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VINDICATION	By : Florville Category: +G through L > Invader Zim > AU/AR-Alternate Universe-Alternate Reality Views: 29601 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Invader Zim, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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NOTE: Wow, I'm so totally glad to see that everyone's still paying attention, I thought maybe you would've given up on me by now. *hugs all* Well, here are the next couple chapters, in order to bring you up to the point where I've posted everything on my own site.

This chapter is dedicated to DarkKat and Tismine, two new reviewy-peeps who are muchly lurved.

Chapter 78: Something Wicked

By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes… --Macbeth

On the evening before the lockdown was set to complete, Zim ordered every Irken on board the Massive (as well as 777 and Dib, of course) to report to the Great Hall, a place usually reserved for watching Planetary Conversion and for launching the momentous Final Cannon Sweep. The former Tallests and Tak, however, remained in their respective states of imprisonment.

As the hundreds of officers and drones began to gather below, Zim paced back and forth on the platform, his antennae twitching feverishly.

Dib cocked his head curiously, the behaviour completely unfamiliar to him in all the time he’d known Zim. “Are you all right?”

Zim jumped slightly, turning and blinking at Dib for a moment before clearing his throat and lowering his antennae. “Yes…yes, I’m fine.”

Stepping forward, Dib took one of Zim’s hands and squeezed it gently. “You’re nervous.”

Zim snorted. “No, I’m…” he gazed down at Dib for a moment, shaking his head. “I don’t know. Something just feels…not right.”

Looking around, Dib kissed his cheek, then stepped back, smiling warmly. “We’re almost there, Zim. Only two more days, and the rest of the Armada gets here, and then we land on Irk for your Ordination.” He looked around the great hall again, then met Zim’s eyes. “Why are we here, anyway?”

Zim took a deep breath, listening as Dib attempted to distract him from his worry. “I want to address the crew.”

Dib cocked his head slightly. “Regarding…?”

Zim grinned as a service drone handed each of them a glass, akin to a champagne flute and filled with a dark blue liquid. “You’ll see.”

Within the span of ten minutes, every crew member on the ship had gathered in the Great Hall, and each and every one, from the most prestigious Advisor down to the lowliest Service Drone, received a glass of dark blue Vortian wine (the finest quality in existence, gathered from Red and Purple’s private stores). The entire crew stood below the platform from which Zim was going to address them, looking about curiously and holding their glasses, as they had been instructed not to drink until they had been given permission to do so.

Unable to help a small flutter in his squeedlyspooch, Zim walked up to the rail, his antennae held back proudly as he gazed down at the hundreds of his fellow Irkens gathered below him.

“My crew…” Zim began, feeling an immense surge of pride at the words, “I’ve invited all of you here today for several reasons.”

Dib watched, shaking his head. It was unbelievable…Zim was an entirely different Irken from the one who had landed and set up base in an Earth neighbourhood over ten years before. It was like night and day…however, there was no doubt that it was Zim, as there was still that unmistakable streak of defiance and cockiness that made Zim who he was, despite his newfound maturity. Dib smirked to himself at the thought.

“The first reason I called you all here is to thank you.” Zim bowed slightly, as he used to do to acknowledge Red and Purple.

This statement caused a general murmur to go through the crowd, as the crew members weren’t used to being thanked for anything. The fact that the gratitude was genuine was even more surprising to them.

Zim raised his free hand for quiet before continuing. “I thank you all, because without you, I would not be here. I can do much on my own, but a single Irken can’t run the entire Massive, of course.” Zim grinned. “And so I thank each and every one of you, my crew, for doing what you do best, which is to run this ship, and to run it well.”

Dib jumped when there was a loud wave of cheering, and he smirked when he saw the slight blush that crept into Zim’s cheeks at such strong support. Looked like Zim was still getting used to being shown respect, although Dib couldn’t blame him one bit, especially after seeing on several occasions how he was spoken down to during his time on Earth, by humans, by Tak, and by the Tallests as well.

When the chorus of approval finally dwindled, Zim cleared his throat and spoke again. “The second reason is similar to the first…I want to thank you again…for your loyalty.” Zim shifted, his eyes roaming over the beaming assembly. “Every time I’ve needed you, you’ve been by my side, when it would’ve been just as easy to stay true to Red and Purple. I’ll do my best to sufficiently reward you for this loyalty when I’m Ordained.”

Again, there was a loud wave of cheering. When it finally dwindled, Zim smiled. “The final reason is that I desire to teach you a custom that I learned during my time on the Earth planet. It is a custom there, when celebrating, for each individual in attendance to have a glass of wine such as the one you are all holding now.” Zim nodded. “The act is called a toast. It is when you raise your glass and drink to something, some cause, or in celebration or in memory or in honour of something.” He grinned, stepping to the utmost edge of the rail so that he could see all the crew standing below him. “So raise your glass with me, and I shall make the toast.” As the crew brought their glasses up in unison, Zim grinned, holding his glass high. “To you, my crew, and to the prosperity of the new Empire.”

As the cue was given to drink, there was a sudden heave and a shudder, sending almost the entire assembly to the floor, glasses shattering and wine spreading across the floor. Another heave, and this time the sound of a nearby explosion.

Zim grabbed the rail and shouted down to the crew.

“ALL TECHNICIANS AND ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL TO THE CONTROL DECK!!”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
To DarkKat: Welcome to the group of readers and reviewers for this fic, hope I'm still rocking your socks *grins and winks* Thank you so much for your feedback...to say that I'm the best you've read after reading so many fics is truly the highest compliment you can give me, and I humbly accept, whether I'm actually worthy of that much praise or not. Thank you.
To Invader Monkey: You bet! I could never let you guys down, you totally rule.
To Keri: Heh, part of Purple's fluffiness is just generaly being a bitch sometimes. For example: "I don't like it!" *snickers* He's just having a temper tantrum.
To Tismine: LOL thanks for the clarification, I wasn't quite sure for a moment there. Welcome to the group of readers and reviewers *huge hug*, and thanks ever so much for your feedback. And also for sitting for two and a half hours to read my fic O.O That never ceases to blow my mind, that people actually sit and spend so much time reading this, especially when it's in one sitting. That makes me feel so good about my writing, thank you. *hug*
To Whitethorn: *points to link* http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/30598655/?qo=14&q=by%3Aflorville+sort%3Atime+-in%3Ascraps
To Herme23: *laughs* oh, good, someone else can sympathise with what a pain in the arse it was to update. ;)
To Switch: AWWW!! *glomps* I was missed! I feel so lurved...
To Ann: *winks* I won't tell anyone. And it's lovely to be posting again, I've missed my readers and reviewers very much. Glad you're one of them.
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VINDICATION