Operations Department

Tasks Performed by Operations

The article summarizes the duties performed by Operations personnel on board the USS Odin. Generally someone from Operations mans a duty station on the Bridge at all times and has additional duties when an Away Team is active that could be written as a second character if so desired. Each of the following items is explained in more detail later in the article:

Coordinating Shift Rotations Ranking Personnel and Assigning Away Teams Assigning Crew Quarters Resource Allocation Bridge Operations During Alert Conditions Reduced Power Mode Scheduling Usage of Recreational Facilities Mission Operations Traffic Control Procurement Communications Transportation Ship Computers (LCARS) Administration

Coordinating Shift Rotations with Department Managers

Department heads are responsible for entering duty rosters into LCARS. Once entered, Operations coordinates with each department in the allocation of personnel. Should an emergency arise, Operations ascertains on/off duty status for ship personnel and then discusses with relevant department heads who can attend to the emergency. Exception to this is "Battle Stations" when all personnel are on duty. A red alert brings alpha shift personnel on duty automatically.

Most senior officers are assigned to Alpha Shift Anyone can be called upon to work doubt shifts or evening and/or night shifts Department heads can contact Operations when they are in need of additional personnel. The Operations officer on duty checks to see who is available and has the necessary training. Operations contacts the department head to ASK if the crew member(s) can perform the task.

Ranking Personnel and Assigning Away Teams

Operations notifies crew members when they are assigned to an away team and lets them know where to report Operations does NOT decide who goes on the away team Away team leader lets Operations know who he/she wants to be on the away team; Operations checks with LCARS to determine availability. If available, Operations lets the away team leader know. If not available, Operations informs the away team leader and makes suggestions for a suitable replacement.

Assign Crew Quarters

Assign quarters for new arrivals and arrange for transfer of quarters depending on changes in the individual's rank/status.

Checks LCARS for available quarters and determines suitability (rank and position held on the ship/family status) If necessary, contacts Engineering for special requests such as handicaps, atmosphere or instrumentation adjustments

Resource Allocation

Shipboard operations often involve scheduling of resources or hardware and it is common for those operations to present conflicting requirements. Operations coordinates such activity so that mission goals are not jeopardized. The Operations console presents a continually updated list of current major shipboard activities; the list permits Operations to set priorities and allocate resources -- this is especially critical when two or more requests require use of the same equipment, entail mutually exclusive mission profiles, or involve some unusual safety or tactical considerations.

Routine scheduling and resource allocation is done automatically Operations officer steps in when decisions fall beyond the scope of the artificial intelligence software The program displays probable/suggested options but the Operations officer can override those options During crisis situations and Reduced Power Mode operations, Operations closely supervises power allocation in coordination with Engineering. Load scheduling or nonessential power usage in such situations is based on ship survival factors and mission priorities. Operations provides general status information to the main computer which is then automatically distributed to all departments. Operations routes specific information to specific departments to inform those departments or anticipated changes and requirements that may affect their own operations.

Example

Notification of Away Team personnel of the assignment as well as providing mission objective information. When Away Team personnel are drawn from operational departments, Operations will sometimes coordinate to provide cross-trained personnel from other departments. Assignment of communication relay frequencies and preparations to monitor Away Team tricorder telemetry. Notification for issuance of tricorders, phasers, environmental gear, and other mission-specific equipment. Assignment of personnel transporter room to handle transport operations, as well as the assignment of a transporter chief to the mission. If available, Operations will also provide transport coordinates to the transporter chief.

Power Allocation and Rerouting Power During Emergencies

The Main Bridge is directly responsible for the supervision of all primary mission functions. Through the Operations Manager, the bridge also monitors all secondary mission functions to provide an optimal operating state. The multimission operational profile of the USS Odin requires extensive coordination between different departments.

Bridge Operations During Alert Conditions

Cruise Mode: The normal operating status of the ship requiring a minimum Bridge Staff of a commanding officer (typically the Captain), Flight Control officer, Operations officer, and at least one other officer available to serve as tactical. Other stations can be manned as required or in accordance with specific mission requirements. Yellow Alert: Active bridge stations are automatically brought to Full Enable Mode. Auto diagnostics (Level 4) are initiated for all primary and tactical systems. Operations evaluates current operations and shipboard activities and suspends any that might interfere with ship's readiness to respond to potential crisis situations. Red Alert: All tactical and long-range sensor arrays are brought to full operational status. Secondary mission use of sensor elements is discontinued except by approval of Operations. Red Alert can be invoked by the Commanding Officer, the Operations officer on duty or Operations department head, CHief Engineer or the Tactical officer. The computer can automatically invoke Red Alert status upon detection of certain types of unknown spacecraft as well as upon detection of certain types of critical malfunctions or system failures. In such cases, the automatic declaration of Red Alert status is subject to review by the Commanding Officer.

