lurkers-guide/synops/108

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

<p>
Number One, formerly of the Mars Resistance (<a
href="../guide/076.html">"Racing Mars"</a>) is trying to enter
Babylon 5, but the computer does not recognize her passport. When Zack
arrives, she explains her name is Tessa Halloran, a member of the
Mars Provisional Government; under the terms of the new treaty (<a
href="../guide/087.html">"Rising Star"</a>), Mars is authorized
to issue its own passports and money, but Earth is dragging their feet
in terms of updating they systems, in an effort to harass them;
forcing Mars citizens to use Earth documents. But Number One will not
put up with the blackmail. Fortunately, Franklin happens by and
vouches for her to Zack, so she is allowed in.

<P>
Number One is looking for Garibaldi. Garibaldi is in his quarters with
Lise. He is vomiting, going through detox, when Franklin and Number
One arrive, just in time to hear more retching. Number One explains
that in the next few days, someone will try to kill Garibaldi and
Lise.

<P>
Once Mars declared independence, the corporations with ties to Earth
ran for cover; they had been exploiting and strip mining Mars, so they
were scared. The Provisional Government went for their records, and
offered immunity to those who would help. They now have sources inside
all major corporations still on Mars; among them, Edgars Industries,
which Lise now owns. The company ran several black projects for
Clarke, but Lise didn't know about them.

<P>
Garibaldi puts it all together now: someone is afraid she'll find out
something she shouldn't, so they want her out of the way. Number One
confirms it, and adds that since Garibaldi can help her, they want him
out too. She doesn't know who is behind it, or who will do the
killing, but she does know it will happen before Lise and Garibaldi
leave for Mars. Franklin is surprised to hear Garibaldi is leaving,
but happy for him that he is getting together with Lise.

<P>
G'Kar is on his way to see Lyta; armed security protects him, and
keeps his admiring Narn at bay, including one holding a stattuette of
G'Kar, who yells more insistently than the rest. G'Kar enters the cell
alone. Lyta has been told about G'Kar's offer; it makes sense, she
admits, but isn't too happy. She also suspects G'Kar has an ulterior
motive: he wants to keep his access to telepath DNA. G'Kar is saddened
by her attitude: "That's why you think I'm doing this? Just that, my
own personal interest?" "Well, yeah," replies Lyta. G'Kar looks
pityingly at her, and says: "Then my decision was even more correct
than I imagined." He will make sure all the arrangements are made for
her.

<P>
Franklin and Zack brief Sheridan on the situation, and Sheridan tells
Garibaldi their plan: Garibaldi and Lise will stay out of sight and
under guard. Then, an elaborate going away ceremony will be staged for
G'Kar, Garibaldi, and Lise. Since this will be his only shot, the
assassin will have to act then. Zack will have the place crawling with
security, and will take the assassin down when he moves. Garibaldi is
somewhat surprised to find out this is Zack's idea. "You taught him
well," says Sheridan.

<P>
Sheridan now also knows Garibaldi is leaving for Mars. Garibaldi
explains he and Lise are getting married, and he knows he is not
getting his job as Head of Intelligence back. Sheridan does not
contradict him, but congratulates him on the wedding.

<P>
A lone security guard is joined on a lift by a man. The man
efficiently and silently stabs him, and takes his link, replacing it
with another one. The body is found later, and the switch goes
unnoticed. Zack doesn't understand why the security guard was killed, but he
knows it was a professional. In his quarters, the assassin tries to modify the
link to gain access to security channels. After some work, he
succeeds.

<P>
Sheridan is seeing Number One, who reports Earth still treats Mars as
a colony, making everything go through Earth. Also, dissention among the
Resistance is coming to the surface. As Sheridan poins out,
independence wars are often followed by civil wars. Number One agrees,
and thinks Earth is increasing the pressure on the Provisional
Government to cause a civil war; then they can come back and rescue
everyone, and take over for the "general good." As far as she can
tell, her best options are to expand her contacts. Sheridan
offers to set up a diplomatic office on Minbar and an account outside
of Earth jurisdiction. Number One is very happy to hear it and is very
thankful. In exchange, Sheridan wants her to stick around a bit. He
would rather not say why, but he has just had an idea he wants to kick
around for a while. Number One, intrigued, agrees.

<P>
The preparations for G'Kar's going-away are under way in the
Zocalo. G'Kar observes from a distance, and sighs sadly. Suddenly, behind
him stands the Narn who was trying to talk to him earlier. He has heard
G'Kar is leaving. He claims G'Kar has an obligation to either stay and
teach, or go to Narn and lead. G'Kar tries to explain that his only
obligation is to his own principles, but the Narn isn't listening. He
spent all his money to come to Babylon 5. "We put you in this position,
G'Kar," the Narn says. "Our reverence is our gift to you. And you are
responsible to us. You owe us. Without us... you are nothing." "Then I
am nothing," says G'Kar, and tries to leave. The Narn doesn't let him
go, and shows him the statuette which he has made and is selling, his
way to honor G'Kar. G'Kar takes the stattuette he is holding, and
snaps it in half. "Go home," he tells him, and leaves.

<P>
"Don't; don't tell me to go home," the Narn pleads to no
effect. "Don't turn your back on me, G'Kar!"

<P>
Zack arrives in MedLab to take the guard's personal effects home. He
discovers that the link has some sort of adhesive on the back.  This is
very unusual; links are matched to their owners, and adhere using a
special molecular binding material, tailor made to them. He now has a
lead: the guard was killed for his link, which means it was the professional
assassin after Garibaldi.

<P>
In his quarters, the assassin prepares to leave for G'Kar's going away
bash, now under way. The Zocalo is full of Narn, and a few others,
cheering G'Kar. The assassin blends in as G'Kar, Lise, Garibaldi, and
Sheridan make their way to the podium.

