This chapter was written before, throughout, and after the Goodbye Unus Annus livestream on November 13th.

This chapter is going up a little early. Whether its the 26th or the 27th then whatever.

If its the 26th still then Happy Thanksgiving.

-Many cycles later.-

Noric shuffled through the various plates of Alon and suspended lettering to figure out the certain form he was looking for.

It had been many cycles since the first landing on the Gem Homeworld, but if you asked him, it was an endless amount of meetings and plates that condensed or waned with the time of day. The last time he was able to see his home planet without the need of an observation device was when he was called back for a conflict that had arisen. Something to do with the challenge to Ferrou having changed due to the change in the planet's orbit and the typical waiting time for the next challenge.

He had been stationed here as to be one of the primary emissaries and sole ambassador for Metaloidia. Of course Noric saw through this quickly. This was his punishment for preemptive contact, although he really couldn't blame Ferrou. But that story was burned to the back of his mind. Just thinking about it made him yearn for what he could be doing. Assisting some of the drop forces in a takeover, on the front lines against a planet's cumulative forces, or at least accompanying Ferrou as a part of the Imperial Guard. The only good that had come from this was that he was able to replace the gold ruby glass in his mask for ones made of the Alon substance with a film of lead oxide.

His trans-spacial communicator boomed with a notification, taking him from his speculative yearning. As he walked over he was able to catch the message on the primary screen before it was etched and sandwiched between the transparent aluminum plates. This had always been a feature that he hated, but apparently his database was not enough. Nooooooo, he needed to keep physical copies of everything no matter what. And even after that he had to wait for the source document to be copied over.

_Current Issues with Expansional Corps to Address to White Diamond_

Noric already dreaded with just the title. The Expansional Corps had previous altercations with stationed colonies interfering with their populous assimilation process. Noric had many difficulties with trying to deal with this. It was a back and forth fight that had Noric running plates and messages in between.

From what he could count this was the third issue that came from this system. The plate he was searching for was a log of previous encounters the two empires had with their militaries. So the idea of another incident to add to the list was more or less annoying.

He left his office near the heart of the Gem capital. Many things had changed during his time in his diplomatic prison. The capital itself was so much taller than it used to be. Or it would be if they hadn't closed up all those caverns that he could feel underneath him. He could tell there was still some sort of construction or activity going on there with the strange vibrations he'd feel when he'd focus into the ground. Some sort of drilling with a few cycles later there being a booming. After that it'd go quiet before another place started up.

But it was these meetings with White Diamond that got him out of his office so he could notice these changes. He cared about this job, as badly he hated doing it. If he had to do this then he might as well put his energy into it.

As for why he chose to walk his way to this meeting, the longer it took to get there meant longer away from his desk. As long as he was there on time it didn't really matter when he left.

As he passed through the assembly area he was able to fully take in the true heart of the Gem Capitol.

The area itself was being plated again with another sheet of white stone. Although it was becoming annoying that the buildings now had deep trenches between them.

What confused him was that the area itself was bigger than the palace, or at least what he could see now. Well, this was meant for big announcements and the such where she'd be outside so that probably was the reason.

Before he was able to enter the building he was greeted by White Diamond's Pearl. He had been accustomed to this greeting as it seemed to occur every time he came near.

"Your appointment with White Diamond will be in the Throne Room." Her Pearl said neutrally.

He only responded to this with a nod.

The sight that greeted him was the same as every other time he had to come here.

White Diamond was seated on her throne, which apparently has a very steep and triangular ramp now. Or was it floating and the ramp was just light? So many things were changing that Noric couldn't pick out what was the same. The window that had once opened up to view the horizon had been removed, but it always was bright whenever he entered this room. Although he'd both never ask and never understand the true reason why the throne now resembled her head.

"My Diamond." The Pearl stated, "The ambassador to the foreign power is here for your scheduled meeting."

"You could just say 'The Metaloidian is here for the conference.'" Noric muttered low.

He had no idea if she heard that or not, but he decided that look she gave him was his answer.

As he approached he could see through the various screens that surrounded the leader, although he still could not understand a single one of the glyphs that they used.

He was nearing the foot of the throne when those screens cleared to reveal the empress of the Gem Empire.

"Pearl, you may go." White Diamond commanded, "The Garnets of the Shimmer System require an approval statement for the use of Light Prisms."

"Yes My Diamond."

After her little salute she left the room.

The sound of silence filled the room as the door closed. After a few moments to retrieve the plate of Alon from within his form did Noric begin.

