Babylon 5 s02e04 Episode Script

Crews report they'll be finished | by 1500 hours.
Good.
I want to send a message | to Babylon 5 attention of Capt.
John Sheridan.
And take this down exactly.
Captain, I was about to call.
| We received a message for you.
It's from Capt.
Maynard of the "Cortez.
" -It's rather rude, sir.
| -Rude? Unless all your friends call you | "Swamp Rat.
" That's an old nickname and a long story.
| I'll have to tell you about it sometime.
The "Cortez" is coming here for resupply.
Yes, she just sent in the requisition | separately.
She's asking for a lot.
-Must've been out a long time.
| -At least five years.
How many Explorer-class ships | have visited Babylon 5? -None.
Until now.
| -Well, you're in for a real treat.
Explorer ship coming through the gate, | commander.
Impressive.
Take a good look, people.
| If you're supremely lucky you may see two ships like her | in your lifetime.
Captain, I believe your friend Stinky | has arrived.
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.
-It's really great to see you, Jack.
| -Yeah, you too, John.
Last I heard, you were heading | for the Rim.
Yeah, yeah, we spent two years | mapping most of Sector 900.
You'll probably get the updated | star charts in about a month.
Saw you on the news | when they announced your posting here.
Don't tell me you get ISN | all the way out on the Rim now.
Hell, no.
No, we got called back in to do | a repair on one of the Euphrates gates.
Well, we had to do a resupply anyway, | so when I heard the news I thought we ought to stop in.
Captain, there you are.
Yes, ambassador.
Jack, this is Ambassador Delenn | of the Minbari Federation.
-Ambassador, Capt.
Jack Maynard.
| -Ambassador.
Captain, I was hoping to convene a | meeting of the Council later this week -to discuss the problems in Sector 19.
| -No problem.
I'll rearrange my calendar.
| Let me know when, and I'll be there.
Thank you.
Captain.
John, she's Minbari? She doesn't look like one.
| I mean, she does but she doesn't.
-I mean, what's the deal? | -We're still trying to figure that out.
There's the story she told us but then, the Minbari never tell you | the whole truth.
I know what you mean.
This is some kind of setup | you're running here, John.
Yeah, it's big, beautiful | and crazy-making.
There's more going on here every minute | of every day than anywhere else I've ever served.
Yeah, it's quite a job.
Never thought I'd see you in one like it.
Listen, doc, I appreciate your concern, | but I eat what I want, when I want -and as much as I want.
| -That was before you were shot.
You still have iron deficiency.
| Your blood pressure's always been high.
I'm prescribing presslocomp and | putting you on a diet -so you mend faster.
| -But it's time for me to make my favorite meal, | bagna cauda.
What is it? It's kind of an ltalian fondue.
See, you start off with a pint of olive oil, | extra virgin.
Yeah.
And then you melt about a quarter pound | of butter into it.
Then you take garlic, lots and | lots of garlic and anchovies-- Anchovies? Forget it.
Too much salt.
| And no bread.
Come on, doc.
No salt, no bread, | no anchovies? No bagna cauda.
Tough.
This is a list of things I want you | to try to avoid.
But I like all this stuff.
| Especial-- Oh, come on, not-- | Doc, doc, doc -there's nothing left.
| -Well, sure there is.
Here, this is what you can eat, see? | All kinds of things.
-You're serious about this? | -I'm not only serious about the plan but this gives me an excuse to call | all ranking station personnel for an atherogenic factor profile.
People don't eat right, skip meals, | eat strange things at odd hours.
I mean, | someone has to look after your health.
Okay, fine.
Diet.
-No, no, no.
Food plan.
| -Got it.
Mr.
Garibaldi.
You'll be needing these.
And Mr.
Garibaldi? | I will be monitoring you closely.
The Narn and Centauri | were at each other's throats the Vorlons had some kind of an | agenda that no one can understand the Minbari leadership hated me | immediately and unconditionally and Ambassador Delenn was | hibernating in some kind of a cocoon.
And that was just the end of the first day.
So are you handling it? One day at a time.
I always figured we'd be having | this drink out on the Rim somewhere.
You always said | you wanted an Explorer ship.
Yeah, well, when the president calls, | it's kind of hard to say no.
Funny he should pick someone | that the Minbari don't particularly like.
