LOG-116.

  My thumb slid against the dark black pair of feathers, the digit shifting them slightly as I continued to stare at the charm carefully clutched in my hand.

  "Hold on a second-hey!"

  Small, gentle movements. Barbs moving along with the motions as I allowed older memories to come to the forefront of my mind.

  "Eeeeeeek!"

  It was little more than a long since depleted glow band in truth, with donated Avian feathers seemingly intertwined along its length. And yet I continued to fiddle with it nonetheless, tilting my head a little as the sound of incoming footsteps announced a newcomer.

  "You are the most beautiful Gem in the world, Viridian!"

  They were dainty and light, from what I could tell. That, combined with the fact that Ardent had told me what to expect, narrowed down the potential list of castes to another Pearl, or a particularly graceful Ruby.

  Swish.

  The lucky charm was safely stored back within my gemstone before the doors to the little storage closet I'd been told to wait within opened, allowing a peach coloured figure inside.

  "B-bashful Bismuths?"

  And there was the first half of the code I'd been given by my handler.

  "Surly Sapphires."

  My nonplussed tone seemed to wash over my counterpart as she quickly moved forward, hands coming together and a smile overtaking her delicate features.

  "Oh, good! I mean, I knew you'd joined us but part of me was still kind of worried and I guess I just was being a little paranoid and-"

  I took the time to really take in my fellow Pearl's appearance as she babbled to herself, her gloved hands gesturing at me wildly.

  "-figured a Gem of your talent wouldn't really have any big reason to-"

  The short fitted bodysuit encasing her body might have appeared odd for a servant, what with the high collar and sleeveless design. That is, if it wasn't accentuated by a sheer translucent skirt and a pair of similarly see-through shoulder pieces giving her that usual Pearl look.

  "-but Ardent said you seem to know your stuff so I suppose-"

  Her eyes were bright, almost bordering on orange, framed by short wavy bangs falling forth from what almost looked like a slight bob cut.

  "-it makes sense that you'd be dissatisfied with Imperial laws and regulations and-"

  The unknown Pearl let out a slight "eep!" right as I realised I'd gotten caught up admiring her design and raised a hand, firmly pressing a finger against her lips and nodding.

  Stars, I was lonely.

  "I'm Viridian Pearl order Sixteen B, but you can just call me Viridian. It's nice to meet you…?"

  At her slight mumble, I removed my offending digit and dashed the temptation to arrange a meeting with Sodalite out of my mind, ignoring the slight blush on her face as she stumbled over herself for a second before straightening and then ducking into a small bow.

  "O-Ochre Pearl order Twenty-nine D! But everyone calls me Ochre! Or uh-Truce! Truce when we're doing business!"

  I nodded along, giving her a slight smile as I did so.

  "Then I suppose you'll be calling me Star for the time being. So, Ardent told me to meet up with you, and that you'd take things from there."

  Bringing up a hand, I gestured towards the slightly jittery Pearl.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  "What's the plan, Truce?"

  Jumping up slightly, she turned and waved me along as she began to make her way towards the door.

  "Right this way! I'll explain as we walk!"

  Naturally, I followed.

  —

  For all her initial awkwardness, Truce was quick to let me know what to expect as we manoeuvred our way through rarely maintained corridors and relatively isolated chambers, slowly but surely getting closer to our destination. Wherever that was.

  "So! We're going to be meeting up with some Gems representing a local Fight cell operating within this region of space. They're really aggressive-though I mean, all Fighters kind of are, but being this close to an Imperial waystation is rather bold, even for them! Nonetheless, they're exactly who we're looking for, since they're willing to get their hands dirty on our behalf."

  Nodding, I glanced at the peach coloured Pearl out of the corner of my eye, idly brushing some hair out of my face in the same motion.

  "Right, they're rogue soldiers then, I presume. So I talk to them, explain our unfortunate prisoner's situation, and give them the details they need to do something about it?"

  Said details of course being important little factoids such as when and where Red would be transported, on what ship, and in what direction. After all, a direct rescue from within the Confluence was, frankly speaking, impossible.

  "I-yeah! Yeah, pretty much! Wow, you catch on fast!"

  What wasn't impossible was striking and boarding the vessel that would be transporting her. Namely, a Concordant-class shuttle, refitted to act as a miniature prison barge.

  "Let's just say I'm adaptable when it comes to these kinds of things. So, anything else important that you think I should know?"

  I paused as Truce abruptly reached out and grabbed my hand, shooting a glance towards the doors a few feet ahead of us.

  "Yes. So ah, I've been acting as this particular cell's envoy for a long time, so just…follow my lead when we're talking with them, alright? They can get rather brutish at times, but I can placate them so long as they're in a good mood."

