CONFLICT | |
Borg supercube crisis (Part of Conflict with the Borg) | |
The Borg supercube | |
Belligerents: | Borg Collective vs. United Federation of Planets |
Date(s): | 2380 |
Location(s): | Sector 10; Sector 108; Sector 001 |
Scale: | 1 Borg supercube against 36 Federation starships additional Federation starships and defenses encountered |
Result: | Federation victory |
The Borg supercube crisis was a series of engagements between a Federation fleet and a Borg supercube that occurred in 24th century. The crisis began in 2380 when a Borg supercube in Sector 10 began to regenerate itself. The cube remained inactive and was studied by Starfleet for some time, the drones were removed for study and by all reports the cube was considered dead. Unfortunately this was not the case, the cube itself developed and prepared, evolved beyond the capabilities of any cube before.
When Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway arrived to satisfy her curiosity of the cube's status, it attacked her and the USS Einstein, assimilating the starship and crew of the science vessel, making Janeway their new Queen, the supercube then laid in a course for Sector 001, with the intention using their new assimilation technique termed absorption, that was proven more efficient then the traditional assimilation, on Earth and eventually the rest of the Federation.
The reactivated cube drew the attention of Seven of Nine who heard the voices of the reactivated Borg. After she evaded the USS Thunderchild, Seven rendezvoused with Captain Jean-Luc Picard on board the USS Enterprise to establish a some type of defense against the supercube.
Sector 108 Stage[]
The cube's reactivation was discovered by the crew of the Thunderchild, a veteran of the Borg Incursion of 2373, who tried to intercept the supercube. Despite a valiant defense, the Thunderchild was absorbed by the supercube. This event was witnessed by Captain Antin Vargo of the Pride, who relayed his shipboard automatic log on an emergency broadband signal.
A Federation fleet was assembled to engaged the cube, the confrontation took place in Sector 108. Three dozen starships including the USS Intrepid-A engaged the cube on its way to Earth; they began their attack by targeting the position of a weak point that allowed Starfleet forces to destroy the Borg cube in the Battle of Sector 001 in 2373. The tactic did not work, indeed the weapons' impacts were merely absorbed into the cube and used to bolster its energy reserves.
After the opening barrage the cube made a dramatic acceleration, plowing into a group of starships and instantly absorbing them; increasing its mass and drone complement accordingly. The cube then used its tractor beams to snare the remaining vessels and absorb them as well.
However several ships, including the USS Nautilus and the USS Intrepid-A, managed to escape. After a mere ninety-seven seconds of engagement the ships in the Federation fleet were either scattered or destroyed. The supercube continued on its way towards Earth unhindered.
The extensive loss suffered by the Federation earned this encounter the infamous name of Slaughter of Sector 108.
Sol System Stage[]
After dealing with the Federation resistance forces in Sector 108, the Borg supercube reached sector 001. Its first action after entering the Sol system was to absorb the planet Pluto and its moons.
Upon attaining Earth orbit, the supercube communicated the Borg's demand to the Federation Council: In return for the delivery of Jean-Luc Picard and Seven of Nine, the Borg would leave Federation space.
After intercepting a communique between the Enterprise and Starfleet Command, the Queen realized that Picard and Seven were heading to Trophy World in hopes of activating the Doomsday Machine. Unwilling to send the supercube to intercept the Enterprise, the Queen flew the supercube into Sol to gather enough mass to spawn 6 smaller starships, which then moved to hold Earth hostage and intercept the Enterprise.
After this occurred, Lucius Fox a Federation Ambassador, acted against the Starfleet Command recommendations and attempted to negotiate a cease-fire with the Borg. Starfleet provided two ships as a symbolic escort for the Ambassador. They reached a safe distance from the supercube. Despite expectations, the Borg did not immediately absorb the runabout, much to Alynna Nechayev's surprise. Progress on negotiations was hidden from Starfleet due to the Borg scrambling all communication channels.
After a period of time, Fox communicated with Starfleet, telling them that he had achieved dialogue with the Borg Queen and that she assured him that there would be no hostile actions against Earth or any Federation world. Fox also stated that he offered the Borg a Federation petition if they wished to apply and as he said "there will be peace in our time...", four of the Borg-created ships opened fire on the runabout, destroying it and the escort ships immediately.
The Tide Turns[]
Once the supercube's spawned starships reached and engaged the Enterprise, Seven of Nine managed to reactivate the Doomsday Machine by becoming its new pilot. After destroying the starships attacking Enterprise, the Doomsday Machine took the Sovereign class ship in tow and set course to Earth at high warp speeds. The two ships rendezvoused with the the USS Excalibur-A, the USS Intrepid-A and a small Federation task force at the edge of the Sol system.
Picard assumed command and ordered the task force to engage the Borg starships while the Doomsday Machine would engaged the supercube. Both the Doomsday Machine and the Federation task force were able to inflict considerable damage on the Borg forces, but were soon overpowered.
The supercube, now greatly reduced in size thanks to the Doomsday Machine's anti-proton blaster, was able to maneuver behind the Machine where it began to absorb the device, incorporating the impervious neutronium hull into its own structure.
At this time a backup plan was already in motion within Seven of Nine, who had been previously injected with the same Endgame virus used by Janeway in 2378. Combined with Janeway's long dormant personality emerging for long enough to allow the virus to infect the supercube, the plan was a success as the supercube was destroyed. In the chaos that followed, the assimilated Einstein managed to escape the Sol system.
The aftermath[]
The destruction of the supercube also led to the death of Admiral Janeway. Soon after these events a memorial was held in San Francisco. Picard noted that it was one of the more impressive ones he had attended, but one too many. A memorial was also raised in Janeway's honor; a tall, gleaming pillar, with a burning light atop it.
Major Borg attacks on the Federation | ||
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2366-2367 Incursion • Battle of Sector 001 • 2376 Invasion • 2377 Invasion • Supercube Crisis • 2381 Invasion • 2382 Invasion • Borg Invasion of 2401 |