theohniaka3project.com | An archive that will help guide you in understanding former Borg (xBs), as well as one of the Alpha Quadrant's newest factions and its space-faring presence: the Reclamation Project.
Cooperation Resources | Official LBC Seal and Flag Overview
Information, history, and symbolism regarding the Liberated Borg Cooperation's seal and flag symbology
In both compliment and contrast to the die-struck metal of the Reclamation Project badge, the seal and flag of the Liberated Borg Cooperation is simple, striking, and bold with its flags' three colors and its seal's silver and gold hues. Bearing the same black and gold color scheme from the Reclamation Project's cubical insignia, there are many layers of symbolism to this seal, supplemented by the various types of flags it's displayed on. Finalized for the UFP's database during the Ohniakan Accords of 2379, the LBC's iconography has not changed since its initial submission, but its meanings are as fluid as the individuals that populate the Cooperation.
Liberated Borg Cooperation Seal, as compared to the Reclamation Project Badge and Emblem.
Seal Symbology Breakdown
The following graphic briefly dissects the symbolism of the Liberated Cooperation's Seal (with visual key labels elaborated below):
a. Anchoring the four corners of the seal, the four bisected cubes represent the four departments of the Reclamation Project (Cybernetics, Consultation, Engineering, Medical) that the Cooperation is supported and maintained by.
b. At the Cubesfall Memorial Site, the Queen 49 Plaza hosts a 50 meter tall obelisk that meets Cube 5219's highest-rising point. While this forward stroke represents this "needle," it can also signify xBs venturing into the stars once more for exploration and Reclamation.
c. Also present on the Reclamation Project badge's "rising cube," this star was designed to stand for many elements: an individual, Ohniaka III's sun, or even a cortical node found within almost all xBs.
d. Not only does this "wave" represent the coastal culture of Ohniaka III's xBs and the planet's inoculated wildlife, but it also signifies the bridge xBs made from their crater-like crash into the planet: "moving away" from Cube 5219's crater, but always linked to the initial impact.
e. While these large bodies represent the Ohniakan solar system's four planets, they also stand for the four components of an individual: all mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual that the xB will foster and nurture on their journey into individuality.
f. A geographical symbol that stands for not only Cube 5219's deep impact crater, but also Ohniaka III's unique and striking plateaus that line the Capitol City's horizons.
g. While these two circles were initially designed to represent Ohniaka III's twin moons Platos and Eros, xBs have recently begun associating the symbology to at least one of the spheres being the xB megastructure vessel Atlas.
h. This encompassing void not only signifies the Ohniakan solar system, but also the surrounding void that xBs must all pass through (and is filled by both community and supportive surroundings).
Ocular implants (or remnants thereof) are extremely common among xBs; the Cooperation seal resembling an ocular implant, therefore, was no coincidence. "The sigil was created to be perceived by those who are outside of us," I was told by Progenitor xBs, "and we all come from a Collective that watched many things with its many eyes. Doesn't it feel appropriate, then, that the Cooperation's seal watches you, in return?"
Flag | Banner Breakdown
The following graphic briefly dissects the symbolism of the Liberated Cooperation's various flags and banners (with visual key labels elaborated below):
a. Gold is a very significant metal and color to xBs, as it is not often found in either Borg architecture or implants. Ohniaka III's natural quartz veins have allowed its residents a wealth of the malleable material that they often fashion into either jewelry or other arts, and occasionally affix to augmentations. The framing and border of green, then, signifies a "regrowth over replacement" philosophy, and travels along the same vein of green that symbolizes Ohniaka III's flourishing society.
b. While this gold carries over the previous article's meaning, this backing can also signify "Tethering," as it connects both the life as a separate, yet unified body.
c. Once again, this black expanse represents both the vastness of space, as well as the "vacuum of silence" that the Cooperation's seal also repeats in its central motif. It can also signify the commonality of xBs' once massively-shared consciousness, the darkness of the augments that once enveloped their bodies, or even service more visually-impaired xBs that require low visual stimulation, color blindness accommodations, or must negate bright colors to avoid eye strain.
d. Common association with the Borg notwithstanding, the vivid green represents Ohniaka III's skylines as well as its emerald oceans. It is an organic signifier that anchors the seal and cuts through the vastness, ensuring that the seal supports the life connected to it (and the Tether it may be fostering with the gold).
e. The Liberated Borg Cooperation's Seal, as explained above.
