Scene #2028: A Taste of Earth, Borg-flavored.

Owner	Pose
Regina of Borg	Only a warp gate or two away from Earth-199999 is another Earth. This one so unique that it does not need its own number. It is simply known as Borg Earth. There are probably warning signs and automated radio signals that caution against entry as one makes one's way toward it. When one emerges from the nearest space gate, it is near the moon. Earth looks...strange. Rather than the predominant color being blue, it is green. Rather than brown where landmass should be, it is grey. And rather than satellites or a mishmash of different ships orbiting the planet...there are cubes. Cubes 3 kilometers wide, set up at regular and systematic intervals around the planet in what is definitely a defense grid. Just inside that perimeter is an eight-sided ship, an octahedron. This is the ship of the Borg Queen, identified for Peter to approach.
Peter Quill	Peter whistles when he sees all of that. He's definitely stepping in it, stucking his entire boot into it. A scan of the ship will suggest that it's a simple scouting ship with rather weak weapons for a space ship, though it is quite fast even though he's entering her ship somewhat slowly. By the time he's entering her ship and trying to figure out how to park in the thing, a biological scan will actually show that he's roughly 50% human, 50% something entirely uknown. Though if he has special properties, scans don't really show. It mostly seems like a strange genetic quirk as it is.
Regina of Borg	The Borg Queen's ship has no docking area, so instead Peter's ship is hit with a tractor beam when he gets close, then in a flash of green Peter would find himself teleported from his pilot chair to a rather dim room inside the ship. The room has several drones milling about. Drones that appear to be humans, but with grey skin and heavy cybernetics. Really the only thing that isn't covered by prosthetics and implants is one half of their head. And sitting on a throne in the center of the room is Regina. She wears a similar black armor suit, but her head and neck are free of implants, other than the hoses leading from the back of her head to ports across her back and shoulders. A green light, like some kind of spotlight, is focused on her, and she is sitting perfectly still. "Welcome, Peter Quill. I am Regina of Borg." she says before her eyes focus on him. "You are not a 'normal human' as you claimed."
Peter Quill	"I hope that was the data moving kind of teleporter rather than the data destroying kind." Peter says as he shivers for a moment at what is possibly a creepy thought. Then he looks himself over, patting himself down, and raises an eyebrow up at her. "I feel pretty normal." he says as if he genuinely has no idea what she's even talking about. "Unless that's how you compliment. I -am- pretty rugged for a human..." He rubs his jaw, then walks up to her, turning his head to look around out of curiosity. "You know, except for giant bugs, I've never met an alien queen who wasn't hot."
Regina of Borg	Regina smirks lightly at Peter's comment. "Are you saying I am not attractive?" she says, seeming amused rather than insulted. As if saying such a thing while in her command chamber is simply unwise. As for the human thing...she lets that go for now. "So, what is it about imperfection that you think I do not know?" As Peter looks around, he would see 7 Borg drones moving between various consoles. Each console has various green buttons formed on what appear to be LED screens. And as they talk, a pair of heavily armored and armed drones flank Peter. A royal must have royal guards after all. "And, rest assured. Your data and biology are quite intact."
Peter Quill	"Oh, no, actually I'm saying that nothing's changed at all. Every alien queen I meet who isn't a bug is smoking hot. Actually, hot isn't good enough for you..." Peter starts to walk up to her light, though he reaches out to make sure it isn't a force field or anything first. "I'd say you're actually beautiful, like a proper queen." He tilts his head at her, smiling. "To answer your question, I need to ask you questions. Can you feel? I mean, at all. Emotions, touch, instinct?"
Regina of Borg	The light surrounding Regina does not repel Peter, or affect him at all. And Regina seems intrigued by his line of questioning. "I am able to feel everything a typical human can feel. However, I carefully control my emotions and instincts. Such things are not usually advantageous to the Collective." she answers as she looks Peter over, then stands from her throne. She walks around him slowly, and that green spotlight follows her around automatically.
Peter Quill	"So then other than being the ruler of a giant space army, you're more or less a normal woman?" Peter asks, reaching out to lightly touch the side of her cheek once she's fully walked around him. "With all of this technology, why haven't you gotten rid of your emotions? Aren't they what make a human most imperfect? You said you control them, but why have them at all?" he doesn't sound like he's trying to -convince- her, he sounds like he's trying to -understand-. And his tone is quite smooth, like someone who knows how to naturally make every word pleasing to the ears when he wants to.
