Object
Two‑Second Warp Capability
A narrowly scoped emergency propulsion capability embedded in the crippled Hathaway's warp systems: an engineered, high‑stress two‑second burst of warp power. It lacks a visible standalone housing and behaves like a transient system mode or patch to existing warp controls, invoked through engineering/helm inputs and requiring precise timing. Riker names and reveals it on the Enterprise bridge; officers react with urgent calculation and moral shock as Data and engineers assess feasibility and risk to crew and ship.
0 appearances
Purpose
To produce an extremely brief warp burst (approximately two seconds) that permits a rapid, short‑range repositioning or escape maneuver as a last‑resort tactical option.
Significance
Serves as the Act‑5 turning point: the technical loophole converts an apparent moral sacrifice into a narrow tactical option, forcing Picard to shift from capitulation to improvisational strategy and enabling a ruse that determines the fate of forty lives aboard the Hathaway.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used
No events recorded for this object