Babylon 5 remake pilot

[Joe Washington]

In the past, I've written a number of Babylon 5 related threads. One of them discuss the possibility of a remake of Babylon 5 being done. I did it to test the waters to see what people's reactions to such a remake would be like. At the same time, I was writing my pilot for a Babylon 5 remake for fun. After giving up the dream of making the pilot a reality on TV, I've decided to give you, in separate parts, my B5 remake pilot to see what you all think. But just to warn you, I've been having difficulty trying to locate the rest of the pilot so if I suddenly stop posting parts of the pilot, that would be why.

So here it is, Part 1:

B5 REMAKE EPISODE ONE: JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS.

TEASER

(We open with Jeffrey Sinclair cooling his heels in the waiting room of a therapist's office. The year is 2258. Sinclair is in his mid-fifties and wearing civilian clothes, which shows that he isn't coming here as Sinclair the Earthforce Captain but Sinclair the human being. He looks at the old magazines on the table as he is waiting. One of the magazines talks about the plight of the Martians who feel their home becoming less theirs and becoming more of a piece of property increasingly taken by the influence of Earth and aliens. But the magazine that caught Sinclair's eye was the one that has the anniversary of the Battle of the Line printed on its front cover.)

(Suddenly a holographic secretary appears in the middle of the waiting room.)

HOLOGRAPHIC SECRETARY: The Doctor can see you now, Mr. Sinclair.

(Sinclair gets up from his seat and opens the door to....)

(CUT TO: The therapist's office. The therapist's office is the same as any therapist's office in today's world except in the background, we see through the windows of the office, the cityscape of a futuristic Earth at night with its colorful lights and flying vehicles. Sinclair's female therapist is standing in the middle of the room and takes a step forward with one of her hands raise, anticipating a friendly handshake from Sinclair.)

THERAPIST: Hello, Jeff.

(Sinclair steps towards the therapist and shakes her hand with some awkwardness like he shaken it before but hasn't fully gotten used to it.)

(When they stopped shaking each other's hands, the therapist looks at the patient's seat behind Sinclair.)

THERAPIST: Sit.

(Sinclair sits in the patient's seat and the therapist sits in her chair in front of him.)

THERAPIST: So, how have you been doing these days, Jeff?

SINCLAIR: Good...I've been doing good.

THERAPIST: Have you been sleeping better lately?

SINCLAIR: More or less.

THERAPIST: So you have been having less of the nightmares?

(Sinclair pauses and goes off changing the subject.)

SINCLAIR: I notice one of the magazines in the waiting room is about the Battle of the Line. Have you read it?

(The therapist is willing to go along with Sinclair's need to change the subject for now.)

THERAPIST: A little.

SINCLAIR: What does it say?

THERAPIST: That the battle was one of the most historic and unexplained events in human history.

SINCLAIR: Unexplained? I can see how one can think of it that way with the Minbari deciding to surrender out of the blue like that.

THERAPIST: Have you been thinking about the possible reasons why they surrendered again?

SINCLAIR: By asking that question, you've already suspected I have. I mean really, why did they surrendered? They had beaten us to a pulp and could have destroyed the planet Earth just like that (snaps his fingers). So why stop? Could the Minbari have something up their sleeves? A more sinister way of exacting revenge aganist the human race? Like killing so many of us wasn't enough for them.

THERAPIST: Jeff, as you already know, we've talked about this a few times in the past. You said you suspected that whatever the Minbari's reason for surrender had to do with the 24-hour memory gap you received during the Battle. But we stopped talking about it for a while. Why now? What brought this up?

(Sinclair pauses again.)

SINCLAIR: I've...I've been given command of the Babylon 5 station.

THERAPIST (happy): Oh, Jeff, that's great news. I heard a lot of good things about it.

SINCLAIR: A place of peace, commerce, and blah blah blah?

THERAPIST: Yes, something like that. But you don't seem to be happy about it.

SINCLAIR: I am the captain of an Earth Alliance Destroyer. One of the most mightiest ships in the fleet. To go from a Destroyer to one big bulk of metal in the middle of nowhere just shows what the higher-ups have in mind for me.

THERAPIST: And what is that?

SINCLAIR: Forced retirement. Ever since the Battle of the Line, they've always suspected that I was mentally unbalanced. They all did.

THERAPIST: 'They all did'? Are we just talking about Earthforce? Or are we talking about Earthforce and Catherine?

(Sinclair shows signs of discomfort when Catherine's name is mentioned.)

SINCLAIR: I...I don't want to talk about her.

THERAPIST: Jeff, we think we do. We really need to. It's been months since her death and you haven't spoken one word about how you feel about it since you briefly mentioned to me in a prior session. We need to talk about this.

(Sinclair gets a little angry.)

SINCLAIR: Alright. Alright. You really want to know how I feel? I feel pissed.

THERAPIST: At who?

SINCLAIR: Ha, where do I start? Earthforce Command. The Minbari. Catherine's coporate bosses sending me news of her death to me in a emotionless recorded message. Hell, at myself and how I made a complete mess of my life.

THERAPIST: Jeff, you've been through a terrible ordeal...

SINCLAIR: That's a bullshit excuse! Something I used to explain my behavior to Catherine when I told her why I couldn't get over what happened me on the Line. So does she do? She leaves me and calls off our engagement. But I don't really blame her. I would have had enough of me if I was her.

THERAPIST: But you always hoped that one day you two could get back together. Now that she's gone, it seems that day won't happen.

SINCLAIR: Good god. The way you say it, it sounds like I'm completely hopeless.

(Sinclair pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration.)

THERAPIST: You're not hopeless, Jeff. Maybe you'll find what you're looking for at your new post.

SINCLAIR: Ha, yeah. Maybe I'll save the galaxy from darkness while I'm at it.

(The therapist pauses.)

THERAPIST: So, am I right in assuming that this may be our last session? You'll be very busy at your new job.

SINCLAIR: Yeah, I will. Doing tons of paper work, listening to diplomats bickering, being bored out of my mind. But at least it'll keep me distracted from the crap in my life. So that's a plus.

THERAPIST: Jeff, you need to learn to let go of the past. As long as you hold onto it as a reminder of what you've lost and failed in, you'll never be whole again the way you were before the Line.

SINCLAIR: You know what, Doctor? I think I stopped dreaming that when Catherine died.

(The therapist doesn't say anything and so doesn't Sinclair, who sits there contemplating the next stage of his downward spiral.)

(CUE OPENING CREDITS: It opens with a clip of Earth Alliance ships and fighters going up against Minbari war cruisers in some kind of battle. Then we cut to the clip of large spidery legs, coming from some kind of alien creature, walking on the ground of a rocky, reddish cavern. We don't see the rest of the creature, just the legs. Then we cut to the clip of people in the Times Square of a futuristic New York City celebrating New Year's Eve as the year 2258 begins. Those last three clips represent the past. After that, we cut to a newly operational Babylon 5 in space as starlight glimmers against its hull. That clip represents the present. Following that clip are three more clips, which represent the future as far as this season goes: a man's hand clasping a PPG (Plasma Pulse Gun) as he plans on using it for a deadly purpose, a pair of pale female hands holding up a crystal triangle, and a man's hand being raised up for some kind of declaration or ceremony. The clips end with a close-up image of the series' title, B5. No music or voiceover is being played during the opening credits sequence and the only sounds we hear are the beats between clips.)

 

[BolianAuthor]

Not bad at all... I need to read it over again to give a proper critique, but I have to say you seem to have your concept firmly in mind. For the most part, I think the dialogue seems to fit Sinclair. Again, I'll offer more in the morning, lol.

I would love to see some B5 fanfic here. I myself, am considering posting a B5 story here, after I finish BSG Urantia. I think B5 is a series largely overlooked, or ignored, by fanfic writers. I'm glad you posted this, and I think you should continue.

 

[Joe Washington]

Part 2

ACT ONE

(It's three weeks after Sinclair's therapy session. We open with a Centauri boy playing with action figures of a stern Centauri soldier and a vicious Narn warrior. The Centauri boy is mostly physically similiar to a normal human boy except for the small row of dark hair on top of the head that stands out like the feathers of a peacock. We pull back to see that the boy is playing with his toys in the backyard of his home on the Centauri colony planet, Ragesh 3. The sky is mostly cloudy and in the background, we can hear the sounds of activity and people walking by and talking around the house. Seeing the Centauri boy playing with his toys through the house's window is his mother who comes out to the backyard through the sliding doors after looking at him for a moment with paternal joy. The mother has the same row of hair on her head as the boy's only it's a little bigger. The boy and the mother are wearing 17th-Century styled clothing.)

CENTAURI MOTHER (In Centauri): Yaki, it's time for supper. Put the toys away.

CENTAURI BOY (In Centauri): Momma, I'm not finished playing yet.

CENTAURI MOTHER (In Centauri): I'm sure the Narn savage will still have some fight in him when you finish your supper.

(The Centauri boy pouts but begins to lay his toys down when a strange noise is heard of nowhere. The noise is loud and piercing like the sound of a whistle but bigger. The mother hears it too and the noise increases in its intensity. The mother puts her hands to her ears like her son and looks up at the sky where she says rays of lights glowing through the clouds of the sky. The lights increase in intensity like the noise until a overflowing stream of attack ships pierce through the clouds of the sky like monsters bursting out of a nightmare.)

(CUT TO: Babylon 5. A massive space station sprawling in the starry vaccum with the planet Epilson 3 miles below it. A cluster of various ships is entering and leaving the station at a busy rate. A few of the ships are popping through the hypergate set up near the front of the station.)

