A Day in the Strife
Babylon 5 space: In an external CGI shot, the camera alights on an inelegant, utilitarian looking craft ploughing heavily through space, following it's progress until Babylon 5 is revealed, surrounded by a cloud of assorted transport vessels.
Transport pilot: (With impatience) Transport ship Dionysus to Babylon Control. We've been sitting here for over an hour. Is there a problem?
Corwin: (In his usual, moderate tone) We've instituted new policies to screen for weapons. It's slowing down processing. The Captain's meeting with the Transport Association now to work it out. It shouldn't be a problem.
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C&C : Scene opens to the accompaniment of hurried, staccato music. The camera, initially resting on a wall monitor depicting the course of a small, unidentified object travelling towards the station, pulls back to reveal Corwin standing at C&C's main tracking station. Sheridan stands on the other side of the console.
Corwin : We've been monitoring it for the last hour Captain - ever since it entered Babylon 5 space.
Sheridan : Distance?
Corwin : (dropping his eyes towards some unseen readout on the console below him) A little over 5000 clicks. We're sending a SecureBot to check it out. Should be in range by now.
(View moves outside to a small, insectoidal robot speeding towards it's target, then returns to the Observation Dome)
Corwin : Signature and configuration......(a note of quiet excitement enters his voice) it's like nothing we've ever seen.(By this stage Corwin's eyes are alive with enthusiasm, and he looks the picture of suitably restrained boyish anticipation) Looks like we've got a first contact situation Captain.
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Babylon 5 space : The unknown object, an elongated C-shape, composed of a slim quills wrapped around a greenish iridescent core, is seen hurtling towards the station.
Corwin : Alien vessel coming to relative stop Captain. (The camera returns to C&C, resting on Sheridan, who has moved to the front of the Dome, with Corwin out of focus in the background.) No lifesigns present.
Sheridan : Weapons?
Corwin : None that I can tell.
Sheridan : (Gazing thoughtfully at the object through the main viewport) Must be a science probe of some kind.
(As a high pitched signal bursts into life, Corwin comes into focus, lifting his hand towards the earpiece of his headset and glancing back at the monitor behind him)
Corwin : I'm getting a signal - a recording.
Sheridan : Anything you recognise?
Corwin : Negative - just the same pattern of signals repeated over and over.
Sheridan : (Who has by this time arrived back at the tracking station) They're probably sending us their alphabet and language codes. How long before the system decodes it?
Corwin : It's pretty complex Sir - at least 2, 3 hours. Maybe more.
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Babylon 5 space : In a CGI shot, the probe can be seen spiralling past the station, before the camera moves to C&C.
Corwin : Computer's finished processing their language codes, Commander.
Ivanova : (pacing towards the tracking station) Can we translate their message?
Corwin : (his face bearing a look of intense concentration) I think so....stand by.
(Ivanova stops before the tracking monitor and looks expectantly at her subordinate)
Corwin : It's a recorded message as we thought - the probe was sent to find other life forms and initiate contact.
Ivanova : So far so good. What about the rest of the message?
Corwin : It's a series of questions (as he reads from the translated list, his eyes flicker between his console and his commanding officer)- physics......quantum mechanics......molecular biology.....genetics. Apparently it's some form of intelligence test to determine if we're sufficiently intelligent for contact.
Ivanova : (with an ironic smile) Oh gee, I'm honoured. So, what do we get if we pass?
Corwin : (with eyes aglow, and smiling in quiet astonishment) Cures for every known form of disease...technological information centuries ahead of our own!
Ivanova : (exhaling) Well - why didn't they say so in the first place? Congratulations Lieutenant - I think we're about to go down in the history books!
Corwin : (his excitement giving way to horror) There's just one thing - it says that if we don't supply all the correct answers within 24 hours the probe will self destruct with the force of.... 500 000 megatons....that's enough to vapourize the entire station.
