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lurkers-guide


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


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/041/news.gif" alt="">

								Delenn and Sheridan meet each other at a Universe Today vending

								machine.  Sheridan expresses surprise that Delenn reads the paper; she

								explains that, after her previous encounter with Earth's reporters, she

								thought she should be better prepared and that, on Minbar, one is told

								only about what one needs to know, and no more.  Sheridan recycles the

								copy of the paper he has and orders a new one.  Delenn does the same,

								but is informed by the machine that "Eye on Minbari" cannot be inserted

								into her paper.  Slightly embarrassed, she explains that

								it is a good idea to keep track of what the humans are saying about the

								Minbari, and a good way to learn things about the Minbari that she

								isn't told about.


								<p>

								A wounded man rushes through the sewers of the Mars Colony,

								where he meets up with a Ranger.

								Just before the man dies, he hands the Ranger a data

								crystal.  "Take it to Babylon 5.  Tell them... tell them it's not

								safe."  The Ranger takes the data crystal and escapes back into the

								sewers, just as the people pursuing them catch up.


								<p>

								Captain Sheridan and Garibaldi meet in the bathroom and begin a

								conversation.  After making sure it is clear, Garibaldi activates a

								bug-jamming device and asks Sheridan if he gave any more

								thought to the idea of bringing Talia in on their conspiracy.

								Sheridan agrees to the idea, and they make plans to tell her in

								a few days.


								<p>

								Talia and Ivanova are eating, musing over their new friendship.  Each

								blames the other for the difficulties in achieving the friendship, but

								their conversation is interrupted by a call from C&C for Ivanova

								telling her that a ship arrived through the jumpgate, and has done

								nothing since its arrival.  Ivanova goes to C&C to investigate.  As she

								leaves, Talia tells her that, due to a problem in her air recycling

								system, she needs to find a place to stay for a few days.  Ivanova

								offers her quarters.


								<p>

								Ivanova determines that the ship was hit, and tries to contact the

								ship.  There's no response from the one lifeform on board.

								She orders the ship brought aboard the station.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/041/injured.gif" alt="">

								Dr. Franklin arrives at the ship and meets with Garibaldi, who says the

								ship's serial number is faked, and that he doesn't want to report

								anything until he finds out what's onboard.  Dr. Franklin's aide

								tells him that they found one human female aboard, unconscious, but

								alive.  They wheel her out, but Garibaldi recognizes her.


								<p>

								Garibaldi tells Sheridan that the woman, Lyta Alexander, was Babylon

								5's first commercial telepath, though she lasted only a few weeks.  She

								scanned Kosh after the assassination attempt and discovered that Kosh

								saw Commander Sinclair as the murderer, which nearly ruined Sinclair's career,

								though he was later proved innocent.  Garibaldi explains that she and

								Dr. Benjamin Kyle, who operated on Kosh, were recalled back to Earth,

								and Lyta was never the same after the scan.<br clear>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/041/hypo.gif" alt="">

								In medlab, Lyta wakes up, and grabs a

								piece of medical equipment.  Holding Franklin at bay, she

								demands to see Captain Sheridan and the rest of the command staff, and

								to not be left alone with anyone.  Franklin asks why, and she explains

								that one of the people on Babylon 5 is a traitor, and says she can

								prove it.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=160 height=120 src="/lurk/gif/041/041-5.gif" alt="">

								Lyta appears before Sheridan, Ivanova, Garibaldi, and Franklin and

								tells them that Babylon 5 has a great importance to a lot of people,

								and that she has to come back to warn them.  She explains that the

								authorities on Earth didn't believe that she didn't see what Kosh

								looked like, and that their scans revealed nothing -- she retained only a

								feeling, an intense belief that she had to get to Vorlon space.  She

								recently escaped from the Psi Corps.  While

								she was on Mars, she got involved in the revolutionary movement and

								hired herself out as a telepath.  One of the underground's agents was murdered

								after he found out about a secret sleeper operation, which would

								implant a new personality, suited to Psi-Corps' needs, into one's

								subconscious.  When a special password is sent, via telepathy, to a

								person inhabited by a sleeper program, the implanted personality takes

								over completely.  Thus, it is possible for someone to carry the program

								and not know it.  Lyta learned that such "moles" were implanted in

								several government agencies, including Babylon 5, although she doesn't

								know who the one on the station is.  The codename of the mole is Control,

								and the underground suspects

								he or she is in the command staff.  Ivanova doubts this at first, but Lyta

								insists she has the password and can send it to activate the sleeper

								program.  Sheridan promises they will discuss it, but Lyta warns him to

								not wait too long because the personality would attempt to destroy

								anything it perceives as a threat.  She warns them to be on the

								lookout, and that she can't be alone, because she won't be safe.  She

								is taken to a security cell.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/041/garden.gif" alt="">

								Delenn and Sheridan meet, and she asks him to meet her tomorrow to talk

								about the food shipments to Narn.  He seems distracted, and she asks

								him what's wrong, but he initially doesn't want to talk about it.  He

								relents and explains that he feels bad because things had been going

								well, but have taken a turn for the worse.  They continue their

								conversation, and Delenn is slowly able to cheer Sheridan up.  She

								tells him that, when one is in a bad mood, one merely needs to wait.

