Babylon 5 s04e20 Episode Script
Endgame
Marcus.
Marcus.
The transport has arrived.
We have to send her back to Babylon 5.
It's dangerous to keep her here.
We're almost at Mars.
She would want to be here for the battle, conscious or otherwise.
I know.
But we must do what's best for her.
She's dying.
What is there to do? Make her comfortable in her last hours.
We cannot do that here.
On Babylon 5, they will see to all her needs as long as she has them.
November 1, 2261.
Doctor's personal log.
We're ready.
We're starting the final strike to free Earth and Mars.
I don't know if this is gonna work, but it's gonna be one hell of a fight either way.
- You got it checked off? - Yeah.
We're all set.
- What do you got? - 10 came through.
20 more to check.
This is Kelley, our contact at the staging area.
Good to meet you.
You're sure you can smuggle these units on board the destroyer? - I guess.
- Don't guess.
It's just not what I expected.
I figured you'd want me to smuggle on weapons or bombs, not people.
No.
They'd pick up weapons in a minute.
Just get them past the bio-scanners everything will be all right.
- I'll see to it.
I don't know what one of these is gonna do against an entire destroyer.
That's our problem, not yours.
Just remember, one unit per ship, no more.
- That's 30 ships total.
- That's almost the entire fleet.
It'll be tricky.
The destroyers never land, so we'll have to shuttle them up one at a time on their last supply run.
- You better get going.
We're loading up the cryo units.
Just tell my people where and how you want them delivered.
I really hope you know what you're doing.
We're only gonna get one shot at this.
It'll work.
- Where's Garibaldi? - He's scouting out the secondary target.
Piece of cake.
This is Grumpy to Sleepy, Sneezy and Doc.
We are in position, moving in on foot.
You should give us about 2 hours, then make your move.
Ready? Let's give them hell.
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 the 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.
- Anything on the perimeter? - Negative, sir.
Keep scanning.
Intel says Sheridan's moving soon and the Resistance might take advantage of the confusion.
Yes, sir.
I wish I were up there.
This is gonna be the biggest gathering of Earth warships since the Battle of the Line.
Sheridan doesn't stand a chance.
Ground Station Alpha to Ground Station Bravo.
What's your status? Ground Station Bravo, report.
- What's wrong with G.
S.
Bravo? - The same thing that's wrong here.
Hands behind your back! Hands behind your backs or we let you suffocate.
Okay, okay.
Good.
Get them out of here.
Move.
Go, go.
All right, get the airlock doors sealed and pressurized.
- Did he get a chance to warn the base? - Negative.
Assuming your people took the rest of the bunkers as efficiently, you control the perimeter.
Excellent.
Are we clear? - We're clear.
- All right, we can take them off.
- Any more shuttles leaving on a supply run? - No.
That's the last batch.
They'll drop their cargo with the destroyers in 45 minutes.
All right.
Make sure the outer door is secure.
Yes, sir.
- Doc, you better get moving.
- Yeah.
May I have your attention.
Captain James tells me we've reached the final staging area.
We're one jump from more trouble than most of you have seen during your years in Earthforce.
It is my supreme hope that in all the years after this we may never see a day like this again.
- Man your stations.
- Yes, sir.
Open up a channel for the rest of the fleet.
Signal coming through.
This is Captain John Sheridan to attack fleet.
You all know what we expect of you.
We can't hit Earth until we have taken care of the bases on Mars first or we risk exposing our flank to the enemy and fighting a battle on two fronts.
The White Star fleet and the Earth destroyers that have joined with us will lead the assault.
The League ships will provide tactical support and defense.
They will not engage unless fired upon.
And with luck, their presence alone may be enough to discourage the enemy.
All ships will stand by until the final attack order is given.
Marcus, are you ready? Standing by.
You're cleared for phase one as soon as you get the go-ahead order from Mr.
Garibaldi.
Understood.
The last of the supplies are aboard, general.
Good, captain.
Then we can proceed.
Anything new from the hyperspace probes? They picked up something minutes ago, but it's hard to get a fix.
- Is it Sheridan? - We can't be sure, but it's possible.
- Do we go in after him? - Negative.
Every engagement in hyperspace has turned into a disaster for both sides.
It's too volatile.
He has to come out sooner or later.
- Open up a channel to the other ships.
- Yes, sir.
- General, permission to speak frankly? - Go on.
I was wondering why they sent you to take over this mission.
