He walked over to the balcony, open the glass door, and step out. Project 21 headquarters was on top of a hill, with his office in a round tower. The balcony that he was on went around the tower creating a 360 degree view of the city. He could see it all, everything that he hated about the city. From where he stood he could see the harbor. He just wished that he could be on one of those luxury liners, or on the space station fixing to leave this place. He just knew that he had to leave. He just had to get away from it all. To find a better place than the one in which he is at. After he started to feel the buzz coming on, he went back inside. He was cursing the city within his heart and soul. He knew that he will get away. It’s just a matter of time.
(2)
The spaceship bearing its special cargo arrived at the spaceport that is orbiting Roscadia. The cargo is considered to be so important that it was put on the spaceship Galactic Prime, which is commanded by “Mad Dawg” Burton and his crew of battle-harden Marines. Mad Dawg and his Marines have such the formidable reputation that only the craziest of people would dare challenge them. The ship itself is considered the best that money can buy. Although their mission is quite simple; ferry the cargo to Roscadia, and then to Golden Hyperion, the cargo was too valuable to leave in the hands of amateurs. Neither Project 21, nor any of the governments that was secretly sponsoring the mission, wanted to take any chances. And when the crew of Galactic Prime thinks about the fact that they need to take the cargo to Golden Hyperion, it scares the hell out of them. For that cargo is Project 21 Task Force ZH-3C which is commanded by Captain Vaistll Adnrwal.
Neither Mad Dawg nor anyone else on his crew will ever forget the first and only time, that they encountered the EOD. The EOD wanted a secret research facility that Mad Dawg had to protect. The EOD built four bases and choked off access in or out of Mad Dawg’s base. Although he was both surrounded and outnumbered, he told everybody on the base that, ‘I’ve already won. They just don’t know it yet.’ Sometime later, the EOD sent in their first wave of assault. That wave wiped out most of the base; it destroyed both the airfield and the Command Center. Mad Dawg for the first time in his career came within an ace of being wiped out of existence. After the assault was over some of the scientists went around saying, ‘Look like ol’ Mad Dawg Burton, is a hurtin’.’
For Mad Dawg he had to hold out until reinforcements arrived, but that was easier said than done. The EOD forces just kept on coming from all directions. There where times in which they didn’t, but it was short. When reinforcements did arrive, it was not enough. He only got a few gunships and the ability to rebuild part of his base. But the only part that he could rebuild was his defenses. He builds his defenses up and the EOD promptly destroys them. He rebuilds them and they destroy them yet again. It created some type of a vicious cycle. He knew that the only way to survive is to go on the offense. But the only way that he could do that is to use his gunships, but he needed them to defend the base. Finally out of desperation he sent his gunships to attack one of the EOD bases. They destroyed half of the base including the Command Center, but they had to high tail it out of there when the EOD started to overrun Mad Dawg’s base. Mad Dawg came so close to being beaten that he’d broke down and cried when he saw those gunships returning. After that he used them both in an offensive and defensive manner, and eventually won the day. But it came at a high price. Over 400 Marines lost their lives as well as 1,360 EOD personnel. What saved Mad Dawg on that day were those gunships and the fact that the EOD did not have an airfield. The EOD proved a very painful point on that day to people like Mad Dawg. They are experts at putting you in your place.
Could anyone blame them for feeling the way that they do? Not wishing to confront the EOD ever again. No of course not. But it did put the whole crew on edge in knowing that they are going to an EOD stronghold. It was what the EOD did to them on that day, plus the pain of losing so many of their friends that was causing them to feel that way. They were afraid of what the EOD might do to them all over again. They were afraid of losing more of their friends. But none of them would dare ruin their reputation by backing out of the mission. Besides, maybe they could get some payback, or at least watch somebody else do it for them.
“Open a channel.” Mad Dawg said to the Communication Officer.
“Channel open sir.”
“This is the spaceship Galactic Prime and we are requesting docking clearance,” Mad Dawg said as one of his crewmen downloaded the spaceship clearance codes.
“One moment please as we confirm your clearance to dock,” the female voice said which sounded like it was automated.
“You have clearance to dock at Port 14.”
“Understood. Take us in Johnson I’m going to see if our guests are awake yet,” Mad Dawg said as he got up to leave.
“Copy that.” As soon as Mad Dawg left Johnson said, “I wonder how many more of our friends are going to die this time around?”
(3)
It was early Saturday morning and Commodore Parker just arrived home. He spent the night at his office passed out from drinking his favorite poison. When he got to his front door he notices that his house was broken into. He walked in his home shocked by the fact that he has just been robbed.
“Fuckin’-A! Goddamn it all to fucking hell!” He screamed in rage and threw the bottle of Martian Whiskey. It shattered on the wall near the kitchen.
“Goddamn fuckin’ assholes! How dare they do this to me.” He screamed out again. He then notices the drug paraphernalia on his coffee table. But what disgusted him the most is when he noticed that there are several used condoms on the coffee table as well.
“Sick! Oh, fuck! Goddamn I hate this fucking place!” He cried out both in rage and frustration.
