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								  Synopsis by Matthew Murray (mmurray@wsu.edu)


								   Sheridan and Ivanova try to keep order as they meet with the transport

								   association to work out the new ship screening policy on Babylon 5.

								   Ivanova tries to appease the crowd, but they will not listen to

								   anything she has to say. One man stands up and accuses them of

								   hoarding the weapons so they can control everyone. He challenges

								   Sheridan, saying that, without his gun, Sheridan would be afraid to

								   fight. Sheridan steps down from the rostrum and hands his PPG to the

								   man, taking his less-powerful weapon away and using it instead. When

								   Sheridan asks the man to use the PPG, the man backs down. Sheridan

								   retrieves his PPG, and tells Ivanova to adjourn the meeting until the

								   next day, which she does. The crowd files out, and Sheridan is

								   upbraided by Ivanova for handing the man the PPG until Sheridan

								   explains that he removed the PPG's energy source prior to giving it to

								   the man. Two Narns enter the room, and one introduces himself.

								   "Captain Sheridan? Counselor Na'Far. I've just arrived and wanted to

								   check in with you. I'm here to replace citizen G'Kar."


								   Na'Far explains to Sheridan and Ivanova that the Centauri believe

								   G'Kar is creating an armed resistance on the Narn Homeworld, and they

								   want it stopped. Sheridan asks Na'Far why he doesn't want the

								   occupation stopped; Na'Far says that he feels it is not yet the time

								   for action, and that he has been instructed to take over on Babylon 5.

								   Sheridan denies his request, and insists that Na'Far work out his

								   problems with G'Kar alone. Na'Far politely, but reservedly, thanks him

								   and leaves.


								   In Earhart's, Garibaldi tells a very tired Dr. Franklin a story, but

								   Franklin is in no mood. Ivanova comes by and sits down with them.

								   Franklin says that he has been worried about Sheridan, who has been

								   under an extreme amount of pressure recently, but Ivanova insists that

								   he has had to be, because he has had more to deal with. Franklin

								   receives a call from MedLab, asking him to take an extra shift. He

								   reluctantly agrees, and goes off to the bathroom. While he's gone,

								   Garibaldi tells Ivanova that he looked through Sheridan's file when he

								   came aboard the station, and that he feels Sheridan is capable of

								   handling any problems that arise. Ivanova leaves, running into

								   Franklin on the way out. He is much more energetic now, and tells

								   Garibaldi that he plans to ask a beautiful woman sitting nearby to

								   dance, which he does.


								   Na'Far talks to Londo, to whom he was instructed to report prior to

								   contacting G'Kar. Na'Far asks if he may speak with G'Kar, but Londo

								   avoids the request, instead asking whether or not it would be safe to

								   visit Narn, if the captured Narns are doing what they should, and if

								   the executions are continuing. Na'Far answers affirmatively to each.

								   Londo says that Na'Far may leave, which he does. Vir, who witnessed

								   this, asks Londo if it was really necessary to break the Narns' spirit

								   as well, but Londo insists that the Narn must lose their pride, or

								   they'll pose another problem later.


								   Lt. Corwin tells Sheridan that they have been monitoring an alien

								   probe that has entered Babylon 5 space, a probe of no known design.

								   The probe, which appears to have no weapon systems, begins

								   transmitting a code to Babylon 5, a series of repeating signals that

								   will take the computer several hours to decode.


								   Londo tells Delenn that he feels the rift that has grown between them

								   is unfortunate, and that he misses her as a friend. He tells her that

								   he has done her favors in the past, and now wants her to repay him. He

								   says that he believes Vir would be an excellent choice for a new

								   Centauri diplomatic mission to Minbar. Delenn asks why he feels Vir

								   should be sent to Minbar, and Londo attempts to lie to her, but she

								   catches him. "Over the last two years," he tells her, "to my

								   considerable surprise, I have become very fond of Vir. Sometimes in

								   his eyes, I see a younger version of myself, before... He would be

								   better off away from here. Away from what must be. He would only get

								   in the way." Delenn suggests that perhaps Londo needs Vir, but Londo

								   insists this isn't true, and gives Delenn Vir's papers. Delenn says

								   that she will do what she can. Londo leaves.


