LOG-100.

  "Viridian, please, just listen to me-"

  The snarl that escaped past my teeth was harsher than I'd intended, but nonetheless did the job of silencing my former owner, even as a few nearby spectators leaned back at the display.

  "No, you listen to me. We both saw what she saw, both experienced it. We're out of time and out of options, this is what we've got left."

  Turning around, I leaned over and grabbed a visibly startled Vermilion, reaching towards my gemstone with a free hand and pulling out my notepad and pen, before pushing it towards her.

  "Take this, write down everything I say. The rest of you, listen up! I don't have time to explain the details properly, so you'll just have to take what you can get!"

  Waiting until the crimson Pearl hastily opened up the makeshift journal, I snapped my fingers, beginning to stalk forwards, past a concerned looking Brim and visibly stressed Emerald.

  "The Lapis Lazuli in the mirror, don't forget about her. Vanilla, that's up to you. Rose, Spinel is still in the garden. Find her, she's waiting for you to finish the game."

  Ignoring the sound of a gasp, accompanied by hands clapping over a likely wide open mouth, I shouldered past a startled looking pair of Avians, preparing to-

  "Make me proud."

  "Stop! That's…that's an order."

  I remained still, even as Brim made a worried noise, the familiar crawling sensation spreading out from my shoulder.

  Slowly, I turned back around, before carefully brushing the hand clasped atop it aside, lips pressed together, focused as I was on not summoning forth my gauntlets.

  "This isn't the way. We didn't see every single possibility, we can-"

  Emerald's mouth promptly shut as I leaned upwards, and slapped her.

  The following silence was deafening, but Onyx's perspective continued to roil inside my thoughts, something I couldn't possibly forget, even if I wanted to.

  "You're letting your emotions get in the way of our cracking survival. Do you think I want this? That I want to go back? We don't have time to find other avenues. So stop trying to get in the way! I'm doing this because, despite everything, I actually care about you idiots! Don't you dare waste the chance I'm giving you being stupid, understand!? I'll find my way back, lie to and shatter whoever I need to, so don't go running after me and getting yourself caught, got it!?"

  Unsaid was the matter of the Earth itself. It wasn't my original home, but it was the closest thing I had to a replacement. I couldn't afford to lose it. If humanity burned like in the numerous futures Onyx had seen, I'd probably break after the fact.

  Taking a deep breath, I willed the worried thoughts away, pulling the mask back up as the admiral's hair wilted, face falling as I stepped away.

  "Now, everyone pay attention, and no interruptions! Corruption can be cured. Not easily, but it's possible. You'll need all four separate Diamond essences, in order to bathe the infected gemstones. There's also a lost Light Prism on this world, if you take the right steps you can probably get it to defect. Aside from that-"

  —

  I tried not to flinch as the purple figure of the Tourmaline made her way into the room, shortly followed by an Emerald (different compared to mine) right behind her.

  In another place, in another timeline, the armoured Gem had driven a halberd through my chest. Through Onyx's chest, before shattering us without a second glance.

  In this one, she'd patiently waited while a shuttle had settled down next to the Roaming Eye, picking me up even as everyone else had hid within the confines of Rose's room.

  From there, it was a relatively short period of a Peridot directing me through a screen to expose different parts of my lightform and gemstone to various scanners, confirming I wasn't infected with the 'disease' plaguing the planet below.

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  Then I'd been brought aboard, not onto the Sun Incinerator, but some other vessel, left to wait inside a holding cell until my oh so heroic rescuers arrived.

  "Viridian Pearl order Sixteen B. Former property of Emerald facet 2M7G, cut 8XS. We have questions for you."

  Adopting a demure, but more importantly shaken looking pose, I bowed my head.

  "I-I live to serve, your stalwartness."

  Nodding, the bulky Gem stepped aside, crossing her arms as the Admiral behind her moved forward and presented a small disc, a small ping escaping its sleek shell.

  "Recording start. Before we begin with the interrogation proper, I'd like to ask you a single question."

  I noted the sharp glance the Tourmaline sent the officer, but elected not to mention it, dipping my head in a nod instead.

  "Of…of course. Please, ask me anything."

  The Emerald (not mine, she looked horrifically similar, but the gemstone placement, style of hair and 'uniform' were enough to disassociate her from the oddly caring deserter I'd come to know) clicked her tongue, nodding in turn.

  "Good. Did you know why your Emerald went to this planet, upon your retrieval? Do you understand why she was searching for weapons?"

  Making a show of confusion, I slowly shook my head in the negative.

  "I…don't know why. She seemed hurried, but any attempts to calm her down or get her to relax didn't precisely go to plan, I'm afraid. It…it was a failure on my part as her Pearl."

