Grotus

Grotus was a non-aligned asteroid somewhat near the Federation wildlife preserve planet Salvum in the Alpha or Beta Quadrant. It was known to harbor illegal sports and games and was off limits to Starfleet personnel.

Specifics
Grotus appeared light red from orbit, seeming to have a barren surface with sparse vegetation. This was deceptive, as it camouflaged a fortified, moderately-sized city inhabited by a mixed population that included Humans and Andorians.

History
During his midshipman years, Montgomery Scott heard an old saying: "Anything goes on Grotus". He described it as "a haven for dregs and misfits".

In the 2260s, Grotus was run by Zarcun-5 in the Planetary Headquarters building. He claimed to have been duty elected, but nevertheless oversaw criminal activities such as the outlawed sport of cockfighting, which was a favorite with the asteroid's population and took place in a large stadium.

In 2267, a Grotus transport made off with all the male Gharian wedding birds from Salvum and brought them to Grotus. James T. Kirk, Spock and Montgomery Scott landed an old D-1 spacecraft on Grotus and went undercover to track the missing birds, while the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) orbited from a discreet distance. 

Notable residents

 * Zarcun-5, administrator

Facilities

 * Stadium
 * Planetary Headquarters building