Yup ... you were fleeing combat ... you gotta leave the system.
Fleeing includes the following (not necessarily all inclusive):
- engaging cruise
- docking on a planet or base
- jumping to another system
- thrustering out of gun range -- returning would fall under the shield running rule
Now ... the reason thrustering is considered fleeing is because there's been discussion on this ad nauseum (spelling). Since the guy chasing you would have to engage cruise at some point ... the loophole emerged ... "hey ... he engaged cruise ... he's fleeing." Wrongo ... you gotta consider the direction he's going when he hits cruise. If he's chasing you ... he's not fleeing. But by letter of the rule ... he would be considered fleeing. SO ... if you thrust away ... you ran ... leave the system and be done with it. He can still engage you if he finds you ... but you cannot re-engage for the 4 hours. Even if you don't call it fleeing ... you still shield ran.
