Babylon 5 (1994–1998): Season 4, Episode 9 - Atonement - full transcript

I'm telling you, I can't take
much more of this.

Just a little longer.

- It is necessary.
- Yeah, says who?

Mr. Allan, you are now the head
of security.

The rest of the command staff
accepted Delenn's gift of uniforms.

Do you not wish to fit in?

I never have before, why start now?
Besides, this stuff itches.

What is this, anyway?

The fabrics all have different names
and purposes.

The stitching on the center panel is
Zerka thread. It's very difficult to obtain.

It's grown on a few
small ceremonial plants in Minbar.



- It still itches.
- It is an honor to wear Zerka fabric.

Well, it doesn't sit right
on my shoulders. Here, look.

- It looks fine.
- Oh, yeah!

I should listen to a Minbari
about fashion.

I mean, robes, hoods.

I mean, no offense, but I've seen
Vorlons with more fashion sense.

She did that on purpose.

Yes, I believe she did.
I will deal with this.

Yeah, and don't you forget it.

Mr. Allan, if I may observe...

...your problem with the new uniform
is not the new uniform, is it?

I don't know.

I just feel like if I take his uniform...

...I'm admitting the chief's
never coming back to his job.



Wish I could wait longer, but the captain
says it's important for things...

...to get back to normal, but that
won't happen until the chief's back.

And if Mr. Garibaldi does not
take back his job?

He will.

He will.

Delenn.

Are you ready to leave?

I...

I wish to request another day.

I need to be with John
for a little while...

...when we are not both
distracted and occupied.

- Will you tell him you're leaving?
- Yes.

- But not why.
- That is, of course, your decision.

But were I in your position,
I would tell Sheridan the truth.

He should know that if the dreaming
does not go well...

...you will not be allowed
to return to him.

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 the 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.

- Ivanova here.
- Maintenance wants to know when...

... you can meet
about equipment shortages.

Tell them we'll do it tomorrow.

The Drazi ambassador
invited me to some religious festival.

Supposed to be a hell of a party.
I'm on my way now.

Nice and easy, now.

Nice and easy.

There we go.

- Local anesthetic still holding out?
- More or less.

I think I got it.

Just as long as it isn't in backwards.

I've peered into my own soul
more than enough lately.

All right, I need you to
close both your eyes for a moment...

...and open them slowly
when I tell you.

We're gonna lower the lights now, don't
worry if you can't see much at first.

Now I'm activating the prosthetic eye.

You all right?

It burned for a moment.

That's the last relay cutting into place.
Should be the worst of it.

Now. Open your eyes slowly.

Take your time.

That's it.

There you go.

- How does it feel?
- The burning has stopped.

Can you see me?

Yes.

Not as well as before,
but yes, I can see you!

It will take some
getting used to. G'Kar.

The eye was made for humans,
not Narns.

I had to make some
temporary adjustments.

It is not my proper color!

I can take care of that. We'll adjust it
over the next couple weeks...

...as you get used to it. Now,
the important thing is that it works.

Oh, yes.

It uses a lot of energy, so you'll have to
take it out at night and recharge it.

- This can be removed?
- Yes, yes.

The area behind it is completely sealed,
it's safe. Just wash the eye carefully...

...before you put it back in. You'll
have to turn it off when you take it out.

Or it'll continue to send images to
the neural net at the back of your eye...

...and that could be disorienting.
- It can work outside of me?

Yes.

Interesting.

Excuse me.

- Franklin. Go.
- Doc, can you swing by my office...

... in an hour? I need to talk to you about
a few things. Bring Marcus with you.

Will do.

Yes. Very interesting, indeed.

- What the...?
- Don't even ask.

- Yes?
- It's me. I heard you wanted to see me.

I was just on my way to...
Delenn?

Where did you say you were going?

I was...

I was just going to...

Nowhere that can't wait
for a little while.

Is there some occasion
I should know about?

No. I just thought when I finish getting
ready, you could join me for dinner.

We haven't gone out for dinner
in a very long time.

It...

...also occurred to me...

...as I told you, it is tradition for Minbari
to spend three nights together. Female...

Watches, and the male sleeps
until his true face is revealed, I know.

