The Quartizine Chronicles
A History of Rose Quartz and the Earth Rebellion
Part 2: A Good War
"In the course of studying the history of the Quartizine Rebellion, budding tactician-historians such as yourselves may well raise the question, 'How did Rose Quartz manage to convince nearly all of the Occupation Forces on Earth to join her cause?' A full and complete answer to this question is sadly somewhat impossible to produce, simply due to the near-total restriction on the flow of information from Earth imposed by Rose Quartz shortly after the beginning of the war. At first, popular belief held (and still holds, among the general populace of Gems less well-educated than yourself) that Rose Quartz was simply an enormously talented speaker and propagandist. Those few loyal Occupation Force Gems who managed to survive the war, however, tell a wholly different story, for it was not Rose that was the master propagandist, but her servant-handmaid (the colloquial 'Pearl' shall be used from here on). Near-completely overlooked in the popular history surrounding the Rebellion, Rose Quartz's Pearl (production name SH3573QR) managed (according to all reports from Earth Occupation Force veterans) to sway huge numbers of Gem troops to the side of the insurrection via her apparently-flawless oratory. 3573's propaganda speeches very often played to the religious sentiments commonly found among worker-fighters and soldier-captains involving belief in a deity known as the 'Crystal Queen,' (still easily observable among modern-day Gems of these selfsame classes), with some Occupation Force veterans even stating that she would occasionally claim Rose Quartz to be the physical incarnation of the Crystal Queen herself. Make no mistake, however, for in spite of her being a Pearl, 3573 was as skilled and effective at combat as she was at propaganda. Far from being, as the saying goes, 'all bark and no bite,' 3573 frequently led Rose's troops into battle alongside her mistress, which leant to her propaganda a high degree of believability. 3573 is, today, probably best-remembered among her own class: she has become something of a fable to the Pearls, an object lesson in why a Pearl should never side with her mistress over the Authority."
-Excerpt from Tactical History of the Empire: A Primer for Chronicler-Class Gems
"Fellow Gems! Dearest comrades of any class, be you Laborer, Warrior, Chronicler, or Builder, listen to me for but a moment, for the Crystal Queen urges you to fight! Fight for Rose Quartz, whom the light of the Crystal Queen shines upon! Fight for the freedom of Earth and all the creatures which live upon it, Gem or otherwise! Fight to free yourselves from the shackles of the cruel Authority, which cares nothing for you! The Crystal Queen urges you to fight, comrades! Will you join her?"
-Clip from speech made by SH3573QR, recorded by Chronicler Lapis Lazuli
Archives of the Imperial Trans-Planetary Communications Network
File: Sapphire
Rank: Senatrix (former), Governess of colony moon Theta Proximus (former)
Transcripts of last known communications begin:
PERSONAL MAIL
Hegemon Rose of House Quartz,
Greetings, Lady Rose. My name is Sapphire. Your Ladyship may not know me, but I am a Senatrix in your House's voting bloc, and Governess of a strongly pro-Quartz colony moon. I am writing to offer Your Ladyship my aid and the aid of all 200 members of my territory's Occupation Force. However (and please do not think me selfish, Lady Rose), I must request your protection in return. Allow me to explain: A member of my colony's Occupation Force and I are, well, in love, and we wish to remain fused indefinitely, but as a Hegemon, you must know of the kind of ire that fusions draw from the Authority. I know it is a great risk contacting you like this, especially with such a request, but your House has never been as anti-fusion as the Diamonds, and rumor has it you have helped other Gems in our situation before. Please, Lady Rose. You are our last hope.
Senatrix Sapphire, Governess of Theta Proximus
PERSONAL MAIL
Senatrix Sapphire,
I must commend you on your boldness, friend Senatrix, for sending me such a request over the public comm network. More to the point, of course I accept your aid, Sapphire. And of course you and the Gem you love may have my protection: on Earth, there will be no anti-fusion laws, no prohibitions on love, none of the hatred that Homeworld has bred. Once you have received this message, I would suggest evacuating and abandoning your colony as quickly as possible.
Hegemon Rose of House Quartz, Sovereign Leader of Earth