Merak II

Merak II is the second of four planets of the Merak system that orbit a moderate-size white star. Established as an agricultural colony, little of the planet is actually inhabited, with a population of approximately four thousand. However, despite the small number of farmers and administrators, Merak II provides more than sixty percent of the seed grain, corn, and wheat flour consumed in its sector of space.

At one time the planet's entire crop was nearly wiped out by a mysterious botanical plague of undetermined origins. Federation scientists, working feverishly in the face of the total annihilation of all crops, isolated the plague organism and determined that properly refined zeinite, a rare mineral antibacterial agent, could halt and possibly reverse the damage done. The U.S.S. Enterprise was immediately rerouted to the planet Ardana, the only known source of zienite in Federation space. After a few days of negotiation, the Enterprise crew successfully delivered the necessary mineral to Merak II, halting the plague in time.

Merak II has one moon, named Watcher by the colonists. Planets three and four of the system are gas giants, which are separated by a widely dispersed asteroid belt.

Reference(s)

• Johnson, Shane. Star Trek: The Worlds of the Federation, New York: Pocket Books, 1989. ISBN: 0-671-66989-3.