''And what happened next?'' Spinel asked me paying attention to my words, and I just grinned before I told her.
''They bumped into each other, and due to both not paying attention, both the Peridots somehow fused into one! I'll tell you, I never had in my life wanted to kiss another Gem more than I had in that moment!'' I tell Spinel as I snicker to myself remembering the accidental fusion.
''Did you kiss them?'' I almost tripped at what Spinel said before, blushing, nodding.
''I might've kissed them in front of the entire crew who had seen it. We haven't talked with each other since they defused due to the sudden kiss.'' I scratch the back of my head with a wry grin, Spinel just looks amused about that.
''You should talk to them, y'know? There were these two rubies that accidentally fused, and they were totally dating afterward but they never got to actually making it official because they never talked to each other after that.'' Spinel giggled somehow not moving from her place, something I have grown accustomed to, even if it still boggled me on how much control over her lightform she has.
I just waved her off, ''I'm not interested in dating. I would love to have a Peridot for myself, personally, but I simply can't. And it was already embarrassing having to tell the entire crew to keep their traps shut about the accidental fusion. Fusion is only tolerated if it's for a purpose and necessary, which the accidental one wasn't.'' I said and she nodded with her eyes, moving them up and down, as she couldn't do it physically without losing the 'game'.
She blinked at me, and I sighed as I felt her stare. ''And I'll talk to them later. Happy?'' I said and she smiled brightly at me. The things that I do to keep Spinel happy will one day bite me in the ass, I swear. But it was depressing enough to stand in place for… Damn, it has been a few Centuries… I feel the same as I did. Was that another Gem trait? Not changing even after hundreds of years have passed?
''Anyways, I have to get back to work. I'll visit you next Cycle, as always.'' I said and bid Spinel goodbye, she doing the same before returning to look like a statue, and I walked back to the Warp Pad.
Teleporting to the Colony, I smiled at the two Rose Quartz that always guarded the Warp Pad, but just as I was going to walk away, Quartz stopped me.
''Our Diamond wants to talk with you. She said it was important Fleet Admiral business.'' Quartz said, with Rose nodding her head, and I sighed before stepping back at the Warp Pad and teleporting to the Moon Base.
I hated the Moon Base. I always went there and requested every damn year the same thing and my Glorious Pink Diamond would not even bother to hear from me before saying no. I want some weapons on my ships! I wasn't asking for much! But nooooo, she for some Stars forsaken reason didn't want our ships having weapons to protect themselves and her with! It was bloody absurd!
Coming out of the Warp Pad, I greeted the two Jasper Quartz standing guard before moving towards the spire.
(Insert Pic Here)
Arriving at the entrance, I greeted the Amethyst guarding the door before I walked in and then climbed the stairs to meet Pink Diamond. And there I met her, the Pinkiest, and most annoying Diamond out of the three we had in our glorious Great Diamond Empire.
''Ah, Mustard there you are. C'mere, quick. And no, I still haven't changed my mind despite your yearly efforts.'' She said focused on a hologram, I nodded at her in greeting doing the same for the Pink Pearl at her side before I stood at attention in front of her.
''My Diamond. I still insist that you change your mind. It is simply stupid to not have our fleet installed with weaponry for self-defensive purposes besides those ion cannons. I would have to either ram the enemy or get close enough to where ramming them would be the better option.'' I pleaded and she just waved me off.
''Yes, yes, I know. I have a Mission for you.'' She stopped fiddling with the hologram in front of her, putting it down before looking at me and smiling at me, ''I want you to seed a newly discovered mineral-rich planet system that I have found. You are to take all of your fleet, this is an order. You are also to dispose of all the injectors we have in storage. I got brand new ones sent by Yellow Diamond, and the ones we have are out of date and obsolete. Pearl will guide you to the warehouse I put them in. That is all, you are dismissed.'' She said and pulled the hologram she was fiddling with back and continued doing whatever it was that she was doing.
My mind took a minute to process all of that information, including the order I was now forced to follow. I couldn't even discuss this, Pink Diamond never orders anyone. Meaning this was serious. I sighed in my mind, before doing a proper Salute.
''Yes, my Diamond.'' I proclaim before I look at Pink Pearl and nod at her, ''Lead the way, Pearl.''
…
The blue flash of teleportation vanished as we arrived at the warehouse Pink Diamond seemed to have put our brand new Injectors. I wasn't sure how they worked, Emeralds weren't thought about their workings, we are fleet admirals and captains. That didn't mean I couldn't get Peridots to talk to me about their inner workings, as while I wasn't as skillful (or really allowed to) I was still knowledgeable in engineering.
A few decades were spent learning and hearing Peridots work around my capital ship, and it had given me a few knick nacks of skill. Mostly due to osmosis, and daily checkups in the engineering sector to make sure the ship's engines were running properly. Nothing approaching the mastery or sheer instinctual guidance that Gems made for construction and upkeep of machinery had, of course, but I knew that our Injectors were… Complicated Techno-Wizardry.
