Index I. Physiology A. Intro/overview B. Skin C. Eyes (a) D. Voice E. Hair F. Ears (b) G. Immune system H.*Special notes (c) I. Lifespan II. Behavior A. Intro/overview B. Telepathy C. Creature comforts D. Clothing (d) E. Cultural notes (e) F. Mating habits G. *Special notes (f, g) III. Clones A. Overview B. *Special notes (h) IV. Vorta and the Founders A. The Myth B. Proper tact C. *Special notes (i)
* Special notes;
Marked are side notes of all of my own personal thoughts and theories on the Vorta. Where stated, I’ve added a lot of small interpretations throughout the profile, but I go in depth on a lot of more detailed questions and observations as well:
a. The cause for impaired vision/how a Vorta sees (includes recreated images)
b. How the ears of a Vorta work to pick up sound
c. Why Vorta males have bigger ears than the females
d. A rare Earth animal parallel to the Vorta species
e. The snake allusion
f. Maternal sensitivity in Vorta
g. Telepathic ability (includes provided examples of its use)
h. Theories on sexuality in cloned Vorta
i. Vorta in the Founders' preference and tactical interest
The Comprehensive Guide to the Vorta
I. Physiology
A. Basic physical overview
Vorta are a nocturnal species that originated from the dense forests of the planet Kurill Prime. A humanoid race, Vorta are known for their exotic, nymph-like beauty. They have slender, graceful bodies, with smooth, sculpted features, especially in the face. The most unique physical trait of the Vorta is the alien design of their ears.
The typical height range of a Vorta is generally the same as that of the Terran species. Height can range from 5' 3 to 6' 0. Despite teasing, not all Vorta are short, like Weyoun
The early subspecies of Vorta were shy, nocturnal primates who were mainly tree-dwelling. They were social mammals who lived in large, close family groups. Hunted by the many predators of their world, they took shelter in hollowed out trees. The Vorta awakened at dusk to forage on the various nuts and berries of Kurill’s forests.
[Episode sources: The JemHadar; Treachery Faith and the Great River]
B. Skin
Vorta have pale, white skin. It is delicate, soft and silky to the touch. In order to survive as a nocturnal species, a Vorta's skin must be light enough to allow what little ultraviolet rays available to penetrate the skin and assist in the body's production of vitamins E and D; acquired basely from the sun. These nutrients are not only essential for health, but vital for fertility.
Because of how the species adapted and the way they currently live, it is my strong belief that Vorta have no ability to produce protective melanin (tanning the skin) if needed, dislike dry heat, and are very prone to the damaging effects of bright sunlight.
The skin itself is highly receptive to the sense of touch, a common adaptive quality in nocturnal species.
C. Eyes
The eyes are one of the most beautiful physical traits of the Vorta. Attentive and full of expression, the colours of the eyes come in a variety of exotic blues and violet tones.
Vorta have very weak vision.
Special notes:
(a)Species that live by nightfall acquire a heightened perception in all of the senses including touch, taste, scent, hearing, and vision. The reason being that having any one weakness in any of these sense areas can be dangerous when an animal must constantly be aware of potential predators in near total darkness. Natural selection will constantly challenge individuals within a species to adapt in this manner. In a predominant number of nocturnal species, as well as in all known nocturnal primates, the eyes are often one of the most highly adapted of all sensory organs.
In biology, everything has a purpose. Why, in the case of the Vorta, are the eyes so unusually weak?
Within the eyes of many organisms, the use of melanin plays a vital role.
[Melanin is a component found in the eyes, hair and skin. It controls the use of its pigment to determine colouration in various parts of an organism]
[On a furthur note, melanin is also known as a photoreceptive pigment. This simply means that wherever it is present, be it in the skin or in the eyes, it protects the body from the eventual damaging effects of ultraviolet light]
In nature, with animals that are albino - as well as in animals that exhibit albinistic characteristics - the individuals have been known to have very poor vision. This is because they aren't producing enough melanin in the eyes, present throughout the optic structure, which is needed to absorb light.
In short, lack of melanin present in the optic structure is the cause for weak vision in the Vorta.
For those interested, the following notes explain specifically what's happening with a Vorta's vision. I think its fascinating. Also, if you've ever wondered how Weyoun's eyes can and why they glow like a cat's, and yet the Vorta has so much trouble with his vision, here's why.
1. In order to process images, light must first pass through the pupil. The pupil itself is a high concentration of melanin that recieves light to be passed on through the remaining of the eye's layers.
In Terrans as well as most other species, the pupil is designed so that depending on the amount of light present, it will automatically resize itself to compensate. If there is too much light, the pupil dilates and becomes smaller so that it absorbs less. If there isn't enough light the pupil enlargens to absorb more. More explained on how this works differently in Vorta in (Note 3).
2. The next layer underneath the pupil is called the epithelium layer (it is the site of your eye colour). This is a layer with very little melanin, and its job is to absorb and reflect excess light away from the eye so that it only stimulates the retina once. The less melanin present here, the more the light is allowed to reflect away. Vorta have very, very little melanin in this layer in comparison to other species, and thus at times their eyes appear to glow with all of the collected and refracted light.
(Without pigment, the colour of the epithelium layer in Vorta is virtually clear. Here's something interesting about this:
If you imagine looking through a lit sheet of clear, colorless glass, the edges will appear to be blue with the light passing through it. Without added pigment on this layer, likewise the colour present in the eyes will always be a variant of blue. It is interesting then to notice that all Vorta will have blue eyes, varying only mildly in shade from one another)
3. The light travels through the different sections of the eye until it reaches the very last layer, which is called the retina. The retina is consisted of a number of tiny structures called "cones" and "rods".
Simply: "cones" decipher bright light, while "rods" decipher dim light. These structures are covered in a layer of photoreceptors: pigments that work to absorb the light and allow it be recognized according to how light or dark it is. Vorta lack these pigments surrounding these structures.
If you recall from the notes above (Note 1) the pupil is designed to resize itself according to how much light there is present within the room and how much it needs to absorb.
In Vorta, the pupil lacks the ability to adjust to surrounding light, and it is again due to a lack of melanin, or lack thereof, in the retina. This is because without photopigment, the cones and the rods present in the retina are having trouble distinguishing areas of bright light from dim light. If those structures can't easily recognize when its too bright or when its too dark, the pupil doesn't recieve the signal to grow larger or to become smaller when it needs to.
So what exactly does a Vorta see?
When a cat prowls its territory during the night, its eyes seem to glow with all of the refracted light given off from its epithelium layer as it deflects the light away into the animal's surroundings. Light bounces back from the various surfaces of objects present in the cat's field of vision, and as the animal recollects the light, its environment appears considerably brighter, thus a cat can more easily distinguish people and objects in a nighttime environment.
As in common with many nocturnal animals, Vorta have minimal traces of melanin in their epithelium layer to aid them in nighttime surroundings. However, very much unlike other species, Vorta also lack photopigment in the retina that helps them to decipher different ranges of light.
Notes on vision in Vorta;
x. Without photopigment in the retina to help distinguish bright light from dim light, images lack detailed contrast between objects. They may appear blurred.
x. Too much light. When the epithelium layer refracts the light, and the light is recollected again, the Vorta's eyes are bombarded with light they can't easily organize. Once again, the retinal area has trouble putting the picture together using contrast between things light and dark.
x. Trouble picking up small changes in the environment regarding light. Difficulty seeing sudden flashes, or picking out small traces of sudden brightness or darkness among objects in the room.
x. Longer time spent adjusting from a very dark environment to a very bright environment, and vice versa.
x. The darker the environment, the easier it is to see and the more comfortable it is on the Vorta.
IMAGE EX (2)
[Episode sources: Favor the Bold]
D. Voice
Vorta have smooth, gentle voices. They are very soft spoken; so much that even when simmering under the surface in fury, it is rare that one would ever hear a Vorta raise his voice. The pitches distinctly fall on a light, airy note, spoken cooly and gently. Variably, even in Vorta tones that scale deeper, the exotic notes roll from the throat like rippled velvet.
Communicating in soft, soothing tones can serve as an advantage when you’re a negotiator, as well as being naturally suppressive of angry or frustrated outbursts. One of several natural reasons for a Vorta having a gentle voice is really so that it’s easier on his own, delicate ears. Furthur, one Vorta doesn't have to speak very loudly for another Vorta to hear him.
E. Hair
The species’ hair color ranges from black to dark shades of brown.
Vorta like to keep their hair combed and well groomed. They often comb it up behind the ears, or on occasion will brush it to the sides so that it covers the top halves of their ears.
F. Ears
The ears of a Vorta are slender, arced, and barred with bent, horizontal ridges. They begin at the back of the jawbone, and curve upward to the top of the head. The ridged area of the ears is tinted in a fine shade of purple. The entrance to the ear canal first opens in a dime sized hole, containing an inner horizontal slit that leads into the rest of the ear canal.
If you want to be a good negotiator, you must be a good listener.
Vorta are extremely sensitive to sound, easily able to decipher a conversation of low whispering from as far as 7 meters away.
It is plausible to believe that the reason some Vorta comb their hair over the top halves of their ears may be because, relatively, the voices of other alien races are loud, and also prone to yelling during negotiations, which would hurt quite a bit.
[Episode sources: Sacrifice of Angels]
Likely, one good reason the Vorta make such crafty diplomats is that besides the use of telepathic ability, they can physically detect when someone is lying. When a person knowingfully lies, the heart rate increases, and the vocal chords become taut, causing the voice to vary off pitch. A Vorta’s hearing is so sensitive it can detect precisely the very faintest of these signals
[Mechanical lie detectors were common on Earth in the 21st century ; used in crime investigations, the machines measured heartrate, muscle control, and voice variance]
Female Vorta have smaller ears than the males.
The ears in effect because of their physical sensitivity, can be pleasure zones
The tint of purple present down the ridges comes from the large concentration of blood vessels in that area.
Physically the material of the ears is exceptionally more sensitive than those of a Terran’s. Soft skin and cartilage is most effective in picking up sound because of how delicate it is, being easily vibrated by soundwaves. Vorta skin in general is highly receptive to touch, let alone those ears. Probably one of the most sensitive parts of a Vorta’s body is the innermost purple area of his ears, especially the very middle, inside the tiny ridges.
Special notes:
There are two particular details that I want to attempt to explain in greater detail
x. How does the design of the Vortas’ ears work to pick up sound?
x. Why do male Vorta have bigger ears than female Vorta?
(b)The design of the Vorta ear:
I’ve thought of several nocturnal species of animals to compare with the Vorta.
