Titan IV: Evangelion

"This is Princeps Hekate to all Titans, advance into the pit, maximum power."

"Aye Dictatio, but what do you plan?" Princeps Tyyl of the Imperious Fulcare asked.

"My plan is to obliterate that thing," Hekate replied. "Advance and do not falter. The very bodies of our God-Machines are anathema to it. ADVANCE!"

The five remaining Titans strode forward, searing warp energy that no lesser vehicle could withstand flickering across their void shields as they marched resolutely into the teeth of the daemon-thing.

Dictatio's shields met the flesh of the enemy, and then the Titan itself touched the monster.

For a heartbeat, nothing happened; then a brilliant light enveloped the Titans, Voss screamed something incoherent about the sensors going off the scale, and Hekate blacked out from the shock.

***********************************************************

"Princeps? Princeps, are you alright?"

Hekate blinked, attempting to clear his vision.

"Yes Moderati, I am fine, aside from a headache that feels like a capital ship just hit me," Hekate replied. "Now, where are we?"

"I'm not sure sir," Voss said, "Thanks to our shields the EMP didn't cripple us this time – which Dorn is very grateful for, believe me – but the background radiation is disrupting most of our scanners; I can barely get a clear pict display, much less a long-range surveyor reading."

"I see," Hekate said, his spinal link sore, as it generally was after long periods of inactivity.

"Sir," Zygo reported, his neural links glowing slightly as information from both the Titan's sensors and the tactician's mind flickered between both, "I'm detecting something on the fringes of our sensor range."

"Which is?" Hekate replied, feeling Dictatio activate.

"I'm not sure. It appears to be about our size, but…organic?" Zygo said, incredulous.

"Any indications of hostile intent?" Hekate asked, returning to the command chair.

"No sir, I'm not detecting anything. It appears to be… Wait!" Zygo cried, "Energy spike in the target! It's charging weapons!"