lurkers-guide/synops/003

<p>  Ambassador Mollari is sitting in a night club, intensely
enjoying the show.  His pleasure is interrupted by Sinclair and
G'Kar, who have come, quite angrily, to tell him that he can't
evade his responsibilities any longer--that tomorrow morning, Londo
<em>will</em> be present to negotiate with the Narn over the Euphrates
Sector, a point of contention between the two regimes.  Londo
suddenly interrupts them and tells them to sit down--for the moment
in the shows that Londo has been waiting for has arrived: an erotic
Centauri dancer.  "Of all things in life," Londo comments, "are
females not the finest?"
<p>
<img src="/lurk/gif/003/adira.gif" align=middle> Adira, the Centauri dancer.
<p>  "On that, Mollari, we can at least agree," replies G'Kar.  As
G'Kar, Sinclair, and Londo are sitting there, Ko D'ath, the new
head of G'Kar's diplomatic staff, arrives.  G'Kar, to put it
mildly, doesn't look very happy.  Meanwhile, a man makes a pass at
Ko D'ath, who rather violently throws him across the room.
<p>  After the show, Londo returns to his quarters only to find the
erotic Centauri dancer, whose name is Adira Tyree, lying on his
bed.  Needless to say, he is overjoyed and goes to bed ...
<p>  The next morning, Garibaldi finds an anomaly in the computer
system--it seems that there has been some unauthorized use of the
highly-official Gold Channels.  Sinclair tells Garibaldi to
continue investigating.
<p>  After finishing his talk with Garibaldi, Sinclair, who is at
the negotiation table with G'Kar, becomes rather upset that Londo
still hasn't arrived.  Talia Winters, who will be telepathically
auditing the negotiations, excuses herself from the table for a
moment.  Sinclair follows her.
<p>  Talia tells Sinclair that she just had to get out of the room
for a while--so much intense emotion in such close proximity can be
difficult to block out.  Sinclair explains to her how important a
peaceful settlement to these negotiations is; he wants to prove
that Babylon 5 is doing the job it's supposed to be doing. 
Further, he knows that every side truly wants a peaceful settle-
ment, and explains to Talia that her job is to get rid of all the
lies, until the inescapable truth of a peaceful settlement is the
only thing left.
<p>  Londo, in his room, is talking with Adira.  "What is it that
you're getting [from me]?" Londo asks.  "A washed-up, old republi-
can, dreaming of better days."
<p>  "These are <em>my</em> better days, Londo," Adira responds, "thanks
to you."  Londo finally hears that Vir is paging him, so he finally
gets up and goes to the negotiations.
<p>  On the bridge, Ivanova, who has been informed about the
communication anomaly, tells Garibaldi that he's overreacting.  She
explains that it could easily be a computer error or some energy
fluctuation.  Garibaldi protests that he has already checked for
all of these possibilities--and he says that if someone has gained
unauthorized access to the Gold Channels, there might be a very
serious security breach.  Gold Channels, he explains, are priority
channels--most people don't even know that they exist, and even if
people did know, they couldn't be used without the express
permission of Sinclair.  Ivanova, however, brusquely brushes him off-
-she'll get to the problem later, she says, when she has time.    
 Londo finally arrives at the negotiation table, claiming to have
been detained by an "important matter of state."  The
negotiations begin.
<p>  Adira enters her quarters, and is surprised to find a certain
man, Trakis, there.  We quickly find out that Adira is a slave, and
Trakis is her master.  He asks her if things are going well with
Londo.  She evades the question, but he warns her that a slave
should never lie to her master--and he uses some telepathic device
to determine her thoughts.  He then orders her to hurry up and get
the "Purple Files" from Londo.  "Do you know why a drunken fool
like Mollari has ... power?" says Trakis.  "Because his family has
been collecting dirt on other families for years, like all the
noble houses of the Centauri Republic."  The Purple Files, he
explains, can bring down any house in the republic--the Narn would
pay well for that data, he says, and he wants it.  He orders the
reluctant Adira to use a mind probe to get the data from Londo.   
<p>
<img src="/lurk/gif/003/adira-and-trakis.gif" align=middle>Adira evades
Trakis' question.
<p>  Later, Adira is in her quarters when Londo stops by.  He brings
her some exotic flowers ("Star Laces"?) and also gives her an
heirloom which has been in his family for centuries--it was
originally warn by a wise and powerful matriarch of his family. 
She refuses to take it, but he forces it on her, telling her, "You
know how stubborn I am!"  She finally accepts it.  Londo then
mentions that he's made reservations at the finest restaurant on
Babylon 5.  Adira expresses concern and asks what would happen if
people saw them together.  He explains that, although the Centauri
are a class-driven society, "When I look beneath the mask I've been
forced to wear, I see only emptiness.  Then I think of you, and I
say, 'To hell with appearances.'"
<p>  Garibaldi is reading <cite>Universe Today</cite> in his office when his
computer alerts him of another communication anomaly.  He attempts
to track it, and comes quite close to succeeding, only to be
stopped at the last moment.
