Editing Poseidon (TOS-RH)

{{Separate continuity|universe=TOS|cont=Richard Hatch Novelizations}}

'''Poseidon''', also known as '''Xerik-5''', is a humid, watery world in the [[Xerik system (TOS-RH)|Xerik system]] where Commander [[Cain (TOS alternate)|Cain]] establishes a human colony approximately nineteen [[yahren]] after the [[Battle of Gamoray (TOS-RH)|siege at Gamoray]].<ref name="WH102">{{cite book/RH|2|102}}</ref> Despite appearing as a pristine, glistening gem from orbit, the planet harbors a deadly secret: some aspect of its environment causes genetic breakdown in humans over multiple generations.<ref name="WH248">{{cite book/RH|2|248}}</ref>

==Geography and Environment==

Poseidon orbits close enough to its sun to maintain perpetually hot temperatures.<ref name="WH102" /> The planet features a near-tropical climate with hot, humid air that causes visitors to become bathed in sweat within moments of leaving climate-controlled environments.<ref name="WH101">{{cite book/RH|2|101}}</ref>

Algae-rich oceans cover nearly nine-tenths of the planet's surface, verdant and teeming with life.<ref name="WH101" /> The remaining landmass consists of a single continent cloaked in tangled tropical vegetation and jungle growth.<ref name="WH101" /> Most of this continent is covered with tropical jungle that must be beaten back to establish settlements.<ref name="WH109">{{cite book/RH|2|109}}</ref> The planet also hosts local predators that pose challenges to colonization efforts.<ref name="WH109" />

Despite the harsh conditions, Poseidon possesses native flora and fauna capable of feeding a human population.<ref name="WH102" />

==Natural Resources==

Poseidon contains valuable natural resources that make it attractive for colonization:

* '''[[Saligium]] Ore''': The planet's crust contains sufficient saligium deposits to support extensive mining operations and ship construction.<ref name="WH102" /> Large saligium ore beds have been exposed through open-pit mining techniques.<ref name="WH101" />
* '''Hydrocarbons''': Available hydrocarbon reserves provide cheap, if not clean, energy sources.<ref name="WH102" />
* '''[[Tylium (TOS)|Tylium]]''': One of Poseidon's outer moons contains tylium deposits, ensuring no shortage of fuel for spacecraft.<ref name="WH102" />
* '''Low Gravity''': The planet is relatively low in heavy minerals, resulting in lower gravity than many habitable worlds.<ref name="WH102" />

==History==

===Ancient Colonization===

According to records recovered by [[Starbuck (TOS alternate)|Starbuck]] from the [[Cylons (TOS alternate)|Cylons]], early emigrants from [[Kobol (TOS alternate)|Kobol]] established a colony on Xerik-5 long before the founding of the [[Twelve Colonies of Man (TOS-RH)|Twelve Colonies]].<ref name="WH78">{{cite book/RH|2|78}}</ref> This ancient civilization constructed significant monuments, including a large obelisk that stabbed toward the sky.<ref name="WH186">{{cite book/RH|2|186}}</ref>

The obelisk features extensive engravings depicting star maps, humans building huge monuments, symbols that appear to represent [[Ship of Lights (TOS-RH)|Ships of Light]] (the vessels of the [[Lords of Kobol (TOS alternate)|Lords of Kobol]]), and most disturbingly, a massive heap of humanoid corpses with a [[Chitain (TOS-RH)|Chitain]] warrior standing atop the mountain of death.<ref name="WH186" />

Ruins from this ancient civilization remain scattered across the planet, located a few hundred [[Kilometron|kilometrons]] north of Cain's main settlement.<ref name="WH108">{{cite book/RH|2|108}}</ref> These ruins consist of exposed rock structures and the remains of the obelisk, badly overgrown with vines and jungle growth, with anything less durable than stone having weathered away long ago.<ref name="WH108" />

===Extinction of Original Population===

The original human population of Poseidon mysteriously died out long before Cain's arrival.<ref name="WH109" /> The cause of their extinction was initially unclear, with Cain dismissing it as the indigenous population lacking the technology or spirit to defend itself against the planet's harsh environment and local predators.<ref name="WH109" />

However, the truth proved far more sinister. Some aspect of Poseidon's environment—possibly in the water or an unknown bacteria not detectable by Colonial sensors—caused long-term genetic damage to the colonists.<ref name="WH187">{{cite book/RH|2|187}}</ref> This corruption may have taken many generations before its effects became visible, but by then it was too late, as the entire population had been affected.<ref name="WH187" /> Eventually, no unmutated babies could be born, and the population died out.<ref name="WH187" />

The [[Chitain (TOS-RH)|Chitain]], recognizing what was happening, took some of the dying population as slaves, claiming to have "saved" them from the poisoned world.<ref name="WH186" /> These enslaved humans were transported to the Chitain homeworld, where their descendants became genetically mutated humanoids serving the Chitain.<ref name="WH184">{{cite book/RH|2|184}}</ref> One such descendant, an elderly slave named Aske, still spoke a truncated, guttural version of Kobollian learned from his grandmother, though he had never seen his ancestral homeworld.<ref name="WH184" />

[[Gar'Tokk (TOS-RH)|Gar'Tokk]], a [[Borellian Nomen (TOS-RH)|Borellian Nomen]], sensed the environmental corruption upon arrival at Poseidon, noting that "the Nomen understand the balance of nature better than…humans."<ref name="WH187" /> His philosophy viewed the extinct population as having "fought the world on its own terms, and the world won," deeming them "unworthy."<ref name="WH109" />

