Jem'Hadar

A humanoid race from the Gamma Quadrant, the Jem'Hadar are the military arm of the Dominion and one of the most powerful military forces in the galaxy. They were genetically-engineered to serve as warriors for the Dominion and were feared by races in and around Dominion space as the brutal face of Dominion oppression. They were engineered to be loyal to the Founders, are directly supervised and led by the Vorta, and are kept in check by a programmed addiction to the drug ketracel-white.

Growth
The Jem'Hadar are bred and grown in hatcheries or birthing chambers and have been known to be placed in stasis chambers until their awakening. For humanoids, the Jem'Hadar have an incredibly fast metabolic rate due to modifications made on their genetic structure.

A Jem'Hadar baby is born looking almost mammalian and is fully grown within three days of leaving its birthing chamber. This allows for very fast replacement of casualties. When they are older they begin to take on a reptilian appearance.

Growth
Within a day of maturation, Jem'Hadar children already possess advanced language skills and cognitive reasoning. Adolescent Jem'Hadar require food for consumption. But when they become full adults, their programmed addiction for ketracel-white as their only means of consumption becomes manifest. Without large quantities of the white, Jem'Hadar circulatory systems start to deteriorate, beginning with muscle spasms, subsequently they become violent, killing first their enemies, then their allies, then finally each other.

There are only males in the Jem'Hadar species. This allows the Dominion to breed armies of emotionless soldiers who possess no emotional attachment to their parents or siblings to distract their loyalty.

Appearance
They are taller than an average Human and with a wider build. Their skin is a leathery grey arrangement of scales with many horn-like protrusions across and around their face and back. Their species was engineered for strength and durability, to perform as the ultimate soldier.

Abilities
As a result of advanced genetic engineering and combat breeding, the Jem'Hadar have excellent vision, and are several times stronger than Humans. All Jem'Hadar have the natural ability to cloak themselves, which effectively hides them from both sensors and the naked eye. The Jem'Hadar has no other needs. With the exception of their addiction to ketracel-white, they do not require sleep or any additional form of sustenance or nutrition. Activities such as sleeping and eating are considered a weakness and a distraction from a constant state of combat readiness.

Society
Jem'Hadar usually die young in battle. As such, it is rare for them to live past the age of 15 years. Only a few get to live upto the age of 20. Those who do are awarded the title of "Honored Elders." No Jem'Hadar has ever lived beyond 30 years old.

Although the Jem'Hadar worship the Founders like gods, the most of the Jem'Hadar have never actually seen a Founder. Some even doubt that they even exist. However, they have built their service to the changelings into a form of religion, to the extent that the Jem'Hadar ritualistically commit suicide if they fail to protect a changeling from harm.

Jem'Hadar combat units follow a very specific hierarchy. Normally, a Vorta commands one or several Jem'Hadar units, usually consisting of 6-10 warriors per unit, each ranked by number. Every unit contains a Jem'Hadar First, who is in command. Each Jem'Hadar after the First is also given a number rank (Second, Third, Fourth, etc.). In the event the First is killed, the Second shall take over for the First, the Third will take over Second, and so forth. Although the succeeding Jem'Hadar will take over the duties of his superior, he will only receive the higher number rank if his Vorta commander allows it.