Regina of Borg	Regina makes no motion to stop that hand, and when Peter touches her he would find her skin is very soft. And as warm as any woman. "Emotions provide no benefit to the common drone, but to me, emotions and instincts offer an insight into certain situations that a pure unfeeling machine would not have." she explains. She raises a hand to Peter's cheek and presses her palm lightly against him. "Why? Do you wish to shed your emotions and instincts?" she asks, a light and slightly sinister smile on her face.
Peter Quill	"Definitely not." Peter's fingers lightly motion over her cheek, as if to explore this particularly unique face. Certainly never met a Borg before! "But if you have emotions, doesn't that mean you can get lonely, being surrounded by people who can't think anything other than what you tell them to think?" He places a finger under her chin, closing the gap between them just a little more. "Spending so much time being the only thing with feelings, seeing a guy like me must be like getting visited in prison."
Regina of Borg	Regina smirks at that. "Lonely? I have an entire Collective relaying me information at all times. They each have a unique voice, and those voices are with me at every moment. I am never alone, and I am never lonely. Loneliness is a human weakness which we Borg do not experience." she says, then gently pulls away from that finger on her chin. "Do not presume to know what I desire simply because I am a bipedal female."
Peter Quill	"Hey, hey, I'm not the kinda guy who just presumes what a woman wants." Peter says while lowering his hand, but still trying to stay fairly close. "What's the point in being perfect if you can't enjoy those feelings? You can't eat a burger, watch TV, chill out with a guy like me. It's all work all the time." He pauses, then straightens his jacket with both hands. "There's no shame in being a normal bipedal female, especially a beautiful one like you."
Regina of Borg	Regina considers that a moment. "I enjoy my work. I am constantly seeking ways to be more perfect. I do not need nutrients from food, and I do not require mental distractions such as TV, nor do I require company. What do you have to offer that I would find valuable enough to spend my precious time 'chilling out' with you? What makes you so unique that I, the Queen of the Borg, should take processing power away from my tasks in order to spend time with you?"
Peter Quill	"Food tastes good, who cares about nutrients? No one eats a burger to live. Hell, most burgers would lead you to a slow death first. And TV isn't a mental distraction, it's like... art. To enjoy! What's the point in being perfect if you don't have all the little things in life?" Peter does, however, consider her question, rubbing his chin for a moment. "If I show you, promise not to kill me or eat me or whatever you guys do?"
Regina of Borg	"Good tasting food offers no tactical advantage. And art has no place in an efficient machine. The 'little things' are wastes of time that could be better used unravelling the mysteries of the universes." Regina replies, seeming to find no value at all in 'enjoyment'. Regina blinks, seeming slightly confused by that last part. "I have just explained that I do not eat, but you have my word I will not attempt to assimilate or kill you."
Peter Quill	"I just don't get it. To what end? What do you do when you're perfect? What do you do when you understand everything? If by the end, you don't have the little things, there won't be a point." Peter steps in, reaching out to gently slide his arm around her, trying to pull her against him. Then he starts to lean in, lips on a gradual collision course. "If you feel even a spark, tell me that it's not a little thing worth keeping around." he whispers, then just straight up goes for it, trying to dip kiss her.
Regina of Borg	"When I am perfect, I will share that perfection with everyone." Regina says, a light smile on her face. "There will be no more suffering, no more death, and no more violence." she continues as Peter reaches around her. Regina blinks as Peter moves in, then moves a hand up to block him gently. "I met a being worthy of such a position beside me once. He was taken from me by the humans of my universe, and my time travel campaign to take over their earth ended his existence. I have yet to meet another being who holds his qualities, and I doubt I ever will." she says, then gently pushes Peter back. "The feelings which you are advocating lead only to pain. I have no need of such things."
Peter Quill	"You're sounding like a bipedal female to me." Peter notes with a slight grin, then shakes his head. "I'm sorry to hear that, but you know that's love, right? You loved someone. That's not a trivial thing. People get hurt, but they learn to move on, and get to know other people." He looks around at the drones, then motions his hands around to different ones. "Any one of these drones, if they had regular feelings and thoughts that weren't work and science stuff, you could have a thousand soul mates! If you don't risk a little pain, you can't have any happiness. You'll just end up closed off and rejecting all the charming men who try to ravish you, and never move on or overcome anything." He places his hands to his head, then slowly moves them away, as if making a brain exploding gesture. "You say you wanna be perfect, but emotionally, aren't you less perfect than a regular human? Think about it. I'm the most simple but still kind of awesome guy there is. I don't think I'm perfect, I'm not a genius, I don't know what that thing is." He points a finger at a weird glowy Borg thing. "But I know a broken heart when I see one."
