Babylon 5 s04e16 Episode Script

This is Cmdr.
Susan lvanova, bringing you the Voice of the Resistance.
The Liberation Fleet continues to retake territory held in violation of the Earth Alliance constitution.
More ships on the other side continue to defect carrying stories of atrocities carried out under the direct orders of President Clark.
In addition to the liberation of Proxima 3 the colony at Beta Durani and the midrange military base have also been freed.
The long march toward Earth continues.
Personal log, Michael Garibaldi.
It's started.
They're really doing it.
This is what I was afraid would happen, but it's been coming for a long time.
Ever since Sheridan got back.
Before he went to Z'Ha'Dum he never would've gone up against his own, our own government, like this.
I don't know, maybe he thinks he's Alexander the Great and maybe he thinks he's John the Baptist and maybe he wants to take over the whole operation for himself.
That's the part that worries me.
That's the part that made me come back here.
Mars.
I can't believe I'm back on Mars.
Three times before, this place almost killed me.
I swore I'd never give it another chance to finish the job.
Humans got no business being here.
No business at all.
It's almost time.
You have to put this on now.
I think you've been watching too many spy vids.
You wanna see the big guy, you gotta play by the big guy's rules.
I'm really sorry if this troubles you, Mr.
Garibaldi.
You're the type of guy who doesn't like to give up control.
I can see that.
And I sympathize, I really do.
But it's either this or I put you on the next transport out.
I'm gonna look stupid.
You know, at certain times of our lives we all look stupid.
The key is not to mind it.
Now, Mr.
Edgars has gone through a lot of trouble to clear you through this blockade.
The average guy would be very grateful.
Wouldn't want to cause Mr.
Edgars any more trouble.
- I'm not your average guy.
- No, you're not.
That's a very good point.
I'm not either.
Mr.
Edgars doesn't like average guys.
He likes his people smart.
Well-spoken.
Presentable.
I ever tell you I have a master's in literature? Don't take it personal, but you don't seem the type.
Everything is illusion, Mr.
Garibaldi.
Concepts of language, light, metaphor.
Nothing is real.
Except this blindfold.
Which you will put on now.
Otherwise we turn around.
Won't some people think it's weird to see me walk out like this? No.
Mr.
Edgars has his own private dock.
Did you know this place was named after the god of war? Lts rising foretold the death of kings collapse of empires.
It was a bad sign.
Now there are 2 million people living here.
It's still a bad sign.
Mars.
Can't believe I'm back on Mars.
I gotta be out of my mind.
It was the year of fire.
The year of destruction.
The year we took back what was ours.
It was the year of rebirth.
The year of great sadness.
The year of pain.
- And a year of joy.
- It was a new age.
It was the end of history.
It was the year everything changed.
The year is 2261.
The place, Babylon 5.
Warning.
Respiration decreasing.
Heartbeat irregular.
Cerebral activity approaching critical.
Cardial failure predicted in 30 seconds.
Patient life signs stabilizing.
Returning to nominal.
Any luck, doc? Zip.
Shadow implants have defense systems on top of defense systems.
You know, I tried going in surgically from unaffected parts of the brain.
I tried freezing it.
I can't move one of the epidermal implants aside without it trying to kill the patient.
We know they wanted to use the telepaths for their ships.
- Once they got you they don't wanna let go.
- I can't even bring in the heavy scanners.
Everything has to be isolated off the computer systems because when they wake up they bond instantly to any computer system nearby.
They're immediately hostile I can't take the risk, not after what happened the last time.
And the captain The captain, he just keeps bugging me about this every time he calls.
- Did he tell you why? - No.
No, he does not tell me why and that just makes it even more frustrating.
These implants are beyond anything I've ever encountered before.
And after a while, you know, that really starts to annoy me.
I should be able to figure this out.
It gets away from me every time.
Well, you'll work it out.
You always do.
I just wish I knew why the captain was in such a hurry about this all of a sudden.
Yeah, I'll be right back.
Zack.
Ivanova said you were looking for me.
Lyta, yeah.
We got a guy in Medlab 4 who was mugged in Downbelow.
We think we got the perp, but the victim's pretty shook up, doesn't remember much.
We need confirmation that this is the guy who did it.
