Springer's disappearance had triggered something deep within the femme, something no one had ever anticipated. No one knew the extent of her hatred for Decepticons; no one except for Ultra Magnus. He was the only one who saw past her neutral mask, the only one who watched for signs of trouble. No one had listened, and now, she was gone, off to avenge whatever pain she felt the 'Cons had caused. Off to cleanse the demons in her soul. Off to kill the one mechanism she hated more than herself.

And that was Megatron.

 Blade stood in front of Prime's office, watching carefully for any unauthorized personnel. It was her sworn duty to protect Optimus from any attack, no matter who it was. Blade noticed two officers approach Prime's office, and she silently reached for her weapon. The two officers quickly identified themselves and Blade checked their identity codes, clearly annoying them. She nodded curtly and let them in. For a few moments, everything was quiet. Then the office doors swooshed open and Prime stalked out, followed by the other two. Blade effortlessly kept pace, standing slightly in front of the leader with her hand on her weapon holster.

"Blade, this isn't necessary. I'm quite capable of taking care of myself," Prime said, his voice showing a bit of irritation. Blade didn't react as she answered, "My duty is to protect you, commander. Nothing more, nothing less. And I do not question your capabilities." The group reached the command center and Blade stood out of the way, letting the command structure do its thing. Ultra Magnus glanced her way and she acknowledged him with a curt nod. His face was wrinkled with concern, and his fists were tight balls at his side. This concerned the grey femme, but her outer appearance didn't show it.

"Magnus, is it true? Springer is gone?" Magnus dragged his gaze from Blade to his commanding officer. "Yes, Prime, it's true. Springer's energy signal, along with an unidentified signature, vanished. We can't locate him anywhere, and Kup and Arcee aren't responding." Prime looked towards Perceptor and asked, "Any possibility this could be caused by Springer's 'condition'?" The red scientist shook his head. "He has never shown these capabilities before, Optimus. The only experiments I've conducted was with energy absorption, which produced rather fascinating...."

"Er, thank you, Perceptor. Magnus, has the identity of the intruder we tracked been confirmed?" The Autobot city commander nodded and checked a readout screen. "Yes. It was.......Deathangel, Prime." Blade froze as she heard that name: Deathangel. Megatron's mate, and Springer's daughter. Blade's rage grew, boiling steadily as her body began to tremble slightly. 'The murderer's mate,' she thought. 'She'll lead me straight to him, and when she does, she'll be sorry she ever encountered that monster, for it will mean her death.' Blade stormed out of the command center, heading straight towards her quarters. 'And Megatron's as well.'

"She's what?!"

Slingshot flinched at Magnus's reply to his report. Blade had taken her cache of weapons and left, injuring Silverbolt and Swoop when they tried to stop her. The injuries were minor, but still......

"That's right, sir. She left; taking all of her weapons with her. Silverbolt said she looked different, like she was possessed or something." Magnus slammed his fist on Prime's desk, earning him a sharp glare from the Autobot leader. "What the hell does she think she's doing?! Springer is gone, Arcee is in a coma, and now Blade ups and leaves, injuring two fellow Autobots in the process! I don't know if she's a spy or if she's just plain crazy!" Optimus dismissed Slingshot and waited until he was gone before speaking.

"Magnus, what do you know about Blade?" The Autobot second sighed and sat down, his shoulders slumped and his head low. "I don't know. She doesn't utter a word about where she's from, and she doesn't give her age. All I know is that she joined the Autobots 500 years ago and she was an assassin; a damn good one, from what I hear. She was responsible for the assassination of Sharpshot in Vilnacron." Optimus shook his head in disbelief. "So she's the one who pulled that off." He looked up and saw the worry in his second's optics. "You love her, don't you?"

Magnus's head shot up and he looked straight into Prime's optics. "What makes you-ah, hell. Yes, I do love her. And I thought she cared for me as well, but I guess not." Optimus chuckled, and Magnus glared at him. "What's so funny?" he asked, irritation edging into his voice. Optimus had a glint of amusement in his optics and Magnus could've sworn that beneath that mask was a small smile. "Magnus, she wouldn't have spent time with you like she did if she didn't care about you. No, I think something must have shaken her so badly as to do this. And we've got to find out what."