I’ll use a common insect bat as an example, as this animal has a particular design and use of its ears. Species of insectivorous bats have evolved to track the tiniest pitches of flying insects; they must also be able to receive the high-pitched sound of their own echolocation. As a result, their ears are very wide and cuffed. In comparison, you’re also probably thinking of the Ferengi, another Star Trek species known for their intriguing ears. The Ferengi have cuffed ears as well, in order to help them find small insects. Having large, rounded, cuffed ears amplifies high-pitched sounds to make them easier to detect.
The Vorta are frugivores, they don’t hunt insects. They didn’t need to dampen high-pitched sounds. Instead, they had to be tuned to the low, dull noises of an approaching predator; heavy footsteps, or low snuffling and growling in the dark brush. (other vulnerable, nocturnal Terran animals, such as bandicoots and aarvarks, have a similar ear design for this purpose as well) In any instance dealing with sound, when the medium is stretched, noises are produced or recieved at a higher frequency. Thus, the Vorta have long, slender ears for perceiving low sounds and tuning them into a higher, crisper pitch.
So how are soundwaves carried along the ear of a Vorta?
There are two important factors to remember:
x. In biology, everything has a purpose
x. The role of the parabolic shape in the focus of sound
The process appears complicated at first, but the way this alien design works is actually very simple once understood.
Step 1: First, the sound, of course, will travel smoothly past either side of the Vorta’s face. Those indented ridges serve as carrier routes for the detected soundwaves. The sound can carry smoothly along each individual ridge of the ears.
Step 2: The ear itself takes the shape of a parabola (basically, a curve) In physics, the shape of the parabola is used to direct soundwaves to a focal point. So, after the sound has travelled to the outlining ridge of the ear, it will be deflected away again, back along the carrier routes where it had come from. However, at the same time there are soundwaves still being passed along to the outlying area of the ear. At the opening of the ear canal, two soundwaves will collide. Because the waves are both running at the same frequency, when they combine the crest(height) of the soundwave will be doubled. This causes the sound to be recreated at a higher pitch.
Step 3: A sound had been heard, but the manipulation of the soundwaves doesn't stop here. Every inlying ridge takes the shape of a tiny parabola. Sound deflects from each ridge down the next until it reaches the entrance of the ear canal. (Note that the curve of each parabolic shape isn't necessarily the same for each ridge)
Step 4: The soundwaves meet (they collide and the crests of the sound are once again heightened). Everything is finally collected inside the dime-shaped hole leading into the ear canal, which is perfect for recieving the sounds being deflected toward it from all the parabolic surfaces on the ear. Inside the dime-shaped opening, is a tiny horizontal slit. It's stretched, slender shape also works to tune sounds into a higher pitch.
The Vorta is going to hear the recieved noise at a high note, with several varying echoes. These echoes were produced during the process of the sounds being deflected at different times to the ear canal. For every soundwave reaching the ear canal 0.1 seconds after another, an echo will be heard.
(c)Why male Vorta have bigger ears than the females:
There are several things to keep in mind (*see Behavior)
x. Vorta lived in social groups
x. Were once victim of being hunted by predators
x. Mate for life
x. Are extremely protective of their loved ones
With social primates, the females are the most important resource within the group and are cared for with great value. In their early stages of evolution, I strongly believe that the Vorta females as a first priority were allowed to eat, rest, and sleep first before the males. The males were the ones who looked out for the females and their young while they were busy eating or sleeping. Since a Vorta female did not have to rely as much on her own hearing to keep herself or her babies alive, natural selection did not filter out the females into having particularly developed ears. For a Vorta male, the only way he would pass on his genes through his mate and his babies was if he could hear exceptionally well and be able to alert them of predators.
G. Lifespan
The natural lifespan of a Vorta is believed to be much longer than that of a Terran (*see Behavior)
H. Immune system/nutrient intake
[Episode sources: Ties of Blood and Water, The Ship]
The species inherently has a sharp sense of taste, as commonly present in nocturnal creatures
Vorta eat fruits, berries, nuts and seeds. Just as it is impossible for Terrans to digest raw plants, Vorta are more than likely totally incapable of digesting meat, and are probably quite appalled by it.
Vorta are immune to most forms of poison.
This is fairly due to the fact that the species evolved as staple frugivores. As well known, many species of plants often contain very poisonous attributes, whether toxins be present in the stem, roots, leaves, or even in the produced berries and fruits themselves. Nonetheless, it is always in any species’ best interest to maintain plentiful varieties of availiable food sources. Millions of years filtered out weak immune systems unable to cope with powerful food toxins, and the species evolved to be able to eat an endless variety of poisonous foods that contain natural, deadly ailments. In the modern day, deliberately manufactured poisons are extracted from herbs and so forth, and with the sheer variety of fruits that flourish (not to mention primitive fruits that had at one time flourished and later became extinct during the time of the species’ evolution) on planet Kurill, the Vorta are immune to just about all of them.
In notion that the species did in fact have to eat from a variety of plants to become immune to such a large number of herbal toxins, this also concludes that the Vorta are opportunistic, such as Terrans are. Meaning, a Vorta will eat even if he is not hungry, and will snack on anything that's availiable (presumably with the exception of meat as a lot of it might make him sick)
Immunity to poisoning in this sense is not to be confused with the idea that it is impossible for a Vorta to die due to ingesting a toxic substance. Poisoning in a Vorta can only occur if the substance used was not a herbal toxin. Further, immunity to herbals poisoning does not protect against invenomation; an individual could potentially die from the toxins injected or taken from a venomous organism.
It is certainly possible for a Vorta to be poisoned by other means just as it is for any organism; appropriate substances would need to contain either very powerful acids, or very strong bases. Such chemicals are found in domestic products or in metals.
Vorta are unable of becoming intoxicated via alcohol.
Individuals are naturally able to identify poisonous foods via taste (*see Clones)
There are several ways in which poison protects the plant or animal which produces it. One of which, is that most poison is designed to taste bad, causing whatever predator that begins to eat it, to abruptly stop, or to vomit. If an individual was sensitive to the poison, whether or not they finished their meal, they face the possibility of dying from it.
On an evolutionary standpoint, most Vorta who did happen to ingest a poisonous plant would either die from the toxin, or become so weak from it for a time that they fell victim to predators. In short, because of genetic variation, there are some Vorta who are less sensitive to certain poisons than other Vorta. Thus, it was those individuals who survived being poisoned to reproduce, making way for the possiblity of more poison-resistant genes being inherited in their offspring.
Special notes:
(d)When it was first said that the Vorta had evolved from shy, nocturnal ape creatures, who lived in hollow trees, the first thing I said was “D'oh! They’re like bushbabies!”
While researching online for some information on nocturnal behavior to help me with my xenoprofile of the Vorta, I happened to find this interesting bit of information on African bushbabies that I hadn’t known before:
A nocturnal animal, as many as twenty may crowd together to sleep in an enclosed space like a hollow tree trunk. At dusk they wake & split into family groups & go searching for food [fruits and berries]. The groups forage separately all night, each group defending its own territory.
I. Physiology
A. Basic physical overview
Vorta are a nocturnal species that originated from the dense forests of the planet Kurill Prime. A humanoid race, Vorta are known for their exotic, nymph-like beauty. They have slender, graceful bodies, with smooth, sculpted features, especially in the face. The most unique physical trait of the Vorta is the alien design of their ears.
The typical height range of a Vorta is generally the same as that of the Terran species. Height can range from 5' 3 to 6' 0. Despite teasing, not all Vorta are short, like Weyoun
The early subspecies of Vorta were shy, nocturnal primates who were mainly tree-dwelling. They were social mammals who lived in large, close family groups. Hunted by the many predators of their world, they took shelter in hollowed out trees. The Vorta awakened at dusk to forage on the various nuts and berries of Kurill’s forests.
[Episode sources: The JemHadar; Treachery Faith and the Great River]
B. Skin
Vorta have pale, white skin. It is delicate, soft and silky to the touch. In order to survive as a nocturnal species, a Vorta's skin must be light enough to allow what little ultraviolet rays available to penetrate the skin and assist in the body's production of vitamins E and D; acquired basely from the sun. These nutrients are not only essential for health, but vital for fertility.
Because of how the species adapted and the way they currently live, it is my strong belief that Vorta have no ability to produce protective melanin (tanning the skin) if needed, dislike dry heat, and are very prone to the damaging effects of bright sunlight.
The skin itself is highly receptive to the sense of touch, a common adaptive quality in nocturnal species.
C. Eyes
The eyes are one of the most beautiful physical traits of the Vorta. Attentive and full of expression, the colours of the eyes come in a variety of exotic blues and violet tones.
Vorta have very weak vision.
Special notes:
(a)Species that live by nightfall acquire a heightened perception in all of the senses including touch, taste, scent, hearing, and vision. The reason being that having any one weakness in any of these sense areas can be dangerous when an animal must constantly be aware of potential predators in near total darkness. Natural selection will constantly challenge individuals within a species to adapt in this manner. In a predominant number of nocturnal species, as well as in all known nocturnal primates, the eyes are often one of the most highly adapted of all sensory organs.
In biology, everything has a purpose. Why, in the case of the Vorta, are the eyes so unusually weak?
Within the eyes of many organisms, the use of melanin plays a vital role.
[Melanin is a component found in the eyes, hair and skin. It controls the use of its pigment to determine colouration in various parts of an organism]
[On a furthur note, melanin is also known as a photoreceptive pigment. This simply means that wherever it is present, be it in the skin or in the eyes, it protects the body from the eventual damaging effects of ultraviolet light]
In nature, with animals that are albino - as well as in animals that exhibit albinistic characteristics - the individuals have been known to have very poor vision. This is because they aren't producing enough melanin in the eyes, present throughout the optic structure, which is needed to absorb light.
In short, lack of melanin present in the optic structure is the cause for weak vision in the Vorta.
For those interested, the following notes explain specifically what's happening with a Vorta's vision. I think its fascinating. Also, if you've ever wondered how Weyoun's eyes can and why they glow like a cat's, and yet the Vorta has so much trouble with his vision, here's why.
1. In order to process images, light must first pass through the pupil. The pupil itself is a high concentration of melanin that recieves light to be passed on through the remaining of the eye's layers.
In Terrans as well as most other species, the pupil is designed so that depending on the amount of light present, it will automatically resize itself to compensate. If there is too much light, the pupil dilates and becomes smaller so that it absorbs less. If there isn't enough light the pupil enlargens to absorb more. More explained on how this works differently in Vorta in (Note 3).
