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463 lines
21 KiB
463 lines
21 KiB
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<h3>Synopsis by Matthew Murray (mmurray@wsu.edu)</h3>
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<p>
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Garibaldi and Zack Allen are supervising the recent influx of Narn
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refugees. The station is running out of space and resources to treat the
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many injured refugees from the Narn-Centauri war before they are fit to
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return to the Narn homeworld. Zack suggests trying to move them out
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sooner, but Garibaldi tells him that is against Captain Sheridan's
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orders. Because Medlab is swamped, Zack asks Garibaldi to speak to
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Sheridan about the matter.
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<p>
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Vir, outside the Zocalo, finds Morden sitting at a table. Morden says
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that he was expecting Londo instead, but Vir explains that Londo was recalled
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to Centauri Prime for a consultation about the war effort.
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Morden tells Vir he doesn't understand why Vir doesn't like him,
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since he is doing so much to help out the Centauri. Vir asks why
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Morden sent for him.
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<p>
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"I sent for Ambassador Mollari," Morden tells him. "But you're here,
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he's not, and it can wait. If restoring the Centauri Republic means
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nothing to you, what does? What do you want?"
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<p>
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<img align=right width=160 height=116 src="/lurk/gif/038/bye.gif">
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"I'd like to live just long enough to be there when they cut off your
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head and stick it on a pike, as a warning to the next ten generations
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that some favors come with too high a price," Vir answers. "I want to
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look up into your lifeless eyes and wave like this. Can you and your
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associates arrange that for me, Mr. Morden?"
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<p>
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Morden doesn't reply, but hands Vir a data crystal with information for
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Londo. As Vir is leaving, he waves to Morden, as he hopes to do after
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Morden is dead.
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<p>
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Garibaldi enters Sheridan's office and asks him for some discretionary
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power over the Narn refugees. Sheridan tells him that he assumed the
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station could handle the problem, and that it is hard to turn any of them
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away. He instructs Garibaldi to have Dr. Franklin sort through
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everyone, give them only as much treatment as they need, and then send
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them off as soon as possible. Garibaldi agrees, saying that it will
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not make Earth Central happy. Garibaldi notices a monitor on the wall,
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which contains a diagram of the Icarus, the ship Anna Sheridan was on
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when she died. Sheridan explains that he is
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trying to sort through the rest of his wife's possession, and was going
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over the mission information she sent him. Garibaldi expresses his
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regret, and asks to look at the information. While filing through the
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crew manifest, he sees a face he recognizes. Sheridan at first
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protests, saying that everyone on the ship died with Anna, but
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Garibaldi insists he knows better. "Captain, I know what I'm talking
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about. I've seen him before. He's alive." He shows the Captain the
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picture he recognizes. It's Morden.
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<p>
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Garibaldi insists that he knows Morden, which makes Sheridan extremely
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upset, since Morden should be dead.
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Sheridan asks why the security net didn't catch him,
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and Garibaldi explains that, since they don't get death certificates on
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everyone, Morden would not be found out unless he broke station rules, which he
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hasn't done. Sheridan orders Garibaldi to find Morden.
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<p>
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<img align=left width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/invite.gif">
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Talia is in her quarters when her door chimes. A man enters and
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introduces himself as Pierce MacAfee. She greets him and asks what she
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can do for him. He explains
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that he is from the Ministry of Peace on Earth and would like her
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support for a series of new programs.
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He explains that the objective of the Ministry of
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Peace is to help humans find peace with themselves, so it will be
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easier to attain peace with other planets. He tells her that he will be
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giving a series of presentations about the programs, and that, because
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she was recommended to him by her superiors, he would like her to attend.
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She agrees.
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<p>
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Dr. Franklin is in his office listening to medical reports, and barely
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able to keep his eyes open when Ivanova enters and notes that he hasn't
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slept in 36 hours. He tells her that he has to keep working, but she
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suggests he have someone else take over. When he tries to protest, she
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orders him to get some sleep and then join her in the mess hall for
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breakfast afterwards. Though he initially protests, he eventually agrees,
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and leaves to get some sleep.
