Well that took longer than expected. Sorry for the hold up folks. This ball is gonna be runnin' real smooth again now that I'm getting my commissions done. Phew. More a.u.s are in the works! Can't wait to share them with all of you!

The Commander had changed.

Peridot kept an even place behind Jasper, watching on silently as she examined the ship's insides. She pressed her fingers against seams, nodding pleasantly to find them sealed tight. A bit proud of her own handiwork?

Perhaps anxiousness was to blame for Jasper's change in disposition. She could only imagine how badly the Commander wasted to return home. Peridot knew that feeling very well. She'd be overcome with joy now if she wasn't so realistic. The star ship was still in major need of repairs.

Much of the mighty dreadnought's inner paneling lay strewn across the floor, torn and hanging from the ceiling. The walls. This thing might fly, but it'd look like shit while doing so. Peridot made note to repair the ship's recess.

Jasper stopped abruptly, and Peridot had little time to halt herself, she thumped into her backside. Her visor smashed against her face before she righted herself.

"Apologies, Commander." Peridot relayed, peering around Jasper just to see why she'd stopped in the first place. She squinted ahead and frowned, spotting the main core engine lying battered and disconnect from its wiring. It didn't appear cracked, which was a relief.

Jasper looked down at her, that gossamer hair spilled across her prideful shoulders. "Didn't know how to fix that," She pointed to the core. "So I set it to the side. Thought it was more your department than mine."

Peridot swallowed, bashfully tugging at the diamond on her chest. The Commander looked...different. Her predatory eyes were as alert as ever, but something was softer about them. Had she gotten bigger, even? Or was it just Peridot's lonely musing? After all, It was just so nice to be in company of an ally. Even if enemies waited outside.

She felt a modicum safer when with Commander Jasper.

Jasper ushered her ahead, one big hand grazed Peridot's bottom- only chastely. Chills broke out on her skin from the contact.

"It's not broken." Peridot trailed, walking further up and running her fingers along the core. "I'm positive I can get this running in no time." She assured, grunting as she began rolling it towards the base.

Jasper was only steps behind her. She stooped and clutched the bottom of the sphere engine, setting it on the base with ease. An act of assistance.

Peridot took to examining the splayed wires pooled near the engine. They'd been severed from it, and simply needed to be soldering back into place. Then she could get some power flowing in this dead ship. She looked around for something, anything that could be used to hold the wire in place. Her heart sank when she found nothing. This would be nothing more than a minor fix back on Homeworld. But here...

The Commander noticed the shift in Peridot's demeanor. "What is it?"

"I can't fix the ship without..." She pointed to the wires jutting out from the ship's floor. Thick cords of metal that would becoming immeasurably hot to fuse with the core. "I need something to hold those while I restart the engine."

"I can do that."

"No-no-no, you can't actually. They become searing hot and have powerful currents flowing through them. Once I restart it, you'd have to just...hold them!" She laughed at the ridiculous idea. Something that harsh could break Jasper's physical form into pieces. Might even crack her gem.

The Commander shrugged off her boots, instead of phasing them away. Odd.

"Just let me do it." Jasper bellyached, striding towards the sphere- eyeing it cautiously as she hefted the thick cords from the ground.

"Commander, I can't condone this decision. I can find something else for the task, you don't have to do this."

"Where do I stick these things?" Jasper mumbled, ignoring her pleas entirely.

Peridot's heart began to race. Was Jasper even aware of the danger here? "Commander, no. It's too dangerous. You want to leave me stranded here again? That's what will happen if you precede."

The currents alone could pull Jasper's body apart by the seams.

Jasper glowered at her, those golden eyes narrowing as she cocked her head. "I can handle it, Peridot." She said evenly, not breaking gaze with her. "Just tell me what to do."

The gigantic idiot. The colossal orange fuckhead. Peridot grit her teeth, scowling as she crossed her arms. "Only if you let me do a pain split." She gave in an almost sing song voice.

"Absolutely not." Jasper's voice left little room for argument.

Peridot's jaw ticked in her ire. "You're really going to do this without letting me help?"

Jasper shrugged. "Will you just tell me where to stick these?"

"Oh, I can tell you where to stick them." She laughed.

Jasper sighed."Peridot."

"Anywhere. Just press them and hold them there." Peridot instructed, reluctantly. "It's going to flash burn, Commander. So just...hold on as long as you can, and you let go as soon as it fuses."

Jasper chuckled at that. "Simple enough, then. But...shouldn't it just keep melting?"

"It cools to a stabilized temperature, the engine actually runs cold ."How did she know more about Jasper's ship than...Jasper? Peridot warned in all seriousness. "This could get you killed. It's going to hurt." Bad.

Jasper huffed in agitation, rolling her head to ready herself. She held the thick cords to the engine, smirking to find it simple thus far. "Nothing I can't take." She assured so easily.

"I'll start it now, only if you're ready."

