Aliens With Trapper Hats
Earth was the most despised planet among all the aliens. It seemed that this random hunk of rock was cursed- bringing bad luck to anyone who would get close to the thing. Despite its lush resources and prime location, the primitive ape-like creatures of this world always seemed to triumph one way or another. Anyone who dared to get into the vicinity of the place, either transformed into a brainwashed freak who would spew out nonsense about the "wonderful" planet, or simply not return at all. All had tried, none had succeeded.
"Perhaps this was the reason for the convention?" the Ruby thought to herself.
The small sentient rock was having to sprint to keep up with her leader- Yellow Diamond. The tall Gem had a very solemn, and regal look about her. She had also brought her Yellow Pearl as well. The secretary was currently walking on the opposite side of the large monarch. She had a pen and paper, and was madly jotting down notes and dictation as she was asked to do so. Any time spent away from her clipboard was normally followed by a spiteful, and somewhat-hateful glance toward the Ruby on the opposite side of her mistress.
Why the stars they had chosen a small, insignificant Ruby over a Quartz solder was anybody's guess. Rubies weren't exactly known for their height, but rather their flaming temper, and lack of (to put it bluntly) intelligence. This Ruby, however, had a slightly higher IQ than her sisters. Someone once told her it had something to do with the placement of her gem - smack dab in the middle of her forehead. The red alien was dwarfed in size when compared to her Diamond. A measly 4 feet to her 20.
As the poor thing huffed along to keep up, she took a brief second to gawk at the strange array of creatures that seemed to be slowly trudging toward the same destination. She couldn't recall all of their names- with the exception of a few species. Irkens…what were THEY doing here?
Much like the Gems, the Irkens seemed to partially base their hierarchy on height. UNLIKE the Gems, their ENTIRE hierarchy was based on height. Sure, Diamonds were tall, but others could become taller if they fused together. Both the Ruby and Yellow Pearl scoffed at the two tall green leaders that shifted by. The Irkens really didn't seem that interested in the planet in the first place. Some species even held rumors that the creatures denied Earth's mere existence. This thought made Ruby upset, considering how many species had fallen beneath the planet's skies.
A pair of mice ran past the little Ruby's feet, and gave her a warning stare, as she nearly trudged on top of them. In a quick movement, she shuffled her feet to the side. The gem stared at the rodents with fear before the two nodded in hurry, and gave quick chase. The gem sighed in relief. They may have been smaller then her, but the two mice were important, and deserved upmost respect. They were the brain child of the construction of the planet in question after all. It would defiantly look like an act of treason if an invasive gem stepped on one of the two. Considering the species here were at a truce, it would certainly violate the peace code.
Some Incubators jaunted by. While adorable, their vacant stare made the poor Ruby shiver. Gems lived off of soil. Incubators lived off of souls. They would probably defend the safety of the planet during the meeting- but only in order to feed.
It was strange just how many creatures wanted this place- wanted to save it, wanted to destroy it, wanted to preserve it, wanted to consume it. How just one measly planet could cause the epicenter of so much strife one could only guess.
The main reason this place had recently become such a hot point of interest was because of the type of company it kept. It held several nearly-extinct species…including a Krypton and a Time Lord. It also had a LOT of intergalactic criminals on it- such as Rick Sanchez, The Crystal Gems, and that awful array of bounty hunters.
Humans in general, were thought of as a nuisance. Some found the species "adorably primitive", while others found the pests just plain annoying. The creatures were quite stubborn, and not terribly well behaved. A majority of them were egotistical, and had little interest in negotiations. The Humans were evolving at a significant rate, however. During the last few decades, they had already accomplished space travel. At this rate, the small planet would not be up for discussion, but rather, become part of this group of interstellar travelers. Despite the most peaceful alien's intentions, no one was quite sure if they wanted such a violent species to become a part of the Galactic Council.
The fact was, alien life was becoming so prevalent on Earth, that the primitive natives had to create their own branch of government- The MIB just to keep track of everyone.
Ruby thought that this entire scenario could have been easily avoided if the Gems were just allowed to destroy the planet in the first place. The small red being began to mumble obscenities under her breath. She quieted when the leader and corresponding Pearl both gave her a warning stare that would probably result in a shattering if she didn't shut her yap. The small Ruby clamped her mouth closed quickly. Yellow Diamond, satisfied, glanced away, and began to talk rhetorically to neither subject in particular.
"Look at this sad array. Do these puny creatures REALLY think they can debate against me?"
"Certainly not my Diamond! They are all lower then us! So much more…fragile." The Yellow Pearl was quite complacent. The servant normally agreed, and repeated everything her mistress said on a dime- much like an annoyingly tall parrot.
