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191 lines
8.4 KiB
191 lines
8.4 KiB
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<h3>Synopsis by Katrina Glerum (kat@midwinter.com)</h3>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/077/codeword.jpeg">
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Commander Ivanova finds the Captain scowling at another ISN broadcast
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"reporting on" the mistreatment of humans aboard Babylon 5. From the
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tone they figure it is only a matter of time before Earth attacks the
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station again, but this time as part of a "rescue mission." Just then
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a more welcome message is logged from Franklin on Mars.
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<p>
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The meeting with the leaders of the resistance is ready to begin as
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soon as everyone arrives. Franklin and Marcus' mission to Mars is well-timed.
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Number One of the Mars Resistance estimates that Earth Force
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will have captured and subdued all of Mars within a few months. But
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she warns that some of her allies are more dangerous than she is. No
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sooner are the words spoken than Marcus rushes in exclaiming that their
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hotel has just been bombed and 10 civilians killed. Number One departs
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in a fury.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/077/report.jpeg">
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These are not the only unprovoked attacks baffling the Army of Light.
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A visiting Minbari, Forell, tells
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Delenn of raiders destroying transports and ships along the
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borders of various peoples dependent on the Minbari for their
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protection. Even more disturbing is the news that the warrior caste
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refuses to protect these allies now that the Grey Council has been
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broken.
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<p>
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Delenn finds Sheridan in C&C and explains that she needs to take a
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flight of White Stars out to determine who is attacking their allies.
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He balks at her personal involvement until she reminds him not to
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forget who she was, and who she is and what she can do.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/077/tensecs.jpeg">
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Number One angrily accosts Philippe, an Earth resistance leader, for
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bombing the hotel without her authorization. What he does on Earth is
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his business. What he does on Mars is her responsibility, and she will
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gut him if he forgets that again.
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<p>
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ISN is still replaying the story of Sheridan suffering from Minbari War
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Syndrome, when a new idea strikes the Captain. He can't wait for
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morning, and instead runs off to roust Ivanova from her bed and drag
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her into the War Room. "I've been here before," she reminds him,
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bleary eyed and unkempt. So he begins to explain.
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<p>
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"You have a face people trust," he says. When she was giving status
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reports during the war, she provided everyone with solid,
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reliable information. Now it's time to do it again, he says, but on a larger
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scale. This time, the War Room will become the Voice of the
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Resistance, broadcasting live to ships, to colonies, and to Earth,
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competing directly with ISN for ownership of the truth.
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<p>
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As he exits with brisk enthusiasm, he tells her to go back to bed,
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leaving her muttering more empty threats against his safety.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/077/bridge.jpeg">
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The White Stars speed through hyperspace. Delenn asks Forell
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how bad things are back home. The Grey Council held their society
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together. Now the castes are at odds again. He tells her how the
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warrior caste forced all members of the religious caste out of a
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certain city in the midst of polar wastelands. Most of them died of
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exposure and starvation. His family was among them. Although the
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warrior caste stopped short of actually killing Minbari with their own
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hands, there are few who wouldn't call them murderers for this action.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/077/meeting.jpeg">
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With the resistance leaders all assembled, Franklin begins his appeal.
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Sheridan is offering an alliance. He will support their cause actively
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if they will fight with him to overturn President Clark. If they will
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carry out any order coming from Babylon 5 no matter how strange, then
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when it is all done, he promises that Mars will have its freedom. But,
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Franklin adds angrily, this means no more terrorist attacks against
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civilians.
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<p>
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The White Stars pop out of hyperspace and find a distress signal being
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send out by a dying Pak'ma'ra. They reach the site only to find a
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fleet of unknown ships. Delenn is ready for first contact this time
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and opens a channel. When ships identify themselves as Drakh, Lennier
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is alarmed to discover that they speak Minbari. This could only occur
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if this were not true first contact.
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<p>
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It is instantly apparent who has talked to the Drakh before when Forell
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pulls a weapon on Delenn and tells her that he has brought her here to
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listen to their message.
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<p>
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Number One grants the B5 duo her grudging approval, before catching
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Franklin out as a liar. There is no way Sheridan could have sent the
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message to stop terrorist bombing because news of these attacks isn't
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getting off of Mars. Sheepishly Franklin admits that he just threw
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that in to help her.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/077/passion.jpeg">
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As soon as she leaves, Marcus starts pestering the Doctor about his new
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love. Franklin denies it until she walks back in and invites him to
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dinner. (Marcus she assigns to guard duty.) "Touch passion, Stephen,"
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Marcus advises. "Don't walk away when it calls you by name."
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<p>
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The White Stars follow the Drakh to their mother ship and Delenn allows
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an emissary on board. Dark and deadly, the Drakh hisses, shudders and
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trembles its way to the bridge.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/077/drakh.jpeg">
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Forell explains that the religious caste needs allies in order to
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defend themselves against the warrior caste. In exchange for some
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deserted worlds along their border, these Drakh will help the religious
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caste in the looming civil war. The Drakh want peace, he argues. They
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only want a home.
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<p>
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"Because they have just lost their home," Lennier finishes, mouthing
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"Z'ha'dum" to Delenn.
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<p>
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Forell admits that he couldn't have hurt Delenn, but he needed to show
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her that here they had a way to be the "salvation of their people."
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<p>
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Delenn tells the creature that she will return in a week with an
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answer. "You will not regret this, Delenn," Forell says. The Drakh
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stops and hisses with recognition, "Delenn!" before departing.
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<p>
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She realizes her mortal danger at that instant. Now that these Drakh
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know her, she tells Forell, they will take revenge for her part in the Shadow
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war. The White Star fleet is surrounded and stationary. There is no time to
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escape by jump point or by fleeing. So instead, she orders Lennier to fly
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straight at the mother ship, "skin dancing" along its hull until they have
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built up enough speed to escape through jump points. In the process, White
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Star 16 is destroyed.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/077/staying.jpeg">
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Forell has been struck by a falling beam and is fatally wounded. With his
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final words he begs Delenn's forgiveness. "No. I am sorry, Forell. I
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should never have been away this long," she utters as his body is
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carried away.
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<p>
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Safe in hyperspace, Lennier begins to set a course for Babylon 5, but
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now with blood in her eye Delenn overrides him and orders the White
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Stars to attack. The angry, attacking White Stars make short work of
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most of the Drakh fighters, and as the mother ship races for the local
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jump gate, Delenn's flagship beats her there and fires through her hull
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from stem to stern.
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<br clear=all>
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<p>
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<img align=right width=128 height=96 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/077/warroom.jpeg">
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Upon her return Delenn finds Sheridan in the revamped War Room.
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Apparently there have been more sightings of the Drakh in other areas.
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But that isn't the only bad news she brings him. "The caste system is
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falling apart," she says. She must go to try and save her people from
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the ravages of civil war, and attempt to rebuild the Grey Council.
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Sheridan is unhappy to hear these words. But she comforts him, arguing
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that humans form communities which are more powerful than the
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individuals were before. This is humanity's strength, and also what makes
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them dangerous. Since his return from Z'ha'dum, the Captain has been
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trying to pretend that he hasn't changed. But he has. And now in
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order to fight the battles ahead and rebuild what has been destroyed he
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needs to be dangerous. With her gone, she knows that he will be able
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to do that.
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<p>
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Far away on Mars, a lonely Ranger sits on guard duty, listening
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to a woman's voice gasping Stephen's name.
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<br clear=all>
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