This story takes place right after assignment five (Dr. McDee must die).
Be warned that the last chapter contains no action and is mostly fluff, so if you're not in the mood, don't read it! And be patient with my mistakes: English is not my mother tongue.
Another accomplished mission. Steel was satisfied, and he happily returned to the hub. He didn't notice Sapphire's uncharacteristic grave expression until she left without discussing the assignment, as they were accustomed to do.
He savoured those moments, because he had a chance to share his thoughts with her and to know what she would have done differently. Sometimes her insights were brilliant. Sapphire was growing into a very fine time agent, and Steel enjoyed watching her improvements. He also enjoyed the chance to be alone with her without worrying about time and its endless attempts at penetrating into the present. Not to mention the fact that he didn't have to worry about Sapphire's safety, which was a constant source of concern for him, although he did his best to hide it to everybody else, especially his colleagues.
So, when Sapphire walked out on him and headed to her quarters without so much as a goodbye, he was so stunned he couldn't even think about a good reason to call her back, and he just wordlessly watched her attractive back swing away from him.
Sapphire could almost tangibly feel her partner's disappointment at seeing her walk away from him without a word. She knew how much Steel enjoyed their post-assignment sessions, but she really didn't feel like discussing their last mission.
How could she tell him that she couldn't bear thinking that she had almost killed him? When she was aiming that gun at his head, she felt something break inside her. Despite what the entity forced her to say, that she didn't mind killing him, she was dying inside. She kept thinking how she would have felt if he didn't take the precaution to unload the gun. She would have shot him right in his beautiful head. She would have watched him die. She would have caused his death. Right after he just suffered all that pain to keep her from stabbing herself. She just couldn't stand the thought.
She needed some time for herself. She needed time to think. So she locked both her door and her mind, virtually cutting everything and everybody out.
When Steel was called to Earth on a new assignment, the first thing he noticed when he materialized was Sapphire's absence. They often were sent in different moments, but he always, always, felt her presence nearby. Now he wasn't feeling anything. He probed deep into his mind, but he still couldn't feel her.
She had disconnected from him since the end of their last assignment, and hadn't contacted him since. Steel hated to admit that he felt lonely, but he couldn't deny that he had never felt so alone in his entire life. He grew so used to hearing her soft voice in his head, that now he felt like he was missing a limb. More like a part of his heart, actually. He needed her; he needed to feel her presence at his side; he needed to feel her support. He needed to know that somebody cared about him.
He couldn't deny that his partner grew so important to him that he didn't mind the other elements avoiding his company. He knew that his aloof character kept the others at bay, but Sapphire learned to see behind his mask and instinctively gave him what he needed.
He was also worried for her; what if she was ill? Elements never got ill, but maybe her human form was affecting her elemental resilience. Why not tell him, then? Why did she disappear without an explanation?
He was grimly mulling over these thoughts, when a familiar voice teased him:
"Hey, Steel, missing Sapphire already?"
Steel sighed loudly. "Silver. So they sent you, didn't they?"
Silver pouted. "Don't look so overjoyed, Steel, you might crack your face."
"What do you know of this assignment, Silver?"
"Back to business as usual, are we? Very well. The only thing I was told is that that boat" - and he pointed at a two-mast slowly approaching the dock they were standing at - "left its departure port well over two centuries ago."
Steel's eyebrows briefly disappeared into his bangs. "Quite a long journey. What about the sailors?"
"They are all still there, endlessly sailing around the world. They dock from time to time to provision, and they don't realize that they keep sailing through time, not space."
Steel's mind quickly focused on the fascinating mystery ahead.
"The trigger must be onboard. We need to board that vessel, Silver."
"I'm here to serve."
Steel glared at his companion, but of course the effort was wasted on Silver.
The two men left the dock and hid in the nearby forest, not wishing to be seen by the disembarking sailors. They decided to stealthy board the boat at night.
Luckily the harbour was very small, probably some sort of tropical island haven, and there were no electric lamps to shed light on the few boats that were docked.
The two time agents had no problems in boarding the vessel unseen. Once onboard, Silver immediately headed to what he hoped were the captain's quarters, while Steel just began roaming around aimlessly, not really knowing what to look for, and acutely missing Sapphire's probing powers.
