Nearly as soon as Zim was encoded with knowledge of the Irken Empire, he was ready and eager to become their Weapon…their 'sword', as a more primitive species might say. He wanted to learn to fight, to defeat their enemies…
Which was why being assigned to a research station on a distant, foreign planet towards the end of his training was a crushing blow. "Why?" he protested at the Irken in charge of his training pod. "I want to be an Elite solider, not a…a scientist!"
They gave him a look. He wasn't the tallest of his peers, but he wasn't the shortest, either—if he'd been much shorter, they probably would have been much harsher about him talking back. "This is what the Empire wants of you," he stated bluntly.
"But…I'm strong! Powerful! Destructive! I would do more for the Empire as a solider!" Zim argued.
"You're dangerous," the older Irken said. "That's why your creativity and…destructiveness will be put to use in building weapons for the Empire." They gave him a look, very nearly sympathetic. "Show that you can control that destructiveness of yours, and maybe you could be reassigned."
Zim had huffed and crossed his arms, but boarded the ship to Vort and was flown out to the Research Station. There, he drew up all sorts of new and destructive weapons that could be used for the Empire, even putting together a few prototypes…
But felt so bored doing so. This wasn't what he was meant to do. He was a soldier, he could feel it, and he was meant to be fighting for his Empire!
The only consolation he had was the Vibrating Irken Death Blades he'd grabbed before being sent off to this research station. Whenever he got frustrated with the work and the dullness of it all, he would practice throwing the blades at a dartboard. It took him a while, but he managed to hit his target more than he missed…
But every miss was still so, so frustrating. He needed to have 'control' if he wanted to get out of here.
It all came to a point when Tallest Miyuki herself came to their labs to inspect their work. Zim eagerly vibrated in line, showing off the blueprints he'd made for weapons when her attention flicked to him.
She hummed in thought, scrolling through what he had made and even looking over some of his prototypes, including the blob he'd been meaning to alter but hadn't gotten around to yet. "Very interesting," she hummed. "But while many of these are dangerous…they could also prove dangerous to the user, as well." She pointed out a shotgun he'd made that could also be detonated in case of emergencies.
"A prepared Irken solider should be able to handle anything they're given," Zim said confidently.
"Hmm. I'm sure," she said with a small, amused chuckle. "…but in my time as a soldier, a general, and a Tallest, there's one very important thing I've learned."
Zim's antennae shot straight up, paying rapt attention to what she was about to reveal. Her eyes gleamed a little at his reaction.
"The best weapons aren't just dangerous, but controllable," she said. "After all, a weapon that fails you in times of need, or could be used against you by your enemies…that'd be worse than having no weapon at all."
Zim nodded, staring at her with wide eyes, eagerly absorbing her wisdom. "I…I understand, my Tallest."
She looked at him again, a small smile across her face. "I'm sure. Do you have anything else to show me?"
Wait…this could be his chance! "I could be even better as an Elite soldier than as a scientist," he blurted out. "Maybe even an Invader!" If he could convince the Tallest of his importance…!
"Oh, really?" she said. "I suppose you're good at fighting, then?"
"Yes!" he insisted. He quickly scurried to the break room, where he'd claimed a specific corner for his training. A glance back showed him Tallest Miyuki was following, a curious expression on her face.
Upon seeing he had her attention, he grabbed the Vibrating Irken Death Blades and threw them at the dartboard that had been hung up on the wall. Nearly all of them landed right in the center, one straying just a little too far to the left and embedding itself in the edge of the dartboard.
"You've been practicing a lot, haven't you?" she hummed, looking over his results. He nodded, standing tall with pride…and her gaze slowly shifted back to him. Scrutinizing him. "Hmm. You know…I may have a test ready for you, right now. If you pass…it'll show me that you have the skills to become an Invader."
Zim gasped in delight, quickly accepting the deal.
It was a rather simple test, really—even Tallest Miyuki stated so. She'd guide him to a room where another Irken was waiting, and he would attack and kill them. If they caught him and he was stopped, well, that simply meant he'd failed the test.
And this Irken was meant to train soldiers, she said along the way. This would be a test of their skills, too, as they were meant to always remain alert, especially on foreign planets such as this.
