M6-117(Planet)

**M6-117** is a desert planet in the M-344/G System. It is known for being the location of the Hunter Gratzner crash, and also for its strange position in the solar system in relation to the other celestial bodies in the system, and the dangerous nocturnal predators that infest the plane

## Climate

The planet is sandy and arid. There is little plant life and little water as well (although it rains during the rare "night" period of total eclipse). Most animal life has been exterminated by Bioraptors. There is barely enough oxygen in the atmosphere to allow human beings to breathe, and due to the lack of a normal amount of oxygen on the planet, most humans constantly feel out of breath and exhausted.

## Total Eclipse

The planet is located between three suns in the system, and is in constant sunlight except during a lengthy total eclipse (some sources say the eclipse lasts a month; others say decades), when larger planets in the system block the three suns from the planet. During the eclipse, nearly all life on the planet is massacred

## Native Life

The dominant species on the planet are Bioraptors, which live in caverns underground except during the total eclipse. During this eclipse, they rise out of the ground and feast on all other animal life on the planet. Thus, most creatures are rendered extinct during this eclipse. One of the victim species were known as Cetaceans (even though they lived on land and walked). Though large and numerous, they were exterminated viciously by the Bioraptors. The only known species to survive the eclipse are the surface cave-dwelling Glow Worms, whose natural luminescence keeps them safe from Bioraptors.

## History

In 2356 The planet was inhabited by a team of Civilian geologists who erected a Outpost . Since the planet was in constant sunlight, virtually everything the colonists used was solar-powered. However, when the eclipse took place, this made all of their technology useless. Many colonists were killed, but some took refuge in the Coring Building, since it had the biggest and strongest doors. However, in their haste, they forgot to lock the cellar doors and Bioraptors quickly followed them in, slaughtering them.

For 22 years, the planet remained uninhabited and ignored, even though it was on at least one space travel lane. The day before the eclipse was due to take place again, the Hunter Gratzner, a transport ship bound for the Tangiers System, was damaged flying through the tail of a rogue comet. The crew barely managed to crash-land the ship, and only one crew-member survived, along with 11 passengers (out of a total number of 40). They discovered the archeologist colony and discovered the Bioraptors, herds of dead "whales", and learned that the eclipse would soon take place. They discovered a outdated but functional shuttle that the colonists prepared for takeoff, repaired and powered it up, and managed to escape, although the vast majority of them died: the one remaining crew-member died, along with nine of the surviving passengers. The remaining three escaped in the shuttle.

10 weeks after the Hunter Gratzner crash, Starfleet sent the USS Solstice to investigate the incident but the away team disappeared as well, having been buried alive by sandstorms. Two more teams were sent to the planet and contact was lost with both of them. The ship requested for Starfleet Special Operations who arrived three days later and completed the investigation.