The Technician And The Informant

by 0mniessence

CANON-COMPLIANT. Peridot and Jasper meet Lapis for the first time when Lapis grudgingly becomes Peridot's informant after she crashes into the Homeworld Warship headed for Earth to destroy Steven and the Crystal Gems. (Peridot characterization, pre-redemption; Lapis characterization, pre-Malachite; Jasper characterization, pre-corruption). LAPIDOT.

"A foreign body has made unexpected contact with the space vessel," a robotic voice detachedly informed the navigator of the Gem Warship.

"Peridot. Explain," Jasper commanded brusquely, sitting impatiently on the captain's chair as the green technician gem evaluated the situation.

"It seems that we have collided with an unidentified external object," Peridot replied as she narrowed her eyes in intrigue at the control screen, trying to get a visual over the outer covering of the ship.

"I said explain, not paraphrase the obvious," Jasper jeered. "Even I got that much. Any damage?"

Peridot pursed her lips at the rude jab but she wanted her short-tempered escort to beat up the Crystal Gems and not her, so she wisely decided not to counter the remark with her own sass. "None that I can detect according to the system's last revolving check-up 30 seconds ago. Although it does appear that the object has remained attached to the ship and—"

"I don't care. All that matters is that the ship is not wrecked. I'd hate for this mission to Earth to last any longer than it already has," Jasper announced moodily.

"You and me both," disgruntledly grumbled out Peridot in a murmur-low voice.

"What was that?" Jasper questioned with a bite. "Speak up!"

"W-we should take a look!" Peridot sputtered out nervously. "That's what I said. Looking at Earth's galaxy profile, their advent into space exploration is still rather primitive, and there are no other intelligent lifeforms residing in nearby planets, and as such, we shouldn't have run into anything this close to the vicinity... I believe it prudent to retrieve this object for further analysis. Gems have not physically visited Earth since it failed to serve as a potential colony, so it would be in our collective best interest to ensure there are no unexpected threats awaiting us upon our arrival."

"That's... sensible, I guess. I was about to suggest we just use the force field wiper to expel anything clinging to the ship but if you are willing to put in the legwork, then go ahead and do whatever it is you do with your recovered space junk," Jasper said, waving her hand dismissively at Peridot.

"Very well," Peridot agreed. "I will leave the ship on auto-pilot while I go investigate. Don't touch anything, please." Peridot made sure to accentuate the 'please' in a tone of warning.

"You're not the boss'a me, Technician," Jasper snapped back with gritted teeth.

"Well, for that matter, neither are you the direct boss of me, Escort," Peridot sassed back, but with a much better concealed annoyance.

What genius came up with the great idea to make a hand-shaped spaceship? Hands are literally made to grab and smack into things. No wonder we find ourselves in this situation.

It had almost been three gem calendar days of being stranded in close quarters in the same ship as her brash escort and no other company. Earth was very far from Homeworld, and they still had about four more days to go.

It was driving them both mad.

Any change would be most welcome at this point, frankly, Peridot thought with grumpy exhaustion, making her way out of the navigation room to explore the outer covering of the ship.

—

As one part of the religion briefing of the over 100 reports Peridot had read on Earth had once quoted: Ask And You Shall Receive.

"Peridot. Explain," Jasper questioned with a disgusted look as she pointed at the blue-haired and blue-skinned gem that momentarily lay dormant in Peridot's arms.

"I have never, in person, seen one in physical light form, but thanks to my extensive Kindergartener training knowledge, I can confirm we have in our hands a Lapis Lazuli," Peridot elaborated, having no difficulty in carrying the passed out blue-haired gem with the aid of her limb enhancers.

"I could tell that much; I saw the stone on her back," Jasper griped in irritation. "What I mean is—why do we have a Lapis Lazuli aboard. This. Ship! Have I been misinformed on the mission? Why would we need her abilities for this trip's purpose!"

"She didn't come as part of our entourage; I have no idea how she got here! I just found her unconscious form stuck in one of the ship's larger cannon fissures," Peridot explained in exasperation, trying to readjust the weight in her arms as the gem girl—dripping wet, apparently, especially on her back—kept slipping from her grip.

"Well, you can just throw her uncoordinated gem back out from where she came from," Jasper grunted out. "Last thing we need is another crew member making this ship even more suffocating."

"I wish trading out was an option," sarcastically muttered out Peridot, analytically staring down at the restlessly recovering Lazuli and already preferring her quietly soothing presence far above Jasper's overbearing companionship.

"Come again?" enunciated Jasper menacingly.

"W-we should consider keeping her as an option!" Peridot quickly amended with a frantic high-pitched squeak. "I am not sure how informed you are on Gem History and Genealogy, but Lapis Lazulis have become rather rare gems in the past 3000 years or so. The last time any of them were seeded for production was 1500 years ago! And even then, only five Era 2 Lapis Lazulis were made. It takes a whole PLANET to supply just one Lapis Lazuli seedling with enough resources to allow her to grow; moreover, the incubating period is protracted and, necessarily, detrimental to the planet itself. It's part of the reason they are so notoriously powerful. The ability to terraform comes at a high price—a planet for a planet, if you will. I don't know if you can tell, but the polish on this particular Lapis Lazuli's gemstone carries a light shaft inside that is not seen in Era 2 Lapis Lazulis, meaning she must be an Era 1 Lapis Lazuli. Her kind haven't been produced in over 5000 years. Even morerare!"

"What? Do you collect friend rocks for a geek hobby or something? Get to the point," Jasper prompted rashly.

Peridot frowned, displeased at the less than enthusiastic reception to her brief lecture, but continued undeterred in a conversational tone, "Thepoint is: this Lazuli is much older than you and me combined, and the fact that she has miraculously—for us, not so much her, I'd bet—crashed into our spaceship means that she must be from around this galaxy. It's also possible that she may have some relation to Earth since that was the last planet with the last documented intended use of a Lazuli I have read about in reports of this particular vicinity of the universe. She must be so full of wisdom and such useful primary-hand information!"

"So you want us to use her as some sort of informant in our mission?" Jasper reiterated plainly.

"Exactly! Glad to see you're connecting the dots... the Perido—"

"Don't." Jasper wasn't in the mood. Never would be.

"Fair enough," Peridot conceded, unbothered, glancing down at her newly gained, precious gem informant.

"Let's keep her in one of the force-field protected holding cells until we need her," Jasper gruffly suggested, moving towards Peridot. "Here, I'll take her off your hands, you go back to manning the ship; thing's been on autopilot for too long. You need to go check we're still on course."

Jasper leaned down to take the Lapis Lazuli from Peridot, but the green gem unconsciously took a step back. "Of course we're still on course. For one, we have one of the most advanced auto-navigation control technologies known to the observable universe, and two, I was the one to fix the settings and I'm a natural Technician, so I highly doubt I would botch something as simple as switching into auto-pilot mode." Peridot stared offendedly at Jasper, who only scowled threateningly in response. "And speaking of natural talents... as you know, I am a certified Kindergartener and, as such, the most qualified to whip a gem into optimum shape, so how about you let me do what Peridots do best and you go back to doing ... whatever it is you do... back at the control room?"

"..."

Peridot smirked haughtily up at the orange gem.

"..."

Peridot continued to smirk confidently up at her escort.

Jasper snatched Lapis Lazuli from the cocky green gem without preamble and slung the unconscious girl over her broad shoulder to carry her to the holding cells.

"Hey!"

"Check the autopilot!"

"I just told you—"

"I touched it!" Jasper shouted unrepentantly from further down the hall.

"—not to touch anything! ARGH!"

And Peridot hurriedly scurried back to the control room to do some damage control.

—-

Peridot saw a scampering flash of movement from the corner of her eye and glanced up from her communicator log.

"Oh, you're up and alert," the green gem objectively noted as she entered the multiple holding cell chamber. "Good. It would have been a shame having to splash you awake, considering you finally just dried up."

The blue gem stared at her mistrustfully, her eyes intermittently straying beyond Peridot to the sliding door the technician came through.

Is she seriously contemplating making an escape in her current discombobulated state? Heh, as if she'd even know where to run before we caught up to her! Peridot thought in ridicule, watching the blue gem continue to gaze warily at the door before seemingly making up her mind about something and sagging her body in palpable relief. What was she even—Oh. Had she woken up while Jasper was with her? What did Jasper do or say to her to evoke such distressful response? Well, if this gem thinks that I'm the pushover of the good cop-bad cop routine, she's got another thing coming to her.

"Jasper is a tactless brute, I hope you'll forgive her, though if you don't, I wouldn't blame you," Peridot jibed with a mirthless chuckle. "She's an acquired taste. At any rate, I might be far more accommodating but my methods are no less... persistent, so you'd do well not to underestimate me."

The blue gem stared at her defiantly. The technician was rather surprised. When she was educated on Lapis Lazulis, they were described as a very tranquil, submissive stone species that carried themselves with a lighthearted aura that starkly belied the presence of the massive terraforming power lying dormant within them.

This particular instance of Lapis Lazuli had a demeanor that contradicted that of her known precedents.

Intriguing.

"Well, enough talk about Jasper, let's touch upon the crux of the matter, shall we?" Peridot pressed a button and a chair materialized in front of the force field behind which the blue gem was being detained. "I have questions that need answers and I have decided you will be the one to give those to me, do you understand?"

The look Peridot was being given switched from defiant to stoic.

"... I will take that as a yes, not that you had any other choice," Peridot reminded courteously.

The blue-skinned gem scoffed lightly under her breath.

"Let's start with something basic—please identify your brand of Lapis Lazuli and how long ago you were made," Peridot instructed genially.

The Lapis Lazuli critically stared at her with a bored expression, sitting far from Peridot and leaning back against a wall.

Peridot narrowed her eyes at the quiet avoidance but then widened them as she seemed to realize something and cleared her throat. "Oh, right, where are my manners? I suppose I should've introduced myself first before I began bombarding you with personal questions. I am Peridot Facet-2F5L Cut-5XG, made in Homeworld around 1000 years ago, and incubated on Planet 738-DG. You may refer to me simply as 'Peridot' as I am the sole instance of Peridot currently present aboard this vessel."

