Babylon 5 s03e09 Episode Script

No! No, this report is totally inappropriate.
You have to do it again.
But, Londo, why? I've spent weeks working on this report.
I didn't even sleep on the flight back from Minbar so I could go over it again.
I've checked every single detail myself.
It's absolutely accurate.
Yes, Vir, I'm sure it is, and that is the problem.
Here you say,"The Minbari have carefully preserved their cities over the course of centuries.
" - That's right, absolutely.
- No, what you should say instead is: "Their cities are very old, indicating a decaying culture.
" - What? - And here: "The Minbari put great emphasis on art, literature and music.
" Yes, well, but say instead: "They are a decadent people, interested only in the pursuit of dubious pleasures.
" The dubious part is very important.
It doesn't mean anything but it scares people every time.
All right? Londo, every time I make a report, you do this to me.
Yes, Vir, I'm trying to help you.
A report that will be circulated at the Royal Court needs to be phrased carefully to make sure they appear less civilized than we are.
It keeps the emperor happy.
I thought the purpose of filing these reports was to provide accurate intelligence.
Vir, intelligence has nothing to do with politics.
Here,"They are tolerant of differences among other cultures.
" No.
Make that "They have no well- defined sense of morality.
" - They'll love that back home.
- Londo, that's it.
I've been up for a day and a half working on this report.
You wanna make notes, fine, you make notes! But you have me locked up in here ever since I got back.
Now I'm gonna go and I'm gonna get some sleep.
And then I'll come back and we'll try to work this out.
Ambassador Mollari, call for you from Centauri Prime.
Send it through.
I've been waiting for this all day.
"I've been waiting for this all day.
" Ambassador Mollari, I am to tell you that Lady Morella has agreed to your request and will be arriving shortly.
She and her entourage are willing to stop by en route from a goodwill visit to Brakesh 9.
Excellent, just excellent! Thank you, Lord Trego.
Lady Morella, the Emperor Turhan's third wife, is coming here? Yes, and it will be a most important visit in more ways than you can imagine.
But how did you-- ? I told her that I wished to give her a tour of Babylon 5 to show her how our new treaty with Earth will advance the cause of all Centauri.
Things are going very well.
Why not take advantage of it? Now, hurry.
We must prepare for her visit.
From now on, things must go smoothly.
Great Maker, now what? You.
What is going on? Haven't you heard? The Earth Alliance just declared martial law.
Things are out of control down here.
We don't know what the hell's going on.
What about the Senate? Can't they do something? Clark issued an executive order dissolving the Senate.
Half of them are on the run now.
More have been arrested.
The rest are holed up in their offices, refusing to leave.
They're calling in favors, trying to get support from the military under the constitution.
But it doesn't look good.
Oh, my God.
Where's Gen.
Hague? He was on his way back from lo when all hell broke loose.
Nobody has heard from him since Monday.
Oh, no.
The Elite Guard just opened fire on the Senate building.
I have to go.
I just wanted you to know Gen.
Hague's last communiqué had a message for you.
He said,"Everything's gone to hell, John.
God help us all.
You're on your own.
" The Babylon Project was our last, best hope for peace.
It failed.
But in the year of the Shadow War, it became something greater our last, best hope for victory.
The year is 2260.
The place, Babylon 5.
By now you've all heard the news.
In response to allegations of a conspiracy against the government President Clark has declared martial law back home and ordered Mars and lo to enact similar restrictions.
Now, they haven't hit us yet, but you can be sure that order will come soon.
Communications to Earth have been blacked out since 0800 this morning.
Only the gold channels are still functioning, but those are for military business only.
I know many of you have family back on Earth.
We're doing everything we can to find out what's going on.
Meanwhile, I ask you to stay at your posts and continue as if everything were status quo.
We've got a lot of nervous people here and I need you to help calm things down.
Some other governments may take this as an opportunity to move against us so we must maintain combat readiness.
Continue the flybys.
I want at least one squadron on patrol outside the station at all times.