(CUT TO: Ivanova's Quarters. In her late 20's, Lt. Commander Susan Ivanova is lifting weights on her gym bench, which is set up near her bed. Wearing a sleeveless shirt, Ivanova's face and arms display a growing amount of sweat as she lifts her weights up and down with such building intensity. Ivanova's quarters are not-so-fancy and posses very little to none decorations or objects of senitmentality other than the framed photos on her nightstand. We close up to the photos through her weight lifting and see that they are of her mother and her brother. In the photo of her mother, we see her hugging Ivanova when she was a little girl. They both have smiles on their faces. In the photo of her brother, he is wearing an Earthforce uniform. He is posing professionally for the camera but is showing a bit of a wry smirk on his face. We don't see her father in any of the two framed photos or having a photo of himself among the two, which makes us, the audience, wonder about her relationship with her father.)

(Playing on the vid screen installed on one of the walls in the living space of Ivanova's quarters is an ISN (Inter Stellar News) report on Luis Santiago, the recently re-elected President of the Earth Alliance. An ISN newswoman is talking while a mini-screen displayed next to her show clips of the distinguished President Santiago doing political work like speaking before the Earth Senate, doing some paper work in his office, meeting with some alien ambassadors, and speaking before some of the people of the Earth Alliance in public events.)

ISN NEWSWOMAN: It has been over two weeks since President Santiago began his second term after winning the election with a landslide victory and the President has already got himself back into the thick of his work. Driven by the passionate desire to move the Earth Alliance fully into a new age of peace and cooperation, the President has been pushing on the expansion of Earth's policy on human-alien trade relations. Santiago views this as the second stage in his peace-making plan, the first being the successful completion of the Babylon project. As you already know, the Babylon project was formed after the Earth-Minbari War ten years ago. The station is supposed to be a place that symbolizes the peace between humanity and the Minbari while acting as an "United Nations" in space and a place of commerce and relief to members of the general public. Five attempts were made at creating a Babylon station over the past ten years. The first three attempts were undermined by sabotage that caused the stations to explode. The fourth attempt, being the most mysterious of all of them, ended in the strange disappearance of the station and was never found again. After these setbacks that resulted in a loss of numerous credits for the Earth Alliance, it was almost thought that the Babylon project should remain only a dream. But, believing otherwise, President Santiago wanted to try again. And so a fifth attempt was made, which is the only attempt that ended in complete success...

(Suddenly, Ivanova stops her weight lifting when her intercom installed next to the vid screen starts blipping.)

IVANOVA: Screen Off.

(The vid screen immediately switches from showing ISN to the still image of Babylon 5's logo. Ivanova then carefully puts down her weights, gets up from her bench, and walks over to the intercom to press on the receive button.)

IVANOVA: Ivanova here.

LT. CORWIN (V.O.): Commander. It's Lt. Corwin. There's a situation that requires your attention.

IVANOVA: Corwin, the last I checked, Babylon 5 has a Captain too.

LT. CORWIN (V.O.): I know, Commander. But I tried to hail him several times in his quarters and on his link. He hasn't responded. I think he must have turned off his link and gone off somewhere in the station again. Commander...

IVANOVA: Alright, Corwin. Don't wet your pants. I'll be right there.

(CUT TO: C&C (Command and Control). The nerve center of the Babylon 5 station. C&C is a spherical room installed with numerous wall consoles and control stations. Earthforce officers are busy manning their various stations. One of them is standing in front of C&C's large viewport, which dominates the back of the room. She has a headset strapped to her head and is directing the traffic of ships coming in and out of the station, clearly shown through the viewport. Ivanova enters the room, dried up and dressed in her Earthforce uniform, and spots Lt. Corwin who's glued to his station the same as everyone else in the room. Lt. Corwin is a young man in his early 20's who looks like he came fresh out of the Earthforce Academy. Ivanova walks over to Lt. Corwin, whose back was to her.)

IVANOVA: So, Lieutenant, what's got your panties in such a bunch?

(Lt. Corwin is shaken by her sudden appearance behind him.)

LT. CORWIN: Aaah, Commander! I didn't see you there.

IVANOVA: That was the point, Lieutenant. So, are you going to answer my question or not?

(Corwin quickly puts himself and his mind together remembering the seriousness of the situation that has came to light.)

LT. CORWIN: Mmm, yes. The situation...aaa, we received a distress call minutes ago, from an agricultural Centauri colony called Ragesh 3. The message is a bit garbled and...

IVANOVA: Play it.

(Corwin nervously presses a button on his station and the distress call begins to be play itself on his station's screen.)

(CUT TO: The Zocalo. Babylon 5's central market place, crowded with various humans and aliens. The place is a living, breathing hive of activity with its gift shops, gambling establishments, bars, and restaurants. Walking through the midst of that hive is Ivanova who's on the search for someone. At the end of the Zocalo is a bar where we see Security Chief Michael Garibaldi is sitting at. Garibaldi is in his mid-to-late 40's.)

(CUT TO: Hank's Bar. The bartender Hank, who has cybernetic implants attached to both sides of his head, stands in front of Garibaldi after finishing up with a customer.)

HANK: The usual, Mike.

GARIBALDI: Yeah, the usual, Hank.

(The bartender takes out a bottle from behind the bar, pours Garibaldi a glass of orange juice, and place it in front of him. Garibaldi picks it up and takes a sip from it.)

HANK: Hey, Mike. I know you are on the straight and narrow and all with your orange juice but have you ever heard of the old saying, 'Can't be a recovering alcholic and hang with your old drinking buddies'?

GARIBALDI: One day at a time, Hank. One day at a time.

(With sudden fear in his eyes, Hank sees Ivanova walking through the Zocalo. The fear in Hank's eyes grows even more when he sees her spotting Garibaldi and marching towards the bar to talk to him.)

HANK: Oh, crap. It's her again.

(Garibaldi doesn't turn to look at who Hank is talking about, already having a feeling who she is.)

GARIBALDI: What look does she have this time? The 'Don't spike with me' look, the 'I'm going to kill someone' look, or the 'Answer me or I'll turn your balls into hamburger meat' look?

HANK: Definitely the last one.

(Ivanova reaches the bar.)

IVANOVA: Mister Garibaldi, do you know where the Captain have gone off this time?

(Garibaldi turns around on his stool to talk to Ivanova face-to-face.)

GARIBALDI: Me? I thought you know his mind more than I do since you served under him on the Agamemnon. A fact that you have no problem sharing with me on more than one occassion.

IVANOVA (Ignoring Garibaldi's sarcasm): Yes, it's true. I have served under him on the Agamemnon. But since you and the Captain seem so buddy buddy with each other, I would think you would have...have gotten to know him better than I do.

(Garibaldi briefly smiles with pride at Ivanova's relucant admission of that.)

GARIBALDI: Well, he's been going more to that new observation dome they've finished installing last...

(Ivanova suddenly walks off into the direction of the observation dome, no longer acknowledging Garibaldi's presence.)

GARIBALDI: Week.

(CUT TO: The Observation Dome. A room mostly encased in glass-like material instead of its back, which contains the metal threshold of one of Babylon 5's elevators. Sinclair stands in the front of the room and the only separating thing him from the glass-like material is the railing that surrounds the room's shape. But that doesn't dismay Sinclair one bit. He is endlessly amazed by the sight of space and its sparkling stars. It has always gave him the feeling of peace every time he looks at it. That's why he comes here so much. To give himself relief from his tedious life as Babylon 5's commander. When the doors of the elevator behind him suddenly open and Ivanova comes out of the elevator, Sinclair doesn't turn back, wanting the feeling of contentment to last a little longer.)

IVANOVA: I'm sorry to interrupt, Captain. But we have a situation.

(Sinclair silently sighs and closes his eyes for a few seconds before forcing himself to turn away from the stars.)

(CUT TO: Sinclair turning towards Ivanova, immediately returning to his military veneer of strength and confidence, which he often has to wear these days.)

SINCLAIR: What's the situation?

IVANOVA: The Centauri colony Ragesh 3 sent us a distress call moments ago. The message was a bit garbled but from what we can understand....the colony has been attacked by some hostile force. We don't know who.

(Sinclair takes a moment to digest the information and then walks off to the elevator with Ivanova by her side.)

SINCLAIR: Get Hampton. Tell her what happened and to be in the Advisory Council Chambers waiting for the Centauri ambassador when he arrives.

(CUT TO: Sinclair and Ivanova inside the elevator.)

SINCLAIR: To keep the ambassador from having an absolute fit over this mess, tell her also to bring the Vorlon and Minbari ambassadors along with her. Maybe they can give Ambassador Mollari some calming words of wisdom or something.

(Sinclair presses the elevator button for the level he wants to go to.)

IVANOVA: Yes, sir. I'll do that and I'll bring Ambassador Mollari to the Advisory Council Chambers ASAP.

SINCLAIR: No. Get Garibaldi to do it. If Londo is where I think he is, Garibaldi is the closest to him. I have something else in mind for you to do.

IVANOVA: Yes, sir.

(Vocally, Ivanova sounds like she's in agreement with Sinclair's choice of Garibaldi to bring Ambassador Mollari. But her eyes showing signs of frustration tells a different story. The elevators' door close shut as it begins to go down to the level Sinclair has chosen.)

(CUT TO: Hank's Bar. Garibaldi's mouth is close to his communicator link, which is a flat square-shaped pad attached to the back of his hand. He has just received Sinclair's orders through Ivanova.)

GARIBALDI: I hear you, Ivanova. I'll go get him.

(Garibaldi immediately presses the off button on his communicator link, stands up from his bar stool, and gives Hank a few credits for the orange juice.)

GARIBALDI (To Hank): Back to work.

(Garibaldi gives Hank a wry smirk and leaves the bar to go looking for Ambassador Mollari, assuming he's at his usual place in the Zocalo.)

(CUT TO: A pair of hands holding up cards, which backs are facing us, the audience.)

CARD PLAYER #1: Okay, fella, moment of truth. What do you got?

