Omega molecule An Omega molecule is a highly unstable molecule believed to be the most powerful substance known to exist . The molecule could be synthesized with sufficient amounts of boronite ore . However , proper containment methods did not exist to prevent the violent destabilization of the molecule , which destroyed subspace and rendered warp travel impossible . The explosion of one molecule could destroy all subspace within several light year s . Theory . Some Federation cosmologist s theorized that Omega existed in nature for an infinitesimal period of time at the instant of the Big Bang . Some claimed Omega itself had been the primal source of energy for the Big Bang . Each molecule contained the same energy as a warp core . Theoretically an Omega molecule would be so energetic , that a small chain of molecules would be able to power a civilization . History . Borg records . The Borg learned of the substance in 2145 through the assimilation of thirteen species , and were able to synthesize a single molecule of Omega that remained stable for one - trillionth of a nanosecond . The experiments the Borg conducted on Omega destroyed a total of 29 Borg vessels and 600 , 000 drones . The Borg , who referred to Omega as Particle 010 , regarded Omega with near - reverence as they believed it to exist in a flawless state . Because the Borg saw the Omega molecule as " perfection " , all Borg were ordered to assimilate it at any cost . From their data , the Borg designed a harmonic resonance chamber that could theoretically stabilize the molecule , but according to Seven of Nine they didn ' t have enough boronite left to synthesize more Omega molecules . Starfleet records . A single Omega molecule was synthesized in the late 23rd century by the Starfleet physicist Ketteract on board a classified research station in the Lantaru sector . The molecule remained stable for a fraction of a second before it exploded , killing 127 leading Federation scientists and consequently destroying subspace throughout the sector through rupturing . This secondary effect made it impossible to create a stable warp field , complicating rescue efforts . The accident was covered up and the impassibility of the Lantaru sector was explained as a natural phenomenon . Starfleet Command then suppressed all knowledge of Omega and enacted the Omega Directive , on which only starship captain s and flag officer s were briefed . USS " Voyager " . " " Omega destroys subspace , a chain reaction involving a handful of molecules could devastate subspace throughout an entire quadrant . If that were to happen , warp travel would become impossible . Spacefaring civilization as we know it would cease to exist . " " Another civilization in the Delta Quadrant was actually successful in synthesizing some two hundred million Omega molecules in 2374 . They were able to keep the molecules stable by using Omega ' s own resonance frequency ( 1 . 68 terahertz ) to calibrate their containment - field , though eventually an accident devastated their research facility . The starship managed to neutralize the molecules before they could do any further damage to subspace . Seven of Nine adapted the Borg harmonic resonance chamber design to emit an inverse frequency which would dissolve Omega ' s interatomic bonds . Seconds before the harmonic resonance chamber was jettisoned into space , the molecules started to stabilize spontaneously , and remained stable for at least 3 . 2 seconds . The remaining Omega molecules were destroyed by a modified gravimetric torpedo , with " Voyager " escaping to warp before the local subspace was destroyed . When Q Junior visited the " Voyager " ' s bridge in 2378 , he proposed to do something interesting like fighting Species 8472 in fluidic space or detonate a few Omega molecules . ( ) Apocrypha . In the game " " , the Borg , led by a clone of Locutus of Borg , led an unsuccessful attack in 2376 upon the Federation and the Klingon and Romulan Empires in an attempt to gain an Omega particle , before being destroyed by the . In the game " Star Trek Online " , in a rare star cluster exploration mission , Starfleet command orders the player ' s ship to scan a star system for Omega molecules and destroy them . In the end of the mission , the player finds out that there were no Omega molecules in the system and the mission is completed . In the mission " Skirmish " , the player is asked to scan a ship for abnormalities . One option is to scan for Omega molecules . After trying this scan ( which results negative ) , the player ' s science officer says , " " Captain , what are Omega molecules ? " " In the Season 8 update , " The Sphere " , players enter a Dyson sphere to secure a mysterious factory constantly producing Omega molecules from the Voth , who believe it is their right to have the molecules as dictated by their Doctrine . It is later revealed that the Omega molecules ( and partial components of them called " Omega particles " ) and the sphere itself were created by Solanogen - based lifeform s serving the Iconian s . The particles were used as a power source by the systems on board the sphere to conduct near - instantaneous travel through subspace . In " " , the Ketteract incident is found to have been orchestrated by the assimilated Vulcan T ' Urell , who actually stabilized the Omega particle and used it to power a sphere that was destroyed by James T . Kirk . leading to the particle ' s destabilization . In this interpretation of the Ketteract Incident , Kirk recommended the establishment of the Omega Directive . " Legacy " depicts a stabilized particle while mentions that the particle was destabilized fractions of a second after creation – it is possible that even starship captains were only told that the particle exploded upon being created as a cover story to prevent possible classified information about T ' Urell from being disseminated . The " " book " " provides a different portrayal of Ketteract ' s experiment . In the novel , Section 31 actively participated in the disastrous Omega experiment in the 23rd century . The crew of the original barely escaped when the molecule destabilized . The Borg fascination with Omega is described in the " " novel trilogy . The race the Borg descended from ( the Caeliar ) utilized it as a power source . Following the degradation of a Caeliar group exiled due to an accident , their connection to Omega ( and a power source for their nanoprobes called catoms ) was lost . This led the first Borg Queen to focus on recovery of Omega ; however , they lost their knowledge of how to control the particles or synthesize them . In " The Eternal Tide " , " Voyager " learns that the Omega molecule did indeed trigger the Big Bang , and is increasingly building power and stability in a sub - dimension , essentially ' counting down ' to the end of this universe . When a civilian scientist expedition encountered a rift into this dimension , they unintentionally accelerated this decay as their matter provided Omega with additional energy , but the instability caused by this chain reaction also created the Q Continuum , the Q serving as a creative force to ' counter ' the destructive potential of the Omega Continuum . Although Q believes that the only way to stop the decay would be to reverse the original incident and thus essentially erase the Q Continuum from existence , " Voyager " is able to repair the disruption while only shortening the universe ' s lifespan by a few million years as opposed to the trillions they would have lost previously , thus saving the Q , but this is only achieved through the sacrifice of Captain Afsarah Eden – a ' child ' of the Omega Continuum created when the continuum manifested a new entity based on a scientist who discovered it and Q ' s son , who possessed the potential to channel the power of Omega and contain it once again . In the canceled " " game , the main goal is to develop a stable Omega particle , and then go on and assimilate the Alpha Quadrant . In the back story for the proposed and abandoned animated series " " , the galaxy would have been devastated by a series of Omega particle detonations , making large areas impassable by warp drive .