Babylon 5 s03e07 Episode Script

Exogenesis

"Shuttle" Dyson", you're our last shuttle" for today.
Logging off for now.
Please remind passengers about customs procedures prior to debarkation.
Roger that, Babylon Control.
Have a nice day.
They're finally here, Jacque.
Okay, we all know what we're here for, right? As of 0630 tomorrow morning Lt.
J.
G.
David Corwin is promoted to full lieutenant! Congratulations! Thank you.
Thank you.
Next round is on the house! - Did you see the look on his face? - Yeah.
He hates being the center of attention.
A classic example of being caught between fight and flight.
Why does everything with you have to come down to biology? No matter what, everything comes down to one of two things: - Biology or math.
- Don't start him.
We'll be here for days.
Where's Marcus? I thought you'd invite him.
I just didn't think it was appropriate.
Earhart's is for Earthforce personnel only.
David invited a bunch of civilians, buddies who came for the big night.
Who'd notice one more? Marcus is one of us now that-- Is he? I don't see an Earth Alliance symbol on his chest or flight wings or-- Susan.
Look, I said I didn't think it was appropriate, and it was my call, okay? Does anybody have a problem? No, she's right.
We're better off with Marcus keeping a low profile right now.
Well, here's to our new lieutenant and getting through another day in one piece.
May tomorrow be as quiet and ordinary as today.
Amen to that.
It's all right.
Don't worry.
You'll be just fine.
It'll be over soon.
Just try and relax.
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.
I don't understand.
What went wrong? - I don't know.
- Security's coming.
They heard the screams.
- We have to go.
- We can't just leave him.
We don't have any other choice.
We can't afford to be captured.
Susan - walk with me a minute.
- Sure.
- It's all yours, lieutenant.
- Aye, commander.
- Is there a problem? - That's what I want you to find out.
Now that Corwin's been promoted sooner or later he'll get in our business.
With Earth, the president and the 10, 000 ministries? He's due the promotion.
I don't begrudge him that.
But he could be a problem, and I need to know where he stands.
If he can help us, great.
If he's not up for it, we have to keep him out of the loop.
I suggest a private meeting.
Just talk to him.
See what you can find out without giving anything away.
Will do.
You know, this is the part of all this I really hate.
"The gracious Duncan, asleep by the gate.
Methinks I hear a voice cry, 'Sleep no more.
' Marcus does murder sleep.
" You're a madman, you know.
Such has been said.
But it was not I that gifted you with so ominous a name as Duncan.
I doubt whether you've ever read the Scottish play, so the irony is lost.
Typical.
You should watch your wares.
Otherwise someone might steal them out from under your sleepy eyes.
Why? None of it's worth buying, much less stealing.
Don't know why I bother anymore.
The thrill of new encounters, the bargaining, the negotiations.
The chance to sleep until otherwise interrupted by madmen who read too much.
I don't think I like the sound of that.
Can't say I like it myself.
Can't do much about it either.
- I understand there's a clinic-- - I don't like to be poked by doctors! I'll be fine.
How much for this one? The same as the piece was yesterday and the day before that, 2 credits.
You're a thief, a highwayman.
The least you could do is wear a mask and ride a horse.
See you tomorrow.
And, Marcus, thanks.
And we expect fresh blood supplies by Friday.
Now, we're still having a hard time getting Drazi blood for transfusions so we'll have to stick to the synthetics for now.
Dr.
Steinhoff, Dr.
Lieberman in Medlab 3 is having trouble with a Brakiri.
You know their biology better than anyone.
Maybe you could give him a hand? Good.
Dr.
Harrison, talk to me now.
What's our status? We lost a Centauri patient in Medlab 5.
Chronic problems with bicardial separation.
There wasn't much we could do.
Latest report from Security show the usual quota of injuries, fights, stabbings - nothing major.
- Good.
Anything else? Well, we got a DOA last night male human, no lD, mid- 30s, no sign of injury or illness nothing to point to as cause of death.
Dr.
Morris wants you to look at the body see if you can figure out what to put on the death certificate.
Tell him to bring the body by Medlab 1 this afternoon.
I'll take a look at it.
That's it.
Let's go to work.
Are you ready? What do you have for me? Message from Ranger 1 on Minbar.
He recommends we go on a heightened state of alert and pull back from Earth space.
Word is, something screwy's going on back home.
This is not exactly a revelation.
