The Galaxy Warp Pad was installed before nightfall, right on schedule. Fear of the unknown ship was ancient history of the day, thanks to White Diamond. She liked to think of herself as a peacekeeper in addition to her diplomatic position. Thanks to her quick thinking, the organics no longer showed fear. More Gems arrived via the Galaxy Warp to assist. White took the time to quietly tell one of the new Gem's to return news to Homeworld of a possible hostile threat in free space.
White or her fellow Diamonds no longer controlled the Gem army directly, but President Zircon was a caution one and didn't leave threats under investigated. Regardless, White soon forgot about the commotion of the day as well. Captain Lar's ship was repaired, and no one was hurt. That was a victory in her eyes.
The Organics had no electricity, so the stars in the sky and the many large bond fires acted as lanterns to illuminate the festivities. The Organic's danced around on their six legs dawned in different colored hats. It was a welcoming party, White decerned. Her Gems sat alongside their former leader, watching the dances, many even joining in.
White always found it interesting how happy Organic customs made her Gems. As much of an invaluable influence Gem kind had on their weaker Organic neighbors, new culture was absorbed like a sponge wherever they went. She often wondered if it was an organic's strange nature that inspired such curiosity in Gem kind, or perhaps that trait was in every Gem regardless. Had it laid dormant for tens of thousands of years during Era One and Two, waiting for something to unlock it? That by default would make her have similar curiosities, but she seldom felt them. It made sense to White in a way. Blue, Yellow and Pink shared the same longing for freedom, even at the cost of perfection. Pink had been the only one brave enough to act on it.
Despite the upbeat drums and floral scents that swirled about the party, White's smile faded. 'I never got to apologies to you Pink. Your Gem is Steven's now, but I hope there is something left of you, so you can see how much things have changed. This was the world you longed for. All I long for, is for you to have seen it.'
She shook off her malaise. This was no time to linger in the past! Gem's looked to her to remain positive. Gems didn't need to be perfect, they had her to be that for them. White perked up. She smiled when Spinel danced near the fire with wild flailing arms and legs. She pretended to enjoy the Organic food which she would have to choke back up later. She used her reverse powers to allow other Gems to share their voices and feelings with her. This last experience was something she didn't have to pretend to be good at. After she felt what Gems felt, she usually knew exactly what to say to brighten their spirits. Normally, all they wanted was a shoulder to cry upon. What better shoulder then the one of their former leaders? Steven would be proud.
A cluster of Organics walked around White, admiring her perfect light she was sure. A group of small Organics, children she had been told they were called, asked silly questions about herself and her Gems. Were they truly gems like the ones dug out of the ground? Why was she so tall? Could a Gem be like a tree?
"Where did Gems come from?" one little voice spoke. White found the answer seeker in the group of excitable children. It was smaller than it's peers but bore the same curious eyes.
White grinned wide and motioned a regal hand to herself. "Why little one, all Gems come from me! White Diamond. I contain every color of the light, and my Gem is the strongest. I used my own essence to create other Diamonds, and a smaller amount of myself to create Gems. Those three Diamonds, my Blue, Yellow and Pink then did the same, and created more Gems!"
The children chattered excitedly. The smallest who asked the question had eyes wide with wonder. White kept the explanation simple and left out the unfortunate truth that organic life was also an essential ingredient to the creation of Gems.
"So, who created you?" the same child asked.
White felt the eyes of not just the Organic children, but also those of her Gem's, boring into her. Seldom did questions throw her. She recovered and answered. "No one is responsible for my creation dear little one. I am the origin of all Gem kind."
"But, if no one made you, then where did you come from?"
White opened her mouth to answer, but hesitation silenced her. 'Honesty, White. It opens timid hearts.' She told herself. "I don't remember where I came from," she admitted. Despite the lack of an answer White rose her hands to the dazzling heavens. "I believe I was born from a shining white star, somewhere out there in unknown space! When I became conscious, I was alone. But I wasn't worried, for I already knew what I had to do!" She scooped up Spinel, who gave her thumb a tight hug. "I would spread my perfect light and create new life. Every Gem, whether created from me or my other Diamonds, is a branch of my original want to see a most beautiful Universe, filled with pure light of every color."
"And she's super humble about it as you can see," Lars said with a snicker, seated with his crew under his ship.
White didn't dignify the comment with a response, but rather she gently touched Spinel's nose with the tip of her manicured nail. "I've changed a lot over the millennia, and of course Steven helped me. I see things differently. I see perfection comes in many different forms. Now, I like to learn from my Gems, things I never could have done on my own. No matter the size, color or cut, my Gems are perfect."
