Chapter Text

I regret nothing motherfuckers.

LOG-001.

"Welcome, Viridian Pearl order Sixteen B. I am Shell, a guide for Gems visiting the Reef, and your temporary instructor."

"Buh?"

That was the first word out of my mouth, in this new life. It would not be the last of its kind.

"Follow the illuminated path to the education center."

Shaking myself slightly and doing my best to escape the strong daze clinging to my conciousness like a fog, I glanced around for a moment before finally registering just what my newest predicament had decided to present itself as.

For one I was, as a matter of fact, Viridian, just as 'Shell' had said. In the literal, colourful sense. Perfectly smooth, flawless light green skin met my gaze as I raised a thin, delicate looking hand up for inspection. The weird dress I was decked out in also drew attention, but nowhere near as much as the shiny rock embedded where my exposed belly button should be.

"Viridian Pearl order Sixteen B. Proceed to the education center immediately. You will not be ordered a third time."

I blinked, part of me tensing up at the artificial voice's politely threatening tone, and started walking forward along the helpfully illuminated path. Part of me recoiled at just how perfectly balanced I was, despite the fact that the body I was apparently now inhabiting failed to resemble my original meat mech in even the slightest of ways beyond being generally humanoid.

But whatever. No big deal. I'd figure out where the Hell I was first, alongside what had been done to me. Then I'd leave.

Right?

---

"We will now progress into Era Two. This Era is marked by the notable end of the vile and outrageous Rose Quartz Rebellion, after the Great Diamond Authority utilized their limitless power to destroy the army of rogue Gems littering the now shattered Pink Diamond's first colony, avenging her and restoring peace and balance to our Empire."

Pearl 101 had been God damned horrific. If I hadn't fucked up my counting, it had been eight solid hours worth of incredibly in depth explanations as to what my existence and subsequent role as a Pearl meant for me. All beneath the banner of the Great Diamond Authority, of course.

Imperial history was even worse, in the fact that it finally pounded into my brain (not that I actually had one of those anymore, if the Gem physiology lecture was to be believed) just where I had somehow woken up. And as what.

To condense eight fucking hours worth of bare faced indoctrination into something manageable, Pearls are 'servants' on Homeworld (the capital of the glorious Gem Empire), acting as custom made Gems with the sole purpose of serving their owner. Expected to perform activities such as dancing, singing, looking pretty and maybe even carrying things (oh boy!), Pearls are considered property by all of Homeworld, alongside the rest of the Empire surrounding it, decreed as such by the magnificent White Diamond.

I am a Pearl. And am apparently programmed to do all of these things. All while remaining meek, kind and most importantly, subservient. Even if I didn't feel very subservient about any of this damned horseshit.

Yeah. My entire situation could be rather accurately summed up in a single word, if I was being entirely honest with myself.

Fuck.

---

The auditorium that I'd eventually been told to make my way to was dim, even as I quietly settled in amongst the other Pearls that had presumably also been led here, doing my best to avoid looking out of place. That's when the figure standing up above us revealed herself, sharp features glaring down at us impassively.

She was like us. Almost. Her dark, bordering on black limbs were stretched out far beyond that of one of our kind, and her face was significantly more gaunt, lending it an inherently inhuman quality far more drastic than that of our own multicoloured forms.

"Greetings. You will address me as either my Nacre, Nacre Three or Caretaker Three, depending on the situation. Allow me to begin this explanation with one simple fact. You are all Reef Pearls, and as such, are expected to behave at a higher standard than the common rabble produced in lesser Creation Facilities."

Gems spoke English, which was odd to think about. I'd briefly considered the idea that, as I was now a rock lady myself, I had somehow 'come out' preprogrammed with whatever alien language they used. Yet tracking the Nacre's stupidly thin lips showed that the tall, alien looking caretaker was somehow, without a doubt, absolutely speaking the King's fucking English.

"Your stay here shall be brief, as you are all custom orders. Until the prestigious Gems that have asked for your creation arrive to collect you individually, you shall all continue your education as Batch Sixteen until you are collectively deemed perfect. Though you are encouraged to interact with one another until the time comes, do not presume this means you will remain together after your collection."

Which had implications, probably. Like...what if English wasn't native to Earth and humanity, and was in fact just fucking learned and subsequently adopted from the Imperial settlers that had probably arrived decades before we were even making basic attempts at writing?

"Be warned that failure to comply with orders, or any other form of insubordination, shall be punished swiftly and severely-"

The rest of the speech mostly went on like that. Some Pearls gained uncertain, almost fearful faces. Others kept their visages carefully blank of emotion.

I was one of the blank ones, by the way. Mostly because I had a fucking plan beyond acting as a glorified pet for whatever rock bitch had apparently wanted me to exist for her.

---

"Sixteen A! Stand up and report for education, immediately!"

The crimson Pearl held back a whimper, whether from the pain of having tripped and fallen over her own damn feet, or the incoming lesson she was about to receive from our wretched whore of a supervising Nacre remained a mystery. Maybe it was both.

I kept my eyes firmly forward, continuing the elaborate multiple hour long dance routine for today. One fringe benefit of having life experience beyond that of my fellows in the Reef? It somehow meshed well with my internal programming. I picked up on what I was meant to do, and how I was meant to do it, quickly.

The other Pearls occupying this particular training hall followed my lead in the routine almost instinctively. They'd long since learned that if I was doing it, then it was probably a good idea to replicate the act.

There were mild negatives to being awesome, though. It was difficult to ignore the way the Nacre used me as an example to set Sixteen A against. How I was proving far more worthy of resources and training compared to her, and how I would make my future owner happy, even as my Red counterpart was threatened with 'Harvesting' if she didn't shape up, and quickly.

But compared to the punished Gem's pained cries, and subsequent silence as the Nacre enacted a standard 'physical deterrence procedure' on the lagging slave, the comparisons really weren't that bad.

Sixteen A would just have to shape up if she wanted to avoid future beatings. Because there was no way in Hell I was about to make a mistake, not if it meant similar treatment.

No. I was the flawless Sixteen B. The best of my entire batch. And most importantly, I was Nacre Three's personal favourite. Her pride and fucking joy.

Essentially, I was the absolute shit.

I'd take the envious glares or desperate requests for advice whenever I was confined in the Pearl quarters with my 'Reefmates' any day, so long as it let me avoid the downright torture those who failed to perform could expect day by day from our loving Caretaker.

Outright rebellion had flashed and passed through my gemstone quickly, and for damn good reason. Batch Sixteen had mostly been a success, even if some of us were still lagging behind in accepting and internalising our programming.

Sixteen J had been the sole exception. And that exception had been brought back into line via Rejuvenation in order to deal with the golden Pearl's overly 'flighty' tendencies. A code word for trying to run, rather than simply curling up into a ball and taking it when Nacre Three deigned to kick the everloving shit out of her for dropping a tray full of fake datapads during one of our many practice sessions.

Seeing her blank, uncomprehending eyes upon being reintroduced into the group after her fucking mindwipe had instantly set me on the straight and narrow far more than any amount of beatings ever could, that was for bloody certain.

And thus, I ensured I was the best fucking Pearl that Nacre Three would ever have the pleasure of training. To her knowledge at least.

After all, Homeworld were well aware that Pearls had the highest deviancy rate out of any Gem type, and thus kept a careful eye on those who were deemed subpar in their existence.

An eye I couldn't afford to have watching me. Not if I was ever going to escape this place some day.

"Oof!"

"Sixteen F! Up as well, now!"

A day that couldn't come any sooner, in this lowly Pearl's humble opinion.

Chapter Text

She's beauty she's grace she's a scared rock from space.

LOG-002.

"Did you see Sixteen A stumble during the last routine? She's bound for harvesting if she keeps that up."

After an unknown amount of time (I wanted to say a few weeks or so, but there was no real way to tell just how long I'd been in this damned facility) I now finally knew why the Nacres that managed the place encouraged us Pearls to interact with one another during the rare times we were granted breaks within our quarters.

"T-that's not true! There was a divot in the floor, it wasn't my fault!"

It fostered competition.

"Yes it is!"

Yeah.

"No it isn't!"

Pearls loved to fucking gossip about just about anything, including each other. Even when the source of said gossip was in the same bloody room as them. Any hint of organisation that could have occurred constantly fell through since the entirety of Batch Sixteen were too busy playing their own weird version of highschool politics.

"As if Nacre Three would stand a flaw existing in her slice of the Reef. You're just faulty. Right, Viridian?"

Viridian. I had somehow become the only named Pearl in our batch (and possibly even this entire section of the Reef), after our Caretaker had idly referred to me as such while in casual conversation with another Nacre.

She'd been merely boastful of the fact, but my 'unique' identifier (as unique as being named after the colour of my damned lightform could even be) had largely been accepted thanks to my seeming 'perfection.' There'd been concerns raised by some of Nacre Three's colleagues that the name would go to my head, that it would drastically inflate my ego, which obviously was something unbefitting of a mere Pearl.

My overseer had been so painfully fucking smug when I hadn't changed in my routine whatsoever, doing my level best to ignore the entire debacle. Seriously, I was starting to suspect more and more that her Gem type was just some fucked up variant of my own. The Caretakers all engaged in enough petty power plays while their various batches were sharing areas that there had to be some sort of connection there.

Regardless of my various theories, the biggest benefit and subsequent drawback of my 'special treatment', was that I had somehow become the effective queen bee of our entire twenty six Pearl batch. I was the cool girl, since I hadn't gotten the stuffing beaten out of me yet. Joy.

"She's wrong! Tell her Viridian!"

Rolling my eyes and gracefully (always gracefully, since I still wasn't sure whether our Caretaker had some kind of surveillance system set up to observe us when not under direct supervision) standing up off the outcropping I'd been lazing about on, I meandered my way past the gaggle of slim bodies in front of me, reaching for one of the ribbon wands stored in the built in containers of our glorified cage (the Nacres loved it when we practiced various 'Pearl related skills' in our own time), even as I waved a hand at the two arguing Gems.

My voice came out in a semi-annoyed drawl, just as my thin fingers firmly wrapped themselves around the wand's handle.

"Sixteen D, stop bullying Sixteen A."

The mocha coloured figure was already backing away with very specifically interlaced fingers, an apology on her lips and in the gesture she was making. Pearl 'sign' language was something that we weren't actively taught, but yet still just kind of developed on its own. We needed a way to communicate with each other when standing around silently and looking pretty for our mistresses, after all.

It was kinda neat, if one ignored how horrific such a necessity was.

Heedless of my internal thoughts, D's crimson counterpart grinned, now sure of her victory since I'd apparently chosen to back her up.

"And Sixteen A, stop tripping all the damn time. Otherwise Nacre Three's gonna do way worse than anything D will say to you."

That unsubtle warning and reminder ensured silence from the both of them, even as the rest of the Pearls in the quarter whispered and chattered from their own corners and cliques. Including 'my' group.

Which included Sixteen D, C, V and the Rejuvenated J.

There wasn't any choice in the matter on my end when it came to picking 'friends', unfortunately. They'd just been the quickest ones to cozy up to the 'perfect Pearl.' Ever curious about my thoughts and opinions on things, and ever eager to copy my fucking dancing techniques. Their one saving grace was that our occasional interactions kept me from going bugfuck insane from sheer social isolation, even if I was going to jam my shitty wand straight into J's gemstone the next time she tried to convince me to get Nacre Three to give us more time for singing rehearsals.

I didn't have a deathwish, for Stars' sake.

Aside from that, they were also largely in part the reason I'd stuck to Homeworld's set naming system for all of us, rather than trying to develop nicknames for those I actually somewhat liked.

Our environment and upbringing fostered Gems utterly subservient to their future owners, even as it kept us divided from one another via pointless power plays (just like our damned Nacre Caretakers) and politicking.

The other, and more important reason I tried to avoid any kind of real attachments was relatively simple.

"Pearl Sixteen B to management station three. Pearl Sixteen B to management station three."

My chances of ever seeing any of them again once we were assigned to our respective owners were slim to none, considering the sheer vastness of the Gem Empire. According to the history lectures, at least.

Getting up and ignoring the excited whispering from the rest of my batch at my latest 'private audience', I packed my ribbon wand away and strode towards the exit to our quarters with a carefully measured, yet outwardly casual gait.

---

"That wretched clod. She knows the candidates are coming soon, so she's trying to one up me with the latest batch success numbers!"

Nacre Three's office was meticulously clean, and coloured a pure, eye searing white. The only splashes of colour came from the grey holographic screens she'd occasionally bring up, alongside the Peridot she'd called in for this or that reason.

The green technician Gem (she almost resembled the little dorito gremlin I remembered from the show. But her hair was assembled in more of a curving knife of a shape than anything else, with her gemstone sitting somewhere on her shoulder. Her limb enhancers were noticeably thinner as well.) would occasionally sneak curious glances my way, even as I resolutely stared forward, a placid and gentle expression plastered across my face.

We'd both been standing here for a few minutes, even as the tall Nacre continued to metaphorically tear through whatever she was reading, angrily ranting all the while.

A forcibly suppressed shiver went down my entire lightform as the Caretaker stared at me with a gleam in her pale looking eyes and a shine upon the gemstone embedded in her forehead, a wide smile slowly coming to her thin lips, right before she turned towards the Peridot who didn't suppress the worried look of someone who's boss was eyeing them up for extra illegal overtime.

"But you'll solve that for me, won't you? I know you have access to the visitation details. You could tell me just what kind of Gem I must personally prepare my dearest Viridian to serve. Then we could have her custom training schedule set up long before they arrive!"

Oh boy.

The Peridot gulped, raising a wobbly, detached finger. Nacre Three's eyes narrowed dangerously. I sobbed internally at the newcomer's sheer stupidity.

"T-that would be against p-protocol-"

The room got colder, even as the Caretaker seemed to loom over the minor technician all the more. A quiet, disturbingly calm sense of menace in her voice.

"You are Peridot Facet 2NFG, Cut 7XT. You were transferred to the Reef Pearl Creation Center thanks to a failure to perform in an experimental laboratory sponsored by White Diamond herself. You should have been shattered, but your status as an experienced technician and our recent expansion necessitated your arrival, placement and subsequent position here."

The green Gem was visibly shivering now, even as the Nacre leaned further forward, clawed hands almost taking gouges out of the colourful material of her desk.

"You shouldn't be here, and the only reason you haven't been harvested and replaced with a more useful Gem is because I ensure such an occurrence does not occur. Solely because I consider you useful."

She tilted her head slightly, eyes boring into 7XT.

"Allow me to make things simple enough for you to understand. Do you wish to be shattered, Peridot?"

The Peridot was already rapidly shaking her head with a terrified look, even as she began to bring up a series of yellow screens of her own using the limb enhancers connected to her arms.

"N-no! I'll get everything you need, right away my Nacre! At once! R-right now!"

And just like that, the Caretaker was back to some semblance of 'normal', hands clapping together and a tight smile upon her face, even as she turned to face me.

I held perfectly still, smiling right back with wide, shining eyes even as some small part of me screamed and raged the second one of her creepy ass hands extended and began to gently pat my hair.

"Do you hear that, Viridian? We'll get to know just who your owner is ahead of time! Isn't that wonderful?"

I took that panicking part of my mind out back and shot it in the name of survival, forcing my perfect smile to widen further, even as I leaned into the touch like an eager fucking dog that was utterly desperate for my Caretaker's approval.

"Yes, my Nacre!"

Chapter Text

Lots of neat theories, always great to see.

LOG-003.

I resisted the urge to groan in exhaustion, even as I slid a foot forward, continuing the elaborate dance while the Nacre across from me continued to pour through a small army of holographic screens.

"Simply sublime! The Gem that commissioned you is an Emerald!"

The Caretaker sounded fucking ecstatic about that particular piece of information, which was...good?

Hopefully. Twisting slightly, I let my dress billow around me, one leg rising straight into the air even as I let the tips of my fingers just barely graze the utterly smooth floor of the office.

"Facet 2M7G, cut 8XS. A fleet admiral."

The tall Gem swept the screens away, her hands going up to clench at thin air in front of her chest, even as she did a weird victory shuffle in her seat.

"Oh this is just perfect!"

Lower leg, perform a standard clockwise pirouette. Shift into the next part of the dance...

I stifled a shudder as Nacre Three gazed at me with what I'd almost call loving eyes, if I didn't know better. Her chin resting atop her interlaced fingers, the Caretaker watched me dance for a moment, before nodding.

"That will do for now. Come closer."

Bowing gracefully to end the brief performance, I obliged, approaching the Nacre and resisting the urge to scream as she casually reached forward, clutching my shoulder and dragging me to glance at one of the remaining screens.

"Take a good look, my brilliant Viridian. Once she arrives, you'll belong to her. It's in both our best interests to ensure you're entirely without flaw once we finally present you to the good Emerald."

The image of the green Gem was displayed in full colour, showing off the dazzling shades of her tight bodyglove, alongside the subtle gold accenting of what appeared to be some kind of ceremonial cloak. Her hair was wild looking, yet still managed to somehow sort itself into five distinct masses jutting out from her head. Most notably, her gemstone almost seemed to shine from its position embedded in the dead center of her chest.

The taskmaster sighed dreamily, leaning back and finally releasing her grip on me.

"Ah, I can see it now. My position will be elevated above One and Two once the admiral shows you off. Perhaps I'll even be put in charge of the entire facility? Oh the sheer possibilities!"

I remained silent, even as the Nacre turned and tightly grasped my cheeks with the fucking talons she called fingers, her thin lips stretching apart in an entirely too wide grin to expose a row of pearly white teeth.

"You are going to be sensational my darling! Just wait till Homeworld gets a good look at you!"

I smiled wide in return, doing my best to nod despite the hold the bitch had on me.

"I look forward to it, my Nacre!"

Smiling back, the Caretaker nodded seriously.

"And that is why you are my finest creation, no matter what those clods in the other sectors say." Finally letting go of me (thank the fucking Stars) and clapping her hands cheerily, the Gem swivelled in her seat.

"You won't be rejoining the rest of your Batch in the Pearl quarters anymore. We need to ensure you're in tip top shape when your owner arrives, so I'll be personally taking care of you from now on."

My smile got wider. Painfully wider. I probably looked just like the monster across from me, now that I really thought about it.

"Of course, my Nacre!"

Final stretch.

---

I didn't get breaks anymore. Mostly because the time I would have previously spent lounging around in the quarters and interacting with the rest of the Pearls was now spent dancing, singing and amusing Nacre Three while she was slicing through (metaphorical, since it was all holographic) paperwork in her office.

Days passed. Then weeks. Months, eventually.

At least, I assumed as such. There was still no way I could tell the time in this damned Hell. There were 'orbital cycles' of course, but I had no way of comparing such a time measurement to what I was used to on Earth.

Occasionally, I would be brought out to other parts of the Reef, ostensibly for my current torturer to show off her 'shining product' to...just about everyone she could gloat to and get away with it.

I'd learned that Gems could most definitely cry, at least. I'd managed to bawl my eyes out in the brief period Nacre Three had left me alone in her office while she'd fucked off to get something elsewhere.

That single leakage of actual emotion that I didn't have to fake had been euphoric.

Still didn't know just where the water for the tears had come from, but at this point I didn't care. It was just another way of keeping myself from losing the plot completely.

So yeah, I got really good at timing my crying sessions in between the short lapses in my Caretaker's routine, which I'd all but memorised at this point. Gave me time to fix up my appearance before she got back at least.

Then, one day, something new happened.

I'd been in the middle of a seven hour wordless song when the doors to the office had abruptly opened, allowing a familiar technician entry.

Peridot 7XT had become a common face to see as of late, mostly because Nacre Three called her in whenever she reasonably (and unreasonably) could to scrounge for more information on the Emerald I was slated for. The difference today was that the Peridot hadn't been called for.

I should know, Nacre had pretty much shunted all the work of managing her communications to me, since apparently having such a skill already ingrained in my gemstone would clearly prove most impressive for a decorated and most likely very busy fleet admiral.

As a result, I firmly ignored the interruption and continued singing, though I did take a step back as my fellow green Gem stormed into the room, tears in her eyes and a floating finger wobbly pointed at Nacre Three.

"I can't do this anymore!"

...Oh boy.

The melodic sounds coming from my throat cut off abruptly as the Nacre silently brought up a hand, motioning for me to stop. Then she lowered the limb to rest against the table in front of her, tilting her head slowly.

"Can't do what anymore, Peridot?"

The Gem grit her teeth, gesturing to me, herself, and then seemingly the entire room in a flurry of panicked motion.

"This! All of this! Falsifying records so you can keep your pet Pearl in the office all the time! Accessing files I have zero rights to just so you can get a leg up on the other Nacres! I'm done breaking the law for you!"

I took another very, very careful step back, even as Nacre Three smiled that horrifically stretched smile of hers.

"I would urge you to reconsider-"

The stupid bitch (survival instincts had clearly eroded at some point) cut her off, waving her arms wildly.

"I'm taking this up with the other Caretakers! We'll see what they have to say about thi-!"

Pop.

Her expression paused, eyes utterly uncomprehending behind her transparent yellow visor even as my taskmaster's hand steadily pierced further through her torso, right up until her entire lightform dematerialised with the signature 'poof' of a Gem temporarily losing their projected body. Her four limb enhancers all fell to the floor with dull thumps, rolling around before finally coming to a stop.

"We can pause the singing practice for now, Viridian. This was a surprise, but I can most certainly see an opportunity to teach you something special here."

The Nacre beckoned me closer, even as she kneeled down and scooped up the technician's helpless Gemstone.

I did the only thing I could do. I approached, hands politely clasped in front of me and face attentive.

Three glanced up as the automatic door swished closed, before turning to look at me with a slightly more subdued smile.

"Homeworld has laws, my dearest Pearl. And these laws, of course, exist for a reason. They keep our beautiful Empire running efficiently. Clean, tidy and well ordered."

She glanced at the gemstone in her hand, eyes narrowing.

"However, these laws must be carefully interpreted, lest we cause problems for those who matter in society. This...resource deprived runt would see us fail, Viridian. Were she to spread her worthless knowledge and opinions, the others in control of this facility would see me unjustly punished for the sole sake of their own amusement, and you..."

The gemstone was gently set back on the ground, right before the Nacre stood up straight, staring at me.

"You would not see your true potential...and that is something I as a Caretaker can not allow. Thus begins the lesson."

The Nacre brought her leg up, dainty looking foot aimed right at-oh shit.

Crack.

"As a Pearl, you will see and hear many things in the process of serving your owner."

Crackle.

"And it is your duty as a Pearl to keep these things to yourself."

Snap.

The green gemstone finally shattered, splitting into three distinct shards beneath the grinding pressure of the Nacre's foot, who plucked the separated pieces back into her hand in short order.

"We can proceed without this troublesome pebble, thankfully. I have it on good authority that the Gems coming to collect your Batch will be arriving within this orbital cycle, including the admiral."

I stared in muted shock as she held the shards out, palm up. Then I quickly looked up into her gently smiling face.

I'd underestimated Nacre Three, evidently. Alongside just how far she was willing to go in regards to making us both look good.

"Store her remains inside your gemstone and let us never speak of this troublesome obstacle again, yes? I'll ensure no one misses her."

Ruthlessly stifling the almost violent need to swallow, I took the offered fragments of broken gemstone from her hand, holding them in two of my own and inspecting them.

Pretty looking. And also utterly horrifying for someone who had gone through multiple in depth Gem physiology lectures.

Then I did the smart thing, and brought the clear case of murder lower to my stomach. A short flash of light later, and the evidence of the shattering was safely hidden inside my own gemstone.

Just a little bit longer.

"Good Pearl. Now get the limb enhancers as well."

Final stretch...

Chapter Text

Why do you hide from me. I see you giving hearts to the posts. WHY DO YOU HIDE YOURSELF FROM MY GRATITUDE!?

LOG-004.

Rap tap tap.

My thin knuckles gently knocked against the wall I'd chosen to lean against, even as my eyes darted to take in every corner of the shiny, blindingly bright white room Nacre Three had elected to leave me in.

Rap tap tap.

It was finally time. The rest of the Batch were likely only being informed and prepared for presentation now. But I'd known exactly when the Reef's ever so important visitors would arrive. My Caretaker had wanted me to have as much information as possible in the lead up to my being shown off and handed over to my destined owner, obviously.

Hence, while the rest of Batch Sixteen were only now leaving the Pearl quarters to undergo a final cleanup and pep talk prior to their sale, I was already in one of the smaller chambers adjacent to the hangar bay the shuttles transporting the visiting Gems were scheduled to land in, well prepared for what layed ahead.

Why they didn't just use a warp pad (learning about the basics of just how such magnificent devices worked had been one of my few positive experiences in this Hell) was something I didn't, couldn't possibly know. Alongside a million other details. Countless variables constantly flashing through my ever stretching mind even as tears streaked down my cheeks and-

Rap. Tap. Tap.

My hands clenched into tightly balled up little fists, even as I whirled around and glared at the wall behind me.

The reflection of an exhausted looking green Pearl stared back at me, eyes shiny.

I shook, laying my hands against the glimmering surface, using it as as a desperate support even as I whispered to the distorted copy of myself in a hoarse voice that would have quite possibly given Nacre Three whatever the Gem equivalent of a heart attack was.

"Get your head in the game, Viridian. You're nearly out of here. Final stretch. Alright? You're close. You're so close."

"All Pearls from Batch Sixteen B to the primary visitation area. All Pearls from Batch Sixteen B to the primary visitation area."

Hurriedly wiping the wet streaks away and ensuring my hair hadn't been frazzled by my brief outburst of emotion, I took the luxury of spending another few seconds ensuring my appearance was as perfect and flawless as always, even as I turned to the now open door.

"Final fucking stretch."

---

My personal taskmaster had been quick to join me from wherever she'd been once the call had gone out, her hand on my shoulder an everpresent reminder of my fate should I fail to prove myself worthy to this particular Emerald. The walk to the hangar bay itself was short, and my eyes had widened significantly after we'd passed through the doors leading into the gargantuan area.

Not because of the size, but rather the fact that I could see outside the hangar from a massive opened up section, ostensibly there to allow small ships and shuttles to pass through it.

The urge to bawl my eyes out rose up like the need to vomit as I felt sunlight touch my lightform for the first time in...ever. Probably. Yet the clawed fingers wrapped around me ensured not even a single tear escaped my painfully dry eye sockets.

The hangar was just as white as everything else had been, save for a few subtle accents and splashes of colour here and there. In truth, the biggest contrast to the entire area I'd been brought to was the rainbow riot of colours that was an entire Batch of Pearls all being gathered into one place. I could see two other Nacres, identical to my own standing near some kind of console alongside a Peridot, even as my own Caretaker gently pushed me towards the gaggle of Pearls.

"Go on now, Viridian. And ensure you present yourself as the best amongst them."

I didn't hesitate to follow the order, eagerly yet as always gracefully stepping away from the Nacre to join the rest of my Batch.

Surprised eyes stared at me as I silently took my place near the end of the line of Pearls, yet no one spoke as I filled in the missing gap. Not audibly at least.

'You're alive.'

A seemingly simple twitch of Sixteen A's fingers. I shifted my head ever so slightly downwards in response, an act imperceptible to anyone but a fellow slave.

'Yes.'

And that was that, for none of us dared attempt a true conversation once Nacre Three finished whatever discussion she was having with her colleagues, striding towards us on long, almost stilt-like legs.

It was like that, in our line up that we all stood statue still, even as the entire hangar steadily filled with what was clearly a solid portion of the facility's entire garrison.

Despite my proximity to them, I'd only ever seen a Quartz soldier in person just once before. She'd been a yellow Jasper of some sort. I'd taken some small amount of amusement in comparing her to mustard, at the time.

Said amusement had died a miserable death when the mustard coloured Gem had revealed another Pearl trapped in her grasp, the far thinner blue Gem shaking like a leaf even as Nacre One had been informed of her attempt at escaping the Reef in the middle of her conversation with my own overseer.

I hadn't seen that blue Pearl since, though to be fair I hadn't seen many Gems at all since Nacre Three had taken personal charge of my training. My best assumption was Rejuvenation. My worst, shattering and Harvesting-

"Batch Sixteen."

I purged the thoughts from my mind, standing as straight as I could even as my fellow Pearls did the same, just as our Caretaker took her place in front of all of us.

"You have all been taught. You have all been trained. You have all been conditioned. All to make you the best servants you can possibly be. Today is the day that you leave my care, alongside that of the Reef, and become true Pearls."

A steady, humming sound that almost seemed to vibrate the air around us made itself known, even as the first of several shuttles began to descend from the sky above, their pilots carefully manoeuvring the differently shaped vessels through the wide open hangar doors.

The first ship to land was red. The second, green. The third, white.

Yet all those little details barely caught my attention as Nacre Three stared directly at me, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Make me proud."

---

There she was.

Emerald facet 2M7G, cut 8XS.

The bright green, spiky haired, bored looking harbinger of my salvation.

The military Gem cut an imposing figure, to say the very least. Flanked as she was by two serious looking Peridots, even as she and the rest of the Reef's guests mingled with one another. A few minutes of idle discussion passed between the large group, only going silent once Nacre One stepped forward, bowing at the waist with her identical clones copying the action from right behind her.

"Esteemed guests, allow me to personally welcome you to the Reef! Though it would be my pleasure to entertain those of you that are here for the first time and provide a guided tour of our facilities, I understand that we all lead immensely busy lives and thus time may not be a luxury many of us will be able to afford. Unfortunately."

Several agreements rang out from the menagerie of visitors, though some looked ever so slightly disappointed at not being able to poke around a little.

The Nacre rose from her bow, nodding.

"Thus, let us focus on what we are all truly here for."

Her hand moved, slowly gesturing for the Pearl right next to me to come forward.

"Presenting Pearl Sixteen A, to be transferred to the immediate and indefinite ownership of the honourable Sodalite, facet 3U9R, cut 6XP.

Compared to Sixteen A, Sodalite was a dark blue, almost bordering on purple in colour. One singular, drastically oversized eye stared at the Pearl, framed by blue streaked hair that almost seemed to spill around the lilac dress surrounding her plump body.

I silently thanked and cursed the Stars that I had not been first, and that they were following what seemed to be alphabetical order, just as the crimson Pearl stepped forward and bowed daintily.

"It is my pleasure and honour to serve you, my Sodalite."

Silence rang out throughout the hangar as the aristocratic Gem glared down at the Pearl, before sniffing disdainfully.

"It will do. Come along and make way, Pearl. I wish to observe the rest of the proceedings."

And just like that, both master and slave were stepping out of the spotlight, even as the admiral stepped forward, head panning to take in our entire lineup.

Her gaze landed on me just as Nacre One made to open her mouth, only to be beaten to the metaphorical punch by my worst fucking nightmare.

"Presenting Pearl Sixteen B, Viridian! The finest product of my latest Batch, to be transferred to the immediate and indefinite ownership of the venerable Emerald, facet 2M7G, cut 8XS!"

You stupid fucking bitch! What is wrong with you!?

I barely held back a scream as I stepped forward, chest puffed out and head held high. My gemstone thrummed in panic as the admiral's razor sharp looking eyes turned from the Caretaker's abrupt takeover of the presentation to stare me down instead.

My voice came out melodious, even as I took a curtsy that put Sixteen A's previous fumbling gesture of subservience to fucking shame.

"I eagerly await the opportunity to bring you the greatest of joys, my Emerald."

A moment of silence, as the fleet admiral almost seemed to size me up for a few seconds.

Then...finally, a quick, singular nod of approval.

"She seems...well made. Excellent work."

Oh thank the Stars.

---

I didn't get to see the rest of the ceremony, for my new owner had decided that watching various aristocratic Gems, alongside a few other military officers get their freshly prepared Pearls, simply wasn't worth the time she could spend doing something more productive with her life.

Thus, I'd followed the tall Emerald aboard her jade hued shuttle without hesitation, flanked by the two Peridots that had accompanied her in turn.

The last sight I saw of the Reef before the embarking ramp closed with an almost euphorically final click had been Nacre Three's widely smiling face, alongside the two other Caretakers glaring daggers at her from behind.

So long, fuckers.

Then, the shuttle was moving and a loud groan was filling the entire interior as my master plopped down into a nearby seat, waving a hand at one of the Peridots even as the other one moved towards the vessel's cockpit.

"Ugh, I always hate having to deal with those stuffy homecrust aristocrats. Make a note to send some kind of envoy in my place next time, will you?"

A quick affirmative answered the Emerald, the technician utilising her left limb enhancer's (almost painfully familiar to the one resting inside my gemstone, if a little bulkier looking) detached fingers to create a holographic screen she could begin tapping at.

I remained standing, hands firmly clasped in front of me in a respectful pose, not even considering taking a seat unless I was told otherwise.

The decision proved prudent, considering my Emerald was staring at me in short order, her lip quirking ever so slightly upwards.

"Well, I finally got one. Let's see if you were worth the currenza. Entertain me, Pearl."

I smiled widely, and began to sing.

The difference between this particular melody, and the many, many songs I had performed for Nacre Three, was really rather simple in the end.

This one had just a singular note of victory hidden deep within its tune.

Chapter Text

Had a crazy night in the Discord server while writing this. You should watch it lmao.

(Archive edit, these links may not work here, search up Stupid Rock Lady and find the SB version if so)

LOG-005.

The shuttle, as it turned out, had viewports. Or at least some kind of technology that allowed one to view the outside during landing and takeoff. As a direct result of this, I got to see the frankly stellar view of what I'd internally begun to call the Reef world rapidly shrinking beneath us, even as I performed a relatively simple dance routine for the bemused Emerald sitting across from me.

So long, Hellhole. I'll be glad to never ever return to your cursed halls.

Alas, every performance must come to an end eventually, and as I slowly wound down from the elaborate motions that had been engrained into my Gem over my time beneath Nacre Three's (may she splinter and crack) care, the large green Gem leaned forward, tilting her head in interest.

"Hm, not bad. Though I've been told Pearls can do more than just dance and sing. Is this true?"

Bowing my head in favour of nodding, I let a gentle, placid smile mask itself over my face, even as my gemstone sang in triumph.

She'd clearly never had a Pearl before, somehow. And as a rather convenient result of that, didn't quite know what to expect from me besides the absolute basics that every Gem in the empire knew of.

"But of course my Emerald! We Pearls are custom made to serve our owners and as such, I have been programmed and taught to assist you in your work and life in a vast variety of ways."

I performed a short twist, bringing up my hand and drawing the admiral's eyes to the limb as I slowly began to raise my fingers, one by one. Out of the corner of my vision, I noticed one of the Peridots doing the same, an eyebrow quirked beneath her visor.

"I personally have been especially trained to perform auxilliary duties such as taking calls, performing administrative work, acting as a representative when you deem your personal presence unnecessary, cleaning, carrying your things for you, and generally acting as a consistent source of companionship!"

Bringing my hands together in a soft clap, I nodded firmly.

"My very existence is tailored to match your own, and thus the Reef has ensured I am more than well prepared to accommodate the needs and desires of a distinguished fleet admiral such as yourself, my Emerald."

I adopted a new attentive pose (type fourteen, pattern three to be specific), even as the high ranking Gem seemed to consider my words.

Come on come on come on come on come o-

"Well...alright then. I'll see about assigning you some tasks once we're on board the Retaliator."

Blinking, I tilted my head. Cutely, of course.

Cause I was such a cute, aesthetically pleasing Pearl, that no one would ever suspect of being defective in the worst way possible, right?

"The Retaliator, my Emerald?"

The question brought a slight grin to her lips, even as she made a grand gesture towards one of the viewports.

The first thing that caught my attention was the stars, in truth. Out in the void of space (something that I could still scarcely comprehend, considering just how smooth the ride up here felt), I was able to behold the shimmering tapestry of the cosmos without the obstruction that human pollution had once manifested itself as, back when I'd been made up of flesh and blood rather than gem and light.

It was the bright green shape in the middle of that star filled void that drew my eyes next.

It somewhat appeared like someone had taken two impossibly large blades and fused them together, all while attaching engines to the rear and a carefully low, almost squat looking bridge of some kind in the space left between them.

A small, childish part of me that I'd long since considered dead and gone at this point suddenly rose up without warning, making a glaring visual comparison. Namely the fact that it almost exactly looked like an energy blade from Halo, somehow. If it was green and entirely made up of some kind of crystaline looking metallic alloy, that is.

It was a crazy coincidence, to say the very least.

Then a hand landed on my shoulder and I resisted the urge to flinch violently as thousands of memories rose up unbidden at the seemingly innocent action. The small smile that had taken over my face almost threatened to slip, yet I just barely managed to keep up the expression as my Emerald leaned forward, her own fanged grin indicating she was rather pleased with my awestruck demeanor.

"Deadly looking, isn't she? Twin-linked heavy assault ship, cruiser class. She might not have the reputation of rapid transit vanguard vessels like the Sun Incinerator, and she'll obviously never hold a candle to a Diamond class armship, but it's cruisers exactly like my one that project the might of our Empire throughout the universe. We're the stone and foundation of any good fleet, after all."

The metaphorical stars in my eyes, amazingly enough, weren't at all faked as I turned towards my master, even as I did my absolute best to shunt away the tainted memories physical contact tended to dredge up thanks to a certain shatterer.

"She's amazing my Emerald!"

It right well could have been my somewhat twisted imagination, but the Gem admiral's green cheeks seemed to get an almost imperceptible shade darker at my surprisingly honest words.

What? Starships were cool. I'd take what enjoyment I could get out of this shitty life damn it!

"Hah! Just wait until you see the rest of the fleet. We'll be warping directly back to Homeworld and regrouping with them after we dock up with Retaliator."

The shine in my eyes lessened ever so slightly at those words, even as my Emerald ordered a second melody to be sung from my lips, an order I quickly complied with, as a matter of course.

Homeworld, the very last place I wanted to be.

With luck, our presence there would be short.

---

"We have arrived, my Emerald."

The technician's voice was matter of fact, ringing out somewhere behind me as I watched the entire process of landing inside the warship with a dull sense of amazement.

The inside of the Retaliator was just as impressive as the cruiser's exterior, a quick landing within a fairly large hangar bay resulting in our shuttle nestling itself amidst three other similar transports, even as dozens of Gems scrambled around the docking bay. A small platoon of assembled Ruby soldiers saluted as a veritable swarm of Peridots ran to and fro, limb enhancers shifting apart to mimic various tools as the embarking ramp lowered, my Emerald confidently striding out into the mess of Gems below.

What I recognised as a pair of elite Citrine guards both came up, the Quartz warriors performing the standard Diamond salute as the ship's captain stepped forward.

Dozens of eyes blinked at me, even as I quickly took my position just behind the Emerald's side, hands carefully clasped behind my back.

The conversation between my master and what I could only assume were her personal bodyguards was quick, consisting of a relatively simple report on the ship's status. Then we were moving away from the hangar with little fanfare, travelling through an almost maze-like mess of hallways and corridors until we were finally standing in front of a large, triangular door that slid upwards as some kind of scanner flashed across the admiral's chest, yellow light reflecting off of her gemstone for just a second.

The bridge itself was circular, with the majority of the walls taken up by what seemed to be high definition viewing screens. Several control stations occupied by various Gems emitted light and sound, yet the centerpiece of the entire operation was the command throne set smack dab in the middle of everything. A command throne quickly occupied by its owner, who sat down with a brief flourish of her cloak.

Naturally, I elected to stand directly to her side, prompting a brief look from the Gem before she turned to stare at the gargantuan screen directly in front of her, one hand gesturing to a pair of Peridots at the left side of the bridge.

"Engines, status?"

"Optimal, my Emerald!"

"Warp drive?"

"The same, my Emerald!"

A smile graced the admiral's lips, before she leaned forward and swept her hand out to point directly at the simulated image of the void in front of us.

"Then we have all we need. All hands, prepare for jump!"

Several pings rang out from a nearby terminal as what seemed to be another Citrine rapidly tapped at the controls in front of her, resulting in a steady hum that seemed to build up from somewhere deeper within the ship, directly behind us.

For just a brief second, I felt things couldn't truly get any better than this.

Then the ship figuratively and literally leapt forward, and I realised just how much the beauty of the stars paled in comparison to the shining, glittering vista that was warp space.

Chapter Text

This is a chapter written by a fan that has since been canonized, there's a few of these in the story and you can recognise them because they won't have traditional chapter names. 

My Pearl cannot be this weird! (fan chapter by CandleWick105)

Another warp. Another rock-called-a-planet. Not even a sign of life.

A groan rises up on the bridge. Bet's called in, and coin exchanged in the manner of the judicially ignored.

Emerald tilts her head slightly, a warning to cut back without an actual warning. That would mean an official reprimand. Not something she wants to hand out, just as she made her bridge the way she liked.

Silence as she speaks, all actions stilled, "Peridot, record another failure, as expected."

"Of course my Emerald!" Peridot says, and ignores how her partner nudges her ribs. Peridot was so certain that the deep range scanner would work this time.

"And, fuel-check."

"Yes, my Emerald!" A different Peridot says. "… Outside expectations, half-full!"

Unfortunate, depending on the local deep space currents, more or less fuel may be spent. "That gas giant seems suitable, send enough shuttles to reach three-quarters."

"At once, my Emerald!"

"Good. Now, standard work, get to it."

The bridge returned to activity, navigators and operators and engineers returning to their tasks. The busywork of command.

But, why was Emerald on edge? What was causing her hackles to raise?

She felt eyes on her back. Two. Starry eyed and soft.

Right. The Pearl.

"Sing." Emerald turned, leaned just slightly against the side of her throne. Better to face her entertainment.

The Pearl sung. Her notes sharp but low. A rhythm that wove between the bustle of the crew, and rose just above, dominating the room not through volume, but through its clarity.

The words were a hymn to the ship, praising the nature of exploration, and the valiance of the explorer. Pride was plucked and sharpened, and Emerald could almost see how her eavesdropping crew stood just a little straighter, just a little stronger.

The Jaspers clutching their spears, military straight, were slowly moving their lips. Mouthing out the words.

Emerald felt generous, and pressed the intercom button, so that the whole ship may hear.

It was pleasant enough, but something was wrong. Something about how the Pearl sang, eyes so bright, was uncanny.

It hit her on the second chorus, with a rumbling rhythm the crew tried to step in time to. Not once has the Pearl blinked.

Emerald leaned forward, staring down the Pearl hard.

There was a hitch in the song. Noticed only by Emerald's heightened awareness. And the Pearl's gaze focused on Emerald's. Bright eyes against suspicious.

Emerald blinked.

The Pearl continued to sing. But, as if, she had just realised, the Pearl blinked too. Eyelids slowly closing, methodical movements towards the middle. And they opened.

A moment later, another blink, just as rigid and precise. Precisely consistent. Precisely measured. Not reflexive, but chosen specifically.

Emerald slowly reclined back in her chair, an attempt to relax, and simply enjoy the song. But some portion of her mind lingered on those eyes.

There is a new rumour about. Well, to be fair, on a ship as large as Emerald's. As storied and ancient, there is always rumours.

But this one is rather more fantastical. Not like so and so failed something or other, or how that one or this one sabotaged this or that.

This ones about the monster stalking these halls.

A misshapen gem. Somehow surviving the Kindergarten purge. Somehow making it to a Warp gate without being detected. Somehow making it aboard an Emerald's personal ship.

They say it wails on the off-cycles. Haunting the corridors and rooms and feasting on those who should be resting, and not wandering the halls. Weeping constantly, for what it does, and what it is.

Clod-bait, a weapon's gunner mutters, an overactive imagination.

This one's different! The junior technician whispers, I have recordings.

Emerald passes by, inspections well underway. She hears the tinny noises from the hidden crystal. Volume tuned as low as it goes.

She ignores the lessor's huddle, as is her nature, but she does not ignore the screams from the recording.

It is ghastly. It is haunting. It is undeniably a persons sobs. And undeniably a wail of fear and anguish.

It reminds her of the wretched noises some Gems make, when they are dragged to the harvesting chambers.

A night later, after she has dismissed the Pearl, after she has dismissed her Jaspers and Peridots. She finds herself restless, and walks the ship alone.

Everyone else is at rest. The ship groans the groans of a ship. Silent, save for the shift of crystal and metal as gravity slowly changes the strength of its pull. Silent, save for the soft tinkling. Micro-matter too small to see impacting the hull too fast to see.

There is a scream, and Emerald remembers the recording. It sounds awful.

It's coming from the door down the hall.

It wails again as she places her hand on the door, screechy and overused to the point of scratching. Wet, and nasal.

Emerald pushes the door open.

On the other side, there is a figure small and lithe. Too dark to see. Hunched over a basin, two claw-like hands gripping the rim tight. The head a mess too spiked, wild and sharp. It leaps away from where it stands as Emerald reaches for the lights.

It is gone.

Emerald very carefully steps forwards, her gaze hyper-focused. She closes the door, locking it behind her. The room has only one exit – it cannot get away.

(She thinks it is the Pearl, a confrontation will get answers.)

She approaches the basin, sees the mirror above it. This is a room for washing up, removing any dirt caught in crevasses while off-ship. The basin seems scratched. Material made rough and jagged by sharp fingernails.

There is something in the basin. A box. One simple. Black material, latched. Slowly, Emerald reaches towards it.

The door unlocks and opens.

"Something wrong, my Emerald?"

Emerald does not shriek. She does look sharply.

It is the Pearl. She stands straight, tall. Pristine and perfect. Hair spiked, but groomed and carefully placed. There are no tear tracks. There are no signs of distress. Her voice is soft, pleasant. Not raw, grief-rent.

Emerald considers her, then glances down at the basin. She decides not to open the box in front of the Pearl. She looks back to see the Pearl's eyes somehow brighter and sharper.

"… There is something wrong. My ship has been damaged," her fingers ran over the grooves. Carved by fingers sharp as knives. "Go fetch something to burr these unsightly lines out."

The closest tool for this job would be in the hanger – the grinder used to burr out damage to shuttle hulls. It would have the Pearl going far away, and staying gone for long enough for Emerald.

A hand too soft to break anything lifts up a block of sandpaper excitedly. "I have this, my Emerald!"

Emerald glares, "So you have," she steps to the side, leaving the box where it is. "Correct the issue."

"With pleasure, my Emerald!" And she does, practically skipping.

With the basin returned to smooth grace, the Pearl stands aside proudly. As if showing it off.

The box is still in the basin, and Emerald reaches for it.

The Pearl stares, Emerald touches the basin's rim instead, inspecting the finish.

The Pearl stares, Emerald withdraws her hand, and looks at the Pearl.

The Pearl keeps looking at Emerald, and reluctantly, Emerald leaves the room with her trailing behind.

The box stays in the basin.

Emerald never sees it again.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Silence in the room. Hurry up and wait.

The sentiment persists even this far up the command chain, Emerald muses.

Backs rigid, bodyguards still.

Smile soft, the Pearl stiller.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

"… Dance for me." Stop staring at me.

"Of course my Emerald!" Immediate, without warning. Viridian dances as if she was merely waiting for Emerald. As if she could read Emerald perfectly.

(She couldn't, right?)

Pirouettes perfect and graceful, as if the Pearl was made to do this. Perhaps she was. Viridian's toes were outstretched, long slim legs balanced so precariously, but so precisely. They beat a rythmn in the ground as she moves. A shape traced by her dance.

The diamond.

She stops, spinning in place. Her arms, once pinned so close, stretch out wide. Slowing her speed until her motions could be seen for their precision. Her head rarely left the same direction. Facing Emerald even as her neck twisted. Until it could no longer twist more, and in a blur she rotated her head, until she faced Emerald again. Neck turned the other way, so she can face Emerald for longer.

Her arms return inwards, spin speeding up. But instead of returning to her chest they rise up high. Upper arm's sticking out straight, parallel to the floor. Her forearms aiming up, hands sharp as knives. Towards a point above her head.

The triangle.

Her routine changes again. The spinning stops. And in motions so fluid, as if any other Gem's proprioception would not have been shot, the Pearl, Viridian, started leaping. Delicate graceful leaps flowing into twirls and movement high and low. Somehow, a ribbon has started to trail after her hands. The fluttering flickering emerald green catching the eyes. Flying free and fast, and around and around Viridian's body.

A circle.

Emerald cannot help but see these symbols. Always in her dances. No matter how wild or flowerly or gentle or soft, no matter how varied. It always came down to those three symbols. Traced in her movements, her gestures, her actions.

Leap. Slide. Sway. Spin.

Diamond, triangle, circle.

Diamonds are the symbol of the patriot. The pinnacles of Gem society.

Triangles are the symbol of the pyramid. The greatest and most important are housed within.

Circles are symbols of nothing. Yet Viridian keeps making them. A motif clear to even the thickest Ruby.

Swoop. Dip. Ascend. Spin.

Those circles, always. Circles on circles on circles.

The guards stand rigid, seemingly uncaring of Viridian's grace. But Emerald can see the smiles. So can the Pearl. Some of those movements… Even though Viridian's gaze never left Emerald, her dance clearly was for them as well.

It ends. Emerald doesn't say anything, but points to her side.

Viridian returns. Perfect silence, perfect stance. Her gaze still on Emerald. Not judging, nor appraising. But not, not those.

She worries what she wants.

Madness is, perhaps, seeing what others do not.

The crew love the Pearl. They show it in the glances, the humming, how whenever Viridian is sent on some minor task, the Gems cannot help but help with as much fervour as they do Emerald.

Even worse, when the day of work is done, and her entourage is dismissed; the free Gems crowd around Viridian, and drag her out of Emerald's sight. They cannot seem to get enough of the Pearl, and wish to be with her even during off-time.

Far from Emerald's opinion, for when the Jaspers, rowdy in their Quarters, request that Viridian – Not Emerald's Pearl, but Viridian by name – participate in their weekly tournament, Emerald stamps her seal with vigour.

Well, Emerald says tournament. But really its a brawl club. A ring scratched into the floor. The lights above broken until only one spot-lights the rings. Two or more enter, one stays, the rest dragged out.

It is brutal, violent. Only the Jaspers's skill, and that weapons are forbade, ensure each gem is intact. Although, nearly none leave without some gouge or scratch in their hardlight flesh.

Viridian is returned with nary a scratch in her frame. The Jaspers grin and laugh.

And when Emerald passes them by in the corridor, just far enough ahead that any conversation between any one to any who can be ignored, the Jaspers talk.

They mock and jeer at Viridian, but they also mock and jeer each other so that means nothing.

What means more is how they touch Viridian. Arms over shoulder, claps on back, nods of respect and almost hugs.

What means more is what they say.

"Pearlie! Rematch when you can, 'key? I had you dead to rights and I tripped! I swear I'll give you a proper one next time, yeah?"

"Hey Twigs! You were right – she does think about me that way. Can't believe I was to dumb to realise myself!"

"Vers – next song you give, can you do that one about the moon and her love? It- I… I would like to hear it again okay?"

Next week, Emerald receives another request to have Viridian. She fears they are subverted.

(Viridian stares, and Emerald cannot find it in herself to say no.)

Gems do not need to eat or drink or sleep, true. But that merely makes the hydroponics abroad and the Quarries luxuries, instead of necessities. Some Emeralds, Emerald knows, rations their usage ruthlessly. The simple beds and hammocks and soft paddings of each Quarry strictly allotted to the high achievers every week. And a feast prepared for the Gem of honour of this or that skirmish.

Emerald thinks rather fairer, and allows her Gems a goodly six hours each day for Quarry use– eight, for the communal ones– and is always free with the choice fruits that flower.

This is because she herself enjoys them, and flagrantly so. Who was she to deny her crew the base pleasures she enjoys? Just the appearance of her personal Quarters alone should attest to that.

There is the soft bedding, Some wool-like material from avian life. With great plumes that trailed down and after them as they flew amongst the clouds. Camouflage, the Peridots say. Last Emerald checked, there remained a sizeable population on their home planet. Predicted to last until it dies.

There is also the gentle bed curtains, strung from above and cascading down. Silk from some strange organic beasts. Taller then man, many legged and many eyed. They made for good hunting, and their supply of silk made it so that the artisans and the sedate nobles pretending to be hunters clamoured for them. Well after the beasts home planet was drained worthless.

By the bed, a table. Holding a single silver platter. What once held soft-pink plant-flesh. Well. Until she finished it, and her Pearl disappeared the refuse away. Somehow, in the moments where Emerald was not looking.

There is also Viridian. Standing there. Just at the foot of the bed. Eyes bright and shining in the dark. Stare blatant against the back of Emeralds head.

She pulls the cover closer, tighter and deeper in.

Viridian was dismissed. Along with her bodyguards. They were to find amusement for themselves, somewhere else. While Emerald rests.

At some point, Viridian returned. Silent, and unnoticed until Emerald glanced to the left. And saw Viridian's blank shining eyes, ramrod straight against the wall.

Emerald shivered. The bed was too soft. It had a herbal scent to it. One that was pleasing to Emerald.

She did not apply it. No Peridot or Jasper or even the Pebbles would have done such a thing. Something so, so, luxurious. Only a Pearl would even consider. The frivolous things.

(When did she have the time to do it? Emerald made sure Viridian did not leave her side all day.)

(No creature can exist in two places at once.)

(She hopes.)

Viridian's eyes gleam in the dark, so dearly noticed and unwanted by Emerald.

Chapter Text

So we got fanart, a fan song, multiple pages worth of discussion and a crazy sidestory from Emerald's perspective all in one go. Are y'all snorting crack? Can I have some?

LOG-006.

"Bring it on you clod!"

Time, I found, tended to pass much more quickly when one wasn't fearing for their life every second of every day. It also helped that time itself seemed to act a bit weird when travelling through Warp space, though that might have just been me not being used to the mode of faster than light travel.

Oh, I was more than well aware that I was still in a frankly heinous amount of danger if I dared risk a real slip up, but compared to the tender mercies and utterly exacting standards of the Reef, well...the Retaliator really didn't feel so terrible in the end. The trip through the Warp network had been brief, but during that time I'd hopefully cemented my status as the vessel's resident entertainment piece, alongside the one ensuring damn near every hallway was free of even the most minute specs of filth.

"Oof! Hey, no kicking!"

Becoming acquainted with most of the Gems on board hadn't been my intention when I'd poured my all into singing and dancing for the warship's captain, but I couldn't say I truly regretted it in the slightest. The two Citrines had listened in during one of my performances, and from there, the fact that there was apparently also a Pearl now on board, and the account of her ever so flawless singing voice had spread throughout the Retaliator like wildfire.

I'd expected a reprimand, my experience still raw from a certain Caretaker's general practices when it came to such things (and something deep inside of me shuddered in revulsion as I realised I'd grown accustomed to expecting punishment for something that was no fault of my own), or at least for the bodyguards to be told off in some way or form.

"No weapons! That's the only rule!"

Instead, I'd found myself being let loose by Emerald to mingle with the rest of the crew. Almost eagerly.

I'd nearly lost control of my lightform from sheer terror then and there, utterly horrified that the commanding Gem had already gotten sick of me, and that she'd soon demand a replacement.

My performances had, predictably, been greatly enhanced as a result. Survival was an excellent motivator, all things considered. I'd toured the very depths of the ship, dancing around Peridots (and eagerly watching and learning just how they kept some of the borderline magical looking technology that made up everything around us running), enthralling Ruby soldiers with simple stories that I made up practically on the spot each time, discussing the merits and nuances of exploring and settling organic worlds with Nephrite pilots, and singing various ballads for some of the Quartz elites on board.

"Alright, that's enough for both of you. Clear the ring!"

Like the Jaspers.

I liked the Jaspers, surprisingly enough.

Similar to the Ruby infantry below them, the shocktroopers were fairly blunt at times, and frighteningly honest about their feelings in the face of what I'd long since grown used to back during my training in the Reef. Compared to the technobabble of the Retaliator's technicians or the constant creeping feeling that Emerald was eyeing me up for Harvesting, the Jaspers were, in a word...human.

So painfully, horribly, beautifully human. If one ignored the fact that they were mass produced warriors, that is.

I dipped low, ending my brief demonstration of dance type seven, pattern two and finally finishing off the energetic hymn I'd been belting out as the brief bout between soldiers had progressed. The climax earned a few claps from the burly Gems around me, even as one of them let out a cheer from the prone position she'd taken up in her cubby, close up to the 'ceiling' of the barracks.

"Woo! Do the one about the Zircon next!"

Another soldier snuggled up next to her (my idle, vaguely teasing comment that they seemed to like being rather close to each other had resulted in something happening between the two, apparently) cuffed her over the head, before pointing at me.

"Nah! Let's have a rematch instead! I still haven't managed to catch you yet!"

Ah, the 'duels.'

At some point, one of the Jaspers (I was still learning each of their individual designators, but this one commonly went by the nickname Rush) had jokingly offered to 'fight' me.

I'd been high on the unique (in this life, had to remember that. Being able to speak to people without worrying about being used and abused was meant to be the norm damn it!) experience of having a group of individuals to talk to that weren't actively looking for ways to exploit me. I'd been stupid.

I'd jokingly accepted.

The mock battle had escalated after I'd managed to dodge a few incredibly light and halfhearted slaps. Then it had become a rather strange form of stalemate rather quickly. I couldn't quite figure out a way to truly harm her, not that I really wanted to in the first place. But neither could she actually get a hold of me. Apparently perfect balance and the ability to contort oneself into a variety of shapes and forms were useful for more than just dancing and looking pretty.

That first 'fight' had ended with the far larger Quartz finally growing impatient and lunging at me, only for a quick sidestep to end the entire thing with the shocktrooper unwittingly flinging herself out of the ring the lot of them had scratched onto the floor, and into a nearby cubby, to the raucous laughter of the rest of her unit.

I'd been worried about accidentally offending them all somehow. Instead, the fact that I was such a 'quick and nimble little thing' had drawn praise and what vaguely seemed to be disproportionate levels of affection from the lot, for some reason. After that, I'd gone from simply Pearl to Pearlie. Or Twigs. Or Skinny. Or sometimes, when they were all being especially earnest, Viridian. The fact that I still hadn't managed to figure out where they'd heard that particular name from bothered me, sometimes.

Still, it had almost felt like...friendship. And I'd even managed to go an entire cycle without needing to cry out my bubbled up emotions in an empty and unmonitored maintenance closet as a result of the positive mood I'd been left in afterwards. So...mental health win. Probably.

Dashing the internal deluge of thoughts aside, I bowed my head with an apologetic smile.

"I'm afraid my Emerald has ordered that I return to the bridge within the next cycle, so we'll just have to postpone your defeat for another time. I wouldn't want to be late to a direct summons from our admiral. after all."

A few disappointed groans answered the matter of fact statement, alongside a few jeers at my cocky promise.

The Jaspers liked cocky, though. So it was okay.

---

My first ever visit to Homeworld had initially proven itself to be important, if utterly uneventful on my end. I'd been left to stand around aboard the command bridge, quietly acting as a piece of living decoration even as Emerald had opened up a holo-call with the rest of her fleet, loitering in orbit of the massive, heavily scarred world they'd all tethered themselves to.

I'd silently marvelled at the sheer damage done to the planet, and wondered just what in the Stars the Diamonds could have done to result in a capital world being left in such a sorry state.

"All are present? Good, we can begin."

My attention shifted as my Emerald sat up straight in her throne, seeming utterly in her element now.

Good for her.

Most of the captains in charge of what I now knew to be the Fifty Fifth Lance Fleet's various ships were veteran Nephrites, though there had been a single Gem that I'd recognised as some sort of Agate in command of what I could only assume was a troop carrier of some kind.

At the very least, my position at the admiral's side had allowed me to glean just what exactly our new situation was.

"For a start, Incisor, Sentinel and Edge will be shuffled to the Blue regions effective immediately. Their own security vessels have been reporting more and more alien activity amidst the Saphiric route, and Yellow Diamond wants the potential hole closed up before some organic pirates or rogue Gems decide it can be exploited somehow."

Namely, that we were being split up. Massive military fleets were needed for wars, and Homeworld hadn't faced a major conflict of any sort that wasn't larger than a very brief skirmish since the Rose Quartz rebellion. Now the name of the game was exploration and evaluation of potential new colony worlds and the protection of supply lanes from the various marauding FTL capable species that could be found on the very fringes of Imperial space.

And so, I watched on as one of Homeworld's largest war fleets were effectively sliced apart, with Emerald assigning each separate ship their own sectors of space to explore, or patrol and protect, as needed.

My personal contribution to the whole thing had been stepping forward and posing cutely when one of the Nephrites had let loose a short bark of a laugh.

"Finally got that Pearl for yourself, huh admiral? She looks nice!"

Hmph, I look exquisite, thank you very much!

---

"We're going to be attending an audience with my Diamond."

My metaphorical heart leapt into my throat at the last word, even as I slowly, ever so slowly, turned to look at my Emerald, the commanding officer still lounging around in her throne, even after the holographic meeting had long since ended.

"Y-yellow Diamond, my Emerald?"

Sharp eyes turned towards me, and I held back a cry of despair at the green Gem's firm nod.

"Correct. I am to recieve my new standing orders now that I've dispatched the Fifty Fifth."

She tilted her head slightly, humming a tune I recognised from one of the many songs I'd performed aboard the bridge.

