Bira III is a planet, the third planet of the Bira star system, somewhere in the galaxy's Alpha or Beta Quadrants. It is the second largest planet in the system and is the homeworld of the humanoid Garda and Stoyak civilizations.
History and specifics[]
Bira III has at least two continents and large oceans. It supports jungles with abundant plant and animal life
A radiation belt circumnavigated the planet's surface along the equator, isolating the hemispheres and resulting in divergent evolution for sentient humanoid species in the separate hemispheres. The telepathic Garda developed stunning city architecture, including Mayan-like stepped pyramids. The inventive Stoyak developed advanced technology including aircars and a brain device capable of augmenting a person's intelligence.
History[]
In the 21st century Stoyak invented airplanes that could travel over the radiation field. After discovering the Garda, they started a war that lasted for two centuries.
In 2270, the starship USS Enterprise visited Bira III after both sides requested Federation aid to make peace. Unfortunately, while the Garda's appeal was genuine, Stoyak military captured the Garda envoys and the ship's landing party. They subjected Spock and Montgomery Scott to a brain device in an attempt to augment their intelligence, but it badly altered them both, driving them to take opposing sides in the planetary civil war. The war ended when James T. Kirk suggested their conflict be resolved with a trial by combat between Spock and Scott. When the effects of the device wore off, they made peace with each other, and the demonstration was enough to get the two cultures to stop fighting. (TOS comic: "A World Against Itself")