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Chapter Text

Blue Diamond stopped just in front of her palanquin and stared down at Steven in obvious surprise. Even without millennia of grief weighing her down, her face still looked worn, so habituated to sadness that it didn't know what other expressions to take. Steven felt a pang of sympathy. "Hey, Blue! Where are you going?" He waved a greeting at Blue Diamond's Pearl and at the Quartz guards, too, and the Pearl bowed her head in acknowledgement. "I know I wasn't supposed to visit for a few more days, but I thought I'd come early since the Gems are busy on a mission. Did I... interrupt you or something? I can come back later..."

He couldn't help sounding a little nervous. The Diamonds were so huge, and they had invaded Earth, and this specific Diamond had even kidnapped his Dad! But then again, Peridot had kidnapped him, and Lapis had stolen the ocean, and Bismuth had tried to shatter him because he wouldn't kill other gems. And if they were all his friends, the Diamonds could be, too. Even if they only tolerated him and the Earth and his family and the Off-Colors because his mom had been Pink Diamond, and because she'd given Steven her gem.

Man, his life had gotten really complicated lately. He even had to commute between planets now!

The diamond tilted her head. "I am leaving for another galaxy," she said after a moment. "Something... has come up on one of Yellow's colonies, and she has requested that I assess the situation and give my opinions in person."

Steven looked up at her. "Is there any way I can help? I don't think my family would let me go to a new planet, but I can always ask." Well, actually they'd been kind of against his going to Homeworld alone in the first place, and had only given in because it meant the Diamonds would leave Earth alone. And they'd grudgingly agreed to let the Diamonds put in a direct warp link between Beach City and Homeworld, so Steven could go back and forth between the planets whenever he wanted... His dad had called it, jokingly, an intergalactic custody battle. Literally. But Steven could still ask, even if the answer was probably no. Garnet was a sucker for puppy dog eyes.

Blue smiled softly, though her eyes hardened at the mention of the Crystal Gems. "No, Pi-- Steven. You won't be needed." She kneeled down and picked Steven up in her palm. "Actually, I had meant to be back before your return. But while you're here, I have a favor to ask of you."

"What is it?" Steven asked nervously. If she wanted him to colonize a planet or do something bad, he was gonna have to say no, and think of a way to explain why that wouldn't make her lose her temper and break off the truce. He wasn't sure how he'd do that.

"At the current moment," Blue started, "White Diamond is off-world, and Yellow-- soon to be joined by myself-- is visiting a far-off colony. That leaves you as the only Diamond on Homeworld, if only for a few days. And it is... irresponsible, to leave our planet leaderless." She raised a hand to preempt Steven's interjection. "Do not worry, Steven," she said. "You won't be required to administrate anything, or to make any laws. You'll simply be around as a figurehead-- a reminder that the Diamonds are still here. While we do not make public our every departure from Homeworld, we can't risk being found missing should any trouble occur. As you've seen..." Her face twisted with grief. "... our gems do not respond well to the loss of a Diamond. Should we be absent for a major event, and should that absence be discovered... the result would be pandemonium. The presence of at least one of us, even one as young as you, is a defense against such a panic. That is why I would like you to stay on Homeworld until my return."

Steven thought about it. "I'd have to leave a note for the Gems," he said, "and for my Dad, and everyone, so they'd know I couldn't go on missions or help out with Gem monsters for a couple days. But if you need me to stay on Homeworld and be a Diamond, I can do it."

Blue Diamond smiled again, just as faint, and touched a finger to Steven's cheek. "Before, you would have jumped at this chance to prove your worth as a ruler. You've changed so much, Pink." Her eyes saddened. "You just don't remember how." She carefully placed Steven back on the ground. "Thank you... Steven. We won't be gone long."

"No problem, Blue." 

Steven watched the palanquin leave, then turned to the Amethyst guard who had been left behind. "So I guess I'm staying here for a few days," he said awkwardly. "Are you, uh. Are you supposed to guard me?" Every other visit since the Diamonds had come to Earth had been spent in their presence, with their guards. He'd never actually been alone on Homeworld, with just the Court gems to guide him. Wow, this was gonna be weird.

The Amethyst saluted again, looking taken aback at being addressed. "Um-- yes, my Diamond!" Her gem was on her left shoulder, almost covered by a thick curl of hair, and the diamond on her uniform was pink. 

"Have I met you before?" He didn't remember having any gems assigned to him at all, but... "You look really familiar." The Amethyst started to speak. "Wait, don't tell me-- you're one of Amethyst's family, from the Zoo! Uh, 8XH?"

The Amethyst blushed. "8XJ, my Diamond." Then she added hurriedly, bringing up her hands, "But you can call me 8XH if that's what you want!"

"Wha--? Oh, no, no, I just wanted to see if I could get your name right! Are you guys not in the Zoo anymore? I can't wait to tell Amethyst, you guys really hit it off!"

"Well, uh." The Amethyst rubbed the back of her neck. "We were Pink Diamond's troops before we were Blue Diamond's. So we got transferred here when you came back." She dropped suddenly to her knees like she was praying, looking Steven in the eye. "My Diamond! If we'd known who you were when we saw you in the Zoo, we never would have pretended we were gonna get you in trouble! We would never have played a joke on someone of your stature! Please forgive us!"

Steven's eyes widened. "Whoa, uh, it's okay! I didn't know my mom was Pink Diamond then either! I thought she was Rose Quartz!" He laughed. "I think we were all caught by surprise. The Gems definitely were."

"Ha, yeah, I bet 8XM's face was epic." 8XJ flushed again. "My Diamond."

"You don't have to call me that," Steven offered. "You can just call me Steven, like everyone else does."

8XJ frowned. "That's disrespectful, isn't it, my Diamond? It's not... proper protocol, or whatever."

Steven grinned and nudged her, and she startled. "Yyyyeah, it's not proper protocol, but neither was helping me out when I was getting my dad back from the Zoo, or not ratting out Amethyst when she turned back from being big. And I'm a Diamond, right? So if I say you can call me Steven, you can't get in trouble for it! You guys were really nice at the Zoo, when you helped us escape. I don't wanna treat you guys like you're worth less than me."

"But we are worth less than you... Steven. That's why we're your guards."

"No. You're my friends. All of you. But-- thanks for being my guards, too. It's nice to see someone I know here who isn't a Diamond."

8XJ started to grin. "I'll be sure to tell the other quartzes, then, my-- Steven."

"Okay! I can't wait to tell Amethyst you guys are here now-- oh yeah, I need to send a note back to Earth, to tell them I'll be here for a few days! Can you warp things without warping yourself?"

"I think there's message bots you can use," 8XJ said, frowning in concentration. A passing gem scowled at her addressing Steven so directly, and she fell back a few steps so she could walk behind him. "If you wanted, you could ask a Peridot near the warp pads about one."

"Yeah, that'd be perfect! Thanks, 8XJ." After all, Steven reasoned, there was no reason he'd have to go over there in person, since he'd promised to stay on Homeworld for the Diamonds' absence. It would only be a few days.

*

A week later, Steven was biting his lip and pacing around Pink Diamond's quarters, alternately staring up at the murals of his mom and casting agitated glances at the entrance. "She said she'd be back by now!" he finally burst out. "At least one of them would be back-- gems are starting to send me paperwork, Jay! I can't even read gem! She said they were just checking on a colony, right?

8XJ scratched her head. "Yeah, that should've been it, from what I heard. Maybe they had engine troubles?" 

Carnelian, the other guard on duty, rolled her eyes. "What, like Peridots wouldn't fix that in a split second? Probably they got caught up in bureaucracy. You know, higher-up stuff."

 "But they didn't even send any messages!" Steven said. "And the Peridot by the warp pads said she'd tried to track the Diamond communicators' signal--" and she'd sounded so frightened when she'd told him, too, like he was gonna poof her just because she showed initiative-- "and all she got was me! We can't even contact them! I can't stay here forever, I gotta go back to Earth and help the Gems and see my dad and Connie and everyone. I can't just leave them!"

His latest message had been a reassurance that he was staying a little longer and everything was fine. Garnet had sent back two words (BE CAREFUL) among everyone else's letters. Lars had said the Off-Color gems were settling in well, and Connie had said she'd learned a new sword trick and hoped he'd be back soon. Steven just wished he could see everyone in person.

"But you can't just leave Homeworld, either," Carnelian said. "I mean, you're a Diamond, you can do whatever you want, but gems keep sending you paperwork. Doesn't that kind of stuff build up?"

Steven kept pacing. "It is building up! But I can't read any of it!" He paused, then whirled around. "Wait-- Jay! Carnelian! Can you read it to me? Out loud?"

8XJ looked panicked. "Uh, sure, if you want us to read it, and do it, that's what we'll do--"

"That's kind of a Pearl's job, though," Carnelian cut in. "Like, paperwork and opening doors and stuff. Every Diamond has a Pearl."

"Yeah!" 8XJ agreed. "You should get a Pearl! If you want to. Then it can deal with all the paperwork for you. You'd only do the important stuff."

"I'm not comfortable with that," Steven said, frowning. "Pearl never liked being ordered around by other gems, and Holly Blue Agate was really mean about her, like she thought she couldn't do anything without orders. I don't want to own anyone. Pearls are people too."

The Quartzes stared at him. "Someone has to do all the forms and stuff. That's what Pearls are for. And she could explain what the forms are talking about sometimes, too, if those things were beneath your notice before."

"Ugh. I'll see, I guess." Steven shuddered. "I just hope Blue and Yellow are back before I have to deal with everything."

A furious knocking started up at the chamber door. 8XJ and Carnelian jumped to attention, weapons at the ready, and Carnelian crept forward to open the door at Steven's nod. A yellow Agate stood at the other side, trembling like a strong wind could blow her over. "My Diamond!" She saluted. "I have terrible news!"

"What is it?" Steven stammered. Were the Diamonds shattered somehow, was that why they hadn't come back--

The Agate bowed, tears leaking out of her eyes, and Steven felt his blood freeze. "The colony both Blue and Yellow Diamond were visiting lost contact with the rest of the Empire and seems to have been destroyed. While many gems were recovered, the Diamonds themselves have disappeared along with their retinues. They are missing in action, and White Diamond seems to have vanished as well."

Steven's two guards were frozen with shock. Steven said, trying to think like Garnet, "Have you told anyone else about this? Who else knows?"

The Agate said, eyes widening, "Only my Pearl, a Peridot, and myself, my Diamond. And the Pearl can be shattered."

"That won't be necessary," Steven said quickly. "Just don't tell anyone else, okay? The Diamonds have, um. Extended their trip. So they'll be gone a while longer." He bit his lip. "We'll just have to make sure we find them." Soon. He hoped.

"Understood. And until then... I, and all of Homeworld's Empire, am at your service. Pink Diamond, we await your commands."

Chapter Text

8XJ nodded urgently at Steven, who crept out of Pink Diamond's chambers while 8XH argued with an irate Emerald. "I simply must have an audience with Pink Diamond! This is a very urgent situation, not that you would understand such matters, and I will not be denied! If Pink Diamond wishes me to deal with the situation myself, she can tell me that herself. You have no right to stop me from seeking an audience!"

"Look, she said she was gonna contemplate her next course of action and wasn't to be interrupted!"

"I can have you shattered for this--"

Steven ducked behind another column and grimaced; this was the most persistent gem yet. The Diamonds were a week past their scheduled return date, and while most of the gems could deal with it themselves, there were a few who seemed to think that without a Diamond's advice they couldn't do anything. Yellow always complained about gems who couldn't find their gems if they were given coordinates and allowed to use both hands. Until now, Steven thought she was exaggerating.

He didn't think anyone the Diamonds had assigned to him could be murdered on the say-so of some random Emerald, but maybe he should make sure they wouldn't get in trouble when he got back. 

Right now, though, Steven had a different mission in mind. 

He crept farther away from the argument, ducking through corridors and keeping out of sight of courtiers and technicians. The whole thing where he was Pink Diamond wasn't well known, Blue Diamond had said, for security reasons, but knowledge of Pink Diamond's return had trickled through all of Homeworld by now. If he was discovered trying to leave for Earth as the only Diamond on-planet, he'd have a lot of explaining to do. 

Good thing he'd been on stealth missions with the Crystal Gems before.

The warp pad to Earth was in sight when a tall blue Agate suddenly rounded the corner, and Steven had to dive into one of the service hallways to avoid catching her attention. Then footsteps started to echo down that same hallway and he fled further, slamming his hand onto the wall to open a sealed door and closing it behind him. The footsteps paused at the other side of the door, then slowly moved away. 

"Whew," Steven breathed out, "that was close." He sank back against the door and tried to catch his breath. These corridors went on for miles.

After a moment he realized he wasn't alone. There was a row of cells along the wall, each as blank as the one he'd been kept in for his trial, except not so high tech. That made sense, he figured; war criminals probably demanded higher security. The two gems in the cells, a Lapis Lazuli and a tannish white gem with jagged hair, didn't seem all that threatening. They were staring at him like shocked baby rabbits.

"Uh," he stammered, "hi? I'm Steven." 

The Lapis Lazuli's eyes went wide, and she surged up from where she was sitting to press her hands against the barrier. "What-- how did you get in here? Are you an organic? What are you doing on Homeworld, are you going on trial too?" Her hair was longer and curlier than Lapis's, streaming down her back in a loose-ribboned braid, and her dress flowed all the way down to her ankles. She looked like someone who liked to smile.

"Lapis, shut up!" the other gem hissed. Her jagged white bangs half-covered her gem, a cloudy white-tan stone that took the place of her right eye. "She can't be an organic, how would she have gotten here? And of course she's not a prisoner, she's on the other side of the barrier."

The Lapis squinted. "She looks like an organic. Hey, could you get us out of here? We won't hurt you, we just need out, we promise!"

"Um..."

"Oh, like she's actually gonna listen to a couple of condemned prisoners-- but sure! Knock yourself out! It's not like we have anything else to lose!" The other gem pulled at her hair. "We're dead anyway! We're gonna die, die, die and there's nothing we can do about it!"

"What?" Steven asked, staring between the two of them. "Why would they shatter you? W-why are you condemned?" Had they shattered someone? That's why he had almost been executed... but then again, Homeworld killed gems for a lot of terrible reasons.

"Because," the tannish gem gritted out, "we're--" She cut off and froze, drawing back into her cell. "Oh, stars! Quick, go hide!"

Steven hid behind another column just as the doors slid open again and a Jasper charged in. "Would you two shut up? You're always in here yammering away, it makes me glad I won't have to listen to you much longer." He tiptoed further back as the Jasper's shadow slid by his feet. "Your kind makes me sick."

The Lapis stuck out her tongue. "I could say the same about you, ugly." The Jasper slammed her fist against the barrier, and the Lapis barely flinched. "You can't touch us in here! Go on and yell, you jerk, we need something to stave off the boredom anyway."

Steven couldn't see the other prisoner, but he heard her muffled groan. The Jasper snorted. "Laugh all you want, traitor. You won't be laughing after tomorrow." She stalked back to the panel by the door. "In fact--" She froze. "Oh, you lucky pebbles. You're so dead. You've been observed by someone with higher clearance than I'm allowed to talk to. The Diamonds must've sent someone to evaluate you personally. Hope you didn't try to escape or anything."

The Lapis tensed up. "The Diamonds are gonna tear you apart," the Jasper growled. "They're gonna rip you to pieces and make your Desert Glass friend watch. They're gonna chip you down to nothing, shard by shard, and harvest whatever dregs are left. They're gonna make it public, even, and you abominations will deserve it." 

"That's not true," the Lapis said weakly. "We haven't done anything wrong, we had permission! It was for the good of Homeworld!" 

"Homeworld shatters abominations like you," the Jasper snarled, and Desert Glass made a horrible, terrified sound, and Steven-- he couldn't, he--

The world exploded pink, and the Jasper slammed into the wall. Steven didn't wait around for her to realize what had hit her; he jumped up and ran to the energy wall, shoving his arm through it to make a doorway underneath. "Come on!" The Lapis Lazuli ducked through, pulling Desert Glass behind her. 

"How'd you do that?" Desert Glass demanded. "That field's gem-repellant, not some Agate's overblown attempt at engineering!"

"I'm a little unconventional," Steven blurted out. "Look, is there somewhere you can go? There's tunnels under most of the buildings, I know people hide there--"

The Lapis Lazuli hissed, "Glass, we gotta go now!"

Desert Glass bit her lip and turned to Steven. "Listen, thanks a lot, but if you're not coming with us, we've really got to go now. Do you have somewhere safe? Are you in trouble?"

"I'll be fine," Steven promised. An idea struck, and he added, "I'm warping to Earth. You could come with me if you want!"

Desert Glass looked tempted, but the Lapis Lazuli shook her head. "We can't leave yet, remember? We have to stay on Homeworld. Even if it means we get caught again."

"Right," Steven rasped. "Well, uh. Good luck, you two." The Lapis gave him a little salute, more casual than any he got as a Diamond, and threw out her wings. Steven opened the cell block door and they were gone in an instant. 

He felt sick to his stomach. "Focus, Steven," he whispered, clenching his fists, and snuck the rest of the way to the warp pad, listening for alarms all the while.

With a flash of light, he was home.

*

He'd been right. The Gems didn't take it well. 

"They what?" Pearl shrieked. "Steven, there's-- there's got to be some mistake. The Diamonds wouldn't just up and disappear!"

"Uh, Pearl, from the sounds of it, I don't think they really 'up and' did anything. Sounds to me like they got hit by an asteroid." Amethyst passed her potato chips to Steven. He shoved a handful of them in his mouth and chewed furiously. "You know. Meteored."

"That's not even a word!"

"Hold on, they left you in control of a whole empire?" Greg cut in. "Isn't that, you know, kind of irresponsible? You're only fourteen!"

Steven grimaced. "I don't think they meant to be gone any longer than a couple days, Dad. This isn't how it was supposed to go." And he couldn't have stayed on Homeworld much longer without at least visiting Earth, anyway. He'd brought food and water and, uh, toilet paper... but the Diamonds weren't really used to organic beings visiting and it showed. There weren't any places to take a shower. He'd had to wear the same shirt three days in a row.

"It had better not have been!" Pearl said hysterically. "Steven, Homeworld politics can be deadly, and they've hardly told you anything at all about them. This was the first time we'd let you stay for more than a day! I knew the Diamonds were reckless, but this really takes the cake. How could they have put you in this position?" She turned to Garnet and gestured wildly. "Garnet! You couldn't have foreseen this, somehow, or seen what happened to them?"

Garnet's face was grim. "I had sensed that Steven might have to stay longer, but the reasons were unclear. The fact remains that right now, Steven is the de facto ruler of Homeworld." A pause. The Crystal Gems leaned in. "This could be advantageous."

"What, like he can stop all the colonies and make them sing kumbaya?" Amethyst asked. "It's not like they're gonna take everything he says as law just because he's a Diamond, is it?"

"Homeworld gems practically worship the Diamonds. It could be easier to make a change than you'd think."

Pearl tapped her chin. "And you are supposed to be learning to lead... oh, but it's too risky! What if something happens?"

"Something's always happening," Amethyst drawled. "It's Homeworld! Everyone there's out of their mind. I think Steven'll be good for 'em."

"Until they turn on him!" Pearl whirled on Steven, and her posture was one thin line of tension. "Steven, promise me you won't do anything reckless. It may seem like you have all the power in Homeworld, but the Diamonds are more than figureheads. They've learned to navigate politics in a way we've never had the opportunity to teach you. If you try to undermine all that they've built, it will come down on your head."

"Jeez, Pearl, calm down," Amethyst said, but Pearl's eyes stayed on Steven.

"Promise me," she demanded.

Steven took a deep breath, then looked her in the eye. "I promise," he said, even though it felt too much like the bad kind of compromise-- like the compromise people made when it was too much trouble doing the right thing. He thought of the gems he'd helped escape and suppressed a grimace. He didn't even know if they'd gotten out, and they'd been in the middle of the palace complex at the time. How far could they have gotten, without running across someone who'd stop them? He wanted to believe they'd escaped, but... what if they hadn't? Was there even anything he could do?

"If I change anything too much, I don't think the Diamonds would trust me to run Homeworld in the future, and, well. This truce is important. I don't want to risk losing their trust and starting another war." He gave a sheepish smile. "Anyway, I don't think I'm cut out for politics! I might just make everything worse."

Greg said, "Yeah, I'm with you there, shtuball. I don't think messing with Gem politics is the best idea. You can't even read Gem!"

"That's definitely a problem," Garnet agreed, faintly censorious. "Pearl, weren't you teaching him?"

Pearl flushed. "Well, yes, of course, but we haven't gotten past the basics yet. With all this stuff with the Diamonds, there hasn't been nearly enough time!" She shuddered. "Who knows what the rest of the Gems on Earth will think of this development. We've barely gotten those Off-Colors to settle down as it is." Steven winced. The Off-Colors arriving on Earth to find the Diamonds already there had not been pleasant.

"I just wish I could take you guys with me," he admitted. "But Garnet, you just got back together, and they treat Pearls so badly on Homeworld, I don't want you to have to deal with that! You think Bismuth or anyone would come?"

"Steven, I don't want to abandon you," Pearl said, scandalized. "If you're to be trapped on that terrible planet--"

"No," Garnet snapped. Everyone startled and turned to her. "Amethyst will go. Pearl is staying here."

"Hey, yeah, suck it, Pearl!" 

"Amethyst? Are you sure?" Pearl asked dubiously. "She's never even been to Homeworld properly. Not to mention-- no offense, Amethyst, but you aren't exactly standard. Gems will notice."

Amethyst scoffed. "Maybe if I was with random gems, sure, but these are my Famethysts. They're from the same Kindergarten I am, and that Carnelian's basically as short as me. No one's gonna notice another defective Quartz."

"Hold on, why couldn't they both go?" Greg asked. "If Pearl really does know more about Homeworld, wouldn't it make sense? I'd rather have my son guarded by two badass magical women instead of one."

"He has a point," Pearl said, but Garnet shook her head.

"No, Pearl. This is important." She gritted her teeth, hands shimmering like she wanted her gauntlets but wouldn't summon them. "There will be a choice that Steven will have to make. Something that only happens if you stay on Earth. It's important that he is able to make it."

Pearl faltered. "I-- Garnet, you're sure?" Garnet nodded. 

"I'll be okay," Steven assured her. "I'll have Amethyst with me. If things get really bad, I'll come back here, I promise. I'm gonna have to come back for food anyway, and to see Connie and my friends and you guys." He smiled, a little rueful. "It might not be that often, though. I keep saying I'm 'contemplating' so they'll leave me alone, but I get the feeling I'm about to be swamped in work."

"I guess you better get back, then, huh," Greg said, reluctant. "It's a shame. I haven't seen you in a week!" He held out his arms for a hug, and Steven fell into it gladly. "Come back soon, shtuball. And be careful!"

"Don't do anything reckless," Pearl said, looking from Steven to Amethyst. "Either of you!"

"And remember," Garnet said, crouching and putting her hands on Steven's shoulders. Steven felt the tightness in his chest loosen, just a little. "We love you, Steven. That will never change." She pushed a bag of supplies into his hands. "Don't forget to eat."

"I won't," Steven said, melting a little from love. "And thanks, everyone. I promise I'll come back soon."

"Bye, y'all!" Amethyst yelled, waving, and then the warp pad whisked them away.

*

8XJ and 8XH relaxed as soon as Steven and Amethyst came into view. 8XJ waved at Amethyst shyly, hiding the gesture from the Agate beside her. Steven recognized her as the gem who'd first told him about the Diamonds' disappearance, whose name he'd learned was Patuxent River Agate; beside her stood a Pearl with her hands clasped and her head gracefully bowed. Her color scheme didn't really match the Agate's molten-rock colors at all. Steven slowed, staring, and blurted, "Uh, hey, Patuxent River! Is this that Pearl you mentioned?"

"My Diamond." Patuxent River Agate saluted. "Yes, this is my Pearl. I learned from your guards that you were in need of one, and I thought I might give you mine, if you would be so gracious as to accept a subpar replacement." The Pearl, eyes down, stayed perfectly still, but Patuxent River's face darkened like she'd done something wrong. "Though, my Diamond, I must say that I now see my mistake. I should have ordered you a more capable Pearl, instead of attempting to pawn off mine. This Pearl was slated for shattering even before it decided to eavesdrop on my affairs. It's not worthy to serve a gem of your stature."

Steven tried to keep his alarm from showing on his face. "Oh, no, she's fine. You don't need to replace her or anything." He bit his lip. "Uh, thank you. For giving her to me."

The Agate bowed again. "The pleasure is mine, my Diamond." She waited. 8XH coughed, and Steven startled.

"That will be all," he added hurriedly. The Agate bowed a third time and left. Amethyst followed her out and came back a second later to give a thumbs-up: the Agate was out of earshot. Steven slumped against the wall in relief.

"Are all Agates all like that?" he asked 8XJ helplessly. 

 "Nope! Some of them are worse." Amethyst snickered, and 8XJ sent her a quick grin, like she wasn't sure it was allowed. Knowing Homeworld, it probably wasn't.

It was a good reminder, though. "Oh, yeah, by the way, Amethyst's gonna be staying with you guys for a while. Like-- undercover. I hope that's okay."

"Of course it is!" Amethyst declared. "Right, guys?"

The two guards nodded. "Oh, yeah."

"You can take my shift sometimes!"

"Please take my shift sometimes."

Steven relaxed-- social cohesion! Great!-- and turned his attention to the Pearl. Or to Pearl, he guessed. It felt rude to think of any gem as 'the' anything when he was hanging out with them. Her hair was a rich chocolate brown, pulled up into a neat bun with a cascade of curly bangs flowing down one side of her face. Her skin was only a shade lighter than her hair, and her dress was brown, too, ruffled and sheer, with a pink diamond insignia in the middle of her chest. She looked kind of like a porcelain doll, and stood just as still. Steven had no idea how to talk to her. "I didn't know you were already in my Court," he tried.

The Pearl kept her eyes down. "My Agate instructed me to take a form more suitable to your service, my Diamond. If it displeases you, I will of course dissipate so that I may come back in a form more acceptable to your tastes."

"Oh." Steven blanched. "So she poofed you? I'm sorry, that's terrible! Of course you don't have to do that again!" The Pearl's head jerked up, but she lowered her eyes again pretty much immediately, before Steven could meet her gaze. "I really just needed someone to help out with paperwork and everything, since it's all kinda building up. I-- can you do that? Pearl?" He sighed. "Sorry, I already know a Pearl, this is gonna get confusing... is there something else I can call you? Or I can just call you Pearl if you want, it's no big deal."

The Pearl blinked and finally looked up. Unsurprisingly, her eyes were also brown. "My Diamond... I suppose you could call me by my more specific designation? I could be described by my design: I'm a Chocolate Pearl, a variation meant to match owners with warmer color palettes who don't wish to be perceived as flashy."

Steven thought about it. It still really creeped him out how Pearls were designed, like they were fancy smartphones instead of people, but if she didn't care... "So you wouldn't mind if I called you Chocolate?"

A hint of spirit glinted in Chocolate's eyes. "No, my Diamond. I wouldn't mind at all." Steven relaxed, and she tilted her head, letting her bangs spill away from her face. Her gem gleamed on the side of her cheek. "Now, I don't mean to presume, but... you said something about paperwork?"

Chapter Text

Newness. Light. Hands-- his hands?-- with fingers opening and closing, flexing and relaxing, grasping at his dress. Eyes, dazzled by brightness, gazing up and up and up at a pair of faces above him. Legs, unsteady and trembling, slowly pushing him upright. Slowly, the faces became clear: a giant woman, shrouded in blue, with rapturous eyes and a warm smile; another woman, as large as the first and bright yellow, with a fierce expression and a habitual scowl, looking just as intently.

"Oh, Yellow, look at her. She's beautiful."

"She's small. Were we ever so tiny?" The yellow one reached down with one gargantuan hand and held it near Steven's face. He leaned into the touch, exploring the novel surface with his eyes. Everything felt so bright and wonderful.

"We were, Yellow. You've just forgotten." A blue hand came down as well, and it scooped Steven up easily, bringing him closer to a long, regal face. A pair of somber eyes, lit with joy, regarded him. He tried to touch the woman's face, utterly fascinated, and she laughed. To his newly-formed mind it sounded like starlight. "Hello, Pink Diamond. Welcome to existence."

"There's no need to be sappy," the yellow woman snapped, but she leaned in closer besides. "Look at you, Pink. I know you were created with the capacity for speech. Why are you acting so simple? You should talk to us."

"Oh, Yellow, you're always so stern. This is a new Diamond we're speaking to, not another one of our gems. She'll learn as we did."

"That hardly means she's unable to speak."

Steven tried to make sounds with his mouth like they did. He managed a high squeak, then parroted happily, "Hello. Hello! I'm Pink Diamond?"

The yellow woman sighed. "Stars, we've created a simpleton."

"Yellow!"

"Yellow!" Steven cheered. "Hello, Yellow, hello, Blue! You're both so beautiful. I love you!" He did love them. It was the first emotion he'd ever felt, he thought, and it came so naturally. These people were his family, holding him, and they were right there where he could touch them! Their auras saturated the air. Around him, weak and fluttery like a baby bird, glowed a soft pink aura of his own. He could feel the two women's wonder and apprehension, could taste their relief at his being able to speak, and the revelation made him twirl in delight. The whole world was perfect.

Blue's eyes melted. "We love you too, Pink. And we have so much to teach you."

"Yes," Yellow said reluctantly, her voice softening. "You'll have to be a strong leader someday."

Someone hummed thoughtfully behind them. Blue looked up sharply. "White." Steven felt confused at her tone, which had gone from nice to... something else. Something that made his gem ache. "I think we've done well. Don't you agree?"

Steven turned around, eyes wide and bewildered. A new aura gleamed behind him, bright and deadly as a star, and he felt the first inkling of what he couldn't yet recognize as fear. He shrank back into Blue's hands. 

The white woman regarded him. "She does seem to fit specifications." She leaned in closer and stared with crystalline eyes. "Are you certain her creation was necessary?" One burning-bright hand reached out towards him, and Steven tried to hide behind two of Blue's fingers. He didn't want that hand to touch him. It would--and this was a word he didn't know, in the dream, a concept he only vaguely understood-- it would hurt.

Blue petted the top of Steven's head and said, voice hard, "Stop that, White. You're scaring her."

"There's certainly no need for you to be so intense," Yellow added in a placating tone. "But I am glad you decided to make an appearance. Given your recent behavior, I wasn't sure what to expect."

White turned her searing stare to Yellow. "My recent... behavior?" The whole room brightened to blinding white.

Steven squeaked and covered his eyes, and Yellow said, almost stammering, "I don't mean any offense, White. Only that I wasn't sure your schedule would accommodate the birth of a new Diamond."

White said with an eerie smile, "We sacrificed a colony to grow her at its core. Why shouldn't I check to see if that investment was necessary?"

"Of course it was wise to want to see her in person," Blue equivocated. Her hand rose up to shield Steven from White's view. "Though, White, I must ask: do you still intend to leave Homeworld? You're so desperately needed here on-planet, and with the core's instability--"

"We have the technology to resolve it, as you well know," White said with that same terrible smile. "My business off-planet cannot be delayed. This is simply the way it will be." Her tone turned frosty. "I... trust... that you can be relied on to uphold the expansion of the Empire."

"Of course," Yellow said. "But you don't mean to say that you're leaving now?"

"Why shouldn't I?" White asked pleasantly. "There's nothing of much importance going on right now."

Steven felt Blue's aura go dark with stifled anger. "Well, then," Blue said softly. "Goodbye, White." She pulled her hood down from her head, revealing long white hair. Steven  wanted to touch it. "We will await your return."

"Yes," Yellow gritted out. "Goodbye, White."

White regarded them dispassionately. "Goodbye, Blue, Yellow... Pink." She went to the door, gleaming, cold and distant as a star, and as Steven watched, her body-- twitched. No, glitched, like a corrupted game, twisted into an agony of itself, into white noise, contorting brighter and brighter and brighter--

Steven woke up choked with tears, screaming his voice raw. Amethyst was shaking his shoulders and yelling. "Wake up, Steven! Wake up, it's just a stupid nightmare, come on--!"

8XH and Skinny Jasper ran into the room, weapons out. "What's going on? Where's the attack?" Skinny demanded shrilly. "Why is Pink Diamond screaming?"

Steven tried to still himself and wiped his nose. "It's okay, guys," he choked out. "It's just a nightmare. They happen sometimes when you sleep."

8XH looked horrified. "Why would you sleep at all, then?"

Steven shrugged. "Sometimes the dreams are nice. Or I can contact peoples' minds in my dreams. It... doesn't seem to work with the Diamonds right now, though." He'd tried, a few days ago, when they'd run out of other options, but he hadn't been able to connect at all. This vision of his dead mom was the closest he'd come. "Actually... Amethyst? I think I had another vision of Pink Diamond."

And of White Diamond. But he didn't think he'd share that part just yet.

*

Chocolate Pearl made her way down one of the service hallways, keeping her steps soft and her stride elegant. If she moved in a certain way, her taffeta skirt swirled around her knees very nicely, and her bangs swished gracefully, adding just enough vivaciousness to her overall look. She had to be careful of appearances, now that she was meant to serve Pink Diamond, and a pretty Pearl was an invisible Pearl. Invisibility was good, if she wanted to be cunning. Rose Quartz's great mistake had been to make herself a target.

The rest of the Courts might not like to acknowledge it, but all their petty politics and power games rested precariously on the rest of the Empire's hard work. If Homeworld found out that the Diamonds were missing-- if the average gem found out-- Chocolate was reminded of an old saying about a Ruby fusion without its head. The whole thing just fell apart. All of Homeworld would be caught in the crossfire.

More importantly, she would be caught in the crossfire. Chocolate hadn't survived three owners and an order to be harvested to die now that she'd finally gotten a chance to prove her worth. Pink Diamond would be satisfied with her work whether she (he? This Diamond was confusing) liked it or not. Whether Chocolate was defective or not. So there.

Chocolate nodded at another Pearl as she went past, and reached out a hand so she could be passed a little tech shard. A high-ranking technician's tool, meant to harvest information from defunct or unused terminals. Thank you, Lavender Pearl. Chocolate reminded herself to pass the other Pearl's message to that Bismuth she liked at the soonest opportunity.

The other Diamonds' chambers were closed and locked as according to protocol, but certain service gems-- cleaners, mostly-- were always allowed in to dust or complete renovations. Chocolate knew that Blue had requisitioned a new mural to celebrate Pink Diamond's return, and it was rumored that Blue and Yellow's respective Pearls often pooled their information in order to more effectively do their jobs. True credits to their type, there. Chocolate allowed herself an indulgent smirk. That made her job that much easier. 

Chocolate waited decoratively by Blue Diamond's chambers until some of the maintenance Peridots came by without their supervisor. The smaller Peridot slowed when she saw Chocolate Pearl, almost fumbling the toolbox in her hands. "It's a Pearl," she said incredulously, because she apparently loved obvious statements. Yes, hello! It's a Pearl! Never seen one of those in this palace full of aristocrats, goodness me. "What's it doing here?"

Her companion, a Peridot with star-shaped hair, held out a hand and said, "I'll deal with this. Pearl! Why are you here?" Chocolate met her eyes and raised an eyebrow, then glanced pointedly down at the Pink Diamond insignia on her dress. The Peridot faltered. "You're... working for Pink Diamond?" Chocolate nodded. "And you need to get into Blue Diamond's chambers? Why?"

The smaller Peridot scoffed, "Why are you bothering asking it? It's not like it'll know anything. It's probably just following orders."

"But why would anyone working for Pink Diamond need to get into Blue Diamond's quarters? That's against, like, every rule."

Chocolate said politely, "It's necessary that I enter these chambers in order to effectively complete my task." Just go along with it!

"But what if those orders are to cause trouble or something?"

"Then we'll report it! It's not like it's our fault if some aristocrat uses her toys to mess with stuff."

"But what if she's not really working for Pink Diamond?" The star-haired Peridot squinted suspiciously. "She could've been ordered to look like that. She could be a Crystal Gem."

"I still don't understand why you believe in that old myth. If she's a Crystal Gem, wouldn't the spooky renegade Pearl have eaten this one to absorb its power? Think about it." The smaller Peridot tapped the side of her head. "Honestly, 5RQ, you're always too paranoid! Just let it in. What's it gonna do, sing at things? If we dawdle any longer our supervisor will have us shattered."

"Fine, I guess," the star-haired Peridot sighed. "But it's on your gem if she causes trouble." She opened the door and beckoned for Chocolate to follow her. "Come on in. Don't get in the way or take anything."

Chocolate bowed, concealing a triumphant smile. "Thank you, my Peridot." She followed them into Blue Diamond's chambers, where they detoured to the far end of the room to join the other maintenance workers. Then, feigning nonchalance, she walked over to a corner of the main room and pulled up a few screens. 

She was expected to be able to glean some information from the other two Pearls' logs. Her Diamond would have to take care of things while the other two were away, after all, and his tasks could hardly be completed if he had no idea what the other Diamonds had actually been doing. Chocolate had no way to reach White Diamond's files, but Blue's and Yellow's would be easy enough. She tapped a few commands and rerouted the paperwork routes to go to her as well as Yellow and Blue Pearl, and then, glancing back to make sure no one was watching, she slipped the tool out of her skirt and into her palm and pressed it to the screen.

New pop-ups appeared: a message history, old recordings, encrypted files... If Chocolate was caught with all this she'd be harvested. If any gem besides Blue and Yellow Pearl was caught with all this they'd be harvested! Good thing she was smarter than that.

Download? Y/N.

Y.

