Auto destruct (Star Trek)
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This is page about the 'Auto Destruct' in 'Star Trek'. For information on other forms of auto destruct see Self Destruct.
In the fictional Star Trek universe, all Starfleet vessels are equipped with self-destruct devices. These devices are placed in the vessel to ensure that neither the ship itself nor the technology contained within that ship would fall into the hands of enemy forces or be revealed to species protected by the Prime Directive. For Starfleet crews, it is considered an accepted fact of life that they may be called to make the ultimate sacrifice.
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[edit] The Destruct Sequence
The way that the auto destruct sequence has been activated on starships has changed over time, as was the way the destruct sequence was carried out.
[edit] The Original Series and movies
The sequence on the original Constitution class vessel was begun by tying in the ship's main computer to the bridge. The Captain would then identify himself to the computer, and provide the first code - which was One-One-A. The First Officer would then identify himself to the computer, and provide the second part of the sequence - which was One-One-A-Two-B. The Chief Engineer would then give the third part of the sequence - which was One-B-Two-B-Three. The computer would then announce that the sequence had been completed and engaged. It would then request the final code from the Captain. The Captain would again identify himself, and give the final code, which was Zero-Zero-Zero-Destruct-Zero.
At that point, the computer would begin a 60-second countdown. The self destruct sequence could be cancelled at any time within 25 seconds of activation. However, after the five second point had been reached, the destruct sequence could not be stopped. If it was to be cancelled, the Captain would identify himself to the computer. He would then give the abort auto-destruct command followed by the code - which was One-Two-Three-Continuity. He would then repeat the abort auto-destruct command. At this point the computer would cancel the sequence. For the refit Constitution class starships that was seen in the first six movies, the self-destruct sequence was basically the same. Starfleet has a guideline for immediate self destruction in the form of General Order 2005.
While not canon, the book Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise explains the auto-destruct sequence in greater detail. In the book, the Enterprise is described as having two destruct systems. If the final code given was Zero-Zero-Zero-Destruct-One, the warp core would overload, and the ship would be destroyed in a sun-like antimatter fireball. This fireball would also consume any nearby object. In the event the ship was near a planet or another object to be preserved, the secondary destruct system was used. It would be activated if the final code was Zero-Zero-Zero-Destruct-Zero. In the event this destruct system was used, the ship would eject the antimatter. It would then overload all the electrical systems, and then detonate powerful charges located throughout the hull. By the time the sequence had completed, the ship would be a lifeless hulk which would be worthless to enemy forces.
[edit] The Next Generation and movies
On the Galaxy class starship, the destruct sequence was started from main engineering. The Captain and First Officer would touch a panel on the master situation table. The computer would then recognize the two officers. The Captain would tell the computer to start the destruct sequence. The computer would ask the first officer if he agreed. If the First Officer gave his consent, the ship would begin a countdown. The time limit was flexible, the Captain had an option of specifying how long the ship should wait before destroying itself. But if no time limit was specified, the ship had a default of five minutes. The Captain could abort the auto-destruct sequence by telling the computer to do so. The computer would ask the First Officer if he agreed, if he did so the destruct sequence would be canceled.
It has not been clearly documented whether it was a requirement that the officers gather in Engineering. The wisdom of making them go to engineering would be debatable if access to that part of the ship had been blocked.
The Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual went into greater detail about the destruct sequences on Galaxy-class starships. On this type of vessel, the sequence could be aborted at any time before the sequence reached T -minus zero. Galaxy class ships also had two destruct devices. The first type involved the vessel's warp drive overloading, and the shut down of the anti-matter storage bottle containment fields. The vessel would vaporize due to explosive and thermal shock. It was estimated that such an explosion would be equivalent to 1,600 photon torpedoes. The second type was a backup if the first method failed, or if destruct was called for in the primary hull during separated flight operations. In this method, a number of charges located at key points throughout the ship were detonated. This had the equivalent of about 1,000 photon torpedoes. The system would check to see who was available on the ship, and would accept auto destruct commands down to the level of operations manager.
On Sovereign class starships, such as the USS Enterprise-E, the sequence is closer to what was given on Constitution class starships. the Captain would order the computer to begin the destruct sequence. The next two highest ranking officers who were present would give their assent. At that point the Captain would give the final clearance. He could specify a time limit, and whether there were to be any further announcements regarding the auto-destruct.
But later, in Star Trek: Nemesis Captain Picard attempted to activate the self destruct systems to keep the Reman vessel Scimitar from continuing to Earth. By the time of Nemesis the Captain was able to initiate auto-destruct without anyone else's authority. He was able to give the command, confirm it and start the time countdown all by himself. However, the Enterprise had taken so much damage that the auto-destruct sequence was off-line.
