The Cross of Mithras Vol. 1: EOD Operation Welcome to Hell

by Douglas Howell

  “Did you collect any of it?”

  “Yeah... got ‘em right here.” Ikknustll said as he handed a small container to Torrio. Torrio would later learn that whoever created them, were the same people who created Vaistll’s Nano-Cloaking Device.

  “Please continue Okuoyk.”

  “When we got to the location where the life support was still working, we found that the doors were sealed shut from the inside. After we found a way to get inside without letting the air out. We found out that three people did in fact live. All three were in a cryo chamber. Two were already dead. The other one was dying. When we open the door to let him out, he recognized us as Wol’ga’con. He then tried to kill us. Because of his weaken condition he was only making it worse. Trying not to kill him I knocked him down. Ryyuoxx then held him while I did a mind meld to learn his language. When I was done I tried to explain to him that we mean him no harm but he didn’t believe me. In the end, he was such a problem for us that I had to kill him.

  Before we left, Ryyuoxx noticed that one machine didn’t belong there. After he investigated what type of a machine it is, he realized that it is a short-range emergency beacon. The range of the signal was between one to two billion miles. He then turned it off. After we got back, everybody but the General figured that there must be a starbase nearby. Our own sensors were limited to half a billion miles. But Ydxx’od’omaa wanted to continue.”

  “Why did Ydxx’od’omaa wanted to continue the pursuit of that ship that I was on?”

  ‘Because every hour that we delay put another year between us. But it doesn’t matter we still got our way. When we were in sensor range we found that EOD ship - abandoned. And that’s how we came to this galaxy.”

  “Do you know where that planet was?”

  “Our sensors were no good. Both long range and medium range died on us a long time ago. After that we had to use them as spare parts for our short range sensors. The range of which depreciated by 75 % up to that point in time. So there is no way that I could answer that.”

  “So how did you guys know that I was here?”

  “When we got to that EOD ship our mom, Nincylste, acting on a hunch, look at the computer data base and found your name.”

  “What did it say?” You could hear the seriousness in Vaistll’s voice when she asked that.

  “It was a note in a recruiter’s personnel folder, which contained the notes that was taken on new recruits over the years. The note didn’t mention any name other than yours. What it basically said was that somebody from a star system called Vegas was recruited as of today. It did mention that the new recruit had no value. And it also mentioned that, although you have a mission on a moon called Golden Hyperion on 17th of October, it was not necessary for them to intervene. But it didn’t give any reason as to why not.”

  “All of these ships have a chock that gives the current date. Did you check to see what it said?”

  “Yes of course. But the time on the clock was frozen. All it said was, ‘22nd of April, 2253, dash, upper case RKM, 55, parenthesis, lower case c, parenthesis, 34, parenthesis, lower case d, parenthesis.”

  When Vaistll, Mad Dawg and Taylor heard that they immediately looked at Ramirez for him to explain what it meant. But he was sitting back in his chair with his hand over his mouth, eyes widen in deep thought. Mad Dawg then asked him what that meant.

  “It is a decree from the Council of the Elders that says, ‘All documents on board this ship must be sent to the EOD Headquarters stationed on the planet that the said ship is orbiting. All documents that pertain to recruiters are considered exempt’. It also states that, ‘The time stamp must be frozen on the ship so as to prevent our enemies from logically deducing the nature of the critical mission that the said ship is a part of’. It also explains why the Special Forces would have abandoned the ship. The Council only gives out that decree when something is far more valuable than an Ultra Class. It is so rare that I can’t tell you often they give it out. That might be the only time that they ever did.”

  Vaistll then moved her head closer to Mad Dawg so that they could talk under their breath. After a few moments, she nodded her head in agreement. She then spoke up. “This inquiry is officially over. All persons partied in this inquiry, on penalty of imprisonment, must remain silent as to the nature of this inquiry and to all discussions mentioned, until further noted.”

