lurkers-guide/synops/023

<p> It is January 8, 2259.  The Earth Alliance ship Agamemnon jumps
into hyperspace.  Its commanding officer, Captain John Sheridan,
receives a gold channel message from General Hague of the joint chiefs
of staff.  General Hague tells Captain Sheridan that a Minbari warship
has appeared several times in Earth-controlled space, only a short
distance from Babylon 5.  Hague believes that the ship may have hostile
intent.  Sheridan doesn't understand until Hague tells him that the
ship is a renegade warship, which Sheridan correctly guesses is called
the <cite>Trigati</cite>.  The Earth Alliance is awaiting the arrival
of a ship sent by the Minbari government to assist should the warship
decide to attack.  Sheridan is ordered to make personal contact with
that ship to help with the search.  Sheridan questions the wisdom of
that action, remembering his previous encounter with the Minbari, when
he destroyed one of their warships.  Hague understands Sheridan's
reservations, but tells Sheridan to proceed to Babylon 5 to perform one
additional duty.

<p>
<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/023/agamemnon.gif"> The Agamemnon.

<p> On Babylon 5, Ivanova, currently in command of the station, walks
through the halls and is bothered by several aliens, whom she sets in
their place during an elevator ride.  The action of the scene continues
under her voice, a status report for the station: "It is now eight days
since the death of Earth Alliance president Louis Santiago, and five
days since Commander Sinclair was recalled to Earth without
explanation--and the whole place has gone straight to Hell.  I can only
conclude that I'm paying off karma at a vastly accelerated rate.
Security Chief Michael Garibaldi remains in critical condition in
Medlab.  Dr. Franklin's done all he can, but we still don't know if
he'll recover.  As for Ambassador Delenn, well, something's going on in
her quarters.  That's for sure."

<p> General Hague contacts Ivanova and tells her that Commander
Sinclair will not be returning to Babylon 5 and that he has been
permanently reassigned to the Minbari homeworld as the first human
ambassador to the planet.  Hague informs her that Captain Sheridan is
the new choice for the commander of Babylon 5, but Ivanova is unsure of
the decision, claiming that it is "bound to be a controversial
choice."  Hague understands, but tells her that the decision has
already been made.  He ends the communication.

<p> In Delenn's quarters, Lennier continues to maintain a vigil over
the chrysalis in which Delenn is changing.  Another Minbari, Hedronn,
enters and addresses Lennier directly.  "So...she's done it, hasn't
she?  She's in there.  We told her to wait.  `The prophecy will attend
to itself,' we told her.  Now we are committed to the path.  I've
spoken with the other members of the council.  The Trigati has been
seen in this sector.  If it should appear, you must go to the humans
and tell them what we told you.  It's time they knew the truth."

<p> An officer approaches Ivanova, and wants to talk to her about
Sheridan's arrival.  She orders him to have a full honor guard in place
when he arrives, but he tells her that Sheridan's transport has already
docked; there was a miscommunication about the time.  She rushes off
and meets Sheridan just as he comes aboard, and he officially takes
command of the station.  While his luggage is delivered to his
quarters, Ivanova takes him on a tour of the station.  He asks her what
the status of the station is, and she recounts it for him.  After
hearing about Garibaldi, G'Kar, Delenn, and the ever-mysterious Kosh,
the only reply he can come up with is "Interesting place you have
here..."

<p> Elsewhere on the station, there is another arrival -- a Minbari who
asks the computer to show him the station, but walks away after hearing
the description of the green sector -- the ambassadorial quarters.

