Object
USS Enterprise External Sensor Array
A ship‑integrated long‑range sensor suite whose distributed subspace scanners and dorsal antennae feed concentrated telemetry to the bridge tactical station. On the tactical console the array’s overlays flare with bearing, contact counts, lock indicators and ETA readouts; displays scroll spectral traces and targeting vectors. In the bridge beat Kurn leans over the tactical station requesting sensor data, the panels answering his probe and forcing Worf to treat the array’s output as immediate operational evidence.
6 appearances
Purpose
To detect and track external contacts, convert faint returns into actionable telemetry (bearing, range, ETA, targeting vectors), and supply real‑time sensor data to the bridge for tactical decision‑making.
Significance
The array's failure furnishes the pivotal plot mechanic: its knockout by a timed internal explosion strips the Enterprise of the means to pursue Danar, converting a contained capture into an irretrievable escape and escalating the political and moral crisis. The outage directly thwarts Worf's containment effort and forces Picard and Riker to shift from chase to crisis management.
Appearances in the Narrative
When this object appears and how it's used