Sigma Iotia II

Sigma Iotia II is the second planet in the Sigma Iotia system, located in the Beta Quadrant. It is the homeworld of the Iotians, a pre-warp humanoid species.

The planet is located in the outer section of the Milky Way Galaxy

In the mid-22nd century, the Iotian civilization was in the beginning stages of industrialization. The USS Horizon made first contact with this planet in 2168, finding the Iotians to be extremely intelligence and imitative. When the Horizon left, they left the Iotians with textbooks and technical manuals on how to make radio sets and other similar technology (First contact was made with this civilization before the Prime Directive was put into place.)

One of the books left behind, "Chicago Mobs of the Twenties", became the template for the Iotian's way of life. The whole population mimicked the Chicago mob society, Prohibition-era, and cultural development on the planet stalled at the point of Earth's 1920s. The USS Horizon's reports, sent with pre-subspace technology, took 100 years to reach Earth from Sigma Iotia II. When the Federation received those reports in 2268, the USS Enterprise was sent to investigate and follow up.

Concerned with cultural contamination, Captain Kirk attempted to blend into their society by posing as a gangster, with the goal of leading the Iotian society to a more ethical way of life.