lurkers-guide/synops/054

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

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/054/londo.jpeg" alt="">
In customs, Londo waits impatiently, complaining bitterly about the
inefficiency of the Narn security personnel and the stupidity of the
fighting between Earthers.  Meanwhile that fighting continues as
General Hague's destroyer, the EAS Alexander, is under attack by another
Earth Alliance warship, the EAS Clarkstown.  When there seems to be no
other choice, the Alexander destroys her pursuer and jumps toward
Babylon 5.  As soon as news of this impending arrival reaches the
station's officers, they realize their dilemma.  The Alexander is being
hunted down on charges of treason, but General Hague has been their
strongest ally in the fight against the growing darkness at home.  In
the background, ISN reports that Mars has refused to implement martial
law in defiance of President Clark's orders.  Trying to protect the
crew from the consequences of his action, Sheridan announces in C &amp; C
that the arriving Alexander will be given humanitarian assistance, but
he has Garibaldi cut all transmissions from the station just in
case some of his crew want to report her arrival.
<br clear=all>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/054/medlab.jpeg" alt="">
Delenn has received chilling news as well.  A Minbari Ranger traveling
among the nonaligned worlds has discovered that the various races have
all been goaded by the Shadows into fighting their neighbors, first for
defense and then for conquest.  The races believe that alliance with the
Shadows is the only way to be safe from Centauri conquest.  The Grey
Council's only reaction is to comment that "The problems of others are
not ours."
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<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/054/hague.jpeg" alt="">
The commanding officer of the Alexander, Major Ryan, arrives on B5 bearing bad
tidings.  General Hague was killed during their last fight, the
attempted coup against Clark is only having marginal success, ISN is on
the verge of being shut down, and the majority of Earth Force is either
loyal to Clark or intimidated by him.  As the crew discusses his report,
the news comes that Earth Gov has begun bombing civilian targets on Mars.

<p>
Delenn leaves to find the Grey Council just as the EAS Churchill
arrives with her captain demanding an immediate meeting with Sheridan.
<br clear=all>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/054/isn.jpeg" alt="">
Gunfire punctuates the scene of terrified anchors at ISN reporting that
Orion and Proxima 3 colonies have declared independence in protest over
the bombing of Mars.  Apparently ISN has been forced to conceal
information about activities in Earth Gov for the past year, but before
they can spill the story their final broadcast is cut off abruptly
amid falling debris.  The Churchill's captain comes aboard to inform
Sheridan that transmissions were intercepted ordering elite Earth Gov
forces to Babylon 5 to both capture the Alexander, and take control of
the station, arresting the command staff and placing the station under the
direct authority of President Clark and the Nightwatch.
<br clear=all>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/054/furies1.jpeg" alt="">
There is no more room to maneuver.  Sheridan puts the question to his
officers: Fight or Surrender?  If they fight and lose, more than a
quarter of a million lives might be at stake, and they will be
executed.  If they surrender, they will be court martialed at the
least.  Their decision is unanimous.  It is time to make their stand
now against Earth and the darkness.  They spring into last minute
preparations.  Fighters are scrambled, Medlab is cleared, and ground
troops are geared up.
<br clear=all>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/054/staff.jpeg" alt="">
An acolyte attempting to bar Delenn from the Grey Council chambers is
withered by the force of her purpose.  Her words are even more powerful
before the Council as she accuses them of abandoning the very prophecy
they were created to meet, to stand against the Shadows "between
the candle and the star, between the darkness and the light."  Berating
them for pride and presumption she breaks the leader's staff of office
before breaking the Council itself by calling on the Worker and
Religious castes to abandon the Warrior caste's indifference and follow
her into immediate action.

<p>
Sheridan takes a moment in the midst of the crisis to call home for
what might be the last time.  His father urges him not to worry about
his parents, and to remember the first lesson he ever taught him.  Never start
a fight, but always finish it.
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<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/054/holo.jpeg" alt="">
Ivanova configures Draal's holographic system so the that captain can
transmit a speech throughout B5.  He announces that warships are
enroute to seize the station and that in response Babylon 5 is seceding
from the Earth Alliance until President Clark is removed from office.
<br clear=all>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/054/fight1.jpeg" alt="">
Knowing that one of the officers must be personally present to lead the
Star Fury squadrons into battle, Sheridan grants Commander Ivanova
permission to drop just in time to meet four heavy warships and
assembled fighters jumping out of hyperspace.  His final effort to talk
the approaching captain out of a fight is ignored, and full scale
battle erupts.  Joined by Star Furies from the Alexander and the
Churchill, the station's squadrons are mostly successful in defending
the station.  Nevertheless, a breeching pod is able to penetrate their
defenses.  It latches on to the station's hull, bores a hole, and
troops begin to jump through, where they are quickly engaged in bloody,
close quarters resistance from Garibaldi leading Narn and human
security personnel.
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<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/054/collide.jpeg" alt="">
The Churchill puts up an excellent fight, until with fire on all decks,
she sacrifices herself by ramming an enemy destroyer.  Distracted by the
sight, Ivanova reacts too slowly to a collision warning and is knocked
spinning by another Fury.  Sheridan immediately orders her to eject,
which she does, an instant before her fighter slams against the hull of
a cruiser.  The Alexander and the station are able to destroy the
other attacking warships, but suffer such heavy damage in the
meantime that Lt. Corwin informs the captain that they could not have
lasted much longer.
<br clear=all>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/054/minbari.jpeg" alt="">
Relief is short lived.  Three more destroyers arrive through the
jump gate and order Sheridan to surrender.  Before he has a chance to
consider, four more jump points form.  Instead of Earth Force ships
however, they expel Delenn commanding the White Star and three Minbari
war cruisers.  She orders the attacking Earth Forces to withdraw.  When
they refuse, she replies coldly, "Only one human captain has ever
survived battle with the Minbari fleet.  He is behind me.  You are in
front of me.  If you value your lives, be somewhere else."
<br clear=all>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/054/garibald.jpeg" alt="">
They beat a hasty retreat.  But they leave a bloody wake of dead and
dying both on the station and littered through space where the Minbari
take up sentry duty.  Sheridan accepts responsibility for some of the
Churchill's lost Star Furies.  Although he is proud of his crew, his
faith in Earth Force is shattered, and he vows not to wear his uniform
again until this civil war is over.  To the Alexander, he extends a
standing offer of assistance, before she departs in search of other
allies.
<br clear=all>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/054/traitors.jpeg" alt="">
In Docking, the known Nightwatch are being deported along with
prisoners from the breeching pod, when Delenn comes aboard.  John
greets her with gratitude, awe, respect and love.  Although less
personal, most of the station feels the same way about him-as an
enormous crowd expresses enthusiastically in the Zocolo.  Even so, the
respite is uneasy, and surely temporary.