Lapis Lazuli continued to stare at her with a bored, and now judgmental, expression.

"It's your turn now," Peridot prompted with a confused frown.

No response.

"Fine. You don't have to identify yourself to me. I'm sure I can look into the reports and find any information on you that I may seek, such as your brand, your age, and your incubating planet," confidently divulged Peridot, trying to seem unruffled by the blue gem's silence. "What you will have to answer me about, however, is information I can't obtain from a report briefing, such as—what were you doing flying free-range in space before crashing into our impressive yet unfortunately shaped ship?"

Nothing.

"Who is your direct superior? Obviously, you are a blue gem, so your ultimate authority is blue diamond, but who do you directly report to?"

Zilch.

"Could you confirm to me that you are an Era 1 gem? That is, a gem that was created before The Rebellion over 5000 years ago?"

Silence.

"You will only succeed in rendering this a protracted interrogation if you continue to embrace your mutism," Peridot muttered out with a disgruntled frown. "I'm not leaving here until you give me some sort of a response."

"Pbbfft."

Peridot blinked and stared blankly at the blue gem. "What... was that?"

The Lapis Lazuli stuck the bottom palm of her hand to her mouth and produced another wet "pbbfftt" noise.

"... Uuuh..." Peridot was speechless. She wasn't sure what to make of the odd noises emanating from the reticent gem. She wasn't too informed on Era 1 Lapis Lazulis but they couldn't be too different from the Era 2 Lapis Lazulis she'd been formally educated on, could they? At the very least, they had the ability to articulate speech, did they not? Or maybe they could only communicate with others through these offensive sounds?

"Pbbffft."

"Do you... should I... let me see if my communicator log can identify and translate this archaic language you are speaking," Peridot said with a most serious tone and look of utter concentration as she clicked through the holographic screen formed by her floating finger enhancements.

The blue gem blinked in surprise and then snorted before she full out laughed at the green gem, then continued to make more of her strange palm-aided noises before she laughed again.

"Pbbfft! Pbbbffft! Pbbffft!"

Peridot furrowed her brow and wondered if the blue gem had maybe cracked a joke in her language and was hoping Peridot would laugh with her. The technician recorded the noises and her communicator came back with only one result when she asked it to identify the language:

Flatulence - noun

the accumulation of gas in the alimentary canal and released through the esophagus or anus. (Human Phenomenon)

When it is accompanied by the release of noise, referred to also as "fart."

Sound emulated by "blowing raspberries"

Peridot lightly blushed green in offense and embarrassment.

The blue gem noticed Peridot's discomfort and laugh-snorted some more.

"Pbbbfffftt!"

"Are you mocking me? Do you think insulting me will do you any favors considering the position you currently find yourself in?" Peridot lashed out, feeling like a fool. "I am more than happy to have Jasper deal with you while I go and simply man the ship for the remainder of this trip. The both of you are so uncouth, you deserve each other. Have fun dealing with her."

And with this final ominous statement, Peridot brashly rose from her seat and hastily made her way to the sliding door that exited the holding cell chamber.

"PBBFFTTT!"

Peridot stood still right before the exit door as it slid open to let her out, having sensed her presence.

The last flatulence noise had sounded awfully screechy and desperate, its aim clearly being to try and catch the green gem's attention before she completely vanished from the blue gem's view.

Peridot turned to look into urgently pleading eyes.

"Wow, you really don't want to face Jasper, do you?" asked Peridot with a curious frown. "Did she do something to make you uncomfortable?"

The Lapis Lazuli looked aggrieved and conflicted, pursing her lips and folding in on herself as she gazed at the floor and rubbed her arms.

Peridot rolled her eyes. "'Fart' once for yes and twice for no."

The blue gem blinked and allowed a couple of seconds of silence to pass between them before she lifted her palm and produced a single "Ppbbffft."

"I see," neutrally uttered Peridot, shifting in place. "Well, I still need to go and check on our course, but I will come back in three hours and I hope for both our sakes that you will be more forthcoming then, otherwise Jasper will get on our cases, am I clear?"

The blue gem didn't look happy but she wasn't looking as fearful as she had been when Peridot had threatened to sic Jasper on her. Although it seemed to Peridot that name-dropping the orange gem in the future would prove useful to her purposes.

"... Pbbffftt."

Peridot nodded and promptly left.

—

"So, get anything out of the prisoner yet?" Jasper asked as soon as Peridot entered the navigation room.

Peridot didn't turn to look at the orange gem as she made her way to the control panel. "She's not a prisoner. She's an informant."

"Whatever you wanna call her—she spit out anything useful?" Jasper asked dismissively, sitting straight up in the Captain's seat with mild interest.

Peridot sighed. "Not yet. She's being somewhat... difficult, but I believe that if I continually press the issue and give her more time to get used to my presence, she'll be ready to speak in no time."

"Well, we got four days 'till we reach the Earth, so let me know if you need me to expedite the process," Jasper explained while fitting a fist into her palm and smiling eerily.

Peridot boorishly glanced at the orange gem's reflection on the navigation viewing pane. "I think you've helped enough. I'll take care of things from here."

—-

"I don't mean to disrupt your rest, Lapis Lazuli, but I did say I would return in three hours," Peridot said unapologetically as she entered the holding cell and woke up the sleeping gem. "Also, why do you engage in 'sleep' anyway? We do not sleep back in Homeworld; we have so many projects available to work on, it seems like such a wasteful loss of time."

The blue gem only gazed at her with apathetic eyes. It was now clear she hadn't been sleeping at all. She had only merely been holding her eyelids closed in an effort to... who knows.

"Oh, right, I forgot, you refuse to speak to me," Peridot muttered as she materialized the chair and purposefully sat on it. "Well, allow me to remind you that you agreed to answer my questions in this particular inquiry session."

Lapis Lazuli rolled her eyes and reluctantly shrugged as she recalled her acquiescence.

"Since you're still not feeling up to talk, how about we stick to our previously established once-for-yes-twice-for-no 'fart' system, eh, Lazuli?" Peridot suggested with a tiny, haughty smile. "Do you consent to that?"

Lapis Lazuli stared before sighing and producing a resigned "Pbbfftt."

"Glad to hear it! We'll begin right away, then. First question: are you familiar with the planet Earth?" Peridot asked, all business.

Lapis smiled wryly before letting out a long-suffering, ironic chuckle. "Pbbfft."

"Have you ever been on Earth?"

"Pbbfft."

"How long? A day, a year?"

"Pbbfft. Pbbfft."

"Hmm, so... much longer?"

"Pbbfft."

"1000 years? 2000 years?"

Lapis held up five fingers.

"5000 years!? You're that old? Wow, you must be so knowledgeable about that planet. I definitely made the right call in picking you up!"

Lapis frowned and shrugged.

"Ehem, at any rate, what were you doing on Earth all this time? Were you on a mission?"

"Pbbfft. Pbbbffft."

"I'd ask what you were up to but I think that trying to guess that under a yes-no inquiry system would not be a very efficient use of our time before I have to return to the navigation room," Peridot mused out loud. "Had you just left Earth when you crashed into us?"

"Pbbfft."

"I see. Well, you're in luck, then, as Earth is our destination on this mission," Peridot informed with a confident smirk. "We can get you back to where you need to be."

Lapis groaned and knocked the back of her head on the metal wall behind her.

"That's an interesting way to express gratitude, but you do make fart noises to communicate so I know to expect the unexpected with you by now," Peridot replied with ease, eyeing the floor as she contemplated her informant. "We've been tasked with eliminating a rogue group of gems that currently reside on Earth, you see. A fusion, a quartz soldier, a pearl, and a 'Steven,' whatever that is."

Lapis' eyes widened, snapping upwards so quickly that her messy bangs hardly had time to catch up with gravity.

"We also have another mission coupled with that but, ha, as if I'd divulge the deta—"

"Steven?" Lapis asked hollowly, voice hoarse from disuse.

Peridot jumped, startled, then quickly composed herself before saying, "Nice to finally hear from you, Lazuli, glad to see my words had such an impact. I take it you're 'familiar' with this Steven?"

"Yes! No! I mean, I can't be... sure..." the Lapis Lazuli looked very conflicted, as if she was considering what the best response should be.

Why would she carefully choose her words? What is this Steven to her? Peridot wondered inwardly.

"W-what are you planning on doing to him?" Lapis asked in a subsided tone.

"The same thing we have planned for those Crystal Gems, of course," Peridot replied smoothly and without remorse. "Traitors and their allies deserve a good shattering."

"But! But... he's human," Lapis said cautiously.

"I'm aware. We'll do the human equivalent of shattering for him," Peridot responded simply.

"What? No! That's... " Lapis seemed distressed and deep in thought before finally resolving on what she wanted to say. "I think those... those Crystal Gems might've dragged him into their mess. He doesn't deserve your fury directed at him. He's their victim, not an ally, at all. He seems young, and his faith in the Crystal Gems is misplaced."

Peridot gazed at Lapis analytically. "He seemed very involved with the cause for someone who is 'just' a victim, last time I spoke to him."

"Y-you spoke to him? Is that how you know about him?" Lapis asked, alarmed.

"Among other things," Peridot said with a smirk. "Now, when did the tables turn on this interrogation? I'm the one that gets to ask questions here."

A beep went off on Peridot's limb enhancers.

"Aaaand that's time. We'll resume this line of questioning in three hours. Make yourself comfortable, Lazuli, I'm sure we'll be carrying out a lengthy and enlightening discussion in our next session," Peridot said with a smug grin as she dematerialized the chair and started heading for the exit. "And don't even think of retreating back into your laconic shell, lest I be forced to return, Jasper in tow."

Lapis growled resentfully, grinding her teeth.

—-

"How'd it go this time?" Jasper asked loudly as Peridot returned to the navigation room.

"Much progress has been achieved. She's talking now," Peridot informed, proud of her accomplishment.

"Awww, that's neat!" Jasper cooed mockingly. "Has she started crawling or walking now, too?"

Peridot narrowed her eyes distastefully at Jasper's belittling tone. "Why must you act so demeaning?"

"Look, I don't care if she communicates with crayons, words, hand signals, Morse code, or farting noises!" You don't know how right you are on that one. "I care that she told us something useful. Has she?"

