I have to say Pilot Cultivation has the most upsides. Not only helping his own pilots get stronger and his daughter, there is the MTA goal to consider. Seeing Ves succeed in getting pilots to keep improving would increase his value enormously.

Even offering benefits to Ves, his wife won't let him. Anything the Friday Coalition offers would only get them a temporary truce at best.

is the name of their headquarter planet Druidia? lol

space druids !!

I still kind of hope Ves grabs some dwarf refugees. it would the Larkison clan produce better quality mechs overall and would be a fun wrinkle when they run into the other dwarfs in the Red Ocean.

I think they already have an expiration at the Red Ocean. What they want to secure is a potential ally. Or someone to strike a sword swinging rival over at Red Ocean.

And the newest expert candidate of the Larkinson clan is.....

I think we are seeing Ves being his original title, "THE Combat Mech Designer". Early on he always made sure he had a weapon available and even bought some cool light combat armor once he had money.