Anything else? Shadow vessels.
They were sighted in Sector 800 two days ago.
It seems they're gathering, creating a border on the edge of Centauri space.
Oh, and that package you've been asking about just left Mars.
Should be here in about a week.
On your next supply run, I want you to make a quick side trip through Sector 800 and drop a long- range scanner and get out fast.
Let's see if we can find out what's going on out there.
- Anyone else? - No, that was the last one.
Good.
Where's Samuel? My sources are used to having him as my liaison, and they don't react well to change.
He said he had more important things to do.
Did he? Strange.
When I first enlisted him, he said there was nothing more important than our work here.
I think I'll pay him a visit.
Computer, begin recording.
Deceased is a human male, age 35 identified as having lived in Downbelow since June of 2258.
Toxicology scans indicate the subject used a variety of controlled substances traces of Dust, morphozine and others but not in sufficient quantities to cause death.
No overt signs of physical trauma.
Scanners indicate heart, lungs and other internal organs are all in fair condition.
There are fingernail marks in both palms.
It appears they were caused by the deceased clenching his fist.
From the lividity of the skin, I'd say they were made at time of death indicating that the subject was under a great deal of stress or fear.
Shock may have been a contributing factor.
Contributing factor to what, though? Disease scan, negative.
Blood tracking, negative on all counts.
Neural scan, one anomaly.
"Cardiovascular"-- Wait a minute.
Show me the anomaly.
What the hell is that? Unknown.
No sign of entry.
Nothing on his record.
How did this end up wrapped around his spinal column? Unknown.
I'm gonna open him up.
Standby recording while I prep.
Hi, Samuel.
Marcus.
Haven't seen you in a few days.
I've been busy.
I see you've made some new friends.
Good.
- Is everything all right? - Fine.
I just can't work with you anymore.
I have things to do now.
Really? What kind of things? Yes.
Well, I can see you're busy, so I'll let you go.
If there's anything I can do.
Thanks.
I don't like it.
I don't know what, but something's gotten into him.
Well, well.
What the hell are you? Closer examination confirms that the biomass is 100*/ genetically neutral.
It can exist in any life form.
What it's doing here, I can't tell.
It doesn't conform to any known parasite.
I've initiated a background check to see if the deceased brought it to the station or if he was infested here.
If it happened here, we may have a problem.
Excuse me, the fellow that normally works that table, Duncan, have you seen him? Yeah, a little while ago.
He took all his stuff out, said he was packing it in.
Told Mackie to go ahead and rent out his space.
That doesn't make sense.
He said he'd see me here this morning.
This is his.
His place.
Sorry, that's all I know.
Quiet, isn't it, lieutenant? Yeah, a little.
I like it when it's quiet.
It's a nice change of pace, that's for sure.
Listen, now that you've been promoted, I was thinking we spend a lot of time up here together, but we never really get a chance to talk.
So I was thinking maybe we could get together and talk about what you see yourself doing down the road.
Just, you know get to know each other a little bit better.
Well, sure.
We could, I don't know, meet in the mess hall for breakfast.
You can't have a private conversation there with dishes clattering and people talking.
Why don't you come by my quarters later in the day? We can have a cup of coffee, real coffee.
Just don't ask how I got it.
And we can just talk about stuff outside work, you know, person- to- person.
Okay.
Fine.
I'll be there.
Good.
I think we may have a problem here.
Well, I wish I could see it, but I don't.
See, people here get flaky sometimes.
Babylon 5 is like that.
When you've been around longer, you'll understand.
I've been working with these people for months now, collecting contacts.
I know how they think.
They wouldn't drop everything and change their lives.
Samuel wouldn't drop out of sight, and Duncan said-- No crime's been committed here, Marcus.
I've got nothing to go on.
Nothing? Really? How odd.
All this time I thought I'd been expressing a rational and reasonable concern about the fact that an increasingly large number of people in Downbelow aren't acting normally.
If they were normal, they wouldn't be in Downbelow.
Well, thank you, Mr.
Garibaldi, one of the leading minds of the 14th century.
"Have we no workhouses? Have we no prisons?" Mr.
Marley here'd like a word with you.
He's the fellow in the chains.
lgnore the moans.
It's just gas.
Don't you ever shut up? Not until I get what I want.
Why? Do you think silent meditation would work better? Ivanova's right.
You are a pain in the ass.
All I'm asking is that you come with me and look into it.
