Original Airdate: February 19, 1996 Written by J. Michael Straczynski Directed by Kevin Cremin Episode #: 52 Production #: 308
Guest stars: Nancy Stafford as Dr. Kirkish.
When Sheridan learns that Earthforce has located a Shadow vessel on Ganymede, he must take action. Nightwatch tightens its grip oven the civilian population. President Clark declares martial law.
Senate hearings continue on Earth investigating claims that President Clark had faked an illness which prevented him from boarding Earthforce One when it exploded, killing President Santiago. Representatives from President Clark dismissed the allegations as attempts to destabilize the government.
Marcus (JASON CARTER) rescues Dr. Mary Kirkish (NANCY STAFFORD) from a group of assailants attempting to subdue her. Regaining consciousness, Dr. Kirkish explains to Sheridan (BRUCE BOXLEITNER), Ivanova (CLAUDIA CHRISTIAN), Delenn (MIRA FURLAN), Marcus, Franklin (RICHARD BIGGS), Lennier (BILL MUMY) and Garibaldi (JERRY DOYLE), that her life is in danger because of information she knows. While stationed on Mars conducting an archaeological dig, she discovered a Shadow ship buried three hundred feet below the surface, and witnessed one of the workers die instantly after touching the ship with his bare hand. Following orders to stop digging, Dr. Kirkish recalls the arrival of a second Shadow ship, which had come to dig out the discovered vessel. Threatened by Earth to keep the incident secret, she and the other archaeologists were assigned by Earth to different worlds to ensure that nobody spoke to one another. Garibaldi, who was stationed on Mars at roughly the same time, confirms that he also witnessed several unknown alien ships.
Recently called into a new dig, because another Shadow ship was discovered on Ganymede, Dr. Kirkish uncovers secret government plans to bring the ship to Earth in seventy-two hours to study its secrets and learn how to use it -- against other races or fellow Earth inhabitants if necessary. Realizing the danger surrounding Dr. Kirkish, Delenn makes plans to get her into Minbari space for protection.
Officials begin to covertly search out those with information. Night Watch Security suspects the captain and several crew members of having their own agenda, and instruct Zack to confront Sheridan.
Sheridan makes the decision to try to prevent Earth from getting their hands on the Shadow ship. Along with Delenn, he commands the Minbari ship White Star into earth-controlled space with the intentions of finding and destroying the vessel before it leaves Ganymede. When the White Star emerges from its jump point, it sets off all long-range scanners, sending a Shadow ship on the attack. The White Star fires upon it, causing little damage. Captain Sheridan orders the ship to go inside the thick atmosphere of nearby Jupiter, hoping the extreme atmosphere and gravity will help destroy the Shadow vessel. Venturing deeper into space, the White Star's outer hull begins to buckle, but not before the Shadow implodes from the severe gravitational pull.
Attempting to get out of the atmosphere, they encounter the destroyer Agamemnon, which instructs the White Star to surrender. Knowing they will be blamed for the attack, Sheridan finds himself in a dilemma -- fire upon his old ship or surrender. Left with little choice, he decides to take a chance and opens up the jump gates inside the atmosphere, something never done before, and successfully makes it back to Babylon 5.
President Clark signs a decree declaring martial law throughout Earth Central, citing threats to planetary security.
