Object
Positronic Net Flow Regulator
A squat duranium module bolted to the positronic net access harness: thumb-wheel adjustment, a cracked pressure lens, two braided coolant lines, and a small amber status LED that blinks under load. Scorch marks and smeared conductive paste rim its service flange; slender diagnostic pins tuck into pattern-matrix sockets. Geordi fingers its adjustment wheel with practiced urgency while Dr. Beverly Crusher steadies the housing—each tweak sends quivering telemetry across the sickbay displays and shifts Data's neural readouts in real time.
2 appearances
Purpose
To meter and stabilize the flow of coolant/energy through sections of Data's positronic net, controlling pressure and current to preserve pattern integrity during emergency repairs.
Significance
Functions as the immediate technical fulcrum of the sickbay triage: its ability to hold a stable flow determines whether Data's positronic processes can be salvaged, and its precarious condition intensifies the crew's ethical decision to prioritize who the ship can save.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used