It'll take five minutes.
Five minutes I don't have.
Until somebody does something out of line, it's not my business.
If your friends are acting weird, maybe they need to talk to a doctor.
But it's not my jurisdiction.
- Can I quote you? - Yeah, sure, whatever.
So Mr.
Garibaldi suggested that you come see me? Yes, he was quite firm about it.
He's busy and doesn't have five minutes to spare but you're perfect for the job.
His interest in this situation is almost indescribable.
Well, I'm in the middle of something right now.
Won't take more than an hour.
It'll take the computer at least that long to finish the analysis.
I guess I could pop out for a bit.
Hi, something I can help you with? I don't know, I was thinking flowers? Thinking flowers is good.
Giving flowers is better.
What's the occasion? I'm not sure, but I think I have a date.
- She asked you out? - She asked me in, her place.
Moves fast.
She aggressive? You could say that.
- Lucky guy.
- It's not like that.
Well, it's not like that yet, I think.
- You don't get out much, do you, son? - Well, I-- No, not really.
Artificial roses.
Same smell, same feel.
Works every time.
What if it's not a date? I don't wanna offend her.
Roses never offend a woman except by their absence.
That'll be 40 credits.
Duncan.
Duncan, if you're in there, open up.
You know, maybe he went out.
Look, are you sure this is a good idea? He's an old man.
He hasn't been well.
He could be sick or injured.
In medical emergencies.
I can open the door and look - but I can't just walk in.
- Fine.
All right.
- Hey, I said-- - You said you couldn't go in.
I don't have that problem.
That's funny.
There's a-- Marcus? You all right? I think you'd better come and see this.
- Lights.
- They're out.
Here.
What the? I told him.
No one ever listens.
Hey, hey, Marcus! - Franklin to Security-- - Don't! That thing under his skin I found another one just like it during an autopsy.
Now, my guess is that it's some kind of alien parasite that burrows into the spinal column and takes control of the neural system.
If there are enough of them they could take over the whole station before anyone knows it.
Point of logic: If that's true, then why take over Lurkers? They're of no strategic value.
They aren't in a position to take over the place, no authority.
I recognize the woman Jacque Lee, a loner looking for a life, classic lost soul.
Why them and not some of the crew? For that matter, why not you or me? Maybe they haven't had a chance to until now.
Maybe.
I'm not so sure.
Well, we'd better try and find out.
Hey, that man is in pain.
Well, look, you can't just leave him like that.
That thing on his back, did that happen to you too? Listen to me.
Whatever these creatures are, they're controlling you.
You've got to let us help you.
Can you even understand me? I am-- Was Matthew Duffin.
I understand you.
You will remain here until we are finished.
When we turn up missing, people will come looking for us.
Now, you cooperate, we can try to work this out.
If not, I can't guarantee the safety of you or any of your people.
And I cannot guarantee yours.
That went well.
At least I'm trying something.
We gotta get out and tell the others what's happening.
- We will.
- How? How are we gonna do that? It's three of them with guns against two of us with nothing.
They'll shoot us before we're halfway across the room.
We just need one of them to leave the room.
Then there'll be only one man with a gun.
Excuse me.
Where I come from, one man from three leaves two.
Where I come from is a far more interesting place.
Well, one good thing: At least Garibaldi knows we're down here.
We don't turn up soon, he'll know where to come looking.
Mr.
Garibaldi does know where we are, doesn't he? Not as such, no.
So no one knows that anything's wrong.
That would be essentially correct, yes.
Great.
That's-- That's great.
Come.
Where the hell did those come from? I found them.
- Where? - There.
They were just-- You know, just lying there.
Synthetic roses.
Good ones.
- Whoever bought these paid a lot for them.
- Yes.
I imagine.
Spending that kind of money on high- priced synthetics.
Must be a real dope.
Yes, I think so.
It's showy, excessive, not at all cost- effective.
And terribly romantic.
Don't tell anybody, but I've always had a weakness for roses.
This is a very sweet gesture.
I have to find out who's responsible.
Thank you, David.
If you hadn't come along, somebody might've walked off with them.
Right.
Sure.
You're welcome.
Hello, Marcus.
Duncan, you're looking well.
I am well.
No pain, no cough.
First time in years.
They can do for you what they have done for me.
I'd feel better about the recommendation if I knew which "me" I was talking with.
- Does it matter? - I think so, yes.
