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Description and Function[]

The Irken PAK is a shell-resembling device which is attached to an Irken Smeet's spine when he/she is born. It

Pak

An Irken PAK.

contains all the knowledge an Irken ever needs to know. It also contains the Irken's job. The Control Brains can re-encode an Irken's PAK to encode the Irken to have a different job, and PAKs function much like a credit card, allowing Irkens to make purchases wirelessly or with a small cord that comes out of the PAK's side. It also can create various tools and gadgets in mere seconds, from buzz saws and laser guns to walky-talkies and tweezers. While the Irken is sentient, it can also act as an auxiliary brain, recalibrating the brain should something happen to it.

However, Irkens can only live ten minutes without their PAK before perishing, as all knowledge of how to perform vital processes is held in the PAK. In addition, if any other species were to don one of these PAKs, they would also perish in ten minutes, due to the PAK trying to override their whole systems' inner workings. PAKs are also shown to be dependent on hosts, as if not quickly reconnected to their owner, they usually engage their emergency reattachment protocol in which they connect to the nearest organism. This is because the PAK lacks an internal generator or power source, thus it gains power by taking some of it’s host’s energy. This massive consumption of energy on the PAK’s part is the reason for the Irkens’ obsession with fatty snacks, as they provide ample energy for both the Irken and the PAK. A device implanted in an Irken’s digestive tract molecularly dissembles all unusable materials, using the electrons as extra power for the PAK, and converting the protons and neutrons into an invisible vapor, which the PAK discharges regularly.

Customization[]

ImagePAK

An example of a highly customized PAK

In the ten minutes that it takes for an Irken to die without their PAK, many Irkens will spend time customizing their PAKs with new features or, more commonly, spot colors. The Irken tradition of getting one's PAK colored to match one's eyes goes back to a fad started by Almighty Tallest Vak, in which he had his PAK colored with the three spots that are common today rather than the standard at the time: A blank grey PAK. A few Irkens even go to the lengths of changing the shape or overall design of their PAK. However, the Control Brains, who prefer conformity, disapprove.

PAK Removal (Proper)[]

As seen in issue #25 of the Invader ZIM comics, PAKs appear to work in tandem with a handheld instrument known as a Neurothing. When the neurothing is activated, the Irken’s consciousness is immediately transferred from the brain back into the PAK, and it instantly drops off and the Irken’s body enters a catatonic state. When the neurothing is activated a second time, the PAK reattaches to its body, the sentience is transferred right back into the brain, and the Irken immediately regains consciousness, albeit with a slight period of clumsiness for a short time afterwards.

PAK Removal (Improper)[]

However, as shown in unfinished episodes “The Trial” and  “Ten Minutes to Doom” there are instances of PAKS being forcibly removed. In these instances, they are taken off, usually by brute force. The Irken remains conscious in their body, but can feel an internal clock signaling how much time they have left. As the ten minutes go on, due to the lack of the PAK feeding the brain commands and managing the body, the Irken gets weaker and weaker before losing consciousness and dying. Elsewhere, their PAK begins its emergency reattachment protocol, in which it attaches to the nearest organism. The PAK will then proceed to rebuild the consciousness of its owner, overwriting the personality of its new host in the process.

History[]

Inception[]

The original concept of PAKs were devised by the Irken scientist Pak. When observing nature, he came across a type of insect known as the Pupetfly. This large butterfly-like creature goes through 3 stages, as expected. But in its pupal(cocooning) phase, it attaches itself to a larger creature and controls it, as a method of protecting its chrysalis. This inspired Pak to create a device with which Irkens could detach themselves from their bodies in times of danger. With this in mind, he made an experimental model of a modern PAK(dubbed a Brain Storage Unit), with no gear attached, but with an internal chargeable battery. However, when he proposed his idea to the Irkens, the highly proud race saw it as turning themselves into machines. The current tallest, as well as the rest of the Irkens, were disgusted by this idea, exiling Pak for his depravity.

