Another kind of piracy

Reading David Weber's &quot;A Rising Thunder&quot;<br /><br />In it the Star Empire gave a non discretionary order for all of its civilian ships to leave Solarian League space as a state of war was around the corner. One merchant captain was pleading with a navy captain to let him complete his contracted run lest there be an accusation of piracy for him just sailing off with the cargo in his hold.<br /><br />I hadn't thought of that- a ship takes a cargo and then never delivers it but rather sells it elsewhere. they didn't pay for the cargo but now got paid for it. It might be a little easier in a Traveller type  setting and perhaps a little more difficult in the Frontier but still its an idea.