Sigma Iotia II, also known as Iotia and Oxmyx, was the second planet of the Sigma Iotia star system, located in Federation space in the Beta Quadrant. It was the homeworld of a humanoid race called the Iotians. (ST reference: The Worlds of the Federation, Decipher RPG module: Worlds)
- The FASA RPG module: The Federation names the planet "Iotia" and makes it the fourth planet, though this contradicts the TOS episode: "A Piece of the Action". The ST reference: The Worlds of the Federation also names the planet "Iotia" but also gives it the local name "Oxmyx"; the relation of this to Bela Oxmyx is unknown.
History
In July 2155, the crew of ECS Horizon made contact with the then barely industrial-age inhabitants of Sigma Iotia II in an request for help with emergency repairs they had to facilitate on the way to Gamma Hydra. The Horizon's log noted that the inhabitants were helpful quick learners. In return the crew traded vinyl disks along with record players. Films recorded on celluloid. And boxes of books. Chicago Mobs of the Twenties among others. (ENT novel: Kobayashi Maru (novel))
The United Federation of Planets made first contact with Sigma Iotia II in 2168 during its industrial revolution. (Decipher RPG module: Worlds)
During the mission, the crew of the USS Horizon had left behind a copy of Chicago Mobs of the Twenties which the highly suggestible Iotians subsequently modelled their society after. (TOS episode & novelization: A Piece of the Action; ST references: The Worlds of the Federation, The Star Trek Encyclopedia)
- In ENT novel: Kobayashi Maru (novel) the cultural contamination of the Iotian culture was committed by the crew of the ECS Horizon. Decipher RPG module: Worlds and ST reference: The Worlds of the Federation explicitly mention the USS Horizon in that context. Neither novel nor episode of TOS episode: "A Piece of the Action" specify which Horizon is to blame.
In 2268, the USS Enterprise visited the planet to assess the cultural contamination, James T. Kirk trying to guide the Iotians onto a more moral path. In the aftermath of the visit though, Leonard McCoy feared he might have left his communicator behind. (TOS episode: "A Piece of the Action")
Over the next two years, the Iotians remodelled themselves after Earth's history in the 21st and 22nd centuries. (TOS - Year Five - Communication Breakdown comics: "Issue 3", "Issue 4")
Despite this, a conservative class emerged on the planet, one that clung to the ideals of the 1920s. (DFT - Another Piece of the Action comic: "Part 1")
In 2270, the Enterprise returned to the planet. Being elected as President, Spock took the chance to push for progressive social change while McCoy retrieved his communicator. (TOS - Year Five - Communication Breakdown comics: "Issue 3", "Issue 4")
When Kirk's five-year mission came to a close, he alluded to Sigma Iotia II in a discussion with Areel Shaw as an example of how democracy could be perverted. (TOS - Year Five - Weaker Than Man comic: "Issue 13")
Locations
The capital of Iotia was Chicago, a close copy of the real city of Chicago of Earth in 1928. Rather than a lake, it sat beside an ocean, on a river that was much wider than the Chicago River of Earth. The streets and buildings were as accurate as possible, though Iotians who visited the real Chicago tended to be disappointed. Every major clan had possession of at least one ward in Iotian Chicago.
Due to Iotia's extreme weather and common earthquakes, few Iotian cities survived for more than a century or two without suffering a major fire or earthquake. (Decipher RPG module: Worlds)
The two largest nations were Northside Territory and Southside Territory, corresponding to the northern and southern parts of the continent of Ekal, respectively.
- Alproth Ocean • Aralak Ocean • Egaph (Anthur Mountains • Draken Range • Tronla • Vornak) • Ekal (Chicago • Cresmyx • Ekora • Krono • Rical • Tranfel Mountains • Varelk Mountains) • The Feds • Gelron Sea • Landek (Tash Mountains • Yolter) • Prothan Sea • Stranek Sea • Uil (Arviel • Jyorna Mountains • Korek • Lanster)
Economics
Iotia had no particular resources, though Iotian smugglers spread their weapons and bootleg liquor to other, nearby primitive worlds. Iotian smugglers and forgers had a good trade importing genuine and "genuine" Chicago-style manhole covers, building cornices and other bits of architecture from the real article. (Decipher RPG module: Worlds) Businesses on Iotia included Chamey's Auto Repair and Economy Bus Lines. Bang Bang was a brand of "heater", said to be the "sweetest little automatic in the world". (TOS episode: "A Piece of the Action")
Iotian crystal was a product of Iotia. (TOS novel: Death Count)
In the late 23rd century, the planet had a technological/sociopolitical index of 556675-78 and a planetary trade profile of CBDEECC/C(C). It was a trade center by reference stardate 2/2306.1 (circa 2287). (FASA RPG module: The Federation)
- The FASA RPG module: The Federation gives Iotia a population of 4.7 billion people as of stardate 2/2306.1 (circa 2287). The Decipher RPG module: Worlds, meanwhile, states a much smaller population of some 900 million by the late 24th century.
Environment
Iotia was a very Earth-like Class M planet with one large moon at a medium distance. It had a standard nitrogen-oxygen terrestrial atmosphere and a cool-to-temperate terrestrial climate. (FASA RPG module: The Federation, Decipher RPG module: Worlds) However, its star had a higher radiation output, and the planet had a faster rotational period and smaller oceans that led to a greater contrast between wet and dry air. As a result, the planet had more extreme weather and it was high tectonic activity; fires and earthquakes were a common occurrence. (Decipher RPG module: Worlds)
- The Federation says the Iotian day is 25 hours long, while Worlds says 19 hours, but divided into a 24-hour system. The two sources also give different maps for the planet.
The planet had four major continents – Ekal, Egaph, Landek and Uil – and two minor ice-capped poles. The first three continents sat in the temperate zone, while Uil was tropical and rich in resources. (Decipher RPG module: Worlds)
It had a total surface area of 400,000,000 square kilometers and, with 60% land mass, a total land area of 240,000,000 square kilometers. (FASA RPG module: The Federation) It had 65% hydrosphere. (Decipher RPG module: Worlds) About 22% of its makeup was normal metals and 8% was radioactive elements, while it had only trace amounts of gemstones, special minerals and industrial crystals. (FASA RPG module: The Federation) It had a gravity close to that of Earth.
- The Federation gives Iotia a gravity of 1.1 g, while Worlds gives it a gravity of 0.9 g.
Appendices
Connection
References
External link
- Sigma Iotia II article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.