Relay
Every other console points inward at the ship. Yours points out. You are how this crew negotiates, calls for help, and finds out what’s happening two systems away.
What the console does
- Comms. Hail any ship or station in range and talk to it. This is the console that ends fights before they start — and the one that starts them, if you’re careless.
- Probes. Launch one at somewhere you can’t see and get eyes there. A probe in the right place is worth more than another gun.
- Waypoints. Drop markers on the map that the rest of the bridge can steer and shoot at. “Head for waypoint two” beats reading coordinates aloud.
- The whole sector. You can pan across the map rather than staring at a circle around the ship — which makes you the only person who knows what’s behind you.
Doing it well
Hail first. A surprising number of contacts will tell you what they want if you ask. Talking costs nothing, keeps your missiles in their tubes, and your character’s reputation is a real number that real missions check later.
Remember you’re speaking for the ship. Whatever you type into a channel is what this crew said, and factions have long memories. If it’s a big commitment, check with the captain — that pause is roleplay, not hesitation.
Spend your probes. People hoard them and end the mission with a full rack and no idea what was in the next system. Put one over the objective before you commit the ship to it.
Who you’re working with
Science identifies, you negotiate — sitting next to each other, in voice, you’re twice the station either of you is alone. The captain will lean on you more than on anybody: you’re holding the map and the phone. And when it all goes wrong, you’re the one who calls for help — Helms needs to know where help is coming from.