E is for Engineering Substation (Star Morph A to Z Challenge)

Part of the April A to Z Blog Challenge

When you need more power, or to disable the tractor beam, or to bring the main reactor back online at because the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, you need an engine room to do it in.  On large spacecraft, like the mile-long dreadnaughts of the Space Opera genre, this map is only of an Engineering Substation.  On smaller spacecraft, like fast sporty models designed to run blockades, this could be Main Engineering.  Let's take a look:

1. Lift:  Up to six Engineers with radiation armor can fit in the lift at once, or a four-crew Damage Control Party with all their equipment.

2. Monitor room:  All this open-air room overlooks the drop into the maintenance shaft of the main reactor.  The consoles have interface ports for robots to log-in and monitor the system at all times.

3. "Circuit Breakers" is the common slang for the main electrical routing systems located here.  They are also open to the maintenance shaft.

4: Retractable Walkways:  These walkways connect the peripheral stations to the central capacitors  and regulator towers.  They do not have rails, but are equipped with magnetic surfaces for safety.

5. Capacitor:  One of two in the Substation.  The open shaft is in micro-gravity at all times, while the narrow walkways have full gravity for convenience.

6. Regulator Tower:  This is the main discharge port for overloads from he reactor, and there is an almost constant beam of power from eh top of the tower into static discharge ports.  Many functions of the reactor itself can be influenced by adjusting the settings of the Regulator Tower.

In many large spacecraft, there will several of the substations stacked on top of one another over a maintenance shaft.  Because of the lack of gravity, Characters that are proficient in Zero-Gee maneuvering can "fly" from one level of the starship to another through the maintenance shaft if the need arises.

Which would look pretty cool.

Stay tuned tomorrow and the rest of the week for more map-y goodness as we continue are Star Morph A to Z Challenge!