"Give it some time, this was barely my second visit," Peridot reminded primly. "I'm sure she'll be more revealing come our next session."

"Fine! I'll give you more time, since taking her in was your idea in the first place, but if I don't judge your progress as satisfactory, she'll have to expect a joint visit from us both the next time."

—

"Lazuli, glad to see you're mobile now."

Lapis was pacing anxiously in her cell, and had been doing so for the past hour after two hours of sitting down biting restlessly on her thumb wasn't doing anything to calm her nerves.

The blue gem turned to stare at Peridot and seemed to deflate in relief at seeing her alone.

"What do you plan on doing with me once we reach Earth?" Lapis asked bluntly.

Peridot hummed, genuinely pondering. "Hmm, is that what's been running through your mind the past couple of hours?"

"That question came as a direct follow up to 'Do you plan to let me out of this cell any time soon?'" Lapis replied pointedly.

"A Lapis Lazuli with an attitude," Peridot noted with wonder and curiosity, eyebrows raised. "I can't say I've seen everything but I'm definitely crossing more items off the bucket list."

"Well?" Lapis queried impatiently, tapping her naked foot on the metal floor.

"You know, I've raised your kind to be much more complacent than this," Peridot snapped back haughtily. "Clearly, Era 1 Peridot Kindergarteners must've overcooked you, Era 1 Lapis Lazulis, for you to turn out this temperamentally flawed."

"Or, y'know, spending thousands of years trapped in a mirror on an unfamiliar planet can do that to you, too," Lapis muttered out crankily.

"That's... unfortunate," Peridot murmured out, feeling chastised for some strange reason.

"I'll survive," Lapis responded in sarcastic monotone. She paused thoughtfully. "I already have. Now, are you planning to answer my questions any time soon?"

"You'll have to answer my questions first," Peridot stated calmly. "And then perhaps we may entertain the terms of your release."

"Perhaps?" ground out Lapis moodily.

"Fine, I can guarantee you'll be released from this cell, at the very least," Peridot promised.

Lapis shrugged. "It's a start."

"Now, let's take a seat and pick up where we left off," Peridot said genially, materializing her chair.

"I'll stay standing, thanks," Lapis said neutrally, arms folded.

"Suit yourself," Peridot replies smoothly. "First off, the questions I never got answers to back when you were on your fart noises spree. What brand gem are you, how long ago were you made, and what planet were you made on?"

"Can't remember, over 5000 years ago, and can't remember."

"You can't remember basic facts about yourself?" Peridot queried skeptically.

"Did I mention 5000 years? Yeah, your memory gets a little rusty," Lapis said with a frown. "You'll understand when you get there. If you don't get decommissioned, that is."

"Hmm, I'll take that for now," Peridot said complacently, ignoring that last jab.

"I haven't been called my brand name since I landed on Earth," Lapis excused herself bitingly. "And can you blame me for not knowing my planet of make? The thing exploded right after I emerged; I didn't exactly think I should be bothered to learn about a place that no longer existed."

"It's useful for gem identification purposes but I concede to your point, so moving on," Peridot said, clearing her throat. "What were you doing flying free-range in space before crashing into our impressive ship?"

"I was trying to get away from Earth, making my way back to Homeworld," Lapis explained with a defeated sigh.

"Ah, after the whole 'trapped in a mirror for thousands of years' debacle?" Peridot recalled offhandedly.

"Yeah. That," Lapis said boorishly.

"Whom were you planning to return to at Homeworld? Who is your direct supervisor?" Peridot asked, pulling up her communicator to record notes now that Lapis was being more forthcoming.

"I don't know anymore," Lapis dejectedly admitted. "It's been so long. I was left on Earth during the Rebellion War and trapped in a mirror after I was confused for a Crystal Gem and forced to answer people's questions about my knowledge of the rebels. But I didn't know anything and eventually I was judged defective and left abandoned on a broken warp pad on Earth."

Peridot stared intensely, then gulped. "That's... heavy."

"Yeah, no kidding," scoffed out Lapis moodily.

"How are you acquainted with this 'Steven' and what is he to you?" Peridot asked, straight forward.

Lapis seemed to shrug closer into herself. "He's nothing to me. No one important. He's just someone I met after I broke free from the mirror. It's very unfortunate that he's friendly with the Crystal Gems, but he doesn't know what he's getting into. He's an ill-advised human unworthy of your attention."

"I see," Peridot voiced suspiciously. "How did you break out of the mirror so easily after thousands of years of entrapment?"

Lapis paused for a moment, looking cagey, before saying, "Some human children found me, broke the mirror, and I got out. It was an inconsequential event."

"It must've meant a lot to you that... they did that, wouldn't you say?" Peridot coaxed.

"I was grateful, yeah, but otherwise... inconsequential," Lapis repeated stubbornly.

"... Noted," Peridot finally said, giving in, deciding not to push further.

"What else do you want to know?" Lapis asked begrudgingly.

Peridot gazed thoughtfully at her communicator log. "Much, much more, but I believe this should suffice for this session. I'll return in three hours."

Peridot rose to leave and dematerialized the chair before Lapis startled her by suddenly getting very close to the force field.

"Wait! You promised you'd release me if I answered your questions," Lapis angrily reminded.

"Oh, right, I was hoping you wouldn't remember that," Peridot murmured under her breath. "What I said was that we'd discuss the terms of your release. You're not a prisoner here, just an informant, but you are a flight risk, which is the only reason you were locked up in the first place."

"I won't... try to escape," Lapis muttered reluctantly, rubbing her elbow uncomfortably.

"Your body language certainly inspires confidence," Peridot said sarcastically. "How about we start small? I am, after all, a gem of my word and wouldn't want to back away from something I've guaranteed. The terms are... if you continue to be as accommodating with the interrogation as you were just now, then I will allow you to walk freely around this ship, maybe I'll even allow you to travel the rest of the trip with us in the navigation room. Jasper as sole company can get very irritating."

"That's... perfect," Lapis said in a hushed voice, before raising it and saying, "Not the Jasper thing, obviously, but the getting to roam free part."

"Don't get too enthused," Peridot warned with narrowed eyes. "This ship has the most advanced space-locks in the observable universe, and as such, any attempt to escape could be easily thwarted."

"I just said I wouldn't try to escape," Lapis repeated with a monotone voice, edging on exasperated.

"Flight risk," Peridot enunciated. "Keep those wings where I can see them, Lazuli." Peridot paused thoughtfully before grinning winningly to herself. "Ha. I'm so clever."

"So when do the rewards of these new terms begin?" Lapis asked, rolling her eyes at Peridot's hubris.

"Right now," Peridot confirmed bluntly, pressing another button that materialized from the wall and shutting off the yellow force field. "You may walk freely around the holding cell chambers. We'll expand your access to more areas as you prove to be more useful in the information you give us."

Lapis exchanged a weary, intensely piercing look with Peridot. "Understood."

—-

"How about now?" Jasper asked brusquely as soon as Peridot walked in.

"It was actually a very productive session," Peridot responder neutrally. "I bargained with her a bit and she has been very agreeable ever since."

Jasper sat straight up, looking wary. "Bargained how?"

"Oh, pipe down, I'm merely letting her walk freely around the holding cell chamber," Peridot explained easily, waving her hand dismissively. "There's nothing of importance there, she can't wreck a thing."

"That's not the problem! What if she tries to escape?" Jasper questioned venomously.

"She won't. I have her word," Peridot assured.

"If the universe could trust a word, we wouldn't need physical treaties," Jasper snapped back, rising from her chair. "I'm going to see what that little runt is getting up to in that place!"

Peridot felt a slight twinge of panic. "W-wait! You can't! You're kind of... also part of the agreement. She doesn't want to interact with you."

Jasper stopped to look at Peridot pointedly. Peridot stared her down nervously, trying to combat her intimidating presence.

"What a precious, sensitive gem, our Lapis Lazuli," Jasper said mirthfully with a cruel smile. "You say a couple of rough things and she doesn't want to deal with you anymore. Here I thought they were made of sturdier stuff. I mean, by the stars, they destroy entire planets in their wake! You'd think someone with such unbridled power would have the commanding personality to go along with it."

"Not that it's anyone but a Kindergartener's business, but because of their tremendous power, Lapis Lazulis are purposely designed to harbor pacifist tendencies," Peridot informed sagely. "I mean, would you really want someone with the capacity to restructure worlds to have such volatile demeanor?"

"That would make for a very actionable leader, rather than a meek pushover that only follows orders," Jasper volleyed back stubbornly.

"Well, no use dwelling on the hypothetical, I have something else to consult with you about," Peridot states, switching subjects. "What exactly do we plan to do with her once we're back on Earth? Once I've extracted all information from her?"

"What else? We were ordered to eliminate all the gems still remaining on Earth," Jasper reiterated. "She's one of them."

Peridot's eyes widened. "She's not a Crystal Gem. She told me so herself. She was merely trapped on the terrestrial planet for thousands of years with no way to get back to Homeworld."

"Then, clearly, Homeworld has no need for her if they forgot she even existed," Jasper reasoned. "The new and improved Era 2 versions of her kind have already been made to replace her. She's an outdated model that will be of use to no one after we've accomplished our mission on Earth. And she's too dangerous to be left alone to stew as some free radical. Shattering her is the only way to ensure this task is a thorough success."

"That's..." Peridot wasn't sure how to counter her argument in an objective manner. Her reasons for arguing Lazuli's continued survival were all backed by her own personal opinions on the blue gem from her sparse exchanges with her. She didn't seem to read like a belligerent to her. And although she was a moody gem, she was otherwise harmless, with no desire other than to be left alone in peace.

"I'm glad you're finally seeing things my way," Jasper said smugly, mistaking Peridot's silence for comprehension.

"How will I get her to cooperate if I tell her all that's waiting at the end of this trip for her is a shattering?" Peridot asked with irritation.

"Simple: Don't tell her."

—

"Are you enjoying the space?" Peridot asked breezily as she entered the cell chamber.