<p> Ivanova and Sheridan complete their tour and arrive in the new
commander's quarters.  She takes the opportunity to ask him about
his appointment as head of the station.  He tells her that he was
President Santiago's second choice to head the station, probably
because he had worked with many races, including the Minbari.  This
worries Ivanova, who reminds him that the Minbari still refer to him as
"Starkiller," and guesses they won't be happy to learn he is in command
of Babylon 5.  He hopes they have forgotten, but doesn't believe they
have.  He asks her to help bring him up to speed.  They talk about the
crew's reaction to the President's death.  Many of them are having a
difficult time accepting the loss.  Ivanova and Sheridan are no
exceptions.  Because of the recent turmoil around the station, Ivanova
is especially glad to see Sheridan again; they had served together at the
transport point near Io.  They make plans to go to C&C so that he
can deliver a "good luck speech" to the crew.

<p>
<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/023/sheridan.gif"> Sheridan describes his
speech.

<p>
Elsewhere on the station, Hedronn notices someone he recognizes -- the
Minbari who was on his way to the ambassadorial sector of Babylon 5 -- as
Kalain.  Hedronn runs after Kalain, who grabs and threatens him,
claiming that the Grey Council betrayed the Minbari.  Kalain explains
that he has intercepted a message saying that Sheridan had been chosen
to lead Babylon 5.  When Hedronn protests that the wishes of the Grey
Council were ignored, Kalain asks if Delenn also ignored the
Council.  Kalain says his people have supporters in the Grey
Council, who have told them that Sinclair is on Minbar, though Kalain
does not believe that Sinclair being an ambassador is the whole story.
Kalain lets Hedronn go, warning him to leave while he still can.

<p>
<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/023/kill.gif"> "Minbari do not kill other
Minbari!"

<p>
After she goes to check on Garibaldi's condition, Ivanova finds
Sheridan and tells him that the officers on C&C are ready for him.  He
enters and begins his speech, talking about the visit he made when he
was twenty-one to Tibet and the Dalai Lama.  After eating a very simple
dinner, the Dalai Lama asked if he understood.  Sheridan didn't.  "Good
beginning," the Dalai Lama said to him.  "It will be even better when
you begin to understand what you do not understand."

<p>
During Sheridan's
speech, a call from security says that a Minbari is demanding
to speak to Sheridan.  Sheridan and Ivanova leave.  While they are on
their way, Kalain attempts to enter the green sector, but is stopped by
a security officer, whom he attacks.  Kalain steals the officer's weapon and
proceeds into the green sector.

<p>
It turns out that the Minbari who wanted to speak with Sheridan was
Hedronn, who has some important information regarding Kalain.  Hedronn
tells Sheridan and Ivanova that Kalain was second in command of one of
their flagships during the Earth-Minbari war and that he vanished when
the war ended.  Ivanova asks why Hedronn believes Kalain is here to
cause trouble, but Hedronn just answers that he has his reasons.

<p>
Sheridan suspects the ship Kalain was second in command of was the
Trigati.  Ivanova has never heard of the ship, but Hedronn explains
that at the end of the war, Sineval, one of their warship commanders,
committed suicide rather than obey the Grey Council's order to
surrender.  When that happened, Kalain took command of the ship, and it
vanished.  Sheridan says that, while the ship had been seen over the
years, it had never attacked.  Hedronn suspects that its recent
reappearance suggests it might be "out of retirement."

<p>
Sheridan doesn't understand, however, why Hedronn, who claimed that he
was from the Ministry of Culture, knew Kalain, a high-ranking member of
the warrior caste after twelve years.  Hedronn doesn't respond, saying
only that he would answer if he recognized Sheridan's authority, but he
doesn't because the Minbari government was not consulted on Sheridan's
appointment.  Sheridan tells Hedronn that the president decided on him
because the Minbari had too much influence over an Earth outpost.

<p>
"And
the day that a man such as yourself is given a position of this
importance is a dark day indeed," Hedronn says.  "We lost many of our
best warriors because of you.  And we do not soon forget such things.
If there is a doom on this station, it is because you brought it
here."  Hedronn then leaves abruptly.

