Chapter 33: The Great Gara Droid Attack!

Enter Huntress

One month after Empire City, things have been a bit quiet. At the Gara Droid base, Gien was activating the space bridge to bring in more soldiers.

Gien: Such a waste. We're constantly producing more soldiers only for them to get scrapped by those Crystal Gems.

Bomber: If I was leader I wouldn't lose so many soldiers if you didn't listen to the Diamonds.

Gien: The time we take down the Diamonds will come Bomber, and chances of you becoming leader is a million to zero.

Bomber got angry for that and was about to fire at Gien, but then an electrical whip hit his hand. They both look to see Viggo and Jasper.

Viggo: Try that again and I will melt you into slag Bomber.

Gien: Ah Jasper, how goes your hunt for corrupted gems?

Jasper: It's going well Gien. I have a whole bunch of them caged at the Beta Kindergarten.

Gien: The one you were made from?

Jasper: Yes, take a look.

Jasper takes Gien to the super computer and in the monitors shows a large amount of corrupted gems caged along with Gara Soldiers keeping guard of the place.

Gien: Impressive, most impressive.

Jasper: So Gien, do I get my reward now?

Gien takes out the cube.

Gien: Let me see the place myself, then I will give it.

Jasper: Fair enough.

Viggo: But Jasper, this is more than enough corrupted gems for us to experiment on.

Jasper: You can take whatever you want. The rest you don't want are for me.

Viggo: For you?

Jasper: Yes. With my new army and my upgrade I'll use it to destroy those Crystal Gems, especially that Amethyst and I'll save Rose for last.

Gien: But I still need um Rose alive?

Jasper: Okay then, I'll just cripple her then and have her know what failure feels like.

Gien nods to that.

Bomber: Whoa hold on there. Aren't you forgeting that the others will most likely be there too? They could interfere and beat you.

Gien: ( forms evil smile) Leave that to me Bomber.

Meanwhile at the temple. Everyone was hanging out at the house doing their own thing until Garnet emerges from her room, looking a bit distressed.

Garnet: Gems, we got a problem.

Everyone gathered together to hear what Garnet had to say.

Steven: Is something wrong Garnet?

Garnet: I'm seeing two different Gara Droid activity happening right now.

Pearl: Two?

Garnet: Yes, it seems Gien decided to split up the team this time.

Amethyst: I guess we'll have to split up too.

Bismuth: So where are they then?

Garnet: The first location I see is set somewhere in the forest of Cherrystone Park.

Steven: Cherrystone Park? That's near a populated area.

Lapis: They could be planning attack.

Garnet: The second location I see is at the Beta Kindergarden.

Steven: Hold on, Beta Kindergarden? You mean there's another kindergarden here.

Peridot: Oh yes, the Beta Kindergarden was actually a rushed job during the rebellion when the Diamonds needed more gems. But it's not as well made as the Prime Kindergarden. I mean not that the any of the kindergarden's are a good place to go, but you know what I mean. But one more thing worth mentioning is that's where Jasper was made from.

Steven: R-Really?

Amethyst: Then she may be there.

Steven noticed Amethyst getting tensed up after hearing that and noticed her fists balling up. She's been training for a month just to have a rematch with her.

Garnet: Okay so here's the plan. We'll all split up. Bismuth, Amethyst your with me to the Beta Kindergarden. Steven, Pearl, Peridot and Lapis, the four of you will go to the forest. Everyone be careful and stay safe.

Everyone nods as they got to ther groups, but Steven went to talk to Amethyst for a moment.

Steven: Amethyst, are you alright?

Amethyst: I'm fine, but I will better once I get back at Jasper.

Steven: ( sighs) Amethyst if you do see Jasper, don't do anything reckless. Just stick with Garnet and Bismuth. If you are forced to fight her on her own, then I wish for you to be strong and be careful.

Amethyst places her hand on his shoulder.

Amethyst: I will and if you see her. Then you do the same.

Steven: ( nods) Okay.

So Garnet, Bismuth and Amethyst got onto the warp pad to get to the Beta Kindergarden, while Steven, Pearl, Peridot and Lapis took Lion and he warped them to Cherrystone Park's forest.

At the Kindergarden

Garnet, Bismuth and Amethyst made it to the Beta Kindergarden. It looked a bit different from the Prime Kindergarden that they usually go to. Here it was set more in a desert, with more light and also it looked really unorganized.

Amethyst: Whoa, this is the Beta Kindergarden?

Bismuth: But what I don't get is what would Gien want from here?Reactivate the injectors?

Garnet: I don't think. He has a whole army of droids unless theirs parts he might need. But let's waste time. We need to start searching.

