Chakotay points out the Northwest Passage.
The Northwest Passage was the term given to a corridor of space containing large numbers ofquantum singularities, devoid of Borg activity despite traversing through the entire span territory. The nickname was created by the crew of the USS Voyager, who intended to use it to cross Borg space without having to engage the Borg.
However, it was soon discovered that the corridor was devoid of Borg activity for a reason: the quantum singularities were being used by Species 8472, a race more powerful than the Borg, to invade the galaxy from their realm of fluidic space. The species, capable of completely annihilating the Borg, were bent on doing just that, in retaliation for the Borg's invasion of their realm and attempt to assimilate them. Moreover, they planned to expand their campaign to include all other life in the galaxy, after they were finished with the Borg.Captain Janeway therefore decided to avoid the corridor entirely, and instead make an alliance with the Borg to defeat Species 8472. (VOY: "Scorpion")
- It is uncertain what happened to the corridor after the Borg-Species 8472 War had concluded. As Species 8472 withdrew to their realm, it is possible the singularities became sealed, yet the corridor may still be detectable by the stresses and instablilites in the fabric of spacetime that have undoubtably remained.
- Named after the Northwest Passage, a corridor through Canada linking the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans on Earth by passage near the Arctic circle.