Reduced Power Mode

When Reduced Power mode is initiated:

A Level 5 system analysis is performed for the entire ship with the results made available to the Commanding Officer and the Chief Engineer. The purpose of this analysis is to determine the overall energy budget for the ship, to help plan power allocations that will minimize operational compromises. Hourly energy budget and consumption reports are made by the Operations officer to the Chief Engineer and the Commanding Officer. All use of tactical and lateral sensor arrays for secondary missions are discontinued except where deemed essential by Operations.

Scheduling Usage of Recreational Facilities

Operations is responsible for overseeing the scheduling and appropriate use of the holodeck(s) and other recreational facilities on board the Odin, especially if the occupants are guests and/or civilians. Priorities in scheduling are as follows:

• CO and XO have first priority
• Senior Staff without respect to rank
• "Prescriptions" for use of recreational facilities take precedence over Senior Staff (but not over the CO/XO) unless otherwise noted by medical staff.
• All other personnel regardless of rank or position

Mission Operations

Mission Operations provides additional support and is specifically responsible for monitoring activity relating to secondary missions. In doing so, Mission Ops acts as an Assistant to the Chief of Operations relieving him/her of responsibility for lower-priority tasks that must be monitored by a human operator. Mission Operations duties include:

Assignment of resources and priorities according to Operations Department Guidelines and using operations protocols. For example OPS may determine that a particular research project is to have usage of specific elements, subject to priority usage of those same sensors by the bridge. Although the actual minute-to-minute assignment of resources will be automatically handled by the OPS panel software. Mission OPS will monitor the computer activity to ensure that such computer control does not unduly compromise any mission priorities. This is particularly important during unforeseen situations that may not fall within the parameters of preprogrammed decision-making software. Resolution of low-level conflicts; primary mission conflict resolution is handled by the Chief of Operations Serves as relief for the Chief of Operations when duty calls the Chief away from his/her station on the Bridge Monitors telemetry from primary Away Teams including tricorder data and other mission-specific instrumentation Monitors activities of secondary missions to anticipate requirements and possible conflicts. In cases where such conflicts impact the primary mission in progress, Mission Operations notifies the Chief of Operations During alert and crisis situations, Mission Operations assists the Tactical Officer and provides information on away teams and secondary mission operations with emphasis on possible impact on security concerns

Traffic Control

Coordinates Shuttle Bays: Works closely with the Flight Control Officer to make sure that things are handled properly. Flight Control Officer is responsible for shuttles, Operations is responsible for communicating with incoming and outgoing shuttles to make sure there are no accidents Communication During Arrival and Departure: Communicates with base operations and relays that information to the Flight Control Officer when ship is docking or leaving. During this time Operations is also responsible for relaying the information to Engineering for switching power accordingly

Procurement

Additional Materials: Every Starbase and station has a supply depot. Plus there are supply runs continuously throughout the quadrant. Anything that is Starfleet issued and not replicable can be obtained from these supply depots and supply drops. One other Starfleet resource is other ships. Many times extra parts can be found on a sister ship. Every OPS officer should be aware of who is in the area and where they are. Disasters can often be prevented by the quick procurement of parts. Operations is responsible for knowing where to find needed parts and for facilitating their procurement. Resources Outside Starfleet: There are many items that are required for a ship or station due to the diverse amount of species. Although many of these items can be found in Starfleet stores, personal items, exotic foods and even some custom furniture may need to be obtained elsewhere. There are several resources available. Civilian shops along the promenades of most stations and starbases. Even on various planets. But the biggest resource is the independent trader. Operations builds a network of traders with their territory. Although latinum is the currency most used in the quadrant, there is a large bartering system in place. Older Operations officers often mentor newer personnel in the department in the ways and means of bartering, although Starfleet ‘unofficially’ looks for those qualities in their Operations candidates. One thing that a good Operations officer must be aware of is the different bartering systems in different areas. What may be valuable in one sector may be common place in another. Operations officers are in constant communication with each other so that these things may be shared.

Communications

Operations is responsible for all communication systems and the use of any of those systems. Although Engineering works hand in hand with the Operations department, the regular care and maintenance of the entire communications system falls under the responsibility of the OPS department.

Any communications coming in or going out passes through the Operations station. Although most of it is handled automatically, there are many instances where a message is flagged or needs special handling. All traffic going to and from the bridge must be handled directly through the Operations Console.

Certain criteria can be set on each individual ship or station to scan for anything within any communication leaving or arriving, regardless of who sent it and to where. This must only be done at the direct order of the Captain or the Executive Officer and then must be able to be justified to Starfleet Command at a later date. This is due to Starfleet’s profound respect for individual rights and privacy.

The proper communication protocol is taught in the academy to all cadets.

