Just to portray what CCP writers missed with the lore on Eve-Valk... i'll go and quickly describe what i thought would be the upcoming "PF" for the game...
The 4 empires are now at a crossroads, having watched their former space captains become demigods without control, unleashed cursed soldiers on planetary landscapes and realizing their whole economies sway at the whims and petty fights of the outer-rim alliances, pressure is at its highest.
Combat is still a driving force across the universe, the 4 empires and its allies require dependable soldiers who can be guided, defend their flag, remain loyal, and above all learn from their mistakes....even if such mistakes meant cold death.
Cloning technology still holds the promise to allow brave souls to overcome death and keep fighting, learn from their mistakes.
On YC106 the 4 main nations came to CONCORD with a request to jointly develop an hybrid implant based on Dusties technology but operated within the same parameters as ship captain, that allowed fighter pilots to be inmmortal. Fighters and Fighter-Bombers are powerful assets deployed out of capital and super-capital ships....they can warp around a system, engage and return to base, but most important of all, they are manageable.
Become a Valkyrie, a new generation of space fighter pilot, fighting for the 4 empire navies and its allies, or against them......
In essence, you could fight for any of the main NPC factions (pirate, empire, minor ones), in a set of engagements that happened entirely out of the view of capsuleers, as there were Navy fleets doing their routine patrol against rogue drones, pirates, or whatever. It could tie in with CONCORD changes in our world, FW changes, incursion changes, Whatever!.
Also, i would keep fighter fitting to a minimum, choice of missiles or ammo (with different properties), but enable progression in the form of augmentations. Enhancements and implants that allowed that particular clone to have FoF identification, faster missile lock and stuff like that. If you died, the augmentations would get destroyed.
A game more about skills, less about $$ put into your suit/ship/whatever.