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418 lines
19 KiB
418 lines
19 KiB
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<h3>Synopsis by Matthew Murray (mmurray@wsu.edu)</h3>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/059/brakiri.jpeg" alt="">
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"August 3, 2260. Personal diary. Ten days ago, for the first time,
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the Shadows began attacking openly." As Ivanova records her diary
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entry, the Shadows attack Brakiri space.
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"So far, they've been hitting targets close
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to the Rim--the minor powers, a few in the League of Non-Aligned
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worlds. The attacks seem totally random, almost senseless. If we
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thought it was nuts around here before, this has only made things
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worse." Morden waits in line in the arrivals area.
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"We've had to hire more security
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personnel to keep things calm, make sure the wrong type of people don't
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get on board. But without our resources back home for background
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checks, we have to assume there will be lapses." Morden passes
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effortlessly through security. "Everyone's been handling the stress
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pretty well, but sooner or later, something's got to give somewhere."
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Dr. Franklin, alone in a room, injects himself with stims, knocking
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over a lamp in the process. "Nobody's seen Kosh in almost a week.
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When the Vorlon goes to ground, I worry." Kosh waits in
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his quarters. "What's going through his... its mind, I can't even
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guess. And Londo... Londo is Londo. You never know which way he'll
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jump next..." Londo is making preparations with Vir for the largest
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suite on Babylon 5 to be filled with flowers and reserved for Adira,
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who is returning to the station. "So far, we've got everything more or
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less under control, as long as nothing else goes wrong." Morden enters
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his quarters, and at his side appears a group of Shadows.
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<p>
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The Brakiri ambassador tells Sheridan and Ivanova that they cannot
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fight the Shadows themselves, and asks for help. Sheridan says that he
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can't help, since they no longer have Earth's support. Sheridan
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explains that the Brakiri were wrong to have trusted the Shadows, but the
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ambassador says he felt they were working for, instead of against, the
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Brakiri. Sheridan tells the Brakiri ambassador that he asked the Gaim
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ambassador to help the Brakiri, since the worlds near Gaim space
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would only help if they were involved. The Gaim ambassador refuses,
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saying that, if they join in the fight, the Shadows will notice them
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and come after them. Sheridan tries to convince the Gaim ambassador
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that the Shadows will come after them soon, but the only way the Gaim
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ambassador will be swayed is if Sheridan can prove that he has power
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equal to that of the Shadows.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/059/medlab.jpeg" alt="">
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It is another hectic time in MedLab where Dr. Franklin and another
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doctor, Dr. Hobbs, argue about a patient's condition as he lies
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in the isolab, victim of a respiratory failure. As they are about to
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help him, Garibaldi brings in another patient in desperate need of help
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of his own. The techs in the isolab report that Dr. Franklin's
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treatment didn't work, yet Franklin insists that they didn't follow his
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orders correctly. Dr. Hobbs tries to convince him that he may be
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endangering the patient's life, but her badgering and Garibaldi's
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persistence get on his nerves, causing Franklin to shout at everyone.
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The new treatment works on the respiratory patient, and Franklin
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mumbles out apologies.
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<p>
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Londo is by himself, recalling the time he spent with Adira a couple of
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years earlier, and the happiness that she brought him. His memories
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are interrupted by Vir, who has prepared the suite at Londo's behest.
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Londo tells Vir he will be right there, and departs to inspect it.
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<p>
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As Londo is on his way, however, the corridor suddenly glows with a red
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light, and his path is blocked by Morden, who tells Londo that they
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have something to settle. Morden tells Londo that he is disappointed
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in him, that Lord Refa will no longer respond to Morden's calls,
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and that the Centauri have pulled back their border campaigns.
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Morden asks about the deal they made, and insists that the Centauri
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government must continue their campaign. Londo believes Morden has no
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interest in the Centauri Republic, and only wants to use them as a
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distraction. Morden threatens Londo, saying that his associates may
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turn their eye to the Centauri if Londo stands in the way. "Then we
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will pluck it out," says Londo. He
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pushes past Morden and makes his way down the
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corridor. A Shadow appears and speaks with Morden. Morden insists
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that they need Londo alive, and that he will find other ways to get what
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they want.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/059/bothering.jpeg" alt="">
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Garibaldi arrives at Franklin's quarters. Franklin
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is getting ready to put in more overtime in MedLab. He says he
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can handle it, but Garibaldi doesn't agree. Franklin insists that his outburst
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was a one-time thing, but Garibaldi knows it isn't.
