Babylon 5 s03e22 Episode Script
Z'ha'dum
The humans have a phrase: "What is past is prologue.
" I am really excited about signing "onboard the" Icarus "next week.
" John and I were supposed to spend time together, but Dr.
Chang thinks he's found the ruins of an ancient civilization no one's even heard of before.
Z'ha'dum.
Anna.
"The" Icarus.
They found something, didn't they? Yes.
Once awakened, the Shadows could not allow them to leave.
Those who would not serve were killed.
One hundred and thirty- nine people died onboard the "Icarus", Mr.
Morden.
Including my wife.
And here you sit, not a scratch.
When Minbari become close it is tradition that they spend three nights together.
The male sleeps and the female watches.
As you relax, your true face is revealed.
Hello.
You must be Delenn.
I'm Anna Sheridan.
John's wife.
Minbari also have a phrase.
"What is past is also sometimes the future.
" Anna? My God! What are you doing here? "What are you doing here?" After five years, that's the best that you can do? Though under the circumstances, I can understand.
I.
I should go.
- I should go.
- No, wait-- Delenn, wait.
It's all right, John.
Let her go.
You can talk to her later.
This should be a moment for us.
I thought you were dead.
You mean she didn't-- ? She didn't tell you? Well, that is interesting.
Oh, John.
I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you myself.
I'm sorry for leaving you alone for so long for not being able to get word to you.
But that's all behind us now.
We're together again.
I know what you're thinking.
How can you be sure if it's really me? For all you know, for all she told you I could be some thing made up to look like me.
Fine.
I'll take whatever test you want.
Ask me any question.
I don't mind.
I know there's a lot that you don't know.
I know there's a lot that you don't understand.
I'm here to fix that.
Don't you wanna know what it's all about? What it's really all about? I can do that.
All you have to do is come with me.
- Where? - Where else? To Z'ha'dum.
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.
There they are, commander.
As promised.
The ambassador from Gaim was happy to deliver them.
Each of these devices carries terrible destructive force.
In human terms, they can deliver a thermonuclear blast of 600 megatons.
- Will they show up on a scanner? - lf you know what to look for.
Otherwise they're undetectable.
So the next time we find out where the Shadows plan to strike we can mine the area.
When they come out of hyperspace-- - Then, as you so concisely say,"Boom.
" - Good.
Thank you for delivering these, G'Kar.
- The captain will be very happy.
- Where is he? I thought he would be here.
Well, it's a little hard to explain.
Let's just say that something came up.
- Well? - She's human.
Checked dental and medical records against what you gave me.
It's a 100*/ match, right down to her DNA sequence.
Every piece of equipment I've got says that's your wife.
Anna died at Z'ha'dum.
She looks pretty lively to me.
I thought you'd be happy to have her back.
It's not that easy.
It was years before I could finally accept her death.
I had to force myself to start over, to create a new life.
- And Delenn-- - Have you talked to her yet? She was in my quarters when Anna showed up.
Is there anything else? Some epidermal scarring above the nape of her neck.
It may have been caused when the "Icarus" was destroyed, but.
Anything beneath it? No, no.
Maybe it's nothing, but it never hurts to run a few more tests.
All right, do so.
If this is a trick, I'm gonna take it out of somebody's hide.
If it's not, and that really is Anna.
I have to know, Stephen.
Is it her? Is it? - I don't know.
- You don't know.
You and Kosh came to my quarters.
You showed me images from Z'ha'dum of Anna and the crew of the "Icarus" waking up the Shadows.
You gave me every reason to believe she was dead! How could you do that when you didn't know for sure? Those who would not serve the Shadows were killed.
That we knew without question.
We assumed she would not serve.
- Perhaps we were wrong.
- Anna would never work for those things! Then I have no explanation.
You have no explanation.
That's it? Damn it, Delenn, I have always felt that you were holding out on me on a couple of things.
I figured you had your reasons, but this? I mean, if you weren't sure, if there was even a chance of her being alive - why didn't you tell me? - Because you would have gone to Z'ha'dum after her.
We couldn't allow that.
You and Kosh.
You couldn't allow it.
I trusted you, Delenn.
I cared for you.
I let myself start to love you.
Do you know what that means? Do you know how hard that was for me? A little part of me was still in love with Anna, even though she was gone.
I had to fight that part off every time I thought about you, about.
About holding you, about building a life for the two of us.
John, you must believe me.
I didn't know she was alive.
We assumed that she had died with the rest of the crew that only Morden had survived.
And had you known would you have told me? It would depend.
It would depend on what she had become.
Z'ha'dum is the Homeworld of the Shadows.
No one leaves the same as they arrived.
You would've denied me the right to make that choice.
