Vorta

The Vorta are an alien species that feature in Star Trek.

History

The Vorta were once a small primitive race of forest dwellers where they resembled apes that lived in a world in the Gamma Quadrant surrounded by predators. At some point, their world was visited by a Changeling that was being hunted by a mob of humanoid solids. This wounded Changeling was discovered by a family of Vorta who took him to shelter within the trees. The Changeling was nursed back to health and given safety whilst the mob departed. When he recovered, the Changeling promised the primitive creatures that they would be rewarded in the future and become elevated into magnificent creatures that would be part of a great empire that stretched the stars. This was according to the legends passed by the Vorta who were genetically transformed into intelligent humanoid beings who became crucial members of the Dominion. (Episode: Treachery, Faith and the Great River)

Weyoun served as a Dominion adviser to Gul Dukat after he allied his government with the Founders. (Episode: Ties of Blood and Water) The Female Changeling was content to leave the details of the war to the Vorta. (Episode: Behind the Lines)

Teams of Vorta doctors were tasked with finding a vaccine for the sickness ravaging the Founders. (Episode: Penumbra)

Overview

Within the Dominion, they species served as administrators and ambassadors on behalf of the Founders.

Vorta were immune to most forms of poison that was a useful trait for their position. (Episode: Ties of Blood and Water) They also suffered from poor eyesight which meant that they were not able to see events a distance that could be easily perceived by others. It was something that they learnt to live with this deficiency though they compensated by having good ears. Their species also lacked a sense of aesthetic and as such could not appreciate art. (Episode: Favor the Bold) Vorta were genetically programmed to only enjoy kava nuts and ripple berries that reminded them of their past. Their sense of taste was greatly limited and they could only feel the textures of certain foods. (Episode: Treachery, Faith and the Great River)

Their absolute faith in the Founders meant that they could not accept their gods having made mistakes. (Episode: Favor the Bold) In fact, they saw belief in other deities to be superstitious nonsense but held the belief that the Founders were genuine gods and thus different from other species gods. (Episode: Tears of the Prophets) The species was well aware of the fact that they were genetically programmed to view the Founder's as gods. Despite this fact, they still worshipped the Changeling's and saw that it was an act of a god to create the Vorta to worship them. (Episode: Treachery, Faith and the Great River)

They made use of cloning technology as a means of propagation that made them effectively immortal. This meant that the genetic line was capable of continuing with replacement clones being bred following the death of their predecessors. It helped mitigate some of the risks involved in their duties to the Dominion. All of these clones retained the memories of the previous member of their genetic line. (Episode: Ties of Blood and Water) As such, the concept of families had no place in their society as they were all clones. (Episode: The Magnificent Ferengi) The Vorta cloning process was noted for being a delicate procedure with each clone taking the name of the progenitor of the line and a numerical designation based on which incarnation was created. Due to the delicate nature of the process, it was known that on occasion a defective clone was created. Defective clones were expected to be terminated with some even capable of defying the Dominion. Such acts were considered a blemish on the family history of a Vorta cloning line. (Episode: Treachery, Faith and the Great River)

Vorta were required to commit suicide when they were captured though some were known to disobey this harsh policy. Any such hostages that were recovered were subjected to an unpleasant debriefing whereupon they were terminated. (Episode: The Magnificent Ferengi) All members of the race were given a termination implant that was situated in the brainstem. These were capable of being voluntarily activated by a touch to the neck in order for the Vorta to commit suicide. It was said that voluntary termination was said to be quick and painless but in truth it was the opposite. (Episode: Treachery, Faith and the Great River)

One profession that the Vorta could take were that of doctors who often documented their research prior to elimination so that their clone successors could continue the work. (Episode: Penumbra)

Members

• Eris :
• Kilana :
• Weyoun :
• Keevan :
• Yelgrun : a male Vorta sent as the negotiator to reclaim the captive Keevan from Quark in exchange for his mother Ishka who had been captured by the Dominion. He was ultimately captured at Empok Nor by Quark and his Ferengi crew. (Episode: The Magnificent Ferengi)
• Gelnon : a male Vorta in charge of a group heading for the Coridan system that attacked the USS Defiant where he left a group of Alpha Quadrant Jem'Hadar to secure the ship. (Episode: One Little Ship)

Appearances

• Star Trek: Deep Space 9: "Ties of Blood and Water"
• Star Trek: Deep Space 9: "The Magnificent Ferengi"

External Links

• Memory Alpha Entry

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