Regina of Borg	"I am a bipedal female. I did not dispute that." Regina says after the speech. "But, love serves no practical purpose. It is a self-indulgent ideal that draws away from the quest for knowledge and perfection which I embody." Regina looks around at her drones, then back to Peter. "I have happiness. Everytime I bring a new civilization into the Collective, it brings me abundant happiness." she says, then tilts her head. "Emotions offer benefits, but it is only by distancing ourselves from emotions that we can achieve enlightenment." She then looks up at Peter. "Why is it you value emotions so highly? Is happiness through love so valuable that you would sacrifice other advantages to feel it?"
Peter Quill	"I can tell you a lot of different stories about my adventures with bipedal females, good and bad. I don't regret any of it, it's one of those great, fun, and unpredictable things in life. Look at where I am right now and tell me that I make great decisions with women." Peter laughs a little holding his hands out before dropping them to his side. "I've tried food from planets with names I can't even pronounce, helped a lot of people who needed it, -hurt- a lot of people who needed it. My life is amazing and I never know what I'll do from one day to the next. But what's the point if you can't share it with someone?" "Why do I need laser eyes, or boob armor," he motions to her chest, "Or enlightenment or any of that? Emotions feel great, unpredictability makes life fun, and sharing it all with another person, even someone you don't know very well, it's much funner. When you watch the sun rise, sure, it could be your own personal thing. But isn't it better when you can look over at someone and say, 'This is our thing'? I can't think of any advantage I'd take over emotions, love, or anything like that. You could offer me the moon and a trillion credits for them and I'd say no."
Regina of Borg	Regina looks down at herself when Peter motions at her, then looks back up at him. "Because those things are perfection. Emotions are imperfect. They lead to mistakes and unreasonable choices. Borg enhancements lead to immortality and perfection. Unpredictability is a form of chaos, and chaos leads to destruction. The Borg will survive. We will not be destroyed by emotions or by weapons. We will be the perfect civilization, and we will share that perfection with the rest of the Multiverse. Only when everything is Borg can we be safe."
Peter Quill	Peter looks around, then reaches to take her hand, though he looks for permission first. This is mostly to look down at it, and just sort of visually study it. "I don't wanna be Borg, so maybe I think safety is overrated. I do dumb things, I make the same mistakes more than once. I do a lot of unsafe things and put my life at risk, I commit crimes but I do good things when I have the chance. Whatever this is, it works for you, I can respect that. But I've got a challenge for you." He stares at a drone in thought, trying to figure out how exactly to word this. "You've basically got god-like technology, right? So copy yourself, and cut it off from the Collective, and send her off to hang out in my ship and adventure with me. I'll bring her back every once in a while and you can tell -yourself- what you've learned from slumming it with the sexy dangerous mortals."
Regina of Borg	Regina allows her hand to be taken, and listens to the challenge. She raises an eyebrow at the suggestion. "Borg which have been disconnected in the past and returned to the Collective have proven destructive to the Collective. Therefor, I cannot agree to such a challenge. I will not put my people at risk simply to satisify your curiousity." she says, then pulls her hand away. "I feel our exchange has reached the peak of its productivity. Shall I return you to your ship?"
Peter Quill	"It's not for my curiosity." Peter takes a deep breath, locking eyes with her. "Makes me sad, looking at this place. I'd take you away from it if I could, show you all the great things in the Multiverse, and in yourself." he says as his final thoughts, then nods. "I'll go. But if anything I said ever gets to you, you can always give me a call." He reaches out to touch her cheek one last time, saying, "I'm kind of a dick, but occasionally I'm sincere."
Regina of Borg	Regina hmphs indignantly when Peter says that. "I am Borg. I do not need sympathy from an imperfect organic creature." she says, moving away from his touch. "I have seen many things in the Multiverse. So far, I have seen none that indicate I am missing anything vital by not partaking in the usual human customs and frivilous emotions. I would suggest you make your peace with the Multiverse, because eventually the Borg will reign over it." she says, then she blinks in a deliberate fashion, and the green light which brought Peter to Regina's ship flows over him. Within moments he is on his own ship again. Not only that, but a radio messages comes from his speakers. "We are the Borg." The voice is not that of Regina, but of hundreds of monotone voices speaking in syncronicity. "Remove yourself from Borg space immediately."