It was nighttime in Beach City, it was the same sky above as countless nights before it, the same inky black plane dotted with the same tiny pinpricks made of the light from distant stars while the same dimly lit pock marked moon orbited overhead.

But that didn't make it any less beautiful.

With the gems away on yet another mission Steven and Greg were once more left to their own devices. At present they lay on top of the grassy hill above the beach house with a half finished box of donuts between them.

"Hey, dad" Steven turned to Greg, his words coming out mumbled due to the half chewed bite of donut in his mouth.

"Yeah what is it schtoo-ball?" He asked back.

"You know how the gems are kinda like aliens?"

"Mmhm..?" Greg answered back slowly while at the same time implying for Steven to carry on.

"Well, have you wondered what other aliens are-" Steven swallowed the donut before turning and swinging his arm to wave at the night sky "Out there?"

Greg took a few moments to stare at the glittering, murky black sky as if to try and discern something from the vague tapestry that was space when viewed by the naked eye. While they yielded very little, the stars themselves were still beautiful to simply marvel at, especially further away from Empire city where eternal car exhaust and artificial lights were not present to blot them out.

After a few moments Greg turned back to face Steven "Mmm... not really, but I'd like to think that they're like us, just taking in life day by day." He paused for a moment "Maybe you should ask the gems sometime - they'd probably know way more about space stuff than me." Greg smiled as he answered his son's small innocent query.

Though there was a small hint of forlorning in his tone. As Steven grew older he seemed more and more fascinated about the gem's activities rather than bonding with his good old dad - but small moments like these the two of them still shared reaffirmed his belief that his son would never wholly forget about him.

"Huh, didn't think of that, thanks dad." Steven replied, smiling and sounding genuinely grateful for his dad's advice before stuffing his maw with another bite of strawberry glazed donut and turning skywards once more.

#####

Homeworld

"Quick over here!" "Over here quickly!" The Rutiles nervously called out to their fellow off colours while peeking their heads out from the tunnel entrance's side to anxiously track their progress. Fluorite made surprisingly fast progress, despite what her short legs and elongated body would suggest, and Rhodonite was thankfully not too far behind with Padparadscha awkwardly cradled in her arms.

The signature high pitched whine of the shattering robonoids growing louder and louder did little to help their sanity. Indeed the fact they were still sane after thousands of years where death was always a mere few slip ups away, thousands of years of being despised and persecuted by their own people, was a miracle; however in these thousands of years each of them at least still had one thing to cling onto. Eachother.

It made their eternal persecution just about bearable - there were always those few moments of solace when death's grip was beaten back just far enough that they could enjoy eachother's company, even if for just a short time.

Though today was definitely not one of those days.

Rhodonite eventually found the willpower to spare a glance back to check on how far, or rather close, the robonoids were to them. Even if she had only viewed them for a second before turning back forwards, the crushing knot of dread had already tightened around her mind, the grinding mental pain coming from it made it just that much harder to concentrate.

"In my visions I see you doing something that will make you feel very uncomfortable."

Padparadscha's late predictions normally were met with indifference or exasperation on Rhodonite's part. However this time the statement and the unusually flat, deadpan tone it was delivered in only served to further fray her already worn nerves, but she couldn't let this get to her, especially not now.

The crunch of gravel echoed through the monolithic complex of the kindergartens as Rhodonite and Fluorite sprinted across the bridge, their respite growing nearer and nearer as the Rutiles' desperate expressions from the other end of the tunnel became clearer and clearer.

"Hnhhh come on, come on, come on!" Rhodonite finally snapped out, if only in a futile attempt to try and drown out the whine of the approaching robonoids which slowly chipped away at her sanity as it grew in volume.

To the credit of Fluorite she held her woes in despite Rhodonite's outburst, knowing full well the effect a slip of panic would have on her fellow off colours. Instead, she continued her gallop to safety of the cavern's end, all six of her legs working in unison to propel her from with urgent haste.

Fluorite arrived first, her large form seamlessly sliding in and twisting around to ready herself to begin pushing the boulder in place. Rhodonite came next with Padparadscha in tow, sliding on the ground awkwardly as she tried to gently place Padparadscha on the ground whilst attempting to swing her way to also begin pushing on the boulder all in one single motion. Soon enough the Rutile twins joined the effort as well.

With an audible grunt the five of them began to push with all speed. Their stress was palpable, limbs felt restless, and expressions were scrunched. They knew quite well that a moment of laxity in this situation would certainly be their end - for to one side of them was the end of the cavern, and on the other was an army of shattering robonoids.

