Chương 8: LOG-007.

The transport shuttle that had once acted as my salvation now felt like a cage, even as I watched through the viewport as the towering golden spires of the Yellow district came ever closer, the distant form of the Retaliator slowly shrinking in size behind us. Homeworld, despite its utterly ravaged appearance at a first glance, actually went about its existence as an ecumenopolis. In layman's terms, it meant that the entire planet was covered up by one absolutely gigantic city.

And it kind of had to be like that, considering the place acted as the central hub and capital world of an entire interstellar empire. It was beautiful, admittedly. Nothing I'd ever experienced, in either of my lives, could ever truly compare to the sight. Still didn't make me feel much better about having to be anywhere near the place, though. The capital's general geography had been included in the lesson plans back at the Reef, thus I at least had a basic sense of just where we were going.

Though the city spanned the entire world, it was still organised into four distinct districts. You could take a wild guess as to just how said districts were divied up. One was dedicated for each Diamond, obviously. With the shattered Pink Diamond's territory generally running mostly autonomously, from what my old Caretaker had explained during my private education.

"Preparing to land, my Emerald!" The Nephrite pilot's declaration was punctuated by the feeling of our ride finally breaching what tiny bit of atmosphere the ecumenopolis still had. Then we were darting into practically incomprehensible lanes of flying traffic, nestled amongst titanic cargo ships, sleek two Gem skycars, and just about everything in between those two extremes. The ride mostly passed in silence. Right up until it didn't.

As if reacting to some unseen signal, my Emerald sat up, staring out one of the viewports.

"There, take us in to that secondary Warp junction. We can make it to the palace using a free pad." I continued to softly hum a melodic tune as we began a landing sequence, even as my mind whirled with what if scenarios, each more terrible than the last.

Warp junctions were... interesting. I could vaguely remember how Warp pads worked from the show, and some of my lessons at the Reef had helped fill me in on the rest. Junctions, it seemed, were a massive congregation of hundreds of such pads, with each crystaline circle constantly recieving or spitting out at least a dozen individuals at a time. All around the area, however, was a new type of Gem I didn't recognize. Mostly notable due to the fact that they were apparently out in force today.

"Identification and purpose of visit to this junction." We'd been confronted by a pair of those pale yellow Gems almost immediately upon exiting the shuttle, with several more of them seemingly loitering nearby. Their bodyplan almost reflected that of a Quartz. Almost.

Their limbs were just as thick, but their torsos and connecting hips were quite literally the shape of an hourglass, and the identical triangular hairstyles they all sported repeatedly drilled into my head that no matter how human some Gem types may appear or even act, there would always be others ready to put my hopes back in the dirt, reminding me that I was trapped within an inherently alien empire.

An angular visor, almost like that of a Peridot, completed whatever look they were going for, even as dark eyes swivelled to take our small group in.

"Emerald Facet 2M7G, cut 8XS. Fleet admiral with direct orders to answer a summons from Yellow Diamond herself." One of the Peridots that had come along with us brushed past me, holding up a limb enhancer shifted into a screen for one of the guards (I didn't rightfully know what else to call them, really) to inspect. Said guard's eyes widened seconds later, before the Gem bowed her head and gestured to one of the unoccupied Warp pads.

"My apologies for the delay, admiral. Please, proceed." I resisted the urge to stare behind us as we passed the pair of enforcers, only for Emerald's voice to draw me back to reality. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Those were Sphenes. They're a rather recent development, so am I safe to assume you weren't informed about them back during your training?" Shaking my head apologetically, I kept careful pace with the Emerald, even as the two technicians closed ranks behind us, presumably staying to keep an eye on the transport.

"I'm afraid not, my Emerald. What are they?" As we both walked up onto the Warp pad, my master let out a slight hum.

"Law enforcement, from what I understand. Much cheaper to make compared to your average Quartz, if not as powerful. I personally don't see the point of them, but then again I'm not exactly a Diamond, now am I? They serve whatever purpose is relevant, I suppose." Any response I might have made was put on hold as we were both engulfed by light, and promptly shunted into the Warp. The dimension that allowed the Gem empire to trivialise travelling...

just about anywhere really, tended to be empty of everything but light and the occasional shadow when one was passing through it. Though to be fair my sole experience with it had been on a starship in the depths of space, so maybe that was a given. The Warp on Homeworld was rather busy in comparison. I could practically see the tunnels being formed by other pads, distant figures travelling through them at speeds almost too quick to catch.

