[IC] The Crystal Gems

[rocketrobie2]

The dessert was an unforgiving, scorched tundra that very few creatures could survive in. It also now served as a focal point of gem related activity. From all around gems found themselves drawn towards to a structure smack dab in the middle. It appeared to be some stone monolith sticking out of the ground at an angle. It was inscribed with many ridges and symbols of an extraterrestrial language. The only clear-of-function component of the monolith was the hexagonal door adorned with a blank stone circle. The structure had stood untouched for centuries but just a few days ago it began to emit a signal, drawing in any gem still able to think logically on not just on instinct.

[Stern Algorithm]

Since the defeat of Homeworld forces, Amber had been living in seclusion, afraid of what the rebels might do to her, given her position of regional governor-in-training. But there was only so much solitude one could tolerate, and when this signal was emitted, Amber wondered if Homeworld was returning. If not, and she ran into other, rebel gems, well, Amber would rather attempt to parley with them and beg for her life than spend another century alone.

Amber approached the monolith. Looking around at the barren wasteland, she wondered if she was the first one here, or if others had already entered. Amber attempted to open the door, unsure if it still worked after all this time.

[Vega]

Though Black Pearl had fought hard for Earth during the Great Gem War, the tragedies she had witnessed had left her shaken. The fragile self-confidence she had been building as a Crystal Gem had been shattered, and she had isolated herself from the world as soon as she had found a safe place to hide. She was terrified of what might be out there, but pearls were not meant to be alone, and the solitude ate at her until she couldn't take it any longer. Just as she was contemplating shattering herself, a signal was emitted. Tears of relief sprung from her eyes, and despite her fear and anxiety, she followed the signal, knowing that no matter how afraid she was, she couldn't be alone any longer. Now Black Pearl was in the desert, approaching a large stone monolith. She froze like a deer in headlights when she saw another gem in the distance, attempting to open the door. Her instincts screamed at her to run, but she fought against them, as her only options now were face other gems or face death. And, well, if the gems she faced decided to kill her, then so be it. At least she wouldn't hurt anymore.

"Um, e-excuse me," she stuttered as she cautiously approached the other gem, who was clearly an amber. "D-do you, um, n-need h-help?" She refused to make eye contact, keeping her head lowered and her posture submissive and non-threatening. "N-not that I th-think you c-can't do it on y-your own, of c-course!" she added hastily.

[rocketrobie2]

As Amber touched the stone disc it turned with an audible series of clicks before the door quickly slid into the ground with a loud thud. The inside of the building was initially shrouded in a foreboding darkness before a set of lights began to turn on, revealing a pristine looking room made of a similar looking stone as the exterior. In the middle of the room was a pedestal with a hand print in the middle. behind the pedestal was a hallway leading further into the still present darkness.

Within the dark was a sound of static and subtle shuffling though it was obviously far off and not heading in the direction of the room.

[Stern Algorithm]

Amber turned suddenly to hear the approaching voice, "Ah! Hello! Yes, I might need some he-"

Just then the grinding of stone indicated to Amber that she had succeeded in opening the door. Amber looked down the hallway apprehensively. "So, a pearl? A Black Pearl? I'm an Amber, but not just any amber." She pointed to her ankle with pride, showing off the pristinely-preserved insect specimen. Though caution suddenly gripped her, and she took a few steps back. "Wait! Are you with Homeworld, or the rebellion?"

[rocketrobie2]

Before the Black Pearl had a chance to reply a panel lifted out from the side of the monolith, spraying dust everywhere, and firing a long, glossy dart at Pearl, poofing her instantly. Suddenly more such contraptions sprung from the sides of the imposing building and attempted to fire at Amber. Luckily they were unable to hit her out of either long time disuse or not having a good enough angle to hit. After the barrage came a faint orchestra of clicking noise as the panels continued to try to shoot but were evidently out of ammunition.

[Stern Algorithm]

Startled, Amber cowered as the traps started firing. She continued to cower for a few moments even after the projectiles stopped, and cautiously checked that they were finished. At first a wave of relief flooded through her, but when she noticed what had happened to Black Pearl, Amber quickly ran over to pick up the gem, feeling that she should do her utmost to protect it until she re-formed, after all, it was the first gem she had met in a long time.

Peering down the stairs into the structure, Amber began descending slowly, wary of any additional traps.

[Karkinos]

A desert, very dead; dead in name, dead to anyone or anything. For the first time in the longest time, a wind whistled over the sand, jostled the dunes, and led a bubble on its path. Suspended at its center, a trigonal gem caught the light and glinted back, green and pink, in its persistent drift to the center of the desert.

______

The wind had died and the sun was unrepentant so she shook off the hood of her poncho, stifling a twinge of fear. Hieroglyphics crowded the monolith, giving off a faint white iridescence where they passed over panels popped, conspicuously, out of place. And she couldn’t possibly read all of them, all them that hadn’t left a first impression. The meaning of four border-sharing quadrilaterals turned onto their sharpest points — the diamond shapes — was the intergalactic symbol of imminent destruction. Forcibly engraved into every planet at the cost of everything there.

