You wanted to see me, Delenn?
Yes.
I've just received a message
from the other members of the Grey Council.
Now that we have a new leader in place,
they wish to see me
and discuss my...Status.
What is there to discuss?
Whether I should be allowed to continue
as a member of the council...
Or be removed.
Now, I'll be leaving shortly.
I do not know if I will return.
It is possible
they could remove me from Babylon 5 as well.
Why would they do that?
Look at me, Lennier.
Being asked to serve on the council
is a matter of soul, not of flesh.
The change that you've gone through,
it shouldn't matter.
But it does, Lennier.
I made a decision,
and now I must face the consequences.
I have left detailed instructions
in the event someone else is assigned here,
and I updated all my diaries.
You will have everything you need in case...
In case I never see you again.
Lennier...
For the first time...
I feel very much... Alone.
No.
Never alone, Delenn.
Never alone.
The last two ships that came to sector 92
both reported unusual sightings.
Description?
Not much to go on.
A bright light, turbulence.
We've also had reports of at least one transport
disappearing off the screens in that area.
It may be unrelated, but you never know.
It can't be raiders. They're pretty much
out of business these days.
I agree. But something's going on,
and since it's within our jurisdiction,
I think we should check it out.
Is zeta squadron available?
Alpha and zeta squads are both at another mission.
Delta leader's down sick.
I could assign it to a second.
No. I've got a better idea. I'll go.
I don't think you should do that, sir.
This isn't a clear and present danger, Commander.
It's just a quick look around
to see what the problem is.
I haven't felt space beneath me
since I got here in January, and I miss it.
Besides, if I don't put some flight time in soon,
I'm gonna lose my flight pay.
Very well, but you'll take a full escort.
All right, all right.
I'll be in and out in an hour.
What could go wrong, hmm?
[Beeping]
The Babylon project was our last best hope for peace--
a self-contained world 5 miles long
located in neutral territory...
A place of commerce and diplomacy
for a quarter of a million humans and aliens...
A shining beacon in space, all alone in the night.
It was the dawn of the third age of mankind,
the year the great war came upon us all.
This is the story
of the last of the Babylon stations.
The year is 2259.
The name of the place is...
Captioning made possible by Warner Bros.
Your flier's recharged
and is ready for departure
at any time.
Good. Thank you.
As is mine.
Lennier, you do not have a flier.
Correct. I've arranged
to borrow one from our courier.
You do not have to go with me.
That is also correct.
Nonetheless, I will accompany you.
Lennier, listen to me.
The council holds me in disfavor right now.
I do not want that to spill over onto you.
I'm not worried about that.
Of course not. You're young.
Youth is both foolish and vulnerable.
This is not a wise thing for you to do.
Probably not.
Have I mentioned recently
how much I appreciate you, Lennier?
Not really.
But it will give us something to discuss
on our trip.
[Beeping]
Receive.
I pulled together your escort, Captain.
They'll meet you in fighter bay 9
in half an hour.
Good. Anything else?
Yes, sir. We received word from General Hague's office
that he'll be arriving earlier than he had thought.
E.t.a.--1800 hours.
And?
That's all. Captain,
if a member of the joint chiefs
is coming aboard,
I should have been informed.
There's protocol to consider.
This is a cordial and unofficial visit, Commander.
Even so--
Commander, this is a private matter.
I was going to tell you all about it when he got here,
but as you said, he's arriving ahead of schedule.
I'll should be back by then.
Anything else?
No, sir.
Good. See you when I get back.
Man, I say you're full of it.
The Dodgers will never make it
to the world series.
Hell, they'll be lucky
if they make it to the playoffs
without embarrassing themselves.
Your diagnosis, doctor?
The patient is confused, delusional,
unable to separate
his natural sense of loyalty for his home team
from the reality that they stink
and only got in the playoffs on a technicality.
Yeah, what technicality?
The Mars team hit more home runs
than any other team on the books.
Only because martian gravity
is 40% less than Earth normal, all right?
The ball travels faster and further
skewing the results.
Now once they hit Earth gravity,
Helen Keller could bat better than any one of them.
You wanna put your money where your mouth is?
Ok...ok.
