Registration:

NCC-72381

Name:

u.s.s. equinox

Location:

deck 1

Plan:

main bridge

Primary operational control of the Nova Class is provided by the Main Bridge, located in a recessed area just under the topmost area of the saucer section. The Main Bridge directly supervises all primary mission operations and coordinates all departmental activities.

layout:

Due to the profile of missions the Nova Class typically undertakes, the bridge aboard this class of ship is designed for free range and ‘think tank’ style management. Much of what the ship does is interrelated to a significant amount, and allowing the ship’s top officers to interact freely in a work environment helps the missions to operate at peak efficiency as a opposed to ships that operate ‘under sail’.

The ship’s commanding and executive officers have chairs at the very center of the circular bridge in a submerged location. In this manner, the bridge helps the idea that there is ‘work’ being done and the command staff are an integral part of it, rather than the overseers.

The captain’s chair is starboard side, and the executive officer’s is on the portside. Between them is a console built into the structure that provides a place for information dissemination, as well as operational command of the starship. On either side of the command and executive officer’s chairs, are smooth benches, an architectural element that can be used when necessary by extra officers on the bridge, as well as visitors and other personnel by the permission of the command staff.

Directly ahead of the command area and down into a further sunken area, is the Conn. This split console is just forward of the viewscreen and houses enough space to be used in the traditional Conn/Operations arrangement where necessary. Under most conditions, the entire console is used for Helm/Navigation and Operations is managed by one of the other stations.

To the port and starboard sides of the command area are the doors on the upper level. The portside doors lead to turbolifts and the Captain’s Ready Room, with the starboardside door making way to an additional turbolift, as well as access to the crew head.

Behind the command area is a large array of multi-use consoles that can be configured to run any operation on the starship. Depending on mission condition, the majority of the consoles will be set to a scientific function. However, other mission types require a different approach.

When necessary, Tactical is usually assigned to the forward, portside console just right of the main viewscreen. Though it is not necessary for a tactical officer to see a visual image of its target, they have traditionally been provided with positions where they can assess the situation both by instrumentation, and their own eyes. Tactical console configuration usage is extremely limited; only Beta-2 Tactical clearance personnel can use it, and the user must input special codes to even get access to the massive amounts of computer links that give tactical nearly limitless information at the Nova Class’ disposal. For full access, the console's security subsystem can run a battery of scans on the user, including thermal, biological, retinal, and vocal tests. If all of these are passed, full access to the ship's offensive and defensive systems is made available.

On the opposite side is where Operations is most often handled. Portside, the operations console is under the command of the Operations Manager, who oversees such important elements of the ship as supply and outfitting, communications and power distribution.

Directly behind the captain and first officer’s chairs is the Master Systems Display. This dedicated area allows any officer to get an abstract picture of the ship and any problems that may arise. Its attached console allows certain situations to be dealt with right in front of the MSD without further intervention.

On either side of the Master Systems Display lie the Science consoles. Typically, the Chief Science Officer mans the portside console, and the Assistant Science Officer the opposite console. From the science consoles, the officers have priority access to all sensor input coming into the ship. The science consoles can be used by any personnel and have access to all science, navigational, sensor, and communications systems.

At the rear, portside console nearest the entrance doors lies the engineering bridge console. Manned at all times, this console provides an engineer or technician access to all data coming from the ship’s internal monitoring systems as well as access (where necessary) to repair and adjust various systems throughout the ship.

Directly opposite on the starboard side is the controls for the ship’s biological systems including life support and environmental control. Additional controls can include monitoring samples brought aboard, and managing biological tests being performed aboard the Nova Class starship.

There are No escape pods connected to the bridge. Pods are located on all decks below Deck 2. Each pod can support two people for 72 hours in space, and has a maximum speed of half impulse. Two pods are reserved for the top four officers in the chain of command on the ship because they are the last four to leave the ship. These are located on Deck 2. As the number of experienced Captains dwindles in Starfleet, the notion of a Captain going down with his ship has been abolished. If the ship is abandoned, the top four officers in the chain of command will wait until everyone else is off the ship, opt to arm the auto-Destruct (not always necessary, but there if needed), and then leave in the two escape pods