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C&C : Following another brief CGI shot of the probe, view returns to the Observation Dome. Inside, an atmosphere of almost palpable urgency prevails, with a number of hand held camera shots underlining the feverish levels of activity in the chamber. Sheridan enters, and walks hurriedly along the gallery. In the background a number of Techs can be seen rushing between their assigned stations.)
Sheridan : How are we doing on those questions?
Ivanova : (having just arrived at the Command Console, and without lifting her eyes from the datapad she's examining) 75 more to go. We've just started transmitting the first batch on molecular biology. Corwin - check these figures again. Make sure they came through the translator correctly. (hands the pad down to a tech in the Pit, who in turn passes it across to Corwin) I don't want to get killed because of a typo - that'd just be embarrassing.
Corwin : (looks at the pad) On it.
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C&C : Later in the same scene
Corwin : (from behind the tracking station) Captain - I've got the Transport Pilot's Association on the link.
Sheridan : (with abundant frustration) Ah. (he slumps over the gallery rail for a moment before moving towards the tracking console)
Corwin : They want to know when you're going to meet with them to finish the discussions about weapons. They've called 5 times in the last hour.
Sheridan : How long before that probe detonates?
Ivanova : (joining Sheridan at the tracking station) 6 hours.
Sheridan : (To Corwin) Tell them we'll reconvene in 7 hours. If that thing blows at least it'll save me from one more annoying conversation.
Ivanova : (with muted jocularity) Always finding the good in every situation, eh Captain?
Sheridan : Absolutely. Otherwise I might end up like you.
Ivanova : (looking up abruptly) Hey! What's that supposed to mean? (behind them Corwin glances furtively at Sheridan, the ghost of a smile beginning to play around his eyes) Did anyone else hear that? (looking directly at Corwin who hastily rearranges his face) Did you hear that?
Corwin : (with great earnestness) No, Commander.
Ivanova : Good. (muttering emphatically as she scrutinizes the data pad in her hands) I swear if we live through this someone's going to find their automatic shower preferences reprogrammed for ice-water.
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Babylon 5 space : Another CGI shot of the probe hurtling past the main docking bay entrance.
Ivanova : How much time?
Corwin : 3 minutes.
(The scene then moves to C&C. Ivanova works intently at the Command Console, with an obviously preoccupied Sheridan seated behind her)
Ivanova : Stand by to transmit.
Sheridan : Commander - the message from the probe - what did it promise if we give all the right answers?
Ivanova : (turning to face him) Advanced tech mainly - medical information, cures for disease, new jump gate technology.
Sheridan : But it never gave you the name of the race or where it comes from?
Ivanova : I assumed we get that information once we've passed this test.
Corwin : 2 minutes.
Ivanova : (turning to face the assembled staff of C&C) Ok - here we go...
Sheridan : No - wait!
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C&C : Later in the same scene
Ivanova : It's breaking off - you were right.
Sheridan : Well being right isn't enough - what about the next guys? (to Corwin) Are there any SecureBots in that area?
Corwin : Just one. 5000 clicks.
Sheridan : That's far enough.
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C&C : Later in the same scene
Corwin : Probe is at 3000 clicks......3004.......3006......
Sheridan : (hovering behind Ivanova, and holding up a restraining finger) Stand by...........stand by..............(suddenly bringing the finger down)Transmit!
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C&C : Later in the same scene.
Sheridan : (with rapidly fading enthusiasm) Ahhhh - nuts.
Ivanova : What's wrong - I mean we survived.
Sheridan : Exactly - which means I have to go back to that stupid Transport Association meeting. (departs)
Ivanova : (Observing his departure with an incredulous look, before she leans against the gallery railings with an expression of utter perplexity) If I get through this job.....without completely loosing my mind....it'll be a miracle of *biblical* proportions.
(After a momentary pause, Corwin's light, measured voice issues from the opposite side of the Dome)
Corwin : Well....there goes my faith in the Almighty
(It would be an understatement to say that Ivanova's response to this remark is less than reassuring. She straightens her jacket with barely concealed violence, and turns menacingly in Corwin's direction.)
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