Rura Penthe is a frozen asteroid used by the Klingons as a penal colony for enemies of the Empire. The expression is descriptive of somebody who can do most anything, even used adverse conditions.

Klingons look down on prisoners as having behaved dishonorably. If they had acted honorably, they would never have been captured in the first place. Although Klingon warriors fight to the death rather than take prisoners, there is a Klingon system of jurisprudence, and those who are found to have violated the rules of society are often punished by being forced to do particularly strenuous or distasteful work. Having such a system is actually seen as beneficial for Klingon society, since it provides a ready source of necessary labor. The prisoners on Rura Penthe, for example, mine dilithium, required for warp propulsion systems. Significantly, the penal colony houses no Klingon prisoners. A Klingon would never allow himself to be taken prisoner, not even by his own government.