Well, I try to accord them every courtesy | so they can't complain.
-Not too much anyway.
| -What about you, Johnny? This isn't exactly what you trained for.
| It's not really what you wanted.
Jack, I can make a difference here.
| It's important.
I suppose.
I just never figured that | a die-hard spacer like you would wind up tied to a desk.
Well, it's a hell of a desk to be tied to.
-To a good visit on Babylon 5.
| -Babylon 5.
The Glory Shop, Green Tiger, Finagle's | Place all filed written complaints.
The cart vendors have been bending | my ear as I walk through the Zocalo.
So, what are you doing about it? We're checking security-system videos in | stores to see if we pick up familiar faces.
I've doubled the Zocalo watch | in the rush hours.
Hasn't helped so far.
Sounds like a petty shoplifting wave, | Mr.
Garibaldi.
Surely you can handle it.
Yes, I can.
I just thought you'd want | to be informed.
I appreciate that, but it's your job.
I expect a full report when | you apprehend the thieves.
Understood? But I thought you wanted | to know everything.
Everything important, Mr.
Garibaldi.
I expect you to handle the details | in terms of security.
Yes, sir.
But I'd rather hear your stories.
| I mean, you gotta remember I hear the same ones over | and over again for years on my ship.
The only relief I get is when | we make a stop.
-But your stories are more interesting.
| -Not necessarily.
-Well-- | -Well, there was that time that you took leave on Mars, and | that dancer, as I recall-- -Capt.
Sheridan? | -Yes, Capt.
Maynard? -July 12, 2253.
| -Forget I said anything.
Forget I said anything.
-So where are you headed next, captain? | -Oh, back out to the Rim.
The new Rim, now that we've finished | mapping Sector 900.
We're hoping to build two new jumpgates | by the end of the year and have Earth follow up | with survey ships.
Captain, you've done a lot more traveling | in hyperspace than anybody else here.
-Is there any truth to the stories? | -What stories? Well, you know things happen out there.
| People see weird things.
"Universe Today" had a story asking | if something was living in hyperspace.
-Nothing can live in hyperspace.
| -Well, what do you say, captain? Well, living? | I don't know about that, lieutenant.
But there's something out there.
And I think it's stranger | than any one of us can imagine.
Were you serious when you said | something was out there in hyperspace? Serious? What do you mean? You weren't just yanking their chains | a little building up a story | to tweak their imaginations? No, no.
I saw something once.
-Go on.
| -Well, it wasn't in hyperspace, though.
But you know, things can get | kind of weird out on the Rim too.
It's funny.
You never know | what you're gonna find when you look over the edge | of what's known and into what's not.
We were in Sector 857.
I took | my nav officer, Lieutenant Patrick with me for a look-around | in one of our scout ships.
-And? | -Well, I noticed that we'd gotten out of sight | of the "Cortez" and I was just about ready to turn back | when I saw something.
It was maybe 1000 kilometers away, | black against space.
Now, the reason that I know it was there | is that it blotted out the stars behind it.
I don't know the exact shape of it, | but it was big.
I turned to Pat, | asked him if he could see it and when I looked back, | it had vanished.
You are the second person in a month | to tell me that there's something strange | going on out on the Rim.
Did your nav officer see it? Oh, he says he saw a blink, | a change in space.
He doesn't know what it was | any more than I do.
But it's there.
And it was real.
Oh, it still sends a shiver up my back | when I think about it.
No, no, no.
I don't see how I can do this, | Garibaldi.
If it's the credit, | my account can handle it.
Money's not the issue.
You know it.
| What you want is heavy.
You won't use substitutes.
| The stuff's hard to come by.
Freighters don't like to carry this 'cause | they can give space to lighter items.
I'm gonna have to hump to get this, | if I even can.
All right, all right, look.
| There's a bonus in it.
-I'm working on it.
That's all I can say.
| -All right, good enough.
One last thing.
| Don't mention this to Dr.
Franklin, okay? Okay, no problem.
| But that's gonna cost you.
It's gonna cost me for you to say nothing | to somebody? How much for you to say nothing | to everybody? You couldn't afford it.
-Ten pounds? | -Well, a 10-pound gain isn't too bad.
But you could afford to lose it.
| Here's a list of foods I want you to avoid.
