Episode 15: Friend Ship
It's a fairly quiet sunrise out at Chase's place. Peridot was waiting for Jack to finish his restroom tinkle. Peridot was looking at her note. Just then, the restroom door opens and Jack walks out with a flushing sound from the toilet. "Ahh...much better." Jack said. "So, what is it that you need, Peridot?" "Well, I figured that I need to head back to Homeworld as soon as I can." Peridot said. Jack looks a bit perplexed. "You do remember that the homeworld warp is knocked out because of Garnet, right?" Jack said. "Good memory, I was thinking of repairing it." Peridot said. "How?" Jack asked. "Your supply of Robonoids is drying up." "True, but I think we can set it up for a second part of the plan." Peridot said. "I'm listening." Jack said. "Well, I don't know if I should tell you about it yet but it's only as a last resort." Peridot said. Jack was a bit worried when Peridot mentioned last resort. "Why did you say like that?" Jack said. "Look, Chase may be on to something. I'm likely on a timer, and if it runs out….I don't know what would happen to me." Peridot admits. Jack hugs Peridot. "Look Peridot, I am doing my best to protect you as much as I can. I will fight to my last breath to protect you." Jack admits. Peridot was stunned as Jack stops hugging. "Sorry, needed to get that off my chest." Jack said. Peridot clears her throat. "Appreciate it, Jack. Anyway. We better head to the Homeworld Warp pad and fix it up." Peridot said. Jack nods as they head out.
A bit later, they arrived via a warp pad. Peridot sees the destroyed Homeworld Warp pad. She groans a bit as she sees it. "Woah, I didn't expect Garnet was able to destroy it to pieces." Jack comments. "Maybe I should have brought the jackbots to help out." he said with an awkward chuckle. Peridot just walks over and began to pick up the rubble. "Well, we better start to repair this hunk of junk." Peridot said with a bemoan tone. Jack nods as he walks and picks up some rubble and began to sort out what goes to where while Peridot grabs the other rubble and mumbles to herself. "Stupid broken warp pad…first the communication tower, now this!" Peridot bemoans. "Ugh…those Crystal Monks are such a menace." "Hey, at least we have time to work on it. I mean, how would they know where we are right now? There's no way they know were we are now." Jack boast. Just then a warp pad activates and the Monks and Gems were standing on it, startling Peridot and Jack. "Aha, I knew it." Pearl said. "See, my plan worked." "Okay, we get it, Pearl.' Raimundo said. "Can we just try to get Peridot?"
"What the?! How did you know we were here?!" Peridot said with a perplexing tone. "We found a sneaky way to track you and you guys won't find out." Steven said, taunting with sticking his tongue out and pulling his eyelid. Jack groans as he pulls out his sword. "You losers really need to knock at some point." Jack quips as he twirls his sword a bit. Peridot groans and summons her blaster. "We don't have time for this! This planet has an end date and we don't want to stick around just to find out when!" She said as she fires a blaster. She knocks herself backwards and hits one of the pillars. It began tipping, but Steven reacts to this and summons his shield to protect the group from the falling debris. Peridot looks at her blaster and back at the Monks and Gems. She chuckles a bit.
"Alright, that's it. I'm taking her on." Pearl said. "Pearl, Wait!" Garnet said. Just before Pearl can attack Peridot, Jack comes in and fights with his sword and Pearl spear. While that was happened, Amethyst spin dash towards Peridot but Peridot managed to avoid it and caused Amethyst to crashed to the pile of rubble that Jack used to demonstrate the Eye of Dashi a good while ago. Amethyst climbs out of it, shakes off the dust and groans in anger. "Haha, missed me." Peridot said as she jumps on to a deactivated warp pad. "Oh, come on. Is there anything that can work on this stupid planet?!" Peridot bemoaning. Steven gives a subtle nod to Garnet and Clay. They grab the pillar and lifted off the shield. "We do. Clay, Garnet, Amethyst now!" Steven said as he launches his shield, hit Peridot and launches her in the air. Peridot then got hit by Amethyst and the Pillar in a quick succession, causing her to flail in the sky. Jack notices this and sees Garnet trying to capture her. Jack managed to disarm Pearl and spin kick Pearl right into Garnet. Peridot managed to recover in time and used her propeller hand feature to hover over Pearl and Garnet as they squabble over trying to get up. Peridot hovers over to the warp pad they used and Jack follows quickly. "Well, we had our fun, but we better bolt as fast as we can." Jack said. "Besides, it's so sad that I almost feel sorry for you." Peridot said in a cunning tone and did the same thing Steven did to her before warping out with Jack in tow. The Monks and Gems were demoralized, they were so close and yet, Jack managed to get Peridot some breathing room and escaped. They head back to the warp pad and warp out as well, back to Beach City.
