DISCLAIMER: …Do I REALLY need to keep saying it?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*10 YEARS LATER*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 11: Final Confrontation

It was official, Bass was no longer a youngling. He was now an adult mech by Cybertronian standards. In normal cases it took a mech centuries to reach this mark but since the experiment had altered his growth rate, Bass had reached it much sooner.

With ten more years of experience "under his belt", as his human friends would say, Bass had really matured. He took each and every assignment he was given very seriously, never rough housed or messed around while on duty, and fought to keep the humans safe with every ounce of his strength. His strict, hardworking 'Con side was beginning to show through. Despite all of this, however, off duty he still acted like the same old Bass; loud, pulling pranks with the twins, bugging Prowl, and playing around with Blue and Bee.

"What exactly do you want, Megatron?"

Bass glanced up from where he was going over reports with Jazz to see Optimus Prime glaring at Teletran's screen.

"It's really rather simple, Prime. One final battle to decide it all. The winner stays here on earth and the losers must banish themselves to deep space."

"And just where do you suggest we have this final battle between our sides, Megatron?"

"Egypt of course. What better place to seal my victory over this pathetic planet then to do it in the spot where I became the true ruler of the Decepticons?"

Optimus's blue optics flickered for only a moment, CPU processing and calculating faster than any human computer ever could. "Very well Megatron. One final battle to choose the fate of this planet."

"Excellent. Be there in 3 solar cycles Prime. And be prepared for deep space." The screen went blank.

"Wow Boss-bot. Are we really gonna fight 'em on last time?"

"Yes Jazz. This battle should finally put an end to this war."

"So we have 3 days ta prepare for this?"

"Yes."

"Why don't we have everyone train with 'Hide and Blue on weapons and the twins on servo to servo combat?"

Jazz grinned brightly, "Tha's a good idea Bass! What do ya say, Boss-bot?"

"That sounds like an excellent way to prepare. Jazz, call a meeting at once. We must prepare and arm ourselves as soon as possible."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~3 DAYS LATER~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Heh, those Decepticon punks have no clue what they're in for." 'Hide smirked from his spot next to his bonded.

"Yes. Well just try to make sure that you don't get torn up too badly." Ratchet mumbled softly.

"Aw, Ratch, ya really-"

"Or I'll melt you down and turn you into a golf cart."

"-care…"

"Ha! He got ya good 'Hide!"

The towering weapons specialist turned on the younger saboteur. "Shut it or I'll-"

"Ironhide. That's enough." Optimus mumbled softly.

"Of course Prime."

"They're almost here Optimus. Only 40 miles away." Bass spoke up from his spot between his two guardians. The more that Bass fought and was around Megatron, the stronger their creator/offspring bond had gotten. Now the red opticed Autobot could always tell where the Decepticon leader was.

"They'll be here shortly then." Prowl glanced as this bonded, who nodded.

"Twins, is Bluestreak ready?"

"Yes sir." The two lambos replied in unison, "He's found the perfect sniper position and is ready."

"Make sure he has an escape route ready. He only has one shot then he'll be discovered." Prowl snapped, worried about his younger brother.

"Easy Prowl. He knows. It's right next to him actually. Easy access, easy escape." Sideswipe grinned, proud about his smart bond mate.

"Good."

Bass's bright red optics snapped online. "They're here."

As soon as the words had left his vocal processor, engines could be heard roaring in the skies above the endless sands.

"Well, well. I didn't think that you'd show Optimus."

The gallant Autobot leader glanced up at his brother. "I'm not a coward, Megatron."

"What are you implying Prime!"

"You're getting angered to easily brother."

The Decepticon Lord was furious. How dare his brother mock him in such a way? Especially when he was about to be declared the ruler of this planet. "I hope that you're prepared for deep space Optimus!"

"I could say the same about you, Brother"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~2 HOURS LATER~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

(Yeah I can't write a fight scene to save my life. If anyone wants to, do so and send it to me and I'll put it in here and give you full credit for it)

It was getting hard to see. The dust, added together with a cracked and leaking optic, made it extremely hard for Bass to make his way across the battle field. He couldn't understand it. Why were they fighting? Yeah, sure, the 'Cons wanted destruction and had evil intentions while the Autobots wanted peace and hand good intentions but that was the only difference between them. They had the same energon running through their bodies, sparks created by the Allspark, and bodies made of the same material. Why must they fight? There was truly no reason in Bass's mind. After all, was he not proof that a Decepticon could live an Autobot lifestyle?

