brennen
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lurkers-guide



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


								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/relieving.jpeg">

								Sheridan is in his office when Ivanova arrives.  He tells her that he

								has been looking over his records and isn't sure how they will survive when

								they begin running out of supplies, since even the black market is

								unreliable.  Ivanova tells him she will take care of the situation

								for him, then says she is relieving him of command, since

								he has taken no personal time in the previous nine months.  He attempts

								to argue with her, but she won't hear it, nor will she hear his

								attempts at retaining command.  Resigned, he leaves her alone with her

								work.


								<p>

								Franklin and Marcus, on the transport to Mars, are trying to pass the

								time by playing I Spy which, since there are very few things of note in

								the cargo hold, isn't going very well.  Marcus disappears and reappears

								a few moments later, carrying a man in a neck-lock.  "It would appear

								we have a spy on our hands, Stephen."


								<br clear=all>

								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/spy.jpeg">

								Franklin wants to know where the man came from, and he tells him and

								Marcus that he got in through an access panel, which Marcus knew to

								locked.  The man says the Captain of the ship is his brother, and that

								he helped him get through.  Franklin wants to know why the Captain

								didn't tell them, but the man says the Captain must have forgotten-- he

								gets forgotten a lot.  When Marcus releases him, the man introduces

								himself as John Demeter, commonly called Captain Jack.  Marcus and

								Franklin won't tell him who they are, but tell him that if he goes too

								far into their section of the cargo bay, he'll pay the price.  Captain

								Jack says he won't push himself on them, and says that he was going to

								offer to share his dinner with them, but Marcus won't have it-- they

								have their own dinner: meal bars.  Captain Jack, however, has something

								much more appetizing: Insta-Eats.  Franklin is attracted to the smell

								of meat and potatoes coming from the small packet, but Marcus keeps him

								from partaking, reminding him that they are to speak with no one other

								than their contact.


								<p>

								Sheridan is in his office/quarters trying to enjoy his vacation, but

								finds it difficult since every channel and station coming onto Babylon

								5 has been blocked due to jamming, except ISN.  Sheridan reluctantly

								listens to it, only to find a replay of Garibaldi's interview with Dan

								Randall.  After rewatching it, Sheridan turns it off.


								<br clear=all>

								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/garibaldi1.jpeg">

								Sheridan approahces Garibaldi in Downbelow, and tries to talk to him

								about the interview.  Garibaldi no longer works for Sheridan, though,

								so he isn't willing to talk-- he thinks Sheridan is upset because he's

								challenging the Captain's authority.  Sheridan considers it undermining

								instead, but Garibaldi insists he is entitled to his opinion, and

								thought free speech was something Sheridan was fighting for.  Sheridan

								wants to know where Garibaldi's anger is coming from-- he thought they were

								friends, but Garibaldi tells him, "Yeah, well, maybe we both

								thought wrong."  Sheridan doesn't want Garibaldi to give Clark's

								propaganda weight, and tells Garibaldi he's hurting the station and the

								cause when he speaks out.  Garibaldi starts to leave to meet with a

								client, and tells Sheridan to go back to playing God.  Sheridan follows

								and reminds Garibaldi that his former job gives him credibility, which he is

								using to undermine Sheridan's effort, and that, if Garibaldi doesn't stop,

								he will make things very difficult for Garibaldi.  Sheridan tells

								Garibaldi to make a legitimate complaint if he has one, but, if it's a

								personal attack, to stop.  Garibaldi says he didn't make it

								personal-- it was Sheridan who did so, as the focal point of a cult of

								personality.  The people are following Sheridan, not the cause.

								Garibaldi feels Sheridan is starting to buy into his own publicity, and

								Garibaldi says it's time someone started poking holes in that.

								Sheridan tells Garibaldi that he doesn't want Garibaldi misusing his

								authority, and hurting everyone else just to get at him.  He storms

								away, leaving Garibaldi behind.  Among the many people in Downbelow who

								witnessed this heated exchange, there is one particular group of three

								men, near the back of the crowd, who seem particularly interested.


