I ran into a peculiar issue for myself. I was exploring/surveying systems and salvaging probes/survey ships. Just as I'm about to leave the system, I give away some fuel to a stranded independent fleet with my transponder off. On my way back to civilization, a large fleet suddenly started following me. On instinct, I turned off my transponder. Out of curiosity, I saved my game, and turned off sburn so i could look at what the fleet is, and it's an independent salvager chasing me, yet not formerly hostile. Turning my transponder back on tells me it would reveal my hostile actuons to yhe independants, so i'm really confused. As far as I know, I didn't do anything.