Foreword: As the name indicates, Standard Operating Procedure is a set of Guidelines to be followed when the ship is functioning nominally. Breaching Standard Operating Procedure without a very good reason is grounds for demotion, at the discretion of the relevant Head of Staff. In addition, blindly following the letter of SOP while ignoring the context of the shift is a ridiculously bad idea. SOP is malleable if the situation requires it, and the general well-being and proper functioning of the ship and its crew should not be sacrificed for the sake of rigorous adherence of SOP. Remember, context is king.
NovusCorp has a standard set of procedures for crew personnel to follow when there is (or isn't) an emergency. This is to assure that all actions are in the best interests of NovusCorp. Failure to follow these may result in dismissal/demotion. Extreme or repeated cases may result in a job ban.
NOTE: Any mentions of “The Ship”, “NARV”, or “MEV” in SOP unless otherwise specified is in reference to the reader's (employee's) NovusCorp-Assigned Research Vessel, Military Exploration Vessel, or Area of Operations.
Along with the guidelines listed below, each and every department has it's own subset of job-specific Standard Operating Procedure that is to be adhered to whenever possible.
The alert level can always be seen on the status tab.
“Attention! Security level lowered to green. All threats to the ship have passed. All weapons need to be holstered and privacy laws are once again fully enforced.”
Standard operating level. No immediate or clear threat to the ship. All departments may carry out work as normal.
Called by: Anyone with Command-Level Access at a working Communications Console.
Conditions:
Security / Marines:
Secure Areas:
General Crew:
Elevated alert level. There are reports or other proof available to indicate that there is a threat to the ship, such as an unknown ship or internal problems. CorpComm threat summaries generally trigger a Blue Alert when received.
“Attention! Security level elevated to blue. The ship has received reliable information about possible hostile activity on the ship. Security staff may have weapons visible and random searches are permitted.”
Called by: Anyone with Captain-Level Access at a working Communications Console.
Conditions:
Security/Marines:
Secure Areas:
General Crew:
High alert level. There is an immediate threat to the ship or severe damage. If a hostile ship is in the vicinity, status is always Red Alert.
“Attention! Code Red! There is an immediate and serious threat to the ship. Security may have weapons unholstered at all times. Random searches are allowed and advised.”
Called by: Any two personnel with Command-Level Access, at a Card Swiper. Requires close timing. Automatically called if a hostile ship is in the vicinity.
Conditions:
There is a confirmed, hostile threat on-board the ship or nearby in space. This threat should pose recognizable danger to the ship and/or crew at large.
Security:
Random searches are fully permitted and recommended. Security personnel may detain any personnel refusing a random search in order to conduct said search;
Marines:
Secure Areas:
General Crew:
Maximum alert level. There is a massive threat to the ship or severe damage. Can only be triggered by Corporate Command or a duly licensed representative.
“Attention! Gamma security level activated! Corporate Command has ordered the Gamma security level on the ship. Security is to have weapons equipped at all times, and all civilians are to immediately seek their nearest head for transportation to a secure location.”
Called by: Corporate Command. Use a Communications Console or Fax Machine in order to explain the situation. Remember, Gamma is rarely called, for good reason. Having a well-written, concise fax that explains the situation to the best of your ability, as well as why it deserves Code Gamma being called, signed and stamped by the Captain or Acting Captain, goes a long way towards ensuring Gamma is provided. Remember, this is for extreme emergencies only.
Conditions:
Security:
Marines:
Secure Areas:
General Crew:
The ship's self destruct mechanism has been engaged, or a massive force capable of total destruction is about to destroy the ship. Martial Law is in effect.
“Attention! Delta security level reached! The ship's self-destruct mechanism has been engaged. All crew are instructed to obey all instructions given by heads of staff. Any violations of these orders can be punished by death. This is not a drill.”
Called by: Malfunctioning AI Units or the on-board Nuclear Fission Device being activated.
Conditions:
A Malfunctioning AI Unit has dropped all semblance of stealth and activated their Override Mechanism.