Any questions? Captain, how did this happen? What did we do wrong? I don't know, lieutenant.
I don't know.
Did you see their faces? I did.
God, John, what are we gonna do about this? Hey, there you are.
Did you hear the latest? No, what? They put out a system alert for Gen.
Hague.
Word is, he's trying to organize a counterstrike.
If he can get enough ships, he can go toe- to- toe with Clark.
They'll throw everything they've got at him.
He's been our contact from the start.
They get him, they get us.
Hey, private meeting going on over here.
Take a hike.
Do you think Hague will try and make it here? It's possible.
Keep monitoring ISN.
If he does come this way, I want as much notice as possible.
This is bad.
I've never seen it any worse.
-- "with continued reports of heavy fighting" outside the occupied Senate building.
Meanwhile, President Clark has offered amnesty to anyone willing to surrender.
Senator Borashevsky of the Russian consortium is urging citizens to surround the Senate in a living barrier.
Off.
- What are you doing? I was watching that.
- I've got something more important for you.
There's a Nightwatch meeting at 1100 hours.
Be there.
Haven't you been paying attention? We don't have time for meetings.
Make time.
This one's important.
If you see anybody in the Watch, tell them.
Don't put it on the link and don't tell anybody outside, especially the chief.
Oh, and one other thing.
Make sure you bring some extra caps for your PPG.
I hope we don't need them, but you never know.
And what the hell is that supposed to mean? Come to the meeting and find out.
Okay, okay.
Get your stuff, G'Kar.
You're out of here.
I thought I had another three weeks to serve for my assault on Mollari.
You do, but I need my people out there.
Everything's gone to hell.
What difference does it make? Yes, I have heard.
My condolences.
What are you going to do? Whatever we have to.
Now come on unless you wanna stay here for the next three weeks.
I might have something for you in a little while, Mr.
Garibaldi when the time is right.
Oh, madness.
I have been working on this meeting for months, Vir.
Months.
I had to make 10, 000 assurances about her safety.
I had to call in every last favor I have to arrange for this visit.
And now this happens.
I still don't understand why, Londo.
What makes this visit so important? - Why Lady Morella? - Oh, I suppose you wouldn't know.
It wasn't widely circulated.
Emperor Turhan's third wife was a prophetess, a seer.
I need that right now, Vir.
I need to know if the grand destiny I see before me is what is or what might be.
So you want her to tell you it's all going to happen the way you see it? No, I want her to tell me it won't.
Ambassador Mollari.
- We are pleased to meet you.
- No, great lady, the honor is mine.
- My assistant, Vir Cotto.
- Lady.
We've heard much about the good work you have been doing here.
We are looking forward - to the tour you've promised.
- Yes, well-- But we are surprised there is no one else here to meet us.
Where are the Earth officials? There has been a problem with the Earth Alliance.
A local thing, nothing to do with us, but it has them rather.
- Distracted.
- Yes, distracted.
They asked me to convey their regrets and to say they look forward to meeting you at your earliest convenience.
Would you like to visit your quarters? I'm sure the trip here must be very tiring.
This way, please.
- Why does she speak in plural? - When the emperor dies it is custom for the royal consort to assume the spirit of her husband.
Though the power has now been passed on to Emperor Catagia it is presumed that she speaks for Turhan from the other side.
- Ambassador.
- Coming, Lady.
Captain, I'm sure you've been following the news.
Yes, sir.
If I may ask, what's your opinion? My opinion has nothing to do with this, captain and neither does yours.
Our job is to follow orders from the commander in chief and respect the chain of command.
If you have different opinions I suggest you file them in a deep, dark place where nobody'll ever find them.
Am I clear? Yes, sir.
Captain, I have your marching orders.
And although I'm quite positive you're not gonna like them I have been given assurances that this is a temporary measure only.
- "Is your head of security there?" - Yes, sir.
Right here.
Good.
What I'm about to say is for your benefit as well.
The Political Office has assigned responsibility "for off"- "world security" to Nightwatch personnel exclusively.
