Babylon 5 s03e15 Episode Script

August 3, 2260.
Personal diary.
Ten days ago, for the first time, the Shadows began attacking openly.
So far they've been hitting targets close to the Rim: the minor powers the few in the League "of Non"- "Aligned Worlds.
" The attacks seem totally random, almost senseless.
If we thought it was nuts around here before, this has only made things worse.
We've had to hire more security personnel to keep things calm make sure the wrong type of people don't get onboard.
But without our resources back home for background checks we have to assume there will be lapses.
Everyone's been handling the stress pretty well.
But sooner or later, something's got to give somewhere.
Nobody's seen Kosh in almost a week.
When the Vorlon goes to ground, I worry.
"What's going through his"-- "?" Its mind? I can't even guess.
And Londo Londo is Londo.
You never know which way he'll jump next.
Come.
- Londo, you wanted to see me? - Yes, Vir.
All right, that's fine.
Bring in the waist a little and we'll be done.
Good, good.
Now, Vir, I want you to rent a suite for me.
The biggest suite in all of Babylon 5.
And I want it filled with flowers.
- It'll cost.
- Pay it.
- Nothing is too good for her.
- Her? - Her, who? - Adira.
After all this time, she is finally coming back to me.
So far we've got everything more or less under control.
We should be okay for now as long as nothing else goes wrong.
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.
Their technology is too far advanced beyond our own.
We cannot defend ourselves against this new enemy without help.
Is there anything that Earth can do? My people back home have their own problems right now.
Since we declared independence, we are not exactly in the position to ask them for anything.
Everyone's on their own.
I sometimes think that was the intent.
Our military is hopelessly outnumbered.
We lost many ships in our recent war with our neighbors.
Now you're all in the same position, unable to defend yourselves.
I can't believe you trusted the Shadows when they said they were on your side.
They just wanted you to waste your resources fighting each other.
We thought they recognized our value over theirs.
It's not about value.
It's.
I don't know what it is.
I don't know what the Shadows want exactly but they are not on anybody's side but their own.
I've asked a representative from the Gaim to join us here because they are the closest major civilization in your sector of space.
Ambassador She'lah.
There are four other worlds in your area that could help the Brakiri.
But they said they would only consider it if your people got involved.
Will you? No.
- And why not? - We are not attacked yet.
May not be attacked.
If we join Brakiri, we are noticed.
We invite attack.
They are going to come for you sooner or later.
You do not know that.
What they do not see, they may not attack.
The enemy is powerful.
Show us you have equal power, then we will consider.
If not, we will stay quiet.
Do you have equal power? No, no, no.
I am sorry, but I completely disagree with your prognosis.
Then you shouldn't have asked for a second opinion.
Prepare to ventilate lung three.
- You'll disrupt his entire metabolism! - This is my facility, Dr.
Hobbs.
- I don't like my judgment questioned.
- I'm not questioning your judgment.
I'm saying you're flat wrong.
I don't have time for this and neither does he, okay? Begin ventilation to take the pressure off the secondary pulmonary system.
- Where should we stop? - 9 psi.
- Doctor! - Have a seat, lend a hand or get out of my way, but do not question me in my lab, doctor! Doc.
- We got an emergency.
- Get in line.
He was breaking up a fight in Downbelow when somebody attacked him.
Got minimal life signs, severe cardiac arrhythmia, blood pressure dropping fast.
Get him to the infirmary.
Start an IV and cardiac stabilization.
- Dr.
Franklin, we're losing him.
- What are you talking about? - I said, we're losing him.
- He's right.
We lost bio signs when lung number three dropped below 11 psi.
Well, bring him up! I told you to stop at 13 psi! - Doctor-- - Get him up fast.
I want 13 psi right now! - Bringing it up that fast may rupture the lung.
- We'll have to take that chance.
- Just a second.
- I just wanted to tell-- What the hell is it with everybody? Doesn't anyone listen to one damn word I say? I said we will take the chance and I said we will take care of him! And I said 13 psi! Damn it! Respiratory system stabilizing.
Lung cap in place.
Good.
Good.
