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

by Douglas Howell

  When everyone got to where Martinez was they saw that he was standing in front of an entrance to a three stories tall tunnel. As they got nearer they noticed that inside this tunnel were explosives that was designed to implode at least 100 yards of the tunnel. As they got around certain equipment that was blocking their view they noticed that there was a anti-robotic fighter drone gun (which is too huge and too powerful to be down there [it’s 20 feet tall, 60 feet long, fires shells as thick as a man’s thigh at a rate of three a second, one shot would burst a person’s eardrum even with the helmet that the team is currently wearing]), the gun is typically placed on spaceships to protect them from any robotic fighter drones. Those drones are as big as military fighter jets of the 20th century (actually they are 50% larger with some being 60% larger). That gun was pointing at the entrance of the tunnel. Martinez was near a access terminal and with it they will be able to ascertain what is in those tunnels.

  “Now I can see your point in having all of us coming down here.” Ramirez said as he had his helmet retract off of his head. Unlike what is depicted in the game Dead Space (where the creators got the idea from) their helmet is stored behind their head and below their neck.

  “I didn’t access the terminal sir.” Martinez responded.

  “It’s good that you didn’t. Judging by the looks of this place, if you did, then this place would have went into emergency shut down.” Ramirez responded.

  “Ramirez, can you access that terminal?” Taylor asked.

  “Normally no, but with Sayaka’s little gift, who knows.” Ramirez responded.

  “Alright, give it a try.” Vaistll instructed him.

  “Yes ma’am.” Ramirez responded.

  “What?” Vaistll asked him after he took too long in accessing the terminal.

  “Nothing ma’am, just bone contusions.” Ramirez responded at the same time he look at Taylor. Both him and Taylor had them in their back.

  “Thank the gods for Sayaka.” Coté mentioned after she heard the computer voice said access granted. Coté, Vaistll and Martinez are the only pagans within the group. But as for Coté, there are times in which she sounds too much like an atheist. So much so that some people may mistake her for one. Not one single member of the team (who is left) is a Christian.

  “Oh shit. You got to be shittin’ me.” Ramirez said after he read the access terminal. What disturbed everyone is the fact that his face was drained of color.

  “What?” Vaistll asked him. Sounding like someone who was told that they are going to die.

  “It’s a good thing I’m fluent in Greek. Because this damn thing just implied that we can if we want to, open up Pandora’s box. And that in returned told me that we are dealing with Medusa Pandora and her equivalent army to that of the Founder.” Ramirez responded.

  “Is there any way that we can informed the fleet?” Taylor asked.

  “No, we’re too deep.” Ramirez responded.

  “Any ideas?” Vaistll asked everyone.

  “Yeah, blow the shit to kingdom come and let the gods figured it out.” Coté responded.

  “That would be the most simple route to take ma’am.” Ramirez added.

  “Yeah alright. Let’s do this.” Vaistll responded.

  After the timer was set and the team left the area the explosion imploded the tunnel sealing off the area and the factory from Medusa Pandora’s army. If either Joseph or Sayaka knew of that fact neither one of them would have been surprised sense the behavior of both the Founder and his wife always suggested that they wanted supreme power and control over all. After all why would two control freaks stay together when both have supreme power over others? If it’s not security based in financial needs of both parties, security within emotional needs of both parties with both parties being mature enough to accept the trails and tribulations of life, then why would two individuals stay together? And when both of those individuals are wealthy and powerful? As both Joseph and Sayaka understood it, it is a mute argument for what should be looked at is how long would it last. A civil war within the EOD, between the Founder and his wife? Both Joseph and Sayaka saw that before they joined the EOD for they knew the real reason for joining the EOD lies within the opportunities that it could give someone like them. Goodness has it’s limits whereas evil does not. Which side offers better opportunities for those who are highly ambitious?

  Task Force ZH-3C saved themselves from the cruel fate that the Founder’s wife has in store for the people of Golden Hyperion. But as cruel as fate can be what they didn’t realize is just how cruel it can be for in their efforts in doing the right thing by imploding the tunnel it accelerated Medusa Pandora’s army in launching their attack upon the people of that world. And when the people learn of her army they would yearn for the army of the Founder. For she was (always?) more crueler than that of the Founder. Regardless, it is the people of Golden Hyperion that will pay a heavy price for this lovers tit-for-tat. And it is they who will be the voice of freedom for the entire galaxy.

  (13)

  In a medium size city north of the city of Aruka events were fixing to unfold that will deeply scar everyone upon that world. A nightmare of unprecedented cruelty that knows no limits. For this one single nightmare shows just who is more evil – the Founder or his wife. It shouldn’t be any surprise at how it was unleashed. The city had a huge flood control system that allowed the water to drain into it and then channel it south of Aruka (hence the swamps). But those rains that caused the floods was a once in decade occurrence. (Sometimes once a generation.) So it would be of no surprise that they would remain dry most of the time.