"What are you doing?" someone asked from behind her shoulder. Chocolate eeped and whirled around, hiding the screen with her body. Downloaded 20%.

"My Peridot!" She bowed. "I'm...merely rerouting information from Blue Pearl to myself. Pink Diamond's orders." He had asked her to do the paperwork. And so much of it wasn't even reaching him, with gems outside Homeworld not knowing about the Diamonds' 'extended trip.'

41%.

The star-haired Peridot frowned. "So you're stealing information from the Diamonds? Inter-Diamond power games?"

""I'm doing my job," Chocolate gritted out. "My Peridot."

"No..." trailed the Peridot. "I don't believe that! Why couldn't Blue Diamond have this information routed straight to her? There's no reason it couldn't reach her just because she's off-planet!" She pointed her limb enhancer at Chocolate. "You're lying to me," she said excitedly. "You're an infiltrator! 5RW will have to believe me this time! It all makes sense!"

77%.

She could salvage this.

88%. 

Chocolate pressed a finger to her lips. "Not so loud! You're smart, Peridot, but you don't have everything right. If you aren't careful you could ruin her whole plan before it gets fun!"

The Peridot put her arm down, grin fading. Her expression sharpened with obsessive interest. "What do you mean?"

Chocolate said, "I mean you're right. This is a kind of game, but it's not what you think." She leaned in and asked conspiratorially, "How do you think a Diamond learns to lead?"

The Peridot glanced nervously back at her supervisor and tried, just as soft, "By watching other Diamonds?"

"Not quite." Chocolate let her lips curl into a smirk. "The Diamonds have a game they like to play with each other. Now that Pink Diamond's back and learning again, she's got to find a way back in. You're smart, Peridot. What kind of game do you think it is?"

"A spying game!" the star-haired Peridot hissed excitedly. "Yes! I knew it! They-- they send their servants to play power games for them, don't they, and then do a point system based on who gets what information and how, and-- and-- they wager colonies! And that's how Pink Diamond won Earth! She was finally learning to lead properly!" She gazed up at Chocolate avidly, like she was looking for confirmation of her theory.

Wow. Chocolate really hadn't expected the Peridot to come up with the entire lie for her. She nodded, because she wasn't about to look this gift Pearl in the gem. "You've got the gist of it. Now, as Pink Diamond's current Pearl, it's my duty to help her win another colony..."

100%. Oh, thank the stars.

The Peridot nodded. "Yeah! Yeah, I get it!" She smacked her on the back, and Chocolate had to fight not to tumble over. "I won't keep you! Just, haha..." She leaned in, grinning wildly. "Keep fighting the good fight against the secret mammalian underground, yeah?"

Pfft. What? "You got it," Chocolate said seriously. "But I've got to go now. My Diamond needs her points. Could you make sure no one sees me leave?"

"Sure thing!" The Peridot ran back over to her group, then turned back to wave with a bright grin and kicked a corner of the mural, which crumbled. Chocolate slipped out of the chambers amid the designer gems' shouts of frustration at the totally random occurrence and the Peridots' rapid technical chatter.

She couldn't understand how that had actually worked. Just her luck, finding the one Peridot who was perfectly willing to aid suspicious activity as long as it kept things weird. No way there were other beings in the universe with such crazy theories! Secret mammalian underground, ha. What was next, snake people?

Maybe she should keep in contact with that Peridot. She could always use more allies, and it was rare enough to meet a gem that talked to Pearls like people. Like a Bismuth, Chocolate always kept a few irons in the fire.

She walked quickly and quietly back through the service hallways, thinking on the encounter and giggling to herself. 

Later, she'd realize that if she hadn't been so distracted she would have been able to avoid her old mistress. Instead, she walked straight into her.

Chocolate fell to the ground and stared up at whoever she'd run into with wide eyes. So much for finally getting more graceful-- oh. Oh, no. She sprang up to her feet and bowed low. "My Agate! My most sincere apologies!"

Patuxent River Agate, red and yellow armor gleaming, narrowed her eyes. Her smile was anything but kind. "So polite all of a sudden! There's no need for that, Pearl. You should know it's too late to redeem yourself to me." Her eyes were chips of flint. "It's only been a day and I'm already glad to be rid of you. Have you been as disobedient of  Pink Diamond as you were of me?"

"My Agate--" Chocolate stammered. The only other gems in the hallway, a pair of Rubies, went around the corner and out of sight. One of them gave Chocolate one last curious glance. No help there, not that she'd expected it. Anyone could do anything to a Pearl, if their mistress wasn't kind enough to protect them. Chocolate hadn't served Pink Diamond long enough to earn her regard, either.

"Don't interrupt me," Patuxent River Agate snapped, and Chocolate closed her mouth in a hurry. "I can't believe I was patient with you for so long. A Pearl like you! You don't even match my color." Patuxent River looked around the empty hallway, then laughed. "It's actually fortunate that I ran into you. You and your new mistress deserve each other."

Chocolate froze. "My Agate... you're referring to Pink Diamond?" No. No, she wouldn't, even she wouldn't dare--

"Pink Diamond," Patuxent River sneered, and Chocolate flinched. The Agate stepped closer, crowding her against the wall. "Pink Diamond died on Earth. Everyone knows that, there was a war over it. Yellow Diamond would never make such a mistake, thinking one of her kind was dead when she wasn't. No, mark my words, this is an organic impostor. It did something to itself, implanted some piece of Pink Diamond in its form that managed to fool Blue Diamond. She's been mourning so long, it's not surprising that she's lost her reason."

"That's treason," Chocolate forced out, like she had any room to talk. "The Diamonds are infallible."

Patuxent River Agate scoffed. "The Diamonds have let their grief fool them into accepting a creature from a rebel planet as their own kind. It's done something to them. So long as it has the Authority, the sanctity of Homeworld is threatened." She clenched a fist. "It cannot be allowed to rule unchallenged. When the Diamonds return--"

"It's not a farce," Chocolate interrupted, already bracing for the blow. "It's-- he really is Pink Diamond, I saw--" Patuxent River raised a hand, and Chocolate flinched back, squeezing her eyes shut. Stupid, stupid, why hadn't she watched where she was going, how widespread were these views-- "He is."

"He?" the Agate sneered. "I see you've fallen for it, too. I should expect as much from a Pearl, I suppose, even one as flawed as you. You're programmed for loyalty. What a shame that you'd finally imprint on someone with such a tenuous claim to power." She checked a screen. "Now look. You've made me late for a meeting. How was I ever cursed with such a clumsy servant?" Patuxent River stepped back and sighed. "Ah, well. I'll be in possession of a better one soon enough. As a reward for revealing an impostor who fooled even Yellow Diamond."

Chocolate said softly, voice shaking, "I could tell Pink Diamond about this whole conversation, you know. I could tell him right now. Do you really think Yellow Diamond would believe you over Pink? To a Diamond we're both disposable."

"One more than the other," Patuxent River said darkly. "All right, let's run through your little scenario. Who would be believed? The loyal Agate who reported the Diamonds' disappearance and did everything she could to keep their empire together? Or a defective Pearl, only out for herself, with a history of unruliness and disobedience? It wouldn't be my word against Pink Diamond's; it would be mine against yours, and it's a work of seconds to access your records. What did that poor Sapphire say, who used to own you? She thought you would shatter her. I don't think even Pink Diamond would tolerate a Pearl suspected of that crime, do you?" She reached out and tweaked Chocolate's nose. "Go on and tell her. Be a faithful Pearl and risk your life for your mistress, if you can bear it."

Chocolate clenched her fists. "Is there a reason you're telling me all this? I'm a doomed, defective Pearl, as you love telling me. What possible reason would you have to tell me your suspicions?"

"Because," her Agate said, contemptuous, "you're in the perfect position to be a spy." Chocolate recoiled, but Patuxent River hadn't actually revoked her ownership privileges, when she'd handed her over; her Agate's next words froze her in place. "Don't move. Listen to me. You're going to tell me everything this Pink Diamond does. You're going to forward me her important documents. You're going to do everything I say and nothing more, or I'll make every minute of your existence public knowledge. Not even a real Diamond could save you then."

Patuxent River Agate shoved Chocolate back against the wall, hard enough to jar her shoulder. She bit her tongue, refusing to cry out. "I'll be expecting your first transmission tonight. For once in your existence, you had better be punctual."

Chocolate kept her eyes down until she heard her Agate leave the hallway. Then, shaking with fear and helpless rage, she made her way back to Pink Diamond's chambers. 

Chapter Text

Steven floated up to the giant throne, landed carefully near the rim, and looked back over the side at Amethyst and two of the Famethyst Jaspers, who were standing next to Chocolate Pearl below. "Don't you think this is kinda high up?" 

Amethyst shrugged and shouted back, "Chocolate says if you beam in it might not be as intimidating!" She jumped up and landed beside him. "Besides, this way you'll be all shrouded in shadows and stuff. That's supposed to be, like, super tyrannical."

"Aw, I don't wanna be tyrannical," Steven said. He kicked at the ground. "I gotta be honest, Amethyst, all this Diamond stuff is getting to me." 

It had been two and a half weeks since Blue and Yellow Diamond had disappeared, and since White Diamond had apparently done the same. Gems had started to wonder what was going on-- and Steven had become the subject of new scrutiny. Clearly the Diamonds intended for Pink Diamond to rule in their stead for a while, the thought went, so they should treat Pink Diamond like they would any other, so she could continue learning to lead. Steven kind of wished they'd work things out among themselves for once. 

"What, you mean that Emerald who was all, 'gimme a new ship,' or that Sapphire who kept going on about organics on the colonies?" Amethyst blew a raspberry. "Like, yeah, we know about organics, we're from Earth. They aren't new, y'know? But she kept babbling about it! You saw the broadcast, it lasted for like an hour. Bo-ring."

"I dunno, I felt kinda bad about that. She was really worried about it. I wish we could've calmed her down some more."

"Why bother?" Amethyst asked airily. "Some gems are formed hysterical." She leaned over the side of the giant throne and waved down at the guards at the base. They waved back. "Whoa, this is huge! This is where you were for your trial, huh. Weird lighting."

"Well, I wasn't on the throne," Steven said awkwardly. He pointed down at a bright triangle on the floor. "I was there, where it's glowing." At least, he thought he'd been. The whole trial had been a bit of a blur. "They gave me a lawyer and everything-- she actually ended up saying Pink Diamond's death didn't make sense when you thought about it." Steven frowned. "I don't know what happened to her after that. She got poofed after she accused the Diamonds of organizing Pink's shattering."

"Haha, homegirl's got some guts!" Amethyst chortled. "Hope they didn't shatter her." Her face fell, then perked up. "Hey, maybe we'll get lucky and she's defending this gem, too."

Steven gazed around the courtroom, which was full of geometric decorations and bizarre lighting, and wished he was back on Earth again, without having to worry about going back to Homeworld as soon as possible so no one noticed him missing. Homeworld was so uninviting: so distantly, uncaringly beautiful. There were no plants, no butterflies, no ocean waves... no donut shops or fry bits. No Connie, either. "Yeah, maybe."

She'd be fascinated by all this. Steven would have to bring a camera next time. "Who's the gem on trial again?"

"No idea! Hold on, I'mma go ask." She hopped down to the ground, talked to Chocolate Pearl for a few seconds, glanced at a screen Chocolate pulled up, and leaped back up. "Some Morganite, on trial for treason and not paying enough attention to paperwork or something. Heck if I know."

Steven hoped they'd tell him what the defendant was accused of during the actual trial. His trial had seemed pretty rushed. The defense hadn't even been allowed to call a witness! He'd watched a few episodes of Law and Order, when he'd gotten back through Lars' head, and he was pretty sure that wasn't fair. 

Then again, neither was having the death penalty for basically every crime. Maybe he shouldn't be analyzing it too deeply. 

A faint hum announced the start of the trial, and a pinkish-tan gem appeared suddenly in the triangle, right next to a yellow Zircon. This lawyer didn't look the same as the one Steven had met. Darn. Amethyst hissed, "It's starting!" as a blue Zircon appeared on the courtroom floor. She didn't look like the same one, either.

Chocolate Pearl stepped forward and said in a loud, clear voice, "May I announce the illustrious Pink Diamond." She bowed in the direction of the throne. The Morganite saluted immediately; the two Zircons spent a moment staring in astonishment-- Steven wasn't actually sure if they could really see him all that well-- before doing the same. He adjusted his shirt around his gem self-consciously. Amethyst had suggested that he crop his shirt higher to show off his diamond, so he'd done it, but now his stomach was cold. Sometimes he regretted being half-human.

The blue Zircon was the prosecutor this time. She cleared her throat. "My shimmering Diamond. Morganite Facet 2 Cut 3SG, stands accused of high treason, aiding and abetting a fusion, administrative negligence, setting a bad example to gems of lower classes, fomenting rebellion, defying a direct order by a superior gem, sending a sarcastic message to a superior gem, and calling a superior gem an 'anti-innovation, close-minded pebble'."

"Gasp!" Amethyst muttered under her breath. Steven punched her arm.

"Aside from the first, any one of these offenses would be enough to call this Morganite's ability and attitude into question. However, given that this Morganite attempted to help the, ah, fusion, escape... those involved thought it best that the highest authorities in the Empire judge the situation personally." She saluted again. And then, painting the gems involved in what Steven suspected wasn't the fairest light, she started to explain the situation.

Morganite Facet 2 Cut 3SG had been in charge of developing the same colony for three thousand years. Before that, she had successfully completed the implementation of terraforming and Kindergarten creation procedures in three major colonies, rising to a higher rank than most Morganites ever managed. And then, assigned to a brand new colony after the Hessonite administrating it was shattered for incompetence, she had taken over and brought the colony to peak efficiency.

Except the way she'd made it more efficient had led (said the prosecution) to unnecessary sentimentality and thus to treason.

The Morganite had taken over a group of terraformers and Kindergarten developers: Peridots, Lapis Lazulis, and various low-ranking gems meant for physical labor. The colony had been far behind schedule and horribly disorganized (the prosecution insisted that this was all her fault somehow). And so the Morganite, when she caught two of her subordinates fusing in secret, had decided to put them to work. The resulting fusion did work other gems couldn't do alone and swiftly brought the colony back up to speed-- even working in the open beside other gems. 

The prosecutor didn't say why the other gems hadn't reported the fusion. She moved right on to how a surprise inspection, mixed with a disastrous equipment failure only the fusion could've fixed, exposed the "treasonous nature" of the operation. The Hessonite inspector had immediately reported the crime, but only after threatening the Morganite and offering to overlook the incident in exchange for some favors (the Zircon didn't seem to notice the contradiction there). It was at this point that the Morganite accrued her last few crimes.

"And then," the blue Zircon said, "the Morganite committed her most heinous crime yet: she dissipated multiple Quartz guards under the command of Hessonite Facet 8 Cut 6YJ, broke into the prison block where the two deviants were kept, and attempted to assist in their escape. And when the Hessonite confronted her personally, with the assistance of twelve Quartz soldiers--"

Amethyst snorted, "Wow, that's real personal."

"-- the Morganite spat in her superior's face and said that if a gem could be shattered for doing her job to her best ability, then perhaps it was not that gem but the law itself that is wrong. This, to my mind, shows clear rebellious intent."

"Objection, my Diamond!" the yellow Zircon finally cut in, with a quick salute. "That last part is conjecture."

"Uh, sustained," Steven called out, and the yellow Zircon sent her opponent a triumphant look. 

"My Diamond," the blue Zircon said, glaring, "I would like to call Hessonite Facet 8 Cut 6YJ as a witness."

A platform rose up to the side of the throne, with a dark blonde woman dressed in flowing red standing in its spotlight. Her hair was pulled into two buns on the sides of her head, and her lips were pulled into a cruel smile. "My Diamond," she said smoothly, crossing her arms over the gem in her chest, "I saw this Morganite rebel with my own eyes. I've known her for over a thousand years, and in that time only regarded her as a gem unfortunately tied to her work, which led her to have... egalitarian... tendencies. However, when she spat in my face, caught red-handed in a treasonous act, and cursed the names of the Diamonds," the Hessonite said with relish, "I can't say I was surprised. I suspect that Morganite has been aiding and abetting defective gems for almost her entire existence-- keeping her treason hidden beneath her supposed love of work." The Hessonite regarded the accused gem almost fondly. "If I had her morals, I suppose that would be the most reasonable course of action. The one constance of your existence is your work ethic, isn't it, dear?"

"Whoa, keep your personal issues out of this," Amethyst muttered. Steven choked on a completely inappropriate giggle. 

"If you would permit, my Diamond, the defense would like to speak!"

"Is that really necessary?" Hessonite asked, adjusting her hair. "We all know she's guilty. She'll even admit it if asked. Won't you, dear?"

Even from the throne, Steven saw the Morganite roll her eyes. "Try to stay professional for once, Hessonite. Your behavior is unbecoming."

"Stay professional!" the Hessonite mocked. "I've never heard that line before. Thousands of years and you still don't have new material. Doesn't it get tiring?"

"I prefer to save my effort for my work," the Morganite gritted out, "as opposed to spending it constructing strategies for fruitless power games." 

"Fruitless? Oh, that's rich--"

The Morganite said lightly, "They certainly didn't win you Eta 11." The Hessonite recoiled, expression darkening.

"You useless rubble, I'll be so glad when you're shattered!"

"Is that so? Well, if you ask nicely, our Diamond might even get you a front-row seat," Morganite said, vicious. "I'm sure you'll be glad to be involved in something important for once."

The blue Zircon blurted, "Would the defendant please be quiet--"

"Oh, that is it, you smug-- frigid-- you!" The Hessonite started clambering over the witness stand.

The Morganite didn't blink. "Do go on with your childish threats, Hessonite, you know how I love them. It's a gift getting such quality entertainment in the last moments of my existence."

"I'm going to shatter you personally!" the Hessonite howled, and yeah, maybe this was getting out of hand--

"Okay, that's enough from the witness stand thank you and goodbye!" Steven babbled, and the Hessonite disappeared in a burst of light. The Morganite subsided, glaring at the guards around her when they tried to loom; Steven breathed a sigh of relief.

"Steven, you shoulda let 'em kept talking," Amethyst whispered, obviously trying not to laugh. She didn't seem like she was trying that hard. "That was the most fun I've had in centuries!"

Steven hissed, strained, "Amethyst, I don't think now is the time."

The courtroom was silent for a moment, and then the yellow Zircon collected herself enough to clear her throat. "My Diamond. May the defense speak?" She looked defeated. The prosecution's story had matched the witness's and then the defendant had gotten into a shouting match with the gem she was accused of defying. Things were looking bad for the defense. Even to Steven, it was obvious that Morganite was guilty.

The problem was, Homeworld's version of guilty didn't mean the same thing as wrong.

Steven said, thinking out his words before he said them, "I'd like to hear Morganite speak in her own defense" He barely stopped himself from adding 'if that's alright with you.' Probably that wasn't something a Diamond should say.

The yellow Zircon blanched. "Of course, my Diamond! If you think that's wise, I'll- I'll raise her up at once."

The Morganite's pedestal rose, and finally Steven could see her clearly. Her eyes widened, which meant she could see him clearly, too, and stood ramrod-straight. Her salmon hair cut professionally short, and she wore an orange-pink bodysuit that looked more functional than stylish. Her face was carefully neutral. She reminded Steven of Dr. Maheswaran: collected and stern, but nice underneath. She didn't look like someone who deserved to be executed for letting a fusion live.

"My Diamond," she said with a neat salute. "I won't waste your time by denying every one of the allegations against me. I did defy a superior gem, just as I allowed two gems to fuse under my command. The only allegation I will deny is that of treason, on the grounds that my transgressions were for the good of Homeworld. You've seen for yourself that Hessonite Facet 8 Cut 6YJ is biased when it comes to reviewing my performance, and her behavior during the surprise inspection that led to my arrest was no exception. Eta 11 has shown vast improvement since it was put under my administration." Here her voice showed a hint of pride. "This improvement was due to the work of Sea Glass, the fusion of a Lapis Lazuli and a Desert Glass." Steven gulped. "The combined power of two terraforming gems allowed for rapid development of untouched stretches of land, which in turn allowed my Kindergarten technicians to make up for the delay forced upon them by my predecessor. Allowing Sea Glass to remain fused doubled Eta 11's productivity."

"But you allowed this "Sea Glass" to remain intact outside of work," the blue Zircon pressed. "For sentimental reasons. Do you deny that claim?"

The Morganite pinched her lips. "I do not. Their remaining fused allowed them to function more effectively when they were needed."

"Do you deny that the fusion was allowed to consort with regular gems?"

Her fists clenched. "I do not."

"And do you deny that your success at Eta 11 was achieved through flagrantly illegal means?"

The Morganite stiffened and said furiously, "No, I don't deny that. I also don't think it matters." The yellow Zircon flinched, casting a terrified glance up at Steven.

Visibly steeling herself, the Morganite turned to face Steven. "My Diamond, I was tasked with salvaging a colony so horrifically mismanaged that nearly half of its gem staff had been shattered as scapegoats for the decisions of a short-sighted, megalomaniacal fool. They were afraid to innovate, afraid to take initiative, even afraid to speak, and the farther behind they fell, the worse their treatment became. My reassignment was a last-ditch effort to save the colony from failure. My Diamond, it is my understanding that desperate times call for desperate measures.

"Fused, Lapis Lazuli and Desert Glass could do the work of ten gems. Their work allowed for the development of Eta 11's Prime Kindergarten, which is known for creating the most flawless Sapphires of Era Two. Their presence outside of assignments improved morale, allowing for a one hundred percent increase in efficiency. Their fusion was neither treasonous nor a sign of fomenting rebellion, and--" Morganite faltered. "And she doesn't deserve to be called an abomination. They only continued to fuse under my orders, for the advancement of the colony under my administration. Neither of them deserves to be punished for my actions."

She saluted again, ignoring the blue Zircon's scoff.  "My Diamond, if either of those gems is as yet unharvested, I beg you to show them mercy. Their actions were undertaken at the behest of a superior gem for the good of Homeworld, and I take full responsibility for them." Her hands were shaking. "I will accept any punishment you see fit to give me."

Steven couldn't breathe. Everything in him clamored to reassure the gem in front of him, to promise that she'd done the right thing, to say he was so proud of her for choosing love when it could kill her-- but he couldn't. Pearl had made him promise not to make waves. "I'm gonna declare a brief recess," Steven forced out, drawing on all his memories of lawyer-themed TV shows, even the Crying Breakfast Buddies litigation special. "The defendant should return to her cell, and the two gems who fused should be left alone. The trial will resume... when I say it will. That will be all."

The courtroom emptied of everyone but Steven's guards, Chocolate Pearl, and Amethyst. Steven floated down to a wide-eyed retinue. 

"Are trials always that intense?" one of the guards blurted out. 

"I dunno, usually Yellow Diamond's zapped someone by now, this was almost tame--"

"My Diamond," Chocolate rushed in, saluting quickly. Steven winced; she still insisted on calling him that, even in private. "If you'll take a suggestion...?" Steven nodded. "Zircons are active in Courts and will gossip about their work. Whatever your decision, you will make enemies. At the moment... I am not certain that some of those enemies are wise to make."

"What, like they're gonna go against a Diamond?" Amethyst asked. "He's got the gem and everything! Isn't that a big deal to you guys?" Steven widened his eyes at her, and she amended awkwardly, "Like it is to me, a Homeworld gem?"

Chocolate gave her a scornful look. "My Quartz, the Diamonds don't rule purely on the strength of their type. If my Diamond makes the wrong enemies, they may decide to discredit him by claiming he isn't actually Pink Diamond, or attempt to do their own Diamonds a favor by opposing him. Their own sovereigns aren't here to regulate them. Anything that makes my Diamond lose support risks losing the whole of Homeworld to anarchy." She noticed Steven listening to her and flushed. "Though of course I bow to your superior viewpoint, my Diamond."

"Let me get this straight," Steven said, puzzling through the information. "If I pardon her, I'll seem like I'm flouting Diamond law, and if I pardon Sea Glass that's even worse. But I can't execute her, because she was doing really well with her colony, and also that would be wrong since she was just being nice and doing her job. And for one reason or another, any option's gonna make enemies."

"... Precisely, my Diamond."

"Guess I gotta think of a compromise. It can't be any worse than that whole Restaurant Wars thing, right?" Except the Restaurant Wars hadn't even been close to these stakes. 

Except Steven had met Sea Glass, or at least her components, and the chances of them being either dead or nowhere nearby were pretty dang high. 

Sometimes he wished his life was normal.

"I don't think gourmet meals are gonna fix this one, bud," Amethyst said, looking legitimately regretful, and the first inkling of an idea formed in Steven's brain.

If Sea Glass's components were gone-- and gosh, he hoped they'd gotten out safe-- they weren't in immediate danger. The only gem in trouble was Morganite, who everyone knew was super competent, and who might be important enough that he could spare her if he figured out a good enough reason. So if he wanted to make the trial go on until he found that reason...

"You know what?" The gems in the room all looked at him. Steven fought not to blush.

"I think... I'm gonna get them to bring in Sea Glass herself."

Chapter Text

"This is gonna be weird, isn't it," Steven said faintly. 

"Why?" Amethyst asked. "By Homeworld's standards, you're being nice to them. What're you even gonna ask?"

"I'm not sure," Steven admitted. "Honestly, I... you remember when I came back to tell you guys about the Diamonds disappearing?" He kept his voice to a hush. Amethyst nodded. "I kinda broke them out of their cells. I don't know if they got away, but if they did, this next part's gonna be really weird."

"Huh." Amethyst swung her feet over the edge in thought."If they got caught again they might be shattered already, dude." Steven flinched. "But hey, maybe they didn't and we'll just have Morganite to worry about! Or they got caught again and they'll show up anyway."

Steven let himself be optimistic. "I guess even if they do show up, as long as they're alive we can save them, right?" 

Amethyst punched him lightly in the arm. "Yeah, sure. You're supposed to be a legit Diamond now, aren't you? Just be like do what I say, and as long as it seems all evil I bet no one'll object. Be all stealthy about it."

Steven perked up. That sounded like something he could do. "Do you think I just say 'end the recess'? How do I--" The triangle at the center of the courtroom lit up again, and five gems beamed into the room: the two Zircons, the Morganite, and two Jasper guards. There was no sign of Desert Glass or the Lapis Lazuli. Steven wasn't sure whether to feel relieved "Huh. That works."

The yellow Zircon saluted and announced, reeking of awkward, "My illustrious Diamond! The fusion that you requested is, ah, unavailable. Its components seem to have escaped."

Her blue compatriot muttered, "From a high security cell, in the middle of the palace. My Diamond, I would like to submit for the record that I believe they're being intentionally hidden by the prosecution."

The Morganite's shoulders relaxed by a ton, and her eyes brightened. "Don't be ridiculous, Zircon. If anything, they would have helped my defense."

"By escaping their cell? Surely if they were innocent, they would have remained in place. This is further proof of their treasonous attitudes, mark my words--"

The triangle lit up one more time, and every gem on the floor startled. When the glow faded, the Lapis Lazuli in the center stood and curtsied, bright and unhurried. Her wings folded demurely into her back. "Hello, everyone!" she said to the courtroom of dumbfounded faces. "Am I late? Everyone tells me I'm late a lot."

The yellow Zircon stared, then cleared her throat. "My Diamond, I believe we've recovered a witness." One of the Jaspers moved to grab the Lapis Lazuli's arm, but she dodged out of her grip. 

"I'm here to testify," she said, a little testily, "so you don't have to grab me. Hi, my Morganite!"

Morganite looked like she was stuck between wanting to hug her subordinate and wanting to strangle her, except fear was overriding them both. "4GD," she gritted out, "this is worse than the East Rim debacle."

"You don't have to be mean about it, either, but okay," 4GD said. "Which Diamond is this? I'm not poofed yet, so I know it's not Yellow, and I'm not crying, so... is that Pink? Weird, I could've sworn you died." Amethyst choked on a laugh. "Thanks, whoever you are, I'll be here all night! Because I'm being a witness. Is there someplace I'm supposed to stand?" Now Morganite kind of looked like she wanted to shut her up with her glare alone.

"Lapis Lazuli 4GD," the blue Zircon finally forced out, fuming with anger, "where is your fellow criminal?"

4GD cocked her head, sending her braid cascading over her shoulder. "I dunno! We unfused, we do that sometimes. Guess she could be anywhere. Doesn't matter, though, 'cause I'm the one who's here. Do you want my testimony or not? I could've sworn I heard the court wanted it."

"We do!" Steven called out, something giddy bubbling up in his chest. "Please bring the witness to the stand, or whatever it is. I wanna hear what she has to say."

The blue Zircon made a face like she'd swallowed something sour, but she did as he asked. The podium rose up and carried Lapis Lazuli 4GD with it. Her eyes bugged out when she saw him. Steven grinned and held a finger to his lips. 

He had no idea what she was trying to do here, but he remembered Desert Glass saying that they couldn't leave Homeworld yet-- Desert Glass who was missing, who was one half of a fusion with every reason to want to save Morganite-- and thought he had an idea. However this played out, he wasn't gonna let them die for it.

4GD gathered her wits. "So my Diamond, what did you want to know? No way my Morganite didn't tell you the facts, she's real picky about that stuff."

Steven fought to keep the smile from his voice. "I just want to know your side of the story. Your Morganite said you were fusing under orders so you could fix the colony faster, and that sometimes you stayed fused even when you weren't working. I wanna know how everything happened."

"Well, it all started when I popped out of a canyon wall," 4GD started blithely, but Morganite hissed something under her breath and she stopped. "Okay, fine, I'll actually be proper and stuff." She bounced on her heels. "Lemme think... got it! Okay, so when Glass and I fused the first time it was a total accident..."

... and the second time they ever fused-- the first time it had been on purpose-- they realized how much stronger they were together and came up with a plan.

Their old supervisor had been a huge jerk, lazy and vicious, who liked to take out her growing list of reprimands on the gems beneath her. She'd shattered gems for not following nonsensical orders, for taking initiative, even for talking too loudly, and every cycle her behavior had gotten worse. By the time 4GD and Glass started fusing, she'd been threatening the terraformers with severe punishment if they didn't complete objectives in half the allotted time. It had been an impossible goal, so Glass and 4GD had come up with an impossible solution.

Sea Glass could erect buildings in minutes. Sea Glass could raise the ocean, could lift ridiculous amounts of weight, and could be super quiet when she had to be... so the two of them had waited till the other gems were busy elsewhere and sped things up when they could. Using the cover of storms, of solar flares, of severe winds, (and, Steven got the feeling, of other members of their team), they'd completed their objectives in time. They hadn't been caught until Morganite got the colony, and then only because she'd been shrewd enough to question how a small group of terraformers could manage such immense changes overnight.

But their Morganite had let them keep fusing, because they were useful, and she'd even directed them so they'd be more effective. She'd done her duty. 

"So what you're telling us," the blue Zircon said slowly, "is that you fused of your own volition for a long time before you were given official orders to do so, and that your Morganite was aware of this before setting foot on Homeworld." Sudden tension fell over the courtroom. "Which would mean that your Morganite lied to a Diamond's face."

"I would hardly call it lying," the defense cut in. "She merely meant that they continued to fuse under her orders--"

"But not because of her orders. She implied-- nay, outright stated-- that they only fused under her orders. This new information means she legitimized an illegal fusion, thereby showing her subordinates that covert use of weapons of war was fine as long as they weren't caught-- at least, not by anyone other than their Morganite. Tell me, Lapis Lazuli, were there any other fusions under your Morganite's command?"

"Nah," 4GD said, sounding way too chill for the situation. She had her wings out, though, even as she leaned her elbows against the podium. Steven nudged Amethyst, and Amethyst nodded back; this Lapis Lazuli was ready for action. She was waiting for something.

Meanwhile, below, the lawyers kept debating. "That is irrelevant to this case, my Diamond! This trial is about allowing these two gems to fuse--"

"No, actually, it's about this Morganite's treason! Under the law there is a huge difference between ordering an illegal act for the empire's sake and legitimizing inferior gems' whims. This Morganite's actions aren't those of a conscientious administrator, they're those of a rebel! She might as well be a Crystal Gem!" The blue Zircon caught herself. "Apologies for their mention, my Diamond."

Amethyst shot Steven an incredulous look. "Do they know any of your backstory?"  

"Shhh!"

"My Diamond, this is blatant speculation!" the yellow Zircon said desperately. "It has absolutely no bearing on the case at hand."

"I think it does, actually!" 4GD piped up, and all eyes in the courtroom swiveled to her. "Our Morganite was really nice to let us live like that. She was nice to let our teams live! Our old superior would've shattered half the colony." Her smile went hard and determined, and her wings arched up on her back. "That's why we're not about to let you Homeworld jerks shatter her."

Even from his place on the throne, Steven could feel the tremor that made the other gems tense up. He summoned his shield and dove in front of Chocolate and his guards, pulling Amethyst along with him, just in time for a giant stone hand to crash through the ceiling and throw up a cloud of dust and rubble. Somewhere in the chaos the two Zircons screamed in unison. The Lapis Lazuli twisted her wings into whips, falling and slashing in one fluid motion, and Steven saw two explosions of light. 

"One mistake and you want to execute her!" 4GD announced, wings flaring. The dust started to settle, and Steven caught a glimpse of the two Jasper's gems, lying helpless on the floor. "That's what always happens, you know that? I can't even count the gems I've seen die for being defective. So me and Glass were talking, and the way we figured-- if that's Diamond's law, we don't want any part of it!" 

An alarm started blaring, painfully loud, and heavy footsteps clattered toward the door. "Reinforcements," one of Steven's guards said. "They won't get away with this!"

"They're supposed to get away with this, I don't want them dead!" Steven shrilled under his breath.

The Amethyst stared at him in confusion, and the other guard asked, "Really? 'Cause any second now there's gonna be a dozen more of us, and they literally just said they're rebelling against you--"

"I don't care! Augh, I hate this kind of thing, why does Homeworld have to be so horrible!"

Another figure scrambled down the statue's giant arm, gangly and tannish-white. Desert Glass grinned at Morganite, almost shyly, and the administrator sighed. "I suppose it's as good a way to go as any," she muttered, barely loud enough for Steven to hear, and picked up one of the Jaspers' maces.

Glass and 4GD clasped hands, and a four-armed, sea green woman rose up from the dust cloud roaring. A dozen Quartz soldiers charged into the room, weapons out and crackling, and met her head on.

One of them had the same fusion-destroying weapon that Jasper had used against Garnet. Steven banished his shield and stood up to join the fight, but Amethyst's fingers on his wrist held him back. "Steven, no, you don't even know what side you're fighting on!" she hissed. "Remember what we said about not making enemies?"

"I have to help somehow! There's too many of them, they'll get shattered, I can't just watch--"

"My Diamond, please stay here where it's safe--"

Sea Glass backhanded a Citrine across the room, four eyes narrowed in desperate rage, and Morganite swept another one's feet, disarming her in one smooth gesture and using her own weapon against her. They were surrounded, though, and the alarm was still blaring; any second now their escape route would be cut off and they'd die, and it would be Steven's fault.

"We've gotta make them stop," he hissed. 

"M-my Diamond," the blue Zircon babbled, "how do you plan to do that? Look at them, they've gone mad! And there are already more guards incoming!"

"Oh, come on, how many can Homeworld even have!" Steven snapped. The Zircon opened her mouth-- "No, sorry, don't answer that, just-- oh, that's not good."

The Citrine squadron finished reforming and mobbed Sea Glass all at once. Morganite fought some of them off, Sea Glass slamming them back with her wings and crushing them against columns to fall apart, but even a giant fusion couldn't hold them off forever. One of the Citrines came at her with a gem destabilizer-- she screamed and fell apart, two gems clattering to the ground-- the soldier slammed down on them with the blunt end of her sword--

But it skittered off the surface of a shimmering pink shield. Enough was enough. "Everyone, stop fighting!"

The gems in the room all froze, turned, and saluted at once. Steven vanished his shield, but didn't move away from the two gems. He wasn't about to risk someone taking a parting shot. "You too, Morganite. I'm not gonna hurt you."

Morganite blinked, looking him over, then slowly placed the mace on the ground. "My Diamond," she said neutrally, and didn't salute.

One of the remaining Citrines started, "My Diamond, our apologies for taking so long to subdue the prisoners--" 

"That's fine," Steven cut her off. He clenched his fists. "This whole thing is stupid anyway." 

"M-my Diamond?"

"I'm sick of this," Steven snapped, finally letting himself glare. "I'm sick of fighting, I'm sick of trials, I'm sick of shattering--" He rounded on Morganite. "I'm sick of all of this! None of you would've rebelled if you had any other choice! All you want is to fix your colony, all they want is to protect you-- this wouldn't even be a problem if someone with a grudge against you hadn't surprise-inspected you in the first place! I wouldn't be surprised if a ton of colonies are doing the same thing you did to keep up with demand, and you know what? I don't care! I'm so tired of having to sit through a trial where no one's done anything wrong!

If as many gems are being shattered as you say, that is wrong! And it's stupid, too! If Homeworld's supposed to be low on resources, which is why you have to make gems with less powers, who are smaller, and then give them enhancements like Peridots-- you should have a use for every gem. You shouldn't be shattering anyone! If Blue and Yellow knew just how many gems die every day because their superiors decide they aren't worth keeping around-- if they saw how many lives you all just wasted-- they'd be horrified. I know I am." Steven took a breath, forced his hands to stop shaking. "I'm not gonna order these gems shattered. In fact, I'm going to order that they not be shattered. That no gems be shattered, anywhere, in this whole Empire. Not if there's any other option."

Morganite was the only one brave enough to ask. "And... what other option would there be? My Diamond."

