101491.8
CMDR Blake, K.
LOCATION T’Ong Nebula, Beta Quadrant
MISSION Patrol of Federation/Klingon Border, Perform Scientific Study of T’Ong Nebula
OUTCOME T’Ong Corridor opened artificially, appears to be mycelial anomaly.
Unknown Reman vessel discovered, potentially in distress.
NARRATIVE This report details our ongoing patrol route along the Federation/Klingon Border. As of 2000 hours, Siva had reached the T’Ong Nebula, a frequent site of conflict through the years, and subsequently a frequent place of piracy.
Commander Sorek had prepared a short report of the current goings on in the area; the USS Tucker had reached its intended colonial site in the Dorvanis system, there had been an Eleos-class vessel limping back to Ganalda station, and the weather report was clear aside from some ion storm discharge within the nebula. The ion storm had been the cause of the Eleos-class’ misfortune, so we moved to investigate, with the intention of updating Starfleet Cartography with recent close range scans.
Commander Shallas also advised of an increase in pirate activity within the area, therefore I requested she work with navigation to plot a safe course to the nebula, allowing us to perform sweeping scans of the area to map potential pirate hotspots for further investigation, and to get an idea on the size and location of the storm.
A new addition to the crew, Ensign Davin, detected a 6.1 second cadence within the ion discharge pulses, which suggested that there might be either an artificial origin to the storm, or an external factor interfacing with the storm. With the crew working effectively together, a plan was devised to emit a counter frequency ping into the ion storm, which had an effect, producing a reactionary burst from within the nebula, overloading a small number of sensor systems.
The displacement within the nebula was identified as a ship of unknown origin, obscured primarily by the nebula, but also a likely overworked cloaking device. The readings we could determine suggested the vessel was moving slowly, and a mid-sized vessel, likely of Klingon or Romulan design.
Unable to determine the cause of the reaction from the ion storm within the nebula and now with the possibility of a cloaked vessel being the cause of it instead, I ordered yellow alert. Commander Shallas informed me of the "T’Ong Corridor subspace phenomenon, which given its origin during the Mycelial crisis, and potential artificial origin, I requested a scan for mycelial energy signatures within the burst, which was detected at a higher level than would typically be expected.
I ordered for additional counter frequency bursts to be emitted into the nebula, in sync with the 6.1 second cycle. This had the effect of further bursts of mycelial energy, and ultimately the early opening of the T’Ong corridor as per the hypothesized cycle. This time, however, with our sensors already looking for a ship, we were able to detect a vessel within the corridor, a Reman Hathos-class vesse, its cloak having been overwhelmed with the blue hue of the mycelial burst, leaving a residue upon the hull of the vessel.
Given the effects of the corridor, we were able to reach the vessel within a few hours and attempted to hail them on general channels with offers of assistance, but no response was received, nor did they move off or raise shields. Anticipating the need to provide assistance, I ordered Commander Sorek to prepare an away team and render aid to the vessel.