"What about Springer?" Optimus sighed. "Magnus, Blade is an assassin. If she went out on some sort of quest, with the weaponry she stole, it could mean total devastation." Magnus snorted. "Why not let her loose on the 'Cons? They are enemies, Optimus." Prime leaned towards his desk, clasping his hands in front of him. "What makes you think she's after the Decepticons?" Magnus shrugged. "It's obvious, Prime. The way she speaks about them, the way she treats those who were once Decepticons, it points to a grudge against them of some kind."

"And we've got to stop her. Magnus, if she goes after the Decepticons, she could inadvertently injure or kill innocent Neutrals, or even Autobots. She demonstrated her determination when Silverbolt and Swoop tried to stop her." Magnus stood up and began pacing, gesturing wildly with his hands. "Why would she do this? All of her previous superiors and underlings all agree how loyal she was. Not once did she smuggle information or supplies to them; hell, she killed them on sight! Why?!" Optimus rubbed his chin in thought. "You say she joined the Autobots 500 years ago?" 

"Yes," was Magnus's impatient reply. "Who vouched for her?" Prime asked. Magnus threw his hands up in the air. "I don't know.....wait, Kup vouched for her. And she seemed to know him from before; they spoke as if they were good friends. Maybe he knows what this is about!" Magnus dashed for the door, with Optimus not far behind.

The grey femme checked her weapons and nodded in satisfaction; she had enough ammo to accomplish her task. She stood up, transformed into her jet mode, and flew off towards the Decepticon city. 'It won't be long now,' she thought. 'Soon my quest will be over, and then I can live again.' Her thoughts suddenly turned to Magnus, and she almost changed course back to Iacon. But her decision was made; nothing, not even him, would stop her from accomplishing her one goal: the death of Megatron. She stayed her course, engaged her cloaking field, and disappeared with a shimmer.

Magnus sighed heavily as Optimus asked, "Why? Kup, she is in serious trouble. She could get killed doing this, and I know you two are friends." Kup shook his head in stubborn refusal and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not telling anybody anything, not even you, Prime. I promised her years ago that I wouldn't say a peep, and I meant it. Now, why don't you continue to look for Springer while Blade takes care of the Decepticons. She can handle herself just fine."

Kup began to walk off when Magnus yelled, "That's it?! We're supposed to just turn our backs and hope she comes back in one piece?! What kind of friend are you?!" The old warrior whirled around and walked right up to Magnus, his optics blazing angrily and he stuck a finger in his chest. "Now you listen, Magnus. I am a good friend, a damn good one. I saw that young femme through ordeal after ordeal, and she came out stronger than ever. Now if you care about her as much as you say you do, then you'll just back off and let her take care of business. Megatron and the other Decepticons are getting exactly what they deserve."

Prime laid a hand on Kup's shoulder and spoke in a gentle tone. "Kup, we don't doubt your feelings towards Blade. All we're asking is that you tell us what this is about. And don't bother lying, I know you know what this is about." Kup looked at the ground, and Magnus laid his hand on Kup's other shoulder. "If you really care about her, Kup, tell us what you know. Let us....let me....help her. Please," his voice wavered and Kup looked up. "Please, Kup. Tell us." Kup sighed and nodded reluctantly. "All right, I'll tell you what I know. For Blade's sake, if nothing else." Kup paused, then took a deep breath. "I don't know much; she has a major grudge against the Decepticons, Megatron in particular. She told me she was going to kill him, and I don't doubt it."

"Anything else?" Magnus asked. Kup frowned. "The only other thing she told me was that she was from the Daltreas nebula, and when I asked which planet she simply said that it didn't exist anymore. That's all I know. Now if you'll excuse me...." Kup turned to leave, but before he did he put a reassuring hand on Magnus's shoulder and said, "Let her be, lad. Whatever happened to her, it was bad enough to send her through countless light years just to kill one Decepticon, and someone that desperate will do anything to accomplish it."

