The Cross of Mithras Vol. 1: EOD Operation Welcome to Hell (78 page)

  From the reports that was coming in (and their Video Receiver/Transmitter) it became obvious that the EOD androids were trying to box in the people so that they could be slaughtered. While they were at the back entrance (with a group of androids that just passed by after killing twenty people) the video went out. There was no error message which meant the main transmitter was destroyed.  Ten minutes later Bonfacio sent a audio message then a video. The quality of the video was poor but the audio was good. He mentioned that they lost two of his men and one was seriously injured. He also said that they found Admiral Greene and they were on their way to rescue him.

  When they found Greene he was all alone. He was incoherent and oblivious to what was going on around him. Suffering from shock, he both delusional and confused.

  “Sir you need to come with us.” Bonfacio said to Greene.

  “My God it’s happening. The Cleansing before the Awakening. But why is the Cleansing occurring so early? And why us? It doesn’t make any sense.” Greene was saying to himself.

  “Sir, we’re here to take you to a safe place!” Bonfacio said loudly trying to get Greene’s attention.

  “It doesn’t make any sense. Unless…” Greene was saying to himself.

  “Sir you need to come with us NOW!” Bonfacio said in a demanding tone of voice.

  “That’s it. It’s all about the loose ends and…”

  “Sir!”

  Greene rocked back a little, stepped back, and then put his left hand on the left side of his forehead. He then lowered his left hand and raised his right hand and touched the blood that was coming from his nose. When he moved his right hand away and saw that he had a nosebleed his face turned white and his eyes widen with fear.

  “No! Not me!” Greene practically screamed.

  Greene, with the look like he was in horrible pain, hunched over and put his hands on both sides of his head. He then stood up with both hands in front of his face. His hands was rigid from  stiffing up the muscles in his hands.

  “Get out of my head. Must… resist.” Greene said through his teeth.

  “Sir are you alright?” Bonfacio asked.

  “Too… strong. (unintelligible speech) Can’t… let… them… Must… resist.” Greene said as his nose was bleeding more profusely.

  Greene had the face of a man who is losing his battle with whatever is effecting him and he know that he can’t lose that battle. He then pulled out a gun causing everyone to pull out their gun and pointed at him. Bonfacio told Greene to put down his gun, instead Greene put the gun under his chin and pulled the trigger. Everyone stood there in stunned silence. Eight minutes later all of the video feeds went out and all of them displayed the error message.

  The fate of Commodore Bonfacio would not be known for little more than a month. In that time period he would lead a successful resistance against the EOD android army. The Council, however, decided to blame him for what went on, on Tyos Prime. Everyone outside the EOD (and a few inside) assumed what the real truth is. He would one day be vindicated for his actions on Tyos Prime, but not by the EOD, and long after he had died.

  “Look like the Council values power more than the sacred traditions of the EOD.” Mad Dawg said after all the video feeds went out.

  “I can’t believe that the Council would sink so low and do something like that.” Lieutenant North said out loud and quite disappointed at what he just witness.

  “That’s because your Council is like any other despot.” Mad Dawg responded to North’s remark.

  “Actually the Council was protecting itself.” Lenkov said shocking everyone who heard that.

  “What!?” Mad Dawg said.

  “How do you mean?” Omori asked almost at the same time that Mad Dawg spoke.

  “You have to take everything that Mad Dawg told us about into account, combine with what we know about Infernus.” Lenkov responded.

  “So how does that prove that the Council is protecting itself? You know as well as I know that the EOD military if far more loyal to the Council and not to something like that of High Command.” Mad Dawg said.

  “True. But like you informed us earlier, there was an epic battle that took place sometime in the not so distance future with the Wol’ga’con Imperial Forces. You also stated that the EOD took part in that battle, but it is not known which side they were on. Do not forget what we said about Infernus. There is only one conclusion that can be drawn from it all, and what we just saw on Tyos Prime confirms it.” Lenkov said.

  “Which is?” Mad Dawg asked.

  “Judging from what you told us, combined with what we know of Infernus and what we just saw on Tyos Prime, the EOD was the first to find the Wol’ga’con Imperial Forces. Remember, someone had to find them first. So who could that be and how would they behave when they realize who, and what, the Wol’ga’cons really are?” Lenkov responded. It had a sobering effect upon everyone.

(4)

  Colonel “Brown Dust” Durante was sitting in his office on one of the most ultra secure military base in the galaxy. The EOD military and civilian personnel called the base Omega Red after the Red Book Classification Code because every project there is automatically placed in it. All military and civilian personnel live on the base. Their families live on a moon on a nearby planet. The base itself lies on a desert moon that resembles the American southwest. Minus any black projects, the base always has an eerie quietness about it.

  Before Durante got the call to head to Andromeda he suspected something was not right. Seven days before he got the call, the EOD suspended all flights to the airbase on his base. High Command gave the orders to any ship headed there to use the gravity lift instead of the airfield. But as Durante knows the gravity lift is experimental and prone to failure. (A gravity lift can send [by “picking up”] a person and/or object to an orbiting spaceship.) The EOD, because of better funding, is between one to two decades ahead of the competition in the completion of a gravity lift. Durante suspects that the EOD is bypassing him in an effort to eliminate him. When he got the call to head to Andromeda, he realized that is what they are trying to do.

  It was Commodore Bonfacio who helped to pull all of the strings to get all of Lenkov’s contacts into their positions. Those positions may help to prove their loyalty, but it also means that if the Council and/or High Command tries to remove them without just cause they will have a small armed resistance on their hands. It’s not enough to make any difference, but it’s enough to help the contacts to flee to Andromeda.

