a new Sapphire and Steel story for Obscure and British Commentfst
Title: No Way Out
Genre: Gen
Rating: G
Word count: 526
Written for Obscure and British Comment fest and for candyflosskillr
Prompt: When the transuranic operatives arrive, Sapphire and Steel both know it's all too late to save anyone
If you would prefer to comment there, my post is here
this hasn't been beta'd yet, so if you find any mistakes, please send me along a PM. Thanks!
Steel, what are we going to do?
That’s a very good question.
Now would be a good time for Them to intercede.
I have a feeling that They are no more. The Transuranics have taken over.
Sapphire shot a fast look out of their hiding spot. We can’t stay here forever.
She waited for Steel to answer her, but her partner simply stared at the ground in front of him. He seemed so dejected. Steel did not like to lose.
Steel? Again, there was no response. “Steel?”
He looked at her, startled as if hearing her speak for the first time. Then he frowned. “Can’t you hear me?”
“No, can’t you hear me?”
She shook her head, her blonde hair undulating slightly, like ripples in a puddle. “No, I can’t.”
Steel’s frown deepened. “Sapphire, access the information you have on the Transuranics. I need something I can fight with.”
She nodded and waited for her connection with the vast library of information that They maintained. But nothing happened. “Steel, there’s something wrong?”
The man sat rigid, his face a mask of concentration. After a long moment, he sagged, as if exhausted.
“Change your clothes, now,” he abruptly ordered.
“All right.” She mentally picked an outfit and changed. Except her current outfit was unaltered. “Steel?” Sapphire tried to keep the fear out of her voice. “What’s happened to us?”
“I have a feeling that we are not Elements any longer.” He touched her hand hesitantly. “I have the sense that in an effort to protect us, They made us human.”
“They can do that?”
“Apparently so.”
“But to take away our powers, it leaves us wide open. How do we fight the Transuranics?”
“Possibly we aren’t meant to. Perhaps it is too late to save anyone.” Steel looked around at their surroundings and came to his feet, wincing at the pins and needle sensation in his legs. “We can’t stay here. We need to take refuge in some place more inhabitable.” He patted the pocket of his jacket, only partially surprised to feel a wallet in it. He took it out and thumbed through the billfold, counting the money. “At least this will be enough for a night or two. That should give us some time to reconnoiter and decide our path.”
“And just wait for them to find us?”
“Apparently, yes, although as we are no longer emitting an Element trail, it is going to be hard finding us in a haystack seven point one billion similar life forms.” He offered a hand to Sapphire. “Until then, we will hide in plain sight.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps it makes us untraceable. Perhaps it will be our death.” He kissed her fingers gently. “But know that I will go to mine defending you.”
Sapphire’s smile was tremulous. “And I, you.”
“Then to whatever fate awaits us, we will face it together.” He clutched her hand and helped her climb from their hiding spot. “And to our brave new world.”
Genre: Gen
Rating: G
Word count: 526
Written for Obscure and British Comment fest and for candyflosskillr
Prompt: When the transuranic operatives arrive, Sapphire and Steel both know it's all too late to save anyone
If you would prefer to comment there, my post is here
this hasn't been beta'd yet, so if you find any mistakes, please send me along a PM. Thanks!
Steel, what are we going to do?
That’s a very good question.
Now would be a good time for Them to intercede.
I have a feeling that They are no more. The Transuranics have taken over.
Sapphire shot a fast look out of their hiding spot. We can’t stay here forever.
She waited for Steel to answer her, but her partner simply stared at the ground in front of him. He seemed so dejected. Steel did not like to lose.
Steel? Again, there was no response. “Steel?”
He looked at her, startled as if hearing her speak for the first time. Then he frowned. “Can’t you hear me?”
“No, can’t you hear me?”
She shook her head, her blonde hair undulating slightly, like ripples in a puddle. “No, I can’t.”
Steel’s frown deepened. “Sapphire, access the information you have on the Transuranics. I need something I can fight with.”
She nodded and waited for her connection with the vast library of information that They maintained. But nothing happened. “Steel, there’s something wrong?”
The man sat rigid, his face a mask of concentration. After a long moment, he sagged, as if exhausted.
“Change your clothes, now,” he abruptly ordered.
“All right.” She mentally picked an outfit and changed. Except her current outfit was unaltered. “Steel?” Sapphire tried to keep the fear out of her voice. “What’s happened to us?”
“I have a feeling that we are not Elements any longer.” He touched her hand hesitantly. “I have the sense that in an effort to protect us, They made us human.”
“They can do that?”
“Apparently so.”
“But to take away our powers, it leaves us wide open. How do we fight the Transuranics?”
“Possibly we aren’t meant to. Perhaps it is too late to save anyone.” Steel looked around at their surroundings and came to his feet, wincing at the pins and needle sensation in his legs. “We can’t stay here. We need to take refuge in some place more inhabitable.” He patted the pocket of his jacket, only partially surprised to feel a wallet in it. He took it out and thumbed through the billfold, counting the money. “At least this will be enough for a night or two. That should give us some time to reconnoiter and decide our path.”
“And just wait for them to find us?”
“Apparently, yes, although as we are no longer emitting an Element trail, it is going to be hard finding us in a haystack seven point one billion similar life forms.” He offered a hand to Sapphire. “Until then, we will hide in plain sight.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps it makes us untraceable. Perhaps it will be our death.” He kissed her fingers gently. “But know that I will go to mine defending you.”
Sapphire’s smile was tremulous. “And I, you.”
“Then to whatever fate awaits us, we will face it together.” He clutched her hand and helped her climb from their hiding spot. “And to our brave new world.”