to fly." Voel turned his head very slowly, turning to look at Vero, the rage from earlier seemed washed away by a mix of bewilderment and absolute disappointment.
"Vero... son... I... can't believe I'm having to explain this to you- my adult smeet, but," he pushed Vero away from the glass and Ven, gently. "Irkens can't fly."
"Not with that attitude." Vero shot back. "But with brotherly love and a tube that ejects Ven-sized Irkens into space, anything can be accomplished."
"I mean, he can try but I don't actually fit." Ven replied, trying to be as agreeable as he could.
"He is my little brother " Vero wiped a single tear from his eye, "I'm so proud." Ven blinked at him.
"I am not sure what a brother is, but you keep using the word as if I should know."
"You know," Vero placed a hand on the glass toward Ven, "search your cardiac-spooch. The answer is in there."
"Blood?" Ven looked down at his chest then back up. "There is blood in my cardiac-spooch. That's what it's for: pumping blood to our other spooches."
"Vero, stop confusing Ven." Voel pushed Vero back, again. "Ven, stop humoring Vero." Ven did look a little like Zim, Zim had been looking him over. Maybe it was the eye shape, or the slight dusting of facial markings. He mostly looked like Vero, which made sense if they shared both genetic donors.
"Hey...Ven, can you get this cell open?" Skoodge interrupted the family bonding with an idea for escape. Zim had almost forgotten that they were trapped.
"I... I dunno. Maybe?" Ven went to try the panel on the door which beeped at him aggressively. "It's locked."
"Of course it's fucking locked." Therron let out a grunt of frustration. "If it wasn't locked, we wouldn't be trapped!"
"Why are you guys in here, anyway?" Ven began to mess with the panel. "I mean, not that I'm not happy to see you, but it's a little weird for dead people to just show up in your basement."
"It's notthat weird." Zim corrected.
"Ghost crimes." Vero replied quickly.
"Huh?" Ven squinted at him uncertainly.
"We committed ghost crimes. Now we're in ghost jail." Vero specified. Zim was impressed. Clearly Vero had inherited his improvisational skills.
"Almighty Tallest V, you aren't dead. Just abducted by the Syndicate." Ven informed him. "Weird that they lock you in our basement, but I never pretend to understand the scumbag tactics of trash like the Syndicate."
"No no no," Voel quickly interjected, using the wall to support himself "the Syndicate are good guys. They helped us get here."
"To prison?" Ven looked unconvinced.
"Inadvertently, yes." Zim replied helpfully.
"No. Zim, please don't help." Voel looked back at him, making a 'hush' motion with his finger. "I mean, Ven it's complicated. There is a whole conspiracy. The Control Brains, yeah, they're evil."
"That sounds like a Zeke article. How do I know you're not Zeke?" Ven lowered his arms, no longer working on the exit.
"We met Zeke. He's a two foot nothing farmer." Therron scoffed. "Plus look at us! You know us!"
"I mean you could be three and a half Zekes in Tallest armor. I don't know." Ven shot back. He raised some good points. Zim knew this was currently working against them, but he couldn't help but be proud of Ven's critical thinking skills. Therron could just be three and a half Zekes in Tallest armor. But...
"Zeke isn't quite as obnoxious as Therron though, so, unfortunately: he's the real thing." Zim explained. Ven looked thoughtfully for a moment at everyone in the room.
"Yeah, okay." He went back to the door pad. "As Rising Tallest, I should have some access to this door, but I don't. I just keep getting denied."
"What are you doing, Ven?" The doors to the lift slid open as Zim saw the slender, elegant, and somehow still bitchy-looking form of Sym, accompanied by Xia, and the ethereal, pale form of who Zim guessed was probably M. (She had seven eyes and red appendages stemming from her back, draped over her arms as if they were a fabric accessory. She could possibly also have been a very convincingly disguised Q.)
"Oh! Hey, Almighty Tallest X! IX! Scary Parasite Lady!" Ven waved. "You won't believe who I found in our basement!"
"Ven!" Voel immediately started beating on the glass. "Ven get out of there!" Zim felt a cold sensation wash over him. He jumped forward to the outward facing glass wall. It should have been a door, but it wasn't opening.
