| File:Borg vinculum.png | |
| Series: | VOY |
| Season: | 5x07 |
| Original Airdate: | 25 November 1998 |
| Production Number: | 203 |
| Year: | 2375 |
| Stardate: | 52356.2 |
| Story by: | Bryan Fuller & Jimmy Diggs |
| Teleplay by: | Bryan Fuller |
| Directed by: | David Livingston |
The discovery of a Borg Vinculum causes Seven to develop a multiple personality disorder.
Summary
Continuing on course for home, Voyager's long range sensors detects a debris field from a Borg Cube. They decide to alter their course to avoid the debris, since the Borg tend to salvage materials and parts from their vessels.
However, as their general course takes them closer to the Borg vessel's debris field, Seven begins experiencing a form of multiple personality disorder where alternate personalities begin to manifest themselves. After several incidents witnessed by the crew, she is taken to sick bay to try to find the source of the neurological problem. Seven speculates that it could be due to an active and undamaged vinculum still in the debris field from the Borg vessel. Voyager alters course to retrieve the vinculum and investigate further. Once at the debris field, they find the vinculum, still active, and beam it aboard for inspection.
A synthetic pathogen that has infected the Borg vinculum
After beaming the vinculum on board Voyager, further scans reveal a synthetic pathogenic virus inhabiting it. After reviewing some data cubes, they deduced that the virus must have been introduced by the Borg Cube's last assimilation, a small vessel inhabiting some unnamed aliens referred to by the Borg as Species 6339. They attempt to locate more of these humuniods and establish contact with one them.
Once aboard Voyager, the aliens reveal their attempt to infect the Borg Collective with a virus designed to attack their systems. Thirteen of their people sacrificed themselves to be assimilated so they could spread the virus. Part of their plan depends on more Borg to find the vinculum and use it like a Typoid Mary to futher infect more Borg entities.
However, Captain Janeway wanted to keep the vinculum for a short period of time while they helped Seven recover from the vinculum's link. They decide to shut down the vinculum which was theorized would break Seven's link to it.
Meanwhile, B'Elanna and some others are having difficulty shutting down the vinculum. Seven struggles to maintain control of the personalities that continue to be manifested through her. Tuvok suggests a Vulcan mind meld, to help stablize her.
Unfortunately, shutting down the vinculum was against the aliens' wish, which began a small battle between the two ships. With consoles exploding around her from the firefight, B'Elanna continues to try to disable the vinculum's power. She finally succeeds, and the vinculum powers down and can no longer torment Seven. Once shut down, the vinculum is beamed into space, and the other ship breaks off the attack.
Memorable Quotes
"Captain, you can't actually be considering this Vulcan mambo-jambo!"
- - The Doctor, speaking about Vulcan mind meld
Links and References
Guest Stars
- Scarlett Pomers as Naomi Wildman
- Neil Maffin as Ven
- Erica Mer as Girl
References
47; Battle of Wolf 359; Gregory Bergan; Blackwood; Borg; Boylan; DaiMon; Ferengi; Ferengi Health Commission; Galaxy class; Kadis-kot; Kelaran wildebeest; Lorot; USS Melbourne; Do'Raq Merash; mess hall; Ryson; Seven of Nine; Species 6339; Stone; Subaltern; USS Tombaugh; Torrot; Tuvok; vinculum; Vulcans; Vulcan High Command; Vulcan mind meld; Naomi Wildman; Wolf 359
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