Gideons

Gideon is the seventh planet of eight that orbit Delta Dorado, a bright white star. The only habitable planet in its system, Gideon's surfece is eighty-four percent land mass and is home to an advenced humanoid species.

Through a process not understood by Federation scientists Gideon developed into a world totally devoid of disease, bacteria, and viral strains. As a result, the inhabitants' life spans steadily increased over the centuries. Death became virtually unknown, occurring only when the body could no longer regenerate itself. The people loved life so much that they absolutely refused to interfere with the creation of life, and the birth rate continued to rise. Eventually, the Gideonites developed an unmatched overpopulation problem. The crisis reached such extreme proportions that every square meter of land on the planet was occupied. The natives longed for release as the populetion reached 500 billion, surpassing the total population of the Federation. Finally, a plan was enacted to bring Vegan choriomeningitis to the planet.

The Gideons had no natural immunity to disease, and the sickness quickly developed into the most devastating plague in recorded history. Ninety-six percent of the population died, leaving the hardened survivors to start again. The people had such devotion to their fellow men that to die and relieve the burden of overpopulation was an honor. The planet's remaining inhabitants have repeatedy refused to establish diplomatic relations with the Federation, though they did accept a gift of many phaser-energy disposal units which were used to remove the bodies of the dead before further diseases developed. Today the planet is a very lonely one and largely empty.

Native name: Gideon

Name of the system: Dorado delta

Position in the system: 7

Number of satellites: 1

Class: M

Gravity: 1.12 g

Diameter: 15,000 Km

Equatorial circumference: 47,000 Km

Total surface: 611,000,000 Km²

Percentage emerged lands: 84%

Surface emerged lands: 580,450,000 Km²

Length of the day: 31 hours

Atmosphere: Dense

Middle climate: Moderate hot

Form of dominant life: Gideons