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/surround.gif">
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A line of people are having their identicards checked by Zack Allen.
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Morden gives his card to Zack, and is instructed to step out of line
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and wait for a moment. Morden tries to avoid doing so, but when he
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tries to leave, he is surrounded by several security guards.
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<p>
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Sheridan sits across a table from Morden, saying nothing. Morden says
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that it is traditional to charge someone if they are being held.
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Sheridan says nothing, but produces a picture of his wife and gives it
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to Morden. Morden asks what the picture is supposed to mean, and
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Sheridan's only reply is to show a news report on the Icarus. Morden
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finally understands the matter, and he explains that he was on board
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the Icarus, but doesn't remember what happened. He was in an EVA suit,
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unconscious, when a transport came to investigate the Icarus'
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disappearance. The shock and trauma of whatever happened erased his memory.
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Sheridan asks why Morden didn't check in with
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Earth Central, and Morden says that it took him a long time to remember
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his name, let alone file a report. He claims he sent a message, but
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that it must never have been recieved. Sheridan calls him a liar, and
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Morden tries to leave, but Sheridan won't let him.
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/table.gif">
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"You're not going anywhere."
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<p>
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Morden reminds Sheridan
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that he can't be held without charges. Sheridan explains that,
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since Morden is officially "dead," he has no rights and no legal
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recourse. "You're playing a very dangerous game, Captain," Morden
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tells him. "It could cost you your command." Sheridan insists that Morden
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won't be leaving until he tells the truth.
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/gods.gif">
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Ivanova and Franklin sit together in the mess hall, finishing their
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breakfast. Franklin mentions that he had bad dreams, dreams of the patients
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he's lost. Ivanova agrees that it is difficult to
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think about all of the Narn refugees since, by the time they arrive, they
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are behind help. Franklin asks her if she believes in God, and she
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tells him that most of the time, she does. Franklin tells her that he
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is a foundationist, and believes that "God is too big to be defined by
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words" and that "the closer you get to defining God, the further away
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it gets." She asks what this has to do with his dreams, and Franklin
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tells her that, just before patients die, he can see God reflected in
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their eyes. "I've seen
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a lot of reflected Gods today, Susan, and I'm wondering how we can keep
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believing in them when they've stopped believing in us."
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<p>
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<img align=left width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/interrogate.gif">
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Sheridan continues his interrogation of Morden, finding discrepancies
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in his story as they continue. As it continues, Sheridan becomes more
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angry and more tyrannical. Sheridan asks what happened to the Icarus,
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but Morden claims he doesn't know. Sheridan tells Morden that, by the
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time he is through, Morden will wish he had died with the others.<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/nightwatch.gif">
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Pierce MacAfee addresses a group of people in a conference room,
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explaining about the Ministry of Peace. He explains that its objective
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is to help people find peace with themselves. Looking at Babylon 5 as
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a microcosm of Earth, MacAfee explains they have developed a system
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called the Night Watch, the purpose of which is to detect possible
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problems. He says it is a volunteer organization, and that it pays
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fifty credits a week. All they need to do is wear a black armband, so that
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people know the Night Watch is around. The Ministry of Peace wants
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to raise public
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awareness and help people think about peace. Zack Allen, sitting near
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Talia in the audience, asks what else is entailed by being in the Night
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Watch. MacAfee says that those that work against peace simply don't
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know any better, and they need to be taught and rehabilitated; it's up
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to the Night Watch to spot such people and report them. By
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doing this, they can protect society from harmful ideas and
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misinformation. "We're less interested in actions than we are in
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attitudes," MacAfee tells them. "We must help protect society
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against its own worst instincts." He says he is proud to be a part of
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the organization, and hopes that the others will join him.
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<p>
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Sheridan goes to Garibaldi's office. He tells Garibaldi that he's close
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to getting the truth out of Morden -- all he needs is to find one provable
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lie in Morden's story. Garibaldi points out that Sheridan has had Morden
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locked up for ten hours without charges, which is blatantly illegal.