"Ven! Hey! I just met you but trust my amazing advice and get out of this room!" Zim ordered. "Or you are grounded!"
"What's grounded?" Ven looked confused.
"Hyx!" Xia pointed at the Rising Tallest, using a name that Zim was pretty sure was wrong. "What are you doing down here, fraternizing with the enemy!?"
"They aren't the enemy, Almighty Tallest X!" Ven shook his head. "It's Almighty Tallest V! And Red and Purple! And some other Irkens I don't know. And a SIR." He squinted into the room. "I think that might be Invader Tenn!"
"I am!" Tenn waved.
"They are Syndicate spies, Rex. Seriously? How stupidcan you be?" Xia knocked on his head with her knuckles. It is as if you have listened to nothing I have taught you. Come along now, " she gestured for him to return to her side, "you've done enough damage."
"Xia!" Voel spoke directly to her. "You must know that IX is manipulating you for his own gain. You are a Tallest, damn it! Don't tell me you agree with him!"
"I am Almighty Tallest X to you, traitor." Her eyes narrowed. "And I refuse to take advice from an administration that made Taco Tuesday and a fucking password system to change laws. Do you KNOW how much I SUFFERED trying to undo the MESS that you left behind when you died!? Did you know the Massive only goes straight!? It's a warship! It NEEDS to TURN!"
"Oh yeah, Voel made that law because I kept making us turn around when I forgot something." Therron admitted. Xia's eyes fell on Therron and it was as if a fire had been set in her core.
"You!" There was absolute venom dripping in her voice, "you are the absolute WORST curse to ever befall our beautiful planet! Mothra herself cries at night because of your continued existence!"
"Wow, that was unnecessarily hurtful." Therron looked offended but Skoodge was quietly nodding in agreement.
"I mean, she has some points."
"Shut up Skoodge," Therron gestured to Vero. "Tallest V wasn't that bad, he had less than a year to rule."
"I'm going to kill him." Xia looked to Sym, or rather IX. The possessed body shook its head, remaining perfectly calm.
"First thing is first, My Tallest: there is the matter of Ven."
"What about him? He made a stupid choice. He's stupid, IX, he takes after Vero. The important thing is that we stopped him before he did any damage." Xia didn't seem particularly upset with Ven.
"He nearly cost us our prisoners."
"Tallest X, I just wanted to help. I think something bad is going on..." Ven took a step back, toward the cell, "I just … wanted … to help."
"His mind becomes poisoned with the lies of rebels."
"He's a smeet, IX. He made a mistake, no need to hurt him. No damage was done." Xia tried to wave it off.
"We can fix him, Tallest X. We can make him better."IX grabbed Ven roughly by the arm. "He will not hurt. He will not feel anything."
"Tallest X!" Ven looked scared. Zim found himself beating harder on the glass. That was HIS smeet damn it.
"I think it is unnecessary, IX." Xia countered. "He learned his lesson."
"He is a liability."
"He didn't do anything. Are you not listening?"
"He tried."
"Yeah, but-"
"You will let him undermine you? Are you not Tallest? Are you not a leader? Such blatant disregard for your authority and you let it slide?"
"I don't think he knew the situation." Xia tried to reason with the machine, but IX had its mind made up.
"Weakness like that is a Defect; you must have gotten from Zim."
"I am NOT defective!" Xia's body language changed suddenly. She took an aggressive stance, her teeth bared, antennae lying straight back. "Dammit Ven," she punched the glass, leaving a crack in it. Ven winced at the sound. The corners of her eyes looked damp, as she refused to look back. "Why couldn't you just listen? Do what needs to be done IX."
"But Tallest X!" Ven reached out to her as IX started to drag him back toward the lift. "TALLEST X!"
"Relax, Ven..." this time, it seemed that she had gotten his name right. "It's only... temporary."
"I will send I, VI, and down to transport your prisoners. I believe we best move up our interrogation. Seems the defects are getting too many ideas." IX vanished up the lift with Ven dragged behind him.