He was guided to a hotel on Vort, one now teeming with Vortian and Irken guards. Tallest Miyuki walked past all of them, heading to the upper floors with no one stopping either of them along the way.
She came to a stop in front of a specific room, unlocking the door with a key card and gesturing for him to enter. "Do well, and I'll see about making you an Invader."
His eyes lit up, and he entered the dark room, his Tallest closing the door behind him. Zim carefully padded forward, adjusting his grip on the handle of his blade.
It was a rather large room with two beds, though one was clearly larger than the other, covered in custom blue sheets while the other was a plain bed shoved into the corner. Zim quickly spotted the other Irken in the room—a tall one, though not as tall as the Tallest. He sat on the smaller bed, and was going through something on a checklist.
He hadn't noticed Zim at all. Zim quickly raised his arm and flung his blade, dreams of finally being an Invader in his head—!
And the blade struck true, catching the other Irken right in the throat. Their eyes widened briefly as blood spurted out, but they just as quickly slumped forward, eyes glazed and head barely hanging on by a thread. An injury of that magnitude would take a while for even an Irken PAK to heal, if the shock hadn't made it shut down already.
He went back to the door, opening it up and beaming up at Miyuki. "I did it!"
She looked through the door, grinning widely, her eyes gleaming. "Yes…you did." She fully entered the room, looking at his work and nodding in satisfaction. His beam grew wider.
"Take your blade back," she commanded, something he was happy to do, pulling it out of the corpse. "Return to the Research Station for now. I'll see about putting in a transfer for you to enter Invader Training."
His smile felt like it was going to stretch right off his face. "Thank you, my Tallest!" With that, he bounded out of the room, tucking his blade away and out of sight.
He left so quickly that he never saw Tallest Miyuki removing the other Irken's PAK, hiding it and denying them a chance of recovery.
The very next day, Zim was scheduled to leave on a transfer ship—back to Irk, where he'd begin his training to become an Invader. "You'll become a fine solider—and Weapon—for the Irken Empire," Tallest Miyuki told him just as he boarded.
She would stay a bit longer than planned—someone had apparently assassinated the Tallest Advisor, and Tallest Miyuki was going to demand answers from Vort's leaders about how this could have been allowed to happen to someone in the line of Tall Succession. Zim didn't think much of it.
"Train well, and I'll be seeing you again…Invader-in-Training Zim," she said. Zim beamed and saluted her before entering the ship meant for him. His destiny awaited.
Years of grueling training followed, Zim finding himself pushed to his limit again and again. But he managed to overcome challenges and tear through enemies set before him, sometimes by the Tallest herself as a test…even if he didn't meet her in-person again for several more years.
He grew, both in height and skill…even if he wasn't completely accurate with all his weapons. Irken Vibrating Death Blades were still the most difficult, and even if he'd increased his accuracy quite a bit, it still wasn't enough. He needed to be better, to be the best, if he wanted to be a true weapon for the Empire.
Dangerous and with proper control. That was the goal.
But he made it through his training without any major incidents, and he finally got to see his Tallest again, handing the Invader Robes to all successful graduates. Zim saluted her when he made it to the front of the line, and she smiled back.
"Ah, Zim. You've come a long way," she said. "I'm eager to see what you'll do for the Empire." With that, she handed him a bundle of folded purple fabric.
He accepted and unfurled it before clipping it around his shoulders. Made of a silk that was both durable and fireproof, built for both defense and stealth, it was an excellent symbol of his role as an Invader. "Thank you, my Tallest!" he said with a salute.
She nodded, and he left the line, Red stepping up next, with Purple right beside him. For a moment, Zim thought his Tallest's expression shifted, scrutinizing the two of them…but he shrugged it off and dashed away for some celebratory snacks.
The day had finally come for his Tallest's ingenious plan to begin: Operation Impending Doom! Zim was prepared to fulfill his duty as an Invader, to receive orders about which puny planet he would crush in the name of the Empire.
It should have been the start of something great—but tragedy struck. As he traveled to the building they were all meant to meet their Tallest in, the bottom floors erupted in a huge explosion, the tower then crumbling under its own unsupported weight.
The transport they were in screeched to a halt, swerving to avoid debris. Zim's eyes widened in horror, and he leapt out the window, running forward into the chaos with his cloak billowing behind him.