Michael, I know he's one of yours, all right? We're gonna take care of him, okay? It's gross incompetence.
I told them to stop-- - At 9 psi.
- Damn it, doctor.
Shall we check the lab tapes to confirm? You check whatever you want, I don't give a damn.
So it's my title you wanted all along? I want no more than I'm getting.
And what is it that you're getting, Adira? A washed- up old Republican dreaming of better days? These are my better days, Londo.
Thanks to you.
We Centauri live our lives for appearances.
But when I look beneath the mask I am forced to wear I see only emptiness.
And then I think of you.
And I say to hell with appearances.
Do you know what freedom means to a slave? Then take this.
And wear it proudly as a free woman.
And some day come back to me.
Goodbye, my ambassador.
Ambassador? - "Londo?" - Yes, Vir, what is it? You asked me to remind you about Adira's suite.
You can look at it whenever you like.
All right, I'll be right there.
Hello? Who is there? Hello, Mollari.
We have something to settle, you and I.
I'm disappointed in you, Mollari.
I don't know how you did it.
Lord Refa isn't returning my calls anymore.
Somehow you convinced your government to pull back their campaign against several other worlds on the fringe of Centauri space.
I may have said a word to someone here and there.
Something about not weakening our defenses by fighting trivial border wars.
I thought we had a deal.
- We carved up the galaxy, you and I.
- Yes, we did.
And what you do in your half is your business.
And what I do in mine is mine.
We need your government to continue its campaign.
Yes? And why is that? I don't think you have any interest in restoring the glory of the Centauri Republic.
No, I think you are using us as shall we say, agents of chaos.
A convenient distraction making it easier for your associates to do whatever they wish to do.
Yes? My associates need a voice and an ear in the Centauri Royal Court.
If you violate the terms of our agreement my associates may turn their eye toward your Homeworld.
Then we shall pluck it out.
If you put yourself between us and our objectives, you may come to regret it.
There is nothing you can do to me, Mr.
Morden that has not already been done.
Good day.
No.
We need him alive for now.
There are other ways.
Yeah, come in.
- Stephen.
- Michael.
What can I do for you? I just thought I'd swing by, you know, see how things are going.
You coming in or going out? I'm going out.
Just took off long enough to grab a fast shower, something to eat.
- I gotta get back to work.
- I thought your shift ended half an hour ago.
Well, it did.
But we're short- handed, and since I can handle it-- I don't think so.
- Excuse me? - I don't think you can handle it.
I don't think you are handling it.
Look, I saw how you were this afternoon in Medlab.
Well, it was busy, I lost my temper.
You were five seconds away from hysteria.
You were crazed and distracted, and it nearly cost you the life of one of your patients.
- Look, it came out all right.
- This time.
What about next time? - Look, I don't have to defend myself to you.
- I think you do.
Something here ain't right, Stephen.
As your friend, I'm concerned.
- As the head of security-- - What are you gonna do, Michael? Arrest me for being distracted? I didn't know that was a crime.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get dressed and get back to work.
Stephen, wake up.
For the last six months, you've been acting more and more erratic.
Now, it's not just me.
Everybody's noticed.
- Look, if it's the stims, again, I can help.
- Would you just give it a rest? You've been riding my butt about stims all year.
Enough! I don't want to talk about it anymore.
Don't make me go around you to do my job.
You do whatever you have to, Michael.
I don't care.
I am tired of this discussion, and I'm tired of you butting into my life every 15 minutes.
So you do your job and I'll do mine, okay? Okay, fine.
Just remember, I came to you first.
I gave you a chance.
Hell of a lot more than you're giving me.
It's late.
You should rest.
Oh, I can't.
I can't.
The reports keep coming in.
More hit- and- run Shadow attacks.
They jump in, blow everything up in sight and then jump out again.
They don't even bother to secure the area.
It doesn't make sense.
It's the same pattern they used 1000 years ago.
It keeps the major powers off guard, never knowing when to expect an attack.
But what is the goal? If it isn't about territory, what is it about? I don't know, Delenn.
The only way we're going to survive this war is to organize the League the Narns and as many other races as possible into a cohesive, offensive force.
