Babylon 5 s03e17 Episode Script

"Previously on" Babylon 5: It has waited, locked and sealed, for over 900 years.
How did he know that you would be here? How did he know your name? They're killing us.
Can anyone hear me? They're killing us! At this moment, the Great Machine is using all its power to enlarge the temporal rift in Sector 14.
We must take Babylon 4 1000 years into the past and help defeat the Shadows in the last war.
If we fail, the Shadow fleet will survive and Babylon 5 will be destroyed.
That's what I picked up in C & C? My voice in this alternate future calling for help? I repeat, we are under attack! The captain's dead.
Defense grid is down.
They're boarding us.
They're coming in all over.
We must place a homing device in the central power core of Babylon 4.
Once that's done, we can begin moving it through time.
These will keep you from drifting.
Also protect you.
Time distortion can do terrible harm.
- John! - No! Time stabilizer damaged.
He is unstuck in time.
Welcome back from the abyss, Sheridan.
Just in time to die.
If we don't follow through, Sheridan went through this for nothing.
Putting the future back may be our only chance to save him.
During your little war, you drove away the Shadows.
Oh, yes.
But you did not think to clean up your mess! There's the legacy of your war.
The price we paid when you abandoned us to the enemies you escaped from.
But this couldn't have happened, not in this amount of time.
What year is this? This is the last year and the last day and the last hour of your life.
Seventeen years since you began your great crusade.
Seventeen-- I am tired.
Take him back to his cell.
Sheridan, make your peace with whatever gods you worship.
You will meet them next time I send for you.
I cannot recall my world from what it has become but I can thank you properly for your role in it.
How long until the scanners are back online? Well, we figure another hour, hour and a half.
Any word on that explosion? Mainbot reports are coming in right now.
It's definitely thermonuclear in origin.
All right, I want every inch of that blast area searched and double patrols inside the station in case anyone tries to breach the hull.
We need an access panel.
Usually they're sealed once the station goes operational.
But this place just went online, so with luck, there should be a couple open.
Sorry, don't believe in luck.
Luck's the only thing we've got on our side right now.
Sure as hell don't have much of anything else.
Marcus? Oh, hell.
Freeze! 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.
- What was that? - What was what? - Slick.
How'd you know they were coming? - Didn't.
But right now would be the worst time to be discovered so it was logical it'd happen now.
Like I said, I don't believe in luck.
On the other hand.
"Carry this, Zathras.
" "Fix this, Zathras.
" Poor Zathras.
No one listens to Zathras, but no one.
Get the main panel shut off.
All right, give me a hand here.
This'll do, but we'll need to clear the place out first.
Team one to team two, ready? Ready.
Stand by.
All right, let's see if this works.
What is it? I'm not sure.
It was the strangest feeling.
I think the way you describe it is as if someone had just walked over my grave.
Who? Who is it? John? John? - Delenn? - John.
Delenn, what are you doing here? I didn't tell them anything.
They tried to make me, but I didn't.
There's nothing they can do to me.
They know that now so they say they're allowing us one last moment together before.
- What? - It's all right, John.
I accepted this fate a long time ago.
They cannot harm me.
I'm not afraid not if you are with me.
Our son is safe.
- Son? - That's all that matters.
John, I love you.
That's got it.
Let's go.
Hull breach in this area.
Evacuate immediately.
Pressure doors dropping.
Pressure doors are down.
This area is ours until they burn through.
- Figure about an hour.
- It'll do.
Let's get the equipment.
Delenn, just listen to me.
This may not make any sense, but I am not supposed to be here.
I'm not really here.
The last thing that I remember, I was on the "White Star" and my time stabilizer was hit and suddenly I was here.
In Valen's name.
It's true, isn't it? I can see it in your eyes.
You told me long ago that you had seen this moment in our future but until now, I-- I never really believed.
John, there's so much ahead of you.
So many changes, so much pain and grief.
I look in your eyes now and I see the innocence that went away so many years ago.
But then, you don't know any of what's happened, do you? From what Londo said I get the impression that we won the war but not completely.
The war is never completely won.
There are always new battles to be fought against the darkness.
Only the names change.
But we-- We achieved everything we set out to achieve.
