Meld: Part One
Chapter 52: Meld: Part One.
(Two weeks later)
Bini Filters's POV
-----
"Bets! Place your bets!" Tom called out to the holodeck full of people. Everyone grabbed padds around Sandrine's and hurried to win the game.
Micheal, Sarah, Mollie and I sat at a small table in the back. Away from the big crowd around Tom. We each had a padd, going over the bets listed on the padd. Tom is playing a dangerous game here.
"OK, so, what do you think are the possibility that Suder is going to hitch up with...Hmmm...Ensign Kaplain?" I suggested. Micheal and Sarah shared a look before they looked back at me.
"Suder? The creepy guy in engineering. No. Kaplain is too nice for that." Micheal insisted.
"OK..." I said, moving a little farther down the list. "Oh! How about Kes and the Doctor? That is a popular choice."
"Ugh!" Sarah cringed. "No-"
"Wait, hold on!" Micheal interrupted his sister. "They seem like a better match then Neelix and Kes. I mean, don't you think their...relationship seems...strange?"
"Which relationship? Neelix and Kes, or the Doctor and Kes?" I asked for clarification.
"Neelix and Kes." Micheal replied.
I took a moment and thought about their relationship. The relationship between them was certainly...strange. This was Kes's first relationship, she is only two years old. Neelix, who is much older, has probably been through more than Kes. On top of that, Neelix being jealous of literally any dude that breathes near her. He is being openly jealous. Drives me, and everyone insane.
"Yes. I agree with you. You know what, I am voting for pro-The Doctor and Kes! How many rations should I bet?" I asked.
"How long do you think Neelix and Kes will last?" Micheal replied, taking a sip out of his lemonade.
"I would like to believe a day. But...come on! Let's not lie to ourselves." I answered. Micheal shrugged and put down his cup.
"I am fine lying to myself if it means that people will stop betting on Mommy and Chakotay!" Micheal complained. I grinned and scrolled down the list some more, seeing the biggest couple people were betting on: The Captain and Chakotay. I clicked on the names and saw the screen where you place your bets for a certain time.
"I am betting on the Captain and Chakotay hooking up!" I announced. Getting a few cheers from the crew who happened to be listening. Micheal's face froze up in shock, then he attempted to grab the padd from my hands.
"Bini! No! Don't encourage this!" He snapped. "I don't want him being my Daddy!"
"Why not? The guy is like a big teddy bear!" I argued. He rolled his eyes and slumped into his chair as I finished the bet.
"Maybe to you! He is like a Father to you! But not to me!" Micheal said. "Cancel it."
"Too late, bro!" I said. "I have already done it."
"Come on!" Micheal snapped. I got up and drained my cup of the rest of my hot Chocolate. I got up from my chair and grabbed Mollie's leash, giving her time to wake up.
"Let's go have some lunch, hopefully, Neelix is serving something palatable." I said as we walked out of Sandrines and into the corridor, nodding in greeting to passing crewmembers.
"But, in reality. Do you really think that Kes and the Doctor are better together?" Micheal asked as we all continued down the corridor.
"Of course. The more I think about it, the more I, personally, agree with it." I replied.
-----
Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres's POV
"Ensign Hogan, still no luck with the warp drive?" I asked across engineering. Hogan was trying to start up the manifold.
"No, Lieutenant. The manifold just won't fire up. We've finally narrowed it down to some kind of a problem in EPS conduit one four one." He narrowed down. I stopped for a moment, if there was a problem with the conduit. I would have noticed it sooner.
"Was there any indication yesterday that there was something wrong?" I asked, coming closer to Hogan.
"Suder was monitoring the EPS flow and the CCF. He says everything was fine."
"I guess we'll just have to get in there and track it down." I replied.
-----
Bini Filters's POV
"No! That's not how this works! Kes can't just dump Neelix!" I argued.
"But Kes wants to be with the Doctor!" Sarah pipped up. I shook my head as we entered the messhall.
"I don't think you understand, Sarah. We don't know that Kes likes the Doctor." I said.
"Then why are we theorizing this? Why don't we just...ask her?" Micheal asked. I gestured them to follow me be to the counter, where Neelix was handing out food.
"In what universe do you think that will actually work?" I asked back as we received our meals for a crewmember helping out.
"This universe? It might!" Micheal protested. I rolled my eyes and walked over to the replicator, grabbing a bowl of dog food + water for Mollie. Sarah tugged on my sleeve and pointed to Tuvok in the back.
