The Catacombs The Continuity Guide
Moonbase Guide
by Martin Willey

Command Center Desks

The Command Center desks are modified Main Mission desks with monitor screens and a solid base (rather than thin legs). Five of the original six Main Mission desks have VDU monitors mounted on them (the remaining one without a monitor is often in the front row of desks, used by Sandra or Yasko). Kano's desk does not appear.

Koenig's Main Mission desk has also been fitted with a monitor and solid base; (only two of the three sides are used to form his new desk- but the other unused side remains, mostly unaltered, briefly glimpsed to the side of Command Center.

Koenig's desk is always placed at the back of Command Center throughout all Year 2 episodes. The other desks are frequently swapped around. Usually, Tony Verdeschi and Maya are seated directly in front of the commander's desk (Tony on the left, Maya on the right closer to the computer wall). Sandra or Yasko use one of the front desks, usually the one on the right nearer the computers. In The Metamorph only, Helena sits at the front left desk; otherwise she does not seem to have a permanent desk.

The new Year 2 Command Center monitor screen desks are only rarely seen in other Moonbase areas (the Seance Spectre computer room however has a console that is similar to the one normally used by Maya. The Seed of Destruction observation room and Space Warp launch area control room are equipped with a similar console as Sandra's/Yasko's). They are mainly used for controlling Moonbase systems as well as displaying input data from computers, sensors and cameras on the monitor screen. The monitor screen desks are also frequently used as videophone terminals. Each desk has five large illuminated buttons that seem to be "on/off" switches for selected equipment (e.g. video cameras) but the main input device is a group of touch-sensitive keys located on both sides of the monitor as well as below the screen. There is a "key beep" function to alert the user when a key has been pressed. As in Year 1, all keys are normally unlabelled (it makes sense to assume the user can bring up a map of functions assigned to each group of keys on the screen but we never actually see this in the series).

The four principal desks have Domani swivel chairs, like Koenig's but without a headrest. The side desks have Gaudi chairs (as in Year 1).

 The Seance Spectre The Bringers Of Wonder part 2
The Lambda Factor
A view (The Lambda Factor) towards the big screen. The configuration of Koenig's desk in the foreground is clearly visible.		 The Lambda Factor
Note that unusually in The Lambda Factor, there is no side section to Koenig's desk		 The Seance Spectre
This view from Seance Spectre clearly shows the side section
The Dorcons
An overview of the desk layout. On the side, two desks without screens face outwards; the unaltered part of Koenig's command desk from Year 1 is clearly visible.		 The Dorcons
A similar view, with the desks shifted slightly. The configuration shown here (from The Dorcons) is quite unusual since the four main desks all have computer screens. Dr.Russell's side desk at right contains the laser gun controls (Seed of Destruction); this particular desk is also sometimes used in the Eagle passenger modules, e.g. the A B Chrysalis.		 Dorzak
Here there is one side desk, with a monitor and facing inwards. Again, the part of Koenig's command desk is visible (with a microscope). This configuration (from Dorzak) is fairly typical with the monitor-less desk at far left.
The A B Chrysalis
Another view (from the A B Chrysalis) showing the side desks. Note that the monitor desk at lower left now is facing the second row. The side desks are also frequently seen in technical lab areas throughout the base and sometimes in the Eagle passenger module as well.		 Seed Of Destruction
Helena's desk here does not have a monitor screen(Seed of Destruction). Usually, this desk would be located at far left where Sandra is sitting but the desks are reversed in this episode and also in The Bringers Of Wonder.		 The Seance Spectre A closer view of the same desk, from a different angle. Many props from Year 1 are visible, including Sandra's "power failure" display device from Force Of Life.
Journey To Where
The desk again, now in Journey To Where on the left side.		 The Rules Of Luton
The end units (one the outside of the desks) are separate (originally in Year 1, these were the corner units). (here in The Rules of Luton).		 Journey To Where
In Journey To Where, note the front desk does not have the side-unit.
Seed Of Destruction
A close-up of the desk screens, showing the colourful arrays of buttons (actually just stickers). Now Sandra has the desk without a screen. Note the square red button at lower left. In The A B Chrysalis, it serves as the "Red Alert" button. The yellow button (top left) apparently alerts security in The Taybor.		 The A B Chrysalis
The coloured "buttons" either side of the screen differ, but otherwise the desks are identical. This desk configuration (from The A B Chrysalis) is the most common one. However, these two desks were frequently swapped; sometimes even in the same episode.		 The Rules Of Luton This is the primary communications console, which usually is located at left in the first or second row and manned by Yasko or Sandra.The computer desks are frequently used as videophone terminals. It seems the illuminated square buttons provide quick access to important videophone numbers (Eagle Transporter expeditions, security,medical etc.) including hold/redial/end call functions. However, the touchpad button arrays may also be used for this purpose.
The A B Chrysalis The A B Chrysalis
A closer view of the communications console from The A B Chrysalis -- this time manned by Maya and located in the second row. Note the "Alert" label is under a block of yellow buttons.		 New Adam, New Eve
The same desk in New Adam, New Eve is moved to the side. Note the "Alert" label is on the far left between the two lights.
The Metamorph
VDU screens are used for the first time (there were none in Year 1). But there is no sign of windows, icons or mice, and the textual displays are painfully slow. The status screens use very large block letters (<30 columns, 5 rows), possibly because the text has to be readable also on tiny commlock screens as well. This particular desk usually appears on the side of the four main desks in Command Center.		 One Moment Of Humanity
The standard test-card.		 The Immunity Syndrome
In The Immunity Syndrome, Maya demonstrates that the Command Center computer desk monitors can handle high resolution vector graphics and text, albeit in black and white.
The A B Chrysalis
Red Alert screen (Koenig's, from The A B Chrysalis)- the only time the screens are in colour. Otherwise, the screens are normally black and white.		 The Seance Spectre
At the end of Seance Spectre only, the screens show colour still photographs.
The Exiles
This desk hatch (the anti-gravity effect) was also seen on Paul's desk in Main Mission. More details		 Brian The Brain
The alert switch on Tony's desk, used in Brian The Brain. Note the alert label also appears in this shot from A B Chrysalis but the button itself has disappeared!		 Seed Of Destruction
Close up of the desk. Labels are random Letraset lettering. This is Koenig's desk in Seed of Destruction; the blue button at lower left apparently switches off the energy beam.
The A B Chrysalis
Among the common items seen on desks are this Decimo Timemachine, a clock/calculator, and the Eagle remote control also seen in Year One.		 The Immunity Syndrome
A close-up of Maya using a strange input device somewhat resembling a keyboard. It is not seen in other episodes and may possibly be a Psychon design.		 The Lambda Factor
A closer view of the monitor side desk, from The Lambda Factor. The device positioned at far right on the desk is used for reading video camera memory cards in The Bringers of Wonder.
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Copyright Martin Willey. Thanks to Marcus Lindroos.