A evidência neste caso parece ser contraditória. Em Q Quem quando os Borg são apresentados como o único planeta que o A empresa faz a varredura teve toda a população senciente removida:
A survey of the only Class M planet in the system reveals that while there was once a civilization there, it has been ripped away from the planet, "identical to what happened to the outposts along the Neutral Zone."
De fato, todas as colônias da Federação atacadas pelos borgs não tiveram sobreviventes:
When the Enterprise arrives at the edge of the Neutral Zone, they find that a number of outposts have been completely obliterated. There is no evidence of conventional weapons or attack. The Neutral Zone
"Captain's log, Stardate 43992.6. Admiral Hanson and Lieutenant Commander Shelby of Starfleet Tactical have arrived to review the disappearance of New Providence colony. No sign remains of the nine hundred inhabitants." The Best Of Both Worlds
No entanto, no episódio da Voyager Child's Play , a raça de Icheb foi atacada pela Borg. Sua civilização uma vez avançada foi dizimada e reduzida a uma sociedade agrária dispersa. Apesar do fato de que seu planeta fica na entrada de um canal transorgível de Borg, quando os borgs devastaram sua civilização, eles claramente não assimilaram nem mataram todos os habitantes. De fato, os Brunali parecem ser atacados com bastante frequência, e tomaram medidas contrárias extremas para tentar tornar-se desagradáveis à assimilação.
A única determinação a que posso chegar quando considero esta evidência é que, em alguns casos, os borgs se esforçam para não erradicar completamente uma espécie, muito provavelmente quando essa raça mostra o potencial de avanço adicional mais tarde. No caso das colônias e outposts da Federação que foram destruídos em The Next Generation, os Borg provavelmente (corretamente) supuseram que esses pequenos assentamentos não eram o fim de suas espécies, e como tal não havia razão para não assimilar cada última pessoa. lá.Voyager arrives at the Brunali homeworld. Seven is present on the bridge, helping to take scan data of the planet's surface. The planet is Class M, usually the mark of a very idyllic world. But there is a huge problem: a Borg transwarp conduit less than a light year away, which Seven detects. This explains Ensign Harry Kim's scan data of the population distribution: only scattered settlements, each with less than 10,000 people. This region of space is a Borg thoroughfare; the Brunali people live in constant, extreme danger.
...
Seven, Icheb, Tuvok and Captain Janeway beam down to the surface. The view is both breathtaking and foreboding; on the horizon is the ruin of an apparently technologically advanced city. Before them is a vast, deep canyon, as if the ground, and whatever was on it, had been literally scooped up and away.
...
Seven inquires as to how the Borg got [Icheb]. He sadly tells her: Since the Borg first attacked, they have been careful to hide any new technology, so that passing Borg cubes would pass the planet straight.
...
Seven asks the question the entire bridge crew gets in mind from that statement: Alone, on an unarmed transport? They respond that they are using the only weapon they have against the Borg, not having powerful starships like Voyager at their disposal: their genetic expertise.
...
Leucon angrily explains that every time they begin to rebuild, to make progress, the Borg come and take it away. ... "You have no right to interfere!" Leucon shouts. "We're trying to save our civilization!" Yifay pipes in. Janeway glares at them icily. Seven accusingly tells them that they are trying to do so by depriving Icheb of his future. "If we don't stop the Borg, the Brunali have no future!"