From: trussell@cwis.unomaha.edu (Tim Russell)
Subject: Re: The fate of Trill hosts
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1993 01:55:47 GMT

linley@netcom.com (Bruce James Robrert Linley) writes:

>Well, we never heard Riker's description of the experience of having a slug
>in his gut. So we don't know if the slug takes over the host's mind completely
>or if it's a fusion of minds. I tend to belive that the slug takes over 100%
>though.

    Here's some info on that subject that I came across - pardon the typos,
I'm pretty sure it was OCR'd from a press release somewhere.

--  Begin included text

JADZIA DAX 
Science Officer, rank of Lieutenant. An alien woman, very attractive, late
twenties.
Dax is a Trill... a "joined species first encountered in the STTNG episode
"THE HOST". A Trill comprised of two separate but interdependent entities; a
host and a symbiont. The host provides a humanoid body. The symbiont is an
invertebrate, androgynous lifeform that lives within the host. It looks like
a short, fat snake. Many centuries ago, the symbionts lived underground while
the humanoids were on the surface... and due to an environmental disaster,
they were forced to 'join' to survive. As time went on, this mutual support
evolved into a biological interdependency and thus two individuals became one
-- they speak with one voice (you can't ask to speak with the symbiont or the
host, only the combined lifeform). 
The symbiont's life span is far longer than the hostUs and as a result one
symbiont will be combined with several hosts during its life.
As we see in the first episode, when a host dies (in DaxUs case, her last
host was an elderly man), doctors surgically remove the symbiont. The worm
then burrows itself into the new host. DaxUs host was soined with hsr
symbiont when she was an adult.
The symbiont part of her is three hundred years brilliant scientist with an
innate wisdom... who can draw upon a library of knowledge built from six
lifetimes of experience.
The result of this joining is an serene character who brings a calm, centered
voice to any discussion... patient, confident and wise... you might think of
Dax as an ancient Zen master in the body of a twenty-eight year old woman.
There is a subtle conflict within her... a generation gap if you will. The
older symbiont suppresses the youthful instincts of she host. And so,
sometimes she will seem 'controlled' when a part of her really would like to
let go. (For example, the 300 year old worm has no use for sex or passion,
except as it serves procreation, but occasionally the youthful instincts of
the host overcomes that resistance.)
Kira, who forms a very close relationship with Dax, often tells her to loosen
up.  Dax admires Kira for her youthful energy, her purpose and her drive and
becomes something of a mentor to her.
Dax and Ben Sisko have worked together before. The only trouble is that, back
then, Dax was still in the host body of an elderly man... and was something
of s mentor to Sisko. Her sexually appealing new form Will create s certain
tension between her and Sisko, which they will both resist. After all, heUs
still having a hard time getting used to the fact that she's a three hundred
year old worm. but he does not hide the respect and affection he has for her.


--
   Tim Russell                 Omaha, NE              trussell@unomaha.edu
      "Hate is not a family value.  Boycott Colorado." - Melinda Shore
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current