								   Garibaldi and Franklin sit down for an Italian dinner in Garibaldi's

								   quarters, and Garibaldi begins to talk to Franklin about his use of

								   stims. Garibaldi tells him that, for obsessive compulsives like

								   themselves, it can be easy to form addictions. Franklin insists that

								   he doesn't have a problem, but Garibaldi, who noticed Franklin's stim

								   use back at Earhart's, tells him that he checked the records and found

								   that Franklin purposefully takes extra shifts, even though he is

								   always overworked. Franklin is upset that Garibaldi did this, but

								   promises Garibaldi he doesn't have a problem, and will cut back on his

								   use of stims.


								   While Sheridan sits at a bar, Na'Far's bodyguard, Ta'Lon, the same

								   Narn Sheridan rescued the previous year from the Streib ship, appears

								   and tells Sheridan that he wants to repay the debt he owes. In his

								   desire to help the Narn after the Narn-Centauri War began, he ended up

								   Na'Far's bodyguard, but says that he is no longer sure if he is

								   protecting Na'Far from outsiders or other Narns. Ta'Lon tells Sheridan

								   there is a debt he must repay as a matter of honor, and though

								   Sheridan is initially resistent, he accepts Ta'Lon's offer.


								   Lt. Corwin reports to Ivanova that the computer has finished analyzing

								   the probe's language codes. It was sent to initiate contact with other

								   life forms, and promises that, if a list of just over 600 questions in

								   many complex scientific and mathematical fields are answered within 24

								   hours, they will be rewarded with cures for disease and

								   highly-advanced technology, but should they fail, they will be

								   vaporized in a 500,000 megaton explosion when the probe

								   self-destructs.


								   Ivanova and Sheridan try to work through solutions to the problem, but

								   are unable to come up with any acceptable alternatives other than

								   answering the probe's question. Ivanova tells him that most of the

								   questions are very technical and some nearly theoretical, and that she

								   had to send some of them back to Earth to be answered.


								   Na'Far tells G'Kar that many Narns are starving, and that the

								   resistance is keeping the Narns on the homeworld from getting the food

								   sent by the Centauri. G'Kar tells him that they don't want the help of

								   the Centauri, but Na'Far says that Centauri food may be their only

								   chance for survival. G'Kar explodes, telling Na'Far that he isn't

								   responsible for the Narn invasion, and that he doesn't want to be

								   blamed for those problems. G'Kar insists that the resistance is

								   working to secure their own food and resources, but Na'Far despairs

								   that they will ever be able to bring in enough. G'Kar says that the

								   Centauri are simply trying to control them, a fact to which Na'Far

								   concedes, but insists that the time for action is not yet at hand.

								   Na'Far begs G'Kar to postpone his battle against the Centauri and

								   return home, while Na'Far looks after things on Babylon 5. G'Kar says

								   the other Narn on Babylon 5 will not accept Na'Far, and therefore he

								   must stay, but Na'Far tells him that the Centauri will persecute and

								   imprison their families if he remains.


								   Dr. Franklin tries to treat an alien patient, but is unable to

								   communicate with him, and there is no translator available. Ivanova

								   calls and asks Franklin if he has received answers to the questions he

								   relayed to Earth. Franklin, under a great deal of pressure, orders the

								   patient away and looks in his desk to see stims inside, but quickly

								   closes the desk without using them.


								   Vir insists that he doesn't want to go to Minbar, but Londo assures

								   him that he will have a good time, and that it is a good career move,

								   and that he will still return to the station now and then. He assures

								   Vir that he is simply trying to protect him, and is capable of taking

								   care of things himself. Londo is confident that Vir will adjust to his

								   life on Minbar.


								   "Londo, if I leave, you'll be alone!" Vir objects.


								   "Ah," Londo replies, "I have always been alone."


