[snip + edit]

Jaris thought it would be prudent to do an update from Engineering. Jaris pressed his comm badge to get a status update from Engineering =^=Andor to Engineering. How’s it looking down there?=^=

Cross bend down and whispered to Glen just in case the others would fall on the floor laughing if they heard her.

‘’Captain how large is the nebula ? Why not try to go around it , instead of through it?’‘.

“I gathered that the Risans were mining something only found inside the nebula,” Glen replied, “rather than using it as a shortcut… but you make a good point, I think? We allow these ships to knowingly and recklessly put themselves in danger, and then Federation ships have to come along and mount difficult, expensive, and hazardous rescue attempts. We’ve already lost one starship because of these dangerous journeys, and now we could be next. Unfortunately, I don’t make rules, I just follow my orders.”

‘’I understand that you have to follow orders Captain but those who gave you those orders are not on the ship are they? The Trudograd could have taken this route as well and with the lightning bolts flying around could have been its demise ,we don’t know how bad it can get as the ship move forward ‘’ Cross stopped for a moment before continuing ‘’ If the Risans are mining what ever is in the Nebula, do you think they would have risked entering the Nebula from this point? Or have they found a less dangerous way in ? ‘’.

The CMO thought about the patient in sickbay and the horrific burns he had sustained ,though she as everyone else had no idea what could have happened and the reason as to why he was the only crew member that survived.

“This was the exact route of the Trudograd that we followed…” Glen replied. “If I remember correctly from the briefing, the Honey Pot is a nebula rich in stellar gases and minerals that are well worth scooping up and regularly so. Six civilian mining ships were sent to gather various gases on this occasion, just as they normally do, but about 4 days into their effort the SS Gas Bug under the command of merchant captain Steven Hull picked up what seemed a matter/antimatter explosion 1.4 light years within the nebula. So, whatever we are seeing happening now is not usual, and isn’t what the Risans normally experience when mining here.”

“Why not send out warning beacons around the border to warn other ships in the vicinity?” asked Cmdr Andor.

“The mission was too urgent for us to do that before we entered the Honey Pot, there were lives at risk to save first… but I agree, it should be done now,” Glen replied. “If Comms are still open, and that we are still relaying everything that we’ve seen or found back to DS - K5 as I wanted, then they can send a small vessel out to do that around the Honey Pot.”

“I have seriously thought about us slowly backing out the way we came in, but just to recap: there is still a signal from a Risan ship on a frequency band used for distress calls, so we do still have lives to save! Its origin is only a few thousand metres away from us; we can almost touch them. We also know that it isn’t just an automated signal because there was a brief pause then resend when I hailed them. So, maybe they can hear us but cant respond normally or adjust the distress transmitter other then off/on. Maybe indicating low power and/or damage to it. I would be derelict of my duty if we ran away and left them to die now!”

“I’ve thought of other ideas that don’t require us to go forward any further,” Glen added. “If we could get a tractor beam hold on the Risan ship, then maybe we could pull her out?”

“And I’d just like to add,” Glen said, “that for the newer officers here, that I don’t run that tight a ship, and I’m always open to other suggestions. Despite what I said earlier about us picking up the pieces when dangerous endeavours go wrong, galactic convention is that we will always help those in trouble, no matter who they are or where they come from. And they do say that danger is never the barometer of an officer’s conduct, but on the other hand there is a red line between courage and stupidity. The first rule of rescuing others in space is to make sure you do not put your own ship in danger when going to the assistance of another ship. I’m not going to risk the destruction of the Merrimack on an impossible rescue. If anyone has any suggestions other than a tractor beam, then please don’t hold back. This is the time to come forward with them.”

Cross stood silent for the simple reason that she had already given her opinion that the ship should take another route to enter the nebula .

In the absence of any Plan C, D or E, Glen decided it would be best to investigate Plan B a little more. =/\= Lt. Mullins. Captain Glen here. How would our tractor beam work inside this nebula? Would it be possible to get a lock on the Risan ship from this distance without being able to see it? Do you think that we could pull it out of that storm? =/\=

Max thought for a second and with the energy in the tractor beam, the reaction to the tractor beam as what might happen with the shields being up. He wanted to run some tests before saying it would be fine. He then tapped on his communication section of his station and responded =/\=Captain, I am afraid the energy from the tractor beam might cause the same sort of problem with turning on the shields. Would you let me confirm with a few simulations before moving forward? It should not take more than 20 or 30 minutes. Please let me know. Mullins out.=/\= Max went ahead and started to prepare the simulation based on the data he had on the nebula and what happens with the shields to see if they would apply to the tractor beam. He did not kick off the simulation until he had confirmation from the captain. He just waited for the response.

