The Cross of Mithras Vol. 1: EOD Operation Welcome to Hell (6 page)

  What Commodore Parker doesn’t know is that he has little value to them. The only value that he does has to them... is as a Fleet Captain. Which means; when they determine his value, he will be demoted to Fleet Captain. What’s worst for him is that in all likelihood, he will spend the rest of his days as a Fleet Captain. And maybe... just maybe... he might find someone. But no matter what, he will live the rest of his days in fear of betraying the EOD. They’re experts at knowing who will, and who won’t, betray them. Only those born into the EOD community can truly escape it. What Commodore Parker doesn’t realize is something that all former EOD members know: no matter what the reason is - why you wish to join the EOD - you will be a whole lot happier if you didn’t.

  Yes indeed he would be a whole lot more happier. But once Parker, like everybody else, joins the EOD he will learn quite quickly that he can never leave it. He will regret the day that he did joined them. But not once did he ever wanted to, or would like to go back to Roscadia. He had too many bad memories of the place. Memories that he would love to forget, but never can. And it’s all because of what is fixing to happen to him over the week.

My Life, My Friends, My Crew

(1)

  Vaistll was sitting on the couch in her room at the Roosevelt. She was watching a movie that she hasn’t seen in little more than a century. The movie came from her private collection and it was called, “Yoke the Horse.” It came out in 2009 when there was a Democrat in the White House. It was about how a Republican President wanted to keep the Republicans in control of Congress and the White House during, and after, his administration.

  Before the mid-term elections, the President started a war with a third world country. Victory, as one would suspect, came swiftly and decisively. That victory helped the Republicans retake control of Congress. Then, before the next Presidential elections, he promptly started another war with some other third world county. That war helped both him and the Republicans, stay in control of the White House and Congress. Now he needed two more wars; one before the next mid-term elections, and the other before the next Presidential elections. He did not care if the Vice-President ran or not, he just wanted the leading Republican Presidential candidate to win. But things didn’t turn out quite the way in which he planned.

  His first two wars went from bad to worst. Both of them was poorly planned and managed. On top of that, there were just too manly leaks during his administration. Combined with his actions to stop those leaks, it caused too many people to jump ship on him, and then betray him. What ultimately brought him down was the murder of one reporter and a police detective. That movie reminded Vaistll of the first decade of when she arrived on the Earth, so very long ago.

  The only reason why she got the movie is because of the Republican President who put both her, and especially Project 21, through hell when she arrived on the Earth. Before September 11 of that year, President Langston was amazed that she existed and that she was in US custody. After that horrific day, and knowing that there is a chance that the Apollinarians are up to no good, he wanted to send her to a secret place where they could conduct experiments upon her. Anything that was done to her, as he reasoned, would not be considered a human rights violation since she was not a human being. When Project 21 found out what his attentions where, they decided to take matters into their own hands. They knew what the consequences where if anything happened to her.

  Project 21 decided to hide her in Seattle by putting her on welfare. They then got her on SSI disability since she has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. They then put her in low income housing. They helped her to, not only get her Green Card, but also to become an American citizen. They scan the data on her to a disc, then encrypted it, put it in a small fire proof safe and gave it to her. They then created “Safe Houses” for her. Those Safe Houses where created to give the impression that they were hiding her in one, when they knew that was not true. When President Langston found out that Project 21 was hiding her in a Safe House that is when all hell broke loose.

  When Langston found out what Project 21 did, he was furious. He threatened to have them convicted of treason. He threaten to have them sent away to be tortured to find out what they know of her. But the people who knew where she was, and the ones who knew her, would not cave in to his threats. He told them that he could easily find her by using the FBI, CIA and NSA. Project 21 reminded him that the EOD has already infiltrated those agencies. So the EOD might become the one who end up with her, if those agencies found her. Looking at the evidence that Project 21 showed him that confirmed that those agencies has been infiltrated; he ordered the Director of those agencies, and the Attorney General, to bring the EOD to justice. Unfortunately he underestimated the EOD, and a lot of good people got killed. After that he basically learned his lesson, but the damage to those agencies was too great to be easily repaired. Project 21 was powerless throughout that time period because they were too busy defending themselves. From 2001 to the mid-term of 2006 he would not change his mind. And so the EOD became stronger, while the US Government became weaker.

