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  Synopsis by Matthew Murray (i9717029@unicorn.it.wsu.edu)
  
   Ambassador Delenn is in her quarters, examining a mobile hanging
   there. Lennier comes in, asking why he was summoned. She tells him
   that she received a message from the Grey Council, saying that, now
   that the new leader is in place, she should return so it can be
   decided whether she can remain part of the Council, or should be
   removed from it. She tells him that she is leaving shortly, and is not
   certain if she will return, as they may remove her from Babylon 5 as
   well, because she made the decision to undergo her transformation. She
   tells him that she is leaving him as much information as possible
   about her work so that, in case she doesn't return, he will have
   everything he needs if someone else is assigned to the station. She
   says to him that she feels very alone. He takes her hand and tells her
   she will never be alone.
   
   [INLINE] "Never alone, Delenn."
   
   "The last two ships that came through sector 92," Commander Ivanova
   explains to Captain Sheridan, "both reported unusual sightings." He
   asks what details they provided, but she tells him that they
   discovered little more than a disturbance or flash of light, but that
   at least one transport just vanished in that area. Sheridan knows that
   it can't be the raiders, as they are out of commission, but something
   is clearly going on. He asks what squadrons are available to
   investigate, and she tells him that alpha and zeta squadrons are
   unavailable, and the leader of delta squadron is sick. She offers to
   reassign the leader's second to command, but Sheridan decides to do it
   himself. Ivanova insists he take a full escort with him, and he
   agrees, though she is still uneasy about his going on the mission.
   "I'll be in and out in an hour," he tells her. "What could go wrong?"
   
   Meanwhile, a group of several Narn ships is attacked by a huge ship.
   All of the Narn ships are destroyed, and the pilots killed, except for
   one Narn pilot, whom the ship brings into its depths with a blue beam.
   
   Lennier arrives in the docking bay, where Delenn is waiting, and he
   tells her that her flier is recharged, and can leave at any time. He
   has borrowed a flier as well and intends to accompany her. She tries
   to dissuade him, in case her disfavor with the Council becomes
   associated with him, but he insists.
   
   Sheridan arrives in his quarters and receives a message from Ivanova,
   telling him that his escort is ready for him and that General Hague is
   arriving earlier than planned. She complains that she should have been
   informed of the General's visit, but Sheridan tells her that it is a
   private matter, and nothing to worry about. And since he will have
   returned from his trip by the time the general arrives, there is
   nothing to worry about.
   
   Delenn and Lennier arrive at the Grey Council's ship. She tells him
   that he must wait outside while she enters the Council chamber. He
   tells her that he will wait, and pray, for her. "Until later, Satai,"
   he says to her as she enters the chamber.
   
   Sheridan and his escort explore sector 92, but they find no debris or
   strange radiation there. They prepare to return to the jumpgate and
   Babylon 5, when a jump point forms, and a large, strangely-configured
   ship emerges. Sheridan orders his people to take evasive action. The
   ship fires on him. He manages to eject right before his ship explodes,
   but most of the other starfury pilots aren't so lucky--with the
   exception of one starfury, the rest are destroyed trying to rescue the
   captain. The starfury that remains is disabled by a blast from the
   strange ship. The pilot, Lt. Ramirez, is the only one to see
   Sheridan's ejection pod be taken aboard the ship.
   
   [INLINE] [9][Movie] [10][Movie] Sheridan in peril.
   
   Ramirez receives a message from his computer, telling him that the
   ship has been severely disabled and that a leak in the fusion reactor
   has caused radiation in the ship to reach terminal levels. Since the
   communication system is not functioning, he redirects all the energy
   he can to the system controls, and re-enters the jumpgate he came
   through.
   
   Ivanova greets General Hague, who arrives in the docking bay. He asks
   where Captain Sheridan is, and Ivanova tells him that he had to look
   into another problem. Hague says it is unlike Sheridan to be late, but
   Ivanova tries to convince him that nothing is wrong, and takes Hague
   to C&C.
   
   Sheridan awakes to find himself in a strange, cavernous room on the
   alien ship, strapped to a table. He calls out, to see if his abductors
   are there, but no one answers. A panel opens in the ceiling and a
   strange device with surgical implements is lowered into the room above
   his head. Sheridan tries to shy away from the machine as it edges
   closer to his face.
   
