Commander Anacostia-Bolling, had not long finished making her report on what had taken place at Tartarus II.  How one of the orbiting defence satellites had opened fire on the mining facility below; totally destroying all the building and collapsing the entrance to the mine itself.  She’d explained how attempts to disable the satellite in time had proved fruitless; due to its powerful shielding.

The Commander had also asked for additional equipment, to clear the mine and such for potential survivors; though she’d had admit there had been no contact made with the away team, since just before the attack was made.  The nearest vessel that could be diverted and had suitable rescue equipment, however, was just over three days out at maximum warp.  Three days could be too late!

A hastily organised meeting of senior staff; or at least the few left on board and subordinate officers for those currently missing; had yielded no workable course of action.  So she’d sent them away to think hard.

As she sat in her Ready Room, going through ideas and plans in her own mind, the door chimed.  Ignoring it sounded tempting; but she was the Captain of this ship and with the XO missing, they’d be looking at her more than ever for guidance.  “Enter.”

The door swished open; thought was it her imagination or did the noise seem somehow more subdued, as if reflecting her own feeling and mood.  Mary quickly dismissed such silly notions; it was a door, doors did not have feelings.  Unless they were the ones on Emphadais IV, but then everything about that planet had just been plan weird and unnerving.

It was Ensign Dravid, her Logistics Officer; Padd in hand as always and a hint of a smile on his face.  He stopped directly opposite, holding out the device for her inspection. “Ma’am.”

The Commander took it off him and was about to ask why he’d brought it to her, when she spotted a set of schematics; that got her attention.  She examined the image and data that when with it.  The young officer stood to attention, awaiting her response.  “Why have you brought this to my attention, and not my Chief Engineer?”

“He didn’t even look at it.” Dravid replied earnestly.  “He told me it wasn’t my job to interfere.”

“He did, did he?” Anacostia-Bolling sounded just as annoyed as she was feeling.  Six crew members were missing; four of them key personnel and her Chief Engineer had dismissed the best idea anyone had put forward.  She got up out of her chair, moving towards the door.  “Follow me.”

“Where are we going, Ma’am?” The Ensign asked, looking both puzzled and apprehensive.

“Engineering.”

The Commander informed the Bridge of her destination, should anything require her attention or any further emergency crop up whilst she was gone, before heading to the nearest Turbo-lift, Ensign Dravid in tow.

**********

Main Engineering was relatively calm. Despite being a little over 30 years old the da Vinci was in good shape.  The Corps of Engineers, who she’d originally been assigned to, had kept the vessel in peak condition during most of its service life.  So even though some of their tweaks and upgrades had been removed; evidently they had some experimental toys they still wanted to keep secret, this was probably one of the best Sabers in operation.

Her presence was acknowledged with a polite nod from the technician and engineer who both noticed the Commander walk in; neither stopped the tasks they were performing, which was just how she expected them to act. There was no need for stopping and coming to attention, much in the same way she didn’t want them doing it on the Bridge every time she entered.

Chief Engineer Yolanda was over the far side of the room, running through a diagnostics check, when something caught his attention and he had the feeling someone was approaching him from behind.  Instinctively he spun round, spotting Ensign Dravid as he did so. “If it isn’t the Captain’s pet monkey!”

With a yell that threated to shatter the casing around the Warp Core and brought everyone in the room to a complete stop; Commander Anacostia-Bolling looked right at the Lieutenant.  “How dare you refer to a member of the ship’s crew in that manner?”

She’d heard the rumours, regarding the bad attitude her Chief Engineer had towards certain other members of the crew, including the Logistics Officer.  Things had filtered her way through various channels and conversations.  The Commander knew he’d been in trouble for doing a similar sort of thing on his last ship; engineers of his talent had become more of a rarity since Frontier Day so she’d been willing to give him a chance.

The colour seemed to drain rather rapidly from the thirty something, engineers chiselled face.  Yolanda attempted to stutter some sort of apologetic response, but she silenced him with a dismissive hand.  The rest of those present all stood motionless; they’d never heard the Commander loose her temper like that.  But then again if anyone deserved her wrath, it was the Chief Engineer.  He was certainly not at the top of anyone’s friends list.  Despite that though, they all worried that her anger would also turn to them, or that he’d find some way of taking things out on them later.  One of his philosophies being, ‘if I’m having a bad day, then so should you.’

Anacostia-Bolling took a slow careful look at everyone in the room, a few looked nervous and didn’t make direct eye contact, other hid their feelings well.  At that moment a female Ensign walked in; oblivious to what had just transpired.

“Ah, Ensign Green.” The Commander Called.  It was at this point that the Maintenance Engineer realised everything was significantly quieter than normal; and the young Ensign wondered what kind of mess she was walking into.  “I have a task for you.”

Ensign Green gulped.  “Me, Commander?”

“Yes, that’s correct.” The Commanders voice was calmer, more level now.  “I want you to go with Ensign Dravid here, and head to the Shuttle Maintenance Store.  The details of what you need are on this Padd, and where to locate everything else you need.”

“Need for what Commander?” Ensign Green enquired.

“Everything is all here.” Anacostia-Bolling handed her the Padd. “Take any help you need.  This is a top priority.  Just let Chief Petty Officer Rockwell know what you’re doing in his storeroom.”

Ensign Green took a look at Lieutenant Yolanda, who was after all her boss; but the man just gave a non-comital shrug; which was a really big help in this situation.  She pointed to a technician and the three of them made a swift exit.

Half way along the corridor, Green asked the other two what was going on.  “I think the Commander may have bitten Mister Yolanda’s head of in there.”  The technician suggested.

“He called me her pet monkey.” Dravid added. “Only she was standing just to my left at the time.”

“And I missed all the fun?” Ensign Green bemoaned light-heartedly.  She’d also been at the end of one of the Chief’s snide comments.  He’d said she wasn’t an engineer, because she didn’t understand the first thing about the engines.  Which was a stupid comment to make; she wasn’t the only one within the engineering team that didn’t.

When they reached the Shuttle Maintenance Store; where any spare parts were kept, for the repair and general maintenance of the da Vinci’s small craft; Ensign Green took another look at the data on the Padd.

“What sort of a Logistic Officer are you anyway?” She asked the other Ensign.

“The standard sort I would presume.”  Dravid answered.  “Why do you ask?”

“Because I don’t know any none engineers; that could draft a set of schematics for something like this, that hasn’t been built yet!”

For now Ensign Artin Dravid wasn’t going to enlighten his companions; there were somethings he’d rather not talk about, at least, not yet.