The Butcher's (Part One of Two)

The first platoon of ten materialised in a corridor outside of what was supposed to be the main command station on Regial VII's command asteroid.

*Now we see if this intelligence was worth a damn.* Jon thought bitterly to himself.

The nine other Marines that had materialised with him were automatically hugging the walls on the corridor. The first two in each team dropped to a knee, phaser carbines up and pointed at the door.

"Light enhancement." Jon commanded quietly. He received green lights in the upper right corner of his EVA suit's helmet indicating that everyone acknowledged. The second platoon, led by Lieutenant Gibs was doing the same outside of the cloning facility deeper inside the base.

Jon nodded to Lieutenant Trueman. Trueman nodded, and motioned forward to two of the Marines against wall. The two moved forward. One, still with carbine pointed forward, moved forward cautiously. The second of the two moved to the control panel.

"Standby." Trueman said over the intercomm. Everyone in the corridor dropped to a knee with carbines pointed at the door. The second of the Marines at the door fiddled with the controls and the doors opened.

Instead of disruptor fire, everything was oddly quiet. Truman made his way toward the front, and motioned for the two Marines at his flanks to follow him. They made their way into the room cautiously. A few moments later, Trueman sounded an "all clear" and the entire group made their way into the room.

The room was lit and the light enhancement on the screen of Jon's helmet automatically cut out. Surprisingly, however, there was no one around. The stations in the control centre were in good repair, and there appeared to be no sign of any type of altercation. Different Marines began to mill about. Two were stationed near the door, a few others began to walk about with tricorders.

Trueman began to access the security terminal. "Oh crap..." He said quietly to himself. "Major, we have a problem."

Jon ran over to the terminal. "What is it ?"

"Looks like this asteroid is clear for a reason. They initiated a self-destruct before leaving the station. It looks as though we have about twenty minutes before this whole asteroid becomes dust.

Jon sighed to himself. "Gibs, Phanan."

[Yes sir.] Lieutenant Gibs replied.

"Trueman went through part of the database and the Jem'Hadar have set up a self-destruct on the base. We have about twenty minutes left."

[Yes sir. Sir, we've found the missing scientists and, well... you have to see this sir.]

"I'll be there in a moment. Phanan out." He closed the channel. "Lieutenant Trueman, you're in charge here. Private Mellish and Dyson, you're with me. I want you all back on the Taurus in fifteen minutes, try and download as much data as you can."

Private Dyson adjusted her tactical medical backpack, and picked her carbine back up. "Yes sir." The three left the operations area and made their way deeper into the asteroid.