Chapter 28 – Godshards

 

Becca sat in a crimson vessel, a class-B star-charting shuttle flying off into the stars. She saw the planet with Mallory Millarhoof quickly become a fading blur, then the star itself vanish into the void as the ship kept going. She turned around on a ring-shaped couch with a single break for entry, Hyde sitting on the opposite end, Diane next to him. Her legs were crossed, she filed her nails with a scowl on her face. They flew through Xi, the silence of the stars reflecting inside.

"So…" She breathed, looking at Hyde in the corner of her eye. "Where are we going? What's the plan here?" She asked.

Hyde fixed his tie. "We're heading to the Eas region, a satellite colony out of the surveillance of most class-D sensors has a private Warp Station. We'll rendezvous with Pyra and the other gems, they'll explain more when we get there."

"I'd like to know-" She turned around, looking outside at the stars passing by. "I'd like to know if you're planning to betray me for the gems. Or if you're planning on turning me over to Goliath, or the 'Overlord' or Shadow King, whatever he calls himself now."

"We aren't passed that yet? I thought we settled this, with sports." Hyde looked at Diane and then shook. "Look I wouldn't do that. I-uh, I really wouldn't." He looked at the map outside, but his eyes looked down to the floor. "I just… I'm not a bad person."

Diane coughed, interrupting him for a moment. "Sorry, had something in my throat." She snickered. "I'm not 'that' bad a person." He added.

Becca laid her head back against the soft pleather. "You sure? Because you did send a giant monster to fight me and separate me from Thatti. Seperate your Ex... On my orders from my Ex." She said.

"You and Goliath were a thing?" He asked.

"Hmm..." She realized she should've chosen her choice of words better. "We were before he blew up with the others. Goliath and I both have a past, you know." She said, looking back at him.

"When it comes to relationships and exes, you have a pretty shaky past."

"Uh, yeah." Hyde scoffed, leaning forward. "I have a past. Exes. We all have a past." "Do we?" She asked. "Hyde…"

She glanced over at him, sad expression on her face. "Look, you worked for him before. And now that he's overlord and Domina, he has the power to free gems in Orchid, that seems pretty convenient for you doesn't it? Or should I say tempting?"

"Bedlam isn't Orchid. I told you I'm not working with that guy anymore." Hyde said forcefully.

Becca continued. "But I didn't sign up to go with you here because I like you. I signed up because you have one thing in common with me, Hyde, and that's Thatti. We can't go any further than that." She grit her teeth at him. "I mean no offense asshole but, you're kinda awful."

"I'm awful?" Hyde said, shaking his head. "That's rich coming from a woman who, as far as I can tell, was only in a position of power thanks to another girl who found her, is impersonating her, but can't keep the other half of her personal relationships from crashing and burning." He said.

She seethed and threw a couch pillow at him.

"Geez, I'm sorry, that came out wrong. I know Goliath's not your fave right now and you've had a rough past with him. I also know you're not like Goliath, but atleast accept I'm not like him either, I'm certainly not 'with' him. But when it comes to bad people? You're just as bad as I am, Beck." He smiled. "So how's it feel to hear that coming from someone like me? To get my perspective on you? Is it enough for us to start trusting each other?" He said.

Becca turned to them, a stern expression on her face. "Well... I don't know. Do you two trust me?"

"Dear god, no." Hyde crossed his arms. Diane slapped him. "We're trying our best okay luv. Give us some credit."

"Wonderful." Becca groaned, her head turning back and laying on the pillow. "As always, it's great." She turned her head over to Diane, who continued on painting her nails.

Diane looked up slowly, knots unsettling in her stomach. "Love, if you want to earn some trust, can you do me a favor? Its been making us both uncomfortable since you got onboard."

"What's that?" Becca perked up towards her.

"Can you take off that damn bracelet? We know who you are. You don't need that disguise with us. It's, a little disturbing parading around as a dead girl. Especially for Hyde because-" She turned to him. "Yeah."

Becca looked down at the bracelet and slowly reached for it, taking a long cold pause before being able to reach the switch underneath. She flipped it off, the hologram fading away to her original appearance, revealing her the mint skinned girl with a missing arm underneath. "Sure Dee. No problemo." She said deadpan. All manner of dread spread like a plague over her mind as she resumed her own visage, the vulnerability infecting her to the core. Her legs were trembling.

Diane gave her a smile, reaching for the bracelet and taking it. "You didn't really have to do that for me."

"You can't judge me until you know all my secrets." Becca curdled up when she saw her shoulder stump, the memories still stopping her heart cold.

