Babylon 5 s02e01 Episode Script

We'll swing back this way in a month, | make sure everything's okay.
If those hijackers so much as blink | in your direction, yell.
We'll be here.
Roger, see you then.
"Agamemnon" out.
Initiate jump into hyperspace.
Jump point, aye.
Captain, we're getting a coded signal | from Earth Dome on Gold Channel 1 .
It's Gen.
Hague, Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Patch it through to my office.
Yes, sir.
Receive.
General, this is a surprise.
| What can I do for you? In the last few days, a Minbari warship | "has been seen in Earth"-"controlled space.
" Sector 423 by 27.
That would put it about two jumps | from Babylon 5.
it may have hostile intent.
I don't understand.
The war's been over for more | than 10 years.
Why would the Minbari government | launch an attack? warship on our hands.
The "Trigati.
" reports of sightings by ships in that area.
Has it attacked any of them? Not yet anyway.
at any moment.
a second cruiser before it does any damage.
that cruiser arrives.
When it does with it and coordinate the search.
General, with all due respect the last time I made personal contact | with a Minbari warship I sent it straight to hell.
of space, captain.
and, if necessary, you can do so again.
Tell no one about this.
Understood.
So I'm to take the "Agamemnon" | to Babylon 5 and coordinate with them.
Is that correct? Not exactly.
I need you to do one other job.
And this comes straight | from the president.
Lt.
Cmdr.
Susan Ivanova recording.
of Earth Alliance President Luis Santiago was recalled to Earth without explanation.
straight to hell.
If the seating arrangement is changed, my | government will withdraw from the League! And as far as I'm concerned, the | transports can wait until the sun explodes! If you're not happy with the seating | arrangements, your seats will be moved outside, down the hall, across the | station and into the fusion reactor.
Am I absolutely, perfectly clear on this? karma at a vastly accelerated rate.
in critical condition in Medlab.
but we still don't know if he'll recover.
As for Ambassador Delenn in her quarters.
That's for sure.
Ivanova.
for you.
It's Gen.
Hague.
I'll take it in the briefing room.
Computer, accept and decode | Gold Channel signal.
General.
Lieutenant commander.
but I felt I should deliver this news myself.
Cmdr.
Sinclair He's being reassigned, permanently.
best hope for peace.
located in neutral territory.
A place of commerce and diplomacy humans and aliens.
all alone in the night.
of the Third Age of mankind.
came upon us all.
of the Babylon stations.
The name of the place is Babylon 5.
What do you mean you're reassigning | Cmdr.
Sinclair? Reassigning him where? To the Minbari Homeworld.
allowed permanent residence there.
someone suitable specifically requested Sinclair.
But why him? That information is | "on a need"-"to"-"know basis.
" on the situation.
-Capt.
Sheridan.
John Sheridan? | -"I believe you know him.
" Yes, I served under him | at the transfer point off lo.
He's a good man and a fine officer but it will be a controversial choice.
| If I may ask-- will have to go through your new CO.
Good day, lieutenant commander.
So she's done it, hasn't she? She's in there.
We told her to wait.
"Prophecy will attend to itself," | we told her.
Now we are committed to the path.
I have spoken with the other members | of the Council.
The "Trigati" has been seen in this sector.
If it appears, you must go to the humans | and tell them what we've told you.
It's time they knew the truth.
About the new captain-- I want an honor guard present | when his ship docks.
-We've barely got time-- | -He's here.
-What? | -His Earthforce transport just docked.
There was a miscommunication | about the time.
-Hello, sir.
| -Hi.
Welcome aboard, sir.
I'm authorized to surrender command | of Babylon 5 to you.
Thank you, lieutenant commander.
| I accept command.
There seems to be a problem | with the unloaders.
Could my bags be delivered | to my quarters? Of course.
Thank you.
Would you like a quick tour | of the facilities? -Yes, absolutely.
| -Great.
Right this way.
It's good to see you again.
| How was your flight? Fine.
They actually had fresh | oranges on the transport.
I haven't had an orange | in almost two years.
I used to dream about them.
