Mysterious Hierarchies ((Paddy))

[Mad Azurite]

A gem with a purpose, a job? This question honestly hadn’t crossed either of the solders’ minds as the Amethyst, whether she was mulling to herself out loud or truly asking a question to the two seemed to garner their attention. Azurite and Chevron looked at each other first as if hoping one would have an answer, but there was something of a creative conundrum here spiraling within them. Azurite honestly wasn’t sure, part of her wanted to simply say they should make a solder like her, but she felt that was taking a shortcut. Having the chance to do something this awesome, why stagnate it with the same ol’ thing? Chevron, without really voicing it seemed to share something similar in terms of ideas, the gem's inherent free nature couldn’t keep her imagination from spiraling, maybe the gem could have more than one purpose? Maybe they could make a gem with near infinite purpose, completely capable of anything she wished. But, then the strangest idea hit home with the winged-gem, what if a they made a gem with no purpose? The look in the violet eyes of her become so confounded at the thought, would the gem be like a stone statue? Idle in everyway, completely and utterly without reason for a thing in world? The thought terrified her almost as she rounded her gaze on the machine, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. “V’e should be care’felle.” She’d say, “V’ould z’eh gem vi’zouth reason be nu’zing more z’an a statue?” at these words, Azurite looked over, “Iunno,” her mind instantly shifted, the only thing she could reference was her movies, she recalled humans believed they really had no innate purpose, it had to be decided on their own. And, yet somehow they managed an existence, one she really couldn’t fathom. All she ever knew was being a solder, and maybe an honor-guard when it called for it.

Serendibite watched, listening carefully, her interested gaze shifting at the mention of a gem without a ‘job.’ Or in this case, a role, an obvious ideal of many gems would have trouble fathoming, something that truly peeked her interest, it was something that made her eyes light up with a knowing desire. Her desire to know, and see. “Why not?” She’d push them, the light in her eyes beaming as she leaned over, and Cocoa seemingly looked over at her mistress with knowing smile. “This is but an experiment, naught but a concept, an idea. Why not, make a being with no true purpose? What would it be? Useless? Or unpredictable, without its own defined purpose, what if it could make its own?” Serendibite would lean back crossing her legs as she continued, “Nothing you do here will be subject to scrutiny, as said, it is an experiment after all.” She smiled, something like a hidden intent behind her stoic eyes, “For the betterment of our kind, after all.”

The two snow agates seemed to be enwrapped in each other, so their actions seemed less pronounced, but Azurite looked back Amethyst with a hunch of her shoulders, Chevron seemingly torn between the idea of trying something new, or just making something typical, a normality in a sense as it worried her to play with the idea of a gem’s supposed choices.

[Paddy]

As Padparadscha listened to Serendibite, the on-edge fury that she had been holding onto for hours was checked from its ledge, ability to hold herself back plummeting as she angled herself toward the gem, lowering her brows. In those moments she had thoroughly solidified this lapidary as an ideological enemy, someone she would never see eye to eye with even if they were less disparate in physical height.

The sapphire's eyes slid over to the soldiers who took post in front of the machine,"How completely absurd. A gem made without purpose isn't like a statue," She spoke rather calmly despite the boiling anger that shot through her in those moments, but her tone was low. Her hands curled into fists as her eyes wandered away from the other gems,"A gem without purpose is defective. She has to ride her whole life on the recommendations of her superiors. If she can get them. From then on she can never play her own role, she always has to play someone else's. Always reaching but never grasping, she has to rely on others to legitimize herself, constantly battling for perfection to prove her worth," She looked squarely at Clinohumite, before her eyes swept back up to the lapidary,"A gem created with purpose can reach perfection naturally. Even organics can apply purpose in numerous ways, but gems...it's different, especially when every gem is ultimately a servant of the Diamonds," She shook her head,"Perhaps it is my Pink Court philosophies, lapidary, but I take moral quandary with that notion. I do not know that I could allow my servant to take part in an experiment where life is played with in such a manner," The regret she had for her own involvement fell around her, and her anger began to shake through the deep foundation she tried to hold it back with.  

Clino had a wide-eyed stare as the sapphire spoke, eyes glued onto the aristocrat, before they snapped away and she blinked. The deputy detective stood in rumination over everything the soldiers, the lapidary, and the noble had said. It stood to reason that the one who knew most about this process would be the lapidary, yet she couldn't deny that what the other gems had said resonated with her as well. She felt she was just a shred away from understanding what was truly going on here, it was nearly on the tips of her fingers. All she had to do was keep listening, it seemed. 

6UE just shrugged back at Azurite when the gem peered toward her. She always hated it when Padparadscha got like this. Amethyst rolled her eyes and glowered at the menu as she tried to tune out her superior. As difficult as it was for the soldier to imagine not having a role, she almost wanted to make a gem who wouldn't just for the sake of making Padparadscha angrier; it wasn't as if 6UE could lose this job again, might as well go wild. It was then the soldier began to do what she had originally imagined doing just for laughs-- but now it was more emotionally charged. Her finger slid across the screen as she threw in an absurd assortment of traits, many contradictory toward one another, some ludicrous all together. She mixed it together, until she was satisfied with the personality she had created,"Well I think this gem's purpose is to be an experiment, yeah?" 6UE piped up, grumbling through not just the present tension, but tension she too had been holding onto since the moment she was told she wasn't good enough,"So lets see what happens," She turned the dial and confirmed her choices, then crossed her arms to imply there was no going back. 