Not many Gems understood how they worked, and those that did weren't that much better than those that didn't. Their inner workings were strictly controlled by the Diamonds, and only select Gems had ever the grace of being taught how they worked and such. Meaning that, me being selected and given this mission meant that, despite my yearly meetings and begging of rearmament, my Diamond trusted me.
Which was… Was a wonderful feeling to have and realize. Especially since I don't doubt I would, or the Peridots under me, learn how the life-givers, the Injectors, worked. It was simply common sense that those transporting such sensitive and important tools knew how they worked in case repairs were needed. Or simple maintenance. Stars be damned I break or allow one of Pink Diamond's Injector to break because of a lack of knowledge.
''So, Pearl. Am I correct in assuming I am, or at least my Peridots, be taught how these Injectors work? I trust my fleet's skill of safely transporting them into our New Colony. But it would be wise to teach us how the Injectors work in case of any malfunction, repairs, and simple maintenance.'' I spoke as we walked through the dark underground corridors.
Pink Pearl seemed to… startle at the question, but it must've been my imagination as she turned her head and replied courteously. Ah, I couldn't wait to get my own Pearl. They were so beautiful and elegant, even such a simple motion was beautiful to witness. And I was envious of that smooth movement. No wastage of movement and it was flawless. Maybe my own Pearl could teach me how to walk and move like a Pearl? That would be a good tactical advantage to have.
''Of course! Our Pink Diamond should already be sending a Gem to teach the Peridots in your fleet so that our Injectors are safely transported, taken care of, and injected into the New Colony.'' Pink Pearl said with an elegant smile that I returned.
I could see she was holding her enthusiasm, and that she was maybe nervous. But who wouldn't be? I sure as hell was, even if my lightform was still like a statue. Having the responsibility of Injectors is as high as transporting Diamond Essence. Stars know that if you fuck that up you won't be shattered, but shattered into a million pieces and forced to fuse with your shattered pieces, and then shattered again.
Of course, such an occurrence has never happened, and it was only rumours. The only incident with Diamond Essence I ever heard was the accidental overloading of Diamond Essence into Injectors which made… Gems on crack, from what the descriptions sounded like. It was a disappointment that all the Gems that formed from that overload were all insane and monstrous.
Almost corrupted in a funny way.
''That's good to know. Stars know I would turn whoever damaged our Injectors into dust.'' I said before I hummed in thought, ''Tell me, Pearl. What can you tell me of these new Injectors? I assume they work the same as the old ones. Mostly automatic, with a Peridot being needed to select the Gem-Type to be incubated and such, has any of it been changed?'' I asked Pink Pearl in hopes of an explanation and she just smiled at me sadly.
''I'm afraid I don't actually know. You would need to ask that from Our Pink Diamond.'' She said and I nodded at that.
…
''Bloody hell, they are thrice the size of a normal one!'' I exclaimed as I looked at the… 100 Injectors? They were massive, and more… aggressive in design I guess, but why were they so massive?
''Are we missing a few, or do we only have a hundred of them?'' I asked Pink Pearl and she shook her head, meaning we only had a hundred of them, before she goes to a console and presses a few buttons.
While she fiddled with the console, I went closer to inspect the new Injectors. They were massive and were clearly differently designed. I hoped the glass material it seemed to be made of, was more resistant than actual glass. Otherwise, I predict us having to replace that glass every time we make a sharp turn, or if something bumps into it. Stars, I was a small dwarf standing next to one of its claws. But why were they so big? Wouldn't making them bigger just consume more Diamond Essence?
(Insert Pic Here)
''Alright! The Robonoids should be coming out now.'' Pink Pearl said, making me turn away from the injectors and stare at the round green robonoids that started coming out of… Secret holes in the ceiling? Clever design.
''Will they be reprogramming a Warp Pad to transport these Neo-Injectors outside?'' I asked and Pink Pearl nodded before gesturing to follow her.
''Yes, we just need to wait outside and make sure that the teleportation doesn't tumble any of them afterward.'' She said before she began walking outside, and I followed along.
I would need to call down a few Jaspers and Rubys to help with the move. But, hopefully, the 'Stalwart' has enough space in its cargo hold to carry all the Injectors. If it doesn't have, I'll just split it with Lemon's and Lawn's Emerald ships, the 'Raspid Response', and the 'Tentinel Guard'.
Yes, they misspelled and permanently named their capital ships as such. No one knew but me, and I teased them about it endlessly. Oh, and the few Peridots in their ships that were under my command. I talked a lot with Peridots, and it was harmless knowledge.
…
''The Injectors have been properly stored, and secured with powerlines?'' I asked the Peridot standing next to my commanding chair, she nodded in reply before I grinned and turned on the fleet communicator.
