Black Opals are some of the older Era One Homeworld gems. Although originally belonging to White Diamond's court, they serve the combined Diamond Authority.
Created at a relatively early stage in Homeworld's history, Black Opals (including Cabochon 220, but let's call him just Black Opal for now :) ) was designed to be an emissary/diplomatic gem during an age when interstellar exploration and colonization was barely becoming the cornerstone of the Homeworld that is today.
As such, the aim of his existence was to be sent to the newly formed and yet relatively distant (due to the fledgeling space travel technology at the time) colonies in order to normalize trade and diplomatic relations between the locally assigned planetary governing gems and the Diamond Authority. Due to the precise nature of their function, Black Opals were a gem type that was produced in a limited quantity, about 50.000, which isn't as much compared to the hundreds of other gem types that were counting at the very least in the dozens of millions by the end of the First Era.
Standing at around 3.5 meters in height, Black Opals are clad in more traditional melded garments corresponding to White Diamond's court, most of their colouration is based on greyscale, with their "suits" as their most distinguishing colour feature. The "suit" is reflective of the Black Opals' gem colouration, mimicking it by incorporating its shine. Simply put, is a Black Opal gemstone is coloured a certain way, this colouration will be incorporated in their appearance. Our Black Opal naturally has red hues in his gemstone :)
In accordance with the rigours of their position within the social hierarchy and obligations, Black Opals were conceived with a series of attributes in order to increase their effectiveness. Considering the early interstellar ships and telecommunications, their psyche was imbued with an increased tolerance for solidarity and isolation, while their position of public figures and mediators made it imperative to enhance their consciousness with an increased degree of social intelligence and adaptability, in order to better read their surroundings, adapt and mediate the achievement of outcomes dictated directly by the Diamond Authority to the respective local authority wherever Black Opals were sent.
Additionally, considering the as of yet slow speeds of interstellar communication due to an early lack of infrastructure, Black Opals have been allowed a degree of relative independence both in their social standing and their methods of achieving the goals imposed by the Diamonds, able to temporarily circumvent the authority of any local governor when employing local gempower in order to fulfill their aims. They could effectively visit a world and commandeer any number of gems required for their goals, be they in need of expertise, or labour force. Such a freedom was allowed only through a combination of rigid indoctrination of subservience to the Diamond Authority, as well as a built-in awareness to the consequences should they fail in their assignments proportionate to the resources they invested/wasted.
Yet though Black Opals were rare, their punishment was an even more cosmic improbability due to the actual "power" given to them at creation. Gifted with a downscaled "Will Projection Field" inspired by the Diamonds' psychic abilities, Black Opals had the ability to impose their will in a semi-invasive manner towards any gems in their vicinity (particularly those of social standing with the power to bring goals into fruition). The usage of this ability was one of the earliest ways various Black Opals were able to distinguish between themselves. It would range from certain Balck Opals electing to use it for virtually every single social interaction at the earlier sign of disagreement, to the Black Opals that would use it only if the goal of their assignment was deemed absolutely imperative by the Diamond Authority itself, or if they found their very existence at peril. As such Black Opals were known to be both the embodiment of the literal will of the Diamonds, as well as highly skilled mediators and emissaries valuing the input of their surrounding entourage.
Our Cabochon 220 belonged to the latter half, using this innate ability for a little less than a hundred times during his hundreds of millennia worth of service. In his early stages, he perceived the use of diplomacy, charisma and compromise as a sport giving a certain degree of mastery and challenge to his activity, as the early Era 1 Homeworld didn't have the development of entertainment as one of its priorities. Initially a mere sport, Black Opal took a great deal of pride in his methods when noticing the effectiveness of his negotiations amplified by the allowed independence of any given associate of his. Shortly put, he enjoyed seeing other gems achieve more than even they thought possible by allowing them creative and executive freedom in turn. As such over the millennia he cultivated great appreciation to the just and equal treatment of his surrounding gems, be they planetary governors, legal scholars and even builders and engineers.
Though such ideals of freedom and small-scale independence were publically deemed unacceptable due to the rigours imposed by the Diamond Authority and their need for absolute discipline in order to build in their fledgeling empire, our Black Opal managed to avoid any professional fallout with his superiors purely by delivering results of consistent quality.
By the end of Era 1, Homeworld had finished consolidating its infrastructure for intergalactic communication and transport through warp pads. Eventually, even the older near-light speed ships belonging to Black Opals have been replaced with the latest generation Black Hole Drive equipped vessels. As the first era was setting in, so did Black Opals' duties become more ceremonious as any colony could receive directions from the Diamond Authority instantaneously across galaxies.
They continue to be both feared/revered as agents loyal only to the Diamonds, making sure this hierarchy remains as it is. While a great deal of Black Opals have settled/retired on select colonies famed for their size, power or luxury across the Homeworld Empire, others including our own keep to their old ways of travelling in their personal Cruisers and actively enforcing the development of the empire in person. Either way, unlike the glorious and eternal Diamonds, Black Opals are being more and more regarded as a proud relic of the past, their high social standing preserved through tradition and their great experience accumulated across hundreds of millennia of service.
Yet our Black Opal had one more reason in his decision to keep travelling the way he did for so long. Upon each Black Opal being gifted with their personal ships to assist them in their assignments, all have also been assigned pilots or even crews if deemed necessary, ours being no exception. Black Opal in his early preference of solitude upon travelling chose to accept in his service a Nephrite "Captain-Class" gem as his personal pilot, due to their discipline, competence and ability. Over millennia of having her as his sole companion during long interstellar flights, Black Opal and Nephrite developed a highly secretive close bond of trust and friendship, exchanging their skills, feelings, affection...perhaps even fusing. The details of their relationship remain unknown as the very fact of them talking beyond Black Opal's course direction is social taboo at best, and treason at worst, with shattering both of them not being an unlikely outcome should their relation surface to the wider Homeworld.
