"Michael and Katie O'Clare out for the day."
Intro
Reeling with the shock of Seven's words, Janeway walked hurriedly towards the holodeck to check out the changes that the younger woman made to the Fair Haven holo-program. Just because Seven spotted some 'factual inconsistencies', that did not mean it was alright for her to change the program, Janeway thought to herself.
Seven looked after the captain and wondered what she said to make Janeway blush, before returning to her duties, dismissing such thoughts as irrelevant.
In Fair Haven, after checking the program, Janeway decided to have a bit of fun since she was off duty, and the Doctor was so helpful...
"Are you sure Father Mulligan doesn't mind my using his mobile emitter? It's a marvellous piece of technology." Saying this, Michael Sullivan put it on his sleeve and looked at Janeway.
Janeway looked at him, and quietly replied, "It might be better if I brought us to wherever you wanted to bring us. And by the way, Father Mulligan insisted on your having the mobile emitter. Anyway, where do you want to bring me?"
Michael smiled and asked: "So what can I do in order to bring you to one of my favourite places in County Clare?" Michael didn't tell her that he wanted to bring her to a remote part so they could have some privacy away from the other villagers of Fair Haven. He didn't care what people thought of him but he was a very private man as far as Katie was concerned. And the Burren was one of his favourite places anyway. "I'd like to bring you to The Burren, in North County Clare."
Laughing at his intense gaze, she asked him, "Where is it? Why there?"
Michael Sullivan said nothing at all but waited patiently for her to take them to the Burren. Janeway laughed and gave in.
"Computer, change surroundings from Fair Haven to The Burren, in North County Clare."
At once, the village pub was replaced by a stark karst landscape with not a building to be seen. The desolate beauty of the limestone landscape immediately struck Janeway. The strong Atlantic winds swept up from the sea below.
"Oh… how beautiful! And Cold! Computer, two warm winter tweed coats, please"
Warm winter tweed coats materialised in from of them, and they hurriedly put them on.
"Could we have two warm blankets or rugs to sit on, as it's rather cold to be sitting on limestone," Michael asked.
After they were warm and comfortable, they enjoyed their holographic picnic, laughing about the recent events caused by Tom Paris's prank back at Fair Haven when he changed Maggie O'Halloran into a cow. Janeway remarked that Paris often had a juvenile sense of humour, but that was part of his charm for some women, including B'Elanna.
Eventually Michael looked at her without saying anything. She looked back at him and smiled.
"Well, Katie O'Clare, Katie O'Dell…. What is your real name?"
"I'm really Kathryn Janeway"
"So you're Kathryn Janeway. In the interest of fairness, my real name is Micheál Ui Shuilleabhain, though people call me Michael Sullivan."
"How's that?"
"Well, back in the 1850s, when I was a very young boy, my parents decided to move to America. My father was from the Connemara Gaeltacht."
"Whoa, step back a bit, what's this, Gaeltacht?"
"That's a Gaelic Irish speaking area in Ireland, and my father was from South Galway, and my mother was from County Clare. Hence the Gaelic spelling of the name. When we arrived at New York, the people at Ellis Island writing down the names wrote down Michael Sullivan when registering my name. They were too busy to write down the correct spelling, and anyway, Gaelic surnames were often too long and too strange for them. Hence the change. Anyway, it's what my name would have been in English. Either Michael Sullivan or Michael O'Sullivan."
"I see. Didn't know that."
Janeway smiled to herself, thinking "Little did he know that it was really Tom Paris who programmed in the names and details of the holo-program, Fair Haven. It seems that Paris got more than the details of the harp wrong. Anyway, it would be interesting to see what explanations Michael came up with for Tom Paris's mistakes and if he had made more than one,and anyway, I'm interested in knowing more about Michael Sullivan himself", before listening to him talking.
"Yes, On the whole, America was good for my parents. They were typical Irish labourers from the West of Ireland, who decided to seek better lives elsewhere. When they arrived in New York, they didn't find it easy at the start, but later on, they finally settled in, setting up shop. The business was successful, but then the American Civil War broke out in 1863. My parents just did not feel safe anymore in America, and had enough money to set up a business, running a pub back home in Fair Haven, so they bucked the trend and moved back to the auld sod. I was an 8-year-old boy then. As Micheál Ui Shuilleabhain is a common name in these parts, people called me by my American name. My American accent also helped to distinguish me from my classmates, though I quickly picked up an Irish accent anyway."
"So you're not really an Irish man?" Janeway teased.
Michael looked at her, before laughing.
"Ah yeah, you know very well I'm a true Irish man. Apart from the six years in New York, and travelling back to Fair Haven, I spent my entire life in Counties Clare and Galway. I have to admit, my experiences while abroad has sparked my interest in travel and the world around me. Anyway, you're the Yank, not me."
"I'm not a Yankee, I'm from Indiana!"
"You Silly Billy. Irish people call all Americans Yanks. Yanks. Not Yankees. Understand?" He grinned at her.
