Brig

Multiple realities
(covers information from several alternate timelines)

A holding cell in use in 2366

The holding cell of the Reyab

For the vessel type, please see Brig (vessel).

A brig (also known as a security cell, security holding, 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. These areas were used to contain criminals, fugitives, those who are deemed a danger to themselves or others, 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")

In the script for "Ménage à Troi", the brig aboard the Ferengi vessel Krayton was identified as a "holding tank".

On the USS Shenzhou, the brig's emergency evacuation protocol may be invoked if a critical situation occurs requiring prisoner evacuation. Ethical protocols state that prisoner evacuation is to occur in life-saving circumstances only. (DIS: "Battle at the Binary Stars")

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 (ENT)", "Stratagem", "Affliction") The brig's prisoners included Osaarian pirate Orgoth, Oran'taku Rajiin, Triannon Pri'Nam D'Jamat, a group of three Xindi-Primates (namely Degra, Thalen and another individual), Lorian, Cabal senior official Silik, Doctor Arik Soong, Starfleet Lieutenant Malcolm Reed, Klingon soldier Marab, and news reporter Gannet. (ENT: "Anomaly (ENT)", "Rajiin", "Chosen Realm", "Stratagem", "E²", "Storm Front, Part II", "Borderland", "The Augments", "Affliction", "Divergence", "Demons", "Terra Prime")

In the final draft script of "Anomaly" (the first episode in which Enterprise's brig appears), the brig was described thus; "A Plexiglass SECURITY DOOR […] separates the cell from the anteroom. The cell itself is cramped, with two cots and a sink." The brig was also scripted to have an outside door that "slams" closed. However, the equivalent door in the final version of the brig is clearly one that softly slides open and closed.

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")

While most of the crew was being affected by powerful pheromones emitted by visiting Orion slave girls in late December of the same year, Tucker threatened several officers with confinement to the brig. These included Commander Kelby, due to insubordination, and a pair of engineering crewmen, as they had been quarreling with each other. However, the brig was not used for either officer, since Kelby was confined to quarters and the two crewmen were reassigned to separate tasks aboard the ship. (ENT: "Bound")

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 2154, Klingon General K'Vagh imprisoned Denobulan Doctor Phlox in a Klingon holding cell in Qu'Vat Colony. (ENT: "Divergence")

In the final draft script of "Divergence", this Klingon cell was described as having "a filth-covered floor worthy of the Bastille."

In 2155 of 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)

The brig in Star Trek Into Darkness was inspired by Pierre Cardin's Bubble House, outside Cannes. (Empire issue 289, p. 44) Designing both the brig's security area and its prisoner holding cell was made the responsibility of Art Director Harry Otto, who was at one point photographed while standing in the cell. [1] [2]

In an ultimately unused line of dialogue from the final draft script of TOS: "Charlie X", Spock doubted that Charles Evans would allow himself to be lured into a "detention cell", which led Kirk and Spock to make an (unsuccessful) attempt (which happens in the episode) to trap Evans in his own quarters, with a force field covering the door.

Members of a landing party from the ISS Enterprise 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 the area was therefore considered "escape proof." The difficulty of breaking free from this brig became a problem for Kirk, Spock, and Leonard McCoy when, in 2287, Sybok confined them there and took control of the Enterprise. Starfleet brigs included facilities such as a sink and toilet hidden behind a panel in the wall. (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)

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")

Roga Danar was held in a holding cell on board the USS 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 a brig on board their ship, Danar managed to escape. (TNG: "The Hunted")

Later that same year, Captain Picard ordered Worf to take Q to the Enterprise-D's brig after Q had been stripped of his powers. Though Q initially resisted, he relented after being threatened with forcibly being taken there. (TNG: "Deja Q")

On Commander Benjamin Sisko's first day in command of Deep Space 9, he put Nog in the brig after he, Odo and Kira caught him and a Markalian stealing ore samples from the assay office. It was later reveled that Quark was the real thief. (DS9: "Emissary")

Aboard space station Deep Space 9, a brig was located behind the station's security office. (DS9: "Vortex", "Rivals") The holding cells there featured a restroom and a mirror. (DS9: "Vortex")

In 2369, a Tosk was held in a holding cell in DS9's brig. (DS9: "Captive Pursuit")

The same year, Doctor Julian Bashir and Major Kira Nerys rescued Kobliad Security officer Ty Kajada and her prisoner Rao Vantika from damaged Kobliad transport Reyab. The latter was imprisoned in a holding cell aboard the ship. (DS9: "The Passenger")

Rakhari individual Croden was held in a holding cell aboard Deep Space 9 for the murder of Ah-Kel, a Miradorn. (DS9: "Vortex")

In 2369, one of Odo's imaginings became reality when he envisioned Quark was kept inside a holding cell. (DS9: "If Wishes Were Horses")

The signage on the brig door aboard Voyager

While touring a holographic re-creation of an NX-class captain's ready room in 2370, Enterprise-D Counselor Deanna Troi commented to Commander Riker that their brig on the Enterprise-D was bigger than the recreated ready room. (ENT: "These Are the Voyages...")

That same year Odo and Quark arrested Kor for Public drunkenness after he was playing the Battle of Klach D'kel Brakt in the Holosuite. Odo took him down to the brig to sleep it off, and Koloth arrived minutes later to bail out Kor. When Koloth saw that Kor was still drunk he told Odo to keep him and stormed off to the Replimat. Dax would later bail out Kor. (DS9: "Blood Oath")

Aboard the USS Voyager in 2371, Crewman Kenneth Dalby suggested that Tuvok should confine him to the ship's brig, after Dalby 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 a coup that Leyton was attempting to orchestrate. (DS9: "Paradise Lost")

Later that year, a Dopterian man is arrested for robbing Worf's quarters, Bashir and O'Brien try to stop Worf from entering Quark's Bar and all three end up in a holding cell, and Brunt and two Nausicaans are arrested for beating up Quark, all within a few days. (DS9: "Bar Association")

In 2373, when Gul Dukat assaulted Garak for spending time with Dukat's 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")

The Intrepid-class USS Voyager had two brigs. (VOY: "Year of Hell, Part II")

In 2374, Security chief Tuvok gave Chief Examiner Nimira of the Mari Constabulary a tour aboard Voyager and visited the brig aboard the ship as the concept to lock up a criminal was unknown to the Mari. (VOY: "Random Thoughts")

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 on-board Voyager was converted into a large brig with individual cells in order to securely house survivors from a destroyed Nygean prison ship. (VOY: "Repentance")

In 2384, Admiral Kathryn Janeway was placed in the brig of the USS Dauntless and relieved of command pursuant to Order 104, Section C after displaying uncharacteristic behavior. It was unknown at the time that her body was inhabited by Dal R'El. (PRO: "Mindwalk")

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

The brig of the USS Shenzhou, 2256

The brig of the alternate reality USS Enterprise, 2259

The brig of the USS Enterprise, 2267

The "security room" of a D7-class battle cruiser

A holding cell in the Lactran city

A brig aboard the USS Enterprise-D

USS Voyager brig

A holding cell on DS9

A starbase prison

The brig of the USS Valiant, 2374

The brig aboard the Krenim weapon ship

The brig of the USS Cerritos, 2380

External links

• Brig at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Brig at Wikipedia
• Prison cell at Wikipedia