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Synopsis by Matthew Murray (mmurray@wsu.edu)
On C&C, Ivanova tells Sheridan about a Markab cruiser that is ten
hours overdue that has resisted all attempts at communication. She
says she wants to send out Zeta squadron to find out what happened to
the ship, and that she will do so as soon as Lieutenant Keffer
returns, searching for what he once saw in hyperspace. Sheridan tells
Ivanova to order Keffer back to the station and curb further
expeditions.
Lazarenn, a Markab doctor, examines a dead Markab with Dr. Franklin.
The death seems rather mysterious, and Lazarenn tells Franklin he
would prefer to keep jurisdiction over his own species. But, since
this Markab is the fourth dead Markab in three days dead of natural
causes, Franklin is suspicious. He tells Lazarenn that he will
continue to run further tests.
Ivanova explains to Zeta squadron that their mission is to find the
Markab ship and determine the problem, if there is one. As she sends
them out, she tells Keffer that Captain Sheridan has ordered him to
curb his expeditions into hyperspace. Though he initially protests,
after he is threatened with a four-month suspension of flight
priveleges, he changes his mind, and leaves to join the squadron.
Sheridan sits down for dinner with Delenn and Lennier. Lennier has
spent two days engrossed in an exhaustive cooking ritual, preparing
food for Sheridan's dinner, so that he may better understand the
Minbari. Sheridan is anxious to begin eating, but is informed that he
must also follow certain rituals in the eating of the dinner. Delenn
explains that, if they are not followed, Lennier will have to begin
again. Delenn and Sheridan exchange bowls, give part of their meal to
Lennier in thanks, and Sheridan places one piece of food in the place
set aside for Valen's return. Sheridan is then able to take one bite
before he must meditate.
Zeta squadron arrives at the Markab vessel, and attempts to open
communication, to no avail. Keffer scans the vessel, but discovers no
life signs, though there are over two hundred life forms on the
vessel. All the Markab on the ship are dead. Meanwhile, Dr. Franklin,
while examining the Markab on the station, asks to have access to the
other dead Markab before they are sent back to their homeworld.
Zeta squadron returns to the station with the Markab ship in tow.
Franklin tells Ivanova that they need a full medical team to
investigate it, and that he thinks Sheridan should be there as well.
Sheridan, who fell asleep while observing the Minbari rituals of
eating, is awakened by Ivanova telling him to go to the docking bay
where the Markab ship has been brought. Sheridan apologizes, though
Delenn tells him that the meal was completed before he fell asleep.
Sheridan arrives in the docking bay to find Dr. Lazarenn there, not
wanting Sheridan or any other non-Markab inside. Dr. Franklin explains
that they aren't wanted aboard the ship because all four dead Markab
died from an infectious disease. Dr. Franklin demands to know how
terminal and contagious the disease is. "It is one hundred percent
terminal," Lazarenn imparts. "And one hundred percent contagious."
The plague continues to spread among the Markab population as Dr.
Franklin confronts Lazarenn and demands to know why he wanted to keep
the plague a secret. Lazarenn explains that the plague is not
something normally talked about -- it is considered a disease that
only occurs to an immoral people, because the first documented case
struck an immoral population isolated on the Markab homeworld, killing
the entire populace. They assumed that the plague had been wiped out,
and therefore was no longer a threat. Lazarenn explains that Drafa,
the disease, had been used to frighten children into behaving, and was
still believed to only inflict the immoral. Though the first new case
had been discovered nearly a year ago, the Markab were still scared to
admit that the problem had resurfaced, and since none of them wanted
to be considered immoral, it was kept secret, which made the disease
spread even faster. In an attempt to escape the disease, the Markab
have fled to every Markab colony, including Babylon 5, spreading the
plague throughout the Markab populace. Dr. Franklin doesn't understand
why he wasn't consulted, but Lazarenn tells him that he was forbidden
by his government, which refuses to assist in any way. Franklin's last
question is whether or not the disease is infectious beyond the Markab
species, but Lazarenn has no way of knowing.
A young Markab girl wanders through the corridors of Babylon 5,
looking for something. She soon locates what she is looking for, her
father, who is sitting against a wall. She touches him, and he falls
over. She cries out and turns around, into the arms of Delenn.
Dr. Franklin talks to the command staff and his medical officers. The
disease is invisible while in its incubation period of up to several
weeks, but after it shows up, the patients live for about a day.
