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  Synopsis by Matthew Murray (mmurray@wsu.edu)
  
   Ivanova is furious at news Sheridan brings: in order to help Babylon 5
   become more self-sufficient, Babylon 5 is going to be merchandised.
   Sheridan explains that the Zocalo is opening a gift shop so that
   anyone who wants a present for someone, or themselves, can buy it and
   help out the station. Ivanova is quite angry at this. "This is
   demeaning. I mean, we're not some...some deep space franchise! This
   station is about something!" Sheridan explains that her anger will
   make her the ideal person to oversee the efforts of the gift shop to
   make sure that no one on the station is demeaned. Sheridan explains
   that he has to meet with Ambassador Kosh for another lesson in
   understanding. He doesn't understand what he will be taught, but
   realizes that he probably won't after he has been taught either.
   Before he goes, he requests Ivanova pick up a Babylon 5 baseball
   cap... for his sister.
   
   [INLINE] "_Me?_"
   
   On his way to the Zocalo, Sheridan runs into someone walking down the
   corridor. Though everything seems fine at first, Sheridan soon
   realizes that his link has been stolen. He sees the man running on a
   catwalk above him, and he gives chase. While doing so, he is
   intercepted by a Minbari who attacks him and throws him to the ground,
   just near a PPG. He picks up the PPG and warns the Minbari to stay
   away. "Death first!" is the Minbari's response as he reaches for
   something. Sheridan fires. The force of the blast knocks the Minbari
   down some stairs. Sheridan gets to his feet and, as he surveys the
   situation, he sees another Minbari standing there, watching the
   proceedings. The Minbari quickly leaves.
   
   [INLINE] Sheridan is attacked.
   
   Sheridan explains to Ambassador Delenn and Garibaldi what happened,
   though they both find the situation strange, as no weapon was found on
   the body. Garibaldi explains that it was only self-defense, but Delenn
   tells them that the Minbari, Levell, comes from a very esteemed
   family, and that her government wants answers. Sheridan apologizes,
   but Delenn is not satisfied. "These are perilous times. We must do all
   we can to avoid another conflict between our people over a
   misunderstanding." Garibaldi tells Delenn that he has begun an
   investigation in order to discover what happened, but Delenn tells him
   that she has been ordered to begin an investigation of her own.
   Garibaldi protests, but Delenn will not listen, claiming it is the
   only way to decide whether or not Sheridan should be charged with
   murder. Sheridan orders Garibaldi to find the Minbari, which will
   prove to be a difficult task, given that Sheridan cannot give a
   detailed description.
   
   Vir receives a transmission from Centauri Prime on Londo's behalf.
   
   Garibaldi is talking to one of the Minbari on the station, who says
   that he was not present at the attack, which Garibaldi believes,
   since, as the Minbari explains, Minbari do not lie. Garibaldi asks if
   the Minbari knew who did it, and the Minbari accuses him of being
   threatening. Before it can go any further, Lennier arrives and asks to
   speak to the Minbari privately, which Garibaldi reluctantly allows.
   
   [INLINE] "If you're finished, Mr. Garibaldi?"
   
   Garibaldi and Sheridan walk down the hall, talking about the
   situation. Garibaldi explains that Lennier always seems to be a step
   ahead of his investigation, though they both hope that Lennier is not
   orchestrating a cover-up. Sheridan asks about his link, but Garibaldi
   says that it hadn't been used, and had probably been destroyed.
   Sheridan asks why someone would take his link, and Garibaldi explained
   that it was definitely something that Sheridan would want back, which
   would make sense if the man wanted to be chased.
   
   They go into MedLab, where Dr. Franklin explains the result of the
   autopsy. He says that it was indeed a PPG that killed the Minbari, but
   that there is nothing that proves Sheridan innocent of an unprovoked
   attack. Garibaldi asks Sheridan where he found the PPG, and Sheridan
   tells him, though Garibaldi finds this suspicious as well. Garibaldi
   suggests that the PPG was planted, because no member of the Minbari
   warrior caste would carry one, and that the whole plot was merely to
   set Sheridan up.
   