"Can we sit with Tuvok?" She asked. I sighed and nodded. I have to let them have their way every once in a awhile.
We walked over with our plates and sat at Tuvok's table. He barely looked up to acknowledge us.
"Hi, Tuvok!" Micheal beamed. "Whatcha working on?"
"Work. I am rather busy at the moment." He replied. Sarah and I started to eat as Micheal attempted to annoy Tuvok to give him the answers. Suddenly Neelix appeared from behind, with a big grin on his damn face.
"Happy Kal Rekk, Mister Vulcan!" Neelix announced with a slap of his back.
"The holiday of Kal Rekk is not for two weeks." Tuvok replied coldly.
"But it's the Kal Rekk season." Neelix insisted.
"There is no Kal Rekk season. Kal Rekk is a day of atonement, solitude and silence."
"Atonement. Solitude. All your Vulcan holidays are the same. I've been doing some research, I know." He announced.
"Why would you need to do research on Vulcan holidays?" Tuvok asked.
"It's part of my job as Morale officer." Neelix replied. Micheal elbowed me, and pointed towards Neelix.
"Who elected him as a Moral officer?" He hissed with confusion.
"My best guess is the one and only Captain Kathryn Janeway." I replied quietly. Micheal shot me a "yeah, right." look.
"Morale is irrelevant to a Vulcan." Tuvok coldly snapped back.
"Oh, please! There's no one on this ship who requires my services more than you do. I will not rest until I see you smile." Neelix promised.
"Then you will not rest."
"I don't suppose you've ever heard of the Vulcan Rumarie?"
"The Rumarie is an ancient pagan festival." Tuvok replied.
"Full of barely clothed Vulcan men and women covered in slippery Rillan grease, chasing one another." Neelix said with a dreamy look. Sarah, Micheal and I all gave each other a disgusted look and stopped eating.
"Geez, Neelix! We are trying to eat!" I complained. "I don't want to think about naked Vulcans while I am eating!"
"That tradition has also not been observed for a millennium."
"Well, it's time to bring it back."
"Lieutenant Tuvok, report to Engineering immediately." B'Elanna's voice said through his combadge.
"Acknowledged," Tuvok said. Swiftly getting up and moving towards the exit. Who was still followed by Neelix, who continued to sprout ideas on the stupid festival;.
"I've been thinking of a Rumarie theme for the mess hall next week. Lots of high fat, greasy foods, and if people want to take of their clothes and chase one another, well, it certainly wouldn't hurt morale around here." He called out after Tuvok left the messhall. Leaving some of the crew left, watching him.
"Neelix. Stop trying to traumatize us!" I insisted.
"Bini, you are overreacting! This is a fun idea!" He insisted.
"I think I can live my life happily knowing that I will never see this crew naked. Once you see something like that, you can never unsee that!" I insisted.
"Tuvok to Filters and Ayala." Tuvok's voice said on my combadge. I turned away from Neelix and tapped my combadge.
"Filters here."
"Ayala here."
"Please report to engineering. Tuvok out."
I gave Neelix one last warning glance and left the messhall, leaving Micheal and Sarah to plead Neelix to reconsider his stupid idea.
---10 minutes later---
"Any idea as to why we are here?" I asked as Ayala and I entered engineering.
"We got the same call. I guess we will figure it out eventually." He replied. We moved to stand beside Tuvok as B'Elanna looked back at us with concern and unease.
"Is there a problem, Lieutenant?" Tuvok asked.
B'Elanna gestured to one of the engineering conduits. An officer nodded. He bent down and pressed a few buttons. The conduit door hissed and propped open. The door opened to reveal the burned remains of a human.
I gagged and stepped away, the foul smell of flesh washed over me. I looked away, I didn't need to see that.
"We...um...have a situation." B'Elanna said grimly.
-----
The Doctor's POV
"Ninety-eight percent of his body suffered third-degree plasma burns. If the circuit hadn't failed, he would have been vaporized." I reported as Lieutenant Tuvok watched me.
"It appeared that Mister Darwin entered the conduit to repair a faulty circuit when the accident occurred." Tuvok replied.
"A perfectly good theory. Unfortunately it's wrong. This contusion is the result of a hard blow to the back of the skull." I replied.
"Perhaps he fell and hit his head in the conduit."
