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								   At C&C, Ivanova delivers a message to Sheridan from Captain Maynard of

								   the Cortez. The Cortez is coming to Babylon 5 to pick up supplies.

								   Ivanova notices that they are asking for a lot of supplies, and

								   Sheridan explains that it is because they have been travelling for

								   five years. The Cortez is an Explorer ship, a rare sight for most

								   people since such ships are nearly always out mapping the edges of

								   known space. Sheridan is informed that the ship is coming through the

								   jumpgate, and everyone is amazed by it; it's nearly as long as Babylon

								   5 itself. Sheridan tells everyone at C&C to take a good look.


								   [INLINE] The Cortez.


								   Sheridan and Captain Jack Maynard of the Cortez spend some time

								   getting reacquainted. Maynard talks about some of the mapping he did

								   on the rim, and says that he returned to fix one of the Euphrates jump

								   gates and to resupply.


								   Delenn approaches them, and Sheridan introduces the two. Delenn makes

								   a request to convene the council to discuss the problems in sector 19,

								   and Sheridan agrees to do so. Maynard is confused about Delenn's

								   apperance, not understanding how a Minbari can look so unusual.


								   "There's the story she told us," Sheridan explains, "but then the

								   Minbari never tell you the whole truth."


								   Maynard agrees. They talk about Babylon 5, and Sheridan talks about

								   how busy the job is keeping him. Maynard says that he never thought

								   Sheridan would accept such an assignment.


								   Garibaldi is in MedLab, being examined by Dr. Franklin. Garibaldi says

								   that he appreciates Franklin's help, but eats whatever he wants

								   whenever he wants, and as much as he chooses. Dr. Franklin says that

								   Garibaldi can no longer do that, as he is iron-deficient and has high

								   blood pressure. Dr. Franklin says that, to remedy the situation,

								   Garibaldi needs to be put on a restricted diet. Garibaldi objects,

								   saying that it is almost time for him to make Bagna Cauda, an Italian

								   fondue that contains olive oil, garlic, butter, anchovies, and other

								   ingredients, but Franklin says he shouldn't have it, and that he

								   should stay away from salt and bread especially. Garibaldi says that,

								   without those things, he can't make Bagna Cauda. Dr. Franklin still

								   won't allow Garibaldi to eat it, and gives him a list of other things

								   he shouldn't eat. Garibaldi looks at the list and is angered that most

								   of his favorite foods are there.


								   [INLINE] Unpleasant diet plan.


								   Dr. Franklin says that he is serious and that this gives him the

								   opportunity to call in the ranking officers for a nutritional profile,

								   as they probably all have poor eating habits.


								   Sheridan tells Maynard about his first day on Babylon 5, regarding the

								   Narns and Centauri, the Vorlons, the Minbari's feelings toward him,

								   and Delenn's chrysalis. Sheridan says he is handling things one day at

								   a time. Maynard says that he never imagined Sheridan would be on the

								   station. He wonders why the President would choose someone the Minbari

								   didn't like. He also wonders how Sheridan is doing, since this job was

								   not what he was trained for. Sheridan says that he can make a

								   difference on Babylon 5, and that doing that is important. Maynard

								   doesn't understand how Sheridan could be satisfied with a desk job,

								   but Sheridan says, "Well, it's a hell of a desk to be tied to."


								   [INLINE] Toasting Sheridan's desk job.


								   Garibaldi reports to Sheridan about a recent wave of shoplifting

								   cases. Sheridan is upset that Garibaldi would come to him with such a

								   minor problem. He says that he is sure Garibaldi can handle the

								   problem, and expects a full report as soon as the guilty parties are

								   apprehended. Garibaldi thought that Sheridan wanted to know everything

								   that happened on the station. Sheridan says he wants to know

								   everything important that happens, but wants Garibaldi to take care of

								   the details.


								   Sheridan, Ivanova, Warren Keffer, and the leader of Zeta Squadron are

								   in the officer's lounge, listening to some of Captain Maynard's

								   stories about the rim. Maynard says he wants to hear their stories,

								   but the others say that his stories are more interesting. Keffer asks

								   Maynard where he is headed next, and Maynard says that he is going

								   back to the rim to build jump gates so the area can be explored.

