Disclaimers: I do not own Invader Zim
Author's Notes: The word Rhapsodize in this chapter roughly translates to the word Moon. Since I made the Magladies so obsessed with their moons I thought I'd have their home world mean moon as well! Am I over doing it? Maybe but I thought it was cool none the less.
BTW: I know some people think Irkens are so old because Irk years are faster than Earth years. Even Jhonen admits that 10 years on Irk is roughly 1 year on Earth. But in this AU while that is still true, Irkens really do live hundreds of years. I say this because an Irken is really just the PAK, the bodies themselves may grow old, but without the PAK they are just a shell. This was explained in the unaired episode: 10 Minutes till Doom, where Zim loses his PAK, in the episode the PAK latches onto Dib, and he slowly turns into the new Zim, before he finally gets it off, saving himself. Zim stays Zim without his PAK, but he is slowly dying while Dib becomes the new him.
This proves my point, the PAK is the Irken, not the body that it is on, so as long as the PAK is undamaged and not erased by the control brains Irkens could literally live hundreds of years even if they lose their original body as long as they attach to a new one within 10 minutes.
However, I also added the famous healing factor that some fans love giving to Zim and other Irkens, but I changed it a little. In this AU, the PAK helps Irkens adapt to things that would kill normal races. For example, planets without oxygen or water should damage Irkens, and do initially until the PAK helps them become immune. This same rule applies with age, after a while the PAK stops the aging process of their wearers because the bodies have become immune to the wear and tear that cause aging. This is my theory on why we never see really old wrinkly Irkens in the show, they simply don't exist.
I'm explaining this all now, because where about to get into the history of the "NEW" Irk and the "OLD" Irk that Lard Nar keeps talking about, and this is all very important to keep in mind when figuring out the timeline that this all took place. Long story short, Irkens live a really long time due to their PAKs.
PS: This Chapter is VERY IMPORTANT to the overall plot of the series so pay very close attention! Anyway, thanks for reading and please review!
[Back on Zoran…]
He was going to get into a lot of trouble for this…
Bec flinched slightly as he imagined the look on his commander's face when he was informed that he had been caught unconscious on the desert ground.
"Out of all the worms in the galaxy to get stuck with." The female on his right said. "I get stuck with you."
Bec forgot his fear for a moment and scowled at the purple eyed female beside him. Irk he hated Irken females, everyone did. Even other races, heck he'd bet all the moneys in the galaxy that the Irken females even hated themselves. They were just that annoying; so, entitled, so vicious, so vile. It made him sick just looking at them.
"And even more embarrassing you were attacked from behind." The female, Mek went on. She was a standard scout, they both were. Irken fleets each had four scouts, one to go in each direction: North South, East, and finally West. Their job was to gather Intel and report it to their commander, so that they could plan the next move of attack. "Now these AI's that Invader Zim spoke of could get to Earth and warn them!" Mek hissed.
"I don't remember seeing anyone." Bec tried to plead his case. "My PAK could have just malfunctioned in the storm." He reasoned.
"No, I checked your PAK, the wires were crossed." Mek informed him. "Sand cannot unplug wires and replug them elsewhere. You were definitely tampered with." She said. "What I don't get is why the AIs spared you, they want to kill us all; it makes no sense."
"It's because they weren't alone." Num, another male scout said as he raced to catch up with them. "I saw some makeshift huts too small for the AIs to fit in." He reported. "And some of them look freshly made."
"Do you think this is the place where the escapees have been hiding?" Mek asked.
"Smells like it." Num hissed. "I smelled the stench of several defective races we conquered including the stench of the Magladies princesses. They're all long gone by now though." He added with a sinister glare to Bec.
"This isn't good." Mek said. "The Tallest will be very displeased that the refugees got away. The Galactic Alliance is already dangerous enough, if they have made relations with the AIs we could be expecting trouble for Earth sooner than we thought."
The males hissed in disgust around her, and for good reason. The Galactic Alliance had been a thorn in their side ever since they conquered the Magladies home world, planet Rhapsodize. At first all they did was steal prisoners, and freed slaves. However, now that their numbers were greater they had gotten bolder. At first, they had started small, like steeling a few cargo shipments. All while they freed a few slaves or transported a few refugees past their blockades. However, they have gotten braver, going as far as blowing up a few factories during their rescue missions. And the Tallest feared a rebellion was emerging from the remaining numbers of their enemies. Of course, they did their best to keep this a secret, after all they did not want to rally hope among the prisoners, and slaves of the Empire.