Janeway smiled and looked away from him, now looking at the dark blue/grey hues of the Atlantic Ocean in the distance, feeling the salty wind hit her face. Michael looked at Janeway as she enjoyed her surroundings. They sat like that in companionable silence, enjoying the experience, for a few minutes.
"Ireland's a beautiful country, isn't it? I mean, just look at this karst landscape!" Janeway remarked.
"Beautiful, indeed", Michael remarked, still looking at her. "I still need to find out something that's been puzzling me, and you're the only one who's able to help me out on this."
Janeway turned her head to see Michael looking at her intensely. "You gave me no satisfactory explanation of why you disappeared like that when we had that lovely afternoon at the meadow, remember?"
Janeway blushed slightly, but quietly apologized. "I'm sorry for this. That was remiss of me."
"Sorry is no good. I want to know why you disappeared. Well?"
"It's a stupid thing really… you snored."
"Hah? Is that it?"
"Correct, Mr. Michael Sullivan. Well, you were so perfect right up to that moment, and then I realized you're just a human being after all with warts and all. I was shocked at myself, and didn't like to admit to such petty foolishness. I can only apologise. You need not worry. I won't do that again."
Mollified by her answer, Michael retorted:
"See that you don't, Katie O'Clare."
Janeway smiled when she saw the twinkle in his eyes.
"And anyway, Katie O'Clare, you're not a perfect being either."
"How's that?"
Janeway was enjoying herself immensely, as the man beside her was the only one, apart from the Doctor, up to a point, to be able to challenge her and even pull her down a peg or two, and Seven who was always herself with Janeway, constantly butting horns. Apart from these two, Janeway liked the people under her command on the whole, but the fact they were never truly relaxed or themselves with her, set her aside a bit. She liked Michael all the more for it.
"Well, I'm a gentleman, and I'm bringing you out. A gentleman does not list the faults of the ladies he is with."
"A gentleman? Really? You could have fooled me!"
"You can say what you like to me, but I'm not going to insult you back. I like you as you are"
They were laughing, when Michael brought up something which surprised her.
"I learned a lot about the Maquis and Starfleet at the pub when serving some of your people. I have to say that I agree with the Maquis' stance. The Federation had no right to make treaties with the Cardassians about colonies without involving the colonists. You seem very principled, but take care not to get hung up on your principles. "
"ooh, an insult. Hmmm... that's unfair, you making these assumptions without finding out the reasons behind my philosophy. First things first... Are you trying to say that even after all this time, there are some Maquis crewmen who are not happy working for Starfleet under my command?"
"Come on, you seem like an intelligent woman. You know it is impossible to have everyone like you. It's humanly impossible to like everyone you meet"
"That's true, but I'm more concerned with the morale of the maquis crew men. Perhaps I should speak with Chakotay so he could check with them? Could you explain why you agree with the Maquis? A treaty was agreed between Starfleet and the Cardassians. The colonists should have respected that. "
"I can't believe you're saying that. People have a right to live where they've lived for years, without having faceless politicians deciding their fates, never having consulted them. That's simply not on."
Janeway looked at him, saying nothing.
"I mean, something similar happened to us Irish. I was very interested to hear about the treaty. I suspect I would have been a Maquis rebel myself. I have to hand it to you, the way you handled the two crews over the six years in the Delta Quadrant, I think you said before, when I was on your space ship?"
"Yes, that's correct. The Delta Quadrant. Thanks. Well, I know that there were some problems over land in Irish history in the past, can you enlighten me?"
"Well, in 1880, for instance, the Irish Land League had a mission to help protect tenants from exploitation. There was an estate in Co. Mayo, owned by Lord Erne. Lord Erne was an absentee landlord, preferring to live at home in England. See what I mean about faceless people? Anyway, I digress. He had an agent working on his behalf, making sure rents were paid, and so on. This man, Captain Boycott, was a right b… ahem… let's say he's not a nice man. He tried to undermine the Irish Land League's campaign for the "Three Fs."
"What's that?"
"Fair Rent, Fixity of tenure and Free sale. Well, anyway, this Boycott fella did not respect the campaign, and tried to have his way with the tenants of the estate. The Irish Land League wouldn't have that, so they decided to withdraw local labour required to save the harvest on the estate. When Boycott tried to discredit the campaign, the League launched a campaign of isolation against him in the local community.
"Yeah? Why do such a thing? Sounds petty to me, no?"
"Oh, it was no such thing. Think about it for a minute. Boycott really paid the price for his lack of respect. He had a really difficult time, as the neighbours would not speak to him, shops would not serve him. He just could not get the necessary help to work on the farm, look after his house and even the postman wouldn't deliver his mail. I mean, he deserved it. He didn't give the tenants the dignity they deserved as human beings. At the end of the year, it cost the British Government ten thousand pounds to save the harvest. He could have saved a lot of money had he respected the tenants."
Janeway was so surprised at that she queried:
"Isn't that a bit extreme? This Boycott man must have done some terrible things in order to get such a strong reaction from the community."
"Indeed, that's for sure. It seems that people are now using his name to mean ostracise someone."