  The green Gem stared at me for a moment, before her expression slowly softened, hand lowering slightly as the recording device shifted between her fingers.

  "Then I am afraid it falls upon me to inform you that your owner betrayed the Empire before finding you. She is a criminal, wanted for desertion and direct disobedience against the Great Diamond Authority. Under normal circumstances, Tourmaline here would bring her in, and likely also bring you back to the Reef to be assigned to a new owner."

  The Emerald paused, biting her lip.

  "Unfortunately, we aren't detecting any hint of a signal from the Retaliator, which in turn corroborates with your story. She's likely shattered, or worse. As a result…I am legally obligated to inform you of your new status as a loose Pearl."

  Glancing up slightly, I tilted my head, projecting as much ignorance as possible. Not hard to do, considering I'd only heard the term a few times during the more 'successful' timelines.

  "Loose…Pearl?"

  Pressing her lips together, the admiral glanced over at her purple counterpart, who in turn remained utterly silent, staring back at her until the suddenly awkward looking Gem looked back to me.

  "By Imperial law, a Pearl whose owner goes against the Authority will be taken from said owner, to be returned to the Reef, or their Atoll of origin, and given to a Gem more fitting of their servitude."

  She glanced down slightly, hands moving to clasp at the disc behind her back.

  "However, in the event the owner of a Pearl is shattered or considered permanently lost, loyal or otherwise, the servant in question is declared loose, and thus up for adoption."

  She blinked, shifting in place slightly.

  "Traditionally, various Gems of a similar rank and standing to the previous mistress will approach them after the fact and propose ownership, with the Pearl accepting or declining based on how similar they are to the one she originally served. Afterwards, a Gem of higher rank will be brought in to officiate the transfer in command. The issue here, is that you served an Emerald. The only authority higher than our own is either that of a Moissanite, or the Diamonds themselves."

  Carefully folding my hands in front of each other, I sent the admiral a suitably helpless look, even as she shot a quick unhappy looking glance in the Tourmaline's direction.

  "So…so what is to be done with me? Will I go to you?"

  Shaking her head, the officer clicked her tongue again.

  "As much as I would love to keep a Gem of your quality and experience, I am needed on the Northern Galactic Front, to be assigned a new task after this operation is completed. It's no place for a civilian, much less a Pearl."

  Reaching up, the Emerald brushed her hair back in an uncomfortably familiar way to the one that was likely still following my instructions back down on Earth.

  Just like everyone else. Hopefully.

  "No, after we confirm things here, I'll bring you back to the closest Warp hub. There's an administrative Hessonite I know of that manages part of the Crystal Confluence. She already has her own Pearl, but I understand she was a close contact of your former owner. Perhaps she'll take you in."

  Whatever else she might have said, it was quickly interrupted by the Tourmaline stepping past her, armour clanking slightly as she settled to a stop, easily towering over me with her bulky frame.

  "That's the legal necessities dealt with for now. First of all, do you have anything stored in your gemstone belonging to your Emerald? Datapads, reports, physical notes she might have given you?"

  I had tools of every shape and size, a veritable mountain of snacks, enough of Rose's tears to fill a fucking pool, a couple destabilizers, a lucky charm of feathers Brim had given me and so, so much more.

  "Ah-I have this! D-does that help?"

  The purple Gem firmly grasped the small (fabricated) cargo manifest I'd pulled out from my storage, glancing over it with narrowed eyes hidden behind her helmet's visor.

  "...It is acceptable. Anything else?"

  Shaking my head sadly, I held out my empty hands in a helpless pose.

  "I was mostly there to keep track of things and sing for the soldiers. Vermilion kept hold of the physical items. At least until she…she…"

  It was such an incredibly novel feeling, letting myself cry in front of Imperial Gems. Wasn't hard to force though, considering all I really needed to do was think about the sheer level of bullshit no doubt in store for me once this damned fleet left the system.

  "I-I'm sorry, I-"

  My attempts to wipe away the tears drew uncomfortable glances from both of my interrogators, before the Emerald let out a huff.

  "Enough. Tourmaline, go to the bridge and complete the scans. The Peridots say they've spotted more of the…infected, while surveying parts of the planet that hold higher colonial infrastructure. Particularly the Warp pads. I'll handle the Pearl for now."

  The armoured warrior stared back silently, right up until the admiral let a scowl fall over her features, hair practically bristling as she stood up slightly taller than normal.

  "That's an order, soldier. Do not forget who is in command here."

  And just like that, the purple Gem relented, gruffly turning and marching out of the room.

  I let out a very much genuine sob as her green counterpart turned around, slowly letting a hand fall atop my shoulder before patting it gently.

  "Make me proud."

  "There there, poor thing. We'll get you home, safe and sound."