Transporters

Operations is responsible for the maintenance and usage of all transporters including the ones in the Cargo Bays. Each transporter room has a transporter chief on duty at all times and that individual is a member of the Operations department. Regularly scheduled maintenance is performed and each circuit meticulously checked and double-checked. Tests are done at the beginning of each shift.

Operations is also responsible for equipping all away team personnel with pattern enhancers if there is even a slight chance of this equipment being needed.

Operations is responsible for maintaining transporter lock on away team members (when team members are scattered, Operations divvies up the personnel among the transporter rooms and even the cargo transporters if necessary.

LCARS Administration

Maintenance and upgrade of the computer system also known as LCARS is handled by Operations and requires extensive programming knowledge and skills.

Diagnostics of computers used in different departments aboard the ship are run on different schedules depending upon the situation:

Cruise Mode: Leve l4 diagnostic is run on the entire computer system at the beginning of each shift Yellow Alert: Level 4 diagnostic is run on all ship's primary and tactical computer systems to determine ship's current readiness including computers in Engineering, concentrating on the warp core and engine computer systems. Level 5 automatic diagnostics are performed to verify systems that maintain the readiness of autonomous survival and govern the recovery vehicle systems (lifeboats). Red Alert: Level 4 diagnostic is run on all ship's primary and tactical computer systems. Operations gives notification of any significant change in the ship's power and computer systems while the Bridge is given immediate notice of any change in the ship's readiness status. Immediate Level 3 diagnostic on the computer systems that monitor warp propulsion systems, level 4 series at every 5 minutes. Level 3 diagnostics to the computers systems that control the phaser banks. Level 4 automatic diagnostics are performed to verify systems that maintain the readiness of autonomous survival and govern the recovery vehicle systems (lifeboats).

Whenever a system has crashed a Level 1 diagnostic will be run on that system. And whenever it is feasible a level 1 is run on the entire core and network. This is usually done when docked and the major systems are run from the station or port through an umbilical cord thus ensuring that life support, power and engineering are not interrupted in anyway.

Software and Data Storage Retrieval

Isolinear optical chips are a sophisticated information storage and processing device that can be used for both data storage and processing. Composed of linear memory crystal material, these isolinear chips are often mounted in wall racks permitting the computer access to anywhere from a dozen up to hundreds of chips at one time. These must be regularly check for both physical or data damage. These chips can be found in almost every unit and system.

User Access and Control Interfaces

User Accounts

Operations creates user accounts for each new crew member so that they have access to LCARS and their own personal files. Accounts are based on security clearance established by Starfleet Headquarters, current access level, their job requirements as well as rank and whether or not the assignment is permanent or temporary. All of this information is stored in the personnel database which is contained in a secured section of the computer. Operations can NOT change or SET a person's security clearance and/or access level -- that must be done through Starfleet Headquarters. All crewmembers are given at least the most basic accounts so as to allow them to enter personal logs.

Authorization Codes

Access to all Starfleet computer systems is highly regulated. A standard set of authorization codes have been programmed in to the starboard and engineering computer cores of all ships in order to stop any undesired access to the systems. The codes are as follows:

ALPHA-TWO: Unlimited access to all ship's records, systems, commands, and computers ALPHA-ONE: Unlimited access to all ship's records,systems, commands and computers. No access to ship localized command functions. BETA-TWO: Unlimited access to all ship's records, systems and computers. Limited access to command functions (except if stated otherwise by Commanding Officer) BETA-ONE: Unlimited access to all ship's records, and computers. Limited access to command functions (except if stated otherwise by Commanding Officer). Access to ship systems is limited to duty related functions. DELTA-TWO: Limited access to all ship's records, systems, commands and computers. Access Limited to duty related functions. DELTA-ONE: Limited access to all ship's records, and computers. Access limited to job related functions.

Captain/Commanding Officer is ALPHA-TWO Executive Officer is ALPHA-TWO Operations Officer: ALPHA-ONE Chief Medical Officer: BETA-ONE Chief Engineering Officer: BETA-TWO Chief Tactical Officer: BETA-ONE Flight Control Officer: BETA-ONE Counselor: BETA-TWO

The Commanding Officer reserves the privilege of permitting limited access to unspecified section of the ship to any personnel whose functions, in the eyes of the CO, require it.

Access Levels

This section also deals with access levels. Access to all Starfleet data is highly regulated. A standard set of access levels have been programmed in to the starboard and engineering computer cores of all ships in order to stop any undesired access to confidential data.

Admirals and Commodores: Level 5 Captains, Commanders, and certain specific personnel when duty related: Level 4 Lieutenants, Lieutenant JG, and certain specific personnel when duty related - Level 3 All personnel in operational duties - Level 2 All personnel and civilians in Starfleet Service - Level 1

Troubleshooting

Level-4 memory fragmentation Cascade memory degradation on a sophisticated computer program such as EMH or a holodeck program