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   A reporter from Interstellar Network News has arrived on Babylon 5, to
   cover the second anniversary of the opening of Babylon 5 (an event
   which was extremely unlikely, considering the fate of the previous
   Babylon stations, according to the reporter). Unfortunately for her,
   Sinclair is on a mission to check out a damaged transport and is
   therefore unavailable for an interview.
   
   At the medical lab, Dr. Franklin is greeted by an old professor of
   his, Dr. Vance Hendricks. Hendricks offers Franklin an "adventure,
   very possibly the biggest adventure you've ever had." Hendricks,
   however, does not explain anything to Franklin yet--he explains that
   Franklin will find out in due time.
   
   At the customs center on B5, material entering the station is checked
   for security reasons--any organic matter or other, possibly dangerous
   substances must be quarantined. At this particular time, a seemingly
   uneventful search is being carried out. However, the attendant
   carrying out the search notices a possible security violation in the
   cargo of a certain individual, Nelson Drake--it appears that one of
   his suitcases is arranged so as to hide something. "If I didn't know
   any better, I might think you were trying to smuggle something in,"
   comments the attendant on duty. Nelson waits for the appropriate
   moment, then kills the attendant-- and brings his contraband material
   aboard the station.
   
   [INLINE] Inspecting the cargo.
   
   Dr. Franklin is called to examine the attendant that was killed. He
   finds that the attendant was almost certainly died of natural
   causes--a heart attack. However, at the insistence of Garibaldi and
   Sinclair (who has arrived back at the station), Franklin agrees to
   perform a thorough autopsy.
   
   Franklin returns to the medical lab in order to meet with Dr.
   Hendricks to find out what this "adventure" was that Hendricks spoke
   about. Hendricks explains that he needs Franklin's help to study some
   artifacts found at a recent dig on an alien planet. First, he
   introduces Franklin to his assistant--none other than Nelson Drake.
   Nelson opens the container that holds the artifacts--
   
   --and a sudden energy spike is detected on the bridge.
   
   Meanwhile, at the medical lab, Hendricks explains that he was on a dig
   at Ikarra VII, sponsored by a corporation known as "Interplanetary
   Expeditions." He found some thousand-year-old Ikarran artifacts sealed
   deeply in a vault. He asks Franklin to run these artifacts through his
   medical scanners. Franklin complies and (as Hendricks apparently
   expected) finds that the artifacts are composed of living tissue--they
   are an example of organic technology--"the one trick that Earth hasn't
   been able to crack," according to Hendricks. Franklin is amazed, but
   suddenly asks Hendricks why he wasn't informed of these artifacts as
   soon as Hendricks arrived on the station--since organic material must
   be quarantined before it is allowed on the station. Hendricks simply
   replies that the quarantine was undergone at their previous location.
   When Franklin comments that there are surely better facilities back on
   Earth, Hendricks only insists that he needs someone he can trust.
   Hendricks entices Franklin, saying that Franklin will achieve his
   dream of "going down in the history books" if he goes along with
   Hendricks. Franklin, at length, agrees.
   
   Later, Nelson is in his quarters when one of the artifacts seems to
   come alive. It releases a powerful energy surge toward Nelson, which
   propels him across the room. This energy surge apparently has had some
   physiological effect on Nelson, who notices (a short time after) that
   his skin is undergoing some type of metamorphosis.
   
   On the bridge, Sinclair is questioning Garibaldi about the dead
   customs attendant--he wonders if the autopsy has shown anything yet.
   The death, according to Garibaldi, still seems to have been a natural
   one--nothing abnormal has been found yet, although the autopsy is not
   yet complete. Ivanova reports that some unusual energy readings have
   been detected--she is presently investigating them. Further, she
   reminds Sinclair of his interview with the ISN reporter. Sinclair
   acknowledges this, but it is clear the is not looking forward to it.
   Garibaldi asks him why he is so adverse to this interview; Sinclair
   replies that the last time he was called for an interview (in which he
   was instructed to "relax and say what I really felt"), he was shortly
   transferred to a far-away outpost as a result.
   
