The Odds Are Against Us
This can't be happening…
Steven stared starry-eyed at the poster stuck to the window of the Big Donut. The young gem slowly re-read the colorful display before him, making sure that he wasn't misinterpreting the information in his excitement.
"It…It can't be," he stuttered, struggling to comprehend the magnitude of his newfound discovery. "There are…half-off donuts! Woo-hoo!" The ecstatic boy rushed up to the door of his favorite shop and opened it with his free arm, his smile widening at the ring-ding that announced his arrival. Walking inside, he was greeted by a familiar blonde woman.
"Steven!" Sadie exclaimed, turning her attention from the counter she was cleaning. "How are you?"
"Sadie!" the excited boy replied. "I'm doing great! Especially since the donuts are half-off."
"Haha, yeah" the blonde employee responded. She watched as the enthusiastic young gem walked up to the counter and looked at the myriad sugary pastries, carefully weighing his options. "What can I get you?"
Steven stood and pondered which donuts to select. Finally, he settled on his usual order, plus three croissants for the gems and a spicy pretzel for his dad.
"So, we haven't seen you in a while." Sadie stated as she gathered Steven's order.
"Yeah..." he replied, "…things have been pretty crazy the past few weeks."
The previous two weeks had notably unusual, even by the young gem's standards. After finding Steven unconscious in Beach City, Greg and Connie had rushed him to the hospital, where he had been treated for dehydration and several injuries. Steven woke two days later to find his dad and the gems by his bedside, all of whom were relieved to see that he was alright. The doctor had come and explained to Steven that he had a minor concussion, three broken ribs, and a broken arm, and that he would have to stay at the hospital for a week.
The next seven days had been permeated with overwhelming boredom; bedridden, Steven found a new appreciation for the advent of television and the excitement provided by periodic visits from Connie and his other friends. Finally, the recovering boy had been released from the hospital, under the condition that he remain at home and rest. Upon arriving at Beach City, he was shocked to discover that the residents had collaborated to help rebuild his house. Though many of his possessions had been lost in the assault on the beach, Steven was thankful that his home had returned to relative normalcy. Per the doctor's orders, Steven spent the next week at his newly reconstructed house, resting and hanging out with the gems and his dad. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl had decided postpone some of their missions so they could stay and keep him company. Greg had also temporarily closed the car wash in order to spend the week with Steven; after nearly losing his son twice in the span of a week, the aging musician felt the need to spend some time with him.
That morning, Steven had decided that he felt well enough to leave his house and explore. The recovering gem left early in the morning to take a stroll along the beach. It was a cool, slightly cloudy day, and the seagulls were restless. Steven had enjoyed the cool ocean breeze as he slowly walked along the shore, watching the ebb and flow of the tide. After stopping and sitting on the beach for a few minutes, he decided to go into town.
The young gem wandered aimlessly through the boardwalk, enjoying the bustle of his seaside hometown. As he strolled along, several residents came to greet him and express their relief at his recovery. Their support and kind words served to brighten the young boy's mood and lift his spirits. Continuing his journey, Steven encountered the Big Donut, where he made a wonderful discovery…
"Would you like something to drink with those?"
Sadie's voice pulled Steven's attention back to reality. He looked up to see the friendly woman at the register, holding a brown paper bag.
"No thanks," he replied, smiling. Approaching the counter, Steven handed Sadie several dollars.
"So, when do you get the sling off?" Sadie asked as she counted Steven's change and put it into the bag.
"In a month or so," he responded, taking the bag off the counter with his free arm. "Have a great day!"
"Bye, Steven," Sadie replied, waving as the optimistic boy exited the shop.
Outside, Steven stopped momentarily and looked around the boardwalk, watching as the residents went about their business. Steven quickly checked inside the bag to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. Certain that he had what he needed, the young gem turned and started back towards the temple.
Steven hummed a happy tune as he strolled leisurely along the boardwalk. He was glad that the other residents had managed to rebuild the town so quickly. He doubted that anyone would believe that the thriving seaside town had been reduced to rubble a few weeks earlier. Everyone seemed to have recovered from the shock of recent events, and the town had regained its upbeat ambience. Even the gems seemed to be more relaxed than usual. Remembering that his family was waiting for him to return, Steven quickened his pace.
As the cheerful half-gem approached the entrance to his house, he could hear the sounds of his dad's guitar. No matter how often he heard his dad play, it always made him smile. Opening the door, he found him lying on the sofa strumming his beloved instrument, weaving his happiness and peace of mind into a delicate melody which echoed through the small house. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl sat in a circle on the floor, focused on an intense game of cards. Looking up, Greg smiled and put down his guitar.
"Hey, Steven. You got the donuts?"
""Yep," the young boy replied happily, holding up the paper bag for all to see.
"It's about time," Amethyst stated, putting down her hand of cards and standing up. Garnet and Pearl quickly followed suit.
Steven walked over to the coffee table and set down the bag in front of his dad. The friendly musician reached inside the bag, grabbed the spicy pretzel, and took a bite. Amethyst and Garnet each grabbed a croissant and sat down.
"Do you want one, Pearl?" Steven asked, offering her a donut.
