Lieutenant Marco Yolanda marched into Main Engineering like he owned the place.  Technically as Chief Engineer of the USS da Vinci, he did.  Yet it was that air of authority and distain for those that worked below him; and he did emphasise the word ‘below’ rather than referring to them as colleagues, that was never more noticeable than when he returned from a senior staff meeting.  Today’s meeting, being no exception.

It was clear the Captain didn’t like him, even if she did her level best to conceal the fact.  Circumstances and tragic loses during recent times had left many ships shorthanded and the days of picking and choosing the best were now clearly gone.  Not that anyone could say he was a bad engineer; that was far from the case, or at least that’s what his files indicated.  The physical evidence of his skills, were currently lacking.  Yolanda’s main fault, and it was a massive one, was dealing with people.  He’s attitude was to belittle anyone he felt was below him, and it was a surprisingly long list.

At the meeting, he’d learned that several other vessels within the Fourth Fleet had resorted to installing and utilising Slipstream Drives, in order to travel between star systems during the latter half of the Blackout; so they could engage the enemy forces. It was daring plans like that which had help contribute to turning the tide of events.  The mere thought that the Captain may have even suggested attempting such an endeavour, had things turned out differently; was something the Chief had found hard to even contemplate.   He would have objected most strongly and made no bones about making that clear during the meeting.

It was that heated debate, that had put him in somewhat of a foul mood, when he stepped through the door at Main Engineering; and it would be two of his staff standing in the middle of the room talking to each other; that would be first on the receiving end of his wrath.

“What the blazes are you pair doing there gossiping.”  Yolanda barked. “I’m out the room five minutes and everyone’s slacking off!”

It was far from the case; everyone was hard at work.   In fact they often worked better during those periods the Chief was out of the room; though none of them were ever going to admit that to his face.  The conversation which he’d just interrupted was an important one relating to an issue with a power coupling on deck six.  The young engineer tasked with the repairs, made an apology before grabbing his tool kit and leaving an exasperated Petty Officer who’d be passing on instructions just standing there.

“Sir I was…” The Petty Officer began, but got no further.

“I don’t want to hear any lame excuses, man!” Yolanda shouted him down.  “Get to work before I have you up on report.”

Having already received a reprimand for something beyond his control, not long after they’d left Starbase 86 on this current mission, the man quickly made himself busy.  Anyone else in the room did likewise; not daring to make eye contact with either the Chief or each other.  This was the kind of toxic atmosphere; the engineering staff had to endure on a daily basis.  The old hands were sadly all too used to it, the newer recruits were starting to understand how thing went.

With everything more to his liking, the Chief Engineer made his way to his office and sat down at his desk to read through the latest reports.  A lot of materials and equipment had been used in repairing and rebuilding, down on Samson III.  This in his view was not their job; this was a starship, not a maintenance depot.  Stocks of important items had now, in his opinion reached dangerously low levels, and unless a supply vessel arrived within the next few days to replace what they’d used on the planet, the da Vinci would have to break orbit and head home.

Besides, why did a colony set up as a holiday resort, focused around medieval life, need so much modern equipment?  Couldn’t they just make do with the same apparatus, those they were trying to emulate, would have used?

In Yolanda’s opinion, Anacostia-Bolling was too soft to be Captain of a front line vessel patrolling the boarders.  Captain Eglin had been right about her.  Now there was a man you could rely on, to get things done properly.  They should have commended him for his bravery, not locked him away, just because a few people got killed.  How many captains had scarified themselves or their crew, whilst fighting the Vaadwaur?

What made it even worse, was that she’d allowed the very woman who was involved in all this, to escape!  The captain had let a pirate and murderer, walk away, and with technology stolen from the Vaadwaur.

He balled up his fist in frustration; the Federation had certainly gone downhill since he’s originally signed up.  A well organised force would never have permitted things to get this bad; and the remaining Vaadwaur ships should never been allowed to withdraw.  They should have wiped the lot of them out, every last one of them!

The Chief train of thought was interrupted by Ensign Green, bursting in unannounced. “Did I say enter?” He yelled, before she was able to explain why she was there.

“Sir there’s been an accident on deck six! Green blurted out.

“And what are you expecting me to do about it?” Yolanda asking in his usual frosty manner.

“It’s crewman Cooper.” Green continued.  “He’s dead!”