So the trio started searching around for any Gara Droids. After five minutes of walking, they saw Jasper and the Gara Droids from the distance. They hid inisde a hole and peaked out to see what was happening. Much to there surprise the saw Gien, Viggo, Bomber and Jasper with what appeared to be corrupted gems in cages. One of the gem monsters was growling until Jasper punched the wall scaring it.

Jasper: Be quiet! I can't believe you used to be like me. You're just as bad as that Amethyst.

Gien: Excellent Jasper. ( motioning towards Bomber) Unlike some of my other warriors you never fail me.

Bomber: She just joined the team, I brought you a corrupted gem once.

Jasper: How many did you bring?

Bomber: Well...um...just one.

Jasper: Pffft, one? Look at how many I've brought. You see unlike you, I always give a good first impression Bomber the Ungreat.

Bomber balled up his fist and was just tempted into attacking her.

Bomber: ( whispering to Viggo) Please let me kill her. Seriously she will not be missed.

Viggo: Hush Bomber. You will put your jelousy aside or you can feed these monsters here.

Bomber looked at a corrupted gem as it snarled at him. He decided to stay quiet.

Gien: And as I promised here.

Gien hands her the cube.

Scene shifts to the gems.

Bismuth: What is that?

Amethyst: I don't know.

Scene shifts back to Jasper.

Jasper: Finally. How does it work?

Gien: Just place on your chest and tap the top.

Jasper does this and the cube broke apart into tiny pieces and attached themeselves to Jasper as a nanotech suit. Her new upgraded body was now show. Her body was metallic silver. There were black wired joints in the neck, elbows and leg areas of her body for manuever. Her hair was now all wires. Her eyes were now red and had face mask on her. Her gem was still exposed and her voice had a slight robotic tone to it.

Gien: Hmmmm. Not bad, not bad at all.

Jasper: Hehehehe. Yes I can't wait to crush those Crystal Gems. Rose and her Amethyst are on my hit list.

Scene shifts to the gems again.

Bismuth: No way.

Amethyst: This isn't good.

Amethyst was getting nervous. She lost to Jasper before and she trained so hard to have a rematch. How was she supposed to go up against an upgraded version of her.

Bismuth: Can we go slag these scrap heaps now?

Garnet: No. That's too dangerous. We need a plan. Now listen carefully.

But as Garnet was discussing the plan with them, Jasper sensed something from behind her.

Gien: What is it Jasper?

Jasper: I'm detecting three intruders over there.

Gien: It must be your enemy detecter in your suit. Who is it?

Jasper reaches her hand out. Her hand began to glow and shout out a beam at one of the walls. Garnet, Bismuth and Amethyst were shot out.

Jasper: Just Rose's lackies.

The gems got back up with weapons in armed.

Gien: So I see a few of you decided to come here.

Garnet: What are you doing with Gien, Jasper?

Jasper: We have something in common and look you brought the runt with you.

Amethyst: I'm not the same gem when we last fought Jasper. You can try and scare me with your new body, but you can't.

Jasper: Oh, is Rose's favorite runt going to scare me? Hahaha!

But Jasper didn't see Steven anywhere.

Jasper: But wait. Where's Rose?

Bismuth: Sorry to burst your bubble, but he isn't here.

Jasper: I'm mildly disappointed she didn't come here, but no matter. I atleast have you runt.

Gien walks back bit and takes out a communicator. He speaks to the elite he has sent and only the voice is heard.

Gien: Huntress this Gien, do you read me?

Huntress: I'm here my lord. What is it you command?

Gien: I'm here to tell you that the boy Steven will be with the gems you will encounter. You can do whatever you want with the others, but the boy I want him alive.

Huntress: Gien, darling have no fear. I will do as you please. Not only you will recieve the boy but another prize. A Crystal Gem necklace.

Gien: ( silent chuckles) Make me proud Huntress and I will promote you to general.

The message ends as Gien focuse back on the fight.

Garnet: Everyone stick together. This will be intense.

Jasper: I'll fight you later fusion. But right now...

Turns to Amethyst.

Jasper: It's you I want.

With full speed, Jasper charged at Amethyst punching her to a wall.

Garnet and Bismuth: Amethyst!

Garnet and Bismuth tried to go help her, but they were cut off by Bomber and Viggo.

Bismuth: Pffft. We can take these uppercrust scrapheaps.

Viggo: Oh it's not just us two fighting. Aerodroids!

