Lime Green Pearl

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" Pyrite muttered.

"Yes, ma'am," the Pearl said, and continued on her way. Pyrite stifled a sigh and followed.

She'd barely arrived, and she already hated this planet.

Just getting here had been a pain. They'd just gotten the planet's first Galaxy Warp working— and 'working' was perhaps too generous a term. The thing had kept malfunctioning, and while peridots had buzzed around busily trying to fix it, long lines of waiting Gems had formed on both sides. It had taken three times as long as expected to reach this star-forsaken place, and once she arrived, Pyrite had quickly realised she had no idea to get where she needed to go.

And there was no easy way to find out. The planet— Pyrite hadn't even bothered memorising its official designation— was a very new colony. The first bases didn't even all have finished roofs yet, let alone proper labelling. Neither had anybody bothered uploading directions or even basic maps to the inter-galactic database. Pyrite had been left standing to the side of the Galaxy Warp, wondering how she would explain being late for her appointment with Prehnite.

Then there'd come a Pearl's voice behind her asking, "Excuse me, are you Pyrite 23J-47?"

"Yes, that's me," Pyrite had said, turning to the Pearl, and trying not to flinch at the sight. She was a truly horrid shade of green.

The Pearl curtsied, dipping a skirt which was practically neon. "Prehnite 36L sent me to guide you."

So Pyrite had shrugged and let her lead the way. She figured she would be able to remember the way and get back on her own.

Now Pyrite wasn't so certain. It was proving quite hard to get her bearings. Since this colony was so new that most of the buildings hadn't even been completed yet, and many hallways didn't even have roofs yet. There wasn't even any lightning fixtures installed. There was something about this planet's star or its atmosphere that meant the natural sunlight cast everything in a dull, ugly orange that made Pyrite's eyes ache worse than the Pearl's garish green. Soon they were in the outer parts of the base that lacked even walls, and consisted of nothing more than a concrete path. The landscape was flat plains of caked mud, with absolutely no distinguishing characteristics. Maybe that monotony was why whatever route the Pearl was taking her on seemed to long, but Pyrite could have sworn it was looping in on itself. Perhaps the Pearl had simply gotten lost.

"How much farther?" the Pyrite asked.

"Not far, ma'am," the Pearl chirped. Pyrite resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course a Pearl wouldn't be able to give her a specific answer.

But true to her word, it wasn't long after that Pearl's pace slowed and she came to stop in front of a stairway built into the ground. "Here we are, ma'am."

Pyrite nodded. She took a moment to rearrange her hair and skirts, then straightened up and went down the stairs with the Pearl trailing behind her. They reached a plain metal door, which opened before Pyrite could even raise her palm to the lock pad. Clearly she was expected. She went in.

Inside it was dim and dark, even compared to the wan sunlight, and it took Pyrite time to adjust. Once she did, she was unimpressed. She knew that prehnites were supposed to forgo all physical luxuries as a sign of their dedication to the immaterial, but this seemed extreme, even for them. These quarters went beyond 'plain', past 'ugly', and into flat out 'disgusting'. Bare metal, machine parts scattered around, oil on the floor…

Also, there wasn't actually a Prehnite present. The only Gems there were a Jasper and a Flint, lurking in the corners. Glaring.

"Where's Prehnite 36L?" Pyrite asked.

"Not here," the Jasper growled.

Pyrite spun to face the Pearl. "Fool! You brought me to the wrong place!"

The Pearl was still smiling that vague smile as she opened her mouth to say something, but Pyrite paid no mind. She stomped past back to the door. It had already closed, so she slammed her hand onto the lock pad.

Nothing happened.

She tried again. Still nothing happened.

Oh, she was certainly going to be late now. She'd be reprimanded, have to file a report and everything-

The Pearl made a little noise in the back of her throat, and Pyrite turned to look at her. "I'm afraid you won't be able to meet with Prehnite today, ma'am. However, you're more than welcome to speak with me instead."

"Ridiculous. Let me out this instant. And this time you had better bring me to the right place, or—"

"You don't understand," the Pearl interrupted. Actually interrupted! She was still smiling, but that smile seemed to show a lot of teeth. "This isn't a request."

Pyrite felt a twinge of unease. "What— what's this about?"

"Exactly what you planned to discuss with Prehnite. Certain restricted information… historical reports, scientific investigations, that sort of thing. Perhaps we could start with 'Project Adaptation'?

"You don't have the clearance—"

"I think we do, actually," said the Flint. There are two flashes of light, one grey, one orange, and suddenly she and the Jasper are holding a chain and hammer in their hands.

"Now there's no need to be like that." Pearl fluttered her eyelashes and pulled over a chair, motioning Pyrite to sit. "Now, dear Pyrite, let's begin. 'Project Adaptation', I was saying. By Morganite XJW-74? I'm sure you know of her. Inventor of Peridots?"

The Flint and Jasper glowered at her, weapons in hand. The Pearl smiled at her, bright and unflinching. And Pyrite realised she didn't have a choice.