Tau Alpha C

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The Traveler, a native of Tau Alpha C

Tau Alpha C was the home of the humanoid species that The Traveler belonged to, located in the Tau Ceti system. This system was located in the Alpha Quadrant. This was one of four inhabited locations in this system; the others were Tau Ceti III, Tau Ceti IV, and Tau Ceti Prime. (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, production art; TNG: "Where No One Has Gone Before", "Conspiracy", "Journey's End"; VOY: "Coda") The location was listed on star maps in the library computers of Federation starships. Tau Alpha C was many months away from Starbase 133 even at maximum warp speeds; at warp 9.5 it would take 123 days to reach the planet. Subspace communication was faster; but it would take days for a reply to reach the starbase. (TNG: "Remember Me")

The inhabitants of Tau Alpha C were capable of existing outside of time and dimensions, and had very little interest in associating with other more primitive species, until the 2360s, when they became aware of Humans like Wesley Crusher. The Traveler, a native, visited the USS Enterprise-D crew in 2364, and he and Wesley Crusher worked together. (TNG: "Where No One Has Gone Before")

In an alternate universe created after Doctor Beverly Crusher became trapped within a warp bubble, Wesley tried to contact Tau Alpha C for assistance when individuals began disappearing from the Enterprise, with only Dr. Crusher noticing. Ultimately, the entire universe, including Tau Alpha C, disappeared. (TNG: "Remember Me")

Star-chart alpha-beta quadrant.jpg

The location of Tau Ceti in "The Explored Galaxy" wall chart

The location of Tau Ceti on a star chart

"The Explored Galaxy" was a map of charted space in the Alpha Quadrant. Tau Ceti was located between the Tholian Assembly and Romulus. Both locations were identified in DS9: "The Search, Part II", "Call to Arms" as being located in the Alpha Quadrant.This chart was also seen in several Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes set in the 24th century, from the year 2364 to 2370. These were TNG: "Conspiracy", "The Measure Of A Man", "The Emissary", "The Mind's Eye", "The Game", and DS9: "In the Hands of the Prophets", "Cardassians".

It was never specified on screen what type of settlement Tau Alpha C was. Only that it was an inhabited location in the Tau Ceti system. The naming is similar to Gamma Canaris N which was according to several reference sources the name of the planetoid of the Companion. (startrek.com, Star Trek Concordance)

According to Startrek.com, Tau Alpha C was the name of a star system. [1] Under naming conventions for stars (ex. Alpha Centauri C), the name would suggest Tau Alpha C was the third star in a trinary star system.