And that sums up what is wrong with the game at the moment: If you want to fight, you have to dedicate your ship to it, or you will not be able to cope with interdictors. Then again, if you don't take missions, you will not get interdicted...
If you do trading missions, you need cargo holds, but then you get interdicted and you can only flee... How weird is that?
Another example: When you like mining (sorry, i do), you have to fit your ship with limpets and cargo and mining lasers, leaving no room whatsoever for anything fighting, or it will atleast be very poorly for defense. However, when you are going for an asteroid field ro something like that, it is very likely you will meet pirates, where you can only run from. Who likes that???? Would it not be far more logical if you could dedicate the remaining hardpoints on, lets say, Extra rocket power to flee?? or at least something useful?
Back to the threads subject: I totally can understand OP that he is fed up with travelling for several playing hours just to get back from an eternally and totally wasted journey. Of course, he knew what he started, but making him go back the whole journey when he is beaten like that feels like getting kicked while allready on the ground bleeding all over the place. I am pretty sure that I would have given up alltogether... My last advice (what I would do) is to make a ticket and explain the situation and ask to be placed somewhere around the bubble. If you make it a good plea, they might help you. I know they did that for me lots of times...