lurkers-guide/synops/074

<h3>Synopsis by Matthew Murray (n9641343@cc.wwu.edu)</h3>

<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/074/father.jpeg">
Sheridan is sitting alone at the conference table in the War Room when
Ivanova comes in.  Sheridan tells her it's strange to have the place so
empty, and though Ivanova insists the war is over, Sheridan isn't so
sure that it is, with all the trouble back on Earth.  The quarantine
has pretty much shut down Babylon 5, but Sheridan is sure they will
find a way back from this setback as well.  Ivanova asks him why he's
worried, and though Sheridan insists he isn't, she knows better.
Sheridan explains that he hasn't spoken to his father much since they
broke away from Earth, and that his last letter mentioned strangers
hanging around town, asking questions about his family.  Sheridan told
his parents to get out while they could, but he hasn't gotten any word
since the embargo.  Ivanova says that, being a former diplomat, his father
couldn't just disappear, but Sheridan is still worried.  He asks if
everything else is okay, and Ivanova tells him that, despite a few
problems in customs since Zack took over for Garibaldi, they haven't
had a major incident.

<p>
Zack enters the docking bay to find an incident in progress--a minor
fight, which one of the security guards says was started when several
new arrivals to the station wouldn't allow their cargo to be inspected.
They couldn't detect anything from the scans, so Zack moves to open
a crate, but the owner insists it's private property.  Zack orders the
man to move, but he doesn't.  As a last recourse, Zack fires his PPG at
the crates, which angers the man even further.  Zack moves to the
crates, but before he can open one, it opens itself, and a small
levitating device floats out.  Zack recognizes the device.
"It's a camera."

<br clear=all>
<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/074/smile.jpeg">
"That's right," the man tells him as the camera films Zack and the
other security officers with their weapons drawn.  "A camera.  It goes
with the territory.  I'm a reporter and this is my crew.  And you just
made the evening news."

<p>
Franklin meets up with Sheridan and tells him that he pulled some
of his doctors off duty in two other MedLabs to help move the
cryogenically frozen telepaths in some of the freezing units, which are
malfunctioning due to overuse, to other working units.  Sheridan tells
him to do what he has to, but wishes he didn't have to keep the telepaths
frozen.  Franklin is worried, though, that they could prove dangerous
to themselves or others with the leftover Shadow technology still in
their heads.  Sheridan agrees and knows that even though the Shadows
are gone, they will need to deal with what they left behind for a long
time.  Sheridan's commlink beeps, and a voice informs Sheridan of
someone's arrival.  Sheridan tells him he's on his way.  "I thought we
saw the worst of it with the Shadows, the Vorlons, the war..." Sheridan
tells Franklin.  "But there's something far worse than the Shadows:
reporters."

<br clear=all>
<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/074/randall1.jpeg">
Sheridan arrives in his office, and the reporter is only too happy to
see him.  He introduces himself as Dan Randall from ISN, and is quite
upset since Ivanova threatened to throw him out an airlock unless he
provided a full manifest of his equipment.  Randall says they changed
the manifest so they would be allowed on the station.  Sheridan insists
they would have let them on, but not their equipment since ISN is only
a source of propaganda for President Clark, and Randall would never do
an objective story.  Randall insists that there is no such thing as a
completely objective journalist, but that he, and others still on ISN,
want to try to slip the truth through in small pieces, the best they
can do under the circumstances.  Randall asks
Sheridan to work with him so that Sheridan's point of view will be
represented and that, otherwise, there's no guarantee.

<p>
Garibaldi is in Downbelow, speaking with someone about retrieving a
priceless family artifact, which Garibaldi recognizes as a Drazi
religious statue the man is using to hide stolen valuables in.  He
makes a deal for its retrieval and a percentage of what's inside.
Lennier appears and asks Garibaldi why he resigned.  Garibaldi says
he's done his duty, and served his time, and just wants some time to
make his own life.  Lennier tells him that, for the Minbari, it is an
honor serve one's people, but Garibaldi has had quite enough honor for
the time being.  He asks about Delenn, whom Lennier says is doing well,
but Garibaldi quickly changes the subject when Lennier starts
mentioning Sheridan.  It's too late, though.  "Speak the Devil's name,"
Garibaldi says, "and he shall appear."  Sheridan introduces Randall to
Lennier, whom he wants to escort Randall around the station so that he
can be assured of getting the most unbiased opinion possible.  Lennier
starts Randall on his tour, and while no words are exchanged between
Sheridan and Garibaldi, there is clearly tension in the glances the two
exchange.  Garibaldi picks up the photograph of the Drazi statue,
and remembers...

