From publisher blurb:
The massive Sonoran Nebulae has been slowly coalescing over millions of years. Naturally this has been imperceptible to the beings living in the sector. The cloud of gas, dust and debris is visible to the naked eye to most worlds within the Sonoran sector. Most races which live within the sector have their own names and legends for the celestial object in their night sky.
Judas Bautista is an eminent astronomer and physicist at the Sonoran University. His theories on gravitational force and star formation are required reading for young science students at the university. He is the authority on most well known theories involving the subject in the sector.
While in port the travelers see a job posting which offers good compensation for what appears to be a relatively safe mission for a change. The travelers would accompany Dr. Bautista on an expedition to the nebulae to send out some special probes to measure and study the nebulae.
The posting indicates that he needs a crew for his scientific research ship to help him conduct his tests and to protect him from potential pirates and bandits in that part of the sector.
What could possibly go wrong on such a mission?