(We pull back from the pair of hands holding the cards and see that they belong to Ambassador Londo Mollari. Londo is a middle-aged Centauri who's a bit pudgy and whose row of hair on his head is a lot bigger than the Centauri boy and mother's from the beginning of Act One. There are also two streaks of gray running through both sides of Londo's hair. The clothes he is wearing are purple, militaristic, and 17th-Century styled like the boy and mother's clothing. These are the kind of clothing many Centauri men and women wear. Londo has a smug grin on his face when looking at his cards.)

(CUT TO: A wider view of the room he is in, which is mostly dark and secluded from the noisy outside world. Londo is sitting at a circular card-playing table with three other card players, who are shady-looking individuals. The only source of light in the room is coming from the overheard light display, which illuminates them and their table but nothing beyond that. In the center of the table is a sizeable pile of credits, which Londo and the other card players are playing for. The cards players already have their cards laid out on their table and are getting increasingly impatient as they wait for Londo to show them what he got.)

CARD PLAYER#2: Come on, Ambassador! Quit fooling around and show us your cards already.

(Londo starts acting innocent and coy like he wasn't unaware of the players' impatience.)

LONDO: I'm sorry, sirs. Am I making you nervous?

CARD PLAYER#3 (Getting very angry): You'll be making me more than nervous if you don't show your cards right spiking now.

LONDO: You know. Anger is unbecoming of a card player like yourself. Should I suggest a prostitute to relax youf? I have many recommedations...

CARD PLAYER#1: Show us your cards!

LONDO: Alright. Alright. No need to shout.

(Londo finally lays out his cards on the table and the other card players are less than pleased by their looks on their faces and their sighs of frustration. Londo has won the pile of credits!)

(Londo's smug grin has blown into a victorious smile and he begins to gather the pile of credits to his part of the table.)

LONDO: It's all in the wrist, gentlemen. All in the wrist.

(Suddenly, a door hidden in the darkness opens behind Londo letting in the light and noise of the outside world. Coming through the door is Garibaldi who sees Londo and steps over to his side.)

CARD PLAYER#2: Hey, man, this is a private game.

GARIBALDI: I'm the station's security chief. No such thing as "private" here, spikehead.

(Londo is happy to see Garibaldi, which adds more to his good feeling.)

LONDO: Mister Garibaldi! My dear friend! Look at my newly aquired fortune. Do you want some credits for your troubles?

GARIBALDI: Your offer is tempting, Londo, but there's an urgent matter you really need to know about...

LONDO: Can it wait? I know it's a matter of time before I lose all these credits to the pleasure of food, drink, prostitutes, and more delightful games but I'm trying to bash myself into the joy of the moment, no matter how short-term it is.

GARIBALDI: Ragesh 3 has been attacked.

(Gone is Londo's victorious smile and replacing it is a look of dread and panic on his face.)

LONDO: When?

GARIBALDI: Almost half a hour ago.

(Londo looks up at Garibaldi with fury burning in his eyes.)

LONDO: Almost half a hour ago? Why didn't I learn this earlier? How many are dead? Who attacked Ragesh 3?

GARIBALDI: If you want to know, you need to come with me to the Advisory Council Chamber now.

(Londo quickly stands up from his seat and scoops up his pile of credits. But when he begins to turn away from the table, a few cards fall from inside of his vest. The card players look at the fallen cards and realize that Londo's been cheating the whole time.)

(Card Player#3 stands up and, from behind him, we see him beginnning to take out a large, dangerously sharp knife hidden in the back of his pants.)

CARD PLAYER#3: You dirty, cheating, fat bastard!

(Before CARD PLAYER#3 could fully take out the knife to use on Londo, GARIBALDI quickly draws out his PPG (Plasma Pulse Gun) and points at the card player.)

GARIBALDI: I know what are you thinking? Do I feel lucky? Well...do ya....punk?

(Knowing Garibaldi means business, Card Player#3 puts the knife fully back in the back of his pants and sits back down.)

GARIBALDI: Come on, Londo.

(Londo gets out of the room as fast as he can with his winnings scooped up in his arms and Garibaldi slowly steps out of the room backwards with his PPG still drawn out until he was outside and closes the open door before him, returning the dark room fully back to its form.)

TO THOSE WHO READING THIS: I'm sorry but I was only able to post one half of Act One. I'll post the other half on Sunday.

 

[Joe Washington]

Part 3

(CUT TO: The Hypergate. The hypergate comes alive with energy and opens a hyperspace tunnel, which a commercial cruiser comes out of it. The cruiser is headed towards the entrance of the station's docking bays.)

(CUT TO: A pair of black gloved hands. We pull back to see they are the hands of Lyta Alexander, a red-haired woman in her mid-to-late 20's. She is wearing a Psi Corps uniform, which many in the cruiser she is on recognize instantly (The Psi Corps is a EA organization that helps newly blooming telepaths learn to control their abilities for the good of themselves and humanity.) Lyta is sitting in a crowded section of the cruiser, which had long seats lined up the sides for passengers to sit down on. But at the spot Lyta's sitting on, the people next to her are placing some physical distance from her. It wasn't out of kindness or any form of consideration. It was out of fear and prejudice towards what she is (a telepath) and Lyta didn't have to use her powers to sense that. She can easily tell by those among the passengers who fight to avoid looking at her and those among the passengers have no problem looking at her and showing their true feelings in their eyes. But Lyta doesn't display any anger. The most emotion that comes from her is a silent sigh from her lips because Lyta has gone through more than her share of encounters with this kind of behavior and has gotten to the point of finding it tiresome than infuriating. To give her some kind of comfort, Lyta turns her head to the window behind her to look at the metallic spectral, which is the spot of her latest assignment and which will be her new home for an undetermined period of time.)

(CUT TO: The Advisory Council Chambers. This is where Babylon 5's Advisory Council and the League of Non-Aligned Worlds meet to discuss issues between the races. The League of Non-Aligned Worlds is a loose confederation of independent worlds, some of them former subjects of the Centauri Republic. In the front of the room is a long table with four chairs behind it. The middle chair is where the representative of the Earth Alliance usually sits. On the chair's right is the chair where the representative of the Minbari Federation usually sits. Next to that seat is the chair where the representative of the Centauri Republic sits. On the middle chair's left, there lies the seat for the representative of the Narn Regime and next to that is the vacant spot where the represenative for the Vorlon Empire stands without need of a chair. In the back of the room, there are rows of chairs, each with a desk attached to it. These are the seats used by representatives of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds and the name of each race each represenative stands for is printed on the front of each desk. Located between the long table and the rows of seats are Garibaldi and Londo. Garibaldi is calmly standing still with his arms crossed while keeping an eye on a very impatient Londo, who's pacing from side to side.)

LONDO: What is keeping that woman so long? Did she stop for a snack as thousands of my people are dying as we speak?

GARIBALDI: Take it easy, Londo. She'll be here.

(On that cue, entering the room from the other side is Lise Hampton, followed by Minbari Ambassador Delenn and Narn Ambassador G'Kar. Lise is a seemingly sophisicated woman in her late 40's and the represenative of the Earth Alliance. Delenn is a pale-skinned Minbari, who's basically bald and has a large bone crest attached to the back of her head. She wore beautiful Japanese-styled clothing which had shades of blue and purple. G'Kar is a tall, replitian-looking Narn whose skin is a mix of red and orange and is dotted with brown and green spots. He wore a leather-looking body armor which had a mixture of red, orange, brown, and green colors. The armor has a wide collar, studded sleeves, and a belt-like thing across his chest. He also wore large leather-looking gloves, which is black at the hand part but the rest is orangish red.)

LISE: I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Ambassador.

(Londo looks at G'Kar with disdain.)

LONDO: What is it doing here?

(G'Kar acts like he is hurt by Londo's comment and that he is only here with purely good intentions.)

G'KAR: I came here out of concern, Mollari. And whoever attacked Ragesh 3 could also be a threat to my people.

DELENN: I came here out of concern as well, Ambassador.

LONDO: Well, I am deeply touched that the two of you care but concern isn't the highest on my list of things I need right now...

LISE: I understand, Ambassador, so I'll get straight to the point: we don't know who attacked Ragesh 3. The distress call Babylon 5 received was too distorted for us to learn who the attackers are. So, in order for us to gain more intel on the situation, Delta Squadron is being rounded up to perform a recon of the area....

(CUT TO: The Squadron Room. The room has several rows of chairs occupied by the fighter pilots of Delta Squadron. In front of the rows of chairs, at the head of the room, is a podium. Standing at the podium is Ivanova and standing close to the podium is the commander of Delta Squadron. Installed in the wall behind the podium is a large flat screen showing an advanced computer-generated display of the planet Ragesh 3 and its surrounding area. An aestroid field is located not so far from the planet.)

IVANOVA: Recon. Nothing more. We don't want a shooting war on our hands. Just get in, take your snaps of the area, and get out. Only fire when fired upon.

The Delta Squadron commander points to the aestroid field on the screen.

SQUADRON COMMANDER: We'll use this aestroid field to conceal ourselves from the hostile force occupying Ragesh 3. The aestroid field emits a strong magnetic field that will block us from enemy sensors. But it will also mess with some of our fighters' systems, so keep an eye out for that.

(CUT TO: The Advisory Council Chamber.)

LONDO: Are you sure there wasn't anything in the distress call that gave you any clues about the attackers' identity? Maybe a Narn face, huh G'Kar?

G'KAR (Outraged): Ambassador Mollari!

LISE: Ambassador, now's not the time to point fingers at each other. Now is the time for us to talk to our governments to see what they know about what's going on Ragesh 3. Maybe one of us will find information criticial to the hopeful resolution of the situation.

(CUT TO: The Cobra Launch Bays. The Starfuries, combat fighter crafts used by Delta Squadron, are docked upside down with their fronts facing the vacuum of space, which the floor beneath each Starfury opens up to. The fighter pilots climb inside their Starfuries, turn their systems on, and place their hands on the controls.)

(CUT TO: The Delta Squadron Commander in the cockpit of his fighter.)

