Chapter 19, here we are at Earth, bet you never thought we'd get here, huh? Still I thought there'd be more excitement about it from the last chapter. Or maybe you're still reeling from the shock of chapter 17.

I don't own Steven Universe.


Chapter 19: Prologue

Pink gave a quizzical look. "'Earth'?" she repeated aloud. She thought back, was that one of their colony worlds? No, it couldn't be, it must have been a prospective one. In any case, it didn't sound familiar. "Never heard of it." She replied.

"It was a prospective world on the boarders of our empire, initial scans suggested it could be quite successful as a colony." Yellow explained. "However, White banned its use due to the, ugh, abundance of organic life." She finished, giving a look of disgust.

"And you're just going to un-ban it?" asked Pink.

"The opportunities this planet presents are too valuable to let go to waste just because some inferior forms of life already exist there." Her sister replied snidely.

"I see…" Pink's long sojourn to the stars had been to visit all the colonies, many of whom, especially the oldest ones, had also been inhabited by organics. But as she knew all too well, these forms of life had been obliterated when her sisters had arrived and established said colonies. And her sisters hadn't really thought them worth the effort of remembering them in any way so information about them had been practically nonexistent. This would be an opportunity to observe organics, to see what they were really like.

She might even be able to find reasons enough about organics to convince her sisters they were worth preserving.

"So, when do I start?" The young Diamond asked.

"Immediately. You are to set out for Earth and land on its moon. A simple command structure has already been established there." replied Yellow, dryly.

"I just got back and you already want me to leave?" Pink asked. Her elder sister fixed her with a disapproving look and Pink held up her hands. "Hey, hey! Take it easy, I was only kidding… mostly." She quickly said, the last word coming out under her breath. "I'll head back to my ship.

"No." Yellow said, her voice flat but given with the strength of an order.

"Excuse me?" Pink asked. "Shouldn't I use my own ship to get where I'm going?"

"Your ship is an antiquated vessel Pink, a new one has been made for you." Yellow replied.

"Why?"

"Earth is near the edge of our boarders and I want you to be there as soon as possible. Therefore, you need a ship with faster-than-light capabilities." Yellow explained.

"We have that now?" Pink asked.

"One of many innovations we've made since your departure Pink." Blue said, contributing to the conversation. "Though it's still mostly in the experimental stages."

"Your ship has been readied and you are to leave within the hour." Yellow continued.

"And I shall be accompanying you." Blue added from her side.

Pink looked to her. "Really?"

"Well, it is your first, best to have someone around who cold at least show you how things are done." Blue said, a smile upon her features.

Yellow eyed her for a moment then returned her gaze to her youngest sister. "Just as well, the colony you're currently working on is in the same quadrant, no?" she asked.

"it is indeed." Blue confirmed.

Yellow waved a hand. "Very well, you should be able to lead her to her new ship anyways. But as soon as she's ready to start, please return to your own colony Blue."

"Of course, sister." She replied politely.

"I see. I suppose I'll go to my ship then." Said Pink.

"Do that, and know we're counting on you." Yellow said before she pressed a button on her throne and the interface shot up, signaling the end of the conversation. The two younger Diamonds got from their thrones and exited the room.

The four gems, the Diamonds and their respective pearls, all boarded the elevator and it began to descend. Blue let a smile creep out from under her hood and nudged Pink in the arm. "Your own colony, isn't it exciting?" She asked.

"Can't help but feel Yellow just wants me to be off Homeworld." Pink replied a bit too honestly. "I mean, I'm gone for nearly twenty thousand years, I'm here for under an hour and already being told to leave."

Blue shrugged. "Yellow's been busy since you've been gone, Pink. She's doing all she can to make sure everything's running smoothly, which includes the making of new colonies."

"I know it's just I haven't seen her in so long and she seemed so… cold." The young Diamond said sadly.

Blue put a single hand on her shoulder. "It's just her way, you know that."

Pink sighed, she did know that. "I know it's just, I wish she'd show me, show us, how much we mean to her."

Blue patted her shoulder. "I know. But she cares, and you know that too. She just does it in her own way."

