Brig A brig or holding cell was a type of prison on board a starship , space station , or planet ary facility . They were heavily guarded rooms that employed either gates or force field s to keep those incarcerated segregated from the general population . These areas were used to contain criminals , fugitives , and others who posed a security risk and must be detained . They were also used as a means of punishment within the Starfleet ranks . ( ) On the , the brig ' s emergency evacuation protocol may be invoked if a critical situation occurs requiring prisoner evacuation . Ethical protocols state that prisoner evacuation is to occur in life - saving circumstances only . ( ) Prior to the Xindi incident , was refitted with a brig . It contained a single bunk bed and was nearly soundproof . While designed to hold two occupants , the brig was capable of holding three prisoners . It was redesigned following the Xindi mission , with the single cell being split into two . ( ) The brig ' s prisoners included Osaarian pirate Orgoth , Oran ' taku native Rajiin , Triannon Pri ' Nam D ' Jamat , a group of three Xindi - Primate s ( namely Degra , Thalen and another individual ) , Lorian , Suliban Cabal senior official Silik , Doctor Arik Soong , Starfleet Lieutenant Malcolm Reed , Klingon soldier Marab , and news reporter Gannet Brooks . ( , , , , , , , ) During the initial stages of a mutiny that T ' Pol led aboard " Enterprise " in January 2154 , Commander Tucker feared that , if he and T ' Pol were caught by Captain Archer , they would both end up in the vessel ' s brig . However , the area ultimately wasn ' t used for that purpose , as the mutiny succeeded . ( ) While most of the crew was being affected by powerful pheromone s emitted by visiting Orion slave girl s in late December of the same year , Tucker threatened several officer s with confinement to the brig . These included Commander Kelby , due to insubordination , and a pair of engineering crewmen , as they had been quarreling with each other . However , the brig was not used for either officer , since Kelby was confined to quarters and the two crewmen were reassigned to separate tasks aboard the ship . ( ) " In 2154 of an alternate timeline , the capacity of " Enterprise " s brig proved insufficient to hold nine Xindi - Reptilian s who had recently been taken prisoner aboard the ship , so the Reptilians were instead confined to quarters under heavy guard . In 2165 of the same timeline , " Enterprise " s brig was used to hold Yridian spy Yerdrin Lek . " ( ) In a Xindi - Reptilian brig , the prisoner was chained to the ceiling while soldier s punched the captive . ( ) In 2154 , Klingon General K ' Vagh imprisoned Denobulan Doctor Phlox in a Klingon holding cell in Qu ' Vat Colony . ( ) " In 2155 of the mirror universe , Commander confined Captain Maximilian Forrest to the brig aboard the , as part of a " coup " to take over command of the ship . Forrest , however , later escaped with the aid of . " ( ) " 23rd century brigs in the alternate reality were guarded by officer s stationed at desk s nearby that allowed them a view of the cells . " ( ) Members of a landing party from the were incarcerated in their counterpart brig in 2267 , while Spock determined a way to return them to the mirror universe . ( ) The brig on board the was tested by the most resourceful person available during the design , who failed to escape , and the area was therefore considered " escape proof . " The difficulty of breaking free from this brig became a problem for Kirk , Spock , and Leonard McCoy when , in 2287 , Sybok confined them there and took control of the " Enterprise " . Starfleet brigs included facilities such as a sink and toilet hidden behind a panel in the wall . ( ) 24th century brigs were commonly covered on three sides by bulkhead s , with an electrostatic force field on the fourth side , which could be turned off and on as an entrance or exit way . The force field could also be made to open just a small gap , wide enough for food to be passed to the prisoner . ( ) Roga Danar was held in a holding cell on board the in 2366 after he attacked Miles O ' Brien , two security officers , Lieutenant Worf , and Commander Riker . Minister Nayrok proposed to keep him unconscious because he doubted that the holding cell would stop him . Later , when an Angosian police shuttle attempted to beam him into a brig on board their ship , Danar managed to escape . ( ) Later that same year , Captain Picard ordered Worf to take Q to the " Enterprise " - D ' s brig after Q had been stripped of his powers . Though Q initially resisted , he relented after being threatened with forcibly being taken there . ( ) Aboard space station Deep Space 9 , a brig was located behind the station ' s security office . ( ) The holding cells there featured a restroom and a mirror . ( ) In 2369 , a Tosk was held in a holding cell in DS9 ' s brig . ( ) The same year , Doctor Julian Bashir and Major Kira Nerys rescued Kobliad Security officer Ty Kajada and her prisoner Rao Vantika from damaged Kobliad transport ship " Reyab " . The latter was imprisoned in a holding cell aboard the ship . ( ) Rakhari individual Croden was held in a holding cell aboard Deep Space 9 for the murder of Ah - Kel , a Miradorn . ( ) In 2369 , one of Odo ' s imaginings became reality when Quark was kept inside a holding cell . ( ) While touring a holographic recreation of an NX - class captain ' s ready room in 2370 , " Enterprise " - D Counselor Deanna Troi commented to Commander Riker that their brig on the " Enterprise " - D was bigger than the recreated ready room . ( ) Aboard the in 2371 , Crewman Kenneth Dalby suggested that Tuvok should confine him to the ship ' s brig , after Dalby made repairs without an order and caused malfunctions of several systems . ( ) In 2372 , Admiral Leyton placed Captain Benjamin Sisko in a Starfleet Headquarters holding cell , to prevent Sisko from exposing a " coup " that Leyton was attempting to orchestrate . ( ) In 2373 , when Gul Dukat assaulted Garak for spending time with Dukat ' s daughter , Tora Ziyal , Quark convinced him that he should stand down or he would have Constable Odo take him to a holding cell . ( ) The had two brigs . ( ) In 2374 , Security chief Tuvok gave Chief Examiner Nimira of the Mari Constabulary a tour aboard " Voyager " and visited the brig aboard the ship as the concept to lock up a criminal was unknown to the Mari . ( ) Tom Paris had to spend thirty days in " Voyager " s brig in 2375 , after violating the Prime Directive by attempting to destroy a Monean oxygen refinery . ( ) In 2377 , a cargo bay on - board " Voyager " was converted into a large brig with individual cells in order to securely house survivors from a destroyed Nygean prison ship . ( ) Most Cardassian brigs were not very comfortable . ( ) Starfleet brigs were less spartan , as the Federation did not condone cruel and unusual punishment .