[Mad Azurite]

Serendibite had just seemed to relax when the noble threw out her retort on the matter, despite the calm façade the gem was trying to put on, it was obvious something was causing her to voice an opinion. At mention of the moral quandaries, the large gem tilted her head but then was thrown off as sudden high-pitched laughter echoed through the room. Her attention shifted immediately to Cocoa who was so distraught with laughter that she seemed to be having trouble concentrating. She had sat in front of archives of this noble long enough to get a gist of what she was saying, how hilarious, how mediocre and self-demeaning! “Yes, yes, sapphire, I know of a gem who fits that description so perfectly. Near-defective, only able to make a choice of reason through her standards of being an absolute failure and kissing the hooves of her authorities, how simply ironic and comedic can this one get.” She’d taunt, staring back at the noble after her protest to the matter with toxic glare complimented with a smug grin. “Cocoa!” Serendibite would say sternly, and the gem would immediately look up, and make a lackluster attempt at faking guilt for her actions, though it was obvious she truly meant it. Chevron and Azurite stared at each other with confused looks before looking over at the Amethyst who went to type in a varying amount of personality traits.

Serendibite looked back to the noble, “Morals? My dear, this is the realm of science, for the betterment of our kind some morals must be crushed in order to succeed,” she tilted her head, “And here I thought someone working under the Pink Court of all things would know of the sacrifices of these kindred moralities and laws we try so hard to define as absolute, these would be but the under workings of a greater or realizable goal of society, no?” She motioned towards the machine, “Let us see how defective this monstrosity will really be, let the lesson teach us—the experience, not the idle mind which chooses only to imagine—and not to seek.” She would look back with a look of growing interest.

Azurite stared into the personality complex the other solder was creating, her brows lifted widely and chevron joined to also stare at it with a questionable look, what in world was this supposed to be. Chevron again became worried, but she stood back as the gem seemed to solidify her choices and watched as Azurite shifted towards the other controls. “Hell yeah! An experiment yo! So Cocoa Bean.” She’d say shifting her head to Cocoa who was still hanging a dangerously smug grin at the noble, who had to snap out of a trance practically to understand what was going on, “What happens if I say, do this?” she turned one of the parameters up to maximum and the gem’s silhouette in terms of height skyrocketed while Cocoa practically went dead into shock, “That … is the height parameters, Azurite. And at the moment we haven’t installed any limiters to this portion of the gem creation process.” She shot a look to Serendibite, who actually smiled with excitement at the thought of what these gems were about to make.

[Paddy]

The sapphire's eyes widened as the pearl caught on to the undercurrent of what she was saying. By Padparadscha's determination, Cocoa was quite astute, intelligent, but unwise. Tactics such as these were in themselves a sort of deception, a deflection, compounding onto the noble's distaste for this situation entirely. "It's interesting you find comedy in that story, with these circumstances in mind. It is every gems' duty to serve their superiors to their fullest, notably a pearl's," She turned to more fully face Cocoa, casting her boiling gaze firmly onto the pearl. The sapphire's own past wasn't without purpose, but her purpose was kept on a shelf just outside of her reach, until the rebels could be defeated. It would be a comedic irony indeed, if this pearl were to have her own purpose taken and placed too far from grasp, but close enough to see, close enough to taunt her, "I don't think I've ever seen such an honest pearl. Well, I quite like honest gems," She remained calm, but her words dripped with venom as her eyes dug into Cocoa. That sort of gem was the easiest to deal with in the interrogation chamber; gems who couldn't hold back their expressions, especially of disdain, were often the most quickly processed in the court of law.  

As she continued, she addressed Serendibite,"It's true, highly experimental things have occurred under my Diamond's sanctioning. But ethics teaches us what science doesn't have to. Without the guidance of morality, your experiments lead to conclusions that could've been made preliminary. Observe," She gestured toward the machine as Azurite played with the height of the gem,"What would happen, say, if these soldiers produced an enormous, catastrophic gem, and it burst into a rage upon its inception? Well, such a gem would cost resources to be made, and to be put down. Especially, of course, if such a thing was loosed into my Diamond's star system, and it subsequently destroyed everything. What is there to gain from such experimentation? Perhaps you find my little parable unpragmatic, but an application of ethics would prevent far more impractically from unfolding," There was a greater fear of Padparadscha's, but she hid it within her words, knowing it would be unwise to outright say what her true concern was. 

