Babylon 5 (1994–1998): Season 2, Episode 1 - Points of Departure - full transcript

As Captain John Sheridan assumes command of B5, he learns the reason why the Minbari inexplicably surrendered to Earth in the Earth-Minbari war while a renegade Minbari ship seeks to restart it.

We'll swing back this way in a month,
make sure everything's okay.

If those hijackers so much as blink
in your direction, yell. We'll be here.

Roger, see you then.

"Agamemnon" out.

Initiate jump into hyperspace.

Jump point, aye.

Captain, we're getting a coded signal
from Earth Dome on Gold Channel 1.

It's Gen. Hague, Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Patch it through to my office.

Yes, sir.

Receive.



General, this is a surprise.
What can I do for you?

In the last few days, a Minbari warship
"has been seen in Earth"-"controlled space. "

Sector 423 by 27.

That would put it about two jumps
from Babylon 5.

Exactly. We have reason to believe
it may have hostile intent.

I don't understand.

The war's been over for more
than 10 years.

Why would the Minbari government
launch an attack?

They wouldn't. We have a renegade
warship on our hands.

The "Trigati. "

Looks like it. We've had three separate
reports of sightings by ships in that area.

Has it attacked any of them?

Strangely enough, no, it hasn't.
Not yet anyway.

But that may change
at any moment.



The Minbari government dispatched
a second cruiser...

"... in hopes of finding the" Trigati
before it does any damage.

But it may be a while before
that cruiser arrives.

When it does...

...I want you to make personal contact
with it and coordinate the search.

General, with all due respect...

...the last time I made personal contact
with a Minbari warship...

...I sent it straight to hell.

That's why I want you in that part
of space, captain.

You've beaten them once,
and, if necessary, you can do so again.

Tell no one about this.

Understood.

So I'm to take the "Agamemnon"
to Babylon 5 and coordinate with them.

Is that correct?

Not exactly.

I need you to do one other job.

And this comes straight
from the president.

Status report.
Lt. Cmdr. Susan Ivanova recording.

It is now eight days since the death
of Earth Alliance President Luis Santiago...

...and five days since Cmdr. Sinclair
was recalled to Earth without explanation.

And the whole place has gone
straight to hell.

If the seating arrangement is changed, my
government will withdraw from the League!

And as far as I'm concerned, the
transports can wait until the sun explodes!

If you're not happy with the seating
arrangements, your seats will be moved...

...outside, down the hall, across the
station and into the fusion reactor.

Am I absolutely, perfectly clear on this?

I can only conclude that I'm paying off
karma at a vastly accelerated rate.

Security Chief Michael Garibaldi remains
in critical condition in Medlab.

Dr. Franklin's done all he can,
but we still don't know if he'll recover.

As for Ambassador Delenn...

...well, something's going on
in her quarters. That's for sure.

Ivanova.

We've got a Gold Channel message
for you. It's Gen. Hague.

I'll take it in the briefing room.

Computer, accept and decode
Gold Channel signal.

General.

Lieutenant commander.

This may break the chain of command,
but I felt I should deliver this news myself.

Your commanding officer,
Cmdr. Sinclair...

...will not be returning to Babylon 5.
He's being reassigned, permanently.

The Babylon Project was our last,
best hope for peace.

"A self"-"contained world, five miles long,"
located in neutral territory.

A place of commerce and diplomacy...

...for a quarter of a million
humans and aliens.

A shining beacon in space,
all alone in the night.

It was the dawn
of the Third Age of mankind.

The year the Great War
came upon us all.

This is the story of the last
of the Babylon stations.

The year is 2259.
The name of the place is Babylon 5.

What do you mean you're reassigning
Cmdr. Sinclair?

Reassigning him where?

To the Minbari Homeworld.

He'll be the first Earth ambassador
allowed permanent residence there.

The president's been trying to find
someone suitable...

...and the Minbari
specifically requested Sinclair.

But why him?

That information is
"on a need"-"to"-"know basis. "

I've briefed Capt. Sheridan
on the situation.

-Capt. Sheridan. John Sheridan?
-"I believe you know him. "

Yes, I served under him
at the transfer point off lo.

He's a good man and a fine officer...

...but it will be a controversial choice.
If I may ask-

You may not. Any further questions
will have to go through your new CO.

Good day, lieutenant commander.

So...

...she's done it, hasn't she?

She's in there.

We told her to wait.

"Prophecy will attend to itself,"
we told her.

Now we are committed to the path.

I have spoken with the other members
of the Council.

