The Pearl Factory, Homeworld , 5257 years ago:
"Pearl 7-25042-1. I had been hoping to see you." the larger pearl leaned forward slightly, colours playing and dancing across her form. "I assume you're here to report on your Diamond's... behaviour?"
Pearl flinched slightly. "Uh... Not entirely, no... I'm actually here on another, more urgent matter." she glanced up slightly. "But... I could attempt some sort of explanation... if that is what you desire, My Nacre."
Nacre nodded. "Rise and speak freely, 25042."
Pearl stood up and sighed. "Well, the short version of it is this: My Diamond, Pink, had decided that she no longer wished Earth to be a colony at all. She wanted to protect the life that lived there. The other Diamonds... did not agree. They insisted that the colony be completed. Pink decided that becoming Rose Quartz and leading a rebellion, albeit against herself, was the only way to make them change their minds. After all, if the Earth was incredible enough to provoke otherwise loyal Gems into open rebellion against their Diamond, then maybe it was worth protecting." she shook her head sadly. "However,... They didn't see it that way. They only sent more troops, more supplies. Pink Diamond felt trapped in her position; she felt like... that other Diamonds cared more about the colony and the resources it would provide than about Pink or her happiness. She started to feel like... maybe she didn't matter to them at all."
Pearl cleared her throat. "There is more to this story... but I'll need to explain my reason for being here first. It's a little... bizarre, but I assure you, it's the truth."
Nacre nodded. "Proceed."
"I'm... actually from the future. More than five thousand years from now, actually. My companions and I fell into a ripple in time, and ended up stranded here. I returned to Homeworld mainly to locate parts and equipment for a device I've quickly designed to locate future ripples, in an attempt to get us back to our own time before entropic cascade failure starts to affect us." she briefly displayed the hologram of the device.
"Hmm... That is rather far-fetched..." Nacre mused.
Pearl gulped. "I assure you, it is the truth, My Nacre. Uh.. Perhaps some evidence is required..." she paused for a moment to think, and gave a quick nod. "The native humans have developed quite spectacularly in the last five thousand years. They've even attempted space travel. Well, primitive attempts anyway... They sent out some animals, but quickly lost interest. A stark realisation of the inherent dangers also played a part in their decision to delay further exploration until their technology had evolved to a higher level." She pulled out her mobile phone. "Uh... this is their more recent communication device. Just about every young human currently has one of these carried on their person, whereas only a decade ago, most humans only had a simpler device in their dwellings." she stored it away and created a hologram. "These are just a few of the things they had developed, entirely without our help." she showed a quick montage of human technology, with cars, planes, television and a roller coaster.
Nacre's eyes widened. "That is remarkable."
Pearl sighed. "In a couple of hundred years from this point in time... Pink Diamond will be shattered by Rose Quartz. That is... obviously, we'll make it seem like that is the case. Pink Diamond will make the decision to disappear, in the hope that the other Diamonds will give up on creating a colony from the Earth. However, her plan will backfire. Spectacularly so. The remaining three Diamonds will launch a final attack that will severely damage every Gem on the Earth who isn't shattered or regenerating. Rose, Garnet and myself... Garnet's that fusion from Blue Diamond's court? The Ruby and Sapphire?" she waited for the nod of recognition before continuing.
"We only survived because of Rose's shield. This attack will cause... well, we call it Corruption. Those affected no longer remember who they were. They are nothing more than wild, mindless beasts." She showed a hologram of a corrupted quartz, and the surrounding pearls all recoiled in horror. "We'll then spend the next five thousand years fighting them, bubbling them so that they can't hurt themselves or the humans."
Pearl glanced around at the pearls. "Every pearl needs to be off the planet before that happens. Like... immediately. The moment that word gets out that Pink Diamond has been shattered by Rose Quartz, they need to leave. Because after the Corruption hits, there is no chance for anyone not behind Rose's shield, or deep inside the planet. And we'll be destroying the Galaxy Warp as soon as possible, to prevent any hostile forces returning." she shook her head. "I feel guilty enough about my involvement causing the Corruption in the first place. To have to fight another pearl who doesn't even know what she's doing... I can't do that... Please, order them to leave the moment Pink is 'shattered'..."