"She won't hurt me, Kup. I can feel it. She feels the same for me that I do for her; she won't hurt me." Kup let his hand fall to his side and said, "We'll see, lad. Just be careful." Then the old warrior left. Prime rubbed the bottom of his mask thoughtfully, while Magnus began pacing back and forth. "I don't understand it, Optimus! I was positive Kup knew something about her, something which would point to her strange behavior! He must be hiding something! There's no other explanation!" Prime gazed thoughtfully at Magnus and then said, "Where did Kup say she was from?" Magnus stopped pacing long enough to say, "The Daltreas nebula, but what has that got to do with anything?!"

Prime's optics widened, and his whole body went stiff. "Of course! Why didn't I see it before!" Magnus looked at him in confusion and said, "See what? Prime, what in Cybertron are you talking about?" Prime gazed squarely into Magnus's optics and said, "Have you ever heard of the Samurian massacre?" Those words sent chills through Magnus's circuitry, and the Autobot second nodded. "200,000 Autobot refugees killed when Megatron gathered all the energy from the planet. No known survivors. The worst single confrontation in all of Cybertronian history." Optimus nodded grimly. "I know, Magnus. I was there."

Magnus's mouth dropped open. His optics were wide and he stared at his commanding officer in complete shock. "You were there?!" Optimus nodded sadly. "There was nothing we could have done. Everyone was dead. Femmes, children........... everyone. All we could do was sift through the bodies and notify friends and loved ones. Many who came back from there weren't themselves. Including me." Magnus shook his head, sadness and horror shining brightly in his optics. "Blade survived that?" Optimus looked Magnus squarely in the optics and said, "We have to stop her, Magnus. If she goes through with this, she'll never be the same. Let's go!"

And this time, it was Magnus who had to run in order to keep up.

Blade saw a vehicle approach, carrying two Neutral and very beautiful femmes on it. She saw the guards perk up at the visitors, and when the femmes stopped to beg for admittance, the guards started inspecting them. The femmes cuddled up to them, giving them an occasional kiss or flaunting their bodies. The guards finished 'inspecting' them, and then let them in. Blade looked down at herself and absently caressed her chest, an idea forming in her CPU. She sighed with disgust and thought, 'No other way.....'

Directly in front of them was a femme. A naked femme. She had a broad smile on her face and she swung her hips to some unknown tune only she knew. "Hello, boys," she breathed, running her hands over her body. "Time for Lord Megatron's daily entertainment." The two Seekers looked at each other, then back at her, and huge grins broke across their faces. One of them said, "He's a very busy guy. Why should we risk our butts to let you in?" The femme's smile widened and she traced his jawline with her finger, molding herself against him. 

"I think I can persuade him otherwise. Now, why don't you be good boys and let me in? You don't want to keep him waiting, do you?" For added effect, she ground her hips against one of the Seekers and he moaned accordingly. The other Seeker grabbed her from his friend and pulled her against him. "Why don't you entertain us, instead? It's been a long day....oomph!" Blade stabbed the Seeker holding her with some scrap metal while she gave the other one a roundhouse kick to the chin. She followed the kick with a right jab and the Seeker fell to the ground with a thud.

The Seeker she stabbed fumbled for his gun, but Blade grabbed it from him and shot him in the chest. He slammed against the wall and slowly fell to the ground, the light leaving his optics. She wrapped her hand around the metal sticking out of his chest and yanked it out, storing it in subspace while she put her breastplate back on. She dragged the bodies out of sight and entered Vilnacron, with the Seeker's confiscated weapon in her hand and a vengeful glow in her optics. She headed towards Megatron's quarters, located underground in a secured bunker. And any Decepticon foolish enough to try and stop her would meet a grisly demise.

"If I were you," Silverbolt said, "I'd worry about Megatron coming out in one piece." The others laughed at the image, but silence soon enveloped them again, and Magnus's worry increased another notch. 'If only I get there faster....'

