"Log date, 8 12 5. Going outside was a gross miscalculation!" Peridot sat in a thin layer of freezing water in the house, their back pressed up to a counter. "What was I thinking, exposing myself out on the beach? I'm a clod, a ruddy muddy clod! And now-"
The low rumbling laugh shook the house again, and they cried out in terror, burying themselves in the centipeedle's warm mane of white hair. The corrupt Gem did not appear to mind; they were too busy watching for any sign of hostiles and taking care not to drool on their companion.
When the noise died down after a few seconds, as had been the pattern over the course of the last hour, they straightened themselves out, keeping one hand on the centipeedle as they continued recording. "See? It is my fault that we've caught the attention of... whatever that thing is. Oh my stars, it sounds worse than the Cluster!"
The green Gem peeked out of the kitchen for a second to stare at the escape pod they had found and placed near the warp pad.
And there is another problem. That - whatever it is - is in the ocean. Even if it isn't going to directly attack us, my recently recovered escape pod reports the location of my limb enhancers to also be in the ocean. I need the radio wave enhancer chip from them, or else this communicator will be useless for any sort of intergalactic communication. My message will take millions of years to actually reach Homeworld, by which time we will have long been torn apart by the Cluster."
Peridot looked over to the centipeedle, which returned the eye contact with a calm stare.
Could we subdue the thing? From the sound it creates, it should be fairly massive. I have my companion, and here are some basic defence lasers installed in the pod, but I don't know... Nya, I don't know nearly enough about this situation to formulate any sort of plan! There are too many variables: I don't even know what the monster looks like. It's useless! I'm going to die here on this inchoate Gem-forsaken planet when the Cluster emerges, and there's nothing I can do about it! I give up. Peridot, Facet 5... end log."
They clicked the red button, and silence descended on the brooding Gem. They just sat in the cold water, on the uncomfortable floor, staring at the dark shadows the kitchen counters cast in the dying evening light. They were in that desolate shadow.
A crinkling sound made the Gem look to the side, and they saw the centipeedle with its jaw stuck fully into a bag of Chaaaaaps.
"Oh." Peridot frowned. "It's just you. You should-" They cut themselves off, and they looked away. "Nyah, what am I saying? Whatever we do we're both going to die soon. I'm no better than you."
Unbeknownst to them, the centipeedle's one eye shot around to stare at them as they finished saying those words.
That laugh rolled off from the ocean once more, and the tiny Gem gripped their knees, drawing them in closer and burying their face in their arms, making small dread-filled whimpering noises. When it died down again, they were alerted to the sound of something loudly crinkling, like a plastic bag.
Peridot looked up, rubbing their eyes underneath their visor. "What is- nyuh?"
The centipeedle was sitting up right in front of them, their jaw partially closed. Peridot arched an eyebrow at this abnormal behaviour. "What do you want?"
With a low groan, the centipeedle picked up a bag of Chaaaaaps and deposited it in the green's Gem's lap.
"Why are you giving me this?" They picked it with a thumb and index, watching sceptically as water dripped steadily from a corner. "I don't require this human food."
The centipeedle of course didn't verbally answer, but something in their body language spoke for them.
"You want me to eat this? No, I won't!"
That gemstone eye looked at the bag, then back at Peridot.
"I won't do it!" The green Gem insisted, waving the bag at their companion. "I'm a Homeworld Gem - you can't make me!"
...
...
With a final hiss, Peridot gripped and tore the bag cleanly in two, letting chips fly everywhere. "Fine. You know what, fine! I guess I will stoop so low as to put this Earth trash in my mouth."
The centipeedle watched attentively as they picked up a chip floating nearby and placed the soggy thing in their mouth. Without any shapeshifted taste buds, the entire experience was rather bland.
"Wow, thanks." Peridot spoke as they chewed, a few flecks flying out of their mouth. "I pity humans for needing to indulge in this practice so often. Now, where does it go after they chew it?"
They looked critically at the gemstone lodged in the centipeedle's throat. There just didn't appear to be anywhere for the matter to go, so after a second of indecision they spat it out.
The green Gem rubbed their mouth, lightly glaring at their companion. "That was an awful experience. What was that supposed to achie-"
The house shook as that low laugh started up again. The small Gem squeaked and curled up in sudden fear, having all but forgotten about the monster. When the sound stopped once more, they looked up to see the centipeedle was standing above them again, a stick of gold stuck in their jaw.
Peridot understood this.
"You want to go back to work on the communicator?" They asked slowly, and began to stand up. "I suppose you are correct. Yellow Diamond would not approve of my giving up, I'm sure. We need to construct this communicator quickly, and I need a face mask to work on the circuitry. You, keep melting that gold; I'll need a lot of it. Let's go!"