Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ch. 1- Wanderlust
Author's Note: For the sake of clarity the "Peri" noted is the same Peridot from the main series.
Per Aspera ad Astra
A young man stands on the shore. It is a fine summer evening and the stars are shining as a backdrop to the main event that was the full moon.
The man puts his hands in his pocket and paces, he'd been restless lately. Though for year's he'd stuck around; many of his friends were gone.
Connie was away at college, and everyone else was moving on. Deep down he knew that his capacity for change was the crowning glory of the two races which were his heritage, but he felt that deep down, it wasn't enough.
Happily ever after… What a Joke! That was only an invitation to idleness. He spent two years feeling sorry for himself, no more. He looked down in dull surprise as he remembered he wasn't wearing flip-flops.
Now they were replaced by boots in addition to the jumpsuit that he wore under his trusty jacket.
Recounting the last three months, everything had snowballed so quickly for the young man. He had originally expected something akin to Lar's merry crew. However, it quickly became apparent that his goal of bringing the entire galaxy together in trade was not going to be an easy one.
Some 90% of all worlds had a native population that still despised the Diamonds and gems for the years of exploitation and abuse. Naturally their first action after granted independence was annihilating their warp pads.
Already his crew numbered about nearly three hundred, they were mostly concerned with building what was, by far the largest vessel Homeworld's shipyards had yet constructed. At his request Peridot was added to the crew as a consultant. She still hadn't quite gotten over the breakup and he thought it'd do her some good. Clearly that was a mistake, as she started posting all the particulars of the mission to her social media. The memory of that made him facepalm.
"Peri, I thought I told you that I didn't want word of this getting out!" He had said.
Her reply was matter of fact, it was honest, and even after three long months it still made him strongly consider pulling his own hair out. "What? It was just three hundred of my closest friends!"
The day afterward a large number of men in black suites battered down the door while he was cooking breakfast. They told him, in no uncertain terms that, "It is in the interest of your country that you bring along a team of Americans to engage in research and trade." This was said by one particularly large, bald man, while shoving an entire pancake into his mouth. Naturally this was not a question, so his crew had grown by fifty.
Steven was going to miss nights like this, and he knew this was likely a farewell. The Americans on the team were busy getting loud and drunk over at the new nightclub that one of the gems had opened. He was invited, but somehow this seemed more rejuvenating.
Taking a seat on the beach, he looked up at the stars again. The dazzling gleam of a shooting star burned itself out in an instant. It was a pleasant night even in his alien uniform. He felt relaxed for the first time in months, and he might even, might even, might even… The young man drifted into a deep sleep.
The next morning the slugabed was found by his friends. Much to his misfortune both had power over the water, and a bit of a mean streak. Steven hadn't expected to fall asleep by the ocean, and he certainly didn't expect to be thrashed by a grand tidal wave that left him the embodiment of a washed-up fish, floundering and confused.
In half a second he regained his demeanor and summoned his bright pink shield to meet whatever enemy might be attacking. Seeing it was only his friends, "Hey what's the big idea?"
"I thought it'd be funny," said the first.
"She was right," said the second, giving her a high-five.
"You can't just go around, wait," he blinked, "What time is it?"
By the time that he got to the warp pad he was already late. The ship was too big to land on Earth, and it was far easier to just transport everyone to home world. There was a brief flash of light, the feeling of being stretched in a taffy machine, and then he was there.
The dock yards were one of the wonders of Homeworld. Imagine a building thousands of football fields in length, gleaming like polished marble and crowded with machinery of baffling purpose, and you'd be halfway there. Minus the conveniently placed red carpet, every square inch of the place was full with gems that had turned out to see the Crystal Gem's maiden voyage.
Steven made it to doorway just in time for Peri to say, "Your late." She was around his height now that she was wearing limb enhancers again.
"So I am, good morning to you too."
"Why are you all wet?
"Oh, you know, nice morning at home, thought I'd go for a swim."
"Earthling." She said in mock insult.
"You say the sweetest things," He batted his eyes.
"Be that as it may, we are already behind schedule, and we're still missing a last minute replacement."
"What, why?" He asked, scratching at his five o'clock shadow.
"Apparently your sub-planetary government found someone better. I hope they know what an inconvenience this all is."
When Steven saw the woman running with a duffle bag for the door, he felt his heart skip a beat. She was waving her pass up in the air. He could feel the nervous sweat on his face as she reached them, stopping to catch her breath. She rose up to a smart salute, "Second Lt. Connie Maheswaran, reporting for duty sir.
Steven felt cotton mouthed, "W-w-welcome aboard Connie." He cleared his throat, "It's good to see you again." The two stood silent for a moment before she dropped her duffle and embraced him in a bear hug.
She whispered in his ear, "I was worried I'd never see you again."
Peri poked her on the back. "This is all well and good, but if you clods are done with your gross earth friendship rituals, can we get on with this!"
Connie entered the air lock. Steven wagged his finger, "Peri, I'm your commanding officer."
"What's your point?" She crossed her arms.
"I can have you demoted."
"Please no," she panicked and groveled, "People are finally starting to show me some respect!" Now she was outright sobbing. Many in the crowd were now pointing in serious confusion.
Steven was now flush with embarrassment for his panicking friend. He patted her on the back and said, "Relax, everything with be fine." In an instant she was standing calm again.
She saluted, "Um… apologies commander, I will refrain from such outbursts in the future."
"So, we're ready to go Captain?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Then let's get going!"
With a few hours of diagnostics still being run, and the human crew setting up shop, Steven retired to his quarters. It was there that the diamonds had placed a large pink box with white lace. Suddenly the box started to squirm and a shudder and then, to his great surprise.
Author's Note: I hope you have enjoyed this first chapter of Ad Astra- Steven Universe.