								   Ivanova asks about Maynard's experiences in hyperspace, but Maynard is

								   unsure what she means. Keffer tells Maynard about the Universe Today

								   article a few months earlier asking if something was living in

								   hyperspace. Maynard isn't sure about the answer to that, but does say

								   that he has seen something out there, and that it is "stranger than

								   any one of us can imagine."


								   Sheridan escorts Maynard back to his quarters, and asks if his

								   comments about hyperspace were true, or if he made it up. Maynard says

								   that they were true. "Well," he continues, "it wasn't in hyperspace,

								   though. But you know, things can get kind of weird out on the rim,

								   too. It's funny. You never know what you're going to find when you

								   look over the edge of what's known and into what's not. We were in

								   sector 857. I took my nav officer, Lietuenant Patrick, with me for a

								   look around in one of our scout ships. Well, I noticed that we'd

								   gotten out of sight of the Cortez, and I was, I was just about ready

								   to turn back when I saw something. It was maybe a thousand kilometers

								   away--black against space. Now, the reason that I knew it was there is

								   that it blotted out the stars behind it. I don't know the exact shape

								   of it, but...it was big. I turned to Pat, to ask him if he could see

								   it, and when I looked back, it had vanished."


								   Sheridan tells Maynard that he is the second person in a month to tell

								   him that something strange is happening out on the rim. He asks if

								   Lieutenant Patrick saw anything. Maynard says he only saw a blink--a

								   change in space. "He doesn't know what it was any more than I do,"

								   Maynard continues. "But it's there. And it was real. It still sends a

								   shiver up my back when I think about it."


								   Garibaldi is talking with a young man named Orwell. Orwell tells

								   Garibaldi that it will be very difficult to obtain the items he wants.

								   Garibaldi says he can pay for it, but Orwell thinks it will be

								   difficult to obtain because Garibaldi won't accept substitutes, and it

								   is extremely difficult to find the items. Garibaldi offers a bonus and

								   tells Orwell not to mention anything about it to Dr. Franklin.


								   [INLINE] "How much to tell _nobody?_" "You couldn't afford it."


								   Meanwhile, Sheridan is in MedLab, talking to Dr. Franklin, who says

								   that Sheridan should lose ten pounds, and should avoid meat, fat, and

								   should eat lots of vegetables.


								   "I'm not sure I understand the intent of this meeting, Teronn," Delenn

								   tells the Minbari who is speaking with her.


								   He explains that the other Minbari on the station are afraid that

								   Delenn is no longer one of them.


								   "I am more 'one of us' at this moment, than I have ever been. More

								   than you will ever know," she tells him. She says that she appreciates

								   the concern, but says she can't tell him anything else.


								   He tells her that they need to understand what has happened.


								   "Understanding is not required. Only obedience."


								   [INLINE]


								   Teronn says that they would be obedient if they could be assured that

								   she was still one of their own kind. He says they have the right to

								   know if she is. "If you can not give us what we need," he continues.

								   we will ask permission to send a representative to speak directly with

								   the Grey Council...unless you object." She does not object. Teronn

								   leaves.


								   Dr. Franklin tells Ivanova that she too needs to go on an increased

								   diet in order to replenish deficiences in calcium, iron, and other

								   minerals that are hampering the healing of her leg. He hands her a

								   food plan, and after looking at it, she protests that she will gain

								   weight. As she leaves angrily, she says, "Figures. All my life, I've

								   fought against imperialism. Now, suddenly, I AM the expanding Russian

								   frontier." As she leaves, Dr. Franklin adds, "But with very nice

								   borders."


								   Sheridan escorts Maynard to the Cortez. Sheridan tells Maynard that he

								   wishes he were going along. Maynard says he understands Sheridan's

								   feelings, but does regard his job as just a job. He says that

								   interesting things don't happen very often, but Sheridan doesn't

								   agree. "The adventure is out there, Jack. A man has to go meet it."


								   Maynard says that sometimes, you don't need to find it, because it

								   will find you. Captain Maynard is then called to the Cortez. He and

								   Sheridan say their goodbyes and leave. Sheridan goes to C&C, where he

								   gives the final departure clearance to the Cortez. He watches it enter

								   the jumpgate and disappear.


