Babylon 5

I was there at the dawn of the Third Age of mankind.

It began in the Earth year 2257...

...with the founding of the last of the Babylon stations...

...located deep in neutral space.

It was a port of call for refugees...

...smugglers, businessmen...

...diplomats and travelers from a hundred worlds.

It could be a dangerous place...

...but we accepted the risk because Babylon 5...

...was our last, best hope for peace.

Under the leadership of its final commander...

...Babylon 5 was a dream given form.

A dream of a galaxy without war...

...where species from different worlds could live side by side in mutual respect.

A dream that was in danger as never before...

...by the arrival of one man on a mission of destruction.

Earth Alliance passenger Varner, clear for entry.

Babylon 5 was the last of the Babylon stations.

This is its story.

Confirmed, Delta Gamma 9, you are clear for docking.

Please surrender control of your vessel to central computer on my mark.

Mark.

Bring her in. Approach Vector 557.

Vector 557.

Delta Gamma 9, vector sequence engaged.

EG-57 , final approach to Docking Bay 12B.

- Garibaldi, what's up? - Looking for the Commander.

We've got someone in Bay 12, needs his clearance to come aboard.

He just linked in. He should be there any minute now.

Coming down! Coming down! Here you go! See if this fits!

United Spaceways Transport, Delta Gamma 9...

...now docking in Bay 7.

That's him.

Commander Sinclair. Lyta Alexander.

A pleasure.

Welcome to Babylon 5.

It's about time Earth Central sent us a telepath.

Can I see your...

...identicard?

Everything seems to be in order.

Thanks. The rules are simple: no unauthorized mind-scans...

...and log all business dealings you're hired to monitor.

You're cleared for access to the casino, but gambling is strictly off-limits.

Come on, I'll show you to your quarters, or do you already know where it is?

Lieutenant Commander Takashima!

The supply ship sent by my government is not being allowed to dock.

That's correct. They won't submit to a weapons search.

- This is outrageous! - You know the regs, Ambassador G'Kar.

Scanning is the only way to make sure no weapons get on board.

Except those belonging to the Earth Alliance, of course.

The Narn regime is dedicated to peace.

In that case, being the peace-loving Narns we've all come to know and love...

...except for a few planets on the fringe who say you've invaded them...

...they shouldn't mind being scanned, should they?

This will, of course, be reported to the highest authority.

Fair enough.

As far as I'm concerned, they can sit out there for the next solar year.

If it makes you feel any better, I can send them a fruit basket.

Your quarters are in Red 5. We can cut through the Alien sector here.

Are you set?

Since Babylon 5 functions mainly as a free port...

...our living quarters are set up to handle every possible form of life.

Very impressive!

This way.

We can customize the atmosphere...

...even adjust the rotation of some sectors to vary the gravity.

Over here we have methane breathers...

...silicon life forms...

...insectoids.

You name it, sooner or later, everyone comes to Babylon 5.

This way.

I've heard that all four alien governments have ambassadors here.

Almost. The fourth arrives in two days.

They work as an advisory council, like the UN on Earth...

...before it was dissolved.

Your quarters are that way. Turn to the right.

Good luck.

One last thing, Commander.

Why is it called Babylon 5?

Babylons 1, 2 and 3 were sabotaged and destroyed.

Number 4 vanished without a trace 24 hours after becoming operational.

To this day, no one knows what happened to it.

Swell.

We've not had contact with Ambassador Kosh since his ship left...

...Vorlon space eight days ago.

Based on his last-known position...

...he should be here in 48 hours.

You spoke to him?

Video or audio?

Audio only. He said he was having problems with the vid.

Mysterious as ever.

Security analysis?

Inconclusive.

Earth Central sent me everything they have on the Vorlons, and it's not much.

To date, no human has ever seen a Vorlon.

- What about medical? - The same.

Their diplomatic office sent me just enough data...

...for the environmental control and no more.

Bio-maintenance here is still adjusting the atmosphere for his living quarters.

Pretty thick stuff.

High levels of methane, sulfur...

...CO2.

When Ambassador Kosh arrives, we'll have representatives...

...from all four of the major alien governments on board.

This is what we've been working toward from day one.

Let's not mess it up now.

Yes.

Message, Commander. Ambassador Delenn needs to see you.

She says she's in the garden.

On my way.

Now entering Green Level. Please stand by.

Ambassador Delenn.

I've seen you here before.

Almost every other day.

If you don't mind my asking, what...

Notice the waves, each moving in its own order.

Predictable.

Unchanging.

But drop in a single stone and see how the pattern changes.

Everything around it is altered.

This is from your world?

It's a Japanese stone garden.

Since we need so much land for hydroponic crops...

...and oxygen reclamation, setting this aside was tough.

One of the designers called it "a pool for Zen skinny-dipping."

All you can do is think about doing it.

I am glad it is here.

On my world, there are books...

...thousands of pages, about the power of one mind...

...to change the universe.

But none say it as clearly as this.

In two days, Ambassador Kosh arrives.

I look forward to meeting a Vorlon.

I've heard much about them that is strange.

Such as?

Do you not have files on the Vorlons?

Absolutely.

Very large files.

There's nothing in them, of course.

How much do you have?

More than you, it would seem.

Naturally, it's all classified.

Naturally.

Here is a copy of everything I have.

It may be of use.

If anyone asks, say it fell from the sky.

Why?

The war between us has been over for almost 10 years...

...but there are still people on either side who'd hang both of us...

...for this kind of... - Commander.

You know everything about your stone garden...

...but clearly...

...you have not spent nearly enough time looking at it.

Good day.

- What is it? - We've got an energy surge at jump point.

There aren't any more ships due until...

Put it on screen.

Vortex active. Confirm incoming ship.

Damn. That's a Vorlon ship, all right.

Ambassador Kosh. Two days early. I knew he'd pull something like this.

Get me the Commander, fast. And let's hope nothing else goes wrong.

About time.

All right, Laurel, how much time until the Ambassador docks?

He's still decelerating from hyperspace.

Even with the energy dampers at the jump point, it'll be about two hours.

And the others?

The ambassadors have been notified. We're still trying to find Londo.

Good! I want him in the welcome party when Ambassador Kosh comes aboard.

We don't want to repeat what happened when G'Kar arrived.

Don't worry. He'll be there if I must throw him over my shoulder and carry him.

Commander, private signal coming in for you on a coded channel.

- Whoever it is, tell them... - It's from the trading vessel, Ulysses.

I'll take it...

...in my quarters.

Patch incoming signal. Full audio and video decode.

- Hi. - Hi.

I thought you weren't due back for another week?

Yeah. Haggling with the Centauri is always a slow process.

Until you explain, unless payment is made promptly...

...their merchandise will be dumped into space and fired into the sun.

Not exactly fair-market bargaining.

I was in a hurry.

- I didn't think you'd report me. - We'll discuss that later.

I'm glad you're back. When do you dock?

One hour and 40 minutes.

Just in time for the party. I'll tell you about it when you arrive.

I was thinking about something a little more intimate.

On my way, I picked up some Carnelian bed sheets.

They're supposed to be completely frictionless.

See you in one and 40.

Lieutenant Commander Takashima.

About our supply ship, I have reconsidered.

With the new ambassador about to arrive, this is hardly a time for petty squabbles.

I have told our captain to submit to your weapons search.

That's great.

Since you doubtless have your hands full...

...our captain will wait until after the Ambassador's ship has docked.

- Is that satisfactory? - Yes, it is.

Are you feeling all right, Ambassador?

Couldn't be better.