I can't scan a suspect in a criminal investigation, Zack, you know that.
- It's a violation of due process.
- Relax.
It's the victim who wants to be scanned.
You'll go into his head, look around, see if you can help him remember anything.
If you can pull a visual ID on the guy, we'll have you do a lineup and take it from there.
Standard commission.
Plus 10 percent stress fee if I have to relive the attack.
Done.
Just let me tell him we're coming.
Fifty cc's until she's stable, and then I'll come by and I'll Lyta.
- Hello, Lise.
- Michael.
You shouldn't have come.
Not now.
Why? A man's got a right to meet his employer face to face.
This isn't a good time.
Well, at least we're consistent.
- There never has been a good time for us.
- It's just things are very busy right now.
William has a lot It's all right, Lise.
Our guest has come a long way on a hard road.
I hope the trip wasn't too difficult.
- I've had worse.
- I'm sure you have.
Beatrice was looking for you.
She had some questions about dinner.
- Do you think you could? - Yes, of course.
Michael.
I apologize for the smallness of the house.
As you know, space is at a premium on Mars.
And since this is where we have our corporate headquarters I have to spend at least six months a year here or lose half my tax benefits.
- Would you? - Thank you.
No, I don't No, you don't drink anymore.
I know.
I make it a point to know all I can about my employees.
- There's juice.
Mineral water.
- No, thank you.
Next time, you'll have to come see us back on Earth.
Five hundred acres of watershed land.
The more I'm in the dome, the more I miss it.
As I said, long way on a hard road.
I said I'd ask you to come when the time was right.
You insisted on seeing me now.
Why? Because I got tired of not seeing the face of the man that I work for.
And I want to know what the hell it is I've been helping you smuggle past B5 customs.
And because somebody's gotta stop Sheridan's war against Earth.
- I'm just a businessman, Mr.
Garibaldi.
- Don't play me for stupid.
Edgars Pharmaceutical is the fourth-largest megacorp back home.
You're a major chemical-weapons supplier to Earthforce.
You've got at least two dozen lobbyists working Earth Dome.
And you practically bought Senator Claxby's reelection.
Yes, well, that was before President Clark's night of the long knives last year.
You got people who owe you big-time.
People in high places.
And what exactly do you think I can do for you? - I don't trust Clark.
- Yes, well, who does? Many of us believed he was behind President Santiago's assassination long before your people leaked anything.
He's out of control.
He's running scared.
He needs to be stopped.
But not by a military action.
We have to work from inside the system.
That's what I'm saying.
Unless Sheridan's stopped, he'll tear Earth apart.
Now, if you ask me, I think he wants to take over himself.
I can't let him do that.
But I won't turn him over to Clark.
He'd be dead in a second.
In your position, you could intervene on his behalf, get him the proper treatment.
Not to sound totally self-involved, but what's in it for me? If I give him protection, I see plenty of risk, but no profit.
You get to be the hero.
It's good for business, good for Earth and the next guy in office is gonna owe you big-time.
I mean, who knows? You could be the next guy in office.
It's an intriguing proposition, Michael.
Let me think about it.
You're halfway to the truth.
I have to decide whether or not to bring you the rest of the way.
But just so you understand, I won't do anything until I know I can trust you.
And I suspect you won't do anything until you know you can trust me.
This is gonna be a very interesting weekend, Mr.
Garibaldi.
This is where you'll bunk for now.
Oh, no, come on, I couldn't possibly.
I mean, it's just much too big.
- Well, I could change that if - No, no, no.
That's all right.
Please, don't inconvenience yourself on my behalf.
All right, when do I get to see Edgars again? - When he sends for you.
- Which is when? Which is five minutes after he sends for me to send for you.
Good night, Mr.
Garibaldi.
Try not to touch anything.
"Try not to touch anything.
" There.
Touch that.
Touching.
Touching.
I'm touching.
Touch, touch, touch, touch, touch.
Touch.
Oh, man.
- Lyta, wait up.
- I can't.
I'm late.
No, this will just take a minute.
I am sorry I messed up your experiment, whatever you were doing back there.
- Is that why you ran off like that? - Yeah.
No, no, no.
You didn't mess anything up.
You got a reaction out of one of my patients.
