We are the Borg. Existence as you know it is over.
We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to ours.
Resistance is...
The Cardinal is a thief.
I delivered two portraits of his nephew
more than three months ago,
to be depicted in the heroic mode
of an Hercules or an Achilles,
so specified our contract.
I complied, making that young fool of a nephew look far more heroic
than nature ever intended.
An act on my part greater than anything accomplished by Hercules or Achilles.
And what have I, Leonardo da Vinci,
received in payment?
- The Cardinal's eternal gratitude? - Esatto!
In other words, less than nothing.
All the more reason why you
should accept my proposal.
The money is beside the point. Catarina, is it?
I'm only asking for a corner, one bench,
a place to work on my own projects, paintings, sculptures.
Just being in your company is inspiring.
Flattery, Catarina, is also beside the point.
Besides, I prefer my solitude.
- What will you call it? - The Arm Of Hephaestus.
The god of the forge.
Every blacksmith who has swung a hammer will thank me for this creation.
Someone once said, "All invention is but an extension of the body of man."
Do not think that just because I have enjoyed your visit today
that I am prepared to turn my workshop into a traveller's inn.
- Here, let me help you. - You will get covered in goose grease.
It's good for the skin.
Let's see if we can find his big brother. Hopefully, he'll be stronger.
Is this a flying machine?
I thought my imagination takes flight easily,
so my body can do the same. I was wrong.
It's this flapping approach.
You designed your machine to mimic the way a bat or a sparrow flies.
- So? - So what if you based it...
...on the hawk instead?
The hawk.
A creature that glides through the air.
We will design a new machine. And you, Catarina, will help me fly it.
- I'll need someplace to work. - A corner?
- One workbench? - That would be fine.
Ten scudi a week and provide your own materials.
Seven. And I might need to borrow a few things, on occasion.
- Then we have an agreement. - Chakotay to Janeway.
We need you in engineering.
- There's something you should see. - On my way.
Computer, end program.
- What is it? - Bad news.
The probe we sent out stopped transmitting.
I thought it was the communications grid,
then I cleared up the telemetry. Take a look at this.
This could be it, Captain. Borg space.
We don't know how many vessels are out there,
but their space appears to be vast.
It includes thousands of solar systems, all Borg.
We are entering the heart of their territory.
There's no going around it, but there may be a way through it.
Before the probe was disabled,
it picked up a narrow corridor of space devoid of Borg activity.
We called it the Northwest Passage.
But it is filled with gravimetric distortions,
caused by quantum singularities.
Better to ride the rapids than face the hive.
We'll set a course for it and go into Tactical Alert. What about weapons?
Phaser banks are reprogrammed to a rotating modulation.
- But the Borg will adapt quickly. - We can use every edge. Ensign?
The sensors will scan for transwarp signatures. An early warning system.
Good work. Doctor, how is the medical front?
I've analysed the Borg corpse we recovered three months ago.
I'm close to understanding their assimilation technology
and I may be able to create a medical defence.
Redouble your efforts. Top priority.
Neelix, can we resupply the ship any time soon?
No problem. I plan to extend our food and replicator rations.
We have to act fast. The Borg have captured one of our probes.
They know we're out here. We'll do all we can to avoid a direct confrontation,
but if and when we do engage the Borg, I'm confident we'll be ready.
I have faith in each and every one of you.
Let's do it.
Ensign, on the double!
Coming through.
Cut down the time taken to seal off the decks.
- In case we take on uninvited guests? - Increase force field magnitudes.
These injection tubules are the first step in their assimilation process.
They release nanoprobes into the bloodstream.
Maybe we can develop a protective shielding.
Unlikely. The tubules can penetrate any known alloy or energy field.
Which means our battle must be waged inside the body.
The first tissue attacked is the victim's blood. Assimilation is instantaneous.
They take over blood cell functions, like a virus.
We should try to enhance the immune system,
to create an assimilation antibody.
I doubt we can destroy the nanoprobes,
but we may be able to slow them down.
Let's try a submicron dissection on the probes,
see if we can discover the assimilation mechanism.
Kes, is something wrong?