Jasper nodded to the far side of the room. "Get over there. Don't want you using that pain split shit on me." She berated.

Peridot all but stomped her foot in protest, but she bit her cheek and held her tongue, giving her Commander a curt nod before taking place across the room. Jasper thought she was going in this alone? Leaving her alone had resulted in separation. Sadness. One long month of it.

The Commander took deep breaths, calming herself.

So foolishly brave!

Peridot opened her holo screen, picking through different displays of stale ship data. She found the engines in the layout and brought it up for scrutiny. She glanced up at the Commander, keeping her head low to the screen.

Peridot called to her. "Are you ready, Commander?"

Jasper squeezed the cords tight, bracing herself. "I am."

Peridot kept eyes on her. "Don't get mad at me."

She pressed the engine diagram on her screen, and in an instant it whirred to life, glowing dimly. Jasper stared into it, her hands falling away with the cords for a moment.

"Commander, put those back." Peridot requested, taking a few steps closer. Jasper was eyeing her now, almost holding a foot out to keep her at bay. "Put them on the core, now. And you let go as soon as they fuse."

"Keep back, Peridot." Jasper warned, keeping their gazes locked as she pressed the cords against the smooth surface of the engine. The core flashed bright, making them both blink against its brilliance. A warm radiation wafted from it, heating her skin. A crack sounded from inside of the thing and light flooded the room as it powered up.

Peridot's fingers whirled her distraught when the Commander stiffened before her, her muscles going rigid. The sinews bulged as her grip tightened and that strong jaw locked. A growl was ripped from her chest, so deep and on the verge of agony.

Jasper bit against the oncoming waves of power, her form rocking as the engine took its goddamn time warming up for the solder. A burning stench filled the air and at last the core became heated enough to begin fusing.

Where Peridot should have been elated, she was horrified.

Jasper's head jerked back, her mouth falling open on a soundless cry. The fiery orange flesh on her hands began to singe, smoking and blistering as power coursed strong against her. Through her.

"Commander!"

"Stay away!" Jasper bit out. Where those tears welling in the corners of her sharp eyes? Peridot's hands flew to her mouth.

And then to Jasper's arm.

Her gem glowed and Peridot siphoned the pain from Jasper's form. Taking it for herself. Alleviating her, protecting her. From the brunt of it, atleast. She felt her Commander jostle, her body shaking with effort as she tried to shoo Peridot away. Helpless to in her current state.

"Let me...help." Peridot pleaded, just as the onslaught of pain overtook her. She elicited a tortured shriek, but only wrapped tighter around Jasper.

The engine hummed so loudly, Peridot's head rang with the vibration of it. She bit through the torment, looking on to the wire's ends for hope. They were nearly there. The stench of molten metal was enough to make her stomach flip. She clutched Jasper closer, attempting to pull more of the pain from her. Jasper braced against her, refusing to let her take more.

Peridot fought her, she pressed her gem to Jasper's taut skin, demanding more of the pain from her. She wouldn't let her go through this. Not when she could fucking do something about it.

Gods, it hurts.

Jasper couldn't deny her this any longer. Peridot snatched more from her.

Peridot couldn't even budge, the agony was so great. Her teeth were cracking from clenching her jaws so tight. Electricity shot between her and her Commander, and she forced a glance at the wire's ends once more. Complete! They had soldered flush against the core.

Yet Jasper could not let go. Her hands were contracted, held fast in a fist around the cords as wave after wave of raw dreadnought powering energy crashed over her. And right into Peridot.

Peridot tried to scream. Fought to tell the Commander to let go. To push away. So she did the only thing she possibly could.

Peridot took every ounce of pain. All hers now.

Her body spasmed, trashing and locking up in bone cracking positions. It felt like her entire form was melting, as if she would pool into her boots. Her skin bubbled, bursting sores across her burning flesh.

She could feel her form giving way. Scrambling different particles around and warbling. Threatening to crumble. To fade away and leave her in her gem state.

The Commander found the strength to release her grip. She immediately gathered Peridot impossibly close, pressing her seamlessly into the crook of her arm. She leapt back with a vicious roar. Sounding so angry. And so scared.

Peridot wheezed, her body trying to take in air. It hurt. Fuck it hurt to even breathe.

Jasper drug a shaky paw down her cheek. "Told you not to do that!" She growled, hurriedly splaying Peridot on the floor for her inspection. She dropped to her knees, rolling Peridot on her back.

Peridot bowed up tight, jerking her head towards the now cool running engine. Relief wailed soundlessly in her mind. Her lips were pursed shut as she trembled with the grueling after shocks. Her body thrummed, slowly ebbing back to normal. So goddamn slowly. The horror of loosing her form still loomed heavily.

The Commander clutched her shoulders, and Peridot knew how badly she wanted to shake them. To berate Peridot for being such a negligent subordinate. For not following orders. If she'd simply done as she was told, she's been in no pain at all.