The "Trigati" has been seen in this sector.

If it appears, you must go to the humans
and tell them what we've told you.

It's time they knew the truth.

About the new captain-

I want an honor guard present
when his ship docks.

-We've barely got time-
-He's here.

-What?
-His Earthforce transport just docked.

There was a miscommunication
about the time.

-Hello, sir.
-Hi.

Welcome aboard, sir.

I'm authorized to surrender command
of Babylon 5 to you.

Thank you, lieutenant commander.
I accept command.

There seems to be a problem
with the unloaders.

Could my bags be delivered
to my quarters?

Of course.

Thank you.

Would you like a quick tour
of the facilities?

-Yes, absolutely.
-Great. Right this way.

It's good to see you again.
How was your flight?

Fine. They actually had fresh
oranges on the transport.

I haven't had an orange
in almost two years.

I used to dream about them.

Grapes, nectarines, plums,
the black ones, not the red ones.

I mean, it's amazing what two years
on the Rim can do to you.

I have a hunch I'll be spending a lot
of time in Hydroponics.

On the way in, I read the station reports,
trying to catch up on everything.

What's our status?

Chief of security is
in critical condition in Medlab.

He thinks there's a conspiracy
concerning the president's death.

Ambassador G'Kar has
mysteriously vanished.

We still don't know what Ambassador
Kosh looks like inside his encounter suit.

And Ambassador Delenn is in a cocoon.

A cocoon?

As in a moth or a butterfly?

Yes, sir.

About yea high.

Interesting place you have here.

Yes, sir.

Show me this place.

Babylon 5 is divided into several
different sections.

Green Sector is for diplomatic personnel
and is closed to unauthorized personnel.

Red Sector is for commerce...

And this will be your quarters.
I hope it's satisfactory?

It's fine. Fine.

It's certainly a lot bigger
than what I'm used to.

Does this place come with a shower?

I mean a real, live, honest-to-God shower
with running water?

Executive suites and command quarters
have showers with honest-to-God water.

The rest get vibe showers.

Our water reclamation system can't
handle much more than that.

A shower. I may come to like it here.

Which brings me to something
I've been wanting to ask you.

It's kind of awkward.

You haven't worried
about being diplomatic before.

Don't disappoint me by starting now.

When I heard about the change
in command, I figured we'd get...

...a high-level bureaucrat or an admiral
or an ambassador, and-

And why me?

Yeah, I wondered the same thing.

I was the late president's first choice...

...to replace Sinclair in case
anything happened.

While commanding the "Agamemnon,"
I worked with many Non-Aligned Worlds:

Centauri, Narns, even a few Minbari.

That's what I was concerned about.

The Minbari aren't going to be thrilled
to find out you're running Babylon 5.

-I hear they still call you "StarKiller. "
-It was a long time ago, 12 years.

Maybe they've forgotten about it by now.

Yeah, I know. I don't believe it either.

Well, one thing for sure.

I'll be relying on you pretty heavily these
next few weeks until I'm up to speed.

It certainly couldn't be worse
than the last week.

With President Santiago's death
and everything.

How's the crew handling it?

They're still pretty shocked.

I don't think the reality of it
has sunken in yet.

And you?

I don't know. I just...

I just keep seeing Earthforce One blowing
up over and over again in my dreams.

You know, all my life I thought that I could
handle everything and fix any problem.

But when I saw that, I just...

...realized I couldn't do anything
to stop it.

-I don't think I've ever felt so helpless.
-I know. I felt the same way.

And ever since then, the crew's needed
me to be strong for them, and I've tried.

I don't like to show weakness.

I guess I get it from my father.

With the madness of trying
to run this place...

...and the commander being called back
to Earth and the ambassadors yelling...

I don't know, I just...

I just hope I've done okay by them.

Let's just say, I'm very happy to see you.

I appreciate that.

And coming from you, it means a lot.

Also, the crew is really looking forward
to meeting you.

They've heard all about you...

...and right about now, they could
use something to smile about.

Then we won't keep them waiting.

I'll take a shower, we'll head
to Command and Control...

...and I'll give my good-luck speech.

Sir?

It's the same speech I gave when I took
command on lo on the "Agamemnon. "

It's sort of my good-luck charm.

I always give it within 24 hours
of taking on a new assignment.

I look forward to hearing it. Can I meet you
in C & C? I have to do something.

Of course. See you there in 20 minutes.

In Valen's name, Kalain.

Kalain, wait!

Kalain!