Steven looked down at the two poofed prisoners and scooped them into his hand. "You bubble them," he said. "Like this." A pink bubble appeared around the gems and floated in the air. "Every one of them. As a last resort only. You give second chances, you get older gems to help them, you forgive mistakes, and if all else fails, if nothing else can possibly work, you bubble them. And you leave them in stasis until you figure out what went wrong. If you want a gem shattered, you have to come to the Diamonds for a trial. You have to come to me." He bit his lip and glanced toward Chocolate. "And this goes for every gem. Not just aristocrats or technicians or whatever. Even for Pearls. That's my verdict. These two will stay bubbled, in stasis, because... they're criminals, and there's nowhere else we could put them. And Morganite--

"I can tell Eta 11's everything to you, and I respect that. But you admitted to breaking a ton of laws and attacked your guards, so you have to be punished, too. So... you can choose your replacements for whatever jobs you do, but you're staying on Homeworld. You're not gonna get to go back."

The Morganite stiffened and bowed her head. "As you wish, my Diamond." 

Steven forced himself to turn away. "That will be all," he gritted out. The courtroom emptied itself of everyone but the Amethysts and Chocolate Pearl. The bubble still floated behind him.

Chocolate Pearl had tears on her face, Steven noticed all of a sudden, and the fact that he hadn't noticed before made everything worse. How thoughtless was he? "Chocolate, are you okay?"

"My Diamond," she said, bowing as soon as she was addressed. "I'm sorry, I- I am unharmed. I was merely frightened by the fighting. It won't happen again."

"It's fine," Steven said helplessly. Won't happen again, like he'd get mad at her for being scared-- "It's-- it's fine, really. I'm not gonna-- I won't hurt you--" His voice broke. 

"Aw, Steven, don't cry," Amethyst said, half-panicked. "It's okay, dude, you did fine! No one even died, it's all cool, what's wrong? They won't talk, you can tell me."

Steven threw his arms around her and buried his face in her shoulder. "They thought I was gonna kill them," he choked out, perilously close to a sob. "They thought-- it's so stupid, no one even did anything wrong, they were all just trying to protect each other and they thought I was gonna kill them." Was this how his mom had felt, hearing how Bismuth wanted to shatter her to protect everyone, being the villain in her own story? 

"You didn't, though," Amethyst soothed. One of the Famethysts patted Steven awkwardly on the back. "You were totally merciful and gave a great speech and everything! Think that counted as, like, an actual decree?"

Chocolate said tentatively, "It should have. Though it will be a rather jarring change for most."

"So much for not making enemies, huh." Steven pulled back and rubbed at his eyes. "You think gems'll start to hate me now?"

"I think," Chocolate mused, "that you're likely to have made a few allies along with your enemies. You did justify the decree with your mention of dwindling resources. That's been a worry for some time, my Diamond."

"Please don't call me that right now," Steven begged. 

"Of course," the Pearl said. "I won't... Steven." 

Amethyst poked at the bubble. "What're you gonna do with these two?" 

Steven smiled. "I was hoping you could take care of that, Amethyst. I think you'll know just what to do with them." Amethyst's bewildered look slowly morphed into understanding.

"Oh! Yeah, totally. Leave it to me." She hefted the bubble like a basketball. "Hey, if you're gonna get more involved in politics things... are you gonna have to build up an actual court?"

Steven remembered hundreds of pink bubbles, floating above Blue Diamond in the Zoo: a whole group punished for one gem's transgressions. "Yeah," he decided, "I think I should. I already know where to start."

Chapter Text

"You're leaving things out," Patuxent River Agate growled. "You expect me to believe that part's true? That Pink Diamond broke down crying at the trial? Over a pair of criminals?" 

"It seemed, my Agate," Chocolate equivocated, "that h-- that she was crying from anger at wasted resources." Or rather anger at wasted lives, but Chocolate was hoping the Zircons were too dense to know the difference. They'd have no reason to hide the fact that he'd been crying at all, because it wasn't unheard of for Diamonds to cry. According to rumor, Blue Diamond never did anything else. 

That must have been a drag at court.

"Wasted resources," the Agate mused. "Perhaps. And you said she spends all her time with an Amethyst guard? I didn't recognize that one."

Chocolate Pearl bowed her head. "She's designated Amethyst Facet 5 Cut 8XM, from the same Prime Kindergarten as the rest of the Amethyst guards. It seems Pink Diamond has taken a liking to her." He certainly did like her. Chocolate could never be accused of lying to her superiors. 

"Consorting with underlings," the Agate muttered. Chocolate kept her face carefully neutral. "So the rumors... that decree is real? It can't only be motivated by resource concerns... you idiot Pearl, you aren't telling me the whole story. What happened in that courtroom?"

"The two gems accused of fusing were ordered by Pink Diamond to appear in the courtroom and to speak for themselves. They had escaped, but one of them returned to give her side of the story, which caused the gem on trial to be caught in a lie. The other escapee then crashed part of a monument into the courtroom, fused with her compatriot, and attempted to escape with the Morganite on trial. When the Citrines failed to contain the situation, Pink Diamond intervened. She made a decree that no gems are to be shattered anywhere in the Empire, only bubbled. She said--" Chocolate faltered. "She said it includes gems as low-ranking as Pearls."

The Agate snarled and slammed a hand into the wall, pacing her chambers angrily; Chocolate jerked back on reflex. "Sentimental! No, worse-- provoking. Every low-ranking no-account worker in the Empire will think she can get away with anything now. No shattering, no harvesting, no making examples of... there's no better way to destabilize the hierarchy. I'll bet she knows it, too."

Chocolate Pearl stayed quiet; she'd been privy to a lot of rants over the years, and was willing to bet that Patuxent River Agate had nearly forgotten she was there.

The ranting Agate turned to her after a while. "And you! You've told me hardly anything new! Every single thing you've said so far I could have gotten from that simpering blue Zircon. So tell me, then: what's Pink Diamond done with that Morganite? What's Pink Diamond's connection to Earth? And how, exactly, did she survive, and why in such a changed form?" 

The Pearl tilted her head. "Would like me to answer in order of your asking, my Agate, or in order of what I actually know? Pink Diamond would hardly confide in a new Pearl."

"Don't get smart with me. You've been listening in on her, I know it. That's a habit of yours. So you're going to tell me what you know before I make you. I'm getting tired of protecting you."

Chocolate didn't clench her fists, or narrow her eyes, or flinch back in fear. Instead, she merely blinked, and let an idea take form in the back of her mind. "Very well, my Agate. Then I'll tell you: while I was unable to listen in on Pink Diamond's meeting with the criminal Morganite--" mostly by virtue of making excuses and leaving the room immediately, because what she didn't hear couldn't be reported, now, could it-- "I am aware that Pink Diamond wishes to employ her in the formation of a new Court. Pink Diamond also seems to be attached to her first colony and the beings that live on it." One of whom was a direct blood relative who'd somehow gifted him an organic form. Not to mention the Earth gems who'd apparently raised him into an entirely new being with the powers of a Diamond. Chocolate didn't know where to start with all that. "She doesn't have all her memories, but was nevertheless able to survive despite--" because she was somehow familiar with-- "the Crystal Gems." And this was an outright lie, though given what Chocolate had overheard it might as well be true-- "She may have had to sacrifice her physical form to escape them by blending in with the organics that survived the Diamonds' decimation."

Except she didn't think the Diamonds had decimated the planet, because Pink Diamond spoke of organics and gems she knew on its surface. And if there were gems-- including Amethyst 8XM, who Chocolate knew for a fact hadn't been among the guards when they'd first arrived, she'd asked around and everything-- on Earth, they were probably Crystal Gems. And that would explain the bizarre, secretive trial that had happened before, that had set gems whispering about the Rose Quartz's return.

Incidentally, Pink Diamond's gem looked a lot like a pink Quartz, in certain lights.

Chocolate had been listening a lot. 

"You're sure of all of this," the Agate said intently. 

Chocolate Pearl nodded. "Yes, my Agate. To the best of my knowledge, all of what I said is true." And the rest of it is stuff I made up.

Patuxent River Agate glared suspiciously, but at Chocolate's continued stillness she subsided. "Then that will be all."

Chocolate curtsied, wavering a little, then left the room. She made it all the way down a deserted service hallway before she allowed herself to collapse from nerves. Just for a moment, she told herself, leaning against the wall. Just a moment, and then she'd be a picture-perfect Pearl once more, graceful and dainty and delicate and not at all a spy who'd just lied to her former mistress's face. As long as no one was around to see, she could pretend she was a gem instead of a fancy decoration.

Just a moment, to let her new idea coalesce into a plan...

Another gem rounded the corner at a brisk, elegant pace, and Chocolate stood up in a hurry, posing like a Pearl should before letting her shoulders relax. The other Pearl blinked a greeting as she met Chocolate's eyes, and a bolt of inspiration hit her. Chocolate blinked back, struggling to keep the revelation from her expression, then started walking the opposite direction. 

Rumors, rumors, everything was always about rumors...

*

"Well, it wasn't Klavius 7, but it certainly was a challenge, organizing all this," Morganite mused. The convicted criminal had a screen up in front of her face and was looking at it intently. "Rose Quartz were a relatively rare gem type, my Diamond, but there are still thousands of them in those bubbles. I wouldn't suggest releasing them all at once." 

Pink Diamond's chambers were fuller than usual: four Amethyst guards (including one Crystal Gem), Chocolate Pearl, Morganite, Steven, and a solitary pink bubble, with an equally pink gem inside. Morganite surveyed it and added, "I'm not sure I'd suggest releasing any of them here."

"We have to start somewhere, don't we?" Steven reasoned. "If I meet one of them alone first, maybe they won't panic so much when they're all let out." 

Morganite asked, "And they won't remember anything past when they were poofed? It's not... they aren't awake, when they're in their bubbles?" She wasn't just asking about the Rose Quartz. He'd told her that Amethyst had snuck Desert Glass and Lapis 4GD to Earth where they could fuse in peace, but he wasn't sure Morganite believed him. To a Homeworld gem it probably seemed pretty far-fetched.

Steven smiled reassuringly. "They won't remember anything from while they're bubbled! It's like going to sleep." 

"I... don't know what that is, but if it's peaceful, I suppose that's all right." She looked at the bubble a little wistfully. "My Diamond, I must admit to finding your decree a little strange. The Empire is huge, and it relies mostly on its bureaucracy to function. Administrators are used to using a large amount of, ah, personal discretion, when it comes to their commands. Some, like my predecessor on Eta 11, have grown accustomed to being their planets' sole authorities, and prefer to shatter when even Diamond law would allow more clemency. Being forced to simply bubble unruly gems will make their excesses more obvious, especially once they start to pile up. I almost wish I could see Hessonite's face when an inspection catches her trying to hide bubbles in her personal chambers." Morganite saw Steven's expression and flushed. "That is to say-- it will be rather disruptive. My Diamond."

Steven said awkwardly. "I didn't know how often gems got shattered here. Aren't they considered more important than, like, tools?"

Chocolate Pearl cleared her throat, eyes widening a little when Steven looked her way. "My Diamond, official policy states that no gem is to be shattered unless they're off-color or otherwise defective. However, since the official parameters for defectiveness are rather vague, there is room for... interpretation. Higher-ranking gems often interpret it more loosely. So long as their versions of the law do not significantly affect imperial business, they may do as they wish."

Amethyst wrinkled her nose. "Dude, you don't even have a screen up. You have all that memorized?"

"Yes, my Quartz," Chocolate said stiffly. "It's a standard part of my batch's programming." 

"Huh, cool." Amethyst turned to Steven. "So are we doing this or not? 'Cause I kinda wanna meet an actual Rose Quartz this century, if you know what I mean. I bet they're pretty cool."

Steven plucked the bubble out of the air. "Yeah, okay, if we're all ready. Five, four--"

8XJ whispered to 8XH, "What's 'cool'?" The other Amethyst shrugged.

"Maybe it's an Earth disease."

"--one!" The bubble popped, and the pink gem clattered to the floor. Everyone stared at it expectantly.

"Maybe she's asleep?" Steven guessed after a long moment passed. Amethyst poked the gem with her foot. "Uh, maybe don't do that right now, Amethyst."

"She could be choosing a new outfit," Morganite suggested. "If she's been in stasis for such a long period--" The gem started to glow. "Ah, here she is."

The light flared out, then drew back into a broad-shouldered silhouette, as tall as a standard Amethyst. It solidified into a light pink woman, with darker pink hair cut in straight bangs across her forehead and a gem on the inside of her left palm. There was a pink diamond in the center of her jumpsuit. 

The Rose Quartz stared up at the chamber's jeweled pink ceiling in awe, barely noting the gems around her. Then she blinked, glanced around, and said with rising confidence, "Rose Quartz Facet 25 Cut 6OP reporting for duty, my Diamond!" She gave a crisp salute. 

Steven startled. "You can tell I'm Pink Diamond?" Garnet hadn't even been able to tell that. The number of gems who'd been confused at his face on their screens was so big he'd stopped counting. 

The Rose Quartz looked him over pensively, focusing especially on his gem. She reminded him of a jeweler inspecting a ring to see if the precious stone was real. "Yes, my Diamond? It's obvious? The cut's not right for a Quartz, and it's too clear, not fogged up at all. Plus, everyone's wearing Pink Diamond's insignia here but you, even though we're obviously in some place associated with her, and Morganites never get assigned four Quartz guards, at least not outside of a war zone..." She bit her lip. "Am I wrong? I'm extrapolating a lot here. I don't think I'm wrong, though."

"You're right," Steven assured her. "It's just that usually gems think I should look different. Or they think Pink's-- think I'm dead."

6OP frowned. "But you're not dead. You're right here. And obviously you're some kind of Diamond, you have the gem." 

"Wait wait wait. How can you tell what kind of gem he has? It looks the same as yours!" Amethyst pointed to the Rose Quartz's palm. "Is it, like, a Rose Quartz thing--"

"It's a Rose Quartz thing," 6OP confirmed, then frowned. "Well, mostly. We're programmed to ID gem types, but most don't look as closely as I do." Her tone implied that those Rose Quartz were idiots.

Morganite cut in, sounding a little impatient,  "Sorry to intrude, my Diamond, but I must ask-- Rose Quartz, what do you recall from before this room?"

6OP shrugged. "I came out of the ground and they were separating Rose Quartz's from the other Quartz soldiers, so I went and stood with them. We hung around for a day, then some Citrine guards and a couple of Agates came out and poofed us all. Then I woke up here. They were yelling something about a rebellion and Pink Diamond being dead. Clearly you aren't dead, though, so what happened to that rebellion? Did we win? 'Cause I can fight if you want me to." She raised her fists. "I was literally made for it."

Steven waved her off. "The rebellion's over! Don't-- don't worry about that. It's... actually... been about five thousand years since you were bubbled." Steven scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I would've released you sooner, but I only came back as Pink Diamond like four months ago."

The Rose Quartz blinked. Then, slowly, she glanced around the room-- at the mural showing a completely different Pink Diamond on the wall, at Steven, and at the other gems. "My Diamond-- it took you five thousand years to regain your form? If that's true-- I'm sorry to tell you this, but I think you have a condition." She had the exact same tone as Connie's mom had when she'd properly seen the prototype clusters in the hospital: horror, mixed with medical curiosity. "Have you had your gem looked at?"

Steven couldn't help it; he laughed. "Uh, I don't think that's gonna be necessary--"

"Are you implying that a Diamond could be defective?" Morganite asked, eyes gleaming.

6OP paled. "N-no! Well--no? I mean, what does defective mean really, does anyone actually know?"

Chocolate tilted her head, the faintest smile playing on her lips. "I'd be glad to provide a definition if you'd like one. Shall I, my Diamond?"

"Guys, be nice," Steven chided. "It's okay if you'd rather heal than hurt people. You're a medic, that's your job! Are other Rose Quartz like that?"

"I wouldn't know, I emerged like a day ago," 6OP said blankly.

"Oh. Yeah." Steven recalibrated. "Well, we're gonna be reintegrating Rose Quartz in with other gems anyway, so I guess we could ask one of them. In the meantime, it's nice to meet you, Rose Quartz." He held out a hand.

6OP stared at it for an excruciating moment. Then, slowly, she took it, held it for a second, and let go. Steven's smile flickered. "Do you not like Rose Quartz?" 6OP asked, and he startled, staring up at her. "You winced."

"No!" Steven blurted out. "Well, I mean, my mom was a Rose Quartz, or we thought she was, and then it turned out she was Pink Diamond-- I dunno, it's just a little weird to call someone Rose when I always thought of that as her name. It's not a problem."

"You could call me 6OP, my Diamond," 6OP said. "That's what my cohort called me."

"Oh!" Despite himself, Steven felt relieved. "Okay. Nice to meet you, 6OP."

"It's a pleasure to serve, my Diamond," 6OP said cheerfully. "By the way, do I have this right? That Amethyst over there knew the rebellious Rose Quartz somehow, because she winced when I pointed out your discomfort. I'm assuming it was the rebellious one you knew, because otherwise she'd have been bubbled, and I guess that means Pink Diamond was a rebel, too. So why do you still have her mural up?"

Steven blanched. He glanced over at Amethyst and saw her talking with the other guards. No help there. "Because... it... looks nice?" Oh, jeez, maybe he shouldn't have brought 6OP out in this room...

"It does look nice," the Rose Quartz agreed. She admired the mural-- a stylized Pink Diamond, holding Earth up above her head-- for a moment. "By the way, if you don't mind me asking, when do the rest of us come out?"

Morganite said, sending a quelling glance at the chattering Amethyst guards, "We were thinking of unbubbling eight Rose Quartz as a sort of honor guard for Pink Diamond's Court, as a way to get Homeworld reacquainted with your kind. This would allow news to spread of your return without causing undue panic." She grimaced. "Since Rose Quartz are remembered as the caste that killed Pink Diamond, I'd say it's best to be diplomatic."

"Smart," 6OP said approvingly. 

"Yeah..." Steven trailed off. "Where can we have them make an appearance, though? I've been so secluded lately." 

Chocolate piped up, "Actually, my Diamond-- I'd forgotten to mention it earlier, but with Blue and Yellow's extended trip, the responsibility of overseeing Homeworld's cosmic jubilee falls to you. I don't mean to be presumptuous, my Diamond, but perhaps you could debut the Rose Quartz there?"

"That could work," Morganite mused. "It would give the Rose Quartz a positive air. We could use it as an excuse to announce the beginning of an 'Era Three'."

"Wait," Steven said, trying to catch up, "I have to host a gem party?"

"I-- yes?" Chocolate looked confused. "It's not for a few cycles yet-- that's about a month, in your reckoning-- but it's an enormous event. One of the Diamonds is always there."

"Huh." Steven bit his lip. "I don't know anything about gem parties. I guess there isn't any cake... is there music? What do people do for fun?"

The Pearl tilted her head to the side a little, letting her bangs fall away from her gem, then started to project images of the jubilee into the air. "The cosmic jubilee is mainly an excuse for aristocratic gems to show off their accomplishments-- rightfully theirs, of course-- and to view entertainment. If it's on Homeworld, as this one is, it's expected to be especially grand. The best of all three Courts will be there-- four, now, since you've returned."

The hologram showed large groups of gems: Sapphires, Emeralds, Agates, and other upper crust, along with their guards and servants. It flickered through different images: a scowling Yellow Diamond leaning forward to watch a troupe of dancing Pearls, a coliseum full of competing Quartz soldiers, ofanother Pearl singing on a stage, a new colony being unveiled. They went on and on, until Steven felt dizzy watching. "My Diamond, it would be the perfect time to prove your legitimacy to the masses-- many of them will only have heard of your return through hearsay, so it would be wise to assure them of your presence in person."

"It seems like a lot." Steven shifted nervously. "You said we have a month to plan?"

"There's time, my Diamond," Morganite said firmly. "Until then, may I suggest we fetch the other seven Rose Quartz? We'll need to start building up your Court at once."

Steven glanced over at 6OP, who was deep in conversation with Amethyst and the other three guards. "Yeah," he said, "I think that's kind of a priority."

He didn't want to face a bunch of gem politicians without a lot of people who knew what they were doing on his side, because he had to hold things together until Blue and Yellow came back to run everything again. If the Gem Empire fell apart while they were gone, he'd never forgive himself, and they'd never trust his opinion again. He needed their trust if he was gonna make life better for everyone.

If avoiding all that meant organizing a party... well, he'd already helped plan Ruby and Sapphire's wedding. How much harder could a cosmic jubilee be?

*

Chocolate waited in one of the near-abandoned citadels at the edge of the palace, using all her willpower to keep from fidgeting now that no one was around to see her. She couldn't get complacent; if she let herself go every time she was out of sight, she'd slip up while she was in sight. Some things couldn't be risked. Hands folded, body poised, she stood by the entrance to the forgotten structure and bided her time. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait much longer.

Lavender Pearl crept into the citadel, glancing furtively back and forth. When she spotted Chocolate, her luminous eyes went wide, and she scurried over to join her. "This is very illegal," she said softly. "It had better be important."

Chocolate grinned. "It's only illegal if we get caught," she assured her, "and I've been careful to avoid that possibility. You wouldn't believe how careful I've been."

The other Pearl snorted. "So careful you had to trick some poor Peridot, yes, you mentioned. Very stealthy, that."

Lavender was beautiful even for a Pearl: her large, innocent eyes, paired with pale purple hair that pooled down to curl on her shoulders, made her the envy of half the palace aristocrats. There had been offers to buy her off the ranks of the courier Pearls (directed at the Sapphire who ran them, of course) from a number of eager patrons over the centuries. Only Lavender's skill at delivering messages-- the fashion on Homeworld was to deliver them by Pearl, especially for political favors -- kept her from being carried away to some distant colony as a status symbol.

Chocolate was glad of that. Aside from Lavender, she'd never met another Pearl willing to go along with her ideas. Lavender was quiet and delicate, more focused on avoiding Court politics than changing them, but above all that she was brave. She had influence among the other couriers, too-- something Chocolate, since she was privately owned, had never managed.

"I'm still surprised you knew how to use that little contraption I gave you," Lavender continued, still in that soft undertone. "I fiddled with it for hours and it didn't work."

Chocolate shrugged. "It's a matter of research, that's all." She glanced around for observers, then asked, "Speaking of politics...?"

Lavender said, "If you're referring to that task you asked of me, then yes, I did manage to compile a list of the rumors surrounding Pink Diamond. Though I can't imagine what you want with them." Her quiet voice held a note of concern. "If you're trying anything reckless..."

"It's perfectly safe," Chocolate promised. "Also, I don't have a choice."

"It's an order?"

Chocolate shook her head. "Just something I have to do," she said. "I'll explain in a second. First, could you tell me what you heard?"

"If you insist." Lavender subsided. "In essence, nearly everyone believes Pink Diamond is real, not an impostor, and the few who think otherwise are keeping quiet about it. It's also believed that the Crystal Gems carried out some form of sabotage that made her lose her form and memory. Many specifically blame Rose Quartz, and theorize that Pink Diamond was kept prisoner on Earth until the Diamonds attacked and she managed to escape. There's a lot of conjecture floating around, even if it's all just court gossip. No one seems to know anything for sure."

Chocolate frowned. "What do they believe about the other Diamonds' absence?"

"Of course you'd know something about that," Lavender sighed in lieu of responding. "I don't suppose you're willing to tell me? No?"

"I could have been ordered not to," Chocolate pointed out, unable to help herself, and was rewarded with a teasing grin.

"You aren't covering your mouth, and if you had been you'd find a way around it, so don't even try that with me. But if you insist on keeping your secrets..." She mock-sighed and looked away. "I suppose I can't stop you. Now, as for the Diamond rumors: most gems are suspicious of how long they've been out of contact, but have convinced themselves that this is some sort of leadership test for Pink Diamond, or perhaps a way to take a break. Most don't consider Pink Diamond to be responsible for their absence." She looked up at Chocolate as she delivered the information, then pouted. "Stars above. You really aren't giving anything away, are you."

"Not this time. I did give that Bismuth your message, though. She said--" Chocolate leaned over and whispered the message into Lavender's ear. Lavender brightened, and her face became twice as beautiful. Some Pearls were said to look better when they were melancholy-- more graceful, somehow, that sadness magically improved your balance-- but Lavendar always looked better happy. Court gems used to buy her favors just to catch sight of her smile.

"Thank you, Chocolate. But that and the rumors can't be the only reason you asked to meet me away from prying eyes. Won't you tell me what you need these rumors for?"

After another covert glance around the citadel, she whispered, "Lavender, you know the situation between my Agate and I, in regards to Pink Diamond."

Lavender's face darkened. "Yes," she said, "and I wonder why you haven't turned her in. Your Diamond is likely to keep you around, isn't she? From what the rumors say, she has a habit of showing clemency. If you're caught spying without even the decency to try to rat your Agate out, you'll surely be shattered."

"And if I turn my Agate in, she'll tell everything about me and I'll be shattered anyway," Chocolate said, grim. "We weren't always stationed on Homeworld, Lavender. There are tasks she asked me to complete that are even more illegal now than they were then, and I can't even plead orders for half of them. It's not even what she knows at this point. I can make myself useful enough to Pink Diamond that he might overlook those flaws. But if anyone looks into my owners before Patuxent River Agate--"

"Pink Diamond could forgive that, too," Lavender said uncertainly. Chocolate shook her head. 

"You don't know the whole of it. I can't-- I can't risk anything getting out." The Morganite was thorough, after all, and she didn't know the capabilities of all of Pink Diamond's guards, and she was so close to her now, she'd never be able to escape in time...

Her Agate was blunt and cruel, but she was an enemy known. Chocolate could control how bad things got with her, to an extent. She had worked for her-- even with her, sometimes-- for five thousand years. Pink Diamond was an unknown quantity. 

Chocolate didn't know how to tread, with that kind of master-- didn't know how far that kindness reached, or what it might be hiding. She looked into Pink Diamond's-- into Steven's face-- and she couldn't read his eyes at all. Chocolate was one hell of a risk taker, but she didn't have that kind of faith. And Pearls were so very, very replaceable. 

But that speech, and the way he'd cried, like he couldn't imagine why a Diamond might inspire terror...

The way he'd said even for Pearls...

"So I'm giving myself a third option," she said with new resolve, "and that's where I need your help." Lavender perked up.

"Pink Diamond is an enigma to the Courts right now. No one knows what to think of her. And with this decree-- gems are worried, aren't they. They're confused, and the gossip's gotten out, and any number of colonizers are about to get their lives turned upside down. That's a recipe for instability. I want to help stave it off."

Chocolate leaned forward and caught Lavender's hands. "Lavender, I know this is asking for a lot, but I need you to spread rumors for me. I need you to ask your Bismuth to spread them among all the trainees, before they leave Homeworld. I need you to get the other Pearls telling them to anyone they know, until they're all over the Courts. I need-- Pink Diamond has to be known as a Diamond first, not as an interloper. As someone who cried from anger at the-- the incompetence of colony administrators, who gave a fair sentence because she recognized skill when she saw it, who came back stronger from the rebellion on Earth and is ready to rule. All the rumors of weakness and sentimentality need to be drowned out. And I don't know where else to turn, I--" Chocolate composed herself. "Lavender, please. I can't-- I don't want to see Pink Diamond overthrown."

Lavender watched Chocolate for a moment, expressionless, then pulled her hands away. "That is a lot," she said in her quiet voice. "You're asking me to rise above my station and influence the opinions of all of Homeworld. You're asking me to endanger gems I know, if things go badly. Do you understand that?"

"I do," Chocolate said, just as soft. "I really do. But if Pink Diamond's overthrown, there's nothing left but nobles playing power games and shattering whoever they want. At least this Diamond wants something different."

Lavender bit her lip. "Have the other Diamonds really disappeared?" Chocolate nodded, and she sighed. "All right, I'll do it. But only because we've known each other for so long."

Chocolate's face lit up. "Thank you, Lavender. Really. If there's anything you need in return, just ask, okay? I owe you a thousand favors for this."

Lavender gazed at her worriedly. "Just be alive so I can ask for them, Chocolate. That's all I want for now. Oh, and send me any information you have on Earth and its inhabitants. Pink Diamond likes Earth, doesn't she?"

"I think so," Chocolate said, confused. She pulled up a screen and transferred the information. "What do you need this for?"

"You'll see," Lavender said with a mischievous smile. "You're not the only one who can think up ideas, you know." She clutched at Chocolate's hand and squeezed. "But swear to me you'll stay safe, all right? You're playing a dangerous game. If you're caught doing anything-- spying, conspiring to influence the Courts, anything-- it won't matter whose side you're on. You'll be in the same number of pieces either way."

"Always an optimist," Chocolate whispered, smiling. "I swear. Thank you, Lavender."

The other Pearl left just as quickly as she'd appeared, leaving Chocolate alone in the dark room to think. In a moment, she'd have to go back to Pink Diamond with some sort of errand done as an excuse for why she'd been gone. In a moment, she'd be a Pearl again.

For now, she fantasized about what would have happened if she'd been formed an Emerald or an Agate, and dreamed of changing an empire.

Chapter Text

The Rose Quartz brought up her shield just as Amethyst's whip slammed into it and used the momentum to fling Amethyst over her head. Amethyst laughed and twisted, landing on her feet with unhurried ease. "Steven, are you seeing this?" she called back to the edge of the arena. "These guys are awesome!"

The Quartz in question-- 7XC, an experienced veteran-- flipped her hair over her shoulder and grinned. "You're damn right we are! You've got some pretty good moves yourself."

Amethyst sketched an exaggerated bow. "Why, thank you. Wanna go again? Bet I can get you this time." She bounced in place, and Steven grinned from contagious excitement.

"Pebble, there isn't a gem in the Empire who's broken past this shield," 7XC said proudly. "But hey, maybe it's your lucky day."

"Maybe it is!" Amethyst charged her again. Steven dragged his eyes away from their sparring and gazed around the arena at all the other gems present. The Quartz's boisterous laughter rang out through the air. Minus the few that had elected to stay at the Human Zoo, every member of his guard was fighting either the eight unbubbled Rose Quartz or each other-- most using forged weapons, with a few more experienced gems using summoned ones. Steven wasn't sure they'd be able to repair all the property damage a whole pack of rampaging Quartz soldiers could cause.

It was nice seeing them having so much fun, though, and he was getting a better idea of what Rose Quartz could actually do. Shields seemed to be a huge part of it.

"My Diamond," Morganite started, eyeing the destruction bemusedly, "I don't mean to be rude, but what was the point of all this, again? We don't usually allow Quartz soldiers to go this wild outside of the barracks or a war zone." A statue at the edge of the arena crumbled and fell to the ground with a crash as a pair of Amethysts scuffled around it; they stepped around the rubble without even looking at the damage they'd caused. Morganite grimaced.

Steven said sheepishly, "I thought it'd be easier to be subtle about this. Chocolate said no one uses this arena anymore."

The Pearl raised her eyes from her own screen at the mention of her name; she was standing back by the entrance of the arena, a safe distance from the fighting crowd. Steven waved; after a moment, Chocolate raised a hand and waved back. Steven continued, "Anyway, the party's supposed to have entertainment and stuff, right? I thought maybe the Rose Quartz could put on a show. Y'know, to show everyone they're not... bad people."

Morganite hummed. "The idea has merit, my Diamond. Have you chosen a choreographer?"

Steven tried to remember the definition of choreographer. "Chocolate said she knows a Pearl who's really good at that kind of thing. Does that count?"

"Pearls are known for their ability to entertain," Morganite agreed, "though it's rare that they're placed in any real position of authority." She didn't sound judgmental or angry, just considering. "If her acquaintance is as skilled as she says, I don't suppose there's any reason not to solicit her help, my Diamond."

"Okay! I guess that's settled, then!" One of the Rose Quartz parried Carnelian's strike with a sword and jumped up into the air, flying in a wide arc over the other gem's head. Carnelian met her in the air, and they crashed to the ground. Morganite flicked a speck of dirt off her shoulder. Steven rose up on tiptoes and stared over at the sparring gems. "Huh, so jumping high is a Quartz thing." He looked down at his hands. "I wonder what else is a Quartz power." If his mom had been impersonating a Quartz... Garnet had to have seen Rose Quartz before, or at least Ruby and Sapphire had to have, so she must have been using mostly powers a Rose Quartz would have. Steven wondered how much stuff he could do that he didn't even know about, just because his mom had never done them in front of anyone but Pearl.

He'd been hoping that he could try out some of his powers here and see what new stuff he could do-- and really, there was only one way to find out. Steven bounced on his heels and jogged into the arena. "Hey, Amethyst, wanna spar?" The fighting around him screeched to a halt, and he blushed. He hadn't meant to make everyone else stop.

Amethyst landed in front of him, and he switched his focus to her with more than a little gratitude. She wasn't about to fall over herself saluting. "Yeah, sure," she said, rolling her shoulders. "We haven't sparred in a while, this should be fun!" She grinned, and Steven grinned back, shifting into a ready stance. "Okay, on three. One, two--" Amethyst summoned her whips and charged-- "three!"

Steven bounced backwards, out of range of Amethyst's whips. One of them reached and wrapped around him, and with a snap he summoned his bubble and broke it. 

He threw his shield next, trying to calculate trajectory so it'd bounce and hit Amethyst in the back of the head, but she leaped up and used it as a springboard, somersaulting over his head and landing behind him. Steven turned around to block her next attack just as his thrown shield cut through a stone pillar-- oops, guess it wouldn't have bounced-- and crashed it to the ground. 

The next few minutes were a blur of magic and quick thinking. Steven vaulted over the pillar and dove at Amethyst, but she caught his arms with her whips and used his momentum against him, throwing him against the wall. He writhed in midair to grab her whips and pull her with him, threw out a bubble to catch himself, kicked out at her head-- but she absorbed the blow, laughing, and tossed him across the arena. He crash-landed next to Skinny Jasper, who leaped back wide-eyed. "Whoa!"

"Sorry!" Steven jumped to his feet and leaped into the air, summoning spikes on his bubble to crash down on Amethyst. She rolled out of the way-- he tripped her up and got punched in the face-- she skittered back from a blow-- and the Quartz soldiers stayed out of their way the whole time. 

Steven wasn't sure why at first, since his and Amethyst's fight wasn't any more destructive than theirs had been, but when Amethyst got him in a headlock and one of the Rose Quartz flinched he got it.

They saw him as Pink Diamond-- as someone untouchable. If he wanted the arena, even if it was just to spar with a friend, the arena was his and his alone.

The careless power the other Diamonds wielded probably factored in somehow, too.

"Why the long face?" Amethyst asked, jumping back out of range of his shield. She made it sound like a taunt, but Steven could hear real concern underneath. "Is it 'cause you know you're gonna lose?"

Not really, since Steven didn't think she'd actually make him lose in this situation; Amethyst was goofy sometimes, but she wouldn't make him look weak in front of Homeworld gems. She'd fight him to a standstill, maybe, so it'd look like they'd wound down on their own, but she wouldn't beat him for the sake of it. They knew each others' capabilities too well for that.

"Aww, come on, I thought we agreed no trash talk!"

Amethyst laughed, shapeshifting into her wrestler form. "But that takes all the fun out of it!" She roared and lunged, and Steven met her in midair.

It was just like their wrestling days-- sparring to get into sync, beating all their opponents but each other-- and for a moment Steven forgot where they were entirely. Forgot Homeworld, the Diamonds' disappearance, the eyes on them both-- until all that was left was him, and the gem who'd helped raise him. Who'd taught him to take time to play and relax.

Love rose up in him, soft and glowing, like a candle lighting him from inside.

They met each other move for move, skills they'd learned from training together over and over until they watched each others' backs instinctively, until they could face any threat together, until they were unstoppable, until--

Until-- 

They were moving as one--

Steven jerked back and felt Amethyst do the same. He could feel his magic moving under his skin, eating at the edges of his physical form and reaching for Amethyst's, could see the edges of her form were glowing. This was so not the time to fuse, quick, change the subject--

"Remember those seeds I brought from Earth?" he babbled. Lapis and Peridot had included them in his food and water supplies, possibly because Peridot wanted him to introduce Homeworld to gardens; he'd only discovered them a couple of days ago, while rummaging desperately for potato chips.

Amethyst shook her head like a wet dog, driving away the fusion-glow. Steven saw to his relief that none of the other gems seemed to have noticed. "Yeah, what about 'em?" she asked, looking shaken up and trying to hide it with a grin. That expression was familiar to Steven, too, after all the fights they'd gone through on Earth. 

Steven grinned and tugged the seeds out of his pocket. Morning glories this time, not watermelon, so hopefully they probably wouldn't turn out sapient. "Just something I wanted to try," he said, and slammed them into the ground with a burst of pink magic.

The arena floor started to rumble; the guards moved toward the edges of it, glancing at Steven nervously like they weren't sure if they should be trying to protect him or what. Little green leaves sprouted through the cracks in the ground, opening and tilting toward the sun, then toward Steven, growing and thickening and twining around pillars--

Amethyst sprang into the air as a mass of thick vines lashed at her former location. The morning glories twisted among themselves like snakes, growing thicker by the second until they were as big as tree trunks. They spread out along the ground and surrounded the whole arena, braiding up and coating the whole place in dense foliage. Giant buds pulled out into the open air, flushing pink and widening into trumpet-shaped flowers, and Amethyst's eyes widened from her new perch on top of a boulder. "Dude, did you mean for them to get this big?"

"N-not really, but it's pretty cool, right?" Steven stood in a clearing, vines whipping all around him, and stared up at the aimlessly-lashing plants. It was almost like they were looking for something, now that he paid more attention to them, but he couldn't imagine what. Water? Soil? What did giant vine creatures want from life? Carnelian reached forward to touch a leaf, and the vine it was on whipped towards her in warning, making her jump back. Please don't become sapient and start waging war, please don't become sapient and start waging war... "Actually, Amethyst?" Steven said weakly, "I'm not sure I thought this out."

