Babylon 5 s03e06 Episode Script

I'm not taking this down.
You want me to report this? Is that what you want? Because I can.
I didn't do anything wrong.
Ah, captain, good.
- I'm sorry to have bothered you.
- It's all right.
I heard there was a problem.
This thug, this momser, came into my shop and started telling me what to do.
He broke the rules.
What am I supposed to do? - What rules? - Well, you saw the news.
Clark helped assassinate Santiago.
People want to express their feelings.
That's all? - It's sedition, disloyalty-- - It's an opinion.
The Senate hearings back home will decide if it's true.
It's an attack on the presidency.
The Ministry of Peace-- lsn't here.
And this isn't disloyalty or an attack on the office of the president.
There is a difference between the position and the person occupying it at the moment.
Sir, go on back to your shop.
If this happens again, you call me.
Thank you, captain.
Aren't you late for a Bund meeting or something? This is the fourth incident like this I've had in two days.
Enough.
If it happens again, whoever's responsible will be disciplined.
Is that clear? - I was just following orders-- - I said, is that clear? Yes, sir.
I got your page.
What's up? I got your favorite person in the whole universe on Gold Channel 3.
Figured you'd want to see this yourself.
Open channel.
Sorry for the delay, Mr.
Bester.
I figured I should have a superior officer here.
- Won't you go ahead? - "Commander" I was just telling Mr.
Garibaldi here that I'll be arriving on Babylon 5 in approximately seven hours.
I'm in pursuit of an individual who's a danger to your station, Earth and the Psi Corps.
Well, that's two legitimate things to worry about.
Please have everyone ready for a briefing upon my arrival.
I'll see you then.
Every time he comes here, it's the same old gag somebody here is a danger to the station, planetary security, whatever.
It's just a cover story so they can run a number on us.
They never learn.
Does he really think we'll fall for that line again? The mountain's falling on me! The mountain's falling! Make it stop! I can't take it, I can't take it! Make it stop, damn it! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop! Stop! The Babylon Project was our last, best hope for peace.
It failed.
But in the year of the Shadow War, it became something greater our last, best hope for victory.
The year is 2260.
The place, Babylon 5.
We've got a major problem on our hands, people.
In a little more than five hours, Bester will be arriving in Bay 9.
Bester? I do not believe I have had the pleasure.
He's a Psi Cop.
They're an elite corps of telepaths rated P- 12, the strongest we've got.
That we know about.
In theory, they chase down rogue telepaths.
But in Bester's case, that mandate is just a little broader.
They're not supposed to engage in unauthorized scans.
But with everything that's been happening the Ministry of Peace enforcing codes of conduct, that situation we had with Talia-- You feel that he can no longer be trusted to honor that rule.
Exactly.
And none of us here are strong enough to block him if he tries to scan us.
If that happens, our involvement with the Rangers, with you Lyta, the way we're providing evidence in the assassination of President Santiago that'll all come out.
And after that, there are only two options.
He turns us in, we're court- martialed then shot for treason.
Or we kill him before he has a chance to tell anybody.
I will not support murder.
We cannot kill him.
Can we wound him? Just a little? Ivanova nobody is killing anybody, not on my watch.
Now, if those are the only two options we have, neither are acceptable.
We need others.
Is there any way to prevent him from coming aboard this station? We could blow up his ship.
There may be an alternative, but it does carry some risk.
Ah, Vir! - It is so good to see you.
- Oh, look what I got you.
- Oh, salted! - Yes.
But what is this? Oh, it's a Minbari ceremonial coat of welcoming.
They gave it to me when I arrived to take over the diplomatic mission.
I had to have the sleeves shortened.
- Do you like it? - Yes, it's very nice.
Wear it when you're there, not here.
You're a Centauri, remember? Come on.
I want to hear about everything that happened on your trip.
I've never been to Minbar.
What's it like? It's very clean.
The people are very friendly and warm, except for the warrior caste.
