Agree completely and my first playthrough was almost identical to yours. It left me rather frustrated and then when I realized the urgency was not there I was a bit disappointed in the story. I also find it difficult to ever include Lae'zel in a party despite the need for a fighter because her character is completely driven to find her kin and thus should naturally lead to going straight for the Gith patrol. Logically I think Lae'zel would leave any party and strike out on her own if she thought they were planning on going to Ethel or Halsin. I find Lae'zel's character too one dimensional. Given the actual lack of urgency in getting rid of the tadpoles It might have made more sense to have Lae'zel written as a bit of an outcast among the Gith somewhat suspicious of Voss and his party and therefore not so driven to find them and more open to pursuing alternatives.
As it stands they only way I feel I can logically have Lae'zel in my party is to first head to the Gith as she wishes, then assume the lead in talking to Voss. It feels completely unrealistic that Lae'zel allows me to do this given that up until then she has been barking orders at me as if I'm a servant. It also seems odd that I would attempt to do this since up until now I've been following those orders. Even that solution is unsatisfying though as she still insists on heading to the Creche. How am I to logically resolve her coming back with us to explore any of the alternate paths? Realistically we should just part ways at his point (especially since I can't go to the creche in EA!) as she has abandoned me before. I therefore find it really hard to logically include her in my party so I have done playthroughs as a fighter myself, gone with a party of 3, or a party of 4 with no fighter.
This also brings up a further thought. I don't know where the Lae'zel character is supposed to appear after the Nautiloid crash but the story suggests she deliberately abandons us. Wouldn't it be more in keeping with how her character is written that she would slit our throats (and Shadowheart) before heading off?
I therefore think the Lae'zel character as currently written is seriously flawed.
She also probably wouldn't give her armor to what seems like half of the people she meets on the nautiloid and continue on her own wearing a bra and panties.
That's the problem when companions are given such strong voices and opinions. When they don't act on them it makes them lose credibility. Lae'zel would go straight for the creche and ditch the party. Her following a random noob PC and complaining about doing the wrong thing completely undermines her character. Would an epic Wizard who plays with goddesses or an infernal commander of the Nine Hells suddenly start blindly following a level 1 nobody?
