Kaferia

**Kaferia** (aka **Tau Ceti III** or **Kohath-Seredi**) was a Class M planet, the third planet in the Tau Ceti system, and the homeworld of the insectoid Kaferian species. Kaferia had a strong, friendly and prosperous relationship with the United Federation of Planets, preferring to remain as an ally and protectorate rather than become a full member. (TOS: "Where No Man Hals Gone Before"; ENT: "Strange New World"; *Star Trek Maps*; *The Worlds of the Federation*; *Star Trek: Star Charts*)

The planet's Mandel coordinates were 22.8 58.7 -1.5. (*Star Trek Maps*; *The Worlds of the Federation*)

As the inhabitants' native language was essentially a series of clicks in ultraharmonic frequencies, the indigenous name for their world was unpronounceable by at least most humanoid tongues. The name "Kaferia" originated with the Kaferi family, the first humans to survey the system.

Due to the dense debris clouds throughout the Tau Ceti system, Kaferia was subject to frequent asteroid and meteorite impacts; the Kaferians had evolved a capacity to hibernate underground for extended periods because of this. (*ENT* novel: *Tower of Babel*)

First contact between Kaferia and Earth occurred in the late 21st or early 22nd century; the world was known to the Vulcans and others much earlier. The Kaferians proved friendly and welcoming, and their world became trading partner with Earth, frequently visited by vessels of the Earth Cargo Service.

Within a few years, the Kaferians invited humans to settle on their neighboring planet, Tau Ceti IV, which became one of Earth's first extra-solar colonies, and eventually a Federation member itself, further cementing the relationship between the UFP and Kaferia. (*ENT* novel: *Beneath the Raptor's Wing*; *Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan*; *Star Trek: Pendragon*)

In 2156, during the Earth-Romulan War, the Battle of Tau Ceti resulted in a loss for the Coalition of Planets, and the system was occupied by the Romulan Star Empire. The human colony on Tau Ceti IV was destroyed, but the Kaferians themselves retreated underground, hibernating undetected for four years until their world was liberated in 2160. (*ENT* novel: *Beneath the Raptor's Wing*, *novel*)

The newly-formed Federation extended an offer of membership to Kaferia in 2164, but the Kaferians politely declined. However, they did enter into trade agreements with the Federation, and welcomed the return of colony on Tau Ceti IV, if the Federation chose to rebuild. In return, the Federation helped to upgrade Kaferia's planetary defense grid. (*ENT* novel: *Tower of Babel*)

In the 24th century, Jean-Luc Picard and Walker Keel first met in an "exotic" bar on Tau Ceti III. (TNG: "Conspiracy")

By 2365, the capital city of Kaferia had a population in excess of ten million, including humans, Andorians and representatives of many other worlds. Outside of the cities, some Kaferians lived in expansive villas with grand views of distant mountains. (*DTI* novel: *Watching the Clock*; *TOS* novel: *Enemy Unseen*)

Kaferian apples were a popular fruit originating from Kaferia, considered a delicacy by many species. Kaferian olives were another fruit exported by the Kaferians. (TOS: "Where No Man Has Gone Before"; ENT: "Strange New World"; *The Worlds of the Federation*; *Star Trek Cookbook*)

Other forms of plantlife from Kaferia included varieties of lilies and rosevines, and the ever-flowering nightplum bush, which produced a sweet, heavy fragrance. (*DS9* novel: *Bajor: Fragments and Omens*; *ENT* novel: *Beneath the Raptor's Wing*; *TOS* novel: *Enemy Unseen*)

Tau Cetiian *verguzz* was an alcoholic beverage that originated from either Kaferia or Tau Ceti II. (*TOS* novel: *Uhura's Song*)

## Background

* Sources disagree on whether Kaferia itself was a member of the Federation or not. *Star Charts* and *Stellar Cartography* indicate that it was; while *The Worlds of the Federation* and *Watching the Clock* describe it as independent but friendly. *Star Trek: Pendragon* resolves this by portraying Kaferia as a Federation protectorate, and "member by proxy" through the human colony on Tau Ceti IV, only to properly join the UFP after the Dominion War.

## References

1. ↑ *Star Trek: Star Charts*; *Stellar Cartography: The Starfleet Reference Library*; *Seekers* novel: *Second Nature*
2. ↑ *Star Trek Maps*; *The Worlds of the Federation*; *ENT* novel: *Tower of Babel*; *DTI* novel: *Watching the Clock*

## External links

* Tau Ceti III article at ***Memory Alpha***, the canon *Star Trek* wiki.
* Kaferia article at ***Memory Beta***, the non-canon *Star Trek* wiki.