the circles aren't meant to be visible. I'll have to check the ini file but they are set in the editor to be visible to nobody. The big circle is actually just a trigger for the mission briefing message lol

NVM I'm being dumb.

I'm gonna be real with you chief.
I have no idea what to do in this mission in terms of what it wants me to do. What does the circle mean?

Hello, i have fixed some triggers that weren't firing. Please comment with feedback if you try this scenario.

I advise not to "request identify" - the ships are set to reveal who and what they are through triggers at some point or another, and i didn't find a way to make a ship report itself as something it is not (honest pirates)