Iota Geminorum IV (also known as Fafniri to the Klingons, and referred to as Tribble Prime on star charts) was a planet, the fourth planet of the Iota Geminorum system. It was located near the borders of the Klingon Empire and was the home world of the tribbles.

History and specifics[]

It was located in the Beta Quadrant. (ST reference: Stellar Cartography: The Starfleet Reference Library)

It had a breathable atmosphere, with billions of tribbles found everywhere, even in caverns. (TOS - New Visions comic: "The Great Tribble Hunt")

While most sources reported it uninhabited aside from animal life, FASA RPG module: The Federation stated that an advanced civilization lived there, and further identified it as Jorindas in the Beta Vertis system. It's possible that this culture migrated off-world before others visited the planet.

In 2153, Doctor Phlox had a tribble aboard the Enterprise. When Hoshi Sato asked about it, Phlox mentioned that a large number of various reptilian animals kept the tribbles from overrunning the planet. (ENT episode: "The Breach")

In 2259 of the Kelvin timeline, the USS Enterprise detected a Klingon bird-of-prey in the system, then orbited the planet and beamed down a landing party in environmental suits. Klingons had deposited a series of active bombs on the surface, which James T. Kirk was able to deactivate with help from Nyota Uhura. (TOS - The Truth About Tribbles comics: "Part 1", "Part 2")

Beginning in 2267, Argelian exobiologist Yersa visited the planet several times, conducting population control field trials. (TOS - Strange New Worlds I short story: "The Last Tribble")

Tribble extermination efforts[]

In the Nero-created alternate reality, the Klingon Empire attempted to exterminate the tribble population of the world in 2259. The crew of the USS Enterprise visited the world, the first exploration of the world conducted by the Federation. (TOS comic: "The Truth About Tribbles, Part 1")

In the prime reality, between 2267 and 2285, the tribble population was replenished by animals transported off of Deep Space Station K-7. (TOS - Strange New Worlds I short story: "The Last Tribble"; TAS novelization: More Tribbles, More Troubles; ST reference: Star Charts)

Sometime after 2285, the Klingons discovered Iota Geminorum IV, and an armada was sent to exterminate the species. (DS9 episode & novelization: Trials and Tribble-ations, Decipher RPG module: Creatures)

In an alternate account, Klingons discovered the planet in 2268. On day 273 of their quest to annihilate tribbles, the battlecruiser IKS Gr'oth established orbit around the planet. Koloth beamed down with extermination parties. Once he realized that tribbles bred faster than they could be killed, Koloth had seven quantum bombs transported to the surface, which blew up the planet. (TOS - New Visions comic: "The Great Tribble Hunt")

This planet name appeared on a background graphic in Keiko O'Brien's classroom on DS9, but was never spoken in dialogue until 2019. In the comic "The Truth About Tribbles, Part 1", the planet's name is spelled Iota Germinorum; It is unclear whether this is a mistake or the planet's name is different in the alternate reality.

Appendices[]

Connections[]

Appearances[]

• TOS - The Truth About Tribbles comics: "Part 1", "Part 2"
• TOS - New Visions comic: "The Great Tribble Hunt"

References[]

• DS9 episode & novelization: Trials and Tribble-ations
• ENT episode: "The Breach"
• Short Treks episode: "The Trouble with Edward"
• TAS novelization: Log Four
• TOS - Strange New Worlds I short story: "The Last Tribble"
• FASA RPG module: The Federation
• Decipher RPG module: Creatures
• ST reference: Star Fleet Medical Reference Manual
• ST reference: Stellar Cartography: The Starfleet Reference Library

External links[]

• Iota Geminorum IV article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.