If flags are made in preparation for Cooperation-participating or allied events, Ohniakan Board Committee Members request the gold coloration be replicated with a special light-reflective fabric capable reflecting both silver and gold.
a. This flag is reserved only for vertical displays when banners are not in use.
b. NOTE TO DIPLOMATIC CORPS: please ensure the Cooperation Seal is rotated at 90° to correspond with the adjusted tilt and vertical stripes.
c. Lacking the green-and-gold stripes, the simplified flag is used primarily to designate temporary settlements or signify off-world micro-communities.
d. While the background elements imply the physical distance between the simplified flag's peoples and Ohniaka III, the reflective material of the Cooperation seal shines against the black expanse of space.
NOTE: Simplified flags are also hung, requested, and displayed by all Liberated Borg Cooperation embassy offices.
The first flag given to the United Federation of Planets during the Ohniakan Accords of 2379's signing still hangs in San Francisco's Starfleet Headquarters.
Longevity, Conclusion
Similar to the longevity the Reclamation Project's insignia has enjoyed, xBs have expressed little interest in updating the Cooperation seal and/or flags since their introduction in 2379. Despite the population's rapidly-swelling numbers, a new insignia would be a massive, community-wide undertaking, in part due to the Cooperation's anarcho-collectivism nature. But there also seems to be a sentimental connection to the seal that many now associate with a new home: whether they arrived to Ohniaka III by way of the Reclamation Project's shepherding, or by their chosen immigration to a place more welcoming of former Borg. Considering the adaptability of the seal's symbology (as well as the unique meanings each xB can interpret out of the emblem), it doesn't appear to be changing any time soon, and so it shall remain as a symbol for "Individuality's Needs, Community's Many."
Click here for the full article, as well as hi-res PNGs to download any and all resources of the seal and flags!
Ohniaka III | Culinary Resources, Local Cuisine Customs
Regarding xBs' Unique Approach To Food and Drink (and concerning bodily compatibility)
As is with the endless variety of xBs, their abilities to consume biomatter (any sort of food or drink) vary highly according to their initial assimilation and/or creation by the Collective. While the technicalities regarding xBs' biological/cybernetic makeup will be discussed further in other sections, a large percentage of xB population are able to eventually eat and drink the longer they're separated from the Borg.
On Ohniaka III, the endemic plants and seafood create unique dishes when interpreted by xB diaspora species’ methods of cooking, though some have imported limited amounts of farm animals from other planets for specialty livestock rearing (that can also be used for textiles and other byproducts). xB portions, typically very small by way of Borg-influenced appetites, end up resembling a "tapas" style tasting, xB banquets resembling large sampling galleries with foods served as canapés. Although primary cellular nourishment and rejuvenation might come from regeneration alcoves or other biochip energy conversion methods, xBs' organic systems can be rekindled so they may savor the experience of individual taste (even if in extremely limited portions and flavor potencies due to bodily sensitivity and efficiency).
AGRICULTURE
On an agricultural level, Ohniaka III's plant life is extremely durable and resembles most early Devonian period plant life, with a few hardy seed-bearing fruits, root vegetables, and herbs. Cubesfall Progenitors had to scout for edible plant life that was possible to selectively farm and hybridize, hoping to provide organically-system prone Progenitors with nourishment where their regeneration alcoves could not provide as their bodily functions began to re-emerge. Certain succulents (such as the utalitarian-named Rustleaf) are able to be sliced as whole logs, roasted or seared with a rather juicy interior that recalls the taste of earthen bacon (with some variants of Rustleaf able to be fermented into alcohol, creating a rather potent sherry wine/mezcal-like drink).
