"Invader Zim, lead the prisoner forward."
Zim pulled Dib forward onto a lifter, which dropped them to the center of an arena. At the far end, the Tallest presided. The thousands of seats surrounding them were filled with Irkins, jostling each other for the best seats. A hush fell over them when Dib was brought into view.
Dib cowed, fixing his eyes on the ground. Much to his annoyance, Zim felt a pang of sympathy for the earthling. He had had to face the Tallest and the arena full of Irkins when taking the Invader's Oath.
"Stand straight, Dib." He hissed. "Fear is a sign of weakness."
Dib stiffened and stared ahead.
"What now?" He asked.
"You will be tried, but we all know you'll be convicted."
"Why? What did I do?"
Zim snorted. "You're a half-breed, Dib. Invader Stok paid the ultimate price for diluting the perfection of the Irkin race, they will expect no less from you." Dib swallowed hard.
"But it's not my fault!" His breath came in quick spurts.
Automatically, Zim patted his shoulder. "Be brave, soldier." Aghast, he snatched his hand away as if Dib had burned him.
"What I mean is, well, you're, you were…" Zim clenched his zipper-like teeth and gritted out, "You were a worthy adversary and I…" His face contorted, "I respect you."
Before either of them could react to Zim's confession, Tallest Red called the trial to order.
……………………………………………………….
"Dib Membrane, state your race."
Wringing his hands, he quailed, "I no longer know."
"State what race you previously believed yourself to be."
"Human."
"Home planet?"
"Earth."
"How long have you believed in the existence of, what you call, aliens?"
"Since I was two years old."
"Invader Zim, please repeat that in Irkin terms."
"He means since he was a very small smeet, Almighty Tallest." Explained Zim.
Red smiled. "Good. Now, we have read the reports made by Zim. He charges that along with your normal human organs, you have a cross between a stomach and a squeedly spooch, a fully Irkin heart, and an intelligence level no human in the history of your planet has been able to boast of."
Purple continued. "From the tests we ran on your DNA, you are the son of Professor Membrane of Earth and Invader Stok of Irk, one of the last PAKless Irkins. When we called up her file and DNA, we found further incriminating evidence that—"
"But," Dib interrupted, "What was criminal about what she did?" He glanced at Zim's furious features. "Almighty Tallest." He added reluctantly.
Both scowled. "According to Irkin Law section 8765-4g9p, any Irkin shameful enough to dilute the perfection of the race, such as she did, is condemned to death, along with any descendants he or she may have had, whether or not they were conceived before such heinous actions."
Purple's face twisted into an evil leer. "So you see, Dib Membrane, I'm afraid the only decision available is to sentence you to death. You will be injected with a serum composed of nanobots that will flock to your heart and stop its beating. That way we can still have your body intact for any tests our scientists may wish to conduct."
Zim noticed Dib's form beginning to crumple beside him. "Stand! Stand! You are representing your race, your planet! You must stand!" He whispered tersely.
Somehow Dib found the strength to straighten, but the expression on his face struck Zim cold. Never before had he seen despair or defeat on Dib's face. Shaken, the alien grasped his arm and began to lead him away.
"We have not concluded the trial!" Red's voice thundered. Sighing, Zim turned around.
The Tallest do harp on ceremony. They'll conclude the trial officially in a moment.
"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," sneered Purple, "We researched Invader Stok's file and her DNA sample, searching for any other beings she may have birthed. We found that, aside from Dib Membrane, she birthed a single, purely Irkin smeet. Invader Zim, you are sentenced to the same fate as Dib, for you also were born of the late Invader Stok."
