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								<h3>Synopsis by Arturo Magidin (magidin@math.berkeley.edu)</h3>


								<P>


								Before dawn, Sheridan awakes and find Delenn missing; she is in the

								living room, staring silently at a candle. Sheridan asks her to come

								in and sleep, as she will need all her strength in the morning. But

								she does not answer. The morning finds her still in front of the

								candle.


								<P>


								"There comes a moment in everyone's life," Sheridan tells the Alliance

								Council, "when you have to do something you would rather not do. When

								you know something you would rather not know. This is one such

								moment." Having promised to come forward with any conclusive evidence

								he finds, Sheridan is now ready to reveal to the Council the evidence

								that indicates the Centauri Republic is behind the attacks on Alliance

								shipping lines.


								<P>


								The Council meeting is closed; everyone is there, except for Londo and

								Vir. They were not invited, and when Londo tries to go in, he is

								stopped by Zack and armed security guards.


								<P>


								On his way to testify before the Council, Dr. Franklin drops off his

								evidence in Londo's quarters. Autopsies of bodies killed in the

								attacks reveal that the frequency and type of energy weapon used in

								the attacks are consistent with Centauri-manufactured weapons. Then

								comes Garibaldi, who also stops by Londo's quarters. Garibaldi

								confirms that the weapons were used in typical Centauri fashion. He

								also shows the button that he tore from one of his attackers in the

								Drazi homeworld (<a href="../guide/100.html">"The Ragged

								Edge"</a>), a button that Londo has identified as part of the uniform

								of the Palace Guards in the Centauri Royal Court. He also explains

								that only one Centauri vessel has been attacked in the last three

								months: an old ship, scheduled to be scrapped for parts, and that

								apparently carried no cargo or crew.


								<P>


								Finally, G'Kar stops by Londo's quarters. Londo asks if he is there do

								drop off his evidence, what he saw and heard on Centauri Prime while

								pretending to be Londo's bodyguard (<a

								href="../guide/098.html">"A Tragedy of Telepaths"</a>).


								<P>


								"I was not pretending," G'Kar answers. "I went to Centauri Prime as

								your guest, your protector. Perhaps even as your conscience. But not

								as anyone's eyes and ears. So, no, I will not be testifying before the

								council." He mentions Londo's concerns over the

								increased war production, and the secrecy surrounding ship

								movements. G'Kar believes Londo knew <i>something</i> was happening,

								but that he did not know what until now.


								<P>


								"Don't tell me what you think I know!" Londo snaps back. "Still, I

								suspect I should thank you for respecting my privacy." So, why is

								G'Kar there? To let Londo know the Council is ready to see him.


								<P>


								At the Council, Londo denounces the evidence as inconclusive and

								circumstancial. The Centauri have sold weapons to many other worlds,

								including many Alliance members. He also points out that many weapons

								and ships were left behind on Narn. Perhaps the Narn are trying to

								throw blame on the Centauri?


								<P>


								But Sheridan has one more piece of evidence left: the recording

								Lennier made of the secret Centauri staging area and the attack he

								witnessed (<a href="../guide/103.html">"Darkness Ascending"</a>). The

								alien ambassadors are outraged, and Londo is clearly shocked. He

								withdraws to consult with his government. Sheridan has a message for

								the Centauri: because of its actions, the Centauri Republic will now

								stand alone. The Alliance will blockade Centauri space until the

								Centauri Government acknowledges and apologizes for the attacks, and

								reparations are provided.


								<P>


								Hours later, Londo finally hears back from the Royal Court: the Regent

								has pronounced the evidence a fraud. The Minister offers two

								explanations: one, that the material is a deliberate fraud. But Londo

								dismisses this; if Lennier says he saw the attack, then he saw it,

								exactly as he described. This leaves option number two, says the

								Minister: that the incident was staged for Lennier's benefit, probably

								by the Narn. Londo and Vir are both very doubtful of this

								explanation. But the Regent has drafted a response to the Alliance:


								<P>


								"Item one," Londo tells the council, "the Centauri Republic

								categorically denies any involvement with these attacks. We are the

								victims, victims of an elaborate hoax. We will identify those

								responsible when more information is at hand. Item two: the Centauri

								Republic will not be threatened or intimidated by anyone, including

								those we might once have considered friends. As a result, effective

								immediately, we are withdrawing from the Alliance."


								<P>


								Finally, the Centuari do not recognize the legality of the

								blockade. Warships will accompany all Centauri transports, and anyone

								firing on the transports will be considered to be committing an act of

								war.


								<P>


								Londo will leave for Centauri Prime immediately, despite Sheridan's

								warning that he will not be allowed back on board Babylon 5 until the

								situation is resolved, if ever. Vir tries to stop Londo, but Londo

								wants to get to the bottom of this, find those who are truly

								responsible. He figures the Council will back down when the truth

								comes out, even apologize. Vir is to stay behind, a link to the

								Alliance.