"Well, don't just stand there, dude, see what they can do!" Amethyst jumped up, completely distracted from their near-fusion. "Can you, like, control them or whatever?"

Steven frowned. "I don't know. Usually they pretty much think for themselves." He glanced over to 7XC, who was staring unabashedly at the mass of foliage. "Uh, is this a Rose Quartz thing?"

"I can safely say it's not, my Diamond," she said, still staring. Another giant morning glory blossomed with pink-and-white streaked petals, gleaming in the Homeworld sun. "At all. Did-- did you not know you could do this?"

"I don't remember anything from when I was Pink Diamond," Steven said self-consciously. "Or-- the old Pink, I guess. Could she do this?" He looked over at Amethyst.

She shrugged. "Well, yeah, remember the moss thing? Maybe Homeworld just didn't know about the organic stuff. It's not like they have a ton of it lying around." She made a face. "The Watermelon Stevens were weird even by Rose's standards, though." Considering how they'd gone from waging war to forming a self-sacrifice religion to mollify a giant dysfunctional fusion, Steven figured he had to agree.

Some vague instinct pinged the back of his mind. He looked up at the vines and raised a hand, and they coalesced into a sinuous, much larger hand, like a mecha from a cartoon. Steven went starry-eyed. "Whoa. Amethyst, this is so cool." He wiggled each finger carefully, then did a Vulcan salute. Live long... and prosper. 

Then he made a plant fist, and the Famethysts started clamoring for attention. "My Diamond! Steven!" 8XJ yelled, hefting a broken-off column over her head. "You can punch this!" She threw it into the air. Steven watched its trajectory carefully, then drew back his fist and slammed it forward, bashing the column into debris.

The Quartz soldiers lost their minds. "Hey! Hey, my Diamond, this one, do this one next--"

Skinny Jasper and 6OP lugged a boulder into the center and launched it, and Steven's vine-fist destroyed it like it was nothing. That kicked off about an hour of wanton destruction, exploding things and making the vines bloom rainbow flowers, until Steven thought his grin couldn't get any wider.

Even the thought of how he'd almost messed up and fused in front of everyone couldn't dampen his fun.

*

Lavender Pearl curtsied to Steven but didn't salute; Steven got the feeling she wasn't required to, since Homeworld didn't think see Pearls as people. Chocolate never saluted much either. "My Diamond," the Pearl said, so soft that Steven worried she was scared or had a hurt throat, "I am at your service." 

"It's nice to meet you," Steven said, feeling a little dazzled. Her dress was really shimmery. "Uh, Chocolate said really good things about you. Do you think you could organize a performance for all these Rose Quartz?" He gestured behind him; 6OP, wearing her standard pensive expression, waved. "And, um. Not mention them to anybody? We're keeping them secret till the jubilee."

"Of course, my Diamond." Lavender looked at the lineup with wide-eyed curiosity. "May I speak with them?"

"Of course! Yeah, you can-- you're gonna be their choreographer, you'll be telling them what to do and stuff." As long as they didn't get mad about taking orders from a Pearl. They hadn't sounded too happy about it earlier, but now some of the Rose Quartz were blatantly staring, looking less mad than starstruck. Steven remembered Peridot saying she'd never seen a Pearl up close before and hoped their astonishment at the unfamiliar type would override any rudeness. 

Pearl wouldn't accept any disrespect. She loved dancing and organizing, she'd be awesome at this. Steven still couldn't understand why she couldn't come with him, especially not now that he had more gems on his side. All he could figure was maybe Garnet had foreseen her getting upset at having to interact with Rose Quartz because they reminded her of Mom. "Don't let them push you around," he added more firmly. "You're the one who knows how to dance, not them."

Lavender Pearl blinked. "As you wish, my Diamond. I will speak to them now." She bowed, smoothing out her glittery skirt, and made her way to the line of Rose Quartz. He saw her bow to them, too, before starting to speak in a soft, quick tone. The Quartz soldiers broke formation and trailed to the other side of the arena.

Surprisingly, the arena was still more-or-less functional: the vines had mostly receded back under the ground, and their tangled stems had shored up the crumbly parts of the structure, keeping any more rubble from falling. They bloomed pink and white and magenta, throwing up morning glories bigger than trumpets, and pressed thin tendrils into open cracks. Their leaves shaded the edge of the clearing.

The air smelled cleaner, and the Homeworld gems had stopped bringing out their weapons every time they noticed a leaf. Some of the guards had even started putting the smaller flowers in their hair. 

Steven felt a pang of homesickness for Earth. He'd been trying not to think about what he was missing, but the arena garden reminded him too much of Lapis and Peridot's barn and the farm around it. At least his supplies were running out; soon he could go for another visit, and maybe get advice on how to get the Diamonds back for real. Garnet had to know something by now, right? 

He took advantage of the nervous energy and made his way over to what Chocolate called his retinue instead. Amethyst and Carnelian were busy watching the Rose Quartz try and fail to spin on their toes; Chocolate was watching her light purple friend with an odd look on her face.

"Thanks for recommending her," Steven said, and she startled, raising her eyes. "I wouldn't've known who to ask about that kind of thing here. Usually when I have to organize a party, I go to Sour Cream and get out the grill."

Chocolate stared in bald confusion, then seemed to collect herself and said, "My Diamond, I exist to serve you. There's no need to thank me."

Steven winced. "You didn't have to mention your friend, though. I'm not ever gonna get mad if a gem does something she wasn't made to do or makes a mistake or something, but you didn't know that. If I was someone else, maybe telling me your friend can teach gems how to dance would've put her in danger. So... thanks for trusting me like that. I know you didn't have to."

Chocolate Pearl stared at him for a long, painful moment, then made an aborted movement, almost like she wanted to kneel. "My Diamond," she finally said, voice thick, "I-- thank you. You're-- you're a good leader, and-- and I won't tell anyone else what you just said to me." She bobbed a quick bow and babbled, "I've got to arrange a few more meetings for later today, if you'll excuse me, my Diamond." Then she fled before Steven could so much as open his mouth.

Steven watched her go, incredibly confused, then turned to Amethyst. "Was it something I said?"

"Yeah, probably," she drawled, stretching her arms. "I dunno, I wasn't really listening. Our Pearl's always freaking out over schedules and stuff, though. Maybe she remembered she had something to do."

"Yeah, maybe," Steven echoed, but something about it didn't sit right. He made his way to Morganite, who turned and saluted as he approached. It didn't sting as much when she saluted, because it never felt like fear. He got the feeling it was the same level of courtesy she'd give to a fellow bureaucrat: something you did not from necessity but because it was polite. Like how Connie took off her shoes when she came inside.

"Hey, Morganite? Who am I meeting with later today?" She and Chocolate worked together on scheduling and organizing stuff, since Morganite had the authority to make decisions Chocolate couldn't. She would know if there were actually meetings being arranged.

Morganite said off the top of her head, "There's a Morganite asking what's to be done with a few condemned prisoners now that you've made your decree, and after that is an Aquamarine requesting an audience." Her lips thinned. "Hmph. I don't mean to be rude, my Diamond, but honestly, these could both have been dealt with remotely. I can't imagine why an unremarkable Aquamarine thinks she deserves to meet a Diamond in person, especially not one whose last mission was a technical failure. She was given a Topaz fusion and still failed to complete her objective." 

 "Oh. Great," Steven said weakly, feeling an unwelcome thrill of recognition. "How long do I have before we start?"

"The first one is in about an hour, my Diamond," she said, pulling up a screen. "That's about the condemned prisoners. The Aquamarine, well. It's your prerogative as a Diamond to deny any gem you please. You could always choose not to give her an audience." She side-eyed Steven. "If that's what you want, of course."

Steven blushed. Apparently his misgivings weren't as subtle as he thought. But Aquamarine had to know Pink Diamond was him, didn't she? Maybe she wanted to apologize or something. "No," he decided. "I think I'll meet her. If she wants an audience, it might be something important."

"If it's so important that it can't wait, she should tell one of your subordinates instead of making a time-sensitive problem worse for the sake of bragging rights," Morganite pointed out. "Not to be presumptuous, of course. It's merely an observation."

Steven shrugged. "If she's the Aquamarine I met before, she probably does want bragging rights."

"How lovely." Morganite sighed, then smiled, a little wry. "Either your Pearl or myself will inform you when the first meeting is to start, my Diamond. I'd suggest you fortify yourself emotionally-- Court gems never say in ten words what can be said in two hundred."

Her words surprised Steven into a laugh. "Thanks, Morganite," he said. And then, meaning every word: "I'm glad you're in my Court." 

*

The Morganite prison warden was slimmer than Steven's advisor, with longer hair and a colder expression. She gave a perfunctory salute and said, with no inflection whatsoever, "My Diamond. There are prisoners who were condemned to harvesting but not yet executed by the time of your decree. What do you propose we do with them."

"What kind of gems are they?" Steven leaned forward in the oversized throne, feeling like a little kid playing with his dad's furniture. "What were they being executed for?" 

The Morganite drew up a screen, still expressionless. "The castes and crimes are as follows: Citrine, stole technology for personal use; Amethyst, shattered a squad of Rubies and cracked the gem of a Hessonite in a fit of rage; Amber, attempted to hijack an ship and leave the Empire for a desert moon; Amber, attempted to hijack an ship and leave the Empire for a desert moon; Amber, attempted to hijack an ship and leave the Empire for a desert moon; Nephrite, attempted to hijack an ship and leave the Empire for a desert moon; Yellow Zircon, insulted a Diamond; Blue Zircon, accused the Diamonds of conspiracy to murder a fellow Diamond." She paused, dismissed the screen, and deadpanned, "It's been very busy recently."

"Right," Steven said, glad his voice didn't crack. "Were the Ambers and the Nephrite all trying to hijack the same ship, or--"

"Yes," the Morganite said blankly. Steven stared at her. She stared back. He was reluctantly reminded of Onion.

"Okay, um," he said, trying to get back on track, "where are they right now? Are they in cells, or are they bubbled?"

"They're bubbled, my Diamond."

Steven collected his thoughts. "Got it. Um, leave the Amethyst in her bubble, unless-- do you know why she killed all those gems?"

The Morganite said, "She said they were all unworthy, my Diamond." 

"O-kay." Jeez. "Leave her in a bubble, but I want to see the rest of the prisoners myself. The Citrine alone, the Zircons together, and the hijackers together, too." He wondered if the attempted hijacking had happened before or after the other Diamonds disappeared. Would he have heard of it, if it had happened after? The Empire was so big, after all...

Would he have known if the Zircon who'd represented him was killed, even if it happened while he was visiting? Would they have bothered to tell him about it? Would they even have cared? Blue had wanted something worse than shattering for him, when she thought he was Rose Quartz. Shattering was so common it meant nothing.

Sometimes he could let his guard down and think of Blue and Yellow as weird, giant aunts. Other times he thought of the Cluster's panic-- of his family's desperate fight to keep Homeworld away, and their horror when he gave himself up--  and, well, he couldn't. In their millennia of existence, the Diamonds had done worse than alienating their youngest member. They were planet killers. He couldn't let himself forget that.

"Of course, my Diamond," the warden droned, cutting into Steven's thoughts. She saluted, leaving the room, and Chocolate started rapidly typing on her screen. Steven wondered regretfully how much he'd added to his schedule.

He stuffed a sandwich into his mouth and swallowed it whole before the first meeting, in case he'd be at them for a long time. Morganite very carefully didn't comment.

The warden brought the Citrine first: a sleek, twitchy Quartz soldier who admitted to stealing tech because it was fun to play around with. Steven just reassigned her to work with tech-oriented gems because-- and Morganite thought this was an interesting idea, so why not-- the same lack of resources that justified not shattering also meant they had to utilize existing gems more creatively. So that was okay, and no one got poofed or crashed through the ceiling.

The Zircons weren't so easy. His former defense lawyer walked into the audience chamber, stopped at the doorway, and stared, mouthing what!! like she couldn't believe her eyes. The yellow Zircon stopped to follow her gaze and blanched. "My Diamond!" she squeaked, twitching into an expert salute. "My most sincere apologies for my behavior during your-- during the trial. I was only following orders--"

"Wait. Wait wait wait wait wait, Diamond?! You're a Diamond?" Blue Zircon shrilled. "What-- does that mean-- there was something strange about the whole affair!" She turned and jabbed a finger in Yellow Zircon's face. "I told you! Appointed or not, I do my job to a level of perfection that you only aspire to!"

Yellow Zircon puffed up. "Aspire to-- I'll have you know that with our knowledge at the time I had that case all but won! If it hadn't been for your reckless accusations we wouldn't be in this situation--"

"And if you had won, a Diamond would have been shattered!" Blue Zircon declared, waving a hand at Steven. Then she froze, somewhere between flabbergasted and terrified, and turned to look at Steven for the first time since she'd started arguing. Yellow Zircon paled and inched closer to her rival. "That is to say, my-- my Diamond, I don't mean to imply that I value my own reputation over your return, or that my opponent wished you any harm whatsoever--"

"It's a job, you see. It's what we're made for." Yellow Zircon added, wringing her hands. She side-eyed the Quartz guards in the room.

"It's okay! You thought I killed Pink Diamond back then, everyone did! You were just doing your jobs. Actually, Blue Zircon, you pointed out what was wrong with the whole story, so technically you helped me figure everything out. Sort of." He waved a hand. "The point is, you didn't do anything wrong."

"So we aren't condemned?" Yellow Zircon asked. Steven nodded, and she brightened. "Your illustriousness, you truly dazzle every room you enter with your power and your glory."

"Wait," Blue Zircon said, like she couldn't help herself. "On what grounds?" She threw her hands up and started pacing, looking more and more stressed with each step. "You, you can't just-- override the Diamonds' will! We disrespected them!" Yellow Zircon elbowed her. "Well, I did," she amended, glaring. "I accused them of conspiring to murder you! What makes you able to overrule their decision?" 

"Why are you questioning this?"

"I don't know, it's in my programming!" 

Steven took the time they were quibbling to panic. No one had asked what authority he had to contradict Blue and Yellow before. Did he have that authority? Did it matter, if they weren't around? "It's an Earth thing!" he burst out, wracking his brain for ideas. "From when I was on Earth. That I remember." Confidence crept back in. "It's an ancient rule that every person on Earth knows from when they're really little, called 'finders keepers.' Basically, if someone else gets rid of something, or loses it because they don't really care about it, then anyone who finds it can keep it. So, because Blue and Yellow decided they didn't want you around anymore, and I do, you don't have to be condemned anymore." Everyone stared, and he deflated. "That's pretty much it."

Blue Zircon's expression morphed from anxious to considering. She tapped her chin. "So, under this law... and for you or other Diamonds only, I'd assume... you have the authority to take any gem you wish, so long as another Diamond's rescinded her claim? Even if that gem wasn't made for your Court?"

"Yeah! I mean, you could be in my Court, if you wanted. Since you helped me out and all. You too, Yellow Zircon."

The yellow Zircon jumped to attention. "Thank you, my Diamond! Though there will be a color clash, with the pink--"

"We accept," Blue Zircon said over her, stepping hard on her foot. Yellow Zircon scowled at her.

"Cool!" Steven blurted out, relieved. The sooner their lives were out of his hands, the better. "Then you're free to go, I guess. Check in with Morganite here to figure out what to do later."

"My Diamond, we won't let you down!"

The warden escorted them out of the room, and Steven let his breath out in a woosh of relief. Chocolate said into the ensuing silence, "My Diamond, your next meeting is with the attempted hijackers, at--" A high, strident voice interrupted her. Steven, Morganite, and Chocolate all stared toward the door, where it sounded like someone was arguing with the guards. Steven got the feeling her knew who it was.

"'Scuse me, 'scuse me, coming through!" Aquamarine's posh voice soared through the air. Steven recognized it and immediately he wished he hadn't. The guards by the door crossed their weapons to block the entrance, but the little blue gem dodged between their arms.

Aquamarine bowed, ribbon bobbing, and gave a winning smile. Steven tried not to sigh.

"My Diamond!" Steven gritted his teeth. "I've some information you'll want post-haste, so I thought I'd cut short the wait." She tilted her head in a way that would've looked cute on anyone else. On another Aquamarine, even. "It has been a while since we last met, hasn't it, my Diamond? I hope that neither of us is holding any grudges."

Morganite's blood pressure would've been skyrocketing if she had blood. The administrator said, teeth clenched, "What, exactly, makes you think you may interrupt a Diamond and address her in this way?"

Aquamarine barely glanced at her. "As I said," she said slowly, like she thought Morganite was stupid, "I have information she'll want to see."

Okay, that was it. "Why should I listen to you? You attacked me the last time we met! You took me and Lars prisoner! And you were a jerk then, too!"

Aquamarine widened her eyes beseechingly, and Steven fought not to feel disgust. Of course the one gem who wasn't scared of Pink Diamond would be this one. "But my Diamond, that was all on orders from your older counterparts! At the time, we all thought you were a war criminal. Would you really indict someone for acting on current information? Besides, it isn't as though the organic died."

Steven clenched his fists. Lars had died, and he would have stayed dead if Steven hadn't cried him back to life, and what did Aquamarine think she was doing, anyway, being small and awful and mean and barging in like she could just-- just-- do whatever she wanted? 

But Peridot had been bad too, even if she hadn't been as bad, and Aquamarine had been following orders, and when the Topazes had rebelled... 

Huh. 

Steven asked, watching Aquamarine's face carefully, "What happened to the Topazes who were with you?" 

Aquamarine frowned like she was looking for the trap. "They went back into Yellow Diamond's service, of course. They'd been loaned out for the mission."

... Which meant Aquamarine hadn't reported their attempted mutiny. She'd talked them out of it, accused them of sentimentality, made fun of everyone-- but she hadn't reported their attempt to poof her. She'd kept her promise. 

Aquamarines weren't super low-ranking. From what Steven could tell, she'd gone easy on them. She hadn't even attacked them, even though she'd been able to stop all of the Crystal Gems with her wand-- even though all of Homeworld would have approved if she'd shattered them.

Steven relaxed. "Okay. What did you want to tell me?"

Aquamarine curtsied. "My Diamond," she said sweetly, "before I start, may I suggest that you send any unnecessary gems out of the room? This is very sensitive information. You wouldn't want it reaching the wrong ears."

Steven looked around: the Famethysts (minus Amethyst; this wasn't her shift), Chocolate Pearl, Morganite, and Aquamarine. Morganite didn't know the whole of the Diamond disappearance thing, but he was pretty sure she'd guessed at this point; the Famethysts didn't know, but they knew a lot of other stuff about Steven... Still, better safe than sorry, right?

"Uh, 8XJ? Jasper? Would you mind guarding from outside the door for a while?"

"Of course, my Diamond!" 8XJ and the Jasper said in unison, saluting. 

"Thank you!" The Jasper give a thumbs-up before the door closed completely. 

Aquamarine made a dubious face, probably at how Steven had actually been polite to someone he wasn't trying to impress. "You can talk now," Steven told her, trying not to make his discomfort too obvious, and she shook the expression from her face.

"Right," she said skeptically. "Well then! Being a Diamond, you are of course aware your fellow Diamonds' locations, and you'll know that Yellow Diamond recently travelled to Bretta 5." Her wide, innocent eyes suggested she knew he didn't know and thought she was clever to figure it out. "Well, I was looking over the last few transmissions from that colony, and..." She trailed off.

Steven wondered why she'd been looking at the transmissions at all-- maybe she'd been suspicious? How many other gems felt the same way? This could be bad-- and then, as the expectant silence went on, Morganite broke and snapped out, "Please continue."

Aquamarine glanced at Steven instead of responding. "Please just get on with it," he said, glaring.

Aquamarine curtsied again, sending a smug look at Morganite. "Of course, my Diamond. As I was saying, I was going over the last few transmissions from Bretta 5, and I noticed that they're on a loop-- a subtle one, or the gems monitoring it would have spotted it if they had any skill at their jobs at all, of course-- where the same five transmissions are repeated with minor changes over and over again, every five cycles. No new information at all."

Morganite leaned forward, eyes gone sharp. "That's impossible. Bretta 5's in the middle of development. Half the planet is still untouched! They should be transmitting new information every cycle."

"Hence my concern," Aquamarine said primly. "The native organics are barely advanced enough for skeletons. Whatever's wrong is on the gem side of things."

Steven blinked. "So someone's trying to make it look like everything's normal, even though it isn't? How'd no one notice there's nothing new coming in?"

Aquamarine preened. "It's not as if every gem's first thought is sabotage. If I hadn't thought to look it up myself, I don't think anyone would have noticed at all."

"That is possible," Morganite agreed with a reluctant grimace. "My Diamond, the best case scenario is that this is an attempt to hide administrative failure, or the result of a lazy communications tech. But I know the Hessonite assigned to Bretta 5, and she would never allow this sort of negligence. Especially not during preliminary development."

Steven felt a curl of dread. "Do you have her personal number?" Morganite looked confused. "I mean, can you contact her yourself? Like, personally?"

"There's an old administrative line I could try," Morganite said, shoulders tense. "We used to work terraforming the two halves of a planet, so we had to keep in touch... ah, here it is." She pulled up a screen. "Shall I contact her, my Diamond?"

"Go ahead, please," Steven said, craning to get a better look at the screen. Chocolate glanced up at him and offered a hand to Morganite; when the two touched, Chocolate's eyes went distant and the screen projected large from her gem. Aquamarine flittered around to peer at it as Morganite made the call.

The screen stayed blank for a while; Morganite frowned, fiddling with the controls, and it slowly cleared, opening to show a dark, empty room that resembled the moon base. There was a mosaic of Yellow Diamond on the far wall with a deep crack down its center, and fragments of gem technology were strewn across the floor. The base was dead silent. A shiver ran down Steven's spine.

"This isn't right," Morganite said quietly. "The communicator is a tool, like a Peridot's limb enhancers. It should be on her person. I don't know what could have happened that she'd lose it."

"That's a broken gem destabilizer there on the floor," Aquamarine said. "Now, what could they have needed that for? Some sort of rebellion, maybe?"

"Shhh!" Steven hissed, staring intently at the screen. Something in the background had shifted, shadows moving against the wall. The other gems fell quiet, and he coaxed, "Hello? It's okay, you can come out now. I promise you're not in trouble." 

No response. "It's probably just an organic," Aquamarine suggested. 

"Yeah, maybe... Morganite, can you zoom in at all? Or move the camera around?"

"Yes, my Diamond." Morganite tapped a few commands, and the screen widened to a 360 view like Lapis's observation orb, surrounding them with a simulated base. Steven stared around the dark, decrepit room: at the Diamond throne, part of the back sliced off as if with a sword; at the shattered murals, Pink Diamond's image almost unrecognizably mauled; at the glittering, opalescent shards littering the floor. 

Chocolate said softly, eyes filmed over, "That was a Pearl, my Diamond," and Steven shuddered.

"Oh," he said weakly. Had she been Yellow's or Blue's? Or just some random gem, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Morganite said soothingly, "There are no signs of a Diamond in combat. Certainly not enough damage to the surrounding areas." 

Not a Pearl he knew, then. Steven wished that didn't make him feel better. "This doesn't seem like it was a rebellion," he said, wanting to fill the silence. He didn't think any rebellion against Homeworld would kill a Pearl, when most of them were pacifists. Wouldn't they want to liberate them instead?

"No," Morganite agreed contemptuously. Steven remembered with a start that she didn't like rebels any more than the Diamonds did. "Insurgents would pretend to run normally, or declare themselves to gain more support. And even the most incompetent wouldn't leave a communication device unsecured."

Steven saw a flicker of movement by Yellow's mural and clambered over the arm of the throne to get a closer look. "Hey, Morganite? Can anything see us, over there?"

"Yes, we'll show up as holograms on this setting--" She cut off as the shadow underneath the mosaic gathered into one large, sinuous form. "What... is that...?"

The shadow creature stalked like a big cat around the edges of the wall, scratching at the ground; its paws were the size of car tires, and its body was composed of mottled blacks and grays that blended into the darkness. Steven could only barely make out the edges of its silhouette. "Well. That's surprising," Aquamarine piped up. "You think it's this thing that shattered the Pearl?"

The creature shrieked as she spoke, an ear-splitting sound that made Steven's head ache, then turned, snarling, and lunged toward them. Steven stumbled and raised his bubble, prepared to fight--

-- and the 360 view went spinning like a carnival ride, perspectives rolling over themselves as the implant skittered across the ground. He put away his bubble, sheepish, and saw a wide-eyed Aquamarine lower her wand. Chocolate wavered on her feet, blinking cross-eyed, and the view cut back to a hovering screen.

A great black head appeared in the center, eyes covered by a dark fringe. It nudged at the communicator, growling deep in its throat; then it reared back, slamming down, and the communicator shattered.

The screen fizzled out. 

"My Diamond?" Chocolate said into the sudden silence, voice shaking. "That was-- in its forehead-- that was a gem." 

Steven stared at where the screen had been, picturing the beast in his head. Picturing the dark black gem in the center of its forehead. Corruption, far from Earth, in a place no Diamond would have targeted. And someone was trying to cover it up. 

"This isn't good," he said thinly, and his voice sounded young even to him.

Aquamarine asked, hovering in the air, "Now do you believe me when I said it was urgent?" 

Steven couldn't even muster the energy to glare.

Chapter Text

"My Diamond," Morganite asked, unsteady, "what, exactly, was that?" Her hands clutched at her side like she wanted a weapon.

Steven swallowed. "It's Corruption. It happened to most of the gems left on Earth after the Diamond attack. Their minds got messed up, so they can't remember their forms or who they are. Blue, Yellow, and me can reverse the effects temporarily, but we need White to make it permanent. They were going to contact her about it before they-- before their trip."

It was strange having to explain Corruption to other gems. Part of him felt like they should already know about it-- like he should be the one in the dark, playing catch-up to millennia of damage control. 

"Very inconvenient that they left for a trip now, isn't it," Aquamarine said, unfazed. "You think this was a sort of test run?"

"Bretta 5 is one of Yellow Diamond's planets," Morganite said coldly, "so, no. She'd never use a vital resource to test a weapon of mass destruction, especially not one populated with loyal gems. It's practically treasonous to imply such a thing." 

Aquamarine yawned. "It's only a suggestion." She widened her eyes at Steven. "Why don't you just call her and ask, my Diamond? She was visiting a colony near there recently, wasn't she?"

A colony, Steven remembered in sudden mortification, that had been destroyed when the Diamonds disappeared. And hadn't he-- no, he didn't know if he'd remembered to look into that. He'd assumed someone was already dealing with it. With all the other stuff that had been thrown in his lap three and a half weeks ago, the exact circumstances of Blue and Yellow's disappearances had slipped his mind.

He really hoped his panic wasn't showing on his face.

"I'm supposed to be figuring stuff like this out on my own," he equivocated, "so I don't think she'd want me to call her." Hopefully Aquamarine was one of the gems who thought this was some kind of test. "Uh, Chocolate? Do you remember who was investigating that colony near Bretta 5? You know, the one-- the other one with the weird stuff going on?"

Chocolate frowned, then straightened in understanding. "My Agate-- that is, Patuxent River Agate, who you've met, my Diamond-- took charge of the investigation. I believe she considered the results beneath your notice, since they were inconclusive."

"What?" Steven scowled, then softened his expression and grimaced when he saw Chocolate flinch. "Oh, sorry, but that's-- how is that beneath my notice? I mean, aren't Diamonds supposed to deal with problems like that?" Even if he'd completely forgotten. Great job there, Steven.

Aquamarine snorted. "The empire could never function if gems ran crying to the Diamonds for every little difficulty. This Agate's only doing what she's supposed to."

"Except mysterious, extensive damage to a colony is the exact opposite of a 'little difficulty,'" Morganite interrupted, glaring daggers, "For all we know, the situation in the Bretta system could be the result of an attack."

"Like the rebellion on Earth?" Steven asked, hoping the answer was no. He had no idea how he'd address a rebellion, considering he'd been raised a rebel. A compromise might not go over that well.

Aquamarine scoffed, "What could it be but other gems? It isn't as if Earth organics could make it all the way to another galaxy."

"Earth organics certainly couldn't," Morganite said mildly, "but they're hardly the only sapients out there."

"None of them are advanced enough to attack us, though," the younger gem said, making a face. "Are they?" 

Morganite hummed. "It's a possibility, actually. Though you wouldn't remember the last time it happened-- it was before even Pink Diamond's creation." She glanced lightly at Aquamarine. "Honestly, what do you think we have soldiers for?"

"Whoa, whoa, wait," Steven gasped. "You're that old?"

Morganite smiled. "I was only a century old at the time, so my memory of the affair is rather hazy. And I wouldn't suggest letting this information spread beyond this room, my Diamond. It's hardly common knowledge nowadays, and for good reason." She grimaced. "It was something of an embarrassment."

"My Diamond," Chocolate suddenly piped up, glancing nervously from Steven to Aquamarine, "am I needed for this conversation? I've-- I've just remembered some urgent errands I need to complete."

"Right," Aquamarine said dubiously, looking the Pearl up and down. "Who told you you could talk?"

"I did!" Steven snapped. "And she doesn't need permission to talk, so don't be such a jerk to her." He turned to Chocolate. "You can go if you have stuff you've got to do. Just-- could you be back in time for those Ambers and everyone when I meet them? I think I might need you for that."

"Of course, my Diamond," Chocolate said. She bowed and fled the room.

Morganite waited until she left, then cleared her throat. "Shall I begin, then?" Steven nodded. "Well. It was millennia ago, of course, when the planning for Pink Diamond's creation was in its beginning stages-- in fact, her creation may have been spurred on by the incident. A recently colonized planet-- we called it Temer 10-- was inhabited by a species of organics who had just barely achieved space travel. They fought back when we arrived, using weapons that worked best in their stratosphere, and managed to lure a small fleet into their atmosphere to be shattered. White Diamond suggested that they simply destroy the planet and salvage what was left, but Blue and Yellow disagreed." Morganite shrugged. "It hardly mattered, in the end. When the natives realized they were losing, they used the shards of the fleet they'd killed and blew up the planet. It was a great loss for the empire." Morganite glanced cautiously at Steven, and added, quieter, "A greater loss, I would think, for the natives. We never could figure out how they got the technology to harvest gems in the first place."

"They couldn't have stolen it?" Aquamarine asked, sounding almost uncertain. "If they'd stolen everything else, that is."

Morganite shook her head. "The way they utilized gem shards wasn't within Homeworld's capabilities at the time. With their level of civilization--" Again the cautious glance at Steven, like she thought he might yell at her-- "it would have been nigh-impossible to develop harvest technology so quickly. Not on their own."

"But they did," Steven said, feeling sick, "and they all died because of it. How many times has this kind of thing happened?"

Sometimes he forgot that gems were aliens from an empire that had sucked thousands of planets dry. That they were made to serve an empire that constantly expanded its borders and saw pretty much everyone as expendable-- an empire that had gone after Earth, once upon a time. The bad guys of everyone else's stories. 

Now, seeing how easily Morganite talked about genocide-- and how careful she was not to say anything sympathetic about the aliens-- he couldn't help but feel nauseous. This was what the Crystal Gems had fought, back when most humans were still hunter-gatherers. This was what they'd been afraid of when the first Red-Eye had dropped from the sky. 

Morganite frowned and considered the question. "I know it wasn't the only time we faced violent resistance to colonization-- the empire has existed for billions of years, after all, spanning galaxies-- but I don't believe it's anything more than a rarity. Most planets don't have much life on them, and high levels of biodiversity don't guarantee the existence of sapient societies. The most recent war was Earth, and that was with other gems. There certainly aren't any colonies with sapient aliens now."

"Oh," Steven said, ashamed of his relief. "Okay, cool."

Morganite eyed him bemusedly, then continued, "Some even say our history starts with advanced organics. An empire can't spring from nothing fully formed, and the first gem must have come from somewhere."

"Now what do you mean by that?" Aquamarine demanded. "How could we start from-- from something biological?"

"Stars, you are young." Morganite rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm hardly going to give you a full history of the Gem Empire-- though if you require one, my Diamond, I'll naturally oblige-- but, in short, it's theorized that the first gems were created by some sort of ancient organic race, who were then wiped out by our superior predecessors. I suspect it's forbidden to speak of it now, considering recent history, but in my time it was very nearly common knowledge."

"Huh," Steven said. Recent history was probably the Crystal Gems and their love of Earth, so... "I guess that makes sense." He'd never thought about it before, but all the gems he knew came from Kindergartens, and it took a lot of preparation to make them. He couldn't imagine one just popping out of the ground one day, person-shaped with magical powers, and deciding to make more of herself.

A knock came from the chamber door. They all glanced over, startled out of the weird reverie they'd fallen into, and Steven called, "Come in! Aquamarine, you stay." The door slid open, and the prison warden Morganite strode in, followed by three Quartz soldiers who were corralling a trio of orange gems and a lone Nephrite between them. Chocolate closed the door behind them and moved to Steven's side.

"My Diamond," the warden said with a salute, "these are the attempted hijackers." The condemned gems, all with yellow diamond insignias on their uniforms, saluted as well. The Nephrite met his gaze evenly, but the three Ambers-- slender orange gems crackling with static-- were shaking in their boots.

"Thanks," Steven said to the warden with a distracted smile. "Could you guys stand back a little? I wanna talk to the, uh, prisoners." He got the feeling having three burly Quartzes at their backs was making them more nervous than they needed to be. The guards stepped back, and Steven smiled reassuringly at the would-be hijackers. The Nephrite hesitantly smiled back.

He decided to get straight to the point. "So why'd you try to steal a ship?"

The tallest Amber, fidgety and yellow-orange with her gem in her palm, said, "We-- wanted to run away from our stations, my Diamond. Our supervisor was less than ideal, and we decided maybe getting caught leaving was better than staying any longer, since she wanted us shattered either way. We Ambers are mostly used for ship maintenance, and as disposable fighters, my Diamond, and Nephrite is one of hundreds on our colony. And it was a small ship, practically junk! We weren't taking essential resources from the empire."

"We really weren't," a smaller Amber added. "I was gonna be harvested for incompetence anyway! So we thought we'd go adventuring instead."

The other Amber, smallest and shakiest, said, "We didn't mean any disrespect, my Diamond, we just-- we wanted to get away, since we weren't any use anyway, our supervisor kept telling us that, and we were gonna be replaced anyway--" She sparked, and the guards readied their weapons-- "It was my idea please don't shatter us!"

"I'm not gonna shatter you!" Steven blurted out, sick and guilty. Why had he only smiled? If you didn't know someone, a smile could be as scary as it was comforting. For all they knew, he was smiling because he wanted them dead or something. "No one's getting harvested or anything, okay? That's not why you're here." 

The Nephrite ventured, "Then why are we here, my Diamond?"

"Because..." Steven trailed off as an idea started to form. "Because your punishment is community service!"

They looked at him blankly. He rallied. "Nephrite, you're a pilot, right?" She nodded. "And you guys can fly a ship together, even if it isn't the best?" A chorus of nods. Steven glanced at Aquamarine, who'd been blessedly silent, even if she seemed bored out of her mind, and sad, "Okay, then your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to go with this Aquamarine to investigate a colony that's gotten really messed up by something really dangerous she'll tell you about later. You shouldn't try to fight or anything, just observe from the moon base and report back. And I guess try to be quiet about it and don't let other ships know where you're going." He caught Chocolate's eye and said, "No one else is gonna be allowed to land at that colony anymore," and saw her nod and pull up a screen to make sure that was true.

Aquamarine puffed up in indignation. "Excuse me? My Diamond, these Ambers are completely incompetent! You can't give me them to lead!"

Steven quashed a swell of dislike and said, placating, "You're going along because you're the one who discovered the problem. And you're good at going undercover, right? They're gonna need your expertise." Aquamarine didn't look too mollified, but she didn't object, either, so Steven decided to consider it a win.

"Wait," the medium Amber said suddenly, pitch rising in excitement, "you mean you're sending us on an adventure?"

"It's community service," Steven corrected, watching the warden Morganite carefully, "but... yeah?"

"Yessss."

The Nephrite rolled her eye. "We accept, my Diamond," she said firmly. "And thank you. Really. You seem-- you seem really nice." Steven blushed.

Chocolate Pearl sent Aquamarine and Nephrite the coordinates, and everyone but Steven and his retinue left the room. When they were out of earshot, he turned to Morganite and asked, "Did they say what colony they were from?"

"I can find out easily enough," Morganite said. "Would you like me to look into their administrator?"

"Please," Steven said with no little relief. "It sounded like she's really bad."

"My Diamond, if I may be so bold as to give advice?" Steven nodded, and Morganite's mouth twisted. "You've been giving out a lot of pardons, and making a lot of changes. This empire is unused to quick progress. For now, the consensus is that you're concerned about resources, not that you're sentimental." Chocolate perked up in the corner of Steven's eye. Morganite continued warningly, "That may change. My advice is to be careful. Let gems see you do what Diamonds have always done-- coordinating colonization, overseeing the jubilee, and organizing the creation of new gems. It may not be wise to break so completely from the status quo."

Steven admitted, "I don't think I'm cut out for politics. It all seems like another language to me." 

Morganite laughed quietly. "You're a Diamond," she said firmly. "You're cut out for leading. Politics is something you'll have to relearn." She gave a slight smile. "Still. No one says you have to learn it alone."

