Albanar Nebula - The Rabbit Hole
History
The nebula's formal name is the Albanar Nebula named after the Albanar System an inhabited planetary system that resides in the nebula It was nicknamed the Rabbit Hole by human explorers approximately 35 years ago due to extreme eddies and subspace distortions that cover the region making navigation dangerous. The disturbances within the nebula also cause sensor anomalies, ghosts and in some areas make it impossible to use sensors at all. The nebula is an H II type nebula approximately 6.2 light years across. According to official records there is one inhabited planetary system Albanar, there are 8 known stars in the region all less then 3 billion years old. Fifteen years ago a scientific mission was sent to the region to study a stellar mass that appeared to be on the verge of becoming a new star. According to accounts by Jules Octavian Cesarian there is a second inhabited system within the nebula called Korentas a supposedly xenophobic and territorial race that has attacked Albanar multiple times. There is no official record of this system.
Recent Events
The USS Pacifica recently traveled to the "Rabbit hole" in search of Rikan Pirates that had been attacking ships on both the Federation and Romulan sides of the Neutral Zone. The nebula was found to be heavily mined with a form of proximity mine that would ignite the volatile gasses of the nebula itself thus amplifying the damage caused by the mine. The Romulan Warbird Levix was damaged by one of the mines, but was able to make repairs.
Pirates
The Rikan Pirates have been using the nebula as a base of operations in their attacks. It is believed that the Pirates vacated the nebula in part thanks to the USS Pacifica's investigation, however the mines they left behind are still present in large numbers.
Due to the presence of the mines travel within the nebula is not advised.