								<P>


								Delenn goes to G'Kar's quarters at his request. G'Kar will again

								accompany Londo to Centauri Prime as his bodyguard, to protect him

								from those within his government who have kept this information from

								him. G'Kar figures Londo will find out who is behind it, and stop the

								attacks, of which Londo would never approve. Londo is, by G'Kar's

								estimation, their last chance to stop the war, and so he must be

								protected. Finally, G'Kar has written some

								new chapters for his book, trying to correct some of the things he

								wrote at the beginning, when he was an angrier person. If things go

								badly, he wants Delenn to make sure these chapters reach Narn.


								<P>


								"G'Kar, have I ever told you that you are one of the finest writers

								that I have ever met?" asks Delenn, "And that it has been an honor to

								work besides you in the Alliance?" "Not in words," he answers. "But

								the thing about losing one eye is that it makes you look deeply into

								the eyes of another. I found in yours all the things I will ever need

								in this life, or in any other."


								<P>


								Sheridan has been trying to reach Garibaldi for about an hour without

								success. He asks Zack to find Michael and have him meet Sheridan,

								urgently. Garibaldi has passed out in his quarters. Although he tries to

								hide his drunkenness when he finally opens the door, Zack easily finds him

								out. At first, Garibaldi lashes out at Zack, but Zack doesn't back down.

								If this goes on, Garibaldi will hurt himself, and take many people with

								him on the way down. Zack is his friend, and doesn't want Garibaldi to

								throw it all away, after so much hard work. But he doesn't know if he will

								turn him in. Garibaldi asks for some time to work a few things out, and

								Zack agrees... for now.


								<P>


								In hyperspace, a lone White Star keeps tabs on a Centauri armed convoy.

								Sheridan explains it to Garibaldi: the Centauri have made good on their

								threat, and all transports are traveling under escort. On the Alliance

								side, the alien worlds have stationed warships at their jumpgates. A

								confrontation is inevitable, since the Centauri are unlikely to hesitate

								to open fire on them. What Sheridan proposes is to use the White Star

								fleet as a buffer between the two sides. Some ships are following the

								Centauri, and will radio in when the Centauri are about to jump. Garibaldi will

								coordinate the information, and arrange to have as many White Stars as

								possible waiting when the Centauri jump into normal space, stationed

								between the opposing forces. He hopes even the Centauri will back down

								from firing on the White Stars. It is an important and difficult

								assignment, and it may be the only way to prevent an all-out war. "You can

								rely on me," Garibaldi promises. "I'll get it done."


								<P>


								On Centauri Prime, the Palace is heavily guarded and many ships fly

								overheard. The Minister keeps Londo away from the Regent, and later

								prevents Vir from Contacting Londo. The Centauri Government is

								preparing for war, and is isolating itself from Babylon 5.


								<P>


								In his quarters, Garibaldi has again passed out, and misses an

								incoming report. The Centauri are confronted by several Drazi ships

								when they jump in, and the only White Star in the vicinity is the one

								that was following the convoy. It is not enough: a firefight soon

								starts.


								<P>


								Vir is moved to different quarters to protect him from the other

								aliens, almost too late. He and Franklin have to fight off some

								Brakiri, who want to take out their anger on Vir.


								<P>


								In the Council Chambers, Garibaldi claims they just missed the convoy; in

								an operation this complicated, it was bound to happen. Then, the alien

								ambassadors break in, demanding action. Where is the support Sheridan

								promised? Why are the White Stars not attacking the Centauri? In the

								ensuing yelling match, Sheridan finally loses his patience:


								<P>


								"We gave you a promise, and we are bound by that promise," he yells

								angrily. "And damn you for asking for it! And damn me for agreeing to

								it! And damn us all to hell, because that is exactly where we are

								going! We talked about peace. You didn't want peace! We talked about

								cooperation. You didn't want cooperation! You want war! Is that it?

								You want a war? Well, you have a war!"


								<P>


								In the middle of the night, Londo is awakened by the Minister, who is

								followed by armed guards. The Alliance has issued a formal declaration

								of war; all communication with Babylon 5 has been severed for security

								reasons. And since G'Kar is still on the Advisory Board of the

								Alliance, he is to be arrested. Londo tries to stop it, but it is an

								order from the Regent. It must be obeyed on pain of death. Although

								G'Kar is willing to endure the Centauri cells once more, Londo will

								have none of it. G'Kar is his guest: where Londo goes, G'Kar goes, and

								where G'Kar goes, Londo goes.


								<P>


								"Don't worry," Londo tells G'Kar. "Even one as arrogant as this one

								would not take it upon himself to imprison his own Prime Minister."


								<P>


								Later, as the cell door closes on both Londo and G'Kar, Londo turns to

								G'Kar: "Shut up."


								<P>


								On Babylon 5, Sheridan joins Delenn in prayer...