Babylon 5 (1994–1998): Season 4, Episode 21 - Rising Star - full transcript

We can confirm now that President Clark
took his own life...

...at 2:53 a.m. EST rather than
face trial for his actions.

The body has been left in place
for examination and documentation...

...by the Justice Department.

After the battle, Sheridan surrendered
to Earthforce authorities...

...who will now decide whether or not
charges will be pressed...

...for his actions taken during
and preceding the battle.

Despite Sheridan's current high standing
in public-opinion polls...

...his decision to act against
his fellow officers...

...must be explained and justified.

In an impromptu press conference
this morning...



...acting president Susanna Luchenko
of the Russian Consortium...

...urged the public to remain calm.

We realize that many of you want revenge...

...against those who caused
such great pain and suffering.

We ask that you listen
to the better angels of your nature.

Give the courts and the legal system time...

...to locate and prosecute those responsible.

Only a sane and careful study of the facts...

...will allow us to separate those
who were willing partners...

...in President Clark's reign of terror...

...from those who cooperated
only in fear of their lives.

Our thoughts especially go out to Sheridan's
second-in-command, Susan lvanova...

...critically injured when Clark's forces...

...attempted to ambush
the multi-planetary fleet.



The prayers of a grateful Earth
go out to her.

Faster.

We've got to go faster!

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.

- How's she doing?
- The treatment worked.

What about Marcus?

He was in complete metabolic shutdown:
Heartbeat, brain activity.

The machine drained his life energy
and transferred it to lvanova.

- Is she stable?
- After a fashion.

- You can't go in there.
- It's all right.

I said, go away!

Susan, it's me.

You okay?

Damn it, Stephen,
why the hell did he have to do it?

I didn't want him to.
I never would have asked him to.

I know.

I know.

And how the hell did he find out
about that machine?

Look, after we gained custody
of the alien healing device...

...Sheridan and I decided
it was too dangerous...

...to let others know about it,
so I coded all my log entries.

He must have hacked his way
through a dozen security overrides.

It's typical.

He was always pulling crap like that.
Even I never knew what to do with him.

He was the most undisciplined,
the most annoying...

I was just lying there, and I was...

...feeling myself letting go of my body.

And I remember the last thing
that I thought was...

...l'm going to die now.

It wasn't so bad.

And then I heard this voice
coming from far away saying:

"I love you."

And I thought, is this God?

Is this God? I mean...

...he really did have an English accent,
just like in all those old movies.

And then I felt myself being
pulled down, and I got heavy...

...so heavy, you know, tired and it was...

I forced my eyes open...

...and there he was next to me.

And we were hooked
into that damn machine...

...and I tried to pull it apart, Stephen.
I swear to God, I tried.

I couldn't even move. I couldn't move.

Look, there was nothing
that you could do. All right?

Your system was traumatized.
You can't blame yourself.

I don't. I don't, I don't. I just...

You know, all my life, I've had...

I've had problems with relationships.

You may have noticed.

A little.

You know, the ones that I loved...

...always ended up hurting me...

...or leaving me.

And the ones who stayed...

...they had nothing inside.

No depth.

After a while, I just...

...decided to forget about it.

And here was Marcus.

I knew he'd never hurt me.

And I knew he'd never leave me.

And I knew he loved me.

I knew it.

I just didn't want to admit it.

And he gave so much,
and he wanted so little in return.

He just wanted a kind word or a smile...

...and all I ever gave him
in two years was grief.

And it's because...

...I think I saw what I wanted...

...and I was afraid.

I thought you knew it wasn't
gonna work out.

You were just protecting yourself
from being hurt again. That's all.

Maybe...

...but maybe I should have
just tried one more time.

I could've done that for him.

Now I can't.

At least I should have
boffed him just once.

"Boffed"?

Did you just say "boffed"?

It's the type of thing
he would have said.

I mean, hell, it's not like
I was doing anything else.

Well, I guess that's one way
to deal with unrequited love, huh?

All love is unrequited, Stephen.

All of it.

