The Pirates of IndonesiaKelly McEvers takes readers' questions about piracy on the Strait of Malacca.

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Kelly McEvers: Good question. Not sure if my family would be too psyched about me going to Somalia.. I'm actually in Saudi Arabia right now, doing some reporting from here about the Sirius Star. As for other "strategies," like I wrote in the first installment, there's not a playbook for this. If you want to find a pirate, you go where pirates go.

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San Antonio: Have you read Alexander McCall Smith's book "Love Over Scotland"? His eccentric character Domenica, a world-tripping anthropologist in her youth, ironically pursues the same adventure as yourself in the Straits of Malacca, humorously infiltrating the world of piracy, with similar pirate contacts, and hunkers down on one of the islands, to eventually write a piece about pirate life. After reading this book a few months ago, I could only imagine such an endeavor to be that of only fiction, via a fearless, made-up character. But not! What sparked you to pursue such an adventure?

Kelly McEvers: I lived in Indonesia from 2003-2004. I've been wanting to do this story since then. Lots of news journalists had reporting on the increase—and subsequent decrease—in piracy in the Strait of Malacca, but no one ever *went there* to do the story justice. This is usually the case with correspondents: We don't have the time or the resources to spend three weeks on a single story.

So, when the foreign editor at Marketplace suggested I do this story, I jumped at the chance. The story was part of a series that was produced (and independently funded) by Homelands Productions, a great group of people who are committed to telling bigger, longer stories—and not just the news of the day. They're really the ones who deserve the credit here.

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Singapore: How do you judge whether someone is pulling a fast one or really a real pirate when you meet them?

Kelly McEvers: Great question. This is something I have to consider every day—not just with pirates. Did this guy *really* witness a murder? Does this woman *really* speak for the government?

With Agus, as with many story subjects, it was a case of verifying what he told me with other people. People on Belakang Padang and Batam. This was, of course, touchy, because no one wants to talk about piracy in Indonesia. They all know it happens, but they don't want to admit it.

Also, you just have to go with your gut. If you had met Agus, you probably would have had the same sense about him that I did: This guy was simply not a liar. There was no incentive for him to make stuff up.

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Clifton, Va.: The only way to stop piracy is the old fashioned way like the Brits did in the early 18th century. I don't believe liberals and the Obama administration and the UK govt have the stomach for the same short of measures. Hangings and pirates' heads on poles and other acts wouldn't sit well with the MSM and the EU public. But they stopped piracy in the West Indies in the early 18th century

The pirates in the West Indies in the early 18th century had the first democratic form of government. They elected their leaders etc. Do modern pirates have the same sort of governance? Doubt you will see female pirate leaders amongst today's modern Muslim pirates!

Kelly McEvers: No chicks in the Strait of Malacca, as far as I could tell. (And believe me, I asked.)

I can't imagine Mr. Black running any kind of democracy.

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Washington: Why don't ships in pirate-infested areas carry weapons to defend themselves?

Kelly McEvers: The companies who own the ships forbid it, mainly because their insurance premiums would skyrocket if their crews were armed. Crews with guns means more risk of people getting hurt.

(Can you imagine being out at sea for months with a deranged, coked-up captain who also happens to be toting an AK-47? How do you think disputes would end on that boat?)

Also, carrying weapons on board is "strongly discouraged" by the United Nations' International Maritime Organization.

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