2. The next layer underneath the pupil is called the epithelium layer (it is the site of your eye colour). This is a layer with very little melanin, and its job is to absorb and reflect excess light away from the eye so that it only stimulates the retina once. The less melanin present here, the more the light is allowed to reflect away. Vorta have very, very little melanin in this layer in comparison to other species, and thus at times their eyes appear to glow with all of the collected and refracted light.
(Without pigment, the colour of the epithelium layer in Vorta is virtually clear. Here's something interesting about this:
If you imagine looking through a lit sheet of clear, colorless glass, the edges will appear to be blue with the light passing through it. Without added pigment on this layer, likewise the colour present in the eyes will always be a variant of blue. It is interesting then to notice that all Vorta will have blue eyes, varying only mildly in shade from one another)
3. The light travels through the different sections of the eye until it reaches the very last layer, which is called the retina. The retina is consisted of a number of tiny structures called "cones" and "rods".
Simply: "cones" decipher bright light, while "rods" decipher dim light. These structures are covered in a layer of photoreceptors: pigments that work to absorb the light and allow it be recognized according to how light or dark it is. Vorta lack these pigments surrounding these structures.
If you recall from the notes above (Note 1) the pupil is designed to resize itself according to how much light there is present within the room and how much it needs to absorb.
In Vorta, the pupil lacks the ability to adjust to surrounding light, and it is again due to a lack of melanin, or lack thereof, in the retina. This is because without photopigment, the cones and the rods present in the retina are having trouble distinguishing areas of bright light from dim light. If those structures can't easily recognize when its too bright or when its too dark, the pupil doesn't recieve the signal to grow larger or to become smaller when it needs to.
So what exactly does a Vorta see?
When a cat prowls its territory during the night, its eyes seem to glow with all of the refracted light given off from its epithelium layer as it deflects the light away into the animal's surroundings. Light bounces back from the various surfaces of objects present in the cat's field of vision, and as the animal recollects the light, its environment appears considerably brighter, thus a cat can more easily distinguish people and objects in a nighttime environment.
As in common with many nocturnal animals, Vorta have minimal traces of melanin in their epithelium layer to aid them in nighttime surroundings. However, very much unlike other species, Vorta also lack photopigment in the retina that helps them to decipher different ranges of light.
Notes on vision in Vorta;
x. Without photopigment in the retina to help distinguish bright light from dim light, images lack detailed contrast between objects. They may appear blurred.
x. Too much light. When the epithelium layer refracts the light, and the light is recollected again, the Vorta's eyes are bombarded with light they can't easily organize. Once again, the retinal area has trouble putting the picture together using contrast between things light and dark.
x. Trouble picking up small changes in the environment regarding light. Difficulty seeing sudden flashes, or picking out small traces of sudden brightness or darkness among objects in the room.
x. Longer time spent adjusting from a very dark environment to a very bright environment, and vice versa.
x. The darker the environment, the easier it is to see and the more comfortable it is on the Vorta.
IMAGE EX (2)
[Episode sources: Favor the Bold]
D. Voice
Vorta have smooth, gentle voices. They are very soft spoken; so much that even when simmering under the surface in fury, it is rare that one would ever hear a Vorta raise his voice. The pitches distinctly fall on a light, airy note, spoken cooly and gently. Variably, even in Vorta tones that scale deeper, the exotic notes roll from the throat like rippled velvet.
Communicating in soft, soothing tones can serve as an advantage when you’re a negotiator, as well as being naturally suppressive of angry or frustrated outbursts. One of several natural reasons for a Vorta having a gentle voice is really so that it’s easier on his own, delicate ears. Furthur, one Vorta doesn't have to speak very loudly for another Vorta to hear him.
E. Hair
The species’ hair color ranges from black to dark shades of brown.
Vorta like to keep their hair combed and well groomed. They often comb it up behind the ears, or on occasion will brush it to the sides so that it covers the top halves of their ears.
F. Ears
The ears of a Vorta are slender, arced, and barred with bent, horizontal ridges. They begin at the back of the jawbone, and curve upward to the top of the head. The ridged area of the ears is tinted in a fine shade of purple. The entrance to the ear canal first opens in a dime sized hole, containing an inner horizontal slit that leads into the rest of the ear canal.
If you want to be a good negotiator, you must be a good listener.
Vorta are extremely sensitive to sound, easily able to decipher a conversation of low whispering from as far as 7 meters away.
It is plausible to believe that the reason some Vorta comb their hair over the top halves of their ears may be because, relatively, the voices of other alien races are loud, and also prone to yelling during negotiations, which would hurt quite a bit.
[Episode sources: Sacrifice of Angels]
Likely, one good reason the Vorta make such crafty diplomats is that besides the use of telepathic ability, they can physically detect when someone is lying. When a person knowingfully lies, the heart rate increases, and the vocal chords become taut, causing the voice to vary off pitch. A Vorta’s hearing is so sensitive it can detect precisely the very faintest of these signals
[Mechanical lie detectors were common on Earth in the 21st century ; used in crime investigations, the machines measured heartrate, muscle control, and voice variance]
Female Vorta have smaller ears than the males.
The ears in effect because of their physical sensitivity, can be pleasure zones
The tint of purple present down the ridges comes from the large concentration of blood vessels in that area.
Physically the material of the ears is exceptionally more sensitive than those of a Terran’s. Soft skin and cartilage is most effective in picking up sound because of how delicate it is, being easily vibrated by soundwaves. Vorta skin in general is highly receptive to touch, let alone those ears. Probably one of the most sensitive parts of a Vorta’s body is the innermost purple area of his ears, especially the very middle, inside the tiny ridges.
Special notes:
There are two particular details that I want to attempt to explain in greater detail
x. How does the design of the Vortas’ ears work to pick up sound?
x. Why do male Vorta have bigger ears than female Vorta?
(b)The design of the Vorta ear:
I’ve thought of several nocturnal species of animals to compare with the Vorta.
I’ll use a common insect bat as an example, as this animal has a particular design and use of its ears. Species of insectivorous bats have evolved to track the tiniest pitches of flying insects; they must also be able to receive the high-pitched sound of their own echolocation. As a result, their ears are very wide and cuffed. In comparison, you’re also probably thinking of the Ferengi, another Star Trek species known for their intriguing ears. The Ferengi have cuffed ears as well, in order to help them find small insects. Having large, rounded, cuffed ears amplifies high-pitched sounds to make them easier to detect.
The Vorta are frugivores, they don’t hunt insects. They didn’t need to dampen high-pitched sounds. Instead, they had to be tuned to the low, dull noises of an approaching predator; heavy footsteps, or low snuffling and growling in the dark brush. (other vulnerable, nocturnal Terran animals, such as bandicoots and aarvarks, have a similar ear design for this purpose as well) In any instance dealing with sound, when the medium is stretched, noises are produced or recieved at a higher frequency. Thus, the Vorta have long, slender ears for perceiving low sounds and tuning them into a higher, crisper pitch.
So how are soundwaves carried along the ear of a Vorta?
There are two important factors to remember:
x. In biology, everything has a purpose
x. The role of the parabolic shape in the focus of sound
The process appears complicated at first, but the way this alien design works is actually very simple once understood.
Step 1: First, the sound, of course, will travel smoothly past either side of the Vorta’s face. Those indented ridges serve as carrier routes for the detected soundwaves. The sound can carry smoothly along each individual ridge of the ears.
Step 2: The ear itself takes the shape of a parabola (basically, a curve) In physics, the shape of the parabola is used to direct soundwaves to a focal point. So, after the sound has travelled to the outlining ridge of the ear, it will be deflected away again, back along the carrier routes where it had come from. However, at the same time there are soundwaves still being passed along to the outlying area of the ear. At the opening of the ear canal, two soundwaves will collide. Because the waves are both running at the same frequency, when they combine the crest(height) of the soundwave will be doubled. This causes the sound to be recreated at a higher pitch.
Step 3: A sound had been heard, but the manipulation of the soundwaves doesn't stop here. Every inlying ridge takes the shape of a tiny parabola. Sound deflects from each ridge down the next until it reaches the entrance of the ear canal. (Note that the curve of each parabolic shape isn't necessarily the same for each ridge)
Step 4: The soundwaves meet (they collide and the crests of the sound are once again heightened). Everything is finally collected inside the dime-shaped hole leading into the ear canal, which is perfect for recieving the sounds being deflected toward it from all the parabolic surfaces on the ear. Inside the dime-shaped opening, is a tiny horizontal slit. It's stretched, slender shape also works to tune sounds into a higher pitch.
The Vorta is going to hear the recieved noise at a high note, with several varying echoes. These echoes were produced during the process of the sounds being deflected at different times to the ear canal. For every soundwave reaching the ear canal 0.1 seconds after another, an echo will be heard.
(c)Why male Vorta have bigger ears than the females:
There are several things to keep in mind (*see Behavior)
x. Vorta lived in social groups
x. Were once victim of being hunted by predators
x. Mate for life
x. Are extremely protective of their loved ones
With social primates, the females are the most important resource within the group and are cared for with great value. In their early stages of evolution, I strongly believe that the Vorta females as a first priority were allowed to eat, rest, and sleep first before the males. The males were the ones who looked out for the females and their young while they were busy eating or sleeping. Since a Vorta female did not have to rely as much on her own hearing to keep herself or her babies alive, natural selection did not filter out the females into having particularly developed ears. For a Vorta male, the only way he would pass on his genes through his mate and his babies was if he could hear exceptionally well and be able to alert them of predators.
G. Lifespan
The natural lifespan of a Vorta is believed to be much longer than that of a Terran (*see Behavior)
H. Immune system/nutrient intake
[Episode sources: Ties of Blood and Water, The Ship]
The species inherently has a sharp sense of taste, as commonly present in nocturnal creatures
Vorta eat fruits, berries, nuts and seeds. Just as it is impossible for Terrans to digest raw plants, Vorta are more than likely totally incapable of digesting meat, and are probably quite appalled by it.
Vorta are immune to most forms of poison.
This is fairly due to the fact that the species evolved as staple frugivores. As well known, many species of plants often contain very poisonous attributes, whether toxins be present in the stem, roots, leaves, or even in the produced berries and fruits themselves. Nonetheless, it is always in any species’ best interest to maintain plentiful varieties of availiable food sources. Millions of years filtered out weak immune systems unable to cope with powerful food toxins, and the species evolved to be able to eat an endless variety of poisonous foods that contain natural, deadly ailments. In the modern day, deliberately manufactured poisons are extracted from herbs and so forth, and with the sheer variety of fruits that flourish (not to mention primitive fruits that had at one time flourished and later became extinct during the time of the species’ evolution) on planet Kurill, the Vorta are immune to just about all of them.
