And now, time for some more action! Thanks for delaying me, broken laptop!
While they did not have a lot of ground to cover, Lars and the Off-Colors felt a great weight on their shoulders as they flew around Beach City. So far they had found four Homeworld vessels, all of them larger than their Sun Incinerator and packing dozens of soldiers each. The captain was keeping track of all the locations and planning ahead, but something was eating away at him.
"Rhodonite," he spoke, "Did you say Peridot made some upgrades to the bridge?"
"Yes. Apparently she made it compatible with Earth technology, though I've never tried it."
"It was mostly an excuse to play soap operas on a bigger screen…" admitted Rutile while slightly blushing.
"I'm gonna pull up a map of the town. Once it's up, can you display it?"
The four-armed fusion soon had a port for Lars' smartphone ready and with the map already up on the device, the Off-Colors had an image of Beach City which their captain started marking at several points.
"So far, it doesn't look like they're docking at any specific points. I'm no expert on their tactics, but it looks too random to me."
"Maybe they aren't concerned about that?" thought Rhodonite, "They don't see people as a threat so they thought they could just land wherever."
"True, but that's not their style. All those Homeworld gems love plans and ordinances…"
"Captain!" reported Padparadscha, "We've found the commanding vessel!"
The sole human of the crew was pulled away from his phone as he laid eyes on the gleaming silver ship that was several times larger than any of the others. The flagship was over triple the size of their own craft, but resembled a humungous finger than pointed ominously towards anything in its sight.
"Well, that's definitely a plus. I'll mark it on the map…" As he did so, though, he saw something odd with how the fifth mark looked.
"It looks like a semi-circle…"
"Hey, it does!" agreed Rutile's right half.
"So they have a plan after all?" asked the other half.
"Looks like it. We better speed things up and get our report back. Fluorite, boost the engines. We need speed over precision now."
"Yes, Captain…" answered the caterpillar-like fusion from down below. It only took her a few seconds to get going before the ship went from gently flying above the town to racing off in an arc to see if the captain's hunch was right.
As Topaz through a small patch of wilderness to get from one area of Beach City to the next, she had to admit how surreal the whole thing felt. Here she was actually fighting alongside the Crystal Gems instead of assisting from a distance from the Sun Incinerator and yet she felt so much confidence. Even back on Homeworld her job was to stay in the background and play defensively, but here she was charging headfirst into the fray with only her pugil stick for comfort. There was also the love of Topaz and Topaz and that further boosted her morale, but that was already a given to her.
So far she had not run into any hostile gems yet, but that was also about to change. As she found herself in outside a small neighborhood, she turned and saw a squadron of four running at her with a pair of hostages on her shoulder. Leading the charge was a nephrite, a rare sight given their usual status as pilots, along with two rubies and a carnelian.
"Hey, you there!" spoke the lead Homeworld gem, "Have you spotted any Crystal Gems around here?"
"Uhhh… Come again?" asked a very confused Topaz.
"You know, those loathsome followers of Rose Quartz? We're under direct orders to apprehend them if they become an obstacle!"
"Oh, right! Yeah… I know where one is."
"You do?!" gasped one of the rubies, "That's great! Where is she?"
Topaz replied by taking her pugil stick in one hand and throwing it like a javelin straight at the eager grunt. She was sent flying fifty feet from the blow and crashed into a motorcycle hard enough to have the vehicle form a painful metal wedge around her.
"YOU! You're one of them!" shrieked the carnelian, glaring at the fusion as she brought out a short sword. "I'm gonna end you myself, traitor!"
Rather than speak up, Topaz answered her threat by running at her and spontaneously defusing. The scarlet gem, however, looked confident as the duo rushed her. She could already guess the strategy they were employing and so all she would have to do was jumping out of the way when they re-fused. She could also see the remaining ruby and her squad leader preparing a counterattack.
The problem for her, though, was that Topaz was aware of this as well. Her caste of gems was specifically designed to work in pairs and thus even the most oblivious pebbles in the farthest reaching colonies knew this strategy. Instead of fusing again, the left rebel leapt high above her opponent while the right one continued on. The carnelian was so thrown off by this that she did not put up any defense to being kicked in the face and then grabbed by the other one before being thrown into the pavement. She spent her last conscious moments groaning in agony before one of the yellow tanks slammed her mace into her chest to poof her.
