Chapter 8: Stealing the Emerald
Steven and the Gems quickly set off to board the Roaming Eye to rescue Connie.
"Garnet…" Steven said morosely, "where would they be keeping Connie?"
"Hmm…. According to my future vision, they are most likely holding her in a specialized jail cell on White Diamond's ship on the moon. They know that anti-Gem technology doesn't work on her."
"Hang on. Why… why didn't you foresee Connie being captured?!" Steven yelled, frustrated. "You could've helped me save her before the ship left with her! You could've stopped her from being tied up in the first place!"
"Steven. My future vision doesn't work that way. My future vision is rather similar to any other gem weapon. There are times when it is being used, and there are times when it is not being used." Garnet replied as everyone boarded the Roaming Eye.
"I sure hope we can get her back." Steven said, suddenly calm again.
As they headed off into space, the only thoughts that would come into Steven's mind were ones of despair, fear, and regret. 'What if I never get to see her again?' 'Why couldn't I save her in time?' 'What if I'm too late and she's gone forever?' No. She had to be okay. She just had to be. Steven just couldn't lose Connie because he was too slow to save her. They would get Connie back, no matter what.
"There it is." Peridot's statement broke Steven out of his line of thoughts. "White Diamond's ship."
"Don't worry, Connie." Steven said as though she could hear him. "We're coming to save you."
As the Roaming Eye approached the ship entry area of White Diamond's ship, the door opened to let them land the ship inside. After they landed the ship, Garnet addressed the others. "Alright; here's the plan. On the second level of the ship is where Connie is being held. There will be guards keeping watch over Connie's cell. We run in, take out the guards, grab the key, get Connie, and get out of here. I have a smoke bomb for in case we need it."
The ship's landing area was surprisingly unguarded. However, the gems readied their weapons just in case, with Peridot using her metal powers to grab some metal rods they had brought with them.
The first floor was suspiciously empty as well, as they were able to make it to the elevator without so much as even seeing a single Homeworld gem. The reason for that became clear immediately upon reaching the second floor. There were gem soldiers around every corner, and they immediately spotted them and attacked.
"Hey! Guys; come on over here!" Steven called out. Once they got over to where Steven was, he formed an extra-large bubble with spikes around himself and the others, and plowed through most of the gem soldiers, even poofing a few. When they got to the jail cell areas, Steven had to let his bubble down so they could split up to find Connie. "Alright everyone," Steven said, "we need to find Connie fast as we can!" Nobody hesitated to do so, all heading off to find Connie.
"Connie, where are you?!" Steven called out. When he didn't get a response, he prepared to try again, but was interrupted by a certain Agate gem.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing here?" She questioned. Steven spun around to be face-to-face with the very same Holly Blue Agate that had captured Connie and brought her there in the first place.
"You! You're the gem that kidnapped Connie! Tell me where she is!" Steven yelled. "Well? Where is she?!"
"I don't have to tell you that. You'll never find her! You may as well give up now."
"NEVER!" Steven yelled, as he got out his shield.
The Holly Blue Agate pulled out her electric whip and charged at Steven. She tried to hit him with it but Steven jumped out of the way. Steven quickly turned around and punched the gem as hard as he could, sending her flying over towards the wall. Before she even had a chance to recover, Steven ran in and jumped up, summoning his spiky bubble, and slammed himself down into the gem, causing a large crater and instantly poofing her. He dismissed the bubble, and bubbled the gem, sending it off to the burning room, and continued searching for Connie.
"Connie?! Where are you, Connie?!" Steven called out again.
"S-Steven?!" Steven immediately perked up upon hearing her voice.
"Connie! Where are you at, Connie?" He yelled.
"I'm over here, Steven!"
Steven ran towards the sound of Connie's voice. After a few seconds, he found Connie in a cell with bars made of solid obsidian; a material that gems were powerless against. There was also an Amethyst gem laying on the ground, with the key next to it.
"Steven!" Connie said, her scared expression fading away with a smile replacing it.
"CONNIE! YOU'RE OKAY!"
Steven ran over so fast that he almost ran straight into the obsidian bars, picking up the key and unlocking the cell. He opened the door, and both of them ran towards each other and embraced in a hug. "Connie! I'm so, so glad you're okay! I was so worried!" He said, with tears in his eyes.
"Thanks for coming to get me, Steven." Connie said, also with tears in her eyes.
"I would never just leave you, Connie. You're everything to me." Steven replied as they headed back.
The pair went back and found the others, and, after they all expressed their relief for Connie's safety, started to head back to the ship. But before they could even find it, a certain voice stopped them in their tracks. "Oh, no you don't!"
Slowly, everybody turned around. When they saw who it was, they all paled with fear.
It was White Diamond herself.