In notion that the species did in fact have to eat from a variety of plants to become immune to such a large number of herbal toxins, this also concludes that the Vorta are opportunistic, such as Terrans are. Meaning, a Vorta will eat even if he is not hungry, and will snack on anything that's availiable (presumably with the exception of meat as a lot of it might make him sick)
Immunity to poisoning in this sense is not to be confused with the idea that it is impossible for a Vorta to die due to ingesting a toxic substance. Poisoning in a Vorta can only occur if the substance used was not a herbal toxin. Further, immunity to herbals poisoning does not protect against invenomation; an individual could potentially die from the toxins injected or taken from a venomous organism.
It is certainly possible for a Vorta to be poisoned by other means just as it is for any organism; appropriate substances would need to contain either very powerful acids, or very strong bases. Such chemicals are found in domestic products or in metals.
Vorta are unable of becoming intoxicated via alcohol.
Individuals are naturally able to identify poisonous foods via taste (*see Clones)
There are several ways in which poison protects the plant or animal which produces it. One of which, is that most poison is designed to taste bad, causing whatever predator that begins to eat it, to abruptly stop, or to vomit. If an individual was sensitive to the poison, whether or not they finished their meal, they face the possibility of dying from it.
On an evolutionary standpoint, most Vorta who did happen to ingest a poisonous plant would either die from the toxin, or become so weak from it for a time that they fell victim to predators. In short, because of genetic variation, there are some Vorta who are less sensitive to certain poisons than other Vorta. Thus, it was those individuals who survived being poisoned to reproduce, making way for the possiblity of more poison-resistant genes being inherited in their offspring.
Special notes:
(d)When it was first said that the Vorta had evolved from shy, nocturnal ape creatures, who lived in hollow trees, the first thing I said was “D'oh! They’re like bushbabies!”
While researching online for some information on nocturnal behavior to help me with my xenoprofile of the Vorta, I happened to find this interesting bit of information on African bushbabies that I hadn’t known before:
A nocturnal animal, as many as twenty may crowd together to sleep in an enclosed space like a hollow tree trunk. At dusk they wake & split into family groups & go searching for food [fruits and berries]. The groups forage separately all night, each group defending its own territory.
- www.awf.org
Sound familar? ;)
II. Behavior
A. Basic behavioral overview
By nature, Vorta are curious, attentive, and playful. Vorta are very sociable and generally friendly. Highly intelligent, inquisitive, and always alert to what’s going on around them, they make for excellent ambassadors, diplomats and spies.
On the negative side, Vorta are also very timid and sometimes sensitive.
Prodigy of a wus:
"To The Death" Worf throws a punch at Ometi'klan, the Jem'Hadar 1st, and a fight breaks loose. While Captain Sisko fiercely moves in to break up the brawl, you'll notice Weyoun has presently located himself in the corner, clutching his case of ketracel white as he nervously hides out the fight trying to scurry himself deeper his corner of that wall.
"The Magnificent Ferengi" Quark and his group of Ferengi are returning their "revived" Vorta prisoner Keevan over to Yelgrun and his pair of Jem'Hadar. Upon finding that the prisoner is very much dead, the two Jem'Hadar with him begin to fire. As the fight breaks loose, Yelgrun leaps into the corner, crouching and covering his head. He's quite unobliged to remain that way until he has to be dragged to his feet by the Ferengi.
"Sacrifice of Angels" Breaking successfully through the fleets of Dominion ships and past Terok Nor, the Defiant has entered the wormhole, to where hundreds of Dominion ships are waiting on the other side. By miracle, the Defiant emerges once again, not a single reinforcement ship following behind.
There is a brief pause.
"Time to start packing!" Weyoun
Most nocturnal creatures by nature are quite shy and though curious, are very easy to startle or frighten.
Vorta prefer to flee rather than fight. Notice that you will never see a Vorta pick up a weapon such as a phaser or dagger, not even as a means of self defense.
B. Telepathic abilities
Most or all Vorta have the ability to summon a blue ball of telekinetic energy, capable of knocking enemies backward as far as 3 meters. This unique psychic ability was, among other important factors, one of the major characteristics that which was said to have attracted the Founders into allying Kurill Prime as one of the first members of the Dominion.
The possession of telekinesis in Vorta operatives has been a fact expressed very little as polished political Vorta seem to choose not to use this ability in important diplomatic situations. Most encountered Vorta have also typically never been in an appropriate situation to use this talent when their Jem'Hadar protectors are what's used for the fighting.
Aside from telekinesis, Vorta also exhibit mild telepathic and/or empathic ability. These abilities are not nearly as developed as in other telepathic races, as instances where Vorta have used them it was made apparent that it took a great deal of concentration.
It would seem as though the Dominion prefers to keep information regarding the psychic prowess of its operatives either hidden from new or potential allies, or in the least, making sure the facts are flaunted as little as possible.
It is in my strong belief that a Vorta wouldn’t dare enter the thoughts of a Founder, to do so would be extremely disrespectful. Although, at one point, Weyoun 6 (the defective clone, remember) may have used his telepathy on the Female Changeling to find out that the Link was infected with a deadly disease. At that time, the Female Founder refused to reveal that she was sick and even denied it in front of Weyoun 7 when he became concerned.
[Episode sources: The Jem'Hadar, Honor Among Thieves, Sacrifice of Angels, Treachery Faith and the Great River]
C. Creature comforts
Vorta are nocturnal. Even in the modern day where many must adjust their sleeping schedule to meet those of other races, biologically they remain highly active in the evening hours through nightfall.
Vorta most likely enjoy the outdoors, especially cool, shaded forest environments from in which their species was adapted for.
Vorta have a strong appreciation for being around others. As ancestral Vorta used to stay close together for safety while sleeping and resting, this is an instinct deeply imprinted in their behavior. They should instinctively have an inherent, fond response to physical touch - they commonly use touch such as friendly pats to the shoulder or nudges to casually express comfort or fondness, are physically gentle around others, and would by nature, be extremely protective of loved ones (The Founders in which case)
D. Clothing
Typical attire for a Vorta operative includes:
x. Long pants that fall to the ankles
x. Boots that meet the ankles, typically fashioned out of leather. May or may not match the colour of the pants
x. Two-piece shirt consisting of:
- A long-sleeved undershirt
- Covered by an overcoat
At the top of the coat, a piece of additional material cuffs around the left arm near the shoulder, stretching to the middle of the chest where the coat opens. On the right, the top of the chest, the shoulder, and the entire length of the sleeve consist of the forementioned material. For Field Supervisors, the material is typically cloth or other fabric. Ambassadors and other high ranking operatives wear leather.
The overcoat hangs low to the top of the chest to reveal a neckline of the undershirt. The most unique detail of Vorta clothing is in the sleeves, which are eloquently cut at mid-arm to show the sleeves of the undershirt.
For males, only one sleeve is cut. The cut may be on either arm, left or right.
For females, both sleeves are cut. In hot weather, some females remove the undershirt and the arms and upper chest are shown bare.
Special notes;
(f)The snake allusion.
The theatrical allusion to the snake cites back to a popular story of folklore, Adam and Eve. In myth, it is a serpent that which convinces Eve to commit acts of evil. In varied versions of the tale, the snake, is either lurking in the bushes waiting to whisper and lure Eve into sin, or it has slithered inside onto her tongue and has incidentally become apart of her while she commits her acts of sin (biting a piece of fruit from the forbidden tree of the Gods).
In theater, a common device used for characterization and plot development is via the use of sending many, unamed visual signals to the audience. A very popular tool is the snake allusion. Pay attention closely to the next movie you go plan to see; characters who bear clothing with leather or scales, carry names, markings or items that are allusionary to serpents or reptiles, are of key importance. It occurs more often than one might think.
The reference to the snake is not simply intended to outwardly mark a character as a villain. Rather, this allusionary device is actually used as a means of ominous foreshadowing.
The snake allusion commonly portrays one or more of several things:
x. "the snake lurking in the grass" The character is not yet a villain, but will become a nasty one. This character is usually made to appear friendly or unimportant. If this part of the allusion is used, a common occurance is an event where the protagonist makes a deal with the character or otherwise shows forms of trust towards the character, in symbolizing Eve who trusted the snake.
x. "the serpent who whispers sins" The character may never appear to be a frightening villain on the surface, and is even commonly portrayed as a coward. He/she may not fight, but are highly intelligent, usually having a keen upperhand with words or lies in order to convince the protagonist into surrendering to evil, as Eve to the snake who whispered her into sin. The character will typically have a number of followers or other villains under their command.
x. "the snake's tongue" The character themselves are victim of evil, and perform tasks for higher villains. They were either pressured into evil by an outside party or otherwise gave up on themselves. This allusion is made known through characters who newly bear symbolic reference to a snake, after which they had up to that point been without.
In my strong belief, this theatrical device was used in developing the role of Vorta. I was aware of the snake allusion long before I found any of it pertaining to the Vorta species. I hadn't given it much thought up until when I first looked closely at the leather on Weyoun's coat - the leather, is in fact patterned with a design of serpent scales. At first, this I knew could be immediately dismissed as nothing more than a coincidental detail, but there's more to it. In the episode of [The Ship] one will also notice that the coat that the Vorta Kilana was wearing was patterned entirely with snake scales. More alarmingly, it is also noted that she offered Sisko a piece of fruit - alluding to the myth where the snake offered Eve the apple of sin.
In all ways the Vorta indeed seem to live up to the characteristics that the device is used to imply. Not simply this, but they are by no means the first characters in the DS9 series alone to be given the device. The nemesis of Quark - Liquidator Brunt, also matches several important aspects of the allusion. One will occaisionally notice that his pants are designed in a pattern of scales, and that when Brunt became Grand Nagus, the staff end of his sceptor twisted and coiled like the body of a snake.
E. Cultural notes
(*see Vorta and the Founders)
In general it would be believed that Vorta, even those who were never cloned or altered, worship the Founders as Gods and an important part of their modern culture.
Curiousity, creativity and sociability are all signs of gifted intelligence among a given species. It would be believed that an untouched Kurill Prime would have a remarkably rich culture filled with beautiful art, music, architecture, literature and poetry.
Both males and females alike are of equal status.
F. Mating Habits
Vorta mate for life
[Episode sources: Treachery Faith and the Great River]
If this is true, then in their primitive eras, a Vorta would need a special kind of biological imprinting to be able to distinguish his mate as a more valued, pressing importance even over the intense bond he/she would have developed with close comrades they'd have rested with in their nests and protected. Touch would play a very important role, as well as soft, verbal sounds and signals.
