lurkers-guide/synops/102

<h3>Synopsis by Arturo Magidin (magidin@math.berkeley.edu)</h3>

<P>
In the middle of the night, Delenn lies in bed, awake. She receives a
muted signal, stands up, and leaves. Half asleep, Sheridan asks her
where she is going. She claims she only wants to get some documents
from her quarters; reassured, Sheridan falls back to sleep.

<P>

<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/102/mota02.jpeg">
But Delenn is not going to her quarters. Instead, she goes to a bar in
Downbelow. She is accosted by a human, who hits on her. First she asks
him to leave politely. When he refuses, she breaks one of his
fingers. When he goes after her again, he is stopped by a hooded
Ranger, who beats him unconscious. The Ranger is Lennier.

<P>

Lennier joins Delenn in a deserted corridor. He has a fresh scar on
his cheek, given to him by a Drazi during hand-to-hand combat
training. She explains that they have compelling reasons to believe
the Centauri are behind the attacks on the Alliance shipping lines (<a
href="../guide/100.html">"The Ragged Edge"</a>), but no evidence. She
will assign him to a White Star on a training mission near Centauri
space. She hopes his experience with the Centauri, unmatched by anyone
else within the Rangers thanks to his tenure as her aide, will help
him find the solid evidence they need.

<P>

Lennier asks why the secrecy. Delenn explains that they need to keep
the information away from the other worlds until they have evidence,
and more importantly, she does not want Sheridan to know. If Sheridan
finds out, he will try to stop Lennier, to protect him and to protect
Delenn from hurt, should anything happen to Lennier. So she wants
nobody, especially Sheridan, to know. Not even the captain of the ship
he is assigned to knows his true mission.

<P>

Before he leaves, Lennier tells Delenn about Morden's visit during the
<a href="../guide/096.html">"Day of the Dead"</a>, and his
prophecy that Lennier would, one day, betray the Rangers.

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<P>
<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/102/mota05.jpeg">

Londo, meanwhile, is in his quarters when Vir arrives, loaded with
supplies. While Londo was away, Vir was eating out, so there is
nothing fresh. Londo chastises him: someone in Vir's position should
not eat like that. Vir asks what he means, but before Londo can
explain, an alarm goes off on his desk: a listening device was hidden
in one of the bags of groceries Vir just bought from
a Drazi merchant. Londo makes some disparaging remarks about Drazi in
general and the Drazi Ambassador's wife in particular, loud and clear
in front of the microphone, before he destroys the device.

<P>

Then he continues: although he thinks Vir is not quite ready yet,
Londo has decided that Vir will be the Centauri Ambassador to Babylon
5 once Londo becomes Emperor.

<br clear=all>
<P>
<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/102/mota09.jpeg">

Lennier arrives on board White Star 27, which has unofficially been
christened the <i>Maria</i> by her Captain, Enrique Montoya. The
Captain is impressed with Lennier's experience, but warns that since
Lennier is officially a trainee, he will be treated the same as the
others. When Lennier asks about the name, Montoya replies that the
ship needed a proper name, so he named it after his sister. "And where
is your sister?" asks Lennier. "With God," replies Montoya,
curtly. Lennier tells Findell, a fellow trainee, that he has asked an
indiscreet question. But Findell reassures him: "The Captain does not
believe in indiscreet questions. He believes the only way to get
pertinent information is by asking impertinent questions." "Then,"
says Lennier with a faint smile, "I believe I may have finally found a
home."

<P>

G'Kar enters Sheridan's office, where Sheridan, Delenn, and the Drazi
ambassador wait. The Drazi informs them of new attacks on Drazi ships,
and tells Sheridan he believes the Council knows who is behind the
attacks. Sheridan says they have nothing but leads, and Delenn asks
the Drazi to have some patience. The Drazi Ambassador promises they
will be patient, because <i>she</i> requests it. However, he strongly
implies he knows that Centauri are behind the attacks, and thinks
Sheridan and the others are just covering up because they need the
Centauri for the alliance. Londo comes in then, and after inquiring
about the health of the Drazi Ambassador's wife, tells them about the
bug he found in his quarters. He is also perplexed at not being
invited to this meeting, but leaves. The Drazi soon follows. G'Kar
also leaves: Dr. Franklin has informed him that he has finally
obtained a Narn artificial eye for G'Kar, and G'Kar is eager to have
it fitted in.

<P>

Aboard the <i>Maria</i>, Findell tells Lennier the Captain wants both
of them to scout the area after the ship comes out of hyperspace. But
he didn't ask them to look for anything in particular. Findell points
out that Montoya often leaves out important information, a habit he
finds frustrating. But Lennier says Montoya is trying to teach them
the human way of doing things, and to have them react with initiative
to new situations, a new concept for the rigid and tradition-bound
Minbari. Lennier offers to help Findell adjust, but Findell haughtily
denies he needs any help.