How can you say that and expect me to ever trust you again? John.
I do love you.
If you believe nothing else I ever say please.
Please believe that.
Another drink.
Londo, you've been like this since the diplomatic pouch arrived this morning.
At least you can do is tell me what's wrong.
Oh, gods, Vir.
I have been promoted.
I have been offered a position in the Royal Court as an advisor to Emperor Cartagia in matters of planetary security.
A very important position.
This is great news.
Why would you be upset? Because! It should have come to me 20 years ago, when I could've appreciated it.
And because it wasn't given to me because I earned it.
They are, I think, afraid of me.
Through our friend Mr.
Morden, I have gained influence and money and power.
They think I will move against Cartagia.
- Then why would they reward you? - It's not a reward, it's a leash.
I will have to divide my time between here and the Homeworld.
They're reeling me in.
They will watch me very carefully.
And if I do anything suspicious they will find me in the morning with my throat slit ear to ear.
- Keep the change.
- No charge, ambassador.
- And who are you? - A friend.
I was sent by our mutual associates.
I have a message.
You must leave the station at once.
And why must I leave? I am very comfortable where I am.
I have told you all I can.
If you won't go, I can't be responsible.
But if you value your life, you will leave.
Quickly.
Friend of Mr.
Morden's? Very likely.
I do not think I like the sound of this, Vir.
No, I do not like the sound of this at all.
I don't think I have ever been examined in such detail before.
Well, except by you, of course.
At least his report confirms that I am who I say I am.
And you've been on Z'ha'dum all these years? Doing what? I mean, after all this time, why come back now? I can't tell you that.
Not here.
You have to come with me.
I can guarantee your safety.
They're eager to meet you.
And if I don't go? Then I'll go back without you.
And you'll never know the truth.
No threats? John, they aren't what you think they are.
No.
No threats.
No ultimatums.
Just an invitation to come and hear their side of the story, nothing more.
Why would you go back there? Because it's my home now.
I'm doing important work.
- You'll understand when we get there.
- No.
I'm not going anywhere until I get some answers.
I wanna know what happened to you when you landed on Z'ha'dum.
- John, I-- - That's my condition.
Just tell me that much.
And you'll go with me to Z'ha'dum? I'll go.
Interplanetary Expeditions said that one of their probes out on the Rim had found the ruins of an ancient civilization.
Dr.
Chang was putting together a follow- up expedition, and he wanted me on his team.
It was the find of a lifetime.
What he didn't tell me or most of the crew was where he really got the information.
A few years earlier, IPX had found an alien ship buried beneath the surface of Mars.
It was unlike anything they'd ever seen before.
As soon as it was exposed to daylight, an automatic beacon on board sent out a coded message.
They knew whoever the ship belonged to would be coming in fast to pick it up so they moved quickly.
They analyzed the ship, took pieces of it for study later and planted a homing device inside.
Three days later, another ship turned up and finished digging it out of the ground.
When it left, IPX was able to track it through hyperspace to a world out on the Rim.
Z'ha'dum.
We didn't have a name for it at the time.
Chang was under strict orders from Earthforce New Technologies Division to keep this top- secret.
As soon as we landed, we picked up an energy source.
We were told to check it out.
And that's where we found them.
The Shadows.
It's a very dramatic name, but not a very descriptive one.
Their actual name is 10, 000 letters long.
I couldn't pronounce it if I tried.
And I have.
They were quite approachable.
Tell that to the rest of the crew.
There was an accident.
The crew was killed.
The com system destroyed.
Those of us who survived had no way to tell Earth what had happened.
And even if we could have, the aliens had just come out of hibernation they were vulnerable.
They couldn't risk exposure to outsiders.
So they made a deal.
In exchange for our silence, they let us study their technology.
John, we have learned things in the last five years that will change Earth forever.
Imagine.
No more poverty.
Limitless cheap energy.
Organic ships.
We could leap ahead a thousand years.
Ten thousand.
And all you had to do was let us think you were dead.
It wasn't what I wanted.
Besides, you always said our personal lives had to take second place to serving Earth.
We didn't realize how much time had passed.
It doesn't work quite the same there as it does here.
But now I'm back, John.
And I've come to take you back with me.
So you can see for yourself.
So they can tell you what this is about.
What it's really all about.
Delenn, Kosh and the others, they have misled you again and again.
It's time to learn the truth.
You're right.
Maybe it is time.
Captain, I heard about-- - Well, I heard about Anna.
Anything I can do? - No, thank you.
The situation is well in hand.
There is something you can do on another matter.
The Minbari crew of the "White Star" haven't been logged into the security net.
No, sir.
Figured it wasn't necessary.
