I guess the biggest issue I have is that Darkwing has always operated under the guidelines of protecting Traders and ensuring the safety of trade routes.
Here it seems that traders might as well all fly luxury liners with the heaviest armor available because they can not expect help from anyone unless it is arranged prior to launch. I feel sorry for the individual who wants to trade that does not always have a friend to fly with.
Oh, and as to the origin of bounty hunters, maybe its just me but I would think that the larger source of them would actually come from lawful organizations. They are just individuals who decided they wanted to be their own boss or were tired of having to wait for paperwork to get some scum out of action.