OR
The on-board Self-Destruct has been activated by Command or Corporate Command personnel. Though it does not trigger Code Delta directly, Syndicate Nuclear Operations should still be considered as a Code Delta situation.
Security:
Secure Areas:
EVA Storage, Tech Storage, Gravity Generator, Engineering Secure Storage, AI Upload, Teleporter, Vault, Gateway, anywhere else requiring command level access that does not get regularly used:
General Crew:
Theoretical alert situation in the event of a total universal destruction event. Access to this file is restricted to Parachronics and Telescientists and must be enabled by the AI. File contents pertain to proper evacuation procedures. In the event that this file is inaccessible, recommendations are to find a safe dimension and run for it.
The following situations are well within the range of conventional operations and should serve as firm guidelines for emergency and non-emergency situations.
Refer to the above for dismissal authority. Ultimately, the decision to fire/demote any personnel falls to the relevant Head of Staff or Captain. This is merely a list of reasons to fire someone over.
The following situations are so outside the range of conventional ship operation, that special procedure was drawn up for them. These are by no means rigid guidelines, but merely serve as an indicator on what should be done to preserve the integrity of the ship and its crew.
A Viral Outbreak is defined as a situation where a Viral Pathogen has infected a significant portion of the crew (>10%). In the event of a Viral Outbreak, all infected personnel are to direct themselves to Medbay immediately. Any personnel experiencing odd symptoms are also recommended to head to Medbay, even if there is no Viral Outbreak.
If the Tesla Matrix remains inside the Station rather than arcing into space, the Escape Shuttle is to be called.
General and Command Captain Authority The vessel's assigned Captain has full authority over the operation of the vessel and the attached shuttles. He or she is authorized to shut down departments at their discretion, reassign crew members, issue direct orders to all crew members of the ship, and take actions within reason that may violate regulations in non-standard situations.
The Captain is trusted to act in the best interests of the company, crew, and vessel he or she is assigned to. Any complaints or concerns over the Captain's decisions should be addressed after their orders have been carried out, and after the situation that prompted those orders has been resolved.
Command Staff During standard operation, all Departmental Heads of Staff are equal, under the command of the Captain present onboard the vessel. Should a department find itself lacking a Head of Staff, the Captain is able to either assume direct supervision of the department or otherwise appoint a senior crew member to fill the missing role.
During non-standard operation, a specific Departmental Head of Staff may be elevated above others, should the crisis situation fall under the responsibility of their department. At that point, other departments should act in a supporting role.
Acting Captain Should, during standard operation, the Command Staff be missing a Captain, then it is preferred that all members of the Command Staff present stay on equal terms and act as a singular commanding entity, thus negating the need to promote a specific person to the position of Acting Captain. Under such operations, the Command Staff as a whole carries the authority of the Captain, and can, together, conduct actions that would otherwise require the Captain's approval. In order for the Command Staff to make a Captain level decision, a unanimous vote in support will be required with at least two (2) able command staff. A single vote in the negative is all that is needed to veto a Captain level decision posed to the Command Staff, however, any Head of Staff may abstain from a vote if they so desire without affecting the outcome. Any votes taken against another Head of Staff will see the implicated party automatically abstained from voting. Additionally, Command Personnel who have been formally detained under orders of the Head of Security will be unable to vote on any Command level decisions until they have have been released and allowed reassume their previous position.
Should the Command Staff decide that they would prefer an Acting Captain present, then they are free to select one from among themselves. There exists no preference towards anyone Department Head of Staff to attain the role before the others. Unlike a typical Command decision, the vote to appoint an Acting Captain does not have to be unanimous. Only a majority of votes is required to appoint a Head of Staff to Acting Captain and there is no minimum number of Command staff required for such a vote.
During non-standard operation, it is recommended that the Head of Staff most knowledgeable in the crisis be selected as Acting Captain and empowered to coordinate a solution to the crisis that has arisen.
Command on Leaving the Vessel Should, during standard or non-standard operation, the need for one or more Command staff to leave the SCCV Horizon arise, it is possible for them to do so if and only if there is at least one other Command staff remaining on the ship after their departure. If any command vote is called while there are Command staff away from the ship, their vote is still required and their return should be awaited. This particular section may be overridden by Captains if required.
