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								   It is January 8, 2259. The Earth Alliance ship Agamemnon jumps into

								   hyperspace. Its commanding officer, Captain John Sheridan, receives a

								   gold channel message from General Hague of the joint chiefs of staff.

								   General Hague tells Captain Sheridan that a Minbari warship has

								   appeared several times in Earth-controlled space, only a short

								   distance from Babylon 5. Hague believes that the ship may have hostile

								   intent. Sheridan doesn't understand until Hague tells him that the

								   ship is a renegade warship, which Sheridan correctly guesses is called

								   the Trigati. The Earth Alliance is awaiting the arrival of a ship sent

								   by the Minbari government to assist should the warship decide to

								   attack. Sheridan is ordered to make personal contact with that ship to

								   help with the search. Sheridan questions the wisdom of that action,

								   remembering his previous encounter with the Minbari, when he destroyed

								   one of their warships. Hague understands Sheridan's reservations, but

								   tells Sheridan to proceed to Babylon 5 to perform one additional duty.


								   [INLINE] The Agamemnon.


								   On Babylon 5, Ivanova, currently in command of the station, walks

								   through the halls and is bothered by several aliens, whom she sets in

								   their place during an elevator ride. The action of the scene continues

								   under her voice, a status report for the station: "It is now eight

								   days since the death of Earth Alliance president Louis Santiago, and

								   five days since Commander Sinclair was recalled to Earth without

								   explanation--and the whole place has gone straight to Hell. I can only

								   conclude that I'm paying off karma at a vastly accelerated rate.

								   Security Chief Michael Garibaldi remains in critical condition in

								   Medlab. Dr. Franklin's done all he can, but we still don't know if

								   he'll recover. As for Ambassador Delenn, well, something's going on in

								   her quarters. That's for sure."


								   General Hague contacts Ivanova and tells her that Commander Sinclair

								   will not be returning to Babylon 5 and that he has been permanently

								   reassigned to the Minbari homeworld as the first human ambassador to

								   the planet. Hague informs her that Captain Sheridan is the new choice

								   for the commander of Babylon 5, but Ivanova is unsure of the decision,

								   claiming that it is "bound to be a controversial choice." Hague

								   understands, but tells her that the decision has already been made. He

								   ends the communication.


								   In Delenn's quarters, Lennier continues to maintain a vigil over the

								   chrysalis in which Delenn is changing. Another Minbari, Hedronn,

								   enters and addresses Lennier directly. "So...she's done it, hasn't

								   she? She's in there. We told her to wait. `The prophecy will attend to

								   itself,' we told her. Now we are committed to the path. I've spoken

								   with the other members of the council. The Trigati has been seen in

								   this sector. If it should appear, you must go to the humans and tell

								   them what we told you. It's time they knew the truth."


								   An officer approaches Ivanova, and wants to talk to her about

								   Sheridan's arrival. She orders him to have a full honor guard in place

								   when he arrives, but he tells her that Sheridan's transport has

								   already docked; there was a miscommunication about the time. She

								   rushes off and meets Sheridan just as he comes aboard, and he

								   officially takes command of the station. While his luggage is

								   delivered to his quarters, Ivanova takes him on a tour of the station.

								   He asks her what the status of the station is, and she recounts it for

								   him. After hearing about Garibaldi, G'Kar, Delenn, and the

								   ever-mysterious Kosh, the only reply he can come up with is

								   "Interesting place you have here..."


								   Elsewhere on the station, there is another arrival -- a Minbari who

								   asks the computer to show him the station, but walks away after

								   hearing the description of the green sector -- the ambassadorial

								   quarters.