[edit] Voyager
On board the USS Voyager, the auto destruct was activated solely by the Captain. When Captain Janeway commanded Voyager, she could activate the destruct device by telling the computer to activate the destruct device, followed by the clearance "Janeway Pi-110." The captain could also indicate whether there would be further audio announcements, as well as time length.
It's questionable whether having that sort of authority centered on one person is a good idea or not. If the Captain became mentally unbalanced or subjected to outside influence, having her being able to activate the sequence on her own might well have led to disaster. Kate Mulgrew has expressed a belief that Captain Janeway was mentally unstable in the later seasons of the series. If Janeway was truly unstable, it would have been very dangerous to leave the authority to use the auto destruct solely in her hands. It is noteworthy however that the Intrepid class starship Voyager had a crew complement of only about 150, compared to the Constitution class Enterprise 's 400 and the Galaxy class Enterprise 's 1,000+, which included civilians; it is possible that these latter two starship classes required the consent of additional officers due to there being more lives at stake, however being that the larger Enterprise-D required the consent of only two officers and the smaller Enterprise and Enterprise-E required the consent of the three officers, this seems somewhat disproportionate.
[edit] Deep Space Nine
On the starship Defiant, the Captain and First Officer would touch a panel. The computer would then recognize the two officers. The Captain would tell the computer to start the destruct sequence. The computer would ask the first officer if he or she agreed. If the First Officer gave consent, the ship would begin a countdown. The time limit was flexible, the Captain had an option of specifying how long the ship should wait before destroying itself. The Captain could abort the auto-destruct sequence by telling the computer to do so. The computer would ask the First Officer for consent agreed, if consent was then given the destruct sequence would be canceled.
Deep Space Nine also had a self destruct program. The station's main reactor would overload, and the energy produced during the overload would demolish the station. The self destruct program was activated by a rogue Cardassian program.
[edit] History
[edit] Enterprise and the Original Series
At some point Starfleet included an auto destruct sequence in their starships. The Enterprise NX-01 may have had auto destruct device, but this was never used.
During Captain Kirk's first five year mission on the Enterprise, the auto-destruct sequence was started to keep an official from Cheron from commandeering the ship ("Let That Be Your Last Battlefield.") He was able to convince the official that he would destroy the Enterprise rather than have the official commandeer the ship. Kirk activated the sequence. Later he found that the official had burned out the self-destruct systems, and he was forced to go to Cheron.
In the episode "The Doomsday Machine," the starship Constellation was destroyed inside an alien planet-killer to keep it from destroying Federation planets. With most of the computer systems being down and the auto-destruct sequence being unavailable, Engineer Scott rigged the impulse engines to overload. The engines overloaded after 30 seconds inside the planet killer. This caused the internal structure of the device to explode, however with the hull being made of neutronium, the hull itself remained intact.
Khan Noonian Singh, upon realizing that his attempt to take over the Enterprise had failed during the episode "Space Seed", set the engines of the Enterprise to overload and self destruct. He engaged Kirk in hand to hand combat in an attempt to keep Kirk from stopping the overload, but Kirk was able to knock him out with a metal tool. Kirk was then able to quickly stop the overload, just before the engines exploded.
In the episode "By Any Other Name", the Enterprise was hijacked by beings from the Andromeda Galaxy, intending to report back to their own people that our Galaxy was ripe for conquest. Scotty secretly opened the ship's matter/anti-matter valves as part of a plan to destroy the ship on contact with the Galactic Barrier, requiring only Kirk's final order to carry it through. Kirk, however, refused to sanction the plan.
In the extended version of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, as the Enterprise is being pulled toward the central V'ger brain complex, Admiral Kirk asks Mr. Scott to be prepared to execute Starfleet Order 2005 on his command. A female subordinate of Scott's asks why the Captain ordered self-destruct, to which Scott replies "I would say lass, because he thinks . . . he hopes . . . that when we go up, we'll take the intruder with us." When asked if it will work, he replies with a smile, "When that much matter and anti-matter come together, ahh yes, we will indeed."
[edit] The Search For Spock
One of the most notable instances of the auto destruct sequence being used is when then Admiral James T. Kirk ordered the computer to destroy the USS Enterprise in order to keep the vessel, and the data contained within her computers, from falling into Klingon hands.