  Vaistll during that time period was getting use to her life upon the Earth. She didn’t have much where she lived at, but it was far more than what she had back on her planet. To her, she lived like a queen. To everybody else, she was living below the poverty level. She was quite happy with what little things that she did have. But it bothered her that she couldn’t keep any pets. She was the type of a person that needed something to love. She would have been quite happy if she had more company, but she hardly ever got any. There was nobody where she’d lived at, that she wanted to socialize with. Project 21 agents hardly came over to visit her because they didn’t want to take any chances by having their movement tracked. In her spare time she would go down to the library and read and/or surf the web. She didn’t make enough money to buy a car, so she had to ride the bus. Of course she had a love-hate relationship with the bus. She hated it because she felt that if she had a car, then she could get to where she is going much faster. The part that she loved about it (until it got old) was the look on people faces, especially during the summertime when she wore shorts and a tank top. Oh, she heard a lot of very interesting comments about her height, ‘Hey how’s the weather up there?’ is the one that she heard most often. When she heard that comment she would say something like, ‘Fine. I think I can see Tacoma from up here.’ She took it all of those comments in good spirits, no matter how nasty they could be. It just reflected upon the type of a person that she is.

  Vaistll tried her best to past the time away the best way that she could. She knew that she may end up having to wait three to seven years before things change for her. There were times in which she got depressed. Looking into a mirror as she uses the nano-cloaking device and seeing a human staring back at her. It caused her to question her identity since she couldn’t be her true self out in public. She had nobody to relate to. It’s no wonder that she became depressed and an alcoholic again. At other times she felt like putting her survivor training to use by hiding out in the forest. Not once did she ever have the feeling that she wanted to go back to her home planet - not once. It was not because of what she had on the Earth, or the technology, but rather it was how she was treated back on her planet. She feared going back to her home planet more, than being caught by Langston’s cronies.

  She passed the time away watching movies at her apartment. Her favorite types of movies are: horror, comedy and action adventure. When it comes to horror movies she doesn’t like demon possession ones at all. When it comes to vampires movies there is only a half dozen that she likes. But it is those damn zombie movies that bother her the most. She didn’t care for them that much, they were on the bottom of her list. After she saw a few of them, she kept on having bad dreams about them. She thought that was strange since other horror movies didn’t have that same effect upon her. One day she finally figure it out, it was something that somebody said to her back on her home world. It was said at a time in which she was developing PTSD. What that person said was, ‘The dead walks.’ It didn’t change the way she felt about zombie movies. After all, the only thing those zombie movies where to her, were just one type of a horror movie for her to watch. But still those words, ‘The dead walks.’ If only people knew why it gave her nightmares... If only people knew why she won’t talk about that time period… If only she would open up and tell someone... One day she would tell someone, but it turns out to be Ramirez while they where on Roscadia.

  For Vaistll, living where she did at the time, it caused her to feel like a prisoner. The only reason why she felt that way was because, every time she tried to socialize, people’s attitude kept on pushing her away. She learned a lot about humans from watching TV, reading books, and magazines. She watched mostly educational programming, comedies (she’s one of those type of person who loves to laugh), and the news. She didn’t care too much for sports; after all she’s an intellectual. With women, they were too much like the fllaistl on her planet, so it told her that she won’t be able to fit in with them. Fllustl’s are not some girly-girl; they’re more of a tomboy. She thought that it was down right rude and disrespectful, when people thought that she was a shemale, or something else like that. Just because she’s 6’8,” and a tomboy, people think that she is a shemale. At least with a Project 21 agent she could tell them what she always does to people (who knows that she is an ET) who thinks that, ‘That’s your species, not mine.’ So why on Earth would she want to socialize with people like that, who treat her that way? Why indeed.

  Vaistll had mixed relations with Christians. One of the members of Project 21 is a Catholic. He is a loyal, devoted, loving family man with a gentle heart. He became her close friend and gave her hope during those trouble times with President Langston. He never tried to convert her. He was curious about what type of religion she practiced. Nor did he say anything negative about it. When he asked about the monotheist religion that she used to practice, he became amazed by its philosophy. He was good to her, and he became her first true friend on the Earth. But her relations with other Christians were poor, mainly because they treated her like crap. There was this one Christian who lived in her apartment building who once asked her, ‘Do you go to church?’ and Vaistll, being honest, said, ‘No,’ and then she (the Christian) said, ‘Why not?’ Vaistll didn’t say anything, or thought much about it at the time, but it summed up her relations with some Christians - disrespectful and hypocritical. They were hypocritical in the sense of; this one woman once told her that Christians love to talk about their religion, but when you talk about yours, they act like they don’t want to hear it. Vaistll didn’t say anything because to her at the time, it sounded like hearsay. Later this one man in her apartment building asked her about her religion, and Vaistll told the truth, ‘I’m a pagan. I believe in…’ He then cut her off and said, ‘Well I believe in God and Jesus. And I’m glad that my soul is saved.’ After that Vaistll started to think that maybe it isn’t hearsay after all. In another incidence this preacher’s wife asked her, ‘Did you accept Jesus into your heart?’ Once again Vaistll told the truth; ‘No,’ and then the preacher’s wife went on for about 10-20 minutes, talking about a bad day that she had with her car and how this group of good Christian boys came to help. Vaistll wasn’t paying any attention; she found it to be so rude and disrespectful of the woman. Vaistll found herself thinking to herself, ‘How do you know that they where Christians? Did you ask? Would it matter to you if one of them was a Jew or a Muslim? If you had a bad day with your car and a group of atheists came to help you out, would you seriously tell them to get lost? Why do you assume that they are Christians?’ Later, before the preacher’s wife left, she tried to push some religious stuff on Vaistll. She said, ‘Hear take it,’ and Vaistll had to tell her more than once, ‘No.’ Vaistll was at somebody’s place at the time, trying to socialize, so it was not like she could just get away.