								   Ivanova and Sheridan complete their tour and arrive in the new

								   commander's quarters. She takes the opportunity to ask him about his

								   appointment as head of the station. He tells her that he was President

								   Santiago's second choice to head the station, probably because he had

								   worked with many races, including the Minbari. This worries Ivanova,

								   who reminds him that the Minbari still refer to him as "Starkiller,"

								   and guesses they won't be happy to learn he is in command of Babylon

								   5. He hopes they have forgotten, but doesn't believe they have. He

								   asks her to help bring him up to speed. They talk about the crew's

								   reaction to the President's death. Many of them are having a difficult

								   time accepting the loss. Ivanova and Sheridan are no exceptions.

								   Because of the recent turmoil around the station, Ivanova is

								   especially glad to see Sheridan again; they had served together at the

								   transport point near Io. They make plans to go to C&C so that he can

								   deliver a "good luck speech" to the crew.


								   [INLINE] Sheridan describes his speech.


								   Elsewhere on the station, Hedronn notices someone he recognizes -- the

								   Minbari who was on his way to the ambassadorial sector of Babylon 5 --

								   as Kalain. Hedronn runs after Kalain, who grabs and threatens him,

								   claiming that the Grey Council betrayed the Minbari. Kalain explains

								   that he has intercepted a message saying that Sheridan had been chosen

								   to lead Babylon 5. When Hedronn protests that the wishes of the Grey

								   Council were ignored, Kalain asks if Delenn also ignored the Council.

								   Kalain says his people have supporters in the Grey Council, who have

								   told them that Sinclair is on Minbar, though Kalain does not believe

								   that Sinclair being an ambassador is the whole story. Kalain lets

								   Hedronn go, warning him to leave while he still can.


								   [INLINE] "Minbari do not kill other Minbari!"


								   After she goes to check on Garibaldi's condition, Ivanova finds

								   Sheridan and tells him that the officers on C&C are ready for him. He

								   enters and begins his speech, talking about the visit he made when he

								   was twenty-one to Tibet and the Dalai Lama. After eating a very simple

								   dinner, the Dalai Lama asked if he understood. Sheridan didn't. "Good

								   beginning," the Dalai Lama said to him. "It will be even better when

								   you begin to understand what you do not understand."


								   During Sheridan's speech, a call from security says that a Minbari is

								   demanding to speak to Sheridan. Sheridan and Ivanova leave. While they

								   are on their way, Kalain attempts to enter the green sector, but is

								   stopped by a security officer, whom he attacks. Kalain steals the

								   officer's weapon and proceeds into the green sector.


								   It turns out that the Minbari who wanted to speak with Sheridan was

								   Hedronn, who has some important information regarding Kalain. Hedronn

								   tells Sheridan and Ivanova that Kalain was second in command of one of

								   their flagships during the Earth-Minbari war and that he vanished when

								   the war ended. Ivanova asks why Hedronn believes Kalain is here to

								   cause trouble, but Hedronn just answers that he has his reasons.


								   Sheridan suspects the ship Kalain was second in command of was the

								   Trigati. Ivanova has never heard of the ship, but Hedronn explains

								   that at the end of the war, Sineval, one of their warship commanders,

								   committed suicide rather than obey the Grey Council's order to

								   surrender. When that happened, Kalain took command of the ship, and it

								   vanished. Sheridan says that, while the ship had been seen over the

								   years, it had never attacked. Hedronn suspects that its recent

								   reappearance suggests it might be "out of retirement."


								   Sheridan doesn't understand, however, why Hedronn, who claimed that he

								   was from the Ministry of Culture, knew Kalain, a high-ranking member

								   of the warrior caste after twelve years. Hedronn doesn't respond,

								   saying only that he would answer if he recognized Sheridan's

								   authority, but he doesn't because the Minbari government was not

								   consulted on Sheridan's appointment. Sheridan tells Hedronn that the

								   president decided on him because the Minbari had too much influence

								   over an Earth outpost.


								   "And the day that a man such as yourself is given a position of this

								   importance is a dark day indeed," Hedronn says. "We lost many of our

								   best warriors because of you. And we do not soon forget such things.

								   If there is a doom on this station, it is because you brought it

								   here." Hedronn then leaves abruptly.


