Matte Peach Pearl

Pearl works in the Kindergarten where she was been made.

Not in the Kindergarten, precisely. No one had use for a pearl among the underwater caverns and heavy machinery. Pearl is stationed in the reception, right in the Kindergarten's epicentre.

She processes everyone who comes through. Technicians, diplomats, assessors, inspectors, maintenance workers…. and newmades, of course. Once newly created Gems have gone through Inspection and are assigned their full identifier, Pearl's job is to add their profile to the Empire's intergalactic computer system, along with information on their first assignments.

Those assignments can take time to get issued. It was fast for the common-Gems, who can go anywhere, or those who have been made-to-order for someone specific. But rarer, more specialised Gems are harder to find places for. There is all sorts of bureaucracy. Squabbling and bickering between officials, about which planets need what Gems types most desperately, and in what numbers, and how soon. Sometimes it cane take Cycles to come to a decision.

Until they can finally receive their assignments, Gems wait in the reception centre. It isn't a very big place, and once they've finished 'exploring' the base, the newmades will inevitably come to Pearl with questions.

Newmades are like that. Fresh out of the dirt, filled with knowledge, yearning for more. Stick them in a single building, deep under the sea, and they're gonna ask questions. Lots of them. It's Pearl's job to answer them.

"Where are we?"

"Planet 64-B-28 of the Atoll System, Iota Kindergarten."

"What other Gems are made here?"

"Aragonite, coral, pearl, limestone, lapis lazuli, and ammolite are this Kindergarten's primary exports. There are some quartz deposits present, but they are rare."

"What else is on this planet?"

"This colony has nine Kindergartens, six arenas, five spires, three research centres…"

And so on. Pearl has heard every question a numbered could think to ask, a hundred times over. How far to the surface? How big is this planet's sun? How many other planets are there? How many stars are there in the entire universe? How many has the Empire colonized? What are the other colonies like? What's Homeworld like?

"I am sure Homeworld is wonderful, ma'am." That's the answer Pearl always gives to that question, and others like it. She doesn't know. She's never even seen the nearest star, let alone Homeworld.

She's spent her entire existence under this ocean, in this kindergarten. A small portion of it was spent in the water itself, back when she first emerged, but that's all a blur. She was too new then, her mind too busy processing the new stimuli— new temperatures, sounds, rights, smells, feelings thoughts— to make anything coherent out of it. Pearl's first clear memory is of being lead to her station in the Kindergarten reception.

That's where Pearl stays. At her station, behind her desk.

Pearl's job is to talk to Gems. Most don't stay long.

The one exception is Granite.

There's a fair number of granites around. They're maintenance workers. Big, broad shoulders, with huge hands. They're designed to lift huge weights and push through rocks, even though now they have special submarines which can do most of the work for them. They keep pathways clear, check for signs of imminent emergences, inspect Injectors for wear… It's a lot of work, over a huge area, so there's a good dozen of granites to cover it all. Pearl can always recognise this particular Granite, though. Her gem is on her shoulder, and she's got some sort of red algae growing on her back. Pearl's not even sure if Granite knows it's there.

Granites work almost exclusively in the field, but they have to come in occasionally to file reports. Every time she does, this Granite makes a point of talking to Pearl.

Not asking questions. Just talking. About anything that crosses her mind. Things like, "Currents sure are strong right now."

Or, "You should have seen the size of the Quartz newmade we fished out. Or I guess you will. Inspection should go fast for a beaut like that."

Or, "I got jumped by an eel on the way here. Those things are annoying. Can't hurt you, but they're twice the size of my sub, and they release this ink that turns the water pitch black. Can't make out a single thing."

Pearl never responds, but she let's the Granite talk. It's nice to listen, sometimes.

"The water's been beautiful lately," Granite remarks, on a particularly slow Cycle. The reception is empty except for the two of them. "Lovely temperature, and the colours…. ah nothing like the sunrises this time of Rotation, y'know?"

And Pearl surprises herself by saying, "I don't, actually."

Granite blinks, taken aback, then smiles. "Ah! So you can speak!"

"Of course I can. It's my job."

Pearl's not sure why she's being so forward— being borderline rude— but there's no one else around, and it's not like a granite has much clout, anyway.

Besides, Granite doesn't seem offended. Just amused. "I meant, talk like an actual Gem, not a computer." Her smile subsides a little. "What do you mean, you don't know?'

"I mean, 'I don't know'. I never leave this room, you may have noticed."

"Well, yeah. But what about at your previous posting?"

"I haven't had a previous posting."

"What, really?" At Pearl's stiff nod, Granite shakes her head. "Wow, I've worked here for a while, but I've been other places too. I was in the Igneous System for awhile before getting transferred out here. Served at Kindergartens Gamma through to Iota now…" Her voice turns wistful. "This is a real pretty planet. Used to be, at least."