I don't think they like foreigners.
But the religious caste is very, very friendly.
Now, do they speak of me very often? Only behind closed doors.
The mountain's falling on me.
It's falling.
I need blood and tissue samples analyzed fast.
He's messed up on something, I want to know what.
Dr.
Franklin, you'd better see this.
It may be a related case.
- All right.
Symptoms? - Traumatic shock total lack of consciousness respiration and heartbeat way below normal.
- EEG ratings completely off-- - What does this have to do with him? We found her just down the hall from where he went nuts.
She's a geological consultant.
Six months ago she broke her leg in three places on a mountain on Mars.
She was in a landslide and nearly died.
- The mountain fell on her.
- Exactly.
Oh, hell.
Test her neural pathways, look for any sign of disruption.
And I want his blood checked for traces of Dust.
Thank you.
- You okay, doctor? - Yeah, I'm fine.
I'm just a little on edge lately, that's all.
I'm sorry I barked at you.
You made the right call.
Good work.
Franklin.
Just got word.
Our friend Bester is on his way in.
Transport 1 to Babylon Control, coming in.
Confirmed, Transport.
Stand by.
Everyone clear the command deck.
Now.
I have to do a maintenance routine.
It'll take about 10 minutes.
Get some tea or something.
Standing by, Babylon Control.
Request permission to dock.
They don't know you, your kind, the way I do.
They don't understand.
They think it's some kind of a joke.
But nothing works with you people.
Nothing but force.
Computer, activate forward defense grid.
Babylon Control, are you there? Transport to Babylon Control.
We can't risk throwing it all away.
Not because of you.
I've been saying for weeks now the defense grid's been acting funny.
Defense grid, prepare to fire.
- Fire! - Belay that order.
Standing by.
Ivanova, don't do it.
Don't throw your career away on this! He's not worth it.
If he boards, all of our careers are finished anyway yours, mine, everything we've worked for.
Susan, we have got it covered.
It'll be okay.
Delenn's plan will work.
No, it won't.
He's too strong.
They're always too strong.
Damn it, John, there's always too many of them and not enough of us.
What am I supposed to do? Fight them without becoming them.
Computer, deactivate defense grid, initiate docking maneuvers.
What the hell just happened out there? I was stranded, out of communication and suddenly hit by a sense of personal danger.
Sorry, sir, I don't know.
My orders are to have you taken to the captain.
All right.
Let's get this over with.
Captain, I would like an explanation for this.
Mr.
Bester, so good to see you again.
I'd like to introduce you to my associates.
These are Minbari telepaths.
Nothing like a level playing field to ruin a Psi Cop's day.
Am I right, Mr.
Bester? Would you like to explain what these individuals are doing here? Oh, I'd be happy to.
How do you want it? Polite or straight up? - Straight up.
- All right.
I don't like you.
I don't like you, the Psi Corps, that badge or that uniform.
Your attitude stinks.
I don't trust you as far as I can throw this station.
And I hold you personally responsible for what happened to Talia Winters.
That operation was initiated by my predecessors in the Corps.
When we found out about the program, we discontinued it.
I had no idea-- - You lying sack of-- - On the other hand we learned some interesting things about Ms.
Winters in the course of her debriefing and dissec-- That is, examination.
Don't.
He's trying to provoke you.
Strong emotion is harder to block, and he can ride that into the rest of your mind.
That's why they're here.
We don't trust you to abide by the rules prohibiting unauthorized scans.
A normal human telepath can't stop you but a group of Minbari telepaths together are strong enough to block even a Psi Cop.
We can't conduct business with outsiders hanging around.
We're not conducting any business until we set some new ground rules.
Doctor.
I did a little research, came up with the drug used to suppress the abilities of telepaths who won't join the Psi Corps.
Now you've got two choices: Either we use this to suppress your abilities to scan while you're here or wherever we go, they go.