We created something that will endure for a thousand years.
But the price, John the terrible, terrible price.
I didn't think I would see you again before the end.
Oh, Delenn, is there anything I can do to prevent this? - I mean, there's still a chance.
- No.
This future can only be changed by surrendering to the Shadows.
And that price is too high to pay.
- But we have a son.
- Yes.
We have David.
- David.
- David.
Out, now! Close enough.
You will excuse me if I do not stand.
I have had considerable to drink.
It is the only way that we can be alone.
We do not wish to wake it.
Wake what? Then you do not know.
You cannot see it while it is awake.
We all have our keepers, you see.
I gave a very good performance.
Yes.
It was satisfied.
Doesn't care why I do what I do as long as I do it.
As long as you are dead.
It cannot hold its liquor, you see.
I have learned that if I drink just enough I can put it to sleep for a few minutes a few minutes where I am in charge of myself again.
But the few minutes have been growing shorter and shorter so we do not have much time.
My life is almost over.
My world, all I hoped for, gone.
You two are my last chance for this place for my people for my own redemption.
There is a ship hidden behind the palace.
My guard will take you there.
In exchange for your lives all I ask is that you and your allies help to free my people.
I can do nothing more for them.
Go now.
Quickly.
You do not have much time.
I can feel it beginning to wake up.
Hurry.
Go on.
You are there, my old friend? Yes.
They will never make it out alive unless.
You see, my keeper will awaken any second and it will alert the others.
And my only hope will die.
And I will die soon after.
They do not take betrayal lightly.
We have unfinished business between us, G'Kar.
Let us make an end of it quickly before it stops me.
I am as tired of my life as you are.
What is it? What is it? I'm being pulled back again.
Then take these words back with you to the past: Treasure the moments you have savor them for as long as you can, for they will never come back again.
Please, John, listen to me, do not go to Z'ha'dum.
Do you understand? Do not go to Z'ha'dum! - Do you think you could lend us a hand? - No, very, very busy.
Zathras has idea.
Saw him, Zathras did.
So Zathras thinks perhaps power supply in suit will help activate time stabilizer.
Will not last, though.
Then he will be lost again.
There, finished.
Now we wait.
He's quite mad, you know.
He actually thinks that Sheridan's gonna materialize in there.
We're stealing a station to fight in a war that was over 1000 years ago.
We're all mad.
Delenn said that their great leader Valen came forward at about the same time.
Lennier said that Valen was a Minbari not born of Minbari.
That intrigues me.
- Do you think we'll meet him? - I don't know.
It'd be an honor, though.
He's one of their holiest figures defeated the Shadows, formed the Grey Council.
Captain? No one ever listens to Zathras.
"Quite mad," they say.
It is good that Zathras does not mind.
He's even grown to like it.
Oh, yes.
Are you all right? Yeah.
Yeah, I think so.
Feel like I could drift away any second, but I'm okay.
Where's Sinclair? Right here.
Welcome back.
How was your trip? I'm not sure.
I'm gonna have to think about this.
What's our status? We've secured a path to the central power core.
We're ready to proceed.
All right, then let's do it.
John.
John! John, are you all right? Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine, now.
What is it? Oh, it's a long story.
I'll have to tell you later.
Go on.
- Yes.
- Go on! Moving the last piece into the central power core.
Must being very careful.
Time- jump system very delicate.
When finished, station will be stabilized for time travel.
I just finished rigging the scanners on B4 to detect a phony alert in the fusion reactor.
It'll look like the place is going critical.
That should get the crew to evacuate so we can move this thing.
Roger that.
Major, we have a 20 percent energy drop in the power core.
- lncrease output.
- The system hasn't been checked out yet.
- lf we push it-- - I know what I'm doing.
Punch it.
We can't afford a brownout if we've got hostiles aboard.
We're picking up a surge of tachyon particles.
It's coming! Zathras! Zathras know.
Zathras working.
Not Zathras' fault.
This work.
Stopping now! - What the hell was that? - Unknown.
Time- track system's shot all to hell.
We're surrounded by some kind of tachyon distortion field.
- Is everyone okay? - Yes.
Yes, I think so.
What happened? Time device activated prematurely.