Amethyst caught what Cocoa had said to Padparadscha, and completely froze. There were things a gem just shouldn't say to an aristocrat, not under any circumstances, and especially not to one like Padparadscha; a gem that 6UE had watched sentence countless gems in the courtroom, sending them to their reintegration "conditioning"-- to be experimented on, or to be shattered. Some just disappeared, taken out of the record completely. All the same, 6UE wasn't in the mood to send aid to Cocoa, and it seemed from Padparadscha's words that the matter had already been settled. She glanced over to what Azurite was working on, and pressed her lips,"Stars, no limits?" Ame said, a bit of a grin forming as she glanced over what the other soldiers had so far,"Might as well make the wildest thing you can," The words caused the sapphire's eyebrow to twitch as she turned her ire into her servant's direction. 

Clinohumite stood stunned by what she heard, and she swiveled to look at the machine,"This!" She sputtered as she began to walk around it,"This creates gems! Data noted," She squeezed herself between the soldiers to look at what they were all doing. Then, she climbed up onto the panel, much to Amethyst's surprise, and the small orange gem began scaling the machine until she could put her face right up to the clear viewing chamber,"Aha!" Her muffled voice projected back, excitement clear in her tone despite the tension that had blanketed the room,"Continue! More data is required!" 

[Mad Azurite]

Chevron beam as the orange gem pushed between them, her heart lit up, she wanted to—more than anything, greet this gem properly, to say things with them, converse was it? Befriend? In fact it set the pour gems heart on fire to do so and when the gem suddenly clambered the excitement that seemed to ignite her own curiosity was shared between the two newly formed gems, she’d for a moment reconsider her next actions with a finger on her lip, and then extend her wing’s with a well-placed flap to raise up and to the chamber the deputy had clambered onto. Her smile would grow wider, “Bonjour! Madame~ I’ee am zeh Chevro’nne Amethyst, it’ees a pleas’erre to meet you!” Azurite stared up at the two and wondered what exactly they were doing, but that wasn’t the time for that, right now, she had a gem to make a crazy gem worth making.

Cocoa was almost distracted by the two as well, but decided she would leave that to them being young gems and shifted her head to the sapphire who stared at her with a knowing venom behind her eyes, which the two met each other with almost instantly, “Honest enough, for you at least. Little twat.” She mutter under her breath viciously, the smile on her face not leaving as the words of this ignorant little noble wouldn’t faze her.

Serendibite listened carefully, an odd response considering. She had many workings within the various courts, she wondered just how dark they fell how intertwined, she knew what she was about to say would reveal some things to the sapphire, but at this point she had played her hand, her honesty might be appreciated. “You speak of ethics, of guidance and morality, and yet it was our Pink Diamond who gave her graces towards Harvester experiment that you and my creation stumbled across within that derelict facility, was it not?” She looked down on the sapphire with knowing eyes, “A truly great leader, especially of a society of this kind, is ready to employ researches, revolutions in technology—even if that study may come at the expense of the gems around them. Your leader knows this, and yet you seem to not see it yourself.” She looked to the machine, “The construction of a monster does not worry me, and this ship can handle whatever this machine throws at us, if my Agates cannot.” She motioned toward the two.

Azurite played with the dials, “Dude I can give her wings!?” She said looking at Cocoa, who shifted her attention to the gem with boredom, “Yes, you can.” Azurite clicked the button several times, and Cocoa’s eyes widened as she watched as Azurite gave the gem form … an asymmetrical amount of wings? She shook her head at this wild frenzy of creativity, eight eyes, seven wings, long naturally braided feather-like hair, in something of a mix between rose-braids and spreading locks, three tails with … large scorpion like daggers on them sporting scaling feathering and all the forms of carapaces? Sharpened animalistic teeth, and … she was at least ten meters high. Surprisingly, the gem did have a butt, it seemed the azurite resisted her urges after all. She had the weird commingling of a pearl and amethyst as if though she had just mashed together two templates for the body.

[Paddy]

Padparadscha stood in stunned silence as she looked at Serendibite, forgetting the pearl for a moment. It seemed she had entirely miscalculated the motives of this gem, bringing to light for her why it had been so hard to understand her maneuvers. The sapphire began to wonder if her sworn enemy's assessment of this gem had been correct; she was more than a designer who chiseled prototype gems into existence-- she was completely mad with power, imposing purposeless, ineffective, or completely diabolical gems into the universe simply to see what happened, to test the boundaries of gemkind's form. Whether this activity was sanctioned by the Diamonds or not-- well, at least one Diamond seemed to sponsor it. The aristocratic detective seemed to lose luster from her hue, going pale as she ruminated over the implications of what Serendibite had said.  

Reference to the harvester brought the crime scene flooding back to her. It was an image she, Yelle, and Hematite would never escape; what heinous technology, and it had a certain ruler's name plastered all over it, but it wasn't Pink Diamond. Padparadscha's brows lowered as her terror and fury commingled. This remained a 1090 situation that she and her entourage had to escape from as soon as possible, she knew that for certain. "Yes, my Diamond works with what she is given, she makes do. That is all I have to say on this matter, lapidary," The sapphire muttered. What she really wanted to say, about Yellow Diamond, about every gem in this room aside from 6UE, she wouldn't dare say. It would be far too unwise to say anything more, especially now that her data had been appropriated to eyes that weren't meant for it, on top of the things she'd already hinted to Serendibite before. 

