Vorta

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

The Vorta believe, perhaps apocryphally, that they previously existed as small, timid, ape-like creatures living in hollowed-out trees to avoid the many predators on their homeworld. A group of Vorta hid a Changeling from an angry mob, and in return the Changeling promised that one day they would be transformed and placed at the head of a vast interstellar empire. The Founders fulfilled this promise by genetically changing the Vorta into humanoids and employing them at the highest level of the Dominion. (DS9: "Treachery, Faith and the Great River")

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")

Vorta have pale skin, violet eyes, and elongated earlobes. 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 thought that "came in handy as a diplomat". (DS9: "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: "We have no plans to use this ability again, and our internal logic is that it was not an ability shared by the entire Vorta race, but something that was specifically engineered by the Founders for that particular Vorta (or possibly a whole subset of the Vorta). Eris was given this ability for a specific purpose by the Founders.

Perhaps the most important of the genetic alterations made to the Vorta is an intrinsic belief that the Founders are their 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")

Like the Jem'Hadar, Vorta do not reproduce sexually, but individual Vorta have achieved a virtual state of immortality through cloning. Unlike the Jem'Hadar, there are both male and female Vorta in service.

This might be due to the need of Vorta to act as ambassadors for the Dominion among sexually reproducing species. It is not known whether the Vorta are sterile, but no Vorta has ever mentioned family, shown interest in sex, no female Vorta has been pregnant, and no Vorta children have been seen in the entire run of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. If a Vorta is killed, they can quickly be replaced with a clone, retaining the memories of his or her previous incarnation. Vorta clones can occasionally become defective, taking on different personality traits to their predecessors (such as 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")