Based on their modern social behavior, Vorta mates must be (whether solely of the past, or even in the possiblity of modern Kurill; in either case) extremely affectionate and very close; and affection would (if the latter were true) continue to be expressed through an almost exhausting amount of talking, playing and cuddling.
Special notes:
(f)I strongly believe that Vorta, in general, positively adore children, and that offspring are deeply cherished within this particular species. In Deep Space Nine I notice that whenever the Vorta ambassador really wants to manipulate his enemies, he brings up the subject of protecting the children, which is in turn very reflective of the Vorta culture.
-Notably, when Weyoun is consulting Captain Sisko about the minefield, the Vorta tries to come up with the saddest story he can to make the excuse why they needed so many Dominion ships on Cardassia. His last line on the subject is “did you know that when we first arrived, children were starving on Cardassia? It was heartbreaking.”
-When he was trying to lighten the mood with Major Kira (after the Dominion takes control of the station), Dukat walks in. Weyoun quirks and happily explains that among other things “the promenade will once again echo with the laughter of happy children.” It actually seemed more of a casual, idle statement than anything else. Lest forget the adorable little frown that fell on Weyoun’s face when Damar grunts and just replies “I’ve doubled station security.” He seemed just a bit hurt.
-The Vorta is also quite affectionate when regarding kids who live on the station, as shown when Jake Sisko approached him for an interview in “A Time to Stand” and also when confronting him and Nog about suspected mischief in the episode of “In the Cards.” Weyoun is a Dominion operative, strict on security matters, and coldly impartial against cruel rules. He could have taken much more serious action had Jake and Nog not been young ones.
For one, Weyoun being the main Vorta character throughout the show, he is made the most stereotypical representative of his race. It is probably safe to judge that whatever he does is likely of the rest of most of his species.
A biological explaination:
Vorta have very long lifespans. Going back to the primitive lifestyle of the Vorta species, keep in mind that Vorta children would remain physically immature for a relatively long time. Mates could produce quite a few children during their lifetime, and even with a partner it would be difficult to keep track of all of their babies with so long a childhood. So as with most social apes, the responsibility of watching out for offspring was a shared responsibility within the entire clan. Remember that Vorta rely heavily upon each other for protection. This responsibility would seem quite enjoyable, as even Vorta adults are curious, energetic and highly playful.
I would also imagine that mothers and close relatives probably bonded with very young babies through use of their telepathic and/or empathic powers, which if anything helped them survive. They were very protective, and like most forest-dwelling species probably carried their young children almost constantly to prevent them from being captured by predators.
(g)Does Weyoun ever use his telepathic or empathic ability?
It is remembered that Eris -the Vorta first encountered by the Federation- mentioned that one central reason the Founders took an interest in the Vorta was becaused of psychic powers similar to her own. Indeed, several Vorta encountered by the Federation have demonstrated telekinetic, to empathic to mild telepathic ability on various occasions. Where does Weyoun fit into it?
Unfortunately, considering if the main Vorta character was allowed to use his telepathic abilities, it would inevitably make the storyline more difficult to put together for the Trek team. However, it would appear that instead of ignoring the issue completely, there have indeed been very peculiar scenes where it would seem Weyoun was not left out of the Vorta equation - the details are startling;
Weyoun makes a lot of eye contact. Whenever it’s someone important that he’s talking to, this is where the viewer notices that he stares, especially during pauses in conversation, his eyes perceptibly searching the other person’s face. His expressions will sometimes curiously shift, especially after intense moments in a scene where his eyes had just been momentarily frozen in focus. Similar behavior was noted in [Honor Among Thieves] in which a Vorta operative scanned the faces of a line of Orion Syndicate members and chose the traitor among them (two in fact, that even the Syndicate didn't realize) via the use of his own psychic ability.
Related scenes:
"Sacrifice of Angels" Gul Dukat brings Weyoun into a discussion about what he believes a true victory means. Near the end of this conversation, Dukat comments that he doesn't understand why the Bajorans, and Sisko, haven't shown him the respect he deserves. Weyoun's eyes are then curiously fixed on Dukat, and he begins to chuckle. Dukat asks if he thought something was amusing. Still examining Dukat, Weyoun simply replies, through quiet laughter, 'No...I find it...fascinating...'
Whatever complicated, self-dilluted lies were running freshly in Dukat's mind, Weyoun could probably read them.
"In the Cards" Kai Winn is very much against a non aggression pact proposed by the Dominion. At the end of their conversation, Weyoun has a final, generously friendly word on the subject--just enough to make anyone against the Dominion, positively sick. The Kai pauses to measure his Pah, which is clearly nonexistant, and Weyoun stares, suddenly showing a small frown as he focuses on her unchanging expressions. Though she replies in saying “No, we’re nothing alike,” the Vorta then pushes a smile, apparently unsure of how he was ‘supposed’ to react.
III. Clones
The Vorta are highly advanced in the fields of genetic science; they are experts at the art of genetic engineering, and most notoriously of all, cloning. The Dominion has particularly twisted and engineered clones to possess many of the dishonorable traits inherent in the way other alien races view the Vorta. Clones vary in a number of different ways from others of their untouched species.
At the start of every new incarnation, a clone’s memories are “downloaded” into his new successor. The specific procedure concerning the use of this technology is yet unknown.
Clones have a relatively limited sense of taste. They can appreciate the various textures of alien foods, but they can only taste food items native to their world. Weyoun once told Odo that it was the Founders’ way of ensuring that the Vorta never forgot their history, and who they were. The Founders have odd ways of establishing reminders in others concerning just where their places are.
Vorta retain their biological ability to identify toxic chemicals in foods and drinks via taste.
Notably, in [DS9 'Sacrifice of Angels'] Gul Dukat offers Weyoun a glass of kanar, who politely declines. It is an interesting bit of information, that any cloned Vorta more than positively finds ale a nauseating substance, as the only thing he can taste is the toxic element of the alcohol; in its purest form nonetheless
Clones have little to no appreciation for aesthetics. This would include art, music, scent, poetry and various physical beauties. They apparently however, retain aesthetic sense of themselves (as they keep themselves clean and very well-groomed) and in effect, other individuals of their race. (*see special notes)
Put simply, having passionate ideals for music or art can be distracting.
The most important tactical advantage to keep in mind is that if a Vorta clone had a sense of sensual beauty, they would run the risk of being seduced into giving up information. On another note, someone who lacks emotional response to colour or physical appearance is also less likely to be quickly intimidated by frightening foes or emotionally manipulated. Lack of value for aesthetics helps a Vorta to think more logically.
When captured, Vorta are required to commit suicide so that they cannot be forced into giving up valuable information. All clones have a termination device implanted in their brain stems for this purpose. It is activated by placing the right thumb under the jawbone, the index finger behind the ear, and applying a quick, firm pressure [ctrl + alt + del ] ;)
Death by this means is not instantaneous, however swift…and also brutally painful. Since a Vorta's only use for the termination device is to kill himself after he has, evidently, lost control of his command and having allowed himself to be captured, the prolonged, agonizing death sequence following activating the device is likely a deliberate form of punishment intended by the Founders. For this reason, it may be very likely that Vorta executions are done via the termination device as well. When Vorta operatives are captured alive and returned to the Dominion, they endure a cruel “debriefing” followed by execution.
With such an inept knowledge in the field of genetic engineering, the Vorta were probably the ones who created the Jem’Hadar. And although given precise instructions on what the Founders wanted included in clones, it is in my belief that it is Vorta who clone other Vorta, not the Founders themselves.
[Episode sources: Ties of Blood and Water, Favor the Bold, Treachery Faith and the Great River]
Special notes:
x. The transfer of memory from clone to clone
x. Do cloned Vorta have any interest in sexual matters?
(h)The process of saving memories:
The internal workings of the Dominion can at times, seem chaotic, but if the Founders were so tedious about designing Vorta clones for the purposes of gaining and keeping information, it then would be logical that they would be just as attentive in ensuring that the clones kept their stored memories up to date with the most swift, efficient system availiable.
In the episode, "A Simple Investigation" a woman working undercover for the Orion Syndicate had her memories removed and replaced for the duration of an important mission. Returning her memories and experiences required a crystallike device that was implanted at the site of her throat. The process took only several minutes.
In theory this system is probably very similar to what the Dominion uses with newly cloned Vorta.
(i)Would it be possible for a cloned Vorta to be involved in any form of sexual intimacy?
On a preceding note, when I began searching for information that would answer this frequently asked question, I was left with the assumed impression that Vorta weren't designed with the ability to mate. There were even some claims that the species was sterile.
Stepping back for a moment I realized that there is no direct evidence to support these assumptions, essentially they seem to stem from nowhere; I also found that those who did claim that the species was reproduced solely by cloning also lacked the knowledge that, unlike the Jem'Hadar, the Vorta had originated from a genuine planet of their own and were not "created" by the Founders, in a purely biological sense. I had compiled some notes from the series that could vaguely suggest an explaination (not included in the guide) No matter which way they could be interpreted, each seemed to wholly contradict the other.
This being said, I think my answer will be better explained by working off the common idea that the Vorta did somehow lose their reproductive ability via genetic alteration.
Does a clone have a sense of sensuality?
In my best of knowledge I would say yes, for several inescapable key reasons.
If the Vorta had absolutely no sexual capability, it would then become impossible for altered individuals to develop distinct male and female forms (something that the Jem'Hadar lack) Although gender itself is defined by a set of sex chromosomes, the physical identification associated with that gender is developed via the use of sexually related growth hormones. Even if these chemicals were somehow removed after the individual had developed into a mature adult, losing these hormones would still ultimately mean the loss of thier sexual definition once again. So by mere physical evidence, cloned Vorta obviously retain their sex hormones, associated with a developed reproductive system, and inevitably sexual drive.
If truly the Vorta had a nonexistant sensuality, my own question would then be of what would be the dire importance of removing the altered individuals' sense of aesthetics? It is vital for procreation, as most animals must be alert to a number of complex physical details, as well as scent and so forth, that characterize a healthy, suitable individual to breed with. Reocurringly, the more complex the organism, meaning the higher chordates such as the ape species, the more aesthetic awareness the species possesses--or so naturally.
There are certain tactical strategies that can undeniably only belong to certain genders. Notice, that female Vorta diplomats often wear revealing clothing, as well as adorn themselves with beautiful jewelry, apply lavish makeup, and have the ability to act in a sexually suggestive or in seductive manners themselves.
