Transporters on Starbase

This is a bit of a silly thought, but I was thinking of a possible Security scenario and what Helena (my securiTrill) would do if chasing a fugitive. I thought the first thing she would do is get the transporter rooms to go on lockdown.

Then I started to think that ships would be able to beam the person out.

But would they if the Starbase shields were up?

But then, leaving the Security scenario alone, how many people use the transporter room every day in Deep Space 13? It's a big base. Do the shields go down every time? Or do we have localised shields around the transporter room maybe? Does that mean it needs to be located on the edge of the starbase?

Just how do you balance that, i.e., use of shield vs many people transporting?

How would a Starbase like ESD handle all the traffic?

I haven't drunk enough coffee, have I? Clearly not.
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At a minimum there are sensors to detect unauthorized transports, such as site-to-site or on-/off-station in locations other than the transporter room. There are also definitely regulations that prevent friendly ships from beaming people on/off at will.

Personally, I'm also of the opinion that there are (or we should all agree that there are) low-level shields ("security field" maybe?) protecting critical and high-traffic areas of the base from offensive transporter use (ie. beaming everyone from Ops into space, before attacking the station). DS9 often showed people being transported to/from the station when shields were down, and this was a pretty obvious vulnerability that (I hope) should be fixed by the 2400's.

I do kind of like the idea that there are parts of the station NOT protected unless shields are up, for practicality reasons. The docking ring, for example, would need to be unshielded so that.. ships could dock.
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Kermit wrote:
At a minimum there are sensors to detect unauthorized transports, such as site-to-site or on-/off-station in locations other than the transporter room

Okay yes agreed. But we need to define "unauthorised". If Kero performed a site-to-site transport, appeared in front of Perim in a corridor in a common area, threw a water-balloon at her, then transported away... would Kero be able to do that? I am going to hazard a guess and say she wouldn't be able to do it again. I never seen anyone use codes for site-to-site.

I am guessing quarters for people with privacy settings on would be off-limits (dang, I really wanted to splash Katriel with one of those balloons) and certain sensitive areas would be restricted to certain personnel. Medi-Bay? Should it be restricted? Is it a vulnerability if not?

I guess in this case Security can restrict site-to-site for specific people. Or even prevent any transportation based on their biological signature or however you want to call it.

As to docking - yeah that had crossed my mind before, on the other hand, Super Mario Cart in space would be fun.

Where would you place DS13'so transporter room(s)? On the edge for easier shielding or?
Kermit wrote:
Personally, I'm also of the opinion that there are (or we should all agree that there are) low-level shields ("security field" maybe?) protecting critical and high-traffic areas of the base from offensive transporter use (ie. beaming everyone from Ops into space, before attacking the station). DS9 often showed people being transported to/from the station when shields were down, and this was a pretty obvious vulnerability that (I hope) should be fixed by the 2400's.

That's a very good idea imo.
Sorry, I should've been more clear. My interpretation was that ANY transporter activity other than boarding/departing the starbase via transporter room is unauthorized. So that would make ALL site-to-site aboard the station off-limits. The only exception would be stuff that people have gotten prior authorization for, like transporting cargo or medical patients or security teams.
Gotcha.
(of course, if someone were to properly bribe an officer in ops, they might be able to get away with using an unauthorized site-to-site to water balloon an unsuspecting counselor)
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wrote:
So that would make ALL site-to-site aboard the station off-limits. The only exception would be stuff that people have gotten prior authorization for, like transporting cargo or medical patients or security teams.

This seems reasonable to me. In a station with 80K people it would be chaos if site-to-site was allowed for general use.
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wrote:
(of course, if someone were to properly bribe an officer in ops, they might be able to get away with using an unauthorized site-to-site to water balloon an unsuspecting counselor)

(Can I talk to you in private?)
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You're all talking about Eunha, right?
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wrote:
You're all talking about Eunha, right?

*Is innocence incarnate*
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We should also remember that the majority of to and from ship travel would be by foot. DS9 showed us that. Doesn't really make sense in my mind to beam all the time
Yeah that is true. Aside from my mischievous use of the transporter for water balloonage though, this was never about using the site-to-site transport for normal things where you can walk.

EDIT: I think, if we want to bring this thread back to sanity, we should probably refer to my first post and Kermit's consequent answer (and his clarification as I misunderstood what he meant at first).