"Depending on firmware" Why does that have anything to do with KStars, or even, the INDI driver for that matter? When I check the box for INDI to use the computer as the "Update source", I expect all commands to flow from KStars to the mount, and, I expect the mount's firmware to be irrelevant to how KStars calculates positions.
The INDI driver for the mount only needs to do 2 things. First, convey a position to the mount by moving the 2 axis motors. Setting the speed of those motors is important, but not absolutely necessary. Second, the driver may receive encoder information, or other data, and pass it along to KStars for interpretation.
All the remaining stuff is within KStars. Time, position, and, location on earth should be user settings within KStars. IF, a particular telescope mount can provide data, fine, but, that is not a requirement for KStars to position a mount. All the version number should do, is tell KStars whether a mount option CAN be used. Then, KStars can pole for that data to allow the user access to additional features.
But, if you want the telescope icon pointing at the south pole, the user should be able to mouse to the south pole on the map, click sync, and KStars should work from those coordinates for directing its actions with the motors. Right now, the Park position, should be the default "starting point" for KStars. If I understand the Celestron Hand Controllers correctly that starting point will be the difference between an Alt AZ value and the users Park value. Still, the user should be able to override the position, by using the map to mouse to a position, click Sync., KStars should then move the icon and work from the new position point.
When a Celestron mount moves to a new location, the INDI driver should allow KStars to pole Alt AZ data from the mount. This data should then update the telescope position icon. This data retrieval can be done at whatever is convenient to the hardware. If no data were available, KStars would still move the mount, and, at the end of such a move, update what position KStars believes the mount is pointing towards. KStars would use for the next move. Based on a visual observation the object was not centered, the user would manually center the desired object and Sync would allow the user to "correct" this position. In a similar sense, astrometry, may Sync the position which KStars is using, OR, astrometry may Sync and then move according to the user's desire to reach a particular ending position.