For these reasons, my best answer is yes, the Vorta are capable of sex. The next question is, in what way does the Dominion instead deal with the distractions and other minor issues involved with leaving the reproductive systems of this species intact?
Although cloned Vorta are left with a sexual system, they of course, lack their natural sense of aesthetics, or so at least towards other races (this explained in a moment). Foremost, in doing this, the Founder's elegant Vorta diplomats would still possess an aesthetic view of themselves; thus behaving in an acceptable manner, keeping themselves well groomed, and dressed.
Secondly, they would lose the key ability to develop sexual infatuation in other species. If a simple lack of aesthetics weren't enough in issues of seduction, theoretically a Vorta's triggered sexuality could very easily be turned inward to its own species, despite having a similar humanoid form as that of many other races. Specific physical details, scents, and behaviors would be required for a cloned Vorta to have an immediate sexual attraction to another individual; one who was distinctly Vorta.
Vorta operatives mating among themselves however, would be a rare occurence in itself as most of them work independantly. There wouldn't be much opportunity for that to happen.
This being said, is physical attraction then possible between a clone and a mate of another species?
Physical and sexual attraction derives from a number of things beyond initial physical fascination.
Since Vorta certainly retain their curious, intelligent personalities it is certainly possible that they could form a deep fascination to someone of another species. In Vorta, as well as Terrans and other species alike, on a romantic level, fascination itself creates a physical appreciation, appreciation on a psychological level often becomes associated with physical attraction, which certainly opens way to sexual and/or romantic attraction, and so on.
It is also plausible that aesthetic compatibility may mean little to a Vorta who found himself anxious to mate with a female, or vice versa, but without another of his/her species around. I've made a few supporting mental notes here and there from the series on the basis of this, although not solid enough to include in the guide. I'd gladly discuss it in a little more detail if anybody was curious.
In essence a cloned Vorta could eventually become sexually attracted to one of another species. That is if they found them interesting, and if they were trustworthy enough that the Vorta wouldn’t think better to rid of them instead. This idea of having a non-Vorta mate or mating with another alien is in the realm of possibility, but is so unlikely, this should in all events never occur and become a problem for the Dominion.
Disproving the rumors, cloned Vorta are, in the most logical of theory, totally capable of mating, although don't entirely dwell on the matter as with many other races nor do they ever have much of an opportunity to do so.
IV. Vorta and the Founders
All Vorta worship the Founders as Gods (*see below)
Biologically, clones are reinforced with the irreversible need to obey, protect, and serve the Founders. Their Founders' happiness and approval is extremely important, and Vorta are deeply affected by what their Gods think of them. No decision a cloned Vorta makes is for himself alone; one cares not about rank or personal gain, only that he is being a good servant to his masters.
A. Myth
The story of the first Founder:
As the legend goes, long before the Changelings became the Founders, a wounded Changeling landed on the Vorta homeworld. Fleeing from an enemy racist against the early Changelings, it sought safety in a Vorta and his family willing to protect him from harm. In exchange, the Changeling promised that one day, the Vorta would their place as powerful beings of a grand empire that would stretch across the galaxy.
Myths will always be myths. It would be naive to believe completely that the Changelings literally altered the genetics of the entire Vorta race and turned them into a higher species. This can be clearly certain as the Vorta apparently possess a distinct, fluent language system of their own (DS9: "Statistical Propabilities") one that would have to first be translated by the Changelings who obviously only acquire and use the verbal language systems of other solid species they've known. In addition to this, it would be questionable to believe that within this myth, whatever creature was trying to kill the Changeling couldn't have also simply killed the unintelligent Vorta "apes" who had no moderately advanced weapons of some sort. On a furthur note, The Founders referring to any solid species (who weren't serving them as powerful members of their empire, of course) as "lowly apes" is not out of their inherently arrogant mindset. Similarily, most higher alien civilizations have at one time referred to early 21st Terrans as no more than 'apes', as well. Needless to say, the naive Vorta's story was full of holes.
The Founders were probably more like the Vulcans were to the Terran species when they made first contact, and the Changelings shared in new knowledge and technology that revolutionized the already decently civilized lifestyle of the Vorta. It would be believed that the Vorta were, however, in a relatively early stage of civilization (one very similar to the most superstitious eras of Earth) because of the fact they would accept these wise shapeshifters from the stars as Gods.
B. Proper Tact
If a Founder enters the room, the Vorta in charge will gracefully stand and obediently go to them. The Vorta will approach very slowly as to assure away any intention of harm, very gently spreading their arms and lifting their open hands into comfortable view.
If a Vorta initiates an approach toward a Founder, they make their message brief, and will keep their eyes down until invited to continue. Out of submission a good Vorta tends not to make eye contact, but will look directly at their Founders with showing complete attention when they are being given sharp orders.
Conversation is held with small, reassuring smiles from the Vorta, and an occasion of short, acknowledgeable comments that the Vorta understands and is listening.
When asked to walk with or join a Founder, out of respect the Vorta always stays several steps behind them. By assertion of rank, the Vorta never walks side by side with a Founder. They will only walk in front of a Founder if they are for some reason leading them to a place of safety, and must protect them.
The Vorta out of adoration will stand as close as possible to their Founder but will never, ever dare touch them. The Founders never touch their Vorta. They despise all solids, even their most loyal of servants. To be touched by a Changeling is considered the highest of all blessings to a Vorta.
Vorta tend to stare at their Founders with a devoted adoration. Their attention in fact rarely leaves sight of the Founder if one should be present in the room.
(Weyoun once unbreakably stared at Odo for 18 hours straight and would have happily continued if Odo hadn't said anything)
Many Vorta even seem to be quite shy of their Founders from time to time.
[Episode sources: Treachery Faith and the Great River]
Special notes: (j)
Among many things that appeal to the Changelings concerning the Vorta:
Alike the Changelings, the Vorta once lived in fear of many dangerous predators
Vorta are timid by nature and would never personally hurt another creature
Their timid natures make them easy to control
Telepathic, empathic and telekinetic abilities
Extremely intelligent, technologically
Naturally make excellent diplomats, spies and politicians
Appear innocent to unwary foes and potential allies alike
Can detect when someone is lying
In the very beginning, the Vorta were not a race that hated the Changelings. As a people the Changelings consider every member of the link to be precious, and for a Vorta to have protected one of them from harm, it would have been truly something to be ever grateful for.
The Female Founder once told Weyoun that he was the only solid she ever truly trusted
Sound familar? ;)
II. Behavior
A. Basic behavioral overview
By nature, Vorta are curious, attentive, and playful. Vorta are very sociable and generally friendly. Highly intelligent, inquisitive, and always alert to what’s going on around them, they make for excellent ambassadors, diplomats and spies.
On the negative side, Vorta are also very timid and sometimes sensitive.
Prodigy of a wus:
"To The Death" Worf throws a punch at Ometi'klan, the Jem'Hadar 1st, and a fight breaks loose. While Captain Sisko fiercely moves in to break up the brawl, you'll notice Weyoun has presently located himself in the corner, clutching his case of ketracel white as he nervously hides out the fight trying to scurry himself deeper his corner of that wall.
"The Magnificent Ferengi" Quark and his group of Ferengi are returning their "revived" Vorta prisoner Keevan over to Yelgrun and his pair of Jem'Hadar. Upon finding that the prisoner is very much dead, the two Jem'Hadar with him begin to fire. As the fight breaks loose, Yelgrun leaps into the corner, crouching and covering his head. He's quite unobliged to remain that way until he has to be dragged to his feet by the Ferengi.
"Sacrifice of Angels" Breaking successfully through the fleets of Dominion ships and past Terok Nor, the Defiant has entered the wormhole, to where hundreds of Dominion ships are waiting on the other side. By miracle, the Defiant emerges once again, not a single reinforcement ship following behind.
There is a brief pause.
"Time to start packing!" Weyoun
Most nocturnal creatures by nature are quite shy and though curious, are very easy to startle or frighten.
Vorta prefer to flee rather than fight. Notice that you will never see a Vorta pick up a weapon such as a phaser or dagger, not even as a means of self defense.
B. Telepathic abilities
Most or all Vorta have the ability to summon a blue ball of telekinetic energy, capable of knocking enemies backward as far as 3 meters. This unique psychic ability was, among other important factors, one of the major characteristics that which was said to have attracted the Founders into allying Kurill Prime as one of the first members of the Dominion.
The possession of telekinesis in Vorta operatives has been a fact expressed very little as polished political Vorta seem to choose not to use this ability in important diplomatic situations. Most encountered Vorta have also typically never been in an appropriate situation to use this talent when their Jem'Hadar protectors are what's used for the fighting.
Aside from telekinesis, Vorta also exhibit mild telepathic and/or empathic ability. These abilities are not nearly as developed as in other telepathic races, as instances where Vorta have used them it was made apparent that it took a great deal of concentration.
It would seem as though the Dominion prefers to keep information regarding the psychic prowess of its operatives either hidden from new or potential allies, or in the least, making sure the facts are flaunted as little as possible.
It is in my strong belief that a Vorta wouldn’t dare enter the thoughts of a Founder, to do so would be extremely disrespectful. Although, at one point, Weyoun 6 (the defective clone, remember) may have used his telepathy on the Female Changeling to find out that the Link was infected with a deadly disease. At that time, the Female Founder refused to reveal that she was sick and even denied it in front of Weyoun 7 when he became concerned.
[Episode sources: The Jem'Hadar, Honor Among Thieves, Sacrifice of Angels, Treachery Faith and the Great River]
C. Creature comforts
Vorta are nocturnal. Even in the modern day where many must adjust their sleeping schedule to meet those of other races, biologically they remain highly active in the evening hours through nightfall.
Vorta most likely enjoy the outdoors, especially cool, shaded forest environments from in which their species was adapted for.
Vorta have a strong appreciation for being around others. As ancestral Vorta used to stay close together for safety while sleeping and resting, this is an instinct deeply imprinted in their behavior. They should instinctively have an inherent, fond response to physical touch - they commonly use touch such as friendly pats to the shoulder or nudges to casually express comfort or fondness, are physically gentle around others, and would by nature, be extremely protective of loved ones (The Founders in which case)
D. Clothing
Typical attire for a Vorta operative includes:
x. Long pants that fall to the ankles
x. Boots that meet the ankles, typically fashioned out of leather. May or may not match the colour of the pants
x. Two-piece shirt consisting of:
- A long-sleeved undershirt
- Covered by an overcoat
At the top of the coat, a piece of additional material cuffs around the left arm near the shoulder, stretching to the middle of the chest where the coat opens. On the right, the top of the chest, the shoulder, and the entire length of the sleeve consist of the forementioned material. For Field Supervisors, the material is typically cloth or other fabric. Ambassadors and other high ranking operatives wear leather.
