ates , ▁though ▁they ▁attack ▁within ▁Federation ▁space . ▁ ▁They ▁are ▁also ▁univers ally ▁des pis ed , ▁even ▁by ▁other ▁Pir ate ▁fa ctions , ▁so ▁they ▁will ▁be ▁attacked ▁by ▁any ▁war ship ▁or ▁inter ceptor ▁of ▁any ▁fa ction ▁in ▁a ▁system . ▁ ▁The ▁Association ▁of ▁Free ▁Trad ers ▁is ▁a ▁proud ▁but ▁dw ind ling ▁organization . ▁They ▁see ▁themselves ▁guard ians ▁of ▁Federation ▁space , ▁and ▁their ▁main ▁enemy ▁is ▁the ▁Gu ild ▁of ▁Free ▁Trad ers . ▁They ▁have ▁created ▁their ▁own ▁class ▁of ▁ships , ▁which ▁are ▁civil ian ▁ships ▁that ▁have ▁been ▁thoroughly ▁upgrad ed ▁and ▁twe aked , ▁and ▁fitted ▁with ▁a ▁vast ▁array ▁of ▁weapon ry ▁and ▁Pir ate ▁technology . ▁ ▁The ▁once - pr oud ▁association ▁met ▁its ▁decl ine ▁in ▁power ▁after ▁a ▁very ▁strong ▁Bureau ▁fleet , ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁the ▁Gu ild ▁of ▁Free ▁Trad ers , ▁organized ▁an ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁association . ▁The ▁Bureau ▁invited ▁the ▁association ▁leader , ▁Morgan , ▁to ▁a ▁peace - tre aty , ▁which ▁turned ▁out ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁amb ush , ▁helped ▁by ▁the ▁Gu ild ▁of ▁Free ▁Trad ers . ▁Morgan , ▁his ▁crew ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁met ▁their ▁death ▁there , ▁and ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁association ▁has ▁been ▁replaced ▁by ▁O la f ▁Grey should ers . ▁The ▁association ▁has ▁ever ▁since ▁been ▁an ▁enemy ▁of ▁the ▁Bureau ▁of ▁In ternal ▁Investig ation , ▁though ▁they ▁are ▁not ▁in ▁open ▁war ▁with ▁the ▁Federation