Object

Sickbay Refreshment Dispenser (Rogue Refreshment Slot)

A recessed stainless‑steel refreshment dispenser set into the Sickbay waiting‑room bulkhead that automatically delivers single‑portion cups, small trays and beverages. During the incident the unit malfunctions: servos cycle continuously, ejecting stacked cups and trays, scattering liquid and creating slip hazards while mechanical whirs and a status chime continue. Beverly Crusher approaches, runs diagnostics and issues a manual voice override to halt the slot as the ship's computer repeatedly reports the unit as 'functioning properly.' This malfunction flags possible internal tampering and catalyzes active investigation.

2 appearances

Purpose

To dispense prepackaged refreshments (cups, drinks, and small trays) automatically to waiting-room users.

Significance

Acts as a mundane but telling failure: the slot's berserk behavior creates a tangible safety hazard and domestic chaos that crystallizes the larger theme of compromised ship systems. The malfunction forces human intervention, marking a turning point from passive diagnostics to active override and signaling that internal systems can no longer be trusted.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments

S3E1 · Evolution

Override: Beverly Shuts Rogue Refreshment Slot

The recessed refreshment dispenser (the food slot) is the malfunctioning hardware that continually ejects cups, trays and food. It is the visible symptom of a systems anomaly and the object Beverly targets with her spoken override to halt the hazard.

Before: Spitting continuous cups, trays, and drinks onto the waiting-room floor; mechanically engaged but behaving erratically.

After: Stops ejecting items after Beverly's manual voice override; rendered inert in practice though diagnostics claim normal function.

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S3E1 · Evolution

Sickbay Electrocution — Beverly's Emergency

The recessed refreshment dispenser malfunctions, producing a dangerous red arc of electricity that directly strikes the nurse. Functionally it is the proximate hazard and narrative catalyst — a trusted domestic machine becoming a source of bodily harm and proof of wider systems instability.

Before: Idle and appearing to function normally, holding and dispensing cups and trays in the waiting-room bulkhead.

After: Actively malfunctioning and producing a hazardous electrical arc; its operation is implicated in the injury and requires shutdown/diagnostics.

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