Kes?
- I saw Borg. - You've had a telepathic experience?
There were bodies, dozens of them dead.
- How's Kes? - Unsettled and uncertain.
She has experienced several telepathic visions
about the death of Borg and Voyager's destruction.
- Premonitions? - Possibly.
We can't just ignore her intuition, but I see no reason to alter our plan.
I want you to keep an eye on...
Sensors are picking up transwarp signatures,
5.8 light years distant, closing from behind.
- Red Alert. - Evasive manoeuvres.
- What's happening? - We dropped out of warp.
- Engineering, what's going on? - I'm not sure.
Subspace turbulence is preventing us from creating a warp field.
- Turbulence increasing. - Two Borg vessels.
Make that three.
Four. No, five.
Fifteen Borg vessels. Distance, 2.1 light years and closing.
Shields to maximum. Stand by all weapons.
- They're in visual range. - On screen.
My God!
Captain.
I'm picking up a polaron beam. We're being scanned.
Think good thoughts.
The last cube has rejoined the others.
- Did we sustain any damage? - No. Shields held.
Warp engines on-line. All primary systems are stable.
Stand down Red Alert. Harry, maintain a sensor lock on that Borg armada.
They seemed to be in quite a hurry. I'd like to know what they're up to.
I'll take this near miss as a good omen. Resume our course, Mr Paris.
If we needed evidence we entered Borg space, we just got it.
I'll be in my Ready Room.
Yes, come in.
We completed the latest sensor sweep. So far, so good.
- The passage is clear of Borg activity. - I want to see a tactical update.
By my calculation, we haven't eaten since last night. Join me for dinner?
I'm not hungry. I've got a lot of work to do.
I see.
I've been looking through log entries of captains who encountered the Borg.
I've gone over every engagement, from when Q flung the Enterprise
into the path of that first cube to the massacre at Wolf 359.
Every battle, anything that might give me an insight into them.
- And? - In the words of Jean-Luc Picard...
"In their collective state, the Borg are utterly without mercy,
"driven by one will alone, the will to conquer.
"They are beyond redemption, beyond reason."
And then there's Captain Amasov of the Endeavour.
"The Borg are as close to pure evil as any race we've ever encountered.”
- What's so funny? - Nothing.
You're smiling. I've said something amusing.
- You sounded just like Amasov. - What?
While you read his log, you used his inflections.
- I did not. - Before that, you did a good Picard.
- Did I? - It's nothing to be ashamed about.
Echoing the Greats. Ensign Hickman does a passable Janeway.
If we survive the next few days, I'll have a chat with him.
Imitating the Captain? Surely that violates some kind of Starfleet protocol.
This day was inevitable.
We all knew it and we've all tried to prepare for the challenge ahead.
But at what point is the risk too great?
At what point do we retreat to friendly territory?
Could the crew accept living in the Delta Quadrant?
I keep looking to all these captains, my comrades in arms.
But the truth is I'm alone.
If that moment comes, we'll face it together.
And we'll make the right decision.
You're not alone, Kathryn.
Three years ago, I didn't even know your name.
Today I can't imagine a day without you.
Captain Janeway to the bridge.
- Gentlemen. - Something odd is going on.
Borg power signatures have terminated.
- All of them? - Dead in the water.
- 5.2 light years away. - Cause?
Unknown.
- Mr Paris. - Captain?
Set a course for their position. Warp two.
- We're approaching the ships. - Slow to impulse. On screen.
- Lifesigns? - A few, but they're erratic.
I'm detecting two residual weapons signatures in the debris.
One is Borg, the other is of unknown origin.
Who could do this to the Borg?
Someone more powerful than the Borg? Hard to imagine.
But they did it. Fifteen Cubes.
We might have just found our ticket through Borg space, an ally.
Let's not jump to conclusions. Scan the vicinity for vessels.
- There are none. - Hold on. I'm picking up bio-readings.
They're coming from the hull of a Borg ship.
Let's see it.
Magnify, Mr Kim.
It's organic, but our sensors can't penetrate it.
- Send a standard greeting. - No response.
