STAR FLEET DATABASE

Below is a definition of the most common terms, equipment and technology used in Star Trek and on Federation Space. This page is a work in progress and will be updated as new information becomes available. Most of the Information below comes from the Star Trek Encyclopedia Expanded Edition.
 

A

A & A Officer:	Abbreviation for archaeology and anthropology specialist.
Ablative Armor:	Starship protective skin that is designed to vaporize under weapons fire, thereby dissipating energy and protecting the ship's systems inside. In the event of a shield envelope disruption, phaser or thermal EM is first dissipated over the hull surface, and above an undisclosed threshold causes the the molecular matrix to boil off at a controlled rate, carrying away a large fraction of the landed beam energy. In most cases, the boil-off creates a medium density particle cloud, which may help disperse the incoming beam.
Academy Commandant:	Starfleet Officer in charge of Starfleet Academy.
Academy Flight Range:	Located near Saturn in the Sol System, an area reserved for flight exercises by Cadets from Starfleet Academy.
Academy Range Officer:	Starfleet officer in charge of the Academy Flight Range.
Accelerometer:	Instrument used to measure the direction and amount of velocity change.
Active-Scan Navigation:	Navigation technique used when conventional passive sensors cannot be used. Active-scan navigation works by echolocation, such as when a modulated tetryon pulse is transmitted, so that a reflection off an object (such as a ship) will permit the object's location to be determined.
Adaptive Interface Link:	Computer connection used to exchange information between two computer systems of totally alien origin.
Admiral's Banquet:	Annual Starfleet social function.
Advanced Tactical Training:	Starfleet curriculum for specialized tactical and intelligence operations. Admission to Advanced Tactical Training required the recommendation of a superior officer. The course load was very difficult, and half of the members of each year's class failed to complete it.
Age of Ascension:	Klingon rite of passage, marking a new level of spiritual attainment for a Klingon warrior. The ritual involves a recitation by the ascendee, proclaiming, "DaHjaj Suvwl'e' jIH. tlgwlj Sa'angNIS. Iw blQtlqDaq jIjaH." ("Today I am a Warrior. I must show you my heart. I travel the river of blood.") The warrior then strides between two lines of Klingons, who subject him or her to painstiks.
Ahn-woon:	Vulcan weapon made of a single leather strip that could be used as a whip or noose.
Airlock:	Chamber that permits personnel to pass from an area in which an atmosphere is maintained, into an area where no atmosphere, or a different atmosphere, exists.
Aldebaran Whiskey:	A green-colored alcoholic beverage of considerable potency.
Altonian Brain-Teaser:	A holographic puzzle that responds to neural theta waves, the goal being to turn a floating multicolor sphere into a solid color.
AMU:	Antimatter unit. Measure of antimatter.
Andonian Brandy:	A special liqueur.
Annular Confinement Beam:	Abbreviated as ACB. A cylindrical force field used to ensure that a person being transported remains within the beam. Failure to remain in the beam can cause a dangerous release of beam energy, possibly fatally injuring the transport subject and those nearby.
Anti-Intoxicant:	Medicine taken to allow one to drink alcoholic beverages without becoming inebriated.
Antigen:	Any foreign substance in a body that triggers an immune response.
Antigrav:	Portable device used aboard Federation starships for handling cargo and other items too large for a single crew member to carry.
Antigravitron:	Elemental particle that carries a charge and spin opposite to that of gravitrons. Antigravitron particles are generated in a standard tractor beam.
Antilepton Interface:	Energetic particle field that can interfere with a subspace communications.