   Walking through the corridor near the newly established Babylon
   Emporium, Talia literally runs into Vir. He is holding a drink and
   seems quite shaken up. Talia asks him if he is okay, but Vir cannot
   come up with an answer. He says that he can't stay, and seems to find
   a great deal of humor in that remark. He vanishes into the crowd
   before she can say anything else.
   
   Delenn and Lennier are talking to the Minbari, Ashan, who witnessed
   Sheridan's killing of Levell. Despite his being in the same clan as
   Lennier, he is being quite uncooperative, and will not answer any of
   Delenn's questions. "I answer to other Minbari," he tells her. "Not
   freaks." Hurt by this, she quickly exits, leaving Lennier to deal with
   Ashan. "You have insulted her," Lennier says. "Her presence insulted
   me," replies Ashan. Despite his feelings, he does offer to answer any
   questions Lennier might have.
   
   [INLINE] "Not _freaks._"
   
   Sheridan tells Delenn and Lennier that, despite whatever the feelings
   of the Minbari government are, he wants to see Ashan immediately.
   After they leave, Garibaldi suggests that, because of the Minbari's
   feelings, that might not be a good idea. Sheridan tells Garibaldi that
   he has to try to reason with Ashan, so that he can figure out why
   Ashan is lying about the incident, and that he doesn't want to disrupt
   life on the station any more than necessary.
   
   Ivanova is looking around the Babylon 5 Emporium, inspecting the wide
   variety of T-shirts, dolls, models, and even teddy bears. She is also
   surprised by a human wearing a mask which makes him look exactly like
   an alien. She turns around, only to find an alien wearing a human
   mask. Somewhat startled and surprised, she makes a hasty exit.
   
   [INLINE] Ivanova inspects the merchandise.
   
   A well-dressed woman, with a brief case, enters the docking bay, and
   meets up with Zack Allan. She tells him that she wants to meet with
   Captain Sheridan. Allan asks her if she is expected. "No," she says.
   "Dreaded."
   
   Sheridan asks Ashan why he would attack Levell, who merely answers
   Sheridan by calling him Starkiller. Sheridan tries to explain to him
   that what happened should remain in the past, but Ashan does not
   agree. "Was it not an Earth man who said that those who do not listen
   to history will repeat it? The Minbari listen. Very carefully." Delenn
   and Lennier ask Ashan if it is possible that he could be making a
   mistake in what he claims he say, but Ashan insists that he did not,
   and asks on what side their loyalties lie. Lennier responds that they
   want only to reveal the truth. Zack Allan and the woman enter, and the
   woman introduces herself as Guinevere Corey, Sheridan's lawyer. When
   she asks what they are discussing, Sheridan responds that they are
   discussing the truth, which she calls "the favorite song of the
   legally ignorant." Delenn asks if they are finished with their
   discussion, but Guinevere answers affirmatively for Sheridan. Delenn,
   Lennier, and Ashan leave.
   
   As they leave the office, Lennier and Ashan bid each other goodbye,
   and Lennier comments that the situation does not look good for Captain
   Sheridan. Delenn says that the situation should not exist at all, and
   that Sheridan's personality isn't consistent with Ashan's statement,
   which she labels "dubious."
   
   Sheridan tells Guinevere that he doesn't appreciate her calling him
   ignorant in front of other people, and she changes her choice of words
   to "naive." He claims that he doesn't need a lawyer, but she tells him
   that she was rerouted here because EarthDome has decided to proceed
   with an indictment against him. Sheridan is taken aback, and doesn't
   understand why they decided to do that. She says that the only
   solution that is good for Earth is if they go to trial and take the
   judgment he is given, but that she doesn't believe they can convict
   beyond a reasonable doubt. Sheridan thinks she is hiding something,
   and she is. She explains that, because of the trouble this will cause,
   Sheridan will have to step down as the Commander of Babylon 5 in any
   event.
   
