Yellow Diamond.

Regally poised in her gleaming, modernistic chair, tapping and swiping through possible

Kindergarten planets. Pearl was keeping watch over the direct Diamond line, right next to her.

Suddenly, there was a gleam of golden light. Pearl sat up straighter, adjusted her shirt, and put

a serious face on.

Maybe, she thought. Just maybe, this time it could be someone worth Yellow Diamond's time.

Yellow Pearl's face got smug, but then a look of disgust consumed her.

A disheveled Peridot crouched in front of her, with no limb enhancers or escort.

"This is the Yellow Diamond control room," Yellow Pearl said disgustedly. "Who authorized you to make this call?"

"No one, b-b-but it's an emergency!" The disarrayed Peridot replied.

Pearl rolled her eyes. "That's no excuse to use the direct diamond communication channel," Pearl replied.

"Pearl," Yellow Diamond intervened. She looked up from her planet sorting and directly at the small gem.

"Yes, my Diamond?" Pearl replied quickly and nervously. Her eyes got large and she made eye contact with the colossal yellow gem.

"Why is there someone on the Diamond line?" Yellow Diamond directed.

"I don't know," Pearl replied. " I was just about to tell her that-"

Yellow Diamond cut her off. "I'll take it from here."

Pearl backed up in fear as Yellow Diamond reached down and grabbed the Direct Communication Line.

"My diamond!" The unkempt Peridot said, relieved. "Peridot, reporting in."

"Which peridot?" Yellow diamond replied, unamused.

"F- Facet-2-F-5-L, Cut-5-X-G. I'm sorry to contact you this way, but all other forms of communication have been destroyed and-"

Yellow Diamond waved her hand at Peridot to make her stop talking.

"This," Yellow Diamond pointed to her gleaming yellow screen. "...says you're behind schedule on your mission to... How is... the Earth?" Yellow Diamond inquired, staring directly at Peridot.

"It's... full of life," the puny peridot replied. She glanced at her surroundings and at the waving grass.

"Organic life..." Yellow Diamond spat disgustedly. "and where is the Jasper I assigned you? And why aren't you calling from the ship?" The golden leader was starting to show an edge of annoyance in her voice.

"The ship...was destroyed," Peridot muttered. She apprehensively crossed her arms, waiting to be reprimanded.

"By whom?" Yellow Diamond said. Already, she was going through lists of rogue gems that could have been responsible for the ship's failure.

"I-I-I-It was destroyed by...no one! There was... an accident... while we were...landing?" Peridot said nervously. Her eyes rapidly flicked towards a crumpled piece of green metal.

Yellow Diamond peered questionably at Peridot. "I'll inform your manager of your incompetence. And what is the status of The Cluster?"

"The Cluster... will emerge shortly," Peridot replied.

"Good. We'll finally get some use out of that miserable planet..." Yellow Diamond said, relieved. "Thank you for your report, Peridot. There'll be a ship heading to your location to take you to your next assignment." When these words hit the small green gem, she quickly rebutted these words.

"Wait! I-I wouldn't called to waste your time with a report." She looked right at Yellow Diamond's gleaming eyes, and waited for her response.

"You already have," Yellow Diamond's was slowly picking up annoyance, like rolling up a snowman.

"No, I mean... the reason I called... the real reason is... I believe we should terminate The Cluster." Peridot stood firmly on the ground, planting her feet on the soon to be destroyed soil.

"...Why?" Her voice got dangerously soft.

"The organic ecosystem creates resources unique to this world, we can't sacrifice all that potential just for one geo-weapon!" She said. "I'd like to tell you some plans I came up with to utilize a planet without disrupting the local -" Yellow Diamond waved her hand at Peridot.

"I've heard enough! I don't care about potential and resources. I want my Cluster, and I want that planet to die. Just make that happen," Yellow Diamond spat.

"No!" The clearly scatterbrained gem retorted.

Pearl gasped at the gem's response. It was obvious that she was defective.

"Are you questioning my authority?!" Yellow Diamond said impatiently.

"I'm... questioning your objectivity! My Diamond." She attempted to show "respect" by crossing her arms and standing up straight, but that could not make up for her defectiveness.

"Well!" Pearl said. She knew in her heart that her opinions were not supposed to be voiced, much less in front of a Diamond, and that Peridots outranked her, but this was one rare occasion where it was appropriate to disrespect a superior.

"You are out of line," Yellow Diamond said. She shot up from her throne in annoyance, and glared at Peridot.

"I just think -"

"I'm not interested in the puny thoughts of a Peridot –" Yellow Diamond ordered.

"But!"

"You have disrespected this channel and my time with your presence and you would do well to-"

"But -" Peridot squeaked.

"Shut your mouth!

"You have failed at every stage of this mission. Your only chance to redeem yourself is to obey this simple order. You are to leave the Cluster to grow. It will tear apart the Earth, and I will take immense satisfaction in erasing that hideous rock off of our star maps. Is that clear?!"

Yellow Diamond stomped her foot on the ground. Her diamond-shaped pupils widened and stared directly at Peridot.

"I won't do it! I can tell you with certainty that there are things on this planet worth protecting!" Peridot retorted.

"What do you know about the Earth?" Yellow Diamond roared, discontent prominent in her voice.

"Apparently more than YOU! You... CLOD!" The Peridot yelled in rebuttal.

Yellow Diamond's patience had reached the end of it's fuse. Her face could not hide the annoyance anymore, and glared right at the small gem.

"Ah! Peridot, out!"

"PEARL!" The Diamond screeched.

"Y-y-y-yes My Diamond?" The puny, fragile gem replied. Her voice, along with the rest of her body, seemed to be cowering in fear, and she had mustered just enough strength to push it out.

"Remotely track the device that was used by that...that...disgrace. I want her shattered slowly and painfully, and I want the shards brought to me as soon as she is broken. Is that at all unclear?"

"N-n-n-no, My Diamond. I'll prepare the torture room immediately after I track where she is located," Pearl timidly spoke. She was torn between insulting the Peridot and blindly complying with her superior.

Yellow Diamond walked out of the room, muttering, I swear, that Facet has produced nothing but defective gems...

Pearl tapped a few buttons to track the device. It was starting to load, but an error message popped up on the screen.

Error! Device could not be tracked. Could not be found. Try again?

Pearl almost punched the screen in frustration.

Almost.