On matters of planetary security, you are obligated to provide assistance.
Fine, file a complaint back home.
We'll do the same.
Hell, we'll have a press conference.
Let's get all this out in the open.
You won't do that.
You have just as much to lose as we do.
Are you sure of that, Mr.
Bester? Think about it, really hard.
Because it comes down to this: Do you know more about us or do we know more about what you've been up to lately? Far be it from me to try and talk you out of your paranoia, captain.
You choose not to trust me.
Well, that's sad and unfortunate.
But unlike you, I have no intention of letting it get in the way of my work.
Doctor.
Trust, captain.
You should try it some time.
The drug requires three hours to take effect.
I'll see you in four.
Perhaps then you'll all be just a little less hysterical and a little bit more constructive.
I'm here to save your butts.
Next time, show a little gratitude.
On the other hand maybe wounding him isn't such a bad idea after all.
I appreciate your willingness to mediate in this dispute, Delenn.
It is unfortunate that the Drazi government chose not to have these talks privately.
- Just between the two of us, but-- - Centauri never speak except to lie.
You lie now, there is witness.
Gentlemen, please.
Nothing is solved by recrimination.
May I now hear both sides? Vizak? Drazi space invaded by Centauri.
Many of our soldiers have died bravely, defending our world.
We look for peace.
We say to the Centauri, what price is peace? We want a buffer zone.
We told you that when this all started.
If you had listened then, we could have avoided considerable bloodshed.
Ambassador Mollari, what would you consider a reasonable buffer zone? The seven colony worlds in that particular corridor.
You asked for only two when this began.
If you'd been willing to give us two at that time, we'd have agreed.
But since then we have spent a great deal of time and money to secure that area.
We now require more.
Unacceptable.
If that is your decision, then we have nothing else to discuss.
Ambassador-- Remember what happened to the Narn Homeworld.
You would not want the same to happen to your own.
Ask G'Kar.
I'm sorry.
Well, that could've gone better.
Yes.
One is foolish, the other frightened.
Telling which one is which, that's the hard part.
I want to thank you again for helping with my assignment on Minbar.
At first I didn't think I'd like it there, but the longer I stay, the harder it is for me to leave.
Sometimes I think maybe Londo could use a visit there.
I think it would do him good.
A darkness in the heart cannot be cured by moving the body from one place to another.
I don't think there is anything that can be done for him now.
That's because you don't know him.
Someday he'll surprise you.
The problem we're facing involves not just the Psi Corps but planetary security.
For a year, we've been after the biggest manufacturers of Dust in Earth territory.
Dust is a major problem for telepaths because it allows the user to commit a kind of telepathic rape.
The drug enhances the latent telepathic gene in most humans and gives it a destructive power for several hours.
Yeah, we've heard about it.
It lets you invade someone's mind, experience everything they've experienced every touch, every sensation.
You live their entire life in a matter of minutes.
The experience is intense and highly addictive.
Usually the victim recovers in a few days, but when a telepath is violated, he almost never recovers.
So we have a vested interest in finding the people responsible for this.
We believe one of the main distributors for Dust has come to Babylon 5.
He may be right.
Last night we had our first Dust victim in six months.
Two more cases were reported just a few hours ago more than we've ever seen in the same time period.
What's this got to do with planetary security? I think he's taken the next logical step and is preparing to sell mass quantities of Dust to foreign governments to be used as weapons.
Think about it, Mr.
Garibaldi.
Do you know anyone here who might have an interest in buying weapons that can't be seen or traced until it's too late? We had an understanding, Mr.
Lindstrom no commercial sales to anyone else while we were negotiating.
- Man's gotta earn a living.
- I'm paying you extremely well.
If we conclude our deal.
That depends on whether or not you and your product are as advertised.
You won't find better anywhere else.
That's just a sample.
I don't carry much on me.
It's too risky.
The rest is coming in later.
How does it work? It accelerates neural processing, speeds it up to 10 times normal.
