Board Thread:Off-topic/@comment-26618197-20171001192028/@comment-3225961-20171022184148

Beta On Fire Part 2 

Now it was a matter of getting the gems responsible, and apprehending or disarming them in any way to prevent future tragedies. Amethyst looked to another she emerged with, who unfortunately still pledged allegiance to the Agate and Diamond Authority.In spite of her alignment, she appeared primed to break free, with just the right nudge. Amethyst prodded her for her connections to the Guardians, developing sympathy for the seemingly conflicted Quartz. Eventually, she caved:

“They tell us to hate from the moment we emerge; to conquer with little mercy, and take what is rightfully ours.It’s as though we are superior to other beings, who only deserve to suffer at our expense.”

“I know,” Amethyst sighed, wrapping her arm around the other’s shoulder, “It was our intended purpose. We’re all roped into service; we don’t choose who or what we are.”

“You want to know their whereabouts that night, right?”   She whispered to her sister Amethyst, who was satisfied to know they now had corroboration for their speculation. Unfortunately, this cost the other Amethyst her safety and good standing, when the Guardians discovered she blabbed. She was brutally beaten, her gem nearly split down the middle, and almost left to shatter completely. Amethyst was so enraged that she was ready to take the Guardian leader head on, but Zircon protested, threatening her to follow procedure. Amethyst continued to resist until Zircon proposed a controversial compromise.

Meanwhile, the remaining humans mourned the death of their fellow human, but were reluctant to do the same for the murdered gems.

“They want us to mourn the shattering of the two gems, allegedly our comrades, and yet, these gems will not be honored in the same place or dignity as our human brother. But Lord Almighty, I can’t do that.”

“Amen.”

“For hundreds of years, humankind has been at the mercy of the gems—and who sent our human to his death by gems? Other gems!”

“Amen!”

“And death for what? For what they see on the outside?! What about the inside?! How we think and how we feel, just like gems!”

“Amen!”

With the help of the Zircon and some EA recruits, Amethyst was able to apprehend one the Guardians. 8XG, the alleged weakest link in the gang, was clearly uncomfortable, but still reluctant to comply.

“So 8XG,” Amethyst wrapped her arm around the other Quartz. “About those Earthly Allies. Shame they ended up dead.”

“I don’t have to tell you nothin’!”

“Huh, are you sayin’ you go something to hide?”

“I’m sayin’, I ain’t got nothin’ to say to you about any Earthly Allies!”

She continued to badger the other Amethyst, but she wasn’t ready to break. In fact, she insisted that the Allies had left, and there weren’t any bodies to be found, despite the contrary. Either she somehow hadn’t been clued in, or she feigned ignorance at the threat of someone else, likely another Guardian. Either way, it was time for a different approach. 8XG was released in a location in the center of one of the remaining human settlements at the fringes of Beta, where she scampered away under the scrutiny of every inhabitants’ gaze.

“Crazy Lace.”

A band of rugged-looking humans sat before the Agate who over oversaw Beta affairs. Upon leaving the barracks in the middle of the night, she was abducted, bound, gagged, and dragged to an undisclosed location.

“You knew her?”

The Agate, still bound and gagged, only shifted a bit. Two of the humans chuckled, while one with a particularly nasty grimace appeared to be sharpening a tomahawk. The other, seated directly across from the captive gem, told the tragic tale of “Crazy Lace”.

“She was an Agate, just like you. She was loyal to the Authority, just like you. She even condoned her gems go on a rampage to kill helpless humans, just like you.”

The Agate murmured something, and the human only quirked a brow before continuing.

“Well, one day, it all caught up to her, and she realized the humans weren’t so helpless anymore—but it was too late. They took her, bound and gagged to a remote location where they would decide her fate. You know, it took some time to figure out an appropriate punishment: what wouldn’t make her poof?”   The human tapped his chin, as though considering how to finish the impending tragedy. The one with the tomahawk looked up, narrowing her eyes at the Quartz manager.

“The physical form isn’t as critical as the gem, no? Much like our human hearts, pulsing the life force through our entire being. If your cut up or tear out our hearts, we feel it; they learned the same was true of gems. And so, with a very sharp, very precise tool,” The human with the tomahawk strode toward the Agate, who’s eyes widened. “They picked, hacked, and scraped away at Ol’ Crazy Lace’s gem.”   The storyteller shook his head, and bit his lower lip. “Can you imagine what that’s like, to watch pieces of your gem crumble to the floor, all while being helpless to stop such an agonizing demise?”   A bulge dropped down the Agate’s throat, but she kept quite otherwise.

“Well…do ya?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she looked at the human kneeling beside her. Before she could utter another sound, the human raised the tomahawk, swinging right for the Agate’s gem. The incapacitated gem shrieked, and the human stopped short.

“Hey Ruchel, I think she has something to say.”   The weapon wielding human acknowledged her companion briefly, before turning back to the captive gem.

“Is that right,” she began, still holding the tomahawk blade close to the gem. “Are you ready to confess?” The Agate nodded vehemently, and Ruchel ripped the gag from her mouth. When she told them what they wanted to know, the humans nodded to each other. They unbound the the Agate and left her in the cabin, still petrified from the close encounter.