Dlbn: Hey, everyone! Another chapter time! Brought to you from my break table at work. I have a half an hour and no lunch to eat, so I have plenty of time to get to work on this.

Nbld: Let's get to work then, dumbass. Review Corner! Zim'sMostLoyalServant and Invader Johnny for reviewing! Candy for you both!

Zim'sMostLoyalServant: It's pretty much a dumping ground for people the Empire doesn't want at this point.

Invader Johnny: Sometimes things get dirty when people break up. The same happens with friendships that end, unfortunately.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and the OCs. Everything canon belongs to Jhonen Vasquez. I'm just a fangirl who's so excited for the movie that her heart is exploding with joy.

000

The Haven siblings, Rya, and Chase lounged around Ense's living room later that night, laughing and telling stories of their childhood from before Chase and his family left. Ense hadn't met Rya until high school and Lahna hadn't been born yet when Chase was around, but they still delighted in the brothers' stories. Chase seemed embarrassed recalling all the times the brothers got one over on him with their pranks, but he didn't let the ribbing stop him from throwing a few good jabs back. It was about eleven at night when the stories stopped and the yawns began.

"It's nice, being able to connect like this." Rya commented, taking a sip of her tea. "You haven't seen one another in years, but it's like nothing's changed."

"Except I'd like to hope we're mature enough that the jokes and pranks will stop." Chase's comment was directed at the brothers, but they ignored him.

"Alright, alright, new topic." Ense eased the conversation down a bit. "What was this about your father being good at hiding?"

Chase flushed. "Dad made some bad investments…"

"Meaning he ripped some people off. Go on." Lahna offered.

He rolled his eyes. "Well, you're not far off, Lahn." He agreed. "He pissed off some high-ranking people and took mom and I into hiding."

"And where are they now?"

"Don't know." Chase shrugged. "We got separated when I was sixteen. I have no idea where they could be. I've been living with friends on and off for years…but…"

"How did you end up here?" Zim wondered.

"That's the but." Chase informed. "Apparently, the military was looking for my family for the shit dad did when I was a kid. They found me one day and arrested me. I ended up banished just so they could hold something over my parents' heads. But unless I hear they're dead somehow or they end up here, I couldn't tell you where they are or what they're up to." Chase slumped down in his chair. "My buddy that told me where you'd been hiding out, Ense? His father was willing to lie for me for a while and hide me so the military wouldn't find me, but he gave up a year later and I was on my own again. I started to go back to Xa'ie to look for you when it happened."

"You being caught or me destroying the place?" Zim asked.

"Both. I heard a broadcast in a store I stopped in going on about the destruction of Xa'ie. All they said was it was an Elite soldier, so I had no clue it was you at the time."

"So, you heard the broadcast and decided not to go?"

"Basically." Chase shrugged. "I was picked up an hour later trying to cross the border from Shi'Nae to Exulber."

The other two cities in the Xa'ie cluster.

"You were in Shi'Nae?" Rya wondered. "I wonder if we've ever come across one another. I used to go visit my aunt every summer there. It's not that big of a place."

"But it's well off." Ense laughed. "Come on, man, we were stuck slumming it up in drunk-ville and you were living high off the hog in fancy land. What the hell?"

"Not by choice." Chase laughed. "We got separated in Yusen, in the eastern cluster? I moved in with a friend of mine who moved to Shi'Nae when his father got promoted to head accountant for some fancy law firm. Stayed there about a month before they decided I was freeloading and tossed me out. Stayed with two or three more friends for a couple months at a time before moving in with the cop's son."

"You've gotten around." Zim stated.

"So have you, from what I've heard."

Zim flushed. "Different meanings of the term, 'cos."

"It's just fun to make you blush. You that ashamed of where you've been?"

"Hell no." Zim shook his head. "Where I've been led me to who and where I am today. I like it here…away from the gang stuff, the fighting…away from our parents and that god damned military I swore my allegiance to. I swear, I need to get that Elite insignia on my shoulder either covered up or removed now that I'm not military."

"Elite insignia?" Chase asked.

"Irken Elite have to brand or tattoo themselves with it when they graduate." Lahna stated. "One of my homegirls had a cousin who was elite and she said it's to identify who's higher ranking and who isn't."

"They're aware anyone can get a tattoo anywhere, right?"

"Only military medics and artists can tattoo the insignia." Zim pulled his sleeve down a bit to expose part of the black ink staining his arm. "For anyone else to do so, is punishable by death; both the artist and the person they did it for. Doesn't matter if it was forced or not."

"Well that's bullshit." Lahna stated.

"No, that's military policy."

"Same god damn thing." Chase snorted. "I've heard tales of the military and the shit they get away with…it's unreal."

"All the Tallest care about is the military."

"Not when we were kids." Chase shook his head. "Miyuki and Spork never abused that kind of power. Now the twins are in charge and everything's been shot to hell."

"Agreed." Zim nodded. "I joined when Spork was still in reign. Had I known what was coming, I never would have."

"How bad was it?" Lahna asked. "Training, I mean."

"The most physically grueling thing I've ever endured. Running from the cops, shooting a gun, throwing a punch and dislocating Caleb's jaw four times…"

"Six." Rya giggled.

"Four that I admit to." Zim rolled his eyes. "None of that compared to Elite training. You had to pass basic training before you could move up. Back then you volunteered. Now you have no choice. If your instructors and Generals say you're good for Elite training, then they don't care how much you protest; you're doing it or be held in contempt."

"For real?" Chase cocked an eyebrow. "How pleasant…"

"Did you get to choose?" Lahna asked. "Or was it thrown at you?"

"I chose it. It didn't become mandatory until Red and Purple took charge."

"Whatever happened to Spork?" Chase asked. "No one really spoke about it. Miyuki either."

"Miyuki got sick on one of her galactic tours." Zim replied. "As for Spork, some idiot on Vort made a creature that frigging ate the guy."

"Seriously?"

Zim nodded.

"That wasn't you, too, was it?" Lahna asked.

"Nah, I've always been military; not science. I forget who it was. Some non-Irken."

"I bet that went over well."

"Someone cried assassination attempt but it was ignored." Zim shrugged. "I know a couple guys from Vort. They insist it couldn't have been planned, so I guess I'll believe them."

"Wonder if that's why the invasions started?"

"It's possible." Zim shrugged. "Or the Twins got bored."

"Probably a mix of the two." Rya stated. "A friend of mine went to school with them. They were always doing extremely stupid shit out of boredom."

"I'd say attempting to take over the Universe qualifies as extremely stupid shit." Chase pointed out.

They all laughed. Zim couldn't help but feel a strange tugging nagging feeling in the base of his skull at making fun of the Tallest, whom he'd pled his life to serving. But then he remembered their punishment following the Xa'ie incident and his escape from the hell known Food Courtia, as well as what their soldiers did to his sister, and the feeling went away.

As far as he was concerned, the Tallest and the Irken militia could go to hell. And if he could, he'd gladly be the one to take them there.