Grapes, nectarines, plums, | the black ones, not the red ones.
I mean, it's amazing what two years | on the Rim can do to you.
I have a hunch I'll be spending a lot | of time in Hydroponics.
On the way in, I read the station reports, | trying to catch up on everything.
What's our status? Chief of security is | in critical condition in Medlab.
He thinks there's a conspiracy | concerning the president's death.
Ambassador G'Kar has | mysteriously vanished.
We still don't know what Ambassador | Kosh looks like inside his encounter suit.
And Ambassador Delenn is in a cocoon.
A cocoon? As in a moth or a butterfly? Yes, sir.
About yea high.
Interesting place you have here.
Yes, sir.
Show me this place.
different sections.
and is closed to unauthorized personnel.
Red Sector is for commerce.
And this will be your quarters.
| I hope it's satisfactory? It's fine.
Fine.
It's certainly a lot bigger | than what I'm used to.
Does this place come with a shower? I mean a real, live, honest-to-God shower | with running water? Executive suites and command quarters | have showers with honest-to-God water.
The rest get vibe showers.
Our water reclamation system can't | handle much more than that.
A shower.
I may come to like it here.
Which brings me to something | I've been wanting to ask you.
It's kind of awkward.
You haven't worried | about being diplomatic before.
Don't disappoint me by starting now.
When I heard about the change | in command, I figured we'd get a high-level bureaucrat or an admiral | or an ambassador, and-- And why me? Yeah, I wondered the same thing.
I was the late president's first choice to replace Sinclair in case | anything happened.
While commanding the "Agamemnon," | I worked with many Non-Aligned Worlds: Centauri, Narns, even a few Minbari.
That's what I was concerned about.
The Minbari aren't going to be thrilled | to find out you're running Babylon 5.
-I hear they still call you "StarKiller.
" | -It was a long time ago, 12 years.
Maybe they've forgotten about it by now.
Yeah, I know.
I don't believe it either.
Well, one thing for sure.
I'll be relying on you pretty heavily these | next few weeks until I'm up to speed.
It certainly couldn't be worse | than the last week.
With President Santiago's death | and everything.
How's the crew handling it? They're still pretty shocked.
I don't think the reality of it | has sunken in yet.
And you? I don't know.
I just.
I just keep seeing Earthforce One blowing | up over and over again in my dreams.
You know, all my life I thought that I could | handle everything and fix any problem.
But when I saw that, I just realized I couldn't do anything | to stop it.
-I don't think I've ever felt so helpless.
| -I know.
I felt the same way.
And ever since then, the crew's needed | me to be strong for them, and I've tried.
I don't like to show weakness.
I guess I get it from my father.
With the madness of trying | to run this place and the commander being called back | to Earth and the ambassadors yelling.
I don't know, I just.
I just hope I've done okay by them.
Let's just say, I'm very happy to see you.
I appreciate that.
And coming from you, it means a lot.
Also, the crew is really looking forward | to meeting you.
They've heard all about you and right about now, they could | use something to smile about.
Then we won't keep them waiting.
I'll take a shower, we'll head | to Command and Control and I'll give my good-luck speech.
Sir? It's the same speech I gave when I took | command on lo on the "Agamemnon.
" It's sort of my good-luck charm.
I always give it within 24 hours | of taking on a new assignment.
I look forward to hearing it.
Can I meet you | in C & C? I have to do something.
Of course.
See you there in 20 minutes.
In Valen's name, Kalain.
Kalain, wait! Kalain! We do not harm our own kind, Kalain.
| We never have.
Perhaps it is time to start.
The Grey Council has betrayed us.
| What does a little blood matter now? No one has been betrayed.
No! No lies.
We have intercepted a message | from the humans to Minbar.
We know they have chosen Sheridan | the StarKiller to lead this place.
It is an obscenity! We protested.
They ignored us.
Satai Delenn, did she also ignore you? How do you know? We have supporters even | among the Council.
They tell us that Sinclair is now | on our world.
He is an ambassador.
So you say.
But the Grey Council never tells | anyone the whole truth, does it? If you value your life, leave now, | while you still can.
