Seltorian Tribunal (Star Fleet Universe)
The Seltorians are natives of the M31 galaxy, former home of the Tholian Will. The Tholians used a succession of 'subject races' to do some of the day to day handling of their empire, such as boarding ships crewed by those other than Tholians (who required heavy enviromental suits). Over the years, a number of 'favored subjects' had existed, and each had attempted to rise up, only to be slapped down.
The insectoid Seltorians would be an exception. The Tholians had armed their subjects with Shield Breakers which could knock down the shields of renegade ships without damaging valuable Tholian Will property. While the Seltorians had a fleet nearly the size of the Tholians themselves, they were confidant of their security due to the power of the Web. They were not expecting Seltorian scientists to turn their weapon into the Web Breaker.
Armed with their new advantage, along with their natural breeding rate and shipbuilding capability, the Seltorians were able to successfully overthrow the Tholians, hunting them down where-ever they could find them. Several groups of Tholians packed everything they could and fled their native galaxy, one group of which arriving in the Milky Way.
The Seltorians decided to follow these refugees, and eventually launched their own task groups to follow. At the height of the Genera War, one Hive Ship (basically a mobile base capable of building Seltorian ships) arrived in Klingon space, and were quickly pointed at their enemy. The Klingons, happy to have help against the Tholians, provided matierial and technological support to the Seltorians who happilly threw themselves against their former masters.
Quickly, the Tholians and Seltorians became a separate sideline to the General War, with their fighting lasting beyond the armistace in Y185. The ISC noted the continued fighting during their Pacification Campaign and intervened. Apon concluding that the Seltorians were the aggressors, they launched the Echelon of Justice against the Hive ship, succeeding in destroying it. The surviving Seltorian fleet fled to the Klingons, who turned on their allies, not wishing to have the fast breeding race loose in their own territory.
The Seltorians are an insectoid race, able to walk upright. They are generally divided into four classes.
- The queens lay the eggs and are generally long lived, but are bloated and not very intellegent.
- The Rams are males of breeding age who die after mating with a Queen.
- Sages are males who failed to mate in time, becoming sterile, but long lived and more intellegent. They are the leaders and thinkers of the race.
- Workers are sterile females of relatively short lifespan. Not very intellegent or imaginative, but able to be taught a job from practically birth, they are the backbone of the Seltorian labor force and make up the majority of most ship crews. Occastionally an exceptional member of the Workers is found who is able to take up a low level management possition.
It should be noted that while the Seltorians were able to operate together as ship crews very well, individuals were not suited as pilots of the one-man fighters sold to them by the Klingons, but instead used Klingon mercenaries in that role.