Glory to the Empire

Let me put this as simply as I can manage...

Housing units most often have more than one light source, yes? Bulbs and lamps and such?

Imagine that each lightbulb within a housing unit is an Irken with a PAK.

Lightbulbs can be individually removed, replaced, or destroyed, without affecting other bulbs. But what happens when, say, the housing unit is struck by lightning?

All of the lights go out.

Just as all Irken life would be extinguished if harm were to come to the control brains. While we are individuals, yes, we are all connected.

In a more technical sense, the control brains are the source of all data in the Irken Empire. They are where data comes from when a smeet is spawned, programming that smeet with their name, personality, and memories, and they are where all data goes to as that smeet lives and grows and learns.

That mostly depends on who is in charge at the time of takeover. Miyuki was well known for her inter-species diplomacy, while our predecessors were more prone to complete annihilatiom.

A change in leadership can get confusing on many fronts, frankly... I can’t say how many planets were brought into the Empire by one Tallest only to be eliminated by the next.

You forget, I think, that the average Irken has a very extensive lifespan. Not to mention, the Tallests are traditionally the most well armed and well protected, meaning they are less likely to be killed in the field as an Invader might.