Rakastan

Rakastan is simultaneously a planet and a computer located in a remote corner of the Delta Quadrant in the Gurban IX system. It is able to self-repair, replicate and expand.

Origin
It has been postulated that 45'000 years ago Rakastan was a thriving industrial planet and the first part of the computer was built on one island (called the Mathematics Dome); over the following millennia it expanded using its relf-replication potential until reaching total domination over the surface. In most points it is more than 300 meters deep.

There is no information about the creators of Rakastan. The planet has been uninhabited for at least 40'000 years.

Status
Rakastan has been part of the lore of that region of Delta Quadrant for millennia and has been shrouded in mistery. The first known successfull attempt to communicate with it was during the tenth year of the Pan-Federal Rakastan expedition in 2471.

Rakastan is arguably not sentient. It has perception of itself - as demonstrated by the ability to self-repair and self-administer. It usually does not display any true emergent intelligence, but it is considered a life form.

Rakastan is member of Federation of Planets. Some list it as a planet, some as an individual member.

Tasks
Once one can access it and knows the programming code, Rakastan is eager to do calculations. It is accostumed to display messages such as "I am proud to announce that the calculation has started" or "I am extremely happy to report the result". People converge from all the Federation in order to submit data to Rakastan, which has now proven useful in all domains of Federal studies and disciplines.

It is, as of 2550, the single most powerful computing system in the whole of the Federation.

The calculations necessary for the Gravity Drive Jump have been performed by Rakastan.

Trivia

 * Rakastan has a poisonous atmosphere. You can nonetheless walk on the surface of the computer.
 * Rakastan has amazing computational power but has no graphic interface.
 * The name was forged by a Delta quadrant scholar 20'000 years ago. It is not connected with the Finnish word for "I love".