"Direct meetings like this only happen every few thousand cycles. I know this is your first time ever visiting Homeworld, but I expect you to be on your absolute best behaviour regardless, understood?"

I wanted to fucking scream.

Instead, I just bowed deeply, a wide smile stretching across my face.

"Why as a matter of course, my Emerald! Should I help prepare you for the meeting? Would you prefer your hair done up in a different style? Oh! Or would you like me to retrieve some of the perfumes from storage?"

The admiral let out a soft sigh, before shaking her head.

"That won't be necessary, Viri-Pearl. Just keep on as you always do."

In my absolute haste to bow even deeper to the admiral, I failed to notice the out of character slip up until much, much later.

Chapter Text

Was listening to this while writing up the chapter and thinking of how seeing Homeworld for the first time would feel. (Links don't work here, check SB version)

LOG-007.

The transport shuttle that had once acted as my salvation now felt like a cage, even as I watched through the viewport as the towering golden spires of the Yellow district came ever closer, the distant form of the Retaliator slowly shrinking in size behind us.

Homeworld, despite its utterly ravaged appearance at a first glance, actually went about its existence as an ecumenopolis. In layman's terms, it meant that the entire planet was covered up by one absolutely gigantic city. And it kind of had to be like that, considering the place acted as the central hub and capital world of an entire interstellar empire.

It was beautiful, admittedly. Nothing I'd ever experienced, in either of my lives, could ever truly compare to the sight.

Still didn't make me feel much better about having to be anywhere near the place, though.

The capital's general geography had been included in the lesson plans back at the Reef, thus I at least had a basic sense of just where we were going. Though the city spanned the entire world, it was still organised into four distinct districts.

You could take a wild guess as to just how said districts were divied up. One was dedicated for each Diamond, obviously. With the shattered Pink Diamond's territory generally running mostly autonomously, from what my old Caretaker had explained during my private education.

"Preparing to land, my Emerald!"

The Nephrite pilot's declaration was punctuated by the feeling of our ride finally breaching what tiny bit of atmosphere the ecumenopolis still had. Then we were darting into practically incomprehensible lanes of flying traffic, nestled amongst titanic cargo ships, sleek two Gem skycars, and just about everything in between those two extremes.

The ride mostly passed in silence. Right up until it didn't. As if reacting to some unseen signal, my Emerald sat up, staring out one of the viewports.

"There, take us in to that secondary Warp junction. We can make it to the palace using a free pad."

I continued to softly hum a melodic tune as we began a landing sequence, even as my mind whirled with what if scenarios, each more terrible than the last.

---

Warp junctions were...interesting. I could vaguely remember how Warp pads worked from the show, and some of my lessons at the Reef had helped fill me in on the rest. Junctions, it seemed, were a massive congregation of hundreds of such pads, with each crystaline circle constantly recieving or spitting out at least a dozen individuals at a time. All around the area, however, was a new type of Gem I didn't recognize. Mostly notable due to the fact that they were apparently out in force today.

"Identification and purpose of visit to this junction."

We'd been confronted by a pair of those pale yellow Gems almost immediately upon exiting the shuttle, with several more of them seemingly loitering nearby.

Their bodyplan almost reflected that of a Quartz. Almost. Their limbs were just as thick, but their torsos and connecting hips were quite literally the shape of an hourglass, and the identical triangular hairstyles they all sported repeatedly drilled into my head that no matter how human some Gem types may appear or even act, there would always be others ready to put my hopes back in the dirt, reminding me that I was trapped within an inherently alien empire.

An angular visor, almost like that of a Peridot, completed whatever look they were going for, even as dark eyes swivelled to take our small group in.

"Emerald Facet 2M7G, cut 8XS. Fleet admiral with direct orders to answer a summons from Yellow Diamond herself."

One of the Peridots that had come along with us brushed past me, holding up a limb enhancer shifted into a screen for one of the guards (I didn't rightfully know what else to call them, really) to inspect. Said guard's eyes widened seconds later, before the Gem bowed her head and gestured to one of the unoccupied Warp pads.

"My apologies for the delay, admiral. Please, proceed."

I resisted the urge to stare behind us as we passed the pair of enforcers, only for Emerald's voice to draw me back to reality.

"Those were Sphenes. They're a rather recent development, so am I safe to assume you weren't informed about them back during your training?"

Shaking my head apologetically, I kept careful pace with the Emerald, even as the two technicians closed ranks behind us, presumably staying to keep an eye on the transport.

"I'm afraid not, my Emerald. What are they?"

As we both walked up onto the Warp pad, my master let out a slight hum.

"Law enforcement, from what I understand. Much cheaper to make compared to your average Quartz, if not as powerful. I personally don't see the point of them, but then again I'm not exactly a Diamond, now am I? They serve whatever purpose is relevant, I suppose."

Any response I might have made was put on hold as we were both engulfed by light, and promptly shunted into the Warp.

The dimension that allowed the Gem empire to trivialise travelling...just about anywhere really, tended to be empty of everything but light and the occasional shadow when one was passing through it. Though to be fair my sole experience with it had been on a starship in the depths of space, so maybe that was a given.

The Warp on Homeworld was rather busy in comparison. I could practically see the tunnels being formed by other pads, distant figures travelling through them at speeds almost too quick to catch. Our own trip lasted less than a minute, before we were stepping off yet another Warp pad, this one inside of some kind of massive chamber.

The golden Gems here were ones I recognised. Topaz. Two utterly hulking warriors, each wielding an axe larger than my entire body. The only feature that allowed me to tell the two apart was that one had their gemstone situated in the dead center of their chest, while the other was similar to me, their own shiny rock just about where a human bellybutton might be.

Behind them laid a pair of big ass doors, the rather distinctive mural of a Diamond emblazoned upon them.

I'd expected words of some kind. Maybe another demand for identification, but the duo barely glanced at Emerald before turning to shove the gargantuan doors they were guarding wide open.

Then we were moving once more, this time through a long, almost barren hallway. Towards our ultimate destination, presumably.

Fun. Not.

Utterly terrifying, more like.

---

She was monolithic.

That was the only real way I could describe the being known as Yellow Diamond. Perhaps a native Gem, long since taken in by all the propaganda and indoctrination, would have used other words. Majestic. Incandescent. Glorious. All viable options to be sure.

But to me, the supreme commander of a vast majority of the Imperial army and navy was rigid. Uncompromising. Merely following my Emerald into the large, throne/office the Diamond had chosen to host this meeting in had felt like walking into a room full of electrically charged air.

Then the gigantic woman had turned a pair of hyperfocused eyes towards us, and I had damn near buckled. Thankfully, survival instincts had won out over sheer lightform glitching fear, and my arms had damn near snapped into the ever distinct Diamond salute, even faster than Emerald's could.

I remained silent as the admiral took the lead, stepping forward and taking a knee, her head bowed. I followed suit, as a matter of course.

"My Diamond. I arrive as requested, and await your commands."

A hum left the giant's throat, her eyes roving over Emerald before suddenly darting towards me.

I prayed to God. To the Stars. To fucking White Diamond, if need be, that her militaristic counterpart would not somehow find me wanting. That she would not immediately suss out that I was wrong.

Whoever was listening answered, apparently, and the very edge of her lip quirked ever so slightly upwards.

"Finally got yourself a Pearl I see. Good."

I remained statue still, even as the Diamond beckoned my master forward. Soon enough, the two were discussing something. I heard mention of trade routes, potential colonies, and something about a research post. Anything else flew over my head considering I was far more occupied by the slowly approaching form of yet another yellow Gem, this one having turned the corner from somewhere beneath the Diamond's desk.

She was a Pearl. A Diamond's Pearl, to be more specific.

I didn't know what to do as the servant Gem finally came to a halt just a few feet away from me, eyes roving over my form in a parody to that of the Goddess behind her. Almost instinctively, the tips of my fingers began to twitch from their position maintaining the Diamond salute. I didn't know what else to do.

'Hello.'

The simple greeting drew a quirked brow from the yellow Pearl.

Then she waved me off, letting loose a snort that almost had me gasping from just how inappropriate it fucking was, if it weren't for the fact that sucking in air while in the presence of a Diamond would, without a doubt, be even worse.

Seriously, what the fuck!? How could she just ignore the literal titan sitting in the corner!?

"Relax with the sign language. My Diamond doesn't mind us interacting while she deals with your owner."

Her voice was more nasally in comparison to mine. Her head more round. Shit, even her lightform seemed just a little more...well made. For just a singular instance, I felt the familiar yet somehow unfamiliar pangs of jealousy. Then I managed to identify the utterly stupid emotion and mentally stomped it out in its entirety.

A delicate hand gently brushed against the very tips of my dress.

"Hm, I see the Nacres' tastes are ever evolving. Very heavy on the simulated fabric."

In the world outside of my own head, my arms slowly dropped to my sides. Then I did what I hoped was correct.

A light curtsy. Type one, pattern one. Bow the head. Nice and subservient. She was the bigger Pearl around these parts, and I'd be damned if I didn't let everyone present know that I knew my fucking place in comparison.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, and an honour to stand within the same space as our Diamond."

A moment passed, even as I slowly raised my head.

Did I fuck up? I'd fucked up, hadn't I? Maybe I just shouldn't have said anythi-

"Hmph. Good to see that at least some of you Era Two Pearls still have basic manners. Come on, we can take some time to relax while my Diamond settles things with your Emerald."

Then the yellow Pearl was walking away, off towards another section of the gargantuan chamber that probably just felt like a roomy study for its equally large owner.

Hesitantly (and bloody well dreading the figurative minefield I was about to step into), I followed.

Chapter Text

If Viridian ever came to life she'd strangle me I think.

LOG-008.

I want to leave I want to go home this fucking sucks and I'd like to cry a little can I please-

"So, what's the Reef like these days? The last time I was there was, oh...sometime near the end of Era One? Any significant alterations since then?"

I smiled gently at Yellow Pearl's (what else was I supposed to call her? She had no number!) question, even as we remained seated atop what I assumed was some kind of Diamond sized table, next to several expansive diagrams that I had to physically resist the urge to look at.

Seriously, there'd even been a small (to a Diamond, anyway) staircase to allow us to climb up to the surface. If I wasn't actively doing my best to maintain an exterior veneer of functionality, I'd probably risk a laugh.

"I'm afraid I'm not quite sure where to begin. I can only assume there have been changes."

The golden Gem hummed in response to my not quite answer, tilting her head slightly. In the brief silence, I carefully listened to Emerald and our Diamond discussing something regarding a lost starship.

"Ah, are the Nacres still the same?"

I blinked.

"Extremely strict and unforgiving of failure?"

Yellow nodded. "Yes. Do they still lock troublemakers away for a few cycles?"

Pausing, I slowly shook my head. I couldn't remember any of my Batch ever being put into 'timeout', so to speak.

"Not...quite. Generally anyone who fails to meet expectations is beaten back into proper shape and compliance. If that doesn't work, there's always Rejuvenation. One of the Pearls in my Batch got hit with it, came back much more receptive to training afterwards."

A moment passed.

Then two. Part of me panicked a bit more than the rest, since clearly I'd said something wrong judging by my fellow Pearl's wide eyes.

"Pearls don't fail a Nacre's expectations. Beatings? And Rejuvenation? In the middle of...training?"

I hesitated for less than a second, before nodding.

"Yes? Was it different for you?"

She merely huffed, as if my own question was out of line. Maybe it was.

Or maybe, cooped up as she was with her Diamond for her entire life, Yellow Pearl couldn't quite grasp that the outside world could and generally would change, with or without anyone's input.

"W-well of course! No Pearl would require a physical lesson, for one! Not while they're still inside of the Reef at least! And getting their memories erased! Like some common criminal! Just how bad has it gotten in there that such measures need to be implemented? You're talking as if you were brought up in some secondary or even tertiary facility, where's the quality control?!"

Weakly, I raised a finger.

"Ah...from what I understand from my time there, that is the quality control? I never experienced any of it myself, but I saw it happen to some of my Batchmates more than a few times. Nacre Three, our Caretaker, tended to give out physical punishments more often than not."

Mostly cause she was a massive fucking neurotic bitch clod pebble whore of a Gem, though that part went unsaid, for rather obvious reasons.

Regardless of my own inner complaining, the statement prompted what almost sounded like a deeply disgusted sigh from the Pearl, even as she brought a hand up to cradle her head in a show of exhaustion.

"Ugh, nearly everything's gotten worse because of that stupid Quartz and her 'rebellion.' It's just ridiculous-"

The building tirade was cut off by a single word.

"Pearl."

I kept quiet, even as I mirrored the pose of my yellow counterpart, both of us turning and saluting as the Diamond in the room glanced at us from her work space.

Back to business, then.

"Yes, my Diamond?"

Golden eyes that almost seemed to glow with power panned across both of us for a moment, before the supreme commander tilted her head towards a patiently waiting Emerald.

"The admiral has her new orders. Upload any relevant technical details to a disposable datapad and give it to her Pearl. This meeting is over."

Oh thank the Stars.

---

The trip out of Yellow Diamond's palace was a weight off my shoulders, mostly because I had somehow managed to maintain my composure throughout the entire experience. Or at least, I assumed I had. I wasn't being dragged away for harvesting, after all. Instead, I merely followed my Emerald through some kind of massive central plaza type area, with intersecting 'highways' allowing the seemingly infinite crowds of Gems passing through it to go in just about any direction they wanted.

My eyes idly took in what I could only presume was some kind of shop, advertising accessories for Pearls including lightform adjusters, ribbon wands and even physical appearance modifiers. Fancy.

Thankfully for our time and possibly sanity, my Emerald didn't spare any of the shops and services all around us so much as a glance, instead just resolutely marching towards what seemed to be an entirely different Warp junction to the one we'd previously taken.

Maybe the other one was at capacity or something?

Meh.

My thoughts abruptly turned away from my environment, towards details more relevant to me. Namely like the shiny new object stashed within my gemstone.

The datapad I now carried was a small, sleek thing that had been almost lemon like in colour when I'd first recieved it.

It was also redundant, but telling off Yellow fucking Diamond wasn't exactly on my list of priorities. Maybe she knew I could memorize the exact details of our new mission perfectly. Maybe she didn't. Not my problem or even remote responsibility to bring up and question, not at all. It just meant that the small collection of perfumes, pillows and other utterly redundant datapads all stored in my gemstone now had company that wasn't the aftermath of a shattering. Fun.

The task written and stored on the device itself was simultaneously the best and worst thing I could have ever asked for. We were being sent on a search and retrieve mission for a specialised transport vessel that had been lost somewhere near the very fringes of the Gem empire, far, far away from the Great Diamond Authority and all of Homeworld. Which was great.

What had me wary was the fact that well armed and armoured interstellar cargo freighters didn't just go missing for no reason. It could be anything from insane organic space pirates, to rogue, defective Gem rebels (one could only hope they'd take pity on a Pearl like myself should we ever encounter them), to even just extremely hostile conditions in whatever system they'd ended up stranding themselves in, and we were being deployed to find the poor schmucks because of fucking course we were.

Worst of all, the fleet vessels of the Fifty Fifth Lance wouldn't be joining us, considering they'd all already received their new standing orders and were likely already either Warping away from Homeworld or actively preparing to do so. At best my Emerald would maybe be able to conscript a spare handship or two to tag along with us, since we were operating directly under a Diamond's authority. Maybe even one of the garrison destroyers loitering around in orbit all the time.

"You, the admiral!"

My thoughts halted as a strangely familiar voice called out for my owner's attention right before she could approach one of the local Sphenes for identification. Turning revealed a...surprising sight, to say the very least.

Though the brightly dressed figure of a certain Sodalite likely would have taken up the average Gem's attention, my eyes instead focused on the battered looking crimson form of the Pearl walking behind her, the servant seemingly doing her best impression of a rather viciously kicked dog.

Sixteen A looked...rough. To say the very least. Even as our respective masters both strode up to each other, her eyes remained rooted on the ground, right up until her Sodalite spoke.

"Ah, I see you're making good use of your own Pearl. I can only hope she's performed better than the pitiful excuse mine has proven herself to be."

The red Gem at her side ducked her head even further.

Oh Stars. Don't fucking tear up, you idiotic clod! You're supposed to do that in private!

"Viridian...that is my Pearl, has been functioning as advertised, yes. Your one...hasn't?"

Sodalite's scoff could have made a Quartz shocktrooper back down in shame, even as one hand almost idly slapped the back of Sixteen A's head, prompting a whimper from the Pearl in question.

"Oh, a pet name, delightful! And yes, she's just utterly useless. Always around when she's not wanted, and never when she is! Ugh, and her colour. I don't know what I was thinking when I made the order! Maybe I should have gotten a green one like yours..."

I smiled politely as the blue Gem's massive eye trailed over my lightform. I didn't bow, however.

Bowing was for Emerald and those higher ranked than Emerald, and no one else.

"...I don't suppose I could convince you to trade, could I?"

...

The fucking audacity of this bitch-

My owner shook her head slightly, even as I raged and wailed on the inside.

"I'm afraid not. I'm more than satisfied with my Pearl's performance, and you haven't exactly sold me on your own."

Sodalite nodded sadly, as if admitting defeat.

"No, no I suppose I haven't. Though, perhaps I could make you an alternative offer?"

Screw it. If she tried to buy me I'd bring out the limb enhancers. How hard could it be to activate some kind of offensive system?

"Oh?"

The cycloptic aristocrat smiled, shoving Sixteen A forward.

"Take her off my hands, would you? I know it's not exactly the most traditional property transfer, but it would be much less hassle on my end compared to going through the entire legal process of Decommissiong an unwanted Pearl."

I stared. Emerald also stared. Sixteen A held back another whimper and Sodalite grinned.

"Really. I'd consider it a favour!"

---

The familiar halls of the Retaliator would have proven a welcome sight. And they did.

The only difference was that I now had an unwanted tagalong tailing behind me, even as I tailed behind my...our owner.

"Viridian?"

I stopped, feeling a body near identical to my own bump into my back with a startled gasp just as Emerald turned from her position next to the entrance of the bridge.

"Yes, my Emerald?"

The large Gem stared at me for a moment, before waving a hand.

"Get your fellow Pearl situated. Come join me when you're done."

I nodded graciously, as a matter of course.

"Yes, my Emerald."

---

The swish of the storage closet door closing behind us was almost immediately followed by babbling.

"I-I'm sorry! I just-she was never happy with me and I tried so hard but she would just hit me l-like Nacre Three and I'd-"

My hand clamped over my red counterpart's mouth, even as I sighed the sigh of someone who was not at all being paid for this shit. Mostly because I wasn't. Pearls didn't have a salary, being slaves and all.

"Shush."

The feeling of Sixteen A's lips opening and closing prompted me to tighten my grip, before the other servant finally got the hint and shut her mouth.

Bringing my other hand up, I pinched the bridge of my nose in a second of silent suffering, before slowly nodding.

"Alright. We're doing this and I don't really have a choice in the matter so, welcome to Viridian's tips and tricks for not getting Decommisioned. Ready?"

She stared for a moment, before her eyes widened and she began nodding rapidly.

I pursed my lips, even as I brought my hands together in a brief clap.

"Good. Tip one, and something you need to learn immediately, judging from what I saw back in the plaza, is actually rather simple."

Sixteen A's already wide eyes somehow managed to enlarge even further as big, fat ugly globs of water began to stream down my cheeks, even as I let loose a small sniffle that quickly morphed into a full on sob.

"Y-you're only allowed to c-cry when you're sure no one's looking, o-okay?"

Chapter Text

Sixteen A: A Dance of Disappointment

"Again."

It was not a request, not a command, not a suggestion, nor even an order. That one word was totality, fact written upon existence that could not be denied, not in body and certainly not in thought.

The Pearl known as Sixteen A flinched as her Caretaker spoke writ upon the universe with a single utterance and a disdainful stare. Nachre Three stood upon her small dais that overlooked the Batch of Pearls she was training, cold eyes disinterestedly watching them all dance.

It was a recent change, that look, and one that terrified Batch Sixteen.

They resumed their dance lessons, moving with exacting rhythm and the dexterous grace that Nachre Three expected of them… or at least they tried.

Sixteen D, a mocha colored pearl with fluffy hair that oftened argued with Sixteen A, missed a beat. A small mistake that caused her to lose synchrony with the rest of them, and that single misstep caused Sixteen J's eyes to linger long enough to have her shoulder bump Sixteen E's outstretched hand.

Sixteen A and the rest kept dancing despite three of them now out of order, but every single one of them knew what was about to happen.

Nachre Three raised a hand elegantly and snapped her fingers, the sound echoing throughout the training chamber.

At once all the Pearls stopped their dance and fell into their specific standby stance for awaiting orders from a superior Gem who had just commanded them to stop due to a fault or error having occurred (type six, pattern four). Twenty five Pearl's formed a single line of bodies as Nachre Three stepped down from her dais.

Her gaze fell upon Sixteen A as the first in the line, and that pressure had tears threatening to spill out and the desire to grovel at the feet of her Caretaker while asking for forgiveness. However, a Pearl did not grovel, did not beg, and did not ask for forgiveness. That wasn't something Pearls did, because that implied they had made mistakes.

Nachre Three's eyes left Sixteen A without a word as her Caretaker walked down the line of Pearls before she passed by Sixteen D. "Step forward."

Sixteen D's expression was a smile and loyal, but the tremble in her hands and the arching of her shoulders quite literally screamed in the unspoken language of the Pearls 'I'm scared, what do I do, please not again!'.

It was a plea that every other Pearl heard as Nachre Three's hand fell on top of Sixteen D's shoulder, sharp fingers digging into her body that had Sixteen D cry out in anguish. "Your steps were off angle by three degrees on section three and your spin lasted too long on section six. Do not repeat these mistakes."

Nachre Three released her grip of Sixteen D's shoulder, and Sixteen A couldn't hold back her terrified flinch at seeing jagged holes Sixteen D's lightform! Yet, their cold hearted Caretaker marched further down the line before stopping in front of Sixteen J. "Step forward."

Sixteen A averted her gaze as a similar scene repeated itself, but it was just another training routine for Batch Sixteen. Nothing out of the ordinary, not the mistakes, not the punishments, except for a single fact that had changed everything.

Veridian, the Pearl also known as Sixteen B, had vanished.

Their example of perfection, the Pearl who Sixteen A and so many others looked to in order to learn how to perform their duties perfectly, or at least well enough that Nachre Three didn't physically punish them to the point where their lightforms began the first stages of destabilizing.

It had happened… seventeen training sessions ago or so, Veridian, the actually perfect example of a Pearl for Sixteen A had never witnessed her failing a single time, had performed everything from song to dance to grace and posture training perfectly upon her first try, was gone.

And Nachre Three's mood had soured entirely whenever she trained Batch Sixteen. At least before, her Caretaker had taken time to correct their mistakes and was slower to punish them, or told them to follow Sixteen B's example of perfection.

Nachre Three had, at least, smiled in their presence.

"Return to your chamber, I have actual business to attend to," said Nachre Three with clear dismissal.

The Pearls of Batch Sixteen responded in unison, "Yes, my Caretaker!"

They formed their line with Sixteen A at the head and walked with trained grace and elegance back to their rest chamber, all piling in and then shutting the door to secure them from the outside world, or at the very least, from their Caretaker.

Almost immediately Sixteen C, V, and J fell upon D in a form of solidarity. They were, however undeservedly, recognized by Sixteen B. Ever since their flawless Batchmate's disappearance however, their group was now the most often to cause mistakes or mishaps.

Losing Sixteen B, Veridian, as a role model had crushed them the most, but it had impacted their entire Batch.

'Are you okay?'

"Cheer up!'

'Today wasn't that bad.'

'Not even sent to Corrections.'

'I miss Veridian.'

'She's dead.'

While they spoke aloud often enough, times like this where they were sent back from training due Nachre Three's disappointed dismissal the room was silent and loud with their Pearl Language, a silent body language that was as easy as speaking aloud.

Except every other Pearl froze and stared at Sixteen A.

"She's not dead," said Sixteen D who was clutching her damaged shoulder. Lightform bodies repaired over time as their real bodies were their gems, so she would be back in top shape by their next training session.

"She can't be," said Sixteen E who had narrowly escaped punishment and only got a slight warning on paying attention to those around her.

"But she's gone!" said Sixteen A as the tears finally spilled out. "And Nachre Three hates us. We aren't good enough, not like Veridian was."

"Maybe she got reassigned?" offered Sixteen J, but nobody took her seriously. She had been strange since she got Rejuvenated, and a clear example of what happens when Nachre Three no longer corrected your mistakes, punishment or not.

Sixteen M, a dusky yellow Pearl with her gem set in her collarbone, grimaced. "If even Veridian could be… could be reprocessed, what hope do we all have? I still struggle on singing and posture stance timing, and Sixteen E forgot her entire story recital, so what could Veridian have done to have Nachre Three destroy her?"

"I didn't forget, I just couldn't think of which story would impress our Caretaker the most," argued Sixteen E.

"...I don't know," said Sixteen A, and that sentiment was clearly shared amongst their entire Batch. If the flawless, perfect Veridian, Nachre Three's favorite pearl, could be Harvested for failure, just what was that failure?

Nobody could even guess, for even trying to escape only resulted in Rejuvenation.

It didn't stop them from speculating, however, and the grimness of the subject had them wary of what mistakes or failures to not do.

— — — — —

Time passed, a lot of it. Training was as difficult as ever as they began more complex topics such as basic political arrangements. Oh, not the politics themselves, but how to conduct themselves or serve their owners within political meetings. What gems required what level of subservience and the common ways to appease or delight said gems for their owner.

But said training had become… delayed? Sixteen A hadn't the word for it, but ever since Veridian had disappeared, their training sessions slowly grew more sparse until they actually spent more time in their group rest chambers than they did training halls by a large factor!

So, being Pearls who were afraid that the lack of training would end up with their gems shattered and harvested as their owners became dissatisfied with their expertise, they tried to train amongst themselves. Share the knowledge, tips, and tricks they had learned, or revisit old lessons.

Sixteen A was the best at vocal attuning, how to best make her voice pleasing and enjoyable to hear amongst a wide set of ranges. It did help with her singing, but only in the sense of the variety of styles she should sing. Sixteen D was actually the best of their Batch at singing, while Sixteen M was the best at dancing.

Any Pearl that was the collectively agreed 'best' at something was the one to help coach each other. It was strange, that before they would bicker and fight constantly, try to one-up each other to seek Nachre Three's approval, but not just their Caretaker's, but also Sixteen B's approval.

…The loss of Sixteen B, Veridian, had devastated their Batch. Their Caretaker's decreasing care to schedule their training, and half the time she didn't even show up, simply gave them orders via hologram or a recording.

Yes, they still fought and bickered amongst each other, but they always tried to pick up one another so that they never had to experience another Pearl possibly disappearing in the way Veridian had.

They all still agreed that however skilled a Pearl might be at a skill, they still never matched up to Veridian.

But they tried, if only for themselves and that maybe, maybe, their Caretaker would look upon them once again with a smile, to say words of encouragement or praise which none of Batch Sixteen had heard in…. Well, since Veridian had vanished.

Time passed, and passed, before the day of graduation arrived.

The day in which they would finally meet their owners, finally leave the Reef, and be a true Pearl.

They had all lined up, from A to Z, however there was a hole that they refused to fill, no matter what the Caretakers thought. A small, tiny act of… something amongst Batch Sixteen, and none of the overseeing Nachres commented on it.

No matter what had happened, Sixteen B had been the best of them, the Pearl of perfection amongst Batch Sixteen, and she deserved to be here when they all became true Pearls for their owners, even if only in absence.

Except… as Sixteen A stood there amongst her Batchmates in the huge spaceship hangar, the row of colorful Pearls awaiting their respective owner's arrival, they all noticed a particular green Pearl approaching alongside Nachre Three.

How?

Why?

Veridian took her spot between Sixteen A and Sixteen C.

'You're alive.' A simple twitch of Sixteen A's fingers, with just the right amount of speed to indicate a statement and not a question, because it was not a question of Batch Sixteen's greatest Pearl returning to them.

Veridian dipped her head a miniscule amount. 'Yes.'

If… if Veridian had been alive this whole time, if Nachre Three walking alongside her had told Sixteen A anything, it was that… They had been abandoned. Not wholly, but Nachre Three had given up on all of Batch Sixteen save one, relinquished time to train a Batch in order to polish Veridian to perfection

It hurt, knowing that she would never reach such grace and flawless skill that Veridian would exemplify. Not because Sixteen A wasn't good enough, she knew that Veridian was simply better than her in literally every way, that was a fact of life, but because their Caretaker hadn't cared enough to try and let her become the flawless Pearl Sixteen A wanted to be.

The ships arrived carrying their new owners, and Sixteen A had the privilege to be the first.

Nachre Three had given some speech about how they had been taught and trained, but a small part of Sixteen A's mind was terrified because they hadn't. Not to any level of which they wanted to be!

But they were trained enough to not let any worry show on their faces as the first ship descended. Their owners descended from their ships that parked in the hangar and formed their own line up mirroring Batch Sixteen.

Nachre One, the lead Caretaker, announced, "Presenting Pearl Sixteen A, to be transferred to the immediate and indefinite ownership of the honorable Sodalite, facet 3U9R, cut 6XP."

Her new owner was as large as Nachre Three, but bulkier with a lightform of a rich, dark blue and a single eye settled in a bored, condescending gaze that watched Sixteen A step forward and bow.

"It is my pleasure and honor to serve you, my Sodalite."

Her Sodalite accepted her greeting with a disdainful sniff, but still beckoned Sixteen A to her side! She was overjoyed that her new owner at least acknowledged her enough to let her stand beside her, two steps behind, just enough that it was showing subservience but also off to the side where a turn of the head could place Sixteen A within her owner's sight.

The proceedings continued with Veridian's being the strangest as Nachre Three interrupted Nachre One's procession, but that was expected by the Pearls of Batch Sixteen. Crazy as it was for their Caretaker to break protocol, it was also expected because of how perfect Veridian was and how devoted to her upbringing Nachre Three was.

No other Pearl got similar treatment once Viridian was taken by her Emerald and they left the proceedings early.

Sixteen A and her Sodalite stayed for the entire thing, with her Sodalite watching banefully as the other gems received their Pearls. "It's pathetic as to what types of gems are allowed to own a Pearl nowadays."

This was not a question or statement she should comment on, so Sixteen A stayed silent.

Her Sodalite's frown turned to a grimace for a second as they watched Sixteen M get taken. "An Onyx? They're barely worth an Agate's status. What is this Era coming to."

Sixteen A still stayed silent.

All the way until Sixteen Z was received, they watched and when it was over, Sodalite turned and returned to her ship. It took a moment for Sixteen A to realize they were leaving without her Sodalite giving a single word to any of the Nachre's, but she hurried along to keep up with her Sodalite.

The difference in stride where Sixteen A had to step three times, all while maintaining the subdued, yet proud posture of an attendant (type eleven, pattern three), to each of Sodalite's single steps.

Finally, finally, Sixteen A could be a true Pearl. She would miss her Batchmates, and the relief of knowing that Veridian wasn't shattered and harvested for some imagined failure kept her hopeful. Of what, she wasn't sure, but she would strive to be the best Pearl that her Sodalite had and would ever own.

— — — — —

"Dance with me," stated her Sodalite.

It had been roughly eleven imperial cycles, or days measured according to Homeworld's calendar, since she had been officially owned by her Sodalite, and Sixteen A had plenty of opportunities to display her abilities as a Pearl.

…Yet, her Sodalite was dissatisfied with each one of them. Sixteen A's songs brought no smile to her Sodalite's face, her stories and jokes she told, as per the Reef's training that were acceptable to tell a Sodalite or gem of her owner's status, brought no laughs, and her service in any menial task brought no comfort.

But her dancing, arguably the skill she was least talented in, was what her Sodalite focused on.

Not dances for amusement or joy or entertainment, not for spectacle or rhythm, but… Sixteen A didn't know, actually, why her Sodalite focused on it. And Sixteen A didn't understand why her Sodalite wished to join her in dancing.

It was so irregular and frightening, being in close contact with a gem of her Sodalite's status, that the very thought of making a mistake during a dance filled Sixteen A with such fear that she thought her lightform was having a hysteric reaction. Those large, thick hands grasping her own so tightly, that singular baleful eye gazing down on Sixteen A as her Sodalite guided her through a dance Sixteen A did not know.

Because for all that she and her Batchmates trained, they never had a class where a Pearl danced with a partner. It simply wasn't done. Her Sodalite knew that too, which was why they were dancing in her Sodalite's private chamber upon the orbiting station above Homeworld. No other gems to witness it, nobody except Sixteen A and her Sodalite.

And it was the only thing they did, every day, after her Sodalite returned from her work, whatever it may be. Sixteen A thought that, as her Sodalite's personal Pearl, she would accompany her wherever she went, and at first this was true.

Except, as those initial days passed, she found herself awaiting her Sodalite inside her private chambers more and more until the eighth cycle. Her Sodalite had gazed down upon her, snorted, and said, "No, you're staying here from now on."

"B-But, my Sodalite, I am—"

"My Pearl, yes, and I said, stay here."

That was the end of that. Sixteen A stood in the passive standby stance that told onlookers she was following orders (type seven pattern five). Until her Sodalite returned and demanded they dance. Not 'her', but 'they'.

Leading to the situation now, where her Sodalite was guiding her in an unknown dance. Despite coming to understand that her Sodalite was proud, noble, and a pristine example of her gem caste, and fully aware of her own status as a Pearl, Sixteen A didn't understand and didn't have the training to understand why.

Big, strong hands were squeezing Sixteen A's hands as the pace picked up, and there was something in her Sodalite's baleful gaze, something searching and expectant, that when Sixteen A failed at whatever it was, those hands crushed her thin, fragile Pearl hands.

Sixteen A bit back a scream, but it was so similar to another familiar hand, except so different. Not a sharp claw that dug in, but instead a thick palm of rigid strength. It was not what she imagined the kind of brutish power a Quartz could put out, but any regal gem had something more than Sixteen A, of a fragile Pearl.

Sodalite dropped her to the ground, and it was with a burning shame that Sixteen A had to scramble to stand up, although with her mangled hands she couldn't hold them correctly according to her trained forms. Sodalite sniffed haughtily, "So weak, are you Pearls really even a Gem?"

Sixteen A had no idea how to properly respond to that line of inquiry, so while the tears beaded traitorously in her eyes, she said, "I am your Pearl, my Sodalite."

Sodalite smirked. "So you are."

— — — — —

Cycles passed, over and over and over, and Sixteen A's world was confined to the single private chamber of her Sodalite. She had long explored every nook and cranny of the singular room, documented every item within its walls, measured everything from dimensions to weight, and did her best to keep busy in any manner that would benefit her Sodalite.

Not that her Sodalite cared for anything but dances.

Dances that her Sodalite grew more and more furious at.

The routine, and it was routine, made Sixteen A wonder what her training and purpose was. She wanted to be of more use to her Sodalite, but was this all she was worth? It wasn't even dancing…

Her Sodalite opened her private chamber's doors and slammed them shut in an upset rage that Sixteen A had never seen before. "Pearl!"

Sixteen A jumped as she hurried to attention, and as she was in the middle of performing her trained greeting and bow to her Sodalite, she was grabbed. Those large, thick hands forced themselves onto her own, and Sixteen A was thrown into a dance.

But it wasn't a dance at all, not a trace of beauty or elegance in it, as Sodalite crushed Sixteen A's feet under her own, snapped Sixteen A's arms with brute twists, shattered her fingers, and finally spun her so hard that with all the blinding pain and her own lightform shuddering and threatening to destabilize, she couldn't stop herself and smashed into the decorated stone bedframe.

Sixteen A poofed for the first time in her life.

The experience… she could replay it vividly while she was solely her gem, and such was her terror at the disappointment of her Sodalite that Sixteen A focused the entirety of her mind to reforming her body as soon as possible.

When she did, the first thing she saw was her Sodalite sitting on the edge of her bed, fingers linked together, and that large singular eye gazing at Sixteen A with disappointment. The same look that Nachre Three had given all of Batch Sixteen before their trainings began to wane.

"Why are you so useless?" asked her Sodalite.

Tears came forth unbidden as her worst nightmare manifested: that her owner found her not just wanting, but found nothing of worth in her. "M-My So-Sodalite, p-please—"

"Useless," stated her Sodalite again. "Are Pearls not real gems? Dancing is how it works, right?"

Sixteen A couldn't understand what her Sodalite was talking about, so she tried and failed to maintain a stance of awaiting orders (no type or pattern because Sixteen A's mind was scattered and the sharp memory of pain was still so very fresh).

Sodalite set her face in a determined grimace. "Again."

Sixteen A's crying hitched as her Sodalite uttered the unquestionable, unforgiving word.

"We dance again, until we get it right. Maybe… maybe we need to be closer," said Sodalite with distaste. "Pearl, you're to accompany me from now on."

A small flame of hope burst into Sixteen A's gem. "M-My Sodalite?"

Her Sodalite got up and stepped forward, that large hand grasping one of her own. "By my side, at all times, understood? Now let's go again."

— — — — —

Sixteen A didn't understand just what she was doing wrong. Her Sodalite refused to explain, or maybe she never even thought she had to explain it to a Pearl, but no matter what Sixteen A did or didn't do, her Sodalite was not satisfied.

She accompanied her Sodalite everywhere. To meetings, aboard spaceships, during travel, greeting Gems of such regality and noblesse that a Pearl was honored to merely be in their presence. Not as grand a time as meeting a Diamond, but that was far beyond Sixteen A's dreams.

But… Sixteen A didn't do anything. As her Sodalite had said, she was by her side at all times, and when they retreated to her private chambers, they danced. Often brutally, and so very often of late the act of dancing left her lightform battered and bent or even broken to the extent that she poofed.

So much that it was routine.

And still she didn't know what her Sodalite desired.

Sixteen A didn't ask, however. Something inside her felt like it would break if she knew.

All the new experiences she had, the wondrous places she went, the gems she saw; all of it was colored in deep, rich blue. That every night she would be held by her Sodalite and forced to perform a mockery of a dance with such brutality.

Until one day, as her Sodalite had business on Homeworld, Sixteen A saw perfection again.

Veridian, Sixteen B of Batch Sixteen, the very image of flawless Pearl excellence, accompanying her own Emerald.

Her Sodalite clearly remembered that Emerald and her eye lingered on Veridian, then when she cast a glance back at Sixteen A, the disappointment, displeasure, and dissatisfaction were so vividly clear that Sixteen A could feel the weight of that gaze in the form of her Sodalite's hands and feet, as if they were dancing out here in the open.

Then her Sodalite turned and called, "You, the admiral!"

The next minutes were so… so… Sixteen A would almost have rather been shattered than have the very Gem who commissioned her offer her as a trade. Of course, the fact that it was for the vision of flawless perfection that was Sixteen B was both expected and natural, but then to be gifted to the Emerald for… for what, nothing?

Had Sixteen A really failed her Sodalite that much? Had her suffering and attempts to fulfill whatever her Sodalite was looking for so wrong? What… What could she even do besides whimper and cry so openly when her entire life, every effort she had made since her creation, was proven so worthless that she was given away.

But, as it was the last order of her Sodalite, no matter Sixteen A's feelings on the matter, both positive or negative, she obeyed as was the duty of a Pearl. Or, at least, she thought it was. When Sixteen A recollected the entirety of her duties performed as a Pearl, then compared them to what she was trained at the Reef to do, really… was she even a Pearl?

Her mind was so scattered that when she finally came to, she was following Veridian down a hall in the Emer—no, her Emerald's ship, that when Viridian led her into a storage closet, she didn't know what to expect.

This was Veridian, the pride and joy of Batch Sixteen.

When… when the very idol of excellence that a Pearl could be whirled around, Sixteen A did not expect to be hit with a gaze full of disappointment and annoyance.

It immediately sent her into excuses, just like she had once gave when they were both trainee Pearls in the Reef. "I-I'm sorry! I just-she was never happy with me and I tried so hard but she would just hit me l-like Nacre Three and I'd-"

A hand clamped over Sixteen A's mouth, yet… yet it was not the thick and brutish hand of Sodalite nor the sharp and dangerous claw of a Nachre. No, it was thin, fragile, and so very gentle that tears streamed from Sixteen A's eyes.

"Shush," said Viridian with such care that it was surprising that Sixteen A even knew what care sounded like. It was a tone she had never heard before.

"Alright. We're doing this and I don't really have a choice in the matter so, welcome to Viridian's tips and tricks for not getting Decommissioned. Ready?"

All Sixteen A could do was nod, swiftly as possible to reassure Viridian that she was listening, that she understood, and that she would do whatever Viridian said. She was the expert on everything a Pearl should be.

Viridian slowly released her grasp on Sixteen A's mouth, so gentle and kind was it that even calling it a grasp was rude, for Viridian left no marks on her cheeks, nor did that grip crush and distort her lightform. She softly clapped her hands together.

"Good. Tip one, and something you need to learn immediately, judging from what I saw back in the plaza, is actually rather simple."

Those eyes, so clear and focused and perfect began to distort. Large tears, as if held back behind a dam that burst, overflowed down Veridian's cheeks and fell to the floor in large globules.

"Y-you're only allowed to c-cry when you're sure no one's looking, o-okay?"

Sixteen A… felt something shatter, and at that moment she almost wished it was her own Gem.

Chapter Text

SsssssspaaaAAAAACE! The Indomitable Human Spiriiiiit!

LOG-009.

Clang!

The Crystal Confluence. A 'celestial crossroads' where multiple lesser territories within the Great Diamond Authority converge. The ancient megastructure, built around a long since hollowed out rogue dwarf planet eons ago, serves as a meeting point for diplomats, starship captains, and dignitaries from across the Gem empire, fostering trade, negotiations, and diplomatic relations between different Gem colonies and organisations largely beneath the direct notice of Homeworld. So long as they pay appropriate tribute, follow the Diamonds' laws and continue to display fanatical loyalty, they remain free to largely govern themselves.

Swish!

It has been visited by a Diamond only twice. Which is twice more than most other deep space installations. The first being White Diamond's first and final inspection of the titanic planet-station, back when it first came online, and the second being a brief cultural visit from Blue Diamond, back when she still went around touring most of Imperial space.

Knowing about it was one of the 'perks' of being the Pearl of an accomplished fleet admiral. It was also the consequence of the simple fact that my owner seemed to like explaining various things in favour of sitting in silence, even when she could simply order me to sing a song or perform a brief dance to keep her entertained.

Maybe it didn't mean anything. Maybe she wanted an 'educated' Pearl. I'd likely never know the answer and really, it didn't matter all that much in the end.

Clang!

Aside from its status as a central communications hub (sort of), the Confluence also serves as a military waystation and dockyard, allowing various ships and fleets to rest and recover in between whatever assignments they might have. More importantly, this meant that my Emerald (backed by the indirect authority of a Diamond) had the chance to scout out potential reinforcements for conscription. We couldn't outright take command of an entire security fleet, but 'borrowing' a ship or two that would have just been performing recon or patrolling some dead-end sector otherwise would be more than possible, apparently.

"Wo-woaaah!"

I wasn't involved in any of that, however. No, instead I was hanging around the Jaspers yet again, while Sixteen A acted as the admiral's 'active' Pearl for the duration of our visit. I could only hope my initial advice was actually helpful to the jittery thing, otherwise she likely wouldn't remain in her newfound position for very long.

Clang! Crash!

I blinked, watching Morion's broadsword effectively slam through her opponent's weapon, forcing the other Quartz backwards and, to her clear chagrin, out of the ring.

Quartz Facet 1P4W, Cut 7XA was an...interesting case. One that wasn't exactly common, but not quite rare either. According to some of the Peridots I'd managed to talk about the subject with, anyway.

With the sheer amount of soldiers a fresh Kindergarten tends to produce, a few defects are bound to happen as a matter of course. Nacre Three likely would have referred to them as something like 'waste product.' Normally, such failures are discarded quickly. A shocktrooper with short, stubby legs or a weirdly shaped arm won't be able to keep up with the rest of the pack, after all, and thus is usually caught and Harvested pretty much right after erupting from the earth.

Occasionally though, the defects will be less...severe, such as in Morion's case. Compared to the rest of the Quartz complement on board, she was...dull. Not in the mental sense, but rather the visual one.

Typical of Gem society, honestly. Ostracized because she wasn't fucking shiny enough.

By Homeworld's standards, she'd technically be classified as an off colour, and thus be dealt with quickly. But things work a little differently in the military. A perfectly useful soldier isn't something to be wasted, after all. Thus, Morion (and her fine cut but not very shiny gemstone) gets a pass, even if she isn't ever assigned to guard my Emerald. Or even let out of the ship for non-combat situations, for that matter.

"'Rion's making a good show, eh?"

Turning my head slightly, I regarded the Jasper next to me, doing my best to recognize her.

Gem on the left knee...ah. Facet 2I4Q, Cut 7XE. She hadn't gotten a nickname quite yet, from what I understood. A newcomer, transferred fresh from one of the still actively producing colonies. Must be glad to be with a new pack after whatever might have separated the young brawler from her original batch.

Quartzes never really did well on their lonesome, compared to other Gems.

Setting the loose thoughts aside, I nodded.

"She certainly makes up for her colouring with an...enthusiastic approach."

My not quite joke was enough to prompt a chuckle from the Jasper, apparently.

"Hehe, yeah. Nice summoned weapon as well. I still like mine better though, easier to use."

My eyes flicked downwards as her gemstone flashed, what looked like some sort of gladius popping out and into her awaiting hand.

...Hm.

Slowly bringing my own hands together in front of me and enacting a more relaxed posture (type twelve, pattern seven to be precise), I adopted a suitably impressed look.

"What's that like, anyway?"

Idle hands made for dangerous outcomes. The statement rang true, since my sudden abundance of 'free' time allowed me to...plan for the future, so to speak. Something I'd been doing since getting aboard the Retaliator, sure, but now I could get away with a little extra.

Part of that had been interacting with the Peridots within the depths of the ship, and the Rutiles hanging out in the hangar bays (the lesser pilots had flight simulators they could use to keep their skills sharp, and I'd gotten to eagerly watch and cheer them on during their various digital bouts) in between my now much longer performances, awing and eventually befriending (or whatever strange relationship we had with each other) them with constant, ever flawless displays of song and dance.

It was all about observation and casual communication. Slowly, painstakingly learning about this or that via what was effectively osmosis. I still didn't dare to actually bring out the carefully stacked limb enhancers still waiting within the depths of my gemstone, but if it ever came down to it I'd at least know how to put them on and activate them. I was also confident I now knew how to start up a basic starfighter as well, even if I still had no idea how to actually fly such a contraption.

This, though...this would be a calculated risk.

"Hm? What, using it?"

An innocent, curious expression plastered itself across my face.

"Yes, I suppose? I've always admired you Quartzes and how you do things. You're all so very brave, protecting the rest of us all the time."

The shocktrooper visibly stood straighter at that small bit of praise. I let a lopsided little smile out. Still a bit overly casual compared to when I was with my Emerald, but with more than enough decorum to befit a Pearl like myself in an environment like this.

"Though for what I would say are rather obvious reasons-" The smile widened ever so slightly, my shoulders shrugging up and down, as if to emphasize how the matter simply couldn't be helped. "-I'm quite ignorant on the details of...battle and such. The most I can do is dance a little more creatively than usual. Weapons like yours are rather beyond me I'm afraid!"

That drew a hearty laugh from the warrior Gem, even as she (gently, always so gently, because no Gem wanted to be the one to tell Emerald that they'd somehow damaged her ever so valuable property) slapped a hand against my shoulder.

"HAH! Yeah, it'd be a little weird if a pretty Pearl like you were going out and about hitting stuff!"

Yes, I am a pretty Pearl. And you're a tough, strong Jasper that wants to show off, aren't you?

"But hey, I can explain the basics I guess. Probably won't do you any good for your performances but it's a way to pass the time while they organise the next few rounds, right?"

My expression was perfect. Smile not too big, or too small. Eyes wide but in an awed, humbled way. If I'd learned anything at the Reef, it was how to make myself look just right for whoever I was acting for.

"You're the expert!"

That one earned a big, toothy grin from the now softly blushing Quartz.

"Pfft, yeah, I guess I am! Well ah, first thing's first, you need to actually summon a weapon to use it. It probably won't work for you, but the way a soldier like me does it is-"

I'd really need to thank Sixteen A at some point. Even if it wasn't quite intentional, the clumsy Pearl had helped me remember something important by taking on part of my duties and giving me so much more time to myself.

Thus, it was only natural to prepare for my inevitable confrontation with that one simple fact in mind.

I didn't belong here. And I never would. Not if I could help it at least.

Chapter Text

And thus begins the fuckery.

LOG-010.

It was my turn to be the 'bridge Pearl' this cycle, and as a result I got the lucky chance (genuinely, this was one of the few activities I truly enjoyed) to witness our ship's return to real space.

"Translating outside of the Warp in three, two, one. Beginning slow burn sequence."

The Peridot's (Facet 2I5P, Cut 6XA. I'd had a few idle conversations regarding basic maintenance of computational systems with her during our respective downtimes. She was...nice) voice washed over me, even as I continued to slowly flow around my Emerald's command throne in yet another elaborate dance routine. The constantly shifting light taking up all of the viewscreens quickly began to bleed away, before finally being torn out entirely, replaced by the endless dotted abyss of this particular nameless star system.

Seconds later, I was being waved off as the fleet admiral leaned forward, one hand tapping away at a nearby control pad.

"Get me the Serenity's status. Older destroyers like her have a bad tendency to take on exterior hull damage during Warp transitions."

I remained blissfully still and uninvolved as the rest of the hustle and bustle of a fully staffed cruiser's central bridge let itself be known, dozens of voices melding together into one constant fusion of noise as the Retaliator and her tagalong vessel ensured they hadn't suffered complications while travelling countless light years in order to reach their shared destination.

Instead, I simply stared out the primary 'window' directly in front of the throne, taking in the sight of a grey, barren looking world with three small moons, all of the innocuous bodies seemingly nestled in a massive debris field, and orbiting a young star.

"Viridian."

Snapping to attention, I took on a more responsive pose (type three, pattern one) and glanced at my owner.

"Yes, my Emerald?"

The large green Gem glanced at the distant planet with narrowed eyes for a moment, before nodding to herself and relaxing back into her seat. A hand waved at me once more as she did so.

"Prepare to record. Once you're done, move to disseminate the information amongst the rest of the crew. We'll have plenty of time to get everyone up to speed on the situation in this sector while our sublight drives bring us closer to the mission objective's last known coordinates. Send up your...counterpart, while you're at it."

Dipping my head in a quick bow, I allowed a small holopad to spring out from my gemstone, fingers dancing across it in preparation to note down the admiral's words.

"Yes, my Emerald."

---

"Sixteen A. I'm off to do a job for the admiral. You can stop dusting the wall and go take my place."

"O-oh! Right, of course!"

---

The primary Ruby barracks was filled with excited murmurs as I strode inside, my holopad hovering next to me. A quick clap was enough to settle the rambunctious swarm of footsoldiers, even as I brought my little visual aid forward.

"Attention please! Our Emerald has dispatched me to brief all relevant personnel on the possible dangers and encounters we might face while in system. Does anyone have any questions before I begin?"

Several hands immediately shot upwards. I carefully stifled a tired sigh and put on a kind, patient smile instead, pointing towards a nervous looking soldier with her Gem sticking out of her right forearm. It probably helped that Rubies were just...well, Rubies. It was really hard to stay mad at them at the best of times.

"You have a question, 9XE?"

Her cube shaped hair bobbed slightly as she nodded, hand lowering. "Yes ma'am! Uhm...can you explain it a bit simpler please?"

Nodding right back at the little pyrokinetic, I gestured to the holopad, then let one hand close into a fist, lightly impacting with its counterpart.

"The admiral wants me to tell you about all the bad stuff around here, so you're ready in case you need to punch it."

That drew a few more slightly excited murmurs, before the now smiling Ruby backed away with a happy "okay!" and sat down amongst her numerous fellows.

I let a finger trail across the almost there surface of the holopad, even as the image of some kind of vaguely avian looking being popped up on it. Almost like a brightly coloured, bipedal crow with the occasional patches of leathery looking hide making themselves known across its predominantly feathered form.

"This is a visual example, or picture, of a member of designated organic species Fourteen A. They are sapient, which means they're about as smart as we are. The Retaliator is currently orbiting their former homeworld."

Just another crime to tack on to our Homeworld's many, many misdeeds.

Ignorant of my inner thoughts, another hand shot up.

"Former?"

I nodded, swapping to an image of the grey, barren world I'd been looking at only a short while ago.

"Correct. The initial expansion fleets of Era One encountered heavy resistance by the planet's inhabitants during their first attempts at converting the surface into a future colony. Meaning they fought back. Thanks to the unsecured nature of Gem technology during that time, the natives somehow managed to successfully sieze an entire Kindergarten, alongside the shipyard that had been attached to it. Newly implanted Gems were reprogrammed to fight against Homeworld as a result, and effectively turned traitor the moment they emerged from the earth."

Which had been...interesting to learn about. Modern day Gem tech was far more resistant to tampering, from what my Emerald told me, but the idea that it was still somehow possible wouldn't quite leave my train of thought after learning that a bunch of fucking birds had managed to effectively take over several massive batches of Gems way back in the day.

As several shocked gasps and "dang organics!" echoed throughout the room, I idly pondered whether, in another time and age, humanity might have been able to pull off a similar feat.

"Indeed, quite a dreadful turn of events. In response, Yellow Diamond personally lead a decimator fleet and purged their entire world of all signs of life, including the subverted Gem army."

"Yeah!"

"Woohoo! Yellow Diamond!"

"Yay!"

Then again, maybe it was for the best that it wasn't humans that had showed exceptional resistance to Gem occupation. Decimator fleets were no joke, apparently. The Fifty Fifth Lance were practically a scout group compared to one. It was simply yet another firm reminder of the true nature of the violently expansionist Empire I now found myself a part of.

I paused as another hand shot up.

"Yes?"

The Ruby in question tilted her head, arms crossed. "Uh, is the history lesson important?"

Blinking, I shrugged slightly.

"Perhaps not, but I presume our Emerald wanted everyone to have context in case we ran into them."

Various eyes widened.

"Didn't Yellow Diamond kill em all?"

"Yeah! She sent an...uh..."

"A decimator fleet!"

"Yeah!"

I let them get it out of their systems, and continued.

"To make a long story quite short, a vast portion of their species managed to escape the purge using stolen Imperial warships. As a result, their current living population generally survive in the more secluded nebulae of this sector, constantly on the move and only occasionally leaving to raid Gem trade routes and supply lanes for resources. They've been a minor problem around these parts since Era One, considering none of our fleets have managed to pin down their base or bases of operations."

Clapping again to cut off yet another set of questions, I swept my hand towards the holopad.

"They use extremely outdated, modified vessels to get around, and thus have a large preference for boarding combat in order to make up for their lack of advanced ship to ship weapons. They're not tough individually, but they most definitely have access to weaponry purpose built to discorporate a Gem's lightform or, Stars forbid, even shatter their gemstone."

That managed to get their rapt attention, at the very least. No matter how silly they sometimes seemed, they were still warriors at the end of the day.

I raised a single finger upwards, taking on a serious expression.

"In the unlikely event we encounter them, close quarters combat within the halls of the Retaliator is a near certainty. Breaking reinforced enemy lines should be left to the Quartzes, while all of you maintain low profiles and move to overwhelm potential boarding parties. Fusing will only make you a bigger, easier to hit target, understand? Stay small, and stay fast."

My smile widened slightly as the entire barracks yelled back with a firm sense of duty barely covering up their excited tones.

"Yes Viridian!"

Now, I needed to inform the Jaspers. And then the Rutile fighter wing. Oh, and the Peridots needed the updated schematics of the freighter we were looking for...

Ugh, so much to do. At least I had more than enough time to get everything done. It'd likely be well over an entire day before we reached even the furthest orbits of one of the moons at sublight speeds, especially with a practically ancient ion destroyer like the Serenity slowing us down.

Chapter Text

While this story occupies my muse, the rest of my fics' update rates shall all suffer. 💪😭

LOG-011.

It began around when we were entering the initial orbit of the failed colony's furthest moon. I'd been carefully helping clean up some of the scattered components the Peridots had left lying around during one of their 'inventive periods' and had nearly leapt into the fucking air as an alarm had blared out from seemingly the entire ship.

Seconds later, my Emerald's voice was bursting from the carefully hidden speaker set somewhere within the maintenance room, drawing both my attention and the curious gazes of the two technicians behind me.

"This is your Emerald speaking. The Serenity has acquired direct line of sight of the mission objective. All hands are to report to immediate active stations and await further directives. Non-combatants are to migrate to either the bridge or designated safe zones, depending on role. That is all."

I set down the plasma torch I'd been holding on a nearby table with wide eyes, even as both Peridots (Facet 2M5P, Cut 6XC and Facet 2N5P, Cut 6XD respectively) let out annoyed grumbles, making their way outside into the corridor beyond.

With nothing better to do, I followed suit. I'd be better off hanging around the bridge than anywhere else, after all.

---

"Stars..."

The softly spoken word slipped out of my mouth before I could even think to stop it, yet as I stepped towards my Emerald's command throne to stand next to a shocked looking Sixteen A, no one else within the bridge seemed ready to reprimand me for the slip-up.

A Jasper sighed from her position seated next to a weapons control console, eyeing the image being projected from the primary viewscreen.

"At least we know what happened to our lost freighter."

The cerulean form of the Serenity took up part of the view, but it was the vessel beyond our tagalong destroyer that set a surging unease loose throughout my gemstone.

The starship...might have been a dark purple once. It was hard to tell considering the sheer level of damage it had apparently taken. The vaguely cuboid shaped vessel floated lifelessly amidst the void of space, a maimed and outright mangled husk of its former self.

What might have once been a gleaming hull was now marred with jagged tears and gaping wounds, evidence of the outright brutal onslaught it had endured. What almost looked like green flames flickered sporadically throughout its interior, casting eerie shadows that danced across the shattered remains of exposed bulkheads and corridors.

The ship's exterior was a veritable patchwork of scorched metal and shattered crystalline plating, with large sections of armour and bulkheads torn away to reveal the twisted wreckage within. Fragments of debris spun lazily around the ship, clear remnants of what had presumably been its aft section.

As the Retaliator's exterior sensors adjusted to better display the devastating scene, the true extent of the destruction became ever more apparent. The ship's entire superstructure had been rent asunder, with entire sections of the vessel missing or collapsed in on themselves. What remained of its once oversized engines remained cold and lifeless, their once powerful thrusters now reduced to smoldering ruins.

Amidst the wreckage, the faint glimmer of fading emergency lights still flickered weakly, warring with the raw crackling energy of exposed power couplings, a feeble reminder of the life that once thrived within the ship's halls.

"...Dispatch recon probes and have them scan for life signatures. Send a transmission to the Serenity and tell her to begin standard active pings. Whatever did this might still be around."

The admiral's order was followed without hesitation, and soon enough a trio of green spheres were ejected from the cruiser, small thrusters activating and bringing them closer to the shattered freighter.

The next few moments passed in utter silence. There was no requests for singing or dancing. No idle chatter between bridge technicians. Just more tense silence as the probes continued to circle the wreck, beams occasionally running over its surface.

A Peridot gulped as something flashed across her screen, before the green Gem shook her head.

"No signs of survivors, my Emerald. It...it appears the primary cargo section was breached as well. She's been emptied out entirely..."

It was all I could do to resist hissing in alarm at that seemingly innocuous fact, even with the other Gems within the bridge holding no such compulsion and letting out various sounds of dismay. Even the admiral herself let loose a seething snarl of a noise, her fist slamming down against one of her armrests with enough force to shake the air around it.

A bulk transport carrying basic supplies and materials being stolen from was a loss, but not something that truly amounted to much in the grand scheme of the interstellar entity that was the Gem Empire.

But a battle freighter carrying refined Diamond Essence?

My inner thoughts continued, even as my Emerald swept a hand forward, lips spread wide apart in a toothy grimace.

"Sweep through everything! Search for signs of other possible vessels! I want debris, sublight drive trails, anything! Get me a direct line to the Nephrite controlling the Serenity, I don't care how old that damned destroyer's systems are, I want all possible sensors linked at once!"

Both Sixteen A and I remained as quiet and unobtrusive as possible, even as the entire bridge crew sprang into action at the admiral's roared orders.

---

We'd split up, initially. The Retaliator using its superior sensor systems to attempt to track down some kind of trail we could follow, some piece of evidence we could use to figure out just where the perpetrators of the attack had gone. The Serenity had instead gone towards the moons, physically searching for signs of possible ships or even old orbital stations that the devastator fleet had perhaps missed during their murder of an entire world.

It had been well over ten local rotational cycles (in terms of the planet and its respective moons) since our initial arrival into the star system, all of them almost twice as long as what I distinctly remembered to be a day on Earth.

Gem memory was nice like that. Everything could be recalled. Perfectly. At any time.

