Chapter 65.
Random Thoughts.
(Scott POV)
"Captain's Log Stardate 51367.2. We've spent the last three days on the Mari Homeworld, Its been a while since we've had the opportunity to make new friends, and the crew seems to be making the most of our stay, End log," I said.
I was down on the surface, With B'Elanna and Neelix. Neelix was off getting more Food Supply for the ship.
"I'm Sorry. Mr. Guill but that's my final offer," I said.
"Actually, Captain, I sense you'd be willing to raise your price to 300 renns," Guill said. "Lt Torres Needs this resonator coil to upgrade Voyager's Communications system,"
"Telepaths," B'Elanna said.
"Took the words right out of my mouth there. But Wait a minute, I sensing you be willing to settle for 250," I said.
"You must have read my mind," Guill said.
"Aah, unh, hey," B'Elanna said. As someone walked into her.
"I'm sorry," He said.
"Are your hurt," Guill said.
"No, no, I'm fine, I just wish people would look where they're going," B'Elanna said.
"It's been a pleasure doing business with you," Guill said.
"I'll finish up here, Why don't you go get Neelix," I said.
As we finished up with the sale. As I got the part. There was a scream,
"What the heck," I said. As We headed and found B'Elanna and Neelix with someone who was hitting someone. Then I went and grabbed the thing off him.
"Somebody get a doctor," B'Elanna said.
"Why were you hitting that man," I said.
"I don't know," He said.
XXX
"He was confused, As soon as I asked him why. He said He didn't realize what he'd done, It was like he was having a blackout," I said.
"I don't understand why nobody tried to help him," B'Elanna said.
"People were shocked, Violence is almost unheard of here, But when it does occur, We like to investigate thoroughly," Nimira said.
"Can we help," I said.
"Yes, I would like you. Mr. Neelix, And, uh Lt Torres to answer some questions," Nimira said.
"Well you have out cooperation," I said.
"Chief Examiner, Are you suspicious of my colleagues for some reason," Tuvok said.
"No Lt, I'm simply conducting an investigation," Nimira said. "Please follow me,"
XXX
"Please have a seat, I will be monitoring your thoughts telepathically during the interview, This Transcription device will log your Engrammatic activity, so I can review your statement later," Nimira said.
"Let me get this straight, Not only are you going to read my mind, you're going to record my thoughts," I said.
"Yes," Nimira said.
"I guess it'd be pretty tough to keep a secret from you, Won't stop me from trying, I like some of my secrets," I said. As I sat down.
"How long had you been in the marketplace when the attack occurred?" Nimira said.
"An hour maybe a little longer," I said.
"And exactly where were you standing?" Nimira said.
"Across from the square," I said.
"From where you were, Did you have a clear view of the attack," Nimira said.
"No, Heard it, Yelling," I said. "Headed over and saw it happening,"
"What exactly brought you to the market in the first place," Nimira said.
"Lt Torres and I had an appointment with Mr. Guill," I said.
"For what purpose," Nimira said.
"We'd met him the day before he said he could get a spare resonator coil for us," I said.
"I see and then 2 men involved in the altercation," Nimira said. "Had you seen either of them before,"
"I'd never seen the victim, But the attacker, I think he was the same man who bumped into B'Elanna," I said.
"Bumped into her, Are you certain," Nimira said.
"Yes, they collided accidentally," I said.
"When exactly did this happen," Nimira said.
"Just as we'd settled on the price," I said. "He seemed to be in quite a hurry,"
"Do you recall what you were thinking at the time," Nimira said.
"Thinking B'Elanna was alright," I said. "Didn't really think about it much, and no one was hurt, I was busy trying to sort out the coins I'm not used to that type of currency,"
XXX
"Hold on Are you saying it's a crime to think about violence," I said.
"Yes," Nimira said.
"That's ridiculous," B'Elanna said.
"I assure you, it's quite necessary," Nimira said.
"I agree with B'Elanna on that one," I said.
"We were once a society plagued by violence, When we prohibited hostile thought, Crime, began to drop immediately," Nimira said. "Over the past 3 generation's it's all by disappeared,"
"So you believe that it's all right to tell people what they can and cannot think?" B'Elanna said.
"It's an irrefutable fact that violent thoughts from others can lead to violent actions," Nimira said.
"Even if B'Elanna had a violent thought, it was Frane who attacked that man, Why won't we told this when we got here," I said.
"Which he only did because he telepathically received that thought from B'Elanna," Nimira said. "His mind was contaminated by the image, And it resulted in a loss of control, He may have committed the physical act, but it was instigated by you,"
"Where we come from, People are responsible for their own actions," B'Elanna said.
