Maelstrom :: Wiki - U.S.S. Saratoga Crew Support Facilities

Arboretum

Spread across Decks 5 and 6 in the forward saucer module, the Arboretum is a large botanic garden featuring varied plant life and even a small pond. The Arboretum allows the crew of the Saratoga to relax in a more natural environment and is a frequent destination for crew looking to unwind after their duty shift. Featuring pathways through the plant life, several benches line the area to allow personnel a place to relax in comfort.

Although the Arboretum is considered a recreation area where crewmembers could relax in a natural setting, it also serves as a scientific research laboratory and supports the life-support systems of the Saratoga. A large chamber on Deck 7 supports the Arboretum, maintaining the components of a Class-M soil structure.

Captain's Mess / Officers' Mess

Located on Deck 2, the Captain's Ready Room and Officers' Mess are identical rooms - with the Captain's Mess facing starboard and the Officers' Mess facing port - utilized by the Captain or Senior Staff of the Saratoga for meals or to host functions. These are large rooms with a banquet table capable of comfortably seating eight and is lined with several large windows that face out into space. The bulkhead opposite the windows incorporates a viewscreen and paintings of the ship, as well as various objects related to the Saratoga and her history.

Food service in these private dining rooms is primarily provided by a built in replicator terminal that has been programmed with executive level meal choices. For high profile events, meal service is provided by a steward, who will bring meals and drinks to the diners.

Gymnasium

The Gymnasium is an area aboard the Saratoga dedicated to physical fitness and exercise. Located on Deck 10, the Gymnasium features a number of items that could be used for the fitness of the crew, including exercise bikes, treadmills, and free weights. A half Basketball Court, gymnastics studio, and a martial arts area are built into the Gymnasium, addition to the diversity of exercise options available for the crew.

Holodeck

Located on Decks 5, 7, 9, and 10, the Holodeck is a holographic environment simulator, designed and used by Starfleet to run holographic programs. In an emergency, holodecks are utilized as emergency shelters and operate via independent power cells.

Featuring expansive databases of holoprograms, the Holodeck provides entertainment and diversion for the Saratoga's crew and come in many forms, with personnel able to compose their own programs. The Holodeck could be used to create training simulations and exercise environments not otherwise available or safe and could even be used to aid in investigations. These holographic environments are achieved through the Holodeck's Hologrid, a collection of omnidirectional holographic diodes that create the sophisticated projections. The Hologrid is designed to generate holographic images that extend for an unlimited distance, much greater than its own dimensions, and incorporates safeguards to keep users safe.

Library

Located adjacent to the Main Computer Cores on Decks 5 and 11, the Libraries aboard the Saratoga are repositories information on a variety of topics, usually in electronic format but sometimes with books available to patrons.

Manned by a Librarian to assist those with information needs, the Libraries aboard the Saratoga have a similar layout. Computer workstations dominate the central area of the Library with a large computer workstation available to the Librarian where they can oversee the entire Library center. Immediately opposite this area, a sitting area is available adjacent to a large collection of paper books on a variety of topics.

Mess Hall

Several buffet-style Mess Halls were located throughout Sagan Class starships like the Saratoga. Food prepared in the ship's galley was brought to the mess hall and stored in a serving case while two replicators were also fitted to allow diners to choose from a larger selection of meal choices. Featuring several large windows offering views from outside of the vessel, the Mess Halls could be converted to host social gatherings, including diplomatic ceremonies, birthday parties, holiday celebrations, and other morale boosting events.

For the comfort of some events, a small, private room is located within the Mess Hall that can be reserved for personal events or meetings. To support private events, the services of a steward, who can bring meals and drinks to the room, are often employed when the private room is reserved. A replicator is also built into the wall of this private room, for situations where a steward may be impractical.

Observation Lounge

Located throughout the Saratoga, an Observation Lounge is a room with large windows that overlook space around the starship. Unlike the other Mess Halls and Recreation Rooms, Observation Lounges feature couches and chairs, but no tables allowing for meal consumption. A replicator is fitted in the room, but the menu is limited to beverages only and no meals may be produced by an Observation Lounge replicator terminal.