30 credits says Morris gets swept 4-zip.
You're on.
[Beep beep]
Ramirez. Go.
Lieutenant Ramirez,
please report to star ferry bay 9
for immediate launch.
Yeah, I'll be right there.
I'm going to have a great dinner
on 30 credits, doc.
Yeah, dream on.
Helen Keller?
Heat of the moment.
Your escort's in place, Captain.
Thank you, Commander.
Finishing systems check.
Ready for launch.
You're clear for drop. Happy hunting.
Now, this is more like it.
Now, Captain.
Yes, Commander.
If you continue in this behavior,
you'll just make the other pilots
feel inadequate.
Spoilsport.
What was that, Captain? You're breaking up.
Nothing, Commander.
You will have to wait out here
until I'm finished inside.
Only members of the council
and a few others are allowed beyond this point.
I understand.
I will wait,
and I will pray for you,
if you would not
consider it presumptuous.
No, not at all.
Until later, Satai Delenn.
Survey 1 to survey 2 and 4.
You getting anything?
Negative.
Spectral analysis radiation all looks normal.
No sign of debris.
You want us to make another pass, Captain?
No, I guess not. There's nothing much to see.
Well, at least it got us
out of the house for a while.
All right. Let's head on back to the barn.
Activate homing beacons.
What the hell?
Evasive action! Evasive action!
Engine's hit critical.
Ejecting!
Swinging around this way. We got to get out of here.
Not without the Captain.
Captain!
Come on!
I can't do this.
Come back to me.
[Computer] Power supply at 10%.
Damage to stabilizers,
rear and anterior thrusters.
Detecting leak in fusion reactor system.
Leak? How bad?
Radiation levels 35% beyond safe limits.
Project increase of 5% every half-hour.
How long until the radiation reaches terminal levels?
Radiation leak already at terminal level.
Communications system?
Not functioning.
Then we had to hev-- we...
We have to head back, tell them what happened.
It's the Captain's only chance.
Redirect maximum possible energy from life support
to system controls.
Set for jumpgate sequence start.
Activating jumpgate sequence.
General, welcome to Babylon 5.
Commander.
I apologize for the lack
of an honor guard,
but your office gave us
specific instructions.
Yes, well, I don't like to make a fuss.
Never did care much for all that show.
I was told Captain Sheridan would be here.
He went to look into a problem
in an outer sector.
He should be back any time now.
This isn't like him. He's never late.
If he knew when I was arriving,
he'd have been here.
I hope it isn't serious.
Well, c&c's trying to get a clear channel
for a status report.
They probably reached him by now.
Hey!
Hey, anybody here?
Anybody hear me?
Hey...
Anybody...
My name is John Sheridan.
I'm Captain, Earthforce.
My name is John Sheridan,
Captain, Earthforce.
Oh.
Summoned.
I take the place that has been prepared for me.
I am grey.
I stand between the candle and the star.
We are grey.
We stand between the darkness and the light.
They will not come, Delenn.
But I was summoned.
To receive judgment, yes,
not to appear as one of the nine.
I'm entitled to a hearing.
I'm allowed to defend myself.
That was before you disobeyed us.
You were told to wait
before taking this action,
before becoming...
Alien to us.
You've been away from us for too long, Delenn.
Your contact with the humans
has changed more than your appearance.
If you are no longer one of us,
how can you be one of the nine?
My heart has not changed.
We no longer know your heart, Delenn.
The council has voted
to remove you from our presence.
From this day forth, you are no longer
a member of the Grey Council,
no longer Satai.
I'm sorry, Delenn.
Wait.
What about my appointment to Babylon 5?
My position as Ambassador
is separate from my role as Satai.
We are still debating this.
It is your right to make a statement
before the nine
if that is your wish.
It is.
Thank you.
May I ask...
Who was chosen to replace me?
I will convene the nine.
When we are ready, you will be summoned.
Still no word from Captain Sheridan?
We can't raise any of them. So I think that--
jumpgate activated. One ship.
Is that one of the survey ships?
Yes.
She's been shot up pretty badly.
Scanners indicate she's on autopilot.
Minimal life signs.
Ivanova medlab, this is a priority-one alert.
