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178 lines
9.0 KiB
178 lines
9.0 KiB
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<p>
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Sinclair and Garibaldi await the arrival of a ship bearing the body of
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Branmer, the Minbari general who led the attack on the Line. Branmer
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died on a diplomatic mission and his ship is enroute home, stopping along
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the way to let people pay their respects. The ship -- a Minbari cruiser,
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the same kind that Sinclair fought on the Line -- arrives through the
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jumpgate.
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<p>
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On the zocalo, Ivanova is taking a break. Talia Winters arrives and
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sits across the bar from her. Meanwhile, a girl in scruffy clothing steals
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a piece of jewelry from a vendor. She's spotted, and runs away, then
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collapses on the floor, unconscious. Talia and Ivanova rush to her side.
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"She's a telepath," Talia says.
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<p>
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The Minbari ship approaches the station. Scans indicate that it's flying
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with gun ports open -- armed for a fight. The captain refuses to explain,
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but Delenn arrives at the command center in time to explain that it's
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simply a way of honoring a great military leader.
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<p>
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In medlab, Dr. Franklin reports that the girl appears normal except for
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unusually high EEG readings. Talia explains that she was a latent telepath
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whose powers suddenly activated -- probably due to the onset of puberty --
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and her mind was unable to cope with the sudden inrush of foreign thoughts.
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Talia offers to notify the Psi-Corps so they can send a representative,
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but Ivanova objects.
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<p>
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<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/017/medlab.gif"> Franklin examines the girl.
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<p>
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A procession bearing Branmer's casket comes aboard. Neroon, Branmer's
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second in command, greets Sinclair and Delenn. Ivanova and Garibaldi lead
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him away to the area they've prepared for the viewing of Branmer's body.
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Delenn comments to Sinclair that such a viewing is very unusual, but that
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the Star Riders, Branmer's clan, insisted on it. She seems disturbed.
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<p>
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<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/017/procession.gif"> The funeral procession.
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<p>
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Ivanova arrives in medlab just as the girl awakens. As she gains
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consciousness, she's nearly overwhelmed by the thoughts of the other
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people nearby, but Talia teaches her how to block them out. According to
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Talia, who couldn't help picking up the girl's thoughts, her name is
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Alisa Belden, and both of her parents are dead. Ivanova and Talia argue
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about who has jurisdiction over Alisa; Ivanova vows that Alisa won't leave
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the station if she can help it.
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<p>
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Neroon won't allow Garibaldi's men to guard Branmer's body until the
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viewing ceremony. He insists on Minbari guards. He baits Sinclair about
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the Line, but Delenn defuses the conversation.
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<p>
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<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/017/demand.gif"> Neroon makes his demand.
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<p>
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The ceremony proceeds normally until the casket is opened. Branmer's
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body is nowhere to be seen.
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<p>
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Sinclair orders Garibaldi to begin an investigation. Neroon threatens to
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go to war over the issue, claiming that the last incident involving a
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Minbari leader, the death of Dukhat (which Garibaldi counters was a
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tragic accident) was the cause of the last war. He's
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rebuffed by Delenn, who says that no one clan has the right to dictate
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Minbari policy.
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<p>
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After Neroon and Delenn leave, Ivanova tells Sinclair about Alisa. Sinclair
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says he'll stand behind whatever decision Ivanova makes.
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<p>
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Later, Sinclair visits Delenn in her quarters. As she adds pieces to her
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crystal sculpture, Delenn tells Sinclair that
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Branmer was originally a high priest of the religious caste. When the holy
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war against Earth began, Branmer felt an obligation to go to battle. He
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felt the Minbari cause was just, but obeyed the surrender order when it came.
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Another warleader, Sineval, committed suicide rather than obey the order, and
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many among the military caste greatly resent the surrender. Sinclair notes
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that Neroon is one of them; he seems to be spoiling for a rematch.
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<p>
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<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/017/discuss.gif"> Discussing Neroon.
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<p>
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In medlab, Alisa is trying on new clothes, courtesy of the Psi Corps,
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while Talia tells her that the Corps will take good care of her once she
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joins. Ivanova arrives and counters with the story of the Corps' treatment
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of her mother.
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<p>
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Neroon intercepts Garibaldi in a corridor. The investigation is meeting with
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no success so far. An aide rushes up, clutching a piece of Branmer's burial
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robe. He says it was found outside the quarters of the pak'ma'ra -- carrion
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eaters.
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<p>
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Garibaldi and Neroon interrogate one of the pak'ma'ra, who claims ignorance
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about the disappearance of Branmer's body. Convinced that the alien is
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hiding something, Garibaldi orders all the pak'ma'ra to have their stomachs
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pumped.