What? lnsofar as can be determined, every branch of the government has been infected by people acting against the best interests of Earth.
In time, we will be able to figure out who can and can't be trusted.
Until then, the Nightwatch will be in charge of security.
Who's gonna tell the captain? It's already been taken care of.
According to the mandate issued by the Security Office your security teams should consist of those already in Nightwatch and those who wish to join after certain background checks have been concluded.
General, I object to this in the strongest-- Captain, didn't you hear me a moment ago? I told you where this comes from.
Now, if you've got a problem I suggest you look upon this as an opportunity, not a burden.
This is the opportunity we've been working toward since the beginning to serve Earth to the best of our ability.
It's the chance to set things right.
They've handed us the power, the authority and the responsibility and we've got to take it for all it's worth.
Our job now is to find the traitors among us using whatever means we think are appropriate whoever they are and wherever they are.
As of this moment Babylon 5 belongs to the Nightwatch.
Ta'Lon.
Citizen G'Kar.
Have you been waiting to see me? I hope you have not been waiting long.
Three, four days.
I sleep on the fifth day, return on the sixth.
And you have been doing this since my incarceration? I have sensed an opportunity to repay my debt.
I didn't want to miss it.
Then you shall not.
We stand at a moment of transition.
And I may need your help before this is over.
Connor, Jefferson T.
Remember to check in with Rishi on the way out so he can finish background checks.
Cupertino, Malcolm.
- Malcolm, come on.
- Suit yourself.
Next.
I'm going down there and I'm gonna stop this.
- Now, Michael, you can't do that.
- Yeah? Watch me.
It took three years to put this team together the way I wanted it.
These guys come in and start throwing my people off because they're not Nightwatch? Like hell.
I'll quit first.
- You don't mean that.
- No? No! I need you right where you are.
If you go in there guns blazing you're gonna give them the reason they need to push you out.
Now, without that, I can fight to keep you in.
- I won't put on that armband.
- You won't have to.
There are other ways of dealing with this.
We'll find them.
Fine, you look for them.
Me, I'm going down there.
Maybe I'll bust some heads and maybe they'll bust mine.
But nobody sells out my people like this.
Nobody.
Are you ready to start your tour of the station? Our people here are looking forward to meeting you.
Almost.
Another moment.
Why have you asked us here, Mollari? As I said, to show you how our agreement with the Earth is-- The Earthers have problems of their own.
The alliance was never my husband's plan for our people.
He came to try to prevent the insanity he knew was coming.
lnstead, his death became the door through which all this pain has entered.
I was there when he left us.
- He was a great man.
- Yes.
Yes, he was.
Greatness is never appreciated in youth, called pride in midlife dismissed in old age and reconsidered in death.
Because we cannot tolerate greatness in our midst we do all we can to destroy it.
This place has become a memorial to his unfinished work.
I ask you again, why have you brought us here? I need you to see for me.
I believe that I have been touched that I am meant for something greater.
A greater darkness or a greater good, I can no longer say.
All I have ever wanted is to serve our people.
I need to see what is before me if I should escape it or embrace it if there is any longer a choice.
Well, there is always choice.
We say there is no choice only to comfort ourselves with a decision we have already made.
If you understand that, there's hope.
If not.
I will honor your request, Mollari.
Before I leave here, you will have your reading.
Pirello, Frances.
I gotta go.
I'll be back in a few minutes.
Johnson, James.
- Chief-- - Get out of my way, Zack.
I know you're upset.
I'm as upset about this as you are.
- You wanna bet? - But you can't go in there like that.
- Now, put this on, just play along with it.
- Like hell.
If you come in flying the colors, nobody will question it.
- The other guys won't let them.
- No.
- Chief, will you listen? - No, you listen to me, Zack.
This isn't a game.
Get your priorities straight and do it fast because hell is coming five steps behind me.
And you don't want to be on the wrong side when it gets here.
Excuse me.
I'm not interrupting anything, am I? This is the way it's gotta be, chief.
Don't make a scene.
Who, me? Make a scene? What are you, nuts? Now, you listen to me, all of you! Three years you worked for me.