								   Because of Hedronn's attitude, Sheridan believes that he is a member

								   of the Grey Council, because no one else would know someone so high in

								   the warrior caste so well. Sheridan then admits that Ivanova was

								   correct, that the Minbari don't want him in command of Babylon 5. She

								   points out that they are a prideful people, and that he did destroy

								   their flagship, the Black Star. She asks how he destroyed it. Sheridan

								   explains that, because their weapons could not lock on to the ship,

								   due to some sort of stealth technology, he mined the asteroid field

								   between Jupiter and Mars with fusion bombs, which don't need direct

								   targets. It destroyed the Black Star and three other heavy cruisers.

								   "It was the only real victory we had in the whole damn war, and I am

								   not about to apologize for it!"


								   Sheridan suddenly remembers Hedronn's statement that Kalain felt

								   betrayed by the Minbari homeworld, and deduces that, in such a

								   situation, it would be natural to attack the representative of that

								   world. Realizing they might not have much time, Sheridan and Ivanova

								   rush to Delenn's quarters to find Kalain pointing a gun at Lennier.

								   They are able to easily apprehend Kalain, but when Sheridan attempts

								   to get a close look at the chrysalis, Lennier stops him. Ambassador

								   Delenn is indisposed, he says, and Sheridan should come back

								   later...much later.


								   [INLINE] Lennier defends Delenn.


								   Sheridan and Ivanova interrogate Kalain, asking him about the Trigati

								   and why he has suddenly appeared on Babylon 5. Sheridan can't believe

								   that Kalain's goal was to murder Lennier and Delenn; he had ample time

								   to kill both of them.


								   "Everyone knows Minbari do not kill Minbari," Kalain says. Sheridan

								   doesn't accept that as an answer and again asks Kalain about his

								   presence. "Perhaps everyone is wrong."


								   Sheridan concludes that Kalain never intended to kill them, but that

								   something else was going on. "Perhaps you are the problem," Kalain

								   replies.


								   Ivanova tries to intervene, claiming that they are getting nowhere,

								   but Sheridan has one more question for Kalain. "I'm told that after

								   the death of your commanding officer, you took command of a Minbari

								   war cruiser. But if you're here, where's your ship?"


								   Sheridan and Ivanova leave. Lennier catches up to the two of them

								   outside and apologizes for his earlier behavior. He says that he needs

								   to speak to both of them. "It concerns," he explains, "the reason you

								   were sent here, the relocation of commander Sinclair, and the reason

								   we surrendered at the Battle of the Line." When they reach Sheridan's

								   office, Lennier begins his story:


								   "After three years, the Holy War that began when our leader was killed

								   by an Earth explorer division was almost over. To avenge Dukhat's

								   death, we had pursued your forces all the way back to your homeworld.

								   The few surviving Earth ships that were ordered to defend your world

								   at any cost... were not an obstacle. The Grey Council had come to

								   oversee the final victory of our forces."


								   The scene shifts, back to the inside of the Grey Council ship, where

								   the Grey Council is in session surrounded by a display showing the

								   battle raging outside.


								   [9][LINK]


								   "They fight bravely. They cannot harm our ships, but they continue to

								   try," says Delenn.


								   Hedronn dismisses her comment. "Whether they fight or not, they know

								   they will die anyway. So really, is this bravery or simple

								   desperation?"


								   "Perhaps they are the same thing. We should bring one of them aboard

								   for questioning. If our next step is the final assault on their world,

								   we must know their defenses."


								   "Very well, Delenn. Choose, but quickly. We are fast running out of

								   candidates."


								   Delenn sees a Starfury making a suicide run at their ship. "That one,"

								   she says. A beam immobilizes the Starfury, and it is brought aboard.


								   Lennier continues his story. "This was the first time the Grey Council

								   would have direct contact with a human, in this case Sinclair. He was

								   tortured, interrogated, scanned. During the course of the scan, the

								   Council discovered something terrible. At first, they refused to

								   believe it, so they took in other humans and had them scanned as well.

