"We move as one, we fight as one, we live as one, or we die as one."
000 July 4th 1940 - Lighthouse Point, Beach City
From their perch up on the light house hill the Crystal Gems with Deedee and Antonyo in company watched the fireworks display light up the sky. Each was marveling at the especially spectacular display as they put aside the troubles of the world to enjoy the thunderous display of colors. Overhead the sky was clear with billions of twinkling stars shining down from above casting luminous sparkles on the calm sea below.
Deedee watched the show happily from her picnic cloth, a slice of apple pie from her shop with accompanying bottle of soda nearby. Though the show was pleasant she found herself thinking back to the last time she was up here, with her friend Pearl, watching a previous show, before she went off to war. "I wonder what she's doing now, is she celebrating too?"
"Garnet, Rose, what are those lights out on the water?" asked Amethyst from her perch on Garnet's shoulders.
The young gem was pointing back out to the ocean, off in the distance several dim glows had appeared with occasional brighter flashes. The group watched in fascination of one light in particular suddenly got very bright before fading away. Gradually the distant lights began to fade one by one till the horizon was once again list only by the distant stars.
"Looks like we're not the only ones celebrating the 4th" announced Garnet "From up here on the hill we can see far out to sea, far enough to see the celebrations put on by the ships."
"Oh okay, neat, thank you." said Amethyst happily as she turned her attention back to the show, just in time to see the finally of one long string of several large fireworks.
Later on the way back to town Deedee felt a chill go through here as she looked back at the dark ocean. She sped up a bit to catch up to Rose who was looking grim and irritated. "Those were burning ships weren't they?" asked Deedee quietly so Amethyst wouldn't hear.
Rose only nodded. With nothing else to say the group headed back to town in silence.
~{0}~
It was the end of a pleasant afternoon ad Deedee Fryman set about prepping her soda-fountain for an additional evening shift to take advantage of the holiday festivities. Of the two assistants she had hired one was preparing dessert service in the kitchen while the other worked to reset the dining area. All around the small soda shop were colorful banners in the color of the flag, doilies hung from the ceiling while colored lights glowed in the small chandeliers. Though the news in the paper was increasingly dire the mood was still festive from the previous night's celebrations. The crowds were especially large this year as people extended their holidays.
Deedee hummed happily to herself as she put the last of the large milkshake glasses up on the shelf. Stepping back she admired her work as a long line of sparkling crystal gleamed on the shelf. A loud thunk from the dining area drew her attention to the young latin man moving about the tables, a large metal bin in his arms full of table placements. "Antonio! Are you about done with those tables? We got a full crowd expected tonight and I want to open on time!"
"Si! Ms Fryman! I'm just about done, couple more tables then I'm off!" shouted the young Antonio as he shifted the heavy tray to the next table.
Deedee smiled as she watched him work, as she turned her attention to preparing bar-counter to finish preparations. Flicking a switch the overhead lights flickered to life casting colorful reds and blues over the counter; the same ones Pearl helped install years ago. Her smile turning to a frown she flicked the lights back off, her mood sour as she leaned on the long counter, her morose gaze flicking across the evening edition of the local paper. "I wonder what Pearl's upto these days?" A thought occurred to her then, as she observed Antono finishing up the last table.
"Hey Antonio! Come over here for a moment please" she shouted. At once he stopped what he was doing to walkover to the the counter.
"What's up Ms Fryman, something wrong with the tables?" he asked as he scanned the tables, seeing nothing out of place he leaned back on the counter. "Those glasses look pretty good too."
Deedee grinned as she put on her sweetest voice "Antonio dear, After you finish up those tables, do you think you can ask Rose to check in on Pearl? It's been some time since her last letter and I know she and the others have a way of keeping track of her.?"
Antonio looked confused for a moment as he processed the request in his head, Deedee could have sworn she could see the gears turning. The boy was handsome and certainly sweet but clearly wasn't the sharpest tool in the kitchen. "Sure, but why don't you ask her yourself, she'll be here shortly to pick me up, we're going swimming then watch the evening beach concert!"
Deedee chuckled at the thought of Rose and Antonio having a romantic date on the shore. "Okay, I'll ask her when she shows up."
~{0}~
An hour later Rose showed up as promised to collect her Antonio from the shop. The crowds had not yet appeared so Deedee decided to close shop for a bit to tag along to the beach and ask her questions. So it was that the two was sitting together on the boardwalk waiting for the crowds to gather as they watched the sun sink lower towards the horizon. Antonio was off in the cool ocean water showing some local kids how to use his home-made surfboard.
Deedee hummed happily as she sipped from her soda-pop bottle, looking over she observed Rose quietly watching the clouds lazily drifting through the sky. "Hey Rose, um, something on your mind? You look a bit troubled, something happen with you and Antonio"
Rose smiled brightly at her friend but it was obvious to those who knew her that it was forced. "Oh, nothing, we're doing fine, going to enjoy the fireworks later is all."
Deedee picked up on the worried tone of her friends voice but decided not to press the matter further as she opted to instead ask her own questions. "Glad to hear that, you two make a cute couple, but I wanted to ask you. Have you heard anything from Pearl? I've only ever gotten a couple letters but that was over a month ago and the news just keeps getting worse. Don't you and the others have a way to keep track of each other?"
At this Rose's smile faltered as she returned her gaze to the drifting clouds, the sounds of the children playing at the beach and Antonio calling out surf instructions drifting on the breeze. "She's fine, thats about all I can say, we know she's not been hurt recently and that she is still somewhere in Europe, but thats all we know." Sighing she looked back at Deedee, her voice low and sad. "I was just thinking about her earlier actually, on days like this she used to use her powers to manipulate the clouds to illustrate the stories she would tell."
"Could we go check up on her? You have warp gates dont you?" inquired Deedee, hopefully, she really wanted to hear how her friend was doing, perhaps a little pressure for a visit?
Rose shook her head as she patted Deedee on the back comfortingly. "Sorry D, I'm afraid thats out of the question, she is on her own path and needs to see it through. If I was to show up or directly interfere again … I'm certain she would turn away from it."
