Babylon 5 s04e12 Episode Script

Conflicts of Interest

Garibaldi.
Garibaldi, I got your message.
Okay, fine.
So another pointless meeting.
Here I am.
Why don't you take off.
I'll call you if I find out anything, all right? Three weeks, Garibaldi, since I asked you to help find my daughter.
I haven't been able to eat or sleep since we were separated during the raid on the Aris Colony.
All I get from you is silence, except when you want more money or information.
- The same old questions over and over.
- Look, Ben She was the reason I fought to stay alive during the raid.
She means everything to me.
Don't you understand? Without her, I have nothing to live for.
- Ben? - What? Turn around.
Alison.
Oh, God.
Oh, I thought I'd never see you again.
Are you all right, baby? She inhaled some morph gas.
Lungs haven't healed yet but the doc thinks she'll be okay in a week.
Why didn't you tell me? Because then I wouldn't have been able to see this.
Kind of makes the job worth doing.
Which reminds me, I've got your bill here somewhere.
There was nowhere else to go.
It took most of all of what we had.
And I'd give everything just to have you.
Here you go.
Mr.
Garibaldi, there seems to be an error.
What? I've never overcharged anybody in my life.
No, no.
No, the bill.
It's one-third your fee.
It is? Yeah, it is.
I am gonna have to take this up with bookkeeping.
I mean, this hardly even covers my expenses.
L Now that I think about it, I am the bookkeeping department.
I'll tell you what.
I don't want to get me into trouble over this, so why don't we let it go with 30 percent.
- Thank you.
You're welcome.
Just don't tell anyone.
It's bad for my business.
I'm sorry for what I said earlier.
I was wrong about you, Garibaldi.
That's all right.
I'm used to it.
- Bye.
- See you.
Thanks.
He's there.
Why don't we wait till it gets quieter, then we'll have a talk with Mr.
Garibaldi.
It's about time he got his first assignment.
It'll give us a chance to find out how sincere he really is.
You gonna tell him what he's getting into? Let's see how he handles himself in a crunch.
If he comes through, we'll know that we can move him up.
If he gets killed, we know we got the wrong guy.
At this point, Mr.
Garibaldi is eminently expendable.
It was the year of fire.
The year of destruction.
The year we took back what was ours.
It was the year of rebirth.
The year of great sadness.
The year of pain.
- And a year of joy.
- It was a new age.
It was the end of history.
It was the year everything changed.
The year is 2261.
The place, Babylon 5.
Captain, you wanted to see - Captain? - I'm here.
You okay, captain? I'm fine.
I've been doing a great deal of thinking, Zack.
There are several hundred unpleasant things I've been avoiding doing since I got back from Z'Ha'Dum.
Now with Delenn gone, I don't have any excuses.
I have to start taking care of them.
I checked Mr.
Garibaldi's file.
When he resigned as chief of security regulations required that he turn in his link, his Identicard and his weapon.
This has not been done.
Why? He's going to come back sooner or later, captain.
Maybe he will, maybe he won't.
At the moment, he's not on the payroll.
Well, I just don't think he's gonna take it very well.
That's all, captain.
He knows the regs as well as we do.
He'll understand.
Captain, look.
I know the chief better than almost anybody.
You work with somebody 24 hours a day for three years, you pick up a few things.
When he got back, he couldn't wait to get back on the job.
Now, the way he walked away It just doesn't make any sense.
If you wait for the universe to start making sense you'll have a long wait ahead of you.
Meanwhile, I want this taken care of.
Today.
Yes, sir.
Captain, can I ask why the rush? I don't like the company he's been keeping.
- I like what you've done with the place.
- Welcome to the Voice of the Resistance.
- When did you get back? - About an hour ago.
- And how was Mars? - It was cold, dirty, crowded.
But at least we've got the resistance onboard.
I don't know how long we can keep them, but for now they're willing to work with us.
Marcus is briefing the captain.
