Cajitar IV

Cajitar IV was the inhabited fourth planet of the Cajitar system. This planet was located in the Beta Quadrant and was near the edge of Klingon space. This class M world was orbited by four moons, one of which was partially shattered, with the debris forming a dense ring system composed of ice and rock with a high internal iron content that impeded sensors. ()
== Astronomical data ==
Cajitar IV was located at coordinates 2931.5644. Its rotation period was 24.4 hours and its revolution period was 381.3 solar days. The planet had an estimated mass of 6.3402 kilograms and an estimated age of 5.527 billion solar years. Its atmosphere was composed of 77.3% molecular nitrogen, 20.21% molecular oxygen, 1.1% argon, 0.3% carbon dioxide, and 0.2% nitrous oxide, with trace amounts of methane and carbon monoxide.
The landscape of Cajitar IV was marked by numerous tall pillars of rock. The surface had a mean temperature of 15.2 degrees Celsius and 66% water coverage. The planet harbored native carbon-based plant and animal life, as well as prodigious deposits of dilithium. ()
== History ==
Prior to the of 2256–57, Cajitar IV provided a steady flow of dilithium to both the Federation and the Klingons. When the war broke out and demand for dilithium skyrocketed, the planet turned into a kind of "promised land" for fortune-seekers, with ore being auctioned off at astronomical prices and the local mining syndicate claiming a fraction of every transaction.
Under the terms of the peace treaty that ended the war, the Federation and the Klingon Empire were each granted exclusive access to Cajitar IV in alternating thirty-day intervals. The planet was subsequently taken over by a new syndicate, the Broken Circle, comprised of ex-soldiers from both sides of the war. They plotted a return to wartime profits by reigniting the conflict, via a false flag attack on the Klingons. To this end, they secretly acquired the hulk of a Federation starship, NCC-1279, and rebuilt it inside a mined-out cavern. Many of the planet's inhabitants were sickened by ion radiation when one of the photon torpedoes loaded onto the vessel exploded.
In 2259, Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh tracked Oriana's parents to Cajitar IV. After reuniting them with their daughter, she discovered the Broken Circle's intentions and sent an urgent request for assistance to the . However, Admiral Robert April refused to permit a Starfleet response, as it was the Klingons' turn to access the planet and a Federation incursion could be construed as an act of war. With Captain Christopher Pike and Commander Una Chin-Riley both indisposed, acting captain Spock decided to take the Enterprise to Cajitar IV without authorization.
Doctor Joseph M'Benga and Nurse Christine Chapel, while administering to the miners in disguise, were impressed into service by the Broken Circle and taken to NCC-1279. As it launched from beneath the surface, the two escaped their captors and modified the transponder to transmit a coded message telling the Enterprise to destroy the ship. Surmising the syndicate's plans, Spock ordered the Enterprise to do so, just before NCC-1279 could open fire on a Klingon battle cruiser. He was then able to explain the situation to Klingon Captain D'Chok over bloodwine, defusing the crisis. ()
Category:Planets