Airdate: February 18, 1998 Written by J. Michael Straczynski Directed by David Eagle Episode #: 93 Production #: 506
Guest stars: Nathan Anderson as Rastenn. Turhan Bey as Turval. Brendan Ford as Tannier. Trevor Goddard as Trace. Brian McDermott as Durhan.
Delenn asks for a report from the Rangers regarding their training. A new crime boss attempts to take control of Downbelow.
Minbar
Turval, a Minbari Ranger, instructs his students in meditation. Rastenn, a Warrior Caste Ranger in training, is unable to concentrate on the lesson. He doesn't understand how he can meditate while Turval is speaking.
Rastenn: "How can I meditate when your voice is so. . .distracting."
Tuval explains that it is important to be able to meditate under all conditions; to do so indicates that the Ranger is in complete control of all of his faculties and can perform under any circumstance.
Turval: "Without falling asleep."
Turval awakens one of the Pak'Ma'Rah students, who is not paying attention to the lesson. Rastenn, meanwhile, says that he considers the challenge to be ready to die in battle, not sitting and meditating. Turval agrees, but he says that one must be able to think and meditate even when going into battle.
Turval: "We'll worry about the thinking part when we've cleared away all that Warrior Caste nonsense."
Durhan, a Warrior Caste Ranger, enters just as Turval finishes with Rastenn. Turval and Durhan exchange some light-hearted insults. Durhan tells Turval that Delenn has requested that several Rangers travel to Babylon 5 to report on their progress. Durhan asks Turval to accompany him to the station.
Turval: "I'm honored to know that even at my advanced age, there is still respect for wisdom."
Durhan: "Everone else was busy."
Another of the students, Tannier, a Religious Caste Minbari, smiles. He is also unable to meditate. Turval chooses Rastenn and Tannier to accompany him, since they are both unable to concentrate on their lessons. As they get up to leave with Turval, Tannier makes a comment about Babylon 5 being the "home of peace."
Babylon 5 Downbelow
A man named Lex is being beat up by a gang of thugs. The leader of the gang, Trace, wants to know why he hasn't been paid back. The man who is being beat up does not answer. Trace says that he doesn't like to have to wait for his money. He orders one of his thugs to kill the man.
One of the thugs pulls out a PPG and fires. Trace orders him to leave the body where Security will find it.
Trace: "I want everyone to know there's a new power in town. From now on, Babylon 5 belongs to me."
Babylon 5
Delenn meets Turval, Durhan, Rastenn and Tannier at the Docking Bay. Turval and Delenn exhcange greetings with each other. Turval and Durhan are honored that the En'til'zha would personally meet them. Delenn replies that she does not like the standard protocol, and, since this is their first visit to Babylon 5, she would like to personally guide them around the station. She asks who the other two Rangers are.
Durhan introduced Tannier, of the Religious Caste and Rastenn of the Warrior Caste. Turval says that since Delenn wanted a report about the Rangers, he felt it a good idea to bring two of the newest recruits. Delenn guides them through customs and begins the tour of the station.
Mess Hall
Garibaldi is eating at one of the tables when Zack comes in. Garibaldi invites him to sit with him, and asks how things are going. Zack says that Byron is sending two of his telepaths to begin the training to work with the Interstellar Alliance's covert intelligence division. Garibaldi is happy to hear about this. Captain Lochley enters, looking for a place to sit.
Garibaldi: "Captain, there's nothing wrong with the chair here. Come sit with us."
Lochley sits with Garibaldi and Zack and exchanges quick greetings. Lochley says she's been rescheduling the fighter rotations to make them more efficient. Zack mentions that the station is down to 2/3 of the fighters it is able to hold, since so many of them were destroyed in the recent war.
Garibaldi: "Since Earth joined the new Alliance, maybe we can ask them to send us some replacements. Captain, you're on good terms with the government, maybe you can ask them for us."
Lochley says that Garibaldi gives her too much credit, but Garibaldi doesn't think so. Zack is uncomfortable with the building tension at the table.
Garibaldi: "There have been a lot of rumors going around the station since you came aboard. Maybe everyone else is afraid to ask; I don't have that problem. I don't work for you, I answer only to Sheridan, so, I want to know just for myself: which side were you on?"
Lochley takes a quick look around the Mess Hall, which has become quite full. The entire room suddenly becomes quiet, part in anticipation of her answer, part in morbid fear.
Lochley: "You're right. I wasn't on your side. I was on the side that said it's not the role of the military to set policy, depose presidents or fire on our own ships. You can take a stand without breaking the rules."