Chapter Text

Ch. 2- Old and New Surprises

Aribus Teneo Lupum- Terence, Roman Playwright

Steven watched in amazement as two gloves arms ripped through the sides of the box. The two noodle-like appendages seemed to feel around before finding the bow at the top and giving it a gentle pull. Immediately the arms retreated and all at once the bouncing gem burst out.

"Surprise!" She shouted bowling the Commander over.

"Oof. Spinel?" He said, wind blown out of him in a great.

She sketched a poor rendering of a salute, "Yessir, comandah sir!"

He regained his composure, confused but smiling, "What's it been, like four years since you left with the Diamonds?"

"Oh, its been four years, three months, two weeks, and a day since we last met but hehe, whose keeping track. Not me. Not me. Not at all." Both looked at each other in awkward silence until it was broken by peridot who appeared on the monitor at the center of the room."

"Saved by the bell," Steven smiled but inside part of him was terrified at the thought of Spinel inviting herself on this voyage.

"Steven, we could use you on the bridge." In the background he could see two gems arguing hotly.

Spinel followed close behind in much the same way a puppy follows around her owner. Had he missed her? She had had so much fun with the Diamonds, but she and they had all grown tired of life at the Palace. Yellow was off supervising the building of kindergartens on asteroids, even Blue and White had found more amusing ways to spend their immortal lives. Life had been so dull, and she needed someone. Always someone, or she feared she'd go mad again.

Along the way they bumped into an odd fusion. A tall, somewhat slender blue-gray woman, wearing a French chef's hat and holding a plate with two fortune cookies on it.

"We are pleased to meet you." She nodded. "Commander Universe, Gem Recruit Spinel."

Steven was more than a little creeped out by the way her eyes seemed to stare straight through him. "Um, yeah. Have we met?"

"Now we have," she held out the plate, "Here have a cookie."

Both he and Spinel took one. The plate glowed for only a moment before vanishing without a trace. It was then that the gem made the diamond salute with both of her arms.

"Who are ya?" Spinel asked.

"We are Iolite. Happy to be of service." They smiled. Then the fusion walked off.