What you see in a face mashed against
a pillow and drooling, I don't know...

...but I try not to be judgmental
about alien cultures...

...when they are dressed like that.

But what does this have to do with...?

Our first night together
was on the White Star.

Our second, in your quarters
before you left for Z'Ha'Dum.

If we're going to be complete,
you owe me a third night.

Tonight?

That's gonna be a bad time.

- I've got late meetings.
- I can wait.

Something is up, isn't it?

I'm going back to Minbar tomorrow.

I may be there for some time.

Anything serious? If I can help, l...

No, no. Just some old business
I must attend to.

But it may take me away from here
for some time.

It matters to me a great deal
that we finish this, John.

All right.

I'll...

I'll be here at 7 for dinner.

I'll see you then.

The past couple weeks, President Clark's
been beating us with propaganda war.

The problem with a big lie is if you
repeat it enough, people start believing it.

And we can't let that happen.

So we'll have to go against him
sooner than we thought.

That's what they want. They provoke
us into moving before we're ready.

I know. But if we wait too long
we won't be able to move at all.

They'll have wiped out
whatever credibility we have left.

And this quarantine is making things
even more difficult for us.

With all direct traffic to Earth cut off,
every signal intercepted...

...we are blind, deaf and stranded.

Well, if we can't go through them,
let's go around them.

Establish some alternate lines
of communication and transit.

Exactly.

And that's where you two come in.

I need you to meet with our allies in the
Mars Colony. Start coordinating things.

Make sure they are ready to help
and then let them know where we stand.

I'd prefer to do this myself, but they've
got my face on every wanted poster...

...from here to Proxima Centauri.

Well, why us?

The Resistance will need to know
they're dealing with someone credible.

You can represent the command staff
without drawing much attention.

Marcus here will go along
as a bodyguard.

It's gonna be a very long trip.

With all direct shipping routes cut off,
we'll have to take the long way.

Change ships every other day to prevent
anyone from becoming suspicious.

I figure it's gonna take two,
two and a half weeks each way.

- Better get going.
- I've uploaded the information...

...on your contacts in the Resistance
in your personal files.

Now, don't tell anyone
where you're going.

I trust our people,
but let's not push our luck.

Any questions?

Good. I'll see you when you get back.

Captain.

I saw that report on ISN about your
father being missing. Mars is far away...

...but since we're there,
I thought I could ask some questions.

No.

Our resources are spread thin enough.
I won't use them for personal inquiries.

That's why they broadcast
that information.

Nightwatch is all over. If our people
show, they'll be arrested, interrogated.

Sheridans are survivors,
always have been.

If they had my dad, they'd have said so,
found some way to use him against me.

But they didn't.

So that means he's still free.

But we can't afford to waste any more
time, Stephen, for his sake and ours.

Good luck.

I wondered if you were going to leave
without telling me.

My place is at your side, Delenn.

- Not tonight.
- Always.

If you go, you will learn things about me
that may change your opinion of me.

Delenn, I have pledged myself
to your side...

...come fire or storm
or darkness or death.

Can understanding be a greater danger?

In this case...

...yes.

They're waiting for us.

Delenn, do you understand
why you have been brought here...

...to stand before your clan?

- I do.
- In the long history...

...of our world, no Minbari has ever
taken an off-worlder as lover or mate.

It has been forbidden since our people
first made contact with other species.

Without consultation or approval from
the other members of your own clan...

...you made yourself genetically
compatible with the humans...

...and have now embraced one of them
as a prospective mate.

This has caused us great concern.

I must follow the calling of my heart.

What affects only you is your decision,
but not if it affects the history...

...and laws and rules of our society.

We must determine if it is the calling
of your heart or something else.

What else could there be?

That is what we must discover.

We have gathered the leaders
of your clan to hear your case.

Tell us why you should be allowed to
continue on the path you have chosen.

If we decide to end your relationship
with the human...

...you must give us your word
that you will honor our decision.

I will abide...

...by the decision of my clan.

We are not trying to be cruel, Delenn.

We want to help you
understand yourself.

Why you have done this,
and if it is truly the right thing for you...

...and for our world.

If I say I love him...

...is that not enough?
- No.

