The Diego Diaries: Santa Ho-Ho 3
-0-On the day of Christmas Surprise, at The Bakery At Metroplex
Rampage walked to the door and noted that traffic was down in the mall. The schools were open today for parties and presents with Santa Prime. He grinned. The idea of a dignified sanctified mech like Optimus Prime who he knew was a champion warrior sitting with a Santa hat giving presents to infants was a hoot. It was being broadcast online for the city to see, so many of them were still without infants of their own. Sharing the ones already among them was the next best thing.
All over the city, food preparation was underway. Tomorrow, before and after the football game, hundreds of parties would be had. He was supplying food and drink to several hundred himself. His students were surpassing themselves and he was deeply pleased. He walked back inside to watch as a number of delicacies were being made by servo by his 'pastry-confectioner' students. The things they were making were all Cybertronian, all Terran and a large part of the rest half of both. He used ideas from everywhere and made them his own. His food was appreciated, discussed and sought after. His skill at training chefs, confectioners and cooks was becoming legendary.
Who knew?
-0-On the way to Vos Tower
The senior officers and Prime chatted, pausing here and there to speak with a pedestrian, some of them elders heading for the Vos Center from the schools for the festivities there. The amount of effort to make sure elders had a good home, activities and outlets was one of Prowl's pet projects. Having been born over a few brews with Ratchet when the boys were on assignment, they had together devised an Elder Center that was ground zero for everything geriatric on Mars.
Walking down the street, crossing at the light, they turned the corner and entered the big lobby of the tower. A slight shuffling of apartments had allowed Metroplex to turn the floor above the lobby level into a giant facility with every manner of opportunity possible for elders to read, exercise, talk, relax and play games. A viewing room for television and movies was nearby and a play area for children was next to it for those who helped with child care.
It was bright, homey and always filled with those who made it their base of recreational opportunity. When they entered the lobby they were regaled as elders with their adult younglings stood waiting, infants in arms. Prime waved and walked to a seat relaxing next an open door through which pallets of presents could be seen waiting for their owners to receive them.
"Ho-ho-ho," Optimus said with a chuckle. The place erupted with laughter and applause as they gathered, babies in arms, ready for most of them for their first Christmas Surprise and present. Given the enthusiasm, it would not be their last.
Ramcharger, a mech who dominated the courtyard gaming area of the Fortress with his partner, who was attending to his mother at the moment walked up and shook Prime's servo. "I've been watching this, Prime and I want to say I approve."
Hoots and clapping greeted that as Prime shook Ramcharger's servo. "I am glad to have your approval. You do know that all the elders get a present too?"
He looked at Prime standing stock still with surprise, his little cane in servo. For a moment he said nothing. Then he nodded. "No one ever gave me anything, Optimus Prime. I worked hard all my life. I took care of my genitors, my mother now. My atar is somewhere, maybe lost. I worked hard and have nothing to show for it until now. I don't know what to say." He looked like tears would come and the room quieted as his partner and a tiny elderly femme walked up to stand beside him.
"You don't have to say anything. I don't know how to tell you, all of you elders how much I appreciate you here. Most of the younglings don't have any and they have no experience with them. You are a huge asset to our city. You add so much just being here. It is our honor to honor you," Prime said with feeling.
Ramcharger nodded glancing down at his tiny mother. "This is Sheer, my ada."
Prime rose and took her little servo, one that showed wear from hard lifelong unremitting work. "I am honored to meet you, Sheer. Your son is a stand up mech. He was ready to defend the city during the prison riot. He and his partner were as brave as it can get."
Sheer looked at her son, then Prime and smiled. "My son is a good boy," she said. "Thank you for noticing too, Lord Optimus," she said in the old manner.
Prime grinned and squeezed her servo. He sat and looked at Jazz who had managed to find her gift. He took it and handed it to Sheer. "This is for you as a small token of the great service you have always done for our people and the service you still do. You and your family are an asset and example to us all."
She looked at the shiny red bag, then Prime. Smiling with delight, she looked at her son. "Ram, this is beautiful. This is mine?"
Ramcharger nodded glancing at Prime with gratitude. "It is, Ada. You are one of the honored citizens of this colony." He looked at Prime. "Did you know she is one of the very few who can hand tat the grids on the electronics boards they use at the energon plant?" he asked with incredible pride. "She also is one of the few who can speak the language of her district, the one out of Stanix near the Sonic Canyons."