This was a surprise to Deedee as she pulled away to stand up, her anger building as she nearly shouted at Rose. "But why don't you! Why let her continue! You know she might get hurt again or worse or something horrible, why do you let her continue if you can bring her back with just a visit!?"
Rose looked as if she would cry as she pulled Deedee into an enveloping hug, the young human protested for a moment before giving in as her tears began to flow freely. "Because I know her, the guilt of leaving her quest before it was complete would consume her, because she's partly right, we do need to-do something, and because I care enough about her to let her go her own path. If she wants to give up and come home early, I would welcome her with open arms, but we must not force that to happen. I'm sorry D."
After a few minute Deedee pulled away, her eyes red and nose runny, taking a moment to collect herself she pulled a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe clean. "Thank you Rose, you've known her far longer than I have, I can only imagine what you must be feeling when you read the papers."
"Don't worry Deedee, Pearl is a lot tougher than she looks, she can take care of herself, she has to be."
A loud shout went up from the beach soon, children were running away from the water crying as parents rushed to clear them from the sand. Through it all Rose could hear Antonio shouting for everyone to get out of the water as the beach. Neither waiting for the other, both lept off the chair and ran towards the epicenter of the commotion; rapidly they closed the distance to Antonio as he made his way out of the water.
"Antonio! What happened! Is it a shark is someone hurt?" shouted Rose as she grabbed him up as if he was a small doll. "Where is the….. problem….." her voice trailed off as she saw it.
Beside her Deedeed gasped in horror as she turned away from the sight; soon heading the other way back towards her shop. Rose however was unable to look away, her gaze full of sadness.
There, caught turning in the surf as if drift wood, the bodies of several men floated along with several bits of debris and an increasingly thick layer of deep black tar oil. Their features obscured by the thick coating of oil and decomposition as they tumbled in the surf zone.
"Excuse us miss, we need to clear the area so we can deal with this" said a firm voice from her side, turning she found a young police man standing there. "Please ma'am, head back to the shops, we need to clear the area, there is more oil headed for the beach, the water isn't safe."
Nodding her understanding Rose and Antonio headed back to Deedee's shop where on arrival proceeded to help get the shop re-opened to serve the arriving crowds. Through the evening Deedee never said a word about what they had seen earlier, preferring to put it out of mind.
000 August 1940 - Cairo Egypt
His stump was aching again, it did that a lot more lately since they had arrived on location. The air was surprisingly humid which made this cloths feel sticky and uncomfortable. Finally the heat, even in the dead of night it was hot, not as hot as the day but added all together and he was miserable. But still, his duty to his country and the mission compelled him forwards so he put on his most stone-cold face, buried his troubles, then went out towards his mission.
It was several months since the the battle with the woman now known as Pearl. His missing limb ached, his head was sometimes fuzzy, but he still had much he could contribute to the cause. On hearing of his situation an old contact of his had requested his assistance as bodyguard and support assistant, especially with his experience with Gems. So here he was.
"Lt Waldemar, are you ready to go?" shouted a voice from the other hotel room next door. The thin walls only muffling his voice a little. "Its time to go, the sun is finally set and the locals are coming out for their evening activities, we need to go now."
Sighing to himself Waldemar finished buttoning up his shirt, a task made more difficult by having a hook for a left hand, gathered his things, then stepped out into the hallway. Eschewing his uniform he was dressed like a typical British tourist to fit his cover story. Walking over to the neighboring door he banged on it twice as he spoke loudly. "Ja Heir Schafer, Ich bin bereit."
The thunk of a door behind him announced that the second member of their party was ready as well. Aldebert soon stepped into view, his face conveying how upset he was; clearly he was upset about something. The door next to Waldemar opened and closed quickly. "Okay I'm ready too" whispered Schafer as he stood next to the scowling Aldebert. "Whats wrong."
"He is, the fool was speaking in German! Have you forgotten protocol already? We are behind enemy lines, we are supposed to be quiet, and we are supposed to use only English." hissed Aldebert quietly so only his companions could hear. "And you Schafer you know better than to shout through the walls! you'reboth lucky everyone else on this floor is asleep or out already!"
Waldemar hung his head in shame, ever since that battle and the blow to the head his memory had been a bit foggy at times. "Sorry Aldebert, will not happen again, I promise."
Aldebert glared at him for a long moment before finally speaking, his voice still low "See that it doesn't we need to get through several checkpoints and the last agent who doomed a mission is drooling in an asylum somewhere."
Now it was Schafer's turn to be annoyed "Leave off on him, you know his mind's a bit messed up, besides, we need him. He has as much more first hand knowledge of Gem's than most and knows what to look for. That part of his memory and skill set is still working good, we need him!"
Aldebert gave one more annoyed huff before deciding to let the matter drop. "Okay, just be more careful, I take care of those who prove I can count on their skill and loyalty. Now, lets head out, I've a cab waiting to take us to the work sight, the crowds of locals should ensure the checkpoints are busy dealing with the local riff raff to carefully check our cover story."
Taking this as his queue Schafer adjusted his pack as he turned to walk down the hallway. "Glad thats settled, now, lets be off, I don't think our driver will be waiting too long for us."
~{0}~
An hour later and three check points the group arrived at their destination, the great pyramid complex of Giza, to be more specific, the sphinx guarding it. Arriving at the entry building they slipped in a side door and into the offices, a moment later they arrived at the head administrators door. A few quick knocks and an older gentleman with dark skin greying hair with a face aged by the weather answered the door; his face scowling as he recognized his caller.
"About time you naHs showed up, come in, and lets get down to business." grumbled Zahi as he gestured the three men into his humble office.
Once inside Aldebert took a seat across the desk while Schafer and Waldemar took up positions to either side; it would be the espionage professionals show from here out. Zahi poured some chilled ice-tea for his guests before taking his own seat behind the desk.
"Okay Zahi, if your information is accurate and this pans out it will pay you and your museum handsomely. We've no interest in the other artefacts we might turn up, just the legendy box of the Scarab demon and we'll be on our way."
