Yay, another update! So I was thinking that with this two-chapter-a-week update plan, I do one on Tuesdays and the other on Thursdays. Hopefully, I can keep to it. Anywho, here's chapter three.

Right now, all I can claim are some of the OCs and the base of the plotline in this story. I have no claim to the epicly awesome show known as Steven Universe.

Happy Reading and I'll see you at the bottom.

Onyx paused once they were back at the campsite, still not sure what to make of Ruby's abrupt confrontation of Emerald in the gem mines. While it was uncalled for, it could also work to their advantage and scare someone to head out and warn whoever was leading this rebellion that they were around. If that happened, they could follow them to take down this rebellion before it went any further.

"I don't regret it." Ruby said, thinking that she was waiting for an apology.

"I didn't think you did. I'm just trying to keep what I know straight." Onyx replied, crossing her arms behind her back as she headed towards the main area of the camp, Ruby keeping up at a trot behind her. The soldiers they passed lowered their heads respectfully, but Onyx barely paid them any mind. Not too far from a blue tent, Zircon was standing with her back to them talking to a younger dravite gem.

"You didn't tell me you had a new recruit." Onyx stated once they reached where Zircon and the younger gem were talking. The dravite jumped slightly and snapped to attention once she saw who was talking to them.

"Recent as in two days ago." Zircon said, dismissing the dravite as she turned to face Onyx. From the corner of her eye, the black gem saw the dravite give a sharp salute before turning and leaving them be. "So, get anything?"

"Possibly. I think using the gem mines might be a solid lead to where and who this rebellion is under." Onyx replied with a nod to Ruby. "We'll need a couple of gems on lookout for any of the gems leaving those mines in a manner that would warrant suspicion. I doubt they'll actually meet in this area directly now that they know we're here, but it might be right under our gems."

"I'll have some gems on it." Ruby promised with a nod, thankfully getting the hint. Onyx watched as Ruby went over to where her small group was set up and beckoned to a few of her soldiers.

"I take it she got a bit more hot-headed than need be?" Zircon's voice broke into her thoughts and Onyx just shrugged.

"In the end, it more than likely helped our cause. If the rebellion leader wasn't in that group at the mines, whoever's a part of it will more than likely warn the leader and we'll have our case closed before another day goes by."

"And if the leader was in that group?"

"Then we keep with the mission and see if we can track down what's going on." Onyx replied smoothly. "Unless there's something else you'd like to tell me, Zircon."

"No…nothing at all." Zircon said, though Onyx was sure there was a bit of a flinch at the end. Casting her gaze up to the sky for a moment before Ruby finally came back, leaving a couple of gems to head out of the encampment.

"Quartz and Citrine will keep an eye on things and inform us if something comes up." Ruby supplied, drawing the High General's attention back to the younger gem.

"Very well. If you two want to go around and see about digging up something more. I need to fill in what we've got going so far to the Diamonds." Onyx said, holding back a sigh. Doing these types of missions always had one fact that she hated with a passion: the daily reports. At least if they were out on a real assignment, they could just report in every few days or if something came up.

Pulling out the communicator, Onyx headed for her tent a little ways off, not even bothering to dismiss Zircon and Ruby properly. Pushing aside the black canvas, she stepped inside, settling onto the pillow that Pink Diamond had given her years ago when she had been an average soldier. After a brief moment to gather her thoughts once more, she pressed the button that would connect her to the Diamond Authority.

"Hello, Onyx." She blinked in surprise at the voice that came through the speaker as well as the figure on screen. She had expected Yellow Diamond, or maybe even the slight chance of it being Blue Diamond…not the gentle Pink Diamond that smiled at her.

"Pink Diamond, I'm calling in to report." Onyx said stiffly, doing her best to remain collected.

"I see. Have you had any success so far?" The pink haired diamond tilted her head slightly as Onyx cleared her throat.

"Well, there are a couple of promising leads. We think there might be a connection to the gem mines and this rebellion."