								<p>

								Franklin and Marcus are eating their meal bars, while Captain Jack

								continues to enjoy his own fine cuisine, which Franklin is not too

								happy about.  Marcus reminds him that they aren't supposed to talk with

								anyone until they hear their contact's passphrase, which Captain Jack

								begins speaking to himself.  Captain Jack explains that he wanted to

								check them out first, and then offers them some of his food.  He hands

								Marcus and Franklin their new identicards, and explains that, since

								they get very few passengers, their access to the transit bureau is

								limited to what they could steal--in this case, Jim Fennermen and

								Daniel Lane, on their way to Mars--for their honeymoon.  Neither Marcus

								nor Franklin is thrilled by this, but they resolve to make the best of

								it as the transport approaches Mars.


								<br clear=all>

								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/wade.jpeg">

								Garibaldi is approached in the corridor by the three men who watched

								his exchange in Downblow.  One of them, the older of the three, tells

								him they wanted to talk to him about his "former friend, Captain

								Sheridan." The man explains that there are other people who share

								Garibaldi's feelings about Sheridan, who aren't thrilled with Sheridan

								turning against Earth.  The man says he wanted to see what else they

								had in common.  He explains that he has extensive information on

								Garibaldi, and wants to know if his objections are only half-hearted.

								Garibaldi tells him he can wonder whatever he wants, and begins to walk

								away, but the man stops him, saying that someone can become a threat to

								a cause he believes in when other things, his ego or sense of destiny,

								for instance, get in the way.  If this applies to Sheridan, he asks

								Garibaldi if he would feel obligated to intervene.  Garibaldi says he

								won't sell Sheridan out, but the man asks if Garibaldi really can just

								stand by and watch the cause die, if he could have done something to

								stop it.  Without answering, Garibaldi walks away.


								<br clear=all>

								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/jack.jpeg">

								While riding in a transport tube, Captain Jack explains that they

								have been hearing some interesting stories about Babylon 5 on Mars

								recently--such as the Babylon 5 crew using aliens to take everything

								over, or that they had written off Mars entirely.  Marcus assures him

								that Captain Sheridan hadn't had time to deal with it while dealing

								with the Shadow War--something Captain Jack knew nothing about.  They

								don't get much information on Mars, he explains, but Marcus is not

								thrilled about having fought in a war about which the very people they

								wanted to help knew nothing.  Captain Jack doesn't even know who won

								the war.  Marcus jokes that the worst part of it all is being married to

								Franklin, are married, and though Franklin objects, he is subjected to several

								more well-spirited jabs as the transport tube pulls into the station.


								<br clear=all>

								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/smugglers.jpeg">

								Ivanova is in Sheridan's office, talking to four smugglers, each of

								whom had, at one time or another, been caught on Babylon 5.  She says

								they were doing their job, and that, with the new conflict with Earth,

								they hardly seen any of them anymore.  One of the smugglers explains

								it's becuase the penalties have become so much stiffer now--they are in

								serious trouble with the EarthAlliance, and no one is buying new

								weapons.  Ivanova informs them that, in such a case, they should start

								thinking about the future.  She wants them to help bring in needed

								supplies--food, medicines, spare parts--to Babylon 5.  The smugglers

								protest--there is no profit in bringing in those things.  Ivanova tells

								them, that, as long as they work for Babylon 5, they will get all

								the equipment, repairs, and service they require to stay in

								operation, but, if they don't, they might fall victim to unfortunate

								accidents.  They will all still make a profit, but, beyond that,

								Babylon 5 will be willing to overlook their crimes against EarthGov,

								since everyone is entitled to a fresh start.  She asks them, with all

								they'll gain, what more they could ask for.  One of them, as he leaves,

								asks her, "You seeing anybody, Ivanova?"


								<br clear=all>

								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/captured.jpeg">

								Franklin, Marcus, and Captain Jack are making their ways through some

								underground tunnels, to find the leaders of the Resistance.  After a

								short walk, they get where they are going, but find a welcome they

								didn't expect--three armed men with weapons aimed right at them.  The

								leader tells tell them get up against the wall, but Franklin wants to

								know what's going on--he thought they were expected.  The leader

								explains that they're expecting lots of people.  He thanks Captain Jack

								for bringing Franklin and Marcus to them.  One of the men searches

								Marcus and finds his Minbari pike.  Marcus tries to explain that he's a

								Ranger, which doesn't mean anything to the leader.  The three men with

								guns and Captain Jack lead Franklin and Marcus away.  Franklin demands

								to talk to someone in charge, and the leader says he's Number 2.

