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447 lines
20 KiB
447 lines
20 KiB
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<h3>Synopsis by Matthew Murray (i9717029@unicorn.it.wsu.edu)</h3>
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<p>
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Garibaldi arrives at C&C, and asks an officer on duty where Captain
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Sheridan and Commander Ivanova are. The officer tells him that they are
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in bay 13. Garibaldi goes down there, more than a little puzzled by
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their reasons for being there.
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<p>
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Sheridan and Ivanova stand in awe of the sight before them in the bay:
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Ambassador Kosh's ship. Sheridan finds its construction amazing and
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unbelievable and asks Ivanova about it. She tells him that for the past
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two years, they haven't been able to determine much about it; their scans
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barely penetrate the ship's skin. Sheridan
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reaches out to touch the ship when part of the ship pulls away and a
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strange-looking device fires a beam straight at Sheridan's chest.
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Ivanova tells him to back away slowly, which he does. The device melts
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back into the ship. After Ivanova tells Sheridan a story about a
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maintenance crew that was frightened away by the ship, Sheridan's
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interest is piqued. Sheridan tells her that it is time they learned
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something about the Vorlons, and that he intends to begin doing just
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that. Garibaldi arrives and tells them that he needs to talk to them,
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but would rather not do it in front of Kosh's ship. The three of them
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leave. Kosh steps out from behind a corner and "speaks" to his ship. It
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replies with a few lines of strange symbols, to which Kosh nods, and then
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leaves.
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96
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src="/lurk/gif/035/ship.gif"> Visiting Kosh's ship.
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<p>
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When Sheridan, Ivanova, and Garibaldi arrive in Sheridan's office,
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Garibaldi explains that he just received a message from EarthForce that
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there is a fugitive alert out for Dr. Everett Jacobs, President Clark's
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former physician. Garibaldi tells them that Jacobs has enough stolen
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information to bring down the entire Earth Alliance, unless he is
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stopped. They think that he is already aboard Babylon 5, and want him
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taken dead or alive. Sheridan asks what Jacobs knows that makes him such
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a threat. Garibaldi wasn't told that, but says that, if Jacobs resists,
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they are ordered to shoot to kill.
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<p>
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Later, Agent Derek Cranston, from Earth Special
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Intelligence, arrives on the station.
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Sheridan asks him why Dr. Jacobs is such a threat. Cranston
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explains that Dr. Jacobs misused his security clearance to get
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information about covert missions and extremely important data, which
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could throw the government into chaos and ruin their alliance with many
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of the non-aligned worlds. Cranston says that Jacobs is on Babylon 5 to
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either sell the information or to find travel out of Earth-controlled
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space. Sheridan agrees to have security help, and orders Ivanova
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to carefully investigate all outgoing ships. Cranston thanks Sheridan
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for his cooperation and leaves. Garibaldi tells Sheridan that he doesn't
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think Cranston is telling them everything. Sheridan agrees, but says that
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Cranston is worried about something, which makes him want to go along with
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the manhunt. Garibaldi says he thinks he knows where to begin.
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96
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src="/lurk/gif/035/handshake.gif"> Sheridan agrees to help.
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<p>
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Dr. Franklin resents the line of questioning altogether, saying that Dr.
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Jacobs was a professor of his at Harvard and helped him a lot while
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learning about xenobiogenics. He tells Garibaldi that Jacobs was a
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humanitarian and could not be responsible, but Garibaldi reminds him of a
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time when he vouched for another doctor and the station was almost destroyed
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by a biological weapon. Dr. Franklin insists that there has been a
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mistake and that Jacobs would never have sold out Earth. "Maybe he's not the
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same Dr. Jacobs you knew any more," Garibaldi suggests.
