----------Section 11: The Gathering Darkness_----------

0000 Hours_
2 July_
Year 2010 A.D._
An Unknown Location_
Section 56 Headquarters_
2 Days ago_

  General McAlister stood at attention in front of a panel of people whose faces were shrouded in darkness. He submitted the latest report complied on the “Stormbringer Project”, saluted and took a seat at the round table. Somehow, he can’t shake the feeling that he was in a war zone. These people at the table were somehow pleased at the recent chain of events happening around the world, and now they were requesting updates on the Stormbringer Project. It seems that they wanted it to be accelerated to the final few phases, in order to create the perfect transforming soldiers like the Transformers. They talked among themselves for a few moments with hushed whispers and quiet tones, before finally addressing McAlister.
  Section 56. An ultra-secret sub-division of Sector 7. Officially known as the 686th Mobile Independent Attack Force in the Sector 7 files. To even the highest Sector 7 personnel, this little-known organisation never existed. They were mostly a rumour of forgotten sub-divisions of Sector 7 created in the past, and nothing else more. Little did they know that this organisation existed even until today, waiting tolerantly for its chance to put into active use. Now they have their chance, so they were making advantage of it.
  Ever since this organisation has been founded, Section 56 has been studying the Transformer race, and collaborating with scientists from Sector 7 to create an army of Transformable drones, loyal to their Commanders and executing orders without question. They have ordered for the remains of the fallen Decepticons and Allspark affected machinery to be secretly kept away at their secret base, while listing those objects as destroyed. This provided useful information for their scientists, who examined the remains for further details and clues on how to create a transforming army. Together with a man known as McAlister, they deployed their spies into the government, gathering information about the state of the world, and plotting their uprising revolution from within. After all, it was all part of their greater plan for world domination, and by the time President Whitmore and his commanders realises it, it would be too late and far too powerless for him to make a difference anymore.
  Of course, McAlister has his own personal plans, and in order to accomplish it, he needs the help of Section 56 of Sector 7, among others. And when he’s done with his plans of world domination, this pathetic organisation will be wiped off the face of the Earth whenever he pleases. If there is a kind of person who can shake your hand one minute and then stab you in the back as you turn to leave in the next, McAlister would have to be that kind of person. He would stop at nothing to get what he wants, and kill or destroy anyone who stands in his way, or hindering his plans. That’s his way of life: use those who can be used, and then kill them all to erase the tracks left behind. It was about time he should be put as the leader of the new world. All he need was precious time to set his plans into motion.
  “Excellent. From our agents in the various intelligence networks, it seems that the world has been gearing up for an arms race after the discovery of Transformer technology in the black market. I predict it would erupt into a war after the nations decided to go against each other with the Transformer reverse-engineered weapons they have created themselves.” One of the Section 56 leaders said, with a faint tip of a cigar smoking in the shadows. “Hmph, our plan might be working for now, but later we will need an army of transformer soldiers to keep these nations in check to prevent any uprisings against our rule.” said another, with his hands knotted together and his spectacles gleaming in the little light in the room.
  “That will not be a problem, since we have the WPF division of the UEF under our control. As soon as we pull the puppet strings, they will do whatever we order them. Furthermore, it was us who pulled the puppet strings to create this organisation. Oh, the irony of peacekeepers manipulated into using force and extermination to achieve their so-called “peace”, or I should say the peacekeepers peacekeeping irony.” replied a third person at the black table, with a long scar on his cheek. He has the unmistaken-able smirk on his face when he said that, as if he wanted the world to be changed through force. “I agree with that perspective, and what we need the most now is the Allspark and the Transformer army to do the job of uniting and creating a new world.” the fourth person said as he read through the file on the “Stormbringer Project”, scanning for important details and information. The distinct uniform he wore was one of the Sector 7 agents, black on black, standard issue.
  McAlister tapped the table for attention. “Gentlemen, I can honestly say that the Stormbringer Project is progressing as fast as we allow it, and at best estimate it would be completed in less than a month with the bio-engineer Victor Keys’s help. And in addition we will be capturing a Decepticon as a test subject, and then with the final assistance of Keys’s industries, we can use this to our advantage in the project to create our Transformer drone army.” “Good work, McAlister, this is indeed good news. But make sure the Decepticon has taken the bait and is taken offline when we capture it. The future of Section 56 is riding on this task.” said the man with a cigar, and taking another smoke with it. “Don’t worry, I know the consequences. We all will get what we want in due time.” By that time, you are already dead and gone when I get what I want thought McAlister to himself as he replied.
  “Does Keys know that he has been used in this Endeavour? A man like him will surely know that he has been taken advantage of. I doubt he will sit by and let his brilliant mind idle. Too bad we cannot recruit him, or otherwise we can use his exceptional Bio-engineering skills to create more powerful cybernetic military soldiers.” The man with the scar said, shaking his head from side to side, as if he has lost the lottery to a few million dollars. “I, for one, would keep tabs on him, to prevent this Keys character from hindering our plans. He has people in high places, and Whitemore has recently granted him power to do whatever he wishes. This can be either a boon or a bane to us, depending on how we deal with him.” McAlister said as he took a drought from a whiskey flask beside him, ignoring the frowns of the other four men around the table, who all knew his answer was rhetorical but right.
  “If he’s useful, we will use him to achieve our ends, but if he hinders us, we just eliminate him. Of course, McAlister, I trust you will do what is right when the time comes to that.” said the Sector 56 leader, closing the Stormbringer Project file and fixing his eyes on McAlister. “Of course sir, I will personally see to that if Victor Keys is far too dangerous to be kept alive.” McAlister’s lips curled when he said that.
  “Good, that’s all we need to hear. McAlister, report back to us when you are summoned again. Hopefully, we can change the world to our image by performing our roles separately and with an army of drones to do our work for us. I will see to it that you have all the resources you need delivered to you.” replied the scarred man to McAlister with a straight face, which he did not even flinch at the face. “I certainly hope so, for the greater good of the unified world. All we need now is to deal with the Autobots and then one important part of our plans would be accomplished.” replied McAlister. “That would be all. Until the next time we meet, gentlemen. Dismissed.” said the Section 56 leader as he snapped off the lights, and everyone at the table vanished into the consuming darkness. The empty black table was still there, but when will be the next time it would be used; it would be a good question indeed.
  