Good afternoon, lieutenant commander.
How'd you know it was me? Well, it's 2:45.
You always come by | at 2:45, see how he's doing.
So how's he doing? Still no change.
Managed to stabilize his condition.
Dropped in as many regen packs | as his body can handle.
Now all we can do is wait and | see if he comes out of the coma.
Could be hours, days, weeks.
Years? Never? Yeah.
So all we can do is keep him | hooked up like this forever? Well, the human body is an amazing thing.
It can cure itself or it can simply decide that | the world is too painful to deal with and won't cooperate no matter | how hard you try to heal it.
That debate is going on somewhere | in Garibaldi's body right now.
Just gonna have to wait | and see who wins.
Well, then, I'll say a prayer | for him tonight.
He's agnostic.
Then I'll say half a prayer.
It was an early Earth president, Abraham | Lincoln, who best described our current-- Captain, they're ready for you.
Good.
Captain on deck.
As you were.
When I was 21, I visited Tibet.
I went to see the new Dalai Lama.
You do that sort of thing when you're | 21 and the son of a diplomatic envoy.
We had a simple dinner: Rice, raisins, carrots, | steamed, not boiled and green tea.
When it was over he looked at me and said: "Do you understand?" I said, "No.
" I didn't.
"A good beginning," he said.
"You'll be even better when you begin to | understand what you do not understand.
" After reading some of your reports I begin to understand what I don't | understand about Babylon 5.
But I couldn't wish for a more capable and skilled group of people | to learn from.
It was an early Earth president, | Abraham Lincoln who best described | our current situation.
He said-- "C & C, this is Security.
We have a"-- Is there a problem? I'm sorry to bother you, sir, | but I've got Security on the link.
They've got a Minbari demanding | to speak to you.
He won't say what it's about, only that | it involves the safety of this station.
He says it's absolutely urgent.
Well, we'll get back to this later.
There's plenty of time for speeches.
Carry on.
Lieutenant commander.
Hey! Hey, hold it right there! That section's off-limits to everyone | but station personnel and diplomatic staff.
I'm sorry.
I seem to be lost.
I'm looking for Brown 2.
You're way off.
You want | the core shuttle.
It's that way.
I see.
Thank you.
I'll be on my way.
After I see your Identicard.
Hey, wait a minute.
This card-- His name is Kalain.
He was second-in-command on a flagship | cruiser during the war with your people.
He has not been seen | since the end of the war.
Why do you think he's here | to cause us a problem? I have my reasons.
I would not | be bringing this to you otherwise.
If you arrange to have | him apprehended I will have him picked up by others | and conveyed to Minbar.
You said he was second-in-command | of a Minbari cruiser.
-Which one? | -I don't see what that has to do with this.
Was it the "Trigati"? What's the "Trigati"? It is not something we like to talk about.
At the end of the war when our ships were ordered | to surrender one of our war leaders, Sineval, | took his own life rather than obey and became a martyr to his own crew.
Kalain assumed command.
And as a final act of protest, they and the | cruiser disappeared into self-imposed exile.
Over the years, we've heard rumors of a Minbari cruiser sighted | where it shouldn't have been.
We always figured it was the "Trigati" but we could never prove it.
They believe that they have been betrayed | by their own world and yours.
Kalain's presence here could indicate | that they mean to come out of retirement.
Something I don't understand.
You said you're with the Minbari | government, the Ministry of Culture.
Yes, that's right.
So how does someone | in the Ministry of Culture know a high-ranking member | of the warrior caste well enough to recognize him | 12 years later? I would answer your question | if I recognized your authority.
Unlike your predecessor, my government | was not consulted on your appointment.
The president feels the Minbari had | too much influence over an Earth outpost.
Times change.
The day a man such as yourself is given a position of this importance | is a dark day indeed.
We lost many of our best warriors | because of you.
And we do not soon forget such things.
If there is a doom on this station, | it is because you brought it here! Oh, he's Grey Council.
He's gotta be.
| Only someone in the Grey Council would've known someone that high | in the Minbari warrior caste.
