Borg Collective - Starships (Star Trek)

The precise origins of the Borg are unclear. As of 1484 they were reported as controlling only a handful of systems in the Delta Quadrant, but by 2373 they had assimilated thousands of worlds. In addition to this stronghold in the Delta Quadrant, the Borg also dispatched vessels throughout the galaxy via transwarp conduits.

The first officially publicized Federation contact with a Borg cube took place in 2365, when the USS Enterprise-D encountered a single cube in System J-25. However, civilian researchers on board the USS Raven had previously tracked a Borg cube a decade earlier in 2353. (TNG: "Q Who"; VOY: "The Raven", "Dark Frontier")

A Borg drone is an assimilated being within the Borg Collective. These beings are enhanced through the use of Borg technology, connecting them to the hive mind and stripping away any individuality.

The Borg Collective is the term used to define the collective intelligence comprising all members linked together into a hive mind via subspace transceivers and calling themselves the Borg. It is the de facto governing power, as the term is considered by individuals, over all Borg civilization.

The Collective makes decisions as a single entity. However, the Borg Queen plays an as yet not totally understood role in ordering the chaos of the Collective and the information flowing in from its trillions of drones.

The Borg cube is one of the most formidable technologies known to the Federation. Its lack of identifiable function spaces such as a bridge, engineering, or personnel quarters. It not only carries "smart" weaponry that adapts, but it also can analyze an opponent's weapons systems and adapt defenses within seconds.

In terms of offense and defense, a Borg cube is a fleet in and of itself. Common capabilities of cubes include high warp (transwarp) capabilities, self-regeneration and multiple redundant systems, rapid adaptability to almost any assault, and various tractor beams and missile weapons.

Two basic styles of cube have been seen. The first, seen in The Next Generation, had an outer layer composed of a thin, mostly perpendicular framework of greebles, allowing a yellowish glow to emanate from within. The second, seen in Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Voyager, has a more solid-looking exterior with perpendicular and diagonal greebling, and less of a noticeable green inner light. The differences between the two types are due to enhanced detailing and use of computer-generated imagery between series.

The original concept for the Borg cube was conceived by Maurice Hurley (picture right) and designed by Rick Sternbach. The original studio model was built by Kim Bailey.

The Borg tactical cube ship is a heavily armored variant of the standard Borg cube. It was seen in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Unimatrix Zero, Part 1". The only differences between the two types are the large pieces of armor attached to the exterior.

First seen in the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Dark Frontier", this small, oblong-shaped Borg vessel is about half the size of an Intrepid-class Federation starship. It has about the same amount of firepower, and is capable of transwarp speeds.

In 2375, a Borg probe confronted the USS Voyager in an attempt to assimilate the ship and its crew. Voyager fought back, and at one point during the battle the probe was forced to remodulate its shields. During this vulnerable moment, Voyager beamed a photon torpedo aboard the probe which detonated near the power matrix, resulting in the probe's destruction.

The Borg scout ship is only several metres in length, width and depth, and holds a crew of five. A Borg scout ship was found by the crew of the Enterprise-D on a moon in the Argolis cluster in the episode "I, Borg" (TNG). Picture Right.