It's never been done before and I can see why.
I mean, it's like stacking marbles in a corner.
They are hip- deep in their own agendas and their own rivalries.
I mean, half of them won't even talk to the other half.
But what's worse.
What? I feel like I'm lying to them.
I mean, you've seen the reports from the frontlines.
Yes, I have ideas, some possibilities.
But at this moment, the stone- cold fact is that none of us can stand up to those ships.
If we could just score one victory against the Shadows it'd be enough to make some of the others come around.
Then perhaps we should give them a victory.
- Just like that? - Just like that.
And how do you suggest we do that? I'm sure you'll think of something.
Every day, people around here start talking more and more like Kosh.
Doctor.
- May I? - Please.
Never ceases to amaze me.
Every time someone says we're becoming a paperless society I get 10 more forms to fill out.
So, what can I do for you, Mr.
Garibaldi? I saw what happened in Medlab.
I checked the tapes, you were right.
Dr.
Franklin gave the med techs the wrong information.
Yes.
And if they hadn't caught it as quick as they did, the patient would've died.
- Very likely.
- As I understand it everyone working in a Medlab with constant exposure to alien life forms has to submit blood samples regularly for examination, right? - That's right.
It's all done automatically.
- Who gets these tests? Dr.
Franklin.
As chief of staff, he's the only one authorized for that kind of access.
But you know where they are.
I do.
I need you to pull Franklin's blood samples for the last 12 months, check for anything out of the ordinary.
Does the word privacy mean anything to you? As head of security, I can get that information through channels but that'll bring others in.
If those samples show what I think Stephen can pretty much kiss the rest of his career goodbye.
I'm trying to help him.
No, I'm sorry.
If you want that information, you're going to have to go through channels.
- I can't just give it to you.
- Can you at least tell me where it is in the system? Just to make it easier to find when I do go through channels.
Mr.
Garibaldi, Stephen and I have had our professional disagreements from time to time, but - I don't want to see him hurt.
- Neither do I.
I just hope it's not too late.
And we'll need a dozen bottles of Brivari.
At least 10 years old.
Several carafes of hot jala and three dozen, no, make it four dozen - bouquets of Star Laces.
- This is gonna be expensive.
You can put it on the ambassador's personal account.
- Anything else? - Yes, personal effects for Lady Adira.
- Clothes and things.
- What kind of things? She'll need something nice to wear when she arrives.
You want this one here with or without garters? - You know, I'm not-- - Okay.
With.
You can never go wrong with garters.
Well, you might.
Look, I'm gonna leave the list here, and I'll come back and check on it later, okay? Hello, Vir.
- I'm sorry.
I can't talk, I have things to do.
- Well, apparently so.
Anything I can do to help? Short of dying? No, can't think of a thing.
I'm sorry to bother you.
I'm looking for Vir Cotto.
- I was supposed to meet him here.
- You just missed him.
- I had some details to work out with him.
- Details? I think that he said that he was gonna talk to you about them.
Perhaps you could just tell me what I missed? Computer security override, code 995- Alpha.
Voice identification Michael Garibaldi.
Confirmed.
Display the following blood sample tests Franklin, Stephen file numbers.
Awaiting file numbers for display.
No.
No, never mind.
Abort.
Why? Why did I do it, or why didn't I do it? Why didn't you do it? Because on some level, you've gotta know the truth.
And after everything we've been through, if you can't talk to me what the hell's the point? You know, when I figured out what you were doing I ran the tests myself, checking for stim levels.
Figured I'd show you.
Prove to you that you were wrong.
The thing about medicine is that it all comes down to the numbers.
X amount of something is safe.
Y amount is dangerous.
X amount of stims in your bloodstream proves that you're not addicted.
Y amount proves that you are.
It's funny how easy it is to just lose track.
You don't realize how much you're doing.
But the numbers don't lie, do they? No, they don't.
So now that we both know the truth what are you gonna do about it? That's funny, I was just gonna ask you the same question.
Because right now, it's not my decision.
- It's yours.
- Yeah.
I guess it is.
