brennen
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lurkers-guide


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


								<p>

								Captain Sheridan is out helping to train Zeta Squadron against the

								Centauri, should the need to fight them ever arise.  One of the other

								pilots is able

								to shoot Lt.  Keffer quite easily, and is about ready to start

								again when Sheridan receives a call from Ivanova saying there's an

								emergency on Babylon 5.  Sheridan orders Zeta Squadron to continue

								practicing the maneuvers and returns to the station.


								<p>

								Lennier enters the Zocalo where he finds Vir sitting there, nursing a

								drink.  Lennier sits down next to him and says to Vir, "Sometimes I get

								so close, and yet it seems I'm shut out of the important things."


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/nervous.gif" alt="">

								"It's a useless feeling," Vir replies.  "The ambassador is definitely

								going through some changes.  He even looks different."


								<p>

								"Indeed, and now with the military starting to stampede over everyone

								and everything..."


								<p>

								"The coming and going and secret meetings..."


								<p>

								"You never know what it's all about, until later, when it's too late."


								<p>

								"They never listen to us."


								<p>

								"It makes me nervous," they both say at once.


								<p>

								"Same time tomorrow?" Vir asks.


								<p>

								"Sure," Lennier replies as he leaves.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								Sheridan meets up with Ivanova who tells him that the Drazi and

								Pak'ma'ra ambassadors are waiting for him in his office with an urgent

								matter to discuss.  Sheridan orders that all the fighter squads be put

								through extensive training so they will be ready to fight if

								necessary.


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/soon.gif" alt="">

								Ivanova asks the Pak'ma'ra ambassador if he is certain that he is

								correct, and he assures her that he is.  The Drazi ambasador explains

								that the Centauri have invaded both of their territories, taken command

								of listening posts, and are preparing to attack other races and other

								worlds.  "War is spreading," the Drazi says.  "Perhaps soon they even

								attack you."


								<p>

								Sheridan paces back and forth in his office as Ivanova arrives with

								Londo.  The conversation is very tense as they discuss the movement of

								the Centauri forces.  Sheridan asks why what the Centauri did to the Narn

								wasn't enough, but Londo insists that they are merely trying to

								stabalize the region, using the conquered worlds as a buffer zone,

								though the Drazi and Pak'ma'ra don't agree.  Londo says his people merely

								want to establish a presence, and Sheridan demands to know where it

								will end.  He tries to convince Londo that the Centauri are at the center

								of the trouble, but Londo refuses to listen.  He warns Sheridan not to

								overstep his authority, which ends at Babylon 5.


								<p>

								Garibaldi tells Sheridan that Londo has been acting very differently,

								and that he can no longer be talked to or reasoned with.  Sheridan asks

								Garibaldi how to get through to Londo, but Garibaldi says it can't be

								done as long as Londo is afraid, and that he isn't able to keep up with

								the climactic changes occurring all around him.  Sheridan says that he

								made a full report to Earthdome, and with the new races involved, Earth

								can no longer ignore the problem.  Ivanova calls Sheridan and tells him

								that Frederick Lantz, from the Ministry of Peace, has just arrived on

								the station, and Sheridan leaves to see him.


								<p>

								As Keffer and a fellow officer finish their training, they both admit

								that they are very tired and wish they knew what was going on with

								Sheridan.  The officer suggests it might be the "ghost"--something

								several other officers say in hyperspace while returning from sector

								14.  She explains that they said it looked like a cross between "a

								spider and your worst nightmare."<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/arrival.gif" alt="">

								Sheridan meets up with Lantz, who introduces him to Mr. Welles, the man

								in charge of the Nightwatch.  Sheridan introduces them to Ivanova, and

								Lantz tells Sheridan that he wants to interview Londo and the

								ambassadors of the worlds affected by the Centauri expansion.  Mr.

