Synopsis by Matthew Murray (mmurray@cc.wwu.edu)

Garibaldi is in his "office" in helping a man reunite with his lost wife/daughter--an act observed by Wade. He leaves and goes out into the hallway, where he meets with another man. Wade tells the man that it's about time Garibaldi got his first assignment, which will be a chance to see how sincere he really is in helping them. Wade wants to know how he handles himself in a crunch, and if he gets himself killed, they will know they have the wrong guy. "At this point," Wade tells the other gentleman, "Mr. Garibaldi is eminently expendable."

Zack enters Sheridan's office to find the Captain staring, silently, at a painting hanging on his wall. Sheridan explains that he has been doing some thinking, and that there are some unpleasant things he needs to take care of, which he can do now that Delenn is gone. He tells Zack that, when Garibaldi resigned as Chief of Security, he didn't turn in his link, identicard, or PPG. Zack tells Sheridan that he doesn't think Garibaldi would take it very well, and that it doesn't make sense that Garibaldi is acting the way he is. Sheridan says that he wants this taken care of that same day. Zack agrees, but wants to know why Sheridan is in such a hurry. "I don't like the company he's been keeping," the Captain replies. Zack leaves.

Dr. Franklin enters the war room, which is being reconfigured as a broadcast newsroom. He sees Ivanova, who is helping to set things up for the first broadcast. Franklin tells her that his business on Mars is concluded, and the rest of the resistance is on the station. He asks how she is doing, and she says that everything is ready to go, except that they don't have enough power to send the broadcast everywhere it needs to go. She says that she has been trying to find a solution for days, but hasn't had any success. Franklin suggests she try Epsilon III--there must be a source of power down there, since they were able to evacuate refugees there during the Shadow War with no trouble. Ivanova tells Franklin it's the logical choice, and that "anybody could see that in about two seconds." Franklin tells her that, of course, he never would have thought of it, and that it is a great idea. Without discussing the matter further, Ivanova leaves to catch a shuttle to Epsilon III.

Zack arrives at Garibaldi's office, and asks him how he is. Garibaldi says that he's doing fine, and that he likes working in this kind of an environment--you get to see and know the people you help. Garibaldi asks Zack how he is, but his response is less than enthusiastic. Zack reluctantly tells Garibaldi that he needs his link, indenticard, and his weapon. Garibaldi doesn't mind getting rid of the indenticard and the link, but doesn't want to get rid of the gun. Zack presses him and Garibaldi does give us weapon and starts to walk away, but Zack asks him for the backup he knows he carries as well, which Garibaldi unwillingly surrenders. Zack asks Garibaldi what he should have done, and Garibaldi says he should have said no--that way, it wouldn't have had to come from Zack. Without saying another word, Garibaldi turns and walks away.

As Ivanova's shuttle leaves Babylon 5, Garibaldi is in his quarters, dressing, and watching an old Daffy Duck cartoon, in which Daffy is continually tormented by an unseen assailant, who is controlling his every move and the world around him. As the assailant is revealed to be Bugs Bunny, Garibaldi's door chimes and Wade enters. Wade tells Garibaldi that he has a job for him. He says he wants to hire Garibaldi as a bodyguard and expedite something secret. Wade explains that his contact has to perform important business on Babylon 5, which might involve security--all Garibaldi has to do is to keep the contact out of security's way while they are on board. Wade asks him if going against his own security force will be a problem, and Garibaldi tells him that--if he had asked that question the day before--he would have, but now he doesn't. Garibaldi agrees to the job.

Ivanova's shuttle lands on Epsilon III, and she begins searching the corridors. She notices a being walking through the corridor and tells him she needs to see Draal. When she finally sees who it is, it's a familiar face--that of Zathras. She asks why he's there, and Zathras explains that he works there. She says that Zathras was left 1000 years in the past, but Zathras insists they had never met before. Zathras laughs and explains that Ivanova didn't meet Zathras, but rather Zathras. This confuses Ivanova greatly, but Zathras explains that there are ten members in their family, each one named Zathras, but each one pronounced differently. Ivanova tells Zathras that she needs power to help the broadcast, and, though he laments the fact people always come to him for help, which he always provides, he does agree to help her.

