The conversation had been brief, a few remarks about two people who had differing levels of affection for each other. Steel thought the man was in love with the female he escorted to the party. Sapphire informed him that no, he was in fact only using the girl.
"Isn't it the same thing?" he had asked, unaware of the discrepancy in his understanding.
"No, not on this planet", was the reply. Cool and uncalculating, Sapphire had spoken it with only a hint of her real meaning.
Now, thinking back on it as he had been doing for quite some time, Steel was also remembering other moments within that assignment.
Sapphire kissed him. Certainly it had been only a pretext in order to ward off any other questions from that ridiculous woman Emma. A married couple stealing away for a kiss made perfect sense to her, and Sapphire had known that it would. Steel had not. Steel had been … affected.
"No, not on this planet." What did she mean by that? Not on this planet, but yes elsewhere? Yes among their kind, perhaps…
Steel did not imagine… did not flatter himself that he understood the emotional make up of a human being. His own nature was, by definition, hard and unyielding. He was not the master of his own fate, he had not the ability to change his composition. Or did he?
Sapphire is not a malleable thing, not soft or without hard and sharp edges. The beauty of Sapphire is not in her ability to absorb but in her inability to not deflect. She is a force to be reckoned with. Steel ought to know, he's had to engage her more times than he …
Steel? Did you call me, Steel?
No, I was simply … Where are you?
Close by. Closer than you know.
What sort of an answer was that? Steel intensified his resistance to the discussion he was having with himself. Love was not at issue, nor was the idea of using someone. He did not use Sapphire, he did not …
Sapphire, come here please.
Do you wish to see me, or simply speak to me?
Does it matter?
Yes.
Why?
You know why.
Steel did know why. And knowing that, he no longer had an excuse.