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A holding cell in use in 2366
The holding cell of the Reyab
A brig or holding cell was a type of prison on board a starship, space station, or planetary facility. They were heavily-guarded rooms that employed either gates or force fields to keep those incarcerated segregated from the general population of the vessel. These areas were used to contain criminals, fugitives, and others who posed a security risk and must be detained. They were also used as a means of punishment within the Starfleet ranks. (VOY: "Thirty Days")
Prior to the Xindi incident, Enterprise NX-01 was refitted with a brig. It contained a single bunk bed and was nearly soundproof. While designed to hold two occupants, the brig was capable of holding three prisoners. It was redesigned following the Xindi mission, with the single cell being split into two. (ENT: "Anomaly", "Stratagem", "Affliction") The brig's prisoners included Osaarian pirate Orgoth, Oran'taku native Rajiin, Triannon Pri'Nam D'Jamat, a group of three Xindi-Primates (namely Degra, Thalen and another individual), Lorian, Suliban Cabal senior official Silik, as well as Doctor Arik Soong. (ENT: "Anomaly", "Rajiin", "Chosen Realm", "Stratagem", "E²", "Storm Front, Part II", "Borderland") During the initial stages of a mutiny that T'Pol led aboard Enterprise in January 2154, Commander Tucker feared that, if he and T'Pol were caught by Captain Archer, they would both end up in the vessel's brig. However, the area ultimately wasn't used for that purpose, as the mutiny succeeded. (ENT: "Hatchery")
In 2154 of an alternate timeline, the capacity of Enterprise's brig proved insufficient to hold nine Xindi-Reptilians who had recently been taken prisoner aboard the ship, so the Reptilians were instead confined to quarters under heavy guard. In 2165 of the same timeline, Enterprise's brig was used to hold Yridian spy Yerdrin Lek. (ENT: "Twilight")
In a Xindi-Reptilian brig, the prisoner was chained to the ceiling while soldiers punched the captive. (ENT: "Azati Prime")
In 2155 in the mirror universe, Commander Jonathan Archer confined Captain Maximilian Forrest to the brig aboard the NX-class ISS Enterprise, as part of a coup to take over command of the ship. Forrest, however, later escaped with the aid of T'Pol. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly")
Two guards on duty
23rd century brigs in the alternate reality were guarded by officers stationed at desks nearby that allowed them a view of the cells. (Star Trek Into Darkness)
24th century brigs were commonly covered on three sides by bulkheads with an electrostatic force field on the fourth side, which could be turned off and on as an entrance or exit way. The force field could also be made to open just a small gap, wide enough for food to be passed to the prisoner. (VOY: "Repentance")
In 2266, Kirk and Spock attempted to lure Charlie Evans into USS Enterprise's brig so as to neutralize his destructive proclivities. This detention facility was no match for Evans' mental abilities, as he simply dematerialized the bulkhead containing the circuitry powering the force field. (TOS: "Charlie X")
Members of the ISS Enterprise landing party were incarcerated in their counterpart brig in 2267 while Spock determined a way to return them to the mirror universe. (TOS: "Mirror, Mirror")
The brig on board the USS Enterprise-A was tested by the most resourceful person available during the design, who failed to escape, and was therefore considered "escape proof". Kirk, Spock, and Leonard McCoy encountered a problem when they needed to escape from it when Sybok took control of the Enterprise in 2287. Starfleet brigs included facilities such as a sink and toilet hidden behind a panel in the wall. (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)
Roga Danar was held in a holding cell on board the Enterprise-D in 2366 after he attacked Miles O'Brien, two security officers, Lieutenant Worf, and Commander Riker. Minister Nayrok proposed to keep him unconscious because he doubted that the holding cell would stop him. Later, when an Angosian police shuttle attempted to beam him into the brig on board their ship, Danar was able to escape. (TNG: "The Hunted")
Later that same year, Jean-Luc Picard ordered Worf to take Q to the brig after being stripped of his powers. Though Q initially resisted, he relented after being threatened with forcibly being taken there. (TNG: "Deja Q")
In 2369, a Tosk was imprisoned and held in a holding cell behind the security office aboard Deep Space 9. (DS9: "Captive Pursuit")
The same year, Doctor Julian Bashir and Major Kira Nerys rescued the Kobliad Ty Kajada and her prisoner Rao Vantika from the damaged Kobliad transport ship Reyab. The latter was imprisoned in a holding cell aboard the ship. (DS9: "The Passenger")
The Rakhari Croden was held in a holding cell aboard Deep Space 9 for the murder of the Miradorn Ah-Kel. The holding cells aboard Deep Space 9 featured a restroom and a mirror. (DS9: "Vortex")
In 2369 one of Odo's imaginings became reality when Quark was kept inside a holding cell. (DS9: "If Wishes Were Horses")
In 2371 Crewman Kenneth Dalby suggested that Tuvok should bring him into the brig, after he made repairs without an order and caused malfunctions of several systems. (VOY: "Learning Curve")
In 2372, Admiral Leyton placed Captain Benjamin Sisko in a Starfleet Headquarters holding cell to prevent Sisko from exposing Leyton's coup. (DS9: "Paradise Lost")
In 2373, when Gul Dukat assaulted Garak for spending time with his daughter, Tora Ziyal, Quark convinced him that he should stand down or he would have Constable Odo take him to a holding cell. (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow")
Tom Paris had to spend thirty days in Voyager's brig in 2375 after violating the Prime Directive by attempting to destroy a Monean oxygen refinery. (VOY: "Thirty Days")
In 2377, a cargo bay of the Voyager was converted into a large brig with individual cells in order to securely house the survivors of the destruction of a Nygean prison ship. (VOY: "Repentance")
Most Cardassian brigs were not very comfortable. (DS9: "Duet", "Rivals", "Tribunal") Starfleet brigs were less spartan, as the Federation did not condone cruel and unusual punishment.
Types of brigs
External links
- Brig at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
- Military prison#Brig at Wikipedia