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How Would You Have Handled The Borg Threat?

Honestly, I've always felt the queen worked better as a sort of avatar for the collective, and was irked by the suggestion that she had a will of her own.

Though I was kind of okay with "Destiny"'s interpretation of the situation.
 
@M.A.C.O. so sorry we kind of went on a tangent! I still feel I love how Jean-Luc did things, and I completely agree with him how you can't commit genocide, even when your enemy's trying to do so to you. I sadly disagree with you @Mojochi, because in Descent we saw many liberated Borg wanting to join Hugh, they were just lost and confused so they followed Lore and allowed him to control him, but without him I feel more would've followed Hugh? I'd love to see whatever became of his colony?
There a number of TNG episodes that deserved to have had a sequel, imo. "Descent" is one of them.

I too would like to know what happened to Hugh and his colony after Picard left them at the end of the episode.

Btw, I thought Picard had an obligation to assist Hugh and his band of drones in some way, since it was Picard who liberated them. I remember in TOS "Return of the Archons", Kirk left behind a team of specialists on the planet to help the population get back on their feet after Kirk liberated them from Landru, actually the Landru computer.
 
I agree that Picard should have helped, but Hugh made it clear he was not a big fan of them because of what happened. Many of the other former drones probably felt the same, so any help by Picard and company would have offered might likely have not been taken.

Plus, we don't know if Picard did offer help offscreen. It's hard not to picture him at least making the offer.
 
I wonder whether Picard ultimately was second-guessing his decision to liberate Hugh. It would somewhat explain his apparent change of heart between this point in time and FC.
 
I have always had a problem with Picard not using the program on Hugh but you have to take into account the tone of Next Gen. There was no way in hell the producers of that show would ever make an episode where that happens.

However, if you really take a hard look at the Borg threat, it is the action they should have taken. The Borg represented the greatest threat to the Federation at that time. It's not like the Romulans or the Cardassians, who you could reason with and/or establish diplomatic ties with. 100% of the collective is, in effect, their military. There are no Borg civilians to worry about. They should have taken whatever means necessary to end that threat forever and if that means introducing a virus to wipe them out, or at the very least cripple them, then you do it.
I completely agree. As a former Naval Officer, you take the actions that are necessary to limit the destructive and operational force of your enemy. Picard knows damn well, much better than most, how the Borg operate and what they are capable of. While I agree the producers of the show would never approve of a script that would effectively convey a message that would ultimately be sent with implementing the virus plan, in reality, it is what Picard would have done.
 
Does that extend as far as genocide?
Is what allied forces did to the Nazi and Imperial Japanese forces genocide? I know that the vast majority of German and Japanese people survived, and I know that it is not a fair or equal comparison, (It's just what came to my mind at the moment) however, what if the only way to stop them was to annihilate them. The Borg roam the galaxy and conquer all that come into contact with them. The only way to stop them, is to try to aim for their total destruction and annihilation. It is kill or be killed with the Borg. I for one would rather die, than be assimilated or assist the Borg in any of their endeavors.
 
For the very reasons you stated, I don't think it's reasonable to compare the attacks against Germany and Japan to genocide.

But let's say the Japanese had kept on fighting even once largely contained...where would it have ended? If the US had more bombs available, would they have deployed them? At some point I think nuking Japan probably would hit an unacceptable level even if they were refusing to surrender.
 
For the very reasons you stated, I don't think it's reasonable to compare the attacks against Germany and Japan to genocide.

But let's say the Japanese had kept on fighting even once largely contained...where would it have ended? If the US had more bombs available, would they have deployed them? At some point I think nuking Japan probably would hit an unacceptable level even if they were refusing to surrender.
We only had the three original bombs, Fatman, Little Boy and the bomb tested at Trinity. Japan had no way of knowing this, so our bluff worked. Forcing them into surrender after bombing them a second time at Nagasaki was done purely to show our military might and our eagerness to get them to surrender. The use of nuclear weapons upon Japan at the end or WWII actually saved many lived, on both sides. An invasion of their sovereign soil would have been catastrophic. If Japan had not surrendered, and continued to fight, regardless, according to the Bushido Code, then they would have been relentless. At what point do we just allow them to invade and attempt to kill or conquer without defending our existence and our way of life. I do not condone violence, I feel it should only be warranted as a last resort, however sometimes it is needed to repel those who impose hostility and wish to harm others. In some cases, while rare and extreme, it is necessary to employ the use of violence in an effort to preserve some things that are truly worth preserving. With the Borg, it is kill or be killed.
 
Does that extend as far as genocide?
Question: Do you consider the Borg to be a race/species?

They only exist by kidnapping, mutilating and implanting cybernetics throughout a victim's brain and body.
Not to dissimilar to the Cybermen's M.O. on Doctor Who.
 
I consider the Borg victims.

Perhaps barring any who, separated from the Collective, would immediately wish to start it up again.
 
I consider the Borg victims.

Perhaps barring any who, separated from the Collective, would immediately wish to start it up again.
Similar to what I said earlier in the thread. The Borg are both victim and victimizer. Cyborg zombies are are made to be dependent on the Collective hive mind and dependent on the implants. I rewatched I' Borg and The Gift, and both Seven and Hugh had to have several brain implants removed and some reinstalled because they would die without them.

It is an ugly thing one must consider when dealing with the Borg.
 
Does that extend as far as genocide?
If all the Humans (one example) held by the Borg were killed by the cyber-virus, there would still be humans, because the majority of Humans are not Borg. So no genocide there.

The only way there would be genocide is if the only remaining examples of a given species were all Borg.
 
It can be a touchy subject, for sure. And, I believe that if it were the Borg against just one other species, it would also change things. But its not. I am not aware of any species that knew of the Borg, that was not at war with them. When the entire Galaxy is trying to destroy them, even your enemies, I think that means something.
I also do not consider the Borg to be their own species. As they are made up of other species and their growth is directly dependent on the assimilation of other species. They take people in by force, there is no recruiting or application process to join.
I feel these are pretty distinct markers for who the Borg are, and what they represent. Even if they had their own section of space that they stayed in, and only assimilated those who entered. But they constantly are invading other species areas. And it is invading, not exploring.
I would agree that a solution that would free those who had been assimilated would be preferable.
That's how I see it anyways.
 
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Depends on how many groups are built into the four shift duty rotation.

If it's three groups, then you would work 6 hours, have 12 hours off, and then return to duty.

IIRC, American submarines have three shifts, with two groups. 8 hours on and 8 hours off.
 
Depends on how many groups are built into the four shift duty rotation.

If it's three groups, then you would work 6 hours, have 12 hours off, and then return to duty.

IIRC, American submarines have three shifts, with two groups. 8 hours on and 8 hours off.
Still seems like more frequent opportunity to rest, even with the scanter crew. I don't know if you've ever seen troops out & about. They could likely fall asleep on a 3 foot pile of thumb tacks lol
 
How Would You Have Handled The Borg Threat?

Probably the Sisko way. Planting false evidence they are planning to take over the Q continuum and hoping the Q don't come knocking on my door telling me that it's a faaaaaaaaake ....
 
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