Vorta
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| Vorta | |
|---|---|
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| Founded: | Genetically engineered from ape-like forest creatures |
| Founder: | Founders (creators) |
| Base of Operations: | Gamma Quadrant |
| Affiliation: | Dominion |
The Vorta are a fictional humanoid species in Star Trek who appear in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
The Vorta serve the Dominion's Founders, whom they worship as gods, in administrative roles. They typically serve as diplomats or as officers charged with managing Jem'Hadar units. The presence of a Vorta typically denotes Dominion interest in or involvement with the given situation.
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[edit] Language
"Vorta" would probably mean "devouring you" in Latin.
[edit] Physiology
Vorta are humanoids with white skin, black hair and lilac-colored eyes. They have good hearing, poor eyesight, and are immune to most forms of poison. The Vorta also have a very poorly developed aesthetical and sensory taste; about the only things they can taste are certain food items from their homeworld. According to Weyoun 6, the Vorta were once a simple arboreal species that the Founders genetically reengineered. The Vorta belief that the Founders are gods results from this genetic engineering.
The Vorta reproduce by cloning. Unlike the unisexual Jem'Hadar, there are both male and female Vorta, although it is not specified whether the Vorta are actually capable of sexual reproduction.
While only a single telekinetic Vorta is seen, she claims that limited telekinesis is a trait of her species. As she was otherwise being deceitful at the time, this assertion is questionable. (DS9: "The Jem'Hadar")
Vorta have a suicide device implanted at the base of their skulls. If a Vorta needs to take its own life, he or she can activate the device and be dead within seconds. Although Vorta are told it is a painless process, actual practice suggests otherwise. (DS9: "Treachery, Faith, and the Great River")
[edit] History
Little is known about the Vorta's history. According to Weyoun 6, they have a legend that they were once a primitive ape-like species, until a Founder crashed on their planet. The Vorta helped the Founder, and in turn the Founder promised that they would one day be an important part of a great empire. The Founders then helped the Vorta through genetic manipulation. With no independent verification of the story, the possibility exists that the story is a propaganda piece.
[edit] Known Vorta
In addition to the named Vorta below, an unnamed Vorta appears alongside Gul Revok (DS9: "The Dogs of War") and two are alongside the Female Changeling when she signs the treaty ending the Dominion War (DS9: "What You Leave Behind").
- Borath – Conducts an experiment on the USS Defiant's crew to gauge how far they would go to stop the Dominion from making inroads into the Alpha Quadrant (DS9: "The Search, Part II")
- Deyos – Commander of Internment Camp 371 (DS9: "In Purgatory's Shadow" and "By Inferno's Light")
- Eris – Pretends to be a Jem'Hadar prisoner in order to gain Benjamin Sisko's and Quark's trust (DS9: "The Jem'Hadar")
- Gelnon – Vorta in charge of a successful surprise attack on the USS Defiant (DS9: "One Little Ship") and representative to the Orion Syndicate (DS9: "Honor Among Thieves")
- Keevan – Becomes a Starfleet prisoner by betraying his Jem'Hadar soldiers (DS9: Rocks and Shoals) and is later accidentally killed (DS9: "The Magnificent Ferengi")
- Kilana – Leads an unsuccessful attempt to recover a Founder from a crashed Jem'Hadar ship (DS9: "The Ship")
- Luaran – Commander of a Jem'Hadar ship stolen by Damar, Elim Garak, Commander Kira Nerys, and Rusot (DS9: "Tacking Into the Wind")
- Weyoun – Frequently recurring line of clones who command Dominion forces in the Alpha Quadrant.
- Yelgrun – Sent to negotiate the exchange of Ishka for Keevan and subsequently taken prisoner (DS9: "The Magnificent Ferengi")
[edit] External links
- Vorta at startrek.com
- Vorta article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki.
