Points of Departure
Shot of Ivanova passing along a corridor in Blue Sector. She looks even more volatile than usual, after a week spent contending with the difficulties of Babylon 5 without the assistance of a CO.
Sound of link activating
Ivanova - Ivanova
Corwin - We've got a message on the Gold Channel for you. It's from General Hague.
Ivanova - (Face slides into a resigned expression) I'll take it in the briefing room.
(Marches off in the direction of the briefing room) Computer - accept and decode Gold Channel signal. (Stops before a communication monitor and adjusts her uniform with the customary downward jerk) General?
Hague - Lt Commander. This may be breaking the chain of command, but I have some news, and felt that I should deliver it myself. Your Commanding Officer, Commander Sinclair, will not be returning to Babylon 5. He's being re-assigned. Permanently.
(Opening Credits)
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C&C - Ivanova standing before the command console, as Corwin tentatively approaches. He exudes an air or reticent anxiety, nervously tapping the knuckles of his right hand against the palm of his left.
Corwin - Lt Commander, about the new Captain…
Ivanova - Yes. I would like a full honour guard present when his ship docks. (Corwin nods in agreement) We've barely got time…
Corwin - He's here.
Ivanova - What???
Corwin - His Eathforce transport just docked. Apparently there was a miscommunication about the time. (The last line is spoken to Ivanova's retreating back, as she flees from the Observation Dome in panic)
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(Prolonged Corwin free break)
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Captain's Office
Sheridan's link activates
Sheridan - Yes?
Corwin - Captain - we've got something major coming through the jump-gate.
(CGI sequence of a Minbari war cruiser emerging from the jump-gate and approaching Babylon 5.The view then moves to C&C and Corwin, seated at a console towards the front of the Observation Dome. The approaching vessel is displayed on a monitor behind him)
Corwin - It's a Minbari cruiser. Her gun ports are open and targeting systems are operational. She's on attack vector. Repeat - she's on attack vector.
(Another shot of the Minbari vessel accompanied by suitably dramatic music)
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(Ad Break)
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C&C;
Sheridan - (Bursting in and striding towards the front of the Dome) Has she hailed us yet?
Corwin - (rising to his feet) Yes sir. Awaiting your arrival. (Descends the steps into the sunken area)
Sheridan - Activate defence grid and put all squadrons on stand by. But I don't want any actions that could be considered provocative.
Ivanova - (Bending over the console operating something that involves numerous flashing lights) Scrambling fighters.
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(Brief interlude as station goes into full brown knickers mode)
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Sheridan - Withdraw your fighters. Any attack on this station will be considered an act of war.
Minbari - (with arrogant certainty.) The war has already begun Captain. All that remains is honour and death. (Breaks contact with C&C)
Ivanova - And I thought I was a pessimist. (She and Sheridan exchange apprehensive looks)
Sheridan - Its odd that she would say that. So far no one has been killed, so there's no reason for this to escalate unless…(his voice trails off as a frightening realisation dawns) Oh hell! (Turning to Corwin) Get me security fast!
Corwin - (Turning back to his console.) On it.
Sheridan - They are trying everything they can to turn this into a shooting war. But Kalain didn't kill the security guard. Or any of us. And the Tragati didn't attack any of the ships that have seen it in the last few days.
Ivanova - What ships?
Sheridan - Sorry - I was under strict orders not to tell anyone. I will explain everything later.
Corwin - Captain. Security have just linked in. Kalain is dead. They say it looks like suicide.
Sheridan - That's what I was afraid of. They want it to look as though we are provoking them into a war.
Ivanova - But why? This whole bit about us sharing Minbari souls…?
Sheridan - They weren't told, remember? They don't know they're not supposed to attack.
Ivanova - (With apparent irony) Do you think they'd believe us if we told them?
Corwin - (From off camera) Minbari fighters coming at us.
Sheridan - Does that answer your question?
Cowin - (speaking over a shot of Minbari fighters hurtling towards Babylon 5) They're on attack vector. Closing fast.
Sheridan - We don't have any choice. All fighters - intercept enemy craft and engage.
Lt Keffer - Confirmed Babylon control.
(Starfuries and Minbari fighter craft are seen travelling inexorably towards one another, and the scene reverts to C&C once more. Sheridan approaches Corwin, who is standing before a wall monitor depicting an illuminated tactical display of the opposing forces.)
Sheridan - Those are our fighters?
Corwin - Yes Sir. And those are the Minbari fighters. (He leaves, and returns to his position in the pit)
Sheridan - What kind of tracking systems are we using?
Ivanova - Standard XP7 units. Why?
