Cestus III


This article is official Star Trek canon.This article is official Pegasus Fleet canon.
This article has sections of Fleet Canon in addition to the Trek Canon contents. Where this change occurs will be noted with best accuracy within the article.
Cestus III
CestusIIIOrbital.jpg
Class:

Class-M

Type:

Federation Member World

Satellites:
  • Starbase 48
  • Orbital Office Complexes
  • Cestus Asteroid Station
Location:

Cestus system
Beta Quadrant

Affiliation:

United Federation of Planets

CestusIIISurface.png
Pike City, capital of Cestus III
[ Source ]


Cestus III is an M-class planet of the Cestus system, located in a region bordering the territory of the United Federation of Planets and the Gorn Hegemony and near space claimed by the Metrons. It is considered to be on the far side of the Federation in regards to much of the concentrated and highly populated areas surrounding the core worlds, but has grown into its own hub of activity since the colony was first established, being designated as the location for the headquarters of the Eleventh Fleet in 2386.

History

In the late 23rd century, Cestus III was on the frontier of Federation space, beyond which little was known. A small Earth Observation Outpost and colony were established, commanded by Commodore Travers. The establishment of this foothold alarmed the Gorn Hegemony; they regarded Cestus as part of their space and the colonists as invaders.

In 2267, a Gorn captain led his starship and ground forces in a counter-invasion strike, destroying the colony and slaughtering most of the colonists. Using faked communication and impersonating Travers, the Gorn lured the USS Enterprise to Cestus III, where the landing party, led by Captain James T. Kirk, beamed down to the planet's surface. The surface forces were repelled, and the Enterprise pursued the Gorn vessel to a point near 2466 PM, where both ships were seized by the Metrons and their captains forced to do battle.

Kirk's confrontation with the Gorn on the planet would later become one of the most famous incidents in his career. Benjamin Sisko once admitted he'd like to shake Kirk's hand and "ask him about fighting the Gorn on Cestus III".

Following intervention by the Metrons, the Gorn ceded Cestus III to the Federation. The planet became a thriving colony world over the course of the next century, with several cities springing up across the planet, including Pike City (the capital), Johnson City, Lakeside, New Chicago, Palombo, Port Shangri-La, and Prairieview, and eventually was elevated above its colony status to become a member in its own right in 2271.

The old Earth sport baseball saw a renaissance on Cestus III in 2371, with the establishment of the Cestus Baseball League. The sport of marathon running also played an important role on the planet.

Geography

The following sections of this article are Fleet Canon within Pegasus Fleet

Much of the planet's southern hemisphere is dominated by a large bowl-shaped continent which has a single mountain range, the Coronado Mountains, running along its middle. In the northern hemisphere, there are several island continents of varying sizes. Most settlements can be found on the coast of the large southern continent.

Pike City

Pike City is the capital of the Federation world Cestus III. It is also home to the Pike City Pioneers baseball team, and location of Ruth Field, the team's home sports stadium.

Named after the famous Starfleet officer Christopher Pike, the capital of Cestus III is also home to the Starfleet Command Complex, which houses the various offices and facilities required to support the Eleventh Fleet Headquarters. The complex's primary facility is the Command Offices located near the centre of the city, and is one of the tallest buildings in the area, with senior fleet staff offices belonging to the Fleet Commander and his senior advisors and subordinates on the upper-most floors, immediately above the building's own dedicated shuttlebay and maintenance area. Surrounding buildings on the complex include the Starfleet Academy Annex, accommodation for Starfleet officers and personnel, and various offices for the other departments of Starfleet operating out of the complex. The three largest structures on the complex are interlinked on the upper levels by walkways and a tram system, to allow easy transfer between the buildings without first having to descend to ground level.

The complex sits atop a massive underground bunker, designed as a fallback shelter should the system come under attack. The shelter has been designed to withstand a full orbital bombardment, and sits many kilometers beneath the city. Separated slightly from the rest of the buildings in the city by a 'buffer' of green space, the Starfleet Command Complex is also equipped with its own shield generator, able to be erected in a manner to completely enclose the complex in a protective bubble of energy in case of attack.


Academy Campus

The Cestus iii Starfleet Academy is built on a small campus with a landing pad. It is comprised of several buildings including a dormitory, cafeteria, a separate building with classrooms with immersive holographic technology. There is also a large amphitheater for guest speakers and graduation ceremonies. This Academy is designed for usage by the Eleventh Fleet.

Settlements

  • Pike City
  • Port Shangri-la
  • New Chicago
  • New Jericho
  • New Fargo
  • Lakeside
  • Johnson City
  • Palombo
  • Prairieview
  • Two Rivers
  • Rupertville
  • Wagnerston
  • Bowerston

Ranges

  • Coronado Mountains
  • Ssoref Mountains

Points of Interest

  • Shackleford Observatory
  • Moran Mining
  • Institute for Human-Gorn Relations

Satellites

See main article at Starbase 48

Though Cestus III has no natural satellites in the form of moons or planetary rings, various man-made satellites have been placed into its orbit over the past century. The first of these such satellites was in the form of an asteroid, powered from its position in the belt that separates Cestus III and Cestus IV and hollowed out to serve as the first rudimentary starbase for the system. Though the facility is now in a state of disuse and abandonment after the construction of more advanced and specialised facilities in the planet's orbit, it still rotates around the planet's gravitational pull, undisturbed by the inhabitants.

Much like Earth and many other worlds which have become hubs of activity for administration, commerce and habitation in their respective regions of space, Cestus III has a number of Orbital Office Complexes in high orbit about various geosynchronous positions on the planet. The most notable construction in orbit though is Starbase 48, the space-bound counterpart to the Starfleet Command Complex on the surface. Constructed to take over the duties taken on by the asteroid base, Starbase 48's primary role in the system is to coordinate all inbound and outbound traffic, act as a communications and personnel transfer relay for Cestus, and ensure the security of the system's boundaries.