Betazed

This article is about the planet of Betazed, homeworld of the Betazoid species. For other uses, see Beta (disambiguation).

Introduction
The planet of Beta Veldonna V or Betazed, located in the Alpha Quadrant was the homeworld of the telepathic Betazoid species.

Star Geography
Beta Veldonna is the primary component is a white main sequence star that has a stellar classification of A0V and 2.6 times the mass of the Sol. Estimates of the star's radius range from 3.0- times the radius of the Sol.

The Beta Veldonna contained eight planets:
 * Beta Veldonna I (Hynozad)
 * Beta Veldonna II
 * Beta Veldonna III
 * Beta Veldonna IV
 * Beta Veldonna V (Betazed)
 * Beta Veldonna VI (Darona)
 * Beta Veldonna VII
 * Beta Veldonna VIII

Planetary Geography and Climate
Betazed is a remarkably lush, beautiful world, sometimes described as "the jewel of the outer crown" by traders and other visitors. Its gravity and atmosphere are comparable to Earth, and water covers 78% of the planet's surface.

The planet has five continents and hundreds of islands.

High mountain peaks of multicolored crystal catch the rays of the Betazoid sun, throwing delicate layers of color upon the landscape. The soil possesses crystals of a faceted green mineral called versina.

The Betazoid sky is blue with pink clouds. Climatic zones range from tropical to arctic, with temperatures averaging 23 degrees Celsius in summer and 13 degrees in winter. The majority of the time, the weather is calm and pleasant in most areas, but when atmospheric conditions shift, they do so with startling speed. Average rainfall in all zones is roughly one and a half times that of Earth, though some seasons are wetter and some drier. No weather-control technology is employed.

There is much farmland on Betazed, and many cities devoted to philosophical studies.

Great expanses of natural wilderness cover much of the planet, varying from dense jungles to wide canyons and cliffs. Much of the major continents are dotted with lakes, and the planet is home to thousands of forms of native wildlife.

The majority of the time, the weather is calm, pleasant, and bordering on tropical. But when the atmospheric conditions shift, they do so with startling speed. Betazed has a blue sky with pink clouds.

There is a lot of farmland on Betazed, and cities that are devoted to philosophical studies.

History
In an early extraterrestrial observation, Betazed was surveyed by the Vulcan starship Yeht Fai-Tukh.

In 2139, the Avandar was the first Betazoid starship to successfully break the light-speed barrier. Its crew went on to make first contact with the Terabians.

Betazoids explored their home sector and maintained relations with several neighboring worlds; however in 2153 the New Xindus Cooperative invaded Betazed in their advance towards the pre-Coalition worlds. As the Betazoids had only achieved space flight in 2139, let alone fielded anything close to a military navy, they were unprepared and forced to surrender after only 4-hours of battle and 3.2-million deaths. Because of its fertile soil, the Xindi used Betazed to provide food and bota to Xindi forces on the frontlines. The Betazoids however were able to hide their telepathic powers, for fear of being used as weapons by the Xindi or worse exterminated as a threat. A sizable resistance movement however developed to counter the Xindi.

Betazed remained under Xindi rule for two years until 22 March 2155.

Liberation of Betazed
During the liberation of Malcor III in early-2155, several non-Malcorians were found among the slave population. These had been Betazoids imported to Malcor for the expressed purpose to helping to develop Malcorian's lacking agricultural industry, which had been pushed towards aqua-culture which most Xindi found unappealing. While the Malcorians were more primitive and fractious, the Betazoids not only were more approachable, leaders of their resistance promised to allow their homeworlds annexation and support in the war in exchange for the liberation. They also relieve their telepathic abilities would give the Coalition a considerable edge in the fighting.

Attempting to avoid direct public acknowledgement of the Betazoid's telepathic abilities for fear of inspiring the Xindi to fortify their position on Betazed, the Coalition Fleet had to enact a plan of deception among even their own forces. Elements of the First, Second, Seventh and Tenth Fleets were recalled on refit and repair notices, only to be combined in the new Emergency Zero Fleet.

Under joint command of Captain Tucker and Captain T'Pol, the Emergency Zero Fleet launched into the Beta Veldonna-system on 22 March 2155 and engaged in a bloody fight with the Xindi occupation force. 3,500 officers were killed and seven Coalition ships were lost, including Captain Tucker's flagship the ICS Tal'Kir, though the Tucker managed to evacuate with most of his crew before the Tal'Kir suffered a warp core breach. Ground battles were more intense but after 11 days of fighting the Xindi lost more than 19-thousand and 23 ships.