He raced inside the building that was now rubble, looking for—his spooch quickly froze. On a now-broken stage, underneath a huge pile of debris, was Tallest Miyuki. He rushed to her side, but she was completely unresponsive…and from what he could see of her PAK, it was as crushed as an empty soda can.
"No…!" he said.
A hand on his shoulder made him flinch. He snarled, whipping around and bringing out his PAK legs, lashing at whoever was nearby. Red, his fellow Invader, cried out and jumped back, narrowly avoiding Zim taking his eye out, his PAK leg only slashing over his face.
Zim gasped in horror, immediately sheathing his PAK leg. "Oh, Irk, Red, I—!"
"We need to get out of here," Red said gruffly, pointing to the closest exit, squinting one eye shut as blood pooled around it.
"But…!" Zim gestured to the fallen Tallest Miyuki.
"There's nothing you—we can do," Red said. "C'mon, we can retrieve her when the building isn't close to falling on our heads." With that, he grabbed Zim's wrist and started walking to the exit, looking around.
Purple joined not long after, frowning when he saw Red's injury. "What—"
"Miyuki…Tallest Miyuki is crushed, possibly dead," Red said, cutting him off. "We need to get out of here."
Purple glanced behind the two of them and nodded sharply, and the three of them made their way out of the ruins of the building. There were already many other Irkens, including the Invaders scheduled to be here, swarmed around. Purple broke the news of their Tallest's severe injuries to everyone, to their shock and horror. There were shouts to quickly put out the fires, to clear the rubble and get their Tallest, potentially her corpse, out of there—
It was while Purple was gesturing and explaining things to others that Zim noticed his hands were burnt, nearly charred, and covered with blood. A glance at Red showed he had similar injuries on his hands.
Not that he had time to question it, quickly joining other Invaders in a hunt for whoever could have caused this, certain that it couldn't be a pure accident.
Though the fires were put out and most of the rubble cleared, no one could figure out, or find, whoever had caused this. And once the debris was cleared, there was confirmation of the tragic fact—the Almighty Tallest had been killed in the explosion.
There were also bits of metal shrapnel and splody-powder in the area, suggesting someone had deliberately planted explosives. There was just no idea who, and suspicion was quickly turned towards foreign planets that would have been impacted by Operation Impending Doom.
Those suspicions were heavily encouraged by the newest Almighty Tallest—Red and Purple, both equal in height, so both sharing the title.
Zim felt even more terrible for the slash he'd put across Tallest Red's face. It had healed, but for now it had scarred over.
Considering the loss of the Tallest, and of assets that were also in the building, Operation Impending Doom was put on hold. Most Invaders were sent back to training…but Zim received a special role.
"You've always been eager to fight for the Empire, haven't you?" Tallest Purple said. He held out a tablet with some specs on it. "Here's what some experts think the weapon or bomb might have looked like. That's our one clue as to who attacked Tallest Miyuki."
"You are in charge of hunting down whoever created that," Tallest Red said. "And bring them back to Irk!"
Zim saluted them, taking the tablet from them and already darting towards where his ship was parked. Perhaps that was for the best, as he gaped at the image on the tablet when he spared it a glance on the way.
It was remarkably similar to one of the prototypes he had designed…one that Miyuki had criticized for being too dangerous to control. A sort of bomb he hadn't yet built.
Someone from the Vortian labs must have taken his design. That gave him a place to start, hopefully without him having to ever mention it was originally his creation…the shame of it all.
It just gave him yet another reason to find whoever had done this and make them pay.
His search didn't lead him anywhere. In fact, it led him to grease-filled pits he hoped to never see again in his chase for a rouge Vortian that eluded his grasp. A hunt like this was making him frustrated, restless…bored.
He had very nearly missed the news of Operation Impending Doom II, but as soon as he heard, circled around to Conventia. This was what he was meant to do, to act as a weapon and destroy whatever planet he was directed at, not chase random aliens through the cosmos!
His Tallest seemed shocked, almost worried, to see him suddenly show up in the middle of them assigning Invaders to their planets. He insisted that he should be given a planet as well, that he was still encoded as an Invader!
His insistence on this point seemed to move his Tallest, making them slowly relax. They pointed him in the direction of a faraway planet, so distant it was off their maps, and told him this was a rather dangerous place, that would take great care and patience to conquer. He was to observe it and its people, and wait for them to arrive…no matter what, he was to stay with the planet.
