Pirate mission:
available: in the grey zones

Objective: smuggle contraband cargo into the nation state you are aligned with IE: weapons, drugs, a criminal passanger

Climax: in the destination sector a computer generated militia squad of 3 ships with a ship loadout level comporable to your level is waiting to intervene and you have to battle or run the blockade

reward: killing some/all of the militia gives +combat
delivering the contraband gives +trade

cons: faction standing loss with nation but you're a pirate who doesn't care about the laws anyways!

pro: people who wish to play the shadey side of the game would have a means to do so and gain XP for it

oooh..... :D