So, let's make a clearence here.
After i taked down your shields and more than half of your hull
you was at 1.5k far from me, cos gunboat's thruster is slow. (if you just continued flying with your thruster all was fine).
But you engaged your cruise and CD was unable to stop you anymore.
The fight happened want you or no. (If you are enemy, nobody will ask you if you are ready to fight or if you want to)