*

Pink Diamond had to sleep, something Morganite supposed was an Earth ritual of some kind, for eight hours out of every twenty-four. The chambers had to be dark, imitating a planetary night sky, for sleep to be achieved, and there had to be minimal interruption from other gems. It reminded her of the organics on Eta 11: the little mammals, which curled up in mounds hundreds-thick to keep warm in the subzero climates, and the long-legged ungulates, taller than Quartz soldiers, which always rested standing up. Those, too, were examples of sleep. Strange, that a sapient being would have to shut off for hours in order to function. It was a vulnerability Pink Diamond might not be able to afford.

(In the war on Temer 10, had the natives slept? When their camps had been invaded, their fragile skulls crushed and their nests burned, had they been asleep and unaware? Or had they been awake to see their fellow workers die? They had to have known beforehand that they were doomed. Nothing lived to defy the empire. 

Not even gems were allowed that luxury.)

Morganite made her way down a corridor, nodding respectfully at Pink Diamond's guards as she went by. A couple of aristocrats glared at her as she passed; Morganite suspected they would have done more than glare if it weren't for her pink insignia. Homeworld politics were foreign to her, after so long in the outskirts where feuds took the form of skimping on resources and targeting your enemy's more vulnerable subordinates.

Gems should be above such petty things. They were made to serve Homeworld, not to chase their own ends or crow at their rivals' losses. Morganite had never been so blind to her responsibilities that she'd let a disagreement putrefy into a grudge. Yet somehow, after meeting Hessonite, she'd found herself snarking and squabbling at every opportunity like a thoughtless rookie. She hadn't parried but attacked, thrilled like an idiot at her own cleverness, and Hessonite had met her blow for blow. For a time, she'd almost enjoyed it.

And then, as Morganite's list of successes grew, Hessonite's provocations had gotten worse. Their arguments had grown heated and nasty, no longer battles of wit but of attrition. Eta 11 had suddenly been plagued by biased inspectors and delayed shipments from every direction.

Morganite's fists clenched. It seemed that in the end, despite all her efforts, Hessonite had won. That lazy, petty gem, who could have been competent if she tried but spent all her time clashing with other gems instead-- who couldn't keep a moon base running if she were given an army and a manual-- had bested her by going through Homeworld, because she'd known Morganite wouldn't have considered the possibility. Morganite had  thought their feud was between them. She'd thought Hessonite knew the meaning of the word honor. She'd clawed her way up from her native middle management through sheer competence, had won the respect of her subordinates and the tolerance of her superiors-- and Hessonite, all of a sudden, had decided to get jealous.

Morganite wished it didn't feel like a betrayal.

Then there had been that last inspection and fatal misstep, the trial and the fight--

-- and Pink Diamond, shielding two traitors' gems and insisting Morganite hadn't done anything wrong. Pink Diamond, who punished her with a position of power, and turned to her for advice without ever asking what a Morganite could know of galactic politics.

Whether his actions were the result of wisdom or naivete, she supposed only time could tell. In the meantime, she was grateful.

Morganite found the little-used service hallway Pink Diamond's Pearl had recommended and waited nearly an hour for another gem to pass by. No one came, and she was forced to admit that it was as hidden a place as any. How fortunate that Chocolate Pearl had known of it.

(What was she doing with this knowledge? What reason was there to make herself scarce from half of Pink Diamond's meetings or speak out of turn when it served her better to be silent? Morganite ached with curiosity but knew better than to ask.)

She sat cross-legged against the wall, feeling more than a little silly, and summoned her screen to make a call. For some long seconds it went unanswered, and a cold ball of fear formed in Morganite's chest. Had something happened since her removal? Bretta 5 had been attacked, surely Eta 11 could have been, too-- but they'd submitted their reports on time. Morganite had gone over them herself. Overstepping, perhaps, but what in stars was the alternative?

She could never ignore them. Eta 11 had been her pet project for hundreds of years: she knew the face and designation of every gem on its surface, knew which teams worked well together and which would inevitably fight, which secretly loved the native life and which couldn't stand it. Even though they had a new administrator, hand-picked to be merciful as well as competent, it might not be enough. They might destabilize again, losing productivity and risking punishment, and Morganite was on Homeworld with her hands tied--

The communicator chimed, and Morganite felt a flood of relief. The screen blurred, audio clicking on in a rush of static, and an earnest blue face came into view.

Lapis Lazuli 4GB, who kept her wings out all the time and fluttered incessantly when she was excited, gasped and cheered. "My Morganite! Oh my stars, we've all been so worried, are you okay? What happened to Glass and 4GD?"

"They've been confined to a bubble for the foreseeable future, but as far as I know, they're alive," Morganite said, keeping her voice soft. 4GB's eyes widened, but whether it was at Morganite's tone or the news of her crewmates, Morganite couldn't tell. 4GB took Lapis Lazulis' stereotypical flightiness to an extreme. "Is everyone all right? Have there been any incidents?"

Behind her former subordinate she could see a glittering expanse of ice, interspersed with darker veins of liquid water. 4GB must have been scouting when she received the call.

4GB grinned. There were snowflakes in her hair. "Well, lemme see..." she started, and Morganite braced herself for a deluge of gossip. "Larimar 5TH got Watermelon Tourmaline got herself poofed again, except she said it was 4GA's fault, and we all know it wasn't 'cause 4GA won't hardly move a boulder without submitting the paperwork in triplicate, no offense! And terraforming's going fine, but we're having trouble expand the Ceta Kindergarten-- we would've extended north, but the big ungulates just disgorged their offspring there, and we keeping having to chase 'em away from the new Rubies. I think they're confusing them with those red-leaf bushes, they keep trying to eat them. So 3QQ thought we should go west instead, but we hit a giant lake and there's nowhere to move the water. So then 4GA said she'd get the Glass's to make another lake, but we found a lot of ice under the surface, and we'd have to find a place to herd all the little three-leg mammals to..." The terraformer shrugged and said sheepishly, "This'd be tons easier if you were around. When're you coming back?"

Morganite held back a flinch at the plaintive question. "I'm confined to Homeworld for the foreseeable future," she said, adding a hint of exasperation to her voice. "I'm afraid you'll have to go to Trapiche Emerald for help planning all those projects you should have completed cycles ago."

"Not fair, my Morganite, we're doing our best!" 4GB frowned a second later-- an expression which meant she hadn't been listening and was catching up on her memories of what had actually been said-- and asked, "Who's Trapiche Emerald?"

"Your new supervisor," Morganite said blankly, and had to fight a sudden well of dread. 4GB was flighty, that was all. But surely even she would pay attention to a new superior, given how many of her cohort had died at her old one's hands-- "She hasn't arrived yet?"

4GB frowned. "No? I didn't see anyone, and 4GE would've complained a bunch if someone new got assigned here. We like you, y'know?" She swooped down, blurring the screen, and seemed to land in an icy alcove. "Who's supposed to be here? D'you know her?"

"Trapiche Emerald 22RT, and yes, we worked together in the Klavius system. She's trustworthy, and she treats her subordinates well. I thought she would be a good fit."

"You're a good fit," 4GB grumbled. "I wish Yellow Diamond hadn't demoted you like this! You're better here, what're you even s'posed to do on Homeworld? Me and 4GE went once, and it took cycles just to ask for a new injector, and that was with our supervisor--"

"Hold on," Morganite snapped, and 4GB startled. "Yellow Diamond? Who told you it was Yellow Diamond who oversaw my trial?"

"Who else would it be?" 4GB asked, bewildered. "You're under her command, aren't you? I mean, we've heard Pink Diamond's back now, but we didn't think her decree thing'd would affect you. And Blue Diamond wouldn't care at all, you're not a Lapis like me or anything. No offense! Morganites are a nice color too. A pretty peach, or, uh, pinky-beige? But kind of orange too."

"You--" Morganite paused, filtered out the inanities, and recalibrated for how rumors distorted before they reached the outskirts. "Ah. Never mind. Pink Diamond was the only Diamond on Homeworld at the time of my trial. I've remained at his discretion, to advise on executive matters."

4GB burst into a grin. "Oh, oh, so you've been promoted? That's so wonderful, I knew they'd see how good you are eventually! It's true, then? Pink Diamond's decree is for everybody? Is she really as nice as people say?"

"Nicer," Morganite said ruefully. "I'm not sure Homeworld can handle it."

"Awesome," 4GB said, cheerily unbothered. "I didn't believe 4GE when she said all that Pink Diamond stuff, but it's great that it's an actual thing! Would've been nice to have 4GC bubbled instead of--" She cut off, face wavering. "Uh. You know. But gems are saying all sorts of stuff about Pink out here. This Bismuth we met said Pink Diamond wants to address the resource crisis and that's why she doesn't like shattering, and one of the Peridots said that Diamonds are gonna give her more colonies 'cause she survived even though everyone thought she was dead. Is that true? Do you know?"

"It's true that she's worried about the resource crisis, and that she doesn't want any more shattering," Morganite equivocated. "Though I don't know about any colonies. Who can know a Diamond's motivations?" She frowned. "Trapiche should have arrived by now. It worries me that you haven't seen her. Has anything strange happened lately? Anything the Peridots couldn't explain?"

"I don't know if it counts, but there've been these really weird transmissions," 4GB said, cocking her head in thought. "We think they're transmissions? 'Cept for how we're on the edge of the empire, and they're coming from farther out. We have to amplify 'em to hear what they say, but it feels weird looking at the wavelengths, so we thought it might be sabotage. 5TH listened, though, and she said it was all junk signal." 

"I suppose it's the most likely explanation," Morganite agreed reluctantly, "though I'd suggest you record them next time, just in case." She shook the trepidation from her thoughts. "But never mind all that. Have you finished terraforming the West Rim?"

4GB winced. "Oh! About that..."

Morganite tried to focus on the conversation, especially once 4GB started listing the various missteps that had led to three Peridots getting trapped underwater for two straight days-- but the thought of the strange transmissions clung stubbornly to the back of her mind.

*

Rose Quartz 6OP watched Lavender Pearl demonstrate a move and mapped the angles of it in her mind. Pearls were made for litheness and grace, and it showed in their forms: small and thin, and optimized for quick, agile movements. An Amethyst, built for sturdiness and firepower, couldn't execute the same maneuvers without her larger body's momentum working against her. As 6OP watched, the Pearl put more force behind the move, punchier and showier, and showed it to the soldiers again. She was developing a sort of dance-fighting, like a choreographed battle. Watching everyone practice sent a happy thrill up 6OP's spine.

She was daydreaming about the possible applications of fighting Pearls-- assassins? Undercover agents? Impossible, but thrilling to imagine-- when a small purple gem plopped down beside her and picked a flower to put in her hair. 6OP blinked at her curiously. If she recalled correctly (and she was starting to realize that she always did), this was Amethyst 8XM, Pink Diamond's favorite, who liked to pretend that she'd always lived with Pink Diamond's guards. Oh, well. Gems liked to pretend a lot of things. 6OP didn't see the harm of playing along.

"So why aren't you over with the rest of the Rose Quartz?" 

"I already know the move. Why aren't you with the other Amethysts?"

8XM snorted. "I already know how to dance. This ain't nothing new to me." She waved a hand in the air, then leaned forward intently. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead," 6OP said, curiosity sparked. "Unless it's something weirdly personal. I'm not sure I've existed long enough to have anything weirdly personal to share."

"Nah, nothing like that, no worries. I wanted to ask if-- I mean-- do you guys ever, like, feel mad at Rose Quartz, for the rebellion?"

"You're asking if we're ever angry about the fact that a rebellious Diamond claimed to be a Rose Quartz and caused us to be made an example of as a caste, ruining all our lives and making it so no Rose Quartz were ever created again?"

8XM winced. "Yeah, I get it. Stupid question. Do all you guys know about the Pink Diamond thing?"

"Pink Diamond was confused about what's a Quartz power and what's a Diamond's, and he was found on Earth with a pink gem. It doesn't take a genius to put everything together, I don't think, but I don't think the others have thought about it much, either." She paused, then added, "It wasn't a stupid question. I've only existed for like three days. I don't know how I feel about Pink Diamond. But my cohort feels betrayed, so I do, a little, too. Not every Rose Quartz was lucky enough to be bubbled. Some of them lost friends."

"Oh." 8XM grew more solemn. "I'm kinda surprised the same thing didn't happen to other types."

"Where would they have stopped?" 6OP asked. "I'm surprised they didn't discontinue Pearls, though. Wasn't there a renegade Pearl in the Crystal Gems?"

"Yeah, uh, there was," the Amethyst said awkwardly. Still was, from the sound of it; 6OP decided discretion was the better part of valor and didn't mention it. "Do you think they're mad at Stev-- at Pink Diamond?"

Across the clearing, the Rose Quartz all shouted as one and punched the air. Lavender Pearl grinned and twirled in delight, bobbing between them to correct their postures. "He isn't the same Pink Diamond, is he? Not really."

The Amethyst said ruefully, "Not in the slightest," then suddenly jerked her head up and started running.

Another shout rang out, this one panicked, and 6OP spun around just in time to see the edge of a column fall and clip the Pearl's shoulder. 8XM skidded past and scooped up her gem before the rubble could crush her, but it was too late: she'd already been damaged and had retreated into her gem.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see it falling!" one of the Rose Quartz gasped.

"Give her here if she's cracked, there might be something we can do--"

6OP didn't bother asking; she hopped to the ground and took the Pearl from the Amethyst's hands to inspect it, then called, "No permanent damage!" She squinted at the gem, which showed no signs of glowing, and asked, "Does anyone know where Pink Diamond's Pearl is?"

"I can find her," 8XM volunteered. "Or find someone who can find her, whatever works." 6OP gave her the gem and looked back at the rest of her cohort.

"9IO, you keep falling because your kicks go wide," she said plainly, to the other soldier's clear surprise, then wandered back to her perch to contemplate some more.

*

The abandoned auditorium where Chocolate and Lavender had met was only accessible through a length of old hallways and a path through an abandoned Kindergarten. Chocolate had never seen anyone besides herself and two other Pearls use the space; it was one of the few places she felt almost completely secure.

It was where she practiced, to be sure she could do everything expected of a Pearl. 

The misconception was that Pearls were formed knowing how to serve and entertain, but it was only half true: Chocolate had been formed with the background she needed to make herself useful, but the instinctual understanding of a mistress's needs could only be learned. 

In her case, having been made without the reflexive grace and coordination her caste was renowned for, she'd had to learn how to dance, too.

Good thing she'd always been observant.

Chocolate twirled through a few forms, humming along to music in her head, and paused, holding an arabesque, as a new song sprang to mind. Pink Diamond had sung it idly earlier that day, after he'd woken up. The lyrics had been so different, what had they been again...? "I can't help it if I make a scene," she sang quietly, trying to job her memory. She didn't know what half the words meant, but she eavesdropped all the time; she'd cultivated the ability to memorize sounds and sort through them later. "Stepping out of my hot pink limousine-- I'm turning heads and I'm stopping traffic, when I walk they look and when I talk they listen, I'm..."

She let her voice soar as she went on, gaining confidence. Pearls were meant to sing, even if the lyrics were scandalous, but Chocolate would have been pushing her luck singing this around other gems. The words were thrillingly confident, more suited to a Diamond than a Pearl. Chocolate had never known the like. 

An unwelcome voice just had to interrupt her. "Whoa, is that music? That sounds, like, really nice!"

Chocolate spun around with an apology on her lips; it died as soon as she saw who had spoken. "You?" she sputtered. "What are you doing here?" She barely remembered to add: "My Peridot."

The star-haired Peridot held out a familiar gem with a grin. "I told the short Amethyst who was looking for you that I knew where you were," she crowed, "and I did! So here's your friend. She got poofed somehow." She trotted up to Chocolate and placed Lavender carefully in her hands, then backed up a few steps to look up at her. "I didn't realize anyone else came down to this level!"

"Neither did I," Chocolate said blankly, staring down at Lavender's gem. She really hadn't expected choreography to be so risky. Had Lavender mouthed off to the wrong person? Made some sort of misstep? But then why wasn't she bubbled? And anyway, Lavender barely spoke, she wouldn't insult some random gem or speak out of turn in the first place. Chocolate would have to get the whole story later. "Well, thank you."

"No problem!" the Peridot said, cheerfully oblivious to any and all hints at how maybe Chocolate wanted to be alone right now. "I'm Peridot Facet 13 Cut 5RQ. Who are you?"

"I'm... a Pearl, my Peridot," Chocolate reminded her. "We don't have facets." I take it you've never been on Kindergarten duty, or you'd know that.

"Huh. You know, I'd never thought about that." Peridot 5RQ tilted her head. "So how do you tell each other apart?"

Chocolate blinked. She'd never been asked that before. "Colors, mostly. I'm chocolate brown, for instance. The Pearl in my hands is lavender."

"Weird," the Peridot breathed. "So, hey, uh-- are you still doing that thing? That Diamond thing? 'Cause I didn't just come here because of your friend, I wanted to tell you that I can help!" She stood straight and put on a serious expression. "I've been researching things too. Hidden things. Sometimes I even risked getting poofed!" She clasped her hands. "I could be useful to Pink Diamond's cause!"

What. "Shouldn't you be useful to Yellow Diamond's cause?" Seriously, had this Peridot been obsessing over Chocolate's bluff this whole time? Now she felt kind of bad about lying. 

Even if, with all the rumor-mongering and information theft, it was less that the game was a lie and more that Pink Diamond didn't know he was playing.

The Peridot frowned down at the insignia on her chest, then looked up at Chocolate hopefully. "Well, yeah, but Yellow Diamond's Court doesn't have y-- doesn't have, uh, the same problems that Pink Diamond's does, since it's been around so long. So I'd be able to, like, help more overall. Percentage-wise. You know?"

Chocolate really didn't want some Peridot hanging around to make sneaking under the radar eight times harder. "What makes you think you'd even be able to help?" she asked, curious despite herself. Nothing, probably, since from what she could tell this Peridot was just a particularly gullible drone...

"I've been hacking White Diamond's transmissions!" the Peridot squealed, and Chocolate had to fumble not to drop Lavender's gem.

"You've been what," she choked out. The star-haired Peridot grinned.

"Hacking her transmissions! It's easy, just a five-way encryption, and there's this old terminal by the Western Citadel, in the old levels where the Kindergarten techs used to work, where you can plug your limb enhancers in and tap right into all her files! I gotta use that information chip you had last time-- you know, like, the Era 1 maximum de-encryptor? How'd you get that, by the way, did Pink Diamond give it to you? Usually only really old Peridots get them, like, Era 1 Peridots! I had to steal mine from waste disposal and fix it. It took two centuries. That's, like, forever!"

"It is a long time," Chocolate agreed faintly. "You fixed it, you said?" A spark of curiosity. "Could you teach me how to do that? If I-- if I let you help, I mean?"

The Peridot stared up at Chocolate, eyes wide and earnest. "I'd teach you even if you didn't let me help. You're Pink Diamond's Pearl! If she trusts you to do her work for her, you'll be able to learn tech stuff like nothing!"

Oh. That shouldn't have hit Chocolate as hard as it did. She wouldn't-- she could keep her face smooth, she'd done it for centuries, her expression wouldn't betray her now-- "Thank you," she said again, for lack of anything else to say. "And-- of course, you can help, if you want to, but you should know it's dangerous. A lot of it is stuff Pink Diamond doesn't-- doesn't know about, that keeps her safe and in power. Especially now, with the other Diamonds off-world."

Peridot 5RQ nodded and saluted, oh stars, and was she completely ignoring the part where Chocolate had said dangerous? "Understood, my Pearl!" Eep. "Hey, can I call you 'my Pearl'? Since you're kind of like a commander and all?"

"No!" Chocolate blurted out. Her face felt hot. "No, no, that-- that won't be necessary, my Peridot." Change the subject, change the subject... "Why have you been doing so much research, anyway? What is it you're trying to find?"

The Peridot's expression went from cheerfully earnest to cheerfully obsessed. "Weeeeell, it's simply really," she started, bouncing in excitement. "There are many hidden dealings happening right beneath our feet!" Like the one we're having? "Things not even the Diamonds know about that threaten the safety of the Empire! Like the secret mammalian underground." She paused. "Or maybe they're reptilian. Our current taxonomy system leaves a lot to supposition, when you really think about it, I mean, some mammals lay eggs? And there were organic species documented before extinction as giving live birth and having scales and yet also being warmblooded! Where do we draw the line? Not to mention the complete lack of biodiversity studies before colonization, I mean, like, how can we prepare to fight our alien foes unless we know exactly how they work? And what is blood, really? Riddle me that!" 

The Peridot paused again and composed herself. "But anyway, I've been tapping into White Diamond's transmissions because she's never around, so there's no reason for anything directed at her to come to Homeworld unless it's meant for her Court, right? But they're all so cryptic, it's really good practice decoding them for when I finally discover the underground and prove to everyone I'm right once and for all!"

"You hacked White Diamond's transmissions for practice," Chocolate echoed. She had gone past incredulity, into some undiscovered galaxy of disbelief. Bewilderment was a planet, passing by. "I-- I don't even-- really?"

"How else could I ever meaningfully serve the Empire?" And she was completely serious, too. Oh, stars. At least now Chocolate could add the eldest Diamond's secret messages to the list of things she'd illegally downloaded. And the list of crimes went on and on...

A notification popped up behind Chocolate's eyes, and she frowned to hide her panic. Why would Patuxent River Agate contact her now, instead of meeting her in person? Not that she was ever inclined to be in the same room with her old mistress if she could help it, but the routine of it was comforting. It let her know what to expect. "I'm being messaged," she said in response to Peridot's questioning stare. "If you could please be quiet, for a moment?" She moved until her back was to the most non-abandoned part of the wall, so it would look like she was in some random part of the palace-- just in case it was streaming video somehow, she could never be too careful-- and opened the message. 

Oh.

Oh, no.

A frozen moment, and then she met Peridot's eyes and clapped her hands over her mouth before she could even open it, sending Lavender's gem clattering to the floor. An order. An actual stars-damned order, and her Agate had never rescinded owner privileges in her Pearl, had she, so she could still had complete authority. Chocolate could hardly ask Pink Diamond to contradict an order she couldn't speak of, could she?

She had to focus. There was always some way to circumvent an order. They were given by gems, and the one thing all gems held in common was fallibility. There was a weak spot, there always was, she just had to find it...

There.

"Is something wrong? You don't look so good. Is it something bad?" Peridot 5RQ's eyes widened. "Has the underground finally risen up and turned all gems into sacs of blood?"

The question was so bizarre that it actually made her calmer. That was right; Chocolate was still the sane one here. If anyone could incorporate this new complication into a plan, it was her. "No," she said, feeling out the limits of what she could say, "no, it's not that. It's--" The geas stopped up her throat. Chocolate repressed a glare, twisted her hands in her skirt, and said, "In the future, if I ask you to do something but can't tell you why, will you do it?"

"I said I'd help, so yeah." 5RQ added hesitantly, "Do you need me to do something now? I totally will. I'll do anything, just say the word!" She looked so eager for orders that Chocolate felt sick. 

What possible reason did she have to stick her neck out like this? Peridot 5RQ wasn't like Chocolate; she wasn't embedded in a political disaster where one wrong move would get her shattered. She would do well under any regime, too low to assassinate and too useful to harvest. She was risking herself for nothing.

Anger rose in her gem, vicious and frustrated. "You'd help even if it put you in danger?" she demanded. Nobody was this nice, nobody was this helpful, who was this gem to come waltzing in and demand a role-- "Even if it got you shattered? Why are you even here? This isn't a game! You could die from this! Has you even entered that into the equation? Gems like me-- gems like you, even-- we're not made for politics! It's treason just to attempt it!"

"It can't be treason if it's helping a Diamond!" the Peridot insisted. "And anyway, I've been hacking a bunch of stuff and doing research and, like, everything, and it's gotten me nowhere, and that's already not allowed. But you-- you just walked right into Blue Diamond's chambers and stole a bunch of information! You're so dedicated to your job  that you transcended your programming! That can't be treason, not if Pink Diamond says it's okay--"

"Pink Diamond doesn't know!" Chocolate shrilled. "He's not the same as before the rebellion, he doesn't know anything! He barely has control of the Courts as it is, and he's too nice, too naive, if I do my job and nothing else it'll all fall to pieces, I know it will! I have to do more, don't you get it? I'm not losing the one good owner I've ever had!" 

"So you were lying about the game," Peridot said, perfectly level. Chocolate froze, going back over what she'd just said. Stars. Why couldn't her Agate have ordered her never to speak again? "You didn't have any orders. You lied to me. You did everything of your own volition." Her tone was soft. Chocolate's gem went cold with terror. "That's really not something Pearls are supposed to do, you know."

"Gonna report me, 5RQ?" Chocolate bit out. Why had she acted anything more than a Pearl, why had she even said that, getting one bad order shouldn't have been cause to break her entire cover, she was such an idiot-- "I lied, after all, you're right about that. Gonna take me straight to Pink Diamond? Gonna poof me with those weapons on your hands, bring me there in a bubble? You should. I'm sure it'll go great for you." She made her voice go low and vicious. She was bluffing-- of course she was bluffing, if this Peridot had any sense she'd recorded this entire conversation and streamed it live to whoever's favor she wanted most-- but that only made it more important to make an impression. Look at me, I'm big and dangerous! You should turn around and leave. "Go right ahead, Peridot. It'll be your word against mine, and I can be so very pitiful. Maybe Pink Diamond wouldn't bubble you for the accusation, but he would hardly appreciate your attacking one of his best servants. You'd be under scrutiny, and I'd keep helping, and maybe next time you try to catch me all your practice will come to his attention, instead. I may be a Pearl, but I'm not soft. I'm going to help my Diamond whether he knows it or not. And if you try to stop me, technician, it won't matter how true your story is-- because mine will be better."

5RQ flinched a little at Chocolate's expression, looking pale, and Chocolate braced herself. She could go through with her threats, probably, but if 5RQ had any sense of strategy her next move would be obvious-- "So there is a conspiracy!" 5RQ burst out, and it felt like being hit upside the head with a blunt object. Chocolate gaped. "You only sort of lied, there is a politics game, and you're helping-- that's, like, so amazing!" 5RQ surged forward and clasped her hands, starry-eyed. Chocolate was too shocked to pull back. "I've never heard of a Pearl so loyal!"

"You're not mad?" Chocolate asked, bewildered. "I just admitted to taking advantage of your beliefs and lying to you. How are you not mad?"

"Because, Pearl, you validated my beliefs!" Chocolate had never seen a Peridot so happy. "I uncovered a conspiracy and it was you! And I bet you have a bunch of weird secrets, too, huh, that's so interesting!" She stared up at Chocolate beseechingly. "You have to let me help you. I want to be part of an underground society too!"

"There's not a society..." Chocolate trailed off, looking down at Lavender's gem. Falling a few feet wouldn't have hurt her, of course, but Chocolate still shouldn't have been so careless. She picked up the gem and brushed the dust off it, cradling it carefully in her hands. That was two gems willing to go along with her schemes, now. Two allies in an impossible game. And didn't Pink Diamond need all the help he could get? "Not yet, at least." She looked up at the Peridot. "You really want to help Pink Diamond? Even like this?" 

"More than anything," Peridot 5RQ breathed.

The Pearl stared. "Well, then," she said weakly, only starting to believe the other gem's sincerity. "I guess you'll have to call me Chocolate." 

Chapter Text

Steven found himself barefoot on the beach, facing the surf and wearing swim trunks. He jolted in surprise and looked around, trying to figure out how he'd left Homeworld, and saw a familiar figure running from the town in his direction. "Connie!" he cheered, waving. "Hey, Connie! Why are you running?"

Connie Maheswaran slowed and stopped with a flare of sand. She was dressed for school, book bag slung over her shoulder, and her hair was wild like she'd been running for a long time. She leaned on her knees, breathing hard, then said, "Steven! Hi! I forgot my homework at your house, it's worth half my grade, I have to get it before my teacher realizes it's missing!"

"You can have homework that's worth half your grade?" That didn't sound right, but Steven had never been to school, so who knew. Connie looked panicked, though, and he couldn't think why he'd be here imagining her unless-- "Are you sure this isn't a dream? It's not like you to forget something that important, Connie. You're really responsible."

Connie looked at him thoughtfully, then glanced down at the temple and back up towards Beach City. "A dream," she echoed. "That would explain why the Big Donut's floating right now. And why Steven's here instead of stuck on Homeworld."

"It's pretty weird," Steven agreed. If he couldn't see the real Connie, Dream Connie was a pretty good second. Seawater lapped over his flip-flops, tugging at the sand around his feet; he decided Dream Beach was pretty good, too. "You wanna go do something fun?"

"If it's a dream, we can go street racing," Connie said with rising excitement. "We could ride dragons, or have a party and invite fictional characters, or anything!" She frowned. "It's almost too many possibilities."

"We could just walk around the boardwalk," Steven suggested. "I've been feeling kinda homesick lately. It'd be nice to see it again."

Connie brightened. "Let's go down to Pee Dee's food truck. There's something I wanna show you-- or, well, the real you, but I guess this is good practice."

"Yeah, having the real Connie here would make this even better," Steven agreed. Then the penny dropped. "Wait-- Connie?"

"Steven?" She squinted at him. "Tell me something my subconscious wouldn't know."

Steven racked his brain. "Um, Sea Glass's Morganite is one of my advisors now? Also, there's Corruption on one of the colonies and I don't really know what I'm doing."

"Corruption?" Connie asked incredulously. "I thought the Diamonds only attacked Earth. You mean they're going after other colonies? Was there another rebellion?" She straightened, almost taking a fighting stance. "How far has the Corruption spread? Is it just one planet or a whole system? Are the Diamonds still missing?"

"Hopefully not, I don't know, I don't know, I also don't know, and yes?" Steven said sheepishly. "Aquamarine went with some other gems to check it out."

"Aquamarine-- is she the one who kidnapped everyone? How do you know you can trust her?" 

"I don't," Steven admitted, pushing back a low roil of frustration. There was so much he didn't know, or didn't know he didn't know, and it was getting on his nerves. "She showed up and said there was a problem, and then it turned out she was right, but-- I don't know, Connie, maybe I'm being too optimistic. It looked like she wanted to get on my good side, but maybe that's because she has something up her sleeve." He shrugged. "I don't wanna worry about it right now. Can we hang out instead?"

"Of course!" Connie took his hand and pulled him up the beach. "Did you know your psychic dream powers could stretch this far?"

"It's not like I ever tested it," Steven said, starting to grin. "But as long as we're here, we might as well make the best of it, right?"

"Right," Connie agreed with a look of concentration. "We should probably visit our destinations in order of importance and/or novelty... so I'm gonna take you to Pee Dee's food truck. Sea Glass works there now! His business has really expanded now that it's tourist season, so he's been happy about the extra four and/or two hands."

She filled him in on all the gossip as they headed to the boardwalk. "So the first thing you should know is Lars and Sadie are officially dating--"

"Yes!"

"-- and Sadie's band got invited to a rock festival, and we found a new nest of Corrupted gems! There was a swarm of at least fifty about this big--" Connie held her hands about a foot apart-- "and we think some of them are still hanging around the temple. The Rutile twins helped a lot with that mission, Pearl's been whipping them into shape--It's a lot easier getting things done with this many gems." Connie grinned and summoned a sword with an expert flick of her wrist. "She says I've really improved, too. Next time I see you in person we'll be a juggernaut."

"I can't wait," Steven said, caught somewhere between envy and wistful longing. "I wish I could've been there. I hate being stuck on Homeworld, it's all meetings and they're all stressful, and I can't talk to people like normal or I freak them out."

"The burdens of power," Connie said ruefully. "But what you're doing is really important, isn't it? You're ruling a whole space empire! That's way more interesting than what we're doing!"

"It's not very fun, though," Steven said with a grimace. "Everyone thinks they're better than everyone else."

"Yeah, well, that's politics." Connie gave a world-weary shrug, before her eyes brightened. "I wish I'd been there with you. I've read all sorts of books about space diplomacy, I really think I could have helped."

Steven nodded in agreement-- adding Connie improved any situation, so of course she would've helped-- then stopped and frowned in confusion. The horizon didn't look right. "Uh, Connie? I thought you said we were going to Beach City."

"We are," she said, equally confused. Ahead of them was a jagged orange forest, towering high in front of a starry night sky. The sound of the ocean had faded completely, replaced with chirrups and shrieks from unfamiliar insects. "Or we should be. Do you think we should turn back?"

A flickering orange light flitted between the trees like a firefly. A chill went up Steven's spine. "Wait here."

"I'm not staying behind if it's something dangerous," Connie said, sounding insulted. "Is it that light? We'll investigate together."

"I don't know what it is, it's just--" Steven made a frustrated noise and shook his head. There was a pressure at the front of his mind, getting worse with every second. It pushed him forward, made him want to reach out past the edge of the sand. "I need to try something." He boxed his shoulders and marched forward, stopping before he went under the canopy, then reached into the shadows. His fingers lengthened and grew claws, utterly inhuman. "Whoa," he breathed, turning back. "Hey, Connie, come look at--"

"Steven watch out!"

A dark shape slammed into his side, and he hit the ground hard, already scrambling to summon his shield. His attacker stood before him, faceless and indistinct. There was a purple gem on her shoulder. "Who are you?" he choked out, climbing to his feet. "Are you real, too? This is a dream, you don't have to attack us--"

"Steven, get away from her," Connie urged, knuckles white on her sword. The faceless gem didn't acknowledge her, only stared at Steven in blank foreboding. Something cold and dreadful curdled in Steven's chest. "This isn't right. We need to get back to the boardwalk."

"But she's a gem," Steven said, staring into the forest. There were more lights now, dancing yellow-orange, and shadows moving between the trees. Suddenly it was hard to breathe. "She's a gem. It's fine, I can talk to her, she's a gem--"

The faceless woman lunged at him, impossibly fast, and Steven staggered back, brought up his shield--

His feet crossed the threshold. He stared down at them, something terrible bearing down on him at the sight of those red leaves, that dark earth. He couldn't be here. It was wrong, it was dangerous, he had to get Connie out-- he turned to her, trying to speak, but his hands were wrong his head was wrong and--

then

there was

nothing.

*

Steven opened his eyes to a sky of unfamiliar stars. His body was muzzy and unclear, utterly foreign, but some dream-like muscle memory told him how to move, how his joints all worked together. His heart, if it was a heart, was hammering in his chest. Something was wrong. There was danger, everything was gone and he hadn't been able to do anything--

It was only a dream, he knew it was, but as he stared up at the sky his own thoughts-- his own mind-- drifted away.

And then he was only a stranger, hiding for his life and paralyzed with fear.

There was blue blood splattered on the ground, a few feet from where he'd tucked himself wings and all under a bush and shifted his colors to match the underbrush. His wings were wrapped tight around him, a baby reflex he'd thought he'd outgrown; somewhere in the back of his mind he knew he was a juvenile, that his ruff had barely grown adult colors a few months ago, and that he'd been meant to start an apprenticeship last week.

He knew his hatchmates were dead, and a low cry built up in his throat. He was staring at the stars so he could pray-- so he could keep himself quiet and distract himself from the raucous sounds behind him. 

Laughter, it was laughter, such familiar voices--

There had been an attack. The guardians had promised to regain the lost ground, to drive the rock invaders back and send the towers on the nesting cliffs crashing to the dirt. They had sworn that whatever these creatures wanted from their homes, they would not get it.

Except the elders were dead now, because to attack the invaders was to make yourself a threat. They had learned that the only way to keep them from regrowing was to break them apart, but once one was dead the rest would converge, like hive insects upon a predator--

An army has a use, they can go and fight a war-- and this was what Yellow had meant, wasn't it, because there hadn't been rebellions before the Crystal Gems, just planets Homeworld wanted--

He could hear crackling flames, guttural nest-calls, distant screams-- but closer was the sound of something heavy, shifting its weight. One of the invaders was behind him. 

A few feet away from him there was a spear; it was a tool, used for carving out nest spaces, but he knew it was strong enough to shatter stone. His sister had used it to kill two of the invaders before they struck her down. If he reached out and caught it, brought all his strength from forging to bear--

No. He couldn't, if he made himself a threat they would kill him for sure. If he didn't hold a weapon-- if he wasn't a threat, if he cooperated, maybe they would let him fly away. Maybe he could warn the Eastern nests, could live through this--

The tall invader was in front of him, staring down at him with an unreadable-- baffled, regretful-- expression. He shrank back, glancing at the spear, then back at it, transfixed by its alien features. How could anything like it survive? How could it build a nest, escape from predators, if it didn't even have wings? How could it show its emotions without a ruff to raise and bristle? How could it speak without changing colors to go along with its grumblings? It was unfathomable-- a living nightmare. 

The invader said something unintelligible (hey, little guy) and kneeled down to meet his eyes. He cowered, flattening his ruff to show surrender. I really don't wanna do this. You're not a fighter, right? You're like a Pearl or something. What are you doing so close to a battle?

The invader glanced around like it was looking for predators. Look, how about you just fly away? If you go fast enough maybe they won't catch you. It's not treason if you're not a fighter, right? You won't shatter anyone. And here, look. It reached into its coverings and pulled out a tiny, pristine egg. He froze, staring in horror. Taken away from the nest-- what, did it want him to kill it, to show surrender? That was-- that was an ancient tradition, they didn't do that anymore, that was terrible--

The creature laid the egg on the ground. He crept forward, raising his ruff-- he would not smash the egg, not even if meant death, it was too close to hatching-- and scooped the egg against his chest, placing it into his nurse-pouch. The invader stepped back, and he stiffened in confusion. Go on, get out of here. Please, come on, get out before someone sees!

Was it... letting him go? Him and the egg? He bristled in confusion, moved forward a few paces, spread his wings. The invader didn't move. He sprang into the air, turned black to match the night sky, and it only stood and watched. 

