LOG-004.

  Rap tap tap.

  My thin knuckles gently knocked against the wall I'd chosen to lean against, even as my eyes darted to take in every corner of the shiny, blindingly bright white room Nacre Three had elected to leave me in.

  Rap tap tap.

  It was finally time. The rest of the Batch were likely only being informed and prepared for presentation now. But I'd known exactly when the Reef's ever so important visitors would arrive. My Caretaker had wanted me to have as much information as possible in the lead up to my being shown off and handed over to my destined owner, obviously.

  Hence, while the rest of Batch Sixteen were only now leaving the Pearl quarters to undergo a final cleanup and pep talk prior to their sale, I was already in one of the smaller chambers adjacent to the hangar bay the shuttles transporting the visiting Gems were scheduled to land in, well prepared for what layed ahead.

  Why they didn't just use a warp pad (learning about the basics of just how such magnificent devices worked had been one of my few positive experiences in this Hell) was something I didn't, couldn't possibly know. Alongside a million other details. Countless variables constantly flashing through my ever stretching mind even as tears streaked down my cheeks and-

  Rap. Tap. Tap.

  My hands clenched into tightly balled up little fists, even as I whirled around and glared at the wall behind me.

  The reflection of an exhausted looking green Pearl stared back at me, eyes shiny.

  I shook, laying my hands against the glimmering surface, using it as as a desperate support even as I whispered to the distorted copy of myself in a hoarse voice that would have quite possibly given Nacre Three whatever the Gem equivalent of a heart attack was.

  "Get your head in the game, Viridian. You're nearly out of here. Final stretch. Alright? You're close. You're so close."

  "All Pearls from Batch Sixteen B to the primary visitation area. All Pearls from Batch Sixteen B to the primary visitation area."

  Hurriedly wiping the wet streaks away and ensuring my hair hadn't been frazzled by my brief outburst of emotion, I took the luxury of spending another few seconds ensuring my appearance was as perfect and flawless as always, even as I turned to the now open door.

  "Final fucking stretch."

  ---

  My personal taskmaster had been quick to join me from wherever she'd been once the call had gone out, her hand on my shoulder an everpresent reminder of my fate should I fail to prove myself worthy to this particular Emerald. The walk to the hangar bay itself was short, and my eyes had widened significantly after we'd passed through the doors leading into the gargantuan area.

  Not because of the size, but rather the fact that I could see outside the hangar from a massive opened up section, ostensibly there to allow small ships and shuttles to pass through it.

  The urge to bawl my eyes out rose up like the need to vomit as I felt sunlight touch my lightform for the first time in...ever. Probably. Yet the clawed fingers wrapped around me ensured not even a single tear escaped my painfully dry eye sockets.

  The hangar was just as white as everything else had been, save for a few subtle accents and splashes of colour here and there. In truth, the biggest contrast to the entire area I'd been brought to was the rainbow riot of colours that was an entire Batch of Pearls all being gathered into one place. I could see two other Nacres, identical to my own standing near some kind of console alongside a Peridot, even as my own Caretaker gently pushed me towards the gaggle of Pearls.

  "Go on now, Viridian. And ensure you present yourself as the best amongst them."

  I didn't hesitate to follow the order, eagerly yet as always gracefully stepping away from the Nacre to join the rest of my Batch.

  Surprised eyes stared at me as I silently took my place near the end of the line of Pearls, yet no one spoke as I filled in the missing gap. Not audibly at least.

  'You're alive.'

  A seemingly simple twitch of Sixteen A's fingers. I shifted my head ever so slightly downwards in response, an act imperceptible to anyone but a fellow slave.

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  'Yes.'

  And that was that, for none of us dared attempt a true conversation once Nacre Three finished whatever discussion she was having with her colleagues, striding towards us on long, almost stilt-like legs.

  It was like that, in our line up that we all stood statue still, even as the entire hangar steadily filled with what was clearly a solid portion of the facility's entire garrison.

  Despite my proximity to them, I'd only ever seen a Quartz soldier in person just once before. She'd been a yellow Jasper of some sort. I'd taken some small amount of amusement in comparing her to mustard, at the time.

  Said amusement had died a miserable death when the mustard coloured Gem had revealed another Pearl trapped in her grasp, the far thinner blue Gem shaking like a leaf even as Nacre One had been informed of her attempt at escaping the Reef in the middle of her conversation with my own overseer.

  I hadn't seen that blue Pearl since, though to be fair I hadn't seen many Gems at all since Nacre Three had taken personal charge of my training. My best assumption was Rejuvenation. My worst, shattering and Harvesting-

  "Batch Sixteen."

  I purged the thoughts from my mind, standing as straight as I could even as my fellow Pearls did the same, just as our Caretaker took her place in front of all of us.

  "You have all been taught. You have all been trained. You have all been conditioned. All to make you the best servants you can possibly be. Today is the day that you leave my care, alongside that of the Reef, and become true Pearls."