SQUADRON COMMANDER: All fighters ready?

FIGHTER PILOTS ON RADIO: All fighters ready!

SQUADRON COMMANDER: Did you hear that, Control?

(CUT TO: C&C. The Space Controller, who's the female Earthforce officer with the headset facing the viewport, just received the Squadron Commander's reply.)

SPACE CONTROLLER: We hear that, Squadron Commander. Releasing docking clamps now.

(The Controller turns to the Earthforce officer on the station nearest to her and gives him a nod. The officer takes the nod as a signal to press the button that releases the docking clamps.)

(CUT TO: The Cobra Launch Bays. The docking clamps holding the fighters in place are released, letting the Starfuries fall into space.)

(CUT TO: Outside of Babylon 5. We see the launch bays Delta Squadron fighters are falling out are located inside the large structural elements built as parts of the station's front sphere. They are called Cobras because they resemble cobras with their hoods extended. Once in space, Delta Squadron flies away from the station and towards the hypergate.)

(CUT BACK TO: C&C. The Space Controller looks at the Earthforce officer on the station opposite to that of the one who released the docking clamps.)

SPACE CONTROLLER: Transfer the coordinates of Delta Squadron's destination to the gate.

(The officer presses a few buttons to do the job done.)

(CUT TO: The Hypergate. When the fighters are close to the hypergate, the gate comes alive with energy and opens a hyperspace tunnel to their destination, Ragesh 3. Each of the fighters go through the tunnel and the hypergate closes the tunnel once all of the fighters have gone through. The tunnel disappears like it never was there in the first place.)

END OF ACT ONE

 

[BolianAuthor]

This is still quite good. I would consider using prose format, rather than script, but in any case, you're doing good so far.

 

[Mistral]

Not bad at all... I need to read it over again to give a proper critique, but I have to say you seem to have your concept firmly in mind. For the most part, I think the dialogue seems to fit Sinclair. Again, I'll offer more in the morning, lol.

I would love to see some B5 fanfic here. I myself, am considering posting a B5 story here, after I finish BSG Urantia. I think B5 is a series largely overlooked, or ignored, by fanfic writers. I'm glad you posted this, and I think you should continue.

This is a bit of B5 fan fiction I found. I decided to read it. It took me a couple of weeks but it was worth it. Most impressive fanfic I've ever encountered.

http://www.b5-dark-mirror.co.uk/index.html

 

[Joe Washington]

Part 4

ACT TWO

(The act opens with the arrival terminal for one of the station's docking bays. There, Lyta is holding her baggages and waiting for someone as she watches the people of Babylon 5 pass her by. Some of the people passing by give her suspicious looks while some ignore her, too involved in their everyday lives. Behind her, a line of new arrivals are going through security checks at the terminal performed by Babylon 5's security personnel. They are using scanning devices to detect any possible signs of weapons, drugs, or anything else that shouldn't be on the station. A few of the new arrivals who are finished with the checks either give Lyta a look or ignore her when they go by her. One of the officers performing the security checks, Zack Allen, see that Lyta is waiting for someone, who still haven't arrived. Zack is in his late 20's and seems to be out of place in his uniform.)

(Zack turns to the other security officers next to him.)

ZACK: I'll go back.

(Zack then leaves them and stops near Lyta. Lyta sees him next to her.)

ZACK: Hello, I'm Zack Allen, second-in-command of Babylon 5 security. I'm sorry to have you disturbed but are you waiting for someone?

LYTA: Yes. Yes, I am. Do you know where Captain Sinclair is?

ZACK: He's probably in the C&C. Or his office. Or wherever he usually wanders off to. Are you the station's resident commercial telepath?

LYTA: I am. My name's Lyta Alexander. And I was supposed to be welcomed by the Captain or at least some member of his senior staff.

ZACK: Maybe, it's because of the Ragesh 3 thing.

LYTA: What Ragesh 3 thing?

ZACK: Just something I've been hearing. I don't know any more than the name. Can I help you get to your assigned quarters? I know I'm no Captain Sinclair. But I hope I fit the bill in welcoming you to Babylon 5.

(Lyta is touched by Zack's kindness, a quality she hasn't been receiving much since she began her trip to Babylon 5.)

LYTA: Yes, I really would be like that.

(Zack takes Lyta's baggage and starts leading her the way to her quarters.)

(CUT TO: The Advisory Council Chamber. Londo leaves the room in a huff through the doorway behind him as he heads off to his quarters to talk to his government.)

(G'Kar turns to Lise.)

G'KAR: The Narn Regime will do everything it can to assist the colonists of Ragesh 3.

(G'Kar leaves the room but through the other doorway.)

(The only people left in the room are Garibaldi, Lise, and Delenn. Garibaldi looks at Lise with a longing to speak to her. Lise sees it but quickly turns her attentions to Delenn when the ambassador speaks to her.)

DELENN: Miss Hampton, before I go speak to my government, I was wondering if you could help me with a certain matter.

LISE: Of course, Delenn. What it is?

DELENN: I've been trying to set up a meeting with the station commander, Captain Sinclair. My aide has tried contacting his office three times but he never got a response back. I only want to meet the man in charge of my residence here in the flesh to see what he's like.

LISE: I'll take care of it, Delenn.

DELENN: Thank you.

(Delenn leaves the room through the same doorway G'Kar used. Now Garibaldi and Lise are all alone with each other, separated by an air of awkwardness. Lise waits for Garibaldi to talk first but Garibaldi is having trouble trying to think of a way to start the conversation. Lise seems to growing impatient so Garibaldi says the first thing that comes to mind.)

GARIBALDI: What happened to the Vorlon ambassador? I thought he was coming to this little get-together.

LISE: Yeah, well, he didn't feel it was worth his time. Which he is the same way he felt about every other "get-together" in which we call for his presence here.

GARIBALDI: Huh, Vorlons. Is it me or do they think they are gods among men?

LISE: They are, to Earthgov. Michael, they are the most technologically advanced race we have ever encountered and, for the past year, we've been trying to send someone from our government over to their homeworld to see what other wonders they've been hiding from us. But the Vorlons have never stopped being such a secretive people.

GARIBALDI: That's another word for it.

LISE: Well, Luis still hopes for that to change in his second term...

GARIBALDI: Luis? You're on a first name basis with the President of the Earth Alliance? When that started?

(Garibaldi's question makes Lise a bit angry but not unresponsive.)

LISE: When I was running his re-election campaign. That sort of thing does happen in an environment like that. Or would you rather believe in the rumors?

(Garibaldi acts like he doesn't know what Lise's talking about.)

GARIBALDI: What rumors?

LISE: The rumors about me and Santiago spiking behind close doors.

GARIBALDI: What? I never heard of that.

LISE: Right. That couldn't possibly be the reason why you've been busy making an art form out of avoiding me in the corridors.

GARIBALDI: Lise...

LISE: Michael. I work here. Deal with it. Like I do. And tell Sinclair to stop ducking Delenn's messages.

(Lise leaves the room through the same doorway Londo used, leaving a sad Garibaldi completely alone.)

(CUT TO: Sinclair's office. Sitting behind his desk, Sinclair is watching the distress call from Ragesh 3 in a vid screen installed in the wall left of his desk. In the distress call, there is a frightened Centauri man who speaking in Centauri but Sinclair is using some kind of computer program to verbally translate what he is saying into English. In front of Sinclair's desk, there are two leather armchairs. On his desktop, there is a lit lamp at the head of it. Covering the middle is a cluster of data pads displaying reports from all the station's departments. And on Sinclair's right side is a stack of old books with a crystal ball on top of it. Frozen inside the crystal ball is a miniature of an old space combat fighter craft. The crystal ball was a gift from his former fighter pilot father. Hanging on the wall behind Sinclair is a painting of the planet Earth, mostly covered in the darkness of space with its top lit by starlight. Alone but unwavering. The painting was a gift from Catherine.)

CENTAURI MAN: This is Cen-(static noise)-tauri agricultural colony Ragesh (static noise) 3. We're being attacked by a fleet of ships. It's the (static noise). We're using our planetary defensive systems aganist them but the (static noise) are destroying them one by one. Whoever's receiving this, we need your...

COMPUTER: End of message.

(Sinclair takes a look at the vid screen's frozen image of the Centauri man. He's scared out of his mind as his world falls apart before his eyes.)

SINCLAIR: Replay message again.

(When the distress call is played again, we close up to Sinclair's introspective face. We hear echoing sounds of weapons fire and people screaming coming from Sinclair's mind but we don't see any images assiocated with the sounds.)

(CUT TO: Lyta's Quarters. Standing in the middle of her vacant quarters is Lyta, who is taking an inspecting look around the place. Next to her is Zack, who is putting down her baggages on the floor.)

ZACK: Like the place?

LYTA: It's...different.

ZACK: Not like home, huh?

LYTA: Yeah, not like home.

ZACK: Well, this is when I leave you. I still have some work to do...

LYTA: That's fine. I really appreciate your help.

(Zack and Lyta shake each other's hands. Zack is about to leave it when something occured to him.)

ZACK: Oh, I almost forgot. There's something you have to do before you settle down here.

LYTA: What?

ZACK: You have to undergo a medical examination. Station policy. It'll only take a minute.

LYTA: Where do I go for that?

ZACK: Medlab One. It's somewhere in this sector of the station. It won't be hard for you to find. I promise.

LYTA: Okay.

(There is a moment of awardness between them with Zack looking at her, finding himself unable to tear his eyes from her beauty. It is clear on Lyta's face that she telepathically senses what Zack is feeling and finds it a bit uncomfortable.)

LYTA: Thank you.

ZACK: Ah, yes. You-you're welcome.

(A embarrassed Zack leaves Lyta's quarters by pressing a button on the panel next to the door that slides open for him to leave.)

(CUT TO: Sinclair's office. Sinclair is watching the distress call again when Garibaldi steps into the threshold of the doorway to Sinclair's office which doesn't have an automatic sliding door.)