Pink smiled appreciatively to her sister. Ever since White's sacrifice for her, Blue had been quite the different gem. She was much less abrasive, at least towards her sisters. She spoke a little softer now and carried herself in a way that showed signs of kindness rather than strength, at least that's what Pink saw whenever she had been around her.

The elevator stopped and they exited the grand spire. Pink turned to her sister. "Oh, wait, hold on I have to make a call." She then walked a few feet away and took out her communicator. She looked over to Blue who was watching her patiently. She turned back to the communicator. "Peridot, it's me, are you there?"

"Pink!" came the voice of the green gem. "I heard you're back on Homeworld, that's great! You have to see what I-"

"No time for that. I need you to get everything together and meet with me." Pink said in a hushed tone.

There was a moment of silent before a deadpanned reply came across. "What."

"Yeah, we're already leaving again and I want you to come with me." Pink explained.

"I can't just drop everything I'm doing!" Peridot said. "There's so much to… and I thought… AUGH! How long do I have?"

"Under an hour." Pink answered.

"Wonderful. Fantastic." Came the irritated voice of green gem. "Fine, okay, okay. I'll, see what I can do."

"Thanks Peridot, I'll send you the coordinates in a few minutes." Pink replied before cutting the line.

She turned back to her sister. "Shall we?"


"Wow, that's pretty big." Pink said, somewhat at a loss for words.

"As always Pink, your powers of observation know no equal." Blue teased as they both looked up at the massive cruiser before them. "So, what do you think?"

The younger Diamond took note of the color scheme. "It's very… me, I guess."

Blue put a hand on her sister's shoulder reassuringly. "As it should be, it's yours. Pink Diamond's flagship."

"I didn't realize I need a cruiser three times the size of regular ships to be official."

Blue sighed. "Could you just pretend you're a little more…?"

"Like you?" Pink finished, then jabbing a thumb over her shoulder towards the Diamond tower. "Like them?"

"I know it's never been your… preference... to act like a superior Pink, but that has to change." Blue said, her tone serious. "Your days of wondering around the stars are over and you're going to have to take responsibility for thousands of gems, not just a handful. And if they don't respect you, they won't follow you."

"There's more than one way to earn respect, Blue." Pink countered.

Blue's face spoke of exasperation, but she said nothing to that. Instead, she changed the subject. "Come, we still have a long trip ahead of us." With that the two entered the cruiser, its engines warming up.

Two thrones sat in the middle of the bridge taking up nearly a third of the available space. Pink looked to her sister who sat regal and quiet, she was about to say something to her when her communicator sounded. Pink picked it up but leaned a bit to the side, away from her sister who eyed her curiously. "Peridot is that you?"

"Yes." It replied. "I've managed to bring aboard everything I could, come meet me in your private chambers when you have the chance."

"Will do." She said before ending the call with a click. Her sister raised an eyebrow at her and Pink smiled sheepishly. "I'm all ready to go now."

Her sister nodded before turning to the front. "Make course for Earth!" she ordered.

The ship began to rise then through the atmosphere and in a blink of an eye it blasted into the stars.

"Approaching near-light speeds." Spouted off one of the many gems controlling the consoles.

"Prepare the protective shields." Blue ordered.

Pink looked at her curiously before watching as a ray of yellow engulfed them, forming a cylinder of light around their seats. "What is-"

"Gravity engines ready on your mark, my Diamonds." A different gem sounded off.

"Mark!" Blue barked and suddenly the ship felt like it was being stretched forward, the stars on the window seeming to stretch into thin lines before it became a swirling mass of whites black and blues.

"What was that? And what is this 'Gravity engine'?" The young Diamond asked, she looked beyond the cone of energy still surrounding them and saw the gems outside unharmed.

"The innovation I mentioned." Blue clarified. "Something Yellow had made to shorten our travel time around the Empire. It puts all our previous engines to shame but…"

"But what?"

"The energy generator it needs is massive, we haven't been able to use them in anything smaller than a cruiser, it'll be centuries at least before we're able to use them in smaller craft." She went on.

"I see and this shield?" Pink asked, reaching out for it.

"Wait Pink-" but the warning came too late. The young Diamond touched it and her hand went through, suddenly becoming a much smaller version of itself. Blue quickly reached over and pulled Pink back by the shoulder, returning the limb to its original size.

