Bitinga was a 24th century Thuranian businessman, but secretly a smuggler.
Biography[]
Bitinga was one of the Bitinga Brothers. In the 2360s decade, he served as ringmaster of the classic-style circus at Bitinga's Traveling Wonderment Exposition.
In 2369, his circus performed on Beta Maradi VII. To a packed circus tent crowd, Bitinga introduced various acts, including the flying trapeze, Zenas Zorrh's snake-pit, and Kartakkan Cannonball. Visitors from the USS Enterprise-D attended one of the shows. (TNG comic: "The Rich and the Dead!")
Bitinga introduced the cannonball act while wearing a top hat and cape. He was unaware that Q had shrunk Worf and Deanna Troi to insect size and deposited them inside Kartakkan's clothing. While shrunk, Troi spotted mysterious sealed containers that suggested Bitinga might be hiding something illegal. (TNG comic: "Reductions & Deductions")
Q momentarily possessed Bitinga while counting down the launch of Kartakkan Cannonball. Seconds before firing, however, Jean-Luc Picard had won a challenge that secured Worf and Troi's freedom, and they were restored to normal size. Troi opened the containers she spotted earlier, releasing a shrikkas and exposing Bitinga's rare animal smuggling operation. Bitinga, Zorrh, and Kartakkan confronted them at gunpoint. William T. Riker and Troi dodged as Bitinga fired his hand phaser at them, but Picard and several security officers then stunned Bitinga and his partners. (TNG comic: "Hidden Agendas!")