Zahi kicked his desk with a loud thump of irritation then leaned forwards as far as he could, his face twisted in anger. "أنت كلب قذر، أموالك هي القذارة، كنت محظوظا نحن يائسة أو أنا سوف تبادل لاطلاق النار أنت نفسي" he growled out being careful not to shout loudly and attract unwanted attention.
Aldebert just stared coldly at the administrator as he withdrew a thick envelope and practically threw it at the man as it landed on the desk with a heavy thump. "I'm pretty sure you called us some nasty things but fortunately for you I don't care what you think of me, we're just after the artefact the ancient legends spoke of, some photos, then we'll be on our way."
"I agreed to meet with you, not to bribes." hissed Zahi as he picked up the envelope and began to thumb through it. There were allot of British Pounds within it.
"True, but then with the war on your budget will shrink and you need the money to maintain the historical artifacts, nevermind protecting the most precious of them from being affected by the war on your doorstep." replied Aldebert grinning.
Zahi sighed as he leaned back in his chair, he hated the German sitting across from him but he had a point, what was the value of some insignificant collectors box in exchange for this much cash? "Curse you German, I'll spend a year in Duat for it when I die but you have a deal."
Standing up from his desk he made his way over to a large cabinet, opening it he withdrew the requested artifact. It was a black box with gold hieroglyphs along its sides depicting an ancient battle with a large beast on its sides; on top was a large ebony scarab beetle. "Take your prize and get out."
"Pleasure doing business with you" replied Aldebert as Waldemar picked up the box and placed it into a thick carry box. "Do let us know if you find anything else like this, we'll pay you well."
"Do you mind if we tour the museum a bit before we go?" asked Schafer suddenly. "I hear that there are some related panels recovered from near the Sphinx that might be interesting."
"Do you intend to steal or try to bribe me for them? The little box is one thing but I'll not sell something as important to our heritage as that." asked Zahi as he stood up to open the door for his guests. "But if you just want to look around feel free, just tell the guard code word 'Gemstone' and that your doing an after hour tour". The annoyance still present in his voice.
Schafer was practically beaming with happiness at the response as he pulled a camera from his pack then fiddled with its settings. "Thank you, thank you very much. No, I'm not going to bid on or take them, photos will be enough." With that Schafer was out the door, his footfalls echoing down the hallway as he headed off.
A moment later the two remaining German agents were alone in the hallway outside the offices.
"Should we go after him?" asked Waldemar as he watched the researcher disappear down a corner. "He could get us in trouble or blow our cover if he's caught."
Aldebert thought for a moment as he took in the museum exhibits around him. "No, Its fine, so what if the guard reports us, its not like there is anything the local police can do about us as the superintendent has given us permission and tonight's code word."
"But we're German's behind enemy lines! If they tell the police and find the artifact." complained Waldemar as he stepped over to look out a nearby window. Beyond it was the parking lot and the bustling boulevard filled with all manner of vehicles and traffic.
"You've got a point there. One moment" Aldebert stepped over to the door to an empty office, opening it he stashed the bag inside before closing and locking the door. "There, if we're caught then there is nothing to report, we'll just return and pick it up on the way out, say we need to than the administrator or something. Now, lets explore and have some fun, I fancy historical items and we might just find something useful."
~{0}~
Elsewhere in the museum Schafer had found the hieroglyphic panels he'd been seeking. Setting up his tripod and adjusting his camera he focused it in on the panel. Soon he was taking a long string of photos in sequence to be developed and organized later for analysis. Halfway through he stopped as he noticed some familiar shapes just visible in the faded carvings.
"Ist das, was ich denke, es ist?" whispered Aldebert as he strode up to Schafer.
Tearing his gaze away from the carvings Schafer turned to Aldebert, the surprise evident on his face as well. "English, remember, English. And yes, I think it is."
Aldebert chuckled as he took one more long gaze at the carvings before turning to resume his self guided tour of the museum. "I'll have to remember to ask Pearl about it next time I see her."
He hadn't gotten far when he heard Schafer calling after him, "How much you want to bet that the Sphinx outside is a representation of a Gem?"
Aldebert paused as he reached into his pocket to withdraw a thick book, its cover worn with age. Opening it up he thumbed through it a few pages before putting it back in his pocket. "100 Reichsmark says you're on, also we'll want to check the desert, Rommel might be interested in another item out there."
Schafer laughed, the sound echoing around the museum. "That book is long over due, you're going to have a hell of a late fee on it."
Now it was Adelbert's turn to laugh, "Perhaps you're right, I should mail it back, we've made plenty of copies after all and its served its purpose, I'll mail it back when we get home with late fee."
000 September 1940 - Guernsey Island - English channel off the coast of France
It was a new moon, low clouds obscured the stars, the sea was smooth as it slid past like blank ink as the assault boats glided silently through the sea. Within the boats members of several Commando squads checked their maps, weapons, and gear as they prepared to put their deadly skills to work. In perfect formation they approached, only the faint purr of well maintained engines could be heard, only the faintest red-tinted light could be scene. At the signal the boats split up, each heading to its own objective on the occupied islands. With only the faintest sound the boats made landfall on the occupied island, soft footsteps as the soldiers within disembarked to setup a perimeter. Then they waited and watched to ensure they were unseen.
Pearl gripped her rifle tightly as she absently fiddled with the safety switch of the trigger guard. Her keen eyes scanning the darkened countryside for any sign of the enemy. A gentle squeeze on her shoulder drew her attention to Darren crouched down next to her. Wordlessly he made several hand signals ending with an arm directing their next destination. Pearl gently double squeezed his shoulder in confirmation then followed after the squad as they began to move.
Moving in a wedge between cover the squad advanced cautiously towards their objectives. Gradually their pace increased as their confidence grew, so far no enemy activity. On reaching the wall surrounding the target structure, a bunker thought to contain radio gear, the squad took up position. Elsewhere other squads were reaching their objectives, the continued peaceful silence of the night a testament to the skill of the infiltrators.