   [INLINE] Sheridan confronts Guinevere Corey.
   
   Sheridan returns to his quarters and expresses his frustration and his
   doubts to Ivanova, who offers her support and leaves him to rest.
   Sheridan is about to relax when the door chimes. This time, it is
   Ambassador Kosh, who has come for the lesson. Sheridan says that he
   isn't in the correct frame of mind for the lesson, which was
   interrupted earlier. "Precisely the correct time," Kosh tells him.
   "Come." Sheridan tries to protest, but ends up going with Ambassador
   Kosh to the lesson.
   
   Zack Allan enters Garibaldi's office, and Garibaldi gives Allan the
   file on Ashan, telling him to keep an eye on him, but not provoke him,
   just so they can find out what he is up to, and if he is hiding
   anything.
   
   Sheridan and Kosh appear together, walking through one of the most
   inhospitable parts of Downbelow. Sheridan tells Kosh that he doesn't
   understand why he is there. "Good," responds Kosh. After a brief walk,
   they reach their destination, an access panel in a dead end. Kosh
   instructs Sheridan to go inside. Sheridan asks why, and asks what is
   inside. "One moment of perfect beauty," explains Kosh. Sheridan goes
   through the access panel.
   
   [INLINE] "You want me to go in _there?_"
   
   The area is very cluttered, and the ceiling low, but he eventually
   finds what Kosh sent him to look for: a strange, hunched-over figure
   wearing a robe. Sheridan explains that he was sent to find this place,
   but the being only pushes forward a small dish. Sheridan explains that
   he doesn't carry money, but cannot convince the figure. He removes his
   stat bar, which shows his position in Earth Force, and places it in
   the dish, which the being quickly removes. The area is then filled
   with many strange and beautiful patterns of orange light playing off
   the cloaks of other figures who Sheridan hadn't noticed. The area
   comes alive with the sound of a Gregorian chant, which Sheridan drinks
   in.
   
   [INLINE] Beauty in the dark.
   
   Vir is sitting alone with a drink at the bar, when Londo comes up to
   him. Though it is only Vir's second drink, it is obvious he is upset,
   and Londo asks why he is acting that way. Vir doesn't understand how
   Londo can criticize, after all the things he has done. Vir explains
   that he is having a difficult time doing his job, which consists
   mostly of keeping Londo's secrets. Londo offers to send Vir home, but
   Vir knows he can't return to his family. "Do you think that if they
   wanted me around that I'd even be here? They just wanted be
   anywhere--anywhere away. They had me sent here two years ago because,
   frankly, there wasn't much competition for the job. This was a joke to
   them. Before I left, my uncle said to me, 'You and I deserve each
   other.'" Londo tells him that is no longer true, which Vir knows only
   too well. He tells Londo that Centauri Prime is sending someone new
   for his position, which has become "too important," and that they are
   sending someone better prepared for the task. Vir says that he doesn't
   know what to do, because he feels as if he isn't wanted anywhere, and
   that he has no way to escape from his problems. He apologizes to Londo
   for getting him involved, and quickly stands up and walks away. Londo
   begins after him, but is distracted by a group of women, mostly
   Centauri, at a table nearby, laughing at a doll of Londo. Intrigued,
   he snatches it away.
   
   [INLINE] Londo comforts Vir.
   
   Sheridan and Kosh are in the elevator, returning from the lesson.
   Sheridan thanks Kosh for the lesson, and Kosh exits the elevator.
   Ivanova enters, and Sheridan explains what he learned. "Beauty...in
   the dark." Ivanova comments that the lessons must be working, because
   he is beginning to talk just like a Vorlon.
   
   Delenn enters her chambers and finds Lennier there. She tells him that
   she was arranging to have Levell's body prepared due to the customs of
   his clan, and that she thinks there is some information that Lennier
   needs to see. She plays it on a monitor, and Lennier reads it.
   