I've led the Apollo in over half a dozen major engagements.
It's nothing to do with you, Charlie.
Your record's spotless.
You're a good captain and you'll make a good general someday.
They picked me because I'm from the old school that says a soldier doesn't take arms against his own government no matter how justified you feel doing it.
And because Sheridan was one of my students back at the academy.
I taught him everything he knows.
I know how he thinks.
I know how he fights.
To tell you the truth, I've always admired him.
And now I'm going to have to kill him and his ship and everyone around him.
It's a terrible day, Charlie.
I wish to hell I'd never lived to see it.
This is fleet command.
General Robert Lefcourt to destroyer group.
We believe the enemy is standing by in hyperspace awaiting final orders to engage.
Take position.
You've been given a list of our ships that have defected to their sides and their friend-or-foe systems have been adjusted accordingly.
If a ship is on that list you are authorized to open fire on that ship or any support vessel, alien or human.
You are to forget that these people were once friends, associates, fellow officers.
They are targets to be destroyed.
Nothing more, nothing less.
We are here to do a job.
Let's do it.
And God help all of us.
- Ready? - Don't rush me.
If we don't get these neural connections right it won't work.
I'll just tell the fleet to go get some lunch, hang out for a while.
- How's that? - It's all right.
I'll have to go outside, though.
Not a chance.
You'll be seen.
I can't have any obstacles between me and the targets.
This is gonna be hard enough as it is because it's so far.
All right, go.
Lyta.
Stay low.
All right.
That ought to do it.
Grumpy to Snow White.
I've got coordinates for the Wicked Queen's castle.
We are in position.
You can break the mirror any time you want.
Stand by to receive.
You're thinking about lvanova again.
I was just thinking how much she'd want to be here.
But Delenn was right.
Back on Babylon 5, maybe they can help her.
It is the final refuge for last hopes.
There must be something they can do.
Marcus, it may not be wise to get your hopes up.
- Our doctors - Could be wrong.
Look, Sheridan practically came back from the dead.
We've all been through six kinds of hell in the last few years.
Don't tell me there's nothing we can do.
Since Franklin's planetside, I put a call in to Dr.
Hobbes.
In all this time, they must have come up with something to help deal with near-fatal conditions.
- No.
That was fast.
Hit by a divine revelation, were we? Don't you even want to check? Don't you care? Of course I care.
But there is nothing usable on Babylon 5.
What do you mean, "nothing usable"? Marcus We're getting the attack data from Mr.
Garibaldi.
He's given the all-clear.
All right, relay the data to Captain Sheridan.
Tell him we're going in.
Okay, move as far from the windows as you can.
Grab your breathers.
When that jump point forms, the pressure change will be intense.
Jump point? You can't form a jump point in the atmosphere this close.
They'll plow into the ground, tear the place apart.
You can if you've got location information accurate to within a few feet.
- And I just made sure they got it.
- I assume that you worked out that longitude-latitude thing.
I know you get confused sometimes.
You're right.
You're right.
I keep mixing them up.
I got it right.
I think I got it right.
Okay, fine, which goes vertically? Longitude or latitude? Here it comes! - That defense grid online? - Yes.
Take out tower number seven, fast! General, the Resistance has opened fire on four of our bases.
The fifth base has come under attack from one of Sheridan's fleet.
- Our other ships are turning back to engage.
- Negative.
Belay that.
It's a diversion.
He wants us planetbound, closer to the gravity well so we can't maneuver.
It's like forcing an enemy to fight with his back to the sea.
Tell the others to stay in formation.
It's a good first move.
But he wouldn't go on the offensive unless he had an ace in the hole.
But what is it? Lyta, we're ready.
Do it.
Affirmative.
Sheridan's given the word.
She's cleared to activate the packages.
What packages? Telepaths we brought with us from Babylon 5.
Slipped them onto 30 of the destroyers, one per ship.
What can one telepath do against an entire destroyer? These aren't normal telepaths.
They were modified by the Shadows, who put devices in their brains that allowed them to merge with the Shadow vessels.
Function as their central processing units.
They're probably waking up right now wondering where they are looking for the machine.
They'll start to move looking for the first open computer relay, and when they find it they'll merge with it.
Become one with the machine.
The interference will shut down the destroyer let us do what we have to do.
My God.
You're using them.
Using these people as if they were weapons.
Yeah.
Yeah, we're using them because they are weapons.