								Welles says that he wants to speak with the members of the Nightwatch

								aboard Babylon 5.  Ivanova tells them that she can't believe they came

								to Babylon 5 -- she never thought they would.  Lantz explains that

								Earth can't sit still forever, but it

								is good to know firsthand whether they're about to make the right choice.


								<p>

								Keffer meets up with another pilot in the Zocalo and asks him about the

								ghost he saw.  The officer, Mitch, tries to avoid the subject, but

								Keffer is able to provide a flawless description of the ship, telling

								him that he saw it as well, but that he wasn't able to record it or get

								any other information about it.  Mitch tries to convince Keffer that he

								shouldn't try to search for it again.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=160 height=120 src="/lurk/gif/044/044-1.gif" alt="">

								While discussing the situation with the Drazi and the Pak'ma'ra and

								other tidbits of information about Earth with Ivanova,

								Lantz explains that he wants

								to leave his grandchildren a good legacy, and that is what he hopes to

								accomplish by working for the Ministry of Peace.


								<p>

								On C&C, a jump point is detected opening up on the other side of

								Epsilon 3, where it can only be detected by Babylon 5.  It turns out to

								be a Narn war cruiser, which hails them.  The captain tells Sheridan that,

								when the Centauri attacked the homeworld, his ship was on a deep-space

								assignment, but that he hopes that they can help liberate the

								homeworld again, and to do that, they need the help and sanctuary of

								Babylon 5.<br clear>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/tea.gif" alt="">

								Ivanova is just about to eat when Mr. Welles enters and asks to speak

								with her.  He asks her if she is happy, and she tells him that she

								supposes she is.  He says he likes to know as much as possible about

								the people he works with, and that her record is exemplary, and asks

								what her plans for the future are.  She says she's happy on Babylon 5

								for now, but isn't sure what the future holds for her; she may

								like to captain a starship.  Welles tells her that, with the help of

								the Nightwatch, she can get her ship years earlier than she otherwise

								might, and he offers to pull

								some strings for her if she will help them discover disloyal people and

								potentially dangerous problems forming on Babylon 5.  She tells him

								that she has learned all about the Nightwatch, and was worried

								about what she learned, and that she has no intention of violating her

								personal beliefs to advance her career.


								<p>

								Sheridan informs G'Kar about the Narn war ship, and says that it is

								safe for the time being.  G'Kar is happy about the news, and glad that

								Sheridan plans to give them sanctuary.  Sheridan tells G'Kar about

								Lantz's visit; G'Kar is delighted to hear that Earth is prepared to

								take sides, and rushes off to try to meet with Lantz.<br clear>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/report.gif" alt="">

								Mr. Welles addresses the Nightwatch members aboard Babylon 5 and is

								pleased with their progress, except that of Zack Allan, who hasn't been

								reporting much, such as a shopkeeper's vocal complaints about new import

								regulations.  Zack tries to defend himself saying that he didn't see

								anything wrong with such talk, but Welles disagrees, saying that this

								is precisely the kind of thing they should be informed of.  He tells Zack to be

								extremely careful about anything suspicious, no matter how innocent it

								may seem.  Zack is still very uncomfortable about the situation, but

								admits that the reports about the shopkeeper

								are true.  Welles is pleased by this, and tells Zack that he shows

								great promise.


								<p>

								Mitch goes to Keffer and gives him a data crystal containing

								information about sensor readings of the Shadow ship that may help

								Keffer locate it.  Mitch warns him that he may be risking his own life

								by searching for the ship, and that he no longer wants any part of the

								mysterious vessel.<br clear>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/snub.gif" alt="">

								Lantz finishes meeting with the last ambassador of the League of

								Non-Aligned worlds and prepares to meet with Londo when G'Kar arrives,

								asking for five minutes of his time.  Lantz refuses, though G'Kar does

								his best to convince him otherwise.


								<p>

								The captain of the Narn ship tells Sheridan that the repairs are going

								slowly due to lack of power.