The five men on the Enterprise - Admiral Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Commander Chekov, Commander Sulu, and Captain Scott - had a plan even though kruge overpowered them and with the death of david that had effected kirk the five men had no choice but to let them on board but in order to defeat them kirk order sulu and McCoy to set up a site to site transport and then kirk,chekov and Scotty at the science station ordered the command codes for the destruct sequence the computer awaited the final code Kirk: Code zero zero zero destruct,zero was the code he entered and the computer began the destruct sequence then the three men on the bridge had left and ran to the transporter room kirk being the smart one had told kruge that they were energizing their transporter beam and then the five men had beamed off looking at it for the last time as they said there scilent good byes just before the arrival of the Klingon boarding party. The Klingons arrived on the bridge, having found the ship mysteriously deserted. Klingon officer Torg reported this to Commander Kruge, who felt they were hiding. Torg said that the bridge appeared to be deserted, except for the sound of a voice. Kruge asked to hear what was being said. When Torg leaned over the science console, Kruge could hear the computer saying, "...nine, eight, seven..." He realized in horror that the Enterprise was going to explode and screamed at his men to get off the ship.
It was too late for Kruge's men to escape. After the countdown reached zero, a number of charges detonated. First to be destroyed was the bridge - which exploded, taking out the bridge dome and the deck below. Kruge's ship pulled away before the exploding Enterprise could damage his ship. The superstructure of the Enterprise's primary hull began to collapse, and the primary hull then exploded. Most of the primary hull was torn away, and the Enterprise began to fall out of orbit. As she approached the atmosphere of the Genesis Planet the remains of the ship turned bright red, and burned up as she fell toward the planet. On the surface of Genesis Kirk and his senior officers watched as the Enterprise died. Seeing his beloved ship die, Admiral Kirk then turned to Dr. McCoy.
Kirk: "My God Bones. What have I done?"
McCoy: "What you had to do. What you always do. Turned death into a fighting chance to live."
One of the models built for the first Star Trek movie was actually blown up for this effects sequence. This partially destroyed model was later featured in the Next Generation episode The Best of Both Worlds as one of the wrecked ships following the Battle of Wolf 359. This model was later featured as a destroyed Starfleet vessel in the Deep Space Nine episode The Sound of Her Voice.
[edit] The Next Generation
During the voyages of the Enterprise-D there were two instances during her service that it was felt that the auto-destruct sequence needed to be activated. First, when the Bynars stole the Enterprise in the first season episode "11001001", the destruct sequence was activated to keep the Bynars from holding on to the ship if Captain Picard and Commander Riker were unable to secure the ship. Secondly, when a super being, Nagilum, began experimenting on Enterprise crew in the second season episode "Where Silence Has Lease", Picard and Riker activated the sequence to ensure that death came quickly, and to keep the being from killing the crew himself. In both cases, the destruct sequence was aborted before time ran out. "Where Silence Has Lease" offers a slight bit of comedy where, when the computer asks Commander Riker if he wishes to abort the destruct sequence, Riker states "absolutely, I do indeed, wholeheartedly". Riker would say he didn't want there to be any misunderstanding with the computer.
When the Enterprise-E fought the Borg's temporal incursion to the mid 21st century, the destruct sequence was activated to keep the Borg from taking over the ship. Lt. Commander Data stopped the sequence because the time was not yet right for him to neutralize the Borg presence. A few minutes later he was in position to break open the coolant tank, which liquefied and killed the Borg Queen. In Star Trek: Nemesis, Picard tries to use the Auto Destruct to destroy The Scimitar Shinzon of Remous's ship after the Enterprise-E's shields are down and phasers drained, but it is offline, after major attacks where she was fired on
[edit] Voyager
During the time when the starship Voyager was making her way back to the Alpha Quadrant, there were several instances when the destruct sequence was activated. Once ("Dreadnought"), it was activated to stop a Cardassian weapon from destroying a planet. But when the weapon was destroyed, Captain Janeway was able to stop the sequence.
Another time ("Deadlock"), when Voyager diverged into two separate starships, the ships found themselves still linked together. When a Vidiian ship came upon them, they began attacking and killing the crew of one of the ships. Janeway activated the auto destruct, which completed and destroyed one of the Voyagers. This freed the second Voyager and allowed her to continue on her journey.
Captain Janeway once again attempted to activate the auto destruct after coming under attack from the vicious Kazon-Nistrim in the episode "Basics" to prevent the starship from being captured. However due to damage to the ship's secondary command pathways, the sequence failed to initialise and the Kazon took Voyager.
[edit] Deep Space Nine
The Cardassians had also built an auto-destruct feature into Deep Space Nine. When a rogue computer program took over the station, it eventually activated the auto-destruct device. While the actual destruct sequence couldn't be stopped, Commander Sisko was able to drive the explosive reaction out into the shields, which saved the station.
The USS Defiant had an auto-destruct system. It was activated once, in order to keep a Changeling infiltrator from attacking a civilization and starting a war. However Odo was able to stop the infiltrator, and the sequence was stopped.
[edit] External link
- Auto-destruct at Memory Alpha, the Star Trek Wiki
