Assimilation tubule

A drone uses assimilation tubules on an Enterprise-E crewman (2373)

Assimilation tubules, also known as injection tubules, were a pair of flexible needle-like devices that extended from the wrists or fingers of Borg drones. They were the first step in the assimilation process.

Once they penetrated the skin, they released a series of Borg nanoprobes, the bloodstream being the initial target. They took over the blood cell functions in a manner similar to a virus. Tubules have been shown to release an energy charge while they are deployed, which often leads to paralyzing effects for the victim while the nanoprobes are injected. Assimilation was then almost instantaneous. (VOY: "Scorpion")

The tubules were capable of penetrating any alloy or energy field known to the Federation. They also allowed drones to interface with technology and possibly reconfigure it using their nanotechnology. (ENT: "Regeneration"; Star Trek: First Contact; VOY: "Scorpion")

In their first appearance and in "Scorpion", the assimilation tubules appeared to be rigid, talon-like weapons; however, in later appearances on Voyager, the tubules seemed to be flexible objects, more along the lines of "tubules". This may indicate that they could stiffen depending on function. Although the technology made its debut in Star Trek: First Contact, their appearance in a flashback sequence in "Survival Instinct" indicates that the Borg possessed the technology earlier.

See also

• Extraction tubule

External link

• Assimilation tubule at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works