Federation-Tholian space battle.
The Tholian War was a series of conflicts that erupted between the United Federation of Planets and the Tholian Assembly from 2353 to 2360.
When the Federation received reports of space piracy, unexplained time-space phenomena, and disappearing merchant vessels along the Federation-Tholian border, Starfleet sent patrols to Tholian space. In 2351, a Starfleet task force was attacked by a Tholian fleet but saved by the heroic actions of Bolian Admiral Taneko. He detonated the crippled USS Mizar's warp core, decimating the Tholian fleet. The next major confrontation occurred in 2353, when the Tholians attacked the newly constructed Starbase 277 at their border. With superior numbers and employing strange and deadly weapons, the Tholians overwhelmed the starbase. Afterwards, Tholian ships attacked other Federation targets along the Federation-Tholian borders, destroying civilian ships and devastating colonies. Displaying a ruthless efficiency, the Tholians left few witnesses or survivors, and Federation sensor readings were incoherent and unbelievable.
The Tholian assault was finally blunted by a Starfleet task force led by the USS Fearless, which then began a blockade of the Tholian border sectors in the hope of outlasting the Tholians via a defensive strategy of attrition. Unfortunately for the Federation, the Tholians were undeterred and continued their war of aggression which necessitated a change of strategy. Andorian Admiral Temrev proposed an invasion deep into Tholian space to bring the war to them and thereby increase the incentive for peace. A squadron of starships led by the USS Lor'vela invaded Tholian core sectors, while the Fearless maintaned the defensive reserve. The Federation offensive into Tholian space was finally stalled by new Tholian technologies, but it had achieved its goals. In 2360, Betazoid diplomats negotiated a truce with the Tholians, who then signed the Tholian Accords with the Federation which ended the war and restored the border to the previous status quo. (Last Unicorn RPG module: The Price of Freedom)
Aftermath[]
During this war, the Tholians demonstrated an uncanny ability to absorb punishment while striking vulnerable Federation rear positions along with using the dangerous areas of chaotic space to their advantage. It was noted that no core Tholian colony was ever occupied and Starfleet was only able to penetrate a few parsecs into the Tholian territorial annexes. The conflict only ended when the Tholians requested a truce, something that caught the Federation by surprise. (Decipher RPG module: Aliens)
For years afterwards, the Federation-Tholian border remained quiet though formal diplomatic ties between the two interstellar powers remained elusive. That is until 2369, when the Tholian Assemly proposed to the Federation that normalized diplomatic relations be established. Later that year, the two sides agreed to trade with each other and exchange ambassadors. (Last Unicorn RPG module: The Price of Freedom)