Dakala

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Dakala is a Class R rogue planet that does not orbit any star or other celestrial body. As such, it is in a state of drifting in space and remains in perpetual darkness. Currently Dakala is located in the Alpha Quadrant roughly five light years from Capella IV. It was first discovered by Betazoid explorers in 2109, who originally believed it to be a proto-black hole. No extensive study of the planet was conducted, although most space-faring species were aware of its existence by 2151. The most accepted theory was that the planet had broken its orbit some 225 million years ago when the star that created the Arachnid Nebula exploded. Unbeknown to anyone until that year was that a species called the Eska had found and used the planet for centuries.

The USS Enterprise under Capt. Jonathan Archer visited the planet, expecting a frozen wasteland. They were surprised instead to find a rich and abundant habitat similar to the rain forests on Earth. Thermal vents on the planets surface created a form of greenhouse effect, allowing both plant and animal life to thrive. These species were reliant on bioluminescent systems and were centered around the vents.

The Enterprise crew discovered that the planet was used as a hunting refuge for nearly a millenia by the Eska, and their favorite quarry were shapeshifting beings called wraiths. The Eska had always considered the wraiths as non-sentient, but Capt. Archer and his crew proved otherwise. Because the wraiths had never taken humanoid forms before, no life-sign scans had shown the planet occupied by an intelligenct species. The wraiths were given a chemical means to hide from the Eska sensors before the Enterprise moved on. (ENT: "Rogue Planet")

Several large-scale scientific expeditions have taken place on Dakala over the years. While the Eska have consistently refused to give up their time-honored traditions there, the wraiths are given protective status as "indigenous refugees" by the Federation in 2228.