Garibaldi: "And did you take a stand?"
Lochley: "Well, that's really none of your concern, Mr. Garibaldi. You asked me if I took up arms against my own government. The answer is no. My job is to protect the men and women who serve under my command, and I will perform that job with every last breath I've got."
Garibaldi: "And to hell with the rest of the world!"
Lochley: "Well, there you have me at a disadvantage, Mr. Garibaldi. You see, I don't know what's best for the whole world. I don't understand the ethical structure of the universe, and I sure as hell don't think it's my job to tear up the constitution I swore an oath to uphold and protect. I am a soldier, Mr. Garibaldi, and as such, my vocabulary is rather limited. I really only understand three words: loyalty, duty, honor. If I did it your way, one of those would have to go, and the other two would become meaningless."
Lochley angrily gets up and leaves. The rest of the crew in the mess hall stand up and clap, but Lochley walks out so angrily that they stop very quickly.
Transport Tube
Lochley enters a tube. Sheridan is already in there. She says she just had a very "frank" conversation with Garibaldi. Sheridan prepares for the worst, but Lochley says it's ok. She just had to set everything straight with Garibaldi.
Sheridan: "Meaning he doesn't trust you."
Lochley: "Not as far as he can throw me."
Sheridan asks if she wants him to talk with Garibaldi, but Lochley declines. She wants to handle the situation herself. If she can't handle it, she has no right to be here.
Sheridan: "Just keep doing what you're doing. Michael will come around, eventually. He's a good man."
Downbelow
Zack arrives and meets several security personnel. They do a preliminary investigation on the murder of a lurker. The man died from a PPG blast to the heart. Death was instantaneous. This is the 3rd murder in 2 weeks, and Zack thinks that there will be more killings. He addresses the lurkers who have come to watch. They are uncooperative, and Zack is angry at them.
Zack: "My guess is that there are going to be more. Unless you help us help you, there's going to be more killing until whoever's doing this makes his point. Unless he already has, unless he's trying to create fear in all of you. Unless you help us, there will be more killings, and one of you will probably be the next victim."
The lurkers disperse and Zack tells his troops to take the body to Medlab for an autopsy. Trace, who was in the background watching Zack, wants him killed. He knows Zack will be trouble, and he wants to take him out so he can take total control of Downbelow.
Downbelow
One of Trace's thugs asks Trace if he's absolutely sure he wants to kill Zack. Trace confirms his intentions, but the thug is afraid because if they take out Zack, the entire station will be on their throats. Since Na'Grath, the last crime boss in Downbelow was taken out, there has been a vacuum of power. Trace and his men can fill that and take control of everything from extortion to blackmail. However, they must keep a low profile or security will find out about them and shut them down. Trace is confident, he says that the last time he had a setup like this, he killed two security chiefs, both of whom chased after him. The third chief made a deal with him. Both agreed to leave each other alone, and nothing would happen to either one of them.
Trace: "But now we're here. And we're going to stay here."
Conference Room
Delenn discusses the Ranger training with Durhan and Turval. Durhan supports Delenn's idea to allow every race to send volunteers to Ranger training, but he believes it may be impractical. The Pak'Ma'Rah are slow, greedy, selfish, not very bright and they are carrior eaters. They even refuse to speak anything but their own langauge. Durhan is at a loss for the usefullness of Pak'Ma'Rah in the Anla'Shok.
Delenn says that the interesting thing about Pak'Ma'Rah is that they are everywhere. They are on every planet, outpost and colony. They smell awul, they are crude and disgusting. Even though they are everywhere, no one notices them; people go out of their way to avoid the Pak'Ma'Rah.
Delenn: "Which makes them perfect for couriers."
Durhan and Turval consider her proposal. The Rangers patrol the frontiers. Courier jobs, which are just as dangerous, cannot be fulfilled by the Rangers because of their pressing duties elsewhere. The Pak'Ma'Rah are perfect for the job because no one wants to have anything to do with them, so they would never be intercepted. Durhan and Turval are excited about the possibility, and thank Delenn for her wisdom.
Turval and Delenn leave together. Turval discusses the death of Marcus. He was one of the best Rangers, but he joined the Anla'Shok for the wrong reasons. He wasn't looking for a way to serve, he was looking for a way to atone for the death of his brother and friends during a Shadow attack.
Turval: "Which brings me to someone else you know."