  Nobody said anything to each other as they all left. They just couldn’t wait to get out of there. Vaistll stayed behind so that she could send the transcript to Lowenthal. When she left the room, her family was outside waiting for her. With a smile she told them that she was tired and she wanted to go to bed. Her father than mentioned that they know that, and they wanted to sleep at where she was at. She then nodded her head in agreement and they all left.

  (8)

  It was in the late evening and the second event occurred. It was the event that would shake the human race to its very core. The event that would test rather or not the human race has a fighting chance at survival. It arrived in the form of a breaking news story on Roscadia via the Communication Center on Starbase 231. At the time that it arrived, Vaistll, Ramirez, Taylor and Mad Dawg, was still in their inquiry. The shockwave hit the bridge of Galactic Prime so hard that the second in command didn’t know if she should alert Mad Dawg of what just happened.

  On Starbase 231 the Communication Officer, who was on duty for an hour, was hoping that Parker would not come and chew him out like he did the previous Officer. He was sitting down and drinking coffee, and listening to Senior Ensign Jackson talk about her weekend, and somewhat listening to the news on the monitor.

  “Are you listening to me?” Senior Ensign Jackson asked, because Senior Ensign Wesley kept on looking at the monitor.

  “Well I... um...”

  “You’re not are you?”

  “Well I...” Senior Ensign Wesley said as he looked at the monitor, then back at her.

  “What the hell is so important about news that are several months old!?”

  “WAIT... shut up and listen!” He then turned up the volume.

  They then heard in shock, horror and disbelief as the newscaster mentioned that Yellowstone is a super-volcano and it just erupted. The newscaster then mentioned that two-thirds of the United States is buried in ash. The newscaster, with the look of sheer horror in her face, then said that scientists are predicting that global temperatures on Earth will plummet rapidly touching off another ice age. She then added that it could destabilize the world and touch off a global war.

  “Oh my God. Oh my God... this can’t be happening.” Senior Ensign Jackson said.

  “We got to broadcast this to Roscadia.”

  “We need authorization. I need to contact...”

  “Fuck authorization... I’m sending it!” With that, Senior Ensign Wesley touched the button and broadcasted it to all ships and to the major media outlets on Roscadia. Shortly afterward, everybody on Roscadia, Starbase 231, or any ship in orbit, learned of what happened. Their lives were shattered by the news. For those who remember the war with the Necro-Mystics, the news sent a chill down their spine and caused them to run to the bathroom. Not one person could claim that it did not affect them. Except for Commodore Parker, who saw it as a good sign, blessing his journey to be with the EOD. It is a good thing for him that he kept that from the mafia.

  The Mission

  (1)

  It was a little after one o’clock on a Tuesday morning and Commodore Parker finally arrived on Galactic Prime. Before the shuttle craft arrived, he prepared himself. He didn’t want to appear as if he was on the warpath with anybody. He wanted people to believe that, although he was stressed out earlier in the day, that is no longer the case. It was his way of convincing Project 21 of his innocence after the mafia does its part when it comes to his plans.

  When Parker got off the shuttlecraft, he started to talk to the Sergeant Major who was in the Control Tower in the docking port. The Sergeant Major asked Parker
if he heard the news, to which Parker replied no. The Sergeant Major then said that Parker should go and watch. Parker asked him why, and the Sergeant told him that everybody is shook up over it. Parker then left the docking port and headed over to the nearby lounge and that is when he learned what happened on Earth.

  As soon as Parker had seen enough, he sat down and started to think. He was not thinking about is he about to make a horrible mistake about joining the EOD. His mind is already made up on that. No, he was thinking about how not to appear as if though he didn’t care about what had just happen. He knew that he had to appear calm and understanding. Commodore Parker had to appear like something that he is not - a good officer.

  After Parker finished collecting his thoughts, he left and headed to the bridge. When he got there, he asked the officer on duty for the inquiry report. The officer than gave him a copy of the report. Parker than asked to be taken to his quarters. When Parker got to his quarters, he immediately started to read it. Parker couldn’t believe what he was reading. It was all too surreal to him. The only thing that he cared about was what was on that EOD ship. He knew that he finally had his value. But he also knew that he had to careful. From when he got to his quarters till 04:10 hours, he was planning on what he needs to do next.