   Franklin and Hendricks have meanwhile, for the last fifteen hours,
   been studying the organic artifacts. Franklin suddenly asks Hendricks
   what will happen when and if they finally figure out how the organic
   technology works. Hendricks replies that they will sell it to an Earth
   corporation, but Franklin expresses a certain resentment at
   this--Franklin says how he always thought Hendricks was the kind of
   man who made his own discoveries, rather than stole them from old
   alien civilizations. "Granted, this may be important," says Franklin,
   "but ... it's a shortcut.... Feels a little like grave-robbing."
   Hendricks replies that the only way to really explore the galaxy is
   through corporation grants--he explains the wondrous things he's seen
   on corporation-financed missions. Franklin then confronts Hendricks
   with the fact that he cannot find any information on the corporation
   that supposedly financed the expedition on which these artifacts were
   discovered. Hendricks avoids the question and promises to explain
   everything the following day.
   
   Garibaldi is meeting with the reporter, trying to explain to her about
   his background with Sinclair and B5. She interrupts him, and confronts
   him with that background: "I've come across several rumors surrounding
   your record prior to Babylon 5," she says. "That you were fired five
   times for unspecified personal problems and that this is your last
   chance to make good." Garibaldi vehemently denies comment.
   
   The organic artifacts, in Nelson's quarters, are strengthening their
   hold over Nelson. He is falling more and more under their control.
   
   When Dr. Franklin next enters the medical lab, he is surprised to find
   Nelson standing there. Nelson has undergone some strange
   metamorphosis; he shoots Franklin, saying only one word: "Protect."
   
   Later, Garibaldi is informing Sinclair about the incident that just
   happened to Franklin. They both go to visit Franklin in the infirmary.
   Franklin explains to them that the weapon Nelson used to shoot him had
   a similar design to the organic artifacts. Garibaldi is surprised to
   hear that the artifacts are organic; he asks Franklin if they were
   checked at customs. Franklin can only reply that Hendricks told him
   that they were checked--he can't offer any guarantee.
   
   Nelson is meanwhile walking around some obscure level of B5. He has
   undergone an extreme metamorphosis; he is no longer recognizable as
   Nelson.
   
   Sinclair goes to confront Dr. Hendricks. Sinclair tells him that,
   according to Franklin, the armor that Nelson was wearing was very
   similar to the organic artifacts that Hendricks brought aboard.
   Garibaldi adds that the artifacts were brought on to the station
   illegally--somehow, they were not put through the required quarantine,
   either on B5 or at Hendricks's previous location. Hendricks says that
   he knows as little as Sinclair and Garibaldi know--he says that Nelson
   told him that they were, indeed, quarantined. However, Sinclair
   explains that, whether or not Nelson was under Hendricks's orders,
   Hendricks will be held personally responsible for the incident.
   Hendricks, when asked, says that the organic artifacts have limited
   energy and might attach themselves to another organism to achieve
   mobility; he cannot, however, explain why they may have attached
   themselves to Nelson but to no one else who has been exposed to them.
   He guesses that the artifacts are now controlling Nelson; he cannot,
   however, explain =why= the artifacts might take him over. He says that
   he will need to study the artifacts further in order to figure out
   their purpose and methods. Sinclair allows him to assist Franklin in
   further research.
   
   Nelson, under the control of the artifacts, shoots and kills a group
   of people who walk by him (on the obscure level where he was walking
   before). Again, he says, "Protect!"
   
   [INLINE] "Protect!"
   
   Simultaneously, on the bridge, another energy surge is detected. They
   pinpoint the location of the surge and determine that it is 20% more
   powerful than the previous surge.
   
   Garibaldi reports that there are two deaths on the level known as
   "Grey-13." Garibaldi leads a security team to that area. Sinclair
   calls a "Level 2 Alert." Just then, the reporter from ISN enters the
   bridge, claiming to be interested in whatever problem is
   occurring--"the people have a right to know"; Sinclair orders her to
   leave.
   
