-Steven Universe is not owned by Universal-Lizard, this fanfic is.-
"I've had enough of you!" Hands gripping tight, spinning in place, Jasper spun in a circle with Lion in her hands. Her grip remained strong, her balance was surprisingly spot on given her build, and her opponent could not escape. Lion did struggle, but the sheer force kept him from moving any of his legs or his head.
Jasper then stopped on a dime, released Lion, and sent him sailing off in the direction of a nearby warehouse. The sound of impact could be heard, but Lion himself couldn't be seen from the clouds of dust that had formed.
"Lion!" Steven called out, still laying on his stomach on the ground. He reached out towards the feline, then winced from the pain in his gut. He was certain that one of those punches had hit his gem, but there was not a scratch to be seen when he had looked at it. Putting his hand back down on the ground, he looked to his left and saw Garnet, laying in a similar position as he was, "Garnet! We have to get up! Let's... keep going!"
"I'm... sorry Steven," Garnet replied, weakened, "I... I've failed us," Her head then relaxed on the ground, hopefully unconscious.
"No Garnet! You haven't failed!" Steven pleaded, trying to pull himself to his feet, "We just have to-"
"Why do you... continue to struggle... Rose?" Jasper's haggard voice asked. Steven looked up weakly at the burly gem limping towards him, "Why can't you just... accept your defeat, with what dignity you have left?" She reached down, grabbed Steven by the front of the shirt, and raised him up to her level. Steven's hands held Jasper's as he kicked to try and escape, but he did not budge.
"Put... me... DOWN!" Steven protested.
"I suppose I can see why you would try to keep fighting," Jasper said, a smirk gracing her lips from watching the boy's legs kick around pitifully, "After all, your precious planet invaded, your forces decimated, and the Stars faction leader herself defeated? I'll be remembered as a hero, while you will die a traitor's death."
"Stop!" Steven cried out yet again, "Why are you doing this?! What have we ever done to you?!"
"Stop talking foolishness!" Jasper snapped, her hammer-head helmet vanishing in a flash of light, "It's OVER!" Her head rushed forward, and Steven's world exploded with stars in a void of blackness.
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"This is ground team hailing the fleet: gem hostiles have been incapacitated; requesting new orders."
Kyanite looked back to her general, watching her rub her chin with two fingers. It was over? So soon? But, Jet hardly got to do any of the fighting! Something she was definitely looking forward to; she wanted to see the gem whom she practically idolized live up to the legend!
"Is there any sign of Rose Quartz?" Jet asked aloud into the speaker, "And what's the status on Jasper?" A quick grimace graced Kyanite's face at the mention of the latter's name.
"Negative, Rose Quartz herself has not been identified among the aggressors," Citrine replied, "Meanwhile Jasper was last seen- wait..." Jet's eyes narrowed when the voice suddenly paused, "General, Jasper has just rejoined us! She also appears to have something with her..."
"Jasper survived?" Jet could hear the sound of Kyanite grumbling something while she continued to work, "Well then, what is it she has?"
"She's brought with her two unconscious bodies," Citrine described, "One of them is the body of a fusion. Data-bank analysis indicate this one as 'Garnet'." Jet's lips pursed into a frown; Garnet? The Garnet? The fusion who she had measured herself to so long ago, easily defeated by Jasper? The disappointment almost radiated off of her.
"I see..." she said, "and the other?"
"Well, ma'am," Citrine said, "Jasper appears to have apprehended a native to this planet: a human. Male it appears to be."
"What? For what purpose?"
"That's the strange part, General," Citrine said, "She claims it is Rose Quartz." Jet's eyes widened, she felt she was about to retort the uselessness in capturing a human, until she remembered the encounter she had not long ago. This could be her!
"Citrine! That human is priority one!"
"Priority one?!" Citrine said, "You mean...?"
"Yes, it's her."
"I... understand, ma'am," Citrine said.
"Then your orders are to round up any defeated gems; they will be taken into custody aboard both Peridot and Kyanite's ships," Jet said, "But bring her onto Kyanite's; I want to oversee her captivity personally."
"General?" Kyanite voiced her surprise, "Priority one, does that mean-?"
"It will be done," Citrine responded, then after a momentary pause, "General, this structure emerging from the side of this natural land form- it appears to be their base." Jet's eyes widened as she remembered, "Suggestions?"
"I'll... have another detachment of soldier drones be dispatched." Jet said, after giving some thought, "They'll be the ones to search this base, maybe even root out any other gems that might be hiding. Even if they don't find other hostile gems there, perhaps there might be other objects of interest hidden within."