								   Na'Far and Ta'Lon leave G'Kar's quarters and are accosted by some of

								   the members of G'Kar's resistance, who insist that he is merely a

								   puppet of the Centauri designed to carry out their will on Babylon 5.

								   One of the Narns insists that Na'Far's sole purpose there is to break

								   their souls, and wants him to go back to Narn. A battle ensues, but is

								   interrupted by G'Kar who stops them and tells them that they cannot

								   succeed if they fight amongst themselves. If the only way to solve

								   these problems is to return to Narn, he agrees to do so.


								   With only six hours left, Babylon 5 has all but 75 questions answered,

								   and they continue to process more all the time. Sheridan asks if they

								   might be able to power up the weapons slowly so the probe wouldn't be

								   able to detect it, but this crisis is interrupted by another: Corwin

								   tells him that the transport association is demanding another meeting,

								   which Sheridan reschedules seven hours later.


								   Garibaldi visits G'Kar, who is in the process of packing to return to

								   Narn. He explains his reasons, but Garibaldi tries to explain that the

								   Centauri will kill him should he return, a fact which G'Kar is only

								   too aware of, but believes is only the solution. Garibaldi tries to

								   convince him to stay, but G'Kar will not. G'Kar thanks him for his

								   concern, and Garibaldi leaves.


								   Dr. Franklin, talking to a doctor on Earth, is outraged to hear that

								   they do not have answers to all the questions he asked. He blows up at

								   her, telling her to find the other answers, or else he will do what he

								   can before he dies to discredit her. He shuts off the link, and opens

								   his desk again. This time, he succumbs and injects himself with stims.


								   Na'Far tries to rally the Narns aboard the station to his way of

								   thinking, and tells them that one great victory is better than

								   numerous small victories. He does a good job of persuading them of

								   this, but there is one thing that this plan omits that they all want

								   to have.


								   With three minutes remaining, C&C rushes to get the answers

								   transmitted, but Sheridan stops Ivanova, saying that he thinks there

								   is something unusual about the situation, namely why a more advanced

								   race would wish to give less-advanced races technology beyond their

								   own. He says that wishing to eliminate lesser races, in that case,

								   doesn't make any sense. He proposes that the entire thing is a ruse,

								   designed not to destroy races who haven't reached a certain level of

								   technological awareness, but rather to destroy races who HAVE, and

								   present a threat to the probe's creators. With only 15 seconds

								   remaining, Sheridan orders the information to not be sent. The probe

								   leaves. Sheridan orders all of the answers relayed through a securebot

								   a large distance away from the station. The probe self-destructs,

								   destroying both itself and the securebot, but leaving the station

								   intact. While Ivanova tries to get the debris back to the station for

								   study, Sheridan laments that he now has to face the Transport

								   Association again.


								   As G'Kar leaves the station, he is stopped by the many Narns of the

								   resistance, who insist that G'Kar is valued and needed on the station.

								   They refuse to let him leave, and though he tries to insist he is

								   leaving in order to help them, they will not let him leave. He reminds

								   them that their families may be in jeopardy, but they all realize this

								   and are ready to accept what happens if it means the freedom of all

								   Narns. Even Ta'Lon has been convinced to stay and join the Narn

								   resistance, and tells G'Kar that only with his help can they

								   eventually succeed. G'Kar agrees to stay aboard the station.


								   Garibaldi and Franklin sit in Earhart's discussing recent events, and

								   though Garibaldi apologizes for what he said about the stims, Franklin

								   tells him that he does have his use of them under control, since he

								   managed to get through the previous days' trials without using them at

								   all. He asks where Ivanova and Sheridan are, and Garibaldi tells him

								   not to ask...


								   ...Because they're embroiled in a Transport Association meeting, this

								   one even louder and more disorganized than before.


								   Londo and Vir walk together in the docking bay, not saying a word. As

								   Vir boards a ship, he looks back to Londo, who does nothing but nod.

								   Vir enters the ship, and Londo turns and walks away.


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								      [15]Last update: February 17, 1996


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