Planet Albus 01
Estimated time, one week later
Albidus Moon
Within a cave that is situated at the foot of a cliff, a facility is tucked away within the cave dwelling; its structure is reminiscent of how many other gem facilities are built, angular and smooth walls with remarkable technology to keep it running for eons. Its structure also seems to be built into the cave walls that seem to lead to the cliff face where small windows allowed the resident(s) to view the planet of Albus 01 from a far orbital distance on the moon. In one such room that had a wide window to allow the gem inside the room a greater view of Albus 01, A Yellow Beryl gem can be seen standing next to the wide window of her room with a dataslate in hand and a stylus in the other.
A gem from the Beryl family gem line, a parent gem line that had split off later down the line of the Diamond Empire to become Morganites, Emeralds, and Aquamarines, it goes unsaid the the Beryl gem line is one of the oldest gem lines from Era 1, going back all the way to the Dawn of Yellow Diamond's creation, just shy a few thousand years after White Diamond; Thus from the Yellow Beryl's perspective, she has seen plenty of conflict in her long life.
She was among the first gems her Diamond made to lead gems, until later Yellow Diamond improved upon her creations to diversify what higher-up gems lead who; if there was an equivalent to her status a human could understand, it would be close to an admiral of Yellow Diamond's military branch.
Dressed to accentuate her status as a Beryl of her caliber and age, Yellow Beryl wore what looked to be Naval Officer suit in dark yellow colors with a light orange undershirt that was visible while she had her overcoat hang off her shoulders; The Beryl gem watched through her window of the ongoing chaos on Albus 01 that could now be seen from space.
Yellow Beryl couldn't but reminisce of the early years of Era 1, the expansionism of the Great Diamond Authority was a grand time, colonialism of planets was at an all time high, and the Diamonds were at an all time boom of creating new types of gems; Beryl frowned now at the present time, so much has happened in the time frame of just over a thousand years, and now they were faced with a resource shortage, Pink Diamond was shattered, Blue Diamond is or hopefully was grieving over the loss of Pink Diamond, rebellions were popping up across gems space…
Yellow Beryl let out a soft sigh of weariness, before shaking her idle thoughts away; it wouldn't do to be preoccupied with her thoughts, when she was supposed to observe Yellow Diamond's Citrine Commander from space, While Forsterite observed from planetside; She had just finished observing the outer rim of gem space to keep an eye on the outer colonies, but now she needed to observe the supposed Commander of her Diamond's creation.
She had to hand it to her Diamond, and be in awe of her creator's genius, never would she have imagined her prowess of creating such a fine specimen of a perfectly cut Citrine gem; Whatever her Diamond did, she was successful in creating a rare custom made gem. Unlike batch made gem lines, single made custom gems took more time and effort on a Diamond's part, thus they were in few numbers compared to their batch gem counterparts.
Yellow Beryl could count herself amongst the rare few in her Diamond's court, right next to Yellow Morganite, with Citrine being their youngest sibling of Yellow Diamond's custom made gems; Beryl herself was her Diamond's first attempt at making a Beryl gem, thus she went into great effort to perfect her facet cut of gem. With a smile, Yellow Beryl was satisfied with herself in knowing she was the gold standard of latter batch Beryl gems to measure up to, even if they couldn't compare; however, she frowned as she knew by the later years of era 1, her gem line of Beryls were nearing their end, and were to be replaced by the more diverse batch of Emeralds and Hessonites to lead any sort of campaign or invasion force.
In fact, if Beryl remembered right, her Diamond was about to retire her entire gem line, but then the war on Pink Diamond's colony happened, and the decision was put on temporary hold, to an indefinite hiatus before the decision was finally scrapped; Since most Beryls were within Yellow Diamond's court, they were then put in charge as planetary governors as outpost commanders of Yellow diamond's colony worlds.
Word through the gem rumor mill, said something about Yellow Diamond's Citrine commander putting in a good thesis on preserving every gem they could, once the war on Pink Diamond's colony was over; Yellow Beryl didn't know how that custom made Citrine did it, but whatever she wrote, it convinced her Diamond enough to reorganize her military branch to face domestic as well as foreign enemies.
If you asked Beryl though, they're military doctrine did seem a bit outdated pre-Rose Quartz rebellion, and by post-Rose Quartz rebellion, and with resources running low after such a lengthy war, Yellow Beryl had to agree that the Great Diamond Authority was never truly ready for such a protracted war, compared to simply steam rolling over simple organics to make way for colonizing their planets, especially since it was a war fought between gems. Thus the Rose Quartz rebelion, for good and ill, the Diamond Empire was in need of restructuring and the rebellion was the tool to kickstart some reforms.