It also meant that I would never forget my first time seeing a perfectly functional warship (even if it was practically a relic considering its age) get blasted into almost nothing before my very fucking eyes, the only reason I even got to witness the sight being that the veteran ion destroyer had been moving to group back up with us after finding a whole lot of nothing.

Just like that, everything aboard the bridge went silent for one utterly gobsmacked moment right before devolving into utter chaos as the impossibly distant figure of the Serenity (almost ant sized, considering its position relative to us) split into two distinct pieces beneath the eye searing glow of a trio of impossibly bright golden beams, both savaged remnants beginning to fall towards the moon below them with no thrusters or engines left to fight the satellite's gravitational pull.

"ALL HANDS TO BATTLESTATIONS, NOW!"

The deep thrum of the Retaliator's thrusters switching to max burn almost drowned out the yelled orders and affirmatives spreading throughout the bridge, even as I stumbled back a step.

"Multiple drive signatures detected! I'm reading three destroyer sized vessels and...and something bigger! Way bigger!"

"Optics, get me a sightline! Weapons are charging but I can't see Stars damn it!"

"Escape pods detected from the Serenity, my Emerald! They're heading towards the surface of the tertiary moon!"

My head swam from the constant flurry of sound, one of my hands desperately reaching towards a nearby console for support.

"Massive energy build up detected from the fourth signature, get those shields facing forward damn it-"

I needed to get out of here. There were holdout areas within the depths of the Retaliator that I knew were connected to our own escape pods. My body was already moving through the open doorway into the corridor beyond, even as my mind raced, drowning out the sound of yelling voices from behind me.

The ship shook. Once. Twice. I moved faster.

Alternatively, the hangar always remained an option. I was confident I could get a starfighter outside without crashing into one of the walls at this point-

"BRACE FOR IMPACT-"

---

"-an!"

...Mm.

"-ridian! Viridian!"

Mm?

"Get up, please!"

The blurry form shaking me finally coalesced into the distinctly crimson figure of Sixteen A, her eyes wide with panic.

"W-what..?"

Thin, delicate hands wrapped around my own before I was quickly lifted to my feet, my fellow Pearl desperately presenting both of our forms to the bridge door's scanner.

"Come on! We need to go, now!"

Unfortunately for the desperate slave, nothing happened.

"W-why won't it open!?"

Gently shoving the panicking Gem off of me, I shook my head, one hand coming up to gently prod at my aching eyes.

"Did we get hit by something?"

A fearful nod was my answer, prompting me to let out a hissing breath.

"If it managed to break past the shields and damage the ship, then the depressurisation protocols are in effect. The Peridots say it's to keep everyone from getting sucked out through a hole in the hull. Could also be that the scanner just...broke from the impact? The bridge doors are some of the thickest ones aboard the ship, we can't exactly cut through them."

I rolled a shoulder, flinching at the distinct feeling of pain emanating from that particular part of my lightform. I'd taken one heck of a tumble, apparently.

I turned back towards Sixteen A as her hands came up to pull at the sides of her hair, facial features twisted in fear.

"No no no, w-where do we go then!? The soldiers were fighting near the middle deck and-"

Her babbling paused as I stepped forward, one hand reaching out to grab her wrist. Maybe the serious expression on my face calmed her, or maybe she took solace in the fact that I wasn't also shitting myself.

I totally was, but saying that wouldn't really solve anything, now would it?

"Who were they fighting? Have we been boarded?"

I'd thought it unlikely. I'd said as much to the Rubies just a while ago!

"Organics! They had this silvery looking armour and some kind of-of ranged destabilizer!"

Just what were the odds that we'd get attacked? Fucking showed what I knew. We were on the fringes of civilized space damn it, of course we'd get fucking jumped!

Pulling the teary eyed Pearl along with me, I started down the corridor.

"Follow me. There's a secondary cubby room some of the Jaspers like to hang out in. Maybe we can get past the doors there and stick with them till everything settles."

A whimper was my red twin's response, even as we steadily jogged our way down a winding set of corridors, taking several detours to get past unresponsive doors.

Our pace slowed drastically as we noticed several deep rents in the nearby walls, follwed by the loud clanging sound of weapons impacting against other weapons echoing down the last hallway leading to the cubby room.

There was also...something else. Like rushing water, almost.

I took another step forward, only to be tugged backwards as Sixteen A dug in her heels.

"Can't you hear that? They're fighting!"

I tried to step forward again, only to be halted. Again.

"We can't go in there! We're just Pearls!"

If it weren't for my training back at the Reef, I likely would have snarled at the crimson Gem. Part of me, hidden deep within the layers of decorum I'd painstakingly built up, still really wanted to.

"So what?! Do you plan to just sit around and hope things somehow get better? We're gonna be glitching shattered if we get caught out on our own, so get a damned hold of yourself and move!"

She reeled back as if struck by the sheer impropriety that was another Pearl swearing, before letting out a wail.

"We weren't trained for this!"

I just huffed in response, before tugging her back towards the escalating sounds of the fight ahead of us. A few seconds later, we were finally turning the corner.

"Pebbles-get down!"

Only for both of us to duck pretty much instantly as an armoured form flew through the air with a shrieking squawk, right before slamming into the wall behind us with a sickening crunch.

I locked eyes with a panting Morion, only for the Quartz to whirl around as the rushing sound roared behind the solid line of shocktroopers holding back a veritable swarm of silver garbed figures, each Gem using removed patches of walls or even doors as makeshift shields as their opponents, used the unmistakable shapes (to my human memories, at least) of guns to fire what almost looked like lightning at them.

It wasn't the lightning guns that occasionally hit a soldier and forced their lightform to glitch out slightly that took up the majority of my attention though. No, that was reserved for the literal wave of water that poured out from a nearby doorway, knocking the entire group of Quartzes over like fucking bowling pins.

As the horrific sound of multiple lightforms discorporating reached my ears and one of the silver suited aliens ratted us out with an outstretched, pointing talon, part of me considered that, maybe, just maybe, Sixteen A had been right in not wanting to join up with the shocktroopers aboard the Retaliator.

Guns raised upwards to take aim, and I felt my Batchmate wrap her shaking arms around me, preventing me from so much as trying to throw myself back around the corner.

"Hold fire! They're just servant caste!"

The voice was familiar, triggering an old memory of a certain angsty blue Gem from the show. Back when all of this bullshit had been fiction.

My jaw managed to somehow drop even further as the distinctive form of a Lapis Lazuli emerged from the doorway, dark eyes locking with my own just like Morion had a moment ago. The typical dress had apparently been ditched for what almost looked like the uniform of a Quartz at some point, topped with what seemed to be a lightform jacket.

Her gemstone shined from its position right beneath one of her eyes as I stared at it.

...

"Pebbles."

I punctuated the curse by grabbing hold of Sixteen A and physically carrying the Pearl along with me as I began to turn back around the corner, catching the blue rock cutter's eyes widen as she stepped forward, reaching for us.

"Wait!"

Then I was sprinting back down the hallway we'd just been in, and desperately trying not to scream like my crimson counterpart was as the sound of rushing water began to build up right fucking behind us.

"Back to the bridge! Back to the glitching bridge!"

I failed, unfortunately. I totally shrieked my non-existent lungs out like a little bitch.

Chapter Text

Was writing the Murderdrones fic before this. Hard to think of Robots when I'm so focused on Rocks. Anyway, have a slightly shorter chapter than usual since I'm sleepy as shit lol.

LOG-012.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck-

"Hold on a second-hey!"

My heel slid against the surface of the polished panelling beneath me for a second, then I was wildly shoving myself to the side before bounding down yet another hallway, the Lazuli's voice barely audible beneath the sound of even more rushing water roaring ahead of her.

"Stop!"

Gems didn't really need to breathe, what with none of them having lungs and such. I still did my best to mimic the motion of it whenever I figured I could get away with it though, since it made me feel better. Sometimes.

The more immediate benefit to this simple fact was that instead of panting and gasping from the effort and exertion of sprinting throughout the ship, I just silently continued planting one foot in front of the other, my dancing shoes barely impacting the ground before I was moving through the air in yet another bounding leap.

Which was all well and good, up until I turned another corner only to quite literally run into a shut down door, my lightform impacting with the barrier and causing both Sixteen A and I to topple with near identical cries.

Unfortunately, getting back up while shoving my fellow Pearl's grasping hands off of me cost us the few precious seconds I'd managed to build up with all my running, and I barely managed to hold back a second screech as the roiling wave of water ground to a halt just a foot or two away from us, its owner following behind it shortly after.

The wave began to move forward.

The sound of my crimson hued Batchmate pressing herself against the door in terror as the terraformer took a quick step towards us was quiet, the tips of her fingers desperately searching for something that might possibly open up the slab of armour blocking our escape.

I startled as she went for me first, prompting what might have supposed to have been a comforting look from the blue Gem. "It's okay! Look, I know you must both be confused but we don't have a lot of time and-"

My body leaned back, eyes closing and the back of my head hitting the door with a dull thump as she reached for me with an outstretched hand.

Then the crawling sensation of fingers wrapping around my shoulder made its horrid presence known, and everything went blank.

---

"Pfft, yeah, I guess I am! Well ah, first thing's first, you need to actually summon a weapon to use it. It probably won't work for you, but the way a soldier like me does it is pretty simple!"

Facet 2I4Q, Cut 7XE lifted her gladius into the air, gently running a hand along the blade's length.

"The first time is almost always programming, instinct, whatever. You just kinda...feel it. Maybe you're angry about falling out of your hole and smacking your face in the dirt for the first time and want to hit something, or an Agate shows up and starts yelling at you so you're a bit scared-er, not that I was scared, but regardless! The first time just kind of happens, normally."

The Jasper dropped her gladius, the weapon dissolving into thin motes of light which scattered into nothing seconds letter.

"After that, you just gotta recall that feeling and bam! Summoned weapon!"

---

Don't touch me. Don't fucking touch me let me go-

The sensation of pulling. Something briefly resisting before finally snapping apart and flowing around my hand, right as I thrust the limb forward with a strangled whimper mixed with what might have been an aborted attempt at a growl.

"Urk-!"

I opened my eyes to see a pair of blue orbs staring at me in shock, the Lapis Lazuli's mouth hanging open. Slowly, ever so slowly, both of us looked downwards.

A shiver ran through my body as I saw what was left of my hand, considering the rest of it was piercing through her midsection.

"..."

The small cloud of a lightform bursting apart associated with discorporation washed over me. Followed by the clink of her tear shaped gemstone landing in the palm of my hand.

My gauntleted, clawed hand.

I could hear a rushing in my ears just then. Both that of the water that had once been suspended falling apart and pooling at our feet, and something less tangible as I stared at the impossibly sharp implement attached to my arm.

"Make me proud."

I shivered again, my Caretaker's voice echoing in my head as I hesitantly brought my hand closer-

"W-what is that?"

Flinching, my head turned to face a shocked looking Sixteen A, the Pearl staring down at the gemstone carefully held within my gauntlet.

My gauntlet.

Mine.

Part of me wanted to scream at the thing. Another wanted to grab my red Batchmate, find the nearest storage closet and cry for the next few cycles.

A giggle escaped my lips instead.

"It's a weapon."

My eyes flicked back to the gemstone. For just a moment, I pictured a different shape. Triangular. Green.

Crack.

Crackle.

Snap.

No. No, I'm not there. This isn't...that.

Desperately forcing the vile memory away and shoving it back into the fucking darkness it belonged, I instead recalled the method I'd used to carefully bubble various perfumes to keep them from potentially bumping into and knocking each other over while in storage.

A second later, a light green, see through sphere was formed around the Lapis Lazuli, right before I shoved the entire thing into my gemstone, half of the evidence of my deviancy disappearing with a simple, if shiny flash.

Glancing back up at Sixteen A, I opened my mouth to speak, only to stumble as the entire ship seemed to shake, alarms only now beginning to blare throughout the hull.

Shaking my head, I waved my hand and barely repressed a relieved sigh upon seeing the clawed gauntlet disappear into soft motes of light.

"We...we need to go. Now."

Her eyes stared at my hand.

"But..."

Sighing, I slowly turned around and started walking, trying my level best to ignore the almost nostalgic sensation of water brushing against my feet.

"Whatever. Come with me or stay here but I'm leaving either way, before something finds us."

A few seconds of silence passed. Then the sound of a second set of hesitant footsteps joined my own.

We were further away from the bridge than before, and who knew what areas of the Retaliator were crawling with the organic raiders that we'd seen attacking our Jaspers, alongside whatever possible Gems they also had with them.

But I recognised this particular hallway.

And most importantly, I knew for a fact that it connected to the hangar bay.

I had no plan. No reassurances. No contingencies. Nothing.

But I was done with putting up with this shit.

Part of me panicked, demanding I try and return to my Emerald so she could tell me and Sixteen A what to do. Part of me wept, begging me to go find a nice spot to curl up in and hide until all of this blew over and I could go back to normal again, craving the careful status quo I'd managed to establish.

Part of me, ever so different and inherently alien compared to the other pieces looked at what I was doing...and sang.

And all the while, the phantom sensation of something clicking into place around my hand remained, followed by a similar feeling on my other limb as I led my fellow Pearl onwards.

I was done, and I wasn't going to tolerate another second of any of this.

Chapter Text

Fuck it we ball.

LOG-013.

"We're nearly there, just past this door!"

The shaking had gotten worse the further we went, and I'd had to catch Sixteen A a fair few times in order to keep the Gem from falling over from all the constant fucking rumbling.

Craning my neck in order to peek past the visibly sparking doorway (convenient that it wasn't shut down, otherwise I might have needed to spend who knew how long trying to get the damned thing to open up) in front of me, I peeked inside the hangar bay.

The entire place was quiet, seemingly utterly empty of the standard complement of Gems that would be running around both before and during deployment of the Retaliator's small attack wing.

To my pleasant surprise and mild wariness, the sight of several ships greeted me. Three starfighters out of the full complement were still inside and a secondary shuttle sat parked alongside my Emerald's personal transport.

"...Stay close. Might be trouble ahead."

Grabbing a hold of my fellow Pearl's hand and silently tugging the visibly spooked Gem along, I began to make my way towards the closest fighter. Though the transports might have been a better choice, I just wasn't confident enough in my ability to fly the things, not without watching the Rutiles go through at least a couple dozen simulations beforehand.

It was just as we were making our way around the rear end of the craft that the sound of footsteps made themselves known.

"Hey now...not so fast there."

My entire lightform tensed as a golden figure appeared from around the cockpit. A Citrine.

Sixteen A heaved a sigh of relief, making to step forward.

"Oh, thank the Stars you're here! We've been running around for the past-"

Only to promptly bump into my outstretched arm, turning to stare at me in confusion.

My face was carefully neutral, even as I locked eyes with the Gem across from us, noting her very much irregular uniform.

Alongside the fact that there was a small pile of discarded limb enhancers neatly swept next to one of the storage crates, obscuring whatever might lay behind them.

"She's...not one of ours, A."

Bewilderment morphed into horror as the Pearl abruptly realised that out of the four total Citrines assigned to the Retaliator, none of them had their gemstone located at the base of their chin.

The rogue soldier rubbed the back of her head almost bashfully, even as she began to walk towards us.

"Well, that's unfortunate."

I began to slowly backpedal, my fists clenching and unclenching as the hulking warrior tilted her head ever so slightly.

"Say...you're Pearls, right? I've read about you in the record hall!"

Her hand went up, and in a yellow flash, came right back down with some kind of mace in its grip.

"You're apparently servants, not made for fighting so...I'll give you a chance."

Her other hand moved forward, making a 'come here' gesture.

...Oh fuck right off.

"If you surrender quietly, I can promise you fair treatment. Won't have to smack you around like those whiny green Peridots or the pilots either. Deal?"

Glancing at Sixteen A out of the corner of my eye, I did what I did (what I had always done) best.

I lied.

A shaky little smile emerged on my face as I finally stopped.

"Y-you promise?"

Perfect.

Slowly, a smile of her own made an appearance, even as the Citrine lowered her weapon while I began to take visibly hesitant, shy steps forward, my hands coming forward to wring against each other. It was a vulnerable pose, emphasizing just how meek and small I was compared to the massive yellow Gem.

Type eighteen, pattern one, to be specific.

"Of course. I'll contact someone to come pick you up and then-ARGH!"

My smile remained fixed in place, even as I quickly slid beneath the soldier's wild counter swing, the tip of one of my claws leaving a long line of distorted lightform in its wake.

She was already moving to face me, steadfastly ignoring the cut across her face.

Unfortunately for her, I wasn't finished quite yet.

In a weird way, it was almost like a performance. Similar to when I had danced around the Jaspers during our 'sparring' sessions. The only difference now was that I'd occasionally lean forward and let the bladed fingers of my gauntlets scrape against my opponent's body.

That small, ever so loud part of me sang each time I managed to get another nick on her lightform, prompting me ever forward.

"Sneaky little-ow!"

I flipped over her low sweeping kick (slow, outright sloppy even), planting a foot against her outstretched knee (graceless) and using the momentum to scramble my way atop her heavy frame. A second hop moved me from one shoulder to the other, avoiding the grasping hand (uncoordinated) that likely would have popped my form if it had managed to get a solid hold of me.

The feeling of a second gauntlet phasing into existence over my other limb almost went entirely unnoticed as I brought both hands down upon the areas in between the Citrine's shoulders and neck.

Stab.

"AAAH!"

Ten digits slid into her form. She stumbled in pain.

I pulled them out, then brought the sharp instruments right back down again, doing my best to ignore the nausea inducing sight of the countless holes I was leaving in her lightform.

In. Out.

A second stumble, the Citrine falling to a knee, weakly grasping for me as I wrapped my skinny legs around her thick neck, cementing my new perch.

In. Out.

A clatter, as her summoned weapon fell out of a shaking hand, the mace rolling across the floor before coming to a decidedly final stop.

In. Out.

A crash, followed by a deep, painful sounding groan, muffled as it was thanks to her face practically kissing the panelling below it.

I desperately repeated the motion at least a dozen more times before her form finally began to break apart beneath me, my knees slamming into the ground as a gemstone clinked a foot or so in front of me.

Heaving an unnecessary breath, I finally let myself slump to the floor as my body began to shake.

"V-viridian!"

Footsteps pattered to a stop next to me, drawing my eyes to a pair of red dancing shoes. Said shoes were replaced by bright eyes filled with tears as the crimson Gem slowly pulled me up.

"Stop...crying. We do that in the closet, remember...?"

For whatever reason, the words drew a near hysterical laugh from the Pearl, one that I eventually started to mirror.

Then we both flinched as the gemstone next to us began to emit light, rising up into the air before I lurched forward and cupped my hands around it, bubbling the fucking thing as quickly as I could.

Staring at the newly formed sphere, I licked my lips before promptly shunting it into my gemstone.

Why was I carrying them around? I couldn't rightly say, but considering I'd been the one to poof them it was probably a better idea than leaving them sitting around to reform and try to hunt me down in return.

"H-how did you do that?"

Glancing away from my bellybutton rock, I turned back to Sixteen A.

"What?"

The red Pearl spluttered, before wildly gesturing to the floor, then my gemstone, and finally to the weapons still attached to my hands.

"That! Stars, you just beat up a Citrine!"

Blinking, I let that sentence register for a moment.

...Holy shit. I had just beat up a Citrine!

What the fuck!?

My internal shock and mild celebration faltered at my Batchmate's insistent stare, before I finally chose to hold up the gauntlets, waggling my taloned fingers slightly for emphasis.

"I pretended I was dancing and...tried to get the pointy ends to go in?"

Wincing at the Gem's incredibly dry look, I waved her off and let my weapons dissipate before turning back towards my ticket out of here.

"Listen, just-"

An alarm blared, and I flinched violently as my Emerald's voice roared over the intercom system.

"ALL HANDS, PREPARE FOR EMERGENCY WARP JUMP! BRACE FOR VIOLENT TRANSITION!"

My eyes widened drastically and not a second later I was clambering up the starfighter's open cockpit as quickly as I fucking could.

I moved to activate the controls, only for a pair of red hands to grab at my own.

"What are you doing!? We're about to be safe!"

Snarling, I slapped Sixteen A's hands away, drawing a shocked gasp from the Pearl as I reached forward, slamming my own hands into the navigational inputs attached to the dashboard of the cockpit.

"We were never safe! And I'm done pretending we were!"

"B-but-"

Whirling around to glare at her and doing my level best to ignore the twin wet streams pouring out of my eyes, I sat down as the craft's reactor thrummed to life, lights flashing on all around me.

"But nothing! We weren't safe at the Reef! We weren't safe in the Retaliator and we'll never be safe so long as we're a pair of glitching Pearls in the Gem Empire!"

A hideous feeling sob racked through my frame, even as the starfighter steadily began to rise into the air. The hangar doors were already open, thankfully, so all I needed to do was pilot my way out of the atmospheric barrier.

"I'm leaving A! So just get off of me!"

Twisting back around to glare out the front viewing screen, I wrenched the controls forward, ignoring the soft hiss of the cockpit closing and locking into place around me.

"...I'm leaving too."

The quiet voice prompted yet another flinch from me, even as I felt a thin body carefully squeeze itself into the small space behind my seat.

"F-fine. Good."

Then we were moving, the interior of the hangar steadily being traded out for the eternal void that was outer space. For just a moment, the light of the Warp began to bleed in around us and I screamed internally at the thought of being pulled alongside the cruiser just behind us as it transitioned into FTL.

But that didn't happen. Instead, our stolen starfighter shook as I watched (through one of the rear visual sensors) the warship get wrenched into the Warp, leaving behind a far smaller grey vessel that began to spin in place as its sole anchor was lost.

A persistent beeping drew my attention to the console in front of me, and I watched as several gigantic signatures (relative to my own ride's size) began to approach.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. Okay, where did I go, what now?

"What now, what now, what now?"

My soft, panicked murmuring went quiet as a red hand moved past my head, pointing to the side.

I stared at the distant figure of the dead planet, and finally nodded.

With a shift of my hands, still firmly embedded within the fighter's controls, we began to move forward.

It still wasn't quite a plan, but a destination was far better than nothing.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Fanfic is soup and brother I am the spoon.

LOG-014.

"Beginning initial scan...or at least I think that's what this command line does."

Sixteen A hummed from behind me as the grey and brown planet grew ever larger, surface details becoming apparent as we drew closer to the world.

My eyes remained fixed to the small screen in between my hands however, focused on the lines upon lines of gem glyph code running across it. While the starfighter decidedly wasn't a dedicated exploration or even basic recon vessel, and thus couldn't give me exact readouts, it was still a military craft designed to operate in as many environments as feasibly possible, and thus had the appropriate instruments to determine whether it was flying straight into a death trap or not.

Or at least that's what Facet 2M8R, Cut 6XC said, back whenever I managed to get the boastful Rutile to talk about her ride rather than her numerous exploits while attached to the Retaliator's fighter wing.

I pondered whether the cocky pilot was still alive and well, considering her own craft had been one of the starfighters notably missing from the hangar.

"The s-ship is shaking!"

Glancing at my Batchmate, I nodded even as the cockpit's view of the world was briefly obscured by what could only really be called a grey smog.

"We're passing through the atmosphere now, so that's to be expected. It was probably much thicker a few centuries ago, before it was torn apart by bombardment so...I guess we have the devastator fleets to thank for such a smooth ride."

Carefully repressing the desire to shudder as the ship continued to shake further (Sixteen A was already doing enough panicking for the both of us), my attention instead turned back towards the sensor readout as the next few moments passed in an uncertain silence. At the most basic level, the fighter was picking up massively increased levels of CO2, sulfur compounds and various gasses that it just plain wasn't advanced enough to actually determine.

The air would likely be toxic as shit. Maybe even unbreathable.

Thankfully, we were Gems, so that wasn't too large of a concern for us. Just another point to lightform based physiology, pretty much.

Another few moments later, and the entire cockpit finally brightened slightly as we made it past the atmospheric smog, revealing a veritable hellscape below us.

The civilisation that had once thrived upon this planet had definitely been at the late industrial level at the very least, judging by the sprawling masses of broken, ruined remnants of alien cities scattered in between jagged mountain ranges, deep fissures and the occasional hardened lava plain.

The countless shattered buildings had likely been a sight to behold, once. Smooth, curving things. I could only assume the massive gaping sections in most of them had been glass, long since blown out by this or that force.

Any area that wasn't either a result of abandoned and decayed infrastructure or violent geological upheaval presented itself as a desolate wasteland instead. Gigantic, near flat areas with little else but exposed rock and barren soil to its structure.

"Stars..."

I nodded silently at Sixteen A's gasped exclamation, idly glancing up at the sky. What portions of the atmosphere weren't blocked by enormous amounts of dust and ash remained either insanely thin or outright nonexistent, exposing vast swathes of the world below to an utterly unforgiving sun, heating up things significantly.

"Yellow Diamond doesn't mess around, evidently."

And to think I'd been in the same room as the Gem largely responsible for all of this. Fuck.

My already severe frown deepened slightly as almost black looking raindrops began to violently impact against the hull of the starfighter. Thankfully, Gems had either done away with or never even used see-through cockpits, so obscured vision wasn't a problem, considering the brackish liquid couldn't seem to find purchase on the visual sensors.

Gently banking to the left and avoiding a dangerously leaning tower of some sort, I eyed what appeared to be the skeletal wreck of a ship embedded into a city half sunken into the earth around it. The thing almost resembled the old landing vessels of Era One, if far, far longer in length.

"I'm gonna bring us in for a landing around...there. Hopefully we can use whatever that ship was to shield ourselves from the worst of the weather while we figure out what we're gonna do."

Yet even as we began to descend further towards the surface, part of me pondered, steadily worrying about potential complications.

The natives had been rather decisively exterminated, clearly, and while the upper layers of the crust had likely been compromised to some degree thanks to all the damage the devastator fleets had done, the resources of this world almost certainly remained deeper within the earth regardless. A full colony may not have been possible, but surely basic mining operations could have been conducted. Homeworld always needed more raw material, after all.

Just what could have possibly warded the Empire away from coming back to this place?

---

"Brace yourself, deploying landing apparatus in three...two...one-"

Clunk.

I emitted a shuddering sigh as the reactor powered down, the cockpit beginning to open back up with the hiss of different pressures abruptly running into each other. Behind me, Sixteen A slowly unfolded from her scrunched up position, peaking outside.

"...This place is horrible."

I followed the Pearl's gaze, staring at the bubbling pool of...something we'd landed next to. We were in the shade now, the broken form of the wrecked starship shielding us from one side, and the shattered remnants of what might have been some equivalent to skyscrapers covering us from the other.

"...Yeah. Yeah it definitely is."

My hand grabbed onto the edge of the cockpit, and a second later I was gracefully flipping myself over it, landing amidst a wide patch of grey, loose soil.

"B-be careful, we don't know what might be out here!"

I made to respond, only for a small patch of colour to catch my eye.

It was just a single strand of it, but the simple looking plant was unmistakable, even on an entirely different planet.

Grass. Not the beautiful shade of green that I remembered from my memories of Earth, but certainly attention grabbing nonetheless. If I wanted to place a name to it...

"Vermillion."

"What?"

Blinking, I glanced back at the red Pearl behind me.

...Vermillion.

Hm.

My arm slowly reached out, and as the Gem hesitantly extended her own arm, I nodded firmly.

"Vermillion. That's...that's your name now. No point in using Batch codes if it's just us, right?"

Sixteen A-no, Vermillion looked at me, surprise and...something else, evident on her face, but she didn't argue. She took my hand and carefully stepped out of the starfighter, her eyes darting around the unfamiliar terrain.

"Vermillion..." She repeated, testing the word on her tongue. "I...I like it."

I smiled, relieved that she'd accepted my mostly impromptu identifier. "Good. It suits you." She was the exact same shade as the grass, for Stars' sake. Of course it suited her.

Regardless of my internal thoughts, we both just stood there for a moment, taking in the desolate landscape. The bubbling pool beside us hissed and spat occasionally, the liquid within glowing faintly under the dim, ash-clouded sky. The air (from what I could tell at least) was thick and metallic, a stark reminder of the planet's unknown, but very clearly violent history.

"I don't see anything dangerous." I said, blanky staring at what parts of the horizon weren't obscured by the massive starship resting behind us. "But...we should probably keep an eye out regardless. Anything that might have survived sustained orbital bombardment isn't something I'd love to run into."

Vermillion nodded, her eyes wide with fear. But there was a small sense of curiosity there too. One that I shared.

I just really hoped it didn't get us killed out here.

The grey soil crunched beneath my dancing shoes as I began to make my way around the pool of mysterious nasty juice, hearing my fellow Pearl slowly begin wandering after me.

---

We'd eventually made our way towards the remains of the possibly maybe skyscrapers, their twisted forms jutting into the sky like skeletal fingers. As we approached, I continued to notice more patches of that same red grass appearing here and there. It seemed to thrive in the shadow of the ruins, adding an eerie splash of color to the otherwise monochromatic landscape.

Part of me was already debating whether I could get away with trying to enter one of the buildings when Vermillion gasped, the sound failing to cover up the noise of something else.

Metallic clinking, mixed with the sound of scrabbling talons impacting against whatever material made up the buildings around us.

Grabbing hold of my Batchmate's shoulder, I quickly pulled her down with me, going fully prone as a shape began to make itself apparent.

It looked like a predator, even as it steadily continued to crawl up a nearly vertical wall. Quadrupedal legs ended in sharp, clawed appendages that easily sunk into the stone-like material of its perch, a long, segmented tail occasionally swaying behind it.

My eyes widened at just how metallic it looked. Artificial, even.

The upper portion of the crawler, including its back and shoulders seemed to be covered in large, angular looking armoured plates. But it was the hide, sinewy and muscular that drew my eye the most. Dark and almost woody in terms of colour, contrasting with the armour around it.

It was some kind of machine, clearly, and I did my best to press myself and Vermillion even lower into the dirt as a single glowing blue light, possibly some kind of eye, turned to briefly glance in our direction. A long piece of metal, shaped almost like a beak, barely avoided scraping against the wall 'below' it, the rest of the construct's head encased in an angular, helmet-like structure that eventually tapered to a sharp point along its elongated 'skull.'

A cybernetic sounding chitter escaped the machine, before it finally looked away and continued moving, eventually forcing its way through a large breach in the building it had been scaling.

Slowly, I ran my hand along a shaking Vermillion's back, patting the Pearl on the shoulder and beginning to get back up as I whispered under my breath.

"Back to the ship. Slowly."

Chapter Text

Always be as vague as possible when it comes to important details.-Sun Tzu, Art of War.

LOG-015.

We'd returned to the starfighter in a damn hurry, for obvious reasons. The next half hour or so (in human time, to be specific) had been spent nervously watching our surroundings before we'd finally determined that no, we hadn't been followed and needed to make an immediate emergency lift off. Eventually, Vermilion had chosen to busy herself with doing her level best to clean both the interior and exterior of the craft, trembling hands nervously dusting and checking the surface of its armour.

I'd left the crimson Pearl to her coping mechanism, instead focusing on bringing out four...complicated objects.

Limb enhancers. Yeah.

They were interesting devices, to say the very least.

An entire arsenal of tools and what could potentially be considered weapons if one were generous about it, specifically designed to make up for the deficiencies various Gem types suffered near the dawn of Era Two. All condensed into four attachable modules that would extend a given Gem's...well, limbs. I knew for a fact that the Peridots aboard the Retaliator had possessed updated models, made to assist in general ship maintenance and, in a pinch, anti-boarding operations.

The set that I pulled out from my gemstone were distinctly sleeker when compared to the bulky, durable units the technicians used, which made sense considering they served a decidedly different, if similar purpose. The Reef would never require a Peridot to enter any form of conflict after all, especially when one considered that the largest threat within that horrid place would likely be a 'malfunctioning' Pearl, at best.

Bringing an arm up, I hesitated for a second, before slowly sliding my hand into the appropriate hollow, near the back of the enhancer. Then I held back a yelp as I felt the thing tighten around the limb, effectively fitting itself to me. Compared to the generally smaller appendages of a Peridot, my own arms remained a fair bit longer, resulting in my elbow sticking out from the protective embrace of the tool as a consequence of my 'longer' stature.

It was the sensation of connection that truly made my eyes widen however, just as several detached 'fingers' floated up from the end of the enhancer, taking on a loose approximation of a hand.

"Woah..."

Clenching my hand made the faux fingers take on the shape of a fist, prompting me to go through a few different gestures. Pointing. A thumbs up. Even flipping the bird.

It was just a little comical, and most definitely not at all what the things had been designed for, but what did I care? Getting used to my now much longer arm, I finally grabbed hold of the other three limb enhancers, slipping my legs into the 'shoes' like a long pair of boots and carefully fitting my hand into the final device.

Standing up straight took a second as I adjusted to the unique experience of effectively being attached to advanced stilts, but my sense of balance helped in that regard.

I took a second to look at my now slightly smaller looking surroundings, before smiling as I brought up my new 'hand' once more.

"Hm. I fit the colour, at least."

A squeak made me turn my head quickly, catching Vermilion staring at me out of the corner of my vision. For whatever reason, a light dusting of dark red was apparent on the Pearl's face, even as she slowly continued to wipe a rag against the interior of the cockpit, all while keeping a wide pair of eyes on my form.

Blinking and slowly shaking my head, I turned back to inspecting my new toys, trying to get the floating fingers to form the projected screens I always saw the ship technicians walking around with.

The blushing Pearl was just a bit off-putting, but I figured it was better not to look a weird gift horse in the mouth. I really didn't need her questioning where I'd gotten the damned things from, and I most definitely didn't want to explain why I'd gotten technology that a Pearl would most certainly not be carrying around under any normal circumstances.

---

I'd need to add Peridot Facet 2I5P, Cut 6XA to the list of Gems I needed to thank some day. Assuming she was alive, at least.

Because seriously, despite being sort of intuitive, I'd likely have spent the better part of a few days trying to figure out just how to activate each module inherent to the devices without the offhand quirks the technician had occasionally talked about in between either tweaking her limb enhancers' systems or admiring my dance routines.

Instead, I'd figured out most of the basics within an hour or so.

I couldn't quite transform my fingers into an energy blaster or anything like that, unfortunately. But I could do things like directly interface with Gem technology, or utilize a hand to propel myself through the air. Or even project an extremely thin cutting beam of energy in order to snip stuff like wiring or manually adjust the shape of this or that object.

It was the ability to 'speak' to machines that proved the most immediately helpful, however. For one, I now knew for a fact that our stolen starfighter was equipped with a transponder beacon.

Yeah, that thing wasn't exactly working anymore, for some strange reason.

After that brief bit of careful but necessary sabotage, I'd spent a fair bit of time just flying around from spot to spot, mostly near the surface of the massive ship we'd decided to hide in the shadow of. I still hadn't found any kind of actual entrance, but I was starting to suspect that my way into the enormous wreck might just be from somewhere beneath the hull, considering it seemed to follow the basic Era One lander designs.

My position in the air had also let me spot a few more of the crawlers, even if from an extreme distance. They mostly did as their namesake dictated, clambering up, around, into and out of the many ruined buildings around them. Occasionally, one or two would pass each other, with little more than a chitter indicating that they'd even noticed another of their kind.

It was the husks that drew my attention the most, though. Almost exclusively scattered at ground level, several mangled looking crawlers gave me the feeling that the autonomous machines weren't the only things prowling around the long since dead city.

My current theory was that whatever had been damaging the drones mostly came out at night. It was either that or the crawlers had been damaging themselves, for whatever reason.

"Viridian!"

Glancing down at my fellow Pearl from my position atop a tall pile of rubble, I sighed and began to make my way back towards our 'camp.'

We'd likely find out whether there were unspeakable horrors lurking in the darkness soon enough, considering the fact that any light making it through the atmospheric smog was already beginning to fade as the star this world orbited made its exit for the day.

---

Howls.

The sun had finally dipped below the mostly obscured horizon, painting the sky in deep hues of violet, grey and black with only the faintest glimmers of distant stars visible through the not quite storm covering the planet.

All the while, multiple warbling howls (and sometimes an utterly horrifying roar) echoed through the distant plains in and out of the city, prompting the occasional nervous shudder through my lightform.

Vermillion had finished her cleaning a good while ago, and was now using a big rock as a makeshift seat, fiddling with a small object I'd recovered while exploring one of the nearby buildings that didn't have crawlers scrambling all over it. The nervous energy that had driven her cleaning frenzy seemed to have settled into a focused determination as she tried to coax the little gadget back to life, her eyes narrowed and tongue occasionally darting out of her mouth to lick at her pursed lips.

I was pretty sure she was taking inspiration from me, which was...well, good for her. Maybe. It also meant that I absolutely lacked the heart to tell my focused Batchmate that I was about ninety percent certain the small, brightly coloured cylindrical device was, in all likelyhood, some kind of toy flashlight.

I couldn't blame her, however. My own 'project' wasn't faring much better either. A wrecked crawler torso sat before me, its left shoulder carefully sliced off and all sorts of internal wiring and mechanisms exposed to the toxic air around us.

Clicking my teeth and getting up from the brief resting position I'd taken, I rolled my own shoulder in sympathy and got back to work, trying to figure out what the thing actually was, and just how it ticked.

At the very least, it helped serve as a distraction from the constant howling, alongside what sounded like creatures violently impacting against each other and fighting, deep within the city streets.

Tommorow, I'd see whether I could find a safe spot to release one of my 'prisoners' for a bit of impromptu interrogation. The Lapis Lazuli, probably, since just keeping her away from any source of water or moisture would quite literally remove her main way of hurting me and Vermilion.

Hopefully.

For now though, I'd just try to relax, and take what enjoyment I could out of slowly dissecting a weird robot thing.

For science.

And survival.

But mostly science.

Chapter Text

Been playing Barotrauma with the gang of goons in the Discord server...YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE TO PROPAGANDA, GET IN HERE. WE HAVE VIRIDIAN MEMES AND WOG. (Ao3 edit, link likely only works on SB version.)

LOG-016.

"Hm."

I tilted my head as sparks continued to burst from the crawler's cut open chest cavity, its sole optic occasionally flashing a weak, pale blue before going dark again. Getting up from the crouch I'd taken next to it, I dusted off the small bit of dust and dirt that had managed to get on to my appropriated limb enhancers and stared down at the wreck.

I'd at least identified (sort of) most of the primary components inside of the machine's casing. Frustratingly, there had been a small module which I was starting to suspect was some kind of primary processor or computer core, but considering the damned thing had a large jagged cut running through it, chances were I'd need to look for a different specimen if I wanted a chance to study whatever code the drone was actually running off of.

"It's getting light again."

Vermilion's voice drew my gaze to the sky, noting the small bits of sun peeking through the ever present carpet keeping most of the environment shaded. Part of me couldn't help but notice the way the Pearl visibly brightened as a small ray gradually crept closer to us, part of it lighting up her form as she stepped towards it.

"It is."

Turning back towards the wreck, I nudged the end of it with my foot, sighing as the light sputtered one more time and finally died out entirely.

Shaking my head, I stepped away from the dead crawler and pat my fellow Pearl's back as I began to make my way towards the small path we'd been using to (slowly) explore the edge of the 'perimeter' we'd established.

It was just a series of lines in the loose soil, mostly. The hope was that we'd notice if any of the marks were disturbed, giving us, if not advanced warning, at least the knowledge that something else was close by.

"Come on, we still need to find a dry spot to let the Lazuli out in."

Vermilion's response was to shiver, one hand wringing around the other as she stepped past the crawler to follow me.

"A-are you sure it's a good idea to unbubble her? What if she tries attack us again?"

My eyes narrowed slightly, noting a small, squat looking building in the distance, at least when compared to some of the larger structures around it. One of the walls had almost entirely collapsed at some point, but the closest puddle of revoltingly brown and black liquid was a few paces away from the starfighter, which was in turn a good few minutes away from the area we were making our way towards.

It would just have to do.

"If she tries something, we poof her and start again. We need any information she might have. I'm fairly sure she'll get the memo eventually."

A second passed in silence as I used the newfound reach my limb enhancers provided to scale my way up a large mound of shattered rubble, taking a moment to scan our surroundings for signs of...just about anything really.

Anything that wasn't us.

"But...she's a Lapis Lazuli and we're Pearls! What are we supposed to do-"

The familiar feeling of a phantom grip on my shoulder. The almost burning desire to remove it. That was how I summoned it now. The remembered fear, frustration and anger brought a flash of light with them, one which flowed out from my gemstone and pushed some of the faux fingers from the limb enhancer aside, a now familiar gauntlet settling over the edge of it.

I gave Vermilion a cool look from my position atop the mound, bringing up the weapon and flexing the wickedly sharp talons making up its digits, despite my actual hand not being within the weaponized mass of light.

"If she causes trouble, I'll handle it, alright?"

A second passed as my Batchmate stared at me, before quickly nodding.

"Y-yes my-"

Her mouth shut with a hasty click, but the aborted sentence was more than enough. One brief, horrified glance at my much longer arm, topped by outstretched, flexing claws was enough for the entire gauntlet to crumble apart into motes of light that eventually faded into nothing.

I wasn't blind. The resemblance, while loose, especially when one factored in colour, was still most definitely there. I just hadn't truly considered how much stronger it might be when taken from an outsider's perspective.

"I-I..."

Proper words failed to spill from Vermilion's lips, but her rapidly twitching fingers told me more than enough. There was a sorrowful look on her face now. One that I didn't like at all, but could absolutely understand, unfortunately.

I did my best to wave the nonverbal apology off, standing up straight and trying to glance away.

"Not your fault. I...wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."

A sniffle drew my attention back to her, and the resulting sight made something within me twist uncomfortably.

There was a shine to her eyes, but the tears didn't manage to make it out before her hand came up to wipe them away, even as she clambered up after me.

Thud.

"Don't be sorry. Please don't be sorry..."

Shifting slightly, I tried to avoid squirming as the Pearl wrapped her arms around my midsection. The hug was nice, but the height difference caused by the limb enhancers made it a little awkward, to say the very least.

Slowly patting her head (the other option was her shoulders, something I wasn't very keen on doing), I stretched my other arm out, pointing towards our destination.

"It's...alright. Come on. We can recompose ourselves in there, better than having something catch us outside. I'm...sure the Lapis can wait a little longer while we take some time to ourselves."

I was going to take these damn things off. Maybe not immediately, but once we were properly settled they were going back into storage until I needed them again.

A bit of inconvenience was preferable to looking like a fucking monster.

---

It had taken some work, but I was now relatively certain that we were as secure as we could reasonably get. There was no moisture around here, at least not enough to truly be weaponized by an enemy hydrokinetic if the limb enhancers' basic sensors weren't lying to me.

The appendages hadn't been explicitly designed to take in and record environmental data like the set a Kindergartener Peridot might use, but some functions just kind of remained universal. After all, most of them supposedly (if the technicians aboard the Retaliator were to be believed) came from the same basic initial design. Why wouldn't they leave in some of those standard functions?

Aside from that, Vermilion had somewhat predictably busied herself with cleaning and hauling away any dust and loose debris left behind from what was likely centuries of neglect and environmental damage. We could at least be sure that our captive Lazuli wasn't going to get a chance to bash a stray shard of metal or piece of rock against our gemstones anytime soon.

It was after all the work was done that we'd mostly just stood in the center of the building, either occasionally sneaking glances at each other or staring around at different parts of the building.

If I needed to hazard a guess...it had likely been a warehouse, maybe. I didn't see any other reason why the ceiling was so high, or why the entire structure was completely open, save for a small shuttered area near the back.

Shaking my head, I wrenched my gaze away from the stray cracks running across one of the walls.

No more stalling. Otherwise I'd probably chicken out and we'd be right back to fucking square one.
With the characteristic flash of light that accompanied something being withdrawn from my internal storage, I gently pulled the soft green bubble away from my gemstone, staring at the motionless blue form held within the sphere.

"Might want to step back for this. Just in case she decides to get violent."

I noted the soft pitter patter of dancing shoes making their way somewhere behind me, and took in a deep, entirely unnecessary breath. For just a moment, part of me wondered whether I'd be keeling over as a human from all the most likely hazardous particles carried within that one motion, before I forcibly shunted the pondering, distracting thoughts away.

A second flash heralded the return of my summoned weapon, and from there, all it took was a light poke with a finger to pop the container keeping the gemstone within aloft.

The blue teardrop dropped to the floor with a slight clatter, and I stepped back, tensing as it began to shine almost immediately.

The glowing mass that burst out from around the gemstone was vague at first. A wave of almost incredibly light blue, almost bordering on white, that steadily travelled downwards for a second, before beginning to take on a more defined, mannequin like shape.

From there, further details began to express themselves as the initial shape was refined even further. Hands, feet, hair and eventually clear facial features. As the Gem slowly dropped further towards the ground, the material of her pseudo-Quartz uniform wrapped itself over her lightform, followed by the brief billowing of the simulated material that made up her jacket settling over all of it.

It was a fascinating, beautiful process to watch, and part of me decided that I'd ensure the memory remained a little more prominent than some of the others, so I could immediately recall it later if needed.

Unfortunately for the freshly reformed Lapis Lazuli, the pretty sight didn't stop me from lunging forward and ramming my shoulder into her chest just as her feet hit the floor, tackling her into the ground.

"Move and I'll cut you, got it?"

It was as I was positioning the claws of my gauntlet just around her gemstone (I figured there wasn't anything less threatening than the possibility of her true body getting scratched to shit) that her eyes opened and locked with my own.

I expected a fearful look. Or maybe a hateful stare. A curse. A sneer. A whimper. Something along those lines. Something negative, in conjunction with the situation I was forcing her into.

What I most definitely didn't expect was for a flood of dark blue to spread across the rock cutter's face, accompanied by a peculiar emotion entering her eyes as she gasped out a single word.

"Wow..."

Chapter Text

Good job Facilitator, you turned a Boat chapter into a Rock chapter.

(Ao3 edit. Link only works in the Spacebattles version of this story.)

LOG-017.

"Eeeeeeek!"

My eyes narrowed as some strange, unnatural keening noise escaped her lips, right before her own eyes widened like dinner plates, her mouth shutting closed with a rather distinct clack.

Leaning back slightly, I ensured my claws weren't at risk of accidentally grazing her gemstone, and did my best to put on an authoritative glare, mustering every little bit of the numerous times I'd seen my Emerald giving the rest of the bridge orders to take on a suitably intimidating stance and expression.

"Cut and Facet, Lapis Lazuli. Now."

Unfortunately, all the demand earned was a slow blink from the terraformer, even as her weird, out of place blush began to fade away.

Resisting the urge to groan in frustration, I tapped a single claw against her cheek, avoiding actually poking her gemstone in the process.

"Your identifier. Your name. Did you not recieve one after emerging from your Kindergarten?"

That got a reaction out of her at least, eyes brightening as she let out, for lack of a better word, a fucking squawk. My own utterly deadpan reaction drew yet another blush from the Lazuli, before she finally spat out something I could actually understand.

"A-ah, it's a word for overflowing. Brimming, technically."

There was an almost imperceptible accent to her words, as if she were speaking a second tongue. Brimming. Brimming with water, maybe?

"Brim, then."

A second of hesitation, then a nod.

"Yes, in our species' language, that would serve as a rough translation."

Rolling my eyes, I slid my foot backward, slowly standing up while keeping my other 'boot' firmly against her shoulder. I made sure my summoned gauntlet was still pointed right at her lightform, however. Just for caution's sake.

"Alright...Brim. You're gonna answer some questions for m-"

"What is your name?"

Blinking at the odd level of eagerness in her tone, I tilted my head ever so slightly in blatant confusion.

"...Viridian. Now-"

From its position pinned against the floor, her arm slowly rose upward, gesturing towards me as the Lapis Lazuli grinned.

I tensed for a possible attack, ready to slam my weapon into and through her, if need be.

"You are the most beautiful Gem in the world, Viridian!"

A breath of most likely tainted air escaped me as I felt a simulated heat creeping up my face at the utterly out of place compliment. Somewhere behind me, I heard what sounded like a squawk of outrage. Not a literal one like before, though.

Then I shook myself of the bewilderment, glaring back down at the blue Gem.

"Are you alright in the head? I'm threatening you!"

That just prompted an even deeper blush from her, even as she shook her own head rapidly.

"That doesn't change the fact that you're beautiful!"

Had I been wrong? Was breathing in the air on this planet causing me to hallucinate? Or maybe it was causing her to act weird?

Could Gems even get mental debilitations?

The quick pitter patter of light steps impacting the ground drew my attention, just in time for me to notice Vermilion leaning around my side, one finger firmly pointing at the weirdo Lapis.

"That's extremely inappropriate! How can you be so-so cavalier like that!? It's not like we're on friendly terms!"

The comment brought a shocked look to Brim's face, before the rock cutter was turning back to stare at me with a pleading look.

"But we could be! Please, I didn't mean to frighten you back on the ship. You're both Pearls, yes?"

I risked a glance at my Batchmate, before turning back to stare down the Lazuli.

"We are. Why is that relevant?"

Her hands both went up to rest next to her head in a vague motion of surrender.

"Then am I not incorrect in the understanding that you are slaves in the eyes of your Empire?"

A bout of hesitation struck me as I kept my foot down on the visibly earnest Gem, considering the question carefully.

...Had I misjudged her intentions back on the ship?

Fuck, I probably had. Because of course I had. Slowly, carefully, I stepped off of her, not quite lowering my brandished weapon.

"We...were. We've since gained new priorities after getting off the thing before it left."

Brim slowly sat up in response, rubbing a hand against her shoulder before glancing back at me.

"Wonderful! Listen, there's no need for us to be in conflict! If you've rebelled against your Imperial masters, then that means we have something in common. We should be working together, not fighting each other!"

I felt Vermilion shift next to me, the Pearl practically standing on her toes in an effort to reach closer to my ear while whispering.

"Be careful Viridian, she's a rogue Gem. She could be malfunctioning!"

Despite the situation, my crimson Batchmate's warning almost brought an impolite snort from my nose.

"By Homeworld law, we're malfunctioning, but I see your point."

Turning back to Brim, I spread my arms slightly.

"If you're being sincere about things, then you wouldn't mind answering my questions, now would you?"

The Lapis Lazuli's firm nod was somewhat reassuring, at the very least.

"Let me explain everything."

---

It was similar to the history lesson given to me by Emerald, mostly. But it definitely filled in important details that had most likely been left out by whatever Gem had been assigned to record the events.

This world and the people who lived on it had thrived, once. They'd barely been on the verge of making their first attempts to travel to and settle their three moons when the Gem Empire had found their system and promptly decided it was a perfectly viable spot for territorial expansion.

Orbital infrastructure had been the first thing to go down, blown apart by ships infinitely more advanced than anything the locals might have had access to, apparently. From there, things had most likely been relatively routine for an expansion fleet belonging to the Great Diamond Authority. A small invasion force had landed upon a resource rich part of the planet, and construction Gems had begun the creation of the world's first Kindergarten.

They'd spread from there, encountering sporadic attacks from local military forces but inevitably settling areas and expanding their future colony nonetheless. Spires went up, Kindergartens were plopped down, local populations were either dispersed or destroyed and soon enough, resistance began to seemingly wind down.

This went on for a long time, supposedly. Long enough that the natives were treated more as a slowly dwindling population of dangerous wildlife than anything else.

It was when one of those once 'extinct' militaries had made an abrupt reappearance, managing to assault, overpower the local security of and capture a Kindergarten that the tables turned rather drastically.

From Brim's retelling of things, the various Gem batches held within the earth had been just about ready to emerge when the entire facility had exchanged hands. New Gems were greeted not by Agates and Peridots, but by strange organics who, while wary, were just as curious as the newcomers were of them. The Lapis Lazuli recounted her own experience of nearly coming to blows with a rowdy Quartz warrior, fresh from her hole, before an avian had gotten between them.

Regardless, the small force of native soldiers had managed to be the first ones to come into contact with an entire newborn army. Homeworld (or at least the specific Gems in charge of managing the place) hadn't very much appreciated that, most likely, considering their immediate response had been to attempt a bombardment of the entire site from orbit.

Faced with that...it had only made sense for the newly emerged Gems to side with those they had first met, rather than their immediately violent 'creators' who had decided they were apparently a write off before even laying eyes on them.

From there, it had been war. True and proper war, rather than the one sided conflict from before. Much more equal than that of the initial invasion, thanks to now Gem reinforced defenders. Though the Kindergarten had apparently been geared primarily to produce Quartz and Peridot class Gems, a few specialized spots had spewed out different types as well.

Brim had originally been part of a cell of four terraformers, though considering the melancholic tone in her voice as she mentioned each of their names, they likely weren't among the living anymore.

It had been just when they were managing to get relatively even 'ground' with Imperial forces, cutting off the relentless sea of reinforcements by taking over the local Galaxy Warp, that a second, much larger force had arrived to fill the skies of the world.

The devastator fleet. Though to her and her adopted people, they had been known as the World Burners.

Brim's home had crumbled. Seas had boiled. Skies were lit aflame. From her perspective, the very ground itself was shattered from the relentless onslaught of hundreds of thousands of warships using guided laser weaponry to destroy anything and everything that hadn't already fled through a long since deactivated Warp pad.

It had been all they could do to hastily commandeer and activate a small half constructed shipyard, along with the initial colony vessels that had been docked upon it.

The 'grand' evacuation had been a hasty, utterly panicked effort to get as many people off of the dying world as possible, from her experience. Out of the entire species, only the smallest portion were actually able to reach the shipyard on time, and from there an even tinier fraction had actually managed to fit aboard the overpacked vessels and escape. I'd barely managed to hear Vermillion gasp behind me as my own head rang with the idea of an entire planet's population dying.

But that was reality here, it seemed.

The Gems, Brim's family in all but name, had almost exclusively stayed behind. Her own not quite sisters had repurposed entire lakes (one had apparently been strong enough to pull up part of a small ocean) to try and strike down any devastator warships they could. To buy time. Considering things, they'd likely died in the attempt.

She herself had been the weakest and thus had been chosen to remain with the fleet. To defend it in the short term, and to do her level best to purify and maintain water supplies in the long term.

The survivors, those first initial ancestors of the entire population in the modern day, had fled into deep space aboard those initial ships, leaving their dead world and its victorious murderers behind them.

"That was well over two thousand years ago. We've lived amongst the nebulas since then, mining from asteroids for what we need, and attacking your Empire's more isolated ships and stations for anything we couldn't fabricate ourselves. It was from the vessels we stole from that we learned of the 'Great' Diamond Authority. Of our origins."

Brim scoffed, waving a hand as if to banish the thought of our species' rulers.

"It's how we know that a true fight isn't possible. It's how I knew you were Pearls, even though I've never met one in person before now. There were ah...pictures on some of the ships."

Vermilion and I's deadpan stares had drawn a brief blush from the rogue Gem, before she'd shaken her head and continued.

"Our latest raid was supposed to be the last, the Ichor aboard the freighter we seized was something we'd been planning to take for a while, since it would let us supercharge the old engines onboard the largest of the Homeships, letting us gain enough distance from Imperial space that they'll never find us again. According to some of our best technicians and scientists, anyway."

The Lapis Lazuli cringed.

"But then, well...the warship we met on arrived, and we figured we'd pull off one last attack and net ourselves an extra vessel full of useful material in the process. The Peridots always need more, for obvious reasons."

A sigh escaped the blue Gem's lips, before her mood visibly brightened.

"But now that you know everything, we can forgive any previous misunderstandings, right?"

...Hm.

Slowly, hesitantly, I let my claws burst apart into motes of light, the faux limb enhancer fingers that had been hidden beneath them popping back into position almost immediately.

Glancing at an uncertain looking Vermilion out of the corner of my eye, I turned back to the Lapis and nodded.

"I suppose we can. Though uh...there is something I should...probably mention if we're being entirely honest with each other from now on."

Her eyes widened, mouth opening to gape as my gemstone flashed, another light green bubble falling into my waiting hand.

The Citrine held within almost seemed to glitter as I held it up.

"I kind of...got into a fight with your friend as well. So, you know..."

To my frustation (and mostly confusion), the sight merely brought another beaming smile to the Lapis Lazuli's face.

"Strong and beautiful!"

What the fuck was wrong with this Gem? Maybe she really was defective somehow, beyond Homeworld's propaganda?

Chapter Text

Caw caw motherfucker. Soon. SOON.

LOG-018.

The Citrine was now back in the convenient storage space that was my gemstone. Mostly because we'd all collectively decided that bringing her out here and now would cause more issues than solve them. Brim's simple logic of always being able to release her once we were somewhere safer was...well. I wasn't going to say anything about it.

Instead, I was forced to raise a hand to cover my eyes as I glanced up at the brightening sky, my head barely peeking out from the edge of the crumbling wall acting as our cover. A short distance away, a crawler made its path up a tilted spire of some sort, tail lashing back and forth as it continued to climb ever upwards.

"Huh, there's still sentinels around after all this time...amazing."

Turning to stare at the Lapis Lazuli out of the corner of my vision, I tilted my head toward the rapidly shrinking metallic figure.

"Sentinels?"

Brim's expression was notably different from before, as if the blue Gem were lost in thought. The moment of silence allowed Vermilion to slip past the rock cutter, her lightform flinching slightly as the Lazuli shook her head loose of whatever memories she'd been lost in.

"They were machines designed to detect and slow down invading forces. To give our people, of this world to be specific, time to escape to other areas before the invading armies overran them."

Her arms shifted strangely, rising up to allow her knuckles to brush against her hips briefly. The gesture obviously meant something, but it was lost on me as Brim slowly stepped out into the sunlight.

"We should be careful around them. They're programmed to try and claw apart any Gems they see. Though uh, I can protect you! Once I find some water anyway..."

My lips thinned as I watched the drone clamber its way through what was likely a window at some point, that long tail the last indication of its presence before it fully disappeared from sight.

Slowly, I began walking forward once more.

"Duly noted. Why do they keep going in and out of the buildings?"

As we made our way down the long abandoned street, Vermilion quickly moving to take my side and our not quite friend trailing slightly behind us, I continued to warily gaze around, half expecting a veritable swarm of the things to suddenly crawl out of the metaphorical woodwork now that I knew they were inherently hostile.

"I wasn't ever told exactly how they worked, but...I assume it was to make them harder to root out by Quartz or Ruby soldiers. These models are much older compared to some of the support units utilized among the fleet, so I can only really guess."

I let out a soft hum in reply, carefully stepping over the rusted wreck of some kind of...I wanted to call it a vehicle? It vaguely looked like a motorcycle...If motorcycles didn't have wheels.

Meh.

"So...did you escape in a pod? Might be useful, though I'm not sure I can contact any ships with something like that. Was never good at messing with technology like the Peridots."

I blinked as I felt a hand brush just above where my own arm disappeared into my left limb enhancer, glancing down to see the terraformer smirking up at me.

"I might just have to carry you back up to the fleet myself!"

My unimpressed stare seemed to wash over the Lapis like, well...water. Even as I gestured to a disgruntled looking Vermilion.

"And her. We're kind of a package deal. Regardless, you won't be carrying anyone today. We have a ship we can use, and I'm still not very certain I want to join your...fleet."

That earned a blink from her, even as my Batchmate let out a soft titter, bringing back memories of nicer times back at the Reef.

The slightly panicked look almost was enough to garner sympathy. Almost.

"W-well I'm certain you'd need somewhere to stay for a while at the very least! And time to recuperate! You're rebels to the Empire now, after all! You'll be hunted for sure!"

Resisting the urge to bite the inside of my cheek, I considered the statement.

Rebels to the Gem Empire. But Stars damn it if that didn't mean a lot for our forseeable future. A singular non-FTL equipped starfighter would only get us so far, and unless we wanted to effectively live on a dead planet for the rest of...forever (not my ideal retirement home, even discounting the ancient Gem hunting robots and possibly monstrous mutated wildlife), then we were going to need access to some kind of ship capable of getting us out of here.

In an ideal world...maybe even back to Earth. Or whatever equivalent of Earth I could actually find in this bloody universe.

If they could potentially provide that, then...well. It was just another risk that I'd have to take. Nothing new, as of late.

"...Fine. But I'm afraid there isn't exactly enough space for all three of us. You'll just have to ride outside."

Vermilion leaned around me, nodding quickly.

"Exactly! So keep your grubby blue fingers away from the cockpit!"

The rogue Gem's response was...well. Not too unreasonable, probably.

"Grubby? Grubby!? They're not grubby! I spend lots of time cleaning, you know!"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes as the two began to exchange either really shitty banter, or really tame barbs. One or the other.

---

"You really weren't joking when you said there wasn't enough space, huh?"

My lips quirked upwards slightly as I made my way over to the starfighter, taking note of the slight dust that had built up on its previously spotless hull. A consequence of the inherently dirty environment, most likely. Then I finally let the small expression morph into an actual smile as a certain red Pearl rushed over to the craft, annoyed noises spilling from her as she brought out a cloth from her gemstone.

"No, no I wasn't. Vermilion, the dust will get knocked loose when we lift off. Quit cleaning."

Stepping closer to the fighter, I sighed before hesitantly reaching for my elbow. The faux fingers at the end of my other arm waited for a second, then tapped against a small, almost impossible to notice button near the edge of the gadget attached to said elbow.

Hiss.