								Sheridan suggests shutting down the jump engines so they can use the

								extra energy to assist in repairs, and Sheridan assures the captain

								that Babylon 5 will protect them.  Lantz arrives at C&C and asks Sheridan

								about conducting fighter exercises against Centauri combat models.

								Sheridan tells him that it is true, and Lantz orders him to stop with

								the drills.  Lantz also informs them that he has been authorized by

								Earth to sign a non-aggression treaty with the Centauri, forming an

								Earth-Centauri alliance to keep Earth safe.  "We will, at

								last, know peace in our time," Lantz says.


								<p>

								As Welles walks down the corridor, he is approached by a technician

								from C&C who was unable to attend the meeting.  She does, however, have

								other information for him.


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/shrapnel.gif" alt="">

								Sheridan can't believe the idea of the non-aggression treaty, and

								Ivanova agrees; it protects Earth and leaves

								the Centauri free to attack other worlds.  Sheridan tells Ivanova that

								he no longer feels as proud to be in Earth Force as he once did, and

								Ivanova tells him that, as 2260 is nearly upon them, it may be a year

								to make the uniform mean something again.  She presents him with a

								small wrapped present, for Christmas or Hannukah.  He opens it up and

								finds a piece of metal inside that he doesn't recognize.  She tells him

								that she located a piece of the Black Star and wanted to give it to him

								as a reminder that sometimes it is possible to achieve something others

								believe can't be done.  Londo calls Sheridan and tells him that he

								has learned that Babylon 5 is hiding a Narn warship and orders the ship

								and crew turned over to the Centauri.  Sheridan ends the transmission

								and wants to know how Londo found out about it, and Ivanova suggests it

								was the Nightwatch that was responsible.  The two of them rush

								back to C&C.


								<p>

								Sheridan orders a channel opened up to the Narn ship and tells the

								captain that the Centauri know they are there.

								A jump point opens and a Centauri battle cruiser

								arrives, blocking the Narn ship from fleeing through Babylon 5's jump gate.

								Sheridan, who promised G'Kar he'd do whatever he could, sends out Zeta

								Squadron to escort the Narn ship.  Lantz arrives at C&C and asks

								Sheridan to explain his actions.  Sheridan tells him that he promised

								Sanctuary to the Narn ship and will do whatever he can to keep that promise.

								Lantz tries to protest Sheridan's actions, but Sheridan has him taken

								out of C&C as Zeta Squadron launches.  He opens up a line with Londo

								and tells him that the Narn ship will be granted free passage.

								Sheridan tells Londo that, if the

								Centauri opens fire on the Starfuries, Babylon 5 will respond with

								deadly force.  He sends a copy of the transmission to the Centauri

								cruiser and orders the defense grid activated.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/slice.gif" alt="">

								With the Starfuries in position, the Narn ship begins to move toward

								the jumpgate.  The Centauri cruiser changes its position, opens its gun

								ports, and targets the Narn ship, Zeta Squadron, and Babylon 5 itself.

								Sheridan targets the Centauri warship and tells Keffer to fire if fired

								upon.  The Centauri lock onto Babylon 5, but Sheridan refuses to fire

								until the Centauri do, which happens after only a few seconds.

								Sheridan fires interceptor shots and continues to defend Babylon 5

								and the Narn ship as it is escorted toward the jump point.  Babylon 5

								is hit a couple of times, and Sheridan orders all weapons fired

								on the Centauri ship.  The Narn ship

								makes it through the jump point; the Centauri ship, severely damaged

								by the station's attack, explodes.


								<p>

								Lantz tells Sheridan that the Centauri are extremely upset over

								Sheridan's actions, and despite the fact that morally and legally

								Sheridan made the correct choice, Lantz refuses to accept Sheridan's

								actions.  Lantz tells Sheridan that the Centauri have accused them of

								moving out of neutrality and into a pro-Narn position.  Welles tells

								Lantz and Sheridan that the joint chiefs agreed with Sheridan's

								actions, which were in accordance with Earth Force regulations, though,

								had Sheridan informed them of the Narn warship earlier, things may have

								turned out differently.  Lantz tells

								Sheridan that the Centauri are willing to drop the entire thing if

								Sheridan apologizes.  Sheridan is outraged at this, though Welles tells

								him that he has been ordered by the president himself, and that, should

								Sheridan go against those orders, he would be removed from command of Babylon

								5.  Welles explains that a meeting among all the ambassadors has been

								set up in the Zen Garden.


