After what felt like years of work the drill was nearing completion. Soon it would be ready to make it's way to the planet's core, there was just one problem.

"What do you mean you don't know where the cluster is?!" Steven asked once Peridot explained the issue. "It's under the kindergarten isn't it?" Peridot shook her head.

"Not necessarily, in fact not even likely, we saw first hand that a lot of the fusion experiments were conducted there, I doubt the diamonds would have placed all their fowl ovum into a single receptacle." Amethyst snorted a laugh. They'd all gathered in the temple to hear what Peridot had to say. "The gem empire had base sites all over the planet they could have used almost any of them to deposit the cluster. There's only one place I know of that we could find that information. . ." Before she could continue however Rose, rose to her feet, nearly knocking the coffee table over in the process.

"NO!" She shouted, a shock-wave reverberating out from her that cracked garnets glasses and rattled the windows on the far wall. Realizing what she had done Rose's cheeks colored and she shook her head. "I mean to say, I know what you're thinking Peridot, and it's too dangerous, there's no telling what kind of traps or defenses yel. . .the diamonds might have left." Peridot seemed to shrink back from Rose, gulping audibly before holding her hands defensively.

"It's standard procedure to simply abandon moon bases once an operation on a planet has been completed." Rose shook her head, pink curls swaying.

"This was anything but standard Peridot, The empire had never had to retreat before." Amethyst looked incredulous as she stretched out on the couch.

"Never? You're telling me gems have never lost a battle?" Rose shook her head and was about to explain when Steven cut in.

"They'd never really fought a battle before, mom's hologram told me they never encountered intelligent life before, it was always just hordes of wild animals, sometimes really big ferocious ones but never anyone that could plan to fight back.

"Or inspire the rebellion of other gems." Garnet added smiling over at Steven, who took his turn blushing.

"So you see, this is anything but "Standard procedure" Rose summarized as she crossed her arms and flopped back down into her chair. "It's simply too dangerous." It was then something clicked in Steven's head and he turned back to Peridot wide eyed.

"Wait did you say Moon Base?!" He asked excitedly, only for Peridot to shrug and nod. "The diamonds had a base on the moon and this is the first time I'm hearing about it?!" Rose pressed two fingers to the bridge of her nose and sighed.

"It didn't matter, there's no warp up there." Steven's face fell: Crestfallen. Before turning to Garnet.

"Why not?" Garnet shook her head a little.

"Shortly after the war broke out Pink had it dismantled so. . ." Garnet trailed off, knowing it was a sensitive subject but Rose finished her thought.

"So I couldn't just warp up there and shatter her." When Rose's eyes met Steven he saw a weariness there that was so unlike the laughing energetic Rose he'd known his whole life, and he couldn't bring himself to feel the same revulsion he usually did at being reminded of Pink's shattering. "Alright, fine we need to know where the cluster is and the only place that might have the answer is on the moon." She turned to Peridot who gave a nod in the affirmative. When she looked back at Steven she was much more herself, though she still wasn't smiling. "Can you get us there in the hand ship? Lion could make a portal but it would be a tiring trip for him, and I doubt Lapis wants to carry us one at a time." Steven nodded as well before Peridot jumped between them, frantically looking to one then the other.

"YOU STILL HAVE MY SHIP?!" Steven gave her a smug satisfied smile that earned him a laugh from the others including Rose. Sighing Peridot slumped back onto the couch. "Well that's something at least; And hey! If we can't stop the cluster we can just use the ship to get off world before it emerges." An uncomfortable silence fell over everyone and the little green gem looked around confused. "What? This is great!" Steven shook his head and put a hand on her shoulder.

"We wouldn't do that Peridot, this is our home, we have friends and family here, we wouldn't abandon them for anything. That's one of the reasons the crystal gems rebelled in the first place, to protect this world." Rose and Garnet wiped away tears as Amethyst playfully punched him in the arm.

"Well said Steven." Rose's smile returning as radiant as it had ever been. "He's right Peridot, but you and Lapis don't have that kind attachment to the earth." Setting her jaw she gave her head a shake as if deciding something. "If it does come to that, you should take jasper's gem with you in the handship and go, I won't hold someone against their will to be destroyed." Peridot and Steven shared a look of surprise, and while Peridot's persisted his turned to a bittersweet smile.

"Not going to order me to go with them?" Rose shook her head and knelt to stand at eye level with him.

"We all saw how well that worked last time. Besides you may not be an adult by human standards, but you've proven to us that you're old enough to make the important decisions about your life." Without realizing he was moving Steven rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Rose's neck, hugging her close. For her part she didn't hesitate and took him up into her wide arms. It wasn't long before Amethyst and Garnet joined in. Peridot's surprise only intensified watching their emotional display, while Lapis snorted out a laugh.

"Weirdos." Peridot rolled her eyes before turning them towards Lapis.

"I know!" Sighing Peridot tapped her bare foot on the floor, having taken to spending time "In her own skin" as Steven had called it, even though she explained she had no skin or any other organic organs. "Alright Alright, enough." Rose shot her a withering look from within the group hug and Peridot backtracked. "What I mean to say is. . .Gulp. . .If we have the means to get to the moon we should make use of it as quickly as possible given that we have no idea when the cluster will emerge." They all took another moment before breaking the hug and agreeing.

"Alright, let's go!" Steven punched the air and began leading them toward the warp, most of the gems followed but Lapis threw herself back onto the couch.

"I think I've had enough of Space for a while, you guys have fun, I'll keep an eye on this place." It was unclear if she meant the temple, the town, or the planet, but they shrugged and continued on.

"Oh Stars, I almost forgot my limb enhancers." Amethyst, who had originally suggested she not wear them as much rolled her eyes.

"Come on P, you don't need them for a little trip to the moon do ya? It's not like you gotta fly Steven's a great pilot, aren't ya Steven?" Steven gave a thumbs up, at which Amethyst motioned with both hands. "See, we're good, just go "Au Natural" Peridot cocked an eyebrow and shook her head in exasperation.

"First, Rose. . ."She still paused for a moment every time she said that name. ". . .Expresses worry about dangers in the moon base, now you want me to go unprepared, will you crazy gems make up your minds?" She turned reaching her hand towards where she'd stashed her limb enhancers in the corner, and as she took a step towards them they flew at her, Toppling over she managed to catch them in both arms, looking down at them in confusion.

"Whoa do that again." Amethyst encouraged. Peridot rose to her feet and set the enhancers back down, taking a step back she extended her hand experimentally, a moment later one of the arm enhancers lifted from the ground, moving as she directed it. As she repeated the action with her other hand Steven's gem glowed that familiar pearlesscent light and he could see Peri's aura flowing out from her, connecting to the metal of her enhancer. It was different than the times he'd used his "Analysis Vision." as he'd come to call it on magnets, this looked more like strands of silk, or puppet strings and he expected she could affect any metal not just magnetic ones.

"I can't believe this! Era two Peridots aren't suppose to have any kind of powers not granted by their limb enhancers." The other gems cheered for her as Steven let the vision fade to join in. Even Lapis offered a lazy thumbs up.

"Maybe take this as a lesson, the Diamonds don't know everything, least of all what any gem is capable of." Peridot looked up at her in wonder at that statement, but quickly brought herself back to reality, affixing the enhancers with her new power.

"I'm ready, let's go!" She called rushing to the warp with the others to head off to the sky arena, and then, the moon.