Is it a space-dwelling organism or biological weapon?
What weapon could destroy the Borg? Can we beam it away from the ship?
- I can't get a lock on it. - Tractor beam?
No effect.
Whatever it is, it's impervious to our technology.
Tuvok, are you reading an atmosphere in the cube?
Affirmative.
Commander Chakotay.
I want you to take an away team inside. Get a scan of the biomass.
There are unstable Borg lifesigns.
We'll keep an active transporter lock and pull you out at any sign of trouble.
Tuvok, Harry, you're with me.
This way.
Lower your phasers. If we don't appear threatening, they should ignore us.
Looks like they're a little preoccupied.
The alien bio-readings are getting stronger. We're close.
Commander.
- Curious. - That's not the word I had in mind.
Those bodies are reminiscent of one of Kes's premonitions.
Didn't Kes say we were all going to die?
Let's keep moving.
It looks like the biomass dissolved through the Borg hull.
This Borg is trying to assimilate it.
Doesn't look like he's having much luck.
A chamber is beyond here,
40 metres wide, high concentrations of antimatter particles.
- It looks like a warp propulsion system. - It's a ship?
Some species use organic-based vessels. The Breen, for example.
There doesn't seem to be anybody inside.
- Chakotay to Voyager. - Go ahead, Commander.
We've found an entrance to the biomass.
We think it is a ship. Permission to go inside?
- Granted. - Harry, that's a Borg distribution node.
Download their tactical database. It might have a record of what happened.
Tuvok.
They seem to be organic conduits, carrying electrodynamic fluid.
- Maybe an energy source. - Maybe.
This looks like a binary matrix, laced with neuropeptides.
Could be their computer core.
This damage was caused by a Borg disruptor beam.
The wall appears to be regenerating itself.
Commander.
- Kes? - Harry's in danger.
- Get them out! - Sickbay to Janeway.
Commander!
There's something in here and it's not the Borg.
- It's within 20 meters. - Perhaps the pilot has returned.
- Voyager to away team. - Go ahead.
Stand by for transport. We're getting you out.
- Good idea. - Energise.
- I can't get a lock. - What is it?
Bioelectric interference from something.
It's within seven metres. Let's get out.
- Narrow the confinement beam. - No effect.
- I'm going to try a skeletal lock. - A what?
I can get a lock on minerals in their bone tissue.
I just came up with it.
- It's five metres away and closing. - From where?
I've got them.
A skeletal lock? We'll have to add that one to the transporter manual.
Captain, the bio-ship is powering up, like it's charging a weapon.
Mr Paris, get us out of here. Maximum warp.
The alien ship is not pursuing.
- Kes? - I could hear its thoughts.
The pilot of the bio-ship was trying to communicate with me.
They're telepathic. I've been aware of the premonitions for some time.
It's not the Borg we should be worried about, it's them.
What did it say to you?
It said...
..."The weak will perish".
Captain's log, stardate 50984.3.
It's been 12 hours since our confrontation with the life-form.
We're not being pursued and we've had no further encounters with the Borg.
I've decided to hold our course.
The passage is only a day away and I won't allow fear
to undermine this crew's sense of purpose, even if that fear is justified.
The infection is spreading.
What began with a few cells contaminating the wound
is now infusing every bodily system.
It looks like he's being transformed.
Not exactly. The alien cells are consuming his body from the inside out.
In essence, Mr Kim is being eaten alive.
- He's conscious. - I gave him a sedative.
But it was rejected. Every treatment I've tried has been neutralised.
These are alien cells.
Each one contains more than 100 times the DNA of a human cell.
The most densely coded life-form I've seen. I would need years to decipher it.
They have an extraordinary immune response.
Anything that penetrates the cell membrane,
chemical, biological, technological.
It's instantly destroyed. That's why the Borg can't assimilate them.
Resistance in this case is far from futile.
Nevertheless, I believe Borg technology holds the key to saving Mr Kim.
- How so? - I hope to unleash an army
of Borg nanoprobes into his bloodstream to eradicate the infection.
I've been analysing the nanoprobes. They're efficient assimilators.
