(By Penny A. Proctor. Paramount owns Star Trek: Voyager, including Fair Haven which, I'm betting, will never be mentioned again on the show. This is a companion piece to season 7’s "Body and Soul.")
From the lectern, Kathryn looked down at the villagers of Fair Haven, each of whom was looking back with curiosity. "Thank you all for coming so quickly," she said. "Something has happened that you should know about. More precisely, an opportunity has arisen that you should know about." She paused, trying to choose words that would convey the situation concisely yet would be understood. From the front row, Michael smiled at her encouragingly.
The program hadn’t been activated for several weeks; ever since B’Elanna had finally figured out a way to tap into the holodecks energy source, Kathryn had ordered that power used for the ship whenever necessary and it had been necessary while repairs from the encounter with the Borg continued. Fair Haven required more energy than any other program, so she had not permitted it to be active until the ship was back to full capacity.
What is it like, she wondered now, when a hologram is deactivated? Is it like going into stasis – no sense of time passing, just a short sleep? Or can they tell how long they are waiting?
She decided she didn’t want to know. It had already been a long, difficult day and contemplating the discomfort she might have inadvertently inflicted on an entire village of sentient holograms would not make it better. There was only so much guilt she could bear at once. Realizing that they were waiting for her to continue, she pulled her attention back to her task.
"We have encountered a group of photonic life forms. Holograms, like yourselves. They are going to establish a settlement for holographic life forms on a planet. A colony, if you prefer, exclusively for photonic beings." She swallowed. "Any of you who wish to join them are invited to do so."
She had expected that announcement to create a stir, but there was nothing but silence in the room. Finally Maggie O’Halleran stood. "Are you putting us off your ship, then?"
"No, not at all. Any of you who want to stay, you are welcome. If you all want to stay, you are welcome. It’s entirely your choice. But I thought you would be interested in a chance to live as self-determining beings. That’s the purpose of this colony – to give photonic life a chance to control itself, without relying on organic life forms like myself."
"Self-determining?" Michael frowned, but remained seated. "I don’t pretend to understand everything you’ve told us, but I thought that our lives depend on some kind of machine. How can we be self-determining?"
Oh, hell. How do I explain holographic technology to people who barely understand electricity? "They have all the machines and equipment that are necessary to sustain you," she said carefully. "You would still be dependent on the machines, but you and the other holograms would control them. You wouldn’t be at the mercy of other forms of life. You would decide when, and for how long, you would be deactivated. And you would have an opportunity to grow beyond your programming."
Michael stared at her, stunned. "You’re saying – you’re saying we’d be free."
"Yes," she said quietly. "You’d be free."
She let the concept sink in for a moment before continuing. "It won’t be easy – the other holograms are a varied group and may not get along with each other. They have no experience with living as a community, and they have had some very bad interactions with organic life forms. You’ll have to learn how to maintain and repair the machines, because there won’t be anyone else to do it. The planet’s atmosphere is lethal to organic life forms, which guarantees your safety but also your isolation."
The astonishment was wearing off; they were beginning to talk to one another in ones and twos. Some of them looked eager and excited, some looked apprehensive, and some, like Michael, simply looked thoughtful. "I’m sorry to ask this of you, but you need to make up your mind quickly. I’m going to step outside for five minutes and let you talk among yourselves. When I come back, I’ll need to know who’s going and who’s staying."
With a last glance at Michael, she left the lectern and left the Church. She was barely in the street when she heard the footsteps behind her, and she turned. Michael had followed her, and he caught up to her in two quick steps. "Ah, Katie," he said, taking her hand. "You knew before you started, didn’t you? There’s nothing an Irishman craves more than freedom."
She smiled sadly. "Of course I know. I’ve enough Irish in me for that. You’re going, then?"
Instead of answering, he frowned. "Tell me something. How long has it been since you came here last?"
"About ten weeks," she admitted. "We’ve had some trouble that kept me busy."
He nodded. "I’ve no doubt of it. And could you tell me about your troubles, so I could help share your burdens?"
I let myself be assimilated by the Borg to help start a civil war in cyberspace. A crazy Bajoran back in the Alpha quadrant used the Starfleet data stream to trigger a mutiny for no apparent reason. We almost took the ship into a geodesic fold. "We, ah, we’ve had to fight our way out of some situations. The ship has taken a lot of damage and some of the crew had some significant injuries." True enough, counting the psychological damage that was inflicted.
His eyes were sorrowful. "Why do I think it was more complicated than that? But I wouldn’t understand if you told me all of it, now would I?"
"No," she said reluctantly. "I’m afraid not."
"Oh, Katie." He pulled her to him, holding her close so that his quiet words were warm against her ear. "My poor, sweet girl. I love you with all my heart, but that’s not enough, not for either of us. You need someone you can truly share your life with, someone who can be your partner. And I need to be more than an escape from reality. I need someone who comes to me as an equal."
