The Cross of Mithras Vol. 1: EOD Operation Welcome to Hell (48 page)

“Bullshit you paranoid fuck!”

Mad Dawg didn’t say anything. He only look at her that said that he is right and she is wrong.

“I demand that you release my people immediately!”

“On whose orders?”

“I don’t need any orders! You falsely imprisoned them!”

“Do you have any proof that they are innocent?”

“Yes. You have NO proof of their guilt!”

“Yes… I… do.”

“What is your proof?”

“That which is improbable… is plausible.”

“What!? What the hell is that supposed to mean!?”

“It means: it’s like being struck by lightning twice in one day. It may be improbable… but it is still plausible that it could happen.”

“I see.”

Vaistll left after she realized that she is getting nowhere with him. But she had a plan to either reach him, or put him in his place. But first she needs to send a secret message to Ramirez.

(3)

Ramirez just got Vaistll’s message. She used terms that only he would understand. She was right in suspecting that someone on Galactic Prime was listening in on her conversion. Ramirez wasn’t shock when he got the message, just a little surprised that Mad Dawg would become that paranoid. Ramirez knew actually what he needed to do. But first he had to deal with those Marines that he was with.

“Hey guys… I need you to use the intercom and tell me where you are. I need to test something.” Ramirez was speaking to the Marines through the transmitter on his helmet.

After they finished doing as they were told, Ramirez used the computer console and lock the doors to the rooms that they were in. He then sent them a simple straightforward message.

“Nothing personal guys. It’s just that Mad Dawg has finally lived up to his name: he became mad with paranoia.”

Some of the Marines started to say something, but Ramirez deactivated the transmitter in his helmet. By having them in the rooms that they were in made it impossible for them to either escape or inform Mad Dawg of their situation.

Ramirez then went to the where the shuttlecraft is and headed to the Robotic Control moon. When he got there he went to the control room for the plasma gun turrets and then reprogrammed them to lock on Galactic Prime. He then got a call from Mad Dawg.

“Ramirez… I should have known… that you are the EOD sleeper agent.”

“Mad Dawg… I should have known that you would live up to your name – mad.”

“I demand that you release my men and surrender.”

“Well… ol’ Mad Dawg Burton who’s now a hurtin’… you’re not in a position to make demands.”

“You won’t fire upon this ship. Not when your team is here.”

“What’s keeping your ship alive is the fact that neither me, nor any other member of Task Force ZH-3C is an EOD sleeper agent. If I am a sleeper agent as you say I am then I will destroy you. But if I’m not, and you were to harm any of my teammates… then I will open fire.”

“You forget who you are dealing with boy.”

“No… I know who I am dealing with – a madman. You forget where you are: in an EOD star system. I can easily inform them that you are here.”

“You know that they will kill you if you do.”

“Maybe so… but if you harm any of my teammates… I will make certain that you will not leave here alive. So I’m urging you to back down and release my teammates before this gets out of hand.”

“Time to teach this little bitch why they call me Mad Dawg.” With that, Mad Dawg discontinued his call to Ramirez.

While Ramirez was talking to Mad Dawg he was using the long range sensors to track down the EOD ship that Vaistll told him about. Second Lieutenant Murphy told her about the mysterious EOD ship in the star system and she’d told Ramirez. When Ramirez learned what type of ship it is, he got the shock of his life. He couldn’t believe that an EOD infiltrator would come here. Either something far bigger than what any of them could imagine is going on, on Golden Hyperion, or that EOD infiltrator is not who he seems to be.

Ramirez then took a chance and sent an emergency email to the EOD ship asking for assistance. The return email said, ‘Understood.” Ramirez then watched on the sensors as the EOD ship came close and then stopped. But what he couldn’t see was that Double Shock left the ship and then sabotaged the gun ports. When Double Shock got back to the bridge, he temporary deactivated his Cobra virus allowing Galactic Prime to “see” the EOD ship.