Sheridan - (reflectively) The same kind we used during the war - but that doesn't make sense. We shouldn't be able to track them at all. (His voice lowers) What was that she said…all that remains is honour and death. (Then in a clear and commanding tone) All fighters, hold position.
Ivanova - (horrified) Sir, what are you doing? If they hold position, they're perfect targets.
Tech#2 - Zeta squadron requesting confirmation of stand-by order.
Sheridan - (Turning to confront a stunned Ivanova) Confirm it, damnit! I know what I'm doing.
Ivanova - (with obvious reluctance, her voice lacking any real conviction) All fighters confirmed. Maintain position. Do not advance. Repeat, do not advance.
Sheridan - (extracting a data crystal from the monitor, and moving towards Ivanova.) Can you deliver a narrow band transmission, point to point, without the Tragati intercepting it?
Ivanova - We can adjust the laser delivery system but…
Sheridan - Do it. Then open the jump gate and send this message (holds up the data crystal) in a tight beam transmission, into hyperspace. Frequency and address, its all there.
Corwin - (from off camera.) Enemy fighters at 30km and closing.
Ivanova - (placing the crystal into a port on the command console.)Activate jump-gate sequence.
Corwin - Jump-gate sequence aye.
(CGI image of laser transmission streaming through the open jump-gate)
Ivanova - If it's a distress signal, it won't to any good. No one can get to us on time.
(Camera moves to an external shot of the Tragati and her fighters bearing down on the now motionless Zeta Squadron, before cutting to Lt Keffer, seated in the cockpit of a Starfury)
Lt Keffer - Come on Babylon control. Give us a break here. If we can't fire, we're dead.
(Action reverts to C&C)
Corwin - Enemy at 10km…8.
Ivanova - (pleadingly) Captain…
Sheridan - Hold position. Continue to hold.
(Exterior sequence of Minbari fighters speeding towards, and then past the Starfury squadron)
Lt Keffer - What the hell?
(Starfuries are seen wheeling round to follow the progress of the Minbari vessels, before the scene cuts back to the Observation Dome)
Ivanova - I don't understand. They didn't open fire. They're looping back - heading for the Tragati.
Sheridan - Exactly.
Ivanova - But how…
Corwin - We've got something coming through the jump-gate.
(The open gate disgorges a second Minbari cruiser.)
Ivanova - (fixing the Captain with a look verging on accusatory) That's why they didn't open fire - they were waiting for reinforcements.
Sheridan - (smiling in both relief and vindication) Negative. They're here because I called them. I knew the Minbari government had sent another cruiser to look for the Tragati, but since no one's seen it, I figured they must be standing by in hyperspace until they heard about another sighting. Looks like I was right.
Ivanova - (still obviously perplexed) But that still doesn't explain why they didn't open fire.
Corwin - (over CGI images of the second cruiser) We're monitoring a signal from the cruiser. They're ordering the Tragati to stand down.
Sheridan - It's like I said. One of the problems we had during the war was that none of our weapon systems could lock on to the Minbari ships. They used some kind of stealth technology we were never able to break. So how come we were suddenly able to track them?
Ivanova - (slightly incredulous) They want to be destroyed?
Sheridan - All that remains is honour and death. They have been in exile for 12 years - they can't go home. They can't surrender without being dishonoured, and they can't fight without a war. So, by forcing us to attack - by dying by human hands, they become martyrs.
Ivanova - And because you were known for having fought them, you're the perfect target.
Corwin - The Tragati is breaking away - starting to open a jump point. Shall we open fire?
Sheridan - No. The Minbari will have to do this.
Corwin - They're targeting the Tragati's aft engines.
(External shot of the second cruiser opening fire upon its counterpart with an unspecified green particle weapon)
Ivanova - (consulting a display on her console) The Tragati's engines have been hit. Unable to make jump. No change in life signs - it's a clean hit.
Corwin - (Seated at a workstation in the sunken area of C&C, and now the subject of a close proximity shot) The war cruiser is ordering the Tragati to surrender and prepare to be boarded.
Sheridan - Their response?
Corwin -Just one word. (His expression assumes an air of mild perplexity) Honour.
Ivanova - (examining the display before her) We're picking up a change in the Tragati's fusion reactors. They're moving towards critical. Oh my God…
(CGI image of the destruction of the Tragati. An explosion begins in the heart of the vessel, and spreads within seconds, engulfing her fighters. The camera then returns to the Observation Dome, and settles on Sheridan and Ivanova, who have witnessed the scene outside in mute horror. The prevailing silence is interrupted by the high pitched beeping of a comm. unit.)
Corwin - (off camera) Signal coming in from the cruiser.
Sheridan - Put it through.
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