Delenn vouched for them.
I understand, but we should have that information if we need it.
I want them shuttled over, processed, given Identicards, the usual.
All of them.
Who's gonna run the ship? The "White Star" can orbit the station on autopilot for a few hours, no problem.
- I guess we can do that.
Anything else? - Yes.
While you're at it, I need a few things taken care of.
It's all here.
You will, of course, keep this confidential.
These days, what around here isn't confidential? I'll take care of-- Son of a bitch.
It's against regulations to address a senior officer in those terms, Mr.
Garibaldi.
Michael when I first came here, I wasn't sure about you.
You weren't sure about me.
Since then I have come to trust you, to rely on you.
I need you to take care of this for me.
No questions.
No speculations.
No hunches or educated guesses.
All right? - Yeah.
- Good.
And when I see you next, if everything is set we'll talk about the weather.
Yes, sir.
If you go to Z'ha'dum, you will die.
Com system, I wanna record a time- delayed message for Ambassador Delenn.
Stand by.
- Afternoon, captain.
- Mr.
Garibaldi.
Is there a problem? No, just taking a walk.
I heard a weather report from Earth.
They've had a late winter, but it finally started snowing in New York.
It must be very pretty there this time of year.
Yes, sir.
Must be.
Take care, Michael.
You too.
- Sure you can run this thing by yourself? - I think so.
I've watched them whenever we've gone out.
Control system's pretty intelligent, so as long as we don't run into any trouble we should be fine.
You're guaranteed safe passage.
Well, then let's get this show on the road.
Next stop, Z'ha'dum.
Wish we could've taken a different ship.
This one's based partially on Vorlon technology.
The aliens believe they'll die if anything remotely Vorlon touches Z'ha'dum.
Then we won't risk it.
When we get there, we'll take the shuttle down to the surface.
Susan.
I just checked the logs.
The captain's gone.
I know, I just found out about it myself.
There must be a reason.
You don't understand.
Why did he do it? - I gave him the report, I know he read it.
- What report? There's a problem with Anna.
The entrance is up ahead.
For security reasons, they moved their main structures underground centuries ago.
John, I'll need your gun.
They designed this part of the complex specifically for us.
Us? You'll see.
No, not that door.
This one.
Yes, come in.
Anna.
You got him to come back with you.
Excellent, just excellent.
Come in, please.
Have a seat.
I'm making some tea.
It's chamomile, but I can make something else if you like.
It helps me sleep better.
- Captain, I think you already know.
- Yes.
- Hello, captain.
- Have a seat.
Please.
Who are you? - Now, that's really not important.
- Who are you? Who decides that the work day is from Who decides that the hemlines will be below the knee this year and short again next year? Who draws up the borders, controls the currency handles all of the decisions that happen transparently around us? I don't know.
I'm with them.
Same group, different department.
Think of me as a sort of middleman.
And the name is Justin.
Come in now.
Sit, sit.
The tea's getting cold.
Yes? "Authorization needed to deliver time"- "delay" message recorded by Captain Sheridan.
Do you accept? Yes.
Delenn by the time you get this message, I will be at Z'ha'dum with Anna.
I can pretty much guess your reaction when you hear this, but I think it's the only way.
When you and I were in the time rift with Babylon 4, for a moment I jumped forward in time.
We'd won the war but Centauri Prime had been devastated.
You said that this future couldn't be changed.
You also told me: Do not go to Z'ha'dum.
Do you understand? Do not go to Z'ha'dum! I began to wonder: What if that future happened because I listened to you and didn't go to Z'ha'dum? What if? What if I could prevent the fall of Centauri Prime and end the Shadow War by going there? What I want is to stay alive, to be with you.
But you were right before.
This is about more than what I want.
So I'm going, even though I know it's almost certainly a trap.
You see, John, back a million years ago there were forces prowling around the galaxy beyond anything that we could understand.
And, like anything else most of them outgrew this little corner of the universe and headed off toward greener pastures.
Now, two of them stayed behind.
Shepherds, you might call them.
They wanted to look after the younger races, bring them around help them evolve into something better.
One of these was the Vorlons.
The other was what you call the Shadows.
The Vorlons are like your parents, I suppose.
They want you to play nice, clean your room, do it by the rules.
I guess you could call them "lords of order.
" The others, the ones who live here, believe that strength only comes from conflict.
They want to release our potential, not bottle it up.
It's really simple.
You bring two sides together, they fight.
A lot of them die.
But those who survive are stronger, smarter and better.
It's like knocking over an anthill.
Every new generation gets stronger the anthill gets redesigned, made better.
So that's what the Shadows do.
Come out every few thousand years and kick over all the anthills.
Start wars, destroy entire races.
