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


								<p>

								On C&C, Ivanova tells Sheridan about a Markab cruiser that is ten hours

								overdue that has resisted all attempts at communication.  She says she wants

								to send out Zeta squadron to find out what happened to the ship, and that

								she will do so as soon as Lieutenant Keffer returns, searching for what he

								once saw in hyperspace.  Sheridan tells Ivanova to order Keffer back to the

								station and curb further expeditions.


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/040/doctors.gif" alt="">

								Lazarenn, a Markab doctor, examines a dead Markab with Dr.  Franklin.  The

								death seems rather mysterious, and Lazarenn tells Franklin he would prefer

								to keep jurisdiction over his own species.  But, since this Markab is the

								fourth dead Markab in three days dead of natural causes, Franklin is

								suspicious.  He tells Lazarenn that he will continue to run further tests.


								<p>

								Ivanova explains to Zeta squadron that their mission is to find the Markab

								ship and determine the problem, if there is one.  As she sends them out, she

								tells Keffer that Captain Sheridan has ordered him to curb his expeditions

								into hyperspace.  Though he initially protests, after he is threatened with

								a four-month suspension of flight priveleges, he changes his mind, and

								leaves to join the squadron.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/040/dinner.gif" alt="">

								Sheridan sits down for dinner with Delenn and Lennier.  Lennier has spent

								two days engrossed in an exhaustive cooking ritual, preparing food for

								Sheridan's dinner, so that he may better understand the Minbari.  Sheridan

								is anxious to begin eating, but is informed that he must also follow certain

								rituals in the eating of the dinner.  Delenn explains that, if they are not

								followed, Lennier will have to begin again.  Delenn and Sheridan exchange

								bowls, give part of their meal to Lennier in thanks, and Sheridan places one

								piece of food in the place set aside for Valen's return.  Sheridan is then

								able to take one bite before he must meditate.


								<p>

								Zeta squadron arrives at the Markab vessel, and attempts to open

								communication, to no avail.  Keffer scans the vessel, but discovers no life

								signs, though there are over two hundred life forms on the vessel.  All the

								Markab on the ship are dead.  Meanwhile, Dr. Franklin, while examining the

								Markab on the station, asks to have access to the other dead Markab before

								they are sent back to their homeworld.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/040/tow.gif" alt="">

								Zeta squadron returns to the station with the Markab ship in tow.  Franklin

								tells Ivanova that they need a full medical team to investigate it, and that

								he thinks Sheridan should be there as well.  Sheridan, who fell asleep while

								observing the Minbari rituals of eating, is awakened by Ivanova telling him

								to go to the docking bay where the Markab ship has been brought.  Sheridan

								apologizes, though Delenn tells him that the meal was completed before he

								fell asleep.


								<p>

								Sheridan arrives in the docking bay to find Dr. Lazarenn there, not wanting

								Sheridan or any other non-Markab inside.  Dr. Franklin explains that they

								aren't wanted aboard the ship because all four dead Markab died from an

								infectious disease.  Dr. Franklin demands to know how terminal and

								contagious the disease is.  "It is one hundred percent terminal," Lazarenn

								imparts.  "And one hundred percent contagious."<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/040/halldocs.gif">

								The plague continues to spread among the Markab population as Dr. Franklin

								confronts Lazarenn and demands to know why he wanted to keep the plague a

								secret.  Lazarenn explains that the plague is not something normally talked

								about -- it is considered a disease that only occurs to an immoral people,

								because the first documented case struck an immoral population isolated on

								the Markab homeworld, killing the entire populace.  They assumed that the

								plague had been wiped out, and therefore was no longer a threat.  Lazarenn

								explains that Drafa, the disease, had been used to frighten children into

								behaving, and was still believed to only inflict the immoral.  Though the

								first new case had been discovered nearly a year ago, the Markab were still

								scared to admit that the problem had resurfaced, and since none of them

								wanted to be considered immoral, it was kept secret, which made the disease

								spread even faster.  In an attempt to escape the disease, the Markab have

								fled to every Markab colony, including Babylon 5, spreading the plague

								throughout the Markab populace.  Dr. Franklin doesn't understand why he

								wasn't consulted, but Lazarenn tells him that he was forbidden by his

								government, which refuses to assist in any way.  Franklin's last question is

								whether or not the disease is infectious beyond the Markab species, but

								Lazarenn has no way of knowing.


								<p>

								A young Markab girl wanders through the corridors of Babylon 5, looking for

								something.  She soon locates what she is looking for, her father, who is

								sitting against a wall.  She touches him, and he falls over.  She cries out

								and turns around, into the arms of Delenn.


