Ruby - Transformers: Age of Extinction fanfic

Switches and Levers

Optimus Prime hung upside down, dangling by his ankle. He couldn't move without scratching his metal hide against one of many long, nasty metal spikes. Ruby's eyes met his. Through her hazy mind she thought how funny it was that his head was level with hers.

"Ruby!" he commanded, "The levers! Pull the second one!"

Levers? Why did she need to pull a lever? Ruby coughed and coughed, unable to get a full breath, unable to get oxygen to her spinning head. Her stomach hurt and the memory of being pulled into a cold, sharp death, high above the ground, by a Decepticon tentacle in her guts, blurred with reality. The shadow of a tumbling skyscraper loomed over her eyes and her ears roared with the sound of chainsaws screaming for her blood.

"Ruby!" cried Optimus, desperate, "MOVE!"

She threw herself into a clumsy roll, narrowly avoiding the guard's sword for a second time.

"Come here, insect!"

"The lever, the lever!"

Ruby wished he'd shut up about that dam leaver. She couldn't see it, couldn't really see anything actually, just steam and little white stars.

Which way was up? Ruby made an attempt to stand, a hand around her stomach, and staggered sideways. She fell, missing the guard's next swipe by pure coincidence.

"Pull it now!"

Ruby blindly groped around, until her fingers curled around a thick handle, meant for a bigger hand than hers. With what little energy she had left, she pulled. It didn't move. She tried again. Nothing.

"Hurry!"

The fear in Optimus' voice finally got through to her, and emotion came rushing back. If the guard had stopped coming for her, he might be about to punish Optimus!

Ruby used the lever to pull herself up. It groaned under her weight as she pulled on it until her feet left the floor. Still it did not move. Where was the guard?

Ruby balled her hand into a fist, angled her wrist until it was level with the lever, and swung it with all the force she could muster. The bracelet made impact with an explosive pulse of white light, and, with a short squeal, the lever swung round in an instant.

The spikes in Optimus' cell withdrew, the claw holding his ankle released and he was free.

Ruby collapsed, unable to breathe properly. She rested her head against the stubborn leaver. The deep sound of Optimus' fist colliding with a metal hide rang around the prison. Despite her condition, she couldn't help but smile. That guard didn't stand a chance.

"Ruby?"

She opened her eyes. Her body was sprawled on the hot floor, her check pressed against the side of the cell. But the air was clear of steam and she could see Optimus' concerned face, peering down at her. 

Her breath burned her throat as sweet air filled her lungs. Oxygen flooded her brain and she got to her feet. The floor no longer moved beneath her and her legs held steady.

"I'm good," she croaked, "The steam just damaged my airways, I think."

Her hands went to her stomach. But it was fine, no blood, no gaping hole, just the ugly scar she'd have for the rest of her life.

"The blood-" began Optimus.

"It's nothing, looks a lot worse than it is." Ruby pushed back her sleeve to show him the slice across her arm. It had already scabbed over, the dried blood crusted and cracked. 

Other than the burn across her cheek, and blisters on one hand, she had no injuries.

So why did she feel drained? Hadn't she single-handled fought against a whole fleet of Decepticon ships in the battle of Chicago? Kept fighting for hours after attaining life-threatening wounds? Sure, she was a little out of shape and on the skinny side after being locked up, but something told her that wasn't all there was to it. Maybe it was just the fact that she'd nearly suffocated to death.

"Where are the others?" asked Optimus.

"Safe. Well, they all got off the ship."

"Good, it's just Drift then,"

He pulled more levers and a blue striped black autobot fell out of a nearby cell.

"Urgh," he said, "Solitude helps a warrior find his truth. But I didn't find much in there!"

Drift jumped swiftly to his feet. He looked fairly small and slender compared to Optimus, but was similar in his samurai-inspired appearance. He had a round, golden face and his chest was covered by the grill of a Bugatti Veyron. Ruby recognised it from the car she had driven at a million miles an hour to Chicago. He must be incredibly fast.

"It is time for us to leave," said Optimus.

"Oh thank goodness for that," said Ruby, resting her hands on her thighs.

She couldn't wait to get the heck off of this ship, even though she didn't have the energy to combat any more of Lockdown's traps. She hadn't even been able to take down one measly guard.

"How?" asked Drift.

"I know this ship," said Optimus, "How Lockdown came to possess it, I do not know. It is the Knight Ship, once owned by a legendary group of warriors."

"Well that explains the armory we found."

"This part of the ship contains its own flight module," Optimus explained, "If I can detach it and find the pilot controls, we will be far away, and Lockdown will be in deep space before he notices it is missing. "

Great. No more sneaking around the ship. Instead, they were all stuck in a stinky, creepy prison.

"Just, don't let any of these freaks out by accident."

*Is it spelled 'lever' or 'leaver'? Sorry for any silly mistakes!*