A few get lost along the way.
Yes.
And that's unfortunate.
I don't think it was ever easy but you can't let that get in the way of the dream.
Commander, I'm picking up a disturbance.
- Location? - All around us.
Red alert! Red alert! - Status.
- They're not moving.
Holding position.
All fighter squadrons launch, but do not approach until authorized.
Think about it, captain.
Look at the long history of human struggle.
Six thousand years of recorded wars.
Bloodshed, atrocities beyond description.
But look at what came out of all of that.
We've gone to the stars, split the atom, written sonnets.
We wouldn't have come this far if we hadn't been at each other's throats, evolving our way up, inch by inch.
It was supposed to be an equal balance between our side and the Vorlons.
But the Vorlons decided that their way was the right way.
They enlisted the support of other worlds, like the Minbari.
They even started interfering with the development of younger races.
When you look at a Vorlon, you see what they want you to see.
They've manipulated us so we'd respond favorably to them.
They've even interfered at a genetic level, taking humans and adjusting them.
Why do you think certifiable telepaths came out of nowhere a hundred years ago? They created telepaths on a hundred worlds to use as cannon fodder for the next war, but fortunately our friends got there first and with the help of the Psi Corps made sure that they came out on our side.
John, they think that the human race shows great potential.
When all this is over, we can be riding high.
The first to rebuild, making things our own way.
But the only thing that's standing in our way now is you.
So we can either work together now or we can remove your support mechanism.
Moving into position.
Everybody hang tight.
- Can you get through to Draal? - Negative.
They're jamming us.
I don't understand.
They're just sitting there.
This has something to do with the captain, but what? What are they waiting for? Everything depends on getting the other races to fight each other to create conflict in order to promote growth and evolution.
By getting them to cooperate, you are working against that goal.
When this starts, there's always someone who tries to organize the other races.
You've done it.
That's a commendable achievement.
But as far as our goals are concerned, unproductive.
- So why don't you just kill me? - Doesn't work.
Somebody'd just come around and replace you.
That's always been the trouble with creating martyrs.
We brought you here hoping you'd understand us.
Work with us, not against us.
You're important.
You're what they call a nexus.
You turn one way and the whole world has a tendency to go the same way.
Let go of those other races.
You can't hold them together.
Evolution will be served one way or another.
- So you can work with us or-- - Or you'll do to me what you did to Anna.
- I don't know what you're-- - The memories are there the voice is there, the DNA is there but the personality.
I look in her eyes and the woman I love, the woman that I married isn't there.
She would never go along with this.
You're right.
Just so.
You see, when she came here five years ago, she was given the choice the same choice that we're giving you.
She made the mistake of choosing badly.
You stuck her in one of those ships, didn't you? How did you know? A few months ago we intercepted a shipful of people who were going to be merged with the Shadow vessels.
They had implants in the brain stem, right back here.
Scars in the back of her head are in exactly the same place.
Our associates needed fresh bodies for the central processing units in their ships.
But we pulled her out as soon as we found out who she was and who you are.
But once you've been inside of one of those ships for a while you're never quite whole again.
But you do what you're told.
And so will you! Commander! G'Kar, good.
- Can we get those nuclear weapons outside? - I'm afraid not.
Even if we could, at this range they'd vaporize us right along with the enemy.
- Maybe.
How many do we have? - That's what I came to tell you.
- Two of the devices are missing.
- What? Thermal fusion system armed for detonation.
John.
There's nowhere to run.
Come back inside, we can work this out.
I know this isn't the Anna that you knew.
What I am is what was made in her.
A new personality.
She can never come back but I can love you as well as she did.
Finally, I heard what you said when I left.
And I want you to know that I love you, Delenn.
Goodbye.
Jump.
Jump.
Now! What the hell? They're leaving.
I don't get it.
- What happened? - They wouldn't just leave.
Unless we were no longer a threat.
He's gone.
It was the end of the Earth year 2260 and the war had paused suddenly and unexpectedly.
All around us, it was as if the universe were holding its breath waiting.
All of life can be broken down into moments of transition or moments of revelation.
This had the feeling of both.
Commander.
Any word on the captain? Anything at all? We've tried everything.
The "White Star" isn't receiving.
As far as we can tell, it's been destroyed.
There's something else.
We checked the fighter bays.
One of the fighters we sent out didn't come back.
Who was the pilot? Mr.
Garibaldi.
G'Quan wrote,"There is a greater darkness than the one we fight.
It is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way.
" The war we fight is not against powers and principalities it is against chaos and despair.
Greater than the death of flesh is the death of hope the death of dreams.
Against this peril we can never surrender.
The future is all around us waiting in moments of transition to be born in moments of revelation.