I heard what you were up to so I thought I'd come and check it out.
- How's it going? - Well, the recorders are all hooked up.
We've adjusted the Stellarcom to transmit on a broadband frequency rather than point to point.
So, technically, we're ready to go.
- But? - There's one thing we don't have.
Power.
The ISN uses tachyon relay stations to boost the signal through hyperspace.
Without that, the signals would take years to get from Earth to here.
- Did you try patching into their system? - Yes, it didn't work.
We can transmit the signal throughout most of this sector, but beyond that If we're gonna broadcast to Earth, we need a lot more power than what we've got now.
I don't know where we're gonna get it.
I've been working on this for days.
What about Epsilon 3? During the war, we evacuated the wounded down there for safekeeping.
I spent a lot of time looking around.
There's enough power down there to broadcast clear to the Rim.
Or, just a crazy thought, we could try Epsilon 3.
Yeah, you could do that.
It's the logical choice.
Anybody could see that in two seconds.
- Only a complete fool would fail to see that.
- I wouldn't - It's absolutely obvious.
- Well, I wouldn't have thought of it.
- You're far too modest, Stephen.
- That's why you get paid the big bucks.
Yep, that's my job.
Well, if you'll excuse me, I think there's a shuttle waiting for me.
Just feel free, look around.
I'll be back.
You know, I like her.
Scares the hell out of me sometimes, but I do like her.
Just don't tell her that, okay? - Hi, chief.
- Hey, Zack.
How's it going? So far, today has been a great day.
You know, it reminds me of why I went independent in the first place.
You know, up in the war room, it's all just pieces on the board.
Fleets, empires, all the big stuff.
You never get to see the faces of the people you help.
It's just not personal.
You never get to look into their eyes and understand that maybe you made their life just a little bit better.
So how's it going? It's going great.
- How about with you? - Well, not so good.
- The captain sent me to talk to you.
- Yes.
And what does his transcendence want from me now? Your link, your Identicard and your weapon.
Hey, come on.
It's okay.
I got a new civilian ID anyway, long time ago.
The link, I never liked the thing from the beginning.
It's supposed to use that molecular bonding thing.
When I took it off, it pulled the hairs off my hand.
See? They don't grow back anymore.
Now, the gun I'm gonna keep that, Zack.
- I can't allow that.
- Come on, Zack, this is me.
I'm running a private investigation company.
I can't go around unprotected.
Your PPG is military issue, chief.
You got your private license.
You can get another gun, he can't argue with that.
But he wants the gun you were issued when you came aboard.
And the backup.
- Anything else? - No, that'll do it.
Look, chief, I'm sorry.
It's the regs.
What was I supposed to do? - Say no.
- He just would've sent somebody else.
Yeah, that's right.
But at least it wouldn't have come from you.
I could live with that a lot better.
- Shuttle 1, you are cleared to leave.
- Roger that.
Time to hit the old silk.
Geronimo! All right.
Enough is enough.
This is the final The very, very last straw! Who is responsible for this? I demand that you show yourself! Who are you? Ain't I a stinker? Pause.
- Who is it? - Wade.
Open.
Your timing sucks.
I was just about to have dinner.
What's up? Got a job for you.
Business hours are 9 to 6.
You know where to find me.
This is a special job.
I don't think you'd want to hold this conversation in public.
You said that you didn't like the way things are being handled around here.
You said that you wanted to help me and my friends.
Now you can.
I wanna hire you as a bodyguard.
And an expediter.
You interested? Depends on who you want me to guard and what you want me to expedite.
A contact from Earth who does not want any official record of this visit.
My contact is coming to do important business here.
May run into problems with the people we'll be dealing with.
And security.
You want me to get this person past security no questions, no Identicards, no checks.
- Precisely.
If anyone knows the vulnerable places on Babylon 5, that would be you.
Of course, it means going up against your own security team.
You have a problem with that? If you'd asked me that question yesterday, I'd have said yes.
