Synopsis by Katrina Glerum (kat@midwinter.com)

Commander Ivanova finds Garibaldi and Zack busy mocking two Drazi missionaries seeking assistance in the docking bay; they claim to have been drawn to B5 by reports that Droshalla, a Drazi holy being has blessed the station. (In typical unfathomable Drazi fashion, their attempts to share Zack's blessing are easily transferred to a nearby plant.) With relative unconcern Ivanova asks Garibaldi to investigate a set of anonymous messages to C&C declaring a countdown to chaos. The threats become reality moments later when a lurker is blown to bits by a booby trap in Downbelow.

Still in Docking, Zack's day improves further when the arrival of a chapter of monks interrupts his attempts to respond to the explosion. In Downbelow, the heavy damage and confusion mystify the crew. Although Garibaldi determines that it was a bomb, he can't find anything worth blowing up.

Meanwhile Ivanova is unable to dissuade Brother Theo from his flock's determination to establish a mission on the station. When she points out that the aliens passing through B5 may not want to be preached at, that there is little space and that they will be in the way, he readily replies with both the words of the Bible and the fact that the monks themselves happen to be engineers and computer experts.

Lennier is afflicted with a garrulous human neighbor while waiting in reception for Delenn to disembark. He rises to greet her at the gate just as there is an explosion in the corridor behind. Lennier hauls her forward then steps past the gate to hustle Ambassador Mollari (who happens to be arriving as well) to safety just as the pressure doors close. Delenn watches in horror through the transparent frame as Lennier is licked by flames and struck by falling objects.

A staff meeting clarifies that these blasts are aimed at people, not installations, and are being effective in their apparent purpose of spreading chaos and terror. Sheridan orders martial law and the bomber watches its imposition with satisfaction. While Lennier hovers in a coma, G'Kar rails at Garibaldi about the Centauri responsibility for the explosions and Londo insists to the captain and commander that the Narn are widening the range of their terror tactics. But the truth is that there is no sense to the attacks, and no one is claiming responsibility.

Londo manages to convince a doctor to let him stay with Lennier. Though his bedside manner probably needs improvement, Londo seems to have been genuinely moved by the young Minbari saving his life.

Meanwhile security determines from a molecular trace of the bomb materials that they were stolen from an ice mine on Beta 7, and that the bomber seems to have struck before on Proxima 3. Garibaldi balks when Sheridan orders a full investigation of all traffic from there to B5 cross checked against possible gloaters filmed by security cameras after the blasts. Ivanova has the bright idea of putting the new engineering monks to use.

Londo promises the unconscious Lennier to return, and departs on an errand. Upon finding the transport tube occupied by a smoldering G'Kar, at first he refuses to enter, but an instant later he leaps inside to escape a rush of flame from a bomb blast further down the corridor. Two hours later he rouses to find himself trapped in the damaged tube under the pitiless eyes of the former Narn ambassador. Londo proposes a plan of escape before the flames outside suffocate them, but with exquisite mirth G'Kar refuses. Though he'd like to live he would be delighted to watch Mollari die.

The monks are successful, and Brother Theo points out to Garibaldi the most likely suspect. As a tac team in full armor assembles to go after the bomber, G'Kar croons and cackles to his nemesis, "Not many fishes left in the sea/Not many fishes, just Londo and me."

The team gathers near the bomber's quarters, but he's prepared for them and demands to speak to the captain alone. Sheridan stuffs his link down his pants and agrees to go in to negotiate. Garibaldi orders C&C not to let anyone beep the captain under any circumstances. The bomber wants free passage off the station, but lets slip that the deadman switch he carries will set off a bomb to make the station explode like the sun. This twigs Garibaldi to the fusion reactor. He sends a squad to check it out, and as they scramble into action the bomber attempts to terrorize the captain. All he manages is to get Sheridan thoroughly infuriated with his threats, and to send his own nerves haywire. Why is he bombing things? His only reason is that the times are chaotic.

The squad finds the bomb in the reactor, just before Sheridan sits on his link. When he hears the beep the bomber panics. In the ensuing struggle the deadman switch drops, transmitting to the bomb just as it's propelled harmlessly away from the station.

When the battered and damaged Lennier finally comes around, he explains that he saved Mollari's life at the risk of his own because "all life is sacred. But when the object of your actions does not share that belief... ahh, I fear that I have served the present by sacrificing the future."

In the "last of the debris" from the last explosion on board, a rescue team comes upon the two nearly asphyxiated enemies in the transport tube. They curse each other with familiarity.

"Bastard." Londo utters.

"Monster."

"Fanatic!"

"Murderer!"

"You are insane!"

"That is why we'll win," G'Kar gasps.

"Go be the ambassador to Babylon 5 they said. It will be an easy position. I hate my life."

"So do I."

"Shut up!"

Last update: June 10, 2018