Yet, she could be clutching the Commander's gem in hand because she endured the agony, alone.

Jasper put a gentle hand beneath the small of Peridot's back, propping her up gingerly to her chest.

"Told you..." Jasper murmured, tucking her close for the moment. Peridot shuttered, her sore teeth chattering as her muscles contracted.

Peridot tried to gargle out words. To say something in this shameful state. She was nothing but a weeping mess in her superior's arms, failing her again.

"I was...b-built for it, Commander." Peridot rasped. "Alleviation." Tears stung her eyes when smoke wafted past her lips. Her form was stabilized and had now begun the timely, painful process of regeneration.

Jasper snarled at her. "You were born for companionship." Peridot noted dimply in her stupor that the Commander was rubbing her back. Soothing her and subtly rocking to lessen the discomfort.

Jasper had changed so much. What had happened to her on this planet?

Peridot wanted to sob like a young child. Nothing had ever felt so relieving. The Commander was warm, her heated skin like balm. It made her feel serene to her bones, and welcome. Like Jasper wanted her there.

Jasper took Peridot's limp arms, placing them tenderly in her lap. She crooked a strong arm beneath Peridot's slacked legs, picking her up easily.

I have to be carried? Peridot thought, her cheeks flushed in her embarrassment. I am without use.

She tried to lift her charred fingers to her face, but they all fell to the floor in a clatter. Peridot wanted to bawl by this point.

Yet her Commander said nothing as she stooped to the floor, picking up each little finger. She held them in her free hand, keeping them for Peridot.

Peridot hadn't deformed, and for that she was almost proud of herself. She had been so sure back there that'd she'd split. But she'd held it together, hadn't she?

"Where...are we going?" Peridot mumbled, feeling her eyes trying to shut as her body was demanding its rest. She was impossibly spent, and dying to crawl into the single bed in her quarters. Hopefully her room wasn't ransacked as badly as the rest of the ship.

The Commander strode onward, coming to the ship's bay doors. It slid open for them with a metallic hiss. Peridot hadn't noticed how hot it was inside until the doors opened and a cold ocean breeze rolled in. She all but moaned when the cool air touched her blistering skin.

"Too stuffy in there." Jasper bemusedly fussed. "I like to sleep in the outside anyways." The Commander didn't sound as upset as before. She still hadn't looked at Peridot, either. Almost like she was avoiding her gaze entirely. Was she so disappointed in her?

Peridot didn't like to sleep outside. Yet, she saw no use in even attempting words of an argumentative nature. She was just so fatigued. So ready for sleep.

The bay doors shut behind them. Night had settled on this planet. No moon in the inky sky, but the many stars more than made up for it. Peridot watched through hazed eyes, her lashes nearly fluttering shut in her exhaustion. Jasper still rocked her, murmuring for her to hold on. To stay awake just a little longer.

Peridot tried to assure her. "I won't fade away...I'm stabilized." She bit out, the last few spasms of pain leaving her body. She throbbed, her entire form ached to the very core. Her chest hurt, her eyes hurt...

She feared for just a moment, that Jasper would take her to those Crystal Gems. Such a horrific act to even ponder on. She then quickly wiped that silly idea from her mind. Her Commander would never.

Jasper leapt atop the ship, waltzing to the palm and coming to cross legged sit with a huff. Like it'd been a long days work. It had been for her, hadn't it?

Peridot's head lolled, only to be cupped carefully in Jasper's big palm. She tucked her back in the safe crook of her arm. Did a thumb just brush across Peridot's cheek? She was almost sure of it.

"Look at that, Peridot." Jasper cooed. So unlike her. Was this her tender side? Peridot might have to get hurt more often.

Peridot cracked open her glued eyes, whining with effort as she blinked. She peered up at the brilliant night sky. Had it ever looked this bright before?

The ocean lapped at the shore by their side. The sound of it lulled Peridot deep, threatening slumber as her thoughts came to a lethargic standstill. Was it alright to rest against her now? To sleep? Every part of her screamed for repose. And it was becoming harder and harder to keep her eyes open. Even if the sky looked so impossibly beautiful.

Jasper watched over her. That massive white mane spilled over her shoulders, blanketing Peridot in her stormy tresses. Keeping her cut off from the alien world around them. It was just her and the Commander. Gods, why did she like the way that sounded?

"Jasper..." Peridot mumbled wearily, finding it a grueling effort to even speak.

The Commander clutched her tighter, pressing them so close that Peridot couldn't feel where the two of them ended or even began.

"Don't try to talk, you can rest now. You idiot." Jasper murmured, gently rocking her into an undisturbed sleep. "Just wanted you under the stars." She added, almost in a whisper.

Being outside in the unguarded dark did little to instill fear now. Peridot was sleeping on enemy turf and couldn't feel more invulnerable. She was contentedly safe in the Commander's arms.