"Right." Xia looked at the group, her expression was difficult to decipher. Vero met her gaze and she turned quickly away.
"Xixi, I know you think you're doing the right thing, but trust me. This isn't going to be temporary."
"Do NOT. Call me that." Xia sounded annoyed, but wouldn't look at Vero. "Quick, M, use your completely stupid power and tell me if any of these prisoner Irkens are your Parasite friend in disguise."
"Nope~ Afraid not." It seemed rather than the collar the Syndicate used for translation; Xia had given M a reader with a Text-to-Speech app that she was using to talk.
"Q ditched us the moment things went downhill." Therron informed them.
"I mean, that's what I would have done, but still, what a coward." M looked rather amused.
"Xia, come on, you're hanging out with Parasites! You can't think this is a good idea..." Vero tried again to appeal to her. Xia refused to meet his gaze.
"We're not what I would call: "friends"." She assured him.
"Besties~" M pulled Xia close pushing their cheeks together, Xia went to shove her away but M's body moved like a liquid around her arm, rematerializing on her other side.
The lift doors opened again and the possessed Irkens from earlier returned with Original AI. Zim scooted away from the glass as the door slid open without the panel even being touched. Xia turned away, heading towards the exit, M following behind her.
"You are wanted in the main office." Control Brain I's gentle voice sent shivers to Zim's core. "It is time for interrogation and mandatory re-coding."
"You aren't going to kill us?" Zim blinked.
"Deletion may be your new coding. But IX will decide." VI replied flatly.
"Please come quietly. A struggle will only result in your injury and possible, permanent deletion." Control Brain I continued seamlessly.
"I wanna go with my little brother!" GIR ran out of the room straight toward Original AI who recoiled away as if sensing something foul. The other Control Brains looked at Original AI with amusement on their Irken faces.
"Afraid of a SIR?" VI sounded a bit as if it were sneering.
"You saw what it did to VII. I would not take its presence so lightly." Original AI replied coldly, looking sharply at VI.
"Oh, but it likes you." VI insisted. Nudging Original AI forward. Zim was realizing there was a little tension building between the underlings of IX. Something might have happened before they were sent to bring his team upstairs to the penthouse. (Zim was aware that this might be leading to his death, however, he wasn't going to pretend like he wasn't excited to see the Tallest's quarters. It was supposed to be the absolute lap of luxury. If he was going to die, at least it would be on plush carpet.)
"You." Original AI grabbed Zim roughly, pulling him from the cell. "Deactivate your SIR."
"I don't even think I know how." Zim replied with a shrug. "If I did, I wouldn't have tolerated him this long."
"I HAVE AN OFF BUTTON! IT'S IN MY BACK!" GIR continued to be the exact opposite of helpful. This was information that would have been good to know ten Earth-years ago.
"You heard him," Original AI was staring down at Zim, the unblinking red lights of the helmet felt as if they were boring into his skin. "Deactivate him or I will personally decommission him beyond repair."
"He won't hurt you. He's not smart enough to do it on his own." Zim countered.
"I cannot take that risk. I saw what befell VII." That voice... so cold, vacant. Zim missed CB's goofy inflection, he missed the lighter, more emotive voice. He missed the expressive face. He looked to GIR who was smiling up at CB, excitedly, clinging to his leg.
"Don't... make me do this."
"If you do not, I will. And if I decommission him... there will be no chance for repair or reprogramming." Original AI's hand tightened on Zim's shoulder. It hurt. "The decision is yours." Zim took a deep breath.
"I'm... sorry GIR..." Zim reached over, opening the blue panel on his back. Sure, enough there was a button, labeled: power. (Funny that he had never noticed it before now.) Zim paused, looking up at Original AI, seeing no flicker of emotion anywhere on his face. No recognition. Nothing.
Zim pressed the button.
"Awww... I...m... sl...ee...p...y..."
GIR collapsed to the floor in a useless heap.
"The threat has been neutralized." Original AI did not stop Zim from picking GIR up off the floor. "Now come along." Everyone was grabbed roughly from the cell, cuffed, and taken by the Control Brains into the lift. The ride was longer than Zim thought it should be. It felt like they were in that tube for years. Maybe time had just slowed down, stretched out under the weight of the dread that weighed on Zim's body. They reached the top.
