04x07 - Epiphanies

[bunniefuu]

Captain's personal log:

The Shadow w*r is over.

We won.

But I can't stop thinking about
what it cost us...

...and how much work is still ahead of us.

Then again, maybe the doc's right.
Embrace the moment.

In the end, it's all we have.

Trouble will come in its own time.
It always does.

But that's tomorrow.

Give me today, and I will be happy.

Hey, Al. Thanks for stopping by.

I just came back
from a meeting at Earth Dome.

The president has commissioned
a new program involving Psi Corps...

...Earthforce, Nightwatch
and the Ministry of Peace.

For reasons of security,
none of these groups...

...will know what the others
have been assigned to.

Won't we end up
stepping on each other's toes?

That's a risk we'll have to take.

The president can't trust anyone outside
the inner circle with the whole picture.

I'm not authorized
to give you the details.

But something has rattled him big time.

So we've been given a new mandate.

The president wants Babylon 5
shut down...

...permanently.

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.

If Clark wants to shut down Babylon 5...

...why not just send in the troops?

They tried that last year
when they turned back our ships.

It had a disastrous effect on morale.

There's considerable sympathy
for Babylon 5...

...among the alien governments
and here at home.

So those are the areas
being targeted in the new program.

The goal is to knock
the pins out from under them...

...then move in when they're vulnerable.

Any questions?

No, sir.

Your ship is ready to leave
for Babylon 5, prime minister.

You're sure you can't
stay with us a while longer?

With the recent passing of the emperor
and the Narn Homeworld being freed...

...I don't think this is a safe place
for me just now.

I will return when things calm down.

Well, it's our loss.

The jarno plants are just
coming into bloom.

Five days of flowering
and then they're gone.

Just like life, I suppose.

- You really should see it!
- Well, next time.

I should tell you,
the Centaurum met this morning...

...to discuss choosing a new emperor.

With all the recent problems, they voted
to postpone any decisions for a while...

...so they could choose
more wisely this time.

Probably a good idea. The royal
bloodline isn't what it used to be.

Too much intermarrying, I suppose.

I always say, "When you reduce
a family tree to a family bush...

...you just can't hide
as much beneath it."

Exactly.
So the Centaurum has decided...

...to appoint a regent to the throne...

...until a new emperor can be selected.

A regent?

Oh, my heavens.

Who would take that job?
It pays very well, I hear.

But it's simply a ceremonial role.

Actually, they've selected you.

It hardly seems worth...

- Me?
- You.

Oh, dear.

The royal court
awaits your orders, regent.

If you need any advice,
I'll be on Babylon 5.

- Good day.
- There is...

I'm thinking...

...pastels.

Well, I don't see any sign
of infection. That's good.

Wouldn't want to go any deeper
into your eye cavity to dig it out.

Thank you. I believe
I've had quite enough of that.

There's a lot of scarring back here.

The Centauri who plucked it out
was not a surgeon of your caliber.

I believe he used
something similar to this.

I only saw it end on, you see.

Yeah. Here.

- Is there any pain?
- There is pain.

Sometimes I find my eye itches.
How can it itch if it's not there?

Phantom limb syndrome.

Nerves are still sending off
random impulses.

I'll give you something
for the pain.

Then I want you to come back
for a neural scan...

...to determine what's left
of the optic nerve bundle.

I can't promise anything, but I might
be able to fix you up with a prosthetic.

Yeah, it's gonna be a tough match.

I don't have access to the newer prosthetics
now that we're cut off from Earth.

And they are designed
for human metabolism, but...

Will I see as I did before?

Well, even under ideal conditions,
the neural interface is difficult.

You'll have some scanning lines,
interference if you're near power sources.

It will do.
Thank you, doctor.

- Here.
- Thank you.

G'Kar.

There's a rumor that
after Narn was freed...

...your people wanted to
put you in charge. Is that true?

- Why didn't you take it?
- I have seen what power does.

And I have seen what power costs.

The one is never equal to the other.

- What happened after you left Babylon 5?
- I told you, I don't remember!

- What happened...?
- I said, I don't remember!

- Yeah, what is it?
- We've got a coded message for you.

- It just came in.
- Source?