"Phew!" breathed the left half of the duo, "That actually worked!"
"I know, but I couldn't have done it without you!" gushed the right half. They then both embraced for a moment before they heard a scream that brought them out of the moment.
"You're not done yet, clods!" raged one of the rubies, "We'll make sure that you don't get in our way again!"
The pint-sized soldier ran forward in a frenzy with a gauntlet around her right arm. The near-identical lovers leapt out of harm's way, but that did not last long as the nephrite dashed at the left-gemmed one with a katana in hand a grim expression on her one-eyed face. Topaz managed to block the sword while her partner was trying to deal with the two rubies.
"Get off of me!" she cried as the pair of smaller gems clung to her head and tried smashing her gem. The only reason they kept missing was her constant thrashing throwing off their aim.
"Only once you're in shards!" shouted one of the other gems. Her boasts did not fall on deaf ears, though, as the other topaz heard her. In a flash she knocked the nephrite, threw herself towards the rubies and ripped them off her partner with a hand each. She poofed them by slamming them into each other with enough force to crack their gems.
"We've had enough threats for one lifetime…" muttered the gem angrily as both halves of Topaz faced the unimpressed nephrite.
"So you managed to defeat three commonplace soldiers," she yawned, "How threatening."
Without a word, the former bodyguards joined hands and fused without any effort. The now-whole Topaz summoned her weapon and pointed it straight at the pilot. "I'm getting very sick of gems like you. You think your position is everything."
"Like it isn't?" scoffed the loyalist, "If you don't have your place with the Diamonds, you have nothing."
"I have happiness. I have actual friends who care about me. I have a home that won't be taken away from me if I step out of line here."
"Of course you'd relish those things. Deserters need some way to justify their existence once they know they have no purpose."
The two stared at each other for a few moments before rushing straight at each other. There was no more posturing or debating outside of their weapons clashing again and again. Topaz's pugil stick had greater reach and defensive capabilities, but the nephrite's katana was far more lethal. One clean hit from the blade meant instant death for the fusion and combined with her lesser combat experience, Topaz was soon put on the ropes. A feint from the nephrite worked in getting through her guard and smashing the hilt of the sword into Topaz's chin and knocking her over. The cocky captain placed her foot on the fusion's throat and held the weapon steady over her face.
"Now then, any preference on which of your components is shattered first or would you like to die together?" Despite having a large spherical gemstone for an eye, the Topaz could see the malice in her gaze.
"You're… a clod."
The nephrite glowered as she raised her sword for the killing blow, but was caught off-guard by her hair suddenly catching fire! As she screamed at the sudden pain, a slim scarlet form tackled into her.
"Nice try, jerk!" jeered Cinnabar as she held the panicking nephrite down, "But no one bullies the Crystal Gems!"
"Not bad," admired Adamite as she bubbled the three gems from earlier, "For someone of your background and inexperience, you performed well."
"Heh, thanks…" sighed Topaz as she picked herself up, "But I would've been done for without you two."
"I'm surprised at your presence here to begin with. Did you leave your crew elsewhere?"
"They're with Lars, the old captain of the ship. He thought I'd be better off fighting out here while he takes over. I guess he was right since those two people would've been kidnapped if I wasn't here…"
"Do you have any idea what you're doing?!" screamed the nephrite, her hair now a few burnt strands, "The Diamonds will shatter you all! You're all wanted criminals already! What's wrong with you?!"
"Pipe down, loser!" demanded Cinnabar. She prepared to fire at her captive again, but Adamite stopped her.
"Actually, I will answer your question. What's 'wrong' with us is that we no longer want to live in an oppressive society that considers our lives as disposable on a whim. Pardon us for daring to want to be treated with a modicum of respect even as we literally annihilate inhabited planets for the sake of three self-entitled egomaniacs who literally call themselves perfect despite mounting evidence to the contrary."