No meat, low fat, lots of vegetables.
-That's rabbit food.
| -Well, it's only for a little while, captain.
We'll get those 10 pounds off in no time.
Who's we? Well, a doctor and his patient are a team, | captain.
Don't you agree? Sure.
And since we're a team, | why don't you do the diet part? I'm not sure I understand the intent | of this meeting, Teronn.
I have been delegated by others who.
Delenn, there is concern | among our people here on Babylon 5.
Meaning no disrespect, they worry | that you are no longer one of us.
I am more "one of us" at this moment | than I have ever been.
More than you will ever know.
I appreciate your concern, but there | is nothing I can tell you at this time.
-Later-- | -This cannot wait.
We need to understand | what is happening.
Understanding is not required, | only obedience.
To our own kind, yes.
| But that is the question.
Are you any longer our own kind? | We have a right to know.
If you cannot give us what we need, | we will ask permission to send a representative | to speak directly with the Grey Council.
Unless you object? No.
No, I have no objections.
| Is there anything else? No.
Thank you.
If everything's satisfactory, | I'll return to my duties.
Just one last thing, commander.
| I worked out this food plan for you.
-Are you telling me to go on a diet? | -Well-- I don't have an ounce of fat on my body.
I exercise vigorously once a day and-- But when you eat, | you don't eat enough of the right things.
You have deficiencies in calcium, | iron and several other minerals and it's hampering recovery.
| I recommend iron supplements and an increased diet-- Food plan to replenish your system.
-I'll gain weight! | -Briefly, yes.
Figures.
All my life | I've fought against imperialism.
Now suddenly, | I am the expanding Russian frontier.
But with very nice borders.
a final data check on issued supplies.
"Roger that," Cortez.
"We've got.
" I'll see you when you come back | this way again.
-Well, it might be a few years.
| -I sure wish I were going with you.
Yeah, the Big Empty | has a way of grabbing at a man.
It's still just a job to get done, you know.
Duty hours, routine.
| Dull stuff half the time.
Once in a while, | something interesting happens but you know, | the adventure's all in the mind.
Well, as my chief of security would say, | that is a load of horse hockey.
The adventure is out there, Jack.
| A man has to go meet it.
Well, sometimes it comes to you.
| Wait for it, Johnny.
Capt.
Maynard, | "please report to the" Cortez.
You are wanted aboard.
| "Capt.
Maynard, to the" Cortez, "please.
" That'll be my exec, | pestering me with paperwork.
Yeah, I know the feeling.
Now, listen, Swamp Rat.
You hold | this place together, you hear me? I'd like to come back to it.
"Babylon Control, this is the" Cortez.
| "C"- "1, niner"-"niner.
We are ready for jump.
" May I? This is Babylon Control, "Cortez.
" | You are cleared for jump.
I thought this was supposed to be | your area of concern, commander.
Yes, sir.
Ordinarily it would be.
The Tokati ambassador objects to having | a new consular group from Pak'ma'ra quartered next to him.
| He claims they smell bad.
Which of course, they do.
| And that he's downwind of them.
I assume you explained | that our air is recycled and there is no wind up or down | on the station? Repeatedly, but he insists | something smells offensive and that something | must be his neighbors.
He also insists only you can straighten | out this matter to his satisfaction.
The Abbai delegation is as large as | the Pak'ma'ra group and they're two corridors over.
| Have them swap quarters.
And you tell the ambassador | that's as upwind as it gets on Babylon 5.
Done and done.
Is there something else, commander? -If I may speak frankly? | -Yeah.
Ever since the "Cortez" arrived, | you just haven't been yourself.
I thought perhaps you'd like | to talk about it.
I command starships, Susan, | not cities in space.
These problems, the petty complaints the endless bickering, | the constant negotiations.
Jack Maynard said this isn't what | I was trained for, and he's right.
I mean, I am constantly sandbagged, | swamped, drowned and snowed under by nothing | but trivia! I mean, look at this desk.
I can't find a thing on it.
| You know me.
Is this me? Starships run on details.
You've always | run a tight ship.
That's an admirable trait.
B5 can never run | in quite the same way.
But you had to settle | your share of crew squabbles so forgive me for saying this, but | it must be something more than just that.
Maynard is right.