First Acceptance[]

However, a few generations later, the newest tallest, Tallest Deb, would change everything. Deb was arguably the shortest tallest so far, and was also very weak and sickly. Unknown to others, he also had a rare genetic disorder that made his life span significantly shorter than other Irkens. This pushed him to find ways to extend his life, if only to have a normal life span. During his search, he stumbled upon Pak’s research, and was fascinated by it. He then tracked Pak down, removed him from exile(he had survived this long, thanks to his BSU), and gave him the role of Head Royal Scientist. Pak then gave Deb his own BSU. Pak was working on phase 2 of the experiment (cloning another body and seeing if the BSU would connect) when a shocking event occurred: Deb was assassinated during a speech by Ez, his uncle. In the chaos that ensued, no one noticed Deb’s strange “Medical Device” growing legs and Scuttling away. The BSU then went to Pak, who heard what had happened. He sped up his project, cloning a new body for Deb while the BSU regenerated Deb’s personality. A week later, while Ez was being crowned as the tallest, mania ensued when Deb, killed in front of everyone, appeared there, not only alive, but also taller and stronger than he had ever been. He then challenged Ez to arena combat, of which Deb was triumphant. He reclaimed his throne, and let rumors about him being immortal spread. He became so legendary that instead of just “Tallest” Irkens referred to him as “Almighty Tallest”. Thanks to his Pak and cloning system, he lived much longer than any Irken had ever before. However, he eventually grew weary of his eternal life, and stopped making new clones. Pak had already died due to a BSU malfunction, and eventually, he died too, after destroying all evidence of their cloning project, so no other tallest would extend their life the way he did. However, future tallest did still have exclusive access to BSUs, and the term “Almighty Tallest” stuck.

Mainstream use[]

Several generations later, Tallest Tunis began to make changes. Seeing how valuable the asset of BSUs were, she ordered her scientists to create new and improved BSUs for her and her Royal Guard. These included built in gear and weapons. She also changed the name to the much simpler “PAK” after its creator. Shortly afterwards, despite Deb’s efforts, she discovered his cloning project. However, instead of using it to extend her life, she saw it as a way to further control the population. She then encouraged Irken citizens to transfer their consciousness into PAKs, and offered benefits to those who did. She also slowly introduced artificially-grown Irkens into the population, while subtly discouraging natural birth through propaganda. Despite her original intentions, she cloned herself to see her project through, until 98% of the Irken Empire were clones.

Further changes[]

Generations later, when the empire was conquering new planets, they found themselves locked in various wars. However, while the PAKs prevented Irkens from requiring sleep, it needed to be charged frequently. Thus, all missions needed to have a large power source nearby, and soldiers would have to tag team so they could charge. All of this increased the cost of war, so scientists were urged to find solutions. One scientist, Engineer Lai, proposed that they remove the power cell from the PAK, and design the PAK to pull energy from its host. To make up for this, she invented a machine that could process waste materials and convert them into various foods high in starch and fat. The absurd amount of potential energy stored in these foods allowed for the PAK to pull energy from the Irken without compromising its health, and the materials they were made out of allow them to be mass produced at a low cost. The army accepted the genius plan, and their efficiency increased significantly. Due to the food being made out of garbage, it was nicknamed “junk food”. Irken conquest spread it throughout the galaxy.

Irken Minds[]

Irken Minds are created(and sometimes reused) digitally. They are then uploaded to a smeet’s PAK. During her efforts to fill the empire with cloned Irkens, Tunis specifically modified the template for Irken minds to promote unshakable loyalty to the empire. Minds that diverge too far from her template are known as defectives.

Notes[]

  • In Invader ZIM issue 25, we see an Irken PAK successfully attach to a chair and a(redesigned) PAK successfully attach to a couch. However, the chair was mechanical, so the PAK was likely using the chair’s battery as a power source. An addition, the couch Virooz’s Self-Made PAK attached to was a type of couch that grows naturally from the fauna of its native planet, so it can be assumed the chair had some sort of energy to live off of(albeit not very long, considering the PAK now draining it).
  • In the unfinished episode “The Trial”, after Zim is confirmed to be a defective, the Control Brains forcibly remove his PAK without a neurothing. This is likely a form of Irken torture, leaving the victim to watch as their only hope of survival is destroyed, and then slowly experience their brain failing without support from their PAK. (Yeah, the writers totally knew about the neurothing back then. Totally.)
  • For the entirety of the episode “Hobo 13”Skoodge is not wearing his PAK. Whether this was intentional or an animation error is unknown.
  • Due to the fact that an Irken’s personality is entirely digital, Irkens are technically just advanced AIs piloting carbon-based bodies.
  • As seen in Issue #4 of the Invader ZIM comics, Irken Engineers canonically have modified PAKs. These PAKs are larger than most, with a section of them made of a clear material, revealing Vortian Brains inside. The top of the PAK has a wire connecting directly to the Irken’s head. These PAKs likely have no tool functionality, and only exist to improve one’s intelligence.
  • Attentive readers may notice that many facts in this article is word-for-word identical to the info for the PAK article from the Invader ZIM Fanon Fandom page. However, all copied information was copied by its author, as he recently discovered this fandom and wanted to carry over all of his work.
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