Object
Secondary Power Bus
An internal electrical distribution conduit within the starship's engineering fabric — the redundant 'secondary' bus that routes auxiliary power when primary lines are compromised. The object is not visually described on-screen; its presence is inferred from a brief brownout during transporter dematerialization. Crew members react with technical alarm: O'Brien offers a curt diagnostic guess, Riker tightens into caution, and Picard's nostalgia is cut short by the flicker.
2 appearances
Purpose
Provide redundant power distribution across shipboard systems, supplying auxiliary current when primary buses dip or fail.
Significance
Functions as the first tangible symptom of an external booby-trap: the brief brownout tied to this bus converts a moment of crew camaraderie into an ominous setup, raising stakes and putting command on guard. It anchors the scene's tonal shift from nostalgia to threat.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used