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261 lines
11 KiB
261 lines
11 KiB
<h3>Synopsis by Arturo Magidin (magidin@math.berkeley.edu)</h3>
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<P>
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Byron's telepaths are dug in in Brown Sector, and threatening a hunger
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strike until their demands for a homeworld are met (<a
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href="../guide/097.html">"In the Kingdom of the Blind"</a>). Sheridan cannot
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intervene, since his hands are full with the attacks on the Alliance
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ships, and the alien ambassadors blaming each other. So Lochley sends
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a message to Bester, asking for help.
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<P>
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The telepaths are using telepathic suggestions to slow down security,
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which is trying to burn through to where the telepaths are. When
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Lochley comes down to investigate, Zack tells her about the air
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ducts. They are too small and fragile to send a security team, but one
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person could make it through. Lochley wants to go in: a telepathic
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suggestion from Byron.
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<P>
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Meanwhile, on Centauri Prime, G'Kar is eating some fresh spoo and
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Londo is reading some reports. The reports indicate a 15% increase in
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production of war materials, which doesn't make sense for peace time,
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and is in fact contrary to standard Centauri procedure. G'Kar is
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unconcerned, and offers Londo some of the spoo. But Londo refuses,
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saying that only a Narn can tolerate fresh spoo. G'Kar is suddenly
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interested: the spoo was going to the south wing of the palace, and
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was not meant for him. Who was it meant for? Londo reveals that there
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are some cells in that area of the palace, and G'Kar demands to be
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taken there.
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<P>
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<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/098/atot04.jpeg">
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In a dark cell, they find a Narn chained to the wall: G'Kar's aide,
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Na'Toth. At first, Na'Toth thinks G'Kar is also a prisoner, but G'Kar
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explains that the war is over. Na'Toth then recounts her experiences:
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she was on the Narn Homeworld when the Centauri bombed it with
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asteroids (<a href="../guide/042.html">"The Long, Twilight
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Struggle"</a>, <a href="../guide/064.html">"And the Rock Cried Out, No
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Hiding Place"</a>). She was later taken captive by the Centauri and
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taken to the Royal Palace as entertainment, a task for which she
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proved unsuitable. As punishment, Cartagia ordered her put in the cell
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two years ago.
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<P>
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G'Kar demands to know why she is still a prisoner. "I have no idea,"
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replies Londo; "she was probably just forgotten." Having received a
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royal order that was never countermanded, the guards have kept her
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prisoner there. And Londo, even though he is the Prime Minister,
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cannot order her release: that would be countermanding a royal order,
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which is treason and punishable by death. Only the Regent can order
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her released, and they cannot count on his help. Londo cannot do
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anything until he is Emperor. But G'Kar points out Na'Toth may not
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survive that long. "There is nothing I can do," says Londo. "There
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<i>is</i> something you can do," says G'Kar angrily; "you will find
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it, and you will do it! One way or another, we are leaving here with
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Na'Toth."
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<P>
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<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/098/atot07.jpeg">
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On Babylon 5, Lochley gets ready to go in through the air
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ducts.
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<P>
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In Sheridan's office, Garibaldi explains that in his opinion, the
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problem is not Byron, but rather the telepaths that got out before
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Byron sealed himself in. He is worried about sabotage. Garibaldi also
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has another piece of information: the Drazi found debris from a
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Brakiri ship where the latest attack on their ships occured. They plan
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to introduce it as evidence on the next council meeting.
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<P>
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<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/098/atot09.jpeg">
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Lochley finally makes it through to where the telepaths are, and is
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taken to see Byron. Lochley explains that everyone in the Alliance was
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tense because of the attacks on their ships, and wanted someone to
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lash at; Byron's threats gave them a target. "Any chance you may have
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had of getting a homeworld for your people," Lochley adds, "is pretty
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much shot to hell." She tells him that they have to give up and give
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up now, otherwise people are going to die when they come to
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them. Byron regrets the deaths that are coming, but again refuses to
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leave.
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<P>
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As a final plea, Lochley asks him for help in identifying the
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telepaths who are outside and are a threat. But despite Byron's
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disagreements with them, he will not turn them in. "We don't betray
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our own kind," Byron explains.
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<P>
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Lochley offers to take anyone out with her, but no one wants to
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leave. Lochley is now confused. "Why did you let me come here?" she
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asks Byron, and adds "Why did you agree to see me?"
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<P>
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"To say goodbye," answers Byron. He adds "While you have not gone out
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of your way to be kind to us, you have been fair, and that requires
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comment. Especially since I have a feeling this will be the last time
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we will see one another." He shakes Lochley's hand, and Lochley turns
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around and leaves the way she came.
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<P>
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Londo is in his quarters when G'Kar comes in. G'Kar has arranged for a
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Narn ship to meet them halfway to Babylon 5 to take Na'Toth home to
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Narn. Despite this arrangements, Londo still does not know how they
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will get her out of the palace. A Centauri woman enters to inform him
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that a cruiser bound for Babylon 5 will depart that night. Londo is
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struck by an idea, and asks the woman for a loan of her clothes, a
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request with which she complies.