Pink turned over her hand, surprised at the limb. "What… what did that?' she asked.

"We're traveling at beyond light speeds, Pink. And since our bodies are made of light there has to be a way of stabilizing our forms at this speed." Blue explained, indicating to the light barrier around them.

A thought crossed Pink's mind, a small smile appearing on her face. "Wait, so you mean if I step outside this field, I'll be reduced to their size?" Pink said pointing to the gems outside of the shield, Olivine-types.

"Yes." Blue said before her eyes shot open as she caught the mischievous inflection in her sister's voice. "No, wait Pink-!"

But again, too late, this time Pink practically jumped from her seat and through the field. She landed on the other side, reduced to less than a fifth of her size. Unfortunately, her gem had remained exactly it had been, now more than ninety percent of her torso. "Ha! Look at me!"

She ran over to one of the gems who was looking at her with a mixture of horror and confusion. Pink grabbed her by the hands and looked her in the eyes. "I'm the same as you!"

The confused gem looked from Pink's excited face over her should to Blue's look of horror and anger.

"Pink! Get back here this instant!" She called out.

The young Diamond turned to her sister, letting go of the gem's hands. "And who's gonna make me?"

Blue began to reach out but stopped just short of the barrier and then retracted her hand. Instead, she tried a different tactic and motioned to Pink's empty seat. "Please sister… for me."

Pink's mischievous smile fell, she then walked back and stepped through the barrier. After regaining her true form she sat down, Blue giving her an admonishing look. "As always you're far too impetuous."

"And as always you're far too uptight." Her younger sister countered, looking away and off to the side.

"Pink, look at me." She said with the force of an order. Her sister was slow to turn but did so enough to give her a single eye. "We're their leaders, they expect us to lead."

Pink thought for a moment, looking out and away. "Blue let me ask you something. How long has it been since you've been to the colonies?"

"What do you mean?" her elder sister asked. "I was there less than three months ago, before you sent word of your return."

"No, that's not what I mean." Pink turned around some more, held her face now visible to her sister. "When were you last at our old colonies, Blue? The ones we've had for countless years now?"

Blue remained silent and Pink went on.

"I've been to them all, Blue. Each and every one we've ever made." The young Diamond broke the gaze with her sister, looking out towards the bridge window, watching the colors stream by. "Do you know what I saw? I saw buildings in decay, obsolete technology that had been as such for centuries, a handful of gems who have been doing nothing but watching over dead and forgotten outposts. The colonies, even our biggest ones… they're just so lifeless. But then they saw my ship coming down from the sky, and to them it was as if a star had been cast down and presented itself before them. And then they saw me coming from the ship, and some averted their eyes and bowed but many were simply too awed by my presence to do anything. To them it was dreamlike, unreal, I was dreamlike and unreal. But then I met them, I got to know them, not just what they were but who, and planet after planet I did this." She turned her head fully to her sister. "These gems are loyal Blue, but they scarcely know who or what they're loyal to. We're practically myths to them, little more than legends and rumors from Homeworld."

"I assume you're about to make a point?" Her sister asked.

"Our people have spread far among the stars Blue, but instead of us being a strong united society, we are a scattered, disconnected people." Pink said finally arriving at her point. "We need to stop taking other planets for colonies, that too, in time, will also be abandoned and forgotten just like all the others. We've lost touch with the gems of our Empire Blue, and we need to reach out again, and pull ourselves together. To come together as one."

The elder Diamond was silent for a few moments, taking in all Pink had said. But as she was about to speak one of the gems from the console spoke up first. "My Diamonds, we are approaching our final destination/"

"Slow our speeds, turn off the gravity engines." Blue ordered. The gems did so and the planet was in view.

It was a deep blue, clouds blocking its surface view and streaks of green-brown adorning the sphere.

"It's… beautiful." Pink commented, momentarily distracted.

"The base is there." Her sister said, pointing a single blue finger to the grey moon, which was steadily and exponentially getting larger. Blue turned to the pilot. "Take us in and send word to my personal craft, they are to make their way here with all due haste."

"Yes, my Diamond." She replied.