Shaking her head and muttering to herself, 'Look at me, what'll the conservationist half of the council think?' Yellow thought to herself with an amused smile as she looked out her window, continuing to wait for the Citrine Commander to finally arrive and clean up the mess on the planet so to speak. Most gems of the upper echelons of gem society were against Citrine's reforms within Yellow Diamond's military, but recently there's been a growing number of supporters of a pro-reformationist faction of gem society, but it was slow going.
Yellow Beryl blinked and watched as the subtle bending of space rippled above planet Albus 01, and before she knew it, she witnessed an entire armada of gem warships followed by one massive orange hand war ship; penning into her dataslate, Beryl began writing down a few things, before looking back up to watch as the armada split off and began intercepting ships leaving the planet. She watched as ship after ship was blasted out of space and sent back down planetside, while some others disabled the leaving ships, only to later look like Citrine's forces were raiding the leaving ships.
Beryl looked down to write into her pad, "Able to operate on a massive scale…performing a planetary closure so that no ships leave…raiding ships of decommissioned gems…" Yellow Beryl worded out as she wrote into her dataslate, before looking back up to continue to observe the ongoing planetary invasion of Commander Citrine.
Citrine's War ship hand
Tanya had her Pearl and the Pink Spinel gem to stay in her private quarters, while the business of finishing up on collecting the 'discarded' gems played out; Standing up within the bridge of her ship, Tanya had her arms crossed as she watched while the plans she put into effort in planning played out. Already the planetary comms were down, which left the White Garnet unable to call for help from the other planets of the solar system.
"Incoming comm call from planetside." One of the Peridots working at the comms of the bridge, earning Tanya's attention with a raised brow of confusion.
Walking over to speak with the Peridot, she stood beside and glanced down at the gem, "Incoming comms from planet side? I thought all comms were down by now." she questioned the Peridot gem with a scrutinizing gaze directed at the console in front of the Peridot.
Undeterred by the facial expression in knowing it wasn't aimed at her, Peridot pointed at her screen that show the incoming comm call was from a specific part of the planet, "They are, or at least, supposed to be, but I'm receiving a strong signal from what seems to be the designated Governess' Gem palace." she informed her Citrine Commander.
"Hm." Tanya hummed in thought as her eyes narrowed in thought, "Hail the call." she warranted the peridot the go ahead.
"Ma'am!" The Peridot Gem responded as she keyed in a few buttons, before a large holoscreen popped into existence at the front of the bridge; as Tanya walked back to her chair but stayed standing, she witnessed as the incoming call was a bit staticky, before the call came in clear to show Governess White Garnet of the planet below her.
"Finally!" The White Garnet shouted in annoyance, "About time someone-wait a minute!" you're not from-you!" She began to screech in anger at the end, "What do you think you are doing, you low class pebble?!" governess Garnet yelled as she slammed her palms into the table in front of her that was projecting the connected call.
"I am here on the orders of-" Tanya began to inform the rather…prejudice Uppercrust gem, only for the Governess to cross her arms in denial and cut her off by more irritated yelling.
"I don't care who ordered you here! This operation of yours is over! Cease this at once!" The White Garnet yelled with tense anger.
Tanya let out a strained sigh, tapped her foot a few times, before responding to the Governess gem, "Allow me to speak, your-"
"Get cracked! You low bottom dweller! You have no idea what you've done! I'll see to it that White Diamond will have your complete gem line shattered for this!" Governess White Garnet continued to interrupt Tanya while pressing her face up against the monitor.
As the Governess attempted to calm herself down now while fixing up her disheveled hair, Tanya spoke once more, hoping she wouldn't be cut off this time. "On the orders of Yellow Diamond…" she began to say with a strained smile, with a tense facial expression, Tanya continued to speak once the White Garnet stopped fixing her hair. "I am here to seize all discarded gems, and bring them back to my Diamond's part of the galaxy."
"Grr…" Governess Garnet let out an annoyed grunt, "and yet, you saw fit to shut down my planet, and perform some sort of operation on it." she pointed out with a seething expression, "Your gems have ruined the shining gem that is my planet!"
"I don't know." Tanya began to retort with a smirk, "Pretty sure those discarded gems and their revolt would have done more damage, I'm just simply making sure it was quarantined to this planet alone, and not to the rest of the planets within the solar system here." she explained to the Governess with a satisfied look.
Not knowing what to say to such an idea that actually had merit, White Garnet could only scream in anger, before calming herself down once more. "Listen here you…you…you cracked clod!" She began to berate the Citrine commander while standing back and pointing at the video screen between them, "This is a direct order by me, Governess White Garnet, you are to cease all activities, and turn yourself in for a reprimand!" she exclaimed.