- You're late.
- No, no, no. You're early.

I am never premature.

Oh, well, that is a surprise,
given what I've heard.

I'm sure it's a matter of perspective,
really, but for a Narn...

...two minutes must be a long time.

So if you go the duration,
it's an accomplishment.

But for the Centauri, hours can go by
before you even get to the good parts.

Londo.

- You're late.
- I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. It was just that...

You know, this is a matter
of state business. I think we should...

Oh, yes, yes, of course.

G'Kar, go on ahead. We'll join you shortly.

Oh, G'Kar, when we are en route to Earth...

...I will give you some ideas how to deal
with your little problem.

- What problem?
- Oh, no, it's nothing.

We are developing a very strange
relationship, I think.

At times, I find I rather enjoy it.

It doesn't matter. What is it, Vir?

I received a message from Homeworld
just before I came here.

The regent is ill.
They want you to come home.

What can I do? I am not a doctor.

It's much more than that, Londo.

They say the regent will leave us
early in the coming year.

When that happens,
the Royal Court has decided...

...that we need your voice to guide us.

You're going to be emperor, Londo.
Isn't that wonderful?

Yes, Vir, wonderful news.

- Londo, I thought you...
- Come, we really should hurry.

Otherwise we'll have to put up
with a cranky Narn all the way to Earth.

Hello, captain.

I hope you don't mind
my stopping by to visit.

I told the staff
we were such good friends...

...like Holmes and Watson,
Rebo and Zooty.

Fire and water,
snake and mongoose.

This will let us speak privately
for a few minutes...

...before they decide it's more than
ordinary interference.

You never come at anyone
straight out, do you, Mr. Bester?

Mr. Garibaldi told me
what you did to him.

Used him to uncover
a plot against the Psi Corps.

Well, I'm sure Mr. Garibaldi believes...

...l'm responsible for a lot of things.

Like the murder of William Edgars.

So tell me...

...what happened to those vials
that were stolen from his safe?

You know, the ones with
the anti-telepath virus.

I don't know what
you're talking about.

But if there were such a thing...

...steps would be taken
to destroy the virus...

...but we'd keep the antidote around
just in case someone else came up with it.

What about his wife, Lise?

I have no information about her.

She's no longer any concern of mine.

As for the rest...

...it's Mr. Garibaldi's word against mine...

...unless you'd like to bring in a telepath...

...to scan him, prove that
what he's saying is true.

Of course, to be admissible
in an Earth court...

...the teep would have to be
a member of the Psi Corps.

You really think you've
got it all covered, don't you?

Almost.

Except for one thing.

I want to know if my lover...

...was one of the telepaths you used
to disable the fleet in your little war.

Because if she was...

...and if she was killed because of it...

...you have to understand...

...that you will not leave this room alive.

I find it amazing that you think
that threats still mean anything to me.

"Do this, or you're a dead man"?

Death: Been there, done that.

Not a threat, captain,
simply a statement of fact.

I can have half a dozen sharpshooters
cover this building at every exit.

As soon as you poke your head outside,
they'll put a bullet through it.

You know what the difference is
between you and me, Bester?

You use people because you like it...

...and if someone gets hurt in the process,
well, that's life.

Using telepaths...

...to take over ships from the other side
was the hardest decision I ever made.

I had Franklin go through their files,
pick out the ones that were single...

...no families,
who were almost certainly incurable.

Carolyn is single. She has no family.

The only thing we ever had was each other.

I know.

I know what it's like to lose someone...

...only to find her,
then lose her a second time.

I wouldn't wish that on anyone,
not even you, as much as I might want to.

Now, we selected 30 telepaths
for that job, 30 out of 100.

Carolyn's still back at Babylon 5.

She'll be transferred here
as soon as things settle down.

Thank you.

Oh, don't thank me yet.

We're not done.

See, I know you.

Even with Clark gone, you'll keep moving
your telepaths into positions of power.

And then when the time is right,
you'll try and take over the government.

You're delusional, captain.

Oh, you'll wait a few years
until things quiet down.

