View source for Spathi

===Hierarchy Status===
When the Spathi first encountered the [[Ur-Quan Kzer-Za]], they wanted to warn them about the peril of the Evil Ones. However, the Ur-Quan broadcasted their usual message, throwing the Spathi Captain into an intense state of panic. In this state of panic, he uttered what happened to be [[The Words]], causing the entire Ur-Quan fleet to stop in space and explain their reasons &mdash; though the Spathi didn't understand a word, being hidden under their shells the whole time. After six hours of combat, they surrendered to the [[Ur-Quan Kzer-Za]], who proceeded toward the Spathi temporary homeworld, [[Epsilon Gruis I-A]]. They blasted parts of the moon into radioactive dust, and then invited the [[Safe Ones]] aboard the command chamber of Lord 1's Dreadnought, where they were offered the same choice given to each race, as dictated by the [[Path of Now and Forever]]: be a [[Fallow Slave]] (and thus send back a white rod) or [[Battle Thrall]] (sending back a black rod). The Spathi actually chose to be fallow slaves, being rather fond of the idea of being forever protected by an impenetrable [[Slave Shield]]. However, the Ur-Quan's [[Umgah]] servant who was to notify the Ur-Quan of the Spathi's choice mischievously switched the color of the rod. The Spathi attempted to rectify this, but the Ur-Quan would hear none of it - they would be Battle Thralls forever.

According to them, the Spathi attempted to avoid combat as much as possible, only to receive three violent reprimands from the Ur-Quan, "each more strident than the last." When the Spathi learned that they were on the verge of being exterminated outright for their repeated disobedience, they set about their duties as battle thralls "with renewed vigor."