He saluted them, glad to have received such an important task, and was racing towards his mission as soon as he'd received his SIR unit. The planet he found, Earth, was…unimpressive. The dominant species, humans, all seemed extremely foolish, not even aware that other sapient species besides themselves existed.
All except one human, the Dib…a thorn in his side. It wouldn't be much of a challenge if Zim truly fought him in one-on-one combat, but he found the human's attempts at stopping his plans amusing. It was one of the few things he found enjoyable on this planet, so…he allowed the human to live, to have small victories here and there.
Perhaps he'd be able to mold the Dib into a mightier foe, and he could be an effective force to use for the Empire once this planet was conquered.
But for now, he waited, putting a few plans into motion, attempting a few assassinations. The Tallest would arrive soon with the Armada, and with the findings he shared with them, this world would quickly fall!
It only occurred to Zim after about a year on Earth that perhaps…his Tallest were not coming soon. They had never called him, he always called them, and they always acted so…nervous when he did.
At first, he refused to believe it. He was a powerful tool of the Irken Empire, and he'd proved it countless times! Tallest Miyuki had seen his potential, why couldn't they?
Or…he wondered, if blasphemously, if his Tallest doubted they could use him effectively. Did they consider him too dangerous a force, was that why they sent him away? Perhaps they were afraid of handling something as powerful as he was, that they couldn't direct him properly?
He quickly banished any thoughts such as that to the back of his mind. He could not, would not, doubt his Tallest. And so, he continued to wait…though he did wish to find a Tallest that could again use him to his full potential. So that he could fulfill his destiny as the Weapon of the Empire.
When he noticed an Irken distress signal from somewhere on Earth, he of course hopped in his ship and immediately followed it, even through the storm it led him through. If there was another Irken here…perhaps they had come to get him! Perhaps they'd have new orders from the Empire!
He'd barely noticed the portal appearing in front of him before he zipped right through it…and his ship started acting up, the controls frying and refusing to obey him.
He crashed after that, but managed to crawl out of his ship…and found himself in the middle of total chaos. There was a huge field of crashed ships surrounding his own, all of them centered around a giant, green, glowing tower.
Other Irkens—no…other Zims were standing around, looking just as confused as he felt. A few of them were wearing collars with numbers printed on the front, and were getting into a fight with Zims that weren't wearing collars, and were apparently refusing to wear them.
Zim perked his antennae straight up as he listened, trying to figure out just what was happening. He heard several of the collared ones shouting about an 'Ultimate Zim' that had conquered his Earth…something that intrigued Zim, even as uncollared Zims shouted inflammatory things back at them.
He was soon spotted and grabbed, several of the others clicking a collar around his neck (and over his cloak), giving him a mediocre number and stating that he needed to prove himself to their Ultimate Zim.
"Only if I see him first," Zim declared with a slight sneer. Though interested, he would be the judge of who he would follow.
The guards sneered back. "You'll have to get through us first," they said.
"Very well," Zim said, leaping forward, prepared for a challenge.
They disappointed him, as he managed to take them out without even getting hit a single time. He scoffed, adjusting the hood of his cloak, and headed towards the giant tower, thinking that was where this 'Ultimate Zim' might have been.
His intuition was right—he found a Zim even taller than himself standing at the base of the giant tower, declaring his accomplishments to anyone who would listen…and despite him looking a little like a piece of chewed gum, he still had quite the crowd amassed around him.
Unfortunately, Zim wasn't the only Zim trying to talk to him personally…something that the taller Zim was beginning to lose patience with, it seemed.
"Enough!" he shouted. "If you want a high enough place in the hierarchy to speak with me, then fight each other for the right!"
There was a moment of silence…and then, the Zims all turned on each other and began to attack. Someone lunged at Zim, which was a mistake, as he easily swatted them away.
He couldn't help but sneer a little at his fellow Zims. They were powerful, sure, but they were acting like wild beasts! He, at least, had more control than that. And it was with that control that he spotted the other Zims in their moments of distraction and weakness and took them down with a few swift blows.