Earth War:
And so they hid behind the veil of professionalism and constant travel for millennia...that is...until the Crytal Gem rebellion on the latest colony...Earth.
Black Opal was sent on Earth to assist locally the Diamond Authority by working with the Homeworld Gems in their logistics, as well as inspiring morale...while also trying to establish communication channels with the rebellion in an effort to de-escalate the conflict.
After a while, Black Opal and Nephrite have been captured by the rebellion during an independently planned meeting with the resistance. Upon capture the rebellion planned on using advanced interrogation techniques in order to extract intel from both Black Opal and Nephrite in order to more effectively combat Homeworld, yet this initiative was stopped early by the leader of the rebellion, Rose Quartz. Having quickly noted the relation between the emissary and his pilot, Rose Quartz took on the risk of deliberating with Black Opal on equal terms the aims and motives for the rebellion she was staging. The desire to preserve native life, for freedom, autonomy, personhood, for gems to be however they wish to be on Earth, without abusive hierarchical structures, dogmas and taboos. Rose Quartz hit a cord in Black Opal's consciousness, pointing to his pilot and expressing her admiration for their relation, and sorrow that it has to be hidden.
And so Black Opal and Nephrite understood. They saw in Earth a refuge, an oasis from the crushing control of Homeworld, a chance for them both to be who they wanted to be, and spend their existence on a virgin world, however they wish to. Although realizing the consequences of his choices, Black Opal reached the conclusion that the aims of the rebellion aren't traitorous, as much as a logical (providing adequate foresight) evolution for Homeworld which has already achieved a state of galactic domination. And so Rose Quartz reached Black Opal with a plea for assistance, one which he would not refuse in spite of knowing the consequences. Using his privilege and expertise, he would approach the Diamond Authority and the new Pink Diamond in particular, supplying Rose Quartz with as much intel as he could disclose without having his cover blown. Black Opal and Nephrite calculated that if all went according to plan and Rose Quartz managed to lead the rebellion effectively, Earth could become an autonomy, subservient to Homeworld yet free to govern its own affairs, a refuge to any gem not fitting Homneworlds rigid views.
Thus they became traitors to Homeworld.
Through the entire war, through his actions, Black Opal hoped that despite the fighting, there would be a chance at peaceful resolution. Yet no such thing was achievable. The Diamonds were steadfast in their desire to retake the world and punish those who had betrayed it, while unbeknownst to them having such a traitor in their closest ranks. The fight continued to escalate and Homeworld became more and more ruthless in their tactics. And eventually...the unthinkable happened. Rose Quartz...shattered a Pink Diamond. This tragedy reverberated throughout Homeworld, and though Black Opal was perfectly aware of their tyranny, he couldn't help but feel grief over such loss of life, and peace. The Homeworld gems retreated, and for a very brief period of time, the rebellion thought it had achieved what it always wanted.
Black Opal and Nephrite returned on Homeworld, undiscovered throughout the centuries of war. The inner circles of the Diamond Authority were tense, infuriated, grieving, yet determined. Through his influence, at the last moment, Black Opal discovered a plan conceived by the other Diamonds themselves, where they would eradicate every gem on Earth's surface.
Unwilling to accept any further unnecessary loss of life, Black Opal rushed to his cruiser, leaving for Earth. Nephrite was not on board at the time, and the two parted after a brief video call. Black Opal knew the risk of his endeavour to warn the remaining rebellion, knew he himself could be destroyed if he didn't act quick enough, and so he left behind the one other gem who made it worth it to him, knowing she would go on... He hoped Nephrite would understand, and forgive leaving her behind in their most pivotal hour.
Alas, Black Opal was late, as the Diamonds deployed much faster than anticipated. Who would blame them...seeing of their own taken away so early into her rule. He witnessed the attack while approaching orbit in the cruiser. By the time Black Opal landed on Earth, there were no gems left. Though not a Diamond, he was ancient, and time meant something different to him, thus...he started looking for survivors. For hundreads of years, he wondered Earth, finding only corrupted beings that were once freedom seeking gems. And with time, there were less of them around...meaning that some process beyond corruption itself was making them...cease to exist.
Having fallen into a complete state of despair, depression and disillusionment as to the methods of Homeworld and the Diamond Authority, Black Opal lost track of time, wondering the young world, finding less and less corrupted being that he could've once called friends. Were it not for the local "dominant" race to provide Black Opal with the rare company, his mind would've faded into the oblivion of his failure and desperation.
At some point, after several years of searching and wondering, he remembered his promise to Nephrite to one day return and reunite with her. By that time, he was also overtaken with the shame of betraying and forgetting of his promise for so long...fearing the very notion of facing her after what he had put her through. His only reminder of her...of them, being his ability to pilot the ship she commanded for so long, the skill she taught him. His only comfort, knowing that she lives on somewhere in the Empire, perhaps finding her happiness, but unsure of that.
And so Black Opal is a shell of what he once was, of what he could be. Wondering alone, rarely seeking the company of a species other gems wouldn't even acknowledge, teaching them of ways...not to repeat the mistakes witnessed by him. For thousands of years, a ghost of Homeworld, and of the war, a silent wanderer.
Yet, this can't go on forever. One day, Black Opal knows he will have to face his fears and the demons of the past. He will have to apologize and mend that which to him, deep inside, is more important than his existence itself. One day, soon...
But now, he wonders alone, thinking of his Captain, and of what could be.