Nico was analyzing the data from the Blarg computers when she suddenly had an epiphany. "I know what happened to the ship that we were following. It started at another ship and ended at a dead-end, but it wasn't the only ship in the region at either point. It seemed like the most logical choice, given its size and designation, but I don't think it was a freighter at all.
From what I can tell, I think we were tricked into chasing a probe with a false warp signature. One of the other ships sent it out and picked it up in order to hide their tracks. That's not a technology that most species have, so it's possible that they can disguise the warp signature of their ship as well.
They won't be able to alter the actual warp signature, but they might be able to overlay it with something else to make it look like a different ship of the same pattern."