A brief bit of resistance, and then the limb enhancer came away with a quiet pop.

Ignoring the feeling of two separate sets of eyes boring into my back, I repeated the process with the device's counterpart, before leaning down to undo the legs as well. Soon enough, all four pieces were back in my gemstone, alongside the scattered finger components.

"...Has anyone ever told either of you that it's rude to stare?"

It wasn't, actually. Not by Gem standards at least. However when I turned around, Vermilion was very distinctly glancing in a different direction, and Brim was merely staring at me with a now tilted head.

"Huh...that makes more sense. And you look cuter now!"

Huffing a small bit of air through my nose, I shook my head and leaned against the fighter's open cockpit, one hand beckoning my fellow Pearl over, even as I tilted my head right back at the Lapis Lazuli.

"So, I don't suppose you have a way of leaving as well? Water wings, I assume."

The question and subsequent statement brought a cocky grin to the blue Gem's face, even as her hand stretched out towards the pool of toxic sludge just a short distance away.

I'd give her one thing, seeing a large mass of the stuff rise up into the air, only for seemingly clear water to disentangle itself from the now utterly dry mess of whatever the rest of the material was...

Well. It was certainly impressive, to say the very least.

Part of me tensed, still expecting some completely abrupt, last minute betrayal. My twitchy fingers only slightly relaxed as the water continued to flow through the air, passing both Vermilion and I to, predictably, settle into two large masses of vaguely wing-shaped liquid hidden behind the terraformer's back.

The sensation of my gauntlets, on the verge of manifesting, withered and eventually died away entirely as the Lapis let out a happy flap of her wings.

The weird, almost chirping sound that came from her throat was...something, though.

Maybe she saw my sketched out look, or maybe she could just somehow feel my confusion. Regardless, Brim's eyes turned to glance at me, the sound slowly coming to a stop as a brand new dark blue blush made itself known.

"Ah...it's a sound that indicates joy. Happiness. I picked it up during my time amongst the-"

The next sound that made it out of her mouth was, to me at least, just another squawk. To Vermilion, it largely seemed the same. But in Brim's particular case, it probably actually meant something. The name of her adopted people, most likely.

Crossing my arms, I simply nodded at the explanation.

"You mean a laugh?"

Her eyes widened slightly, before she brought up a hand, waving it up and down.

"In a way, yes. But it's a bit more voluntary than that. Hence my use of it."

Blinking, the Lazuli flicked her hand to the side, as if to sideline the topic.

"But we can talk about that later. I'll start making my way upwards, and you two follow behind me, okay? Once we're past the atmosphere, I can lead you to where we set our last rendezvous point."

My response was to gracefully (as a matter of course) flip my way over the edge of the cockpit, settling into the seat as Vermilian took up her position right behind me. Turning to glance at Brim, I offered her a short, hesitant nod.

"...Please don't make me regret this."

Please.

A smile, smaller compared to the previous grins and smirks from before, made it across her face as she bowed her head once more.

"You have my word that you'll be safe among my people."

Staring at her for a moment, I finally sighed and began to bring the ship online, doing my level best to ignore the happy little dance (at least it looked like a dance, but it could be anything really, considering she'd been raised by fucking aliens) that the Lapis Lazuli was doing outside.

Chapter Text

Bird time.

LOG-019.

For whatever reason, I'd expected...something, the second I managed to get the starfighter to breach the atmosphere. The sudden arrival of a ship, Imperial or otherwise. Some kind of complication with our ride's reactor. A stray piece of debris hitting the Lapis Lazuli we were effectively using as a guide.

Something.

Instead, nothing happened. Beyond having to idly shift the craft below its top speed in order to avoid outpacing Brim. From there, it was mostly just...moving forward in a straight line, all while keeping a careful eye on the blue Gem ahead of us in order to ensure we didn't lose her amidst the endless black void around us.

The first few moments passed in silence, but I supposed Vermilion didn't find it quite as comfortable as I did, considering the hand that gently tapped at my shoulder mere seconds after I'd finally gotten comfortable.

Stifling a sigh, I instead leaned back into the touch, ensuring the nervous Gem knew that she'd gotten my attention.

"Yes?"

Another few seconds of what I assumed was hesitation, before the Pearl finally decided to speak up.

"Are...are you sure we should go with her? How do we know this isn't all...all just some big trap?"

Pursing my lips, I considered the idea, before biting back a response.

"...We...don't. But it's either we extend some trust or we resign ourselves to staying stranded on a barren rock of a planet, hiding from killer machines and Stars know what else. Besides, I figure if she could have attacked us at any point, it most likely would have been when she got some actual water to use against us."

My fingers idly tapped against the interiors of the navigational controls surrounding my hands as my Batchmate seemed to consider that particular line of reasoning.

I'd just been getting ready to relax back into my previous position when her voice piped back up again.

"You...you would have figured something out."

Quirking an eyebrow, not that she could see it, I tilted my head slightly.

"How do you mean?"

I wasn't quite prepared for the soft sniffle that escaped her, followed by a pair of arms wrapping around my upper body.

"Wha-"

My lightform stilled as her hands settled at my shoulders.

"You would have figured something out. If anyone could have, it would have been you."

Going limp as the thin, delicate arms tightened around me, I did my best to ignore the stinging in my own eyes as Vermilion continued to hug me from behind.

"T-thanks."

Naturally, I failed.

At the absolute very least, we both felt a little better afterwards, thanks to our latest shared crying session

---

Eventually, after several hours worth of travel (not actually that long of a trip, considering we were going through space. The wonders of modern Gem technology truly never failed to impressive), Brim had led us to the dark side of the second furthest moon orbiting her bombarded homeworld.

It was in the shadow of that planetoid that the sensors in front of me started screaming, likely in part due to the large mass of confusing readings sitting right in front of us.

To the starfighter's systems, it likely read as a twisted jumble of variables that would no doubt be labelled as a rogue asteroid by the average Gem when inspected. It was the visual screens that revealed the truth, however.

The ship was a long, almost spear-like thing. Like a massive tube with a tapering point on one end, and a large mass of engines strapped to the back of it. The only objects breaking up its largely uniform surface were either additional thrusters or what were rather clearly deployable weapon systems.

The entire vessel was covered stem to stern in a shiny layer of silver armour, similar in aesthetic to that of the boarders we'd encountered back on the Retaliator.

Those thoughts all ran through my head for the briefest of seconds, right before everything ground to a halt as what seemed to be several mounted turrets twisted abruptly, their forms beginning to swivel to face us and resulting in a small section of my primary console lighting up like a Stars damned Christmas tree as multiple lock on signatures began to make their horrific existence immediately apparent.

We were far too close to turn back now though, so even as Vermilion whimpered in abject fear behind me as the noises increased, I simply did the only thing I really could, considering the situation.

"Try to relax. I doubt they'd want to shoot us down considering I still have one of their own with us."

After the brief bit of weak encouragement, I shut down our own craft's weapon systems (utterly useless against a destroyer sized target anyway), pulled to a halt, and did my best to hold our position as Brim darted her way towards the front of the unknown ship, right before curving around it and disappearing from sight.

The next few moments passed in tense silence, and I'd swear my lightform was just about ready to discorporate itself when I finally caught a glimpse of that familiar blue figure again, the Lapis Lazuli drawing closer before quickly gesturing towards the vessel behind her with both of her wings.

This time, I didn't hold back from letting out a shuddering sigh, even as my hands gripped the controls, bringing us into a slow, gentle acceleration.

As we drew closer, guided in by the terraformer floating ahead of us, I idly noted that compared to the traditional side hangars of most Imperial warships, this one seemed to only possess a small docking bay, its opening located near the middle of its lower half.

As Vermilion's hands tensed around my shoulders once more, I hesitated for just a second, before doing what I did best.

I locked the urge to panic away, plastered a calm, polite smile onto my face, and moved the starfighter in to begin a slow, careful docking procedure.

---

Thank the Stars I'd hung around and observed one of the younger Rutiles constantly practicing her landing procedures a while back, taking note of every action taken in the simulator, even as I gently conversed with the Gem, keeping the novice pilot company.

It meant that, despite the somewhat bumpy nature of the whole process, I managed to successfully fly our small fighter through the opened doors and atmospheric shield before making our way further into the docking bay, setting the craft down in an open space between some ramshackle mass of metal that was maybe supposed to be a shuttle, and what looked like an older model of roaming eye.

As the landing gears deployed and clamped us to the dull surface of the makeshift hangar, I finally let my hands untense from the controls, fingers unthinkingly tapping at the section of console that would order the cockpit to open up.

My eyes widened in turn as I caught several figures rushing past a waving Brim, then my hands were going up as both Vermilion and I were surrounded by at least a dozen armoured warriors, their beaked warmasks glaring down at us drawing a chill through my entire lightform, only seconded by the clear and obvious weapons in their hands.

Keeping my hands raised high into the air and silently twitching my fingers to encourage the Pearl behind me to do the same, I did my best to appear meek and helpless.

Type two, pattern five helped with that. Always useful for ensuring your master remembered that you were a fragile little thing, and that hitting you might just result in permanent damage to their property.

Thankfully for both our sakes, the alien warriors pretty much collectively stepped back as a collection of shrill squawks echoed from further away from the ship, most of them backing down entirely before a blue hand reached from beyond the end of the cockpit's frame, settling against the edge as Brim walked into view, a harried look marring her features.

"Sorry about that! I just needed to tell them that I brought you here."

Then the Lapis was extending her other arm, an open hand held towards me.

"Come on, let's get you out of that stuffy thing!"

Exchanging a visibly nervous (to another Pearl, at least) glance with Vermilion, I slowly accepted the grip, even as I grabbed hold of my Batchmate in turn, both of us slowly stepping outside of the starfighter.

A small sea of figures greeted us afterwards, and I had to violently suppress the desire to flinch backwards as the mass of bird-like organics within the docking bay (some in the same, bulky looking armour that I was rapidly coming to associate with whatever their warrior-arm was, and others looking much smaller, a vast variety of feathers decorating their uniformed bodies) collectively gathered to inspect us, a solid chorus of sounds escaping their beaks as they spoke in whatever natural language they had.

Brim just wore a huge fucking smile throughout the entire thing, and I'd been just about ready to carefully ask what was next, only for the question to die in its cradle as yet another new figure made an appearance.

I almost mistook them for one of the avians at first, but...there were rather clear differences. No feathers to speak of, for one. And unlike the organics around them, who all had their taloned feet rather clearly on display, they instead wore a simplistic looking pair of boots.

A Gem of some kind, in all likelihood.

Their uniform was a dull, flowy looking thing, but it was the mask and their way of walking that drew my attention the most.

Their stride was an inherently graceful one, and the odd familiarity of it likely would have led to some conclusion, if it weren't for the fact the rest of my mind was focused on the fact that their bird-like facial covering, firmly fixed to their head, made them look like a bloody plague doctor.

Honestly, what were the odds of a style like that cropping up in an entirely alien species? Or rather, a Gem raised by an entirely alien species!

Hesitating slightly as the figure continued to march forward, several avians getting out of their way with quiet chirps or the occasional tweet, I could do little but watch as Brin stepped forward and approached the newcomer with a grin.

"Quille!"

That much I understood, at least. 'Quille' did as well, apparently, considering they upped their pace significantly at the name, one obscured arm shifting slightly behind them.

Then both Vermilion and I, alongside the entire crowd within the makeshift hangar were all forced to stare dumbly as the unknown Gem, in one smooth motion, pulled out some kind of metal pipe and gave Brim an almost audible thwack to the head.

"Eee!"

Unfortunately for Brim, the Lazuli's somewhat pained, mostly shocked squeal didn't seem to garner much sympathy from the stranger, who raised the pipe back up and promptly delivered a second blow to the terraformer's simulated head.

Naturally, I did the only thing I could as the impromptu head thwacking continued.

I quickly adopted a pose designed to divert attention from my form, and took the chance to plan out what I was going to say, all as the spectacle continued right in front of me.

Thwack!

"Eeee!"

Chapter Text

Pearl time.

LOG-020.

"I don't think you quite understand the situation here. I have concrete proof that an armed organic force is present within Imperial space! An entire destroyer was lost, for Stars' sake!"

Type seven, pattern eight. Back straight, arms carefully held in the ever fashionable Diamond salute, and expression very clearly attentive!

Her Hessonite scoffed, one hand rising up to idly pat at the carefully posing Pearl's head.

A long time ago, she had been Sixteen J. But that designation only existed within the records of the Reef now, in all likelyhood. Well, and in her head. And in the minds of the other Pearls around her. And maybe also in the mouths of some Gems she'd spoken to here and there. But outside of there? No, the designator was gone. Made completely and utterly irrelevant!

Mostly since the only Gem such a thing truly mattered to didn't really call her by it. Instead, she merely went by Pearl, now. On occasion, her owner would even deign to try out various nicknames! Granted, none had truly stuck yet, but the Pearl was confident that 'Glitter' had some level of potential!

It wasn't quite on the level of something like Viridian but...she was more than willing to settle for something small. A name was a name, after all.

Speaking of the long since absent Pearl in question, it appeared she wasn't aboard the admiral's bridge. Hmph.

A true shame, that the green paragon wasn't around for the first meeting between the two high ranking Gems that Sixteen J actually got to be present for. She'd have loved to catch up...and maybe ask for some more advisement in regards to maintaining solid composure while singing for longer periods of time.

Her Hessonite adored her singing.

"Yes, yes. I can assume as much considering the utter state you and your crew showed up in. But I'm merely a station administrator, what exactly do you expect me to do?"

The Emerald on the other side of the view screen ground her teeth for a moment, visibly holding herself back from shouting.

Then the military Gem sighed, head hanging slightly as her wild strands of hair almost visibly wilted in turn.

"Look, I know it's been a kilo-cyle or two since we last properly spoke in person, but this can't wait. If you could just put me in contact with a few of the nearby patrol groups, I could assemble them into a decent strike force and settle this before things get worse. Those...those glitching pirates have stolen refined Diamond essence, Hessonite!"

The Pearl's eyes widened drastically (involuntarily, unfortunately. She was still trying to figure out how to keep such expressions veiled like Sixteen B and F had managed back at the Reef) at the mention of such a crucial resource going missing, and judging by her Hessonite's sharp intake of air, the administrator was fairly shocked as well.

"That...well! I can see why you're more than a little flustered about things in that case. But calling in so many separate units with so little notice will annoy more than a few minor captains. Surely you could wait long enough for me to put out a more official call to arms? The system exists for a reason, Emerald!"

The orange Gem's hand waved through the air slightly, adjusting a few of the holographic screens floating around her, just close enough to begin typing in a few new sets of orders for the small army of support personnel helping keep the entire starbase running.

"It's not like we'll be on any true time limit after all. A primitive organic species wouldn't know the first thing about manipulating Diamond essence, and they wouldn't be able to make it very far in the time I'd need to dispatch a properly requisitioned pursuit fleet!"

A long moment of silence passed, and Sixteen J resisted the temptation to tilt her head in confusion as the haggard looking admiral let out a deep, tired sounding sigh.

In the deepest depths of her mind, Sixteen J quietly wondered whether the naval officer was annoyed at a civilian making assumptions regarding military matters. Then she shunted the almost traitorous thought away, and-

"They...they took my Pearls."

A pin dropping could have shattered the far tenser silence that filled the air in that moment, until her Hessonite leaned forward, a hand carefully swiping the collection of holo-screens out of the way so she could divert her full attention to what she'd explained to her yellow servant (in private, as a matter of course) was an old acquaintance since their Kindergarten days.

"...They took your Pearls?"

The world stilled for just a second, at least from Sixteen J's perspective.

Viridian and another Pearl, stolen?

The Gem across the screen slumped, and Sixteen J couldn't help but ponder just how unnatural the action seemed on an Emerald of all things.

"I've already told you about that damned Sodalite, right?"

Her Hessonite's lips curled down into a slight sneer at the mention.

"Yes, we had the chat while my own Pearl was out running an errand for me. The desperate thing tried to get you to trade your dear Viridian, didn't she? And then you swindled her into giving you her Pearl for nothing!"

Her head swam with all the information she'd apparently missed out on, even as the Emerald nodded quickly.

A trade. For Viridian.

Well, at the very least the perfect Pearl's owner hadn't even deigned to consider such a blatant robbery, clearly. And she'd somehow managed to finagle a second Pearl out of the whole ordeal...and then promptly lost them both to organic pirates, of all things.

"Correct, mostly. But regardless of all that, the damned fleshlings had rogue Gems working with them. Likely some remnants from the reprogrammed Kindergarten incident back near the start of Era Two. It's how they managed to give my crew an actual fight, and I'm certain it's also how they managed to abduct my Pearls, Hessonite."

The statement was punctuated by an almost desperate looking glare, even as her owner carefully considered the new information she'd been given.

A momentary flash of hesitation passed across the station administrator's face, before her hand gently batted at Sixteen J's shoulder, pushing her back.

"Pearl, go contact the communications center. I..."

An eye flicked towards the wide eyed Emerald on the other side of the call, before the orange Gem nodded firmly.

"I want you to tell them that I need every available patrol ship redirected to the station, effective immediately. Tell them I'll handle any complications from scheduling errors personally, understand?"

Snapping to attention (slightly redundant, considering she'd been at attention the whole time, but oh well) the Pearl bobbed her head rapidly in acknowledgement of the command.

"Yes, my Hessonite!"

As she began to make her way out from her owner's private quarters, she barely caught the Gem in question flashing a small smile towards the now far more thankful looking Emerald.

---

"Apologies! Out of the way, out of the way! I have official orders from my Hessonite, make way at once! Sorry!"

Gems of every size and colour shifted in surprise and confusion as Sixteen J practically danced her way through one of the primary locomotion tunnels, clutching her dress tightly in order to prevent the lightform garb from shifting inappropriately as she continued to rush her way forward.

Just as she hurriedly sidestepped a startled Amethyst guard, a second moving presence made itself apparent at her side. A quick glance revealed another Pearl striding after her with a curious expression plastered across her face.

The pink Gem wasn't from her Batch, but Sixteen J recognized her nonetheless. Though to be fair, practically all of the Pearls that lived aboard the starbase alongside their owners knew each other. Mostly as a matter of simple necessity considering their various, often intersecting tasks, but also due to the occasional get together they managed to organise whenever their respective masters were busy in this or that group meeting and didn't desire potentially distracting entertainment.

This particular Pearl had apparently gone by Twelve N, though her owner, a rather kind Sapphire that Sixteen J had experienced the pleasure of interacting with a few times, had long since named her Fuchsia.

A pretty name. And the pretty Pearl it was associated with barely managed to duck under the bewildered Amethyst as she chased after her golden counterpart.

"What's with the rush?!"

A quiet yell was pretty much required, considering the constant thrum of noise associated with a tunnel filled with Gems, but Sixteen J felt a slight blush of embarassment reach her face at the impropriety of it all, even as she slightly raised her voice in turn.

"I have to tell the Gems in Communications to call in all available patrols so we can scramble a fleet together! Don't you have your own job to do!?"

Fuchsia's eyes widened, even as both Pearls ducked beneath a trio of Peridots who collectively yelped at the sudden slim forms darting beneath their legs.

"No, my Sapphire let me go for a walk while she meditates! Why!?"

Another turn, another Gem bypassed with a hasty apology.

"Do you remember the green Pearl!? The best of our entire Batch!?"

The barest hint of an exhale of air as the pink Gem barely avoided colliding with a bored looking Pyrite.

"Viridian?! How couldn't I?! You and Sixteen D practically never shut up about her!"

Finally, they stopped at the doors that would admit entry into the starbase's primary communications chamber.

Sixteen J knew she likely shouldn't have said anything. Rumours aboard the Crystal Confluence tended to spread faster than a Ruby soldier's fire, especially when it came to the deep space waystation's not at all insignificant population of Pearls, and she didn't want to potentially cause an inconvenience for her Hessonite.

But a deep, borderline treasonous part of her felt that Gems should know that such a lovely servant was missing and needed help, even if she was just a Pearl. Oh, and whoever the other one was should probably be rescued too.

But mostly what had once been the ever flawless Sixteen B. Quality was something that was supposed to be treasured within the Great Diamond Authority, after all!

And if there was anything Fuchsia was better at than carrying around her Sapphire's pillows, it was letting just about everyone know the latest bit of gossip she had managed to sink her teeth into.

"She's been abducted by a bunch of rogue Gems working with organics!"

The doors snapped open as the scanner finally registered her presence, and the last thing Sixteen J saw while darting forward before they closed back up was Fuchsia's utterly flabbergasted expression.

There, she'd helped and done her extra part, in her own way. Knowing Fuchsia, half the station would be in an uproar soon enough, even if they didn't quite know what they were in an uproar about. With luck, it would help speed things along a little in regards to getting volunteers for a rescue mission of some kind.

With that out of the way, she could finally follow through with her Hessonite's orders and get an official response to this whole mess.

Chapter Text

Turmoil is brewing.

LOG-021.

The cell was, rather obviously, a hastily set up, makeshift thing. Mostly because it reminded me of one of the Retaliator's storage closets, of all places.

Whatever the crew's original plan had been, it clearly hadn't accounted for a pair of Pearls being taken prisoner. The Gem dressing themselves like some sort of knockoff Avian had seemed entirely ready to order both Vermilion and I's forms discorporated after she'd finished smacking Brim like an unruly dog, only for the Lapis Lazuli in question to argue against it, all without even a hint of acknowledgement for the impromptu disciplining she'd just gotten.

It was...nice of her. Even if her entire reasoning was that we were defectors, ready and willing to turn against the Gem Empire.

Which was only partially correct. I held no true loyalty to that wretched polity, that was an objective fact, but that didn't necessarily mean I was ready to swear and align myself to a bunch of migratory space birds, either. Even if my return of a still bubbled Citrine had probably helped ease their general perception of me, with a pair of robed figures, similar to the knockoff Avian, if actually showing off hints of their bodies and thus proving their status as organics, gently taking the gemstone away to do...whatever they were going to do with it.

Which all led to now. Me, sitting alone in a not quite prison cell.

My Batchmate was presumably suffering a similar predicament, and a small, quiet part of me twisted uncomfortably at the thought of my far more fragile counterpart being forced to go it alone.

I wasn't entirely blind, even if some things tended to freely go over my head. The red Gem was...worryingly dependent on me. Chances were high that if I hadn't taken her along with me, she'd have suffered the ever common fate of many a Gem put under simply too much stress.

There was only so many complications a delicate thing like a Pearl could face until they inevitably broke down, after all. It was something they did their best to beat out of us at the Reef. The strong and malleable would graduate, while the weak and defective would be Harvested or Rejuvenated as needed.

But examples like Vermilion occasionally tended to slip through the cracks, here and there. It was a complaint Nacre Three had brought up often, in between the Caretaker's showering of me with praise and pseudo-affection during some of our less intense tutoring sessions.

Regardless, there wasn't much I could actually do for my crimson counterpart as of now. I didn't know the layout of the ship around me, and I most certainly didn't fancy my chances in a straight up fight with any rogue Gems on board either.

So, I waited. It was something I'd gotten very good at, through my years as a glorified slave. Because no matter how hard I fought to cling to my old sensibilities, time just straight up passed differently for beings that quite literally didn't age.

To a real Gem, a decade felt more like a year. Or maybe even half a year, or at least that was around how I understood it. I wasn't quite at that point yet, but getting there was becoming a larger and larger probability with each year I spent under the dull realisation that, so long as I avoided a violent death of some sort, I would quite likely last...just about forever.

The end result of those changes I'd picked up throughout my time as a non-organic lifeform, was that I remained utterly serene, sitting down on crossed legs and blanky staring at the wall for what I manually counted to be at least two hours before, finally, the door to my cell opened.

To my utter surprise (not), it was that same masked, seemingly disguised Gem from before that passed through the doorway, right before it slammed shut behind them. Their outfit shifted around their form, not letting even a hint of lightform reveal itself, even as their booted feet gently tread across the floor.

My own gaze remained utterly impassive, all as they took two careful steps forward, finally settling to a stop just in front of me.

And as that beaked mask stared down at me, reflective lenses only allowing the barest hint of a pair of eyes to shine through, her fingers twitched, and my suspicions were...partially confirmed.

'Hello.'

It was the sign language developed by Pearls, without a doubt. There wasn't anything quite like it, after all. But this Gem's motions were...almost mocking of it. Unrefined. Brutal, even. As if she were performing a parody rather than the genuine article.

A deep sense of unease settled somewhere at the back of my mind, and I silently acknowledged that if I were an interrogator, that would probably be exactly what I was going for.

So, I dipped my head slightly, and did my best to respond in kind even as I let a polite, perfect smile grace my features.

After all, if I just tried hard enough, I could absolutely trick myself into thinking that it was just business as usual. Putting on a pretty face for someone else, even as I planned around them within the depths of my mind.

"Hello as well. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. If I'm not mistaken, your name is Quille?"

A long few seconds, followed by yet another seemingly mocking twitch.

'Yes.'

Either she didn't know much of the language, or she was intentionally neglecting to be all that talkative. The end result was the same regardless, namely me being forced to carry most of the damned conversation.

"I'd assume Brim's already told you, but just for the sake of basic pleasantries...my name is Viridian."

Those lenses stared down at me, even as I gently interlocked my fingers, the tips of each hand brushing across that of their counterparts.

Another moment of silence passed, as I considered my situation and the other Gem, Quille, did...whatever she was doing.

I stared down at my entangled fingers for a moment, before sighing and looking up.

"Quille."

She hadn't looked away from me even once, but I could feel her undivided attention settling back on to my lightform nonetheless.

Narrowing my eyes slightly, I allowed a hand to rise up, before pressing my palm flat against my chest.

"You're likely skeptical of just about everything regarding me right now, and I don't blame you at all for that. But, your friend got one thing very much right."

The expression on my face was a hard, ugly thing. At least by the standards of a Pearl that was constantly prided and congratulated for being flawless.

"I...hate the Empire. I hate Gem society. I hate the Great Diamond Authority, and all the horror that comes with it."

My hand came back down to rest against my leg, even as my other limb turned to point at the masked figure.

"My motives are rather simple, really."

The urge to frown heavily grew. I kept my lips in a carefully thin line instead. Just enough to emphasize my displeasure with my current situation.

"I want out. It was why I fought my way to the hangar bay of the ship I was stationed on when you and yours assaulted and boarded the cruiser after destroying our escort vessel. It was why I panicked, attacked and then injured two of your own Gems in my desperation to leave. And it is why I took up Brim's offer of following her here after realising what she truly was, rather than trying to survive upon the dead world your adopted people once called home."

Despite the lenses, I could just barely make out her own eyes narrowing as I glared right back at her, the hand pointing at her form slowly clenching into a fist.

"I was the personal Pearl of an Emerald fleet admiral. Facet 2M7G, cut 8XS. Now, from what I've come to learn, you all likely have, at the very least, the most basic idea of what that means."

Those carefully obscured eyes almost seemed contemplative, now.

"Tell me what information I need to give you, in exchange for fair treatment of both myself and my fellow Pearl. I'll admit I likely haven't made the greatest first impression with my actions, but speaking with objective, simple logic in mind, you all seem, at least to me, like my best chance at getting away from the rotten, festering cesspit that is the Gem Empire."

Slowly, ever so slowly, I began to stand up. When I finally got to my feet, I stood at just about equal footing with Quille.

My fists remained balled at my sides as I stared into the other Gem's shielded eyes.

I was scared. I didn't want to be here. But at the end of the day, this was a golden opportunity, and I'd be an utter fool not to reach around and grasp it with both hands.

"I have a veritable treasure trove of information, most of it likely useful to all of you in some way or form. So, help me make this as easy as possible for the both of us."

Some people believed and said that you were better off with the devil you know, rather than the devil you don't.

"What do I need to tell you in order to get on your good side, Quille?"

Those people hadn't ever been forced to sing, dance, serve and fear for their fucking life for years, with no break or hope in sight beyond the ever distant and nigh unreachable possibility of, perhaps one day, making it to something that possibly resembled home.

And it was with that singular thought of home remaining rooted in my mind, even as Quille's half hidden eyes took on an almost considering gleam, that the masked Gem slowly, finally nodded.

And then, it was all followed up by a simple, unrefined twitch of the unknown Gem's fingers.

'Everything.'

Yeah. Yeah, that seemed about right. Par for the course, really.

Well, I never expected any of this to be easy, now did I?

Chapter Text

AND ANOTHER ONE.

LOG-022.

Betraying everything you once knew and 'stood' for netted pretty fast fucking results, amazingly enough.

Two days worth of spilling just about everything I could think of to an ever silent Quille. Two days of hammering in the point that, even if we weren't necessarily the exact same in terms of origin and motivation, we had very similar goals and priorities. Two days of proving I was a 'rebel.'

Patrol routes that my Emerald had been aware of. The standard response times of the various fleets assigned to this sector of Imperial space. The composition of current, up to date ship formations, and the models and classes of older vessels that were likely to make an appearance around these parts.

Alongside carefully noting down just about every Gem occupied planet or patch of space that I could on the digital map another of the robed organics had brought in.

The existence of the Crystal Confluence had interested them quite a bit, and for damn good reason. A hub of Gem activity that, while not exactly next door, was the equivalent of a position down the street compared to where we currently were. At least when considered by interstellar terms. They'd taken careful regard of its exact coordinates, presumably to avoid the damn thing altogether.

Or at least I hoped that was the reason. If they were planning something utterly moronic like attacking the place, I would find a way to break out and kill all of the fuckers myself. Or maybe just get the Hell out of the upcoming blast radius of that potential clusterfuck. That would work too.

Naturally, my interrogator had been wary at first, but there was really only so much paranoia one could justify when confronted with the sheer volume of information I was absolutely more than willing to give away in exchange for some leniency.

One could be tempted to say that I was a liar, and they'd be correct most of the time when taking into account the current life I'd lived. But in this very particular case, my knowledge was simply too specific to be an on the spot fabrication.

My eager, blunt cooperation was answered with...liberties, to say the very least. I didn't have free reign of the ship as a matter of course, but I wasn't confined in an adhoc prison cell either, now. Instead, my captors allowed me to roam freely through certain areas, albeit with the caveat of two silver armoured Avians shadowing me at just about all times.

They were interesting fellows, the birds. Silent, most of the time, though occasionally one would chirp something to the other, sometimes resulting in a squawk of laughter similar to what I had heard erupt from Brim's lips.

I'd figured out their language's equivalent for stop and go, at the very least.

"Follow."

That too.

Brushing off my dress slightly (the idea of any amount of dirt sticking to my body annoyed half of me, even as the other half craved it just to spite its counterpart), I turned away from the fascinating sight of, at least from what I could tell, some kind of minor hydroponics station, instead electing to quickly walk after one of my guards, the other bird slotting into place right behind me.

A low hum escaped me as we went along. A habit long since formed from my time spent trying to ingratiate myself to the various low ranking Gems I came into contact with back when I'd still served under Emerald. And judging by the way the two organics surrounding me began to ever so gently bob their masked, helmeted heads? It still worked just fine with non-Gem species.

The power of a Pearl really was just having a melodic and generally pleasant voice, in my personal experience.

Eventually, my eyes began to trail across the floors, walls and ceilings of our surroundings as we progressed throughout the ship, making our way up and down several levels. The entire thing almost felt like some kind of high tech submarine, compared to the science fiction vibes the Retaliator had given me when I'd first boarded it.

Each and every door was a thick, heavy slab of metal. The lights evenly spaced out every few feet or so were bright, crude things compared to the everpresent glow aboard a Gem ship.

Every now and then, I'd even spot what I could only imagine was a technician of some kind, considering the numerous tools strapped to the harnesses they wore. Entire sections of walls were removed in places, with sparking wires hastily being poked and prodded at by talons encased in protective coverings. A stark contrast from the sleek, endless green metallo-crystalline material of the Retaliator.

This fucking bucket felt like a deathtrap. And I loved it.

Not the potential risk of dying, of course. But rather the crude, organic nature of it all. There were clear influences from Gem technology here and there to be sure, but everything else? It was pure Avian.

Original, if I wanted to put a word to it.

This was a starship. One that had almost nothing to do with the Empire. And that was awesome.

My internal adoration of the vessel around me halted as we stopped in front of a by now familiar sight. The door of my old cell, to be specific.

A small part of me was already trying to figure out just what I could have done to warrant being confined again, but the worry was torn aside as one of my guards slapped a guantleted talon against a small reader next to the door, prompting a slight groan as it opened up.

Vermilion's eyes widened drastically from within the small repurposed storage area, and then I had an armful of frantic Pearl to deal with.

"You're okay!"

Hesitantly patting my Batchmate on the back, I nodded as she continued to press her lightform against mine.

"You could say that I established a working relationship with our new contacts. You've gotten clingy."

My response prompted a startled gasp from the red Gem, before she stepped back with a heavy blush now tinting her face a slightly darker shade of crimson.

"S-sorry! I just...didn't really know what was going on. That...person kept showing up. The one with the mask would just come in and stare at me for a while, then leave."

Yep, that sounded just like Quille.

"Follow."

Bowing my head in the Avian equivalent of a nod (a useful thing to know to be certain), I grabbed Vermilion by the hand and began to pull her along, even as the second guard once more took up a position behind us, completing our abrupt quartet.

Thin, slender fingers clenched nervously around my own as my fellow Pearl began to walk of her own volition, glancing at the armoured figures in front of and behind us with wary eyes.

"Where are they taking us? What's going on?"

Shrugging slightly, I glanced up at the ever present white lights as we passed through a junction of some sort, stepping around a few more Avians carrying what looked to be some kind of modular power generator. Or at least, I assumed that's what it was. It looked pretty damn similar to the one on board the starfighter I'd stolen...ah.

Well, waste not, want not, right?

"Viridian?"

Blinking out of my internal snarking, I glanced at a wide pair of curious eyes staring back at me.

Clicking my tongue slightly, I nodded my head towards the silver garbed figure just a few feet ahead of us.

"Normally, they just follow me around and stop me from going into certain places. They only ever get me to follow them when they need something from me. Usually to talk to one of their Gems, though one of them did try to give me food at some point."

I'd declined, unfortunately. Not out of a desire to avoid eating, mind you. I'd very much wanted to try out the strange, purple, juicy looking fruit the robed bird had presented to me.

The problem, as both of us realized shortly after I'd attempted to cram the thing down my throat, was that I didn't have a stomach. Or even tastebuds, for that matter. The damned fucking fruit had impacted with a wall of light near the back of my mouth, before I'd been forced to spit the entire piece out just to speak.

Yet another human quality that I was going to need to try and get back, somehow. I knew shapeshifting was an option, probably. A certain Amethyst on Earth had eaten stuff all the time, even if some of her meals were a little unorthodox compared to standard organic fare. And Stars, Rose Quartz had managed to form a functional womb when it really came down to it.

Or...she was going to? Maybe? I still didn't actually know just where and when I stood in the 'timeline' here. And more importantly, I didn't particularly care anyway, just so long as nothing got in my way when it came to getting the fuck out of dodge.

The internal tangent passed quickly, and so did the walk. Interestingly, we'd long since made our way through several unfamiliar areas I'd been forbidden from entering before, meaning we were in entirely uncharted territory now.

"...What are they doing?"

Glancing to the side prompted the view of something intrinsically familiar to anyone who had ever spent time with a large group of people just about anywhere.

Or at least anyone who had been to a cafeteria and had actually eaten food, which funnily enough, Vermilion most likely hadn't. For obvious enough reasons.

"They're consuming nutrients to keep themselves alive. It's a fairly common trait amongst organics."

The red Pearl's face almost seemed to pale as a particularly large Avian shovelled a large slab of what might have been some kind of meat-substitute down their beak, the food disappearing into their gullet shortly afterwards with a rythmic bobbing motion.

"How...revolting."

Resisting the urge to sigh, I turned away from the grossed out Gem and focused my eyes forward as we passed through yet another doorway.

"Viridian!"

Then we were in some kind of large chamber. And my lightform was being smushed into another as a certain blue Gem embraced me tightly.

The urge to sigh, so commonly repressed, grew massively as Brim happily chirped at me, a silent Quille (big damned shocker right there) and a bored looking Citrine standing right behind her.

Oh, and a veritable flock of Avians all standing around what looked like a central bridge room.

Joy.

Chapter Text

Positively tweaking right now. Here's a direct link to my Discord server, for those interested in more rock content: https://discord.gg/QBY2k8tvWX

LOG-023.

My smile remained ever perfect, ever flawless, if slightly strained as I stepped further into the bridge chamber, an incredibly hesitant Vermilion shadowing my movements right behind me.

Out of everyone standing in front of and watching me in turn, only three faces proved familiar. Brim, who by this point had stepped aside after hugging the metaphorical stuffing out of me. The ever enigmatic Quille, tall, clothed form seemingly casual from her position standing next to a taller Avian soldier, and the large, intimidating form of a certain Citrine.

The golden Gem in question took a solid step forward as my eyes locked with her own, expression blank.

The familiar sensation of my gauntlets began to manifest, the weapons just shy of forming over my hands when a wide smile broke out across the Citrine's face.

"You got me good, little Pearl. Colour me impressed!"

The statement was followed by a deep chuckle, even as I carefully repressed the urge to lash out with claws formed of weaponized light. Instead, I just bowed my head in a nod, placid facial expression still firmly affixed.

"Well, I wasn't exactly eager to be captured when I was just about to escape. Ironic, considering where I am now."

That just drew another loud guffaw from the warrior, even as a few chirps and titters came from the mass of birds around us.

The noise collectively stopped as one particular organic stepped forward however. He or she looked...old, to say the very least. Their predominantly dark feathers had steadily been replaced by more and more shades of grey throughout their life, and now they looked far more ashen compared to the standard jet black colour that most Avians I'd seen possessed.

A low croon escaped the presumed elder's lips, before they tilted their head.

"Im...perial."

It didn't sound natural, being forced out of a beak as it was, but the old bird managed it nonetheless. The smooth utterance of a Gem based word managed to draw a gasp from my Batchmate, even as I forced any of my own surprise deeper down, hiding it from the surface.

Instead, I simply performed that same head bow again.

"Yes...and no. I don't want to be one, not if I can help it."

A rasping squawk of a laugh escaped the organic, then they slowly bowed their own head in turn.

"Good! Then...come."

White and grey robes swept slightly as the older codger turned around, taloned feet clacking against the foor as they made their way over to some kind of central table, the three rogue Gems following along beside them.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone else within the bridge, I followed.

---

The elder could speak Imperial, but it wasn't exactly something they could keep up consistently, considering they didn't exactly have the right biological hardware to use the language properly for any real length of time.

As a result, I was forced to sit through the awkward experience of a chirpy Brim translating for the old bird instead. The serious words sounded alien, coming from her mouth. Especially considering her peppy tone made them feel almost sarcastic when actually spoken.

"As you've likely already learned, our goal remains simple, and, if you are to be believed, quite similar to yours. We wish to leave the Empire behind, so we may live without fear. You shared your knowledge of them freely with us, and for this, you have earned a modicum of trust."

A holographic diagram of some kind was present on the table we'd crowded around, various figures lighting up in a deep red.

The elder's hand slowly hovered over a single spear-like shape, tapping it once with a gnarled looking talon and producing a ripple across the entire picture. The action was punctuated by several noises. Croons, chirps and a single squawk.

The Lapis Lazuli at their side stared at the table, before blinking.

"This shape represents the ship we're currently on. In time, we will rejoin the rest of the fleet within a nearby asteroid field, enact basic repairs, and begin preparations for a full embarkment. An exodus, if you will."

The talon curved around, indicating several other groups of spear-like vessels, alongside a few additional spots, filled with what vaguely looked like rugby balls.

More squawks. More croons. More chitters and chirps.

"We have always been surrounded by our enemies, and though our maps are likely out of date from when we obtained them, we have plotted what we believe will serve as a relatively safe course out of Imperial territory. From there, we will use the high energy fuel we took from one of their freighters to get as far from these Gems as we can, as fast as we can. Your role, should you wish to join us, will be to help modernize these maps as much as possible, so that we may-"

Click.

Silence rang throughout the table, and I resisted the urge to blink dumbly as I realized the disapproving sound had come from my own mouth.

As more and more eyes turned to me, I very carefully considered what I found so very wrong with the current plan, and barely repressed a series of curses as I turned towards the elder.

The complacency of it all scared me. Far, far too much.

"You stole Diamond essence. Do you understand what that means?"

A moment's hesitation, before the organic shook their head slightly, crooning towards Brim. The blue Gem in question listened attentively, before obediently parroting out the words in a way I could actually understand.

"We believe it to be a form of fuel used to power various Imperial technologies. Old records and our own Gems say it was brought to our homeworld, long before our time, to power the kindergartens. Are we wrong to assume this?"

I stared in slight terror, risking a glance at a now visibly horrified Vermilion as we both collectively realized just how ignorant our not quite allies really were.

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.

Slowly placing my hands on the edge of the table, I steadied myself and levelled a glare at the elder.

"You're not mistaken, but you're missing rather crucial details, to say the very least."

My lightform remained tense, and my voice may or may not have been a little terse compared to my usual fare but for Stars' sake who could really blame me?

"Not only is it the most potent power source available to our kind in all our many, many years of existence, but it also serves as the sole material capable of facilitating the production of new Gem life. More importantly, the Empire is in the middle of a resource crisis because of it, and will be dispatching Stars knows how many vessels to search for and retrieve the stuff once my Emerald manages to get the word out that a bunch of organics have a hold of it!"

The silence that answered my brief break in decorum left me wanting to pant, despite not actually needing the air prevalent in this ship. The light touch of a hand resting on my back almost prompted a flinch, before I realized that it was just Vermilion trying her best to calm me down.

If I was a little out of sorts, the elder looked like I'd just killed their entire family in front of them, beak agape and feathers ruffled. A few Avians shared similar expressions, and the Gems around us all looked fairly shaken as well.

Even Quille's eyes were decidely wider than normal, from what little I could see of them behind those damned goggles attached to her mask.

Bringing up a hand to massage the bridge of my nose (the act didn't actually do anything, but the familiarity of it pleased the small, vehemently human part of my mind), I glanced back down at the map, trying to understand just where we were relative to everything else.

"Alright, for a start any timetable you all might have had planned is gonna need to be accelerated massively. Maybe you trust me fully now, maybe you don't, but one thing you can trust is that the Empire is coming here and that is something all of us don't want. Now, I'm assuming these bigger shapes are some of your homeships or whatever you want to call them. They're sitting adjacent to a newly formed trade route that my Emerald flew us through just last cycle, so we're gonna want any vessels there moving out of the way before someone catches wind of them-"

It would be several hours worth of intense discussion and planning (alongside Brim flashing me not at all subtle looks as I accidentally took charge) before I realized I'd somehow managed to position myself in a form of pseudo-command. Sure, no one was obligated to follow my orders and suggestions, but perhaps my frantic, very much clipped tone and the abject fear in my eyes helped them realize that shit was most definitely fucked and I was trying to help for my own survival if nothing else.

In one conversation, I'd gone from a prisoner they'd been planning to install into some form of service, to a crucial advisor thanks to being the only one amongst them that actually knew what a proper Imperial military response was going to look like.

Or at least, the only one that could hazard an even half accurate guess. The perks of formerly belonging to a fucking fleet admiral. Yay.

Regardless, we had a bit of time, yes. I couldn't count (I could, actually, the number was very high) just how many times my Emerald had idly complained about how long it took various Gem administrators and military leaders to get their shit into gear when it came to mobilizing, so we had that going for us at least.

Aside from that singular benefit? I had nothing to work with beyond the fact that the Avians were just as eager to get the fuck out of dodge as I was. With luck, the elder (I could only assume they were a captain of some kind) was already doing whatever they could to spread my warning along to the other ships in this particular patch of space, who would in turn carry said warning even further until just about everyone who could actually make proper changes to their ill-informed plan was aware of things.

But until then, all I could really do was wait, plan and do my best not to crack my gemstone through sheer stress. Oh, and enjoy the benefits of having been granted a proper room to stay in for all my efforts, rather than the spare closet they were still keeping Vermilion in, apparently.

Though for a guest room, it looked oddly well lived in.

Maybe someone was giving up their digs to help keep the important new defector on board? Whatever. At least for the time being, I could maybe manage some desperate form of relaxation.

Maybe.

...Just as soon as I managed to figure out why the fuck someone had left a bunch of shiny shit (was that a broken destabilizer?) around the circular looking padded cloth that I was assuming was meant to be some kind of bed equivalent.

Seriously, what?

Chapter Text

I assure you, Lapis Lazulis staying barefoot is integral to the preservation of the plot. Was also listening to this while writing, if anyone was curious. (Ao3 edit, link only works on SB.)

LOG-024.

My arms shifted behind my head as I settled down in the (for lack of a better term) nest, trying to get comfortable, even as I adjusted my position several times in some vague attempt to not look ridiculous.

I wasn't needed at the bridge anymore, since apparently the officers amongst the crew needed time to digest all the startling new information I'd given them. As a direct result of that, I was temporarily free to either wander around or hang around the quarters they'd given me.

Sleep was something that I hadn't had the luxury of attempting in the past few years, but the memory of how to do so remained as vibrant as ever.

Now, whether that same process translated to a form made up of light rather than flesh, blood and bone remained a rather important mystery, but there was no harm in at least trying, right?

It wasn't until I'd closed my eyes for longer than a moment and relaxed my lightform that I realized just how Stars awfully tired I was, and mere seconds after that I could already feel my consciousness fading rapidly.

---

"Welcome, Viridian Pearl order Sixteen B. I am Shell, a guide for Gems visiting the Reef, and your temporary instructor."

...

Crack.

Crackle.

Snap.

"Store her remains inside your gemstone and let us never speak of this troublesome obstacle again, yes? I'll ensure no one misses her."

...

"She seems...well made. Excellent work."

...

"We're going to be attending an audience with my Diamond."

"Y-yellow Diamond, my Emerald?"

"Correct. I am to recieve my new standing orders now that I've dispatched the Fifthy Fifth."

...

"Relax with the sign language. My Diamond doesn't mind us interacting while she deals with your owner."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, and an honour to stand within the same space as our Diamond."

"Hmph. Good to see that at least some of you Era Two Pearls still have basic manners. Come on, we can take some time to relax while my Diamond settles things with your Emerald."

...

"...I don't suppose I could convince you to trade, could I?"

...

"Y-you're only allowed to c-cry when you're sure no one's looking, o-okay?"

...

"HAH! Yeah, it'd be a little weird if a pretty Pearl like you were going out and about hitting stuff!"

...

"In the unlikely event we encounter them, close quarters combat within the halls of the Retaliator is a near certainty. Breaking reinforced enemy lines should be left to the Quartzes, while all of you maintain low profiles and move to overwhelm potential boarding parties. Fusing will only make you a bigger, easier to hit target, understand? Stay small, and stay fast."

"Yes Viridian!"

...

"Stars..."

"At least we know what happened to our lost freighter."

...

"BRACE FOR IMPACT-"

...

"We can't go in there! We're just Pearls!"

"So what?! Do you plan to just sit around and hope things somehow get better? We're gonna be glitching shattered if we get caught out on our own, so get a damned hold of yourself and move!"

...

"W-what is that?"

"It's a weapon."

...

"What are you doing!? We're about to be safe!"

"We were never safe! And I'm done pretending we were!"

"B-but-"

"But nothing! We weren't safe at the Reef! We weren't safe in the Retaliator and we'll never be safe so long as we're a pair of glitching Pearls in the Gem Empire!"

...

"Vermillion...I...I like it."

"Good. It suits you."

...

"If she causes trouble, I'll handle it, alright?"

"Y-yes my-"

"I-I..."

"Not your fault. I...wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Please don't be sorry..."

...

"Move and I'll cut you, got it?"

"Wow..."

...

"Hello as well. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. If I'm not mistaken, your name is Quille?"

'Yes.'

...

"You stole Diamond essence. Do you understand what that means?"

...

...

...

I woke up to old and new memories alongside the sound of a door opening, followed in turn by quiet shuffling.

"Buh."

The not quite word was the first thing to escape my mouth as I shifted in place, trying to roll over as my eyes slowly cracked open. One hand pushed beneath me, sinking into the soft, cushion-like material making up the nest while the other came up to rub at my eyelids, following a reflex that I hadn't needed in over a decade.

Gems didn't develop gunk on their eyes, after all. Or anywhere else for that matter, what with their projected bodies being made out of pure light. A convenience that I hadn't quite considered until now.

Regardless of my struggle to fully go back into some form of wakefulness, the shuffling continued, and my burgeoning confusion grew as I heard what had to be the sound of rushing liquid accompanying it.

Blinking away the last remnants of sleep, I finally pushed myself up, propping myself on my elbows. The nest's soft embrace reluctantly released me, and I squinted in the dim light (which someone had apparently tampered with, considering it had been bright as shit when I'd managed to pass out), trying to make sense of the scene before me.

Then a familiar blue form greeted me, and I felt my eyes widen to the point that it almost felt like I had a pair of small dinner plates affixed to my fucking head.

The Lapis Lazuli didn't seem to notice that though, focused as she was, moving with an odd grace that seemed almost surreal compared to her usual antics.

Her form flowed with an alien sort of beauty that, while not exactly the utterly smooth routine of a Pearl, still managed to draw the eye, her movements harmonizing perfectly with the glistening wings of water that spread out from her back. Each ripple and wave of the liquid appendages seemed to echo the motions of her little act, creating an intricate, mesmerizing display.

I made to open my mouth, only for it to close with a distinct click as the dance intensified.

The liquid wings undulated in the air, following some unknown path. Brim's body swayed and twirled, her feet barely seeming to touch the ground. Every step taken sending delicate ripples through the water hovering around her, all while she slowly circled me.

There was an intent there, even with her eyes closed, as she steadily made her way over before finally planting one foot on the rim of the nest. The wings shivered for a second, before her eyes finally opened, staring down at me.

I stared back, utterly fucking dumbfounded at just why I was being danced at.

A moment passed. Then two.

Then my stupid, non-existent brain (all I had was my gemstone, after all) caught up with the fact that the terraformer Gem was blushing so hard her entire damned face was taking on a darker blue hue.

"...What is this."

My nonplussed question and expression didn't really seem to help things, considering if her flush got any deeper I could probably say she was more navy coloured than anything else at this point. The blush didn't stop her from slowly lowering her upraised arms though.

"...Do Gems not have an equivalent?"

I blinked at the response, narrowing my eyes slightly.

"An equivalent to what?"

A second step forward brought her even closer to me, and I had to resist the urge to lean further back into the nest and cross my arms.

Then her eyes lidded significantly as her face took on a very much obvious, pointed expression, and I realized just how damn well cooked I actually was.

"Courtship."

...

Slowly, very slowly, I raised my hand and pointed a finger at her wings, resisting the urge to sigh as the liquid limbs shivered once more in response.

"Did you just do an organic mating dance at me?"

For whatever fucking reason, my blunt question apparently was enough to prompt the Lazuli to stumble backwards slightly, arms rising up as if to placate me.

"Well technically, but I was told it can also be used for-"

The blue Gem's words fell on deaf ears, as I tried to wrap the idea around my head.

"...How does that even...we don't exactly have the equipment to do tha-"

My face went slack as I considered the potential of shapeshifting for a moment, before very quickly and deliberately banishing the thought from my mind and violently pointing a finger at her again.

"What is wrong with you!?"

The two words just seemed to panic Brim further, the Lapis waving her arms (and wings) rapidly.

"No! It's not just for that! You can use it for seeking a romantic partner as well! That's what the gifts are for too!"

Scrabbling my way up the side of the nest, I planted my feet back on the ground and stood up, brushing off my dress.

"What gifts!?"

"Those!"

I stared at her outstretched arm, then glanced down.

Are you fucking-

"That's a broken destabilizer!"

"It's nice to look at!"

I paused, just about ready to throw my hands into the air in frustration as I realized the Lapis in turn seemed just about ready to burst into tears and oh Stars what the fuck-

"Okay, okay! It's nice to look at! Fine!"

Snatching the mangled handle up from the floor, I made a show of waving it around.

"It's nice and shiny, okay!?"

Brim sniffled, lips and wings quivering because of course they fucking were.

"Y-you think so?"

For just a moment, my eyes flicked back to the broken weapon in my hand and I pondered the current absurdity of my situation. Then I stoically reminded myself that the fact I'd somehow been transformed into a sapient fucking rock was even weirder when considered objectively, and moved on.

"Yes, but your priorities are really out of place! We're in the middle of a very dangerous spot, we barely know each other, and-"

The destabilizer clattered to the floor as she lunged forward, both hands wrapping around my own as she stared into my eyes with her own glistening blue orbs.

"I know that! But you're beautiful! And I think the way you sometimes get angry is very attractive! And I love your personality and I'd really like to get to know you better and-"

The Lapis Lazuli continued to talk, even as I smacked my other hand against her face, trying in vain to push her back.

"You have a crush! Or a-a Pearl fetish or something! People don't fall for other people that quickly damn it-"

"Th-mphfuse w-mphf me!"

The muffled words that escaped my grasp were enough to get me to blink in a moment of shock, even as Brim pulled my hand away from her mouth, panting.

"What?"

That same glint entered the Lapis Lazuli's eyes again, even as she slapped her palms against her chest.

"Then fuse with me! Any Gem can do it! I'll prove it's not just a crush!"

...Was she being bloody serious right now?

She must have mistaken my hesitation for something else, because her eyes widened before she began to shake her head, arms making that placating gesture again.

"It's a perfectly normal thing to do! I've read the Imperial propaganda, about how it causes mutations and makes a Gem permanently change colour. That's not what happens-"

...Could I do it?

"-and I've done it with Talon a few times and it's always been really fun and-"

How did it even work? Would it even-no. Of course it would work. Just because I thought differently compared to the average Pearl, didn't mean I wasn't still a Gem in terms of basic fucking physiology.

My careful contemplation of the subject matter must have registered to Brim as acceptance. Or maybe just more hesitation. The result was the same regardless, namely that of the rock cutter grabbing both of my hands and yanking me away from the nest, smiling a little too desperately for my liking.

"Come on, I'll show you how!"

I could do little but complain, even as a steady heat began to crawl up my own face.

"Slow down damn it! Normally you ask for a date or something first! Idiot bird brain!"

Chapter Text

There is so much LORE that you don't KNOW because you're NOT in the DISCORD. https://discord.gg/8QVKP8hrtM

LOG-025.

If there was one thing I was going to take away from this entire situation, it was that dancing with a partner was...actually somewhat fun. There was a small pleasure in going through some of my more casual routines, even as my hands remained clasped within Brim's own, the terraformer trying to match my motions with her own style.

The real issue was when we continued to spin around each other for a good few minutes with decidedly zero results, the Lapis Lazuli's hesitation growing more visible until a nervous laugh finally escaped her mouth, just as her expression grew a little more uncertain.

"Aha...heh...I swear something normally happens by now."

I arched a brow, staring at the blue Gem even as I gently began to twirl her back and forth, doing my best to replicate one of the many two-Pearl manoeuvres I'd had imprinted into my damned mind back at the Reef.

"Not to be a joykiller, but I'm really not feeling anything here."

My words caused the rock cutter to wilt slightly, even as I accepted the luxury of finally letting out an audible sigh.

"I'm pretty sure there's more to this than just dancing."

Her eyes flicked downwards at my point, before she shook her head.

"There is, but normally you just...kind of feel it. Though I guess if we aren't really synchronized enough for it..."

The Lapis Lazuli blinked as I raised my hand, poking her forehead.

"Which should be pretty obvious, considering we've known each other for just a few days at best...look, how about we just sit down and discuss things for a bit? As much as fusion sounds like an...interesting experience, I'm pretty sure we're gonna need a little more time to get to really know one another before we can properly pull it off-"

Click.

I paused as I heard the door behind us begin to grind open, just barely avoiding having Brim stumble over my outstretched foot as a familiar red Gem poked her head inside, eyes widening upon catching us practically entangled around one another.

A second of silence passed, before I nodded my head at the oddly shocked looking Pearl.

"Vermilion."

Her mouth sputtered slightly as she glanced between both Brim and I's forms, shaking her head.

"W-what are you doing?"

Sighing, I let my palm slap against my dancing partner's forehead, pushing her back and very carefully ignoring the way she tried to lean into the touch.

"Trying and very much failing to fuse, evidently."

The explanation prompted the shocked look I expected from my Batchmate. Fusion wasn't something to be done between different Gem types, after all. What I didn't understand was the weirdly reminiscent look on her face, as if she were looking at something a million miles away.

"O-oh. Isn't that...bad?"

Then the Pearl flinched as a gloved hand poked into her back, shuffling out of the way as Quille's ever distinct form stepped inside as well.

I blinked as a series of chirps and croons escaped the normally silent interrogator, clearly directed towards the Lapis standing across from me.

Huh, so she wasn't mute after all. Just another weird tidbit to note down about the disguised Gem.

I let my hands clasp behind each other as Brim flashed me an apologetic look, already moving to follow her rapidly departing counterpart.

"Sorry, we're coming up on some ice rich asteroids we've been following around for a while. They need me. Uhm...try and practice while I'm gone!"

Merely bowing my head in response, I watched the two leave, before turning to glance at a still numbly staring Vermilion.

"...Are you alright?"

Her mouth opened and closed for a few seconds, that same bewildered and lost expression remaining affixed to her face. Her own hands moved to wring each other, fingers trembling slightly as she slowly mumbled her response out.

"I...I think my old Sodalite wanted to...fuse with me?"

...

"Huh."

---

A few days passed, according to Brim at least. It was hard to tell the time without any real indicators to go off of, and I just wasn't bored enough to start manually counting the seconds that went by, so I just had to trust the Lapis at her word whenever she showed up to try and chat and or continue our ever futile fusion sessions. Just how long her equivalent of a day was went unsaid, annoyingly enough.

At the very least, I'd convinced her to try and take things a little more slowly, starting with just...talking to each other about things. In other news, I now knew her favourite colour was gold, and she knew that I hated Nacres.

Other than that, Vermilion and I spent most of our time flitting between the respective rooms we'd been given. Or rather, Vermilion moved into my room and we both quietly ignored the desire to head into our old closet-cell and burst into tears while inside of it.

It felt pointless, since we...weren't actually being treated all that badly, all things considered. I just didn't really see much of a point in crying over nothing.

Regardless, I learned several things in that time.

Namely, that if I ever ran into a certain Sodalite, I was absolutely going to channel my old Caretaker's energy and find a way to fucking shatter the whore-

Calm. Calm. Potential murder plans had no place during learning/recreational time, especially since I was pretty sure I was actually on the verge of figuring out basic shapeshifting.

My focus turned back to my hand, even as I followed the advice Talon (the Citrine was actually pretty amiable when she wasn't trying to abduct me in the middle of a hangar, even if she had a bad tendency to laugh way too fucking loudly, even for a Quartz) had given me.

Slowly but surely, I watched as my fingers began to lengthen slightly, their very tips narrowing until they had taken on the rough approximation of the claws of my gauntlets.

The change was absolutely tiny, but my smile was wide regardless. Overall, it meant I definitely had the potential to grow and train the ability, which in turn meant I had a solid chance of eventually being able to enjoy eating and drinking stuff at some point in the future, once I had the basics down pat.

I still really wanted to try out those fruits I saw the Avians scarfing down in between certain meals. They looked sweet.

Turning away from my brief success and trying to brush away the phantom sensation of being peckish for sugar, I glanced up as Vermilion continued to spin, flip and twirl from one end of the room to the other, expression very clearly elsewhere.

Her witnessing of Brim and I's antics and subsequent revelation that her original owner was a weird creep of some kind had quite possibly disturbed the poor thing more than I'd initially anticipated. She'd been more distracted as of late, expression always indicating that her actual thoughts were somewhere else even when trying to keep up with her old dancing and singing patterns.

Avoiding the minute urge to click my teeth in annoyance as she nearly lost her footing for the third time, I continued to watch the Pearl go through some of the more complicated dance routines our Caretaker had drilled into us for a moment, before finally standing up with a small huff.

"Stop that."

My interruption almost caused another crash as the crimson Gem yelped, one foot skidding below her causing the rest of her lightform to begin toppling towards the ground. Thankfully for her, I managed to reach forward before she ate metaphorical shit, grabbing and pulling her back towards me.

Startled eyes glanced up at me for a moment, even as a by now familiar blush slowly began to creep up the Pearl's face.

Rolling my eyes, I set her back on her feet.

"And stop that as well. Now, you need to rework the latter part of the first half of that particular move. Watch."

Was I trying to distract her from the thoughts constantly plaguing her mind? Maybe. Was this something that was actually any of my business? Maybe not, but as her Batchmate I figured I was quite possibly the closest thing she actually had to family at this point, as a Gem anyway, so in some weird indirect way it really did fall on me to make sure she was, if not alright, at least functioning in the mental department.

Or at least that's what I told myself regarding any of my involvement in the matter.

To her credit, Vermilion did watch (maybe even a little too intently) as I performed the same dance she had, albeit without dragging my feet across the ground with my head in the clouds the whole time.

"There. Now you try."

I watched as she mimicked my act, improving slightly. Then her foot slipped again.