Amethyst, perhaps the only gem who hadn't been in some way involved in this conspiracy-- until of course Padparadscha had dragged her into it. The sapphire felt guilt for the way 6UE's employment had been handled, but it would be for the soldier's own good to be taken off of the investigations unit. Hopefully the quartz gem would never have to know how close she had flown to the sun, being connected to the sapphire's off-record research. 

But, for now, 6UE could only be embittered by the constant reminders of her failure to live up to expectations, and by the alienation of the snow agates. It was hard for her to be anything but dour in the moment, especially as her eyes lingered between Azurite's creative vision, her own quite ludicrous trait determinations, and Clinohumite, who remained clinging to the machine as Chevron flew up to greet her. Amethyst sighed; seeing how independent the newest gem among them was reminded her that the gem they were creating would too be its own sovereign being, at least in Amethyst's world view she was. For a moment she was disturbed by how much her own irritation could get to her, and in light of what she saw Azurite doing, scratched the back of her neck, and clicked the dial, going back on her own earlier resolve to make edits to the unmade gem's demeanor. 

The corner's of Clino's lips tugged downward as her head swiveled to see Chevron,"Data noted, you are a custom amethyst," She declared,"-- but I must focus on my primary investigation, and the next one after that. I will need more data about you for investigation 056A, remain within vicinity," But, speaking of her primary investigation, it seemed the gem who was in charge of detailing the abilities for the next new gem had left her post. Clino climbed down a bit to observe the different panels as the two remaining soldier's worked, then she glanced back up to Chevron,"Perhaps more data is required now," She pointed toward the empty panel,"How do you approach this gem creation business? Is this part of your function?" 

[Mad Azurite]

The lapidary’s eyes fluttered shut at the noble’s response, she seemed in thought for a moment—before returning her attention to the three gems--now four, who were grouped around the machine’s controls, Cocoa backing off herself as she stared at the literal titan the gems were making. She would look over at her own creator, something of a bit of worry in her eyes but Serendibite herself seemed unfazed by whatever daunting creation the group was coming up with, instead she had an interested smile, and beyond a doubt was excited to see what was being made. And tho now words were spoken between the two, it was obvious something was happening between the lapidary and her assistant as they seemed quite focused on each other for a moment.

Mistress … this thing could be dangerous. Its personality traits and physical form are all over the place.
If it comes to be violent, I’ll step in personally, if I have to.

Cocoa seemed to take a deep breath, it had been a long time since she's she recalled a moment that her mistress would be ready to step into a situation like this. But even more so, she hadn’t seen her mistress so excited to be a part of a creative working in while too. A silent excitement that the pearl was sure only she could read in her for being around her for so long now.

Chevron tilted her head in confusion at the gem, something signature of her emotional responses as she lowered her head and listened carefully to the other gem, “Uh … O’v’ell …I shall be here’ ee’f needed madam.” But before she could really process what just happened, it seemed it was up to her to perform the next few actions necessary to the process. She’d use her wings to slow herself as she stepped off the set chamber she and the deputy had perched and landed softly beside her. Azurite stepping away from her terrifying example of a masterpiece after adding a few more hidden gems to the gem form. “Done, you turn.” She motioned to Chevron, and the gem stared at the gem form in horror, “Miser Azurite, z’is z’ing is a monst’erre, ‘vhy did you make ee't so b’eeg?” She mentioned shaking her head, wanting to answer the deputy’s question but was quite in shock of the amount of … assets this gem form had.

“Artistic freedom.” She would mention, crossing her arms proudly. “Gotta put your heart in it, ya know?” She’d say and stare at Chevron sheepishly, as the gem gave her that, ‘the hell is wrong with you,’ look. Chevron looked back at the console, she recalled what the deputy said and looked, “No, Madam. Z’ees ee’s not my oree’ginalle function. I v’as made here toda’e--jus’ like you.” She would scroll through the strange functions and various tools used to distinguish a gems’ basic abilities. “I’ee am not so fortunate as you, my funct’een ee’s a Sentin’elle Class Scout Un’eet.” She’d mention as the knowledge poured more from her innate programming than her consciousness. She would then begin the process of giving this gem abilities.

[Paddy]

The new orange gem waited patiently for Chevron's answer, looking toward her expectantly until she offered her words. Then, Clino's brows shot up,"What!" One free hand slapped to the side of her head as she made the realization,"I see! We were made here! It all makes sense. Investigation 001A concludes, commencing investigation 002A," She again gave a look over to the panel, waiting for Chevron to finish what she was doing.  

Padparadscha swiveled, unwilling to see what would be created if her sentiments wouldn't be heeded by this lapidary, chocolate pearl, the soldiers, or even Clinohumite. Instead she would turn a blind eye for now, stewing on everything that occurred. She stepped away, toward the door, and pulled up her holopanel to begin communication with her own pearl. She knew her files could be invaded by these gems somehow, so kept her messages in code, to be sure that her plan wouldn't be picked up on. There wasn't much that could be done now, she would have to make due with this situation, but later there could be action.