  A few years before the events at Golden Hyperion took place (from the moment the first ships arrived to liberate the place) A local Japanese actress (who was not that famous) and her somewhat wealthy Taiwanese boyfriend (looking for a good place for a Rave get together where only the finer points of PLUR can be embraced without people getting upset) found the flood control system and started their Rave parties there. The locals didn’t care because they just wanted peace and quiet from this new type of Rave party that is strictly outdoors where concerts, skateboarding, drag racing, and in certain cases sex (orgies?), are performed for the entertainment of all. And yes drugs and alcohol were served and with it, from time to time, violence.

  Sayaka, if she knew of the actress and the events concerning her, would have said of her that she is nothing more than a “hour’s worth of sand.” Meaning that although she’s not directly doing anything that would constitute a self-destructive behavior, like sand in a hour glass, it is still the inevitable outcome of such a life from one that has such potential to be something far more than what she is. This actress’ boyfriend called her “KGL” as in the first letter is the same as in her own first name as well as she has killer good looks. And she in return, because the first letter in his first name is a L, she called him “Lady’s Man.” Both Joseph, Sayaka, and the Japanese fans of famous celebrities would disagree on both parts. First of all the Japanese fans on a famous website said that many of these actress has the same look as those born in the 1980’s, more cute than beautiful. Whereas those born before that decade is more beautiful than cute. They never mentioned KGL but they did mentioned Sayaka and what they said was that Sayaka is as beautiful as those actress born in the 1970’s. But looking at the actresses whom they called cute it would be obvious that KGL would be classified as one. And what of Lady’s Man? The fans were harsh to him saying that “I thought she had better taste than that.” Some sounded bit racist implying that “no wonder the Japanese people is becoming uglier.” One individual mentioned that both of them got nothing in comparison to both Joseph and Sayaka. Joseph is good looking which is one reason why he’d grew a beard. Woman gave him that look. But he always jokingly blamed it on Sayaka saying they only give him that look because of Sayaka. Sayaka wasn’t jealous either. She got a big kick out it because she’d knew how loyal Joseph is to her.

  Looks aside and taking a look at drugs and w
ho’s more addictive to them, there is no comparison. It is true that Joseph did them when he was younger, but only because of his father. And even still he never really touch them. The only non-alcohol form of drugs that he’d ever touch was marijuana but once again that was because of his father and that was on three occasions. Joseph hates the smell of marijuana, to him it smells like really bad body order. As strange as it may be the EOD policy on drugs is one of “so long as it doesn’t interfere with your duties.” Captain Vaughan was a major pothead but because he didn’t let it interfere with his duties the EOD didn’t care. Everybody else’s policy was “so long as you don’t get caught.” Joseph spent much of his life being sober and occasionally getting drunk but that changed when he’d enter his late thirties. And it was all because of a relationship that he had before he met Sayaka. A woman who drove him to drink.

  One of the things that Joseph’s father learned very early on is how smart and headstrong Joseph can be. Being beaten won’t change the young Joseph it made him more determined to resist his father’s influence over him. Why else would he become a police officer and later a detective? More pain equals more resistance. But Joseph is not invincible everything that his father put him through caused Joseph to endured from the pain of PTSD. When he’d became 21 years old he became a police officer and met his first girlfriend who was too much of a Jesus freak for his taste. So it was not surprising that he would break up with her after only roughly three years. He then made the mistake of dating her friend and after roughly three years that relationship ended in failure. He then spent roughly a year being single until he was fixed up with another police officer who in less than three years he’d broke up with because she was too much of a bitch. A month before he’d broke up with her he met another woman who he’d though was a good match but was too liberal who would never truly respect him. He’d tried his best to make it work but to no avail. It ended when she broke up with him, the only thing that he said to her was “Alright, goodbye then.” He would then spend the next several months alone until he met the woman of his “dreams.” Or so he’d thought wrongly. He would spend the next 6.6 years with this woman (who was Japanese and would remind him of KGL). He was promoted to that of police detective early in their relationship and what she didn’t realize (nor cared) was why he was promoted – he was a natural at it, very observant of the world around him. After three years he was becoming increasing suspicious of her and her loyalty. After the fourth year he started to drink more and was becoming a bit more ruthless as a detective. And still the doubts and the emotional pain would not let up for him. He was healing from PTSD but he was becoming a heavy drinker because of his so-call love of this one single woman. Those who are innocent died because of the struggle that was waging within him. But near the end not only did he learned of the existence of Sayaka but he started to find a way out. And then it happened. He learned the truth. For two years she was seeing someone behind his back. His friends took her in an effort to make an example of her. Joseph in a drunken stupor, looking at her with the thought of killing her, did the unexpected. While he was thinking about a possible life with Sayaka, he simply forgave his girlfriend and thus he let her go.

  As strange as it may seem, Joseph started to drink less and started to study more. Like Sayaka he was always intellectually ambitious and thus he threw himself into his studies. Sayaka could already speak several languages at that time period but Joseph outdid her by learning almost a dozen. There was something about her that was indirectly causing him to becoming far more ambitious than ever before. Sayaka at that same time period practically never dated (she did once but nothing ever came of it [it was one single date]) The stress that Sayaka was put under through her studies did not cause her to drink more, rather in her case she started to drink more (along with Joseph) when they were at that place that made them famous – Valkyrie. And what of KGL and Lady’s Man?

