Stardate 43989.1: Lt. Commander Shelby, a tactical advisor from Starfleet with her eye on promotion to a first officer – perhaps of the Enterprise – joins the crew as they investigate the latest planet victimized by the Borg. After another Federation planet is attacked, the Enterprise sets off in pursuit of the Borg. During the flight, Riker learns of Shelby’s impetuousity and the possibility that he himself is long overdue to command a starship of his own. The Borg intercepts the Enterprise and does critical damage, and the Enterprise enters a nebula to evade capture. When some repairs are made, the Enterprise tries to escape but is captured by the Borg. They board the Enterprise, kidnap Captain Picard, and warp toward Earth.
The Enterprise follows the Borg through Federation space until Geordi can’t keep the warp engines up to speed. Shelby leads an away team to the Borg vessel where she, Worf, Data and Dr. Crusher sabotage the Borg’s internal power network. They are attacked and hold off their attackers until the Borg adapt to generate their own shields against the crew’s hand phasers. And Captain Picard is found – no longer human, modified into a Borg. The away team returns to the Enterprise, leaving Riker with a momentous decision – he must use a variation of the Enterprise’s deflectors to disrupt the Borg and possibly kill Picard.
written by Michael Piller
directed by Cliff Bole
music by Ron Jones
Guest Cast: Elizabeth Dennehy (Lt. Commander Shelby), George Murdock (Admiral Hanson), Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien), Whoopi Goldberg (Guinan)
LogBook entry by Earl Green
