Contents: Overview - Backplot - Questions - Analysis - Notes - JMS

Overview

Security Chief Garibaldi and hotshot pilot Warren Keffer plunge into deep space, following a cryptic clue that may explain why an alien outpost was wiped out. Ambushed and forced to crash land on a remote planet, Garibaldi recalls his first meeting with Babylon 5's former commander, Jeffrey Sinclair.

Setting: Before "The Coming of Shadows"

    Writer: Tim DeHaas
   Premise: J. Michael Straczynski
    Artist: John Ridgway
  Colorist: Robbie Busch

Synopsis

Garibaldi finds Londo and Vir in the Zocalo and tells Londo he knows that the Narn outpost in Quadrant 37 (destroyed in "Chrysalis") has been the subject of many of Londo's transmissions. Londo, taken aback that Garibaldi has been listening in on him, says he's just staying informed. G'Kar, arriving on the scene, notes, "It seems every time you are informed of something, others pay with their lives," pointing to the destruction of the Narn cruiser in "Revelations." Londo and G'Kar nearly come to blows before Vir drags Londo away for a scheduled meeting with Delenn.

But it's not Delenn waiting for Londo; it's Morden, who tells Londo to be more careful in his off-station communications, and asks that Londo tell him if Garibaldi should decide to investigate further.

Garibaldi is in a security office. He's sifting through ambassadorial communications, looking for something suspicious, something he's apparently authorized to do randomly. Shortly after Ivanova arrives, Garibaldi finds Londo using a comm channel, though without tipping Londo off to the tap, Garibaldi can't see who's on the other side. It turns out to be Refa; the two discuss the Emperor's health (poor.) Londo wants to meet with Refa in person to discuss misgivings about the "source" who helped him with Quadrant 37; they agree to meet in two hours at some predetermined place.

Garibaldi decides that Londo's source is definitely something Earth needs to know more about. He rushes off to beat Londo to the meeting place, whose location he learned from previous transmissions. As he's trying to sneak out with a flyer, Keffer catches up to him and invites himself along. "Somebody has to bring you back alive," he says. Garibaldi reluctantly agrees.

Londo is on his way to his ship when he runs into Morden. Morden tells Londo to cancel his meeting with Refa and instead pay a routine diplomatic visit to a Centauri colony. He demands that Londo tell him where the meeting was going to take place.

Keffer and Garibaldi emerge from a jumpgate near a planet. Asked why he went along, Keffer says, "You needed help. You don't have many friends on the station." Garibaldi agrees that Sinclair was the only one he knew he could trust.

While they wait for Londo and Refa to arrive, Garibaldi explains why he trusts Sinclair in a way that he can never trust Sheridan. It was years earlier, back on Mars Colony. Garibaldi had started a shuttle transport service, mostly transporting people who didn't like being asked questions. He was sitting in his office, nursing a bottle, when Lieutenant Commander Sinclair came in with two junior officers and enlists Garibaldi's services for a flight. He's a little apprehensive about Garibaldi's drunkenness, but Garibaldi accepts the job.

The story is interrupted by the abrupt appearance of a Shadow fighter. Keffer heads at breakneck speed for the planet, dodging shots left and right, but their ship is hit and goes spinning half out of control. Keffer manages to stabilize the ship somewhat, but it's still headed for the ground. "Hope the foam-protect still works," says Garibaldi, as the ship disappears behind a small mountain range...

Backplot

Unanswered Questions

Analysis

Notes

• Beginning this issue, BABYLON 5 is upgraded to DC's Fracote Format, featuring a coated paper stock. Painted cover by Scott Hampton.

jms speaks

• I have to say I'm very pleased with issue #5. It came out very well, and nicely captures both the look, feel and dialogue of the show. There were some bumps along the way in issues 2-4, so I didn't say much, but THIS one I can highly recommend.
• About the new paper and price...I did the first issue, and while the pencils were quite good, and the inks okay, when they put the coloring in the paper just absorbed the hell out of it and it looked like crap, from my POV. (And I'm not speaking out of school; I said much the same to DC.) Parts were nice, but other parts...yikes. I felt, strongly, that we needed a better quality of paper, otherwise a lot of the good work that was being done was going to be lost. It would cost more, but finally DC -- which, to be fair, has only been VASTLY supportive of B5, and the comic and their only intention is to make it as good as possible -- decided to go with the better quality paper. The main question was whether or not there was enough of a reader base to warrant it; there was, and they did.

Last update: June 10, 2018