GARIBALDI: Is this where lonely men go to rot?

(Sinclair is surprised by Garibaldi's presence and turns to the screen playing the distress call.)

SINCLAIR: Screen Off.

(The screen watches to the Babylon 5 logo. Garibaldi seems curious about what Sinclair was watching when Sinclair turns to him with a friendly smile on his face.)

SINCLAIR: Hey, Mike. How's your day as Babylon 5's head of security?

(Garibaldi makes a sigh when he walks over and sits in one of the armchairs in front of Sinclair's desk.)


GARIBALDI: Another friendly chat with Ivanova, a lovely man with a knife, bickering diplomats, and a pissed off ex. So, pretty much the usual...and Lise told me to tell you to stop ducking Ambassador Delenn's messages.

SINCLAIR: I am not ducking her messages. I just haven't been around to receive them.

GARIBALDI: Jeff, if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck...

SINCLAIR: That's not the case here!

(A pause followed Sinclair's angry outburst. Taking a gentler approach to what he thinks is going on with Sinclair, Garibaldi leans in to Sinclair and lowers his voice a bit when he speaks to his friend.)

GARIBALDI: Jeff, they're here. They always will be here. This is Babylon 5. If you were a civilian and she was some other Minbari, you might have gotten away with it. But she's the represenative of the Minbari Federation. You piss her off, piss them all off. And the last time I checked, Babylon 5 is supposed to keeping the peace, not destroying it.

SINCLAIR (Still a bit angry): Anything else about my behavior you want to talk about, Dr. Garibaldi.

(Giving upon on the gentler approach, Garibaldi leans back in his chair.)

GARIBALDI: Yeah, one more thing. You gotta stop wandering off so much. When I told Londo that it had taken us almost a half-hour to give him news of Ragesh 3 after the station received the distress call, he almost burst a blood vessel, Jeff. And you're lucky I remembered about the observation dome when Ivanova came to me. Because it would have been a different story if I didn't.

(Sinclair begins to calm down, willing accepting at least that mess as his responsibility.)

SINCLAIR: I know. I'm sorry about that, Mike. But there are times that I just want some...

GARIBALDI: Peace? I know that, Jeff. And I understand. More than you know. But you need to start standing this job, man, because wandering off for some alone time every chance you get isn't the answer.

(Sinclair doesn't attempt to make Garibaldi any promises but he gives him a short 'I'll try' nod instead.)

TO THOSE READING THIS: It seems I will have to divide most of the rest of the acts because of their length. So look forward to reading some of them in halves.

 

[Joe Washington]

Part 5

(CUT TO: Medlab One. Babylon 5's primary medical facility. In the middle of the Medlab is an elevated platform, which is a mini-island of stations monitoring the life signs and conditions of each patient in the room and computers used for access to the station's medical database. Manning that platform is a small staff of medical technicians. Surrounding the elevated platform is a circle of sickbay beds, each equipped with a bio-function monitor. Most of the sickbay beds are occupied by patients of different species being treated by Medlab's staff of doctors and nurses. On the left side of the end of the room is an environmental chamber used to contain aliens who are unable to breathe in an oxygen environment. And on the right side of the end of the room is the Chief Medical Officer's office. Wandering into Medlab is Lyta, who's here for her examination but doesn't know who to go to since the doctors have their hands full with their current patients.)

(CUT TO: The Chief Medical Officer's Office. Dr. Stephen Franklin, an African American in his mid-30's, is behind his desk going over some reports displayed in data pads On the vid screen that is in the wall behind him and on his left side, ISN is talking about events that are transpiring on the planet Mars.)

ISN ANCHORMAN: Unsatisfied with Santiago's promise of a new day and feeling constricted by Earth's policies, a large number of Martians have rallied together to launch protests aganist the EA. Martian officials suspect the Free Mars movement's involvement in the protests that are becoming increasingly violent...

(When Franklin looks up from his data pads, he sees through his office's window Lyta in the Medlab. Lyta looking like someone who needs help, Franklin stands up from his desk and leaves his office to give that help.)

(CUT BACK TO: Medlab. Franklin walks up to Lyta.)

FRANKLIN: Hello, I'm Dr. Stephen Franklin, Chief Medical Officer.

(Franklin and Lyta shake each other's hands.)

FRANKLIN: May I help you?

LYTA: Yes. I'm Lyta Alexander. The station's commercial telepath. I heard I need to go undergo a medical examination. Part of station policy.

FRANKLIN: Oh, yes. I didn't know you were coming today.

LYTA: You weren't the only one.

FRANKLIN: Come this way.

(Franklin directs her to an unoccupied sickbay bed next to them. Lyta gets on the bed and Franklin takes out a medical scanning device hooked on the side of the bed to begin the exam by scanning every part of her body.)

FRANKLIN: So, what do you mean by me not being the only one?

LYTA: Well, there wasn't anyone from the staff there waiting for me and I thought that would be the case when I arrive. Did they do something like that for you?

FRANKLIN: Yes. But I don't remember Sinclair mentioning you were coming here today and, believe me, he would have mentioned it.

LYTA (Whispers to herself): Another one...

FRANKLIN: What was that?

LYTA: What does your Captain think of telepaths?

FRANKLIN: Well, he doesn't talk much about them. So, I wouldn't know. Why? You don't think he's prejudiced towards your kind?

LYTA: My kind? Doctor, I'm a human just like you. The only separating us is a slight advantage on my part. People keep forgetting that. All my life, people keep forgetting Talia and I were anything resembling human...

FRANKLIN: Talia?

(The look in Lyta's eyes saddens for a moment when Franklin says Talia's name.)

LYTA: She is-was my sister.

(Franklin stops scanning Lyta's body and lowers the arm holding the device by his side.)

FRANKLIN: What happened to her?

LYTA: It was a training accident. I don't want to talk anymore about it.

FRANKLIN: Alright.

(Franklin raises the scanning device in his hand up to see what its findings are.)

FRANKLIN: Well, you're in good shape. No sign of pathogens or any sort of illness. Body functions are normal. You're the picture of health.

LYTA: Thank you, Doctor.

(Without saying goodbye to Franklin, Lyta gets off the sickbay bed and leaves Medlab. Sadness in Franklin's eyes when he feels for Lyta's mistreatment and a thought occurred to him, which prompt him to push on the communicator link on his hand and put it up to his mouth.)

FRANKLIN: Ivanova.

(CUT TO: C&C. Ivanova is looking over C&C's operations when she hears Franklin's voice coming through her link. She presses the receive button on the link and lifts the link up to her mouth.)

IVANOVA: Franklin, what it is?

FRANKLIN'S VOICE: Were you aware that the station's commercial telepath, a Lyta Alexander, was coming in today?

(Ivanova acts like she doesn't know who Franklin is talking about.)

IVANOVA: A Lyta Alexander? No, I wasn't aware of that.

(CUT TO: Medlab. You can see that Franklin doesn't believe Ivanova.)

FRANKLIN: Susan, don't bullshit me.

(CUT TO: The C&C.)

IVANOVA: Bullshit? You? Never.

(Then Ivanova acts like she suddenly remembered something.)

IVANOVA: But you know what? It suddenly came to me. I received news from Psi-Corp a few days ago about one of their own coming here. But with how busy my schedule has been these days, I must have forgotten all about it. Tell her I'm sorry and I hope her feelings weren't too hurt.

FRANKLIN'S V.O.: Dammit, Ivanova...

SPACE CONTROLLER: Commander!

(Ivanova looks up from her link to the Space Controller.)

SPACE CONTROLLER: We have incoming ships. It's Delta Squadron.

(CUT TO: The Hypergate. When the hypergate comes on and opens a hyperspace tunnel, Delta Squadron comes speedily straight out of it as if they are fleeing from something. Some of the fighters look damaged by weapons fire.)

(CUT TO: C&C. Ivanova sees this and is alarmed.)

IVANOVA: Franklin, I'll talk to you later.

(Ivanova presses the button on the link to send her communication with Franklin and runs off to meet up with Delta Squadron.)

(CUT TO: The Cobra Launch Bay's Entrance. We see through the entrance that the fighters are placed back in their former positions with the docking clamps holding them up. The fighter pilots are already out of their fighters and beginning to walk through the entrance. Ivanova arrives and sets her sights on the Squadron Commander, who is among the pilots.)

IVANOVA: What happened?

SQUADRON COMMANDER: They found us in the aestroid field and started firing at us. We fired back and left before they could destroy us.

IVANOVA: Who are they? Who attacked Ragesh 3?

(We close up to the Squadron Commander's face when he is about to give the answer to a lingering mystery.)

SQUADRON COMMANDER: The Narns.

(CUT TO: A angry Londo marching through the Zocalo, hunting for the Narn who lied to his face. He stops in his tracks when he sees something across the Zocalo.)

(CUT TO: Londo's POV. From where he is standing, he can see G'Kar sitting at a table, eating a bowl of spoo (a Narn delicacy) at a open-space restaurant. Standing next to him stoically is his female Narn aide, Na'Toth, who has the posture of a bodyguard who is not to be messed with.)

(CUT TO: Londo marches across the Zocalo up to G'Kar's table. G'Kar stops eating from his bowl and looks up to the Centauri ambassador's furious eyes.)

G'KAR: Mollari! Pleasure to meet you again as always. And I can tell by the look in your eyes that you just learned about my people's involvement in the attack and current occupation of Ragesh 3. I swear to you, Mollari. My government only informed me about it moments ago. But I'm suire there must be a reasonable explanation for it.

(Londo barely restrains himself from shouting right away and turns to G'Kar's aide.)

LONDO: Leave us.

NA'TOTH: Narns don't take orders from Centauri pigs anymore. Or have you forgotten, Ambassador?


G'KAR (In Narn): Na'Toth, do what he says.

NA'TOTH (In Narn): Are you sure, Ambassador G'Kar?