"The coup contra-coup pattern of breakage should tell us if the blow is the result of a moving head hitting a stationary object, or a moving object hitting a stationary head. In this case the pattern clearly indicates the latter. I'm sorry to report Crewman Darwin was murdered." I explained. I looked down at the charred body of the former crewman Darwin.
-----
(2 hours later)
Captain Kathryn Janeway's POV
"At first glance, there is no obvious motive. Crewman Darwin didn't have any known enemies on board." Tuvok started as I sat at my desk, reviewing Crewman Darwin's record. Tuvok and Chakotay were standing in front of me in my ready room.
"I've been looking over his Starfleet record. His training instructor recommended him as an Officers candidate. He turned it down to come with us. He has three sisters back home." I explained. Sorrow tugged on my heart as I thought about my own sister. The ready room door chirped.
"Come in."
"Sorry I'm late." She appologized and bent over, handing me a padd. "These are the duty logs from last night. Lon Suder was the only one in Engineering when Frank Darwin came on duty."
"Something wrong?" I asked after Chakotay visibly cringed at the mention of Suder.
"No, not really. I've just never really been comfortable with Suder, that's all. It's not like he ever did anything wrong, it's just-"
"As a Maquis, he did what he had to do a little too well." B'Elanna cut in.
"As in?" I asked for clarification.
"As in killing Cardassians." Chakotay finished.
"I don't recall observing anything unusual about Mister Suder's behaviour while I was on your ship." Tuvok stated.
"You weren't with him in battle. Around us he was the quietest, most unassuming guy you'll ever meet. Typical Betazoid, Kept to himself. I never knew much about him." Chakotay admitted.
"In the Maquis, we didn't ask for resumes. We needed all the help we could get."
"A lot of us were doing what we were doing to protect our families, but Suder had his own reasons. I wish I could tell you what they were. In combat, there was something in his eyes."
"Maybe he had something personal against Cardassians?"
"Sometimes I had to pull him back, stop him from going too far. And once or twice when I did he looked at me with those cold eyes and I just knew he was very close to killing me."
"I find it curious that none of this was included in your initial crew evaluation, Commander." Tuvok said with a small hint of...anger perhaps? Annoyance?
"I don't put down hunches or bad feelings in my crew evaluations, Lieutenant. A Vulcan should appreciate that."
"Considering the fact that your Maquis crew included malcontents, outlaws and mercenaries, I believe it would have been appropriate."
"I wasn't going to make it harder for any of them here." Chakotay spat back at Tuvok. "Suder did his job when he was serving with me and he's done his job since he's been on this ship."
"It seems clear where your investigation should begin, Lieutenant." I finished.
-----
Lon Suder's POV
"You wished to see me, Mister Tuvok?" I naively asked as I walked into Lieutenant Tuvok's security officer.
"Sit down." He commanded and gestured to the chair in front of his desk. I took the order and sat down uncomfortably. I knew what this is about. The News is going through the ship like wildfire. "You were alone in Engineering when Crewman Darwin reported for duty last night."
"Yes, sir."I confirmed.
"Did you speak to him?" He asked.
"No, we just sort of looked at each other and he did whatever he had to do and I did what I had to do," I explained coldly. Making sure to not let any more details slip.
"And what was that?"
"I was running a fuel consumption analysis for Lieutenant Torres. She can tell you." I insisted. I see what he is doing. "Are you accusing me of killing him?"
"I have accused no one at this time. Did you kill Crewman Darwin?"
"No. No, I barely knew him. You know, just because I'm a Maquis doesn't make me a killer."I barked.
"I will be speaking to everyone in Engineering, perhaps everyone on this ship, not just former members of the Maquis."
"We all know how you feel about the Maquis." I hissed.
"I assure you, I have no feelings about the Maquis."
"No, you just spied on us and were going to turn us all over to Starfleet." I retorted.
"As hard as it may be for you to understand, that did not require any feelings on my part. The Doctor places the time of death at twenty two fourteen. Do you remember what you were doing then?" He continued. I leaned back in my chair. Choosing my words very carefully.
"I was still running the fuel analysis. I worked on it until I went off duty."
"Would you be surprised to know that your console was logged off at twenty-two oh nine?"
"That's not possible." I snapped.
"Do you have a criminal record, Mister Suder?" He inquired next.
"Now that would be sort of difficult to check on, wouldn't it?" I retaliated back.
"Why would you have any reason to lie?"
"I don't."