Amethyst chuckled at Chevron's reaction to Azurite's creation. Though she didn't want the gem they made to be overly dangerous or volatile, she did imagine this would make a great soldier; one that had a bit of each of her creators in her; she was huge and probably had a good punch behind her that would be great in close combat, plenty of mid-range options with her decidedly monstrous but also effectively menacing look, and whatever sort of abilities she was given would determine the rest of her capabilities. 6UE was sure Chevron would give the gem a thoughtful set of powers. She leaned onto the machine, crossed her arms and peered over to the panel, curious about what the other amethyst would offer this creation. After the changes 6UE had made in the gem's personality, she was less concerned that their collective project would end up being squandered due to having an unpleasant temperament, and perhaps her patron wouldn't be as mad at her by the end of the mission.

"So, what should we call this gem?" Amethyst piped up, feeling a bit lighter in mood due to the uplifting presence of Azurite and Chevron, and the fact that prior antagonists seemed to be receding,"Maybe...hmm...something unexpected?" 

[Mad Azurite]

Chevron gave the deputy a smile, she was certainly strange, but she didn’t truly sense anything malevolent about her so far. She couldn’t say the same between whatever the two gems have been working on here, the unborn beast. She partially wished she had been looking over them while they were working on their portion of the process—both to keep them in check and to have a better understanding of what she should go by. It was then she noticed a small set of digits below the temperament levels of the gem, and they actually seemed quite calm; but though she was worried about its height and terrifying appearance, she trusted that is was really whatever ‘creative freedom,’ this gem was talking about. She put her trust in that they were making something responsible, even if lacking a bit in the depart subtly. She looked at each individual in the room, devising powers necessary for protecting and not harming others? This to her was the most difficult part—she wanted the gem to make a difference, somewhere down the line, they needed to be gifted with something that could represent that idea.

Her eyes lit up as she thought of her first ability, something of a healing ability would suffice, an aura even, that healed gems around them—she felt it would be impossible for the gem to sustain this aura for a long amount of time; and she could easily harm herself if the power drained her energy considerably, so instead insured it would not only activate by other special means, for their own protection really; but very specific ones to insure she isn’t misused. The other, well, on the subject of healing, made her wonder—when early today she had seen the sapphire and her ailed mental state—something that still confused her, but the idea of it was enough to make her wonder if the gem could aid in the psychological health of an individual as well. She went through the various controls, devising a method that this gem would utilize in a form of energy induced psycho-therapy. It had its limits, but just being the gem who heals minds seemed to give her rare use in and out of combat.

Azurite stood over her shoulder, but from where she was standing she could barely see what the short-winged gem was coming up with. Since she couldn’t tell, she looked over 6UE instead and listened in on the rather interesting question she had given, what were they going to call this gem. “Iunno, I was gonna let the machine choose if it does, but if you’ve got something better?” They could come up with something better, honestly. “uh,” she looked to Chevron who had seemed to be finalizing some of her details and pulled away from the screen with an expectant look in her eyes. “I’ee have fee’nished.” She would say and pull herself from the machine, clocking in her final points signifying they were ready to activate the device. Azurite thought for a moment, along with the other gem on a name, “Got any ideas?” She’d ask as she look over at the two as she shifted her gaze between them.

[Paddy]

Padparadscha eyed the other gems from over her shoulder and tried to stifle a sneer, then looked back down at the data chip that made up her Clinohumite design. This was something she shouldn't have, and shouldn't have done. Hindsight was often a cruel nitpicker, however, and she decided she would have to make the best of what she'd done, what Serendibite had gifted to her. But now she was entirely unable to understand this ideological enemy, as far as that went she couldn't tell up from down-- what was the lapidary's true motive? That question dug at her as she continued to stew near the door. K-sigma had destroyed very sensitive data that she couldn't retrieve, and that likely meant the powers that be knew of her investigation, or at least parts of it. Was this all a calculated affront through the chain of command? That was the only conclusion the sapphire could come to. 

Amethyst pulled one arm up, and braced her elbow as she rubbed her chin, thinking. "Well, she seems like some kind of quartz to me," There weren't many other gem types 6UE knew of, so a list of the quartz she knew of scrolled through her mind,"Hmm..." She looked carefully over the gem's abilities, leaning over the panel to see what Chevron had made. It surprised her to see healing abilities with this gem, but it was a pleasant surprise; nothing would be able to stop this beastly gem on the battlefield, the idea of that brought a bit of a grin to Amethyst's face. She continued to think over the gem's appearance, and about the personality she'd given the gem; she would be often quick-thinking and level-headed, yet sometimes playful and outspoken, but she had some out-there idiosyncrasies. Amethyst gave a small smile,"Why not something like Heliotrope?"

"But I expected that you would call the gem after some sort of quartz," Clino piped up as she perched on a stationary arm of the machine, swinging her legs, seeming rather carefree at the moment,"You were going to name the gem something unexpected? Call her Pink Diamond," Amethyst would've thought Clino was joking, if it weren't for the matter of fact delivery of the supposed joke; or was the deputy's sense of humor just that dry?