I admire the workmanship. But they're no match for the alien cells.
I dissected a nanoprobe and managed to access its re-coding mechanism.
I programmed it to emit electrochemical signatures the same as the alien cells.
The probe can do its work without being detected. Observe.
The alien cells are oblivious to the probe until it's too late.
But I've only created a few prototypes.
I'll need several days to modify enough nanoprobes to cure Ensign Kim.
- Does Harry have several days? - I wish I knew.
Fight it, Harry. That's an order.
We analysed the Borg's tactical database.
They refer to these new aliens as Species 8472.
Over five months, the Borg have been attacked 12 times.
- They were defeated swiftly. - They have very little information.
Is anything known about where they come from?
I'm afraid so.
Get the captain.
The Northwest Passage.
- It's clear of Borg activity for a reason. - I'm detecting 133 bio-ships.
- More are approaching. - From where?
They are coming from a quantum singularity.
- Localising gravimetric distortions. - On screen.
- Kes, anything? - Yes, I can hear them.
They're in a place where they're all alone.
- A parallel universe? - I don't know.
I feel malevolence, a cold hatred.
"The weak will perish." ” It's an invasion.
- They intend to destroy everything. - Reverse course, maximum warp.
Five light years out. Hold position. Maintain Red Alert.
Commander.
That moment we spoke about, it's here. Any thoughts?
Flying into that corridor would mean death.
Agreed. The Northwest Passage is no longer an option.
So now the choice is between facing the Borg, or finding a nice planet
in the Delta Quadrant and giving up on ever getting home.
We wouldn't be giving up. We may find another way home.
I'm not ready to tell the crew we're quitting. Not yet.
- There must be an alternative. - You haven't slept in two days.
Try getting some rest and clearing your head.
We're safe for the moment. We can tell the crew tomorrow if we have to.
See you in the morning.
Maestro?
Leonardo?
- Am I disturbing you? - What do you see?
A wall with candlelight reflecting on it.
Why? What do you see?
A flock of starlings,
the leaves of an oak, a horse's tail, a thief with a noose around his neck...
...and a wall with the candlelight reflecting on it.
There are times, Catarina, when I am transfixed by a shadow on the wall,
or the splashing of water against a stone.
I stare at it, the hours pass,
the world around me drops away,
replaced by worlds being created
and destroyed by my imagination.
A way to focus the mind.
Sit and tell me why you have come.
There's a path before me, the only way home.
And on either side, mortal enemies bent on destroying each other.
If I attempt to pass through them, I'll be destroyed as well.
But if I turn around, that would end all hope of ever getting home.
And no matter how much I try to focus my mind, I can't see an alternative.
When one's imagination cannot provide an answer,
one must seek out a greater imagination.
There are times when even I find myself kneeling in prayer.
I must deliver a bronzetto to the monks at Santa Croce.
Come with me, Catarina.
We will wake the Abbot, visit the chapel and appeal to God.
Somehow, I don't think that's going to work for me.
But there is an alternative I hadn't considered.
What if I made an appeal...
...to the devil?
- An alliance with the Borg? - More like an exchange.
We offer them a way to defeat their new enemy and, in return,
we get safe passage through their space.
In developing a treatment for Harry, the doctor found a way to attack the aliens.
It's still experimental. I've only made a few prototypes.
If we teach the Borg how to modify their nanoprobes,
they can create a weapon to fight the aliens.
In theory, yes.
It's clear from the Borg database
that they know practically nothing about Species 8472.
What they can't assimilate, they can't understand.
But we don't assimilate. We investigate. In this case, that's given us an edge.
We've discovered something they need.
But the Borg aren't known for their diplomacy.
How can we expect them to cooperate?
If what I've learned from the aliens is true, the Borg are losing this conflict.
The Borg are no different than we are.
They're trying to survive. They won't refuse an offer that will help them.
Won't the Borg attempt to take the information by assimilating Voyager?
That won't get them anywhere.
You're the only one with knowledge of the nanoprobe modifications.
Transfer all that research into your holo-matrix.
You're my guarantee.
If the Borg threaten us, we'll erase your program. But it won't come to that.