Why are you doing this?
Why are you torturing me?
You can at least tell me what you want.
Advice--
use G'Kar!
That's what's making you do this, isn't it?
Fight it.
Fight it!
Who are they?
Why are they doing this? [Speaking alien language]
Oh!
[Speaking native language]
Kill me!
That's what they want, isn't it?
For us to kill each other?
What is it to him, huh? Sport? Entertainment?
Kill me!
No!
He's still alive.
Still alive! You...
All right. Pump in another 50 ccs of morphozine.
I want those scanners on-line now!
How's he doing? Aw, he's
soaked up a lot of radiation. We have to be careful
or he'll contaminate the whole place.
Stephen, if he sucked up that much radiation--
look, don't tell me my business,
and I won't tell you yours.
Start a full-body transfusion.
I need more region packs.
You get 'em into those--
you line 'em up. Now move!
Doc!
Ramirez, don't try to talk.
You're going to be all right, ok?
I guess I won't collect the 30 credits.
Ramirez!
Ramirez, don't you do this to me!
Damn it!
You did all you could.
Come on.
Ramirez.
I heard.
We finished going over the data record
from his Starfury.
It looks like an alien ship
took the Captain.
Totally unknown configuration.
Meaning we don't know where it came from
or where it's going.
Great.
For 20 cycles,
I stood beside you as one of the nine.
I called many of you friends...
And now you call me outcast.
You know me.
You know I believe in the task that is before us--
the great war that is coming.
I have not turned my back on you.
In trying to help,
I have sacrificed all that I was
and all that I am.
We can no longer allow ourselves
to be separated by names and borders.
Our two sides must unite
or be destroyed.
Do not make my sacrifice a vain one.
Allow me to finish what I started.
In the name of our friendship,
the future of our people,
let me remain with Babylon 5.
I'm more than happy
to have you remain with the humans.
You are the one chosen to replace me.
I do not know you.
I believe you do.
Neroon.
I do not understand.
He's warrior caste from the starrider's clan.
What is happening here?
What are you doing?
When valen called the nine together,
he chose three from the worker caste,
three from the religious caste,
and three from the warrior caste.
My replacement should have been from the religious caste.
Four from the warrior caste
gives them unprecedented power.
Why not?
It was the warrior caste
who died in the war against the Earthers.
The warrior caste who have
defended our world for centuries
while the council floated among the stars,
isolated from its own people.
This is wrong.
Is it?
You say prophecy tells us a great war is coming.
Should not the warrior caste lead against it?
The warrior caste cannot be allowed to set policy.
Have you done any better?
When I was inducted into this circle,
I was finally told the reason
we were ordered to surrender.
I didn't know whether to laugh or weep.
If we had been told the truth then,
we never would have surrendered.
You do not understand.
I understand that before me is a creature
I do not recognize.
One foot in two worlds.
You are an affront
to the purity of our race.
And your belief that
you are satisfying prophecy
is presumption of the highest order,
and yet it is true
that you are now the perfect liaison
between us and the Earthers.
You have no home with either of us.
So please act out your fantasy.
Be our go-between. Return to Babylon 5
and stay there.
[Grunts]
Hey.
[Groaning]
Hey. Try not to move too much.
Looks like I broke a couple of your ribs
when I put you down.
I think one may have punctured your lung.
[Labored breathing]
[Groans]
Here. It's disabled.
On the chance that it was self-repairing,
I took it apart pretty thoroughly
when you were out.
[Grunts]
No. No water.
So far, they haven't given us anything
to eat or drink.
I haven't seen anybody but you
and...one other.
[Groans]
Hey.
Easy.
[Groaning]
This whole place is probably
running on automatic
for all I know.
Listen...
[Grunts]
You have any idea why we're here...
What they want from us?
Scout for invasion.
Experiment.
[Labored breathing]
Evaluate potential targets.
Analyze.
Analyze us?
So this is like some kind of a...
A big research system--
picking up samples,
deciding who's a--
a good prospect for invasion?
Yeah.
That explains this device, then.
They want to push us,
see how much pain we can stand,
how well we'll fight.
Our ships probably give them
a good idea of our level of technology.
I wonder what they're looking for now.