"What say you, Ruby?" The Diamond stared at the Gem opposite her Pearl. Ruby gulped in intimidation.
"Erm…well. There's a lot of creatures here…" Yellow Diamond's eye's narrowed. Ruby responded quickly with a quip: "-BUT CERTAINLY NONE AS BEAUTIFUL AS YOU MY DIAMOND!"
The loud, fearful response echoed through the galactic hall, gaining the attention of several species. The leader smirked with satisfaction at the extra attention before continuing her journey toward the debate hall. She continued her conversation: "Do you know why I choose to bring you Ruby?"
"Stars, I have no clue!" The small gem quickly clamped her hands over her mouth at the realization of the overly-casual tone in her conversation. The Diamond simply smirked in satisfaction at the red gem's fear before continuing: "Every leader here had to bring a soldier of their choice to make sure that peace is kept, but honestly, I don't want to be out shown by my own Quartzs'. They can be so…rambunctious sometimes."
"My Diamond?" Ruby didn't want to point out that most of her gem type were equally known for having a short fuse.
"-but you…you're one of the more intelligent Rubies- or so I've heard, which isn't saying much really." The leader sighed with dissatisfaction. The small red gem felt slightly insulted and quite embarrassed, but managed to keep her composure. The leader continued-
"Your just so…insignificant, so weak. Certainly people will see that I don't need a grand soldier just to protect myself. It demonstrates confidence. A mighty leader, being protected by a small pathetic thing, such as yourself."
At this, the Yellow Pearl glanced at the slightly mortified soldier, with a big, smug, stupid, grin on her face. Ruby's completion was flushed more red than usual. She glanced down at the floor, her confidence completely shattered, as she began to walk slower. She managed to choke out a:
"Yes, my Diamond. That's an excellent strategy."
…before continuing the now degrading journey toward the debate hall.
As the three approached the door, Yellow Diamond gave permission for her Pearl to enter first. Ruby began to follow the Pearl with blissful ignorance.
"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING?" The leader roared at the small red gem, whom quickly stopped in her tracks, and turned with a fearful, guilty look on her face.
"I only gave permission for my Pearl to enter first. NOT you! How dare you proceed your own Diamond through a court of law without permission!"
The Ruby shivered on the spot, slightly rattled from the situation- her feet began to create burn marks on the tile. "I'm sorry my Diamond! I wasn't thinking!"
The leader settled, but only slightly. "Of course you weren't. You're a Ruby. I'm still surprised you can form complete sentences with that pebble-sized brain in your head."
Ruby dropped her head in shame.
"I will talk to you about your actions, and come up with a decent punishment later. Right now, this debate requires my full attention- AND I DON'T WANT YOUR IDIOCRACY MUCKING IT UP!"
Ruby squinted in fear, the leader pointed toward the hall just outside of the debate room. "See there Ruby? All species have instructed their soldiers to stay in that hall during the debate. That is your job. All you have to do is STAND THERE. Do you think you can HANDLE THAT, or do I need to repeat myself three more times for you to comprehend?!"
"No my Diamond! I- I understand!" The Ruby gave the equivalent to a salute- a stand at attention, and a diamond shape in using her hands, before the massive leader rolled her eyes in annoyance and bowed through the (slightly shorter) door to enter the debate court.
Ruby stood stiff for a few seconds, and made sure her leader was out of eyesight. She finally relaxed and sighed slightly, when it was certain she was safe. The incredibly nervous gem trotted toward the soldier's hall which was flourishing with different species. They all stared at her with amusement, before the Ruby sat down next to them, and attempted to ignore their judging glances. She buried her head in her arms.
Perhaps her Diamond was right. Perhaps she was a worthless nothing- only created to make all others around her feel better about themselves. Why else would Homeworld create soldiers that were so small and pathetic? The only way a single Ruby could accomplish anything on the battlefield is if they fused together to make themselves taller and stronger. Perhaps, even…Rubies only existed in order to give the opposing soldiers targets at the front of enemy lines, so that the larger Gems could get through with less damage. That's all she was- a worthless piece of nothing. A tear began to form at these thoughts…which no one could see through her folded arms.
"Rough day?"
The sudden gruff voice, made the small Gem jump! She quickly wiped away the stray tear, and glanced up to see whom had made the strange comment.
It was a Keronian…. or more specifically- a Keronian infantry soldier…as indicated by the red color of his flesh (which had three specks under each eye), and the strange radioactive symbol on his brown trapper hat. He was also handling a very impressive-looking blaster which was strapped to his side with a belt.
