Tholian

A Tholian

"Be correct: we do not tolerate deceit."

- Loskene (TOS: "The Tholian Web")

The Tholians were an extremely xenophobic, non-humanoid hermaphroditic race with a propensity for precision, native to the Alpha Quadrant.

Most likely, Tholians originated from "Tholia", a word Klaang mentioned in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Broken Bow", but which Hoshi Sato could not translate. Because of their involvement in the Temporal Cold War this could be the name of the Tholian homeworld.

History and Politics

The head governmental unit of the Tholians was the Tholian Assembly. During the mid-22nd century, the Vulcan High Command had only limited contact with the Assembly. It was, however, unknown at the time that they were involved as a faction in the Temporal Cold War. (ENT: "Future Tense")

First Contact with Earth

In 2152 the Tholians made an unusual move and traveled far beyond their territory and actively sought to possess a 31st century time-travel pod discovered by the Earth starship Enterprise, under the command of Jonathan Archer. Four Tholian starships intercepted and disabled the Vulcan cruiser Tal'Kir, while it waited to rendezvous with Enterprise. They in turn attacked and defeated the Suliban fleet that was in pursuit of the arriving Earth ship. They then successfully removed the pod from Enterprise's possession, only to have the pod return to its proper timeline moments later. (ENT: "Future Tense")

The Defiant Incident

In the Mirror Universe, in 2155, the Tholians detonated a tricobalt warhead inside the gravity well of a dead star. The explosion created an interphasic rift which acted as a doorway to an alternate universe. Because of its instability, the Tholians reasoned that it was too dangerous to send one of their own ships through, so they transmitted a distress call into the opening, hoping to lure a ship from the other side. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly")

In 2268, the Federation starship USS Defiant would enter this region of space, annexed by the Tholians, in response to the mirror universe distress call. Three weeks later, the starship USS Enterprise would discover the Defiant trapped in a spatial interphase, only to observe the starship, and consequently landing party leader James T. Kirk, cross over into the mirror universe.

Shortly thereafter, a Tholian starship intercepted the Enterprise, demanding that it should leave Tholian territory. At the request of First Officer Spock to be allowed to rescue Kirk from the Defiant, Tholian Commander Loskene allowed them a small timeframe, before they were required to withdraw. The Enterprise crew was unable to rescue Kirk in the time provided and the Tholians opened fire, damaging the Enterprise and, after the arrival of a second Tholian starship, attempted to trap it in their web. The Enterprise, however, was able to recover Kirk and successfully escape, before they fell victim to the web. (TOS: "The Tholian Web")

The tholian Web

Unknown at the time, the Defiant had traveled back in time to the mirror universe, where, when fully clear of the interphase, it was towed by the Tholians of that universe to a small moon drydock in the Vintaak system, deep in Tholian space. There they employed several humanoids to gut the ship. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly")

Jonathan Archer learned of the vessel's presence in his universe. He commandeered the ISS Enterprise and flew it deep into Tholian space while cloaked to steal the Defiant. After sending a boarding party on board the Defiant, the Tholians spun a tractor web around the Enterprise and destroyed it. The boarding party managed to activate the Defiant's systems, but not before the Tholians spun a tractor web over the entrance of the drydock. The Defiant then destroyed three Tholian ships and the moon's drydock, before escaping the system. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II")

It is unclear what the long-term consequences were for a Terran Empire ship invading Tholian space, stealing the Defiant, and destroying several of their ships.

Later aggressions

Contact with the Tholians over the next century would be sporadic. In 2353, the Tholians destroyed a Federation starbase. The only survivor of this attack was Kyle Riker, the father of Starfleet Commander William T. Riker. (TNG: "The Icarus Factor")

This attack was said to have taken place during "The Tholian Conflict," placing it within a larger political context and implying that the incident was not isolated. The frequency of Tholian attacks would remain sufficient enough for Starfleet to develop Tholian-based battle simulations. In 2355, during one such simulation, William T. Riker used a notable strategy to calculate a sensory blind spot on a Tholian vessel. (TNG: "Peak Performance")

They would remain a threat well into the 2360s, when it was anticipated by Klingon Special Emissary K'Ehleyr that if a Klingon Civil War were to break out in 2367, the Tholians might eventually be involved. This fear, however, did not come to light when the civil war broke out months later. (TNG: "Reunion")

Trade and diplomacy

The Tholians conducted business with Bajoran trader Razka Karn in the early 2370s. They pursued him because of unscrupulous "business" practices so he took refuge in the Badlands. (DS9: "Indiscretion")

