P.O.V: STEVEN DIAMOND

My feet tapping on the sterile dark brown floors. The halls illuminated by a yellow glow. The environment is absolutely sterile, not a single germ or flaw. The way everything is here. It's pleasing yet tiring at the same time. Though I can't imagine it is for other gems though. Compared to them I have to rest at an astounding rate. Coming next to a door, I place my left hand over the hand shaped print next to it. In the palm is a diagram I'm all too familiar with. To the left is a yellow upside down triangle, to the right is a blue one and on the top is a white one. The diamond matriarch insignia; something that is plastered just about everywhere on this damn planet. The door opens in reaction and I move forward with what I was doing. Walking over to the large security console. I stick my hand into the console; unbecoming of someone of my status, but I have stuff to do.

Something catches my interest," the last file opened was mine?" My interest has been piqued by this. Has someone changed something in it?

It's tedious because it's so long, but I read over my file just to see what was o' so important to edit. Name: Yellow Diamond. Cut: N/A Facet: N/A. Gem: Yellow Diamond. Well at least that is normal as it can be for a hybrid. I change my attention elsewhere. Was the picture used for the file changed? No, that's the same, the dark brown hair I have. The fact that I'm short for gems, but that's because I didn't come out fully mature and I actually have to grow up. And from what I know about humans I'm not even tall, for someone my age at the age of twelve. In the picture I'm wearing typical regal garb for a diamond. A black and yellow shirt and matching a cape with odd pointed shoulders. It was when I was young and I still have them because I don't come with clothes pre-packaged like regular gems. Next up to check is the long long bio over me: Yellow Diamond. Hybrid offspring of Yellow Diamond in an attempt to make an evolved type of gem. Much more capable of taking on any rebellions that spark. It did cost her her life, because rebel gems interrupted the process. But she was soon replaced by the offspring. Trained from conception to be a stoic leader. Truly the next evolution in gem kind. I skim over so much of the bio to save myself from an overly long biography and gratuitous amounts of praise. I go on to the last bit on the next page.

"What? WHAT,"' I shout in outrage. There's a message I've only seen when it comes for other gems because a diamond should never ever see it! The last part is restricted from even me? A diamond! One of the three head honchos of the entire damn race!?

"Who was the last one that opened this. I'll have them open it for me and then I'll have them shattered," I scornfully say.

The last one to open this was...lovely. The one gem that did open this and can tell me what I want is one of the few gems I can't just boss around to my heart's content. The gem that opened it is a Peridot: Facet- 2F5L Cut- 5XG. The exact number of one of my primary tutors on this planet. Teaching me the finer points of things, culture, rules, how to lead and speak as a leader. Giving me rigorous text to studies and plenty of files extending over 1000 years of gem history. Speeches from my mother to study and even recordings of the other diamonds giving speeches. It's taxing and tiring and at the end of our sessions my brain is normally left all to numb from dealing with all the stuff she has me do.

In the top right of the screen a small emblem show itself. Someone has just called for me. With the press of a button the image feed is opened up. On the other side is my pearl, inherited from my mother.

"What is it now?" I inquire.

"I'm sorry my diamond to interrupt you, but one of your primary tutors is calling for you."

"Which tutor?"

"The Jasper. Facet- 3G1S and Cut- 9XF," she answers.

"Thank you, Pearl. That's all." I end the feed with her. Once I'm sure the call closed I groan. Jasper is the one that handles all of my physical training. I may be an aristocrat, but history has shown that there are times when even we may actually need to be doing things ourselves. Their still is animosity and unrest at Rose's Rebellion. It was awhile ago, but it still happened. So there's been a push for bolstering our strength, and I'm pivotal to that. A new type of gem with unexplored abilities, my existence itself is as a stabilizing factor.

Heading down the sterile halls of the base I don't see a single gem pass me by. There's never been many gems to ever walk these place is way to big for it's own use. Many rooms just flat out empty with nothing in them. And the halls are large as all hell, for the fact that if any diamonds come to visit; the halls need to be easily over 15 feet high. It's uncomfortable walking around areas that are so oddly huge for someone my size, but as I grow older things should feel more comfortable. My mother was one of the 15 foot tall giants. I easily should become taller later in life, but for now I am simply the shortstop of all gems and especially for aristocrats. Turning to my left I see the training area, specially made for me. It's just a ring with a variety of weapons on the sides ranging from battle axes, swords and spears. Along with plenty of gem destabilizers. The other weapons are primitive compared to the latter. Recent tech and powerful weapons. Capable of destroying any gems light based form leaving only a hapless gem. They don't work on me because I actually have a physical form to work off of and not just an effigy of light.

"It took you long enough to arrive here," the rough voice of Jasper pesters. This Jasper was chosen in particularly because it served in the war and was a leading squadrons in the war. The other diamonds and their courts saw nothing less than fitting for her to be the one to be my tutor.