								<p>

								Dr. Franklin talks to the command staff and his medical officers.  The

								disease is invisible while in its incubation period of up to several weeks,

								but after it shows up, the patients live for about a day.  Garibaldi asks

								how far it has spread, and Franklin explains that they have to assume the

								entire Markab population has been exposed.  Sheridan asks if the plague is

								limited to the Markab, but Franklin doesn't know, and says that's what they

								need to find out.  If the disease is airborne, the recycled air aboard the

								station could put everyone at risk.  Sheridan asks Franklin what to do, and

								Franklin wants every Markab brought in for testing so they can discover how

								the disease works.  The disease, he explains, takes over the central nervous

								system, keeping it from working properly.  Sheridan orders Ivanova to put

								the station under quarantine, keeping all ships in the station, and

								preventing other ones from coming in.  One of the medical officers suggests

								segregating the Markab away from everyone else, but Franklin says that will

								only cause the disease to spread among the Markab faster and that, if the

								disease is airborne, it won't make any difference.  Garibaldi says that, if

								all the Markab are in one place, he can watch over them better when turmoil

								strikes the station.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/040/roundup.gif">

								Turmoil does strike the station, causing a panic when no one is able to

								leave the quarantined station.  The Markab are continuously tested for the

								plague, as more continue to get sick and die.  The Markab ambassador is

								outraged by the way the Markab are being treated, blaming Sheridan for

								spreading fear among his people.  He tries to explain that his people are

								moral, and believes that Sheridan might be part of a conspiracy against the

								Markab, or that even the immorality of the humans had infected them.  The

								Markab ambassador begins to leave, and tells Sheridan that he and the rest

								of the Markab are going into isolation to protect themselves from the

								immorality of others.  Dr. Franklin calls Sheridan and tells him that the

								disease is indeed airborne, and that his people have found a dead Pak'ma'ra

								with no visible signs of death.  He believes the disease may be spreading

								into the general population.


								<p>

								The Markab ambassador herds his people into their isolation area, reassuring

								them that they are pure and that they will be spared the plague if they are

								good.  The other races aboard the station are all too happy to see them go.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/040/isolab.gif">

								Dr. Franklin orders an autopsy performed on a dead Markab before it is too

								late, but none of the other medical officers want to risk exposure.

								Franklin offers to go in, but is interrupted by Lazarenn, who offers to go

								in instead, since he knows much more about the plague.  Since the isolation

								booth is sealed, no one else will be in danger should he contract the

								disease.  Lazarenn enters the booth and appraoches the dead Markab to begin

								the autopsy.


								<p>

								Sheridan receives a call from Ivanova who tells him that the violence

								against the Markab is increasing aboard Babylon 5.  4,000 of the station's

								5,000 Markab have entered the isolation zone, but the rest may be in

								considerable danger if found by other races.  Sheridan wants the violence

								stopped as quickly as possible.  Ivanova suggests he get some sleep.

								Sheridan agrees, but as he is about to rest, Delenn enters and tells

								Sheridan that she wants to be allowed into the isolation zone to help the

								Markab.  Delenn says that she has been taught to help others when they are

								in need, and though Sheridan tries to convince her otherwise, he is unable

								to dissuade her.  She says that she understands the risk, and that she and

								Lennier should do all they can to help the Markab, since they may all be in

								need of similar help very soon.  She knows that she may have to remain in

								there if she contracts the disease, but she is willing to make the

								sacrifice.  Sheridan relents and decides to let her enter the zone.   "All

								life is transitory," she tells him.  "A dream.  We all come together in the

								same place at the end of time.  If I don't see you again here, I will see

								you in a little while, in the place where no shadows fall."  She starts to

								leave, but Sheridan stops her.


								<p>

								"Delenn...?  When I do see you again, call me John?"  She smiles, nods, and

								leaves.


								<p>

								A few humans attack a Markab, and kick him in the stomach while he is down

								on the ground.  Garibaldi arrives and stops the torture, but the Markab is

								near death.  He reaches a bloody hand out to Garibaldi.  Hesitating only

								fractionally, Garibaldi takes the Markab's hand.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/040/entering.gif">

								Delenn and Lennier approach the gate to the isolation zone and are admitted

								by the EarthForce officer attending it.  They enter quickly, and are

								immediately assaulted by the great pain and death they see all around them,

								though they are able to keep a somewhat pleasant attitude, knowing that they

								may be able to help.


								<p>

								Dr. Franklin injects himself with stims in order to keep himself awake.

								Lazarenn, still inside the isolation area, tries to convince Dr. Franklin to

								sleep, but Franklin says that, if the plague has spread, that won't matter

								much.  They haven't found out anymore about the Pak'ma'ra, but more and more

								Markab continue to die, though the violence has been brought under control.