Garibaldi asks how far it has spread, and Franklin explains that they
have to assume the entire Markab population has been exposed. Sheridan
asks if the plague is limited to the Markab, but Franklin doesn't
know, and says that's what they need to find out. If the disease is
airborne, the recycled air aboard the station could put everyone at
risk. Sheridan asks Franklin what to do, and Franklin wants every
Markab brought in for testing so they can discover how the disease
works. The disease, he explains, takes over the central nervous
system, keeping it from working properly. Sheridan orders Ivanova to
put the station under quarantine, keeping all ships in the station,
and preventing other ones from coming in. One of the medical officers
suggests segregating the Markab away from everyone else, but Franklin
says that will only cause the disease to spread among the Markab
faster and that, if the disease is airborne, it won't make any
difference. Garibaldi says that, if all the Markab are in one place,
he can watch over them better when turmoil strikes the station.
Turmoil does strike the station, causing a panic when no one is able
to leave the quarantined station. The Markab are continuously tested
for the plague, as more continue to get sick and die. The Markab
ambassador is outraged by the way the Markab are being treated,
blaming Sheridan for spreading fear among his people. He tries to
explain that his people are moral, and believes that Sheridan might be
part of a conspiracy against the Markab, or that even the immorality
of the humans had infected them. The Markab ambassador begins to
leave, and tells Sheridan that he and the rest of the Markab are going
into isolation to protect themselves from the immorality of others.
Dr. Franklin calls Sheridan and tells him that the disease is indeed
airborne, and that his people have found a dead Pak'ma'ra with no
visible signs of death. He believes the disease may be spreading into
the general population.
The Markab ambassador herds his people into their isolation area,
reassuring them that they are pure and that they will be spared the
plague if they are good. The other races aboard the station are all
too happy to see them go.
Dr. Franklin orders an autopsy performed on a dead Markab before it is
too late, but none of the other medical officers want to risk
exposure. Franklin offers to go in, but is interrupted by Lazarenn,
who offers to go in instead, since he knows much more about the
plague. Since the isolation booth is sealed, no one else will be in
danger should he contract the disease. Lazarenn enters the booth and
appraoches the dead Markab to begin the autopsy.
Sheridan receives a call from Ivanova who tells him that the violence
against the Markab is increasing aboard Babylon 5. 4,000 of the
station's 5,000 Markab have entered the isolation zone, but the rest
may be in considerable danger if found by other races. Sheridan wants
the violence stopped as quickly as possible. Ivanova suggests he get
some sleep. Sheridan agrees, but as he is about to rest, Delenn enters
and tells Sheridan that she wants to be allowed into the isolation
zone to help the Markab. Delenn says that she has been taught to help
others when they are in need, and though Sheridan tries to convince
her otherwise, he is unable to dissuade her. She says that she
understands the risk, and that she and Lennier should do all they can
to help the Markab, since they may all be in need of similar help very
soon. She knows that she may have to remain in there if she contracts
the disease, but she is willing to make the sacrifice. Sheridan
relents and decides to let her enter the zone. "All life is
transitory," she tells him. "A dream. We all come together in the same
place at the end of time. If I don't see you again here, I will see
you in a little while, in the place where no shadows fall." She starts
to leave, but Sheridan stops her.
"Delenn...? When I do see you again, call me John?" She smiles, nods,
and leaves.
A few humans attack a Markab, and kick him in the stomach while he is
down on the ground. Garibaldi arrives and stops the torture, but the
Markab is near death. He reaches a bloody hand out to Garibaldi.
Hesitating only fractionally, Garibaldi takes the Markab's hand.
Delenn and Lennier approach the gate to the isolation zone and are
admitted by the EarthForce officer attending it. They enter quickly,
and are immediately assaulted by the great pain and death they see all
around them, though they are able to keep a somewhat pleasant
attitude, knowing that they may be able to help.
Dr. Franklin injects himself with stims in order to keep himself
awake. Lazarenn, still inside the isolation area, tries to convince
Dr. Franklin to sleep, but Franklin says that, if the plague has
spread, that won't matter much. They haven't found out anymore about
the Pak'ma'ra, but more and more Markab continue to die, though the
violence has been brought under control. Franklin explains that he
doesn't understand why humans never learn from all the diseases they
face, such as the Black Death, AIDS, and Chalmer's Syndrome. Lazarenn
asks about the Black Death, and Dr. Franklin explains how it hit
Europe in the 14th century, and that it too was considered an immoral
disease, possibly sent by the devil. Cats, the familiars of the
devils, were killed by the millions, but since they were the only way
to control the rat population, the true way the disease was spread,
the plague spread even faster. Lazarenn finds the situation humorous,
since often the strategy that makes the least sense is the one that's
done the most. He then collapses against the window of the isolation
booth, and explains that his suspicions are confirmed: he has
contracted the plague. He tells Franklin to run tests as quickly as
possible, now that he has someone in the earliest stages of infection.
