The Cross of Mithras Vol. 1: EOD Operation Welcome to Hell (140 page)

  “Should we inform the people of Golden Hyperion that the Golem exist?” Kennett asked.

  “No. We should only give Ramirez Kronos because it would convince, not only the Founder, but also Medusa Pandora and the Council that the civil war is all about their destruction at the hands of one of the other one. We could also feign support for the Founder and that combine with how hard it would be for him to take down the Golems, will give us a strong legitimate reason to take up a defensive position to protect valuable assets. The only way that it would work is to send Kronos only.” Colonel “Brown Dust” Durante responded.

  “Agreed. Let’s send Kronos. And announce our support for the Founder.” D’Esporito mentioned.

  Their plan worked a little too well for it only increased the Founder’s paranoia. But by the time that they decided to openly betray the Founder he was too weak to do anything about it. Andromeda will get a capital named Skotadi. And the Founder would let them go and do nothing against them. His problems was too much to take on this small group of separatists. And it is also the reason why the EOD will let go of the people of Golden Hyperion.

(14)

  “Sir I think you need to see this.” Ellis was informing Ramirez. Ramirez started to say something when he noticed the look upon Ellis face.

  “What’s wrong?” Wexler asked Ellis.

  “Look at this and tell me what you see?” Ellis mentioned to Wexler.

  “Kronos in it’s neutral state.” Wexler mentioned looking perplexed.

  “What!?” Ramirez almost shouted. When Kronos is in it’s neutral state the virus within it is not functioning and the code is not consisting randomizing itself. Although it’s not pure randomization but because it is multiple code groups that can randomize any text, and each code group is thus different, and combine with the fact that it also uses junk (that can be randomize as well) it is near impossible to break it. In it’s neutral state it is there to teach people how it functions all in an effort to improve any technology, or test any technology, to the EOD likening.

  “Do you have any ideas as to why it is here sir?” Ellis asked Ramirez.

  “One of Lenkov’s contacts wanted me to use it for something. I have no idea as to what they want me to use it for. I know it must be very important for it to have been sent. But they gave me no details. I don’t know what to do with it.” Ramirez responded.

  “So what do you want to do sir?” Ellis asked.

  “I’ll download it and then figure something out later.” Ramirez responded.

  It’s not surprising why Ramirez, although he did give it much thought (off and on), wanted to worry about other things. He did ponder rather or not they knew about the Golems, but he didn’t, or couldn’t, understand what he could do with Kronos. There is no way he could download it into the Golems. He had no way to trick them into downloading it. Nor did he fully understand how the neutral version of the code could be used effectually. He was stumped and it was made all the more difficult by him not understanding their tactics. Is he missing something? Is there something that he is overlooking? Is it a  unique form of disinformation? Too many questions and not enough answers. If only he could figure out what they want him to do with it.

(15)

  “How bad is the damage to your ship?” Maxwell asked Iverson.

  “Near death. It’s surprising that we were able to pull it all off. I’m having a hard time in accepting that we did it.” Iverson responded.

  “You know I couldn’t have done it without drinking. Lenkov was different and I never could figure that out. What’s more, he would have done it better.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking, how much better?”

  “Five ships destroyed and two ships crippled. And don’t ask me how he could have pulled that off. Now you know why he has several VIP’s as his contacts.”

  “That’s incredible. Were they all the same type of ship? What type of ships were they?”

  “Same as this one. After that, nobody wanted to take him on.”

  “I reckon so. So what’s now? Do you think that we should leave this system?”

  “Like you said, your ship is near death. The people of this world will understand if we leave. We have no other choice. The closest place that I can think of that is friendly enough is the large Chinese colony Zheng He. Any torpedoes that you have left you can trade them for the cost of the repairs to the ship. It is the only way that they will do business with the EOD.”

  “Why that way? Everybody, including the EOD, use the same type of currency.”

  “Culture, history, general feelings of mistrust given how Europe treated them before the 20
th
century. I’m no insider on China, or should I say the CCP, so I cannot specially say why they do that. However, how often do the EOD, or anyone else for that matter, find torpedoes that haven’t detonated? It does happen so no, I really don’t see a problem with what they would be asking for.” Maxwell responded. Iverson didn’t care he just wanted an explanation.

  On the way there they learned the truth about the factory and both of them realized that there is not one single thing that they could do. They were out of the fight and there will not be a single ship that could provide any assistance. The closest will take almost two months. The people were left on their own on Golden Hyperion. And nobody was truly prepare for what will come next.

(16)

  “Ma’am…” Coté was saying to her captain.

  “Dear god, please don’t tell me.”

  “I’m sorry ma’am but one of the Golems are heading off somewhere.”

  “Your orders ma’am?” Nakada asked her.

  “I want you three to follow it. If you get the opportunity to contact Maxwell do it. Even if you have to break off pursuit of the Golem. I have to pursue the last one. We need to collect all the Intel upon them so that we can ascertain what they are up to.” Vaistll responded. Nobody said anything as they split up, their captain going one way, and them (Taylor, Nakada and Coté) going another way.

  Vaistll was almost heartbroken when she saw them leave. When she got far enough away she pulled out a bottle of liquor and started to drink. This tough hard as nails warrior is now showing signs that it is all getting to her. She can finally go home and be with her family but, she needs to survive this one single mission. And it is starting to appear that she may lose her friends, the rest of her team, a dragon who became the reincarnation of Jaguar 42R, and the very real possibility that her species, in the form of the Hau’rino people, will live once more. But that world will be baptized in blood.

