MELD
Episode 32
Part B

The doors to Tuvok's office open. Suder is waiting there. Suder: "You wish to see me, Mr Tuvok?" Tuvok: "Sit down." Suder enters. "You were alone in Engineering when Crewman Darwin reported for duty last night." Suder: "Yes, sir." Tuvok: "Did you speak to him?" Suder: "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." Tuvok: "And what was that?" Suder: "I was erm running a fuel consumption analysis for Lieutenant Torres. She can tell you. Are you accusing me of killing him?" Tuvok: "I have accused no one at this time. Did you kill Crewman Darwin?" Suder: "No. No, I barely knew him. You know, just because I'm a Maquis doesn't make me a killer." Tuvok: "I will be speaking to everyone in Engineering, perhaps everyone on this ship, not just former members of the Maquis." Suder: "We all know how you feel about the Maquis." Tuvok: "I assure you, I have no feelings about the Maquis." Suder: "No, you just spied on us and were going to turn us all over to Starfleet." Tuvok: "As hard as it may be for you to understand, that did not require any feelings on my part." He moves the interview on: "The Doctor places the time of death at 2214. Do you remember what you were doing then?" Suder: "I was still running the fuel analysis. I worked on it until I went off duty." Tuvok: "Would you be surprised to know that your console was logged off at 2209?" Suder: "That's not possible." Tuvok: "Do you have a criminal record, Mr Suder?" Suder smiles slightly: "Now that would be sort of difficult to check on, wouldn't it?" Tuvok: "Why would you have any reason to lie?" Suder: "I don't." Tuvok: "Do you have a criminal record?" Suder: "No." Tuvok: "How would you describe your relationship with Crewman Darwin?" Suder: "I had no relationship." Tuvok: "No disagreements?" Suder: "No." Tuvok: "No fights?" Suder: "No." Tuvok: "No reason to kill him?" Suder: "No." Tuvok: "You're dismissed, Crewman." Suder gets up. As he turns to leave, Tuvok tells him: "I may have more questions for you later." Suder leaves. The com. signal sounds. Doctor, via comms: "Medlab to Lieutenant Tuvok." Tuvok, via comms: "Go ahead, Doctor." Doctor, via comms: "I think I've found something that will help you."

In Sickbay, the Doctor has got Tuvok to look down the microscope at his findings. Doctor: "Do you see the DNA strands on the lower border?"

Tuvok: "Yes." Doctor: "They were retrieved from inside the head wound by nanites that I designed to recognise unusual DNA patterns. This DNA was isolated because it didn't belong to the victim."

Tuvok: "Have you matched it to a member of the crew?" The Doctor hands him a PADD with the details. "Are you certain?" Doctor: "DNA doesn't know how to lie, Lieutenant."

In his office, Tuvok again interviews Suder, this time with a security guard present. Tuvok to Suder: "I must advise you that under Starfleet Directive 101 you do not have to answer any questions."

Suder thinks hard for a moment.

Suder: "No. No, there's no point in denying it any more. Er, I used a two kilo coil spanner. He was sitting at the impulse system control panel, didn't even look up when I moved in behind him and I swung the spanner as hard as I could." Tuvok: "Crewman, I suggest you speak to counsel." Suder: "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've damaged one of the circuits when I put him inside. Oh, I hid the spanner behind a comm. line access panel on deck 7." Tuvok: "Why did you kill him, Mr Suder?" Suder: "No reason." Tuvok: "That is not a satisfactory answer. You must have had some motive." Suder: "I didn't like the way he looked at me." Suder is escorted out by the security guard.

Tuvok is not satisfied with Suder's answer.

The Doctor scans the retrieved coil spanner. "No doubt about it, this is the murder weapon. Mr Suder is apparently telling the truth. You don't seem satisfied, Lieutenant." Tuvok: "No." Doctor: "You have a confession and the murder weapon." Tuvok: "And no established motive." Doctor: "Does it matter?" Tuvok: "Crime must have a logical purpose." Doctor: "How to close the case without understanding the logic of the crime. For a Vulcan, that would be a dilemma, wouldn't it."

Tuvok: "Doctor, is it possible that Mr Suder is psychotic?" Doctor: "I doubt it." He goes over to the console where Kes is working and Tuvok joins him. "Kes, call up his genetic profile." Kes does so. "The neuro-genetic markers are normal. There's no tendency towards bipolar disorder." Doctor: "So he's not insane, per se." As Kes is still learning medicine, he asks her: "What do the elevated norepinephrine levels suggest?" Kes: "Aggressive, even violent tendencies." The Doctor is pleased that she knows the answer.

Tuvok: "Why didn't you report this immediately after your examination, Doctor?"
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."

The Doctor goes over to the surgical bay and does some work there. Kes: "Don't you believe his confession, Tuvok?" Tuvok: "In fact I do. Nevertheless, my job is not finished until I determine a motive."

Doctor: "And what if there is no motive?" Tuvok: "One may not recognise the motivation, but there is always motivation."

Doctor: "I think you're trapped in your own Vulcan logic, Lieutenant. All of us have violent instincts. We have evolved from predators."

"Well, not me of course. I've just been programmed by you predators."

Doctor: "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 he just can't control."

Tuvok: "Do you believe that a look by Mr Darwin could provoke such a violent reaction?" Doctor: "It has been known to happen." Tuvok: "I do not accept that explanation."

Tuvok visits the Brig where Suder is detained in the holding cell. Lieutenant Ayala is on duty.

Suder: "I already told you why I killed him, Lieutenant." Tuvok: "You didn't like the way he looked at you." Suder: "Right." Tuvok: "Just how did he look at you?" Suder: "Like a lot of people in Starfleet do." Tuvok: "So this murder could in fact be explained as an outburst of rage against Starfleet." Suder smiles. "Look, if that's how you want to look at this." Tuvok: "I want the truth."

Suder: "I don't like Starfleet, I won't deny that, but-" Tuvok: "Yes?" Suder: "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."

Tuvok: "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." Suder: "That's true." Tuvok: "Then why chose him as a victim?" Suder: "I don't know." Tuvok: "Do you feel remorse?"

Suder gives a small laugh. "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?"

Tuvok: "I'll have to discuss that with the Captain." As Tuvok turns to leave, Suder calls out: "I know what I'd do if I were her. Guess I'm lucky - Federation doesn't execute people."

Tuvok heads along the corridor toward the turbolift, deep in thought. Suddenly he stops and turns. He has an idea.

Tuvok returns to the Brig.

Tuvok: "It is important that I understand why you killed Mr Darwin." Suder: "I wish I could help you, Lieutenant." Tuvok: "You can, and indirectly I may be able to help you as well. Do you know what a mind-meld is?"

Suder: "It's that Vulcan thing where you grab someone's head." Tuvok: "We would be telepathically linked, exchanging our thoughts, in essence becoming one mind." Suder: "One mind. You and me? I wouldn't recommend it, Lieutenant." Tuvok: "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." Suder: "And how will I be helped by all this?" Tuvok: "It is likely that you will gain, at least for a time, some of my self-discipline to better control your own violent nature." Suder: "What do I have to do?"

Tuvok signals Ayala: "Release the forcefield." Ayala draws his phaser and aims it at Suder as he.....

....deactivates the forcefield. Tuvok steps into the cell.

Tuvok mind-melds with Suder: "My mind to your mind. Your thoughts to my thoughts."

The mind-meld.