Gorn history

This page details the history of the Gorn and the Gorn Hegemony.

Early History
The Gorn race was actually three species who were genetically identical and lived on three separate worlds. After they achieved space travel, the three Gorn races discovered one another and learnt of their similarity whereupon it was discovered, through fossil records, that none of their planets was their race's true homeworld. Seeing the similarity, the three races joined one another into a single political unit. 

The Gorn had achieved interstellar propulsion technology as far back as 500,000 BC when they established a cemetery world on the planet Cenotaph. They marked this world by placing numerous kilometre wide stone sphere in equatorial orbit which were engraved with a warning that anyone who trespassed would be committing a grave sacrilege. 

Early in their history, the Gorn people encountered the Paravian species. The encounter led to hostilities between both races and eventually to the extermination of the Paravian people by the Gorn's hand. The next species they encountered was the Romulan Star Empire. Because the Romulans lived in a poor region of space, the Gorn Hegemony and the Romulan Star Empire battled in a war for resources over the few planets they managed to discover. The Gorn achieve several victories but each were costly and bloody. This resulted in a constant state of conflict between the two races. Both set of hostile encounters clouded the Gorn’s view on other races. 

22nd century
By 2154 the Gorn were known to at least one Orion, the trader Harrad-Sar who purchased Meridor from the Hegemony. 

23rd century
The Gorn made first contact with the Federation in 2267 when a Gorn vessel attacked a Human colony on Cestus III interpreting the colonization as in invasion into Gorn Space. The vessel was pursued by the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) until the Metrons, a non-corporeal species, intervened and forced the commanders of both ships to battle to death for control of Cestus, Kirk of the Enterprise won, but refused to kill the Gorn commander. 

A brief lull in Federation/Gorn rivalry in 2269 enabled Gorn cadet Telosirizharcrede of Cestus Eliar to enter Starfleet Academy. 

The following year a Human archaelologist, Holm Baynan, travelled to the Gorn cemetery world Cenotaph to conduct research. Aware the Gorn would pursue him for pillaging their sacred world he issued a fake distress call to bring the Enterprise to the planet so that he could quickly have them take on the artifacts he discovered and make his escape. Unfortunately a trio of Gorn cruisers arrived before the Enterprise departed, demanding the ship surrender to take a quick death for their crimes. Fortunately for the Starfleet crew the lead Gorn vessel was commanded by S'alath, the same Gorn Kirk had battled before, the familiarity between the commanders, coupled with the token destruction of one of the Enterprise's shuttles by Kirk, allowed the situation to calm from conflict to a cultural exchange. 


 * Another encounter between Starfleet and the Gorn will be told in the forthcoming comic Alien Spotlight: Gorn.

In the 2280s, the Gorn Hegemony was ruled by a king who was old and lacked authority. Actual running of the government was left to the King's advisors and children. Though the government suffered political problems, it was still quite a powerful military force that was more then enough to challenge other governments near their territory. 

The Romulans were noted in attempting to fracture the newly developed Gorn-Federation alliance, however, their attempts only served to further cement the two's relations which became based on mutual trust as well as respect. 

24th century
Several Gorn were visiting Quark's on Deep Space 9 in 2372. Quark thought their speech sounded like air escaping the station. 

In 2374, after decades of peaceful relations with the Federation, the Gorn government was toppled by a coup d'etat by the Black Crest faction, and a new offensive was launched against Cestus III. A halt to these hostilities was negotiated by the crew of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E), who also managed to pursuade the Gorn to join the Federation Alliance in the war against the Dominion. 

Thanks to their familiarity with the Gorn the Enterprise crew were later able to convince the Gorn to join a task force to meet the 'Iconians' in the gateways crisis of 2376. 

By 2379, the Gorn Hegemony had established normal diplomatic relations with the Federation, and even maintained a diplomatic mission on Earth. The Gorn Ambassador to the United Federation of Planets that year was Zogozin, whom Federation President Min Zife of Bolarus found very intimidating.