The room fell silent. Pearl took the moment to get a few quick deep calming breaths in.
Finally, Nacre spoke. "What materials do you need to return?"
Pearl rattled off a list of equipment and electronic devices. "Um... Those should be enough. I can improvise the device from those."
Nacre nodded. With a quick wave of her hand, several other pearls left the room to search for the materials. "Is there anything else you require?"
Pearl wrung her hands worryingly. "Well... I would like a temporarily stay of the 'Pearls Only' rule..."
"For what reason?"
"I have three of my companions stored in my gem. One is a human girl, Connie, who is also a student of mine, one is an amethyst, who is quite harmless, I assure you... the third is Pink Diamond's half-human son."
Nacre looked curious. "Meaning?"
Pearl blushed. "Uh... Well... hmm..." she sighed. "Basically, Rose... mated, with a human male about fifteen years ago. She gave up her form so the child could exist. He has her gem, and is slowly getting control of her powers, but he is not her. He is someone completely new and different. He's... he's Steven." she shrugged. "I've been helping to look after him since then."
"And this amethyst? They are usually..."
Pearl nodded. "Yes, I know. Believe me... But this one is different. She's one of my best friends, and has always treated me well. She's quite angry that pearls are treated the way we are... I don't think she understands it... But... I trust Amethyst with my life. I have trusted her with my life before, and she's never let me down, or given me any reason to fear for my safety around her. Besides..." she rolled her eyes. "…She slammed headfirst into the force-shield outside because she was excited to see where I was made. She'd never really forgive me if she was the only one left out of being here. Especially if it was only because she's a quartz. Please, I request permission to bring them out."
Nacre thought for a moment. "I'll admit... I am curious about this hybrid of Pink Diamond... And I've never met an actual human before. I'm interested in seeing what the fuss is about. Very well then. I'll allow this. However, you are responsible for keeping the amethyst under control."
"That's easier said than done in my experience..." Pearl muttered as she bowed deeply. "Thank you, My Creator." she straightened up. "Amethyst is currently regenerating, so I'll let them out in a side room, so there's no distractions as I explain to Amethyst about being on her best behaviour after she reforms."
Nacre nodded. "That is a suitable solution." she pointed towards a door on her right. "That room is currently empty."
"I shall return shortly." Pearl nodded before she turned and walked over to the door.
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Steven & Connie's POV:
"Aww yeah, I win!" Steven called happily as his side of the board lit up.
Connie reached out to shake his hand. "Awesome! I think we're tied now?"
Surface Pearl nodded. "Yes. But your tie-breaker will have to wait." Handing Amethyst's gem over to Steven, she stood up and collected the game board and the polishing kit, walking over to store them again.
Steven and Connie glanced at each other. "Why? What's going on?"
Surface Pearl walked back. "Okay, I have to explain a few things to you. Amethyst... will have to wait, hopefully she'll listen..." she glanced at the purple gem in Steven's hand. "You see... We're currently inside the Factory. It's... it's where I was made, oh so very long ago..."
"Whoa!" Steven gasped. "Wait... you were made in a factory? Not a Kindergarten?"
Surface Pearl blushed. "Pearls aren't made the same way as other gems, Steven." she tapped Amethyst briefly. "They're usually made in the crust of a planet, or rarely even deeper. They spend hundreds of years slowly forming through heat and pressure before finally creating a form and bursting out of the ground, ready to do... whatever it was they were made for. Pearls... are made in water. We're made quickly and cheaply. I was only one of around three dozen pearls who formed in the same week. One of hundreds who were made that year. The Factory is essentially a Kindergarten, strictly for pearls. But in function only; they're not actually the same thing."
