"Place your paw flat upon the blade, grip the handle tight, hold the sword flat above your head," Major Perigord instructed Tammo. "That's how to block the downward chop."

They were on the beach outside Salamandastron. It had been several weeks since Tammo, Pasque, and the Crystal Gems arrived at the mountain. Now, Tammo was training to be a soldier of the Long Patrol. He'd learned more about combat in these few weeks than he had before in his whole life.

The Major took a few steps back from Tammo. Thrusting one paw into his pocket, he adopted a ready stance. "On guard, Tamm," he called. "Go for a direct thrust."

Moving in swiftly, Tammo lunged and stabbed forward with the fencing sabre the Major had lent him. Perigord hardly seemed to move. With a flick of his own sword he disarmed Tammo, sending Tammo's sword spinning out of his paw and flying down the beach to land on the sand.

"Golly, how did you do that?" Tammo gasped with shock.

Perigord laughed aloud. "It's only a trick, Tammo. Don't get discouraged. I'll show you a dozen more like it before the season's through." He looked up at the sky. "It's getting a bit late. I think we'd better go in and have dinner. Chap's gotta have his blinkin' scoff, wot wot!"

As the pair headed back toward the mountain, Tammo asked, "D'you think a badger will ever come to Salamandastron again, sir?"

Major Perigord answered, "This mountain is never without a Badger Lord for too long. The warrior spirit seems to draw them here from afar. If you sit here for a short time each day and watch those shores, some day you'll see that badger come striding along."

They went inside and Tammo hurried to the bathroom to wash up before dinner. When he got there, he saw Joshy standing at the sink. Joshy had come along to Salamandastron with them. The wizard had an uncharacteristically serious look on his face. "I say, Tamm, can I talk to you about somethin'?" he asked.

"Sure, what is it, Joshy?" laughed Tammo.

Joshy took a deep breath. This wasn't going to be easy. "Okay, Tammo, so, you know how your old mater Rose Quartz supposedly killed Pink Diamond?"

"Yeah..." said Tammo.

"I've been thinkin'... What if it wasn't your mother who killed her? What if it was someone else?"

"Like who?" said Tammo. "One of the other Diamonds, perhaps?"

"Well... maybe," said Joshy. "Or... hear me out on this... what if it was Pearl?"

Tammo was too stunned to say anything for a moment. He just stood and stared at Joshy.

"I know the idea may be a shock to you," Joshy went on, "but think about it. Have you noticed the way Pearl acts whenever Pink Diamond's name is brought up?"

"What do you mean?" said Tammo.

"Well, her body goes all stiff an' she won't say a word. Won't even open her mouth. I first noticed it on the ride back from Homeworld, when you were tellin' us about that dream you had about bein' Pink Diamond. She just froze up. Looked like a sign of guilt to me."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Joshy," Tammo said furiously. "Pearl's no killer."

Joshy held up his paws. "Hey, I'm not blamin' her. From what I've heard of those Diamonds, they're even worse tyrants than Badrang the stoat and more of a scourge than Cluny. Anybeast who scragged one o' them would be doin' the universe a favor in my book. I'm just sayin'... even if she's not the culprit herself, I have a feelin' she knows more than she's tellin' about the whole situation." He suddenly snapped his fingers. "Hang on a tick, somethin' just occurred to me, wot!"

"What?"

"You told me each of the Diamonds has her own personal servant, right? Yellow Diamond has Yellow Pearl, an' Blue Diamond has Blue Pearl. What if the Pearl we know, Crystal Gem Pearl, was Pink Diamond's Pearl? If that were the case, she could easily have killed Pink Diamond, as she'd've been closer to her than anyone. Or if someone else killed Pink, Pearl might've seen it happen! Anyway, I think you should have a talk with her about this, Tamm. See what she says, wot."

Joshy turned and walked out of the bathroom, leaving Tammo staring after him in disbelief.