You must convince us on other grounds.

But what other grounds could there be?

If you set the rules and you have already
decided that this is wrong...

...what hope do I have
of convincing you?

That is what you must discover.

You may find you have reasons for what
you are doing that you do not realize.

You may even find that they are
the wrong reasons.

It will be difficult.

But what you have asked us to accept
is equally difficult.

You will begin by
purifying your thoughts.

You will enter the dreaming.

We will speak again when you emerge.

Is there a second who will stay with her
through the dreaming...

...protect her and guide her?
- I will.

Then we will prepare the whisper gallery.

Delenn...

...you have...

...entered the dreaming before?

Only once...

...before I joined the Grey Council.

I was protector...

...and guide...

...for another.

Who?

Dukhat.

He who was the greatest of us.

I was an acolyte.

I was inexperienced.

I was terrified.

I am alive.

I'm sorry, master.

I didn't mean to intrude.

You were not breathing and...

Of course I was.

Sit beside me.

What was your name, child?

- Delenn.
- Delenn?

Yes.

Of the family of Mir?

Yes, master.

You have a proud heritage, Delenn
of Mir. Prouder than you know.

There is nothing to fear in the dreaming,
only that which we bring with us.

The dreaming takes us forward
and the dreaming takes us back.

Walk with me in the dreaming, Delenn.

Delenn?

Delenn? I'm here, Delenn.
I won't leave you.

- No matter what?
- No matter what.

- Delenn.
- Master?

Come with me.

Have you ever before stood in the
presence of the Grey Council, Delenn?

No, master.

And do you consider yourself
their equal in wisdom...

...judgment, maturity and intelligence?
- No. No, of course not.

- Master, if I said or did anything...
- You will speak when you are addressed.

For two days we have been debating
an issue of some small importance.

We have from time to time
heard of a race known as humans.

The Centauri have had dealings
with them for some time.

They're reportedly primitive,
passionate, dangerous.

The question...

...do we establish contact
with these humans?

They have each said no...

...all for different reasons.

Would you like to hear them?

- Perhaps another might be better suited...
- The correct answer is "yes."

Yes.

The worker caste fears their position
will be weakened...

...by more sources of food
and alien artifacts.

The religious caste is worried about
the impact of strange, primitive ideas.

The warrior caste says we should have
nothing to do with violent...

...inferior cultures.

They are a waste of our time
and resources.

What do you say?

I'm... I'm not qualified to judge.

You're an acolyte
10 years out of temple...

...with a head full of notions. You have
been trained to think and believe.

Now, put them to work.

Step into the circle
and answer my question.

Valen said:

"The greatest enemy
is the one you do not know.

You can predict the actions
of those who are familiar to you.

The one you cannot predict
is the one who can harm you."

And what do you say?

If we do not know these humans,
then they're a mystery to us.

If the universe puts a mystery
in front of us as a gift...

...politeness requires that we
at least try to solve it.

You're curious.

You'd like to know,
to simply understand.

Simple curiosity.

Ministers and counselors
and warriors...

...and not one of you has the sense
of curiosity of a simple acolyte!

Are you so jaded, so superior,
so smug in your complacency...

...that you've lost the simplest of joys,
that of the child and the closed box?

Leave me.

Continue your meditations.
We'll discuss this again tomorrow.

You look as if you've been terrified
into another and better incarnation.

Come.

Walk with me.

Master...

...may I ask a question?

Will you make contact?

No. The Council will be more determined
now. I could override their decision...

...but nothing would be served.
Authority should never be used as a club.

- Then why?
- When others do a foolish thing...

...you should tell them
it is a foolish thing.

They can still continue to do it, but at
least the truth is where it needs to be.

They will be most upset with you now.
You have embarrassed them.

I apologize for that.

In my anger, I believe I may have caused
you more problems in the future.

No. No, master. It was an honor.

Don't interrupt when I'm being kind.

It does not happen often, Delenn.

Raise your eyes and look at me.

It is disrespectful.

I cannot have an aide
who will not look up.

You will be forever walking into things.

- Your aide?
- Your spirit is strong.

And since I have now alienated everyone
else, who would be your mentor?

I will teach you myself.