"So... How are pearls made, anyway?" Connie asked, curious.
Surface Pearl stammered. "Uh... Th- that's... That's a closely guarded secret, that only pearls are allowed to know. I'm only allowed to say that it involves water, and many, many layers." she sighed briefly. "Anyway, the Factory has a very strict Pearls Only rule. It's protected by a force-shield that blocks any other gem from entry. Even the Diamonds aren't allowed in here." she added smugly.
"Except me!" Steven grinned.
Surface Pearl rolled her eyes. "Normally, no. Not even you."
"Oh." his face fell.
Surface Pearl patted his hair affectionately. "However, these are not normal circumstances. I've been granted permission to bring you out, just for a little while. You won't be allowed to explore very much though, and you are mostly being allowed out because you are going to meet someone... very special to me." She glanced at Amethyst's gem. "I'll need to bring Amethyst out and have a quick chat with her beforehand though... But we need to go over some ground rules first."
"Which are?" Connie prompted.
"Best behaviour." she counted off on her fingers. "Be polite, be respectful, speak only when spoken to. And try not to comment about the fact that everyone has a large nose... it's rude. I'm going to have to threaten Amethyst about that last part..." she added with a mutter.
Steven scratched his head. "But, who are we gonna meet? And why are they important to you?"
Surface Pearl sighed. "You're going to... I can't believe I'm going say this... You're going to meet my maker."
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Pearl held out her arms, and in a flash of white light, Connie appeared. Pearl quickly caught the girl and set her feet-first onto the floor, stepping aside to summon Steven. As he giggled and grinned at Connie, the gem in his right hand started to glow, and he quickly held his hands out. Connie watched wide-eyed as Amethyst reformed, setting down on the ground with a sigh.
"Ugh, finally! What took so danged long?!" Amethyst grumbled.
Pearl grabbed the straps of the smaller gems top and lifted her up. "Listen to me Amethyst, because I am not going to repeat myself." she growled, causing the small group to stare. "We are inside the Factory, yes, and I know that you are eager to explore... but that is no excuse to be... to be a quartz. I want you to be on your best behaviour. No teasing me or anyone who looks like me; no shapeshifting into me, or anyone else; no comments about anyone's nose or appearance... I want absolutely none of your usual crap. We are going to meet with the gem who made me, Amethyst. This is very important to me. I swear on my gem, Amethyst... if you embarrass me, if you insult my creator, accidentally or otherwise, you'll be spending the next fifty-two hundred years bubbled and stored in my gem under 'p' for Purple Idiot! Do we have an understanding, soldier?"
Amethyst looked into Pearl's ice blue eyes, cold and unforgiving, and saw a glimpse of the battle-hardened warrior Pearl usually hid so well. The younger gem gulped audibly. "Yes ma'am..." she squeaked slightly.
Pearl stepped back, releasing Amethyst's straps. "Good. Now, follow me." She walked towards the nearby door as Amethyst stared wide-eyed at the kids.
"Holy crap..." she mouthed at them.
The kids nodded as they followed Pearl silently.
Pearl bowed. "My Nacre, may I present Steven, Connie and Amethyst."
Nacre looked down at them curiously. "So, this is the offspring of Pink Diamond?"
Pearl nodded and tapped Steven's shoulder, gently urging him forward.
"Uh... Hello..." Steven waved nervously. Glancing down, he quickly raised his shirt so his gem was visible.
"How very strange. Clearly, you are made of flesh, and yet you have a gem..." Nacre mused.
Steven shrugged. "Yeah. I'm maybe half-light..." he glanced aside at Pearl and closed his eyes. Glowing, he grew by about a foot. "I can shapeshift, but not for very long, or I'll turn back into a baby..." he returned to his usual size. "I... don't know what will happen if I get poofed though..."
Pearl frowned. "And hopefully we'll never find out."
Nacre nodded. "What about Rose's shield?"
