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								  Synopsis by Matthew Murray (mmurray@wsu.edu)


								   While the station is being repaired, both inside and out, Sheridan

								   goes to the rock garden, where he meets Ambassador Kosh. He tells Kosh

								   that, ever since Kosh had saved his life the previous week, he hadn't

								   thanked him properly, and that Kosh hadn't returned his calls.

								   Sheridan asks Kosh if everything is all right.


								   "Being seen by so many at once was a great strain. I returned to my

								   ship to rest. You have a question?" Kosh asks.


								   "Nobody knows it was you. Everyone saw something different, something

								   from the legends of their own world. But it was still a terrible risk.

								   After taking such...such care to hide what you really are, why take

								   that chance?"


								   "It was...necessary."


								   "Well, as answers go: Short to the point, utterly useless, and totally

								   consistent. What I've come to expect from a Vorlon."


								   "Good."


								   "You know... I just had a thought. You've been back and forth to your

								   homeworld so many times since you got here, how do I know you're the

								   same Vorlon? Inside that encounter suit, you could be anyone."


								   "I have always been here."


								   "Oh yeah? You said that about me too."


								   "Yes."


								   "I really hate it when you do that."


								   "Good," Kosh tells Sheridan as he leaves him alone in the garden.


								   A large ship, piloted by a Drazi, blasts off from a planet, under

								   constant fire from two orbiting stations. The ship flies toward the

								   barrier around the planet, and manages to get through it, being

								   slightly damaged in the process. After the ship breaks through the

								   barrier, the pilot launches a smaller ship from it, which flies away,

								   escaping just as the larger ship is destroyed. The smaller ship is

								   fired upon and hit, but still able to make the jump to its pilot's

								   destination: Babylon 5. In order to speed up the trip, the pilot

								   orders all non-necessary life support power to the engines.


								   Sheridan tells Ivanova, who is with him in the docking bay, that he is

								   tired of the unannounced visits of V.I.P's from Earth, since they are

								   never given enough information. The man they are waiting for arrives

								   and introduces himself as David Endawi, who asks that they go

								   somewhere private, and that Ambassador Delenn join them.


								   Garibaldi brings the pilot of the small ship into the new Medlab

								   facilities, and Franklin tells Garibaldi that he will have Dr. Sanchez

								   do an examination, and inform him of the results. Garibaldi leaves,

								   and Franklin examines the man, dressed in the uniform of a Ranger. He

								   calls Sanchez to inform her he needs her help, but upon turning

								   around, the Ranger is gone.


								   Londo is sitting at a bar drinking when Morden arrives, per Londo's

								   request. Londo tells Morden that he has been doing a great deal of

								   thinking and now, that the Narn War is over, they should reconsider

								   their relationship. He feels that the Centauri no longer need the help

								   of Morden's associates. Morden asks Londo if he is being premature in

								   his desire for them to disappear, since they might not know what lies

								   ahead, but Londo tells him he is sure, and wants Morden and his

								   associates to "go away." Morden agrees, telling him that he will meet

								   Londo in his quarters later, after meeting with his associates, to

								   discuss the dissolving of their partnership.


								   Sheridan, Ivanova, Delenn, and Endawi are in Sheridan's office when

								   Endawi asks Delenn if, as a member of the older races, she has any

								   information about the mysterious ship that Lt. Keffer recorded shortly

								   before his death. Endawi asks what Keffer knew about the ship, and

								   Sheridan and Ivanova insist they didn't know what he knew about it.

								   Endawi explains that the ship is obviously from a highly advanced

								   civilization, and that they are worried about the threat the ship

								   might represent, and it is his job to gather information about it.

								   Delenn apologizes to Endawi, but tells him she has never seen a ship

								   of this type before. Endawi asks her if she's sure, but she insists

								   she is. Endawi asks if a ship like this had entered Babylon 5 space,

								   and Sheridan says no. Endawi asks for quarters to stay in until he has

								   been able to talk to the other ambassadors, and Ivanova escorts him

								   out. After they leave, Sheridan asks if the ship belongs to the

								   Shadows, who Delenn had told him about several months earlier. Delenn

								   acknowledges this, saying that it is important to convince the Shadows

								   that they are unaware of the Shadow's but that she didn't lie: she had

								   never actually seen on of their ships before. She says that Shadow

								   ships are relentless and nigh invincible, but Sheridan doesn't believe

								   it. She tells him that he will only feel that way until he sees what

								   they can do. "Take a good look, John. That is the face of our enemy."


								   Lennier meets Delenn and tells her that someone is looking for her.

								   When she tries to brush him off, Lennier changes her mind by

								   presenting the badge of the man brought into Medlab, which Delenn

								   recognizes immediately.


