The Tholians were an extremely xenophobic, non-humanoid race with a propensity for precision, native to the Alpha Quadrant.

In 2152 the Tholians made an unusual move and traveled far beyond their territory and actively sought to possess a 31st century time-travel pod discovered by the United Earth starship Enterprise. Four Tholian starships intercepted and disabled the Vulcan cruiser Tal'Kir, while it waited to rendezvous with Enterprise. They would, in turn, attack and defeat the Suliban fleet that was in pursuit of the arriving Terran vessel. They would then successfully remove the pod from Enterprise's possession, only to have the pod return to its proper time moments later.