lurkers-guide/ftp/Synopses/046.Convictions

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  Synopsis by Katrina Glerum (kat@midwinter.com)
  
   Commander Ivanova finds Garibaldi and Zack busy mocking two Drazi
   missionaries seeking assistance in the docking bay; they claim to have
   been drawn to B5 by reports that Droshalla, a Drazi holy being has
   blessed the station. (In typical unfathomable Drazi fashion, their
   attempts to share Zack's blessing are easily transferred to a nearby
   plant.) With relative unconcern Ivanova asks Garibaldi to investigate
   a set of anonymous messages to C&C declaring a countdown to chaos. The
   threats become reality moments later when a lurker is blown to bits by
   a booby trap in Downbelow.
   
   Still in Docking, Zack's day improves further when the arrival of a
   chapter of monks interrupts his attempts to respond to the explosion.
   In Downbelow, the heavy damage and confusion mystify the crew.
   Although Garibaldi determines that it was a bomb, he can't find
   anything worth blowing up.
   
   Meanwhile Ivanova is unable to dissuade Brother Theo from his flock's
   determination to establish a mission on the station. When she points
   out that the aliens passing through B5 may not want to be preached at,
   that there is little space and that they will be in the way, he
   readily replies with both the words of the Bible and the fact that the
   monks themselves happen to be engineers and computer experts.
   
   Lennier is afflicted with a garrulous human neighbor while waiting in
   reception for Delenn to disembark. He rises to greet her at the gate
   just as there is an explosion in the corridor behind. Lennier hauls
   her forward then steps past the gate to hustle Ambassador Mollari (who
   happens to be arriving as well) to safety just as the pressure doors
   close. Delenn watches in horror through the transparent frame as
   Lennier is licked by flames and struck by falling objects.
   
   A staff meeting clarifies that these blasts are aimed at people, not
   installations, and are being effective in their apparent purpose of
   spreading chaos and terror. Sheridan orders martial law and the bomber
   watches its imposition with satisfaction. While Lennier hovers in a
   coma, G'Kar rails at Garibaldi about the Centauri responsibility for
   the explosions and Londo insists to the captain and commander that the
   Narn are widening the range of their terror tactics. But the truth is
   that there is no sense to the attacks, and no one is claiming
   responsibility.
   
   Londo manages to convince a doctor to let him stay with Lennier.
   Though his bedside manner probably needs improvement, Londo seems to
   have been genuinely moved by the young Minbari saving his life.
   
   Meanwhile security determines from a molecular trace of the bomb
   materials that they were stolen from an ice mine on Beta 7, and that
   the bomber seems to have struck before on Proxima 3. Garibaldi balks
   when Sheridan orders a full investigation of all traffic from there to
   B5 cross checked against possible gloaters filmed by security cameras
   after the blasts. Ivanova has the bright idea of putting the new
   engineering monks to use.
   
   Londo promises the unconscious Lennier to return, and departs on an
   errand. Upon finding the transport tube occupied by a smoldering
   G'Kar, at first he refuses to enter, but an instant later he leaps
   inside to escape a rush of flame from a bomb blast further down the
   corridor. Two hours later he rouses to find himself trapped in the
   damaged tube under the pitiless eyes of the former Narn ambassador.
   Londo proposes a plan of escape before the flames outside suffocate
   them, but with exquisite mirth G'Kar refuses. Though he'd like to live
   he would be delighted to watch Mollari die.
   
   The monks are successful, and Brother Theo points out to Garibaldi the
   most likely suspect. As a tac team in full armor assembles to go after
   the bomber, G'Kar croons and cackles to his nemesis, "Not many fishes
   left in the sea/Not many fishes, just Londo and me."
   
   The team gathers near the bomber's quarters, but he's prepared for
   them and demands to speak to the captain alone. Sheridan stuffs his
   link down his pants and agrees to go in to negotiate. Garibaldi orders
   C&C not to let anyone beep the captain under any circumstances. The
   bomber wants free passage off the station, but lets slip that the
   deadman switch he carries will set off a bomb to make the station
   explode like the sun. This twigs Garibaldi to the fusion reactor. He
   sends a squad to check it out, and as they scramble into action the
   bomber attempts to terrorize the captain. All he manages is to get
   Sheridan thoroughly infuriated with his threats, and to send his own
   nerves haywire. Why is he bombing things? His only reason is that the
   times are chaotic.
   
   The squad finds the bomb in the reactor, just before Sheridan sits on
   his link. When he hears the beep the bomber panics. In the ensuing
   struggle the deadman switch drops, transmitting to the bomb just as
   it's propelled harmlessly away from the station.
   
   When the battered and damaged Lennier finally comes around, he
   explains that he saved Mollari's life at the risk of his own because
   "all life is sacred. But when the object of your actions does not
   share that belief... ahh, I fear that I have served the present by
   sacrificing the future."
   
   In the "last of the debris" from the last explosion on board, a rescue
   team comes upon the two nearly asphyxiated enemies in the transport
   tube. They curse each other with familiarity.
   
   "Bastard." Londo utters.
   
   "Monster."
   
   "Fanatic!"
   
   "Murderer!"
   
   "You are insane!"
   
   "That is why we'll win," G'Kar gasps.
   
   "Go be the ambassador to Babylon 5 they said. It will be an easy
   position. I hate my life."
   
   "So do I."
   
   "Shut up!"

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      [15]Last update: November 9, 1997

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