Did it ever occur to him that somebody might do something like that? Break into his house and rob him. After all he did create the habit of being drunk on Friday and end up passed out at his office. He is well known in the city, and he does make good money. Maybe he should have stick to his original plan and buy that new security home system, instead of wasting his money on gambling. He’s not a betting man, but he just wanted to get away from Roscadia. But where was he planning on going? He is a Commodore. It’s not like he could just quit his job or go on a vacation. He’s going to be stuck there for years. So where was he going to go if he did won? He should have known better.
(4)
Vaistll, Lieutenant Sanchez, Chief Petty Officer Coté, Crewwoman Venito and Van Hoven was in the women’s restroom peeing for what seemed like an eternity. They could have gone to their quarters to do that, but like anybody who just came out of cryo-sleep they just couldn’t hold it in. It’s the nanoprobes that allow the crew to be frozen for a long trip is the reason. The nanoprobes break down the ice crystals in the body, which prevents the ice crystals from damaging tissue cells. Once the person is brought out of cryo-sleep the nanoprobes goes to the bladder causing the person to urinate a lot. The nanoprobes goes there to be gotten rid of
Each one of them kept on thinking about their mission. They knew that something very serious was going on at Golden Hyperion. They could feel the darkness of the EOD that grips at their soul. That sinking feeling that one is about to open the pit of hell and jump in. It is a never-ending nightmare that will haunt you until the day that you die. For it will teach you that evil has no limits.
You could see both the fear and the concern in their eyes, except for Vaistll. Ever since she came out of cryo-sleep something else has been bothering her. It was strange that she should have the feeling. Last time that she had it was when she first arrived on Earth. It was the feeling of her people. It was a feeling that told her that she is getting near them. It was like they are somewhere close by. She wished she knew if they were up to something. Is it something bad? Or is it something else? If so, then what could it be? What could they be up to? Have they join forces with the EOD? Is that what awaits them at Golden Hyperion?
She tried her best to put it out of her head. It was s
omething that she did not want to bother her while she was at Roscadia. She wanted to have a good time, not to be bothered by bad memories. Nor did she want those memories to bother her before she left to go on her mission. She decided to put it out of her head by thinking about something else. She eventually found something; the history of the struggle between Project 21 and the EOD:
The EOD (the Era of Darkness) is a secret society that was created somewhere in the US at some point in the 1980’s. The only thing that is known about its founder is that he was born in 1962. But he created an institution that has become nothing more than a cancer in the body of liberty. Although it was no more than 20 years old when Project 21 was created, it proved that it had a great deal of power. So much so, that it could easily kidnap people off the streets and perform cybernetics experiments upon them. Some of those people rebel most did not. For the ability of the EOD to control others was match by its power - formidable. For those who did rebel, they learn the hard way that the EOD can be like your shadow. No place to run. No place to hide. No place to turn to. Only to the EOD that knocks at your back door. And then you must die. Death, panic and fear, grips your soul as they conduct their cybernetic experiments upon you. It is their desire to create a cyborg that you just unknowingly volunteer for. An evil institution that has infiltrated all levels of government, who can guarantee you that no help will ever come to your rescue.
Or so it would seem if it was not for their 21st project. He was a man who was turned into a cyborg, who taught others how to rebel against the EOD. One day a black man, who was already rebelling against them unknowingly, came to the rescue of a white woman. Both of them eventually ended up in the hands of that cyborg and his rebel group. She became the first person to realize that it was not the government that was responsible for what the EOD is doing to them, but rather a rogue agency. It was she who decided to stop running scared and go into the lion’s den. With the blessing of their founder, each of them reluctantly agreed. Despite the fact that many of their members died, including their founder, they did receive help from within the government. And they got the chance to meet their biggest supporter - the President of the United States. With their spirits lifted, and with government support, they destroyed the EOD cyborg experimentations. Only to end up discovering that the EOD is no where near finished. The President gave them a chance to become a secret agency, in an effort to bring the EOD to justice. When they were ask for a name, they decided to name their agency after their founder - Project 21.
With the support of the US federal government, Project 21 was finally able to do what it always wanted to do from the beginning - bring the EOD to justice. But unlike the other federal agencies, Project 21 knew what to expect from the EOD. Not to take them on directly, but to ensure that they cannot infiltrate you. Despite the fact that infighting between those federal agencies made it harder to purge those agencies of the EOD infiltration, the EOD could not infiltrate Project 21. That allowed Project 21 to slowly become stronger, where eventually it could take on the EOD.
But the power of the EOD could not be challenged so easily. In the middle of the 21st century they proved just how powerful they are. They were so powerful that governments from around the world decided to do something about it. But tragically, it was too little, too late. For the EOD allowed all of those troops, from all of those governments to come and meet a new form of terror. The EOD used nanoprobes both to control and to create - a zombie army. Afterwards, the fear that grips the global community ensured that no one would dare challenge the might of the EOD. But somebody had to. And that somebody, like always, was Project 21.