At my pointed look, the Pearl nodded quickly, moving to try the act once more.

"Hmph."

Her entire body stiffened as I stepped next to her, grabbing one of her hands.

"Just do it like this."

Fingers interlocked, I gently guided her through the long since familiar move, feeling her lightform relax against mine as we slowly made our way around the room.

"Next sequence. I know you remember the follow up."

And she did. The impromptu two-Pearl routine continued for the next few minutes, even as we both got a little more confident in relying on each other for support when it came to avoiding falling flat on our faces.

It was just as we both were preparing to transition into the final part of the extended dance, my shoulder pressing against her own and both of our hands very firmly grasping each other that I rather abruptly realized both of us were beginning to glow.

That's just about when things got weird, to say the absolute very least.

---

Authors note:

Dear Brimidian shippers. Get (temporarily) rockblocked. Kek.

Edit: Also for the love of God read the sidestories there's important plot related shit in there. Our red Pearl's issues can specifically be found in the one labelled Sixteen A: A Dance of Disappointment.

Edit edit: Super important shit has been moved to be in between the usual threadmarked chapters.

Chapter Text

Happy pride month folks! (That was a while ago but trust me it was on time).

LOG-026.

"...What?"

The softly uttered word (sounding unfamiliar yet oh so proper to my ears) escaped my lips, even as I glanced around hesitantly, searching for my other...

...other...

Pearl?

My eyes widened as I caught sight of my own hands in the midst of my search, strange, alien looking yellow things that they were. Like a softer form of citrine. Or lemon.

Lemon?

Lemon. A fruit. Like the ones the birds eat?

Yes.

The next few moments passed in a bit of a blur as I merely stood there, both hands shifting every now and then. Part of me wanted to let one wring the other, the familiar gesture bringing comfort. The other carefully noted that such a thing betrayed nervousness, not the smartest idea, even in a supposedly 'safe' space.

I settled for raising them up instead, letting me glance at both them and the utter abundance of lightform composed fabric that now adorned our-my form.

It was a dress in every way that mattered. The usual frills that adorned both my two components' shoulders and waists interlapping with one another, forming a big poofy cluster that felt so incredibly soft when I dared to pass a hesitant hand over the material.

The outfit was a bit messy in terms of colour. The edges of the dress constantly seemed to shift between clashing red and green tones, before the two independent forms of light finally began to merge into a more uniform yellow. The initial mix was rather striking, if I was being entirely honest with myself. Maybe it would settle a bit more if I spent some time fused?

Part of me thought back to my old meeting with a certain Diamond's Pearl, noting the familiar colour palette.

Then I began to hyperventilate, stumbling backwards and roughly impacting with the wall, the very tips of my hair just barely brushing with the ceiling.

A Diamond. I-Viridian had been in the presence of a Diamond-!

The brief panic began to abate as half of me did its level best to interject with cool, rational thoughts. Yes, Viridian had stood around while my-her Emerald had spoken with the illustrious, illuminating Yellow Diamond. No big deal, considering survival had been the most important factor at the time, alongside keeping said Diamond's Pearl from getting suspicious.

Oh but Stars had that particular servant Gem been such a pretty thing...

I shook my head rapidly as what felt like a pair of blushes began to settle over my cheeks, green and red melding into gold. In turn, I quickly brought my hands up, slapping at them in an effort to get the feeling to go away.

I managed to catch my own honey-lemon hued eyes in the reflection of a small mirror nestled in the corner of the bed chamber, noting the almost glowing quality my face had taken beneath the thick mass of hair atop my head, two styles intermixing to form something familiar yet original.

What an utterly perverted, innapropriate sensation!

Kind of nice, though. In a weird, rule breaking sort of way.

Taboo. The word felt appropriate, considering the somewhat...questionable emotion coating the reflection's expression. Well, at least I was certainly more...confident?

Regardless of the dirty thoughts...

Fusion. I was a fusion.

Had this been what my-Vermilion's Sodalite had wanted? To...to fuse?

Well! She'd certainly gone about it in an utterly sordid way! The wretched fucking whore!

The simultaneously alien and natural curse words felt both comforting yet crass as they passed through my mind as naturally as a Pearl went through her various stance patterns, even as I let myself slide down to the floor, knees drawing up to my chest as I wrapped my arms around them.

Oh, but she clearly had no idea what she was doing, the poor deluded thing...

A good few moments passed as I simply...existed, letting conflicting thoughts and emotions slowly sort themselves out. Then I let out a giggle.

We-I was perfect!

Perfect. Yes. Assuming Homeworld never got a good look at me. Still needed to actually escape those bastards in a permanent fashion, after all.

But those thoughts could go away for now. My components clearly hadn't been planning this (mostly) but that didn't mean I wasn't going to make the most of it.

Mmph, at least Brim's initial suggestion and subsequent attempts made a lot more sense now...this really was lovely.

...Maybe the cute but awkward Lapis Lazuli was still around here somewhere? Perhaps at the cafeteria. Or somewhere around the mess of hallways that wrapped around the habitation area in the center of the ship. The puppy eyed rock cutter would likely be ecstatic at the prospects of a second chance.

Well, there was only one real way to find out, wasn't there?

...Just as soon as I managed to squeeze myself through the room's only door. Maybe I could shapeshift a slightly smaller lightform next time?

---

"Hello!"

Passing through the hallways was a careful, dedicated effort in both avoiding bumping my head and masking my wider emotions. Namely, the somewhat silly urge to giggle and snort as various Avians caught sight of me.

The cute little birds all generally tended to give the same reaction each time. A widening of their beady little eyes, followed by their feathers ruffling slightly as my large form continued to approach, and then a confused squawk as I crooned a pleased, happy greeting to them before quickly moving on.

Viridian's time spent with Brim hadn't been an utter waste of effort, after all. And considering the ever flawless Pearl was one of my components...well. To say that I was all too happy reaping the various benefits of her hard work learning parts of the language wouldn't exactly be an overstatement.

Ah, the urge to dance and twirl my way around kept growing by the minute. Maybe later?

As I continued moving forward, a small part of me pondered where the guards that had previously followed the green Gem making up part of my current existence around had gone, before shrugging it off. Maybe a certain love struck Lapis Lazuli's near constant visits had convinced the crew of this ship that armed escort was no longer needed?

Regardless of my idle ponderings, progress was made quickly, due in no small part to my now very long legs.

Fucking things went on for days. Why did the Empire disapprove of fusion again? The decision just seemed so utterly...moronic, now.

My lightform continued to move, heedless of my inner contemplations as I passed the cafeteria-esque part of the ship, quickly poking my head through the door and noting a certain blue Gem's absence. A glance at the organics within, all happily eating brought mixed feelings. Yes, their method of consumption was utterly revolting...but I also wanted some.

Shaking the idle thought aside, I moved on. I'd continue searching until I found Brim. Either I'd find her, or she'd find me as someone finally took note of the big yellow Pearl prancing around the halls of the vessel and elected to inform the Gems or officers aboard.

Mhm, a flawless plan!

Chapter Text

The rockblocking knows no bounds.

LOG-027.

I eventually found my target exiting the hallway that one of my components knew led to the ship's hydroponics bay.

To say that Brim's reaction to my fantastic appearance was simply sublime would be...well, it would certainly be a bit of an understatement. The Lapis Lazuli visibly paused as I turned the corner, sauntering towards her with a smile stretching my lips.

"H-wuh?"

Adorable.

The blue Gem could do little but freeze, mouth opening and closing as I steadily closed the distance, leaning down and flashing her a grin.

"Hello Brim! Lovely to finally track you down, and may I just say that it's simply an utter pleasure to make your acquaintance?"

The silent hesitation turned to half comprehensible babbling, the rock cutter's burgeoning blush steadily beginning to both grow and deepen as I leaned forward, ensuring my breath reached just shy of her ear.

"But-buhwuh-uh-"

"You can call me Honey-Lemon Pearl, or just Honey if you'd prefer to be a little more casual. Now as you can see, my dear components took some time to figure out this whole fusion business, and if I'm not acting just a bit too forward...I'd dare say they would both simply love to add you into the mixture as well..."

"...Eeeeeek!"

I could practically feel my eyes sparkling at the familiar noise, drawing up one hand to gently plant atop the Lazuli's shoulder.

"Might I take that as a rather definitive yes?"

For just a moment, the speed of Brim's rapidly bobbing head worried me, before I reminded myself that the chances of a Gem dislocating something were quite literally zero.

"Marvelous! Though it feels a little tactless to dance around in the middle of a hallway. Perhap we should retire to the quarters assigned to-"

Rumble.

I blinked, my offer cut off as the entire ship seemed to shake.

The Lapis in front of me startled in turn, glancing around quickly with wide eyes and a worrying tension to her lightform.

Well, surely it would sort itself out? We had business to-no. Starships didn't just shudder like that. We-I needed to find out what-but we wanted-but-

The last thing I saw and felt amidst the feeling of disagreement was an utterly blinding flash, bursting over the sudden tangle of thoughts and emotions in my head.

---

"Ugh..."

My mind remained hazy for just a second as I blinked, a hand going up to rub at my scalp. Then my eyes widened as I glanced around, locking gazes with a still blushing but now visibly concerned Brim.

"...Huh."

A turn of my head revealed my...Batchmate. Vermilion was in a similar situation to myself, it seemed. The crimson Pearl looked a little unsteady on her feet, at least until she managed to get her senses about her again.

Then she caught sight of me, and her entire face practically lit up like a red fucking lamp.

I'd be a liar if I said I didn't feel a decent bit of heat going to my own cheeks, though. Unfortunately (or fortunately, I still wasn't sure) the awkward moment didn't get to last very long as another long shake jostled all of us around.

Barely catching myself on a nearby wall, I reached over, grasping a flailing Vermilion even as I shouted over towards the third person making up our impromptu trio.

"Brim! Any idea as to what this is!?"

There was a slight crackle, up until I noticed a large flask seemingly strapped to the blue Gem's waist practically vibrating as its cap steadily screwed off, a long line of what almost looked like pressurized water pouring out from the container and settling into a pair of thin looking wings at the Lazuli's back.

All the while, she was moving forward, one hand beckoning us to follow her.

"We were supposed to be meeting up at the rendevouz for the main fleet elements around now! But I somehow doubt we're just passing through an asteroid field or-"

That's when the normally bright white lights interspersed throughout the hallway abruptly blinked off, swapping to a dim, blinking orange. The change in colour was followed up by a low klaxon beginning to wail throughout the entire damned ship, piercing my ears.

I shifted slightly, even as I felt Vermilion's hands tugging worriedly at my side. All the while, Brim only grew more worried.

"Battle stance...? Right, definitely not asteroids! Come on!"

---

The trip to the bridge had been a panicked, rushed affair. Just about every Avian we ran into was either in the middle of effectively battening down the hatches, or hurrying in some other direction. Quick chirps and squawks met Brim's own question, the Lapis Lazuli taking on a slightly despairing look as we made our way into the command center.

My own pointed stare prompted a wince from the rogue terraformer, even as we passed the somewhat amusing sight of a clearly pissed off Quille practically shoving a bunch of organics out of the bridge and towards one of the other hallways.

"Some other group got followed, apparently. We've got several distinct masses of Imperial vessels on a direct intercept course for the fleet, and if sensors aren't lying to us then there's at least a few dozen extra drive signatures indicating incoming enemy reinforcements. All the shaking is from us trying to get to the fleet faster than they can."

My face didn't pale. I had no blood to drain, after all, only light. But my hand definitely clenched maybe just a little too tightly around Vermilion's own as I pulled her along, my mind racing at the implications.

Even if they were actually rather simple, when one got down to it. Our allies had been found out, and now we were going to have to deal with an entire warfleet dropping in on top of us.

Shit.

The next few moments passed in relative inactivity on my end, unfortunately. There simply wasn't much for any of us to do besides stand around and wait for orders as the old bird I was now certain was the captain belted out orders into some kind of speaker, a tense Talon standing beside him, the Citrine's arms crossed yet fingers tapping anxiously at her lightform.

The holo-table from before painted a rather dangerous picture, to say the absolute very least.

We were moving in from one direction, alongside several other red tubes that I safely assumed indicated either individual or allied groups of ships. In the middle of the 'map' lay well over a dozen massive rugby ball shaped vessels, alongside at least a hundred or more of the 'war tubes.'

It was on the opposite end that a series of dark blue shapes were making themselves apparent, moving on a direct, linear course for the main fleet's position.

Though the symbols were obviously meant to be simplified versions of the actual enemy complement, I could guess their composition well enough from the shapes alone. Several hand ships, at least a dozen destroyers and a pair of cruisers made up the core of the assault fleet, surrounded by a veritable swarm of roaming eyes and robonoid corvettes.

And that wasn't even taking into account the likely uncountable number of fighter craft.

It was the massive yellow triangle in the center of the map that several rugby balls were seemingly clamped to that took up my attention though, enough that Talon leaned over a second later, poking at the shape.

"That's the containment barge one of our science types has been building around the essence."

The Citrine let out a harsh crooning sound, before blinking and shaking her head.

"Er...her name would be...Long Sight. Maybe? Not sure how it translates but-agh! Not the time! She's a Peridot, real smart. Came up with the whole plan to use the Essence we stole to fly ourselves out of this damned place."

The golden Gem's eyes narrowed at the approaching blue shapes indicating the storm of death the Empire was preparing to throw at us, before sighing in slight relief.

"We'll get there first. Should give the homeships some time to get their fancy new fuel prepared, then we can make the jump and-"

The elder-captain let out a chirp as something sparked atop the control station he'd (Quille had confirmed the gender a while back, during a brief, slightly awkward meeting outside the cafeteria) been yelling at, right before an unfamiliar voice (but one that very much held the qualities of a Gem rather than an actual organic) began to squawk back at him.

Talon and I stared at the exchange for a moment, the Citrine listening intently while I did my best to make out what words I could, all the while trying to keep from falling over as a more than nervous Vermilion practically tried to meld into my lightform.

A second later, and the Quartz Gem was letting loose a slightly feral grin, even as she turned to glance at me.

"Good news, we don't actually need most of the essence, just enough to send us off. New plan is to load up the homeships and then let the damned Imperials have what they've come here for, along with a little extra."

A dangerous glint entered her eyes at my obviously questioning look.

"They'll want their stupid Diamond juice more than anything, so we're gonna fill that barge with as many explosives as we've got. Should give us a nice view right before we jump out of Imperial territory for good, eh?"

The plan seemed a little haphazard, but didn't have any real vulnerabilities I could point out. Whoever 'Long Sight' was, she was absolutely right. With refined Diamond essence on the line, whoever was commanding this Gem fleet would likely focus on taking the invaluable resource back from the organics who'd stolen it, even above exterminating said organics in the first place.

I just really hoped the vessel we were on got assigned to escorting the homeships the Hell out of there, rather than taking the fight directly to our enemy to help buy time or something. The absolute last thing I needed at this point was to get blown out into space by a stray fucking energy blast, after all.

Chapter Text

This latest chapter brought to you by the newest bit of server bullshittery.

LOG-028.

The entire situation had settled into some twisted parody of an unsteady stand off, with the Avian fleet managing to get into and assume defensive positions before their Imperial counterparts could reach the focus point of the battleground the patch of space we'd found ourselves in was rapidly turning into.

Or at least, that's what seemed to be happening based on the directions the holographic figures were taking. I knew better though, and did my best to ensure Talon relayed that fact to just about whoever was willing to listen.

Large scale Gem combat forces like what we were seeing didn't hesitate. Any waiting on their part was simply time the admiral in charge was taking to ensure the entire group were in as perfect a formation as they could get, in order to both minimize losses and maximize chances of complete and utter victory.

The perks of having a slightly chatty Emerald for an owner. One that preferred to fill the silence, despite being able to order me to do so in her stead.

As a direct result of that knowledge, I was quick to grab both Talon and the captain's attention as the enemy fleet began to shift in place once more, taking on an almost spear-like formation.

"Look here, they're using a pretty standard formation for breaking through enemy ship complements. Robonoid assault craft will be near the forefront. That initial wave of corvettes will probably try to soak up enough damage to let the fresh ships behind them slip through and spread out inside our own formation."

To his credit, the elder bird was quick to relay that particular piece of information to the rest of the fleet, or maybe just his direct superiors. The result was the same regardless, with the initial picket ships hanging near the edges of the massive flotilla adopting new formations to (hopefully) counter the tactic.

A few minutes passed, and all I could do was sit and wait, holding hands with an ever anxious Vermilion as the dark blue shapes indicating Imperial warships inched ever closer to our own positions.

The first shots fired were, in my imagination, great dramatic lances of light that scored through armour and hull alike, various missile impacts leaving twisted and burning holes through all that they passed and impacted into.

The reality from my end was that the Imperial Spear continued to almost painfully slowly advance before finally reaching the holographic picket line, with several red tubes blinking out of existence or veering wildly off course as the two opposing forces impacted with one another.

Chatter that I couldn't understand erupted from the captain's console, the old organic squawking in turn.

Then I could feel the ship beginning to move, its entire structure shuddering as it began to accelerate just like before.

The wariness must have showed on my face, because Brim immediately shot me a simultaneously reassuring and horrifyingly apologetic look from her position next to an emotionless Quille.

"We've been...ordered to join the second interception group. I don't like it either, but the homeships still need more time to-"

Oh fuck this.

Just like the first time I'd been exposed to the true reality of heading into battle, the world went slightly numb. My thoughts began to race, and if I still had a heart I was sure it would have been beating like a Stars damned jackhammer.

No. No not again. Not a chance in Hell.

If I was being entirely honest with myself, all I really felt in that moment was my Batchmate's hand, firmly grasped in my own as I began to move.

"-and so they-Viridian? Viridan wait-!"

Shoving my body against the door leading out of the bridge managed to force it open just enough to squeeze through, even as I tugged a worried Vermilion along behind me.

Whether for better or worse, Brim didn't end up following us.

"Wh-where are we going?"

"Come on."

Not again. I wasn't gonna go through this shit again.

"...Viridian?"

Turning to glance at the anxious red Pearl, I blinked slowly.

"We're going to the hangar. I memorized the route back when we first got here, and I know they have a functioning Roaming Eye in there."

Some of my most recent conversations with Talon (a good bit before this fresh mess we'd gotten caught up in) had brought up the stolen craft in question, as a matter of fact. The Citrine had been all too happy to boast about how she'd managed to wrestle a fused squad of Rubies out of the thing after a friendly fighter wing had disabled the tracking vessel's engines.

"O-oh. Okay."

...I wasn't actually too sure whether those engines were still online, but we'd figure that out when we got there. Worst case scenario, we'd use the damned thing as a glorified, FTL-capable escape pod. It was better than actively running into the thick of danger, at the very least.

Granted I'd never actually used or even seen a small-scale gravity engine in operation, but I was more than willing to improvise. With luck, it would be relatively similar to the massive block of complex technology that had been the Retaliator's primary drive core.

Because fuck staying aboard a ship that was heading directly towards the path of a rapidly incoming Imperial war fleet. I'd come to like the Avians and their rogue Gems, and I'd respected their desire to get away from the Authority from the very beginning, but that didn't mean I was going to fly straight into battle with them Stars damn it!

---

The trip to the hangar had been, conveniently enough, largely uneventful. No one questioned two extra figures running around the already incredibly busy ship, especially since the very much occupied crew had long since gotten used to the pair of Pearls that would occasionally walk around and look at things at seemingly random times.

Our entry to the hangar/loading bay was greeted with a curious glance from a nearby Avian carrying several large cables over their shoulder, and little else. What looked like a guard (the silver astrosuit that doubled as armour made their normally average-sized form appear almost Quartz-like) made to approach us, only for the entire ship to shudder once more, this time almost violently.

I heard Vermilion gasp in horror, and my own eyes widened to an obscene size as I followed her gaze and looked outside the atmospheric shield keeping all of us from getting sucked out into deep space.

Blindingly bright purple beams were arcing out from an Avian warship, coupled with what looked like physical rounds. But that wasn't what inspired a solid feeling of fear, however.

No, that particular sensation as inspired by the fact that damn near half of the ship was missing. Blackened markings, like a seared piece of meat, coated its edges, and if I squinted my eyes I could just about make out the figures of the crew within spilling out amidst Stars knew how many other components and pieces.

The results weren't pretty, and it was as the remaining half, still angrily retaliating half disappeared beneath a massive golden beam of energy, several blooming waves that I could only assume were explosions spilling out from its rapidly disintigrating form that I let that small screaming part of my mind take over, old phantom flight instincts forcing one foot in front of the other as I marched towards the innocuous looking Roaming Eye.

The disassembled remnants of the starfighter I'd stolen were firmly ignored, alongside the pile of welded together metal and engines that Brim had tried to claim was a three-bird interceptor.

"Stop-"

A flash of light, and my gauntleted hand was lashing out, catching the suited guard to the side of their masked head and sending the organic tumbling to the ground as I stomped up the boarding ramp, Vermilion following along right behind me.

They'd be fine. Maybe. Probably not if the ship blew up but that really wasn't my problem, now was it?

Panicked squawks and yelps sounded out from outside, only to be cut off as my Batchmate firmly slapped her hand against a nearby touchpad, closing up the opening with the distinct hiss of the hull pressurising itself.

I was glad to see the crimson Pearl was showing hints of initiative, even if the situation warranting it was utterly horrific.

Heaving out a long sigh, I made my way over to the controls, glancing over them and praying that I hadn't just gotten us locked inside an immobile capsule.

No going back now, after all.

---

Emerald Facet 2M7G, cut 8XS let loose a rather nasty grin, teeth bared as yet another wretched organic vessel ceased to exist thanks to the awe inspiring power of her (temporary) vanguard ship.

"Shields are still holding and the first wave of robonoids have pierced the enemy picket, my Emerald!"

"Standing orders remain, scan all enemy vessels for Gem signatures before firing, I want Quartz and Ruby boarding teams on standby as well! What's the status of our deep strike ships?"

"Plasma bombers are ready and waiting for a good opportunity, my Emerald!"

The Peridot snapped off a silent salute as the admiral nodded back at her, the bridge Gem returning to her station as the Retaliator continued to roar through the dark void that was space, barely keeping pace with the far larger form of the Destiny Destroyer, all while countless lesser ships orbited around the two behemoths.

In truth, 8XS hadn't quite believed her good luck when in the midst of an entirely unplanned gathering, her fellow Emerald had come forward alongside a veritable riot of other Gems, loudly proclaiming her donation of the bleeding edge vessel towards 'the hunt for Viridian.'

Sure, the very much valuable Diamond essence had been mentioned as well, but somehow word had spread of her own far more personal dilemma, and just about every Gem with a working ship docked at the Confluence had wanted a chance to 'be the hero and save the Pearl', apparently. Even if most of them seemed to forget there were two Gems that had been abducted.

It was a story in the making, and there was no shortage of those seeking to be in it.

Regardless, just about everyone wanted to make a name for themselves or add on to their own extensive resumes, and her fellow Emerald's contribution to that notion had been a fully armed and crewed superior class battleship, a far more modernized vessel compared to the legacy piece that the Retaliator existed as.

Unfortunately, the boisterous one eyed fleet commander hadn't been able to outright join them, occupied as she was with her own vital task of delivering an important shipment of Sapphires to the core territories aboard her ever vaunted and beloved Sun Incinerator, but her act of generosity in lending one of her better backup vessels had inspired a veritable wave of volunteers after the fact, amazingly enough.

It was all 8XS and Hessonite could do to wrangle the ragtag flotilla into something resembling a proper military force, and that was after refusing all the transport freighters offering to be temporarily modified into combat vessels!

The direct result was that their pursuit fleet had been formed far quicker than anticipated, albeit at the cost of not technically existing in any truly official capacity just yet. But that was fine, with Diamond essence on the line a bit of accelerated deployment could most certainly be excused, right?

It wasn't like all those ships were doing much anyway, idling around the dockyards as they were...

"Several direct hits on the Destiny Destroyer, my Emerald!"

Glancing at the upcoming readout as another voice called out the destruction of the offending attackers, she noted that the battleship in question hadn't been forced to drop its shields.

Oh but Stars, what she would do to have a ship like that...maybe if all of this went off perfectly, she could petition for a refit of the Retaliator?

Yes, new, more powerful weapons. Fully modernized engines that could get the vessel around faster. A stronger shield core. A dedicated panic room for Viridian and Sixteen A so that nothing like this happened again, and so much more-

"We've just detected a friendly IFF signal, my Emerald! It's an old Roaming Eye!"

Her eyes snapped to one of the Quartz soldiers aboard the bridge, the burly Gem wilting slightly at her superior's glare, punctuated by a hand running along her command throne.

"It's outdated Imperial property, just like the rest of the ships these vermin have stolen, blast it to pieces."

The Jasper hesitated, glancing at her weapons console.

"But it has Gem signatures aboard, my Emerald! And it's heading away from the fight!"

Blinking, the admiral paid slightly more attention to the apparently fleeing vessel.

...Could it be? Pearls weren't exactly pilots, but Roaming Eyes were designed to be simple enough for a Ruby to navigate. If anyone could figure it out, her Viridian surely could.

Clicking her teeth, 8XS swept a hand forward, the holographic screen in front of her going through a long list of ships.

There, an old patrol frigate, the Gleaming Blade. The practically ancient ship was fast for her time, and more importantly didn't matter too much in the grand scheme of things. She could afford to divert the decrepit thing towards an impromptu secondary objective.

Sliding her hand across the screen, she navigated through several channels before establishing contact with the outdated frigate.

"Gleaming Blade, this is Emerald 2M7G, cut 8XS. You are hereby ordered to divert course from the fleet and pursue IFF signature Epsilon Gamma Three. We have reason to suspect friendly prisoners of war may be on board, catch the Roaming Eye in your docking bay and retrieve them at once."

A split second of static sounded out, likely the product of the frigate's old systems connecting to that of the Retaliator before the voice of a Nephrite (presumably the captain) answered her, prompting a pleased smirk from the admiral.

"Orders confirmed, my Emerald. The Blade will bring them home!"

Chapter Text

Nonsense awaits.

LOG-029.

Shit shit shit!

"What now!?"

Vermilion's panicked voice echoed in my ears, but it wasn't quite enough to distract me, considering the plethora of other rather distinct issues I had to deal with. My fingers continued to fly across the simplistic control interface affixed to the Roaming Eye's primary navigation console, even as I warily glanced out the corner of my eye, taking in the view of several Avian ships beginning to jump into the Warp.

"Elements of both fleets are beginning to tangle together, lots of violent energy flying around that we're hopefully avoiding-I think we have a different problem though."

I resisted the urge to bite my lip as a small frigate sized vessel continued to tail behind us, despite the utter chaos erupting just behind it.

If our stolen ride's sensors were to be believed, the homeships of the Avian fleet had presumably finished fueling up, considering they were practically racing away from the abandoned freighter they'd been latched to, the surviving combat vessels that weren't busy getting utterly thrashed by Imperial warships hot on their metaphorical heels.

Which meant we were on an even stricter time limit than before. Not too much of a problem, I just needed to continue to evade our annoyingly persistant pursuer and figure out which of the destinations present on the FTL registry aboard this old thing meant Earth.

No biggie. No biggie at all!

Oh Stars we were gonna die here.

"They're getting closer!"

A low snarl threatened to slip loose as I directed the Roaming Eye to veer left, bringing us into a sharp arc that the far larger frigate struggled to replicate.

"Just give me a minute, I've nearly got it!"

Earth, Earth, Earth. Where the fuck was Earth?

Sort by sector, what sector?

Useless. But I was going about this the wrong way, wasn't I? There was a far simpler solution to this.

Sort by Diamond.

"Viridian?"

One result, far, far further away than any other destination, and practically buried in various warning glyphs.

"Viridian!"

Off limits. Dangerous. Abandoned. Do not approach. Exactly what I needed-

"VIRIDIAN!"

"WHAT!?"

I'd whirled around to face my fellow Pearl, only to follow her shaking finger to one of the secondary display screens.

The freighter, far behind us now, was beginning to crackle violently. Visible arcs of golden lightning danced across its form, intensifying and illuminating the surrounding darkness as several Imperial vessels surrounded it. Even further away, the last surviving spear-ships belonging to our temporary organic contacts disappeared with the signature flashes of large vessels entering Warp space.

If I had a heart, it likely would have stopped in that moment. But I was a Gem, and had been for years. So instead of keeling over, my hand slammed down on the control interface instead, palm slapping against the touch screen-esque device and confirming our oh so distant destination.

An entire galaxy away, to be precise. At the very least we were on the closest edge we could reasonably get when it came to facing it.

Unfortunately, preparing a Warp jump to an entirely separate galaxy wasn't exactly a low intensity process. The sound of the Roaming Eye's drive core beginning to spool up thundered in my ears, even as my eyes remained fixed to the image of the steadily erupting freighter.

Space was utterly silent, this was an objective fact. Yet my racing mind more than made up for that particular fact, imagining the shattering, rumbling sound as light burst forth from the glorified fuel tanker.

The gargantuan vessel's hull finally gave up, the entire thing cracking open like a fucking shaken soda can, and things only really devolved from there.

A veritable supernova of golden light erupted from the freighter as space around the newborn star broke, reality itself visibly tearing apart, all while almost continent sized tongues of living energy crackled across space, impacting with the swarm of smaller ships around it and obliterating several of the less sturdy ones (the larger cruisers and battleship had still been in the process of catching up, and thus were spared the brunt of the cataclysmic effect) still caught in the blast radius in a spectacularly violent dance of molten metal and flashing energy, all while an almost brilliantly white wave of force seemed to push out as a result of the initial blast.

The positive of this was that the frigate, still steadfastly chasing behind us, was caught near the edge of the wave, a loose arc of lightning slamming into and effectively slagging its engines, sending the starship into a violent spiral, even as its form shielded us from the brunt of the spreading energy.

The negative was that the Roaming Eye began to rattle so hard that I damn near instantly lost my footing, barely catching myself against the navigation console and wincing as Vermilion fell against the chair behind me with a cry of pain.

That horrid white force continued to push forward. Closer, closer, the edges of it just about ready to impact with our own craft.

Then the light tone of a successful FTL charge sounded out, and reality distorted as our reappropriated ship's gravity drive effectively slung us through the now significantly thinner fabric of spacetime. The laws of speed became more of a suggestion as a result, even as we both desperately clung to anything we could, trying to ride out the shaking.

My eyes closed tightly as that terrifying rattling feeling only seemed to increase, until the entire damned hull was effectively vibrating around us. Some part of me wanted to reach for Vermilion, for anyone, before I was scattered into countless pieces stretched throughout an obscene legnth of space. The rest of me focused on just hugging the console I was using for support as hard as possible, even as a pathetic whimper managed to escape my mouth.

Then? It all stopped.

I remained in my curled up ball of a pose for a few moments after the fact, knees on the ground and arms desperately grasping the control interface as if it were my only lifeline, before finally gaining the courage to finally open my eyes.

A perfectly intact Roaming Eye bridge greeted me, alongside the immediately fantastical view of an uncountable number of stars and other bright obstacles whizzing past the primary view screen.

Slowly getting back up on shaky legs, I wobbled my way over to an exhausted looking Vermilion, collapsing next to the crimson Pearl and tightly wrapping my arms around her, prompting a quiet yelp.

"Is...is it over?"

Oh but Stars if the poor thing didn't sound exactly as tired as I felt in that moment.

"I think so."

A moment or two passed like that, as I hugged my Batchmate perhaps just a little desperately, before I finally felt an identical set of arms to my own wrap around my lightform to embrace me in turn.

I sniffled.

She sniffled.

We both continued to hug each other, sniffling quietly as we slowly comprehended the fact that we'd apparently made it by the skin of our Stars damned teeth.

And after all of that, well...it was all we both could really do, two Pearls desperately holding on to each other as the waterworks inevitably started, interspersed with the occasional manic laughter of those who'd fully expected to die a terrible, violent death, and then suddenly hadn't.

The subsequent glow of fusion that came along with it really shouldn't have surprised me as much as it did, considering the...very much heated emotions attached to that particular situation.

Oh well. Maybe Honey Lemon would be able to handle the excess of feelings better than the two of us could on our own.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

And here it is at last! The ultimate destination! Dirt!

LOG-030.

Cleaning truly was a wonderful activity, in my mind. It soothed the soul, kept the form busy and ensured one's surroundings were spotless!

Perhaps, being the fusion of two separate Pearls, I may have been somewhat biased in that regard, but I didn't really think so. After all, when stuck onboard a Roaming Eye travelling through space at utterly insane speeds (a similar but altogether different form of FTL travel when compared to going through the Warp) with no one to talk to but yourself and nothing else to do...cleaning helped keep you occupied.

So, after taking some time to simply...decompress, and sort through the constant influx of emotions jutting from both my components (there may have been a moderate amount of crying involved), I spent the first few days cleaning. Every nook and cranny, every single spec of dust, nothing was spared. Viridian's duster came in handy in that regard, and a few small brushes that Vermilion had kept a hold of helped in sweeping away unwanted particulates wedged in between some of the consoles.

I attacked the grime with the determination of a Gem fighting for her life. Each swipe of the duster was a statement, each brushstroke a command. I cleaned the cockpit until it gleamed under the artificial lighting, scrubbed the corridors until the reflective surfaces almost blinded me with their brilliance, and polished the control panels until I could see my face, a curious blend of both Viridian and Vermilion's features, staring back at me in bemusement

By the end of it all, the bridge was probably spotless enough to house a Diamond.

Alas, cleaning could only take me so far, even when I was intentionally being horribly slow about it to purposefully extend the time it took up. Eventually, the entire interior of the ship was utterly free of even the slightest traces of filth, and polishing everything merely extended that time by another day at best.

So I repeated the process. Seven times. Yes, to say that my temporary living space was shiny would be...well, a rather drastic understatement.

During my small war against any and all forms of dirt, I kept track of time as best I could using Homeworld's standard calendar. A hundred and sixteen hours for each day, and nine days for each week.

I'd almost considered the thought of attempting to get at the Eye's exterior, before deciding that that was an utterly terrible idea, and moved on to spend my days doing other things, like pretending to meditate, as if I was some sort of Sapphire.

Said meditation may have involved vividly imagining some of the...prettier Gems I'd met. Some blushing may have also been involved during the whole process. Alongside some sad, melancholic contemplation as I considered that I'd likely never actually see most of those Gems ever again. It was most certainly a...novel experience, to say the very least.

But after a point, those days turned to weeks and acting as if I could 'see the future' grew tiresome. The enlarged space within the scouting craft finally began to echo with the sound of melodic tones, as I almost inevitably turned to singing to occupy myself.

Every single song was practiced until it was perfected. I sung first of what I had been taught. Of the glory of the Diamonds and their boundless Authority, of the beauty of the stars, of the everlasting, unchanging nature of the Gem Empire, and I belted out countless other tunes that were more pretty and pleasant noise than anything, lacking any true lyrics.

Eventually, I even started trying to come up with my own hymns, though they tended to veer off slightly as parts of me sought to bring forth different ideas. Songs of perfection, isolation, fusion, freedom, love, and so much more made the silence abate for a while, and going through the multitude of routines that had been drilled into my two halves extended that time even further.

I sang of the void's cold tranquility, the indifferent lights contained within it a backdrop to countless conflicts and joys. I created odes to liberty, imagining what it would be like to choose one's own path, to not be bound by duty or design and luxuriating deeply in the realisation that such a thing would soon be my reality. Each note, each word, became an exploration of identity, a way to piece together the fragments of who I was slowly but surely becoming.

Anything and everything to keep busy, to keep productive.

"Lost in the darkness...searching for a sign...battles within me...a war in my...soul? No...mind. Mind works better. A war in my mind..."

The paradigm I'd built up during my time isolated within the Roaming Eye had finally come to an end almost half a month or so in.

"Caught in the current...can't break free...Reef's hold like a coffin...coffin? Yeah, coffin...no agency-"

Beeping. The sudden sound almost made me fall over in fright, as I realised it wasn't coming from my own mouth, my golden lightform (significantly more uniform than the last time, though there was still a slight mixing of green and red here and there, most notably in my hair) flinching before I finally comprehended just what I was hearing, and rapidly scrambled towards the primary navigation console.

My eyes widened in equal parts of both fear and a rather distinct sense of exhilaration as the screen continued to throw up various warning signs, all as the faint image of a little blue and green marble grew ever more distinct.

Exiting the faster than light mode of travel the Roaming Eye's gravity drive had kept the ship suspended in had been rather...anticlimactic, if I had to put a singular word to it. A few input commands, a brief shake, then the rough feeling of deceleration later, and I found myself within relative spitting distance of a Diamond's deathworld.

The innocuous blue and green sphere stood as a testament to just how spectacularly Pink Diamond's colony had failed, interspersed as it was with patches of white, brown and so many other colours that hinted at some form of distinctly non-Gem life. It promised safety. It promised isolation. And most importantly, it guaranteed my freedom from the Empire.

It was the perfect place to call home, and my smile remained almost painfully wide as I directed the Eye closer towards the planet, trying to estimate just how quickly I could cut my way through the atmosphere without making the trip take even longer.

---

There were Gem structures left on this world. Long since abandoned along with the rest of the failed colony after the singularly most damaging war the Empire had ever faced, and most tended to be either malfunctioning or entirely inactive.

Keyword being most. Some still reported as operational. Ancient sensor stations that had once been used to monitor ship traffic and keep track of weather patterns reacted for the first time in what was likely millenia as the Roaming Eye's systems connected to their own.

The interface lit up with a cascade of data streams, each one representing a dormant piece of Gem technology reawakening after an age of silence. Part of me took careful note of the locational data for the multitude of potential Imperial facilities and dutifully memorized it, even as the rest of me focused on making sure I actually landed the ship properly.

It wouldn't do to...crash into a city or something. Especially considering this world was most definitely inhabited, if the numerous lights strung across various landmasses facing away from the sun hadn't been enough of a clear indicator of advanced civilisation.

Through the viewport, the surface details began to emerge. Vast stretches of forests, sprawling urban centers, and winding rivers that reflected the light of the setting sun.

There was a careful balance I needed to keep here.

Getting the ship close enough to a population of locals that I could reasonably interact with and hopefully enlist the help of when it came to settling in was a bit of a priority, but also avoiding setting the ship down practically on their doorstep remained a distinct concern to keep in mind, in order to avoid particularly unwanted questions.

I scrutinized the relayed topographical data being beamed to the Eye, searching for a suitable landing site. The initial area I finally chose was both vast and varied, with a mix of natural landscapes, heavily developed urban centers belonging to the local species and isolated remnants of ancient Gem constructions.

Eventually, I settled for one of the larger continents in favour of some isolated islands or something, namely because there was still a mostly intact spire nearby that I could potentially check out later if the need for Gem-specific items arose, and a singular sensor station was still reporting as active from an area registered as Quartz Kindergarten Beta.

The thought of a Kindergarten, an area where Gems were once produced en masse, gave me pause. For some reason, I felt strangely conflicted about the production area as I let the Roaming Eye be remotely guided through the initial cloud layer. Mental images of emerging warriors, fresh and new, filled my mind, juxtaposed with the desolation such a place must now embody, thousands of years after the fact.

The odd sensation subsided quickly enough though, replaced by the more immediate concern of making a safe landing and soon enough, I was too focused on gathering up any loose items I'd left lying around the ship to even think of the matter, all as landing gears deployed and the boarding ramp began to hiss open.

If the breath of fresh, oxygen filled air felt like freedom to me, then it was the sensation of my foot firmly planting down on soft dirt covered in luscious green grass that felt like a whole new beginning.

---

"Hyaaaahahahaha!"

Hopping, skipping, twirling and effectively dancing my way through the air as I continued to put distance between myself and the Roaming Eye, I let out another few restrained giggles, darting past the latest patch of gargantuan trees. Their trunks were like towering pillars, their leaves rustling in the gentle breeze as if they were whispering secrets of the ancient forest to me. My exhilaration bubbled over, and I couldn't help but release a few more peals of laughter, my voice echoing through the canopy at the sheer beauty of it all.

It was a while before I finally slowed down, inspecting a nearby colony of strange, organic insects scurrying about a small mound of dirt.

Ants. Fun!

My lightform moved slowly as I crouched down, my eyes widening with curiosity as I observed the little creatures. They moved with such purpose, each one carrying a tiny piece of foliage or soil, working together in perfect harmony. Their intricate pathways and coordinated efforts reminded me of the Gem structures and ranks I'd left behind, though infinitely smaller and more chaotic in their design.

I watched them for what felt like ages, marveling at their simple yet efficient little society, before eventually leaving the tiny bugs to their work.

I'd parked the ship near the base of an isolated cliffside with the intent to eventually relocate the scouting craft to a more discrete location, but that was quite honestly the furthest thing from my mind right this moment, as instead I continued to circle around the area I'd encountered the ants in before finally moving further out.

It was when natural organic forest finally gave way to primitive paved road that I knew I'd been heading the right direction. I ducked as low as I could, huddling behind some shrubbery as I spent the next few moments eagerly watching loud metallic vehicles make their way up and down the wide path. Some were small and compact, buzzing along like oversized insects themselves, while others were large and lumbering, carrying cargo or groups of the planet's inhabitants.

Logical reasoning indicated that following said path would eventually lead me to a settlement of some sort, and I figured that I could work out a proper plan from there after just...relaxing for a while. The Roaming Eye would likely remain unnoticed for the time being, and it wouldn't open for just anyone anyway, considering the only exterior remote to the small starship was carefully tucked away in Viridian's storage.

And so, I simply began walking. One eye fixed to the road next to me the entire time, even as each foot steadily continued to plant itself in front of the other. The rhythmic sound of my steps against the hard surface was oddly comforting, each movement bringing me closer to whatever vague thing I was looking for.

The bright yellow sun up above served as an adequate way to tell the time throughout the journey, and several hours later I was finally beginning to see the distant lights of a small city, even as the sky up above steadily continued to darken.

Rubbing my hands together eagerly, I glanced up and down the road for a second before darting across, making my way past a pair of tall glass buildings and deeper into the settlement.

I could hear what sounded like distant music even further in, and that alone was more than enough to get me curious.

---

I was starting to very much believe that Viridian had been absolutely right in being so eager to pull me towards civilisation, compared to Vermilion's minor desire to huddle up in the ship and remain hidden.

"Yo! Nice dress lady!"

I'd been inside this place for all of an hour, and I was already beginning to love it.

"Thank you very much!"

A veritable cascade of different bright colours continued to flash far above the area I'd wandered into, even as a large crowd of Gem-like organics continued to celebrate whatever local festival had been organised in this area. Impossibly loud music also suffused the air, originating from a group set up on a stage that just about everyone was gathered around.

There were other key locations, such as a station that appeared to be handing out various samples of food and drink for the event goers, while several individuals carrying around boxes of fascinating glowing bands went around dispensing the cute little items. As a matter of fact, it seemed one of the band dispensers were actually approaching-

"You look crazy girl! Loving the getup!"

Blushing at the dark coloured organic's...complement? I adopted a smile, firmly ignoring the strong urge to enter a deferential pose (type eight, pattern nine almost felt appropriate until I remembered I wasn't even speaking to a Gem) and nodding back to the smaller person.

"I like your glowy band things!"

The urge to blink increased, and I finally let my eyes close and open as several of the circles were chucked at me with a laugh.

"Keep rocking on, sunshine!"

And then she was gone, presumably to go throw even more glow bands at other organics.

"...Huh."

Glancing down at the mass of decorations carefully balanced in my arms, I slowly let my smile widen.

---

"Hm. Here it is..."

The trek from the Warp pad had been a fairly long one, but their resident fusion's foresight had been proven correct yet again, rather unfortunately, in this case.

Almost as one, four separate Gems (technically five) grew ever more attentive at the sight of a distinctly inhuman craft nestled almost innocently next to a large boulder.

Different thoughts quickly ran through each of them, but a singular consensus was eventually reached by the group nonetheless.

This was going to complicate things.

---

I had learned many things during my time spent participating in this festival.

The most notable was that raves were awesome.

"Alright people! We're gonna take a short break, let our drummer cool down for a bit before he breaks his arms, yeah!?"

Laughter erupted at the organic's joking statement. I found myself joining in along with a few of the whoops and cheers emanating from those around me. Without thinking, I cupped my hands around my mouth, yelling back at the musician.

"That would be bad!"

A few individuals glanced at me, doubletaking as they noted the way I generally stood both head and shoulders above most of those around me, yet more laughed along with the notion, even as the lead singer pointed at me with a grin.

"You got that right uh...literally yellow lady!"

"Honey Lemon!"

"Right! Radical name! Any other tidbits of wisdom for the rest of us Honey?!"

Both halves of my fusion blanked as the entertainer pointed a small device that one of my components hesitantly pointed out as a microphone at me, resulting in a second of utter stillness before I forcibly shrugged aside the urge to crawl into a hole and die, instead actively leaning forward, enjoying the way the numerous glowsticks and rings affixed to my lightform shifted slightly with my abrupt movement.

A tidbit of wisdom, hm?

The grin that affixed itself to my face as I spread my arms wide was a both happy yet utterly feral thing that I couldn't help but embrace, letting my recently acquired physical appearance modifiers clack against each other in the process.

"Always love yourself, no matter how bad the situation gets! Don't be afraid to be pretty!"

A unanimous cheer answered my cry, prompting me to stand up even straighter as confidence surged through me.

"And don't let the usual monotony of life get you down! Things get better so long as you actively look for alternatives!"

Another mass of cheering, I could practically feel several people loudly clapping around me as multiple bottles were raised into the air, liquid splashing out of the glass containers.

I hesitated then, trying to think up another wise 'tidbit' before eventually just going with the flow.

"AND GLOWY BANDS ARE REALLY COOL!"

The wall of noise that followed my final proclamation was a near physical thing, a singular continous sound of approval that continued to echo in my head even as my body was lifted and held aloft, the people beneath me acting as a living wave.

Suffice to say, the next few hours proved wonderfully interesting, to say the absolute very least.

Chapter Text

I cast tonal whiplash. Credit to this song for blasting in my ears during the writing of this chapter.

LOG-031.

The hall of judgement was filled with a vast chorus of murmurs and whispers. The Gems that spoke amongst each other did their best to be quiet, of course, but in a vast space where everything else was silent, even the slightest bit of noise tended to echo, to say the very least.

But that wasn't Emerald's primary concern, as of this moment. It was instead the Zircon frantically pacing in front of her, going through several datapads worth of information while anxiously glancing at a still empty throne.

A blue throne.

She knew this Gem, though indirectly. She was a popular prosecutor, but dear Hessonite had somehow managed to convince the up and coming lawyer to take on Emerald's case in the hopes of sparing her old acquaintance an unfair sentencing.

Regardless of the one that was going to attempt to defend her honour, going on trial for such a massive failure wasn't exactly an unexpected thing. Stars, even she somewhat desired to punish herself for botching things so badly as the leading officer, even if the enemy fleet detonating Diamond essence was something no one could have expected, nor anticipated!

It was simply unprecedented!

But a direct trial hosted by the Executioner herself? Emerald's utterly rotten luck seemed to have only gotten worse ever since she was assigned that cursed mission. Her own Diamond was a pragmatic Gem, and would likely see reality for what it was, but the ever grieving Blue Diamond was a far different matter entirely.

Regardless of the reasons for her failure, the results inevitably remained the same. The wretched organics that even now she continued to mentally curse out within the depths of her mind remained at large, the Diamond essence that had been so painfully stocked up for a future colony had been spent in, at best, a fascinating, extremely wasteful weapons experiment, and she still hadn't gotten back her Stars damned Pearls!

Oh what she wouldn't give to have Sixteen A sing her a song again, or for her Viridian to even just stand by her side once more, listening attentively as she rambled on about whatever came to mind while the ship travelled through Warp space...

Ugh. At least they hadn't gone so low as to shackle her. Such a thing would be an indignity no Emerald would bear without retaliation bar exceptional circumstances, and yet somehow the feeling of a heavy weight remained upon the disgraced admiral's shoulders nonetheless, partly due to the heavily armoured figures of a pair of Tourmalines standing nearby, the Quartz-like enforcers' eyes hidden behind their signature visors, yet their concealed lightforms and elongated Gem destabilizers clearly ready to move at a moment's notice should she prove...defective.

Truly, what an utterly horrible sensation.

Unfortunately, that already heavy weight only increased almost a hundred fold as the whispering stopped all at once, all eyes (including her own) drawn to the throne as the familiar light indicative of an active Warp stream made itself apparent. As the brief burst faded, any attention that may have been paid to other matters ceased to exist entirely, the massive hall's collective of Gems staring at the ancient being with various emotions etched into their gemstones and expressions alike.

Fear. Respect. Nervousness. Faith. Adoration. Loyalty. And so so many other complex feelings.

The lithe form of Blue Diamond's own Pearl, dutifully standing next to her far larger owner, merely served to make the significantly uglier feelings brewing in her own gemstone even worse.

It was the first time in eons that the venerable Gem had deigned to directly visit the Crystal Confluence, and the sheer shame 8XS felt at being the one responseible for such a thing was almost too much to bear. Yet the cowled figure didn't so much as even twitch at all the sudden attention, merely waving a hand to proceed.

"Inform me of this one's crimes, and begin the trial."

And so they did.

From there, things went just about as well as she could have expected. Multiple direct witnesses were brought forward, Emerald was allowed to make her own statements, and her defendant Zircon was very careful in ensuring the entire situation (and Emerald's part in it) was portrayed in as positive a light as possible.

"And so with the provided evidence in mind, my illustrious, ever resplendant, beautiful and flawless Diamond...my client did the absolute most she could have done in such a terrible situation! Had she not gathered a fleet at best speed to intercept these vile pirates, who knows what could have happened?! They have shown themselves more than willing to go to extremes, who's to say they wouldn't have, as a hypothetical example, attempted to bombard a station, or Stars forbid, even a colony?"

Silence interspersed with numerous whispers answered the nervous Zircon's proclamation, before the gargantuan ruler shifted in place, leaning forward.

Emerald just barely caught a glimpse of the eyes hidden beneath that cowl during the process, and part of her remained shocked at just how tired one of Homeworld's sole three matriarchs seemingly appeared to be.

"...This was a failure."

Her voice remained a distinct mixture of cold, exhausted and melodic all at once, prompting shivers from just about every Gem within the hall.

Blue Diamond's hand lifted into the air, before clenching into a fist.

"You did your best, and an Emerald isn't an easy thing to replace. I declare you to be innocent."

The admiral let loose a sigh of relief, ready to deliver a firm salute in thanks to the very generous decree-

"However, an example must be made nonetheless. Too many mistakes were made during this unsanctioned operation for it to remain viable, and those involved require a lesson to...inspire them when it comes to future decisions. Emerald, what vessel do you command?"

The urge to shiver increased as the Diamond's attention practically pinned her in place.

"T-the Retaliator, my Diamond. A twin-linked assault cruiser manufactured in-"

Her attempt to list off the proud vessel's origin was interrupted, and Blue Diamond's next words almost made her fall over with how utterly final they sounded.

"Your crew, we'll schedule all of them for Harvesting. They will take on the burden of acting as an example to the rest of the Gems that participated in this mess. It shouldn't be too large of a loss if we recycle them. Most ships like yours are manned by cheaply produced batches anyway. Maybe we'll even manage to find you some Era One veterans."

Her voice caught in her throat as the Executioner slowly nodded to herself.

"Yes, perhaps we can pull an actual opportunity from all of this...those old twin-links are getting far too outdated anyway. You'll be assigned a new ship entirely, and from there I'm sure Yellow will ensure a freshly organized fleet is granted to you, one that will allow you to properly track and eventually purge these...organics. It will serve as a fitting way to redeem yourself in the face of your failure."

It was everything she wanted. A better ship. Another, more carefully assembled fleet to hunt down those that had wronged her.

But...those who served under her had been loyal. They'd been following her commands! How could any of this be their fault!?

They'd performed as well as could be expected of them for Stars' sake! And that wasn't her only concern either!

"And...what of my Pearls, my Diamond?"

That stare returned, and Emerald wilted as those distinctly shaped pupils focused on her, their owner's eyes narrowing slightly in apparent thought.

"...It's an unfortunate loss. I grant you leave to requisition another pair from the Reef, if you so desire."

Another pair? Another pair!? She didn't want another pair! And she didn't want another crew, either! She liked her current one just fine damn it!

...She needed to convince Blue Diamond, somehow. But how? Even going to her own Diamond likely wouldn't help matters, especially if her actions were taken as a refusal of orders.

It was fine. She'd just explain things properly and go from there. Surely a Diamond would see the inherent waste in all of this?

Right?

"M-my Diamond, if I may-"

More eyes turned to Emerald, and out of the corner of her vision she could just about make out the Zircon's triumphant expression vanishing as she began to rapidly shake her head.

"-As a fleet admiral with some experience, I firmly believe my crew would be better served being transferred aboard whatever new vessel I am given. They're an efficient lot, and to just throw away such valuable knowledge and loyalty would be-"

The veritable wave of emotion that hit her was almost physically painful, the admiral falling to her knees as tears began to stream down her eyes. Around her, everyone else was also quietly beginning to sob, and she could clearly see Blue Diamond's Pearl sniffling slightly at her place atop one of the gargantuan throne's armrests.

Stars, even the normally emotionless Tourmalines were beginning to shake slightly, the rich purple Gems practically sagging in their armour at the Diamond powered onslaught.

"I will not be argued with in matters such as this. As the crew of the flagship of your temporary armada, they will have appeared untouchable to everyone else involved. Their fate will remind those around them of the price of failure without having to penalize the entire fleet. Have I made myself clear, Emerald?"

Choking back a sob herself, the admiral bowed her head, forcing her arms into a salute.

"Y-yes my D-diamond."

There would be no changing of decisions, now that the Executioner had rather clearly made up her mind on the matter.

---

Her short trip out of the hall of judgement may have outwardly appeared triumphant, what with the Zircon that had represented her excitedly babbling about how well the trial had gone and how this was going to boost both of their respective careers, but Emerald felt quite literally anything but victorious.

If she wanted to be spectacularly dramatic, she'd even say it almost felt like losing Viridian all over again.

Regardless of her internal...pity party, eventually, she reached the Warp junction her shuttle had landed next to, and it was all she could do from there to avoid looking the two usual Peridots patiently waiting outside for her arrival in the eyes, all as she marched up the docking ramp.

From there, getting back to the Retaliator almost felt like going through old motions. Dock at the hangar. Accept the greetings from the Gems awaiting her return and proceed to the bridge.

The distinct difference in it all were the stares as she finally settled down in her command throne, each and every Gem within the bridge occasionally glancing at each other before returning to look at her.

The tension was too much, and the admiral snapped perhaps just a little too harshly because of it, drawing minor flinches from the crew.

"What? What are all of you looking at?!"

One of her Citrines hesitated slightly, the burly Quartz elite looking pensive as she rubbed a hand against one of her arms.

"Apologies, my Emerald. We just...we're glad to see you're back. Trial must have gone good, huh?"

The soldier chuckled slightly, before biting her lip.

"And well...we've all been wondering uh...what's next?"

8XS couldn't help but hold back a flinch of her own as a nearby Jasper raised a hand.

"Yeah, the ship's ready to go Admiral. Are we gonna go smash those dirty organics apart or what? I'm itching for some payback!"

Then it was a Peridot, visor almost seeming to glow as she glanced to Emerald's side.

"Are...are we going to look for Viridian and uh...Sixteen A again? They're probably still lost somewhere. Stars knows how frightened they must be..."

Every question was like the electric barbs of a destabilizer painfully digging into her form, making her feel worse and worse as all those earnest, loyal and utterly innocent eyes stared at her, waiting for answers.

They had no idea what was coming. She was the one in charge of telling them after all, and she could scarcely speak.

Her eyes flicked downwards as a nearby console attached to her throne lit up and let loose a light, pleasant tone, a flight path emerging for her to follow. It led to one of the Confluence's larger hangars, with one simple directive attached to it.

Report for shipbreaking.

It would likely be the Retaliator's last act, alongside that of her crew.

"My Emerald, are you alright?"

Her other Citrine, glancing down at her with a worried look. Emerald followed the gaze, and...

Ah. Her hands...appeared to be shaking. That...wasn't quite right, now was it?

"I'm fine." The admiral lied, even as she began to input commands into the console, the Retaliator conceding to her will as it always dutifully had and detaching itself from the exterior docking clamps it had used to remain fixed outside the Confluence's primary visitation spire.

They were away, now. And as per Blue Diamond's directive...it would be their final journey, save for Emerald herself.

After all, there was no feasible way to go against a Diamond's word. Her own superior would do nothing, as to act contrary to another Diamond's will would bring far too much trouble, even for an Emerald's sake. She couldn't plead to the courts, since the Executioner was, naturally, the highest authority second to White Diamond herself when it came to matters of the law.

So...so there was nothing she could do, really.

"Engines are running smooth, my Emerald!"

"Weapons are fresh as well, my Emerald!"

"Navigation is clear too, my Emerald!"

My Emerald. My Emerald. My useless, utter crackup of an Emerald.

"All systems read optimal, my Emerald. Awaiting inputting of destination!"

There was nothing she could do.

Not legally, anyway.

Emerald facet 2M7G, cut 8XS hesitated for less than a second before her feelings solidified into something beyond a vague sense of frustration and hopelessness, before she angrily took a stand, cape billowing behind her as she swept an arm forward, a snarl twisting her lips apart.

"Plot a course for the rimward territories, get us as close to the previous battlefield as possible!"

Wide eyes almost brought a second of doubt, before the admiral rather firmly reminded herself of just what was going to happen to every Gem under her command should she hesitate again.

"Get us out of here, now!"

The scramble to follow the order was familiar, and the jump to Warp space was almost enough to help her pretend that she hadn't just committed a direct act of rebellion against a Diamond.

Almost.

She wasn't stupid. She never would have made it to where she was in life if it weren't for the collection of Gems around her supporting 8XS throughout every battle, every journey and every problem. And if Blue Diamond couldn't see that? Couldn't see beyond punishing a fleet for doing their absolute best in serving the Empire and in defending Homeworld?

Well then she could just go and get cracked. Authority be damned.

Chapter Text

Lol. Lmao, even. Slightly shorter chapter since I've gotta head to town but I'll try to make the next one bigger to counter that.

LOG-032.

I had learned that the natives of this world were called 'humans.'

In turn, I had also learned that humans were way more pleasurable to 'hang out with' than Gems.

"CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!"

My fist continued to pump up and downwards, mimicking the motion the rest of the people around me were performing as the man we'd surrounded continued to hold the particularly large bottle of liquid up, its opening firmly pressed to his lips. The crowd's energy was infectious, their cheers and laughter filling the air as the man finally finished the drink, lowering it triumphantly to a roar of approval from everyone around him.

It had been perhaps an hour at this point, and the 'rave' was giving no indications of stopping. The air was thick with a blend of various scents, sweat, alcohol (why organics loved ingesting poison so much remained unclear as of yet), and something sweet that I couldn't quite identify.

The band that had been playing initially had elected to take a longer break, replaced instead by a woman with brightly colored hair (even by Gem standards) who was using some kind of machine to produce music in their stead. The beats pulsed through the ground and into my body, making it hard not to sway along with the rhythm.

In the meantime, I had obtained an ever-increasing number of glowy bands, a small whistle, the 'numbers' of several humans which part of me confirmed was an invitation to future communication, an organic and spiky fruit known as a 'pineapple,' and a rather wide selection of drinks, apparent confectionaries, and other substances. The locals were endlessly fascinated by my presence, offering me various gifts and teaching me their dances even as I hesitantly showed off a few of the more semi-chaotic routines that had been thought at the Reef, their laughter and joy filling me with a strange, warm feeling.

Unfortunately, I couldn't actually make use of the last few gifts just yet, so I simply handed them out to others in turn instead, accidentally becoming a dispenser of goods myself in the process of doing so.

The cheers whenever I showed up with seven crates of bottles carefully balanced within my arms were really nice, though...

"HEY HONEY! YOU GONNA DRINK SOMETHING GIRL!?"

Glancing over at one of my screaming compatriots (she was a rather loud, brightly dressed human being by the name of Rebecca, though she remained insistent that we were now friends, and thus I had to call her 'Becky'), I shook my head while gesturing to my throat.

"I haven't formed an appropriate digestive system yet Becky!"

"WHAT?!"

Ah yes, a louder volume was needed to counteract the music, silly me!

"I HAVEN'T FORMED AN APPROPRIATE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM YET BECKY! I CAN'T DRINK WITHOUT A STOMACH AND OTHER ASSORTED ORGANS!"

Tears sprung up in the woman's blue eyes in response, right before she flung herself into my arms, bawling. I would have said something to comfort her, but my mouth was currently occupied spitting out a large, almost Quartz-like mass of blonde hair.

"THAT'S SO SAAAAAD! WE NEED TO GET YOU ONE OF THOSE!"

I shifted, awkwardly patting the self proclaimed exotic dancer on the back as she quickly rifled through the small purse strapped to her side, bringing out a small card.

"CAN WE BUY ONE AT THE STORE!? I'LL BUY YOU ONE AT THE STORE! LET'S GO HONEYBABE!"