''Attention, all ships! We will be entering Warp Travel in 5 minutes. Today we will make History! Today, we are the settlers of a new Colony, a new Colony under our Great Pink Diamond's name! We will finally expand! We will finally see new sights, slay filthy organics, and crush anything that stands in our path and dares to stand against the Great Diamond Empire! So, prepare to set sail, and prepare your weapons, for we are the New Frontier Battle Group! And we shall be the Spear that expands the borders of our Glorious Empire! That is all from your Admiral and Fleet Commander Mustard Emerald. We depart in 5 minutes.'' My voice echoed throughout the bridge, and into the other ships, all of them hearing my voice. And even if I had muted their voice channels, I could feel everyone cheering loudly at my speech.
I smiled, as I was subjected to the outlandishly loud Rubies and Jaspers cheering me on. They were the guard force to prevent any potential successful boarding action. Though they weren't the only ones cheering, everyone who wasn't occupied was, and even the ones that were seemed to be doing their damnedest in their assigned task.
Speeches weren't a thing. At least, not those given from a Gem to a Gem. Usually, it was a Diamond giving a speech to her Gems and those were… Extremely rare and usually lacking in actually uplifting the morale of the troops. Not that anyone would ever dare to voice such thought out loud, but it was a simple fact. The Diamonds weren't the most inspiring, besides Pink Diamond. I could see the hidden rosebud of true leadership in her.
Even if I still didn't like her that much. I still had no weapons in my ships! Even if finally I was allowed to retrofit them with a few laser weapons and ion canons. Which I only was allowed to have for ''Protecting the Future of the New Colony''. Not for self-defense, planetary bombardment, or anything. For the New Colony.
I only had to spend seventy decades begging my Diamond for this! Yay!
…
Watching Warp Space go by was fascinating. I now understood why Anakin Skywalker loved staring into it. It was simply beautiful. And wow… It has been centuries of this new life that I haven't read or watched any type of media.
I mean, there were broadcasts and ''videos'' of dancing Pearls meant for training purposes. But those weren't real entertainment when a new dance was only invented after a century. I was envious of the musical Gems. The Gems made specifically for music. Funnily enough, Blue Diamond and Pink Diamond were the ones that had most of them. Yellow had a few, but they were more military parade style. White Diamond… did something to them. I wasn't sure if she used them for music, or just fancy furniture.
Ignoring the shiver that went through my lightform, I refocused on my surroundings. Warp Travel wasn't a quick affair. Oh, sure, if you were using a Teleporter then it was instantaneous. Sadly, we were going into an ''uncharted'' part of this Galaxy. Actually, looking at the maps, we were going quite literally to the other side of the galaxy, the farthest possible, actually. We would be barely in the Galaxy's arm anymore. And that meant there weren't any charted Warp Lanes, or Warp Pads built to our destination.
Mostly due to those needing… Something something, Satellites, and communications hubs. I wasn't actually sure how the system worked, I sadly never paid attention to teleport talk as it was heavy in details and terms that only Peridots seemed to understand. Or Robonoids. But those sphere bots didn't talk, so they didn't count truly.
''Apple Peridot, how long will our Warp Travel be?'' I asked the Peridot standing next to me.
Apple Peridot was an interesting Peridot. She had her Gem in the same spot I had mine. On her left eye, and although not being Yellow in tone, she was a beautiful dark Apple green tone. She also for some reason liked how I dressed and mimicked me to a certain point. She had round handcuffs, and her hair was similar to mine.
(Insert Pic Here)
She blinked at me for a moment, before she picked up her holopad hanging from her belt and narrowing her eyes as a bunch of text scrolled past before what I swear was a calculator app was used before she responded, ''Uh… Roughly six months if we don't deviate from the path due to black holes or other space anomalies. If we deviate we should arrive there in a year or two, five at the latest, My Emerald.'' She said happily and I nodded as I hummed to myself in thought.
That would be a long while. I have become somewhat accustomed to my new body's sense of time, but it didn't remove my human sensibilities either. So I would need to preoccupy myself with something for five years at the worst, six months at best… Hmmm…
''Apple Peridot, prepare my war room. We will be needing to kill time.'' I rose from my commanding chair before looking around the bridge, ''Everyone who isn't required at the bridge, you are dismissed. Essential personnel are to stay, that includes you Jaspers and Rubies. Apple, I trust you to leave a skeleton crew of Peridots and rotate everyone in six-hour shifts. I don't want anyone growing bored or complacent.'' I ordered as I rose from the command chair, and left towards my war room, which was basically a board game room.
It did have a bunch of other actual military uses, as it was where the Military Training Sym was located but I barely touched that thing, so I had the Peridots modify it. Now it's a glorified HOI4/Stellaris-type game. Oh and a meeting room, but it wasn't used for that unless it was an emergency.