lurkers-guide/synops/052

<h3>Synopsis by Katrina Glerum (kat@midwinter.com)</h3>

<p>
Garibaldi is griping about having to eat the same breakfast every day for
three years when an attractive covered plate arrives for Ivanova with a
little note attached.  To everyone's astonishment it turns out to be fresh
eggs and bacon which Marcus has miraculously managed to smuggle aboard as a
surprise thank you gift.  As he and Sheridan drool, Susan swears to get even
for this when she can find Marcus.

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/052/marcus.jpeg" alt="">
At the moment however, Marcus is trying very hard not to be found, or
to be beaten up.  He is busily fending off five or six men attacking
him and a woman in DownBelow.  He succeeds, but just barely and the woman is
knocked out.

<p>
The daily routine continues but in the background ISN reports new
evidence regarding President Clark and the assassination of his predecessor
(<a href="../guide/035.html">"Hunter, Prey,"</a>)
and that a newly discovered alien race is a threat to
planetary security
(<a href="../guide/045.html">"Matters of Honor."</a>)
Marcus' charge appears to be safe
in Medlab, but Marcus warns Dr. Franklin that she is the target of assassins.
<br clear=all>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/052/gkar.jpeg" alt="">
Garibaldi checks up on G'Kar in his cell
(<a href="../guide/050.html">"Dust to Dust,"</a>)
and finds him
in fine spirits. The former ambassador is using his incarceration to reflect
and write about the recent experiences of the Narn so that past mistakes might
be corrected.  He is pleased to hear that Garibaldi has begun to read The
Book of G'Quan and says he will let Garibaldi read his book when it is done.
The meeting is cut short when Garibaldi is called away to a War Council
where his "package" has arrived.<br clear=all>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/052/canyon.jpeg" alt="">
The package turns out to be the woman Marcus has been protecting, Dr.
Mary Kirkish of Interplanetary Expeditions (whose slogan is "Exploring
the past to create a better future.")  She tells the Council that she had
been working at a Syria Planum site on Mars seven years ago where her team had
discovered an alien ship like the one shown recently on ISN.  They dug most
of it up and then were ordered to leave.  From the secondary base camp they
watched unmarked shuttles fly to the site.<br clear=all>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/052/excavate.jpeg" alt="">
Then one night another alien
ship flew to the site and finished digging up the buried ship, then descended
into the dig site, from which a nerve-wrenching screech was soon heard.  Both
the ships rose into the air and
flew away.  Since then, one by one, the other workers at the site have
died or disappeared.  It turns out that Garibaldi also saw this alien ship
when he was a shuttle pilot on Mars.  He also found a Psi Corps badge at the
site.  Kirkish continues, saying that another such ship has been discovered
in the crust of Ganymede.  This time EarthGov wants to try to keep the ship,
possibly
to use it to control Earth.  They must not have a chance to keep it, Kirkish
warns.  Her story told, Lennier ushers her to a Minbari ship that will
bear her to safety.

<p>
Franklin asks, "If Earth and the Psi Corps really are working with the
Shadows, this is too big.  How can we fight something like that?"  Obviously
shaken, Sheridan dismisses the Council, but asks Delenn to stay.

<p>
Zack is sitting in Garibaldi's office when the B5 Nightwatch liaison
comes in to remind him of the meeting tomorrow.  Zack is uneasy with the
man's gung-ho attitude and isn't encouraged when he mentions that watching
unsuspecting people on security cameras makes him feel like God.  

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/052/sanctuar.jpeg" alt="">
Standing deep in contemplation on an empty observation deck, Sheridan
removes the Earth Alliance insignia
from his lapel.  He goes with Delenn to inform the
others of his decision.  They are aghast when he tells them that he plans to
take the White Star to Ganymede to knock out the Shadow vessel before
President Clark can gain control of it.  What if he is attacked by Earth
ships?  Will he fire on them?  What if he is captured?