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He tells Franklin that, if he is
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still having problems with the stims, he can help, but Franklin will
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not even tolerate the suggestion that he might have a problem. Though Garibaldi
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tries to help further, Franklin will not listen. Garibaldi tells Franklin
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that he will leave him alone, but wants him to remember that he gave
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him a chance, and went to him first. Garibaldi leaves.
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<p>
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Delenn enters the war room to find Sheridan sitting at the table,
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poring over reports of Shadow attacks. Sheridan says he can't
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understand the methods the Shadows are using. Delenn tells him that
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their tactics are the ones they used a thousand years previous to keep
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the major powers at bay. Sheridan says that their only hope is to
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organize all the other races into one force, something that has never
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been done before, and might not even be possible, since they all have
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their rivalries and agendas, which seem incompatible. Sheridan tells
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Delenn that they can't score one victory against the Shadow ships, and that,
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if they could, it might convince the others to join in the fight.
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Delenn says that that is exactly what they should do, and Sheridan asks
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how they do that. "I'm sure you'll think of something," she says, and
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leaves.
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<p>
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"Every day, people around here start talking more and more like Kosh,"
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he says to himself, smiling. Soon, the smile vanishes, and he begins
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formulating an idea.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/059/info.jpeg" alt="">
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Garibaldi searches through the Zocalo until he finds Dr. Hobbs sitting
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by herself, filling out forms. Garibaldi tells Hobbs that she was
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right, and that Franklin gave the wrong information to the techs.
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Garibaldi tells her that he knows everyone in MedLab needs to have
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blood samples taken regularly and tested, but Dr. Hobbs tells him that
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the only one with the access needed to see the results is Dr.
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Franklin. Garibaldi asks her to
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pull Franklin's files, but she refuses to do so, though she will tell him
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where the information is. She tells him that she doesn't want to see
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Franklin hurt. Garibaldi agrees, and hopes it isn't too late. He gets up
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and leaves, but Dr. Franklin has witnessed their transaction.
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<p>
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Vir is speaking with a vendor in the Zocalo about the various effects
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needed to complete the welcome for Adira. After he concludes the
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business, he starts off, but sees that Morden is nearby. Trying to
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avoid him, he heads off in another direction, only to run into Morden
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in a corridor outside. Morden asks how he can help, but Vir refuses
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the offer, hurrying away instead. Morden returns to the Zocalo, and
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speaks to the vendor, who he convinces to talk about what Vir ordered.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/059/numbers.jpeg" alt="">
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Garibaldi makes his way into Franklin's office, and begins using the
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computer, but refrains at the last moment from opening the file.
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Franklin sees him, but Garibaldi aborts at the last minute. Garibaldi
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tells Franklin that if, on some level, Franklin doesn't know the truth,
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Garibaldi can't help him.
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Franklin admits that he ran a test on himself to prove that Garibaldi
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was wrong, but found enough stims in his blood stream to prove that he
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was, indeed, addicted to them. He tells Garibaldi how easy it was for
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him to lose track, but he knows the numbers don't lie. Franklin
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asks Garibaldi what he intends to do about it. Garibaldi leaves it up to
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Franklin, who then quietly leaves MedLab.
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<p>
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Sheridan and Kosh walk together down a corridor, with Sheridan
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explaining his plan. "Nobody wants to fight a war unless they know
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there's at least a chance of winning. You can give them that hope. As
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one of the older races, your technology has to be at least as good as
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the Shadows'. Now, if we can convince your government to send out an
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expedition to engage one or two of their ships..."
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<p>
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"No," Kosh replies.
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<p>
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"All right, I know you can't take the entire Shadow fleet by
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yourselves, but if you could beat them at just one fight, it could be
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the break we'd need to get everyone organized. Then we'd have a real
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chance. You could do it, couldn't you?"
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<p>
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"Perhaps, but there are still few of us. It is not our time. It is
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yours. We are not prepared yet." Kosh then begins to move down the
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corridor, away from Sheridan.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/059/cryptic.jpeg" alt="">
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This incenses Sheridan. "Don't turn your back on me!
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Don't you even try to walk away from me! Just who the hell do you
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think you are?! Oh wait, I know what you think you are, what you want
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us to believe. But I don't buy it. For three years now, you've been
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pulling everyone's strings, getting us to do all the work and you
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haven't done a damn thing but stand there and look cryptic! Well, it's
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about time you started pulling your own weight around here!" Kosh
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turns around toward Sheridan, his eyepiece opening and closing slowly,
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almost menacingly.