   Delenn stands in her light at the Grey Council, surprised to find no
   other council members there. She addresses the Council in the
   traditional fashion, but is greeted only by Hedronn appearing out of
   the shadows, telling her that the rest of the Council will not come.
   She tells him that she was summoned, but Hedronn tells her that she
   was not called to serve on the Council, but rather receive judgement.
   She says she is allowed a hearing and entitled to defend herself, but
   Hedronn disagrees. "You were told to wait," he says to her, "before
   taking this action. Before becoming alien to us. You have been away
   from us for too long, Delenn. Your contact with the humans has changed
   more than your appearance. If you are no longer one of us, how can you
   be one of the Nine?" She tries to convince him that her heart has not
   changed, but he says that the Council no longer knows her heart. He
   tells her that the Council voted to remove her from their number.
   
   [INLINE] "You were told to wait."
   
   Before she leaves, she asks about her position as Ambassador to
   Babylon 5. He says they haven't decided on that yet, but that she has
   the right to make a statement to the Council. She thanks him and asks
   who her replacement to the Council was. Hedronn doesn't answer, and
   only says that she will be called when the Council is ready.
   
   Ivanova and General Hague are unable to contact Sheridan, and are
   about to try something else when Ramirez's starfury comes through the
   jump gate. Ivanova scans the ship, learning that it has been shot up
   pretty badly and there are minimal life signs. She calls down to
   MedLab to inform Dr. Franklin.
   
   Sheridan lies on the table, three spots on his face bleeding profusely
   as the alien device retracts into the ceiling. He calls out again, but
   there's no answer. A long metal bar falls to the floor as his
   restraints come off of their own accord. He sits up just in time to
   miss being hit by a Drazi wielding a similar metal bar. Sheridan tries
   to speak to the Drazi, but finds the only way he can communicate is by
   grabbing the metal rod and fighting. The alien doesn't respond to
   anything Sheridan says, but apparently is controlled by a device
   attached to its head. Sheridan asks who his captors are and why they
   are doing this, but receives no response. They continue fighting, and
   Sheridan eventually triumphs as the Drazi is accidentally impaled on
   his own weapon.
   
   Hoping the worst is over, Sheridan is surprised to see another alien
   appear, this time a Narn -- the same one captured by the aliens
   earlier -- swinging a sword at him furiously. The Narn says nothing to
   Sheridan, but is also apparently controlled by a device attached to
   his head. Sheridan and attempts to fight off the Narn, and suffers
   little more than a cut to the leg, but when the Narn corners Sheridan
   and has the chance to kill him, the Narn says to him, "Kill me!"
   Sheridan realizes that their alien abductors probably kidnapped them
   to do battle. Sheridan defends himself, eventually knocking the Narn
   to the ground. Sheridan checks the Narn and discovers that, luckily,
   he is still alive.
   
   [INLINE] "Kill me!"
   
   Dr. Franklin does everything he can to help Ramirez, but before he can
   even really begin to do anything, Ramirez dies. Garibaldi tries to
   convince Dr. Franklin that he did everything he could, but Franklin
   just backs off. Ivanova arrives and reports to Garibaldi that they
   learned from the starfury's data record that Sheridan has been taken
   aboard an alien vessel of unknown origin and design.
   
   The Grey Council has convened, and Delenn enters the Council chamber
   and stands in a blue light in the center of the other members. She
   addresses them. "For twenty cycles I have stood beside you as one of
   the Nine. I called many of you friends. Now you call me outcast. You
   know me. You know I believe in the task that is before us, the great
   war that is coming. I have not turned my back on you. In trying to
   help, I have sacrificed all that I was and all that I am. We can no
   longer allow ourselves to be separated by names and borders. Our two
   sides must unite or be destroyed. Do not make my sacrifice a vain one.
   Allow me to finish what I started. In the name of our friendship, the
   future of our people -- let me remain on Babylon 5."
   
   "I am more than happy to have you remain with the humans," a voice
   from behind her says. Delenn turns around, knowing that this is her
   successor. She says she doesn't know him, but he says she does. He
   removes his hood, and she recognizes him as Neroon of the Warrior
   Caste, from the Starrider's clan. Delenn doesn't understand. Valen
   chose three Minbari from each caste -- the Worker, the Religious, and
   the Warrior -- to serve on the Grey Council. Her replacement should
   have been from the Religious caste. She cannot understand why the
   Warrior caste had been given such great power. Neroon tells her that
   the Warrior caste is the caste that has suffered the most over the
   ages, dying as they defended the Minbari, and that, if a great war is
   coming, the Warrior caste should lead against it. She doesn't think
   the Warrior caste should be allowed to make policy. Neroon tells her
   that the Warrior caste was lied to and never told the reason for the
   Minbari surrender against the humans; if they'd known the truth, they
   never would have surrendered. He says that Delenn is an affront to the
   Minbari race and that she doesn't belong with either the Minbari or
   the humans, which makes her the perfect emissary. He tells her to go
   to Babylon 5 -- and stay there. The lights around the other Council
   members blink out, leaving Delenn alone in the chamber.
   