								He finds her holding his hand when Garibaldi calls informing him

								that the background check has been completed.  Sheridan and Delenn part

								hastily.


								<p>

								Garibaldi tells Sheridan that, as far as he can tell, Lyta is correct

								in all that she said.  Sheridan warns Garibaldi not to trust her, but

								Garibaldi says it is a gut feeling of his that she is telling the

								truth.  Sheridan suggests that Garibaldi's aide may have been the mole, but

								there is no proof either way.  Sheridan says that he wants to think

								about it overnight before making a decision.  Garibaldi asks if Ivanova

								has come around, and Sheridan tells him that she hasn't.


								<p>

								Ivanova is working out her anger slamming cupboards in her kitchen

								when Talia comes in.  Ivanova fixes some tea for them and asks Talia

								about Lyta.  Talia tells her that they spent part of their early

								careers in intern programs.  Ivanova asks if she feels that Lyta could

								be trusted, and Talia says that she thinks she can.  Ivanova also asks

								where Lyta interned, and Talia tells her that she interned with the

								Psi Cops before becoming a commercial telepath.  Ivanova tells Talia

								that she doesn't know who she can trust, and Talia agrees, saying that

								she feels that she can only really trust Ivanova.


								<p>

								Zack Allen enters Garibaldi's office and Garibaldi tells him to move

								Lyta to a more comfortable holding area, since she may be there for a

								while.  As Zack leaves, Garibaldi asks about the Nightwatch armband Zack

								still wears.  Zack says he feels it's easy money.


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/041/attempt.gif" alt="">

								Talia wakes up and feels around in the bed next to her.  There is no

								one there, and she sits up with a start.  Meanwhile, two officers

								arrive in Lyta's cell and tell her that they were sent to transfer

								her.  They leave the cell, but on the way, they are assaulted by PPG

								fire, which takes down both of the security guards.  Lyta grabs a

								PPG and returns fire at the assailant before running off.  Though

								other guards search for her, they are unable to find her.


								<p>

								Sheridan can't believe that she hasn't been located, or even that the

								attack happened, because he had almost believed she was wrong.

								Sheridan doesn't understand who could have done it, since very few

								people knew Lyta was there, but Garibaldi reminds him that the sleeper

								personality was probably responsible.  He orders Lyta put under

								protective custody, and tells Ivanova and Garibaldi that he wants to

								let her send the scan.  Ivanova is obstinate, but Sheridan says that,

								under the current circumstances, if they don't know who they can trust

								and who they can't, they won't be able to function properly.


								<p>

								Delenn is in her quarters composing a letter regarding trade relations

								with the Lumati when she receives a call from Lyta.  Lyta asks Delenn

								to meet her in Brown 3 in an hour.


								<p>

								Talia arrives at Ivanova's quarters to tell her that the air recycling

								system has been fixed, so she'll be returning to her own quarters.

								Talia asks her if everything is all right, and Ivanova says she doesn't

								want to talk about it.  Talia asks where she went the night before, and

								though Talia offers help yet again, Ivanova refusts it, saying that her

								secrets might soon come to the surface

								and haunt her.  "After you tell someone that you've been lying to them

								for years, maybe even putting them in jeopardy, how are you supposed to

								look them in the face again?"  Talia tells Ivanova that there are

								people around who care, though Ivanova still has doubts.  Talia reminds

								Ivanova that she is there for her.


								<p>

								Delenn meets up with Sheridan in a corridor and tells him that she

								received a message from Lyta.  Sheridan asks where she is, but Delenn

								promised not to tell anyone.  Lyta will return, Delenn says,

								but only if everyone is present.  Sheridan tells

								Delenn to tell Lyta that he agrees to her conditions.


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/041/telepath.gif" alt="">

								Sheridan returns to his quarters and finds Ivanova waiting for him.

								She is very troubled and tells Sheridan that she thought she was

								ready.  She tells him that she can't allow any telepath into her mind

								ever.  Sheridan tries to tell her that he understands, but she knows

								he doesn't.  "I've told you that my mother was a telepath, and that

								since I was born she could slip into my thoughts in a way that I could

								never even describe to you.  But what I didn't tell you was that I

								learned how to keep her out when I wanted to, and that once in a while,

								I was the one that touched her mind.  I'm a latent telepath."


								<p>

								"Susan, why didn't you tell me this before?  I thought we could trust

								each other."


								<p>

								"It's got nothing to do with trust.  I've spent my entire life hiding

								this, Captain.  It's not something you can just change overnight.  It's

								hard enough telling you this now."


								<p>

								"You're right.  I'm sorry."


								<p>

								"For as long as I can remember, my mother drilled three words into my

								head: 'Tell no one.' She taught me how to fool the tests given in

								school, transferred me from one school to another, always staying one

								step ahead of the Psi Corps.  I'm probably not even a P1--I've never

								been able to read anyone except my mother.  I can pick up on feelings

								sometimes, I can block a casual scan, and I know instantly if someone's

								doing it.  Nothing more.  But that's enough for the Psi Corps to come

								pull you in!"