Departmental Ranking Unless stated otherwise, all Departmental Staff are equal in rank, with differing responsibilities and assignments. The exceptions are Departmental Assistants/Interns/Apprentices, and standard Assistants.
It is within the capacity of the Departmental Head of Staff to promote and designate senior leaders as he sees fit, within their own department.
External Partners Approved External Business Partners (“Merchants”) with a SCC merchant pass possess docking authorization from Central Command, and are permitted to dock and conduct business with the vessel. Merchants are expected to comply with all vessel regulations and rules set by Command Staff while aboard the ship. A merchant has direct authority over their own vessel, and may choose to provide or deny their services as they see fit. Merchants are authorized to carry a concealed weapon for purposes of personal defense while aboard the vessel, unless explicitly prohibited by Command Staff. Employees who purchase items from a merchant take full responsibility for the possession and legality of these purchases. The Internal Security Department is neither responsible for nor authorized to confiscate wares aboard a merchant's vessel, and may not charge or detain a merchant for the possession of wares that remain aboard that vessel. The Internal Security Department may not enforce regulations aboard a docked merchant vessel, except for issues that arise between Stellar Corporate Conglomerate employees, or to neutralize an immediate hostile and violent threat to the vessel.
Off-Duty Crew Off-duty crewmembers and passengers on the working decks are not contracted to work or otherwise assume the role of any of the actively employed crew. Even if they work for the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, promotion of off-duty crew or passengers to vessel ranks, except in the most dire of circumstances, will be regarded as neglect of duty and/or exceeding official powers. During these circumstances, volunteers will not be compensated in any fashion by the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate and will not be insured against any injuries they sustain. Without exception, off-duty crewmembers and passengers are not permitted to be promoted to command ranks.
Press Visiting and subcontracting (“freelance”) journalists are not to be censored via a newschannel D-Notice, unless the vessel's Captain (or Heads of Staff in an unanimous decision) determine that the content they publish directly endangers the safety of Stellar Corporate Conglomerate employees. Command Staff choosing to apply a D-Notice in this manner are expected to immediately contact Central Command to report that it has been applied, and to await confirmation by Central Command that the application of such a notice is valid. The creator of the channel is also to be made aware of both the notice and the reasoning for its implementation.
Journalists directly employed by the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate voluntarily waive these protections, as per the terms of their employment contract.
Incident Management During emergency incidents it is expected for departments to assist in the safe resolution of said incident and the recovery of standard operations. When it becomes clear that an significant incident is arising that could effect standard operations of the vessel or cause significant damange to crew or property, it is expected that (when possible) all on board personnel are provided with the following infomation:
A brief description of the current incident. What steps have been taken so far to combat this incident. Suggested action for the crew to take. (If applicable) A brief description of the reasoning behind a change in alert level. Exceptions to this include where the above information would compromise vessel security or safety. If this is the case it is expected that as much information as is safe to do so is dispensed for the crew.
Representatives and Consular Officers Command staff are expected to engage representatives through diplomacy and to consent to reasonable requests. The representative is not part of the vessel chain of command. The representative is granted special status in relation to corporate regulations:
The representative does not serve brig time for low level infractions, the fine alternative can be used in those cases. The representative can be serve brig time for medium and high level infractions, with command staff being able to contact Central Command requesting the revocation of the representative's privileges. The representative's office offers immunity to the representative. Security may not enter to conduct arrests under normal circumstances. Entering or refusing to exit the office is considered trespassing. The office's immunity may be revoked by the captain or a captain level decision. Security is only able to conduct an arrest inside the representative's if the office's immunity was revoked or if there is clear evidence that a medium or high level infraction is happening inside the office. Cosmetic Alterations Cosmetic remodeling of a department may be performed by any staff with written and signed consent of the department in question. Cosmetic alteration to general areas, such as hallways, arrivals, and departures, require consent from the Chief Engineer, The Captain, or (in the absence of both) Command as a whole.