Today no.
No, I don't have a problem with that at all.
I'm in.
Shuttle 1, you are cleared for atmospheric insertion.
Roger that, C & C.
Excuse me.
Hello? Hello? Excuse me.
Excuse me.
Excuse me, I need to see Draal.
Draal is very busy.
Have had four groundquakes on other side of planet.
Damaged weather-control system to great machine.
Zathras! - Yes? - What the hell are you doing here? Zathras work here.
Zathras was born here.
You work up there, Zathras work down here.
You dress like that, Zathras dress like this.
- That's not - Just covering all possibilities.
Zathras does not want you being confused.
- Bye.
- Whoa, wait a minute.
Wait.
You're not supposed to be here.
We left you 1000 years in the past.
- No.
- Yes.
We have never met before.
But Zathras very pleased to be meeting you.
- No, no.
We have met.
- No.
No, no! No, no, no.
No, no.
No, you did not meet Zathras.
You met Zathras.
- Let's try this again.
- As you wish.
Zathras came with us to Babylon 4.
Zathras stayed in the past with Valen.
You're Zathras.
Therefore, you went into the past.
No, that was not Zathras.
That was Zathras.
There are 10 of us, all of family Zathras.
Each one named Zathras.
Slight differences in how you pronounce.
Zathras.
Zathras.
Zathras.
You are seeing now? - There are 10 of you? - Yes.
Well Nine now.
- And Zathras? - Gone.
Zathras warn Zathras but Zathras never listen to Zathras.
Zathras was quiet one in family.
So! What can Zathras be doing for you? We're trying to put together a facility to broadcast messages back home.
Now, we've got all the pieces that we need, but But not having enough power to reach far places.
Now, now.
Yes, Zathras understand.
Everyone always coming to Zathras with problems.
Great responsibilities, but Zathras does not mind.
Zathras trained in crisis management.
- That's great! Let's - But Only Zathras have no one to talk to.
No one manages poor Zathras.
See? So Zathras talks to dirt.
Sometimes talks to walls.
Or talks to ceilings, but dirt is closer.
Dirt is used to everyone walking on it.
Just like Zathras, but we have come to like it.
It is our role.
It is our destiny in the universe.
So, you see, sometimes dirt has insects in it and Zathras likes insects.
Not so good for conversation but much protein for diet.
Very good.
Zathras fix now.
Come, this way.
Nine of them.
Mr.
Garibaldi, I'd remind you that the docking area is that way.
I know, but sometimes you got to take a step back before you can take one forward.
Come on.
I thought you turned in your station ID.
I did, but I made a backup a long time ago in case I ever got into trouble.
I just never thought I'd have to use it to get around my own people.
So, what does your contact look like? There's been a slight change in plan.
He couldn't make it.
Business, schedule, that kind of thing.
So he sent his wife in his place.
He wants her to start learning the ropes so that she can take over in case he's not available.
Which one is she? She's that one.
Lise.
I don't understand you, Michael.
We've got a good life here.
We've got history.
You've met this Sinclair character twice and now you're off to Babylon 5 just like that.
Doesn't what we have mean anything to you? You think you've got something to prove that, somehow, maybe taking this job will mean the last five years didn't happen.
But I'm part of those years, Michael.
And I will not go to Babylon 5 with you.
It's gotta be one or the other.
When you make up your mind, you know where to find me.
I've made a lot of mistakes in my life.
You're one of them.
I never should've left you.
I realize that now.
I've got a couple of weeks leave coming soon, and I'm gonna take it on Mars.
- I thought we could work things out if - Michael.
- I can't.
- Lf it's the job I'm married.
His name is Franz.
We're expecting our first baby in September.
Yeah.
It's Lise Hampton-Edgars.
You know her? Yeah.
We were gonna get married once upon a time.
You wanna tell me what happened, or shall I just make something up? They didn't tell me you were Bill's contact.
Not that part.
