Spirit Folk (episode)

The characters in the Fair Haven holoprogram begin to suspect the Voyager crew after they witness several "supernatural" occurrences.
== Summary ==
=== Teaser ===
Tom Paris, playing the inventor, barrels through Fair Haven on an old automobile, wreaking havoc until a pile of barrels stops him. Seamus, nearby, goes to see if he's all right and remarks on his having money to afford the automobile. Paris explains that he fell into some money with an inheritance, which prompts Seamus to ask discreetly for a few shillings. As Seamus leaves, Paris tells the computer to repair the holographic tire. Strangely, the sudden repair of the tire which Seamus witnesses and comes to a very simple conclusion: it is black magic.
=== Act One ===
Drawing everyone at Sullivan's pub to him, Seamus tells everyone what he saw. Some of the townsfolk agree that Tom goes through town "as if he built the place", and his friends are shifty. Some of the townspeople are skeptical, including Doctor and barkeep Michael Sullivan, since Seamus does typically "add color" to his stories, but it does unsettle them. He recites a legend about a similar town where spirit folk sneaked in, took advantage of their hospitality, and took all the people to the "Otherworld." The entire town vanished. When Katie O'Clare comes in, everyone stops talking and Sullivan hurriedly greets her, bringing her to the bar and dismissing the earlier conversation.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the ship, Harry Kim replicates flowers for his date with Fair Haven holographic character Maggie O'Halloran. B'Elanna Torres complains about her technical difficulties with the program, as the open door policy in place means it is now running constantly, while Paris decides to make Kim's date a little more interesting. On the holodeck he follows Kim and Maggie O'Halloran from a distance. Unbeknownst to him, however, Seamus and are following Paris, determined to prove he is a demon. As Kim goes to kiss the girl, Paris takes out a PADD and reprograms Maggie into a cow, shocking Kim, Seamus and Milo. As Kim argues with Paris, they are ordered to the bridge soon after. Seamus and Milo also hear the the order, and, scared, are convinced there's magic involved.
=== Act Two ===
That night, Mulligan (The Doctor) gives a sermon about harmony, and the evils of retribution. When he begins to get to his climax, Seamus and Milo barge in with the cow which used to be Maggie. Mulligan disbelieves them when they explain the situation. They point out that it was the trickery of Paris and Kim. The Doctor reassures them that it was just a prank, and he saw Maggie this morning. He ends mass and kicks them out, keeping the cow with him.
Seamus and Milo do find Maggie outside, who appears just before they get there. She doesn't seem herself, as she had a dream without remembering going to sleep. She doesn't remember anything about last night, but remembers walking around town with a bell around her neck, showing up at church, and everyone staring at her. She was tending her flowers just as they walked up.
They return to the bar, and more people start telling stories, of how Kim and Paris can change the weather, a daughter who fell in a well reappearing in the meadows, and Father Mulligan disappearing after service one night. Sullivan puts a stop to it, saying that there is nothing they can do; they can't just shoot everyone they suspect, since they are their neighbors. He wants them to go about the situation like civilized people.
Later, when Sullivan is alone with Katie O'Clare, he hands her a copy of The Faerie Queene, suggesting that the townsfolk are wondering about strange things happening. He even did some checking, and there is no one who knows her (supposed) point of origin. He wants to know where she goes when she leaves and more about her to put his thoughts at ease. She admits she hasn't been honest, but not about anything important. She tries to explain that there are things he just cannot understand, but he wants to know. She doesn't know what to say, so she ends the program.
=== Act Three ===
Janeway demands to know what Paris did with the program. He says nothing he did should result in that. Torres shuts the program down so she can make system repairs, and Paris and Kim begin to examine the character parameters. When they call up Michael Sullivan's character, instead of his image, the entire character comes to life, now in the hololab and sees them wearing their uniforms. He demands to know where he is, but they calm him down. They identify the subroutines which make him oblivious to things outside the program, and those subroutines are offline. They attempt to restore them, and as he realizes something is off-kilter, he pretends to appear to think nothing is out of the ordinary instantly (as the subroutines still don't go into effect). But when they find a way to restore all of the other characters at once, it is clear from his facial expression – which they miss – he was pretending to be complacent. Paris and Kim decide, rather than fix the characters one at a time in the lab, to head to the holodeck and use the holographic control panel in the pub to reset everyone at once. They then transfer Michael back to the pub, who immediately calls Fitzgerald into the church.
Only later do Paris and Kim figure out they failed, and plan to reset him along with everyone else. Janeway argues with Chakotay about what to do if they can't fix Michael. He suggests she get creative.
