It is also possible that whenever a starship goes kaboom, automation makes sure that a recorder marker is fired off. If the heroes know the ship is going to go kaboom, Kirk may give the specific order to "prepare" the recorder marker, that is, upload the latest logs and wish-I-were-there postcards - but even if the kaboom comes as a surprise, the marker is always launched. And on its way to safety, it will record as much of the death throes of the mothership as it possibly can, so that the investigation board will have something to go by.
Timo Saloniemi
Timo Saloniemi
