“Fair Haven” is episode eleven of season six of Star Trek: Voyager.
Tom is in what looks like an old Irish (for American definitions of Ireland; not the worst one for the franchise though) village and chats to someone who’s after a bit of money before speaking to Harry, who is talking to a flower seller. Harry got distracted by the scenery. Tom warns him to stay away from her; she’s promised to a pig farmer with a big rake. Does she have a sister? Yes; with wooden teeth. Harry can change that but Tom doesn’t want anything changed. He’s worked hard making Fair Haven a place where the crew can relax. The Doctor arrives on a cycle, dressed as a priest, and they head into a pub.
In the pub, Harry is arm wrestling the local champion when Captain Janeway enters. She speaks to the barman, asking if he’s seen Tom. The barman indicates him. The captain compliments Tom on the authenticity, but there’s one tiny problem; the harp on the sign is backwards. There’s a class nine neutronic wavefront approaching. As they leave, the barman smiles at her.
In astrometrics, Seven is saying the wavefront will have come from the collision of two neutron stars. It will hit in 15 hours. B’Elanna says they are already feeling the effects; they can’t jump to warp. Tom says that impulse won’t be enough to escape it. The captain says they will ride it out instead; the Doctor can inoculate the crew against the radiation.
Later, the captain is in the empty mess hall when Neelix joins her. The captain has unpleasant memories of storms from Indiana. Neelix is concerned about morale over the next few days; the crew is not used to sitting still. Neelix would like an open-door policy on Fair Haven, so people can come and go as they please. The captain agrees. Neelix invites her to come to the holodeck, but she declines. However, she ends up going back to the pub which is empty but for the barman, Michael. They chat and Janeway decides she has to leave. Michael challenges her to a game of Rings first. They play the game, move onto arm wrestling and continue talking until morning when Michael’s wife arrives.
The Doctor and Tom are inoculating the crew when the captain arrives for her own. The Doctor thinks Tom has surpassed himself this time. Tom would like to expand Fair Haven into holodeck 2, given the open-door policy. The Doctor wants a more active role. Tom suggests the priest heading to a monastery and taking a vow of silence.
Tom and the captain arrive on the bridge as the wavefront is approaching. The clear the leading edge and shields held, with minor damage. The captain hopes that’s the worst of it. It won’t be.
In her personal log, the captain says it’s 10 hours since the storm hit and there’s another three days of holding steady ahead. The crew is in good spirits; many are spending time in Fair Haven. She met an interesting man, and for a time she forgot he was a hologram. Michael wasn’t quite to her taste, but Tom didn’t programme Michael to be. So, the captain is going to alter Michael’s specs so that they are. Including deleting his wife.
In the mess hall, Tuvok doesn’t seem okay and Seven inquires. Slight loss of equilibrium and gastro-intestinal distress. Seven suggests space sickness. Unlikely. Harry and Tom arrive, arguing over fog in the Fair Haven expansion and Neelix talks about a meal he is planning to do on the holodeck. Tuvok is feeling definitely queasy now and heads to speak to the Doctor.
Most of this episode is about the captain’s interaction with Michael; she’s getting rather involved with him. And ends up talking to the Doctor about the reality of holograms and relationships with them. The minor thread is the neutronic wavefront. Overall, this feels like a weak breather episode.