Community gardens and personal herb planters are extremely common among the Capitol City's eco-brutalist structures, with most city-dwelling xBs taking turns tending to these small farms to support communal agriculture. More solitude-preferring xBs, however, are able to learn farming techniques perfected by Progenitors to tend Ohniaka III's larger crops like imported grains and rices (with a few xBs growing produce from their species' home planets once approved by soil and atmospheric compatibility tests). Living on the Capitol City's outskirts, these ascetic xBs manage farm plots in the far-off shadow of Cube 5219's wreckage, and might even rear aforementioned imported livestock.
FISHING | MARINTIME PROTEINS
The planet is host to handfuls of edible insects that can be used as base proteins as well as various amphibians, with both subjects making for rather delicious snacks. But the primary source of protein for Ohniakan xBs comes from their nanoprobe-stewed seas, and their coastal culture has fostered many recipes from this symbiotic relationship. Shellfish, mollusks, bivalves, and other types of animals resembling "fish" are plentiful in these formerly-untouched oceans, xBs taking only what they require due to their restricted dietary needs. Individual fishing, boating, and shellfish hunting is extremely common for those able to do so, with some xBs forming small clubs and communities to supply currency-free fishing market stalls to those unable to venture out. On the beaches of Ohniaka III's Capitol City, it's no surprise to see a lone xB scanning the early-morning beaches looking for clams, or a boat full of Andorian xBs returning from a northern sailing adventure with newly-discovered species of fish.
FUSED VS. BLANK PROTEINS
Because of the oceans’ technological inoculation, Ohniakan seafood protein comes in the ratio of analyzed “fused” and “blank,” similar to how cuts of meat are judged in the “lean” and “fat” ratio. While it can vary in regard to differing species’ hardiness, xBs and non-xBs interact with the nanoprobe-fused Ohniakan proteins much differently; whereas xBs’ nanoprobes inherently mix with the protein’s residual nanoprobes to create a ‘rich, salty and sweet’ taste, non-xBs report that higher-percentage fused cuts can taste like iron from a rare piece of cooked meat. While not lethal, non-xBs consuming too many fused proteins can cause possible nausea due to chronic nanoprobe buildup (that quickly lose power when without a cybernetic frame to be absorbed by), whereas xBs consider higher percentages of inoculated foods to be akin to “alcoholic desserts and delicacies.”
WARNING: a non-xB consuming an uncooked/raw piece of high-percentage fused protein can result in an accidental food poisonings, possible infections of non-xB/Borg cybernetic augmentations, and near Null Assimilations if ingested, and should not be consumed unless antibodies have been administered within 24 hours by a Reclamation Project Medical staffer (or unless a stabilizer hypospray is within immediate access).
PROVIDED EXAMPLE RECIPE
The following recipe was given to me by Executive Director Hugh, of all people, who has a habit of spontaneously cooking for Reclamation Project staffers (or his living block) after particularly rigorous days of work. Terran substitutions (and measurement conversions) are provided after every Ohniakan ingredient for ease of replication emulation (.ie.: a "budonmo" is a red, savory, and bulbous fruit endemic to Ohniaka III, most similar to a Terran tomato). Andorian spiralshell Clams can also be substituted for Terran Manila Clams, if you are unable to acquire them from your local replicator; they do not change much in regards to taste, but their cerulean hue provides a unique presentation element to the stew against the crimson broth. xBs are also known for their incredibly meticulously efficient measuring and timing, so don't worry if you've gone over by a few minutes in the cooking instructions.
NOTE: non-xBs are discouraged from seeking out higher fused cuts when preparing this dish, due to the aforementioned health risks.
28 oz. Budonmo Sauce (tomato sauce and/or crushed tomatoes)
1 Brown Sweetfruit, de-pitted (mejool date OR 2 prunes)
1/2 Yellow Sourmouth (lemon, able to be squeezed)
1/4 cup Green Bitterleaf (curly parsley, chopped fine)
MISC. / SPICES
5 cups Coastal Sailfish Bone Broth (chicken broth, vegetable broth also acceptable)
1 cup Rustleaf Liquor (sherry wine)
2 cups water
2 tbsp. Ohniakan Red Olea Oil (salted butter OR extra-virgin olive oil)
2 Veined Stewleaf (turkish bay leaves)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 tsp. Roasted Redspice (smoked paprika)
1 tsp. Tan Cyminum (cumin, ground)
1/4 tsp. Spicy seedflakes (crushed red pepper flakes)
Instructions:
Drizzle and heat oil (or butter) in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add chopped root bulbs (onions) and cook until tender/translucent.
