CURRENT INTELLIGENCE The Thal are an ancient race. Though only recently rediscovered within the known area of the Milky Way, the Thal have left their footprint on almost every aspect of our development and the worlds around us. Their origins are shrouded by the veil of time. It is known that they originally developed in our area of the Galaxy, though the specific quadrant is not known. It is also known that they considered our galaxy a backwaters of sorts, having moved their central government elsewhere, most likely to another galaxy. Therefore little more than outposts and minor colonies were located here, despite it being their former birthplace. The Thal were known to have conquered the Progenitors, the race that seeded most of the genetic material for humans amongst the stellar wings, in hope of leaving a vestige after they had been vanquished by the Thal. The Thal used the biological lifeforms of our galaxy as food. They considered the various inhabited worlds as farm lands and the races on them cattle for sustenance. It is believed that the crystalline entity encountered a half a century ago was a Thal probe. The Thal used two races to administer and care for their cattle, the Supervisors, who supervised, and the Kem D'Neel who kept the flock from getting too plentiful or out of line. It was millennia ago that the Supervisors recorded the Seventh War prophecy in the Book of Cereb, in essence a dictation of future plans, for their masters, the Thal. At some point during that time, the Supervisors and their brethren, the Kem D'Neel, rose up against the Thal and were put down. In retribution they were brought to the brink of extinction and forced to flee their master's wrath. Then, for reasons unknown to us, the Thal left our galaxy, leaving a small garrison to await their return. Some theorize that they encountered a greater enemy, others hold that the stock of food in this galaxy lowered to dangerous levels, requiring them to let it rejuvenate. Regardless, the promise of their return was the real threat written into the Book of Cereb and its Seventh War prophecy. It had not prophesised the return of the Kem D'Neel and the Supervisors, but rather the Thal themselves. Footprints of their resting and research in our galaxy are still strewn about, though quite rare. It was discovered by various sources who had uncovered the Thal legacy that the Vegan Virus, long a source of mystery, was apparently a tool of the Thal. Upon further information, the mysterious race, which had captured the Locustan Earth, causing them to diverge with the Federation timeline, was, indeed, the Thal. Section 6 and Section 31 have completely broke precedence to coordinate with Starfleet Intelligence on this threat. The garrison they left behind withered and devolved from lack of contact. Their name and technology diminished to a level far below the Thal. In our galaxy, this garrison is known as the Tholians, a bastardisation of the name Thal. When the Kem D'Neel and Supervisors returned, it was to determine if the Thal threat had returned. They now considered themselves strong enough to settle their age-old vengeance. To their disappointment, the Thal had not returned. They made up a poetic excuse and left. Further evidence of the Tholian's heritage revealed itself in their complete silence during the conflict. The Race The Tholians are simplistic versions of the Thal. Crystalline in composition, while the Tholians are a single faceted crystal, the Thal are an elaborately complex organism, with multiple appendages. Those that have been seen have four legs on a centaur like main body and two appendages on the upright portion of their body, often used as weapons or manipulators. They feed on biological matter and exist in a high temperature, methane environment (though they can easily move in a vacuum or M-class environment without protection of any kind). Their method of reproduction is unknown, though it is assumed to be asexual in nature. They do not consider humans, or any other biological lifeform, as their equal. The closest approximation is how Terrans once interacted with cattle: they didn't. They considered cattle food and a resource, albeit a valuable resource. The Thal consider development of the humanoid races during their absence as "nesting" instinct, and one that is annoying at best. They are thoroughly embarrassed and full of pity for their Tholian brethren and what they have become. Recently, the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery came into contact with the Thal. Their former Executive Officer, Commander Selyara managed to telepathically contact the mind of one Thal. Somewhere in the exchange, this one Thal learnt that the 'cattle' were actually individuals, of many different races. Perhaps like Hugh to the Borg, Selyara may have served as a catalyst to change the Thal.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
VESSELS Matrix-class
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