Work Text:
1) Pre-Dominion Vorta
From what can be extrapolated through genetic study and what little historical records survive, Vorta were originally a race of quadrupeds with white to grey fur coving a majority of their bodies, the colour blending into the bark of the trees on their native homeworld. These Vorta's maximum weight was ranged between 4.54 to 6.80 kilograms with opposable thumbs to aid in the use of tools, and prehensile tails to aid in navigating their jungle-like home territories. The comparison of these primitive Vorta to primates is only a superficial resemblance. These Vorta were more closely related to rodents and these Vorta served as prey for a majority of the carnivorous pack-predators on the Vorta homeworld.
Due to the predation on their species, these quadruped prey bred fast, gained sexual maturity quickly, and produced many young in a litter. Pre-Dominion Vorta had three ovaries, each one releasing one or two eggs in the Vorta's menstrual cycle, the release of the egg marking the highest point of fertility in these primitive Vorta. These eggs had 28 hours to be fertilized before being broken down, the lining of uterus breaking down as well to be shed. Generally, Vorta menstruation lasted three days with menstruating Vorta hiding in their dens to avoid being picked off easily by predators. When fertilized, Vorta young tended to gestate for four months, the number of offspring in a litter between one and three. Communal grooming between not only the parents of the litter but also between other parents inhabiting the same den helped establish a sense of safety and trust, reducing stress levels within the group.
These Pre-Dominion Vorta were not strictly limited to sexual encounters for reproduction. Vorta had individual preferences toward one sex or another or both. Sex within a Vorta group also helped to establish trust and relieve tension within the group. Vorta with vaginas preferred face to face copulation, which would stimulate the clitoris, making the encounter more pleasurable. "Tribbing" or vagina-to-vagina was the preferred method of Vorta with vaginas to have sexual relations. Vorta with penises preferred their partners on their back, face to face copulation aiding in ensuring their partner conceived a litter as well as the face to face positioning allowing bonding between the couple. Mounting another Vorta from behind was uncommon and generally only done for sexual pleasure instead of procreation.
In spite of the challenges in their way to becoming the dominant sentient life-form, these primitive Vorta had developed a method of communication that allowed Vorta from unrelated families to understand one another with little difficulty. These primitive Vorta also had a tribal-level culture. A "colony" of Vorta would be a related family group living within the same territory, sharing dens of hollowed out trees. Communal parenting was common, as was communal grooming and casual sex with no worries a to paternity or family lines. Vorta within the same colony tended to gather more food than the individual or even the den would require, sharing with pregnant, ill, or disabled members of the colony to ensure the maximum amount of Vorta survived.
Though these Vorta were a social and community-based culture, they were often preyed on and disease and parasites tended to spread quickly among packed dens. Vorta had little to no medical knowledge when the Changeling arrived on their homeworld, allegedly beginning the change toward the Vorta we know today.
2) Dominion made changes
A majority of the changes made to the Vorta were aesthetic changes by the Founders. First, and most glaringly obvious, Vorta have a urethra and anus, but no sexual organs. In a similar fashion, Vorta "breasts" are simply a gathering of fatty tissue allocated to the chest. The chest has no mammary glands and no nipples and the chest has less nerve endings, leading to less sensitivity than average in bipedal species such as Vulcans, Klingons, and Terrans. Any and all reproduction is handled in labs (like those on Rondac III) where Vorta are cloned—sometimes with genetics being altered in minute ways between clones in a series--gametes are saved and stored to be combined based on a complex genetic matchmaking algorithm.
Dominon-altered Vorta tend to be asexual. Some lines of diplomats will have sex with species the Founders intend to make alliances with, but it is considered simply a part of the job, the same way a scientist might be expected to handle dangerous chemicals or a doctor might be expected to be exposed to infectious diseases. All Vorta, under the Founder's occupation, are completely sterile without scientific intervention.
In addition to these modifications to Vorta anatomy and fertility, the Dominion has made additional modifications. One of the most noticeable for those hosting a Vorta ambassador is their immunity to most toxins. The Vorta body metabolizes any toxins in the system quickly, breaking them into less lethal compounds before any severe damage can be done to major organs.
