First off, this is what my fleet looks like:
So, I'd come to the Thracia system in pursuit of a Templar fleet. Went through the alpha jump point, saw the target had used a gas giant well instead. Decided to stop by Babylon to buy some fuel and supplies while I was there.
On the way out an independent picket with a Hound, a Lasher and two fighter wings caught up to me (it'd actually started pinging before I docked at the station). The toll came to about 30,000 credits - penny change considering at this point in the game I have 9 million credits. But I was annoyed at the independents after their smuggling investigation busted me for buying a measly 100 fuel off the black market at Glasnir (dude, I needed it to get around) and docked me with
-130 reputation points. So I told the patrol to *** off.
They responded to this defiance of their authority in a reasoned and sensible manner, which is to say they attacked me. Seriously.
I was feeling merciful, so I got in my Desdinova and tried to shoot them just enough to make them run away. But despite bringing the Hound's hull to <5% and the Lasher to 50%, they still persisted in their folly. I tried deploying the Eagle and Centurion as well to scare them off - still no dice.
At this point I accidentally turned off hold fire and killed the Hound with a double HVD shot. Oops. Shortly after, the Lasher got blown up by Pilums, and
then the patrol finally decided to retreat. I ended the battle, saw the Lasher had passed its repair check, let it go as well.
For all my troubles, I'm now an enemy of every independent planet in the Sector. Meh. See if I help you guys when you have your next food shortage!