<p>
He is alone in his prison cell, sitting in a chair, while a ghostly
voice repeats over and over, "You work for no one but us.  You work for
no one but us."  Garibaldi's memory fades and he gets up from his table
and leaves.

<p>
Randall, Lennier, and the news crew are in one of the lifts.  Randall asks
Lennier about the ship he noticed
being repaired outside Babylon 5 when he arrived.  Lennier explains
that those ships, belonging to the League of Non-Aligned of Worlds,
were damaged during the war, and are being repaired so they will be
able to get back home safely.  Lennier says that the station charges only for
the material needed for the repairs, which Randall finds very
generous.

<br clear=all>
<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/074/downbelow.jpeg">
After making sure the cameras are recording, Randall asks Lennier where
they are.  Lennier explains they are in Downbelow, where those who come
to Babylon 5 and can't afford to live on the station stay.  Lennier
says that Sheridan is trying to put a stop to the exploitation the
Lurkers often face by instituting work programs.  Just then, Franklin
and several other medical officers run by, carrying someone who just
had a heart attack.  Franklin explains this, and accepts Randall's
offer to speak with him later.  Just as Franklin is about to leave, he
receives a call on his commlink from someone in MedLab, saying the cryo
units are ready for restart.  Franklin says he'll be right there, and
though he tries to keep the conversation discreet, the camera, still
recording, catches it all on tape.

<p>
Lennier leads the reporters through a corridor, where Sheridan and
Londo are in the midst of a heated discussion, with Londo complaining
about the lack of heat in his quarters.  The camera captures all of
this as well.

<br clear=all>
<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/074/interview.jpeg">
Sheridan and Delenn are sitting together in his office while a young
woman finishes applying makeup to Delenn's face.  Randall is
interviewing them, and begins by asking them if it was ever their
intention to break away from Earth.  Sheridan insists it wasn't--he seceded
to protest bombing of civilian targets, and they will rejoin once
President Clark is out of office.  Randall asks if Sheridan still
believes Clark was responsible for President Santiago's death, and
Sheridan says that he does, that Clark doesn't let anyhting stand in
his way.  Randall asks Delenn how she feels about all this, and she
says that she is used to it--this sort of thing happens everywhere.
Randall comments on how close Sheridan and Delenn have become, and
asks if it is true that they might marry eventually, which Sheridan
won't comment on.  Randall says that there must be other forces pulling
against them, but Delenn says that, despite all that, the heart does
not recognize boundaries on a map, hatred, or wars.  She says if others
don't understand that, she will make them understand.  Randall asks if they are
concerned about the repurcussions, but Sheridan says there is no force
in the galaxy that can stop all they have accomplished.

<p>
Randall arrives at Garibaldi's table in Downbelow, and tells him that
they are getting ready to leave.  He asks Garibaldi if he would like to
talk about his resignation, but Garibaldi is less than enthused to do
so.  Randall appeals to him, saying that he is the only command staff
member who was with Babylon 5 from the start.  He promises to
allow Garibaldi to say whatever he likes.  Garibaldi remains silent for
a moment, as he decides what he wants to do.

<br clear=all>
<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/074/dinner.jpeg">
Ivanova is in Sheridan's office with a tray of food when Sheridan comes
in with a tray of his own.  Planning to eat while they watch the ISN
broadcast, Ivanova asks if Sheridan is worried, since there will no
doubt be some bias on the broadcast.  Sheridan says that they did the
best they could, and that they wanted to get it out into the open as
soon as possible, and since they managed to avoid major crises and
chose their words very carefully, he feels there is very little ISN can
do to them.  Delenn arrives, and Sheridan turns on his
monitor.

<p>
"This is an Interstellar Network News special report.  Reporting live
from the ISN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, your host, Alison
Higgins."