  It was Commodore Bonfacio who started it all. He was still a Commodore when Lenkov and Omori became infamous. When Lenkov proved himself as a Fleet Captain, Bonfacio was certain that Lenkov would be promoted. But when Bonfacio realized that Lenkov was not, nor could he get his promotion, Bonfacio became suspicious. He then started to investigate why Lenkov couldn’t get a promotion. It was that investigation that led Bonfacio to uncover a conspiracy (the Infernus Conspiracy).

  Bonfacio had no idea just how huge this conspiracy was. But he knew from the get-go that it involved both the Council and High Command. He decided that it would be best for him to stay where he is (He passed up several promotions.) then to be promoted out. He then found people (the contacts) just like him. People that has what he calls “twilight loyalty” – they are not absolutely loyal to the EOD nor will they betray the EOD to it’s enemies. This was also the same time period that Lenkov and Omori found Andromeda. Bonfacio told them to keep it a secret.

  All of the contacts agreed with Bonfacio that Andromeda should be kept a secret and that it should be developed. They also agreed with him that they should be placed under Lenkov and Omori’s (nobody use the word but they understood that’s what he meant) chain of command. Bonfacio had a very simple reason: Lenkov and Omori is a rising star within the EOD who deserves a lot more respect than what either the Council or High Command is giving them. Lenkov and Omori would make a damn good leader if given the chance. They could either destroy or cripple the Necro-Mystics. Everyone agreed that sooner or later the EOD would be at war with them. So it would be in the best interest of the EOD to have someone like Lenkov and Omori in the right position when that day occurs.

  Durante, now more than ever, was eternally grateful for Bonfacio for giving him his current job, even though he hated being there. When Durante got the call to head to Andromeda, he knew actually what he had to do. He sat there for a moment thinking about his plan and then he started to laugh. He was laughing because he knew that his plan would give the EOD something it never experience before. The single biggest setback of it’s entire history.

  Durante know that if Bonfacio discovered “holes” in the EOD, then linked them up creating a crack, then his plan would widen the crack causing something to break off. Sensing a wounded EOD, all of it’s enemies probably would go on the offensive. Durante know that even if the enemies of the EOD don’t take full advantage of a weaken EOD then somebody would.

  “Captain Esters, Captain Vosler, come to my office immediately.” Durante spoke through the base intercom system.

  Because of the size of the base it took Vosler fifteen minutes to get to Durante’s office. But for some reason it took Esters eight minutes longer than what it should have.

  “Took your sweet time?” Durante asked Esters who said nothing. “It’s time for us to leave.”

  “To where?” Esters asked.

  “Where do you think you moron? To Andromeda.” Durante responded.

  “Sir, we don’t have enough explosives to destroy all of the black projects.” Vosler informed Durante.

  “That’s alright. We’re going to take them with us including all of the data.” Durante responded.

  “My ship doesn’t have enough room for all of that equipment. I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to leave something behind.” Esters mentioned.

  “Under no circumstances are we to leave anything behind.” Durante responded.

  “You don’t understand, my transport doesn’t have enough room for all of that equipment. There’s no way that I can make the room.” Esters said.

  “That’s because you’re thinking about the families. We’re going to have to pick them up later.”

  “I can’t, nor will I, leave the families behind.”

  “Isn’t there a cargo vessel under your command that is nearby?”

  “You’re not suggesting that we put all of those people on a cargo vessel, are you?”

  “Just answer the question. Is there, or is there not, a cargo vessel that is nearby?”

  “Yes. But if we try to use that cargo ship to pick up our families there is a chance that a EOD military ship might intercept it.”

  “Before or after it picks up the people?” Vosler asked Esters.

  “After.” Esters responded.

  “So how long is the window before the cargo ship could give them the slip?” Durante asked.

  “Several hours to half a day.”

  “Then hurry it up, and tell the crew of that cargo ship to get their asses on the ball and pick up the people.” Durante said.

  “I can’t do that.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because of the possibility that the ship might get intercepted. And if that happens the…” Esters was saying.

  “I know what will happen. Now do as I say.”

  “You can’t order me!  We’re basically the same rank!”

  Durante, upset, stood up and said, “Vosler, if he doesn’t comply… kill him.”

  “Yes sir.” Vosler said as he pulled out his handgun and pointed it at Esters.

  Esters knows, or should have known, that Durante has killed thirty six officers who were of a higher rank than he is. Durante never hesitates when he kills someone and Esters’ life is on the line. Luckily for Esters, he knows it and he knows that he better back down or he will be shot.

  “Wait! Alright I’ll comply.” Esters yelled. Vosler then holstered his weapon.

  “Make certain that he does.” Durante told Vosler.

  “I’ll put a man on him.” Vosler responded to Durante.

  “I told you that I will!” Esters said.

  “What about the gravity lift sir?” Vosler asked Durante.

  “I’ll deal with it. Just give me any men that you can spare.” Durante said.

  “Yes sir.”

  “What about your wife?” Esters asked Durante.

  “She thinks  that I’m giving her permission to cheat just because it appears to her that I don’t care. It’s not that I don’t care… I just can’t kill her or whoever she’s with.” Durante said.

  “Why?” Esters asked.

  “I don’t know. I guess I never really loved her. I knew her brother before I met her. He got promoted to High Command and was sent to Tyos Prime. He’s still there. He introduced me to her and we later got married. I guess she wanted to marry me because she thought that I might get promoted to High Command. You know the old saying, ‘High Command equals high life,’ and that’s what she wanted. When she realized that I would never get promoted to High Command she verbally abused me. Saying that I was, ‘nothing but a nogoodnik who would never amount to anything.’ And yet, I could have kill her and High Command wouldn’t have cared. Her brother couldn’t do a damn thing about it even if I did. High Command valued me as their… hit man.” Durante responded.