Bensonia was the third planet in the Votannis star system, located in Federation space in the Alpha or Beta Quadrant. It had a single moon and was one of two class M planets in its system. Once the site of an Orion colony, it is now the site of a Federation colony.
Bensonia was once the homeworld of a race of beings known as the Trunes, until it was settled by the Orions, founding the thriving Colony of Votannis. The Trunes had risen to a high level of development through Orion tutelage. However, during the Orion Reverse, a large civil war erupted on the planet, causing the deaths of over 40 million people and leaving only a small number of Orions. Since the weapons used during the war were primitive slugthrowers, and not overly destructive, the planet was left covered in extensive, intact ruins, giving Human settlers (and any other visitors) telling insight into the early expansion and colonization efforts of the Orion people, though they have been plundered several times.
The Orion leader Mighty Golenz and his family later sold the planet to Luther G. Benson of the Benson Development Corporation, for 7 million credits on reference stardate 1/2706. The planet was a rare example of a Federation colony established on Orion terms. By the late 23rd century, about 98% of the population was Human, with the remainder being Orion.
Many of the ruins on the planet were surrounded by hostels, tourist outlets, and equipment rental shops which charged a respectable fee to any would-be explorer. The funds collected were used to protect the ruins from later generations of "cultural poachers."
The planet features one of the best star port facilities in the region. It was built by Starfleet during the Romulan War when Bensonia served as a staging area for attacks on the Romulan Empire.
During the late 23rd century, many of the settlers were in favor of opening the third planet in the Votannis system, Hodunk, to colonization. This demand was not due to overcrowding on Bensonia, but a desire to keep criminal elements from gaining control over the neighboring planet.
It has a total surface area of 897,221,000 square kilometers and, with 31% land mass, a total land area of 278,138,510 square kilometers. About 37% of its makeup is normal metals, 8% is radioactive elements, 3% is special minerals, and it has trace amounts of industrial crystals and gemstones. It has a cool temperate climate, a thick class M atmosphere and an 29 hour day.
It had a technological/socio-political index of 999564-77 and a planetary trade profile of CCEEBDE/D(D). (FASA RPG module: The Orions: Book of Common Knowledge)