"Well, it beats being cooped up in a single holding cell," Lapis replied, no longer startled by Peridot's sudden entrances. "That was too reminiscent of my mirror days." She paused. "Years." She paused again. "Millennia."

"Right. I'd imagine that's unpleasant," Peridot said dryly. She materialized two chairs in the center floor of the chamber. "Would you like to take a seat so we may resume?"

"How courteous of you," Lapis said neutrally, warily.

"Stop staring at it so suspiciously, it's merely a holographic mass-generated chair," Peridot said with exasperation. "Honestly, your mistrust of technology is so primitive."

"I'd never seen anything like this before I was locked in the mirror," Lapis murmured as she carefully took a seat. "Technology has advanced so much in my absence."

"Yes, as things tend to do, particularly over the course of 5000 years," Peridot said sarcastically, then noticed Lapis' unamused look in response. "That wasn't a jab at you. It was merely a fact."

"Let's just get on with it," mumbled out Lapis testily, folding her arms before her.

Peridot felt strangely chastised over what she'd said. She wasn't sure why she was feeling like this but she didn't like it. She had to rectify the situation somehow before she could continue with the interrogation, lest this pestering feeling caused her to lose her focus. "Would you like to see Homeworld?"

Lapis' head shot up in surprise. "You'd give me a ride there?"

"Uuuhh, for now, I was referring more to showing you the introductory video produced by Homeworld to be viewed by recently emerged Lapis Lazulis," Peridot explained apprehensively. "As a certified Kindergartener, I have access to all the videos shown to all the different recently emerged gem species. While all gems are made with fully developed abilities and an aptitude for their job function, they are still unknowledgeable of the universe they have been brought into, and need to familiarize themselves with Homeworld as it pertains to their duties." Peridot formed a screen with her limb enhancer's floating fingers. "This is the video geared towards Lapis Lazulis. It was just recently updated... 20 years ago. Are you interested in watching?"

Lapis' mouth had formed an "O" in wonder as she gazed at the blank holographic screen displayed by Peridot. "Y-yes, I mean, of course, I... I want to watch it."

Peridot silently started the video.

"... Thank you," quietly and cautiously said Lapis as she focused her attention on the screen.

Peridot pursed her lips and said nothing.

"We welcome you into existence, Lapis Lazuli! This training video will introduce you to your duty, your species, your community, your Diamond, and of course, how to best serve your Homeworld..."

—-

"Any news?"

"I wasn't able to subject her to our usual interrogation this past session since we spent about a half hour just watching a gem-specific Homeworld introduction training video," Peridot explained tiredly.

"Eugh, those lame things? Thank the stars I only had to watch that thing once! And I zoned out for most of it anyway," Jasper griped with a disgusted expression.

"Jaspers' introductory videos are only five minutes long," Peridot muttered out with incredulous eyes. "With your short attention spans, however, even that is a stretch."

"We were soldiers ready-made to fight, not sit idly by and watch trivial movies," Jasper defended roughly.

"Movie? Ha! More like a clip," Peridot joked with a mirthless chuckle. "Peridot-geared introductory videos are exactly three hours long. And even after that, we're still left wanting for more."

"Is that why your triangular heads are so big? They house all that gray matter that contains all the knowledge to maintain our technology?" Jasper asked jeeringly. "It's a wonder you don't trip under the weight of that thing."

"Do you really want to start poking fun at my head when your hair looks like it got water blasted and blow dried through electrocution?" Peridot sassed back with hooded eyes and a slanted frown.

"Hey! Don't mess with my hair!" Jasper warned through gritted teeth.

"I doubt I can further exacerbate the... situation... you've got happening on your scalp," Peridot said with a grimace.

"Go on, keep antagonizing me and you might be joining those Crystal Gems in the upcoming shattering confrontation!" Jasper threatened aggressively.

"W-what?" Peridot shouted with wide eyes before composing herself once again. "You can't do that. I'm under the protection of Homeworld. They expect both of us to return."

"Accidents do happen on missions, don't they? How unfortunate it will be... to have lost you as a casualty to the mission..." Jasper faux-lamented. "Homeworld will be disappointed to be down one Peridot... or will they? Your kind are so easy to make—you don't need many resources and take a short time to grow. You can be replaced so easily."

Peridot thinned her lips and gulped.

"That's what I thought."

—

Peridot stomped down the hallway leading to the holding cell chambers, disdainfully muttering to herself, "Who does she even think she is, that wildly mussed, flyaway ridden, combat-length-impractical, probably white dandruff ridden, cleaning mop head CLOD!"

"Dandruff ridden? I thought I groomed pretty well," Lapis said stoically, yet slightly self-consciously.

Peridot blinked. She hadn't even realized she had already entered the chamber domain.

"Not you, Lazuli, I'm sure you clean up very well, considering you're the embodiment of water," Peridot said dismissively.

Lapis stood stiffly and stared with a deadpan expression.

"..."

"..."

"Well, maybe it'd do you well to loosen up a bit, get you some more of that 'watery' personality," Peridot said thoughtfully, hand on her chin. "At any rate, I was ranting about Jasper, I apologize you had to catch me mid-diatribe. I tend to have a better handle on my emotions, most of the time."

"Same here," Lapis said in monotone.

"I can... respect that," Peridot offhandedly complimented, so as not to be rude.

Lapis nodded in acknowledgment, clearly unmoved.

"But anyhow, enough about these unnecessary feelings of distaste, let's launch a new series of questions," Peridot stated, mentally shaking off any more negativity.

"I don't mind hearing you out," Lapis said detachedly. "I'm usually the one doing all the talking since I'm answering questions all the time. You should speak for a change."

Peridot blinked, paused to think about the suggestion, and then made a decision. "I agree to go along with your suggested activity. We can exchange stories regarding our mutual aversion for the brutish Jasper clod!"

"I'd prefer not to talk about my own experiences with her," bluntly communicated Lapis.

"That's just fine! I have more than enough offenses to speak of and fill any lulls in the conversation! Ah, where do I even begin with her!?"

"How about... the beginning?" Lapis piped up, looking somewhat amused with hooded eyes.

"Brilliant idea!" Peridot cheered. "So, in the beginning..."

—-

"I'm surprised you haven't yet inquired how this particular session went," noted Peridot as she took a seat before the navigation control panel.

"It was getting old. I figured you'd say something if you'd made some sort of breakthrough," casually explained Jasper.

"No groundbreaking information yet, but that's because we spent this past session talking about you," Peridot revealed.

"Oh, you two gossip now? Nice to see you've bonded in the most cliched of ways," Jasper said sarcastically with a harsh laugh. "What else did you lot get up to? Polish each other's gems? Redesign each other's physical forms to see which one looked the cutest?"

"My present design is optimal, excuse you," Peridot spat, insulted. "And gem polishing is an acquired skill that only certified Kindergarteners such as myself are able to methodically perform. I could easily do Lazuli, but she could never do me. How presumptuous."

Jasper merely raised her eyebrow.

"And if you must know, I did most of the talking, as she's only ever had one fleeting experience with you, which she did not feel like discussing, I might add," Peridot pointed out.

"I tend to make an impression," Jasper said with a devil-may-care attitude. "Not always the most positive."

"I'd say you definitely made an impact," Peridot mumbled. "She said nothing throughout the whole conversation."

"Oh, really? You must've talked up my good points, though, isn't that right?" Jasper asked with a lascivious grin.

Peridot frowned, then grinned haughtily to herself. "I believe I came up with some good... stuff."

Jasper shrugged, back to caring less. "I don't really care what a puny Peridot and her haggard water witch think of me. But just so you know, it seems to me like that caged bird of a gem is stalling on you. Why else would she be okay with listening to you talk for so much time without complaining?"

"Hey! Anyone would be delighted to hear what I have to say," Peridot argued back, offended. "I have so much knowledge to impart, we're all the better off for it."

"Did she even listen to anything you said? You said she was quiet throughout the whole thing."

Peridot blinked. "Of course she was! She was even chuckling at some of the stories I told!"

"Did she do it every few minutes or so? Along with forced nods of acknowledgment? Total canned response," Jasper bluntly said. "I do it sometimes, too, to get you off my case. Minus the chuckling part."

"What? No, she was genuinely interested—"

"—in distracting you from your interrogation."

"B-but her feedback and body language indicated that—"

"—she was buying herself time and you fell right into her trap."

Peridot felt her stomach churning as she retroactively overanalyzed her interactions with Lazuli in the past period of time they spent together.

"I thought Peridots were supposed to be smarter than this, but I guess it's hard to look beyond your own inflated egos."

Peridot glared at Jasper, before her eyes widened and she came to the conclusion, "Oh my stars—!"

—-

"—were you just humoring me during our last session just so I wouldn't continue with my interrogation!?"

Lapis stared blankly. "Initially, yes."

Peridot was fuming. "How dare you make a fool out of me when I—initially?"

"Then you actually became pretty entertaining," Lapis said with a shrug. "I didn't even mentally check out as I originally planned."

"Is that... a sincere compliment?" Peridot asked, tilting her head in befuddlement.

"I'm only telling the truth, so I guess yeah?" Lapis said uncertainly.

"Hmm, okay, well... compliment acknowledged and accepted," Peridot said, clearing her throat as she recollected herself. "But no more distractions. Time is running out and we need answers. This time, you'll be doing most of the talking."

—

"How did the confrontation go?" Jasper asked smugly.

"Rather well! She admitted to her intentions, explained her motives, and later complimented my skills as a raconteur," proudly reported Peridot.

"Hmm," hummed Jasper in disinterested acknowledgment.

"I am also excited to report that I have been able to glean more information from Lazuli about Earth," Peridot said cockily, before deflating slightly. "Which was actually... not much."

"..." Jasper stared at her, waiting for her to resume.

"Approximately 98.6% of the time she was on Earth was spent trapped inside an abandoned mirror stranded on a broken warp pad, so she didn't get to know or see much of Earth, and as such, is unable to act as a guide for us once we arrive." Peridot paused in reverie. "She can tell us a lot about how weather works, though. She certainly saw a lot of that."

"Gnarly stuff," Jasper said unenthusiastically. "It doesn't really matter. This isn't some pleasure cruise, so we don't need a tour guide. We just need her to pinpoint the location of the Crystal Gems."

