Classic                                                                                  Modern


A.K.A.: Nahthas, Rigelians

Type: Extra-terrestrial

Place of origin: Their original home world is unknown, but as of today, they have colonized most planets of the Rigel system.

Classic Gatari are the old style Gatari, prior to Koralia taking the throne circa 2025 A.D. Classic Gatari do not wear clothes.
Modern Gatari are the reformed version. A few do wear clothes, while all Nahthas do. Aboard Nicci's ship, they all wear a uniform.

Although they called themselves Gatari, the species is actually called Nahtha. Gatari are the warrior caste of nahtha society but have deemed that nahthas are not worthy of being acknowledged and so, have renamed their race. They have enslaved the lower caste nahthas and use them as slaves and also as food. These Gatari are also cannibalistic, as they feed on other Gatari and Nahthas, as well as, eat their dead. Although these Gatari feed on the weak, they have no qualms about consuming the strong that fall ill or in battle.

Nahthas are what Gatari should really look like if they followed a more natural diet. They are smaller, and their crest is natural (soft and floppy) and hangs down almost like a head of hair. Their crest is often spotted. They, too, have a hidden mouth in their throat. Females do not have breast because nahthas are not a mammalian species. Like males, they have pectoral plates.

The Gatari empire is ruled by the Gatari Nak'To (Great male warrior), although the newest ruler, Koralia, is a female. She has decided to keep the traditional title, rather than take the more correct Gatari Tan'To (Great female warrior).

Under Koralia's rule, there have been major changes in Gatari society. Nahthas are now in charge, while Gatari maintain the peace as a military and police force. This change in leadership has helped the Empire become a valuable and respected  trading partner.

Abilities: Gatari are stronger than humans, more numerous and relentless. Their technology is borrowed from conquered races and is superior but less varied. They travel in swarms aboard diamond shaped mother ships.

When fighting, they do not use long-range weapons, as they find them cowardly.

The Gatari have been seen flying through space, but all indications point to them wearing some apparatus incorporated into their armour. They can withstand the vacuum of space by spreading an organic substance called jakka over their body. The substance covers them like a second skin.

Their morphology

The Gatari are not born with an exoskeleton. Their flesh is soft and pliable and slightly hardens as they age, however, as a result of their cannibalistic diet; their exoskeleton’s density increases. This happens because the Gatari flesh is rich in calcium, and the ingested deposits accumulate in the dermis. Modern Gatari still feed on their dead, as it is an integral part of their culture, and this helps them form their armored shell, but for the most part, their diet primarily consist of shelled prey, molusks and crabs. They have also been seen feeding on limestone and even marble.

Most females do not have exoskeletons because their diet consists primarily of mamms (Mammals). The warriors consider mamms a female food because of its softness. Only a handful of females ever manage to make it as warriors. 

The Gatari can reach a maximum of 50 years of age, but almost none do. Those who reach 30 to 35 years are considered old. The majority never reach 30.  The Gatari raised as cattle live about three years. (This practice, however, has been abolished by Koralia, their new ruler.)

Gatari dung is called pah'. It is also a main ingredient in their building material, as it too contains much calcium. Pah' is also a derogatory term, and unworthy Gatari are often called Nak Pah’ (male dung) or Tan Pah’ (female dung). Gatari in training are also referred to as Gatari Pah' or dung warriors/shitty warriors.

Facial features

The Gatari have two eyes, nostrils that open and close, and have two mouths. One located on the face like humans and the main one located in the throat. The first is used primarily for drinking and nibbling. The other is used to wolf down large pieces and break bones. When not in use, the throat mouth is hidden.

They can shape their “shells” to grow as they wish by sculpting them. Their shells are very strong. They can also affect the pigmentation of their body.

Types of Gatari

Most Gatari are bipedal. Those born with four or six legs usually rise up in rank faster because they are naturally stronger. The Gatari can reach heights of 6 to 12 feet tall (excluding their head crest). The Gatari Nak’To (their supreme ruler) usually have six legs, but the one who ruled at the onset of the Gatari/Human war (year 2016 AD) had four. Koralia, the current ruler (year 2392 AD), is bipedal.

Sexuality

The Gatari sexual organs are located on what humans would call their stomach. They consist of three superimposed flaps of flesh. Under these flaps, the female carries approximately 30 eggs.

When the female is ready to mate, the flaps swell and expose the eggs. The male’s flaps respond in turn, and the male locks his flaps with the female’s. The female flaps open from the bottom, while the male’s from the top. In this fashion, they can lock flaps.

After a successful mating, the female’s flaps will turn red. The eggs are then incubated for three months, upon which they are expelled.

The Gatari are a sexual race, where procreation and pleasure are two distinctive things. Procreation does not produce much pleasure and is only regarded as a necessity.