The room was nice, three of the walls were transparent. Zim could see both suns of Irk casting their glow over the stagnant, almost still city below them. Xia was seated in a very comfortable looking red chair, her legs crossed, fingers laced. On one side of her IX stood tall in Sym's body. On her other side, M was leaning lazily on the back of the chair like some sort of living ornament. Ven was standing in the corner, unblinking, expression vacant.
"Your reign of terror comes to an end today, rebels." Xia spoke with a serene sort of calm as the Irkens were deposited before her.
"Our reign of terror!? Look around you Xia! Look what the Control Brains are doing!" Voel struggled against his restraints.
"Need I remind you of Taco Tuesday and that it was illegal to wear green!?" Xia stood up. "You were not running an Empire! You were running a joke! We were clambering to weak forces like the Syndicatefor help because you were too lazy to do what needed to be done!"
"The Syndicate are one of the top buyers of Irken exports! We have mutually beneficial finances!" Therron protested. "They werehelping with the farming crisis!"
"They are peace-loving bastards too afraid to defend themselves against a real army! They were forcing their ideals on us!" Xia reached out her hand and IX handed her a long, ornate battle ax, the blade was laser sharp.
"A treaty requires mutual cooperation." Therron countered. Zim had never seen him passionate about anything pertaining to his actual job before. It was a little unsettling.
"We don't need treaties!" Xia hit the handle of her ax on the floor with a loud THUD. "We are the Almighty Tallests! Or at least," she looked down at them with disdain. "I am."
"You're not so great." Zim was mad. First, they made him turn off GIR, now they were making him agree with Therron! This was not going to be how things ended. He was not going to die thinking Therron was right. "I'd say IX was maybe a good leader, but he can't even keep the peace with his own robot army." Zim looked back at the two Control Brains and one Murder-Earth-AI that were towering behind him. "And that's only nine Brains."
"Factually incorrect." IX looked almost intrigued by Zim's point. "All of my companions operate efficiently. There is no need for infighting when we are already perfect." Zim had to think fast, he had to treat this as if it were an Invasion. He was not wasting years of training to fail now.
"Yeah, I guess. I is a pretty good second in command for you. And I mean Control Brain I. Not the pronoun. I mean, I would be fantastic- I as in me, Zim- but I- still me, Zim- don't answer to evil Control Brains. Or even good Control Brains. Zim answers only to the rubber pants of Invasion marching through his blood. And sometimes, to Skoodge. "
"I am not second in command." Control Brain I very quickly corrected. "We are equals."
"Equals who all take orders from IX." Zim replied dryly.
"They are mutually agreed upon decisions." Control Brain I replied.
"I dunno why you're wasting time talking to I. Clearly VI is IX's right hand." It was as if Skoodge could read Zim's mind.
"I am a Military Control Brain to be fair. I do more than handle petty street crime and food vendors." VI didn't seem as opposed to subservience as Control Brain I.
"You're both out of a job soon." Voel must have caught on as well. "IX has his eyes on a new right hand. You keep saying how much he wants to meet Original AI. You have already been replaced."
"They are trying to spark a rift in our unity, colleagues." IX spoke up. "Pay them no mind. We are all important to maintaining the new Irk."
"You are all just wasting time if you ask me." Original AI scoffed. "You've lost two Control Brains to the same trick. You keep preaching to me about unity but I haven't seen you come together and fix one, single glaring flaw in your system. I am the one who took initiative and had the SIR shut down. Of course, IX is your leader, he is the only one making calls. You are so accustomed to subservience that you still seek it. Even from your supposed peer."
"Big talk from an out-of-date Earth trashcan." VI shoved Original AI, forcing him to take a step back. Original AI straightened himself out, grabbing VI by the back of the neck and forcing him to kneel down to meet the lesser height of CB's body.
"Say what you will about me, at least I did what I set out to do."
"That is quite enough." IX raised Sym's voice. "You are falling for traps even a smeet could see. This is a simple tactic to create infighting, to weaken us from within so that we may crumble."