<p>
Because of Hedronn's attitude, Sheridan believes that he is a member of
the Grey Council, because no one else would know someone so high in the
warrior caste so well.  Sheridan then admits that Ivanova was correct,
that the Minbari don't want him in command of Babylon 5.  She
points out that they are a prideful people, and that he did destroy
their flagship, the Black Star.  She asks how he destroyed it.
Sheridan explains that, because their weapons could not lock on to the
ship, due to some sort of stealth technology, he mined the asteroid
field between Jupiter and Mars with fusion bombs, which don't need
direct targets.  It destroyed the Black Star and three other heavy
cruisers.  "It was the only real victory we had in the whole damn war,
and I am not about to apologize for it!"

<p>
Sheridan
suddenly remembers Hedronn's statement that Kalain felt betrayed by
the Minbari homeworld, and deduces that, in such a situation, it would be
natural to attack the representative of that world.  Realizing they
might not have much time, Sheridan and Ivanova rush to Delenn's quarters to
find Kalain
pointing a gun at Lennier.  They are able to easily apprehend Kalain,
but when Sheridan attempts to get a close look at the chrysalis, Lennier
stops him.
Ambassador Delenn is indisposed, he says, and Sheridan should come back
later...much later.

<p>
<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/023/lennier.gif"> Lennier defends Delenn.

<p>
Sheridan and Ivanova interrogate Kalain, asking him about the Trigati
and why he has suddenly appeared on Babylon 5.  Sheridan can't believe that
Kalain's goal was to murder Lennier and Delenn; he had ample time to kill
both of them.

<p>
"Everyone knows Minbari do not
kill Minbari," Kalain says.  Sheridan doesn't accept that as an answer
and again asks Kalain about his presence.  "Perhaps everyone is
wrong."

<p>
Sheridan concludes that Kalain never intended to kill
them, but that something else was going on.  "Perhaps you are the
problem," Kalain replies.

<p>
Ivanova tries to intervene, claiming that
they are getting nowhere, but Sheridan has one more question for
Kalain.  "I'm told that after the death of your commanding officer, you
took command of a Minbari war cruiser.  But if you're here, where's
your ship?"

<p>
Sheridan and Ivanova leave.  Lennier catches up to the two of them
outside and apologizes for his earlier behavior.  He says that he
needs to speak to both of them.  "It concerns," he explains, "the
reason you were sent here, the relocation of commander Sinclair, and
the reason we surrendered at the Battle of the Line."  When they
reach Sheridan's office, Lennier begins his story:

<p>
"After three years, the Holy War that began when our leader was killed
by an Earth explorer division was almost over.  To avenge Dukhat's
death, we had pursued your forces all the way back to your homeworld.
The few surviving Earth ships that were ordered to defend your world at
any cost... were not an obstacle.  The Grey Council had come to oversee
the final victory of our forces."

<p>
The scene shifts, back to the
inside of the Grey Council ship, where the Grey Council is in session
surrounded by a display showing the battle raging outside.

<p>
<a href="/lurk/gif/023/bravely.jpg"><img src="/lurk/gif/023/bravely.gif"></a>

<p>
"They fight bravely.  They cannot harm our ships, but they continue to try,"
says Delenn.

<p>
Hedronn dismisses her comment.
"Whether they fight or not, they know they will die anyway.
So really, is this bravery or simple desperation?"

<p>
"Perhaps they are the same thing.  We should bring one of them
aboard for questioning.  If our next step is the final
assault on their world, we must know their defenses."

<p>
"Very well, Delenn.  Choose, but quickly.  We are fast running out of
candidates."

<p>
Delenn sees a Starfury making a suicide run at their ship.
"That one," she says.  A beam immobilizes the Starfury, and it is
brought aboard.

<p>
Lennier continues his story.  "This was the first time the Grey Council
would have direct contact with a human, in this case Sinclair.  He was
tortured, interrogated, scanned.  During the course of the scan, the
Council discovered something terrible.  At first, they refused to
believe it, so they took in other humans and had them scanned as well.
But it was true."

<p>
"What was true?" asks Ivanova.

