Once again I do what I have done for years

Trying to forget and fighting back the tears

It's a new day and yet I feel the same

"So Far Away" by Gabriel Brown & Michelle Creber

"We're tired of your excuses."

Excuses. That was a funny way of viewing her pleas to stop the colonization, but then again, when have they ever cared about what she thought?

Blue said that; 'As long as she was there to rule, the colony would be completed.' As long as she was there.

Maybe… maybe that was the issue.

Maybe as long as Pink was present, as long as Pink Diamond existed, Homeworld will continue their invasion.

If she could just... disappear — if Pink Diamond could cease to exist — all of this would be over.

Her train of thought was interrupted by her Pearl, sheepishly entering the Control Room with her head down out of shame. Pink's gem burned with concern, and immediately she got up from her chair to comfort the smaller gem.

Placing her hands on either side of her lover's face, Pink uttered, "Pearl, what's going on? You look like you saw White—"

"Her Pearl summoned you," Pearl murmured, her eyes glazed over, staring into nothing.

Time stopped, Pink's eyes wide, her body still as the wallgems inside the Diamond palace.

Why—? Why was White— did Blue and Yellow say something to her? Was White going to—

"Pearl, go to the others."

Pearl jerked her head upward, finally meeting her Diamond's eyes. "Wh-what? But—"

"I'll meet with White alone. In the meantime, use this opportunity to raid one of the fleets. I'm sure everyone would appreciate the resources you'll gather from it."

"But, m-my Diamond," Pearl started, "if you go to White alone, she could—"

"I'll be fine, Pearl." A lie. All Pink was capable of doing was lying.

She forced a smile on her face, although it could never reach her eyes. "I mean it, Pearl. That's an order, from Rose to the renegade Pearl."

Pearl could only watch as Pink pulled away, straightening her posture and marching towards the warp pad.

"My Dia—Rose!"

Pink stopped, turning to Pearl, who now wore a determined look on her face. Placing a hand on her chest, Pearl declared, "Those Homeworld gems won't stand a chance against us!"

Pink smiled, nodding before stepping on the warp pad.

Precise. Flawless. Absolute. Those words would be used to describe White's brilliance to all that beheld Her Light.

Even Pink, a mere pebble compared to her, couldn't bring herself to disagree, no matter how vile and disgusting it was to look upon the gem who claimed to create her.

White's expression never deviated from the relentless smile plastered on her perfect face. Eyes that outshone a star, staring directly into Pink's pitiful façade.

Pink herself couldn't stop the slight tremble in her hands, no matter how tightly she clenched her fists, or how hard she bit into her lower lip, or stiffened her shoulders, White's presence was all-encompassing, all-consuming, and nothing Pink could do would prevent White from pushing herself into Pink's gem within the blink of an eye.

"Oh Starlight," White crooned, showing too much teeth for Pink's liking, "what is this that I have been hearing about a little game you've been playing with your court?"

Pink jerked her head away, no longer able to look White in the eyes. "Th-the Crystal Gems… they-they're too persistent, too strong. They're always one step ahead of me—"

"Is that so..." White mused.

She moved smoothly, cupping one hand under her chin. "That is such a pity, especially since Blue and Yellow worked so hard to give you a colony, this colony. One that—I might add—you begged for."

Pink shut her eyes, tensing further as White continued, "I knew you weren't ready, but here we are, with you taking on more and more responsibilities than you could handle. Whatever will we do with this… quarrel?"

Pink pressed her lips as White droned on, forcing her face to remain as stoic as she possibly could. Her hands wouldn't stop trembling, and she heard White let out a soft chuckle.

"Starlight." An elegant finger touched Pink's chin, forcing her head up to look directly into White's radiant face again. "You are quite aware what our authority thinks about this silly little 'rebellion' that you have been allowing, no? It's quite disappointing to have a Diamond being viewed as... defective."

Pink's body instinctively reacted to the word, her expression shifting into one of horror.

White's smile softened slightly, a hint of warmth gleaming from her eyes before fading as quickly as it appeared. "I am only looking out for you, Pink. And I am not the only one who is worried, you know."

Guilt washed over Pink, but she forced it away. Worried? Stop joking. They don't care, and they never had. They were more concerned with what Pink's failures made them look like.

"I am sorry for worrying you, White," Pink forced herself to say, robotically. "I will continue to do my best, for the glory of the empire, to the radiance of this authority." Pink wanted to retch, desperately trying to keep the disgust out of her facial features.

"Are you really, though, Starlight?" The condescension was blatantly in White's tone now.

"Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're not trying enough. No executions of rebel gems, but placing them in holding cells instead, where they can be easily rescued by their comrades. Bubbling every Rose Quartz instead of disposing of them. You must pardon me for making such an assumption, but it appears that you have been too soft with these… oh, what did they call themselves? Crystal Gems? Quite a ridiculous name, if I must say so."

'No one asked you', Pink thought before shoving that aside. "The Crystal Gems are—"

"Pink, I will be frank here." White kneed down to Pink's eye level, her shimmering hand keeping Pink's face in place. "If you do not squash this rebellion, I may have no choice but to step in myself. You have but only demonstrated that you are unfit for a colony. Are we understood?"

Pink felt tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "I-I… Y-yes… I understand…"

"Wonderful!" White released Pink's face, standing up with a clap of her hands. "That is all. You may return to your colony to finish what you started. Go on, you mustn't dwell!"

With that, White's Pearl appeared by Pink's side, not allowing Pink a chance to reply, warping the frightened, teary-eyed Pink out of White's head ship.