“Random Thoughts” is episode ten of season four of Star Trek: Voyager.
Voyager – all the events related to the Krenim being reset in the previous episode, “Year of Hell, Part II” – is in orbit around the Mari homeworld. Tom has returned to the ship with a present for B’Elanna. Neelix is transporting down to the planet and Tom starts sniffing. Neelix is wearing something; he says it’s an enticing scent. Tom may disagree. Neelix is visiting Talli again under the pretext of buying supplies and he plans to segue into a dinner invite. Neelix asks Tom’s advice, given that Tom was quite the ladies’ man before B’Elanna and Neelix hasn’t been with anyone since Kes. Tom says the best advice is for Neelix is to be himself. Then changes it; that’s the second best. The best is to go easy on the musk.
Janeway and B’Elanna are negotiating for a resonator coil; it seems the locals are telepaths and the storeholder, Guill, senses Janeway is willing to offer more. Someone bumps into B’Elanna, painfully, and Guill asks if she’s okay. Neelix is speaking to Talli about some fruit, which he decides would be excellent for preserves. Talli can sense Neelix would like her to tug on his whiskers. Turns out, she’d love to, if he’s willing to wait until she closes.
Tuvok is with Chief Examiner Nimira – the local law enforcement – and Nimira is saying she is becoming obsolete. There is virtually no crime and violence no longer exists. She is one of the last officers working. Nimira would like to see Voyager‘s security and Tuvok says he is about to start his rounds onboard. Nimira speaks to him telepathically, saying he seems to prefer speaking aloud. There are very few telepaths in Starfleet, so Tuvok has grown accustomed to it.
B’Elanna is asking Neelix if he’s ready to leave – he suggests she go on ahead – when they hear sounds of a commotion. A man – the one who bumped into B’Elanna – is smashing up a stall. He then starts beating on the storeholder, telling the man that will teach him to watch where he’s going. When the attacker is restrained, Janeway asks him why he was beating that man. He doesn’t know.
Tuvok and Nimira are on Voyager – she finds the brig a puzzling concept and Tuvok explains what it is used for. Which is rarely, by the crew. Nimira thinks it sounds barbaric. Harry contacts them; the Chief Examiner is needed on the surface following an attack in the marketplace.
Talli is talking to Neelix and Janeway and B’Elanna to Nimira. The attacker seemed confused, as if he didn’t realise what he’d done. B’Elanna couldn’t understand why no-one helped. She’s told that violence is almost unheard of. Nimira wants to question Neelix, Captain Janeway and B’Elanna. She tells Tuvok is procedure.
Those questioned will have their thoughts monitored telepathically and recorded. They explain what happened and, when Nimira hears that the perpetrator was the man who bumped into B’Elanna, she presses for more information on what B’Elanna was thinking. She thought about retaliating but realised the man didn’t do it in purpose and shook it off. Why does it matter? B’Elanna is arrested for aggravated violent thoughts leading to grave bodily harm.
Violent thoughts are illegal on Mari, the captain is told, and prohibiting them resulted in a drop in violent crime. The violent thoughts of others lead to violent actions. The attacker was contaminated by B’Elanna’s violent thought. This law is necessary for a race of telepaths. Janeway can accept that, but how can it be known that the violent thought came from B’Elanna? Because the Mari no longer have violent thoughts. The evidence is clear. The captain wants to review the evidence. She’s given a day, whilst the Mari reconfigure their instruments, after which B’Elanna will be subjected to an engrammatic purge to remove the violent thoughts.
The captain reviews the evidence with Tuvok and the latter talks about how, before Vulcans learned to control their emotions, similar things happened on Vulcan. Janeway has found something and Tuvok speaks to Nimira about it. The attacker, Frane, has been found to have violent thoughts on four occasions. Nimira says that those thoughts were purged each time and he was cured. Well, given he kept having them, it seems like that was less than totally effective. Nimira is not willing to listen.
Tom wants to arrange to break B’Elanna out. Chakotay says they can’t pick and choose which laws they follow. But if Tom comes up with a non-violent rescue plan, Chakotay will review it. Yes, he is trying to keep Tom busy, but if the plan is sound, he will recommend it to the captain, should other options fail.
Seven of Nine thinks B’Elanna is guilty of the crime of ignorance. A common affliction amongst the crew. She explains her logic. However, even though B’Elanna is in custody, more violence ensues, and Nimira is out of her depth. Tuvok has to help.