Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team ~ Redux
By Feraligreater328
Chapter 2: The Counter-Lattice Insurgents
Lapis and Peridot's House-Barn...
Connie woke up with a yawn and a stretch, her back popping in several places. She carefully moved the still slumbering Pumpkin into a nearby chair and got up, walking into the kitchen. She smiled as she came upon Lapis and Peridot, both sitting at the table and chatting. "Morning guys."
Lapis politely waved. "Hey Connie. Sleep well?"
Connie nodded. "Yeah, actually. You guys have comfortable furniture."
Peridot grinned from ear-to-ear. "That's what happens when your house is full of successful writer money. Lapis's novels are selling tons of copies lately, so we're getting in a pretty big check every week."
Lapis rolled her eyes. "I'm just a writer, Peridot. I don't make nearly as much as you seem to think. Most of our money comes from the work you do."
Peridot waved off Lapis's praise. "Pfft. Puh-lease. I could literally do half of what I do in my sleep. My job isn't that special."
As the two of them play argued back and forth, Connie chuckled and went to make herself a cup of coffee. "You two are adorable."
Lapis and Peridot both blushed. The blue Gem shook her head and sighed. "We're just doing what we have to do to live happy lives. None of it is really all that impressive. It's not like either of us went to Earth college or anything like that..."
Connie chuckled. "Well...as much fun as I had and as proud that I am that I have my degree...I can't say I'd recommend it for what it seems to have cost me..."
Peridot frowned as Connie sat back at the table. "What do you mean?"
Connie took in a deep breath and sighed. "I let so many relationships fall by the wayside, guys. This right here is the first time I've seen any Gems in years. I wouldn't be surprised if Steven and the Crystal Gems have just forgotten about me..."
Peridot and Lapis both shot each other and aside glance. Connie whipped her head back and reached into her pocket, pulling out what appeared to be a crystalline rose. "Until I met up with Peri yesterday, this was basically my only connection to my old life..."
Connie sipped her coffee and her lower lip started to quiver. "I'm just so scared that Steven might have moved on and-"
Lapis sighed. "Dude. Shut up."
Connie looked up and saw look in Lapis's eye, the blue Gem looked just a bit annoyed. "Drop the defeatist crap, okay? Steven and the Gems haven't forgotten about you. Steven would never forget a friend. They're busy and you were busy, that's it."
Peridot nodded and chimed in. "Being a Diamond is hard work. Steven has been putting all of his time into making sure that Earth can hang with the other colonies and have representation on the council. Yellow and Blue might have given up wanting to destroy this place...but Steven's aunts are still all about business and profitability."
Lapis nodded. "He's working to make sure they don't feel the need to step in. From traveling basically everywhere the Diamond's ask him to, to having his Dad start up that business to cover up all Homeworld operations on the Earth...the poor guy has been stretched kind of thin for a while now..."
Connie sighed. "I see, so...I'm just being selfish right now..."
Peridot shook her head. "Not at all. I'm sure that Steven misses you just as much as you miss him. It's just a scheduling thing."
Connie lightly smiled. "You really think so?"
Lapis nodded. "We know so."
Connie glanced up at her two friends. Lapis and Peridot both had easy going smiles on their faces. She sighed. "Well, how can I argue with that...?"
Lapis shrugged. "You can't. All you can really do is relax. Stay here, go home, do whatever you have to do. We'll call you when Steven comes back."
Lapis winked and Peridot chuckled. "Yeah! Let's exchange phone numbers. We'll make sure to give you a call the moment the Hope Diamond touches down again!"
Connie smiled. "Thanks guys."
Quickly, Connie pulled out her phone and she and Peridot exchanged numbers. After a quick test text and downing her coffee, Connie got up. She said her goodbyes to Lapis and Peridot and decided that she was going to head home to visit with her Mom and Dad some more. Maybe talk about some job opportunities that she had been fielding.
Outside of the House-Barn...
Connie yawned as she walked up to her car, fumbling around in her pocket for her keys. She briefly stopped to wander if she was too tired to drive, but quickly decided that she was fine. She mumbled to herself as she unlocked her door. "Maybe I should ask Mom if her hospital has an opening...but do I really want her constantly breathing down mMMPH?!"
As she spoke, a delicate but strong hand wrapped itself around Connie's mouth, effectively silencing her. And then, before she could react, she felt a sharp point poke into her back. The voice was calm and elegant. "Be a good human and don't struggle. I'm going to ask that you please fold your hands behind your back so that they may be tied."
Whoever this was certainly wasn't in the mood to mince words. They were definitely out to kidnap her. Connie's gaze shifted to the barn. She subtly tried to move her lips under the iron grip of the hand on her mouth, but to no avail. She couldn't call Lapis and Peridot for help. Slowly, Connie obeyed, moving her hands down and towards her butt.
She thought to herself. "The rose...I need to get the rose..."
Connie slowly brought her hand down and then, once it was close enough, she shot it straight towards her pocket. However, it was quickly stopped by a much larger hand. This massive extremity wasted no time in gripping her wrist tight enough to make the bones creak. Connie let out a silent moan of pain as another voice spoke behind her. "This is ridiculous. Why don't we just break her arms and avoid all of this stupid escape bull?"