Diane laughed, raising her finished nails with a smile. "Got one or two of those myself. No more lying, no more games, no more running away, none of that crap. We're gonna be real people. In this fake world." She pointed outside, to the dark void outside the cockpit.

"See, Hyde this is why you're a prickbag and Diane is the best."

"Oh? Do you like me?" Diane turned back, looking at Becca. "You think of me as someone you'd want to date?" She asked, flaunting her boobs at Becca.

"Heh, you think I've never been with a woman before?" Becca teased. "Back in NeoCity-" "Hey hey. Easy there." Hyde shielded her breasts. "That's my woman you're oogling."

Diane scoffed. "Hyde, you're worse than me when it comes to checking out other partners." She said, turning to the flicking lights overhead. "I think I've hit my limit of awful small-talk now."

"Well there's more coming." Hyde said. "Pyra and the other Gems are gonna be joining us. In like…" He checked a holographic clock. "Two hours." He said, leaning forward and staring at the stars again.

Becca thought back to all the times they fought in Echostar. The constant attacks, the fights and horrors. It seemed like barely any time at all when they were fierce enemies and Thatti had to be on her guard.

"All that shit they gave us. It was like it never happened." She repeated, frowning.

 

 

After landing in a large mechanical station in space, the three navigated large empty halls. The emptiness gnawed at Becca like a plague, her conscience unsure how to accept this invitation. A part of relented from the idea, working with these glorified servants and soldiers who were all at another’s thrall or helm, always looking for another direction or lesson in obedience. What did they know about leading, how could they lead her? But the options in her mind dwindled the more she thought about it. Run back and try to fight Goliath? Impossible. Caleb had left her. There was no further place for her in Echostar. Everyone she knew about was long gone in Xi, an unfamiliar galaxy that felt worlds apart from the rumble and tumble shooty- boo gallery foo she grew up with. She missed the streets of NeoCity, and seeing the empty halls put a huge hole in her gut being reminded of them. Ahead of them, Petal, Pyra and Maisma greeted them, Lake and Bliss shortly behind.

The entire lobby was empty, the only voice heard a small woman in an air locked helmet. She took it off slowly, catching the attention of the 7 gems and Becca at once as it hissed open.

"You! BASTARD!" Becca yelled.

"Sup." White Nebula said. The woman's voice echoed, ringing like a siren in the mint girl's ears.

"You were with Black Diamond and her stupid plan, because of her shitty assassins back there-" Becca started running towards White, attempting to throw her fist. "As far as 'hello' goes, that is a very irritating way to do it." Nebula said, pressing a button on her gauntlets. String-like Lights went out and curved around Becca, tying and restraining her immediately.

"You're not going anywhere." She said. "Becca calm down." Diane said.

Becca wrenched in her bindings, shouting curses at White. "Fuck! You're all with her! This is a setup." She squirmed helplessly.

"Shhh! Quiet it." White Nebula turned around. "Take her along, follow me. And Diane, let's talk when you have a quiet moment."

"No way-" Becca protested, but Nebula and the other gems pulled her away from the main lobby. They went into a private room, Bliss left to watch Becca.

She started biting at her restraints, the energy tearing and wracking her. With a painful kick and wriggle she managed to loosen them just enough to hobble around and worm her way forward.

"W-wait, Mr. Hyde told me to-" Bliss put one hand on her, then yawned. "Uhh.." Her eyes slowly closed and she fell backwards. Becca stared confused, before squirming her way to the door and looking into the crack.

"Are you sure about this? She seems incompetent and unstable. If I had to assess, I wouldn't say she's the best choice for this?"

Maisma shrugged. "I know her reputation isn't the best. But.." She scratched her belly. "Girl can get the job done, yeah count on her!"

Petal nodded. "Becca has been through alot, the dear girl needs our help. I trust here, but I'd really like to avoid telling her about 'that' if we can.. I'm not sure her heart could handle it. It'd break."

"It will." Pyra said.

Lake Lazuli sighed. "I could try to calm her down, but she is a little unstable right now. But, she's good at heart. I'm pretty sure we'd need her on our side." She rubbed her shoulder, the bulbs in the room flickering abit. "Look she got, shoved aside by her other friends. I don't want us to bring out the pitchforks, please white. Let us help her."

"Yeah!" Maisma added. "The best ones are the ones who got broken before!" "That's very mature of you." Petal said sarcastically.

Diane paced back and forth. "She's abit of a wildcard, but, I want her with us. Better the devil you know." She said.