We do not harm our own kind, Kalain.
We never have.

Perhaps it is time to start.

The Grey Council has betrayed us.
What does a little blood matter now?

No one has been betrayed.

No! No lies.

We have intercepted a message
from the humans to Minbar.

We know they have chosen Sheridan
the StarKiller to lead this place.

It is an obscenity!

We protested. They ignored us.

Satai Delenn, did she also ignore you?

How do you know?

We have supporters even
among the Council.

They tell us that Sinclair is now
on our world.

He is an ambassador.

So you say.

But the Grey Council never tells
anyone the whole truth, does it?

If you value your life, leave now,
while you still can.

Good afternoon, lieutenant commander.

How'd you know it was me?

Well, it's 2:45. You always come by
at 2:45, see how he's doing.

So how's he doing?

Still no change.

Managed to stabilize his condition.

Dropped in as many regen packs
as his body can handle.

Now all we can do is wait and
see if he comes out of the coma.

Could be hours, days, weeks.

Years?

Never?

Yeah.

So all we can do is keep him
hooked up like this forever?

Well, the human body is an amazing thing.

It can cure itself...

...or it can simply decide that
the world is too painful to deal with...

...and won't cooperate no matter
how hard you try to heal it.

That debate is going on somewhere
in Garibaldi's body right now.

Just gonna have to wait
and see who wins.

Well, then, I'll say a prayer
for him tonight.

He's agnostic.

Then I'll say half a prayer.

It was an early Earth president, Abraham
Lincoln, who best described our current-

Captain, they're ready for you.

Good.

Captain on deck.

As you were.

When I was 21, I visited Tibet.

I went to see the new Dalai Lama.

You do that sort of thing when you're
21 and the son of a diplomatic envoy.

We had a simple dinner:

Rice, raisins, carrots,
steamed, not boiled...

...and green tea.

When it was over...

...he looked at me and said:

"Do you understand?"

I said, "No. " I didn't.

"A good beginning," he said.

"You'll be even better when you begin to
understand what you do not understand. "

After reading some of your reports...

...I begin to understand what I don't
understand about Babylon 5.

But I couldn't wish for a more capable...

...and skilled group of people
to learn from.

It was an early Earth president,
Abraham Lincoln...

...who best described
our current situation.

He said-

"C & C, this is Security. We have a"-

Is there a problem?

I'm sorry to bother you, sir,
but I've got Security on the link.

They've got a Minbari demanding
to speak to you.

He won't say what it's about, only that
it involves the safety of this station.

He says it's absolutely urgent.

Well, we'll get back to this later.

There's plenty of time for speeches.

Carry on.

Lieutenant commander.

Hey! Hey, hold it right there!

That section's off-limits to everyone
but station personnel and diplomatic staff.

I'm sorry. I seem to be lost.

I'm looking for Brown 2.

You're way off. You want
the core shuttle. It's that way.

I see. Thank you. I'll be on my way.

After I see your Identicard.

Hey, wait a minute. This card-

His name is Kalain.

He was second-in-command on a flagship
cruiser during the war with your people.

He has not been seen
since the end of the war.

Why do you think he's here
to cause us a problem?

I have my reasons. I would not
be bringing this to you otherwise.

If you arrange to have
him apprehended...

...I will have him picked up by others
and conveyed to Minbar.

You said he was second-in-command
of a Minbari cruiser.

-Which one?
-I don't see what that has to do with this.

Was it the "Trigati"?

What's the "Trigati"?

It is not something we like to talk about.

At the end of the war...

...when our ships were ordered
to surrender...

...one of our war leaders, Sineval,
took his own life rather than obey...

...and became a martyr to his own crew.

Kalain assumed command.

And as a final act of protest, they and the
cruiser disappeared into self-imposed exile.

Over the years, we've heard rumors...

...of a Minbari cruiser sighted
where it shouldn't have been.

We always figured it was the "Trigati"...

...but we could never prove it.

They believe that they have been betrayed
by their own world and yours.

Kalain's presence here could indicate
that they mean to come out of retirement.

Something I don't understand.

You said you're with the Minbari
government, the Ministry of Culture.

Yes, that's right.

So how does someone
in the Ministry of Culture...

...know a high-ranking member
of the warrior caste...

...well enough to recognize him
12 years later?

I would answer your question
if I recognized your authority.

Unlike your predecessor, my government
was not consulted on your appointment.

The president feels the Minbari had
too much influence over an Earth outpost.

Times change.

The day a man such as yourself...