								   Later, Ivanova is in Sheridan's office, talking to him about problems

								   she is having with two of the delegations on board. He tells her that

								   such problems should be her concern, but she informs him that they

								   will not accept a solution from anyone but him. Sheridan reluctantly

								   agrees to help solve the delgations' problems, but Ivanova is not

								   completely satisfied. She tells him that she feels he has been acting

								   strangely ever since the Cortez arrived. She asks him if he wants to

								   talk about it.


								   "I command starships, Susan," he explains to her, "not cities in

								   space. These problems, the...the petty complaints, the endless

								   bickering, the constant negotiations. Jack Maynard said this isn't

								   what I was trained for, and he's right. I mean, I am constantly

								   sandbagged, swamped, drowned, and snowed under by nothing but trivia.

								   I mean, look at this desk. I can't find a thing on it. You know me. Is

								   this me? Huh?"


								   She tries to tell him that command a starship and commanding Babylon 5

								   are two different challenges, but that one is not more difficult than

								   the other. She doesn't accept this as an answer because he never had

								   difficulty with problems such as these on a starship.


								   He says that Captain Maynard was right. "They have turned me into a

								   bureaucrat, a politician."


								   Ivanova asks him if he believes President Clark was wrong in assigning

								   him to the post.


								   "I don't know," Sheridan answers. "Maybe he was, and it's just taken

								   this long to sink in."


								   The Cortez is in hyperspace when an explosion rocks the ship. After

								   they completed the jump, their fusion reactor spiked, dropping power

								   to 30%, and causing the ship's tracking system to malfunction. This

								   caused them to lose their lock to the jump point and rendered them

								   incapable of leaving hyperspace. Though they are flying blind, they

								   continue to move through hyperspace, hoping to eventually locate a

								   jump point through which they can exit.


								   Ivanova, Garibaldi, and Sheridan are sitting at a table together,

								   eating dinner. They eye the plates before them with great distate, not

								   seeing the types of food they would normally eat. Garibaldi explains

								   that he was able to solve the problems with the shoplifters. Sheridan

								   tries to eat some of his salad, but can't. He points at Garibaldi and

								   accuses him of being at fault for the food plan. Garibaldi tries to

								   absolve himself of blame, but the three find a better solution:

								   Ivanova gives her food to Garibaldi, who gives his to Sheridan, and

								   Sheridan gives his to Ivanova. They are all about to eat the meals

								   they would prefer when Dr. Franklin walks by and catches them. They

								   all quickly switch plates around again and begin eating their proper

								   meals.


								   [INLINE] Almost enjoying a meal.


								   The Cortez is still flying blind, and while power has returned, they

								   do not have the time necessary to fix the navigational systems of the

								   ship, as it would take them 48 hours, by which time they would no

								   longer be able to locate the jump gate's signal. Captain Maynard

								   orders their communications officer to send a mayday. Though the

								   officer doesn't believe it could travel far enough in hyperspace to be

								   of any use, they send it anyway. Babylon 5 receives the mayday, and

								   Sheridan responds to it, saying that help is on the way. He orders all

								   available pilots to their squadron bays. Ivanova reminds Sheridan that

								   no ship has ever escaped from hyperspace in such a situation. Sheridan

								   knows that, but rushes off to prepare anyway.


								   Dr. Franklin is examining Delenn in MedLab. She objects to being

								   examined so much, but he says that, in addition to curiosity, he has a

								   responsibility to make sure she is healthy after her change. She says

								   that she is, and has suffered only minor problems, such as dizziness

								   and fatigue. He asks if anything else is bothering her, and she says

								   no. He also asks if the other Minbari are accepting the change without

								   question.


								   "Of course," Delenn says. Changing the subject, she asks Dr. Franklin

								   about a new delegation coming to the station. Dr. Franklin doesn't

								   understand, but Delenn explains that Garibaldi was waiting for them.

								   "I believe," she tells him, "they're called Bagna Cauda?"


								   Sheridan and Ivanova are in the squadron bays, addressing the pilots

								   who will go out to attempt to rescue the Cortez. Sheridan says that

								   they must try, even though no ship has been found when lost before.