Our resourcefulness?
If we'll betray each other,
or work together?
Easy, easy.
[Groaning]
Come on, now. Look,
when we get out of here,
we'll get you to a doctor.
The first obligation of a prisoner
is to escape.
Right?
Mmm.
Listen, before, uh...
Why did you ask me to kill you?
There is no escape.
Better to die.
To die.
Oh, no, you don't.
Satai Delenn?
Only "Delenn" from now on.
The Grey Council feels
that I can best serve our people
by staying on Babylon 5.
They feel very positively about it.
The council is very wise.
Yes.
Of course.
You do not have to
go back with me, Lennier.
You could go home.
You could be free of all this,
return to your studies, to your family.
Where you walk, I will walk.
I have sworn myself to your side.
You do not know--
you cannot know what you're saying.
Yes, I do.
Come what may, Delenn,
I will not leave you while I am still alive.
I remember when you first came to me.
You would not look up
until I ordered you to do so.
But it did no good.
Even when you were looking up,
you were looking down.
Look at me, Lennier.
Very soon now,
I will be going into darkness
and fire.
I do not know
if I'm fated to walk out again.
If it is your choice to come with me...
Then I could not wish for a better,
a braver companion.
I heard there's been a sighting of the alien ship.
It's popped out of hyperspace twice more,
long enough to attack ships
from two different species.
It's almost as if
it's collecting specimens.
Well, that helps.
Every time it stops to grab another ship,
we gain more time to catch up to it
before it can get back to its home world.
Unfortunately, we're no closer
to finding out where that is now
than we were when we started.
Have you been coordinating with the alien governments?
With these new attacks,
they have a vested interest in stopping this thing.
I've given all the Ambassadors
a full description.
I've also recalled all of our fighters
and placed them on standby.
They're ready to go as soon as we hear anything.
Good. On the theory
that we may need added firepower,
I've placed a few calls of my own.
Jumpgate activated.
The agamemnon.
The Captain's old ship.
I thought they might be interested
in lending a hand.
She's the fastest thing in the area.
If she can't catch that ship, nobody can.
Well, we've got the power.
All we need now is the target.
Shh.
Do you know who I am?
The man in-between is searching for you.
You are the hand.
Why are you here?
We were never away.
For the first time,
your mind is quiet enough to hear me.
Why am I here?
You have always been here.
[Rumbling]
Give me a lever big enough
and I will move the world.
Minbari flier zalon to Babylon control.
Confirmed, Minbari flier. We read you.
I have been trying for some time to make contact.
Is there a problem?
Yes, Ambassador.
Captain Sheridan is reported missing.
We're asking all ships in the region for help.
Send me the information, please.
Stand by.
Commander, I've got
Ambassador Delenn on the line.
Says she has information about the alien ship.
Put her through.
Ambassador, what have you got?
The ship which has taken Captain Sheridan
is known to us.
They are called the Stribes.
Over the years, they have sent out ships
to investigate defenses and acquire samples
of any life forms they encountered.
The last expedition was into Minbari space.
We dragged them back to their home world
and made sure they understood
the depth of their mistake.
Can you give us the coordinates
for their home world?
Of course.
[Rumbling]
[Crash]
It feels like we just jumped back
into normal space.
It was just another quick stop,
or we're approaching their home world.
Either way, there's not much time left.
[Explosion]
We've jumped back to hyperspace.
No, that was no jump.
All fighters, fire at will,
but only acquire external targets.
Confirm.
[Explosion]
We've been hit.
They're probably redirecting power
to the engines.
They'll also be distracted.
This is our chance. Come on.
[Grunting]
This is Ambassador Delenn of the Minbari.
If you remember our last confrontation,
you will release your prisoners at once.
Come on.
Come on!
Ohh!
[Groaning]
We've come this far.
You can't die on me now.
No, no, no.
You go. Leave me.
Like hell.
Aah!
[Alarm sounds]
They know.
No, it sounds like a general alarm.
Ok, you wait here.
I thought I told you to wait for me.
[Groaning]
What is that?
Survival pod.
Survival?
Hell, let's move.
Come on!
Oh, my god.
They've spaced the captives.
Killed them.