Another modification made that goes unnoticed is the Vorta's immune system. In terms of the sheer aggressiveness of the Vorta immune system, there is hardly a comparison to any other known race. Since most Vorta will be in the field as ambassadors to uncharted territory or supervisors with a company of Jem'Hadar, the Vorta's immune system will attack anything that is not the Vorta's own cells. This prevents the individual from contracting a host of parasites, viruses, and bacterial infections that would otherwise take between hundreds and thousands of inoculations.
3. Post-Dominion Vorta
To say that post-Dominion Vorta allied with the Federation and its associated worlds are "liberated Vorta" is an erroneous assumption this essay will not make. Instead post-Dominion Vorta who have accepted Federation citizenship are the only ones studied sociologically and biologically and "post-Dominion Vorta" will refer to that population who elected to accept Federation assistance.
Typically, most Vorta anatomy is made from the individual's own cells to reduce the risk of tissue rejection. Vorta sexual anatomy comes in a binary much the same as Terrans or Bajorans:
- A tapered penis with a knotted base with an average length of 10.45 to 12.75 centimetres, concealed in a sheath, extending from that sheath when aroused, and a pair of testicles below the penis.
- A vagina with an average depth of 8.25 to 8.95 centimetres, ending in a cervix and uterus. The fallopian tubes of a Vorta are placed with more vertical positioning than in Terrans.
- The Vorta's "line" and the small modifications made to each line [e.g. Weyoun(s) Eris(es) Keevan(s)].
- The individual's number in their line. The higher the number, the more modifications made to the individual. (e.g. Weyoun-6, Keevan-4, Kilana-8).
- How heavily the individual is modified. (e.g. a small modification to be a better diplomat versus a heavy modification for telekinesis)
- Perceived "defects" in the individual by the Founders (This may lower the risk rather than increasing it.)
- A course of drugs to suppress the immune system combined with carefully sterilizing the Vorta's environment to ensure the pregnancy is carried to term and the Vorta does not contract any illnesses that might prove lethal with their suppressed immune system.
- Repeated attempts, which slowly acclimate the Vorta's immune system to accommodate the zygote instead of attacking it. On average, this method takes four or so miscarriages, all of which typically occur in the first week after conception and can be mistaken for a delayed menstruation.
Post-Dominion Vorta tend to only gestate one or two offspring at a time in much the same manner as Bajorans or Terrans. Vorta different from other bipedal mammalian species by gestating quicker than most races. Typically, Vorta offspring require a period of four and a half months to be considered full-term, but offspring are viable at four months with proper medical care and careful monitoring.
Culturally, Vorta do not associate gender with sexual anatomy. A Vorta who might appear to a Terran as "male" might have a vagina or "female" Vorta might have a penis and testicles. Vorta select their sexual anatomy based on a hierarchy of need for one type of anatomy to even out a population or be compatible with their selected mate being placed above personal preference. Most Vorta will be more than happy to have anatomy that keeps a population stable or that makes them compatible to produce offspring with their alien mate. Many Vorta do not have any preference for one set of sexual equipment or another. While it makes Vorta-Vorta relations easier, some alien cultures ascribe nicknames like the Terran terms "dickgirl" and "cuntboy" to these Vorta who seem atypical to the Terran understanding of biology. Most Vorta find these terms amusing, delighting in the confusion of their alien companions, seeing other races as "immature" for placing such importance on sexual anatomy. Only rarely will a Vorta be truly offended by these terms and, in such cases, it is almost never because they have been insulted but a close friend or a mate has been referred to by vulgar labels.
4. Possible complications
In about 15% of treated Vorta, rejection of the replicated tissues occurs, leading to pain, haemorrhaging, tissue necrosis, and sepsis. Since tissue rejection can be lethal, it is recommended those handling Vorta reproductive needs have a significant amount of follow-up appointments with their Vorta patients. While medication to suppress the immune system to prevent tissue rejection can be prescribed, the possible complications include infection or bacterial contamination. The risk associated with the treatment should not be taken lightly and both Federation healthcare providers and Vorta patients should be aware of all possible risks.
