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

by Douglas Howell

  After Sanchez finished talking, Caparzo spoke up (first time since he got there). He said that he too would go on the mission. When asked why he didn’t say anything, he only looked at Sanchez. Before anybody could say anything Choy mentioned that, he too will go. When he said that, there was panic in the voices of those who wanted to go home. They were afraid that more of their teammates would make the decision to complete the mission. And they were right.

  Senior Ensign Nakada said that he too will go. When asked why he said, ‘My beloved wife Tadako is pregnant with our first child and I would rather die than to allow our child to be born in an EOD world. The freedom of my child is more important to me than my life. I will go to Golden Hyperion. I will complete the mission, or die trying. And there is nothing that any of you can say that will change my mind. Death before dishonor.’

  Crewmen Guerrero and Kaminski had never seen combat. Neither one of them have a wife or any children of their own. But they had made their minds (before they learn of the mission) up that they wanted to fight. They didn’t want to ‘wimp out,’ nor did they want to bring any, ‘shame and dishonor’ to their family. And when Nakada finished saying what he said, both Guerrero and Kaminski made their decision known. Both of them mentioned that although they had no children of their own, Nakada is still right. Death before dishonor.

  Wexler and Ellis (who was so close that people had at times mistaken them for blood brothers) got into a heated verbal argument when Wexler said that he too will go. The most shocking part of it, is when it turned ugly. Wexler mentioned that since Ellis is single he wouldn’t understand why someone like him, Bryce and Nakada would make their decision. That only infuriated Ellis. Ellis knows that, Wexler knows, that Ellis has a girlfriend and he would like to marry her someday and have children. Ellis then added that he thinks he knows why they would make their decision. Wexler added that he don’t think Ellis understands why a father would make that decision, but if Ellis was a father than he would understand. That only pissed off Ellis.

  Hayes had to step in to calm both of them down since they were on the verge of fisticuffs. Ellis asked Hayes, which side, is he taking and Hayes said that is not important. Ellis then said that he thinks that it is. Hayes then ordered Ellis to calm down. When Ellis started to say something Hayes reminded Ellis that he ordered him to calm down.

  Hayes then looked at Sanchez in such a way that it told her what his decision is. Hayes is married and has two children, but unlike Bryce, Nakada and Wexler, he is thinking more about his family than the mission. Hayes is too much of a good officer to have told Ellis how he felt. He knows that the only reason why they want to go home and be with their family is because they are scared. But for Hayes, he is too confused about what to do. So he turns to Sanchez in hope that she might know what to do. And she does. She will put their fate into the hands of God.

  Sanchez mentioned that everybody who wants to complete the mission to stay, everybody who wants to go home to leave. She then ordered them not to say a word. She reminded them that they could face a court marshal for their decision. She told Hayes that she wanted to talk to him. With that everybody who wanted to leave, left. Only three decided to stay: Crewmen Lucarelli, Blumenthal, and Crewman First Class Trivelli. After everybody left, Sanchez waited a few minutes before she told Hayes that he could leave. Hayes then thanked her and left.

  (7)

  Commodore Parker just got off the shuttlecraft, got into a robotic car, and headed over to Project 21 HQ. Minus the one hour of sleep that he had, he’s been awake for roughly twenty-four hours. Although Parker dozed off in the car, he didn’t sleep that long. The robotic car broke down a few blocks from the Project 21 headquarters.

  While he was walking, he stopped for some unknown reason. He then looked across the street and saw something from his dream. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. A part of his dream is coming true right before his eyes. He knew that it couldn’t be a coincidence; there were too much detail for it to be that. He didn’t know what to make of it.

  Just like in his dream, two street punks were robbing a woman in an alley. She was sitting down on the ground with her back up against a garbage dumpster. One of the street punks lean forward, and just like in his dream, Parker saw her pulled a knife and stabbed the street punk in the neck. Then the other street punk yelled out something and shot her dead.

  The street punk then noticed that Parker was watching him. Parker was still in disbelief in knowing that a part of his dream has come true. Parker just stood there not knowing what to do. The street punk came forward, yelling something at Parker, and stood in the street.

  “What tha fuck you looking at Parker?” The street punk said with both anger in his voice and face.

  Parker didn’t say anything he was still in disbelief that a part of his dream has come true. He was too afraid that what he was seeing is not the only part of his dream that has, or will, come true. Parker then told the street punk that he was going to die.

  “What tha fuck did you just say?” The street punk said pointing his gun at Parker.

  Parker turned to his right and saw a bus coming. The bus honked its horn, slammed on its breaks, the street punk turned to his left and screamed as the bus hit and killed him. Parker just stood there, eyes widen in shock and horror. But not in the fact that he just saw someone get killed. But rather he was shocked and horrified that it came from his dream.

  When Parker finally came to his senses, he turned and ran the rest of the way to Project 21 HQ. When he was near the entrance, his right knee gave out just like in his dream. Shaking and disturb by the fact that, yet again, another part of his dream just came true, he got up feeling like his world is spinning out of control. He then checked to see if that jar that Iakuoyr gave him is still intact, which it was. He then stood there staring at the entrance for a few moments. This is the first time that he’s been in Roscadia that he saw the front entrance of the building. He always enter from the back of the building were the parking garage is.

