Airdate: February 24, 1997
Episode # : 75
Production # : 409
Guest stars: Brian Carpenter as Callenn and Reiner Shone as Dukhat
Babylon 5
A Minbari war cruiser enters through a jump point and approaches the station.
Zack is fitted for his new uniform, the black kind that the command staff wears. He insults Minbari fashion sense, which earns him an uncomfortable encounter with a needle. . . He admits to Lennier that he feels uncomfortable with the idea of the new uniform: it seems as if they are admitting that Mr. Garibaldi is gone permanently.
Callenn and his aides meet Delenn in the docking bay. When asked if she is ready, Delenn requests one more night before they leave for Minbar.
Delenn:"I need to be with John for a little while when we are not both distracted and occupied."
Medlab
Dr. Franklin fits a prosthetic eye for G'kar. It is made for human anatomy, but Dr. Franklin has modified it to fit G'kar. Also, the eye can work outside of the eye socket. G'kar takes out his eye, points it at himself and sees himself through his eye's perspective.
Delenn's Quarters
Captain Sheridan enters her quarters. He is surprised when he doesn't see her.
Sheridan: "I was just on my way to. . . Delenn?"
Delenn opens the door from her bedroom, wearing a little black dress (WOW!!!!)
Delenn:"Where did you say you were going?"
Delenn explains that they haven't gone out to dinner for a long time, and she was just getting ready. Also, she wants to complete the third night of the watching ceremony tonight. She explains that she's going back to Minbar the next day to take care of some unfinished business, and she may be gone for some time. Sheridan asks if he can help, and is displeased with the idea that Delenn will be gone from him for a while. Sheridan says he'll be back at seven for dinner.
Captain Sheridan's Office
Sheridan, Franklin and Marcus discuss the situation on Mars. The Captain wants them to go to Mars and coordinate with the people there to find out how the resistance against President Clark is doing. Franklin asks if he should try and find some information about the Captain's father, who disappeared several days before, but Sheridan says no. He believes his father is safe and free, otherwise, Clark would have used Sheridan's father against him.
Sheridan's Quarters
Sheridan sleeps, Delenn observes. She gets up and puts her coat on. She runs her hand over John's hair and face, then leaves.
Docking Bay
Lennier meets Delenn in the docking bay. He said he had wondered if she would leave without him. Delenn says that if he goes, he may learn things about her that will change your opinion of her.
Lennier:"Delenn, I have pledged myself to your side. Come fire or storm or darkness or death. Can understanding be a greater danger?"
Minbar
Delenn enters a great hall. Her clan is there. Callenn stands before the clan and explains that in the history of Minbari civilization, no Minbari has ever taken an off-worlder as lover or mate. He says that she transformed herself without the permission of her clan, and now she would take a human as mate without their permission. Delenn says that she must follow the calling of her heart.
Callenn:"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."
Callenn explains that she must convince her clan that she should be allowed to continue her relationship with Sheridan, with arguments other than that she loves him. Callenn tells her to enter the Dreaming to purify her thoughts. Lennier volunteers to stay with her in the Dreaming. Delenn and Lennier enter the foyer to the Whisper Gallery and drink from a chalice. They then enter the Gallery, and Delenn explains to Lennier that she has been through the Dreaming before, as Protector for Dukhat. She was an acolyte.
Past
Dukhat sits still, almost not breathing. He asks Delenn to sit by him. She does so, timidly. Dukhat explains that her family, the family of Mir, has a proud heritage, prouder than she could know.
Present
Delenn sees
Past
Earth Force ships attack Minbari forces. Dukhat lies dead in front of her. Delenn screams in pain and terror
Present
Delenn screams in pain and terror. . .
Whisper Gallery
Delenn lies on a table. She's not herself.
Lennier: "I'm here Delenn. I won't leave you."
Delenn: "No matter what?"
Lennier: "No matter what."
Past
Minbari ships travel through space. Inside one of the ships, Dukhat walks down a hall. Acolytes step aside and bow in respect. Dukhat orders Delenn to walk with him. Delenn follows, terrified.
Grey Council chambers
This is Delenn's first time among the council. Dukhat explains that each member of the Grey Council has chosen to avoid making first contact with the humans. Dukhat demands that she give her opinion. Timidly, Delenn replies:
Delenn: "Valen said the greatest enemy is the one you do not know. You can predict the actions of those that are familiar to you, but the one you cannot predict is the one who can harm you."
Dukhat: "And what do you say?"
Delenn: "If we do not know these humans, then they are a mystery to us. If the Universe puts a mystery in front of us as a gift, politeness requires that we try to solve it."
Dukhat tells the Grey Council that simple curiosity is what they should have, as this simple acolyte, Delenn, has. He excuses the Council.
