Battle Thrall

The Battle Thralls of the Ur-Quan Hierarchy are races that have pledged to serve the Ur-Quan Kzer-Za by carrying out military objectives against free worlds and enforcing the Oath of Fealty. Each new world that is subjugated by the Hierarchy is offered a choice to join as Battle Thralls, or as Fallow Slaves, by taking the Oath. It is unknown whether Battle Thrall status is permanent or if these worlds face the Oath once their objectives are completed.

Thralls appear to exercise autonomy, but not total independence over domestic affairs. During the first Slave War, the Hierarchy recognized the Veep-Neep Dynasty in the Yehat’s power struggle, but completely intervened in Thraddash politics to install Culture 19.

The Hierarchy permits their interstellar travel, but not violence against other Battle Thralls, or law-abiding Fallow Slaves. The setup is essentially an alliance of subservient stars.

Hierarchy Battle Thralls during the Ur-Quan Slave War (Star Control I):

• Mycon - only known race to actively seek out the Ur-Quan and request Battle Thrall status.
• Spathi - intended to become a fallow species, but were tricked by the Umgah into becoming thralls.
• Androsynth
• VUX
• Ilwrath
• Umgah
• Thraddash - did not directly participate in the Ur-Quan Slave War.¹

Hierarchy Battle Thralls at the beginning of Star Control II:

• Yehat - the only former Alliance member to choose Battle Thrall status, the Hierarchy Veep-Neep government can later be overthrown by pro-New-Alliance Starship Clan Revolutionaries.
• Mycon
• Spathi - can defect to the New Alliance of Free Stars, then will soon after encase their homeworld in a slave shield.
• VUX
• Thraddash - the Hierarchy's Culture 19 government can later be overthrown by pro-New-Alliance Culture 20 government.
• Ilwrath
• Umgah - eventually enslaved by the neo-Dnyarri, but revert to Battle Thrall status once freed.

Notes and references

¹The Thraddash claim to have been Battle Thralls at the time, told to "guard the flank". They are usually not included in such lists because there is no mention of the Thraddash in Star Control I.