They looked up in the sky and there appeared to be twelve of a new squad of Gara Soldiers. They at first looked like smaller versions of F-15 jets. They were dark blue with yellow stripes, but they didn't have cockpits and the nose cones had red eyes on them as if it was there head. They landed and transformed into there robot forms. They didn't have legs and hovered in the air. They had a muscular build on their bodies and the jet wings were on their backs with blasters attached to their arms. The heads had pointed bat like ears with red eyes and face masks on their faces.

Bismuth: What in the?

Gien: Meet my Aerodroids. They're great for taking the fight in the skies, but they can also fight on land too.

The Aeordroids pointed there blasters and Garnet and Bismuth.

Garnet: You can throw any types droids at us, but we won't back down.

Bomber: Let's see about that fusion.

Bomber draws out his sabre and points it at the gems.

Bomber: Attack!

Garnet and Bismuth clashed into battle with Viggo, Bomber and the Aerodroids, while Amethyst took on the new Jasper.

Meanwhile at the forest of Cherrystone Park. Steven and the others made it to the park. They looked at the main park and saw people camping there.

Peridot: Wow, it's so beautiful.

Steven: Yeah, dad always talked about how great this place is.

Lapis: We should come here sometime.

Pearl: One day we will, but first we have to deal with whatever is happening in the woods.

Steven: Right, everything seems fine here. Let's go.

And so they ventured deeper into the forest.

Peridot: These trees are so tall, I feel like they're surrounding us.

Lapis: There's still nothing here. Are you sure the Gara Droids are here?

Pearl: That's what Garnet says and she's never wrong.

Steven: We just have to keep going, but let's keep are guard up.

They kept walking until they heard something in the bushes, they turned around with weapons armed, but out came was just a rabbit and they all sighed.

Steven: It's just a rabbit.

Pearl: Let's keep moving.

They kept moving and there was still nothing.

Peridot: This is very strange. We should have came across some trouble right about now.

Lapis: Like what?

Peridot: You know some guards, an ambush...

But before Peridot could continue Pearl suddenly fell into a pit that was covered by leaves to blend in with the ground.

Peridot: Or a booby trap.

Steven: Pearl!

Everyone looked down the pit and saw Pearl. She got back up and it looked like she was okay.

Steven: Pearl, are you alright?

Pearl: I'm fine Steven, I just fell into this pit. I'll jump back up.

Pearl jumped up high to get out, but once she got to the top she was electricuted by some invisible force. She screamed and then fell back down.

Steven: Pearl!

Steven tried to go down to help her, but Peridot pulled him back.

Peridot: Steven don't touch that!

Steven: What's wrong?

Peridot picked up a stick and threw it into the pit. Once it touched the entrence it, the electricity destroyed it.

Lapis: What is that?

Peridot: An invisisble electric barrier. Used to set for traps. Once you enter through it the first time, it will activate the barrier. Nothing can get in or out.

Steven: How are we going to get Pearl out?

But then a black orb was shot from the top of a tree. It was aimed towards Steven and he didn't have time to react to it. He got hit as the orb opened up into a net and had him trapped and it pushed hin into a tree also tieing him up. He tried to break free, but felt that his power was being drained by the net.

Peridot and Lapis: Steven!

Then they heard a sinister cackle. A figure jumped down from the tree revealing it to be a Gara Elite. Except this one was female. She was the same height as Pearl. She had an athletic build wearing a skin tight black hunting uniform with a strap of bullets in the front and on her back was a rifle, a machete strapped on her waist and she wore red boots. But unlike the other droids they encountered, she had a more organic look with leaf green skin on her body, but her right arm was metallic. She had long blue hair in a braided ponytail and had red eyes. On her right eye she had a monocole and her teeth had fangs. Peridot recognized her.

Peridot: Huntress.

Huntress: ( silent chuckles) It's been a while Peridot and I see you decided to turn against our only master.

Peridot: I don't serve Gien anymore.

Huntress: You shouldn't have done that. Now he wants me to kill you all. ( looks at Steven) Well all except for that boy right there. Gien desperatly wants him.

Lapis steps in front of her with a serious look.

Lapis: You stay away from him.

Huntress: And what are you going to do about it Lapis Lazuli?

Lapis using her powers formed two water hands from the ground.

Huntress: Oh, this should be fun.

Lapis using the water hands tried to grab or crush Huntress. Huntress however was very fast, she dodged every attack and eventually made her way to Lapis, punching her in the stomach. Lapis falls to the ground and the water hands disappear.

Peridot: Lapis!

Steven: No, leave her alone!

Lapis tried to get up as Huntress taunts her.

Huntress: Did you really think you could beat me? I've taken down giants bigger than the Diamonds. I took down packs of neo wolves. You're no where near as challenging as they were.

