There are three valid points that justify an expedition
Primo - world's coming apart because me and Denis agree. Taus are like a 1917 trenchline. Not real good for your mental health. So yeah, accuse me/us of looking for casual pewpew in someplace exotic; It's for the RIGHT reasons.
Secundo - I personally orchestrated op. Cradle in the area, (same as Scarecrow in the upper Omegas) And as one good buddy of mine noticed, while two main actors on the scene used the system as a Connecticut mk II - we at least pretended we're doing some RP-like planetary exploration effort.
Tertio - It is as it has been in the case of the miners in omega 7 - an effort to protect and thereby solidify relationships with those we value as allies or depend upon in one way or another. Just as we didn't want to let some people harrass the o7 miners, we can't let an obvious aggression upon the Zoners be left unchallenged.
And as an ooc argument - Zoners had just about enough "enemies" by now and I think it's about time someone stood up for them.