  At 04:10 hours, Parker left his quarters. As tired and sleepy as he was there was no way he was going to put off what he had to do next. Not one hour, let alone eight. He arrived at the docking port and then he immediately took charge. He tolerated the slow pace of the morning crew. No urge to yell. No urge to chew them out. Only patience will do. He stood there and coordinated them as they prepared a small cargo craft for departure. Having them hook up extra power cells for the cargo that it will eventually carry. When everybody was done, Parker, and both a pilot and co-pilot left for the EOD ship.

  When Parker got to the EOD ship, he ordered the guards to take the biohazard cryo-chamber to the cargo craft. When they got there, they immediately hooked it up to the extra power cells. When they were done the guards and the pilot left and headed to Project 21 headquarters on Roscadia. Both Parker and the co-pilot boarded another craft and headed back to Galactic Prime.

  Nothing that Parker did was suspicious. Regulations prevented him going with the guards. Even if he did nothing, the biohazard cryo-chamber would have been sent to Project 21 headquarters on Roscadia anyway. Parker knew that it probably would have been sent sometime after noon and he just couldn’t wait that long.

  When Parker got back to his quarters on Galactic Prime, he sent a message to Vaistll. He wanted to talk to someone in her family immediately. It was 06:22 when he sent the message and Iakuoyr said that she would talk to him. He asked her to tell Vaistll that the biohazard cryo-chamber with the wife of Ydxx’od’omaa, is on its way to a safe secure bunker in Project 21 headquarters on Roscadia. She then mentioned that she had something that he should place there as well. When he asked her what it was, she said that it was a long story and she will tell him when she sees him. Parker couldn’t believe the stroke of luck that he was having. Two things of value that he can give to the EOD. In his mind ’s eye, the EOD would surely bless him. Or so he thinks.

  (2)

  It was 05:48 hours and Ellis just woke up. He woke up with a major hangover. He got drunk after he heard what happened on the Earth. Like so many others, he was scared and confused. He was deeply concerned for his family. Not being able to send them a message. He knew that it wouldn’t do him any good to send a message to them (it would take little more than a year for him to receive a reply, if any). Like the other Task Force ZH-3C members, he wanted to go home.

  Ellis was restless. He couldn’t sit, or stand still long enough. At times, he would stop, sit down, cry a little, get back up and repeat. At 06:00 hours, he started to watch the morning news. Hoping for some good news. But what little he heard only disturb him even more. He turned off the TV. Trembling with fear for his family, he walked to the couch and sit down. He then put his elbows on his knees, put his face in his hands, and started to cry deeply. He needed someone to console him. He needed Wexler.

  Wexler (who was release from jail the previous day at noon) heard a knock at the door. From the style of the knock, he could tell that it was Ellis.

  “Hey Triple-T, come on in.” Wexler could tell that Ellis needed moral support.

  “Hey bro… it’s good to see that you’re out of jail.” He was about to tell Wexler that he needs to stop getting drunk and running naked down the street, but he was too depressed to mention it.

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh God brother-man my family. I-I-I don’t know what to do.”

  “Well I’m certain... God I wish I knew what to say.” Wexler than held Ellis as he started to cry.

  “Maybe we can get together with our teammates for moral support.” Wexler said causing Ellis to look up at him. Ellis then thought more about it and then he agreed.

  Wexler would spend the next hour talking to his teammates. Trying to get them together for a group moral support. He was the first (besides the obvious) member of Task Force ZH-3C who learned that Vaistll was reunited with her family. He learned it from Ryyuoxx. Ryyuoxx than gave Wexler the short version of how they got to Roscadia. Both Wexler and Ellis were speechless at the good news. Ellis couldn’t believe it until he talk to Ryyuoxx over the intercom.

  “You see bro… everything will turn out in the end. Just have hope.” Wexler said causing Ellis to feel a whole lot better.