The Ruby looked at the soldier with surprise, as the enemy extended his hand, offering to help the Gem on to her feet again. The slightly embarrassed rock took the gesture, and soon stood face to face with one of her Homeworld's enemies.
As the two glanced at each other, it suddenly occurred to the Ruby how similar they looked. Both were the same height, same color (red), both soldiers, and both had a head piece that looked oddly familiar. Ruby had her slightly reddish-brown hair, the Keronian had his brown head piece. If they were to be stared at from afar, one might mistake them for two aliens with trapper hats.
Ruby did not know much about Keron life except for the basics. The Babelfish that was required during these intergalactic meetings always seemed to lose some translation with the Keronians. The frog-like aliens always seemed to refer to "Earth" as "Pekopon". This rarely happened with species, but seemed to be a more common miscommunication among aliens with different names for things. She also knew that Keron had completely ulterior plans for the planet in question. Specifically- invasion based. Like the Irkens, they wanted to spread their empire as much as possible- but unlike their green counterparts, Keron did believe (and know) that Earth existed. There were also rumors that the Keronians had wanted to enslave humanity…not destroy it.
The Ruby tilted her head in confusion. "Why are you helping me? We're all enemies, remember?"
"Yes…but we're under truce."
That…was…true. No use being uncivil when there was a truce instated. They might be enemies, but (unlike humans), many aliens only followed orders of the higher ups. If there was no tension present, then certainly there was no reason to be hostile. Most of them were just pawns following orders- after all.
The two of them leaned against the wall of the hallway.
The frog nondescriptly began to speak with a bit of sarcasm in his voice.
"Does she treat all of her soldiers like that?"
"Excuse me?"
"That horribly ugly toad you call a leader?"
Ruby flushed with embarrassment, before looking in all directions just to make sure Yellow Diamond wasn't going to spring out of some unknown crevice somewhere unexpectedly. She turned back to the other soldier in a slight rage. "How dare you speak about one of our Diamonds like that?! Such disrespect for other cultures…it's a wonder our Gems can get along long enough with your kind to have a debate at all!"
The frog scoffed. Completely uninterested in the Gem's sudden mood change. He continued: "Your species…they want to destroy the place- yes?"
He was referring to the Earth of course. The Ruby paused before answering: "Of course! It would make Yellow Diamond so happy!"
"Why?"
"HM?"
"Why do you wish to destroy it? What will it accomplish? Have the Pekopons attacked you?"
The Gem thought for a second…no. There were no recollections of the humans ever attacking Homeworld. The Crystal Gems lived there…but they hadn't really bothered any other Gems except for a few mysteriously lost scouting ships that had been sent to the planet in the first place.…
The Ruby had her answer. "-Because! It will make Yellow Diamond happy!"
"Gama! Gama! Gama!" The frog laughed slightly with a strange repeated accent. "She has you tied around her finger, doesn't she? You don't even know what you're fighting for…do you?"
The Ruby stared in a rage. "I know enough! If my Diamond is happy, then I'm happy too! If my Diamond is happy then I won't be-"
The Ruby stopped mid-sentence, and suddenly had a very traumatic flashback. They would always display executions around the planet as a force of power. She could see them…hear them. The sound of groveling, the sound of hopeful forgiveness…before the shattering. Stabbed, tortured, forced to retreat into their gems- and finally stepped on- crushed by the corresponding Diamond they had angered.
The Ruby shivered unconsciously, her eyes darting wildly in all directions, as horrendous nightmares flooded her psych.
The frog snapped his fingers repeatedly, attempting to get the red Gem's attention. "Hey! Hey there! You all right?"
The Ruby gulped, and shook herself, before returning to the present. "Yes! It is good when the Diamond Authority is happy!" She concluded with a nod.
The fellow soldier showed concern. "You just zoned out there for a second. What has you so riled up? You're the most nervous, jumpy soldier I've ever seen…."
"Oh and you're one to talk! Your species invades planets too!"
"Yes, but at least our leader doesn't treat us like worthless garbage! We get punished for going against orders, but according to the expression you just fed me, you Gems go through a lot worse…."
Ruby glared at her fellow soldier with a look that could probably kill. She didn't have time for this. The small red Gem had to figure out some way to get out of the the punishment she had been promised. Other Gems had been tortured for less.
She stood in silence while her mind wandered- a very dangerous thing to to attempt for such an oppressed creature.
Inside, the various leaders took their seats in preparation for the meeting in the gigantic hall. The wall was covered in a seemingly infinite amount of balconies. There were two chairs on each balcony…in case any particular planet was ruled by multiple leaders. Unfortunately, Yellow Diamond's size required both chairs…leaving her Yellow Pearl to stand at the side.
