I had an interesting idea for a thread recently that would be a significant event that could easily have wide implications or little implications at all. The thread would be fleet based but the aftermath would open wide doors all around.


The basic plot is that the little commerce war the Alliance and the Empire are waging behind closed doors ends up blowing up in their faces. A privateer chases a merchant ship into an escort and calls for backup. With this happening in a border region, increasing numbers of ships from the Empire, Alliance, various Pirate Factions, and numerous Security Guilds keep piling on until a significant battle with mass confusion is occurring.


Major players on both sides quickly become aware of the situation but neither wants to commit their battle fleets for fear of it escalating into a Star killer War, but just watch helplessly while two hundred or so small capital ships duke it out with each other. A breaking point occurs when two major players jump in with their respective star destroyers/cruisers and conduct negotiations while both sides clear up as the smaller ships run to the protection of the bigger warships.


In the aftermath of the battle a treaty is signed to end privateering and stop supplying the pirates. While some rogue elements may ignore the treaty, this leaves the various pirates rudderless and open to potential takeover by a third faction that wouldn't mind making a power play.


This could also lead to the well supplied (up until this point) pirates turning on their benefactors and leaving the galaxy at virtually the same problem as before, just with different people responsible.


Thoughts, ideas?