Vorta

File:Weyoun.jpg

Weyoun, a male Vorta.

Eris, a female Vorta.

Not to be confused with the Horta, a silicon-based non-humanoid species that can burrow through solid stone, or with the Vor'cha class Klingon ship.

The Vorta were a humanoid species genetically engineered by the Founders of the Dominion to act as field commanders, administrators, scientists and diplomats. The Vorta saw themselves as those who "serve the Founders."

History and Politics

Also see: Dominion history

The Vorta believe, perhaps apocryphally, that they previously existed as small, timid, ape-like forest dwellers living in hollowed-out trees to avoid the many predators on their homeworld. Legend has it that one day, a family of Vorta hid a Changeling from an angry mob of "solids" that were pursuing it. In return, the Changeling promised that one day they would be transformed into powerful beings and placed at the head of a vast interstellar empire that would stretch across the galaxy. The Founders fulfilled this promise by genetically changing the Vorta into humanoids and employing them at the highest level of the Dominion as their tools of conquest. (DS9: "Treachery, Faith and the Great River")

According to Star Trek: Star Charts (p. 71), the Vorta homeworld was in fact the planet Kurill Prime as Eris had claimed in DS9: "The Jem'Hadar", even though her story of a recent Dominion conquest of that world was a lie.

Vorta act as the commanders of the Jem'Hadar. Each Jem'Hadar ship is commanded by a single Vorta, to whom the Jem'Hadar First is directly responsible. The other Jem'Hadar are responsible to the First. The Vorta are tasked with the distribution of ketracel-white, the drug that ensures the loyalty of the Jem'Hadar (although it has been indicated that this is not entirely necessary). (DS9: "To the Death")

Physiology

Vorta have pale skin, violet eyes and elongated ears that are completely joined to the rest of the head. The Founders altered the Vorta genome to include a sense of hearing greater than that of most other humanoid races, but they have comparatively weak eyesight. Vorta are immune to most forms of poison; Weyoun once observed that this trait "came in handy as a diplomat". (DS9: "Favor the Bold", "Sacrifice of Angels", "Ties of Blood and Water")

A few Vorta agents, such as Eris, are capable of generating powerful blasts of telekinesis, strong enough to knock an adult human off his feet. However, this does not appear to be an attribute of most Vorta. (DS9: "The Jem'Hadar")

Ronald D. Moore stated: "Our internal rationale has been that Eris was given this ability for a specific purpose by the Founders (and maybe several other Vorta along with her) and that it is not a normal part of the Vorta "recipe" in the Dominion." (AOL chat, 1998)

Perhaps the most important of the genetic alterations made to the Vorta is an intrinsic belief that the Founders are gods. This ensures the Vorta's absolute obedience to the Founders. (DS9: "Treachery, Faith and the Great River")

Vorta only have a limited sense of taste and aesthetics. They enjoy kava nuts and rippleberries, as they did before they were genetically engineered, but little else. Vorta generally have no appreciation for art. (DS9: "Favor the Bold", "Treachery, Faith and the Great River")

Unlike the Jem'Hadar, there are both male and female Vorta in service. If a Vorta is killed, they can be replaced with a clone. Vorta clones can occasionally become defective, taking on different personality traits to their predecessors (see Weyoun 6). (DS9: "Ties of Blood and Water", "Treachery, Faith and the Great River")

In the event of capture, Vorta are expected to commit suicide via their termination implant. Vorta are told that this death is quick and painless but this has proven not to be the case. (DS9: "Treachery, Faith and the Great River")

People

• Borath
• Deyos
• Eris
• Gelnon
• Keevan
• Kilana
• Luaran
• Weyoun
• Yelgrun
• List of unnamed Vorta

Food and Beverages

• Kava nut
• Q'lava
• Rippleberry

Appearances

• DS9:
  • "The Jem'Hadar" (Season Two)
  • "The Search, Part II" (Season Three)
  • "To the Death" (Season Four)
  • "The Ship" (Season Five)
  • "In Purgatory's Shadow"
  • "By Inferno's Light"
  • "Ties of Blood and Water"
  • "In the Cards"
  • "Call to Arms"
  • "A Time to Stand" (Season Six)
  • "Rocks and Shoals"
  • "Behind the Lines"
  • "Favor the Bold"
  • "Sacrifice of Angels"
  • "Statistical Probabilities"
  • "The Magnificent Ferengi"
  • "Waltz"
  • "Far Beyond the Stars"
  • "One Little Ship"
  • "Honor Among Thieves"
  • "Inquisition"
  • "In the Pale Moonlight"
  • "Tears of the Prophets"
  • "Image in the Sand" (Season Seven)
  • "Shadows and Symbols"
  • "Treachery, Faith and the Great River"
  • "Penumbra"
  • "'Til Death Do Us Part"
  • "Strange Bedfellows"
  • "The Changing Face of Evil"
  • "Tacking Into the Wind"
  • "The Dogs of War"
  • "What You Leave Behind"

Background Information

The Vorta were initially conceived as rugged space-traders, what Ira Steven Behr has referred to as "Brian Dennehy-types." (The Birth of the Dominion and Beyond, DS9 Season 3 DVD, Special Features)

External link

• Vorta at Wikipedia