Garibaldi and Wade are walking through the corridors, finding the back way through the station to get to the docking area where they will meet the contact without security interfering. Wade explains that their contact decided to send his wife in his place so that she can prepare to take things over later. They find who they are looking for, and Garibaldi recognizes her instantly--it's Lise.

Later, Garibaldi and Lise are alone in her quarters. He wants to know what happened in the meantime, and why she lost her first husband, and found another one. Lise explains that Franz was having an affair, and that he used the court system, which favors Earth-born people above those born on Mars, to file for divorce first. He got their daughter and remarried, and plans never to tell the child who her real mother is. Garibaldi is angry that she forgot all about him in her distress, but Lise insists she didn't forget--she knew he was happy here and didn't want to change that. Garibaldi tells her that she was his life at one point, but she says they're different people now. She explains that, six months earlier, she met Bill, and they got married. Garibaldi realizes she must mean William Edgars, one of the richest men on Earth. She insists that she didn't marry him because of his money, but Garibaldi no longer wants to talk about it. He says that he will, from that point on, only treat her as he would any client, and after she goes back to Mars, he is going to forget any of this happened, and now, he doesn't need to drink to do just that. Lise tells him that she's glad, but they are interrupted by Wade, telling them their shuttle is ready. The three of them leave.

Londo is in Sheridan's office talking to him when G'Kar arrives. Neither ambassador is happy to see the other, but Sheridan says he needs them both there. Sheridan explains that commercial transports are being raided along the worlds in the League of Non-Aligned Worlds. Because of this, smaller worlds and empires are trying to rise to prominence, which is causing quite a few problems. In addition, there is the added problem of the Drakh, who are now on the loose with Shadow technology. Sheridan says that the Rangers no longer need to look out for the Shadows' return, but that he wants to use them to monitor the borders of the League borders, maintain the peace, and protect civilians. G'Kar feels that this could be seen as an act of aggression, but Sheridan says they will only go where they are invited, in exchange for technical support and the authority to carry out whatever they start. Londo agrees with G'Kar--this is not a good idea. Sheridan tells them that, if Londo and G'Kar both agree on this, that might help show the League worlds that this is something important. Londo is afraid it might be interpreted as a sign of weakness, but Sheridan says it should be interpreted as their trying to build something--to work together for a common goal. Londo says it isn't fair, and Sheridan agrees, and asks Londo if he wants to blood of the dead on his hands. He asks G'Kar as well, but neither responds.

Zack enters his office and asks the computer for a status report. The computer reads off a list of fairly mundane things, except for one unauthorized entry, where 72 passengers disembarked a ship, but only 71 went through security. Only one access was recorded to the customs bay--Security Chief Michael Garibaldi. Zack asks if more than one security identicard is registered to him, and the computer answers this affirmative. Zack orders the computer to cancel all identicards and security clearances belong to Garibaldi.

Garibaldi, Wade, and Lise are waiting for their contact in Down Below. He eventually arrives, and hands over a secure cube--extremely difficult to open--containing a small vial. Garibaldi asks what it is, and though Wade initially resists, Lise explains that her husband has discovered there might be a genetic danger to some telepaths, and that this might be the cure to stop it. Wade explains that, in order to keep a panic from ensuing, they want to keep it quiet, since no one would believe that the disease can only be spread to telepaths. There are plenty of people who would want to have it for themselves, and they have invested far too much time and money to let it fall into the wrong hands. Garibaldi, looking around, finds that a group of people have noticed them. He tells the contact, Wade, and Lise that they all need to get out, but it's too late--they have been noticed. A firefight ensues, and the four of them run off, but are closely pursued. They are shot at from the front, and the contact is killed.