We'll begin your training tomorrow...

...after the Council has once again
explained its wisdom to me.

Where this will all end, I don 't know.

But there are still many years
ahead of us in which to find out.

I suspect the journey
will be a curious and fascinating one.

It always is.

I am become Grey.

I stand between the darkness...

...and the light...

...between the candle...

...and the star.

I was passing by
on my way to sleep.

But I wanted to congratulate you again
on being accepted into the Grey Council.

I am very proud of you, Delenn.
You've come so far.

Thanks to you.

Everything I am,
everything I shall ever be, I owe to you.

- I'm not so sure.
- You seem troubled.

Why?

When I touched the Triluminary,
it glowed briefly.

From your reaction, may I assume
that it hasn't done that before?

It confirmed something
I have suspected for some time.

The Triluminaries were a gift from Valen.

They came to us from long ago,
1000 years in our past.

There is a story that they also
came to us...

...from a time far in our future.
Until today, I wasn't sure.

Now that you are with the Grey Council,
you should know...

...I did not choose you by accident.
There was a purpose in my selection.

Your heritage.

That's strange.

Come.

- What is it?
- We detected these alien ships...

...approaching our space.
- I've never seen those markings.

- Who are they?
- Unknown, master.

I believe they are the humans.

I have investigated them on my own.

They've tried to contact us,
but we don't understand their language.

As is custom,
we're approaching with gun ports open.

- By whose order?
- Master, that is the tradition...

...of the warrior caste.
A gesture of strength and respect.

They see our weapons. They see
we approach them open-handed.

Master, there.

Soul Hunters.

Soul Hunters come
only where there's great death.

- Close the gun ports!
- If we do not provoke them...

Somebody, help me!

Help me!

Delenn, we need to strike back,
but the Council is divided.

Do we follow them back to their base
and take revenge or do we wait...

...try to find out what happened?

Yours is the deciding vote, Delenn.

He was the best of us.

They struck without provocation.
There was no reason.

Animals!

Brutal!

They deserve no mercy.

Strike them down! Follow them to their
base and kill them, all of them!

All of them!

No mercy!

No mercy!

No mercy!

No mercy!

Then it was your order
that began our war with the humans.

Yes.

The Council was divided.
Mine was the deciding vote.

They killed Dukhat.

I was furious.

I never knew myself
capable of such rage.

All I could see was death.

Is this what you were afraid I would see?

Then you were not thinking clearly,
Delenn. The fault is not yours.

The humans misinterpreted
the gesture of respect.

They thought it to be a prelude
to an attack. You were...

The one who gave the order.

Nothing can change that, Lennier.

Our brothers?

Dead.

They have been avenged,
at least in part.

The greater debt will be paid soon.

Word of the attack
has spread throughout Minbar.

Our people have gone mad
with grief and rage.

We told them no mercy,
as they showed us no mercy.

No mercy...

...but perhaps wisdom.

Are you changing your vote, Delenn?

I was enraged, grief-stricken.
I didn't consider my words.

Both sides have now endured great loss.

Perhaps there is time to avoid
even greater loss.

We can at least try to speak to them...

...find another way.
- It's too late.

It is a holy war now, Delenn.

It has taken on a life of its own.

We are a world gone mad. It is only our
rage that gives us purpose any longer.

That rage cannot be stopped.
It can only exhaust itself in blood!

He was right.

We should have made contact
with the humans.

A moment of rage.

I have spent the last 10 years of my life
trying to make up for it.

And that is why you have agreed
to become one with Sheridan.

You're still grieving for your actions...

...still guilty over the death
of so many humans...

...trying to atone for your mistake.
- You cannot believe that.

Not after we've been through so much.
You've seen.

Yes, I have.

And, no, I do not believe it...

...but we cannot lie
about the dreaming.

When we tell them what the dreaming
has shown us, this is what they will say.

And that is what they will believe.

But why would the dreaming
show me this, of all things?

Why this?

The dreaming is finished.

You must rest now.

In the morning,
you will tell us what you have seen.

Then we will render our decision.

I cannot have an aide
who will not look up.

You have a proud heritage,
Delenn of Mir. Prouder than you know.

You should know I did not choose you
by accident.