   Meanwhile, Sheridan and Ivanova are walking down one of the station's
   corridors when an elevator door opens, and Londo steps out, angrily
   brandishing the doll in his likeness. "Captain! Commander! Can we
   talk?"
   
   Ashan is running through some corridors on the station, as if looking
   for something. He vanishes behind a corner, and Zack Allan, who had
   been following him, steps out. He tries to find out which way Ashan
   went, but before he can give chase, two hands come down on him and
   knock him out. Lennier has been following Ashan as well.
   
   Lennier runs after Ashan, and comes across him, talking to the cloaked
   man who stole Sheridan's link. Ashan and Lennier prepare to attack
   each other, and Lennier says that he wanted to prove Ashan's
   innocence, but now sees that, since he was talking to the man who
   stole Sheridan's link, his story was false after all, and that he
   would have been discovered by station security had Lennier not
   intervened. Ashan doesn't understand why Lennier would believe the
   word of sation personnel over his word, and Lennier explains it is
   because Delenn believes it, and she is honorable, and he honors her
   words. "What do you honor, Ashan? The truth, or the obligations of our
   clan?" Before he can say another word, Ashan escapes.
   
   [INLINE] Lennier and Ashan face off.
   
   Londo says that the Centauri Government will not allow insults such as
   the doll. Ivanova says that it is just a doll, and that it wasn't even
   constructed by station personnel. Londo calls the doll a mockery,
   since it doesn't have any...attributes. It takes Ivanova and Sheridan
   a minute, but they finally realize. "You feel like you're being
   symbolically cas...t in a bad light," Ivanova tells him. Sheridan
   ordrs Ivanova to go and have all the dolls removed from the Imporium,
   which she does.
   
   "I do not lie when I say this could have been a major embarassment to
   all concerned," Londo says.
   
   "Oh, I'm sure, Ambassador," Sheridan says. "You don't lie, the Minbari
   don't lie, no one around here..."
   
   "Who said the Minbari don't lie?" Londo suddenly realizes his mistake,
   but it is too late, for Sheridan has noticed it as well and asks Londo
   what he knows. Londo explains. "A certain Minbari once lied to save a
   certain Centauri Ambassador from embarrassment. Apparently, there is
   honor in helping another save face." Sheridan then realizes that they
   would lie to protect someone's honor, but that he doesn't know who, or
   what, is being protected. Londo leaves, and Sheridan receives a
   message from C&C, saying that a Minbari Embassy representative from
   Earth wants to speak to him. Sheridan has them put it through.
   
   Delenn is sitting alone at the rock garden when Sheridan enters and
   sits with her. He explains to her that her government wants Ashan
   taken from the station, and sent back to the Minbari homeworld. With
   that important witness gone, there can be no trial, which will be a
   relief to Earth, though there will be much doubt left behind.
   Sheridan's credibility will be destroyed, which he believes some may
   have wanted from the beginning. Delenn moves away and doesn't face
   him. He tells her that he knows how it feels to be all alone, but she
   tells him that she is truly alone, as she is completely isolated from
   her world and her government. He asks her why she said the Minbari
   don't lie, if they will to save another's honor. "You must understand,
   Captain, that there is no greater honor among my people than to serve.
   They work for generations to create a legacy, a tradition. In the
   service of their clan, they are ready to sacrifice everything. Their
   individuality, their blood, their life." Sheridan tells her that this
   is a common occurrence and that larger ideals can't be preserved if
   small ones are sacrificed. Delenn gets up and tells Sheridan to follow
   her.
   
   [INLINE] "Come with me."
   