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<p>
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In C&C, a tech reports to Ivanova that there is an energy surge showing
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up on the sensors. Ivanova asks where it is, but the tech can't
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tell--it is a non-localized phenomenon.
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<p>
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"I hear you've got a saying," Sheridan continues, "'Understanding is a
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three-edged sword.' Well, we've got a saying, too, 'Put your money
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where your mouth is!'"
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<p>
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"Impudent," Kosh says righteously, before turning away again.
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<p>
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"Yeah? Well maybe that's the only way to get through to you. You said
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you wanted to teach me to fight legends. Well you're a legend, too,
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and I am not going away until you agree!"
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=160 height=120 src="/lurk/gif/059/koshglow.jpeg" alt="">
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"Incorrect," Kosh intones. His eyepiece glows brightly, and a force
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throws Sheridan against the wall. "Leave now!" he orders.
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<p>
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"No!"
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<p>
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"Disobedient!"
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<p>
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"Up yours!" Sheridan is thrown against the wall by another blast from
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Kosh, which gives Sheridan a cut on his face.
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<p>
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"So, the real Kosh shows his colors at last, huh? You angry now?
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Angry enough to kill me? Because that's the only way I'm leaving.
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Unless your people get off their encounter-suited butts and do
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something, I've got nothing to lose! God, my own government wants to
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kill me, and if we lose this war, I'm just as dead! Our only chance is
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to get the other races on board for this fight and right now you're the
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key to doing that."
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<p>
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"It is not yet time," Kosh tells him.
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<p>
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Sheridan is even more upset now. "And who decides that time? You?
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You put me in this position. You asked me to fight this damn war!
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Well, it's about time you let me fight it my way!" Kosh tries to get
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away again, but Sheridan won't let him go. "How many people have
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already died fighting this war of yours, huh? How many more will die
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before you come down off that mountain and get involved? Ships,
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colonies, whole worlds are being destroyed out there, and you do
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nothing! How many more? How many more, Kosh? How many more dead
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before you're satisfied? Huh?"
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<p>
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Kosh hits Sheridan with a very powerful force that throws Sheridan
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against the wall, but this time he does not let go. "Go ahead,"
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Sheridan invites. "Maybe one more death will help balance out the
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books. Go on. Get it over with. Save us both the trouble later."
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Kosh does not agree, and instead lets Sheridan go.
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<p>
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"I will do as you ask," Kosh says, and begins walking away. After a
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few steps, he turns back to Sheridan. "But there is a price to pay. I
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will not be there to help you when you go to Z'ha'dum."
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<p>
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"You already said if I go to Z'ha'dum, I'll die."
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<p>
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"Yes, now."
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<p>
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"All right. If that's the trade-off. If you want to withhold your
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help when the time comes, that's fine. I'll go it alone."
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<p>
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"You do not understand," Kosh tells him. "But you will." Kosh turns
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away from Sheridan and silently heads down the corridor.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/059/vorlons.jpeg" alt="">
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Ivanova reports to Sheridan that the Shadows have been attacking the
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Brakiri again as Delenn leads the ambassadors from the group of
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potential allies into the war room. As the Shadows attack the Brakiri,
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a new jump point opens, through which pass many Vorlon ships, which
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begin attacking the Shadow vessels, destroying several. Though the
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Vorlons are not immune to the attacks of the Shadows, they emerge with
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far fewer casualties as the battle rages on.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/059/adira.jpeg" alt="">
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Londo and Vir are awaiting Adira's arrival in the cargo bay, yet after
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the last passenger has left the ship, Adira still is nowhere to be
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found. A group of medical officers appear from the ship with a
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body on a stretcher. It's Adira. Dr. Hobbs, leading
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the team, doesn't know how she died, but Londo suspects he knows--he
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remembers a recent conversation with Lord Refa, on the topic of poison.
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Londo instructs Dr. Hobbs to inspect her for poison, and as the body is
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carried away, Londo begins crying.
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<p>
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The battle concluded, the victorious Vorlon ships enter their jump
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point and return from whence they came. Meanwhile, Morden receives
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word from one of his contacts, and seems troubled by what he hears.
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<p>
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Ivanova informs Sheridan that the news of the victory has spread and
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that every ambassador aboard the station is ready to sign on. Sheridan
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wants to go to Kosh and thank him, but Ivanova convinces him to go to
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bed instead, and thank him the next day. However, someone does go to
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visit Kosh without delay--Morden, who brings his Shadow associates with
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him.
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<p>
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As Sheridan sleeps, he dreams of his father. "John... Johnny..."