The more refined voice responded. "Hostages are worth more if they are in pristine condition. Plus, you heard the orders of the Seer. We take this one in good health lest we risk the full wrath of the Diamonds."
The gruffer of the duo snorted and pulled Connie's arm behind her back with a hard jerk. "I'm holding her. Grab her other hand and tie 'em up."
And she did just that, Connie couldn't fight as her hands were brought together and tied tightly with something thin and warm. She fruitlessly pulled at her hands and began to struggle. She wasn't just going to be taken like this.
The more delicate of the duo chuckled. "Now, we just have to seal her mouth and make our getaway."
"Right." The bigger one moved in front of Connie, giving the human a good look at her assailant. Whomever this was, they were big. At least as tall as Garnet. But, they were also really wide. Connie made note of her outfit, an all-black body suit with a large, black helmet. The only source of color on this wall of a person was a four-toned sigil on their chest: four diamonds, white and yellow and blue and pink, and all of them with cracks running through their centers.
Connie swallowed hard. These two were Gems. The one in front of her was definitely a Quartz. And they were taking her for some reason. Connie struggled even harder as the gag got closer to her face. She couldn't just let herself be taken like this.
The Quartz grunted. "Move your hand."
The other responded. "Do not allowed her to scream."
The Quartz sighed. "I wo-"
TINK
The Quartz stopped and bent down. She picked up the item that had bounced off her helmet and observed it. "What is this?"
"A spoon."
The Quartz and her partner both turned just in time for a hurricane of metal to smash into the both of them. The majority of the metal smashed into the Quartz, sending her flying back across the field. Her partner cried out. "AVENTURINE!"
The other Gem quickly turned and pulled a blaster from behind her, pointing it at the source of the attack: Peridot. Peridot stared her down without flinching. "You think you can just attack my friend in my front yard?!"
Connie quickly acted. The iron grip on her loosened, the human quickly performed a spinning kick that caught her captor on the cheek. Connie stumbled back, her hands still bound, but landed on one knee. Shaking, she stood up and glared at her attempted captor. The Gem, with her tea green skin, brown eyes, and straight, green hair, glared at Connie. She pointed her blaster at Connie. "On your knees!"
However, the blaster was quickly rendered moot as it began to rain icy needles from the sky. The Gem cried out in pain and stumbled back. Her partner called out. "JADE!"
Lapis descended from the sky, looking utterly furious. "Just to let you know, you two have made the biggest mistake of your lives."
Seeing her chance, Connie ran across the yard back over to Peridot. Quickly, Peridot summoned a kitchen knife and cut Connie's hands free. Connie grunted and rubbed her wrists. And then, she reached into her pocket and grabbed the rose, swinging it through the air and turning it into its true form: a newer version of Rose's Sword.
Lapis landed next to the two of them. "You okay?"
Connie nodded. "I'm angry, but I'm okay."
Jade shakily got back to her feet and ran over to Aventurine. The larger, green Quartz's helmet had also come off revealing a harsh face and a warlike mohawk. Aventurine pulled out a communicator and screamed into it. "Gaspeite! Amazonite! Get your facets over here! We have an issue."
Mere seconds later, a small ship appeared in the sky. It descended to the ground and opened up and Jade and Aventurine were quickly joined by two other Gems. A smaller, fatter Gem emerged first. Black lines ran down her green face as she sneered at Lapis, Peridot, and Connie. "These three are giving you two trouble, really? You're both embarrassments to Green Squadron! And even more so to the Counter-Lattice Insurgency!"
Lapis cocked her head. "Counter-Lattice Insurgency?"
And then, from within the ship, the three assailants were joined by a fourth. Towering over them like a mountain made corporeal was a truly large Amazonite. Her skin was a refreshing teal green and she had a simple look on her face. "Are these our new friends?"
Jade turned to Amazonite with a wicked sneer on her face. "Yes, Amazonite, they are! Now go and pick up the one with the sword!"
Jade, Aventurine, and Gaspeite all pulled blasters. "We'll take care of the other two!"
Amazonite lumbered forward and the other three trained their weapons on Lapis and Peridot. Lapis clenched her fists. "This is bad! We're outnumbered!"
Peridot was unfazed. "Doesn't matter. We're better than them."
Connie nodded. "I agree with Peri. Our biggest problem is that giant. We just need to find some way to handle her."
And then, as if on cue, something came rocketing down from the sky and collided with Amazonite. After the smoke cleared, it was more clearly visible. Peridot cocked her head. "Where did that ship come from?"
The top of the ship opened and something leapt from it, landing with a thud behind Lapis, Peridot, and Connie. They all turned and saw, to their shock, a large masked Gem wearing a badge from the Yellow Diamond police force.
Lapis narrowed her gaze. "Are you an ally?"
The bigger Gem remained silent but nodded. Together, the four of them turned and faced the Green Squadron once more. Jade sneered. "This one again?! Seriously?! I thought we lost her at Gamma Cluster!"
Gaspeite sneered. "It doesn't matter. Attack!"
Green Squadron charged towards Lapis and Peridot's barn and all four of the defending fighters took their positions. With a leap and a battle cry, Connie led the four of them in a charge against their assailants!
