The Borg Collective is the term used to define the forced combined consciousness of trillions of individuals, using technology. The Borg are distinguished by their collective consciousness (often heard by a chorus of voices), their fusion of biological matter and technology, and their driving principle to assimilate all knowledge or eradicate threats, without regard to ethics.
The Borg are led by a figurehead, known as the Borg Queen. The Queen directs the actions of each Borg unit, and assigns priorities and tasks via subspace communications. No Borg drone or unit can function without being connected to the Collective, as witnessed in the kidnapping of Locutus shortly after the Battle of Wolf 359.
The Borg are also easily identified by their iconic vessels, whose basic shapes underscore their massive destructive potential. The Borg Cube was the first identified Borg vessel by Alpha Quadrant powers, and one was historically defeated above Earth by the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701-D).
A resurgence of Borg activity has forced the major and rising interstellar powers of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants to begin negotiations to counter a Borg threat.
Culture
The group consciousness of the Borg civilization is created by linking each Borg individual, or drone, to the collective by a sophisticated subspace network that ensures each member is given constant supervision and guidance. The collective is broadcast over a subspace domain similar to that utilized by transporter technology. Being part of the collective offers significant biomedical advantages to the individual drones. The mental energy of the group consciousness can help an injured or damaged drone heal or regenerate damaged body parts or technology. This is instrumental in the Borg ability to adapt with great speed to defensive tactics used against them.
History
- The Borg were first noticed by the Romulan and Federation when several of their outposts along the common Neutral Zone were "removed" by an unknown power in 2364.
- In 2365 the omnipotent being known as Q introduced the U.S.S. Enterprise-D to the Collective, giving Starfleet time to prepare countermeasures in case the Borg should decide to strike against the Federation.
- A single Borg Cube rampaged through the Beta Quadrant in late 2366, leaving a trail of devastation on course to Earth. Jean-Luc Picard was assimilated by the Borg into Locutus of Borg and helped them to overcome any defense Starfleet could devise. This resulted in the devastating Battle of Wolf 359, where more than 40 Federation and Klingon Starships were destroyed. In an desperate attempt to disrupt the Borg Collective, Locutus was retrieved from the Cube and Data managed to implant a fatal command into the hive consciousness ultimately resulting in the destruction of the Cube in orbit of Earth. The Borg Queen was on board when the ship was destroyed.
- A second invasion in 2373 was averted by the U.S.S. Enterprise-E after the Borg traveled back in time to prevent the first contact between Humans and Vulcans. The Borg Queen was killed by Captain Picard in 2063. The wreckage of the Borg vessel would be discovered in the 22nd century leading to a predestination paradox when the regenerated Borg sent the coordinates of Earth to the Delta Quadrant.
- The U.S.S. Voyager has had several dealings with the Borg. In 2373 the Borg would attempt to expand into the parallel dimension known as Fluidic Space, causing an all out war with the Undine, an enemy that could resist any attempt of assimilation. Kathryn Janeway liberated the drone known as Seven of Nine and repelled the Undine invasion of the Milky Way.
- The Borg Queen's vessel, the Diamond, was destroyed by Voyager in 2375.
- When an alternate 2404 version of Kathryn Janeway travels back in time to 2378 to allow Voyager to get back home faster than possible in the original timeline. A fatal blow is dealt to the Collective when the Unicomplex is infected by her with a neurolytic pathogen. The Borg Queen is forced to self-destruct the whole complex, dying in the process. Retrofitted with technology from the future, Voyager fought her way through the disrupted Borg forces and used a Borg Transwarp Hub to return to the Alpha Quadrant, ending her seven-year journey through the Delta Quadrant.
- Borg activity declines and completely ceases to register in 2383 to the knowledge of Starfleet. The Collective is believed to have been defeated permanently.
- The Collective returns in force, invades Vega Colony and creates a foothold in the Gamma Orionis Sector Block of the Alpha Quadrant in 2409. Despite these incursions, the invasion can be contained by the Federation, as well as Klingon and Romulan Republic forces.
- Due to the resurgence of Borg activity, Starfleet, Klingon, Deferi, and Cardassian representatives met at Deep Space Nine to begin negotiations. Unfortunately, the conference was disrupted due to the unexpected appearance of a Dominion War-era Jem'Hadar fleet.
Politics
The Collective is determined by the single imperative to perfect its life-form biologically and technologically, and to assimilate and incorporate knowledge to achieve perfection. The Borg Collective, in certain cases, creates a representative to speak for the Borg, as in the case of Locutus and Seven of Nine.