  He calmed himself down as he realized what the dream got wrong. In front of the building there is a large circular area were people could sit, eat and enjoy the outdoors. Off to either side of the entrance were novelty shops and eateries. In front of those shops is a small walk bridge that connects to the large circular area. None of that was in his dream.

  He entered into the building paying close attention to how much detail the dream just right and/or wrong. When he got to his office, he realized that the only thing that the dream got right was what happened to those street punks, and the fact his right knee gave out when he was running. He kept on working over those details in his mind because he didn’t want any part of that dream to come true (especially the part about Death chasing him).

  In an effort to take his mind off of that godforsaken dream, he went downstairs to the ultra secure storeroom. When Parker got there, he ordered everybody out. But he gave them the type of an order that suggested that he is not doing it on his own free will. He did that because, when Project 21 does its investigation of him it would suggest that somebody is controlling him.

  Parker waited a couple of minutes after everyone left. He spent that time thinking about what he should do next. He wasn’t nervous, scared or anything of the sort as he approached the biohazard cryo-chamber with Ydxx’od’omaa’s wife in it. After all he was a man on a mission.

  Without hesitation, he opened the cryo-chamber. When Ydxx’od’omaa’s wife woke up, she looked around the room then down at Parker. She then said something in her native tongue. Parker (who is holding a translator) mentioned that he is not familiar with her language. He then said something in Iomiyyan, which caused her to ask (in Iomiyyan) how he knew that language. Parker told her (with the translator translating what he says into Iomiyyan) how he knew the language.

  “I am Ryan Parker. Ryan is my first name Mrs. Ydxx’od’omaa. What is your first name?”

  “My first name is Mynik’ny’nuta (men-ick knee new-ta). Where is K
omneito (com-nay-e-to)?”

  “Who?”

  “Why my husband of course.”

  “Oh… I’m so terribly sorry he died of natural causes.” Parker really did felt sorry for her. Luckily, for him… it showed.

  Parker heard her moan in sorrow. He then saw her put her arms around her waist, fall to her knees and started to cry. Parker held her as she was crying. It is indeed strange that he should feel sorry for her. Why can’t he feel sorry for the victims of the EOD? Why only her?

  “Thank you. I really needed that.” She said.

  “Your welcome.”

  She stood up and said something that took Parker by complete and total surprised. It caught him off guard. All she said was. “So why are you betraying your people?”

  “W-W-W-Why do you say that for?”

  “First of all: you knew about my husband and the Adnrwal family. Therefore, they would have told your people about me, and the threat that I pose. So you know what I have within me.

  Second: your outfit suggest that you are either a police officer or in the military. But given the layout of this entire area, the former is highly unlikely.

  Third: given the fact that I have a Tylkuoply symbiote inside of me, combine with the fact that in all likelihood you are in the military, you must therefore be a high-ranking officer. Only an officer could order everybody out of this area. Most likely a high-ranking officer, given my threat potential.

  Fourth: this particular room has only one entry point with an automatic gun on top of the doorframe. But since it is not moving, and it has what appear to be parts to allow it to move, it must therefore have been deactivated. Off to one side of this room is a small control room. I can see in the control room, there is a door. That door allows a person to enter from outside of this highly secure area, but not from within. That control room must therefore be a guardroom. On the far side of that wall over there, there are four, what looks like a plasma door, with a computer console on one side of the door. Each one of the computer consoles has an empty chair in front of it. All of that suggest that this is a highly secure area. Not something that you would typically find in a police station.

  Fifth and final is the way in which you treated me. If you felt threaten by me you never would have open that biohazard cryo-chamber door without some type of protection. What ’s more, there is no fear within you. So therefore, your behavior is indicative of one who wants something that only I can give. Your behavior strongly suggests treason.”

  Parker gave her the look that told her that she was right. He started to say something but she added. “Never mind. I guess it’s not all that important. You have your reason about why you wish to commit treason against your people. So therefore, I will not push it. So how may I assist you?”

  “I feel trap in this place and all I want is to be free of it. And…” Parker responded.

  “My dear trap soul what do you wish of me?”

  “I just want value to the people who I wish to join and…”

  “Then say no more of it.”

  “Alright. Let’s go to my office.”

  “Please bring that.” She said pointing to a 10”x12”x20” hard drive with rollers. It was attached to the biohazard cryo chamber.

  “What is it?”

  “It is both a hard drive for the nano probes of this suit and my life support system.”

  “What about the other hard drive?”

  “What hard drive?”

  “The one that is one-third the size of yours. Komneito had it on the bridge of that EOD ship where we found you, him and the Adnrwal family.”

  “Where is it?”

  “It’s in this room over here.”

  “Bring that.” She said pointing to her hard drive.

