Stars and Diamonds

Chapter 14: White's Inquiry

"M-my Diamond?" Pearl meekly said, her head bowed and her arms held in front of her, an unconscious shield between herself and her diamond. When her Diamond's eyes cut from the screen in front of her to her, she clenched her hands together nervously.

"I am trying to work Pearl, what is it?"

"It's....Theres a message for you, My Diamond."

"Well? What does it say?" Yellow's tone was clipped, and almost threatening. There had been a snag in one of her colonies progress, an uprising of organics that had messed with a kindergarten, resulting in the loss of at least 60 gems and she was still dealing with the aftermath, her Pearl's interruptions were not welcome.

"It's a message from," the small gem gulped, as if her words were trying to choke her to stay unsaid, "from White Diamond."

Yellow's hand paused over the buttons of her screen, her bright predatory eyes hid the flash of fear she felt just from hearing that name as she turned to look at her pearl, "What does she want?"

Pearl straightened up under her gaze, her hands moving behind her back as she got down to business, "She is inquiring about the pearl you are looking for," she gave a crooked grin as if to counter her Diamond's growing frown, "for Orange Diamond." She added, as if Yellow could have forgotten the 'special' task she had been given.

With a wave of her hand the screen in front of her disappeared and she stood up, "Why does White want to know about that?" she said and Pearl held her tongue, aware her Diamond was merely thinking out loud and she would not be punished for answering such an obvious rhetorical question."Why would she bother herself with such a trivial thing?" she paused in her pacing, "did Pink mention something to her? has she gone behind my back and...?"

There was a pause as Yellow Diamond's eyes narrowed and then she turned on her heel to face Pearl, "Pearl, call White at once."

"Yes, my Diamond." Pearl wasted no time to gather her communicator, the one specially made for the Diamonds to speak with one another, and made the necessary adjustments before it rose into the air, widening and becoming a screen not unlike the one she worked, made up of diamond shapes stacked on top of each other, only this one was much larger and fit for someone of a Diamond's size.

After a few moments, the other end was picked up and Pearl came face to face with another Pearl, this one with a white parlor and gray hair curled into buns on either side of her head. Her eyes were large and gray like her hair, and she smiled widely at her counterpart. "White Diamond's control room."

"This is Yellow Diamond's Pearl. She wishes to speak with White Diamond." Pearl answered and her fellow pearl nodded.

"One moment please." She turned to look behind her for but a moment before she was looking at pearl again, "White Diamond will speak with Yellow Diamond."

With that, the pearl disappeared from view and Pearl herself stepped back and looked up to her own Diamond. She said nothing as Yellow stepped forward and took the communicator from her, it widened further, and no sooner than she had taken it did another face appear on the translucent screen.

"Yellow." The voice of White Diamond crooned, the image of White's face seen almost blindingly on the screen. "It's such a pleasure to hear from you."

"White." Yellow gave her a respectful nod, and was glad the trimmer of fear she felt from meeting those eyes didn't appear in her voice. "I'm calling because of your message," she informed her, "about the pearl."

"Always down to business." White quipped, "Yes, I've gotten word you are looking for a pearl for our precious little gemling."

Orange hated to be called that, but Yellow didn't dare correct her. White could call her whatever she pleased and Yellow would not attempt to stop her, it was not worth potentially upsetting White and having her wrath pointed solely at her. "Yes, Pink has requested a companion for her. I assumed she is the one who told you?"

"Blue, actually," White's smile sent a chill down her spine, it was hardly charming nor comforting, "and I believe it's a fantastic idea. It's why I was inquiring actually. I believe I have the perfect pearl for her."

Yellow hadn't wanted to get Orange a new pearl, let alone a fancy one from White. She had planned a simple hand-me-down, a reassigned one from one of the aristocrats from either her or Blue's court, and she voiced such, "I don't know if that is a good idea, White." she said cautiously, her words picked as carefully as she did a battle strategy, "Orange doesn't need something new or something ornamental. she-"

"I am aware what Orange does and doesn't need, Yellow." White's tone was thin and dismissive, warning that Yellow had, despite her caution, stepped on some toes, so to speak. "That is why I will have one of my pearls given to her. I have a very special one in mind."

"Very well." Yellow was long since ready for this call to be over, "Shall I send someone to pick it up or will you be sending it yourself?"

"Not necessary. I want to hand it over myself."

Yellow's eyes would have bulged out of her head is she didn't have the fine restraints over herself that she did, as it was she couldn't stop her eyes from widening or the way her throat restricted, "But she is with Blue, and she is away at one of her colonies."

"I am aware, thank you Yellow." And with that the call ended, and the communicator returned to its solid form in her hand. From any other gem Yellow would have been furious to be hung up on, however all she felt was relief to have the palest diamond out of her sight. She wasn't even physically there and her very presence suffocated her. But then it occurred to her, White was going to give Orange a pearl from her personal collection, in person. She hoped Blue knew ahead of time, for she could only imagine her reaction to seeing White in person. They all knew to be cautious with White, even Pink was subdued in her presence. Well, all of them except Orange. She only hoped her naivety towards White would not get her shattered.

[Updated and corrected 1/1/21]