Operations center
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"And this is ops..."
"The heart and soul of Deep Space 9."
- - Julian Bashir and Vadosia
An operations center (also known as Ops) is the command and control facility of a space station or outpost. It is the equivalent of the bridge of a starship.
Cardassian design
On Cardassian stations such as Deep Space 9/Terok Nor, the command center is a circular area located at the top of the main structure, with overhead windows giving a view of the stars and ships docked at the upper docking pylons. It contains, among other things, the commander's office, a turbolift, a transporter, and a viewscreen. The design is such that all present must look up to the commander's office and also isolates the commander to a degree; rather than a captain's chair, the station commander's "seat of power" is in what would otherwise be a ready room.
The centralized nature of the operations center also means that, unlike most starships, in which primary controls are accessible from main engineering if desired, the operations center is the only location with such access. This makes it a prime target for hostile forces, particularly in Terok Nor's case, as the risk of a Bajoran revolt was significant. In order to minimize such risks, Ops can be sealed off from the rest of the station if necessary.
Many functions that would otherwise be performed in main engineering can be performed in a "pit"-like area, located directly below the viewscreen. Among other things, this allows the commander to keep from showing signs of weakness, because crucial tasks can be performed out of sight during hails.
Ops also has a replicator.
Other designs
Other starbases and space stations have operations centers as well, such as Empok Nor and the Tevak shipyards.
