Twenty-Four.

“So,” said Andromeda, “We've tried shooting it, zapping it, blowing it up, and kicking it. It seems pretty impervious.”

She was looking at a peculiar metal door at the base of the tree. It was made of shining chrome, virtually featureless except for five letters engraved in its surface: S.A.N.T.A.

“I give up,” she said, taking a seat on a pile of snow. “Nothing short of magic can open this door. I suppose the Systematic Administrator left the message just to tell people to sod off.”

Danielle stood considering the door. So close, and yet so far away. Had they come this far only to not be able to revive the Administrator, after all? Her heart sank. She looked around at her companions, each and every one of which seemed to be of the same opinion as Andromeda. Well... all except one. Her eyes fell on the dark-haired man with the cybernetic leg: Darren. They had only just met, but Danielle noticed something different about him – while everyone else was looking at the door, he was looking at the sky.

“Have you got any idea, Mr... Darren, was it?”

“Maybe. Rita, could you tell me the message again?”

“When one-winged angels fly, magic will open the door. Or something like that.”

Darren got to his feet. He cleared his throat, and spoke up.

“I have an idea. Probably a stupid idea, but I got reminded of a saying. One-winged angels are people, see. The saying goes, we are angels with only one wing: We fly by embracing each other.”

Everyone looked at each other, and particularly Consul Danielle seemed stunned.

“Are you saying we revive the greatest AI in the history of the universe by... hugging?”

“It's a long shot, I admit. But it seems this Administrator guy... thing... whatever, was a little eccentric. I still can't figure out the magic bit though.”

Babs and Sylver shone up at the same time. “Are you thinking what I'm thinking?” - “That's it, isn't it?” - “I think it is!” - “It makes perfect sense: Friendship!”

They rushed to their feet and hugged whoever happened to be closest: Sylver squeezed Selma in what looked more like a wrestling move than a hug, and Babs tackled Sawyer to the ground. Krystof looked at Darren, skeptically.

“Well man, it was your idea.” he said with a shrug.

Before his partner could protest, Krystof grabbed him in an extremely manly bear hug. Soon, everyone was hugging someone else, and on the ground, Sawyer was laughing.

“Babs, whoever you are, you're crazy. Get off me. Merry Christmas.”

He had no idea why he said it. It just seemed to fit. It did.

§§§§§§§

And from that great door, there arose such a clatter,
They sprang from the ground to see what was the matter.
O, the great Tesla tree did both sparkle and flash,
And away from the lightning they quickly must dash.
A moon (or space station) shone down on the snow,
And it seemed like the planet itself was aglow.

When, what to their wondering eyes should appear,
But a great cosmo-sleigh, and eight cyborg reindeer!
And there in the sleigh there was seated no man,
nor machine, not like anything made in Japan:
This strange, wondrous being, that flew for the sky
Was a powerful, marvelous godlike A.I.
A being of shimmering energy pure,
Now back from the dead – of that they were sure.

And yet somehow so plump, such a jolly old elf,
that each laughed when they saw him, in spite of himself.
A wink of his eye, and a twist of his head,
Soon gave them to know they had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but just raised both his hands,
And displayed all his power by changing the lands.
First came there a cottage, so cozy and warm,
Then soon the whole planet was all terraformed!

There were so many gifts that he gave them besides:
Warm socks and warm sweaters of every size,
Both hoverboards, hovercats, and holograms
Of famous bands playing their favorite jams.
Now laid he a finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up in space there he rose,
To stop the galactic war with his gifts
To give out such presents, as mend any rifts.

Away flew his sleigh, so fast you would get carsick,
For it crossed the whole Galaxy in but twelve parsecs!
But they heard him exclaim, throughout all space and time:
“MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL / AND GOODNIGHT / END OF LINE.”