Babylon 5

Ambassador Mollari. We need to talk about the Euphrates treaty.

My dear Sinclair, this is hardly the time or the place.

I agree.

But you've been ducking me on this for a week.

Now, I expect you in the Council Chambers

at 10 tomorrow morning to begin formal negotiations with the Narn.

Unless of course you wish to pursue the wise course

and cede all claim to the Euphrates sector.

I would rather kiss a Jovian tree worm.

You have kissed worse things in your times, Mollari.

Yes, and you can kiss my plump Centauri....

Gentlemen this is what I've been waiting for.

Please, sit down, don't miss this.

Sit!

Is she not perfection?

Gentlemen, of all things in life...

are females not the finest?

On that, Mollari, we can at least agree.

Ambassador G'Kar!

I am Ko D'Ath, the new head of your diplomatic staff.

Yes, I wasn't expecting you for several yea- days.

I was eager to begin my duties here, so I booked early transport.

Mr. Garibaldi said that I would find you in this...

...establishment. - Ah yes, Mr. Garibaldi, he's most helpful.

Hey, hot spots, how about you and me blow this joint

and go play a little "Scan the Sector"?

Trash.

You must be fatigued from your long journey.

Allow me to show you to your quarters.

You know, sometimes I almost feel sorry for G'Kar.

It was the dawn of the Third Age of mankind...

...10 years after the Earth-Minbari War.

The Babylon Project was a dream given form.

Its goal: to prevent another war by creating a place

where humans and aliens could work out their differences peacefully.

It's a port of call, home away from home

for diplomats, hustlers, entrepreneurs and wanderers.

Humans and aliens, wrapped in 2,500,000 tons

of spinning metal, all alone in the night.

It can be a dangerous place.

But it's our last, best hope for peace.

This is the story of the last of the Babylon stations.

The year is 2258.

The name of the place is Babylon 5.

Com check, all channels.

Communications check commencing.

Anomaly discovered.

Flagging.

What the hell?

Garibaldi to Sinclair.

Sinclair here.

Commander, I turned up an unauthorized transmission

to Earth on Gold Channels last night.

Run it by the EO. I'll check back with you when I can.

This delay is quite insufferable Commander.

As ambassador of the Narn regime, I demand Ambassador Mollari be censured

for his flouting of protocol.

I'll be glad to censure him when he gets here.

- Mr. Cotto? - Yes?

Please try the ambassador again.

I tried three times, there's still no answer from his quarters.

Then try him again.

If you'll excuse me for a moment.

Talia?

Yeah? Oh, I'm sorry.

- Are you all right? - Yeah. I just had to get some distance.

Too much strong emotion in close proximity is hard to block.

These talks are very important to you, aren't they?

Earth Central wants a peaceful settlement. And so do I

It'll show them Babylon 5 is doing the job it was meant to do.

If you can get the Narn and the Centauri cooperate.

Londo and G'Kar know a peaceful solution in the

Euphrates sector solution would benefit them more

than a conflict. That's where you come in. You're my peeler.

You're gonna peel away their lies until they're left with that inescapable truth.

- Sounds like you got a good shot. - I do.

If Londo ever shows up.

Great Maker!

For a moment there I thought I was dead.

You seemed alive enough a few minutes ago.

You make me alive, you fountain of passion.

It's the least I can do for the Republic, Ambassador.

Ah see now I hate it when you call me that.

I'm Centauri.

Your title pleases me.

Just as it does you.

So it's my title you wanted all along?

I want no more than I'm getting.

And what is it that you're getting, Adira.

A washed-up old republican...

dreaming of better days?

These are my better days, Londo...

thanks to you.

You're needed

and I have to go.

All right, I'm coming.

What do you want, you moon-faced assassin of joy?

Ambassador, you were supposed to begin

negotiation with the Narns over an hour ago.

Commander Sinclair is quite beside himself.

Well, it does G'Kar good to wait.

But you can tell Sinclair I'll be there shortly.

Yes, sir.

- And, Vir. - Yes, sir?

- Have some hot jala waiting for me. - Yes, yes sir.

You're overreacting, Mr. Garibaldi,

there could be any number of reasons for this communications anomaly.

- Such as? - Computer error, magnetic pulse.

I checked that.

Well maybe one of the ambassadors is trying to save a few credits again

or perhaps it's what us Russian pilots used to call "gremlins."

Lt. Commander, Gold Channels are priority access,

usable only by express permission of Commander Sinclair.

No one, outside of ambassadors and the senior officers, even know they exist.

If someone's hacked into them, communications security is at risk.

The Pireaus is requesting clearance to depart.

Re-route the Balosian freighter to dock H

and inform the Pireaus she may depart at 1200.

Affirmative.

Mr Garibaldi, I know it's a problem, but one transmission is not a conspiracy.

Now, you've informed me as the Commander ordered

and I will attend to it when my other duties permit.

In the mean time, I suggest you monitor the Gold Channels

more closely in case there's a second occurrence.

I've already seen to it.

Well, then thankfully there's no further need for us to chat.

Greetings.

You have my abject apologies.

I was delayed on an important matter of state.

G'Kar.

Ah, the impressive Ms. Ko D'Ath.

So good to see you again.

You are a treasure, Vir.

Well. Shall we begin?

- Feeling happy, are we? - Trakis!

I take it all is going well with the ambassador?

Yes.

Then why haven't you got the purple files from him yet?

It's difficult.

- He doesn't trust me. - You forget your place, Centauri.

A slave must never lie to her master.

Trakis, please.

You know why a drunken fool like Mollari has the power he has?

Because his family has been collecting dirt on other families for years.

Like all the noble houses of the great Centauri Republic.

That's how they play the game, isn't it?

Whispers in the dark. A knife in the back.

Not all Centauri play such games.

Yes, and they wind up like you, without family...

prestige or power.

Slaves.

Those files can bring down any house in the republic.

The Narn will pay well for that data...

and I want it...

tonight.

Use the mind probe.

You know how.

Cheer up. It's not so bad.

After you've done your job, you'll have your freedom.

Ambassador Mollari will have his memories...

...and I'll have the Centauri Empire by its mighty throat.

Open.

Star Laces!

Oh I haven't seen these since I left Davo. Where did you get them?

I had them grown for you.

- What's this? - Open it and find out.

It's beautiful.

It's from the earliest days of the republic.

It belonged to a matriarch of my family.

A woman of wisdom and strength, grace, and great beauty.

I've had it for many years.

I can't take it.

Oh, but you must.

I insist.

And you know how stubborn I am. Come on.

Go ahead.

Pretty.

Well...

should I order us some supper?

- You must be hungry. - Famished.

And after spending a day dealing with Ambassador G'Kar,

I long to sink my teeth into something.

But why don't we go out?

- You're not serious? - Yes.

I've already made the reservation at Fresh Air.

That's the finest restaurant on Babylon 5.

What if we're seen together? What will people say?

They'll say...

They'll say, "Ambassador Mollari is a most fortunate man."

We Centauri live our lives for appearances.

Positions, status, title.

These are things by which we define ourselves.

But when I look beneath the mask I am forced to wear...

I see only emptiness.

And then I think of you

and I say

"To hell with appearances."

Lousy Dodgers.

Gold Channel opened.

Tracking program commencing.