Before going any further, Turval dismisses Rastenn and Tannier. They are free to explore the station. After the completion of their training, they will frequently come to Babylon 5, so they may as well become used to the station now.
Turval expresses concern about Lennier. He is training too hard, taking on too much. He is reckless and careless. Delenn is also concerned about him. She asks Turval to watch Lennier carefully, and tells him to report to her should anything happen.
Security HQ
Garibaldi briefs two of Byron's telepaths on the job they'll be doing. He says that they will be used only in cases where traditional intelligence missions cannot reveal necessary information. Zack will have special communication links for them in a few days, and only he and Garibaldi will know their frequencies. He dismisses them, and the two teeps get up to leave.
Garibaldi: "And next time, try to contain your enthusiasm for the job."
After they leave, Garibaldi asks Zack to pull up Lochley's file so he can look through it. Zack doesn't want to do it; the info is personal and confidential. Zack gets a call from stationhouse. A women in Brown sector says she has information on the murders and wants to meet with Zack. He agrees to meet with her in a few minutes.
Garibaldi: "What about my. . ."
Zack: "I'll think about it."
Downbelow
Rastenn and Tannier explore Downbelow. They pass Trace and his thugs, who pay no attention to them. Trace meets with the woman who sent the message to Zack. She says Zack will be here in a few minutes.
Woman: "You promised me. You promised me money for a ticket off this place. I've been here so long, you promised me!"
Trace hands her money for a ticket off of Babylon 5 and suggests she be on the next transport out, which leaves in a half hour.
Trace: "Make sure you leave the body where they can find it."
The woman overhears Trace's orders. She says Trace told her they would only scare Zack into leaving them alone, not kill him. Security has her name on file, and they can find her. Trace tells her to leave, but she won't go. One of Trace's thugs sneaks up behind her and grabs her. She screams out before they can gag her. Tannier hears her scream and wants to go investigate. Rastenn is reluctant to go, so Tannier goes alone.
Tannier sees Trace and his thugs abusing the woman. Before Trace can shoot her, Tannier rushes in with his fighting pike. He knocks Trace's PPG out of his hand and takes out a few of the thugs before they overpower him. They beat him senseless, saying this is an excellent opportunity to send a message to the authorities.
Medlab
Delenn, Durhan, Turval and Rastenn enter Medlab, where Dr. Franklin is monitoring his condition. If he were human, he would be dead. The woman he saved called security and jumped the station.
Durhan: "Make him well enough to stand, Doctor. We will take it from there. Mora'Dum."
Durhan, Turval and Rastenn leave. Dr. Franklin asks Delenn about Mora'Dum. She says it is part of Ranger training. It means "The application of terror."
Lochley's office
The captain enters and apologizes for being late. She asks about Tannier. Delenn says that he regained consciousness during the night, and he will be alright. Delenn says that the Rangers are now responsible for taking care of the matter. The Rangers have independent authority to take care of their own matters.
Lochley: "If you don't mind, I'd like to speak to the President about this."
Delenn: "We have already spoken. He agrees."
Lochley: "Why would he do it? It's not like him."
Medlab
Rastenn stands, watching over Tannier as Turval enters. Rastenn expresses remorse over not being present with Tannier at the time of the attack. Turval asks him if he was afraid of dying. Rastenn says he was not afraid of dying, but he was afraid of dying without purpose. Turval tells him that when he dies, his death will have a meaning if he is following the calling of his heart. Rastenn accepts this and leaves, just as Durhan enters. Turval says that Rastenn has faced his terror in a quiet battle, but now, Tannier must face his terror in a violent battle.
As Tannier gets out of the bio bed and makes his way downbelow, Lochley and Delenn talk about Mora'Dum.
Lochley: "So, what kind of terror are we talking about, Delenn?"
Delenn: "The kind that cripples. The kind that destroys. Not from without, but from within. As soon as he can stand, whether he is fully healed or not, he will face his terror. Those who harmed him now have power over him. He must take back that power, or he will never be whole again. We will go with him to find his terror. But he must face it himself."
Lochley: "But if he's not fully healed, he can die in the effort."
Delenn: "As Anla'Shok, we choose to do that which frightens us, knowing there are no guarantees. He may lose, we cannot help him. "
Lochley: "Then he will stand alone."
Delenn: "In the end, we all stand alone."
Downbelow
Zack orders everyone to evacuate Brown sector a level above and a level below the area where Trace's gang is known to operate.
Security Officer: "I still don't understand, why do we have to leave?"