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<P>
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<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/098/atot10.jpeg">
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In a closed session of the Interstellar Alliance Council, the Drazi
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ambassador accuses the Brakiri of working with the telepaths and
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attacking their ships. The Brakiri are outraged and deny the
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charge. The Drazi have dispatched warships to their border with the
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Brakiri: for every Drazi ship destroyed, the Drazi will destroy a
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Brakiri ship.
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<P>
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The Gaim ambassador also has an announcement, however. The Gaim have
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found debris as well, but it is from Drazi ships, not Brakiri. The
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Brakiri now accuse the Drazi of orchestrating it all.
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<P>
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Sheridan disagrees. He points out that it must be a trick by someone
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else. Furthermore, Garibaldi has analyzed the
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debris and concluded the pieces were not shot off, but rather were cut
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off and left behind. "They planted them," says Sheridan, "where they
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knew you would find them, hoping for exactly this reaction." But
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Sheridan still doesn't know who is behind it all. He asks the
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ambassadors to work together to find out, or at least to give Sheridan
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more time to figure out who is behind the attacks.
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<P>
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But the Drazi are through waiting: "Any ship that crosses into Drazi
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space without proper authorization," warns the Drazi Ambassador, "will
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not survive the mistake!" He leaves the meeting, and the other
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ambassadors follow him.
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<P>
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<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/098/atot13.jpeg">
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In Centauri Prime, Londo enters Na'Toth's cell. After ascertaining she
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is the only prisoner left, he orders the guard never to come back and
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not to let anyone else go there. He implies Na'Toth will be dead soon,
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and as a final order, tells the guard to wait three days and then wall
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up the hallway. The guard obeys and leaves.
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<P>
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"Have you come to kill me, Mollari?" asks Na'Toth in a weary
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voice. "No," replies Londo. "I will kill you," says Na'Toth, softly,
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"at the very first opportunity." "Yes," replies Londo, "I suspect
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you'll have to get in line for that honor." He unchains her as G'Kar
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comes in with the clothes Londo borrowed.
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<br clear=all>
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<P>
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<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/098/atot15.jpeg">
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Londo's plan is simple: with Na'Toth dressed and veiled as a Centauri
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woman, they will simply walk to their ship. The Royal Court has been
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trained to turn a blind eye to inappropriate behavior, so Londo walks
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hand in hand with Na'Toth, pretending to be drunk and being quite loud
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in his promises of future delights and adventures. As he predicted,
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everyone they meet turns away and pretends not to notice, and they
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make their ship safely.
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<P>
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On Babylon 5, Bester arrives. "I told you they were trouble," he
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reminds the Captain smugly, "but you wouldn't listen. That's all
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right, I'm used to it. I'm here now. It's all going to be just fine."
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<P>
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The telepaths who left Byron have found out that Bester is back, and
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realize the Bloodhounds cannot be far behind. Since they cannot count
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on help from Lochley, and they will not let themselves be taken back
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to the Psi Corps, they decide to fight back. They attack some security
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guards, and telepathically get the code for the weapons locker from
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one of them.
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<br clear=all>
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<P>
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<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/098/atot17.jpeg">
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Bester arrives with Lochley to where security is still trying to cut
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through, and helps block the telepaths inside, thus allowing the
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welder to cut through the doors without being slowed down. Lochley
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promises Bester that if he can get the telepaths out safely, he may
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take custody of them.
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<br clear=all>
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<P>
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<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/098/atot20.jpeg">
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Just before they cut through, the armed telepaths open fire and kill
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the welder and a security guard before withdrawing.
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<br clear=all>
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<P>
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<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/098/atot23.jpeg">
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Inside, Byron is distraught at the knowledge that his people are
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killing in his name. "I've got to stop it," Byron tells Lyta. "There's
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nothing you can do," she replies. "Yes," counter Byron, "yes there
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is."
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<br clear=all>
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<P>
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<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/098/atot25.jpeg">
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Sheridan and Delenn invite the Drazi, Gaim and Brakiri ambassadors to
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a private meeting. They tell the Drazi that White Stars are now
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watching their ships massed on the border, and will intervene if they
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attack any Brakiri ships. According to the terms of the Alliance, no
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member race may attack any other member race. The same threat of
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retaliation applies to the Gaim and the Brakiri. The three Ambassadors
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are outraged, and consider this an attack on the sovereign rights. But
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they cannot stand up to the White Stars. Sheridan asks for more time
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to gather evidence, and the three reluctantly agree.
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<P>
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"We will wait for a little while," the Drazi Ambassador says, and then
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he warns: "But we will not forget this. You threatened to use force
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against us when all we wanted was to protect ourselves. Every great
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fall begins with a single mistake. This was yours."
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<br clear=all>
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<P>
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<img align=right width=160 height=120 alt="" src="/lurk/gif/098/atot28.jpeg">
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En route to Babylon 5, Na'Toth is taken to a Narn transport. It will
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be difficult for her to heal, especially her spirit, but G'Kar is
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confident she will make a full recovery, given time. Londo admits to
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G'Kar that saving was Na'Toth was a very exhilarating experience for
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him, and he enjoyed it immensely.
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<P>
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And on Babylon 5, Bester welcomes some of his associates to the
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station: the Bloodhounds have arrived, and the storm is about to
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begin.
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