The purpose of this report is to consider the possibility that the enemy is some race other than the Kilrathi, and to examine the history of the Kilrathi and other non-Human races for clues as to the identity of this hypothetical mystery race.
The alien threat conforms to nothing previously encountered by Humanity, except perhaps the most hysterical manifestations of the 20th century “UFO” hysteria, or ancient myths of vengeful gods or monsters descending from heaven and raining destruction.
Likewise, a superficial examination of Firekkan history shows contact with nothing similar, nor does the Double-Helix civilisation (unsurprising, since the Double-Helix has very little concept of history in the Human sense). Pre-space cultures like the Mopoks also offer no useful perspective, at least on initial analysis.
Investigation of any possible link between the current enemy and such putatively-extinct civilisations as the ancient Steltek or the comparatively recent Hari will be an ongoing process. So far there is no evidence to link the current threat with any such civilisation known.
Given the enemy’s emergence at the former site of planet Kilrah, in the current Kilrah asteroid belt, it seems obvious that Kilrathi history must bear the first and most intense scrutiny for any pertinent hints. Two possibilities immediately suggest themselves.
The first is the Mantu, an alien race that came into conflict with the Kilrathi approximately two Terran centuries before the Kilrathi first encountered Humanity. The Mantu conflict ended in a standoff, and as far as can be discerned no Mantu ship has tried to cross or enter Kilrathi space since that time.
In the 250-odd years since the Mantu conflict, the Kilrathi have aggrandised, vilified and generally turned their former foe into mythology (a similar process is now occurring towards Confed – it seems to be an intrinsic Kilrathi trait to deify/demonise those enemies which cannot be defeated). However, the Mantu war is a historical conflict which left contemporary records, and these have been examined by Terran historians since the surrender.