Steven shoved things in his bag without a second thought. The communication's tower Peridot and Pearl made had managed to connect to an Alloy ship, but then was overloaded and destroyed beyond what they could fix in a hurry. He had to get to Lars and talk to the Alloy's before anyone else got hurt.
"I'm coming with you," Connie said from the doorway to his old room. Steven turned to see she was already packed, her sword ready.
"It took forever to get White and the other Diamonds to stay here on Earth. I need you to stay with everyone and make sure they don't follow, especially White." He explained.
"Us as a team can handle the Alloy's much better than you alone." Connie pointed out.
Steven considered the offer. She was right, of course. And in his opinion, she could be firmer in negotiations then he could manage. "It could be dangerous."
Connie raised an eyebrow at the comment. "Any more dangerous then what we both faced when we were kids? I'm going."
Steven nodded in defeat. "Alright. Pearl and the others can keep the Diamonds here I'm sure."
"Why though?" Connie asked. Steven winced at the inevitable question. "The Diamonds could be good back up. Why are we keeping them here? You don't even want them to go back to Homeworld."
Steven hesitated to answer. It didn't surprise him when Connie guessed. "Garnet saw something bad, didn't she?" That's what she talked to you about. Will the Diamonds get in the way?"
"White can't find out," Steven told her. Connie pretended to zip her lips with her fingers. "Magnetar, the leader of the Alloy's will do anything to find her. Garnet saw that clearly. He is unyielding in his motivation to get to White. Garnet said at all costs, we can't let him find her. If she leaves Earth now, he will find her."
"Why?" Connie huffed. "You said White was rejuvenated and is missing memories. If Magnetar knows her from the past, couldn't he help her remember?"
Steven shook his head, "No, because I think there is a darker reason she doesn't remember him. When Magnetar's transmission came through…I felt what he was feeling. What he feels for White is more than worry, it's obsession. It's a desire so intense I almost passed out. Whatever he wants with her, it's not good. I need to defuse this and get him to calm down. Only then, can he and White maybe talk to regain her memories."
Connie pursed her lips and her eyes drifted to Little Homeworld out the window. "Fair enough, I trust your judgment."
Steven slung his bag over his shoulder and hand in hand they both descended the stairs. "Keep an eye on my dad, ok Lion?" he said to the pink animal. Lion huffed; a sign Steven had learned meant yes, at least on most days. Still holding Connie's hand, they took a deep breath, held it, and entered the pocket dimension in Lion's main. Across the pink grass field was Lar's tree, and they dove back down to land from his head on the floor of the Sun Incinerator's control room.
The ship lurched hard to the left, and Lar grasped Steven and Connie to keep them from sliding into the wall. "Wondered when you guys would show up," Lars snickered.
Steven and Connie stood up and held each other to remain upright. "What's going on?" steven asked.
"We're back up for the outer Gem colonies," Lars explained between shouting orders to his crew. "These Alloy's are attacking every Gem vessel they can find. We are trying to draw fire, since we're the fastest ship in the quadrant."
Steven stared out the view window in horror. Spaceship pieces littered the stars. Pieces of Gem ships floated outward into the void. "Have we organized a retrieval mission to get the Gem's stranded in space?"
"We can't," Lars sighed.
Steven gasped. "What do you mean?"
"The Alloy's that destroy the ships instantly suck up every poofed Gem from the wreckage. We have tracked their movements back to the largest Alloy Father Ship, where we can assume, they are bringing these Gems."
"Why?" Connie asked, though seemed hesitant to know.
"Nothing good I'm sure," Lars grumbled, and fell hard into his captain's chair. The ship had turned off it's Crystal Core Engine behind an asteroid to remain hidden and regroup. "It's been a rock tumbler this whole time. Good thing I haven't eaten in a week otherwise I would have chucked up everything in my stomach."
"Can you get the Father Ship on com? I need to talk to their leader," Steven said.
Lars gawked at him. "Trust me Steven, they don't want to talk. They aren't making demands to even surrender. All they want is White Diamonds. I'm guessing that's why they are collecting Gems. They mean to extract White's location from those Gem's when they reform. They already are asking about Homeworld since she lives there."
"What are the Diamonds going to do?" Rhodonite asked Steven with a hopeful gleam even despite her fear.
"I bet it will be extraordinary!" Fluorite said, her head peeked out from the engine room under the floor. "Steven and the other Diamonds will end this fighting with a snap!"
"We'll take anything at this point," the left Rutile twin said.
"Right now, I am here to talk for them," Steven promised. "Please Lars, at least let me try and talk to them."
Lars scowled at the view screen. There was a blip in the distance he was focused on. "Rutile twins, bring us in communication range."
"Yes Captain," the left Rutile twin typed on the controls.
"Right away," her sister finished.
"Just have the Hyper Jump ready…" Rhodonite whimpered.
The dark ship came into view as they approached. The outside was a sleek black metal. Lazar guns were mounted on every available surface, and it dwarfed the Sun Incinerators size a hundred times over.
Lars clicked his teeth and pressed a button on his com system to opened communications, "Taking bets everyone. How soon after I start talking before they fire at us?" He asked his crew.
Rhodonite whimpered and pulled her hair down to hide her face. "Three seconds?"
"Best talk fast then, Captain," the right Rutile twin offered.
Lars pressed a final button and settled back in his chair. Their small ship arrived before the massive one. "This is Captain Lars, requesting a ceasefire in order to talk."
The enemy ship's lazars came online and took aim at the Sun Incinerator. They just managed to dodge the massive wave of energy that zipped past them.
"Oh no!" Padparadscha began, "The enemy ship will not want to negotiate."
"That's about how it goes everything we try and talk," Lars said to Steven.
