@ TwoBits
I would only have been wishing for gems so that I could manipulate the gem stocks. So not blowing them. But I did consider empowering in Astral though due to the reason you gave. "It's only Astral gems"
In the end though I decided to check out Const 8 first in the hope of some S-boosters still being there, and upon hitting I found the Forbidden Light hanging around to solve the problem??! (@ All, seriously what the hell was the Forb Light doing being still available?)