=/\= I didn’t think about that. Please run those simulations, but I’ll need an answer faster than 20 minutes. In the meantime, I’ll have us back away from the storm to avoid contact with it. Glen out. =/\=

“Lt. Pokorski,” Glen instructed the Navigator. “We need more time to run tractor beam tests. Take whatever evasive maneuvers are required to avoid the subspace eddies and lightning from that storm, up to, and including Full Speed Astern. We can always return again if needs be, but we’ll be no use to rescue the Risans if that storm damages us. What I’m not prepared to do is to leave them to die!”

“Aye, Sir!” Dariusz replied.

The Tractor beam could be used if they got within say 100-200 meters of a target, give or take. But they first had to have a target to see and attempt a lock on, which they did not have yet, least in relations to their goal of the lost Risan system vessel that had no reason to be here, given the frequency used was for sublight only system ships and the nearest Risan colony was over 3-4 light years away.

OOC: Sorry, but I was under the impression that the SS Gas Bug, under the command of merchant captain Steven Hull, and the other five civilian mining ships that were sent to gather various gases, were all Risan ships, and that the distress call came from one of them. Now, that may be a mistake that I could have actually made for real, and so I don’t need to change what I have previously written that I said, but where did you say that the frequency used was for sub-light only system ships and the nearest Risan colony was over 3-4 light years away previously? Or, if not, by what means am I finding this information out right now? Also, if this is some rogue, aberrant Risan vessel, rather than a perfectly normal commercial endeavour, then Glen’s steadfast determination to save them will probably waver somewhat!

Lance was waiting on the reader but something struck him about the name, and as the Captain had just said he didn’t run his bridge like other captains so Lance felt okay speaking out.

“Sir who named this nebula?” He asked “I’m just asking as I roomed with a guy at the academy who was studying ops. And I used to help him with a few of his classes one of those was systems and security. There is a thing that comes from old Earth that we still use in some security systems called a Honey pot trap, it’s used to trick people into something. In security systems it makes you think you can get into stuff you shouldn’t be able to, you think you are getting information when actually you have made yourself vulnerable to a counter attack.” He paused thinking about it “it just seems an odd name, almost like a warning that everyone is ignoring” it was the CMO’s suggestion of beacons that got him thinking and now he couldn’t really stop.

“I don’t know who named the nebula,” Glen replied. “I’m aware of that meaning of the phrase, but then this nebula seems as dangerous as a wasps nest anyway, hardly a place that would attract anyone with its sweetness. When I looked up the nebula earlier, the library computer was very vague about the nebula, and simply gave the information that the planet Risa (Epsilon Ceti B II) was class M, that the Risan capital was Nuvia, and that its government was the Risan Hedony. This planet and surrounding region was admitted into the United Federation of Planets in 2249. Maybe you can try and access it again?”

Checking the database they could see that The Honey Pot nebula was first surveyed and named in 2229-30s by the vulcan science ship Ta’pock and finalized and named by the USS Scorch a Liberty class science vessel back in that time period. In this case Honey Pot was likely given due to its rich mineral and gases, supposedly not a name given attempting to lure one into a trap.

The computer finally spat out a report of the data tape. =/\= Processing complete, data tape is a partial copy of the USS Trudograd’s black box, and contains three files, the first contains the commanding officer, and senior staff logs, this file however is inaccessible due to 98% corrupted due to tape damage. The second file contains USS Trodugrad’s status from 10 minutes prior to tape records ceasing recording, this file is accessible but contains 25% data fragments due to damage. The third file contains an audio file of the USS Trudograd’s Bridge records, this file is accessible, but contains 8% data fragmentation due to damage. =/\= it reported.

“I need the contents of those files, Lt. Malone,” Glen told his Science officer, “And not excuses from Mabel 2.0 about why she can only read some parts of them!”

Meanwhile the Merrimack continued a careful evasive pattern avoiding the worst of the nearby storm passing by now to their aft quarter. A few lances of energy spiked over their aft port nacelle housing but no damage was reported only a minor decrease in their hull polarization field was reported, and holding at 92% efficiency. As they cleared a helium and hydrogen cloud bank they came upon a grim sight. There in 3-6 larger hunks was the saucer and secondary hull section of the USS Trodugrad carried on a drifting eddy current of stellar winds and ionized gases like a mini river current in the nebula. Based on the scans they could see no signs of life, nor any signs of escape pods. The damage patterns on the scarring indicated likely some kind of massive internal rupture and explosion within the ship. Given how the debris were spread the likely flash point of the ship’s death was about 300 or so meters ahead within another bank of argon, helium, nitrogen, hydrogen, as well as thick dust clouds of minerals made up of gold, silver, copper, nickel and platinum. A minor ion electrical discharge was also flickering now and then from within.

