Stocks Cloud Nebula

Situated in the Jhar'tha Expanse region of The Outback, the **Stocks Cloud Nebula** is a combination of hundreds of small nebulae and subspace anomalies concentrated within the area of space. Various types of radiation and subspace frictions have been detected within the Cloud, making it prone to plasma and ion storms and causing it to be an incredibly dangerous to be, similar to what is classified as the "Badlands" in the Alpha Quadrant and OB-113. The Outback natives known as The Royals have claimed the region, but that claim is not fully recognized and is under negotiation.

# Discovery by Echo Squadron

On Stardate 91380.29, the USS *Jackson, Colorado, Intercepter*, and *Paradox* of Task Force Avalon's Echo Squadron, accompanied by the USS *Issac Newton* entered the Stocks Cloud. Captain Kyro Smith of the *Paradox* was given operational command.

The survey team discovered that the nebula is home to intense storms and gravitational eddies that have been witnessed to carry asteroids of all sizes. However, after locating a group of these asteroids it was clear that there are spaces within the nebula of calmness where asteroids and crystal shards had gathered. The survey team discovered these asteroids had a perfectly smooth surface without the normal jagged edge. It was concluded in agreement by the surveying science teams that they had been subject to repeated collision, a similar impact to pebbles on a beach.

Alongside these fields of asteroids, a larger body of a stray moon, Moon Alpha, was found that appeared to have lost its orbit and drifted into Stocks Cloud over time. The second hypothesis was that the moon could have originated from the region and had been carried around by the storms. The surface was heavily damaged, suggesting an impact either by the asteroids within the nebula or from another source. Storm damage had clearly spread the surface, softening the impacts slightly. Close to Moon Alpha the team located Moon Bravo and Moon Charlie, both were limited in damage and had seen reduced storm impact either due to a smaller time within the nebula or simply having been sheltered. These moons appeared to have drifted away from the storms into the calmer regions where the asteroids had settled.

Captain Kyro Smith ordered the survey team to continue to a second field of asteroids located deeper within the nebula where the wreckage of an unknown ship was located. On discovery of the wreckage the Captain ordered that all vessels were to proceed around the field performing additional scans in an attempt to determine how likely an attack inside the field itself would be. This course of action proved to be prudent when hostile vessels opened fire onto the surveying team, damaging the smaller ships. This was the first encounter with the Raider faction of the region. The vessels were assessed to be made up of components from many origins almost as if built from a debris field. Targeting specific systems became challenging for the surveying teams due to the drastic changes in design between each of the hostile vessel. Noted to be about the size of a *Defiant*-class ship, these hostiles were fast and able to partially avoid return fire. Working in teams they were able to focus their attacks on specific shield vectors. After the survey team withdrew from the area the raider vessels stopped pursuit and fled.

On completing the survey of Stocks Cloud the team returned to Starbase 381 *"Praetorian"*.

During the survey, samples were taken of Crystal Shards adrift within the Stocks Cloud. On further analysis by the team it was discovered that these crystal shards adrift in space were Dilithium crystals. Speculation about the raiders using it for a fuel source was expressed. Some of the sampled crystals had areas of artificial coating found to have been adapted to shield the contents from sensors. [AAR]

# Royal's Claim

The Royals claim the region due to a religious belief that the Stock's Cloud is one of the homes of their gods, known as the Council. This belief is thought to come from their pre-spaceflight history, as the Stock's Cloud was clearly visible in the night sky of their homeworld, and rather than be dispelled by greater knowledge, it has instead persisted through their society.

# Current

The Stocks Cloud has not been surveyed since late 2413 and early 2414. Since the unexplained disappearance of the Lekaari, it is theorized the region should be free of hostile ships. An expedition led by the USS *Ascension* and including USS *Armada* and USS *Jonas Salk* occurred where a Graviton Ellipse was discovered and the ships had to be rescued.