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

by Douglas Howell

  “What did he say in that language?” Taylor asked.

  “It comes from an old dead language on my home world. It means: ‘For I am the vengeful darkness that reveals itself to you. It’s time for you to sleep now.’” Vaistll responded.

  “Was it true when he mentioned about the real reason…?” Ramirez was saying. Vaistll answered him by nodding her head. He was referring to the reason why her and her friends went to the castle.

  “Do you want me to inform Lenkov?” Taylor asked her.

  “Inform him of what? Of what the Demon Xs and Cy-Xs really are? He learn in due time. Besides, I don’t think that he would care.” Vaistll responded.

  Vaistll was right about Lenkov not caring. What could he do or say? It’s all in the past. What’s done is done. There’s nothing that he could do except for taking the clones and the data to Andromeda and then to find a weakness. She did worried, however, that the scientists there would not only find that weakness but also create some new monster. If the EOD discontinued the Dragon Clones, and a group was created on Andromeda, then what would they do with that knowledge in the data storage area? She worried that they may use the knowledge for evil. She knew that it wouldn’t do her any good to ask. So she wouldn’t.

  Vaistll would never learn what those scientists would do with those clones and data. But it didn’t matter since those scientists only wanted to learn from the data and not to recreate either the Dragon Clones or the Demon Cy-Xs. What Vaistll never would learn, nor would anyone tell her, is that those scientists wanted to capture a Tylkuoply cell and create some creature with the powers of the hive. A creature that could control a person through some type of “smoke.’ Why? Because they, like everyone else, didn’t want to be some Johnny-come-lately.

  Fifteen minutes after Vaistll, Taylor and Ramirez finished watching the video from Dark Serpent 109T, they got a call from one of the pilots bringing the reinforcements. The pilot mentioned that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of Demon Cy-Xs coming at them. There appeared to be, the pilot told them, to be a unknown number of different type of military vehicles headed their way. He then said something that nobody wanted to hear.

  “If I land at your location then my crew and I will be overrun. You must hold them off at all cost or I will not be able to land. I will stay nearby and keep watch. I’m sorry. I’m so terribly sorry.” The lead pilot said to Task Force ZH-3C and the Dragon Clones. He, along with the other pilots, left to find a safe place to land. For the defenders their real nightmare begins. And this time… there is no escape from the army of demons.

  Part Three: The Army of Demons

  Deliver me from this hell Lord almighty God

  For I can no longer stand the hell that I am in

  For my pain is so intense, it is now more than I can bear

  I no longer care for a quick or slow death

  For I wish to be place in your loving guiding hands

  And to be with my friends whom I lost so long ago

  Please, oh dear God, who gives love gracefully

  Take me away from this nightmare that I am in

  And let me die before I awake

  - A prayer that Vaistll once gave on what she called her long painful trip home.

  My friends are my life, as I am to theirs

  For we share a bond that is lasting and forever

  They will always be deep within my heart and soul

  If I should die before them, I will watch over them in heaven

  And tell them:

  Be strong, carry on my friend for death is but an illusion

  Please my good friend; do not put me in hell

  As I watch over you, as you grieve over me

  Let the good times that we spent together

  Be the strength that will see you through

  And always remember to:

  Be strong, carry on my friend

  Taken from Vaistll’s Code Book of Honor

  Endless Slaughter

  (1)

  Naomi R. Levitt just left in the shuttle and Dawson, far more motivated by rage and insanity than anything else, stormed into the Command & Control room on the airbase. Dawson wanted blood and he didn’t care who’s blood is spilled. What deeply angered and unnerved him was the fact that for the first time since he got there somebody thwarted his attempt at escape. It greatly complimented his ego that, no matter what the odds suggested, he’d beat them and escaped. And now, Dark Serpent, the one that he’d trusted, betrayed him. He told him to kill everyone, and that included Mrs. Levitt. How else could she have beaten him to the shuttle? How could she have gotten the correct access codes? And the answer is – Dark Serpent. And now… Dawson will make him pay for his treachery. That godforsaken world will pay dearly. But first he needs to retake that goddamn laboratory.

  It may sound unusual for Dawson to care so much for that laboratory, but that isn’t so. It is neither madness nor revenge, but duty. There is something too valuable there that he needs if he is to survive. And what it is, is data. When he left the laboratory he didn’t think that he needed it. Now it’s different. There is some good news that he knows about. Nobody found that data and acted upon it. What scares him the most is the chance that someone would find it and act upon it.

  When Dawson stormed into the control room he knew it wasn’t their fault that Levitt took the shuttle, but he didn’t care. He stopped caring about everything and everyone. All he cares about is to leave before it’s too late. Unlike Commodore Parker who would have yelled at everyone, Dawson remained calm and in control. He may have not been good at strategy, but he was good at keeping his emotions in check so that he can persuade people to do things.

  “Captain Dawson, what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?” 1st Lieutenant Rymer asked.

  “I need you to track the shuttle that just left.” Dawson ordered him.

  “The Hammer of Doom destroyed it a few moments ago. We tried to contact them, but they haven’t responded. Is there anything wrong sir?”