Steven looked at Pearl, who nodded. Quietly, he summoned a small shield with a shimmer of pink light. "Yeah, I've got that." he held it out, and Nacre took it, turning it over in her hands. "I can also make the big bubble, and heal with my spit, and I cried a friend back to life once. I also accidentally made some watermelon Stevens that went all crazy... Mum had some weird powers..." he grinned nervously.
Nacre handed the shield back to him, and Steven let it vanish with a sparkle of light.
"I once had the pleasure of meeting Pink Diamond." Nacre mused.
"Really?" Steven gasped.
Nacre nodded. "Yes. She gave me the impression that she was very kind, and would treat a pearl well. Although, she also was quite... immature, and occasionally bizarre..."
Pearl sniggered. "Oh, you don't know the half of it. I could tell you stories... but I honestly doubt you'd believe me. She was weird." she glanced at Steven. "Seriously, he's only fourteen years old, and he's already far more mature than she ever was."
Steven's eyes sparkled. "Really?"
Pearl nodded. "Oh yes. Thousands of years old, and she'd still be wrestling with gorillas, eating daffodils or sticking her fingers into light sockets, just to see what happened. Absolutely daft." she giggled. "Half my job as her pearl was to stop her from being too reckless. A difficult job, believe me." she rolled her eyes.
Amethyst chuckled. "Yeah, Rose was craaazzzy..."
"I can confirm." Pearl snorted as Steven and Connie laughed.
Nacre watched them curiously.
Pearl realised she was being watched and blushed furiously. "Yes, My Nacre?"
Nacre shook her head. "Just amused. Now, I've heard many reports about the... humans, of Pink's colony, but I have not had the opportunity to actually meet one."
"Oh, of course." Pearl glanced at Connie and smiled.
Connie blushed and stepped forward. "Err... Hello ma'am. I'm Connie." she bowed slightly.
Connie stood nervously as Nacre looked her over. "Hmm... fascinating. A biological species with the same basic form as a Gem, but made entirely of biological matter. Such a being has only been encountered by Gemkind on one small world..." she mused.
Pearl nodded. "Yes, I was amazed myself. Of course, there are many differences. They can't regenerate, and serious damage is often fatal. They also grow and change over a remarkably short time, and their biological functions are utterly disgusting... but sadly, necessary to their survival, and therefore completely unavoidable." she glanced down at Connie with a proud smile. "But, they can be incredibly fast learners, and are often just too damned stubborn to die. I've been teaching Connie here how to use a sword, and she has made astounding progress in such a short time. She's mastered techniques that, quite frankly, I needed a decade to reach the same level." she blushed slightly. "Humans are a species that were definitely worth fighting for."
Connie grinned happily. "Thank you, ma'am!" she bowed with a small blush.
Nacre glanced at Amethyst. "Now, you are rather small for a quartz..."
"You're big for a pearl..." Amethyst grunted, crossing her arms and looking away.
"Amethyst!" Pearl hissed.
The smaller gem glanced at her and huffed. "Fine... I apologise."
Nacre tilted her head. "I've never heard of a quartz with such a deep cut, nor one who would willingly listen to a pearl."
Amethyst shrugged. "Yeah, well, she threatened me."
Nacre nodded. "Or one that would admit to being threatened by a pearl. But this one is notoriously rather terrifying..."
Pearl blushed deeply. "Well, I try..." she smiled as the kids giggled.
"Oh yeah, Pearly's dangerous all right. Dust bunnies world-wide fear her wrath." Amethyst smirked.
Pearl glanced at her. "Keep that up, Amethyst, and I'm cleaning your room the second we get home."
Amethyst stepped away. "Hey, whoa... no need to get nasty... put the broom down, Pearl."
"Fear the broom of doom." Steven snickered.
Connie looked around to see a small group of pearls enter the room.
One with a blue diamond on her chest just under her gem stepped forward with a small bow. "My Nacre, the materials that 25042 requested."
The group pulled an assortment of electronic items from their gems and held them out.