<p>
"It is our belief that every generation of Minbari is reborn in each
following generation.  Remove those souls, and the whole suffers.  We
are diminished.  Over the last two thousand years, there have been
fewer Minbari born into each generation.  And those who are born do not
seem equal to those who came before.  It almost as if our greater souls
have been disappearing.  At the Battle of the Line, we discovered where
our souls were going.  They were going to you.  Minbari souls are being
reborn, in part or in full, in human bodies."

<p>
"So you stopped the war to avoid harming your own souls?"

<p>
Lennier confirms that, and continues.
"But the Council knew that our people, and yours, were not ready for
this information.  It could unravel our entire society.  So we could
not tell our generals the reason for the surrender.  We had all memory
of the examination erased from Sinclair's mind, and we let him go.  It
has been our secret.  Now it is yours.  It must be kept."

<p>
"I don't understand.  If this is such a secret, why tell us?"

<p>
"Because
changes are coming.  Commander Sinclair was the first.  There will be
more."

<p>
The meeting is interrupted by a call from C&C--a Minbari cruiser, on an
attack vector, is coming through the jumpgate.  Warren Keffer, the
leader of Zeta Squadron, watches with the other people in his
squad, but can't believe what he is seeing.  Sheridan arrives at C&C
and orders a red alert.  He activates the defense grid and puts all
squadrons on standby.  While this happens, Kalain, in his detention
cell, removes a tooth from his mouth.  He opens it, revealing a blue
liquid.  He puts the tooth in his mouth and swallows.

<p>
<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/023/tooth.gif"> Kalain practices poor
dental hygeine.

<p>
Captain Sheridan communicates with the warship, which the commander
identifies as the Trigati.  She demands that Kalain be returned, since
he did not kill or harm anyone aboard Babylon 5.  When Sheridan
refuses, she launches her fighters.  Sheridan counters, launching the
fighters aboard Babylon 5.  He informs her that an attack could be
considered an act of war.

<p>
"The war has already
begun, Captain.  All that remains now is honor and death."

<p>
This remark
puzzles Sheridan, since no one has yet been killed.  He suddenly
realizes what's going on: they are attempting to start a war, but since
Kalain hasn't killed anyone and the Trigati hasn't attacked, they must
be trying to frame Babylon 5.  This is confirmed when security reports
that Kalain has killed himself.  Ivanova can't believe that Minbari
would attack after learning they were sharing Minbari souls, but
Sheridan reminds her that the Trigati was not informed of that.  The
Minbari fighters close in on the station, and Sheridan orders his fighters to
intercept and engage.

<p>
While the Babylon 5 fighters move to intercept, Sheridan looks at a
display of both groups of fighters; somehow Babylon 5 is able to track
the Minbari fighters, even though it's using the same kind of tracking
system Earthforce used during the war.

<p>
Sheridan orders his
fighters not to attack.  He gives a message to Ivanova, telling her to
transmit it through the jumpgate without the Trigati intercepting it.
She does so, but doesn't think it will work if it is a distress signal,
as no one could arrive in time.

<p>
<a href="/lurk/ftp/Clips/laser.avi"><img src="/lurk/gif/movie.xbm" align=middle
 alt="[Movie]"></a>
A tight-beam transmission using the station laser.

<p>
The Trigati's fighters continue to
advance, but Sheridan orders his fighters to maintain position.  When
the Trigati's fighters reach the Earth ships, they do not
attack -- they fly past and return to the Trigati.  Another Minbari
ship suddenly comes through the jumpgate.  Ivanova is afraid that the
Trigati fighters were waiting for reinforcements, but Sheridan tells
her that, since he knew another Minbari ship was looking for the
Trigati, he figured they must be waiting in hyperspace.

<p>
<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/023/flyby.gif">
<a href="/lurk/ftp/Clips/2away.avi"><img src="/lurk/gif/movie.xbm" align=middle
 alt="[Movie]"></a>
The Minbari fighters fly past.

