The fooled samaritan

[Valdivia]

Pirates. Bandits. A huge galaxy like the one we inhabit must have its share. And rumors say you are headed their way.
 
You are the captain of a starship, and you are patrolling an area where several ships have disappeared in the last months. According to intelligence reports, all ships disappeared while responding to false distress calls, coming from holographically disguised pirate ships. You don’t know what happened after they approached, but they suddenly dropped out of contact.
 
As you patrol the area, you receive a distress call. Coming from one of the ships that disappeared last week. They were effectively attacked, and left adrift. The distress call has been, apparently, on automatic since then. You are eager to help, but then a thought crosses your mind. Could this be one of the fake distress signal? Could you be about to become a new victim?
 
What would you do? 
 
This is a new question from our category Morals of Trek, where you are in the shoes of a Starfleet Captain facing a dilemma any of our favorite characters could have faced in Star Trek. If your crew has faced any such dilemmas and you want to see it featured in a Poll of the Week, let us know!
 

[Randal Shayne]

I would absolutely move to assist. It's my obligation as a captain. And frankly, I'd like to meet the pirate that could take me on in a fair fight.  

[Kendra Eberhart]

I agree that I too would move in to assist, it is the right thing to do on the off chance that the distress call is genuine and also because I am sure a starfleet regulation requires all able ships to respond to distress calls. 

HOWEVER, since we know of these pirates and their tendency to ambush ships, even without the knowledge of they holographic technology, I would go in with weapons and shields up. And run full sensor sweeps just to make sure the supposed ship in distress is really in distress. Or it will be about to be in distress....

 

[Hannibal Parker]

I'm going in, shields up, weapons charged being prepared if it is a trick. If it's a real ship in distress, render aid. If not, they will eat torpedoes....

[+ Saveron]

Given the recent attacks, I would hope that I would be present in a ship with reasonable defensive (and offensive) capabilities. One wouldn't send a Nova Class into dangerous territory. 

I would first signal my intentions back to Starfleet Command. Then I would go in with shield up and weapons ready.

[Jon Oswald]

I'd go investigate and when the pirate captain comes on the view screen with their demands, I'd invite them over for dinner and persaude them to change their choice of occupation with my Picard style diplomacy.

Edited July 23, 2017 by Jon Oswald