"And here people are responsible for their own thoughts," Nimira said. "I'm sure you can understand how that's necessary for a race of telepaths,"
"Yes, I can," I said.
"Captain," B'Elanna said.
"I'll accepted that your people can be influenced by the thoughts of others, But there were dozens of people in that square, How can you be certain it came from B'Elanna," I said.
"The Mari no longer have violent thoughts, It's unlikely any of them could have been responsible," Nimira said. "Besides the evidence against B'Elanna is clear, She thought about committing a hostile act,"
"I'd like to review that evidence myself, if you don't mind," I said.
"Certainly," Nimira said. "But I'm afraid you'll be disappointed,"
"What happens to B'Elanna now," I said.
"We have an enlightened penal system here," Nimira said. "Unlike some, We don't lock people away to punish them, You'll be released, once you've undergone the engrammatic purge,"
"The what," B'Elanna said.
"It's a medical procedure that will identify and remove the offending images from your mind," Nimira said.
"Captain," B'Elanna said.
"Once Identified, the images can be removed from Frane's mind as well," Nimira said.
"Memory Extraction," I said. "That's a dangerous procedure,"
"There is a risk of neurological damage, but it's necessary for us to treat Frane," Nimira said. As someone else came into the room.
"No, Voyager, Locate onto B'Elanna and Energize," I said. As B'Elanna was beamed back to Voyager.
"Return her now," Nimira said.
"There is no way in hell, I'm not going to let anyone doing some kind of treat mate which could risk a member of my crew having Neurological damage. And I refuse to believe it was B'Elanna who did this. Lt Tuvok will be the one to find out who it really was. Cause I find it not hard to believe that there is no one on this planet no longer able to still think of them. Then the fact you completely tired to undermine the way we hand our way. I will not return B'Elanna, But we will not leave until we find out the real Truth, McCall to Voyager, One to beam up. Energize," I said. As I was beamed back to Voyager too where B'Elanna and Chakotay was there.
"Captain, I won't let them do that," B'Elanna said.
"I'm not planning on that, Commander I want Everyone back from the surface now. If Tuvok is down there. Tell him what is going on and to start investigating. I don't think they really think that there is no one still on that planet which could do what they are thinking you can, B'Elanna," I said.
"I was about to say the same thing," B'Elanna said.
"Good, Let's get to work," I said.
As they left and I headed for my ready room.
"Then you don't accept the Chief Examiner's conclusion?" Tuvok said.
"I'm not dismissing it, But I'm not going to accept it blindly either," I said.
"I've spent a great deal of time with Nimira over the past few days, She clearly is a very skilled investigator," Tuvok said.
"I'm sure she is, But you can believe for a second that no one else on that planet is not able to do what they are suggesting," I said.
"And this isn't the first time Lt Torres' violent proclivities have created problems," Tuvok said.
"No argument there, But I have a hard time buying that one fleeting thought makes her responsible for a vicious attack," I said.
"From what I've learned crime here is a result of exposure to violent thought, much as it was on Vulcan, before my people learned to control their emotions, In my opinion the Mari should be applauded for their efforts," Tuvok said.
"I'm sure their intentions are admirable but, I'm not about to let them scramble B'Elanna brain without a fight," I said.
"But we must prepare ourselves for the probability that she will turn out to be culpable for the crime," Tuvok said.
"Maybe so, And then again, Maybe not, Have a look at this," I said.
"I don't mean to accuse your friend Nimira of being less than thorough Tuvok but, Don't you find that just the least bit curious," I said.
XXX
Tuvok was down on the surface for Guill. From what I have heard. He was the one who did this. But there was no word from him.
"Still no sign of him," Chakotay said.
"Try a multiphasic Bio-scan," I said.
"We're being hailed captain, It's Nimira," Harry said.
"On screen," I said.
"Chief Examiner, Have you had any luck locating Tuvok," I said.
"I'm afraid not," Nimira said.
"I'd like to send a search party," I said.
"I can't allow that," Nimira said.
"Why not, "I said.
"We can't risk further violations of our laws," Nimira said.
"That's ridiculous," Tom said.
"Tom, I really don't think we pose a serious threat," I said.
"There's nothing more to discuss, Now, Return Lt Torres for the purge then returned to you," Nimira said.
"Oh captain you can't let them do that," Tom said.
"The decision's been made I'm sorry," Nimira said. "We will await for Transport," Then Cut the link.
"You aren't going to let them take her," Tom said.