The only way for him to find a time trigger was to bump right into it, and he knew that Silver was no use in this particular circumstance; he was a very good technician, but he had the probing abilities of a night table.
He realized that he kept thinking about Sapphire and wasn't concentrating on the matter at hand. Enough! He had to...
"Steel! Come to the captain's quarters, quickly!"
Silver's voice boomed in his mind, carrying a distinct note of excitement. He followed the technician's elemental trace and promptly joined him.
Still using the mental communication to avoid waking the crew, Steel asked: "What did you find?"
Silver pointed at an open book resting on the map table; it was the captain's log. He said: "Look. The log starts on December 5, 1786. I'm pretty sure this is the trigger, Steel."
Steel cautiously touched the book, and he immediately felt it: the jolt that ran through his arm confirmed Silver's suspicions; that object had been tampered with by time.
"Yes. This is it. I must destroy it at once."
Silver stopped him. "Wait! I think it's protected by some sort of psychic alarm. It will warn its owner as soon as you pick it up."
Steel looked at him with his trademark fierce expression.
"I'm counting on it."
Silver sighed, and couldn't help thinking that he didn't envy Sapphire for working side by side with such a reckless agent. Maybe that was why she was taking a break from him: she was sick and tired of worrying for his safety. Which Silver was actually doing right now, not to mention worrying for his own safety.
But his thoughts were interrupted by Steel unceremoniously grabbing the book and carrying it outside, to the bridge.
He followed him and watched him grow perfectly still, eyes closed, holding the log in both his hands. Silver knew that Steel was in the process of plunging his body temperature to absolute zero, in order to destroy the book and, hopefully, its owner.
Preparing to back up his colleague, Silver found a hiding spot and waited.
Sapphire was restless. She knew that Steel had been sent to a new assignment, because she also was summoned, but she had to explain the authority that she didn't want to go this time. Strange enough, they seemed to understand, and gave her time to clear her mind and her feelings about her partner.
But Steel had to be sent; they couldn't do without the help of both their most successful operators. The assignment was delicate, and Steel was fit for the job. Silver was sent with him, but Sapphire knew that he couldn't replace her; their talents were too different. No other operator was available, though, so there was no choice.
Sapphire realized that Steel couldn't do without her probing abilities and her direct connection to time, but she was hoping that her partner's ingenuity and instinct, not to mention his single-mindedness, were enough in this particular circumstance.
Still, she couldn't help harbouring a very ominous feeling, but she eventually discarded it as simply due to the fact that they were apart.
Silver watched in fascination as Steel's hands slowly covered with frost, quickly conveying the unbearable cold to the book they were holding.
He was so engrossed watching, that he almost didn't notice the figure rapidly approaching Steel. He was wearing the captain's uniform. Of course: who else could be indissolubly linked to the book, if not its owner?
He shouted: "Steel, watch out!", but it was too late. Blind with fury, the captain plunged at Steel, and the impact sent them both outboard. Ironically, the book fell to the floor, and its frozen pages broke into a hundred pieces as soon as they impacted with the bridge.
Silver's elation in seeing the trigger destroyed was short lived. He immediately realized the danger: Steel's temperature was still way below zero, and he would freeze the water he just fell into.
He ran to the railing and strained his eyes to see in the dark. What he saw sent shivers of fear along his spine: Steel was sprawled face up in the middle of a huge block of frozen water, his hair forming a halo around his head, his eyes closed as if in sleep. The block of ice began to quickly sink in the black water, landing on the sea bottom a few feet below the boat's keel.
The captain was nowhere to be seen, undoubtedly destroyed along with his log.
Silver's first reaction was to yield to panic, but then he forced himself to think rationally, and eventually he realized that he needed help. Big help. And promptly disappeared.
Sapphire felt Steel's cry of anguish not only in her mind, but in her whole essence. He called her so desperately that he even went through her powerful mental barrier. She felt his fear, although it was only momentary; soon it was replaced by a strange sense of acceptance, so out of character for Steel. She knew what it meant: he was preparing himself for death.
She couldn't understand: where were his stubbornness, his willpower, his strength of character?
And then she figured out what happened: she took them away from him when she decided to part from him.
Soon the realization struck her: in leaving Steel because she was scared of hurting him, she actually caused him to die.