She-Ra and the Crystal Gems: Deadlock

Chapter One: All Mapped Out

In the quiet darkness of the dreary landscape, a single beacon of light ignited. This light, emerging from a small blue gemstone, soon took the shape of a female form. The light itself dimmed, leaving behind the form of Lapis Lazuli.

The blue Gem slowly opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. Memories of the preceding events flooded back to her: she was on the desolate planet known as Denebria, having been poofed after taking a beam from Keldor. Keldor, whom Steven had believed to be an ally, was truly a malicious third party with his own agenda. He had brought him his staff, only for him to try and destroy the whole lot of them.

"Lapis, are you alright?" She turned towards the voice, and was greeted by Peridot standing near her, wearing a look of concern.

"Y-yeah, I think so," Lapis replied. "My gem isn't cracked, is it?"

"No, thank the stars," said Peridot. "Still, I had no idea what Skeletor did to you. For all I knew, he could have sucked out all your energy with his weird necro-magic!"

"Well, I feel fine," Lapis assured her. "I-wait, I thought his name was Keldor."

"Oh, right," said Peridot. "Before he left, he apparently renamed himself. Something about 'silencing the universe' or some such nonsense. I didn't hear it for myself."

Lapis looked around once more. "Peridot? Where's everyone else?"

"Right over here," Peridot said, leading Lapis over a nearby hill. On the other side rested the rest of their travel-mates. Curiously, the agents of the Horde sat not far from the Princess Alliance and Crystal Gems. While not as surprising for Scorpia, Entrapta as well, Catra struck Lapis as the kind of person who wouldn't sit so close to her sworn enemies.

"Uh, Peridot?" asked Lapis. "How long have I been regenerating for?"

"Well, let's see here…" the small Gem pondered. "Given that the day/night cycle of this planet is near-identical to the Earth's, I'd say it's been about…"

"Six days."

Connie had walked over upon seeing that Lapis was awake again. She looked much more solemn than she usually did, and steadied herself on her sword as she walked.

"That long?" said Lapis. "How is everyone doing?"

"Not good," Connie reported. "This planet's completely dead. We went looking for food a few days ago, but there's nothing. Perfuma's out of magic to make plants we can eat, and Steven can't grow any from scratch."

"Hey, is that the water lady?" Glimmer approached as well. "Tell her about the water."

"What about the water?"

"Well, humans need water to live," Connie said. "Not sure if you knew that or not, but the point is, we could really use your help to get some. We've been living off the last dregs of the pocket Mermista found, and she's out of magic to find more."

"Yeah, I'll get you some water," Lapis said. "But are you sure there's no other way off the planet? What about the ship?"

"Busted," Bismuth called over. "Skeletor's little light show that he zapped you with smashed it up real good. There's not even enough pieces to put back together!"

"And he destroyed the warp pad," Peridot said. "Like it or not, and I have no idea why you would, we're stranded here."

Lapis was busy looking up at the stars. "You know, I could just fly you all out of here. It'd have to be one at a time, and Bismuth and that other lady might be a chore to lift, but I could get you out of here."

Connie raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, that might work for Gems, but humans don't exactly do well in the vacuum of space."

"Yeah," Glimmer said. "Besides, not to rush you or anything, but we could really use some wa-"

"Wait a minute!" cried Lapis. "Peridot, are there any colonies or stations near here?"

"Yeah, a few," Peridot replied. "Why?"

"That could be our way off this place!" Lapis said. "With you navigating, I can fly us to the nearest Gem territory, we swipe a ship, and fly everyone back to Earth!"

"That...might work, actually," Peridot said. "I mean, it isn't like anyone else has any better ideas, right?"

"Wh-you can't just fly to a Gem colony!" shouted Connie. "You two are wanted felons, remember?"

"Not necessarily," Peridot said. "There's hundreds of Lazulis and Peridots out there. Plus, Lapis hasn't done anything to draw the Diamonds' attention, unlike me. If I can acquire a new set of limb enhancers, we'll blend right in!"

Glimmer looked disappointed. "So...no water?"

Lapis shrugged. "There isn't any left on the planet, anyway. Not in big enough quantities for me to sense, at least."

"It's not ideal, but it's the best option we have," Connie said. "I guess that's how we usually operate, so why not?"

"Yes! We're finally getting off this rock!" Peridot said. "Come on, let's go tell the others the good news!"

While they walked back to the group, Pearl was busy pacing back and forth in front of Garnet and a very bored-looking Amethyst. "I mean, there has to be something else we can do!" she said. "Why not try repairing the warp pad?"

"P, if it didn't work the first seven times, I doubt the eighth would be any different," said Amethyst.

"Oh, since when did you start caring about math!" Pearl huffed. "Garnet, there has to be a timeline where we escape, isn't there?"

"Yes," was all Garnet said.

Great!" said Pearl. "So, all we have to do is follow one of those, and we can all go home safe and sound!"

