Motherlode

Motherlode is a fictional planet featured in the Star Trek multimedia franchise. It appeared in the tenth episode of season one of Star Trek: The Animated Series titled "Mudd's Passion". Motherlode was an M-class planet located in the Arcadian system. The planet existed outside the jurisdiction of the Federation Starfleet.

Motherlode was known for its mining facilities, which were operated by Human and Ursinoid miners. An interstellar con-man and swindler named Harcourt Fenton Mudd came to Motherlode in an effort to sell a supposed love potion to the miners. He used a Rigelian hypnoid and had it create the illusion that it was a beautiful blonde female named Lora in the minds of the miners. This was part of a scheme to con them into thinking that his product actually had merit. The miners were nearly convinced, watching "Lora" fawning all over Harry Mudd. Federation officers Captain James T. Kirk and Mister Spock came to the planet where Spock used his phaser to dispel the illusion, revealing the hypnoid in its true form.

The Ursinoids were outraged and began throwing rocks at Harcourt Mudd, forcing him to seek safety with the Federation officers. Captain Kirk had him beamed aboard the Enterprise, and they left the planet.