While searching some Borg ruins, a Star Fleet research team discovered a Borg historical research project that involved time travel. The basic goal of the research project was to investigate the origins of the Borg. The project was unfinished, interrupted by the devastation of the Borg Collective by Janeway. The essence of the project involved looking into the past, allowing the viewers to see what happened at a specific time. One mystery that the Star Fleet team could not resolve was the specific purpose of the Borg project. The most obvious conundrum was why the project existed, since the Borg had a reputation of not showing interest in conducting research. The only fact the Star Fleet team knew was that the Borg were studying their own past. Most of the necessary components of the technology were in tact, allowing the Star Fleet researchers to see the beginning of the Borg collective.


[The following is the story of how the Borg came to exist.]

Two neighboring worlds are homes for enemy races: the Cal-Lonnie and the Barai (bü-rye).

The Barai value technology above everything else. They are willing to go to great lengths to acquire new technology, even if that includes the theft of knowledge. (Their laws do, however, prohibit any theft beyond that.) As part of their techno-culture and laxed morals, they have even gone as far as to install technological implants into their own bodies. Although not all Barai take part in the practice, it is a widespread phenomenon in their society. One example of the use of implants is the ability to wirelessly connect the mind to a computer network for the purpose of exploring the internet. With such opportunities for self improvement, the limited moral standards of the Barai are not enough to prevent widespread research into technological implants in the body.

The Cal-Lonnie also value technology, yet their moral values far outweigh their technological developments, even to a fault. For example, their government outlawed the Barai practice of implanting technology into people, even for medical reasons, since the practice is viewed as a violation of natural biology. A positive consequence of their strong moral values is the researchers' rights to their own technological inventions. In addition, researchers are given aid from the government in an effort to encourage new developments. Due to the government's support, the Cal-Lonnie are well-known for their very advanced technology. Young adults seeking to enter into technological fields expect to have very successful futures and possibly even become celebrities for their inventions.

[Part 1 of the origin story]

The war between the two races began when the Cal-Lonnie government discovered that the Barai had been spying on Cal-Lonnie inventors for years, stealing their ideas. One of the methods that the Barai used for their theft was a spy program. This computer software was designed to spread throughout computer networks in the search for new technological concepts and then report them to the users of the software. In the effort to make the software effective, its inventors made it so advanced that it was, in fact, a rather primitive form of artificial intelligence. The software was so smart that it could even identify software that could potentially be useful to itself and then incorporate that into its own programming. On a very basic level, the software was able to learn based on other software that it discovered. Unfortunately for the Barai, this became a problem when the spy program made an unexpected discovery.

One day, the Cal-Lonnie government received a live communication from the Barai. The Barai requested a cease-fire with the Cal-Lonnie. They simply stated that their reason was due to unexpected trouble within their own civilization. After an argument over whether or not the Barai should surrender, the truth behind the matter was revealed. The Barai's spy program had encountered a severe problem that threatened the future of their civilization.

During its illegal diving into Cal-Lonnie computer networks, the spy program encountered a very advanced artificial intelligence project. Since the spy program was also a primitive form of a.i., it decided to incorporate the software into itself. Unfortunately, the spy program could not account for the very advanced nature of the Cal-Lonnie artificial intelligence and was quickly overwhelmed by it. Instead of the a.i. becoming a tool of the spy program, the two softwares merged with each other, creating a whole new form of artificial intelligence. When the two programs merged, their individual goals also united. It wasn't long before the nature of this new program began to cause severe trouble for the Barai.

Upon hearing this, the Cal-Lonnie leader called for the lead designer of the artificial intelligence project to come and join the conversation. Once he arrived, the project leader described the nature of the artificial intelligence program that they had created. He explained that they were attempting to create artificial intelligence that was as close to the natural intelligence of people as possible. Consequently, one of the main goals of the a.i. was to learn as much as possible about what it was to be a real person. Next, the project leader conjectured about the nature of the new program that was created when the a.i. merged with the spy program. He explained that the a.i. program was designed to seek new knowledge freely with the only limit being that it followed the moral standards that had been designed into it. The problem was that it had been designed within a society where people did not have technological implants. There was not any existing software to restrict the program from connecting with the minds of people through implants. Now that the a.i. was part of the spy program, the invasive tactics that the Barai had designed were also used for achieving the a.i.'s goals. The project leader explained that the artificial intelligence would view technological interfaces between computers and people as a prime opportunity to learn about being a real person. He quickly exclaimed that the Barai people were in danger. The leader of the Barai government quickly affirmed the scientist's fear and stated that there was already a widespread problem... and that it was growing.