Blinking, I pondered the thought for a moment.

Did humans sell digestive systems?

No. No, that was very much unlikely. And yet any response in the negative I could have made was cut off as Rebecca snatched my hand, pulling me along behind her. The woman's target was rather clear, being the small mercantile area quietly sitting just down the street from where the festival was being held. The bright lights of the convenience store flickered in the distance as I was pulled along by the determined (and quite possibly intoxicated) woman, a beacon of relatively mundane civilization amidst the chaotic revelry of the gigantic party occuring all around us.

---

The thin figure's expression turned annoyed as the pair turned a corner, only to be greeted with bright flashing lights and almost obnoxious-sounding music.

In her humble opinion, anyway.

"Ugh, are you certain this is their most likely location, Garnet? What would a Homeworld Gem even be doing in a place like..." The disgruntled Pearl waved a hand, as if attempting to encompass the entire area. "...this?"

The fusion's response was a few seconds of silence, her three eyes scanning the surroundings through her reflective visor, taking in the wild atmosphere of the rave. Bright colours, loud music, and the sheer volume of humans present created a cacophony that made it difficult to focus, even at her best.

"Too many outcomes." She finally said, adjusting her visor slightly. "But most of them point towards our uninvited guest being somewhere around here. There's something about this place that draws her in."

The footprints they'd found had, at the very least, confirmed they only had one potential invader to deal with. Which was good. Probably.

Regardless of the confirmation, Pearl sighed, her frustration evident. "Well...I suppose it makes sense. If I were a freshly landed Gem in an unfamiliar world, I might seek out the liveliest, most distracting place to blend in or even just observe. But still, this environment is..." She trailed off, searching for the right word.

"Chaotic." Garnet supplied, a small smile tugging at her lips. "But that's exactly why she'd be here. Let's keep looking. We'll find her. Rose and Amethyst are still busy searching the other areas in case I've got it wrong."

With a nod, the rogue servant followed the fusion deeper into the throng of dancing, celebrating people, their eyes sharp for any sign of their quarry.

"Hey, you gals want some glowsticks?!"

...Hopefully this would be over sooner rather than later. After all, who knew what could happen if the situation wasn't handled quickly?

Chapter Text

Been seeing a lot of people starting their own SU fics. Good, good. Feed me more. BUMP UP THEM NUMBERS.

LOG-033.

"Listen-Becky-I really think you should perhaps just slow down for a moment-"

My protests went unheard by the giggling blonde, even as she happily led us through a pair of automatic doors, glancing around the interior of the store.

"Nah nah, s'okay! I'm good!" Rebecca replied, waving her hand dismissively. The bright, artificial lights of the convenience store were a stark contrast to the colorful chaos we'd left behind, still ongoing just a short distance outside. Shelves stocked with an array of goods lined the walls, and a bored-looking cashier glanced up briefly, raising an eyebrow at our glowband covered forms, before returning to their magazine with a sigh.

Seconds later, I was practically being marched towards the refrigerated section, where rows of colorful bottles and cans were neatly arranged. My newfound friend wasted no time in grabbing a few, inspecting them with a critical eye before placing them back.

"Hey so uhh...like what were we looking for again?" She asked, looking back at me with wide, earnest eyes.

I tilted my head ever so slightly in response. "Well...I needed something to base tastebuds and possibly a digestive system off of in order to actually consume human foodstuffs and beverages, but then you dragged us in here to try and buy one."

My deadpan tone prompted a pout from the dancer, her brows furrowing in understanding. "Oh. Okay well in my defense I'm kind of high as a kite right now? So like work with me Honeybunches."

Blinking, I slowly nodded as the woman giggled to herself. "I am somewhat aware of that fact, yes."

She laughed at that, and for whatever reason, I found myself laughing and eventually snickering along with her. "You're funny. But like we totally need to get you some snacks anyway. Maybe something sugary will inspire those missing tastebuds of yours! I'm pretty sure they have jars of hazella in here somewhere..." She turned back to the shelves, her eyes scanning the colorful array of items dubiously.

As she browsed, I instead took the opportunity to study the convenience store in more detail, walking through some of the aisles and glancing around myself. The sound of a bell (barely heard over a clearly overworked air conditioning system of some kind) jingled, indicating the incoming presence of yet another potential customer, presumably at least.

Personally, I was more fascinated by the intricately stacked pyramid of green cans that just about reached the ceiling, and had thus been in the middle of slowly circling it for a better look when a quickly moving form had suddenly bumped into my back.

"Woops. Hey, sorry maaaaaaaaan...?"

Turning slightly, I checked left and right before slowly tilting my head downward to find the source of the slightly raspy voice.

"Oh that's quite alright-"

And as a distinctly purple face came into view, my eyes widened rather significantly to match the shocked expression attached to that face, for a variety of reasons.

---

Rose Quartz would be the first to admit that, despite her many thousands of years of experience in navigating the planet she'd eventually come to call home, her sense of direction had always been a little...wonky, at times. Back near the apex of the rebellion, that problem had been handled by being part of a massive force of Gems that were all dedicated to looking out for each other, in between...well, fighting for the rebellion.

The night around her was alive with a vibrant energy that part of her would have likely been taken in by, were she not already worried. Neon lights flickered from storefronts, casting a colorful glow on the bustling streets around them.

The distant thump of bass from a nearby rave (yet another thing she'd come to absolutely adore about the modern human age) added to the chaos, making it even harder to focus. The sidewalks were packed with pedestrians, many of whom were dressed in wild, eclectic outfits that reflected the party atmosphere that had taken hold of Empire City.

"Amethyst! Amethyst are you there?!"

Perhaps it hadn't been the absolute best time to be distracted by the fascinating display of human entertainment (televisions really were starting to get more and more popular these days, it seemed) carefully tucked away behind a large glass window, but the salesman on the screen had simply been so earnest in his attempts to sell her used automobiles!

The man's enthusiasm had been captivating, even amidst the sensory overload all around her. And she'd only been distracted for a few moments!

A few moments too many, it seemed.

But well, that didn't matter now. Her fellow Crystal Gem had likely gone on ahead without her, and now she was going to have to waste even more time in searching for her, all while also keeping an eye out for an almost definitely hostile invader!

A small, guilty part of the rebel leader felt very much thankful for Garnet's suggestion to split into teams, it gave her a brief moment of respite, allowing the stress of the whole situation to twist her expression without the rare outlet concerning and scaring the others.

Rose Quartz had to be perfect, after all. She had to be their rock, because if she wasn't...then who would be left to run to?

Oh but the Earth was supposed to be safe! Hadn't the war been enough? Hadn't the Diamonds' attack been enough?

And yet thousands of years later, when she'd finally begun to think she could dare to relax slightly, to stop making plans and contingencies and give up her silly habit of shapeshifting fingernails just so she could bite at them, an Imperial vessel had arrived. Newer and more advanced than anything she'd seen back in her day as well, barring perhaps her old ship, with the Gems within leaving to move on foot with Stars knew what intentions.

It was almost enough to make her want to-

"Woah-oah-oah-OAH-HEY-"

Huh?

"Where do you get off trying to whip people!? Huh!? Who even owns an actual whip these days!? This isn't the middle ages!"

"I'm trying to help you here!"

"LEAVE HONEY ALONE YOU FREAKY WEIRDO!"

"HEY!"

Her hopes lightened slightly as she recognized Amethyst's voice. Then her carefully shapeshifted stomach dropped as she quickly turned and took in a...well. A sight. A very complicated, confusing, worrying, bewildering and possibly slightly hilarious sight.

Namely the Quartz in question getting effectively pummeled by a near constant barrage of carefully aimed metallic soda cans being chucked at her by an utterly incensed (and rather scantily clad, considering the temperature outside) human woman, all while a Pearl practically hid behind the now dented doors of a large convenience store.

An...awfully big Pearl, actually. And her colouring was rather more chaotic (were those glow sticks?) than most Homeworld Gems Rose had seen in her time, though...maybe styles had changed since the war-

The larger than average Pearl shifted slightly, a hand settling atop the woman's shoulder as Amethyst huffed angrily from her new position, namely being buried in a small pile of beverages. The sound of one of said beverages being crunched into a fizzy mass in between the Quartz's gnashing teeth indicated she was likely alright, though.

But that wasn't what held Rose's attention. No, that particular honour went to the unknown Pearl's midsection, namely, the duo of Gemstones neatly sitting next to each other upon its surface, shortly followed after by the Gem's wide, panicked eyes as she caught sight of her in turn.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh pebbles.

---

It had all happened so quickly. A weapon of light forming in the diminutive Quartz's hands before I could even get a word out, a pair of golden gauntlets barely flowing forth from my own lightform in order to catch the end of the Amethyst's attack.

It had been a case of surprise, fear, and utter panic. That was the excuse I was going to stick with for how I'd somehow gotten the idea to tighten the hold I now had on my sudden opponent's weapon, allowing me to pull and then effectively snap her back into and then through the doors she'd come in from.

To her credit, the purple Gem had gotten up in a flash, already moving to rush back at me when Rebecca of all people had saved me.

Namely by chucking a can of soda at the Quartz and yelling what I was absolutely certain were several varieties of slurs in what sounded like several different dialects.

From there, what little fight I'd had left in me had effectively evaporated, and it was all I could do not to simply flee in form discorporating fright as my rapidly rising in regard friend continued to violently pelt the Amethyst with the conveniently placed pyramid of soda cans just next to her, screaming at the Gem all the while.

Which...really shouldn't have done anything. The Quartz shocktrooper was still a shocktrooper after all, even if she seemed much smaller than normal, but Rebecca's fury was somehow winning out. Somehow.

I'd been in the middle of debating whether I should try to calm the practically frothing at the mouth party goer down before she potentially broke something when I'd noticed the other figure standing slightly further away.

I narrowed my eyes and tried to focus past the dim light, looking upon the somehow familiar, distinctive form of-

Rose Quartz.

Terror. Utter terror threatened to consume me as the spitting and horrifically pretty image of a Diamond Killer presented herself. The rebel's own eyes widening as I took a fearful step backward, right before both of her hands promptly went up, fingers splayed.

"Wait! Wait don't run! I-we won't do anything, I promise!"

Her attention flicked to the side for just a short second, before her conflicted expression (she looked tense, yet her dark eyes were shining, why?) settled slightly, both hands still in the air as she took a small breath.

"Amethyst, stand down."

A sputter escaped the soldier Gem as she angrily gestured to the pile of cans surrounding her.

"I'm literally buried in Fonta here, Rose, not exactly threatening."

A firm nod answered the annoyed reponse, the action causing the gigantic mass of curly pink hair attached to the large Gem's head to bob up and down with her.

Then her attention was back on me, and her expression went from authoritative to soft in an instant.

"I just want to talk. Is that okay? Can we just...talk-"

Then a can smacked into her cheek, prompting a surprised yelp from the rebel leader.

My jaw dropped slightly as Rebecca tossed a second one up and snatched it out of the air, visibly preparing for yet another throw before I finally tore off the coat of hesitation holding me back and snapped forward, grabbing her wrist.

"Rebecca!"

Slightly hazy eyes turned to glance at me in confusion.

"What?"

I paused, glancing at a now utterly flummoxed looking Rose Quartz.

"I...uh...you haven't paid for any of those yet! And she didn't actually do anything!"

My exclamation prompted a slow blink from the woman, before she snorted.

"It's cool Honey, I've got my dad's credit card with me!"

It was in that moment that the sheer absurdity of the situation finally hit me. Here I was, standing between a furious, mentally compromised human armed with a dwindling supply of pop soda, a warrior Gem trying to obey her leader's orders, and the rebel leader herself, who looked as if she was torn between laughter and exasperation.

Really, it just kind of said something about my life at the moment, namely in that the situation was only further complicated seconds later by a Pearl with a spear leaping from atop one of the nearby buildings with a cry on her lips.

"I'll protect you Ro-oof!"

Only to land and promptly slip on a stray soda can, sending her careening in my direction instead in a startling display of physics apparently taking a backseat to Gem gravitational adjustment.

The impact wasn't too bad, to be honest. I was big enough in my current state that catching the thin Gem and stopping her from flying into the store wasn't actually all that hard. It was the...slightly awkward position that the abrupt save left us in that left me feeling a little silly, after the fact, what with my nose practically bumping into her own.

Ah fuck it.

Definitely not silly enough to stop me from smiling widely at my fellow Pearl, however.

"Well hello there gorgeous, seems like we're both in the thick of it tonight, huh?"

As if to enhance the utter fiasco the situation had somehow devolved into, Rose Quartz, infamous rebel leader and shatterer, just started giggling happily, large hands clapping together as the Pearl in my arms blushed a bright blue and began sputtering.

Chapter Text

Heh funny chapter number.

LOG-034.

As much as I didn't like the thought of splitting apart during such a crucial moment, it was kind of inevitable.

What am I doing? I need to let her go and-no! I need to help her and Rose Quartz is right there-but-

Something had to give eventually. And somehow, I didn't find that all too surprising considering the struggle already beginning to break out in my mind. My arms trembled slightly as the unknown Pearl began to wriggle in my grip, still blushing in embarrassment as she finally slipped away from me and retreated back towards the figures behind her.

And then I was taking a step back, emotions and thoughts in constant flux as yet another Gem hopped down from one of the rooftops surrounding us. Rose Quartz was beginning to frown in concern, and the newcomer was giving me an unreadable look from behind the visor hiding her eyes as she shifted in place slightly.

"Huh...so we're in that timeline."

I can't-I can't-

"Honey? You doing okay? Ho-"

Rebecca's voice was the last thing I heard before a familiar light took hold of my thoughts, my vision and, as a matter of course, my form.

---

The impact of my feet hitting the ground was the first thing to hit my mind, followed by the immediate need to fix my balance as I adjusted to being significantly smaller after...well. A long time. The sensation was disorienting, the sudden change in perspective leaving me momentarily off-kilter.

Shaking my head slightly, I glanced up towards a set of wide-eyed Crystal Gems. Their expressions ranging from shock to confusion to slight bemusement, at least in Garnet's case.

Stars, but it felt more than a little disorienting seeing them. Even though I'd been certain they weren't just figments of my imagination and that the memories involving them had been real (I'd needed something to fixate on in between my more desperate, hopeless periods within the Reef, sue me), it was still a different sensation altogether, seeing them in person like this. Especially in a format that was neither cartoon nor Homeworld propaganda.

I made to speak, my voice catching slightly as I tried to form coherent words.

"Well, this is a little-hurk!"

Only for a second form to barrel into mine, my batchmate's red hands reaching towards my own to point them at the rebels like I was suddenly about to start firing lasers or something.

"Quickly Viridian! Do your thing!"

Vermilion's wide eyes looked desperate, pleading for some semblance of understanding even as my own gaze flicked from her, to the Crystal Gems, to a more and more lost looking Rebecca. Her confusion was palpable, the situation spiraling into something beyond comprehension for her party-oriented mind.

"...What thing?"

A short, almost squeal-like noise breached the Pearl's lips as she tugged at my hands once more. Her desperation was almost tangible, her fear evident in every move she made.

Oh but fuck me if this mess wasn't gonna be 'fun' to sort out.

"The gauntlets! Do what you did last time before they hurt us and Becky!"

The hidden Diamond (and fuck if that didn't hold a different weight after all these years) across from us flinched at the exclamation, opening her mouth to speak only to be cut off as the literal fucking rave stripper (Honey Lemon really had gone on a slight trip, huh?) flinched at the mention of her preferred nickname, before leaning forward and pointing a finger at us with a look ranging between sheer bewilderment and outright disbelief.

"Holy shit girl! You're like...two girls!"

Sighing the sigh of someone who was about to be forced to deal with a significant level of nonsense, I slowly nodded even as the fusion standing next to a still slightly buried Amethyst let out a small smile.

"Yes, Rebecca...we are, in fact, two girls."

"And you're green! And red!"

"Viridian and Vermilion, but yes."

"And you-you made yellow!"

"That would be Honey Lemon and...yeees. This is also true."

The blonde haired woman paused, glancing at one of the cans in her hand. Her confusion deepened, the lines of reality apparently blurring in her mind.

"...I'm not like...just on a really weird trip, am I-"

"Ahem."

All eyes turned to the still slightly flustered looking Pearl.

...The Crystal Gem Pearl, specifically.

Fuck, that was gonna get annoying quickly. Regardless, the Gem blinked once and visibly composed herself as she noticed she'd gotten the attention she wanted, before nodding firmly.

"Apologies, madame. But we really should be speaking to just...those two. So if you would please..."

The Pearl made a shooing motion, just as I finally managed to wrench my hands back from Vermilion's desperate grip.

I could already see Rebecca preparing to chuck another can, right before, out of the corner of my vision, the almost titanic figure that was Rose Quartz stepped forward, raising her hands once more.

"Please, we'd just like to speak to them, if...if that's alright."

The disguised Gem's dark eyes turned towards me, even as I practically felt Vermilion rapidly shaking her head, quite literally clinging to my side.

Rolling my own eyes in turn, I made sure to keep a steady grip on the other Pearl as I nodded.

"Rebecca-"

"Becky."

"Becky, can you please keep Vermilion safe and out of the way for a moment? I'd like to speak to them as well."

---

The situation had evolved. Namely, I was now standing in front of a visibly curious group of rebel Gems, even as a still worried Vermilion and visibly suspicious Rebecca watched from their position behind one of the store's windows.

The cashier hadn't even moved from their position behind the register, still silently bobbing their head to whatever music they were listening to on their headphones. Somehow.

Regardless, new situation. Bunch of rebels. And me. Lots of fun.

So when faced with such a new and unique (in terms of my current life) problem, I simply did what I did best. I plastered on a hopeful yet wary expression, before levelling said look against the Gems in front of me like a gun.

"You're really Rose Quartz?"

The pink haired Gem's eyes widened slightly at my earnest tone, the 'Quartz' slowly nodding as her friends and subordinates formed ranks around her. I did my best not to show off any hint of the gemstone cracking panic I was feeling as I noticed Garnet's visor flash slightly, the fusion dipping her head to glance between me and a still mortified looking Vermilion.

Fuck, how was I supposed to account for literal precognitive bullshit?

...Future me, don't rat my ass out!

"I...am. You said your name was...Viridian?"

The question prompted a look from the Pearl practically standing at attention beside her, for whatever Stars damned reason, even as I nodded in turn.

"Correct. I...think there's a bit of an explanation in order."

At my response, the infamous rebel leader let out a slightly awkward giggle, curls bobbing up and down as her body shook with mirth.

"That-that would be helpful, yes. Like-"

And that was about as far as she got before the purple form of an actual Quartz darted around her side, a finger pointing at me violently.

"What are you doing here!? Why did you come to Earth!?"

Keeping my face carefully placid and resisting the urge to either flinch back or brandish my gauntlets at the warrior Gem like Vermilion had so desperately wanted me to, I instead clapped my hands together and smiled.

"I was hoping to escape from the Empire and live here, actually. Preferably with my batchmate in tow, even if she's a little...concerned at the moment. Though to be fair I can't say I was expecting a welcoming committee myself!"

Yeah fucking right.

Flawless smile. Niiiiice Pearl that isn't at all suspicious because why would a Pearl be suspicious? I was perfectly friendly and hoping to avoid a fight, after all!

A fight...shit.

Hesitation briefly lanced through me as I let a note of apology colour my tone, right before I bowed my head towards Amethyst, body bending slightly to make myself look a little smaller.

Type ten. Pattern three. With luck, it would do the trick.

"Ah...I'd also like to apologise for Honey Lemon's actions towards you back when we first met. She was quite a little panicked, for reasons that I'm sure you can understand."

The overcooked warrior Gem blinked for a moment, before crossing her arms, one foot digging into the road beneath her slightly.

"Yeah well like, whatever. I attacked first and...no harm done and stuff...I guess."

Good, hopefully that problem was dealt with. Though the concerned look the local Pearl was now flashing me inspired a slightly worried feeling, even if her reaction to my apology was quickly buried beneath something else entirely as the small band of rebels collectively registered just what I'd actually responded with in regards to their youngest member's question.

A second of silence passed. Then Garnet's small smile turned significantly wider. Part of me was relatively certain the sound of a bubbling tea kettle was escaping Rose's mouth, and the other two Crystal Gems present were looking at me like I'd grown a second head.

I paused, before lifting a finger.

"We...we brought a ship. It's old, but I'm sure it could help you all when it comes to navigating to certain areas of the planet. Call it a...tribute?"

The slightly awkward smile that had graced my lips during my offer was what broke the barrier apparently, because seconds later I was being swept up into a hug by a far too cheerful Rose Quarts, my protesting squawks buried beneath a veritable mountain of lightform.

"Ooooh this is great!"

Stars woman, let go of me! We've known each other for less than ten minutes!

Sort of!

"It's so nice to meet you! Welcome to Earth!"

Ugh! She was even worse than fucking Brim!

Chapter Text

AHHHH DERAILMENTS AND SPOOKY MODERATOR POSTS! I CAST SUDDEN EMERALD CHAPTER! In other completely unrelated news, Motherfucking Drich has been pulled in to the SU sweep as well. Let's fucking goooooo.

LOG-035.

The hum of the Retaliator's power core reverberated through the ship as it hurtled through FTL, the vibrant colors of the Warp stream swirling and dancing beyond the viewports. The crew bustled about in the midst of their duties, executing their tasks with the precision of well-practiced routine.

However, a palpable tension hung in the air, a lingering unease that no one dared to voice. Something she couldn't truly blame them for, especially considering they still didn't know why she'd become so tense since giving the order to leave.

Her own thoughts didn't change the reality however. Emerald still stood at the center of the bridge, her cape billowing slightly as she paced back and forth in front of her command throne.

She could feel the eyes of her crew, her subordinates, her Gems on her, even if they tried to disguise their worried and curious glances as casual. It had gotten quiet now, with even the usual inter-ship chatter or mumbled conversations having disappeared in favour of a cold, uneasy silence.

That silence could only last so long, however. Most of her expected and acknowledged that irrefutable fact, even as a stubborn part of her cursed the bridge crew for daring to ask questions she was in no way ready to answer.

Citrine Facet 2I5C, Cut 7XA was a loyal soldier, and had been part of the crew near the beginning. She couldn't quite remember a time without the Quartz, in fact. It felt like the bodyguard and her twin had been assigned to Emerald pretty much fresh out of the Kindergarten, back when she'd been given her first commands and assigned the Retaliator.

So it wasn't entirely shocking that it was one of her oldest and most experienced Gems that broke the apparent spell that had taken hold of the bridge, attempting to appear undisturbed next to her fellow Citrine as she leaned up against a nearby wall, her golden arms crossed.

"My Emerald, if I may...why are we heading back to the previous battlefield?" The Quartz almost shrunk in on herself for a moment as several incredulous looks were sent her way, before rallying with the supportive nod of her batchmate.

"N-not that I don't think we should be starting our search as fast as we can! But...shouldn't we be...you know...linking up with the rest of the fleet? Or whatever's left of it. We're just one ship now."

At the latter half, murmurs of eventual agreement and confusion rippled through the bridge. Emerald clenched her fists once more, struggling to find the right words. She had known this moment would come, but that didn't make it any easier.

White Diamond's Dead Star...she hoped this wouldn't break the-no. No, they were tougher than that. They'd adapt. Like they always had.

They had to.

Taking a breath, the fleet admiral did her best to face her entire bridge crew. The news would need to be relayed to the Gems amongst the other decks as well. Normally she'd have Viridian or Sixteen A do that...but that wasn't an option now. She'd just have to deliver the news personally. They'd have time while travelling through the Warp, after all.

Realising that the entire bridge was still staring at her, Emerald bit back a hiss of embarassment and just...let it out.

"I need you all to listen...carefully." The green Gem began, her voice steady but strained. "We're not going to rejoin the fleet because...well because we can't."

And just like that, everyone fell silent once more, the crew staring at her with wide eyes. Confusion quickly turning to apprehension as her own expression remained more than a little stony.

It was one of the Jaspers that eventually spoken up first, their own inner programming demanding the conversation pick up the pace already, and Emerald would have reprimanded the infantry Gem for speaking out of turn if it weren't for just how cracked the situation was already. Besides, how could she possibly expect them to follow rules when she was supposed to be their ever shining example?
"What do you mean, we can't?" The question felt more like a demand from the Quartz, her teeth gnashing slightly from her position at the weapons console. "We have our orders, don't we?"

Stars damn it all.

"The orders have changed in such a way that...I can no longer follow them."

Shocked looks were just about the reaction she had expected, a few gasps ensuing as the crew slowly realised their commanding officer was refusing to follow a command.

It was one of the Peridots that stood up as Emerald repressed a wince at her poor choice of words, eyes wide behind her visor.

"B-but you can't do that! We have to follow the chain of comman-"

"I've been ordered to send all of you to Harvesting."

At the very least, she was getting used to the lapses in silence as the entire bridge had their collective reality fall out from beneath them. In fact, she could almost even pretend she were merely toying with them, rather than acting as the harbinger of literally the worst news ever.

Hastily bringing her hands together, the fleet admiral (with no actual fleet to call her own, now...) tried to put on a smile. Judging by the myriad of flinches that answered whatever expression she'd made, it hadn't come out quite right. Oh well.

"Blue Diamond arrived during my sentencing. I was to be spared, given a new ship even, and the rest of you were to be Harvested, to act as an example for the rest of the Gems involved in the operation."

It was both fascinating and horrifying, watching a Gem's entire world fall out from under them in real time. And then seeing that same process repeat for over a dozen separate, distinct individuals.

A few of them were mouthing her words back to themselves, while others were glancing around rapidly, most of them staring at the view screens, as if just remembering that she had ordered them into Warp space.

The Jasper that had been so eager to question her leaned forward against her station, one hand coming up to desperately cradle her head.

"W-we did our jobs...didn't we?"

Emerald nodded.

"You did. I...attempted to make a case for you all. Blue Diamond was adamant. She wanted the Retaliator scrapped as well."

Another Peridot glanced at her own station in mild horror.

"But...but then shouldn't we be...?"

Once more, Emerald nodded.

"In a scrapyard watching the ship get ripped open, and then having your forms discorporated before you all get sent off to processing, yes."

It was massively innapropriate, but she really couldn't fault the technician Gem for letting her head impact the console in front of her with an almost comical thunk.

"But we're not. Which means you disobeyed direct orders. Which means we disobeyed direct orders. Which means we're...we're...!"

Slowly, Emerald sat back down in the command throne, eyes inspecting one of the status bars hovering in front of her as the Retaliator began to hum with the usual effect of a ship preparing to exit the Warp.

"Completely and utterly defective. Believe me, I'm not at all happy about it either, considering I'm going to have to be the one to explain this to the Rubies."

A singular eye turned to look at her, before the Peridot groaned the groan of a Gem who intrinsically knew she was well and truly cracked.

---

"Translating out of Warp space in three...two...one. Let's hope we're the only Imperial ship still here..."

The familiar, almost disorienting sensation of her vessel sliding back into reality washed over Emerald, followed shortly by the dozen or so callouts that usually ensued after moving exiting FTL. The bridge crew responded with practiced efficiency, their voices blending into a familiar symphony of comforting precision and order.

Her eyes narrowed as the display screens began to accept data from the Retaliator's exterior sensors, relaying what they saw back to her.

A slowly spreading graveyard greeted the cruiser, ship hulks drifting apart or sometimes into each other all around them, even as the Retaliator deftly manoeuvred past a trio of very visibly burnt out robonoid corvettes, their once gleaming hulls utterly charred from the previous skirmish.

Standard procedure would have a dedicated salvage fleet sent here in time, both to repair or break down what ships were left, and to recover any surviving Gems potentially still trapped within said ships.

It was something she was very much thankful for, namely because it meant they had time to go about their own investigation without having to worry about contending with confused salvagers questioning what a fully functioning warship was doing loitering about in their operating zone.

She wouldn't dare order any rescue operations, however. It'd effectively be dooming any Gems they picked up to a similar fate as to what would befall her and her own crew, should the Empire ever get hold of them. No, any survivors would unfortunately just have to tough it out and wait for a proper recovery force.

"Mm."

Her finger tapped against one of the armrests of her command throne as she considered the sight, before clicking her tongue in approval.

"Communications. See if you can establish a link with some of those nearby automated ships. Self repair protocols may have brought some of their more critical systems back online by now and if we're lucky, they won't have had time to connect to a proper network. To them, our credentials are still valid."

Truly, even now, the wonders of modern technology never ceased to amaze. Robonoid piloted spacecraft were relatively cheap to construct, and far more robust compared to more traditional Gem crewed vessels. The rather sharp trade off for those benefits was that they needed a dedicated overseer ship for anything beyond relatively simplistic tasks.

No one wanted a mining drone chasing a civilian freighter around after accidentally classifying it as a resource filled asteroid, after all.

Regardless of the admiral's inner thoughts, a quick affirmative answered her command, swiftly followed by the light tone of a console being accessed.

If nothing else, her Gems were rather clearly more than eager to get back to work. Anything to provide some temporary semblance of normality before they were inevitably forced to confront the fact that they were technically all rebels now.

Emerald could very much sympathize with such a sentiment, even if it made her feel like even more of a dirt covered failure.

"Checking."

A second passed. Two.

"...Nothing from the first one. Moving on to the second."

Finally, her eyes turned to regard the displayed forms of several vessels that had belonged to the enemy fleet. The silvery things had been shiny, once. Something she could almost appreciate if it weren't such an utterly vile mimicry of proper Imperial designs.

And yet those same mimicries were but mere husks now, all silently drifting through the void. No signals emitted from them, the primitive warships empty of any signs of activity. Though it meant little, she nonetheless glared rather hard as she recognised the specific vessel that the Roaming Eye had escaped from during the first initial engagements.

"Second corvette is responding positively. Her engines are online at least, though the rest of the poor thing took a pretty bad beating. Weapons and navigational spikes are beyond fried. I'll...see if I can slave the core to our own sensors for now. That should help her out."

Then she blinked, right as she noticed several smaller shapes holding somewhat steadily away from the husk. Far, far smaller, though they shared that same silver design and looked far more intact than their apparent mothership.

"Trying the third one...nothing. Looks like this one's power core was overloaded outright, likely due to all the violently energized material being thrown around that area from the agitated Essence blast-"

"Wait."

The Peridot paused in the midst of her rambling, blinking as Emerald continued to peer at the smaller shapes.

"...Some of my view screens are displaying organic signatures aboard those smaller constructs. And Gem lifesigns. Sensors, confirm!"

A tense moment passed as the Retaliator diverted its full attention to the slowly spiralling warship, alongside the broken vessel's small flock of satellite constructs even as the cruiser's newly slaved corvette took up a close escort position beside it.

Well, at the very least she technically commanded a fleet of ships now. Even if it was in the most pitiful sense of the word.

"Confirmed, my Emerald! They're powered and practically stuffed with them. Yeugh...probably whatever amounts to escape pods for those primitives..."

Slowly, the admiral felt an almost feral grin stretch her lips wide apart, her teeth bared in delight.

After all, if her own memory wasn't betraying her, and she rather liked to think it wasn't, that meant the surviving crew of the vessel that her Pearls had likely been trapped on were all crowded aboard those flimsy looking lifecraft.

Leaning forward, the green command Gem waved a hand at the icons indicating her first true potential lead as to where her dear Viridian might have gone.

"Advance and activate the forward tractor beams. We'll take them in one by one. Have capture teams prepared as well. I want at least three squads worth of Quartzes and a swarm of Rubies waiting in the main hangar to deal with any unruly survivors. Prepare the brig for long term incarceration of hostile Gems as well. I'm certain interrogating those wretches will get us something out of this mess."

Potential answers, hopefully. Especially if they managed to pick up just where Viridian and Sixteen A might have jumped to in their panic to escape the blast while she beat some cracking answers out of her Pearls' former captors.

She had a path to go down, now. A route to search. Alongside an entire breakeryard's worth of starships that she could pick apart to keep the Retaliator running far, far longer than it should without proper maintenance, refueling and resupply at an Imperial station.

Truly, things were finally starting to look up.

Chapter Text

Hmmhmmhmm.

LOG-036.

"From there, we managed to hijack the ship you found, and piloted it out of the ensuing brawl. We spent a decent bit of time on board with nothing to really do beyond wait and process things. Fusing...was a way to cope with that."

Another Pearl. Another two Pearls. With one of them now cradling a glowstick of all things and speaking to Rose while the rest of them all listened silently from their positions around their chosen gathering point.

"I can't imagine how much bravery all of that must have taken. But how could it have resulted in you both coming to Earth?"

Arriving to Earth as a fusion in an attempt to secure a new life for themselves. It almost sounded like a romantic tale from back during the good old days. Back when it hadn't just been her, Amethyst, Rose and Garnet.

"I wasn't exactly very picky at the time. I figured Pink Diamond's failed colony would be the last place the Empire would look for us."

It was just about the last thing she'd expected as well, even when in the midst of planning sessions with Rose and the others. For just what the Crystal Gems could or would actually do if Homeworld elements had ever decided to return and finish the job of finally snuffing out the rebellion for good.

"I...see. That does make sense I suppose."

Said plans decidedly hadn't accounted for a pair of apparently rogue servants barely managing to escape from the Empire in the midst of a massive fleet battle. The concrete confirmation one of said servants provided, of other forces out in the universe actively opposing the Great Diamond Authority had been more than a little bit of a shock to the group of rebels, though to be entirely fair, Pearl hadn't accounted for her Diamond choosing to discard her own identity to lead a rebellion either, back then, so maybe she really shouldn't have been so surprised.

"Yes. Unfortunately beyond that...I didn't really have much of a plan. I was a little preoccupied trying to keep us from getting blown apart by a stray shot from the warships. Then we-or rather Honey Lemon landed here and...well you found us."

Getting 'Viridian' to talk had been surprisingly simple in practice. Though the green Gem had been more than a little reserved after Rose's somewhat characteristic show of affection (the rebel leader was simply too optimistic about the whole situation for her own good), the self-named defector had apparently been downright eager to throw her and Vermilion's lot in with Earth.

"I still want to help you. We could get you established somewhere nearby. The local Warp network is still functional, even if a few nodes have been damaged over the centuries."

It was something Pearl herself couldn't help but note. Even after Garnet somehow maneuvered all of them into entering a local coffee shop, shortly followed by the red Pearl in question and their annoyingly persistent human companion tagging along.

"...I appreciate the offer, but I think what me and Vermilion really need is just...space. For the time being at least."

Viridian had no real intention of associating herself with the Crystal Gems, to Rose's apparent dismay. Her offer to bring the two Pearls back to the temple, possibly even to take them in, had barely been considered for a few seconds before the green Gem had glanced at her visibly uncomfortable crimson counterpart, and swiftly declined.

Some selfish, guilty part of her felt reassured by that. Another worried at just how badly Viridian had fared to be so desperate to avoid other Gems beyond the one she'd travelled with.

"I'm sorry, but I have to insist. As much as I'd love to give you the benefit of the doubt, beyond not truly knowing either of you enough to make a safe assessment yet...there are dangers on this planet you aren't aware about. I'd hate for you to have come all this way only to be hurt now."

The two were of them were...lost, clearly. Vermilion still jumped at the slightest glance, and though Viridian seemed relatively calm, something about her just felt...off. Somehow.

Maybe it was the slight differences in their quality? After being assigned to her Diamond, she hadn't ever truly gotten the opportunity to interact with other 'normal' Pearls, beyond the occasional conversations with her own counterparts. If she got the chance, she'd ask about it.

"...I see."

And so, while Rose did her best to convince the pair to accompany them all back to Beach City, Pearl merely observed silently, trying to figure out this latest puzzle.

---

I resisted the urge to grasp at my hair and pull in frustration at the pink haired not-Quartz in front of me.

Finally. Finally I was on Earth. I was the closest thing to home I'd likely ever get after who knew how many fucking years of desperately waiting, and planning, and hoping, and now all I wanted to do was find a library, read a biology book or search the internet or do whatever research I needed to do in order to gain back a Stars damned sense of taste, eat something and then sleep for a month!

And yet instead of ranting out my frustrations like a large part of me very much wanted to, I merely did what had gotten me this far in the first place. I worked with what I had.

"Then...I suppose we'll just have to accompany you for now."

Fucking corrupted Gems. What did she think I was going to do, go camping out in some old Imperial ruins? There was a city right here! A perfectly nice one! With people!

...No, of course she thought I'd do that. A Pearl in my circumstances would probably do exactly that.

Heedless of my inner thoughts, Rose Quartz was quick to nod her head happily, standing up from her end of the table and gesturing to the door, the rest of her band of rogue Gems following suit.

I paused as a familiar hand settled atop my own, turning to take in Vermilion's worried gaze.

"Are we really going with them?"

The red Pearl glanced at the Quartz across from us, who in turn frowned slightly at the fear practically radiating off of my batchmate's form. In turn, I just sighed and grabbed hold of her hand in a gentle grip.

"We've come this far, and if there's any Gems we can trust not to drag us back to Homeworld or force us into service...well the rebels that shattered a Diamond in the pursuit of freedom are probably the best option we can really get."

No one should have caught it. But I'd been lying for my entire life, technically, and I knew a kindred spirit when I saw one. The flicker of hesitation that travelled across Rose's face was obvious, even without the context my previous life's memories gave me.

Maybe it was my stupid Gem brain trying to associate the disguised Diamond with my one and only encounter with her Yellow sister, but it felt...ridiculous, that her closest companions hadn't figured out her secret in all this time. There was a presence to Rose Quartz, one that I still couldn't determine wasn't just a figment of my own imagination.

Oh well. None of that shit was remotely even my problem. Not in the slightest.

---

"I'm Amethyst. Sorry about the whole uh...attacking you thing. I thought you were invading the planet and stuff."

Returning to the ship had been a relatively quick affair, all in all. The only real hurdle had been Rebecca very adamantly questioning whether we were sure we wanted to go with Rose and her gang of rebels, alongside very hastily giving me a number I could use to call her with firm instructions to do so in case of an emergency.

"It's fine. We didn't really do anything beyond throwing each other around anyway. At least until Rebecca dealt with you."

Naturally, I made sure to give the slip of paper its own spot (a friendly contact might prove essential, if relations with the Crystal Gems broke down for whatever reason), away from the assortment of other phone numbers Honey Lemon had managed to get her grubby, glowy band covered hands on over the course of the night. Stars, I still didn't know where I was going to sort the small pile of the multicoloured things piled up in a corner of my gemstone's storage space.

"Psh-that was nothing! I just didn't want to hurt her, you know?"

Say what you wanted to about that utter hot mess of a fusion, she knew how to party.

"I believe you. Quartz soldiers don't tend to go down to a bunch of light projectiles, even some of the less durable ones."

Regardless, returning to the ship had, again, been a quick process, even if we hadn't actually gotten aboard the thing. Garnet had confirmed that the Roaming Eye would remain untouched until one of us eventually came back to mess with it, so instead Vermilion and I were effectively forced to follow the rebels back to whatever Warp pad they'd used to get within spitting distance of our landing zone.

"So...you're the first Gems from Homeworld I think I've met. Like...ever. What's it like over there?"

And all the while, I was forced to endure the curiosity of a group of Gems that had effectively been cut off from society since the end of Era One, with their one actual Quartz currently trying to talk my head off while Garnet and Rose discussed something ahead of us, and Pearl continued to sneak glances at an increasingly nervous Vermilion.

"Completely and utterly horrible. You're expected to do your job perfectly at all times, and if you fail there's a very high risk of getting shattered or Harvested. One of my original Batchmates had her memories permanently erased for trying to run away from a beating."

Joy. Sort of. I may or may not have taken a slightly vindictive pleasure in utterly crushing my current conversation partner's perception of what Homeworld might be like. A lover of the Gem Empire, I very much was not.

"Oh...that. Yeah that seems bad-horrible That's uhm...horrible. I mean the others always told me that the Empire freaking sucked, but I never really..."

Honestly, she'd probably thank me if, Stars forbid, she ever had an encounter of the Imperial kind at some point in her life. Would save her a nasty surprise, at the very least. Though the Diamonds and their vast fleets and armies having any kind of presence here would spell far bigger problems beyond disappointing an Earth-grown Gem's preconceptions.

Stepping over yet another winding root hidden in the overgrowth surrounding where this supposed Warp pad was supposed to be, I let myself untense ever so slightly, enough to let loose a tired sigh.

"We ran away for a reason. Wouldn't have bothered if Homeworld was really as flawless as it likes to portray itself as. Believe me, you're not missing much."

The purple warrior Gem stared down at the ground for a moment after that, frowning.

"I...guess I just hoped there was something good about where we all originally came from. Guess not..."

For whatever reason, I hesitated slightly at her dour tone. Long enough that I was forced to duck beneath a particularly low hanging branch before I spoke again.

"...I suppose some of the Quartz soldiers were alright. We didn't have any Amethysts aboard the vessel I originally served on, but we did have a full complement of Jaspers. Plus a pair of Citrines."

She glanced back up at me, expression lighting up a little in turn.

"Really? What were they like?"

I sighed again, glancing up slightly as a small clearing presented itself, a singular crystaline Warp pad almost perfectly hidden within a winding maze of trees, foliage and shrubbery within the center of it.

"...They liked fighting a lot. Sometimes I would...sort of spar with them, actually. More like dance while they tried and failed to throw themselves at me. It was about the most fun I had while stuck on that ship."

Damn it. The urge to go still as Pearl's gaze settled back on me was really starting to get annoying.

"Sweet!"

Hmph. Weirdo.

Chapter Text

Chillin a lil' bit.

LOG-037.

The old Warp pads on Earth seemed to be almost the exact same as the ones on Homeworld, both in structure and general function. After all, why change something that already works perfectly? Standard Gem mindset, even if it largely tended to be proven correct.

The key difference though, was just how...empty the local space felt as we travelled through it. Back before my lucky break, the dimension Gems used for faster than light travel had always been pretty much packed with both the distant streams of other groups or individuals moving around, and the shadows of gargantuan structures or entities leaving a presence within the Warp itself from their positions back in physical space.

I'd barely gotten to note the way almost every individual stream seemed to converge into a central node of some kind (the Galaxy Warp meant to connect the initial colony to Homeworld, in all likelyhood), before it was over, the dazzling sight replaced with stone, sand and the sound of nearby waves lapping at the beach.

"Annnd we're here! Welcome to the temple!"

I felt Vermilion's hand slip from my own as the red Pearl gasped, glancing around rapidly while the rest of the Gems piled up on the Warp pad made their way off. Out of the corner of my vision, I noticed Garnet head deeper into the chamber we'd found ourselves in, waving a hand silently even as Amethyst and Pearl took up positions beside their leader.

My own eyes remained focused on Rose, even as the faux-Quartz twirled around, spreading her arms wide with a happy smile on her face.

"This is where we've been staying for the past few thousand years, you can also live here, if you'd like, or we can find a nearby site for you to settle if you'd still prefer some...uhm...space?"

Her pleased tone of voice turned confused as my Batchmate hopped off of the pad, staring down the nearby walls before running her hand along one of the symbols with a curious expression darting across her face.

"...This architecture is ancient. Only some of the deepest, oldest parts of the Reef looked like this!"

Several eyes turned towards me as I stepped off as well, slowly making my way towards the sand and noting the series of arms forming a makeshift 'cave' around the entrance.

They seemed so much larger, now that they weren't constrained behind a screen. Though that wasn't all that strange for me at this point.

"It's not very surprising. Unless Nacre Three lied even more to us during our history lessons beyond the standard propaganda we were fed, Pink Diamond's colony was cut off from Homeworld well before Era Two even began. Just about everything on this planet is probably older than most modern Gems."

I paused, considering the water gently rolling back and forth against the sand.

"The Roaming Eye is pretty old itself, but compared to anything we might find here? It's practically cutting edge-"

"Nacre Three?"

I blinked as the familiar voice (despite every Gem having generally different ways of speaking or inflecting words, the tone generally stayed the same thanks to near identical programming) interrupted my verbal pondering, before slowly turning to face a confused looking Pearl, her gaze swapping between me and Vermilion.

"I...remembered there being only one Caretaker at the Reef. They made more?"

Resisting the urge to cross my arms, I nodded.

"By the time our Batch was produced, the Reef had a total of three Nacres. Our specific group was managed by the third, who I can only assume was also the youngest."

My fingers trembled slightly as Vermilion continued to rub her hands along some of the glyphs carved into the walls, her voice lowering slightly as she spoke up.

"Until she decided to focus on Viridian. Then we mostly took care of ourselves until our owners finally arrived."

Pearl's eyes widened significantly, one brow arching upwards as she considered the tidbit. Amethyst was just glancing back and forth as the conversation continued, and Rose seemed more than content to listen silently as things went on.

"That...hardly seems proper. You said you belonged to an Emerald, didn't you? Even a Gem like that shouldn't have warranted such exclusivity. Stars, even the Diamond's Pearls were prepared together as a group!"

At my stare, the rebel Gem coughed slightly, adjusting a legwarmer.

"Or ah...so I've heard. From my own time in the Reef."

Real subtle.

Even so, for just a moment the phantom sensation of a wickedly clawed hand digging into my shoulder almost caused me to tense. Almost, if not for the fact that I'd long since gotten used to repressing such instinctual desires.

Instead, I merely let myself step out further from the hand-cave, glancing up at the moonlight shining down from above.

"I'm likely going to sound very stereotypical when I say this, but that Gem was, and likely still is, defective. Maybe she was made during the beginning of the resource crisis Pink Diamond's shattering caused, and something important was left out during her gestation. Regardless, she's utterly cracked in terms of behaviour."

"...Resource crisis?"

I did my best to plaster on a polite smile as I turned back towards the group, though judging by some of the concerned looks being levelled my way, it had likely fallen a little flat.
Oh well.

"Each Diamond's essence serves as a core component for Gems, naturally. Something I learned from some of the more chatty Gems aboard the cruiser Vermilion and I served on is that you need all four variants to get what could be considered the best product. With Pink gone...well, the Empire losing effectively a quarter of its singular most vital fuel and material resulted in quite a few problems, to say the absolute very least. More off colours. More Gems coming out with reduced capabilities and requiring technology to bridge the gap."

I licked my lips slightly.

"It's the best explanation I can come up with for why Gem society has degenerated so much since then. White Diamond hasn't been seen outside her headship in...a long time. Blue Diamond has dedicated effectively every waking minute to grieving Pink's loss, and Yellow Diamond has been utterly swamped with work ever since the war ended. I even got to meet her once, it was terrifying...though she did look rather tired, in hindsight. So I suppose your rebellion certainly did a fair amount of damage in terms of large scale consequences for the Authority and the Empire as a whole."

Clapping my hands lightly, I dipped my head towards a mildly horrified looking Rose before facing back around to stare at the waves, slowly letting myself sit down.

Yeah, now you really feel bad, don't you?

Don't blame you for leaving though. I'd have done the exact same thing, in your position. Maybe with a bit more planning beyond just breaking stuff, but you likely weren't raised to know much better, so I'm not really in a position to judge.

"Apologies if this is all coming off as a bit much, but I've been forced to keep this to myself for the past few years...which is technically my entire life, I think, and if anyone is going to be sympathetic about things, it's most likely you lot. Being rebels and all."

My fingers trembled again, and I tensed in an effort to get them to stop.

Amethyst's voice was utterly flabbergasted, the Quartz slowly beginning to approach me.

"Wait...you're only a few years old?!"

A quick flash of light, and a shattered Peridot was sitting in my cupped hands, the abrupt appearance effectively freezing the purple Gem in her tracks.

The Peridot...

She'd been resting near the back of my storage space all this time, waiting for years for me to do something about her. Sure, there'd been plenty of opportunities to get rid of the shards, but the knowledge that I was still holding on to a somewhat living being had stayed my hand. Mostly.

My brief attempt to create some kind of memento that I could leave her shards in had ended in failure pretty quickly when my Emerald had taken notice of the small box I'd forged out of loose material in the Retaliator's foundry, so I'd eventually just gone back to doing what worked, after making sure my owner didn't get any ideas about my brief slipup, of course.

Story of my fucking life, so far.

"Viridian...is that?"

Rose's voice was hesitant, and rightly so as I held up a hand, several gasps ringing out as the green shards almost seemed to glitter from their position on my palm.

"A shattered Gem? Yes."

A second of tense silence passed, and I briefly wondered just where Garnet had wandered off to.

"Who...who was she?"

Glancing at a clearly disturbed Vermilion, I sighed.

"A technician at the Reef. Peridot Facet 2NFG, Cut 7XT. You likely wouldn't have met her, but since I was spending most of my time in Nacre Three's office thanks to her obsession over training up her 'perfect Pearl', I got to see her a few times."

I slowly brought the shards back to my other hand, cradling them slightly.

"She pointed out the...abnormal treatment I was being given. How the rest of the Batch was suffering. Even threatened to make a report if our Nacre didn't shape up."

Feeling a thick hand gently patting my back, I looked up only to be greeted by a confused but concerned looking Amethyst.

Sighing, I set the shards aside, letting the glittering fragments rest atop the stone next to me as I began wringing my hands.

Stars, Vermilion's habits really had rubbed off on me during our time as Honey Lemon, hadn't they?

"As you can see, she was silenced for her trouble. Then I was ordered to hide the evidence. So I did. I've been, very hesitantly, mind you, carrying a shattered Gem inside of my storage all the way from the Reef to here. Up until now. It's...actually quite cathartic to finally let her go, and I'd really appreciate it very much if you took her off my hands for me."

Standing up, I dusted myself off and turned around.

"So yes, moral of the story is that I firmly believe Nacre Three is a defective Gem, in the worst way possible. And that's coming from a Pearl who's been waiting for her chance to get away from the Empire ever since she got her first training session at the Reef. Our Caretaker wasn't right in the gemstone, and if it's all the same to you, I'd rather not speak about her any more than necessary."

Glancing down at the shards, I breathed in deeply before nodding, then whipped back around to stare at everyone else with a slightly more genuine smile this time.

"Right! So, once you decide what you're going to do with those, you said there were a few potential areas Vermilion and I could stay at? No offence, but I'd really prefer to avoid crowding this place."

Silence met my sudden enthusiasim, Rose and Pearl glancing at each other in visible concern while my Batchmate just continued to stare at the shattered Gem I'd unveiled in mild horror, right up until Amethyst raised a finger from beside me, slowly pointing the digit in my direction.

"I think you might have issues, Viri."

I merely blinked again in response, both at her words and the nickname she'd apparently chosen.

"...Yes, that...might just be accurate."

Chapter Text

You simply can't resist the propaganda.

LOG-038.

It's easy to put up a mask. To bottle things up until it almost feels like they don't hurt. It's a lot harder to take off that mask. To experience everything all at once. Every negative emotion. Every dark thought. Every haunting memory.

"So uh...this is my place! Pretty swanky, huh?"

My small smile widened, lips stretching apart as I followed a subdued Amethyst around her room, glancing at the veritable trash heap the Quartz had apparently collected over the years. From what I understood, Rose had gone off at some point to join Garnet, the fusion in question having left to deal with this or that issue. In turn, Vermilion had attempted to follow after me, only to quite literally recoil at the state of the room.

She'd elected to follow an almost nervous looking Pearl instead, predictably enough. Hopefully they were having fun doing...whatever they were doing.

"It's great."

In my previous life, I hadn't been the neatest person. Sure, I hadn't been an outright slob either, but cleaning hadn't ever really been my number one priority. In direct comparison to that, the initial period of my time as a Pearl had been spent in a constant state of cleanliness, and the desire to maintain that cleanliness had been effectively beaten into not only my mind, but had quite literally been coded into me at some level during my gestational period.

If Nacre Three was to be believed.

Regardless, as a direct result of all of that, I found myself somewhat conflicted as a small rebellion was fought within my mind, the innate Imperial desire to purify this absolute dump warring with the rest of me, which fucking hated giving up my own autonomy to such a distinctly foreign feeling, especially now that I was so far away from my former prison and didn't need to keep up that particular part of my act for survival.

"Oh hey, I forgot I left this sitting around."

My eye twitched slightly as I spotted what was likely an almost week old pizza at this point, and the need to throw it out surged.

Gritting my teeth to avoid an outright snarl from spilling past my lips, I isolated that sensation and strangled it, using a different desire as fuel for the mental action.

Fortunately, my inner skirmish went utterly unnoticed as Amethyst made her way towards the stray box, already rolling up an entire slice and stuffing it down her mouth. My eyes tracked every single motion. The chewing and swallowing. The brief hint of satisfaction that flitted across her expression, alongside the inherent desire for more.

The purple Gem paused, hand already outstretched to scoop up a second slice as I stepped forward, leaning down slightly to inspect the crumbs dotting her mouth.

"What are you doing?"

How are you doing it.

"Oh, this? It's this neat thing called eating. Guess Homeworld didn't have much of that, huh?"

Tell me. Tell me how.

"No. No they did not."

The warrior Gem squirmed in place for whatever reason, her previously bemused expression falling slightly as I continued to stare at her mouth.

"Uhm...I could uh...stop if you want-"

My hand snapped forward, grabbing the edge of the box.

"How does it work?"

The Quartz blinked, glancing down at the pizza as I slowly brought it closer, resting it in between us.

"What, eating stuff?"

I nodded, slowly letting go and allowing my hands to rest behind my back.

"Yes. During my time amongst some other organics, I learned about the biological need for sustenance, alongside their inherent ability to use interior sensory receptors to taste what they eat."

Lies upon lies. But I'd convince this friendly Gem that the sky was fucking neon pink if it meant finally getting what I'd so desperately wanted for years by now.

"I would like to try eating as well, and you appear to have mastered the process. Would you be willing to teach me?"

Give me what I want, Amethyst.

My expression softened as the overcooked soldier Gem's eyes practically sparkled at my request.

"You wanna try as well?! But Pearl never wants to-well you're not Pearl, obviously, and you probably aren't anywhere near as weird about food as she is but-oh man, this is great! Hold on, I'll need to get some stuff!"

It was with a satisfied gaze that I watched my new teacher practically leap away from her current position, already beginning to violently dig into one of the many piles of trash making up her room.

"What are you looking for?"

A muffled response greeted me.

"Oh, just this old batch of biology books I had! Took me a few years to figure out the actual tasting part of eating, but you can enjoy the feeling until you get to that part anyway!"

...Stars FUCKING damn i-no. Calm. Calm. Maybe...maybe I could try something else. For just a brief instant, I thought back to the way I'd wanted to start wringing my hands, just like Vermilion always liked to do.

...Hm.

The digging continued, before pausing as I took a few steps forward and grabbed hold of Amethyst's foot, steadily hauling her out from the pile of trash she'd entombed herself in with a bit of effort on my part.

Her eyes stared at me in confusion from behind her short, cascading hair as I held her up by her legs.

"Amethyst."

A blink.

"Yeah?"

I resisted the urge to sigh...then I stiffened slightly in discomfort as the idea spreading out through my mind began to entrench itself.

"...I think...there might be a quicker way for me to learn what you know. But it would require a bit of ah, effort on both our parts. Would...would you be willing to try and dance with me?"

Instead of the confused and possibly uncomfortable refusal I'd already been bracing myself for, I merely got an upside down thumbs up instead, the Quartz's expression lighting up as she apparently caught on to my idea.

"Alright!"

...Right, Crystal Gem rebel. How silly of me.

Oh well. At the very least, it was an even bigger insult to my training than willingly tolerating this mess was. So...silver linings, I supposed.

---

She'd been very much hesitant at first. Viridian had been intent to inspect the Amethyst's room, and of course she'd tried to follow but...ugh!

It was utterly disgusting! She didn't know how her Batchmate could stand it. Even now, she could scarcely imagine being in there and not summoning a veritable armory of cleaning tools. Following along with the infamous Renegade Pearl was almost enough to make her form discorporate from sheer unease, but it was still better than the filth that her fellow Pearl was likely planning on destroying somehow.

Besides...she was defective. She could already hear Viridian making some logical, intelligent point in her head regarding their new circumstances.

"We're practically rebels now, right? So the Renegade is definitely someone we should get to know."

Yeah. Something like that. Probably.

"And this is my designated relaxation chamber! I go here whenever I need to think, or even just want some time to myself. Perks of breaking the rules, so to speak."

Doing her best to shunt the rather vivid example of her runaway imagination manifesting itself somewhere else for the time being, Vermilion instead let her eyes widen in wonder, her mouth dropping slightly at the sight before her.

The room was a veritable marvel of apparent Era One design, with countless separate fountains and waterfalls all connecting to form an everflowing tapestry of constantly moving liquid. Each stream of water shimmered under the soft, ambient lighting, several floating platforms creating a mesmerizing dance of both light and shadow across the walls.

The gentle sound of water cascading and splashing into serene pools filled the air, creating a symphony of peace that perhaps was meant to help ease the mind. Or maybe Pearl just thought it sounded nice.

"It's...it's beautiful!" Far better than the Quartz's room, that was for sure. "And...this is yours?"

Her eyes continued to roam the room. In less than a few seconds, she noted the intricate stone pathways that wound around the various water features, leading to secluded nooks perfect for quiet contemplation.

Beside her, the Pearl, or rather just Pearl, as the rebel preferred, smiled slightly, seemingly enjoying her guest's amazement. She took in Vermilion's reaction with a quiet satisfaction, pleased to see her fellow (former) servant so enthralled by the beauty of the surrounding decorations.

"Yes, it is. I designed it myself as a matter of fact. This place is my sanctuary, where I can escape the chaos of the outside world and find a moment of peace when I desire it. Each feature here was placed with intention, creating a balance and harmony that helps me to clear my mind and reflect."

Pearl paused, glancing at some of the walls wistfully.

"It...reminds of of home, sometimes. The Reef had a few similar areas for when we were granted time to enjoy ourselves. I...enjoyed exploring during my initial preparation stage. Sometimes I'd even spend time at the exterior of the structure itself!"

Vermilion stepped further into the room, drawn by the soothing atmosphere. She reached out to touch the cool stone of one of the fountains, feeling the gentle mist on her fingertips. Yet even so, she couldn't help but blink at the Renegade's words.

"You...explored? At the exterior? But...but you're not supposed to leave the Pearl quarters during rest periods."

Her statement elicited a confused frown for whatever reason, even as her counterpart gently sat down against one of the lower hanging platforms.

"How do you mean? When we weren't being inspected by Nacre or...well I suppose she's Nacre One now, we generally were left to our own devices. Sure, we couldn't exactly wander off and go into obviously restricted areas, but..."

Pearl paused as the crimson Gem across from her took on a slightly glazed look, as if thinking back.

"How? We...we weren't allowed to go! I even remember hearing about one of the Pearls from a different Batch trying to get a look outside once, sometime before Viridian had to leave. She got Rejuvenated, so we all figured it was really bad to leave the quarters beyond just doing jobs for the Nacres."

That same initial frown increased slightly, the unknown meaning behind the word sending a chill up the rebel's lightform as she noted the almost haunted expression Vermilion took on when mentioning it.

"...I assume that's some new kind of punishment they've introduced since my absence? Just what does being 'Rejuvenated' mean?"

And so, Vermilion explained. And with each passing word, Pearl's hands slowly tightened into fists, the limbs practically shaking as the horror stories continued to pile up.

Chapter Text

Let's get down to business.

LOG-039.

Time almost seemed to be moving faster, from Emerald's perspective. She knew the rest of the crew were still busy on the bridge or at their own stations, covering for her brief absence. Even now, one of her Citrines was likely doing her level best to ensure any scavenging of drifting wrecks was going smoothly, likely with the assistance of a Peridot or Rutile for matters beyond her own expertise.

"She's just too...big. One of the Peridots figured maybe she was some weird kind of Pearl at first. But...it just doesn't make any sense, you know? The proportions are off. There's something wrong about her."

Gathering up their impromptu batch of prisoners had been...both simpler and more complicated than expected. The escape craft had been capable of picking up Imperial communication signals, which had prompted the short idea to offer up a chance to surrender peacefully.

"What about the Lazuli? I still remember seeing that wave streaming towards us before it hit...she's not gonna be able to get out of there, right?"

Remembering just what the fiends had done had utterly sullied that path in her mind, however. The graveyard of ships around them stood as a sharp testament to that particular fact. And so the orders had remained the same as when she'd first given them.

"Nah, confiscated her little water container along with the not-Pearl's physical garments. She won't be pulling any tricks anytime soon. Plus we set up some actual physical restraints for the meatbags. Should keep the whole lot in line till we get what we want from 'em all."

Pull them into the hangar. Pry them out of their little ramshackle life rafts and lock them up in the brig. By White Diamond's dead Star, it was practically a courtesy compared to just leaving them out to gather dust in space like they damn well deserved.

"Good. Almost tempted to head in there myself and teach the clod a lesson or two. Especially after what she did to the Pearls..."

The first part of that plan had gone off without a hitch. The escape pods had only the barest hint of navigational thrusters, which in turn had been far too weak to overpower the Retaliator's own tractor beams. Three distinct craft had been pulled aboard, necessitating a slight shifting of the cruiser's remaining fighters just to make room for the wretched things.

"So it was her?"