This was nothing new to the Pearl. She usually stood at attention anyway- sometimes for weeks without rest. It certainly helped that Gems didn't need food or sleep…it also didn't hurt that she had been doing this for several millennia. Yes, she was quite used to this sort of thing.
She stood silent, and obedient, as her leader began making rhetorical remarks again.
"Just look at those Klingons! Such ugly brutes! Now THERE'S a forehead nobody could love in a billion rotations."
"Yes, my Diamond."
"..and look there Pearl! Decapodians! How can they even speak with those horrid appendages all over their faces!"
"Not very well, I'm sure my Diamond. You are the best at linguistics!"
The leader sighed. "Of course I am. You are such an obedient Pearl…always speaking the truth."
"Of course my Diamond. Anything else I can assist you with?"
"Yes. I would like you to dictate the parts of this debate that seem significant to our cause."
The obedient servant nodded in compliance, and proceeded to materialize her pen and clipboard again from the inside of her gem.
"Make sure to pay extra attention to any leader that questions my methods. Those will be the ones we most likely have to…DEAL with once this idiotic truce is lifted."
"Yes my Diamond. As you wish my Diamond."
The Pearl immediately glanced around the balconies, and began to take notes on any species that was looking at Yellow Diamond funny- which was just about everyone considering the size difference was so noticeable and impossible to ignore.
When the room had settled slightly- there was the hammering of a gavel which quickly erased any leftover chatter that filled the room. Yellow Pearl could hear the moderator, but was having difficulty seeing where the sound was coming from. The place was so tall and crowded at this point, it could be coming from anywhere. This was- of course, a safety precaution. The room was shaped like a 50-story tube, and the moderator was never placed in a directly obvious place. This would help dissuade anyone who wanted to start trouble in the hall.
"ORDER! ORDER!" The mysterious voice boomed.
The room grew incredibly silent with an eerie stealth.
"NOW! We all know why we're here…"
A cough was heard in the briskness of the silent forest.
The moderator made the obvious clear. "We are here to decide the fate of a very troublesome planet."
A holographic projection of the Earth appeared in the middle of the room to the sound of surprised gasps.
Pearl rolled her eyes. She could project such things from her gem on a dime. The fact that there were SO MANY creatures that found this simple trick fascinating, showed the sheer amount of intelligence that the galaxy had to offer.
The moderator continued: "This…EARTH…and its fate, are now open on the floor for discussions."
Immediately, there was an uproar from every direction! The sound shocked the poor servant, as she attempted to try to jot down anything she could hear that was significant.
"It will never be found, if we BURN IT TO THE GROUND!" Overlord Glee shouted in the most adorable voice Yellow Pearl had ever heard. Gigglepies may have been cute, but their invasive nature was fairly transparent here.
"The Earth requires no assistance. All mater will eventually cease to exist." There went the Tralfamadorians again. Clearly not giving two shakes of a lam's tail in their attitude for execution of the matter at hand. The species reminded Yellow Pearl of the Sapphires- the future-tellers of Homeworld. Very quiet, and a total buzz-kill to any excitement that was present at any given situation.
"It seems that no one has considered leaving the planet as is? It's just soo….warm there. Plus, we have the humans eating right out of our…hmph…paws?" The talking cat- a Thubanian, piped up with a grand rebuttal.
"For once we agree with the Thubanians!" Shouted one of the mice Pearl had seen earlier. "We are the brains behind this project! May I remind you, that the planet exists to ask the ultimate question!"
"YES! YES! The ultimate question!" The other mouse agreed in unison.
"LET'S SMASH IT!" The servant heard a shout come from an unseen place, which resulted in all species leading to an uproar of din again.
Yellow Pearl glanced at the Irken's Tallest. They sat peacefully, and said nothing while enjoying the show with some sort of frozen drink. "Typical. They just came here to watch the fireworks" mumbled the servant in annoyance.
"ORDER! ORDER!" The moderator banged her gavel. The room hushed again. "NOW! We are going to do this diligently, and orderly! Each species with concerns will have their turn, and will be followed by a vote. We will go in alphabetical order by title! IS THAT CLEAR?!"
No one seemed to have any objections to this. After all, they were intelligent beings, not just a pack of mindless wild animals. The different species nodded in agreement at the compromise.
"GOOD! Now we'll start with…"
Ruby began to pace back in forth in the soldier's hall. She was chewing on the tips of her fingers- a bad habit she had picked up when nervous.
The frog watched with casual interest as the trail of heated scorch marks and ash on the floor grew ever so slightly bigger with each pass.
