Chapter 20: Story of Rose: Rose's Mission

After Rose failed to change Yellow Diamond's mind, she took it upon herself to end the Kindergartens on that planet. She had only a few followers at the time, but she managed to shut them down for the time being. News of this spread to Homeworld almost as quickly as she got back. The Diamonds commanded a few of their subjects to attack them upon arrival, but they were expecting it. Rose formed an ambush with her followers aboard the stolen ship. They succeeded but were quickly subdued by reinforcements and brought to all three of the Diamonds. They were on their knees, in shackles. The Diamonds glared at Rose with much intensity, much anger. They were furious.

The Diamonds sent them to execution. It was going to be a public event that all of Homeworld was to see. Their Gems were to be crushed and melted in a volcano. The Diamonds were the ones to perform the execution themselves.

"Before you execute me," Rose said, making sure everyone heard her, "I want to make something clear: There is life on Earth! Yes, I've named the planet I was assigned to. There is life on there, and who are we to take it away? There are a million planets out there for us to take control of, a million of planets out there with gemstones and crystal for us to take. Who are we to deem other life inferior to us? Who are we to say their life is less than ours?! But our Diamond Authority doesn't see it that way." Rose started to tear up. Teardrops ran down her face, but she was not sad, only fueled by anger. "Do you want to live where we can so easily take life that means us no harm? Think for one second and ask yourself, 'Is this all we can do under the Diamond Authority? Is this right?" Rose received reactions within the audience, but most were too subtle for her read.

"Are you done, Rose?" White Diamond asked, looking at her former comrade with contempt. "If so, get ready to die."

"Then I gladly will, if it means that others will take my death as a sign of realization," Rose quietly said.

There was an explosion near the execution grounds. Blue Diamond and White Diamond turned their heads towards the explosion. Yellow Diamond looked down in the audience. Several Gems, holding a flag with the diamond symbol defiled with a large, red X crossed over it. They saved Rose and her subordinates. They were led by a Pearl. Her Gem was ovular and rested upon her forehead. She was the one Rose was talking to in the castle earlier that year.

Rose was the only Gem who actually wanted a meaningful conversation with her. She was the only one who gave her a meaning to her existence other than serving the Diamonds. She was careful with how she approached other Gems about this. She knew Rose needed more help. Somehow Rose knew this Pearl was different from the others. It was the dead look in her eyes that gave it away. Rose took a chance with her, and what a chance it was. A Pearl was one of the lower Gems in the Diamond faction. But on that day, she was not. She refused to be anything less of herself and saving Rose would give her a greater meaning to herself.

A couple of the Gems were tasked to distract the Diamonds before they succeeded with the executions. They perished in the process, but their sacrifice was not in vain. The rescue mission was a success. They retreated to an underground hideout on the outskirts of the city. After regrouping, Rose was surprised as to how many Gems wanted to defect from the Diamond Authority. At most, there were one hundred of them exactly. Pearl only came with a small handful of them to save Rose.

Pearl came in front of Rose, genuflected and pledged her loyalty to Rose. The others did as well. "We are indebted to you, Rose Quartz," Pearl said.

(Later on...)

Warrior-class Gems were looking for them all over Homeworld, not just within the confines of the city. They were given instructions to terminate the traitors on sight. But Rose Quartz was to be brought to the Diamonds.

While they were looking for them, Rose and her group had their sights set on a mission: to escape Homeworld. They would have to steal several Gem warships to transport themselves to Earth. The Diamonds thought ahead. After Rose and the others escaped, they increased the security at every warship docking station on Homeworld. The Diamonds were certain that they would not escape. But Rose knew if they took two, maybe three, warships, they can escape to Earth. Rose split her forces into three groups. Each group was successful in doing their mission. They took out the Gem guards and stole the warships.

Once news got out that Rose had left Homeworld, the Diamonds sent warships after them. But they never came back. The warships had landed after Rose's forces did. Quickly, they searched for them, but were eliminated slowly. Some of them pledged allegiance to Rose's cause and she gained numbers while the Diamonds lost theirs. But with the arrival of those Gems from Homeworld, the Kindergartens were reactivated.

Rose wanted to re-deactivate them, but she couldn't. The Diamonds had declared civil war.