Pearl reached over to squeeze George's shoulder then motioned for him to cover her while she unslung her backpack. Slowly, carefully she assembled the large satchel charge as she inserted the detonator, set the timer, then placed it on the ground to wait. It wouldn't do to act ahead of schedule and break the surprise before the other teams were ready.
From his place as look out Frank watched and counted the faint flashes of lights from the other squads as they worked. One, two, three, and four, with his own that made five. Flashing his own light in the agreed direction he ducked down behind the wall to signal Darren with a double punch on his shoulder. Show time.
At this signal Pearl set the timer, 15 seconds, then set the anti-tampering trigger, then put her Gem speed and reflexes into action. Moving to a crouch she boosted energy output to her limbs as she broke into a sprint. In a flash she was across the courtyard, over the second fence, ripped the steel security door off its hinges, threw the charge inside then took off running. It had only been maybe 7 seconds but to her heightened senses it had felt like time wasn't moving fast enough. Already the other members of the squad were retreating in haste, the need for stealth no longer needed as now speed of withdrawal was the priority. Her own was already withdrawing to their choice covered position.
They reached the first rally point and had just enough time to duck behind the wall; already other squads were there watching and waiting as their objectives had been closer.
The peaceful night was sundered by multiple blasts as the satchel charges all detonated at once. Everywhere buildings collapsed into flaming heaps with flaming debris falling all around the facility touching off secondary fires. The bunker had flames shooting out its openings as if it was a blast furnace as everything within was consumed in the high temperature fire contained within. The squads watched and waited, rifles pointed back waiting to halt a counter attack.
But no alarm went up, no soldiers were scene, nothing was happening.
"Where the bloody hell are they?" asked a Jr Commando from one of the other squads.
Pearl lowered her rifle as she leaned back against the wall as the answer was clear to her. Snickering to herself she pulled a cigarette from her pack, placed it within her lips, then lit it. The faint glow briefly illuminating her face as she blew out a perfect smoke ring. "They aren't coming because the base was empty, there was no shouting or attempts to stop me when that satchel charge was thrown into the bunker. There are no sirens because there is no one to care."
James couldn't help himself as he started snickering which soon turned into a light huffing as he struggled to keep himself at least a little quiet. "Sorry lot we are aren't we Love, super effective!"
Darren scowled but said nothing as he pondered their next moves. "Okay, well, there are still German's somewhere on this island I'm pretty sure they noticed that. We should move."
"Agreed, lets get moving" replied Pearl as she took one last long drag on her cigarette then snuffed it out in the wet dirt.
Soon the squad was back at their assigned assault boats location, except that there was no boat. All that was there to indicate it had been there was a wooden anchor stake and a length of cord. Looking out at the water they spotted it, a few dozen yards off the beach it, and several others, were drifting away on the current.
"Stars Damn it" muttered Pearl as she set about securing her equipment to her body or dropping the heavier bits she could part with. "Looks like we're going for a swim boys"
George laughed as he stripped down to just his boxers. "Anyone else fancy going skinny dipping?" with that he slung his rifle and a small pack of gear over his back then started swimming out to the boats.
Darren just sighed and shook his head as he too made ready for a swim. "So much for professionalism. You lot are lucky I'm in charge, a good squad leader would have written you all up a long time ago"
After a brief swim the commandos had reached their boat, started the engine, then silently retreated back into the night. Looking back at the beach they spotted the headlights of approaching vehicles as the enemy finally made an appearance. As they watched they could see the flashlights of men searching the beach, then to their horror the lights all focused on one point.
Pearl gasped in shock at what she was witnessing as she looked on helplessly. There on the beach were two men in what looked like Commando uniforms, their shapes outlined by the bright headlights of a half-track, their hands held high in surrender. Hurriedly she counted everyone in her boat, George, Frank, James, Darren, and herself, five, all accounted for. A wave of guilt hit her like a cannon shell a she pulled her coat close around her as she watched the men be taken prisoner. "Was it so selfish to be thankful that it was some other squads misfortune and not hers?" She thought to herself.
The trip back to the destroyer passed in silence as each reflected on the failed mission. Later they would learn that two members of another squad had gotten separated from their group during the evacuation. The two men couldn't swim very well and so were left behind.
"We move as one, we fight as one, we live as one, or we die as one." whispered James as he recited the words their drill instructors permanently engraved into their ethos.
000 October 1940 - Greek countryside near Italian border
The sound of horses whinnying and carrying on was the first signal that they were getting closer to their quarry. There was no way they could sneak silently as the thick brush tugged at their cloths or thin branches snapped under foot. Finally the duo reached a clearing where they could observe the objective of their mission. There in the clearing four snow white Pegasus stood in the clearing grazing peacefully on some patches of grass, the warm morning sun casting a radiant glow to their feathers.
"They're so beautiful" whispered Garnet in a rare moment of gentleness as she watched the creatures mill about the clearing. "Its like something out of one of Deedee's art books."
"Yes, they are quite beautiful, seeing them is a good omen, it means the war will pass quickly for my nation"
Garnet and Rose immediately withdrew from the clearing as they dropped into a battle stance ready to confront the source of the unexpected voice. Instead of a threat their fierce expressions softened at the sight of the pitiful form of the soldier propped up against the base of a tree. His uniform was covered in dirt, his uniform jacket had a dark patch on the side that glistened in the morning light, his head lolled listlessly as tried to keep his gaze on the heard.
As carefully as she could, so as to not scare off the Pegasi, Rose went to the man's side. Gently she checked him over assessing his wounds as she tried to keep him talking. "Hello, don't be afraid, yes they are quite beautiful to behold. You are lucky to have seen them. Can you tell me what happened to you?"
"My name is David, David Floros, my regiment was overwhelmed by the Italians, I'm not sure how many made it out but I believe I will not be one of them." rasped David as he kept his gaze on the heard, his breathing was becoming shallower as his body began to shake.
