There's plenty of things to do with the independent zoners (aka, freeport limited ones) you just have to get people that are interested in roleplay.
I'll make example of two freeports (since I spent most of my time in Omegas and Omicrons)
Fp 5 is in O41. The system itself sucks when you ask most people. I love it because it drains down trader's hulls and my job is even easier as pirate. As a Zoner from freeport 5 you are a guest there in Corsair territory and the only reason the freeport is there is because Corsairs allowed it in hope they'll get the biodomes eventually. The situation with Corsairs and Zoners isn't looking good as there's always some tensions.
So Zoners on FP5 would probably be hostile to Hessians (without engaging them), and would probably move in food and light arms from the houses to Corsairs while exporting Artifacts to the remotely safe places (or black market munitions) and avoiding the authorities.
Things to do on fp5:
- Roleplay a survey of the 41, scientific approach on the death star.
- Roleplay mapping of the 41, wrecks exploration and whatnot.
- Roleplay securing the route from 47 to Theta.
- Re-mining the omega 11 hole to prevent Hessian attacks.
- Convoying and trading
- Planning a supply convoy attack with Hessians.
Freeport 9 on the other hand is much more delicate.
That base should have at least one or two gunboats acting as policemen, and a relatively mind relaxing theory about indestructible fp9 should be made. Basically why can't 15 Osirises blow it up for example. We all know it can't but parking 2 Jinkusus or something like that there will only breed more caps and taunt others to attack them. Fp9 is also between two most powerful unlawful forces in Sirius, Outcasts and Corsairs that will have more than their own disputes to look at in 4.86. Gallia is coming and that could mean that FP9 has finally got a moment to breathe as conflicts should at least come to some maintainable level in Theta. Theta is Zoner's system as well and how it stays like that atm is mind boggling.
Zoners rarely help corsairs and that should change too.
But they rarely help outcasts too, and that's what fp9 zoner group should do.
It should basically be the biggest group since they have two factions to tend.
You can do all the things you could on FP5, but you have aspect of entire other faction to work with. Basically fun.
Sure both do not yield 15mil per 30minutes trading, but that doesn't make it boring.