"Oh-ho!" said Cinnabar, "Someone got burned! And I would know, I've caused enough of them!"
"You've been spending far too much time with Amethyst…" groaned the earthen gem before Topaz ended the conversation by poofing the terrified nephrite with a stomp to the back so hard it cracked the pavement underneath her.
"Well, that's that," said Cinnabar as Topaz bubbled the captain of the group, "You wanna tag along with us?"
"Sure. I think I could use some backup right about now…"
"Great! Just don't start making out in the middle of a fight and you'll be good."
"Eh… Right…"
"Well, at least it was a learning experience," shrugged Adamite, trying hard not to laugh for once. The trio then ran off down the street as they heard a car driving in the distance. Even still, they hoped it was just simply chauffeuring people to safety instead of more danger.
After running a quick round of diagnostics through all her devices to clear her head, Peridot was back in business. She had actually decided to bring a trash can lid from earlier this time, thinking it was a smarter option to keep something for self-defense on her. She had been making her way from cover to cover for ten minutes now, doing everything in her power to avoid a direct confrontation. Her lid had proven essential in that with her using it to cause a distraction whenever a Homeworld gem got too close for comfort.
With her making steady progress, she eventually spotted the exact person she wanted to see. "Steven!"
"Peridot!" replied the boy, "You're still okay?"
"Surprisingly, yes. I was briefly restricted to the base, but now I plan to assist with further reconnaissance and rescue operations!"
"Great! I just brought a few more people back so I could use some help."
The two then walked down the nearest avenue, Steven's shield at the ready along with Peridot's makeshift weapon. As they made their way in a random direction, they noticed how eerily quiet the streets were.
"It doesn't feel like it's been an hour," said Steven, wanting to fill the silence.
"Agreed. By this point, it would make sense that any remaining townspeople would be long gone from the city, found a sufficient enough hiding place to remain undetected, or…"
"What? Be abducted?"
"Unfortunately, yes. While I admit humans have shown tremendous creativity, the facts are that they lack any ability to fight them on an equal measure and would need to rely on stealth and luck to escape unscathed."
The boy remained quiet for a moment, the only sounds being their feet on the pavement and the occasional night breeze, before they heard something else up ahead. Two more sets of feet running towards them, but thankfully for them they were friendly.
"Garnet! Pearl!" called Steven, "Over here!"
"You're alright!" rejoiced Pearl as she scooped him into her arms and coddled him, "Are you dehydrated? Have you been injured? How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Ease up, Pearl, he's okay," assured Garnet, "We all are."
"Pretty remarkable considering the odds," boasted Peridot, "But then again, what else do you expect of the Crystal Gems?"
"Song numbers," replied the fusion blankly, getting the other three laugh. The foursome then headed towards the boardwalk as they traded stories while also staying on guard for any newfound threats.
"There's only one thing I don't understand," inquired Pearl, "Why are they all doing this? What's with the Diamonds' sudden fascination in humans."
"That's a good question," admitted Garnet, "But for me, all that matters is stopping them."
"Well," considered Peridot, "It's no secret that gems look down on any other species due to their supposed inferiority so that greatly limits they're options."
"Maybe they just want to kidnap them to spite us?" thought Steven.
"Sounds very implausible to me. While yes, the Diamond Authority is egotistical to a ludicrous degree, they would not put this much effort merely for the sake of hatred."
"True," agreed Pearl, "They're all too pragmatic for that. But if there is an actual motivation, what is it?"
Before anyone could answer that, Steven's phone rang. The boy confusedly looked at the called ID and answered. "Lars? What's up?"
"Steven, sorry for the delay, but I've got some info I think you'll want."
"Wait, what?! Where are you?"
"On the Sun Incinerator. This way Topaz can be out fighting and you have one more person, or two, whatever, on the field without losing the help of the ship."
"Huh, that's pretty smart. So, what do you have tell us? I have a few of the other Crystal Gems with me."
"Good, they'll want to hear this. I wanted to find all the ships these guys came from, but once I found the lead ship I noticed something weird. They're all set up in a circle."
"Wait, what?" questioned Peridot, "That's pretty abnormal for Homeworld protocol."