"I'm sure," says Pearl.

Garnet watches her for a moment. Then says, "Want go see?"

"What?"

"Want to go see?" Granite repeats.

"We can't leave the Kindergarten!"

"Oh, we wouldn't go far, obviously," says Granite. "I'd just give you a quick tour in my submarine. Show you around."

"I…" Pearl is momentarily speechless. She recovers. "Don't be stupid. I've got to stay here!"

"Why? Nobody else has. All the newmades have been shipped off, and all our superiors are up on the surface, attending some sort of Diamond broadcast. Why not slip out?"

"Because if I get caught I'll be shattered."

"You won't be caught." Granite waved a hand. "And if you are, I'll make up some excuse. Say I found something weird and wanted someone to take notes for me."

There's still a million reasons why it's a bad idea. A million ways this could go wrong. A million ways she could be punished.

But for some reason, Pearl says, "Yes."

It happens quickly. One moment she's standing at her post, the next she's in the loading bay, being ushered into Granite's submarine. Its cockpit is small and cramped, clearly not designed for two. It feels so close and crowded that Pearl wants to bail, but she preservers long enough for the submarine to going soaring out into the sea.

"Open your eyes," Granite says.

Pearl hadn't even realised she'd closed them.

Slowly, she cracks them back open. Looks around. All around her is glass. All around her is water. All around her is sea.

Pearl is silent in the face of it all. Granite talks and talks and talks. Points out canyons and crevices, gives their names, talks of them like they're old friends. Recognises each emergent hole, and knows straight off what kind of Gem came from them. Talks about sediments and currents and water pressure.

Pearl's most enraptured by the organisms. The strange animals which swim away from the submarine as it approaches. Those creatures never came close enough to the reception for Pearl to see, but in the outer reaches of Kindergarten they're everywhere. So many colours, so many shapes. They don't have arms, or legs— some don't even have heads. Pearl has no idea how or if they're even capable of seeing or hearing. But Granite has nicknames for stories for each of them, and is happy to share.

"You know about coral, right?" asks Granite.

"Of course," says Pearl. She's lost count of the number of corals this Kindergarten has produced.

"This is where they come from."

The submarine rises over a ridge, and pearl gasps. It's a field of colour. Huge bulbs growing straight up from the rocky floor, pinks, yellows, blues, reds, even oranges the same shade as her own gem. Small, quick creatures swim among the growths. Coral, pre-fertilisation and incubation. Strange, that such dull gems could come from such beauty.

And above… above is the surface. A bright, rippling veil, like the gauze on her dress, but a million times more magnificent.

Granite follows her gaze, grins and pilots the submarine upwards. They breach through the water with a splash. Granite throws open a hatch in the roof and pushes Pearl up. Pearl is startled by the sudden physical contact, but not as startled as she is by the sheer scope of the horizon.

Pearl takes a deep breath, just because she can. The air is different here. Warmer, fresher, sharper, sweeter. The light is brighter too. Pearl has to squint through it.

Granite's stretching, stretching her arms up to the pink sky. Pearl stares at the sight, and then says, "Do you know you have something on your back?"

"What?"

"This… red algae stuff," says Pearl. "I could remove it, if you like?"

She offers a hand, hesitant.

Granite cranes her head over her shoulder to try and see for herself. She laughs when she succeeds, prodding at the growth. "Well I'll be! How long has that been there? No, no," she waves Pearl's hand away. "If it's been clinging to me that long, it deserves to stay."

Then Granite throws herself off the side of the craft and into the sea. Pearl flinches as the water splashes her.

"Come on!" Granite urges.

"No!" says Pearl. (It's the first time she's ever said it.)

"Why not?"

"I'll sink!"

"You won't! And if you do, I'll catch you!"

It takes some more encouragement, but eventually Pearl relents. She slips off the side of the boat. The water is cool. Her dress billows up around her. She doesn't sink.

Granite takes her by the hand. Shows her how to kick, and paddle, and adjust the density of her physical form so she can be as buoyant as she wants. It takes a little while, but soon Pearl is swimming all by herself, ducking her head in and out of the water, feeling like one of those giant ink eels herself.

"You're a regular Lapis Lazuli!" Granite says.

Pearl laughs, and splashes at her. The two sink into helpless giggles, and for a while, at least, forget the weight of responsibilities waiting for them beneath the waves.

oOoOo

Author's Note: I saw the use of the term 'newmades' in another SU fic, and instantly fell in love. I wish I could remember which fic it was, or who created the term... but I've searched and searched and can't find it anywhere. If you know, please tell me!