However, somehow word of them was slowly spreading.
"Well, whoever they were they are long gone." Talc said, joining them. He was an olive green Irken with blue eyes. "I have found a docking bay full of ship parts but no ship."
"I can't pinpoint the AIs either." Mek said holding her scanner. "But they were here, the readings are off the chart."
"This isn't good." Bec finally spoke.
"You think?" Num hissed. "Honestly why didn't you just kill him yourself?" He asked Mek.
"Simple" Mek said. "This way he can take full blame."
Bec wanted to argue, but he bowed his head instead. He should have expected this, but not for the reasons one might expect. Being the shortest of the four scouts everything was his fault. This was simply the Irken way, the small bowed their heads and did as they were told. While the tall held their heads up high and looked down on the small.
Why?
Because the tall were meant to rule them, even the somewhat tall Smallers were taller than someone, and were entitled to look down on those smaller than them. It was simply the Irken way, the tall and strong survived by stepping all over the weak and small. It had been this way ever since Tallest Myuki had overthrown Tallest Zorn a millennium ago.
And nothing would change that, not now ever...
(Back with Lard Nar…)
Anticipation…
It ate at his very soul. Why?
Because of HIM!
He wasn't sure how he knew, but Lard Nar knew Zim would be on Earth waiting for them. And if he were honest with himself he'd have to admit that he was not sure if he could handle seeing him again. And not for the reason that some might think, Lard Nar was not mad at Zim, the boy had been just that, a boy. And Lard Nar had asked too much of him far too soon.
"You've been quiet since we left." Annabel said.
Lard Nar gasped in surprise, despite himself. "You're gonna kill me one of these days." He warned her.
"You do the same thing to me!" Annabel teased. "The only difference is I don't jump."
Lard Nar forced a smile as she laughs, hoping to keep up his ruse, but Annabel sees right through him.
"You're worried it's him, aren't you?" she asked.
Lard Nar sighed but nodded. "I know everyone thinks he's evil, but I know better. Zim was once kind, curious of our ways, but sadly he was born in the wrong time."
"What do you mean?" Annabel asked.
"He's talking about that 'Old Irk' stuff again." Richard said, joining them in the cockpit. "Pay him no mind sweetie." He tells her.
"Yes pay me no mind." Lard Nar scoffed. "What does it matter how they use to be?" He asked sarcastically.
"Exactly." Richard said, "What only matters is how they are now."
"Seriously?" Annabel gave her father a stern look. "That's hog wash, and I've had just about enough of it." She snapped. She refrained from mentioning him; the Irken who had shown her mercy all those years ago. It was a decision that was difficult for her, but Lard Nar had decided it long ago.
"We cannot mention Kuha to them." He had said.
"Why Not?"
"They will not understand, they're not ready Annabel."
She understood his reasoning, the fact that Irkens were capable of goodness was a hard pill to swallow. Mostly because said Irkens chose not to stand up and fight, even Kuha was nowhere to be found. Still, said knowledge did not stop the words that came out of her mouth. "If Irk was once good then it means we could help them be good again or were you thinking of wiping them all out."
"Many want to." Lard Nar told her. His hands gripped the controls at his words, his knuckles turning white at the thought.
"And if we do then we are no better than the Irkens themselves!" Annabel snapped.
Her father seemed to nod at this. "Alright I see your point." He told her.
"Good." She said. "Now Lard Nar tell me what happened to Irk?"
"Happened?" Lard Nar asked.
"Yes, what made them change?" Annabel asked.
"Many things." Lard Nar said, putting the ship on auto pilot, they were in hyper speed now, and would be at earth in 3 months' time.
"Like?" Annabel pressed.
"Do you really want to know?" Lard Nar asked.
Annabel nodded.
Lard Nar took a seat, before he began. "Well before I was born Irk was ruled by Tallest Zorn. He was a just leader, but firm, and many changes happened while he was in rule." Lard Nar said. "Back then the Irkens were a peaceful race, in fact they were against war altogether."
