lurkers-guide/synops/106

<h3>Synopsis by Arturo Magidin (magidin@matem.unam.mx)</h3>

<p>
The Narn and Drazi fleets bombard the defenseless Centauri Prime from
space, hitting even the Royal Palace. The ceiling in G'Kar's cell
partly collapses over him just before Londo arrives. Londo helps him
stand up, and takes him elsewhere in the Palace.

<P>
As the capital burns, G'Kar is left alone in a room, somewhat worse for
wear,
while Londo goes looking for the Regent. In hyperspace, Sheridan races
to Centauri Prime. He is informed that the Narn and Drazi have begun
the bombardment, and that Delenn's White Star has been missing for
almost 12 hours (<a href="../guide/105.html">"Movements of Fire
and Shadow"</a>).

<P>
The bombardment moves away from the capital, and Londo finds the
Regent. He discovers who the mysterious "they" the Regent has been
obeying are: the alien from his 'dream' (<a
href="../guide/105.html">"Movements of Fire and Shadow"</a>).
<P>

The alien is a Drakh (<a href="../guide/077.html">"Lines of
Communication"</a>). The Drakh are looking for a home, now that
Z'ha'dum has been destroyed. They remembered Centauri Prime, and they
remembered Londo. They remembered him blowing up the island with the
Shadow vessels (<a href="../guide/072.html">"Into the
Fire"</a>). Centauri Prime is the perfect place for their work. They
have isolated the Centauri from the rest of the Alliance.
<P>

"You are now what we need you to be," explains the Drakh. "A beaten,
resentful people, who will have to rebuild. Who will have to rely on
our good graces. Who can be used, and... guided, as we wish to guide
you. Perfect ground for us to do our work. Quietly."
<P>

The Drakh claims to have planted many fusion bombs around the main continent,
just as Londo did on the island. Unless Londo cooperates, as the Regent
did before him, he will detonate the bombs and kill millions of Centauri.
<P>

The Regent outlines what the Drakh have in mind:
he will die to give Londo the perfect alibi. Londo can claim
the Regent was mad, and ordered the attack on the Alliance without
knowledge or approval from the Centarum. Then Londo can call an end to
the war, once he becomes Emperor. He will have no choice but to obey
the Drakh then, the Regent explains, as he reveals the Keeper on his
neck. The Keeper will control him when its interests are at stake, but
mostly will leave him to be himself. Once the Keeper is removed from
the Regent, the Regent will die. 
<P>

The Keeper disentangles itself, and the Regent collapses.
<P>

Sheridan's White Star squadron finally arrives at Centauri Prime, and
he orders the Narn and Drazi to cease fire. They agree... provided he
supports them in the oncoming fight against the returning Centauri
ships. When the ships get back, says a Narn commander, they will attack
<b>all</b> Alliance ships,
regardless of whether the attack was authorized or not. Sheridan can
either join them and live, or hold back and be destroyed.

<p>
Sheridan
tries to contact Centauri Prime, and orders all ships near Delenn's last
known location to look for her.
<P>

Adrift in hyperspace, Delenn's battered ship tries to stay close to
the beacon. But the navigational thrusters will be out of fuel soon,
and then they will drift away and be caught in the currents of
hyperspace. They will never be found then. 
<P>

On Centauri Prime, Londo returns to see G'Kar, who is feeling
better. "I would be dead, if not for you," says G'Kar. "You risked
your life to save mine." "Yes," replies Londo. "You would have done
the same." "Yes," quips G'Kar, "but I am a better person." Londo
fights back a laugh. He promised he would get G'Kar out of that cell,
and he keeps his promises. But G'Kar cannot remain his bodyguard. It
is no longer appropriate, since Londo will become Emperor. But before
then he wanted to say goodbye to G'Kar.
<P>

"In the months and the years to come," hints Londo, "you may hear many
strange things about me, my behavior. Well, they say the position
changes you. And I just wanted to..." "I understand," interrupts
G'Kar.  Londo isn't so sure.
<P>

As Londo turns to leave, G'Kar adds: "Mollari. Understand that I can
never forgive your people for what you did to my world. My people can
never forgive your people. But I can forgive you." They clasp hands
awkwardly, and Londo leaves in silence.
<P>

He returns to the throne room, where the Drakh implants him with a
Keeper.
<P>

Shortly thereafter, the returning Centauri ships receive coded
transmissions and halt: Londo has issued the surrender order.
He contacts Sheridan.  Londo accepts the explanation that the Narn and
Drazi attack was unsanctioned, since he finds himself in a similar
position. He blames the Regent for the attacks. Sheridan is
relieved, and asks to see Londo personally.  Although the risk is great,
with the Centauri people so angry at the Alliance, Londo agrees when
he finds out about Delenn's ship missing.
<P>