No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us.
We know only that it is always born in pain.
" I am really excited about signing "onboard the" Icarus "next week.
" John and I were supposed to spend time together, but Dr.
Chang thinks he's found the ruins of an ancient civilization no one's even heard of before.
Z'ha'dum.
Anna.
"The" Icarus.
They found something, didn't they? Yes.
Once awakened, the Shadows could not allow them to leave.
Those who would not serve were killed.
One hundred and thirty- nine people died onboard the "Icarus", Mr.
Morden.
Including my wife.
And here you sit, not a scratch.
When Minbari become close it is tradition that they spend three nights together.
The male sleeps and the female watches.
As you relax, your true face is revealed.
Hello.
You must be Delenn.
I'm Anna Sheridan.
John's wife.
Minbari also have a phrase.
"What is past is also sometimes the future.
" Anna? My God! What are you doing here? "What are you doing here?" After five years, that's the best that you can do? Though under the circumstances, I can understand.
I.
I should go.
- I should go.
- No, wait-- Delenn, wait.
It's all right, John.
Let her go.
You can talk to her later.
This should be a moment for us.
I thought you were dead.
You mean she didn't-- ? She didn't tell you? Well, that is interesting.
Oh, John.
I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you myself.
I'm sorry for leaving you alone for so long for not being able to get word to you.
But that's all behind us now.
We're together again.
I know what you're thinking.
How can you be sure if it's really me? For all you know, for all she told you I could be some thing made up to look like me.
Fine.
I'll take whatever test you want.
Ask me any question.
I don't mind.
I know there's a lot that you don't know.
I know there's a lot that you don't understand.
I'm here to fix that.
Don't you wanna know what it's all about? What it's really all about? I can do that.
All you have to do is come with me.
- Where? - Where else? To Z'ha'dum.
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.
There they are, commander.
As promised.
The ambassador from Gaim was happy to deliver them.
Each of these devices carries terrible destructive force.
In human terms, they can deliver a thermonuclear blast of 600 megatons.
- Will they show up on a scanner? - lf you know what to look for.
Otherwise they're undetectable.
So the next time we find out where the Shadows plan to strike we can mine the area.
When they come out of hyperspace-- - Then, as you so concisely say,"Boom.
" - Good.
Thank you for delivering these, G'Kar.
- The captain will be very happy.
- Where is he? I thought he would be here.
Well, it's a little hard to explain.
Let's just say that something came up.
- Well? - She's human.
Checked dental and medical records against what you gave me.
It's a 100*/ match, right down to her DNA sequence.
Every piece of equipment I've got says that's your wife.
Anna died at Z'ha'dum.
She looks pretty lively to me.
I thought you'd be happy to have her back.
It's not that easy.
It was years before I could finally accept her death.
I had to force myself to start over, to create a new life.
- And Delenn-- - Have you talked to her yet? She was in my quarters when Anna showed up.
Is there anything else? Some epidermal scarring above the nape of her neck.
It may have been caused when the "Icarus" was destroyed, but.
Anything beneath it? No, no.
Maybe it's nothing, but it never hurts to run a few more tests.
All right, do so.
If this is a trick, I'm gonna take it out of somebody's hide.
If it's not, and that really is Anna.
I have to know, Stephen.
Is it her? Is it? - I don't know.
- You don't know.
You and Kosh came to my quarters.
You showed me images from Z'ha'dum of Anna and the crew of the "Icarus" waking up the Shadows.
You gave me every reason to believe she was dead! How could you do that when you didn't know for sure? Those who would not serve the Shadows were killed.
That we knew without question.
We assumed she would not serve.
- Perhaps we were wrong.
- Anna would never work for those things! Then I have no explanation.
You have no explanation.
That's it? Damn it, Delenn, I have always felt that you were holding out on me on a couple of things.
I figured you had your reasons, but this? I mean, if you weren't sure, if there was even a chance of her being alive - why didn't you tell me? - Because you would have gone to Z'ha'dum after her.
We couldn't allow that.
You and Kosh.
You couldn't allow it.
I trusted you, Delenn.
I cared for you.
I let myself start to love you.
Do you know what that means? Do you know how hard that was for me? A little part of me was still in love with Anna, even though she was gone.
I had to fight that part off every time I thought about you, about.
About holding you, about building a life for the two of us.
John, you must believe me.
I didn't know she was alive.
We assumed that she had died with the rest of the crew that only Morden had survived.
And had you known would you have told me? It would depend.
It would depend on what she had become.
Z'ha'dum is the Homeworld of the Shadows.
No one leaves the same as they arrived.
You would've denied me the right to make that choice.
How can you say that and expect me to ever trust you again? John.