"Irkens against war?" Luna asked.
Annabel turned to see that Lard Nar's story had caught the whole ships attention, there was no door to separate the cockpit from the rest of the ship, so everyone could easily hear them.
"Yes, back then there was no Irken program no control brains, no AIs." Lard Nar went on, everyone listened intently, like hearing of a time before Irk was a race of monsters was like a fairy tale. A story book miracle made to silence known fears.
"So, what did they do?" Jinx asked.
"They were engineers." Lard Nar said. "They were known for their abnormal intelligence, the smartest minds in the known universe. Many races would trade goods for their technology and in the beginning the Irken race had no problem sharing their knowledge with the universe."
"So, what happened?" Annabel asked.
"Well, it started off small." Lard Nar admitted. "As smart as they were, the Irkens were not mindful of their planet." He explained. "They used their resources up faster than their planet could renew them and ultimately the planet died as a result. In order to survive the Irkens ascended to the digital world."
"They did what now?" Richard asked.
"Thy download their minds into their digital mainframe, the PAK is what they soon called it." Lard Nar explained. "And they created the AIs to make the PAKs for future generations."
"So, the Irken is the PAK?" Annabel asked.
"Exactly, the bodies they have today are created by DNA salvaged from their old bodies before the planet died. However, those bodies were not compatible with the PAKs, so the new bodies need some adjustments, allowing the PAKs to be able to change them depending on new challenges. For example, a normal Irken would melt into liquid if exposed to acid. However, thanks to the new PAKs. Today's Irken could swim in the stuff."
"All thanks to that thing on their backs?" Jinx asked.
Lard Nar nodded. "With the PAKs the Irkens could still live on Irk. However, since it was dead, they had to depend on their allies for the minerals they used to make their technology. Luckily, they had plenty and for a while things were good. Irk received food and metals from their allies and in return they gave them technology far more advance then they were able to create."
"So, when did it go wrong?" Richard dared to ask, most of the refugees had stayed quiet, to absorbed by the story to ask questions.
"Well for a while peace ensued." Lard Nar said. "In fact, things were going so well that cross breading was allowed."
"Wait you mean people actually mated with those things?" Jinx asked, looking slightly sick.
"Yes, as long as their mate was fitted with a PAK reproduction between two different races was possible. In fact, it was more uncommon for two Irkens to mate then it was for crossbreeding." Lard Nar said.
"Seriously?" Richard asked.
"Ever wonder why some are taller than others?" Lard Nar asked. "It's because they mated with other races. Once their children were born they were fitted with a PAK, their physical mind would be downloaded. However, such a practice is no longer allowed, now the Control Brains clone Irkens with the purest DNA, in hopes of weeding out the Dirty Blood."
"Dirty Blood." Annabel gasped. "That's why they treat the shorter ones so cruelly?
Lard Nar nodded. "Exactly they are tainted by defective blood."
"Defective?" Moon asked.
"Defective is the word Irkens use to describe us." Luna told her sister. "And anyone else that defies them."
"Including their own kind." Lard Nar cut in.
"Really?" Luna asked. "An Irken can be defective?"
"How is that possible?" Jinx asked.
"I'll get to that." Lard Nar said. "But first let's get back to what went wrong." He said.
Everyone nodded, and he continued.
"Like I said for a while things went well until another race decided they wanted Irk's technology for themselves. They were known as the Gorgonians."
A gasp filled the ship, and suddenly everyone looked frightful, all but Annabel and her father of course.
"I'm sorry but who are the Gorgonians." She asked.
"The Gorgonians are basically what Irk is now." Lard Nar explained. "Or at least they were until Irk eradicated them."
"Only they were worse." Jinx cut in. "They concurred worlds, enslaving the men and using the woman as their own personal sex toys."
"That's awful." Annabel said.
"They were real monsters." Lard Nar said. "Unlike the Irkens who try to make use of the planets they conquered. The Gorgonians took over and suck the planet dry of all knowledge and resources. Then they left it; it dead and uninhabitable. Those who weren't taken as slaves where left to die with their home."
"And they wanted to do that to Irk?" Luna asked.