6UE gave a snort, and put up her hands in a playfully defensive gesture,"Hey now, I might get shattered if I did that," She glanced in the direction of Padparadscha, who was essentially glowering in the background, then quickly swiveled to glance back at the panel before her sapphire could catch her staring,"Besides, I think this would be the most unexpected quartz I'd ever seen,"

 

[Mad Azurite]

“Heliotrope?” Azurite thought to herself, she wasn’t even sure what a Heliotrope was, she’d punch the name it—and various sub facets would appear, but they seemed to share the same color at an effect, deeply hewn reds of almost scarlet color, and the sable behind it—a powerful color theme. One that Azurite couldn’t help but like to be honest. Chevron would also watch and then shifted a confused gaze to Clinohumite as her ‘humorous,’ side started to show. She’d smile, but then her comrade’s reply about being shattered immediately turned her face into serious concern. Was this pink diamond truly so cruel she would shatter them just for expressing a little creative expression? Today and this moment, had been so fun, she truly was enjoying herself, and this only compacted a fear in the gem’s heart, when she was finally sent away to do her business, would she still be able to enjoy what she was enjoying now?

She seemed to grown quite, but in the event of the discussion, she warmed back up saying, “Helio’troppe?” and smiled, “Zat t’ees fine, yes?” She’d say looking over at Azurite, who would smile and nod. Azurite would then look to Clinohumite, put an around the gem’s shoulder and laughed, “Ya’know for a weirdo you’re kind of cool!” She’d say, “Funny at least.” And then shift her attention to the assistant, Cocoa, who seemed very deep in thought. “Yo, chocolate noodle, this badass is ready to go,” Where the pearl seemed to have wake herself from a chance, and glanced at the three. “Ah—so your little experiment is done? Hm.” She would stand and make gestures that she was practically shooing them from the console as stepped between them and observed whatever madness these gems had come up with.

Serendibite leaned in curiously all the more excited to see what these gems had created. She wanted to ask cocoa if it was indeed a monster, but the calm look on her assistance face spoke more than enough, it would

“Well, all I need from you three is a confirmation that the gem is finished, once complete, you can press this right here to start the crafting portion." Azurite looked over the gemstone’s details, “I’m good with this, you two good with this?” She’d ask, and Chevron would nod and smile as and then look to the amethyst for her say.

[Paddy]

The smile on Amethyst's face widened as the other gems seemed to take a liking to the name, which she found fitting herself considering the gem's attributes. At the same time, a look of shock shot over Clino's expression as Azurite put her arm around her shoulder, and she didn't quite know what was meant by the soldier's words. Her head swiveled toward the Honor guard's, brows furrowed,"I am a-- cool, funny, weirdo?" She tapped the side of her cheek as she thought about it,"Observations noted. I shall commence further rumination over these implications as a part of investigation 057A," She spoke to Azurite as if reassuring her, and gave a shallow nod of her head. Clino's arm then timidly shaded upward in attempt to copy the action the guardian had made, she placed her unexpectedly heavy hand fairly gently onto Azurite's shoulder and gave an awkward smile.


After Azurite and Chevron gave their approval to the creation of this new gem, Amethyst paused for a moment. As a quartz, she never imagined she'd ever do something like this. The opportunity only came because of her involvement with Padparadscha's classified investigations, and it reminded her of how excited she'd been when she'd been picked to be the aristocrat's field bodyguard. She gave a heavy sigh, and her eyes flicked across the other soldiers, the deputy, then landed on Cocoa,"Yeah, I wanna meet her already," She gave a light grin and lowered her voice,"Might be fun to see her arm-wrestle your boss,"


Meanwhile, as the other gems voices projected over the room, the sapphire couldn't help but to overhear that this gem was going to be made after all, despite every reservation. Her hands balled into fists with her culminating frustrations. Stubbornly she resisted giving attention to the matter, as much as she felt alienated by the rest of the gems in the room; it especially stung that Clinohumite had chosen to place so much interest there. For her, an aristocratic judicary, to be ignored in such a manner was an affront, but she had grown bitterly use to this sort of treatment after disembarking from Homeworld.


Then, it dawned on the investigator that every gem in the room (as far as she knew) had their attention on the templater. She glanced over the room, and frowned; everything was shuttered and sealed, it would be a difficult escape from this room if Heliotrope were to arrive in a bad mood. Restlessly she began to skirt along the wall, looking for possible routes of escape, weak points that she could use her plasma with, along with anything else of interest such as cameras and computers. Then, she swiveled back to the door, eyes hovering on it as she contemplated further-- would anyone notice if she tried to leave? This would be quite an opportune moment to do some back-door research, after all. Padparadscha glanced over her shoulder, and shuffled quietly toward the exit. 

[Mad Azurite]

Azurite looked the deputy up and down as she gave her response, and then her eyes became something tender with warm emotion, especially as the gem managed to return her joke with a true attempt at ‘embracing invaded space,’ and put her arm around her shoulders. Her shark-like smile took most of her expression as she returned the gem a happy guttural laugh, “Ain’t much to observe here, but whatever gets you going.” Then her eyes shifted to the console as Ame gave her response. She beamed up along with Chevron who watched as the pearl frowned at the three—or four now was it? She was getting too old for this. It was almost enough to shatter Chevy's joy for a moment to see Cocoa cast her that ‘look,’ but then the idea that she, Azzy and Ame’s creation would be suddenly brought to life, seemed far more interesting than what could be seen as Cocoa’s usually brooding temperament. She would give another tired sigh, and then lift a thin finger to activate creation process.