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<p>
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An old man wanders through a marketplace on Babylon 5, stopping at one
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kiosk. The old man tells the merchant that he heard he could obtain
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"special" things from him. The old man says he needs an
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identicard, but when he tells the merchant that price is not an issue,
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the merchant refuses to sell him one; the only reasons someone would be so
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desperate are that they're working
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for security, or are being chased by some very powerful people. The merchant
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closes his shop, and the man wanders away, but he has already been
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noticed by a tall figure, watching from the shadows.
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<p>
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Sheridan is walking through the corridor to an elevator, when he hears an
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unusual sound behind him. He turns to see Ambassador Kosh walking away.
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He catches up to him, and reminds Kosh of a council meeting. He also
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tells Kosh that he was in bay 13, and because of how much everyone still
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doesn't know about the Vorlons, he and Kosh should try to understand each other.
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<p>
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Kosh looks at him. "Why?"
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<p>
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"You tell me. You're the one who popped into my dream when I was in that
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alien ship a few weeks ago. It felt like...I don't know, like you called
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to me."
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<p>
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"I sought understanding. I listened to the song. Your thoughts became
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the song."
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96
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src="/lurk/gif/035/song.gif">
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<p>
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"Has this ever happened before?"
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<p>
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"Once," Kosh intones, and walks away.
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<p>
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Agent Cranston is briefing the security troops on how to best search for
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Dr. Jacobs. Though his plan is efficient, because of the size of Babylon
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5, as Zack Allen points out, it could take a long time. Dr. Cranston
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explains that, as an anti-kidnapping measure, all EarthDome personnel are
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injected with an identification crystal, which can be scanned for easily.
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<p>
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Sheridan asks Garibaldi if he is having any problems with the security
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crew. Garibaldi tells him that he isn't, and that, because of their
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efficiency, he would not like having to go up against them. As they
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walk, Sheridan notices a red ribbon tied to a nearby wall. Sheridan
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tells Garibaldi to continue to check up on them, and that he will check
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in with him later to check his progress. Sheridan exits hastily.
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<p>
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Sheridan, in a dark corridor, shines a strange patterns of lights into
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the area ahead. He walks forward and meets with a woman. "The general
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sent me," she tells him. "I have a message. You're in great danger,
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Captain. We know what you've been told. But Dr. Jacobs is not a
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traitor." As she sets up a device to prevent their conversation
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being eavesdropped upon, Sheridan asks why there is such an intensive search
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out for him, and the woman explains that Earth Special Intelligence is directly
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under President Clark's control, and that Jacobs represents a threat Clark
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wants stopped at any cost. Sheridan asks what the situation is, and the
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woman explains what happened at the beginning of the year.
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<p>
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"Before President Santiago was killed aboard EarthForce One, Clark got off the
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ship, claiming he had some kind of virus. Twenty-four hours later,
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EarthForce One is destroyed in an...accident, and Clark assumes the
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presidency. As Clark's personal physician, Jacobs knew it wasn't true.
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If he would ever testify to that effect, it would help prove that Clark
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knew what was going to happen. But, they couldn't allow that. If they
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killed him right away, it would look suspicious, so they kept an eye on
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him until they figured it was safe for the good doctor to have an
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accident. We heard about it, and we helped him escape."
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96
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src="/lurk/gif/035/meeting.gif"> The secret meeting.
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<p>
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She tells him
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that their plans were changed because Jacobs wasn't able to meet with his
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contact elsewhere, so he came to Babylon 5. Sheridan tells her that he
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can't pull his security officers off because it would mean revealing
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himself, destroying everything
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they've tried to build. She says he needs to do whatever he can, because it
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must be done. They need to accumulate as much evidence as possible, and
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Jacobs' testimony would be a good place to start. She tells him to make sure
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he gets the statement and gets Jacobs off the station alive. He tells her that
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he is angry things have gotten so far out of hand, and that he will
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have to circumvent his own security officers. She advises him to
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work quickly, and leaves. Sheridan calls Garibaldi, telling him to meet
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with him in ten minutes.
