CAATATI
The Caatati, a humanoid race native to the Delta Quadrant, were assimilated by the Borg in 2372. Of a population of millions, only a few escaped in 30 ships. One of the vessels, captained by Rahmin, contained 88 people. By 2374 their supplies were scarce and living conditions aboard ship poor. USS Voyager encountered the Caatati in early 2374, in [#71 Day of Honor], and Janeway gave them food, medical supplies and some thorium to power their ships and systems.
Caatati leader named Rahmin
Rahmin: "I am Rahmin. My people are the Caatati. I apologise for our appearance and the condition of our ship. Most of our people were assimilated by the Borg over a year ago. We lost everything."
Janeway: "How many of you escaped?"
Rahmin: "A few thousand, on 30 ships, all that's left from a planet of millions."
Janeway: "I'm sorry."
Rahmin: "Captain, I want to assure you, my people were once proud and accomplished."
Janeway: "I understand."
Rahmin: "It pains me to have to ask this, but I have eighty-eight people to care for on this vessel. We need food, medicines. Is there any way you could help us?"
Janeway: "Of course, send us a list of your needs and we'll see what we can do."
Rahmin: "I'm deeply grateful. If it's not too much to ask, is there any way you might also spare a small quantity of thorium isotopes? Without them our systems can't function."
Janeway: "I think we can arrange that. I'll speak to my engineer."
Rahmin: "You can't imagine what this means to us, Captain. Thank you."
Thorium is a soft silvery-white tetravalent radioactive metallic element; atomic number 90 with the abbreviation Th; isotope 232 is used as a power source in nuclear reactors; it occurs in thorite and in monazite sands. When Torres, Chief Engineer, asked for a progress report from engineer Ensign Vorik, he replied: "I'll admit I'm having trouble controlling the neutron absorption." Torres told him: "Try increasing the temperature of the plasma. Get the thorium to the Captain as soon as it's ready."
Although Rahmin asked for help courteously, moving Janeway to supply him out of compassion, another Caatati leader was prepared to use both courteous request and armed menace to acquire supplies from Voyager. Presumably until that time, he dealt with those of other species in similar fashion. It is possible or even highly likely that Rahmin passed on information about U.S.S. Voyager to Lumas.
Caatati leader named Lumas; note the shape of the head, and the hands
Caatati commander Lumas, aggressively pushed for supplies:
Lumas: "There are over two hundred people on our three ships alone. Every one of them suffers from malnourishment. But it's been hardest on the children. Every parent sacrifices for their child but even so there's not enough food. If you could hear the crying of the babies you would as much trouble sleeping at night as I do."
Tuvok: "Have you considered relocation to a planet where you could grow your own food?"
Lumas: "Of course, but we haven't been welcomed anywhere. Because we have no resources everyone treats us like vagrants, even criminals."
Chakotay: "We're not unsympathetic, but we have limited supplies. We can't possibly provide enough for all your people."
Lumas: "Forgive me, but from my prospective, you live in luxury. You don't suffer from debilitating diseases, you have many sources of energy, replicators, your crew is very well fed. Apparently, keeping your bellies full is more important to you than helping those less fortunate."
While aboard U.S.S. Voyager, Lumas encountered Seven and saw that she was Borg. He ran after her and tried to accost her, demanding to know what she had done with his wife and family. Of course, Seven did not know and could not help him. Lumas was restrained by Paris and Tuvok.
a furious Lumas tries to accost Seven
Lumas' Caatati ship fires on the Voyager shuttlecraft Cochrane in order to prevent its crew from interfering in the Caatati's theft of Voyager's ejected warp-core
Later, after receiving the supplies from Voyager, Lumas's people stole Voyager's ejected warp core. Lumas also led an armada of Caatati ships and surrounded Voyager, demanding food, weapons and the entire supply of thorium, threatening to attack otherwise. In exchange for the return of the warp core Voyager, on Seven's initiative, gave the Caatati thorium replication technology - this was technology the Caatati had possessed before the Borg destroyed their civilisation. This was despite threats against Voyager by Lumas and a demand that Seven be handed over so that he and his people could take revenge on the (ex-) Borg drone - to them she would be a representative of the Borg, the destroyers of their species.
Hello, Captain."
Janeway: "You've brought some friends."
Lumas: "Needy friends. We're hoping you'll offer us more supplies."
Janeway: "I made it clear last time that we couldn't possibly you with enough for all your ships."
Lumas: "And I had to accept that because your ship is more powerful than ours. But the situation has changed, hasn't it? You seem to be at a disadvantage now. We have your warp core. You can't escape. I'm hoping that'll make you more generous."
Janeway: "We've given you everything we can spare. Return the core and we'll be on our way."
Lumas: "One of our ships might not seem threatening to you, but I assure you 27 can inflict considerable damage. We are desperate. Prepare to send us food, weapons, and your entire supply of thorium. And that Borg you're protecting. We want her too. There are many who'd enjoy a chance to repay one of them for what they did to us."
Caatati ships surround Voyager threateningly
Top view of Cataati ship - black & white unlabelled schematic, 176Kb, source STM.
Side view of Caatati ship - black & white unlabelled schematic, source STM.
click for pop-up enlargement source TOSTW
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