Because there are three dozen destroyers with over 1000 crew apiece and if they can disable those ships, we risk 30 lives to save 30,000.
But how can you do this to them? You're a doctor.
We can't remove those implants without the resources back home on Earth.
If we don't win this war, they're dead either way.
They're fighting for Earth, the same as we are.
They just don't know they're doing it.
Hey, doc.
- It had to be done.
- Yeah.
And it should work assuming that Lyta can hold it together.
Got the launch order, cargo's been delivered.
- Stand by to open jump point.
- Standing by.
Aye, sir.
Form up.
- Activate jump engines.
- Aye, sir.
Jump engines online.
Fleet standing by.
Jump.
Enemy fleet coming into view, just as you expected.
Good.
Tell the others to stay in position.
- What the hell is going on? - Computer system is failing.
Security overrides are down.
Sir, other destroyers are reporting similar problems.
- All of them? - Almost.
Almost gives us some.
Tell them to advance on the enemy.
If we're all getting hit at once, they must have slipped something onboard.
Did we have any cargo drops before we left? Aye, sir.
Find out where they are! Move! Sir, we lost contact with the rest of the destroyer group.
Damn, I knew he had something up his sleeve.
I knew it! - Delenn, what's our situation? - 20 ships are disabled and five more are showing signs of losing control.
- That leaves 10.
- Yes.
White Star tactical squadron, you're clear to open fire on hostile vessels still in operation.
Target engines and weapons systems.
I want them disabled, not destroyed.
Delenn, we're ready to jump.
Tell the rest of the League ships to stay here and watch the disabled destroyers.
If they get into any real trouble, do what they can to help without compromising their own safety.
The jump engines back online? - Yes, sir.
- Then let's move.
Taken care of the enemy behind us, now there's just the enemy in front.
We have to hit them before the destroyers figure out what we've done.
Marcus, we're jumping.
Get up here.
We're on our way.
You take the helm, Lennier.
I'm gonna check on a few things.
Computer, contact Babylon 5.
I want a full search of medical records searching key words dealing with terminal illness, death and extreme measures.
Download to my password only.
All ships, stand by to jump.
Target: Earth beacon 11629.
Aye, aye, captain.
Targeting Earth beacon 11629.
Jump.
- Download from Babylon 5 complete.
- Let me see.
Have to issue a cause of death statement for Cailyn James age 36.
Profession: Singer.
- Cause of death - Skip to the next record.
He sustained severe internal injuries, but at this time it does not seem that Marcus will require Next record.
At which point Captain Sheridan and I were able to revive Mr.
Garibaldi after being shot in the back.
Even this brief exposure, a few seconds apiece, confirms that the alien healing device is extremely dangerous and should not be used again.
Even under extreme conditions until we can control it more precisely.
- Computer, stop.
Play all entries under this subject heading.
Stand by.
Arranging reports.
And prepare a shuttle for launch.
- Status? - We've eliminated the problem but still no navigation.
Engineering is working to restore it.
- Com systems? - Ship-to-ship is down.
Internal com only.
We can't tell the other ships what we've figured out.
Engineering, this is General Lefcourt.
In case you didn't notice the enemy just pulled our shorts over our head and tied them in a knot.
You will get the ship under control ASAP or I will come down there and skin the hide off every last one of you! Yes, Lennier, what is it? What? You sent for me, Delenn.
- No, you're mistaken.
Who? - Marcus.
Captain.
Delenn for you on channel four.
Delenn, what is it? John, Marcus is gone.
Gone? But he wasn't hit.
He left.
Lennier believes he's en route to Babylon 5.
What? Can't be.
Marcus would never run out in the middle of a battle.
What the hell's on Babylon 5? John, I think you should take this privately.
Go ahead.
Are you sure? Can you get a signal to Babylon 5? Negative.
As soon as we got inside Mars' orbit we hit the jammers.
Captain, we're almost to Earth.
Their probes will pick us up any second.
Either we go right now or we abort.
There's nothing we can do.
Tell the others we jump now.
- Activate jump engines.
Stand by to jump.
- Aye, sir.
Jump! I'm sorry, Delenn.
You're on.
This is Captain John Sheridan.
We are here on the authority of a multiplanetary force that can no longer stand by and watch one of their greatest allies falling into darkness and despair.
We are here on behalf of the thousands of civilians murdered under orders from the current administration, who have no one else to speak for them and on behalf of the Earthforce units that have joined us to oppose the tyranny that has darkened Earth ever since President Santiago was assassinated three years ago.
