Object
Enterprise Phaser Beam Arrays
The Enterprise's hull‑integrated phaser emitter system: a distributed array of dorsal, ventral and hull-mounted phaser emitters and power conduits capable of conventional phaser fire and reconfiguration into modified‑beam modes. The system manifests as focused energy columns or concentrated banks depending on tactical configuration; across incidents it may be observed operating normally, reconfigured to produce altered/photon‑like signatures, or suffering electrical/mechanical faults (e.g., fused circuits) that render emitters inoperative.
2 appearances
Purpose
To deliver reconfigurable directed‑energy fire (phaser and photon‑mode effects) for offensive and defensive ship‑level tactical operations, and to be switched into specialized modes for deception or counterstrike.
Significance
The modified beams form the tactical linchpin of Picard's deception: reconfiguration convinces adversaries of a photon threat, preserves a larger ruse, and when fused or disabled under Ferengi fire they raise the moral and operational stakes that force Picard's decisive command choices.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used