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<p>
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Dr. Franklin is instructing a small group of physicians in MedLab when he
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gets a call from Garibaldi. "Hi Doc. Just wanted to say, 'Happy
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birthday,' that's all. Catch you later." Franklin tries to protest, and
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doesn't understand the message, since it isn't his birthday, but gets the
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point when he sees security officers scanning nearby. Franklin orders
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the message to replayed frame by frame, looking for anything unusual.
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Several frames in, he sees two voice balloons sketched on top of the
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image which read, "Meet me at my place ASAP. Come alone. Wear something
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comfortable."
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96
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src="/lurk/gif/035/quotes.gif"> Garibaldi's message.
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<p>
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Jacobs, the old man, now in a deserted area of Downbelow, prepares an injection
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which he gives to himself. He speaks into a small recording device, and
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says, "I'm...uh, I'm nearly out of stims. I have to keep moving. If I
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fall asleep, they'll get me. And, uh, if they get me, I uh...I don't
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know if this will get to you Mary, but I'm tired. I'm just desperately
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tired. I don't know who to turn to, who I can trust." He is
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interrupted when several security officers appear nearby, searching some
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drunken lurkers. Jacobs quickly fumbles at opening a nearby cargo elevator,
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and when he does, he steps inside closes the door. The security
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offciers notice something on the scanners for just a minute, and then it
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vanishes. They decide to report it anyway.
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96
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src="/lurk/gif/035/recording.gif"> Jacobs makes his recording.
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<p>
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Garibaldi prepares to search for Jacobs by taking two PPG weapons and
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dressing in extremely casual clothes. He says that his
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security crew is good, but that he has one advantage: Dr. Franklin, who
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knows a lot about Dr. Jacobs, and is someone whom Dr. Jacobs knows as
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well. Franklin is afraid Garibaldi will be recognized, but Garibaldi
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says that, because of his position, they rarely look at his face. He
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also puts on his disguise, a hat, and the two of them leave to begin
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their mission.
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<p>
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Jacobs steps out of the elevator, and is immediately met by the
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tall man who saw him talking to the merchant earlier. He tries to move
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away, but is met by another gentleman. The tall man tells him that he
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looks as if he doesn't belong in Downbelow, and asks him what he is
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buying or selling, or if he is running away. Jacobs says he doesn't
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want any trouble and will pay whatever he wants. "Yeah, you will," the
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tall man tells him.
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<p>
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Jacobs is taken to another section of Downbelow, and has his
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belongings taken by the two lurkers. They search through them, searching
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for something they might be able to sell. Jacobs tries to convince
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them he has nothing of value, but they soon discover otherwise when they
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rip open his jacket to find a data crystal and an antique pocketwatch, which
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attracts the large lurker immediately. Its inscription reads, "Office of
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the President of the Earth Alliance." The large lurker leaves to examine
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the data crystal, leaving the other behind to guard Jacobs.
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96
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src="/lurk/gif/035/hostage.gif"> Taken hostage.
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<p>
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Cranston explains to Sheridan and Ivanova that they have searched most of
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the station and have deduced that Jacobs must be hiding in Downbelow.
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Sheridan says that the sooner they get him off of Babylon 5, the better,
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and that Cranston is right about him being in Downbelow. When Ivanova
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protests, Sheridan tells her that it is the only logical choice, unless
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she seriously believes he might also be Downtown. Cranston asks
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where this place is, and Sheridan tells him it is the unofficial name for
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the area between the hull and the water reclamation system, one of the
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most unpleasant parts of the station, full of heavy machinery,
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pipes, and lead. Cranston decides that Jacobs would use lead to defeat the
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scanners, and calls security to have them search Downtown instead.
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Cranston leaves, and Ivanova asks him what he was talking about, telling
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him that the entire area was sealed off after Babylon 5 was made
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operational. Sheridan says that he hopes trying to burn through the
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walls and doors in that area will buy Garibaldi a few hours. He then
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receives a call saying that one of the ambassadors wants to see him. He
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begins to say no, but decides otherwise when he learns it is Ambassador
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Kosh. He goes off to the meeting.