"Should we hyperjump?" Fluorite asked.
Through the screen, they saw the lazars charged again.
"Let me," Steven asked, and retrieved the mic from Lars. "Please, this is Steven Universe, a representative of the Gem race. I am here to talk on White Diamond's behalf."
The enemy ship's lazars shut off mid charge. The view screen beeped with an incoming hail.
"I'll be darned," Lars admitted.
"One track minds," Connie muttered.
The screen opened to a glaring face that bore into the Sun Incinerator's control room. The Alloy on the screen stood with his arms behind his back, his body ridged and covered in silver scales that made up his uniform. The largest scale was in place of his left eye.
"Looks like a nice guy," Lars said to Steven and Connie under his breath.
"Where is White Diamond's location?" the Alloy demanded in place of a greeting of any kind.
"Who am I talking to?" Steven questioned instead.
The Alloy's scowl deepened. "I am Admiral Titanium, of the third Alloy fleet. Where. Is. White Diamond?"
"I call for a cease fire," Steven offered.
"No," Admiral Titanium snapped. "Where is-"
Connie interrupted him. "We will assure the location of White Diamond will remain hidden unless you agree to negotiations!"
Steven tried not to smile when Titanium glared but didn't protest. Connie could be considered the 'bad cop' in this situation.
"I need to speak to Magnetar," Steven insisted. "Where can we find him?"
"I will speak in my master's place," Titanium insisted.
It was something. Steven would just have to make it work. "There is a nearby moon where we will continue this conversation in person." He said.
Titanium cut the communication without stating yes or no. His answer came in the form of his ship turning towards the closest moon to land.
"It's the closest we have gotten to progress," Lars admitted.
Fluorite poked her large head up from the engine room and grinned. "I have a good feeling about this time." She said in her slow drawl. "One hundredth time's the charm I'm sure!"
Their ship followed Titanium's to the small moon and landed a safe distance from each other. There was air, so Steven, Connie and Lars walked off the ship without suiting themselves. Already on the ground from a transportation pod, standing ten stories higher than them, was Admiral Titanium. Behind him were three of his men, all a head shorter than their leader. The three men were identical, down to the facial expression.
"Wow," Lars said as he strained his neck to look up at the largest Alloy. "He's bigger than the other guy. and somehow managed to look meaner."
"Hello," Steven greeted despite Lars. "Thank you for agreeing-"
"White Diamond's location." Titanium interrupted.
"White Diamond is hesitant to meet you," Steven pushed on. "But trust me, she is safe. We need to stop this fighting. These Gems you are attacking are White Diamond's creations. If Magnetar cares about her, then he would stop hurting Gems."
"These Gems are the problem," Titanium snapped with a sudden, booming fury. "According to Inconel 23's report, White Diamond had lost almost all her power, and it's because of these Gems she has created! Magnetar warned her not to do this. She has used to much of her own essence to make these Gems. We now need to search the Galaxy and collect them all."
Steven was taken aback. "Wait, I thought you only wanted to find White Diamond. Why are you collecting Gems?"
Titanium answered without hesitation, "So that Magnetar can restore the energy from the Gems back to White Diamond, but for that to happen, we need her location."
"He's going to what!" Lars snapped.
"White wouldn't want that!" Steven insisted.
"Her 'wants' are not a factor in Magnetar's plans," Inconel said coldly.
Steven gritted his teeth, wracking his brain for a means to defuse the situation. He didn't like using his ability to read people without asking, but in this situation, he had little choice. He pushed his mind towards Titanium, wanting to feel his inner thoughts.
He was met with inner silence, no matter how deep he traveled. Why couldn't he find Titanium in his own mind? He had expected resistance like he had while connecting with the Diamonds the first time, but there was nothing, not even a defense. Steven did hear a distant whisper. It wasn't Titanium's voice. "Find White Diamond and bring her back to me," it repeated to Titanium over and over again.
Steven pulled his mind back into himself with a gasp.
"What did you find?" Connie whispered.
"Nothing," Steven answered. "He's hollow, same with those behind him…"
"What's that mean?" Lars grumbled; his eyes still locked on the looming enemy line.
"It's like a hive mind, with Magnetar in the center," Steven realized. "Titanium will only follow orders, like a machine…We can't negotiate with anyone but Magnetar."
Titanium spoke up, "Magnetar wants White Diamond back by his side, restored to her perfect form. That will require all the energy she has lost. Starting with those we have so far collected, and those in the ship behind you," he turned to address his stoic men. "Retrieve the Gem's abord that vessel." He ordered with a chrome finger pointed at the Sun Incinerator.
"Over my twice dead body!" Lars snapped and ordered into his wrist portal to charge his ship's weapons.
At Titanium's orders, the Alloy's advanced. Steven stood in the gap and threw up a shield to cut both parties off from each other.
For the first time since they began speaking, Titanium's face shifted emotions. He was shocked as his men bounced off the shield before them. "White Diamond had this power too. Who are you?" he demanded.
Steven lifted his shirt to reveal his Gem. "I'm a Diamond, and a human. The Gem race is capable of incredible things, and White loves every single one of her creations. She has come so far and evolved for the better! I know Magnetar cares for her, and if he respects her, he will leave the Gem's alone."
Titanium stared down at him behind the shield, his face unreadable. Steven held onto the hope Magnetar had perhaps heard the offer through Titanium.
"This pink Gem housed in an organic, is more power than the others we have collected so far," Titanium observed, as if he hadn't heard a word Steven said. He pressed a single hand against the shield. The barrier shattered into fragments like glass around Steven, Lars, and Connie.
Titanium held out the same hand he used to destroy the sheild towards Steven. "With this Gem, Magnetar can restore more of White's perfect self. Now hand it over."