"You know better than anyone else that this place if far too large for it's own benefit," I answer stepping into the ring. From my belt, I draw a Gem destabilizer. These are made for training; having low power and it takes a significant amount of hits and time to actually cause a gem to retreat back into their gem. And even then they reform after not too long.

Seemingly without warning Jasper has drawn hers and thrust it forward. I move to the side easily dodging the device," keep your stance low and even," she says as I maintain a steady evasion. Careful to keep myself away from the prongs of the destabilizer.

"Don't lose balance," she lunges forward ready with the weapon.

I take quick action to circle around and jab her in the back. The weapon doesn't even seem to faze her. She's turns around ready with not a hint of trepidation. "Good. Managing to get around the blind spots and holes of an opponent."

"What? Do you think I never listen to a single lecture you give me," we circle each other, the only attack this weapon can do is a thrust and it's too flimsy to go against a sword or any other object, so patience and timing is key.

I guess I could ask her a question that's been racking on my mind," Jasper, did you know someone has edited my file," I bring up.

"Yeah, Peridot did it, didn't she?"

"You don't think I didn't know that?"

"Watch the sass."

"Oh please I sass who I want, but did you know that the last part of my file even I can't open?"

"What do you want me to do about it," she inquires," open it for you?"

"If you could that'd be great."

"If they don't let you in what makes you think they'd let me in?"

"Peridot can be blindsided fairly easily. How many times can you count that she's let a loop hole slip past?"

She stops, looks to the sky and thinks,"... you have a point," she concedes nodding her head.

There it is my opening. I take my chance and launch forward brandishing; brandishing my destabilizer and thrusting it forward. Jasper's only response is a counter attack of stepping forward and using her longer reach to her advantage to hit me before I can even get within striking distance. The destabilizer sends a strong tingling feeling rapturing throughout my body. Sure, I can't get poofed, but I'm half gem. Having half of my physical form be jumbled isn't a pleasant feeling. Jasper pulls the device away and I fall to my knees struggling to catch my breath. I can't honestly answer the question if I was just being cocky or damn stupid when taking that chance.

"Next time you try to hit someone in the gap of their armor, make sure they can't see it coming from a mile away," she advises.

"Lesson learned," I groan," now come along and open the rest of my own file for me."

"If you insist my diamond," she answers heading to the nearest console which isn't too far because there are so many rooms here that consoles are just thrown in every so often.

She opens the file to the last page,"...this isn't going to go well," she mumbles under her breath.

"That's all I'll take it from here, go," I tell the warrior gem ordering her to leave me to my own devices.

My intrigue is peaked by her words. How can a simple file page make things go wrong? With one quick skim of it I can quickly see why Peridot didn't want me to see it. Because it's over the one things about me that they never told me about. My human side. I know I'm half human, but I know nothing about the home of my father. I don't even know the name of the planet, let alone where it is on our star maps. Well I shouldn't say I have heard of it and the name and even location; it's just never been told that there is even sentient life on that rock. This little part is the gold mine for my self-exploration. Not only telling me the name and location of the home of my father, but his name and even where he is on that planet. The planet is Earth, the one being used for the cluster experiment. I guess I'll give orders to postpone that for the time being. The location is a place they identify as Delmarva. And the name… Greg Universe?

"I suppose that this would lead to Universe being my last name, would it?" On homeworld I was only ever identified as Yellow Diamond, or by my subordinates I was just called my Diamond, but Universe? It's… got a ring to it.

I nearly fall over when a video feedback to my Pearl is opened back up," Jasper do you-, oh my Diamond, apologies I thought JAsper was on this console at the time."

"Stop that and move to the point," I command.

"Of course my Diamond, Peridot is calling on you now," she answers.

"That Peridot," I ask.

She nods," can't have a second of any down time," I mutter ending the feed.

I head through the halls to the personalabs of the Peridot. She used to be just a meager teach worker, but she managed to have some success with some forced fusion experiments letting her rise through the ranks. Eventually she managed to get to the place where she worked directly under me and she became a manager over a great many of gems in the process. She's managed to maintain a stable record, but the higher her rank the more increased are the expectations. And one of her expectations is teaching me how to walk, talk and act like a Diamond Matriarch. And from what the others in my court and even the other two Diamond's courts seem to think that she's succeeding. Though it does wear on her, I'm outside of the door to her lab and I could hear her screaming things at one of the orb bots.

"YOU DAMN CLODS, JUST-, GGGRRRRAAHHHH," she rants loudly.

"The sound of someone having a terrible time," I answer walking through the door," music to my ears."

She looks over her shoulder. She didn't expect me to show up so soon. She stops hunching over and straightens herself up, making sure all of her floaty finger things are gathered to from a hand and not moving wildly all over the place," my Diamond," she answers.

"Yeah, that's me, I have plans, so hurry this the hell up."

"Of course my Diamond," she picks up a tray with seven small grey-ish tablets.

"Explain," I command.

