LOG-192.
LOG-192.
On the one hand, we had not found ourselves faced with some kind of wretched abomination born from cruel experiments, nor some twisted alien that intended to shatter our gemstones and slurp up the shards.
On the other…I wasn’t quite sure what this alternative exactly was yet, beyond significantly less intimidating than it had initially appeared to be.
“You…”
I cast my stare from the newcomer to her larger counterpart, claws still splayed as I did my best to read what I could from the smaller Gem’s uncertain expression.
Appears genuine in her greeting, but nervous. Making it up as she goes along. Was not expecting visitors. Keeps glancing towards Eyes, halted movements indicate she’s trying to gesture something to her counterpart, but keeps aborting it due to my observation. Possibly trying to tell her to go away.
Slowly, very slowly, I lowered my claws, the narrowing of my eyes causing Khaki to stiffen up slightly as I turned back towards her, one of the extra ocular sensors hidden in my hair ensuring that I was still aware of the literally overgrown Pearl crouched just beside her, which still seemed to be laser focused on staring at Violet, despite the distinct lack of her apparent namesake.
“You were following us. Why?”
The stupidity of my own question hit me just as Khaki blinked, hesitantly gesturing to our surroundings as she responded.
“Ahm…you entered our Atoll? My apologies if it was inappropriate! But Eyes here tends to wander the upper level, even though we don’t really use it anymore. And well, when she noticed something actually moving around up here…””
Withholding a grimace and instead settling on keeping my expression calm but authoritative, I stepped forward, doing my best to loom over the Pearl while steadfastly ignoring the fact that her friend could probably pick me up with a single hand.
“I’m the Overseer of the Reef, I need to speak to this facility’s attending Nacre immediately. Take us to her.”
It was a gamble, but the slight wince that followed the demand told me all that I needed to know.
They didn’t have a Nacre.
Stolen story; please report.
“Uh-I would, really! I would love to! Your…radiance? But-wait, did you say you’re from the Reef?!”
Surprisingly, it was Patina that stepped forward next, cutting off my response and ducking her head towards the literal giant in the room.
“That Gem is beyond all acceptable Imperial standards for Pearl production. Either she’s some kind of weird experiment, or you lot are operating outside of the Great Diamond Authority’s jurisdiction. Which is it?”
Each word seemed to earn another wince from Khaki, who raised a finger as if to interject several times, only to slowly lower it as she was left with an expectant stare from my creation.
“I…um…ah-”
Growing overwhelmed. Is about to-
All of a sudden, the Pearl fell to her knees, tears leaking past tightly shut eyes as she all but prostrated herself before us, earning what might have been a curious glance from her larger partner.
“PLEEEEAAAASE DON’T SHATTER US! WE DIDN’T DO ANYTHING WRONG! WE-WE FORMED AFTER EVERYONE HAD LEFT AND THEN WE COULDN’T LEAVE BECAUSE OF THE BURNING OUTSIDE SO WE’VE JUST BEEN CLEANING AND PRACTICING AND WAITING AND WAITING AND WAITING AND-”
Moving forward with two quick strides, I reached down, gripped the babbling Gem by some of the fabric extending past her uniform, and hauled her back to her feet, the blubbering servant flinching all the while as her view of the floor was abruptly exchanged with my eyes staring into her own.
Either an incredible actor on par with my own abilities, or telling the truth.
Holding the Pearl in place with one hand, I raised the other and pointed a talon at Eyes, the larger Gem stilling from her brief bout of movement as I glared at the both of them.
“Listen well, because I don’t intend to repeat myself. Your big friend there has just given me the fright of my life, and my patience for everything regarding this place is especially low. I don’t care who you are, I don’t care about what rules you think you’ve broken. Take me to the nearest working communications terminal. Am I understood?”
Khaki, frozen in place at my terse attitude and blunt words, slowly nodded, leaving me to finally release the Pearl and let her scramble back a few steps.
Only to resist a groan as the nervous Gem raised a finger once more.
“Stars, what?!”
A nervous smile lit up her otherwise terrified expression, even as Patina let out a huff beside me and Violet dismissed her summoned weapon, settling for crossing her arms instead.
“I…would be very happy to help you in whatever way I can, your Overseerness…”
And here it comes…
“...But…we…don’t really have…any working communications terminals? Or uhm, if we do we don’t really know what they look like?”
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, held it in for a few seconds, and let it out in a slow exhale.
“Khaki.”
“Ah…y-yes, Overseer?”
“Do you have someone who is in charge of you? Is there anyone present in this facility besides you and…Eyes…here.”
“Oh! Uh…there’s…the rest of our Batch, I guess?”
Opening my eyes, I stared at the slightly less terrified looking Pearl, ignored the unrelenting stare of her apparent Batchmate, and reminded myself that I was being mean, and that the both of them likely didn’t deserve that.
Then I nodded.
“Alright. Take us to the rest of your Batch, Khaki. And we’ll sort things out from there.”
The words earned another hesitant smile from the beige Gem, who quickly snapped off a frankly sloppy looking Diamond salute before nodding.
“O-Of course! Right this way, Overseer! Move your big butt, Eyes! We have guests! Guests!”
Hm. Well, at least it was better than the horror movie scenario I’d been dreading. I’d already had my fill of creeptastic Gem cryptids with the forced fusions back on Earth, let alone whatever the situation involving the spectral firestorm outside was supposed to be…