Since I last talked to you, you lost one husband and got another.
Must've been the shortest separation in history, since I didn't even hear about it.
I found out Franz was having an affair.
I was gonna file for divorce, but he got there first.
And you know the courts back on Mars.
All the judges are appointed by Earth.
So they always favor Earth naturals over Martian-born.
I got nothing.
He got our baby girl.
I haven't seen her in over a year.
Last I heard, he remarried, and when Deborah grows up they're not even gonna tell her about me.
And you were so distraught that you forgot where I was.
- I didn't forget, Michael.
But I knew you were happy here, the happiest I'd ever seen you.
I was mixed-up.
I was confused.
You finally had your life together.
What right did I have to come and mess that up? What right? Lise you were my life.
That was a long time ago.
We're different people now.
Six months ago, I found Bill.
We hit it off.
He's a decent, caring man.
And we got married.
And now, it's Lise Hampton Edgars.
Your husband's name is Bill? Bill Ed You don't mean William Edgars? William Edgars who owns half of Marsdome who's got more money than God, that William Edgars? Boy.
You certainly did trade up, Lise.
Wow.
He owns the largest medical-research facility on Mars.
He probably spends more on chips and dip than I earned in a year.
- The money's got nothing to do with it.
- Oh, absolutely.
This is the third time you've broken my heart and that's one more than you're entitled to.
- That's the last thing I'll say about this.
- Michael No, no.
End of conversation.
Your husband hired me to do a job.
As far as I'm concerned, you're just one more client.
And after you've gone back to Mars l'm gonna make believe that none of this ever happened.
And you know what? I don't need a drink anymore to do that.
I'm glad, Michael.
- I'm sorry - Yeah? Everything's set.
You two ready? Couldn't be readier.
Mrs.
Edgars? I have no idea how it was done.
It's quite astonishing unless you have seen it with your own eyes.
Come in, G'Kar.
I need you both in here for this.
Please? By now, both of you have heard of the raids against commercial transports along the borders of the Non-Aligned Worlds? Now that the war is over, everyone's resources are low.
Some people tried to take advantage of that.
Pirates, raiders.
Smaller worlds that didn't get involved in the war now have a chance to expand their empires.
- The Drakh.
- Drakh? You've heard of them? They're a legend.
The kind you would use to frighten small children at night.
They were ruthless, savage, but extremely bright.
A very bad combination.
- No one has seen them for centuries.
- Well, they're back.
We believe they were at Z'Ha'Dum working for the Shadows.
Now with them gone, all their allies are on the loose armed with Shadow technology.
- This is most unfortunate.
Yes, I agree.
After the last Shadow War, the Rangers were assigned to watch the frontier because the Shadows always came back sooner or later.
This time they're not coming back.
But their legacy remains.
So I want to give the Rangers a new mission.
I want to assign the White Star fleet to patrol the borders along the Non-Aligned Worlds.
They'll watch out for Raiders, Drakh, anyone engaged in hostile activities against civilian transports, and intervene.
Then they won't be involved in military campaigns, border wars.
That's not their mandate.
Their job is to maintain the peace and protect civilians.
Nothing more.
The other races could see this as an act of aggression.
Putting your ships on their borders could be interpreted as a grab for power an attempt to form your own personal empire.
We'll only go where we're invited, in exchange for technical support and the authority to carry out their mission.
As much as it may astonish everyone in the room, I agree with G'Kar.
You are playing a dangerous game, captain.
That's why I called you here.
Everyone knows that the Narn and Centauri don't agree on anything.
But if you both allow the White Stars to patrol the borders between your two empires - We don't need anyone's help.
We can protect ourselves.
To allow this would be a sign of weakness.
Or a signal that it's time to put our differences behind us and try to build something for a change.
Look, it's easy to come together for a common enemy.
Now our job is to come together for a common goal.
If you agree, it will encourage the other races to sign on.
If you don't, more civilians will be killed while we stand around here arguing.