Antimatter Containment:	Refers to the use of magnetic seals and confinement fields to prevent antimatter from physically touching the surface of the storage pod or any other part of the starship.
Antimatter Mines:	Explosive charges, often used as proximity bombs. Can be equipped with magnetic targeting capabilities.
Antimatter Pod:	Magnetic confinement bottle used for the storage of antimatter fuel in a Federation starship.
Antimatter Spread:	An impressive but harmless series of small explosive charges deployed from the saucer section of a starship.
Antimatter:	Matter whose electrical charge properties are the opposite of 'normal' matter. For example a 'normal' proton has a positive charge, but an antiproton has a negative charge. When a particle of antimatter is brought into contact with an equivalent particle of normal matter, both particles are annihilated, and a considerable amount of energy is released. The controlled annihilation of matter and antimatter is used as the power source for the warp drive systems used aboard Federation starships.
Antiproton:	Subatomic particle of antimatter identical to a proton except that it has the opposite spin and electrical charge.
Arbiter of Succession:	Under Klingon law, the individual responsible for administering the Rite Of Succession, the procedures under which a new chancellor of the Klingon High Council is chosen.
Arch:	An inner doorway in some holodeck entrances. When used, the arch can be a demarcation between the simulated world of the holdeck and the outside world.
Artificial Quantum Singularity:	Synthetically created microscopic black hole. Romulan spacecraft use an AQS as a power source for their warp drive systems. While extremely efficient, the quantum singularity had the disadvantage that once enabled, it could not be deactivated.
Artificial Wormhole:	The first known instance of an artificially created wormhole was the Bajoran wormhole, created by unknown entities in the Denorios Belt. Federation scientist Dr. Lenara Kahn, with the Trill ministry of science, worked for years to duplicate the feat. In 2372 she led a team of scientists to attempt to generate an artificial wormhole. The team was successful in generating a stable wormhole that was open for 23.4 seconds, the first in Federation history.
Asteroids:	Small, rocky celestial object, usually much smaller than a planet, often irregularly shaped. Asteroids often occur in orbital belts within a star system, sometimes the debris remaining from the formation of that system, other times the fragments remaining from the disintegration of a planet. Also called planetoids.
Astrometric Readings:	A determination of the date by observing the apparent positions of the stars.
AU:	Abbreviation for Astronomical Unit, a measure of length equal to the distance from the Earth to the Sun, some 150 million kilometers.
Autodestruct:	A command program in the main computer system of Federation Starships enabling the destruction of the vessel should the ship fall into enemy hands. Initiation of this program requires the verbal order (with dermal hand print identification verification) of the two most senior command officers on the ship.
Autonomous Holo-Emtter:	Small device built with 29th century technology that allows a hologram to exist outside of a holodeck without the use of external holographic emitters.
Autosequencer:	A subsystem of a starship's transporter that controls the actual transport process.
Auxiliary Control:	Secondary command room on starships, serving as a backup to the ship's bridge.
Away Mission:	Starfleet term for an assignment that takes a team away from a ship, such as a landing party sent to a planet's surface.
Away Team:	Starfleet term for a specialized squad of personnel sent on an extravehicular away mission, usually to a planet's surface or another spacecraft.

