Quote: 3.1 An attack is any hostile action that drains shields to less than 50%. Saying "Engaging" is not sufficient and aggressors are not allowed to destroy a ship before allowing sufficient time to respond. If a player is attacked he has the right to defend himself regardless of who is attacking. Trading nanobots, shieldbatteries or other ammo and equipment during a fight is also considered taking an active role in the engagement.
Consequences:
Ok, so you are proud of your big bad Bounty Hunter Destroyer. That still doesn't give you the right to just fly up to a pirate and pop him without saying a word. I recommend you spend a little time reading over the rules. Your guns have fallen off and your bank account took a slight hit.