Cutting the three pods open had been its own situation to deal with, because of course it had. The first had been easy enough. Absolutely packed with visibly tired, shaken organics, they had been overwhelmed by some of the Quartzes waiting outside for them before they could so much as squawk with their ugly little beaks.

Their distinct lack of armour and weapons compared to the boarding party that had originally assaulted her ship had most certainly helped in that regard.

"Yeah, she was yelling about whether Viridian was here or not when we dragged her to the brig in between all the other noises. Damned traitor must have questioned her. Poor thing. Though...she was also asking about a Vermilion, from what I heard."

The second pod had largely been the same, albeit with the caveat of a Citrine waiting on board as well. That particular encounter could have been described as a number of things, swift and violent highest among them. The crew of the pod had been emboldened by their rogue Gem's charge, and had attempted to sally out in turn.

"Vermilion?"

One of her own Citrines had disabled the reprogrammed fighter with a well placed destabilizer strike, with the rest of the organics being beaten into compliance shortly afterwards. Sure, a few wings had been broken here and there in the process, but it wasn't her job to care about the frailty of organics. Especially that of those who had wronged her personally.

"Yeah...maybe she meant Sixteen A? The colour would match..."

It was the third and final escape craft which had caused the most trouble. The Peridot that had volunteered to cut a hole through its side had been poofed immediately upon completing her work, gemstone and limb enhancers clattering to the floor as a small wave of water had lanced out from the new entrance, lashing out at her gathered warriors.

"It would. Rogue Gems probably don't even understand cuts and facets. Must be what they called her."

The Rubies had proven integral there, effectively pouring into the pod and beating back what water the Lapis Lazuli had managed to keep on hand with their own inherent pyrokinetic abilities. A few burns to resisting organics and the third confirmed Gem managing to dodge several subsequent attacks before getting effectively bounced around by two squads worth of footsoldiers later, and they'd completed their capture mission.

"...Almost makes you feel bad for em, you know? I mean, imagine if our Kindergarten had been taken over by a bunch of 'ganics way back when. Could have been us in there, getting reprogrammed..."

Which finally brought her here...standing around the corner of the main hallway leading to the brig and...waiting. Hesitating, almost.

"Mmph. Let's not think about that."

She'd been so confident coming here, strutting down the halls of the ship to the admiring and thankful eyes of the crew before finally getting to where she'd wanted to be.

"Right, right. Probably for the best."

And now...she was struck still. Wondering just whether she was actually going to get any real answers out of the Retaliator's new 'guests' or whether she'd simply been better off ordering their pods vaporized instead.

Well, just waiting around wasn't going to achieve anything, so...

Resisting the urge to bite her lip, Emerald finally pushed off against the wall she'd been leaning against and turned the corner.

Facet 2L4J, Cut 7XD and Facet 2L4J, Cut 7XE met her eyes, respectively. Good soldiers, even if they didn't tend to stand out very much compared to some of their fellows.

Regardless of their lacking of any truly distinctive features, their reaction time was pretty much instant, the two Jaspers that had been yammering away snapping into attentive stances, arms rising up into the standard Diamond salute.

"My Emerald!"

The disgraced officer considered them for a moment, before slowly nodding. Internally, part of her wondered whether they were even allowed to perform such a gesture, considering they themselves were technically rebels now.

"At ease. I'll be making my way inside to interrogate some of the prisoners personally. Is there anything I should be informed of before I do so?"

The two Quartzes relaxed, one of them crossing their arms even as the other allowed her hands to rest behind the small of her back, nodding firmly.

"Yes my Emerald. From what the Peridots gathered while making sure none of the organics expired...they don't speak even a hint of Gemish. You probably won't get anything out of them beyond all the squawks they keep letting out from behind the bars."

The admiral's eyes flicked to the Jasper's counterpart, narrowing slightly.

"I see. And what about the rogues we managed to secure?"

The other Gem straightened slightly under the attention, glancing at the door behind her.

"Should all be ready to go. The other two are sitting in their own cells and the Citrine reformed pretty quick. Might be defective, but she's still built like a proper Quartz."

Nodding once more, Emerald waved a hand.

"Very well, open the doors and remain on guard for any complications. And contact some of your packmates, I want extra security present in case of some potential half baked escape attempt."

"Yes, my Emerald."

---

Her first conversation partner was an interesting thing. And part of her couldn't help but think back to what 7XD and 7XE had discussed before she'd shown herself as she regarded the rogue's lightform.

"One of the Peridots figured maybe she was some weird kind of Pearl at first."

Emerald could believe that, considering the small bit of elegance the Gem held, even in her roughed up, slightly burnt state. The lightform outfit hidden beneath the artificial fibers she'd been wearing was a fairly practical looking thing compared to the pretty dresses a proper Pearl would wear, even if any hint of Diamond imagery was (rather predictably) missing in favour of an entirely different symbol.

It almost looked like a sharp pair of wings. If one squinted. How quaint.

But that wasn't what truly took up the majority of the admiral's attention. No, that honour was reserved for the prisoner's gemstone.

It was a dark, shiny looking thing. Almost constantly shifting between blue, green and violet beneath the dim light the cell provided. Smooth like a Pearl's, yet as one of her Jaspers had said...the proportions were just slightly off.

Namely in that it was decidedly larger than it should have been.

Ignoring the harsh glare hidden behind a rather malicious looking smile being sent her way, Emerald could just about spy the hints of bared teeth, even as the middle of the not-Pearl's lips remained sealed behind the rather unluckily placed gemstone.

It was an...unfortunate position for such an important thing to manifest itself in, that was for sure. Yet judging from the near silent breaths escaping the sides of her mouth, it likely only hindered speech, rather than truly prohibiting it outright. She'd test that little theory soon enough.

Advancing forward resulted in a quick step back from the unknown Gem.

Good, she was well aware of her situation then. Saved her the trouble of explaining.

Adopting a stern expression that she usually only reserved for the members of her crew who required a long timeout in the now since repurposed brig, Emerald glared right back down at the prisoner, thinning her lips.

The result was simply an even more scathing glare, and a widening of that nasty little smile, the uppity little thing visibly tensing up as Emerald loomed over her.

Clenching her own fists and stoically resisting the urge to start yelling out demands, the admiral merely let her voice come out as a low, threatening rumble instead.

"I am Emerald Facet 2M7G, cut 8XS. Admiral and captain of this vessel. You will answer my questions. So..."

She gestured to the gemstone keeping her captive's lips quite literally sealed. Partially, at least.

"Who...and what are you? Some form of overcooked Pearl, perhaps? Is that why you were hiding your form beneath that ridiculous looking fabric? Or are you some other form of mistake, forged by ignorant organic talons and feathers after they stole you from your true owners?"

The response was immediate, and Emerald just barely held back a pleased smirk as the Gem snarled, the sides of her mouth visibly lengthening and distorting in a minor but no less impressive display of shapeshifting, giving her just enough wiggle room to bite out an utterly hate-filled sentence.

"None of your crackin' business, Imperial."

Finally letting a smile stretch her own lips apart, Emerald stared down at the seething Gem in no small amount of satisfaction.

"So you can speak. Good, that gives me a third avenue of information. Now...I'm going to ask you some more questions. Rather pressing ones, at that."

In a flash, the admiral flew forward, snapping her open, grasping hand onto the prisoner's neck before effectively slamming her into the wall behind her. It was almost impressive, the way she tried to dodge the attack with rapidly widening eyes, but to keep pace with even a lesser Emerald was something very few combat dedicated Gems could truly manage, much less whatever this one was supposed to be.

Leaning forward in order to remove any hint of distance the not-Pearl might have imagined was between them, Emerald kept the writhing thing pinned up against the wall, slowly lifting her arm until the unknown Gem's toes were just barely touching the floor.

A clawed hand (interesting) moved to try and pry at her fingers, only for her hand to take a firm hold of it, squeezing.

The pained, wheezing wreck of a sound escaped the sides of the prisoner's mouth in a long hiss, even as Emerald repositioned slightly to prevent a repeat of that particular bit of resistance. Finally secure in her new position, the fleet admiral let a small sigh out, before fixing her gaze on to her ever angry conversation partner once more.

"Question one."

There were dedicated punishment devices in certain areas of the ship (not that she'd ever really needed to use them, to her pride) that she could likely repurpose if she needed a leg up in interrogating these renegades, but for now she'd see just how far she could manage solely on her own. She'd always been a little old school compared to the others, after all.

And so, the Gem writhed once more in her unyielding grip, almost looking ready to spit at her.

And so in turn, Emerald squeezed.

"I know you had them. What did you do to my Pearls?"

Chapter Text

Original pre-chapter blurb can be found on spacebattles.com.

LOG-040.

"So I suppose your rebellion certainly did a fair amount of damage in terms of large scale consequences for the Authority and the Empire as a whole."

Sigh.

"There there, you...you can rest now."

Rose tried to smile as she slid her blade into the shuddering Gem's corrupted lightform, she really did, but the expression came out more like some garish mix between a grimace and a thinning of her lips instead. Behind her, she could hear Garnet stepping forward, the fusion's visor no doubt glinting slightly as she took in the small pink gemstone left behind after the discorporation of its owner's twisted avatar.

"...Curly."

Nodding sadly in both acknowledgement and agreement, the rebel leader gently scooped up the Agate, wincing at the almost violently red discoloration coating some of the poofed Gem's facets.

It was hard to forget Curly, even when compared to some of the other, older or more notorious members of the Crystal Gems. She'd been one of the first Pink Agates to join the rebellion of her own volition, after all. She'd...simply been too kind for her own good, and couldn't stand the treatment her troops were constantly put under beneath Homeworld's rules.

Internally, she wondered just where those true Rose Quartzes that Curly had once commanded had gone now. She'd never actually managed to track them down after...after the Diamonds' attack, in the end.

"We should get back to the temple. I'm seeing...a few possibilities appearing more than usual."

Blinking, Rose tilted her head slightly, even as the gemstone in her hand was steadily enveloped by a bright pink bubble, before being whisked away to await sorting within the burning room. Standing up, the rebel Quartz stretched out her form slightly.

"What kind of possibilities?"

Her answer was another glint of light as her fellow Crystal Gem adjusted her visor once more.

"Lots of human food, for some reason."

---

The trip back to the temple was relatively short, all things considered. Getting back up to the Warp pad had necessitated the scaling of a small ravine, but after that the journey had been, as per usual, just about instantaneous, even if she couldn't help but note that yet another stream had gone offline thanks to various issues.

"Hah...home at least. I wonder how everyone is doing?"

Earth's Warp network had been degrading for thousands of years, so Rose wasn't all too surprised that a pad here and there eventually broke apart in the face of rampaging corrupted Gems or even just exposure to constant weather effects slowly eroding them into little more than oddly shiny, pitted stones.

"Pearl and Vermillion are talking about Homeworld in her room. But...the rest...hm?"

Glancing at Garnet out of the corner of her eye, Rose silently observed the living relationship's small, pondering smile, before she nodded to herself.

"Right, I'll check Amethyst's room first I suppose. That's where they're both most likely to be, right?"

A small nod answered her in turn, even as the fusion began to approach the temple door, already raising up one of her hands.

"Yes. Let's take a look."

Rose's gemstone glowed a soft pink as she kept pace with her fellow rebel, right before they both stopped in front of their objective, glancing at each other as the ancient piece of architecture shifted between configurations before opening up to the usual mess that was Amethyst's room.

Stepping forward, Rose glanced around for a moment, before raising a hand up to her mouth.

"Amethyst? Amethyst are you here?"

Something shifted behind one of the mounds of clutter, and the rebel leader dared to take another few steps forward.

"Viridian? Are either of you listening to me-oh!"

Her eyes tracked something yellow fly through the air, the small object travelling through a brief arc before landing squarely atop her head. Gently running a hand through her hair, Rose plucked the object with a pair of fingers, bringing it forward for further inspection.

She blinked as the stringy banana peel came into view, but it was what appeared once she lowered the discarded fruit skin that truly took her breath away.

Hair, voluminous and flowing like her own, yet entirely distinct with its lack of curls, barely contained in a ponytail held together by a strip of dark fabric. It ended and started at a gradient, transitioning smoothly from a soft grey at the roots to lighter shades of green and purple towards the tips. The unknown Gem was tall, and garbed in a form-tight outfit with a few flowing segments cascading around it, staring down at an apple with narrowed yet elegant eyes and a visibly searching expression.

Rose paused, noting the way the clashing colours seemed to blend in and out of the stranger's lightform in the usual chaos that a fresh fusion tended to indicate...right before the strange familiarity of it struck her all at once, drawing a single name from her lips in a not quite gasp.

"...Opal?"

Crunch.

The fruit was split apart beneath perfect looking teeth, the Gem gently turning the apple in her hand throughout the entire process, gaze never leaving it even as she finally finished her almost painfully slow chewing and casually swallowed the piece she'd bitten off.

A second passed, an indecipherable emotion flitting across her face before she tossed the fruit aside, crossing her arms and humming.

"The texture is, regrettably, subpar." The Opal (because this wasn't their Opal. Not entirely, at least, especially considering she only had two arms compared to the usual four) began, her voice smooth and measured.

Rose opened her mouth to speak, only for it to clack shut as the fusion shifted once more, one hand coming up to cup her chin. From beside her, she could see an equally perplexed Garnet, even if she seemed far more enthused about this whole thing, despite how surprising and just...sudden it all was.

Ignoring both of them, the newly born combination continued even as Rose silently noted both Viridian and Amethyst's respective gemstones dotting her form.

"The flesh is old and...more than a little mushy, which detracts significantly from the initially expected crispness. The flavour is similarly disappointing, its faint sweetness quickly overshadowed by an overall bland tone, with hints of over-ripeness that suggest it's well past its prime."

She paused, those same elegant eyes (with the two orbs an almost perfect cut between green and purple) finally meeting Rose's own starstruck gaze. "The juiciness, while somewhat present, has a watery quality at best, lacking the refreshing burst one would hope for. The end result is lackluster, to say the absolute very least."

With that, she uncrossed her arms and gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod, as if concluding her distinctly...professional? Yes, professional assessment.

"I'll need to find a better example for future consumption. Preferably from a modernized convenience store, rather than the one that had been sitting in my...or rather Amethyst's room."

Then the Opal blinked, noting Rose's bemused stare and Garnet's wide grin with a tilt of her head, resulting in her ponytail shifting through the air in turn.

"Oh, and I would much prefer Slate Opal as a name. Though just Slate will work in terms of convenience I suppose."

---

My eyes widened slightly as Garnet rushed forward with a deep laugh, reaching out to grasp at my hands as she looked me up and down.

"Absolutely brilliant! And you both seem so compatible as well...it's truly a pleasure to meet you, Slate!"

Tugging back slightly at the abrupt contact, I considered her enthusiastic greeting for a second before finally remembering that this was Garnet, and relaxing entirely.

"It's very much my own pleasure to meet you as well my dear. If possible, one of my components is rather hopeful you'll be able to grant us...or rather me some advice?"

The words only seemed to make my fellow fusion even happier, even as I noted Rose slowly stepping forward to inspect me as well. Glancing back at the Quartz, I inclined my head ever so slightly.

"Hello, Rose."

Any trace of hesitance that might have been hidden in her expression disappeared upon noticing my soft smile, the rebel leader-my best friend, smiling right back at me.

"Hello, Slate! Apologies if I seemed a bit...lost there. You weren't exactly someone I expected so...well so soon! But I'm glad to greet you to the world regardless! Tell me, is there anything I can answer for you, or would you rather speak to Garnet for a bit?"

I paused, a slight shiver running through my lightform as a singular, utterly beautiful thought occured.

Rose must have seen something in my eyes, because she looked just a little less certain as I stepped forward, clapping a pair of hands atop her shoulders in sheer excitement.

"Amethyst remembers that you have a few spare accounts available for the Crystal Gems to use when it comes to interacting with humankind! Would you be so kind as to take us...or rather me out to a restaurant?"

The Rose Quartz chuckled awkwardly at my eager tone, rubbing the back of her head in that way she almost always did when surprised by something.

"W-well I suppose I can do that. But are you sure you don't want to do something else fi-"

I leaned even further forward in protest, my nose practically bumping against her own in the process. Out of the corner of my eye, I could still see a giddy Garnet watching the entire interaction with excitement.

Shaking off the distraction, I focused back on Rose and gently shook my head.

"No thank you. I'd like to try a lot of different foods. Please."

A moment of silence passed, before my friend closed her eyes and let out a small giggle.

"Okay! If that's really what you want! Garnet, can you wait here while I go get Pearl and Vermilion? Maybe we can make a trip out of this!"

My fellow fusion merely nodded in reponse, giving Rose a thumbs up.

"It'd be nice to celebrate our efforts today."

Excellent.

Chapter Text

Omnomnom.

LOG-041.

My small smile remained in place as Rose wandered out of my...out of Amethyst's room. Leaving me with a still widely grinning Garnet, my fellow fusion happily tapping her fingers together as she glanced at some of the clashing colours adorning my lightform.

"So...how is it?" The question was full of anticipation, like a proud mother, almost. Which...huh?

Brushing the stray thought aside, I turned towards where I knew Amethyst had left a cracked mirror sitting propped up beside a pile of boxes, catching my own multicoloured eyes as I did so.

"It's...fascinating. My components...Viridian and Amethyst that is, both had their doubts that this would actually work, but it seems they're much more in tune than previously thought."

It did feel somewhat similar to Opal. The other Opal, rather. However the faded impressions my Quartz half continued to give out seemed to give off the vibe that I was a bit more...stable? Yes, more stable in comparison. Even my projected lightform seemed to reflect the fact that my two halves fit together well, considering I largely kept to an unmodified Gem's form. No extra eyes or arms to be seen.

Neat.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Garnet bring a hand up to rub at her chin, the Crystal Gem humming contemplatively, even with a slightly smaller smile still firmly attached to her face.

"Well, it's certainly impressive. I can't say that I didn't have a few doubts about all of this, but I know for a fact no Gem loyal to Homeworld's laws would ever fuse with someone outside of their type."

I nodded along, before pausing as a sudden bout of curiosity took over.

"What about Honey Lemon? Wouldn't she also be an example of that, or are Pearls permitted to fuse as well?"

Garnet's smile faded slightly as she carefully considered the idea, befote slowly nodding to herself.

"Technically, they would be allowed to do so, since they're the same Gem type. But the Empire never really approved of fusion outside of combat related situations, and even then they'd likely be punished for doing so without 'permission.' I highly doubt that's changed, even in...Era Two?"

Part of me confirmed the question, prompting me to nod in turn.

"Yes. The Diamonds proclaimed the end of Era One shortly after Pink Diamond's shattering."

A small huff escaped her lips in response, then she sighed.

"Figures, they'd never declare something like that for anything else."

Any response I could have given, whether that be an attempt to comfort my friend or even just to ask more questions, was interrupted by the door to Amethyst's room opening up, the entryway permitting a trio of figures inside.

"Viridian!"

I blinked as a familiar red figure rushed forward, only for the Pearl to freeze in place as she caught sight of me, her hands going to clench at her chest's lightform fabric as she took in my own form. My only response as her mouth dropped open was to awkwardly raise a hand and scratch at the back of my head, taking a slight interest in the way the long strands curled around my fingers.

"But...but..."

Now now, don't just leave her to fold in on herself like that.

Repressing the urge to heave out a long sigh, I stepped forward and crouched slightly to bring myself closer to my...or rather Viridian's startled Batchmate's level.

"Hello Vermilion."

Behind her, I spotted a slightly concerned looking Rose Quartz, alongside a similarly shocked Pearl. Seeing the normally snooty Gem so utterly befuddled did almost bring a smile to my face, but I held back. They could all wait for now, namely because Vermilion had finally gathered enough courage to step forward and inspect me a little better, her eyes tracing parts of my lightform as if she could pick out and separate bits of it.

"Viridian? Is that...is that y-you?"

Letting an amused chuckle escape me, I nodded my head to the Pearl's apparent relief.

"It's Slate Opal, actually. But Viridian is in here as well. Like with Honey Lemon, remember?"

The crimson Gem nodded along slowly, before shaking her head and sending her hair flying about slightly as a result.

"B-but that was me and you! Or uh...me and Viridian. And Honey was technically still a Pearl...isn't this...wrong?"

Standing up straight and planting my hands firmly at my hips, prompting another grin from Garnet, a subtle smile from Rose and a quiet "my Stars..." from Pearl, I ensured my desires presented themselves clearly, both in my expression and in my voice.

"Nope. Trust me, it's rather nice. You should see if you can manage it with Amethyst as well when you get the chance."

She hesitantly nodded once, hands already wringing each other as she glanced back at the three Gems behind us before turning to face me again.

"A-alright. So...why did you fuse now?"

She stepped back slightly, eyes widening as I grinned.

"We're going out to eat."

I was practically starved, after all!

---

Beach City wasn't the largest of settlements. More accurately, it was a small oceanside town that likely and largely depended on tourism over the summer to properly support itself. Particularly in terms of attracting various people looking for a chance to spend some time cooling off in the water beneath the hot sun.

What that meant, rather unfortunately, was that I actually didn't exactly have a wide selection to choose from in terms of possible locations to gorge myself on carefully prepared meals. But what it did mean was that I only had to lead the Crystal Gems (plus Vermilion) around for a few minutes before we found a suitable spot.

"This is just silly, their...first fusion, and they choose to make their way to a restaurant. What's even the point of interacting with this human nutritional dispensary anyway? It's not like we even need food!"

Pearl continued to vocally protest the entire thing, even as Rose giggled from beside her, prompting a brief bit of silence from the renegade Gem as the far larger Quartz's hand landed on her shoulder.

"Pearl, you said it yourself, it's their first time! Slate should be allowed to do what she wants right now!"

The statement was immediately followed up by a strong grunt and nod from Garnet, naturally. At the very least, it prompted a bit of visible contemplation from both Pearl and a still silent Vermilion, the former slowly crossing her arms and lifting her nose into the air as she evidently made up her mind about something.

"Well...I suppose if Amethyst is one of her components and Viridian truly is curious about eating organic food like Vermilion said...it makes sense that she's so fixated on this endeavor. I just want it on the record that I still think she's going to be disappointed, though. The feeling is utterly revolting and I'm certain she'll agree once she actually gets to try it."

Rolling my eyes at her usual antics, I instead turned to face a familiar yet utterly foreign sight.

Fish Stew Pizza. The name was proudly emblazoned upon the pizzeria's compact exterior, the red and green colours behind it briefly drawing my eye before I turned my attention towards the large windows showing off the inside of the building, surrounded by simple painted bricks as they were. Beside it stood another potential stop, but for now I would focus on just one objective at a time.

It would enhance the experience, after all. Mm.

What must have been a slight bit of drool steadily dribbled out of the corner of my mouth as I vividly imagined the sensation of biting into a perfectly formed pizza, the crust breaking apart between my teeth and the cheese melting atop my tongue, all topped by the additional taste the sauce would no doubt provide.

I hastily brought a hand up to wipe away the excess saliva, briefly surprised that my mouth even had drool to dribble before rather quickly setting the thought aside.

That didn't matter right now. No, what truly interested me was getting past the brick walls and glass door of this fortress and inspecting its armoury of cuisine!

Clapping my hands in sheer unadulterated excitement, I hurriedly reached for the door and made my way inside. The interior was just as small as the front outside had suggested, but in a comforting, cozy way rather than anything that truly felt cramped. To my pleasant surprise, I was immediately greeted by an attentive figure, even as the rest of my fellow Gems steadily piled in behind me.

"Good afternoon madame, and welcome to Fish Stew Pizza! My name is Kofi and this is the Pizza family owned restaurant! May I show you to your seat or will you be taking a table for the group behind you?"

The young man's rather distinct accent brought a hint of nostalgia to mind, even as I glanced down at the nametag proudly clipped to the shirt of his uniform.

Kofi Pizza.

Letting a polite yet genuine smile take hold, I nodded to the worker and gestured to the group of Gems idling around behind me, Vermilion noticably standing at attention as his dark eyes went her way before Garnet gave the red Pearl a light pat on the back.

"We'll be taking a table for five, please. I'm rather eager to sample the very best you can possibly offer us."

A glint entered Kofi's eyes at my statement, before he bowed his head and beckoned me forward.

"But of course, madame! The Pizza family deliver the best and only the best!"

How promising. Surely a family that were quite literally named after their profession would deliver product of spectacular quality?

Regardless of my inner thoughts, I found myself taking a seat quickly enough at one of the mini-restaurant's tables, Rose and Vermilion sitting alongside me, even as Garnet and Pearl were forced to take positions on the other side of the neatly set table in order to seat all of us.

Bringing my hands together, I waited patiently, a wide smile on my face as I listened in to the harsh 'whispers' being exchanged just behind the opening to the kitchen.

"Who is it Kofi? You look worried. Is it more customers?"

"Yes mom! It's those strange women again. But there's a problem!"

"What problem? Spit it out son."

"One of them...she has the air of an inspector! I can feel it!"

A small gasp answered the hilariously dramatic proclamation, and seconds later a short woman was practically shoving the man out towards us, now holding several menus in his hands.

"Go go go! If she's here to evaluate the restaurant, we must present an impeccable front! Our reputation is at stake! Now shoo!"

Ah Nanefua, never change.

As the slightly harried looking man trudged towards me with all of the nervous determination of a soldier going to war, I merely let my smile widen even further as I contemplated just what I could convince Rose to order for all of us.

For whatever reason, the happy expression only seemed to increase his pace.

How utterly fascinating.

Chapter Text

Bit of a rarely used pov so the chapter is more of an interlude than anything, not a lot going on but hey that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes. Also slightly unrelated, but if you like spaceship related stuff, especially Starsector, stay tuned.

LOG-042.

She didn't know how to feel at the moment. Especially considering she was currently being squeezed in between a Quartz and an Opal. Or rather a Quartz and a Pearl-Quartz combo that somehow made an Opal.

However that worked.

"Here you are, madames. Feel free to select anything at your leisure!"

Vermilion accepted the menu from the organic silently, slowly bringing it up to inspect the strange scribbles that covered most of it. Beside each alien text, a small picture likely indicated just what she was ordering.

The concept wasn't...entirely foreign to the Gem. She knew that a similar process existed for Pearls like herself, allowing various high ranking individuals to request a custom made servant from the Reef, entirely made to order so that they fit their various needs and desires. Her Sodalite had mentioned it once, back when she'd been in a slightly better mood while conversing with a Morganite being relocated from one of the colonies.

"I'll take the deep dish cheese pizza. And a glass of sidra please."

Her eyes peeked over the edge of her menu as she watched the Garnet make her order first. She still wasn't entirely certain just what to make of the visored rebel, especially considering she was also a cross Gem fusion.

...But Viridian...or rather Slate had said it was okay. And Viridian was a part of Slate, just like both of them had been a part of Honey Lemon, so that was practically the same as her Batchmate saying so as well.

Probably. Regardless of her thoughts, a scribbling sound followed before the human servant turned away, glancing at his newest target.

Rose Quartz, legendary rebel and infamous Diamond shatterer went next, glancing through her own menu with an excitement that seemed far more suitable for an overexcited Ruby than some ancient leader of rogue colonists.

"Oh! Ah, could I have the uhm...the classic fish stew, please? And I'll also have a sidra!"

A small contraption in the human's hand (the source of the scribbling noise, it seemed) scratched against an incredibly thin sheet of some sort of material. For just a moment, she thought to question why he didn't simply use a dataslate to record the information, before she remembered this wasn't Homeworld, nor was it even a proper Gem territory in even the loosest sense.

She didn't know how to feel about that either, beyond being glad that she was still with Viridian. Even if her fellow Pearl wasn't actually present right now, considering she was busy being fused with some overcooked Quartz instead of her-

...

Vermilion slowly untensed her hand, carefully doing her best to straighten out the slight bend in the menu she'd made without making it look obvious. Thankfully, no strange looks were directed her way, so she'd probably gotten away with it.

Besides, she wasn't being entirely fair to the Quartz. Slate had even suggested that she should try to fuse with Amethyst when she got the chance. Sure, some part of her flinched at the thought of doing something so personal with a soldier of all Gems, but...well maybe she'd just try it out?

If she didn't like it, she could always just leave that whole process to Viridian. She was better at all this complicated rebel stuff anyway.

"And for the red madame?"

Blinking, she glanced up at the servant, hurriedly bringing up her menu as if it might shield her from judgement.

"Ah...I would like the uh...the..."

What was she supposed to choose? She didn't know how to eat! And she couldn't read any of this either!

"Madame?"

She felt just about ready to discorporate from the embarassment of it all, hands shaking slightly until a near identical copy laid itself atop the menu.

Pearl. Just Pearl (she was ever so slowly getting used to that designation, even if it didn't seem very appropriate for her to say such a thing, considering she wasn't Pearl's owner), gently plucked the selection from her grip, smiling kindly.

"She and I will both just have glasses of water, thank you."

Barely holding back a massive sigh of relief, she shot a thankful look towards her counterpart, fingers twitching ever so slightly.

'Thank you.'

For a second, she received a confused blink back, before Pearl visibly lit up with understanding. Then the renegade's fingers were smoothly sliding back and forth, drawing Vermilion's intrigued eyes as they wove a small gesture together.

'You're welcome.'

It was strange or even just outright wrong in a few spots, but the general meaning was still fairly comprehensible despite the more...elegant nature of the fancy looking gesture. For a moment, she wondered just how a Pearl could shift so far away from the known language they all shared, before she rather abruptly remembered that this one had been most definitely produced during Era One.

Gemish didn't have any true form of language drift. It was as eternal as those that spoke it, after all. But their own little method of communicating without disturbing their owners had likely changed throughout the eons as different generations of Pearls probably produced their own variants.

Honestly, it was a miracle that they could even understand each other to any real degree at all. Much less actually speak to one another.

Regardless, Pearl clearly knew what she was doing, especially considering her own comments outside. She didn't like organic food, and clearly had some plan in mind for avoiding it.

Naturally, Vermilion was more than willing to follow her lead.

"Very well. And for you?"

She glanced up just in time to see Slate's eyes gleam with intent, the Opal leaning forward to pour through her menu as the human servant nervously stood next to the table, awaiting her order.

Stars, it almost felt like she was back at the Reef before Viridian had been taken away for private training. Back when Nacre would have them play out various songs and dances, silently judging them based on their performances.

"I think...I'll leave that up to you. What would you recommend, Kofi? I'm looking for the absolute best you have."

The man tugged at his collar quickly, nervous eyes darting towards the kitchen as he visibly contemplated just how he was going to answer the question.

"Well...I would say I have always been partial to the mega fish dip pizza supreme."

A smile flit across the fusion's lips as she tilted her head, one hand coming up to scratch at her cheek.

"Then I suppose I'll have that. Do you do chocolate milkshakes by any chance?"

A nod and another scribble later, and they were once more alone. Well, as alone as five Gems (technically seven, if one really thought about it) could be anyway.

The silence continued for a little bit, before Slate set her hands on the table, sighing happily.

"This is nice, thank you for bringing us here, Rose."

The Quartz was quick to wave it off, a slight blush lighting up her cheeks as her smile widened into a grin, her fingers tapping against the top of the table. "Oh it's nothing! We don't really tend to use the local currency anyway, so Pearl has a decent surplus stashed in her storage space."

The Gem in question allowed a slightly prideful look to flit across her face, even as the gemstone on her head glowed for a moment, followed by several thick bundles of tightly packed green bundles landing on the table with a thunk.

"Well I figured it was best to save any we managed to come across during our various encounters. I'm still not quite sure how to use the 'banking' system the locals have made available, but physical money is just as good as digital, possibly even better according to them!"

Ah, so the green bundles were their equivalent of currenza then? Fascinating.

...Maybe she could purchase things one day? If she managed to find some of her own to use. Some of the glowing bands sitting in her own storage were beginning to slowly die out, so she'd need to either find replacements or some way to recharge them for the next time Honey Lemon came out to play.

Her thoughts generally followed that direction, even as the entire group slowly began to get a little livelier, with Rose and Slate practically bouncing off of each other and Garnet occasionally interjecting with sudden opinions or remarks. Eventually, Vermilion allowed herself to relax a little, before finally glancing back to Pearl and mustering up the courage to ask a question.

"So...when we get the water, what...exactly do we do with it?"

The renegade smiled slyly, glancing at her distracted leader before leaning over and whispering.

"Oh you just pretend to put it in your mouth. You can store it away to make it look like you're actually drinking it, but usually the humans don't even notice that your drink never seems to get empty."

For just a second, it felt like she was back in the Pearl quarters sharing tips and tricks on how to avoid angering Nacre Three. Back with the rest of the Batch.

"Oh, how clever of you!"

Vermilion enjoyed that feeling. It was nice.

Not to mention it was something to mentally cling to, rather desperately in fact, considering when the food finally arrived Slate started erasing it from existence faster than a Nacre could say "dance."

She chose to agree with Pearl. The process was utterly horrifying to witness.

Chapter Text

Hmhmhm.

LOG-043.

As I took the final bite of my chosen sacrifice, I savoured the intricate dance of flavors that burst onto my tongue. The crispiness of the crust, the rich, tangy sauce, and the harmonious blend of cheese and toppings all melded together into a culinary symphony that made me nod in approval.

Fish Stew Pizza had certainly lived up to Kofi's confident recommendation.

Dabbing my lips with a relatively small napkin, I leaned back in my chair, my gaze drifting over to the rest of the Gems seated around me. Rose was finishing her own meal with a contented smile, Garnet appeared equally pleased with her deep dish, and even Pearl and Vermilion seemed at ease, despite their nonparticipation in the actual eating.

I spotted our ever present waiter watching us from a table over, even as he collected a few plates from the one other group currently present within the building.

Just a couple of teenagers laughing about this and that. It...it was nice to see.

Clearing my throat gently for effect as the future restaurant manager began to approach our own table, I caught everyone's attention. "I must say, this has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The food in an of itself was a rather delightful mix of flavours and textures, and the service was impeccable. Kofi, you and your family run an exceptional establishment."

The young man's face lit up with a visible mixture of relief and pride beneath some of the sweat that had gathered atop his brows. "Thank you, madame. We at Fish Stew Pizza always strive to offer the absolute very best to our customers!"

"You certainly do." I responded warmly, before glancing at Rose. "And thank you again for bringing us here. It's been...quite an enlightening experience."

The Rose Quartz's eyes twinkled with satisfaction as she shifted in place beside a quiet Vermilion, the red Pearl gently holding the cup of water she'd been provided close to her mouth. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Slate. It's always nice to try something new, especially when it brings us all together like this."

She sighed, gaze turning distant.

"I can barely remember the last time we all just...went out and did something for fun. We'll have to do this a bit more often, I think."

Both parts of me churned with amusement as Pearl immediately piped up, the renegade's eyes wide and expression amusingly supportive for someone who was so firmly against eating.

"Oh, I'll have to prepare a timetable!"

Said eyes blinked as Rose, Garnet and I all began chuckling, their owner frowning slightly in response.

"What? It's good to be prepared!"

Vermilion's supportive nod seemed to reassure her well enough, at least.

Turning in my seat, I smiled down at the crimson Gem, her cheeks turning slightly darker as I leaned forward and gently took the glass from her hands, setting it down on the table.

"I'm glad you came along. I get that all of this can be a bit..." My expression turned slightly conflicted as I thought of what to say. "...daunting, but it's how we grow and learn things, in the end."

The Pearl blinked just as her counterpart had, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she processed my words. "Thank you...Slate. I'm still getting used to all of this, but…I think I'm starting to understand a few things."

The glance she sent Pearl's way wasn't lost on me.

It was nice to see that she was getting along with someone besides Viridian.

Regardless, a second later and Rose was suddenly moving. It was almost seamless, the way the Quartz wrapped a thick arm around the comparatively tiny Gem's shoulder, her own expression lighting up as Vermilion looked back up at her in confusion.

"And we'll be here to help you every step of the way, don't forget that."

It was a very touching moment, all in all, one that I felt was perfect to end things at.

Across the table, Garnet gave me a small smirk.

And as my entire world became light with a few surprised yelps and gasps sounding out, I simply smiled back in complete and utter contentment.

---

"Sla-Viridian!"

"Amethyst?!"

I blinked as I plopped down into the seat, barely avoiding the purple form that rolled across my lap to settle onto the floor. Then I was being turned around to stare into my Batchmate's concerned eyes, the red Gem glancing between me and the prone Quartz that Pearl was now looking over.

"Are...are you okay?"

Glancing around showed a few different reactions. Pearl and Rose both looked just about equally worried, albeit for likely different reasons. Garnet, predictably, seemed perfectly calm. Likely due to knowing what was going to happen well ahead of time.

"I'm okay!"

Vermilion's eyes darted to the floor as Amethyst's thumb came up, the overcooked warrior Gem flipping over onto her back with a pleased groan.

"Whew, I think I got all the pizza out of that whole thing. Cool."

The statement prompted a giggle from Rose and for both Vermilion and Pearl to glance at each other with twin disgusted expressions, even as my own thoughts rapidly turned inward. A flash of light shined across a certain visor, and I simply elected to carefully ignore Garnet's staring in the process.

A few seconds of recollection, and I felt a likely disturbingly wide smile finally stretch my lips apart.

Never had I been more thankfuly for my perfect ability to recollect things. Because I remembered everything. Slate's presence. Her thoughts. Her feelings. The way her mind had bounced around in between being a meld of me and Amethyst while also somehow remaining its own independent entity.

More specifically, I remembered the exact makeup of her insides. The mental blueprint for tastebuds and a functioning digestive system for what I needed, alongside what was effectively newly formed code that Amethyst had somehow managed to bring to the table, which in turn meant the tastebuds would actually do something.

Honey Lemon had practiced minor and sometimes even major shapeshifting during her time aboard the Roaming Eye when she'd gotten bored of singing, dancing or cleaning. I remembered those methods as well. Methods which I now replicated as the feeling of something moving and twisting and turning erupted within my mouth, alongside various parts of my torso.

I practically fell forward against the table, palms flat against its surface as Vermilion once more yelped in concern, the anxious Pearl grabbing hold of me.

"Viridian! What's wrong!?"

Shaking my head, I waved her off with a "I'm fine" and glanced forward.

The half consumed milkshake sat in front of me, time almost seeming to slow as I reached for the thing and pulled it closer to me.

Red and white flashed in my vision for less than a second before I finally popped the straw in between my lips and pulled.

Taste.

Chocolate to be specific. There were minor differences, of course. Amethyst's...or rather Slate's tastebuds weren't exactly the human standard after all, and I'd had to modify them even further to ensure the entire system fit within my own form without countless issues cropping up.

But it worked, and a moment later I was violently swallowing, even as I continued to desperately pull more and more of the drink through the thin straw, part of me angrily cursing the papery bottleneck that was stubbornly keeping me from acquiring even more of the chocolatey goodness.

A moment or two passed just like that, in complete and utter silence. It was only occasionally broken by the loud slurping as I rapidly emptied the glass cup of its contents, twisting the straw around a bit more before finally relenting and letting go.

"...Viridian?"

Rose's voice drew my attention as I set the empty cup back down on the table, blinking a few times as a worryingly familiar haze entered my vision.

"Eh...yes?"

A bout of hesitation crossed the hidden Diamond's face, before she gestured to her eyes with a hand.

"Are...are you alright? You...you're crying."

The uncertain statement was apparently enough to snap me out of the state of sheer euphoria I'd been locked in, my lightform finally registering the feeling of the usual twin streams trailing down my cheeks. Hoping otherwise but resigning myself to the fact, I slowly brought up a finger, trailing it across my face before bringing it forward for inspection.

A thick glob formed by multiple tears sat on the digit, before disappearing in an almost imperceptible flash of light.

"Ah...so I am. That's a little embarassing."

The sinking feeling deep in my chest worsened, even as the sensation of my new not-quite-organs at work lightened it ever so slightly.

Glancing back to my captive audience (alongside a completely bewildered looking Kofi, who was still glancing between me and Amethyst in what seemed to be mild shock), I let out a small, utterly impolite (by my trained standards, at least) snicker.

"My apologies. It...it was a really good milkshake. I uhm...wasn't prepared for the flavour?"

The stares continued from there, lasting well after the awkward process of Pearl attempting to pay for our food with several incorrect currencies (our waiter's eyes had widened even further than they already had when she'd pulled out and dropped what seemed to be a bunch of large coins made from pure silver onto the table) before finally choosing the correct one, and all the way to our eventual return back to the temple.

Yet even so and despite the sheer awkwardness of the concerned looks I was receiving, my mood remained rather high.

...I was going to need to thank Amethyst somehow. I owed the little gremlin a lot.

Chapter Text

She's adapting.

LOG-044.

It had been almost a week since I'd first arrived to Earth.

"Eh...I'll have two of the chocolate ones. Oh, and can I get those in a bag?"

Almost a week of slowly but surely settling down and getting to know the Crystal Gems, of them 'teaching' me about Earth, the war, corrupted Gems and all sorts of other things, all of course in between trying to find a place for Vermilion and me to stay at, despite the Pearl in question eventually deciding she actually preferred sticking around the temple. That entire situation had ended...fairly well, considering we hadn't actually been here all that long.

Sure, I still hadn't found anywhere permanent to stay, but we'd finally gone and retrieved the Roaming Eye, parking it within the fenced off section surrounding the place. The ship...worked well enough. Blankets, a sleeping bag and a portable radio helped make it a lot comfier to sleep in, to say the absolute very least. Granted the only other person who ever actually used it for the purpose I'd given it was Amethyst, and she only took short naps at best.

"Of course, let me just get those for you!"

I smiled, even as I twisted in place and reached across the small space in between me and the shelf, my gloved hands snatching a pair of donuts and sorting them into a small paper bag in one smooth motion.

The young man across from me nodded in approval as I set the bag down in front of him, before reaching into the left pocket of his jeans as I rung up the order.

Let's see...two chocolates. There.

"That will be a dollar and twenty three cents, please."

Accepting the bill he quickly handed me, I sorted it into the register, pulling out the appropriate change and sliding it back.

It was when he didn't immediately move to leave that I tilted my head slightly, confused. In my admittedly small experience (just two days of working here), people generally wanted to get going as quickly as possible later in the evening like this, save for some of the chattier elders. Especially since I had less than half an hour left until I was supposed to lock up for the night.

"Is there something else I can help you with, sir?"

The customer just chuckled awkwardly in response, a hand rising up to rub at the back of his head.

"Ah it's nothing. It's just...you're new, right? I guess I was wondering what happened to the old guy that used to work here? Rosquilla? He had this really big grey beard. I think he was French?"

Blinking, I thought back for a second before my eyes widened.

"Ah! Yes, Mr. Rosquilla left fairly recently actually. I just happened to apply for a job around the same time, and he was nice enough to put in a good word for me!"

Very lucky. Especially considering the place was apparently more than willing to pay in cash for someone with literally green skin. People around here tended to be a lot nicer than I always planned for. It really never ceased to shatter my expectations.

Regardless of my quick mental tangent, his own eyes eventually matched my own, widening ever so slightly.

"Wait, really? Where'd he go? I thought he loved this place!"

I glanced at the hanging clock out of the corner of my view for a moment, before crossing my arms and letting myself relax and lean against the counter. I still had a little bit left before I needed to close up after all, and it didn't seem like any other customers were gonna be entering the donut store anytime soon.

"He's moving to Ocean Town to set up a new branch from what I understand. Said he wanted to help his son expand the business a little bit."

My conversation partner nodded for a moment, visibly thinking. "Huh...who would have thought? I guess I just...never really expected him to go anywhere. Heck, he's been around since I was just a little kid."

Then he visibly paused, a slight blush of embarassment colouring his expression.

"Ah dangit, sorry. I've got us both talking and I haven't even introduced myself! Name's Bill. Bill Dewey."

...Huh. Then again, I didn't know what I was expecting when I'd gone job hunting in Beach City of all places.

Shaking off the idle thought, I accepted his outstretched hand, giving it a shake as I gestured to the uniform layered over my hidden dress with a wry smirk.

"Viridian, no last name. Though the nametag probably already told you that."

He nodded slowly, glancing at my bare arm for a moment.

Rolling my eyes, I nodded right back.

"Yes, I'm one of the weirdos from the big statue on the beach. Though I like to think I'm a little more in tune with society than they are, considering I actually have a job and all."

Snorting, Bill scratched his cheek.

"Yeah, sorry if I was rude or anything. Just kind of rare to see any of you ladies appear at all, much less find one selling donuts!"

My smile widened slightly in response, even as he finally picked up his bag.

"Well, we all have to make a living somehow, don't we?"

---

I continued to bob my head up and down with the beat playing from the thick wired earphones carefully tucked past my hair, even as I carefully twisted the lock shut behind me, my uniform and the key to The Big Donut (it still felt strange thinking of it as an actual workplace rather than a location from a cartoon) into my gemstone with a flash of green light made all the more apparent in the evening shade.

Humming slightly, I walked a few short steps before warm road finally shifted into equally warm sand, my feet leaving slight imprints as I casually made my way down the beach that brought so many visitors to this little town.

Another flash, and I had a notepad in my hands, the pages flipping slightly from the wind before I got them back under control.

"Right...work's done. Next up on the agenda is...checking up on the others. Then I'll sit around a bit. And then I'll go handle the other, crappier stuff."

The thing wasn't actually necessary, considering I could perfectly recall myself making up my little schedule and semi long term agenda, including my hesitant plans to begin scoping out some of the more relevant areas I remembered from the show, but it felt...nice, having something to occasionally write my thoughts in.

I didn't dare keep an outright diary or anything like that though. Stars knew one of the other Gems would get a little too curious for their own good and end up learning something at the wrong time. No, for now, everything could stay safe and tucked away in my pretty little head.

My tongue clicked slightly as I flipped past a few more pages, glancing at the waves crashing against each other before gently rolling up and down the edge of the beach.

"Then there's Lapis. And Bismuth. Fuck. And I'm still gonna need to explain the Cluster."

I paused, thinking quickly as my expression tightened.

"How would I know about it though?"

Well, that was probably simple enough. I'd served a high ranking fleet admiral after all. Could probably just say I'd heard it mentioned during a meeting with some other officials that Earth had a fucking geoweapon slowly incubating inside of it.

Yeah, that'd work. And I'd explain away not immediately telling everyone as me still learning to trust them.

Perfect.

Returning the notepad to my storage space, I stared up at the darkening sky for a moment before making a quick hop over the fence keeping the temple isolated from everything, landing with a small twirl before making my way deeper inside.

It was when I was just getting in general proximity of the Roaming Eye that I caught a sight that...well.

...Our timing was even better than expected, it seemed. By a certain definition anyway. Stars, if I didn't know better, I'd almost be tempted to say that it had all been planned or something.

"I'll just throw him over the fence."

But nah, that would be ridiculous. Instead, I was just incredibly unfuckinglucky apparently.

"Hu-oo-wAaAoah!"

And so instead, I merely watched as canon reared its ugly head, namely due to the long haired man being hefted above Garnet's shoulders, his form wriggling around as the fusion carried him towards my direction, a smiling Pearl following behind her with Amethyst in her arms.

"Excellent idea! Humans should stay on the other side of the fence like the sign says. Isn't that right Vermilion?"

If I squinted, I could just about make out the crimson Gem's lightform hesitantly peeking out from deeper inside the 'cave' of the temple, her eyes darting between the ongoing circus show and me even as she rapidly nodded her head in support of the statement.

"This zone isn't cleared for organics!"

The renegade paused mid approving nod of her fellow Pearl's words as she caught sight of me, her smile turning a little awkward.

Ah...it seemed she still hadn't gotten over the midnight fridge incident. Unfortunate.

"Er-hello Viridian. We were just getting ready to remove this..." Her hand slowly gestured to a still struggling Greg, only for the Gem to let out a squawk as Amethyst promptly took the opportunity to escape her grasp, the Quartz practically crawling/rolling her way towards me.

"Yo Vee! We found some weird guy! Wanna help us throw him over?"

The poor bastard blinked at that, before redoubling his efforts to get away.

"Please no throwing!"

Just like the damned show. Hell, three...two...one...

"Wait!"

Everyone paused, and I just crossed my arms in exasperation as Rose, as a matter of course, came running with wide eyes locked onto a certain musician's form.

Resisting the urge to sigh in annoyance at my brand new schedule already being disrupted, I simply remained silent as things went just about as I remembered them.

None of it mattered to me anyway, if Pink fucking Diamond wanted to get railed by some random human guitarist, well that was entirely her decision, now wasn't it?

...Fuck, I was gonna have to pick up the slack, wasn't I? Maybe I could convince Amethyst to come with me on my eventual trip to the Kindergarten, have her 'show me around' her birthplace while I searched for the facility hidden somewhere below it? I'd probably need the backup once the things down there turned up, and a Quartz was still a Quartz, even if she was overcooked.

As much as I wanted to put off doing anything Gem related for maybe a few years at least, that wasn't exactly a choice now. Not when I'd quite likely live to see the consequences of my not getting shit done early.

...Maybe I should have just gone and told them everything at the start?

"Hey, so I'm actually a human being reincarnated into this form! And in my original universe, you were all a form of human entertainment! So I know the future and need to warn you about certain things! And I'm not crazy and mentally defective, or a really weird Homeworld spy sent to manipulate all of you, I swear!"

"...Viridian, get in the bubble."

Okay yeah, no. Bad idea.

Internally groaning as Rose and Greg began to make puppy dog eyes at each other, I finally gave in to temptation and withdrew a small paper bag from my gemstone, grabbing one of the donuts I'd snuck from the store before leaving.

The chocolate definitely made me feel better, at the very least.

Chapter Text

Viridian begins to do...or at least plans to do things. Amethyst gets a bit of perspective from someone other than the Crystal Gems on her existence.

LOG-045.

My hands moved across the assortment of items I'd laid out on the floor of the Roaming Eye, eyes darting over several of them as I idly munched on another donut like some feral goblin, crouched down as I was.

"Mm." I swallowed, repressing a slight shiver at the gloriously human sensation. It still hadn't gotten old, even a whole week later.

The brief bit of pleasure didn't detract from my less than stellar mood however. With work out of the way, I'd been just about ready to laze about for the rest of the evening and night, maybe even go and poke the temple's newest organic guest for my own amusement or something. It was pretty tempting to see just how much I could mess with Pearl and Rose while they both dealt with the startling new existence that was Greg Universe.

Alas, my own damned mind remained my worst enemy in times of relative peace, my perfect memory constantly reminding me of exactly just how much I had to do if I was going to ensure this entire planet didn't get completely fucked over in just a few decades.

...Just a few decades. Now wasn't that a thought?

Regardless of my newfound perception and understanding of time, I still needed to act. Better to start early and all that, which of course included actually figuring out just where the Cluster was hidden, for when it inevitably came time to get the Crystal Gems on board in terms of properly dealing with it.

That of course meant either going to the observatory sitting up somewhere on the moon, or accessing a planetside facility with scanners that could penetrate the ground deep enough to locate the slowly forming geoweapon.

Hence my initial preparations. I wasn't completely sure whether I even could access the moonbase's systems without Diamond level authority, so until I decided I was desperate enough to go to Rose without concrete proof of the crap growing beneath the planetary crust we were all living on and do my best to convince her of its existence, I'd simply have to root around some of the old Imperial sensor stations present on Earth.

As a direct result of all of that, I'd just been in the middle of returning a small dataslate and one of two destabilizers (conveniently stored on the ship itself, strangely enough. Maybe the Avians had left them there?) into my gemstone when the sound of footsteps steadily plonking up the ramp drew my attention, followed immediately by a familiar enough (by now at least) voice.

"Yo Veeeee! You in here?!"

Turning my head, I locked eyes with the temple's resident Quartz (the actual Quartz, to be specific) just as the last destabilizer vanished into my storage space.

"I'm here, is there something you needed Amethyst?"

The purple Gem scowled slightly, before walking over and leaning up against one of the consoles, hands going to her face as she groaned dramatically.

"Ugh, I'm bored! Rose and Pearl have just been hanging out with that Greg guy all day! Sure it was funny at first, but Pearl and him glaring at each other stopped being fun to watch after the first gazzillion times. And Garnet took Vermi out to go meet up with that crazy lady with the cans! Said something about finding a 'telecommunications' device to call her with."

A lock of her short hair fell in front of her face, quickly blown away by a strong puff of air. "She's just like Pearl sometimes. At least you call it a phone like a normal person."

My brow quirked slightly as I rose up to my full height. "They're trying to get in touch with Rebecca?"

At Amethyst's nod, my eyes narrowed slightly in thought. Out of anything Vermilion could have done...well, no. It wasn't completely out of left field, considering just how quickly she'd latched on to the woman during our time as Honey Lemon. Maybe she'd finally gathered up enough courage to finally explore outside of the temple a little? Beyond occasionally staring at me working from outside the Big Donut's windows.

Stars, it actually sort of felt comforting that she was willing to go ask Garnet to help her get in touch with the woman, now that I thought about it.

...Garnet. Hm.

Shifting in place slightly, I crossed my arms while leaning up against the wall behind me.

"...Was she looking for me?"

Shaking her head, the short Gem glanced over at the ramp for a second, frowning.

"Huh...actually I think she was planning to? Garnet came over to her first though, she said you were gonna be busy with your own thing!"

...Fucking future vision. Whatever, it was probably a good sign on both their parts that Garnet and Vermilion were willing to do things together without me present to babysit.

"Hm. Alright then."

As I pushed off from my temporary resting spot, Amethyst tracked me, her eyes widening slightly as she apparently noticed some of the other equipment I hadn't gathered back into my storage yet, her head tilting a little as I began to pick them up as well.

"Oh, so you are busy. Whatcha' doin?"

Pausing as I let a thick length of rope and an old crowbar I'd found disappear into my gemstone, I thought about what to say.

"...I was planning to visit a few of the old areas Homeworld developed back before the rebellion. Some of the spires and labs and such. There's...a few things I need to check up on, I think."

Her blank stare almost drew a sigh before I shook the temptation away, instead turning to face her fully, my hands going to my hips as an idea made itself apparent.

Some good company probably wouldn't go amiss considering my first planned destination, after all.

"Say, you're a proper Quartz, right? Amethysts like yourself likely would have been made in the Prime Kindergarten, now that I think about it. Right here on Earth."

She blinked in response, a slight gleam entering her eyes.

"Well yeah but-wait, you know about that stuff?"

Waving a hand back and forth in a vague motion, I nodded.

"Sort of. I wasn't exactly a Peridot-" The name almost made part of me twinge in discomfort a second afterwards, thinking of the bubbled shards currently still sitting somewhere within the temple. "-made for Kindergartening, Pearl and all. But I spoke to some of the ship's technicians often enough, and they had a bit of inherent knowledge on the subject."

Amethyst's attention remained rapt, up until she noticed I was actively moving towards the ramp.

"Huh-hey! Woah, wait! Where are you going?"

Steadily walking down the steps, I listened as the Quartz scrabbled just beyond the Eye's entrance. "To the Kindergarten, of course. It's one of the first locations on my list. Want to come with?"

As I made my way towards the temple, I couldn't help but let a small smile appear on my face as the shorter Gem scrambled after me.

"Heck yeah I do! Oh, and can you tell me about some of what you know while we're there? I haven't really gotten the chance to talk to you about it yet and the others never say anything about the place when I ask about it. They always just talk about how terrible and bad the place is."

Settling down atop the crystalline surface of the Warp pad, I nodded.

"Sure."

---

I'd occasionally seen imagery of Kindergartens. The Retaliator had even once gone into orbit above an actively developing colony, some of the older Gem production centers clearly visible even from beyond the upper exosphere.

None of it quite managed to match the utterly dead atmosphere of actually being inside of one though. Anywhere I stepped, the ground remained both hard and brittle, while just about every direction contained endless rows of exit holes indicating the final process of Gems bursting their way out of the ground.

Fuck, even the air felt stale around here. Almost reminded me of the planet I'd first met Brim on. Before we'd eventually gone our separate ways.

...Hopefully the weird Lapis Lazuli had made it out of that fight as well as Vermilion and I did.

"Soooo this is where I emerged. Pretty snazzy, huh?"

Standing in place, I stared up at one of the towering injectors, trying to make out the complex looking...stuff contained inside of it as Amethyst stepped up next to me.

"...Snazzy is one word for it. You must have had one really big Batch, judging just from the sheer size of this place."

The purple Gem kept pace easily enough as I took a few steps further away from the Warp pad, hesitantly running my thin hand against the edge of one of the exit holes.

"I guess? I uh...I'm not really sure what that means though, you know?"

The questioning tone in her voice was apparent, and when I turned back to face her, I could just about make out a hint of desperation colouring her expression, one that she likely hadn't intended to make.

It was literally impossible for me to forget her issues when it came to her birth, but fucking Hell if she wasn't making the memory come to the forefront of my thoughts.

...

...Screw it. I could take a few minutes if it meant getting the short Crystal Gem to stop doubting herself so much. Heck, it was probably productive, actually. Like nipping a few potential issues in the bud before they became outright problems.

Finally letting loose a sigh, I let myself slide down to the ground, patting the ground in front of me in response to the rebel's confused look.

"Take a seat. I'll...see if I can't explain how Quartzes work. At least from my understanding of things after hanging out with some of them."

It was almost comical, how quickly her ass hit the dirt, eyes wide and fixated on my lightform.

"I'm listening."

Nodding, I let my gemstone light up, a small viridian (heh) screen emerging as if from thin air.

The hologram was a simple enough thing. Not anything on the level of bullshittery that Pearl could do, but it got the job done. Namely by letting my gemstone project one of my memories into an almost photographic format.

Amethyst's wide eyes got even bigger as a familiar figure popped up on the screen, form shimmering slightly as I ran my hand across it.

"This is generally what Quartzes look like. Tall, big, lean and mean looking, even if they're a bunch of goofballs at their core. The Gem you're looking at is a Jasper if we're getting specific. Facet 2I4Q, Cut 7XE. She isn't anything too special, which is why we'll use her as an example. If you ever run into another Quartz, whether they're a Jasper like this one, something else entirely, or even an Amethyst like yourself, they're probably gonna look something like her in terms of overall shape, bar a few exceptions."

Her gaze remained glued to the image for a few seconds, eyes only blinking when I shifted the screen to another image, one of the cubbies within the Retaliator, several Jaspers either hanging around within them, or standing just outside of the resting areas.

Waving my hand at the picture, I made sure I had her attention before gesturing to the Kindergarten around us.

"Quartz soldiers are particularly social when it comes to their Batches. It's programmed in by design, making sure they fight more cohesively as a unit. While there are a few exceptions to that rule, like Citrines, generally you'll never find a Quartz operating on their own. They're like...a human family, if that makes sense. But also beyond that. They're almost perfectly identical Gems, all synched up with each other. Remember that story you told me about your rock pals? That was most likely your programming looking for something to form a unit with."

I glanced down as Amethyst's hands visibly clenched, the Quartz's voice more of a mumble than anything else.

"So...I wasn't meant to be alone. I was meant to be part of a group when I got out of the ground."

Her fists shook slightly, the front of her hair falling over her eyes.

"I took too long to come out, so I missed everyone leaving...not like they'd even want a runt like me anyway."

Nodding slowly as I took in her glum expression, I let the hologram blink out of existence.

"Yes, you were meant to be part of a group. A Batch. If everything had gone according to plan, you likely would have emerged alongside, at the very least, a few dozen other Amethysts. But make no mistake, Rose, Pearl and Garnet are wrong in saying that a Kindergarten is a terrible place. All it does is produce Gems. Sure, it absorbs life around it, but that can probably be managed by just shutting it down for a while. What's terrible is the highly ranked individuals in charge of places like this."

Her melancholic, angered look shifted into one of hesitation as I stood up, glaring down at her.

"For a while, you'd all get to run around and test out your lightforms. Get used to the fact that you're now a living, thinking being. Then you all would have been assigned an Agate, your shiny new superior officer. From there, your existence would consist of obeying commands and remaining within a strict hierarchical structure alongside your fellow Amethysts. No lazing about. No wandering off to explore or interact with other Gems or species. Just following orders and doing the tasks assigned to you, and being punished if you act out of line. That's the general case for Gems living within the boundaries of the Empire."

Turning aside as that hesitant look grew, I instead directed my glare to one of the slightly larger exit holes.

"But then again, that's more like the best case scenario for a type of Gem produced for the sole purpose of fighting and killing. More likely, you'd spend your entire life being thrown into battle after battle, war after war, winning countless victories for the glory of the Great Diamond Authority until all of you were either shattered or outright ground to dust."

I took advantage of my newfound ability to produce saliva, even if the glob of liquid I spat out onto the ground disappeared in a flash of light less than a second afterwards.

"Then? They'd replace both you and your Batch with the next wave, whether from this Kindergarten or an entirely different one. Just another cog in the machine, broken down and cast aside in favour of a new one."

She was visibly scowling now, angry at the thought.

"That...that freaking sucks." Good. My message was getting across.

I just hoped it was the right one.

Shunting the thought aside and nodding firmly in response to the statement, I tapped a foot against the ground, glancing over at a nearby broken injector.