The Tholians maintained ambassadors with other powers throughout the Alpha Quadrant. In 2371, a Tholian ambassador visiting DS9 reported that someone broke into his quarters during the night and stole three cases of latinum. (DS9: "Defiant")

Several weeks later, Odo accused Nog of stealing from the Tholian ambassador and arrested him, although this was part of Jake Sisko's plan to repair his friendship with Nog. (DS9: "Life Support")

The following year, a Tholian observer was killed in the bombing of the Antwerp Conference on Earth by a Dominion infiltrator. (DS9: "Homefront") Despite this, the Tholians would sign a non-aggression pact with the Dominion the following year, prior to the outbreak of the Dominion War, remaining neutral throughout the conflict. (DS9: "Call to Arms")

In 2379, Romulan Senator Tal'aura had an appointment with the Tholian ambassador to Romulus, conveniently causing her to leave the Senate chambers only moments before the assassination of the entire Senate. (Star Trek Nemesis)

Unless Tholians use encounter/environmental suits to work with alien species the extreme life support requirements of Tholian physiology (noted below) make it unlikely that they would ever engage in "face to face" contacts with the majority of the other races of the galaxy. If Tholians do not use encounter/environmental suits it seems likely that they conduct business either via communications devices or through sanctioned non-Tholian intermediaries.

Physiology

A Tholian pilot from the mirror universe (2155)

A living Tholian was approximately the same height as a Human. It was principally a reddish color, in varying shades, and there was the suggestion of fluid or field motion within the body. Tholians had a hard carapace that was chiefly mineral. There were six thin legs that made it possible for the being to move in any direction quickly; the legs were articulated with joints roughly corresponding to the knee and ankle of humanoid species. Each leg ended in a multi-toed foot. The legs were attached at the base of the torso and were radially symmetric. There were two arms; each had joints analogous to the humanoid elbow and wrist, and each arm ended in a multi-fingered hand. There was no neck; the term "head" did not apply. Tholians had two glowing spots near the top of their torso. They turned these to face individuals with whom they interacted, which suggested they had some sort of information-gathering organ. Tholians did have two sexes, but each individual had both sets of sexual organs. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly")

The presence of two distinct sexes means Tholians are not parthenogenetic, and probably that they cannot self-fertilize.

Tholians existed at high temperatures – in excess of 450 Kelvin (177 °C, 350 °F). They could tolerate lower temperatures for a brief period of time; if they were exposed to too low temperatures, their carapace would crack. This was painful or distressing; a Tholian subjected to such a temperature regime could be coerced to cooperate. In temperatures even lower, a Tholian would freeze solid and shatter. (ENT: "Future Tense", "In a Mirror, Darkly")

Tholians evidently had something analogous to biochemical processes. Phlox from the mirror universe was able to devise a sedative; however, this compound eventually lost effectiveness. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly")

This suggests that Tholians had an immune system capable of combating toxic hazards.

Tholians were naturally able to emit various forms of radiation, which they could modulate. They could communicate over short distances in this fashion. A Tholian imprisoned aboard the ISS Enterprise in 2155 was able to summon help via this method, forcing Phlox to kill it in order to silence it. (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly")

Tholians communicated primarily through a series of clicks and chirps, similar to the language of Xindi-Insectoids. In 2372, Kasidy Yates claimed she was meeting with a Tholian freighter to deliver medical supplies to treat a viral infection on one of their colonies; she was in fact smuggling the supplies to the Maquis. (DS9: "For the Cause")

Though the story was a fabrication, its immediate believability implies that Tholians do have cellular structures that can be hijacked by viruses.

Society and culture

During several confrontations with the Federation, Tholian behavior could best be described as aggressive and territorial. Tholians were also renowned for their punctuality.

Tholians rarely advanced very far from their home system, and are known to kill outsiders caught trespassing in their territory. They were also known to frequently annex surrounding systems outside of the Assembly, to further isolate their territory. (ENT: "Future Tense", "In a Mirror, Darkly"; TOS: "The Tholian Web"; DS9: "For the Cause"; TNG: "Captain's Holiday")

Tholian weddings involved paying a dowry. Furthermore, Tholian Silk was highly prized and a difficult commodity to obtain. A Tholian ambassador owed Benjamin Sisko a favor and obtained silk for him. (DS9: "Defiant", "The Way of the Warrior")

It is unknown if the silk was produced by the Tholians or another lifeform in their space. If the Tholians did indeed naturally spin web it may go a ways toward explaining the design of their space craft.