"Do you have a criminal record?"
"No."
"How would you describe your relationship with Crewman Darwin?"
"I had no relationship."
"No disagreements?" He continued.
"No."
"No fights?"
"No."
"No reason to kill him?"
"No."
"You are dismissed, Crewman. I may have more questions for you later." He said. I nodded, trying to hold back my usual urge to kill him and got up. Heading towards the door.
"Medlab to Lieutenant Tuvok." The EMH's voice declared over the comlink.
"Go ahead, Doctor." Tuvok granted.
"I think I've found something that will help you."
I was cut off from the rest of the conversation as the office door shut behind me and I was left in the dark corridor. Thinking about the consequences of my actions.
-----
(10 minutes later.)
The Doctor's POV
"Do you see the DNA strands on the lower border?" I asked, pointing towards the map on the console.
"Yes. They were retrieved from inside the head wound by nanites that I designed to recognize unusual DNA patterns. This DNA was isolated because it didn't belong to the victim." Tuvok concluded. I nodded.
"Have you matched it to a member of the crew?"
I handed Tuvok a padd. Tuvok glanced down at it and looked back up, an eyebrow rose.
"Are you certain?" He asked.
"DNA doesn't know how to lie, Lieutenant." I reminded him.
-----
Lon Suder's POV
I stared at the padd. The information was clear. DNA doesn't lie.
"I must advise you that under Starfleet Directive one zero one you do not have to answer any questions." Tuvok reminded me. I looked up from the padd and back at the cold vulcan.
"No. No, there's no point in denying it anymore. I used a two kilo coil spanner. He was sitting at the impulse system control panel. I didn't even look up when I moved in behind him and I swung the spanner as hard as I could." I explained. Feeling my calm control slipping as I gripped at the back of my chair.
"Crewman, I suggest you speak to counsel." Tuvok said. But, I barely heard him. I continued as I knew I had too.
"There was practically no blood. I was surprised at that. I figured that the EPS conduit was the easiest way to dispose of the body, but I must have damaged one of the circuits when I put him inside." I explained. "Oh, I hid the spanner behind a comm. line access panel on deck seven."
"Why did you kill him, Mister Suder?"
"No reason." I whispered.
"That is not a satisfactory answer. You must have had some motive."
"I didn't like the way he looked at me." I finally admitted. Suddenly, the door opened to Ensign Kaplain and Ensign Filters with grim expressions, pointing phasers at me.
"Arrest Mr. Suder for the murder of Crewman Darwin." Tuvok said.
Ensign Filters flinched as they got closer. Standing beside and starting to lead me to the brig.
-----
(Time: 11 pm.)
Micheal Janeway's POV
Sarah and I sneaked through the hallway of Voyager towards the brig. I looked down at my tricorder and saw two officers approaching. I grabbed Sarah and hid behind a corner as they pasted. I quickly looked up and down the corridor once they left. Confirming we were alone. I guided Sarah as we, after a few minutes of wandering, reaching the brig and the door opened to reveal an exhausted Bini, slumped against the console and pressing buttons.
We quietly entered, Bini looked up from her work and rubbed her eyes before glaring at us in confusion.
"Wh-What are you guys doing here? It is late!" She whispered. Trying to keep quiet in case the prisoner heard us.
"We want to see who did it!" I spoke softly in hushed tones.
"No! No, you don't! Get out of here!" She snapped.
I ignored her command and walked towards the brig. Looking slightly in to see Crewman Lon Suder.
"I knew it..." I breathed out.
"Micheal! Sarah! Get over here now!" Bini barked. Leaving her station and quickly grabbed us by our arms. Dragged us out of the room and into the corridor. "Leave now! Go to bed!"
She, then, spun around and walked to the brig before. Leaving us alone with our questions and no answers.
(Next Day: Time: 7 pm.)
The Doctor's POV
"No doubt about it, this is the murder weapon. Mister Suder is apparently telling the truth. You don't seem satisfied, Lieutenant." I commented. Placing the murder weapon down on the biobed.
"No." Tuvok replied.
"You have a confession and the murder weapon." I pointed out.
"And no established motive."
"Does it matter?" I asked.
"Crime must have a logical purpose."
"Ah yes, I see. How to close the case without understanding the logic of the crime. For a Vulcan, that would be a dilemma, wouldn't it?" I said, uploading the data to the main computer.
"Doctor, is it possible that Mister Suder is psychotic?"