  A steady, humming sound that almost seemed to vibrate the air around us made itself known, even as the first of several shuttles began to descend from the sky above, their pilots carefully manoeuvring the differently shaped vessels through the wide open hangar doors.

  The first ship to land was red. The second, green. The third, white.

  Yet all those little details barely caught my attention as Nacre Three stared directly at me, her hands clasped in front of her.

  "Make me proud."

  ---

  There she was.

  Emerald facet 2M7G, cut 8XS.

  The bright green, spiky haired, bored looking harbinger of my salvation.

  The military Gem cut an imposing figure, to say the very least. Flanked as she was by two serious looking Peridots, even as she and the rest of the Reef's guests mingled with one another. A few minutes of idle discussion passed between the large group, only going silent once Nacre One stepped forward, bowing at the waist with her identical clones copying the action from right behind her.

  "Esteemed guests, allow me to personally welcome you to the Reef! Though it would be my pleasure to entertain those of you that are here for the first time and provide a guided tour of our facilities, I understand that we all lead immensely busy lives and thus time may not be a luxury many of us will be able to afford. Unfortunately."

  Several agreements rang out from the menagerie of visitors, though some looked ever so slightly disappointed at not being able to poke around a little.

  The Nacre rose from her bow, nodding.

  "Thus, let us focus on what we are all truly here for."

  Her hand moved, slowly gesturing for the Pearl right next to me to come forward.

  "Presenting Pearl Sixteen A, to be transferred to the immediate and indefinite ownership of the honourable Sodalite, facet 3U9R, cut 6XP.

  Compared to Sixteen A, Sodalite was a dark blue, almost bordering on purple in colour. One singular, drastically oversized eye stared at the Pearl, framed by blue streaked hair that almost seemed to spill around the lilac dress surrounding her plump body.

  I silently thanked and cursed the Stars that I had not been first, and that they were following what seemed to be alphabetical order, just as the crimson Pearl stepped forward and bowed daintily.

  "It is my pleasure and honour to serve you, my Sodalite."

  Silence rang out throughout the hangar as the aristocratic Gem glared down at the Pearl, before sniffing disdainfully.

  "It will do. Come along and make way, Pearl. I wish to observe the rest of the proceedings."

  And just like that, both master and slave were stepping out of the spotlight, even as the admiral stepped forward, head panning to take in our entire lineup.

  Her gaze landed on me just as Nacre One made to open her mouth, only to be beaten to the metaphorical punch by my worst fucking nightmare.

  "Presenting Pearl Sixteen B, Viridian! The finest product of my latest Batch, to be transferred to the immediate and indefinite ownership of the venerable Emerald, facet 2M7G, cut 8XS!"

  You stupid fucking bitch! What is wrong with you!?

  I barely held back a scream as I stepped forward, chest puffed out and head held high. My gemstone thrummed in panic as the admiral's razor sharp looking eyes turned from the Caretaker's abrupt takeover of the presentation to stare me down instead.

  My voice came out melodious, even as I took a curtsy that put Sixteen A's previous fumbling gesture of subservience to fucking shame.

  "I eagerly await the opportunity to bring you the greatest of joys, my Emerald."

  A moment of silence, as the fleet admiral almost seemed to size me up for a few seconds.

  Then...finally, a quick, singular nod of approval.

  "She seems...well made. Excellent work."

  Oh thank the Stars.

  ---

  I didn't get to see the rest of the ceremony, for my new owner had decided that watching various aristocratic Gems, alongside a few other military officers get their freshly prepared Pearls, simply wasn't worth the time she could spend doing something more productive with her life.

  Thus, I'd followed the tall Emerald aboard her jade hued shuttle without hesitation, flanked by the two Peridots that had accompanied her in turn.

  The last sight I saw of the Reef before the embarking ramp closed with an almost euphorically final click had been Nacre Three's widely smiling face, alongside the two other Caretakers glaring daggers at her from behind.

  So long, fuckers.

  Then, the shuttle was moving and a loud groan was filling the entire interior as my master plopped down into a nearby seat, waving a hand at one of the Peridots even as the other one moved towards the vessel's cockpit.

  "Ugh, I always hate having to deal with those stuffy homecrust aristocrats. Make a note to send some kind of envoy in my place next time, will you?"

  A quick affirmative answered the Emerald, the technician utilising her left limb enhancer's (almost painfully familiar to the one resting inside my gemstone, if a little bulkier looking) detached fingers to create a holographic screen she could begin tapping at.

  I remained standing, hands firmly clasped in front of me in a respectful pose, not even considering taking a seat unless I was told otherwise.

  The decision proved prudent, considering my Emerald was staring at me in short order, her lip quirking ever so slightly upwards.

  "Well, I finally got one. Let's see if you were worth the currenza. Entertain me, Pearl."

  I smiled widely, and began to sing.

  The difference between this particular melody, and the many, many songs I had performed for Nacre Three, was really rather simple in the end.

  This one had just a singular note of victory hidden deep within its tune.