...is given a position of this importance
is a dark day indeed.

We lost many of our best warriors
because of you.

And we do not soon forget such things.

If there is a doom on this station,
it is because you brought it here!

Oh, he's Grey Council. He's gotta be.
Only someone in the Grey Council...

...would've known someone that high
in the Minbari warrior caste.

I mean, they do not normally mix.

And you are right.

They're not happy to see me here.

They're a prideful people,
and the "Black Star" was their flagship.

That's why it made a good target.

How did you take her out?

I've heard it was a new maneuver,
but I've never heard the specifics.

There wasn't much style
or finesse involved.

She was huge, monstrous.

We tried everything, but none of our
weapons would lock on to their ships.

Some kind of stealth technology.

So I hit on the idea of mining the asteroid
field between Jupiter and Mars.

A fusion bomb doesn't have to lock on to
anything if it's close enough.

It took out the "Black Star" and three
heavy cruisers before they could escape.

It was the only real victory we had in the
war, and I am not about to apologize for it.

He said Kalain feels his world
has betrayed him.

If that's true...

...wouldn't your first target be
the representative of that world?

Delenn.

Get up.

She's in there, isn't she?

Move aside. Move aside!

Freeze!

And put the gun down.

Put the gun down. We won't hurt you.

If you are going to kill me, then do so.

Otherwise, I have
considerable work to do.

You are the new commanding officer?

Capt. John Sheridan, Earthforce.

Lennier, of the Third Fane of Chudomo.

Ambassador Delenn is indisposed
at the moment.

Perhaps you would come back later.

Much later.

Of course.

Let me get this straight.

A high-ranking member
of the Minbari warrior caste...

...who no one has seen
in nearly 12 years...

...suddenly appears...

...and, for no apparent reason, breaks into
Ambassador Delenn's quarters with a gun.

Now, if you were looking
for the Minbari tourist bureau...

...you were just a little off-course,
wouldn't you say?

The curious thing is...

...you don't finish the job.

You could've killed both of them
and gotten out of there.

But instead, we find you standing there,
practically waiting for us.

Everyone knows Minbari
do not kill Minbari.

Then why are you here?

Perhaps everyone is wrong.

Maybe you never intended
to kill them at all.

Perhaps something else
is going on.

Perhaps you are the problem.

What's that supposed to mean?

Captain, we're not getting anywhere.

Let's wrap it up and try again tomorrow.

One last thing.

I'm told that after the death
of your commanding officer...

...you took command
of a Minbari war cruiser.

But if you're here...

...where's your ship?

Captain!

I apologize. I was rude earlier.

There is something we need to discuss.

Especially in light of Kalain's presence.

It concerns the reason you
were sent here...

...the relocation of Cmdr. Sinclair...

...and the reason we surrendered
at the Battle of the Line.

After three years, the holy war
that began...

...when our leader was killed by an Earth
explorer division was almost over.

To avenge Dukhat's death,
we had pursued your forces...

...all the way back to your Homeworld.

The few surviving Earth ships that were
ordered to defend your world at any cost...

...were not an obstacle.

The Grey Council had come to oversee
the final victory of our forces.

They fight bravely.

They cannot harm our ships,
but they continue to try.

Whether they fight or not,
they know they will die anyway.

So really, is this bravery
or simple desperation?

Perhaps they are the same thing.

We should bring one of them aboard
for questioning.

If our next step is the final assault
on their world...

...we must know their defenses.

Very well, Delenn. Choose.

But quickly.

We are fast running out of candidates.

That one.

This was the first time the Grey Council
would have direct contact with a human.

In this case, Sinclair.

He was tortured, interrogated, scanned.

During the course of the scan, the Council
discovered something terrible.

At first they refused to believe it,
so they took in other humans...

...and had them scanned as well.
But it was true.

What was true?

It is our belief that every generation
of Minbari is reborn...

...in each following generation.

Remove those souls and the whole
suffers. We are diminished.

Over the last 2000 years...

...there have been fewer Minbari
born into each generation.

And those who are born do not seem
equal to those who came before.

It is almost as if our greater souls
have been disappearing.

At the Battle of the Line, we discovered
where our souls were going.

They were going to you.

Minbari souls are being reborn...

...in part or in full in human bodies.

So you stopped the war in order
to avoid harming your own souls?

Yes.

But the Council knew that our people and
yours were not ready for this information.

It could unravel our entire society.

So we could not tell our generals
the reason for the surrender.

We had all memory of the examination
erased from Sinclair's mind...