The overcoat hangs low to the top of the chest to reveal a neckline of the undershirt. The most unique detail of Vorta clothing is in the sleeves, which are eloquently cut at mid-arm to show the sleeves of the undershirt.
For males, only one sleeve is cut. The cut may be on either arm, left or right.
For females, both sleeves are cut. In hot weather, some females remove the undershirt and the arms and upper chest are shown bare.
Special notes;
(f)The snake allusion.
The theatrical allusion to the snake cites back to a popular story of folklore, Adam and Eve. In myth, it is a serpent that which convinces Eve to commit acts of evil. In varied versions of the tale, the snake, is either lurking in the bushes waiting to whisper and lure Eve into sin, or it has slithered inside onto her tongue and has incidentally become apart of her while she commits her acts of sin (biting a piece of fruit from the forbidden tree of the Gods).
In theater, a common device used for characterization and plot development is via the use of sending many, unamed visual signals to the audience. A very popular tool is the snake allusion. Pay attention closely to the next movie you go plan to see; characters who bear clothing with leather or scales, carry names, markings or items that are allusionary to serpents or reptiles, are of key importance. It occurs more often than one might think.
The reference to the snake is not simply intended to outwardly mark a character as a villain. Rather, this allusionary device is actually used as a means of ominous foreshadowing.
The snake allusion commonly portrays one or more of several things:
x. "the snake lurking in the grass" The character is not yet a villain, but will become a nasty one. This character is usually made to appear friendly or unimportant. If this part of the allusion is used, a common occurance is an event where the protagonist makes a deal with the character or otherwise shows forms of trust towards the character, in symbolizing Eve who trusted the snake.
x. "the serpent who whispers sins" The character may never appear to be a frightening villain on the surface, and is even commonly portrayed as a coward. He/she may not fight, but are highly intelligent, usually having a keen upperhand with words or lies in order to convince the protagonist into surrendering to evil, as Eve to the snake who whispered her into sin. The character will typically have a number of followers or other villains under their command.
x. "the snake's tongue" The character themselves are victim of evil, and perform tasks for higher villains. They were either pressured into evil by an outside party or otherwise gave up on themselves. This allusion is made known through characters who newly bear symbolic reference to a snake, after which they had up to that point been without.
In my strong belief, this theatrical device was used in developing the role of Vorta. I was aware of the snake allusion long before I found any of it pertaining to the Vorta species. I hadn't given it much thought up until when I first looked closely at the leather on Weyoun's coat - the leather, is in fact patterned with a design of serpent scales. At first, this I knew could be immediately dismissed as nothing more than a coincidental detail, but there's more to it. In the episode of [The Ship] one will also notice that the coat that the Vorta Kilana was wearing was patterned entirely with snake scales. More alarmingly, it is also noted that she offered Sisko a piece of fruit - alluding to the myth where the snake offered Eve the apple of sin.
In all ways the Vorta indeed seem to live up to the characteristics that the device is used to imply. Not simply this, but they are by no means the first characters in the DS9 series alone to be given the device. The nemesis of Quark - Liquidator Brunt, also matches several important aspects of the allusion. One will occaisionally notice that his pants are designed in a pattern of scales, and that when Brunt became Grand Nagus, the staff end of his sceptor twisted and coiled like the body of a snake.
E. Cultural notes
(*see Vorta and the Founders)
In general it would be believed that Vorta, even those who were never cloned or altered, worship the Founders as Gods and an important part of their modern culture.
Curiousity, creativity and sociability are all signs of gifted intelligence among a given species. It would be believed that an untouched Kurill Prime would have a remarkably rich culture filled with beautiful art, music, architecture, literature and poetry.
Both males and females alike are of equal status.
F. Mating Habits
Vorta mate for life
[Episode sources: Treachery Faith and the Great River]
If this is true, then in their primitive eras, a Vorta would need a special kind of biological imprinting to be able to distinguish his mate as a more valued, pressing importance even over the intense bond he/she would have developed with close comrades they'd have rested with in their nests and protected. Touch would play a very important role, as well as soft, verbal sounds and signals.
Based on their modern social behavior, Vorta mates must be (whether solely of the past, or even in the possiblity of modern Kurill; in either case) extremely affectionate and very close; and affection would (if the latter were true) continue to be expressed through an almost exhausting amount of talking, playing and cuddling.
Special notes:
(f)I strongly believe that Vorta, in general, positively adore children, and that offspring are deeply cherished within this particular species. In Deep Space Nine I notice that whenever the Vorta ambassador really wants to manipulate his enemies, he brings up the subject of protecting the children, which is in turn very reflective of the Vorta culture.
-Notably, when Weyoun is consulting Captain Sisko about the minefield, the Vorta tries to come up with the saddest story he can to make the excuse why they needed so many Dominion ships on Cardassia. His last line on the subject is “did you know that when we first arrived, children were starving on Cardassia? It was heartbreaking.”
-When he was trying to lighten the mood with Major Kira (after the Dominion takes control of the station), Dukat walks in. Weyoun quirks and happily explains that among other things “the promenade will once again echo with the laughter of happy children.” It actually seemed more of a casual, idle statement than anything else. Lest forget the adorable little frown that fell on Weyoun’s face when Damar grunts and just replies “I’ve doubled station security.” He seemed just a bit hurt.
-The Vorta is also quite affectionate when regarding kids who live on the station, as shown when Jake Sisko approached him for an interview in “A Time to Stand” and also when confronting him and Nog about suspected mischief in the episode of “In the Cards.” Weyoun is a Dominion operative, strict on security matters, and coldly impartial against cruel rules. He could have taken much more serious action had Jake and Nog not been young ones.
For one, Weyoun being the main Vorta character throughout the show, he is made the most stereotypical representative of his race. It is probably safe to judge that whatever he does is likely of the rest of most of his species.
A biological explaination:
Vorta have very long lifespans. Going back to the primitive lifestyle of the Vorta species, keep in mind that Vorta children would remain physically immature for a relatively long time. Mates could produce quite a few children during their lifetime, and even with a partner it would be difficult to keep track of all of their babies with so long a childhood. So as with most social apes, the responsibility of watching out for offspring was a shared responsibility within the entire clan. Remember that Vorta rely heavily upon each other for protection. This responsibility would seem quite enjoyable, as even Vorta adults are curious, energetic and highly playful.
I would also imagine that mothers and close relatives probably bonded with very young babies through use of their telepathic and/or empathic powers, which if anything helped them survive. They were very protective, and like most forest-dwelling species probably carried their young children almost constantly to prevent them from being captured by predators.
(g)Does Weyoun ever use his telepathic or empathic ability?
It is remembered that Eris -the Vorta first encountered by the Federation- mentioned that one central reason the Founders took an interest in the Vorta was becaused of psychic powers similar to her own. Indeed, several Vorta encountered by the Federation have demonstrated telekinetic, to empathic to mild telepathic ability on various occasions. Where does Weyoun fit into it?
Unfortunately, considering if the main Vorta character was allowed to use his telepathic abilities, it would inevitably make the storyline more difficult to put together for the Trek team. However, it would appear that instead of ignoring the issue completely, there have indeed been very peculiar scenes where it would seem Weyoun was not left out of the Vorta equation - the details are startling;
Weyoun makes a lot of eye contact. Whenever it’s someone important that he’s talking to, this is where the viewer notices that he stares, especially during pauses in conversation, his eyes perceptibly searching the other person’s face. His expressions will sometimes curiously shift, especially after intense moments in a scene where his eyes had just been momentarily frozen in focus. Similar behavior was noted in [Honor Among Thieves] in which a Vorta operative scanned the faces of a line of Orion Syndicate members and chose the traitor among them (two in fact, that even the Syndicate didn't realize) via the use of his own psychic ability.
Related scenes:
"Sacrifice of Angels" Gul Dukat brings Weyoun into a discussion about what he believes a true victory means. Near the end of this conversation, Dukat comments that he doesn't understand why the Bajorans, and Sisko, haven't shown him the respect he deserves. Weyoun's eyes are then curiously fixed on Dukat, and he begins to chuckle. Dukat asks if he thought something was amusing. Still examining Dukat, Weyoun simply replies, through quiet laughter, 'No...I find it...fascinating...'
Whatever complicated, self-dilluted lies were running freshly in Dukat's mind, Weyoun could probably read them.
"In the Cards" Kai Winn is very much against a non aggression pact proposed by the Dominion. At the end of their conversation, Weyoun has a final, generously friendly word on the subject--just enough to make anyone against the Dominion, positively sick. The Kai pauses to measure his Pah, which is clearly nonexistant, and Weyoun stares, suddenly showing a small frown as he focuses on her unchanging expressions. Though she replies in saying “No, we’re nothing alike,” the Vorta then pushes a smile, apparently unsure of how he was ‘supposed’ to react.
III. Clones
The Vorta are highly advanced in the fields of genetic science; they are experts at the art of genetic engineering, and most notoriously of all, cloning. The Dominion has particularly twisted and engineered clones to possess many of the dishonorable traits inherent in the way other alien races view the Vorta. Clones vary in a number of different ways from others of their untouched species.
At the start of every new incarnation, a clone’s memories are “downloaded” into his new successor. The specific procedure concerning the use of this technology is yet unknown.
Clones have a relatively limited sense of taste. They can appreciate the various textures of alien foods, but they can only taste food items native to their world. Weyoun once told Odo that it was the Founders’ way of ensuring that the Vorta never forgot their history, and who they were. The Founders have odd ways of establishing reminders in others concerning just where their places are.
Vorta retain their biological ability to identify toxic chemicals in foods and drinks via taste.
Notably, in [DS9 'Sacrifice of Angels'] Gul Dukat offers Weyoun a glass of kanar, who politely declines. It is an interesting bit of information, that any cloned Vorta more than positively finds ale a nauseating substance, as the only thing he can taste is the toxic element of the alcohol; in its purest form nonetheless
Clones have little to no appreciation for aesthetics. This would include art, music, scent, poetry and various physical beauties. They apparently however, retain aesthetic sense of themselves (as they keep themselves clean and very well-groomed) and in effect, other individuals of their race. (*see special notes)
Put simply, having passionate ideals for music or art can be distracting.