<p>
The other cruiser orders the Trigati to surrender.  Sheridan continues
to explain to Ivanova that, because they could track the Minbari
fighters, that probably meant the Minbari wanted to be destroyed.  The Trigati
was in exile for twelve years, and could not go home, fight without
causing a war, or surrender without being dishonored.  If Babylon 5 was
forced to attack, they would die at human hands, thereby becoming
martyrs.

<p>
The Trigati attempts to back off and open up a jump
point, but the war cruiser cuts off their
engines with a beam.  They order the Trigati to surrender and be
boarded, but the Trigati refuses, and replies with only one word:
"honor."  The Trigati self-destructs in a ball of flame, apparently
from their fusion reactors.  A signal comes in from the war cruiser;
Sheridan greets the Minbari commander.

<p>
<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/023/cut.gif">
<a href="/lurk/ftp/Clips/shipcut.avi"><img src="/lurk/gif/movie.xbm" align=middle
 alt="[Movie]"></a> The Trigati is attacked.

<p>
"Perhaps to you," the Minbari on the other end says to Sheridan, "this
was a tactical problem to be solved.  For us, this has been a great
sorrow.  The crew of the Trigati were heroes to many of our people.
Their death will be mourned, and your name will be remembered."  The
Minbari war cruiser cuts off the communication and vanishes into
the jump gate.

<p>
Later, Sheridan is in his quarters, looking through his belongings, which
have recently been delivered.  Ivanova arrives and asks Sheridan if something
is wrong.  "When I got my orders," Sheridan explains, "I figured this
place was a great opportunity.  And now I wonder if coming here was
irresponsible.  This whole mess with the Trigati might not have
happened if I hadn't been here.  I mean, my presence, my...actions in
the war...I'm to blame for bringing all this trouble to Babylon 5.
What was it our friend in the Grey Council said?  'If there is a doom
on this station, it is because you brought it here.'  Well maybe he was
right.  I spoke with the president.  He is the only other human who
knows why the Minbari surrendered, and he doesn't believe this stuff
about us sharing Minbari souls, and I can't say that I do either.  But
they believe it.  That's why they chose Sinclair to run this place...
that's why they've picked him to live on their world.  He was their
first human contact.  Him they trust.  But me?  I don't know.  If
Sinclair had been here instead, maybe they might not have attacked."

<p>
Ivanova tells Sheridan to give himself the benefit of the doubt.
Before she leaves, she tells him that he can talk to her any time, if
he needs to.

<p>
Lennier is busy preparing candles in Delenn's quarters, and setting
them around her chrysalis.  "I told them, Delenn, as I was ordered.  I
only wish I could have told them the rest -- about the great enemy that
is returning and the prophecy that the two sides of our spirit must
unite against the darkness or be destroyed.  They say it will take both
of our races to stop the darkness.  I am told that the Earthers will
discover all this, soon enough, on their own.  I hope they are right.
Because if we are wrong, no one will survive our mistake."  He
says good night, and leaves right before the chrysalis begins moving,
and Delenn begins to emerge.

<p>
<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/023/prophecy.gif"> "I only wish I could
have told them the rest."

<p>
Ivanova, Dr. Franklin, and Keffer discuss the recent events in a
nightclub on the station.  Keffer asks what they think of the new
captain, and Dr. Franklin and Ivanova both believe that he will be
okay.  He was supposed to meet them there for drinks, but Franklin says
that when he last saw Sheridan, he was going to the C&C to deliver his
good luck speech.

<p>
"It was an early earth president, Abraham Lincoln, who best described
our situation.  'The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the
stormy present.  The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we
must rise to the occasion.  We cannot escape history.  We will be
remembered in spite of ourselves.  The fiery trial through which we
pass will light us down in honor or dishonor, to the last generation.
We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, or last best hope of Earth.'"
Though there is no one else on C&C, he has still delivered his speech
in time.  He leaves C&C to begin the second day of his new
command.

<h3>Synopsis by Matthew Murray (i9717029@unicorn.it.wsu.edu)</h3>