We are here to place President Clark under arrest to disband Nightwatch and return our government to the hands of her people.
Planetary defense grid is activated.
Getting a fix on our position.
We know that many in the government have wanted to act but have been intimidated by threats of retaliation against your families your friends.
You are not alone anymore.
We call upon you to rise up and do what's right.
We have drawn their forces away from Earth and disabled them.
The time to act is now.
This is not the voice of treason.
These are your sons, your daughters whose loyalties have never wavered, whose beliefs in this alliance has forced us to take extraordinary means for justice for peace, for the future we have come home.
- Status? - Defense grid armed and firing.
- Incoming! Red alert! - All ships, evasive action.
Launch Starfuries, target incoming missiles.
Destroyer group, target local defense platforms.
Fire at will.
Keep monitoring all channels, let me know the second you get an answer.
I need to talk to Captain Sheridan.
Signal coming in from Earth Dome.
Put it through and route it to the rest of the ships.
Captain Sheridan, this is an emergency transmission.
President Clark is dead.
He took his own life before we could arrest him.
But he left a message on his desk.
Two words.
"Scorched Earth.
" Captain, I believe he's turned the defense grid toward Earth.
We can't override the systems here.
If you don't stop them, they'll fire in 10 minutes.
Captain, the particle beams on those defense platforms You have to stop them before they can fire.
Sheridan to attack fleet.
You heard the senator.
All ships, fire at will.
Delenn, we need you.
We are there.
Missiles impacting on all sides! - Continue firing! - I don't know how much more she can take! Continue firing! Forward guns are down.
We can't fire.
Particle beams coming online for the nearest platform.
- Ready to fire.
- Target? North America.
It'll wipe out most of the eastern seaboard.
John, there's no one else close enough to stop it.
All power to engines.
Give me ramming speed.
Aye, sir.
Apollo to Agamemnon.
We have monitored the situation.
Hold on to your hats.
John! The last platform's been destroyed.
Sorry for the delay, captain, but we had some trouble on Mars.
You might have heard something about it.
Well, my apologies, general.
We're only doing our jobs.
Though you'll have to stand before a board of inquiry on this one, Sheridan still welcome home, John.
Welcome home.
They want you in Earth Dome as soon as you can get there.
I don't know if it'll be a ticker-tape parade, but it'll be interesting.
- Congratulations.
- To all of us, captain.
To all of us.
I suppose Ambassador Delenn and Dr.
Franklin will be joining you planetside? No.
Delenn has some business to attend to and Stephen's heading back to Babylon 5.
Senator Crosby hasn't been able to shut down those jammers yet so Stephen's going out as fast as he can to get past the jammers.
Why? To stop someone from making a terrible mistake.
Hello.
I want to welcome back our viewers.
We've been gone a long time.
Over a year since ISN was captured by elite forces sent by President Clark over a year since martial law was declared.
Many of us and our associates at other networks were imprisoned, interrogated even killed.
All that changed last night.
At 1:45 a.
m.
, Earth Standard Time a multiplanetary force led by ships loyal to a free Earth engaged Clark's forces directly.
Under the command of John Sheridan the incoming forces disabled or destroyed their opposition then prevented further destruction by taking out the planetary defense grid whose lethal power was being turned toward Earth.
Earthgov is working to compile the names of those injured or killed on either side of the battle.
If you have family members who may have been involved you can request information from a special Earthforce com line.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to those injured on both sides.
We are all equally sons and daughters of Earth.
And in the coming months, we must continue to remember that if we are to heal and move on.
This is Dr.
Franklin to Babylon 5, please respond.
This is Franklin to Babylon 5, please respond.
Nothing.
Keep sending it.
Let me see it again.
At which point, Captain Sheridan and I were able to revive Mr.
Garibaldi after being shot in the back.
- This is the device? - Correct.
I was just about to - Plug me in.
- I thought we agreed I can't have you giving your life energy and operating this machine at the same time.
What happens if you pass out during the process? Lt'll just keep taking your life energy until you're dead, correct? - I don't know.
- Exactly.
Even this brief exposure, a few seconds apiece confirms that the alien healing device is extremely dangerous and should not be used again.
Even under extreme conditions until we can control it more precisely or it will result in the death of whoever uses it.
It was, after all, designed as a means of capital punishment.
It does this by transferring life energy from one person to another.
The process is irreversible.
In cases of fatal illness or injury, for one person to live the other must die.