Sullivan, meanwhile, tells Fitzgerald an incredible story: he was taken to another world, and they were saying things about changing people and talking like he wasn't even there. Knowing that Paris and Kim will be heading to the pub to do something to all of them, they decide to hide there and be prepared to stop them. While Kim and Paris sneak into the pub to do it, the town gathers to discuss strategy. Some want to use rifles, some want to use books, some want to use rowan berries and red thread. Sullivan doesn't like it, but he is drowned out by Seamus. They head right over to the pub, and catch them in a red thread net, and when they see the control panel, they shoot it repeatedly to dispel the voice from the other world. This damages the holographic controls as well as disabling the the safety protocols. When Paris orders the computer to freeze the program, only half the characters freeze due to the damage, and the other half chase them. When Paris and Kim can't pause the program or call up an exit, they capture them and hold them in the church.
=== Act Four ===
In the ready room, the rest of the senior staff discuss what to do. Transporters can't get a lock, they don't want to shut down the program or they'll lose it, and armed conflict would risk the lives of their security personnel. Instead, Janeway decides to send in The Doctor who can attach pattern enhancers to Paris and Kim to retrieve them.
Meanwhile, the exorcisms of Paris and Kim, tied up with red twine and having incantations shouted, isn't going very well. When they are discussing lynching, The Doctor bursts in and condemns them all as 'sinners'. They ignore him, pointing out he vanished after his sermon, and tie him up with the others. They take away the transport enhancers, and The Doctor's mobile emitter, tying him into the same grid. On the bridge, the crew detect that The Doctor is now in the program, and can't isolate him.
Seamus continues to use incantations to get more information. He also tries hypnosis, which, oddly, works on The Doctor. They learn from him that there is a ship called Voyager. They ignore it as nonsense, but Sullivan believes Katie is there and he asks The Doctor how to get there, having come back once before. The Doctor suggests the mobile emitter, and when Tuvok beams it to the bridge without looking, Janeway is astonished to see Sullivan materialize. He is more astonished than she is.
=== Act Five ===
Janeway is forced to explain everything as she feels she has no choice. She explains that Voyager has technology allowing them to travel back in time, like H.G. Wells (although she doesn't mention that Fair Haven and all its inhabitants are just holograms), and that many members of the crew he recognizes just visit Fair Haven because they are explorers.
As Sullivan begins to understand, and slowly come to terms with the starship, Tuvok announces through the comm that the townspeople have started piling kindling. She returns to the holodeck program with Sullivan, and she explains to the townspeople that they use technology, not magic, and they do not wish to destroy their town. In fact, Sullivan points out that they helped the town by creating clear days and saving children (turning Maggie into a cow excepted, which Paris promises not to do again). Sullivan convinces them not to turn their backs on these people, and everyone cools down.
Torres once again complains about the limits of holographic technology, saying they will have to limit the time the program runs. Janeway regretfully accepts this fact, but with her last short time in the program, finds that everything is back to normal, with holographic and flesh and blood characters, more or less.
== Memorable quotes ==
"Just because we're from different worlds, doesn't mean we can't care for each other."
:- Janeway, to Michael just before reentering into the holodeck. Then, Michael repeats it to the townsfolk inside the church in the program.
"Saints preserve us!"
:- Seamus, to Tom Paris when he repairs his primitive automobile at the command of his voice.
"I've got a boyfriend who malfunctions."
:- Janeway, to Chakotay about Michael Sullivan
"Never underestimate an Irish hologram."
:- Janeway
"Hate to break the news to you, Michael, but I'm a starship captain, and you're a 300 deciwatt holodeck program."
:- Janeway, to Chakotay about Michael Sullivan
"What's that? Shoot it!"
"N-no, no wait, wait! That's a delicate piece of tech- (Milo shoots the control panel with his shotgun) nology"
"Warning: Holodeck Controls and Safety Protocols are offline, emergency overides are malfunctioning"'
"A voice from the other world! (Milo shoots the control panel again)"
"Computer, freeze program!"
"62% compliance"
:- Seamus and Tom Paris arguing when Seamus sees the Holodeck control panel that Paris and Harry Kim were working on and the Computer Voice complaining about the Holodeck malfunction after the control panel is shot by Milo's shotgun.
"If you can get a spirit to reveal his true name, you'll render yourself impervious to his charms!"
"What is your true name!?"
"I haven't decided on one yet."
:- Seamus, Milo, and The Doctor, during The Doctor's hypnosis
"When your quaint little seaside town starts to depolarize, don't come crying to me."
:- B'Elanna Torres, to Tom Paris
"SINNERS!"