Females are fertile 3 times a year and each can produce around 100 offspring yearly. In ancient times, the eggs were  released in the oceans and most did not survive, thus keeping the population manageable. In the recent past, the eggs were laid in large vats and all came to survive. With this over-abundance of nahthas available, the Gatari kept the majority as food. They argued that had they been spawned in the oceans, most would have perished anyway.

Gatari are NOT sexually compatible with Humans. Their physiology is far too different that neither could find pleasure in the other.

Technology

                                                                            

       Nest ship                                 Scout ship                         To(k)nar      To(k)or    
  
Their technology is mainly borrowed from other conquered races. Among the most impressive of items in their possession are their Nest Ships, which can carry close to one million Gatari in stasis. These ships are equipped with jump drives that allow them to enter warped space without reaching light speed. Regular ships possess standard drives.

Gatari can fly in space with a sort of jetpack fashioned to look like part of their exoskeleton. They do not wear spacesuits but by immersing themselves in a special resin called, jakka,  their bodies can withstand the ravages of space for hours, although a respirator is needed.

Their primary fighting weapon is called a Tokanar. This triangular sword-like weapon has a rounded side, similar to a baseball bat, and a bladed side. Unlike regular swords, the rounded side is the main hitting side. The bladed side can only be used when back swinging. The rounded side does not reach to the top of the sword, allowing its tip to be used for stabbing. The weapon carries most of its weight forward and is not well-balanced when compared to Human standards.

Nahthas

                                                               

       Male Gatari and Female Nahtha                                 Gatari and two Nahthas on Nicci's ship

Nahtha is a term used to describe all Gatari slaves. There were few male nahthas in the old empire.  When the males reach their first year, if they show promise, they will be sent to train as Gatari and will be referred to as Gatari Pah’ or dung warriors (crappy/shitty warriors). If they are deemed worthless, they must show useful skills or will become part of the food chain. This, however, has changed under Koralia's rule. Males and females now have equal opportunities.

Nahtha are chosen to serve prominent Gatari until they become of age (around six years old) when their flaps start producing eggs. Being chosen is a privilege because one has been spared from the food chain for a few more years, but if the mature female nahtha does not produce eggs before her fifth year is up, she will be deemed unproductive.

If she becomes fertile, she will serve as a vessel for as long as she produces eggs, if not, she will be sent to the food chain unless she shows promise in skilled labour. Those showing promise are trained to do manual work that Gatari cannot do because of their size. The most promising will be sent to pilot Gatari ships.

If a female decides to become a warrior, she must abandon her diet of mamms (mammals) in exchange for warrior food. By doing so, she starts to develop an exoskeleton and strength. When she thinks herself ready, she must challenge a male warrior and win to be accepted as a warrior. Since there are no rules as to whom you may challenge, most opt for the weakest male they can find. They must also devour part of their opponent’s shell after the battle to gain his strength. Few attain warrior status because competing with male Gatari is very difficult. That is why, to this day, there has never been a Gatari Tan’ To (Great Female Warrior).

If a nahtha succeeds in becoming a warrior, she will lose the name of nahtha and become Gatari Tan (Female Warrior). She will also choose a name for herself so that others may know of her when they hear of her deeds. As a Gatari Tan, she can own nahtha of her own. To become nahtha to a Gatari Tan is deemed desirable. Gatari Tan know the hardships of being nahtha and will protect their own from the males. They will often choose mates for their nahtha instead of letting any male have them.

A Gatari Tan is not subject to male authority over mating. They are in full control of their reproductive life. Some occasionally seek mating partners, but most prefer to experience the pleasures of the body and ignore the swelling of their flaps.

A nahtha’s duties include maintaining their Gatari’s lodgings, dismembering the cattle to edible size and servicing all his needs especially his physical pleasures, sometimes for hours on end. If your warrior is pleased with your skills, he may even return the pleasure.

The "Food Chain"

The Food Chain is what Gatari slaughterhouses are called. It is where the dead are recycled as food. In the past, the Gatari were all anthopophagous and all who were deemed inferior or useless could be sent to be part of the Food Chain. Today, the Food Chain still remains, but only the dead are sent there. It is considered a duty to have one's body become a part of the Food Chain after one's death.

Although most species find the practice appalling, the Gatari and Nahtha see it as a necessity in order to preserve their worlds' ecosystems.

Speech

Hearing a Gatari speak sounds a lot like growls and clicks. In fact, most "k" sounds in Gatari are really clicks produced by the teeth of their throat mouth. Words like Tokanar are really supposed to be To(k)nar where the "k" is a click. The "k" is also a conjunction with various meaning.  ie: Gatari (k) to(k)nar ("Gatari's tokanar" or "Gatari and tokanar" or "Gatari with tokanar").

Weaknesses: Their ventral flaps (sexual organs) can be breached due to their softness. Their exoskeleton is highly resistant, but can be pierced with armour piercing rounds.

Known Gatari: Gorna(k)

First appearance: Novel Grey Legacy 

First visual appearance:  The Return of Gaia Force #5 
 
Other appearances: A Tale of...#1