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

by Douglas Howell

  “Let’s just suppose for a moment that it is Infernus, then we must consider the following possibility: the Council of the Elders either assume or fear that Infernus will be infiltrated. If so, then by whom? Or should we say when?” Lenkov said after giving it much thought.

  “There is another possibility that we should consider. The Council is afraid that we might use both the Dragon Clones and Flip Jumpers against them.”

  “Don’t they know that we won’t?”

  “Look at it from this perspective: what happens when you have someone who serves a tyrant and they become too popular? The tyrant has them eliminated. We are the first outsiders ever, who became too popular. So does the EOD even know how to handle someone of our caliber? If not, then we are dead. So what would be the next course of action for us to take?”

  “Don’t give them too much nor too little on the success and/or failures of both the Dragon Clones and the Flip Jumpers.”

  “We should have our trusted contacts keep their eyes and ears open for anything. Is there anybody in High Command that we can trust?”

  “No. But we can rely upon CCO District Commander D’Esporito.”

  “I thought that he was a Fleet Admiral?”

  “He was, but he got promoted.”

  “Is there anybody else?” Omori asked.

  “Major General Labrune, Rear Admiral Mizuguchi, Vice Admiral Kennett, Commodore Bonfacio, Lieutenant General Byrne and Colonel ‘Brown Dust’ Durante.”

  “Alright. You contact them including D’Esporito, and I’ll contact the rest of our people.”

  Lenkov and Omori then sent messages to their contacts that were too far away. Over the next several hours they talked to the rest of their contacts. Neither one of them told their contacts about Infernus nor what the Council did to that one planet. They only wanted information not a coup d’état. But it was the information that they received from CCO District Commander D’Esporito that told them how the EOD High Command really felt about them – they are afraid their popularity.

  D’Esporito also confirmed a suspicion that both Lenkov and Omori has. That their popularity stands in Joseph’s way of getting a promotion. He’s in command of a starbase but he’s not a Commodore. In all likelihood, not for the foreseeable future will he get the promotion, no matter what his success may be. Although Joseph hardly cares (he loves his rank) it burns Sayaka deeply. There is a part of her that wants to secretly lift the cybernetic embargo on Valkyrie out of revenge.

  (5)

  “Ma’am, it’s me. Look for my signal to the south-by-northwest.” Sanchez said when she got near the location of where the rest of Task Force ZH-3C is.

  When Sanchez landed she immediately left to talk to Vaistll, Taylor and Ramirez in private. She did not want either Red or White Team to overhear their conversation concerning the Hammer of Doom.

  “Where’s Green Team?” Taylor asked.

  “We couldn’t take them so I had to leave them sir. And sir… Sanders is dead.” Sanchez said.

  “How did it happen?” Ramirez asked.

  Sanchez with sadness in her eyes and voice said, “We encountered some type of a monster. It moved like a cyborg and was strong as such. But it wasn’t a cyborg.”

  “Then what was it?” Ramirez asked.

  “It was as tall as the captain, it’s skin was grayish, and it’s face…”

  “What about it’s face?” Vaistll asked.

  “It put me in mind of a cross between a dragon and a wolf.”

  “Anything else about it?” Taylor asked.

  “It talked like a cyborg. Sir, we fought that damn thing in hand-to-hand combat for more than an hour and we still couldn’t take it down.”

  “Then how did you guys kill it?” Ramirez asked.

  “It made some type of noise and then Martinez punched it in it’s throat and then it’s head exploded.”

  “Where was Green Team?” Vaistll asked.

  “I sent then out to explore the surrounding area in case you wanted to move the base camp over there. They discovered a small abandoned town. They said that it look like it was abandoned for five years at the least. While they were there that EOD Troop Deployment helicopter landed. That thing then left in a motorcycle and headed to our location. The helicopter was not carrying anybody else other than the two pilots.”

  “Alright. That will be all Sanchez.” Vaistll said.