"Yeah, until Goliath offers her to come back to Orchid and offers to take her back. She'll drop us in a heartbeat." Hyde leaned on his knee as he sat on a folding chair.

"Don't even say that." Diane crossed her arms.

Becca finally heard enough and threw herself into the room. "You're the goddamn worst." She yelled, still kicking in the sack of light threads binding her. "Gossipy gems, treating me like some sort of stowaway. Working with someone like her?!" She shouted at White.

"I don't think we're good people Beck. Not by a long shot. There's no 'good people' out there. All we are is survivors." Diane said.

"Yeah, you think I'm just some dumb bitch huh? Well I got knews for you gem trash.." Becca yelled.

Lake went up to her and pulled apart the the threads, freeing her. "Easy." She said, smiling. "No one called you that." She said.

Becca stopped, looking at the White Nebula. "Is she with you, or Jack?"

"Neither." Nebula said. "Not with Black Diamond either. I only work for myself." She insisted. "Then why the hell are we working for that bitch?" Becca screamed.

"Becca.. she knows how to bring Thatti back." Lake said.

Silence fell in the room, Becca sobbing to her chest. A long, long pause of stillness. "How?" She said.

White Nebula walked to the center of the room and tapped a device on her arm, projecting a hologram. Strange lights flickered on the projection, when they stopped flickering they revealed odd golden shards.

"These." Nebula told her. "Let's call them, God's Shards or God Shards for now. Hundreds of them are currently spread throughout multiple universes. They are the key." Becca's eyes went wide, she'd seen stones like these before. From the Headmistress at Saint Prim's, from Red Diamond.

Becca's mind raced with a million thoughts, a million questions.

"Where the hell do you get these things from?" She asked. "What are they?

"I'm not telling you that. We aren't working with you if have to ask that." Nebula retorted, making Becca jump.

"Excuse me?" Becca clenched her fists.

"All you need to know is they're an incredible source of power and in a matter of time, we need to gather them. I cannot tell you anything more than that."

"And if I get those pieces, Thatti will come back to life?!" Becca yelled, Lake grabbing her arm to prevent her from pushing into White. "Is that what we're doing? Collecting pieces of this freaky assed-"

"I can't believe you're actually talking about this again." Nebula sighed, throwing up her arms. "But yes, we need all of them. The two components essential to this plan are those golden shards, and her." She nudged towards Diane, who looked away abit uncertain. "She'll be necessary, but with her I can reforge headhunter, and perhaps with a pact, I can resurrect your Thatti."

"And you have no problem doing that? Right Becca" Diane pointed. "We're all going to be under the same roof, working with each other, traveling with the exact same people you just fought over and over again."

Becca sighed, rubbing her face and glancing at Hyde.

"Hold up a sec. His MOTHER had one of those shards months back! I have 2 back in my dorm." Hyde nodded. "We didn't understand the purpose or power of them then."

White walked over to Becca and held out her hand, letting a small golden shard drop into her hand. "How did-"

"Goliath gave it to me. Not very nicely." Nebula said. "Then we fought over it abit ago. And I finally got it

back. I'm not giving it back to that freak." She sighed. "He has way more of course, but most of them, my research indicates are undiscovered. We'll have to focus on those, and let me worry about his."

Silence fell again in the room.

"Kay. Guess that's the gameplan then." Becca said, grumbling abit. She sighed and forced a smile, before walking out of the room. The previous lobby was covered in spidersilk, Bliss snoring from the ceiling on a comfy web. "Uhh.."

In the room, White Nebula sat down on the chair next to Hyde. "Look. We have a lot to talk about. We're only gonna be getting better and better at working with each other, we have a job to do. You have to start trusting Becca."

"Trust.." Hyde sighed, sitting on his chair. "Easy to say when the current Domina has been threatening to shatter the Diamonds lately. You've got more shards collected by now, I'm sure. Do you need her? And besides, she killed a lot of people back in her past life."

"H-how'd you know that?" Lake asked.

"Uh, she told you? Right in front of me. I was listening on the battlefield when you and her were talking." "Sports field." Lake squinted. "Whatever."

"I thought you and Lynn were, distracted... doing, y'know."

"We were, but that didn't stop my ears from working." Hyde said, putting a finger to his mouth, then placing it wet in his ear for emphasis.

Nebula chuckled. "I didn't say you all need to trust her, but you need to start giving her some credit. We can keep a watchful eye on her. Keep her in the loop, but be honest. We just need her with us." She stood up and left the room.