Feature or Bug

I am using 1.7 Beta(4), but I believe I saw this in previous versions of the beta. When the Dread Lords enter the game, rather than colonizing an uninhabited planet, they start on a planet previously inhabited by a minor race (in my last game it was the home world of the Dark Yor). Further, at least one of the minor race's ships remains in orbit around the planet. Finally, although they do not appear anywherer on the map, one can still contact and have relations with the minor race, but the ship in orbit around what is now called Amalda (as the Dread Lords' planet is always called), does not appear in the minor race's fleet list. Now, this might be a feature, i.e., a response to player calls to make the Dread Lords tougher. I also noticed that the Dread Lords' planet goes to Level 39 and that they pretty rapidly build up to become a threat. On the other hand, it could be bug. Which is it?