Rura Penthe
Rura Penthe was a penal colony asteroid of the Klingon Empire. Located in the trinary Rura Penthe system within two sectors of the Federation border, it was widely known as "the aliens' graveyard". Rura Penthe means "wasteland of misery"
Overview[edit]
The asteroid contained one of the most important sources of dilithium ore in the Klingon Empire. To mine the precious material, a penal colony for both Klingon and alien prisoners was established there, providing sufficient labor force for the extensive exploitation of the asteroid's resources.
The surface temperature of Rura Penthe was extremely low, and the landscape was dominated by glaciers. Without proper clothing, no humanoid lifeform was able to survive for very long on the surface, so most of the mining and prison facility was located underground. A magnetic shield encased the mining facility and a vast area surrounding it in order to prevent prisoners from being beamed away. The prison complex was patrolled by armed guards. Other security measures were minimal, as they were deemed largely unnecessary due to the harsh surface climate. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
History[edit]
Rura Penthe had been a penal colony of the Klingon Empire since at least the early 22nd century. Banishment to its submontane dilithium mines was one of the most feared punishments throughout the Klingon Empire and its enemies. It was said that almost no one survived more than a year in the mines.
In 2152, Earth Starfleet Captain Jonathan Archer and his former Klingon advocate Kolos were sentenced by a tribunal on Narendra III to labor on Rura Penthe (Archer for the remainder of his life and Kolos for a period of one year). However, Archer was soon rescued by his crew, whereas Kolos decided to stay. (ENT: "Judgment")
In 2293, Starfleet Captain James T. Kirk and Commander Leonard McCoy were sentenced to lifelong labor on Rura Penthe. They managed to escape after a few days, though it later emerged that their escape had been facilitated so that the Klingon guards could kill them in the attempt. The setup failed, however, as Kirk and McCoy were successfully beamed aboard the USS Enterprise-A after trekking across the glaciers to escape the magnetic shield, thanks to a tracking device that was placed on Kirk's shoulder by Spock just before Kirk and McCoy left the Enterprise to investigate the events that eventually led to their arrest. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)
In 2293 when Captain James T. Kirk and Doctor Leonard McCoy were imprisoned in Rura Penthe, it was stated that no one had ever escaped. Obviously this was not true, as Captain Jonathan Archer escaped in 2152, but it could be speculated that this was propaganda to discourage criminals from attempting to escape.
