The Lab was silent, the only sounds being the occasional beeping from the built in security system. Considering the pasts of the two gems that occupied this place, sparing any kind of security wasn't a big deal to them. To Homeworld, nothing could be wasted to keep the voices of the people down. A disgusting practice, one the occupants knew wasn't right for their lives. Suddenly, a series of footsteps echoed through the hallways, as the approaching figures slammed the door open, and slammed it shut. The taller one typed something on a data pad, a device that they always kept around them for personal reasons. shutting down the security systems, including the cameras, bugs, and motion sensors, for at least 30 minutes. They needed time to discuss their situation. For they, for the first time in years, had a lot to discuss. One of them quickly slammed her fist on the closest table to them, scattering various papers everywhere.

"Oh, for fuck's sake! This is bloody impossible, Painite! How the hell are we supposed to make a robot that fights like a gem?! We can barely make a robot that works, and now they want us to shoot for the moon? This is a conspiracy, dammit. I know it is. They want us to crack, to bend to their...their...bullshit!"

She clutched her head in her hands, the light shining down on her face. Her face was not exactly a normal one. The right side was scarred, and had a large, darkened hole where the right eye used to be. Painite, sitting across the room, had the same situation with her left eye. To anyone simply looking at their faces, they almost appeared to mirror each other, like a disgusting painting. Both gems never liked to mention the exact details of how and why it happened, though the story was publicly known, and Homeworld loved to retell the story as part of their fear mongering. The two gems had assisted a small rebellion movement by taking over a communications broadcast, allowing them to spread their message throughout the area. Riots spread all over the city, until Homeworld dropped in their toughest Amethysts. After they were all captured, and the rebels were shattered, Yellow Diamond saw that the two scientists were too useful to be let go, knowing of their many achievements and successes for Homeworld's army, and decided to punish them instead. Using a chemical formula the duo themselves invented, Yellow Diamond ensured the two could never reform, and had one of their eyes removed. For this, they were commonly known by most people as "The Blind Minds".

Regardless of circumstance, Painite looked at Corundum, clutching her head. She, on the other hand, started to think through their situation. She had always been the calmest of the pair, as far back as she could remember when they first had met.

"I'm thinking, Yellow Diamond sounded a little desperate, honestly. Like something was really bothering her. Do you think that she's worried about that rebellion thing happening on Earth? I've heard it's starting to grow in scale. Hopefully it won't go full blown war. You know how much our resources dry up during those times."

Corundum considered this for a moment, after she had calmed down. She had snapped back into her usual self. They were scientists after all. Emotion was something you needed to keep in check for their line of world.

"Maybe. But I think that Homeworld makes enough fucking soldiers to get the job done. I just hope they get something useful out of it. That rock was always a waste of time, as long as resources were concerned. Anyways, how are we going to do this? Starting from scratch isn't possible, nor would it be a fast process. We need to make something in about two years, and we've not had any luck before this. Any ideas?"

Painite, while deep in her own thoughts, suddenly got a terrible idea. A wonderful terrible idea. The idea disturbed her, despite the fact that it had a high chance of actually working in the end. She smiled, yet worryingly focused her cold gaze on Corundum. She was terrified of opening her mouth to say what she wanted to say. She knew that the moment that she would speak, it would set something off that she couldn't stop.

"Maybe...we don't need to start from scratch. Maybe we could start with a base of some sort. Something we can build off of...?"

Corundum froze. She looked at her partner in a mix of terror and surprise.

"Please tell me, I mean, PLEASE tell me you aren't considering...testing on living gems? That can't be what you're saying. No one would approve that, and I don't think that I would be able to handle it either! Who in their right mind would volunteer for that?! No one! That's who! You're losing your mind, maybe the stress..."

Painite stood up from her stool, her coat rising for a brief moment from the movement. Her frantic action cut off the arguing Corundum, and shut her up.

"Alright, get the hell off of your high horse, you coward! If my theory is correct, the Diamonds seem like they're desperate to do anything, really. They would easily approve of a stage of gem testing in the sake of our project. It's not like we have to instantly do it for real. We can do a test one, before we have an actual project. Like a control unit. Something with less...personality. Something that is taught to obey. And I know the perfect place that we can get proper and well trained test subjects. Now, c'mon. We need to turn the security back on anyways. You know how the big 4 get when we have it off for too long."

Both gems walked towards the door, leaving a small note that read "P + C, MILITARY ACADEMY" on their door. They engaged in small talk as they walked out the door, in an attempt to hide parts of their conversation, as the light beeping sound resumed its pattern once more. The two gems made their way outside, heading towards one of the many military academies throughout Homeworld. They had a job to start planing for...