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<p>
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<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/017/pakmara.gif"> The pak'ma'ra denies
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knowledge.
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<p>
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Na'Toth offers a deal to Alisa: a pampered life on the Narn homeworld in
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exchange for periodic tissue samples. Trying to get a glimpse of life on
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Narn, Alisa peers into Na'Toth's mind, and is repulsed; it's cold, alien.
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Franklin suggests that she take that into account while she considers
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the offer.
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<p>
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<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/017/natoth.gif"> Na'Toth makes her offer.
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<p>
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Dr. Franklin reports to Garibaldi that analysis of the pak'ma'ras' stomach
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contents was negative; they hadn't dined on Minbari lately.
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<p>
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Neroon, furious that Garibaldi is wasting his time pumping alien stomachs,
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threatens to have his ship tear the station apart if Garibaldi can't solve
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the mystery.
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<p>
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Tests reveal that Alisa is at least a P10, which she jokes will probably
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make her worth more to the Narn. Ivanova warns Alisa against accepting
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the Narn offer, citing evidence that the Narn keep aliens as slaves and
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are likely to do so to Alisa once she's in their clutches. Talia once
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again suggests the Psi-Corps, provoking a heated argument with Ivanova;
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Alisa breaks in and says she wants to know <em>all</em> her options.
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<p>
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Ivanova takes Alisa to visit Delenn, who describes Minbari telepaths. Psi
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ability among the Minbari is considered a rare gift, and those who have it
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lead lives of public service, helping people who need their talents. In
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return, the Minbari people provide for all the psis' needs. While Delenn
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speaks, Alisa peers into her mind, and to her shock sees a vision of
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white-robed Minbari stunning the guards in front of Branmer's coffin, then
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opening the lid. Alisa flees Delenn's quarters; Delenn can clearly feel
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that she was being scanned. Alisa tells Ivanova that Delenn knows what
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happened to the body.
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<p>
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<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/017/alisa-delenn.gif"> Discussing Minbari
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telepaths.
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<p>
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Sinclair enters his quarters to find them a shambles. He's attacked from
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behind by Neroon. The two of them scuffle; Neroon claims that he wanted
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to search the one place that would be strictly off-limits. But Garibaldi,
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arriving with Alisa in tow, claims he searched Sinclair's quarters with
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Delenn observing, and ushers Neroon away. Alisa tells Sinclair what she
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saw in Delenn's mind.
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<p>
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Delenn and an aide are packing something into a cargo container when
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Sinclair bursts into the cargo area. It's an urn, containing Branmer's
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ashes.
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<p>
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Delenn claims that she's honoring Branmer's wishes; he asked for a simple
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ceremony, and wouldn't want his body paraded around as a symbol of war.
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She had planned to pass the disappearance off as a miracle, a transformation
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of Branmer's body so that he could take his place among the gods. Now
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Sinclair and Garibaldi are in a difficult position, since they've promised
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to tell Neroon the results of their investigation. Delenn offers a
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compromise: Neroon will be told the truth, but <em>she</em> will tell him.
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<p>
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Neroon is furious when he learns what happened. He vows to lead a protest
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personally. Delenn stops him cold, claiming that if he contradicts her
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claim of transformation, the Star Riders will be destroyed, dishonored,
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by the Grey Council, whose opinion she claims to represent. She orders him
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to obey her, "just as you obeyed the
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order to end the war," and further to apologize to Sinclair.
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<p>
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Neroon does so, and is surprised when Sinclair offers to pay tribute to
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Branmer's courage and skill in a personal message to the Minbari people.
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"Perhaps there was some small wisdom in letting your people live," Neroon
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says. "We like to think so," replies Sinclair.
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<p>
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<img align=middle src="/lurk/gif/017/reconcile.gif"> Neroon and Sinclair
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reconcile.
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<p>
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Sinclair and Delenn are talking in the stone garden when Alisa arrives and
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announces that she's going to live with the Minbari. Delenn claims that
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Alisa will help increase the understanding and communication between
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humans and Minbari. Sinclair agrees.
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<p>
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Alisa bids Ivanova and Talia an emotional farewell. Talia doesn't agree
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with her decision, but admits that Sinclair is right; Alisa's presence
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among the Minbari will benefit both peoples.
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<p>
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Sinclair meets up with Alisa on her way aboard the Minbari ship, and asks
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her if she saw anything else in Delenn's mind. Alisa responds that there
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was one other thing, a word, "chrysalis." "She shut down real fast when
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I touched that," Alisa says. She boards the cruiser, leaving Sinclair to
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ponder the significance of the word.
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<p>
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<h3>Synopsis by <a href="http://www.midwinter.com/~koreth/">Steven Grimm</a></h3>
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