"Keep talking to me David, don't stop talking, we're going to take you to a doctor. We move very fast, it will be an easy trip." comforted Rose as she began to pick him up. To her surprise he waved her off as he managed to wiggle out of her arms; a moment later he was settled against the tree.
Finally he tore his gaze from the clearing to try and see the woman who was trying to help him. As his eyes met her's he managed to crack a smile as he reached out to her, instinctively Rose took his hand in hers. "That won't be necessary, I'm already done and am ready to leave this world. I do not fear the coming sleep for I have been visited by an angel carried to me on the winged horses of legend." His breathing was growing more rapid, his hand gripped her's tightly.
"Please, just stay with me till the end that you may guide my spirit to the heavens." his voice was weak, barely a whisper on the morning breeze. Rose nodded as she pulled him close to comfort as best she could. Quietly the two watched the Pegasi heard until the creatures began to silently melt back into the underbrush, soon they were gone from sight.
"Rose? Rose, its time to go, he's gone" whispered Garnet as she sat down next to her leader. The soldier's body was no longer moving, the chest no longer showing signs of breath, his face was oddly peaceful as if he had simply fallen asleep and now dreamed happy dreams.
Carefully she laid him down onto the grass. "Should we bury him?" asked Rose as she stood up then began brushing herself off, her voice was calm but Garnet could tell she was fighting to keep her composure. "That is what humans do right? bury their dead?"
Garnet shook her head negative. "A farmer will pass through here tomorrow, they will collect and properly bury him then. Leave his tags so they'll know who he was."
Rose nodded agreement as she looked down at her now soiled dress, there was blood on it.
"Should we go after the corrupted gems?" inquired Garnet as she looked towards where the herd was last scene.
"No, let them be, I think the people of this land will benefit from having the chance of encountering the living mythology of their history." whispered Rose. "No, we leave them for now, we can collect them later when this darkness has passed. Lets go home"
With nothing else to say or do, the two Gems left the clearing to begin the long walk back towards the warp pad.
At a nearby farm an old man and his son watched in awe as four white stallions, their wings shimmering in the sunlight suddenly took flight from the nearby hills. As they watched the beasts of mythology spiraled up towards the sky, soon vanishing as they passed through the morning coastal clouds. "Ah! Someone has gone to meet the gods, we should investigate the hill tomorrow and give them a proper burial." said the elder as the son looked at him curiously.
~{0}~
Rose paced back and forth around her room, at present it was was just an empty space of rolling pink clouds. Normally she would be meditating or planning their next hunt but this time she couldn't concentrate, there was too much on her mind.
Unbidden the image of the young man dying in her arms flashed into her mind, his peaceful face, his words describing her as an angel. No, she has to stay firm, they can't get involved.
But maybe we can help another way? Medicine? Food supplies? Something neutral?
With this thought in mind she summed her list of contacts out in the human governments then set about noting down which might be able to help.
000 November 1940 - Fokker trimotor high altitude above North Africa
He had come to enjoy flying, even just as a passenger, but only on clear days with little turbulence. This was particular day was clear, perfect hunting weather, but the heat of the sands below created updrafts of heated air that occasionally rattle their aircraft. A crash out here would spell certain doom to all aboard either by the impact itself or the fight for survival that would follow. Either way he was content to at least be comfortably in the air listening to the perpetual rumble of the three engines as he watched the desert sands below. Even the RAF was quiet today without any warnings of inbound bomber or fighter flights on the radio.
His three companions in the aircraft were watching the desert sands below as they searched for their objective. Lt Waldemar was towards the rear awkwardly trying to hold a set of binoculars with his one good hand then keep it steady with his new gripping-fork left hand. Aldebert chuckled a bit at the sight of the powerful soldier struggling with the task a bit before shifting to check on Schafer who had apparently fallen asleep somewhere in the last hour. No trouble, they had plenty of fuel to stay aloft for another couple hours before they'd have to turn back.
Sighing to himself he took a sip of water before returning his attention to the featureless desert below. Three day's they'd been hunting for it, the Bedouin tribesmen had told them about in exchange for some updated maps and basic supplies for their camps.
A fantastic tale of a great castle that would sometimes appear out of the sea of sand to give shelter to weary travelers who passed near. Sometimes it would stand for months before a passing sandstorm would sweep it away, other times it would vanish after a few hours. But always it's location changed as it moved with the sand dunes across the endless land.
Lost in his thoughts he almost didn't hear the pilots calling for him on the intercom. "Heir Fischer, something to the left side out in the sands."
Picking up his current reading book, 'For Whom the Bell Tolls'' he threw it across the plane where it connected with its intended target with a heavy thump. Schafer's startled reaction at the impact might have taken a flight of his own except for his safety harness. Now fully awake he glared at Aldebert who was gesturing at him to look out his assigned left window at the sand.
Schafer obediently looked out his window, at first he didn't see anything but a moment later he spotted it. His breath caught in his thought for a few moments at the sight of what he was seeing. There, in the desert below the circling aircraft, was a towering fortress of sand.
"We found! It! Its really real! We found it!" shouted Schafer happily as he grabbed up his camera to begin taking photos for proof.
"Lt Waldemar!, take position measurements, I'll take some too for comparison." shouted Aldebert to the former soldier. "Looks like we're not too far from the old trade routes."
The weeks mission completed, Aldebert sighed contentedly to himself as he snuggled himself into a cozy corner of the aircraft. A bag of spare coats providing a pillow and a thermos of hot chocolate (much like the one Pearl had made for him years earlier), he settled in with his book for the long return flight back to base. Elsewhere the rest of the team similarly rested.
After thirty minutes plotting then re-plotting the location the pilots radioed the location back to headquarters. Within a few hours a ground convoy was dispatched to retrieve the gem.
000 December 1940 - Beach City
Deedee hummed happily to herself as she worked through the pile of paperwork in the small office at the back of her soda-fountain. A small Christmas tree next to the little heater along with a few gifts from relatives who lived in the city underneath brought some festive cheer to the otherwise mundane surroundings. As she worked through a stack of shipment forms from suppliers, her carefully organized Rolodex beside her, she carefully noted down addresses, payment reminders and all manner of things that a stable business required.