								<p>

								Zeta Squadron sticks with the Narn warship until Keffer's ship's

								computer informs him that there is an elevation in neutrino levels -- one

								of the signals from Mitch's data crystal.  Sending the rest of

								the squadron and the Narn ship on ahead, Keffer breaks off to

								investigate.


								<p>

								Sheridan, in his dress uniform, practices his apology.  "I

								apologize.  I'm sorry.  I'm sorry we had to defend ourselves against an

								unwarranted attack.  I'm sorry that your crew was stupid enough to fire

								on a station filled with a quarter million civilians, including your

								own people.  And I'm sorry I waited as long as I did before I blew them

								all straight to hell.  As with everything else," he muses, "it's the

								thought that counts."  He leaves to go make the speech.


								<p>

								Keffer,

								following the computer signals, finally spies the Shadow ship and

								orders the computer to begin recording.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/pursuers.gif" alt="">

								All the ambassadors and their assistants have gathered in the Zen

								garden, waiting for Sheridan's speech as Sheridan makes his way there.

								As he approaches the transport tube, he is noticed by two young

								Centauri.  In the garden, Ivanova notices that G'Kar has arrived.  She

								tells him that he shouldn't be there, and he tells her that he has come

								to speak on Sheridan's behalf, and that the League of Non-Aligned

								Worlds may listen to him.  Delenn and Kosh move off together to talk

								in private.


								<p>

								Keffer is scanned by the Shadow ship.  He orders

								the computer to attach a homing beacon and eject the system record.

								The beacon has barely had time to leave the ship when the Shadow vessel

								turns toward Keffer, and he is enveloped, screaming, in a blinding

								white light.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/fall1.gif" alt="">

								Sheridan enters the transport tube and finds a place to sit down for

								the trip.  When the car arrives at the second transport station,

								everyone except Sheridan leaves the car.  When the car recommences its

								motion, Sheridan hears a strange noise and notices that an explosive

								device has been placed on a seat nearby and is nearly ready to

								explode.  Sheridan orders the computer to override and open the shuttle

								doors.  He springs out the door and the car explodes behind him.


								<p>

								The explosion -- and the rapidly falling Sheridan -- capture the attention

								of those in the Garden below, but

								there is very little time.  "In Valen's name!" Delenn says.


								<p>

								"Oh my God!"  Ivanova exclaims.  "Emergency alert.  We've got an

								explosion in the core shuttle.  We need rescue jetpacks and we need 'em

								now."


								<p>

								"What are you trying to do?"  G'Kar asks.


								<p>

								"He's more or less weightless," Ivanova explains.  "But the ground is

								rotating at sixty miles an hour.  If we can't catch him, he'll be

								killed by the impact."


								<p>

								"You won't have time!" G'Kar offers.


								<p>

								Delenn turns to Kosh, standing by her in a deserted section of the

								garden.  "Kosh, you know what's at stake.  If you are going to do

								anything, you must do it now!"  The headpiece of Kosh's encounter suit

								opens up, a brilliant blue light shining from within.


								<p>

								Sheridan continues to fall as Ivanova receives another communication,

								saying that the rescue team can't get there for two minutes.  Ivanova

								tries to get them to hurry, since they have only thirty seconds.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/kosh1.gif" alt="">

								Delenn looks up at Kosh as he emerges from his encounter suit.  As Kosh

								soars into the air, she recognizes him as a tall, winged Minbari, the

								bone on his head carved into the shape of a crown.  He is glowing with

								white and yellow light as he flies toward Sheridan.