  I blinked at that, but any response I could have made was promptly cut off as she tugged me forward, the doors opening in response to our proximity and admitting us inside.

  The room we strode into was, in a word, decrepit, even considering the state of the area around it. Save of course for a singular table set into the center of the place, there was little to nothing acting as decoration, aside from the two Gems all but lounging around inside.

  The first was what was unmistakable a Rutile, crimson form seated atop the table, legs swinging slightly, even as she turned to stare at us, the gemstone in place of her eye flashing.

  The second was an Aqua Quartz, judging by the colour of her lightform. Unlike the Rutile's modified outfit, which resembled overalls more than anything else, the warrior Gem leaning up against a nearby wall with her arms crossed still looked like a fresh Blue court military asset, the usual bodysuit fitting her frame tightly even as the navy gemstone on her shoulder practically absorbed the light around it.

  "Esteemed friends!"

  Truce was quick to step in front of me, arms spreading wide and a bright grin tugging her lips apart as she sketched out a polite looking curtsy to the pair, the Rutile hopping down off the table with a grunt and the Quartz inclining her head slightly, long wild hair following the motion.

  "You again. Guess you got something good for us, huh Pearl?"

  It was the rogue pilot that had responded first, her one eye narrowing slightly as she stepped right up to my counterpart, sneering.

  The effect was lost a little, considering Truce was actually slightly taller than her, but the Rutile made up for it with lean bulk and attitude, eyebrow arching as my fellow Fawn member took a step back.

  "Indeed! Star here has more information regarding the matter, if you'd just-"

  Whatever she'd been about to say, the Pearl was interrupted as the crimson Gem stepped forward, hand reaching out to grip her shoulder, before roughly shoving her to the side.

  Suffice to say, Truce went tumbling out of the way, right as my perhaps not so paranoid expectations for this meeting solidified.

  …Yeah. No.

  "Say less, I'll talk with your fancy new recruit. Alright greenie, spill. What's the info-"

  That's about as far as she got before I'd balled up a fist and planted it into her gut, the strike not doing all too much on its own, but bewildering the pilot long enough for my gauntlet to materialise over my other hand, right before the newly formed talons were wrapped directly around her gemstone, their sharpened edges digging ever so slightly into her lightform.

  Naturally, everyone froze as the situation went from a belligerent encounter to a potentially fatal one, the Rutile's eye widening even as Truce sent me a look of shock, the Quartz uncrossing her arms from behind her.

  My frown remained in place, voice terse as I tilted my impromptu hostage's head slightly.

  "Feel big, flygem? Feel tough knocking around Pearls? Hm?"

  My current mask adjusted, frown evolving into a picture perfect smile as I leaned forward, nose brushing against the Rutile's less pointy counterpart as I reverted back to my usual pleasant tone.

  "Now listen, I'm not here to deal with a little schist like you playing Kindergarten Quartz games. I'm here to plan out the rescue and liberation of a prisoner of Homeworld, to strike back at the Empire. Am I understood, Rutile?"

  It was one thing I'd learned while observing the Retaliator's crew, way back when. Sure, Emerald's Rutiles were significantly more well behaved than this one was, but that was with the usual strict military structure of the Empire keeping them in check. In a vacuum, the mass manufactured pilots tended to be audacious fuckers at the best of times. There was a reason Agates existed, after all. Unruly rank and file was one of them.

  And lacking Agate or not, I most certainly wasn't about to be bullied by what were supposed to be my new allies against the government, damn it.

  "You-"

  The sudden flash of terror was replaced by an attempt to rally, only for that in turn to be replaced by visible discomfort as I clenched my hand, the red Gem hissing as my talons sunk deeper into her lightform.

  "Am. I. Understood?"

  Another second of bravado, of resistance, before the pain finally overpowered the presumed embarrassment of getting schooled by a living decoration of a Gem.

  "Understood! You're understood! Lemme go!"

  I pulled, and the Rutile was dragged along with my hand, in part thanks to the claws embedded within her face and clinging to her gemstone.

  "You're understood what?"

  "My Pearl! You're understood my Pearl! Crack!"

  I rewarded the unnecessary curse with a scoff, before unsummoning my gauntlet and shoving her back towards the table, her gasping breaths failing to hide the thump of her side impacting with the piece of furniture.

  From there, I braced myself to dodge, eyes turning to check if the Quartz was going to retaliate on her fellow Fighter's behalf.

  …Only to pause at the sight of the blue Gem grinning at me, her own narrowed eyes turned towards Truce.

  "She acts nothing like the rest of you. Can she be the envoy instead?"

  All things considered, it really did take some level of effort not to snicker at my fellow Pearl's indignant squawk.