"Well, normal or not, that's what I found. There's a big finger-shaped ship and eight others forming a circle all around the town."
"Do you have a map of their locations?" spoke Pearl into the phone, "With that, we could launch a rescue operation for any captives!"
"Yeah, I've got one. I'll send it to Steven ASAP."
"Perfect," thanks Garnet, "We still have a numbers disadvantage, but now we can use the element of surprise back on them."
"We should regroup everyone first," added Pearl, "There's no telling how many gems are still left and we need all we can get."
"Agreed. Lars, position yourself near the main ship. We'll have Steven call you back once everyone is here so we can make a plan of attack."
"Got it. Rhodonite's been hearing everything and she's already taking us there. Good luck!"
"Thanks, Lars!" said Steven, "We'll be ready before you know it!"
Once they hung up, the air was noticeably brighter. Three of the four had a concrete plan and all they had to do now was gather everyone up. The sole exception was Peridot, her inquisitive mind stuck on the circumstances. She knew better than any of them that Homeworld stuck to protocol like most humans stick to breathing. The only reason she could think of for this would be that they had something else planned.
"I see," spoke Silver Agate to the holo-screen, "You have only managed to capture eight humans?"
"Yes," admitted the nephrite in charge of one of the fighters, "My forces have suffered heavy losses with only five of them currently here and an estimated ten more out in the field. That leaves well over half of my assigned gems unaccounted for."
"That's nothing!" barged in a jasper from another ship's bridge, "My nephrite got trounced! And according to one of our rubies, Rose Quartz herself took out an entire squad in two minutes!"
"That is truly concerning," replied the agate, composed as usual, "It appears that the rumors of her exploits from so long ago were not exaggerated. All in all, this mission is quickly turning into a failure."
"I have more troubling news," interceded the nephrite, "I've spotted the vessel commandeered by the Crystal Gems flying over the perimeter. According to other reports from the surrounding ships, they have also seen the same."
"Meaning they now know our location…"
"Oh, that's just great!" exploded the jasper, "Now they can storm the ships if they want to! What are we supposed to do now?!"
"You will cease that tone or I will personally have you court martialed." The orange gem wisely calmed down hearing such a threat. Having to answer to Blue Diamond herself was not worth her shooting her mouth off.
"Now then," continued the agate, "It's no secret that we are losing. Be that as it may, White Diamond has initiated a contingency plan that will force Rose into complying or else all the potential hostages will be dealt with. For that to work, I will need one gem manning the bridge of each ship. Send out an immediate order to all troops that they are to return to their vessel with any humans or tow. If they run into any rebels en route, they are to circumvent them at all costs. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Silver Agate!" saluted both gems.
"Excellent. Report back to me once all eight captains are accounted for. That will be all."
As both of the gems signed off, Silver felt a small twinge of sympathy. She guessed that the infamous Rose was more than likely celebrating her accomplishment, perhaps even planning a counterstrike to save the few humans they had managed to capture. The agate let herself show a sly grin at the thought of her expression when she knew what the immaculate White Diamond had in store for her.
It did not take long for the entirety of the Crystal Gems to be reunited despite the chaos. As they all gathered in front of the temple, the most exciting thing was many of the other gems' reactions to Greg's new suit.
"Dad?! Is that-?" gawked Steven as he took in the powered armor.
"Yep, your old man's officially suited up and helped out… And boy, is this harder than it looks…" mumbled the father as his son hugged him.
"Pssh, please," scoffed Amethyst, "You should have seen him, dude! The old man here has been sniping fools and cut one sorry clod in half!"
"Well," started Peridot, "I don't mean to brag about my handiwork but-" A series of rocks then flew up and covered her mouth.
"You're welcome for sparing you all from her pompous ranting," said Adamite with a rare smirk on her face.
"Ah, you've learned the ways of the Crystal Gems very fast," complimented Lapis while her fellow meep-morpist tried to scream in outrage through her stone gag.
"Alright, let's focus," said Garnet, though she clearly had to restrain a chuckle, "Now that we have the location of Homeworld's ships, we need to formulate a plan to invade the ships and liberate any human passengers onboard."