Zack: "Because Delenn told the President; the President told the Captain; the Captain told me and I'm telling you. They want the area cleared of security personnel."
Security Officer: "What will we do if something happens?"
Zack: "Nothing. Those are my orders."
One of Trace's thugs approaches him and tells Trace that the security personnel have evacuated Brown Sector. They have the entire area to themselves. Trace is happy about this, he believes he has scared off security, and he won't be bothered again. The lights go out and the red emergency lights activate. Trace orders one of his men outside to investigate, and tells him to keep in touch at all times. As the two thugs go outside, two Rangers quietly sneak up behind them and knock them out.
Trace: "Listen up everyone, we're getting out of here."
Trace and his men leave to go topside, believing it is only these three levels that are evacuated. Slowly, the Rangers take out all of the thugs and Trace is left alone. Trace attempts to run away, but the Rangers surround him. They will not allow him to leave.
Trace: "What do you want from me?"
Trace eventually runs into Tannier, the Ranger his men beat up. Someone throws a fighting pike to him so he can pick it up.
Trace: "No. Not a change, I'm not fighting all of you."
Durhan: "Not all of us. Just him."
Trace: "I'm not fighting him. I'm not trained to use one of these things."
Turval: "His training was not complete either. It didn't stop you before. Don't let it stop you now."
Durhan: "If you want to get out, you have to go through him. None of us will move to stop you if you can get past him."
Trace: "Not a change. I've got my rights. I've got my rights!"
Tannier, losing patience, hits Trace on the side of the head and knocks him to the floor. Trace picks up the other fighting pike.
Turval: "You've got the pike. Continue."
Trace gets up and attacks Tannier. He is awkward with the pike and is not very successful. As Tannier and Trace are fighting, Turval talks to his students.
Turval: "Attention, students. The strong, or bully as the humans call it. Essentially a coward, whose only skill is convincing others to do what he's afraid to do himself. "
Durhan also adds his commentary to the lack of skill in Trace.
Trace: "This isn't fair. I don't know how to use this damn thing."
Durhan: "Inexperience isn't an issue. Any one of you showed far more skill and potential the first time you held a pike. Even the Pak'Ma'Rah."
The other students are amused by this and laugh. Trace, disgusted, throws his pike down and attacks Tannier with is fists. The two brawl shortly, but Tannier overpowers Trace and knocks him unconscious.
Durhan: "Where is your fear now, Tannier?"
Tannier: "Gone, master."
Turval asks if he feels triumph, happiness, joy, etc. Tannier says he feels pity for Trace, because violence is all he will ever know. His name belongs to no one.
Turval: "And what does your name belong to. History? The World?"
Tannier: "No. It belongs to me."
Zack and a few security officers enter and wait for the Rangers to finish.
Durhan: "Here ends the lesson. You may take him now."
Docking Bay
Delenn escorts Turval and Durhan to their ship. Turval and Durhan express the belief that the Rangers would profit from her presence on Minbar. She has been gone a long time, she should return home.
Delenn: "I wish I could, Turval, but I'm needed here to set up training camps on other worlds. Sheridan and I will be there soon enough, and when that happens, I was thinking that I would like Tannier to be assigned as one of the house guards."
Durhan: "Well, that is a great honor for one so young."
They exchange goodbyes and board their ship. Delenn leaves.
Security Office
Zack and Garibaldi watch Delenn and Turval and Durhan from a security monitor.
Garibaldi: "You know, that's one thing I never realized about the Minbari until now."
Zack: "What's that?"
Garibaldi: "I think they're genetically incapable of walking away from a fight. Somebody starts a fight, they've got to finish it. So, have you got the captain's file there?"
Zack: "No. Go away. You know Michael, you and the Minbari have one thing in common. You never know when to leave something alone."
Zack leaves, but Garibaldi reopens the file and takes a peek.
Sheridan's Quarters
Sheridan: "I'll be in in a minute, Delenn."
Delenn: "That's fine. I spoke to the captain today. At one point, she said she couldn't believe you would authorize the Mora'Dum. She said it's not like you. John, what did she mean by that?"
Sheridan, with a very embarrassed look on his face, shuts the door to the bedroom.
Later, as they are settled in, there seems to be a bit of awkwardness.
Delenn: "I am going to pretend you were going to tell me this sooner or later."
Sheridan: "I was just looking for the right time."
Delenn: "Ten seconds after you though of it would have been good."
Sheridan: "Yeah, you're right. Are you alright?"
Delenn: "Yes, I think so. It will just take some getting used to."