Not good.
Malfunction.
So where are we? Readings indicate we have moved four years ahead.
Which is exactly when Babylon 4 reappeared the last time.
So far, everything's happening exactly the way it did before, regardless.
Danger, though.
Time system is not stable.
Very delicate.
Must adjust before we try again or become forever lost in time.
Very dangerous.
Great, doesn't anything come under warranty anymore? Ivanova to Sheridan.
- Captain? - "He's gone again.
" And you better get up here.
There's been a slight problem.
Major, the reactor core has become unstable.
Approaching critical.
It's not gonna last very long.
- We have to evacuate.
- No, not after all this.
Major, if this is as bad as it sounds, we could lose the whole station.
We have nearly 2000 workers onboard.
You don't want to jeopardize their safety.
If it's safe, we can come back.
But if it's not.
All right.
Send out a distress signal.
We've got another tachyon burst.
Hello.
- Delenn, are you-- ? - I'm all right.
What was that? Time flash.
See yourself forward or backward in time.
Zathras told you, system unstable.
Jeff, my God, what happened? What was bound to happen as soon as we went forward in time again.
When Garibaldi and I came to Babylon 4 last time we passed through the time- distortion field without any protection.
I wondered if it would have long- term effects if we were exposed again.
- That's why I didn't want him along.
- But we can fix it, right? You're not gonna keep getting older the closer we get to our own time, are you? Is he? Zathras does not know for certain but is good chance, yes.
Either way, we can't stop to worry about this now.
We've got a job to finish.
Sheridan disappeared again as the field went up.
If we don't get him back soon, we may lose him forever.
Can you fix his time stabilizer? I have components but need equipment.
Delicate, careful work.
I saw a work area when we were out.
Maybe they've got what you need.
- Then get going.
- Come on.
I'll go back in the power core, adjust the equipment, try to stabilize this place.
Marcus, stay with the "White Star" and monitor the readings.
Tell me when it's ready.
We've got one last shot at this.
Let's make the best of it.
No, no.
No, no, no.
Not good.
No, no.
Come on.
Find what you need, and let's get out of here.
We're running out of time.
Cannot run out of time.
There is infinite time.
You are finite.
Zathras is finite.
This is wrong tool.
No.
No, not good.
No.
No, never use this.
- "How's it look?" - Readings are still unstable.
I-- Ambassador Sinclair, I'm picking something up on the external scanners.
I'm reading six-- No, seven ships coming this way.
I was wondering when they'd get here.
- Who's onboard? - "I am.
" That's me and Garibaldi when we came here two years ago, our time to answer a distress call from Babylon 4.
Shuttle 1 to escort wing, take position We'll check it out.
Once we know it's clear, you can proceed with the evacuation.
Let's do it.
Hello.
I, Zathras.
Zathras got here by being Zathras.
Zathras wants nothing, so Zathras gets nothing.
That's life.
We've got a problem, people.
They got Zathras.
How are the repairs going? Slowly.
We may have it in another couple of hours.
It's too long.
What if I can adjust the power from C & C? - Great idea, if you can get there.
- "I can do it.
I just gotta be careful.
" We've got company.
It started 24 hours after the station went operational.
We noticed discrepancies in the time- track system.
We thought it was a computer glitch.
Then all hell broke loose.
Anything else unusual happen before the station vanished? Yeah, this.
Says his name is Zathras.
We don't know how he got aboard, where he's from or what race he is.
I've never seen an alien like him before.
Not The One.
No.
- Not the one what? - Not The One.
Won't talk.
Can't talk.
Not The One.
They told me.
They did.
Zathras listens.
He does, yes.
Zathras listens and does what he is told.
Okay, everybody, let's get out.
We're evacuating the station.
- But if we leave-- - I set the system on automatic.
We can run the entire evacuation from the docking bay.
Let's move out.
Move out! Okay, I'm in.
Here it goes.
Zathras warn, but no, no one listen to poor Zathras.
No.
A great war but great hope of peace.
Need place place to gather, to fight, to organize.
You need Babylon 4 as a base of operations in a war, is that it? To help save galaxy on the side of light.
So they tell me.
Must have, or it is the end of all.
The One leads us.