  “No. Not anymore. Contact the mayor of Raspberry for me.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “What can I do for you captain?” Mayor Fletcher asked.

  “Where is Shackley?” Dawson asked.

  “He left a long time ago and we don’t know where he is or when he will be back. Is there a problem?”

  “No.”

  “Do you want me to leave a message for him?”

  “That won’t be necessary.” Dawson responded. He then discontinued the call and left without saying a word. He then headed toward the main office to speak with Castillo. Dawson knew that it was a long shot that Shackley wouldn’t be there but he still wanted to see if he was.

  Although Fletcher was lying about Shackley, and whether or not Dawson knew that he was, it didn’t matter since Dawson cared more about contacting Shackley. Dawson, like so many in the EOD, always have and always will have a very low opinion about politicians. If Dawson suspected that Fletcher was lying to him he would have suspected that Fletcher was being a typical politician. While Dawson was heading towards the main office he started to regret not contacting Shackley at the laboratory. But he’d assumed that after The Hammer of Doom was no longer in orbit he would be on the shuttle and would have been long gone. ‘Goddamn Dark Serpent,’ he thought to himself.

  “Sir, what are you doing here?” Corporal Halsey asked Captain Dawson when he saw him enter the underground facility. Halsey was stationed at the guard station in the facility.

  “Is Castillo here?” Dawson asked Halsey, referring to the EOD High Command civilian in charge of the underground facility.

  “Yes sir. He’s in his office.” Halsey responded.

  The office, like most of the facility, was so deep underground that not even repeated shots from The Hammer of Doom could destroy it. However, The Hammer of Doom had greater access to food and water than those in the facility. It is, after all, a spaceship. Dawson knew all of that when he entered the facility and he knew that it didn’t
matter. The underground facility is just an experimental tool, not a fortress. Besides, Dawson knew of the dirty little trick that the LMPG has in store for The Hammer of Doom. If only he could see the look on Lenkov’s face.

  “I wasn’t expecting you here so soon captain.” Castillo said to Dawson.

  “Lenkov betrayed us.” Dawson responded.

  “What about his ship?”

  “The LMPG zapped it a short time ago. It’s now dead in the water.”

  “Did you contact Shackley?”

  “No sir. When I was at the laboratory I forgot and…” Dawson was saying.

  “In other words, you got drunk and than you forgot.”

  “Yes sir. I’m sorry and it won’t happen again.”

  “Do you seriously believe that we would have sent you here if we were concerned that your drinking problem would have gotten in the way?” Castillo asked.

  “No sir.”

  “Were you able to use the Demon Cy-Xs?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Any problems with controlling them?”

  “Ah, no sir.”

  “You don’t sound certain. Why is that?”

  “I have reason to believe that Dark Serpent 109T, a Demon Cy-X, persuaded Naomi R. Levitt to steal the DX1 shuttle.”

  “Where is it?” Castillo asked, slightly upset.

  “The Hammer of Doom destroyed it.” Dawson disappointedly responded.

  “Good. Save me the trouble in hunting her down. Don’t it?” Castillo said.

  “Sir, I’m having Rymer retrofit another shuttle to replace the DXI shuttle.”

  “Not necessary. We have a backup. That’s the beauty about High Command – we always think of everything.” Castillo said with smugness.

  Dawson didn’t say anything because he knew that High Command, like a typical bureaucracy, can be arrogant and incompetent. He also knew that the EOD High Command could, at times, predict people with uncanny accuracy. Although the EOD likes to pride itself on being, “against politics that it would never sink to that level,” he knew that it not always true. Case in point: Lenkov and Omori. Dawson also knew that when they get it wrong it is people like him who must clean up the mess. Or as Dawson likes to put it, “People like me have to dive into a pile of elephant shit so that those brass-holes don’t get any on them.”

  “Do you need me for anything else sir?” Dawson asked Castillo.

  “No. I’m leaving this moon as soon as The Hammer of Doom leaves orbit.” Castillo responded. He then stood up and said, “You’re now in charge of this world.”

  “Sir, where are you heading?” Dawson asked.

  “Back to Tyos Prime. Where do you think?”

  “Sir, I think that there is something that you need to know before you head back there.”

  “Like what?”

  “The Council liquidated everyone on Tyos Prime. I guess they…” Dawson was saying.

  “What!? What the hell are you talking about!?” Castillo angrily responded.

  “Sir, you always been good to me, you helped me to get this job and, I’m trying to tell you that High Command was liquidated.”

  “Why?” Castillo asked in calm voice.

  “I don’t know sir. I received an email that said that it occurred.”

  “Let me see it.” Castillo said. Dawson then handed him his PDA. Castillo had no reaction after he read the email. He just handed the PDA back and said nothing.

  “What are you going to do sir?” Dawson asked.

  “Head there anyway.”

  “Why?”

  “Because if they can’t find me… they will go after my family, and my family lives near Tyos Prime. I have no other choice but to go.” Castillo responded. He then left to collect his belongings. Dawson had the feeling that he will never see him again. Nor did he care.