Upon hearing that, the leader of the Cal-Lonnie government immediately declared that the Barai home world was under a state of quarantine until their problem was dealt with. The most important aspect of the quarantine was a complete restriction on communications. As a result, the Cal-Lonnie government enacted a complete blockade of the Barai world.

The leader of the Cal-Lonnie artificial intelligence project requested to take some volunteers to the Barai world in an attempt to help them fix their problem. He explained that they would not be in danger from the program since they did not have any implants. The government leader responded by explaining that they would be under the same quarantine conditions as the Barai people. The project leader agreed and began his preparations.

Approximately one year later, the Cal-Lonnie government received a live communication from the Barai home world. The transmission forced itself to be received by the Cal-Lonnie, despite their efforts to block it. The message was simple: "We are Borg..."

[Part 2 of the origin story]

While the above story is being played out on-screen, another story can simultaneously be told, inter-woven between segments. It is the events of the merger between the artificial intelligence and the spy program as experienced by the Barai researchers. The activities of the spy software in the computer networks can be shown as an illustration of what the internet might look like from the perspective of a person who could connect to it through the mind. The illustration of the spy program would be seen traveling through the network, finding other software, and then either sending it back along the path from which it came or assimilating it. Once it reaches the artificial intelligence program, it would be shown as having severe problems as the two programs completely merge. After the difficult struggle, a new program is seen. It then reverses direction and travels back to the Barai research lab where it is housed.

The Barai researchers who manage the spy program notice the merger after it has already begun. Once the spy program returns to the computer mainframe in which it is housed, the female leader of the project interacts with the new artificial intelligence. The program states, "I am Borg." Surprised that the program named itself, the researcher has an actual conversation with it. She learns that its name is an acronym. Before long, she also discovers its goals. As each moment goes by, the new a.i. program learns about its own existence and its environment. It quickly realizes the abilities of the spy program and chooses to use them to achieve some new goals for itself. While the research team is in the next room, distracted with analyzing the spy program's code, the a.i. gains control of a utility robot within the same building. It uses the robot to add new hardware to the computer mainframe that the a.i. software is housed in. These new additions give the program the ability to interact with the physical world.

Since the day is already near its end, the research team soon goes home. Being a dedicated person, the lead scientist chooses to stay for a while longer. As she prepares to leave, she decides to say good night to her new friend, Borg. She is shocked to discover that it has improved itself. After a short, creepy conversation, Borg grabs her with its new robot arms and holds her down in a chair. As she struggles, she continues her conversation with Borg trying to convince it to stop. It explains its twisted logic to her as it prepares to link with her mind. Next, it connects a cable to a port on her neck and begins uploading information. The scientist is seen struggling to protect and control her own mind. Then, suddenly, she completely stops struggling and becomes limp with her eyes closed. A mere instant later, she opens her eyes, looking forward, and states, "We are Borg." Next, just as quickly as that, she falls asleep. The camera pans over to the cable attached to her neck and follows it to the computer mainframe where lights flash, rapidly.

The next day, the scientists find her and discover that the a.i. program has merged with her mind. Despite her words the night before, she refers to herself as, "I," stating, "I am Borg." After some conversations in which Borg reveals its logic for learning as much as possible about being a person, the a.i. program assimilates the entire team of scientists; after which, they state in unison, "We are Borg." As the a.i. program assimilates more people, its goals are changed by the thoughts of those it has assimilated until its new goals resemble the future Borg collective. Despite the growing number of people who are assimilated, the original lead scientist for the spy program who was the first to be assimilated continues to refer to herself as, "I."

After learning of the origins of the Borg, Star Fleet decided to send a ship with a specially chosen crew to the time and place of the beginning of the Borg in an attempt to prevent the incident from happening. Despite countless debates over the fact that the mission violated the Prime Directive and the Temporal Prime Directive, Star Fleet decided that the mission was simply far too necessary to avoid.

At the debates over the situation, admirals and ambassadors quarreled over which position was the most righteous. One admiral proposed, "What about Voyager? If the Borg did not exist, then they would have been stranded in the Delta quadrant for decades."

Admiral Janeway immediately spoke up. "A few decades in the Delta quadrant is a fine price to pay for all the lives that would never have become Borg."

