The MTA didn't appear to be in a hurry to summon Ves for a good discussion, so he spent quite a few hours on additional preparations.
He mostly asked for advice from his wife, Calabast and Minister Shederin.
Each of them gave him a lot of ideas and recommendations that further prepared him for whatever stratagems the mechers might present.
Of course, Ves did not ignore the fact that the mechers tracked all of his preparations and could adjust their own approach based on what they learned.
This was a game that Ves was bound to lose. At the very least, he aimed to limit his losses as much as possible. He did not want the MTA to roll over him without worrying about encountering any resistance!