[snip]

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!

OOC: Yes they were just your usual traffic mining ships. They were the ones who originally picked up the risan distress call. Maybe I wasn’t clear on that if so i’m sorry. As for when I said it was in the briefing as well as in other previous replies here earlier. Whether they are rogue or not is unknown, but given it seems to be a distress call from a ship not meant to go out of its home system and so is not meant for long journeys or a big crew it would be a foolish move for someone to use such a ship. Essentially you’re likely looking at a system ship only a bit bigger then a normal shuttle for the era, and not able to support a warp drive. Hope this helps!

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 than 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.

Simulations showed that the tractor beam should work if they had a target to lock onto. Given the eddies, and other anomalies/gases present the maximum effective range though was probably at best 100-200 meters, the towing capacity was also affected from its usual weight allowances. In short the closer they could get to a target, and the more power channeled, the more effective if would be in general.

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?”

”..Yes sir. We can navigate around the eddies, without problem. Given the distress call seems to be just beyond that ‘whirlpool’ I can take us above and/or around it easily enough. But no idea what is on the other side in the opposite direction, sir.” he said.

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 appraise 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.

Lance looked at the readout from the computer regarding the data card, to say he was less than impressed was an understatement. The card was almost completely corrupted making getting answers difficult to impossible. Several weeks with the right software could rebuild the logs, mostly but they didn’t have that.

The CMO came on the bridge again and she soon realized the ship was taking another route to enter the nebula ,hopefully a much safer one .

“Sorry Captain, you’re not going to like this but the chip is pretty fried, the first officer and personnel logs only have 2% currently accessible. The status reports from the last 10 minutes of the Trodugrad’s there’s about 25% of that accessible, however we do have the audio logs from the bridge, there is less than 10% fragmentation so it’s playable, but is going to be a bit flakey in places.” he paused “More time we could clear this up in the lab but right now this is the best we’ve got”

“I’ll take that… I’ll take anything, over nothing at all!” replied Glen.

Lance looked over at the CoS “Any ideas Lieutenant Khauv?”

’’ And the poor guy had held to it for dear life ‘’ she replied ‘’ For now we have only the patient in sickbay to provide us with more information , does anyone have any suggestions of what we should ask?’‘

“You could ask him what they thought the Risan ship was doing there if it wasn’t mining, and how it got 3-4 light years away from Risa with only sub-light engines?”

• Glen, CO

Cross nodded and opened her cellphone making contact with Hunter passing on the Captain’s order ‘’Sir right now the patient is resting he was in too much pain and Hunter gave him a mild sedative ‘’.

Jaris is deep in thought during this ordeal. Thinking to himself of the best outcome with the Merry and how to rescue the ship. Jaris spoke up “Would we have enough power by using the eddies as a way to boost the energy output to the tractor beam?”

Cmdr. Andor

Cross CMO.

Playing back the bridge audio log, the speaker nearby spat static before it came clear, the first void in mid-speech that could be heard was the ship’s CO, =/\=....wondering though is how a Risan system vessel got out here. Anyone got any ideas?=/\= He asked.

=/\= Hard to say, Captain. However, one possibility is a micro-wormhole. While not often encountered, it could be possible given current events within the Honey Pot so far.=/\= Came the ship’s Vulcan CSO.

=/\= Maybe, Lieutenant, but that would mean tha–=/\= A crackle of static of corrupt audio broke up what the XO was about to say, =/\= …which according to our relayed report to the colony is not present.=/\= He said.

=/\= Maybe its only one way? Like a funnel opening is out by the colony there, and spat it out into the Honey Pot there was those discharges the Gas Bag picked up of a matter/antimatter reaction before the distress call got picked up.=/\= Someone new said. audio match on the voice suggested it was the ship’s helm officer NE.

=/\= Helm, take us around that plasma eddy to port, I don’t like the looks of it.=/\= Came the XO.

=/\= Aye sir, adjusting heading to starboard by 037 mark 92.=/\= The NE said.

=/\= Captain, based on the signal strength we should be approaching its origin point about 100 or so meters ahead. =/\= a woman’s voice said, ID’d as the ships comm officer.

Finally the CSO replied to the earlier helm NE’s suggestion, =/\= Highly unlikely, though not impossible. Given we do not know what type of missing ship this could be, nor did this colony report any missing sublight system craft. It could be we are looking for a minor blackmarket trading vessel within the system that is unregistered. Perhaps they had the materials to rig such an explosion to–=/\= The Vulcan CSO said before being interrupted by a warning beep usually used by science to tactical of a possible danger/anomaly, =/\=..Captain I am..=/\= But he was suddenly cut off by a sudden discharge of some kind in the background. Shouts and sounds of tumbles were heard as well as warning alarms.

=/\=..REPORT!=/\= Came the captain’s voice, sounding as if injured/in pain.

A burst of static corrupted the log for a moment before it cleared again, =/\= …trical discharge!=/\= Someone said, the audio match could not be identified properly but the computer gave it a 64% chance of being the ship’s XO/Chief Engineer. =/\= Showing ruptures in EPS lines on =/\= another burst and static filled series of alarms cut him off, followed by more shouts, =/\=....trying to sustain pod integrity. Plasma lighting output is increasing, I’m also picking up a gravity well like.....like some kind of whirlpool. Its pulling us in, no response to engine control, nor from main eng…=/\= Another burst of audio cut off.

=/\= …bandon ship! Repeat all hands abandon ship!=/\= then came the Captain’s final orders.

The final audio log for the bridge cut out. But through this processing they lucked upon a bit more data! It seems the bridge’s external sensors normally used for short range communication and visuals had picked up a bit of imagery. Showing this showed a plasma/ion storm mixture to the port side of the Trudgrad, likely making a course correction to avoid it. Much like the Merrimack had done to their own brush to this only a few minutes ago. The difference though was the Merrimack had taken precautions to polorzaive the ship’s hull and Rodium armor plating. A chill would run down everyone’s mind recalling how mear moments ago one of those lighting bolts had struck the rear port nacelle and only lightly scarred the ship as a result of their preparations. Had they not done this the mixture of the energies hitting them would likely have back fed through their nacelle and pylon directly into their intermix chamber.........they had barely avoided the same fate as the Trudograd

GM CockRoach