I love you.
Marcus.
The transport has arrived.
We have to send her back to Babylon 5.
It's dangerous to keep her here.
We're almost at Mars.
She would want to be here for the battle, conscious or otherwise.
I know.
But we must do what's best for her.
She's dying.
What is there to do? Make her comfortable in her last hours.
We cannot do that here.
On Babylon 5, they will see to all her needs as long as she has them.
November 1, 2261.
Doctor's personal log.
We're ready.
We're starting the final strike to free Earth and Mars.
I don't know if this is gonna work, but it's gonna be one hell of a fight either way.
- You got it checked off? - Yeah.
We're all set.
- What do you got? - 10 came through.
20 more to check.
This is Kelley, our contact at the staging area.
Good to meet you.
You're sure you can smuggle these units on board the destroyer? - I guess.
- Don't guess.
It's just not what I expected.
I figured you'd want me to smuggle on weapons or bombs, not people.
No.
They'd pick up weapons in a minute.
Just get them past the bio-scanners everything will be all right.
- I'll see to it.
I don't know what one of these is gonna do against an entire destroyer.
That's our problem, not yours.
Just remember, one unit per ship, no more.
- That's 30 ships total.
- That's almost the entire fleet.
It'll be tricky.
The destroyers never land, so we'll have to shuttle them up one at a time on their last supply run.
- You better get going.
We're loading up the cryo units.
Just tell my people where and how you want them delivered.
I really hope you know what you're doing.
We're only gonna get one shot at this.
It'll work.
- Where's Garibaldi? - He's scouting out the secondary target.
Piece of cake.
This is Grumpy to Sleepy, Sneezy and Doc.
We are in position, moving in on foot.
You should give us about 2 hours, then make your move.
Ready? Let's give them hell.
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 the 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.
- Anything on the perimeter? - Negative, sir.
Keep scanning.
Intel says Sheridan's moving soon and the Resistance might take advantage of the confusion.
Yes, sir.
I wish I were up there.
This is gonna be the biggest gathering of Earth warships since the Battle of the Line.
Sheridan doesn't stand a chance.
Ground Station Alpha to Ground Station Bravo.
What's your status? Ground Station Bravo, report.
- What's wrong with G.
S.
Bravo? - The same thing that's wrong here.
Hands behind your back! Hands behind your backs or we let you suffocate.
Okay, okay.
Good.
Get them out of here.
Move.
Go, go.
All right, get the airlock doors sealed and pressurized.
- Did he get a chance to warn the base? - Negative.
Assuming your people took the rest of the bunkers as efficiently, you control the perimeter.
Excellent.
Are we clear? - We're clear.
- All right, we can take them off.
- Any more shuttles leaving on a supply run? - No.
That's the last batch.
They'll drop their cargo with the destroyers in 45 minutes.
All right.
Make sure the outer door is secure.
Yes, sir.
- Doc, you better get moving.
- Yeah.
May I have your attention.
Captain James tells me we've reached the final staging area.
We're one jump from more trouble than most of you have seen during your years in Earthforce.
It is my supreme hope that in all the years after this we may never see a day like this again.
- Man your stations.
- Yes, sir.
Open up a channel for the rest of the fleet.
Signal coming through.
This is Captain John Sheridan to attack fleet.
You all know what we expect of you.
We can't hit Earth until we have taken care of the bases on Mars first or we risk exposing our flank to the enemy and fighting a battle on two fronts.
The White Star fleet and the Earth destroyers that have joined with us will lead the assault.
The League ships will provide tactical support and defense.
They will not engage unless fired upon.
And with luck, their presence alone may be enough to discourage the enemy.
All ships will stand by until the final attack order is given.
Marcus, are you ready? Standing by.
You're cleared for phase one as soon as you get the go-ahead order from Mr.
Garibaldi.
Understood.
The last of the supplies are aboard, general.
Good, captain.
Then we can proceed.
Anything new from the hyperspace probes? They picked up something minutes ago, but it's hard to get a fix.
- Is it Sheridan? - We can't be sure, but it's possible.
- Do we go in after him? - Negative.
Every engagement in hyperspace has turned into a disaster for both sides.
It's too volatile.
He has to come out sooner or later.
- Open up a channel to the other ships.
- Yes, sir.
- General, permission to speak frankly? - Go on.
I was wondering why they sent you to take over this mission.
I've led the Apollo in over half a dozen major engagements.
