In the Trekverse you are The Swarm (RAR!)

[Tribble]

To what degree are the Zerg dependant on the Khaydarin crystals? If I remember correctly, the Overmind deliberately evolved the Zerg to incorporate them. That could potentially be a huge problem as the crystals were artificially created by the Xel-Naga and probably wouldn't exist in the AQ.

The Swarm was doing just fine before it reached Aiur.

Zor

We don't know exactly what that trip entailed, though we do know that the Zerg stopped multiple times en rotue to absorb potentially useful species. It's possible that some of the worlds they came across had Khaydarin crystals as well.

If I remember correctly when one of the Zerg's deep space probes was captured by the Protoss, they used a Khaydarin crystal to study it. It naturally reacted to the crystal, and that is what told the Protoss that the Zerg must have been created by the Xel-Naga. Also crystals were required for the Overmind to manifest itself on Aiur. And crystals have on occasion been used to control Zerg.

The Protoss use them to aid in their psionic powers. It's possible that the Zerg use them in a similar fashion, perhaps to help maintain their psionic link with each other? IMO the crystals are of some importance at least, and their absence could have negative impacts long term as the Zerg run out of their energy.

[Ahriman238]

I'd be more worried about the lack of Vespene than the psychic crystals. That said, I'm sure we can come up with alternate fuel/energy sources.

As others have said, go to the Feddies straight off and explain that there are multiple factions of Zerg, offer support for intel and trade information for a variety of tissue samples. Some federation members have exotic abilities, psychic powers (so do the Zerg, but you never know what study might find or improve upon, and I bet being able to isolate the causes of telepathy would be tremendously valuable to the Federation) or super efficient biological systems. All things that could help give me a leg up on the other Zerg, whom I intend to contain or conquer rather than have the destruction they'll cause on my conscience, or a large number of wild cards running around during the war.

Speaking of, I like telling the basic truth of the Zerg and leaving out the bits that would only complicate matters, but I would add the Dominion into the narrative and use that to justify my knowing a great many things about them, like the Founders, the Vorta, ketracel-white. I would warn them to watch out for Changeling infiltrators, I can't recall off the top of my head what phaser frequency effects them but I know one exists that is harmless to most others and with Odo's help we can find it again. Heck, just a little insight into the Founder's priorities and strategic goals could help a lot. I hope to have a massive and powerful swarm at my back too, but accept that sharing all this is going to put a target on my back.

Adding to my woes, I seem to be stuck in a de facto war with the Klingons. Though I regret the initial incident beyond my control, something tells me we aren't going to settle things without a lot more bloodshed. Hopefully it distracts them from the Klingon-Fed war. In any case, hopefully the swarm can adapt, it'd be cool to add some of that insane internal redundancy of the Klingons to the Swarm.

I'm going to have to rethink a lot of bio-forms to cope with the destructive power of ST infantry and the ship combat environment. But just getting the chance to play with creating life on that level is exciting.

[Purple]

I'm going to have to rethink a lot of bio-forms to cope with the destructive power of ST infantry and the ship combat environment. But just getting the chance to play with creating life on that level is exciting.

My input on this would be to make loads of crab sized creatures that run fast, are difficult to hit with a firearm and explode into a cloud of gas that is highly toxic to humans but harmless to zerg. Preferably make that gas thick and have a bright green color as well. Federation warriors have at no point been observed wearing even basic NBC gear or visual aids to cope with a simple wall of toxic smoke.

[Borgholio]

Federation warriors have at no point been observed wearing even basic NBC gear or visual aids to cope with a simple wall of toxic smoke.

Nobody has. This would work great against charging hordes of Klingons or Jem Hadar as well.

Question - would the Zerg be able to absorb any properties of a Founder if one was encountered? Would the swarm be able to take over the entire Great Link or would they be forced to bombard it from orbit to get rid of them?

[Tribble]

Hey, maybe in this scenario some of the Zerg have already been the ST universe for quite awhile. It would explain the infested humans in "Conspiracy"

[Imperial528]

From the Klingons, I would have hopefully gained knowledge about Tribbles. I'll mutate them to be space worthy and so they can self destruct. Self-destruct with acid that eats through the hull of starships! At the rate they reproduce, the Alpha Quadrant would soon be mine! Kneel before the kamikaze space Tribbles! muhahahahahaha!

So, basically, Scourges only cheaper?

Neither of you are thinking Zerg enough.

They need to be like Zerg structures circa SC2, but instead of broodlings, they emit small tribbles when killed! And, instead of being kamikaze, they should only explode upon being shot/stabbed/violently killed, and normally, they feed off of things like deuterium and dilithium crystals and coffee and tea!

[Purple]

They need to be like Zerg structures circa SC2, but instead of broodlings, they emit small tribbles when killed! And, instead of being kamikaze, they should only explode upon being shot/stabbed/violently killed, and normally, they feed off of things like deuterium and dilithium crystals and coffee and tea!

That would mesh brilliantly with my spore reproduction idea. It would in essence mean that the zerg can newer be driven from existence.

[Tribble]

From the Klingons, I would have hopefully gained knowledge about Tribbles. I'll mutate them to be space worthy and so they can self destruct. Self-destruct with acid that eats through the hull of starships! At the rate they reproduce, the Alpha Quadrant would soon be mine! Kneel before the kamikaze space Tribbles! muhahahahahaha!

So, basically, Scourges only cheaper?

Neither of you are thinking Zerg enough.

They need to be like Zerg structures circa SC2, but instead of broodlings, they emit small tribbles when killed! And, instead of being kamikaze, they should only explode upon being shot/stabbed/violently killed, and normally, they feed off of things like deuterium and dilithium crystals and coffee and tea!

