Machination

The Machination is a human organization in IDW's Generation 1 continuity family.

Dial M For Machination

The Machination is a secret organization seemingly bent on acquiring Transformer technology to nefarious ends.

Members/associates

• Mister Dante - apparent leader
• Miss Svenson
• Mister Jolly
• Mister Stoker
• Mister Drake - high-ranking field agent
• Mister Creel - field agent under Drake

Fiction

Mister Stoker, agent of the Machination, investigated a secret Decepticon base in Oregon. He took a number of pictures of the installation, and stored them on his SM-40 The Decepticons attempted to acquire the computer, killing Stoker in an attempt to steal it, but it eventually fell into Autobot hands, instead. Infiltration, Part 0 An agent placed in an Arizona police department reported Stoker's death to Mister Dante. Infiltration, Part 2

Mister Drake arrived at the Machination's Dallas, Texas offices (where they operated under the auspices of "Epsilon Holdings"), and was greeted by Mister Dante, Miss Svenson, and Mister Jolly. Jolly briefed him on the recent Transformer activity, noting that the visitors had sped up their plans, and so must the Machination. And, thanks to Stoker's computer, Drake had a homing signal at his disposal. Infiltration, Part 4 Later, Drake and his field team followed the signal to the shores of Lake Michigan, where they witnessed a number of Autobots plunge into the water, en route to their secret base. Infiltration, Part 6

Some time later in southwest Michigan, an RV sat idle. Inside, Mister Drake and his Machination field unit trained and waited for their encounter with the Transformers.

Meanwhile, Ironhide and Sunstreaker were assigned to return the humans, Verity, Hunter, and Jimmy, to civilization. Upon surfacing, however, the two were immediately detected by the Machination. Drake and his team pursued the two Autobots on the highway outside Lebanon, Missouri, unleashing several drone buggies to stop traffic. While Ironhide, carrying Verity and Jimmy inside, managed to extricate himself, it appeared that Sunstreaker and Hunter were blown up by Drake's forces.

Later that day, Jazz and Wheeljack sought out Sunstreaker's corpse at an impound lot. They were immobilized by the Machination's weapons, but Optimus Prime reclaimed Sunstreaker's husk. As Ratchet examined the remains back at base, however, he discovered that it wasn't Sunstreaker, but a fake. The humans who staged the altercation on the highway might have still had Sunstreaker and Hunter in their possession.

Ratchet, Jimmy, and Verity discovered two probable locations to search for their missing comrades. Along with Ironhide, they decided to defy Optimus Prime (behind his back) and investigate.

Verity and Jimmy broke into an auto parts store in Fort Wayne, Indiana, beneath which was a hidden manufacturing plant. Just as Verity noticed a strange business card, emblazoned with only an "M", the room filled with gas and the two fainted. Ironhide and Ratchet worked to rescue them. Ratchet sped away just as the local police showed up, but Ironhide and two police cars were caught in a fiery explosion. The secret facility had self-destructed, destroying any trace of it's origins. But no one was yet aware that the unconscious Verity, safe inside Ratchet, held onto the "M" business card.

Meanwhile, Hunter, not knowing his where he was, was being prepared for an unknown surgery.

Later, in another mysterious Machination factory, in Tampa, Florida, Dante spoke with a shadowy, severely damaged Transformer (possibly just a head). Dante informed the Transformer that the most recent test subject had not rejected the implants. The Transformer was eager to "proceed to a full test transformation."

Later, still, Dante escorted Hunter, post operation, to the shadowy Transformer, announcing that Hunter had "successfully assimilated the upgrade." When Hunter asked what was to become of him, Dante gestured to a wall lined with headless Sunstreaker bodies. "You could still play a part in the Machination's new world order," Dante said. Escalation

Notes/trivia

This looks familliar

• There seems to be a connection between the Machination and the Cranium (as seen in Spotlight: Ultra Magnus). The exterior of the facility in Tampa, Florida closely resembles the exterior of the Cranium's building. Both appear to be implanting native subjects with technology under the watchful eye of a Transformer.

From Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki, a Wikia wiki.