The reason is because the engines produce this material as a waste product. So instead of venting it into space it’s processed and funneled back through the ship to power everything from lights to equipment.
Very efficient and very VERY dangerous. Many Vulcans retired from the VSA because Humans pulled shit like this.
Wouldn’t it be easier and safer to just use it to generate boring old electricity and send that through the ship? Maybe the danger is there to keep the crew excited and working at maximum efficiency…
I like the theory that it’s sent to the bridge to uplift the morale of the regular crew. They knew the officers will be the first to get blown up in any hostile encounter.
It keeps the captain in check if he knows he’s going to get a blown up console to the face instead of a lower deck red shirt dying .
When those protocols can’t be used like in landing parties, it’s the red shirts who die first.