   [INLINE] All alone in the night.
   
   Sheridan sits beside the defeated Narn, who awakes to discover that
   Sheridan has removed the device on his head. Sheridan tells the Narn
   that there is no food or water for them. Sheridan says the Narn and
   the other alien were the only other living beings he's seen. He asks
   the Narn why they've been captured, and the Narn says they were
   captured as specimens so that their captors can study and analyze
   other races, possibly in preparation for an invasion. Sheridan tells
   the Narn that they are probably being tested to see how they react
   toward other species. Sheridan tells the Narn he will get him to a
   doctor, but that they must escape first. Sheridan asks the Narn why he
   wanted him to kill him. The Narn says, "There is no escape. Better to
   die," just as he falls unconcious.
   
   Delenn emerges from the Council chamber. "Satai Delenn?" Lennier asks,
   but she says that she is only Delenn now. She tells him that the Grey
   Council thinks she can best serve her people by staying on Babylon 5.
   Lennier says that the Council is very wise, so their decision must be
   correct. Delenn tries to convince Lennier to leave her and go home to
   his family, but he says that he will stay by her side. She remembers
   the first time they met; she wants them to be treated as equals now.
   "Very soon now, I will be going into darkness and fire. I do not know
   if I am fated to walk out again. If it is your choice to come with me,
   then I could not wish for a better, or braver, companion." They leave
   together.
   
   General Hague asks Ivanova about a recent sighting of the alien ship,
   and Ivanova tells him that they have attacked twice more, as if they
   are collecting specimens. Hague says that that may be their weakness
   -- the longer they take collecting specimens, the more time Babylon 5
   has to find them. Luckily, Ivanova enlisted the help of the alien
   ambassadors, and Hague put in some messages of his own. As he is
   telling Ivanova this, the Agamemnon, Captain Sheridan's previous
   command, enters through the jumpgate, ready to assist Babylon 5 as
   necessary.
   
   Sheridan is lying down in his alien prison, barely able to keep from
   falling asleep. Soon, he succumbs, and has a dream...
   
   ...He is in his own quarters, which are very dark. He turns, looks
   across the room, and sees Ivanova standing there, her hair draped over
   her left shoulder. She puts her finger over her mouth and says, "Shh."
   A large black raven appears on her shoulder. "Do you know who I am?"
   she asks him. He turns around and looks behind...
   
   ...and finds himself somewhere else, a corridor on Babylon 5. He looks
   above him and sees himself standing on a platform, bathed in an eerie
   white light. The Sheridan on the platform shifts his gaze. He sees
   another figure on the platform -- Garibaldi, also bathed in the white
   light, and with a small white bird, a dove, sitting on his shoulder.
   "The man in between is searching for you," Garibaldi tells Sheridan.
   Sensing another figure behind him, Sheridan turns...
   
   [INLINE]
   
   ...and finds himself wearing a black Psi-Cop uniform, complete with
   badge. He is facing a tall figure in a veil, again Ivanova. "You are
   the hand," she tells him. He finds himself wearing his normal uniform
   and turns around again...
   
   [INLINE]
   
   ...this time seeing Ambassador Kosh standing there. "Why are you
   here?" Sheridan asks him.
   
   "We were never away," Kosh intones. "For the first time, your mind is
   quiet enough to hear me."
   
   "Why am I here?"
   
   "You have always been here," Kosh says...
   
   ...and Sheridan awakes. He looks at the wall beside him and notices
   that it is, in fact, movable. He looks at the Narn's sword, sitting
   beside him, and begins developing a plan.
   
   Delenn and Lennier make contact with Babylon 5, telling them of their
   impending arrival. Delenn asks if there is a problem, and C&C tells
   them that Sheridan is missing. Delenn tells them to send her the
   information. After looking at the information, Delenn informs Babylon
   5 that she knows something about the ship they are searching for. "The
   ship which has taken Captain Sheridan is known to us. They are called
   the Streibs. Over the years, they have sent out ships to investigate
   defenses and acquire samples of any life forms they encountered. Their
   last expedition was into Minbari space. We tracked them back to their
   homeworld and made sure they understood the depth of their mistake."
   Delenn transmits the coordinates of the Streib homeworld.
   
