brennen
/
lurkers-guide



								<h3>Synopsis by Matthew Murray (mmurray@wsu.edu)</h3>


								<p>

								<img align=left width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/039/field.gif">

								Sheridan is on a baseball field, practicing his swing, when Garibaldi

								arrives.  Sheridan explains that, because of difficult negotiations

								between the Narn and

								the Centauri, he needed to take time to get away from it all.

								Garibaldi says that, despite his problems, Sheridan should be glad that he

								didn't have to spend his day in the Triangle.  Sheridan asks about it, and

								Garibaldi explains it is a section of Grey Sector nicknamed by maintenance

								where there are strange lights, sounds, and disappearances.  That piques

								Sheridan's interest, and despite Garibaldi's objection, he insists on

								going and taking a look.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/039/friends.gif">

								Londo and Vir step out of an elevator, discussing the authors and songs of

								some of the finest Centauri operas.  They lose themselves in the music, and

								continue reminiscing when a black robed figure appears, arms wrapped around

								Londo's neck.  "How fitting you should die with a song on your lips,

								Mollari," the figure tells him.  The figure calls him "passo liati," and

								Londo knows who it is -- an old friend of his, Urza Jaddo.  Londo

								asks Urza not play such a trick again, and introduces Vir and Urza to

								each other.  Londo suggests they return to his quarters, drink brevare and

								talk, but Urza has to decline, promising they will do so later.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/039/triangle.gif">

								Sheridan, flashlight in hand, walks down one of the corridors in the

								Triangle.  After searching around for a few moments, he sees a body lying

								on the floor.  He tries to wake the figure, but sees that the

								being, a Markab, is dead.  Sheridan tries to call Garibaldi, but

								interference makes maintaining a clear channel very difficult.  Sheridan

								looks at the body again, and its hand suddenly reaches up and grabs his

								face.  Sheridan is able to wrench the hand away, and the body falls down

								dead again.  Sheridan finally contacts Garibaldi and tells him to get to

								Gray 10 right away.


								<p>

								Dr. Franklin examines Sheridan and tells him that there is nothing

								physically wrong with him, except for the common effects of a sudden

								fright.  He also explains that the body's movements were due to gas buildups

								inside the body.  Sheridan asks what killed the Markab, and Franklin

								hypothesizes head trauma, but will not know for certain without an autopsy.

								Garibaldi finds the Markab's identicard and identifies him.

								Sheridan tries to explain how they should proceed next, but his vision becomes

								very distorted.  Sheridan tells Garibaldi that he feels dizzy,

								and Garibaldi recommends that Sheridan rest and hear a report later.


								<p>

								Londo begins preparing drinks, and Vir asks about Urza.  Londo explains that

								they had been friends since childhood, though their families had been allied

								almost since the beginning of the Republic.  Londo begins reminiscing about

								his youth, even though Vir doesn't understand why Londo's ties to the past

								are so strong.  Urza enters, and Londo greets him.  They drink together.


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/039/grylor.gif">

								In his quarters, Sheridan is awakened by some strange

								sounds.  He turns on the lights, looks around

								the room a little, and is confronted by a large flying creature, which flies

								at him.  He manages to duck and grab a PPG; he fires at the

								creature, but the shots go through it and destroy a statue behind

								it.  Garibaldi, alerted by the gunfire, enters with another security officer.

								Garibaldi asks what happened, and Sheridan explains that the

								creature was a grylor, from Janos VII, which once stalked him.  Garibaldi

								suggests that it may have been a nightmare, but Sheridan knows, or at

								least believes, it was real.  Sheridan asks what happened to the Markab, and

								Garibaldi says it looks like suicide, though they don't know why he would have

								killed himself.  Sheridan suggests it may have been a religious ritual, but

								Garibaldi disagrees.  Sheridan tells Garibaldi to keep searching for

								answers, and says he'll be in C&C if needed.