"She told me she encountered the Crystal Gems, as they were the ones that knew she was locked inside the mirror and purposely kept her there for several more years after they found her," Peridot relayed somberly. "Those Crystal Gems are the absolute worst. Traitors to their Homeworld and unsympathetic to the plight of one of their own fellow Gems? Atrocious."

"So does she know where in the world the Crystal Gems are or not?" Jasper pressed impatiently.

"She was reluctant to divulge their location at first because of this 'Steven' that she claims is not important but that she is so obviously mindful of," Peridot explained with a roll of her eyes. "With my advanced skills of manipulation, however, I was eventually able to utilize her resentment towards the Crystal Gems to pry the information out of her—they are located in a place called Beach City, near a large body of water called 'the ocean.'"

"Perfect," Jasper said with a malevolent smile and an ominous chuckle. "Mwa ha ha ha ha!"

"Nyehehehe!" joined in Peridot with her own trademark snicker.

"It's better when I do it," Jasper said raspily, glaring at Peridot.

"You don't have a monopoly on Heroic Homeworld Laughter."

—-

"How are you enjoying having the freedom to roam through the hallways now?" Peridot asked Lapis as the blue gem idly explored her surroundings ahead of her.

She had allowed the girl more liberties in her expanding access to the ship as part of their interrogation deal.

"Meh, they're okay, I'm just glad for the leg space," Lapis said neutrally as she continued to take arbitrary twists and turns in her exploration. "Two more days to go now, right? Can't wait till I can leave here and be on my way."

Peridot surreptitiously flinched. She had almost forgotten what Jasper had threatened several hours ago. "Right. Where to exactly?"

"Well, originally, I had planned to go back to Homeworld," Lapis spoke sincerely, looking at her feet pensively as she ran through her thought process. "But then you showed me that video that depicted what's expected of my gem kind back there. I mean, it's not too different from what I used to do thousands of years ago but... Homeworld itself seems very unlike what I remember. I can't quite explain it but it seems kind of... I don't know... stifling?"

"I'm afraid I can neither negate nor corroborate your statement," Peridot replied evenly. "Era 2 Homeworld is the only Homeworld I've ever known. But I would imagine, however, that after Era 1's Rebellion stunt, Homeworld most likely became more strict in order to quash down any thoughts of inciting another rebellion before they began to take form in the minds of Era 2 gems. We were made to be extra loyal to Homeworld. It's hardwired into our make."

Lapis looked aghast. "They can do that? Take away your free will like that?"

"My will is to serve The Diamonds," Peridot reinforced adamantly. "What better way to further this purpose than to instill discipline and loyalty into my entity before I even emerged?"

"So... you're incapable of betraying Homeworld?" Lapis asked with morbid curiosity, still walking ahead of Peridot.

Peridot remained silent for a moment, feeling that what she was about to explain was somehow taboo to discuss, particularly with a stranger gem, who didn't have the clearance necessary to be privy to this sort of information.

But Lapis was most likely getting shattered at the end of this trip, if Jasper had any say in the matter. So what did it matter what she knew?

"No security check system is without its flaws, obviously, any competent technician can tell you that," Peridot said with a 'duh' sort of tone, her usual arrogance seeping into and coloring her speech. "Era 2 gems are still independent minded enough to be able to consider betrayal as a concept, but they do not have the urge to engage in the action. And why would they? The neural rock pathways that lead one to develop such desire is so blocked off, one wouldn't be able to remove it without a serious internal moral dilemma. I believe most gems prefer not to think too hard. Except Peridots, of course, as we were made to think about and answer the hard questions, so long as they relate to technology."

"So... you haven't ever contemplated running from Homeworld?" Lapis asked again with skepticism.

Peridot narrowed her eyes suspiciously, feeling affronted. "Of course I haven't. How could I ever entertain such treasonous thoughts? The Diamonds created us and the Diamonds give purpose to our otherwise meaningless existence. Particularly Yellow Diamond. By the Stars, who wouldn't want to bask in the praise and respect showed to them by their Diamond for a job well done? Yellow Diamond's militaristic prowess and infinite wisdom are truly unrivaled and unparalleled by the other Diamonds!"

Lapis looked at her stoically. "You're sporting a real stoner for that Diamond, huh."

Peridot looked confused, then disgusted. "Stoner? Please, do not insult me by associating me with those hippy Crystal Meths," Peridot muttered distastefully with an eye-roll. "Useless synthetic rock formations that are such a waste of resources. All they do is get high all the time. No, really, they spend most of their time in places of the highest elevation, so removed from our society, and carrying out their duties of emotionally treating the gems that have fallen out of line. I personally think that that entire lineage of gem is so unnecessary. Any dysfunctional gems should just be shattered if they can't perform up to par."

"You really think that?" Lapis asked neutrally.

"It's only logical," Peridot said impassively. "But enough about that. Back to what you'll be getting up to after you leave this ship?"

Lapis took another pensive turn, this time into a room that looked very much like a lounge, with linear portraits that progressively showed the history of Homeworld, both the parts she was familiar with and those that she missed out on in her absence.

Peridot followed her, trying to curb her unexpected interest in and concern over the Lapis Lazuli's response. If she answered appropriately, maybe the blue Era 1 gem was still salvageable.

"Homeworld is so advanced now, its societal structure and hierarchy is even more different, and after everything you just explained to me about Era 2 Gems... I don't feel like I can fit in," mumbled out Lapis.

"What? Of course you can! Here, I could even put in a good word for you in my report given how cooperative you've been in our interrogation sessions," Peridot said with encouraging enthusiasm.

Lapis gave a small smile, rubbing her elbow self-consciously. "Thanks..." She frowned. "But... I think I'll just fly around the cosmos and try to find the place best suited to who I am now. Figure out what I want to do."

Peridot continued to walk in companionable silence with her. "How very... independent of you. That's..." Dangerous Crystal Gem philosophy. "That's unusual. Is there no way I can change your mind? All gems were made to serve the Diamonds, and all of us take great pride in doing so."

"Yeah, I'm not very sure about most things, but I can at least say that I don't see my future involving the Diamonds and Homeworld," Lapis murmured vulnerably.

"I see... that's a shame," Peridot lamented with an austere expression. "I suppose, then... that there is not much else I can do for you at the end of this trip."

Lapis chuckled lowly and politely. "I appreciate you trying to, though."

"It's a shame indeed, Lazuli," Peridot said perfunctorily, feeling strangely hollow within. "You would've been a great contributor to Homeworld."

"Yeah, sooo very useful," Lapis said with self-deprecating humor, sounding still rather demure. "That is, if I didn't get sent to the looney bin with the Crystal Meths first." She chuckled to herself.

Peridot didn't laugh. She wasn't entirely paying attention to the blue gem's words now so much as she was caught up in her own musings.

Certainly... very unfortunate.

—-

Peridot missed the past three time stamps for interrogation periods.

It was due to a combination of one of the turbines that Lapis had crashed into belatedly malfunctioning, and her needing to go out and repair it. She was inwardly relieved, however, at not having to meet with Lapis after the way their previous exchange had gone.

Peridot thought she might've planted the seed of Homeworld loyalty into the blue gem, but it seems that Era 1 gems are truly corrupted, with no way back into recovery. Their wishes to pursue personal ambition and 'happiness' only make them more liable to become problematic in the future.

Someone apathetic to Homeworld, like Lazuli, couldn't be allowed to spread her corruption to other untainted gems. This was exactly how Rose Quartz had begun the rebellion. She had allowed foreign notions to take root in and poison the minds of the Era 1 gems, and someone like Lapis Lazuli, though uninvolved in the Rebellion and not a Crystal Gem herself, was undoubtedly exposed to that disparaging mentality.

As Jasper previously explained, Lapis Lazuli was a liability that needed to be shattered before she became a problem.

"Done with the turbines?" Jasper asked as Peridot finally made her entrance into the navigation room.

"Yes, I fixed the broken flap, re-wired the system, integrated it to the main frame, and turned it back online, so all should be running as smoothly as before," Peridot muttered as she looked for the previously collapsed turbine on the screen. She smiled cockily at her own brilliance and skill at seeing the turbine online showing no sign of trouble. "There."

"How's your little guest holding up? I noticed you haven't gone back to interrogate her after your last session a while back," Jasper asked, feigning disinterest.

"I feel that we've covered most of what I wanted to know, so it wouldn't be too much of a loss to miss a few sessions while I fixed the turbine," Peridot explained in a blase manner. "Besides, I practically gave her access to 80% of the ship, no vital rooms of course, so she should have had enough visual and tactile stimulation to keep herself entertained while I wasn't there to converse with her."

"Why suddenly so distant, Peridot?" Jasper goaded with a knowing smirk. "You've never missed a session with her before."

"I just told you why," stubbornly mumbled Peridot.

"Then you wouldn't mind if I requested her presence here in the navigation control room, would you?" Jasper queried with another sly grin.

Peridot had a flitting recollection of Lapis' fearful look at any mention of Jasper. She shook off the flashback.

"I don't mind, but why would you want her here?" Peridot asked, confused. "Of all vital rooms, this is the most critical."

"Aren't you curious to see what she would do when faced with the possibility of palpable escape?" Jasper questioned with a cruel smile. "Wouldn't you like to test her?"

"Why do you think I'd want that?" Peridot replied warily, distrustful of Jasper's intentions.

"The walls have ears, Peridot," Jasper said in her raspy voice. "I turned on the mics while you two were having your little discussion in the hallway. I don't usually care to listen in on anything, but I was idle, and interested in seeing how you carried out an interrogation while lagging behind the informant. But you weren't even asking her anything of use. Just simply... talking."

"And?" Peridot prompted with irritation, looking unimpressed at being spied on. She didn't even think Jasper knew how to work the audio systems considering how technologically challenged she seemed to be most of the time.

"I can tell you wanted her response to be different," Jasper said vaguely. "Bringing her to the navigation control room allows us to give her another chance to prove your final judgment on her wrong, isn't that right?"

Peridot blinked, surprised, then immediately became suspicious again. "And what exactly do you get out of this? You're usually so shatter-happy, why would you want to pass up the opportunity to eliminate such a powerful gem?"