  The worst incidence that Vaistll had with Christians came from her neighbor, who lived just a few feet away on the same floor as she did. It was a couple, the Drayton’s. They were quite nice to Vaistll, eventually winning her over. They always seemed quite happy, ready to lend a helping hand to people in need. In time Vaistll told them that she was suffering from PTSD, and she doesn’t like to talk about it. They were kind enough not to persuade her to talk about what caused her traumatic experience. Then one day while Vaistll was taking a shower, she had a flashback of the most traumatic event in her life. She was trying to remain calm, and repeatedly telling herself, ‘It’s all just a bad dream. I’m safe now.’ She got out of the shower holding her washcloth tightly in her hands. Trying her best to stay in control (and fearing what might happen if she lost control) she grabbed that nano-cloaking device to make herself look like a human. She then left her apartment and went over to the Drayton’s. Luckily they were at home, but they saw a very pitiful site. Vaistll was standing there, naked and still holding the washcloth tightly in her hands. Vaistll was trembling, not because she was wet and cold, but it was because of both the fear and the terror. Realizing that Vaistll was having a flashback they let her in. They were just shocked to see all of those scars on her body. Mrs. Drayton said, ‘Oh, my GOD! What happen to her?’ Mrs. Drayton then broke down and cried. Vaistll was still trying her best to stay in control. The Drayton’s could hear her murmur something, after awhile they realize what Vaistll was saying. She kept on repeating it off and on. Vaistll was behaving like somebody is trying to kill her, and that she is lost and confused. At one point Vaistll started to cry and pray. She was speaking in her native tongue, but under her breath. Her prayer was in the form of her monotheist religion. Seeing her crying and praying caused the Drayton’s to cry. They tried to comfort Vaistll, but she wouldn’t remain in one spot that long. They felt so bad for her when she had a bowel movement, they tried to clean it off of her, but she kept on moving around. Vaistll eventually pulled herself together, thank them, and left. They wanted her to stay, but she left anyway. She kept on telling herself throughout the whole ordeal, ‘It’s all just a bad dream. I’m safe now.’

  Vaistll was grateful for the help of the Drayton’s on that dreadful day. She didn’t know how she could repay them, so they told her to come over for a Christmas dinner later that year. They wanted her to come over for Thanksgiving, but she gracefully decline. She was gong to spend Thanksgiving with her Catholic friend from Project 21. When Christmas came she went over to the Drayton’s place to have dinner. The Drayton’s were quite happy to see her. Vaistll thought that it was strange that Mrs. Drayton look as if though she might cry. Before dinner was served, Mr. Drayton came over to Vaistll and gave her one of those small red Bibles. Vaistll politely told him, ‘I’m sorry. That’s not the religion that I profess to.’ Mr. Drayton then asks what religion did she practice, and Vaistll told him the truth. After she told him that, Vaistll could read in his face that he didn’t like what she said. Little did he know that “Victoria” (which is the name that Vaistll is going by), is an extraterrestrial. What’s more this ET has hyper-sensory perception like all Apollinarians. Maybe somebody should have told Mr. Drayton that with HSP, he is doing something subconsciously; the way that he looks, his bodily language, the tone and stress in his voice, etc., and a person with HSP is subconsciously reading him. So with Vaistll, Mr. Drayton might as well tell her that he really don’t care about her, he just wants to convert her. After Vaistll told him what religion she practiced, he threw the Bible in her lap, and told her to read it. She threw it back and once again told him that was not her religion. He then pick it up, put it on the table in front of her, and told her that he will leave it there in case if she would like to read it later. Vaistll stood up; mad and upset with the way they were treating her and said, ‘Are you trying to proselytize me!?’ He said that he wasn’t, but Vaistll could tell that he was lying. They try to calm her down, even though she was calm enough as she was. Vaistll then ask them, ‘You Christians believe in ‘do on to others,’ but how would you feel if somebody was trying to convert you to their religion?’ What really made Vaistll both angry and upset, is when the Drayton’s started act like Vaistll was the one who is in the wrong and they were the ones who are in the right. Vaistll got mad and decided to leave. Before she got out the door Mrs. Drayton asked her. ‘Aren’t you gonna stay for dinner?’ Vaistll just shook her head and never said anything as she left. She saw them sometime later, and they were all nice and apologetic to her, but Vaistll was not going to have anything to do with them. Why should she socialize with people who treat her like that?