"'Mattering' is relative," he admits. "It might be pointless. But if it isn't, we're bloody fucked for having not bothered."

Severus isn't passionately determined to solve the mysteries of the ship. He's an academic who loses his mind when he's bored, and being in this situation makes it worse. What else is he supposed to do with his time? Drink?

Well.

"It's the paperwork alternative to something... like storming the bridge."