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The normal flight and mission operations of the Akira class starship are conducted in accordance with a variety of Starfleet standard operating rules, determined by the current operational state of the starship. These operational states are determined by the Commanding Officer, although in certain specific cases, the Computer can automatically adjust to a higher alert status.

The major operating modes are:

• Cruise Mode: The normal operating condition of the ship.
• Yellow Alert: Designates a ship wide state of increased preparedness for possible crisis situations.
• Red Alert: Designates an actual state of emergency in which the ship or crew is endangered, immediately impending emergencies, or combat situations.
• External Support Mode: State of reduced activity that exists when a ship is docked at a starbase or other support facility.
• Reduced Power Mode: this protocol is invoked in case of a major failure in spacecraft power generation, in case of critical fuel shortage, or in the event that a tactical situation requires severe curtailment of onboard power generation.

Cruise Mode: Condition Green
This is the standard operating condition for all Starfleet Vessels. During Cruise Mode, the ship’s operations are run on three 8-hour shifts designated Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. Should a crisis develop, it may revert to a four-shift system of six hours to keep crew fatigue down.

Typical Shift command is as follows:

Alpha Shift – Captain (CO)
Beta Shift – Executive Officer (XO)
Gamma Shift - Second Officer / Night Conn

• Diagnostic routines are run on all primary and combat systems at four-hour intervals.
• Warp and impulse propulsion systems kept at standby status if not already active or undergoing maintenance/repairs.
• All ship weapons are inactive.
• Navigational shields are operating at power levels consistent with ship velocity.
• Deflector shields are inactive.
• One assault shuttle is maintained at 5-minute alert status.
• Standard security patrol and monitoring protocols are in effect.

Yellow Alert
This is the next level of operating condition when a combat or other emergency condition arises but is not imminent. Command-chain personnel are authorized to initiate Yellow Alert. The ship's computers can also activate Yellow Alert if a major system problem is detected or an unknown or hostile spacecraft is detected on sensors. All actions taken in this condition are subject to modification based on the needs of the specific situation.

• Diagnostic routines automatically activated on primary and combat systems every 15 minutes.
• Warp drive made operational (if not already) and maintained at 1/4 power unless specified otherwise.
• Impulse engines brought to full power capacity.
• Phaser Array prepared for activation.
• Photon Torpedoes/quantum torpedoes prepared for loading (loaded if ordered).
• Targeting sensors brought to standby status.
• Roving patrols are increased; security around priority areas increased; security records location of all personnel and notifies patrols of any abnormalities or people in unauthorized locations.
• Corridor phaser arrays set to light stun (if ordered).

Red Alert - Battlestations
This status is invoked when combat is expected or imminent or some crisis has occurred. Personnel of all shifts report to duty stations for immediate service or to remain on standby. Command-chain personnel are authorized to initiate Red Alert/Battlestations. The ship's computers can also activate Red Alert if a major system problem is detected or an unknown or hostile spacecraft is detected on sensors. All actions taken in this condition are subject to modification based on the needs of the specific situation.

• Diagnostic routines performed every five minutes; problems or significant changes in status are reported to the Bridge immediately.
• Warp drive made operational (if not already) and maintained at 3/4 power unless specified otherwise.
• Impulse engines brought to full operating capacity; all auxiliary generators are activated; all emergency generators on standby.
• Deflector shields activated.
• Phaser Array weapons armed.
• Photon Torpedoes/quantum torpedoes loaded.
• Targeting sensors activated (locked if ordered).
• Roving patrols are ceased and critical locations are secured. Security records location of all personnel and notifies patrols of any abnormalities or people in unauthorized locations.
• Corridor phaser arrays set to heavy stun (if felt necessary).
• Damage Control bulkheads and containment fields activated.
• Environmental systems brought to full operational condition. Unoccupied areas are sealed off and life support functions discontinued.
• Sickbay/First Aid stations fully manned; triage areas manned; orderlies deployed throughout the vessel with stretchers and extra medical supplies

Separated Flight Mode

Due to the unique shape of her hull, the Akira class does not have a separated flight mode. While the hull can eject the warp nacelle assembly quickly and flee via impulse, her lack of a clearly identifiable saucer section precludes this capability.

Landing Mode

Due to the unique shape of her hull, the Akira class cannot land within a gravity well and maintain hull integrity for Transatmospheric operations. This does not mean that the hull cannot withstand a landing - quite the contrary, in an extreme emergency, the Akira class could effect a surface landing while only losing an estimated 45% of hull integrity while structural members are estimated to have failure rates as high as 75%. While integrity is not high enough to allow for deep-space operations, enough of the internal volume and structural members should remain to allow for a landing that is safe for her crew.

Maintenance Modes

Though much of a modern starship’s systems are automated, they do require regular maintenance and upgrade. Maintenance is typically the purview of the Engineering, but personnel from certain divisions that are more familiar with them can also maintain specific systems.

Maintenance of onboard systems is almost constant, and varies in severity. Everything from fixing a stubborn replicator, to realigning the Dilithium matrix is handled by technicians and engineers on a regular basis. Not all systems are checked centrally by Main Engineering; to do so would occupy too much computer time by routing every single process to one location. To alleviate that, systems are compartmentalized by deck and location for checking. Department heads are expected to run regular diagnostics of their own equipment and report anomalies to Engineering to be fixed.

Systems Diagnostics

All key operating systems and subsystems aboard the ship have a number of preprogrammed diagnostic software and procedures for use when actual or potential malfunctions are experienced. These various diagnostic protocols are generally classified into five different levels, each offering a different degree of crew verification of automated tests. Which type of diagnostic is used in a given situation will generally depend upon the criticality of a situation, and upon the amount of time available for the test procedures.

Level 1 Diagnostic - This refers to the most comprehensive type of system diagnostic, which is normally conducted on ship's systems. Extensive automated diagnostic routines are performed, but a Level 1 diagnostic requires a team of crew members to physically verify operation of system mechanisms and to system readings, rather than depending on the automated programs, thereby guarding against possible malfunctions in self-testing hardware and software. Level 1 diagnostics on major systems can take several hours, and in many cases, the subject system must be taken off-line for all tests to be performed.

Level 2 Diagnostic - This refers to a comprehensive system diagnostic protocol, which, like a Level 1, involves extensive automated routines, but requires crew verification of fewer operational elements. This yields a somewhat less reliable system analysis, but is a procedure that can be conducted in less than half the time of the more complex tests.

Level 3 Diagnostic - This protocol is similar to Level 1 and 2 diagnostics but involves crew verification of only key mechanics and systems readings. Level 3 diagnostics are intended to be performed in ten minutes or less.

Level 4 Diagnostic - This automated procedure is intended for use whenever trouble is suspected with a given system. This protocol is similar to Level 5, but involves more sophisticated batteries of automated diagnostics. For most systems, Level 4 diagnostics can be performed in less than 30 seconds.

Level 5 Diagnostic - This automated procedure is intended for routine use to verify system performance. Level 5 diagnostics, which usually require less than 2.5 seconds, are typically performed on most systems on at least a daily basis, and are also performed during crisis situations when time and system resources are carefully managed.