								   Endawi meets with Londo, and asks him what he knows about the ship

								   from Keffer's recording. Londo tells Endawi that this is the ship he

								   has seen in a dream where he is standing on Centauri Prime, with

								   similar ships passing overhead, until their numbers grow so great,

								   they blot out the sun. But, Londo says that's all he knows about the

								   ship, and apologizes that he couldn't be of more help. Endawi thanks

								   Londo, and leaves.


								   Delenn and Lennier, in disguise, venture into Downbelow and enter a

								   tavern, where they sit down. The ranger comes up to them and gives

								   them drinks, which they initially do not accept, but soon do in order

								   to avoid drawing attention. Lennier tastes the drink and discovers it

								   has no alcohol in it. The Ranger, who identifies himself as Marcus,

								   says it proves he was waiting for them, since very few know of

								   alcohol's effects on Minbari. Marcus tells Delenn he needs her help,

								   but would prefer to discuss it in private. They leave the tavern, but

								   are followed. They soon run into a group of thugs, who insist they

								   give over their possessions. Marcus pulls out a Mimbari staff, and

								   begins fighting the thugs. Delenn and Lennier join in, and the thieves

								   are soon defeated. The three of them quickly run away.


								   Ivanova enters Sheridan's office, where he, Garibaldi, Delenn,

								   Lennier, and Marcus are already waiting for them. Sheridan tries to

								   explain the Rangers to her, but she has already known about them for a

								   long time. Marcus tells all of them that the he came from Zagros VII,

								   a Drazi world, where there is a Ranger training camp, created partly

								   for safety, and partly because certain Minbari are uncomfortable with

								   the Rangers. Marcus explains that the planet was blockaded two weeks

								   earlier by the Centauri and that he believes the Ranger camp is the

								   target. He pleads for Sheridan to help the Rangers evacuate. Garibaldi

								   says that they don't have the means for such an attack, since it would

								   require a powerful warship and crew, but Marcus tells him they have

								   the means, if Sheridan and the others have the will. Ivanova reminds

								   Sheridan of Endawi, and Sheridan tells Garibaldi to take charge of him

								   while the others prepare to go to Zagros VII. They soon board a

								   shuttle, file a fake destination in the station's log, and they, and

								   an accompanying Minbari flyer, head out.


								   Morden tells Londo that he wants to make sure that the Centauri are

								   clear on the details of their separation. He brings up a map of the

								   galaxy and draws a line on it, showing the quarter of it which the

								   Centauri may conquer at will. As long as they don't trespass into the

								   territory of Morden's associates, there won't be any problems. Londo

								   asks how he can be sure that Morden's associates won't attack him, and

								   Morden says he can't, but that they have what they want, and aren't

								   concerned with the rest. Londo quickly agrees to Morden's conditions,

								   but Morden tells him there is one more condition. There is one world,

								   on the edge of the Centauri boundaries, that his associates want

								   custody of, and he has already convinced Lord Refa to secure it until

								   his associates can arrive. When Londo asks if he might be able to see

								   the ships of Morden's associates one day, Morden tells Londo ominously

								   to ensure no Centauri remain near Zagros VII when his associates get

								   there.


								   The shuttle and the flyer pull out of hyperspace and arrive near a

								   beautiful, strange, magnificent ship. "Her name," Marcus tells them,

								   "is the White Star. And she's yours, Captain."


								   Endawi protests to Garibaldi that he was assured Sheridan and Ivanova

								   were available, but with some quick double-talk, Garibaldi convinces

								   Endawi that he isn't allowed to let himself know where they went. He

								   suggests that Endawi talk to G'Kar unofficially, since the

								   Centauri-Earth treaty prohibits official contact with the Narn.


								   As they explore the ship, Delenn explains that the White Star is a new

								   type of Minbari warship--smaller and faster than normal, an amalgam of

								   Minbari and Vorlon technology. It looks just different enough so that

								   it cannot be identified. She takes them to the bridge, where the crew,

								   consisting of members of the religious caste, busily prepares the ship

								   for its mission. Sheridan tries to order them to Zagros VII, but

								   Lennier says he must act as interpreter, since most of the crew isn't

								   familiar with English. The ship blasts off toward Zagros VII.


								   Endawi asks G'Kar if he knows anything about the mysterious ship. With

								   an exclamation of relief G'Kar turns an opened Book of G'Quan toward

								   Endawi, where there is a picture which bears a striking resemblance to

								   the Shadow ship. "They came to our world over a thousand of your years

								   ago, long before we went to the stars ourselves. They set up a base on

								   one of our southern continents. They took little interest in us.

								   G'Quan believed they were engaged in a war, far outside our own

								   world."


								   "G'Quan?" Endawi asks.


								   "One of our greatest spiritual leaders. The Book of G'Quan is copied

								   by hand from the original with every note and line precisely drawn.