  Neither KGL nor Lady’s Man ever had any real initiative to learning. Which is why their English is so-so. And yet her native tongue is Japanese while his is Chinese. Both will pay a high price (along with the people of Golden Hyperion) for that. As for drugs? It is not known if Joseph was the one who came up with the ideal (unintentionally) but when he was a police detective responding to a murder at a rave party he’d mentioned that these parties reminded him of ancient Rome and what surprised him was the fact that there is no vomitorium at those parties. He then had to explain what a vomitorium was and all that he’d said was that it was (he knew what he was saying gave a false impression of what one was but he didn’t care) a location in a place like this where you get drunk, eat food to absorb what you are drinking, then you drink lots of water so that you throw up all that alcohol and food in an effort to keep the party going. Rather he was the source of that ideal nobody will ever know. But both KGL and Lady’s Man told everyone that the “rains will wash away the vomit,” and so there was a “vomitorium” at this new Rave party. Needless to say the people of Aruka was none to please by this new form of party. They wanted to put a end to it but nothing ever came of it because of the events that was going on that world. Sayaka did try to put a stop to it, but it turned out to be nothing more than the battle between cute versus beautiful, brains versus dumb. In the end it was the drugs that prevail over the might of Sayaka (who really didn’t care).

  Sayaka, who knew that she was dealing with a less than famous actress, only looked at the rumors about this wannabe actress who dares to stand up to her. Her conclusion was dead on accurate. For Sayaka had the foresight to see what will transpire and despite her efforts to warn the people, it was the youth who naively sealed the fate of the people of Golden Hyperion. But Sayaka was never defeated despite what KGL told everyone. For Sayaka was dealing with what little Intel that she had at that time period. Nor did it help that both her and Joseph had the attitude of being anti-PLUR. For both of them had that autocratic attitude within them that always would turn off the youth. And when the youth don’t listen neither Joseph nor Sayaka cared. The youth should obey their elders for their elders had the wisdom that the youth lack. It also didn’t help that Joseph and Sayaka was such the intellectuals that once they calculate the probability of one’s existence, and that individual or group of individuals live up to their predictions, they get written off.

  And so both Joseph and Sayaka showed just how cold they could be when they intellectualized a group of people away. The conflagration becomes nothing more than a calculation. But they are not evil because they don’t throw away lives so carelessly. For their calculations are there to mitigate the pain that their (yes their supporters) people endure. But over the course of time they became more ruthless in the fact that their people can endure a little bit more pain. They keep on intellectualizing people away so it’s no wonder why KGL would defy Sayaka.

  Sayaka proved that once again she was right when she called KGL an “hour’s worth of sand” when KGL’s life caught up to her when a bunch of lewd pictures was posted on the Internet with Lady’s Man. Although two weeks later it was suggested that she broke up her relationship with him, and both her fans and her advertisers were abandoning her in droves, there was also evidence to suggest that she was still in a relationship with him.

  Both KGL and Lady’s Man arrived at the flood control system to prepare for the party that will take place later in the day. Through their broken English and the fact that they don’t speak each other native tongue, trying their best to communicate what they can hear versus what they cannot, they tried in vain to informed each other their views on the cacophony that both of them was hearing in the distance. For it was coming from a part of the flood control system that saw people disappeared without a trace. Of course both KGL and Lady’s Man would not allow their fellow people suffer without just cause. They just had to go and take a look. After some searching both of them finally found the source of the noise. It never occurred to them that the was a reason why nobody wanted them to be there. That there was a very strong reason wh
y the flood control system was officially closed to the public. But they knew that none of the authorities will ever come since they are too busy with other stuff. Both KGL and Lady’s Man, like all the other young hooligans, just wanted to have a good time.

  When they found the source of the noise it was deep within the complex and on a incline that took them several stories down below the main level. Down there was a blast door to a tunnel that appear to go even deeper. The door was a double door with the one on the right slightly agape but not enough for a person to get through. KGL than went over to a switch to open the door on the left and then both her and Lady’s Man started to argue. Over what is hard to tell because of their poor English. Nevertheless she still pushed the button and the door didn’t open properly. But it did open just enough for a person to squeeze through the gap. (The door on the right started to show signs that it was fixing to fall down.) They then started to hear people shouting and screaming (if they paid attention, or if their English was better, they would have heard gun shots [the people was not shouting and screaming because of the gun shots but more like it sounded like rage]) and the noise from them suggested there was at least 100 people (roughly the same number of their “friends” who went missing).

  “Hit the other fucking switch!” The mystery voice screamed at the top of his lungs.

  “Kore switch?” KGL yelled back through the gap.

  “Baka mesu! Get the fuck back from the door!” The mystery voice screamed at the top of his lungs.

  Only Lady’s Man had the sense to do as the voice said. He was also trying to get the stupid bitch to do as the voice said but she was upset by the mystery voice calling her a stupid bitch. As Lady’s Man was coming near a grenade detonated near the door on the right causing it to fall over. Luckily for the dumb bitch she was standing in front of the left door. Nevertheless she either took shrapnel or had her right ear drum burst because of the sound.