Steven quickly snapped the fortune cookie, it read:

YOU HOLD A WOLF BY THE EARS

YOUR LUCKY NUMBERS ARE-

31, 53, 97, 21, 2, 99

Spinel followed suite, though admittedly she had never seen a fortune cookie before. She looked at the words. She silently read the message then with a glow placed it in her gem. It was a message she would keep near and dear to her heart.

They walked onto the bridge to see several gems, Peridot chief among them, were arguing. Things were heating up and it looked like things might get violent.

Steven was careful with his selection of an Executive Officer and it just so happened that one of his most mother's most competent officers was recently unemployed. The human zoo had become a roving hippie commune in the aftermath of the mass decolonization brought about by the commander himself. As fate would have it that is exactly where Amethyst is, but that's a story for another time. What is important to know is that Holly Blue Agate couldn't be happier to be back doing what she does best, ordering people around.

"I'm telling you Regnamath is suicide." Peri said.

"And I'm telling you, this ship is the most powerful vessel ever fielded by the gem navy, clod!"

Both saluted at Steven's approach.

"My diamond." Holly said and then followed with, "Pardon, I meant commander. Perhaps you can convince this dense Peridot that this is a humanitarian mission and not an invitation to a quick shattering."

"Regnab-?" Steven was unfamiliar with all but the largest planets that had been a part of Diamonds' domain. Spinel looked just as lost, her arm doing a loop-de-loop before scratching her head.

Peri poked at a control panel and a hologram filled the center of the massive dome that was the bridge's ceiling. The hologram displayed a bluish green sphere with a single moon. One may be forgiven for mistaking it with earth if it weren't for the fact that the colors were in reverse. The surface of the planet was covered in blue grassland and forest, coupled with unusual green oceans.

"Regnamath- native for 'Wolf's Throne' was the site of the first sub surface gem colony. The kindergartens were successful and over three thousand years they were able to manufacture gems without even making the natives aware of their existence. It's also worth keeping in mind that it is, by far the closest planet in need of our help."

"So, what's the problem," he asked.

Holly was quick to reply, "The problem, sir, is that they have killed every delegate from the gem colony, which had to permanently relocate to the ocean kindergarten. You may well note that oceans aren't normally that shade of green. An unfortunate biproduct of our kindergartens led to an explosion of poisonous algae that killed 99% of all ocean life. The native population has been starving to death. Make no mistake, if we go there, we will be massacred."

He looked again at the slip of paper and remembered the hackneyed old expression. "Like holding a wolf by the ears, you don't like it, but you dare not let go. Set a course for the planet. We have to try.

Seeing Steven so grim was no fun to Spinel. Later she would have to get him to smile. When did he become so serious any way.

Author's Note: Thanks so much for all the views on the first chapter. Any reviews and feed back would be much appreciated, as I'm still new to this.

Chapter Text

The Wolf

"Aut simul stabunt aut simul cadent."

This morning as every morning Orna gazed out over the dying sea. When the gods of the sea turned against her people, everyone said that it was the end of days. The end had never come. At very least it wasn't so clean an ending as the sea engulfing the throne of the living. The sea was now a fountain of poison, but she thanked the Old Man that the rivers had remained pure. It was true that the once numerous people of the land had shriveled from millions to thousands. She would do anything to restore her dying world.

Her attention turned to the sky. She could just make out the flash of what she knew at once to be a shooting star. It was certainly an omen, but of what. She threw her bag over her shoulder and ran off to tell the elders. Please, may this be a sign of better days.

0900-Operational Time, Drop Ship Garnet

Sargent Bryce Stenson considered smiling an important part of his job. In forty-six years, he had fought on every continent on Earth. He smiled as he checked his assault rifle, though it was in perfect condition. Truth be told, he had nothing but contempt for these aliens, and their ideals. Truth be told, he was 97% certain that he was going to die today, because his commander was an imbecilic, sophomoric, halfling.