I do love you.
If you believe nothing else I ever say please.
Please believe that.
Another drink.
Londo, you've been like this since the diplomatic pouch arrived this morning.
At least you can do is tell me what's wrong.
Oh, gods, Vir.
I have been promoted.
I have been offered a position in the Royal Court as an advisor to Emperor Cartagia in matters of planetary security.
A very important position.
This is great news.
Why would you be upset? Because! It should have come to me 20 years ago, when I could've appreciated it.
And because it wasn't given to me because I earned it.
They are, I think, afraid of me.
Through our friend Mr.
Morden, I have gained influence and money and power.
They think I will move against Cartagia.
- Then why would they reward you? - It's not a reward, it's a leash.
I will have to divide my time between here and the Homeworld.
They're reeling me in.
They will watch me very carefully.
And if I do anything suspicious they will find me in the morning with my throat slit ear to ear.
- Keep the change.
- No charge, ambassador.
- And who are you? - A friend.
I was sent by our mutual associates.
I have a message.
You must leave the station at once.
And why must I leave? I am very comfortable where I am.
I have told you all I can.
If you won't go, I can't be responsible.
But if you value your life, you will leave.
Quickly.
Friend of Mr.
Morden's? Very likely.
I do not think I like the sound of this, Vir.
No, I do not like the sound of this at all.
I don't think I have ever been examined in such detail before.
Well, except by you, of course.
At least his report confirms that I am who I say I am.
And you've been on Z'ha'dum all these years? Doing what? I mean, after all this time, why come back now? I can't tell you that.
Not here.
You have to come with me.
I can guarantee your safety.
They're eager to meet you.
And if I don't go? Then I'll go back without you.
And you'll never know the truth.
No threats? John, they aren't what you think they are.
No.
No threats.
No ultimatums.
Just an invitation to come and hear their side of the story, nothing more.
Why would you go back there? Because it's my home now.
I'm doing important work.
- You'll understand when we get there.
- No.
I'm not going anywhere until I get some answers.
I wanna know what happened to you when you landed on Z'ha'dum.
- John, I-- - That's my condition.
Just tell me that much.
And you'll go with me to Z'ha'dum? I'll go.
Interplanetary Expeditions said that one of their probes out on the Rim had found the ruins of an ancient civilization.
Dr.
Chang was putting together a follow- up expedition, and he wanted me on his team.
It was the find of a lifetime.
What he didn't tell me or most of the crew was where he really got the information.
A few years earlier, IPX had found an alien ship buried beneath the surface of Mars.
It was unlike anything they'd ever seen before.
As soon as it was exposed to daylight, an automatic beacon on board sent out a coded message.
They knew whoever the ship belonged to would be coming in fast to pick it up so they moved quickly.
They analyzed the ship, took pieces of it for study later and planted a homing device inside.
Three days later, another ship turned up and finished digging it out of the ground.
When it left, IPX was able to track it through hyperspace to a world out on the Rim.
Z'ha'dum.
We didn't have a name for it at the time.
Chang was under strict orders from Earthforce New Technologies Division to keep this top- secret.
As soon as we landed, we picked up an energy source.
We were told to check it out.
And that's where we found them.
The Shadows.
It's a very dramatic name, but not a very descriptive one.
Their actual name is 10, 000 letters long.
I couldn't pronounce it if I tried.
And I have.
They were quite approachable.
Tell that to the rest of the crew.
There was an accident.
The crew was killed.
The com system destroyed.
Those of us who survived had no way to tell Earth what had happened.
And even if we could have, the aliens had just come out of hibernation they were vulnerable.
They couldn't risk exposure to outsiders.
So they made a deal.
In exchange for our silence, they let us study their technology.
John, we have learned things in the last five years that will change Earth forever.
Imagine.
No more poverty.
Limitless cheap energy.
Organic ships.
We could leap ahead a thousand years.
Ten thousand.
And all you had to do was let us think you were dead.
It wasn't what I wanted.
Besides, you always said our personal lives had to take second place to serving Earth.
We didn't realize how much time had passed.
It doesn't work quite the same there as it does here.
But now I'm back, John.
And I've come to take you back with me.
So you can see for yourself.
So they can tell you what this is about.
What it's really all about.
Delenn, Kosh and the others, they have misled you again and again.
It's time to learn the truth.
You're right.
Maybe it is time.
Captain, I heard about-- - Well, I heard about Anna.
Anything I can do? - No, thank you.
The situation is well in hand.
There is something you can do on another matter.
The Minbari crew of the "White Star" haven't been logged into the security net.
No, sir.
Figured it wasn't necessary.
Delenn vouched for them.
I understand, but we should have that information if we need it.