B

Bajoran Chambers of Ministers:	Legislative body of the Bajoran provisional government. When the Federation Council voted in 2373 to admit Bajor to the Federation, the chamber elected to delay admission. The ministers took this unusual action on the advice of Benjamin Sisko, the Emissary of Bajoran prophecy, who had undergone pagh'tem'far, and experienced visions convincing him that admission at that time would be unwise.
Bajoran Death Chant:	Funeral ritual of the Bajoran people. It was reputed to be over two hours long.
Bajoran First Minister:	Secular head of the Bajoran Chamber of Ministers.
Bajoran Institute of Science:	Bajoran research center where the Changeling Odo was studied after being found in the Denorios Belt.
Bajoran Military Academy:	Armed forces institute on planet Bajor.
Bajoran Provisional Government:	Loose coalition of Bajoran factions that assumed the role of planetary leadership following the Cardassian withdrawal in 2369. The provisional government was headed by the Chamber of Ministers, which was bitterly divided into many factions, each seeking dominance.
Bajoran Wormhole:	Artificially generated stable passageway to the Gamma Quadrant located in the Denorios Belt in the Bajoran Star System. The wormhole was formed by verteron particles that allow a vessel to pass through on impulse power.
Baktag:	Klingon insult.
Baristatic Filter:	Device used in a planet's atmosphere to remove air pollution on a large scale.
Baryon Particles:	Any member of a class of fundamental particles. Baryons build up on starship superstructures as a result of warp travel, requiring periodic decontamination. Highly energetic baryons were present in great abundance at the beginning of the universe.
Baryon Sweep:	High-frequency plasma field used for removal of baryon particle contamination from starships. The process is dangerous to living tissue and requires complete evacuation of starship personnel.
Bat'leth:	The traditional Klingon 'sword of honor', resembling a meter-long two-ended scimitar.
Battle Bridge:	Secondary control center on Federation Starships from which battle operations can be controlled. Located in the stardrive (or battle) section of the starship, the Battle Bridge is normally used when the saucer module (containing the main bridge) is separated from the ship.
Bearing:	In celestial navigation,  a mathematical expression describing a direction in space with relationship to a space vehicle. A bearing measures the angular difference between the current forward direction of the spacecraft and the direction being described. The first number in a bearing describes an azimuth in degrees, and the second describes an elevation. For example, a bearing of 000 mark 0 describes a direction directly ahead of the vessel. A bearing of 330 mark 15 describes a direction to the port side (left) of the ship, somewhat above the centerline of the vessel.
Beta-Tachyon:	Form of particle that can exist only at faster-than-light velocities.
Big Bang:	A massive explosion, about 15 billion years ago, in which the present universe and everything in it is believed to have been formed.
Bio-neural Circuitry:	Advanced computer technology using synthetic neural cells for data processing. Bio-neural circuitry could organize and process complex information faster and more efficiently than traditional optical processors.
Bio-neural Energy:	Electrical activity generated by an organic life-form's nervous system, absence of which generally constitutes death.
Bio-neural Gel Pack:	Component of a bio-neural computer system consisting of a flexible, liquid-tight package containing synthetic neural cells in an gelatinous organic medium. Bio-neural gel packs are far faster than conventional optical computing.
Biocontainment Field:	Force field used for containment of infectious material aboard Federation starships.
Biofilter:	A subsystem of the transporter designed to scan an incoming transporter beam prior to materialization and remove potentially harmful disease and virus contamination.
Biospectral Analysis:	Sensor study used to evaluate organic life-forms or material.
Black Hole:	Celestial phenomenon caused by the collapse of a neutron star. The gravity well generated by the star's collapse becomes so great that neither space-normal matter nor light can escape.
Blind Beam-Out:	Transporter technique usually employed as an emergency measure, in which all life-forms in a given area are transported as a group instead of each pattern being isolated before transport.
Blood Oath:	In the Klingon culture, a promise of vengeance that once sworn, can never be broken.
Blue Alert:	Aboard Federation starships with the ability of planet fall, blue alert is a state of readiness for landing operations. Blue Alert notifies the ship's crew to occupy Code Blue stations, and is ordered prior to the starship's landing on a planet and prior to liftoff.
Brek'tal Ritual:	Klingon ceremony in which a warrior who slays the head of a House in honorable combat becomes the new head of the House. The victor of the battle is invited to take the loser's place, both in his House and with his wife.
Bridge Officer Examination:	Battery of tests required in order to qualify to serve as a line officer in the Federation Starfleet. The examination is a requirement to earn the rank of full Commander. The tests include qualifications in diplomatic law, first-contact procedures, bridge operations, and engineering. Unbeknownst to candidates, the exam also included measures of command ability, including the ability to order personnel into situations where they might be killed. An officer must pass this test in order to serve as commander or duty officer aboard a starship.
Bridge:	Primary command center for starships and other spacecraft. On most Federation starships, the bridge is located on Deck 1, at the top of the primary hull.
Brig:	Security detention area, used to detain individuals believed to have committed serious criminal offenses or for individuals believed to pose a serious danger to other people or to the ship itself. Secure entrance to starship brigs is often provided by a force field door.
Broad-Spectrum Warp Field:	Subspace bubble, also referred to as an inverse warp field, capable of interfering with the structure of a quantum fissure.
Brown Dwarf:	Small celestial object similar to a star, but with insufficient mass to generate a star's powerful nuclear reactions. Because a brown dwarf might glow with only feeble infrared light, it can be difficult to detect across interstellar distances.
Bureau of Planetary Treaties:	Branch of the Federation government that deals with interstellar agreements.
Bussard Collectors:	Large electromagnetic devices located at the front of the warp drive nacelles of some Federation starships. The Bussard collectors created a large electromagnetic field used to attract interstellar hydrogen gas that could be used as fuel by the ship's fusion reactors.