Janeway and Michael went for a walk along the desolate landscape and continued their discussions on comparative politics, on the activities of the Irish Land League, and the Maquis. At the end of the discussion, they agreed to differ on certain points.
Walking in companionable silence they enjoyed the bracing air of the North Atlantic, jumping in between the gaps in the limestone. Presently, Michael asked Janeway if she wanted to go somewhere else equally as remote, or would she like to return to Fair Haven?
"If it's ok with you, I don't mind where I go as long as I'm with you. I really love places like this, since there's no technology to be seen anywhere. Even though I'm a scientist by training and am comfortable with technology, it's lovely to be away from the high tech environment that is Voyager. I'm in the mood for a game of Rings with you. Alone. As a woman."
Michael looked at her quizzically and challenged her,
"Hmm, but I think there is more to it than that. Come on, tell me."
Looking at him, she suddenly smiled wryly and admitted that it wasn't really all the technology she wanted to get away from when she goes to Fair Haven, she just wanted to feel like she's somewhere that has some semblance of home to it. For a few moments, she's not 'Captain Janeway', she's just Katie O'Clare, mildmannered resident of Fair Haven.
Understandingly, he smiled and declared;
"Well then Katie, Rings it is."
"Computer, change setting from the Burren to the Fair Haven pub, night time, pub empty."
Immediately the bracing North Atlantic air was replaced by the cosy warmth of the pub, lit only by the candles and the fire blazing in the fireplace.
Michael won the first three games of rings, to Janeway's chagrin. Her competitive streak just would not let her accept defeat.
"How about one more round, Michael? Or are you afraid I might win this time?"
Laughingly, Michael agreed. Janeway threw her rings, but still lost. Accepting defeat with grace, she put on a mock frown before laughing along with him. He suggested that they have colcannon with slices of pork meat. At Janeway's puzzled expression, he explained that it was an Irish staple for this time of year, and it would help warm them up after the day on the Burren.
The taste of the potatoes and kale cabbage mashed together, topped by melted salted butter made her happy, and wish that Neelix would cook something bland now and then, like this colcannon.
"I reckon your cooking skills improved a lot when you were a student at Trinity College, hmm?"
"I was never a student at Trinity College, or at any other college, for that matter."
Janeway looked at him… "You could have fooled me!" She distinctly remembered changing the parameters of the Michael Sullivan character profile to include having the knowledge of a Third Year student at Trinity College. So she wanted to know where she went wrong.
"My dear Katie O'Clare… I'm an Irish Catholic. This is the 1890s. Trinity College Dublin is ostensibly open to Catholics, but we have to get a special dispensation from the Catholic Church, or suffer excommunication should we decide to accept places."
Janeway got a little confused. If Michael Sullivan is a hologram programmed by Janeway and Tom Paris, among others, he would only know so much as he has been programmed to know. If he was programmed to believe he was a student at Trinity, that's what he would believe now, unless someone re-programmed him to believe he was an Irish Catholic and that he didn't go to Trinity... "SEVEN! this must be one of her changes! Why leave that awareness in?" Janeway mused to herself, before turning to Michael and exclaiming:
"What? I didn't know that. That seems unfair."
"Ah, that's life. You can't have everything. However, just because I never went to college doesn't mean I'm lacking in the upstairs department. Since when did I stop that from getting an education? The village doctor's a Protestant, so he and his brother had no problems studying there. We were close friends at school, and I often had to help them with their homework. Returning the favour, I studied with the doctor's brother, I just didn't do the exams. He gave me the books when he was finished with them. That's how I did it."
"So you're a self taught man."
"Well… I get bored easily with no challenges. I like to challenge myself."
"Well, Mr Michael Sullivan, you're full of surprises today."
Sitting in silence in front of the fire, they listened to the wood cracking.
Afterwards, Janeway asked Michael a favour.
"Anything for you, my dear sweet Katie O'Clare."
"When you go to confession, don't go to Father Mulligan."
"Eh? Why not? He's a man of the cloth and bound by the oath of the confessional."
"He's also my Doctor, and I don't want him knowing all my innermost secrets!"
Looking at her in the eye, he leaned over towards her and said gently,
"I know you have something to tell me. What is it? Maybe you can tell me, seeing that I am probably the only person you can open up to on an equal basis?"
She looked at him with a bit of hesitation, and yet a glimmer of hope, in her eyes.
"You know I do love you... as a brother..."
Despite the crushing feeling of disappointment in his heart, Michael O'Sullivan somehow expected this.
"Is there another man?"
"No, there isn't, but there is someone else. A woman."
There was silence for a good two minutes from Michael which made Janeway rather nervous. Then he quietly asked her to continue.
"Hmm. Go on."
So she did.
They chatted all night, clearing the air between them, and by the morning, the friendship between Michael O Sullivan and Kathryn Janeway had developed even further.
Janeway felt much lighter after coming out to Michael O Sullivan, about her attraction for a certain woman on her ship, and how this particular woman's interference in the holo-program enabled her to come out. "Well, it's now high time for a cup of coffee."
"Computer, End Program."