The ship landed just outside the spire, being too big for any conventional landing inside. The doors whooshed open as the company, the Diamonds, their pearls and a dozen or so other gems all entered. Pink took a look around, it was shades of white and grey and silver. The young Diamond saw her likeness and the likeness of her sisters upon the walls.

"Is that me grasping at this planet?" she asked.

"The first of many that will one day be yours." Blue said to her.

A set of stairs glowed and encircled the walls and the party made their way. They reached the very top of the tower and it opened up into a large domed room. Gems lined the walls, waiting expectantly. A set of nearby steps lead to a crystal-clear chair with matching console. Pink looked to Blue and her sister motioned her towards it.

The young Diamond took the steps with care, as if testing each one as she went, her steps were the only things that sounded as they echoed in the silence. She pulled out the chair and sat down, and it pushed in for her. Blue stood by her side and Pink looked to her. "Wow, this feels…"

"Exhilarating?" The elder Diamond offered.

"Yeah…" Pink finished, allowing the feeling to set in.

Her sister leaned over and accessed the console, she flipped through to the first file and a hologram displayed itself before them, one of Earth. "This is the Earth." She pressed another button and glowing dots appeared all over it. "These are the areas we have planned for construction so far and in time it'll looks like this." She pressed another sequence of buttons and the hologram transformed, showing a completed colony of Earth.

Pink frowned looking from the hologram of the planet to the real thing just outside the window. "It looks… great."

Blue smiled warmly. "I'm glad. If you need instruction there's step by step plans in the database or you just need to call." She then stepped away and Pink got from her seat. Blue turned to the rest of the gems present. "Gems! I now leave you in the capable hands of my sister! Serve her well!"

"Yes, my Diamond!" replied the simultaneous voices.

Blue looked to her young sister with a smile. "Take care of them Pink, we're all counting on you." Her sister then turned to leave and descended the stairs.

The younger Diamond hesitated but then started to run after her sister, there was one more thing she needed to know. Blue was at the entrance to the base when Pink caught up with her, the airlock was disengaged and Blue's flagship hovered just outside, her palanquin ready to transport her away. "Blue!" Pink called out.

Her sister turned to see her. "What is it?"

"About what I said before, what were you going to say?"

Blue was silent for a moment eyeing her sister then looking to her palanquin as she began to walk to it, Pink trailing just behind her. "Pink, for now, just focus on completing the colony." With the she began to walk away.

Pink reached out for her sister. "Blue, don't just brush me off."

Blue's hand was caught but she did not turn towards her sister. "There may be something to what you say Pink. I'm not saying you're wrong. But this is the way we've been doing things for tens of thousands of years. You shouldn't expect a change so suddenly."

"I'd be happy with any change at all." Pink countered, "But I'm starting to wonder if that's even possible." With that Pink let go of her sister's hand and turned back to the base.

The elder Diamond sighed, turning to her sister. "Pink!" her sister stopped looking at Blue over her shoulder. "I'll… I'll talk to Yellow, about what you've told me. Just, don't get your hopes up." With that her sister waved before stepping inside her palanquin with her pearl and being taken into her ship before it turned around and blasted off into the stars.

Pink watched her sister leave and looked back to the base before heading back to her own ship.


Inside her room, aboard her flagship, her closet friends waited, having gathered there before the ship had taken off. Pearl and Peridot practically jumped from their seats but both Onyx and Flint gave respectful nods from opposite sides of the room.

Peridot was the first to address her. "Pink! Thank the stars you're here. Our bodies they started shifting and-"

"Whoa, whoa, Peridot, slow down. "Pink said putting her hands up, then the word she'd just spoken registered in her mind. "Wait, really? You guys grew in here?"

"We became about as big as you, boss." Flint said from her side.

"Huh, that must have been-" Pink shook her head, she was getting sidetracked. "Ach, never mind that. I'll tell you about that later." She turned her attention to the green gem specifically. "Peridot did you bring me what I asked for?"

"And…?"

Peridot shook her head sadly, holding up Spinel's memory bank. "I'm sorry, my Diamond. I've looked over this thing thousands of times and analyzed everything I could. But, my report now is the same as it was after I'd looked it over the first time. There's no cure for corruption."

