Homeworld Escape

***Homeworld Escape*** is the first chapter of the first volume of Star-Crossed.

## Summery

The chapter opens up in the Human Zoo. In it, Steven Universe is being carried through by a pair of amethyst Gems on his way to his prison cell. On the way there, both amethysts started grieving and complaining about dealing with their new elite, including their "General" and how much treatment they were getting compared to the rest of them. Eventually Steven is dropped off into a small chamber, being locked inside while the amethysts claim that they'll be rewarded by their diamond. Steven tries getting out, but during this he quickly collapses due to a major headache, not being able to remember what happened before he got there. The chamber activates, and Steven is pulled through a long hallway. As he does, he goes through an assimilation process: checked for temperature, his gemstone examined, and his outfit altered into a loincloth and earrings. Once this was all done, he's dropped through a hatch and into his prison cell.

On coming to, he finds one of the Crystal Gems, Ruby, inside the same chamber as him. Both are very happy to see eachother, Steven revealing that he let himself be captured by Homeworld in order to get them all out. Unfortunately, Ruby doesn't know where anyone is, nor how to even get out. Steven attempts to touch the gem field, only for Ruby to quickly stop him, saying how it'll "poof [him] on the spot". A pair of Jasper guards soon arrive, alongside their captain, Campion. Campion advises Steven (calling him Rose Quartz) to keep in line for everyone's sake. Campion tells the jaspers to not let them escape and that the general will not tolerate any more mistakes. On mentioning the general though, Steven gets another migraine headache, much to Ruby's worry, and Campion believes that they knocked him out before bringing him here much like their Sapphire. Ruby demands to know where Sapphire is, but Campion assures her that he's done nothing to her, and that she should focus on Steven's condition instead of him. He advises the jaspers that the general wants Steven alive, making the jaspers agree to it before leaving them on guard.

It cuts to later on, Steven lamenting on how he didn't think things through while Ruby is enraged at the entire situation. Steven promises they'll all escape somehow, only for Ruby to exclaim how she'll smash the other gems for keeping Sapphire away. These angers Jasper to the point of slamming her fist into the wall, and she warns them that while she can't kill either of them, she can still clobber them into the ground if they don't keep quiet. This noise gets the attention of Campion, along with another captain, Holly Blue Agate. Holly Blue is quick to criticize the jaspers (both forcefully and verbally) for not poofing Rose Quartz. Campion tells her that it was under his orders, but Holly Blue reminds him that being poofed doesn't actually kill a Gem, and she orders the jaspers to open the field so they can poof her before the upcoming trial. Ruby attempts to protect Steven, but one of the Jasper guards simply tosses her into the field, making her poof instantly. Jasper attempts to get Steven, but he slips out of her grip and races through the gem field completely fine (much to the shock of Campion and Holly Blue). Campion orders them all to grab him, stating that it doesn't matter how Steven got out. During the scuffle, Steven grabs Ruby and after being given one more warning by Campion, runs off to find the others.

Meanwhile, in another area of the Human Zoo, two Homeworld Hare guards check in on Sapphire, whom they plan to take to the trial. They find that ice is forming by the cell, and that Sapphire wasn't waking up. Concerned, they try giving her some time to wake up though they worry over what the general would think of this. During this, another prisoner, Envy, laughs at them, mocking how professional they think they are. One of them orders him to be quiet and that he should be lucky that he didn't get shattered yet. Envy points out though that the Homeworld Hares are on borrowed time and that Homeworld is looking for any reason to destroy them at this point. The Homeworld Hare guard demands him to be quiet, calling him a defect, which angers Envy to the point of zapping the field. Envy then scares them away by slamming his hands on the field, freaking both Homeworld Hares enough to make them leave. By then, Sapphire wakes up. Envy and Sapphire talk for a while, revealing how Sapphire betrayed her Diamond and that she has a plan of escape, yet refuses to involve Envy over how dangerous he is. Envy bargains with her, claiming that he can help them escape the prison only if they let him out, and that they were all on borrowed time with no guarantee that they will be kept alive forever. Desperate, she agrees to let him out once she is freed. Another person them arrives at Sapphire's cell, revealing it to be Steven with Ruby's gemstone in hand. After explaining the situation to her, Steven gets Sapphire out, but Sapphire tells him to let Envy out as well. Campion, Holly Blue, and the Jasper guards arrive then, but by then Steven already made an opening for Envy to get through. Immediately, Envy poofs Holly Blue on the spot, shocking her gemstone. Campion immediately orders the jaspers to call the entire Owsla just before Envy grabs him by the head and throws him out of the room into the nearest wall. Sapphire reminds Envy of his deal, but he quickly reveals he was just lying to her, mocking how a Sapphire should've seen right through him but doesn't complain about her stupidity before he races away. They find that Campion has snuck away, and Sapphire grabs Steven, racing away to find the others.

It suddenly cuts away back on Earth, revealing the entire thing watch through the eyes of a very large snake. She laments on how the visions had, while ending differently, all have ended with them escaping. She wonders briefly on when the "story" will begin, glancing outside of her tree den. She remarks that it'll be just a few more nights.

## Features

### Characters

* Steven Universe
* Woundwort (indirectly mentioned)
* Blue Diamond (indirectly mentioned)
* Ruby
* Jasper
* Campion
* Rose Quartz (mentioned)
* Holly Blue Agate (only appearance)
* Amethyst (indirectly mentioned)
* Pearl (indirectly mentioned)
* Aspen (unnamed)
* Sapphire
* Envy (unnamed)
* Hydra Snake (unnamed)

### Locations

* Space
	+ Human Zoo
* Bajelous Jungle

## Trivia

* The events that play out in the chapter mirror that of the Steven Universe episode "Gem Heist". However, due to the Homeworld Hares and Envy present, exact events alter drastically from the main episode in question.
	+ However, due to the ending of the chapter revealing it being a dream sequence, it is impossible to say how exactly the escape played out.
* In its original release, the comic featured screenshots from the official show. This was later edited out for original drawn pictures in September of 2023.
* In the Tapas release, The Hydra Snake's lines were slightly altered:
	+ DeviantArt Release: "It isn't like it won't end any different though ... They've gotten out of there."
	+ Tapas Release: "It isn't like it will end any different though ... They've gotten out of there."