"I doubt it. Kes, call up his genetic profile." I called out. Kes nodded once she stepped out of my office. Moving towards the nearest console and getting to more. Soon his profile appeared on my console.
"The neurogenetic markers are normal. There's no tendency towards bipolar disorder." She explained.
"So he's not insane, per se. What do the elevated norepinephrine levels suggest?"
"Aggressive, even violent tendencies." Kes concluded.
"Why didn't you report this immediately after your examination, Doctor?"
"These readings are not significantly different from those of the other Maquis crewmen. Obviously it takes a certain personality type to be attracted to the life of an outlaw."
"Don't you believe his confession, Tuvok?"
"In fact I do. Nevertheless, my job is not finished until I determine a motive."
"And what if there was no motive?" I asked.
"One may not recognise the motivation, but there is always motivation."
"I think you are trapped in your own Vulcan logic, Lieutenant." I snapped. "All of us have violent instincts. We have evolved from predators. Well, not me, of course, I've just been programmed by you predators. The question is, in a civilised world, can we suppress those instincts? Most of the time we can. Vulcans certainly can. You've got your violent feelings buried underneath centuries of control. But the rest of the humanoid races aren't always so skilled at self-discipline. Crewman Suder may have violent impulses that he just can't control."
"Do you believe that a look by Mister Darwin could provoke such a violent reaction?"
"It has been known to happen."
"I do not accept that explanation."
-----
(Time: 9 pm.)
Bini Filters's POV
I should not take double shifts. Every time I do it, I just have to say, "Hell, no! Not doing this again!" But yet here I am, doing it again. Someone please, just damn please, end me. I leaned against the console. Maybe I should take a vacation. A long damn ass Vacation. The longest vacation that the Captain can give me.
The door opened to reveal Tuvok. I scrambled up, trying to look like every other officer. He seemed to ignore me and walked straight to the brig. Suder slowly looked up at him with an evil grin.
"I already told you why I killed him, Lieutenant." He snarled.
"You didn't like the way he looked at you." Tuvok repeated.
"Right."
"Just how did he look at you?"
"Like a lot of people in Starfleet do." Suder snapped back, getting increasingly more and more agitated
"So this murder could in fact be explained as an outburst of rage against Starfleet."
"Look, if that's how you want to look at this."
"I want the truth." Tuvok said.
"I don't like Starfleet, I won't deny that, but-"
"Yes?"
Suder took a deep breath.
"I have killed people who weren't in Starfleet for the same reason. I did not like the way they looked at me. I've thought about killing you, Lieutenant."
"In my case, you have a motive. My previous mission as a spy, my role as your accuser. But to my knowledge, Crewman Darwin had done nothing to you."
"That's true."
"Then why chose him as a victim?"
"I don't know." He whispered.
"Do you feel remorse?"
"I don't seem to feel anything at all. Most Betazoids can sense other people's emotions. I can't even sense my own. So what's going to happen to me now?"
"I'll have to discuss that with the Captain."
"I know what I'd do if I were her. Guess I'm lucky. The Federation doesn't execute people." he snarled. Tuvok abruptly ended the conversation, walked out of the brig. Suder met my uneasy gaze with cold black pupils.
After a few moments, Tuvok, suddenly, came back. Breezing past me once again. Barly acknowledging my presence.
"It is important that I understand why you killed Mister Darwin." Tuvok snapped.
"I wish I could help you, Lieutenant."
"You can. And indirectly I may be able to help you as well. Do you know what a mind meld is?"
"It's that Vulcan thing where you grab someone's head."
"We would be telepathically linked, exchanging our thoughts. In essence, becoming one mind." Tuvok explained.
"One mind? You and me? I wouldn't recommend that, Lieutenant."
"It is not without risk, but as a Vulcan I have internal processes that allow me to control violent instincts. I believe I will be able to suppress whatever feelings I draw from you." Tuvok added.
"And how will I be helped by all this?"
"It is likely that you will gain, at least for a time, some of my self-discipline to better control your violent nature."
"What do I have to do?"
"Release the forcefield."
I drew my phaser and released the brig forcefield. Tuvok slowly entered the brig. Suder stood in defense. Tuvok raised his hands in a particular way and place them on Suder's face. Both men closed their eyes as Tuvok began to say-
"My mind to your mind. Your thoughts to my thoughts."
---End of Chapter 52. Meld: Part Two.---