"Does there really need to be any other reason than amusement?" Jasper questioned eerily.

"I don't trust you as far as I can throw you," Peridot snapped brazenly. "Which is... not far."

"C'mon, Peridot, I'd feel bad shattering a gem that didn't deserve it! I mean, I'd do it, no questions asked, but I'd feel bad," said Jasper with one of the most insincere looks Peridot had ever seen in her life. "We know the Crystal Gems are guilty, so there's no remorse in destroying them; but I'm not completely cold-hearted... I'd like to give this lost Lapis Lazuli a chance to set herself on the right path. Don't you?"

The green gem boorishly met the faux-pleading eyes of the orange gem with skepticism.

Peridot inhaled deeply, before sighing out, "Okay... I... Okay. If only because I want to see what you're aiming for with this stunt."

"Great. Decision."

—-

One more day left to go.

Jasper had exited the room, claiming she would be back momentarily. Peridot didn't really care when she'd be back.

The longer she takes, the better, Peridot thought exhaustedly.

She had about one more hour before her next interrogation session with Lapis. Her first one in a while.

She just hoped that Lapis had been attentive enough to remember Peridot telling her which routes to avoid in order not to run into Jasper. The girl seemed like she was very nimble on her feet. She would have no issues.

Or so she thought until...

"Let. Me. GO!" Peridot heard Lapis' muffled voice growl out indignantly. "GET. AWAY!"

The doors to the navigation chamber slid open and Peridot and Lapis' eyes immediately connected.

Lapis appeared panicked and betrayed. "You said you wouldn't bring her! It was part of our deal, Peridot!"

Peridot slightly flinched. Lapis sounded hysterical and furious. She could see the desperation and anxiety buzzing on the blue gem's eyes. She was being held up through one arm by Jasper, who only cackled maniacally at Lapis' struggle.

Peridot took a moment to regain her composure, clearing her throat. "I didn't send her. She must've gone on her own. I am nothing if not a keeper of my word."

Lapis was trying her best to lean as far from Jasper as she could, looking sick and strained.

Peridot furrowed her brows in distaste. "Jasper, let go of our informant this instant! Can't you see she's uncomfortable?"

"Her discomfort only makes me want to taunt her more," Jasper cooed with a malevolent grin. She looked directly at Lapis then. "Do you get that? It means I like you."

Peridot didn't know what she was getting ready to do but even if Lazuli was a traitor, she didn't deserve this sort of treatment. That would make Peridot and Jasper no better than those awful Crystal Gems, that plucked gems out of their duty and comfort zone to fight a losing battle.

Peridot took a step forward to snatch Lapis away from Jasper, but at that moment Jasper finally decided to let Lapis go, throwing her across the linoleum flooring in front of her.

Lapis, strewn across the ground, scrambled to get up and positioned herself as far away from both Peridot and Jasper as she could.

Peridot sighed in frustration. Jasper was always giving them both a bad reputation.

"Jasper, I think you've freaked out our informant enough for today, I suggest you leave and leave me to clean up your... mess," Peridot finally settled.

Lapis glared at Peridot's choice of words.

"I like it when they struggle, who doesn't appreciate some friendly wrangling every now and then?" Jasper said with creepy mirth. "We'll continue this later... Lapis."

Peridot's eye twitched. How disrespectful. Peridot had been calling the gem 'Lazuli' in a show of respect to a stranger. Jasper had zero manners.

With that, Jasper left.

"What WAS that?" Lapis demanded angrily, still quavering like a frightened Earth kitten. Or maybe shaking with fury? Could be both. "First you don't show up for like a whole day, and I start thinking I might've said something to offend you in our last session, and then you sic your Jasper bodyguard on me!? After you explicitly told me you wouldn't as long as I answered your questions, which I did!"

Peridot was irked by the blue gem's sudden attitude. "Hey! Don't speak to me like that! I kept my promise, but in case you haven't noticed, I don't exactly keep a tight leash on Jasper. I tried my best to ensure neither of you encountered the other but clearly she was looking for trouble and did you even follow the routes I gave you!?"

"I did! She still found me," muttered out grumpily Lapis.

"Then it's neither of our faults. Let's just leave it at that," Peridot said in reconciliation.

"So?" Lapis asked, slightly more subdued but still very agitated

"So...?" Peridot asked uncertainly, expecting her to continue.

"Where have you been?" Lapis asked with a tight expression.

"Why do you care? It's not any of your business," Peridot said evasively. She didn't even know why she was being so skittish. The answer wouldn't be that big of a deal.

"Well, considering I don't exactly have some sort of itinerary of events or even a way to tell time in this spaceship, I would hope my 'host' would be there to make sure I know where we stand," Lapis spat out bitingly. "I hate just being abandoned and forgotten like that. Hate it... so much..."

Peridot blinked in comprehension. Oh. Perhaps not telling Lapis that she wouldn't be attending their usual sessions was not in good form. She hadn't thought it was an issue but clearly, to the blue gem, it was.

"Oh, well, uh..." Peridot rubbed the back of her head apprehensively. "I suppose I... should apologize? That was rude of me. I should've let you know. I was just out fixing a malfunctioning turbine. It won't happen again. The miscommunication, that is. Technology is much more unpredictable, but good maintenance is key."

"I hope so," Lapis murmured bitterly. "I just want this whole interrogation and being used as an informant deal to be done."

"We have less than a full day before we arrive on Earth," Peridot communicated. "It'll all come to an end there."

"Good," firmly said Lapis, folding her arms crossed before her and staring stubbornly at the ground. "Now then, tell me why Jasper brought me here."

"You don't get to order me around!" Peridot shouted back indignantly. "I make the demands here! And speaking of Jasper, I need to go after her before she wrecks something in her tumultuous state. We can't have her delaying us more than she already has. You"—she pointed to Lapis warningly—"Do not touch anything while I'm gone if you know what's good for you!"

And with that deliberate instruction, Peridot scurried out of the room with purpose and slid the doors closed behind her.

Jasper stood outside the hallway, leaning on the metal wall with an amused smirk.

"Now we watch."

And Peridot used her limb enhancer fingers, connected to security cameras installed in the navigation control room, to form a holographic screen through which they watched Lapis.

—

Lapis sat in the control room by herself, crouched by the corner that she had scampered over to after Jasper had released her hold on her.

It had already been 10 minutes since Peridot left, or so she estimated.

She had remained glued immobile to her spot, not wanting to risk attracting bad karma to herself by not following orders.

It's safer for me if I just do what they say, Lapis thought to herself gloomily, ruffling her hair in an anxious tick. They'll show mercy, and let me go, but only if I don't cause any trouble.

She pursed her lips and idly panned her gaze around the room. She thought the two Homeworld gems were really stupid to trust her alone in their navigation room. Didn't they think she'd try to escape? Or was she just that unthreatening? Well, without water, there wasn't much she could do, she supposed.

Or maybe the technology was too advanced or too personalized for her to manage manipulating, and so they didn't care about leaving her alone with it because she wouldn't be able to accomplish anything?

Lapis didn't know why she was even turning all this over in her head. It wasn't as though she was actually contemplating making any sort of jailbreak.

This would all be over when they got to Earth, the Crystal Gems were destroyed, and she was free to go.

The Crystal Gems... including Steven, Lapis thought gravely, shrinking into herself. He won't be spared if he's blatant about his ties with them.

The lies she told Peridot concerning Steven would have been for nothing if the boy ends up eliminated anyway.

Lapis tightened her fist, conflicted. The boy deserved a warning, a chance to back out, before the Homeworld spaceship landed. It was the least Lapis could do for him, for all that he did for Lapis—breaking her out of the mirror, healing her gem, and being kind to her when no one had deigned to be in the last couple of millennia. And all this without any underlying agenda.

Lapis picked herself up weakly off of the floor, slightly stagnated by fear of what she was about to do. Or try to do.

She dragged herself nervously across the room to the navigation control panel. She couldn't change the course to Earth. One, because she didn't know how to. And two, because she didn't really want to do so considering that would mean she herself would be stuck on this ship even longer than she had to.

The goal was only to warn Steven of the impending threat. No more. No less. What he chose to do with the information was up to him. Her conscience would be clear.

She nodded to herself in tremulous determination and began eyeing the controls, trying to find some sort communicator that she could use to record and transmit a message to Steven.

This green button looks like it could... no, maybe the red one... red is the universal no-no button, though... this white one looks promising but I could be wrong... ugh, I can't even get the keypad to work because I'm not authorized!

Lapis continued to agonize over the equipment in ambivalence. She didn't want to press the wrong combination of things, but if she didn't do something quick, Peridot and Jasper would return while she was still caught up in her inaction!

Maybe I'm overcomplicating things, Lapis thought objectively in a moment of clarity. In a real emergency situation, you want to avoid the hassle of having to fill out protocols before being able to send out a message. Which means... there should be a very basic artifact or panic button that allows you to do so swiftly and easily, something anyone can operate like..

She spotted a wailing stone residing inside a glass case off to the side of the room.

Those were ancient. She definitely knew how to work those.

Perfect, Lapis inwardly cheered triumphantly, patting herself on the back (figuratively, of course, though she technically could, with her water wings). Maybe Peridot's rubbed off on me. Not her arrogance, though, I would hope.

Lapis rushed to the glass case and thought about how to get the artifact out without alerting the other gems on the ship. She eventually settled on sharpening her water wings and trying to finely cut the glass pane out inconspicuously.

She began making the rectangular cut and was able to break the artifact out smoothly.

She held the Wailing Stone carefully in her hands and hesitated. This was it. She could still turn back, put it back in the case, seal the case with water adhesion (not permanent but enough to keep up the illusion of sealing), and not risk any more trouble.

But she'd gotten this far. For once, she could be of use to someone, because she wanted to, not because she was forced to.

Lapis inhaled deeply and opened the Wailing Stone, which immediately produced a low sucking sound as it seemed to vacuum the air around it into its hollow interior. It was probably absorbing the message right as Lapis stared into the void in apprehension.

Right. Now or never.

