Star Trek, a Space Odyssey


Task groups must accept the principle of need-to-know. Field agents should not become frustrated when refused access to certain information due to insufficient security clearance. It sometimes happens that field agents come across data, documents, or situations about which they are not supposed to know. Also, if pressed, field agents may reveal classified information to police officials, other Star Fleet officers, or even troublesome locals who happen to be in the wrong place al the wrong time.

If field agents have reason to believe that they are handling documents or have accidentally discovered a situation exceeding their SECLARs, they are to notify their Senior Mission Officer, who, in turn, must notify their Contact Officer. If highly classified documents, data carts, or other tangible property are involved, the group must secure them without examining them further. Preferably, records should go into a starship's cabin safe, armory, or other similarly locked area.

If field agents are forced to reveal classified information to anyone, they should reveal the least possible amount, and express it in the vaguest of terms. When possible, refer local officials demanding information through official channels, usually the Office of Public Affairs and Information. In general, only Case Officers and their superiors have the authority to provide briefings of any kind. This applies even when dealing with other Star Fleet officers, unless those officers can prove that they have a SECLAR high enough to receive complete information. Star Fleet Intelligence officers should not let themselves be bullied by local officials with insignificant authority (on a galactic scale), but they should also not appear deliberately uncooperative. There is a very tine line between the two.

Star Fleet officers from non-Intelligence branches are allowed to confide their knowledge of classified subjects to carefully selected subordinates. Normally, a starship commander would reveal information of specific interest to certain department heads. As a general rule, any such privileged discussions are limited to officers whose SECLARs are no more than one less than the topic's security rating. For example, if the topic being discussed has a rating of 4, no officer with a rating of less than 3 should be included in the discussion.

Used to maintain military security, this concept states that "only those officers or enlisted personnel who have a legitimate and current need to possess information of a classified nature should be permitted access to such information."

The SECLAR is the SEcurity CLeArance Rating, a ten point scale ranging from 0 through 9. It is used to rank the degree of secrecy of a given document or intelligence mission. The higher the SECLAR, the more secret is the object rated. The SECLAR is also used to describe the security clearance that each individual possesses.

The term UNCLASSIFIED is used to describe a SECLAR of 0. Information with this rating consists of that knowledge widely available to civilians or other non-military personnel through the media or other public sources.

The term RESTRICTED is used to describe a SECLAR of 1. Information with this rating may be available through certain public sources with limited access, such as political or military affairs publications. Information obtainable from a Rating 1 is also often available to interstellar merchants and explorers through sometimes-unreliable sources. All Star Fleet personnel have this rating or greater.

The term CLASSIFIED is used to describe a SECLAR of 2. Information with this rating is available only through official Star Fleet channels. All Security branch personnel and many officers have this rating. The term is also used for documents or data of a sensitive nature, coming under the principle of need-to-know.

The term CONFIDENTIAL is used to describe a SECLAR of 3. All Star Fleet Intelligence Command personnel, most Security Officers, and most department heads have this rating.

The term SECRET is used to described a SECLAR of 4 or 5. Most senior Security Officers and command-grade officers have a Rating 4. The Captain and First Officer on major Star Fleet vessels may have a Rating 5. Most Intelligence officers of low rank have a Rating 4 or 5.

The term TOP SECRET is used to describe a SECLAR of 6 or 7. Most Intelligence officers of medium rank and most flag-rank officers have a Rating 6. Most Intelligence officers of high rank and certain flag-rank officers have a Rating 7.

The term MOST SECRET is used to describe a SECLAR of 8 and is only used on a case-by-case basis. Individuals with a Rating 8 are limited to top-echelon officers of Star Fleet Command and Star Fleet Intelligence Command.

The term ULTRA SECRET is used to describe a SECLAR of 9. It is used only in situations of extreme importance to Federation security.