Object
Field‑Integrity Station Controls (Engineering)
A squat, bulkhead‑mounted control bank with a brushed‑metal faceplate, tactile knobs, sliding levers and a tight cluster of amber, green and red status LEDs. Fingerprint smudges and fingertip wear mark the most used controls; small engraved labels read 'Field Adjust', 'Containment Bias' and 'Manual Override'. Crew press, twist and jab the interfaces under pressure—Geordi snaps commands while Q fumbles awkwardly at the manual knobs, every failed adjustment amplifying his humiliation as Data monitors linkage to the bridge.
1 appearances
Purpose
Provide direct, hands‑on control over the ship's field‑integrity systems—allowing technicians to calibrate containment and structural fields, enact manual overrides, and stabilize damaged systems when automated control is unavailable.
Significance
Operates as a narrative instrument that strips Q of theatrical power and reasserts Starfleet procedure: forcing a fallen antagonist into practical labor, consolidating La Forge's authority and enabling Data to bridge Engineering with the command structure. The controls convert an abstract threat into measurable, technical consequences for the crew and mission.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used