I've been beached.
Hardly.
Running B5 takes just as much | energy, intelligence and patience -as it does to command a starship.
| -But there is a difference.
They have turned me into a bureaucrat, | a politician.
I'll tell you one thing.
If the primates | that we came from had known that someday politicians | would come out of the gene pool they'd have stayed up in the trees | and written evolution off as a bad idea! Hell, I always thought | the opposable thumb was overrated.
You're here because the president | thought you could handle it.
As your executive officer, | I have the right to know -was he wrong? | -I don't know.
Maybe he was, | and it's just taken this long to sink in.
Look take those alien delegations | and switch them around.
And see if you can smooth | any ruffled feathers.
Refresh my memory.
Does the Tokati ambassador | have feathers? No, sir.
I'll take care of it.
What's our ETA | on the other side of the--? -Emergency power! All stations report.
| -X.
O.
's hurt bad, sir! Get Dr.
Hunter up here on the double | and check for more casualties.
-Pat, what's our flight status? | -Power's down 30 percent! We're flying blind.
After we jumped the fusion reactor spiked | when it came back online.
The system wasn't ready to handle it.
| The EMP blew out the tracking system.
Meaning we lost the lock-on signal | from the jumpgate.
Yes, sir.
Without it, | we can't find our way out of hyperspace.
It turned out to be kids | stealing on a dare.
Some kind of initiation.
| We couldn't get a lock on them because it was never the same one.
I slipped some security guards | in as salespeople and they nailed one of the kids.
| He talked his mouth off.
That was it.
-What did you do with them? | -I spaced them.
No.
I made them give back the stuff | and assigned community service.
Seems rather mild punishment.
Not if the community service is cleaning | out the garbage recycling unit.
-This is all his fault, you know.
| -Wait a minute-- I agree.
| This whole diet thing is your fault.
-Food plan.
| -Whatever.
Well, what are we gonna do about it? Do it nicely.
-Anything? | -Power's back.
-The navigation's shot, captain.
| -Can you fix it? We have the parts, not the time.
| It'll take 48 hours.
By that time, we'll be so off-course, | we'll never find the lock-on signal.
-Stay with it.
| -Yes, sir.
Start transmitting a mayday.
Our transmission's iffy | this far into hyperspace.
Well, send it anyhow.
| Something may get through.
We're getting a message from the "Cortez.
" It's a mayday.
Put it on the speaker.
"This is the" Cortez-- "There's been an"-- | "Accident"-- "To navig"-- "Instruments"-- "No lock"-"on signal"-- "We are"-- | "Stranded in hyperspace"-- "Lost"-- Please respond.
Mayday.
Mayday.
Mayday.
Take it off speaker.
Keep recording.
Some other pieces | may come through in the clear.
Send this response immediately: "Your signal has been received and help | is on the way.
" Keep sending that.
-Yes, sir.
| -I want available pilots -in the squadron bay in 20 minutes.
| -I shouldn't need to remind you no ship lost in hyperspace | has ever been found again.
I know.
I do not understand the necessity | of these frequent examinations, doctor.
I am fine.
Ambassador, | you've been through quite a change.
Even if I weren't curious from a scientific | point of view, I'm a doctor.
You're my patient.
I have to make sure | you're not suffering any side effects of your transition.
-So.
| -Nothing of consequence.
Momentary dizziness.
Fatigue.
That's all.
Nothing else is bothering you? How are the other Minbari | reacting to your situation? -Fine.
| -They accept this without question? Of course.
So when does the new delegation arrive? -What new delegation? | -I don't know.
I only heard Mr.
Garibaldi | mention to someone that he was awaiting their arrival.
I believe they're called "bagna cauda"? Cmdr.
Ivanova has briefed you | on the situation.
All we know from the "Cortez"'s mayday is that something | has brought her down in hyperspace.
As the commander has reminded me no one has ever recovered a ship | from hyperspace.
-But I'm determined to try.
| -How far out is she? Unknown.
We can't pick up a trace | of her lock-on signal.
The further off | the lock-on signal a ship is pulled the more distorted her signals.
| The first message we got from the "Cortez" was fairly strong, | but it's fading.
So we have to move on this fast.
But if we don't know where she is, | how do we find her? I have an idea on that.
But it's risky.