Somebody, help me!

Help me!

Somebody, help me!

Help me!

There was a purpose in my selection.

Delenn.

Delenn?

Delenn! What are you doing?

- Going back.
- This cannot be allowed!

The dreaming is over.
We must now wait until morning.

No. We are going back
and you are going with us.

You want to see?
Do you want to know truth?

Then come and see.
Touch and feel what I have seen.

Then you'll understand.

This is not as things are done, Delenn.
You know this.

Take it.

There's nothing to fear
in the dreaming.

Only that which we bring with us.

Walk with me in the dreaming,
Callenn.

Somebody, help me!

Help me!

I could not hear him then.

But this is what the dreaming
wanted me to see.

Listen.

Listen.

There was a purpose
in my selection.

Your heritage.

Listen.

You are...

...a child of Valen.

- Did you hear?
- I heard.

A child of Valen.

- Did you get the records?
- The guards resisted at first.

The Grey Council has disbanded,
but their security remains.

I managed to explain matters to them.

They will recover, in time.

Many of our records were lost during
the last Great War 1000 years ago...

...but some were kept in the archives
of the Grey Council.

This proves what I suspected.

Do you wish to see?

Delenn, I'm not sure I understand.

Valen, who created the Grey Council,
defeated the Shadows.

"A Minbari not born of Minbari."

We know Jeffrey Sinclair,
a human who became Minbari...

...genetically altered by the Triluminary
he received from Epsilon 3.

Little is known of his activities
after the war.

Even his death remains a mystery,
his body never found.

But Dukhat knew.

Dukhat had seen these records.

We knew that after his change, human
and Minbari souls began to merge.

But that was not all that merged.

Valen was still partly human,
as I am partly Minbari.

After the war
Valen married and had children.

They left Minbar to escape those
who would persecute them.

After Valen died,
his children returned to Minbar.

They married and had more children.

Human DNA entered into our race.

And over 1000 years, how many
of our people carry his legacy?

They cannot be counted.

You knew, didn't you?

You would destroy
the purity of our race!

- I could not let it happen again!
- But our race is not pure!

Many of our people carry human DNA
in our blood and in our cells.

I'm one of them. That's why the
Triluminary glowed when I touched it.

It was programmed for Sinclair's DNA.
And a trace of that is still within me.

That will be my defense.

If I am not pure Minbari,
it doesn't matter if I marry Sheridan.

My children will never be pure Minbari
either way, so there is nothing to lose.

No. Delenn, I beg of you.

If others knew of this,
it would cause great confusion.

It must remain secret
for the good of everyone.

You demanded I show you a reason.

I have done so.

Wait!

There is another way.

It was our tradition, long ago, when
we still warred amongst ourselves...

...after the war was over...

...each side would give one of its own
to the other in marriage.

The victorious side gave a female
of its clan to the one that lost...

...that suffered the most deaths,
as a symbol of life and hope.

We...

I can explain this to our people
as a similar offering to the humans...

...who died during our war.

You are willing to pledge yourself
as a symbol of life.

It is a great sacrifice, I imagine.

- Hey.
- John.

What are you doing here?

I just heard that your ship was
docking and I wanted to make sure...

...you were on it.
- I'll go and see to our things, Delenn.

Captain.

Well, is everything all right back home?
Did you take care of whatever it was...

...you were going to deal with there?

Yes. Everything's fine now.

You're still not going to tell me
what it was, are you?

Anything happen while I was gone?

Not much.

Franklin and Marcus are still en route
to Mars. Been about a week.

- Have you heard from them recently?
- Not in about three days.

We figured they'd be out of touch,
though.

Knowing those two guys, they're
probably stopping off to see the sights.

Turning it into a real vacation.

Is this really the best ship
you could find?

Yes.

Smells like the inside of a Martian
pleasure dome on Sunday morning.

Wouldn't know about that.

Don't make me come over there
and take that thing from you.

Helps me relax.

Marcus, this is the kind of conversation
that can only end in a gunshot.

- Would you like me to sing instead?
- No.

- You haven't heard me.
- Marcus, please.

Subtitles by
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[ENGLISH]

- Very good. Cut.
- What?