I know this is threadomancy but…
We came across a similar situation and decided, perhaps inadvisedly, to break the rules. We did our world burning and created a resource-exporting merchant league planet in the interior of the Karsan League. As we talked it through and decided that the league was granted its charter by the Tirkahn (sp?) to be an independent provider of essential ores to nearby noble holdings. We started with the idea of a professional volunteer force but later decided we wanted Lords-Pilot, which you’re not supposed to be able to have without the Nobility/Courts settings. We decided to add it anyway because we wanted them to be (theoretically) independent and uncorruptible by the corporations ruling the world…and it says in the ML government type that they rely on others for their protection anyway so we figured that maybe the Tirkahn granted an independent fief to a Forged Lord for the protection of the planet. To that end, we added the Nobility, Hammer, and Anvil settings. Noble LPs are available only to members of the military.
This could, I guess, have unforseen consequences but we’re going to roll with it.
M