I took care of you.
I looked after you.
Pastorelli, I fixed you up with your wife, right? Connor.
Connor, how about you? When nobody else would give you a break, I took you in, I gave you a job, right? Damn it, for three years we worked together as a team.
Now all of a sudden anybody who's not Nightwatch gets fired? - Think, for crying out loud! - We have thought about it, chief.
And we need to know where everybody stands.
Are you with us or against us? Who is this "us"? I thought us was what we've got right here.
Now us is suddenly anybody who says the right things or wears a rag on their arm.
And everybody else is the bad buy, right? Says who? A bunch of clowns back home who don't give a damn about anything but their own political agendas? Come on, you don't work for Nightwatch.
You work for the captain.
You work for the station and you work for me.
And I'm asking you, all of you, to drop this.
Come on, rip these things off your arms and stop tearing each other apart.
If anything I've ever said or done has meant a damn to you, then stop this.
Stop this now.
Chief as acting representative of the Nightwatch, you are relieved.
Zack, as second in command, you're now in charge of security.
Mr.
Garibaldi is no longer authorized to be in this area.
Please escort him elsewhere.
I know the way.
Is this the way you wanted it, Zack? Is it? You must understand, Ta'Lon, I have had a revelation.
What kind of revelation? A most profound and substantial one, Ta'Lon.
The kind of revelation that transforms your mind your soul your heart even your flesh so that you are a new creature, reborn in the instant of understanding.
That was a stirring reply, Citizen G'Kar.
Unfortunately, while all answers are replies, not all replies are answers.
You did not answer the question that I asked.
What do you understand now that you did not understand before? It's all here in these pages.
I have tried to write down what I have seen.
It may take the rest of my life to explain what I saw in that one singular instant.
To save our people, we must sacrifice our people.
We must sacrifice ourselves our pride, our vengeance be willing to die by the thousands, by the millions for one another.
The more we fight for ourselves, the more we will lose ourselves.
We are linked, Ta'Lon.
Our fate is like an image, caught in a mirror.
If we deny the other, we deny ourselves and we will cease to exist.
And who or what is this other? The universe itself, Ta'Lon.
But the humans, they are the key.
And together, you and I and the rest, we will turn that key because on the other side is salvation for all of us.
Captain, are you all right? Order came in.
Tell the others, martial law, effective immediately.
I'll give the announcement in a while, just as soon as I can stomach it.
Do you want me to be there? No, no.
I better do this on my own, keep you out of it as much as I can.
- Captain, I-- - I'm all right.
It's funny, I-- I wish Delenn were here.
Any word from or about Gen.
Hague? No, sir.
Not yet.
All right, break it up.
Break it up here.
Come on.
This is the Zocalo.
Zocalo is a human word.
It's from one of their southern continents.
I think it means great marketplace.
There seems to be a good deal of commotion here.
- Yes, it is a very busy place, lots of trading-- - Hey, over here! They started shooting! - Lady Morella, the tour is this way.
- Yes, it is.
Repeating this special bulletin.
We have just received raw footage of a firefight between Earthforce ships taking place even now at the transfer point on Io.
The main vessel has been "positively identified as the" Alexander under the command of Gen.
William Hague.
"The" Alexander and her two companion vessels have been surrounded by Earthforce cruisers and ordered to surrender.
"The" Alexander "has refused to surrender" and is calling for other Earthforce divisions to join in opposing President Clark.
For the first time since the Mars Rebellion Earth vessels are fighting one another.
Hey, let's break it up.
Break it up.
Let's go.
"The" Excalibur "and the" Schwartzkopf have been hit allowing Hague and his companion vessels to escape.
Everybody out of here.
Let's move it.
You're inciting a riot.
All of you, out of here now.
Move it.
Let's go.
- Lady Morella, we should really go now.
- Perhaps we should.
Disperse.
Let's go.
Move along.
Come on.
Hey, come on, move along.
- Hey! - I have to get in there.
This is Capt.
John Sheridan, commander of Babylon 5.
