Object
U.S.S. Enterprise‑C Warp Drive
A massive, ship‑integrated warp propulsion assembly—dilithium conduits, bulk warp coils and diagnostic housings—now scorched and largely silent. Instrument panels strobe amber and then go dark; vents hiss and stray sparks mark ruptured plasma lines. Engineers and bridge officers press at consoles, reading dead antimatter flow and collapsed crystal coupling. Picard orders emergency aid while Riker organizes transport teams; Captain Garrett shoves past medics to prioritize fighting capacity rather than repairs, treating the crippled drive as both technical crisis and moral fulcrum.
3 appearances
Purpose
To generate and sustain the U.S.S. Enterprise‑C's warp field for faster‑than‑light travel by channeling controlled antimatter reactions through dilithium crystals and warp coils.
Significance
Its incapacitation converts a historical-ethics debate into an immediate tactical emergency: the drive's failure renders the battered Enterprise‑C immobile, forces Picard's consequential choices, and amplifies Captain Garrett's sacrificial leadership as she prioritizes mission restoration over personal recovery—all anchoring the scene's moral and narrative stakes.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used