Catterick IV

Catterick IV is a Federation Science colony near the Orelius Sector. The majority of the colonists are scientists who live in the main colony - an idyllic setting on a terraformed world with a controled climate (like a sort of 24th century science village). The colony was established by the Federation with the ethos that placing a vast number of great scientific minds in a peaceful environment would encourage research and advancements.

At the centre of Catterick IV's main colony is what is known as the Science Dome - a large dome-like structure that houses countless labs which undertake countless different types of experiments for the Federation Science Council. During the day almost 80% of the colonists work within the Science Dome.

Catterick IV is a terraformed world made to be perfect and known to be a normally peaceful colony with no crime or murders, etc. However, she was visited on stardate 238310.27 by the USS Constitution following a request for help from the colonists after the unusual disappearance of two scientists from the Science Dome and the subsequent discovery of the missing colonists' corpses. The colonists called for Starfleet's help since such deaths were previously unheard of in the planet's history; it was unclear as to whether this was the workings of a serial-killer, an unknown creature, or an act of the paranomal. However, the colonists lacked the necessary trained investigators required to solve the mystery on their own.