lurkers-guide/synops/093

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

<p>
As Master Turval's voice drones, a class of Ranger recruits meditate, or
at least attempt to.  One young Minbari, fresh from the warrior caste, is too
busy daydreaming about dying gloriously, while another religious caste
recruit can't stop smiling as he listens to conversations around him.
Another old Ranger enters to inform the teacher that Delenn has asked them
to come to Babylon 5.  When Turval selects the two restless recruits to
accompany him as an escort, the happy one exclaims, "Babylon 5, the home of
peace."

<p>
A very unpeaceful man has made his new home on Babylon 5, however.  In order
to emphasize that there's a new law in Downbelow, he orders a debtor
executed.

<p>
The four Rangers, two old (Durhan and Turval) and two young (Rastenn and
Tannier) are honored to be greeted by Entil'zha personally at the docking
bay.

<p>
Garibaldi invites Zack to join him for breakfast.  When Captain Lochley
enters he waves her over too.  To Zack's discomfort, Michael suggests that
Lochley was on the "other side" during the war.  This immediately heats her
up, but she tries to sidestep it.  Calling her on her avoidance, Michael
says loudly, "I want to know, just for me, who's side were you on."  The
commons goes silent.

<p>
She finally declares that she did not take up arms against her own
government. She is a soldier who only knows three words, she says angrily,
"Loyalty, Duty, Honor."  She gets up and as she strides out there is
scattered clapping from station personnel in the room.

<p>
She is still steamed up when she gets to the lift.  Sheridan is there and
she comments acerbically that she has just had a frank discussion with
Garibaldi. Sheridan grins wryly and says, "He doesn't trust you."
Neither Sheridan nor Lochley is
having second thoughts about her assignment, though, and Sheridan advises that
Garibaldi will come around when he's ready.  She grumbles about meeting "a
<em>second</em> man as strong-willed, stubborn and annoying" as she is.

<p>
Zack is shown the dead man's body on the deck.  As this is the third such
execution in two weeks, he tries to convince someone in the crowd of
gawkers to help his investigation by warning that it might be them next.

<p>
The gangster, Trace, is watching the crowd too.  He doesn't like Zack's
perceptiveness and orders him "taken out."  A little later he is visited by
another gangster who's been around for some time and warns against gaining
too high a profile, but Trace thinks he can just keep killing security
chiefs until he gets one who he can get along with.

<p>
In their report to Delenn, Durhan and Turval mention that they have
no idea what to do with a Pak'ma'ra who has joined the Rangers.  It's
stupid, lazy, greedy and a carrion eater, Durhan complains.  Delenn points
out that Pak'ma'ra are found everywhere, but they are shunned everywhere too,
so they would make ideal couriers.  In a subsequent private conversation
Turval commiserates with Delenn over the death of Marcus and warns her
that Lennier is pushing himself too hard in training.

<p>
Garibaldi wraps up interviewing the two telepaths assigned to assist with
intelligence gathering for the Alliance, then asks Zack to pull the
Captain's personnel file.  Zack objects strongly while Garibaldi argues that
his suspicions are just common sense.  Then Zack is called away on a tip
about the murders.

<p>
The two young Rangers stroll nervously through Downbelow.  They pass Trace
who is giving the young woman who sent the tip to Zack a voucher for a
ticket back to Earth.  When she protests the plan to kill Zack, a man grabs
her.  Her scream reaches the Rangers and they have a quick debate over
whether to assist her.  Tannier, the happy religious caste one goes to her
aid, while Rastenn holds back.  Tannier saves the woman but is overpowered
and beaten to a pulp by Trace's men.

<p>
Delenn and the other Rangers watch Tannier in Medlab.  As long as Franklin
can get him standing, they'll take care of the rest, Durhan says.  It's
time for <i>Mora'Dum</i>.  Franklin is shocked when Delenn tells him that
this is a Ranger training exercise called the "application of terror."

<p>
Delenn meets with Lochley about the matter.  When Lochley suggests that
letting the Rangers deal with this would amount to vigilantism, Delenn
reminds the Captain sternly that all members of the Alliance have
recognized the Rangers' autonomy.  Lochley is annoyed that she has been
overridden by both Delenn and the President, and comments, "that's not like
him."  She brushes aside Delenn's query about this and argues that the
Rangers shouldn't be used for revenge.  It's not about revenge, Delenn
replies.  It's about terror.

<p>
Turval finds Rastenn at Tannier's bedside.  Rastenn admits that he
abandoned Tannier because he was afraid of dying pointlessly.  Turval leads
him to see that we imbue our lives and deaths with meaning ourselves.  That
by living each moment like it was the last, and acting with the correct
motives we can never die pointlessly, because "death will have meaning if
it comes when you are in fullest pursuit of your heart."

<p>
Delenn explains to Lochley that the terror that must be conquered is
Tannier's, lest it cripple him from within.  As soon as Tannier can stand he
will be sent back Downbelow to find the man who hurt him and confront him
alone.  Zack is ordered to have the sector where the attack took place
cleared of all security personnel.

<p>
To Trace, the removal of security seems like a victory -- until the
power goes out.  In the dim glow of the emergency backup lights, Trace's
men begin to drop one by one to a terrifying dance of Rangers in the dark.
Running frantically to escape, Trace is finally corralled by a ring of
Rangers and faced off against Tannier.  He is given a fighting staff and
assured that if he can defeat Tannier he will be free to leave the circle.
Turval narrates the fight, managing to turn Trace's failure with both staff
and fists into a lesson to the others on the nature of a bully: quick to
tell others to do what he's afraid of himself.

<p>
As they leave the station, Turval asks Delenn to come back to Minbar soon.
Delenn explains that her work is still on the station for now.

<p>
Watching this farewell on a station securecam, Garibaldi comments
admiringly to Zack that when the Minbari start something they don't stop
until they finish it.  Snooping at Zack's desk, Garibaldi thinks he spies
the Captain's file, causing Zack to shout at him to give it a rest.

<p>
As they prepare for bed Delenn asks John about Lochley's chance phrase. A
guilty look creeps onto his face.  Later, as they lie in bed rigidly, John
swears that he was waiting for the right opportunity to explain.  "Ten
seconds after you thought of it would have been good," remarks Delenn dryly.