C

Camouflage Field:	Technological device that can generate false sensor readings.
Captain's Yacht:	Large shuttle vehicle carried by starships. The Captain's yacht was intended for transport of dignitaries and other diplomatic functions. The yacht is a large elliptical vessel that docked at an external port on the underside of Federation starship saucer sections.
Cardassian Central Command:	Government of the Cardassian Union, in control of the Cardassian military. The Central Command has traditionally been under the direct control of the Detapa Council, but in practice operated with virtual autonomy. The Central Command has often been at odds with the Obsidian Order.
Cargo Bay:	Storage area aboard a space vehicle for freight, supplies, and other payload stored for shipment.
Cargo Module:	A variety of different storage containers used by Starfleet and other agencies for safe shipping and handling of freight and payload.
Carrington Award:	Prestigious scientific award given annually by the Federation Medical Council, honoring outstanding work in the field of medicine. Generally regarded as a lifetime achievement award.
Cascade Anomaly:	Progressive and escalating failure within a complex system such as a positronic matrix.
Center Seat:	Starfleet slang term referring to the Captain's chair on the bridge of a starship, and by extension, the job of command.
Chambers Coil:	Component of a starship's communications system.
Chancellor:	Title given to the leader of the Klingon High Council.
Chlorinide:	An extremely hazardous, corrosive substance.
Chroniton Torpedo:	Tactical weapon used by the Krenim in the Delta Quadrant. Chroniton torpedoes were able to penetrate defensive shields because they were in a constant state of temporal flux
Chroniton:	Subatomic particles that transmits temporal quanta.
Chronometric Data:	Temporal measurements of the space-time continuum, particularly those pertaining to time travel.
Class:	Ancient Naval term used to describe a group of ships sharing a basic design. Generally, a class of ships is named by Starfleet after the first ship of that type built.
Cleaning Processor:	Part of a starship's solid-waste-recycling system. The processor was used for sterilization and recycling of clothing.
Cloaking Device:	An energy screen generator used to render an object (typically a space vehicle) invisible to the eye and to most sensor systems. Most cloaking devices require so much power that a vessel so equipped cannot use weapons systems without decloaking.
Combadge:	Personal communicator incorporated into the Starfleet emblem worn of the uniforms of Starfleet personnel. Combadges are capable of projecting a subspace beacon. Starfleet combadges were programmed to activate automatically when the casing was destroyed, a feature designed to help rescuers locate a seriously injured person.
Communicator:	Communicators provided voice transmission from planetary surface to an orbiting spacecraft, and between members of a landing party. Communicators also provide  a means for a ship's transporter system to determine the exact coordinates of a crew member for transport back to the ship.
Computer Core:	One of three large cylindrical chambers aboard Federation starships, housing the primary computer hardware.
Condition Green:	Covert Starfleet code used to secretly indicate on a clear channel that the speaker is being held captive.
Conn:	Abbreviation for Flight Controller.
Constitution of the United Federation of Planets:	Historic document framed in 2162, outlining the framework by which the Federation is governed for the mutual benefit and protection of member planets and individual citizens. Among the assurances of individual civil liberties contained in the Constitution is the Seventh Guarantee, protecting citizens against self-incrimination. All persons aboard a Federation starship are guaranteed these fundamental individual rights under the Constitution.
Construction Module:	Remotely controlled robotic device used for construction in free space.
Control Interface:	User-operated panel permitting input into a computer or other system. A control interface, such as those found on a Starfleet food replicator, generally permits display of feedback information to show the results of the inputted command.
Cosmic String Fragment:	An almost infinitely thin filament of almost infinitely dense matter. Although a string fragment can exhibit a gravitational pull of a hundred stars, it is no wider than a proton. Cosmic strings emanate a characteristic set of subspace frequencies which are caused by the decay of atomic particles along the string's event horizon.
Credit:	Unit of monetary exchange used in the Federation.
Crew Manifest:	A computer file containing biographical and Starfleet data on crew members aboard a Federation starship.
Cryostatic Chamber:	Device used to sterilize foods by subjecting them to extremely cold temperatures.
Cultural Database:	Archive of information stored in computers on Federation starships. The cultural database contained information pertaining to the rites and customs of all civilizations known to the Federation.
Cutter:	Slang term used to refer to a member of an asteroid mining team. Cutters split asteroids with phasers so that excavators could gain access to the asteroid's interior.

