Object

Main Bridge Access Panel (Exposed)

A utilitarian metal access panel recessed into the main bridge deck, its hinged face forced open and hanging ajar. Scuff marks, pry nicks and a faint scorch ring rim the opening; inside, bundles of braided power conduits, isolinear bussing and fiber cabling sit partly exposed with a few errant indicator lights sputtering. Smudged fingerprints and loose fastenings suggest recent tampering. Crew members crowd the area as DATA examines the opening, treating the exposed wiring not only as a maintenance breach but as a physical clue to an intruder’s passage.

1 appearances

Purpose

Provide maintenance access to the bridge's internal wiring, power conduits, and sensor/control interfaces for repairs, diagnostics, and manual overrides.

Significance

Serves as physical evidence of Data's covert sensor rig and tampering on the bridge. The open panel creates a safety hazard, provokes Worf's confrontation, and concretizes the procedural breach that forces command to weigh compassion against regulation.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

1 moments

S2E11 · Contagion

Data Down — Bridge Evacuation

Exposed access panels and the wiring beneath frame the damaged state of the bridge and serve as a practical obstacle and visual shorthand for system failure; crew work around them as Riker and Worf move Data, underscoring urgency and the cost of recent structural damage.

Before: Panels are ajar with braided conduits and sparking indicators visible; they have been pried open during emergency troubleshooting.

After: Panels remain open and scorched as crew continue temporary repairs while Data is being evacuated; they functionally hinder but do not prevent movement across the deck.

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