Mission Question

[Tamerlane]

Downloaded Starfury recently and have had fun with it. But I have a question on a mission. I am to save a destroyer with a pirate willing to spill the beans on some artifacts. I understand that I am to clear a sector of enemy pirates so that the informant can cross safely. Now there are a lot of pirates-- trouble is I can't even get to the ship before he is destroyed. I warp into the system, look at the map, and try to figure out which group to deal with first--- then I receive a message that the informant's ship, the Digger, has been destroyed. No matter which part of the system the Digger is located, the ship immediately attacks the neareat group of pirates which is suicide. Do I understand the mission correctly? If so, do I keep on warping in hoping that the Digger is randomly placed far enough away from the enemy to give me time to save his suicidal behind?

Thanks
Bob