G'KAR (In Narn): I am quite capable of taking care of myself. Now go.

(Na'Toth makes an obedient nod and walks away to give the two enemies some privacy. Londo calmly sits down on the other side of the table, continuing his stare at G'Kar.)

LONDO (In Centauri): A...reasonable-

G'KAR: If you think I'm going to stand here and listen you speak to me in your horrid language and let you expect me to speak to you in the same way, you must actually be out of your mind.

(Refusing to speak in G'Kar's language which he despies as much as G'Kar despies speaking in his language, Londo decides to stick to the Human language.)

LONDO: A...reasonable...explanation? Like what?

G'KAR: Well, let me see. Adding a new world to our little regime. Finding suitable workers in the colonists. I don't know. Maybe to see if we could. You must have your own conclusions. Didn't your people did the same thing to my world years ago?

(Londo begins to raise his voice.)

LONDO: And that gives your right to attack BARELY ARMED CIVILIANS!

(Londo and G'Kar begin to get attention from the other people in the restaurant.)

G'KAR: It's either that or setting your homeworld on fire. I'm saving the latter for a rainy day.

LONDO: If you don't tell your buddies to get off Ragesh 3 right now, I'll...

G'KAR: You'll do what, Mollari? Your precious Centauri Republic has even less power than you if that's possible. They're a joke! You're a joke! And you're lucky the bubble-headed humans even let your people have a voice in the Advisory Council. Face it, Londo. The growls of your people are no more. All I hear are the meows of ducks!

(In a fit of anger, Londo violently pushes over the table with the bowl of spoo on top. G'Kar doesn't react and stays in his seat. Londo, on the other hand, stands up from his seat and ignores the shocked looks of the other people in the restaurant, never letting his eyes off G'Kar.)

LONDO: We may meow like ducks but at least we don't smell like (Centauri swear).

(Angered by the insult, G'Kar stands up from his seat, clutching his hands tightly by his sides.)

G'KAR: You know what makes attacking Ragesh 3 all the most enjoyable. It's not hearing the ridiculous screams of your Centauri men, women, and bratty children. Or making the Republic look like more of the fools they really are. It's when I found the name of someone close to you on the list of colonists. Seen your nephew lately, Mollari?

(All of sudden, Londo starts strangling G'Kar with his bare hands. G'Kar does the same. But before it could last longer, some of Babylon 5's security officers grab hold of them from behind to break up the fight. Londo and G'Kar try to fight off the men holding them back but it was of no use. So G'Kar only had the following to say to Londo.)

G'KAR: Listen, Ambasador! Your time has come and gone! It's our turn now! Sleep well, Ambassador. Sleep lightly.

(G'Kar finally pushes off the security officers' restraining hands but turns away from Londo as if he didn't exist and walks calmly back to his quarters. Londo pushes off the hands of the officers holding him back as well and stood there, watching G'Kar walk away with bloody revenge in his eyes.)

END OF ACT TWO

 

[USS Fardell]

This is really good so far.

 

[Joe Washington]

Part 6


ACT FOUR

(The fourth act opens with the Advisory Council Chamber. G'Kar is standing in the middle of the room speaking his case to the diplomats in the room, who watch and listen.)

G'KAR: 50 years. That's how long the Centauri's hell on my world lasted. 50 years. Of slavery. Of torture. Of senseless deaths. By the time the Centauri finally left us alone, my world, once a planet rich and lush with nature, was a nearly barren wasteland. Still is while our scientists and engineers continue their attempts to bring back Narn's green beauty. A beauty lost because of the Centauri. Before Ragesh 3 was a Centauri agricultural colony, it was a home for Narns. One of our few off-world colonies. When the Centauri left, they took Ragesh 3 with them and made it a part of their Republic. If it was our intention to invade Ragesh 3, then you can clearly see that we have every reason in the universe to do so.

DELENN: Revenge isn't a justification for the invasion of defenseless civilians.

G'KAR: Not revenge, justice! And their planet had defense systems so they were far from defenseless, Delenn.

LONDO: But you do admit to invading the colonists? I seem to remember you telling me that with unmasked glee.

G'KAR: Really, Ambassador? I seem to remember saying to you that I recently received news of the attack but awaited an explanation from my government. What I told afterward were guesses, assumptions, and, yes, some unwise personal outbursts on my part.

LONDO: You told me how enjoyable attacking Ragesh 3 was to you...

(G'Kar fakes an expression tinged with regret.)

G'KAR: A cruel lie made to provoke you, Mollari. Nothing to prove that my people actually invaded the planet with hostility.

LISE: And did your government give you an explanation, Ambassador?

G'KAR: Yes, they did. Ragesh 3 was endangered...by raiders.

(The diplomats made sounds of interest and surprise at G'Kar's reveal. Londo didn't make either and makes a look of disgust at another one of G'Kar's lie.)

LONDO: Raiders? Is that the best you can come up with it, G'Kar?

G'KAR: It's no lie that raiders have been known to cause trouble in that area of space. Ragesh 3 have been bothered by them on a few occasions but refuse to reveal this to the Republic in fear of them shutting the colony down. Today, troubles with the raiders got so bad, they started attacking the colony to take what they want instead of simply attacking the colony's supply ships.

LONDO: So the raiders are the attackers of the colony? What are your people? Its rescuers?

G'KAR: As matter of fact, yes. We received their distress call and sent some of our forces to deal with the situation. We Narns may be a hardened people but we are not unsymphaetic to the cries of the innocent.

LONDO: The distress call says it was your people that...

G'KAR: The distress call was garbled from what I hear, Mollari, and didn't mention the attackers by name. And the attackers, who are the raiders and not my people, left the colony alone after seeing that they were no match for us. Out of gratitude to us saving their lives, Ragesh 3 has decided to join the Narn Regime.

(More sounds of interest and surprise among the diplomats.)

LONDO: What?! Now your jokes have gone too far, G'Kar. The colonists would have never join the Narn Regime willingly. I don't believe a word of it.

G'KAR: I didn't expect you to. Which is why I have a recorded message from Ragesh 3 by one of its own people explaining the situation without any physical signs of torture or abuse. May I?

(G'Kar looks at Lise for approval. Lise nods.)

LISE: Of course.

(G'Kar turns to the vid screen on the right side of the room, near the doorway.)

G'KAR: Play Ragesh 3 message.

(The vid screen starts showing a chubby Centauri man in his mid-20's. There are no bruises on his face or signs of any physical pain. His eyes show fear but his voice sounds calm and his words sounds like it came straight out of a script. The young Centauri man is Londo's nephew, Vir Coto. Londo stands from his seat in shock.)

VIR: Hello, my name is Vir Coto. I am the head researcher of the Centauri agricultural colony Ragesh 3...

G'KAR: Vir Coto is also the nephew of our esteem Ambassador Londo Mollari.

(G'Kar points at Londo with glee and turns back at the vid screen.)

VIR: By now, you have received news of the attack on our planet. To clarify, the attackers were...were raiders.

(As the message went on, Londo slowly walks from his seat, stepping behind Delenn's seat and going around that side of the table. Then he walks over to a spot a few feet from where G'Kar stood, never taking his eyes off the vid screen the whole time.)

VIR: We've dealt with them before but didn't report about it in fear that the Republic would remove us from the planet. The planet that has become our home in every sense of the word. We almost feared our lives being taken by the raiders but the Narns came in and saved them from us. We are grateful. And seeing how strong they are and how they value us in the way the Republic never did, we made the choice to join their government. The Narns have accepted us with open arms and from this day forward, we will now be officially recognized as cizitens of the Narn Regime.

(The message ends and the room is silent. The diplomats turn their eyes from the screen and at Londo. Lise suspected the message was staged but couldn't prove it and is reminded that her role here is that of a neutral mediator and nothing much. Her frustration and sadness for Londo's cause are evident on her face. The same sadness is seen in Delenn's eyes. Kosh just turned his head at Londo and stared. G'Kar seems full of pride and enjoyment at Londo's misery. Londo sees everyone looking at him and his air of confidence and strength that he came in was utterly destroyed.)

LONDO: You can't...believe this. It's a lie! All of it! Can't you see? It's a fake!

G'KAR: A lie? A fake? You know, Mollari, I've find it interesting that you call me a liar while in fact, you are the one who's lying here.

LONDO: What?

G'KAR: Before this message was shown to you all here, it was first shown to the Centauri government. They said they never intended on backing this issue in the emergency session and had no problem with Ragesh 3 becoming a Narn protectorate. So if that's true, why are you here? Why didn't you tell us this before the session began?

LONDO: Well, I...

G'KAR: Isn't it true that you wanted revenge? Revenge for the assumed harm of your nephew and the other colonists? You went against your own government's orders to get your pound of flesh didn't you, Ambassador?

LONDO: That's not true!

G'KAR: Well, it looks like it. And I move that this council now vote to dismiss all charges against the Narn Regime. Is there a second?

(One of the representatives of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds raises his hand up, which G'Kar reacts with more of the smug expression on his face.)

G'KAR: Please call the vote.

(Lise begins to do so as she places the vote down in her pad but, feeling sorry for Londo, she looks towards him. Londo stands defeated and pitiful, feelings that he hate with a passion.)

(CUT TO: Sinclair's office. Sinclair is watching an ISN report on his vid screen to make his mind off the emergency session. The report is talking about the conclusion of the violent protests on Mars.)

ISN ANCHORWOMAN: The protests on Mars have come to a swift end when Martian police use necessary force to subdue them. Most of the protesters have been taken into custody while the rest manage to flee from the arm of the law. Unfortunately, because some of the protesters were using weapons of strange and unknown design against Martian police officers, some lethal force was used as well. The total of the dead is 10. Seven of them protesters and three of them Martian police officers...

(Ivanova enters the room with news to share with Sinclair about the emergency session.)

IVANOVA: Captain.

(Sinclair turns to Ivanova.)