Pearl grinned. "Spectacular. I'll just grab the more fragile things..." Carefully, she gathered a few things into her arms. "Right. Everyone, grab some stuff, okay?"
Steven, Connie and Amethyst each grabbed a few things.
"Thank you, everyone." Pearl nodded at the other pearls. Turning, she lowered her head at Nacre. "If it pleases you, My Nacre, I would like to get started building as soon as possible."
Nacre waved the other pearls away. "Of course. The same room is available to you."
"Come on, Shorty Squad." Pearl turned and walked across the room, glancing back only to confirm that they were following.
As the door slid shut behind them, they saw that Pearl had already spread a small tarp out and was settling down in a corner. "Okay, just put those down here, and I can get to work."
As they gently dropped the equipment down onto the tarp, Pearl pulled a small roll of fabric from her gem. Unrolling it, she revealed a set of tools, many of them with strange attachments.
"Hey... I've never seen a screwdriver like that before..." Connie pointed it out.
"Doncha mean leverage optimiser?" Amethyst smirked as Steven grinned.
Pearl smiled as she looked at it. "Ah yes. That's specially designed for very fine work, like the kind found only in Gem electronic devices. Also, leverage optimiser is the actual name of the tool. Although, I think I prefer the human names. Far simpler, if occasionally bizarre." she shrugged. "To be honest... most Gem tools are just variations of human ones. Once you figure out the difference between a sonic connector and a connection disruptor-" she pointed out the similar looking tools as she went "-which are used to basically make and break welds, just about anybody can use these things. Although, the sonic connector is very dangerous in the wrong hands. I've heard of Gems accidentally welding one of their hands to the side of a ship they were trying to repair." she rolled her eyes with a chuckle. "Now, I have to start working on this, so..." she picked up a device and started to dismantle it.
As Pearl worked quietly behind them, occasionally muttering to herself, the group moved back to the door and sat there, watching the other pearls move around. In soft whispers they commented about the various small differences between them, and started playing a game counting how many belonged to each particular diamond.
Seeing one go by with a pink diamond on her chest, Steven gasped. "Hey... do you think she knew mum too?"
Amethyst shrugged. "I dunno... Pearl's the only gem I've seen with a pink diamond anywhere..."
Steven glanced back. "Hey, Pearl?"
"Hmmm... yes, Steven?" she asked, head down in concentration.
"Do you... know any of the pearls here? Like, were you friends with any of them?"
Pearl glanced up. "Uhh... That's... complicated."
"Complicated how?" Connie prompted.
Steven moved and sat next to Pearl. "Yeah, I want to know too."
Pearl looked around as Connie and Amethyst moved closer as well. She sighed. "I mean, technically speaking, we're only allowed to be loyal to our owners and our Diamonds. Any kind of relationship with anyone else is strictly forbidden, so pearls don't usually make friends..." she shrugged as she grabbed another device to pull apart. "We only really have a chance to bond with those made around the same time as ourselves, and any other pearls we end up working closely with. And by that, I mean when our owners work closely, and drag us along. And it's best not to get too attached to the others anyway."
The group looked at each other briefly. "How come?" Amethyst moved a more distant item closer, so Pearl could reach it later.
Pearl sighed. "There's a rather high... let's call it a turnover rate... for pearls. Basically, we get shattered all the time. For the stupidest reasons. Like our owners decided to blame us for something going wrong, or for one of their own terrible decisions, or they had a bad day and decided to kick the dog, or because they simply wanted a new pearl."
"That's horrible!" Steven cried, giving her a hug.
Pearl patted his hair affectionately. "Eh, you get used to it. It's not like we have a much of a choice anyway..." Sadness flashed across her face. "Of the thirty-seven pearls made the same week as myself... well... only two of us were still alive by the beginning of the rebellion. And we're both survivors, who are still kicking today. Well, in our time anyway."
"Only two?!" Amethyst squeaked, horrified.
