DAOS-18799 pool: Fix handle loading

[liw]

WIP...

Steps for the author:

• Commit message follows the guidelines.
• Appropriate Features or Test-tag pragmas were used.
• Appropriate Functional Test Stages were run.
• At least two positive code reviews including at least one code owner from each category referenced in the PR.
• Testing is complete. If necessary, forced-landing label added and a reason added in a comment.

After all prior steps are complete:

• Gatekeeper requested (daos-gatekeeper added as a reviewer).

[github-actions]

Ticket title is 'Infinite DER_NOTLEADER loop on single-server DAOS cluster after pool create'
Status is 'In Progress'
https://daosio.atlassian.net/browse/DAOS-18799

[daosbuild3]

Test stage NLT completed with status FAILURE. https://jenkins-3.daos.hpc.amslabs.hpecorp.net/job/daos-stack/job/daos/job/PR-18016/1/display/redirect

[daosbuild3]

Test stage Unit Test completed with status FAILURE. https://jenkins-3.daos.hpc.amslabs.hpecorp.net/job/daos-stack/job/daos/job/PR-18016/1/display/redirect