								   But it was true."


								   "What was true?" asks Ivanova.


								   "It is our belief that every generation of Minbari is reborn in each

								   following generation. Remove those souls, and the whole suffers. We

								   are diminished. Over the last two thousand years, there have been

								   fewer Minbari born into each generation. And those who are born do not

								   seem equal to those who came before. It almost as if our greater souls

								   have been disappearing. At the Battle of the Line, we discovered where

								   our souls were going. They were going to you. Minbari souls are being

								   reborn, in part or in full, in human bodies."


								   "So you stopped the war to avoid harming your own souls?"


								   Lennier confirms that, and continues. "But the Council knew that our

								   people, and yours, were not ready for this information. It could

								   unravel our entire society. So we could not tell our generals the

								   reason for the surrender. We had all memory of the examination erased

								   from Sinclair's mind, and we let him go. It has been our secret. Now

								   it is yours. It must be kept."


								   "I don't understand. If this is such a secret, why tell us?"


								   "Because changes are coming. Commander Sinclair was the first. There

								   will be more."


								   The meeting is interrupted by a call from C&C--a Minbari cruiser, on

								   an attack vector, is coming through the jumpgate. Warren Keffer, the

								   leader of Zeta Squadron, watches with the other people in his squad,

								   but can't believe what he is seeing. Sheridan arrives at C&C and

								   orders a red alert. He activates the defense grid and puts all

								   squadrons on standby. While this happens, Kalain, in his detention

								   cell, removes a tooth from his mouth. He opens it, revealing a blue

								   liquid. He puts the tooth in his mouth and swallows.


								   [INLINE] Kalain practices poor dental hygeine.


								   Captain Sheridan communicates with the warship, which the commander

								   identifies as the Trigati. She demands that Kalain be returned, since

								   he did not kill or harm anyone aboard Babylon 5. When Sheridan

								   refuses, she launches her fighters. Sheridan counters, launching the

								   fighters aboard Babylon 5. He informs her that an attack could be

								   considered an act of war.


								   "The war has already begun, Captain. All that remains now is honor and

								   death."


								   This remark puzzles Sheridan, since no one has yet been killed. He

								   suddenly realizes what's going on: they are attempting to start a war,

								   but since Kalain hasn't killed anyone and the Trigati hasn't attacked,

								   they must be trying to frame Babylon 5. This is confirmed when

								   security reports that Kalain has killed himself. Ivanova can't believe

								   that Minbari would attack after learning they were sharing Minbari

								   souls, but Sheridan reminds her that the Trigati was not informed of

								   that. The Minbari fighters close in on the station, and Sheridan

								   orders his fighters to intercept and engage.


								   While the Babylon 5 fighters move to intercept, Sheridan looks at a

								   display of both groups of fighters; somehow Babylon 5 is able to track

								   the Minbari fighters, even though it's using the same kind of tracking

								   system Earthforce used during the war.


								   Sheridan orders his fighters not to attack. He gives a message to

								   Ivanova, telling her to transmit it through the jumpgate without the

								   Trigati intercepting it. She does so, but doesn't think it will work

								   if it is a distress signal, as no one could arrive in time.


								   [10][Movie] A tight-beam transmission using the station laser.


								   The Trigati's fighters continue to advance, but Sheridan orders his

								   fighters to maintain position. When the Trigati's fighters reach the

								   Earth ships, they do not attack -- they fly past and return to the

								   Trigati. Another Minbari ship suddenly comes through the jumpgate.

								   Ivanova is afraid that the Trigati fighters were waiting for

								   reinforcements, but Sheridan tells her that, since he knew another

								   Minbari ship was looking for the Trigati, he figured they must be

								   waiting in hyperspace.


								   [INLINE] [11][Movie] The Minbari fighters fly past.