I mean, they do not normally mix.
And you are right.
They're not happy to see me here.
They're a prideful people, | and the "Black Star" was their flagship.
That's why it made a good target.
How did you take her out? I've heard it was a new maneuver, | but I've never heard the specifics.
There wasn't much style | or finesse involved.
She was huge, monstrous.
We tried everything, but none of our | weapons would lock on to their ships.
Some kind of stealth technology.
So I hit on the idea of mining the asteroid | field between Jupiter and Mars.
A fusion bomb doesn't have to lock on to | anything if it's close enough.
It took out the "Black Star" and three | heavy cruisers before they could escape.
It was the only real victory we had in the | war, and I am not about to apologize for it.
He said Kalain feels his world | has betrayed him.
If that's true wouldn't your first target be | the representative of that world? Delenn.
Get up.
She's in there, isn't she? Move aside.
Move aside! Freeze! And put the gun down.
Put the gun down.
We won't hurt you.
If you are going to kill me, then do so.
Otherwise, I have | considerable work to do.
You are the new commanding officer? Capt.
John Sheridan, Earthforce.
Lennier, of the Third Fane of Chudomo.
Ambassador Delenn is indisposed | at the moment.
Perhaps you would come back later.
Much later.
Of course.
Let me get this straight.
A high-ranking member | of the Minbari warrior caste who no one has seen | in nearly 12 years suddenly appears and, for no apparent reason, breaks into | Ambassador Delenn's quarters with a gun.
Now, if you were looking | for the Minbari tourist bureau you were just a little off-course, | wouldn't you say? The curious thing is you don't finish the job.
You could've killed both of them | and gotten out of there.
But instead, we find you standing there, | practically waiting for us.
Everyone knows Minbari | do not kill Minbari.
Then why are you here? Perhaps everyone is wrong.
Maybe you never intended | to kill them at all.
Perhaps something else | is going on.
Perhaps you are the problem.
What's that supposed to mean? Captain, we're not getting anywhere.
Let's wrap it up and try again tomorrow.
One last thing.
I'm told that after the death | of your commanding officer you took command | of a Minbari war cruiser.
But if you're here where's your ship? Captain! I apologize.
I was rude earlier.
There is something we need to discuss.
Especially in light of Kalain's presence.
It concerns the reason you | were sent here the relocation of Cmdr.
Sinclair and the reason we surrendered | at the Battle of the Line.
After three years, the holy war | that began when our leader was killed by an Earth | explorer division was almost over.
we had pursued your forces all the way back to your Homeworld.
ordered to defend your world at any cost were not an obstacle.
the final victory of our forces.
They fight bravely.
They cannot harm our ships, | but they continue to try.
Whether they fight or not, | they know they will die anyway.
So really, is this bravery | or simple desperation? Perhaps they are the same thing.
We should bring one of them aboard | for questioning.
If our next step is the final assault | on their world we must know their defenses.
Very well, Delenn.
Choose.
But quickly.
We are fast running out of candidates.
That one.
This was the first time the Grey Council | would have direct contact with a human.
In this case, Sinclair.
He was tortured, interrogated, scanned.
During the course of the scan, the Council | discovered something terrible.
At first they refused to believe it, | so they took in other humans and had them scanned as well.
| But it was true.
What was true? It is our belief that every generation | of Minbari is reborn in each following generation.
Remove those souls and the whole | suffers.
We are diminished.
Over the last 2000 years there have been fewer Minbari | born into each generation.
And those who are born do not seem | equal to those who came before.
It is almost as if our greater souls | have been disappearing.
At the Battle of the Line, we discovered | where our souls were going.
They were going to you.
Minbari souls are being reborn in part or in full in human bodies.
So you stopped the war in order | to avoid harming your own souls? Yes.
But the Council knew that our people and | yours were not ready for this information.
It could unravel our entire society.
So we could not tell our generals | the reason for the surrender.
We had all memory of the examination | erased from Sinclair's mind and we let him go.
It has been our secret.
Now it is yours.
It must be kept.
Then why break the silence now? | I mean, why tell us? Because changes are coming.
