International Operations

## Overview

International Operations' Covert Action Teams 1-7 are clandestine special operations forces.

### Ancient Origins

There were many seven-strong-societies in history. One of them, Victorious Hebdomad, came to Earth with one of Camelot's survivors - Ystina. She carried on the tradition for hundreds of years, but she grew tired of this burden and longed for a chance to find an archon worthy of relieving her from this burden. She finally found someone she thought might be up to the task during World War II. During the war, Ystina met Greg Saunders under unknown circumstances and they recruited five other exceptional warriors (John Colt, Zannah, Eve Frankenstein, Matthew Shrieve, and a Fable). This team's exceptional skills and eccentric appearance caught the notice of a number of authority figures in the Allied Forces who tasked the group to a number of special assignments which were essential in countering the Nazi regime's hunt for esoteric relics and mystical talismans to aid in the war effort. After the war, Greg and Ystina would help American and British governments create a formal version of Ystina's arcane fellowship of seven soldiers. After having fought at his side for many bloody battles, Ystina trusted Greg to carry on the tradition during the reign of the Cold War as she left to pursue a life in seclusion to dedicate herself to protecting the Holy Grail, a task she nearly failed at during the war.

Greg carried on the tradition and decided to expand upon it. The traditional Hebdomad had seven members (and optionally an eighth, one acting as a guide or mentor known as the demiurge). Greg came up with an idea of seven archons who also acted as a demiurge to their own Hebdomad. This was how the United Nations' International Operations Covert Action Teams 1-7 came to be.

### Cuban Missile Crisis

In October 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis began. Daemonite Lord Helspont tried to escalate human evolution by manipulating world leaders. The standoff between the United States on one side and Cuba and the Soviet Union on the other side could result in a nuclear annihilation. Team One was sent to avert the crisis and the archon John Colt died.

The UN didn't want to recognize the man's sacrifice and covered up the crisis. After that many members of IO left. Greg Saunders lost his faith in the project and disappeared.

### Post-Crisis Events

A near-death experience and a chance encounter with Ystina resulted in her scolding Greg harshly for being so reckless. Reminded he nearly broke his promise to the Shining Knight, Greg formed a new group, this time under the auspice of being a joint-military taskforce known as Project Victory. Greg's involvement with Project Victory was short-lived in the grand scheme of things, but during its brief existence, Greg found not only a bevy of trusted companions that would become long-time allies and stalwart archons, but he also found an enemy in the Sheeda. When Greg's military contract was terminated, he was allowed to restructure the team among the DEO and continue his battle against the Sheeda.

### Members

* Ystina - Knight of the Round Table. Part of the original World War II team.
* Greg Saunders - Cowboy-protector of the Murums. Part of the original World War II team. Team 7.
* Emp (Saul Baxter) - Kherubim, worked as an intelligence agent during World War II. After Cuban Missile Crisis he left the organization and set up the Halo Corporation.
* Zannah - Kherubim. Part of the original World War II team. Introduced Emp to Ystina and Greg Sanders.
* Yon Kohl (John Colt ) - Part of the original World War II team. Later archon of Team One. Died during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Lord Emp transferred his consciousness into a robotic Hadrian body.
* Matthew Shrieve - Part of the original World War II team. Member of SHADE and Team 6.
* Eve Frankenstein - Part of the original World War II team.
* Warren Griffith (Wolfpack) - Team 6. Recruited in 1960, left after Cuban Missile Crisis.
* Cole Cash (Deadeye) - Team 7. Deployed with Project Victory. Deserted after finding evidence that he and his comrades were being experimented on.
* Thomas Blake - Team 7. Deployed with Project Victory. Left after an argument about experimentation on the members of the Team and an ambush.
* Miranda Shrieve (Deadeye) - Team 7. Selected to join the team thanks to her grandfather's name and monster hunting experience. Discharged for insubordination. Currently works for SHADE.
* Martiza Blackbird (Deadeye) - Team 7. Had a rocky history with the team.
* Sebastian Ashe - Team 7, engaged to Miranda Shrieve. Bitten by a werewolf on a mission. Miranda was ordered to put him down, but she instead lowered her gun and told him to run (this is the reason Miranda was discharged). Current status unknown.
* Ben Daimio - Team 7. Ben was recruited into the Team and was a good fit with the crew, but he butted heads with his commander, resulting in Ben being dismissed from duty. Due to I-O clearance issues, Ben could not return to military service and because he had been blacklisted by Team 7's commander, the commanders of I.O.'s other Teams were unwilling to take a chance with him. Someone in the organization sent his file to Tom Manning who arranged Ben's transfer to the BPRD.
* Alex Fairchild - Team 7. He was subjected to the COBALT formula. Alex received a secret assignment to impregnate a woman to test his serum's potential second generational effects. In 2007 he was assassinated and his daughter Caitlin was kidnapped andsent to a Cadmus facility.

## Trivia and Notes

### Trivia

* Due to the covert nature of the organization it's hard to pinpoint certain details. Team Six and SHADE share members, but the origins of the Creature Commandos are shrouded in mystery.
* All people who had the "Deadeye" moniker had a share of rocky history with Team 7. The name's not cursed. The problem is with IO's shady history.
* One of the original team's mission was to save Adam Frankenstein.
* The Losers have managed to exposed several illicit activities of the organisation.

### Notes

* International Operations, Team One, and Team 7 are from DC's *Wildstorm* imprint. The Earth-27 version of the organization is combined with SHADE and Creature Commandos.

## Links and References

1. ↑ Earth-27 101: Power of Seven
2. ↑ E27 Sit-Down with Roy: Project Victory
3. ↑ Network Files: Greg Saunders 2
4. ↑ Network Files: Lord Emp
5. ↑ Network Files: Warren Griffith 2
6. ↑ Oracle Files: Cole Cash (1/2)
7. ↑ Network Files: Thomas Blake 1
8. ↑ Network Files: Ben Daimio 1
9. ↑ Networo Files: Caitlin Fairchild 1
10. ↑ (Earth-27 Rosters) Creature Commandos
11. ↑ Network Files: Miranda Shrieve
12. ↑ Network Files: Eve Frankenstein
13. ↑ Network Files: Franklin Clay