Prime nodded. "I am very familiar with that area. The little clans all had their own languages, some of them from the beginning of the world. Your mother is a treasure. She needs to tell all she can to the Talking History Project mechs at the University and Museum."
Ramcharger blinked and looked at his mother. "I will see what that is, Ada. Then you can show them what you know."
"They will be overjoyed to speak with you, Sheer as well as you, Ram. We are trying to reconstruct our culture and the elders are a treasure," Prime said nodding.
They looked at each other immensely pleased, then Prime handed a gift to Ram and his partner. "Thank you, all of you for your service to our people. I am honored to be your Prime."
They bowed their helms in the old manner and smiled. "And we are honored to serve you, Optimus Prime," Sheer said in an almost forgotten response to a Prime. They turned and walked to a table nearby to sit. Rampage's students were loading up the tables along one wall with food and drink for the residents and their families to partake in the long lazy orn ahead.
The infants were handed to Prime. He held them, all of them comforted by the Matrix as he and his 'elves' handed gifts to their genitors. Snaps were taken, good cheer exchanged and slag about the game the next day was given. When Ratchet handed Hero to Prime they were nearly finished. He sat back and grinned at the tiny femme who lay quietly staring at him with unblinking optics. "Hello, Hero. You're very cute," he said.
"She is slagging awesome, that far along the awesome scale," Ironhide said grinning proudly, his elf hat only giving him a slightly comical tone. "She figured out her favorite munition."
"Is that so?" Ratchet asked lowering his camera a moment. "What is it?"
"Dummy fragmentation grenades, the sizes made for the micro-mini-cons to practice with in the Home Guard," Ironhide said with an almost impossible sense of pride. He looked at his daughter and nodded. "She's one picky little femme. We looked over a lot of ordinance. She likes the taste of the shell casings I think."
"You are hopeless," Ratchet said shaking his helm. "Make sure they stay dummies, dummy."
"Oh ha-ha, Ratchet." Ironhide glanced at his genitors and grinned. "Old mech can't make me feel bad."
"I could have told you that, Ratchet," Alor said with a chuckle.
"Takes after his atar, does he"?" Ratchet asked.
"He does," Alor said grinning at Blackjack.
That mech just grinned and shook his helm. "I'm neutral here."
"Nothing like a little support," Ironhide said taking his infant back into his arms. Tucking her little frame into his crooked arm, he grinned. Her little hat and booties were a caution. "You know who loves you."
"That's it," Ratchet said. "She doesn't have a clue about the love as all can plainly see."
Snorts, hoots and chuckles followed as they returned to the task. When they were finished, Prime rose thanking the helpers and volunteers. They sorted out the clean up and turned walking to the door. Waving, they entered the street and began to trek to the school. All of them would spend the next two joors circulating through classrooms before they were all excused for the duration of the holiday, minus the program that would happen after sundown on the air field. All in all, it was epic.
-0-That evening as the sun was going down
Ratchet and Sunspot walked to the apartment to get ready and gather things for the program in a joor. They had dined at Blackjack and Alor's apartment, all of the extended family including the twins with Kaon. Bluestreak was dining with the little twins at the Prime Residence at the top of the building. Toys had been scattered about the apartment as Orion and Praxus played with their new steel blocks that had words and numbers engraved on their many faceted surfaces. The game they embodied was like mahjong. Only it was done with words not pictures.
Like that.
Ratchet opened the apartment door and they walked in minus Ironhide who was picking up toys at his genitors' who were keeping the babies with them along with Ravel and Tie Down. As Ratchet did, he looked down at Sunspot who was smiling at up at him. "Sunny, where is your present? Did you open it?"
He paused a moment. "I didn't. I thought I would keep it like it is for a while."
"Why, sparkling?" Ratchet asked.
"Because I didn't get a present very much," he said nodding. He looked up at Ratchet. "This is so nice."
Ratchet looked at him, then knelt caressing Sunspot's face with his servos. "You know, infant, you can bring me to my knees with a smile."
Sunspot unaware of what that meant slipped his arms around Ratchet's neck. "I love you, Ada. I love my family."
"We love you, son. We picked you out. That makes you special. The others? We got them handed to us but we picked you out."
Sunspot looked at Ratchet a moment, then smiled. "You did."
"We did," Ratchet said rising. He looked at the tiny trees lined up in a row. "Did you know your atar and I brought home more presents for you younglings?"
Sunspot blinked. "Can you do that?"