The One tells us to go, we go.
- Major, it's back! - Oh, no.
There it is again.
What the hell? It is The One.
Okay, I've got control of the core.
If you're finished, back off.
I'll start her up.
Roger that.
Heading in.
Commander, don't.
Fixed, Zathras fixed.
Take.
Hurry! You must leave now.
Finished, we are.
There is no more time.
Leave or be trapped here forever.
- What are you-- ? - I don't know.
The last thing I remember is appearing here a little while ago.
Then I passed out.
So he must've fixed it.
No, no, this isn't my stabilizer.
There's no sign of damage.
Someone must've put this on me, switched places.
But if you're here, then who's running around out there in a blue suit? - We gotta help him.
- Too late.
We gotta get out of here! - We can't just leave him.
- You think I want to? We have to leave now, with or without you.
Go now.
Leave me.
- I can't.
- Go.
You must listen to Zathras.
You have a destiny.
Go, please.
Go for Zathras.
Babylon 4 to Garibaldi, Babylon 4 to Shuttle 1.
Garibaldi, do you read me? Watch your back, Michael, watch your back.
Target is outside of communication range.
Unable to make contact.
Michael.
Zathras knew you would not leave him.
Zathras trusts The One.
I tried.
I tried to warn them.
But it all happened just the way I remember it.
I know.
It's time.
We have to go.
They're waiting for us.
I integrated the time- shifting controls so they can be adjusted from here.
Good.
The rest of you head on back to the "White Star".
I'll set it off, then come join you.
Entil'Zha, you always said half a truth was worse than a lie.
- Don't disappoint me.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
You've kept us going so fast, we haven't had time to think.
But this system isn't fully automatic, is it? Someone has to ride this thing back into the distant past.
And it's a one- way ticket, isn't it? Whoever goes isn't coming back.
Is this true? Fine, I'll take her out.
Marcus I'll take it back because I've always taken it, and I always will.
- It's already happened.
- You don't know that.
Yes, I do.
You asked what brought me here.
Before I left Minbar, I was given a letter from 900 years ago.
- Whose handwriting is this? - Mine.
I wrote this from the past, I went.
It's as simple as that.
He's telling the truth.
I received one as well.
No, I can't accept this.
If I go back to our time, the aging effect will probably kill me.
Isn't it better to choose life? - Damn it, Jeff, I-- - Susan, it's all right.
My whole life has been leading to this.
Could you and Marcus give us a minute here? There's something we need to discuss alone.
Zathras, something I don't understand.
You said you followed The One - but The One you pointed to was-- - Was Delenn.
Yes, Zathras knew.
Zathras is oldest living caretaker of Great Machine.
One hundred ten years old.
Zathras has studied the Great Machine.
Knows things even Draal does not know yet.
And I know you.
And I know you.
And I know you.
All Minbari belief is around three.
Three castes: worker, warrior, religious.
Three languages: light, dark and grey.
The nine of the Grey Council.
Three times three.
All is three as you are three as you are one as you are The One.
You are The One who was.
You are The One who is.
You are The One who will be.
You are the beginning of the story and the middle of the story and the end of the story that creates the next great story.
In your heart you know what Zathras says is true.
Go now.
Zathras' place is with The One who was.
We have a destiny.
Stand by to break seal.
It's what he wants.
Let's respect it.
Engines at maximum.
Let's go home.
Captain, the temporal rift is closing.
Guess Draal wants to make sure no one else gets trapped there.
Yes.
That door is closed forever.
And it is not the only one.
Lennier told you that 1000 years ago, human and Minbari souls began to merge.
Minbari souls were being born in human bodies.
Something happened that opened that door between us.
My change was, in part, to even the scales and restore balance between our races using the device my people discovered a thousand years ago.
You see, if my people had found Babylon 4 with a human aboard they would never have accepted it.
Dear God.
A Minbari not born of Minbari.
My whole life has been leading to this.
Don't you understand? They're using you.
They're using you! I knew you would come.
You should rest.
We were right about you.
You talk like a Minbari, commander.
Good.
Good.
Zathras knew you would come.
This way.
This way! I welcome you and present this place to you as a gift.
I am called Valen, and we have much work ahead of us.