Fabula
Object
Object

Main Bridge Tactical Station

A waist‑high, brushed‑alloy operations/tactical station on the USS Enterprise main bridge: multi‑function touch pads ring a central holo‑status strip, layered touchpanels present sensor and threat overlays, and narrow indicator lights and status lamps pulse under load. The station emits a low mechanical hum when diagnostics refresh; bezels show faint scuffs from repeated use. Officers (notably Data and Riker) lean over the console to execute high‑speed scans, route communications, swap sensor windows, and monitor threat vectors, making it an operational fulcrum for monitoring, tactical assessment, and manual control across episodes.
5 appearances

Purpose

Serve as the bridge's tactical workstation for monitoring sensors, viewing threat overlays, adjusting weapons or defensive settings, and providing a physical command point for tactical officers during engagements.

Significance

Acts as the episode’s technical fulcrum: Data’s rapid scan at the console generates crucial but partial intelligence under an urgent deadline, and the station anchors Riker’s command decisions and staged deceptions (including tactical bluffing) that determine the rescue’s tempo and outcome.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

5 moments
S2E21 · Peak Performance
Tactical Posture and the Strategema Provocation

The Main Bridge Tactical Monitoring Station (Tactical) is the operational console Burke mans; once Picard orders scans, it becomes the hub for threat monitoring and tactical reporting during the heightened readiness.

Before: Staffed by Burke, monitoring routine sensor feeds and tactical overlays.
After: Actively processing expanded long‑range scan data and ready to alert command to anomalies.
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S2E21 · Peak Performance
Strategema Gambit — Riker Courts Kolrami

The Tactical console provides a background of vigilance: Burke monitors its threat overlays and status lamps throughout the exchange, reinforcing that operational readiness continues despite social provocations.

Before: Active and monitored by Burke with threat overlays visible.
After: Remains active and monitored; unchanged but validating the bridge's steady preparedness.
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S2E21 · Peak Performance
Duty Over Doubt — Picard Reinstates Data

Representing the class of on‑board consoles, the monitoring hardware at Data's station is the physical locus of his analysis and doubt; Data explicitly shuts off his display, a symbolic break between private anxiety and public duty.

Before: Active, displaying diagnostics and unresolved readouts as Data attempts isolation of a problem.
After: Powered down by Data as he leaves; console remains physically present but no longer processing his active focus.
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S3E17 · Sins of the Father
Polite Domination: Kurn Tests Worf

The tactical station serves as the operational focal point and the physical stage for the exchange: Worf uses it to deliver sensor readings while Kurn uses its rim and displays as a proximate platform to compress personal space and deliver his soft provocation.

Before: Operational and staffed by Worf; displays active sensor overlays of asteroidal debris.
After: Remains operational and occupied by Worf; its function as Worf's domain is subtly contested by Kurn's proximity.
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S3E24 · Menage a Troi
The Nebula’s Dual Revelation: Logic vs. Wonder

The Tactical station console serves as Worf’s domain, a hub of tactical readouts, phaser controls, and threat assessments. While Worf does not interact with it during this event, the console’s presence is a reminder of the Enterprise’s dual role—as both a vessel of exploration and a Starfleet asset capable of defense. Its screens glow with steady data, a counterpoint to the nebula’s chaotic beauty on the viewscreen. The console’s hum is a low, constant presence, grounding the scene in the reality of the ship’s operations. It is a symbol of vigilance, a silent guardian ensuring that even in moments of introspection, the crew remains ready for action.

Before: The Tactical station console is active, displaying standard tactical readouts and threat assessments. Worf stands nearby, monitoring it with his usual stoicism.
After: The console remains unchanged, its screens still glowing with tactical data. It has not been directly involved in the event’s central exchange, but its presence reinforces the bridge’s operational purpose.
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