A String of Pearls
Not the proper sequel to Stolen, I'm developing that, but very much takes place in the same universe and is a lead into it.
...
The Shop Model
Wear and tear is to be expected.
Every cycle is largely the same, but at least it's not boring. Not really. From the window, the pearl can see the walkways and transit lines and the many, many different gems that pass the shop. It's fascinating how different they can be.
If she was capable of forming an opinion, her favourite would be the Sapphires in their little clutches, peacefully floating in neat rows without sparing a glance to the left or right, moving with distinguised purpose. They are pleasant to watch, even if they never look at her standing in the window. Sapphires are not permitted to own pearls, nothing of personal value is allowed in the cloisters.
Her least favourite, if she could express it, would be the Amethysts. They are loud and crude, and every pearl is aware of what happens to pearls that find their way into the barracks. Every look to the shop window is accompanied by a gale of lasvicious laughter. The pearl is obliged to smile at them regardless, even though they could never afford her.
Wear and tear is to be expected.
She does her job well. Every now and then a gem will stride with purpose into the shop, or will stop to gaze at her for a moment before deciding that they would like their own pearl. The pearls in her string are purchased and taken away one by one, and she remains in the window, beckoning the customers.
Wear and tear is to be expected.
Deciding customers will poke and prod at her to assess what they're getting. There's never any damage to her gem, of course, but a lifetime of idleness is not good for one's mass. Every gem needs to regenerate from time to time, but as the shop model her job is clear. She must be in the window at all times. So her outfit, carefully chosen by the shop owner, becomes grubby and worn, and dust gathers around her gem setting, and her mind ticks over with what would have been boredom in any other gem.
Wear and tear is to be expected.
The new models come out, and the remaining pearls of her string are sold at a considerably lower price to clear stock. The shop model, however, is too outmoded and slow to be sold even at half price, and is classified as liquidated stock. She is one of the very few pearls that lives and dies without being owned by anyone.
...
The Twins
Almandine is the foremost designer of apparel, it makes sense that she's cutting edge. Even so, owning two pearls is extravagent, even for her. The fact that she doesn't use them for anything makes headlines; is it some sort of artistic statement?
The pearls are pink and blue-hued respectively, other than that they're identical. Almandine dresses the pink-hued in diaphanous blue and the blue-hued in pink ruffles, and sits them on a plinth across from each other at just the right angle to catch the light coming through her multi-plated windows. They do not speak, or hold anything, or perform any task other than sitting perfectly still. It's confusing even to people who know Almandine's pretentious nature, why would anyone buy even a single pearl just to have it do nothing?
She does throw spectacular parties though, and gems flock to her side just to experience a taste of her hedonism. It's during one of these parties that a Fluorite, on leave from an extended military campaign and out of her mind on gallium smoke, draws her weapon to show off to a flirty young Larimar and cracks it towards the blue-hued pearl. The pearl's gem snaps in two.
It's a huge hassle, of course, and Almandine is furious. She thrives on symmetry and her whole vision is knocked off balance. Thankfully she has insurance, but it's annoying all the same.
But after a rest cycle, she rises to find that the pink-hued pearl has developed an identical crack across her gem, though all of the guests have long since gone and she hasn't moved. They don't ever move.
Both pearls broken and now completely useless, she packs them away to be processed and applies for two new models.
...
The Contraband
There are many ways to filter pearls through the black market. It's risky, but for low-caste gems it's a way to make a lot of money in a very short amount of time. It simply requires a small gang of desperate gems who all want the same thing.
Grabbing the pearls off the street is the first issue. It takes a sharp eye to spot the more careless owners, the ones more likely to leave their pearls outside while they shop or have them trailing behind on walkways. This is the most dangerous part of the job, get caught and it's at least four hundred cycles in stasis. Jades are good at this, they are small and light-footed and usually somewhat foolhardy. Spinels are good too, not as quick as Jades but quick enough. Once the pearl is zoned in on and poofed, they can whisk it away to be wiped.
Sodalites, in the absence of a Peridot willing to work illegally, wipe the pearl's memory bank and carefully file away serial numbers. This is precise work, press too hard with the sander and the pearl could crack. Wipe the bank incorrectly and the pearl could be picked up on the communication lines and traced. Newer models have low-level tracers that need to be removed, pulled out a millimetre at a time. If it snaps midway through removal it could explode. It is dangerous, but Sodalites are meticulous.
With the pearl newly blanked, it can be sold. Underground auctions are the preferred way but these are subject to raids by the authorities. When an auction is shut down, even with no arrests made, all the obtained pearls have to be purged. It's a terrible waste.
The pearls are often kept unformed in barrels of silica or stored in the muzzles of rotor guns, commonly sold items. There are code words and contacts; It's said that anyone who wants to buy a black market pearl needs to find a Zoicite and ask the right question.
For gems that really like to live dangerously, there's always a chance that a higher-caste gem has stored some information on their pearl that would ruin them if it got out. Military secrets, or evidence that they've been stealing, or romantic scandals, anything they would pay to keep hidden. Some gems have made a lot of money this way. Some of these same gems have disappeared without a trace.
...
Patient Zero
It's a shame that it has to be a black market pearl. But how else would a common Sodalite be able to get one? It's black market or nothing.
The operation confirms her suspicions, and although it's by no means simple she has high hopes that this will be the beginning of something grand, or at the very least it will ease her conscience.
No. It will never ease. It's not supposed to.
The pearl makes it through the surgery and regenerates, looking no worse for wear. She blinks, twice, and then it becomes apparent that something is wrong. Her breathing is frenzied, she cowers away from any attempt to touch her, she doesn't say a word but utters a low, keening wail. They have no choice but to allow her to curl up in a corner rocking back and forth, otherwise she'll make so much noise it won't escape detection.
After a while, they come to terms with the fact that they can't let her carry on in such misery, and she is mercifully terminated.
A second pearl is acquired and operated on. This one does not react the same way upon regeneration, but it's just as bad. She sobs quietly to herself, can't speak for tears, hides under a blanket. She too is terminated, and going to her doom is the only time they see her smile.
The third pearl doesn't wait to be terminated; within moments of regenerating, she smashes her own gem with a chisel.
The fourth pearl is restrained upon regenerating, as the last incident has left them rattled, and she does nothing but scream and beg them to kill her. They do it.
It's the fact that they're black market pearls that's causing the trouble, Sapphire advises, and Sodalite has to agree. If she was a black market pearl in possession of her full senses, she'd want to be dead too. But unless they go out and steal a high-caste gem's pearl, they have no choice but to rely on the black market.
Thirty-eight terminated pearls later, Sapphire comes to Sodalite with interesting news.
"A Diamond has been asking questions," she told her. "About the pearls."
"And?" Sodalite responds wearily. She's terminated a pearl not that long ago, and the screams are still ringing in her ears.
"I see that this is what we're looking for. I think you need to talk to her."
Sodalite snorts. Sapphire sees a lot, and she trusts in her vision, but she has her own agenda to push.
"Why do I need to talk to her?" she asks.
"She has a pearl. A new one."
Sodalite sits up, suddenly clear-headed.
"All right then, arrange a meeting."