Who are they? Who are you? I am-- Was Duncan.
The other part of me is Vindrizi.
The part of me that was Duncan remembers that you were kind to me, Marcus.
I don't want to hurt you.
The part of me that is Vindrizi says that we will hurt you if necessary.
We cannot allow you to interfere.
lnterfere in what? It says you would not understand.
It says you've come at a good time.
We left this one for you to watch so that you can see how the process is supposed to work.
I've seen it.
I've got a dead body up in Medlab that tells me all I need to know.
He was killed when a Vindrizi tried to merge with him.
It says he was not ready for the merging.
His health was poor, his blood tainted by strange chemicals.
It says, will you help us? No.
It says if you do not help us others not suited for the merging may die and our kind will die with them.
If you wish to save lives, this is the only way.
It's great.
I haven't had real coffee since-- I can't remember.
It just costs too much to bring it in.
I had the hydroponic guys set aside a little space for me.
I know, I know.
The hydroponics garden is to be used only for fruit, vegetables and oxygen reclamation.
But sometimes you gotta bend the rules a little bit in order to get what you want.
Does that idea bother you? No, not really.
I don't think the ends always justify the means, but if no one's hurt and if it's good for Earth, I've got no complaints.
That means a lot to you, doesn't it? - Serving Earth? - Well, sure.
It's why we're all here, to follow orders and do what's right for Earth.
What if there's a contradiction if doing what's right for Earth and following orders aren't the same thing? I don't think that's a decision I can make on my own.
You can't just decide which orders to obey and which to ignore.
We have to respect the chain of command, or everything falls apart.
So if you saw someone trying to get other officers to speak out or even act against Earth Dome, you'd report them? Absolutely.
Why? Is there anyone you want me to keep my eye on? No, no.
It's just a hypothetical question.
With everything that's going on it's good to know where we all stand with each other.
Well, it's getting late.
Thank you for stopping by, lieutenant.
I'm glad we had this time to talk.
Sure.
Anytime.
So any thoughts yet? Just one.
What's your opinion of Ivanova? Susan? Well, I've known her for about two years now.
She's a fine officer and a good friend and-- And why are we talking about her? When I first came aboard, she seemed quite friendly.
Lately, though, she's been a bit distant.
I was thinking perhaps it was something I'd done.
Oh, no, no, no.
It just takes her a while, that's all.
Back when you first showed up, you were just some guy passing through.
Now you're a part of our family here, and I don't think that she's adjusted just yet.
I sense in her a key as yet unturned.
And what exactly does that mean? Don't know.
But I should think it would be fascinating to find out.
- It wasn't that funny.
- Oh, come on.
I can't believe this.
We're sitting here, guns pointed at our heads walled up by alien parasites, neither of us likely to get out of here alive and you're thinking of making a play for Ivanova? - Can you think of a better time? - You're nuts, you know that? And I've got to be just as nuts sitting here talking about it at a time like this.
Marcus, you are so far from being her type that you're practically in different galaxies.
Back up, away from the door.
One of us is sick.
You, outside, now.
Where are you taking him? If you have to take someone, take me! Stephen! He is dying.
Save him.
The only way to save him is to take that thing out of his system.
Unacceptable.
You will save them both.
We have medical instruments.
Use them.
If you do not cooperate, you will be directly responsible for his death.
One from three leaves one.
Excuse me, there's something I think you should know.
If you want your friend to survive, you'll need more than the good doctor.
You're going to need some of his instruments.
Not that I really care but you know how doctors are, the right tool for the right job.
See that tube on the corner of the table? That's a medical scanner the Copeland J- 5000, very advanced.
I was bringing it to him.
You need to get it to him immediately.
I know, I know.
Why should you believe me? It could be a weapon or something.
Check it out for yourself.
Just look into the open end.
Yeah, that's it.
Now shake.
Shake it twice firmly to activate the scanner.
Security? Hello? Is anyone there? Warning, biogenetic ID comparison indicates you are not authorized for operation of this link.
Please turn it in to Security.
I'm trying to contact Security, you stupid machine! "Warning, biogenetic ID comparison"-- Yeah, Ivanova, what is it? We just picked up someone trying to use Dr.
Franklin's link.
- "Did you get a fix on the location?" - Brown 84.
Get a team down there stat.
You got it.
- You okay? - Yeah, I'm fine.
Doctor, your patient is dying! Does this mean nothing to you? You care too much to bluff your way out of this convincingly.