- Vir.
- Oh, help him.
Guard! I have received orders this day, April 9, 2260 from the president of the Earth Alliance declaring a state of emergency.
As of this moment, Babylon 5 is under martial law.
A curfew of 1900 hours will be maintained until further notice.
Station personnel reserve the right to intercept and monitor communications in and out of Babylon 5.
There'll be stiff penalties against anyone caught inciting to riot or taking any action against the security of this station, Earth or any of its holdings.
Copies of the notice will be posted in all public places.
lnquiries should be directed to command staff or myself.
Thank you for your attention.
I feel like I need a shower.
Look, I'm sorry.
I know that wasn't easy, but it had to be done.
I can't let this go on.
Look, they say that this is gonna blow over.
Now, if Hague can pull together enough of the military and if the Senate can get it together, we can beat this thing.
I know we can.
We just need to help buy some time.
That's all.
Unfortunately, we can't do anything as long as Nightwatch is running security.
We are penned in.
They're monitoring every channel.
If we try to get through to Hague or anyone, they'll turn us in.
I know, I know.
How do you stop them, though? You can't fight the chain of command.
That's what he meant.
That's what he wanted to tell me, but he couldn't say - because it wasn't a secure channel.
- Who? Gen.
Smits.
Find Garibaldi.
Don't use the links.
They're not secure.
But get him here as fast as you can.
Yes.
Our job is to follow the orders of the commander in chief and respect the chain of command.
The Political Office has assigned "responsibility for off"- "world security" "to Nightwatch personnel ex"-- I told you where this comes from.
Now, if you've got a problem "I suggest you look upon this" as an opportunity, not a burden.
"The Political Office has assigned res"-- -- "respect the chain of command.
" G'Kar, what are you doing here? Saving all of us.
I've had an idea.
Get in.
Lady, you shouldn't be doing this.
He's right.
Next thing he'll be expecting sympathy, a raise.
The medical bays are full.
He was injured while saving us from harm.
We will attend him.
Another cloth, please.
Yes, another cloth, please.
Thank you.
Where you been, Zack? You missed all the fun.
I was in a meeting with the captain, the chief and G'Kar.
At 0300, a ship's gonna dock in Bay 9.
It will be carrying a couple hundred Narns from one of their colonies.
They are being brought in to replace us.
They wanted me to help them, but I can't.
- I just can't do it.
- We'll be there when the ship comes in and we'll catch them in the act of sedition before they can organize.
You did the right thing, Zack.
You did the right thing.
In the time I have been here I have asked little of you for myself.
I have tried to give you the guidance and support that is my responsibility as one of the Kha'ri.
But I come to you now in a moment of great need.
In a few hours, I will need your help as I have never needed it before.
I know it is much to ask but it is well past time to ask.
The time is 0230.
This is your requested wake up time.
We don't know how many Narns will be getting off that ship so we'll need everyone we've got.
We will meet in Bay 8 and go in as soon as the ship docks.
As soon as we have them and the proof we will arrest Sheridan and anyone else involved.
Let them come.
We're ready for them.
All right, move it out.
Let's go.
- Yes, sir.
- Head it up.
Let's move.
Yes, sir.
Come on, people.
- Everybody here? - Everybody who'd come.
We've still got some who won't play ball, but we can take care of them later - now that we know who they are.
- That we can.
It's almost time.
Okay, people, heat them up.
Stand by.
We've got some work to do.
Now.
The other gate! - Hey.
Hey, you all right? - Yeah, yeah.
- Okay.
You did the right thing, Zack.
- You know, everybody always says that.
I don't know who means it anymore.
But yeah, this time, maybe I did.
Yeah.
They're all yours, captain.
Thanks, Zack.
- Bring them in.
- Okay, people.
Activate PA.
- Where is the emergency exit? - "This is the captain.
" If I can have your attention.
As of this time, 0315 Earth Standard Time I am placing you under arrest for conspiracy to mutiny and failure to obey the chain of command.
The order for Nightwatch to take over Babylon 5 security came from the Political Office.