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<P>
<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/102/mota15.jpeg">

Franklin fits G'Kar with the Narn eye, and G'Kar is overjoyed. During
the procedure, Franklin mentions he has been reading G'Kar's book, and
would like to sit in on his weekly talks on the Book of G'Kar. G'Kar
agrees.

<br clear=all>
<P>
<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/102/mota21.jpeg">

The <i>Maria</i> drops into normal space, and Lennier and Findell
launch soon after. Lennier notes an anomaly: although their systems
checked fine before launching, they now only have one hour's supply of
air. But before they can contact the ship, the <i>Maria</i> jumps out,
leaving them behind. Lennier suggest staying put, and going into a
meditation trance to conserve air. Findell is clearly agitated, and
doesn't know if he can enter the trance. But he agrees to
try. However, an hour later Findell has almost exhausted his air
supply. Desperate, he starts flying away looking for some air. Just
then, the <i>Maria</i> jumps back in: it was all a training
exercise. As Captain Montoya explains in the debriefing, it is
possible that they may be left behind during a mission, since the ship
and the mission it is carrying out is more important than any
individual. He also praises Lennier's analysis and actions.

<P>

In the Zocalo, Vir confronts the Drazi vendor and demands an
explanation for the bugging. But the Drazi laughs at him: "We all know
you, Vir Cotto. We know what you are. You are weak! You are foolish!
And now you will go away or I will swat you!" He shoves Vir, who
silently turns away and retreats.

<br clear=all>
<P>
<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/102/mota35.jpeg">

But Vir is not done. He goes to Londo's quarters and takes a sword off
the wall. Londo, intrigued, follows him out. Vir returns to the
Zocalo, and while yelling he smashes the Drazi's fruit stand. The
Drazi trembles and drops to the ground, imploring. Vir puts the tip of
the sword to the Drazi's neck, and challenges him: "Now... want to
finish our little conversation, spoo for brains?" "It.. it was a
misunderstanding!" stammers the Drazi; "It was a terribel mistake!"
Londo is watching from a distance, smiling. Vir gets restrained by a
couple of security guards, and Zack Allen arrives: "What happened to
Vir?" he asks Londo. "I promoted him," replies a satisfied
Londo. "Now, <i>now</i> he is ready to be the Ambassador for the
Centauri."

<P>

Aboard the <i>Maria</i>, Captain Montoya describes the next training
mission to Lennier, Findell, and two other cadets. They will engage in
an Easter Egg Hunt: in a dangerous asteroid field, Montoya has hidden
39 short range homing devices. Each ranger should destroy at least
ten. This means someone will fail, of course, and Findell is convinced
the Captain means him. Lennier asks Findell why he joined the Rangers,
and Findell explains he lost two members of his family, both Rangers,
during the Shadow War; it has fallen on him to carry on their
work. Lennier points out that his purpose may be flawed, and if so he
shouldn't be a Ranger.

<br clear=all>
<P>
<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/102/mota42.jpeg">

In the field, Lennier is off to an early lead, and Findell is dead
last. Findell cuts his communications to the <i>Maria</i>, and heads
toward a large asteroid. Lennier follows him, and through a private
channel confronts Findell. Findell knows he will fail, and cannot bear
the shame of failure. Lennier targets Findell's engines, and then rams
the ship to knock him off collision course; the maneuver almost
destroys Lennier's own ship.

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<P>
<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/102/mota50.jpeg">

Back on board the <i>Maria</i>, Montoya is furious. He demands an
explanation, and Lennier claims his computer malfunctioned and fired
on Findell before he could override it. He also claims it was
Findell's maneuver that knocked him off course and prevented him from
crashing on the asteroid. Montoya fails Lennier on the exercise, but
gives Findell a neutral grade. Finally, he has chosen a new assignment
for Findell: Findell will return to Minbar, and join the recruitment
office. There, he will ask each candidate why they want to join the
Rangers. And if their purpose is not clear, if they are joining for
the wrong reasons, Findell will not let them through. It is a very
important, and honorable, task, Montoya says. One Findell is uniquely
qualified for. Glad of having an honorable way out, Findell thanks the
Captain and leaves.

<P>

Captain Montoya then tells Lennier, off the record, that Lennier did a
good job. "And I know," adds Montoya. "And you should learn a very
important lesson: Never, ever assume that no one can listen in on a
private channel."

<br clear=all>
<P>
<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/102/mota55.jpeg">

At the end of the day, Zack is recounting the incident with Vir to
Franklin, Delenn, and Sheridan over dinner. Since nobody got hurt, and
the Drazi didn't want to admit to bugging Londo's quarters, he didn't
press charges. So Zack just took Vir aside and talked to him. On more
sober matters, Sheridan points out that they have a month at most
before the other worlds lose their patience and start attacking on
their own: they need some proof, and they need it soon.

<P>

There is an empty chair at the table: Delenn sent a note inviting
Garibaldi, but he hasn't shown up. In Garibaldi's quarters, the
message board is flashing, unattended. Garibaldi is on the floor,
singing and drinking...