Tour - The Bridge
Summary
The Bridge is the control center of the Pioneer
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Additional Information
| Location | Deck 1 | |
| Description | The main bridge of the Intrepid-class starship is ovoid and serves as the nerve center of the vessel. At the bridge's rear is a large bank of consoles and data readout screens. Center of that area is the master systems display; control consoles flanked it on both sides. Starboard of the information center, past the starboard side turbolift, is the station of the chief tactical officer. This area is maintained mostly for internal security and combat situations. Other systems that can be commanded by tactical include long- and short-range sensor arrays, sensor probes, message buoys, and tractor beams. An identical station is found on the other side of the bridge, where the operations station is found. This panel presents the operations officer with a continually updated list of current major shipboard activities. This list permits Ops to set priorities and allocate resources among current operations. This was especially critical when two or more requests require the use of the same equipment, entail mutually exclusive mission profiles, or involve some unusual safety or tactical considerations. Forward of the upper ship operations areas are doorways to the briefing room at one side and the captain's ready room at the other. There, the commanding officer could engage in administrative work with all relevant office equipment at hand without interfering with bridge operations, while still being close to the bridge in case of emergency. In the center of the Intrepid-class' bridge is the command area. Here, seating is provided for the vessel's commanding officer and his or her first officer, seated to the captain's left. Between these chairs is a miniaturized status display. Using keyboard or vocal commands, the commanding officer could use these controls to override the basic operation of the starship. Directly aft of this area, integrated in the handrail encircling the aft section of the central command area, is another command console that can be operated to perform more bridge duties. Directly forward of and two steps lower than the central command area is the conn station. From here, the flight control officer serves as helmsman and navigator for the starship. Despite many of these functions being heavily automated, their critical nature demands a humanoid officer to oversee these operations at all times. To the right of conn sits the chief engineer. Though the position is far better served in main engineering, situations arise where the engineer's presence is needed on the bridge. The console allows complete control over all engineering systems. Directly opposite the engineering station sits the chief science officer at a similar console. |