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<p>
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Garibaldi and Franklin are questioning some of the people in a bazaar in
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Downbelow, but can't find any information. They comment on how there are
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no guards down there, but Garibaldi decides it must be Captain Sheridan's
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doing. They stop to rest and to have something to eat. While they are
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chatting about Dr. Jacobs and the past, when they notice a merchant
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trying to sell Jacobs' pocketwatch, which Franklin recognizes.
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Garibaldi strongarms the merchant into revealing where he got the watch.
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96
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src="/lurk/gif/035/downbelow.gif"> Garibaldi and Franklin downbelow.
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<p>
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An officer goes to Cranston and tells him that they have someone on the
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line who has seen Jacobs. Cranston answers the call and talks to the man
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on the other end, the same one who kidnapped Jacobs from
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Downbelow. The man says he will turn over Jacobs for 10,000 credits, to
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which Cranston agrees. The man says he will call again when he is ready
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to exchange.
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<p>
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Sheridan arrives in Ambassador Kosh's quarters, and asks the purpose of
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the meeting. "You wanted to see me?" he asks Kosh.
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<p>
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"You wanted to see me."
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<p>
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"Well, I guess everybody does. To see what you really are inside that
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encounter suit."
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<p>
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"They are not ready. They would not understand."
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<p>
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"Am I ready?"
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<p>
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"No. You do not even understand yourself."
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<p>
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"Could you help me to understand you?"
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<p>
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"Can you help me to understand you?"
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<p>
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"Well, I can try. Is that what you want? An exchange of information? I
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tell you something about me, and you tell me something about you?"
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<p>
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"No. You do not understand. Go." Kosh turns away.
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96
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src="/lurk/gif/035/go.gif">
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<p>
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"Damn it, what do you want? What do you want from me? You know, ever
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since I got here, I've had the feeling that...that you've been watching
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me. The record shows you hardly ever went to council meetings until I
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showed up. When I was captured, it was you who reached out and touched
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my mind. And now you call me here? Why? Just to throw me out? Are we
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just toys to you? Huh? What do you want?"
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<p>
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Kosh spins around and intones angrily, "Never ask that question."
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<p>
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"At least I got a response out of you. So, what'll it be, Ambassador?"
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<p>
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"I will teach you."
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<p>
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"About yourself?"
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<p>
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"About you. Until you are ready."
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<p>
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"For what?"
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<p>
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"To fight legends."
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<p>
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The lurker guarding Dr. Jacobs hears a pounding at the door which he
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thinks is his companion, Max, returning. He opens the door, but finds
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Garibaldi instead. Garibaldi knocks the lurker out, but not before he is
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stabbed in the arm. Franklin tries to help Garibaldi up, and then unties
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Dr. Jacobs. Though they try to usher him out of there, Dr. Jacobs
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insists that they have to have the data crystal, which Max took. Garibaldi
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tells Franklin and Dr. Jacobs to wait for him nearby.
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<p>
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Max arrives back in the room to find the other lurker tied up. He
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removes the gag from his mouth, but before the other can warn Max, Garibaldi
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steps from the shadows, PPG drawn, and demands the data crystal. He
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begins shooting at Max, missing deliberately, but coming closer and
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closer each time. By the time Garibaldi shoots only an inch away from
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his head, Max agrees and hands over the data crystal.
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=150 height=112
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src="/lurk/gif/035/cranky.gif"> "I'm in a bad mood."
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<p>
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Cranston talks to Sheridan, reminding him that, in the past, internal
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scanners have been used to locate radiation sources inside Babylon 5.
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Sheridan tells him it required a lot of difficult rewiring, but Cranston
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only wants to know why he was not informed about it. Ivanova comes in
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and tells Sheridan that Dr. Franklin needs to seem him immediately.
