The Pergium Production Station was a 23rd century pergium mining facility located beneath the surface of the planet Janus VI.
History and specifics[]
Ownership[]
It was owned and operated by an employee-held corporation, with a long waiting list to "buy in". Each miner and staff member bought stock, leaving its medical officer and sales agent as the only employees. Miners were paid a living wage for hourly work, but earned lucrative additional shares of stock for meeting or exceeding personal production quotas. Austere conditions meant that miners usually did not bring families. Most were either young men planning to spend a few months or years building a nest egg, or older men with no families. At one point, Solon and Laurel Levine were its only female personnel. (FASA RPG module: Witness for the Defense)
From just over 100 to as many as 157 people operated the facility. (ST reference: Star Trek Maps, FASA RPG module: Witness for the Defense).
As protection for its miners, the company's charter prohibited the use of psychotricorders to investigate criminal activity. Under Federation law, the charter also qualified the facility to act in some cases as a Federation colony. (FASA RPG module: Witness for the Defense)
- In ST novel: A Singular Destiny, a company named Janus Mining provided mining and material services for Federation worlds, including Tellar and Capella IV. It could be the name of Janus VI's corporation, or related to it, but was not explicitly stated.
Operations[]
Pergium ore was separated from melted rock using phaser heating units built into heavy mining vehicles that were optimized to affect silicon. Pre-refined material was taken to storage facilities, then refined through completely automated chemical processes. Refined pergium was stored until it could be transported and sold on other planets. (FASA RPG module: Witness for the Defense)
The facility was powered by a PXK reactor, an antiquated nuclear fission reactor. (TOS episode & Star Trek 4 novelization: The Devil in the Dark)
History[]
In the 2210s, mining operations began, quickly establishing the facility as an essential supplier of pergium to Federation colonies.
In 2267, fifty miners were killed by the mother Horta after thousands of her eggs were smashed. With the aid of the starship USS Enterprise, an alliance was struck between the miners, Horta, and her newborn children. (TOS episode & Star Trek 4 novelization: The Devil in the Dark)
In 2269, the Enterprise revisited the facility. Debra Weisskopf helped James T. Kirk ask if some Horta would help digest portions of an asteroid to redirect it from the planet Vesbius. (TOS novel: Devil's Bargain)
In 2270, a miner and Horta were murdered, inviting a criminal investigation by Enterprise personal and the Starfleet Legal Services agency. (FASA RPG module: Witness for the Defense)
In 2297, advances in life support technology made pergium unnecessary. In the Vault of Tomorrow, Wilson Vanderberg officiated at the station's closing ceremonies. (ST - Strange New Worlds VII short story: "Guardians")
In the 24th century, although the mining facility had been closed, its associated colony eventually continued on, with Tony Vanderberg as its administrator in 2376. (ST - New Worlds, New Civilizations short story: "Mother's Day")
Personnel[]
- Chief Engineer, Administrator
- Assistant Chief Engineer, chief processing engineer
- Mining Director
- Debra Weisskopf
- Chief Geologist
- Sales agent
- Horta liaison
- Medical officer
- Miners
- Ralph Antara
- Randy Conway
- Homero Galdamiz
- Louis Handy
- Jack Katz
- Roberts (miner)
- Sam (miner)
- Schmitter
Vehicles and equipment[]
- carrier sleds
- heavy mining vehicles
- hover light
- sizzle bugs
- tunnel runners
Facilities[]
- Dispensary
- Geology lab
- Locker rooms
- Mess hall
- Offices
- Pergium testing lab
- Pool/sun deck
- Quarters
- Reactor room
- Recreation room
- Sales Agent's office
Appendices[]
Connections[]
Appearances[]
- TOS episode & Star Trek 4 novelization: The Devil in the Dark
- TOS novel: Devil's Bargain
- ST - Strange New Worlds VII short story: "Guardians"
- FASA RPG module: Witness for the Defense
References[]
- TOS novel: The Case of the Colonist's Corpse
- ST reference: Star Trek Maps
- ST - New Worlds, New Civilizations short story: "Mother's Day"
External link[]
- Pergium Production Station article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.