Betazed was officially liberated on 1 April 2155 upon the surrender of Xindi General Chronan and the thankful Betazoids joined the Coalition, using their telepathic powers to send secure communications for short-distances. They become a critical asset not only for combat communications and espionage, but also in the fields of psychology and diplomacy.

With the securing of Betazed, the Coalition now controlled the Northland, Southland, Forren, Beta Veldonna, Draylon, Argolis, Malcor, Melona, Tarquin and Tammeron Relays, effectively taking complete control of the entire northern branch of the Xindi Mass Relay system. This left only the critical junction at Melona-system as the last leg before reaching the Hugora Nebula and its critical three way Mass Relay crossroads.

Betazoid Massacre
Continued tensions reached their breaking point between the Xindi parties following the Betazoid revelation. Originally Xindi-Reptilians and Aquatics had been reviewing the bodies of several hundred Betazoids exported for medical research on Azati Prime II, in order to determine an anti-body in their bio-chemistry that actually retarded the spread of Chrion disease, a major affliction among younger Xindi-Reptilians and Aquatics since leaving Xindus. However cranial reviews began to show structures in the Betazoid brain that could create psionic abilities, specifically telepathy. Taking note that since the liberation of Betazed and the Betazoids joining the Coalition that the number of secure short-range transmissions among Coalition forces had dropped to almost zero, elements within the Xindi began to suspect their former slaves were actually powerful telepaths and now a powerful asset to their enemies.

Debate again split the Council, as the Xindi-Primates and Xindi-Arboreals supported a re-conquest of Betazed, while the Xindi-Reptilians and Xindi-Insectiods supported Betazed destruction, whereas the Xindi-Aquatics abstained from voting. Again the Xindi-Reptilians took the tied vote to launch unilateral action again, this time General Dolim claimed a rogue officer under his control had acted to launch six of the remaining 17 prototype probe weapons to destroy Betazed. In response the Council again censured him, though the Xindi-Reptilians refused to replace him as their councilor.

On 6 October 2155, Xindi probe weapons attacked Betazed and while the Coalition defense forces managed to shot down three, the remaining working in tandem struck their fire on Betazed's major fault lines in its eastern hemisphere. The results were the entire continent of Dalar and the Piri Islands shattering into hundreds of islands and every volcano on Betazed to erupt. Nearly a fourth of the planetary population was killed, primarily on the heavily populated continent of Dalar.

1.4-billion Betazoids dead was the final death toll once recovery efforts began.

Betazoid Militarization
In response the ceremonial Fourth House of Betazed, led by Lyada Troi, began to support a more militaristic shift in the originally pacifist Betazoid culture. Seeing the Betazed Massacre as a sign that their culture has led to their own victimization by the Xindi, Troi began to openly call for a larger role of the Betazoid people in galactic culture and defense. This lead thousands of Betazoids to joining the Coalition as communication officers, spies and strategists. The movement was not received well by the over 19 houses of Betazed, however as most members of this movement quickly voted to move off-world to serve on the front-lines, action against them was ignored. By the end of the war, several major Betazoid populations exist on Pandora, Mars, Vulcan, Krios Prime, Malcor III and Andoria.

Armed Forces

 * Royal Betazed Guard:  Betazed had a small army, which has historically been raised or reconstituted at various dates, but has never in modern times amounted to a standing army. The basic principle of Betazoid defence is that all able-bodied are available to fight if called upon. The duties of the Betazoid Army are entirely ceremonial, peacekeeping action is handled by the Betazoid Police, which is nearly as small as the army. Before the Xindi invasion in 2153, the army has consisted of a very small body of volunteers willing to undertake ceremonial duties. Uniforms were handed down from generation to generation within families and communities.

Society and Culture
In the past, it was considered fashionable for the women of Betazed to wear enormous wigs with large holes in the center for tiny caged creatures. Although it was uncomfortable for the women and cruel to the animals, this costume eventually became a tradition. One woman finally broke with it, causing this fashion to fade very quickly.

The (ceremonial) ruling family of Betazed is the Fifth House of Betazed.

Galactic Location
The Beta Veldonna-system is located to the galactic south-west of Sol, almost half way the distance between Earth and New Xindus.

Provinces and Cities

 * Medara
 * Rixx
 * Dalaria
 * Arar
 * Melfi
 * Dekoa
 * Iscandar

Points of Interest

 * Amick Hall
 * Dalaria Spaceport
 * Enaren University
 * Janaran Falls
 * Plaza of Contemplation
 * University of Betazed
 * YloTrap