  “Ma’am, that thing mentioned that it was a messenger from the Hammer of Doom. Green Team know but I order my team not to mention it in front of Red or White Team while we were in route.”

  “Why didn’t you order Green Team to stay silent?” Taylor asked.

  “Sir, at the time both teams were on the verge of hysterics and I wanted to hurry up and get my team out of there and give them time to calm down so that I can then talk to them alone.”

  “What precisely did it say when it mention the Hammer of Doom?” Taylor asked.

  “Nothing sir. It said that it was a messenger from them.”

  “Alright. Tell Blue Team that we want to see them. And Sanchez…” Vaistll was saying.

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “The only other people who know about them is Ellis, Wexler and Moriarty.” Vaistll said.

  “Understood ma’am.” Sanchez said. She then left and told Blue Team that the captain wanted to see them right away. She then returned back with them.

  Vaistll, Taylor and Ramirez could tell that Blue Team has been through hell and back. They were in no mood to talk, they only wanted to rest. None of them mentioned the Hammer of Doom to the other team members. Not because they couldn’t, but because they didn’t feel like it.

  “Where are your helmets?” Ramirez asked Blue Team.

  “Sir, that thing shot them rendering them useless.” Sanchez responded.

  “Ma’am… I know what you are going to say, but you don’t have to say it. We didn’t mentioned the Hammer of Doom in front of Red or White Team. We just want to call it a day and rest. Ma’am, can we be dismissed so that we can rest?” Martinez mentioned.

  “Do all of you understand why we don’t want you to mentioned that if front of them?” Vaistll asked.

  “Yes ma’am.” Martinez responded.

  “Alright then. Go ahead and get your rest.” Vaistll said.

  “Ma’am, before I forget there was a medium size city that the monorail leads to.” Sanchez said after Blue Team left.

  Vaistll stood there in a akimbo way, nodded her head and then said. “Understood. Hurry up and pick up Green Team.”

  When Sanchez got back with Green Team, Vaistll ordered them not to say a word about the Hammer of Doom to either Red or White Team. Both Brewster and Anderson got upset saying that both teams had the right to know. But they caved in when Ramirez told them why they should keep it quiet.

  “Ellis, front and clear on the double.” Ramirez said over the helmet-com.

  “You wanted to see me sir.” Ellis said when he came in.

  “We need you keep on eye on Green Team. They, along with Blue Team, know about the Hammer of Doom. They have been ordered to keep their mouth shut. Make certain that they do.” Vaistll ordered him.

  “Yes ma’am. What about Nakada? He does outrank me.”

  “Well if he pulls rank than tell one of us and we will take care of it.” Taylor responded.

  “Where was that city that you saw more precisely?” Vaistll asked Sanchez.

  “It was located in a natural harbor on the southern side of the landmass ma’am.”

  “Alright. I want you to fly Red Team and land north of the city. Then have them take up a defensive position. After that I need you to ferry the rest of us and our equipment over there.” Vaistll ordered her.

  “Yes ma’am. What about Ellis? Shouldn’t he accompany them?”

  “Ma’am, I don’t mind looking after Blue and Green Team.” Ramirez said.

  “Alright go ahead.” Vaistll said to Ramirez.

  Sanchez then left with Red Team. W
hen she got ten miles from the city, she headed north along the waterway. When she got far enough north she headed inland. While she was looking for a place to land she started to take on incoming fire from small arms, laser rifles, laser chain-guns and RPG’s. The tail of the helicopter was hit causing her to land in a nearby river hard. The helicopter landed on it’s side. Everyone made it out in one piece and they were able to recover their gear.

  “May Day! May Day! We’re taking on incoming fire from unknown number of hostiles! We’ve made it to our destination! Please send help imm…!” Sanchez said over the com-system. The call ended in static.

  “Ma’am! Sanchez was forced down north of the city! She said that they were taking on enemy fire from unknown number of hostiles!” Ramirez told Vaistll after he ran from tent with the com-system to inform Vaistll. He had Green Team handle the com-system while he kept a watchful eye on them.

