Delta Vega I

Delta Vega I was a class M or class G geocrystalline/class F silicate planet planet located in the Delta Vega system of the Delta Vega sector at an edge of the galaxy, near the galactic barrier, in the Alpha Quadrant. By the mid-23rd century the planet was home to the Federation's Delta Vega station, an unmanned lithium cracking station. The planet remained an uninhabited industrial site until at least 2376, but by 2381 was the home to a colony. 

Location
Delta Vega was the first and only planet in the Delta Vega system, located, in comparison to the core worlds of the Federation, closer to the galactic core, and some distance above the galactic plane; a few light days from a portion of the galactic barrier at the edge of the galaxy. It was also situated near to Starbase 20 at the planet Vellurius, Starbase 47 in the Taurus Reach, and Starbase 33. 

Makeup
Somewhat smaller than Earth, Delta Vega possessed of a lifeform-supporting planetary atmosphere, and featured some sparse vegetation; although the world had not evolved any sentient civilization. The planet was, however, rich in crystals and minerals. 

The planet had a rugged, rocky and mountainous terrain. From orbit, the world appeared a ruddy brown with wind-streaked strips of clouds, and the surface was shot through with dark, metallic blue, black and brown rocks and sand. In the opinion of Starfleet's Doctor Mark Piper, no Human could survive a life on the surface. 

The planet also had subterranean bodies of water, as discovered in a survey by the USS Farragut (NCC-1647) in the mid-23rd century. 

By 2381, the world was considered suitable for colonization and the Federation had a number of residents on the world, and had planted forests. 

History
By 2265 the planet was home to an automated Federation lithium cracking station, and was only ever visited by ore ships who visit to collect the lithium every twenty years or so. 

Galactic barrier incident
In 2265, the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) was a few light-days away from this world when they tried to travel beyond the galactic barrier; they visited Delta Vega to repair their damaged warp drive following their encounter with the energy effect. While Lieutenant Lee Kelso set about the task of cannibalizing the station's control mechanisms for usable parts, the decision was made by Enterprise senior staff to maroon Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell on the planet, after Mitchell was transformed by the barrier's psionic energy. Captain James T. Kirk had Kelso initiate a backup plan whereby the station's fuel bins would detonate by an emergency switch if Mitchell resisted being stranded. After Mitchell managed to escape captivity and killed Kelso, Kirk set out across Delta Vega's rocky surface, chasing after Mitchell with a phaser rifle. Kirk ordered the planet lethally bombarded with neutron radiation if Mitchell was not stopped. Mitchell had been accompanied by Doctor Elizabeth Dehner, who had also been transformed, into the Delta Vega expanses. Mitchell used his power to create a relaxing grove of Kaferian apple trees and a water source, but soon Kirk found himself battling the powers of Mitchell and Dehner. Mitchell even created a gravestone for Kirk at the base of a rock outcropping. Fortunately, Mitchell was mortally wounded by Dehner before he could kill Kirk, but at the cost of her own life. 

During the encounter between Mitchell and Kirk a large plumb of plasma, atmospheric disturbance, and a hole in the planet's ozone layer were created over the area, preventing the Enterprise from communicating with Kirk. Concerned for the captain Spock had the shuttlecraft Darwin prepped to launch a rescue party down to the planet. However before it was necessary the confrontation had come to and end and the atmosphere normalised. Spock requested Kirk remain on the planet for a short while longer, to verify the abrupt peace was not another ploy of Mitchell suing his powers. 

The Enterprise departed Delta Vega with partially restored systems, necessitating it make a stop over at the nearest starbase for full repairs. 

The logs for this mission were classified, but had been de-classifed by 2333, when Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Stargazer (NCC-2893) consulted them while considering a comparable situation with the Nuyyad. 

Other 23rd century visits
At some point in the mid-23rd century the planet was visited by the USS Farragut (NCC-1647). While their the Farragut deployed the shuttlecraft McAuliffe to search for evidence of surface water on the planet. Science officer spent hours searching, until finally stumbling across a lake at the bottom of a canyon, two kilometers below the surface. 

The Enterprise returned to Delta Vega in 2268 to find that the psionic energy imbued in Mitchell's mortal remains had attracted a being from another universe who referred to himself as Proteus. Proteus had inhabited and reanimated Mitchell's corpse, and, remembering a past life as Kevin MacTaggart on the alternate universe Earth where he originated, remade an area of Delta Vega's surface as a Scottish village. After a brief battle with the Enterprise crew and the X-Men, Jean Grey reached out the dormant essence of Gary Mitchell, convincing him to betray Proteus's team of combatants that was being led by Deathbird. The phasers of the Enterprise used in concert with the energy powers of Cyclops, Storm and Gambit destroyed Mitchell's body and drove Proteus back into the psionic rift. The energy-channeling powers of Bishop were used to focus absorbed psionic energy back into the rift, closing it just as the X-Men's stolen ship passed back through, returning the space around Delta Vega to normalcy. 

24th century
During the Gateways Crisis of 2376 a Romulan vessel was transported through an Iconian gateway and found itself above the planet, at the terminus of the gateway it had travelled through. Noting the planet was uninhabited but industrialised by the Federation the Romulan Commander decided to investigate the world; should it provide some sort of advantage to the Romulan Star Empire, before making the return journey through the gateway. 

By 2381 the planet had become home to a colony of Federation citizens, who had built a settlement, Central City, and planted forests and fields. In that year the colony had a surprise one morning when a thousand new individuals appeared around the colony. The newcomers were abductees, returned to Federation space after rejecting the Totality. Starfleet Command concluded they had been sent to Delta Vega as it was the closest class M planet to the galactic barrier. 

At some point in the 24th century, prior to 2387, the Romulan miner discovered and staked a claim to lithium deposits on the planet, which helped end Romulus' long-standing energy crisis. 

Background
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