Phoenix I (Formally Commonwealth I)

Also known as *Commonwealth Prime*, Commonwealth is the primary colony of the United Commonwealth of Planets.

## General History

Settled in Feburary 2419 by the United Commonwealth of Planets, Commonwealth was designed to be the jewel of the Commonwealth itself. Massive construction projects begun in early 2419 between the Arkhosian Legion and the rest of the Commonwealth, entire cities were planned out on the surface and by mid 2419, enough of the planet had been completed to boast a population of over seven million various Commonwealth species.

A huge starbase facility was built in orbit of Commonwealth, designated as S.S. Nocturne and during the early years of the Commonwealth, the planet was considered the capital of the fledgling organisation.

In March 2419, Commonwealth Colony came under attack by the Argussian Imperium. During this conflict, both S.S. Nocturne and the U.S.S. Warrior were lost. However the attack on the planet was halted by the arrival of the U.S.S. Nightshade.

In July 2419, S.S. Wynter Life was pulled from orbit from Commonwealth Colony due to the formation of the Zeta Quadrant Wormhole and displaced into the Zeta Quadrant.

In August 2419, all seven million inhabitants of the planet were wiped out by a Romulan warbird carrying a Thalaron weapon, implicating the U.S.S. Nightshade in the disaster. This led to the Commonwealth forces attacking the Romulan colony of Leahval during the Battle of Leahval in order to end Romulan intervention in the Black Eye Galaxy (M64).

In February 2421, the Arkhosian Legion began a clean-up operation on Commonwealth to restore its natural ecology, implant new species of plants and animals to grow on the ravaged planet, as the Thalaron radiation had broken down significantly within the two years of abandoment. As a result, Commonwealth was resettled.

Due to the decimation of Chion Prime (Taon V) by the Umojan Empire, relations with the Chioni Collective had greatly deteriorated by May 2421. Commonwealth once again became the capital of the United Commonwealth of Planets when Akko Kratz requested that the Commonwealth relocate to the newly terraformed planet to prevent further destruction to the decimated Chion Prime.

## Nakarja Falls

Thanks to the *Terraforming* efforts of the Arkhosian Legion, Commonwealth's ecology was restored in April 2421, with animal life being imported from all over the Commonwealth itself to serve as a protected environment sanctuary due to the destruction of Commonwealth's original ecology in 2419.

One of the most stunning creations of Arkhosian *Terraforming* was *Nakarja Falls*, named for the daughter of Hetaxi, the Khydallan Chief Science Officer of the U.S.S. Normandy (NCC-61944-A). At over 100 meters high just before the mouth of the *Ionian River*, *Nakarja Falls* quickly became a popular tourist spot on the planet.

In May 2421, *Nakarja Falls* was chosen to be new *Fleet Headquarters* of the United Commonwealth of Planets, following the departure from Chion Prime, as it was felt that a large Commonwealth presence on any of its member worlds would possible put that planet in danger during the *Umojan War of Pacification*.

A base was constructed in the valley of *Nakarja Falls* to serve as the new headquarters, named *Dragonfall Cascades*, in memory of the mostly Arkhosian civilians who lost their lives during the original destruction of Commonwealth by the New Romulan Star Empire in 2419.

As a result to the exposure of *Thalaron Particles*, despite being rendered harmless by Arkhosian efforts while *terraforming* the planet, Commonwealth retains an ominous green glow in its sky, a symbol of the senseless destruction that was once brought to this world.

## Fall of Commonwealth

In September 2421, Commonwealth Prime was rendered uninhabitable when Baron Yaj'reth Morphos launched a devestating attack on the planet while the U.S.S. Normandy (NCC-61944-A), U.S.S. Claidheamh Mòr and U.S.S. Republic were unable to protect the planet, due to be called away on different missions.

Due to an intensely powerful weapon created by the three stones which Morphos manipulated the Republic into collecting after Operation: "Taon's Sword", which was only stopped with *Lieutenant Dallas* jumped the S.S. Trident into the custom Umojan vessel powering the weapon, Commonwealth I was rendered completely lifeless and stripped of all *Mitochondria* on the surface of the planet, as well as crystallising the surface.

Over 8 million Commonwealth citizens and visiting alien species were killed during this event, making this the single largest loss of life ever to afflict the United Commonwealth of Planets and since then, Commonwealth has been largely abandoned.

## Rebirth and Resettlement

In 2441, the Arkhosian Legion once again begins the process of terraforming the heavily scarred Commonwealth I in order to solve an overpopulation issue that had been developing on Io (Arkhosia II-D) and return the original population of Commonwealth I, evacuated during The Worthless War back to the planet.

Completion of the terraforming was originally scheduled for 2442, however some problems with the technology used by the Arkhosians led to a later completion date of November 2443 and construction began on the new capital city of the planet, dubbed *Phoenix City*. The Kingdom of the Siqahi, dubbed the planet *"Phoenix I"* and launched a propoganda campaign, presenting the planet as a triumph and a renewed relic of the United Commonwealth of Planets.

In 2444, the Anthropian Navy assumed the roles of protectors of this new colony which had grown increasingly successful due to the Arkhosian Legion's new policy of giving land to former citizens of the planet

## The Loop

An important facility to the Commonwealth found under Pheonix's surface is a long, planet wide train called "The Loop". This modular train contains sensitive materials valuable to the Commonwealth and houses a vast research center equipped to study its contents to advance science and technology. Major projects attributed towards the Loop include extracting future technology from a crashed vessel found on the planet long ago, a race to find a cure for the Avalid virus, and a special research initiated by Estak into something he calls "Project Sakura".

## Surface biomes

As it was terraformed Pheonix's ecology borrows rare plant species from around the universe. Biomes include savannahs and xeric scrublands upon high plateaus, above lush rainforest and narrow river valleys. Plants the planet are known for include elegant travelers palms, enormous baobab trees, forests of acacia, and rugged "Dragon's Blood" trees that are able to survive in dry, rocky terrain. The plants and animals of Pheonix make the planet a popular location for safaris, adventurers and eco-tourists.