								   This ship and your ship are the same. I tried to warn the others that

								   the ancient enemy was returning. But no one listened... Perhaps now

								   they will."


								   "But if this is correct, why would they just disappear for a thousand

								   years?"


								   "To all things, there is a time, Mr. Endawi. Perhaps this is theirs."


								   While on their way to Zagros VII, Ivanova asks how Marcus became a

								   Ranger, and he explains it was because of his brother, who died trying

								   to warn him about a Shadow attack on the mining colony where he was

								   working. Marcus promised his brother he would carry on the mission.

								   The White Star comes out of hyperspace, near Zagros VII, and

								   approaches the planet. They call the Rangers and tell them to be ready

								   to escape. The White Star destroys the mines and stations around the

								   planet, but too easily. Sheridan can't believe there wouldn't be a

								   Centauri warship guarding it, and asks Lennier if the scanners are

								   working properly. To prove they are, Lennier shows him, displaying

								   more of the White Star's unique abilities. Ivanova detects a

								   disturbance, and they put it up on the screen. It is the ship they all

								   saw from Lt. Keffer's flight recorder: A Shadow ship.


								   Sheridan declares that the Shadows must have come for the Rangers who

								   he promises not to abandon. Delenn insists they aren't yet ready to

								   fight, but they aren't given much of a choice when the Shadow ship

								   attacks. The White Star manage to maneuver out of the way of its

								   attack, which shocks Delenn, since the Shadows never miss. After they

								   clear the last mine blockading the Rangers, they tell the Rangers to

								   clear out. Sheridan tells Lennier to proceed to the jumpgate since the

								   Shadows won't suspect that the White Star can open a jump point

								   because of its small size, and he wants to keep every advantage he

								   can. Delenn says the ship will follow them wherever they go, and

								   Sheridan says he's counting on it. The White Star enters the jumpgate,

								   with the Shadow ship following close behind.


								   Delenn pleads with Sheridan to call for help. They don't have any

								   chance of destroying the ship alone, since it is so much bigger than

								   they are. Alluding to the Black Star Sheridan tells her that he has

								   heard that before. As they continue through hyperspace, Sheridan asks

								   Ivanova what would happen if they were to open a jump point while

								   inside hyperspace, and Ivanova explains that it would be suicide: the

								   energy released would be too great to escape from. Sheridan asks

								   Lennier if the White Star is quick enough to escape, and Lennier says

								   he doesn't know. Sheridan says that they are probably near sector 45,

								   and that they should use that gate to try the maneuver. It is the

								   jumpgate near the Markab homeworld, which other races have been using

								   the strip the planet bare. The White Star opens the jumpgate, while

								   activating her jump engines. Just as the point forms, the White Star

								   escapes the jumpgate which explodes in a fierce burst of energy, which

								   damages the White Star, but destroys the tailing Shadow ship.


								   The original shuttle and Minbari flyer arrive back on Babylon 5 to be

								   met by Mr. Endawi, who demands to know why they lied about where they

								   were going and what they were doing. Sheridan and Delenn say that they

								   had to tow a Minbari diplomatic shuttle to a nearby jumpgate. They

								   apologize, but Endawi is on his way back to Earth. He tells them he

								   has all the information he needs, and that he will send a copy of the

								   report.


								   Back on Earth, Endawi presents his information to a senator in Earth

								   Dome, telling her what he found, though he reached nothing conclusive.

								   She tells him that she will inform him of what they find. Soon after

								   he leaves, two other men come into her office. One of them is Morden,

								   and the other is a Psi Cop. She tells them that there is little

								   information, and that the ship is a complete mystery to everyone on

								   Babylon 5 except legends. Morden suggests that the Earth government

								   dismiss it as an isolated incident, but the telepath disagrees, saying

								   that a threat to planetary security could be useful in speeding up the

								   program at home. Intrigued, Morden asks him to explain.


								   Sheridan, Ivanova, Garibaldi, Franklin, Delenn, and Marcus sit around

								   a large table while Sheridan outlines his plan for a War Council:

								   Whatever anyone learns they will share every two weeks, in hopes that

								   together they can achieve more than they can working separately.

								   Sheridan tells them that they can say anything they like during these

								   meetings.


								   Franklin says, "Well, then, I have a question. Granted, I am stuck in

								   Medlab most of the time, and granted, I'm usually the last to know

								   anything around here, and granted, we've all been pretty busy lately,

								   but could someone please tell me what the hell these Shadows are?"


								   Sheridan indicates to Delenn that she should explain, which she does.

								   "There are beings in the universe billions of years older than any of

								   our races. They walked among the stars like giants, vast and timeless.

								   They created great empires, taught the new races, explored beyond the

								   Rim... The oldest of the Ancients are the Shadows. We have no other

								   name for them..."


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								      [15]Last update: September 27, 1996


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