It's nothing to do with you, Charlie.
Your record's spotless.
You're a good captain and you'll make a good general someday.
They picked me because I'm from the old school that says a soldier doesn't take arms against his own government no matter how justified you feel doing it.
And because Sheridan was one of my students back at the academy.
I taught him everything he knows.
I know how he thinks.
I know how he fights.
To tell you the truth, I've always admired him.
And now I'm going to have to kill him and his ship and everyone around him.
It's a terrible day, Charlie.
I wish to hell I'd never lived to see it.
This is fleet command.
General Robert Lefcourt to destroyer group.
We believe the enemy is standing by in hyperspace awaiting final orders to engage.
Take position.
You've been given a list of our ships that have defected to their sides and their friend-or-foe systems have been adjusted accordingly.
If a ship is on that list you are authorized to open fire on that ship or any support vessel, alien or human.
You are to forget that these people were once friends, associates, fellow officers.
They are targets to be destroyed.
Nothing more, nothing less.
We are here to do a job.
Let's do it.
And God help all of us.
- Ready? - Don't rush me.
If we don't get these neural connections right it won't work.
I'll just tell the fleet to go get some lunch, hang out for a while.
- How's that? - It's all right.
I'll have to go outside, though.
Not a chance.
You'll be seen.
I can't have any obstacles between me and the targets.
This is gonna be hard enough as it is because it's so far.
All right, go.
Lyta.
Stay low.
All right.
That ought to do it.
Grumpy to Snow White.
I've got coordinates for the Wicked Queen's castle.
We are in position.
You can break the mirror any time you want.
Stand by to receive.
You're thinking about lvanova again.
I was just thinking how much she'd want to be here.
But Delenn was right.
Back on Babylon 5, maybe they can help her.
It is the final refuge for last hopes.
There must be something they can do.
Marcus, it may not be wise to get your hopes up.
- Our doctors - Could be wrong.
Look, Sheridan practically came back from the dead.
We've all been through six kinds of hell in the last few years.
Don't tell me there's nothing we can do.
Since Franklin's planetside, I put a call in to Dr.
Hobbes.
In all this time, they must have come up with something to help deal with near-fatal conditions.
- No.
That was fast.
Hit by a divine revelation, were we? Don't you even want to check? Don't you care? Of course I care.
But there is nothing usable on Babylon 5.
What do you mean, "nothing usable"? Marcus We're getting the attack data from Mr.
Garibaldi.
He's given the all-clear.
All right, relay the data to Captain Sheridan.
Tell him we're going in.
Okay, move as far from the windows as you can.
Grab your breathers.
When that jump point forms, the pressure change will be intense.
Jump point? You can't form a jump point in the atmosphere this close.
They'll plow into the ground, tear the place apart.
You can if you've got location information accurate to within a few feet.
- And I just made sure they got it.
- I assume that you worked out that longitude-latitude thing.
I know you get confused sometimes.
You're right.
You're right.
I keep mixing them up.
I got it right.
I think I got it right.
Okay, fine, which goes vertically? Longitude or latitude? Here it comes! - That defense grid online? - Yes.
Take out tower number seven, fast! General, the Resistance has opened fire on four of our bases.
The fifth base has come under attack from one of Sheridan's fleet.
- Our other ships are turning back to engage.
- Negative.
Belay that.
It's a diversion.
He wants us planetbound, closer to the gravity well so we can't maneuver.
It's like forcing an enemy to fight with his back to the sea.
Tell the others to stay in formation.
It's a good first move.
But he wouldn't go on the offensive unless he had an ace in the hole.
But what is it? Lyta, we're ready.
Do it.
Affirmative.
Sheridan's given the word.
She's cleared to activate the packages.
What packages? Telepaths we brought with us from Babylon 5.
Slipped them onto 30 of the destroyers, one per ship.
What can one telepath do against an entire destroyer? These aren't normal telepaths.
They were modified by the Shadows, who put devices in their brains that allowed them to merge with the Shadow vessels.
Function as their central processing units.
They're probably waking up right now wondering where they are looking for the machine.
They'll start to move looking for the first open computer relay, and when they find it they'll merge with it.
Become one with the machine.
The interference will shut down the destroyer let us do what we have to do.
My God.
You're using them.
Using these people as if they were weapons.
Yeah.
Yeah, we're using them because they are weapons.
Because there are three dozen destroyers with over 1000 crew apiece and if they can disable those ships, we risk 30 lives to save 30,000.
