Lapis and Peridot

[Peridot's POV]

It wasn't long after Jasper left that, while I was redirecting our ship by 0.0002 milimeters towards earth, my communication device crackled to life. I picked it up, closing my screen, and listened to Jasper's request. "Peridot. Peridot, deactivate the barrier of Lazuli's cell. I need to... speak with her." I snorted to myself. Speak with her. Yeah, right. More like, hurt her. I reflected on this for a moment, ad for some reason I had a tingling urge to tell Jasper that I wouldn't lower the barrier, I wouldn't let her hurt Lazuli. Then I froze for a moment. That feeling was an emotion - emotions made me weak - I had to ignore the feeling. But then again, maybe Jasper would accidentally damage Lazuli's gem? That would go against our mission. Or what if she destroyed Lazuli's physical form and Lazuli refused to regenerate?

I blinked, clearing my thoughts. I was now trying to rationalize the decision that my emotions had invented. That was ridiculous. I pressed a button and responded to Jasper's request, deciding to just watch through the camera in Lazuli's cell. "Just a moment," I replied to Jasper.

"Peridot, open her cell right now, or I'll tell Yellow Diamond that you're sympathizing with those weaklings." Jasper sounded impatient. I groaned and reopened my touchscreen, tapping buttons and deactivating the barrier.

"Fine," I replied as the wall fizzed out. Following through with my decision, I quickly opened the screen to the view from the camera, just in case. I didn't close the barrier, figuring that Jasper could easily keep the prisoner from escaping (while reflecting on this an hour or so later, I decided that I was once again rationalizing in a moment of weakness; I didn't even notice back then, but I was in a way protecting Lazuli).

When my eyes fell upon the camera view I immediately decided that I would have to watch every minute of Jasper's visit. It didn't begin well. Lazuli had been huddled in the corner - she literally hadn't moved ever since I left her. For a moment I wondered if this life as a prisoner was hurting her in some way, or- nope, nope, I can't think like that. I growled at my weakness, then focused on the screen again. Jasper was approaching the prisoner, walking slowly and grinning as Lazuli pressed herself against the wall to get away from her captor. I had to admit that being the recipient of Jasper's menacing smile was rather unnerving, but I didn't understand why Lazuli was so terrified. She wouldn't be shattered, after all. Perhaps she was being illogical.

I could see Jasper's lips moving but I wasn't able to hear what she was saying. Grumbling slightly, I decided video would have to do. Lazuli didn't reply, just hiding her face. Jasper reached out toward her and grabbed her by the arm, yanking her to her feet and then off her feet, so Lazuli dangled in the air. She wasn't even fighting, she was just... just... hanging there. I shivered. That complete submission was rather disturbing, but when the urge to stop Jasper came upon me, I beat it down again. Emotions would weaken me, I reminded myself again. And I didn't want to be weak.

Jasper slapped Lazuli in the face. I could see both their profiles, and Jasper's big orange face was contorting with impatience and anger. I read her lips as she hissed at Lazuli. "Answer my question, prisoner!" Lazuli's mouth moved as she whispered something in response, but I couldn't make it out. Jasper snorted in derision and dropped Lazuli, who fell to the ground and immediately crumpled into a heap, shaking slightly. She was favoring her left wrist, the one Jasper was holding her by, which looked broken, perhaps sprained. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her- for a fraction of a moment, before I reminded myself it was her own fault for being weak. Jasper was now taunting the huddled blue figure, but Lazuli just... stayed there. Apparently, that infuriated Jasper, and the large gem kicked Lazuli. Hard. In the ribs. Lazuli, clutching her side, lifted herself to a sitting position. She was trembling so hard I could see it on my screen, I noted. And now I could see why she was afraid: Jasper was treating her as if she was a worthless being, even though before she was trapped on earth for those millenia, she was probably above Jasper in rank... Lazuli was being hurt. I had to remind myself again that I wasn't allowed to feel compassion. This was a troublesome mission, to be sure. So much fighting against emotion! And there was still more to do, on earth.

Now what was happening? I focused in on my screen, watching Lazuli slowly shudder and stand up, while Jasper tormented her. Lazuli's eyes seemed glassy, hopeless, lifeless. I watched her face, reading her lips as she lifted her chin and spoke to Jasper. "Go ahead. Destroy me. Poof me into my gem. I don't care."

Time for me to head over there in person, I told myself, slipping off my chair. I deactivated my screen (it didn't work well if I used it while moving, because my concentration wavered) and walked towards the door. My leg enhancers clinked with each step as I made my way to Lazuli's prison. It was a long walk through empty corridors, and on the way I had time to scold myself. What was I doing? I was feeling sorry for the enemy. I was going to save the enemy. I was being weak! But why was it, then, that something inside me kept crying out at the injustice of Lazuli's being pained like that? I wasn't supposed to fell sorry for anyone! I just needed to get through this mission. Once I was back on Homeworld everything would be fine. I could forget about Lapis and- wait a minute did I just think of her as LAPIS? I shook my head. Oh my stars, I really needed to get control over my thoughts. I would organize them soon. For now, I rounded the corner and approached Lazuli's cell. I would just check what was going on...