lurkers-guide/synops/069

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

<p>
Ivanova requests a favor from Delenn.  She wants to borrow a White Star
ship to go in search of First Ones like the ones found at Sigma 957
(<a href="049.html">"Voices of Authority"</a>)
who might assist them in their desperate mission next week against Z'ha'dum.  

<p>
Vir and Londo hear a party in the throne room.  Draped in chains and garbed
in a punishing jester's costume which is thrusting spikes into his head and
body, G'Kar silently suffers the merry abuse of Cartagia's courtiers.

<p>
Ivanova and Marcus are having no success in their search, which is no
wonder considering that they are relying on wild stories that travelers
have told of godlike beings or ancient civilizations.  So far, they all
lead only to dead ends.  

<p>
Zack has located the transport which is supposed to have found Garibaldi's
Starfury, and he takes a wing out to investigate.

<p>
Alone with Londo in the imperial pleasure gardens, Vir finally erupts in
outrage against G'Kar's humiliation and agony and Londo's seeming
unconcern.  Once again Londo counsels biding their time.  The entire
business of plotting against the Emperor is too disturbing for poor Vir.
That is, until the Emperor chances upon them, waving bloody hands and
complaining strenuously at G'Kar's refusal to scream under torture.
Without a bit more action, Cartagia regrets that he will just have to kill
the Narn.  It's really no fun any other way.  After Cartagia departs, Vir
decides regicide isn't so objectionable after all.

<p>
Delenn pays a visit to Lyta Alexander.  There is nothing in the telepath's
quarters but a mattress and the standard communications console.  A bit
embarrassed, Lyta explains that the new Vorlon ambassador has required her
to remove everything else because they are distractions, and since he can
force her to obey, she has.  Delenn wants Lyta to find out why the Vorlons
are not assisting in the mission against Z'ha'dum.  Lyta replies that the
Vorlons appear to have plans of their own and they don't seem to be
interested in what happens to others any more.  Although terrified of the
ambassador, Lyta vows to try to help Delenn.

<p>
Zack and his team find the transport they are looking for and order it to
surrender.  When it maintains radio silence they fire to disable it.  It
ejects a life pod and explodes.  Inside the pod is Garibaldi, meshed down
to a table, unconscious, and wearing a week-old beard.  A computer voice
says, "Activating program," and Garibaldi awakens for a moment.  Zack rushes
him to the station, where Dr. Franklin is disappointed that Zack can't tell
him anything about who was holding Garibaldi; but the prognosis is good and
Garibaldi is expected to recover.

<p>
The Vorlon streams out of Lyta to her great discomfort.  She angrily shouts
that she deserves some respect for her sacrifices to the Vorlons, and some
answers.  "Respect?  From whom?"  the Ambassador replies.  As she
dejectedly turns to go she decides to chance it and mentally probes the
Vorlon.  He slaps her across the room with a blast of energy.  Then,
leaning forward, he says chillingly, "You would know my thoughts?  Would
you?"  The disk on the head of his suit dilates and her screams begin.

<p>
"A little scream.  Is that so much to ask for?"  Londo begs.  If G'Kar will
just put aside his pride and give the emperor the reaction he craves, he
can live to fulfill his bargain with Mollari.  G'Kar refuses, arguing that
he would no longer be a Narn if he gave in, and that of course Londo can't
possibly understand.  

<p>
"Yes I do," Londo retorts savagely, as he leaves G'Kar's cell.  "Yes I do!"

<p>
Ivanova broods in the captains chair.  With a couple of hours to kill,
Marcus asks her about her plans if they live through this war.  She wants
to return home, travel some, pay her respects to her dead father, but
there's no one special waiting.  Marcus has someone special, he says, but
she doesn't know it yet.  He's never actually had relations with a woman,
it turns out.  

<p>
"I thought First Ones were rare," Ivanova mutters.

<p>
Just then, the ship's controls pick up some odd signals which appear to
indicate a pocket in hyperspace hidden by a distortion field.  They switch
course to investigate.  As they enter the pocket, they can see from the
forward windows a vast fleet including some absolutely enormous ships.  The
smaller vessels shooting around the edges reveal that this is a Vorlon
fleet on the move.