   Garibaldi's security team has found Nelson. The team fires at Nelson,
   but Nelson is unharmed. Nelson continues toward the place that he was
   originally heading.
   
   Franklin, while studying the artifacts with Hendricks, discovers a
   certain device in Nelson's belongings. He hides the device from
   Hendricks's view. Meanwhile, the study of the artifacts continues.
   
   Sinclair, meanwhile, guesses that Nelson is heading toward the Central
   Corridor, the area with the greatest population and, consequently, the
   area where Nelson can do the most damage. Ivanova reports that,
   although Nelson must rest after every time he attacks, his periods of
   rest are becoming shorter--and his power is increasing each time.
   Sinclair realizes that their next chance to stop Nelson may be their
   last chance.
   
   Franklin has finally accesses the memory banks of the artifacts; he
   reports to Sinclair what he has found: In the course of Ikarran
   history, the Ikarrans were invaded many times. Because of these
   repeated attacks, they created organic weapons to use against their
   enemies. Because it would take too long to create an
   artificially-intelligent weapon, they incorporated the personality
   matrix and brain patterns of one of their researchers, known as Tumar.
   Because of the possibility, however, that their enemies might "fool"
   the weapons (for the weapons have personalities), the Ikarrans
   programmed their weapons not to accept commands from anyone but "pure
   Ikarrans." However, as Franklin points out (with a bit of disgust),
   there is no clear way to define a "pure" Ikarran--"no one is pure," he
   says. Franklin continues to explain that a coalition of religious
   fanatics and military extremists defined what it meant to be a "pure"
   Ikarran-- their standards were based on ideology rather than science.
   (Sinclair points out the similarities to Hitler's "perfect Aryan" idea
   in WWII). Unfortunately for everyone involved, after the weapons
   killed the enemies of the Ikarrans, they turned on the Ikarrans
   themselves, killing anyone who didn't =perfectly= match the standards
   of what a "pure Ikarran" was. They kept killing everyone until the
   last Ikarran was dead. Then, through centuries of disuse and neglect,
   the weapons failed. However, the artifacts that Hendricks discovered
   contained one of these weapons--and it has activated itself by
   attaching itself onto Nelson. Sinclair has an idea how to stop it: if
   the weapon has a personality, he will try to contact that personality
   and reason with it, thereby attempting to bypass the programming.
   
   First, however, Garibaldi and Sinclair set up an extremely powerful
   attack against Nelson. The attack fails completely; it doesn't even
   slow Nelson down.
   
   [INLINE] Nelson under attack.
   
   Sinclair, therefore, feels he has no other choice but to try to speak
   with the personality--with Tumar. "I'm going to try to make it mad,"
   says Sinclair; he explains that, by speaking with the personality of
   the weapon, he will try to lure Nelson to the docking area, which they
   can detach and eject--"armored or not, nothing can live in a vacuum."
   Garibaldi objects, but Sinclair goes anyway.
   
   Sinclair speaks to the weapon. He attempts to anger it by saying
   (truthfully) that the Ikarran race is dead. Sinclair's plan
   works--Nelson follows him to the airlock. Sinclair explains the whole
   situation to Nelson--how the weapons failed in their mission, and how
   Ikarra was destroyed by their own hand. "Your own people-- how pure
   were they? They didn't feed you facts; they fed you propaganda. They
   programmed you with standards of genetic purity no one could
   match--not even your own people." Then, at the last minute, Sinclair
   tells the weapon to search Nelson's memory (for Nelson has seen the
   dead Ikarra). The weapon does this, and realizes that what Sinclair
   has said is true. He is suddenly overwhelmed with guilt; he drops to
   his knees, asking his long dead race to forgive him. Then, he destroys
   the organic artifact that has taken over Nelson--Nelson's
   metamorphosis is thereby undone, and Nelson falls to the grounds, rid
   of the artifact.
   