"(STARS….What is she going to do to me when she gets out of there….what if her idea gets voted down? She's going to take it out on me…that's what she'll do….I'll be shattered for sure….)"
"Your mumbling to yourself." The frog piped up.
The red Gem's expression evolved from fear to annoyance. She stopped her pacing just long enough to glare at the Keronian, before deciding to ignore him, and continue her thought process.
"(Maybe if I slowly opened the door, and watched the debate, I'll have a better idea of what's going on…I'll have time to prepare…I really don't want to be shattered…maybe she'll just poof my physical form?)"
A sudden unison muffled shout of "NAY." Echoed from inside the debate hall on the other side of the wall. All the soldiers looked up in interest, before resuming their various boredom-induced activities.
"OH NO! THEY'RE ALREADY VOTING?!" The Ruby grabbed her hair in her hands, and tugged at it slightly, clearly stressed.
"Of course they are! There's nothing else on the ballet today…didn't you read the schedule?" The Keronian nodded toward the sign that was standing about ten feet away from them.
The red Gem's eyes became wide with fright as she read the sign. Sure enough, the discussion about Earth's fate was the only thing listed.
"I…..I…I GOTTA GO!" The Ruby quickly jaunted toward the door her leader had entered through. The frog rolled his eyes.
"Such a jumpy little rock…wonder why she's so scared?" The Keronian had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something was very off about that soldier…she was acting way too irrationally.
Ruby was very careful to only open the door a crack…just enough to see and hear what was going on. She could make out the back of Yellow Diamond's Pearl, as well as a fraction of Yellow Diamond herself. If she knew her leader as well as she thought she did, the woman would not empathize with the other species in the room. She would probably make lewd comments, and ramble to her Pearl like she always did until her turn was up.
A species the Gems had never seen before proposed that the cameras on Earth provided one of their best-rated TV shows, and thus, the planet should be left alone (until the series was cancelled), Yellow Diamond grimaced in boredom.
"Seriously? This is a planet, not a form of entertainment. That useless rock has caused me more trouble than it's worth."
"My Diamond?" The Pearl naturally would inquire the leader to expand on her comments- it seemed to make her happy.
"Hmm." The leader looked almost bored to tears as she waited impatiently for her turn. She changed the subject in an attempt to entertain herself. "What should we do about that insolent Ruby?"
The small Gem that was listening behind the door perked up. She could care less about the fate of the planet in question, but HER fate….that was a different matter altogether.
In a voice that seemed in almost a drone, the Diamond sighed, and simply stated: "I was thinking about shattering her. It will give me something amusing to look forward to once we get back to Homeworld."
If Gems had hearts, the Ruby would have felt like hers had just fallen onto the floor. Her leader was talking about death- HER death- with about the same amusement of someone discussing the weather.
The Pearl complied as she always did- "Yes my Diamond. That sounds like a wonderful time!"
Thrown under the bolder! Set aside like a mere plaything! That Pearl was saving her own hide but guaranteeing the death of another!
Ruby felt sick.
"NAY." The various aliens voted down the species' idea.
The small Gem slowly closed the door to contemplate her fate, as the moderator announced that it was the Gem's turn to state their case.
Yellow Diamond rose to her full intimidating 20-foot height. The small Pearl next to her immediately began madly writing her leader's words as she spoke with elegance and grace.
"As many of you know, Earth was going to be my sister- Pink's Diamond's first colony." The leader glazed over the lesser beings with a since of disgust as she surveyed the room. "…however, she was destroyed by those retched traitors to my Homeworld- the CRYSTAL GEMS." She emphasized the last part with pure hatred, before continuing: "Every time I look at that planet- all I can think about is the death of my sister. I've also noted that a majority of you dislike the rock- and all the life that lives there as well. This is why I purpose, we destroy that horrendous eyesore off of our maps, and end this ridiculous feud- PERMANENTLY." The leader gave an intimidating gaze around the room. For a beat- no one said anything.
….and then the mice spoke:
"What about the ultimate question?"
"Yes! Yes! The ultimate question!"
They liked repeating themselves- clearly. This comment led to another uproar- none of which was most pleasant:
"Why should we listen to YOU?! You kill your own people as much as you kill everyone else's!"
"We should never trust HER! She's so incredibly RUDE!"
"That Yellow Diamond is an eye sore! She's already killed 3 of our colonies- just to expand her own military, and ends up shattering her own army anyway!"
"So wasteful!"
"She made fun of my forehead- I heard her!"
"ORDER! ORDER!" The moderator banged her hammer on the unseen podium again.
The Pearl was watching her leader in fear, as Yellow Diamond's face contorted into a murderous rage toward the blatant comments that had been spread around the room.