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He offers to have Morden followed, but Sheridan refuses. The two argue
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about regulations. Finally, Garibaldi says he can't be present as chief
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of security while something like this is going on, and threatens to resign
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if Sheridan persists. Sheridan says nothing. Garibaldi lays down his PPG,
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security card, and link, and leaves the room.
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<p>
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Sheridan is still sitting in Garibaldi's office when Zack Allen
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enters. Sheridan tells Zack that Garibaldi has taken a leave of
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absence, and that he wants him in charge of Morden until Garibaldi's
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return. Zack agrees, and Sheridan receives a call from C&C saying that
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Vir Cotto wants to meet with him. Sheridan says he will meet with Vir
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in ten minutes. Before he leaves, Sheridan asks Zack to bring Talia
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to the office so that he may speak with her.
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/immunity.gif">
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Sheridan meets with Vir. Vir says he's come to ask that Morden be released;
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this stuns Sheridan, who asks how Vir knows Morden. Vir is vague on the
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subject. Sheridan asks why Vir thinks the station personnel have Morden.
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Vir replies that Morden didn't show up for a meeting, and since the records
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show he's still on the station, he deduced that Sheridan's people had Morden.
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Morden is a guest of the Centauri Republic, Vir continues, and is thus
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eligible for diplomatic immunity.
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This stuns Sheridan, and he asks why Morden is so
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important to the Centauri Republic. Vir says that it is an internal
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matter, and once again asks for Morden's release, but Sheridan refuses,
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on the grounds that diplomatic immunity only applies once charges are
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filed. Morden, Sheridan says, is in protective custody. "Protecting him
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from what?" asks Vir. "I haven't decided yet," Sheridan says, and leaves.
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<p>
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As Sheridan walks down a corridor, Ivanova catches up with him.
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She tells him that she was briefed by Garibaldi, and
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is worried about Sheridan's behavior.
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Sheridan tells her that he knows he may be acting
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inappropriately, but that Anna meant a lot to him, and that he can
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simply not let that part of his life vanish away so easily now that he
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has proof her death may have been something more than an accident --
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if she even <em>is</em> dead. He
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says that he has to know, and that nothing else matters to him.
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<p>
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Talia apologizes, but tells Sheridan that she can't help him. She says
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that Psi Corps rules do not permit unauthorized scans in these
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circumstances. Sheridan tries to get around the regulations by
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pointing out that Morden is "officially" dead, but Talia still doesn't
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agree to his wishes. She says that she can do nothing unless he agrees
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to a scan. Sheridan asks her to wait outside, then tells Zack Allen
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to move Morden to a holding cell and escort Talia back to her quarters
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through a section of the station that will cause the two of them to
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pass each other.
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/hall-shadows.gif">
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Morden moves down the hall slowly, accompanied by a full security
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escort. When he and Talia meet, their gazes lock, and she sees his
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face become hidden in shadows. She holds her hands
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to her head and screams, and tries to avert her gaze, but not before
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she sees the vague outlines of two strangely-shaped beings next to Morden.
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She falls back into Zack's arms.
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<p>
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Dr. Franklin examines Talia, who insists she's all right, but says
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that, when she looked at Morden, she felt as if she were falling into a
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bottomless well, and that she felt a great coldness. She also says she
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thought she saw a shape with him. Sheridan enters and begins to
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apologize, but cannot finish before she
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slaps him full across the face and storms out. Sheridan tells Franklin
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he had it coming, and Franklin agrees. Franklin gives Sheridan some advice.
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He knows very well how people act when someone they love dies, but it's
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not always possible to do anything about it, even if Sheridan sometimes
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thinks he can fix everything. He says Sheridan has to face that fact,
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but he doesn't have to do it alone. Sheridan smiles in understanding
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and leaves.
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<p>
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He is barely outside of MedLab when Delenn and Kosh appear. Delenn
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tells Sheridan that Morden must be released at once.