Bass was dragged out of his musing by the sudden silence that had fallen across the sands of Egypt. As the dust slowly settled, the Mustang former's optics slowly cleared up. He immediately wished that they hadn't. Energon was splattered all over the ground, shining brightly in the midday sun. To his right there was a severed servo, belonging to a 'Con by the looks of it. One bright red optic scanned the battlefield, searching for the cause behind the sudden silence. And there it was.

Two colossal giants clashed in the middle off the battlefield. The other mechs stood transfixed on the battle. Bass stumbled his way over to his two guardians, optic still leaking energon.

Jazz glanced over as the taller mech approached. "Ya doin' okay Bass?"

"Yeah Dad." How Jazz could have asked that with a cracked visor and one servo dangling uselessly by his side, Bass would never know.

"That is good. We were worried about you." Prowl spoke softly, attempting to ignore the pain from his torn off door wings.

"Heh, I'm tougher then that Mom."

"I know. But that doesn't stop me form worrying."

"I know Mom. How are the others doing?"

"The twins fought hard but somehow got outnumbered. They're in stasis. Ratchet and Bluestreak are watching over them." Prowl spoke grimly, indicating his helm towards a rock formation where a yellow ped could barely be seen sticking out.

"An' 'Hide's makin' sure no one sneaks up on 'em."

"What about Bee?"

"Last I saw, he was locked in combat with Barricade."

"Well, I sure hope he's okay."

"Don' ya worry 'bout Lil' Bee. He's a tough lil' guy. He can take care of himself."

"Oh I know. And how are you two holding up?"

The two Autobot's replies were cut off by a deep, loud roar. The three quickly turned their attention back to the battle to see Optimus fall to one knee.

"Looks like you lose Brother." Megatron spat out the word like it caused him damage. "Your men shall be a banished to deep space but your existence shall end here Prime.

Optimus glanced up at the mech he had once been honored to call "brother". Gone was the Megatron of old. His calm, loving optics were replaced by a deep, dark hatred. "You were once like me, Megatron. What happened to you?"

The Decepticon Lord sneered down at the large blue and red mech. "I discovered power. Power that you foolishly refused to have."

"Was it worth it? To gain power by betraying your family, your people?"

"Oh yes Prime. More then you will ever know." The large silver tyrant smirked evilly while slowly raising his fusion cannon and aiming it at Optimus's head. "Time to stay goodbye, Prime."

As the cannon hummed to life, Bass's one optic quickly glanced between the two brothers. This wasn't right. They were family, brothers. And they were both a part of his family. He couldn't allow this to continue on anymore.

The gallant Autobot leader offlined his optics, prepared to go see Primus and the Well of All Sparks. It was his duty as a Prime to show no fear, even in the face of death.

Megatron smirked, shark like teeth gleaming brightly. This was it. The day had finally come. The day where he would be the one to finally extinguish Optimus Prime's spark for good. "Think of it this way, Prime. The better bot won." The Decepticon leader lowered his cannon's aim, aiming for the large mech's spark.

"No!"

Optimus's optics snapped online just in time to see a black, silver, and red streak jump between him and Megatron's fusion cannon. "Bass? What are you doing?"

"This has to stop! You two are brothers! You shouldn't be fighting like this! It's pointless!"

"Pointless? Power is never pointless, fool!" Megatron snapped.

"Yes it is."

"I'd silence that vocal processor of yours before I do it for you!"

"It's pointless when it causes you to fight your own family! It's pointless when it starts a pointless war!"

Megatron snarled loudly. How dare his child, his own child, declare this war as being pointless. "This is a power struggle! Of course it isn't pointless!"

"I think it's pointless when it's causing you to point your gun at your family. He's your brother!"

"I would have no problem wiping that soft sparked fool out of existence."

"Well," Bass mumbled, functional optic bright, "I'm not moving. So you'll have to go through me to get to Optimus."