Those arrogant sons of--
take 'em down!
[Beeping]
Just a second. I'm picking up a signal.
One of them's making a break for it.
Moving in on attack vector.
Three dots, three dashes, three dots.
S.o.s. Hold your fire!
It's the Captain.
How is he, doc?
Well, he lost a lot of blood,
suffered four broken ribs and some internal bruising,
but he'll make it.
What about Ramirez?
Made it back, but we lost him.
Radiation poisoning.
It doesn't make sense, does it?
I mean, wh--
why am I still alive, and he--
he was just a kid.
It's not fair.
No, it's not.
Death never is.
You have always been here.
[Bell rings]
Come.
No, no. After what you've been through,
you deserve to sit for a while.
Sure.
I was hoping to go aboard the agamemnon before she left,
but I guess they had to get going.
There's always a crisis somewhere.
[Beeping]
Now we can talk freely.
I don't know that the room is bugged,
but I don't want to take any chances.
It is about time somebody showed up
to debrief me, damn it.
I've been waiting here for six months.
I started feeling like I'd been abandoned.
I'm sorry.
But with the death of President Santiago,
it's taken a while to sort things through.
What have you found out?
They're all loyal to Earth, if that's what you mean.
Ivanova, Garibaldi, Franklin, all the rest of them.
They're good people, General.
I don't like spying on them.
You're not a spy.
More like a...
Trap-door spider.
Santiago understood
the importance of Babylon 5.
He knew that if anything happened to him,
President Clark would appoint
some hard-nosed jar-head to run this place.
[Snorts]
Well, we both know you're not that.
But from your record you look like that.
If Clark and his friends
think you're one of them,
they'll leave you alone,
which is what we need.
Why?
Well, not everyone back home
buys the party line
that Santiago's death was an accident.
Yeah, well, lately, I've been having
some real second thoughts about this myself.
If Santiago's death was an assassination,
we're talking about a military coup here.
Not entirely,
although they probably had some support
from within the military.
The intelligence community,
the home guard.
But they're not the ones calling the shots.
It's Psi-Corps, isn't it?
Probably.
The trick is proving it.
We have to proceed
very carefully back home.
If we go too far too fast,
we'll be...Noticed.
Babylon 5, on the other hand,
has military intelligence
and civilian sources to draw upon.
And since they think you're on their side,
they won't be paying as close attention.
You're making an awfully big assumption
that I'm on your side.
What makes you think I won't turn you in
the second you walk out that door?
A soldier's record
tells a lot about a person.
Not just what he's done...
But how he's done it and why.
You have an uncommon failing
for someone in your position, Captain.
You're a patriot.
You believe as I do
that when we put on this uniform,
we took a solemn vow to protect Earth
against threats from outside
and from within.
Now, it's a...
A difficult decision.
You risk losing your entire career
if you say yes.
Worse still,
now that you've had a chance
to evaluate your staff,
you have to decide
if you can trust them enough
to bring them in on this,
knowing that you're putting them
in equal jeopardy.
It's not much reward for being...
Trustworthy, is it?
No.
No, it's not.
But it's time we stopped reacting
and started acting.
Now, in 20 minutes,
I'm getting on a ship and heading for Earth.
I'll try to feed you as much information
as I can, when I can.
Your cooperation is essential
if we're going to take back our government.
So...
I need your answer, Captain,
and I need it now.
[Bell rings]
Yes?
What do you mean, yes? It's me.
[Door opens]
I see he rousted you two out of bed also.
What's going on?
I think you'd better sit down, Susan.
[Beeping]
Ever since the death of President Santiago,
something unpleasant's been going on back home.
You know it, and I know it.
We've stood by too long.
That's going to change.
Quietly,
discreetly,
an inch at a time,
and for now,
strictly within the rules.
But we have to do something
or risk losing everything we hold dear.
Now, we'll get some help from inside Earthdome,
but the bottom line--
if anything goes wrong, we're on our own.
Anybody wants to leave now
before you hear anything you'll have to report,
do so.
Nothing will be said.
I'm in.
Ditto.
Hey, I never did know when to butt out.
We're with you, Captain.
Wherever this goes, however it ends,
we're with you.