Chương 174: LOG-166.

I'd give them this, the Blue Court had their aesthetics down pat. The streets I walked through were wide, sweeping things, the very ground itself decorated with murals and imagery that likely evoked the initial colonisation efforts of this world. Though never the Diamonds, of course. Since no Gem wanted to be seen stepping on the rulers of Homeworld and all.

"O-Oh and this is the grand gallery! Here you can view endless holographic recollections taken from countless environments, all before we got rid of them to make space for more colony districts!" Still desperate to impress me, trying to direct me through the nicest parts of this section of the colony.

Aquamarine had been working overtime to keep me entertained throughout the whole trip, and for her benefit I gave the appropriate hums and nods, even as I warily regarded the various Gems staring at me as we went along. Whether it was because seeing a Nacre out and about was something spectacular to them, or because they recognised me was a good question, one I felt was hesitantly answered as I watched a pair of Lapis Lazulis excitedly gesture between a small holographic projector held in one's hand, and me.

General awe and positive expressions indicate that they are excited to see me. It would appear that I have fans. Atop the little device stood a familiar looking tiny green Pearl, singing and dancing with seeming abandon. Tearing my eyes away from the gossiping terraformers, I focused on putting one foot in front of the other, continuing to answer Aquamarine's various exclamations with suitably impressed or acknowledging sounds.

The walk itself lasted until we stopped outside of what looked to be a small landing area of all things, my eyebrows arching slightly as I regarded the lonely Roaming Eye sitting atop the crystalline surface, a prominent blue diamond stencilled upon its hull.

"And here we are! This fine vessel will facilitate your trip to my Pyrope's palace! We ah…just need to wait on the pilot! Oh Stars where is the pilot?!" Utterly horrified. This was not at all planned. Ignoring the strangled outburst from the diminutive Gem, alongside the way she was now orbiting me, her flapping wings keeping her aloft as she presumably searched for my missing chauffeur, I raised a singular eyebrow.

"Blue Thirteen is a class three developed colony. Do you lack functional Warp junctions?" I could practically hear my guide's teeth grinding against each other before she whipped around, shaking her head and rapidly raising her arms against each other in an x motion.

"We absolutely don't lack them! And they ah, they were functional just a little while ago I swear! It's just…it…uh-" Trying to fix this mess. Doesn't know how. Believes she is going to be punished severely. Quailing beneath my stare, Aquamarine went silent entirely, looking on the verge of tears. Instead of rolling my eyes like I would have liked, I sighed, waving a clawed hand toward her in what I hoped was a reassuringly dismissive motion.

"It's a minor inconvenience at worst, nothing to get overly caught up over. Still, I haven't known Warp pads to ever fail outright, the Galaxy Warp was working just fine. Why not your planetary equivalents?" This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Almost comically, my guide turned her entire body to glance left and right, before darting towards me, voice falling to an incredibly loud whisper.

"My fiercest apologies Overseer, a-and know that this is merely rumour I speak of, taken from a few acquaintances, but…word on the Gemnet is that many Warp tunnels have been closing as of late. No Galaxy Warps, just yet, but my Pyrope has heard from her counterpart on Blue Six that they have been suffering similar issues." Warp tunnels do not close naturally. Their connecting pads are either being deactivated or destroyed somehow. Considering all of that for a long moment, I tilted my head.

"Do you suspect sabotage of some kind?" Aquamarine blanched, before shrugging.

"It… looks like it, but it also feels impossible! The Warp network as a whole is controlled by three primary facilities, one in the heart of each Court's territory. If any issues were cropping up, they would start there, but the thought of some seditious rebel managing to pierce that deep is borderline incomprehensible!" Unless of course, the rebels in question worked there. Hm. The most likely culprit is the Yellow Court. All indicators point towards them planning to secede at some point in the near future.

Creating confusion within other Courts and masking their own movements by deactivating their share of Warp pads can only be beneficial to them at this stage.

"I'm sure it will clear itself up in time, relax." My words seemed to reassure my counterpart, who did some strange motion of balling and unballing her hands several times, before nodding firmly.

"Of course! Now, my sincerest apologies for the tardiness of your assigned pilot! I'll be sure to discorporate them twelve times for this affront!" Doesn't really mean it. Will probably just yell and cry at the Gem in question in an effort to make them feel bad. Glancing towards the Roaming Eye with a calculative eye, my voice gained a slight reverie to it, even as I gestured towards the star ship.

"Is the palace nearby? I can pilot this vessel myself." Aquamarine's eyes widened at that, curiosity visibly taking over her previously outraged expression.

"You can pilot-I mean, of course you can pilot! A Gem of your caliber can do many things! And yes, my Pyrope's palace is just beyond the local Lapis Lazuli apiary! Ah-that's the large tubular structure stretching behind the gallery. Shall I prepare the ship for your departure?" Nodding, I stepped aside and watched as my guide darted up and into the Roaming Eye's open ramp, bumbling around inside for a few moments before coming back out and shooting me a salute.

"She's ready when you are, Overseer!" — In the end, it had been almost insultingly easy to convince Aquamarine to remain behind. I knew my way behind a ship's controls, after all. And the missing pilot still needed to be appropriately lectured, the poor wretch.

Which left me staring at the open sky the entire time as my hands settled into familiar positions, interacting with controls that, while evidently somewhat revamped compared to my previous flight in a Roaming Eye, were still similar enough that even a Ruby could pilot one of these things. … I was finally alone again. In an FTL capable ship.

With no guards, and only a short burst upwards separating me from shooting out of this overly decorated planet's artificial atmosphere and Warping straight out of Imperial space. It would have been more than possible to have left this world by now. I am being deliberately slow. I am hesitating. Sure, Roaming Eyes had tracking modules, but I knew where that particular component was situated. I could rip it out and disassemble it while moving through the Warp, and then the Empire wouldn't be able to find me.

And yet I haven't. I should have engaged in those preparations immediately, rather than deliberating about them. Something is holding me back. Likely the thought of-"Shut up." Forcing my hand forward, I ignored the way my claws trembled while slowly raising the bar for upwards thrust. All I need to do is abandon all of Batch Eighteen to the tender mercies of the Reef. Then I will be free to do as I please. I will be free to return to Earth.

Slowly but surely, the ship began to rise, further and further, even as the trembling of my claws grew harsher. I could almost see them now, the stars waiting for me beyond the cerulean boundary that would spit me out into the void. But I am unwilling to do so.

"... Stars fucking damn it." And instead of doing that, I (like an absolute idiot) brought my hand back down, reducing upwards thrust and instead angling the Roaming Eye to set a course towards the glittering palace patiently awaiting my arrival. This time, I kept my teeth grit while forcing back the tears that wanted to escape me. These ones weren't earned. They were just a product of my own damnable stupidity. Despite my self flagellation, I feel that this is the right thing to do.

"Oh just be quiet already!" Stupid stupid Nacre!