“Meld” is episode sixteen of season two of Star Trek: Voyager.
Harry is playing pool with Tom in the holodeck version of Chez Sandrine, and wins the game. Tom suggests table stakes. Such as replicator rations. The holographic Rocky tells Harry that Tom’s hustling him. Harry asks Tom if he deliberately let him win. Tom says that would be dishonest – in a very unconvincing manner. Harry thinks he won fair and square and is going to bet a week’s worth of replicator rations. Tom tells him to never play with anyone, even his best friend, if they suggest making something interesting. He suggests a game of chance instead. Ricky repeats what Tom said, only this time with a game of chance. The game is to bet replicator rations to guess a particle reading. Lots of crew are up for that. There’s a small handling fee for the bank – Tom.
Neelix is in the galley, and he approaches Tuvok, wishing him a happy time for a Vulcan holiday. Which isn’t yet. And no, it isn’t the season. That holiday is a single day of atonement, solitude and silence. Neelix thinks all Vulcan holidays are the same. He’s been doing research. He also will not rest until he makes Tuvok smile. Neelix has found an ancient pagan holiday from Vulcan, that is rather more adventurous. It hasn’t been observed in millennium. Then Tuvok gets a call from B’Elanna, asking him to report to engineering.
Earlier, B’Elanna had been trying to track down a problem, possibly in an EPS conduit. Tuvok arrives and asks if there is a problem. She gestures to the open EPS conduit. There is a burnt arm visible. Yes, that classed as a problem.
According to the Doctor, the, dead, crewman has third degree plasma burns covering 98% of his body. If the circuit hadn’t failed, he would have been vaporised. Tuvok suggests that the crewman entered the conduit to repair a faulty circuit when the accident occurred. The Doctor tells him that’s a perfectly good theory. But wrong. The dead man had a contusion from a hard blow to the back of the head. One that clearly shows he was struck with something. In other words, murdered.
Tuvok reports to Captain Janeway and Chakotay; he has been unable to find an obvious motive. B’Elanna arrives with the deity logs; she says Lon Suder was the only one on duty. This means something to her and Chakotay. Chakotay explains he was never comfortable with Suder, one of his Maquis crew. He never did anything wrong, but did what he did a little too well. Suder really liked killing Cardassians. Sometimes, Chakotay had to stop Suder from going too far, and the look in Suder’s eyes showed that he was a fraction away from killing Chakotay too. Tuvok thinks this should have been mentioned in Suder’s evaluations. Chakotay says he doesn’t put down hunches and bad feelings in evaluations.
Tuvok speaks to Suder first about the dead crewman, Darwin. Suder asks if he’s been accused of killing Darwin. Tuvok is accusing no-one at this time. But did he kill him? No; Suder barely knew him. Does Suder have a criminal record? Well, that’s a bit hard to check isn’t it. He says he doesn’t. Suder had no relationship with Darwin and no reason to kill him. Afterwards, the Doctor contacts Tuvok; he has found DNA in Darwin’s head wound. And matched it. Yes, he’s certain; DNA doesn’t know how to lie.
It’s Suder’s DNA, and Tuvok goes to arrest him with backup. Tuvok tells Suder he doesn’t have to answer questions. Suder says there is no point in denying it. He describes how he killed Darwin and where he hid the weapon. He thought the EPS conduit would be a good way of disposing of the body. Tuvok wants to know why Suder killed Darwin. No reason. There must be a motive. Suder didn’t like the way Darwin looked at him.
The Doctor confirms the murder weapon, but Tuvok isn’t happy. Crimes must have a logical motive. The Doctor admits that must be a dilemma for a Vulcan. Suder is not insane; he does have aggressive, even violent, tendencies, but no more than the other Maquis. Tuvok wants to determine Suder’s motive. There is always a motive. The Doctor explains they all have violent instincts, because they evolved from predators. Well, not the Doctor; he was simply programmed by the predators. Most of the time, people can supress their instincts. Vulcans certainly can, but most of the other humanoid races lack their self-discipline. Tuvok asks if a look is enough to kill. It’s been known to happen. Tuvok is still not satisfied.
Tuvok speaks to Suder again; Suder admits he doesn’t like Starfleet but has killed people not in Starfleet for exactly the same reason. He’s thought about killing Tuvok. Suder doesn’t feel remorse. He doesn’t seem to feel anything. Most Betazoids can feel the emotions of others. Suder can’t even feel his own. What happens is up to the captain built, if Suder was her, he would have him executed. Tuvok wants to understand Suder better and, later, suggests a mind meld. Suder doesn’t think that’s a good idea. Tuvok thinks the experience will benefit Suder. Later, Tuvok reports to the captain. He does suggest execution, as Suder himself thinks it is an appropriate punishment. Janeway does not.
The mind meld did, as Tuvok suggested, help Suder, making him a lot calmer. It did not, as Suder suggested, help Tuvok. In fact, it went quite badly wrong. Tuvok struggles to deal with the aftereffects. Then, there’s the whole matter of capital punishment. What do they do on a ship when they can’t drop people off, are travelling for potentially years and don’t execute people?
Tom also tangles with Chakotay over his gambling ring.