  (3)

  “Who is it?” It was 06:35 and Parker just answered the door.

  “It’s me Iakuoyr, Vaistll’s sister. We talked on the intercom.”

  “Come on in.” Parker said as he opened the door. “Wow.” He said when he saw her 6’10” frame. She came in and both of them sat down at the table.

  “What cha got for me?” He asked her.

  She reached into a bag that she had and said. “I never told anybody that I had this.”

  She then pulled out a small jar that was large enough to hold 60 fluid ounces. She then placed the jar on the table.

  She continued on. “I was afraid that somebody might find out what it is in the jar, especially Mrs. Ydxx’od’omaa.”

  “What’s in it?”

  “Something that I call Liquid Death.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “When I first learned that my sister would be working for Natas Ovast, she brought it to my attention that he might be spying upon her. You see it was kind of strange but…”

  “Yeah… I read the report on that.”

  “So you can see why she would want me to investigate him.”

  “Yeah, I would have done the same. So what did you learn?”

  “Nothing. It was very hard to find any accurate information on his past. There were just too many vacillating information on him. So I decided to investigate Tsk’llk and Llyysta instead. I was trying to see if there was anything in their past that might explain his behavior. But as before nothing turned up. People within the palace, that I was working in, said that both of them are, ‘nothing to be concerned about.’ So I realized that it probably was something in his past, or with him, that might explain why he hated both of them.”

  “So what did you do when your investigation turned cold?”

  “I had the thought that maybe the answer lies within his religion.”

  “What was it called? I know that the denomination that he practiced is called Mea Kryysti.”

  “It was called Hyyuk’ma (he-ook ma). Someone in the palace told me that I should ask his close ally, Colnynol (coal-nie-no). Both of them had a flippant form of friendship. And they’ve been friends for a very long time. So I knew that I could rely upon him for information on Natas.

  I didn’t know if Colnynol would be any help or not, but he was more than happy to help out. He was nice and hospitable to me and my crew.”

  “Your ‘crew’?”

  “By ‘crew’ I mean the men who came with me for my protection.
After I told Colnynol what I knew, he said that he had no idea why Natas is doing what he is doing. Although both of them were adherents to the Mea Kryysti sect; Colnynol wasn’t certain if Natas’ religious beliefs could explain it.”

  “Did they go to the same church?”

  “No. They lived too far apart.”

  “So what did the two of you extrapolate about Natas’?”

  “How much do you know about the Hyyuk’ma religion?”

  “What I know about it comes from the report on Vaistll. Why do you ask?”

  Parker started to act like, he didn’t like where she was leading him. He didn’t like it, not because he was being rude, or because he was thinking that maybe she’s trying to convert him, but rather it was because he was tired and sleepy.

  “Look…” She continued. “I can tell that you are tired. And I’m not trying to proselytize you. I don’t care too much for the Hyyuk’ma religion myself. Never have been and never will practice it. But it’s the only way to understand why this jar exists.”

  “All right… go ahead and tell me.”

  “So what do you know about the religion?”

  “I know that it is a monotheist form of religion. There are three possible meanings of its name; each deals with both the word soul and the word journey. Part of its philosophy is the belief that all bad things in life are a test to see if we are worthy to enter into heaven. The religion doesn’t believe in the existence of a Christian version of hell. She did explain the religion beliefs on heaven, hell and the afterlife. She practiced the Sunez denomination. The only other denomination that I know of is called Tvv’y’lik. And the religion believes that a God who is infinite would create an infinite universe. And that’s all that I know of it.”

  “It’s not surprising that Vaistll wouldn’t know what Hyyuk’ma means. The name comes from a dead language. And judging by its daughter languages, the word soul took on two different meanings: one, the soul; and two, the afterlife. Taken together with the word journey it would mean fate and/or destiny of an individual. Because emphasis was put upon both the word soul and the word journey, it would therefore be loosely translated as, ‘The Purpose of the Soul.’”