"We'll definitely need the Sun Incinerator for this," started Pearl as she paced on the sand, "Perhaps a pincer maneuver with the lead vessel…"
"The other option would be we start infiltrating ships in order to rescue people, but we could be at a severe numbers disadvantage. Homeworld may not be used to restraining organic lifeforms, but they do know something about security."
"I'm with Garnet on that one," spoke Topaz, "Those blasters could probably cause a major explosion with a direct hit and the last thing we need is dead people on our conscience."
"Well, there's more of us than there are ships," said Bismuth, "So why don't we all just pair up, highjack one of the things and then set them all to blow up once we're sure everyone's gone."
"Your propensity for destruction hasn't changed…" moaned Pearl, remembering one very unfortunate incident with an underwater base.
"Ooh, me likey!" agreed Amethyst, "Maybe we'll get another gem to scream at us when they're blasting off like last time!"
"Ditto!" said Cinnabar, "And if they can't be blown up then I can-"
"Last resort only," commanded Adamite, "And only if it gets approved by the rest of the group."
"Awwwwwwww! Why can't I ever have fun?"
"We'll make that plan C," assured Garnet, "Plan B is the idea with the Sun Incinerator. As risky as it sounds, it makes sense that we check out each ship and ensure that every human in there is safe before we do anything too rash."
"Steven," asked Pearl, "Are you following all of this? I understand this is a very dangerous prospect, but-"
"No way!" assured the hybrid, "I totally get it! We've got to save anyone who's been thrown onto those ships and then take them down. It may be a lot, but it's worth it!"
"That's the spirit!" encouraged Bismuth while giving him a thumbs up, "Now then, let's split up and get ready to kick some butt!"
But then, just before they could split, their eyes were all drawn to a blinding white object rising over the horizon. Another dazzling projectile showed up seconds later, then a third, then a fourth, and so on until nine of them stopped in a perfect circle several hundred feet above the town. The mild distraction turned into a full-blown problem when suddenly a massive white circle of light formed around them and grew larger by the second. It expanded outwards faster than any of them could imagine until it began arcing down in every direction and soon the entire town along with several surrounding miles of land and ocean were trapped under a gigantic translucent dome.
"Oh no…" gaped Peridot, "That hunch I had was right."
"What hunch?" asked Cinnabar.
"That they had a backup plan…"
Lapis, however, was barely listening. She was already flying up to the edge of the dome and trying to punch her way out with a giant water fist. Despite the immense strength behind it, the dome did not even budge.
"Try going underneath it," ordered Garnet as she looked on with the rest of the team. Lapis tried to lift the dome from underneath with a pair of awua hands, but still nothing.
"No good," she reported, "It's like it's set into the Earth's crust."
"I'll be the judge of that," demanded Adamite before she rocketed beneath the ground. The others waited with baited breath only to find her propel herself out of the hole.
"I-it's impossible! There's a bottom to this bubble several miles underground!"
"Then that means…" moaned Pearl, "We're completely stuck. They planned this entire thing from the start…"
"Oh how right you are!" spoke a haughty voice all around them. The Crystal Gems all looked around for the sound, but found nothing.
"Show yourself!" shouted Bismuth into the sky, "I'm not gonna be intimidated by some pet of the Diamonds!"
"'Pet?' I'm afraid you're quite mistaken. I have legions of gems just aching to take care of you, but I've decided to take a personal interest in this mission…"
"No!" whispered Pearl, completely horrified, "It can't be…"
"Pearl?!" yelled Greg, his legs shaking under his armor, "What is all this?! What's the bigwig talking about?"
"I have an idea," mumbled Peridot, equally terrified, "And I for once wish I'm dead wrong."
"Snap out of it, you two!" barked Amethyst, "We've beaten everything else they've thrown at us! Even that brigade from White Diamond got blown up!"
"Ah, you must be the amethyst responsible for that debacle," noted the voice, "I'll make a note to have your gem examined before Blue has you shattered."
"Everyone, look up!" commanded Garnet. The group complied and saw the same objects that formed the dome were now projecting a holo-screen the size of a football field. And from that massive screen was the serene yet stern face of White Diamond staring down on them and the rest of Beach City.