<p>
He tells them he will not be captured and charges them to cover for him
while he is gone for a minimum of 4 days.  He also arranges for a simulation
of his own death if he should not be able to return.<br clear=all>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/052/nightwch.jpeg" alt="">
The Nightwatch liaison is happy to tell the meeting that their efforts
to expose disloyalty on B5 and on Earth have been a terrific success, but
that Earth has been sold out by traitors throughout EarthGov, Earth
Force, and the media, as part of an alien-instigated conspiracy to weaken
and overthrow the government.  Thus, Nightwatch has been given greater
powers to investigate anyone who might be suspicious.  One officer speaks
up, "In that case, does anyone know where the Captain is?"

<p>
He is falling asleep in his command chair halfway to Jupiter.  Lennier
convinces him to retire to the sleeping quarters where he finds Delenn.
Utterly exhausted, he begins to talk about missing home and his father.
More than anything else right now, he says, he misses the sound of rain because
it can always put him to sleep.  So to his great relief, with a phrase Delenn
summons the patter of rain on the roof.<br clear=all>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/052/blame.jpeg" alt="">
Marcus is briefing Ivanova in Sheridan's office about a force building
up on the border of Centauri space when she erupts at him.  She claims she
doesn't understand how to relate to him, and she tells Marcus she holds him
personally responsible for the Captain's "suicide mission" because, "Damn it!
I don't have anyone else to blame!"

<p>
Jumping out of hyperspace, the White Star picks up transmissions from the
Ganymede site.

<p>
"Subject is approaching target.  Repeat.  Subject is approaching target." 

<p>
Delenn explains that the Shadow ships need a sentient being to merge with
them before they can become fully functional, and this must be happening
right now.  If a subject isn't prepared for the event the resulting ship
will be murderously insane.  The crew listen and watch in horror as the
Shadow ship comes alive and begins attacking the facilities around it.

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/052/hydrogen.jpeg" alt="">
Knowing that any Earth cruiser wouldn't stand a chance against it
Sheridan quickly rides in to attack the Shadow vessel.  Disoriented though it
is, nevertheless the alien ship is still capable of destroying them.  They
damage it insignificantly but anger it enough to chase them into the
atmosphere of Jupiter.  The Shadow ship fires but only manages to ignite the
hydrogen atmosphere.  Both ships fly deeper and deeper into the gas giant
until the White Star's hull begins to buckle under the pressure.  At the last
moment, Sheridan orders the White Star to pull out.  The Shadow is unable to
stop falling and implodes as the White Star soars towards space.  

<p>
Just as they begin to congratulate themselves the White Star is struck
again.  This time the enemy is the Agamemnon, the Captain's old ship,
attacking and ordering them to surrender or be destroyed.  Sheridan won't
fire on the Agamemnon and can't surrender.  As he sits in his chair indecisive,
Delenn suggests opening a jump point while still inside Jupiter's atmosphere.
By opening it just at the edge of space the explosive effects of the
hydrogen are minimized and they are able to scuttle to safety.

<p>
ISN reports that an unidentified alien vessel has attacked and destroyed an
outpost on Ganymede before being destroyed in Jupiter by the Agamemnon.  In
response to heightened concerns about planetary security the president is said
to be considering a new plan to increase security. 

<p>
As Garibaldi says, they got away with it, but only for now.  The Nightwatch
liaison has noticed that the Captain was missing for four days.  He
deduces that Garibaldi must be covering for Sheridan and suggests that Zack
use his relation with the Chief to find out what's going on.  Zack
vehemently refuses saying he won't betray a friendship.  "If he could trust
me he would have brought me in this thing weeks ago," he mutters, giving
away the fact that he knows something fishy is going on.  The Nightwatch
man angrily tells Zack he has to decide between friendship and his job.

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/052/chart.jpeg" alt="">
Marcus dares to breach Ivanova's spare time in order to show her a chart
he has drawn up to explain his position on B5 and the hierarchy within the
station.  As they share a laugh at his whimsy, Sheridan pages Ivanova to
turn on ISN immediately. Citing threats to planetary security, President
Clark has decreed Earth to be under martial law.
<br clear=all>