Uniforms Personnel should be reminded that regulation requires uniform jumpsuits to be worn rolled up. Tajaran crew members are excepted from this requirement, but are required to wear a non-revealing undershirt or tank top that does not bare the chest.
Shuttle Use The SCCV Horizon's shuttles may be used at any time by designated qualified personnel for the purpose of mining and exploration. Their flight activities may only be grounded by instating a flight ban, which may be established during Code Red security situations, orders from SCC Central Command, or by a Captain-level decision.
The mining shuttle is allowed a degree of autonomy, and does not require clearance to depart the SCCV Horizon for the purpose of mining operations unless a flight ban is in place. The shuttle is under the oversight of the Operations Manager, who retains the authority to ground or recall the shuttle at their discretion. The SCCV Horizon bridge must accommodate prospecting and exploration missions before plotting course to a different location.
Research and Development Scientific Experimentation Qualified researchers in a given field of science are authorized to conduct experiments in any way they deem appropriate. However, unless authorization for their release is granted by command staff or an emergency situation requires it, the works and derivatives of the research department are to remain within their respective labs and testing areas.
Slimes Experiments & Non-sapient Xenological Lifeforms Slimes, non-sapient xenoforms, and the subjects of transformative xenobiological experiments are not classified as crew, members of humanity or affiliated alien races, but as test subjects and property of the SCC. Performing transformative xenobiological experiments on a co-worker is considered homicide, and is punishable by corporate regulations and by law.
Supply Warehouse Contents The operations department is expected to store and distribute warehouse supplies to the vessel's departments as deemed appropriate. The stock of the vessels warehouse is not to be regarded as contraband if it remains in the warehouse, or is being transported to an appropriate destination.
Engineering Vessel Modifications All non-structural forms of modification, optimization, or upgrades to vessel equipment are permitted so long as the modifying engineer is qualified and has obtained written permission of all staff resident to the department in question. Large-scale structural modifications or additions require written and stamped consent from either the Chief Engineer, the Captain, or (in the absence of both) a delegated representative of Command staff.
Security Warden Authority The Warden's authority is limited to the brig and detainees, and does not extend to the Internal Security department or its personnel. Additionally, the Warden is not a de facto interim Head of Security in the absence of a Head of Security, unless promoted to that position by command staff.
With sufficient cause, the Warden is authorized to independently issue arrest and search warrants. This authority is subject to command staff review.
Processing Time Personnel detained by Internal Security are expected to be processed in a timely manner. Because a detainee's brig sentence begins after processing is completed, excessive processing times may result in the Warden or handling Security Officers being liable for illegal detention.
Uniform Regulation On-duty security personnel are required to wear the standard uniform provided by their employer, or maintain a business attire in the colours of their corporation. Casual wear, inappropriate footwear, shorts not issued with a uniform and skirts of any kind are not allowed. They must be immediately and easily identifiable as members of security.
Personnel failing to meet these requirements are in violation of failing to execute an order, and are to be processed for such.
Responding Upon arriving at the scene, the first responder is expected to gauge the exact nature at the scene.