"W-White Diamond?!" gawked Steven, "T-that's her?!"
"Yes, yes, I understand my presence is magnificent," gloated the matriarch, "But enough of that. I've decided to watch the rest of this operation unfold firsthand. I must admit, your tenacity has proven quite impressive, Rose Quartz."
"You've gotta be kidding me…" groaned Lapis, "What are we, playthings to her?"
"Pretty much," grumbled Topaz, all too familiar with how the Diamonds treated their subjects.
"What do you want?" yelled Pearl, "If you think we're just going to let you intimidate us into silence, we won't be swayed!"
White Diamond burst into laughter. "Oh my goodness, the rumors were true! A renegade pearl who thinks she can fight! Rose Quartz, what have you been doing all this time?!"
While Steven's eye twitched hearing him be called his mother's name for the umpteenth time, he tried to remain civil. "We haven't been doing anything to you for the past few thousand years. If you'd leave us alone, we wouldn't bother you."
"Well, see, that's the issue. While we could leave you on your desolate ball of rock and saltwater that you seem to adore so much, there's the tiny issue of being the only gem in the universe responsible for shattering a Diamond. That is an act that can never go unpunished."
"Jeez," sulked Cinnabar, "And I thought I could be petty…"
"'Petty?'" asked White, "You believe that I am being petty? That I should merely let bygones be bygones and allow you to live?"
"Yes!" answered Steven, "That's exactly it! Can we try that? Please?"
The matriarch chuckled at the thought, honestly amused by the suggestion, before her expressions suddenly went flat. All the Crystal Gems, even the ones who never knew White before today, felt a sudden urge to run.
"Let me explain all the reasons why I will never let you off for your crimes, Rose Quartz. First of all, it would be a complete mockery of our justice system. If you were to get off scot-free and the rest of the gem population learned, our entire civilization could descend into anarchy! After all, if a crime of that magnitude were to be pardoned there would be an open invitation to dismantle our entire social structure!"
"You mean a rigid caste system where everyone is forced into one job?" grumbled Peridot.
"Yes, exactly. Secondly, there are still many higher-ups here who remember your original spat. The members of Pink Diamond's court and her remaining subjects would all be horrified to learn that her shatterer was left alive. You saw how sore that Jasper you also shattered was about the issue, right? Or are you too blinded by your righteous cause to notice other gems aside from your little circle of rejects?"
"But…" stuttered Steven, but he was cut off.
"Then, of course, there's the matter of Yellow and Blue. While the former is reluctant to admit it, losing Pink is something she takes personal responsibility for. She was the one who gave in to Pink's request for a colony, after all. And Blue… Well, it's safe to say Blue has been utterly traumatized by the whole affair. Even to this day, she mourns Pink constantly and has made it very clear that she looks to have your shards in her personal palace as a reminder of your deed."
That caused Steven to gulp. He felt all his nerve leaving his body with every word she said, but she still was not done.
"And that, naturally, is only the largest offense for you. There are countless war crimes to consider such as, like my pearl mentioned, the hundreds of thousands of lives lost from the war you started."
"Shut up!" demanded Amethyst, "Most of us weren't even there for that!"
"Perhaps, but it seems you have all taken the banner as the Crystal Gems who were responsible for the war so-"
"Okay, that's enough!" shouted Garnet, shocking everybody present, "We get it! You don't like us! You miss Pink, but we can't fix it! Just stop with all the grandstanding and get to the point!"
"Uh…" whispered Greg, "Are you alright?"
"Sorry, but that voice is really grating."
"Firstly, I heard that, but that's not the main reason for all of this," spoke White. The Crystal Gems, even Greg, all looked up to see the Diamond's eyes were closed as she spoke as calmly as possible. "There is, admittedly, one singular motivation that is driving me in particular. One that supersedes any formal law or discretion."
The sudden calm put the team further on edge. Pearl, trying to fight her legs' shaking, spoke up. "And… What is that?"
