"Tulip" style Imperial work station

"Uhh, everything's under control. Situation normal."

―Han Solo speaking into a comlink on a work station^[1]

JerjerrodTheDestroyer-ROTJHD — A work station on the Overbridge of the second Death Star.

A "tulip" style Imperial work station was a circular post able to monitor and remotely control instrument functions. They were primarily manned by members of a military and were used by the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the Galactic Republic, the Galactic Empire, and the First Order.

Characteristics

Work stations were raised platforms surrounded by control boards. They could remotely monitor and control instruments, such as the superlaser on the second Death Star.^[1]

Sometimes, work stations were lower to the floor and the number of control boards could vary from four^[2] to eight.^[3]

History

Clone Wars

Work stations were in use throughout the Clone Wars and were used by both the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. They were in both the Venator-class Star Destroyer's hyperdrive room^[4] and brig.^[5] The Republic also had a work station inside of the Republic Center for Military Operations' detention block control room^[6] and two inside of the court chamber.^[7] Additionally, a Republic-controlled space station above Ringo Vinda contained a work station. In 19 BBY, the Separatists took control of the station and the work station was manned by two B1-series battle droids until they were destroyed during the Battle of Ringo Vinda^[8]

InvisibleHandDutyPost — A work station onboard the *Invisible Hand*.

Work stations were located in the Observation decks of Providence-class Dreadnoughts. Two were present inside the Wizard's Tower on the Invisible Hand in 19 BBY. They were destroyed when the ship broke in half during the Battle of Coruscant.^[9]

Use by the Empire

Throughout the Imperial Era, the Empire continued to use work stations. Various Imperial installations contained them, such as the Citadel Tower of the Imperial Center of Military Research on Scarif, which had one inside of its vault,^[10] the Imperial Complex on Lothal, which had four inside of its generator room,^[11], the Narkina 5 Imperial Prison Complex, which had three inside its command center,^[12] and Research Station 9 on Endor, which had two inside of it.

Additionally, they were present on many of the Empire's ships. Several were present inside the engine rooms of Imperial I-class Star Destroyers,^[13] and at least four were in the reactor rooms of Interdictor-class Star Destroyers,^[14] while two work stations were inside the briefing rooms of Imperial II-class Star Destroyers and were manned by Imperial officers.^[15]

DS1 Overbridge-RO — Two work stations onboard the Overbridge of the first Death Star.

Work stations were present on the Overbridge of the first Death Star and were manned by Death Star troopers. A work station was also located in Detention Block AA-23 and in 0 BBY was manned by Lieutenant Shann Childsen. These work stations were destroyed when the Death Star exploded during the Battle of Yavin.^[3]

When the Death Star was rebuilt, work stations were located throughout Command Center North.^[2] Additionally, a work station was also included in its Overbridge. In 4 ABY, it was manned by Jad Bean. During the Battle of Endor, Bean was ordered by Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod to fire the superlaser at the Rebel Fleet, which he did using the work station. Three^[16] work stations were also located in the Emperor's Throne Room in the Emperor's Tower.^[1] The work stations in Command Center North^[2] and the one in the overbridge were destroyed when the Rebels managed to make the second Death Star explode,^[1] however, the Emperor's Tower was not completely destroyed, with its wreckage landing on Kef Bir, and as such, these work stations survived.^[17]

The First Order

The First Order, like its predecessor the Galactic Empire, also utilized work stations, notably aboard the Mega-class Star Dreadnought Supremacy in 34 ABY. These work stations were manned by First Order fleet engineers.^[18]

Behind the scenes

Work stations first appeared in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. In the Legends continuity, they were known as "Command sector duty posts", however, in canon, the episode guide to Andor Episode 10, One Way Out, names them "Tulip" style Imperial work stations.^[19]