For those few seconds, he was conscious and responding without being a danger to himself or others.
I'd like to know how you did it.
I was just looking at him and I heard a sound in my head.
What kind of sound? Well, it's I don't even know if you're gonna believe me.
It sounded like the scream a Shadow vessel makes when it goes by.
When I heard it, I just reacted instinctively.
I made it go away.
That's when he woke up.
Interesting.
Look, can you come back? I'd like to run some tests.
- No, l - Lyta, please.
Look.
They're your own people.
They're telepaths.
Now, I know you have problems with the Corps, but you should at least try and help them.
All right.
I'll see what I can do.
Hey! Hey! What the hell?! Come on! What the hell's going on?! Let me go! Let me go! Hey! Hey! Don't be concerned, Mr.
Garibaldi.
Everything's fine.
You're in no imminent danger.
Yeah, thanks for the reassurance.
So who's she? What's she doing here? She is a telepath, Mr.
Garibaldi.
She knows nothing of our situation here or our discussion.
I have hired her for a surface scan only.
She will not probe deeply will not know the context of our discussion.
She will only tell me if you are telling the truth when you answer.
Do you understand? Oh, yeah, I understand.
So why the muscle? So you'd have no time to prepare mentally.
I want your heart rate fast, your thoughts jumbled to guard against any blocks or attempts to mislead us.
Now, for starters I want you to tell me what you think about telepaths.
Telepaths.
Well, I Feel free to be honest, Mr.
Garibaldi.
Her job is to report not to be offended by your opinions.
Go on.
I don't trust them.
Never have, never will.
Why? I don't like the idea of somebody having the power to get inside my head.
- There are safeguards.
- They're not worth a damn to anybody.
They'll never trust us.
We'll always be jealous of them, afraid of them.
They could lie to us and we'd never know, but if we lie to them, they know.
How do you stop a conspiracy when you have no evidence, no record? It all takes place in thoughts exchanged from one telepath to another to another.
Sooner or later this is gonna get ugly.
I just hope I'm not alive to see it happen.
Then you believe they're a menace to society? They're the biggest one we've got.
When you told me you wanted to help me locate and secure someone were you telling the truth? - Yes.
And you have a guaranteed means of doing this? I do.
You said you wanted to know the real reason behind your employment.
I've already given you a reason: To keep the pharmaceuticals now under development by my company safe from competitors.
Why isn't that a good enough reason? Because if somebody like you wants protection, you pay off the big boys and they give you a whole damn ship to yourself.
You only hire a guy like me if you've got something to hide.
It's not your competitors you're worried about.
It's your neck if you get caught.
So you assume I'm lying? Everybody lies.
That's a very sad view of the universe, Mr.
Garibaldi.
Yeah, well, it's the only one I got.
And it works for me.
I understand you disappeared from Babylon 5 for some time this past January.
Do you know what happened to you? No.
I don't remember anything.
Thank you, Mr.
Garibaldi.
You may go now.
One more thing.
Are you still in love with my wife? What? It's a very straightforward question, Mr.
Garibaldi.
Are you still in love with my wife? No.
No, I'm not.
Thank you.
You may return to your room now.
Thank you, Ms.
Constance.
Mr.
Wade will attend to your payment.
You should be in bed.
I couldn't sleep.
Did it go all right? Fine, fine.
Did he say anything about me? No, it never came up.
I think he's put it all behind him.
Good.
That's good.
As long as you're comfortable with him.
I think he'd be a fine addition.
Don't worry.
Everything's gonna be just fine.
All right, almost ready.
Just one more.
What do you want me to do? Well, do whatever you did the first time, just do it more slowly.
I can monitor any changes in his brain waves caused by direct contact with your thoughts.
With any luck, this will help me find a way to stimulate those same brain waves artificially.
Build a kind of a feedback loop.
If it works at least we'll be able to communicate with him.
What about the implants? Getting those out will take longer.
But if we can work around the implants talk to them without them turning violent or uncontrollable, that'll be a start.
All right.
I think I'm ready.
Computer, begin recording.
Recording active.
All right.
Now, remember, take it slow.
I need to see what you do at every stage, all right? All right, I'm getting a 10 percent increase in brain-wave activity.