								<p>

								<img align=left width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/039/renew.gif">

								Urza and Londo, still drinking, are getting reacquainted, talking about life

								and love.  When they stop to get another drink, Urza tells Londo that his

								name is much spoken of on Centauri Prime, and that they believe that both his

								star, and that of the Republic, is in ascension again.  This pleases Londo,

								though he is still quite angry at the Narns.  Urza says that the previous

								Emperor wanted peace, but Londo claims that the Emperor was wrong about the

								Narns.  Urza explains that the Narns were lured into the war by the same

								faction that murdered the previous Prime Minister, which Londo says he heard

								was an accident.  Urza tells him that was the "official story," but not

								really true.  Urza tells Londo that a resolution is about to be brought

								before the Centaurum, claiming that Urza's family is traitorous to the

								Republic.  Londo believes they couldn't prove it, but Urza says proof isn't

								necessary, only the accusation, and that he will be disgraced if the

								"villains" have their way.  Urza asks Londo to stand with him to save his

								family, and Londo says he will do what he can.  This pleases Urza, who

								leaves, promising a banquet to celebrate their reunion.


								<p>

								Sheridan enters C&C as a jump gate comes online and a ship comes through.

								While looking at a control panel, Sheridan begins seeing strange patterns

								again.  He tries to clear his eyes, but when he looks out the viewport, he

								sees the Icarus, his wife's ship, appear and then explode.  Sheridan orders

								the area outside scanned, but no one else has seen anything.  Ivanova asks

								if anything is wrong, and Sheridan says that he has to see to something.


								<p>

								Sheridan explains what just happened to Dr. Franklin, who tells

								him that there is nothing physically wrong with him, but that there may

								be a new virus that can't be detected.  He offers to put Sheridan in touch

								with a Markab doctor who may be able to help him, but suggests that his

								hallucinations are more likely stress-related.  Dr. Franklin puts Sheridan on

								medical leave, and, despite Sheridan's protests, Franklin orders him to

								relax and enjoy himself.


								<p>

								Londo finally makes contact with Refa.  Londo asks Refa if what he heard

								about Urza was true, and Refa says it is.  Londo offers to vouch for Urza

								personally, but Refa won't go along, despite Londo's claims of being Urza's

								friend.  Refa says he cannot stop the resolution, because it has already

								gone through.  Refa says that Urza's house is already crumbling, and anyone

								that tries to help will go along with it.  Londo becomes outraged at Refa's

								impudence, claiming that Refa's plans would have been no use without his help.

								Refa says there is little he can do, but promises he will try.  Londo tells

								Vir to get him a drink, and then communicate with his contacts on Centauri

								Prime, as he will need more help.


								<p>

								Sheridan is back on the baseball field practicing when Garibaldi enters.

								Sheridan asks if they found out anything else about the Markab, and

								Garibaldi tells him that the Markab passed through sector 14 on his voyage

								here.  Sheridan says he thought that sector was restricted, and Garibaldi

								explains it is, ever since the incident the previous year when Babylon 4

								returned.  Garibaldi explains that it was kept out of the station logs

								because EarthForce wanted to perform their own investigation.  Garibaldi

								explains what happened to Sheridan, saying that, even though the station is

								gone, an anonmaly is still believed to remain.  Garibaldi presents Sheridan

								with a copy of the information, made before it was turned over to

								EarthForce, and leaves Sheridan to his batting practice.


								<p>

								Londo and Vir enter the exquisitely decorated and catered banquet, where

								they meet up with Urza.  The three of them sit down at a table, and Urza

								toasts to their friendship and to the Republic.  Londo comments on the

								calibre of the guests at the party, and Urza tells him that, with Londo's

								help, they will spread the word.  Londo tells him that this isn't necessary,

								since he helped, but Urza says that the resolution was already presented,

								and will almost certainly pass.  Londo begins saying that Refa promised to

								help, but this angers Urza, who says that Refa is responsible for the

								resolution in the first place, and

								wants him out of the way because of how much he knows.  Urza seems insulted

								that Londo would help Refa, but Londo says that he has a destiny to fulfill,

								and only if he does, will the Centauri return to their rightful place in the

								galaxy.  Urza says he doesn't want to return to that kind of glory, and

								Londo offers to help, but Urza tells him that the way they are proceeding

								will never do any good.


								<p>

								<img align=right width=160 height=114 src="/lurk/gif/039/gift.gif">

								Londo offers to leave, but Urza will not let him

								go.  He snaps his fingers, and a large case is brought to the table, from

								which Londo draws a finely-crafted sword.  Londo says he cannot accept the

								gift, but Urza takes the sword from him and embeds it in the table,

								challenging him to a duel to the death.  Londo asks why he would do this,

								and Urza tells him he would do it to save himself and his family from

								dishonor.  Londo accepts the challenge, and Urza tells him to return in two

								hours for the duel.  Londo and Vir leave.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/039/parents.gif">

								Sheridan is watching some images of Babylon 4's return when he is suddenly

								gripped by a powerful headache.  He looks around the room in agony, his

								vision again blurred, and he sees his parents standing there.  He

								approaches them, but they are enveloped in a bright flash of light.