It wasn't long before he was standing amid a pile of fallen Zims…and the Ultimate Zim's attention landed on him. He grinned, eyes lighting up in a way that reminded Zim strongly of Tallest Miyuki.
Hope bloomed in his chest.
"Impressive," the Ultimate Zim said. "What would you say about becoming my Number Two, my right-hand Zim? I have big plans for all of you…ways to make you even more powerful and useful than you can imagine."
Zim grinned widely, hope now soaring. "I would be delighted."
And so his collar was adjusted accordingly, showing that he was the highest-ranked Zim just under Number One, the Ultimate Zim, himself.
He helped Number One hammer out the details of the number-based and skill-based hierarchy he had in mind…which often involved hammering the idea into the brains of many other Zims until they agreed.
In support of it, and since it was confusing to be called 'Zim' when everyone here was a Zim, he found himself responding to 'Number Two' or simply 'Two' more and more frequently, and easily.
General upkeep of the Void was something tasked with lesser Zims. Things like rounding up new arrivals, handing out rations, and keeping things germ-free…all important, but not something he or the Great and Glorious Number One Zim should have to dirty their hands with.
While Number One designed the Program that would lead them all to greatness, Number Two did his part to prepare the best of the Zims for the greatness he would share with them.
First, he assessed the abilities of the ninety-eight other Zims that had proven themselves best in combat. They were like an armory of weapons, ready to be honed and refined…so, he began by preparing a list that ranked them both by their strength and their obedience. After all, weapons were only good if they could be properly used.
He presented the list to Number One, who was quite pleased with his choices, and numbered the Elite Zims accordingly. Anyone who disagreed could fight Number Two—a few did, but Two defeated them all soundly, much to the pleasure of Number One.
And so, Two worked. He trained himself and made sure the other Elite Zims trained just as hard. He ensured all the Elite Zims knew just how important the goal they were working towards was, and even took it upon himself to greet newcomers whenever Zim Number 100 was defeated and replaced.
He was even honored by Number One inviting him to personal meetings in his chambers. There, he'd eagerly give reports to Number One on the progress he and the other Zims were making, and Number One would even tell him about the progress he was making in the Program he was creating.
There were also promises that Two would be the first to go through the final step, as his most loyal and impressive Zim. Every time he heard it, it lifted Two's mood, filling him with pure pride.
And then, finally, the day had arrived. Two had just finished showing the newest Zim 100 the ropes of training for (and worshipping) the Great and Glorious Number One Zim when Number One himself requested him to see him as soon as possible…with the message that it was time.
Two felt lighter than air as he told others the good news, putting the newest Zim on guard duty right before skipping to see Number One. The energy field that sealed off Number One's private chambers turned off to allow him entrance, and he skipped right inside, only coming to a stop in front of the much taller Zim on his throne.
The room was dark, aside from the light of glowing monitors and the energy field that had re-appeared behind him. He knelt in front of the Zim before him, bowing his head. "Oh, Great and Glorious Number One," he said. "I am honored to be entrusted with the Program you've developed."
"Yes…you have always been my most loyal Zim," Number One purred. "Allow me access to your PAK, and you will have the power to defeat even the greatest of enemies."
There was a slight moment of hesitation, but Two quickly shrugged it off. This was his Number One, the Tallest he had wanted, and he was their weapon. He had dedicated himself and his life to them, so giving him access to his PAK was nothing.
"Yes, Number One," he said, turning to expose his PAK and kneeling again. He felt something attach to his PAK, a new software being downloaded and taking root. For now, it laid dormant, just waiting to be activated—
A commotion just outside Number One's chambers. Two stood up, and with Number One's permission, was sent to see what was happening. He found the newest Zim carrying weapons from the armory, not at his station as he was meant to be…and inferior, rebellious Zims, somehow inside of their fortress! To his shock, Number One invited the new, reckless Zim 100 into his chambers to see him, and the invading rebels along with them…including a Dib!
And then, Number One saw the Dib and revealed that he…was also a Dib! He'd been lying to them all! Before Two could process what it meant to have sworn such loyalty to a human, something in his PAK shifted and—
Hail Dib. Obey Dib. Spread Dib Virus.
Any thoughts quickly and easily slipped away from him. There was nothing now but total obedience to Dib…and in some way, a quiet relief that he had finally, truly become a perfectly controlled weapon.