Alright. Small change. This story was just "The Metaloidian Empire." But I felt that "The Rise Of The Metaloidian Empire" would be a better title.
Also, the writing of this chapter was slightly delayed because of the 2020 US Presidential Election.
With all that happened the last few days Peridot was very close to the edge of her comfort zone. From the near shattering experience that she had when she was almost hit by the foreigners' spacecraft to trying to decipher their language to get the smallest insight in what was written on the parts.
Now with the disappearance and reappearance of the crew's leader she could safely say that she had just enough processing ability to handle all this stress.
When the primary screen of the horribly primitive machine lit up, she had honestly predicted that something would have gone wrong. With the groaning sound that came from one of the crew members when another entity appeared she had assumed it so. But with the strange sounds that the leader and this other being were making it was obvious that something went right. She decided to wait until the leader stepped away for the others to converse that she asked him a question.
"What was that?"
"That's one of the scientists that got reassigned for this project, in fact he-"
"No, not that. The weird dialect you were using to conversate."
"Oh that." He replied, "It's an old dialect that's used for military operations. When we started observing the universe we came upon "Basic," a language that surprisingly shows up frequently among civilizations even if their symbols for it are different. It was quite fortunate that your civilization just so happens to be one of them."
Peridot didn't know how to feel about this information. Amazed by the idea of a naturally occurring language among civilizations or offended by being compared to inferior beings.
"Now to get the whole thing connected up."
It was that statement that threw Peridot for a loop.
"What do you mean?" Peridot asked, "I can assume that it's operating properly. What more do you need?"
"Well." The fluid metal being said, "From what I saw, It'd be a whole lot more user friendly for you guys if it could be used like those holograms that you guys use."
"Um." Peridot started, "That technology and channels are only for the Diamond line, anything else we use short range communication channels and crystal projectors."
The being raised his eyebrow
"And that's different how?"
"Well for starts-"
Peridot's response was cut off as a white bubble appeared through one of the walls. White Diamond's pearl emerging from within it.
"White Diamond is requesting the presence of this one."
She pointed to the one Peridot had been talking to.
"Great." Peridot thought to herself, "Now I'm stuck with these clods."
"Hmm?" The being closest asked.
"You heard me correctly."
"Hmm."
Peridot ignored the glare and prepared her report. She would make sure to include that incident since the perpetrator was on his way to White Diamond.
-Line Break-
It was a few hours before that being returned. In that time they were able to connect the primitive communication device into a wailing stone and from there into a holographic projector.
"Yeah man we can just about see your face."
Although the calibration of two civilization's technology was going as smoothly as one would think.
An upside that Peridot found from this was the opportunity for more observation. So far she was bored.
"So what's all this?"
Peridot jumped in surprise, and the sound that she produced will now be one that she will deny ever making.
"How did you enter this facility?" Peridot questioned, "Only Gems can access the door and I've received no notification."
Just as she finished this the alert pinged and two quartz came running.
"How does a puddle move so fast?" One of the quartz asked aloud.
"Well it looks like there's another thing that disappoints me about this planet." The metal man claimed snidely. "Although the design of this place is just begging me to take a once over. I mean who designs a laboratory with voids in the walls."
Before Peridot could properly respond to this insult another notification sprang to life. She shapeshifted her digits to more properly respond to this.
Peridot froze as she read.
It took a while, but one of the other technicians noticed her lack of movement and decided to take a look herself.
Soon most of the technicians consisted of either being glued to the screens in their hands or flashing from them to the device.
One of the nearby security Citrines finally got fed up with this spectacle and shook Peridot. Hard.
"Hey." The guard commanded, "What's going on with you guys?"
Peridot snapped out of her trance quickly from the violent movement and slipped from the guard's grasp.
"White Diamond commanded that the device be brought to her."
"And that's a problem why?" The Citrine asked.
Peridot, getting exasperated just from needing to explain this, did so.
"This machine is intricate and heavy, not to mention all the wiring we had to do with the projector and wailing stone."
Peridot started flailing her arms as she was now yelling this.
"We're gonna have to disassemble it."
Just as she finished this she looked over to the machine and her jaw dropped.
The machine, along with all their added components, were now floating in the air.
"So where's this going then?" The being with the dark red optic protectors asked.
"Wha-"
"It's going to the Throne Room." The fluid metal being stated, "I heard their leader mention it when I was being led out."
"How are you doing that?" Peridot exclaimed, "I can understand your equipment being under your control, but how are you levitating ours?"
"Small film I put on the bottom, don't worry it'll come off when we get there." The fluid one said, stepping forward again, "My guys here were just waiting to get something moving after their suits came off."
Peridot did notice that the suits now were lined against their craft, but she really didn't care about that.
"Alright then." She started, "Let's get moving."
A rewrite might be in the future of this story.
The next update to this story will be on the 21st.