D

D'blok:	Klingon animal
D'k tahg:	Traditional Klingon warrior's knife. A vicious, three-bladed weapon, the d'k tahg is commonly used in hand-to-hand combat, and has great ceremonial value in Klingon culture.
Dabo:	Game of chance played on a roulette-like wheel.
DaiMon:	Title given to Ferengi leaders, approximately equivalent in rank to a Starfleet Captain.
Dampening Field:	Energy field that inhibits transmission of more forms of energy, including communications.
Dark-matter Nebula:	Interstellar gas or dust cloud that emits or reflects little or no detectable light or other energy.
Data Clip:	Handheld information storage device.
Data Crystal:	Small and very sophisticated information storage device.
Dataport:	Computer interface implanted into a person's brain that allows them to directly interface with computer systems.
Daystrom Institute:	Major center for science and technology. Named for the 23rd century computer scientist, Richard Daystrom.
Decompression Chamber:	Medical treatment facility aboard Federation starships for patients requiring exposure to atmospheric pressures other than Class-M normal.
Dedication Plaque:	Commemorative plate located on the bridge of Federation Starships.
Deep Tissue Scan:	Medical scan done as part of a post mortem investigation.
Deflector Dish:	A powerful forward-looking directional force-beam generator used to push aside debris, meteoroids, microscopic particulates, and other objects that might collide with the ship. The dish can also be modified to channel a large quantity of energy as a weapon, but only in extreme circumstances as the energy requirements drain significant power reserves from other ship systems, notably the warp engines and usually results in damage to the deflector dish.
Deflectors:	Energy field used to protect starships and other vessels from harm resulting from natural hazards or enemy attack.
Dekyon:	Subatomic particle with subspace and temporal properties. Dekyons can travel across a temporal causality loop.
Delta Quadrant:	One-quarter of the entire Milky Way Galaxy. It's closest point is some 40,000 light-years from the Federation.
Delta Radiation:	Form of hazardous energy. Delta radiation emitted from a star can interfere with a ship's sensors.
Delta Wave Inducer:	Medical instrument used to induce sleep.
Dentarium:	Metal alloy, used in Vulcan spacecraft.
Destruct Sequence:	A command program incorporated into the main computer of Federation starships, intended to facilitate destruction of the ship to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.
Deuterium:	Isotope of hydrogen consisting of one proton and one neutron in the nucleus, around which circles a single electron. Cryogenic deuterium is the primary fuel source for the fusion impulse engine reactors in Federation starships. Also is used as a reactant in Mattrer/Anti-Matter reaction system in Federation starships. Deuterium is the matter, and anti-hydrogen is the anti-matter. Also used in the reaction-control thrusters of Federation starships.
Deuterium Control Conduit:	An integral part of a starship's warp propulsion system.
Dilithium:	Crystalline substance used in warp propulsion systems aboard starships. Dilithium regulates the matter/anti-matter reactions that provide the energy necessary to warp space and travel faster than light. Naturally occurring dilithium is extremely rare and mined on only a few planets. Recrystallization techniques, exposing the dilithium to gamma radiation, greatly extends the life of dilithium within the reaction chamber.
Disruptor:	Directed energy weapon used by Romulans, Klingons, and the Breen.
Division of Planetary Operations:	Section of Starfleet tasked with Earth-based functions and operations. DPO headquarters was located in Lisbon, Portugal on Earth.
Docking Clamps:	Large mechanical devices that physically lock a docked ship to the exterior of a space station.
Drydock:	Large orbital service structure used for construction and major maintenance of starships and other space vehicles.
Duonetic Field:	Form of energy that inhibits flow of electromagnetic radiation. Duonetic fields prevent the operation of most technological devices.
Duranium:	Metal alloy. Extremely strong, duranium is commonly used in spacecraft construction such as the hulls of Starfleet runabouts.
Duritanium Polyalloy:	Metallic composite alloy. Used in the fabrication of starship hulls.