All right, 15 percent increase in respiration and heartbeat Ease up a little, all right? Take him up slow.
Interesting.
Every time you push telepathically, it slows down production of acetylcholine.
The implants may be stimulating production of brain accelerants, making it work faster.
Which is necessary if you've been turned into the processing center of a Shadow vessel.
But without control or direction, the brain functions become erratic or distorted.
They start casting about, looking for something to do.
And when it doesn't find it, it starts tearing itself apart and anything nearby.
Getting a 10 percent It's all right.
You're safe.
No one's gonna hurt you.
The machines are gone? Yes, the machine The Shadow vessels are gone.
They're not gonna hurt you.
Then what am I? Why am I? I can't live like this.
I can't let you do that.
I'm sorry.
Go to sleep now.
- Mr.
Garibaldi, good morning.
- Good morning.
Would you like some orange juice? Costs a fortune to have it shipped up but people in my position are expected to have a few eccentricities.
When I was a kid I spent my summers with my uncle on a farm in Valencia, California.
We always had fresh orange juice every morning on the table.
Those were good years.
Simpler.
A lot simpler.
Look, I went through your test.
I assume I passed, or we wouldn't be standing here.
I did my part, now do yours.
What's this all about? Do you know how the ancient Greeks defined happiness? Not offhand, but I'd be willing to bet it involved three goats and a jug of wine.
Happiness, they said, was the exercise of vital powers along lines of excellence in a life affording them scope.
Humans have always struggled to find the outer edge of what's possible.
And that's our strength.
But what kind of world would we have, what options for happiness would we have in a society run by telepaths where ordinary humans are considered second-class citizens and privacy is something you don't even risk dreaming about? Would you like to live in that kind of world, Mr.
Garibaldi? No.
No, I wouldn't.
But you know it's coming, don't you? There are a few Psi Cops who think they should run the show but they don't have the power to do anything like this.
Not yet, but that's changing.
Come on.
Even if they tried something, they'd be outnumbered 10,000-to-1.
You're thinking in old terms, of force of arms.
But times have changed.
We're talking a war of information.
A war of secrets.
A war of intimidation.
Once they take off those badges, can you tell a telepath from a normal? They don't have to be everywhere to make people believe.
They might be next door.
You want your secrets exposed your most private thoughts broadcast for the world to hear? No, but it can't How many people actually belonged to the Nazi party? The Communist party? The Jihad party? A very small number.
But there were plenty of other people who were happy to do the work for them and others afraid enough to let it happen.
In order for them to take power they'd need an army.
You're still laboring under the notion that people take power.
Nobody takes power.
They're given power by the rest of us, because we're stupid or afraid or both.
The Germans in 1939.
The Russians in 1917 and 2013.
The Iraqis in 2025.
The French in 2112.
They handed over power to people they thought could settle scores.
Get the trains running on time.
Restore their prestige.
They did it because it was what they wanted.
Afterwards, like children who have eaten too much candy after dinner they denied it was their fault.
"No, it was them.
" It's always them.
Today, President Clark has the power, and we gave it to him because we're afraid of the aliens and afraid of ourselves.
And now he's giving it to the telepaths.
Clark wants complete and total loyalty.
When he was vice president, he instituted loyalty tests.
But you can fool a test.
You can't fool a telepath.
So he started bringing them into the process.
President Santiago objected but he underestimated the opposition.
Clark wanted power.
I don't have a problem with that.
No one but a fool ever walked away from real power.
But he began taking unacceptable risks.
He eliminated Santiago with outside help.
I don't know the full story.
Only that aliens were involved and they promised him all the power he could want.
But he wanted an ace or two up his sleeve.
He knew they were interested in the Psi Corps.
And if they were interested, then he was interested.
They were his insurance policy against the aliens and his means for gaining more power.
He created the Nightwatch started putting his people into important positions with telepaths alongside for security.
He gave them unprecedented authority.
And if you think they'll let go of that power once he's gone you're gravely mistaken.
What does Captain Sheridan have to do with this? If Sheridan tries to force a military showdown Clark will cut the final ties that hold the Psi Corps in check.
He'll turn it into a military and police force answerable only to him.
- Thought police.
- Exactly.
Once that happens, they'll never let go.