And then you'll start a war
between the telepaths and normals.

And in the end, Mr. Bester, you will lose.

We'll see.

Assuming you make it that far.

See, Mr. Garibaldi is finishing up
some personal business on Mars.

Once it's done, I imagine
he'll turn his attention to you.

And to tell you
the God's honest truth...

...l'd rather face those sharpshooters of
yours than what he'll do when he finds you.

I don't know exactly how he plans
to settle the score, but I...

I'm sure it'll be creative,
colorful and extremely unpleasant.

- Where is she?
- I don't know what you're talking about.

No? Then maybe I'm just gonna
have to explain it to you again.

Now, her name's Lise Hampton.

Married to one of the richest guys on Mars.
She got into trouble.

She went to the Mars mafia,
tried to bribe her way off the planet.

She didn't make it.
I figure they got a little greedy...

...decided to hang on to her until
they could exchange her for credits.

- I don't know what you're talking about.
- Really?

You're the best black-market
accountant on Mars.

If somebody wanted to launder money so it
couldn't be traced, they'd come to you.

- I can't...
- Give me a name, Max!

Give me a name, and I'll let you walk
out of here with your spine in one piece.

They'll kill me.

Well, then you better decide
what you prefer.

Now, do you want to die fast...

...or do you want to spend the rest of your
life eating all your meals through a straw?

- Hello, Delenn.
- Ambassador.

I suppose I should say emperor, but you...

You have heard that already?
I've just found out myself.

There is little
that doesn't reach me these days.

G'Kar, Londo, please sit.

Have you heard from Sheridan?

Not since he turned himself over
to his people.

The other ambassadors from the League
of Non-Aligned Worlds will be here shortly...

...but I wanted you to be
the first to see this.

Obviously, we will need your support.

Your governments have considerable
influence with the League Worlds.

Are you sure you want
to do this, Delenn?

Yes, I think it's the only way.

I see nothing amusing
in this situation, Londo.

No, no, you're right. There isn't.

It's just that...

...l'm so rarely in the presence
of living history.

It thins the atmosphere, makes you giddy.

You realize that you are quite mad
for even considering this?

Perhaps.

- Please, come in.
- Yes, do please, come in.

Delenn has a fascinating proposal
for you all.

I hope you have brought
a change of underwear.

You will need it after you read this.

- Captain.
- General, I am tired of sitting here.

If you're going to press charges,
please do so.

We've finished our deliberations.
The president's waiting outside.

She'd like to speak to you,
assuming you have nowhere else to go.

No, no, please.

Ten-hut.

As you were.

Well, captain, you caused quite a stir.

Half of Earthforce wants to give you
a kiss on the cheek and the medal of honor.

The other half wants you
taken out and shot.

As a politician,
you learn how to compromise...

...which by all rights means
I should give you the medal of honor...

...then have you shot.

I confess the idea had a certain appeal...

...when I mentioned it to the joint chiefs
a few hours ago. Sit.

Yes, ma'am.

I'll give it to you straight, captain.
President Clark was out of control.

Many of us wanted to move against him,
but the time was never right.

With all due respect, ma'am...

...while you were waiting,
innocent civilians were dying.

There were issues of planetary security
to consider.

To look weak or disorganized
would be to invite an invasion.

We couldn't take that risk.

His people were everywhere.

He would have known instantly
if we were up to something.

Ironically, by breaking away, you were
the only one who could move against him...

...without his knowing
what you were up to.

That's why he was
obsessed with you.

Babylon 5 was outside his control.
So, yes, you saved some lives.

I'm not here to argue
ethics with you, captain.

Right or wrong, you led an insurrection
against your own government.

That's mutiny at best...

...treason at worst.

So morally, I was right,
but politically, I'm inconvenient.

Inconvenient doesn't even
begin to cover it.

Now we have to clean up the mess.

We can do that with or without your help.

What do you want me to do?

I've scheduled a press conference
for tomorrow morning.

I want you there.

The event will be covered on ISN.

You will explain that you did
what you did for the good of Earth...