When the transmission ends, Londo turns to the Drakh and asks what
happened to Delenn. The Drakh explains without words, and Londo asks
and begs him not to kill her.
<P>

Once Sheridan arrives, Londo is standoffish, but agrees to help... in
exchange for a future favor. He reacts angrily when reminded that
Delenn is his friend too, and blames the Alliance for what
happened. Sheridan tries to smooth things over and offers to help, but
Lonod refuses. The Centauri will have nothing more to do with the
Alliance. "If I give you back Delenn's life, it will be an act of
charity, nothing more." Annoyed, Sheridan demands reparations for the
war. Part of those reparations will be information about
the shadow pods that were used to control the Centauri ships (<a
href="../guide/105.html">"Movements of Fire and
Shadow"</a>). Londo claims the pods were bought on the black market,
and he is well aware of them.
<P>

In hyperspace, Delenn's ship finally runs out of fuel. In a last
desperate attempt, they fire the weapons, hoping it will attract the
ships that must be looking for them by now. Unfortunately, it attracts
several Centauri warships.
<P>

The warships lock on and begin to approach. Lennier and Delenn realize
they are about to die. "Delenn, I love you," Lennier says, just before
he expects the warships to fire. "I know," replies Delenn. But the
shot never comes. Instead, tractor beams are fired, and their ship is
towed.
<P>

Delenn pretends she did not hear what Lennier said, and Lennier
pretends he didn't say anything. "Nothing happened," says Delenn,
"except that for a moment I found myself feeling extremely
complimented, and deeply honored, by your presence, and by your
friendship."
<P>

The next day, Vir arrives on the Royal Palace, and bursts in on
Londo. "Never burst in on me without knocking!" says Londo, who was
about to take off his jacket. Londo mentions the surrender terms: the
reparations will severely cripple the economy, and there will be
nothing left to rebuild with.
<P>

Outside, Sheridan, Delenn, and G'Kar still hipe they can help out, and
plan to attend Londo's inaguration. But outside, a projection of
Londo, now in full imperial garb, addresses the citizens of the
Republic. He blames the Alliance for the attacks, and for the severe
strain the reparations will put on the economy. But he promises to
rebuild their cities and to reclaim their place in the Galaxy. The
Centauri will not be broken, he promises.

<P>
"This punishment is unfair," he says. "A violation of our sovereign
rights. But we will bear this burden. We are no longer part of the
Alliance. We are alone. We fought alone, and we will rebuild alone."
In the shadows, the Drakh nods approvingly.
<P>

Vir joins Delenn, Sheridan, and G'Kar, as surprised and confused as
they are over Londo's speech. Londo then arrives, and advises them all
not to attend the inaguration. He also officially appoints Vir as
ambassador to Babylon 5. Reluctantly everyone agrees to leave. Delenn
thanks Londo on Lennier's behalf, for saving their lives. "I
fear," she adds, "I can no longer see the road you are on,
Londo. There is only darkness around you. I can only pray that in
time, you may find your way out of it."
<P>

G'Kar respectfully salutes Londo, and the four of them of leave. Londo
walks among fallen statutes and debris to the Centaurum, to be
officially named Emperor of the Centauri Republic.
<P>

Back on Babylon 5, Sheridan, Delenn, Garibaldi, Franklin, and Lyta are
going over the latest on the shadow pods. Sheridan points out that
they cannot follow up on the matter: whether or not Londo's claim that the
pods were obtained in the black market is true, the investigation is now dead
ended.
<P>

Franklin says that the pods are what scares him most: having Shadow
technology loose among those who cannot understand it but are willing
to use it.  He likens it to the nuclear bomb, a remnant of the old Soviet
Union, that devastated San Diego. Weapon technologies left
over from great wars are dangerous, he says. "Weapons like us," points
out Lyta, referring to telepaths.
<P>

Garibaldi wonders if any useful technology has been left behind on the
Vorlon homeworld, technology they can use. But Delenn points out that
dozens of ships have already been sent there, and were destroyed by
the automatic defense systems before they even got close.
<P>

"The Vorlon homeworld is off limits until we're ready," says
Lyta. "Until we've earned the right to go there, a million years from
now." She doesn't know how she knows, but she does.

<P>
Zack arrives and lets Sheridan know the fighting on the station is
almost over. He wonders why everyone looks so worried, though.
<P>

"We won the war," says Delenn by way of explanation, "but what did we
lose?"
<P>

In the Centauri royal palace, Londo sits on the imperial throne, alone and
in silence.