Mad Dawg had to watch as his lost EOD ship reappeared, then his gun ports are destroyed, and then the EOD ship vanished. It just played on Mad Dawg’s paranoia. When the last remaining gun ports were destroyed the plasma doors in the brig deactivated. With the gun ports destroyed, Galactic Prime is now defenseless in the Omicron Ultra star system.

“This is Second Lieutenant Murphy to all security personnel. Captain Mad Dawg Burton has illegally incarcerated me and some of the members of Task Force ZH-3C. Do not follow any of his orders. He is to be placed under arrest as of this very moment.” Murphy told his security unit over the emergency computer console.

“Fuckin’ Murphy! Look like we have a mutiny on our hands boys. Secure the bridge, the Engine Room and the Communication Room immediately! Come on… move like you got a purpose!” Mad Dawg barked orders to the crew on the bridge.

“I need you guys to hook up with Captain Adnrwal right away. I have to hook up with my unit.” Second Lieutenant Murphy told the incarcerated members of Task Force ZH-3C.

“And what if we encountered any of Mad Dawg’s people?” One of the incarcerated members of Task Force ZH-3C asked.

“Kill them as a last resort. Tell Captain Adnrwal that I will try to link up with her” With that, each of them left.

They arrived at their destination without incident. They then waited for Second Lieutenant Murphy and his unit to arrive. Under Vaistll’s direction they headed to the Computer Core. Vaistll figured (correctly) that would be the one place that Mad Dawg wouldn’t defend. There were people in the room, but they were quickly persuaded to joined them.

“Lock all doors with an encryption key. Turn on the Fire Control System on the bridge.” Vaistll told the Marine Corporal.

“Ma’am?” The Marine Corporal said, confused by her order.

“Ol’ Mad Dawg will get all wet. Plus the alarm will make it difficult for him to give orders.” She said. The Corporal then did as she asked.

“I got to hand it to that girl… she sure is a handful.” Mad Dawg said out loud.

Mad Dawg tried to give orders to the crew, but it was hard for them to hear him. When he found out that the door to the bridge is lock shut with an strong encryption key, he laughed and said. “Why am I not surprised.”

Vaistll turned to the Corporal and gave him an order that, although he understood it, he knew that it would make their job more difficult.

“Disable the anti-gravity pump.” She said.

“Ma’am… are you sure? It will disable it throughout the entire ship.”

“Don’t worry… I’m going to defeat him old school style.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Way to go girl.” Mad Dawg said when the gravity was turned off. “This… is going to be very interesting.” He added.

Vaistll then asked the Corporal for the blueprints for the air ducts that connects it to the Life Support System Control Room and to the Medical Laboratory. She then told him to create an air pathway from the LSS Control Room and the Medical Laboratory. When he was done, she took a small unit with her to the Medical Laboratory and had the scientists there make a knock-out gas. She then had them allow the air intake to suck in the knock-out gas to the LSS Control Room. She then left with her unit and headed over to the LSS Control Room. When they got there, they tied up the Marines who were there. She then order someone in her unit to reduce the oxygen on the bridge to 17%.

“Lieutenant Murphy… do your thing.” Vaistll told him over the intercom.

“This is Second Lieutenant Murphy we have taken over the LSS Control Room and the Computer Room. We are also in control of the EOD plasma gun turrets on those moons. Those of you who are in support of Captain Burton must surrender immediately. You are fighting a hopeless cause. There is no chance for you to leave this system alive. If you surrender… we will allow you to return back to your duties. And then all of us can complete our mission. I strongly urge you to surrender. Think of your families not of Captain Burton’s pride. He is no longer fit for duty. So please… for the love of God… please surrender immediately.”

With that, one unit after another started to report in that they are no longer under Mad Dawg’s chain of command. It then spread to the bridge dividing the crew. Mad Dawg, realizing that it was all over before it began, called it off and surrendered. Second Lieutenant Murphy then became the acting Captain of the ship. Murphy showed enough respect to Mad Dawg by confining him to his quarters. No one was hurt during the mutiny and that helped the crew to heal afterwards.