But how can you do this to them? You're a doctor.
We can't remove those implants without the resources back home on Earth.
If we don't win this war, they're dead either way.
They're fighting for Earth, the same as we are.
They just don't know they're doing it.
Hey, doc.
- It had to be done.
- Yeah.
And it should work assuming that Lyta can hold it together.
Got the launch order, cargo's been delivered.
- Stand by to open jump point.
- Standing by.
Aye, sir.
Form up.
- Activate jump engines.
- Aye, sir.
Jump engines online.
Fleet standing by.
Jump.
Enemy fleet coming into view, just as you expected.
Good.
Tell the others to stay in position.
- What the hell is going on? - Computer system is failing.
Security overrides are down.
Sir, other destroyers are reporting similar problems.
- All of them? - Almost.
Almost gives us some.
Tell them to advance on the enemy.
If we're all getting hit at once, they must have slipped something onboard.
Did we have any cargo drops before we left? Aye, sir.
Find out where they are! Move! Sir, we lost contact with the rest of the destroyer group.
Damn, I knew he had something up his sleeve.
I knew it! - Delenn, what's our situation? - 20 ships are disabled and five more are showing signs of losing control.
- That leaves 10.
- Yes.
White Star tactical squadron, you're clear to open fire on hostile vessels still in operation.
Target engines and weapons systems.
I want them disabled, not destroyed.
Delenn, we're ready to jump.
Tell the rest of the League ships to stay here and watch the disabled destroyers.
If they get into any real trouble, do what they can to help without compromising their own safety.
The jump engines back online? - Yes, sir.
- Then let's move.
Taken care of the enemy behind us, now there's just the enemy in front.
We have to hit them before the destroyers figure out what we've done.
Marcus, we're jumping.
Get up here.
We're on our way.
You take the helm, Lennier.
I'm gonna check on a few things.
Computer, contact Babylon 5.
I want a full search of medical records searching key words dealing with terminal illness, death and extreme measures.
Download to my password only.
All ships, stand by to jump.
Target: Earth beacon 11629.
Aye, aye, captain.
Targeting Earth beacon 11629.
Jump.
- Download from Babylon 5 complete.
- Let me see.
Have to issue a cause of death statement for Cailyn James age 36.
Profession: Singer.
- Cause of death - Skip to the next record.
He sustained severe internal injuries, but at this time it does not seem that Marcus will require Next record.
At which point Captain Sheridan and I were able to revive Mr.
Garibaldi after being shot in the back.
Even this brief exposure, a few seconds apiece, confirms that the alien healing device is extremely dangerous and should not be used again.
Even under extreme conditions until we can control it more precisely.
- Computer, stop.
Play all entries under this subject heading.
Stand by.
Arranging reports.
And prepare a shuttle for launch.
- Status? - We've eliminated the problem but still no navigation.
Engineering is working to restore it.
- Com systems? - Ship-to-ship is down.
Internal com only.
We can't tell the other ships what we've figured out.
Engineering, this is General Lefcourt.
In case you didn't notice the enemy just pulled our shorts over our head and tied them in a knot.
You will get the ship under control ASAP or I will come down there and skin the hide off every last one of you! Yes, Lennier, what is it? What? You sent for me, Delenn.
- No, you're mistaken.
Who? - Marcus.
Captain.
Delenn for you on channel four.
Delenn, what is it? John, Marcus is gone.
Gone? But he wasn't hit.
He left.
Lennier believes he's en route to Babylon 5.
What? Can't be.
Marcus would never run out in the middle of a battle.
What the hell's on Babylon 5? John, I think you should take this privately.
Go ahead.
Are you sure? Can you get a signal to Babylon 5? Negative.
As soon as we got inside Mars' orbit we hit the jammers.
Captain, we're almost to Earth.
Their probes will pick us up any second.
Either we go right now or we abort.
There's nothing we can do.
Tell the others we jump now.
- Activate jump engines.
Stand by to jump.
- Aye, sir.
Jump! I'm sorry, Delenn.
You're on.
This is Captain John Sheridan.
We are here on the authority of a multiplanetary force that can no longer stand by and watch one of their greatest allies falling into darkness and despair.
We are here on behalf of the thousands of civilians murdered under orders from the current administration, who have no one else to speak for them and on behalf of the Earthforce units that have joined us to oppose the tyranny that has darkened Earth ever since President Santiago was assassinated three years ago.