   Later, after the whole incident has passed, Franklin confronts
   Hendricks. He explains that he found a cardiac stimulator in Nelson's
   belongings--the device, if used on a healthy person, can precipitate a
   heart attack. Further, Franklin explains that he has found two small
   marks in the skin of the dead customs attendant-- marks which were so
   small that they were overlooked; the marks perfectly match the cardiac
   stimulator's prongs. Franklin tells Hendricks that he has spoken with
   Nelson, and that Nelson confirms Franklin's suspicions: Nelson was
   acting under Hendricks's orders the whole time. Hendricks admits that
   this is true; he explains that "Interplanetary Expeditions," the
   corporation that financed the Ikarran dig, is a front for a
   bio-weapons supplier. Hendricks says that he suspected that the
   artifacts were organic weapons, so, instead of turning in the
   artifacts right away for standard commission, he came to Franklin in
   order to study them. If the artifacts were indeed bio-weapons, he
   felt, they would be worth millions--or more.
   
   "You deliberately endangered a quarter of a million humans and aliens
   just to raise your profit margin?" asks Franklin.
   
   Hendricks explains that he was sure he could control the artifacts--he
   never expected any harmful incident. He also says that he didn't know
   the customs guard was murdered--Nelson said that he would handle it,
   so Hendricks didn't question him. Franklin realizes that this was why
   the weapon attached itself to Nelson, not to anyone else--the program
   needed someone willing to kill. Hendricks makes one final appeal to
   Franklin--he asks Franklin not to turn him in. If Franklin doesn't
   turn him in, says Hendricks, then they will share the profits of the
   sale of the artifacts. However, just at that moment, two security
   guards arrive. "It's too late," says Franklin, almost sadly.
   
   Meanwhile, Garibaldi confronts Sinclair on another matter. To do
   justice to this scene, I feel I must include Garibaldi's dialogue
   verbatim: "The whole stations talking about how you were willing to
   risk your life to stop that thing.... This is the third time in the
   last year you've put yourself on the line like this.... Jeff, you're
   my friend. You've been my friend a lot longer than you've been my
   commanding officer so I think I'm entitled to say this. We were both
   in Earth Force during the war; I wasn't on the line but I did my
   share. I know a lot of guys who came out of the war--changed. Some
   came out better; some came out worse. A lot of them have this problem:
   the war gave them definition, direction, purpose. Without it, they
   don't know how to fit in anymore, so they keep looking for ways to go
   in a blaze of glory. Some people call that being a hero--maybe so. I
   don't know; I've never been one. Me? I think they're looking for
   something worth dying for because it's easier than finding something
   worth living for."
   
   Sinclair sadly, thoughtfully admits that he doesn't have an answer to
   this--although he also admits that he should.
   
   Franklin and Ivanova are speaking in the war. He expresses his disgust
   at fundamental ideals of "purity" and "perfection"--he wonders if what
   just happened is a preview of what's to come, mentioning that there
   are many hate groups on Earth targeted against aliens. Ivanova replies
   that she doesn't think that humanity would be so foolish--that,
   hopefully, they could learn from the past. Just at the moment,
   however, two officials walk up to Franklin, demanding that he turn
   over the artifacts to them, on authority of Earth Force Defense,
   Bio-Weapons Division, in order that they can study them for purposes
   of planetary security.
   
   The reporter has finally caught up with Sinclair, and the interview
   has been carried out. The reporter asks Sinclair if, after what he's
   been through, he feels that it's worth it for humanity to continue
   their presence in space. "We have to stay here," he replies.
   "Eventually our sun will grow cold, and go out." When this happens, he
   explains, the entire culture of Earth will be destroyed--a culture and
   history that he feels are worth preserving. Therefore, humanity must
   go to the stars.
   
   Shawn Bayern _bayern@cshl.org_
     _________________________________________________________________
                                      
   Copyright 1994, Shawn Bayern. All rights reserved. Permission is
   granted to distribute this synopsis _noncommercially_ as long as the
   synopsis and this copyright notice remain intact. Babylon 5 is a
   copyright of the PTN Consortium; no infringement of that copyright is
   intended by writing these synopses.

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      [15]Last update: September 16, 1997

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