Our own trip lasted less than a minute, before we were stepping off yet another Warp pad, this one inside of some kind of massive chamber. The golden Gems here were ones I recognised. Topaz. Two utterly hulking warriors, each wielding an axe larger than my entire body. The only feature that allowed me to tell the two apart was that one had their gemstone situated in the dead center of their chest, while the other was similar to me, their own shiny rock just about where a human bellybutton might be.

Behind them laid a pair of big ass doors, the rather distinctive mural of a Diamond emblazoned upon them. I'd expected words of some kind. Maybe another demand for identification, but the duo barely glanced at Emerald before turning to shove the gargantuan doors they were guarding wide open. Then we were moving once more, this time through a long, almost barren hallway. Towards our ultimate destination, presumably. Fun. Not. Utterly terrifying, more like.

She was monolithic. That was the only real way I could describe the being known as Yellow Diamond. Perhaps a native Gem, long since taken in by all the propaganda and indoctrination, would have used other words. Majestic. Incandescent. Glorious. All viable options to be sure. But to me, the supreme commander of a vast majority of the Imperial army and navy was rigid. Uncompromising.

Merely following my Emerald into the large, throne/office the Diamond had chosen to host this meeting in had felt like walking into a room full of electrically charged air. Then the gigantic woman had turned a pair of hyperfocused eyes towards us, and I had damn near buckled. Thankfully, survival instincts had won out over sheer lightform glitching fear, and my arms had damn near snapped into the ever distinct Diamond salute, even faster than Emerald's could.

I remained silent as the admiral took the lead, stepping forward and taking a knee, her head bowed. I followed suit, as a matter of course.

"My Diamond. I arrive as requested, and await your commands." A hum left the giant's throat, her eyes roving over Emerald before suddenly darting towards me. I prayed to God. To the Stars. To fucking White Diamond, if need be, that her militaristic counterpart would not somehow find me wanting. That she would not immediately suss out that I was wrong. Whoever was listening answered, apparently, and the very edge of her lip quirked ever so slightly upwards.

"Finally got yourself a Pearl I see. Good." I remained statue still, even as the Diamond beckoned my master forward. Soon enough, the two were discussing something. I heard mention of trade routes, potential colonies, and something about a research post. Anything else flew over my head considering I was far more occupied by the slowly approaching form of yet another yellow Gem, this one having turned the corner from somewhere beneath the Diamond's desk. She was a Pearl. A Diamond's Pearl, to be more specific.

I didn't know what to do as the servant Gem finally came to a halt just a few feet away from me, eyes roving over my form in a parody to that of the Goddess behind her. Almost instinctively, the tips of my fingers began to twitch from their position maintaining the Diamond salute. I didn't know what else to do.

'Hello.' The simple greeting drew a quirked brow from the yellow Pearl. Then she waved me off, letting loose a snort that almost had me gasping from just how inappropriate it fucking was, if it weren't for the fact that sucking in air while in the presence of a Diamond would, without a doubt, be even worse. Seriously, what the fuck!? How could she just ignore the literal titan sitting in the corner!?

"Relax with the sign language. My Diamond doesn't mind us interacting while she deals with your owner." Her voice was more nasally in comparison to mine. Her head more round. Shit, even her lightform seemed just a little more... well made. For just a singular instance, I felt the familiar yet somehow unfamiliar pangs of jealousy. Then I managed to identify the utterly stupid emotion and mentally stomped it out in its entirety. A delicate hand gently brushed against the very tips of my dress.

"Hm, I see the Nacres' tastes are ever evolving. Very heavy on the simulated fabric." In the world outside of my own head, my arms slowly dropped to my sides. Then I did what I hoped was correct. A light curtsy. Type one, pattern one. Bow the head. Nice and subservient. She was the bigger Pearl around these parts, and I'd be damned if I didn't let everyone present know that I knew my fucking place in comparison.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, and an honour to stand within the same space as our Diamond." A moment passed, even as I slowly raised my head. Did I fuck up? I'd fucked up, hadn't I? Maybe I just shouldn't have said anythi-"Hmph. Good to see that at least some of you Era Two Pearls still have basic manners. Come on, we can take some time to relax while my Diamond settles things with your Emerald."

Then the yellow Pearl was walking away, off towards another section of the gargantuan chamber that probably just felt like a roomy study for its equally large owner. Hesitantly (and bloody well dreading the figurative minefield I was about to step into), I followed.