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Sheridan can't believe that they are interested in
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Morden as well, and wants to know why everyone is so interested in
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him. Delenn says that Babylon 5 could be in terrible danger, and that
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Sheridan will have to trust them, but that isn't enough for Sheridan. He
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demands answers. Delenn and Kosh look at each other, and Kosh nods to
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her. She agrees to give Sheridan the answers he wants, but warns him
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that, when he learns what they know, he will never be able to
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sleep well again. "Come, Captain," she says. "The greatest nightmare
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of our time is waiting for you." She hurries off, followed by Kosh,
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and Sheridan is close behind.
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<p>
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<img align=left width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/firstones.gif">
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"There are beings in the universe billions of years older than either
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of our races," Delenn begins. "Once, long ago, they walked among the
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stars like giants... vast and timeless. They taught the younger races,
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explored beyond the rim, created great empires... But to all things
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there is an end. Slowly, over a million years, the First Ones went
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away. Some passed beyond the stars, never to return. Some simply
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disappeared."
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<p>
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Sheridan, impatient, interrupts. "Delenn, I'm sure this is all
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very interesting, but what does any of this have to do with Morden?"
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<p>
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"Not all of the First Ones have gone away. A few stayed behind, hidden
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or asleep, waiting for the day when they may be needed...when the
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Shadows come again."
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<p>
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"Shadows?"
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<p>
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"We have no other name for them. The Shadows were old when even the
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Ancients were young. They battled one another over and over across a
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million years. The last great war against the Shadows was ten thousand
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years ago. It was the last time the Ancients walked openly among us.
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The Shadows were only defeated, not destroyed. A thousand years ago,
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the Shadows returned to their places of power, rebuilt them, and began
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to stretch forth their hand. Before they could strike, they were
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defeated by an alliance of worlds, including the Minbari... and the few
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remaining First Ones who had not yet passed beyond the Veil. When they
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had finished, the First Ones went away... all but one."
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<p>
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"There's still one of them left. Where?"
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<p>
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Delenn, saying nothing, slowly focuses her gaze upon Kosh. "That is
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why Kosh cannot leave his encounter suit. He would be recognized."
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<p>
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"Recognized? By who?"
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<p>
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"Everyone," Kosh intones.
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<p>
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"For centuries, the Vorlons stood alone, the last remaining Guardians,
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watching and waiting. Then, last year, I sent Kosh a message." Delenn
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tells Sheridan of the time, before she began her transformation,
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that she sent Lennier to Kosh with a question, to which Kosh answered
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yes.
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<p>
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"If yes was the answer, what was the question?" Sheridan asks.
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<p>
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"'Have the Shadows returned to Z'ha'dum?'" She tells him.
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<p>
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"Z'ha'dum?" Sheridan says. "That's the world G'kar's been warning us
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about all year."
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<p>
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"Sheridan," intones Kosh, as the small circular opening in his
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headpiece opens. "Learn."
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<p>
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<img align=left width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/icarus2.gif">
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Sheridan looks into the hole, and his face is covered by a strange
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green light. He sees a spaceship approaching a world.
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<p>
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"The Icarus," Delenn says, "your wife's ship, sent to investigate the ruins
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of an ancient race no one has ever heard of before."
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<p>
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"Z'ha'dum," Kosh says.
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<p>
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Sheridan, still mesmerized by a strange light from the encounter suit,
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sees the crew of the Icarus, on the surface of Z'ha'dum, exploring the
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planet. He sees inside a great crevice, where a strange and terrifying
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creature stirs, eventually opening its fiery eyes.
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/zhadum1.gif">
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/zhadum2.gif">
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<img align=middle width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/zhd3.gif">
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<p>
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As the Shadow
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awakens, the opening in the headpiece of the encounter suit closes, and
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Sheridan returns his focus to Delenn. "Anna...The Icarus," he says
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weakly, "They found something. They woke something up."
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<p>
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"Yes," Delenn says. "Once awakened, the Shadows could not allow them
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to leave in case they would warn others. Those who would not serve
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were killed."
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<p>
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"But were they all killed? Delenn, maybe... maybe some of them
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were kept alive as prisoners. Anna might still be alive! Morden..."
