Pirate
A pirate was an individual, such as a thief or marauder, who robbed others of their money or possessions, typically aboard their ships or starships. A pirate who operated on behalf of a government was known as a privateer. Pirates were often rash and brazen individuals, accustomed to pillage, strife, and murder, and in some ways comparable to barbarians.

In recalling the Triacus marauders, Spock stated that "according to the legend, Triacus was the seat of a band of marauders who made constant war throughout the system of Epsilon Indi. After many centuries, the destroyers were themselves destroyed by those they had preyed upon." ()

In the 1980s, pirates were engaged in whaling on Earth. ()

During the 22nd century, trade routes near Earth were often ambushed by Nausicaan interstellar pirates. ()

In the 2150s, the crew of an Osaarian merchant ship turned to piracy to survive after being trapped in the Delphic Expanse. They attacked  in 2153, after it had been disabled by a spatial anomaly. ()

The Orions were known to stray into the profession of piracy. In 2154, Harrad-Sar commented that he preferred commerce to piracy, although he stated that he would resort to plundering "when the situation calls for it". () This practice continued well into the 23rd century. ()

Until they were stopped by the  in 2259, the pirate Captain  raided the border of Federation space from their vessel, the Serene Squall. ()

James T. Kirk once remarked that he always thought Spock was a pirate at heart, due to his  from the mirror universe fitting into such an environment "so easily". ()

Mercenaries and pirates were still active in the 24th century. The  nearly fell prey to pirates several times. Ferengi pirates took control of the ship but were thwarted by Captain Jean-Luc Picard and several other members of the crew who, due to a transporter accident, were children. Picard had run into Ferengi pirates before, as captain of the  years earlier. () Additionally, a group of mercenaries boarded the Enterprise while it was undergoing a baryon sweep, to steal trilithium resin for use as explosives. Picard thwarted them, and managed to keep the sweep from killing him. ()

In 2372, the  repelled an attack by Breen privateers on the Bajoran colony of Free Haven. ()

Appendices

See also 
 Harry Mudd
 Marauder class
 Marauder Mo
 Orion vessel
 Orion Interceptor
 Oyster pirate
 Traitor's Claw
 Nausicaan ship

Apocrypha 
The video games  and Star Trek: Judgment Rites, set in the late-2260s, featured a clan of pirates known as . Elasi ships were a hodgepodge of old Klingon battle cruisers , which were fast and maneuverable but fragile. These frigates were equipped with phasers and photon torpedoes.

Towards the end of Star Trek: 25th Anniversary and throughout Judgment Rites, the Elasi made an alliance with the Romulan Empire, who provided the pirates with cloaking devices. The Elasi retrofitted their ships with these devices, along with other modifications such as three forward-firing photon torpedo tubes. Elasi pirates were responsible for 46 attacks against the Federation between 2267 and 2269. During that time they were considered a "Class I Threat" to the Federation.

Star Trek: Starfleet Command - Orion Pirates features eight Orion pirate cartels: the Orion Cartel, Crimson Shadow, Camboro, Prime Industries, Tiger Heart, Beast Raiders, Syndicate, and Wyldefire Compact.

External links 

de:Piraterie
Illegal occupations