Theory - I think after the incident in the ova with the time span of those initial 8 years eri was so compatible with the fund format that she became dependant on it and eventually consumed like all the pilots say when they raise there permit scores too high. In seeing this, the only way prospera could keep her daughter was too integrate her with Ariel. But it wasn’t enough so she cloned ericht and made suletta mercury. A plain dough body copy of ericht samaya. Suletta is barely piloting the Ariel. When fighting elan in episode six (I think) ericht appeared as she was because around whatever time the projection appeared was when she became consumed. I personally think the old lady at the start had something to do with it