If the scene is clear:
Radio in the situation at the scene. Ensure the safety of any crew in the immediate vicinity. Identify witnesses. Secure the scene in the event of occurrences (tape off area/disallow witness to leave). Proceed to 'Collecting Evidence' If the scene is not clear:
Identify nature of threat. If threat is able to be handled by officers on scene: Proceed with mediation/detainment. If threat is unable to be handled by officers on scene: Request immediate assistance. Upon requesting assistance, await said assistance before proceeding. Ensure your safety before ensuring the safety of others on scene. Collecting Evidence Crime scenes must be sealed off for evidence to be valid. Ensure non-security personnel do not enter the scene. Avoid cordoning off high-traffic areas unless a serious crime (such as murder or mutiny) has been committed. Permission from the relevant head of staff, head of security, or captain should be gained to cordon off high-traffic areas of specific departments. If possible, cordoned-off areas should still allow access around it, via maintenance tunnels, less area taped off, or other methods. *Autopsies should be performed within the morgue. Disrupt standard vessel operation as little as possible around the crime scene. Investigative staff should be requested. Officers on scene are expected to ensure scene security until/during the arrival of/processing of the scene by investigative staff. If no investigative staff is available, officers are expected to secure evidence on scene. Witness statements should be taken (either via recorder or on paper) and physical evidence should be secured. Handling Evidence Ensure gloves are worn to prevent contamination of evidence. Items that can be, must be held in evidence bags for transportation. Crime scene must be preserved until all evidence is collected. After evidence is collected, cadavers may be removed to the morgue and area may be cleaned up. Arrest Proceed as follows during the event of detainment:
Announce intention to arrest and charges vocally. Request the suspect surrender peaceably If suspect resists, attempt to handcuff. Verbal disagreement or swearing is not resisting. Verbal threats of violence, damage, or death are considered resisting arrest. If suspects fight back or run, apply needed force to cease flight and detain suspect. A charge of resisting arrest should be applied in this case. Remove suspect to brig for processing. For witnessed major/violent crime:
Immediately attempt detainment of suspect, with charges read out when suspect is secured. Remove suspect to brig for processing. Processing Ensure Warden is aware of incoming prisoner. Bring prisoner to processing/booking room. Leave secured if violent/repeat offender. Check prisoner’s pockets (coat/jumpsuit), pack, and any containers within pack. Confiscate any contraband/evidence found. Note: Evidence must have pertinence to the case. If there is no direct correlation, evidence should be returned to person or respective department. Inform the prisoners superior of the arrest. Proceed to ‘Jailing’. Questioning Questioning should be done in the brig. Booking/Processing is to be used for ‘informal’ interviews. Interrogation should be used in the case of more in depth investigations. The Investigative team should get preference in questioning a suspect unless there's a good reason. A standard processing interview for an open and shut case is probably not worth their time, but it's always good to ask. If the person is not a suspect, do not handle them as an offender (handcuffing, stunning, or flashing them is not okay). Ensure usage of recorder during interrogations; ensure the suspect/prisoner/witness is aware they are being recorded. Ensure the suspect/prisoner/witness states their or has their name/occupation stated at the beginning of an interrogation. If person remains uncooperative, make note of this. Seek advice from your Head of Security. Jailing Move prisoner to appropriate cell. Place personal items the prisoner was deemed able to keep upon release in cell locker. Set cell timer to appropriate time and secure cell. Remove handcuffs from prisoner’s person within secure cell if able to do so without severe risk to own wellbeing. Ensure records are properly updated to reflect prisoner’s crimes/status. Autopsies All autopsies should be conducted by investigations within the autopsy room. If no investigators are present, the cadaver should be stored until one arrives. More steps outlining autopsies can be found here. Once the autopsy is completed, if the deceased was an employee aboard the SCCV Horizon, the cadaver should be remanded to medical so that they may carry out any potential post-mortem wishes. Medical Do not Borgify Personnel with a Do Not Borgify order are NOT to be borgified. Failure to heed these orders is considered malpractice by law, and will be treated as such.
Paramedic Helmet Paramedics are to use their helmet on the same basis as security: on code blue and above, and in dangerous situations.
Post Mortem Wishes It is medical's responsibility to ensure that post-mortem wishes are carried out for any crew who lose their lives aboard the SCCV Horizon. Bodies autopsied by investigations should be remanded to medical for this purpose once the autopsy is completed. Post Mortem wishes are expected to be followed to the letter if at all possible by the Horizon.
Medical Treatment Waiver Employees that do not wish to be treated, should be provided with the Medical Treatment Waiver form from the request consoles to sign.
AI AI Monitoring The AI only has to monitor the following secure areas:
Armory SAT (The big nuke room) Telecommunications The Vault Command areas (Bridge, head of staff offices, etc.) Secure Storage Research Storage Research Server Room Engine Room (Supermatter specifically, Tesla if it is running) AI Core and AI Upload Access to the AI In order to access the AI upload or the AI core a captain level decision is required. All command staff must be informed of the decision.
A machinist may accompany the head/s of staff if their technical skills are required.