Maybe this is an expensive modification? It would make sense to give it a trial run on a smaller craft, like a shuttle with a team of commandos who laid charges on the Republic's hull, before going to the expensive of coating entire starships.
That makes even less sense; a smaller ship would be ultimately screwed if it was somewhat spotted, or the spoof failed. A warship could still fight its way out in worst-case scenario; a shuttle would not. Commandos present higher chance of capture. Both failure scenarios however, present the question of "now how did you folks get here...", which would kill the plan in its crib.
Now, if you're asking me for my unsolicited professional security advisor opinion....
I don't think this is a Nash bait. In fact, it's a little bit Nash conceit to think this is about her. The Konen commander is fucking with us (i.e Sulu), directly.
Think about it. Starfleet is huge about its democracy, it's separation of powers. Sulu is one of the guys that stopped the Cartwright coup. He, more than anyone else in charge would be liable to listen to N'Gir, or even reconsider by himself the option of launching a military action at a very politically sensitive timeframe.
If we're going to run with "Trek!Thrawn" idea, the Konen commander knows this. Perhaps he studied Sulu's history; or perhaps just general human history. But he knew that if he yoinked the crew of
Republic at precisely that moment, he would have very, very good odds of getting away with them. And if he didn't...well, he just baited Nash, the boogeyman of Cardassia into open slugfest. I'd bet real money again that if we hit Enio right then and there, the Konen fleet would be away, laughing at us, while Cardassian commander goes "curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"
Since Konen are telepaths and don't give a shit about human treatment, it's trivial to go through the crew looking for potential weakpoints, likely melting their brains into goo in the process (which also gives the benefit of Starfleet not knowing what they divulged before they expired).
In fact, this is exact sort of thing I'd do.
I should totally write a Konen omake now.
In fact, I bet Konen!Thrawn doesn't even know who Nash is.