- That's not fair.
- No.
No, it isn't.
But it happens to be true.
If we do nothing, their blood will be on our hands.
Is that what you want? Is it? Computer status report.
Transferring updated security data to main post.
Summary: Four arrests in Brown 3.
One customs infraction: Possession of dust.
- One unauthorized entry recorded.
- Unauthorized entry? Explain.
Location of passenger 72 unknown.
- Anything unusual in the area? - Negative.
Only one access recorded to customs bay.
- Who was it? - Identicard record indicates Security Chief Michael Garibaldi.
Garibaldi? Computer, check records.
Is there more than one security Identicard registered to Mr.
Garibaldi? - Confirmed.
- Son of a All right.
This is a security override.
Cancel all Identicard and station clearances belonging to Michael Garibaldi.
Stand by.
I don't like meeting out in the open like this.
This is where he said to meet him.
We should be safe in a public place like this.
You've never been to Downbelow before.
- Mrs.
Edgars? - Yes? Where's your husband? - He couldn't make it.
He asked me - Do you have it? You got some serious protection on this thing.
- Who's he? - It's all right.
It's a molecular isoblock.
It's harder than diamonds.
You can only open it if you know the molecular code.
- Fancy.
What is it? - It's none of your concern.
It is if this stuff is gonna be used against anyone.
A package like this, we're talking some serious contamination if it gets into the wrong hands.
Am I right? - My husband is a humanitarian.
- Yeah, right.
His researchers believe there may be a genetic danger to some telepaths.
The gene that activates a telepath may be mutating into something serious like some kind of virus.
This may hold the information we need to stop it.
And put another 10 billion credits into the hands of the great humanitarian William Edgars? - So why all the cloak-and-dagger? - We don't wanna start a panic.
The syndrome isn't even transferable to non-telepaths but facts don't get in the way of a good panic.
And there are a number of people who want this in their hands.
Some to sell it and some to destroy it.
They'd like to see every telepath die on Earth because they're afraid of them.
We had to use alien researchers to unlock the genetic code.
It was too tough for the boys back home.
This stuff is extremely difficult to produce.
What's in that container is the product of five years' work and cost half a million credits.
So I had orders to only give it to Mr.
Edgars or his representative.
- We can't afford - Yeah, look We better go.
I don't like the looks we're getting.
Hey, I know you.
You were here last night with Carol.
- I'm sure you're mistaken.
- No, no, no.
It was you.
Look out! Come on, keep moving! Go, go, go! Go! Go! Go! This way.
Let's go this way.
- I thought you were supposed to be armed.
- Yeah, well, I was.
It's a long story.
- Come on.
- What's wrong? Damn.
They canceled my security clearance.
Damn! Okay, let me think.
All right.
Get back, get back.
Watch out.
All right, come on.
Hurry! Go.
Come on, come on.
Go ahead.
Go! - You next.
- What about you? I'll be right behind you.
Go on, go! Go on, that way.
Straight, then right.
Go on.
I'll catch up.
- We can't leave you! - Get her out of here.
- Go on, go now! - Straight, then right.
Oh, hell! No! Stop! Back away, now! - But you said - I know what I said.
Come on, hurry! Back up, now! Move! Come on, hurry up! Move! Move! Move! Go, go, go! Come on! We should be clear now.
You all right? - Yeah.
- You? - Yeah.
- Okay, listen.
We're gonna be going to Docking Bay 3.
It's abandoned.
If we get separated, just keep repeating, "Docking Bay 3.
" Just keep thinking that.
- Why? - Just do it.
Okay? All right, you ready? All right, let's go.
Come on.
I got you, I got you.
- This isn't Docking Bay 3.
- You're right.
But you were so scared you were broadcasting all over the place.
They were picking it up.
- Drowned out everything I was thinking.
- Telepaths.
That's the only way they could have known where we were going.
Jake, I want you to find Zack.