A soft knock on her door broke her concentration. Sighing to herself she leaned back in her chair as she rubbed her increasingly sore eyes. "Who is it?"
"Package for you mam, its big and rectangular, must be some kind of book is my guess." replied the voice of Earl the postman from the other side of the door.
"One moment" answered Deedee, standing up she popped her stiff joints then opened the door. A moment later with the package signed for the large tie-wrapped paper covered object was on her desk. "May as well open it then."
A few snips of twine, some cut paper and the object was revealed to indeed be a large book. Its cover was aged leather, probably over a hundred years old, the pages were yellowed but made of sturdy fiber lending them a remarkable resilience to the passing decades. Flipping it open a letter slipped out to land on the desk; Deedee stared at it in surprise as it read "To Rose"
"Maybe its from Pearl?" She wondered as she picked up her coat then headed out of the office.
~{0}~
An hour later Rose, Garnet and Amethyst were seated around one of the tables at the soda fountain. The large book was on the table. Deedee waited patiently across from them.
"Doesn't look like Pearl's usual packages, she usually puts more effort into the wrapping than needed. Looks like this is from someone else." stated Amethyst as she picked up the book to examine it more closely. "G, is this dangerous?"
Garnet stared at the book for a long moment before answering. "Not in the usual way, no"
"Thanks for that clear assessment" said Rose as she reached over to take the book from Amethyst. "Okay, lets open the letter it came with" A quick swipe to open it, then Rose extracted the letter to read it aloud to everyone present.
.
Dear Rose and company
I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits, as things have been a bit crazy since we've last seen each other. I myself am doing as well as one can in these trying times.
I borrowed this book from your town's local library near the end of my tour of duty in your lovely part of America. I finally got around to reading it having lost it among piles of reports and a few changes of office location. I'm sure you can appreciate how things sometimes get lost in the shuffle of life. But I've finally read it, my goodness, what a very useful find.
But here I am on a tangent instead of the point at hand. Now that we have finished with the book I felt it proper to arrange for it to be returned to its proper home. With your fine library.
Enclosed is a sum of money that should cover the late-fee and then some. Please say hi to Deedee for me, there is a bit of extra money for her and a donation to the local charity mission.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year.
Sincerely
Major Aldebert B Fischer
PS: I bumped into Pearl earlier this year, we had a bit of a scuffle but parted company on decent terms. I hear she is doing well and making a name for herself lately.
.
Rose just stared at the letter in shock at the significance of the book in front of her. Buddwick's Journal. "Well, this isn't good" remarked Amethyst dryly.
000 January 1941 - HMS Queen Emma - Operation Claymore
Dawn broke slowly on the horizon, the light gradually turning the sky from dark purple to a deep blue. As it rose a little higher the landscape surrounding the fjord began to come into view as towering mountains with a little town nestled onto the strips of lands at their base. In the harbor several ships lay at quiet rest as the crews were on relaxed readiness due to the low threat risk. High overhead a flock of gulls had taken flight to begin the days rounds of scavenging and survival in the cool arctic air. The enemy was about to be taken by total surprise.
Pearl marveled at it all as she settled into the landing craft that was presently dangling a dozen feet above the placid water. Several thumps and some jostling signaled the arrival of the rest of her squad; moments later she felt herself pressed into the corner as the little assault craft was getting full.
Twisting around to see who was pushing her against the wall she found herself face-to-face with Mad Jack grinning ear to ear like an idiot. "Glad to see the famous Jack is ready" she mumbled as she twisted back around to look at the town.
"Don't be like that Pearl, True war is hell but there is no higher challenge for a warrior." replied Jack as he steadied himself against the boats wall. "Don't worry, this raid will go much better than the previous one, especially with all this extra support and the correct target this time."
"BOATS AWAY!" shouted a sailor up on the troop-ships deck, a moment later Pearl felt the floor drop out from under her followed by gravity re-establishing itself. They hit the water with barely a splash, immediately the engine fired up bringing the boat up to speed as it headed for the docks. All conversation stopped as the Commandos readied their weapons.
~{0}~
Frank couldn't believe their luck, this was a bloody cake walk. He and George had disembarked the landing craft behind the rest of the squad then took up positions at the corner of the docks harbormaster's building. Sighting down his rifle he scanned the streets beyond for trouble but only a few civilians were visible and they were clearly doing everything they could to aid the Commandos. A tap on his shoulder from George signaled that they were pushing forwards to the next checkpoint, a large building that looked like the local bank.
Checking that the path was still clear he dashed across the open road to throw himself between against the buildings wall. Taking up watch he signaled for the other team members to advance.
As soon as George broke cover to run across the enemy finally announced themselves as a storm of MG-Fire ripped through the air. Bullets peppered the ground kicking up dirt as George sprinted, for a moment Frank thought his friend would be lost but with a last push the man made it to cover. "Good work finding the enemy taffer, now we can actually get to work.
George just grumbled as he began firing in the direction of the MG nest down the street.
~{0}~
Pearl was feeling good, the MG nest from earlier had been flanked by one of the other Commando squads, the gun fell silent as its crew surrendered. All around the island towns the Commandos were outsmarting, out-flanking and generally making the enemy look like amateurs instead of trained professional soldiers. "How we doing Darren? We ready to push to their headquarters?" her voice filled with confidence as she surveyed the squad.
Jack accompanied by his own squad was further down the street engaged with the last few hold outs in the hotel at the town square. The pop of rifle fire could be heard as the two sides exchanged fire but it soon petered out as another squad stormed the hotel.
Jack must have noticed Darren as he waved him over; soon he and the rest of the squad were at Jack's position near the central town fountain. Jack looked them over to assess their conditions, then grinned as he issued the next orders "Darren, looks like your squad is ready, the town is ours so next stop is headquarters." Turning to Pearl he grinned brighter. "This what you signed up for Pearl? Quite the favorable battle eh?