"Shucks White, you know just what to say to melt hearts," Spinel said behind her blush while she traced her own heart shaped Gem with her finger.
"Who is Steven?" an organic asked.
Before White could begin to gush over her dear Steven, Spinel sprung to life with a squeal of delight. "Steven is the most awesome guy you'll even meet! He's organic like you and Gem like me! He helped me, White, and everyone! The guy basically radiates change." Spinel leapt down from White's hands and took a deep, dramatic breath to belt out a song.
There's this great guy I know, on a planet called Earth,
And he taught me the meaning of change!
Back then I was twisted,
But he still insisted,
That I could be happy again!
It's scary to think things could be different,
We all want to stay where we are,
But stagnant like rock brings on heartache,
That's certain to leave ya with scars!
Take it from me,
Life lessons aren't free,
but with help anybody can change!
The journey of change all began with a friend,
He was there for us all to help our hearts mend,
So he said to move forward, and not in reverse,
And he's known through the stars as Steven UNIVERSE!
The Organics laughed and cheered as Spinel gave a bow.
White clapped as well, the song making her long to see her Steven again. Though she hadn't planned to, White decided a surprise visit to Earth was exactly what they needed. Spinel would adore the idea. They may even convince Lars to tagalong.
Steve had grown so much, despite him insisting ten years was a long time for humans. 30 years old he said he was. That concept alone astounded White. Spinel was right in her carefully considered lyrics. Steven was the embodiment of change.
The shrill blare of Lar's ship's alarm shook the festivities. Organics yelped and hid behind Gems. Lars jumped into action. He pulled the ship portal from his belt to discover the problem. The device flashed in time with the alarm. "Proximity alert," he said out loud. "It's them."
Rhodonite yelled in horror, all four of her hands coming to her head. "The ship that attacked us! It tracked us?! It's here to finish us off!"
White's own ship came to life at her mental command. She stood over the group, a confident smile present. "No need to panic, I have this under control. Let's find out what has our mysterious friends so upset." She wasn't lying to placate the nerves locals. White did pride herself as a grand negotiator.
Lights appeared in the dark sky and blotted out the stars. Organics gasped in terror and many cowered under White's cape. The ship entered the atmosphere, and White hid her surprise. The Enemy ship rivaled the size of her own. It's surface was like a dark mirror that reflected the sky around it. If it wasn't for the ship's lights it would be almost invisible.
"They don't look so tough," Spinel offered while cracking her knuckles.
A spotlight came down from the ship and illuminated the camp.
"Maybe they just want to say sorry?" one of the Rutile twins offered. The enemy lasers buzzed, their energy charging to attack. Rhodonite whimpered, her Captain using the handheld portal to try and bring his ship to life in time to defend the camp.
"I will defuse this," White promised. She used her connection to her own ship to activate the communications device to speak with the other ship. She put on her most winning smile, knowing the inhabitants of the ship now saw and heard her. "Let's not fight my new friends. We are Gem kind, and I am White Diamond, the humble Gem ambassador!"
She waited for a response. If this failed, her own weapons were ready to fire first. This was a secret to all but her of course.
The enemy lazars shut off. A collective sigh of relief washed over the camp.
"Wow, that was easy," Spinel said.
White agreed. That was unusually fast, even for her remarkable skill.
The massive ship landed next to White's ship on the sand of the near by beach.
"Let's go greet our new friends," White said to Spinel. The smaller gem ran ahead, waving her noodle arms at the new ship.
"Need some back up?" Lars asked.
White refrained from laughter, "No, I have it completely under control. You stay with the locals to calm them." she said before following Spinel to the shoreline.
The massive ship hovered just over the waves. Spinel was already on the sand, bouncing up and down with excitement. "What do you think these Organics will be like? Must be a bunch of them since their ship is so big."
White knelt in the sand next to Spinel. She would remain on one knee just to appear smaller to the new comers. Her size was intimidating to such small creatures, and these people were already high strung.
A panel opened on the ship's round belly. The flat metallic platform glided down to the sand with a single entity as its passenger.
White's smile faded, and she came to stand up again after taking in the newcomer. It's face was hard, their skin sharing the metallic sheen of their own ship. They wore what looked like metal scales that arranged in a tight uniform that melded to their body around their chest legs and arms. The metal creature stared down at White, as it stood a few feet taller than she was.
