| It seems clear to me from the "Menace Within" episode that I need to quantify security procedures better. There were some basic security procedures which were glossed over. In the future, I will try to take security more out of the PC's hands - and have more problems automatically handled by the Security Officer. |
The following areas of the ship have scanners (the equivalent of tricorders) installed: the bridge, emergency bridge, and auxiliary control; the brig and weapons locker; and central engineering (where the dilithium crystals and shield generators are located).
These scanners are always on, and the tapes are logged in the computer. Logs of more than 24 hours prior can only be accessed with the direct permission of the Captain. Security officers and the First Officer may view the scans in progress.
The presence of and protocols regarding these scanners are known to all personnel, and their presence is reasonably marked.
There are intercomm stations in all rooms of the ship and at regular points along the corridors.
The intercomm system can be tapped into by skilled communications personnel to listen from any intercomm station. The station microphone cannot be switched off, but a light on the panel will indicate that the microphone is on - this warning light cannot be circumvented without hardware modification of the station.
The intercomm microphone is very sensitive and carries a wide range of sounds: it can pick up heartbeats and footsteps if the background noise can be eliminated. However, the microphone is omnidirectional - it cannot pick up exact location.
The standard ship door has two states: locked and unlocked. A red light on the side of the door indicates that it is locked. A yellow light in addition means that there are dangerous environmental conditions on the other side of the door. The doors are sealed against vacuum, and can withstand human physical assault (i.e. a person without proper tools cannot break one open).
An unlocked door automatically slides open as people approach it - there are interpretive motion sensors by the door which respond to body langauge. Anyone familiar with them can stand by a door and not have it open. The motion sensors are self-contained and cannot be accessed from anywhere else.
A locked door can only be opened by the Chief Officers, Security Officers, and the owners of the interior rooms - crewman have access to their quarters; medical personnel have access to sick bay; and so forth.
_Any_ door can be opened manually by a small crank behind a panel on the lower (right/left) of the door frame. This manual override can only be blocked by putting a special pin in the crank on the other side - this blocks the door from opening at all. The special pins are issued to security personnel - but in a pinch, other items will do. Any manual opening or locking of a door immediately alerts the Security office. This alert can be circumvented, but in general only by personnel familiar with the equipment.
Turbolifts allow easy access to most areas of the ship at high speeds: 5 seconds wait is average, followed by 1-9 seconds average transport time. The artificial gravity plates in the floor of the lift automatically compensate for the acceleration, making the ride perfectly smooth. There are emergency hatches on the top and side of the turbolift, and there is an intercomm panel inside.
In case of an emergency, the turbolifts will instantly stop and lock themselves in place. This occurs automatically if any of the emergency hatches are opened, or if any of the turbolift access doors are opened without a turbolift present.
The shafts are 2.5m wide, with occaisional switch points with room for two turbolifts to pass. There is a man-sized channel built into the side of the shaft, with a ladder in place - so someone can climb past a turbolift for maintainance or emergency access.