distress signal

distress signal

Alert klaxon (TOS03)

First Appearance	TOS04 (13 Oct 1966)
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Prime Timeline
(The root of all realities)

Old-style distress signals—such as those in use aboard the S.S. Columbia when it disappeared in 2236—were designed to interfere with systems and attract the attention of a ship's crew. When the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 intercepted an old-style signal in 2254, collision warnings and the red alert klaxon were activated in response. When the Enterprise was confronted by the First Federation Starship Fesarius during a tense first contact on Stardate 1514.1, a small pilot vessel from the larger ship was disabled and sent out a weak distress signal. When Harry Mudd fled into an asteroid field to escape pursuit by the Enterprise on Stardate 1329.1, he sent out a distress signal when his ship's power began to fail and was in danger of being destroyed. On Stardate 3497.2, Klingon forces transmitted false distress signals from the S.S. Dierdre and the U.S.S. Carolina in an effort to draw the Enterprise away from Capella IV. In 2269, the Beta XIIA Entity created false distress signals to lure in the Enterprise and a Klingon vessel commanded by Kang, where it could feed on their anger and hatred for one another.

Notes and References