Add minced nolen cloves (garlic), salt, pepper, roasted redspice (smoked paprika), tan cyminium (ground cumin), spicy seedflakes (crushed red pepper flakes), and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add budonmo paste (tomato paste); stir and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add Rustleaf Liquor (sherry wine); cook until scans indicate >15% alcohol remains (for non-xBs: until smell of alcohol disburses, est. 10 minutes).
Add budonmo (tomato) sauce, green bitterleaf (curly parsley) water, and coastal sailfish bone broth (chicken OR vegetable broth). Stir well, and bring to boil.
Squeeze yellow sourmouth (lemon) out over stew (do not add in lemon rind once squeezed), add brown sweetfruit (dates OR prunes) and add veined stewleaves (bay leaves). Cover, then reduce to simmer for 30 minutes. Stir every ~5 minutes.
Remove lid, raise to low boil, then add clams and vesselclutch bivalves (mussels) and cook until both begin to open (est. 5-10 minutes, depending on what chosen proteins are). Add coastal silt shrimp (white shrimp) and stillwater gaper (cod) cut; cook for another 6 minutes.
Remove pot from heat or put on a warmer, and discard any shellfish that did not open as well as veined stewleaves (bay leaves) and brown sweetfruit (date). Mind the possible-collected silt and/or nanoprobes at bottom of pot.
Serve with fresh bread. Preferred is Bosus' fresh baked sourdough from Coastal Grid 243 Farm 2.
As was discussed in a previous article, "xBs are not unfamiliar with their societal, melancholy-laced days of remembrance."
The following section details those holidays in greater length and detail, as they heavily rely on Ohniakan III historical events.
CUBESFALL
One such day of memorialization is known as “Cubesfall,” marking the date of the Progenitor xBs’ crash landing on the Starfleet-outposted Ohniaka III in 2368 when Cube 5219’s submatrix collapsed (and subsequent death of its Queen 49). It is a holiday less to do with “celebration” as more as it is “remembrance,” as Cube 5219’s fall to the planet’s surface was anything but gentle. As are standard Borg cubes, there are typically 5,000 drones within each vessel; out of the Cubesfall wreckage, only 1,563 survived, and 2,957 immediately died upon impact. As is evidenced by the count inconsistency to 5,000, Cube 5219 also suffered a great deal of internal loss even before this crash due to self-induced shutdowns and other unfortunate consequences of singularity, as none of the present drones onboard were mentally equipped to handle the blinding concept of individuality quite yet.
While Cubesfall is observed out of historical respect and used as a time of reflection and communal grief for the pain de-assimilation can bear for non-Progenitors, the date is much more haunting, bitter, and laced with grief for the inception “generation” of xBs that include Executive Director Hugh and Junction Horus. While these Reclaimed celebrate the beauty that is their individuality every day, it did not come without the terrible, horrific cost of leaving the security of the Collective, and nowhere did I see this ache more plainly than when I observed the emotional fog that settled over the Capitol on this date.
If you visit Ohniaka III, reader, I encourage you visit the Memorial to Queen 49- a simple, pointed needle that rises 50 meters from the earth with a blossoming Ohniakan tree at its base, surrounded by massive pylons inscribed with the numerical designations of every lost drone from Cube 5219 in xB script. The plaza stands a sentinel-like guard outside the ruins of Cube 5219; if you do visit this site, please do so respectfully, in silence, and in the awareness that the memory, the echo that the ill-fated Queen (and Cube 5219’s deceased drones) still exists with every still-living xB in some form. While xBs have nothing but disdain for the demiurges that bend the Collective to their will, Reclaimed undoubtedly mourn the Collective’s base-instinct’s victims, and Queen 49 was no exception in her self-immolation and violent rejection of self.