Tanya simply blinked back, before questioning the White Garnet, "Are you in Yellow Diamond's court?" she questioned simply.
Governess Garnet made a look like she was slapped across the face with something disgusting, "What, Me, part of that court? No!" She shirked back in disgust.
"Am I in White Diamond's court?" Tanya questioned the Governess once again.
"What-No! What does that have to do with-" White Garnet began to question Tanya, only to be interrupted by Tanya this time.
With an annoyed look on her face, Tanya responded by saying, "Then what part of the Gem caste system says that you have any authority over me?" she shot back with a knowing smirk.
"I own a planet, you clod!" White Garnet yelled back, "That's my authority, and you have trampled over it!" she pointed out.
"You. don't. Own. it." Tanya worded out with a smirk, "You are simply a custodian of the planet, nothing more, nothing less. White Diamond simply gave you a planet to look after."
"But-you-I-" White Garnet began to stumble over her words, before shaking her head to correct herself, and glared as she responded back to the Citrine commander, "I am Governess Garnet, and I will-"
"Which one?" Tanya questions, earning a confused look from the Garnet gem.
"White Garnet, of course!" Said gem responded back with an annoyed look.
"Which…one." Tanya asked again with a confident expression.
"I'm…I'm…" Governess Garnet was now sagging her shoulders in defeat, "Governess Garnet number zero one six of the White Garnet line, Facet p215 Cut 71n3." she grimaced.
"Mhm." Tanya nodded, "Now, tell me, does a White Garnet have any sway in the court of Yellow Diamond?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Tch." White Garnet sneered, "Alright, enough! I get it! I overstepped my authority, no need to rub it in!" she grouched as she sagged forward with a defeated look. "Just take those gems already and leave! I have an entire planet to reorganize, it'll take years to clean up all this mess!" she bemoaned.
"With pleasure!" Tanya responded, "I am on a tight schedule after all." she ended with saying, before the call ended between them.
After a tense moment of silence passed, one of the Nephrites spoke up with a cautious tone while looking back over her shoulder to her Citrine Commander, "Was it wise to do that, my Citrine?" she asked her commander. "Talking to that Garnet that way?" the Nephrite questioned.
"Hm." Tanya made a noncommittal shrug while walking back to her chair, and sat down on it with her legs crossed, and her cheek resting on her fist, "Last I checked, Gems don't rule over other gems from a different court, unless given the explicit permission by the Diamonds of the two Gems of the different courts." she answered back.
"Yeah, but she's one of White Diamond's garnet gems." Another Nephrite pointed at as she sat beside the other Nephrite that spoke up first.
"Still doesn't excuse the fact she tried to pull her authority over me." Tanya responded back with an annoyed look, "We both were at an impasse of words and authority, and nothing short of postering between us was ever gonna happen." She explained to the Nephrite. With Tanya's piece said over the matter, the bridge fell into somewhat comfortable silence.
"You're still gonna need to go down there and confront her, don't you?" One of the Peridots asked within the bridge.
Tanya sighed, and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Yes, I need to get the full manifest of what gems have been 'discarded', if I am to complete this entire operation." she griped, not looking forward to interacting with the pompous Governess in person…or in gem.
Later
Governess Palace
An orange ship about double the size of a Ruby eye ship, is seen traveling down and landing atop an appropriate landing zone; after a few moments passed, a hatch opened down, which allowed Citrine and an entourage to accompany her. Exiting out of the spacecraft after Citrine, was Jasper and a few other Amethysts. With her hands clasped behind her back, Citrine is seen walking calmly towards the entrance of the palace with her guard unit close behind her.
As Tanya makes her way to the entrance, she forces her way seeing as how there was no one present. "What happened to all the guards?" Jasper questioned with a critical gaze around the palace inside.
"Out dealing with the revolt outside most likely." Tanya answered as she stopped walking and looked around for anyone to speak to, "The Governess Garnet didn't take into account the logistics of dealing with an entire planet revolt, with such a fresh batch of newly emerged Quartz soldiers." she assumed with a thoughtful look and her arms crossed.
"Pft, yeah!" One of the Amethyst remarked with an amused shrug an amused expression, "That's like asking for my fellow Amethysts and I to fight the rebellion on Pink's colony alone." she remarked.
"What, don't think you all didn't have it in you to be like me?" Jasper challenged with a smirk to her fellow Earth Quartz sister gem.