----------Section 12: Seraphim Empire_----------

Seventh Cycle, 126 Units (Seraphim Battle Calendar) _
Step of Valor_
Year 2010 A.D._
Deep Space_
Seraphim Zeta Assault Fleet_
Status: On Standby_
Inner Sanctum_

  Thousands of warships of the Seraphim Zeta Assault fleet drifted in deep space, while waiting for a hundred thousand robotic probes to dart and scan the void of the never-ending space with their precise electronic eyes. They moved slowly, and gathered terabytes of data before emerging into the cold vacuum of space, where they were recovered by hundreds of warships and super-carriers that were in battle formation around the massive mothership in the middle of the fleet.
  Not an asteroid larger than a meter could enter the protection net of the fleet of warships without being identified, targeted with millions of gauss cannons and vaporised. Authorisation codes were updated hourly, and any ship that hesitated for a millisecond when asked for the codes, will be met with unyielding destruction.
  The mothership of the fleet, which looks like a mixture of a super-carrier and cruiser, dwarfed the other ships of the fleets. Trying to compare them would be like comparing a insect to a colossus. There were moons that were even smaller than the mothership. Heavily armoured and armed with a large arsenal of weaponry, it could bring death to a continent with just firing a shot from any of its weapon nests. It drifted under the impervious network of protection of thousands of warships and carriers, its body illuminated with the glow of millions of warships’ engines.
  Deep within the mothership known as Words of Veda, protected by thousands upon thousands of crack Seraphim warriors, the Inner Sanctum was an island of calm. The various walls, the marble floor, the ceiling of the chamber were bejeweled with shards and glass pieces from the various worlds of the Seraphim Empire. They reflected the fruits of the labour of the Empire in the room back at anyone who enters the chamber, so he or she may think carefully about their own thoughts before speaking. It was within this room the high echelons of the military and political arms of the Seraphim Empire gathered together to discuss the important issues that concern their world.
  The talk was brief, and only hushed whispers were exchanged between the Seraphims as they talked about the happenings on Cybertron and Earth, which may in turn threaten their homeworld of Sera. It was no surprise that the Seraphims have encountered the Cybertronians, but the recent wars with the Cybertronians with a purple symbol have decimated countless ships of the Seraphim military, and killed untold thousands of Seraphims at the outer regions of their Empire. However, in the recent months, the purple symbol cybertronians have suddenly retreated wholesale, leaving the Seraphims to pick up the pieces of their shattered Empire and rebuild their homeworld.
  To know what the Cybertronians were up to, the Seraphim deployed hundreds of individual Seraphims from its armies around the universe, making them into the inhabitants of the planet to gather intelligence on the neighbouring systems. Once that world is in danger from the Cybertronians, the Seraphim will deploy their military and wipe the Cybertronians out before the rest of the planets were destroyed by their Great War. And now, after hearing reports from many worlds caught in the Cybertronian wars, and despite the fact that their armed forces were stretched dangerously thin, the military command of the Seraphim Empire became suspicious when there was no contact from their agent planted on Earth. Thus, they prepared a fleet to investigate Earth, to check on the agent and if possible, detect any Cybertronian presence. If there is, they will do whatever necessary in their power to eliminate the threat. If not, then they will retrieve the agent (who is the only son of the Seraphim Royalty) and continue on. Now, what they need is a single message or distress signal from the agent on Earth, and then the rescue/assault fleet will be sent to Earth before things escalate into chaos…before it was too late.
  