I want them shuttled over, processed, given Identicards, the usual.
All of them.
Who's gonna run the ship? The "White Star" can orbit the station on autopilot for a few hours, no problem.
- I guess we can do that.
Anything else? - Yes.
While you're at it, I need a few things taken care of.
It's all here.
You will, of course, keep this confidential.
These days, what around here isn't confidential? I'll take care of-- Son of a bitch.
It's against regulations to address a senior officer in those terms, Mr.
Garibaldi.
Michael when I first came here, I wasn't sure about you.
You weren't sure about me.
Since then I have come to trust you, to rely on you.
I need you to take care of this for me.
No questions.
No speculations.
No hunches or educated guesses.
All right? - Yeah.
- Good.
And when I see you next, if everything is set we'll talk about the weather.
Yes, sir.
If you go to Z'ha'dum, you will die.
Com system, I wanna record a time- delayed message for Ambassador Delenn.
Stand by.
- Afternoon, captain.
- Mr.
Garibaldi.
Is there a problem? No, just taking a walk.
I heard a weather report from Earth.
They've had a late winter, but it finally started snowing in New York.
It must be very pretty there this time of year.
Yes, sir.
Must be.
Take care, Michael.
You too.
- Sure you can run this thing by yourself? - I think so.
I've watched them whenever we've gone out.
Control system's pretty intelligent, so as long as we don't run into any trouble we should be fine.
You're guaranteed safe passage.
Well, then let's get this show on the road.
Next stop, Z'ha'dum.
Wish we could've taken a different ship.
This one's based partially on Vorlon technology.
The aliens believe they'll die if anything remotely Vorlon touches Z'ha'dum.
Then we won't risk it.
When we get there, we'll take the shuttle down to the surface.
Susan.
I just checked the logs.
The captain's gone.
I know, I just found out about it myself.
There must be a reason.
You don't understand.
Why did he do it? - I gave him the report, I know he read it.
- What report? There's a problem with Anna.
The entrance is up ahead.
For security reasons, they moved their main structures underground centuries ago.
John, I'll need your gun.
They designed this part of the complex specifically for us.
Us? You'll see.
No, not that door.
This one.
Yes, come in.
Anna.
You got him to come back with you.
Excellent, just excellent.
Come in, please.
Have a seat.
I'm making some tea.
It's chamomile, but I can make something else if you like.
It helps me sleep better.
- Captain, I think you already know.
- Yes.
- Hello, captain.
- Have a seat.
Please.
Who are you? - Now, that's really not important.
- Who are you? Who decides that the work day is from Who decides that the hemlines will be below the knee this year and short again next year? Who draws up the borders, controls the currency handles all of the decisions that happen transparently around us? I don't know.
I'm with them.
Same group, different department.
Think of me as a sort of middleman.
And the name is Justin.
Come in now.
Sit, sit.
The tea's getting cold.
Yes? "Authorization needed to deliver time"- "delay" message recorded by Captain Sheridan.
Do you accept? Yes.
Delenn by the time you get this message, I will be at Z'ha'dum with Anna.
I can pretty much guess your reaction when you hear this, but I think it's the only way.
When you and I were in the time rift with Babylon 4, for a moment I jumped forward in time.
We'd won the war but Centauri Prime had been devastated.
You said that this future couldn't be changed.
You also told me: Do not go to Z'ha'dum.
Do you understand? Do not go to Z'ha'dum! I began to wonder: What if that future happened because I listened to you and didn't go to Z'ha'dum? What if? What if I could prevent the fall of Centauri Prime and end the Shadow War by going there? What I want is to stay alive, to be with you.
But you were right before.
This is about more than what I want.
So I'm going, even though I know it's almost certainly a trap.
You see, John, back a million years ago there were forces prowling around the galaxy beyond anything that we could understand.
And, like anything else most of them outgrew this little corner of the universe and headed off toward greener pastures.
Now, two of them stayed behind.
Shepherds, you might call them.
They wanted to look after the younger races, bring them around help them evolve into something better.
One of these was the Vorlons.
The other was what you call the Shadows.
The Vorlons are like your parents, I suppose.
They want you to play nice, clean your room, do it by the rules.
I guess you could call them "lords of order.
" The others, the ones who live here, believe that strength only comes from conflict.
They want to release our potential, not bottle it up.
It's really simple.
You bring two sides together, they fight.
A lot of them die.
But those who survive are stronger, smarter and better.
It's like knocking over an anthill.
Every new generation gets stronger the anthill gets redesigned, made better.
So that's what the Shadows do.
Come out every few thousand years and kick over all the anthills.
Start wars, destroy entire races.
A few get lost along the way.
Yes.
And that's unfortunate.
