Now that Ves had successfully delegated his supervisory duties to Ketis, his schedule had finally opened up considerably. He felt guilty for dumping all the repetitive, banal, and infuriating work onto his student, but the constant barrage of problems should provide her with ample opportunity to practice solving moderately complex technical issues.
Some of the other Vandal Mech designers felt that Ves had completely bypassed them without cause. He didn't care. He was the one in charge, not them. Ves didn't trust any of them to use their powers responsibly.
Trust. Competence. Power. All of these aspects were intertwined on multiple levels within the ground expedition.
At the very top, the dual leadership of Captain Byrd and Commander Lydia had so far led to a harmonious working relationship, but it was uncertain how long this would last. The Swordmaidens had their own methods, and the authority of Commander Lydia was on par with that of Major Verle.