SINCLAIR: Yes, Commander. What is it?

IVANOVA: The session has concluded.

(Wanting to hear Ivanova's news more clearly, Sinclair turns to the vid screen.)

SINCLAIR: Screen Off.

(The screen does so and Sinclair turns back at Ivanova with his ears fully open.)

SINCLAIR: Concluded? That fast. What happened?

IVANOVA: The Narns made it look like it was raiders attacking the colony and they were the ones defending it from them. G'Kar exposes Londo's ruse that the Republic was for any action to resolve the situation and was able to use it to dismiss the charges aganist his government.


SINCLAIR: Dammit!

IVANOVA: I think it is time to use me as that ace in the hole you were talking about.

SINCLAIR: Yeah, I think so.

IVANOVA: So what's your plan?

SINCLAIR: I don't know, Susan. But it needs to be something that can be done quickly before any chance of saving the colonists is destroyed by the Narns.

(Sinclair starts to think when something pops up in his head. He looks at the vid screen, remembering what it said earlier, and looks back at Ivanova who sees that he come up with a solution.)

IVANOVA: What's your plan, Captain?

SINCLAIR: What's the name of that Martian cop friend of yours you told me about a while back?

IVANOVA: Laurel Takashima. Why?

SINCLAIR: I need you to call her and ask her about these weapons the police found on the Martian protestors. Is that a problem?

IVANOVA: No, no problem, Captain. Laurel and I are very good "friends." But what exactly about the weapons do you want to know?

SINCLAIR: Everything. Everything they've learned about them. Right now, Commander.

IVANOVA: Yes, Captain.

(Ivanova leaves to perform her task.)

(CUT TO: Londo's Quarters. Londo is sitting on the couch silently. His expression is unreadable. After a minute of sitting there, Londo gets up from the couch and walks over to the counter. He looks at the one of the vases on the counter, takes it from the counter and puts his hand inside of it. When he removes his hand from the vase, he takes two mechanical pieces and puts the vase back in its place. Separated, the pieces Londo took out seem harmless. But when Londo screw them together, the pieces form into a deadly pulse pistol. The pistol turns itself on when put together. With that powered up sound the pistol makes and Londo's hand clasping the deadly pulse pistol and looking up from it with a grimly determined look, we have the feeling that something bad is about to happen.)

(CUT TO: The Zocalo. In an area of the Zocalo, Lyta is sitting a table with two men sitting on opposite sides of the table. The two men are negotiating an exchange between them. The one on the left is the trader and the one on the right is the client. It is Lyta's job to detect any signs of deception from either of them with her telepathy in order to keep the exchange from being a dishonest one. It is the job that Lyta is clearly bored out of her mind over.)

CLIENT: Fifteen credits and not a penny less.

TRADER: Fifteen credits? This isn't a kid's toy. This is a rare, one-of-kind article.

CLIENT: It's a teddy bear.

TRADER: One of the last remaining teddy bears. And in perfect condition too.

CLIENT: Fifteen clients and not a penny less.

(Lyta stands up from her seat.)

CLIENT: Hey, where are you going?

LYTA: I'm going to get something to drink. I'll be back.

CLIENT: But do you sense any deception from this guy?

LYTA: It doesn't take a psychic to figure out what he is full of.

(Lyta leaves the trader and the client who continue to bicker with each other and takes a walk to the nearest refreshment area.)

(CUT TO: Londo marching through the Zocalo with his pulse pistol concealed in his pocket. He is headed to the elevator that's between Lyta and the refreshment area. Lyta bumps into Londo on her way to the refreshment area.)

LYTA: I'm sorry.

LONDO: It's alright.

(Londo touches Lyta's hand and Lyta suddenly has a telepathic vision.)

(CUT TO: Lyta's Vision. Londo is in one of the corridors in Grey Section. He takes out his pulse pistol and aims at someone.)

LONDO: G'Kar!

(CUT TO: G'Kar, standing there fearful of what Londo is about to do.)

G'KAR: Don't do it, Londo!

(CUT TO: Londo firing the pistol non-stop at his enemy.)

(CUT TO: Lyta waking out of her vision. Londo suspects what she may have seen.)

LONDO: I really must go.

(Londo presses a button on the side of the elevator as Lyta stands there in shock of what she seen and felt in that vision. The elevator's doors open. Londo walks in and presses one of the buttons inside. Lyta finally wakes up from her shock but not before the elevators' door close. She bang her hands a little aganist the elevator.)

LYTA: Don't do it, Ambassador! It's not worth it!

(Realizing what she is doing isn't going to stop Londo, Lyta runs off going for a different option.)

(CUT TO: The doors of the elevator Londo is in opening when it reaches Londo's destination. Londo steps out and sees the door to G'Kar's quarters not so far down the corridor. Londo begins to walk up to it when Garibaldi steps in front of him coming from a corridor intersecting with the one Londo is in. Garibaldi acts all friendly and Londo is surprised and frustrated by his presence that stands in the way of his plan.)

GARIBALDI: Hey, Londo! Long time, no see.

LONDO: We saw each other just today.

GARIBALDI: You know what I mean, old buddy, old pal. Hey, you wanna see my Looney Tunes collection? There's this one cartoon with Daffey Duck...

LONDO: I'm busy, Mr. Garibaldi. Maybe some other time.

(Londo is about to step around Garibaldi when Garibaldi grabs Londo's arm.)

GARIBALDI: I insist.

LONDO: Let go of me.

GARIBALDI: Turn around, Londo, and G'Kar won't hear one word of this.

(Londo realizes that Garibaldi knows and tries to wrestle his arm out of Garibaldi's grip.)

LONDO: I don't care. My nephew is dead already. All those people on Ragesh 3 are dead or dying because of him!

GARIBALDI: I know, Londo. But this isn't the way to fix things. Now, turn around.

LONDO: No.

GARIBALDI: Londo, don't make me do it.

(Londo hears the sound of a PPG turning itself on and looks down. Garibaldi has a PPG in his other hand aimed at Londo's side. Londo looks at Garibaldi with shock and Garibaldi gives him a hard stare. Not willing to push this anymore than it's already been, Londo with some resistance backs down angrily and takes a few steps from Garibaldi.)

LONDO: I can't let him get away with this!

GARIBALDI: I know, Londo. Just go back to your quarters.

(Garibaldi was about to walk off when Londo feels the need to ask him a question.)

LONDO: If I had continued to push on...you would have really killed me?

(Garibaldi turns to Londo with that hard look.)

GARIBALDI: Yes, I would.

(Londo is saddened by his response and Garibaldi's hard look softens a bit.)

GARIBALDI: But I'm glad I didn't.

(Finding that response slightly comforting, Londo gives Garibaldi a short nod, presses the button on the side of the elevator, and steps inside the elevator when its doors open again.)

(CUT TO: Sinclair's office. Ivanova urgently walks into the office with a piece of paper in her hand. Sinclair was reading one of the reports on his desk when Ivanova walks in and looks up to see what she has for him.)

IVANOVA: Captain, you really need to read this.

(Sinclair takes the piece of paper from Ivanova's hand and reads it. Sinclair looks like whatever is on the paper is something he already suspected. After finishing reading it, the Captain looks up from the paper to Ivanova.)

SINCLAIR: Commander, can you please bring Ambassador G'Kar to my office immediately?

END OF ACT FOUR

 

[Joe Washington]

Part 7

ACT FIVE

(The final act opens with G'Kar entering Sinclair's office with Ivanova by his side. Sinclair stands up from his seat. G'Kar isn't pleased being brought here.)

G'KAR: You rang, Captain.

SINCLAIR: Yes, Ambassador, I did. Take a seat.

G'KAR: I rather stand.

SINCLAIR: Okay. I seem to remember you Narns being less stubborn back in the war.

(Sinclair steps out from behind his desk and stands a few feet from G'Kar, having no problem looking the fierce warrior in the eyes.)

SINCLAIR: You were supplying us weapons to fight back aganist the Minbari, for god's sake.

G'KAR: Only because we seek some parts of your primitive technology to improve the Regime's position, which wasn't fully stabilized those years ago.

SINCLAIR: But you know what I remember the most of the weapons you provided us with? We made them to look like they were of Centauri origin. So if the Minbari got their hands on one of them, they would think the Centauri Republic was the one helping us and they would suffer instead of your people. Clever.

G'KAR: We try our best.

SINCLAIR: And that's when it popped up in my head when I was watching this ISN report on the violent protests on Mars. You see, some of the protestors had these weapons they used aganist the police. They couldn't identify who manufacture them because they were of a design the EA never saw before. And that's what they were going for, to keep any suspicions from coming in Narn's direction.

G'KAR: I don't like what you are accusing your people of.

SINCLAIR: If I wasn't without proof, what I'm saying would simply be an accusation. But...

(Sinclair picks up the piece of paper from the desk.)

G'KAR: What is that? Your reassignment paper? It better be because my government will have a long talk with your superiors if you pursue this line of questioning.

IVANOVA: It's the report on the protestors' weapons.

(Ivanova walks over to Sinclair's side, possessing the same defiant look as the Captain's at G'Kar.)

IVANOVA: The police dissected them to see how they work so they could figure out who made them from their inner workings. The President stopped the investigation into the weapons when he received the report. Luckily, a friend of mine gave me a copy of that report.

SINCLAIR: Guess what is the thing that stood out to the President to make him order the ceasing of the investigation?

(Sinclair turns the paper onto its front for G'Kar to see.)

SINCLAIR: Power cells. Semi-organic power cells. The same power cells used in Narn weapons, especially the ones you gave to us back in the war.

(Sinclair puts the paper back on the table and enjoys the feeling that he has the Ambassador by the balls. G'Kar remains mostly stoic but you can see it in his eyes that he and his people are found out.)

SINCLAIR: What was your plan, Ambassador? Stir up enough trouble on Mars to make Earthgov reconsider the cost of having Babylon 5 out here? Were we an obstacle in your people's aggressive expansion?

