**DISCLAIMER**I do not own Transformers or their characters**

There are always heroes; those who would stand for the weak and hopeless against the forces that vie to destroy them. However, heroes prove to be the weakness to a growing civilization, a dependency; the excuse we lie to ourselves as we plummet further into our inability to grow, change, and evolve. Does this mean that we should allow the annihilation & extinction to our species? No. Your purpose is to find survivors and assist in their survival. When the nuclear Armageddon has been, rise…

ENIGMA

Be human, cyborg

PARADOX

Rest. Die. Transform. Live

… Current Holding… Cache 22

The rock wall enveloping the Colorado River exploded; raining down its debris into the swirling waters below… as well as an unidentified NBE. The trusted officer, left to oversee the rehabilitation of the Hoover Dam and any S7 information, stared awestruck as this mechanical being moved secretly toward the dam. 'I'm just a construction officer!' He thought to himself as he flicked the radio on, "This is Captain Joesph, get NEST here pronto and assemble an assault team!"

"Yes sir."

Joesph returned his focus on the NBE, the 'Transformer.' Something wasn't right with it though, it was smaller (in a relative term) then the ones he has only seen blurry pictures and videos of. It didn't transform and make as much distance between it and humans. Instead, it stayed in its humanoid- form and wearily came closer to them, as if to study them from afar.

"Captain, an assault team has been assembled…" The voice on the other end hesitated, holding back the question that plagued him.

"Good. Get them to the base of the dam. They are to subdue the NBE quickly & quietly."

"YES SIR!" Questioned answered. But the alien was out of Joesph's sight.

"What of NEST?"

"… Still haven't made contact yet sir."

Joesph sighed to himself, "What if this robot proves too much of a threat for the untrained team to handle?" from his perch he could barely see the team move along the rock face in search of the robot. Suddenly a sharp shriek broke through the silent tension; a worker fell over the dam's ledge. Captain Joesph could only watch in horror as this man 'slowly' plummeted to the cold, wet cement below. A dark, black blur overcame the falling man, slammed into the dam, its effect rumbled into the officer's joints, then blasted away toward the assault team; disappearing into the shadows once more.

"Captain, this is Sergeant Keylee of the assault team… I think you should come down here…"

Sergeant Keylee gawked up at the 12 foot robot as it heavily landed a yard or so in front of the team. It all happened so fast! It flew over them, crashed into the dam, the ricochet back to them. His men, though terrified, stood their ground, weapons held steady at the alien. The ebony bot could have easily passed as a giant Master Chief from Halo, except for its gun arm and old missile launchers that hovered over its shoulders. It rocked back and forth; its free arm cradled something… the dam worker, protectively. Its gold visor reflected the team members coldly, watching them. The gun arm was held up slightly, in a way that wasn't too threatening but ready to pepper the team down if it felt like it, as it carefully bent down placing the worker on the ground. Then, it stepped away, keeping steady eye on the team and the worker. Keylee motioned two men forward to check on the man, they gave a quick, worried look at the being who, in response, took another step back. They examined him, gave the sergeant a 'thumbs up', and then carried the fainted man back to the safety of the group. Now, it was a standstill, each side waiting for the other to make the first move, but none did, till the mechanical leviathan lifted its hand up. The index finger pointed up while the others curled into a fist, 'one sec.'

Keylee lowered his weapon at this gesture, and the NBE began to underline the faded lettering on its chest.

"I… I can't read it. It's too faded," he remarked, surprised that he was actually talking to the robot. It nodded emitting a buzzed, electric, crackle. 'A damaged communicator?' he thought. The android's posture straightened as Captain Joesph approached.

"Captain!" Sgt. Keylee saluted.

"At ease… Well what is the man's condition?"

"He will make it, sir. Fainted, that's all." A corporal burst.

The shadow shuddered as it 'coughed,' emitting a cloud of dust from its neck. The team snapped its attention back at the behemoth. Captain Joesph approached strongly, but with some slight hesitance, to the being.

"Why didn't you attack? Or allow that human to die?" He interrogated.

It only reached under its chest armor, pulling out an old bundle of papers & handed it to him. He reluctantly took it, studying its cover. A Vitruvian man shaded dark blue encompassed with writing. Arcing above this symbol of humanity was SIGNA-L; below the acronym's meaning.

"Survival Initiative Guard of Nuclear Ark Leader…" he read aloud.

"SIGNA-L, REQUESTING IMMEDIATE DEBRIEFING," it suddenly thundered.

"SIGNA-L… What is your purpose?" Joesph asked.

The head tilted in trivial confusion, "To ensure the survival of the human species. But not allow the survivors to become attached and dependent upon myself."

"Oh shit…" whispered Keylee.

**Authors Notes**

1. I do no own Halo, or their character Master Chief.

2. The Vitruvian man was Di Vinci's drawing of the different angles of a human. It seemed appropiate symbol to represent Humans and all of Earth.