"Jasper, not all can come out of their incubation like you did." Tanya remarked back at the Jasper Quartz gem, "Remind me again, who flexed their arms while exiting out of their hole, unlike the rest of her fellow gems." She pointed out.
It was then that Jasper had the decency to blush, "I was in the process of attacking the enemies outside my incubation hole! How else would I have gotten the drop on those traitors upon my emergence?" she challenged back.
"Mhm." Tanya murmured, willing to drop the subject for now; for now, they had to acquire the manifest of gems that were on the discarded list.
A door opened from the left side, "Well now~." A gem began to say, prompting Tanya and the other gems to turn and give their attention to the Forsterite that was coming into the room they were in, "And here I thought you would come down and allow me to inspect you up close~!" The rather odd smiling gem said as she strutted towards Tanya with her heels clacking along the shimmering white floor beneath them.
While Jasper and the others were unsure what to do, they keep silent, as the Forsterite paced towards their Citrine Commander with an ever curious expression and manic smile. "Come here and let me have a look at you~!" She cooed in a very off putting happy tone.
Tanya jerked back a bit while stepping backwards away from the rather curious White Forsterite gem, as she stepped up to Tanya and examined her up close, "Excuse me?" she squawked in surprise at the Gem's absurd personality, "Do you mind!" She tried to shove the gem away from her, only for the Forsterite to catch her hands, and examine the palms and wrists.
"Mmh!" Forsterite hummed in excitement with a wide brimming smile, "ah." she spectated as she pulled Tanya in to look into her eyes, "ooh!" She remarked as her small eyeglasses over her eyes fed in continuous information as she examined the Citrine gem in front of her.
"Yes! Incubated at the right temperature, pressure…mmm, ah, she even found the right planet to grow you!" Forsterite remarked as she pulled Tanya in to look at her gem on her chest, just beneath where a human's collar bone would be, "And the Facet is even more remarkable! And the cut is just so supreme!" she gushed, only to find a foot on her face, as the Citrine Commander pried herself away from the touchy Forsterite.
"Do you mind!" Tanya yelled with a flustered and annoyed look, "What am I to you, an exhibit?" she asked, only to find the Forsterite now crouched before her, before grabbing her foot and pulling her upside down to look at the Citrine Commander in a different angle.
"I do mind, in fact!~" Forsterite responded as she held Tanya by her ankles, "I'm a gem inspector, and I just dropped by to check in on White Garnet, and lo and behold, I get the chance to inspect Yellow Diamond's treasured Citrine gem!" She chimed in with a wide smile as she inspected Tanya's feet and legs, before flipping her around and placing her down.
While Jasper and the others looked ready to involve themselves at a moment's notice should things get violent, so far, all the Forsterite's done was just physically harass their Commander.
Tanya patted herself down while glaring at the Forsterite, "Next time, schedule an appointment! I'm on a tight schedule!" she responded back with an annoyed huff.
"...oh, I didn't think of scheduling an appointment." Forsterite giggled to herself with an odd smile.
Tanya gave the gem a baleful glare, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to inquire from White Garnet of the manifest of gems that are to be discarded off this planet." she informed the Forsterite.
"You mean this?" Said gem inquired as she pulled out a dataslate, "I'd be more than willing to hand it over, if you let me inspect you more!" Forsterite smiled rather widely at Tanya in unbridled excitement, before finding the dataslate swiped from her grasp, and in the possession of the Citrine commander.
"We're leaving!" Tanya orders snappishly while exiting the palace with as much of her dignity still intact. As the Quartz Soldiers hurried after their Citrine Commander, Forsterite bent to the side a bit to watch Tanya leave from a different angle.
"I'll be sure to get an appointment with you next time!" Forsterite shouted while cupping her mouth, only to earn no reply as the Citrine Commander entered her ship. As the ship left for outer space, Forsterite's eyes dimmed a bit, before the gem shook her head, then exited the palace to look up to the sky where the personal ship of Commander Citrine exited out of the atmosphere. "She's always so touchy…" She began to say, before her eyes widened and cupped her head with her hand, as if she was hearing an incoming call, "no, my Diamond…yes my Diamond…of course my Diamond…right away my diamond!" Forsterite said to herself, before heading back into the building.
AN; Gonna give some reviews some answers.
Guest; Not exactly a cannon or Mortor, you'll find out when the prototype is used, It'll shock you good.
TOPCAT-59; If you ever get the chance to, the idea is somewhat expanded a little on in the snippets. I post this story over and spacebattles too, and there, you'll find all sorts of omakes I've written for this story.
GodAxe;In the flashback chapters, I'm pretty sure I touched on the subject of faster than light travel.