Lard Nar nodded. "Irk was already dead so they wanted them for their technology." He explained. "They wanted to enslave them and force them to build them unstoppable weapons. However, Tallest Zorn outsmarted them. He pretended to surrender and agreed to make the weapon they asked for, only to turn around and use it on them once it was finished."
"Just like Invaders do when they pretend to be one of us." Jinx exclaimed making the connection.
"Exactly, many believe the Gorgonian incident gave birth to the new Irk and in a way it did." Lard Nar said. "After Zorn used the weapon to eliminate all Gorgonians on his planet he sent Irkens all over the known galaxy. They were ordered to hunt them down and purge them from wherever they were found. He did this to prove to us all that the Irken race was not weak like the Gorgonians had thought they were."
"So, they got rid of the real bad guys and that made them evil?" Annabel asked.
Lard Nar shook his head. "No, not at first, Zorn was not about to punish everyone for their actions, but things did change. Taller Myuki, his successor was appointed soon after that. For those of you who don't know the Taller is chosen after the Tallest has ruled for 10 cycles." He explained.
Annabel nodded cycles was how the universe as a whole told time. A cycle was pretty much a year in space time. Which was different from a planet's definition of a year. On A world of any race, one year was how long it took for the planet to go around their star. However, everything in space revolved around something with a greater gravitational pull.
So, space time was based on whatever it was that the universe revolves around as a whole, of course many races had different theories about what that was from gods to black holes. It didn't matter, what mattered was that space time was a universal time zone that every planet had in common. And a cycle was about 10 Irken years which meant after Tallest Zorn had been ruling for 100 Irken Years his Taller was appointed by the AIs.
"Now Taller Myuki was very different from Zorn." Lard Nar went on, "While he did not blame his allies for their near defeat. Myuki was always paranoid that one of their allies would try to finish what the Gorgonians started and tried to convince him she was right." Lard Nar sighed. "She wanted to strike us all down before we had the chance to finish them off."
"So, she started it all?" Richard asked.
Lard Nar nodded once more. "Yes, she was the one who wanted us all to witness how strong Irk was. This way no doubt would ever be in our minds who was stronger. However, Zorn would not see things her way, so she decided that he had to go."
"She killed him!" Annabel shouted.
"Yes." Lard Nar answered.
"But wouldn't that get her killed?" Luna asked. "On my home world those who committed crimes to the other royals abdicated the throne."
"For you maybe." Lard Nar said. "But on Irk there is an ancient tradition." He explained. "Back when Irk was young its ancestors saw war as a disease and swore to always be people of peace. They believed no one should rush to war in less it was for the greater good. However, they feared their children might be tainted by other races and see war as the answer for everything. So, they made a pact. All laws were to be written in stone; they cannot be changed even be the Tallest."
"What?" Richard was confused. "How could she change Irk if no one could change the rules?" "
I'm getting to that." Lard Nar said. "This law of not being able to change laws ensured the Irken ancestors that their people would stay peaceful, and not be tainted. However, there was one loophole. It was called the right of Krum-Hai!"
"Krum-Hai?" Annabel asked.
"Yes, the right of Krum-Hai was the right that every Taller had to challenge the Tallest for their position as leader of Irk. If they won Irk would be reformed in their own image, and they would rule as their reward."
"So, she won and reformed Irk into what we know today?" Annabel asked.
Lard Nar nodded. "It wasn't that big of a change at first." He told them. "She knew that if she did it all at once the AI's might overthrow her and appoint a new Tallest. So, she started by introducing the Irken program. The program is what made Irken's the machines they are known for today." He explained. "It suppressed all emotions, such as love, and the need for companionship. The want to reproduce and find life mates was also suppressed. This isolated the Irken race, from their allies."
"And they just let it happen?" Annabel asked.
"She tricked them into thinking the Irken programing was necessary. That with it they would not have to worry about making the same mistakes they made last time. Mistakes like killing their own planet or trusting monsters like the Gorgonians."
"That silly." Moon said.
"Yes, but things were different now." Lard Nar said. "Tallest Myuki had won the throne, and everyone who defied her paid. Even when the AIs finally tried to oppose her, she replaced them with the control brains we know today. After that she told everyone that our allies were still infecting them with their defective lies. And a new law was set in place. The Defect Law!" he went on. "While other races were considered defective Tallest Myuki soon learned that the Irken program didn't work on everyone. While some Irkens believed the downloaded information as facts and followed then to a T. Defective Irkens saw the download for what it really was."