We haven't been able to run it down.
We ran a standard decode...

...but we couldn't find anything.
- Put it through.

Computer, delete last transmission
and log of incoming messages.

Well, we might as well get started.

Mr. Garibaldi, good of you
to join us at last.

Well, now that we are all here...

Before you do that,
there's something I wanna say.

This isn't easy for me, and I imagine
it'll be a pain for everybody else, but...

There's no easy way to get to it,
so I'll say it.

I've decided to resign as head
of Security, effective immediately.

- You can't just resign like this.
- Who says?

Since we broke from Earth, you can't
hold me to my Earthforce contract.

We're free agents now.

Michael, we've all been under
a lot of strain lately, all right?

No one can blame you
for feeling stressed out.

- Maybe a few days away...
- I don't want a few days away.

I don't want a vacation, a leave
of absence, or a pass to Disneyplanet.

- I want out!
- Why?

Why? Because I wanna get out of
the game while I'm ahead. That's why.

Where does it say I have to fight someone
else's battles for the rest of my life?

I'm tired. I'm tired of fighting wars
I can't even begin to understand.

Okay, we won. So now what?

We can't go home. President Clark would
have us up for treason in a hot second.

Do we go up against our ships again?
Live like outlaws for our whole lives?

- What kind of a life is that?
- I agree we've got work to do back home.

- But there are ways to do it.
- What if you don't do it the right way?

If you have a better idea,
put it on the table.

No, I don't have a better idea.
I can't find a way out of this.

All I see here is a chance to get out
while I still have my skin...

...make a life,
maybe find a little happiness.

Doing what?

I figure, you know, go independent.
Start my own company.

During the w*r, lots of people
lost a whole lot of things...

...and lots of people. They'll need
someone to help them find those things.

A man could make
a decent living doing that.

- Hell, maybe even do some good.
- Garibaldi...

Look, I didn't come here
to argue with you.

I just wanted to tell you
because you got a right to know.

We all went through hell together,
and whether you realize it or not...

...we're all damn lucky to be alive.

I did my part, and now it's...

It's time for me to try
and find a life for myself.

The w*r was about finding our own way
and making our own choices.

If you won't let me do that...

...if I can't carve out just a little bit
of happiness for myself...

...then I have to ask:

What the hell were we fighting for?

After you get your assignments,
you have to rotate through customs...

...once every two or three days.
We get a lot of ships through here.

And if we don't rotate our people
regularly, they'll get b*rned out.

Now, check this display
as soon as you come on duty.

You'll get your updates
on who to hold and who to let through.

Anything unusual gets flagged.

And would I fall under the category
of unusual, Mr. Allan?

Well, didn't think we'd be seeing you
again anytime soon, ambassador.

Yes, I gathered that from the look
of unvarnished joy on your face.

Perhaps you'd like to sit down
before you are overcome by ecstasy.

Thanks, I'm fine. So, what happened?
They get tired of you back home?

Tired? No, of course not.
Don't be absurd.

Why, the emperor himself
said I would only be allowed to leave...

...over his dead body.
I said, "Well, how strange.

Mr. Allan said I would only be allowed
back onto Babylon 5...

...over his dead body."
With my very busy schedule...

...I can only accommodate
so many requests.

I know it is a burden, but you
will simply have to wait your turn.

The only reason that guy is still alive
is that half the time...

...I don't know
what he's talking about.

The other half, I wish I didn't.

That's why it's important to check in
on customs on a regular basis.

You never know who's gonna walk in that...

Just a guess, Mr. Allan, but I'd suggest
the word you're looking for is "door."

Now, please notify the captain
that I'm here.

I need to meet with him
and the rest of the command staff ASAP.

I assume my usual quarters
in the brig are available.

I've grown so attached to the place.

For you, Mr. Bester, always.

You ever have one of those days?

Yeah, well, I guess I better notify...

- Zack here.
- The captain wants to see you ASAP.

He said there's a problem
with Garibaldi.

On my way.
Look, I'm getting the hell out of here...

...before anybody else comes in.
With my luck, it'll be the Second Coming.

And I'm still three commandments
behind on penance.

Here, take over.

Thank you.

Yeah, come in.