Cat’s Eye Tourmaline thought, Long live Her Clarity, and the spite hardened her resolve and her hope, enough to enter this ruined, rotting place at her own risk.

[Vega]

[Sorry for the wait, I've been busy with college >.<']

Black Pearl opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by the sound of gears turning. She spun around to look down the hallway, but before she could react something pierced through her chest. She let out a soft gasp of pain, her gray eyes widening, before she poofed, her gem falling onto the sand by Amber's feet. Inside her gem, Black Pearl watched as Amber picked her up. She's...not leaving me? A spark of hope bloomed within Black Pearl. Maybe she still had a chance.

[sassy1085]

The Wind of the hot desert was hard on Serendibite but she keep walking through hard wand anyway. This is not first time she been walking through the desert, she been wandering around though earth for who-knows how long, so she got used to walk a lot of sand but overtime she started to not like sand, it's coarse, it's rough, it's irritating and it gets everywhere but she doesn't care, she just hope to stars that her dear Eudialyte is not hurt or worse.

As the wind die down a little bit, Serendibite walk up a little sand hill and pull down her hooded, her long hair fall out and the wind blow her hair a little bit. As Serendibite stands on the small hill, she see a building that looked like it's in ruined, she also see what look like a gem about to enter the building, Serendibite slide down from the hill, walk toward the monolith "Do you think it wise to enter this monolith?" Serendibite say to the gem "Who knows what in there, it think this is a trap."
@Karkinos

[Karkinos]

[ Ｔｏｕｒｍａｌｉｎｅ ]
_{▲ △ ▲ ▲ △}

The gem has a dramatic turnaround, an instantaneous halt in motion before she doubles back from the entrance. She wears a blank, gaping expression. Her lips part and, contrary to offering a direct answer -- "What... are you?"

Tourmaline floated above the sand, her strawberry bob touseled in still air, and who, considering her broad face and eyes like a Keane painting, was far less expressive than she ought to have been; to that extent, she was much like a marionette. Of all that was dainty was, overall, herself, and her other facial features -- her lips; they parted again in a self-involved murmur and her eyes ogled the acquaintance in her mask and her robes, contemplating a mystery.

In a voice delicate and deliberate, she finally concluded, "A Quartz of some design," out loud. "You must be."

Tourmaline approaches the gem, still obsessively studying, still absurdly expressionless. "So tall," she purrs, nonetheless.

She blurts out, "I wish to convene with the Crystal Gems! If you've of any counsel, please." The final plea hung, her gaze gone soft and round, on a gossamer string. It appeared she was almost sorry to tear her attention away.

Beneath the cloak, a shape hung from her right socket, materialized without drawing attention to itself: a long, tapered prism. It rises at her volition. Circling a "palm," indicated by a deep turquoise, are sharp, disembodied claws that perform a scraggly-finger wave in an act that is silent, and to the acquaintance, unexplained.

[ _{Action [ROLL]:
Robonoid-Assisted Technique >> Detect Gem Technology}

[ @sassy1085 ]

[rocketrobie2]

Touramaline's attempt to scan the monolith proved unfruitful. Maybe something was messed up in her ancient robonoid or maybe something was actively disrupting her scans. In any regard, the scans came up without so much as a name of the artifact.

Within the structure, Amber and, by extension, Black Pearl descended into the deep unknown. Walking down the hallway lead to a door with a large gem that swirled with various colours. It looked much to big to belong to an actual gem of Homeworld but it defiantly looked to be Homeworld in origin. Oddly enough the shuffling that was once heard down the hallway could no longer be heard.

[Karkinos]

[ Ｔｏｕｒｍａｌｉｎｅ ]
▲ △ ▲ ▲ △

"Oh!" The gem's false hand erupts with a sputtering sound like a water-doused device -- Tourmaline's face is incandescent, the first displayed emotion of the exchange. Her brows knit and she appears to mutter something unsavory to herself. Her acquaintance might catch "antiquated" under her breath before Tourmaline turns back, salvaging an extremely exaggerated look of satisfaction.

"Delightful! I commenced a scan on the unidentified structure and it came back 'safe!' The wonders of technology, where would we be without them!?"

She laughed -- she laughed in the cadence of a human infant, with the pitch of the high-class, not that they mattered anymore. "There is a certain significance to this building -- do you feel it too, mystery Quartz? Without any determinable risk, I believe our next course of action should be... entering!"

L̲O̲G̲ ̲0̲2̲ (0)

^{> re:USER_@sassy1085
> admn.CET attempts to coerce GEM#03 into entering DUNGEON#001.
> robo.log: sowwee :'[}

[sassy1085]

@Karkinos
Serendibite stay silent as the small gem was studying her, when the small gem ask her who she was and if she was a crystal gem, she still stay silent. Serendibite knows it rude to stay quiet but she doesn't know who this gem and what side this gem is on, Crystal gem or Homeworld? Friend or Foe? But Serendibite stay silent.