Why does the structure have to be killed in order to emit the tribbles? The structure should be more like a Hatchery, and constantly pump them out like the zerg larvae! Combine that with their ability to reproduce rapidly, and the planet will be covered in no time!

They need to be like Zerg structures circa SC2, but instead of broodlings, they emit small tribbles when killed! And, instead of being kamikaze, they should only explode upon being shot/stabbed/violently killed, and normally, they feed off of things like deuterium and dilithium crystals and coffee and tea!

That would mesh brilliantly with my spore reproduction idea. It would in essence mean that the zerg can newer be driven from existence.

Let's combine plans then. Our Zerg Tribbles will be:

A) used to infest planets and starships
B) very difficult to eliminate due to their incredibly fast reproduction (aided by hatchery structures which spew them out) and
C) capable of violently exploding if attacked

[Purple]

Let's combine plans then. Our Zerg Tribbles will be:

A) used to infest planets and starships
B) very difficult to eliminate due to their incredibly fast reproduction (aided by hatchery structures which spew them out) and
C) capable of violently exploding if attacked

You forgot D) reproduce via spores which persist in the environment indefinitely ensuring that the only way to remove them from a planet for good is to torch the biosphere.

[Tribble]

Oh and E) Make them space-worthy. Scourge are fun, but they are pretty damn ugly. It'll be far more amusing to use the furry little critters instead.

[Imperial528]

Why does the structure have to be killed in order to emit the tribbles? The structure should be more like a Hatchery, and constantly pump them out like the zerg larvae! Combine that with their ability to reproduce rapidly, and the planet will be covered in no time!

You misunderstand me. Every time a tribble is killed, its body breaks down into a dozen or two baby tribbles!

[OmegaChief]

As much fun as talking about zerging Tribbles is.... didn't the Klingons wipe them out?

I mean until the DS9 time travel episode, but I'm not sure if we're before or after that.

[Tribble]

The Klingons apparently wiped them out of their space, and the Federation banned importing them but there is no indication that they actually went extinct.

[bilateralrope]

Some of the queens are fighting with each other, some will bow into line at your arrival, some need to be beaten into submission and others will need their Brood Mother killed to make their broods fall into line.

What would the Federation think of our goal to enslave or kill all Zerg ?

What are the chances of those other swarms asking one of the Trek factions for help ?

[Lord Revan]

Some of the queens are fighting with each other, some will bow into line at your arrival, some need to be beaten into submission and others will need their Brood Mother killed to make their broods fall into line.

What would the Federation think of our goal to enslave or kill all Zerg ?

What are the chances of those other swarms asking one of the Trek factions for help ?

none what so ever, the swarm Queens are slightly more intelligent then typical zerg but not intelligent enough to ally with outsiders, think of Swarm Queen led hives as swarm of locust that can be directed at the weakest point of the enemy.

as for the Feral Zerg well they're like rabid animals attacking anything in sight without provocation and lack even the basic means of communicating with outsiders.

Cerebrate lead swarms might be able to ally with others but all cerebrates are suppose to be dead at the timeline we're using.

only with The Overmind or the Queen of Blades at the helm do the zerg strategies become intelligent enough for things alliances to happen.

[Vendetta]

To what degree are the Zerg dependant on the Khaydarin crystals? If I remember correctly, the Overmind deliberately evolved the Zerg to incorporate them. That could potentially be a huge problem as the crystals were artificially created by the Xel-Naga and probably wouldn't exist in the AQ.

They aren't.

The Khaydarin Crystal was required to move the physical incarnation of the Overmind to Aiur from Zerus.

They don't need them in the normal course of things.

[Ahriman238]

Expanding on earlier, I'd also probably draw inspiration from the 'Nids, Yuuzhan Vong and the sheer variety of life on Earth in modding my Zerg. I'm going to want great swimmers, and I love the idea of insanely armored (on the topside) crab-like creatures that can secure themselves to my Zerg for extra armor or detach if they prove a hindrance.

Aside from Klingon redundancy, Vulcan/Romulan efficiency and telepathy, I'd be very interesed in those humans from 'Symbiosis' who could generate electricity enough for a hand-taser. Will be useful in going claw-to-claw against other Zerg anyways. I'd also love to study the Horta, who tunnel so quickly and are resistant to phasers. I'd also like a Trill-like brain creature I could bootstrap myself into in the event of my original body's demise.

Hmm, something very sensitive to vibrations like tunneling Zerg. Perhaps a slime/ooze/jelly creature to counter vast numbers of charging zerglings. Best of all would be a psychic booster creature to let me steal control from the Swarm Queens.

I also like the idea of creating humanoid Zerg to interact with the various AQ powers. But I'm picturing something more like Vong meets Space Marine, with all the tweaks I can give humanoid life. I want it to be clear that we are weapons/warriors and while other Zerg are incredibly dangerous, my Zerg are incredibly dangerous if provoked. A distinction I want everyone to be very clear on.

[Vendetta]

Hmm, something very sensitive to vibrations like tunneling Zerg. Perhaps a slime/ooze/jelly creature to counter vast numbers of charging zerglings. Best of all would be a psychic booster creature to let me steal control from the Swarm Queens.

You wouldn't need any kind of vibrational detection to detect tunneling critters, since you have Overlords which can telepathically detect things underground or even invisible spaceships by detecting the minds of the crew.

Countering vast numbers of charging zerglings is the task of Banelings, exploding acidic goo all over them (and also doing so by popping out of their burrows to explode like land mines).