   Ashan up with Lennier, who gives him parting instructions. Lennier
   says that he will go to the Captain and explain his involvement with
   Levell's death. Ashan says Lennier had nothing to do with it, but
   Lennier tells him that, as a member of Ashan's clan, he is equally
   responsible. Ashan tells him that, if he does that, he will dishonor
   himself and their clan, but Lennier says that he will retain honor, by
   protecting Ashan, though their clan will dishonored. Ashan explains
   that it was their clan's leaders who decided to go ahead with the plan
   without the blessing of the Minbari government, because they were
   angered at the appointment of Sheridan as commander of Babylon 5. He
   explains that Sheridan destroyed the Black Star by mining an asteriod
   field, sending a fake distress signal, thus luring the ships in there.
   He doesn't believe Sheridan has any honor. Lennier explains that he
   lost family on the Black Star as well, but asks if there is any more
   honor in this betrayal. Lennier asks why Ashan was talking to the
   human who stole Sheridan's link, and Ashan explains that Levell paid
   him to lure Sheridan away, and provided a weapon for Sheridan's use.
   He says that Levell, as a member of their clan, must be protected.
   Delenn, Sheridan, Garibaldi, and Guinevere Corey appear from behind a
   door and confront Ashan.
   
   [INLINE] Protecting the clan's honor.
   
   Sheridan explains that Delenn received Levell's burial instructions,
   and that saving the honor of their clan was the one thing that could
   cause Ashan to lie. Lennier reveals a small recording device he used
   during the conversation. The door to the room opens, and Zack Allan
   leds Ashan away. Guinevere asks Delenn if the Minbari government will
   contest their action, but Delenn says that whomever is responsible
   will never take responsibility for what happened. Sheridan asks if a
   public confession is really what they want; he tells Delenn that he is
   willing to turn over all the information as long as Ashan promises to
   make a statement about what he saw, with no attention at all paid to
   the clan loyalty, or any other background, and that they will leave
   Levell's motive as one more mystery. "And around here, who'll notice
   one more?"
   
   Vir is in Londo's quarters, still drinking, and with a considerable
   hangover. Londo asks Vir how quickly he can pack, since his
   replacement arrived a few hours earlier. Vir begins to leave, but
   Londo stops him, saying that he should pack Londo's things first. Vir
   asks why Londo wants him to pack his belongings, and Londo explains
   that he explained to the Centauri homeworld that if Vir goes, he goes
   as well. Londo told them he considers Vir a good worker, and that he
   needed Vir to work with him, which astonished Vir's family. Londo
   tells Vir that he hasn't treated him very well, but that he can change
   the way he acts. He asks Vir to stay, and says that if Vir leaves, he
   will have to as well, and, should that happen, he will have to kill
   Vir. "What are friends for?" Londo leaves, but not before Vir thanks
   him. Londo also explains to Vir that he invited Vir's entire family to
   stay with him for a once, knowing he wouldn't mind. Vir tries to
   protest, but Londo is already gone. Vir goes back to his drinking.
   
   Sheridan and Ivanova meet together, and he asks her how the Babylon 5
   store is going; he now believes it's a good idea to help defray
   operating expenses. She presents him with a teddy bear, dressed in a
   baseball jersey and cap, which he admires, including the motto on the
   back: Ba-bear-lon 5. He notices the bear's monogram, which reads J.
   S., which Ivanova tells him stands for John Sheridan. When this hits
   Sheridan, his cheery mood changes, and he orders Ivanova to have the
   store removed and everything gone by the next morning. She leaves to
   follow his orders, but not before he takes the bear from her.
   
   Warren Keffer, in one of the Zeta Squadron starfuries, flies away from
   Babylon 5. A communication comes in from the station. "Have you traced
   that unidentified object?" Keffer is in the midst of responding, when
   the starfury collides with a teddy bear. "Have you encountered
   unidentified object? Can you describe it?"
   
   [INLINE]
   
   "Negative, Babylon Control. I don't think so. Not on a bet. Heading
   back to the barn." Keffer pilots the starfury back to the station, as
   the teddy bear floats, suspended in space.

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      [15]Last update: February 25, 1996

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