Garibaldi ushers them into another room, and then bars the door. They try to exit out the back way, but Garibaldi's identicard no longer works. Their assailants try to bash in the door, but Garibaldi discovers another way out--he piles several crates on top of each other and then takes everyone through a panel in the ceiling, just as the assailants manage to break down the door. In the vents, Garibaldi tells Lise and Wade to go ahead without him, while he lies in wait for the others. They discover the hole in the ceiling, but when one of them comes through, he simply looks at Garibaldi for a few moments, but doesn't fire. He then vanishes down the grate. Garibaldi realizes the implications and chases after Wade and Lise. He catches up with them, and manages to pull them away just as PPG fire erupts through the floor of the vent. The fire eventually stops, and Garibaldi tells them that they need to go to Docking Bay 3--and to not stop thinking about it the entire time. They get where they are going, but it's not Docking Bay 3, just a corridor. Garibaldi explains that they must be using telepaths to track their movements. A security officer passes, and Garibaldi tells him that the shooters from Brown sector will be in Bay 3, and to meet him there. Garibaldi tells Wade and Lise to pick up a fake identicard and to get on the next transport out of there, while he goes to Bay 3. Lise doesn't want to leave him, but Garibaldi says she has to, and has Wade take her off. Garibaldi then runs off.

It is dark in the abandoned Docking Bay 3, and the men who chased after Garibaldi, Lise, and Wade are there. Before long, Zack and his security team arrive. Zack demands to know who they are what they are doing, but only one of them has a reponse: "To the future." They both bite down on something, and fall to the floor. Zack calls MedLab, and tells them to get there quickly, but as he is doing so, Garibaldi arrives in the bay as well.

Ivanova returns from Epsilon III to find Franklin waiting for her. He asks how it went, and she explains that she thinks she has the interface figured out. She wants to tell the Captain, but Franklin says he doesn't think it would be a good time at the moment--Sheridan is in a bad mood right now. As they leave, they pass Lise, who did arrive safely.

Sheridan has both Zack and Garibaldi in his office, and demands to know what the deaths that occurred were about. Garibaldi says he doesn't know who they were, but that they just came at them, and killed the man who was supposed to meet with a client of his. Garibaldi tells Sheridan he can believe him or not, but either way, he won't say anything else. Sheridan tells Garibaldi that he jeopardized the station, but Garibaldi says that Sheridan nearly got him killed, and that it all could have been handled quietly had his identicard and gun not been taken. He didn't break any laws, though--Sheridan points out that he trespassed, violated security, and used an unauthorized identicard, but Garibaldi invites Sheridan to fine him, but that otherwise, he has nothing. Garibaldi starts to leave, but Sheridan tells him that Garibaldi is operating there because Sheridan is allowing him to, but should anything like that happen again, Sheridan will shut him down right away. Garibaldi doesn't say anything as he walks out. Garibaldi arrives back in his quarters, to find that he has a message waiting. He asks who it's from, and the computer replies that it's from Lise Hampton. Garibaldi tells the computer to delete the message, and then he goes to bed.

Later, Garibaldi receives a transmission from William Edgars himself. Edgars tells him that Lise has arrived home safe, and that he heard about what Garibaldi did and how, and that he is appreciative for what he did. Edgars says that his organization could use Garibaldi, and that he would like to hire Garibaldi on retainer, though he would have to come to Mars, but it would definitely be worth his while. Edgars thinks there wouldn't be much problem getting him past the quarantine, and Edgars is sure he can work things out if Garibaldi is interested. "Yeah," Garibaldi says. "I'm interested."

There is a brief flash of static, and then a test pattern appears on the screen, followed by Ivanova's face, in the war room.

"This is Commander Susan Ivanova of Babylon 5, and this is the first official broadcast of the new Voice of the Resistance. We're sending this signal out to every ship that wants to hear the truth, to our fallen comrades and freedom fighters on Mars and Proxima III, and to Earth, which, despite what you may have heard, is still our home, and still the one dream that we're as loyal to now as we ever have been. Over the last three years, ever since President Clark took over, after arranging the assassination of President Santiago, you have been hearing nothing but misinformation, propaganda, and outright lies. Now, we're going to tell you the truth. And we're going to keep telling it until they shut us down, or until President Clark steps down and returns Earth to the hands of its people. You can kill us. You can bomb our colonies, destroy our ships, murder innocent civilians. But you cannot kill the truth. And the truth is back in business."

Last update: June 10, 2018