Tell him the shooters from Brown Sector are in Bay 3.
I'll meet him there, all right? Go.
I need you to get her on the next transport out of here.
Can you handle it? Not without an Identicard, no.
I want you to see Drake down in Brown 14.
I popped him a couple of times for fake ID.
Tell him to give you one or I'll take it out of his hide.
I got an appointment in Bay 3.
I'm gonna find out who those guys are.
- Come on, go.
- I can't go like this, Michael.
Look, you've got to go one way or another.
And I am gonna miss you one way or another, so just go on.
I just hope he's taking good care of you.
Go on, go! Freeze! Drop them! All right, who are you and what are you doing here? To the future.
Holy Zack to Medlab.
We need a team in Bay 3 ASAP.
Two men down.
Looks like cyanide caps.
Great.
- How'd it go? - Don't ask.
But I think we got the interface worked out for the new system.
- I better go tell the captain.
- I'd wait if I were you.
I don't think he's in a very good mood right now.
Mr.
Garibaldi, I've got three dead bodies on the deck.
One in Downbelow, two in Bay 3.
Now, would you be so kind as to tell me just what the hell happened? I'm as much in the dark as you are, captain.
They just came at us.
And the man they shot? No idea.
He was there to meet with a client of mine.
You can assume I don't know what it was about or you can assume that I'm lying to protect the privacy of my clients.
Either way, that's all you're gonna get out of me.
- You've jeopardized this station.
- And you damn near got me killed.
I could've got out of there a lot easier if you hadn't canceled my Identicard and taken my gun.
Now, as far as I can see, I haven't broken any laws here.
Trespassing.
Violating station security.
Unauthorized use of an Identicard.
That's smalltime, and you know it.
You wanna fine me, go ahead.
I can afford it.
Beyond that you got nothing.
I'm gonna take a shower and get some sleep because I've had a very long day.
Mr.
Garibaldi.
You operate on this station at my sufferance.
I can shut you down if I choose to do so.
Anything like this ever happens again, that's precisely what I'll do.
Team 3, can you give me an ETA on collector attachment? We're moving the collector into position and should achieve lockdown in seven.
Attachment team, did you copy that? Great.
What now? Computer, what have you got? Voice authorization needed to deliver waiting message.
- From whom? - Lise Hampton.
- Not Lise Hampton-Edgars? - Lise Hampton.
No, that's all over.
Delete message.
Just let it go.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- What is it? - Is this Mr.
Garibaldi? - Yeah, who's this? - William Edgars.
I wanted you to know that Lise has arrived home safe and sound.
Good.
That's good.
Anything else? I heard what you did and how you did it.
You handled yourself well under pressure, and you saved the life of my wife.
- Thank you.
- Just part of the service.
Perhaps.
I've done some checking on you, Mr.
Garibaldi.
My organization could use a man like you.
I'd like to hire you on retainer.
You'd have to come to Mars, but I promise I can make it worth your while.
- What about the quarantine? - Shouldn't be a problem.
You've quit as head of security so, frankly, I don't think anyone is much interested in you anymore.
And if they are, well, I have some influence with the government.
I'm sure we can work this out, if you're interested.
Yeah.
I'm interested.
This is Commander Susan lvanova of Babylon 5 and this is the first official broadcast of the new Voice of the Resistance.
We're sending this signal out to every ship that wants to hear the truth to our fallen comrades and freedom fighters on Mars and Proxima 3 and to Earth, which, despite what you may have heard, is still our home and still the one dream that we are as loyal to now as we ever have been.
Over the last three years, ever since President Clark took over after arranging the assassination of President Santiago you have been hearing nothing but misinformation, propaganda and outright lies.
Now we're gonna tell you the truth.
We'll keep telling it until they shut us down or until Clark steps down and returns Earth to the hands of its people.
You can kill us, bomb our colonies, destroy our ships, murder innocent civilians but you cannot kill the truth, and the truth is back in business.

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