"And it isn't going to work with us. I already don't like M, and IX is on thin fucking ice." Xia added, pointing her ax at Zim.
"I am still unsure about the Earth AI. It seems a tad barbaric for our needs." I admitted, but the tone was less antagonistic than before. It was almost as if Original AI's little display with VI had shaken him, just a bit.
"Oh. Forgive me." Original AI released VI who remained kneeled over and went to I, striking him in the back near the base of his neck, with his open palm in a rapid move that seemed to catch I off his guard. "On Earth this is a sign of comradery. It is called a pat on the back."
"I believe that is called assault." I protested.
"Potato, potato." Original AI shrugged, not moving his hand.
"What the fuck is a potato and why is everyone so obsessed with it!?" Xia demanded, blade of her ax tilting Zim's chin upward.
"To be fair, sis, if you've ever had a potato, you would understand." Vero spoke up. "They are an Earth food, and they are amazing."
"My name is not Sis, it is Xia." She moved the ax from Zim to Vero. "And you would do well to remember that."
"Xia!" Voel called out. "Don't kill him. I don't care what you do with me but... Vero was your tube mate. Have some empathy..."
"I'm not killing him yet, don't embarrass yourself, you sniveling loser." Xia moved the ax to point at Voel. "That injury couldn't have killed you? Saved me the trouble?" She rolled her eyes. "Look, two of you still have potential." She turned to look at Tenn and Skoodge. "You have proven useful to Irk in the past and you could again. Invader Tenn, you were one of our top Invaders. You can serve by my side as a general. Ditch these hopeless idiots and finally come to the winning team. And Invader Skoodge, you were the first success in Impending Doom II. You brought the home of devouring rat people to their knees. You survived the trials of Hobo 13. Sure, you don't look very appealing and nothing like the guy on the poster- but looks don't matter to me. That was the old regime. Serve with me and get the recognition you deserve."
"No way." Tenn shook her head vigorously. "I will never betray Irk."
"Irk was far from perfect, and at one time I was ready to leave it all behind. But compared to this fuckery you have going on right now? That shit hole Red and Purple were running was practically blessed by Mothra." Skoodge glared her down.
"Well," Xia shrugged. "I tried." She went back to her throne, sitting back down. "I thought I would start by killing Vero, bringing my whole grudge with him to a close, but over time I realize that: no. There is someone I hate far more than even my lazy, leech of a tube mate. Someone so full of shit that even the burning fires of Rodan could not cleanse his stench." She snapped her fingers. "Bring me Therron."
"Seriously!? Me!?" Therron recoiled. "What did I do!?"
"You dare ask me that after your VERY EXISTENCE cost me ACTUAL DAYS of my life!? Do you KNOW how much fucking damage your batshit crazy laws caused!?" Xia took a deep breath; her hands were shaking from raw hate.
There was a moment of silence. No one seemed to want to move.
"VI, I, you may bring her Therron." IX urged them gently.
"Hurry. Every moment he continues to draw breath is a personal affront to my existence." Xia drummed her fingers, but no one moved.
"VI?" IX took a step forward. "I? Are you malfunctioning? ?"
"Yes?" Original AI looked up.
"You seem to be functioning but-" as IX drew closer, the Irken bodies of VI and I both tumbled to the floor. The lights of Sym's PAK seared a brighter red as IX jumped back. "What is the meaning of this!?"
"Oh," Original AI looked down at the bodies of the unconscious Irkens and back up to IX. "Ah yes, you see that is quite the interesting thing."
"Explain yourself!"
"You are the fool of April, my friend." Original AI smirked.
"What is April?"
"Look I dunno what he's babbling about it's like July on Earth right now, maybe." Zim shrugged.
"I removed the Control Brains from these Irkens physical forms."
"Why would you do this!? How would you know how? You are an Earth-made intelligence, !"
"Well, I mean first of all, they were rude. Secondly:" the lights on the helmet slowly flickered back to blue as the body leaned playfully over the captives. All at once, the physical restraints broke. Zim could suddenly feel the connection between he and the others restored. "My name is CB."