Ruby - Transformers: The Last Knight

Power Play

Despite the pounding of Ice Storm's hooves, Ruby almost had the element of surprise. The line of angry-engined decepticons paid no heed to an innocent horse rider as they sped towards Cade's lot. But the gigantic T-Rex shaking the earth with his metallic foot falls was a bit harder to miss.

The alien tank at the front of the line transformed into Megatron moments before Ruby reached him. He launched himself over Ice Storm, his bulk silhouetting against the sun. For a split second, Ruby was blind. He plucked her from the horse's back and transformed back into a tank in the same notion, locking Ruby inside.

"What the-"

Ruby's hands and feet hit unyielding metal on all sides. He'd captured her rather than going for the kill like he usually did.

The tank rolled, sending Ruby tumbling about like she was stuck inside a washing machine. Strands of long, tangled hair ended up in her mouth.

Huge resounding bangs set her teeth on edge. Grimlock must have engaged.

Rays of light burst through. Megatron partially transformed, minimizing the impact of whatever hit him. Ruby splayed her fingers and tore through his hide with her power, blasting herself free in an explosion of red energy.

"AH!" she cried, jumping clear just in time to avoid Grimlock's deadly fangs.

The dinosaur picked Megatron up in his mouth and shook him. Hard. Ruby frowned up at the bizarre sight. Why was Megatron holding back? What did he want?

Ruby whirled, ducking under Barricade's outstretched hand. Glowing threads of power flew from her palms and wrapped themselves around Barricade's wrist.

"Ha!" she cried, throwing him across the dusty dirt track. He smacked down hard on his stupid red and blue lights, smashing them to pieces.

Behind her, Grimlock fought to contain Megatron. Flames poured from his mouth. Ruby felt the heat across her face.

Megatron defended himself but did not retaliate. Behind him, Ice Storm fretted. He trotted back and forth, nostrils flared, mouth foaming, reins dangling dangerously close to his hooves. He was going to break a leg. His desperate calls to Ruby were lost over the steel grinding noises as Grimlock lost his grip on Megatron.

The decepticon dropped an axe the size of a state flag, the head missing Ruby's feet by a hair, and used it to drag himself free. She jumped over it and ran for her horse.

"Come back here!" Megatron bellowed after her.

Ruby dodged the transformers and Ice Storm closed the gap between them, his grey hide smeared with dust.

"Steady boy," she murmured to him. She slipped his bridle off and tossed it aside.

"Now go, get out of here!"

The horse could find his way home. He may not be bothered by the transformers, but he was not trained for battle.

"Hey!" Ruby cried. A cold, hard fist coiled around her body and lifted her up; "Let me go!"

She'd been in this position before. She knew what to do. Heat saturated every pore of her skin until she was too hot to handle. The pressure released and the ground rushed up to meet her. She hit it running.

"Stop her!"

Ruby ran, despite the dust sticking down her throat and threatening to choke her. She could leave them, quite literally, in the dust. She was fast. But she stayed only just ahead of the decepticons. Grimlock ran alongside, snapping at them. Herding them. Away from Cade.

Megatron's voice carried above the stomping feet, "Tell us where the token is! Tell me and I'll let you go free."

Ruby snorted. She was free. And she'd had enough.

Ruby launched herself several feet into the air, twisting round to face her pursuers. She held out her hands and blasted them with raw, aggressive power. The ground cracked and ripped; big shreds of dry earth flew loose. The dust swirled into a hurricane around the decepticons, big and loud. Ruby shot backwards, her own momentum carrying her. She folded her body into a backwards roll and came to a halt in a squat, her fingers trailing the ground for balance.

Grimlock roared their victory. Ruby straightened up, more power shooting up her spine. The bracelet shuddered against her wrist, brimming with energy.

Then it was gone. All of it, frozen within her like deadly ice.

"Ruby,"

It was no-longer-Major Lennox. Ruby had been running towards him. Him, and a huge TRF team. Ruby turned, gravity tugging at her cybertanium-heavy body. They all stood stark still, weapons aimed, awaiting orders.

"What did you do?" she whispered, staring down the wide barrel of a weapon she'd seen only once before; "Where did you get that?"

"I think you know."

"It didn't work."

"They fixed it." Lennox lowered the gun. It was a stun gun, shaped more like a canon, designed by KSI, made specifically for Ruby, to disarm her. Her powers were nulled.

Temporarily. It would wear off.

Ruby clenched her fists, the metal bones feeling especially hard beneath the skin. Power or not, her fists could crush a human skull.

"Enough with the nice," the boss, Santos, strode forward. He intended to grab her. But Grimlock stomped a giant foot down, trapping Santos between two sharp talons. He snarled, deep and menacing. Santos, unfazed, cocked his weapon.

"You need to come in, Ruby," said Lennox.

"Why would I do that?" she replied, "You don't own me anymore,"

"It's a matter of international security."

"Oh, I know," she threw back, "But I can deal with that where I am, thanks. What do you take me for? I know your team followed Megatron here. Since when do you get decepticons to do your dirty work?" she was yelling now, how could Lennox do this?

"We're desperate,"

"We'll do whatever it takes," Santos cut in, "If we have to follow decepticons to save our planet then we will. If we have to kill one human man to save billions, we will. What will you do?"

"I will save them all."