Starfleet maintains a variety of security codes for use during both peacetime and wartime. These codes are arranged by priority from 1 to 50. The function of the individual codes is summarised below.

SSC's 1-10 are for normal peacetime transmissions of varying priorities, with routine transmissions between commercial planetary centres recieving a priority dispatch of 1 through 5, and levels 6 through 10 being used for Starfleet communications.

SSC's 11-20 are used in conditions of hostilities between the Federation and a foreign power. These priorities are used to transmit orders regarding the disposition of vessels and ground troops, the relocation of civilian personnel, the assigning of Starfleet resources to different commands, operations orders for these commands and specific operations orders.

SSC's 21-29 are for use by the Fedration Diplomatic Corps.

These codes specify conditions of emergency, with variable priority levels given to specific problems or crisis conditions during peacetime operations.

Transmission of a communication using SSC 30 indicates an emergency condition involving a planetary disasteror other unspecified emergency. Use of this code means that the sending station is not able to adequately respond to the emergency and requires immediate help at the scene.

SSC 31 is used for a medical emergency.

SSC 32 indicates a planetary crisis of natural origin.

SSC 33 is used for a bio-medical crisis requiring immediate evacuation of personnel.

SSC 34 indicates a bio-medical crisis requiring immediate quarantine.

SSC 35 signals an ecological disaster or similar planetary crisis.

SSC's 36 through 38 are used for crises of unknown origin that require the immediate evacuation of a large segment of a planet's population.

SSC 39 indicates an attack by unknown agents on Federation personnel or on civilian installations or residences.

These codes indicate classified material and restrict disemination of that material.

SSC 40 communications are directed at a specific starship or starbase Chief Science Officer, for disclosure to ship or base command staff only.

SSC 41 communications are directed at a specific starship or starbase Chief Science Officer, for disclosure to the senior officer present only.

SSC 42 communications are directed at a specific starship or starbase Chief Medical Officer, for disclosure to ship or base command staff only.

SSC 43 communications are directed at a specific starship or starbase Chief Medical Officer, for disclosure to the senior officer present only.

SSC 44 communications are directed at a specific starship or starbase Chief of Security, for disclosure to ship or base command staff only.

SSC 45 communications are directed at a specific starship or starbase Chief of Security, for disclosure to the senior officer present only.

SSC 46 communications are directed to the Commanding Officer of a starship or starbase, for disclosure to ship or base command staff only.

SSC 47 communications are directed to the Commanding Officer of a starship or starbase. They are not to be disclosed to ship or base command staff, and no acknowledgement or log entry of the communication is to be made.

These codes indicate high-level orgiins of the communication, and are restricted to specific individuals.

SSC 48 communications are reserved for the CinC Starfleet.

SSC 49 communications are reserved for members of the Federation Council or their designated representatives.

SSC 50 communications are reserved for the President of the Federation.

Departmental Access Codes

Departmental Access Codes are general codes for use by members of a ship's department. Such a code might be used to access log entires or other routine files and programmes, or to issue orders to the computer. These codes consist of the ship's department, a Greek letter, and a numerical code. The higher the Greek letter in the alphabet, the greater the access. High-level access may require voiceprint confirmation, a Personal Access Code or authorisation from a superior officer. An example of a Departmental Access Code might be: Engineering Access Code: Gamma three one four two.

Personal Access Codes

Personal Access Codes identify the person accessing a particular file or programme, or issuing an order. They are given in a similar format to Departmental Access Codes, substituting the person's surname for the department name. All Personal Access Codes are voiceprint confirmed, and higher level access may require handprint or retinal scans for confirmation. An example of a Personal Access Code might be: Access Code: Perrini Delta five one two seven.

starships and starbases are not normally kept on alert. When not on alert, Shift A is on duty and Shifts B and C are off duty (this presupposes a standard three-shift duty cycle).

Yellow Alert

This is a moderate level of alert. Shift A remains on duty, preparing the duty station for battle readiness, warming up equipment and securing all loose and /or fragile items. Shift B goes on duty and joins Shift A at the duty station.