There's a strong chance | that some or all of the rescue ships might not make it back.
We know there is a drift in hyperspace that can pull a powerless ship | down the gravitational incline.
The "Cortez" still has power.
| She can hold her position a little longer.
So we are going to borrow a page | from the lifeboat service.
When a ship foundered in bad weather they'd go in dories | to save the crew and passengers.
They'd form a line of lifeboats | from the ship to the shore.
A kind of lifeline.
The first fighter will stop just inside | the gate and lock on to the gate signal.
The second fighter will proceed | 1000 kilometers further in and lock on to the signal | of the first one.
The third fighter will lock on to the signal | of the second one, and so on.
Which leaves the last man | hanging in midair.
If he's broadcasting a search signal, | there's a chance the "Cortez" will pick it up.
If they're still in range.
We extend the range by moving the | fighters out like an expanding telescope.
It's a long shot.
But it's their only chance.
Any questions? No, sir.
Good.
You'll hit space in five minutes.
| Good luck.
I'd give anything | to be going with them right now.
So would I.
Zeta Wing, | "commence drop"-"sequence check.
" Initiate drop sequence.
-"Zeta Squadron.
" | -Zeta Squadron, standing by.
An old friend of mine once quoted me | a ancient Egyptian blessing.
"God be between you and harm in all the empty places | where you must walk.
" Bring the "Cortez" home.
-Communication status? | -Nothing from the "Cortez" now, sir.
Your message is being relayed | from fighter to fighter in hyperspace.
The pilots report no response yet.
Captain.
| I'm getting a signal from Babylon 5.
-It's very faint, sir.
| -On speaker.
If you can hear us, please respond.
We are sending help.
| Cortez, "this is Babylon Control.
" -"lf you can hear us, please respond.
" | -Send this.
"Babylon Control, this is the" Cortez.
"Babylon Control, this is the" Cortez.
| "Lock"-"on still not functioning.
" "Cortez," this is Babylon Control.
| Keep on broadcasting your mayday.
We're homing in on it and sending | a sheepdog to lead you home.
You got the signal, Warren? It's hard to get a beat on it, sir.
| Radio locator doesn't want to settle.
-Keep scanning.
| -Yes, sir.
-All right, what's happening? | -It's gotten scratchy again, sir.
I can't even hear the pilots now.
All right.
Carry on.
| Why don't you take a break? Why don't you? Sir.
I can't.
Jack's too old a friend.
If this turns into a wake, | I want to be here.
Is he the one that told you | about the Egyptian blessing? He was my first commanding officer.
The old Moon-Mars Patrol | before the war.
Damn, I thought he knew everything.
He did too.
Capt.
Maynard knows the risks he | takes every time he orders his ship out.
So if it's a wake, I'll drink with you.
But until it is, why don't we just | remember that blessing? -"Mayday.
May"-- "This is the" Cortez.
| -Commander, I've got the signal.
-And locking on.
| -Go.
I'll hold here.
Yes, sir.
Captain, captain! I do believe that's our sheepdog.
Keffer! Galus! Communication disrupted.
Engaging lateral thrusters.
Negative function.
-Where is he? Where's the fighter? | -Increasing range and scanning.
Scanning.
Got him.
What's going on? Come on, come on.
Figure it out! What the hell's he doing? | What's he shooting at? I don't know.
| He keeps firing in the same direction.
But there's nothing out there.
Except the way home.
He's firing | in the direction he wants us to go.
-Can you calculate that? | -I'm on it.
Communication to "Starfury" restored.
Cortez, "get out of here now!" "Starfury," this is the "Cortez.
" | We can come after you.
Do you copy? Nav system not functioning.
| Engines down.
If you come after me we'll both get lost.
Go! Thanks, "Starfury.
" Pat.
-Lay in the course.
Follow the trail.
| -Yes, sir.
-Ships coming through.
| -How many? Three.
No, four.
"Cortez," this is Babylon Control.
| Where are the other two fighters? I'm sorry, Johnny.
They didn't make it.
-Nice of you to join me finally.
| -Yeah, yeah, I'm late.
I know.
-Did you get it? | -Look, the supply-ship cargo master begrudged every extra ounce | of every inch of space.
But I called in some favors.
You're lucky | I have a few to spare, Garibaldi.