G'Kar. Hi.

I heard...

Well, I heard you went looking for me.

You're about the only one who did.

I heard you lost your...

That the Centauri captured you
because of me.

If you had stayed here on the station
where you had sanctuary, then...

...they couldn't have...

G'Kar, I'm sorry.

I don't know what else to say.
I'm sorry.

Welcome home, Mr. Garibaldi!

- Thank you, G'Kar.
- What?

I can't breathe.

Sorry. Why were you apologizing?

Because...

Because it was all for nothing.
You went through all that for me...

...and they found me somewhere else.
- All for nothing? Absolutely not.

True, if I hadn't gone after you,
the Centauri would've never captured me.

And yes, it cost me my eye.
But it put me in the right place...

...to strike a deal with Mollari.

Because of that deal,
my world is now free.

- Then you're not upset?
- Upset?!

I'm delirious with joy!

It proves if you confront the universe
with good intentions in your heart...

...it will reflect that
and reward your intent.

- Yeah.
- Usually.

It just doesn't always do it
in the way you expect.

Yeah, maybe. Maybe.
Maybe so. I'm just...

- I'm just sorry you went through all this.
- For this goal, I'd go through far worse.

That's why I came here,
to thank you.

Through your friendship, you became
the one thing outside my own people...

...that I could care enough about
to risk being captured...

...and in so doing,
helped me serve my people...

...more than I had dreamed possible.

You have a very weird way
of looking at the universe, G'Kar...

...but I kind of like it.
Thank you.

And you, Mr. Garibaldi.
Good day.

Even for a Narn, he's nuts.

I didn't think the chief
would ever walk away from this job.

Something's gotta be wrong. He's been
acting funny ever since he got back.

Maybe so, but until we know more,
we have to go along with this.

Meanwhile, I'm putting you
in charge of security.

After that, find Lyta Alexander
and escort her to the conference room.

We're meeting with Bester in an hour,
and I wanna be sure we're not scanned.

- Ivanova. Go.
- Commander, you better put on ISN.

They're talking about us.

Computer, show us ISN.

The new presidential mandate forbids any
Earth ship to travel to or from Babylon 5.

This includes commercial transport,
passenger liners and private cruisers.

Earthforce patrols are authorized to use
force to maintain the quarantine zone.

Any ship found violating
these rules will be seized...

...with both crews and passengers
subject to arrest.

The president's action was
in response to reports...

...from the Ministries
of Peace and Security...

...detailing possible t*rror1st threats
emanating from Babylon 5.

The president will release information
regarding these threats at a later date.

Once again, all travel
between Earth and Babylon 5...

...is now forbidden by law.

- Yes?
- Zack Allan, ma'am. Can I see you?

You moving?

While I worked for him, the new Vorlon
ambassador had me throw everything out.

He said it was a distraction
from my duties.

Now that he's gone, I went out,
picked up a few things and...

...I don't know where to put it all.
- Yeah, I know the feeling.

Listen, the captain wants me
to escort you to the conference room.

- Bester just came aboard, and...
- Bester?

- The Psi Cop?
- Yeah.

Sorry, I assumed the two of you
had met before.

Oh, we have.
While I was at the academy...

...I interned with the Psi Cops
as a field assistant.

They're trained to make others nervous, but
Bester makes even other Psi Cops nervous.

Hell, the guy can make
poison ivy nervous.

But we have to make sure
he doesn't scan anybody.

- Captain needs you to keep an eye on him.
- Zack...

...when I broke with the Corps,
I became a rogue telepath.

As far as Bester's concerned,
I'm just another blip.

- Lf he sees me, he'll take me back.
- Captain won't let him take you anywhere.

You've got his personal guarantee.
So will you come?

Zack...

...how come the only time people come
see me is when they want something?

Scan someone. Protect someone.

Set up the Vorlon
so you can take him out.

I nearly got my brain fried at Z'Ha'Dum,
but nobody comes just to visit.

Nobody comes by and says,
"Let's have dinner."

I'm sure it's nothing personal.

I don't have to be a teep
to know that you're lying, Zack.

So, what is it?

Look, Lyta, you gotta understand...

...you were close to the Vorlons,
and they're not exactly popular right now.

