I can see it now -- the series will merge with the Honor Harrington series. During a holiday, Honor falls into what is believed to be a coma but in reality is an out-of-skin experience that enables her to discover this planet that is threatened by an alien species and unable to defend itself because it is a throwback. Merlin realizes that Safehold's ultimate survival depends on the Manticore Kingdom, especially Honor, and so devises to preserve Honor just as Merlin was preserved. Now Honor and Merlin together can save humankind from the ravages of the aliens and the Mesans.
I foresee a 99-volume series. Weber will deliberately choose not to release a 100th volume so as to preserve his interstellar dignity. He will conclude volume 99 with Merlin and Honor suddenly revealing a long-time lesbian relationship that now ends as their mechanical bodies fail.
It's a winner! Sign me up (or is that beam me up
)