...but your conscience does not permit you
to remain in Earthforce any longer.

You'll tender your immediate resignation...

...and I'll see to it you will retain
your military pension with full honors.

And I'll guarantee amnesty
for your officers and crew...

...who served under you
during this crisis.

But I want you gone.

And if I refuse?

You'll be dishonorably discharged...

...court-martialed and brought to trial.

Same for lvanova and the rest
of your staff.

And I'll make sure
that the military tribunal...

...is stacked with generals
from the "shoot him" category.

Don't make the mistake of assuming
that this is a conversation.

It isn't.

You have no other options.

The bitch of it is that you probably
did the right thing.

But you did it in the wrong way.

In the inconvenient way.

And now you have
to pay the penalty for that.

I know it stinks...

...but that's the way it is.

So you tell me...

...which way do you want it?

Will you put the amnesty
for my crew in writing?

Then I'll resign.

It's about time.

Get in here.

- Did you tell him we got her?
- Yeah.

So how much is it worth to them
to get her back alive before I have...?

What's going on over there?

What the hell is that thing?
Bring it on over here.

That's all, folks.

What the...?

Lise.

Lise. Lise.

- Lise. Lise, where are you?
- Here! I'm in here!

Lise, back away from the door.

Oh, baby, come on.
Are you all right?

I'm okay. I knew you'd come
for me, Michael.

Come on, we got to get out of here.
Come on.

We're entering Earth's space, Delenn.

Delenn?

It is done, Lennier.

The others have voted on our proposal.

When we are finished...

...they will talk about this day
for 100 years.

I only wish...

I wish Marcus could be here to see it.

I will confess that I got used to seeing him
walking on the path beside us.

He was a part of us.

But as long as we speak his name,
he will always be a part of us.

He followed the path of his heart.

How many of us can say that?

His life before he came to the Rangers
was not a happy one.

He blamed himself for the death
of his brother, so many others.

Perhaps...

Perhaps saving lvanova
was the only way he could find peace.

Delenn...

...did they tell you
what lvanova said at the end?

"All love is unrequited."

Yes, they told me.

She's wrong, of course.

Of course.

Continuing our coverage of breaking events
in the fall of President Clark's regime...

...we go now to the presidential suite
in Earth Dome.

Fellow citizens of Earth...

...honored guests...

...I have come before you today
to commemorate those...

...who have taken part
in this recent struggle.

Who fought as they believed
they had to fight.

Their choice was an unenviable one.

Follow the orders of your superior officer...

...in acts that violate your conscience...

...or rise up in opposition.

Both sides have risked much
and suffered greatly...

...but in the end,
the battle they fought was the same.

To protect and preserve an Earth...

...they could proudly call home.

Caught in the center
of this particular whirlwind...

...was a man of great integrity...

...honor and courage.

But his task was a difficult one...

...but he executed it with care...

...to preserve the lives of his fellow officers.

Despite what you may have heard...

...in his heart, he never left us.

I give you Captain John J. Sheridan.

Thank you, Madam President.

As a young man...

...I joined Earthforce...

...because I wanted to be part
of something bigger than I was...

...something that I could believe in.

And that belief carried me through
the Mars Riots, the Minbari War...

...and the battles that have
brought us here today.

Everything I did
I did out of love of Earth and love of duty.

But what happens when those two
are no longer the same thing?

Now, the time I spent on Babylon 5...

...I learned about choices and consequences
and responsibility.

I learned that we all have choices,
even when we don't recognize them...

...and that those choices
have consequences...

...not just for ourselves, but for others.

And we must assume responsibility
for those consequences.

I and my fellow officers...

...had to choose between what
we were told was right...

...and what we believed was right.

And now I take full responsibility
for those decisions.

I love Earth.

And now for my love of Earth...

...I find I must walk away
from my love of duty.

My presence would be a constant reminder
of what has divided us...

...instead of that which brings us together.

And for that reason...

...and President Luchenko's
generous offer of amnesty...

...for all those who served under me...