"Steven! I hope you're able to hear this... There's a gem that's looking for you. She even knew your name! I don't know how... I didn't tell her, I swear!" Lapis glanced toward the sliding doors in a panic. "She's on her way to Earth, and she's not alone! Steven, Homeworld... it's not the way it used to be. Everything here is so advanced, I can't even understand it!" She planned to say more but she heard distinct large stomps and smaller scurrying feet following after. Terror gripped her gem. She had to wrap this up now. "There's no way anything on Earth can stand up to it! Please, don't put up a fight, it will only lead to devastation!"

—-

"WHAT THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU LOUSY LAPIS LAZULI!" Jasper roared in rage as she blasted into the room.

Peridot would have to fix those doors after her, ugh. Being a Peridot was suffering.

But there were other issues afoot now.

A crash was heard. The Wailing Stone was broken into pieces and Lapis glared at Jasper with contempt and defiance. The message could now no longer be intercepted.

Well, Peridot thought disgruntled, both impressed and displeased. The blue gem certainly had some nerve.

The Lapis Lazuli was given her last chance to prove inherent loyalty to Homeworld, and she failed the test.

Peridot and Jasper hadn't planned to let her actually accomplish anything that could in any way affect the mission, but they hadn't counted on her noticing and using the Wailing Stone.

Peridot had seen Lapis' trepidation while she was holding the artifact. She should've stopped everything right then, but her misguided belief that Lapis was redeemable kept her from letting Jasper intrude on the blue gem's actions.

And now here they all were, the message transmitted, the mission compromised, and the Crystal Gems certainly expecting them once they arrived in about a day.

Peridot sighed in frustration. Yellow Diamond would not be pleased to learn of this turnout of events in her next report.

"You left me on my own! What did you think I'd get up to in here!?" Lapis snapped back bitingly, her own fury seemingly overpowering her fear.

"HOW ABOUT SIT STILL AND LOOK PRETTY!?" Jasper shouted back aggressively.

That's kind of what she was doing at first... until she wasn't, Peridot thought wryly, standing behind Jasper.

Finally, Lapis spotted her. "PERIDOT!"

Peridot stepped out from behind Jasper. Why was Lazuli staring at her pleadingly? What did she expect her to do? Didn't she know that she'd tried to help her—not once, but twice—and she failed to be justified as save-worthy both times?

"Sorry I'm late," Peridot excused herself dryly, referring to her belated entrance into the scene. "I didn't want to come." She honestly hadn't wanted it to come to this. "I told you not to touch anything. It was a test. You and Jasper. Frankly. I tell you one thing, you do the other."

"You... planned this?" Lapis asked in a harsh, disbelieving whisper, face gaunt and aghast.

"We didn't plan the outcome, that's for sure," said Peridot flippantly. "But, yes, we wanted to test your loyalty to Homeworld. See if you were still worth salvaging. If the broken artifact is not enough indication, you failed."

"You... you used me for some kind of thought experiment without my consent!? Where do you two get off playing with others' emotions like this!?" Lapis demanded in complete dismay and disgust. "You're... you're awful... just... downright savages... you're no pedestal-standing, new and improved, morally advanced 'Era 2' gem species... you're barbarians! Even the humans weren't as bad as you two! At worst, they were indifferent, YOU... are despicable."

Peridot flinched, feeling somewhat chastised but unwilling to show her momentary lapse. Jasper, on the other hand, looked entirely unfazed. It seemed that Lapis' fury only excited her more.

Strangem, Peridot thought of the insult uneasily.

"Peridot and I planned to shatter you once we got to Earth, but I suppose now is as good a time as any in the wake of your betrayal," Jasper uttered with a diabolical glint in her eyes.

"Betrayal? What betrayal, I never was loyal to your Homeworld!" Lapis shouted back, and then stopped dead in her speech as the rest of Jasper's sentence registered in her mind. "Wait... you planned to shatter me this whole time!? I thought you gave me the benefit of the doubt! I thought we had a deal!"

Lapis directed the last part at Peridot, with a piercing look.

Peridot sighed and dejectedly muttered by rote, "All gem species are loyal to Homeworld. Any traitors or miscreants will be shattered."

Lapis narrowed her eyes in defeated understanding. "You lied to me."

"There was no other way I could get the information from you otherwise," Peridot explained, trying her best to sound detached. "And stop looking so angry, I gave you two chances to prove to me you could still be returned to serve on Homeworld and carry out your duties as a Lapis Lazuli!"

"I told you I didn't want that for myself!" Lapis screeched back.

"And that was the wrong answer!" Peridot shouted back just as loudly, before settling down and trying not to give into her emotions again. "Look. We can try again. Third time's the charm, right? You Lazulis are smart—not as smart as Peridots but smart enough—you can make the right choice this time. Fight the Crystal Gems alongside us and prove to us you are redeemable. Serving the Diamonds is a great life purpose! You will relearn to love it. Now... what do you say?"

Lapis stared at them both defiantly, then directed her impactful gaze back to meet Peridot's encouraging one.

She lifted her palm onto her mouth.

"Pbbbbbbbnbffffffffffftttttt!"

Peridot's eye twitched and her nose wrinkled in distaste. Back to square one. How immature.

"Looks like Lil Old Lapis here has made her decision," Jasper said, cracking her knuckles. "I'll take the prisoner back to her cage."

Peridot could no longer refute the validity of that statement.

Neither Peridot nor Lapis looked at each other as Lapis was dragged out of the navigation control room on Jasper's shoulder.

It was so reminiscent of their first meeting, it was ironically laughable.

Lapis Clod-Zuli, Peridot thought disappointedly. She could be immature, too.

—

Neither Jasper nor Peridot saw Lapis again until they finally arrived on Earth. Lapis was kept locked in her original force field-reinforced holding cell the entire time, with no visits from either of the two other occupants in the ship.

Jasper was the one to retrieve Lapis when they finally landed on the terrestrial planet. Lapis walked quietly and brokenly a step behind Peridot and Jasper. No words were exchanged between the three of them as they boarded a spherical transport that exited at the border of the ship, where they finally met the Crystal Gems.

"That's them all right," Peridot said accusingly but calmly. "They're the ones that keep breaking my machines." She hissed out that last part.

Jasper stared with narrowed eyes at the Earth gems, who looking frightened but combat-ready. "This is it?"

"Jasper, they keep interfering with my work!" Peridot insisted stubbornly.

"Ugh," Jasper groaned with boredom. "Looks like another waste of my time." She suddenly remembered something and cruelly smiled before forcefully dragging Lapis to the forefront. "Hey, get over here!"

Peridot gazed disapprovingly at the manhandling, but dutifully remained silent.

Lapis roughly snapped her arm away from Jasper's giant, probing hand with an indignant grunt. Then her eyes met with those of the boy standing below them. She gasped.

"Lapis," said the boy that Peridot recognized as The Steven from her previous encounters.

"This is their base?" Jasper asked commandingly.

Lapis looked away from Steven and Jasper, down to her feet. "... Yes."

"You need to leave immediately!" The fusion.

"Yeah, step off!" The defective Amethyst.

"This is not a gem-controlled planet!" The presumptuous Pearl.

"Neither of you saw Rose Quartz?" Jasper asked of Peridot and Lapis.

Neither of them gave any indication that they did, and still refused to look at each other, only gazing up expectantly at Jasper.

"Oh, what a shame, I'd hoped to meet her," stated Jasper raspily. "I was looking forward to beating her into the ground! But this is all that's left of her army? Some lost defective pearl, a puny overcooked runt, and this shameless display?" She focused then on The Steven. "What is that?"

"It calls itself... 'The Steven,'" Peridot piped up helpfully, neutrally.

Lapis stared up at Jasper, ignoring Peridot. "He's just a human. He isn't a threat at all. H-he's not one of them!"

"I know what a human is," countered Jasper, insulted, then walked off back into the ship. "You don't need me for this. Just... blast 'em with the ship."

Peridot looked unimpressed, before saying, "Ugh, fine."

Lapis finally looked at her, distressed, pleading silently with her not to do it, but Peridot still wasn't making eye contact with Lapis.

The hand-shaped ship pointed its finger light cannon at the gems, and Lapis watched on in horror at Steven's upcoming demise, unable to interfere without further jeopardizing herself.

Peridot saw the Crystal Gems discussing with themselves and didn't pay them too much heed as she kept upping the intensity of the cannon.

"Fire," Peridot said impassively, not even looking at her targets, just solely her holographic screen.

That is, until a glowing pink shield blocked off the blast she released from the ship.

Jasper gasped roughly at the sight. "That shield. That symbol." She gazed at The Steven. "You have the power of Rose Quartz!"

"Now do you believe I needed an escort?" Peridot couldn't help but rub it in.

"FIRE BARRAGE, WIDESPREAD!" Jasper commanded, and Peridot dutifully followed her orders. She was the military expert, after all.

"Rose, why do you look like that? Why are You. So. Weak?" Jasper questioned in disillusionment, landing in front of The Steven.

"Don't hurt him!" Lapis begged desperately, jumping off of the ship and chasing after Jasper.

"You knew about this!" Jasper accused angrily.

"It wasn't relevant to the mission!" Lapis explained herself.

Peridot sighed, once again disappointed but not at all surprised by the lies of omission.

"FORGET about the mission!" Jasper yelled out, agitated.

"What?" Peridot demanded incredulously.

Lapis gazed at her momentarily before looking back up at Jasper.

"Yellow Diamond needs to see this," Jasper growled out with a grave expression.

Both Peridot and Lapis looked shocked.

The fusion jumped in to save The Steven but Jasper used the destabilizer to dispel her physical form, and she burst into nothingness, leaving behind only two gems.

Lapis and Peridot stepped back, looking at each other uncertainly. Now that Jasper's aim had changed, neither was sure where this battle was headed.

Jasper approached The Steven with a crazed look in her eyes.

"I was there, you know? At the first war for this garbage planet. I fought against your armies. I respected your tactics. But this? THIS is SICK."

"Unhand him!" the Pearl shouted out dangerously as she and the Amethyst ran towards Jasper.

"I don't get what you're planning, Rose. But look! Your base is taken! Your armies are ruined! YOU. HAVE. FAILED!"

And Jasper knocked The Steven out with a merciless headbutt.