"I hate you." The diamond's eyes opened and bore into their souls. Her face twisted into an angry grimace that suddenly them all fear for their lives. She spoke with so much anger that they swore any moment she would leap through the screen and tear them all to pieces.
"I cannot properly express how much I loathe each and every one of you 'Crystal Gems'. Your ideology is a blight to our way of life, one that cost thousands of your own kind their lives and for what? A bunch of weak, pathetic, gangly, useless organic lifeforms that are eons behind us in terms of technology and culture?! It almost sounds like a cruel joke!"
Steven wanted to speak up, but he was silenced by the raw venom in her voice. And she still was not done.
"If my hatred could manifest itself, it could bridge the hundreds of thousands of parsecs between our planets with room to spare! If I could harness it, it would be a source of power that would reduce your entire solar system to ashes in a nanosecond! And yet still it isn't enough… I can never repay you and your followers enough for the damage you have done to our kind. Not just for the actions you've done, but the poisonous mindset you represent. If there was talk of gems choosing their own paths and acting as they wished, we would be reduced to anarchy!"
Then, just as it quickly as it came, her vitriol vanished and she resumed her usual composure. "Now then, since you all understand my motivation, I think it's clear what you all should do. Rose Quartz, you will surrender yourself for incarceration and finally answer for your crimes. The remainder of your Crystal Gems will be shattered for their defiance."
"W-Why would we do that?" asked a much meeker Peridot, "What's to gain?"
"Well, solace that the pain and suffering you've been wreaking on our society is an attribute… But, in the more conventional sense, I will officially designate this planet as unable to colonize and thus your precious organics will be spared."
"W-W-What's the c-catch?" stuttered Pearl, now on her knees thanks to her nerves.
"I'm sure you've noticed the sphere now surrounding your headquarters. If you refuse to hand yourself over to us, it will annihilate everything within its boundaries down to a molecular level."
"B-But," argued Lapis, "You h-have your troops here… Won't t-they all be-"
"Destroyed along with them? Certainly, but they all know the stakes of this mission. The chance to see the infamous Rose Quartz utterly disintegrated made the whole lot of them cheer and race off to get a head start. That, Rose, is the proper level of obedience us Diamonds expect from gems."
"You guys are completely insane!" shouted Bismuth, "You're going to just throw away their lives?! I swear if I find you, I'm gonna-!"
"-And this is exactly what I'm trying to correct…" sighed White, "Such delusions you've given these gems, Rose. You've turned them into your slaves, bent on doing your will and abandoning the purpose we chose for them and for what? All for some nondescript world and the peons that live on it? It's enough to bring a tear to your eye."
"Stop it!" demanded Adamite, "You're trying to rationalize the slaughter of your own people for the sake of a grudge and yet we're the party in the wrong?! What kind of logic is that?!"
"My logic is entirely infallible. Our way of life must be protected and your stubborn refusal to adhere to your design is entirely your own fault. Oh, and by the way, if your all refuse to surrender my vow to leave Earth untouched will not stand. We will simply colonize the remainder of the planet and have it memorialized as the sole colony under Pink Diamond's name."
"And that means all the other people on Earth will…" whimpered Greg, his head spinning as he fought the urge to throw up.
"C-Come on guys, don't give up!" tried Amethyst, "We can still do this! We can't just sit around and let that oversized clod beat us!"
"Oh, really? Because it looks to me like your beloved leader and her little renegade have already forfeited."
The group all wondered what she was talking about until they all looked at Steven and Pearl. Both of them were completely unconscious, but the latter was even more shocking as the large white gem on her forehead was entirely gray.
"Well now, since it seems like she can't answer me, which one of you is the leader?"
"Me," answered Garnet, "And the answer is still no."
"Oh, I wouldn't be too hasty with the lives of everything on this planet. Wouldn't that just be tragic to see all of your hard work be undone out of obstinacy? I will give you one hour of this planet's time to reconsider, but wait any longer and I order Silver Agate to atomize you all."
So, now we finally have White Diamond with the Crystal Gems trapped in a giant bubble and Pearl's the next one to get a power-up. So much to do for next time that I just might get this one finished before the end of the next decade!
Thank you all so much for reading! Please feel free to leave a review!