Cmdr.
Sinclair was the first.
There will be more.
-Yes.
| -"Captain" through the jumpgate.
It's a Minbari cruiser.
Her gun ports are open, | and target systems are operational.
She's on an attack vector.
| Repeat, she's on attack vector.
I had this wonderful dream | the other night.
We were in bed in this beautiful hotel, | rose and mint wallpaper.
-Hey, Warren.
| -It was sunny, and-- Check this out.
Hold on just a sec.
It's getting so a man can't even enjoy | a letter from home anymore.
What? What the hell? Red alert, all quarters.
| Have they hailed us yet? Yes, sir.
Waiting your arrival.
Activate defense grid, | put all squadrons on standby.
I don't want actions that might | be considered provocative.
-Scrambling fighters.
| -Move it, everybody! Move it! Move it! this is a red alert.
this is a red alert.
This is Capt.
John Sheridan, | Earth Alliance Station Babylon 5.
What can I do for you? This is Alit Deeron of the Minbari | "war cruiser" Trigati.
the captain of this vessel.
Your captain assaulted one of my crew | and was caught in an attempted murder.
No Minbari was killed.
You will release our captain.
And if we refuse? Captain, she's launching fighters.
Zeta Wing", prepare to launch.
" We're clear.
"Godspeed," Zeta Wing.
Deeron, recall your fighters.
Any attack on this station will | be considered an act of war.
The war has already begun, captain.
All that remains now is honor and death.
And I thought I was a pessimist.
It's odd she would say that.
So far, no one's been killed, so there is | no reason for this to escalate, unless.
Oh, hell! -Get me Security, fast! | -On it.
They're trying to do anything they can | to start a shooting war.
But Kalain didn't kill | the security guard or any of us.
And the "Trigati" didn't attack any of the | ships that have seen it the last few days.
What ships? Sorry, I was under orders not to tell | anyone.
I will explain everything later.
Captain, Security just linked in.
Kalain is dead.
-They say it looks like suicide.
| -That's what I was afraid of.
They want it to look like we're | provoking them into a war.
But why? This whole bit | about us sharing Minbari souls? They weren't told.
They don't know | they're not supposed to attack.
-Think they'd believe us if we told them? | -Minbari fighters coming at us.
That answer your question? They're on attack vector.
Closing fast.
We don't have any choice.
All fighters, intercept enemy craft | and engage.
Confirmed, Babylon Control.
-Those are our fighters? | -Yes, sir.
And those are the Minbari fighters.
The Minbari.
What kind of tracking systems | are we using? Standard XB7 units.
Why? That's the same kind we used during | the war, but that doesn't make sense.
We shouldn't be able | to track them at all.
What was that she said? "All that remains now is honor | and death.
" All fighters, hold position.
What? If they hold position, | they're perfect targets.
Zeta Squadron requesting | confirmation of standby order.
Confirm the order.
Confirm it, damn it! I know what I'm doing.
All fighters, confirmed.
Maintain position.
| Do not advance.
Repeat, do not advance.
Can you deliver a narrow-band | transmission without the "Trigati" intercepting it? -We can adjust the laser delivery system-- | -Do it.
Open the jumpgate.
Send this message in a tight-beam | transmission into hyperspace.
Frequency and address.
Enemy fighters at 30 kilometers | and closing.
Activate jumpgate sequence.
Jumpgate sequence, aye.
A distress signal won't do any good.
| No one can get to us in time.
give us a break here.
we're dead.
Enemy at 10 kilometers.
-Eight.
| -Captain.
Hold your fire.
Continue to hold.
What the hell? I don't understand.
They didn't fire.
They're looping back, | heading for the "Trigati.
" -Exactly.
| -But how did you know they'd--? We've got something coming | through the jumpgate.
That's why.
They were waiting | for reinforcements.
Negative.
They're here because I called them.
I knew the Minbari government had sent | another cruiser to look for the "Trigati.
" But since no one's seen it I figured they were waiting | in hyperspace until they heard | about another sighting.
Looks like I was right.