RECONSTITUTION
Despite Cubesfall’s grievous nature of remembrance, it is my delight to report that the Reclaimed do not limit their historical dates of significance purely to wistful, ache-tinged nostalgia. One such celebration is the three-day period of “Reconstitution;” the period marked as the first time, after 10 Ohniakan III years, the Progenitors reached out to the cosmos after their tempering within individuality, and “reconstituted” themselves both inside and out.
Note: Reconstitution, I believe, requires historical context, and while I will cite historical sources in more detailed Federation Archives, I shall briefly recount its history for you here to understand Reconstitution’s significance.
Events, Figures Relevant Leading to Reconstitution
Prior to this event, the years of 2368-2378 marked a time of self-incubation and isolation for the Progenitor xBs; to lay the groundwork for their society, research their own selves on this new homeworld, and temper their interactions with each other before daring to turn their eyes to the stars again. Much of this period was spent in construction, laying the germinating seeds for their society, and understanding what they were after the Enterprise-D had resupplied them with parting goods and power. They had been manipulated by external forces and individuals before, and did not want to fall sway so easily to another outside, tyrannical influence again (be it by the Collective, or the influence of the Soong-type ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇).
But this 2378 opening of galactic communication did not come from a purely explorative drive, as much as it was also an emergency hail. The Progenitors, having exhausted Cube 5219’s resources and Borg-specific power reserves, experienced a crises in the form of mass cortical node expiration and energy depletion, threatening the entire population that their medical junctions had no cure for and required outside resources and intervention. Despite initial hesitancy, an emergency hail was finally broadcast to the Federation; a decision based upon their history and previously-benevolent interactions with the Enterprise-D.
While Starfleet scrambled to try and offer an answer of what could be done (and volunteers could be scrounged for such an "off-putting" mission as an emergency request to aid dying former Borg), the USS Voyager had returned from the Delta Quadrant just over a month prior, and its photonic lifeform Emergency Medical Hologram Mk. I (also colloquially known as simply "The Doctor") had been searching for further service and purpose. Leaping at the opportunity thanks to his familiarity with Borg-related procedures, this EMH (with the assistance of Seven of Nine and other Voyager personnel) assembled a medical team of xB sympathizers and various EMH editions and chartered a hospital starship to Ohniaka III, where he and a crew of 328 performed varying levels of 1,227 Reclamation Procedures in 78 hours in collaboration with Progenitor medical advisors.
(Note: this numerical reduction from the original 1,563 survivors of Cubesfall were fatalities from either ▇▇▇▇▇ presence on the planet 10 years ago, suicide, or pre-Reconstitution cortical node failure.)
By the xBs' and Federation’s combined efforts, resupply, and ingenious research, they solved the plight of the cortical node expiration, creating ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, so that xBs no longer had to live in fear of this technological, Collective-inflicted failsafe.
Post-Reconstitution, Results
Reconstitution resulted in the “shot in the arm” Ohniakan life desperately needed, as I’ve been told by xB historians, and from there life on the xB homeworld only flourished further. The following year cemented Reconstitution’s celebratory nature, as it also marked the signing of the “Ohniakan Accords of 2379” in San Francisco's Starfleet Headquarters. This not only recognized Ohniaka III as the xB homeworld in the eyes of Federation maps, but also the “Liberated Borg Cooperation” as an individual (allied) entity, and the “Reclamation Project” as its humanitarian, space-faring extension (as Starfleet is to the United Federation of Planets). A risky move for the time, considering the tumultuous political strain the Romulan Star Empire was experiencing and their renowned hostility towards Borg/synthetic life; but in a 2390s retrospect, hindsight certainly proves favorable.
Today, Reconstitution is celebrated in the form of increased xB Reclamation Procedure signups, revelry, “partying (as much as a society of former drones can party- which is to say very much so, surprisingly enough),” and overall peace and celebration among xBs. Much like Cubesfall, while younger xBs do not take to it with as much personal history as the Progenitors do, they bask in a time assigned to celebrating the other, and how far this fledging society of theirs has come.
Overview
Do not mistake those who were taken from one way of life as forsaking what customs, traditions, or celebrations this new life of theirs could bring. Just as habits are formed by our own tendencies or instincts are formed by sentient lifeforms- so too are holidays, occasions, or other observed times a society might be unified through.