Then it stimulates the gene that controls telepathic development.
After that, you just go for a joy ride in somebody's mind.
The more you use it, the more it takes to get the same result.
It's a guaranteed franchise.
I'm not trying to create a market.
I'm looking for a weapon that can be smuggled in, concealed easily and used to strike at our enemies, learn their secrets, perhaps even - destroy them from the inside.
- Whatever.
One warning: This stuff is made primarily for humans.
It has a chemical master key that can address the DNA sequence of most nonhuman species.
But, as far as I know, there are no Narn telepaths.
You may not even carry the gene.
There are no Narn telepaths now.
But once, long ago, there were.
Yeah? What happened to them? They and their families were exterminated.
The telepath gene has never been strong enough in the survivors to breed a natural telepath.
Then maybe that little packet contains more than you hoped for.
You can go now, Mr.
Lindstrom.
We'll conclude our deal once the product has been tested.
The product has never been tested on Narns.
It may not be safe.
It may have unpredictable results.
So who are you gonna sucker into volunteering? That is not your concern.
Good day, Mr.
Lindstrom.
It's hard getting used to the silence.
What silence? Even when a telepath isn't scanning, you pick up a constant background hum like voices just beyond what you can hear.
It's always there.
The sleepers turn it right off.
It's a strange feeling.
Like walking with one of your eyes closed.
So quiet.
Oh, great.
Maybe it'll help your insomnia.
Unnecessary.
I sleep peacefully and contentedly.
The sleep of the just.
Maybe the just might have a few things to say about that, huh? Okay, that's enough.
You don't like me any more than the captain or Ivanova, that's fine.
But get this straight: My blood is the same color as yours.
And what I do, I do to protect Earth, same as you.
You don't like how I do it, that's your prerogative.
But there are things going on out there that you know nothing about threats to the human race that no one ever hears about because we stop them.
There's dangers all around us.
And whether you like us or not we may be all that stands between you and the abyss.
Mollari.
I'm supposed to be up for that promotion.
My work is just as good as his.
Come on, Ashi.
You're in on every black- market deal that goes on around here.
Anybody wants to move contraband, they gotta pay you and your boys to lay off.
What's the going price for Dust these days? How should I know? I don't touch that stuff.
It's too hot.
I didn't ask if you used it.
I'm not saying you're selling it.
And I don't even want to know what you'll touch.
See, all I know is, you got a piece of everything around here.
Either you know what's coming in or you know somebody who knows.
I told you.
I don't know anything.
He's lying.
You stay out of my head.
Now, I got rights.
I'm sorry.
Did I say something? That happens sometimes.
When I feel strong emotion from two feet in front of me it just jumps out of my mouth before I can stop it.
Lies are particularly bad that way.
Oh, please strike that from the record, Mr.
Garibaldi.
As he says, officially, he has rights.
Unofficially, he's lying.
Try not to think about your complicity in this any further, Ashi.
Your thoughts are leaking all over the place.
Okay.
Look, this guy came to me, said he wanted to bring Dust through here.
Crates and crates of it.
I handle small stuff, expensive stuff that won't cause too much trouble.
Dust is nothing but trouble.
So I said no.
But the guy's still here, isn't he? I asked you a question.
Yeah.
Yeah, he's still here.
He's got a place somewhere in the Red Sector under an assumed name.
He must've had at least a dozen fake ldenticards.
All right.
So which one is he using now? Morgan something.
Morgenstern.
That's it.
He said he's got a shipment coming in this afternoon around 5.
Get him out of here.
Stick him in holding while we check out his story.
I thought the sleepers kept you from scanning anyone.
That's right.
So how'd you know he was lying? Well, the odds were good that he was lying about something.
Liars are always afraid that somebody's gonna see through them.
So I just provided him with a vehicle for his paranoia.
Your captain's opinions notwithstanding, the badge and the uniform do have certain advantages.