								Marcus asks to speak to Number One, but the leader tells them they have

								word that a hit squad was coming into kill the leader of the Mars

								Resistance, from one of the outer sectors, and he has no reason to

								believe Franklin and Marcus aren't that hit squad.  The leader says he

								only trusts the people he knows, and since he doesn't know Marcus and

								Franklin, and they weren't specifically cleared through by Babylon 5,

								he wants to test them first.  He wants their identicards so they can

								check Marcus and Franklin's story.  If they are who they say they are,

								they will talk.  If not, they will be leaving "feet first." Marcus and

								Franklin surrender their identicards, which Number Two takes.  Captain

								Jack asks to pay his regards to Number One, but Number Two wants him to

								stay behind to comfort them, and to take blood samples so they can

								match it against their DNA samples.  Captain Jack and the two gunmen

								stand behind to watch over Franklin and Marcus.


								<br clear=all>

								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/garden.jpeg">

								Delenn enters the garden to find Sheridan there, obviously distracted.

								He explains that he's mad at himself over the way his talk with

								Garibaldi turned out.  He says Garibaldi is like a complete stranger,

								and that he feels like he's better at fighting wars than

								relationships.  Sheridan says he wishes he could find a way to turn

								things around, but Delenn explains that Garibaldi has to find his own

								way, as does Sheridan--their paths may simply not cross anymore.  "It

								is the way of things."  Sheridan tells her it doesn't make it any

								easier, but he asks her what she wanted.  Delenn tells him that Ivanova

								told her that he had some time off, and she begins to tell him of

								another ritual they must perform in their relationship.  He tells her

								he's almost "ritualed out" and asks how many more there are.  She says

								there are as many as 50 more, and explains that this one--the

								shan'fall--is about preparation and mutal understanding.  She tells him

								that they will spend the night together, discovering each other's

								centers of pleasure, though it is done respectfully, with prayer and

								meditation, since they should know all about each other if they are to

								continue with their relationship.  She tells him to meet her in her

								quarters, and leaves.  Sheridan is obviously quite taken with the

								idea.


								<br clear=all>

								<p>

								<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/marcus-gun.jpeg">

								As Marcus and Franklin wait for word from Number Two, Captain Jack

								tries to apologize to Franklin for what happened, but Franklin isn't

								interested in listening.  Cpatain Jack pulls a picture out of his

								pocket and shows it to Franklin--it's his daughter, who just turned

								eighteen.  He hasn't talked to her in a while, but thinks about her all

								the time, and is doing what he's doing to help her.  Franklin notices

								her address on the back, which Captain Jack claims he wrote down so he

								couldn't forget it.  Marcus asks Captain Jack if he's ever met Number

								One, and Captain Jack says he's met her many times, and that they're

								very close--Captain Jack says he wanted to bring her back something,

								but couldn't find anything.  They are interrupted by Number Two who has

								done his check--and the numbers and DNA don't match.  He wants to know

								where their contacts are, and then threatens to kill them both.  He is

								stopped, though, by a woman who comes in from the corridor, telling

								Number Two to wait a little longer.  She explains she wanted to see

								them for herself, and she wants to know what they're up to.  Franklin

								and Marcus notice something on Captain Jack's back, and fight away

								their guards as Captain Jack attempts to fire on the woman, Number

								One.  Franklin tackles her to the ground, moving her out of the line of

								fire just as Captain Jack fires.  Marcus fires himself, and hits the

								creature on Captain Jack's back.  The dead creature is still there, but

								Captain Jack is nowhere to be found.


								<br clear=all>

								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/tendrils.jpeg">

								As Franklin studies the creature, Number Two comes in, explaining that

								he found their real identicards--Captain Jack must have replaced them

								with the fake ones.  Franklin might have an explanation--Captain Jack

								might not have had a choice.  The creature was controlling Captain Jack

								by overriding neural impulses.  It was controlling him the whole time,

								but Franklin realizes that Captain Jack had been giving him hints, such

								as the photograph with his daughter's address, so that they knew where

								to find her if he didn't survive.  One of the scouts comes back--they

								didn't find Captain Jack, but they did find out he broke into a weapons

								case and stole a thermal grenade.