In my initial arrival talks with Junction Horus and Executive Director Hugh (both Progenitors), I was imparted with a rather poignant quote: “We came from a Collective that had no coronation ceremonies for our supposed ‘queens’ or any other royalty. Yet here we are, today, out of the mire and the emptiness of nothingness, as self-made Lords over the most valuable things we could ever lay claim to.”
Although I look back and apologize for my almost painfully-obvious ignorance, I asked what it was they had “laid claim to."
Hugh simply smiled before sipping his tea, and replied with “our lives, Mr. O’Reilly.”
New, for The Ohniaka III Project website: a homebrew xB character sheet with a companion lore document for the Star Trek Adventures TTRPG!
On this page you'll find downloadable screen and print-friendly PDFs of either the species homebrew sheet, as well as condensed Ohniaka III Project lore for supplemental character background and story/location reference. These files are free to download and disburse for anyone and everyone; take these xBs out for a spin with your starship crew on adventures through the Star Trek Universe!
Introduction from the Reclamation Project's Executive Director
A Letter for Readers of The Ohniaka III Project from Exec. Director Hugh
Before I begin this letter in earnest, I must tell the reader now that former Borg do not often prefer speaking for other former Borg. As principle, we value individual thoughts and voices in the highest regard, and even revel in declaring this sentiment to others upon introduction.
With this pre-amble concluded, to the xBs that visit this Archive: I thank you for allowing me this opportunity to speak for us regarding our people, our intents, and our livelihoods.
And to those untouched by the Collective and wish to learn more about the Liberated Borg Cooperation, the Reclamation Project, and the xBs who claim Ohniaka III as their home: welcome.
May spontaneity guide you, agency lead you, and clarity wizen you.
Perhaps you are surprised at the verbal eloquence already in this letter, coming from an xB. Individuals who, upon their first instances of Reprisal, can hardly speak or choose words without the Collective's sudden, near-painful absence. I tell you in earnest; it took many years for me to be able to speak the way I am able to now.
xBs are a people of paradoxes.
We take unity in that fact we have all come from a singular, traumatic Oppressor that bound us to a half-life of collective consciousness. This is our common factor. This is what binds us as xBs. We were once many, we were once each other, and now we are not. The augments that litter our skin, the implants that can be shed, replaced, repaired, and even removed; this is the common factor, the unity- that we carry as individuals.
Yet in that common factor, in that unity, we find fractals of our experiences. Divergences. Variations, in our emergence from the Collective. "Divergence, variation, fractals:" these are all words the Collective hates, in relation to itself. It will gladly take lives and societies these three words embody and add to the Collective's own mass, certainly, but never apply it to the billions of bodies it inhabits and utilizes. But we, xBs, are are all separated differently, speak differently, and yes: even act differently. What a joyous sensation it is to explore the self and discover habits, likes, dislikes, and yes: even words, in the comfort and camaraderie of those like us.
We find comfort in the company of those who share our past trauma, yet delight in the people we are now. This, eternally, is the mission of the Reclamation Project: to give xBs a new beginning in this life guided by those like them, and to let them live as their whole selves in the Cooperation.
The Reclamation Project's motto is a simple one: "Know Thyself." It is to compliment the Cooperation's motto: "Individuality's Needs, Community's Many;" for one must know themselves (at least partially) before being flung into the sometimes-overwhelming world of individuality: of singular life as we know it now rather than the mass of the Collective.
I recall a specific phrase from my speech given at the Atlas Project's Midway Gala opening ceremony eight years ago to a mostly Federation/Starfleet audience. I will allow myself the indulgence to repeat it here, in writing, with the hope of leaving you with the same optimism I had then:
"I am no longer Third of Five, and yet I carry him with me every day of my life. For I have learned not to rue what I once was; instead, I celebrate what I have become, in spite of the drone I once was. Every xB you meet is no longer part of the Hivemind they were once taken or subjugated to be. They are, instead, a person; an individual, just as any sapient being experiences life and learns from it. And those individuals who gather together, in clarity-given agency and free will, to help others like ourselves become their own individual: that is what the Reclamation Project is. We strive to ‘Reclaim’ what was taken. Reclaim lives, personalities, existences, homes, families; and it is a ‘Project:' because our work has no definitive end. Just as we ourselves are, forever, works-in-progress. It shall be a ‘Project’ so long as the Cooperation exists, so long as the Collective may exist: and so long as there are those who will resist against it."