Delenn and Lennier minister to the Markab in the isolation zone,
trying to make them more comfortable, though it doesn't seem as if
they are doing much good. Delenn sees the young Markab girl she met
earlier, who is now unable to find her mother. Delenn calls to
Lennier, telling him to find her mother. When Lennier asks how he
should find her, Delenn responds, "Faith manages." Delenn asks the
girl her mother's name, and the girl tells her that her name is Mama.
"Faith manages," repeats Lennier as he begins the search.
Dr. Franklin examines some of the data from the tests, and continues
to run more tests, though they only have a very short period of time.
Lazarenn explains how he feels, and Franklin orders still more tests.
While he is suffering, Lazarenn thinks back to how he and Franklin
first met many years ago. It was when Franklin was on layover on the
Markab homeworld, and Franklin was hitchhiking on starships. Franklin
looked upon everything as a test in those days. "Sometimes the test is
not to find the answer, it is to see how you react when you realize
there is no answer." A medical officer comes up with the results of
the Pak'ma'ra autopsy -- the plague is now affecting the Pak'ma'ra as
well. Franklin, exasperated and irritable, orders some officers to
find out what happened to the Pak'ma'ra, before time runs out.
The young Markab girl is still worried about her mother, and asks
Delenn if she has been found yet. Delenn says no, but says she knows
what the young girl is going through. She once became seperated from
her parents on a visit to the city, and she became more and more lost
until she found herself in an old temple, where she decided to wait
until her parents arrived. Though her parents didn't come for hours,
she felt safe there, and fell asleep. A tall figure told the young
Delenn that she would be fine as long as she believed her parents
would come. The figure told her that he would not allow harm to come
to her. At that moment, Delenn's parents arrived in the temple. As she
completes the story, Lennier too arrives with the young girl's mother.
The young girl runs to her mother and hugs her, and soon turns around
to thank Delenn, but is barely able to keep her balance. The smile
vanishes from Delenn's face as she realizes what is happening.
Dr. Franklin continues tests on the Pak'ma'ra, but continues to find
nothing. He tries to cross-reference Markab yellow cells with
Pak'ma'ra green cells. Lazarenn speaks up, but is unable to say much
beyond, "The yellow cells could be..." He attempts to say more, but
fails, and dies while speaking to Franklin. Franklin, in his rage,
overturns a cart of medical equipment, but his anger evaporates when
the computer reports that a match has been found.
Franklin explains to Sheridan that the plague works by neutralizing
the chemicals in the synaptic gaps of a body, which prevent the
chemicals from relating messages from the brain between neurons. A few
races use specialized cells to manufacture chemicals used in neural
relays, but since humans don't work that way, they aren't in danger.
Franklin says the disease can't be destroyed, but he can stimulate
production of yellow and green cells so that they will eventually be
able to fight off the disease. He's prepared enough for five hundred
doses of the cure, but hasn't had time to test it, and there is nearly
no time left.
Franklin, Sheridan, and Ivanova go to the isolation zone and enter,
and are greeted by a grisly sight. There is nearly complete silence as
they look around the isolation zone and see that every Markab has
died. Delenn and Lennier appear. Franklin asks if anyone is left
alive, and Lennier tells him that they are all dead.
Lennier departs, but Delenn, overcome by the situation, falls crying
against Sheridan's shoulder.
Delenn tells Sheridan that he should be congratulated for finding a
way to stop the plague. Sheridan tries to explain that it is because
of Franklin that they were able to prevent further infection. Sheridan
asks what happens next time, and Delenn says that, if they honor the
memory of those who died, and remember what happened, the other races
will grow, and further problems of this sort will not occur.
"Medical ships dispatched to the Markab homeworld have confirmed the
death toll," an ISN reporter says. "The entire planetary population
has been wiped out by the plague. Over two billion dead, in addition
to another two or three million on other colonies and outposts.
Although it is expected that some Markabs may have survived on
isolated colonies, for all intents and purposes, the Markab
civilization has been destroyed." Franklin, sitting at a bar beneath a
video screen, listens painfully to the news report as other patrons of
the bar joke about the deaths of the Markab and spread rumors about
the dead Markab. The bartender shuts off the television set, refusing
to listen anymore.
"Nothing changes," Franklin says to himself. He gets up from the bar
and walks away.
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[15]Last update: October 11, 1995
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