E

Escape Pods:	Small lifeboat that could be ejected from a starship or other space vehicle after a catastrophic accident. Escape pods are equipped with subspace transmitters and distress beacons.

F

Federation Council:	Governing body consisting of representatives of the member nations of the United Federation of Planets. The council chambers are location in San Francisco on Earth.

G

Gravity Generators:	Generators used aboard starships to simulate natural gravity. Comprised of a network of small generators working together to provide a proper sense of 'down'.

H

Holodeck:	A holodeck employs three-dimensional holographic projections as well as transporter based replications of actual objects. The holodeck can  project sounds, smells and tastes, using speakers, atomizers and integral replication systems.

I

Impulse Engines:	Propulsion system using conventional Newtonian reaction to generate thrust. Impulse drive is powered by one or more fusion reactors that employ deuterium fuel to yield helium plasma and a lot of power. Impulse drive is limited to slower-than-light speeds.

J

Jupiter Station:	Starfleet facility orbiting the fifth planet in the Sol System. Jupiter Station was the home of Dr. Lewis Zimmerman, the man responsible for creating the Emergency Medical Hologram program.

K

Kling:	A district or city on the Klingon Home world.

L

LCARS:	Library Computer Access and Retrieval System. The control interface used for accessing the main computer systems on board Federation starships.

M

Master Situation Monitor:	Large wall-mounted display in main Engineering. The master situation monitor features a large cutaway diagram of the ship, used for monitoring overall status of the ship and its departments.

N

Nacelle:	Large outboard structure that houses a warp-drive engine. Nacelles incorporate powerful subspace field generation coils. The interior of the nacelles is dominated by two rows of massive semi-circular war-field coils that serve to transform the ship's drive plasma stream into the subspace field that makes faster-than-light speeds possible.

O

Obsidian Order:	Cardassian internal security force. The Obsidian Order maintains an elaborate network designed to keep almost every Cardassian citizen under constant surveillance.

P

Phaser:	Phased Energy Rectification. A directed energy weapon used by Starfleet Officers as their primary sidearm.

Q

Qab jiH nagil:	Klingon ritual challenge used during the Sonchi ceremony during the Rite Of Succession. It translates, "Face me if you dare."
Qapla':	Klingon word meaning "success." Often used as a farewell.
Qo'noS:	The capital planet of the Klingon Empire. Usually referred to as the home world.
Quadrant:	In interstellar mapping, a quadrant is one-fourth of the Milky Way Galaxy. The galaxy is divided into four quadrants, each forming a ninety-degree pie wedge as seen from above or below the galaxy's plane. The four quadrants are labeled Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Gamma. The United Federation of Planets is mostly located in the Alpha Quadrant, although parts spill over into Beta. DS9 is located in Alpha Quadrant. Klingon and Romulan Empires are located in the Beta Quadrant, though they spill over into Alpha. The Borg homeworld is believed to be in the Delta Quadrant, while the Bajoran wormhole has one terminus in the Gamma Quadrant.
Quantometer Probe:	Scientific instrument used to measure energy usage.
Quantum Chemistry:	Course taught in the fourth year of the Starfleet Academy curriculum.
Quantum Filament:	An elongated subatomic object, hundreds of meters long, highly energetic, but possessing almost no mass.
Quantum Fissure:	Fixed point in the space-time continuum, essentially a keyhole in other quantum realities.
Quantum Flux:	State of dimensional instability, or continual change. Objects in a state of quantum flux are unable to remain stable in one quantum reality.
Quantum Reality:	One of an infinite number of possible universe or realities that exist side by side along the space-time continuum. Every occurrence and outcome that could exist does exist in a different quantum reality, realities that become increasingly divergent.
Quantum Signature:	A unique characteristic that marks all matter in the universe for a given quantum reality. All matter in each universe resonates at a specific frequency at the quantum level. That signature is constant and cannot be changed by any known process.
Quantum Singularity:	Celestial phenomenon caused by the collapse of a neutron star, resulting in an object so dense that neither space-normal matter nor light can escape it's gravity. See also; Black Hole.
Quantum Torpedo:	Advanced weaponry developed by Starfleet in the late 2360's. Quantum torpedoes employed an energetic local release of the zero point energy field. This quantum effect tended to be more effective than conventional antimatter explosives in penetrating deflector shields.
Quasar:	Mysterious quasi-stellar object believed to generate enormous amounts of energy from relatively small amounts of mass.