"Which is?" Jinx asked.
"An opinion of the Irken Empire." Lard Nar answered. "Programed Irkens, had one job, they never questioned where they belonged, or why they were there. However, defectives Irkens tried to do other things. For example, a certain Irken I knew was programed to be an invader, however he wanted to create not destroy."
"Zim?" Annabel asked.
Lard Nar nodded.
"You expect us to believe that the most successful Irken in Irken history is a defective?" Luna snapped.
"Ever wonder how he's so good at it?" Lard Nar asked. "How could he blend in with all of those races and they never expect a thing?" he shook his head. "Other invaders are machines, following a program that prevents them from relating to emotions. Causing them to appear hollow even though they seem to fake it flawlessly. Their words hold no luster. Zim however was different, he wasn't limited by the program, it was there, but it held no ground. This allowed him to feel what they were feeling; to see things the way they saw it."
"And that made a difference?" Jinx's asked.
"It did on Vort." Lard Nar said. "After Tallest Myuki took over they used Vort to train their Invaders. While there the cadets would home in on their skills, collecting "Secrets" and reporting them back to Tallest Myuki. While they were each given a Vort escort. I was Zim's."
"So that's how you knew him." Luna said. "But how does that prove he's a defective." Her calm domineer surprised Annabel. After all it was no secret that Zim was the one who enslaved her home world.
Annabel forced herself to look away, the night that took Rhapsodize from them was still fresh on her mind. Even after five years she could still remember it as plain as day. To hear Lard Nar, think so highly of the one who had done this to her. Annabel knew that it must pained Luna, but she didn't show it.
Luna however ignored Lard Nar's admiration, when she was young like Moon, the mere mention of Zim made her see red. Now she just simply wanted to understand why. So, she allowed the Vort to continue his story.
"Well by then everyone feared Irk. They had already conquered the outer rim of the Nebula galaxy, but so far none of their allies had been turned on, however tensions were high. Everyone already knew Irk as mindless monsters and avoided the Irken cadets. It made their task difficult. However, Zim had no problem reeling us in. Here was an Irken cadet who could get people to trust him without a disguise. Who could create magnificent inventions and engage in defective conversation. He was friends with almost every Vort in a matter of days. While the other cadets couldn't stand to greet us properly without almost barfing in disgust."
"But if he defective like you say, why do these things?" Annabel asked. Yes, that was the question she wanted answered.
"Self-preservation." Lard Nar answered simply, though he looks almost shaken by his words. "Irken law states that defectives are to be killed."
"They kill them for being different?" Richard said.
"It doesn't change what he did to us!" Jinx said. "He destroyed my planet, purged most of my race!"
"You're right." Lard Nar said. "It does not change his crimes. However, fear can be a very powerful thing." He reasoned. "And while we are willing to die for what we believe in for an Irken to do so would be to die in vain. All the defectives could rise up and it would make no difference. The law is set in stone, and only a Taller brave enough face the current Tallest and the entirety of their people can change them."
"Who is the Taller now?" Annabel asked.
"One has not been appointed yet." Lard Nard answered. "But it will be soon." He assured her. "Tallest Red and Purple will be hitting their one hundred year by the end of this cycle."
"Won't matter." Luna said remembering her rage towards the Irken elite. "Even if it is Zim, he's not the child you once knew."
"Luna!" Annabel snapped.
"No, she's right." Lard Nar said pushing his shirt down to reveal his scar. "Zim chose Irk the day he gave this to me. And once a defective chooses to give into the program they can become as mindless as any other Irken." He doesn't mean for his voice to sound hollow, but it does, as much as he tells himself he's forgiven Zim, he can't help but feel bitter at times.
"So, there is no hope?" Annabel asked.
"You really think he'd help us?" Jinx snapped; many other refugees yelled their agreements.
"Please think about it." Annabel said. "We know nothing about them, none of their weakness, or anything. Meanwhile they have spies among us that learn everything about us! Even our Informant cannot give us that kind of advantage. But if we had one of them on our side we may finally turn this war in our favor. Think of all the access codes he could give us, codes that could destroy the control brains once and for all. We could get past the bigger blockades that need special clearance and free even more refugees!"