He fled. Below him he saw nests burning, corpses smoldering, invaders snapping necks and burning dwellings methodically, easily, like it was just another job, no more horrible than blacksmithing. One of them lifted a nesting father and snapped his neck, and he couldn't help it: he screamed.

One of the red ones looked up at the cry (no, no, please get away, please, Ruby no) and raised a burning appendage. A burst of fire shot out and scorched his wings-- he screamed, losing altitude, spiraling down and gods the egg oh please no please--

"Steven!" Connie sounded absolutely terrified. Steven tried to turn to her, tried to make himself remember-- "Steven, you have to wake up! It's just a dream, Steven, wake up, you have to wake up, wake up!"

Steven jolted awake with a scream of pain, thrashing to escape a fire that wasn't there. One of his guards charged in, weapon in hand, and it was an Amethyst, gem on her shoulder--

Steven threw his shield at her. She jerked back, barely dodging, and he threw it again, corpses and flames running through his head, that little egg burned-up and broken, that little alien dead-- 

"My Diamond!" the Amethyst babbled, raising her hands in a fearful salute. "Steven, it's me, it was a dream, you don't have to fight--" 8XJ. She was-- she was Amethyst 8XJ, from the Human Zoo, who'd comforted her charges when Steven's dad broke their hearts-- 

"Where were you assigned?" he snarled, fires burning behind his eyes, and his rage felt like a physical thing, searing up under his skin-- "Before the Zoo, where were you, Jay? Tell me where you were!"

"I-I-- I was on Earth, under your-- Pink Diamond's command! That's all I ever was before the Zoo, I promise!" 

"My command," Steven repeated. "My-- Pink Diamond's--" Right. The Famethysts were young, defective, and they'd never left Earth during the rebellion. They'd been made to fight in it.

Steven banished his shield and started to cry. 

"Steven?" 8XJ asked, stepping closer with her hands up. Steven flinched at the movement, and she froze, eyes wide with fear. He got the sick feeling it might be of him.

"I'm sorry," Steven choked out. "I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have attacked you, you haven't done anything wrong." Except work for the Empire, and wouldn't that make all of them wrong? Homeworld was built on death-- was optimized for it. How was he supposed to fix that? How could anyone?

"You only hit the wall," 8XJ reassured him. "I had worse from humans at the Zoo, don't worry about it. And it was just one of those nightmare things, right? It wasn't real."

"That's the thing," Steven said miserably. "I'm not too sure it wasn't."

The door slid open again, and Amethyst crashed in. "Hey, I just got back, what's-- whoa, okay, that's not good." She came forward-- Steven didn't flinch-- and hugged him hard enough to hurt. "What's with the water works, dude, was it another nightmare?"

Steven buried his face in her shoulder. She wasn't tall, she didn't loom over him, she was short and solid and Amethyst, who'd formed on Earth after the Rebellion and never hurt someone who didn't deserve it. She modeled for Vidalia and played pranks and video games and oh, he wanted to go home. "Nightmare," Steven forced out. "Or a vision. I don't know which."

"Not good?" Steven shook his head. Amethyst rubbed his back. "Don't wanna go back to sleep?"

"I don't think I can," he said quietly. "Can you-- can you guys stay, for a little while? Just until I get back to sleep?"

"Of course, dude," Amethyst said, and 8XJ nodded in agreement. "And hey, we need to go back to Earth soon anyway, don't we? Why don't you go after today. Get a little taste of home, y'know?"

"Yeah," Steven wiped his eyes. He felt ridiculously safe, now that Amethyst was here beside him. "Yeah. I think that's a good idea."

 *

Steven strummed his ukulele, frowned, and adjusted two of the strings. Homeworld was a lot less humid that Beach City, and the change messed with the ukulele's tuning. He hoped he wouldn't have to replace it. He'd never say it out loud, since he still liked MC Bear Bear and his other toys a lot, but his ukulele was one of his favorite belongings.

Chocolate Pearl watched him tune with a faintly bewildered expression. "It's called a ukulele," Steven explained, holding the instrument out to her. She startled back, then crept forward and held a hand out over the strings.

"May I touch it, my Diamond?" Steven nodded, and Chocolate reached out and strummed the open strings. "Oh. That's... nice."

Steven grinned. "It's a fun instrument." He'd brought it out from all his Earth supplies to try to relax after his nightmare. He wasn't sure how he felt about relaxing while he was responsible for a whole empire, but the feeling of the ukulele in his hands calmed him. It reminded him of staying over at his dad's van for jam sessions and snuggling in his sleeping bag on the roof to watch for stars.

On second thought, maybe a little taste of home was the last thing he needed. Steven felt queasy with homesickness. "You can play it if you want," he blurted out to Chocolate. "It's easy once you know a few chords."

Chocolate eyed the ukulele nervously. "Do you want me to, my Diamond?"

"Only if you do." Steven pulled the ukulele back to his chest and played a few chords, getting a feel for the song in his head. "I thought I'd bring it out to try and think of more stuff for the jubilee. You need music in parties at home. It's like pepperoni on pizza."

He was getting intimately familiar with the polite bafflement on Chocolate's face. Homeworld gems never knew how to respond to references to Earth. "Are there a lot of... instruments, on Earth, my Diamond?"

"A ton!" Steven enthused. "There's ukulele, and my friend Connie plays violin, and my dad plays guitar, that's like a big ukulele with no strings, and then there's brass and woodwinds and percussion..." He saw his advisor's blank expression and said sheepishly, "They're all really fun to play. So, I thought maybe we could include them in the jubilee somehow. I'm sure my dad could scrounge up a few, and I think gems could learn them pretty fast." Ruby had learned guitar in literally ten minutes, after all. Maybe it was a gem thing.

Amethyst called from her station by the door, "I call maracas!" and Steven gave her a thumbs up. He thought he heard Skinny Jasper ask what maracas were a second later, minus her usual sarcasm, and suppressed a grin. He had to admit, he had an ulterior motive in wanting to bring instruments to Homeworld-- one that wasn't about spreading the joy of music across the universe like his dad always wanted. If he had to get a bunch of instruments, he had an excuse to go home himself, not just send someone for supplies. And he really, really wanted to go home.

A memory struck, and he asked Chocolate, "Can you sing in key? Like, are you able to?"

She blinked. "I... don't know what that means." Her eyes widened and she added hurriedly, "My Diamond. Perhaps-- do you want me to sing?"

"No, no!" Steven made a placating gesture. "I'm... hm. I guess what I'm asking is, if you hear a note or a tone, like if someone sings it, can you sing the same note? Like-- do re mi fa so la ti do! Like that."

Chocolate frowned in thought. "Do, re, mi... yeah, I guess I can."

"Okay!" Steven strummed a few chords, trying to recall how the song had gone, back when Peridot was more of a reluctant enemy than a friend, and sang, "Life and death and love and birth, and peace, and war, on the planet Earth. Can you do that?"

Chocolate copied him, voice rising and falling smooth as silk, and Steven grinned. "Yeah, see? That's how an instrument helps with music. It's kinda like it can sing, or you can sing with it. Itt adds something new."

"It certainly does," Chocolate murmured. Her eyes went blank for a moment. She shook herself and said, "My Diamond, you've got a transmission coming in."

"Oh." Steven pushed away his disappointment. He was running an empire right now. Of course he wouldn't have much time for a break. "I guess I'd better answer it." He saw Amethyst and Skinny Jasper talking to a few gems at the door-- they looked like the two Zircons from his trial, and maybe that Citrine he'd reassigned to tech work-- and called, "I gotta take a call really fast, sorry!"

Amethyst gave him a thumbs-up.

The holographic screen popped up in front of him, and the silhouette of a Hessonite appeared, closely followed by a clear view of her face. Steven almost flinched at her expression; strange, angry gems hadn't boded well for him before.

"My Diamond," the Hessonite said with a quick salute, "I apologize for bothering you at this time."

"Apology accepted," Steven said as soon as he realized she wouldn't start speaking again without acknowledgement.

The gem nodded and continued, "Your decree pertaining to the treatment of substandard gems requires administrators to personally submit applications for trials to you, yes? As the only way a gem may be shattered." Steven didn't actually remember saying any details like that, but he guessed that maybe they'd been implied. They sounded reasonable, at least. 

The implications caught up to him a moment later. "So you-" Even saying it made him feel dirty- "have a gem you want shattered? Why not just bubble her?"

"If I bubbled her, her squadron would release her," the Hessonite said grimly. "As they've released others in the past. My Diamond, I am not interested in trawling through three hundred Rubies in order to locate one errant gem. If she is shattered, it will show the others that disobedience will not be tolerated. As things stand, this decree of yours- no disrespect meant, my Diamond- is making me appear incredibly lax. The delinquent Rubies are growing bold."

"Right," Steven said, even though it wasn't. "But how're they delinquent? What're they doing wrong?" Why does this deserve a death sentence, Hessonite? Why can't gems just leave each other alone?

"Does it matter?" the Hessonite demanded. Steven's expression must have given him away, because she sighed and said, "The gem in question is part of a group sabotaging colonization efforts. Hardly another Rose Quartz-- begging your pardon, my Diamond-- but causing a great deal of problems even beyond the Ruby ranks. They're giving all the lesser gems ideas."

Steven's stomach flipped. "What kind of sabotage is it?" he asked, praying for something actually bad. "Are they hurting people?"

"They've been working with the local organics to resist colonization," the Hessonite said, and Steven's blood ran cold. "The Rubies who first contacted them deliberately misrepresented their cognitive abilities, which to my great shame, allowed them to carry out a number of ambushes before the deception was revealed. Now that their little trick has failed, they've been helping the organics fight outright."

"Really," he said weakly. "Are the organics sapient?"

Morganite had said there weren't any colonies with sapient species, but if they'd only just been discovered, been reported- he remembered his wings on fire, the giant Ruby raising her palms to shoot him down-- "What does that matter?" the Hessonite asked. "They're only organics, my Diamond. Pests, and nothing more."

"You didn't answer the question," Steven said. There was a roaring in his ears. It sounded like the nest guardians screaming. "Are they sapient? Do they think?" In the corner of his eye he saw Chocolate stiffen. Was something wrong? Why was she--

"Yes, my Diamond," the Hessonite gritted out. "It's why they're so difficult to exterminate. We haven't encountered a sapient species on a new colony for millennia; we had to restore methods from before even your time." The Hessonite sounded almost long-suffering, like she thought Steven was dumb. But she was talking about people like they were things. Like they couldn't feel pain, like they didn't play and sing songs and have dreams--

"Do they have a language?" 

"My Diamond?"

"Do they. Have a language." Steven's knuckles were white on the arm of the throne. 

"I wouldn't know--"

Nausea burned at the back of his throat. "Do their children play games?"

"What-- who cares, we exterminated most of their hives back at the beginning--" All those ruined eggshells--

"Tell me, Hessonite!" Steven snarled. "They're sapient, right? So they think and feel and learn, and you don't know anything about them? What stories do they tell? What's their society like? What are their names?"

"I don't understand why that matters!" the Hessonite blurted out, and the stone cracked under Steven's fingers. 

"Because they're people!" he shouted, and the floor shook. "They're people, and you're murdering them by the thousands! Don't you realize that's bad?" He took a deep breath, then another. "You're not-- you're gonna send that Ruby and her platoon to Homeworld. Whoever the worst offenders are. And you're not gonna kill any other organics on that planet. Not a single one."

"But my Diamond, that's impossible! How are we supposed to terraform? Our actions are directly sanctioned by Yellow Diamond, you can't rescind her orders-"

"No, I can't," Steven snapped, filled with impotent frustration. "But I can make it so-- so you don't have a job anymore, if you keep doing this. If you keep killing sapient organics. I'm not telling you to stop. I'm just telling you there's gonna be trouble if you keep going. It's not rescinding another Diamond's orders then."

The Hessonite stared, more than a little anger in her eyes. "Yes, my Diamond. I understand perfectly."

"Thank you," Steven gritted out. "That-- that will be all." He closed the call and squeezed his eyes shut, willing the rage to die down. The Hessonite's face kept flashing in front of his eyes. He kept wanting to hit her, like he was Jasper or one of the Diamonds, to show her what it was like to be attacked by someone you couldn't hope to fight--

"Steven? You okay there, buddy?" Amethyst was staring at him, eyes wide. 

"Yeah," Steven said, glaring at the ground. "I'm gonna take a break for a little while, okay? I'll talk to you guys when I get back."

"But my Diamond--"

"Nope, sorry, gotta go!"

Steven dodged past the Zircons and the Citrine into the hallway, aiming for the cells he'd seen Lapis and Desert Glass in before. If the warden Morganite had been telling the truth, they should be empty.

Steven hardly ever wanted to be alone, but right then he wanted to brood. His stomach was roiling with horrified disgust.

He would have been happy with a Rose's powers. 6OP had said they could heal minor cracks, nothing really serious-- that his mom's abilities had been considered a fluke. He would have been fine with that. Fine with a shield, fine with shapeshifting and strength. A Diamond's powers weren't worth the strings attached to them.

Only a Diamond could rule. That was how Homeworld worked, how they structured everything, from the top down- but the Diamonds ruled on more than just raw power, and raw power was all Steven had. He had the sinking feeling that he'd made a huge mistake. A real leader would have handled that better. A real leader would know how to make gems see the value of organic life.

He couldn't make it another bubble decree. That had just modified what gems were doing already, and most gems had some empathy for other gems. Empathy for organics went against everything they'd been made for.

Steven slid down the cell block wall and sighed, fingers finding frets with the ease of habit. At least he had his ukulele.

The door slid open a few minutes later, and a slender brown form peeked in. "Oh! I thought I heard music here, my Diamond." Chocolate paused, taking in his expression. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine," Steven told her, trying to smile. He set his ukulele aside. "I'm a little tired, that's all."

"Is that why there are darker areas beneath your eyes?" the Pearl asked, then flushed. "Not that I mean any disrespect, of course, my Diamond."

"Steven," he corrected. "You can call me Steven. Please."

"Steven," Chocolate echoed. She didn't look convinced. "Something is bothering you, isn't it. Would you tell me what it is?"

Steven shrugged, biting his lip. "I feel like I messed up." The Pearl cocked her head. "When I yelled at that Hessonite."

"You did, my- Steven," Chocolate said with a grimace. "Any uncertainty as to your sympathies is pretty much shot at this point. Everyone in the Empire will know you don't agree with the other Diamonds, and that will lead to trouble." 

"I guess I can't pretend I'm a real Diamond any more, can I." Steven clenched his fists. "I just- don't know what to do! What's the point of being in charge if I can't stop all the bad stuff everyone does? Even if I order everyone not to hurt people anymore, things just get worse and worse."

"Does that work on Earth?" Chocolate asked. Steven blinked up at her. "Telling gems to change their minds. Does it work on Earth, on humans?"

Steven thought back to everything with Lars, and Jamie's love letters- to his dad's guitar lessons, and how he hadn't been able to earn Connie's forgiveness for turning himself in just by apologizing... "No," he admitted. "I don't... think it ever does."

"Then why should it work with gems?" She straightened, tugging at her skirt. "The way you're doing things now, you'll never make any lasting change. Too many outright shifts from the status quo will lead to discontent and eventually rebellion. You've got to be subtler. If group opinions shift, individual holdouts will be few and far between. You've got to make it seem like changes are their idea, not yours. Then they'll agree with you like they'd agree with their own opinions."

"But how would I even do that?" Steven asked, despairing. "Gems won't listen to me if I tell them to do stuff, but that's all Diamonds ever do. What's the other option?"

Chocolate gave him a hesitant glance and said, "You show them. You manipulate your own appearances. For instance, if you wanted gems to look more favorably on organic life, you might grow gardens all over the palace. Make the organic an aspect of home, a resource in itself, even trendy, and gems won't be so eager to call for its removal."

"Oh." Steven was startled into a grin. "That's really smart, Chocolate. Do you think that could actually work?" 

The Pearl's cheeks went dark. "It's only common sense, my- Steven. Nothing more. I'm sure Morganite could come up with better ideas."

"But it sounds like you put a lot of thought into this," Steven pushed. "Do you think about this stuff a lot?" Chocolate stiffened. "Sorry. You don't have to answer that."

"No, it's- it's fine," Chocolate said. "I spend a lot of time thinking, is all. There isn't much else to do when you're on Homeworld for a thousand years just to stand around looking pretty." She flinched at those last words, glancing up at Steven; he tried to gentle his smile. 

"So this is your home."

"Well, no," Chocolate said, fiddling with her skirt. "I was on Earth for some time. My first mistress was shattered there." 

"O-oh." Steven felt stupidly guilty. "I'm sorry about that."

"It was a long time ago."

The thought of Earth brought another pang of homesickness. "I want to go back," Steven admitted. "I know it's selfish, since I'm the only Diamond here, but--" Chocolate made a choked noise, hands slapping over her mouth. Steven jumped to his feet. "Chocolate?" It looked like when Pearl had tried to talk about Pink Diamond, like someone had ordered her not to speak, had taken over her body for their own convenience-- "Chocolate, are you okay? Snap out of it!"

She unfroze all at once, blinking like there were spots in her eyes. "My Diamond," she said, wincing. "Steven. I'm sorry about that. It won't happen again." Her hands were fisted in her skirt.

"What happened? Is there- did someone order you not to talk, or-"

o"That isn't it," Chocolate assured him. "It was only bad memories." It made sense, if there was something she wasn't supposed to remember from her time on Earth- but somehow Steven doubted that was it. "You're... going to visit Earth, soon? You and Amethyst 8XM?"

"If I can," Steven said, wondering if the mention of Earth would set her off again. "I get if I can't be gone that long, though--"

"I'm sure a few days will be fine," Chocolate blurted out. "You-- you're right, you need a rest. The Empire will survive half a cycle without you." 

"If you're sure," Steven said reluctantly, and Chocolate nodded. "I don't want to put too much stress on you."

"I'll be fine," the Pearl said with a strained smile. "I swear to you, my Diamond. Everything will be fine."

*

"You don't have any meetings for the next few days," Morganite was informing Pink Diamond-- informing Steven. "We'll tell gems that you're contemplating your next course of action. Blue Diamond has taken leave for the same reasons one hundred and sixty-two times in the past three centuries."

Of course, it had been understood that Blue Diamond was in deep mourning. Chocolate wasn't sure Steven could use the same excuse. 

A Homeworld without Diamonds had no way to restore order, if Patuxent River Agate made any overt moves. After Steven's outburst, she was certain to find more support on the colony worlds. This was a terrible time to leave.

Too bad Chocolate couldn't put her concerns to words.

Spy on her had been such a vague order. It meant Chocolate could be selective in what she heard and what she tuned out, what she reported or kept to herself. There were no failsafes to keep her from lying, or embellishing, or twisting her words. No assurances to Patuxent River Agate that her Pearl wasn't having her on but her own threats of blackmail. 

This order had been much more binding. If Pink Diamond expresses a wish to return to Earth, you will not warn her against it. You will encourage her to leave. You will assist her to the warp pad and see her off. Once she does leave, you will use every skill at your disposal-- and don't think I don't know how dishonest you are, Pearl-- to allow the Peridot I send to do her job. You will not attempt to fix the warp pad yourself, or tell others how it was disabled. You will not keep any gems I send from re-enabling the warp pad and departing. Do you understand? 

Yes, my Agate, Chocolate had forced out, each sentence hitting her gem like a Bismuth's hammer. I understand.

Then that will be all. 

Chocolate suppressed a shudder. Steven turned to her and said, "Oh! I forgot to ask, is your friend okay?" 

"My... friend?" Chocolate asked, searching desperately for a loophole in her orders. Her Diamond's guileless trust made shame twist in her gem. She'd have to try harder. His overthrow would lead to rebellion, possibly his death or worse-- and rebellions, exciting as they were, had never worked out in Chocolate's favor.

"Lavender Pearl, right?" Chocolate stared. "Amethyst said she'd given her to you."

Peridot had, actually, but the main point was still true. "She's taking longer to reform than I thought she would," Chocolate admitted, "but she's unharmed, my-- Steven." Stars, it was hard getting used to that new mode of address. Too bad calling him her Diamond against his wishes made her feel even worse.

"Glad to hear it," her Diamond said. Chocolate forced a smile. "We'll be back in a few days, okay? So I'll see you guys then."

"We'll try to keep the Empire in working order until then," Morganite promised, and in a burst of white light he was gone. 

Morganite watched the empty warp pad for a moment. "Have you gotten any more transmissions from that Sapphire, Chocolate Pearl?"

Chocolate frowned. "A Sapphire, my Morganite?" There were no Sapphires in Pink Diamond's court. Maybe she meant the one who ran the courier Pearls?

"You remember," Morganite said, pensive. "The hysterical one who called Pink Diamond some time ago."

Oh. Her. Chocolate said honestly, "Not that I'm aware of." 

"Hmmm. You'll inform me, if you do?" Her hand fidgeted like it wanted a weapon. Chocolate backed up a few steps.

"I'd have no reason to keep it to myself," Chocolate said, increasingly confused. "My Morganite, is something wrong?" 

"No, no," Morganite said. "Nothing's wrong, per se. I've just got a bad feeling about something." She shook her head like she could erase her thoughts. "There's no need to pay it any mind." She glanced back at Chocolate. "I'll see you later today to receive your report." Then she walked away, probably to deal with the transmissions from some colony's recent difficulties, and Chocolate was left alone.

Dread pooled in her stomach. If Morganite had stayed a little longer, she might have noticed the gem waiting in the shadows for her to leave.

Chocolate had noticed as soon as she entered the room. She'd known she would be there.

Her hands were forced steady. She stepped back and bowed to the gem behind the hologram. "My Peridot."

"You're Patuxent River Agate's Pearl, aren't you?" the Era 1 Peridot asked. "The one she gave to Pink Diamond. She didn't relinquish her right to give you orders?"

"Pink Diamond didn't distrust her enough to think it necessary, my Peridot." Or rather, she realized, it hadn't been a naive expression of trust at all. Just a lack of understanding of how Pearls worked. If Chocolate had been given to Yellow Diamond, she would have made sure Chocolate could answer to nobody but her. How isolated had Pink Diamond been on Earth, that he hadn't known such a basic fact? Surely the Crystal Gems would have taught him something of his home?

"More proof, then," the Peridot said. As a walking, talking decoration, Chocolate was familiar with her tone: she was talking to herself. "I'm sure you've been told not to speak of this to anyone?"

"Yes, my Peridot."

"Good. Then you're not needed here any longer. It's not as if you have the know-how to disable a warp pad in an undetectable manner." She clapped in dismissal, and Chocolate kept her face neutral, kept her eyes wide and Pearlish. No anger, no hatred, no fear. She only left the room and wondered how exactly Patuxent River Agate thought she was going to keep Steven on Earth when he'd have his allies' help to return to Homeworld.

She didn't like the ideas she came up with. 

Down a service corridor, around a corner and hopefully out of sight, Chocolate dropped her bearing and fought the urge to punch a wall. This would cause so many problems if it wasn't dealt with, and she couldn't even tell Morganite about it. How widespread were the rumors of Pink Diamond being an impostor? He obviously wasn't, given his abilities, but how many gems were gullible enough to believe it?

He seemed popular with inferior gems, but it was the elites who could cause the most trouble. How could they turn the tide? If Lavender were here, Chocolate could bounce ideas off of her, could see which were reasonable and which would get her harvested for real. Lavender would be tranquil and giggly, would calm the restless anger that always rose up when Chocolate could speak freely. Except she couldn't speak freely, could she. Not with her orders in place.

But Lavender wasn't the only gem privy to Chocolate's secrets. Chocolate barely knew Peridot 5RQ, but she had a feeling that as long as her problems were interesting she wouldn't report her. But how to phrase things so Peridot knew not to ask questions...?

Meet me as soon as you're able, Chocolate sent through a secure channel, and sent her coordinates after it. I may need your help with something.

She would have typed more, but she was interrupted by a voice behind her. "Pearl," it said, and a weight slammed into her from behind, hands pressing a cool blade to her throat.

"You have two options," the voice said, an undercurrent of frantic rage beneath it. "Option the first: you can agree to tell me everything you know about the betrayal you just committed, and then you help me stop it. Or, option the second! We shatter you here and move on to your co-conspirators."

Her attacker's tone went light and vicious. "I'd suggest you choose wisely." 

Chapter Text

Chocolate panicked. She'd lived through three mistresses, two of whom had been killed in battles with the Crystal Gems. She'd avoided harvesting, avoided being identified as defective, avoided being shattered by the rebels when they'd attacked her Agate's base of operations. She didn't mean to freak out, since staying and talking would make her seem a lot more cooperative and a lot less guilty, but there was the blade at her neck and the weight at her back and she just--

Don't get shattered don't get shattered

--shifted her arms smaller before she could think, threw up dust with her gem and sent a hologram running in the other direction. She fled. She didn't even have a plan other than getting away, maybe getting to Morganite or the Rose Quartzes or Pink Diamond's guards. If she could find somewhere to hide--

A huff behind her told her that her pursuer hadn't fallen for the decoy. Chocolate tried to wrestle down her terror. Planning was a lot harder when she was in immediate danger, but this was hardly the first irate gem she'd fled from in hopes of finding protection. Even her Agate would suffice at this point-- she wouldn't want to lose such a useful pawn so quickly.

She ducked into a service hallway, took a shortcut, and doubled back down a flight of stairs, wriggling through a gap in the cracked stone that walled off the old Kindergartens and hitting the ground running. Peridot 5RQ was the only gem she'd seen down here, besides other Pearls; her attacker wouldn't be able to follow her as easily. Chocolate squeezed into a dark cranny and pulled out the programming chip Lavender had smuggled her when she'd first entered Pink Diamond's service. Technically only Peridots and other technician gems got to use the messaging frequencies, and then only for work-related matters, but Chocolate knew they had their own unofficial channels for recreational communication. The light of a screen could give her away. 

Chocolate put in the most likely code and sent, Don't come there's trouble.

Chocolate? And then: Can I help

Leaving L gem here (54. 81. 234.) two levels below East c. Pick up when able?

Why

Tell you lat--

A shadow moved against the wall of the hallway, and Chocolate froze. She'd tucked Lavender's gem into a gap in the rubble, but that only made her realize how vulnerable she was. By hiding, she'd made it so she could be cornered. If she were found--

"I know you're here," her attacker called. Chocolate kept perfectly still. "I'm sorry I scared you, but I'm afraid this is urgent. There's a reason you were told to get Pink Diamond to the warp pad just then. Every moment you hide gives her enemies more time to plan."

Chocolate sent out a dim hologram and crept to another hiding place. When she was far enough away, she accessed the hologram's voice and said, "You're not very convincing. Why threaten someone you want on your side?"

The voice was almost amused. "A little pebble told me you're on no side but your own. You know there are two separate futures where you betray Pink Diamond for your own gain?"

Where she what? "I can't imagine how," she made her hologram say, keeping its voice even. Her hands were white-knuckled in her skirt. "I don't intend to be anything but loyal."

"Would you like to know how it happens?" Chocolate stayed silent. "In one of them, Pink Diamond is overthrown, and you betray him to your Agate in exchange for your life. In another, you leave Pink Diamond on Earth and accompany your Agate in a coup that would destroy the planet." No. "The second isn't as likely, but the point speaks for itself. You're not as loyal as you think you are. You've never been loyal to any mistress. Why would this one be different?"

"Because it's Steven," Chocolate snarled, forgetting herself completely. "He's the nicest owner I've ever had! There's no reason to betray him! Your so-called visions are either lies or incomplete. I would never choose my Agate over my Diamond. I'd rather be harvested." She kept talking, suddenly aware that it was all that protected her. "I don't know the content of these visions. Perhaps I seem like a traitor, or a coward- but I don't seem like just a Pearl, do I? I seem like a threat." No response. Chocolate bit out, "Can your Sapphire see the past?" and tensed, waiting for a blade through her throat.

A beat of silence. Then: "No. Not usually. The past is as much of a mystery to her as the future is to us."

Not a Sapphire, but in the service of one. Reasonable, perfectly willing to chase a Pearl into Homeworld's depths, on Pink Diamond's side-- Chocolate could work with this, she realized with a swell of determination. She just had to find an angle her assailant would accept.

"You're right," Chocolate admitted, watching for movement in the darkness. "If I hated Pink Diamond, I'd betray him without a second thought. But I don't think I'll ever hate him. Which is strange, really, because I've been committing treason since I let my first mistress die." The silence after that was deafening. She continued, pushing past the terror in her throat. "I'm a coward. I couldn't fight if I were given a weapon and ordered to. But I'm still Pink Diamond's Pearl. Even- even if he's overthrown, I'll serve him to the best of my ability."

It was true, she realized. Serving Pink Diamond for security had turned to serving for his sake. She didn't know how to feel about that.

An armed silhouette appeared at Chocolate's elbow, and she flinched back, hands going over her cheek.

"Damn," said the stranger. "So that's why she warned me not to let you talk. You're very persuasive, Pearl." Her blade vanished in a flash of light. "It's too bad I believe you. She'll be so annoyed."

Her attacker lit the gem in her palm, and for the first time Chocolate saw her face.

She was deep blue and slender, with a high, braided ponytail and an angular crop top. In the light of her gem her face was shadowed and menacing, light-dark contrast splitting her body into angles and pieces. Her face, though, and the shape of her form--

"You're a Pearl," Chocolate breathed, and for a strange moment wonder outweighed her fear. She'd heard of the Crystal Gems' renegade, of course-- of how she'd cut through swathes of Homeworld soldiers like it was nothing more strenuous than a dance-- but she'd thought her an anomaly. This Pearl, relentless as she was, couldn't be the same one.

Chocolate wasn't sure what that meant. 

The Pearl inclined her head. "A Royal Blue Pearl, under the ownership of Star Sapphire 1AA of the White Court." She raised her hand to shoulder-height, illuminating the delicate contours of her face, and gave a rueful smile. "Sorry for all the fuss. My Sapphire gets touchy after major visions. This time she decided you would cause most of the avoidable problems."

The designation sounded familiar. "Did she call on Pink Diamond after his return?" A nod. Chocolate sighed and brushed the dirt from her skirt, feigning nonchalance. She left Lavender's gem where it was; she didn't have time to send another message right now, and if 5RQ found it missing she'd only worry more. Anyway, Chocolate wasn't so sure that she was out of danger. "She should have fixated on Patuxent River Agate, instead. I'm not the one telling gems Pink Diamond's an impostor."

"So she's not, then?" Royal Blue asked, not sounding too interested in the answer. "What about the Diamonds' disappearance?" 

"Not a rumor," Chocolate admitted. "Though I'd appreciate if you didn't spread it around."

The warrior Pearl shrugged. "Can't say this went how I expected, but no plan lasts once you drop into orbit. Neither of us is dead, Pink Diamond is safe- I'll call this a win." She fixed her implacable gaze on Chocolate, tilting her head like a Robonoid surveying a suspected Off-Color. "Come with me to meet my Sapphire? I promise not to kill you."

And if she orders you to finish the job? Chocolate wanted to ask, but discretion kept her quiet. "We'll need more than the three of us if we're going to make a consistent plan. Let me fetch Pink Diamond's Morganite advisor, and--" Hadn't one of the Rose Quartz been smart? "--and a few other gems. Then we can talk." It might be safer that way. They might not shatter her in front of witnesses.

"I take it you'd prefer I keep this conversation to myself?" Royal Blue asked. "Can't imagine they'd like how you're only loyal by choice."

Chocolate snorted. "I'd rather not imagine that at all. Please don't mention any of this."

"As long as you come with me," Royal Blue agreed. She held out a hand. Chocolate looked at it, wondering if this was a trap or an opportunity, and held out her own.

* 

Steven and Amethyst arrived on Earth to a flurry of hugs and greetings, and also apparently to a disagreement between Pearl and Garnet over whether or not she should go back with him to Homeworld-- the other Diamonds aren't there to protect you, things are precarious, my visions say it's not a good idea vs I'm hardly incapable, Garnet! If he's been having so much trouble, why shouldn't I go back with him?

My visions say our presence may prove disastrous to Steven's ability to seem like a good Diamond in the long run!

He's been having nightmares! He's been having to deal with Homeworld, Garnet! What sort of family are we if we leave him alone to do that?

"Maybe we should go," Connie had murmured, and after sharing exasperated looks with Amethyst, the two of them had absconded.

The bickering had been familiar enough to hurt, but Steven didn't really feel at home until he was out on the beach, wading in the ankle-deep waves while Connie splashed around in the shallows a few feet away. The air smelled like brine and rotting seaweed. He kind of wanted to cry.

Of course Connie noticed. "Steven? If this isn't fun, we can do something else."

"I'm fine," Steven said, wiping his eyes surreptitiously. Ouch, sand in his eye. He tried to blink it out and said, "I just wish I could stay here longer. I don't like being on Homeworld, it's- I can't be myself there. I don't like being so far from my family."

"Yeah, that doesn't sound fun," Connie agreed, pensive. She concentrated for a moment, biting her lip, then perked up. "Steven! I think I have an idea."

"What is it?" Steven brightened. Connie almost always had good ideas.

"Well, you're already gonna spend a lot of time with your family, right? Your dad's been staying over at the Temple, we're having a whole cookout later and everything... but if you miss Earth, you're probably missing nature, too. I had an idea a while ago that I wanted to try out, and I think it might be helpful now. You remember when we first met and we got stuck in your bubble, and we thought we'd run out of air before we could get to the surface?"

Steven nodded. His bubbles were awesome, but he wasn't sure they produced oxygen. He'd survived in the vacuum of space, so they did something, but whether that was a gem thing or only worked for him... well, he hadn't wanted to risk testing it out. "You think you know a way around that?"

Connie pumped a fist. "Yes! Wait here." She ran up to the Temple and came back with a backpack and a small, potted fern. "You have plant powers, right? Because of the watermelons and whatever happened on Homeworld." 

Steven took the offered fern and touched one of its fronds. It perked up under his touch, fanning out its leaves like it wanted to catch his light. "If we take the bubble underwater, I bet we could stay under longer if we took a plant with us," Connie explained. "Or at least we wouldn't have to worry so much about running out, like a placebo effect! Do you think you could use your powers to make it photosynthesize without that much sunlight? If you could--"

"We could be a little terrarium!" Steven smiled down at the little plant. "That's a great idea, Connie. I think we should try it."

"Got it. Let me just text my mom." She took out her phone, then looked up. "We shouldn't have anything planned, but..."

Steven's heart lightened at the thought of seeing so much nature. Homeworld was so lifeless that it hurt to think of the sea when he was there. The seafloor-- with its weird glowy sponges and its seaweed and all the oddly-shaped little creatures-- was as far from Homeworld's shining towers as it could get. He summoned a bubble around himself and Connie and licked his finger, touching the fern as gently as he could. It unfurled and expanded, flooding out of the pot, and the air went as humid as the inside of a greenhouse. Steven met Connie's eyes in delight.

They spent the next few hours venturing further and further from the shore, rolling through trenches and going quiet when they saw rare fish so they wouldn't scare them away. Connie found to her annoyance that none of her pictures came out, since every one of them was tinged pink. 

After a while, their fern filter made the bubble uncomfortably hot, and they decided to sit down to rest. Steven stuffed a granola bar in his mouth and listened to Connie gush about a Lisa/Archimicarus fanfic that had actually made her like the pairing. Now that was an accomplishment.

"I think because it was set in an alternate universe the pairing fit better than in canon," she mused. "Archimicarus was her familiar, but he could also shape shift into a human from the start. It made it a lot more believable that he would keep a human form permanently so they could get married."

"How'd they handle the love triangle with the blacksmith's son, though?" Steven asked. "If Archimicarus was always able to turn into a human, wouldn't that mean Lisa wouldn't be interested in the other guy at all? She and Archimicarus were always really close."

Connie tore the wrapping off a fruit roll-up. "That was one part of the fanfic I didn't agree with. She still went on a date with the blacksmith's son, but it was only to make Archimicarus jealous. Aside from how out of character that is, I don't think there was any reason for her to do that. She knew Archimicarus liked her. Going out with Dmitri added a completely unnecessary conflict. I didn't do that."

Steven blinked. "Didn't do what?" A fish bumped the outside of the bubble with its tail, then swam off. 

When Steven glanced back at Connie, she was blushing. "Oh! Um. One of the boys at school asked me on a date a couple of weeks ago. He's nice and everything, and I like him, but... I said no."

"Why?" Steven asked, confused. He couldn't imagine Connie dating someone from her school who hadn't ever seen her train with Pearl or outline a whole storyline over lunch or attack a Diamond without hesitation, but the thought of Connie turning down someone she liked made his stomach twist. Connie should be happy. Connie should-- she should always be happy. Being a Crystal Gem and fighting by Steven's side and fusing with him... if it was interfering with her having a normal life, that wasn't good. Connie had been so lonely when he'd first met her. She deserved friends and being liked at school and maybe a boyfriend, too. 

The thought of Connie kissing someone from her school, though, and holding hands with him, and maybe having less time to hang out with Steven because of it--

He didn't know how to feel about that. 

Connie stared at him. "Why? Well, I--" Her cheeks went dark. "What would you have done, if someone asked you out? Would you have said yes?"

Steven's mind went blank. Someone... like who? The Pizza twins and the Cool Kids were older, and there weren't many others his age he knew in Beach City. He tried to imagine going out with someone he made up, going to a restaurant together and seeing movies and taking them to meet the Gems, but every scenario he pictured felt wrong somehow. They didn't stay in his mind. The only ones that felt real were the ones where the person looked a lot like Connie. 

"I don't think I would have," he admitted. "Not unless it was you." His face felt hot. Connie's blush deepened.

"Oh," she squeaked. "So, you--"

"Yeah," Steven blurted out. "I really like you, Connie."

