If Zoners were to become openly taxable by any pirate if that pirate doesn't see the Zoner hauling stuff directly beneficial to that pirate's cause, then the entire RP behind the Zoners and their dealings with other factions falls apart. They become just another NPC trader faction, no different from BOWEX as far as anyone is concerned.
I'm aware that the Zoners are on very precarious footing with both the Outcasts and Corsairs (Nomads don't count, Tree, since they don't have any trade dealings with anyone), but the neutrality is still holding together. If the Outcasts no longer need the Zoners, then Freeport-10 will be no more and the Zoners will have the same trouble in the Taus and Outcast space as any other trader... But the Outcast do find the Zoners useful, too useful to just throw away willy-nilly. The Corsairs have debated seizing the Zoner biodomes, but haven't yet. Why? Well, Zoners supply a lot of useful cargo to the Corsairs, which they might be able to get elsewhere, but it would certainly be more difficult. They're also the main hauler of Corsair artifacts. The Zoners are also tightly allied to the Order, who would probably side with them over the Corsairs any day.
I already mentioned, Treewyrm, that the House factions don't rely on Zoner support. I think the Houses would be more likely to outlaw the Zoners and politely (or not) escort them out of their territory when found. To them the Zoners are just a bunch of questionably-aligned traders who deal with pirates. Of course, that can't really happen in the game, because the PC lawfuls DO rely on the Zoners for much of their equipment.
@Duke, If the AW were to choose to side with a pirate faction who assaults/taxes Zoners, even if those Zoners aren't in Theta, then their claim to be the 'Zoner Guard' faction becomes truly laughable.