Yellow Pearl had the sudden urge to run and hide somewhere. She had seen this behavior before- which would probably result in more than just a simple pathetic Ruby being shattered. The last time the leader had gotten this upset, there had been a rampage through the corridors of Homeworld- about 25 Gems had lost their lives- all because one Amber had accidently fallen on the floor from exhaustion during one of the Diamond's long-winded speeches.
"All those in favor?"
"NAY."
The answer among the other species was so quick and immediate, it was somewhat insulting.
The Diamond gritted her teeth as she sat down. Her fingers tapped impatiently on her leg. Pearl could tell that there was an unspoken rage boiling inside of her. This is why she was always so compliant. Even the slightest urge of defiance would result in a temper that could probably destroy anything in an immediate radius- including Pearl herself.
The small slave gulped, as she noted that tiny bits of electricity were being discharged from her leader's fingertips.
The frog noted that upon re-arrival, the rock seemed to be having some sort of life crisis. If he thought she seemed nervous before- then she was on fire now- literally. She was steaming and a slight flame had ignited on the top of her hair.
The Keronian thought he should say something- until he noted that the entire Gem (including the hair) seemed quite fire-retardant.
"WHAT AM I GONNA DO?! SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING TO SHATTER ME! SHALE! WHAT SHOULD I DO?! WHAT SHOULD I DO?!" The Ruby began to pace again, much quicker this time. She gasped, before shouting "I DON'T WANT TO BECOME A GEO-WEAPON! I DON'T WANT TO BE HARVESTED! I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO SEE ALL OF HOMEWORLD YET!"
"A geo-weapon? What was she talking about?" The Keronian wondered silently to himself. He wasn't quite sure what was going on, but anything involving the Gems, and the word "weapon" was never a good sign. He had learned this through years of war observation.
He decided to try to calm the soldier down- she was getting hysterical.
"Hey! No one is going to "shatter" you! Not while I'm around anyway. Calm yourself soldier. Who knows? Maybe they agreed on your leader's proposal!"
The Gem paused and looked at the Keronian with a tinge of both sadness and hope.
"You really think so?"
"Yeah! Sure kid! Just watch! I bet she'll be so happy coming out of there, she'll forget about the erm…"punishment" she promised you and such!" The Keronian lied. He lied so hard. There was no way they were going to approve a plan that ultimately destroyed a planet full of precious recourses. If what this Gem said was true, however, the least he could do was settle her down before her initial "shattering"…whatever that was…"
The Ruby took a deep breath, and calmed herself slightly. The steam disappeared, and the small flame in her hair slowly dissipated.
"You know what? You're right! Yellow Diamond is so great and amazing, that they will HAVE to take her proposal seriously! I bet they add some compliments about her beauty too!"
The Gem sat next to the Keronian, and smiled up at her new friend. The frog felt a surge of guilt go through his veins. He wasn't stupid- he had heard what people had said about the Diamond on the journey over here. Almost everyone agreed, that even for a manipulative leader, she was especially cruel, rude- and certainly not "beautiful". He had heard another "B" word tossed around, but knew not to tell the Ruby such insults- she seemed so happy and blissful now.
He couldn't tell if she had been brainwashed, or was just incredibly stupid.
Never-less, it felt good to bring some peace to a fellow soldier- even one that wasn't his own. He had done his good deed for the day, and sat next to the Ruby, forcing a smile that he hoped seemed genuine. She smiled back.
The two minds wandered as they began to swap humorous war stories. All seemed calm for the time being.
….and then the meeting ended.
As the various alien leaders piled out of the massive room, all of the soldiers broke their conversations, and immediately stood at attention. The Keronian saluted. The Gem seemed a bit nervous, but puffed out her chest in pride and gave a diamond symbol as she waited for her happy leader to return and give her the good news.
The frog glanced at her quickly, and began to brace himself. He wasn't sure how this day was going to end, but he had a feeling he was about to see something very unpleasant.
As the crowd grew, the Ruby noticed something…particular. None of the alien leaders were smiling- not one (with the exception of the Irkens who were going on about how "marvelous of a show" they had just seen).
The Ruby overheard one of the tall aliens state plainly "I LOVE politics!" before they retrieved their soldier, and turned the corner out of sight.
The Keronian noted that the room was starting to get warmer. As he stood next to his new soldier friend, he saw that she was making a nervous groaning sound, as if beginning to suspect something. The frog took a discreet step away from the Ruby in hopes of not drying himself out. Keronians had to stay hydrated, and he couldn't afford passing out in the middle of all these important people.