Connie looked at him in amazement. Everything about her was tinted pink from the bubble, ribbons of sunlight running across her face and lighting up the world. Her hand laid over Steven's. She leaned in, and Steven leaned in, and they came closer and closer--

A flash of light, and they were as close as they could possibly get. Stevonnie looked down at their hands and burst out laughing.

*

Stevonnie took a moment to laugh and hug themselves, giggly and light-headed with the joy of being. Steven and Connie had missed each other, had thought about each other the whole time they'd been separated, had turned to share jokes and had remembered that the other was lightyears away. Being together again-- being whole again-- was salve over irritated skin. Stevonnie took a deep breath and let their memories integrate, and all their inner turmoil calmed to an equilibrium. 

When they were done, one thing stood out: they needed a plan.

"What do I know about Homeworld? More than I did, sure, but not enough. And Steven still can't read Gem, that's not gonna be good in the long run..." They dug out a notebook and pencil from Connie's backpack-- she had been hoping to plan at some point, too-- and pulled up Steven's memories from the past month. 

Allies, they wrote at the top of the first page. Chocolate Pearl, Morganite, Rose Quartzes, Sea Glass (?)-- Steven still needed to visit her, didn't he?-- Zircons, maybe Aquamarine, Famethysts... Patuxent River Agate was mean to Chocolate and kind of a no-show most of the time, so Stevonnie left her out. There were other gems who might be helpful, though-- Chocolate's friend Lavender Pearl was one, and so were Morganite's crew back on her colony, and those hijackers, and possibly the Citrine. And a lot of gems were loyal to Pink Diamond-- maybe more, now that Steven had made that rule about bubbling instead of killing.

Changes, they titled the next list, and wrote bubble decree, finders keepers. "Too many and things get weird," they reminded themselves. "What did Chocolate say? Maybe Steven can be sneaky about this." The Steven half doubted he could ever be sneaky in his life. Stevonnie made a face. "What would make gems like organics?"

Science education made human kids care, Connie pointed out. Stevonnie wrote, make more zoos (?), assign gems to study organic life on new/older colonies, make a database and let gems see/read it. What else? Gem Neil deGrasse Tyson? "No, that's weird," Stevonnie muttered, and erased it. "Is there a type of gem that can talk to animals? What would it be called if there was?"

Tiger's Eyes were a gem caste, right? And maybe Serpentines? Stevonnie doubted either had anything to do with animals. If gems had zoos with actual animals, though... Connie knew a lot of kids who'd been made into environmentalists by zoos. They could serve as a way to preserve lost species when Steven couldn't save their planets. That could seem frivolous and aristocratic, and gems couldn't say it wasn't Diamond behavior because Blue had done it first. 

Another thought struck. From what Stevonnie could tell, Gems didn't have online social networks like humans did-- probably because free association historically led to rebellions and reform. Create Gem internet.

What else could Steven change without making Pink Diamond looked like a Crystal Gem with a fancy paint job? There was the whole resource squeeze... make it normal to cross-train gems, they wrote. If that Citrine liked technology, other gems might have unorthodox interests too. Pearl had learned how to build rockets! If she could do that, Zircons could build ships and Peridots could learn to paint. Even music could be available to everyone.

Why was music only for the upper castes-- never mind, Stevonnie could guess that one. Music meant dancing, and dancing meant fusion. So either the upper classes actually did fuse in private, or they only listened to music in public settings or when they were sung to by their Pearls, so they never had the chance to fuse. Free distribution of music would lead to unsupervised fusion, and that could destabilize the hierarchy. Garnet alone had turned the Crystal Gems from a rebellion of two to an ideological movement.

As for trials... Steven had only been to one proper trial, but he'd passed judgment on other gems besides Morganite and Sea Glass. How did Homeworld's legal system work? He'd have to ask the Zircons. He should look for bubbles too, since that would tell him how well his decree was being enforced, and who was doing the enforcing, and who was getting the brunt of the bubbling-- who had been getting the brunt of being shattered. Then maybe he could say resources are important, this seems like you've been wasting a lot of them and have an excuse to get rid of corrupt administrators.

Then again, if someone was really evil they might skip the bubbling altogether... and speaking of corrupt, did Lavender Pearl belong to anyone? Was there a network of general usePearls in the palace? That could get creepy, if it meant anyone could give them orders and they'd have to obey... 

Stevonnie wracked their brain for other important questions, and a ton of them flooded into their mind. How many colonies did the Empire have? Did they keep record of colonies they'd used up, or did they just abandon and forget about them? Did each Court have its own responsibilities? 

Yellow Diamond seemed to control the executive parts of ruling, like technology and the military, and Blue Diamond had support and terraformers... what did White do? Did she choose new colonies or review laws, or just keep the other Diamonds in line? Plus some terraformers were Peridots, Kindergarten technicians but still under Yellow Diamond's command, so Blue couldn't have all the terraformers. Maybe Diamonds did whatever they felt like doing and everyone else had to fall in line.

But if that wasn't true-- if even the Diamonds were made with purpose-- what had Pink's been?

Rose Quartz were medics, but Jasper and Eyeball had been under Pink's command, too, and they were soldiers. Nothing about Pink Diamond's life as a Diamond stood out as particularly specific. She'd been the youngest, though, so maybe she hadn't been expected to find a niche just yet.

"This is a lot," Stevonnie complained, leaning back against the wall of the bubble. A hermit crab crawled up the side and waved its claws.  "No wonder Steven's so stressed." They was stressed at this point, and as a fusion they could handle these problems a lot better than Steven alone. An outside perspective to subjective experience made strategizing a lot easier, and Connie had a leg up on Steven when it came to tactics. 

Too bad Connie couldn't come back with Steven to Homeworld. Then she'd see everything in person, and they'd be able to make plans on the fly, and even see the results of Steven's decree in person...

Wait. Could Connie go back with Steven? Was that a risk she'd be willing to take?

Familiar resolve curled through Stevonnie's gem. Yes, said the half that was Connie.

In a heartbeat.

*

Aquamarine was eight seconds from throwing her 'crew members' out of an airlock and finishing the job herself, so it was fortunate (for them) that the Nephrite chose that moment to land them on the moon base. Still, Aquamarine was annoyed. She'd pointed out the abnormalities on Bretta 5. She'd gone to Pink Diamond and everything, even if Pink Diamond turned out to be that stupid organic who'd tricked her into giving up her last mission. Why couldn't she have been sent alone, or with that Topaz fusion from last mission?

Or, she thought, suppressing an unwelcome spark of fear, maybe not the same Topaz. Not-- not that one. She'd taught Aquamarine an important lesson when she'd rebelled, but Aquamarine wasn't sure she'd improved enough to take her on again. It was easy forgetting she was so new and small when she had her wand out and a bunch of pliant subordinates willing to follow her every command. It was a lot harder when she was pinned to a wall by a gigantic hand, painfully aware that she could be shattered at a whim. Psychological control was half the battle with inferiors. Aquamarine had been complacent. She'd forgotten herself. 

She had to make sure not to do that again. "All right, gems," Aquamarine declared. "This is a reconnaissance mission, not an offensive one! If we see any of those Corruption things, we'll not engage. We'll just take data and go."

"Right," the Nephrite agreed. "But, my Aquamarine... what exactly are we looking for?"

Aquamarine suppressed a snarl of frustration. Some gems, she swore! "Weren't you listening at all when I debriefed you? We're looking for Corrupted gems. That means gems who've turned into great big beasts bent on destruction. Believe me, you'll know them when you see them. They should be on-planet, not here-- we're here to observe from a secure location and report back as soon as possible." It had taken so long to get here, too. The usual warp routes from Homeworld to Sector 7 had shifted, as happened sometimes, and when they'd tried to jump straight from 1 to 3 they'd ended up in 12 and had had to take a longer route to keep from being swapped even farther from their destination.

Aquamarine had had the Nephrite update the warp logs, of course, so it wasn't a wasted experience, but honestly. It was incredibly inconvenient. 

They moved through the moon base-- much bigger than the base on Earth, because Bretta 5 was a much more important acquisition than that backwater planet-- silently, keeping their footsteps soft and their lights dimmed. The entire base was eerily quiet, darker than regulations required and devoid of gem presence; their feet left thick footprints in the iron-rich crimson dust. From the outside of the base, they could see Bretta 5 itself, its swampy surface obscured by its heavily clouded atmosphere.

Aquamarine had heard that Bretta 5 was a good place to be stationed if one were higher-ranking, since the carefully-cleaned interiors and towers of the colony centers were some of the most avant-garde in the Empire; if one were an inferior gem, however, one could expect to work outside, draining the miles-deep swamps and fighting off marsh beasts so that technicians could plant Kindergartens in the rich clay soil. The temperature hiked to boiling every day as the system's red sun charged the planet's ion storms, then cooled to freezing as the planet turned and the clouds went dark, absorbing heat instead of giving it off. The planet wasn't at all hospitable enough to house sapient life; the closest it had were the marsh beasts, great hibernating things that cloaked themselves in fermenting leaves and slumbered at the swamp floor, only waking at dawn and dusk to hunt. 

According to rumor, the first gems to drain a swamp and drill into the surface had woken an old one, a beast nearly a mile across from head to tail, and been shattered in its teeth. Bretta 5, accordingly, was assigned the greatest amount of Quartz soldiers in a colony without sapient life-- without them, the terraformers on its surface wouldn't stand a chance.

Aquamarine was very glad not to be going down to the planet itself.

"What's that?" one of the Ambers piped into the silence, making her compatriots spark with surprise. She pointed up at a shadowy mural. "My Aquamarine, do you see that?"

"Is that really something we should be discussing?" Aquamarine snapped. "We're on a mission, not some pleasure trip! We don't have time to fawn at artwork."

"It could be important," said the tallest Amber. "My Aquamarine, if you'd allow us to take a look--"

Aquamarine, gritting her teeth and wondering if Pink Diamond would be mad if she poofed the Amber right here, summoned her wings and flew up, cutting off the Amber's words."It's a picture of a gem," she reported, suddenly too distracted to be outraged at her subordinate's lack of respect. She'd never seen a mural like this one. "She's gray, holding a Diamond's gem in her hands--" How blasphemous! Perhaps she could report this-- "With Diamond patterns on her body. Doesn't look like a Diamond, though."

The smallest Amber glanced up at the ceiling, then materialized limb enhancers and clambered up the wall like an arboreal organic. "There's something like it on the ceiling, too," she said, voice trembling. "It's a big circle, Diamond's colors, but it's mostly gray. I don't know what it's supposed to be. Do you think it's a bad sign, my Aquamarine?"

"How should I know? I'm made for missions, not aesthetic appreciation. You'd do better asking someone's Pearl."

The Nephrite squinted up at the mural, unmoving even as Aquamarine and the smallest Amber landed beside her. Then she perked up. "Oh! No, it's all right, my Aquamarine. I know what's going on. This planet was a prospective colony billions of years ago, but it was passed over because our technology wasn't advanced enough to access the minerals we needed. The original scouts built a moon base so they could return later-- this was before even Blue Diamond's time! We must have landed at the wrong base."

"Right," Aquamarine said skeptically. "And you just happen to know all this?"

"My first superior officer was an ancient Emerald," the Nephrite said, meeting her gaze. "She had a special dispensation to record the past for the Diamonds' reference. I was her favorite pilot, so she would sometimes let me see it off duty." The Nephrite's expression made Aquamarine shiver: soft, turned inward, with an edge that filled her with unease. "The mural is a depiction of the Moon Goddess. A great deal of ancient artwork used her as a motif. Gems thought she really existed-- that she watched over Homeworld like a Diamond would. This was incorrect, of course, so the Diamonds decreed that any gem who continued to worship her would be shattered. The style outlasted the primitive belief, of course. There was even a Moon Goddess temple on Earth, though the use of the motif was purely on the surface level. After the rebellion adopted the aesthetic, the use of mythological figures in art was entirely prohibited."

"Huh." Aquamarine broke eye contact, scolding herself for showing so much interest. What did she care about some obsolete architecture? "What happened to this Emerald, then? You can't still have been working for her if you decided to desert."

The Nephrite smiled, but her eye narrowed. "She was harvested," she said lightly, "for obsolescence, a humiliating defeat at the hands of a fellow Emerald, and refusal to give up her archives for destruction. This was during the rebellion, so the Diamonds were especially watchful for signs of treachery. Her knowledge was dangerous to Homeworld's stability."

Aquamarine tilted her head. "Dangerous," she said contemplatively. "Like the knowledge you've just shared?"

The Nephrite glanced at the tallest Amber. "I wouldn't think so, my Aquamarine, but naturally it's your judgment that matters." Aquamarine froze, suddenly cognizant of how easily her shattering could be blamed on some Corrupted beast. Not that she saw any signs of rebellion, but--

She'd lost control so quickly in her last mission. Topaz had had her pinned before she could react, firmly on Rose Quartz's side after hardly any conversation, and how had that even happened?  Aquamarine had called it sentiment, but it had to have been something more. She couldn't imagine throwing away her existence for the sake of a gem she'd barely met the day before.

Then again, Rose Quartz had turned out to be Pink Diamond. That could explain quite a bit. Topaz might not have known it, but she hadn't been feeling rebellious at all; she'd been following the instinct to obey her Diamond that all gems had deep down.

That had to be it. The alternative, that a fusion could just snap-- it wasn't possible. Gems weren't programmed that way. The Crystal Gems must have been influenced as well, just a cadre of gems caught in a dispute between Diamonds. Perhaps they'd thought otherwise, but rebellion didn't just happen. If it did--

If it could--

"I can't see how history could be harmful," Aquamarine heard herself say. "It's a mural. Why should I care what gems thought before the Diamonds set them right?" The Ambers were still looking up at the Moon Goddess, enraptured. Aquamarine clapped. "Come on, then, no more dilly-dallying! This base should still have monitoring equipment, shouldn't it?"

"I think so," the smallest Amber said. Aquamarine couldn't help but notice she was still a head and a half taller than herself. Sometimes she hated being small. "It should be in the upper level, if this base follows the standard floor plan."

"It might not," the tall Amber said, crossing her arms and biting her lip. "Should we split up to investigate, my Aquamarine?"

Still deferent. Still respectful. Aquamarine forced her shoulders loose. "That's a terrible idea," she scoffed, pushing back her unease. The Corruption had her on edge. That was all.  "If we can't be sure there's no danger, why make ourselves easier prey? We still haven't properly searched for hostiles, have we? It's best to stick together."

"That makes sense," the Nephrite said, and Aquamarine glared.

"Of course it does! There's a reason I'm in charge, after all. I was the one who approached Pink Diamond with the problem in the first place." Though she was beginning to suspect that Pink Diamond had saddled her with these criminals to punish her for her actions against him. Why else would he send her out alone with four proven traitors without bothering to place her properly in charge? Did he mean for them to kill her?

That wasn't a thought for a superior gem to be having. Aquamarine banished it and scanned the empty base instead. Perhaps it was better that she hadn't been sent to this eerie place alone. If nothing else, the other gems might make for good distractions if they were attacked. "We should go upstairs first," she decided. "There's a spire on the west side, isn't there?"

"Technically this moon doesn't have a clear magnetic field, so there wouldn't be--" the smallest Amber started, then flushed and cut off. "I-I mean, yes, my Aquamarine. We should go check that first."

They made their way up the spiraling staircase and through the unlit hallways of the third floor, winding higher and higher and tracking red dust behind them. Aquamarine was glad to note that there wasn't dust anywhere but where they'd been; it meant no one had entered the base since its abandonment.

At least, it meant that no other beings had touched the ground. Aquamarine grimaced. 

At last they came upon a gigantic auditorium, etched to the ceiling with elaborate geometries and entirely empty. Aquamarine thought she saw an observation orb in the center of it, twice as big as usual and clearly older than some planets-- but the medium Amber chose that moment to yell "Echo!" at top volume. The sound ricocheted around, loud as an explosion-- echo, echo, echo-- and Aquamarine whirled on her in a panic. If anything was in the base, it had just received a perfect guide to their position--

"Would you shut up?" Up, up, up! The Amber covered her mouth and nodded, cringing back. The echoes continued, getting fainter and fainter, and the group relaxed.

Aquamarine was about to order one of the Ambers to activate the orb when a heavy churning ground itself into their ears, grating and discordant. Aquamarine jerked back and drew her wand; around her, the Ambers sizzled with sparks, the Nephrite materializing a blaster. 

"What's that?" the tallest Amber gasped. The rumbling grew, grinding like rocks smashed together, like a system crashing, like the white-hot scream of a ship falling from orbit. Aquamarine clapped her hands over her gem, but something in the sound was catching, resonating like a high pitch to glass; she couldn't make it still. The Amber's arm glitched. "That-- that's not-- that's not right--" A bolt of electricity shrieked off her and slammed into the ground by Aquamarine's feet, melting the dust to slag.

"Stop that!" she shrilled, backing up. "You imbeciles, get a hold of yourselves, we have to go!" Her wings wavered at her back. If she flew-- how could she escape, could she break through the ceiling?

The groan continued, louder and deeper the longer it went on, until a hideous pressure built up under her eye. The tall Amber was clutching her chest, the Nephrite was arching like she'd been stabbed, and the smaller Ambers-- their gems. All of them, it was afflicting every one of their gems-- Aquamarine looked to the end of the auditorium and saw a flickering white light, spreading larger and larger and she couldn't see anything past it--

Aquamarine flicked out her wand and threw a containment field over the other four gems, yanking them into the air. Her face felt like it was splitting apart, and she was crying real tears, but her hands were steady. It was because she was a higher gem, maybe this attack couldn't target her so well--

No time to theorize now. She fled, dodging back along their trail and into thinner, darker hallways, praying to whatever would listen that the light wouldn't reach her. 

She slammed into a dead end, then stumbled to her feet and saw the end of the hallway lit bright as a star. The other gems fell to the floor in a heap. She raised her wand at the encroaching thing and yelled, "Don't come any closer! I'll shatter you if you try!"

It kept coming. Aquamarine stepped back into the fading shadows, treading on the Nephrite's convulsing hand, and shrieked, "Stay back! Stop, don't come any closer, stay back! That's an order!"

Her vision flared white with pain, and she dropped her wand to claw at her gem. It felt like it was trying to crush the rest of her, pushing out her mind to replace it with an endless distant fuzziness--

"Who are you?" she forced out. "I see you, I see your face, get back- get back-"

Why was she here? She didn't know, like she didn't know where here was, didn't know the wand at her feet or recognize the little blue hands above it. The hallway was so bright now. Why hadn't they turned on the lights before? Why hadn't they--

"Oh, no," an unfamiliar voice choked out. "You-- hey, over here! Come in here!" An arm scooped her up, pressed her against a twitching orange body, reached down and hefted something over a shoulder. "Stars, gotta move fast, gotta move fast-- hold on, you're okay, you're gonna be okay."

"Easy for you to say," Aquamarine murmured irritably, pressure pleasantly receding, and then her endurance reached its limit and her body disappeared.  

Chapter Text

Aquamarine reformed with a shout in her throat. She choked it down a second later, shocked silent by her unfamiliar surroundings, and fluttered to her feet. She was in what looked like an auxiliary observation room-- one used by lesser gems when the main room was occupied. Four other gems-- three Ambers, one Nephrite-- were piled beneath the observation sphere. All accounted for. Aquamarine checked for damage and, finding none, levitated them to a more defensible corner. That done, she summoned her wings, hovering as she checked the exits (just one, and she was able to open it). That was a relief. How had they gotten here?

There had been that moron Amber's echo, that sound, that all-encompassing light... they'd been incapacitated. It had followed their retreat, hadn't it, had cornered them, but just before it reached them--

A rescue. How had they been rescued? What could possibly have drawn another gem to the same abandoned base? Why hadn't they heard them before? If there were Corrupted gems on the moon, too, if that light had been one--

The door opened, jolting Aquamarine out of her reverie, and she had her wand out and sparking before she'd completely turned around. "Appendages in the air!"

"Whoa!" the Quartz said, holding up her hands. "There's no need to attack! I was just coming to see if any of you had reformed." Her voice was a loud whisper. "Are you okay? I'm sorry I scared you."

Aquamarine retracted her wand. "You didn't scare me," she corrected. "You startled me. It's not as if I couldn't take you in a fight." She refused to play up her harmless act, however effective it was on Quartz soldiers. It only worked if she knew the other gem would feel protective over a civilian, anyway-- and right now she didn't want to seem helpless. They didn't know what had happened here. If this newcomer-- probably their rescuer, definitely a Jasper-- had been involved... "But I suppose I should thank you for rescuing us," she added a little grudgingly. "Can you tell me what happened here?"

The Jasper blinked. "Of course, my-- you're an Aquamarine, right? My Aquamarine. Bumblebee Jasper Facet 29 Cut 9PP, under the command of the Laguna Agate assigned to monitoring colony security. I was sent to look for survivors." She raised a yellow-and-gray-striped hand and scratched at the gem at her jugular. "And hey, looks like I found 'em."

Aquamarine cleared her throat. "Yes, I thanked you already," she said, "but could you please tell me what happened? What was that light, that sound? Why did it hurt our gems?" Her voice rose at the end, and the Jasper shushed her hurriedly. She fell quiet and glowered. "We were sent to investigate irregularities on Bretta 5. If you have any pertinent information--"

"Maybe we should wait for your crew first?"

"Don't interrupt me," Aquamarine snapped, and the Jasper cringed back into a salute. "I'm the commander. I'll fill them in when they return."

"Right," Bumblebee muttered, glancing around nervously. "But let's get out of here first, please? This old place gives me chills. I'll fill you in on the way." 

They left the ancient base easily enough, Aquamarine levitating the crew behind her as they traversed the airless surface. "It started on the planet first," the Jasper said as they walked. "Our Agate started getting shorter transmissions than usual, real vague stuff like 'objective completed' or 'all good' or whatever when the Beryl who usually runs the colonization process is a gigantic-- I mean, uh, she always gives huge amounts of detail. Then when she sent a spy, the spy stopped reporting."

"That sounds like a rebellion," Aquamarine commented, scanning the crimson landscape. The moon had high, jagged mountains that reached farther into the sky than she could easily see-- no wonder they'd landed at the wrong base, with such an obstacle obscuring their view. What was this Agate thinking, leaving those eyesores intact?

"We thought that too!" Bumblebee agreed. Her voice was still hushed. "Like they decided to strike out on their own, right?" She shrugged. "Except then we observed the other parts of the surface, instead of just the base. We started seeing these... things."

"Corrupted Gems." When the Jasper looked at her blankly, Aquamarine prompted, "Great big beasts with gems in them? Like to attack whatever they see and run about screeching?"

Bumblebee faltered. "You mean-- those things used to be gems? All the same Bismuths and Peridots and that Beryl? We just thought they'd been driven out or shattered, we didn't think-- Corrupted? Are you sure?"

"Yes, it's all bizarre," Aquamarine said impatiently. "That's why we're here investigating. How many gems were there on planet? Official readings said three hundred?"

"Three hundred and two," Bumblebee corrected. At Aquamarine's look, she added awkwardly, "The two Pearls, my Aquamarine. One belongs to the Beryl in charge of the base. The other belongs to the Sapphire stationed there."

"It's three hundred and one unaccounted for, then," Aquamarine said, doing the math in her head. If there had already been one shattered-- did Corrupted gems fight each other? If they were lucky, maybe the problem would take care of itself. "We found shards for one of the Pearls."

The Bumblebee Jasper froze in place, making Aquamarine stutter to a stop beside her. "Oh." Was she tearing up? Why?

Aquamarine wished she didn't have to deal with this. "What's wrong? Did you... know the Pearl?" Ugh, why did she have to deal with this now?

"No," the Jasper sniffled. "No, I didn't know either of them, just saw them on visits planetside." She rubbed at her eyes with one gargantuan hand. "It's just... Pearls, y'know?" Aquamarine most certainly did not. Her expression should have made that clear, but whatever the Jasper saw apparently included sympathy, because she kept going. "They're not made for fighting, j-just being pretty and nice and loving their gems. They're so fragile. And one of them just got left there to be shattered, all alone, and it must have been so scared--"I can't imagine being stuck like that without my cohort, and I'm a Quartz!" 

"Then why don't you act like it?" Aquamarine snapped. Bumblebee jerked back like she'd been struck, but at least it stopped her blubbering. "You're a soldier, aren't you? We're not Pearls. If you want to help, do it with action instead of all this useless weeping."

Bumblebee wiped her eyes and sniffed. "Right. Right, sorry."

Aquamarine was starting to wish she was still in her gem. "Let's just go on to the base, shall we? I'd like to get this mess sorted as quickly as possible."

They kept walking in silence. Eventually they reached the side of one of the mountains, and Bumblebee Jasper clambered up to dust off a door nestled into the rock. “It’s a back entrance,” she explained at Aquamarine’s incredulous look. “A couple of my cohort disappeared for a few days when they went to check out the old base, and recently the sound thing’s been kinda coming around. It just gets louder and louder, and then it poofs you. No one’s really sure what it is, but we figure it’s a native alien.”

A native alien that caused immense pain to Gemkind and made them lose track of their thoughts seemed like a bigger problem than Bumblebee Jasper was implying, but Aquamarine was in no mood to contest the point. “We’d better get inside, then,” she conceded, and the Jasper smiled in a flash of teeth and creaked open the door. Another cloud of dust showered them as she closed it.

This base had lights lining its white halls, though the red dust still invaded every nook and cranny.  There were footprints scattered through it, big thick ones that probably belonged to Quartz soldiers and smaller civvie ones beside them. Seemed they’d been using this door for a while. Bumblebee led Aquamarine to a side chamber and called, “Hey, guys, guess what? We’ve got visitors!” No response. Bumblebee frowned, looking a little nervous, and said, “Guys?”

Heavy footsteps clambered toward them, and a huge Carnelian came into view. Aquamarine had to dart back just to take her in. “Bumblebee!” the Carnelian gasped. “Thank the stars, we thought the sound thing got you.” She slowed and stared at Aquamarine. “Uh. Hello, my Aquamarine.”

“Where did that 'sound thing'  come from?” Aquamarine demanded, glad of a new face. “And why haven’t you reported it? I need to speak to your superior.”

"Of course," the Carnelian stammered. "Right this way." The soldier led them into a room filled with trees and shrieking animals; Aquamarine nearly shrieked before realizing it was a hologram, and then she had to pretend she'd meant to draw her wand. Neither of the Quartzes noticed. "My Agate? We have visitors from Homeworld."

The Laguna Agate had cream-and-red skin and a gem at her shoulder; when she turned off the observation sphere, the trees were replaced by plain white walls. She clasped her hands together. "Visitors? My, but we weren't expecting an envoy from Homeworld for another century yet! What seems to be the problem, my Aquamarine?" 

What seems to be the-- who were these morons? "The problem," Aquamarine snapped, "is the horde of Corrupted monsters running around on Bretta 5! Hordes that my Diamond only learned of when I saw fit to examine your transmissions and report them. Not to mention your lack of damage reports on the destruction of Bretta 3. Whatever is so important that you've been neglecting your duties to Homeworld?"

The Laguna Agate stared; her cream-and-red skin flushed dark. "M-my Aquamarine, I had no intention of shirking my duties, we just thought that perhaps it would be better if we investigated on our own fi--" She stuttered to a stop mid-sentence, face going blank, and Aquamarine clutched her wand tighter. She couldn't be afraid. She was an Aquamarine. Whatever this was-- and it was probably a defect in the Agate's programming-- she would deal with it. This was a mission.

She tried to sound more forgiving. "Does it have something to do with the sound creature?" No response. "This Jasper told me you'd been investigating on your own. Had you decided it wasn't a real concern or--"

"Who did you say it was that sent you?" 

Before Aquamarine could answer or demand what this stupid Agate thought she was doing interrupting her, Bumblebee Jasper said, "Blue Diamond, my Agate!" Aquamarine had actually said my Diamond, but being blue herself did give that a connotation she hadn't considered. 

She didn't correct her. "Blue Diamond," Laguna Agate repeated. "You must have been traveling a long time. Would you like someplace to wait while your crew recuperates, my Aquamarine?" Aquamarine bristled, seconds from drawing her wand and forcing these gems to answer her-- then the Carnelian shifted behind her, oddly intense, and she revised her opinion. A chance to recover her backup suddenly seemed like a much better idea.

"That's the least you could do, yes," she said, trying to get back control of the situation. "But we must talk after they've reformed. My Diamond sent me to gather information, after all."

Laguna Agate smiled. "Of course. Bumblebee, would you be so courteous as to lead our guest to her own chamber? Thank you kindly."

"Of course, my Agate," Bumblebee Jasper said, glancing between them. Aquamarine followed her closely and tried to ignore how the Agate's eyes bored into her back.

* 

Morganite was on her guard as soon as Chocolate Pearl entered the room. Chocolate was free-spirited for a Pearl, opinionated enough that it was a miracle she was still unharvested and constantly guarded because of it-- but this wasn't her standard caution. There was a grim set to her shoulders that meant something was wrong, and a wariness in her eyes that meant she might bear the brunt of it. Morganite considered materializing her rapier and decided against it. "Chocolate Pearl," she said, perfectly even. "Is there something that requires my attention?" The two Quartz guards at the door-- Amethysts 8XJ and 8XH, if Morganite wasn't mistaken-- seemed to be looking at someone behind her. Morganite caught a flash of deep blue and revised her opinion from vaguely concerning to outright worrying. That wasn't any gem she knew.

The blue gem, another Pearl, came up beside Chocolate and gave a slight bow. "Morganite. My Sapphire requests your presence, and that of this Pearl as well."

"And of 6OP," Chocolate cut in. Her hands were fisted in her dress. 

"You're certain?" Morganite asked, and she nodded. Right. There was a challenge and a half; now they'd have to take back routes to avoid anyone who might talk. The Rose Quartz had been kept to one corner of the palace and one corner alone, but there weren't any spires in those areas. Who knew how many rumors this little excursion would start. "In that case, I think I'll take 7XC as well. Amethyst--" She met 8XH's eyes-- "would you retrieve them for me? Meet us at this location." The Amethyst saluted and went.

"My Sapphire won't appreciate the delay," the blue Pearl said reprovingly. She moved like a bodyguard, not a servant-- laconic and certain, with barely a quarter of the wide-eyed innocence expected of Pearls. Her Sapphire allowed her to exceed the usual parameters of her caste; therefore, Morganite surmised, she would be unlikely to punish another gem for pragmatism. Either way, the risk was necessary. She'd have to hope this seer wasn't a hypocrite.

"Could you tell me what this is about?" she asked Pink Diamond's Pearl. Chocolate opened her mouth, then slapped her hands over it and flushed. She shook her head.

The blue Pearl said, "It has to do with a potential coup against Pink Diamond, and my Sapphire's visions. She's rather upset."

"And your Sapphire is?"

"Star Sapphire 1AA, of White Diamond's court," the Pearl said, and Morganite had to take a moment to reboot. It had been a long time since she'd heard that designation.

"She's called a few times to rant at Steven about her visions," Chocolate Pearl offered. 

 "I know who she is," Morganite said, wondering where she'd been for those calls. "She was rather famous in my sector. I've met her before."

To be precise, she'd accompanied a then-superior to the Sapphire's ship and had conversed with some guards while her Beryl begged for advice on the new colony. The Star Sapphire had thrown an audible fit, calling her a rock-munching imbecile demanding that she pull her troops out at once. The Beryl had predictably refused, and the entire planet had been smashed to pieces a century later as a result of an orbital anomaly-- a dwarf planet with an unstable orbit that had broken it up from the core. Thousands of gems died with it.

That was what Star Sapphire 1AA was famous (or infamous) for: her predictions, when they were strong enough to note, were always disasters--and they nearly always came to pass. How heartening. 

"My Morganite?" That was 8XH back at the door, with a pair of Rose Quartz behind her. The blue Pearl's eyes widened at the sight of them.

"Thank you, Amethyst." Morganite turned to the blue Pearl. "I'd like a moment alone with Pink Diamond's Pearl. If you would all be so kind as to wait outside?" The blue Pearl bowed her head and left the room, Quartz soldiers following after her. Morganite waited for the door to close before demanding in a low voice, "What can you tell me about what's going on? You'll excuse me for being concerned, but this hardly seems like an auspicious time to meet a Sapphire. Why couldn't this wait until Pink Diamond's return, or for that matter before he left? Why now?"

Chocolate Pearl bit her lip. "It may have to do with-- with that. The first thing. And I think the vision must have been rather recent."

Morganite thought back to what she'd just said. "It has to do with Pink Diamond's return?" The Pearl was acting like she was under orders, wasn't she? "With an order he gave you?" Silence. "With an order someone else gave you?" Chocolate's hands twitched. Getting closer. Who had her previous owner been? Who else was authorized to give her orders? "With an order that Patuxent River Agate gave you, which related to Pink Diamond's return and some sort of coming catastrophe that has your involvement." Chocolate Pearl's eyes jerked up. "Something treasonous?"

Chocolate Pearl's hands flew back to her mouth. Morganite pinched the bridge of her nose. "Magnificent. Just magnificent. Tell me, Chocolate Pearl, how is it that this empire can't survive two cycles without a Diamond?"

Chocolate lowered her hands. Her shoulders slumped. "I couldn't say, my Morganite."

"Wonderful. Are we in any danger from this Sapphire?" Morganite wasn't naive enough to think that they were protected by Pink Diamond's regard, especially if there were schemes brewing against him already-- not to mention the fact that she was a convict and Chocolate Pearl was in some sort of trouble already. Nor the fact that they were the only ones who knew that the Rose Quartz had been allowed out, when any outsider would call it high treason. A horde of assumed agitators would look amazing in some wild-eyed rebel court.

"You aren't in any danger," Chocolate Pearl offered. "The Rose Quartz shouldn't be, either."

Morganite gave her an unamused look. "And yourself, Chocolate Pearl?"

The Pearl stared. "What does that matter? I'm- it's not- the welfare of a Pearl is immaterial."

Now was perhaps not the time for rebellious statements, but... "The welfare of a Diamond's Pearl is not immaterial to anyone, especially not to those under her Diamond's command. If you mean to tell me when, how, and for whom I should be concerned, be advised that I do not appreciate it."

Chocolate Pearl was shocked silent. After a long moment she ventured, "I shouldn't be in any more danger, my Morganite," and Morganite sighed. 

"Right. In that case..." She waved the other Pearl back in. "I suppose we've kept your Sapphire waiting long enough."

"Thank you," the blue Pearl said, tilting her head to observe them both. She didn't seem to feel the need to use titles. "Follow me, please."

She led them through the back corridors of the palace, eerily adept at dodging the uninformed, and up into the spires of the Northern wing. The Sapphire inside had a white dress with blue accents and a white diamond symbol at her collarbone; she was kneeling in the center of the blue-jeweled room, postured and perfectly still, and the air around her was biting-cold. "It's the strangest thing," she said as soon as they entered in a thin, acerbic voice, "but Pearl, I could swear I asked you to kill her." Chocolate visibly winced. Beside her, Morganite stiffened, the two Rose Quartz standing to attention. She had what?

"It is strange," her Pearl agreed. "But I asked you to trust me, didn't I? She's better alive, and anyway, you were overreacting."

Star Sapphire 1AA whirled on her, jagged ice shooting out at her feet. It took a great effort not to flinch. "I never overreact," she snarled. "Every reaction I have is weighed against my visions without flaw, and they are always always always reasonable!" She stomped, and the temperature nosedived into freezing. "Every colony, every gem, every stupid little asteroid is about to die, and there's nothing we can do about it--" 

"Some composure would be a good start," Morganite snapped, feeling a little thrill of fear at the higher gem's glare. The Rose Quartz went to guard the door, training overcoming their bewilderment, and watched them warily. "Unless you prefer shouting to telling us the problem?"

Star Sapphire turned on her with a glare. "There's a coup brewing against Pink Diamond, and if it isn't solved as quickly as possible it will kick off a chain of events that will lead to the fall of Homeworld's empire. This planet will explode beneath our feet, and Gemkind will become as nothing, and it will all end terribly. Are you smarter than that Beryl you used to serve?"

"I didn't agree with her decision to ignore your counsel, if that's what you mean, your Clarity," Morganite said, trying and failing to keep the anger from her voice, "but that's irrelevant to the current discussion. What chain of events? You aren't telling us anything useful, and you hardly have a Pearl's excuse of being ordered not to."

"I have had a vision," Star Sapphire said in a low voice, "of Homeworld's destruction. Not as a direct result of this coup's success but as a side effect. And that Pearl just set it off!"

"What part of orders do you not understand?" Chocolate Pearl burst out. "I couldn't not do it!"

"Not do what?" Morganite demanded. 

"Not strand Pink Diamond on Earth at her Agate's behest," Star Sapphire said. "She won't be able to return via the warp pad. There's a near-nonexistent probability that we'll be able to fix it before it's too late. The problem's digital, not mechanical, and it's been keyed to the same Peridot since its creation. That Peridot has already been shattered." Chocolate Pearl startled, staring open-mouthed for a moment before she schooled her face. Morganite just felt grim. 

"There's no other warp to Earth or its neighboring planets?"

"None in operation," Star Sapphire said. "And a ship could get there--"

"We'll send one--"

"-- but in most realities, they're intercepted and destroyed before they reach the planet."

"So the rebellion isn't confined to Homeworld," Morganite said quietly. "What's the use of putting Pink Diamond on Earth for a few more days?"

"Information, probably," Chocolate Pearl said. "My Agate thinks he's a rebel impostor. She sent someone after him before she had the warp pad disabled, and I'm willing to bet it was to secure proof."

"Do you know who, Pearl?" Morganite asked. "We could try to stop her when she returns."

