My people encountered them a century ago. They destroyed our cities, scattered my people throughout the galaxy. They're called the Borg. Protect yourself, Captain, or they'll destroy you.
All S1
S1 E15Unfinished Business
BThe Borg
We have analyzed your defensive capabilities as being unable to withstand us. If you defend yourselves, you will be punished.
The Borg is the ultimate user. They're unlike any threat your Federation has ever faced. They're not interested in political conquest, wealth or power as you know it. They're simply interested in your ship. Its technology. They've identified it as something they can consume.
WTWilliam T. Riker
You brought us here, you exposed us to it, and you cost us the lives of our ship-mates!
Oh, please...
(to Riker) Number One. (to Q) Eighteen of our people have died. Please, tell us that this is one of your illusions.
Oh, no. This is as real as your so-called life gets. [disappears]
[After Picard asks Q for help and he transports them to safety away from the Borg]
That was a difficult admission. Another man would have been humiliated to say those words. Another man would have rather died than ask for help.
I understand what you've done here, Q, but I think the lesson could have been learned without the loss of eighteen members of my crew.
If you can't take a little bloody nose, maybe you ought to go back home and crawl under your bed. It's not safe out here! It's wondrous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross...but it's not for the timid.
Q set a series of events into motion, bringing contact with the Borg much sooner than it should have come. Now, perhaps when you're ready, it might be possible to establish a relationship with them. But for now, for right now, you're just raw material to them. Since they're aware of your existence...
Picard (realising the implications): ...they will be coming.
You can bet on it.
[Picard prepares to leave for Starbase 515 without giving a reason for his journey and is packing books for his journey.]
Come. Yes, what is it, Number One?
Is something wrong? This trip to Starbase Five One Five is rather unexpected.
Ensign Crusher and I will rendezvous with you on your return from the Epsilon Pulsar Cluster.
Forgive my saying so, sir, but you're being rather enigmatic.
Consider it Captain's privilege.
As First Officer, I have complete security clearance.
This has nothing to do with ship's business, Number One. Suffice it to say, it is strictly a matter of image.
Didn't you ever wish you had kids of your own?
Wishing for a thing does not make it so.
Did you read that book I gave you?
Some of it.
That's reassuring.
I just don't have much time.
There is no greater challenge than the study of philosophy.
But William James won't be in my Starfleet exams.
The important things never will be. Anyone can be trained in the mechanics of piloting a starship.
But Starfleet Academy
It takes more. Open your mind to the past. Art, history, philosophy. And all this may mean something.
GGrebnedlog
We are Pakleds. Our ship is the Mondor. [indicates some engineers trying to fix the ship's warp drive] It is broken.
For ambitious Starfleet officers, there are certain costs involved. One must be cautious of long-term commitments, Wesley.
No problem. Where women are concerned, I am in complete control.
Really? I always rather had to work at that.
Have you always been so disciplined?
Good Lord, no. [indicates his heart] If I was, I wouldn't have this problem.
(telling Wesley about his early career) My mates and I were at the Bonestell Recreation Facility, which was something of a dead rough crossroads at the time, filled with an assorted bunch of galactic riffraff. When a trio of Nausicaans came in, they were clearly spoiling for a confrontation with a group of fresh-faced Starfleet officers such as ourselves. Well, everyone in the group had the good sense to give these Nausicaans a wide berth, to stand off. Everyone, that is, except me. I stood toe to toe with the worst of the three, and I told him what I thought of him, his pals, his planet, and I possibly made some passing reference to his questionable parentage. And the next thing I knew, all three of them were on me and I was fighting for my life. I was actually doing quite well for a while, too.
You fought them? And won?
I had this one Nausicaan down in this somewhat devious joint-lock when, unbeknownst to me, one of his chums drew his weapon and impaled me through the back. Curious sensation, actually. Not much pain. Shock, certainly, at the sight of serrated metal sticking through my chest. A certain giddy warmth. In fact I do actually remember that I laughed out loud. Well, it pierced my heart, of course. Well, if we'd not been so near to a medical facility, I would surely have died.
Really? Then what happened?
Nothing. I was no hero, Wesley. I was an undisciplined, loud-mouthed, opinionated young man who was way out of his league. I learned a very hard, very painful lesson that day, but I learned it well. I hope you never have to learn it the same way.
[Geordi has supposedly installed new weapons in the Pakled ship]
RReginod
We are strong!
You're now armed to the teeth.
GGrebnedlog
Teeth are for chewing.
[before entering the medical facility at Starbase 515] Why do I get the distinct impression that you're acting like some kind of... escort?
Dr. Pulaski asked me to make sure that you actually went inside.
That woman! She would.
[waking up after the operation] What the hell are *you* doing here?
Saving your life.
Oh, come on. This is a routine procedure - quite commonplace.
True. But you are not a commonplace man.
I didn't want you involved in this.
You're welcome.
If you're here... the entire crew must know.
You're still the Captain - invincible.
These quotes come from Wikiquote's Star Trek: The Next Generation pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.