...and we let him go.

It has been our secret.

Now it is yours.

It must be kept.

Then why break the silence now?
I mean, why tell us?

Because changes are coming.

Cmdr. Sinclair was the first.

There will be more.

-Yes.
-"Captain... "

...something's coming
through the jumpgate.

It's a Minbari cruiser.

Her gun ports are open,
and target systems are operational.

She's on an attack vector.
Repeat, she's on attack vector.

I had this wonderful dream
the other night.

We were in bed in this beautiful hotel,
rose and mint wallpaper.

-Hey, Warren.
-It was sunny, and-

Check this out.

Hold on just a sec.

It's getting so a man can't even enjoy
a letter from home anymore.

What?

What the hell?

Red alert, all quarters.
Have they hailed us yet?

Yes, sir. Waiting your arrival.

Activate defense grid,
put all squadrons on standby.

I don't want actions that might
be considered provocative.

-Scrambling fighters.
-Move it, everybody! Move it! Move it!

This is a red alert. All stations,
this is a red alert.

This is a red alert. All stations,
this is a red alert.

This is Capt. John Sheridan,
Earth Alliance Station Babylon 5.

What can I do for you?

This is Alit Deeron of the Minbari
"war cruiser" Trigati.

You have illegally arrested and detained
the captain of this vessel.

Your captain assaulted one of my crew
and was caught in an attempted murder.

None of your people were killed.
No Minbari was killed.

You have not been harmed.
You will release our captain.

And if we refuse?

Captain, she's launching fighters.

Zeta Wing", prepare to launch. "

We're clear.

"Godspeed," Zeta Wing.

Deeron, recall your fighters.

Any attack on this station will
be considered an act of war.

The war has already begun, captain.

All that remains now is honor and death.

And I thought I was a pessimist.

It's odd she would say that.

So far, no one's been killed, so there is
no reason for this to escalate, unless...

Oh, hell!

-Get me Security, fast!
-On it.

They're trying to do anything they can
to start a shooting war.

But Kalain didn't kill
the security guard or any of us.

And the "Trigati" didn't attack any of the
ships that have seen it the last few days.

What ships?

Sorry, I was under orders not to tell
anyone. I will explain everything later.

Captain, Security just linked in.

Kalain is dead.

-They say it looks like suicide.
-That's what I was afraid of.

They want it to look like we're
provoking them into a war.

But why? This whole bit
about us sharing Minbari souls?

They weren't told. They don't know
they're not supposed to attack.

-Think they'd believe us if we told them?
-Minbari fighters coming at us.

That answer your question?

They're on attack vector.

Closing fast.

We don't have any choice.

All fighters, intercept enemy craft
and engage.

Confirmed, Babylon Control.

-Those are our fighters?
-Yes, sir.

And those are the Minbari fighters.

The Minbari.

What kind of tracking systems
are we using?

Standard XB7 units. Why?

That's the same kind we used during
the war, but that doesn't make sense.

We shouldn't be able
to track them at all.

What was that she said?

"All that remains now is honor
and death. "

All fighters, hold position.

What? If they hold position,
they're perfect targets.

Zeta Squadron requesting
confirmation of standby order.

Confirm the order.

Confirm it, damn it!

I know what I'm doing.

All fighters, confirmed. Maintain position.
Do not advance. Repeat, do not advance.

Can you deliver a narrow-band
transmission...

...without the "Trigati" intercepting it?

-We can adjust the laser delivery system-
-Do it.

Open the jumpgate.

Send this message in a tight-beam
transmission into hyperspace.

Frequency and address.

Enemy fighters at 30 kilometers
and closing.

Activate jumpgate sequence.

Jumpgate sequence, aye.

A distress signal won't do any good.
No one can get to us in time.

Come on, Babylon Control,
give us a break here.

If we're not allowed to fire,
we're dead.

Enemy at 10 kilometers.

-Eight.
-Captain.

Hold your fire.

Continue to hold.

What the hell?

I don't understand. They didn't fire.

They're looping back,
heading for the "Trigati. "

-Exactly.
-But how did you know they'd-?

We've got something coming
through the jumpgate.

That's why. They were waiting
for reinforcements.

Negative.

They're here because I called them.

I knew the Minbari government had sent
another cruiser to look for the "Trigati. "

But since no one's seen it...

...I figured they were waiting
in hyperspace...

...until they heard
about another sighting.

Looks like I was right.

That doesn't explain how you knew
they wouldn't attack.

We're monitoring a signal
from the cruiser.

