Vortex redirects here. For Sonic the Hedgehog's technique, see Sonic-Cyclone.
Art by Steve White.
The Vortex are an alien race from an unnamed planet that act as the main antagonist in the Ecco the Dolphin series. Living in a world where food stocks have been reduced to almost zero, the predators decided they would target Planet Earth and steal its abundant marine life. Their plan is thousand of years in the making; The Vortex originally visited Earth in its prehistoric days, planting machines that would ensnare anyone attempting to fight them. At one point, they attacked the civilisation of Atlantis, forcing the humans to flee their city, but not before creating seeding the dolphin race with the intention of creating one extraordinary specimen and manufactured magical glyphs that would guide this dolphin on its journey. The role of the machines intensified, designed to stop these glyphs from helping at all.
In 1993, The Vortex finally achieved their goal and created a vortex that sucked almost all ocean life in one area of the sea into the sky and out of the planet. Vortex gateways are equipped with a tractor beam, allowing easy transport of their prey. One dolphin was left behind. This was Ecco the Dolphin, the specimen the Atlanteans had hoped to create. With help from the glyphs and a killer whale, Ecco ventured into the days of the dinosaurs and did battle with a Vortex machine. The device almost bested Ecco, getting lucky with a blast. Ecco still managed to win by using the environment to his advantage, but it was clear he needed more firepower. Ecco was instructed to visit Atlantis, where a collection of glyphs showed him what The Vortex look like and how to defeat them.
A Vortex device.
With help from The Asterite, Ecco learned the alien language (appearing to us has symbols unless translated by Megadroid). The otherworlder also boosted Ecco's swimming so he could swim out into space and into The Vortex's gateway. Once on the unfamiliar planet, Ecco tricked the gateway into scanning for an intruder, secretly contacting The Asterite to activate a tractor beam that would send them all home. With all his friends safe, Ecco destroyed the gateway but it disappeared before he could get home. Pretending to be in trouble, Ecco attracted the attention of two Vortex guards, unhappy that their food stocks had escaped. One attempted to use a mind probe, but was destroyed by Ecco's sonar. The other attempted to escape, but Ecco knocked him off his vehicle and commandeered it, activating a vortex beam.
Once home, Ecco was warned by The Asterite not to forget about The Vortex, as they do not easily pass up a good meal.