:- The Doctor, while attempting to rescue Paris and Kim
"Superstition… is the religion of fools!"
:- Michael Sullivan, to Seamus
== Background information ==
* This episode had the working title "Daoine Sidhe", an Irish phrase which means "The People of the Mounds."
* The final draft script for this episode was submitted on .
=== Continuity and trivia ===
* The Fair Haven holoprogram previously featured in the eponymous episode .
* This episode features the only time Voyagers registry number, NCC-74656 is referenced. The Doctor speaks it while hypnotized in the Fair Haven program.
* In this episode, Tom Paris says, "So much for my open-door policy." However, it was actually Neelix who suggested the "open door protocol" to Captain Janeway in the episode .
* At the end of , Paris says it will take "six or seven weeks" to reconstruct the program following the events of that episode. This episode originally aired six weeks later.
* In the final dialogue of the episode, Sullivan tells Janeway that "if you know a spirit's true name [...] it renders you impervious against her charm", and Janeway insists that she doesn't believe a word of it. In the final dialogue of , she instructs the Computer to deny her "any future access to his behavioural subroutines", so he is, in effect, impervious to her 'charms', though not because he knows her name.
* Sullivan mentions having a cousin who saw strange things on a visit to America. In , a holographic visits a planet he believes to be America and excitedly tells Janeway of the amazing things he sees there.
* The Doctor's quest to find a name, which started with his request for one in the first season episode , is referenced in this episode when he tells Milo that "I haven't decided on one yet."
* Bairbre Dowling (who played Edith Mulchaey) was the ex-wife of star Colm Meaney (Miles O'Brien).
=== Costumes ===
* The floral dress worn by Janeway in this episode was put up for auction on Prop Store in . .
=== Awards ===
* This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore) (Jay Chattaway).
=== Video and DVD releases ===
* UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 6.9, 
* As part of the VOY Season 6 DVD collection
== Links and references ==
=== Guest Stars ===
* Richard Riehle as Seamus
* Ian Abercrombie as 
* Ian Patrick Williams as 
* Henriette Ivanans as Maggie O'Halloran
* Duffie McIntire as Grace Declan
=== Special Guest Star ===
* Fintan McKeown as Michael Sullivan
=== Co-Stars ===
* Bairbre Dowling as Edith
* Majel Barrett as Computer Voice
=== Uncredited Co-Stars ===
* John Bellah as holographic Irishman
* Barry Brandt as holographic Irishman
* Amy Kate Connolly as holographic Irish woman
* Marvin De Baca as Patrick Gibson
* Tarik Ergin as Ayala
* Eric Hunter as holographic Irishman
* Tina Kotrich as operations officer
* Mary Mascari as holographic Irish woman
* Nichole McAuley as sciences officer
* Jack Nolan as holographic Irishman
* Fred Romming as Liam
* Pablo Soriano as operations ensign
* Joan Valentine as operations officer
* Unknown performers as
** Danny
** 
=== Stand-ins ===
* Brita Nowak – stand-in for Jeri Ryan
=== References ===
1846; A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court; Amen; America; aristocrat; arm wrestling; ash berry; automobile; Ballahick Farm; barkeep; blasphemy; boyfriend; Broadway lily; cabbage; cart; cassock; Castle O'Dell; chandelier; chaperone; children; Christmas; church; clutch; coat; Colby family; collection box; County Clare; County Meath; county; cow; cup; deciwatt; ditch; ; Doolin; double-barreled shotgun; dozen; epic poem; ; Faerie Magick; ; Fair Haven; farm; Farmers; ; Federation; firing squad; flower; forgive and forget; Glen Abbey; goat; goblin; gold; Guinness; heathen; holotechnology; holy war; hoop rolling; hoop and stick; hypnosis; holodeck character; holoemitter; Irish; Irish language; irrigation ditch; Kilmanin; kindling; lace; lamppost; Latin; leprechaun; Liam; magic; mass; meadow; Michael Sullivan's cousin; mobile emitter; ; mother of God; milking shed; moo; Mulligan; nickelodeon; ; otherworld; outer space; ; Paris 042; Patsy; perceptual filter; pig; pint; pixie; plow; potato; practical joke; prankster; Queen of the Faerie Folk; rainbow; ; red; religion; rifle; rings: sacramental wine; St. Mary's Church; sermon; shilling; shock; smile; snatch; sorcerer; spell; ; spirit folk; stanza; Sunday; supernatural; table; tea; ; ; toast; Tommy boy's grandfather; town; trance; turkey; ; twine; village square; walk; "wee"; ; well; wharf; wing; "within reach"
=== External links ===
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