Certax

Certax was a Federation penal colony planet located in the galaxy's Alpha or Beta Quadrant.

Background

Certax had no indigenous population, but was colonized by the Federation as a place to incarcerate hardened Human criminals, particularly those who had committed multiple murders. It was described as barren, but outfitted with Grade Alpha medical facilities and engineering workshops. Prisoner work details involved cutting rocks with jackhammers.

History

In 2267, the Federation starship USS Enterprise diverted to Certax following an engineering disaster. Technician Corcoran was brought to the colony's hospital following exposure to a lethal dose of radiation.

Four convicts took advantage of the starship's predicament by killing a guard and four engineering technicians, then slipping aboard the Enterprise as part of Certax's repair crew. To prevent reprisals after commandeering the Enterprise, the criminals threatened to drop an irradiated warp reactor on the prison from orbit. (TOS comic: "Prison Break")

Penal colony facilities

Governor's headquarters
Hospital
Prison

Notable residents

Colonel Strang, colonial governor
Bradley
Bruno
Corcoran

Notable inmates

Cal Jarman
Kelly
Mendoza
Schirach

Appendices

Connections

planets visited by the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) during Captain Kirk's initial five-year mission (2265-2270)
various	Capory • Cygnet IV • Garrus • Rheel • Triangularis III
2265	Earth • Yko • Draxis II • Tally • Karabos II • Gamma Alpha V • Pollux II • Starbase 8 planet • Sector Vega 6 planet • M-155 • Archernar IV • Dimorus • Mandylion V • Tendar IV • Mestiko • Alpha Ortelina VII • Arronus VII • Aldebaran III • Delta Vega I • Starbase 12 • Vellurius • Earth • Globular planet • Norus • Junkyard planet • Palnak's planet • Santar • Nova XIII • Zeltok • Korak • the Traveler's homeworld • Dukar • Orthoo • Algenib II
2266	Crucial-3 • Vultra • Robots' planet • Angoma • Mantis planet • Nuofo • Stai • Vrex • Balant planet • Galaxy T-21 planet • Zargot • Coltac • Rigel XII • Alfa 177 • M-113 • Psi 2000 • Tlaoli IV • Skur • Selkye • Taragon • Alpha 332 • Ynobe II • Ecnal • Raylo • Noriga • Alpha Proxima II • Kynardi • Argylus • Ominnus • Earth • K-G • Nekros • Seggor • Fornia • Angira • Beta II • Neesan • Kujal • Razlak • Luna • Bwuja • Fayo • Hercula • Earth • Kibo/Ndora • Nraka • Sacro • Alpha 23-C • Oordon • Mobita • Jodarr • Quodar • Zarta • Floe I • Metamorpha • Inicrust • Morti • Terrellian II • Voodoo planet • Riza homeworld • Mila Xa • Krugar III remnant • Quaraxus • Arima • Mazda • Numero Uno • Beta Carinae • Exo III • 1324-IV • 7348-II • Tantalus V • Miri's homeworld • Planet Q • Benecia • Zorat planet
2267	Taurus II • Makus III • Ximega II • Hydra Epsilon III • Perseus Arm planetoid • Yko • Tenkara • Salvum • Grotus • Varanu planet • Yko • Talos IV • Tekton • Rifas-L • Amusement Park planet • Heitius VII • Planet of Fire • Ice Planet • Centaurus V • Fomalhaut V • Emben III • Cynur IV • Tyrtaeus II • Gothos • Beta VI • Theta VII • Ramedes III • Cestus III • Metron planet • Alva • Lazarus's planet • Galaxy Zekbran planet • Cygnet XIV • Earth • Canara • Beta III • Draqqana • Iach'tu Prime • Eminiar VII • Ceti Alpha V • Gamma 400 • Vartax • Dak-Alpha • Thark • Morkol • Timshel • Omicron • Omicron Ceti III • Janus VI • 7348-II • Chandra IV • Organia • Angrena • Yko • Earth Colony II • Gateway • Earth • Deneva • Janvar • Zentar • Zettin • Winged Dreamers' planet • "the Frontier" • Modala • Lado • Gamma Xaridian • Elsinor H-25 • Starbase 10 planet • Beta Mariotia III • Vega III • Tondus • Tekkor • Carnak • Pyris VII • Earth • Pentam V • Gamma Canaris N • Vandros VII • Nukolee • Styra • Lurota • Oorego IV • Giant Brain asteroid • Otari II • Gateway • Isis III • Not Eden • Maaba S'Ja • Capella IV • Pollux IV • Vulcan • Mestiko • CJ-884 planet • Nador • Tactis II • Beta Nirobi II • Phygma IV • Outpost Omega-70 • Tau Gamma IV • M-370 • Argelius II • Merope IV • Malur • Eulus • Donico II • Gamma Trianguli VI • Tyrtaeus II • Halka • Ixtolde • Gamma Hydra IV • Levinius V • Calydon • Starbase 10 planet • Turan Tot Narut's planet • Gamma Canaris N • Taunus • Planet 656 • Beton III • Sklurr • Karr • Graktan • Plixes • Andrius • Deneva • Mudd • Earth • Aneher II • Wezonvu • Nalaing • Magna Roma • Bavarya • Neolithia • Mythra • Rimillia • Babel • Gamma Canaris N • Vulcan • Nisus • Certax • Narnel's World • NGC 667 • Neural