<p>  Sinclair has invited Talia to dinner, ostensibly in reward for
her services at the negotiations, at the same restaurant that Londo
and Adira have gone to.  As Sinclair and Talia are talking, she
explains how Londo's thoughts at the negotiations were intensely
"erotic."  Sinclair comments that he's not surprised.
<p>  Garibaldi is at Ivanova's console, trying to track down the
last anomaly.  His efforts are not accomplishing very much; he has
traced the message to somewhere in the Russian Consortium.
<p>  Londo and Adira are back in Londo's quarters.  She tells him
to sit down while she prepares the drinks.  She sticks some type of
sedative in one of them, however.  When Londo drinks it, he falls
back, unconscious.  She sets up the mind probe and gets Londo's
access codes to the Purple Files (which are, appropriately, "wine,"
"women," and "song.").  She uses the codes at a computer console in
Londo's room to gain access the Purple Files and transfer the
information that they contain into a data crystal.  She returns his
heirloom, sadly mumbling that she's sorry; then, she leaves.
<p>  In the morning, Londo is quite upset at Vir for waking him up. 
Further, he complains of a terrible headache.  Suddenly, he notices
that Adira has left his ancient heirloom on his desk.
<p>  Adira is staring at the data crystal in her quarters when
Trakis calls her and orders her to meet him in exactly 10 minutes. 
Reluctantly, she starts on her way.
<p>  Londo, who is extremely preoccupied by now, suddenly has what
he thinks is a brilliant idea--to gives Vir full diplomatic status
and tell Vir to represent to the Centauri at the negotiations.   He
tells Vir that he is now the "voice of the mighty Centauri
Republic."  Vir, changing from an expression of surprise and
reluctance to one of pride, finally accepts his position at the
negotiation, and virtually runs off, excitedly.  "Don't give away
the homeworld," orders Londo, as Vir leaves.
<p>  Adira, as she sees Trakis at the prearranged meeting place,
finally realizes that she doesn't like what she's been forced to
do.  As she sees Trakis, she runs away from him.  Trakis, in quick
pursuit, violently pushes a few bystanders out of the way, but is
unable to catch up with her.
<p>  Trakis finds Londo knocking at Adira's quarters.  "She's not
there," Trakis tells Londo.  Trakis goes on to explain that he and
Londo are very much alike--how Adira has betrayed them both.     
Adira is meanwhile speaking with a friend of hers, frantically
arranging safe transport away from Babylon 5.  Until the flight,
her friend promises her a safe hiding place--in the friend's
quarters.
<p>  Trakis tells Londo that Adira is a Narn agent.  When Londo
expresses disbelief, Trakis merely warns him of a danger with which
Londo is quite familiar--that if the Purple Files get out, the
whole Centauri Republic (not to mention Londo's career) will be
finished.  Trakis continues to explain that Adira is Trakis's
slave--and that the only reason that he cares about this whole
thing is that, by the same Centauri laws which allow him to own
Adira as a slave, Trakis is responsible for any crimes which Adira
commits.  Trakis secretly places a audio bug on Londo.  Londo, in
a mixture of sadness and rage, tells Trakis to leave the quarters. 
<p>  At the negotiation table, Vir walks in and proudly proclaims
that he is the ambassador for the Centauri Republic.  G'Kar is
enraged, and, as a countermeasure, makes Ko D'ath the Narn ambassa-
dor (warning her not to give away the homeworld).  Sinclair, trying
to maintain some semblance of order, leaves the negotiation
chambers to search for Londo. 
<p>
<img src="/lurk/gif/003/vir-at-the-table.gif" align=middle>Sinclair tries to
restore calm.
<p>  Londo, who has realized that Adira stole his Purple Files, is
in no mood to return to the negotiations.  He explains the
seriousness of the situation to Sinclair and also asks Sinclair for
help.  The situation must not be made public, he says, and Sinclair
is the only one to help him.  Sinclair says that he'll only help
Londo if Londo agrees to Sinclair's compromise concerning the
Euphrates Sector.  Londo agrees.
<p>  Undercover, Londo and Sinclair enter the club for which Adira
was dancing previously.  Sinclair outwits the owner of the club
into letting him see the dancers for a while.  Once they see the
dancers, they ask for information about Adira--where she might be
hiding.  One of the dancers tells them the name of a good friend of
Adira--the quarters of whom are the mostly likely place for Adira
to be hiding.
<p>  At the same time, Trakis, in the alien sector, is monitoring
Sinclair's and Londo's conversation through the auditory bug which
he attached to Londo previously.  He is speaking with one of the
aliens, arranging to pay for men to delay (and kill, if necessary)
Sinclair and Londo in order to give Trakis to the time to capture
Adira (and the data crystal).
<p>  Sinclair and Londo go heading off to find Adira but are
intercepted by these hired men.  Londo realizes that it must have
been Trakis who sent them.  Londo and Sinclair run off to hide; in
the middle of the hired men's pursuit of Londo and Sinclair,
however, they are ordered to call off their operations--Adira and
the crystal have been captured.  Londo and Sinclair overhear this
unfortunate bit of information.