Hallway
Dukhat explains to Delenn that he could override the Council's decision, but he won't because it would be an abuse of his authority. Delenn does not look Dukhat in his eyes, staring straight ahead as she speaks to him. Dukhat demands that she look him in the eye. Delenn says it is disrespectful, but Dukhat says that he will not have an aide who is forever walking into things. To her surprise, he announces that he will personally train her.
Later during the Past
Delenn becomes a member of the Grey Council. As she takes an oath, she puts her hand on a triluminary, which begins to glow. Dukhat seems to expect this, but other members of the council are very surprised.
Later
Dukhat visits Delenn. He says that he is proud of her, and congratulates her acceptance into the Grey Council. Delenn asks about the triluminary's response to her. Dukhat only states that it confirmed a suspicion of his. The triluminary came from the past and the future. He did not choose Delenn by accident--- An alarm goes off ---
Council Chamber
The Grey Council is present. Dukhat demands to know what is happening. Unknown ships are approaching, Delenn identifies them as human. The Warrior Caste open their gun ports as a sign of power and respect. Dukhat orders the gun ports closed. Too late, the humans take the sign of good will as hostility and fire upon the Minbar forces. A fierce battle occurs, and then the Earth Force ships escape into hyperspace.
Dukhat lies dying in Delenn's arms. Delenn screams for help. Dukhat whispers something to her, and then dies. Delenn screams out. A council member says that they must strike back at the humans, but the council is divided. He explains hers is the deciding vote, and asks what must be done. Delenn, in a furious rage, orders the Minbari to follow the humans back to their base and then to kill them all.
Delenn: "No mercy! No mercy!"
Present
Delenn regretfully looks at her past.
Present
Lennier is surprised by Delenn's actions. Delenn says she was the one who gave the deciding vote to attack the humans. Nothing can change that.
Past
Debris from Earth Force ships drifts through space.
A council member informs Delenn that the entire homeworld is filled with rage at the pointless attack and the death the Dukhat. No mercy will be given. Delenn says that they should try and find another way.
Council member: "Our rage cannot be stopped!! It can only exhaust itself in blood!
Present
Delenn tells Lennier that she has spent the last ten years of her life trying to make up for the one moment of rage. Lennier explains that the council will believe that Delenn has bonded with Sheridan to make up for her rage. Delenn is confused as to why the Dreaming would show her what she has seen. At that moment, Callenn enters and says the Dreaming is finished. She can rest for the night and deal with the clan the next morning.
Delenn's room
Delenn lies still, seeing flashes of her conversations with Dukhat. His final words before his death repeat several times in her minds. During the attack, the words were muffled and inaudible. Delenn suddenly sits up, realizes what Dukhat said. Delenn head for the Whisper Gallery to re-enter the Dreaming. Lennier and Callenn follow. They all enter and see Dukhat's death once again. . .
Past
Dukhat lies dying in Delenn's arms. Through the Dreaming, all three hear Dukhat's final words:
Dukhat: "There was a purpose in my selection. Your heritage. You are a child of Valen."
Present
Delenn: "Did you hear?"
Callenn: "I heard. A child of Valen."
Room
Lennier enters and gives an ancient scroll to Delenn. She gives the scroll to Callenn and explains that the scroll is from Valen's time. She tells Callenn that it proves what they have seen. She explains that Valen created the Grey Council and defeated the Shadows. She knew Valen as Jeffrey Sinclair, a human who became Minbari using the triluminary. Also, after he defeated the Shadows, Valen had children, and they had children, and so on. He eventually died, but his body was never found. She says the triluminary was programmed for his DNA, and that the triluminary glowed for her because she has part of his DNA. That explains that she is not purely Minbari, so it doesn't matter if she marries Sheridan because her children will never be purely Minbari anyway.
As Delenn explains, she realizes that Callenn already knew this. He finally realizes that she has given him an answer. However, Callenn fears that if everyone knew the truth that human DNA is contained in countless Minbari, there would be great confusion. He explains that in ancient times, after a war, the victorious side would give a female to the loser as a sign of hope. He says that he will tell this to her clan, and she can continue her relationship with Sheridan. Delenn and Lennier leave, return to Babylon 5.
Babylon 5
Delenn's shuttle approaches the station. As Delenn boards the station, Sheridan approaches her. They hug each other. Delenn explains that her "business" on Minbar is complete, asks if anything happened during her absence. Sheridan tells her about Franklin's and Marcus' mission, saying that they've probably turned it into a vacation. . .
Space
Franklin and Marcus are on a run-down freighter, surrounded by floating cargo. They are getting on each other's nerves. . .