'The coward,' she thought with disgust. 'He doesn't like to get his hands dirty, so he just blasts his victims far enough away so as to protect himself from charges.' Blade turned a corner and spotted a few of Megatron's elite guards, and promptly shot them square in the chest. They fell down and she stepped over them, her fuel pump beating furiously in her chest. 'I'm so close. Just a few more meters and I'll be free...'

Magnus squared his shoulder and walked into Vilnacron, his weapon trained directly in front of him. Prime followed, gesturing to the Aerialbots to remain outside to cover their backs. Magnus walked down various halls and corridors, using his memory of the layout to guide him. The two came across a turboshaft and they entered, keeping their weapons trained in front of them.

"If I remember correctly," Prime stated, "Megatron's quarters should be on the lowest level. It's the most heavily armored level in this entire complex." Magnus nodded and entered the destination into the lift controls. It started its descent, the two Autobots keeping their silence as it slowly moved down.

To the guards credit, they immediately fired, asking no questions. She dodged the shots easily enough, aimed, and fired. The blast not only vaporized the guards, but it also put a huge dent in the doors. She quickly fired another shot, totally destroying the armored doors. She rushed in and got a bead on Megatron, who was predictably lying on the bed with the two femmes lying at either side of him. Megatron quickly recovered from his shock and reached for his fusion cannon, which was lying beside the bed. Blade used the stolen Seeker weapon and shot just a few inches from Megatron's head. His motion ceased abruptly.

Blade gestured toward the naked femmes and said, "Bitches leave." The two femmes needed no further instructions. They quickly gathered their armor and left, nothing but a blur as they sped out of the room. Blade tightened her grip on her weapon and looked Megatron up and down. "So," she said. "We meet at last. You have no idea how long it took me to track you down. I always wanted to know what a mass murderer's quarters looked like." Megatron made no move as he said, "I have no idea what you're talking about." The grey femme sneered at him. "Don't play the innocent 'bot with me, murderer. It won't work with me; I know all about you. All the innocent lives you took, all the worlds you destroyed. I know everything."

"Then you have the advantage. I know nothing about you." Blade took a step closer and trained her sights right between his optics. "My name is Blade. I am the only survivor of the Samurian massacre. Does that refresh your memory?" Megatron looked up in thought, and then shrugged. "I remember that. But one man's massacre is another man's victory. The energy from that campaign won the Decepticons many victories against the Autobots. And for that, I thank you."

"You bastard," she spat, raising her weapon and curling her finger around the trigger. Megatron slowly stood up and raised his hands above his head. "Shoot me. It's obviously what you came here to do. So why not get on with it and shoot me? Or are you too scared?" Blade sneered and said, "As you wish." Her finger began pulling the trigger, and Megatron's smile grew.

"Blade, no!" Ultra Magnus and Optimus Prime burst into the room, their weapons trained on Megatron as Magnus pleaded with her. "Blade, don't do this. This is exactly what he wants." Blade's aim never wavered as she countered Magnus's argument. "Like all cowards, Magnus, he doesn't want to die. He just wants me to call his bluff. Which is exactly what I'm going to do." Her finger curled even tighter around the trigger, and Magnus took a tentative step closer. "No, he wants you to kill him! Don't you see? If you kill him, nothing will ever satisfy you! You'll keep killing and killing until finally you become him! Do you really want to become just like him?"

Blade's hand shook as she thought about it. The memories came flooding through her.....

 //His evil stare piercing through her as his men violated her body and mind, tearing asunder every belief and hope she ever had. Watching him laugh as she screamed and begged for mercy, his troops taking turns satisfying their disgusting fantasies on her...//

"He watched and laughed as his underlings violated my body! Raping and torturing me as he picked off every one I ever cared for! I won't let him get away with it!" Her body trembled some more as she prepared to fire.

