There is also some nice potential for different pirate factions bumping into each other while trying to find the traders too! This reminds me of a scenario from a tabletop game called Necromunda I used to play (you basically created a gang, and then had to manage them over the course of battles to win respect, territory and credits for better gear). The scenario was that you stumble across a trader convoy at the same time as your rivals, and have to fight off the convoys defence, the other gang AND grab as much as you could carry and make off with it! It was a nicely chaotic scenario which would be fun to see happen here!