Firing-mode uptime

For sustained beam and cannon modes, uptime describes how much of your attacking time the enhancement is active. Two questions matter: how long does it last, and how soon can you activate it again?

• Firing-mode extenders: often starship traits, these lengthen a mode or provide additional activations, subject to their own triggers.
• Bridge officer cooldown reduction: helps the ability become ready sooner, within its recharge limits.

Together, these can reduce or remove gaps between enhanced firing periods. An extender is not a substitute for checking cooldowns, and cooldown reduction does not automatically extend an active mode.

Torpedo and mine enhancements apply to launches or deployments and need their own timing explanation.