								Franklin explains that he doesn't understand why humans never learn from all

								the diseases they face, such as the Black Death, AIDS, and Chalmer's

								Syndrome.  Lazarenn asks about the Black Death, and Dr. Franklin explains

								how it hit Europe in the 14th century, and that it too was considered an

								immoral disease, possibly sent by the devil.  Cats, the familiars of the

								devils, were killed by the millions, but since they were the only way to

								control the rat population, the true way the disease was spread, the plague

								spread even faster.  Lazarenn finds the situation humorous, since often the

								strategy that makes the least sense is the one that's done the most.  He

								then collapses against the window of the isolation booth, and explains that

								his suspicions are confirmed:  he has contracted the plague.  He tells

								Franklin to run tests as quickly as possible, now that he has someone in the

								earliest stages of infection.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/040/inside.gif">

								Delenn and Lennier minister to the Markab in the isolation zone, trying to

								make them more comfortable, though it doesn't seem as if they are doing much

								good.  Delenn sees the young Markab girl she met earlier, who is now unable

								to find her mother.  Delenn calls to Lennier, telling him to find her

								mother.  When Lennier asks how he should find her, Delenn responds, "Faith

								manages."  Delenn asks the girl her mother's name, and the girl tells her

								that her name is Mama.  "Faith manages," repeats Lennier as he begins the

								search.


								<p>

								Dr. Franklin examines some of the data from the tests, and continues to run

								more tests, though they only have a very short period of time.  Lazarenn

								explains how he feels, and Franklin orders still more tests.  While he is

								suffering, Lazarenn thinks back to how he and Franklin first met many years

								ago.  It was when Franklin was on layover on the Markab homeworld, and

								Franklin was hitchhiking on starships.  Franklin looked upon everything as a

								test in those days.  "Sometimes the test is not to find the answer, it is to

								see how you react when you realize there is no answer."  A medical officer

								comes up with the results of the Pak'ma'ra autopsy -- the plague is now

								affecting the Pak'ma'ra as well.  Franklin, exasperated and irritable,

								orders some officers to find out what happened to the Pak'ma'ra, before time

								runs out.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/040/child.gif">

								The young Markab girl is still worried about her mother, and asks Delenn if

								she has been found yet.  Delenn says no, but says she knows what the young

								girl is going through.  She once became seperated from her parents on a

								visit to the city, and she became more and more lost until she found herself

								in an old temple, where she decided to wait until her parents arrived.

								Though her parents didn't come for hours, she felt safe there, and fell

								asleep.  A tall figure told the young Delenn that she would be fine as long

								as she believed her parents would come.  The figure told her that he would

								not allow harm to come to her.  At that moment, Delenn's parents arrived in

								the temple.   As she completes the story, Lennier too arrives with the young

								girl's mother.  The young girl runs to her mother and hugs her, and soon

								turns around to thank Delenn, but is barely able to keep her balance.  The

								smile vanishes from Delenn's face as she realizes what is happening.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/040/fury.gif">

								Dr. Franklin continues tests on the Pak'ma'ra, but continues to find

								nothing.  He tries to cross-reference Markab yellow cells with Pak'ma'ra

								green cells.  Lazarenn speaks up, but is unable to say much beyond, "The

								yellow cells could be..."  He attempts to say more, but fails, and dies

								while speaking to Franklin.  Franklin, in his rage, overturns a cart of

								medical equipment, but his anger evaporates when the computer reports that a

								match has been found.


								<p>

								Franklin explains to Sheridan that the plague works by neutralizing the

								chemicals in the synaptic gaps of a body, which prevent the chemicals from

								relating messages from the brain between neurons.  A few races use

								specialized cells to manufacture chemicals used in neural relays, but since

								humans don't work that way, they aren't in danger.  Franklin says the

								disease can't be destroyed, but he can stimulate production of yellow and

								green cells so that they will eventually be able to fight off the disease.

								He's prepared enough for five hundred doses of the cure, but hasn't had time

								to test it, and there is nearly no time left.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=160 height=119 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/040/bodies.gif">

								Franklin, Sheridan, and Ivanova go to the isolation zone and enter, and are

								greeted by a grisly sight.  There is nearly complete silence as they look

								around the isolation zone and see that every Markab has died.  Delenn and

								Lennier appear.  Franklin asks if anyone is left alive, and Lennier tells

								him that they are all dead.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/040/cry.gif">

								Lennier departs, but Delenn, overcome by the

								situation, falls crying against Sheridan's shoulder.


								<p>

								Delenn tells Sheridan that he should be congratulated for finding a way to

								stop the plague.  Sheridan tries to explain that it is because of Franklin

								that they were able to prevent further infection.  Sheridan asks what

								happens next time, and Delenn says that, if they honor the memory of those

								who died, and remember what happened, the other races will grow, and further

								problems of this sort will not occur.


								<p>

								"Medical ships dispatched to the Markab homeworld have confirmed the death

								toll," an ISN reporter says.  "The entire planetary population has been

								wiped out by the plague.  Over two billion dead, in addition to another two

								or three million on other colonies and outposts.  Although it is expected

								that some Markabs may have survived on isolated colonies, for all intents

								and purposes, the Markab civilization has been destroyed."  Franklin,

								sitting at a bar beneath a video screen, listens painfully to the news

								report as other patrons of the bar joke about the deaths of the Markab and

								spread rumors about the dead Markab.  The bartender shuts off the television

								set, refusing to listen anymore.


								<p>

								"Nothing changes," Franklin says to himself.  He gets up from the bar and

								walks away.