  “Shit. Look like we have no other choice but to leave immediately… on the monorail.” Vaistll said.

  “Yes ma’am.” Ramirez said with a knot in his throat.

  Everyone in Task Force ZH-3C quickly moved all equipment and gear on the monorail. They could not, and would not leave their friends behind. The com-system was the last to go. They tried their best to contact Galactic Prime, but couldn’t.

  While everyone was on the monorail, as it was leaving to head to the city, all of them were very tense nervous and scared. They know what would happen as soon as they get to the city. Someone would see them, that person would either run or scream, and then everyone would know that they are there. Their mission would then be as good as over. They couldn’t leave their friends. They had to run the risk and take the chance.

  When they got to the city they neither heard nor saw any activity. It was 12:43 when they arrived at the monorail station. Both White and Green Team was ordered to clear and secure the building. Green Team moved out first. After Green Team finished searching the level that they were on, they gave the all clear signal. White Team then moved out and took up Green Team’s position. Green Team then left and searched another level. Both teams repeated the action until the whole building was searched and secured. There was nobody in the building nor could they see anyone outside the building.

  “Ma’am… none of this makes any sense. According to the calendar, this should be a typical working day. There should be people here both inside and outside the building.” Ramirez said when both White and Green Team finished searching the building.

  “Do you have any ideas that could explain it?” Vaistll asked.

  “No ma’am.”

  “Alright. Let’s move our gear out of the train.”

  Fifteen minutes later, while White Team was monitoring for any activity outside the building, Cole said something that sent a chill down everyone’s spine.

  “I see movement!” Cole shouted.

  “Friend or foe!?” Taylor asked.

  “I can’t tell sir! But they’re headed our way!” Cole responded.

  (6)

  A major fire broke out on Galactic Prime. The fire started in the barracks and then consumed it. Ten Marines were killed and 22 were injured in the fire. The fire started when a group of Marines decided to burn something in an effort to have light in the barracks.

  “Is there place where we can put the Marines? Especially a place where we can give them light?” Chester asked Robinson.

  “The only place where we can put them in is either one of the large storage areas, or the mess-hall.”

  “What about in the hallways near the critical areas?”

  “I would have to take a look at the wiring of the area, but it is possible.”

  “Alright, get on it right away.”

  “Sir, I know what you are going to say, but you should still consider heading back to Roscadia. This ship cannot take anymore abuse like it has been.” Robinson said. Robinson left when Chester didn’t say anything.

  “You know… I’m starting to think that maybe we should return back to Roscadia.” Chester said to his best friend.

  “Then why don’t we?”

  “I would feel horrible in leaving Task Force ZH-3C behind. It might get us killed.”

  “Staying here could get us killed.”

  “I don’t think so. For all the damage that Dragon Clone did to this ship, it could have did far more damage than what it did. It could have killed us all, but it didn’t. Why?”

  “Maybe we were getting too close to killing it so it had to leave quickly.”

  “I don’t think that’s the reason. It moved too fast for us and it obviously could see in the dark. So why did it leave the ship? Why not just stay behind and kill off more of us?”

  “Because it was following orders.”

  “I know that. That’s obvious. But why leave the fight?”

  “Maybe that’s it.”

  “What?”

  “Maybe they didn’t want us in the fight helping Task Force ZH-3C.”

  Chester thought about that for a while. It did and it did not make sense. The destruction of the five drop-ships was all that it would take to keep them out of the fight. Infiltrating the ship is just outright mean-spirited and wasteful. Although the EOD is mean-spirited, that does not mean everyone within it is. Chester knows that neither Joseph nor Sayaka is mean-spirited. But the EOD High Command is a horse of a different color. Chester realized that the EOD High Command is the one who gave the order to infiltrate the ship and they probably did it just to be mean-spirited.

  “If the captain doesn’t cheer up soon, and if one more thing happens, we’re going back to Roscadia to get this ship fix.” Chester said to his friend.

  “What about Task Force ZH-3C?”

  “Pray for them.”

