Tom Banachek

**Thomas "Tom" Banachek** is the head of Sector Seven's Advanced Research Division (and pretty much all of S7's current doings).

## Appearances

### Appears in

Sector 7 Adventures:The Battle at Half Dome

## History:

**Sector 7 Adventures: The Battle at Half Dome**

n 1989, a Sector 7 convoy is passing through Half Dome National Monument. While Agent Simmons is growing irritated with the song on the radio, his superior Agent Bell chides him that he needs to relax more. Suddenly, an explosion rocks the vehicle, having been the target of an enormous robot's laser blaster. The shooter identifies himself as Soundwave and demands the humans return what is rightfully the Decepticons'. As the convoy continues to take heavy fire, multiple troops step out and attempt to shoot back, but their weapons are no match for Soundwave. Simmons asks the injured Bell what to do, but Bell refuses to reveal their mission orders, as they are classified and strictly "need-to-know", and passes out. With Bell now unconscious, command falls to the frazzled Simmons, who asks their driver to get Bell a medic and radio HQ. Establishing contact, Simmons gives HQ a sitrep and requests backup, believing the robot won't blow them up for risk of damaging whatever they have that he wants. HQ assumes this to be "the payload", catching Simmons off guard, as he believed they were only transporting troops. HQ refuses to admit what the payload is, only that it needs to be delivered to "The Igloo" and must be protected at all costs. HQ further warns them that the payload should not be activated under any circumstance, and that they will not be able to send any backup before hanging up.

Before Soundwave can continue his assault, he is attacked by a new arrival: Autobot B-127, AKA Bumblebee. The two get into a fistfight, Soundwave goading Bumblebee with accusations of Optimus Prime's cowardice and declarations that the Decepticons will soon control Earth. Soundwave deploys Laserbeak, Ravage, and Rumble, who quickly overtake Bumblebee, and he attempts to convince the Autobot to join him in his search to find Megatron and the AllSpark. Fortunately, Brawn arrives to lend Bumblebee a hand, knocking Rumble into the distant rock formation with a mighty punch. The odds now evened, the two Autobots begin to fight back as Soundwave demands to know why Bumblebee refuses to respond, only to realize that he cannot due to losing his voice. Disguested by his weakness, Soundwave rescinds his offer.

Hiding behind cover, Simmons is impressed by the coolheadedness of his driver, who introduces herself as Agent Netta March. March warns him that their ammo is running low and their losses are increasing, and suggests the use of the payload. Simmons protests, as they are under orders and don't know what it does anyway, but March reminds him this is a crisis and they need strong leadership. Simmons finally acquiesces and dashes towards the truck containing the payload. Soundwave targets Simmons, preparing to blast him, but is prevented thanks to a shot from Bumblebee. Simmons enters the truck, discovering the payload to be an alien device of unknown origin. He presses the control panel and the payload activates, causing the warring robots to go haywire as they lose control of their transformations. Taking advantage of the gap in the battle, Simmons orders the convoy to quickly retreat, getting back on the road towards their destination. March congratulates Simmons for saving them, while Simmons admits he felt wrong disobeying orders and declares that he will be strictly by-the-book from now on, dedicating himself to eliminating the Transformer threat. March suggests the possibility some of the robots might be potential forces for good, but Simmons laughs it off, unaware their convoy now includes a green and yellow jeep with an Autobot insignia on its bumper...

At the Igloo, deep beneath Sector 7's Hoover Dam base, Simmons is met by facility director Agent Banachek, who thanks him for the successful delivery of the payload. Knowing Simmons has questions, Banachek leads him further into the base, explaining that what he is about to see is top-secret. Banachek notes that Half Dome is the second encounter Simmons has had with the alien robots, the first being his time serving under Agent Burns during the "Bumblebee incident". After those events, Banachek explains, Sector 7 took control of the aliens' antenna device and began reverse engineering it into a weapon that could be used against them, though neither side knew what exactly it could do until Simmons activated it. Simmons takes responsibility for disobeying orders, but Banachek confirms Sector 7 doesn't fault him given the circumstances. He admits this isn't the first encounter Sector 7 has had with giant robots, and that the Igloo has been designed to hide their organization from the Transformers' sensors, with Simmons realizing there is something else they want to stay hidden. Opening a door, Banachek reveals to Simmons the "Ice Man", a massive Transformer frozen in ice, noting the catastrophic threat he would pose should he ever be freed from his frozen prison.