In the warp, Peridot and Jack were heading somewhere. Peridot was thinking while Jack places his sword back to his sword holder. "Man, those Monks and Gems were more clever than we gave them credit for." Jack said. Peridot looks at Jack. "Jack, I think they are using the escape pod to track us." Peridot said. "Wait, really?" Jack said, perplexed by it. "What makes you say that?" "Look, we landed near Beach City, where the Monks and Gems are, it is logical to think and assume that they managed to find the escape pod and use it to track us, more specifically me." Peridot said. Jack thinks a bit and softly nods. "Yea, that is very probable. So what are we going to do? We can't warp back without exposing our location and if we get too close to Chase's HQ, we might expose where we are hiding out at." Jack said. "Well, I want to test that theory…by using myself as bait to lure them to a particular location." Peridot said with a bit of a smirk. Jack was taken aback. "I don't know if that is wise. What if you did get captured. I can't protect you if you are cap-" Jack said. "Simmer down, Jack, I doubt I'll get captured today." Peridot said. "Besides, I got a location that we can use."
Back at Beach City, The Monks and Gems warped back home. All of them were feeling a bit defeated after that shenanigans that happened at the Galaxy Warp. Pearl was the first to step off. "Alright, so we know that was a bit of a fiasco, but that did prove one idea right. We can use their escape pod to track where Peridot and, for this matter, Jack would be at." Pearl said, showing the escape pod that the Heylin used. "I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner. Whenever they warp somewhere, their escape pod would tell us where they are and it will be a matter of time before Peridot is captured and Jack has to retreat behind his tails. That way, we can close the book on this chapter and move on. Right?" she added looking at Garnet. A quiet moment arrives as The Monks, Amethyst and Steven tense from this. Garnet is still not forgiving Pearl at this rate. Just then, Raimundo steps between both of them. "Look, is there something that might make you two communicate with each other again? You know, talk it over?" Raimundo suggest.
Just then, the escape pod beeps. Pearl activates it via touchscreen and opens up a holographic globe pointing towards Northern South America. "They are running out of time and we might get the jump on them if we act quickly." Pearl said. "We got them this time around." Pearl began to rush to the Warp pad. "Count us in, Gems." Clay said. Pearl shakes her head. "Sorry, Monks, but this time, it's best for us to handle Peridot and Jack ourselves and you guys to guard the wus." Pearl said. "That is true. Don't want to see another wu disappear within our grasp." Omi said. "It was one time." Steven said with an awkward chuckle. "Besides, Pearl is being optimistic about the whole Garnet situation." Amethyst walks up. "I doubt it would help. She could defeat Jack and Peridot with her eyes closed and serve them up on a silver platter, but it won't make up for the stunt she pulled on Garnet." Amethyst said to Steven and the Monks. This made Steven think a bit. Amethyst walks to the warp pad and Garnet also arrives to the warp pad. "Steven, let's go." Garnet said to Steven. Steven rushes to the Warp Pad
Back to Peridot and Jack, they arrive at a large mountainous plains. Jack sees a massive ship not too far from their warp location. "Woah, that's a big ship." Jack said. "Behold, Jack, this is an ancient gem colony ship. This is where our trap will take place." Peridot said. "This is only from Era 1, though so the tech is up to your standard at worst." "Yea, well, that's kinda true." Jack admits as they walk to the Colony ship. They began to look around. Peridot was looking for something. "We don't have much time. We need to get to the control room before… they arrive." Peridot said. "So, this is only Era 1, and you mention that you are Era 2? How many Era are there?" Jack said. "Only the two at this point in time. Era 1 was when all four diamonds were in power. However, Era 2 began after one of them got shattered." Peridot said. "Wait, there were four diamonds and one of them got shattered? I know there's Yellow, your superior Diamonds if I recall, but what other diamonds are there?" Jack said. "Interested on the lore, I see. Well, if you need to know, There were four diamonds, Yellow, Blue, White, and Pink." Peridot began to say as they arrive at the Control Room. "There it is, the control room." Jack said. "Well, that was quick. I'll tell you more about it later on." Peridot said. She presses a button and the door slowly opens. They walk in after the door fully opens and closes the door behind them.