"No, thank you," the pale gem replied. At her refusal, Steven took an eager bite out of the delicious pastry and sat down beside his dad. The group sat quietly, enjoying their sweet treats together. Upon finishing his second donut, Steven turned to Amethyst.
"Hey, Amethyst, do you think that the gem will come back?"
"Nah," Amethyst answered. "Didn't you shoot her with a light cannon?"
"Yeah..." Steven replied. "But we couldn't find her afterward."
"That's okay, Steven." Pearl said in an attempt to console her young charge. "We're safe."
"But…what if another gem comes?" Steven asked.
"Don't worry," Garnet answered calmly. "As long as we're together, there's nothing we can't handle."
Worlds away…
Several screens flickered and flashed in the dimly lit room, rapidly displaying disjointed information. A lone gem sat among the luminous displays, watching as data appeared and disappeared in an endless flurry of light. The individual scanned the ephemeral information vigilantly, searching for meaning within the incoherent outputs of the gem technology. Turning her attention away from the arduous task, the gem leaned back and let out an exasperated sigh. None of the information served to alleviate the crushing boredom which hung over her. She wished that something would happen. As if to answer her unspoken desire, the silence in the room was broken by a blue figure standing in the doorway.
"Y-Y-Yellow Diamond?" the blue gem stuttered meekly. The powerful gem leader didn't bother to turn around.
"You better be here to tell me that my scout returned, and that she captured Rose Quartz." Yellow Diamond stated coldly to the blue gem.
"U-Um, actually…" the nervous informant replied, "I-I-I c-came to r-r-report that…well…"
"Tell me," the gem ruler ordered tersely. Her fearful subordinate stepped back before continuing.
"I…came to report that our scout…failed to capture Rose."
"What!" the gem overlord exclaimed.
"She…she encountered Rose, but wasn't able to capture her," the blue gem explained, fear evident in her voice. "Apparently the scout lied about defeating Rose in her report. However, she did manage to…"
"I don't care about what she managed to do," Yellow Diamond stated furiously. "Her mission was to capture Rose and bring her gem here. You said that she 'would be able to complete such a simple mission.' Well, you were wrong! She couldn't complete the one task assigned to her! And she didn't have the courage to admit it. This is on your head."
"B-B-But I…" the nervous cerulean gem began.
"When did this information come in?" the gem ruler inquired harshly.
"Two w-w-weeks ago…" the terrified informant stammered.
"Then why didn't I hear about it until now," Yellow Diamond inquired. The cerulean gem took another step back.
"I-I-I thought…" she stammered.
"If I needed someone to think, I wouldn't have asked you." the gem leader commented.
"B-B-B-But…"
"Save your worthless prattle for a gem who cares. Get out of my sight." The gem leader listened as the frantic footsteps disappeared down the hall. When the sounds of the fleeing informant finally faded, Yellow Diamond turned her attention back to the screens before her, watching as more incomprehensible data flickered across the screens. She was utterly sick of her subordinates' incompetence. No matter who she sent, no one seemed to be able to complete a single mission on Earth. Peridot had failed to return with the information she requested. Jasper had failed to return with her technician. And her scout had failed to return with Rose Quartz's gem. All because of a few of Rose's traitorous comrades.
Yellow Diamond was painfully aware of the remnants of Rose's army on Earth. Though she had initially regarded the small group with amusement, they had proven to be excessively troublesome. They had managed to destroy every warp between Earth and Homeworld, and foil every one of her plans. The gem leader was running out of ideas and patience. She had been plotting a way to silence the impudent rebels once and for all, but had failed to come up with a gem capable of executing her plan. She and the other Diamonds could easily do so, but they were currently preoccupied. And no other gems were as powerful as they were.
Yellow Diamond paused.
"There is one gem…" she muttered. The gem leader stood and walked out of the room, leaving the screens to continue their endless task.
Several minutes later, she found herself at the threshold of another room. Yellow Diamond stopped and debated whether or not to enter. Few gems dared to approach the chamber for fear of what lay within. Still, she needed someone who could eliminate the rebels. Steeling her resolve, the gem leader entered the foreboding room.
The scene inside unsettled her. The floor was covered in the shards of destroyed gems which glinted in the dim light. Mementos, weapons, and pieces of gem and human technology hung from the walls, each tarnished by the ravages of war. In the center of the macabre memorial sat a single gem. The figure looked up, causing Yellow Diamond to shudder.
"How nice of you to visit," the ominous gem said, glaring at the planetary overlord. Yellow Diamond looked around the horrifying abode before responding.
"I have a mission for you," the gem leader stated. The mysterious gem smirked at the proposition.
"Oh, so you finally need my help." The foreboding gem drawled sarcastically. "What about your other agents?"
"They proved to be incapable of performing the task I assigned," Yellow Diamond replied, frustration evident in her tone.
"Hm? And what exactly do you need me to do?" the brooding gem queried.
"Rose Quartz and a band of traitors have been hindering our progress on Earth," the gem leader explained.
"I'm sorry. I'm not very good at taking prisoners," the menacing gem responded, motioning to the gem shards littering the chamber.
"I never said I want Rose alive," Yellow Diamond responded tersely. The intimidating gem thought once more. After a minute, she stood and looked around her squalid abode. Returning her gaze to the gem leader, she spoke.
"I'll need a ship."