The machine flickered to life, the various arms holding countless plasma cutters and detailing styluses would start making measured initial passes—lasers measuring against what was at first empty space—but as the energy of the strange capacitors shot-on and various minerals in some form of gem-like primordial ooze filtered into the space, harsh stone flooded the chamber where a flash of super-heated ions seemed to rush the melding process substantially. Eventually unshaped glowing stone was in view, and from here the strange blackened blacks couldn’t hide the ominous blood-red tinges of light which washed over the room. Seren was at this point, completely on attention—part of her knew it would be risky to allow someone, or these three really, who barely worked with this sort of creative utility the access to this kind of power. They could make a monster, there was truth to this—but she also knew they could do something she couldn’t—but inspire their own wave of creativity, something she could learn from.

As the beams seemed to start chiseling away—it was probably unbeknownst to even noble that the slight sound of those pressurized doors pulling aside for her seemed to be muted behind the high pitch squeals of the cutters, and she went mostly unnoticed. As soon as she exited paths could be seen, but some seemed to be lined with carefully etched pattern into the grooving. They stuck out rather oddly, but seemed to be communicating something to those walking their paths, possibly as directions. But it would see the noble had idled somewhere and soon she would find herself walking down paths where jets could be seen lining against a much larger door-something like ‘archives,’ stamped above it, they talked in low whispers. One immediately sensed movement, shifted her strangely eyeless-face toward the noble, and immediately raised her shoulders in sock, with such a large group—it would probably have been quite awkward for them all to quite literally quiet up in unison, but also snap their gazes in the sapphire’s direction, their expressions hard enough to read thanks to their wooden mask-like faces.

Meanwhile, within the templater, the machine seemed to be whirring down as the gemstone passed on several conveyors until exiting the machine, Azurite took a few steps back with a practically beaming face—knowing their creation would need the room. “Come on!” She’d rush excitedly, Chevron also staring at the trillion cut black and red gemstone with a growing anxiety. She seemed very worried when the gem didn’t seem to immediately take form—or anywhere as quickly as Clinohumite did. She started throwing worried glances at the gems beside her, “V’hy does she sit z’ere?” she'd ask, her voice showing a rising tension. Serendibite eventually responded, “The gem is much larger, it will take more time for her to accumulate the energy necessary to recreate her form …” she hold up a hand up and lean over expectantly, “Give her a few a more seconds.” And, without much surprise, within passing seconds there was a sudden powerful array of light, a being came to fruition. Azurite, watched as the form grew, and … grew taller and taller.

Suddenly the smile on her face vanished, ten meters seemed small to her—but this ... was essentially thirty-five feet worth of pure feminine gem and the site absolutely shook this grizzled warrior to the bone. Azurite went from completely fine with this situation, to a very sudden, “Nope!” she’d shout and immediately ran for cover! “I’m just gonna stand over here!” She’d say, Chevron so honed in on this massive creation that she actually couldn’t tear her eyes away from it. The sable-scarlet combination of Heliotrope gave the gem something of darker ominous feel, which didn’t help with the massive nature of the gem. Adorned with seven wings, of which the lonely one simply stuck straight out her back like an off feathered-fin, the rest adorning her like a scarf—she also wore the typical Homeworld design, having indeed a strange shape involving the top-light portion of a pearl mixed with the strong subtle curves of a quartz, her spotted black hair looked like some kind alien-tentacles mimicking ringlets.

The gems glowing eyes began to scan over everyone, and then the only gem who could look her in the eyes at head level, Seren who was stunned by how strange this gem looked, did she have a bunch of varying tails too? She couldn’t really say anything, she was just as shocked as massive gem before them which then cast her eyes down the smaller gems, Azurite hiding behind large collection of power circuits. Chevron gave a timid wave, “Allo!” She’d pipe and Heliotrope made a rather confused raise of her brow. “Where… What?” She’d say with something of a booming voice.

[Paddy]

A small smirk formed on Padparadscha's face as she managed to slip out unimpeded by the others. However, she knew that every corner of this facility was likely monitored, considering what she already knew about the lapidary's technological surveillance capabilities. This evidence gathering escapade would be more of a race against time rather than an effort to go unseen; she determined the latter to be quite a lot like deciding to swim upstream. Serendibite already acquired data that could be used against the sapphire, so she was determined to grab evidence that would bend things in her favor just in case Cocoa were ever to convince the lapidary to go through with her threats-- and to see if there was anything that could confirm her deeper suspicions.