It's in the collective's interest to cooperate.
Voyager is only one ship.
Our safe passage is a small price to pay for what we're offering.
- Assist the Doctor. - Aye, Captain.
Mr Paris, locate the nearest Borg vessel and lay in a course.
- They shouldn't be difficult to find. - Yes, ma'am.
Dismissed.
You were awfully quiet.
I didn't want the others to hear this, but I think this is too great a risk.
How so?
There's a story I heard as a child, a parable, and I never forgot it.
A scorpion was walking by a river bank, wondering how to get to the other side.
Suddenly, he saw a fox.
He asked the fox to take him on his back across the river.
The fox said, "No. If I do that, you'll sting me and I'll drown."
The scorpion assured him, "If I did that, we'd both drown."
So the fox thought about it and finally agreed.
So the scorpion climbed up on his back and the fox began to swim.
But halfway across the river, the scorpion stung him.
As the poison filled his veins, the fox turned to the scorpion and said,
"Why did you do that? Now you'll drown, too."
"I couldn't help it", said the scorpion. "It's my nature.”
I understand the risk.
I'm not proposing we change the nature of the beast, but this is unique.
They have never been so threatened. We can take advantage of that.
If we negotiate an exchange, will they keep up their end of the bargain?
It could take months to cross Borg territory.
We'd face thousands of systems, millions of vessels.
But we've got them over a barrel.
We don't need to give them information until we're safe.
We just need courage to see this through.
There is the courage to accept some situations are beyond your control.
- Not every problem has a solution. - Should we turn around?
We should get out of harm's way. Let them fight it out.
There's plenty of Delta Quadrant to explore.
- We may find another way home. - Or something a year down the road.
After Species 8472 gets through with the Borg, we could be in the line of fire
and we'll have missed the opportunity that exists now.
- How much is our safety worth? - What do you mean?
We'd be giving an advantage to a race who murdered billions.
We'd be helping the Borg assimilate a species just to get home. It's wrong!
Tell that to Harry Kim. He's barely alive.
Maybe helping to assimilate them isn't a bad idea. This could be a favour.
I don't think you believe that. You're struggling to justify your plan,
because your desire to get this crew home is blinding you. I know you.
Sometimes you don't know when to step back.
- Do you trust me? - That isn't the issue.
It is. Yesterday you were saying we'd face this together. You'd be at my side.
I have to tell you what I believe. I'm no good if I don't.
I appreciate that, but the time for debate is over. I've made my decision.
Now, do I have your support?
You're the captain. I'm the first officer. I'll follow your orders.
But my belief is we're making a fatal mistake.
Then I guess I am alone, after all.
Dismissed.
There are three planets in this system. Inhabitants all Borg.
- A vessel is approaching. - All stop. Shields up.
- They're hailing us. - Open a channel.
We are the Borg. You will be assimilated.
- Resistance is futile. - We're locked onto their tractor beam.
Borg vessel, this is Captain Janeway of the starship Voyager.
I have tactical information about Species 8472. I want to negotiate.
Negotiation is irrelevant. You will be assimilated.
Borg vessel, what you're receiving is a sample of our knowledge.
If you don't disengage your tractor beam, I will destroy that data.
You have ten seconds to comply.
You're in danger of being defeated. You can't risk losing this information.
Disengage your tractor...
State your demands.
I want safe passage through your space.
Once my ship is beyond Borg territory, I'll give you our research.
Unacceptable. Our space is vast.
Your passage would require too much time.
We need the technology now.
If I give it to you now, you'll assimilate us.
Species 8472 must be stopped.
Our survival is your survival. Give us the technology.
No.
Safe passage first, or no deal.
State your proposal.
Let's work together, combine our resources.
Even if we give you the technology now, you'll still need time to develop it.
By working together, we can create a weapon more quickly.
If you escort us through your space, we can perfect it...
- Where did that ship come from? - A quantum singularity has appeared.
The bio-ship is going to the planet.
Borg shields weakening. We could break free.
- Can you get a lock on the captain? - Not yet.
There are nine more bio-ships coming out of the singularity.
What's going on?