I don't think it was ever easy but you can't let that get in the way of the dream.
Commander, I'm picking up a disturbance.
- Location? - All around us.
Red alert! Red alert! - Status.
- They're not moving.
Holding position.
All fighter squadrons launch, but do not approach until authorized.
Think about it, captain.
Look at the long history of human struggle.
Six thousand years of recorded wars.
Bloodshed, atrocities beyond description.
But look at what came out of all of that.
We've gone to the stars, split the atom, written sonnets.
We wouldn't have come this far if we hadn't been at each other's throats, evolving our way up, inch by inch.
It was supposed to be an equal balance between our side and the Vorlons.
But the Vorlons decided that their way was the right way.
They enlisted the support of other worlds, like the Minbari.
They even started interfering with the development of younger races.
When you look at a Vorlon, you see what they want you to see.
They've manipulated us so we'd respond favorably to them.
They've even interfered at a genetic level, taking humans and adjusting them.
Why do you think certifiable telepaths came out of nowhere a hundred years ago? They created telepaths on a hundred worlds to use as cannon fodder for the next war, but fortunately our friends got there first and with the help of the Psi Corps made sure that they came out on our side.
John, they think that the human race shows great potential.
When all this is over, we can be riding high.
The first to rebuild, making things our own way.
But the only thing that's standing in our way now is you.
So we can either work together now or we can remove your support mechanism.
Moving into position.
Everybody hang tight.
- Can you get through to Draal? - Negative.
They're jamming us.
I don't understand.
They're just sitting there.
This has something to do with the captain, but what? What are they waiting for? Everything depends on getting the other races to fight each other to create conflict in order to promote growth and evolution.
By getting them to cooperate, you are working against that goal.
When this starts, there's always someone who tries to organize the other races.
You've done it.
That's a commendable achievement.
But as far as our goals are concerned, unproductive.
- So why don't you just kill me? - Doesn't work.
Somebody'd just come around and replace you.
That's always been the trouble with creating martyrs.
We brought you here hoping you'd understand us.
Work with us, not against us.
You're important.
You're what they call a nexus.
You turn one way and the whole world has a tendency to go the same way.
Let go of those other races.
You can't hold them together.
Evolution will be served one way or another.
- So you can work with us or-- - Or you'll do to me what you did to Anna.
- I don't know what you're-- - The memories are there the voice is there, the DNA is there but the personality.
I look in her eyes and the woman I love, the woman that I married isn't there.
She would never go along with this.
You're right.
Just so.
You see, when she came here five years ago, she was given the choice the same choice that we're giving you.
She made the mistake of choosing badly.
You stuck her in one of those ships, didn't you? How did you know? A few months ago we intercepted a shipful of people who were going to be merged with the Shadow vessels.
They had implants in the brain stem, right back here.
Scars in the back of her head are in exactly the same place.
Our associates needed fresh bodies for the central processing units in their ships.
But we pulled her out as soon as we found out who she was and who you are.
But once you've been inside of one of those ships for a while you're never quite whole again.
But you do what you're told.
And so will you! Commander! G'Kar, good.
- Can we get those nuclear weapons outside? - I'm afraid not.
Even if we could, at this range they'd vaporize us right along with the enemy.
- Maybe.
How many do we have? - That's what I came to tell you.
- Two of the devices are missing.
- What? Thermal fusion system armed for detonation.
John.
There's nowhere to run.
Come back inside, we can work this out.
I know this isn't the Anna that you knew.
What I am is what was made in her.
A new personality.
She can never come back but I can love you as well as she did.
Finally, I heard what you said when I left.
And I want you to know that I love you, Delenn.
Goodbye.
Jump.
Jump.
Now! What the hell? They're leaving.
I don't get it.
- What happened? - They wouldn't just leave.
Unless we were no longer a threat.
He's gone.
It was the end of the Earth year 2260 and the war had paused suddenly and unexpectedly.
All around us, it was as if the universe were holding its breath waiting.
All of life can be broken down into moments of transition or moments of revelation.
This had the feeling of both.
Commander.
Any word on the captain? Anything at all? We've tried everything.
The "White Star" isn't receiving.
As far as we can tell, it's been destroyed.
There's something else.
We checked the fighter bays.
One of the fighters we sent out didn't come back.
Who was the pilot? Mr.
Garibaldi.
G'Quan wrote,"There is a greater darkness than the one we fight.
It is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way.
" The war we fight is not against powers and principalities it is against chaos and despair.
Greater than the death of flesh is the death of hope the death of dreams.
Against this peril we can never surrender.
The future is all around us waiting in moments of transition to be born in moments of revelation.
No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us.
We know only that it is always born in pain.