Yeah, so bill me.
Where is it? Bam.
-Yes, yes.
| -Okay? All right? So I asked myself, | now, who on the station could pull together the ingredients | of bagna cauda so far from Earth? Your qualifications precede you, | Mr.
Orwell.
Mr.
Garibaldi.
Doc.
Give me a minute.
It's for my birthday.
Honest.
| You can check the date.
All right, it's your birthday, so what? So my father always made bagna cauda | for me on my birthday.
Pop was a great cook, | and bagna was his specialty.
And when he used to cook it, | I mean, the smell oh, man, | the smell would fill the whole place.
It's funny, you know, | when I watched him cook I knew he was doing it because | he loved me.
He just could never say it.
And so he did that instead.
He's been gone a long time.
So now I make it myself | once a year.
Honoring him, you know? It's the only part of him I got left.
Well, in that case why don't you make enough for two.
Yeah? Captain.
-I can come back if you wish to be alone.
| -No, no, no.
Please.
I heard the news.
I'm sorry for your loss.
That's the hard part, isn't it? -Sending young people out to die.
| -But they saved others.
At the right moment, they were | in the right place and knew what to do.
As you did.
What makes you think | this is the right place for me? The universe puts us in places | where we can learn.
They are never easy places, | but they are right.
Wherever we are is the right place | and the right time.
The pain that sometimes comes is part of the process | of constantly being born.
You sound like you've been doing some | thinking about this on your own.
Perhaps.
We are both, I suppose, | going through transitions.
But the universe knows what it's doing.
I wish I had your faith in the universe.
I just don't see it sometimes.
Then I will tell you a great secret, | captain.
Perhaps the greatest of all time.
The molecules of your body are the same | molecules that make up this station and the nebula outside | that burn inside the stars themselves.
We are star stuff.
| We are the universe, made manifest trying to figure itself out.
| And as we have both learned sometimes the universe | requires a change of perspective.
Thrusters back online.
| "No lock"-"on signal detected.
" -Estimate remaining oxygen.
| -"32.
5 minutes.
" We've been through a lot together, | haven't we? Who would've thought? Computer, | analyze flight path of unknown object.
-Correlate to last sighting.
| -"Stand by.
" Sorry, captain.
Jumpgate activated.
Babylon Control -request permission to dock.
| -Permission granted.
-Welcome home.
| -Thank you, sir.
Cmdr.
Galus.
| The best squadron leader I ever had.
-To Galus.
| -To Galus.
Lieutenant, do you have any idea at all | what caused the disruption -that nearly wrecked you? | -And saved me.
When I saw it again, | just for a second I figured it must be riding | its lock-on even though the direction | was nothing like I've ever seen before.
When it came through the first time, | it was on a right angle to the gate.
Once I figured that out, I just struck out | in what seemed like the right direction.
As for what it was, I don't know.
There was just this feeling something | dark and dangerous had gone by.
You know that feeling, like somebody | just walked on your grave? -That's the way I can describe it.
| -This feeling something's out there.
You just never forget it.
-I wanna know what it is.
| -I'm sure we'll find out one of these days.
At the moment, that investigation | isn't our first order of business.
There is one other.
Lieutenant, I know | this isn't a very good time for this but Zeta Squadron | needs a new commander.
-I've decided to give it to you.
| -Congratulations.
Say, isn't John supposed to be here? Yes, he is.
That reminds me, | where's Garibaldi? Trust me, doc.
| You are gonna love this.
I can feel my arteries hardening just | being in the same room with it.
All right.
-That's good.
| -Told you.
-That is very good.
| -You think that's good.
Wait till dessert.
Wait a minute.
| I didn't authorize dessert.
-No? Then you can't have any.
| -What is it? -Doesn't matter.
You're not getting any.
| -No, no, no.
Let's not be hasty.
-No, no, no.
Too late.
| -This is great.
I see you're hard at it, sir.
I've decided it's time to get back to work.
| The station doesn't run itself.
Capt.
Maynard, Lt.
Keffer and | the pilots would like you to join them.
Give me an hour, and | I'll have everything under control.
-Yes, sir.
| -Ever had a long talk with Ambassador Delenn, commander? From time to time.
Why? She and the universe seem to have | a special relationship.
Don't we all? Star stuff.