<P>
Sheridan announces that Garibaldi is leaving, as is G'Kar. He praises
both for their work on Babylon 5, and expresses his admiration for
G'Kar. G'Kar stands up to speak. Zack orders a piercing noise to be sent to the
assassin's link. The assassin lurches in pain,
betraying himself, and is quickly taken down by security. The threat
to Lise and Garibaldi is over.

<P>
But not the threat to G'Kar. The disgruntled stattuette maker steps
forward, a PPG in his hand. "You are not worthy of us!" he yells and
prepares to fire. Zack notices, and pushes G'Kar out of the way... and
the shot hits Lise in the shoulder instead. She falls unconscious.

<P>
In MedLab, Franklin works on her wound, as Garibaldi looks on. G'Kar
arrives to inquire on Lise's condition, but Garibaldi says they won't
know anything for a while. Franklin comes out and says they've done
everything they can for Lise; the rest is up to her.

<P>
Garibaldi leaves and runs into Zack, who wants to talk to him about
pressing charges on the Narn. But Garibaldi wants five minutes with
the assassin. Zack tells him he can't do that, but Garibaldi
insists. Either Zack lets him in, or he will have to shoot Garibaldi
to stop him. Garibaldi takes the assassin to Lyta, so she can find
out who hired him. Lyta doesn't want to help, but Garibaldi makes it a
deal-breaker: either she does, or his whole deal with her (<a
href="../guide/107.html">"Wheel of Fire"</a>) is off.

<P>
Lyta begins scanning. The assassin is well trained, and blocks her
for a while, but is no match for her enhanced powers. She slips in
and knocks him out so he won't remember anything. She also gets the
information. He was hired by the Board of Directors of Edgars
Industries. Not one of the directors, but the entire board. They
promised to back each other up if things went badly. And there is no
proof, so Garibaldi can't do anything about it. At least not legally.

<P>
In his quarters, G'Kar is packing when Sheridan arrives. Sheridan was
hoping G'Kar would stay until Delenn returned from Minbar, but the
events of the last hours have convinced G'Kar that he must leave as
soon as possible, or put everyone at risk. G'Kar has purchased a long
range survey ship, and is ready to leave.

<P>
"I've always had the greatest respect for you," says Sheridan. "I'll
miss you."

<P>
"Unnecessary," answers G'Kar. "You see, I believe that when we leave
a place, part of it goes with us and part of us remains. Go anywhere
in the station, when it is quiet, and just listen. After a while, you
will hear the echoes of all our conversations. Every thought and word
we've exchanged. Long after we're gone, our voices will linger in
these walls for as long as this place remains. But I will admit that
the part of me that is going will very much miss the part of you that
is staying."

<P>
After Sheridan leaves, G'Kar dictates a message for later delivery.

<P>
In MedLab, Garibaldi has fallen asleep by Lise's side by the time she
wakes up. Garibaldi is relieved: according to Franklin, if she woke up
she would be all right. And Garibaldi has a surprise: a minister
waiting outside. He wants to get married as soon as possible, before
the Universe throws anything else at them. Lise happily agrees.

<P>
In the embarkation bay, G'Kar is looking over his ship when Lyta
arrives, escorted and handcuffed. He asks that the handcuffs be
removed, but Lyta easily takes them off herself; she only kept them on
because it made everyone feel safe. The guards leave them alone. On
the way to the ship, she looks around, but nobody is there to see her off. As
they approach the ship, Zack steps from behind some crates and watches
her leave.

<P>
On Mars, the Board of Edgars Industries has convened, and receives a
call from Garibaldi. The Board claims their investigation has
established that the head of security hired the assassin, and later
committed suicide, leaving a note taking all responsibility. Nothing
else can be proven.

<P>
Garibaldi, however, has information about the members of the board:
adultery, children out of wedlock, even some questionable "accidents"
that caused deaths. And he is fully ready to use this information. How
did he get it? Although not the Head of Intelligence anymore, he knows
who the new person on the job is, and introduces her: Number One.

<P>
According to her information, the Board is actually responsible for
many of the problems Mars has been facing since independence. If she
makes half of that information public, they will be skinned alive by
the mobs.

<P>
Garibaldi asks her to leave the room, and continues to talk to the
board. He wants all of them to resign. And he will deposit a
substantial sum of money in the bank. If anything should happen to him
or Lise, anything at all, it will be paid out to certain individuals
who will take out every former member of the board. Enough money, in
fact, to have every bounty hunter in the system after them. The former
members of the Board have little choice.

<P>
Franklin and Number One are having a drink. She figures her new
position will let her help Mars even more than when she was there. She
certainly didn't expect the new job when she got to Babylon 5, but is
happy with it. Since Franklin is leaving for Earth, their relationship
(<a href="../guide/077.html">"Lines of Communication"</a>)
wouldn't work out anyway. They can, however, "celebrate" one more time
before he goes back on duty.

<P>
Delenn arrives back from Minbar, and is greeted by Sheridan. The
Alliance Headquarters are almost ready, a week more at the most, and
they can move in any time. They run into Garibaldi and Lise, who are
about to leave for Mars. They say goodbye, and Garibaldi, the last of
the original command crew, leaves.

<P>
"Of all the recent partings, I think this will be the hardest," Delenn
tells Sheridan; "You think he'll be all right?" "Yeah, oh yeah,"
answers Sheridan. "But you're right. The place won't be the same
without him."

<P>
"We're next, you know," says Delenn. "It occurs to me I have never
walked the length of this place end to end." "It's five miles long,"
says Sheridan. "I know," she replies. "Coming?"

<P>
He smiles, takes her hand, and they start walking.