"The Expansional Corps have expressed their complaints again about your forces coming close to interfering with one of their operations." Noric started, "Your harvesters have once again taken material from one of the moons that had been both claimed by the Metaloidian Empire and had a standing observation base. The base required relocation and the mission scrapped."

"From this report it states that the base had been about a mile below the surface." White Diamond replied dryly, "If it was important for us to know then it should have been visible."

"It's a base entirely about observation without the subjects being aware of it." Noric retorted with the volume of his voice raising, "This setback ruined three cycles of work and a new planetary ring where the moon was."

"These experiments seem so trivial." White returned. "The construction of our cities required the materials, your people should be thankful we don't harvest that moon you decided to tow to your planet."

"That moon is required for production." Noric refuted, "What of those meteors you incorporated into your orbit? Did you expect us to not be aware of those space ports? We could knock those onto your doorstep before you even noticed them gone from the sky."

"You dare threaten a sovereign power?" White exclaimed, rising from her throne. "I could have your form scrapped for my ships."

"And I could turn your so-called elites into my project of a gilded keyboard."

"You dare speak such treason?!"

"I'd say worse if I felt like it."

White Diamond lowered herself to the Throne Room floor, eyes and gemstone glowing.

In response Noric assumed his Active Combat Form and sharpened his fingers for maximum strength and piercing ability.

As the two stared each other down you could feel the brewing power in the air.

"*Pfft*"

"Hey! I heard that."

"You most certainly did not."

"I can hear the Pebbles in the walls, you think I wouldn't be able to hear that?"

"Hear what exactly? I think you overestimate your abilities."

"Certainly your luminousness."

"And you my malleable friend."

"Hehehe"

"Ah ahaha"

As the two started to chuckle that soon devolved into laughter their stances for aggression slowly disappeared as well.

White sat back down on her throne as Noric launched himself to the arm rest.

"Anything new on that new design of spacial drive?" Noric inquired.

"Nothing yet." White replied, "Although that's to be expected with trying to incorporate a singularity generator into a ship."

"Still can't believe that you guys thought of that. I mean, we literally were orbiting one our entire existence."

"Well it won't mean anything if the singularities either die out too fast or deplete the power core too fast."

"Any more progress on that experiment that your Pearl is so adamant that both does not exist and is too important for me to know about? Specifically the one where every other day you show up for this meeting about six kiloticks later than the last."

White didn't answer this question.

Noric had expected this. He'd been rephrasing this question every meeting ever since he started noticing it five cycles ago.

"Well I've been unsuccessful in my requests for a training facility addition to my office. Even with your approval of the building allowed to be as tall as needed they still won't do anything unless it's "absolutely necessary", I just hate the process."

Noric had just been saying this out loud, whether she listened or not he did not care, just to get to say this out loud was amazing. Did he mention that he was the primary emissary and ambassador, yeah, he meant the only Metaloidian on the planet for cycles at a time.

"Could you stop those Peridots coming over. I don't care what they do in their free time, just as long as it's not pestering me about what I can do and trying to run tests on me."

Somehow those Gems knew his schedule well enough that they could coordinate when they could sneak in. He even resorted to sealing certain parts off whenever he wasn't present.

The more he kept on venting his complaints the less he focused on the giantess that he was venting to.

He had decided to lay down as he vented, but as he looked over he was not prepared for how close she was.

Refusing to make any embarrassing sounds, the most he did was jump a bit. By a bit, he went high enough to stand up again.

"Alright." Noric said, composing himself, "Did you want to say anything?"

"Oh, I'm fine." White responded, "It's interesting listening about things from a perspective from other than my own."

"Huh."

"Well I think we might have timed out a bit for this conference." Noric said quickly, "I'll see you in the next one."

White barely had any time to process this as he had already morphed his body through the door just as she stood up.

White just stood there. Then sighed. And back to her work she went. If these reports were going to start coming in at a more frequent pace then she might as well clear up some space for the proper amount of attention that they required.

A few moments later did her Pearl return.

"The approval has been sent along with the orders you prepared earlier."

White's only response was silence.

"Was the conference as productive as you hoped for My Diamond?"

"It's fortunate that those metallic savages decided to keep that particular specimen as their ambassador." White responded, "The only reason I don't hand that duty off to a lesser Gem as it serves as a useful distraction. Make sure that those requests are looked through and processed, as entertaining these meetings are there has to be something that comes from it."

"Yes My Diamond."

The next chapter to this story will be posted on the 21st of December