She's one of the Warmasters, basically a NPC ship captain that levels up and upgrades their ship as well. There's a few others you get during the campaign, and they're rather useful if leveled up properly. IMHO it's best to take them along and do some missions until sufficiently leveled.

Yes it works :)

But I am not very far into the quest.

OK, I progressed in the main quest a bit. How do I contact Laenard Maxton?

IIRC he's on Baeldor. Just land there, he should contact you.

And then build the ship in the shipyard, I keep forgetting that -.-

Good is, the veterans do not count into your supercapital ship count. I really need more planets...