<p>
Garibaldi comes to in Medlab.  He tells Zack that he's having bad dreams,
but doesn't elaborate on the visions of Shadow ships and incarceration that
are hounding him.  He seems surprised that two weeks have passed since
Sheridan left for Z'ha'dum, but not very surprised that Sheridan died there.

<p>
An enormous bird-shaped ship travels though hyperspace on an unknown
trajectory.

<p>
Delenn thanks the Brakiri ambassador for bringing information regarding
what the other races are planning.  Those who oppose the decision to attack
Z'ha'dum intend to hold a rally in the Zocalo to gather support for
stopping the assault.  Delenn insists that the Shadows will attack in any
case so it's better to strike now when they are weak.  As he departs, the
Ambassador asks if she knows anything about the large vessel that seems to
be approaching Babylon 5.  She does not.

<p>
Vir and Londo are roused in the middle of the night and led by a taciturn
guard to a secret alcove.  Vir is terrified.  And well he should be, for
they are guests in Cartagia's personal torture chamber.  They are not the
entertainment however... G'Kar is.  The Emperor has decreed that there and
now, G'Kar will either cry out under the stroke of the electro-whip, or die
on the 40th beat.  G'Kar suffers mightily, as Londo surreptitiously mouths
"scream" at him.  At the 39th stroke, the Narn finally gives a mighty wail
and sinks to the floor.

<p>
Jumping into B5 space, Ivanova orders an immediate meeting with Lyta
Alexander and a thorough scan of sector 70x10x53.

<p>
Lennier sees an unusual level of activity in the Zocalo and notifies Delenn.

<p>
The huge birdlike ship exits the jump gate and initiates docking procedures
without the station's approval.  Ivanova orders a security red alert.
Garibaldi struggles off his bed to go investigate.  

<p>
From a catwalk above the Zocolo, the Drazi leader begins to stir up the
crowd with anti-Minbari rhetoric.

<p>
Zack isn't happy to see the Chief out of Medlab but can't stop to send him
back.  Security forces square off against the personnel transport as it
approaches the floor of the docking bay.  Two forms are visible inside.
But when the door opens, all Garibaldi can say is, "Well, I'll be damned."

<p>
The crowd in the Zocalo begins to grow more rowdy as the Drazi continues.
He claims that they will all be destroyed if anyone attacks Z'ha'dum, just
as Sheridan was.  To the astonishment of them all, the dead man himself
steps up onto their platform.

<p>
"Captain.  We're sorry.  We thought you were dead."

<p>
"I was.  I'm better now," Sheridan says ironically, sharing a look with
Lorien standing in the shadows.

<p>
The Captain begins to address the crowd.  No more hesitation.  They must
now assemble the greatest fleet in the history of the galaxy.  The only man
to have survived Z'ha'dum calls on them and their governments to end this
war once and forever, not just until next time.  The crowd cheers their
support.

<p>
Delenn rushes to his side, and as they embrace, John promises never to
leave her again.

<p>
Ivanova finds Lyta collapsed in her quarters.  "You know, don't you," Lyta
says.  "It's started."

<p>
The war council gathers in Sheridan's office for a briefing.  He explains
what he has learned about the Vorlon and Shadow objectives, and how the
balance between them has been lost.  "Something, Mr. Garibaldi?" Sheridan
snaps at the Chief who is glaring at Lorien suspiciously.  

<p>
"I just want to know who our new best friend is," Garibaldi growls.  He
isn't satisfied with just a name, or Sheridan's assurances, or the rest of
the secrecy surrounding the Captain's return.

<p>
Ivanova and Marcus enter with Lyta.  The joy of reunion is quickly
overshadowed by the report of the vast Vorlon fleet followed by the
telepath's news.  To everyone's horror it appears that that fleet has just
destroyed an inhabited planet because it had harbored a Shadow force.  The
Vorlons have decided that it's time to destroy everything that has been
touched by the Shadows.  Now the Army of Light must stop both the Shadows
and the Vorlons if anyone hopes to survive this struggle.

<p>
Meanwhile, the Vorlon planet-killer ship cruises towards its next target.