The Borg Queen, almost resembling a person, is the manifestation of the hive consciousness. It is her task "to bring order to chaos". It is not clear to what extent she is able to formulate thoughts and imperatives outside the collective hive consciousness, and how exactly she is able to implement policies.
Missions Involved
- “Communication Breakdown”: The player discovers the staging area of a Borg invasion of the Alpha Quadrant in the Pollux System.
- “Assimilation of the Innocent”: The Borg launch their invasion, targeting the Vega System.
- “Sleepers”: Romulan Republic players, acting as a double agent within the Tal Shiar, board a disabled Cube in the T'liss System.
- “Where Angels Fear to Tread”: The player rescues the crew of the I.R.W. Areinnye from Borg attack in the Burgus System.
- “A Gathering Darkness”: The player rescues a research team from the Borg-assimilated world of Omicron Kappa II.
- “Assimilation”: The player must prevent the Borg from devising a method of assimilating the Undine.
- “Fluid Dynamics”: The player joins a joint fleet tasked with halting a Borg invasion of Fluidic Space.
- “Empire Defense Against Borg Invasion”: Klingon Empire players seek and engage Borg vessels hiding in the T'Kanis Nebula.
- Borg Invasion of Defera: The Borg launch a large-scale invasion of the Deferi homeworld.
- “Infected: The Conduit”: The Borg invade the Sibiran System and attack Starbase 82.
- “Infected: Manus”: The player boards Starbase 82 to rescue any survivors.
- “The Cure Applied”: The player rescues the crew of the I.K.S. Kang and a cure for the Borg nanovirus.
- “The Cure Found”: The player protects the I.K.S. Kang from attack by the Borg until they can escape.
- “Khitomer Vortex”: The player must halt a Borg temporal incursion in the Quadra Sigma System.
- “Khitomer in Stasis”:
- “Into the Hive”: The player infiltrates a Borg Unicomplex to take on the Borg Queen.
- “Hive Onslaught”: The Queen retreats to her flagship to make her final stand.
- “Borg Disconnected”: The player joins the Cooperative in preventing the resurrected Borg Queen from re-integrating liberated Borg ships into the Collective.
- “Friends in Unlikely Places”: The player assists Hugh and the Cooperative in liberating the crews of several Borg vessels in the Jarleth System. The player also searches the Borg Battlefield for clues as to who was responsible for decimating an entire Borg fleet with no losses.
Military
Starships
Ground forces
Bosses
- Borg One Zero One ( “Assimilation of the Innocent”)
- Tactical Cube ( “Infected: The Conduit”)
- Manus of Borg ( “Infected: Manus”)
- Armek of Borg ( “The Cure Applied”)
- Assimilated Carrier ( “The Cure Found”)
- I.R.W. Valdore ( “Khitomer Vortex”)
- Tosk of Borg ( “Khitomer in Stasis”)
- Borg Queen ( “Into the Hive”)
- Borg Queen's Octahedron ( “Hive Onslaught”)
External links
- Borg Collective at Memory Alpha, the Star Trek Wiki.
- Borg Collective at Memory Beta, the non-canon Star Trek Wiki.
Factions by Quadrant
| |
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α | Breen Confederacy • Cardassian Union • Deferi • Drantzuli • Federation (Starfleet) • Ferengi Alliance • Kentari Union • Lukari Concordium • Na'kuhl • Tholian Assembly • True Way Alliance • Tzenkethi Coalition |
β | Federation (Starfleet • DSC Starfleet • TOS Starfleet) • Gorn Hegemony • Iconian • Klingon Empire (Klingon Defense Force) • Klingon Empire Rebels • Klingons (2256) • Nausicaan • Orion Syndicate • Romulan Republic • Romulan Star Empire • Reman Resistance • Son'a • Vulcan |
γ | Dominion • Fek'Ihri Horde • Hur'q |
Δ | Automated Personnel Unit • Benthan • Borg Collective • The Cooperative • Bluegill • Hazari • Hierarchy • Hirogen • Kazon • Kobali • Krenim • Malon • Ocampa • Octanti • Talaxian • Turei • Tuterian • Vaadwaur Supremacy • Voth |
Others | Borg Kingdom • Coalition • Creatures • Devidian • Elachi • Terran Empire • Undine (Species 8472) • Vorgon |