Antares IV

Antares IV is a Class O waterworld located in the Antares-Chi System of the Bajor Sector. Its sole landmass is a peanut-shaped continent covering some 3.75 million square kilometers in the planet's southern hemisphere. Antares IV has a diverse and expansive aqautic ecosystem of which very little has been explored. The land, however, possessed little in the way of life other than some hardy grasses and mangrove-like swamps occupied by the occassional amphibian or reptile. Some archeaological findings suggest there was a native species here, but very little details have been uncovered. The planet has two moons, called simply Alpha and Beta.

The Kobliads established a small outpost called Feltshape Bay during the 2270s. It was only inhabited during the dry months of the year, as Antares IV's tropical monsoons spawn at least three dozen typhoons every year. On average, six are classified a destructive Category 4 or above and at least one hits the continent. In 2282, four typhoons struck within 6 weeks, devestating the outpost's tiny fishing and aquaculture industry. Antares IV was abandoned soon after.

The Antedeans became interested in settling the planet at the close of the 23rd Century. They contracted a Ferengi firm to build an infrastructure to suit their needs, but after two years the contractors upped their construction costs considerably. This forced the Antedeans to pull out of the venture and leave what structures were there empty. In 2300, the Oberth class USS Watson was ordered to do a detailed survey of the system and Antares IV was claimed for the Federation. The following year, Outpost 481 was established and the lone continent named Insula (meaning "island" in Latin).

How the planet came to be home to a large Starfleet base was at best, sabre-rattling. After the Cardassian occupation of Bajor, the Federation sought to put passive pressure on the former to show their disdain. At first, Starfleet Command opted to build up a prescence on the planet itself, but before long a small orbital ship repair station was added in 2325. This was the beginning of the Antares Fleet Yards. While the Cardassians never protested (not publicly, anyway) its location, by the time hostilities broke out between the two powers in 2347, the yards were a priority target. Twice attacks sent to destroy the planet were stopped, so the Cardassians settled for covert means to deal with it. Several attempts were made by infiltrators and hired sabotuers to destroy Antares, the most infamous one in 2352 when the main subspace communication array was blown up. Despite this, Starfleet remained committed to the defense and expansion of the base. In 2366, a major crewman training center was opened.