								<br clear=all>

								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/numberone.jpeg">

								In the transport tube, Captain Jack's communicator beeps.  He answers

								it, and Number One tells him that what happened wasn't his fault.  She

								wants him to come back, but he won't do it.  He tells her they found

								him in the middle of the night and attached that thing to him.  He

								tried to warn them, but the creature wouldn't let him.  She tells him

								that they killed it, but Jack knows you can't kill it all--it always

								grows back.  Number One tries to convince him not to do anything

								stupid.  Captain Jack tells her he always wondered whether or not the

								transport tubes on Mars could withstand anything, and just as the

								creature begins to regrow, Captain Jack pushes a button on the grenade,

								and the transport car explodes, taking Captain Jack with it, not

								destroying the tube in the process.


								<br clear=all>

								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/pope.jpeg">

								Garibaldi is just finishing up with a client when Sheridan returns.

								Sheridan says he wants to apologize for what happened, and asks if they

								could try again.  As he is speaking, though, a Brakiri woman comes up to

								him and recognizes him as the one who went to Z'ha'dum, died, and

								returned with the knowledge of good and evil.  Sheridan tries to stop

								her, but she insists on a blessing, which Sheridan doesn't want to

								provide.  Garibaldi grabs her away from him.  "Come on!  He's not the

								Pope!  He doesn't look anything like her," Garibaldi tells her.

								Sheridan asks Garibaldi to leave her alone, and Garibaldi asks Sheridan

								if it's because he likes what she's saying.  Sheridan insists it's

								because Garibaldi is hurting her, but Garibaldi won't let go.  Sheridan

								forces Garibaldi to let go of her, but for his attempt receives a punch

								directly to the jaw, courtesy of Garibaldi.  Security comes to the

								rescue, but Sheridan won't let them do anything.  He tells Garibaldi

								that, because of all they've been through, he gets one punch for free,

								but, should Garibaldi try it again, Sheridan will fight back.  Sheridan

								turns and walks away, as does Garibaldi soon after.


								<br clear=all>

								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/ritual.jpeg">

								Sheridan goes to Delenn's quarters, still rubbing his jaw, and rings

								the bell.  Delenn lets him in, but when he enters, he is surprised to

								find Delenn isn't alone--Lennier and several other religious caste

								Minbari are there with him.  She explains that they are there for the

								ritual--they will pray and meditate, but wait outside her bedroom, to

								make sure that things don't go too far.  Sheridan whispers to her that

								he can't do it, but she tells him that it is important to her that he

								do it properly.  The engagement means a lot to him, and the Minbari

								ceremonies mean a lot to her.  Delenn leads Sheridan into her bedroom

								and closes the door.


								<p>

								Sheridan, apparently just after having woken up, enters an elevator to

								find Lennier there.  Sheridan doesn't say anything, but he doesn't need

								to.  Lennier, apparently somewhat distrought, turns to him and has only

								one thing to say.  "Whoo-hoo?"


								<p>

								Number One tells Franklin and Marcus that the other leaders of the

								Resistance are on their way, but it will take a couple of days.  Marcus

								isn't too happy about this, but Number One is willing to put them up in

								a hotel where she has some control.  She asks them to go out to dinner

								with her, but Marcus declines, allowing Franklin to go alone with her.

								Before they leave, Marcus asks her where they are staying.  She tells

								him it's the Red Planet Hotel, and mentions that, for some reason, they

								were given the honeymoon suite.  "Right.  Fine," Marcus says as they

								leave.  "I'll remind you of this when we decide on custody of the

								children."


								<br clear=all>

								<p>

								<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/076/in.jpeg">

								Garibaldi is sitting alone when he is approached by Wade and his

								cohorts.  Wade tells Garibaldi that he heard about the fight with

								Sheridan.  "I, uh...  I think he's lost it," Garibaldi tells them.

								"He's starting to believe the things everybody's been saying about him,

								and buying into this hero worship stuff.  It's become about him.  Not

								what we've been saying, not what we've been fighting for.  And if he

								could see straight, he'd agree with me, but uh...  In the end...  We're

								going to lose everything we've been working for because of one man."


								<p>

								"That's what happens," Wade tells him.  "That's exactly what happens

								when one man begins to matter more than the cause.  Are you with us?"


								<p>

								"I won't hurt him," Garibaldi insists.


								<p>

								"No one's asking you to," Wade says.  "You give him to us when we tell

								you to.  We'll see to it that he gets the help that he needs.  Are you

								with us?"


								<p>

								Garibaldi does have to think for a moment, but does come to a

								decision.  "I'm with you."