Let's say I have a sub with crucial, must-not lose specialists on board. Now a sub is chasing my sub. It's got a Pirate and 100 drillers, and it's locked on to my crucial sub. Not good.

Now let's say i send out a Pirate Assassin, and successfully kill this pirate.

Will the 100 drillers continue on their death march, or will the loss of their pirate force them to relocate to the nearest friendly base?

Put on the list of stuff to be tested.

I had something like this, I had the pirate against nav+assassin. My 10 drillers went back to nearest outpost with captured specialists and no pirate. I would guess the 100 drillers would capture your assassin and return to nearest outpost.

We have tested and confirmed. When the pirate dies, the remaining drills have to reroute to the nearest friendly outpost.