(4)

  Early afternoon, 18 October Starship DTS, Double Shock was in the Stellar Cartography Room on the EOD Ultra Class ship. He renamed the ship Ziin’lyi’tols (Zen lie toes) which was Hau’rino for “A New Life.” He spends most of his time in that room. Looking at the beauty of the Milky Way galaxy in deep awe. He lived in a time in which space travel was recent (the equivalent to the latter 1920’s with air travel). Although he never gave it much thought, he did find the subject of space travel fascinating. And now here he is doing just that. Each time he went to the Stellar Cartography Room it reminded him of why he would like to retire one day. Until the Tylkuoply hive, the EOD, the Necro-Mystics, and the Wol’ga’con Empire is destroyed, he will not retire anytime soon.

  “Mr. Ikkry’o… Dr. Costa said that everything is ready if you are ready.” Dr. Verrone said. Dr. Costa is a expert on cloning.

  “Okay. Tell her I’ll be right there. I just need to finish up here.”

  After La’jyn’eu finished praying, he left and headed over to the Medical Laboratory R&D. Both Dr. Verrone and Dr. Costa were already there with some scientists. Dr. Verrone then prep Double Shock for surgery. He was in surgery to get the symbiote removed. He was out of surgery after 20:00 hours. He woke up at 23:15 hours and was placed under immediate observation.

  The information that La’jyn’eu gave them, told them how difficult it would be for them to extract the symbiote. The first problem, which was easy to solve, the Vynto’tanous (vin-to ta-news). It was a red thorn-like extension of the symbiote that connects to the spinal cord. When the symbiote becomes a cell, it can function as a one terabyte per-second USB port. It is the only part of the symbiote/cell that can connects to a electronic device.

  But the single greatest problem that confronted them was that the symbiote, once extracted, will cause a major infection in the host. It will create a fever of 110° F. Once the infection spreads to the major organs it will cause then to shut down. Within four hours the ex-host will slip into a coma. After that the lungs will fail and followed by the heart. Most people die within five-to-six hours after the ex-host develops the fever.

  After Double Shock woke up he seemed okay. Then, close to midnight, while he was drinking a soft drink his fever struck. But his temperature never exceeded 103° F. La’jyn’eu immediately took a hot bath when the fever struck, which stopped the chills. He then tried to go to sleep, but he couldn’t. He eventually took another hot bath and then laid down on the hospital bed without covering himself up. At 05:45 hours he got out of bed. His fever seemed to have subsided at that moment. He then eat some potato chips then tried to go back to bed. He slept until a little after 10:00 hours. While he took another hot bath, he got sick to his stomach. He bent over the toilet, coughed, and eventually threw up a little. He then spent the next few hours watching the news. At 15:45 hours he eat some ice cream and one slice of pizza, which he put some sweet & spicy Tabasco on it. He didn’t feel all that hungry. He then took hot bath so that he could feel a little better. Each time that he took a hot bath, he only filled it to about four inches deep. He did that because he didn’t want to waste water. Plus he won’t overheat and when the water cools down it would help him to cool down. He then went back to bed. He laid there on the bed, uncovered, and naked. He woke up and got dress at 18:28 hours and felt much better.

  Throughout his battle with the fever, he felt miserable, tired, weak, and he had a lost of appetite. At least four times Dr. Verrone came in and drew blood. The first one was immediately after he got the fever. The second time is when he woke up at 05:45 hours. The third time is when he got sick to his stomach. The final time of when his blood was drawn is when he woke up at 18:28 hours. The good news for him is that Dr. Verrone told him that his fever is now over.

  When his blood was taken for the final time, he sat in his hospital bed watching TV. He then eat some ice cream. When he was finished with his ice cream he put a fan on him because he was hot. At 19:22 hours he left and went to his quarters. His battle with the fever lasted for less than one day.

  Although he should celebrate his official freedom from the Tylkuoply hive, he didn’t feel, let alone think much about it. He was just glad that it was done and over with. At 21:17 hours he went to check up on the symbiote.