"It's a nice thought." Lard Nar admitted. "But not ideal." Yes, it was best not to get his hopes up, Zim was a known fence hopper. Yes, while he's like to pretend Zim's betrayal on Vort was the last time he had saw the Irken that would be a lie. He looked to Annabel knowingly, how could he make her understand? How could he tell them that Zim has repeatedly came to his aid? Only for them to come to the same conclusion. That they belong on two separate sides of this war.
Oh, He may side with them for a while, but he'd get scared again and fall back in line, just like last time. Lard Nar knows it's unfair to think so poorly of Zim, but he doesn't want Annabel to pay a similar price that he did...or worse.
"Why not!" Annabel snapped.
"Because the Zim I knew is gone." Lard Nar said. "If he gave into the program as it sounds like he has, then it would take a miracle to get his defective nature to rise up and take hold again."
"Maybe seeing you will help." Annabel said hopefully.
Lard Nar shook his head, shaking visibly now. "I am the reason why he gave into the program, Tallest Myuki used me to teach him that the program is there for a reason. Now Zim's defective nature is nothing but a tool that the program uses for the betterment of the Irken race. The Zim I knew is gone, and in less something makes him feel again he will stay gone, buried underneath the program forever."
Yes that was the real reason why he was bitter, it had nothing to do with Zim at all, he was mad at himself; he had failed Zim. He should have been stronger. Perhaps if he had stood on his own two feet that day and showed Zim how fighting back can make a difference. Then maybe, just maybe Zim would be beside him today. He wouldn't be the destroyer of worlds, but a beacon of hope.
"We have to at least try." Annabel said. "Zim is already on Earth, who else would the Tallest trust with this job? He's an unstoppable force of destruction convincing him to join us maybe the only way we save Earth."
She had a convincing point, and everyone knew it. Still the chances of it happening was slim to none. Irkens don't fight for others, it was simply not the Irken way.
"Fine." Annabel snapped. "You can give up on him if you like, but I refuse to believe that every Irken is evil." She wanted to say more, like Lard Nar, she knew that Irkens had mercy, for she had witnessed it before.
"I never said I'd given up." Lard Nar said. "I'm just telling you not to get your hopes up." He told her. "The Irken program is a powerful adversary, and it takes a will of titanium not to fight it once you give into it. Our informant has studied it in secrecy for years, and he has yet to find anyone with the will to break it." He explained. "Even the defective PAKs he's managed to salvage from the trash heaps give in sooner or later."
Annabel shook her head, she knew deep down they had to try, even if it didn't work. She couldn't allow the AIs to purge the Irken race. She already knew one good Irken, and now she had just learned another was also good at one time. Yes, surely that must mean others were good too. They didn't have to eliminate them. If they could get through to Zim, then perhaps they could stop the AI's plans to purge Irk.
She knew many wanted to, but if they did Annabel knew that they would become the new enemy. They would be just like the Irkens, and then the cycle of war would never end. They would become the new monsters just as Irk had done after they took out the Gorgonians. It didn't matter if they never went as far as the Irkens did, they were still purging a race, and that was wrong.
"We have to try." She told them again.
Lard Nar nodded. "I promise I will." He said. "Even if it kills me I will try…" Tears threatened to fall from his eyes, but he refused to let them. He was not going to let himself break down. Not now, the refugees needed him to be strong, he had failed Zim, he would not fail them.
Annabel wanted to press for more answers, but her father's look told her to drop it. Lard Nar was hurting enough as it is. She bit her lip guiltily. She had reopened a wound that he would have rather left closed.
She breathed through her nose deeply as silence fell over the ship. It stayed that way for the remainder of the trip.
-To Be Continued
Chapter End Notes:
Well, this took all day to write, but I'm pretty happy with it. BTW in this AU defectives are more like Divergents from the Divergent series, they don't fit in with the groups or fractions of Irk, they promote change which is feared by others who do not understand. I plan to use this in later chapters especially when using the unaired episode, the Trail!
Anyways, Thanks for reading and please leave a comment. (If you want!) The Next update will be soon.
So, until then this is Emily Signing off…