A brief sadness gripped her as she looked towards the hotel where the brief battle had been earlier. The German soldiers were being escorted out at gunpoint, most were just young boys. "Not really Sir, but I will do my duty and it is nice to have an easy mostly bloodless victory for a change."
Jack watched the young soldiers as well, for once dropping his 'war face' as he spoke "Ay, war is indeed hell, I've lost to many a friend to it. But we must carry on, I find putting on a show helps, if not for myself then to give the others courage to carry on themselves."
"Wise words" replied Pearl.
A loud blast like thunder drew everyone's attention to the harbor where some kind of battle between the ships was shaping up. With the town secured the Commandos watched as the Destroyers exchanged fire with a mid-sized trawler out in the harbor, the large naval-guns flashing brightly in the still dim morning light. Soon it was all over as the trawler, now a smoking wreck, was slowly sinking, but even as the ship walled in its death throes men could be seen scrambling through its structure, probably searching for any intelligence.
A loud whistle sounded from the main rally point, soon others followed suite signalling the end of the successful raid. A couple hours later, with the last mop-up actions completed the Commandos had re-boarded the ships and were departing the area. In their wake a column of dark smoke rose from the destroyed factories and oil tanks; resources denied to the enemy. Filling the decks were hundreds of prisoners, soldiers, along with a few hundred locals who wished to join the fight to free their homeland.
Clearing the harbor, the destroyers blasted away at anything with an enemy flag, this final act leaving a trail of multiple burning cargo ships scattered across the harbor.
000 February 1941 - HMS Bedouin - Atlantic ocean somewhere west of Spain
Pearl sat on the fantail of the destroyer watching the churning water in its wake as they made steam through a mercifully calm ocean. It was soothing, the swirling ocean, the drifting clouds in the afternoon sky, off in the distance the ghostly shadow of a rain squall was just visible against the horizon. Though she sat at peace there was activity all around her from the rhythmic thrum of the engines pushing the ship forwards, the men singing battle hymns as they ran laps around the deck, the seamen tending to the ship's maintenance. Closing her eyes she once again centered herself to resume her meditations to recharge her gem, to find her center.
A ship's horn sounded off to her side, its counterpart on the other side of her ship answered with its own horn blast. Opening her eyes she stood up, dusted herself off, then glared daggers at the offending vessels. All around the convoy ships were flashing morse code lights at each other or waving signal flags as they communicated under radio silence protocols. There were all manor of ships from sleek destroyers, like the one she was on, to transports, to the mighty battleships and cruisers of the battle fleet. There was even an aircraft carrier to round it out.
Signing to herself she stood up, adjusted her uniform jacket, then headed towards the hatch that would lead to her squads bunk room. As she moved easily through the tight passageways the ship's crew stood aside to let her pass, whether out of respect, chivalry, or something else she wasn't sure. What she was sure of was that if any made a pass at her she'd hurt them, bad.
At last she reached the compartment where the rest of the squad resided; opening the door she stepped in then quickly closed it behind her. Removing her coat and boots she sat down at the small table where the others had a card game of some kind going.
"Deal me in please" she asked politely she tossed a pack of cigarettes and gum from her pocket onto what she assumed was the loot pile. "You playing Blackjack this time?"
James nodded as he tossed her a couple cards. "Yep, did you figure out where they're taking us?" The squad had been kept in the dark on their final destination, only that it was somewhere in Africa and to pack the appropriate gear for hot dusty weather.
"Not really, the water is getting warmer and the weather is changing but right now all I can say is west of Spain, I'm afraid I don't know these waters too well" She sighed as she examined her cards, a Jack and a 5. "Hit me". A card was tossed to her, another 5 for twenty. "Stay".
George grinned as he watched James toss her a couple cards. "No, that wouldn't be very proper of a man to hit a lady." Waving his finger another card was tossed to him. "Bloody hell. Over" he grumbled as he threw his cards on the table. "I'm going for some air, have fun."
"Always a sore loser that one, maybe its why we get on so well." chuckled Frank as he examined his cards. "Hit me".
James reached out to gently mock punch Frank in the face. "Well you said to hit you?" snickered the young soldier as Pearl stifled a laugh.
Frank glowered at the bad joke but said nothing as he picked up his card. "Boom, 21." he announced dryly as he put down two kings and an ace. "The ace is a one".
Now it was Pearl's turn to curse as Frank collected the loot into a small carry bag. "I think I'm going to head topside for some air too, guess that leaves you two love birds the room to yourself for an hour or so." chuckled Frank as he waggled his eyebrows and winked.
Pearl covered her face to hide her embarrassment as James's arm shot out to land a punch on Frank's arm with a heavy thump. "Get out of here and no, we ain't up to any funny business!"
Frank just grinned as he turned to head out "Darren's in meetings with the captain so if you…"
A loud Klaxon began to sound, its sharp and very loud sound silencing all conversation "BATTLESTATIONS! BATTLE STATIONS, THIS IS NOT A DRILL! ALL HANDS SECURE WATER TIGHT COMPARTMENTS! RIG FOR AIR AND SURFACE ACTION"
Immediately the trio went into action as they grabbed their gear, life jackets, then made their way topside. Reaching the main deck they found a somewhat shielded area on the deck around midships to watch the coming battle, somewhere not far from the lifeboats. All around the ship soldiers and sailors watched the sky, the ocean, and the other ships as they waited.
Silence. Only the endless thrum of the ship's engines, the sound of the sea as it swirled along the hull, the call of a distant seagull searching for a place to land and rest. Unbroken Silence.
"Does anyone know what caused the alarm?" asked one of the soldiers, this one in the uniform of a light infantry scout. His eyes moving rapidly as he scanned for signs of the danger.
"Probably another false alarm, fifth one since we left port. These Navy types sure are jumpy." replied another infantry soldier.
No one said anything else as the fleet sailed on for no one knew what type of threat it was.
The Klaxon sounded again, this time followed by an all-clear message.
It was as if a switch had been thrown as everyone relaxed, the tension of the last few minutes draining rapidly. Men headed below to attend to their duties, others wandered the decks, others sought out the ship's crew to try and get more information on what had happened.
