Meet your Maker (C: PD, Howl)

[Paddy]

Her brows twisted up, a slight downward tug at the corner of her lip as 1XR made a clearly dishonest show of emotion. But, the rest seemed completely true as far as she could tell. It wouldn't be in her interests to point out his conflicting emotional content, nor was it what this trial was about. Though she was curious, whatever had occurred between these two Howlites to drive the alpha to turn on one of his own pack, Padpara decided it was probably well deserved on 9XR's end. For the other Howlite she couldn't be sure, but it wasn't within her jurisdiction to question this gem. He had, after all, just sealed the bubble around this case. 


As her Diamond spoke her final statements, the wry smile that Padparadscha had such a hard time suppressing before threatened to show itself again. Each word fueled her growing satisfaction with the turn of events. The trial hadn't gone as expected, and she'd even made a few important realizations about gemkind, as well as herself. But it had gone quickly, and much more easily than she could've hoped. Now she listened as Pink Diamond voiced the verdict, and the sapphire found herself a bit more sober when she realized that the defendant wasn't going to be given capital punishment. The thought was unsavory for her on many levels, and it made her analyze the events that had transpired. 

The wrathful part of her wondered what value there could be in continuing to host this malfunctioning gem. If she was more honest with herself, she knew the trial had brought up some interesting things about this Howlite's past, and it seemed that the circumstances of his creation would be of a classified manner. No matter how much of a personal qualm she had with this particular criminal, it wouldn't be shrewd to simply destroy him, and she knew with certainty that her Diamond wouldn't tolerate a wasted opportunity for the gathering of valuable information. 

Her thought-spiral was interrupted when she heard her name pass through her ruler's lips. With her full attention snapped back up from her inner headspace, the sapphire gave a bow and a salute to acknowledge the order, but remained quiet as Pink Diamond tied up the case.
It was cathartic to hear the gemkind ruler make the definitive decision, and to finally see 9XR again reduced to his basic form.

With the case closed, Pink Zircon paid her respects to her superiors, then sneaked a triumphant smirk in the direction of the gem who had threatened her not so long ago, before she disappeared in a flash of light, on her way to prepare for the next courtroom clash. 

[Order Of The Diamonds]

She let out a small hmm,echoing through the empty chamber as only two gems were left standing in the room. She brought up a small screen next to her,tapping on it as she began to speak "I have a small side mission for you" She paused "I suppose it more of a warning to air on the side of caution" She seemed to bring up a profile on the second Howlite gem 1XR. It was more of a hunch,but she had been around long enough,and had lead long enough to realise something was at least partially amiss.

"While i understand that my Sister has her...tenacity for experiments, things don't seem to add up" She noted "She tends not to waste a perfectly good bouts of violence, and for a fellow Howlite to be able to induce a control trigger on such a temperamental specimen,and to not tell me, no,why 1XR as opposed a gem designed for such work, and why would a Gem of such Hubris as 9XR call a Witness that would testify against him, he was already incriminated beyond belief,and on this base or wherever they worked,they would easily have refuge from him so a threat would not factor into it." She rallied off,half explaining to the Sapphire,half noting to herself.

"So then the question is" She posed to Sapphire "a gem fully incriminated,a witness easily safe from the accused, the accused calling in said witness, a trial far away from where they work, a story that throws them in a sympathetic light, What was 1XR really doing here?" She questioned, of course she had her own theories, she was up to something,planning something behind the scenes,and throwing 9XR under the bus helped that somehow. It threw 1XR in the limelight,made her seem innocent,trying to be trusted,to get on Pink Diamonds good side, to let her put her guard down and to distract Pink Diamond with the perfect hook,information on her planet, and while she would be distracted with Howlite,it would allow 1XR to set up the pieces she needs,to start putting her own agenda in motion.

[Paddy]

Padparadscha stood at attention, with every ounce of focus in her devoted to the words of her ruler. When Pink Diamond finished posing her question, the sapphire brought her hand to her chin, and tapped her finger to it as her eyes wandered around the room. It seemed that both the aristocrat and the Diamond had similar suspicions about this trial, and the unorthodox events that had unfolded during the questioning of their final witness. Though before she hadn't allowed her thoughts to spiral down that path, she realized now its importance to her Diamond, and thus to herself. 

"Your majesty, I had found it peculiar myself, that 1XR had taken the route that he did. The display of emotion had been completely disingenuous, as told by my sense for the truth," She considered out loud as she began to pace, and continued to speak her stream of consciousness, so that her Diamond would be able to see the path she was thinking along, "Indeed, the whole story that 1XR gave seemed strange. Yet, 1XR seemed to genuinely believe the story he told. I found it particularly odd when he made mention of a rogue peridot but chose to omit more specific information about that when Pink Zircon moved into further questioning. 1XR has presented himself as central to the control of 9XR, and to be sure, this looks to be a flashy attempt to elevate his own status, or perceived usefulness," She stopped pacing for a moment, suddenly realizing she'd succumbed to that habit of hers in front of the gem she respected more than any other.

Before she continued, and clasped her hands behind her back."--and, this could have been an attempt at revenge of some kind. Considering the nature of the accused gem, it is likely to think that the Alpha of his pack was particularly interested in assuring that there was no shadow of doubt, even at the expense of convention. The shock value of such a move could-- and did-- bring considerable attention to the things he was saying. Perhaps 1XR agreed to be a witness to allow him a high platform to speak from, to get rid of 9XR in order to free up space on his team and to tie up loose ends, even to assure his own safety in the long run. Though, it's clear he had an interest in saying these specific things, in the presence of not only the prosecution, but the judiciary. My Diamond, it's entirely possible this has been a multifaceted effort to not only garner prestige, and to draw attention, but to rid himself of a persistent problem...perhaps even to direct attention away from smears on his own record or behavior. 9XR has been left to run amok on Earth specifically, which would appear to be a personal failure on the alpha howlite's account..."

Padpara realized that she didn't know anything about the gem in question. Could further investigation reveal something unsightly about this alpha howlite? It burned at her to not know the identity of the peridot that had been mentioned. The sapphire had been so wrapped up in her thinking that she didn't realize she'd begun pacing again. Her expression was hard as she tried to figure out what could possibly have been the true motive. She considered the fact that this whole experiment had been connected to Yellow Diamond, even sanctioned by her from the sound of 1XR's story. With that idea, a bolt hit her. "9XR's defects had been designed for, by this... mystery peridot that 1XR mentioned, in an apparent attempt to upgrade the Howlite model...but that peridot is just a scapegoat, someone designed 9XR with a specific outcome in mind, and let him loose to test his abilities on a colony that has yet to be stabilized, perhaps an entirely premeditated power-grab strategy..." She stopped before saying any more, and cleared her throat before looking back up to Pink Diamond. The sapphire had never even laid eyes on Yellow Diamond, but the warlike nature of the military's commander in chief brought thoughts to her mind that she didn't want to consider. Was 1XR the mastermind, or were his strings being pulled as much as 9XR's? Was this peridot the one making the moves, or was there something else going on? She cut off that line of thought. "Though it's all speculation without further evidence, your luminosity,"