G'KAR: What are you going to do with that report?

SINCLAIR: Well, that's all up to you, Ambassador. If you order your people to get off Ragesh 3 and leave the people there alone, this report won't have to see the light of day. But if your people continue their occupation of Ragesh 3, I will have no choice but to expose this report to the Advisory Council and the League of Non-Aligned Worlds. Your people acting aganist a fellow representive race of the Council the way they were doing could bring enough people on our side to push your expansion back a thousand years. And me and the Vorlon ambassador are like this.

(Sinclair raises his hand and cross his fingers.)

G'KAR: You won't do that. Your superiors will remove you from command if you go ahead with something like that.

SINCLAIR: Never liked the job anyway.

G'KAR: This is blackmail.

IVANOVA: Call it what you like, Ambassador. What's your decision?

(G'Kar struggles with Sinclair's ultimatum.)

G'KAR: We can't let Ragesh 3 slip through our fingers. It was a Narn world. It belongs to us, not the Centauri.

SINCLAIR: Then keep the planet but release the colonists. Send them to the nearest Centauri outpost.

G'KAR: My government won't go along with this.

SINCLAIR: They will, if it comes from you. You are a member of the third circle of the Kha'Ri.

(G'Kar remains silent for a moment as he tries to figure out an way out from under Sinclair's blackmail but the ways he was thinking of would be highly illegal and would land his people in hot water. So G'Kar relucantly gives in.)

G'KAR: Alright, I'll speak to them. But remember what you did here today. Because fear one day you will regret ever crossing the Narns on this.

SINCLAIR: Is that a threat, Ambassador?

G'KAR: It's a friendly warning.

SINCLAIR: Well, you know where to find me when that day comes.

(G'Kar takes one hard look at Sinclair, which Ivanova responds back, and stomps out of his office.)

(CUT TO: Londo's Quarters. Londo is standing up from the couch when Lise, who's in the room, gives him some surprisingly good news which Londo can't believe he heard.)

LONDO: What did you say again?

LISE: The Narns have released the colonists and transported them to the nearest Centauri outpost, Forlorn 7.

LONDO: Why?

LISE: I guess the Narns didn't see any point in having them if they have the planet.

LONDO: Great Maker.

(Unexpectedly, Lise gets a hug from the joyful Ambassador.)

LONDO: Thank you, Miss Hampton! Thank you so much!

LISE: I didn't do anything.

LONDO: Well then, thank you for doing nothing. I have to go see my nephew.

(Londo leaves his quarters to do just that.)

(CUT TO: The C&C. Ivanova is doing her job of looking over things there when Garibaldi enters wanting to talk with her to Ivanova's dismay.)

GAIRBALDI: Hey, Ivanova. I just heard the news. We save the day.

(Ivanova doesn't turn to Garibaldi who stood by her side to talk to him eye-to-eye.)

IVANOVA: Actually, the Captain and I save the day. You were just off doing your job.

(Garibaldi is getting sick of Ivanova's behavior towards him, which is clear by the frustration in his voice.)

GARIBALDI: Well, if it wasn't for me doing my job, Londo would have had his revenge and the station would be surrounded by Narns ready to blow us to pieces.

IVANVOA: The Captain told me about the incident.

GARIBALDI: Did he tell you that the thanks also go to our little telepath, Lyta Alexander?

IVANOVA: Yes, he did. I'll send the telepath a box of chocolates out of appreciation.

(Garibaldi's anger begins to rise.)

GARIBALDI: You know, Ivanova? I don't get it. What's your deal with her and her people? Franklin told me about that stunt you pulled on her. Did a telepath pee on your favorite sand castle when you were a kid or something? And while on the subject of your bullshit, what's your deal with me?

IVANOVA: Well, when it comes to my deal with Miss Alexander and her people, that's none of your business. But when it comes to my deal with you, I would more than happy to tell you.

(Finally, Ivanova turns to Garibaldi looking him straight in the eyes showing him every ounce of her animosity for him.)

IVANOVA: I know what happened on Europa.

(When Europa is mentioned, Garibaldi has a guilty look on his face.)

IVANOVA: Read your file. Part of my job. When the Captain told me he was considering you as head of security, I strongly advised him not to do it. But he had this hope that you won't repeat your mistakes of the past. So he went ahead with you as his choice and I kept my mouth shut and stood by his decision. That doesn't mean I don't see you as a screwup waiting to happen. And on that day you do something that makes Sinclair look bad, you better hope I'm not there to see it.

(Ivanova calmly turns her eyes from Garibaldi to the operations of the C&C and Garibaldi leaves the room, having nothing to say and feeling too guilty to try to.)

(CUT TO: Sinclair's office. Delenn enters the room with Sinclair sitting behind his desk having gone over the last of his reports.)

DELENN: You asked for me, Captain.

(Sinclair sees Delenn and has a look that says he doesn't want her here but has to do what he has to do.)

SINCLAIR: Yes, I did.

(Sinclair stands up from his desk.)

SINCLAIR: I'm sorry I wasn't here to receive your messages. As Captain, I should be more aware and responsible about that. But from now on, I will be top on of that and more...

DELENN: Well, thank you, Captain. You don't know how happy...

SINCLAIR: I'm not finished.

(Sinclair steps out from his desk and walks up to Delenn.)

SINCLAIR: I will be respectful towards you and your people on the station. I will give you every ounce of courtesy a person of your own position is entitled to. But don't mistake that for compassion or offered friendship on my part. I'm doing my job, nothing else. Do we understand each other?

(Seeing where he is coming from and keeping Lennier's words about the Captain taking some time to get pass his prejudice in her mind, Delenn nods with understanding.)

DELENN: Yes. I understand.

SINCLAIR: Good. Then I bid you good night, Ambassador.

DELENN: Captain.

(Sinclair walks by Delenn's side and out of his office. Delenn looks back at him, knowing she is in for some rough waters with this guy. Cue the song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" by Bob Dylan at that moment.)

(As the song continues, a montage of scenes begins.)

(The montage opens with Londo sitting in the passenger seat of a Centauri transport flying through hyperspace. Safe from prying eyes and sitting behind the pilot, Londo allows his eyes to quickly water up to the point of being on the verge of eyes. No matter how joyful the freedom of his nephew and the other colonists from the Narns is to him, Londo can't shake off his government's abandonment in what was a time of need, G'Kar personalizing the situation by using his nephew in such a humiliating way, and his failed attempt at killing the bastard which makes him feel more of the fool G'Kar said he was. It is clear Londo won't get over these feelings anytime soon.)

(In the next scene, Dr. Franklin is in his office reading Lyta's Psi Corps file on his data pad. After meeting Lyta earlier today, Franklin felt compelled to know what this woman has been through and how to show her that not all humans are prejudiced bastards. Reading the file, we see Franklin's sympathy for and understanding of Lyta growing.)

(In the next scene, G'Kar is eating his bowl of spoo at the same restaurant he was at in Act Two. But this time, he doesnt' any happiness, villianous glee, or enjoyment. Just bitterness, contempt, and a burning need to make a certain Captain pay for ruining his act of revenge aganist the Centauri, which feels empty without the people suffering more than they already have.)

(In the next scene, Ivanova is still on duty commanding the C&C, keeping an eye on its officers and operations. But in her mostly stoic expression, we see a few flickers of loneliness telling us that though she may feel at home doing her job, there are times even that isn't enough to fill her.)

(In the next scene, Delenn is sitting Indian-styled in the meditation area of her quarters. She is meditating, facing the candles which lit tops make her face glow with a blissful peace. That peace is something she is struggling to achieve in the present despite her efforts to convince people that she already have.)

(In the next scene, Garibaldi is sitting on his couch in his quarters watching an old clip on his vid screen. The clip is of him and some other guy around his age bonding as friends as they laugh at each other's jokes, and warmly hold each other by the sides of their shoulders. Garibaldi watches the clip with his heart heavy with a guilt and sorrow that he has lived with for over a decade.)


(In the next scene, Sinclair is standing at the edge of his quarters which is crowded with boxes stacked on top of each other. The boxes are full of his stuff which he hasn't bothered to open since he arrived here. But Sinclair finally opens one of the boxes, beginning to embrace his life on Babylon 5.)

(And the lat scene of the montage takes place in Lyta's quarters. The song is downplayed a bit in this part so we can hear what she is saying to a man who's on her vid screen. The man she is talking to is dark-haired, in his late 40's, with a crippled arm and wearing a Psi Corps uniform with the gloves covering his hands. He projects an air of seniority that Lyta fully acknowledges.)

LYTA: I don't know how long I'm going to last here, sir. These mundanes...

PSI CORPS MAN: I know, Lyta. It must be unbearable being among them. But you have to be there to maintain the cover you need to complete your assignment.

LYTA: But for how long do I have to spy on these people? What is it that I'm supposed to be looking for?

PSI CORPS MAN: You are to stay there as long as possible and to keep your eyes, ears, and mind open for anything about Captain Sinclair and his activities. Have you begun to gain any of the mundanes' trust in you that would help with the gathering of that intelligence?

LYTA: Only one, sir. The head of security, Michael Garibaldi. The rest would take some time to get through to.

PSI CORPS MAN: Well, I have every confidence in you and your abilities, Lyta.

LYTA: It is a honor to hear you say that...Mr. Bester.

(The scene cuts to black.)

END OF ACT FIVE

CUE ENDING CREDITS


TO THOSE READING THIS: Well, what do you guys think? Did any of you saw that twist about Lyta coming?

 

[USS Fardell]

I didn't see the Lyta twist coming, but it is believable, considering the way that the Psi Corps was portrayed in the series.

 

[Joe Washington]

To those who have read this, what do you think of it? Was there anything about it you felt should be changed or improved? Which is your favorite part or character?

 

[Admiral_Young]

Very interesting.