"No," I said. "We wait for Tuvok, Where ever he is,"
XXX
"Captain, I'm getting a signal from the surface. It's Tuvok, He is requesting Transport," Harry said.
"Get him here now," I said.
As Harry did.
Then Tuvok filled me in.
"Contact Nimira," I said.
"Aye Captain," Harry said.
"What is it Captain," Nimira said.
"It's imperative you stand down Commander Tuvok has found new evidence, which proves her innocence," I said.
As Tuvok and I then went into the conference room. As Nimira came in.
"I hope this interruption is justified We still have a purge to do," Nimira said.
"Then let's not waste any more time, Tuvok," I said.
"I have discovered that Guill and Frane are responsible for the beating in the marketplace and consequently for Talli's murder," Tuvok said.
"Guill the merchant?" Nimira said.
"That is correct," Tuvok said.
"What possible involvement could he have," Nimira said. "It was Frane who acted on the violent thought,"
"That is not in dispute, However Lt Torres' thought was not transferred accidentally," Tuvok said.
"I don't understand," Nimira said.
"When Guill first met Lt Torres, he sensed strong violent tendencies within her, a potential for mental imagery, which interested him" Tuvok said. "In order for exploit that potential, he conspired with Frane to provoke B'Elanna, they wanted to trigger a violent thought, so they could telepathically draw it from her mind,"
"I can't believe that," Nimira said.
"It is precisely what happened, unfortunately they underestimated the intensity of the thought, It was more powerful than anything wither of them had ever experienced, As a result Frane lost control and attacked the victim," Tuvok said.
"Why would peaceful men like Guill and Frane want to subject themselves to such hostile images," Nimira said.
"My investigation has uncovered a rather disturbing side of Mari society, A black market if you will, in which many of your citizens trade in illicit mental imagery, Guill is a very prominent figure in this underground, or was, until I brought him into custody," Tuvok said.
"Why would any of my people? Want to indulge in that kind of behaviour," Nimira said.
"Apparently outlawing violent thought hasn't made it go away, All you've done is force people to share it in back alleys," I said.
"It seems you have a somewhat more serious problem than the random thoughts of a single alien," Tuvok said.
"Even if I believed you, I'm not sure anyone else would," Nimira said.
"Then I suggest you interrogate Guill yourselves," Tuvok said. "His Engrammatic record will undoubtedly confirm what I've told you,"
"Where is he now," Nimira said.
"We have him confined in our brig," Tuvok said.
XXX
Captain's Log, Supplemental, Chief Examiner Nimira has taken custody of Mr. Guill, Whether his arrest will lead to reforms in the Mari justice system is anyone's guess, In the Meantime, Chief examiner Nimira has finally gave up trying to get Lt Torres, While the Doctor is treating Commander Tuvok, End log," I said.
Then my door bell rang.
"Come in," I said. As 7 came in.
"I must speak with you," 7 said.
"Have a seat," I said.
"I prefer to stand," 7 said.
"I keep forgetting," I said.
"You once encouraged me to express my opinions if I had something relevant to say," 7 said.
"Go right ahead," I said.
"You wish to return this vessel to the Alpha Quadrant, and yet you are following Starfleet Protocol regarding first contact, The 2 objectives are incompatible," 7 said.
"How so," I said.
"Your philosophy of Exploration exposes Voyager to constant risk, If you maintain a Direct course to Earth and avoid all extraneous contact with alien species, it will increase your chances of survival," 7 said.
"Well that would make a dull ride home," I said.
"Captain," 7 said.
"We seek out new races because we want to, not because we're following protocols, We have an insatiable curiosity about the universe," I said.
"Your Chief Engineer and Security officer were nearly lost today," 7 said. "That is unacceptable,"
"B'Elanna was never going to go through that, That's why I beamed her back here as soon as I know what they were going to try and do," I said. "I knew the risk of letting Tuvok go down there. To you maybe, But not to me or my crew, Our experience with the Mari gave us an insight into a culture we've never encountered,"
"But that is irrelevant," 7 said.
"No, It's how we gain knowledge," I said.
"Then we are in disagreement," 7 said.
"Good, I dread the day when everyone on this ship agrees with me, I thank you for your opinion, But our mission is not going to change," I said. "Anything on sensors,"
"Nothing yet," 7 said.
"How you thought about anything since you know," I said.
"Nothing I would like to discuss," 7 said.
"You know how to get hold of me if you do," I said. "Dismissed,"
That's all for this chapter.
More to follow.
Stay tuned and safe.
Love Y'all
PEACE!