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<p>
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"Dad?" Sheridan says, turning around.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/059/sheridad.jpeg" alt="">
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"I don't have much time, son," his father tells him as a great struggle
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begins in Kosh's quarters. "I want you to know, you were right. I
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didn't want to admit that. Just pride, I guess. You get--at my age,
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you get kind of set in your ways. But it had to be done. Don't blame
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yourself for what happened later." The struggle in Kosh's quarters
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continues as Morden watches on emotionlessly. Sheridan's father
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stumbles, apparently very weak.
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<p>
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"Dad, are you... Are you all right?"
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<p>
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"It's too late for me. I'm sorry for what I did before. I knew what
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was ahead. I guess... I guess I was afraid. When you've lived as
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long as I have, you... you kind of get used to it. I wish I
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could have done more for you. There's so much I should have said...
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And now it's too late. You're right. It's time you begin this war
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your way." He wrenches in pain again. "I've got to go now, John."
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<p>
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"No, no... don't... Don't leave," Sheridan pleads.
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<p>
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"It's all right, son. See... As long as you're here, I'll always
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be here."
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/059/suit.jpeg" alt="">
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As the skirmish in Kosh's quarters ends, a pulse of white energy flashes
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along the station's axis. Sheridan awakes, screaming Kosh's
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name. Morden leaves the quarters of the Vorlon quietly, leaving
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nothing behind but the charred, twisted remains of Ambassador Kosh's
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encounter suit.
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<p>
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Garibaldi explains that, although he searched the quarters with great
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care, they found no sign of forced entry, and no sign of a body.
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Garibaldi suggests Kosh might not be dead, but Sheridan and Delenn know
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better. She says that the Vorlons asked that no one be told of Kosh's
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death, since such news could destroy the newly-formed alliance. Since
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Kosh is often not seen for weeks, it will give them time to send a
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replacement. Sheridan says that Kosh knew what lay ahead, hence the
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warning he gave. Sheridan feels guilty, believing earlier that Kosh's
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warning about Z'ha'dum was punishment, rather than what it was--fear.
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Delenn says that Kosh's
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encounter suit, and all his other personal effects should be placed in his
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ship.
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<p>
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Londo tells Morden that Adira's death was caused by poison, and he
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suspects Morden knows the cause. Morden tells him that the last he
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heard from Lord Refa, he was very upset with Londo, which would be
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understandable given the fact that Londo poisoned him. Morden says
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that Refa said something about "evening the score," but couldn't find
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out more because Refa stopped talking to him after that. Morden offers
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that he could have stopped him, had he known about it earlier, but he
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expresses his most sincere apologies. Londo picks up a piece of
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jewelry, which he gave to Adira, and muses about it sentimentally.
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Londo laments that all those die around him, except those who most
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deserve it. "That is about to change," Londo tells him. "You said
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that you would go away for as long as I wanted. I no longer want
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that. All I want now... is revenge. They took from me... the one
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thing that I have ever truly loved. And you will help me, Mr. Morden,
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to strike them down. Give me this... and the safety of my people, and
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let the rest of the galaxy burn. I don't care any more. Will you help
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me, Mr. Morden?"
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<p>
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"Of course, Ambassador," Morden says, his face displaying concern. "As
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ever, I am always in your service."
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 src="/lurk/gif/059/resign.jpeg" alt="">
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Sheridan arrives in Medlab to meet with Franklin. Franklin says
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that he feels he hasn't been doing a good job lately, and that he
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he can't see anything else in the mirror but his job. He says he
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hasn't lived very much in a long time. He admits to Sheridan that
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he has been taking too many stims, hiding from the truth
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about himself. He says that he no longer has the luxury to hide from his
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own problems, and that he needs to stop lying to himself before someone
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else pays the price. He informs Sheridan that he is resigning as Chief
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of Staff of the MedLab facility. Sheridan tries to stop him, but
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Franklin won't hear of it. The two shake hands,
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and Franklin leaves quietly, leaving Sheridan alone.
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<p>
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"And then what?" Garibaldi asks.
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<p>
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"And then," Delenn explains, "once Kosh's belongings are loaded into
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his ship, it will activate itself. The ship was made for him. It was
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a part of him. In a curious way, it is alive. It cannot live without
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him." Kosh's ship leaves the station and begins flying away.
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The ship slowly makes its way toward a nearby star, which quickly
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envelops it. "So it will grieve, as we do, in its own way," Delenn
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concludes. "And perform its last duty, in memory of Kosh."
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