The points in discussions about why certain ships can't go off their actual ZOI without huge preparations are always getting on the light when they are useful to be pointed at and they are forgotten when they are not useful.
However some times on a roll we managed to come to a conclusion that ZOI is determined by supply routes, bases where you can actually land, ship's fuel, oxygen supplies, etc. Which are all only in RP terms of cause.
So in different situation we talk about ships not being able to go from their ZOI because of having no bases around to land\having to go via hostile systems\etc and then small ships are going the way through the half of the Sirius because they feel like "checking out some stuff".
This is strange and very hypocritical. I bet Liberty will not be very happy to find Corsairs in NY which were "Checking out how things are going around Manhattan".
Yes, LSF is intelligence agency. Because Liberty is divided on many IDs. Corsairs ID is the only ID corsairs got so it have a multiple purpose as it's mounted by police\military\intelligence\traders\whatever ships from Corsair Empire.