								   They don't know where the ship is, but they do know that, while the

								   first mayday sent by the Cortez was strong, they are fading now.


								   Galus, the leader of Zeta squadron, asks how they can find the ship if

								   they do not even know how to begin looking.


								   Sheridan says that he has an idea, although it is a risky one. "The

								   first fighter will stop just inside the gate, and lock onto the gate's

								   signal," Sheridan explains. "The second fighter will proceed 1000

								   kilometers further in, and lock onto the signal of the first one. The

								   third fighter will lock onto the signal of the second one, and so on."

								   He also says that they could increase the range, if necessary, by

								   moving subsequent fighters further out. While it is a dangerous

								   mission, all the pilots understand and prepare to leave, though both

								   Sheridan and Ivanova wish they were going with them.


								   Sheridan addresses all fighters as they prepare to leave on the

								   mission. "An old friend of mine once quoted me a ancient Egyptian

								   blessing: `God be between you and harm, and all the empty places we

								   must walk.' Bring the Cortez home." The fighters then leave the

								   station and enter the jumpgate, to search for the Cortez.


								   There is no longer a signal from the Cortez, but the fighters are

								   positioned inside the jumpgate, relaying the message to each other,

								   and broadcasting it in hopes that the Cortez will receive it, though

								   there hasn't been a response yet. Soon, the Cortez does receive the

								   signal from Babylon 5, and responds, saying that their lock-on still

								   isn't functioning. Sheridan orders the Cortez to continue broadcasting

								   their mayday so that a fighter can find them and lead them out of

								   hyperspace. The fighters chosen for this are Galus and Keffer. They

								   have difficulty locating the Cortez, because the radio locator

								   "doesn't want to settle." Eventually, the fighters move out so far

								   that they lose contact with Babylon 5.


								   [INLINE] Starfuries to the rescue.


								   Ivanova and Sheridan are both in C&C, anxiously awaiting any

								   information about the Cortez, but they hear nothing. Sheridan asks

								   Ivanova to take a break, but she doesn't want to any more than he

								   does. Sheridan says that Maynard is too good a friend to leave his

								   post. "If this turns into a wake," he says to Ivanova, "I want to be

								   here." Sheridan explains that Maynard was his first commanding

								   officer; Sheridan worshipped him. Ivanova understands his feelings,

								   and says that she will be there for him if the Cortez does not make it

								   back, but asks him to remember the Egyptian blessing, given him by

								   Maynard, in the meantime.


								   Keffer locates the mayday from the Cortez, and radios Galus, telling

								   him so. Galus tells Keffer to go, saying that he will maintain

								   position while Keffer finds the Cortez. Keffer soon finds the Cortez,

								   and approaches it. Keffer loses contact with Galus when a Shadow ship

								   appears in hyperspace and collides with Galus' ship, destroying it. On

								   its way, the Shadow ship also collides with Keffer's ship, though

								   luckily it only sends it spinning away, stabilizers offline.


								   Maynard and the Cortez manage to locate Keffer's ship, but notice only

								   that he repeatedly fires in the same direction as his ship spins.

								   Captain Maynard determines that this must mean Keffer wants him to go

								   in the direction of the fire. They begin to lay in the course when

								   they regain contact with Keffer's Starfury. They offer to come and

								   retrieve him, but Keffer says that both vessels will be lost if they

								   waste time picking him up. Maynard understands, and orders the Cortez

								   to be taken back to Babylon 5.


								   Sheridan, Ivanova, and the others are relieved at the safe return of

								   the Cortez and most of the Starfuries, though saddened that two

								   fighters did not make it back.


								   Orwell is waiting impatiently for Garibaldi, who soon arrives. Orwell

								   explains that he had difficult obtaining the items Garibaldi wanted,

								   but did manage to do so, and opens a case for Garibaldi's inspection.

								   Garibaldi begins examining the contents when he is interrupted by Dr.

								   Franklin, who realized that Orwell had the ability to gather the

								   ingredients for Bagna Cauda so far away from Earth. Orwell leaves, and

								   Garibaldi says that he wants Bagna Cauda for his birthday. Dr.