The Political Office, despite its connection to the president is a civilian agency outside the direct chain of command.
Orders affecting military personnel must come from within the military hierarchy starting from the president, through the joint chiefs of staff to your immediate superior officers.
A senator cannot give you a direct order.
A governor cannot give you a direct order and neither can the Political Office.
Make no mistake, this is an illegal order.
We've contacted Earth Dome and requested confirmation of this order through proper channels.
But, since we seem to be having trouble with communications this may take several days.
Until then, you have two choices: You can stay where you are or you can leave, one at a time.
On your way out, you'll turn in your link, ldenticard and weapons.
You'll be restricted to quarters until the revised orders come in.
When that happens anyone who wants to file a complaint against me can do so.
Otherwise, have a pleasant stay.
Oh, and one other thing.
If I were you, I wouldn't use my weapons on the air locks.
They're a solid beryllium alloy.
The ricochet is a killer.
PA off.
Doc, I'll need you to stay around for a while in case anybody ignores my warning and tries to burn his way through.
- You got it.
- You do realize this is a temporary solution.
When Clark finds out about this, he'll reissue the order.
- We'll be right back where we started.
- Not if they straighten things out at home or Hague pulls off a coup.
We need to buy time for that to happen.
One thing I'm not clear on.
Keeping everybody in there is gonna cut our security patrols in half.
- Doesn't that worry anybody? - Not really.
We've got some help for a change.
You're kidding.
You're not kidding.
Always plant a lie inside a truth.
It makes it easier to swallow.
Oh, boy, Londo is gonna love this.
Hell, yeah.
What we are about to say is for your ears only, Ambassador Mollari.
We will not repeat it to others in the Royal Court and suggest you do the same.
If it comes out, we will deny this conversation ever took place.
Of course.
You have a chance few others will ever have, Mollari.
You still have three opportunities to avoid the fire that waits for you at the end of your journey.
You have already wasted two others.
You must save the eye that does not see.
You must not kill the one who is already dead.
And at the last you must surrender yourself to your greatest fear knowing that it will destroy you.
Now, if you have failed all the others, that is your final chance for redemption.
I don't understand.
The future reveals itself only reluctantly, ambassador.
Take the sign for what it is.
Look for it when it appears.
I will.
Thank you.
One more thing.
You will be emperor.
That part of your destiny cannot be avoided.
I see.
You will also be emperor.
Why are you laughing? I thought you were joking.
We do not joke in the face of prophecy, Vir.
Lady Morella, please, we cannot both be emperor.
Correct.
One of you will become emperor after the other is dead.
That is all we see and all we wish to see.
I wanted to thank you again for helping us out, G'Kar.
Since we put the Narns on security detail, we've actually had a drop in the crime rate and they have managed to handle even the Centauri without a problem.
- They understand what is at stake.
- Well, I appreciate it.
- If there's anything that I can do-- - There is.
I want in.
- In on what? - You have been assembling a new alliance.
Don't try to deny it.
I've been here too long not to notice.
I wish to join.
I'll have to talk it over with the others.
Please do so.
I have time, all the time in the world.
Do you? Don't you have somewhere to go? Me? No, not really.
No.
I thought your ship was leaving soon for Minbar.
Oh, no, that's tomorrow it-- Tomorrow it's-- Tomorrow.
Tomorrow.
"One of you will become emperor after the other dies.
" - Nonsense.
- Of course.
I've made some dinner.
I'm not hungry.
You're not saying that you don't trust me anymore, are you, Londo? I made your favorite, spoo.
I'll order in.
Ambassador Delenn just got back.
She wants to talk to you about everything that's happened.
Good, good.
Is there anything else? I just saw a report on ISN.
Four of the five cruisers that defected with Gen.
Hague have been shot down.
They say he is on the run and they expect to capture him next time he comes out of hyperspace.
Well, he won't go down without a fight.
No, sir.
No, he won't.
- They'll be coming for us next, you know.
- I know.
I never thought it would end like this.
Me either.