They walk up to the control panel. It looks a bit mossy but they managed to clear it off and the communicator on the control panel. "Excellent, I think this trap is set because there are some special traps we can use to crush them." Peridot said. "Oh, lala, you want to destroy them. I like it." Jack said with a smirk. Peridot turns the camera on and sees the Gems walking up to the ship. "Looks like the time to spring is now." Peridot said. "Excellent, I wanted to see their defeat first hand." Jack said with a cackle. She presses a button and both Jack and Peridot appear on the screen for the Gems to see. Pertdot laughs with a taunting tone. "You Gems really are dull as dirt!" Peridot said. "Uh, it's dumb as dirt, Peridot." Jack said. "Whatever." Peridot said. Pearl said something but it was a muffled echo. This left Peridot and Jack a bit perplexed by it. "Uh...what? Care to speak a bit louder?" Jack said. "Yea, some of these communicators are gunked up." Peridot added. "That could be the reason." They see Steven pick up the communicator and clean it up. "Pearl said "It's you guys that are dumb as dirt to think you can fly this wreck of the ship."" Steven said.
Jack and Peridot had a beat quiet moment as they hear the echo a bit. Peridot and Jack just laughs manically. "Fly this thing? Oh, we aren't using this to fly. We were using it to TRAP YOU!" Peridot said. The door behind the Gems closes, trapping them. "Well, well, looks like we got one half of the Crystal Monks. Isn't it wonderful?" Jack boast. "Indeed it is, no more Crystal Gems running around, ruining our plans, destroying our stuff. How does it feel to be outsmarted, you clods!" Peridot said to the mic. Amethyst grabs the mic from Steven. "Uh, this is Amethyst, I don't appreciate being called a clod, you clo-" Amethyst said before Peridot interrupted her. "Enough talk! Prepare for annihilation!" Peridot said as she presses a button. Nothing happened. Peridot looked a bit perplexed. "Jack, press this button." Peridot said. Jack nods and presses the button. The ship's laser defense system turns on with a hum. "There we go! It work!" Peridot said with an evil laughter. "DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!" She shouts. Steven manged to summon his shield over his head, managed to call the Gems to get under his shield and get to an exit soon after.
"Grrr….they got away from the lasers…but how about some spike to derail them." Peridot said, pressing the button. They began to watch as the Gems tries to avoid the spikes as they also run down the hall. "All aboard the end of an era." Jack echoes and his laughter echos as well. The Gem encounters a hologram of Jack and Peridot. Pearl charges into it and was fooled hard. "Wow, you are so easily fooled by holograms." Jack said as he laughs it up. Peridot also laughs from Pearl's attempted to attack the holograms. They then see Pearl's morale going into freefall as Jack sees a button and presses it. Just then, the Gems began fall into a pit. Amethyst quickly saved Steven but was unable to save Pearl and Garnet. Peridot presses a button to close the pit, capturing Pearl and Garnet. They began watching on the monitor that sees Pearl and Garnet trying to use their weapons to get out. "There's no way they can escape it." Peridot boast. "Excellent. Now what button do I need to pre-" Jack said before Pearl said something on camera. "Garnet, I'm sorry." Pearl said on camera. "Huh?" Jack said. "Things weren't supposed to turned this way." Pearl added.