Pearl watched this activity for a moment before deciding on her own course of action. "Hey James, join me in the canteen down below? I hear they have some ice-cream ready" she winked suggestively as she reached over to tug on his hand encouragingly.
James hesitated for a moment as he watched the other ships in the convoy, their own crews securing from battle stations. Finally satisfied that the threat was passed he allowed himself to be pulled along as Pearl headed towards the nearest hatch. "Sure, I'm up for some dessert, I doubt we'll get any more after we make port, could go for another round of cards too"
They had just closed the outside hatch behind them when a the world suddenly shifted into motion around them of its own impulse. Pearl reached out to grab a falling James narrowly avoiding what would have been a fatal tumble down the access stairs. Metal groaned as if the ship itself was in agonizing pain as the deck tilted under their feet. For a moment the deck held at a steep angle, just a few degrees from a no-return as no one dared to move, then to everyone's relief it began to tilt back towards normal.
The two soldiers locked eyes, both perfectly in sync "We need to get outside, maybe we can help with damage control". Pearl blinked for a moment at the perfect synchronization of their words.
"Jinx" shouted James as without another word he opened the hatch and stepped outside. Pearl huffed at the bad timing of the joke then followed after him.
~{0}~
All around the open decks men staggered to their feet looking stunned, a good number were not moving at all as blood pooled around the them. All across the deck bits of wreckage or blobs of burning fuel-oil turned had turned the little destroyer into a hellscape. But as the damage report soon assessed the destroyer itself was not the one hit, the actual source was clearly visible off the starboard side.
One of the dry-cargo ships tasked with carrying ammunition was missing. Where it should have been a thick layer of burning oil was spreading across the ocean's surface. Thick black smoke with wisps of fire rose into the sky as wreckage of all sizes, mostly small bits, rained down on the ocean. Another cargo-ship, one that had been following close to the ammunition ship, was starting to drift out of formation, its bridge shredded by shrapnel, its decks covered in burning oil.
The battle klaxon began to sound again as off in the distance a few of the other escort destroyers broke off from the formation. Their main guns firing at the water while K-Guns launched depth-bombs at something just beyond the convoy ships. As Pearl watched their efforts were soon rewarded by a flashed below the surface followed by a huge column of dirty oil filled water thrown into the air.
"Looks like they got the bastard." commented James cynically as they watched the two destroyers head back into formation with the convoy.
"CONTACT PORT! PERISCOPE SPOTTED! CONTACT PORT! Shouted a lookout from up on the ship's ventral anti-aircraft gun turret. The thrum of the engines increased rapidly as the ship began to pick up speed, soon the deck tilted as the destroyer headed towards the new threat.
The battle Klaxon was still sounding as the Commando's set about helping the damage control parties on their own ship. Their fate rested in the skill and luck of the ship's crew.
000 End Chapter 21
Hello Dear Readers
First a call out to fellow writer MarquisObsurite and his wonderful bad-Pearl AU story Lacrimosa. Please do give it a read as the plot is solid with good writing.
This was a much needed time-jump chapter with the goal of checking-in on other story threads to build up for the next round of events. We're going to spend the next few chapters in North Africa because Pearl has an appointment with operation Green Room in December 1941.
As always, Please leave a review to let me know what you think and Favorite / Follow if you really like the story and want to keep up with Pearl's adventures.
History Notes:
Guernsey Islands Raid
One of the early Commando Raids on occupied German territory. It was supposed to be an easy in-and-out operation to build operational experience while boosting morale with easy victories against the enemy on their own turf. The raid ended up a failure as the facility attacked wasn't actually in use by the Germans then there were complications with withdraw. But while it was a tactical failure it was a strategic win as the lessons learned helped future missions succeed.
Operation Claymore
From June 1940 through 1942 the British Commandos conducted numerous raids all along the coast of Europe and numerous harbors up and down Scandinavia. I've changed the dates for these two to better fit this story timeline so I am cheating a bit. The actual operation is deeper into 1941 but I needed to move up the date a bit in this AU as Pearl needed a success before heading off to Africa.
Convoy to North Africa
Despite the danger of U-Boats, large formations of military equipment and troops need to reach the battle lines somehow. The German submarine commanders called the early part of the war the "happy time"owing to the huge numbers of ships they were sinking quite easily. The Merchant Marine captains and crews faced the same dangers as regular navy to bring supplies.
The box from Egypt
Google Search: "decorative scarab box Egypt" - its the square black one with the gold decoration and a scarab beetle on top
Zahi's Farsi.
My translation tools are limited but it should read something like: "You dirty trick, dirty money make jinx someone" Please PM me with corrections so I can fix it. Zahi is based on a real Egyptologist who has been working to protect his nation's history in the face of the recent uprisings and political violence in the nation. In this setting he is making a calculated trade-off to maintain enough funds to protect the big-stuff, the small thing he's selling pains him terribly but its hoped that they can buy it back later or at least use the funds to pay to keep the main items safe. I doubt the real Zahi would make such a deal, but do go read his story, its quite good.
Sand Castle
Taken from the Steven Universe episode with the gem that makes castles when placed against sand. I may or may not use this in a future plot line along with whatever is in the beatle box.
HMS Bedouin
Named after the tribes of the same name that roam the deserts of the world. The ship was present for many of the Commando raids along the coast of Europe including the Operation Claymore that was almost featured in this chapter update. A proud ship that was sadly lost in the Mediterranean sea somewhere around 1942. Here its serving as convoy escort.
Greek Country side
Rose encountered the remnants of a Greek Army platoon that had been overrun by the Italians. The reasons for Italy's invasion of Greece are many, not all of them good. Go read up ono it.
Buddy's Book
From the Steven Universe episode of the same name makes an appearance. Aldebert has had the book with him for some months but just hadn't gotten around to reading it due to constant war time distractions and other projects. He has since made copies of it. Being the honorable bastard that he is he's mailed the original back to its rightful place along with late fees.