Emerald had had enough.

For the tenth time this solar cycle, those blasted Off Colours had slipped through her fingertips, and she was very close to becoming a laughing stock among Yellow Diamond's elite.

"How can a bunch of failures and organics constantly avoid being captured by an elite gem such as I?" Emerald bemoaned. The Peridots and Nephrites running the ship rolled their eyes, but luckily for them their commander didn't notice.

"Um, my lady?" Emerald turned to see her pearl meekly saluting her. "I know it is not my place to make suggestions, but perhaps you should seek help"

Emerald mulled it over for a moment, before stating, "You're right, Pearl"

The Pearl perked up, before releasing a strangled yelp as a gem destabilizor was thrust into her gut.

"It really isn't your place to make suggestions towards your master" the clatter of a round green gem hitting the floor punctuated her sentence. The gem was quickly picked up by a passing Peridot and brought to another room.

A moment passed in tense silence.

"But…" Emerald said hesitantly, "maybe reinforcements would be appropriate. YOU!"

One of the Nephrites yelped as she was called. "Y-yes, My Clarity?"

"Seek out any gem ships in the quadrant of lower status than me." The Nephrite simply nodded and began scanning the quadrant. Emerald settled into her commander's chair as the main hubscreen displayed the closest ships. Her single eye scanned the list, a grimace on her face. Every nearby vessel was either another Emerald or an Elite guard ship. However, as the scan completed, she spotted an outlier.

"What about that ship?" Emerald's voice once again cut through the silence.

"Oh?" the Nephrite selected the ship, its specs appearing on screen. "It's an older model, originally used to cart resources from colony to colony. It looks like it has been fitted with a warp drive and basic weaponry. However, it does not appear to be aligned with Yellow Diamond."

"Most likely a group of Blue Diamond's gems who wandered to far from Homeworld." Emerald said, rolling her eye. "Never once have I met a competent gem under her control, but they'll do. Hail them."

The Nephrite looked hesitant, but, after seeing the previous poofing, did as she was told.

Static filled the screen for a moment before a bright green gem and chest filled the screen.

"Huh?" the nasally voice of a Peridot rang out, "Oh, of course, someone chooses now to hail us." The gem stepped back, revealing a standard Peridot. Her triangular gem laid on her chest where most gems display their allegiance.

"This is Peridot facet 4K1, cut G72-n, of the ship Symphonia. The captain of our vessel is not in at the moment, but I have been deputized to field her messages. What is the purpose of your transmission?"

Quick, succinct, and to the point. A proper Peridot.

"Well, your captain is of no concern, seeing as you now work for me. You should be honored that you and your crew is needed by an Emerald. I will require a list of all gems you have on hand as well as-"

"Actually," The Peridot interrupted, bringing a sour look to the captain's face, "with all do respect, I don't think you have the authority to draft this ship."

"Don't have the-" Emerald sputtered, "I am an Emerald of Yellow Diamond's Imperial Fleet! You think I don't have the authority to take control of a rinky dink JUNKER?! Or should my shatter cannons prove my point?!"

"That will not be necessary."

A new voice came from the other side of the screen. It was soft, but spoke in a monotone that made it unnerving. The Peridot, rather than being intimidated like a good little Peridot, smirked and saluted.

"My Clarity." she said, stepping aside to let the new gem come into view.

She was a head taller than the Peridot, hair included, with long, thin arms and legs. She was colored in shades of gray and deep blue. Her hair was jet black and fell to the small of her back. Her eyes were covered by a thin visor, cut to leave the rectangular diamond gem on her forehead uncovered. Despite the air of authority she radiated, the grey gem wore a standard Homeworld Uniform. Standard, however, except for the Diamond of Allegiance on her chest.

It was a Blinding, Pure White.

Emerald had just tried to commandeer one of White Diamond's vessels.

By the time Emerald's life flashed before her eye, The tall gem had settled into the commander's chair.

"This is Captain Sodalite of the star dirge Symphonia. My apologies for coming in late; their was a problem with some… guests onboard I had to deal with. What can I help you with?"

"Nothing!" Emerald yelled, before hastily adding, "N-nothing, My clarity. I had not realized a gem as illustrious as a Sodalite was piloting this vessel. It is nothing you must concern yourself with."

"No, no," The Sodalite said, crossing her legs in a manner that reminded Emerald of her Diamond. "You clearly had a reason to hail my ship. What is it?"

"Well…" Emerald started, any bravado she once had drained away, "recently a group of Off Colors stole my Sun Incinerator and have constantly been a thorn in my side ever since!"

"An Emerald can't handle a group of rejects?" Sodalite said skeptically.

"I-i-it isn't JUST Off Colors, My Clarity!" Emerald stuttered, "They're being lead by an organic! A Human!"

Silence.

Sodalite uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. Her hand came to her face and removed her visor, revealing eyes so dark a blue they were almost black.

"A human, you say." The gem's voice had taken a tint of intrigue; the first emotion to enter her voice. It unnerved everyone that heard it. "This far out? That is rather… Interesting."

"Um… Yes, I suppose it is." Emerald said

"And you said this human was leading a group of Off Colored gems?" Sodalite continued. Emerald simply nodded.

Silence once again overtook the room. Emerald rather brashly considered ending the comm link before the gem on the other side of call leaned back and replaced her visor on her face.

"I have decided that I shall look into this." Sodalite looked over to the Peridot, who had been standing idly for the conversation. "Peridot, begin scanning this and the adjacent quadrants for any ships that have recently left HyperSpace."

"Oh no, my clarity, you need not worry yourself over vagabonds such as them!" Emerald began before being cut off.

"It's my pleasure, I assure you," the tall gem grinned, bringing a shiver down Emerald's spine. "You need not worry yourself; I shall have your ship returned soon enough. Transmission end." With that, the screen went dark.

Emerald gulped. She just escalated this to a whole other level.

Sodalite looked at the now dark screen, a manic grin forming on her face.

"Did you hear that, Dot?" Sodalite's voice had lost its monotone, becoming almost singsong in delight. "A human and a bunch of rejects rocketing around in a Sun Incinerator."

"Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, if you ask me." The Peridot snarked, her limb enhancers shifting into screens to start going through scans.

"A bad joke, maybe," Sodalite remarked, removing her visor again, "but the punchline might be pleasing to White Diamond, don't you think?"

"...Please tell me you're joking, my clarity." the green gem looked skeptical. "Her grandest of Diamonds surely wouldn't let a group such as this in."

"She let Fulgurite and Sulphur join, and they're both off color."

"Fulgurite is a beast of war that's conquered nations single handedly, and Sulphur has the gift of prophecy; they are useful despite their flaws."

"Well, maybe they're useful too." Sodalite rebutted, "After all, they DID capture a Sun Incinerator. Any gem that can do that must have some use, Off Color or not."

The Peridot scoffed, but before she could respond one of her limb enhancer chimed.

"It looks like we've found the ship. Fresh from Hyperspace." Sodalite grinned as her Peridot displayed the coordinates on their monitor.

"Most excellent. Send a Facet of Cubics at once." she ordered, "tell them to form a radial bubble around them so I can contact them directly."

"Of course, my clarity." Peridot said, punching the command into a terminal beside the monitor. "Will there be anything else?"

"For the time being, That will be All."