Re: Pirates and Privateers

> I understand your point of view.
> But if a FSE patrol cruiser was attacked by (bother! now I have to go
look
> up an AE government)

Just make one up.  If I like it, it's probably been there for years.

>...Republic of Marxgrad (picking a name out of the
> hat), the FSE would likely hold the AE responsible (they failed to
exercise
> control over their citizens). Granted the primary target of retalitory
> strikes would likely be the Marxgrad holdings and property, but any AE
ship
> that they would meet would likely be deemed hostile until a diplomatic
> solution (including reparations) could be agreed upon.

The People's Democratic Socialist Republic of Marxgrad can't afford a
ship
big enough to attack a CE--it's only a couple hundred people--but if
they
did (and their ship made it back to AE space), the AE would have to
decide
if it was justified (if if the AE retroactively endorses it).  If not,
the
AEmight allow the FSE safe passage for retaliation if the FSE didn't
want to
prosecute under Imperial law.  If the FSE caught the Marxgrad ship
before it
got back to AE space, then whatever the FSE does with it is up to them,
not
the AE.  This could in theory get kind of complicated--say five
sovereignities group together to pay for a mercenary attack--but in
practice
it very seldom arises.