								<p>

								Sheridan tries to convince her that Lyta is not involved, though she is

								hardly convinced.  He says that he believes Garibaldi, especially since

								he so rarely trusts anyone.  Ivanova

								thanks Sheridan.  "It's all this nonsense lately... some days, I don't

								even know who I am any more," she tells him.  As she says that, Sheridan

								remembers the dream he had a few months earlier (cf.

								<a href="033.html">"All Alone in the Night."</a>)

								As he starts to explain, he receives a message from C&C saying

								that Delenn has sent him a message: "Now."


								<p>

								Delenn brings Lyta to Sheridan's office.

								Sheridan tells Lyta that he agrees to let her send the password into the

								command staff of Babylon 5.  She sends the password to Sheridan, but

								nothing happens.  She follows up with Franklin and Garibaldi.

								Garibaldi frightens everyone by pretending that the password was a

								success.  Though Garibaldi suggests they move on to Ivanova, Sheridan

								tells him that they will wait for now, as they have many other people

								to check.  One by one, they bring the command staff into Sheridan's

								office, where Lyta, quietly in the background, sends the password to

								each.  None of them possess the program.


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/041/corwin.gif" alt="">

								After they've scanned all the EarthForce officers aboard Babylon 5,

								Lyta is very discouraged that they haven't found anything and begins

								turning her frustration on the troubled Ivanova.  Franklin tries to

								convince her that Lyta isn't implying anything, but Lyta isn't so sure,

								and demands to know what Ivanova is hiding.  Sheridan breaks through the

								tension and tells them that this is what Psi Corps wants.  Seeing no other

								option, Ivanova agrees to have the password sent.  Lyta tries to send

								the password, but is unable to get through.  "She's blocking me," she

								announces.  Ivanova drops her defenses and the password is sent, but

								Ivanova isn't implanted with the program either.  Lyta tries to

								apologize to Ivanova.


								<p>

								"Go to hell," Ivanova responds.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/041/unmasked.gif" alt="">

								Talia enters and says she's been looking for Captain Sheridan.

								As she comes in, Lyta stares at her intently and sends the password.

								Talia falls back and steals Garibaldi's PPG, firing at Sheridan, though

								he is able to move out of the way in time.  Garibaldi grabs the PPG

								away from her and drags her out of the room as Sheridan orders her

								under house arrest.  But she doesn't go away quietly.  "You blew my

								cover!  You're dead!  Do you hear me?  You're dead!  The Corps is

								mother, the Corps is father!  You're dead, Lyta Alexander!  We'll find

								you!  The Corps will find you!"


								<p>

								Garibaldi can't believe that Talia could be the one.  Sheridan says

								that it isn't her fault, and that she's been carrying the sleeper program

								around for years without knowing it.  Their more immediate concern is

								how much Talia knows.  She knows about the underground railroad, but

								they aren't sure about how much more.  Franklin

								will be protected by the Psi Corps' desire to keep its squelching of the

								railroad a secret.  In addition, Franklin and the others know about the

								sleeper program, which Psi Corps definitely wants kept secret.

								Garibaldi realizes that Talia knew a lot,

								and if Lyta hadn't come aboard, they would have told Talia about their

								conspiracy.  Sheridan asks if there is anything they can use to

								defend themselves with, and Garibaldi thinks he might have an idea:

								When Talia mediated for Kosh and Abbut (cf.

								<a href="009.html">"Deathwalker,"</a>)

								Kosh was given a data

								crystal which he claimed contained "Terror.  Surprise.  Reflection.

								For the future."  Garibaldi says he will have to check on it a little

								more before he can be sure.


								<p>

								Ivanova goes to "Talia" and says that she wanted to see her before she

								left.  She doesn't blame "Talia", but hopes that some part of her will

								hear her.  "Talia" says that the program was complete, and that the old

								Talia no longer exists.  "Talia" explains to Ivanova the role she

								played inside Talia's head, whispering instructions to her while she

								slept.  Ivanova believed everything, all the words that were meant to

								get Talia close to Ivanova and what she knew.


								<p>

								"You're right," Ivanova tells her.  "The Talia I knew is dead."  She

								leaves.


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/041/eye.gif" alt="">

								Lyta, wearing a gas mask, enters the alien sector and goes to see

								Kosh.  "I'm back," she says to him.  "I can't stay.  The Captain's made

								sure I can get away before the Psi Cops get here, but... I had to see

								you again, before my ship leaves.  I never told them.  I never told

								anyone.  I hid it all away in the smallest, tiniest corner of my mind.

								They could have killed me and they still wouldn't have found it.  Only

								at night, alone, would I open that small door in my mind where I kept

								the memory of you, and listen to your voice.  Listen to you sing me to

								sleep.  I hope I can come back again, but I don't know.  Until then,

								Kosh, I want to see you again, just one more time."  The head of Kosh's

								encounter suit opens, there's a sound like giant wings unfurling,

								and a brilliant light streams over Lyta as she gazes, one more time,

								upon the being within.

								<br clear=all>