Garnet adjusted her glasses. "Pearl, there's a timeline where this planet spontaneously explodes for no identifiable reason, and every single one of us just so happens to drift home safe in Steven's bubble. Just because something can happen doesn't mean it will."

"Okay everyone, let's all go inside Steven's bubble, just in case!" said Pearl.

"Everybody! I have a solution for getting us home!" shouted Peridot, drawing everyone's attention.

"Ooh, another one," Mermista said. "Does this one involve building a bridge to Earth out of dirt and rocks?"

"What, why would I use that a fourth time?" Peridot asked. "Anyway, Lapis and I are leaving!"

"Ah, so they're abandoning us," Catra said. "Can't say I expected any different."

"You know what?" Lapis said. "I don't know you, but your attitude is really starting to wear on me."

"Oh, please, like you're one to talk," Catra replied. "I saw your memories, remember?"

"Guys, guys, I know there's still a lot of animosity between us, but our temporary truce wasn't supposed to be this temporary!" Bow said, trying to quell the hostilities.

"It's not so much a truce as much as it is an agreement not to kill each other while we're stranded here," said Frosta.

"Isn't that what a truce is?" said Bismuth. "I'm actually asking here."

"Ahem, the plan?" said Peridot. "We won't need to be in contact with each other if we escape. So, I came up with a brilliant plan for us to escape! Technically, Lapis did, but I supported it, which is basically the same thing."

Catra took a moment to process the statement "Is...is this real?" she asked. "Am I delirious from a lack of oxygen or something?"

"Alright, look, I'll give you the abridged version," Lapis said. "Me and Peridot fly to a nearby colony or something, nab a ship, bring it back here, and fly everyone home. Easy, right?"

"Yeah, the 'or something' doesn't exactly fill me with confidence," Bow said. "Do you even know if there are any colonies nearby?"

"I don't, but Peridot has a near encyclopedic knowledge of every Gem station ever made," Lapis said. "Right, Peridot?"

Peridot slowly nodded, smiling. "You can say that again! ...In that, you can say it. It certainly is a statement that is...a statement."

"You don't know if anything's nearby, do you?"

Still smiling, Peridot shook her head. "Nnnnno…"

Lapis sighed. "Well, I suppose we could just wander around this arm of the galaxy until we stumble across something."

"Wait!" Everyone turned in the direction of the shout: Entrapta. Despite being stuck on this planet for almost a week, she was just as chipper as ever. "I have an idea to augment your idea!"

"Great, what is it?" Connie asked.

"We'll find somewhere that has a ship by using the same method we found our way here: Adora's sword!"

"Oh, that's right," Glimmer said. "I forgot it could do that."

Entrapta made her way over to Adora, who had napped through the whole conversation. "Adora, wake up!"

Adora leapt out of her sleep. "Gah! Wh-what? Are we home yet?" A brief look around showed that they were indeed not home. "Oh. Entrapta, what is it? Couldn't this wait 'til morning?"

"I'm not sure this planet has mornings, but no it can't!" Entrapta said. "We need to use your sword to find the nearest Homeworld colony so Lapis and Peridot can get us a ship to get home!"

Adora rubbed her eyes. "Okay, that's a lot to take in. Something about a colony?" She sat up and held her sword out in front of her. "Sword, can you...show us the colonies or whatever?"

A projected view of space emerged from the Sword of Protection's runestone. Covering only a few galaxies, there were only about seven or so colonies visible.

"Hmm, that's not right," Peridot said. "Homeworld has way more colonies that this. And none of them are here!"

"Oh, now you know where the colonies are," said Glimmer.

"Well, now that I can see them, yeah!" Peridot retorted.

"Wait a minute," Entrapta said. "Show us all Gem colonies."

Nothing happened. "I think it only responds to me," Adora said. "Show us all Gem colonies."

The image receded, only to return with a new set of data. There were many more points of light present this time.

"Aha!" said Peridot. "Look, Lapis, there's one only a few solar systems away! We'll be back in a day!"

"Wow, so this thing works in real-time?" Entrapta said.

"Looks like it," said Peridot, pointing to one of the dots. "This one wasn't colonized until after Etheria disappeared. Based on what you guys told me, at least."

Suddenly, Entrapta's eyes lit up. "Adora? Do you mind if I try something?" she asked.

"Uh, sure. What is it?"

Can you...ask the sword to find Eternia?"

Adora did so. A point of light appeared on the map, a few galaxies away.

"Wow," Entrapta said, enamored by the tiny pinprick of light. "I've spent my whole life studying First Ones tech, and now I have a way to find their home planet! Oh, what I wouldn't give to go there one day!"

"Yeah, well, maybe after we deal with...all of this," Glimmer said, gesturing to the expanse around them. "Hey, are you guys okay?"

Pearl and Peridot did not look okay. They stared at the map with looks of concern. "Could you...zoom in?" Peridot asked.

"Uh, Pearl? What's the matter?" asked Connie. Adora zoomed in on Eternia, granting a closer view of its solar system.

"These coordinates," Pearl said softly. "It's Homeworld. Eternia is Homeworld."