Lion roared and pounced at Huntress, but she pointed her metallic arm at him. Then one of her fingers shot out of her hand and hit Lion as a tranqualizer, instantly putting him down.

Steven: Lion!

Huntress's finger automatically reloads and she walks up to Lion and puts her foot on his head.

Huntress: My, you're interesting creature. You'll go great with my collection.

Lapis formed an ice stalactite and threw it at Huntress, but she drew out her machete cutting it in half. But while she was distracted, Lapis hurried to Steven, tring to set him free.

Lapis: Hold on Steven. I'll get you out of here.

Lapis tried tried to rip open the nets, but it was too strong to tear open.

Huntress: You can't rip open my ultra net. They're made to be indestructable. But you're really starting to annoy me. Aerodroids!

From the sky two Aerodroids came down and transformed into robot mode.

Steven: What the? New soldiers?

Peridot: I knew they would have brought the Aerodroids into the battle soon.

Huntress: Take care of her.

The two droids approached Lapis, she tried to use her powers and raised her hands. But one of them shot her hand.

Lapis: AAAHH!

Steven: Lapis!

Lapis held onto her injured hand and looked at it. She looked back at the droids still approaching her.

Steven: Lapis, get out of here. Run!

Lapis No I won't leave you!

Huntress: Oh but you should, you see everyone runs from me.

Huntress was about to take out her rifle, until she felt her arm being held onto some kind of force. She looked back and saw Peridot using her metal powers on her.

Peridot: I won't let you hurt my friends.

Huntress: Stay out of this you pebble!

Huntress's monocole began to glow as a infared laser was aimed at Peridot. It shot out a real laser hitting Peridot and sending her flying into a huge rock and falls to the ground.

Huntress: Let's just get this over with. ( to the Aerodroids) Kill her now.

The Aerodroids nod and tried firing at Lapis again. Lapis formed her wings and tried to get up to the sky. The Aerodroids transformed into jet forms and flew up chasing her around. Lapis couldn't shake them off and her hand was still hurt. So when the droids fired again, she tricked one them into shooting the other destroying it. Huntress was getting annoyed.

Huntress: ( sighs) I have to do everything.

Huntress drew out her rifle and aimed it at Lapis from the ground. Peridot got back up and saw what was happening.

Peridot: No!

Peridot grabbed onto her gun and the two of them began to struggle.

Huntress: What are you doing? Let go of me!

Peridot: I won't let you shoot Lapis you clod!

Meanwhile Lapis was being chased by the other droid. She flew closer to the ground into some trees and tried luring it into there. The sharp and narrow turns made hard for both of them to manuever, but she managed to get the droid to crash into a tree, breaking it into pieces. After that she flew back up to the sky to see where everyone else was. But as this was happening Huntress and Peridot were finishing their struggle.

Huntress: I've had enough of you!

Huntress kicks Peridot to the ground and aims her rifle at Lapis again, at her gem.

Huntress: Say bye bye birdy.

Huntress pulls the trigger and shoots Lapis. She gasped and felt the projectile going right through her body, specifically her gem. Her water wings disappeared and fell somewhere deep in the forest. Peridot and Steven watched in tears.

Steven: L-Lapis...no...

Peridot: LAPIS!

Peridot got up but didn't know what to do? Should she try to help Steven or Pearl or go find Lapis? She looked at Steven.

Steven: Peridot, go find her.

Peridot nods.

Peridot: I'll be back.

Peridot ran deep into the forest to find her. Huntress see's this but doesn't proceed.

Huntress: You can't hide from me Peridot. I will find you. But I'll let you go for now. It will make the hunt more exciting. Gara Soldiers!

Six Gara Soldiers along with Acha and Kocha warp into the scene saluting to her.

Acha: Oh, Huntress! Did you do it?

Huntress: Most of it. Lets take these three back to camp. We should inform Gien about his prize.

Acha: Sounds good to me.

Kocha:( to the soldiers) You heard her. Take the prisoners back to camp.

Huntress and the soldiers take Steven, Pearl and Lion back to their camp. Later she will go find Peridot and what's left of Lapis. Peridot continued running into the forest. She had to find Lapis. She had a determined face, but still had some tears in her eyes. They may have just started being friends, but it felt more like they've been friends for years. She and Steven loved her and hoped she was still alive.

Peridot: I'll find you Lapis and free you Steven. I promise.

To be continued...

Author's Note: That's it for this chapter. Thing's aren't looking good for our heroes and what about Amethyst, Garnet and Bismuth taking on Gien and the new Jasper? Is there still hope or has the Gara Droids finally won. Find out next time. Special thanks to Lady Shadow92 for the ideas. Please read and review. Thank you.