Ruby - Transformers: The Last Knight

The Creator

Ruby sucked in a lungful of air like it was her first breath. She coughed, struggling to get her throat to open. After a few failed attempts, her breathing evened out and she realized she was floating. 

She couldn't see much; the only light came from glowing orbs, suspended like stars. The fresh air around her shimmered ever so slightly; she was in a bubble. She swiveled around, but there was nothing behind her. She held up her bracelet, almost smacking herself in the face, dam weightlessness, and used the white pulsing light of the bracelet as a lantern. 

Her bubble floated next to a humongous pillar, towering beyond the dim light. It was dark grey and embedded with electrical circuits. Images of Lockdown's ship came to mind, spaces so large you couldn't always see the ceiling or the floor. It wasn't hot or steaming with sulfur here. Was this a decepticon ship? It certainly had a Cybertanium feel. 

The glowing orbs brightened, and Ruby spotted a pair of purple optics watching her, thin metal eyelids clicking together occasionally. She shivered. 

"Tut tut," said a cool, female voice, "You almost suffocated her,"

The purple optics flickered to blue eyes and back again.

"Remember your mantra, Prime," said the female, "Do you seek redemption?"

The optics stabilized to purple;

"My maker, I do."

Ruby shivered again at the unfamiliar tone in the familiar voice.  She backed up in her bubble, frantically searching for the threat.

"If you move too much," said the voice as the orbs continued to brighten and a robot drifted into view, "You'll run out of air that much faster."

She was small, not much different to Ruby's size, but that was where the similarities ended. She wore a high collared suit of metal that blended in with her reflective hide, tiled like a moisiac. On her head was an elaborate crown. Her eyes, too large for her head, glowed that same shade of amethyst, and below her torso were long, slender tentacles, twisting and withering as she moved. 

Behind her, Optimus was suspended in pulsing blue chains. That power looked eerily similar to Ruby's own. She glared at him, tears lining her eyes again. He dwarfed the robot, but he didn't struggle. He just hung there, blinking at Ruby like she was a curious stranger.

"My darling Ruby," purred the female robot, "So wonderful to finally meet you."

"Who are you?" Ruby asked, her voice hoarse.

The robot moved closer to her bubble, "I am a creator, my name is Quintessa,"

What an odd name, it sounded like two mushed together. If she hadn't been so afraid, Ruby would've scoffed. Instead, she said:

"What do you want with us?"

A sickly sweet giggle burst from Quintessa's lips, "What do I want? Oh my dear, I thought you were clever? Well, I want my creation restored in all it's glory. Optimus, as part of my creation, will help me. As for you, I want you to give back what was taken from me." 

Cybertron. Optimus was to help this creep-bot revive Cybertron. He'd brought her here to be the sacrifice in some crazy power-sucking ritual. As for what was taken...

"I don't know what you mean,"

Quintessa sighed;

"A long time ago, my knights stole from me. Thirteen tokens. And a piece of power."

Ruby swallowed and tried to breathe as little as possible as Quintessa went on;

" 'Once, a long time ago, our kind visited Earth before. Their leader, an ancient Prime, watched an old human man forge a silver garment for his youngest daughter. The leader saw how pure it was, how much love had been poured into the gift. He knew that this would make it a powerful item: it would accept energy.' 

'Do you remember that story, Ruby? Do you remember the rest? How Prime infused the garment with power from the Cube? Of course you do. You wear the reminder around your wrist. But did you know this story is not quite correct? That power, the very power in you, it came from me. How distraught I was, to discover, my power, stolen and given to such a mere, pitiful line of mortals."

She shook her head. "My precious Ruby, I understand you are not to blame. But you can help me,"

Her large eyes seemed to grow larger and brighter, "Wouldn't you like to help me? To return what was stolen? And to help Optimus Prime, to save him and his home?"

"I'll die. You want to kill me."

"No, I want to save my creations. And you, oh, but you could be so much more!" said Quintessa, "You could be a queen, with a planet of loyal, loving subjects at your feet. Join us in our quest."

Ruby's eyes turned heavy. Her brain split into two raging opponents; yes she must help Optimus and Quintessa; no no! This was wrong, resist!

"What have you done to him?" Ruby spat. Her skin warmed with the effort to keep her head.

"Why, he has always been mine," her tentacles coiled into tight, defensive bunches. She drifted back over to him and placed a hand on his face. The red and blue colours intensified, and his purple eyes flashed bright. That's what did it, she made him Nemesis Prime! Grimlock must know a way to purge her dark energy.

A ripple of sad pain struck Ruby, letting the alien voice in her head dominate;

"What must I do?"

Quintessa's eye flared with triumph;

"One of my stolen tokens has yet to be returned to me. Find it, bring it to me yourself, and Optimus will be free."

Yes, yes! No, no!

"Wh-where are the other tokens?" Ruby forced the words out of her mouth;

"Why, on Cybertron of course, ready to revive my creation."

"I can't touch the token," she said, "It literally repels me,"

"I've told you," Quintessa's spoke as if reciting a spell, "You are so much more than you think, capable of so, much, more."

Quintessa passed through the air bubble, her hypnotizing eyes freezing Ruby in place. She raised her hand to Ruby's cheek. Toxic energy leaked into her pores, under her skin, into her blood, entering her mind. It spread across her brain like a silent, poisonous fog. Find Grimlock, she told herself as the fog thickened and her sense of self slipped, find him, find Grimlock, find -