That doesn't explain how you knew | they wouldn't attack.
from the cruiser.
to surrender.
It's like I said.
One problem during the war was that none of our weapon systems | could lock on to the Minbari vessels.
They use some kind of stealth technology | we were never able to break.
So how come all of a sudden | we can track them? They want to be destroyed? "All that remains is honor and death.
" They have been in exile for 12 years.
| They can't go home.
They can't surrender without being | dishonored and can't fight without a war.
So by forcing us to attack by dying by human hands they become martyrs.
And because you're known for having | fought them, you're the perfect target.
"Trigati" is breaking away.
Starting to open a jump point.
Shall we open fire? No, the Minbari will have to do this.
They're targeting | the "Trigati"'s aft engines.
"Trigati"'s engines have been hit.
| Unable to make jump.
No change in life signs, | a clean hit.
The war cruiser is ordering the "Trigati" | to prepare to be boarded.
-Their response? | -Just one word: honor.
We're picking up a change in the "Trigati"'s | fusion reactors, moving towards critical.
They're.
Oh, my God.
Signal coming in from the war cruiser.
Put it through.
This is Capt.
John Sheridan, Babylon 5.
Appreciate the help.
tactical problem to be solved.
For us, this has been a great sorrow.
to many of our people.
Their death will be mourned.
And your name will be remembered.
Yes? Thought I'd stop by, | see if all your things arrived.
Yes, yes.
Everything's present | and accounted for.
Something wrong? When I got my orders I figured this place was | a great opportunity.
And now I wonder if coming here | was irresponsible.
This whole mess with the "Trigati" might | not have happened if I hadn't been here.
My presence, my actions in the war.
I'm to blame for bringing | this trouble to Babylon 5.
What was it our friend | in the Grey Council said? "If there's a doom on this station, | it was you who brought it here.
" Well, maybe he was right.
I spoke with the president.
He is the only other human who knows | why the Minbari surrendered.
He doesn't believe this stuff | about us sharing Minbari souls.
And I can't say that I do either.
But they believe it.
That's why they | chose Sinclair to run this place.
That's why they picked him to live on their | world.
He was their first human contact.
Him they trust.
But me? I don't know.
If Sinclair had been here instead, | maybe they might not have attacked.
Maybe they would have.
There's enough guilt in the world | to go around without grabbing for more.
Give yourself the benefit of the doubt.
Anyway, if you ever want to talk | about this some more you know where to find me.
Anytime.
I told them, Delenn, as I was | ordered.
I only wish I could have | told them the rest.
About the great enemy | that is returning and the prophecy | that the two sides of our spirit must unite against the Darkness | or be destroyed.
They say it will take both of our races | to stop the Darkness.
I'm told that the Earthers will discover | all of this soon enough on their own.
I hope they are right.
Because if we are wrong no one will survive our mistake.
Good night, Delenn.
I'm not saying I mind looking a squadron | of Minbari fighters right in the eye.
I'm not saying I mind sitting with my | weapons off, waiting to be splashed.
I'm just saying, next time | this happens-- If there's a next time.
If someone could, I don't know, | maybe explain it to me this would be a good thing for my limited | and admittedly subjective point of view.
Did you catch that? He wants | explanations.
He wants logic.
Logic is a good thing.
What it has to do | with the Earthforce is anybody's guess.
Yeah, I suppose.
So, what does | everybody think of our new captain? Well, I haven't seen too much of him, | but what I have seen, I like.
I think he's gonna be okay.
Susan? I agree.
He's supposed to meet us here for drinks.
| I wonder what's hanging him up? Last time I saw him, | he said something about having a half-hour to give some | good-luck speech or it wouldn't count.
When was that? About 20 minutes ago.
Oh, no.
Of all the times | he could have picked.
It was an early Earth president, | Abraham Lincoln who best described our situation.
"The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present.
The occasion is piled high with difficulty, | and we must rise to the occasion.
We cannot escape history.
We will be remembered | in spite of ourselves.
The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down in honor | or dishonor to the last generation.
We shall nobly save or meanly lose our last, best hope of Earth.
" Five minutes to spare.