Lt Commander Samantha Palmer Mission Specialist USS Chimera NCC 96899 = SB Bragg, Engineering Laboratory F-IV “I don’t care, Captain. These modifications need to be made otherwise the prototypes that you are so painstakingly installing on the Chimera will be useless.” Samantha was getting very exasperated. Although she had officially reported for active duty onboard the Chimera, she had spent the majority of the past week on the starbase, involved in meetings and overseeing some final changes to the prototype shielding and deflector technology being installed on the Intrepid class ship. However, she hadn’t expected this much resistance to her research from the project’s engineering team leader, Marine Captain Garsha. He had bluntly refused to incorporate any changes to the current modifications. “There is no more time to alter the modifications, Commander. You are not an Engineer and I suggest that you keep to your field of expertise,” Garsha stated, leaving no room for her to misunderstand him. It was just then that Samantha decided enough was enough and decided to pull rank. She was not above using her connections to get some justice. “Captain Garsha,” she began to explain in a cool tone. “You are correct, I am not an engineer. I am a scientist with a doctorate of specialisation in temporal physics. What you seem to forget is that the prototype technology you are installing on the Chimera was developed with the purpose of shielding a ship against beta-dekyon radiation in an area of space flooded with space/time curvature... which is the reason it is being installed on the Chimera in the first place. “Since the group of scientists and engineers who developed this technology are not able to be here personally to lead this project, I have been tasked to oversee and approve all modifications. And why do you think that is? Because I am a temporal physicist and this technology works in conjunction with temporal physics. Contrary to what you seem to believe, I don’t sit by myself thinking of ways to make your life more difficult. I work with an engineering specialist who is familiar with temporal physics to perfect the flaws in this design and to fit it to the Chimera’s systems. You, Marine Captain Garsha, are merely in charge of the engineering team that helps the Chimera engineers to perform these modifications. “You have refused to acknowledge my orders and blatantly ignore these modifications that I have sent you almost four days ago. You have undermined my authority and made your own unqualified decisions regarding these modifications. That is unacceptable behaviour from a Special Forces Marine. Further more these actions of yours are delaying the departure of the Chimera and causing grief for a lot of people. Your attitude is brash and unbecoming and I will not tolerate it any longer.” Samantha shoved the padd she held in her hand into his chest and hardly paused for breath before continuing. She didn’t like people undermining her authority. The orders she gave had a purpose and a reason, and she didn’t give them to get high on a power trip. “You have ten hours to complete these modifications to the deflector array. If I don’t see a 4% increase in shield power output by the time I set foot on that ship tomorrow, I will have you busted down to 1st Lieutenant. Do I make myself clear?” By now the blonde naval officer’s voice had risen a few notches in volume and several members of Garsha’s engineering team were subtly watching his public humiliation. The speech, however, seemed to have a lot more effect on them than on the Andorian. He stood holding Samantha’s gaze, only slightly moving an antenna to signify he hadn’t turned to stone. “Oh, and I outrank you, so I suggest you do what I say.” Samantha turned on her heel and stalked off, heading out of the Engineering Lab to the docking arm. She was feeling angry, but not all of it was directed at Garsha. Working as an agent for the SSF certainly had its disadvantages, and lying was one of them. Garsha probably had good reason for not wanting to apply her changes... they technically weren’t necessary for this mission. At least, for the mission the Chimera had been informed of. The majority of the modifications were designed to serve a different purpose in case the Chimera ran into some temporal trouble. However, Intelligence thought it wise not to inform General Bretam of the extended risks involved in this mission. It was Samantha’s job to make sure the ship was prepared for those risks... without anyone else finding out. = -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.6.7 - Release Date: 2005/06/10