Convoy

convoys are dragged by a non-military mothership (warp 4). Its warp core is not equipped with a protective shielding (military warp ships are!). It can be easily disabled by standard military ECM-devices. Once intercepted, it cannot use its warp engine anymore. The only way to get back the chrono pods is to send another fleet there (unlikly: the intercepting fleet was less than a sector away). Any intercepted convoy can be be abandoned after 2 hours - losing all chrono pods (but no score)