  Parker then disconnected it from the cryo-chamber. They then went into the middle storage room in the secure area that they were in. At the same time that he got the hard drive out of a storage bin, she picked up her hard drive and placed it on a table that was in the middle of the room.

  “What are you doing?” He asked out of curiosity.

  “If I could get out of this suit, I could then tell you.” She said with a smile.

  “What do you need?”

  “The DNA of a Wol’ga’con on a memory stick.”

  “You see that container behind you with the number 7373962?”

  “Yes.”

  “In it you will find what you need.”

  Mynik’ny’nuta then smiled real big. She turned and opened the container, picked out a memory stick (it was the one with her husband’s name on it), closed the container, and then turned around holding the memory stick in front of her at breast level. She was smiling at Parker as if though she was up to something no good.

  Parker was not in the slightest bit disturbed or worried by the way in which she was looking at him. Nor is he afraid of what he just unleashed upon the universe. He was far more curious than anything else. Once again, he is lucky in that she can read that in him. After all, she can tell that he is not stupid. But she can tell that he is dumb in another way.

  She laughed a little, held the CCU on her right breast, and placed the memory stick in the nano-port on the CCU. He then saw the nano-suit shrink revealing her naked body underneath. She then noticed that Parker was not only aroused by her nakedness, but he also wanted her.

  She then placed the CCU on the table, and without taking her eyes off of him, she walked around the table. She then took his left hand and placed it on her buttocks. She then placed her right hand on his crotch. She then put her left hand on the back of his head, lean forward and French kiss him. When she pulled back, she could tell that Parker wanted more.

  She then grabbed the CCU off the table with her left hand and put it over her right breast. With her right hand, she pulled out the memory stick. Parker then snapped out of his state of arousal when he saw the nano-suit reformed back on her.

  “Um… um… you can keep that.” He said referring to the memory stick. She then laughed in a guffaw way and then patted him on the left side of his face.

  Parker has got to be either one of the biggest ignorant fool of the known universe, or he is so blinded by his own pride that he cannot see what he just did. He obviously don’t care in knowing that with that symbiote in her she could easily kill him and take whatever she wants. It’s like telling someone in the Delta Force that they can keep something that they will kill for.

  “To answer your question about what I am doing, my hard drive has a secret part to it that allows it to function as a typical hard drive for massive amount of data storage.” She said.

  Parker watched as she connected her hard drive to the smaller one and started to download everything in it to her hard drive.

  “You don’t care if the data in the smaller one is gone for good do you?”

  “Go for it sweetness.” He said with a smile that showed that he was enjoying cooperating with her.

  When the download was complete, Parker grabbed her hard drive and then the two of them left. They then headed over to his office through a secure route. Parker chose that route since nobody would be there without his knowledge. The route also had a direct access to his office bypassing his secretary who he knew would be there.

  “By the gods where did you get this!?” Mynik’ny’nuta said as she was examining the jar that Iakuoyr gave him.

  “Iakuoyr gave it to me. She said that she never told anybody that she had it. I tried to open it… but I couldn’t.”

  “I know. It has a specialized locking mechanism on it. It takes two to open it.”

  She then gave it to Parker. She had him turn a round combination lock medallion (on top) when she instructed him to. There were two combination lock rings on the body that had to be turn at the same time the medallion had to be turned.

  When the jar was unlocked, she took it from Parker and then took off the lid. When she did, Parker moved his head back because he got a strong odor of death.

  “Smell thi
s.” She said.

  “I already did.”

  “Not really. Did you notice that you can no longer smell death coming from the jar? That smell comes from the fact that this jar has been sealed shut for a very long time. But it’s not its true smell. It has a much different smell to it. One that is very unique. If you will… trust me… and smell it.”

  Parker then lean forward, as she placed the jar under his nose. When Parker smelled it he stood there trembling in fear and feeling like he is a man who knows that he is fixing to die.

  “What you are feeling Ryan… is what you feel when you are fixing to die. So now you can believe me when I tell you that the hive NEVER consumes a person’s soul. Death is freedom. Life is mental slavery for one such as me. If this is the reason why we came here… We can leave now.”

  “What? Um… no. I… I mean yes in part.”

  “Then what else are we here for?”

  “I wanna get the copy of the inquiry that was conducted on Galactic Prime…”

  “Where?”

  “It’s a military ship in orbit. The inquiry was on how the Adnrwal family acquired an EOD Ultra Class vessel.”

  “Why should that concern me?”

  “Because I want to join the EOD and…”

  “There is no way I can pilot that ship Ryan, especially when there is a military vessel in orbit.”

  “I-I-I know that.” Parker was starting to get annoyed by the translator. “Look… I just thought that maybe by reading the report it could give you an idea on how you can help me join the EOD.”

  “Then how do you plan on joining them when you don’t appear to have your act together?”

  Parker then told her his plan on joining the EOD.

  “I see.” She said when he was finished. “All right… let me see the report.”

  “For security reasons the report cannot be translated into Iomiyyan.” He said causing her to become a bit annoyed.

  “I figured…” He continued. “…that since Vaistll could do a mind meld to learn English you could do the same with me.”