Joining (Trill)
From Hidden Frontier
Joining refers to a process undergone between the two native sentient species of the Trill homeworld - the Trill humanoids and the symbionts. A symbiont is placed into a pouch in the abdomen of an eligible humanoid, and the two become one individual. When the end of the joined Trill's life arrives, the humanoid is expected to sacrifice his or her own life so that the symbiont may live, either through transfer to a new humanoid host or being returned to to its natural environment in the underground caves of the Trill homeworld. If a host is weak, the personality of the symbiont will overwhelm it. ("Invasive Procedures," DS9)
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The Trill Initiate Program
By the 24th Century, the Trill Symbiosis Commission has standardized the joining process through the Trill Initiate Program. Eligible Trill humanoids join and undergo rigorous training and screening to decide their suitability for joining with a symbiont.
Eligibility
On average, only 300 symbionts are available for new hosts each year. Because there are many more humaniod Trill than symbionts, prospective hosts are weeded out by a demanding selection procedure, overseen by the Symbiosis Commission. ("Equilibrium," DS9)
It is commonly believed in Trill society that only 1 in 1,000 Trill make acceptable hosts; in fact, this figure is vastly inflated, and is closer to 1 in 2, but the myth is perpetuated very carefully in order to avoid the widespread chaos which would arise if the information were made public.
Unless the joined Trill objects, a prospective host may request a specific symbiont.
Nomenclature
Trill Humanoids are named like humans, with a personal name first and family name second. Symbionts carry a single name. When a humanoid becomes joined, he or she keeps his or her first name, but replaces its second name with that of the symbiont. In the case of Jorian Zen, his secret and illegal joining with the Dao symbiont necessitated his retaining his original name. ("The Battle is Joined")
Reassociation
Trill law forbids reassociation between subsequent hosts of joined persons who were romantically involved. Trills who are found guilty of reassociation are expelled from Trill society, and their symbionts die with their current host. ("Rejoined," DS9)
See Also
Cassius Dao ; Dao (symbiont) ; Jorian Zen ; Trill (humanoid) ; Trill (planet) ; Trill (symbiont)
This article incorporates material from Memory Alpha, the free online Star Trek reference.
