Chương 92: Cracking Pearl. (By Adianthum)

Cracking Pearl"That's enough, Glitter." Sixteen J— Glitter now—cut off the chiming melody that had filled the chamber moments before. The use of her new nickname sent a thrill of happiness through her. No matter how many times she heard it, she'd never get tired of the sound of the word. Because it was the only thing that was hers. Almost imperceptibly, her smile trembled at the edges. The Pearl was getting better at keeping her expressions veiled. Her Hessonite noticed, of course. But that was fine!

Glitter's composure was always a little off after she sang for her Hessonite. A call came through, and Glitter snapped to attention. Her body moved on its own accord, type seven, pattern eight. It was rote memory by now, but no matter how many times she did it, she was always perfect! It was always best to be consistent for her owner! The view screen lit up with the face of an Emerald, her Pearl also posed in the classic Diamond salute.

"I need to speak with you about the hunt for the traitor." Her Hessonite replied.

"Facet and cut?" The Emerald looked annoyed, and just a little bit impatient.

"Emerald Facet 5X3T, Cut 4RY. Every second we waste is another second that traitorous glitch is spending getting away!" The station administrator made an irritated noise.

"Then hurry up."

"Right. When we lost them after they warped, I decided to search around the outer sectors. The Interdictor picked up a faint signal from a gem ship. It's faint, but I suspect it's them." The Emerald's eyes flashed with urgency.

"We managed to get some readings, but none of my technicians could pinpoint their location." Glitter stayed perfectly still beside her Hessonite, every muscle poised and ready for command. She lived for moments like these— purpose gleaming on her horizon, shining like a star for her to follow. It was a shock to find out Viridian's master had deserted, though not as shocked as her Hessonite had been. First Viridian getting kidnapped by organics, and then her owner turning traitor?

Well, Glitter was glad to always be by her owner's side at least. Like an animal leashed to a post. It was a shame about Viridian though, Glitter had still wanted some more tips for singing over longer periods of time. And the green paragon was an exemplar in so many ways. Her Hessonite had been feeling stressed lately, and she kept the Pearl singing longer and longer each day. At least her brief interactions with the other pearls, and occasionally the other Gems on board the station were pleasant.

She liked it because it made her feel like she could be free. Her Hessonite sat straighter in her chair, hand raising up to caress the Pearl's head.

"And if you're here begging for help, that means your resources aren't enough to deal with this. Send over the data." The Emerald let a scowl cross her features, but she complied, tapping quickly at her console. Her Hessonite didn't glance at Glitter, but her voice carried the weight of unspoken commands.

"You know what to do, Glitter."

"Of course, my Hessonite." Glitter's voice was smooth, almost gliding over the words as she stepped forward and began working. Her fingers flew over the interface, her mind focused entirely on the task The console hummed softly under Glitter's fingertips as she sent the information to Peridot facet 2B3G, cut 9TF. It would be passed onto her subordinates, and hopefully they would be finished quickly.

Before that though, she filtered out some interference, isolating patterns that only a Gem trained for perfection could detect. She wasn't technically trained for this, but it had come up often enough in her Hessonite's work that the Pearl had picked the skills up. Every calculation, every motion was efficient, seamless—a mirror of the precision that her Hessonite demanded. She felt her Hessonite watching her, the weight of expectation like a tangible force pressing down on her shoulders.

Moments later, the information was returned.

"It's done, my Hessonite," she said, her voice steady. A set of coordinates appeared on the display. Her Hessonite stood, moving to stand beside her in front of the screen, towering over Glitter like a sentinel.

"Good work." The praise was casual, absent-minded, but it sent a surge of warmth through Glitter's chest. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. The station administrator had frozen in front of the screen, words coming out in a whisper.

"…cross reference that with our colonies, all of them." The Pearl was quick to comply. This kind of break in composure was rare for her Hessonite.

"Here it is, my Hessonite." Glitter's eyes widened against her will, though her Hessonite was too distracted to notice this time.

"What? What is it?" The Emerald's voice broke their reverie.

"Take a look for yourself." Her Hessonite stated grimly.

"What am I looking at? This is… an unviable gem colony? What are all these warnings?"" That is where Pink Diamond was shattered. A rebel colony the Diamond Authority dealt with, personally." Minutes later, the call disconnected, and the information was passed up the chain of command. Her Hessonite retired to her quarters.

"Sing for me." And so the Pearl sang, sang until she was told to stop, hours later. Glitter was glad to be by her Hessonite's side. Everything was as it should be. A distant part of her screamed. Glitter's song echoed in the dimly lit chamber, her voice filling every crevice with a melody as smooth and perfect as she'd been trained to produce. She didn't think as she sang, not consciously anyway.

It was automatic—her voice pouring out in flawless harmony, her body poised exactly as it should be, unmoving except for the delicate parting of her lips. Her Hessonite reclined, watching her, but the Pearl's eyes didn't meet hers. They stayed fixed forward, a serene mask over her features.

"Good," her Hessonite finally said hours later, the word languid.

"Enough for now." Glitter's voice died out, and she bowed her head, waiting for whatever came next. It was like this every time—the moments after the singing were the most difficult to control. That fleeting sense of release, the way her mind felt almost lighter as the music stopped. It reminded her of something she couldn't quite remember. Her Hessonite rose, the sound of her movement pulling Glitter back into the present.

"That was great, as always." Glitter nodded, but the praise did not settle as comfortably this time. There was something… off, lingering at the edge of her thoughts. A distant dissonance she couldn't place.

"You're dismissed," her Hessonite added, already turning away, her mind clearly elsewhere. Glitter stood and left without hesitation, gliding out of the room like a shadow, her movements fluid and obedient. As she stepped into the dim corridors of the station, the faint hum of machinery and distant chatter from other gems filled the space. The routine comforted her; it was familiar, predictable. But tonight, the rhythm of it seemed strange, like a song played out of key.

Her steps faltered for a split second, her mind pulling her back to something she didn't want to remember. She'd been in corridors like this before, in another time, for another purpose. She paused in an alcove, her hand pressing lightly against the smooth wall. The station's cold surface seeped into her skin. What had she done to deserve this? No. That wasn't right. She shook her head ever so slightly, re-centering her thoughts. She hadn't done anything. Her purpose was to serve her Hessonite, to be perfect.

That was all. She was here because she was supposed to be here. Everything was as it should be. And yet, something inside her twisted at the thought. Something scratched at her mind, faint glimpses of a time when she wasn't this, when she had dared to be something else. But that had been wrong. She had been wrong. She'd tried to… to… what? The details slipped from her grasp like water through her fingers, but the sensations—the fear and the pain—clung to her. It had been so long ago. She barely remembered why.

But she had been fixed, corrected. The gaps in her memory were proof of that. A voice interrupted her thoughts. Another Pearl, soft and hesitant.

"Glitter? Is everything alright?" Glitter blinked, turning to the source. It was one of the older Pearls, 15C, owned by a Sodalite. Glitter's composure snapped back into place instantly.

"Oh, yes. My Hessonite has dismissed me for the moment." The other Pearl nodded.

"Well, that's good! I'll be off now, my Sodalite needs me to pass on a message." Glitter gave her a brief, flawless smile.

"Of course! Good luck!" And as she walked away, that smile remained on her face, immaculate. Unfeeling. Everything was as it should be.