A direct metering control variable displacement piston pump, comprising: a pump housing defining a housing cavity, a pivot assembly configured to pivot within the pump housing between minimal and maximum pivot angles; a pump cover disposed against the pump housing, the pump cover defining an actuator bore, an actuator piston in the actuator bore, an actuator arm extending from the actuator piston to the pivot assembly; and an electronic control unit "ECU" operationally coupled to the pump, the ECU comprising: a pump controller, a linear variable differential transducer "LVDT" operationally coupled to the pump controller and the actuator piston, and an electrohydraulic solenoid valve "EHSV" operationally coupled to the pump controller, wherein the ECU is configured to: determine a pivot differential for the pivot assembly between a target pivot angle and a current pivot angle; determine a position differential for the actuator piston, corresponding to the pivot differential of the pivot assembly; control the EHSV to thereby move the actuator piston by the position differential; and determine, from the LVDT, that the actuator piston moved by the position differential; and characterized by monitoring to identify pressure perturbations in the pump resulting from pressure changes to a fluid flow; and reacting to pressure perturbations in the pump with controlled metered movement of the actuator piston. a pump housing defining a housing cavity, a pivot assembly configured to pivot within the pump housing between minimal and maximum pivot angles; a pump cover disposed against the pump housing, the pump cover defining an actuator bore, an actuator piston in the actuator bore, an actuator arm extending from the actuator piston to the pivot assembly; and an electronic control unit "ECU" operationally coupled to the pump, the ECU comprising: a pump controller, a linear variable differential transducer "LVDT" operationally coupled to the pump controller and the actuator piston, and an electrohydraulic solenoid valve "EHSV" operationally coupled to the pump controller, wherein the ECU is configured to: determine a pivot differential for the pivot assembly between a target pivot angle and a current pivot angle; determine a position differential for the actuator piston, corresponding to the pivot differential of the pivot assembly; control the EHSV to thereby move the actuator piston by the position differential; and determine, from the LVDT, that the actuator piston moved by the position differential; and characterized by monitoring to identify pressure perturbations in the pump resulting from pressure changes to a fluid flow; and reacting to pressure perturbations in the pump with controlled metered movement of the actuator piston. determine a pivot differential for the pivot assembly between a target pivot angle and a current pivot angle; determine a position differential for the actuator piston, corresponding to the pivot differential of the pivot assembly; control the EHSV to thereby move the actuator piston by the position differential; and determine, from the LVDT, that the actuator piston moved by the position differential; and characterized by monitoring to identify pressure perturbations in the pump resulting from pressure changes to a fluid flow; and reacting to pressure perturbations in the pump with controlled metered movement of the actuator piston.