Defenders of the Universe - SU/VLD (Adopted by jorge.Fuentes18)

Chapter 5: The Castle

"We need to lead the Dreadnaught away from Earth! Everyone into the lions." Shirogane directly ordered both groups.

"We can't leave Earth." Pearl objected to the human's decision. "What if the Galra decide to take it over while we're gone?"

"As I said before, the Galra Empire is composed of fanatics." Keith restated to the pale Gem. "Zarkon wants the lions more than anything; they'll ignore Earth to go after us."

Garnet adjusted her visor slightly as she quickly checked her Future Vision for all the alternative scenarios that could play out, before turning her attention to Pearl. "He's right. They do desire the lions more than anything."

"But Garnet..." Pearl commenced.

"Pearl, I don't enjoy the idea of leaving the Earth undefended either." Garnet understandingly told the slender woman. "But if we don't lead the Galra away; thousands, if not millions of humans will lose their lives."

"Then it's settled," Shiro declared. "Matthew, Katie, and I will go with Keith in the Red Lion. The rest of you go with Stevonnie in the Blue Lion."

The Crystal Gems nodded in similar agreement as the humans ran to join up with their Galra ally. "Amethyst. Pearl. Peridot. Get into the Blue Lion, while I grab our Lion." Garnet ordered her fellow Gems.

"Roger that," Peridot exclaimed as she and the other two Gems made their way to Stevonnie. "Yo, Stevonnie! Let us in!" Amethyst shouted to the human Fusion, who hastily jumped back inside the Blue Lion. The alien vehicle lowered its head to the ground and opened the entrance inside its mouth. Amethyst and Peridot make their way inside of the lion, while Pearl stayed behind to wait for Garnet.

The powerful Gem Fusion picks the still slumbering Lion off the ground and hauls him over her head as she runs like hell to the sizeable, blue vehicle. "Let's go!" Pearl exclaimed as the Crystal Gem's leader entered the mechanical beast with Pearl following right behind her.

The Crystal Gems all make their way to the Blue Lion's cockpit where they find Stevonnie sitting in the pilot seat. "Is everyone here?" The human Fusion asked.

"We're all ready to go." Keith's voice affirmed over the Blue Lion's communicators just as the Red Lion arises and delivers a robust roar.

Stevonnie scanned over their control panel and found a blinking red light, which they assumed will allow them to speak with Keith and the others and pressed it. "So, how far do we have to go until we lose the Dreadnaught?" They asked.

"I do not know," Keith responded in an uncertain, yet strict tone. "We'll discuss getting you all home later; right now, we have a job to do."

"Right," Stevonnie hesitantly spoke as they hoisted the Blue Lion's head up. None of the Crystal Gems wanted to fly from their home, but they knew they had to if they wish for any hope of protecting it and its people. The Blue Lion bellowed a proud roar; which was followed by a similar one from its red counterpart as they both commenced soaring out of the Earth's atmosphere. The clouds passed by Stevonnie's front view visor like white blurs, as they followed behind Keith; with both pilots eventually leaving the Earth's atmosphere into the blackness of space.

The last time Stevonnie, technically Steven to be exact, was in space; they went to the moon on a mission to find the location of the Cluster and never really had a chance to discover or appreciate its unique beauty. Outer space was as beautiful as Stevonnie imagined it to be, seeing all the flashing star lightyears away created a feeling of awe that couldn't be described. However, that awe turned into dread as they gazed upon the Galra Dreadnaught closing in on their location. Hundreds of smaller fighters were launching from the sides of the massive vessel and charging head first towards the Blue Lion. "Take evasive action!" Keith shouted over the communicator.