"Hm…That would make sense. Those that are unhappiest would be more likely to rebel against the authority of others." Pink Diamond turned thoughtful for a moment before turning her attention back to the High General. "But what do you really think, Onyx?"

The black gem winced a bit and looked away from the screen. Having spent most of her soldier life under the gentle warrior had given Pink Diamond an edge when it came to reading her. That…and the three weeks outside of that when she became a first rank general and had to be re-educated by the other diamonds.

"Truthfully? I think this whole search is in the wrong place." Onyx admitted quietly, not sure who could be listening in from outside the tent. "Nothing here seems to hold any hints of a rebellion. There's no whispers, no fear…there's nothing to base anything off of. Even the gems working the mines don't seem to be any more violent-driven enough to spark such a thing."

"Let me ask you this then," Pink Diamond said lightly, drawing the other's attention back to her once more, "that last report you filed…was it really there that you based the facts on?"

Onyx looked away once more and closed her eyes. "There was a bit of a rebellion after I gave that report. Before I returned back, I took matters into my own hands and put a stop to it before it got any larger than the fifty in the report."

"Then why did you not mention that?" Pink Diamond asked gently, trying to coax some sort of answer from her.

"Honestly? I wish I knew an answer to that. I've been so restless as of late, so I figured that doing this would solve it." Onyx admitted after a long moment of silence. "All I've done is keep the generals around the camp from destroying gems before they get the chance to show their loyalty to the Diamond Authority."

"And yet most would see that as a weakness." The words weren't said in a cruel way, but the sting was there. The reputation Onyx held among the other gems was one of cold calculations and an unforgiving nature…but the few that worked directly with her soon found a whole new reason for it.

"That's why the other diamonds wanted me re-educated." Onyx reminded the pink gem grimly. "But it was the one thing I could never really change. I just learned how to block my emotions a lot better, is all."

"And now, you want to make sure you can protect the gems here." Pink Diamond pushed gently, a small smile on her face. "It's not wrong to care, Onyx."

"It is when it goes against a mission." The black gem growled as she put the communicator down and started pacing, arms crossing behind her back out of habit.

"Onyx," the gentle gem tried to reclaim her attention, but she was off in her own world again, her pacing agitated.

"I've already been re-educated once because of it. I know I have to put the missions first, that's the rule. I just wish that –."

"Onyx." Pink Diamond said it more firmly and it was enough to snap her out of her thoughts as the other gem stopped her pacing and turned back to look fully at the communicator. "You don't want others to feel the same thing that you did when you were in training, I get that. I understand why you want to do it." The gentle leader smiled slightly, "you should know that you don't have to hide that from me."

Onyx sighed and went over to sit back on the pillow. "I know, but I don't want to put you in another position like what happened fifty years ago. I know that was hard on you."

"Watching you be re-educated by my kin was hard, yes, but I was so thrilled to know that you had found a way through it, just like you did so many other times on the battlefield." Onyx let a small smile show at that and Pink Diamond's grin grew at that before falling serious once more.

"There's something I need to talk to you about. Why don't you call the others back here and we'll talk gem to gem."

While it was a bit strange, Onyx wasn't one to question the gentle leader. They both knew that there was no real rebellion left, the whole thing had been more of a ruse and follow up for her. With a nod, she relaxed on the pillow.

"I'll tell the others that we'll set out at morning if nothing comes up," the black gem promised, not putting much thought into why Pink Diamond was wanting to talk in person rather than through the communicator. With a single nod from the gem on screen, the communicator let out a static crackle before the screen went blank.

So, what do you all think of that one? Is it bad that I already have different scenes already typed up on the computer? If people want it, I might put up a companion story that goes into some of the background details that keep popping up (Onyx's Re-Education is already typed up if anyone's really interested) Thanks for taking the time to read this so far! Even without a review, it still makes me happy to know that I have some people reading it.