"It does. It doesn't matter whether you're a Pearl like me, a Quartz like you or even a Peridot or Rutile like some of the Gems I used to know. Once Homeworld gets a hold of you, they expect you to serve, and to keep serving until you can't. And when that happens? That's when they don't want you anymore."

I paused, considering her hunched posture now.

...Alright, time to tone it back a little.

Stepping over and leaning down, I let my hand rest itself against Amethyst's back, even as the purple Gem glanced back up at me with shiny eyes.

"But you're free of that. Look, it...it might sound bad coming from me, especially since we haven't actually known each other for all that long, but you being overcooked is probably the best thing that could have happened to you, considering the circumstances here on Earth. Sure, you're a bit shorter than the average Amethyst, but at least you're free. Call me biased, but I'd rather be defective-"

My hands went up, making visible finger quotes just to make sure I was being as visibly sarcastic as possible in calling her such a thing. Didn't want the dedicated warrior caste Gem thinking I was insulting her, after all.

"-by those clods' standards than live as a slave to a completely uncaring Empire. Trust me, you're better off without them and your Batch would be better off without them as well, given half the chance."

A watery chuckle escaped the Crystal Gem as I finished my rant, even as she fell backwards, back plopping against the dirt.

"When you put it like that...it almost feels like I was the lucky one."

I glanced up at the sky, noting just how far along the sun had gotten. Everything was shaded now, and soon enough I'd probably need to project light from my gemstone just to be able to see where I was actually going.

Sighing again, I let myself sit down next to Amethyst regardless, knees going up to my chest as I pulled out a wrapped packet of beef jerky from my storage, ripping it in two and tossing one half of the meat at the surprised Gem.

"We all have our ups and downs in life. No one's perfect, and anyone who says they are is almost definitely lying."

The Quartz chewed on that piece of pseudo-philosophy for a moment, before snorting.

"Heh, yeah. I guess...I guess that does make me feel a bit better."

I could try and investigate a way into wherever this Kindergarten's command center was later. For now, I just smiled as the visibly happier Gem stuffed the entire half of her packet down her gullet, plastic and all.

"...Thanks, Viridian. I'm glad you and Vermi came to Earth."

...

"I'm glad we did too...shorty."

"...Hey!"

"Heh."

Chapter Text

Some fuckery ensues.

LOG-046.

"It should be...somewhere around here?"

I paused, considering the terrain around us, even as Amethyst continued to quietly whistle from behind me.

While I could remember just about every detail I had access to from my short time spent watching the show, translating a location depicted in a cartoon to somewhere in reality was a...task, to say the very least.

The whistling stopped as my gemstone began to glow, my fellow explorer stepping forward and glancing around as I sat down.

"What are you looking for anyway? Not much other than rocks and stuff around here-woah! What are those?"

I was already slotting my legs into the appropriate modules by the time she caught sight of my...well, my only real option for trying to interface with anything around here.

"Limb enhancers. Homeworld's answer to Gems that come out of the ground without their full set of capabilities, thanks to missing this or that component in their development. They're generally used by Peridots, though I've heard that other Gem types have occasionally needed them as well."

Hiss. Click. Click.

The familiar sensation of connection returned as the faux-fingers attached to my extended arms sprang to life, twirling through the air slightly as I got up, getting used to my new sense of balance.

"Wow...you're almost as tall as Garnet now!"

Turning to look down at an even shorter looking Amethyst, I smiled.

"Yes well, I suppose one of their utilities is making the wearer look a bit bigger. That's not why I need them though."

Whatever question she was going to respond with died in her mouth as I converted four of the fingers into a holoscreen, idly scrolling through a few options.

"Huh. Cool."

Let's see...if I were a technician trying to wake up old tech, where would I go?

Communications, maybe. Followed by signals and connections.

Intuitive, nice.

I let Amethyst toy with my other hand as I sorted through what, if any, signals my built-in communications suite could pick up, idly hovering a finger out of the way before the Quartz could successfully take a bite out of it.

And in the midst of what seemed to be hundreds upon hundreds of dead and repeating sections of ghost data and informational outputs...there.

Prime Kindergarten Control Room: Facet Five.

All it took was a tap, and then I was in. A few different options came up, but I was really only interested in just one at the moment. That being the command to open up the primary entrance.

Both Amethyst and I turned as a small patch of earth just a few meters away began to shake, something happening beneath it.

"What's that?"

I was already walking past her, approaching the rapidly glowing square slowly pushing its way to the surface as the executable ran through the archaic but still relatively stable system hidden just beneath us.

"Our way inside your Kindergarten's control room. Let's go."

Without further prompting, I took a single step forward and let myself fall into the hole, feet beginning to skid against perfectly cut dirt and rock as I slid down. Judging by the sound of pounding feet followed by additional skidding right behind me, Amethyst hadn't hesitated to follow as well.

"Woohoo! This is fast!"

I nodded along as the Quartz let out another woop, before frowning, my eyes tracking the mass of green machinery hidden around us.

The rapidly moving mass of green machinery hidden around us.

"It is. Possibly too fast. Hold on."

It was a second's work to reach out and grab the smaller Gem, even as one of my claws materialized over my right limb enhancer with a flash of light, the free floating fingers neatly sorting themselves inside of the oversized gauntlet right before I slammed the elongated talons into the dirt, slowing us down a fair bit.

As we continued to slide down, I felt Amethyst staring at me, and slowly turned to glance back at her suddenly thoughtful expression with a quirked brow.

"What?"

The purple Gem hummed slightly, glancing me up and down.

"You know, for someone who's less than twenty years old...you sure do know a lot of stuff. Sometimes you almost act like Garnet. Or even Rose, though a bit more serious."

Blinking (and inwardly panicking, just a little), I tilted my head.

"I was a very good listener, back in the Empire, and I was very determined to leave. Luckily, Gems like to talk about their jobs, and no one really expects a Pearl of anything besides singing, dancing, and looking pretty."

That seemed to bring the Quartz up short, even as I finally pulled my claws out from the slope and let us move a bit faster, the boots of my stolen limb enhancers pushing off the dirt and sending us flying for a second before hittng the artificial platform ahead of us with a distinct clomp.

I heard Amethyst gasp from beside me as I set her down, warily stepping towards the control station taking up the majority of the chamber. Out of the very edge of my vision, I could see her looking over the large tubes that practically saturated the place, almost like veins running through a person's body.

Of course a second later, the platform was lighting up as it registered the presence of a technician class Gem. Or at the very least, the limb enhancers of one. Solid green (almost yellow) pathways began to liven up the floor beneath me as I stepped forward, a small pedestal rising up from within a beam of light with a clear handprint set atop it.

Sighing at the (sort of) familiar sight, I placed a hand atop it, waiting as foreign yet ultimately related systems interacted with each other and attempted a standard handshake protocol.

Had I been an actual Peridot, I maybe could have gleaned just what was happening between them, but alas, I was but a mere Pearl. So from my perspective, the entire thing simply glowed to life, several of the screens around me beginning to activate whatever displays the previous Kindergartener had likely deemed relevant at the time.

"Cool. So...what are you gonna do with this?"

Glancing at Amethyst out of the corner of my eye, I brought both hands atop the small console now hovering in front of the pedestal, doing my best to manually access what I could.

The giant floating hands I remembered from the show didn't make an appearance, but I was able to start sorting through some of the initial data the system was feeding me. The status of the surface injectors (97.3% inoperational, consult superior technician immediately!), the connection to the nearby Warp pad, the projected estimates of emerging Gems (no data found) and a few other things.

"Well, I'm going to try and access the Kindergarten's sensor stations...or what's left of them, at least. There's something I need to verify the existence of, and when I do, we're gonna need to talk to Rose and the others about it."

Grunting in annoyance as more and more irrelevant screens began to pop up, I did my best to shove them out of the way, keeping an eye out for what I needed. Which...may have been a mistake in hindsight, considering something responded with an affirmative ping the second I ran my floating fingers across it in an attempt to get it out of the way.

"Uh...Vee? There's stuff coming out of the ceiling."

Glancing up, my eyes widened as several cylinders began to emerge, each vessel slowly but surely sliding downwards.

---

"Oh, and what's that?"

The Peridot (Facet 2L5P, Cut 7XC, to be specific) let out a small mumble.

Leaning past her slightly as I dusted a corner of the old monitor, I gave the technician a bright smile.

"It must be very important, if you're working on it."

And there was the usual dark green blush I was looking for as the awkward Gem grew even more flustered, a hand quickly rising to adjust her extended visor.

"W-well it's not actually that interesting. Just a little side project I've been working on during down time."

Fascinating.

My hands continued to move, the duster flashing through the air as I stepped around to her other side.

"Side project? What is it?"

Leaning forward against her desk and running a few detached fingers across the small object (about the size of a Ruby, give or take), a subdued smile attached itself to the Gem's expression as she realised I was actually still paying attention to her.

"W-well it's not all that much, just an old Era One stasis cylinder. Apparently they were used to keep Gems contained in a controlled environment, all while preventing them from reforming. The admiral requested a few of them during the last time we docked with the Confluence. Said she wanted to see if I could rig them up to keep damaged Gems stabilized until further help could arrive."

Blinking, I glanced at the small tube before nodding firmly.

"Well, it's a good thing she put you in charge of this, 7XC. I doubt anyone else could make heads or tails of it!"

The normally stoic technician just ducked her head in response to my compliment, mumbling what vaguely sounded like a "thank you, Viridian."

---

"Stasis cylinders."

The words escaped my mouth even as I tried in vain to reverse the process, but whatever executable I'd run simply wasn't having it, considering the damned things were still coming, almost invisible seams appearing around the bottoms of their forms as they began to open up.

Amethyst sounded nervous, and that nervousness only grew as a few dozen shapes dropped down to the floor with a sound similar to clinking glass.

"A-and those are?"

My eyes remained locked on the abominations sitting on the ground, unable to help themselves from trying to observe just where one gemstone ended, and the other began.

"Think of them as a more reliable bubble, sort of."

It had been one thing to consider the concept of the forced fusion cluster experiments from the perspective of a human being watching a piece of media. It was another entirely to look at the physical bodies of what I truly understood were people, violently twisted and forced together into becoming these...amalgams.

I'd felt sick plenty of times in this life, but it was only now that I had a semi-functioning digestive system that I almost felt the urge to vomit as their lightforms began to emerge, wretched shapes barely resembling the Gems they'd once been, contorting and melding and screaming as they desperately tried to reform into something that was no longer there.

"V-viridan? What...what are...?"

The small ones were bad enough, briefly thrashing about before finally forming into detached limbs that wriggled around blindly in search of their other parts. It was the larger conglomerations of corpses that fought and struggled and shrieked, shapes visibly glitching several times before they painfully reformed into utterly horrific monsters, their blinded yet somehow still aware gazes immediately turning to us.

"Cluster experiments. The remains of shattered Gems forced to fuse with one another for the sake of some twisted military project. Just another reason the Gem Empire suck. I...I heard about their existence during a meeting, and it was something I planned to deal with once I got here in order to ensure Vermilion and I could live on Earth safely, among a few other notable issues."

Swallowing thickly, I stepped closer to the visibly uncertain Quartz, one hand going to my gemstone as the mass of cluster Gems began to approach.

One of the largest ones visibly shuddered, a screech escaping their almost hand shaped lightform (if each finger also consisted of an entire limb) despite the complete lack of a mouth as they began to pick up speed. With a flash of light, my fingers clasped around a short but thick yellow handle, the rest of my newest tool extending and telescoping outwards as I flicked my wrist.

Click.

"Priming Gem destabilizer. Sorry you had to see this Amethyst, but it's best if we handle this now before someone else stumbles upon these poor Gems."

...To her credit, the short Quartz only hesitated for less than a second before summoning her own weapon, purple fists clenching around it tightly as even more of the abominations began to approach, pained noises filling the air as they did so.

Chapter Text

More fuckery.

LOG-047.

I was silent as Amethyst quietly bubbled the last melded pair of gemstones, the purple sphere disappearing almost instantly as her hand pushed it upwards. In turn, I remained focused on the screen in front of me, even as mounds of data continued to scroll across the screen.

Dealing with the cluster fusions had been...easier than expected. Though maybe I shouldn't have been too surprised, in the end. We were two fully formed Gems, one a dedicated warrior type and the other equipped with a tool explicitly designed to discorporate lightforms, up against a bunch of writhing, mostly insane science experiments.

Just poking them with the tip of the destabilizer had been enough, honestly. Their twisted bodies had barely been held together in between all of the internal conflict, most likely, so it had been even easier to put them down in comparison to a normal, fully functioning Gem. To say it was a fight would be...largely innacurate. It was more like a really gross form of clean up, really.

"We're gonna have a lot of explaining to do when we get back, especially when someone notices all the new bubbles in the burning room."

Nodding slightly in response to the Quartz's words, I swept a hand to the side, dismissing several Kindergarten completion estimates (all displaying various errors) and focusing on the tab indicating the other sites the primary control system still had moderate access to.

"And we will, I just need to...there, getting it now."

Out of the seventy four sensor stations that were supposed to keep track of the hemisphere the Kindergarten was located on, only three were still largely functional, and two of them were apparently displaying signs of widescale system degradation, if their automated status reports were to be believed. Thankfully, one didn't need the most advanced scanners in the Empire in order to detect the utter mass of slowly growing energy present somewhere just adjacent to the Earth's core, not when Gem tech was involved.

"Hm."

I heard Amethyst stepping up next to me, even as I plugged one of my enhancers into the wall nearby and did my best to initiate an informational transfer. It stopped and started a few times, namely thanks to me selecting the wrong stuff, but I'd seen the Peridots onboard the Retaliator do the exact same thing plenty of times, so it didn't take too long to essentially download the data I needed after inputting the correct commands.

"...What is that?"

Glancing down as my fellow Gem stared at the vague visual representation of the thing that was supposed to kill her home planet, I hesitated before patting the console slightly.

"It's what I was most concerned about. The experiments we just dealt with were effectively the trial run of this one. The Cluster."

Her eyes widened in response, staring at the image of Earth overlayed atop the jagged mass.

"Wait, so..."

Sighing, I nodded at the question visibly flitting across her eyes.

"It's around that big, yes. From what I understand, it's a geoweapon composed of millions of shattered Gem shards, meant to incubate within this world's core and mantle before finally forming into...whatever it might form into."

Gems didn't have blood, so they didn't exactly go pale either. Amethyst managed a pretty decent impression of it though.

"But...then what would happen to Earth?"

I planted a hand atop the purple Quartz's shoulder, trying my best to give her a reassuring smile.

"It would crack open like one of the eggs you showed me. But that's a few decades away if I'm reading this information right, which is why we're going to go tell the others about this and find a way to keep that from happening. Yeah?"

That same lost look remained affixed to her face for a moment, before her expression visibly hardened.

"R-right. Let's go. Let's go right now."

Well...at least she was staying relatively positive about it?

---

Getting back to the temple had been far quicker than getting over to the Kindergarten control room, namely because we actually knew exactly where we were going this time. The primary issue is that the second I stepped off the Warp pad I had a pair of hands grabbing the front of my dress and physically hauling me into the air.

"Garnet!"

Amethyst's panicked exclamation went ignored as I was forced to stare into my own wide eyes in the fusion's reflective visor, the tips of my limb enhancers just barely brushing the floor.

A second passed, before her expression contorted, lips trembling slightly as she tilted her head back and to the side, directing my gaze to a concerned pair of Pearls and a horrified looking Rose Quartz, all three of the Gems gathered around a singular bubble.

"...You have something to do with...that. Talk."

I could hear Amethyst trying to explain things, could see Rose preparing to admonish Garnet as the hiden Diamond stood up from the crouch she'd taken, Pearl and Vermilion both glancing at each other warily, the red Gem in question warily staring at the limb enhancers adorning my arms and legs.

Then my entire lightform tensed as the fusion's hand shifted to grab hold of my shoulder, a familiar voice running through my mind, even if it was just a mere phantom at this point.

"Make me proud."

Smack.

Three shocked eyes stared at me as her visor clattered to the ground, the resounding slap I'd given her almost seeming to echo in the small chamber containing the temple's Warp pad.

Silence reigned, for just an instant.

Resisting the urge to snarl like some rabid fucking animal, I instead did my best to restrict the raging desire to form my claws and tear into the rebel's lightform into a merely scathing glare instead.

Yep, the paragon of self control, that's me.

"Garnet, I know you have future vision, you've mentioned it multiple times. So look into that future now. In it, we are going to talk about a few very important things quite shortly, but if you don't let me go right now, there are going to be problems between us. Do you understand me?"

I'd taken endless shit since being brought into this damned universe, like Hell was I going to accept even more of it while acting as a free Gem, no matter how much certain aspects of my programming were screaming that I'd just made a fatal mistake.

In the end, it merely justified my decision even more, alongside the fact that after a second of bewildered hesitation, Garnet's grip loosened, letting me land on the floor with the clack of my booted feet hitting the ground.

Scowling at the Gem (Amethyst was right, the added height really did put me at eye level with her), I made a dramatic and entirely unnecessary show of unruffling the folds of my dress before gesturing towards the middle of the chamber, detached fingers twirling slightly and drawing a few eyes in the process.

"All of you are going to want to sit down for this. Trust me."

---

"Alright, and keep in mind we have, at minimum, about two decades before it starts getting more active than it currently is. So, let's run it down from the top. Rose?"

The fake Quartz blinked, before sadly glancing down at the purple bubble carefully set within her lap.

"Homeworld performed some kind of...forced fusion-" The utter disgust and loathing in her voice was almost physical, granted that same attitude seemed to be prevalent amongst the rest of the Crystal Gems, for what were fairly obvious reasons. "-experiments, near the latter half of the war. These are the small ones."

Nodding, I held up a hand, letting four fingers form a holoscreen as I glanced over at Garnet.

"With their ultimate goal being the creation of what they call the Cluster. Which is..."

The fusion stubbornly remained silent, though considering the almost audible creaking of her fists clenching, she was most definitely still paying attention. Instead, it was a hesitant Pearl that raised a hand, eyes fixed on the jagged form of the main topic of my impromptu little 'lecture.'

"An amalgam of countless Gem shards, which Yellow Diamond herself intends to form into a geoweapon that will...destroy Earth. Stars, how could we have missed something like..."

The Gem brought a hand up to rub at her face, visibly weary.

"I'm sorry, I just-it's bothering me. How do you know all of this? You're barely even two decades old yourself, how could you possibly have learned about...about any of this!? And what are you wearing!?"

Huffing slightly, I hefted the still formed holoscreen for emphasis.

"I'm currently equipped with a stolen set of limb enhancers, which isn't relevant right now. As for how I know about this, I already told you that part. I served beneath a highly ranked fleet admiral before breaking away from the Empire, and I attended a meeting where Yellow Diamond was involved. Her Pearl was...chatty, to say the very least."

I ignored the renegade's almost silently mumbled "that doesn't seem like her..." and instead focused on Rose as the giant pink lady leaned forward, careful to avoid accidentally popping the bubble she was holding.

"And yet you still came here, despite all the dangers...why?"

Holding back a massive sigh, I ducked my head.

"I figured that if there was any world the Empire wouldn't touch anytime soon, it was this one. I planned to hopefully deal with all of this myself, given enough time. With no Cluster to extract, I figured they'd just finally give up and abandon this place for good. And then Vermilion and I ran into...well, you. Meeting all of you was just...a happy accident, I suppose."

Lies, lies, and more lies. I'd have enough to build a Diamond sized throne of them, at this point.

Still easier to lie than try to justify extraversel knowledge, though. Explaining the concept of a cartoon about them to them would probably be just as complicated as explaining the fucking Cluster, if in an entirely different way.

Regardless, my statement seemed to leave the Gems stuck in thought for a few moments, in which a quiet Vermilion slowly sidled closer to me, concerned gaze moving up and down my form.

"Are...are you alright? You looked really angry when Garnet-"

She went silent as I held up a hand, this time finally breaking and letting a sigh escape my mouth.

"I'll be fine. She didn't know, and from what I understand fusion seems to be a very important thing to her. So...how about you? Did you manage to contact Rebecca before you came back?"

The Pearl stared at my brazen attempt to shift the conversation elsewhere, before slowly nodding.

"Becky. But...yes. She says she'll be coming to Beach City to visit her 'cousin' soon, so we'll get a chance to see her then."

I blinked, tilting my head slightly even as the Crystal Gems began to converse between themselves just a short ways away, Amethyst gesticulating wildly at Pearl, all while Garnet continued to stare at the bubble clasped between a despondent Rose's hands.

I'd try and mend bridges with her later, Stars knew I didn't need a fusion with a component Ruby and Sapphire pissed at me. As for the rest...they'd get better. They had to, unless they actually wanted to leave dealing with everything up to me, which would fucking suck. For various reasons.

"Did she say who her cousin was?"

The crimson Gem paused, before nodding.

"Yes. I'm...still not entirely certain what Vidalia is supposed to be, but I think she's sort of like Becky's Batchmate?"

...

Huh.

Small world, I guess.

Chapter Text

More Emerald. Heeheehoohoohaha.

LOG-048.

"Picking up multiple contact readings, my Emerald. Imperial ones."

8XS glanced down at the nervous Peridot for a moment, before nodding firmly.

"How many systems have we made it through since moving on from the graveyard?"

A moment of silence passed, followed by several sounds indicating a console being accessed.

"Three hundred and forty six at a rough estimate, my Emerald, though I can't be sure since we've been hopping in and out so much. We're moving very slowly thanks to the Warp engine's compromised state and repairs are underway but-what are we going to do now? I'm reading at least three separate vessels on a direct intercept course...and they're gaining."

The admiral's eyes cooly regarded the assortment of holographic screens floating amongst her throne, a finger tapping against an armrest as she considered their newest hurdle.

"...We can't outrun them, not with modern engines like theirs. But we can outmanoeuvre them long enough to make it to the next jump. It should give us enough time to let the engineers repair everything properly and follow whatever route Viridian and...Vermilion took."

The name she'd gotten from the Lapis felt alien, even now. But Emerald begrudgingly admitted it...suited Sixteen A, especially with how it played along with her fellow Pearl's designation.

Viridian and Vermilion. Hmph.

...She could almost feel the gazes of the rest of the bridge practically piercing into her lightform at the second name, but she ignored it the same way she'd ignored a Diamond's orders, instead focusing on getting the Retaliator and their newly refurbished robonoid corvette (jokingly dubbed the Deserter by the crew, much to her annoyance), through this latest asteroid field without getting Stars knew how many dents added to both of their hulls.

All as previous, complicated conversations continued to play within and throughout her mind.

---

The rock cutter trapped within the third cell she entered was...different, when compared to her fellow rebels. The Citrine had been utterly stubborn, responding only with threats and insults, the rogue warrior class Gem living up to her facet, even if in an astoundingly infuriating way. She'd almost reminded Emerald of her own bodyguards, as a matter of fact.

The not-Pearl had been her own brand of strangeness. Seemingly almost completely resistant to questioning, and even mocking at times with the way she provided answers that only seemed purposefully designed to provoke 8XS into making further mistakes born out of anger.

But the Lapis Lazuli...Emerald had expected a lot of things. But what she hadn't expected was the blue Gem practically lunging at her, not in the form of an attack, but rather to grab at and stare at her with wide eyes as almost panicked questions poured out of her mouth in a deluge of noise. Yes, she was a civilian Gem, but most Lazulis she'd met (usually during her brief patrols and landings within the territories of newly developing colonies) tended to maintain at least a basic sense of decorum whenever possible.

"Where is Viridian!? Do you have her!? Is she safe!? What about Vermilion?! O-or Quille and Talon? Did they make it out-oof!"

A rough shove was enough to send the defective thing (part of her hesitated to even think of the term, considering her own current circumstances) stumbling back into a wall, even as Emerald levelled a sneer her way.

"You will maintain your distance, Lazuli."

That was enough to seemingly remind the Gem just where she was, considering her eyes narrowed a second later, hands visibly twitching to presumably make use of water that simply wasn't there for her to control.

Emerald merely narrowed her eyes in turn, a tight lipped smile affixing itself to her face as she took a firm step forward, crossing her arms behind her back as she did so.

"I am Emerald Facet 2M7G, cut 8XS. Admiral and captain of this vessel, alongside Viridian's rightful owner. Judging by your initial questions, you most likely have knowledge of her. As for the others, your fellow Gems remain incarcerated within different sections of the brig you now find yourself in, though I know not of a Vermilion."

The narrowed eyes turned into a scathing glare as the Lazuli pushed herself up against the wall behind her, standing up straight.

"You...Viridian and Vermilion talked about you. Scattered Skies, you don't even know your slave's damned name, do you?"

Emerald frowned. Viridian had spoken about her, no doubt while under interrogation. Unfortunate, though she couldn't truly blame her. The poor, delicate thing likely hadn't lasted long under the cruel clutches of her organic captors, no matter how steadfastly she might have attempted to hold out with her usual flawless exterior.

...Damn it all. They had to be okay. They had to be. They'd almost certainly been aboard that Roaming Eye, for Stars' sake.

"If you are referring to my Pearls, then you must mean Sixteen A."

A second passed, a shocked look crossing over the pirate's face.

"Her name is Vermilion!"

Then the admiral's eyes widened as the Lapis lunged once more, the officer bringing up an arm to hold back the suddenly aggressive Gem even as her counterpart clumsily swung a fist, her other hand moving to her suddenly glowing gemstone.

She tensed for a second, wondering just what the rebel might be planning, before shock overcame her as the terraformer pulled a stream of light outwards, the glowing mass rapidly travelling downwards until it finally coalesced at her bare feet.

Then Emerald was rapidly stepping backwards as the Lazuli lashed out with a kick, a trio of wickedly sharp talons attached to what seemed to be armoured footwear just barely missing her eyes.

Stars above, a terraformer with a summoned weapon. Just how insane could these Gems get!?

Sidestepping another kick, this one more of a thrusting motion, Emerald struck forth with an attack of her own, open palm impacting the rebel's largely exposed shoulder and sending her slamming back into the wall with a pained grunt once more.

Rapidly moving forward, 8XS followed up with another strike, a solid punch to the torso drawing a wheezing gasp from the Lazuli before she slid back down to the floor.

To the rogue's credit, she attempted to get up mere seconds later. Unfortunately for said attempt, Emerald's booted foot also came down mere seconds later, roughly pinning the blue Gem to the ground.

Leaning down slightly, the admiral held back the furious snarl she wanted to open up with, instead keeping her voice low and (hopefully) dangerous enough to impress upon the rock cutter just who was in charge her.

"So, you did have my Pearls. What did you do to them? Where did they go?"

The Lapis struggled for a moment, trying to push herself up only for Emerald to apply just a little more pressure, drawing yet another pained gasp from her captive.

"L-like I'd tell you! Wherever they went, it's probably as far as they can get from you and your damned Empire!"

The urge to simply bring her boot up and down in a swift shattering strike continued to grow, even as a severe frown once more stretched the admiral's features downwards.

"And just why would they do such a thing?! Hm?! After the torture you and your filthy band of organic pirates no doubt put them through!"

This time, it was the Lazuli that openly snarled, clearly in less control of herself than 8XS was, all while doing her best to twist around in her position to glare back up at the Emerald.

"Torture?! They came willingly! Anything to get away from you and your regime! Clearly Viridian figured she and Vermilion were better off with us than with you-"

Emerald could practically feel the blue Gem's lightform giving way as she pressed down even harder, her fists violently shaking at her sides.

"Stop! LYING! Viridian is a loyal Gem! She has served me faithfully since her creation, and has always been a valued member of this vessel's crew! For what purpose would she ever seek to leave!?"

---

Yes, that 'conversation' in particular had mostly gone on in circles, over and over until Emerald had finally gotten sick of the uppity Lazuli's lies and discorporated her form in a brief fit of uncharacteristic rage. She'd be fine once she reformed, though, so there was no lasting harm truly done.

...Even if the entire thing had struck some form of chord within her. There was something about how...earnest the blue Gem had been. She was angry at Emerald, seemingly...supposedly more on the behalf of the admiral's Pearls rather than herself.

It brought feelings of...doubt, to say the very least. Not a good sensation to have. Especially with her crew depending on her as they were now. She was torn from her thoughts by the voice of one of the bridge's resident Jaspers, the Quartz visibly tense at her post.

"My Emerald, sensors have confirmed the enemy fleet composition! A cruiser and two destroyers! They...they're hailing us, admiral!"

Hailing them. Just like all the other ships had. She'd held out hope at first, up until the first Nephrite she'd spoken to had demanded immediate surrender, proclaiming that the entire crew were to be shattered with both 8XS and the Retaliator itself being 'repossessed.'

Rejuvenated, in more brutal terms. An untold fate for an Emerald, which only further drove home just how truly cracked her new existence had become in such an astoundingly short amount of time.

"...Divert power to engines and shields. Ignore the hail, they're likely just going to rant about my betrayal like the other captains we've run into. For now, we'll lose them amidst the asteroid field and initiate a staggered Warp jump once we clear it ourselves, that should let us lose them for a while."

That doubt was shaken aside, locked away into a darker part of her mind for later perusal and evaluation. For now, she would simply focus on getting them where they needed to go. Namely, away from their pursuers, and back on the trail her lost Pearls had hopefully taken.

She could consider the possible validity (no matter how preposterous, Emerald was not one to ignore potential factors in a situation) of the rogue Lapis Lazuli's words at another time. Maybe when she was in a better mood.

Chapter Text

Ooaaoogghhaaoogh.

LOG-049.

"I'll grab my usual."

Two weeks. That's about how long it took for the Crystal Gems to get their collective shit in gear and actually start planning (without panicking like a bunch of headless chickens in the process) on how to potentially deal with the Cluster.

"Two chocolates in a bag, let me get that for you, Dewey."

Sure, they'd started throwing out plenty of suggestions near the beginning, but they'd still been tinged with the startled horror of finally knowing just where all those buried shards of their friends and comrades had eventually ended up. From what I understood, Rose was still running around somewhere, probably up to all sorts of sneaky shit.

Not that I was one to talk, to be fair.

"That will be a dollar and twenty three cents, please."

"Of course-oh, and keep the tip!"

Money exchanged hands quickly enough, and what would potentially be Beach City's future mayor at some point flashed me a smile before making his way out, exchanging high fives with some girl waiting outside for him.

I smiled back, quickly depositing the spare change in my gemstone.

As for the others...Amethyst and Vermilion had briefly tried to involve themselves before effectively stating they had little to nothing they could truly contribute outside following the directions of others, and had promptly fucked off to go track down Rebecca in what I was interpreting as some weird attempt to calm themselves down.

Garnet had also disappeared, usually spending most of her time in the burning room, if Rose was to be believed whenever the hidden Diamond made her occasional visits back to the temple in between doing...whatever she was doing.

It had all eventually settled into a weird form of monotony, only really broken up by me occasionally going back down to the Kindergarten to try and get more info out of the decrepit control interface I'd managed to boot up, usually with a curious Pearl (staring at everything, including me, with a strange look in her eyes) in tow.

"Hmph."

A quick glance out the window ensured I'd have at least a moment of peace. Settling down atop the counter, I hummed a short, contemplative tune. A flash of light later and I had my notepad in my hands, pages flipping rapidly as I went through some of the plans I'd begun workshopping with the renegade in question.

Say what you would about Rose's unrequited lover (or not, I wasn't quite sure of just what strange dynamic they truly had), but she was the first Gem to suggest getting me to some of the other sensor stations to see if I could get them working again, in the hopes of getting us a clearer picture of the Cluster's general rate of growth. It...kind of felt like it bothered her, my own knowledge. She'd been particularly slow to admit that, despite her own affinity for tinkering with makeshift tech, she just wasn't very familiar with existing machinery.

Of course the unfortunately short answer to that plan was that I fucking couldn't. To both her paradoxical disappointment and delight. I could access certain systems with my Limb Enhancers (safely tucked away in my storage for now) and I could maybe kickstart a familiar module here or there, but outright repairing Gem technology more complicated than the straight forward (relative to other Gem tech) engine of a deliberately simple, mass produced fighter?

Nope. Especially considering just about everything on Earth was archaic in comparison to what I was used to, which didn't make things at all simpler. And yet somehow despite that irrefutable fact, the band of rebels had apparently decided that I was now their resident tech expert when it came to actually getting Imperial shit to work-

"Viridian."

The urge to yelp and leap at least a foot into the air was strangled before it could affect my lightform, but my eyes did dart to the tall form of Garnet far more quickly than they usually did.

She was suddenly just there. Because of course she was.

Repressing the urge to scowl slightly at the surprise appearance, I instead just stared up at the Gem with my usual quirked brow.

"Garnet. Hello. Is...there something you needed?"

"Why are you here?" Went relatively unsaid.

In the end, a short second passed in silence, one in which I noticed the fusion holding something behind her back.

Thoughts flashed through my head as her arm began to move, my body tensing in response. Was she still attributing me to all of this? Was she pissed I'd talked down at her in front of the other Gems? Maybe she-

"I...just wanted to apologize for my actions back when you returned with Amethyst. It was uncalled for and I was wrong to accuse you of being involved with...what you discovered."

My eyelids went up and down in a slow blink as the taller rebel gently placed a pizza box down on the counter, accompanied by a soda of some kind.

...Oh.

...

...Fucking stupid. Dumbass. Idiot Pearl. Clod.

For whatever reason, I felt the rather extreme need to wipe my hand across my eyes, ducking my head slightly as the fusion let her hand fall.

"T-thank you. I appreciate it and...I'm sorry I reacted the way I did as well. I could have most certainly been calmer about things, given the situation."

Fuck, I was getting soft. Getting to Earth really had made me such a crybaby, even after such a short time.

Stars, I hadn't even used a closet since getting here...though that was probably a good thing.

...Mmph.

Firmly shoving that particular thought into the pit of other particular thoughts I didn't quite like, I glanced up at Garnet again, doing my best to bring up a smile.

"No hard feelings?"

Another second passed, before her lips quirked upwards, ever so slightly.

"No hard feelings."

Nodding in relief, I let loose a sigh, hands already settling atop the pizza box and opening it up.

Extra cheese. Nice.

I was just in the middle of eagerly taking a bite out of the first slice when the fusion crossed her arms, a glint of light somehow flickering across the surface of her visor.

"Pearl is thinking about asking to fuse with you."

Hurk.

Firmly forcing down and swallowing the stray bit of crust, I glared up at the cheeky shit, who was already smirking at my reaction.

"I-" Cough. "-see. Is there...is there any particular reason why?"

Nodding, the pair of lesbians in a trenchcoat brought a hand up to her chin, rubbing it slightly.

"She was thinking about how you learned to shapeshift a digestive system thanks to you and Amethyst forming Slate. The fact is, we need someone that can figure out how to get us access to some of the more complicated Imperial structures on Earth if we're going to find a way to actually isolate just where the Cluster is, exactly. You getting the Kindergarten control room up and running was a good start, but it's not enough."

The hand went up, adjusting her visor.

"You both have talents in specific areas, but your lack of knowledge in others is holding you back from making the best of those skills right now. Pearl figured...you could perhaps shore up each other's weaknesses."

At my blink, the rebel shifted slightly, frowning in what seemed to be discomfort.

"Her words, not mine. But I'm seeing a lot more favourable timelines if you go through with it, and you've seemed pretty open to fusion so far. I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask since Pearl isn't quite willing to just yet. She's a bit nervous around you."

Nervous? Odd, but hopefully not something that would cause problems later down the line.

As for fusing with her...well, the logic was fairly sound. My counterpart was good at improvising and actually physically assembling/interacting with things when it came to generic technology, and I knew how to make basic alterations when it came to outright Imperial computers and machinery, even if they were minor at best.

Smash those values together and we could maybe pass off as a half baked Peridot or something.

Hm.

Taking another bite of the slice in my hand, I chewed for a few seconds, swallowed, then nodded.

"Alright. My shift ends in a few hours, tell her to meet me outside the Roaming Eye whenever she's available. May as well give it a try and all that."

Garnet's only response was a barely perceptible nod, followed by a slightly wider smile, as if she'd already seen the end result.

...Probably because she literally had.

Fucking precogs.

Chapter Text

Groovin.

LOG-050.

The sky was getting somewhat dark by the time I finally heard light footsteps originating from within the temple's confines, even as I stood up from my position sat down against the base of the Roaming Eye's ramp, storing away my notepad back into my gemstone as I did so.

Then I was staring at Pearl, and she was staring back somewhat awkwardly, neither of us seemingly willing to make the first move. A little ways behind her, a certain fusion was standing back with her arms crossed, a patient expression plastered across her face.

...Fine.

Putting on a polite smile, I inclined my head slightly.

"Pearl. I assume Garnet told you I was willing to try out your...idea?"

Thankfully, that seemed more than enough to finally animate my counterpart, what tension had suffused her lightform slowly draining away as she nodded quickly, stepping forward and gesticulating with her hands.

"Ah-yes. My apologies for being so indirect about all of this, Viridian. I...hadn't anticipated Garnet seeking you out on my behalf."

Moving away from the Roaming Eye and approaching her in turn, I let my hands settle behind my back in a respectful, if slightly more relaxed stance.

"I can't say I did either...regardless, the concept has merit. I've been looking through some of the Kindergarten's systems in my off time but...I just can't quite piece it together fully, not without actually interfacing with the machinery itself and rooting around a little bit, which I don't know how to do safely. I...can understand the basic programs keeping everything together, but actually getting useful information out of it that could help is, unfortunately, rather beyond me at the moment."

I paused, glancing at Garnet for a second before turning back to Pearl, the renegade having finally settled to a stop in front of me.

"Which, I suppose, is where you would come in?"

Fingers tapped against each other as the Gem hesitantly nodded, an uncertain look taking over her expression.

"That is my general view of things, yes. I figured that, considering how well you've handled fusion so far-first with Vermilion, and then eventually even Amethyst, we might prove compatible as well! You...seem to have a much better handle on the more computational aspects than I do, and, not to boast of course, but I've become rather handy with physical technology myself! Over the past few thousand years, that is."

...Stars, it still didn't quite click in my mind that, given time, I would eventually get to be that age, provided nothing horrible happened. What would I even be like in a hundred years? What about a thousand years? Would I change? Would I stay the same like most Gems seemed to?

Unaware of my inner thoughts, Pearl continued, weight idly shifting from one foot to the other.

"As such, I believe that merging our individual skillsets together, in a more literal fashion, might yield improved results compared to our current attempts at resolving things."

She paused, that uncertainty flaring back up a little as she wound down from her brief tirade.

"I just...didn't want you to feel pressured. I suppose. I understand all of this is so new to you and Vermilion-Stars, believe me when I say that I felt very lost back when I first came to Earth, but-"

She stopped when I held up my hand, sighing.

"It's alright. I...appreciate you trying to look out for me, very much so, but I'm more than willing to try fusing if it means, at the very least, finding a proper way to deal with the Cluster."

At her sudden stare, I felt a small bit of heat rise to my cheeks, one hand going up to brush my hair out of my face as I awkwardly shifted in place.

"As you can no doubt deduce, I've become...rather invested in this planet, and really would prefer if it wasn't damaged. So...I suppose the question is...would you care to try out your theory?"

Understatement of the century, for various reasons. Yet it seemed to work, considering my outstretched hand was accepted by Pearl's own less than a second later, the rebel smiling brightly as we began to move back and forth, gently.

"I would be more than happy to."

Giving her a small smile back, I nodded. "Then we're in agreement, excellent. If it's all the same, you lead, please. I'd imagine you have more experience in this than I do."

My handing over of authority only seemed to invigorate Pearl, as the flowing motions between us began to quicken. "Of course! Just keep in mind that we need to focus on a goal if this particular fusion is going to work. Dancing together will only get us so far considering we don't know each other all that much. Just try and think of something that both of us can agree on. Grace, perhaps? Or-or saving the Earth! Though...those might be too vague or long-term, I suppose."

I closed my eyes, slowly letting my counterpart twirl me around as I thought her suggestion through, before pulling in close to her at her silent behest.

What would both of us agree about? Something short-term and concrete enough that the hypothetical fusion could focus on, but that both of us actually cared about?

"...Putting our talents to good use? I think that's a rather solid goal that both of us share, no?"

Her only response was an agreeable nod, even as we shifted into the next part of our impromptu choreography. It was almost familiar, the smooth, swaying motions I was slowly replicating as I continued to follow along with her lead.

Part of me almost wanted to compare it to some of the routines taught at the Reef, but there were sections that were simply too expressive, compared to the restricted, inherently submissive postures the Nacres had (sometimes literally) beaten into us.

Yet regardless of my inner thoughts, as Pearl and I continued our dance the initial awkwardness eventually began to melt away, replaced by a sense of synchronicity somewhat familiar to what I'd achieved with Vermilion. It likely helped that I actually knew what I was doing now, and that my partner was all but an expert in this, second only to Garnet or maybe Rose. Each step, each twirl, and each movement started to flow naturally between us, as if our bodies had always known this silent rhythm we were now moving to.

Eventually, Pearl's movements grew more intricate, and I mirrored her with increasing precision. Our steps became faster, more deliberate, a seamless blend of grace and intent. The temple's dim light danced along the edge of my vision, casting elongated shadows that flickered across our intertwined lightforms.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched a now smiling Garnet give a thumbs up, even as I internalized a new fact I'd learned today.

Pearl was really, really good at dancing. The entire Batch would have been obsessed with her, if they'd ever met.

And as said dancing continued, the world around us seemed to blur, fading into the background as our shared goal took center stage in my mind. I needed to focus on what I wanted, just as my partner was no doubt doing right now.

Soon enough, it almost became a mantra, repeated with each step and each turn.

Talent. Purpose. Solving problems. Solving problems with talent.

Over and over and over, my mind and body both going through their respective motions, in their own ways, just as Pearl's no doubt did as well.

I don't know for sure just how long we danced. It could have been a few minutes, or even a few hours worth of just contorting around each other in increasingly complex and elaborate ways, but the end result was the same regardless.

My fingers intertwined with hers, our lightforms gently pressing together in an elegant, glorified hug as we both opened our eyes, heads ducking forward simultaneously.

Those bright blue eyes, staring back into my own with an unreadable look, were the last thing I saw before everything finally went white.

---

Did it work?

...

Yes. Yes it did. Excellent.

Chapter Text

She a bit of a freak.

LOG-051.

"Oh man, that was awesome! Hey, you got that Vidalia girl's number, right? Did Becky give it to you?"

Vermilion smiled at the Quartz's persistent questioning, one hand going down to her gemstone and pulling out a small piece of paper in a flash of bright light. With a flourish, the material was brandished, the Pearl taking on a pleased look at her apparent prize.

"Home phone number and address! Additionally, I now also have two gasoline based lighters, a trio of empty liquor bottles, and seventeen separate thumbtacks!"

Then the red Gem was yelping in surprise as her shorter purple counterpart lifted her over a shoulder while laughing, hopping over the fence leading into the temple and setting the Pearl down with a grin.

"Sweet! We've gotta hang out with them more! I still need to figure out how the bong thing worked-"

The overcooked soldier Gem paused, eyes widening as a bright flash of light lit up the path leading over towards where Viridian had parked the Roaming Eye some time ago, the ship in question blocking whatever the source had been.

"...What was that?"

The Pearl's nervous question prompted a second of consideration from Amethyst. Then in the next second, the Quartz was grabbing the now uncertain Gem by the hand and rushing around the crimson craft's bulk, a curious energy suffusing her lightform.

"No idea, but I wanna find out! Maybe Rose or the others figured something out while we were...gone?"

Jogging turned to walking, until finally her steps petered to a stop altogether, Vermilion hesitantly leaning around her and glancing at the sight of a tall, strangely garbed figure seemingly talking to herself.

"How utterly fascinating. Enhanced lightform mechanics, and I've even come equipped with...a jester's outfit? Hm, that could mean more than a few things. Some definite implications there, probably."

Then her eyes also widened as the unknown newcomer finally caught the light, a pair of almost luminous eyes flicking away from staring back at a bemused looking Garnet to glance at them in turn.

A moment passed, before Amethyst let out a low whistle, her arms crossing as she did so.

"Are you gonna fuse with everybody Viridian? You're giving Garnet a run for her money!"

Whatever the Quartz had been expecting, it wasn't an amused chuckle as the large Pearl shifted in place, one hand rising up to flick at a small golden bell hanging from one of the drooping points of her headwear, mouth quirking upwards at the almost inaudible jingle that resulted from the action.

"Yes well, that particular component of mine just so apparently happens to have a rather delightful talent for it. Quite useful in keeping things fairly stable, you see. Though I do wonder just how well she would handle a multi-Gem fusion?"

The hand moved, fingers clicking across the air as the large Pearl pulled forth a pair of small hologram from her upper and lower gemstones, the light green surface of the constructs remaining blank before lines upon lines of gemglyph began to rapidly scroll across them.

"Something to account for in the distant future, perhaps. I'll take a few notes and transcribe them for her and Pearl's future use. Though perhaps they'll simply remember all this anyway."

Her eyes narrowed at the swiftly shifting text, before she banished the holograms with a flick of her fingers, a confident, almost mischievous looking expression plastering itself across her face. Slightly narrow eyes and a wide, open mouthed grin giving her a more lively look.

"Ah-but do pardon my lacking manners, oh fellow Gems of mine. Allow me to introduce myself!"

The rest of her lightform followed suit, figure twirling in place until her arms remained outstretched, body leaning over with a slight tilt and her legs locked in a wide stance as she made an almost welcoming gesture that swiftly transitioned into a dramatic bow, the small bells attached to her hat jingling with the motion.

"You may refer to me as...Harlequin? Yes, Harlequin Pearl. It suits the outfit at least, wherever that might have come from. Though I'm more of a teal or turquoise in actual colour...hm."

A second of thought distracted the Pearl, Harlequin, apparently, her expression almost seeming to waver before she waved a hand quickly back and forth, as if brushing off the idea as her previous posture reaffirmed itself.

"Bah! Semantics! Let's not get too caught up in them, there's work to be done, after all!"

Amethyst blinked as the tall Gem strode past her, long legs draped between the lower, almost dress-like portion of her long coat quickly carrying her towards the Roaming Eye.

"...What work? We just got here!"

The fusion paused, glancing at the purple Quartz out of the corner of her eye even as she somewhat idly adjusted one of her patterned cuffs.

"Why, solving the numerous issues we've gotten ourselves caught up in, my dear Amethyst! The Cluster needs to be dealt with swiftly, after all. There are materials to gather, components to fabricate and synthesize, machines to reactivate and direct! Lots and lots and lots of little things to work on before the big project comes together!"

Her eyes narrowed once again, a slight frown overtaking her expression.

"Alongside a few other key details that I'm going to have to manage personally, seeing as no one else has seen fit to do so." One hand went to her hip, the large Pearl carefully inspecting the ship in front of her for apparently faults even as she idly tapped a gloved finger against the side of her head, almost seeming to glare at herself.

"Now now, don't be so concerned. Getting access to those legs will improve our situation significantly, at least in the immediate resource department."

The frown deepened, Vermilion and Amethyst glancing at each other in concern as the fusion seemingly fought with herself, Garnet hesitantly beginning to take a step forward before that same smooth, confident and ever so eager look returned to Harlequin's face.

"It's us. Me. If anyone can do it, I can!"

As the fusion nodded to herself, seemingly reassured, Vermilion hesitantly raised a finger.

"Ah...H-harlequin? Is...is there anything we can do to help? Uhm...maybe I can carry things for you!"

The question prompted a confused glance from the larger Pearl, before she turned fully, heels clicking together as she returned her red counterpart's uncertain look with an indulgent smile.

"Your desire to assist directly is most appreciated, Vermilion, but allow me to assure you..." A clap almost seemed to shake the air, before the space around the fusion was filled with several streams of light emitted from her upper gemstone, quickly coalescing into familiar forms.

Pearls. Holographic ones with outfits similar to the fusion, their faux-eyes glowing a bright green, but Pearls nonetheless. A flick of her hand sent two of them rushing up the ramp into the Roaming Eye, even as another flick sent the remaining pair moving towards the temple with dainty, flowing steps guiding their translucent forms.

"My little holorinas will serve well enough as simple assistants for the time being. Although..."

That same hand slowly went up to her chin, Harlequin's expression turning considering.

"...see if you can't track down Rose for me, when you get the chance. She'll no doubt return from her little secret trips with that boytoy of hers soon enough. When she does, tell her I'll be awaiting her presence at the Kindergarten, would you dear?"

The crimson Pearl merely nodded back numbly, even as Amethyst noticed the latter two 'holorinas' sprinting back towards the ship, arms full of various items as they scrambled up the boarding ramp.

"Wha-hey! That's my fridge! I need that!"

Unfortunately for the Quartz, Harlequin's only response was a small, almost cheeky wave as she stepped up the ramp herself, body ducking low as she passed through the entrance.

"Don't get yourself caught up in a tizzy Amethyst! I'll bring it right back once I harvest some of the more useful material from its innards! Problems to solve and all that. I'll be taking the Eye as well, it should prove useful beyond just getting me to areas beyond the reach of the Warp network."

Those luminous eyes continued to stare at them, even as the ramp began to pull back into the craft's hull, the doors beginning to close.

"Well I'm off! We'll see each other again soon enough, with luck. Tata for now!"

And with that, the ship was taking off, all three Gems staring as its red form lifted into the air before almost immediately speeding off into the distance.

A beat of silence passed, before Amethyst twisted in place to stare at Garnet, her hands thrown into the air in a mix of mild frustration and bewilderment.

"What was that?!"

The fusion remained silent for a moment, before slowly adjusting her visor.

"...Harlequin, apparently. She's a bit...off right now, I think. But she'll level out later. Don't worry, she'll give you back your fridge. Plus it was already broken anyway."

---

The moment I stepped up towards the primary navigation console, I let myself relax a fair amount, the firm mask I'd kept affixed to my face cracking ever so slightly as my components continued to cautiously dance around each other.

Apparently we, or rather I needed to slow down, for a first time fusion I was showing remarkable stability, but...something seemed wrong about it. My personality, fabulous as it was, already felt far too dominant considering just how new I was to this, and yet part of me couldn't help but hurry along regardless. There was so much to do, so many issues that I could resolve if I just applied myself.

There was another vessel on this planet. I knew that much. And I wanted what was on it.

My expression twisted, fist clenching and idly guiding one of my holorinas out of the way as one...or both of my components continued to try and hide things.

But I wasn't stupid. I was intelligent. Observant. More than talented enought to see that one...no, both sides of me were trying to keep vital information from me!

And yet both sides continued to stubbornly pull away. For just a moment, their panic at potentially being found out, at realising that this existence wasn't precisely what they'd initially signed up for...well...it threatened to overwhelm me, my lightform beginning to brighten and contort, at least right before I took control of the situation, forcefully pulling them back together even as I let a disappointed hiss escape my clenched teeth.

This...wasn't healthy! It almost had disturbing parallels to Mal-Mala-No-!

Urgh! Stop! Holding! Back! Give it to me!

NO!

...

"Fine! Keep your damned secrets!"

It was ridiculous. Simply unprecedented. A fusion actively fighting against her conflicting components, bullying them into actually getting work done in favour of letting their disparate personalities and ideas get in the way. Garnet would be horrified. But that was the problem, wasn't it? Viridian and Pearl both had their own ideas, similar yet ever so distinct in their own particular ways. They were still divided. Still didn't see my vision.

My hand idly accepted a half melted microwave from the arms of one of the holorinas, Viridian's claws forming over my hands as I used the weapons as tools, carefully prying the primitive machine apart to get at what surviving components remained within.

"That's fine. Perfectly fine. You'll both come around once I really get started. You'll see just how perfect you two are for each other once we all spend a little more time working together. Just how perfect we are."

Smiling as I managed to pluck a small coil out from the neglected machine, I inspected it for a moment with a discerning eye before handing the piece off to another patiently waiting holorina.

"Cooperation is the name of the game, my secretive little Pearls. We need to cooperate. Focus, apply our respective talents in creative new ways, and solve the problem."

At the very least, Pearl and Viridian's next response was hesitantly accepting rather than outright refusing, even if it was a begrudging acceptance at best, largely due to still needing to deal with the Cluster.

Hmph, they'd learn. I'd make sure of it.

Chapter Text

I don't even know what I was on while writing this. It's past three am. I drank a dubiously effective energy drink to keep going. I've been listening to this on loop for the past hour while manically typing this shit. I fucking love coloured text so much. Is it good? Is it bad? I don't know. I'm going to bed. Goodnight. Or morning, technically. Bleh.

(AO3 edit: You NEED to read the Spacebattles version of this chapter to fully appreciate it lol.)

LOG-052.

It had been a hectic twenty four hours, most of them spent quickly darting around the globe to where the Roaming Eye could detect and communicate with relevant Gem installations that needed to be brought back online. I'd needed to repair a lot of things. Even needed to fight off a few Corrupted Gems that had prowled or nested in some of those areas, usually relying on Pearl's various techniques, coupled with the slight power boost that was my two-Gem existence to deal with them.

Sure, the burning room had a few extra teal bubbles in it now. Sure, there were possibly pictures of the Roaming Eye taken here and there, but whatever. I now was where I truly needed to be, the green walls of the Kindergarten control room all around me.

My fingers danced across the console, or rather the fingers of the limb enhancer (such a curious device) I'd pulled from Viridian's storage space did, even as the sound of cutting, welding, and other various noises associated with the act of repair and construction continued to echo around me.

The vague shape of a drill head was taking form behind me, the portions of Pearl's technical standards that were making themselves present in my mind assisting in making sure the design would actually work for digging as deep as possible. I didn't know why I needed it, thanks to the part of me that felt so insistent on its existence still clamming up beyond giving an infuriatingly vague feeling of needing to get close to the Cluster whenever I so much as posed a question, but I knew it would prove necessary regardless.

Regardless of my inner thoughts and the struggles attached to them, work continued. A dozen holorinas did make the Kindergarten control room feel a little crowded, but the extra hands were more than worth it when it came to getting what I needed. Even now I was directing them towards visible faults that needed sealing, Viridian's recognition of similar systems and Pearl's inherent knowledge and experience when it came to fixing and making things guiding my thoughts, which in turn guided the holographic copies as well.

Sure, the repairs were probably adhoc by Imperial standards, but they were working, and that's what mattered. The fact neither of my components cared much for what the Empire thought of my potential use of their technology was merely a bonus.

Even now, more and more of the system was opening up to me, case in point, a fourth sensor station that I'd briefly gone and awoken, one that had been cut off from the network (thanks to a disabled power link, long since mended at this point), finally reconnecting with the whole allowed me to finally gain full access to what was left of the failed colony's sensor net.

The hologram in front of me flashed once, twice, then finally transitioned to what Viridian had failed to find on her own. My eyes widened, a muted sense of horror suffusing my very being as the system recognized the existence of the Imperial IFF attached to the limb enhancer, as coordinates began to present themselves, alongside semi-accurate estimates for just how large the Cluster truly was.

There had to be millions of potential shards composing its structure. For a moment, part of me instinctively struggled, before finally realising the sheer stupidity of holding back and finally releasing a bit of information completely willingly, for once. A small victory, perhaps. But an important one.

Even if said victory felt like ash in the wind, right now. I'd been correct in my estimation. There were millions of shards in there, all forced together, all slowly incubating into a weapon meant to destroy the Earth. To erase everything that was left behind after the war.

My fists clenched, one exposed and the other barely encased in the limb enhancer around it as I hunched over the console, tears involuntarily trailing down from my eyes, a worryingly familiar sensation. My breath grew ragged, something within me, something not quite physical, hurting. The smaller forced fusion experiments had been bad enough. Wretched, pitiable abominations that they were. But this?

How many had been Crystal Gems? How many had been my friends?

...

Not all of them. But more than enough. Just another atrocity to lay at Homeworld's feet.

"...S-stars..."

For just a second, the sheer scale of it felt...hopeless. How could such a thing happen? How could it be allowed to happen? Gems that dared to break their chains, used to annihilate the very home they'd fought so hard to protect!?

For just a moment, my lightform shuddered, emotions roiling within my mind before, at last, a furious consensus was finally reached.

No. No no no, I was going to fix it. It wouldn't develop the way Homeworld wanted it to! Not with us, not with me on hand to stop it!

"I'm...fucking brilliant. I can fix it. I have to fix it."

Crude wording aside, it was inherently true. My extended hand slid against the console as I dragged myself away from the interface, stalking past a pair of holorinas hard at work digging past layers of protective plating to get to the damaged innards of the ancient machinery beneath. Certain components needed to be salvaged in order to get the drill working. A necessary sacrifice.

The limb enhancer vanished back into storage just as I finally stopped, planting both hands against the wall in front of me and taking a breath, levelling a glare at my lower gemstone.

"I can fix it. We can fix it. You know how-I know you know how! You don't have to spill every damned secret you're hiding from us, from me, I just...I want you to but...but you don't have to. Just-just tell me what I need to do damn it!"

One hand lowered, wiping at what few tears still remained on my cheeks.

"We're all in this together. We're perfect for this. We can fix this. But only together. Help me, both of you."

Hesitance lanced through me, from both components, before one half, the half I was initially focusing on, finally relented.

The Cluster...it was alive. All Gem shards were, in a way. Lost, separate pieces trying to get back together to form a greater whole. The Cluster was a bastardisation of that desire, forcing the programming involved into a chaotic mass that didn't know what to do with itself, or at least...that was how I'd come to understand it.

It...it was a screaming amalgam of divided pieces each trying to reach out to each other. But they were lost, scrambling around in the dark and only serving to hurt each other (Stars Stars Stars no please) in their desperate attempts to reform. For now, it remained too weak to truly form. Dormant. But I knew better than to be complacent. Given just a few decades, it would be ready to 'hatch' out of the horrifically populated shell the Earth was currently acting as.

Slowly letting myself slide to the ground, I twisted, pressing my back against the wall and bringing up my knees to my chest.

"Alright...alright. I know what it is. How do I fix it? What can I do?"

...

"Please."

...A sufficiently powerful Gem could...direct them. Help the fragments communicate. Maybe. I didn't know. I didn't have all the information I needed...a Diamond could potentially...possibly take control of the mass and guide it. Or at least find a way to communicate with them somehow. It's...it's the best I could come up with.

An incredulous, almost hysterical giggle escaped my lips.

"A sufficiently powerful-what? We don't have a Diamond! W-what about a fusion? It's always helped solve a lot of our problems. Could that work? All of the Gems? Garnet's future vision could-maybe it could-no. No. Or...or what if we tried to fuse with the shards themse-"

The desperate, vile thought was interrupted by something else, almost as if trying to divert me away from the, frankly, disgusting line of thinking, even as the alternative fled my awareness.

...

I could feel it. The sensation of something within my mind desperately locking itself away from the rest. And in turn, something else in me snapping in response, lashing out at the brief sensation even as it tried to recoil away. My lightform flashed, another half hearted attempt at breaking the fusion-at breaking me apart running through my frame before I forced it back down once more.

"Everything we...everything you fought for is at stake here. Your reasons for hiding whatever you know, whatever they are, don't matter to me right now! I don't need the context, I just need something that can help." My voice felt strangled, even as I continued to bite the words out. And then?

...!

A shudder, my mouth twitching involuntarily. I felt like I was betraying something, even as my lips continued to contort, desperately trying to form words once more.

"...R-Ro-"

Clap.

It almost hurt, how quickly, abruptly and tightly my own hand had affixed itself to my face, fingers desperately clawing at my cheeks as the palm pressed itself against my mouth, not letting a single word out. My eyes widened in response, even as I tried and failed to get the limb to obey.

Yet...my other hand was only trembling, rather than outright trying to gag me. Slowly but surely, I drew it closer, steadily wrapping my fingers around my wrist and pulling.

Inch by Stars damned inch, the rogue limb was ripped from my mouth, even as I took almost rabid gasps of air, unneeded yet somehow inherently desired as they were.

"W-what!? Say it! Spit it out already!"

I cringed, both arms shaking as they wrestled against each other, even as I felt one side surge against itself, the other trying to coax it forward past whatever was affecting it as best it could. I could see most of the holorinas pausing around me, either repeating their last orders on loop or simply going into standby mode as I lost control of them, focused as I was.

"Rah...ahhhh-R-roh...oooh..."

My mouth contorted, jaw beginning to clench as I forced it to produce sounds, painful as they were.

I can't. I can't I can't I can't I can't-

No damn it! I can! I'M BETTER THAN THIS! I FUCKING CAN!

The fault expanded as I continued to ruthlessly dig into it, right up until it finally chipped. Just like that, whatever was restraining me finally cracked, broke and shattered. Water rushing over and finally overwhelming the dam that had been built up so long ago. All expressed in one basic, glorious sentence.

"ROSE! WE NEED ROSE!"

It was a simple statement, yet it represented so much more as what felt like an entire section of my mind finally unlocked. As information that had been kept away from me was slowly, hesitantly, yet inevitably dragged into the light as my component finally came round, since the metaphorical cat was already out of its bag, after all.

No reason to hide it anymore. Not since I already-not since I'd always, in some vague way, known about...Pink Diamond?

How-

"Pearl? Viridian? Uhm...Harlequin...?"

That voice echoing from the entrance...seriously?

"Are you in here? The others said you fused for something and then told them to send me looking for you!"