								   Franklin doesn't accept this as an excuse until Garibaldi explains

								   further. "My father always made Bagna Cauda for me on my birthday. Pop

								   was a great cook, and Bagna was his speciality. When he used to cook

								   it, I mean, the smell, oh man, the smell would fill the whole place.

								   It's funny, you know. When I watched him cook, I knew he was doing it

								   because he loved me. He just could never say it, so he did that

								   instead. He's been gone a long time. So, now, I make it myself once a

								   year, honoring him, you know. It's...it's the only part of him I got

								   left." Franklin believes the story, and tells Garibaldi to make enough

								   for two people.


								   Sheridan is in the arboretum when Delenn comes in. She expresses her

								   sympathy over the loss of the two Starfuries. Sheridan says that the

								   hardest part of command is sending others out to die. She tries to

								   tell him that because he did so, they managed to save others; he was

								   in the right place.


								   [INLINE]


								   He asks what makes her think that he belongs on Babylon 5, and she

								   answers. "The universe puts us in places where we can learn. They are

								   never easy places. They are right. Wherever we are is the right place

								   at the right time. Pain sometimes comes. It is part of the process of

								   constantly being born."


								   Sheridan says he thinks she's been doing thinking about this on her

								   own.


								   "Perhaps," she tells him. "We are both, I suppose, going through

								   transitions. But the universe knows what it's doing."


								   Sheridan says that he wishes he had the faith in the universe that she

								   did.


								   "Then I will tell you a great secret, Captain," Delenn says to him.

								   Perhaps the greatest of all time. The molecules of your body are the

								   same molecules that make up this station, and the nebula outside, that

								   burn inside the stars themselves. We are starstuff, we are the

								   universe, made manifest, trying to figure itself out. As we have both

								   learned, sometimes the universe requires a change of perspective."


								   Keffer is still lost in hyperspace, and running out of air, though he

								   finally gets his thrusters back on-line. He cannot, however, locate

								   the jumpgate because his lock-on systems are not functioning.

								   Suddenly, another Shadow ship appears, flies a brief distance, and

								   vanishes. Keffer tells the computer to analyze its flight path and

								   tells it to correlate with the last sighting.


								   [INLINE] An unlikely savior.


								   Sheridan is about to give up on Keffer's return when the jumpgate

								   activates, and Keffer comes through it, requesting permission to dock.

								   Sheridan happily agrees.


								   Keffer proposes a toast to Commander Galus. Ivanova asks Keffer if he

								   could determine anything about the object that hit him, and

								   indirectly, saved him. He says he couldn't tell anything about it, but

								   that because he knew its position when it first appeared relative to

								   his position, he was able to find his way out, using its origination

								   point the second time as a reference. But he didn't know what it was.

								   "There was just this feeling that something dark and dangerous had

								   gone by," he explains.


								   Maynard agrees that the feeling is powerful. Keffer wants to learn

								   what the object was, but Ivanova says there are more important matters

								   to attend to. She promotes Keffer to the leader of Zeta Squadron.


								   Garibaldi and Dr. Franklin are in Garibaldi's quarters, preparing to

								   eat the Bagna Cauda. Though Franklin initially objects, once he tastes

								   it, he admits that he likes it very much. Garibaldi offers him

								   dessert. Franklin says he didn't authorize dessert, but Garibaldi

								   doesn't care -- he simply chooses not to give any to Franklin, who

								   then objects to that, but soon loses his cares in the Bagna Cauda.


								   [INLINE] Franklin digs in.


								   Ivanova enters Sheridan's office where Sheridan is hard at work.

								   Ivanova tells Sheridan that the others would like to see him in the

								   officer's club. Sheridan says that he has much work to do, but will

								   try to catch up to them in an hour or so. He asks Ivanova if she has

								   ever had a long talk with Ambassador Delenn.


								   "From time to time."


								   "She and the universe seem to have a special relationship."


								   "Don't we all?" says Ivanova as she leaves.


								   Sheridan leans back in his chair to contemplate what Ivanova and

								   Delenn have said. "Starstuff," he says, smiling.


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


								   [14][Next]


								      [15]Last update: October 11, 1995


								References


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