Tarqus

Tarqus is a fictional planet located in the Cygnus Arm of the Milky Way galaxy. It is characterized by its arid, desert-like environment with vast expanses of sand dunes and rocky plateaus. The planet's atmosphere is thin and rich in nitrogen, with trace amounts of oxygen, making it largely inhospitable to most known life forms. The dominant geological features of Tarqus are its towering rock spires, carved by centuries of wind erosion, and deep canyons that scar its surface.

The planet orbits a binary star system, resulting in a unique diurnal cycle with periods of intense heat and prolonged twilight. Evidence suggests that Tarqus was once a more temperate world, with subterranean oceans that have since evaporated. Remnants of this past can be found in the form of salt flats and dried riverbeds. The planet's mineral composition is notable for its high concentration of rare earth elements, making it a subject of interest for off-world mining operations.

Few indigenous life forms have been documented on Tarqus, primarily microbial organisms that survive in the subsurface and extremophiles adapted to the harsh surface conditions. These organisms often exhibit unique biological mechanisms for water conservation and radiation resistance. The planet has no known sentient species, though ancient ruins suggest a civilization may have once inhabited Tarqus before its environmental transformation. Exploration efforts have focused on geological surveys and the search for biological and historical remnants.