# Why does Seven of Nine have multiple alcoves? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2018, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300 "2018-03-27T21:55:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2018, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/1 "2018-03-27T21:55:28Z")
Whenever we are shown Sevens’ quarters, there is a bank of at least three Borg alcoves against the wall. Why would Seven need three alcoves? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2018, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/2 "2018-03-27T22:11:31Z")
I’m not sure it’s ever been answered or addressed. Perhaps it’s like why I have two spare bedrooms. One never knows? Alternately, hey, Borg threesomes? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2018, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/3 "2018-03-27T22:19:41Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Whenever we are shown Sevens’ quarters, there is a bank of at least three Borg alcoves against the wall. > > Why would Seven need three alcoves? I figure they are built in multiples and it was easier to grab a three-pack and hook that up to power and other supplies than to figure out how to pull them apart to get just one. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2018, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/4 "2018-03-27T22:45:28Z")
I never got so far as to look beyond chest level. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2018, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/5 "2018-03-27T23:04:18Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > I figure they are built in multiples and it was easier to grab a three-pack and hook that up to power and other supplies than to figure out how to pull them apart to get just one. Yes. It came in threes. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2018, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/6 "2018-03-27T23:09:44Z")
So the show could have an arc for those 3 kids they picked up. What would we do without that? I have always wanted to know what happened to the little Borg baby? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/7 "2018-03-28T00:02:26Z")
IIRC, the alcoves were salvaged from a derelict Borg ship. I would assume they were just built that way and maybe wouldn’t work if you tried separating them. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/8 "2018-03-28T02:55:23Z")
[Who looked at her cubicles?](http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/576/298/4d5.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/9 "2018-03-28T03:30:52Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > I figure they are built in multiples and it was easier to grab a three-pack and hook that up to power and other supplies than to figure out how to pull them apart to get just one. > [@terentii](#): > > IIRC, the alcoves were salvaged from a derelict Borg ship. I would assume they were just built that way and maybe wouldn’t work if you tried separating them. Well I suppose that’s as good an explanation as any. Thanks for your input, all. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/10 "2018-03-28T03:43:05Z")
As I recall it, when the board first came aboard voyager, there was more than one. The crew had to get rid of most to avoid an insurrection, and only Seven survived. But I could easily be wrong, not having seen the series (ha!) In many moons. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/11 "2018-03-28T23:02:51Z")
I imagine there was just one but it assimilated a nearby coffee maker and toaster. (And you thought Neelix was mad about losing Kes.) ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2018, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/12 "2018-03-28T23:56:47Z")
Seven comes aboard in _Scorpion Part II_ (first episode of season four.) Her Borg cube is destroyed by Species 8472 and she transports with Janeway to the _Voyager_’s cargo bay with several drones and several alcoves. [Screenshot](https://imgur.com/a/cNwDk). The other drones are eventually killed but Seven gets de-borgified. The three alcoves on the wall were kept because they presumably come as a single unit. Pretty sure you can still buy those plastic plasma discs at Spencer’s Gifts, too. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/13 "2018-03-29T00:54:20Z")
When they tore down Busch Stadium in St. Louis a couple of decades ago, I knew a guy who picked a group (either three or four) of seats. They were a single unit. Simple as that. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/14 "2018-03-29T01:40:26Z")
I believe you are giving Voyager more thought than the people making it ever did.😉 ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/15 "2018-03-29T04:22:08Z")
Redundancy in case one fails. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/16 "2018-03-29T04:42:43Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > Redundancy in case one fails. This would be my fanwank. As a matter of fact, I vaguely remember Seven scolding Harry because Voyager didn’t have TRIPLE redundancy. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/17 "2018-03-29T05:16:07Z")
The Borg really only understand redundancy through extreme application of distributed systems. But there are other ways to achieve suitable redundancy. Just because Seven doesn’t like Starfleet engineering doesn’t mean it’s necessarily inferior. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/18 "2018-03-29T14:04:51Z")
Well, Voyager _did_ have triple redundancy, so it could keep going even if some systems failed. And then, well, some systems failed, and it keeps going. That’s how it’s supposed to work. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/19 "2018-03-29T14:58:46Z")
3-ways? ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2018, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300/20 "2018-03-29T15:57:32Z")
As others said I always assumed they just took a chunk of a Borg ship and that was how it was. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-seven-of-nine-have-multiple-alcoves/811300.md?page=2)