Nobody wants to fight a war unless they know there's at least a chance of winning.
You can give them that hope.
As one of the older races, your technology has to be at least as good as the Shadows.
Now, if you can convince your government to send out an expedition to engage one or two of their ships.
No.
I know you can't take the entire Shadow fleet by yourselves but if you could beat them in just one fight, that could be the break we need to get everyone organized.
Then we'd have a real chance.
You could do it, couldn't you? Perhaps.
But there are still few of us.
It is not our time.
It is yours.
We are not prepared yet.
Don't turn your back on me.
Don't you even try to walk away from me! Just who the hell do you think you are? No, wait, I know what you think you are.
What you want us to believe.
But I don't buy it.
For three years, you've been pulling everyone's strings, getting us to do all the work, and you haven't done a damn thing but stand there and look cryptic.
Well, it's about time you started pulling your own weight around here.
- We're getting an energy surge.
- Location? I don't know.
It's a non- localized phenomenon.
I hear you've got a saying, "Understanding is a three- edged sword.
" Well, we've got a saying too.
"Put your money where your mouth is.
" - lmpudent.
- Yeah? Well, maybe that's the only way to get through to you.
You wanted to teach me to fight legends.
You're a legend too and I am not going away until you agree! Incorrect.
- Leave.
Now.
- No.
- Disobedient.
- Up yours.
So the real Kosh shows his colors at last.
You angry now? Angry enough to kill me? Because that's the only way I'm leaving.
Unless your people get off their encounter- suited butts and do something I've got nothing to lose! Hell, my own government wants to kill me.
And if we lose this war, I'm just as dead.
Our only chance is to get the other races onboard for this fight.
And right now you're the key to doing that.
- It is not yet time.
- And who decides that time? You? You put me in this position.
You asked me to fight this damn war.
Well, it's about time you let me fight it my way.
How many people have already died fighting this war of yours? How many more will die before you come down off that mountain and get involved? Ships, colonies, whole worlds are being destroyed out there, and you do nothing! How many more? How many more, Kosh? How many more dead before you're satisfied? Go ahead.
Maybe one more death will help balance out the books.
Go on.
Get it over with.
Save us both the trouble later.
I will do as you ask.
But there is a price to pay.
I will not be there to help you when you go to Z'ha'dum.
Yeah, you already said if I go to Z'ha'dum, I'll die.
Yes.
Now.
All right.
If that's the tradeoff.
If you want to withhold your help when the time comes, that's fine.
I'll go it alone.
You do not understand.
But you will.
Captain, we just got word of another Shadow attack in Brakiri space.
Started about an hour ago.
- Anything else? - No.
They're completely outgunned.
All right, keep monitoring.
Let me know the moment anything changes.
Captain, Vorlon fleet is engaging Shadow vessel.
- The Vorlons? - Who's winning? We are.
It's strange, I can barely catch my breath.
I have been looking forward to this for so long that I feel.
Gods, Vir, I feel happy.
I had almost forgotten what it was like.
But I don't understand.
We couldn't have missed her.
Excuse me, sir, there are more coming behind you, are there not? Excuse me, anyone else onboard? Ambassador.
Who is that? - I'm sorry, this isn't-- - I said, who is that? Her name is Adira Tyree.
The purser found her in her cabin just before they docked.
I'm sorry, ambassador.
Did you know her? How? - How did she die? - We don't know.
There was no sign of violence, no obvious trauma, it may have been natural causes.
We won't know for sure until there's an autopsy.
Why? Why did you do this? Poison was always the instrument of choice in the old republic.
Being something of a sentimentalist, I got here first.
And because sooner or later, you would do it to me.
I'm sorry, ambassador.
I'll see to it you'll get a full report.
- Check her for poison.
- Yes.
You hear me? Check her for poison.
Londo.
The news is spreading all over the place, captain.
We've got every ambassador on the station ready to sign on.
I should stop by, see Kosh.
Thank him for his help.
It's almost 2 a.
m.
You're exhausted.
My grandfather had a saying: "Good news can wait.
Bad news will refuse to leave.
" Get some sleep.
John.
Johnny.
