What Is Going On With Merchant Trade Orders?

[DuPont]

This is now the second game where my Free Trader ships, out on merchant trade expeditions, have started to attack other ships. I have verified that both fleets only ordered trade orders. This is something new, has there been a tweak in the programing? Is this something unique to the Free Traders, that they will attack others who are trading in the same space? It doesn't indicate that on the setup. The last game where this kept happening was one where I was already hors de combat, but this game is quite different. I would really like a straightforward answer as to what is going on.