The announcements "General Quarters" and "Battle Stations" are two different United States Navy communications on a United States naval warship. These communiques prepare the crew for imminent danger or battle. When general quarters is called, all crew members are supposed to drop whatever they are doing and report to their respective stations.
It is a state of being on guard and prepared for any challenges. Battle stations are the declaration which is made to prepare the crew members for battle. General quarters is sounded for other purposes besides battle including fog, combining casualties, and storms. Battle stations are said to get ready for firing off torpedoes and missiles