Omega : Expanded

[Deepcrush]

Okay, so we've talking about the risks of Omega and what some things could be like due to its use. But Alexman talked about just grabbing Omega and seeing how stupid he could be with it. On that note, lets say that happened.

Now, the whole galaxy is suffering from Omega. No warp travel at all, systems that were once a part of larger nations are now years apart. What happens and to who and how do they deal with it?

Borg... well I don't see them changing much myself. I don't think they give a damn about travel times if.

However, I spent a lot of time studying Klingons for the Trek Sim Alpha. Looking at how broken up they are as a population, either being a warrior and fighting or being just some serf. Serfs, or more likely their worlds as a whole, being traded or fought over as resources for Warrior groups. Basically it would boil down to the Klingons becoming what the Orks are in 40k. A race that battles itself until someone comes along that's able to united a large group with the intent of setting out to invade some other world they know of from their pre-omega maps.

[Mikey]

The Borg would probably not care too much about travel time - instead of sleeper ships, they'd just stop and replace their drones at any habited planet they happen to stumble on. But would they care? Would they bother with what has essentially become a pre-warp pair of quadrants?

It's a good take on the Klingons, too, but the difference is that the Orks have warp travel. The Klingons would continue fighting, fucking, and eating... but in a range so small so as to be nominal.

I think the biggest issues would come from internal schisms in the major powers. Some worlds would be able to continue at a fairly OK tech level, while some would regress pretty quickly. I think you'd be looking at a short-range-interstellar version of Firefly.

[Captain Seafort]

Borg... well I don't see them changing much myself. I don't think they give a damn about travel times if.

That depends on the exact effects of Omega. If it only takes out FTL then sure, they'd simply slow down but keep expanding. If, however, it takes out FTL comms as well, which I suspect it does, then the Borg would be in serious trouble - the basis of their entire society would be gone, and the Borg as a civilisation would no long exist. They'd probably still keep going, but as a huge number of cube-scale collectives operating independently rather than as a cohesive centralised force.

[McAvoy]

That is a good point. Basically would have a decentralized Borg with various levels of technology depending on what civilization they assimilated. In the end, eventually the Borg would become different cultures of varying degrees of 'Borg-ness'. That's if they remain Borg at all.

[shran]

That is a good point. Basically would have a decentralized Borg with various levels of technology depending on what civilization they assimilated. In the end, eventually the Borg would become different cultures of varying degrees of 'Borg-ness'. That's if they remain Borg at all.

I suspect it will even out when two collectives meet, having them synchronize data to the most advanced levels. Although long-term isolation may result in losing so many common denominators the 'Borg factor' to recognize the other as the same no longer exists.

[Mikey]

When they meet? Remember that in Seafort's hypothetical there is no subspace communication... space is REALLY big, and the chance of a chance encounter is infinitesimal.

[McAvoy]

Brings the point on if the Borg are immortal or need to be put in stasis.

[Captain Seafort]

Brings the point on if the Borg are immortal or need to be put in stasis.

Seven was, well, seven when she was assimilated. She did not look seven when she joined Voyager, ergo Borg age, and are therefore not immortal.

[McAvoy]

Agreed. Though considering that they assimilate babies that they allow them to grow to full maturity. They can still be immortal bar injury of course once they are fully mature. We will never know of course. But I would wager some of those implants involve some sort of life-expanding medical technology.

[Deepcrush]

@Mikey, 40k warp can be weeks or centuries for the Orks. I wouldn't doubt that a strong leader could unite a Klingon system with the promise of glory and honorable death plus the spoils of war for conquering a nearby system.

@Seafort, is there anything to show that Omega blocks out FTL comms? Sensors still work in those areas, why not comms...

[Captain Seafort]

Omega destroys subspace. A chain reaction involving a handful of molecules could devastate subspace throughout an entire Quadrant

Given that long-range communications are just as dependant on it as warp drive, I'd say that means long-range comms would be useless. Short raneg EM comms and sensors, which we know they have, would be unaffected.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Would transwarp conduits be affected by Omega? Serious question, mind you.

[Captain Seafort]

Borg transwarp coils were compatible with Fed warp drive with few, if any, modifications. They must therefore operate on the same basic principles and must therefore be vulnerable to omega disruption in the same way.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

Thanks, Seafort. So, they're screwed too.

[Mikey]

@Mikey, 40k warp can be weeks or centuries for the Orks. I wouldn't doubt that a strong leader could unite a Klingon system with the promise of glory and honorable death plus the spoils of war for conquering a nearby system.

All true. I never argued with that idea. I only mentioned that such a force of Klingon reavers, without FTL travel, would be a local menace rather than a quadrant-level political motivator.