Tour - Bridge
Summary
Primary operational control of the Norway Class is provided by the Main Bridge, located at the top of the primary hull.
Additional Information
| Location | Bridge | |
| Description | The command ‘kiosk’ of the Norway Class is situated nearest the geographical center of the bridge and is mounted in two levels with the commanding officer’s chair raised and behind that of the First Officer and Counselor/Diplomatic Corps Officer’s traditional place. On the Captain’s chair arms are foldable viewscreens and consoles built into the armrests for the captain’s use. The Exec’s and Counselor’s chairs are positioned with larger use consoles that swivel inward for use and outward when not needed or to exit the chair and descend the steps to the lower bridge. Directly forward of the command area is the Flight Control Officer and Operations Manager who face the main viewer and whose consoles are sunken into the primary bridge floor to free up full view of the viewscreen for all personnel on the bridge. The massive management area those officers man are interchangeable to allow either side (left or right) to be used as Helm or Operations. On either side the sunken module are split-use tactical consoles constructed in a wedged ‘tilted wing’ design, allowing a broad workspace but without restricting traffic. The Chief Tactical Officer usually mans the starboard console and his or her assistant, the portside console. In typical configuration, the Chief Tactical Officer is in primary control of external security and weapons systems with the sister console configured for more sensor work and management of internal security. Tactical console 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 ship’s 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. Forward of those two consoles and nestled into the corners of the front of the bridge are two mounted general-use consoles. Typically, the portside console is used for management of Environmental and Life-Support systems. At the very front of the bridge chamber is a large viewscreen. This main viewer performs all the standard duties expected of it. However, the viewscreen is not always activated like most other Starships. A full holographic display, the viewscreen can be activated upon request. When the screen is not active, a standard bulkhead is present. Aft and to the left of the command area is the Engineering alcove commonly staffed by at least two officers. With a forward wrap-around console, the alcove has access to all ship systems and is monitored constantly. Typical configuration keeps a scaled down version of the master systems display keyed to display problems visually, as well as dedicated screens showing the status of the warp drive and structural integrity systems. Mirrored to starboard is the Science alcove structurally identical but with linkages more in tune with its role. Science I, which is the primary science console, has priority links to Conn, Ops, Computers, and Tactical. Science II is the ASO's (Assistant Science Officer's) console, which can be used by any personnel. Science II has access to all science, navigational, sensor, and communications systems. Science II can be configured to operate in tandem with Science I, although security links and all other non-science data are withheld from Science II. Science II usually works independently of Science I. Directly flanking the command areas against the walls are two multi-use consoles and are activated and staffed as necessary under the jurisdiction of the command staff and department heads. Behind the command area is a large circular systems table with consoles for additional staff and a small holographic projector in the top surface for mission profiling, science visuals, and general use. At the very back of the bridge is another walk-in area that supplies the entrances to the two turbolifts and is centered by the Master Systems Display with a small control console in front of it for engineering and strategic use. This console (as well as the Captain and Executive Officer’s consoles) also has the hand-input sub-console for use in setting the Auto-Destruct of the Norway Class. However, the Auto-Destruct can only be armed with vocal authorization from both the Captain and Executive Officer. If both are unavailable, the Second Officer and the next in clearance grade can authorize. Without at least one department head to authorize, the ship’s auto-destruct cannot be activated. In the case of an un-authorized attempt at activation, Level One security procedures initiate ship-wide, because the computer will view failed attempts at Auto-Destruct as an attempt to destroy the ship. These procedures include the locking down of all essential systems on the ship and an automated encrypted-band distress signal broadcasted to the nearest federation vessel and/or starbase on record. The two turbolifts on the bridge can handle normal transit around the ship. In addition, an emergency ladder connects the bridge to Deck three. There are two doors laterally placed on the bridge that provide access to the bridge head and sanitary facilities and another on the portside that provides access to the captain’s ready-room. On either side of the viewscreen at the forward part of the bridge are the doors to the ship’s briefing room situated at the very head of the ship and with a view through a set of massive forward-facing windows. The briefing room holds place for the department heads, the Executive Officer and the Captain. On one wall (the reverse of the viewscreen) is a large display for strategic and information dissemination. Additional services include a full-service replicator restricted to use in the briefing room, as well as the state-of-the-art holographic projection communication platforms (referred to as holo-comms). Starfleet Command personnel to converse with the ship’s command staff in a more personal way use the holo-comm typically. However, the holo-comm platforms are equipped with sensors to broadcast the signal back to valid systems when needed or preferred. There are No escape pods connected to the bridge due to the obstruction of the sidewall extensions from the catamarans. Pods are located on all decks below Deck 3. Each pod can support two people for up to 42 days 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. |