"I can give you a present anytime I want to," Ratchet said nodding. "Do you want to help me put them around the little trees?"
Sunspot looked at Ratchet, his smile growing. "I would like that! What a great idea! Then we can see them!"
Ratchet hugged Sunspot tightly. "We sure can. When the program is over tonight, we can open them."
"Can we?" Sunspot asked looking at Ratchet. "Maybe I can put my Santa Prime present there too."
"I would say so," Ratchet said turning to walk to the bedroom. They entered and he pulled open the closet. Sitting on the floor in a tall stack were many presents, all of them in the shiny bags that Cybertronians preferred.
"Wow!" Sunspot said. "I never saw such presents like that before!" He looked at Ratchet and smiled. "I once saw a store full of stuff but I didn't go in. I didn't have any shanix."
"You don't need them here, son," Ratchet said. "Your atar and I picked out everything and there's a present from each of your grandgenitors too. Let's put them under the trees." He set Sunspot down gently and looked down at him. He was staring at the presents with a sense of awe. Ratchet felt a pang for him and all the other infants who had never been given a chance to know the awe of surprise and the luxury of gifts. He reached down and picked up three small ones. He stacked them carefully into Sunspot's arms. Taking most of the rest, he led the way to the living room and the window where the trees twinkled in tandem with the window lights. Ratchet put them around the trees, then took the three from Sunspot. When those were place, he grinned. "There are more, Sunny Bunny. Why don't you get them? Don't overload your self, sweetness."
Sunspot smiled brilliantly and turned walking into his berthroom. He came out with his present, its emerald green bag glistening in the light. He walked into his genitor's room and after a moment came tottering out with all the presents that were there.
Ratchet willed himself not to assist. When Sunspot reached him Ratchet unloaded the infant stacking the presents decoratively around the trees. It was spectacular, the little pile of boxes and bags seemingly enormous to the tiny Seeker who stood in front of them with a look of awe on his face.
Ratchet knelt and slipped his arm around Sunspot. "Christmas Surprise is when you count things that you're thankful for. Isn't that what Mr. Terradive said?"
"He did," Sunspot said leaning into Ratchet.
"I'm thankful for Atar and his genitors. I'm thankful for mine. I'm thankful for the city and our schools. I'm thankful for everyone in it. I am thankful for my babies including you. Without you, Orion, Praxus Hero and the twins, I would be so lonely."
"I was lonely," Sunspot said glancing up at Ratchet. "I was always lonely. I just wanted to belong to someone."
"You belong to all of us," Ratchet said tightening his arm around his son. "You will always belong to us. We are so lucky that you are ours and we get to keep you forever. Merry Christmas Surprise, Sunspot. I love you."
Sunspot turned and hugged Ratchet. "Merry Christmas Surprise, Ada. I love you too."
They stood holding each other a moment, then Ratchet rose, Sunspot in arms. He walked to his berthroom and picked up the datapad that was Sunspot's. "Your story will be the best one again, Sunny Bunny. There were no spelling errors at all."
Sunspot grinned and leaned into Ratchet. "Do we go now?"
"We do. Mr. Terradive can't get enough of you," Ratchet said with a chuckle.
Sunspot smiled. "He's a great teacher."
"He is, Sunny," Ratchet said as he walked to the door of the apartment. They turned to look at the lights in the windows, on the trees and the little stacks of presents. "It's show time, Sunny Bunny."
"It's show time, Ada," Sunspot said with a big grin.
Ratchet turned and the two walked out the door. It closed silently behind them.
-0-On Luna Station, orbiting the Earth
Burnoff sat quietly watching the Earth beyond in space. He was orbiting the allied world of their people feeling very lonely. His genitors would call in a couple of joors, their allotted time. He would have word if Prime would allow them to have more contact time via the comm system. He hoped so.
Rising to walk to the table, he sat composing two letters to his genitors and finished up the latest assignments of his electronic engineering classes which were conducted over the interlink with the University. He had twenty months left on his sentence Earth time. He was determined to put it to good use. He owed it to himself to be better but more than anything, he owed his genitors.
The Earth would hang in view, large and blue for joors. In the early morning he would be able to see a red star twinkling in the darkness far away. It would be Mars where his life was.
-0-TBC
12 (12) NOTE: The film crews now know who Prime is though no one has confirmed it. They agree to keep him off screen and his identity under wraps. If they ever want to come back to Mars, they have to.