...l'm announcing my resignation
from Earthforce.

I do this in the hope
that those who fought on both sides...

...will put aside their disagreements...

...and come together
in a new spirit of cooperation.

For we are all children of Earth.

Thank you.

To commemorate this very special day...

...the League of Non-Aligned Worlds...

...asked to address this gathering.

Ambassador.

For many years...

...all of us here have prized our good
relations with Earth.

You have shown through your example...

...that strength comes
from a multitude of voices...

...brought together in common cause.

Humans form communities.

In that spirit, we have voted to dissolve
the League of Non-Aligned Worlds...

...and create a new alliance...

...based on mutual cooperation and respect.

An alliance born in the diverse voices
of many worlds...

...joined by their desire
to build a better future...

...and their decision to voluntarily
recognize a common authority.

Ambassador.

This new alliance will help less-advanced
worlds improve their conditions.

It will encourage better relations
between our races and promote free trade.

Above all,
it will work to create peace.

Central to this process is a group
of humans and Minbari...

...trained to work together...

...and dedicated to the higher principles
of duty, honor and peace.

They have been entrusted with the most
advanced fleet of ships in existence...

...now that the first ones have left us.

Among my people,
they are called the Anla'shok.

Among your people,
they are called the Rangers.

They come in peace, and will stay
only where they are invited to stay.

They will help protect you from Raiders
and invasion by other races.

They will work with your military
to strengthen your borders...

...but understand that they will do so
equally and fairly.

If you plan a war of aggression
against your neighbors...

...the Rangers will hear about it,
and so will your neighbors.

If other worlds in the Alliance...

...choose to intervene
on behalf of those being attacked...

...the Rangers will provide the information
but will not intervene directly.

Their goal is to create the peace,
not enforce the peace.

This is a political and economic alliance...

...not one based on military strength.

The gains you will achieve
by working peacefully with other races...

...far outweigh anything
you might achieve by force.

The Alliance recognizes
your sovereign right...

...to govern your own people
by your own will...

...but membership in the Alliance means
that you will honor a code of conduct...

...in your relations with other worlds...

...or risk losing all the things
we stand to give you.

Finally, each member race will be able to
contribute volunteers to join the Rangers...

...thereby assuring their independence
and fairness.

All of us have agreed to recognize
the independent authority of the Rangers.

Madam President, honored guests...

...I now invite you to join
the new Alliance.

You may decline if that is your wish.

We will leave in peace
and honor your decision.

If you accept...

...we believe it will signal
a new age of peace and prosperity.

The invitation to join your new alliance
is tempting, ambassador...

...but many of our generals are skeptical
about your claims to neutrality.

I fully understand, Madam President.

No one in this room is more suspicious
of these things than I am.

No race more prideful
than the Centauri.

But we are tired of war...

...and believe that this will help
to create peace between us.

Peace is a concept.

If I'm going to sell this to my generals
and the public...

...l'm going to need
something a little more tangible.

Then you will have it.

In the past, we have kept many
of our technological advances to ourselves.

In a gesture of good faith...

...we will show you how to use energy
fields to create gravity in your ships...

...eliminating the need to manufacture
slower, less-efficient ships...

...that rotate to create gravity.

As a space-faring race dependent
upon trade with other worlds...

...l'm sure you see the advantage in this.

It's tempting.

Lf...

If we decide to pursue this...

...who should we negotiate with?

- You?
- No.

The three of us make up
the advisory board of the new Alliance.

We have a duly elected president,
as you do.

And where can I find this president?

- You?!
- Funny thing about retiring...

...you no sooner pick out the places
you want to go on vacation...

...than someone comes at you
with a job offer.

Where's the certificate of amnesty?

Oh, that. I gave copies of that
to the reporters outside...

...and the original is someplace safe.

You knew this was coming
the whole time, didn't you?

The main thing was to protect
my crew from retaliation.

As for the new job, well...

...I was hoping the League Worlds
would pull it together, but you never know.

I guess the war finally taught them
that we are better together than apart.

We've been building this thing
up for months, bit by bit...