Why am I here? I'm here, because I was asked. He never really bothered with concepts like the difference between ordered and asked. Frankly, when it came right down to it, he just liked going places, doing things. The fact that his employers often sent him to do things involving guns and a high mortality rate was just fine by him. Yes, this was going to be fun, our he was going to die. Maybe both, that thought made him grin even wider.

This did a fair job to terrify all the other occupants in the small cabin of the automated drop ship. Peri didn't care for him at all, and it bordered on near hatred. She found the human's gritty exterior gross. She was baffled by his insistence that he would never use the perfectly good gem lasers and blasters. If they were good enough for the squad of Rubies that shared the cabin with him then why was he being so picky. He didn't even thank her for seeing to it that there was plenty of ammunition for that archaic side-arm of his.

Bryce checked his wristwatch, "How much longer 'til we land?"

She consulted her Visor, "1 minute 37 seconds until we hit the ocean, then another fifteen to get to the colony."

Now Bryce stopped smiling, "Great the colony is underwater…"

"And what's so bad about that?"

"I hate fighting underwater." He said, now gritting his teeth.

One of the Rubies, named oddly enough "Navy" said, "Aww I love water, reminds me of my best friend lapis."

0902 OT, Drop Ship Pearl

Connie was glad Steven insisted on coming along on this mission. She hadn't seen him in so long and she wanted to catch up on old times. It had been his decision to only bring humans, himself excepted, on the surface mission to the locals. It didn't exactly break her heart that Spinel wouldn't be coming on this trip. Not that she personally hated her, but her propensity to make herself the center of attention was far from inviting.

The drop ship was designed with comfort in mind, and it landed with hardly any shock to the crew. It was a strange feeling, being on a living world for a change. She had been to Homeworld a few times, but that was so clean and sterile. Here blue-green trees stood as tall as redwoods back home. They had landed on a huge hillside

It was strange for her, and not at all for Steven, but the rest of their group stared in awe. What happened next, left them all speechless. An alien, a wolf-man… woman, had started making her way slowly toward them. What's more, its form was totally naked.

Steven cautiously made his way toward the creature. Now Connie could see why everyone had asked him not to go. If he dies, what will we do? What will I do? She thought for a moment she might scream.

Carefully he removed his backpack and cast it aside. He put his hands up to show that he had no weapons. Seeing him do this made her drop her own bag.

Orna was confused. Was he challenging her? The gesture with his hands looked like the words for, "Duel me!" Yet the fool was unarmed. As she got closer she could tell he was unarmed. He looked so weird, at first, she thought in horror that he was a demon as she could only make out his head and hands. No they were wearing costumes, elders maybe?

Following that line of thought she bent down low and waited for him to close the distance. When the creature reached her. It put out a hand and pulled her to her feet. It started barking in a strange manner. As did all its tribesmen who had gathered around. I tried to speak with my hands, "Friend, or foe?"

The first one to approach scratched the tuft of fur on his head. Were these some strange new plague victims? They clearly weren't the Elders of the Sea, but what was this thing doing with a box it was howling into?"

A darker skinned being looked at her four fingered hands, and suddenly she became aware that they had five. What excuse was that, the elders had long since unified ways of talking? They had a weird hut. She pointed at it and gestured, pointing from the sky. How much easier did she have to make it?

The first one threw up his hands in frustration, the others returned to their weird hut. Then offered her a hand. She was thoroughly confused as they led her into it. The sudden whir of the upward descent did nothing to help matters.

Steven for himself was somewhat satisfied in the knowledge that at last he held an actual wolf by the ears. The shouts and yells of Holly over bringing a supposedly dangerous creature into the ship threatened to turn him deaf.

No one expected the surface mission to be so short. No one except for the mysterious chef, but they kept that to themselves. Spinel was ecstatic that her best friend was back, but that is a disaster for next time.

Next Time- An impromptu party, a city under the sea, and giving the alien a flea bath.