There are other ways to fix this.
Clark's an amateur.
- He still thinks he's in charge.
- Isn't he? Megacorporations have been running things for years.
We just don't show ourselves much.
People wouldn't understand.
So we let them think they still have a voice.
We let Clark have his way because we didn't see this thing coming until it was too late.
Now it's a threat to our business interests, and we'll fix it.
In our own way.
Quietly.
Behind the scenes.
We just need a little more time to make this work.
Sheridan's campaign threatens to disrupt our timetable.
He's just making Clark more paranoid by giving him a real enemy.
And the more paranoid he gets, the more power he gives to Psi Corps.
- But how do you stop the Corps? - Oh, I'm sorry.
I didn't know that you were I just came here to tell you that breakfast is ready.
That's fine, Lise.
I'll be right there.
- Perhaps you'd care to join us.
- No, thank you.
I've got some thinking to do.
- I'm sure you have.
- Mr.
Edgars? What you just told me, is that the whole truth? It's as close to the truth as you or anyone else will ever get.
But it should be enough for you to decide if you can trust me the way I now trust you.
Once you decide you're in all the way, I'll tell you the rest.
We're gonna change the world, Mr.
Garibaldi.
I hope you'll work with me.
- How's everything else? - So far, so good.
Clark sent a couple of destroyers trying to weaken our defenses.
What happened? They changed sides as soon as they got here.
We sent them your way.
They'll reach you by the next jump point.
That's five so far today.
Any more defections and this little war is gonna be really one-sided.
- You sound disappointed.
- I'm not.
I just start to worry when things are going too well.
Any word from Delenn? She finished her work on Minbar.
She's heading back here.
- She should be arriving in a couple of days.
- Good.
Anything else? Nope.
All quiet on the Epsilon front.
Anything else you want me to do? Yeah, transfer me to Stephen.
I want to see how he's doing with the telepaths.
- Not now.
- Stephen, it's the captain.
Stephen? All right, all right.
Just a sec.
Stephen.
Just thought I'd check in, see how things were going.
I think I found a way to neutralize the implants for brief periods of time.
We're setting up an amplifier system to echo Lyta's telepathic commands and Look, it's really complicated right now and I'm trying to keep it all in my head, so When can you get them up and running? - I don't know.
- This is important, Stephen.
Why? Why is this so important? If you want me to do this, I need to know what this is about! - Stephen - I mean it.
All right.
I'm encoding this message every three seconds so program your system to keep up.
Are there any other personnel around? - Well, yeah, a few, but - This is private.
All right, everybody, take a break.
Get something to eat, grab some sleep, just go.
Come on, hurry up.
Everybody, let's go.
Go, go, go.
All right, go ahead.
Stephen, I've asked some hard things of you in the past.
This may be the hardest of all.
I don't think you're gonna like it but we don't have much choice.
Stephen.
Are you all right? No.
No, I am definitely not all right.
When Sheridan came back from Z'Ha'Dum, everyone noticed how different he was.
Harder.
More determined.
I really didn't see it.
I mean, aside from the From some physiological changes, it was Sheridan, same as ever.
The Sheridan I know, he never would have told me what this one just did.
He's right.
He's right.
It's the only way.
I just wish the hell that he was wrong.
I have a long-term job for you.
You available? Good.
Start packing.
We'll leave in a few days after I take care of everything.
Where are we going? Mars.
Yeah? You missed your dinner.
I thought I'd bring you some food.
You know, when I look at you two together, I just can't figure it out.
Aside from having more money than God and homes on Mars, Earth, lo having fresh orange juice delivered all the way from Earth just to relive his youth what does he have that I don't have? Why him instead of me? - Michael.
- Is it the money? No! - Do you love him? - Yes.
Yes, I do.
He's a good man.
Then why did you warn me off when I first got here? I'm just concerned, that's all.
I don't know all of what's going on but I know he's putting himself at risk, reaching too far.
I don't want anything to happen to him.
Or you.
At least you're concerned now.
You know, when you got free, you could have told me.
Maybe we could've got back what we had before.
I never knew what we had.
When we were together before, I never knew when I'd see you again or if I'd ever see you again.
I was the one who had to carry the relationship.
I was the one who had to call.