And there's a rumor going around
that before they left, they changed you...

...made some modifications.
So, yeah...

...people are a little wary around you.

With everything we've been through,
can you blame them?

No, I can't.

I guess I already knew it.
I just needed to hear it from someone.

I needed someone
to be honest with me about it.

Thanks.

I might not like it,
but at least I know where I stand.

Just part of the service.

Listen...

...later on, if you still need some help
unpacking this stuff...

...you call me, okay?

I'll bring pizza.

Thanks.

Too much! You're a thief!

I'll give you 20 credits for the set.
That's all.

So?

My world is now free.

You no longer exist in my universe.

Pray that we never
notice one another again.

I want you to know
that I object to this, captain.

Ms. Alexander
has no business being here.

She's a blip. By all rights, I should
arrest her and take her back with me.

Oh, you could do that.

And I could nail your head
to the table, set fire to it...

...and feed your charred remains
to the Pak'ma'ra.

But it's an imperfect world,
and we never get exactly what we want.

- So get used to it.
- Captain, this is pointless.

She's a P5.

If I were really going to try something,
she's not strong enough to block me.

You're just embarrassing yourself
and her.

Haven't we learned by now
to trust each other?

No, now sit.

- I take it you've seen the news.
- We have.

What the hell is going on back home?
This quarantine?

Now that he's lost his allies
among the Shadows...

...the president is worried
about what you might do.

He knows you'll come after him
sooner or later...

...so he's making a preemptive strike.

He wants to destroy your credibility...

...undermine your position back home
and among the alien governments.

They've already launched phase one,
the propaganda w*r.

With phase two, they get serious.

And what's phase two?

It's not that easy, Mr. Allan.

This information
has a price tag attached to it.

Why? You said you'd help us in exchange
for us trying to free your lover...

...from the neural nets used on her.

True. Even though the Shadows
seem to be gone...

...their allies in the Corps are still there,
so I can't pursue this back home.

But...

...you haven't succeeded yet, have you?

The organic technology used in the wetware
is beyond anything we've ever come across.

I've put them back into cryogenic
suspension until we can figure it out.

- In time...
- There is another way.

If the Shadows have left Z'Ha'Dum...

...and that's where
this technology came from...

...why not go there and take it?
- Go back to Z'Ha'Dum? Are you nuts?

Why not? If what you say is true,
the place is deserted.

No. No, they would've left defenses.

Maybe so, but that's my price.

You take me to Z'Ha'Dum and I'll
tell you what I know about phase two.

After that, we go our separate ways.

It's a risk. Even though
Z'Ha'Dum's been abandoned...

...we don't know what they left behind.

We're gonna have to have
more information before we try this.

Information or not, I don't think
you should go back there again.

You barely got out the last time.

Look, we can send someone else, right?

No one else knows the area.

You okay?

Fine.

- Is there a consensus?
- No.

But we'll go anyway.

You have my word.

Now, this phase two...?

President Clark has ordered
the Earthforce base in Sector 49...

...to keep a squadron of Starfuries
on patrol beside the local jumpgate.

Sector 49 is the last stopover point...

...for ships traveling
from Earth to Babylon 5.

They've been told to challenge any ship
coming through the gate.

What they don't know is that
a Black Omega squadron...

...an elite att*ck force
attached to Psi Corps...

...and answerable
only to President Clark...

...has been dispatched
in heavily armed transports.

Their mission is to jump out and destroy
the security patrol before they can react...

...then leave behind evidence
indicating that Babylon 5...

...was responsible for the att*ck.

Blaming you for the
unprovoked m*rder of our pilots...

...will help get the m*llitary
and public opinion back on Clark's side.

You'll have to send a team to intercept
the squadron immediately...

...or it'll be too late.

It's ironic, I suppose:

Save the Earthforce patrol,
and continue the blockade of Babylon 5.

Let them be destroyed,
and you'll be framed for m*rder...

...and lose sympathy back home.

For you,
it's a lose-lose proposition, captain.

But as you said:

It's an imperfect world.

I appreciate you doing this, chief.

Not a problem. When I got the emergency
codes to lock down the station...

...I made sure to put them
someplace safe.