  Castillo would return to Tyos Prime and ended up in the hands of the rebels. He spent the next three months hearing their horror stories of what was occurring, not coming from the enemy of the EOD, but from those who serve it loyally. During those three months Castillo would learn that the EOD will not come after those like him who were not at Tyos Prime. He learned that out of fear, those like him who knew that the EOD will not come after them, stayed in hiding. Despite everything that he had learned, Castillo spent his time struggling with his loyalties.

  Dawson never cared what happened to Castillo. Why should he when he only cares about himself? It was something that Castillo always suspected. Dawson, as usual, was just being nice to a superior who happen to be a civilian. Unlike Colonel Blackburn, Castillo read the psychological report on Dawson and did not understand why someone like him was given the command that he was. Castillo didn’t, nor did he wished to, wanted to give that job to Dawson. He was ordered to and Dawson knew it.

  After Castillo left Dawson set down in Castillo’s chair to enjoy the fact that the moon is now his to do with it as he pleases. Dawson felt like he just won a million dollars as he set in that chair. With a big grin on his face, he rubbed his hands on the desk and then laughed. He was laughing because he didn’t have to kill Castillo and everybody there. Not that he would have cared if he had to, but to him it was just one more obstacle removed from his pathway of getting even.

  Other than the obvious, Dawson had multiple reasons why he wanted to go to that airbase. For one, it has a transmitter almost as powerful as the one at the lab complex. Although the quarters are standard with basic amenities, it does have vendors who stop by now and then. (Some of whom brings booze.) And, if case of an emergency, it would be the best place to make a quick escape.

  The airbase is part of a planetary (in this case moon) defense system which means the base is divided into four parts: airbase, vehicular, personnel and underground. The underground section connects the other three bases and is design to withstand planetary bombardment. Although the aboveground bases are several miles apart, it is to minimize any damages from an orbiting spaceship. Any direct assault on the base by ground forces would be met with frustration by the distances between the bases different sectors. Combine with not knowing the layout of the underground sector, it would make any assault upon the base a living nightmare.

  It felt like an eternity to Dawson as he was waiting for Castillo to leave Golden Hyperion. Dawson is the type that “respects” his superiors, but not necessarily those under him. He loves to be promoted and he loves his medals. Those under him who die are nothing more than collateral damage on his pathway to his medals and promotions. It’s all about him and not about anyone else. Dawson is the right person in the right place for conspiracies to be born.

  Immediately after Castillo left Captain Dawson had the military and civilian officers meet him in the video conference room. (Those at the other sectors had to use the video linkup.) Dawson did not want to waste anytime in asserting his authority. With Castillo out of the picture nobody, absolutely no one, will question his tactics. No matter how insane they are.

  Dawson sat at the table in a smug emperor like matter with a cocky smile on his face. He loved his new powers and he couldn’t wait to use them. Nobody could challenge his authority. Knowing what he knows about Tyos Prime, he knows that he can do whatever he wants to do and get away with it. Yes there are those who stands in his way, but they are nothing. He knows that they will be swept aside by the army of demons. And when the nightmare is all over he can go home a hero. A hero to the Council, that is. Perhaps he will ask them if he can stay at Golden Hyperion. If he can, then the real fun begins. He’ll turn that retched world into a prison colony. Or maybe something far worse.

  “I don’t know each of your names, so when you first speak please say your name.” Dawson instructed everyone at the conference table and those on the video monitor. He then looked at a PDA, thought for a brief moment, and then said, “What is the status of the Demon Cy-Xs here?”

  “We have control problems with them sir.” Rymer responded.

  “Like what?” Dawson asked.

  “Disc
ipline.” Rymer responded.

  “Do we have control over any of them?” Dawson asked.

  “My name is Mary Coville. The only one that we have any control over goes by the name of Inferno of Terror 154T. But that control is iffy at best.”

  “Why?” Dawson asked her.

  “That’s what we’ve been spending most of our time trying to figure out.” Coville responded.

  “Then why not just rid of him?” Dawson asked her.

  “Because he is the most smartest one we’ve got and the one with the best potential. But he’s also the most uncooperative one of the whole bunch.” Coville responded.

  “Why do you say that?” Dawson asked.

  “Because he’s constantly challenging our authority.” Coville responded which caused Dawson to laugh at their incompetence.

  “In other words, he sees you people as weak and he is too smart to take orders from you.” Dawson responded in cocky manner. Nobody said a word because they knew that he was right. “If you were able to control him…” Dawson continued on. “…would the rest of them cooperate with you?”

  “Yes.” Coville responded.

  “Where is he?” Dawson asked.

  “He is in…” One of them was saying.

  “Name.” Dawson, interrupted him, said.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. My name is Jonathan M. Carlson. As I was saying, he is in his holding cell in the underground sector.” Carlson responded.

  “I’m going to have to talk to him later.” Dawson said.

  “Do you think that’s wise? He won’t listen because he doesn’t care what we, or anyone else, have to say.” Carlson responded.

  “I have experience in dealing with those like him. What about the military vehicles here? Are they ready to operate them?” Dawson asked them.

  “I’m Susan Vanasse. I’m the military vehicular specialist stationed here and they are ready, but we have to get them under control… first.” She responded.