We are here to place President Clark under arrest to disband Nightwatch and return our government to the hands of her people.
Planetary defense grid is activated.
Getting a fix on our position.
We know that many in the government have wanted to act but have been intimidated by threats of retaliation against your families your friends.
You are not alone anymore.
We call upon you to rise up and do what's right.
We have drawn their forces away from Earth and disabled them.
The time to act is now.
This is not the voice of treason.
These are your sons, your daughters whose loyalties have never wavered, whose beliefs in this alliance has forced us to take extraordinary means for justice for peace, for the future we have come home.
- Status? - Defense grid armed and firing.
- Incoming! Red alert! - All ships, evasive action.
Launch Starfuries, target incoming missiles.
Destroyer group, target local defense platforms.
Fire at will.
Keep monitoring all channels, let me know the second you get an answer.
I need to talk to Captain Sheridan.
Signal coming in from Earth Dome.
Put it through and route it to the rest of the ships.
Captain Sheridan, this is an emergency transmission.
President Clark is dead.
He took his own life before we could arrest him.
But he left a message on his desk.
Two words.
"Scorched Earth.
" Captain, I believe he's turned the defense grid toward Earth.
We can't override the systems here.
If you don't stop them, they'll fire in 10 minutes.
Captain, the particle beams on those defense platforms You have to stop them before they can fire.
Sheridan to attack fleet.
You heard the senator.
All ships, fire at will.
Delenn, we need you.
We are there.
Missiles impacting on all sides! - Continue firing! - I don't know how much more she can take! Continue firing! Forward guns are down.
We can't fire.
Particle beams coming online for the nearest platform.
- Ready to fire.
- Target? North America.
It'll wipe out most of the eastern seaboard.
John, there's no one else close enough to stop it.
All power to engines.
Give me ramming speed.
Aye, sir.
Apollo to Agamemnon.
We have monitored the situation.
Hold on to your hats.
John! The last platform's been destroyed.
Sorry for the delay, captain, but we had some trouble on Mars.
You might have heard something about it.
Well, my apologies, general.
We're only doing our jobs.
Though you'll have to stand before a board of inquiry on this one, Sheridan still welcome home, John.
Welcome home.
They want you in Earth Dome as soon as you can get there.
I don't know if it'll be a ticker-tape parade, but it'll be interesting.
- Congratulations.
- To all of us, captain.
To all of us.
I suppose Ambassador Delenn and Dr.
Franklin will be joining you planetside? No.
Delenn has some business to attend to and Stephen's heading back to Babylon 5.
Senator Crosby hasn't been able to shut down those jammers yet so Stephen's going out as fast as he can to get past the jammers.
Why? To stop someone from making a terrible mistake.
Hello.
I want to welcome back our viewers.
We've been gone a long time.
Over a year since ISN was captured by elite forces sent by President Clark over a year since martial law was declared.
Many of us and our associates at other networks were imprisoned, interrogated even killed.
All that changed last night.
At 1:45 a.
m.
, Earth Standard Time a multiplanetary force led by ships loyal to a free Earth engaged Clark's forces directly.
Under the command of John Sheridan the incoming forces disabled or destroyed their opposition then prevented further destruction by taking out the planetary defense grid whose lethal power was being turned toward Earth.
Earthgov is working to compile the names of those injured or killed on either side of the battle.
If you have family members who may have been involved you can request information from a special Earthforce com line.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to those injured on both sides.
We are all equally sons and daughters of Earth.
And in the coming months, we must continue to remember that if we are to heal and move on.
This is Dr.
Franklin to Babylon 5, please respond.
This is Franklin to Babylon 5, please respond.
Nothing.
Keep sending it.
Let me see it again.
At which point, Captain Sheridan and I were able to revive Mr.
Garibaldi after being shot in the back.
- This is the device? - Correct.
I was just about to - Plug me in.
- I thought we agreed I can't have you giving your life energy and operating this machine at the same time.
What happens if you pass out during the process? Lt'll just keep taking your life energy until you're dead, correct? - I don't know.
- Exactly.
Even this brief exposure, a few seconds apiece confirms that the alien healing device is extremely dangerous and should not be used again.
Even under extreme conditions until we can control it more precisely or it will result in the death of whoever uses it.
It was, after all, designed as a means of capital punishment.
It does this by transferring life energy from one person to another.
The process is irreversible.
In cases of fatal illness or injury, for one person to live the other must die.
I love you.