For The Race-Prime Protector.
Chapter Eighteen.
Optimus seemed not to hear her question at first. He sat up and stood, reaching his hands out to clasp the pink and white femme's shoulders gently.
"Elita, my beloved, you're here!" he exclaimed in delight. She swiftly embraced him back, then pulled away to look at Sam again, and then turned back to Optimus. As she coughed, tapped his shoulder politely, and elegantly indicated Sam's cringing form with one delicately-tapered finger, Optimus noticed Sam seemingly for the first time as she curled up, hoping her armour could protect her against Elita's wrath, which would surely be turned upon her at any moment.
"Elita, this is Sam Witwicky, and I have been teaching her, as she requested," he said.
Elita looked at Sam, then back at Optimus, raising one beautifully-crafted pink eyebrow.
"That is not a Cybertronian name, Optimus. Care to explain?" she asked casually. As Optimus' optics flashed, and hers flashed a second later, Sam guessed that her history, as both a human mech and a Cybertronian femme, had just been databurst to Elita. She hoped some of the details would mollify the femme.
"Ah, so that's how she came about, I imagine it was rather traumatic for her," Elita said. "And why is she cringing?" Turning towards Sam again, she asked him "What are you scared of? Optimus would never harm you, and if you trust him enough to teach you, you must know that."
"Well, no, I'm kinda scared of you," Sam admitted. Elita's face became puzzled.
"Me? Why? Do you have reason to believe I mean you harm?"
"Well, yeah, this is your mate, and you've found us, kinda, having sex?" Sam said.
"He's been teaching you. That is his duty if he is so asked, and if he himself is willing. I do understand that."
"Check the human Internet." Optimus advised her. "Humans have a different outlook on sex and relationships."
Elita's optics flickered as she accessed the Internet, and Sam saw her twitch slightly, her faceplates altering to flicker between surprise, horror and amusement before she turned back to face him.
"We are not like humans. I will not attack you for being taught by my -" she paused, "'boyfriend', I believe would be the human term. Or perhaps 'fiancee'. It is actually a compliment to me that Optimus is so sought after, it means I chose well." She gave a quick smirk. "Although I know that already." As Sam thought she was about to be let off the hook, Elita turned to her. "You do understand that Optimus and I intend to be bonded very soon?"
Sam remembered Optimus explaining his regret at not bonding with her earlier, and felt a wave of relief that Optimus would be able to rectify that error.
"Um, yes, Ma'am, please, he was just teaching me as I asked him to, I don't mean to make any claim upon him," she said. "And good fortune be on you both!" she blurted out. Elita nodded, and gave her a small smile of gratitude.
"I think Optimus still has much to teach you, Sam Witwicky. I am glad that you were here to give him something else to concentrate on: he does tend to worry. I am also glad that you needed teaching, and that you asked him to teach you. Too long without interface and he gets grumpy, and I do hate having to deal with a grumpy Prime."
"Elita!" Optimus protested, and Sam guessed that if Optimus was a human, his cheeks would be crimson. The bigger femme gave Sam a wicked smile, and Sam smiled back. Then she turned back to Optimus, her face serious again.
"On the subject of teaching, Optimus, my ward has expressed an interest in being taught. I recommended you, so do not be surprised if she asks. I'm not sure if Chromia's ward will want teaching too, but then Chromia may recommend her Ironhide." Optimus nodded. "And while we're on the subject, Optimus, do you have any more femmes here?" she asked.
"There is one, but she is a human. She discharges her part of being a Prime's Owned to me by washing and polishing me, and you'd be surprised how good a conversationalist she is." Optimus told her. Elita's mobile eyebrows shot up.
"A human? You have been deprived of Cybertronian femme company, haven't you?" Sam thought she caught a slightly disparaging note in Elita's tone.
"Mikaela's not just some woman he's taken pity on, she's strong and fast and she'll fight, even against robots six times bigger than her." Sam said sharply. "She decapitated Frenzy, used a truck to be Bumblebee's legs when they were bombed off, but knows when to act and when to keep out of the way. Perhaps you should meet her before you dismiss her?"
As Elita turned to look at her, her body and limbs rigid and her optics blazing, Sam wondered if she'd gone too far, after all she didn't know this femme and had just told her off. As Optimus touched Elita's arm, her stiff posture relaxed slightly, and she incined her head.
"You're somewhat outspoken I see, but in this case I believe you are in the right. Prejudice is never a virtue, and I recognise it in myself. I will meet this human, after all if Optimus is willing to give her Prime's Owned status, there must be something special about her." She looked at Optimus. "Have the Decepticons been particularly active on this world?" She switched her attention back to Sam. "And do they trouble you much?" she asked. "As a small femme, I imagine they see you as an easy target."
As Optimus nodded, Sam said "Explaining the whole story would probably take the next few days,"
"Oh?" she asked, rising one fine eyebrow again. "Then databurst it," she suggested, and gave him her comm codes. Filing her comm signal away, Sam sent Elita her memories of the Decepticon attacks on her person, as Optimus sent Elita his own memories of Mission City, the reports of the attack in Qatar, and what he saw of the attempts on Sam.
"The AllSpark is destroyed?" she asked in dismay. Optimus took her hand even as he used the free one to help Sam into a sitting position.