Like intimidation? Absolutely.
Just like your badge and your uniform.
- This whole section-- - I said, I am not finished yet.
Now I am finished.
What did you think? I really want your opinion before I send my report back home.
Do you really think the Minbari can be trusted? Oh, yes.
Why? Vir, I have only seen political naiveté this complete once before in a speech before the Centaurum by Lord Jarno.
When he finished, we recommended he be sterilized in the best interests of evolution and then we remembered he was married to Lady Ahnu, so there was no need.
The Minbari are very lovely people, interested in culture and art and-- Decadent and soft.
Probably out to impose their views on everyone else.
But their cities are thousands of years old.
The lack of new construction is the surest sign of a faltering economy.
This could make them very aggressive.
They are deeply spiritual people.
Yes, that you can leave in.
It always scares people.
Londo, are you deliberately trying to drive me insane? The universe is already mad.
Anything else would be redundant.
Londo.
Get that, would you? Yes? What did you drop now, Vir? We know where he is.
We could've just gone and picked him up.
It's no go.
A guy like this is too smart to keep the Dust in his place.
If Ashi's right, we can get him and the evidence we need to bust him.
You see, there's this little thing called "due process.
" We're kind of funny about it.
- Anything yet? - "Negative.
" If I had my talent working, I could've warned you when he was coming.
And if I had a baseball bat, we could hang you from the ceiling and play piòata.
I still think I should've gone right to G'Kar.
We have no evidence that he made the sale yet.
Why annoy the Narn without cause or if we're wrong? Shut off the problem at the source, and the rest attends to itself.
A piòata, huh? So you think of me as something bright and cheerful full of toys and candy for young children? Thank you.
That makes me feel much better about our relationship.
Right on time.
The boys in the lab say hello and you're behind in payments.
They'll have it once the deal is concluded.
Haven't let you down yet, have I? You're still alive, aren't you? Now! On the floor! Do it! All right, kill it! I said, on the floor! Right here.
- All right, get him out of here.
- Let's go.
It is a beautiful thing.
And with any luck, we got to it before anyone else got hurt.
G'Kar.
I can see that you're obviously quite upset.
Not quite yourself.
Perhaps we should.
Yes, we will.
Your shuttle leaves for Babylon 5 in two days.
I hope that gives you enough time to put your affairs in order.
Before you go, you'll be officially given the title of ambassador.
Obviously we expect you to represent our people as best you can.
Any questions? Just one.
I would like to know why I was chosen for this honor.
No one else wants it.
The first four stations were destroyed or vanished so it's not a very safe place to live.
And safety is much valued.
Frankly, it's a mess.
In other words, the position is really little more than, what, a joke? Yes.
And a bad one, at that.
I'm sorry, Londo.
If I could have assigned anyone else, I would have.
But your name floated to the top.
And once Emperor Turhan saw it well, that was the end of it.
Who would believe it? The great and powerful Londo Mollari got his job because no one else was stupid enough to take it! Get out of here.
I have nothing to say to you.
Oh, but there's so much more to see, Mollari.
How does it feel to be helpless, to be the victim? Does it help you to understand how we feel? Does it help you understand our pain? Show me your secrets, Londo.
Show me your secrets! What have you done? Only what you asked me to do.
You had a problem with Quadrant 37.
We took care of it.
Yes, but you killed 10, 000 Narns! I didn't know you cared.
Ten thousand, 100, 000, a million, what's the difference? They're Narns, ambassador.
Your sworn enemy.
Why don't you eliminate the entire Narn Homeworld while you're at it? One thing at a time, ambassador.
One thing at a time.
You! It was you.
You were at the center of it all.
The others, the ones you're working with.
No, not anymore.
It was a mistake.
I have nothing more to do with them.
Who are they? Tell me.
Tell me or I'll rip it from your mind.
- No.
- Then I'll take it from you.
Neuron by neuron.
