Triton: pirate economics and the time available to naval patrols

Triton's officers initially struggle to explain why raiders would attack a young agricultural colony whose supplies appear worth less than the cost of the operation. Familiar pirates can normally be identified from ship silhouettes, but the distress message describes unfamiliar vessels and omits the scans needed for a closer assessment. One possible explanation is outdated identification software rather than a new enemy. The fictional navy keeps ships within rapid-response distance of many colonies, yet experienced raiders calculate how much time they have before a patrol arrives. Once the attackers have escaped, finding them can take days.