----------Section 13: Quintessons_----------

Time Unknown_
Date Unknown_
Year 2010 A.D._
Quintessa_
High Command Throne Room_

  “It’s regrettable. We have no further evidence to support the fact that Megatron and his elite troops are on a planet named Earth. We need to gather more details before we invade Earth. That concludes our report” said the Wisdom Face of the Quintessons, turning to see the Rage face of the other.
  “It matters little. For Megatron, and the rest of the Cybertronians, must answer for its crimes.” answered the Rage face of the Quintessons, his face seething with fury and anger at the thought of Megatron and the Decepticons.
  “…and whether it is deemed guilty of innocent, Megatron must still face judgement from us for his inability to fulfill the promise he made to us…even if we must destroy Earth or any other planet in the universe to obtain it…hence the correct answer to this is…” the face known as Death said, “…Prepare a full scale invasion of Earth. EARTH. WILL. FALL.”
  The other faces of the Quintesson military commanders twisted into what seemed like grins of their race when they heard the words “Full Scale Invasion” and hurried out of the Throne Room with their new orders, leaving the Quintesson High Command to laugh manically on their latest order to destroy the latest planet that has fallen victim to them.
  It will not end well for the inhabitants of Earth. They just don’t know it yet.

----------Epilogue: The Calm before the Storm_----------

1030 Hours
4 July_
Year 2010 A.D._
United States of America_
Stanford National Memorial Park_
Present day_

  Victor Keys walked along the gravel path that extends from one end of the Stanford National Memorial Park to the other, carrying a bouquet of flowers with his bodyguard Calgar close behind him.
  He took a moment to take a deep breath of the freshly washed air around him. The air indeed smells cool and crisp, instead of the pollutants and dust that he breathes in the cities. And it was so peaceful here, so calm and quiet. There was only the chirping of birds and the creaking sounds of insects, as well as the hushed tones of other people visiting their deceased brethren and family members.
  He eventually reached a large tombstone that stands out in the entire park. It was a long rectangular slab of granite that carved his parent’s names on it. Victor Keys prayed for a moment, before placing the flowers at the base of the tombstone, only to find another bouquet of flowers with the same colour and arranged in the same pattern of his.
  He took a look around, and then saw his assistant Zoe, standing beside him with a smile, and carrying an umbrella. She was dressed in her causal uniform, with the small plasma touch screen computer on her sleeve. Keys knew that uniform instantly, it was the uniform that he designed for her personally since the day she came to work in Keys’ industries.
  “I did not know that you are here. Why are you here?” Keys asked curiously, as if he did not know her purpose for coming. “Well, I dropped by to pay my respects to my past computer teacher, who passed away. Then I saw your parent’s tombstone, which I also placed a bouquet of flowers there too.” Zoe said with a smile that was as wide as her face. “Thank you, you are indeed thoughtful. I visit here every month to pay my respects to my parents.” replied Keys as he slipped one of his hands into his coat, and gestured with the other hand for Calgar to give him a few moments alone with her.
  Somehow, he felt oddly at peace when he was with Zoe, as if she was his soulmate, the exact person he was destined for. They made a great pair together, and although they never said their love for each other out loud, they each silently confirmed each other’s feelings. Seeing her smile just made his day, as Zoe’s smile was one of her charms, and no matter how hard the task, once one sees her smile, one could find the will to persevere.
  “I am free for a few hours; would you want to join me for some coffee and snacks?” Keys said as he reached out his hand towards Zoe. Taking his hand, Zoe smirked and blushed a little while saying, “Well, since I am also free too, why not? But you will need to pay for the meal. It’s on your tab.”  Victor chuckled, and holding her warm hand in his, they walked slowly out of the Memorial Park, towards the café across the streets.
  Keys ventured a look back and froze. Zoe stopped as she felt his footsteps stop, looked at his frown, and said in a concerned voice, “Victor, what’s wrong?” Keys regained his composure, and said, “Oh? I’m fine. I just thought I saw the oncoming storm.” Zoe looked at the skies, as if trying to spot a grey cloud or a thunder flash, and said, “Nope, the skies are clear, save for a few grayish-clouds. There is no storm yet.” “Must be my imagination playing tricks on me, but I am sure I felt something like an incoming storm, it’s very near. Never mind, it’s past now. Let’s go.” Key’s said as he pulled Zoe along with him, towards the Lamborghini Reventon where Calgar was waiting, with the sun shinning brightly on their backs, drenching the Memorial Park in its sunrays.

****

  Mysterious Organisations were formed, Alliances were made; while secret plans as well as were set into motion. Humanity fractured, and new fractions rose from the ashes of the new world. Private Armies of the forces of good and evil were assembled and preparing for the inevitable war. Megatron preparing for a full scale assault, Autobots armed with the Mindlocker devices, McAlister wanting to capture a Transformer to build an army of drones, UEF planning to unite the world through a show of its force. The Seraphim Empire waiting for the emergency signal from Earth, Quintessons deploying for a full scale invasion of Earth, with Cybertronians of both fractions, Autobots and Decepticons, posed to strike for the Allspark, this is truly, the Calm before the Storm.