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								  Synopsis by Katrina Glerum (kat@midwinter.com)


								   A week has passed since Captain Sheridan's ill-fated mission to

								   Z'ha'dum and Garibaldi's disappearance. No one on Babylon 5 is taking

								   this turn of events harder than Commander Ivanova, who stalks the

								   station lost in another world and spends sleepless nights regretting

								   the circumstances that have brought her to command. Meanwhile, Londo

								   has returned to Centauri Prime at the request of Emperor Cartagia,

								   Delenn fasts in prayer, and G'Kar transcribes it all with his hard won

								   equanimity.


								   Ivanova's progress in the art of diplomacy vanishes as she tries to

								   browbeat the remaining League worlds into an attack on Z'ha'dum in the

								   Shadows' hour of weakness, or at the very least, to convince them not

								   to abandon the defense of Babylon 5. The Gaim representative is most

								   succinct in stating that the War Council members only "wish to find

								   your captain," who must certainly be dead. They perceive this alliance

								   to be useful in fighting a war for survival, not victory, which makes

								   a mission against Z'ha'dum simply suicide. The meeting breaks up

								   bitterly. In her anger with the selfish League worlds, Delenn has not

								   ignored the fact that again the new Kosh has not deigned to attend,

								   and she vows to find out why.


								   With great excitement, the Emperor's Minister leads Londo to a private

								   royal audience. They find the Emperor a vapid young man preening at

								   himself in a mirror, proud of his ability to set trends in the court,

								   and amused to be able to toy with the powerful head of House Mollari.

								   He orders Londo to "handle the arrangements" (without explaining the

								   purpose) and mentions a mysterious personage who has specifically

								   requested Londo's expertise on Centauri Prime.


								   In Londo's absence, Vir is receiving the Ambassador's intelligence

								   reports, one of which he passes on to Ivanova. To her distress it is a

								   description of Sheridan's actions on Z'ha'dum and his final,

								   presumably fatal, plunge. "With any luck we won't see Mr. Morden's

								   face around here any more," Vir laughs, trying to cheer her up.


								   Londo doesn't have that kind of luck, however. He returns to his

								   chambers to find the horribly disfigured form of his enemy waiting.

								   Morden somehow escaped death from the White Star's bombs, but at a

								   high cost. Londo asks about Sheridan. "Which one?" Morden responds. As

								   Londo watches and listens with growing revulsion, Morden explains that

								   the Shadows are moving some of their forces off Z'ha'dum in case their

								   enemies decide to attack. They did it before, a thousand years ago,

								   planting their ships like seeds all around the galaxy. Now they've

								   convinced Cartagia to let them set up a base on Centauri Prime. Londo

								   refuses to assist the Shadows, but Mr. Morden just laughs, "You're

								   afraid of what someone else might do in your place."


								   Lyta and the Vorlon meet Delenn in the garden. Speaking for her

								   master, Lyta expresses impatience and closedness. The Vorlon refuses

								   to assist in keeping the Alliance together, in sharing his intentions,

								   or in mounting an investigative mission to Z'ha'dum. Sheridan's life

								   or death is "irrelevant. He has opened an unexpected door. We do now

								   what must be done now. His purpose has been fulfilled." As Kosh

								   leaves, Lyta apologizes and follows.


								   Zack finds an intruder in the Chief's quarters. His quick hopes are

								   dashed when it turns out to be G'Kar paying his respects to

								   Garibaldi's spirit (including "household god" Daffy Duck.) Recalling

								   Garibaldi's acceptance and support of his own spiritual

								   transformation, G'Kar vows to repay the debt by finding the Chief and

								   bringing him home.


								   The Minister eagerly beckons Londo out to the royal Sand Garden. To

								   the Ambassador's horror he recognizes a scene from his worst

								   nightmare. Hundreds of Shadow ships are passing overhead. Inside, the

								   Emperor is beside himself with glee. When Mollari attempts to pull him

								   away from the window, he instantly finds a guard's knife at his

								   throat. "What did they give you?" Londo demands. If the Shadows hide

								   behind the Centauri, "when the war comes here, our people will die

								   first!" Such a sacrifice is perfectly acceptable to the Emperor, for

								   the Shadows have promised to give him godhead.


								   Londo stumbles from the throne room in horror. "He is insane!" he

								   utters to the Minister. With great trepidation, the Minister warns him

								   about the ones who have said this in the past, and how their severed

								   heads now grace the Emperor's private chambers where he talks to them

								   late at night.


								   A long stream of energy pours out of Lyta Alexander into the Vorlon's

								   encounter suit. It is clearly not the joyful burden it used to be, and

								   Lyta looks weary and haggard. She mentions that it feels "darker" to

								   carry the new ambassador, and asks if anything is wrong. The Vorlon

								   only dismisses her and orders her not to interfere with his plans.


								   Late that night, Mollari wakes Vir up to demand his immediate presence

								   on Centauri Prime. He is not the only restless man in the palace that

								   night. The Emperor is paying a visit to his heads to tell them about

								   the day's success.


								   On the station, a refreshed looking Lyta goes to Ivanova's quarters

								   with a proposition. She finds the commander brooding over her vodka.

								   Ivanova explains the meaning of the "hour of the wolf." It's that 3-4

								   o'clock in the morning time when fears and regrets and worries seize

								   your mind so you can't sleep. It's where Ivanova has been living for

								   the past seven days. Lyta brings her a new hope, or at least a plan

								   for action. If they take the new White Star to Z'ha'dum, Ivanova can

								   scan for Sheridan's signal while Lyta blocks the Shadows and scans for

								   the piece of Kosh still alive in him. Ivanova is only too happy to

								   try, but knows there will be no rescue mission for them if they fail.


								   With Delenn and Lennier aboard they hop out of hyperspace near

								   Z'ha'dum. As soon as she begins blocking, Lyta's eyes turn oil black,

								   not a hint of white left. Ivanova sends a message to Sheridan's link,

								   Lyta searches for Kosh, and Delenn uses Lyta's scan to project a call

								   to John. The captain does not respond, but something else does. The

								   Eye which had almost trapped Ivanova when she used Draal's machine

								   ([9]"Voices of Authority") appears and mesmerizes them all. Ivanova

								   orders the ship down to the planet, but the White Star flips around

								   instead and jumps into hyperspace. Lennier had set a failsafe to

								   escape in case he was unable to hit a trigger once every two minutes.

								   They snap out of it, but they are all deeply moved. The Eye spoke to

								   them in the voices of their fathers.


								   Their mission failed. They cannot reach Sheridan. But deep inside

								   Z'ha'dum, a shapeless form shuffles down a tunnel. A gold command bar

								   drops to the dust.


								   As soon as Vir arrives, Londo tells him about the Emperor's madness,

								   and the intrigues of court. "And yet, in all of this, you have somehow

								   managed to walk through the corridors of power and not be touched. I

								   can only assume you have not been paying attention!" Mollari

								   continues, "I need a friend, Vir, and I need a patriot. You are both.

								   Will you help me?" Agreeing, Vir beams beatifically -- until Mollari

								   informs him that they must now assassinate Emperor Cartagia.


								   Commander Ivanova makes a personal log. Biting back her tears she

								   admits that the captain is dead and now she must continue his work.

								   She still needs some help, but she knows where to find it.


								   Deep within Z'ha'dum, John Sheridan shivers in front of a tiny fire. A

								   tall, bearded figure approaches. He only answers John's questions with

								   questions. Nevertheless, he seems pleased and intrigued by what he has

								   found.


								   [15][Next]


								      [16]Last update: November 9, 1997


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