Why is it that someplace safe is always the
one place you can never remember later?

You got something to say, Zack?

I got eyes in the back of my head.
You grow them after being sh*t in the back.

You run security long enough...

...you're gonna grow them yourself.

So?

I think you're making a mistake.

Quitting like this, chief,
it just ain't right.

Not after everything we've been through.

What, you don't want a promotion?

It's not about a promotion.
You know that.

I just don't want you
to make a mistake.

Here we go.

Found it.

Zack, I got a flash for you.

The one thing in life you can
be sure of is that you'll make mistakes.

Big ones, small ones.

Mistakes that take your breath away
and haunt you for the rest of your life.

It happens.
I've had to learn that the hard way.

But this, right or wrong...

...this is something
that I gotta do for myself.

Remember when I hired you?

Yeah. It was the first break
I had in a long time.

Exactly. Details I don't have to go into.

You know and I know,
and that's all that needs know, right?

Nobody would hire you.

I checked your references.
They all said, "The guy is a problem."

But at some point,
you just gotta go on instinct.

The way I figure it, we are all entitled
to one big, stupid screwup in our lives.

Maybe this is one of those.
We'll see.

A lot of people told me
I was making a mistake with you.

But I was right.

And if I could be
right about you...

...why can't I be right about me?

Zack, you're the best second
I've ever had. You'll make a good chief.

Well, not as good as me, but, you know,
we can't expect miracles here, right?

Talk about delusions of adequacy.

- Here.
- Thanks...

...for everything.
- You are welcome.

Now get out of here.
I got things to do.

Hey.

Thank you for coming along.

Spending five minutes with Bester
would try the patience of a saint...

...but being stuck with him on a ship
goes above and beyond the call of duty.

It's not a burden.
It will give us time together.

- That can never be a bad thing.
- I know, I know.

It's just we never seem to get a break.
You know, I figured...

...well, the w*r's over, we won...

...we should get a few days off
before the next big crisis.

- But it never seems to work out that way.
- No.

And you wouldn't have it any other way.

- I beg your pardon.
- You're a problem solver.

You're one of these people who will
pick up a rope that's tangled up...

...and spend an entire day untangling it...

...because it's a challenge,
because it defies your...

...sense of order in the universe
and because you can.

Sometimes I try to picture you
sitting on a beach...

...with absolutely nothing to do.

- And?
- And the picture always ends...

...with your head imploding.

You haven't known me this long
to know me so well.

We're old souls. Deal with it.

Earth security patrol to transports.

If you're en route to Babylon 5,
turn back or prepare to be boarded.

Do you receive?

I repeat, security patrol
to unidentified ships!

Heave to at once!

Alpha Squadron to Earthforce Patrol.
It's a trap!

Break off! Break off!

They're boxed in. Alphas Two
and Three, take out the enemy fighters!

Four and Five, you're with me!

Security Patrol to Alpha Squadron.

Damn, you just saved our butts.
Where the hell did you come from?

Babylon 5.

Babylon 5? I thought you were
supposed to be the bad guys here.

Well, let's just say that reports of our
disloyalty have been greatly exaggerated.

We hit their primaries. Break away.

You've been keeping me out
since I got here.

A good question is, why?

A better question is...

...how?

I was thinking,
I may have spoken rashly before.

There may be some value
in not turning you over.

You're stronger than
the last time I saw you.

- We all change.
- Yes, but this is different.

I can feel it.

Whatever's happened to you...

...you have a moral obligation
to share it with the Corps, Lyta.

The Corps is mother.
The Corps is father.

In that case, Mr. Bester,
I'm an orphan.

Not an orphan.

Just a confused, frightened child
who's run away...

...and needs to be reminded
where home is.

Lyta...

...remember, I know things about you...

...you wouldn't want
anyone else to know.

Never forget that.

Is that it?

It looks like hell.

That's about right.

John, the crew is picking up
something unusual at the local jumpgate.

- What is it?
- It appears to be an evacuation.

Those aren't Shadow vessels.
Who are they?

Shadows couldn't have done all
they did alone. They had allies...

...dark servants from other races
who helped...

...because they believed
or because they had something to gain.

