You have multiple ways to fix your empire standings, there should be more options for pirate factions too. I have no interest in giving free frigate/dessy killmails for null bois while trying to do the epic arcs.
Give us other ways to fix our pirate standings so we get to enjoy the new content too, or remove the standing requirements from the pirate fw, why would pirates even care about some standings?
This is one reason why there should be more neutral objectives in highsec. Infrastructure around npc stations, pocos and gates to hack / attack, non-Dimond-Rat neutral miners, I haven’t seen the convoy npcs around lately, but if they’re still in the game, perhaps their cargo could be turned into the pirate factions for standings increases.
There’s quite a bit that could be done to flesh out this part of the game.