Post-Dominion Vorta who do decide to carry the offspring have endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome between 79-92% of the time. A variety of factors influence the potential for complications including:
While each complication can be corrected, prompt diagnosis and treatment is vital to ensuring endometriosis or PCOS do not have further complications such as pain, nausea, menstruation lasting longer than four days, or even infertility.
The other major complication with post-Dominion Vorta and their reproduction is the high rates of miscarriage within the first month of gestation. Vorta immune systems respond aggressively to anything unrecognisable as the Vorta individual's own cells, including zygotes. Most Vorta will require one of two methods in order to ensure conception and a viable pregnancy carried to term:
Typically, after the first offspring has been carried to term, the immune system will consider any other offspring part of the Vorta's body instead of a parasite.
5. Cross-fertilization
Vorta, with some success, have been able to reproduce successfully with a select few races without medical intervention. These races include Cardassians, Bajorans, Terrans, and Vulcans. Offspring produced from these unions tends to gestate quicker than the non-Vorta parent.
Outside of other Vorta, the most common species for Vorta to mate with are Terrans, due to the Terran ability to be compatible with most races. These offspring come to term at seven months. This long gestation becomes a small issue when the Vorta parent carries the offspring to term, leading to an increase in the possibility of complications without careful monitoring past the five month mark. Terrans carrying a Vorta-Terran hybrid to term suffer no ill effects from the gestation period.
Vulcan-Vorta hybrids tend to come to term at around six months, with the smaller Vulcan offspring being less tedious on a Vorta parent carrying the child to term. Vorta delivering the offspring can do so without a need for surgical intervention, though it remains the primary method of delivery. Vorta assimilate well into Vulcan culture and customs, finding the control over emotions in the pursuit of logic similar to the self-restraint required of Vorta under Dominion rule. Vulcan-Vorta hybrids tend to display a larger amount of telekinesis and telepathy than normal for either race.
In Cardassian-Vorta hybrids, the offspring take on some of the advanced motor skills and dental development of both races, hybrids being born with a full set of teeth and able to crawl mere hours after birth. Vorta-Cardassian hybrid offspring are able to eat soft foods shortly after gestation instead of requiring to be nursed as is common in other races. Typically, Vorta-Cardassian offspring come to term at six months, and present with a low birth weight common with Vorta. The Cardassian brow and neck ridges are more prominent in Vorta-Cardassian hybrids than seen in the offspring produced by other Cardassian-alien couplings.
With smaller amounts of success, Vorta-Klingon hybrids have been produced, though not without their share of problems. Klingons, due to their physical roughness during copulation, tend to be incompatible with Vorta more often than not. While they can be sexually compatible in a small percentage, generally medical intervention is the safest option, should offspring be desired. Vorta-Klingon gestation typically lasts five and a half months instead of four, allowing more time for the offspring to develop. Caesarian sections are the primary method of delivery for Klingon-Vorta hybrids due to the offspring's size being incompatible with the size of the Vorta pelvis.
Vorta-Jem'Hadar hybrids have been reported, but remain only a minute fraction of the offspring produced, no more than 3% of all documented Vorta pregnancies. This is due to cultural taboos as well as physical limitations. Jem'Hadar generally present as a mono-gendered species, equally sterile as Vorta, requiring medical intervention to overcome the limitations. In every Vorta-Jem'Hadar coupling, the Vorta carries the offspring and the Jem'Hadar sires the young. These offspring tend to come to term around four months without a need for careful medical care as most offspring would. Culturally, most Jem'Hadar rebel against the Vorta, seeing them as cruel slave-masters instead of potential mates. Those Jem'Hadar that do take Vorta as mates tend to be aggressive toward other species and even other Jem'Hadar, with a need to defend their mate. Between Jem'Hadar who do take Vorta as mates, there arises a drive for the Jem'Hadar to challenge other individuals to the death, the victor taking the loser's mate into their harem. Vorta find this sort of in-fighting amusing and, since a particularly strong Jem'Hadar will have many Vorta to aid in co-parenting, the arrangement is agreeable to the Vorta.
To date, there have been no reported Vorta-Andorian, Vorta-Romulan, Vorta-Trill, or Vorta-Bolian offspring reported. It is unknown if these couplings are capable of producing viable offspring, even with medical intervention.