MICHAEL SULLIVAN : Page 3

After the events of the episode [#131 Fair Haven], later in the year 2376, after the Fair Haven holoprogram is restored, in the episode [#137 Spirit Folk], Michael Sullivan becomes aware that there is another world after several townsfolk witness "magic" performed by the out-of-town regular visitors (the Voyager crew) including Katie O'Clare (Janeway) rescuing Mary after she falls into the well at Ballahick Farm. Seamus relishes telling the townsfolk in Sullivan's pub how he witnessed Tom Paris magically repair the damaged tyre on his motor vehicle. And Sullivan no doubt hears in great detail about Paris' holographic pranks, namely turning Maggie O'Halloran into a cow. However, Sullivan insists that they should deal with the matter "like civilised people". That evening, he prepares an intimate dinner by the fireside for himself and Katie, and then diplomatically raises the subject her, but Janeway is chagrined that Sullivan is asking questions no hologram should be asking. She evades his questions and shuts down the holoprogram instead.

That evening, Janeway enters the pub. Sullivan has arranged for it them to be alone and has set up a table by the cosy fire for them to have an intimate supper. Sullivan: "You're looking lovelier than ever, Katie. Janeway: "Thank you." She goes over to the table. He hands her a gift. "Open it?" She does so - it is a large book, which she sits down and looks at. Janeway: "'The Faerie Queene' by Edmund Spenser. Thank you, Michael." Sullivan: "It's the longest poem in the English language, the first to use a 9-line stanza." Janeway: "I'll start reading it tonight. I love epic poetry." Sullivan: "Really? I didn't know that." He sighs. "It seems there's a lot of things I don't know about you." She looks at him, curious at where this is leading. "I thought you'd want to know there's been some talk about you and your friends. Strange things have been happening around town. Folk are saying you're to blame." Janeway: "What kind of strange things?" Sullivan: "People using unholy magic, vanishing into thin air, changing the weather." Janeway: "By any chance, would this have anything to do with your reading suggestion?" Sullivan: "As a matter of fact-" Janeway holds up her left hand to stop him. "Don't tell me: they say I'm the faery queen." Sullivan: "Frankly, they could tell me you're the devil himself, and I wouldn't care." Janeway gives a quick laugh. "I'll try not to take that personally." Sullivan: "The sad truth of the matter is: I don't know who you are." Janeway: "What do you mean?" Sullivan: "You've been lying to me, Katie. I've been doing some checking with friends of mine in County Clare. It seems nobody's heard of you there." Janeway: "It's a big county." Sullivan: "And I've got a lot of friends. You've been evasive from the day we met. I was a fool not to see it. Where do you go when you leave here? There've been times I wanted to talk to you, tell you about my day, a book I'd read, just to say hello. But I can't, because I don't know where to find you. What are you hiding, Katie?" Janeway: "I'll admit I have misled you about some things, but never about anything important, and I wasn't lying when I said I care about you." Sullivan: "I wish I could believe that." Janeway: "You can. I didn't want to deceive you. But under the circumstances I had no choice." Sullivan: "What circumstances?" Janeway: "Michael, there are things about me you may not be able to understand." Sullivan: "Try me. Who are you Katie? Where are you really from? The truth." Janeway thinks hard about this, for she realises that she dare not tell him he is a hologram and that Fair Haven is just a holographic place. She does not wish to hurt him, but she cannot tell him. She gets up, still thinking, as the largeness of the dilemma becomes clear. "Computer, end program." He disappears, and the pub surroundings disappear with him. She is alone in the empty holodeck.