Let me try.
Oh, for the record, if they kill me, this was not a good idea on my part.
What, him? He means nothing to me.
Just another one of you I'll have to put down to get out of here.
I say, let nature take its course.
Marcus, please don't do this.
Why not, Duncan? Look what they've done to you.
If we save him, what kind of life is he gonna have serving these creatures? A life far better than the one he has here, Marcus.
All of us here, we weren't taken over.
We volunteered.
This is the last place we tracked the signal.
Split up.
You see anything, you let me know before you move in.
Let's go.
Under the circumstances, Duncan, I'm afraid I don't believe you.
It says we knew you wouldn't understand, Marcus.
That's why we tried to keep this quiet.
Once we have fulfilled our mission, we will go.
What mission? It says we were created half a million years ago bred to be living records of all those we have seen and touched.
For all that time, we have traveled through the galaxy in our host bodies.
- We have.
- We have seen double suns set on worlds so far away you have no name for them.
We remember music that was played before your kind learned to speak.
- Within us.
- Within us is the living memory of deeds and stories civilizations and passions wars and struggle and great beauty.
- But in time.
- But in time, even we die unless we find shelter within other living beings.
So we seek out those who have nothing to look forward to those whose lives are at an end those who know they will be never more than they are now.
Those who will never know beauty or peace or purpose.
And we give them that.
Through us, they are born into a new life.
Samuel, I thought I'd given you a purpose to help me in our task ahead.
Your purpose comes from the outside to fight someone else's battles.
Ours comes from within.
Why should we believe you? You're controlling these people.
They'd say whatever you want.
Do you trust me, Marcus? I trust the Duncan I knew, not the Duncan that stands in front of me.
Duncan? It said there was no other way, Marcus.
Now it's over.
Don't you see, Marcus? I was gonna live and die here never add up to any damn thing.
It's true, Marcus.
It's all true.
Everything they told you, it's true.
When it was inside me I saw flame birds dying on Orion 7.
I saw cities floating in the air five miles high.
I knew everything.
Our mission is to preserve these memories, all our experience against the day when all life, all knowledge falls into a new Dark Age.
When the books have gone and the histories have been burned every world will look back to learn what went before.
And they will turn to us, and we will be there keepers of the past, the present and the future.
Before I go along with this, I want complete and total verification.
I want to go over every inch of your biologies.
I want complete statements by everyone involved and no more volunteers without my approval and supervision.
Otherwise, I'll have Security take you in and remove the Vindrizi by force.
Is that clear? Agreed.
- Franklin to Garibaldi.
- "Stephen, are you okay?" Yeah, I'm fine.
I'm in Brown 87.
I need a medevac team in here stat.
We have a patient that needs treatment.
I'm sorry, Duncan.
I didn't know.
If there's any way-- No.
No, no, no, I can't take on another one.
They say it'd do permanent damage to my neural system.
Everything I saw when we were joined the music, all of it, it's going away.
By tomorrow, I shan't remember any of it.
Marcus if you could have seen with our eyes.
If you could've seen.
Duncan, I just heard you were leaving.
Please don't.
If you go, I'll miss you, and I hate that feeling.
Kind of have to, Marcus.
You see, for a while there, I knew what it was like to be special and I can't go back to what I was.
When we were joined, I.
I saw things out there, incredible things.
And I want to try and find them really see them, just once before I die be special one more time.
I wish there was something I could do.
- I'm sorry.
- No.
You did what you did because you care.
Got nothing to do with you and everything-- Everything to do with me.
Maybe it was good.
Maybe we all need to wake up become special before it's too late.
"Earth Transport" Dyson is now boarding at Gate 7.
Duncan.
Gotta go now, Marcus.
Take care of the old place for me and maybe when I've seen what I've been looking for, I'll come back.
Take care, Marcus.
I've been checking out their story, and so far everything fits.
If they have this knowledge, why keep it a secret? lnformation is power.
If anyone wanted to eliminate that knowledge they'd be the first ones up against a wall.
So how'd Marcus do? I mean, this was the first time you worked with him, right? Fine.
I mean, the main thing though is under pressure, he's okay.
And I think that he would definitely appreciate a second chance with you, Susan.
That's it.
He must've sent them.
Him what? Sent what? I'll be back.
Keep them.
Thank you.
I will.
Well, guess there's hope for us after all.

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