<br clear=all>
<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/074/isn1.jpeg">
Higgins begins by explaining that, two weeks earlier, they sent Dan
Randall to Babylon 5 to do a report, which will be shown later in the
broadcast.  She runs through the daily headlines: President Clark
announced that his troops have reclaimed 75% of the Mars Colony which
broke away 259 days earlier, and the day has been declared a holiday.  Hearings
also began on anti-Earth activity with testimony given by members of
the entertainment industry.  Lee Parks, a Tri-Vid writer and producer,
testified, admitting that he used his Tri-Vids to spread anti-Earth
messages to outside forces to use against Earth.  He also names three
others who helped him--Tri-Vid writer Carleton Jerrico, and actors Beth
Trumbo and Adrian Mostel.  Higgins says Parks was sent to a mental
hospital where he will receive treatment to one day be reaccepted into
society.

<p>
After a brief interlude with a segment of "This Year in History," the
Babylon 5 story begins...

<p>
"Good evening, I'm Dan Randall.  When we first approached the Ministry
of Information with the idea of travelling to Babylon 5 for this story,
they advised against.  They believed it would put the safety of myself
and my news crew in jeopardy.  But the first rule of journalism is,
'You go where the story is.'  Still, nothing could have prepared us for
what we found."

<p>
Randall explains that, outside Babylon 5, everything seems to be
normal, but inside, most human residents are living in filthy and
dangerous areas of the station, while the best quarters in the station
are reserved for aliens and those running the station with taxes
collected from its inhabitants.  Randall finds it ironic that the
Minbari were appointed the keepers of these humans, and runs a clip without
audio showing Lennier
leading him through Downbelow.  He explains how any attempt at protest
by these humans is put down, with the humans sedated, as is
demonstrated by one of them, on a gurney, being escorted away by
several medical personnel, including the Chief of MedLab.

<p>
Randall explains that, as they toured Babylon 5, they learned the alien
races were in control.  Showing film of Captain Sheridan and Ambassador
Mollari, he asks why Sheridan, a decorated war hero, would tolerate
this from others.

<br clear=all>
<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/074/indiri.jpeg">
Randall explains that, to answer these questions, they talked to
experts.  He introduces Dr. William Indiri, Dean of Psychiatry at
Harvard Medical School, and an expert on xenopsychology and Minbari War
Syndrome.  Indiri explains that many Earth-Minbari War Veterans suffer
from an inferiority complex, feeling that other races are better than
humans.  Indiri explains that, during the war, under that
administration, the Minbari were a vastly superior force, which could
lead those who fought against them to consider them morally superior.
Randall asks if the disease could
cause someone to turn against their own race, and Indiri agrees that it
is possible, since most people in such a situation could feel that an
advanced species is closer to God than they are, eventually forcing
them to turn against everything they believe in.

<p>
"The second rule of journalism is," Randall explains, "'No one does
anything without a reason.'  They may not admit it, even to themselves,
but the reason is there.  To understand what's been happening on
Babylon 5 since their break from Earth, you first have to understand
why." He plays the segment
of video taken in Downbelow when Franklin responded to a colleague's
call about cryo units.  "A small piece of conversation, overheard by
chance.  We'll find out what those few words really mean when we come
back."

<br clear=all>
<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/074/randall2.jpeg">
After a commercial break, the broadcast resumes, with Randall calling
attention to one of the ships docked outside Babylon 5 upon his
arrival.  He explains that the warship is one of a fleet used by
Sheridan and Delenn in their recent military campaign, being fixed at
the taxpayers' expense.  Randall explains that new weapons were added
to Babylon 5's defense system just prior to their secession from Earth,
and were used against Earth during the war.  Randall shows this as
another piece of the puzzle, but wants to find the answer to it all.

<p>
The video taken of Delenn and Sheridan in Sheridan's office is shown.
On the tape, we hear Randall's voice ask Delenn of possible
repurcussions.  "It will be a struggle," she tells him.

<p>
"A struggle against Earth?" Randall asks her.

<p>
"Of course.  If they don't understand," she says, "we will make them
understand."

<p>
"Anything that gets in the way disappears," Sheridan interjects.