								Sheridan looks over at the frozen picture of Babylon 4 on the viewscreen,

								and believes he knows what to do.  He quickly leaves, leaving his commlink

								behind while Dr. Franklin tries to contact him.


								<p>

								Vir tries to talk Londo out of the duel, but Londo will not hear of it,

								saying that to deny the challenge would be disgraceful.


								<p>

								Garibaldi receives a communication from Dr. Franklin, who asks him where the

								captain is.  A device Franklin gave Sheridan to measure his

								stress monitored a strange neural surge just a few minutes earlier, which

								caused the link to go dead, and Sheridan would not answer communication

								requests.  Garibaldi calls his security officers, telling them to look out

								for the captain.


								<p>

								At C&C, a Starfury is detected to be about ready to launch from the station,

								and the pilot is identified as Captain Sheridan.  He tells Ivanova not to worry,

								and that he will be back soon.  Sheridan overrides the Starfury's controls,

								opens the bay doors, and launches the ship.  Ivanova calls Garibaldi.


								<p>

								Urza's assistants prepare him for the duel when Londo and Vir enter.  Londo

								tries to convince Urza to not fight, but Urza refuses.  Urza tells Londo

								that he has often beaten him with such weapons, but Londo says that his life

								was never on the line before.  Londo begins removing his jacket.


								<p>

								Garibaldi, in a Starfury of his own, contacts Sheridan asking him what he is

								doing.  Sheridan says he is giving someone a lift, and that he thinks the

								answer lies in sector 14.  Ivanova, who has been listening, realizes the

								significance, and Sheridan confirms her suspicions.  The two Starfuries

								continue their voyage.


								<p>

								A referee tells Londo and Urza to begin the duel.

								They hold their swords before them, bow to each other, and begin the fight.

								During the course of the fight, they both manage to inflict some damage to

								each other.


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/039/mouth.gif">

								Sheridan arrives in sector 14 and tells the computer to scan the area.  The

								computer replies, saying it cannot scan the area because of increased levels

								of tachyon particles.  A large glowing area appears immediately in front of

								Sheridan's Starfury.  Sheridan begins to scream, and a long stream of light

								shoots out from his mouth and into the glowing disturbance.  After a few

								moments, the stream of light completely vanishes into the disturbance, and

								it closes.  Garibaldi, right behind, grapples

								Sheridan's ship.  He tows Sheridan back to Babylon 5.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/039/death.gif">

								The fight between Urza and Londo continues, both of them very tired, and

								somewhat injured.  After a few moments, Urza disarms Londo and sends him

								carreening to the ground, and prepares to deal the death blow, but Londo

								grabs his sword and thrusts upward.  Urza falls to the ground, but Londo

								catches him.  Londo asks Urza why he did this, and Urza tells him that he

								did it for his family, because he didn't want them to share in his

								disgrace.  This way, Urza dies alone, and Urza makes Londo promise to look

								after them, which Londo promises to do.  Urza tells Londo that he will miss

								him, and dies in Londo's arms.


								<p>

								Sheridan explains to Franklin, Garibaldi, and Ivanova that the lifeform that

								inhabited him was sentient, but alien, adn was trying to survive and return to

								its home.  Sheridan explains that the alien entered the Markab's body and

								drove him mad.  He explains that he deduced what it wanted by the images it

								created in his mind, using his emotions for communication.  The

								prospect of such a new and different alien life form very much excites

								Franklin.


								<p>

								Londo pours some more bravare when Vir enters, telling Londo that the

								arrangements he asked for regarding Urza's family were made.  Vir tries to

								tell Londo that he didn't have a choice and had to kill Urza, but Londo isn't

								sure -- he tells Vir that Urza was more skilled with the blade, and

								that, by the rules of the conflict, Urza's family must be taken in by him,

								which makes them immune to the effect of the resolution; that was the

								reason for the challenge in the first place.  Londo tells Vir that, for the

								first time, he questions the choices he has made.  Vir tries to convince

								Londo that he should make new

								choices, but Londo replies that he has started down the path and

								must continue on it until it ends.  He sends Vir away, saying that he

								wants to try to get some sleep, if he is able.