  It didn’t take long for that “one more thing” to happen. And when it did, it was so bad that they would have refused to come back to Golden Hyperion. When that one more thing happened, they never left. It was not because they didn’t want to, but because they couldn’t.

  (7)

  Joseph and Sayaka was in the Command Room and they just finished talking with their contacts in the EOD. What they learned only deepen the mystery for both of them, and neither one of them like what was being implied. Nothing that they learned dispelled any notion that there was a conspiracy against them, nor did it said that there wasn’t. They needed more information. Information that their contacts cannot provide them with.

  From D’Esporito they learned that there are eight other places like that of Golden Hyperion. The situation with those places have already been resolved. Five of those places resulted in a EOD defeat, but D’Esporito said he has no idea of what happened to the victors. Even in the case where the EOD has clearly won the day, he still has no idea of what happened to the victors. D’Esporito said that both the Council and High Command gave orders to hush up everything.

  D’Esporito is a Central Command Officer, a rank that is higher than that of a Fleet Admiral. As a CCO officer D’Esporito is in command of all branches of the military. As a District Commander he is responsible for each divisions of the military - science, personnel, logistics, etc. D’Esporito has every right to know what happened to those EOD forces, he has every right to know what type of equipment was used and in what manner, he has the right to know if any experimental weapons and/or equipment was used, and both the Council and High Command told him nothing. None of the CCO officers know anything, they were kept in the dark. To Joseph and Sayaka it’s obvious that it is all connected to one place – Infernus.

  Vice Admiral Kennett said that he provided support for a group of transports vessels heading to one of those Golden Hyperion places. It was a place called Angel Red. Kennett said that those transports were carrying core boring machines. Typically a core boring machine are used on any asteroid and/or moon that is at least one thousand miles in diameter. Since they move at 16 mph, it would take at least two weeks for it to go a mile, and 30 years for it to go one thousand. Golden Hyperion is roughly five tho
usand miles in diameter and Angel Red is 3,500 miles. Kennett said that when the EOD finished with the drilling they brought in more transports. This time the transports were manned by more non-intelligent androids and the cargo was kept a strict secret.

  Rear Admiral Mizuguchi said that he participated in a embargo with strict orders not to let anyone, not even a EOD ship, to pass without proper clearance. For matters of security he, along with all other Admirals and Captains evolved in the embargo, had to take on a representative from High Command. That individual selected the location of their destination and then deleted the location. Mizuguchi said that the representative was caught deleting all of the names of the EOD ships that was destroyed. He also mentioned that he has no idea as to why they had to impose that embargo. The representative told him nothing and refused to cooperate.

  Commodore Bonfacio, who is the only contact that provides security for High Command, has said that on 22nd of April, 2253 the Council signed a decree, but he don’t know what for. The only thing that Bonfacio knows about that decree is that it is ultra secret. He said that they created it because they found something, but he doesn’t know what they found. Bonfacio said that soon afterward the Council found a “special place to prepare for the awakening.” When asked what was the awakening referring to, he said that he had no idea. It’s obvious that the special place had to be Infernus. What else could explain it? Neither Joseph nor Sayaka had any Intl on what the awakening could be.

  Major General Labrune said that he was ordered to send a Colonel to a place that High Command considered so top secret that he was not allowed to know where it was. The Colonel reported that all enemy forces have been destroyed and that she is returning back to base. But none of her forces made it back. Labrune said that he was told that a group of pirates ambushed them and killed all of them. He then pressed Lenkov for the information on their fate. When Lenkov told him the truth, and that he can back it up with Mizuguchi, Labrune became enraged at the lost of the Colonel by EOD forces.

  Lieutenant General Byrne said that he had to evaluate a type 1 civilization who was on the verge of inter-stellar travel. Byrne said that they had only one space colony that was nothing more than a vast library of their entire history. He never mentioned anything about the library in his report because it was an automated library. Byrne said that he later learned that the inhabitants destroyed themselves when the nanoprobes that they created consumed their planet.