"WOW," Spinel said. It broke the silent tension, and White glanced down at Spinel as she strained her neck to gaze upward at the metal alien. "I didn't not see that coming."
"It can't be," came the deep voice of their visitor. It was male in nature and matched it's massive bulky form. He stared at White Diamond with wide eyes, his purples thin vertical lines of silver.
White concluded this was no organic. In fact, her focus zeroed in on the polished metal scale on the entities' chest. It was different from it's uniform. 'Is this, a Gem?' she thought. No, the Scale was indeed his core, much like a Gem's own gem, but his wasn't stone. Like the entity that encircled it, it was metal.
"White Diamond?" he asked in utter disbelief.
She was taken aback yet again, but this time his tone made her uneasy. True, she had just introduced herself though her ship's communication system, but he spoke her name with familiarity.
"you know this big drink of water?" Spinel whispered in White's ear. "You big people have some secret giants club that meets every million years?"
"I don't," she began to say, but was rather lost for words.
The metal man took a hesitant step forward. "You're alive! Where have you been all this time, you…what happened to you? Why are you so small?"
"Did he really just call you small?" Spinel huffed in disbelief.
White blinked at him. For some reason, her usual confidence had fled her. She felt abandoned by it, left before this massive mystery on the beach. "Why, wouldn't I be alive?" she asked at last.
"Are you kidding me?" he demanded. His tone had turned hostile. White forced herself to hold her ground. "The super massive black hole in the Nexis System! You got to close…." He paused to take note of her utter lack of understanding. "You, don't remember, do you?"
"I'm afraid, I have no idea what you're talking about. I would think I would remember falling into a super massive black hole." White said. The idea was preposterous to her. She would never be so foolish as to wonder to close to such a dangerous celestial body.
The large metal man held both hands up to his metal core at the center of his chest, "You don't recognize me? General Inconel? You must remember! I was assigned to be your bodyguard for almost a million years!" He was getting desperate, and White had to shield Spinel with a hand so she wasn't knocked off her shoulder from the force of Inconel's voice.
Inconel was angry. With each passing moment of him staring down White his shock was being replaced with betrayal. White knew she had to defuse this.
She forced a laugh. "Well, this is a funny misunderstanding! There must be lots of giant white Gem's running about the cosmos! I had no idea. Inconel, I assure you we have never met in all my long years. I have been busy running my own empire for the majority of-"
Inconel gasped, interrupting her explanation. "Magnetar needs to know you're alive! He was devastated when we thought you died," he realized.
White's mouth went dry.
Against her own will, she took a step back in response to this new name. Magnetar. Why did she have such an involuntary reaction to it? She didn't even recognize it.
"Magnetar will be overjoyed!" Inconel added. At last his fury had been forgotten and he smiled chrome fangs at White. "He has never stopped mourning your loss. And I'm sure he can fix whatever has happened to you to make you so weak."
"I…weak? I'm not…" why couldn't she find her voice? She was an excellent speaker, and this Inconel just insulted her! She was always quick with a retort, what was different now?
"White, what's wrong?" Spinel said in her ear. It made her jump. White turned to see the little pink Gem on her shoulder. She looked very concerned. "What's wrong with you? You're shaking. Just tell this guy to get lost if he's bugging you."
"Enough of this nonsense!" Inconel snapped. He walked forward, an arm extended as if he intended to grab White and drag her off the beach. It became clear this was exactly his intention as his metal hand snatched her by the wrist and pulled her towards his ship. "White Diamond, you're clearly out of your senses! I'm taking you back to Magnetar right now. He'll know what to do."
White yanked her hand free and stumbled backwards. She intended to spew vile words at the man for touching her but she found her speech had abandoned her as well as her courage. She was frozen. Something familiar picked at the back of her mind that immobilized her with some unknown fear.
"Hey buddy, get lost!" Spinel spat.
White gasped as Spinel jumped down from her shoulder and marched forward with her chest puffed out. It was as if she intended to fight the massive assailant herself. "Didn't you hear her the first time? White doesn't know you, so scram! Also, if you touch her again, I'll take off that metal utensil you call a hand!"
For the first time since he arrived, Inconel looked away from White to glare at Spinel. He considered the small Gem as she stood in the way of White.
Inconel waved a dismissive hand in her direction. The scales of his arm flared, and Spinel was sent flying backwards towards White who reached out to catch her.
A second shockwave hit the small Gem midair. Spinel's physical form poofed and her Gem shattered into pieces before it reached White Diamond's awaiting hands.