I had to remind you when Christmas came that while it doesn't mean anything to you, it means a lot to me.
Until I finally woke up and realized that people like you don't marry other people.
You marry the job.
Twenty-four hours a day and everybody else is just excess baggage.
- I never said that to you.
- No.
But in three years you never said you loved me until I said it to you first.
And from where I sit, that means the same damn thing.
After Franz left, I was a mess.
And you were 18 light-years away.
I was working as a secretary to make ends meet when I found Bill.
He was kind and he was gentle.
And most of all, he was there.
If I had called you would you have left Babylon 5 and come back to Mars? Would you? I don't know.
That's the problem, Michael.
I'm getting too old for "I don't know.
" What I do know is that Bill cares for me.
No, Lise.
Lise! Please listen.
Listen, I am sorry.
I am so, so sorry.
I never meant to hurt you.
I loved you.
I don't think I ever really stopped.
I'm sorry too.
Eat your dinner.
It'll get cold.
Mr.
Edgars.
Shouldn't you be resting? You've had a long day.
I just thought I'd see how things were going.
We're at a critical stage.
Can't afford any mistakes.
- I wish you wouldn't.
- It's all right.
It's a terrible thing to die alone, Wade.
We can afford a little human compassion.
He can't infect me.
- How long has he been off the drug? - Five days.
Symptoms are occurring faster than before.
I know.
I know it hurts.
Part of the process.
I can only tell you it'll be over soon.
- I want him put down.
- Shouldn't they finish the tests? We know it works.
There's no need to prolong this.
Put him down.
Put them all down.
There's enough pain in the universe already.
Let's not add to it until we have to.
Oh, Mr.
Garibaldi.
Sorry, I didn't hear you come in.
I didn't mean to bother you.
I can come back No, no, no.
It's fine.
You're up late.
I've just been thinking about a lot of things.
And where have your thoughts brought you? Well, you told me to let you know when I decided when I'm in all the way.
I've decided.
I'm in.
I'm very pleased to hear that.
So, what's the rest? Well, you told me you'd tell me the rest of it when I decided.
Saying you've decided isn't the same thing as demonstrating your sincerity.
You showed me a little of that earlier and I returned the favor.
Now it's your turn again.
All right.
So how do I prove I'm in all the way? Give me Sheridan.
Let me turn him over to President Clark.
Do that and I'll tell you the rest.
What's the hurry? We need Clark to think he's secure to buy time to get our pieces into place.
If we give him Sheridan, he'll drop his guard and we can do what we have to.
I'll give him to you.
Not to Clark, he'd be killed Not before he can be formally charged.
Clark's an amateur, not a fool.
He'll want to go through the motions of a hearing.
We'll move before that happens.
- You're asking a lot.
- I know.
That's why we approached you in the first place.
You know him better than most people, and you recognize the threat he represents.
We have to take him out of the picture.
You know it and I know it.
And now it's time.
If you're sincere, then prove it.
If not, we have nothing more to talk about.
You get to Sheridan through his father.
Nobody knows where he is.
Clark's people have been turning Earth upside down and haven't found him.
They can't.
But I can.
His father has a rare blood disease.
Requires he takes regular injections of Tenastacine.
That's a Centauri drug.
We supply it to hospitals back home.
Very rare.
Very expensive.
Which makes it easy to track.
Wherever he goes he has to keep taking the medicine.
My guess is he didn't have enough time to buy a lot of it before he went into hiding.
He has a friend get the prescription but it shouldn't take long to find a bogus entry in the med records.
You get him, you can get Sheridan.
We still need someone to set him up and bring him down.
I can do that.
- Are you sure? - Yeah.
I'm sure.
I'll head back to Dome 1 tomorrow, start setting things up.
You're doing the right thing, Michael.
I hope you understand that.
Mars.
Three times before, this place almost killed me.
And now I've finally finished the job.
I can't feel anything anymore.
I don't know what I care about anymore.
Except Lise.
I screwed up both our lives pretty good.
Now I get to make up for it.
Assuming any of us can ever make up for anything we've done in the past.
Maybe we can't.
Maybe we just have to live with it and get on with it and do what we have to.
Never what we want to.
It has to be done.
I hope he can see that someday.