Lapis covered her mouth, shut her eyes, and looked away, aggrieved, her lithe form quivering in terror.

Peridot stiffly glanced at Lapis, unable to provide any sort of reassurance, as she herself didn't know what was to come next. They were at Jasper's beck and call until the orange gem could reel herself back in.

"Peridot! Take Rose, the Ruby, and the Sapphire into confinement," Jasper barked out, tone brooking no argument. She glanced at the blue gem cowering a distance away from Peridot. "Take Lapis, too. I'll take care of the Pearl and the Amethyst out here."

Peridot nodded in acquiescence. She glanced at Lapis. "Go get the two dispelled gems. I'll take... The Steven." She wasn't about to call that sorry excuse of a creature 'Rose' like Jasper seemed so adamant to.

"... Uh, I can take Steven," Lapis suggested instead, looking apprehensive.

Peridot lifted an intrigued eyebrow. Finally talking to me rather than blowing raspberries?

"Ha! Good one," Peridot released a mirthless chuckle. "How about no? I already said you were a flight risk. I wouldn't be too concerned if you ran off with the fusion stones. But if I let you get away with The Steven, Jasper will have my gem, pound it into rock powder, and probably mix it into warrior paint stripes to wear on her face. Neon green is not her color."

Lapis looked confused, far too distracted by the alarming situation to catch onto the joke, but she was able to understand the 'no' in that convoluted sentence so she obediently went to pick up the separated fusion gems and met back up with Peridot, who was now carrying Steven in her arms, at the entrance of the spherical ship transport.

She didn't try to escape, even though they were finally surrounded by water from the ocean. Jasper was too close to attempt something like that.

They heard the fight between Jasper and the remaining Crystal Gems continuing outside, and Peridot, at seeing Lapis' anxious state and occasional twitch at any violent blast that sounded outside, quickly closed the door to the ship transport in order to shut out any more triggering noises.

They walked side-by-side in tense silence, slowly making their way to the holding cell chambers they had both by now become intimately familiar with.

"So after this, you'll shatter me," Lapis bluntly stated impassively after she had finally composed herself.

"I won't," Peridot enunciated simply. "Jasper reserves that right. It's kind of what she's made for, you see."

"Right. And you don't ever step out of line," Lapis muttered with a wry smile.

Peridot wasn't sure if that was a jab at her, considering it was said in such a dry tone. Was she being sarcastic? "I don't need to 'step out of line.' If another gem is superior than me at efficiently executing a task, then that job should be left up to the gem that does it best, should it not? If I tried to shatter a gem, I probably wouldn't hit hard enough, and only leave it cracked, not fully finishing the job. Jasper can get it in one go."

Lapis hummed in acknowledgment.

There was more silence as they continued past more access doors.

"Steven was the one that broke me out of the mirror," Lapis shared in a moment of vulnerability.

"I figured," said Peridot knowingly. No one was more informed than her.

"He also was the one to heal my cracked gem. I was able to fly again thanks to him," Lapis said, looking ahead of her, seemingly engaged in a flashback.

"Oh. Huh. Well. I... hadn't figured that," Peridot finished lamely. She didn't even know Lapis' gem had been cracked at some point in the past. So, she didn't know it all.

"The Crystal Gems found my mirror on the warp pad and knew that I was trapped inside but deliberately chose not to release me," Lapis related the story with a bitter tint to her voice, fists clenching and unclenching, squeezing the Ruby and Sapphire gems. "That cost me another thousand years of entrapment."

"Eegh..." Peridot merely made a weird low noise, slightly shrinking into her limb enhancers, not entirely sure what to say in response to that.

"Yeah, my feelings exactly," Lapis said with a harsh, curt chuckle.

Okay, somehow, it was the right thing to say (or, rather, right noise to make).

"Steven... he didn't allow the Crystal Gems to put me away again and he didn't hesitate to break me free from the mirror when I told him what he needed to do to let me out," Lapis softly said with a small smile, recalling the momentous event. She fondly looked down at the boy passed out limply in Peridot's arms.

"That's... " Peridot paused to sift through her extensive vocabulary in order to find an appropriate word to describe the momentous event that brought Lapis so much elation. "... Nice."

"Steven really is. Nice, that is," Lapis shared pensively. "He's the only lifeform that's shown me any amount of kindness in... so, so long. Sometimes I still wonder if it's genuine, because I've never met anyone like him before and it all seems so... surreal. He made me feel like there's a future ahead of me." Lapis turned to stare bleakly at Peridot, who uncomfortably glanced back. "You made me think so, too, but now I know that you and Jasper had another thing planned all along."

Peridot opened her mouth to once again point out how many chances she had offered Lapis, but the blue gem cut in before she could even begin. "I've come to terms with it, though. Maybe once I'm shattered, I'll be able to find the peace I've been seeking ... and rest in pieces." She weakly chuckled to herself humorlessly.

Peridot was comically sweating nervously. How dark.

Peridot cleared her throat conspicuously. "So, uh, why tell me all this now?"

"What's the point in taking secrets to the grave?" Lapis sighed, exhausted. "And... I guess I just wanted you to understand why I did what I did back at the navigation room. I owe Steven my life. Sending him a warning of our impending arrival was the least I could do to repay his kindness, seeing how I gave away his location and all... Ugh, I'm seriously awful."

"Why do you care that I know your reasons? Don't you... hate me?" Peridot whispered out, surprisingly concerned about the answer.

"I hate everyone—except maybe Steven—it's not personal," deadpanned Lapis, staring blankly straight ahead. "Although I am partial in anger to you considering you lied to me."

"Oh, well, that's... understandable," Peridot finally said with a shrug. "You lied to me, too."

"To protect Steven," Lapis reminded.

"What's so special about this Steven that the Crystal Gems, including apathetic gems like yourself, seem to risk so much for him?" Peridot asked, irked at her gap in comprehension.

"Neither of us will get to find out now," Lapis said with an accepting, self-deprecating smile.

"That is an accurate assessment," Peridot said loftily, nodding in confirmation.

They stopped walking. "We're here."

Lapis' cell.

Peridot pressed a button to turn off the yellow force field in order to allow her entrance to her cell. "In you go, Lazuli. Hand me the gems first."

Lapis transferred the gems over to Peridot and resignedly walked into her cell, taking a seat leaning against the wall and placing her elbows on her knees.

Peridot turned the force field back on again.

"Peridot, just so you know," Lapis began quietly, intensely, eyeing Peridot with dead eyes. "I hope I never have to see your face again for as long as I live."

Peridot felt her stomach lightly bottom out uncomfortably at the eerie stare. "Considering that's not very long... I'd say that won't be a problem."

Lapis didn't respond, just stoically stared at the wall to her side.

"Goodbye, Lazuli," Peridot said in closing, polite to the bitter end.

The Lapis Lazuli didn't respond, but as Peridot left, she swore she saw her face crumple in anguish and despair before burying itself in her dress.

—-

Several Months Later...

"It's funny, for all the time I spent on Earth, I barely saw any of it," Lapis murmured contemplatively as she held an autumn leaf in her hand and gazed starry-eyed at the blue-green-orange hued late afternoon sky.

Steven furrowed his brow in sympathetic sorrow. "That's not funny; it's super sad."

"I... I want to see it," Lapis said determinedly.

"Yeah?" Steven prompted hopefully.

"I want to stay here," Lapis said with a shyly small, resolute smile.

"Here? As in, here here!?" Steven asked Lapis excitedly.

"That's right, here here!" Lapis confirmed happily with a big grin.

"Yes! Here here, everybody!" Peridot, who to Lapis seemed to materialize in ominous slow motion out of her worst nightmares and into real life, cheered just as joyfully, eager to join in. "What are we talking about?"

"YOU!?" Lapis screeched out in displeased astonishment.

"Lazuli, nice to see you up and about!" Peridot genially greeted, looking very casual.

"What are you doing here!?" Lapis demanded contemptuously, grimacing at the sight of the green gem.

"This is my new home away from Homeworld!" Peridot explained enthusiastically, arms out to indicate the barn.

"No, it's not! It's mine! Right, Steven?" Lapis questioned agitatedly, looking pleadingly at her human friend.

"Uuuhhh... oh, boy," Steven muttered out, flustered.

"It's nothing short of miraculous that we've managed to meet again!" Peridot picked up happily. "How's life been treating you? I've noticed you're alive! And not Malachite anymore! Or trapped under the ocean, for that matter! Wow! I have SO. MANY. QUESTIONS!"

"Oh, no, we're not doing that again!" Lapis ground out exasperatedly, and abruptly turned and strode in direction of the barn.

Peridot mutely watched her go, blinking and scratching her chin in confusion.

"It's the missing limb enhancers, isn't it?" Peridot guessed with the worst intuition. "My compact look tends to shock people the first time, but they come around."

Steven laughed nervously. "I sure hope you two can look beyond any past transgressions and learn to be friends."

"Oh, I'm sure we'll get along swimmingly. He he he, did you sea what I did there, Steven? I'm so funny!" Peridot chuckled to herself mirthfully. "Oh! Lazuli's got to hear this one! I'm sure she'll appreciate the water puns! Lapis Lazulis love the water! I bet you she'll bubble up with laughter at my hilarious wit! She won't even be able to rain it in!" She sniggered once again. "Lazuli! HEY, LAZULI, WAIT UP! Listen to this!"

---

I was always interested in speculating how Peridot and Lapis might've met for the first time, since we never saw that happen onscreen, so I thought I'd write a one-shot about that. Hope y'all enjoyed it!

I am "0mniessence" on tumblr if you guys care to follow! I mainly just write fanfiction for my OTP's and reblog lots of fanart because I'm not talented or patient enough to draw things myself ha ha!

Also, if you enjoy my fanfiction, please consider donating a bit to a starving artist and college student (double the starving :'D)!

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Or at the very least please comment and let me know if you liked the fic, what could be improved, etc! As a writer, I really appreciate the feedback, it motivates me to write more so please give some feedback and let me know you guys exist so I can write more for you knowing there are people out there that are reading this!

I'm also in the process of writing another Lapidot one-shot so keep an eye out for that one! It will also take place in the CANON universe