Vardaine is a Class M world, the third planet in the Harlequin star system.
History and specifics[]
The planet is a member world of the United Federation of Planets, and is populated by the descendants of human colonists who arrived in the 22nd century. The library computer of the USS Enterprise contained written information stating that the motivation for colonizing Vardaine was political isolationism. (TOS video game: 25th Anniversary)
Even though the planet is a member of the Federation, relations between Vardaine and the rest of the Federation have been tense. While serving on the USS Farragut, Lieutenant James T. Kirk was instrumental in exposing corruption on the planet's governing body, the Vardaine Council. The Federation began a formal inquiry (Stardate 4650.6) into allegations that the Vardaine were engaging in genetic engineering despite the ban that was in place prohibiting such engineering; however, this inquiry was suspended at the request of the Vardaine government. Further accusations concerned rights violations against refugees from Tergen III who had resettled on Vardaine and been pressed into cheap labor. An extremist faction championing isolationism and chauvinism led by Doctor Ies Bredell, a member of the military, soon acquired power and influence in the Vardaine civilization. Eventually this faction was able to construct their own Constitution-class cruiser, which they had named Enterprise after Kirk's own Federation starship.
Shortly afterward, this faction's copy of the Enterprise, which Bredell called simply "Enterprise-2," was destroyed in battle against the original Enterprise. (TOS video game: 25th Anniversary)
Ies Bredell survived and constructed a super-weapon that would have destroyed Earth and the Federation, but was foiled by Captain James T. Kirk and the Enterprise crew. Bredell was arrested by Starfleet, and those members of the Vardaine government who supported Bredell were forced to resign—leaving Starfleet hopeful that relations between Vardaine and the rest of the Federation would improve. (TOS video game: Judgment Rites)