Their biggest break came in 2001, when they got an unexpected gift; an extraterrestrial, that literally fell into their laps. An individual who both suffer under, and who had to learn to rise above an evil that came into her life. She was an individual who would later join them, and her wisdom and experience would help to guide them through their darkest hour. It was an hour that was made all the darker by an incompetent government, and a President who cared more about waging a war against terrorism. A President that wanted to take away the only individual that could guide them through the darkness. But as luck would have it, the only thing that the President knew of her was that she was an extraterrestrial. Many individuals risk their careers just to protect her. And all of them had to wait until the President changed his mind, or left office. And so the nightmare grew all the darker until it become a beast that could no longer be vanquish.
Project 21 found itself relying on her wisdom and guidance more, and more, as time went by. It was the guidance that saw them through one dark moment, after another. The guidance that gave them hope in their struggle against the EOD when nations were too afraid to do anything. She taught them to believe in themselves. She taught them that goodness will always suffer in the face of evil, but in the end, it will prevail. She taught them that the struggle between goodness and evil will last more than a lifetime. She helped them to keep the faith, despite the darkness of the EOD. Because of her, Project 21 eventually became a community that could compete with the EOD on equal footing.
Now in the year 2288 nations are secretly supporting Project 21 in an effort to bring down the EOD. And on the moon Golden Hyperion it becomes their chance to do just that. But for those who are sent there, they can’t help but to wonder, what type of hell awaits them.
She just wished that she knew how this part turns out. Yes indeed, what type of hell waited for her and her crew? She needed to take her mind, and the mind of her crew off of their mission. It was her responsibility as a captain. Luckily for her she was in a good place for it - Roscadia. ‘There is always so much to do in Roscadia that you wouldn’t know where to start your day’, as the advertisement went. She hoped that none of her crewmates get themselves into trouble like they have before. She laughs to herself as she thought about keeping them on a leash. She was trying to figure out some way to control them, and to take her mind off of something.
‘Good,’ she thought, ‘now I got something to think about other than what I have been.’ She hoped.
(5)
He stood there on the space station balcony looking at Roscadia thinking about his mission and how it might be his last. Behind him he could hear the music and the conservations coming from the night club. Lieutenant Commander Ramirez, a tall handsome Latino male, and like Master Chief Petty Officer Kim and Crewman Moriarty, he is a former EOD agent. But unlike them, he was in the EOD Special Forces. He never talks about his life with the EOD and nobody ever ask him. On the left side of his face he bears the scars of that life; burns scars and a cybernetic eye. Although he could get the burn scars removed and get a genetic grown eye, he chooses not to. They are a constant reminder of that former life that he was born into and hated dearly. He was standing there looking at Roscadia because he knew the rule for betraying the EOD - liquidation. Will this be his last mission? If it was, then it would take away the pain and the guilt of his former life.
She came up behind him and said, “I’ve finally found you.” It was Vaistll.
“I didn’t know that you were looking for me.”
“Yeah. I thought that you might have a short leash on Wexler.” She said with a smile causing him to laugh a little.
“I wish I did.”
She looked at Roscadia then asked him, “Are you thinking about the mission?”
He paused and said, “Yeah.”
He then notices that something was bothering her. “It’s not like you to be worried about a mission like this. Is something wrong?” He said looking a little concerned at his captain, fearing what she might know about the mission.
“No it’s that. It’s… It’s nothing.”
“What is it?” He knew her well enough to know that she’s not the type to worry over nothing. So he knew that it must be something very important.
“It’s… It’s just a feeling that I have.”
“About what?”
“My species.”
>
“In what way?”
“Ever since I came out of cryo-sleep I’ve been having this feeling of… This constant feeling of….“ She looked away and he saw concern in her face.
“Of what?” He asked her.
“That I’m getting near them. Like… like they are somewhere nearby. It’s like they’re in another room or something.”
Knowing what he knew about her species, he didn’t say anything. He didn’t know what else to say, and neither did she.
(6)
“What the…? Aw, come on!” It was Commodore Parker; he was lying down on a bed naked, he just finished taking off his briefs. He was talking to a prostitute which he needed to see after his place was robbed. It’s not like he was married, nor did he had a girlfriend. Not living near a planet (or a moon) with a large population made it hard for him to find someone. Living in Roscadia didn’t help him much either. He just needed a quick fix, something to take his mind off of his troubles that he’s been having lately.
“I just don’t wanna catch anything.” She said looking down at what he had between his legs.
“What!? It’s just a rash!”
“Whatever.” She said as she started to get up and leave.
“Well at least give me my money back.”
She turned and gave him a dirty look, then turn to the entrance of the doorway and shouted out, “Little John, I’m having problems with this guy.”
“Aw, come on.” Commodore Parker said with his eyes wide with fear. “Oh God, not him. Please, please, please, please, I don’t want any trouble. Just give me my money back and… “
Just then three large, tall and muscular men came in; two of them grabs him off the bed and threw him up against the wall and held him there. The third man, Little John, stood before him and said, “You wanna mess with one of my girls?”
The Cross of Mithras Vol. 1: EOD Operation Welcome to Hell Page 3