Pink slowly closed her eyes and opened them again, taking a deep breath. "Nothing at all?"

"It was like what I said the first time, Pink. There's designs and hypotheses for what could work concerning a cure for corruption, but nothing substantial. Just theories and prototype designs, all of which I've had ample time to explore but…" she trailed off.

"I see." Pink said, clearly disappointed. "Was there anything else?"

"A few other designs concerning…" she gave a quick glance over to Onyx. "…prototype gems. A few weapon designs, base designs, containment designs… that's about it."

"Anything worth investigation?"

"Maybe? I mean it depends what you're looking for, I guess. Though, some of these… it would take years just to find the materials to make them. Let alone the synthesis and gestation of certain substances." The green gem finished.

"We'll have to revisit these cure theories later, see if there's anything to work with." Pink then turned to the other three. "And you three? How've you been holding up?"

"I've gotten used to blending in. I doubt anyone suspects anything from me." Onyx spoke up.

"I've been… fine, boss. Thanks." Flint said, practically in a sigh.

Pearl spoke up. "I'm always ready to serve, my Diamond."

Pink sat down in a chair, folding one leg over the other. "So, I've been given a planet to turn into a colony, thoughts?"

"That depends, Pink. Are you still planning on opposing Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond?" Onyx asked.

The three looked to her curiously. "I… don't want to fight them, they're my sisters. But, neither can I allow them to keep wiping out populated worlds one after another. I need to show them there's a better way." Pink said with a frown.

"Boss, I hate to say this, but there may be no 'better way'." The quartz said solemnly. "Your sisters have entrusted you with a planet to turn into another one of our colonies, and if you refuse then the best-case scenario is that they'll simply replace you and do it themselves. And the worst-case…" Flint cast her eyes to the floor.

"…They may move against you… violently. Punish you. Fight you… Destroy you." Onyx finished.

A silence fell over the room, all gems in the room averting their eyes from one another.

"You really think they'd do that to her?" Pearl asked, the first to speak up after a few moments.

"It's hard to say. When White was in charge it was a different story, she kept them in line for the most part, but these last twenty thousand years? Miserable, just miserable." Flint said shaking her head.

"But, it may not be impossible to sway them. Blue Diamond has become noticeably softer around Pink since White was rendered… indisposed. She may perhaps be open to alternatives, especially if you're the one to suggest them." The former rogue gem said, looking to Pink.

"Yellow's a different story though." Flint said. "She was the Diamond I was originally created for, and I know her well. She's rigid, unchanging, and pragmatic to a fault. You'd have to give some pretty through evidence of whatever you're trying to prove if you want her to change her mind. And even then, it may not be enough."

"So, in short, we're facing long odds then." Pink summed up.

"Putting it mildly." Peridot said. "I could come out with an approximation of those odds, would you like to know them? Because the chances of us succeeding right now are low, very low."

"The more likely thing is that if we try and go through with this, we'll all be shattered." Onyx stated.

Another silence hung in the air.

Pink was the one to break it this time. "I won't blame any of you if you wish no part in this plan. I can make arrangements to make sure you're far from harm and free of blame. You need only speak up, if that is what you want."

A third silence.

"After all we've been through, you ask us that?!" Peridot asked. Pink gave a look of surprise, never expecting to hear that tone from her of all gems. "We've been together since the beginning Pink Diamond, and we'll all be sure to be with you till the end! You can count on that!"

Flint gave a large grin, walking over to Peridot and slapping her on the back. "Ha! Never expected the squirt to be talking so big!" She then looked to Pink. "Still though, she's right, Boss. We're with you all the way, no matter the odds."

Onyx simply shrugged her shoulders. "Eh, I'm already a criminal. Not like I got much place to go if you lose, so I guess I better stick around to make sure that doesn't happen."

Pearl smiled. "I was made for you my Diamond, I will follow you in all things. If you say this is the way, then I will trust you."

Pink looked to each gem in turn, giving a smile while her eyes welled up with joy. "What did I ever do to deserve friends like you?" She asked, earning big, heartfelt, smiles from them all in turn. "All right then. Let's begin."


Boom. Done, got it. Getting a little faster at these, I think. Please review.