   The Narn wakes as Sheridan attempts, with great difficulty, to open a
   door he has discovered. The Narn helps him as the ship is rocked --
   Sheridan believes it is because they jumped back into normal space,
   either stopping to pick up more life forms, or because they've arrived
   at the alien homeworld. The latter turns out to be true; the Agamemnon
   and several Starfuries emerge from a jump point near the Streib ship,
   guns blazing.
   
   [INLINE] [11][Movie] The Streibs under attack.
   
   Delenn contacts the Streibs and instructs them to release their
   prisoners. Sheridan and the Narn, surmising that the ship is under
   attack, use the distraction to lift the walls and finally escape
   beyond the room. The Narn wants Sheridan to leave him behind, but
   Sheridan will not do so. After taking care of a passing Streib, a
   survival pod opens up nearby. Sheridan grabs the Narn and drags him
   into one.
   
   At the same moment, the Streibs decide to eject all of their captives
   into space. This incenses Ivanova, who orders the Streibs to be
   destroyed, which the Agamemnon is easily able to accomplish with a few
   blasts. Ivanova determines that Captain Sheridan is sending her a
   signal, and Sheridan and the Narn are rescued.
   
   Back on Babylon 5, Sheridan asks Dr. Franklin how the Narn is, and he
   says that the Narn will live. When Sheridan asks Dr. Franklin if
   Ramirez will live, Dr. Franklin says that the radiation did him in.
   Sheridan feels sad that Ramirez had to die, and says he feels that
   such a young life being taken isn't fair. "No, it's not," Dr. Franklin
   tells him. "Death never is." Sheridan, still pondering the situation,
   leaves MedLab. In the hallway outside, he turns around and sees
   Ambassador Kosh.
   
   "You have always been here," Kosh tells him, and turns away.
   
   Sheridan is in his quarters when General Hague arrives. Hague
   activates a small device, which he explains is to counteract any
   listening devices that may be in the room. Sheridan expresses anger to
   the general that it has taken so long for someone to debrief him.
   Hague explains that this is due to the death of President Santiago,
   and asks what Sheridan learned. Sheridan tells him that Garibaldi,
   Ivanova, and the rest are all good, loyal officers, and that he
   doesn't like having to spy on them. Hague tells Sheridan that Santiago
   knew that Babylon 5 was important, and that, if he died, President
   Clark would appoint a "hard-nosed jarhead" to run it. Sheridan's
   record made him appear that way, so he was a perfect choice. Figuring
   that Sheridan was pliable, Clark would leave him alone, and he could
   perform certain actions without the President's knowledge. Hague
   explains that not everyone on Earth beleves President Santiago died in
   an accident, and he also tells Sheridan that, though many military
   officers probably had a part in the assassination, they weren't in
   charge. Sheridan guesses that the Psi Corps is to blame; Hague agrees.
   
   [INLINE] Talking to the General.
   
   Hague tells Sheridan that it is up to them to learn what is going on,
   and stop it, and Sheridan can use the resources of Babylon 5 to help
   without Clark suspecting. Sheridan asks how Hague can be so sure that
   he won't inform the government of Hague's plans, and Hague explains.
   "A soldier's record tells a lot about a person. Not just what he's
   done, but how he's done it, and why. You have an uncommon failing for
   someone in your position, Captain. You're a patriot. You believe as I
   do that when we put on this uniform, we took a solemn vow to protect
   Earth against threats from outside, and from within. It's a difficult
   decision. You risk losing your entire career if you say yes. Worse
   still, now that you've had a chance to evaluate your staff, you have
   to decide if you can trust them enough to bring them in on this,
   knowing that you're putting them in equal jeopardy." Sheridan says it
   isn't much of a reward, and Hague agrees. Hague tells him that they
   must do something immediately and that, when he leaves, he will go
   back to Earth and begin the operation. He says Sheridan's help is
   essential if they are to retake Earth's government, and asks Sheridan
   for his decision.
   
   Ivanova arrives outside Sheridan's quarters, and is let in, only to
   find Garibaldi and Franklin there with Sheridan. Sheridan tells her to
   sit down, and activates a device similar to Hague's to render any
   listening devices useless. "Ever since the death of president
   Santiago, something unpleasant's been going on back home. You know it,
   and I know it. We've stood by too long. That's going to change.
   Quietly, discreetly, an inch at a time--for now, strictly within the
   rules. We have to do something, or risk losing everything we hold
   dear. Now, we'll get some help from inside Earth Dome, but the bottom
   line: if anything goes wrong, we're on our own." He offers each of
   them the chance to leave before they hear something they may have to
   report, but each of them declines.
   
   "We're with you Captain," Ivanova says. "Wherever this goes, however
   it ends, we're with you."

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      [18]Last update: October 11, 1995

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