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<p>
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"...must be released!"
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<p>
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"After what you just showed me, how can you ask me to let him go?"
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<p>
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"Because right now, they do not know how much we know. The last time,
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the Shadows lost because they moved too quickly. Now, they are being
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careful, gathering their forces slowly. If you push Morden, sooner or
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later, he will tell you what happened. Then he will be killed. And
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you will be killed. The Shadows will move now, before we're ready for
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them."
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<p>
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"How are they going to know?"
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<p>
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"Because Morden is never alone! Listen to me. Aside from the Vorlons,
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we do not have the First Ones to help us this time. We are on our
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own! We will have only one chance to stop them, and if we fail,
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billions will die. There comes a moment when each of us must pledge
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himself to something greater than himself. You told G'kar he had to
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decide between revenge and the good of his own people. Now you must
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make the same decision, Captain. It will be the most important
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decision of your life."
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<p>
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Zack tells Sheridan, who is watching Morden in his cell, that he should
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get some sleep. Sheridan asks Zack how much he knows about World War
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II, but Zack admits he doesn't know much. Sheridan tells him how the
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British government knew, throughout most of the war, the code that the
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Germans used for all their secret messages. The British
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discovered that the Germans were planning to bomb Coventry, but
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if they evacuated, the Germans would change the code. If the city
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weren't evacuated, hundreds would die. The British decided not to evacuate, and
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the city was destroyed. Sheridan says he saw an old newsreel of Churchill
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visiting Coventry, and is still haunted by the look in
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Churchill's eyes as he realized what he had done. Zack says he's glad
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he doesn't have to make that decision, because he doesn't think he
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could handle it. "How many lives is a secret worth?" he asks. A
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strange sound comes from the monitor on which Sheridan is watching
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Morden. Zack explains they had been picking up the sound for a while,
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but that they believe it is due to faulty microphones in the cell.
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Sheridan asks Zack to change the view on the monitor to scan for
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different wavelengths of light. Zack does so, and while he's doing it,
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Sheridan sees three spider-like black creatures in the room for a brief
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moment.
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<p>
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<img align=middle width=128 height=92 src="/lurk/gif/038/friends2.gif">
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<p>
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|
"What did you see?" asks Zack.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
"Nothing," Sheridan replies. "Shadows." He tells Zack to free
|
|
Morden, and tell him it was all a mistake, and that he is free to leave
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|
if he chooses. Zack leaves as Sheridan continues to study Morden's
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|
face.
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|
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|
<p>
|
|
Garibaldi is eating when Sheridan approaches and returns all his
|
|
security equipment. Sheridan explains that he freed Morden, and that
|
|
Garibaldi was correct. Garibaldi asks
|
|
why Sheridan changed his mind, but Sheridan won't say. Garibaldi says that
|
|
makes him uncomfortable, but hopes that, the next time something similar
|
|
happens, Sheridan will listen to him. Sheridan assures him there won't be
|
|
a next time. Garibaldi asks if Sheridan is okay as he leaves, and
|
|
Sheridan claims he is. Zack Allen approaches Garibaldi and asks if
|
|
Sheridan is all right. Garibaldi says he doesn't know, and then asks
|
|
Zack about the arm band he is wearing, which displays the colors of the
|
|
Ministry of Peace. Zack says that fifty credits more per week, for doing
|
|
what he does anyway, is a good deal.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/038/fight.gif">
|
|
Sheridan, wearing an oxygen mask, enters Kosh's quarters. "I let him
|
|
go," he tells the Ambassador. "But there is a price tag attached.
|
|
You've been trying to help me so we can understand each other. That's
|
|
not what I want any more. I want you to teach me how to fight them, how
|
|
to beat them. Because sooner or later, I'm going to Z'ha'dum, and I'm
|
|
going to stop them."
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
"If you go to Z'ha'dum, you will die," Kosh warns.
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
"Then I die," Sheridan tells him. "But I will not go down easily, and
|
|
I will not go down alone. You will teach me?"
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
Kosh has but one answer for this question. "Yes."
|