Red Alert

This is a high level of alert. Shift C goes on duty, joining Shifts A and B at the duty station. All stations report readiness to the Bridge when fully manned. Personnel designated Damage Control auxiliaries will report to their Damage Control stations.

Abandon Ship

All personnel drop whatever they are doing and report to their assigned Lifeboat Pod for evacuation. The only exceptions are Shift A Security personnel, on-duty Bridge crew, on-duty Medical staff and designated auxiliary craft Command pilots.

General Quarters is a series of security protocols detailing security procedures on starships and starbases.

General Quarters One

GQ1 is automatically instituted when a Yellow Alert is declared. All Security personnel are issued Phaser II sidearms, and one Security crewman may be stationed on the Bridge until orders are given to stand down from General Quarters. Phasers are to be locked to Stun cycle.

General Quarters Two

GQ2 is automatically instituted when a Red Alert is declared. Security personnel are issued Phaser II sidearms, and may be issued Phaser rifles. One or two Security personnel are positioned on the Bridge, and Security detachments are placed at all Transporter rooms and hangar bays. In addition, Security detachments are positioned on all non-Engineering decks. Phasers are to be locked on Stun cycle.

General Quarters Three

GQ3 is normally issued during an Intruder Alert. All Security personnel are issued Phaser II sidearms and may be issued Phaser rifles. Two Security personnel are positioned on the Bridge, and Security patrols all decks in pairs, in addition to the provisions of GQ2. Phasers are locked to Heavy Stun cycle.

General Quarters Four

GQ4 is issued when the ship is in danger of being boarded. All Security personnel are issued Phaser II sidearms and Phaser rifles. In addition to the provisions of GQ3, Security detachments are positioned in all Engineering spaces, Life Support, the main computer core and the Auxiliary Bridge. Hangar and airlock doors are sealed, and security forcefields may be raised. Phasers may be set to lethal settings.

General Quarters Five

In addition to the provisions of GQ4, all Turbolifts are shut down, all security bulkheads are closed and all security forcefields are raised. All Security personnel are issued breathing apparatus, some areas of the ship may be flooded with Neural gas.

Under extreme circumstances, the Captain of a starship may opt to destroy the ship rather than have it captured by hostile forces, as provided for under Starfleet Regulation 2005. This normally requires the confirmation of both the Executive Officer and Operations Officer. The orders are given to the computer verbally, and confirmed by voiceprint and security access code. In addition, confirmation by handprint and/or retinal scan may be required. In particularly hostile conditions, the Ops Officer or both the XO and Ops may predelegat their confirmation to the Captain, who can then act unilaterally.

An example of a autodestruct sequence order is:

Captain: This is Captain Bradron McCurrvey. Engage autodestruct. Destruct sequence one: code one, one A.

XO: This is Commander Khendron Mercer, First Officer. Destruct sequence two: code one, one A, two B.

Ops: This is Commander Thelev, Chief Operations Officer. Destruct Sequence three: code one B, two B, three.

Computer: Destruct sequence completed and engaged. Awaiting final code for sixty second count down.

Captain: Code zero zero zero, destruct zero.

Computer: Sixty seconds, fifty-nine...

The cancellation code may be given at any point prior to the end of the destruct sequence:

Captain: Code one two three, continuity. Abort destruct sequence.

Computer: Acknowledged. Autodestruct sequence aborted.

There are two options for the autodestruct sequence. Option one assumes that no friendly vessels are present, and that the encounter is in deep space. This option simultaneously forces a Warp Core breach and drops the magnetic bottles on all Antimatter containment pods, causing a huge Matter/Antimatter explosion.

Option two is used when friendly vessels or stations may be damaged by an Antimatter explosion, or when in a planetary system wher there is a danger that such an explosion may cause damage to a planet's populace. This option overloads all Phaser banks, detonates preplaced cahrges in the computer core and at all airlock and hangar doors, ejects all Antimatter containment pods, and overloads all emergency reactor batteries, destroying the ship.