"Blade," Magnus said, his voice soft and gentle. The grey femme didn't move, her finger still curling ever tighter around the trigger. Megatron's smile was slowly disappearing, realizing that she might actually kill him. Magnus stepped closer to the shaking femme and placed a soothing hand on her shoulder. "Blade, don't do this. Would your friends and family want you to throw your life away, to waste your life on a vengeance that can't be quenched? Would they?"

The first tears fell down Blade's face, and her finger moved away from the trigger. She slowly lowered the weapon and let it fall to the floor. She covered her face with her hands and wept, finally allowing two million years of grief and pain to flow out of her. Magnus pulled her into his arms and embraced her, allowing the femme to sob on his shoulder. He saw movement in the corner of his optic, and he only had enough time to push Blade away as Megatron fired his fusion cannon directly at them.

Blade screamed as Magnus was hit squarely in the chest, his large frame falling to the floor with a sickening thud. Blade heard another weapon go off, and Megatron also fell to the floor. The grey femme whirled around and saw Optimus standing just outside the door, his gun smoking from the discharge. He looked at her and gave her a small nod before running over to Magnus's side. Blade followed, kneeling at his side and caressing his cheek lovingly. Prime checked his vitals and sighed with relief. "He's still alive, but we have to get him back to Iacon, and fast. Quick, load him in my trailer." Prime transformed and opened up his trailer.

Blade carefully loaded him inside, closing the doors with her at Magnus's side. She felt Prime gun out of the room, the trailer jostling as he burst through walls and corridors. Blade traced Magnus's jawline, acutely aware of how much energon and vital fluids that were streaming out of the wound. He was also turning a sickly grey, his brilliant blue and white fading with each passing second. "Hang on, Magnus. Don't leave me now." Blade took his hand into hers and began to say an ancient prayer, one she hadn't uttered in two million years.

Blade felt someone standing behind her, and she already knew who it was. The one person she had avoided since she came back. She heard his footsteps come closer and then out of the corner of her optic she saw Ultra Magnus stand beside her, his lips a tight line on his face. The silence stretched on, neither one wanting to begin a very hard conversation. Finally, Magnus spoke.

"I've missed you, Blade. I was wondering why you didn't come see me. Do you feel guilty about what happened?" The grey femme sighed, then turned to face him. She looked him up and down, admiring First Aid's handiwork. Not so much as a scratch that would indicate that Magnus almost died three days ago. A stab of pain went through her body and she avoided his gaze. "If I hadn't lost control, then you wouldn't have gotten hurt. It was my fault you almost died." 

"That's nonsense! If I hadn't of tossed you aside, you would have been the one to get shot!" His finger gently cupped the underside of Blade's chin, and he lifted her face up so that he looked directly into her blue optics. "I couldn't let that happen. Not to you." Blade moved away from him, a sigh of tortured sadness escaping her lips. "It wouldn't have mattered, Magnus! I don't care what happens to me, I died two million years ago! All that kept me going was my hatred of Megatron, the determination to avenge my planet's death!" Blade gripped the railing tightly, denting it more than a little as she choked out, "What will keep me going now? I have nothing left....."

Magnus placed his hand on her shoulder, turning her around and firmly gripping her arms. "I will, Blade." He traced the outline of her lips with his thumb as he whispered, "If you'll let me." Blade closed her optics as tears began building behind her optics, her body shaking as Magnus held her close. She opened her optics after a while and gazed into the bright blue pools that were his optics. "I haven't been close to anyone for a very long time," she began, tracing a pattern on his chest as he pulled her closer. Magnus caressed her cheek and gave her a gentle smile. "Don't rush it, Blade. We have all the time in the world." Her body was now pressed against his, and his mouth was a few inches from hers.

"And I'm willing to wait for you. As long as it takes." He slanted his mouth against hers, and Blade melted into his arms. They kissed for what seemed like an eternity, and when they separated, Blade smiled as a tear streaked down her face. "I love you, Magnus." The Autobot second wiped away the wetness and smiled at her again. "I love you too, Blade." He pressed his lips against hers again, and at that moment, time stood still.