Tarsus IV was an M-class planet, and the site of a Federation agricultural colony established in the late 22nd century. The original colonists were veterans of the Earth-Romulan War who sought a more peaceful life. Its capital was New Anchorage. (Federation: The First 150 Years; DSC novel: Drastic Measures)
By the early 23rd century, Tarsus IV was home a small Starfleet outpost and to approximately 2000 colonists. That number remained relatively stable until the early 2240s, when 6000 new colonists arrived, having been evacuated from the colony on Epsilon Sorona II, after a disaster there. Most of the colonists lived in or around New Anchorage, though there were smaller settlements and villages, especially around the coast, where there were beaches and resorts that were popular with the residents. (DSC novel: Drastic Measures)
In 2246, disease struck the colony's crops and food supply, causing a famine. The source of the virus was found to be seeds brought from Epsilon Sorona II that had reacted with the Tarsian soil, mutating and causing a fungal infection. Later, a mutagenic virus was believed to be responsible. (DSC novel: Drastic Measures, TOS short story: "Though Hell Should Bar the Way")
During the crisis, Adrian Kodos seized power as colonial governor, and faced with only enough food for half the colonists, he ordered the other half put to death in what would come to be known as the Tarsus IV Massacre. (DSC novel: Drastic Measures; TOS: "The Conscience of the King")
In actuality, Kodos was a radical member of the Symmetrists, a group that believed Federation colonization was harmful to galactic ecology; he had engineered the crisis as an act of eco-terrorism. In the aftermath, Kodos faked his own death and escaped with the aid of other Symmetrists. (ST novel: Avenger)
Medical teams from the USS Narbonne and the USS Enterprise were able to find a cure to the fungal infection. Starfleet offered to relocate the surviving colonists, but most decided to stay and rebuild. (DSC novel: Drastic Measures)
The colony was forced to evacuate in 2372, when a virogen of unknown origin struck Tarsus and a half-dozen other worlds across the Federation, poisoning all plant-life and infecting every form of animal life as carriers. Unknown until the following year, the contagion was the work of the Symmetrists, operating from a a hidden base on Tarsus IV. The crisis was averted by the crew of the USS Enterprise-E and their allies. (ST novel: Avenger)
Points of interest[]
- Mount Bonestell • New Anchorage • Outpost Tarsus IV
External links[]
- Tarsus IV article at Memory Alpha, the canon Star Trek wiki.
- Tarsus IV article at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek wiki.