- Why would they be evacuating?
- Are we picking up any signals...

...from the planet?
- No.

- Lyta?
- I'm not sensing anything. It feels dead.

Then we can go in.
There's no one there to stop us.

- Come about!
- What?!

Get us away from the planet, fast!

- What are you doing?
- Defenses down, no warning message.

There's nobody left down there!

Maybe the Shadows decided not to leave
anything behind for others to steal.

No. No! They wouldn't...

Well, looks like we're still stuck
with each other, Mr. Bester.

Like I said...

...it's an imperfect world.

This is where we keep most of the
telepaths rescued from the Shadows...

...until the doc can get
the control devices out of their brains.

The rest of them are in cryo.

Which one is she in?

Your ship leaves in 10 minutes.
I'll be back in five.

Hi.

I tried.

Damn, but I tried.

Six men.

My best pilots.

They weren't my orders.
I just passed them on and...

...took advantage of it.

They trusted me.

Never imagined what I was
sending them into.

When I gave them the orders,
I looked in their eyes and...

It's...

...a hard thing...

...to send people in to die...

...when you're the one
pulling the trigger.

But I'd do it again.

Black Omega was my baby...

...my creation.

And I'd gladly sacrifice
the whole squadron...

...if it would bring you back to me.

But...

...it was all for nothing.

Sheridan and the others,
they're probably laughing right now.

Well, that's all right.

I still have an ace in the hole.

And it'll hurt them more than anything
they've ever done to me.

I...

...miss you.

There's no one at home
for me to talk to.

Good night.

I'll see you soon.

I promise.

Yes?

I just thought I'd come by,
see how you were doing.

Fine. Fine.

- Why shouldn't I be?
- You know, I was just thinking about...

...the timing of that evacuation
at Z'Ha'Dum.

And then I remembered
what lvanova told me...

...that when the three of you
went to Z'Ha'Dum to find me...

...the Shadows picked up
on your telepathic signal.

Now, those sensors were probably
left behind when the Shadows went away.

If someone who knew they were there...

...began sending a telepathic probe
the moment we hit hyperspace...

...it might just be enough
to set off the destruct sequence.

Of course, it would take a very powerful
telepath to send a signal that far ahead.

Hyperspace has been known
to enhance telepathic abilities.

Not that much.

And do all that and keep Bester
from picking up the signal?

That's a bit much for a P5,
wouldn't you say?

Maybe even beyond a P10 or a P12.

Now, what I haven't figured out yet is...

...why would someone go through all that?

Theoretically...

...maybe because he got me angry.

Maybe because there's leftover commands
from the Vorlons I haven't recognized yet.

Maybe because what's left on Z'Ha'Dum
can't fall into anyone's hands...

...for any reason.

And maybe...

Maybe because he hurt so many of my
people, he deserves to be hurt in response.

He has sent away so many loved ones,
he deserves to find out how it feels...

...to lose someone he cares about.

And I wouldn't have been told
because he could scan me.

But not you.

Yes.

Well, theoretically.

Well, I'm glad
we're talking theory here, Lyta.

Because as much as I may agree
with your reasons...

...might even have supported the decision
if this were to happen again...

...if a command-level decision
were made without consulting me...

...I would turn you over to the Psi Corps
and let them turn you inside out.

Am I perfectly, crystal clear?

Yes, sir.

Yes? What?

I got half plain cheese
and half pepperoni.

At least, they said it was pepperoni.

I don't think we should
look too close, though.

Still need a hand?

I've been monitoring the Gold Channels.

Clark's having a hell of a time
explaining the ambush.

"Just all a terrible mistake," he says.

He won't try that again.
No one would fall for it now.

- We've gone from lose-lose to win-win.
- It seems like.

So why do you look so worried?

I was just thinking about those ships
we saw leaving Z'Ha'Dum.

Delenn called them the allies
of the Shadows, dark servants.

We don't know what they took,
where they're going...

...or what they plan to do.
- Maybe they just wanted out.

Or maybe they want to get even.

With Z'Ha'Dum gone, it'll take a long time
before they can do anything to anybody.

Yeah, I suppose so.

But I just wish I knew
where they were going.

A dream.

That's all.

Just a bad dream.