(17)

  “We are standing here waiting for the heroic team that saved us all from each and every one of the monsters that came from this, now destroyed factory.” The reporter was saying.

  “Have you noticed any activity at the factory? Did you hear anything from Task Force ZH-3C?” The news caster asked from their headquarters at Apollo News. (Apollo News is Golden Hyperion version of either CNN or Fox News.)

  “I’m sorry but we haven’t heard anything, nor is there any activity at the factory.” The reporter said as she was moving towards Captain Wilcox. Nothing looked right since Wilcox gave the impression that he was busy but clearly he wasn’t. It all looked staged.

  “Captain Wilcox, may I have a word with you?”

  “I’m kind of busy here.” Wilcox responded in scripted tone of voice.

  “Oh, this will only take a brief moment of your time.”

  “Alright then.” Wilcox responded with a smile. It almost looked like he was forcing himself to smile because it looked faked. He then turned around and gave orders to those around him. Their reaction gave the impression that they already knew what their orders were.

  “Have you heard anything from Task Force ZH-3C?”

  “No but we’re making every effort to contact them.” Wilcox lied to them in scripted tone of voice.

  “What have you tried?”

  “The traditional methods are not working. It sounds like… that maybe they are… being jammed by some unknown enemy. (Wilcox realized that he shouldn’t have said that and it showed.) I did thought about using drones but we don’t have that many left. And half of them are damaged. I can’t send my people in because the robotic defensive guns are still operational.” This time he didn’t sound like he was scripted.

  “You stated that, or imply that, half of the drones are still operational. So why not use them instead?” The reporter asked him. Wilcox felt like he was caught and it showed.

  “They’re doing recon and can’t be spared.” Wilcox responded in a way to suggest that he really didn’t want to answer the question. He could do as the reporter suggested but it never occurred to him until the reporter mentioned it. So instead of telling the truth he decided to lie.

  “So how long will the repairs on the rest of the drones take?”

  “My people is making every effort in repairing them.” Wilcox responded. He knew what question will come next and he wished that it wouldn’t.

  “So how long will it take to repair them?”

  “As soon as my people have finished the repairs I will let you know.” Wilcox responded. The reporter had the reaction of that Wilcox is hiding something.

  “Alright captain I will let you get back to your duties.” The reporter, along with everyone else, knew what Wilcox was hiding: his own incompetence.

  Wilcox was only falling back upon his training when dealing with the media. It is why he sounded like he was scripted. He knew that he is supposed to be friendly and somewhat truthful with the media but not at the expense of the mission. As luck would have it with him everybody could tell that it was his first time in dealing with the media.

  Although no damage was done because of Wilcox incompetence, his behavior told the media that they got an amateur in dealing with them. Being the vultures that they are, the media decided that it would be great for ratings if they got there. It was primarily based upon the thought that there could be more enemies there. And this time, so the media thought, the enemy was stupid. Of course that is only somewhat true as Task Force ZH-3C is learning the hard way. Once the Golems do come out it will be the media who would benefit the most. It would give them a huge ratings boost. Before they had good warnings from competent leaders and now they have an amateur. What the media wants is a good story and now they are fixing to become part of that story.

(18)

  “What the hell? So now they’re coming after us.” Martinez said out of frustration.

  Acting on a hunch from Viper 33X, the three of them got too close to where the activity of the Golem was suggesting that it was redesigning it’s communications and it’s protectors. They then notice that the Golem itself was being redesigned. After chasing the three of them away the protectors then went back to the Golem.

  “They’re breaking off pursuit!” Viper 33X mentioned.

  “What are we missing here? We can observe at a distance but we can’t get too close.” Jaguar 42R said out of frustration.

  “Maybe they think that we came to sabotage the Golem.” Viper 33X responded.

  “Then why not just finish us off then?” Jaguar 42R asked him.

  “Maybe they think that we don’t pose much of a threat to them.”

  “Or maybe they don’t want us to go somewhere.” Martinez mentioned.

  “Like where?” Viper 33X asked him.

  “What does the map say?” Jaguar 42R asked.

  “The only thing that is relevant is the cloning vats. But they’re too far away to hold any value. And what would they need with those vats anyway?” Martinez mentioned after he finished studying the map after a minute.

  “Too far away for us, but not for them.” Viper 33X mentioned.

  “What about the damage that they caused?” Jaguar 42R asked him.

  “The nanites within them could just eat a hole through the damage.” Viper 33X responded.

  “Wouldn’t that destabilize the roof given the full extent of the damage?” Jaguar 42R asked. Viper 33X said nothing but Martinez did.

  “You know if they are going to the cloning vats that might explain their behavior.” Martinez said after he gave it some thought.

  “How so?” Jaguar 42R asked him.

  “Why waste their time on us when we don’t pose much of a threat? But if they are trying to keep us away from something than that would be different. It’s what I would do.” Martinez responded.

  “Your orders?” Viper 33X asked him.

  “Let’s flank them, but head in the direction of the cloning vats.” Martinez responded. As they got nearer to the cloning vats it became apparent that the Golem’s protectors was monitoring them.

  “What the fuck?” Martinez said through his teeth as a door opened and behind it was a protector stopping them from going through.

  “Is there another way around?” Jaguar 42R asked.

  “You know, it’s a damn good thing that we are using this helmet-com system. I noticed that whoever is talking it is looking at them. And no, there is no other way.” Viper 33X responded.