<p>
"There's a lot of people back home who might be concerned about what
you're saying.  It sounds as if you're putting the mingling of Human
and Minbari above the safety of your own world."

<p>
"There's no force in the galaxy that can stop what we've done here
together," Sheridan responds.  "Nothing will be able to stop us."

<br clear=all>
<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/074/garibaldi.jpeg">
The tape ends, and Randall says that, if it sounds troubling, there is
good reason.  He says that he managed to speak with Garibaldi, the
former security chief who explained it.  More video airs, and Garibaldi
explains that he feels Sheridan is suffering from a "God complex" and
is acting like he's the Second Coming, as if he knows what's good for
everyone else.  Garibaldi says he thinks he's gone over the top.
Garibaldi is sure he'll get in trouble for saying this, but says
someone had to say it.

<br clear=all>
<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/074/cryogenic.jpeg">
Randall continues by saying that, using information obtained aboard
Babylon 5, they were able to slip into a restricted area.  The video
airs, with Randall, on the tape, explaining what he's seeing:  A large
number of cryogenic freezing units in use.  Babylon 5 should only be
operating four or five at a time, and in a limited capacity.  None of
the names on the units match those in the station's logs.  He wants to
know where the people came from, and why they are there.

<p>
Randall explains that this is their Rosetta Stone.  The humans
come from Downbelow, captured and sedated by Franklin's staff.
Meanwhile, alien ships are being built and repaired outside the station.
Randall says that you never build a fleet
unless you're prepared to use it, and he and others at ISN believe they
know why.

<br clear=all>
<p>
<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/074/franklin.jpeg">
After another commercial break, the broadcast resumes, and Randall
introduces one last interview, which is significant for all that is
denied in it.  The video shows Franklin, in MedLab, explaining his
job.  Randall asks how long patients stay on the station, and Franklin says
they don't stay long, since Medlab aren't equipped to handle long-term
stays.  Randall asks if he ever uses cryogenic freezers, and Franklin
says he does it very rarely, and that they aren't using any at all at
the moment.

<p>
"Rule number three," Randall says, as the camera returns to the ISN
news desk.  "People only lie when they have something to hide.  We know
there are humans in cryo on Babylon 5.  We saw them, as did you.  So what
are they hiding?"  Prodded by Randall, Dr. Indiri speculates that Sheridan's
Minbari War syndrome is causing him to want to change humans to be more
like Minbari.

<p>
Randall explains that, with all they've shown, the truth is
self-evident, once you find they key.  The key, he feels, is Delenn,
around whom all of what they uncovered revolves.  Randall suggests that
the Minbari surrendered at the Battle of the Line so they could destroy
humanity from within instead.  Though he says the idea of mixing human
and Minbari DNA may sound absurd, it has already happened, with Delenn,
when she became half-human.  Randall concludes that it must be
Sheridan's plan to show others how good it can be to be half alien and,
should they disagree, or not want to go along with the experiments, he
will use the alien fleet he is assembling against them, to "make them
understand."  Randall says that the fault is not Sheridan's, since Earthforce
should have discovered his disease earlier and tried to cure it.  This
problem was only made worse by his Minbari War Syndrome, coupled with
the loss of his family's home in a fire the week before resulting in
his father's disappearance, and the pressures of command.

<p>
"Our job," Randall concludes, "is to report the news.  Not to make it,
or guide it.  But from this reporter's perspective, the situation on
Babylon 5 is deteriorating quickly, and must be dealt with.  The
quarantine order will help prevent more humans from falling prey to
this genetics program, but it's only a short-term solution.  As for
Sheridan, he does not deserve our scorn, our anger, or our contempt.
He is a war veteran, and that should at least earn him our sympathy.
We here at ISN hope he receives the best care possible so he can
someday come back to us.  This is Dan Randall at ISN.  Goodnight."

<p>
The broadcast ends.  Ivanova, directly in front of the monitor, with a
great amount of anger on her face, can do nothing but storm out of the
room.  Delenn, initially seated, goes to Sheridan who stands, silently,
facing the wall.  He will not speak to her, and he will not turn to
look at her.  She goes after Ivanova.  After a moment, Sheridan turns
the monitor off.