"That's terrifying..." Connie whispered, eyes wide in shock.
Pearl summoned a box of tissues and held it out. Steven grabbed a handful immediately.
Connie looked thoughtful. "Hey... if you haven't seen another pearl since the war... then how do you know she's still alive?"
Pearl smiled faintly. "Because Steven's seen her, and told me about it."
Steven looked confused. "Wait... huh?"
Pearl laughed. "Well, to be honest, you didn't realise that I knew her. We bonded quickly after we were made, and got separated when we were assigned owners. We ended up meeting up again not long after. I knew her as Pearl 7-25047-1, or 47... You'd know her as Blue Diamond's pearl."
Steven gasped. "Whoa!"
"We both ended up in service to a Diamond, and Blue was really the only one that your mother bothered to listen to half the time... So, 47 and I got to hang out a lot whilst Pink was being annoyingly distracting." she snickered.
Steven grinned happily. "That's great! But... wait. Does that mean you hung out with Yellow Diamonds pearl too? You said you didn't know her..."
Pearl shook her head. "Actually, you asked who she was. I merely stated that not all pearls know each other, which is true. Like I said, we usually only spend time with other pearls when our owners work together closely. To outright state that I knew a pearl who belonged to a Diamond would be the same as admitting that I belonged to a Diamond. Pink's order... prevented me from actively doing so." she sighed sadly. "I didn't technically lie. I just... deflected the question. Sorry, but I had no choice in the matter."
Steven look at her curiously. "So... you do know Yellow Diamond's pearl?"
Pearl shrugged. "Eh, not too well. We were made at different times, and we've never really gotten along. She was far too smug, and would not shut up about how great Yellow was. The boot-licking git..." she muttered.
Amethyst snickered. "A real brown-noser, huh?"
Pearl laughed. "Please. She was so far up her Diamond's rump, it was a miracle Yellow could even sit."
Amethyst burst out laughing as Connie snorted.
"And I'm surprised Blue can sit either, with Holly Blue crawling up there..." Pearl added with a grin.
Steven blushed. "Pearl! That's gross!"
"Freakin' hilarious though!" Amethyst chuckled.
Pearl sighed happily and glanced around at them. "Anyway, I'm still trying to work on this, so how about I bring out some food and water, and you go back to pearl-watching by the door?"
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An hour later...
"Err... uh-oh." Steven winced slightly. "Uh, Pearl?"
Pearl swapped a tool out for another. "Yes, Steven?"
Steven blushed. "I need to go."
Pearl looked up. "Go? ...oh. Go."
"Um..." Connie raised a hand with a blush. "Yeah, me too."
Pearl looked around nervously. "Uhh... You do realise that there isn't a single bathroom on this entire planet... Can you both possibly hold it for another... hour, maybe?"
Steven jigged his leg a little. "Maybe..."
"So long as it's only an hour? I guess." Connie's voice was filled with uncertainty.
Pearl looked down at the collection of disassembled electronics and started gathering them up. "I think I have everything I need here. I can finish this back on Earth. I'll just quickly say my farewells." she dashed out of the room. Looking out, they saw her quickly talking to Nacre. After a quick bow, she returned. "Okay, you'll have to promise not to let go inside my gem, or I swear I'll murder you and any witnesses." she glared darkly at them.
"Okay."
"I promise."
"Geez, chill, you murder noodle."
Pearl growled. "Can it, Amethyst. I'll put you in too, just for a moment. Once we're outside the Factory, I'll let you back out. You'll need to be a sapphire again immediately, so we can get to the Galaxy Warp as quickly as possible, okay?"
Amethyst nodded. "Got it."
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As the glow of the warp faded, Pearl pointed towards the bushes. "Amethyst, I'm not sure what they actually need to do, so quickly dig a couple of small holes behind some bushes."
Amethyst nodded and shapeshifted her hands into large shovels. "Got it."
Pearl summoned a small bag of toilet paper and removed two rolls as Amethyst moved to a different bush.