All of it, Mollari! All of it! No more! It is enough.
Who? Who's there? Just us.
Who are you? I am, who I have always been.
Father? It is too late for me, G'Kar.
It is not too late for you.
Honor my name.
Honor my name.
No! We are a dying people, G'Kar.
So are the Centauri.
Obsessed with each other's death until death is all we can see and all we deserve.
The Centauri started it.
And will you continue until there are no more Narns and no more Centauri? If both sides are dead, no one will care which side deserves the blame.
It no longer matters who started it, G'Kar.
It only matters who is suffering.
No.
No, I have an obligation to honor my father's name.
And how have you chosen to honor that name? What is there left for Narn if all of creation falls around us? There is nothing.
No hope, no dream, no future, no life unless we turn from the cycle of death toward something greater.
If we are a dying people let us die with honor by helping the others as no one else can.
I don't understand.
Because you have let them distract you blind you with hate.
You cannot see the battle for what it is.
We are fighting to save one another.
We must realize we are not alone.
We rise and fall together.
And some of us must be sacrificed if all are to be saved.
Because if we fail in this then none of us will be saved and the Narn will be only a memory.
You have the opportunity, here and now, to choose.
To become something greater and nobler and more difficult than you have been before.
The universe does not offer such chances often, G'Kar.
Why now? Why not earlier? All this time, where have you been? I have always been here.
Will he be all right? I think so.
We'll know in a few hours.
You know, you shouldn't be out of bed yourself.
You got knocked around pretty bad.
I should be here.
He'll need me.
Doctor.
I'll be back.
Citizen G'Kar, you are aware of the charges against you? - I am.
- And you still decline presence of counsel? Very well.
To the charges of assault on Ambassador Mollari assault on Vir Cotto use and purchase of prohibited material, how do you plead? Guilty, Your Honor.
Captain, you wished to speak on behalf of the defendant? Yes, Your Honor.
I would only point out that during the period that he was under the influence of Dust he was not acting rationally or deliberately and that may constitute extenuating circumstances.
I'm sorry, captain, I can't agree.
Had G'Kar seized the first person he came upon, then your argument might carry weight.
He deliberately went to Ambassador Mollari's quarters, assaulted and seized his person.
In my book, that constitutes premeditation.
Since there are no outstanding points to be contested and the plea has been entered I am ready to pass judgment.
Citizen G'Kar, it is the decision of this court you be confined to the station prison facilities for a period of no less than 60 days.
I'm sorry it had to go this way.
I thought you might like to have this while you're away.
No, you can keep it for now.
Besides I am now somewhat closer to the source.
Londo, your hot Jala.
Just the way you like it.
Oh, thanks, Vir.
Looks like both of us have been through a war.
I just wish I could've stopped him.
Oh, no.
He would have torn you to little pieces and then stomped up and down on them.
And then he would've gotten nasty.
It's good to have you here again, Vir.
How long can you stay? Another day or two, I hope? No, I just got word.
I have to leave tonight.
Centauri Prime wants me back on Minbar for some special ceremony.
Well, good.
Good.
They are seeing the value in your position.
It should never be a joke to them, Vir.
Never let them think that.
I won't.
I hope you don't mind the rush to get you off station but the doc says that injection's gonna wear off soon.
You know how it is.
I do, indeed.
For what it's worth, Mr.
Garibaldi, I enjoyed working with you.
We made a good team.
Perhaps we'll do it again sometime.
Not a chance.
You couldn't have gotten here two minutes earlier? I tried to send to you, but I couldn't get through.
Doesn't matter.
We'll finish our business here later.
You know, I said all along this whole Dust idea wasn't going to work.
We spent five years developing this stuff, tying it into latent genes and it hasn't produced one telepath of acceptable strength among the normal population.
At least we got it out of the hands of aliens and back among humans where it belongs.
We are fighting to save one another.
And some of us must be sacrificed, if all are to be saved.