Original Airdate: February 23, 1994 Wrritten by J. Michael Straczynski Directed by Jim Johnston Episode #: 5 Production #: 108
Guest stars: Thomas Kopache as Tu'Pari. Julia Nickson as Catherine Sakai.
Babylon 5 sponsors a festival to honor the religious beliefs of all of the alien species on board. G'kar receives a death threat from an old political rival, and is nearly killed by a hired assassin. Commander Sinclair must prepare a demonstration of Earth's dominant religious belief.
To help promote intergalactic peace, the Earth Alliance hosts a religious festival aboard Babylon 5, the gigantic politically neutral space station. Representatives from every alien race arrive to demonstrate the customs of their diverse religions.
G'Kar, the militant Narn ambassador, meets Tu'Pari (THOMAS KOPACHE), a courier from their homeworld, who gives him a data crystal from Du'Rog (MARK HENDRICKSON), G'Kar's political enemy. On this video message, Du'Rog claims that his own political career was ruined by G'Kar's ambitious treachery. Dying of an incurable disease, Du'Rog also wants G'Kar to die. He's hired an unknown assassin to murder G'Kar during the festival.
G'Kar suspects every stranger arriving at the space station, including his new diplomatic aide, Na'Toth (CAITLIN BROWN). She claims to be innocent and reminds G'Kar that members of the Narn assassination guild leave a black rose near their intended victims. When G'Kar awakens with a black rose on his pillow, he hires a hulking alien bodyguard to protect him. The unknown assassin kills the guard, and Babylon 5's security Chief, Michael Garibaldi investigates.
Meanwhile, Station Commander Jeffrey Sinclair reunites with his frequent lover, Catherine Sakai (JULIA NICKSON), a geological surveyor who arrives on Babylon 5 to meet with some alien mining executives. Sinclair and Catherine's conflicting careers and expectations frequently make them quarrel. After reluctantly agreeing to try once again to have a committed relationship, Catherine promises to return to Babylon 5 in a few weeks so they can be together.
During one religious demonstration, Minbari Ambassador Delenn and her new associate, Lennier conduct a ceremony where a spiritual rebirth supposedly occurs after eating a special fruit. The ritual also aids Delenn with her secret mission - to make sure Sinclair still does not remember the 24 mysterious hours of his war experience against the Minbari years ago. If Sinclair remembers, Delenn has orders to kill him.
Later, while meeting with Babylon 5's Lieutenant Commander Susan Ivanova, Sinclair expresses sudden suspicion about the intentions and trustworthiness of the enigmatic Vorlon ambassador, Kosh Naranek.
As the festival concludes, Tu'Pari, the actual assassin, abducts G'Kar into the cluttered interior level of Babylon 5 known as "Downbelow," and tortures him in preparation to completing his assassin's contract. Luckily, Na'Toth follows them and helps G'Kar defeat Tu'Pari in a brutal fist fight. Failing to fulfill the terms of his contract, Tu'Pari flees from the space station on the next shuttle flight before the Narn assassin's guild arrives to punish him.