Observation Lounges aboard the Saratoga are commonly reconfigured for other events. Usage of the Lounge for musical or theatrical performances are routine uses of the Observation Lounges, but the rooms are often configured for mediation or religious services as well.

Recreation Room

Recreation Rooms, also known as Rec Rooms, are locations on Federation starships like the Saratoga where crewmembers could go to relax when off duty. Similar to the Mess Halls aboard the ship, the Rec Rooms include meal options through built in replicator terminals as well as a number of games and other recreational activities for the crew to engage in.

Recreation Rooms aboard the Saratoga all have a similar layout. Large, panoramic windows allow amazing views of space outside of the ship while the inner most wall features replicators and displays that can be configured for a number of purposes. Multiple tables allow seating and dining, while some of the tables are fitted with board games, such as Tri-Dimensional Chess. A small seating area provides a forum for discussion. One area of difference between the Rec Rooms involves the table game located within the room, with the Deck 7 Rec Room incorporating Dabo while the forward Rec Room on Deck 11 features a Billard table as an example.

Sickbay

Presided over by the Chief Medical Officer, Sickbay, also known as Medbay, is the main medical center aboard the Saratoga. Used for developing treatments for unknown diseases or illnesses and for analysis of new life, the Sickbay staff treat and care for the crew or wounded. Due to its importance in the survival of the ship and crew, Sickbay is located in the center of Deck 5 and is well protected.

Four biobeds line the walls of Sickbay's intensive care unit to allow for the quick provision of medical care for the crew. A surgical bay, fitted with a surgical biobed and sophisticated medical sensor clusters in the overhead lighting, allows the medical team to conduct surgical treatments directly from the main ward when there isn't time to move a patient to a dedicated surgical room. A small office for the usage of the ship's doctor has been placed in the main ward, offering a place to work in privacy or conduct meetings with patients, staff, and others.

Saratoga Sickbay Working in cooperation with the Science Department, Sickbay is supported by biology and medical laboratories located aboard the ship on Deck 5, with one laboratory directly attached to Sickbay. Mental health services are provided by the Ship's Counselor, a member of the vessel's medical team who has been trained in offering counseling services to Starfleet personnel. Stasis units have been equipped to temporarily place patients in suspended animation for later treatment along with private rooms available for long-term patients. A morgue facility with autopsy capabilities is located elsewhere on Deck 5.

Sickbay is well stocked with a variety of medical equipment and supplies for use by the doctors and nurses aboard the vessel. While Sickbay features dedicated storage compartments for equipment and medications, many items were left out on tables or benches for use by the medical crew. If a piece of equipment was needed but not available it could be replicated by the Industrial Replicator on site. Medical Transporters were built into the Sickbay systems for specialized medical treatment or to support patients.

Emergency Medical Hologram

The Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH) is an adaptive holoprogram developed to provide a short-term medical assistant during emergencies. First proposed in the 22nd Century, the EMH Program would be realized by Dr. Lewis Zimmerman of the Jupiter Station Holoprogramming Center in 2368. The EMH could function unassisted for a maximum of 1,500 hours (62.5 days); however, after this time, memory degradation would occur.

The EMH program contains millions of medical protocols within its matrix, ranging from possible treatments to surgical procedures. The EMH has been programmed with the collective medical knowledge of thousands of cultures. The matrix incorporates medical reference sources and even the experience of individual medical officers. While not designed to act as ship's counselor, the EMH had been programmed with sufficient psychological knowledge to note observational concerns. Perhaps the most important protocol installed in the EMH is the Hippocratic Oath, which prevented the unit from doing harm to a patient either by action or inaction.

Designed to practice medicine as efficiently as possible, the EMH initially had an acerbic personality that resulted in a poor bedside manner for a medical doctor. Often perceived as arrogant and irritable, later efforts to mend these deficiencies incorporated enhancements to carry on small talk with patients and simulate empathy.