These words, despite their age, remain true, and unfortunately we must continue to remind those who visit us or interact with us these same basic principles.
I offer you a parable that we have begun to speak. "Start, from your beginning, like all xBs do; wherever that beginning may be." No matter what their lives may have been before the Hivemind, all former Borg have a point of beginning, once severed from the Collective; it is when their lives begin in earnest. So too do adventures, endeavors, people, and stories all have beginnings, and I am merely grateful to welcome you as you begin your journey into learning more about us.
We wish you peace. We wish you prosperity. We wish you see us as no longer Borg.
Most of all, we wish to live. And that, above all, is treasured beyond all words to those who did not truly live before.
-RECLAMATION PROJECT EXEC. DIRECTOR HUGH
letter published Stardate 76006.62
The Ohniaka III Project is a non-profit, fan-run writing blog archive dedicated to developing the xBs of Star Trek's Prime Timeline after the 2368 events of Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Descent (Pt. 1 & 2)." Taking inspiration from Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Online and Star Trek: Picard, this blog aims to create a lived-in timeline for the Liberated Borg of the Alpha Quadrant operating under a unified people started by Hugh the (former) Borg, and the original cluster colony of xBs that were left on the planet Lore was taken from.
Ohniaka III, cir. late 2392 (Artwork by Shannon Kao)
>THE BASICS
The Ohniaka III Project operates under the setting that this faction of xBs (former Borg) is named the Liberated Borg Cooperation ( simply "Cooperation" for short), their home planet is Ohniaka III (as seen in the Star Trek: The Next Generation two-parter episode "The Descent"), and the Cooperation's space-faring extention is the Reclamation Project (as seen in Star Trek: Picard).
Filling in the gaps between 2368-2399, this writing blog aims to cover a wide swathe of different anthropological notes and facts about xBs as a culture and people, as well as facts about the Cooperation and Reclamation Project with a heavy focus on LGBTQ+/disabled/diaspora-driven narratives. The archive will update periodically with fictitious snippets about everything from xB interpersonal relationships, societal customs, and imaginations as to how the Reclamation Project itself functions as much as Starfleet does. Anyone is welcome to utilize the canons this blog posts for their own lore, characters, or possible setting they might want to craft for their own xB projects.
This "archive" is written in the first-person POV of two fictional xenoanthropologists: Lt. Cmdr. Dr. Amadeus O'Reilly (Starfleet) and a supervisor Consultation Junction Horus (Reclamation Project), their in-character voices swapping as-per topic (unless declared otherwise), with the majority of these recordings occurring in 2391.
>THE ORIGIN
Originally accumulating as "in-universe writings" for supplemental story material, The Ohniaka III Project began on the currently-running, xB-focused, and Hugh/Geordi La Forge-centric Star Trek fanfiction "Through the Eye of a Needle." Full sections have been and will be excerpted from its body of work and archived to this website, so that people may read xB-related anthropological material without having to read the fanfiction itself.
As such, this blog takes its basis of certain history from the mentioned events within, and was born out of a desire to host all the in-universe writings the author was creating for this fanfiction.
For more context, follow the development of Through the Eye of a Needle, or wait until its completion as a fully-downloadable PDF from this website (est. completion: May 2021).
>THE AUTHOR
Created by nonbinary Armenian and xB-in-spirit Hye Mardikian, The Ohniaka III Project website came about because someone likes xBs too much and thought former Borg deserved one of those cool lore sites Trekkies built on the back of Geocitites and Wordpress.
While this website is free for all to utilize, if you would like to somehow support, they do have their own Reclamation Project badge/enamel pin for sale on Gumroad, with part of future proceeds donated to rotating LGBTQ+ organizations.
Find them online at @raijuthehyeju (Star Trek-related), or their other graphic design work at explodinghye.com.