2268	Fornax II • Gamma II • Triskelion • Rudimon • Argus X • Tycho IV • Theta VII • Centaurus • Usilde • Signi Beta • Tautee system • Prometheus IV • Syngreal • Glisten IV • Billybob • Gamma Hydra Gamma • Milo • Thrint • Throckmorton • Urf Durfal • Orgone • Vulcan • Beta Canzandia III • Alpha Maluria VI • Rariar III • Karxen V • Dekian II • Mevinna • Sigma Iotia II • Xanvia • Xoxxa • Inquisitor planet • Beta Reticuli • Delta Vega • Nalogen IV • Delta Vega • Delta Canaris IV • Alnath II • Ammdon • Arret • Mu Arigulon V • Ekos • Eeiauo • Sivao • Aprilia III • Kahless • Omega IV • Earth • Theta Kiokis II • Elas • Troyius • Elethia • Alsand • Kos • Tau Delta IX • Kroy's planet • Amerind • Starbase 14 planet • Andru 4/6 • Tranquility VII • Midos V • Earth • Exo III • T'nufo • Midos V • Eando 375 • Starbase 10 planet • Wrigley's Pleasure Planet • Exo III • Tortuga VI • Taos IV • Triacus • Marcos XII • Wokkle III • Cawley IV • Makon III • Kala • Lowaria • Dreamers' planet • Sigma Draconis VI • Direidi • Medusa • Iolos VI • Giermos • Persis Nova • Midgwis • Minara II • Gamma VI • Octavius IV • Beta Cabrini IV • Pegasus IV • Careta IV • Beta XII-A • Platonius • Earth • Scalos • M-317 • Beta Aurigae III • Sanoora host planet • Rhinegelt • Kalandan outpost • Distrel • Prastor • York III • Tttnicktttnor • Ariannus • Cheron • Elba II • Sanctuary • Gideon • Kolya • Tau Omega IV • Tau Omega III • Tareel III
2269	Rontelm • Memory Alpha • Ardana • Merak II • Avalon • Pollux V • Beta Myamid VIII • Chameleon • Zamphor • Hrakkour IV • Scythe • Balkos III • Gothos • Onyius II • Nova Atar III • Masaba • Lekythos • Shroud IV • Sigma Iotia II • Tarnak II • Vesbius • Janus VI • Beta Niobe III • Tree of Life planetoid • Gamma Cygnet planetoid • Centaurus • Raga's Planet • Eden • Theta Tau V • Holberg 917G • Lothor • Tau Beta IV • Excalbia • Sarpeidon • Feudal planet • Camus II • Duwamish • Ephrata IV • Sigma Niobe II • Gateway • Krasni's Folly • Vestalan • Maltos IV • Organia • Kyros • Nesta • Anomaly • Academy • Yko • Arachnae • Babel • Epsilon Delta IV • Heartland • Gothos • Cherela • Starbase 8 planet • Syhaar Prime • The Strand • Aarak III • Phi XI • Ur homeworld • Viden • Gobi III • Pacifica • Dolysia • Gralafi • Loren V • Gelladorn/R-775 I • Dengella II • Lloyd Zeta IX • Sigma Iotia II • Hesperides I • Tombstone • Waycross • Perry's planet • Delta Gamma IV • Trefolg • Trellisane • Holox • Boaco VI • Juram V • Vancadia • Veletus V • Pollux II • Leora IV • Patria I • Memory Prime • Talin IV • I'Qos • Circe V • Gateway • Mantilles • Moauv • Pomplance • Ribol II • Marpaplu • Valeria • Taurus II • Kinshasa
2270	Janus VI • Phylos II • Amusement Park planet • Motherlode • Rock creature planet • Darius IV • Megas-Tu • Terratin • Verdanis • Sherman's Planet • Argo • Deneb V • Vedala asteroid • Dramia • Dramia II • Arret • Lactra VII • Boqu II • Delta Theta III • Pandro • Dengella II • Briamos • Finder's planet • Procrustean planet • Yko • Belarius IV • DT-262 • Kwettir • Waasertla • Mygdalus III • Artemys 314 • Velat Nol/R-836 II • Pillagra (R-855 III) • Polymax VIII • Cenotaph • Emilla II • Vehtora IV • Anabarra colony • Hollow Planet • N'cai • Muldoon • Coridan III • Akladi • Mudd • Kuban • Sarai • CJ-884 planet • Stella Mudd's planet • Mudd • Taygeta V • Okeanos • Beta Omicron Delta III • Zeta Gibraltar • Yoondri • Earth (alternate) • Vrotii outpost planet • Sycorax • Baldur III • Bira III • Njura • Omne's planet • Voran • Razar • Mercan • Starbase 9 planet • Yalbo • Aritani • Vulcan • Hoshan planets • Tanis • Starbase 9 planet • Aragos planet • Aleph Prime • Aleph III • Antos IV • Takoi homeworld • Jinks' planet • Gateway • Andros • Yusub • Earth • Denebia • Veneu II • Gribbin II • Klondike VI • Isitra Zero • Gateway • Aleriad • Andoria • Proxima Centauri • Vulcan • Earth • Pelos • Talos IV • Gateway • Earth • Starbase 12 • Tomarii

Appearance

TOS comic: "Prison Break"