Chocolate Pearl shrugged. "I didn't see her leave," she admitted, "but there was something in my orders about it. I expect that any gem sent after my Diamond to Earth would have to find another way to return."

"Then they won't risk acting until then," Morganite said. It sounded like wishful thinking even to her. "They'll want evidence first."

"They'll get it, too," Star Sapphire said bitterly. The ice at her feet started to recede. "Unless Pink Diamond took a human form and lived on Earth without interacting with the remaining Crystal Gems?"

"Not in that least," Morganite sighed, glancing at 6OP. "He lived with them. That could definitely be construed as evidence of antipathy toward Homeworld. Who would she have sent? Someone who could build a ship, maybe, or reactivate the original Homeworld warp--"

Someone cleared her throat near the door, and Morganite saw 6OP raise a hand. The Rose Quartz looked taken aback by how quickly the room focused on her. "Um, what about a gem that wouldn't need a warp? Lapis Lazuli can fly between galaxies. Maybe she expects this gem to get back on her own power."

"So what are we supposed to do in the meantime?" Star Sapphire demanded. "If you say 'wait,' I'll explode. You can watch me. I might as well get it over with on my own power instead of waiting for the inevitable to unfold."

Morganite said through gritted teeth, "I'll set up a perimeter around the planet. Official word will be that we're expecting a rebel spy or attempted theft by pirates-- the incident with that pink organic in Sector Three makes a good excuse-- but they will be instructed to look for flying gems specifically. Let the orbital guards deal with them. As for the coup, I'd like to prepare for violence."

"Of course," Star Sapphire sighed. "I suppose should coordinate our efforts. Gather all the troops you can. I'll see what my own acquaintances can scrounge up for me."

"Of course, your Clarity," Morganite said. "If I may suggest one more thing?"

"Go ahead," Star Sapphire said diffidently, and Morganite seethed. As though it were her affair, her authority they had to follow--

"The next time you attempt to have one of my gems shattered," Morganite said, soft as snowfall, "I will retaliate in kind. And I won't send a subordinate to do my work for me." The Sapphire stiffened, frost crackling over the walls. Morganite met the blue Pearl's furious eyes and said, "Good day, your Clarity. I look forward to our collaboration."

She left, and the Rose Quartz followed. The Star Sapphire didn't speak up when they closed the door. Chocolate Pearl jerked to keep up with her and said, low, "My Morganite, I'm not certain you should threaten our only ally." The Rose Quartz shifted their clothes purple, trying to look like Amethyst. 

"Who's making an enemy?" Morganite asked, forcing herself to walk at a normal pace. "I'm only enforcing a few boundaries. Any respectable gem would understand."

"But if she decides not to help--"

"Then she won't be much of a loss, will she?" Morganite snapped. Chocolate flinched, and she softened her voice. "Her most important offerings were her visions. Now that she's told us about them, we can act. If she provides more support, all the better-- but if she chooses not to support Pink Diamond after all, she makes herself complicit in your Agate's plan. Either she'll help, or she was an enemy to begin with."

"It's not wise to provoke a Sapphire."

"Yes, well," Morganite gritted out, "it's also not wise to provoke me. Now. Is there anything preventing you from carrying out what I ask of you?" The Pearl shook her head. "Then I would like you to send word to the Bretta 5 expedition that they're to reroute to Earth for Pink Diamond as soon as possible. I would also like you to use any means necessary to determine Patuxent River Agate's plans for carrying out this rebellion." The word tasted sour. "And--" She glanced at the two Rose Quartz-- "I would like you to arrange for the extraction of the remaining Rose Quartz to Eta 11. I'll send a message telling them to expect the arrival." 

"Are you certain, my Morganite?" Chocolate asked. "You're not supposed to have any authority in that colony at all. If you have made an enemy of that Sapphire, she could call it evidence of a power grab."

"One would think she'd have a stake in keeping the empire together, considering her part in it." The Pearl looked unconvinced. Morganite said, trying to persuade them both, "If this is a false alarm, the Rose Quartz won't be necessary, and all they'll have to do is hide until the jubilee. There's a chance everything could be resolved before Pink Diamond's return."

If only she believed that herself.

*

Lars sat on the edge of the makeshift stage, poked at the fake spiderwebs in the corner, and tried not to feel like he was leaving himself wide open to attack. A pair of roadies was working with the mechanisms that would let Sadie's plastic coffin rise up from under the stage behind him; every time they moved out of Lars's sight, he had to fight not to flinch or turn around. His hearing was better now. He could see every mote of dust in the air in front of him. There was no reason to be freaked out. 

"Hey, pink guy, could you move off the stage?" one of the roadies asked, and Lars grumbled and stepped into the dirt. The fairground didn't even have any good grass covering it, just a lot of dust and clumping weeds, and the funnel cakes were too soft to be properly cooked. Were those vendors even using an actual cake mold? God, Lars could probably take over and do better than them. He was like ninety percent sure they weren't washing their hands.

Five hours till Sadie Killer and the Suspects performed. That gave Lars some time to kill. He brushed a finger against the hem of his T-shirt-- no cape, why did that feel weird still-- and moved toward the edges of the fairground. Maybe he could stay on his phone the whole time, at least until the battery ran down. Or he could track down Rhodonite and Padparadscha, since they were the only members of his crew who'd actually come, or hang with Steven and the Gems, or even sit in on Sadie and the Cool Kids' last minute rehearsal...

Who was he kidding, he didn't feel like people right now. If he did, he'd already be with them. Animals, on the other hand... hadn't Steven and Connie come in on that pink Lion of his? Where would he have gone?

... Where would Lars go if he were a cat with powers? Somewhere away from people, where things were quiet and no one was tramping around disturbing his rest. Probably somewhere in the woods around the fairground. Lars closed his eyes and breathed in, out, unnecessary actions that still felt necessary enough, and tried to focus on his sense of smell. He'd noticed somewhere in the third planet they'd had to touch down on to resupply on their way to Earth that it was just as enhanced as his sight and hearing. He'd been able to smell the surface after they'd crashed into a cave system-- had tasted the breeze in the air, had heard the footsteps of Citrine shock troops, had seen in the dark even though the only light came from his crew's faint forms. They had gotten sluggish from lack of light as the days wore on, and had had to take turns recuperating in his hair-dimension. It had made them all antsy as heck. 

He glared at anyone who wandered too close until they stopped staring at his pink skin and wandered off, and closed his eyes again. He didn't know what he smelled like, but he'd met Lion before; he knew what to look for. A musky animal scent, topped off by something clean and utterly inorganic that was probably gem magic. It led down a small trail through the woods, so Lars glanced at his watch-- four and a half hours to go, great, and they wouldn't need help setting up for three more-- and set off. His boots crunched on dead leaves. 

Huh, dead leaves. Sadie would want his help raking them up once they fell at home. She hadn't accepted his excuses about being tired or having inexplicable back injuries since he'd come back from space, probably because he was a zombie now and couldn't pull a muscle if he tried, and weirdly enough he hadn't actually  made that many excuses in the first place. Excuses made the Off-Colors look at him weird. 

Oh, no, I can't, I'm too tired, he'd say, and then the Rutiles would be like we believe in you, Captain Lars! and he'd have to go above and beyond to help out. It was so annoying.

Steven was annoying recently, too. He kept coming by with donuts from the Big Donut, never mind that Lars was sick to death of them even before he got kidnapped into space, and he wouldn't stop inviting Lars over to places. The arcade, Funland until he'd been banned again, Fish Stew Pizza, the lighthouse, anywhere outside of his house or his ship he could drag him to. Which was dumb. Lars wasn't a shut-in, and he wasn't an idiot, and just because he'd spent three months in space running for his life and responsible for all his friends' lives didn't mean he had any issues to work through. That would be ridiculous. And anyway he was back now, so that made it double ridiculous.

Lars went down the path for a while, listening half-heartedly to birdsong and trying to convince himself to care about nature. He wasn't exactly used to tracking animals, much less by scent, and the smell kept going in and out of focus anyway. After a while he just walked for the sake of doing something and started to daydream. 

A twig cracked behind him and jolted him out of his thoughts; Lars jumped and whirled around, hands up to block a blow, and the guy behind him shrieked and dropped his cotton candy. "Shit, dude, what's with your eyes?" 

"Who cares about my eyes?" Lars shrilled. The guy was wearing a beanie and a three-piece suit, who did that? Lars tried to focus on that so he didn't have to think about how he felt like he was about to be attacked for no good reason. "Don't sneak up on people like that!"

"I'm just walking--" Lars groaned and stepped off the path, and Beanie Guy shouted after him. "You have freaky eyes, dude!"

"Yeah, thanks, I hadn't noticed!" That was a peaceful walk ruined. Lars tried to catch Lion's scent again and couldn't smell anything but spun sugar, vaguely blue-flavored. What was blue flavor? Why did people claim cotton candy had flavors? He should look that up later, maybe make some... Wait. Lars stopped. There was a clean smell in the air, sparkly and lifeless, like rocks after a rain. Gem magic? But he didn't smell any musk. "Lion? Is that you?"

The branches above him swayed and dropped a few leaves. Lars plucked a spiny caterpillar off his shoulder-- immunity to tiny stingers was a perk of zombiehood, who knew-- and placed it on a leaf. Huh. He must have imagined it. Or maybe Pearl or someone was hanging around and doing magic things. He didn't know their lives.

Farther down the path, the noises of the fairground were distant and muffled. Lars still couldn't find any signs of Steven's pink pet or anyone else he knew, so he found a likely-looking rock and sat down, shifting to get a good position.

He spent a good twenty minutes playing Tetris on his phone, then stood and stretched, deciding to look for Lion again. Or one of his crew, or someone else from Beach City. Solitude was rapidly becoming boring as hell.

Another twig snapped behind him; Lars sighed and turned around. "Seriously? The fairground is the other--"

Something slammed into him. A weird sensation crushed his lungs, not pain but pressure like the absence of it, and when he groped at his chest there was a long metal handle sticking out of it, cutting through his shirt. Someone tall and lanky stood and watched him. 

"Ah," she said in a clear, distant voice. "I thought you were a gem. My mistake. But if you're an organic, shouldn't you be dead by now? Humans have a blood pump where I stabbed you."

"Maybe," Lars wheezed, trying really hard not to panic, "but I've been dead for three months. Don't need it anymore." He didn't recognize this gem, and he was willing to bet the Crystal Gems didn't know she was here. Shit. "If-- you're looking for gems-- you're out of luck. They don't come this far out of Beach City." And in Beach City they had reinforcements and a whole lot of ways to avoid collateral damage, so if this gem would just leave him alone and go over there...

"Really?" The tall gem cocked her head; her skin, the same color as her jumpsuit, was a deep turquoise. "You seem to have a lot of information on them." She reached out a long-fingered hand and grasped the end of the spear. Lars glared with all the force he could muster and tried to stop shaking in his boots. Coward, always such a coward-- "I think I should take you with me just in case."

She jerked Lars to his feet, and the woods disappeared in a blur.

Chapter Text

The teal gem crouched in front of him with a wild, surveying look in her eyes, like a wolf trying to decide if it wanted a dangerous meal. She had black striations along her arms and jumpsuit, short turquoise hair, and a tall, slender build, like an athlete or a swimmer. She had driven the point of her spear deep into the sandbar, far enough that it must have hit something harder or Lars would have been able to wriggle free by now; then she had sat down next to him, surrounded on all sides by open ocean and clear sky, and released a little black drone into the air. It hovered at her ear and moved with her when she turned her head to speak. "I'm working on a time limit, so let's make this fast. What do you know about Pink Diamond?"

"Nothing. I don't know any Pink Diamond." Lars tried again to get a solid grip on the hilt in his chest and pull it up, but only made a little more light seep out from the wound. He felt like a pinned butterfly. "Gah, you're such a jerk, let me go! I already told you I don't know anything."

"You knew where gems congregate on this forsaken planet," the teal gem said. "You said, and I quote, 'if you're looking for gems... they're closer to Beach City. I omitted some in the middle there, but you get my point. I paraphrased. I can do that." She cleared her throat. "It's obvious that you know something. So I'm going to ask you this once, before I get to the more interesting part of my day. What do you know about Pink Diamond?" 

Lars tried a weak grin. "I dunno, they're good in jewelry? Hey!" She had taken her attention away from him and was digging through his bag. "Get out of that, that's not yours, I need those-" The gem came up with his phone, and he made an indignant noise. "That's my phone!"

The gem shifted a finger into a tiny needle and touched his phone; it gave a blurt of noise and opened, icons scrolling by. Lars craned his head to try to see what she was doing with it, but couldn't make out anything under the glare of the sun. Finally she huffed in satisfaction and turned the screen toward him. "Nothing. I don't know any Pink Diamond," she echoed in a parody of Lars' voice, grinning smugly. Her teeth were sharp as a shark's. "What's this?"

It was a picture of him and Sadie making faces into the camera: behind them, carrying a huge wad of cotton candy, was Steven himself. Lars rolled his eyes. "That's my girlfriend. Her name's Sadie. Are you done looking through my stuff now?"

"You know that's not who I mean. The one behind the organic. With the pink gem in her stomach. What do you know about her?"

"I don't. That's some random kid passing by. Not exactly the focus of the picture. I guess he lives in Beach City?"

The gem's eyes narrowed, and the drone crept closer to her ear. "He?"

"L-looks like a guy?" Lars tried. "Not that you can tell, but, uh-"

"Would you stop lying?"

"Then stop accusing me of lying! I'm not lying! What, you think this is some kind of game, like I'm trying to get out of work early by, by faking a back injury or something? You stabbed me! I'm interested in not getting more stabbed, I'd tell you more if I could!"

The teal gem's face changed. She cocked her head, looking suddenly intrigued, and the drone whirred up and flashed like it was taking a picture. "You sound familiar." The drone connected to her arm, and Lars realized that the black striations were all tiny drones, slotted into her skin like charging ports. They shifted, flaring out one after another and clicking back once the final piece slipped in. The gem's eyes flared pale, and she barked out a laugh. "Ha! You are familiar. Is Earth sheltering wanted criminals now, Captain Lars?"

"I've been pardoned!" Lars squawked, scrabbling at the hilt buried in his chest. His heels couldn't get traction in the sand. Fuck, had he been pardoned? Probably- probably not, shit- "I'm not even a gem, you can't prosecute me! And how did you know about that?"

"I have access to Homeworld's major databases," the teal gem said. "Obviously. You were recorded as encountering an Emerald in Sector... oh, and who's that? Would you like to see?" Four drones boiled out of her arm and projected a screen: a shot from their battle with Emerald's warship, just before Stevonnie had gotten stranded on some random moon. There was a clear shot of Stevonnie looking up at the screen, wide-eyed- a clear shot of their gem, Steven's gem, in their belly. "Also," she said contemptuously, "non-gems are killed, not arrested. But that doesn't seem like it's going to work in this case. Do you even need to breathe?"

Lars said weakly, "I'm... not really interested in finding out?" 

"Whatever. Apprehension of a wanted criminal isn't why I was sent here anyway. I know you associate with the gem who calls herself Pink Diamond. I know you've committed crimes against the empire. If you give me information, I'll let you go instead of tracking you down after I've completed my mission." Her grin was all teeth.

Lars froze, staring up at her. He'd escaped Homeworld once, so going there against probably wouldn't be too much of an issue. Unless they had a hydraulic press, or something else that could just destroy him, and he definitely wasn't any more durable than, like, a vampire... but if she was on a time limit for information on Steven... He pulled Captain Lars over himself like a cloak and said, more confident than he felt, "Yeah, that's not gonna work. If you're really in a hurry, you don't have time to sit around trying to get me to talk. And I'm not going to give it to you anyway. You're gonna take me away to Homeworld? Is that before or after you get this info you're looking for? When do you have time for that? Seems to me like you're the one at a disadvantage."

"A disadvantage." The teal gem narrowed her eyes. "You may have a point." She smirked and stood up. "Don't think you've won. Do you know what individual warping entails? What it lets a gem do?"

Lars stared. Individual warping? Like the Sun Incinerator's kind of warping? "I mean, uh. Don't keep me in suspense."

She lifted Lars like a skewered vegetable. He had intrusive thoughts of grilling and soy sauce. "It means," she said as the world twisted and melted around them, "I can do this."

Existence blitzed out. Lars was floating, disconnected, skipping along the surface of a vacuum that pulled him inexorably down, dug claws into every part of him and dragged- and he was opening his eyes and screaming, clutching at the spear and trying not to look down. The sky was too close. He didn't know how he knew but he could see, looking down, where black faded to blue horizon and all the little green and white smudges thousands of miles below and oh god he was in the stratosphere-

"Officially, a Turquoise is supposed to deal with the big picture, gathering information and blazing the way for future conquests," the teal gem said, friendly like she was sharing gossip, "so I wouldn't deal with you personally. But you weren't very cooperative, and I don't like you, and also, you're a criminal! So I think it's okay to break the rules on this one. It's not like you can be bubbled, and anyway- ha!- you won't be recognizable once you hit the ground." She shifted her grip so the hilt stuck straight up in the air, and Lars screeched as gravity took hold. He was sliding down.

"Hey! Come on, you don't- you asshole, you're the reason my crew hated Homeworld so much, I'm going to laugh when they catch you-"

"If you can manage that after this fall," Turquoise said, sparkling with amusement, "I'll be laughing right with you! Happy landings, Captain Lars!"

She brought her feet down on his chest, and he slid off the barbed tip of the spear and plummeted down, down, down. 

Air hit like a whip to the face. Lars flailed, twisting in the air, trying uselessly to grab at something that would slow him down. Turquoise became a tiny blot in the sky, then disappeared in a flash of light- or maybe he was just too far away to see her properly. The sky flipped end over end, clouds flashing by and becoming smaller and smaller, and Lars shrieked the entire time. Freefall alone was a million times worse than in a ship. He knew he was falling faster and faster, that when he'd hit- he didn't know what would happen when he hit.

His skin started to heat up.

*

Steven and Connie were looking for Lars when Garnet came up to them, gauntlets settled onto her fists. "We have to go. Right now." 

"What's going on? Is there a fight?"

"There's a strange gem attacking Beach City. We'll get back to the warp pad. You take Connie and Lion and get there now, and don't say any more than you have to." Her visor did nothing to hide her expression; she was uneasy. Unsettled, even. Afraid. 

Steven forced himself calm and still. His palms were sweating. He wanted to ask more, but Garnet's sense of urgency was contagious. And she was hardly ever wrong. "G-got it. See you there."

He and Connie boarded Lion and teleported straight to the beach, Lion's paws skidding in the sand. Beach City was smoking. "She took the Big Donut's donut!" Connie said indignantly, but Steven was already climbing off, helping her down by the hand. "It's a good thing I've got my sword. Let's find out what this new gem's problem is."

The strange gem was high above the boardwalk, surrounded by a shifting black cloud. It swarmed around her arms and shoulders before ranging out more completely, forming a sparse carpet between them and the sky. The boardwalk had a few smoldering holes where something had blasted it, and the donut statue was buried halfway in one of those holes, but Steven couldn't see much else serious damage. None of the buildings were even hit, though Peedee's food truck had been flipped onto its side.

Steven really, really hoped he hadn't been injured. He started moving over to check, catching glances of Beach City natives ducking under windows and out of eyeshot, and tried to look like he knew what he was doing.

The new gem landed in front of him before he could get there. "Hello! Are you Pink Diamond?"

Steven grit his teeth. Was that what this was about? "If you wanted to talk to me you could've just asked. You didn't have to attack the town!"

She shrugged, canting her head like it wasn't a big deal that she'd attacked a town full of people. "It was there, it was a good lure. What can I say?" Her gaze caught on Connie, rusty-brown irises widening unsettlingly, and she asked, "Do you often consort with organics?"

"Look, maybe we should go talk somewhere else," Steven tried. "This isn't a good place."

"I disagree! I think it's the best place. Don't you?" She landed lightly on the boardwalk, a little taller than Garnet but just as slender. Her smile was all razors, and her water-wings stretched eight feet tip to tip, like a predatory version of Lapis. "It's rare I get to put on such a show." Her wings spread in a threat display, wide enough to block the entire street, dripping faintly onto the asphalt. "Pink Diamond! Are you or are you not called Steven Universe?"

"I am," Steven said, summoning his shield. Were the Diamonds back, was that what was happening? Had Blue Diamond sent someone and, he didn't know, misunderstood the entire situation? Were they mad at him? "Look, I don't want to fight you-"

"Pink Diamond! Have you or have you not spent the last six thousand years on this planet?"

Connie said, "Don't answer any of her questions." She hefted her sword; next to her Lion bit out a snarl and bristled all over. "This has trap written all over it."

"Do you deny it?" the gem asked blithely. "You can, if you like. It doesn’t matter to me.”

"Look," Steven snapped, "can you at least tell me your name? And who sent you? If it's-" Blue Diamond, he was going to say, but he was interrupted.

"I'm Turquoise," the sharp-toothed gem said, "and I'm only here to fulfill my purpose as decreed by Blue Diamond fourteen thousand and eight hundred years ago. A Turquoise, upon making contact with an unconquered planet, may begin depopulation efforts herself until reinforcements arrive. As a Diamond, you should be in full support of your fellow Diamond’s authority! But, if you insist on being as uncooperative as your pink friend..."

A chill ran down his spine. If this gem had been to the concert ground-- “Pink friend? What did you do to Lars?"

"Oh, nothing important," Turquoise said, diabolically cheerful. "Nothing noteworthy! He may even survive." Steven bristled, and she continued, "Did you know that, seven thousand years ago, Yellow Diamond convinced a species on the verge of spaceflight that Homeworld could give them the ability to reach all the planets in their solar system, got a platoon of Citrines past their defenses, and had them alter the planet's climate so it cooked every organic alive? Easy, efficient sterilization! I'm told Blue Diamond complimented the elegance."

The words didn't process. Then they did, horribly, and Steven's arm fell as his shield dissipated. "What?"

"Two thousand and five hundred years ago," the gem continued, sing-song, "Blue Diamond ordered an orbital bombardment that tore through Eta 6’s atmosphere and killed every living thing on the surface within an hour. Yellow Diamond scolded her for wasting resources."

"I-I don't... why are you telling me this? Is that true?" Connie looked pale beside him. Every living thing within an hour... Steven didn't want to imagine it, but here was a new gem laying it out for him. It didn't sound like she was lying.

”Does it matter?" Turquoise asked. "As a Diamond, you should already know this. What’s got you so worked up about it? A negligible amount of gems was killed, and a number of new resources were found to make more! These are stories of triumph.”

A shaky breath. “Turquoise, why are you here telling me this? What made you come all this way? You know Earth isn’t actually a planet gems can conquer, right?”

The black-and-teal gem twirled the spear in her hand nonchalantly. “Why is that? Because of an old rebellion? Because it’s guarded by, what, twelve gems at most?”

Steven gritted his teeth. “Because I’m Pink Diamond, and I say so.”

Turquoise grinned. “Prove it," she said, and his heart jumped into his throat.

”If you want the whole story-“

”Me? No, come on, this is a game now. I’m not going to let you tell me the story. I’m going to make you show it to me. Show me you’re Pink Diamond.”

Connie stepped forward, sword in front of her, and spat out, “What happens when you find out you are attacking a Diamond?”

”Ha, look, the pet can move its mouth and form words.” Turquoise lifted into the air, spear crackling with blue energy. “Truth be told, little pet?” The energy moved through her wings, glowing neon, until every water molecule shined brighter and brighter- “I’m not too worried about that.”

She brought down her wings, and the world blew apart.

The crash shuddered through Steven's eardrums and sent out a shockwave of force. It hit Steven’s shield like a torpedo, and for a wild moment he thought this was how his Mom must have felt protecting Pearl and Garnet from the Corruption beam. His feet slid back, Connie gripping his shoulders and Lion crouching behind him, and when the cloud of energy had dispersed the boardwalk was a huge smoking crater, easily as wide as a couple of buildings, with a crumbling streak where the shield had blocked the explosion. Beach City’s evacuation sirens started to wail. Connie grabbed Steven's hand.

Turquoise was still hovering over the surface, spear in hand, but it was Stevonnie who turned to face her. Turquoise doubled over laughing.

”There’s something I didn’t expect! Are you going to show how you’re a Diamond now, hybrid scum?”

Stevonnie stabilized with cold resolve. “I’m going to make sure you don’t destroy any more of my home."

“My kind is made to level cities,” Turquoise said amusedly. “We stand up against armies. There are only twelve of us in existence. Do you really think you can kill me?”

A flicker of color and movement behind her caught the fusion's eye, but they didn’t make the mistake of glancing at it; instead they charged, yelling as distractingly as possible, and leaped into the air. Turquoise easily flew out of reach, still laughing, and said as much as, “Did you really-“ before the whip wrapped around her chest and dragged her to the ground. She snarled and snapped it.

Amethyst whistled, ”Whew. Someone’s mad. Hey, Stevonnie, who’s this weirdo?” Garnet, Pearl, and Bismuth were behind her, weapons already out. Stevonnie had never been so relieved to see them.

“She’s a Turquoise,” Bismuth said, shaping her hands into swords. “One of Homeworld’s attack dogs. We had to fight one of them in the war.”

”I’m aware,” Turquoise spat, rising to her feet. “Took you over a year to stop her, didn’t it? And that time you had an army.”

”That time?” Pearl asked, mock-polite, and Stevonnie grinned to see Peridot, and the Rutiles coming up behind them. Lapis and Sea Glass- oh, hey, thought the part that was Steven, nice to see her again- were already in the air. "I'd say we have one this time as well."

”You killed the food truck,” Sea Glass blurted indignantly, then cast Stevonnie a confused look. “Do you know how long we worked on that? I made glass tables!”

”Abominations everywhere,” Turquoise sighed. She smiled again, vicious, and Stevonnie felt suddenly uneasy. “Do you have a name for yourselves? I recognize the famous Renegade Pearl, of course, but the rest of you- is that a star I see on your clothes? Could you be the famous Crystal Gems?”

Garnet lunged, grappling her before she could get off the ground. Turquoise twisted out of her grip and flew up, wings glowing that same toxic blue, but Stevonnie didn’t even have to call out a warning before Lapis and Sea Glass were dragging her down with thick tendrils of seawater. The invader was durable, though, and nothing seemed able to poof her; Pearl’s spear skidded across her skin, Garnet’s blows barely had any effect, and Bismuth’s sword-arms stuck in her, unable to cut through. Turquoise kept getting loose, dragging out whorls of energy and blowing holes in the beach that the ocean swiftly filled, and the damage counts kept growing. There went half of Fish Pizza, there went part of the street- Stevonnie was just glad that they'd seen people fleeing into the distance before things got really intense.

That gladness lasted until Turquoise slammed the butt of her spear so hard against Peridot she poofed her and shot into the air, crackling with power. “It’s been fun,” she said acidly. “I can’t say I haven’t enjoyed this little diversion. But I’m getting a little tired of all this. I think it’s time to finish it.” She grinned with all her teeth. “Now, if you actually are a Diamond, maybe you’ll survive. But I wouldn’t say the same of all your friends.”

The black specks condensed around her, swirling like a hurricane, and when the blue energy touched them it jumped between them like a web, like they were conducting it-- “Do you like my little friends?” Turquoise taunted. “They’re an Era Two innovation, so you won’t have seen them before. They serve a lot of purposes, but my favorite is how they take all the energy I can put out-“ The sky darkened, thick with ozone-- “and magnify it!"

”Get back!” Garnet yelled. “Everyone get back as far as you can! She’s going to take out the town!”

”But the shelters- some people could still be here--“ Amethyst cut off, staring into the sky. Stevonnie followed her gaze and saw a chain of pink flashes, getting closer and closer. Beside them, Lion roared.

The fusion stepped forward and grinned. “You want proof I’m Pink Diamond?” they said, trying to think of the best ways to get Turquoise’s attention. “I can trace my heritage back all the way to Steven’s mom.” Turquoise looked at them, but was still building up power too fast. If they didn’t hurry- they couldn’t reach her, Lapis and Sea Glass were lashing out with water but it just fizzled and evaporated before it touched, Turquoise was a halo of energy- “He thought Rose Quartz was his mother,” Stevonnie shouted, “and she was! But before that, she--“

”-was Pink Diamond,” Turquoise finished, staring down at them. “Of course. Of course. And the other Diamonds think they can just take you back.” A vicious laugh bubbled up from her throat. “They think they can forgive and forget. Stars, I can say they’re idiots now, none of this last part is making its way into the final cut.”

”The final cut?” Stevonnie asked. Come on, keep talking, just a little longer--

“You didn’t think I was doing this all for fun, did you?” Turquoise asked. “You have Homeworld believing Pink Diamond was miraculously found after all this time. You have them believing the official story-- that you were hiding all this time! That you lost your memory! But it’s much more complicated than that, isn’t it, Crystal Gem. Didn’t I tell you my drones have multiple uses?”

”You’ve been filming,” Bismuth said. Her fists clenched. “Typical Homeworld-- you’ve been filming this whole time!”

”You should be happy I’m going to finish you here,” Turquoise said cheerfully. “Bigwigs hate looking like fools. What they do will be a lot more painful.” Her wings seared brighter than burning magnesium, so bright Stevonnie couldn’t look, and they readied their shield to save whoever they could--

--and a streak of fire hit Turquoise with the force of a freight train, vaporizing her wings in an explosion of steam. Stevonnie blew open their shield and charged, action trumping rational thought, just in time for the fireball to stand up and punch the gem in the face-- which was when they realized the comet was Lars. Those pink flashes in the distance had been him, that was why Lion had looked so calm--

"Thirty minutes!" he was howling. "Thirty-- freaking-- minutes-- of portal fuckery and I finally found you--" His skin was smoldering, eyes like two suns and clothing dripping off his body like molten glass, whorled with light-seeping burns that melted and fused back together and warped again, and he was still on fire. 

Stevonnie pulled him off her, hissing through their teeth when it burned their hands, and yelled, "Lars, go jump in the ocean!"

"Don't tell me what to do!" he shrilled. "She dropped me from the stratosphere!"

"I know! And I'm really glad you're not dead, but you're setting the boardwalk on fire!"

"Aaagh!" He jerked himself away with obvious frustration and ran. Stevonnie was left standing over Turquoise, who spat out an agonized laugh and laughed harder when their eyes went wide and teary. Her gem was split down the middle, each side webbed with widening cracks, shedding powder. When her chest moved the cracks widened, her form splitting with static, hands and face deforming. 

She was giggling. "Talk about a show! I can't believe you actually did all that."

"I can heal you," Stevonnie said desperately, kneeling in the crater. Their family came up behind him, Lapis holding Peridot’s gem in her hands, circling them both. "Just let me--" One of her malfunctioning hands shot up to trap their wrist.

"Don't bother. It's already too late."

"But it's not! I can heal gems, come on, please."

"Oh, ha! No. That's not what I meant." Her face slid in half like she was melting, light motes shedding off her skin like fleeing insects, and her body burst apart just as her gem crumbled to pieces. Stevonnie stared, hands shaking, then gathered the shards in their hands. Above them, making sharp snapping sounds, each of the hundreds of tiny drones warped away. 

"She's dead," Stevonnie croaked, voice breaking. "She just-- she wouldn't let me help her--"

"It's not your fault," Garnet said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Her visor was broken, and her three eyes were distant like they were seeing something else. "Sometimes people can't be helped."

”She was trying to kill us,” Sea Glass offered awkwardly, putting Lapis between herself and Stevonnie. “I’m not even sure Captain Lars killed her on purpose.”

"But someone sent her here,” said Stevonnie, forcing themself to their feet. "I think Steven-- I think I--need to get back to Homeworld. I think something’s really, really wrong.”

*

Chocolate Pearl made sure it was discreet. First 5RQ locked down palace communications except for the Diamond channels, which let Morganite continue to receive information; then a small group of Prime Kindergarteners from Earth appeared at Patuxent River Agate's chamber and politely asked if she would leave with them. Lavender Pearl reported after the fact that a few more aristocrats- a palace Hessonite, an Emerald, and at least one Zircon- had gotten jumpy. 

The planetary blockade reported no unexpected traffic, but Chocolate didn't know whether to trust the information. Low-level gems weren't likely conspirators, but if a gem's superior turned traitor, she could make her inferiors report whatever she wanted. Star Sapphire had claimed that any ships sent to retrieve Steven would be destroyed, which meant the coup had spread into other galaxies. Worse, it meant that someone was either watching their transmissions or watching what ships left the planet and why-- how else would traitors know which ships were headed to Earth in the first place? Chocolate toyed with the idea of sending an arm of the Fleet down to Earth, but discarded it. She had no proof that they would even follow their orders. The list of gems they could trust was short enough to memorize.

But gems had been following Pink Diamond's orders. Had they all assumed the others were loyal, tricking themselves into professing devotion to avoid suspicion? Or was it just a handful of gems who all happened to be in power? Chocolate remembered Morganite telling her how the rumors of Pink Diamond had spread- how gems were being bubbled instead of shattered, how lower castes whispered about not being disposable. Surely not everyone could hate the changes. Surely not everyone had lost some fiercely-guarded privilege.

She located Star Sapphire's Pearl as soon as she was able and asked without preamble, "How exactly were the ships destroyed?"

Royal Blue Pearl slowed so Chocolate could match her pace. Her form crawled at being so close to a gem who had tried to kill her, but she fought through it. She needed this information. "The ships?"

"The ones sent after Pink Diamond," the Pearl clarified. "Did she say how they were destroyed? What kind of ships found them?"

"Class 3 Destroyers," Royal Blue said, and Chocolate stopped abruptly, making her turn around. 

"Class 3," she echoed. Destroyers were small ships designed to maneuver through asteroid fields and warp with pinpoint accuracy, getting under enemy defenses and wreaking havoc before they were detected. Class 3 was the newest design, capable of blowing up small moons and powered by a variety of fuel types, including embedded gems. They were only deployed in the border galaxies, which had managed in Homeworld's absence to develop spacefaring species. Homeworld preferred to annex planets without sapient life for efficiency, but it never turned its nose up at more resources. "That's incredible news."

"Really," Royal Blue said, not bothering to make it a question. Chocolate felt a thrill of irritation, quickly eclipsed by relief. Information! "Why's that?"

"It means that the Hessonite my Diamond threatened took it personally," Chocolate said, almost gleeful, "and that they wouldn't have gotten access to Class 2 Destroyers, which would work just as well. This may not be as widespread as we thought."

"Widespread enough to lose you Homeworld," the other Pearl pointed out, leaning against the wall. "Or haven't you noticed all the whispering and sidelong looks?"

There was that. Homeworld's aristocrats had started to send them odd looks, missing meetings and refusing to cooperate whenever possible. Whatever authority they had in the palace was trickling away. "But the outer colonies! There's so many of them compared to Homeworld, I'm sure we could- there's probably more supporters than not!"

"Sure," Royal Blue said. She nodded at Chocolate and went on her way, not bothering to say goodbye. Chocolate glared after her.

Chocolate Pearl continued down the hall. It was a familiar passage, not far from Pink Diamond's chamber, which led into the holding cells for high-profile prisoners. She wasn't sure what she was planning until she was face to face with one prisoner in particular, and then her Agate took the initiative before she had to speak. "I don't know what you think you're doing," Patuxent River Agate sneered, "but I think you're letting being lent to Pink Diamond go to your head. This is hardly proper procedure."

"That's funny," Chocolate Pearl said, "neither is sending a Turquoise to a protected planet." Her Agate's face hardened. Chocolate pressed her advantage. "There's only twelve. Did you think no one would notice?"

"Don't be stupid. Pearl, let me out this instant." Chocolate Pearl widened her eyes like she didn't understand. "I order you to let me out."

"You've been arrested on suspicion of treason," the Pearl said. "Standard programming says I don't have to listen to you right now. And now I get to report that you attempted to escape custody." Patuxent River Agate seethed, but kept silent. Chocolate continued, "You really don't think he's a Diamond, do you?"

"Of course he isn't," the Agate spat. "He's organic. He came from Earth. If anything he's a plot by the Crystal Gems to take control of Homeworld."

"A plot that fooled the Diamonds into thinking he was one of them? What would you have done if they'd come back and found you trying to depose Pink Diamond?"

Patuxent River Agate glowered at her. "I think we both know that wasn't likely to happen."

"But you've been looking," Chocolate pressed. "You've been scouring entire quadrants! You expect us to believe you never found anything?"

"Are you suggesting that I would hide the Diamonds for personal gain? How could I even have done that?"

It was obvious, wasn't it? Chocolate thought it was obvious. "You could have kept them bubbled. They wouldn't have known how long they were dissipated, and you could have made sure that Pink Diamond never bothered you again-"

"He's not Pink Diamond!" Patuxent River Agate barked, and Chocolate flinched. "Pink Diamond died six thousand years ago. There were witnesses."

"You could achieve your goals before you let them out," Chocolate continued, softer. "Could tell them anything you wanted, after. Could kill anyone else who knew."

"I wouldn't do that," the Agate snapped. "You think I would betray my betters? Unlike you, I understand the concept of loyalty. If I had found the Diamonds, we wouldn't be in this mess, because they would be in control!" She slammed her fist against the wall, then straightened and smiled with a hard glint in her eyes. "You don't think you've won, do you? By arresting one gem? It's too late to keep the information concealed now. Homeworld is going to learn the truth."

"Maybe so," Chocolate said, "but they'll learn it on my terms, not theirs."

"Going to ensure that, are we? Going to make sure all of Homeworld listens to you over everyone else?"

Chocolate didn't answer. She turned and left the room, skirt swishing, and sent one last message, to Peridot 5RQ: Meet me in the usual place. I need everything you can get from the Diamond's transmissions.

She thought, then added: Especially White's.