"Understood, General. Citrine out." The audio transmission cut, and Jet looked back at the Earth. There was a moment of silence between the general and the helms-gem, both pondering the recent events, and the weight that they carried.
"Something I find strange," she heard Kyanite say, though kept her gaze on the planet, "is that we arrive in orbit, and the very first place of first contact, we find not only Rose Quartz and her lieutenants, but also her base? All at the same time and within the span of a few hours?" Out of the corner of her vision, she saw Kyanite looking fully towards her, "I don't know if it's all purely coincidental, or if good luck is on our side."
"I don't believe in luck, good or bad," Jet said, for the first time she could remember chuckling out loud, "Though it does seem... strange, uncanny even, that events are happening in our favor. But we have to make the most of them." She looked down to Kyanite, "In a few moments, you and Peridot are about to hold the most dangerous gem fugitives in recorded history; I don't need to stress to you how important this is?" Kyanite frantically shook her head,
"Ah no, n-not at all, General," she said, crossing her arm over her chest. There was a stutter in her voice that was clearly present.
"Good," Jet nodded, "then send word to Peridot, tell her to send another drone troop transport down there." Kyanite gave a quick nod. She then turned to her control console, and let her disconnected fingers fly across the interface. Jet found her gaze drifting away from the ship's front view as she opened her communication with Crystarra. Such news to report, the majority of it good! But she must keep a clear head, blocking out all clouding emotions.
"General Jet?" Jet's eyes widened briefly, clearly not expecting another's voice to greet her.
"Emerald?"
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"Yes Jet, this is Emerald," the green gem replied into her own communicator headpiece. She stood inside Diamond's secret room, along with her and her other bodies. After many lengthy hours passing from the gem fleet's departure, she hadn't quite expected to hear back from them so soon.
"I have an urgent news report of our mission," Jet could be heard saying, "I must speak with Diamond." At the mention of her lady's name, Emerald cast a glance behind her, back at the bodies. It had only been a few hours, but the the memories of the operation were still fresh on her mind; the preparations, her pleas, her lady's screams, but most of all, the possible success...
"Um, Mistress Diamond is currently unable to speak with you or," she looked back towards all of Diamond's bodies, eyes sweeping over all in a quick panning shot. This time, every single body possessed a diamond gem in their left chest cavity. They were still not moving, and despite the cloning machine assuring her they were all in a state of unconsciousness, it did not make her feel any easier, "or anyone for that matter."
"What? By Geode, what is that supposed to mean?" Jet's voice said, "This concerns our invasion of Earth! How can she not be 'available'?"
"Please Jet," Emerald tried to calm the other voice down, "I understand your concern. I'll relay any news you have to Mistress Diamond immediately." A sigh could be heard on the other end, and Emerald feared she would have to explain in-depth the reasoning before she felt it was time.
"Very well," Jet said, "Then tell Diamond we have arrived in Earth's orbit. We have scouted and identified the possible location of Rose Quartz, and her base, and are currently taking fugitives into custody." Emerald's eyes widened as more was revealed to her; they had found her? They found Rose Quartz herself?
"Jet, you've really found Rose Quartz?"
"That is... a distinct possibility," Jet replied, "Suffice it to say that these lieutenants we're taking in might hold information..."
"This... this is wonderful news, Jet," Emerald said, "I'll make sure Diamond hears of this right away!"
"Yes, do that," Jet said, "More updates here as they occur. Jet out." She didn't even remember the audio cutting. All thoughts on her mind were pushed aside for what Jet had just told her. Rose Quartz- THE Rose Quartz was discovered and about to be captured?!
"At long last..." she said to herself, "This chapter in gem history will be closed for good. But I... I wonder how Diamond will exactly react to it?"
"React to what, Emerald?" Startled, Emerald spun around at the sound of Diamond's voice.
"Yes, you have something to tell me?"
"And me?"
Emerald was now thoroughly confused. That was Diamond's voice, all three times, but why was she speaking like that? Unless...
"Mistress Diamond?" she stepped forward, feet taking small steps through the thin smoke that blanketed the floor, "Are you alright?"
"Alright? Why Emerald," Diamond's voice sounded multi-layered, and Emerald openly gasped as she saw the sight before her: seven figures of varying colors stepping up to her, "WE are just perfect!"
-And thus, the fight on Earth has concluded! What will happen now? My apologies if this chapter isn't my usual length in words, but stay tuned, for it looks like the end of this story is somewhere in sight!-