R

Replicators:	Device that uses transporter technology to dematerialize a quantity of matter, then to rematerialize it in another form.

S

Structural Integrity Field:	Shaped force field used on Federation starships to supplement the mechanical strength of the ship's spaceframe. Without the SIF, a starship would not be able to withstand the tremendous accelerations involved with spaceflight.

T

Tal Shiar:	Elite Romulan imperial intelligence service. A brutal, secret and extragovernmental agency that enforced loyalty among the Romulan citizenry and military. Tal Shiar agents carry broad discretionary powers and were able to overrule field military commanders with little fear of government reprisal.

U

U.S.S.:	Identifying prefix used as a part of the names of Federation Starships, as in U.S.S. Enterprise. U.S.S. is short for United Star Ship.
Ultritium:	A powerful chemical explosive, virtually undetectable by transporter scanners.
United Federation of Planets:	An interstellar alliance of planetary governments and colonies, united for mutual trade, exploratory, scientific, cultural, diplomatic, and defensive endeavors, founded in 2161.
Universal Translator:	Device used to provide real-time two-way translation of spoken languages. It operates by sensing and comparing brain-wave frequencies, then selecting comparable concepts to use as a basis for translation.
User Code Clearance:	A password required to access the control systems of a starship.
Utopia Planetia Fleet Yards:	Starfleet shipyards in orbit around the planet Mars and on the surface of the planet.

V

Vole:	Cardassian rodent.

W

W-Particle Interference:	Unusual phenomenon associated with gaps in normal space.
Warp Drive:	Primary propulsion system used by most faster-than-light interstellar spacecraft. Federation starships employ the controlled annihilation of matter and antimatter, regulated by dilithium crystals, to generate the tremendous power required to warp space and travel faster than light.
Warp Factor:	Unit of measure for faster-than-light velocities generated by warp drive.
Warp Field Coils:	Toroidal structures within a starship's warp drive nacelles that, when bombarded by high energy plasma, actually form the subspace "bubble" in which the ship travels in warp. Exposure to a verteron pulse can overload field coils, causing warp drive, and all other subspace systems, to fail.
Warp Field:	The "bubble" of subspace in which a starship travels when using warp drive. A low-level warp field can have the effect of reducing the local gravitational constant within the field itself. This is because a subspace field resembles the time-space distortion of a gravitational field. The effect is that a low-level warp field can be used to temporarily reduce the apparent mass of an object (with relationship to the outside universe).
Weather Control Matrix:	Planet-wide system of substations that control atmospheric humidity, cloud patterns, thermal changes and the flow of wind currents.
Weather Modification Net:	System used to detect and dissipate dangerous meteorological disturbances in a planetary atmosphere.
Work Bee:	Small one-person extravehicular craft used for orbital construction and similar work. The Work Bee employed a modular design and could be equipped with robotic waldoes, or it could be used as a control cab for a cargo sled.
Wormhole:	A subspace bridge between two points in 'normal' time and space. Most wormholes are extremely unstable, and their endpoints fluctuate widely across time and space. An improperly balanced warp-drive system can create an artificial wormhole that can pose a serious danger to the ship and its crew.

X

XO:	Abbreviation for Executive Officer.

Y

Yeager Loop:	An aerobatic maneuver executed by five single-pilot spacecraft. Starting in a Diamond Slot formation, the five ships would perform an Immelmann turn in concert. The Yeager loop was used as a demonstration of piloting prowess by Cadets at Starfleet Academy.
Yellow Alert:	A state of significantly increased readiness aboard Federation starships and other vessels. In the event of an actual or imminent emergency, the Commanding Officer can order the state of readiness increased even further to Red Alert.

Z

zark:	Klingon riding animal, somewhat similar to an Earth horse.
Zee-Magnees Prize:	Prestigious scientific award. Dr. Richard Daystrom won the Prize for his invention of duotronics in 2243.
Zero-Gravity Combat Training:	Form of Starfleet training in which personnel practice hand-to-hand combat in micro-gravity environments.

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