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An
immensely powerful race of enhanced humanoids from the Delta Quadrant of
the galaxy. The Borg implant themselves with cybernetic devices, giving
them great technological and combat capabilities. Different Borgs are equipped
with different hardware for specific tasks. Each Borg is tied into a sophisticated
subspace communications network, forming the Borg collective, in which the
idea of the individual is a meaningless concept. The Borg exhibit a high
degree of intelligence and adaptability in their tactics. Most successful
means of defense or offense against them were found to work only once, almost
immediately after which the Borg developed a countermeasure.
The Borg were responsible for the near-extinction of Guinan's people in the 23rd century.
The first known contact between the Borg and the Federation was in 2265, when
Q transported the Enterprise-D out of Federation space into the
flight path of a Borg vessel heading toward Alpha Quadrant.
Following this first contact, Starfleet began advance
planning for a potential Borg offensive against the Federation.
Lieutenant Commander Shelby was placed in charge of this project to
develop a defense strategy.The anticipated Borg attack came in late 2366, when a Borg
vessel entered Federation space, heading for Earth. Starfleet
tactical planners had expected at least several more months before
the Borg arrival, and thus were caught unprepared. Enterprise-D
Captain Jean-Luc Picard was captured by the Borg at the beginning
of this offensive. He was assimilated into the Borg collective
consciousness and became known as Locutus of Borg, providing
crucial guidance to the Borg in their attack.Starfleet massed an armada of some 40 starships in hopes of
stopping the Borg ship at Wolf 359, but the fleet was decimated
with the loss of 39 ships and 11,000 lives ("The Drumhead" [TNG]),
including the U.S.S. Saratoga. As Locutus, Picard explained that the Borg
purpose was to improve the quality of life in the galaxy by providing other
life-forms the benefit of being part of the Borg collective. Following the
rescue of Picard from the Borg ship, a last-ditch effort to implant a
destructive computer command into the Borg collective consciousness was
successful in destroying the Borg ship in Earth orbit.By 2368, at least two more Borg vessels were found to have
reached Federation territory when a crashed Borg scout ship was
discovered on the surface of a moon in the Argolis Cluster. One
surviving Borg, designated Third of Five, was rescued from the
crash by Enterprise-D crew personnel. This Borg, named Hugh by the
Enterprise-D crew, was nursed back to health. During Hugh's
convalescence, Enterprise-D personnel developed what they termed an
invasive program, which, when introduced into the Borg collective
consciousness, was designed to cause a fatal overload in the entire
collective. In the process, Hugh befriended Geordi La Forge, a
friendship that provided an argument that this invasive program,
effectively a weapon of mass murder, should not be used. Hugh was
then returned to the Argolis crash site, where he was rescued by
another Borg scout ship. Following the return of
Hugh, Hugh's new sense of individuality began to permeate a portion
of the collective. The results were dramatic: Deprived of their
group identity, individual Borg were unable to function as a unit.
The unexpected arrival of the android, Lore, changed this. Lore
appointed himself the leader of the Borg, and promised them he
would provide them with the means to become completely artificial
life-forms, free of dependence on organic bodies.In 2369, Lore led the Borg in launching a major new offensive
against the Federation. Utilizing transwarp conduits, they entered
Federation space in a ship of an unfamiliar design and attacked a
Federation outpost at Ohniaka III. During this offensive, the Borg
attacked with uncharacteristic anger, later found to be due to
Lore's influence. The offensive was halted when Lore was dismantled
by his brother, Data.In 2373
the Borg began a new invasion of the Federation using one Cubic shaped ship. An armada of ships
were able to destroy this ship with the help of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E after Captain Jean-Luc Picard decided to violate the orders
he was given not to come to battle the Borg. In the battle the U.S.S. Defiant was heavily damaged and it's crew was
rescued by the Enterprise-E. When the Borg ship exploded a sphere emerged
from the doomed ship and it went back in time to try stop first contact with the
Vulcan's and to assimilate earth. They were also involve with the coming into
our universe of Species 8472.