Scans of the debris showed the likely internal explosion’s flashpoint was near or at the ship’s impulse fusion reactor which then compounded by the EPS network through the rest of the ship before full ship collapse. The sudden rapid expansion of this type of damage and blow out likely meant from the point of explosion until ship destruction was no more then 3-4 minutes maybe 5 tops. A period of time which likely caused the crew in a rush to figure out what was going on and with the damage to other systems be unable to send a communications call by the buoys much less get to escape pods. What directly caused such a failure though was as of yet hard to say. But one theory might occur to the more engineering minded that the Trudograd had not performed a polarization measure like the Merrimack, this could mean a sudden plasma strike that could have set off explodable gases unexpectedly doomed them from their own rescue attempt of the Risan ship still ahead as well.

One last thing picked up by science folks was that the currents of gas and minerals for which the Trudograd’s remains were in drifted in such a pattern to remind them of a draining whirlpool or sink or such. Slightly unusual as no past records from ships, both civilian miners or Starfleet/Federation showed much such activity was present in The Honey Pot. But if something had caused a gravitational change within the nebula this would mean more dangerous gases, minerals, and eddy storms would be present, the question was what could have done this?

Cross had seen enough, the only person who could provide more information was Junior Lieutenant Engineer Carol Machs and without a word she headed to sickbay.

Max went ahead and started his simulation in order to confirm what would happen if they turned on the tractor beam in this nebula. He waited to see what the simulation returned.

When Glen was told by Science that the pattern of debris resembled a draining whirlpool, he remember that the briefing had mentioned Captain Steven Hull of the SS Gas Bug had detected a possible matter/antimatter explosion within the nebula. Was this the result? Whatever, they needed to move away from this region.

Picking up upon Dr. Cross’ suggestion before she left the Bridge, “Lt. Porkorski,” Glen asked the Navigator, “Is it possible for us to go around this dangerous region, with its whirlpool, lightning and ion storms, and to approach the ship in distress from another different, and safer, direction?”

Hunter clicked his cell phone open =/\= Sickbay to bridge.. Captain the patient is awake and is providing us with detailed information.Sir I’m going to put him on, so you can hear for yourself of any insight, clues provided and description about what happened...... =/\=

=/\= Thank you Doctor Hunter, standing by… =/\=

=/\= I’m not fully sure w…what happened to be honest. We were sent in to The H…Honey Pot to find the distress ca....call source. I was near our library access for our computer core. The ship shuddered a bit, I s…saw out a port hole nearby that a ion or plasma eddy was closing in. I…we made a turn to p....port to avoid the worst of it, but I…I thought I saw too a....a swirling of it too like....like a shower drain or whi....whirlpool. I happened to be inserting then that tape to do some data log updates. Suddenly the T..Tru....Trudograd felt like it was thrown by the hand of God. Sirens were wailing people.....people screaming and the lights spa…sparked all over. I…I’m not sure why but I hit the emergency blackbox log dump to the tape. I grabbed it just as another heavier ripping feeling went through the ship.......somehow I stumbled out into the corridor almost pitch black I was scrambling into the turbolift nearby with ....with Ensign Parrey we barely got the doors pulled shut manually as I saw a fireball rushing at us. Then a sucking feeling of the air rushing out I knew something had thrown the car out of the tunnel and into space all at once there was a massive shockwave and the door burst open. P…Parry was gone in an instant....but I held on for a second to the railing then door frame I saw the turbolifts emergency EVA suit in its box and was able to grab it and.....and somehow pull it on before I passed out I’m not sure how long I was out but when I came around again I was in the suit drifting near once of the rear nacelle housings I pulled myself in and found I guess I stuffed the tape into my hands I floated there then seeing the.....the wreckage…I saw what w…was left of the Trudograd fragments.....hulks of metal......wiring.....all gone. I’m not sure what destroyed the ship but I don’t think it was an attack.....hopefully the tape tells more from the logs on the bridge....Anything e…else you need?” =/\ = .

=/\= Not unless you can remember anything more. Thank you… Just keep us appraised the patient’s condition, Dr Hunter. Glen out! =/\=

“It sounds like it’s some sort of spatial anomaly causing some kind of unusual disruption in the space-time continuum,” Glen decided. “The Merri has been quite familiar with examples of those in the past… right then, let’s get that chip data analysed quick as you can, and lets find another route through the nebula to that ship in distress. If this is a spatial anomaly, rather than am attack by ships unknown, it is going to be localised, and strongest at the point where it has already destroyed and damaged these other ships, which means that we ought to be able to go around the outside of it avoiding any harmful effects.”

This situation was not ideal, but then ones like this seldom ever are. The Captain’s plan was sound, as far as McDuff could see. He stood by his post, keeping a very close eye on the reads outs and Data that was appearing on the screen.

Dariusz would begin an about-turn manoeuvre, taking the Merrimack to a safe distance from the spatial anomaly’s effects, while looking for another different course through the dust clouds, electromagnetic ion storms and sub-space eddies; one that could take them to the mysterious ship that had radioed for help, but without resulting in a cataclysmic engine failure on the Merrimack.

• Dariusz, Navigator.