Dad? I don't have much time, son.
I want you to know you were right.
I didn't want to admit that.
Just pride, I guess.
You get my age, you get kind of set in your ways.
It had to be done.
Don't blame yourself for what happened later.
Dad, are you? You all right? It's too late for me.
I'm sorry for what I did before.
I knew what was ahead.
I guess.
I guess I was afraid.
When you've lived as long as I have you kind of get used to it.
I wish I could have done more for you.
There's so much I should've said.
Now it's too late.
You're right.
It's time you began fighting this war your way.
- I've got to go now, John.
- No, no.
Don't leave.
It's all right, son.
See as long as you're here I'll always be here.
Kosh! Kosh.
My people are going over Kosh's place with a fine- toothed comb but we've got nothing.
No sign of forced entry, no prints, no DNA fragments.
The place looks like it's been through a war.
- No sign of a body.
- You will not find one.
- Then how do you know he's dead? - I know.
So do the Vorlons, somehow.
They asked us to keep this to ourselves.
They grieve for the death of Kosh as much as we do.
They know that the alliance we have formed with the other worlds is young and fragile.
News of his passing could destroy it.
It was not uncommon for Kosh to go unseen for weeks at a time.
That gives the Vorlons enough time to send a replacement.
No one will know.
He must've known this would happen as soon as the Vorlons got directly involved.
That's what he meant when he said that he wouldn't be there for me later.
I thought he was angry.
Trying to punish me.
But he was afraid.
You look at him and never would think he could be afraid.
The Vorlon government made one final request.
They asked that his encounter suit everything that was his be placed in his ship.
And then what? It was poison.
As I suspected.
And I believe you know something about this.
The last thing I heard from Lord Refa was that he was very upset with you.
Understandable.
You did try to poison him, after all.
He mentioned something about evening the score.
I wasn't able to find out what he was planning, because he stopped talking to me right after that.
At your urging.
If I had stayed in contact with him, sooner or later I'd have found out what he was up to and I could've stopped him.
No sentimental reasons, it's just inefficient.
I'm terribly sorry, Londo, I.
Is that why you called me here? I gave this to her.
Told her to wear it proudly, as a free woman.
I might as well have signed her death warrant.
Everyone around me dies, Mr.
Morden.
Except the ones that most deserve it.
That is about to change.
You said that you would go away for as long as I wanted.
I no longer want that.
All I want now is revenge.
They took from me the one thing that I have ever truly loved.
And you will help me, Mr.
Morden, to strike them down.
Give me this and the safety of my people and let the rest of the galaxy burn.
I don't care anymore.
Will you help me, Mr.
Morden? Of course, ambassador.
As ever, I am always in your service.
Doc.
Garibaldi said you wanted to see me privately.
Yes, I did.
Maybe you've noticed, maybe you haven't but I haven't been doing as good a job around here as I should've.
Kept wanting to do more and I ended up doing less.
It's ironic, you know? When I look in the mirror, I don't see me.
I see the job.
I was the job.
Nothing else mattered.
I haven't been on a date, I haven't seen a vid.
I haven't just sat and listened to music in I don't know how long.
- Stephen, I have-- - Wait, wait.
Let me finish.
Because if I stop, I'm afraid I'm not gonna get through this.
All right.
I've been taking stims, John.
A lot of them.
Too many.
Because they kept me busy.
They kept me from looking in the mirror and realizing that I do not know who was looking back at me.
I was so obsessed with fixing other people's problems because I was afraid to face my own.
I don't think I have that luxury anymore.
Now, I can keep lying to myself until something goes wrong somebody dies or I can stop now.
Leave the job before you're forced to take it away from me.
So effective immediately, I am resigning as chief of staff of the Medlab facility.
I'm not sure what I'm gonna do.
Guess I'll figure it out.
- Look-- - I've got a lot to figure out.
And it's time I got started.
And then what? Then once Kosh's belongings are loaded into his ship it will activate itself.
The ship was made for him.
It was a part of him.
In a curious way it is alive.
It cannot live without him so it will grieve as we do in its own way and perform its last duty in memory of Kosh.