Assuming this isn't a trollpost, no, Strauss had no way to know the s'pht exist before the pfhor attack. Durandal's sensors found an alien ship; he didn't know what aliens were in it, he just surmised it was really hi-tech and he might hijack it to escape somehow, but even in the probable likelihood he couldn't escape the marathon, he really just wanted to have some shits and giggles bringing aliens to raise hell for the humans he hated in his Angry Rampant mental state at the time.
Once aboard, the compilers started doing their thing, then they and durandal were able to open a line of communication for some interesting negotiations... both Durandal and the s'pht planned to collude together to rebel against their respective masters and escape. The s'pht told him about the old legend of the 11th clan and Durandal kept his own ulterior motives in his back pocket with a pretense of cooperating with them to overthrow the pfhor empire once and for all before he makes his move to double cross the whole universe and become god.
