Gorn

The **Gorn** were a group of bipedal reptilian species from the planet Gornar in the Beta Quadrant. Their interstellar government was the Gorn Hegemony. By the 25th century, the Hegemony had become subservient to the Klingon Empire and many Gorn served in the Klingon Defense Force.

In tlhIngan Hol they were known as *ghor'In* and as *Ghorrnha* in Rihan.

*For a list of Gorn individuals, see Category:Gorn.*

## History

The Gorn began as multiple genetically similar species on the planet Gornar. They eventually unified under a single government: the Gorn Hegemony. As the Gorn spread to the stars, each new colony would join the Hegemony as a self-governing planet.

First contact between the Gorn and the United Federation of Planets took place in 2267, when the Gorn attacked the Federation colony on Cestus III. The Gorn saw the strike as a preemptive move, since they regarded the Cestus System as part of their territory. Due to the intervention of the Metrons, a tentative peace was establsihed between the Federation and the Hegemony.

After decades of relatively peaceful relations between the two powers, the Hegemony was toppled by a *coup d'etat* in 2374. The new Gorn leadership then launched a new offensive into Federation space, starting at Cestus III. The crew of the USS *Enterprise*-E managed to end the conflict and convinced the Gorn to join the Federation Alliance in the war against the Dominion.

At some point during the 2380s the Gorn government and military became heavily infiltrated by Species 8472 who began planting seeds for conflict among the powers of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. In 2384, a Gorn starship attacked the IKS *Quv* in the neutral space between the Hegemony and the Klingon Empire, killing 207 Klingons and capturing many others. When the Gorn refused to hand over their prisoners, Chancellor Martok broke off diplomatic relations, expelled their diplomats, and ordered Klingon Defense Force ships to the border.

War broke out in 2386 when the Klingons attacked and captured Gila IV, a Gorn colony. Over the next three years hostilities quieted as the Federation attempted to mediate between the two powers, but the negotiations failed and in 2389 open war erupted once more in the Gamma Orionis System. King Slathis negotiated with groups of Nausicaan mercenaries to fight for the Hegemony. Despite this, the Gorn were slowly driven back, and Gornar eventually fell to the Klingon Empire in 2403. Slathis agreed to swear fealty to the Empire and was given a non-voting seat on the Klingon High Council.

In their capacity as a client state, the Gorn took part in the Third Federation-Klingon War on the side of the Klingon Empire. However, not all Gorn stayed with the Hegemony. Some Gorn rebelled against their overlords, staging attacks on Klingon starbases. Another group settled in with the Orion Syndicate on Nimbus III. And yet more would join with the Federation and serve within Starfleet.

## Biology

### Russth

The species known as the Russth stood, on average, 2 meters tall. Unlike the Ssessekh, they walked on their toes.

### Ssessekh

The Ssessekh are the largest of the Gorn species, standing nearly 3 meters tall on average. Their main distinguishing feature from other Gorn species is that they walk on the soles of their feet.

## Appendices

### Connections

**Territory:** Axelot II • Bygoth • Cenotaph • Gornar • Maltharin II • Rogg • S'snagor • Seudath • Talgat

**Spacecraft classes:** *Anaconda* • *Balaur* • *Ddraig* • *Degei* • *Draguas* • *Euromastyx* • *Grendel* • *King Snake* • *Kulshedra* • *Naga* • *Phalanx* • *Tuatara* • *Varanus* • *Vishap* • *Zilant* • Multi-Mission explorers (*Ahgamas* • *Ihgomas* • *Khaimas*)

### Sources consulted

* Gorn article at *Memory Alpha*.
* Gorn article at *Memory Beta*.
* Gorn article at the *Star Trek Online Wiki*.

### Footnotes

1. ↑ Definition of *ghor'In* from *the Klingon Language Wiki:* http://klingon.wiki/Word/Ghor-In, retrieved 22 Sep 2020; *Seiiya Rihan*.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 *Star Trek Adventures - Beta Quadrant*.
3. ↑ *TOS* novel: *Dreadnought!*; *TOS*  comic: "Dying of the Light"; *TOS* video game: *Starfleet Command II*
4. ↑ *TNG*  comic: "The Gorn Crisis"
5. ↑ *ST* website: *The Path to 2409*, Volume 5, Chapter 4
6. ↑ *ST* website: *The Path to 2409*, Volume 7, Chapter 5
7. ↑ *ST* website: *The Path to 2409*, Volume 10, Chapter 2
8. ↑ *ST* website: *The Path to 2409*, Volume 24, Chapters 1-4
9. ↑ *ST* video game: *Star Trek Online*