She held him tightly for a moment, saying nothing. There was nothing to be said; he was right. After a moment, they separated and she saw the glimmer of tears in his eyes. "I never meant to hurt you."
"We have to have some pain in life. How else would we recognize joy? And you’ve given me so much joy."
"I’ll never forget you."
"Nor I you, Katie O’Clare." He kissed her softly on the lips, then took her hand. "It’s a new start for us both, then. Promise me you’ll make the most of it."
She nodded. "I will if you will."
"Ah, perhaps there’ll be someone among the others on this colony who'll catch my fancy. There’s none in Fair Haven to match you." He tightened his hand over hers. "Come. I think those five minutes are up."
Hand in hand, they walked back into the church. Just inside the door, he stopped and raised his voice above the echoing chatter. "I’m for freedom!" he called loudly. "Who’s with me, then?"
"I am," Seamus roared from the front.
"And me and mine," Kevin Connelly, standing with his wife and children, added.
Maggie climbed up on one of the pews. "There’s no point taking roll. We’re all coming, Captain. We want to be free."
*****
She was almost finished when Chakotay came into the lab. He looked at her closely, apparently trying to guess the outcome from her expression. "How many?"
"All of them. You were right."
"There’s little as compelling as freedom," her former Maquis First Officer said.
For the first time since he entered, she looked up from her task. It was the first time she had considered the extent to which he sympathized with the holograms' plight. "I never meant them any harm," she said.
"None of us did. None of us were thinking of them as life forms." He leaned against the console. "We kept thinking of them as creations rather than beings.
"It was easier that way." She frowned. "We created a new form of life and didn't recognize it. Perhaps we simply didn't want to; it was easier than facing the ethical implications of the situation."
He considered her words, and then looked at the console, where her fingers were flying. "I can do that, if you prefer."
"Thanks, but I'm almost done." She felt sheepish. "In spite of my fine philosophical misgivings, I'm playing god one more time. Look."
She touched a control, and a holographic woman shimmered into view. She appeared to be in her mid-thirties and was dressed in a dark blue skirt and crisp white blouse that was quite appropriate for Fair Haven. A small watch was pinned at her shoulder, and although her hair was piled in a proper-enough bun, the tendrils of curly hair escaping from it suggested that she wasn’t all that proper all the time. She was petite and fine-boned, and there was a hint of a mischief in her expression.
"Meet Kerry Jamison," Kathryn said with satisfaction. "I’ve just added her to the Fair Haven program. She’s the schoolteacher. Well educated, independent and fond of a good game of rings."
Chakotay looked at her curiously. "You didn't just whip her up this afternoon."
"No. I've been working on her for quite a while."
His mouth curved just slightly as he understood her unspoken confession: she had been planning to let go of Fair Haven for some time. He studied the hologram closely. "I imagine she’ll get along well with the villagers."
"Especially the local publican." She took at last look at the new creation, and then closed the file. "He deserves someone who can truly share his life. I owe him that much."
With last look at Kerry, she said, "Computer, archive Fair Haven program."
"Program archived."
Kathryn touched her commbadge. "Janeway to Kim. The program is ready for transmission, Harry."
"Understood." In a moment he spoke again. "The program has been transferred, Captain. Dorik confirms that they received it successfully."
"Very well. Resume course for the Alpha quadrant."
When she didn’t move immediately, Chakotay looked at her with concern. "Are you all right?"
"Yes. I was just thinking about something Michael said this afternoon." A new start for both of us. She shook off the gloom that suddenly threatened her and smiled at him. "Have you had lunch yet? I haven’t, and it would be nice to have someone to talk to."
He smiled. "Sounds good to me. Mess hall or replicator?"
"Mess hall, I think. I’m feeling technology-averse at the moment." They started to leave, but then she stopped. "Chakotay. Thank you."
He looked puzzled. "For what?"
"For everything. For having lunch with me. For understanding."
Reaching for her hand, he squeezed it briefly and for a moment he simply smiled. Then he said, "We’re a little late for lunch. Neelix was serving red corn stew, and that never lasts long."
Suddenly she realized that there was one more thing she wanted to do. "Do me a favor - go on ahead, and nab us a couple of bowls. I'll catch up in just a minute."
With his usual tact, he did not ask any questions. He said nothing at all, but leaned forward and kissed her cheek before he left.
In a moment she was alone in the holographic lab, and she looked around. What kind of rules needed to be made about the use of this place? Should she even make rules, or should she let serendipity determine when holograms graduated from electronic echoes to sentient life?
Too many questions, and the answers would take time. For now, other thoughts were pressing on her. She spoke out loud, words she barely realized she recalled.
"May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back,
The rain fall soft upon your fields;
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand."
She smiled slightly, pleased that she had remembered it all. "Goodbye, Michael." Then she turned away, and left to join Chakotay.