"These are nutrient tablets, instead of you having to take multiple ones, I managed to wrap them all into one," she tells me.

On homeworld there is no food, but as a half human I still require nutrients. So the they would feed me tablets with all the essential vitamins I need. It'd get tiresome having 50 bland tasteless pills day after day. So this is a welcome change. I go ahead and pop the pill into my mouth. Even now, there is no taste to it, but it's better doing it once than a hundred times," this is passable," I tell her leaving the room.

"YESSSSSS," I hear from outside the door, she just got some recognition from her Diamond, most gems would literally kill for that.

With nothing left to do today I move to something more personal that's been on my mind since I've read about the homeworld on my father's side. I want to take a short visit. I'm sure that if I actually did this the legit way, it'd be rejected by White Diamond so fast. She barely let's me even go to any other planet than homeworld. And the only time I do it's for what can be called an extended business trip. Checking on things and only there to go and come back. But, not this time. There's no purpose for the empire of me taking a trip to Earth, but it's purpose is for me.

Just me. I head to the only room in this place built to my scale, my own room. It's simple and plain. The bare bone essentials that a half human gem could have. A bed I use all to often. A closet that has all the cloths I have to wear; ranging from the regal clothing I wear almost everywhere, to the regular clothes that I only wear when I'm positive I'm not going anywhere in the view of any other gems aside from a very very small group of my tutors, my pearl, and the other Diamonds pearls and on the rare occasion I get an unannounced call directly from the other Matriarchs. It doesn't take me much time to decide which set of clothes I'm taking.

I stuff them all into a small pack which isn't hard because they're light based garments. That when not in use take the form of small void black boxes; along with it I stuff in some random items that may come in handy. I'm not even too sure how I got the box though. I think I accidentally took form Peridots lab, but never returned. I also stuff in 5 military grade Gem Destabilizers in there. On the shelf is something I prefer to forgo wearing. It's a thin black band that goes around my wrist. It's a communicator I don't like wearing because interruptions are not things I think fondly of. It lacks any video functions, but it does work at unfathomably long ranges. I can also record logs into it to keep track of the trip. I think I have a good amount of things for the trip. I just need to suspend the Cluster Experiment and then I'll be off. I place my hand to the door and it opens, but someone unexpected is on the other side.

"JASper," I belt out startled and in an undignified manner.

"Apologies my Diamond," she answers.

"What is it," I ask.

"I was here to tell you that Peridot's been having trouble checking on the Cluster experiments," she tells me.

I divulge my attention away from the trip for now. "What's the hindrance?"

"The robonoids aren't fixing the galaxy warp."

"Then tell her to fix the programing," I push past her.

"Where are you heading with the box," Jasper ask.

I freeze in my steps. I consider my responses and when I speak. I speak articulately and carefully," Peridot was wondering where this box went, so I figured I might as well give it back. Who know's? It may even help with the robonoids."

Jasper examines me precariously," if you say so," she answers turning away, but keeping her eyes on me as we walk away from each other.

I turn in the nearest corner and lean against the wall heaving for breath. I was sure Jasper woulda caught on, but I guess she didn't have time to question me. Well I have to hurry to the ships and escape pods. If she doesn't realize it now, I'm damn sure they'll catch on later. And the other Diamonds are going to be pissed. But, being a renegade for a bit might be something I find fitting. Moving at a brisk pace I head to the escape pods. I've never used one, but I did receive some lesson from Peridot. I don't remeber them to clearly, but I do remember most of it. And it can't be that hard to use an escape pod. Heading to escape pods we have, I search for one that can make the trip. I clamber into the odd green escape pod. I fall in headfirst; struggling to correct myself because they're tiny. Managing to correct myself the pod seemingly comes to life on it's own.

"What planet do you desire to go to," it ask in that metallic voice.

"Earth," I answer.

"Request pending….no planet under that name found."

"What!" I calm myself, it stands to reason that they wouldn't let me go there this easily, but Peridot has shown me a loophole to get around that.

I open the panel and reach towards the inanimate gem that powers this. And look for the settings option. I change it from voice command to manual. It's thought that the feature was completely removed, but it's been left in there. "Manual setting chosen," the computer speaks.

Changing the setting, I manually type in the coordinates of Earth on our star maps. With a rumble the the thing begin to go," FINALLY," I exclaim. In my hurry for celebration, I bang my head on the roof the the pod. I wince in pain, which only causes me to fall forward. Further throwing the balance off in the pod which sends it hurtling towards Earth in an odd position.

It takes me awhile to finally correct the position of the escape pod. I sit down to just wait the journey out. Raising the band around my wrist I begin to speak," Log date: 5- 12- 02. I have begun taking a trip to the planet of my father's lineage. It had a rocky start, but now the trip is going well. I should arrive at Earth on 5- 12-03. I'm not eager to see this planet, especially when it's going to end so soon, but I'd like to at least meet one of my parents. End of log." I lean back to rest, to make the trip go by quicker.