<p>
<img src="/lurk/gif/003/undercover.gif" align=middle> Sinclair and Londo
undercover.
<p>  Ivanova, on the bridge, informs Garibaldi that there has been
an incident of heavy shooting down in a certain section of Babylon
5.  She tells Garibaldi to go down to investigate it; she says that
she'll monitor the communications for any similar anomalies. 
Garibaldi, however, sends some other security offices to the area
of the shooting and remains in his office to monitor communications
himself.  
<p>  According to station logs, says Sinclair, no ship has left
Babylon 5 for the past two hours.  Therefore, Adira and the crystal
must still be on board.  Sinclair offers to arrest Trakis--there's
enough evidence, he says; Londo, however, declines, saying that any
arrest will hinge on his own testimony, and he cannot give it, for
fear of making this incident official.  "Besides, he might harm
Adira," adds Londo.  Sinclair is surprised and asks why Londo would
like to protect her--after all, she's the one who got him into this
situation.  "I know," replies Londo, "but there must be some other
way."  Sinclair says that he has another idea ...
<a name="ivanova-dad">
<p>  Garibaldi, sure enough, has found another anomaly.  This time,
he successfully traces it.  He catches Ivanova communicating with
a Russian hospital--and with her dying father.  Ivanova's father
sadly apologizes for his perceived lack of love toward his
daughter--he explains how, after her mother's death and her
brother's death in the war, he was too wrapped up in his own needs
to (from his point of view) successfully cater to her needs.  He
apologizes profusely, though his daughter finds all of it unnecessary.
With touching words between them, he dies.  Garibaldi, who
has been looking on sadly, sees and hears the whole conversation. 
</a>
<p>  Sinclair, meanwhile, is speaking with G'Kar, offering him a
"business opportunity."  He offers to arrange a meeting for G'Kar
concerning some "merchandise" that will give G'Kar an advantage
over Mollari.  When G'Kar asks Sinclair why he's offering this
meeting, Sinclair says that Earth wants some concessions in the
Euphrates Sector and knows that Narn gratitude is quite worth the
price.  Further, Sinclair, to ensure that the merchandise is
genuine, offers to have Talia Winters sit in on the meeting.  G'Kar
accepts, telling Sinclair, "I never knew you could be so devious,
commander."
<p>  "Coming from you, ambassador, that's a real compliment."
rejoins Sinclair.  G'Kar at first smiles, but suddenly realizes
Sinclair's implication, and gives a perplexed, somewhat-annoyed
frown.
<p>  Talia, however, when asked by Sinclair and Londo, refuses to
use her telepathic skills for any purpose that involves personal
matters--it's against Psi Corps regulations.  However, when
confronted with the possibility that Adira will die if she doesn't
interfere, she agrees to scan Trakis's mind at the meeting that
Sinclair arranged--however, she can only scan "surface thoughts,"
though there are tricks ...
<p>  The meeting between Trakis and G'Kar proceeds as Sinclair
planned.  Trakis mentions that he doesn't like telepaths.  Talia
refutes this, saying that she's only there to verify the merchan-
dise ... he mustn't think of anything else--such as "where Adira
Tyree might be."
<p>
<img src="/lurk/gif/003/tricking-trakis.gif" align=middle> Tricking Trakis.
<p> Trakis is surprised and fooled--enough so that
Talia can read his "surface thoughts" pertaining to Adira's
location.  She tells this information to Sinclair, who sends a
security team to try to find her.  Trakis, seeing that he has been
fooled, attempts to run away--but is stopped by Londo's fist. 
"That was for Adira," says Londo, "and this"--he kicks Trakis
rather hard--"is for me!"  Londo searches Trakis's unconscious body
and finds the data crystal without difficulty.  Londo thanks G'Kar
for helping to save not only Londo's career, but the entire
Centauri Republic.
<p>  Ivanova, meanwhile, enters Garibaldi's quarters and notices
that he didn't go down to check out the previous shootings as she
had asked him to.  Garibaldi comments on how there was another
communication anomaly and how he has finally traced the problem: 
it was, he tells Ivanova, what she originally thought it was--a
computer error.  He says that he trusts it won't happen again; she
agrees.  <a name="drink">Garibaldi, leaving the room, invites
Ivanova for a drink,</a>
but she again brusquely brushes him off, saying that she's on duty. 
However, on second thought, she turns around and tells him, "Maybe
another time."
<p>  Londo meets with Adira right before she leaves on her ship. 
He explains to her that Sinclair has "convinced" Trakis to give
Adira her freedom--"He [Sinclair] can be a frightening man, that
one!" Londo comments.  Further, Londo again gives his old heirloom
to Adira, telling her to wear it proudly--as a free woman.  He
offers her, once again, to stay, but she refuses, telling him that
her wounds are too fresh.  She apologizes, saying that she never
meant to hurt him.  They wave goodbye, and she boards her ship,
leaving Londo only with memories.
<p>
Shawn Bayern
<em>bayern@cshl.org</em>
<hr>
Copyright 1994, Shawn Bayern.  All rights reserved.  Permission is
granted to distribute this synopsis <strong>noncommercially</strong> 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.