===Cain's Colony===

Approximately nineteen yahren after the siege at Gamoray, Commander Cain and the crew of ''[[Pegasus (TOS alternate)|Pegasus]]'' established a colony on Poseidon.<ref name="WH102" /> After their foundry ship suffered what Cain described as a meteor strike, they moved heavy equipment from ''Pegasus'' to the planet's surface, using it as the basis for industrial development.<ref name="WH101" />

Cain's settlement was established in the heart of Poseidon's single continent, requiring extensive efforts to tame and beat back the tropical jungle vegetation.<ref name="WH101" /> The colony developed rapidly, with Cain explicitly stating that the purpose was to use planetary resources to create a foundation from which to launch a counteroffensive against the Cylons.<ref name="WH63">{{cite book/RH|2|63}}</ref>

====Industrial Development====

The colonists created extensive mining and manufacturing operations:

* '''Saligium Mines''': A yawning open pit mine was excavated using quick and brutal mineral extraction techniques rarely employed on more heavily settled worlds.<ref name="WH101" /> The mine covered nearly as much territory as the rest of the main settlement combined and continued growing larger in both depth and breadth.<ref name="WH101" />
* '''Forge Operations''': Moving the forges planetside positioned artisans closer to needed resources.<ref name="WH101" /> The colonists fabricated all but the largest ship components on the surface, then lifted them into orbit for final assembly by shipwrights.<ref name="WH101" />
* '''Mining Equipment''': Powerful mining equipment clawed and dug at the pit's walls, tearing free huge slabs of ore, crushing them into rubble, and transporting the debris to refining smelters.<ref name="WH101" />
* '''Environmental Impact''': Towering chimneys from refining furnaces vented black smoke into the cloud-dappled sky, creating visible pollution.<ref name="WH101" />

The muggy air was filled with the throbbing roar of mining equipment, and the environmental cost of Cain's industrial development was significant, transforming what appeared from orbit as a pristine world into an exploited mining colony.<ref name="WH101" />

====Fleet Development====

The colony's forces grew stronger each day as new vessels were constructed using Poseidon's resources.<ref name="WH217">{{cite book/RH|2|217}}</ref> The population expanded to a surprisingly large number, far exceeding what might have been expected from the crew of a single battlestar.<ref name="WH102" /> The colony possessed its own warships, including vessels like ''Hyapatia'', which was later lost in battle against [[Chitain (TOS-RH)|Chitain]] forces.<ref name="WH218">{{cite book/RH|2|218}}</ref>

===Colonial Fleet Arrival===

When the [[Colonial Fleet (TOS alternate)|Colonial Fleet]] under Commander [[Apollo (TOS alternate)|Apollo]] arrived at the [[Xerik system (TOS-RH)|Xerik system]], they hoped to find an ancient colony and a potential home.<ref name="WH43">{{cite book/RH|2|43}}</ref> Instead, they discovered Cain's established colony on Poseidon.

Cain offered Poseidon as a potential home for the entire Colonial Fleet, stating: "The planet which, if you so desire, you and your entire fleet may call your home."<ref name="WH64">{{cite book/RH|2|64}}</ref> However, Apollo had significant reservations about Poseidon's suitability:

* The colony was too small and lacked sufficient population to provide adequate protection.<ref name="WH78" />
* It was not far enough away from Cylon territory to ensure safety.<ref name="WH78" />
* The mysterious fate of the original colonists raised disturbing questions.<ref name="WH78" />
* Apollo believed humanity needed a home where native humans were already powerful enough to stand against the Cylons.<ref name="WH78" />

Apollo's concerns proved well-founded when his team discovered genetically mutated descendants of the original Poseidon population enslaved on the Chitain homeworld.<ref name="WH248" /> The revelation that Poseidon's environment caused genetic breakdown in humans over generations made the planet unsuitable for long-term colonization.<ref name="WH248" />

===Evacuation===

Upon learning of Poseidon's environmental dangers, [[Athena (TOS alternate)|Athena]] immediately ordered the evacuation of all Poseidon colonists, forcibly if necessary.<ref name="WH248" /> Apollo supported this decision, issuing a direct order: "Evacuate Poseidon immediately. By force, if necessary."<ref name="WH248" />

Commander Cain initially resisted, thundering that he had complete authority over Poseidon and its colonists, and that Apollo's subordinates had no right to issue such commands.<ref name="WH248" /> However, the evacuation proceeded despite Cain's objections, as the genetic threat to the colonists could not be ignored.<ref name="WH188">{{cite book/RH|2|188}}</ref>

The discovery also explained the Chitain's strategy during their conflict with the Colonial forces—they did not want to destroy the humans but rather to enslave them, seeking new slaves to replace the genetically damaged descendants of the original Poseidon colonists.<ref name="WH188" />

==Strategic Significance==

During the conflict with the Chitain and Cylons, mapping computers divided local space into sectors with Poseidon as the reference point.<ref name="WH218" /> This central position made the planet strategically important during the battle, though it also made the civilian colonists potential targets for Chitain and Cylon forces.<ref name="WH248" />

==Notable Locations==

* '''Main Settlement''': Established in the heart of the single continent, housing the colony's population and administration.
* '''Saligium Mine''': A massive open-pit mine covering territory nearly equal to the main settlement.
* '''Ancient Ruins''': Located a few hundred kilometrons north of the main settlement, containing an obelisk and rock structures from the original Kobol colonists.<ref name="WH108" />
* '''Coastal Resources Station''': A facility that extracted drinking water from the ocean, separated useful minerals from brine, collected tidal energy, and deployed robot probes to search for underwater tylium sources.<ref name="PAR71">{{cite book/RH|5|71}}</ref>

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Planets]]
[[Category:Richard Hatch Novelizations]]
[[Category:Xerik system]]
[[Category:Locations]]
[[Category:Colonies]]