go for short and sweet. Stop taking cargo, start asking for 2-3 million.
You stay in one place, you dont have to worry about them destroying -THEIR- cargo, and its quick. The trader still makes Money and now so do you. A compromise. You get greedy, and all you'll get is 3 hours of pewing empty transports with your "grieving" pirates. Cry me a river.
It doesn't hurt to be specific. Saying,
/1 I want you to give me 3 million or my friends and I will open fire on you.
You just told me who to give it to, what the consequences of not giving it are.
And you're pirates not diplomats.
Stop and hold the transport if you want straight $$$
Give engagement notices and blow the trade ship to hell to take their cargo.
I'm not a pirate and even I know thats the best way to do it.
You try to combine the two, then even I would destroy my cargo just to tick you off.
Tranports know the risks, take different routes, avoid the hassle, takes your chances.
And oddly enough, sometimes transports need to get blow away, just dont be a "grieving" pirate when a fleet comes after you.
I can't believe this is still and issue.
Sometimes, when all you want is to gain your freedom, you must be willing to risk it all.