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Sheridan leaves, and Cranston turns to Ivanova. He asks her about the
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internal scanners and how long it will take him to wire his scanners up
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to Babylon 5's. She replies coldly, obviously resenting his attitude toward
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her. She tells him that he didn't ask for the information and that there is no
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way to know if the systems are compatible or if it will work.
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<p>
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Dr. Jacobs gives the data crystal to Sheridan and explains that it
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contains the information obtained from his scans of Clark which proved he
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did not suffer from a viral infection and that he has given Garibaldi
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the necessary codes to unlock the data. Garibaldi, while being treated
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for his arm injury by Franklin, reminds them that they will need a
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statement as well. Sheridan says that they have another problem now that
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Cranston knows they can patch their scanners into the station's internal
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sensors, which would make it very easy to find Dr. Jacobs. Franklin asks
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if it is possible to get him off the station, but Garibaldi says it isn't
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likely, considering they have all the docking bays covered. "Not
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entirely correct, Mr. Garibaldi," Sheridan says.
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<p>
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The configuration between the sensors and the scanners is complete.
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Ambassador Kosh asks for permission to depart, but Sheridan won't allow
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him to leave until after they scan the station. The station is scanned,
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but they don't find Dr. Jacobs. Sheridan tells Cranston that he is angry
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his station has been torn apart for no reason. Kosh asks permission to
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depart again, which Ivanova grants. Cranston says he doesn't understand
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since someone (Max) told him Jacobs was on the station. Sheridan tells
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Cransgon that he can't be too sure of any information he obtains aboard the
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station. Ivanova begins to tell Kosh that he can open the jump gate, but
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Cranston protests, saying that he wants the ship scanned. Sheridan tells
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him that it is an ambassadorial vessel, but Cranston isn't satisfied.
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Sheridan reluctantly agrees to scan the ship, and the scan find one life
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form, but it isn't human. Sheridan offers sarcastically to return the
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ship to the station to search it thoroughly, but warns Cranston that, if
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they find nothing, it could cause a major diplomatic incident. Cranston
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gives his permission for the ship to enter the jumpgate, which it does.
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Sheridan orders Ivanova to help Cranston find out where Dr. Jacobs really
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went, and help him in any way possible. He also tells Cranston that, as
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soon as Ivanova is finished, he hopes Cranston will leave. Cranston says
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nothing, but leaves C&C.
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96
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src="/lurk/gif/035/cooperate.gif"> "Give him your <em>full</em> cooperation."
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<p>
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Sheridan, Ivanova, Garibaldi, and Franklin arrive in bay 13, where the
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Vorlon ship has redocked. Sheridan tells them that they are supposed to
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wait until the ship recognizes them, which it soon does. Sheridan
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explains that it knows them because it is alive. Kosh wasn't on the ship when
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they scanned it from C&C, and since the scan only registered one life form,
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it must be the ship. The ship opens up, and tentacle-like protusions
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extract a large pod from it. When the pod touches the ground, it opens
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to reveal Dr. Jacobs inside. Dr. Franklin quickly revives him from an
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artificial coma, which Kosh insisted on as a condition for the use of the
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ship. Dr. Jacobs revives. "While I was asleep," he says, "the uh...the
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ship...It sang to me."
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96
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src="/lurk/gif/035/tentacles.gif"> The ship gives Dr. Jacobs back.
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<p>
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Sheridan returns to the woman sent by General Hague and hands her a data
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crystal, which he says contains all of Dr. Jacobs' information. She
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accepts it willingly. "Good. It's not enough to go public with yet, but
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it's a start. We'll get Jacobs onto one of our ships as soon as
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possible. Thank you again for your help. You've just scored a major
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victory for the good guys. You should be proud. Until next time, Captain."
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<p>
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"There's always a next time, isn't there?" Captain Sheridan asks.
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<p>
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"You'd better pray it stays that way, Captain. Because as long as there
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is a next time, at least there's a chance we'll win." She turns to
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leave, but offers him one final thought before she goes. "Because in this
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|
war, Captain, we need all the chances we can get."
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