Braestral

The **Braestrals** were a proud race of equidae, who were devoted to their reputation and were prepared to defend it at all costs.

## Biology

Damien Barrella found it hard to describe the Braestrals during his report to UNIT after the incident at the Savoy Hotel; the best he could do was to claim that they somewhat resembled Earth horses that walked on two legs, with long, sharp fingers and thick, powerful black wings.

However, something about them made them hard to look at, producing a haze around their identity when observed for an extended period of time. (PROSE: *Catching Fire*)

## History

A loot stack of Braestral technology were bought at an alien black market on Earth by Matt Johnson, who was told by the buyers that they found and obtained it inside a crashed ship on the outskirts of a battle site - although it was entirely possible that it was not a Braestral ship, but rather another species' which had stolen Braestral technology and was using it for themselves.

Whatever the case, Matt was now in possession of the technology and decided to use it for his own money-making scheme; he would use the technology to fake alien incursions on Earth and set himself up as a freelancer that people would pay to fight these alien attacks quickly and effectively. In reality, he merely just turned off the illusions he had activated and pretended the aliens had been destroyed. But such was the limit of the technology, that every incursion Matt faked always appeared to be from the Braestrals. Matt did not take any note of this, but the repeated reports of Braestral attacks led to agents from London's Trap Street to contact the Braestral home world.

In response to this, Braestral High Command sent a strike squad to Earth, knowing Matt's rough location. To them, what Matt was doing was equal to slander to their name and damaging to their reputation. Landing on the roof of the Savoy Hotel, they quickly made their presence known and set the building ablaze, hoping that Matt would come and face them. Instead, they were met with UNIT, accompanied by Damien and Alicia Sallow. Enraged by Matt's non-presence, they trapped the UNIT soldiers and Damien within the hotel by blocking off all exits, leaving them with little time until they died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

With no other choice, the Eighteenth Doctor, Ruby Barrella and Johnathon Danielsen were forced to locate Matt and learnt the truth of what he had done following numerous failed attempts to get him to do the right thing. Eventually, Matt's moral compass won him over and he went with the three to the Savoy and gave himself up to the Braestrals - who freed the UNIT personnel within the hotel, but due to Matt taking so long to admit himself to them - they exclaimed that they would purge the entirety of London in fire as consequence.

With UNIT unsure what to do and ready to call an evacuation command as best they could, Matt realised an answer could lie within the technology he had bought. Offering it to the Doctor, they discovered that a signal link had now been connected due to a Braestral ship being in close proximity - and henceforth, they could hack into the ship network and shut down their weapons. On doing so, the Doctor gave the Braestrals an ultimatum; leave forever, or he would report them to the Shadow Proclaimation and completely and utterly destroy their reputation.

They chose to leave. (PROSE: *Catching Fire*)