When the small gem device make a sound, it make Serendibite jump a little bit, Since when Homeworld make that device? Serendibite thought. The small gem talk about the wonders of technology and ask Serendibite where would we be without them, Serendibite respond with a shrug. Small gem say that there is certain significance in this building and suggest to enter the building, Serendibite sign, "Ok, if you really want to go in there, then we shall. But we should probably pull out our weapons..." With a glow of her gem on her palm, Serendibite pull her knightly sword and rest blade on her shoulder "...Just in case if there danger up ahead." and with that say, Serendibite enter the building.

[Stern Algorithm]

"I think someone else was down here, but I don't hear them anymore," Amber said to Black Pearl. "Is this...a communication device?" Amber clutches Black Pearl in her left hand, while reaching to interact with the massive gem.

[rocketrobie2]

Before Amber's hand met the surface of the massive gem, a sudden burst of light emanated from the gem-structure. Radiating light, directly behind Amber was what looked like a gem stuck half way between reforming. Of course this phantom gem lacked an actual gem but it didn't lack a weapon as evident by the trident that it wielded.

"Protection Protocol Activated. State Passcode or appropriate reasoning for lodging or be eradicated." the projection said in a monotone voice that lacked any and all emotion.

The being's light could be easily visible from the entrance of the structure meaning Serendibite and Touramaline could witness the whole ordeal as the entered the wide open space near the front of the building. The handprint pedestal in the middle of the room was also quite visibly glowing a dim blue glow.

[Karkinos]

[ Ｔｏｕｒｍａｌｉｎｅ ]
▲ △ ▲ ▲ △

“Ahh…” Tourmaline peeked from behind her companion, bad news reverberating from the corridor; the price of lying. “Whoopsies.”

Maybe it was intentional, “a trap” after all, against all odds and the course of history — those troubling implications sat aside, for now, as Tourmaline figured the voice they were hearing was engaging another… gem? Gems, if she could afford to be optimistic?

“If you’re liable to the request,” the manikin said, gently gripping the Quartz’s shoulder with crystalline claw to catch her attention, “maybe you should do something about that? With your sword?” Gesturing to the blade rested confidently on one shoulder.

“I can support you! Effectively, this time.” Figuring she should offer something in-exchange. Although there was a curious quality about this place…

L̲O̲G̲ ̲0̲3 (0)

^{> re:USER_@sassy1085
> admn.CET attempts to coerce GEM#03 into engaging unidentified threat
> admn.CET prepares to search DUNGEON#01}

[sassy1085]

@Karkinos@Stern Algorithm
"Hmmm...I do appreciate some support, who knows what inside this building" Serendibite say to the small gem "But for know, let's investigate what's the voice is coming from." Serendibite tell the small gem as they walk though the corridor. Though her body is calm, she is surprise that are more gems in the building as she and the small gem hear one of their voices, for now, Serendibite decided not to attack the voices...at least if they are not a threat "Hello! Is any gems in here?" Serendibite call out to the voices

[Stern Algorithm]

"Protection Protocol Activated. State Passcode or appropriate reasoning for lodging or be eradicated." the projection said in a monotone voice that lacked any and all emotion.

@rocketrobie2

"I-I...have no a passcode...but I have an appropriate reason! I am responding to a summons from this...beacon..?" Amber declared with no confidence.

"Hello! Is any gems in here?" Serendibite call out to the voices.

@sassy1085

"Y-yes! I'm down here!" Amber called out to Serendibite's voice, then turned back to the defensive projection, "S-see? More gems have come responding to the summons!" Still, she surreptitiously took a few steps away from the projection, readying herself in case it decided to fulfill its promise to eradicate her.

[Karkinos]

[ Ｔｏｕｒｍａｌｉｎｅ ]
▲ △ ▲ ▲ △

Lips puckered and eyes flitting, pensive; Tourmaline couldn't gravitate to that sense of soldierly stoicism. It's hardly 'investigating' when the threat's already determinable, for you're aware the war's concluded— she ceased. It was superfluous, as her Quartz companion stalked towards that voluminous light down the hall.

Tourmaline stalled in the chamber. A low hum of activity was, internally, obstructive to the voices within the temple. The technician registered only a suffusion of solid hue, a radiant color of which both walls and floors consisted. The result was an open room that felt claustrophobic. A vacant space with a single module, just off-center, betraying that sotto voce of underlying technical working. Betraying what she knew about Homeworld infrastructural tech.

A pundit overwhelmed with fresh wonder and a terrific anxiety, Tourmaline hovered to the control panel jutting from the floor. "As usual." She matched the palm profile with her own, Hand Robonoid suspended over top, a few-inches distance retained with care. "Do you require authorization, little one?" in a soft, goading voice.

To attempt a scan so soon after the first had failed — it took no part of wisdom to be an intellectual. But Tourmaline knew to brace, all the same, unprepared for how whichever iteration of engineering she had would react in the midst.

All the same, she had an inkling there was fortune to reap from risking.

L̲O̲G̲ ̲0̲#4 (1)

^{> re:MOD_@rocketrobie2
> admn.CET experiences a brief pout, the start of existential crisis
> ACTION: Robonoid-Assisted Technique: Detect Gem Technology}