The Decepticon Lord blasted air out of his intakes, a Cybertronian equivalent of a snort, and laughed. "Very well, brat. If that's how you want it." The larger mech aimed his cannon at Bass's helm.

"Jazz! You had better let me go! Now!"

The silver saboteur was currently holding the black and white police former back from the battle. "No Prowl! Yer too injured!"

"He's going to kill our child!"

"N-No he's not. Bass'll live!" Jazz choked out, even as energon tears ran down his face plates. "He'll be okay Prowler. He'll be okay."

"So…you'd really kill your own offspring?" Bass mumbled, one functional optic locked onto Megatron's own deeper red ones.

"You're not my offspring. You're just like them."

"Like who?"

"The Auto-scum!"

"What's the difference?"

The Decepticon leader was not expecting that. He and all the others were stunned into silence.

"What? Can't think of an answer Megatron?"

Silence answered the Mustang former's questions.

"Didn't think so. There really is no difference between our two sides. The only physical difference is optic color. Other than that there is no difference. We all survive by energon, we all have the same spark! And yet we fight because one wants to be stronger? Because one wants to prove himself as superior when we should all be equal? Now do you understand why this war is pointless!"

Megatron slowly lowered his fusion cannon, the quite hum clicking off.

Optimus glanced over at his brother. "He is right Megatron. Given the choice I would much rather end this war peacefully. Cut the losses on both sides."

"I was only doing what I thought was right for our people."

"I know. But you went about it wrong."

"But we need energon to survive."

"We can find other sources in other galaxies Megatron." Bass spoke up. "And if we work together, both fractions, I'm sure that we could find it."

The Decepticon eyed the mech that had been created from this own spark before slowly raising a hand towards Optimus. "Very well Prime. I too grow tired of this war."

The gallant Autobot leader smiled softly before grasping and shaking Megatron's clawed hand.

Bass smiled brightly. Finally, the fighting could stop. He wouldn't feel so torn between the two fractions.

The young mech was too busy smiling up at the two fraction leaders to notice that Soundwave had pulled out his plasma rifle.

Soundwave was enraged. He had come too far for this to be ended now. He did not lead Megatron on a puppet's strings for centuries just to have it count for not. The communications officer took aim and pulled the trigger.

"Bass!"

The young mech looked down to see his spark chamber had been blasted open. It was a through and through shot. Bass looked up again to lock optics with Prowl and Jazz before his body gave out and he collapsed with a loud clang.

Megatron lifted his blood red optics from the bright pink energon pooling around his offspring's body just in time to see Soundwave subspacing a smoking plasma rifle. "SOUNDWAVE!"

The communications officer smirked before turning away, planning on making a getaway. Instead of running into air, however, he ran into the solid form of the Decepticon SIC. "And just where do you think you're going, Soundwave?"

"You are angered Starscream. I wish to know why. You didn't even like hi-" The communications officer's words were cut off by a clawed hand wrapping around his throat.

"How could I not love my own son?" The SIC asked before plunging his free servo into Soundwave's chest and crushing the communication officer's spark in his clawed hand.

"Bass! Bass! Don' ya dare die!" Jazz cried out in anguish as he pulled his adoptive offspring to his chest plates.

"Bass…" Prowl fell to his knees next to the silver saboteur. "Little one?"

"M-Mom? Dad?"

"Ratchet! Bot down! Bot-"

"Stop it Mom. N-Not even Ratchet can save me now."

"B-But-"

"No Dad. I-I'm happy. The fighting, the war, is f-finally over. I'm h-happy."

Energon tears slowly leaked out from behind Jazz's cracked visor. "I-I love ya, Lil' Bass."

"As do I, little one." Prowl murmured while gently running his hand over Bass's black and silver helm, causing the mustang's engine to purr and sputter weakly.

"And I l-love both of you. I-I'm so tired."

Jazz rocked the younger mech in his arms, cheek plate pressed against Bass's helm. "Shh. Just go ta sleep Bass. Prowler an' I will stay with ya."

"He's right little one. We're here."

Bass smiled softly to himself as the finally allowed his body to shut down and slip into recharge, one last time.

I know. I'm absolutely HORRIBLE for killing off Bass but I just felt that it had to be done. The next chapter will be the last (other than the special alternate ending that will be posted later).

Rai Finnigan