...making them rely more and more
on the Rangers and each other.

But if they decided against the Alliance...

...or if they wanted somebody else,
well, I was fine with that too.

General.

John, there is someone here
you may want to see.

Hey, Dad.

- Are you okay?
- I'm fine, son.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

As soon as you got out, they started
being real nice to me all of a sudden.

They figured out they were on
the wrong side, and there'd be hell to pay.

Oh, you bet.

- How's Mom?
- They never got near her.

She's with friends in Minneapolis.

I hear you're going to be
my daughter-in-law.

Yes.

- Well, welcome to the family.
- Thank you.

It's been a while since I had a place
where I truly belonged.

Captain... Mr. President...

...President Luchenko
is waiting for you, sir.

Thank you.

Mr. President?

- It's a...
- Another long story.

Well, there will be plenty of time
for stories later.

All the time in the world.

Good evening. We begin our broadcast
tonight with a special report...

...providing continuing coverage
on the unfolding Babylon 5 story.

President Susanna Luchenko met today...

...with representatives of the newly formed
Interstellar Alliance.

In a historic move, Earth has agreed
to join forces with the new Alliance.

In the same press conference...

...the newly elected president
of the Interstellar Alliance, John Sheridan...

...had this surprising revelation.

Now, in order to join the Alliance...

...the rights of the colony worlds
must be respected.

If a majority of their population votes
for independence, they must be freed.

Later this afternoon, President Luchenko
will sign an executive order...

...declaring Mars a free
and independent world.

Obviously this will have to be
ratified by the Senate.

- So?
- So.

Have you decided yet whether
you're going back to Babylon 5?

No, not yet.

I mean, Zack's got things under control.

I'm really in no rush
to make up my mind...

...and I haven't had a vacation in five years.

I think I'm due at least a few days.

You know, I'm gonna need someone
to help me run Edgars Industries.

Oh, boy, we do that...

...they're gonna say that I married you
for your money.

Let them. Then I'll tell them
the real reason.

Oh, yeah? And what's that?

Let me tell you something.

Don't. Don't. Don't do that to me.

No, no, no. Come on.
The sun is almost coming up.

I have got to get some sleep eventually.

In related Babylon 5 news, in one of his
last acts as an officer in Earthforce...

...Captain John Sheridan promoted
Susan Ivanova to the rank of full captain.

Citing the death of a close friend
and personal reasons...

...Captain Ivanova has asked for
and received a transfer...

...to one of the new Warlock-Class
Destroyers for a one-year shakedown cruise.

In a statement issued a few hours ago,
Captain Ivanova said only:

"I need to decide where my heart belongs
before the rest of me can follow."

After the press conference
in Earth Dome this morning...

...Sheridan and Delenn left for Babylon 5.

It's rumored that they were married
in a private ceremony...

...aboard one of the White Star ships.

Sources tell ISN they will head up
the newly formed Alliance from Babylon 5...

...until more permanent facilities
can be located in Tuzanor...

...on the Minbari Homeworld.

Off.

So...

...how does it feel to make history?

You do not make history.
You can only hope to survive it.

- G'Kar, you are a depressing person.
- Thank you.

And stop eating that.
You don't even know what it is.

Something called rice.

Yes, and if it were very good...

...do you think they would have been
standing there throwing it at people?

As marriage ceremonies go,
the humans are very strange indeed.

Still, they are quite a couple,
aren't they?

Yes, they are.

Almost makes you wish
that you could peek in on them...

...see how it's going.

G'Kar, the artificial eye
that Dr. Franklin gave you...

...where is it?

It was the end of the Earth year 2261...

...and it was the dawn
of a new age, for all of us.

It was the end of one chapter
and the beginning of another.

The next 20 years would see
great changes...

...great joy and great sorrow.

The Telepath War, the Drakh War.

The new Alliance would waver and crack...

...but in the end, it would hold...

...because what is built endures...

...and what is loved endures.

And Babylon 5...

Babylon 5...

...endures.

[ENGLISH]