								   The other cruiser orders the Trigati to surrender. Sheridan continues

								   to explain to Ivanova that, because they could track the Minbari

								   fighters, that probably meant the Minbari wanted to be destroyed. The

								   Trigati was in exile for twelve years, and could not go home, fight

								   without causing a war, or surrender without being dishonored. If

								   Babylon 5 was forced to attack, they would die at human hands, thereby

								   becoming martyrs.


								   The Trigati attempts to back off and open up a jump point, but the war

								   cruiser cuts off their engines with a beam. They order the Trigati to

								   surrender and be boarded, but the Trigati refuses, and replies with

								   only one word: "honor." The Trigati self-destructs in a ball of flame,

								   apparently from their fusion reactors. A signal comes in from the war

								   cruiser; Sheridan greets the Minbari commander.


								   [INLINE] [12][Movie] The Trigati is attacked.


								   "Perhaps to you," the Minbari on the other end says to Sheridan, "this

								   was a tactical problem to be solved. For us, this has been a great

								   sorrow. The crew of the Trigati were heroes to many of our people.

								   Their death will be mourned, and your name will be remembered." The

								   Minbari war cruiser cuts off the communication and vanishes into the

								   jump gate.


								   Later, Sheridan is in his quarters, looking through his belongings,

								   which have recently been delivered. Ivanova arrives and asks Sheridan

								   if something is wrong. "When I got my orders," Sheridan explains, "I

								   figured this place was a great opportunity. And now I wonder if coming

								   here was irresponsible. This whole mess with the Trigati might not

								   have happened if I hadn't been here. I mean, my presence, my...actions

								   in the war...I'm to blame for bringing all this trouble to Babylon 5.

								   What was it our friend in the Grey Council said? 'If there is a doom

								   on this station, it is because you brought it here.' Well maybe he was

								   right. I spoke with the president. He is the only other human who

								   knows why the Minbari surrendered, and he doesn't believe this stuff

								   about us sharing Minbari souls, and I can't say that I do either. But

								   they believe it. That's why they chose Sinclair to run this place...

								   that's why they've picked him to live on their world. He was their

								   first human contact. Him they trust. But me? I don't know. If Sinclair

								   had been here instead, maybe they might not have attacked."


								   Ivanova tells Sheridan to give himself the benefit of the doubt.

								   Before she leaves, she tells him that he can talk to her any time, if

								   he needs to.


								   Lennier is busy preparing candles in Delenn's quarters, and setting

								   them around her chrysalis. "I told them, Delenn, as I was ordered. I

								   only wish I could have told them the rest -- about the great enemy

								   that is returning and the prophecy that the two sides of our spirit

								   must unite against the darkness or be destroyed. They say it will take

								   both of our races to stop the darkness. I am told that the Earthers

								   will discover all this, soon enough, on their own. I hope they are

								   right. Because if we are wrong, no one will survive our mistake." He

								   says good night, and leaves right before the chrysalis begins moving,

								   and Delenn begins to emerge.


								   [INLINE] "I only wish I could have told them the rest."


								   Ivanova, Dr. Franklin, and Keffer discuss the recent events in a

								   nightclub on the station. Keffer asks what they think of the new

								   captain, and Dr. Franklin and Ivanova both believe that he will be

								   okay. He was supposed to meet them there for drinks, but Franklin says

								   that when he last saw Sheridan, he was going to the C&C to deliver his

								   good luck speech.


								   "It was an early earth president, Abraham Lincoln, who best described

								   our situation. 'The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the

								   stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we

								   must rise to the occasion. We cannot escape history. We will be

								   remembered in spite of ourselves. The fiery trial through which we

								   pass will light us down in honor or dishonor, to the last generation.

								   We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, or last best hope of Earth.'"

								   Though there is no one else on C&C, he has still delivered his speech

								   in time. He leaves C&C to begin the second day of his new command.


								  Synopsis by Matthew Murray (i9717029@unicorn.it.wsu.edu)


								   [18][Next]


								      [19]Last update: February 25, 1996


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