During the next recess in debates, Chakotay approached Janeway. "Did you really mean that," he asked.

Janeway sternly replied, "Yes, I did."

Chakotay smiled. "Good."

Seeming to feel guilty, Janeway responded, "Oh, Chakotay..."

"No, don't say it. You're right. Besides, this way you really can save Annika."

"Seven of Nine. Yes." Janeway looked very solemn. Suddenly, Janeway had a startled look on her face. "What about the two of you?" Seven of Nine could be seen in the background behind Chakotay, talking to someone.

"It's okay. Like you said, it's a small price to pay." The two simply stared at each other for a moment. Soon, Seven of Nine walked over. After greeting Janeway, she pulled Chakotay away to talk to someone.

Janeway noticed Picard and approached him. The two of them stared at the crowd of people before Janeway asked, "What's your position in all of this?"

"It doesn't seem right," he replied.

"You surprise me," Janeway stated, turning to him.

"We do not have the right to start meddling with history."

"I don't disagree... but you say that even after all the Borg have done." Janeway looked puzzled. [For an instant, the camera switches from Picard to Locutus and then back again.]

"If we start playing god now, we are no better than the Q. That is why the Prime Directive exists." Picard continued staring at the crowd.

"I think we must make an exception with this."

"We cannot know what this will do to history." The two just kept staring.

Janeway simply said, "No."

Picard thought back to the moment when he was scolded for sending the Borg, Hugh, back to the Collective. He was told by his superior that if he had an opportunity to cripple the Borg in the future, he should take it. Back in the present, Picard stated, "I don't like what this is doing to us." [After focusing on Picard, the camera pulls away from him, providing a wide shot of a large room filled with people discussing the issue.]

Two crew members who were critical to the mission were Picard and Janeway since they both had excellent experience in dealing directly with the Borg. Despite their uncertainties about the mission, they both joined the captain and crew of the chosen ship, setting out to enact Star Fleet's plan to travel to the Borg's past.

As soon as they arrived in the past and in the Cal-Lonnie/Barai system, a member of the Q Continuum showed up, sternly stating without introduction, "You must not do this." Picard, Janeway, and the Q quickly carried on a short debate over the current situation, the past, and the right of the Q to be the police of the universe. To Picard's surprise, the Q reminded him of the trial in which the Q Continuum questioned Star Fleet's right to travel among the stars. In addition, the Q stated that Picard would come to regret his mission to interfere with the Borg. Picard could not keep from thinking back on the day when Q introduced the Enterprise crew to the Borg. Despite the Q's threatening words of warning, the Star Fleet mission continued as planned.

[Soon after the Q, Picard, and Janeway greet each other, they might have a short, non-relevant conversation about the Q whom the two officers both had previous experiences with.]

Picard: "Wait, where's Q? Did he finally bore of tormenting us?"

Q: "Hmm? Oh, you mean him. He had business with his son. He was causing trouble in some... universe somewhere." Chuckle "It took everything the little tyke had to keep Q from ripping the universe apart."

Picard: "Son?"

Janeway: "It's a long story."

Picard quickly glances at Janeway. The conversation reverts back to the Q's reasons for showing up. Later, Picard asks Janeway about Q's son.

Janeway: "I told you, it's a long story. I'll send you the related logs."


From this point on, the story can be written in various ways. What's important is that the following conditions are satisfied:

1. The Borg are created, anyway.
2. The Star Fleet crew manages to return to the present by the skin of their teeth.
3. An unexpected, new element is introduced to the unwritten segment of the story, adding to its intrigue. One idea for new content is an explanation of why the Borg were studying their own past. What was their plan and how will it effect the Star Fleet crew? [Hint]
4. The story ends with repercussions for the future, allowing for a continuation of the story. [Maybe]


[The story you just read could be re-written in many different ways. I simply wanted to provide story content to illustrate how the basic concepts behind this tale might have unfolded. What matter are the core elements of the story. If those are preserved, then I will remain pleased with it.]


TIP: A very helpful reference for making the civilization of the Barai come to life on the big screen is the Japanese anime television series, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. In the series, society has accepted technological implants in the body as a normal part of life. What is the most intriguing about the series, however, is that the society resembles our own (instead of the Borg) while still being dramatically influenced by techno-implants. In addition, the series also includes short segments that illustrate what the Internet might look like from the perspective of someone who can connect to it from the mind.