Finally, there were the familiar sounds of Yellow Diamond's thundering steps. The Ruby- still clinging on to a smidge of hope gave the proudest look she could muster.
That hope soon faded.
As the leader's came into view, the small Ruby's face transformed from pride to instant terror. She had never seen her leader this angry-looking before. Yellow Diamond's face was contorting into a scowl that the soldier didn't even think possible.
The small rock broke her stance slowly. She took a step back in fear as the leader came closer. It was obvious that her flight and fright response was going into full meltdown mode. The temperature of the area rose significantly. The Keronian squinted- trying not to seem too obviously fatigued by the situation.
"RUBY!" The leader approached with a thundering voice. The shock made the small Gem fall over in a moment of terror. She quickly got up again.
"Yes my Diamond?!"
"Come here! We are going home! I will further discuss your punishment when we arrive!"
If there was any pigment left in the Ruby's face, it instantly drained. She quickly looked toward her new Keronian friend, whom seemed to be in a slight state of shock himself. She looked at the leader frozen in terror.
"DID YOU HEAR ME? I SAID COME HERE!"
The soldier did not do as she was told. She continued to stand in a state of panic.
"I'll take care of it my Diamond." The Yellow Pearl saw an opportunity to impress her leader, and (perhaps) avoid punishment herself. She stepped toward the soldier, and bent down to the Ruby's level.
"Perhaps you didn't understand? Your Diamond is commanding you t-"
"RAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
What happened next was such a shock, that it immediately gained the attention of the entire room.
The Ruby screamed- snapped. She quickly grabbed Yellow Pearl's arm. The servant let out a surprised yelp, and proceeded to fall to the ground in a painful lock the Ruby had learned during her soldier training.
The Keronian broke his stance quickly, and stood back surveying the entire fiasco. He glanced at the Diamond who had a mixed look or rage and amusement on her face.
"Keep away! Or….I'll…I'll shatter her! I'll do it!" The Ruby made threats as a fireball formed in one of her hands- very uncomfortably close to the Pearl's face.
"My Diamond! HELP! SAVE ME! I'm a good Pearl, your FAVORITE Pearl….remember?"
The leader looked at her two subordinates, before displaying an amused smirk. "Sooo…you're going to shatter my Pearl assistant Ruby?"
"Yes! Yes! Unless you leave me alone!"
"Hmmm….let me help you with your task at hand. I think it will be easier for you this way!"
The Yellow Pearl gave a fearful "My Diamond?!"…before the leader pointed one of her fingers at the Pearl casually.
In a split instant, a shock of electricity surged from the leader's fingertips. The poor Pearl took the blunt of the attack, and screamed with agony as she could feel electrical shocks coursing through her entire body. In a whiff of dust, her physical formed poofed, the Pearl's gemstone clattered to the floor.
"There. Now all you have to do is smash her. Let's see if you have the brazen to do it- you pathetic soldier…"
The Ruby looked at the gemstone with fear. She bent over, and picked the pearl up. She proceeded to look at her leader with sad eyes.
"Well? Go ahead then. I'm waiting…"
The frog looked toward the scene with unfiltered terror. He didn't know half of the stuff that was going on, but he felt like he was getting a crash course in Homeworld lifestyle and politics- and he didn't like what he was seeing one bit.
The Ruby cradled the gemstone and held it close to herself like a precious egg. The Pearl may have been a jerk, and thrown her under the bolder- but she didn't deserve to be shattered…not by a long shot.
For a moment, nothing happened. The leader's eyes narrowed. "You are trying my patience, Ruby." The small Gem noticed that there was another electric shock stabilizing in one of the Diamond's hands. In a quick state of panic, the Ruby looked around for anything she could use to save herself.
She spotted the Keronian.
The frog looked in fear, as the Ruby grabbed his arm. He yelped slightly, as her hand gave him unintentional third degree burns.
"See this?!" she held up the frog for every witness to gaze at. The poor creature struggling in the Gem's mighty, scorching, grasp.
"If you attack this Keronian, it will be a declaration of war!"
The frog knew that his fellow soldier was desperate, but he didn't appreciate being used as a living shield. He continued to struggle to break free.
The leader narrowed her eyes in annoyance, before giving the last thing the frog thought he would ever hear come from her mouth.
"Good. I LOVE war. Another bunch of planets for us to conquer…in exchange for a pebble, and some slimy thing? Seems like a reasonable trade to me."
Yellow Diamond lifted her hand toward the duo. The two soldiers stood in fear as the electrical charge became bigger and bigger. The other spectating aliens began to scatter away in terrified droves. The leader's eyes burned with passion at the thought of death…
The Keronian had a sudden realization.