The most important tactical advantage to keep in mind is that if a Vorta clone had a sense of sensual beauty, they would run the risk of being seduced into giving up information. On another note, someone who lacks emotional response to colour or physical appearance is also less likely to be quickly intimidated by frightening foes or emotionally manipulated. Lack of value for aesthetics helps a Vorta to think more logically.
When captured, Vorta are required to commit suicide so that they cannot be forced into giving up valuable information. All clones have a termination device implanted in their brain stems for this purpose. It is activated by placing the right thumb under the jawbone, the index finger behind the ear, and applying a quick, firm pressure [ctrl + alt + del ] ;)
Death by this means is not instantaneous, however swift…and also brutally painful. Since a Vorta's only use for the termination device is to kill himself after he has, evidently, lost control of his command and having allowed himself to be captured, the prolonged, agonizing death sequence following activating the device is likely a deliberate form of punishment intended by the Founders. For this reason, it may be very likely that Vorta executions are done via the termination device as well. When Vorta operatives are captured alive and returned to the Dominion, they endure a cruel “debriefing” followed by execution.
With such an inept knowledge in the field of genetic engineering, the Vorta were probably the ones who created the Jem’Hadar. And although given precise instructions on what the Founders wanted included in clones, it is in my belief that it is Vorta who clone other Vorta, not the Founders themselves.
[Episode sources: Ties of Blood and Water, Favor the Bold, Treachery Faith and the Great River]
Special notes:
x. The transfer of memory from clone to clone
x. Do cloned Vorta have any interest in sexual matters?
(h)The process of saving memories:
The internal workings of the Dominion can at times, seem chaotic, but if the Founders were so tedious about designing Vorta clones for the purposes of gaining and keeping information, it then would be logical that they would be just as attentive in ensuring that the clones kept their stored memories up to date with the most swift, efficient system availiable.
In the episode, "A Simple Investigation" a woman working undercover for the Orion Syndicate had her memories removed and replaced for the duration of an important mission. Returning her memories and experiences required a crystallike device that was implanted at the site of her throat. The process took only several minutes.
In theory this system is probably very similar to what the Dominion uses with newly cloned Vorta.
(i)Would it be possible for a cloned Vorta to be involved in any form of sexual intimacy?
On a preceding note, when I began searching for information that would answer this frequently asked question, I was left with the assumed impression that Vorta weren't designed with the ability to mate. There were even some claims that the species was sterile.
Stepping back for a moment I realized that there is no direct evidence to support these assumptions, essentially they seem to stem from nowhere; I also found that those who did claim that the species was reproduced solely by cloning also lacked the knowledge that, unlike the Jem'Hadar, the Vorta had originated from a genuine planet of their own and were not "created" by the Founders, in a purely biological sense. I had compiled some notes from the series that could vaguely suggest an explaination (not included in the guide) No matter which way they could be interpreted, each seemed to wholly contradict the other.
This being said, I think my answer will be better explained by working off the common idea that the Vorta did somehow lose their reproductive ability via genetic alteration.
Does a clone have a sense of sensuality?
In my best of knowledge I would say yes, for several inescapable key reasons.
If the Vorta had absolutely no sexual capability, it would then become impossible for altered individuals to develop distinct male and female forms (something that the Jem'Hadar lack) Although gender itself is defined by a set of sex chromosomes, the physical identification associated with that gender is developed via the use of sexually related growth hormones. Even if these chemicals were somehow removed after the individual had developed into a mature adult, losing these hormones would still ultimately mean the loss of thier sexual definition once again. So by mere physical evidence, cloned Vorta obviously retain their sex hormones, associated with a developed reproductive system, and inevitably sexual drive.
If truly the Vorta had a nonexistant sensuality, my own question would then be of what would be the dire importance of removing the altered individuals' sense of aesthetics? It is vital for procreation, as most animals must be alert to a number of complex physical details, as well as scent and so forth, that characterize a healthy, suitable individual to breed with. Reocurringly, the more complex the organism, meaning the higher chordates such as the ape species, the more aesthetic awareness the species possesses--or so naturally.
There are certain tactical strategies that can undeniably only belong to certain genders. Notice, that female Vorta diplomats often wear revealing clothing, as well as adorn themselves with beautiful jewelry, apply lavish makeup, and have the ability to act in a sexually suggestive or in seductive manners themselves.
For these reasons, my best answer is yes, the Vorta are capable of sex. The next question is, in what way does the Dominion instead deal with the distractions and other minor issues involved with leaving the reproductive systems of this species intact?
Although cloned Vorta are left with a sexual system, they of course, lack their natural sense of aesthetics, or so at least towards other races (this explained in a moment). Foremost, in doing this, the Founder's elegant Vorta diplomats would still possess an aesthetic view of themselves; thus behaving in an acceptable manner, keeping themselves well groomed, and dressed.
Secondly, they would lose the key ability to develop sexual infatuation in other species. If a simple lack of aesthetics weren't enough in issues of seduction, theoretically a Vorta's triggered sexuality could very easily be turned inward to its own species, despite having a similar humanoid form as that of many other races. Specific physical details, scents, and behaviors would be required for a cloned Vorta to have an immediate sexual attraction to another individual; one who was distinctly Vorta.
Vorta operatives mating among themselves however, would be a rare occurence in itself as most of them work independantly. There wouldn't be much opportunity for that to happen.
This being said, is physical attraction then possible between a clone and a mate of another species?
Physical and sexual attraction derives from a number of things beyond initial physical fascination.
Since Vorta certainly retain their curious, intelligent personalities it is certainly possible that they could form a deep fascination to someone of another species. In Vorta, as well as Terrans and other species alike, on a romantic level, fascination itself creates a physical appreciation, appreciation on a psychological level often becomes associated with physical attraction, which certainly opens way to sexual and/or romantic attraction, and so on.
It is also plausible that aesthetic compatibility may mean little to a Vorta who found himself anxious to mate with a female, or vice versa, but without another of his/her species around. I've made a few supporting mental notes here and there from the series on the basis of this, although not solid enough to include in the guide. I'd gladly discuss it in a little more detail if anybody was curious.
In essence a cloned Vorta could eventually become sexually attracted to one of another species. That is if they found them interesting, and if they were trustworthy enough that the Vorta wouldn’t think better to rid of them instead. This idea of having a non-Vorta mate or mating with another alien is in the realm of possibility, but is so unlikely, this should in all events never occur and become a problem for the Dominion.
Disproving the rumors, cloned Vorta are, in the most logical of theory, totally capable of mating, although don't entirely dwell on the matter as with many other races nor do they ever have much of an opportunity to do so.
IV. Vorta and the Founders
All Vorta worship the Founders as Gods (*see below)
Biologically, clones are reinforced with the irreversible need to obey, protect, and serve the Founders. Their Founders' happiness and approval is extremely important, and Vorta are deeply affected by what their Gods think of them. No decision a cloned Vorta makes is for himself alone; one cares not about rank or personal gain, only that he is being a good servant to his masters.
A. Myth
The story of the first Founder:
As the legend goes, long before the Changelings became the Founders, a wounded Changeling landed on the Vorta homeworld. Fleeing from an enemy racist against the early Changelings, it sought safety in a Vorta and his family willing to protect him from harm. In exchange, the Changeling promised that one day, the Vorta would their place as powerful beings of a grand empire that would stretch across the galaxy.
Myths will always be myths. It would be naive to believe completely that the Changelings literally altered the genetics of the entire Vorta race and turned them into a higher species. This can be clearly certain as the Vorta apparently possess a distinct, fluent language system of their own (DS9: "Statistical Propabilities") one that would have to first be translated by the Changelings who obviously only acquire and use the verbal language systems of other solid species they've known. In addition to this, it would be questionable to believe that within this myth, whatever creature was trying to kill the Changeling couldn't have also simply killed the unintelligent Vorta "apes" who had no moderately advanced weapons of some sort. On a furthur note, The Founders referring to any solid species (who weren't serving them as powerful members of their empire, of course) as "lowly apes" is not out of their inherently arrogant mindset. Similarily, most higher alien civilizations have at one time referred to early 21st Terrans as no more than 'apes', as well. Needless to say, the naive Vorta's story was full of holes.
The Founders were probably more like the Vulcans were to the Terran species when they made first contact, and the Changelings shared in new knowledge and technology that revolutionized the already decently civilized lifestyle of the Vorta. It would be believed that the Vorta were, however, in a relatively early stage of civilization (one very similar to the most superstitious eras of Earth) because of the fact they would accept these wise shapeshifters from the stars as Gods.
B. Proper Tact
If a Founder enters the room, the Vorta in charge will gracefully stand and obediently go to them. The Vorta will approach very slowly as to assure away any intention of harm, very gently spreading their arms and lifting their open hands into comfortable view.
If a Vorta initiates an approach toward a Founder, they make their message brief, and will keep their eyes down until invited to continue. Out of submission a good Vorta tends not to make eye contact, but will look directly at their Founders with showing complete attention when they are being given sharp orders.
Conversation is held with small, reassuring smiles from the Vorta, and an occasion of short, acknowledgeable comments that the Vorta understands and is listening.
When asked to walk with or join a Founder, out of respect the Vorta always stays several steps behind them. By assertion of rank, the Vorta never walks side by side with a Founder. They will only walk in front of a Founder if they are for some reason leading them to a place of safety, and must protect them.
The Vorta out of adoration will stand as close as possible to their Founder but will never, ever dare touch them. The Founders never touch their Vorta. They despise all solids, even their most loyal of servants. To be touched by a Changeling is considered the highest of all blessings to a Vorta.
Vorta tend to stare at their Founders with a devoted adoration. Their attention in fact rarely leaves sight of the Founder if one should be present in the room.
(Weyoun once unbreakably stared at Odo for 18 hours straight and would have happily continued if Odo hadn't said anything)
Many Vorta even seem to be quite shy of their Founders from time to time.
[Episode sources: Treachery Faith and the Great River]
Special notes: (j)
Among many things that appeal to the Changelings concerning the Vorta:
Alike the Changelings, the Vorta once lived in fear of many dangerous predators
Vorta are timid by nature and would never personally hurt another creature
Their timid natures make them easy to control
Telepathic, empathic and telekinetic abilities
Extremely intelligent, technologically
Naturally make excellent diplomats, spies and politicians
Appear innocent to unwary foes and potential allies alike
Can detect when someone is lying
In the very beginning, the Vorta were not a race that hated the Changelings. As a people the Changelings consider every member of the link to be precious, and for a Vorta to have protected one of them from harm, it would have been truly something to be ever grateful for.
The Female Founder once told Weyoun that he was the only solid she ever truly trusted