Garnet: We don't have a clear count of the Gems guarding White Diamond's ship, nor do we know what other dangers we might face along the way. That's why gathering as much intel as possible is critical before we take any action.
Connie: The more we know, the better our chances of success.
Steven: Okay, but... how are we supposed to get the intel we need?
Garnet: One of us will have to go up there, scout the area, and return unnoticed.
Steven: *confused* Wait, just one of us? Wouldn't it be safer if we all went together?
Garnet: No. Stealth is key here. If we all go, we'll draw attention. A single scout would have a much better chance of staying undetected.
Connie: That's right. If we had something like a drone, this would be a lot easier. But since we don't, someone's gotta do it the old-fashioned way.
Steven: Makes sense. So, uh... who should go?
Connie: That's the big question.
Steven: Anyone feel up for it?
[The group falls into an awkward silence, each person glancing at the other, unsure who would be the best choice.]
Amethyst: *breaking the silence* Uh... if no one else is volunteering, guess I could do it.
Pearl: *alarmed* YOU?! Amethyst, no offense, but what makes you think you're qualified for this?
Amethyst: *defensive* Hey, cut me some slack! I can blend in better than anyone here!
Pearl: *raising an eyebrow* Oh, really? How's that work?
Amethyst: I'm the smallest Gem in the group! And don't even try bringing up Peridot, those limb enhancers make her taller than you!
Peridot: *grumbling* Not like I wanna go, anyway...
Steven: Are you sure you're up for it, Amethyst? This could be dangerous.
Amethyst: Totally! No sweat.
Pearl: *crossing her arms* Amethyst, you're underestimating how serious this is. Stealth isn't exactly your strong suit. You'd be caught before you even got halfway there.
Amethyst: Oh, come on! You make it sound like I haven't handled worse before! I've got plenty of tricks up my sleeve, y'know?! I can even shapeshift into something smaller if I need to sneak around!
Pearl: And what happens if you don't shapeshift in time? Or worse, if you get caught because you weren't careful enough?
Amethyst: Then I smash my way out. Problem solved.
Pearl: *groaning* This is exactly what I'm talking about! If you get caught, we might not be able to get you out!
Steven: Hey, if Amethyst says she can handle it, then we should trust her. Besides, it's just a reconnaissance mission, no fighting involved.
Pearl: *sighs* Fine. But I still think this is a terrible idea. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Steven: Alright then. Amethyst, it's up to you. Just... be careful out there, okay?
Amethyst: You got it, dude! I'll be back before you even miss me!
Steven: Good luck.
Pearl: And please... stay safe.
[Amethyst waves goodbye and dashes out of the cavern. Steven watches her leave, fidgeting nervously.]
Steven: *muttering to himself* I hope she'll be okay...
Thirty Minutes Later.
[Amethyst hasn't returned yet. The remains in uneasy silence, with Steven pacing back and forth. The only sound that breaks the stillness is the faint drip of water, each drop echoing like the ticking of a clock.]
Steven: Don't you think Amethyst is taking too long? I'm starting to get worried! What if something happened to her?!
Connie: Relax, Steven. It's only been half an hour. Remember how long it took us to get here?
Steven: *thinking* Hmm... about forty-five minutes, I think.
Connie: Exactly. Amethyst will need at least twice as long to make a full round trip.
Steven: So... you think she'll be back in, like, an hour and a half?
Connie: Not necessarily. If she ran into complications, she might take a little longer. I'd say we have at least two hours before we should start worrying.
Pearl: Connie's right, Steven. Let's be patient. There's no need to panic just yet.
Steven: I guess you're right...
Four Hours Later.
[Amethyst finally returns, looking exhausted but unharmed. Steven rushes to greet her.]
Steven: *relieved* Amethyst! You're back! Thank the stars! I was so worried!
Pearl: *hands on hips* Four hours?! Seriously!? What took you so long?! Well, at least you're back in one piece.
Amethyst: Hey, don't sweat it. The way up there wasn't exactly smooth sailing. Nothing I couldn't handle, though.
Connie: What happened? You were gone wat longer than we expected.
Amethyst: Ran into some weird, cone-shaped robots. They were patrolling the area. Had to fight my way past a couple of them, but don't worry, I made sure to take 'em all down.
Pearl: You were supposed to AVOID conflict, Amethyst!
Amethyst: I tried to! But those robots were asking for it. They weren't friendly at all.
Pearl: *pinching the bridge of her nose* Please tell me you made sure you weren't followed by any more of them.
Ametgyst: What do you take me for?! I doubled back, like, three times to make sure nothing was on my tail!
Connie: Alright, fair enough.
Amethyst: Oh, and by the way, I found a shortcut on my way back. It might save us some time, but... let's just say it's not the most pleasant route.
Connie: Better than nothing, I guess.
Steven: What about White's ship? How's the situation up there?
Amethyst: It's bad. Worse than we thought.
Steven: *uneasy* How bad?
Amethyst: The whole perimeter's crawling with guards. I barely made it within sixty meters before I had to back off, getting any closer would be pushing my luck.
Connie: How many guards are we talking about?
Amethyst: They've got the ship completely surrounded. Thirty Topazes on the left, twenty-five Agates on the right, two Lapis Lazulis at the front, and around twenty assorted Quartz Soldiers scattered in between.
Pearl: *shocked* Seventy-five Gems?! Are you kidding me?!
Amethyst: *nodding* That's just what I saw. There could be more hidden. This ship's got more security than I've ever come across. No way to sneak up on it.
Connie: They're definitely up to something on that ship.
Garnet: Well, it's decided then. That ship is our target.
Steven: *panicking* But how are we supposed to take on that many Gems!? We don't even have thirty Gems on our side! We're totally outnumbered!
Connie: Steven, don't panic. We still have allies.
Steven: *confused* Allies? Like who?
Connie: *smirking* The Gems we left in space! They're still waiting on the Battleship for further orders. You didn't forget about them, did you?
Steven: *facepalming* Oh, right! I totally forgot!
Connie: Figured as much. We can still count on them. We just have to find a way to contact them.
Garnet: Good, that's exactly what we need. They can cause a diversion, keeping the guards busy while we sneak into White Diamond's ship.