Scintilla

The Scintilla were a civilization of intelligent microbes. They lived in colonies at the bottom of deep lakes on a class M planet.

In the mid-23rd century, the Federation starship USS Farragut (NCC-1647) launched its shuttlecraft McAuliffe on a survey mission to the planet's northern highlands. The crew observed a faint blue glow coming from the lakes which was emanated by the Scintilla.

Years later, a translation breakthrough led to communications being established between the Scintilla and the Federation.