With one last collective heave coming from the group the boulder finally groaned into place, its midsection just large enough to plug the tunnel. Though as the off colours' postures began to slacken, a familiar, dreaded noise stole their attention.

They were not quick enough.

Fear induced shock paralyzed their forms where they stood as they each recognised the all too recognisable red scanner beams of the robonoids lighting up the ground just in front of their feet. Four of the robonoids had been swift enough to make it into the cavern's end, and in their one minded struggle to push the boulder in place they had missed them floating in.

One by one the robonoids entered an aggressive stance as they detected the defective gemstones possessed by the off colours. Time seemed to slow for a time as each of the off colours' bodies eased up, not in relaxation, but rather in calm despair. Though not a hivemind species the same thought entered each of the gems' minds - if they were to die, then at least they were to die free.

schnk

The Rutiles and Padparadscha, put to death for the way they had emerged.

SCHNK

Fluorite and Rhodonite, put to death for what they believed in.

SCNHNK

All of them, put to death for defying the diamonds' inscrutable will.

SCHNK VWHOOOSH - CRASH!

A sudden shockwave of immaterial force struck their forms aside, battering their bodies and minds with the unfiltered energies of raw thoughts and emotions given form. In their grieving they had ignored the sound of the veil of reality being struck and sundered by a metaphorical sledgehammer. But just as suddenly as it had appeared, the jagged rift had collapsed upon itself, leaving the off colours stupefied and the sucking the robonoids to their doom in its wake.

"Oh stars! A wonderful vision has come to me, in our time of greatest need someone will come to save us!" Padparadscha exclaimed with enthusiasm, her previous despair seemingly never having existed in the first place.

Her late prediction seemed to have a rousing effect on the other off colours when one by one they opened their eyes and looked to their gemstones. Relief flooded their faces as they saw that they were still intact and undamaged, slowly looking up they also saw that the robonoids had indeed vanished and Padapradscha was walking up to someone… no, something?

"Uhh, Padparadscha - I don't think that's a person." Rhodonite said, sounding puzzled while tentatively making her way over the object as well.

"Fluorite do you know," Left Rutile asked as she pointed with her thumb towards the object that had buried itself in the rock floor whilst turning to face Fluorite "What that is?" Finished Right Rutile. They queried the fusion to see if the vast reservoir of knowledge her many components shared may be able to shed some light on the situation.

Fluorite was lost in thought for a moment, it looked almost like an escape pod from a starship, but as she came closer she saw that the insignias painted on it were nothing like the aesthetic the Gem Empire would ever use. The symbols of the Empire projected strength, yet still had an appealing and ornate style to them. Meanwhile, in stark contrast, the symbols on this pod oozed of nothing but raw marshal authority.

The two symbols present each looked like they were stamped onto the pod with pitch black ink. One was a sharp mouthed head of a creature with four lightning bolts emerging from it, with two coming down from the base of what looked to be the neck and the other two emerging from the top of what she assumed to be the head.

Then there was the second set of symbols, which on the other hand seemed as if they were some sort of alien script. Though Fluorite could not make out what they meant, they seemed to be simple enough, a diagonal cross and two vertical bars next to eachother. This all told her that it was likely not what she first thought it was.

Besides, how would an escape pod from space ever get this far down underground? After that thought she had made a conclusion. "No… no I do not" Fluorite answered truthfully in the same calming, practically motherly tone that she nearly always spoke with.

"I wonder what happens if I press th- ah!" Rhodonite backed off in surprise as a hiss of steam and jelly-like liquid escaped as the clear casing on the front of the pod suddenly jerked open, her sudden movement prompting the laxed stance of the other off colours to quickly stiffen as they braced for anything to leave the pod. Only once a few tense moments had passed did they continue their walk towards the pod, albeit at a slower pace.

As they arrived they each surrounded the pod in a semicircle, they peered inside at its contents with guarded curiosity, and their eyes were met with a small gemoid form. It met all the criteria: two arms, two legs, a body and a head, but-

"Where is its gemstone?" Left Rutile wondered aloud.

"On its back maybe?" Rhodonite replied.

"Its limbs look deformed, they're too small for efficient use." Right Rutile grimly pointed out.

"Now now, they might be another off colour, just like us." Fluorite voiced the group's unsaid conclusion while at the same time somewhat reprimanding Right Rutile for her choice of words.

"Well, we can't just leave them here then." Rhodonite said, Right Rutile's words fresh in her mind. But as she moved to pick up the being it stirred, almost sensing her closing the distance. She stalled for a moment before continuing, though this time the being's eyes opened in alarm, and in mere moments of seeing her it let out an ear piercing wail that forced the off colours to take a few steps back in fright.

"WAAAAH!"