How high would you set the price for a human's life? A million credits? Two? Is there even a way that a life can be given a monetary value? Are the deaths of a few criminals worth more than the life of a innocent person?
I'm quite sure I don't have to tell you about the malcontents of Liberty, the Lane Hackers, the Rogues, and their misdeeds. We all know they are murderers, that nothing is sacred to them, that all they care about is cold cash (and in some few cases, maybe their brethren). Of course, they are not afraid of taking a life. They are not afraid of threatening to take a life either.
But what about the officers of the Liberty Navy, who have sworn to protect you, fellow citizens? Do they care about your life and well-being? Let me tell you what I have witnessed today.
Two Navy officers, patrolling the California system, found themselves confronted with three pirates belonging to the Liberty Rogues - a routine situation, one may say, considering the high pirate population Liberty is struggling with. The Rogues where currently in the process of stripping some unfortunate trader of cash and cargo - but when the two lawmen arrived, the pirates didn't just make a run for the nearest base. Instead, they took the trader and his crew hostage - terrorists and pirates they are indeed.
What did they demand? The release of captured brethren? Money? No. All they were asking for is the retreat of the Navy officers to 10k distance, so they could retreat as well. They knew they couldn't stay, but they also knew that fighting the Navy or trying to flee in a combat situation would be rather dangerous.
At first, the Navy Officers did indeed hold back; they kept talking to the captors, trying to negotiate a release. But the pirates did not accept any "offers" ("Know what? YOU move away and pray that we won't kill you!") the Navymen where giving them. Slowly, more and more Navy personnel gathered; after some time, even the two...famous Commodores Willows and Robinson showed up, accompanied by the LNS Montana, a heavy Siege Cruiser.
The Navy was unwilling to let the three Rogues go. They had their prey both surrounded and outgunned. There was no way the bunch of pirates who took a poor civilian hostage (which now also included a Lane Hacker who joined them after a while) could get away with their ships intact, if the Navy did not agree to their deal.
Eventually, the situation escalated. It was Commodore Willows who gave the order to fire, and who made the first kill. Taken by surprise, the Rogue negotiator's ship was quickly destroyed. But the Commodore's plan to kill the Rogues before they could kill their hostage failed - seconds after the first Rogue ship burst into flames, the hostage's trade vessel followed, and streams of plasma and bursts from 7 autocannons ensured that there wouldn't be many survivors. Sure, eventually, the Rogues were defeated (their bodies however haven't been found yet according to my sources, and it is likely that they got away in their escape pods), but at what price?
Many innocent civilians died on this sad day. My condolences to the spouses, parents and children who lost their loved ones when the transport was destroyed. Who carries the guilt of their deaths, though? Who murdered them? The Rogues, which took them hostage and shot them later? Or the Navy, which would rather see a few Rogues dead than the innocent crew of a civilian vessel alive?