"They're ordering the" Trigati
to surrender.

It's like I said.

One problem during the war was...

...that none of our weapon systems
could lock on to the Minbari vessels.

They use some kind of stealth technology
we were never able to break.

So how come all of a sudden
we can track them?

They want to be destroyed?

"All that remains is honor and death. "

They have been in exile for 12 years.
They can't go home.

They can't surrender without being
dishonored and can't fight without a war.

So by forcing us to attack...

...by dying by human hands...

...they become martyrs.

And because you're known for having
fought them, you're the perfect target.

"Trigati" is breaking away.

Starting to open a jump point.

Shall we open fire?

No, the Minbari will have to do this.

They're targeting
the "Trigati"'s aft engines.

"Trigati"'s engines have been hit.
Unable to make jump.

No change in life signs,
a clean hit.

The war cruiser is ordering the "Trigati"
to prepare to be boarded.

-Their response?
-Just one word: honor.

We're picking up a change in the "Trigati"'s
fusion reactors, moving towards critical.

They're...

Oh, my God.

Signal coming in from the war cruiser.

Put it through.

This is Capt. John Sheridan, Babylon 5.

Appreciate the help.

Perhaps to you, this was a
tactical problem to be solved.

For us, this has been a great sorrow.

"The crew of the" Trigati "were heroes"
to many of our people.

Their death will be mourned.

And your name will be remembered.

Yes?

Thought I'd stop by,
see if all your things arrived.

Yes, yes. Everything's present
and accounted for.

Something wrong?

When I got my orders...

...I figured this place was
a great opportunity.

And now I wonder if coming here
was irresponsible.

This whole mess with the "Trigati" might
not have happened if I hadn't been here.

My presence, my actions in the war.

I'm to blame for bringing
this trouble to Babylon 5.

What was it our friend
in the Grey Council said?

"If there's a doom on this station,
it was you who brought it here. "

Well, maybe he was right.

I spoke with the president.

He is the only other human who knows
why the Minbari surrendered.

He doesn't believe this stuff
about us sharing Minbari souls.

And I can't say that I do either.

But they believe it. That's why they
chose Sinclair to run this place.

That's why they picked him to live on their
world. He was their first human contact.

Him they trust.

But me?

I don't know.

If Sinclair had been here instead,
maybe they might not have attacked.

Maybe they would have.

There's enough guilt in the world
to go around without grabbing for more.

Give yourself the benefit of the doubt.

Anyway, if you ever want to talk
about this some more...

...you know where to find me. Anytime.

I told them, Delenn, as I was
ordered.

I only wish I could have
told them the rest.

About the great enemy
that is returning...

...and the prophecy
that the two sides of our spirit...

...must unite against the Darkness
or be destroyed.

They say it will take both of our races
to stop the Darkness.

I'm told that the Earthers will discover
all of this soon enough on their own.

I hope they are right.

Because if we are wrong...

...no one will survive our mistake.

Good night, Delenn.

I'm not saying I mind looking a squadron
of Minbari fighters right in the eye.

I'm not saying I mind sitting with my
weapons off, waiting to be splashed.

I'm just saying, next time
this happens-

If there's a next time.

If someone could, I don't know,
maybe explain it to me...

...this would be a good thing for my limited
and admittedly subjective point of view.

Did you catch that? He wants
explanations. He wants logic.

Logic is a good thing. What it has to do
with the Earthforce is anybody's guess.

Yeah, I suppose. So, what does
everybody think of our new captain?

Well, I haven't seen too much of him,
but what I have seen, I like.

I think he's gonna be okay. Susan?

I agree.

He's supposed to meet us here for drinks.
I wonder what's hanging him up?

Last time I saw him,
he said something about...

...having a half-hour to give some
good-luck speech or it wouldn't count.

When was that?

About 20 minutes ago.

Oh, no. Of all the times
he could have picked.

It was an early Earth president,
Abraham Lincoln...

...who best described our situation.

"The dogmas of the quiet past...

...are inadequate to the stormy present.

The occasion is piled high with difficulty,
and we must rise to the occasion.

We cannot escape history.

We will be remembered
in spite of ourselves.

The fiery trial through which we pass...

...will light us down in honor
or dishonor...

...to the last generation.

We shall nobly save...

...or meanly lose...

...our last, best hope of Earth. "

Five minutes to spare.

(ENGLISH)

Babylon 5 "is produced"
by Babylonian Productions, Inc...

...and distributed by Warner Bros.
Domestic TV Distribution.