								<p>

								Lennier also recognizes him instantly.  "Valeria!" he exclaims.


								<p>

								The Drazi ambassador sees Kosh as well, but sees him differently.

								"Droshalla," he shouts out as he sees a light

								ensconced Drazi rise into the air on her wings.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/kosh3.gif" alt="">

								"G'Lan," G'Kar says breathlessly, referring to the Narn clad in pure

								white who is flying up to Sheridan to rescue him.


								<p>

								Londo looks up as well, puzzled.<br clear=all>


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/kosh5.gif" alt="">

								As Sheridan falls, he too sees something different.  A human male, clad

								all in white, and outlined by a warm yellow glow against his wings,

								holds his hands out to Sheridan, who grasps them.  The figure,

								appearing as an angel to Sheridan, helps him to the ground, again in

								the secluded part of the garden.  When he arrives, Sheridan is

								astounded.  "Kosh?" he asks.  The figure nods.


								<p>

								Delenn enters Sheridan's quarters.  She was worried about him, but

								Sheridan says he is fine.  "The whole station's talking about what

								happened.  Every race that was in the garden saw something different...

								yet the same.  A being of light."


								<p>

								"Yes," Delenn affirms.  "Each according to his or her type."


								<p>

								"But it was Kosh, wasn't it?" Sheridan asks Delenn, and she nods.

								"That's what he meant when he said that if he left his encounter suit,

								he'd be recognized by...  everybody," Sheridan concludes.


								<p>

								"For millions of years, the Vorlons have visited other worlds, guided

								them and..."


								<p>

								"Manipulated us?  Programmed us so that... when we saw them, we would

								react the right way?"


								<p>

								"It is, as you say, a matter of perspective," Delenn tells Sheridan

								solemnly.  "What matters is that he has revealed himself to those who

								understand--you, me...  and those who have been watching.  The Shadows

								will know what Kosh has done.  They will worry, afraid that he would

								not reveal himself unless the Vorlons were prepared to stand against

								them."


								<p>

								"Are they?"


								<p>

								"I do not think so.  But as long as the Shadows believe the rest of us

								are unaware of their existence, we have time to prepare."


								<p>

								"Well, let's just hope that nobody find out about them until..."

								Sheridan is interrupted by a call from Ivanova saying that Zeta

								Squadron has returned, but Keffer has not.


								<p>

								In the Zocalo, a Narn and Drazi both describe what they saw in the

								garden.  The Narn leaves, but the Drazi asks Londo, sitting nearby,

								what he saw.  "Nothing," Londo replies.  "I saw...  nothing."  He turns

								and leaves.


								<p>

								Londo shouts angrily in the council chamber as Ivanova, in voiceover,

								explains.

								"It was the end

								of the Earth year 2259, and the war was upon us.  As anticipated, a few

								days after the Earth-Centauri treaty was announced, the Centauri

								widened their war to include many of the Non-Aligned Worlds.  And there

								was another war brewing closer to home, a personal one whose cost would

								be higher than any of us could imagine."

								The shopkeeper Zack informed on is forced out of his shop, closed by

								the Ministry of Peace "pending

								allegations of sedition." Ivanova, in her quarters, silently and solemnly

								lights her menorah.  "We came to this place because

								Babylon 5 was our last, best hope for peace.  By the end of 2259, we

								knew that it had failed.  But in so doing, it became something

								greater.  As the war expanded, it became our last best hope... for

								victory.  Because sometimes, peace is another word for surrender.  And

								because secrets have a way of getting out."


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/044/shadow.gif" alt="">

								The image of the Shadow ship, seen from the beacon Keffer sent out

								appears as an announcer explains.  "When our ship

								encountered a distress beacon attached to an EarthForce recording

								device, these images, released exclusively to ISN, were found on that

								recording.  Strategic analysts in EarthDome have indicated they don't

								know who this new race might be... but promised to find out."  The

								Shadow vessel turns toward the camera and fires, reducing the image to

								static.