"Okay, done!" Amethyst ran back over. Suddenly, she grabbed a roll, pulled off two strips and throw a piece over each bush. "Markers." she explained as she ran back.
"Good thinking. You catch Steven." Pearl reached up and summoned the boy, Amethyst catching him with ease as Pearl grabbed Connie. "Okay, here's some paper. There are holes behind the bushes with paper. Go."
The kids grabbed a roll each and bolted into the forest.
Pearl sighed and sat on the warp pad. "That was uncomfortable..." she groaned.
Amethyst sat down beside her with a groan. "Yeah, even I think that'd be gross..."
Pearl shimmered slightly and phased her furs back on. "We can return to the settlement from the other night, so we can at least have shelter whilst I finish building the detector."
"Works for me." Amethyst laid back on the warp pad. "I just hope we can get home soon."
Pearl nodded. "Me too..."
A few minutes later, Connie returned, followed shortly after by Steven. Both were clearly more comfortable.
Pearl summoned a bottle. "Hand sanitiser." she explained, and the two immediately held their hands out. As they eagerly rubbed the disinfectant into their hands, she stored the bottle away before plucking a stray leaf from Steven's hair. "Okay, let's head back to the settlement for the night."
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The next morning...
"...and put this there... Okay, now I just have to screw this here, aaannddd... Done!" Pearl grinned. Holding up the device, she inspected it with a practised eye. "Yes, this should work. I can always tweak the settings if necessary."
Steven and Connie clapped. "Wooo, go Pearl!"
She blushed happily. "Yes, well. We'll only have a short time to actually warp to the location and enter the ripple, so we should go to the warp pad now, to save time if we get a reading. If we haven't gotten anything by sunset, we can come back here for another night."
"Hey wait..." Amethyst scratched her head. "What if the ripple isn't near a warp pad?"
Pearl shrugged. "We'll have no choice but to ignore those ones. Even if they can actually take us directly home, it's no use to us if we can't reach it in time. Luckily, I have the map of the warp system stored in my memories, so I can quickly determine if the ripple is usable or not."
Suddenly, the device beeped, and a hologram rose out of the front, creating a small glowing green orb.
Pearl gasped. "Ooh, there's one now!"
They watched as the orb took on the appearance of the Earth, and a small dot started flashing in one spot.
Pearl sighed. "This is exactly what I meant. There's no warp pad near that."
The dot faded and the hologram disappeared.
"Yeah, it's gone." Pearl shook her head. "Well, the good news is, it works. Not bad for something built from quite possibly stolen parts. Come on, let's go wait at the warp pad."
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Steven yawned. "I don't think that I have ever been more bored."
"Hmmm..." Connie grunted, leaning against the tree with her eyes closed. "You haven't heard my math teacher droning on. That man could make a fortune, recording and selling his voice as a cure for insomnia..."
They heard a beep and sat up.
Pearl grabbed the detector and watched as the hologram showed the location. "Hmm, just south of the Tunguska Sea... Quick, warp pad, now."
The group ran onto the warp pad and disappeared in a flash of blue light.
As the glow faded away, Pearl quickly started looking around. Her eyes darting about, she suddenly pointed. "There."
Moving towards her, they groaned with disappointment as the sparkling ripple suddenly faded and blinked out of existence.
"Oh, come on!" Amethyst yelled, punching a nearby boulder, cracking it in half.
Pearl sighed. "Hopefully the next one stays around a little longer... It's too cold for you here. Let's head back to the forest..."
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As the sun started to set, Steven snored gently with Connie's head resting on his shoulder. Both had dozed off from boredom.
Pearl jumped up as the detector beeped again. Studying the hologram, she pointed at the children. "We need to move."
Amethyst quickly scooped Connie up as Pearl lifted Steven. They sped to the warp pad and activated it.
Reaching the other end, they saw the ripple just ahead of them. With a quick dash, they both ran and leapt into it, disappearing with a flash.