"I am afraid so. I am afraid it is a situation that puts all femmes in danger, you and Sam both, for although I am confident that all my mechs will obey the old taboos, as you have just seen from our experiences, it seems that Starscream and his followers will not."
"Well, I think that Sam may benefit from the tutelage of my team," she said. "Firestar is old enough to become a member in her own right. With Sam's permission," – here she inclined her head to Sam - " and with yours, Leader Prime," - here she nodded towards Optimus – "I will take Sam as my new ward, and train her until the Decepticons know better than to attempt to lay hands, - or any other part of their anatomy – upon her person."
Sam, guessing what 'other parts' Elita was likely to be referring to, had to stifle the childish giggles that tried to bubble up as she solemnly nodded to Elita. She turned to Optimus, hoping her phrasing would be okay to this tall femme who was offering Sam the chance to learn to protect herself, and to Optimus, whom she had accepted as her protector so many weeks before.
"Elita, I, Sam Witwicky, accept your offer to tutor me in the ways of fighting, to become your student in all applicable ways, as long as this is acceptable to Optimus Prime, whose protection I accepted before your arrival." He hoped that he had remembered all that might need to be taken into account considering all that had happened recently, without figuratively, if not literally, treading on anybody's toes.
Both Elita and Optimus nodded, and then Elita spoke.
"Well it's a long time since I've been addressed so formally, but then, for me, it is a plus for the human species if your politeness comes from them. I digress. Sam Witwicky, I believe it would be to your benefit to be integrated into the femme team that I command, so you can be be taught what you need to know. You will be taught how to attack others if the need arises, to effectively defend yourself against various forms of attack, both close-up and ranged, and to work with the team against our foes. If you and the Prime agree, then I ask you to come with me, to be my ward, and to learn all we have to teach." She cocked her head. "Perhaps I should ask this 'Mikaela' if she'd like to be included if she's as good as you say she is. Small size can, in certain situations, be an advantage."
"I, Optimus Prime, have heard and agreed to be witness to the agreement between Elita-One of Iacon, Cybertron and Sam Witwicky, Nevada, Earth." Optimus said. "I agree, with the consent of Sam Witwicky, to give her tutelage to Elita-One, while not withdrawing my protection to the team, either as one entity, or as individuals, as their situation may necessitate." As Optimus moved his head, Sam could have sworn that the Prime winked at her. "Elita, and all those under her command or influence, will be Prime's Owned, with all the benefits owed to them and to the Prime that such a relationship entails, unless one or all reject my claim."
Sam stared, first at Optimus, then at Elita. He was surprised to see her nod. He commed her so as to avoid either offending or embarrassing Optimus, or showing her own ignorance to the Prime.
"Should I not worry, or should I take cover before you nuke him, melt him down, or however you treat people who have pissed you off?'
Elita's private laughter was light and unconcerned.
'Sam, perhaps the position of Prime's Owned does not translate into your language?'
'No, it has been explained to me, but now I'm confused. You mean he's allowed to take other femmes to his berth, you're kinda engaged, and you don't mind?' Elita laughed, and switched back to normal communications.
"Sam, the position of Prime is not something Optimus can set aside from, or resign, or choose to give up. If femmes need or desire his protection, it is his duty to give it." She gave a short laugh. "Of course, I could step in and insist he does not take his traditional right, to take any femme he chooses into his berth, but that seems a little unfair. I'm not a jealous femme, and the fact he is still willing to bond with me shows his commitment. I also know that often he chooses more than one femme to go with him, but if I am present, I am usually on the list. As far as I am concerned, the price is cheap. Often he will just want someone to hold, and two or three more, to warm his rather substantial berth." She chuckled a little. "He feels the cold, does my Oppy." She grinned. "And it can be quite entertaining, as part of a group, to warm him up."
"Oooo-kay," Sam said, deciding she'd had enough education on berth warming, at least for that day. "Maybe I'll find out one day, but for now I'll take your word for it." She stood, and stumbled slightly, Optimus and Elita catching her. Optimus looked at her.
"Interface, partiucularly the intimate kind, can be quite energy-intensive. You should have a rest, perhaps recharge, have a word with Ratchet, he'll find you a recharge berth."
"Well, now that's settled, may I suggest that you get yourself some energon and perhaps take a rest in the medbay, while Optimus and I see to some unfinished business? I think he'd like to debrief me." Elita said. She gave him a 'look' and Sam nodded, hiding a grin and giving them a wave as she left. She has to admit she'd been told to get lost in far more direct - and unkind – language before, so Elita's politeness, at least, was a plus. Sam quietly suspected that Elita's 'debriefing' would be a lot of fun for them both, and was likely to take a fair amount of time. She wondered if she could get Mikaela to run up a "Do not disturb" notice for Optimus' room door.
As she wandered into the medbay, she heard Ratchet call "Hey, Sam, how did you find the toys I loaned you?"
Sam opened her mouth to reply, but at that moment, Bluestreak popped his head out from behind a set of shelving. "Oh, hi Sam, has Ratchet given you some of his fun tech as well?" he asked. "Need a hand finding out how it works? Where shall we meet? Your room? Eight 'O clock okay for you? I'll see you then but I gotta go, Prowl has me down for patrol duty." Before Sam could utter a single syllable, the big talkative mech was gone.
Sam opened a com to Bumblebee as he did a U-turn out of the medbay.
'Hey, buddy, mind if I hide out in your room for the next week?'