"Something must be up with Garnet and Pearl." Jack said. "I smell…drama." "Wait, what…" Peridot said with an unenthusiastic tone. "Looks like Pearl must have gotten into hot water and Garnet may have not forgiven her over something. Would be a shame if they got crushed." Jack said with a menial laughter and presses the button. They watch as Pearl began to beg for forgiveness but Garnet was not having it. Jack began to cackle and Peridot watches with glee. Just then, the wall stopped moving. "Hey, what the?!" Jack bemoans. They turned to see, on screen, Steven and Amethyst holding the gem gears from working via Amethyst's whips. "Come on, you're only holding up the inevitability." Jack said. He began pressing the button again. Nothing happens. He press it yet again. Still nothing happens. "Are you kidding me?" Jack said with an agitated tone. "Well, best to watch the drama unfold." Peridot rolls her eyes as Pearl and Garnet began to reconcile. Pearl admits that she looked up to Garnet and wonder how perfect of a relationship Garnet is. Garnet basically told her that Ruby and Sapphire defused due to the whole ordeal. "Well, that's interesting and all, but can we get back to crushy crushy?" Jack said with a bemoaning tone. Garnet would make a speech on how Pearl holds her own destiny and that sometimes, Garnet looks up to Pearl for her strength as well. This ultimately reconcile both parties. Jack presses the button the third time and this time, the whips break and the gem gears work again. "Excellent...now it's time for smashy smashy." Jack said. He also see Amethyst and Steven panicking and running back and forth. Just then, a bright light appears and the camera goes on the fritz, yet again.
"OH COME ON!" Jack shouts. Peridot groans in frustration. "We were so close and they had to fuse into something and escape." Peridot said with a frustrated tone. Jack presses a button. Nothing happens. "Come, work you hunk of junk." Jack said with a kick to the panel. He began to bash some buttons with carelessness. Peridot began to presses the buttons as well. "Where are they? Why isn't any of this is working?" Peridot shouts. "There's no way they'll know where we are right now." Just then, two bangs and a massive boom to blast a hole in the wall behind them. This startled both Jack and Peridot. "Me and my big mouth." Jack bemoans. They turns to see the Gems standing inside the hole. "We knocked this time, Jack." Amethyst said with a taunt. "The Crystal Gems are going to get you two." Steven said. "You really think this is the end? This is only the beginning…" Peridot said, preparing a blaster charge. "Of our escape!" Peridot fires a blaster to the ceiling, making a big hole. Peridot and Jack began to fly away, but Steven grabbed Peridot's foot. "Lookie Lookie, I got Peridot!" Steven said. "Now isn't the time for shenanigans." Jack said. "Don't blame me, blame the Steven." Peridot said trying to shake him off. Amethyst, Pearl, and Garnet grab Steven and basically tether down Peridot's flight. "You two's flight is now canceled." Garnet said as she began to pull a bit. Peridot looks at her foot and presses a button, separating her foot from the rest of her body. "You may won the battle, but you will pay for this, Crystal Gems." Peridot said. "We'll get you back sooner or later." Jack shouts. This left the Gems with Peridot's foot and they promised themselves that next time, they will get Peridot.
A good while later, Peridot was helped into Chase's HQ with Jack's help. Chase was waiting for them. "I figured the mission would be a failure." Chase said. "Look, Chase, we didn't fail to say, just retreated successfully. In other words, we didn't lose, we merely failed to win." Jack said. Chase rolls his eyes a bit. "Look, be real, Jack. I gave you a chance to prevent Peridot's demise, but you didn't succeed. That's the main reason why I view Peridot's demise as inevitable." Chase said. "No, wait, we managed to get the homeworld warp pad to nearly repaired. We just need Peridot to inform me about the second part." Jack said. "Really, well then, tell us then, Peridot." Chase said. "We know that the Steven has the healing spit, mostly thanks to Jack's info. So, if we kidnap him and use the healing spit to repair the homeworld warp pad, I might be able to get back to homeworld to report back about the cluster." Peridot explained. Jack was mixed about it. "I don't know, on the one hand, I want to help out as much as I can, but on the other hand, the Gems would rip us apart and then some if we pull that stunt." Jack said. He then have an idea. "Let's hold a vote to help Peridot out." Jack said to Chase. "What, why?" Chase said. "Look, I am a bit unsure and need a bit of time to think it through but it has potential. Steven's healing spit must have returned by now and we might be able to snatch him, use him quickly, and return him before they know what happened." Jack suggested. Chase ponders a bit. "Well, fine. If it's 2-1 in favor, we will help, but if it's 2-1 against it, we won't help out. Deal?" Chase said. Jack nods as he shakes Chase's hand. Little does Jack know, it was only going to get worse for him here and signs point towards Peridot's capture.
End of Episode 15