"To HELL with THIS!" The frog used his free hand to unholster his blaster.
"POOOW!"
He pointed it at Yellow Diamond's charged hand, and proceeded to shoot a very painful-looking radioactive plasma ball toward the leader's elemental limb.
The leader screamed in rage as she held her hand in pain. The shot was only enough to scorch the limb in question- which surprised both soldiers.
Ruby let go of the frog in a state of shock. The poor creature briefly examining the accidental burns on his arm. He looked at the briefly distracted Diamond, and his gaze veered toward the stunned Ruby. Without thinking, he yanked at her collar to get her attention, before sprinting off in a hurry.
"RUN YOU FOOL! THIS COULD BE THE ONLY CHANCE YOU GOT!"
Ruby snapped out of the situation quickly, and made sure she had the poofed Pearl's gemstone in her hand, before running after her fellow soldier down the hallway of uncertainty.
OK…so…I haven't written a crossover in a while…I'm a bit rusty. Normally, when I write stuff like this I tend to go a bit overboard. I like the concept of mentioning different characters and species from multiple sources- but in a way that the audience can still enjoy the story without knowing every single little reference. That being said, I compiled a list! (because I'm a HUGE Science Fiction nerd that's why!)
*Gems- A species of sentient rocks (or, more specifically, gemstones) with an Oligarchy government. The "Diamonds" are the dictator-like leaders of this society. Pearls are kept as slaves, while Rubies are typically small foot-soldiers.
*Irkens – Irken is the name given the main invasive species from Invader Zim. They are typically green with black antenna, and large red bug-eyes. The species is slightly naive, and their government is solely based on height. Thus their leaders are referred to as "The Tallest", due to their stature in government.
*Incubators - (SPOILERS!) Incubators are a species of very-cute cat-like creatures with ears that feature long cloth-like appendages. They are all identical looking with a white plume, and a large fluffy tail. The most famous of these being Kyubey from Madoka Magica. They feed on the souls of other species giving their overly-cute appearance a very grim underside.
*Mice – (SPOILERS!) According to the series "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" – Earth's mice are actually a super-intelligent race that created and commissioned the planet as a type of "computer". The reason for Earth's creation? To find the QUESTION to the ultimate answer of the universe (that answer, being the number 42)
Kryptons – Being an alien race of super-powered flying beings, Krypton and all its people were (supposedly) destroyed long ago. Superman is the most famous one here on Earth.
*Time Lords – Another race thought to be long-extinct. Time Lords have the ability to manipulate time and space. The one referred to in this particular story is the beloved Dr. Who!
*Rick Sanchez – The famous intergalactic criminal and trouble-maker from the series Rick and Morty.
*MIB – Short for "Men In Black". A secret society on Earth that regulates alien populations and spats.
*Keronians – A species of invasive alien that wishes to conquer the Earth. Keronians are very "frog-like" in appearance. The typical species has a unique symbol that is mimicked on both their trapper hat, and stomach (much like that of a Care Bear). Despite their froggy appearance, the species walks on two legs, and normally overpower their foes through superb technology. They are typically quite short- but make up for it with their smarts and determination. They often travel and conquer in numbers- usually in sets of five.
*Gigglepies – About a foot tall, Gigglepies represent multi-colored rabbits with single antennas on their heads. They often use their adorable charm to conquer planets. They always speak in rhyme, and were first introduced on The Fairly Oddparents.
*Klingons – A warrior species in Star Trek, Klingons are probably most noticeable for their bizarre appearance. They are completely humanoid- with the exception of their foreheads which are normally covered in bumps.
*Decapodians – An aquatic-type species that are typically orange colored, and have crab-like claws for hands. They have tentacles that dangle over their mouth, and a hidden fin on their head that lifts when angered. Dr. Zoidberg from Futurama is a Decapodian.
*Tralfamadorians – Most prominently featured in Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse 5", Tralfamadorians live (and are able to see) in every timeline and era. They are described as looking like "upright toilet plungers with a hand on top that holds a single green eye". They also (apparently) have a very impressive zoo on their planet- humans included.
*Thubanians – Essentially talking cats. They enjoy Earth due to its satisfactory weather (of which they wish to take for themselves). Another species that manipulates using their adorable looks- Thubanians are very self-centered. Featured in the cartoon Futurama.
Two special thank you notes! - one to my good friend VonSmore who actually encouraged me to post this thing, and a thank you to CompletelyDifferent/Dragon Elexus for letting me borrow her made up curse word "Shale" for the dialogue in this story (Borrowed from Chapter 43 of Little Rebellions)
Go read their fics right now! They are both awesome writers! YUS!