Still, she wasn't going to allow herself to fabricate things, she had a sense of Pink Court dignity to uphold. But Padparadscha couldn't shake the feeling that she could find what she was looking for, and continued down the path at a leisurely pace, occasionally glancing over her shoulder. The Archives seemed like the perfect place to search, though as she had expected, it was being watched over by Serendibite's cohort of other-worldly creations. The small smile returned to her lips, she already knew how to deal with these skittish servants despite their intimidating, eyeless stares. She had picked up on their adversity toward her, but having them running around in alarm would do no good. Though she had no idea what exactly it was about her they didn't like, she simply continued to march toward the archives with her hands clasped behind her back, pursing her lips as she waited to see if any of them would move to stop her.


Clinohumite's attention snapped onto the machine as it worked, eyes widening as she realized Heliotrope was about to be crafted into existence; and at all of the individual parts going into action. The small gem grew dizzy as she tried to follow after every moving part, and she attempted to piece together the function of each process she
did so. Then, the machine offered up it's final product, and the silence that followed was uncomfortable, even for the young deputy, whose eyes began to shift between the other gems as she tried to figure out what was happening. 

Amethyst tried not to brood over the withering look that Cocoa had given them, and instead focused on the gem that would soon be among them. Her eyes were glued to the inert gem, as if she were waiting to pounce on it at any moment. She was so focused that she didn't look up a Serendibite began her explanation, though she did listen. A beat more passed, Ame's eyes narrowed onto the gem and she frowned.

When Heliotrope began to take shape, 6UE gave a flinch and took at few steps back, eyes and mouth growing more agape the taller the gem got, and her head tilted back as she watched the light-form of the gem glitter and coil into her given shape. The corners of her lips drew upward until she had a huge, wild grin on her face. The giddiness coursing through her was much the same she'd get right before an intense match up in the arena, or a tough fight on the field. She contemplated the fact that Azurite's reflex to seek cover was probably much more logical, especially given the wildcard expectations that had been placed onto Heliotrope. But for some reason, 6UE couldn't budge. Clinohumite too couldn't budge, but it was more out of fear than anything else; she stared wide-eyed at the enormous gem, then glanced back to Serendibite, internally comparing their heights. 

"Where?" Amethyst called up to the gem,"Kindergarten Sigma, that's where. What? Well, you just popped out of that machine there, that's what," Her burly arms unfurled so she could point toward the machine, and she still couldn't wipe the giddy grin off of her face,"Welcome aboard soldier,"

[Mad Azurite]

The jets started throwing nervous glances, looking as if for some authority figure to give them guidance on what to do about the impeding threat coming their way. The highly flammable gems seemed to push themselves against the walls—opening a through-way path for the sapphire to enter. Shaking, the few standing around the doors would also scurry to leave her path—but the sliding door would automatically open and a strange jet unlike the others would … practically squeeze its way through the door. This jet was, tall—to say the least, sharing similar appearance to the operator that greeted them at the navcoms of the ship—upon close inspection, the ‘hair,’ of the jets was more like thin-straw layered enough to resemble hair on an artistic stance. But the gem also seemed to wear the same uniform of the ship’s higher-ranking members, something of a twin-tail suit-dress—of course more in a Homeworld flavor of design. She’d stand in something of an obedient hobble, leaned over nervously twiddling with her wooden fingers. It would seem the wooden mask-like features of the gem seemed to have trouble allowing her face to show the proper emotion necessary to communicate her fear at the moment. The whispers of voice the gem held managed to leave what was like hollow wooden casing. “Greetings sapphire, and welcome to the archives, what may I help you with today?”

The entrance to the archives didn’t seem to be armed in any way, in fact there weren’t any signs of muscle watching the doors either; it was strange, the security seemed far more relaxed once inside the ship than approaching it one could would assume.

Azurite remained hidden, though she’d tilt her head across the corner to see the massive gem blocking off some of the light from the ambient sources above them. And her eyes would go dark with horror as she immediately wished she hadn’t made this gem so tall, what was she thinking? Serendibite still managed to creep Azurite out every once in a while, but having been around the gem for so long, she had gotten accustomed to shoving off her fear or absurdly large feminine forms. To which the gem immediately remember a movie with a similar theme she had seen just before coming here, the giant purple woman gave azurite something of a dreadful panic attack. She needed two snickers after that.

The movie was good though.

Heliotrope scanned her eyes across the gems in the room, first a rather standoffish look towards the one other gem who could look her in the eyes, Seren; where she seemed to relax if not for a moment after. Then to Amethyst who, after listening to her words, earned a questionable look as she glanced the others. She brush some of the wings that much like chevron, acted as a war-dress, and knelt down to look them over, her strange octopi hair actually curling away from her eyes as she did. The gem seemed to warm up, what was a small smile on such a large gem woke up something of a flood of warmth in the air around everyone—and there was something of a blissful intrigue in her expression.

“Ah,” and her interest flared as she stared at the smaller gems before her, Chevron seemingly so bedazzled she couldn’t bring herself to words, at the sight of a familiar gesture of having to part a wing-dress to kneel, she eagerly did the same as if it was a bonding moment. “And who might you all be?” she’d ask with genuine intrigue, Cocoa stared at the larger gem with weary expression, she waited for the others to talk, never had she encountered a creation like this, which led her to worry, but Chevron seemed to swallow her fear and give a small wave to the gem, “I’ee am Chevron Amethyst, v’elcome!”