Synopsis by Arturo Magidin (magidin@matem.unam.mx)

Number One, formerly of the Mars Resistance ("Racing Mars") is trying to enter Babylon 5, but the computer does not recognize her passport. When Zack arrives, she explains her name is Tessa Halloran, a member of the Mars Provisional Government; under the terms of the new treaty ("Rising Star"), Mars is authorized to issue its own passports and money, but Earth is dragging their feet in terms of updating they systems, in an effort to harass them; forcing Mars citizens to use Earth documents. But Number One will not put up with the blackmail. Fortunately, Franklin happens by and vouches for her to Zack, so she is allowed in.

Number One is looking for Garibaldi. Garibaldi is in his quarters with Lise. He is vomiting, going through detox, when Franklin and Number One arrive, just in time to hear more retching. Number One explains that in the next few days, someone will try to kill Garibaldi and Lise.

Once Mars declared independence, the corporations with ties to Earth ran for cover; they had been exploiting and strip mining Mars, so they were scared. The Provisional Government went for their records, and offered immunity to those who would help. They now have sources inside all major corporations still on Mars; among them, Edgars Industries, which Lise now owns. The company ran several black projects for Clarke, but Lise didn't know about them.

Garibaldi puts it all together now: someone is afraid she'll find out something she shouldn't, so they want her out of the way. Number One confirms it, and adds that since Garibaldi can help her, they want him out too. She doesn't know who is behind it, or who will do the killing, but she does know it will happen before Lise and Garibaldi leave for Mars. Franklin is surprised to hear Garibaldi is leaving, but happy for him that he is getting together with Lise.

G'Kar is on his way to see Lyta; armed security protects him, and keeps his admiring Narn at bay, including one holding a stattuette of G'Kar, who yells more insistently than the rest. G'Kar enters the cell alone. Lyta has been told about G'Kar's offer; it makes sense, she admits, but isn't too happy. She also suspects G'Kar has an ulterior motive: he wants to keep his access to telepath DNA. G'Kar is saddened by her attitude: "That's why you think I'm doing this? Just that, my own personal interest?" "Well, yeah," replies Lyta. G'Kar looks pityingly at her, and says: "Then my decision was even more correct than I imagined." He will make sure all the arrangements are made for her.

Franklin and Zack brief Sheridan on the situation, and Sheridan tells Garibaldi their plan: Garibaldi and Lise will stay out of sight and under guard. Then, an elaborate going away ceremony will be staged for G'Kar, Garibaldi, and Lise. Since this will be his only shot, the assassin will have to act then. Zack will have the place crawling with security, and will take the assassin down when he moves. Garibaldi is somewhat surprised to find out this is Zack's idea. "You taught him well," says Sheridan.

Sheridan now also knows Garibaldi is leaving for Mars. Garibaldi explains he and Lise are getting married, and he knows he is not getting his job as Head of Intelligence back. Sheridan does not contradict him, but congratulates him on the wedding.

A lone security guard is joined on a lift by a man. The man efficiently and silently stabs him, and takes his link, replacing it with another one. The body is found later, and the switch goes unnoticed. Zack doesn't understand why the security guard was killed, but he knows it was a professional. In his quarters, the assassin tries to modify the link to gain access to security channels. After some work, he succeeds.

Sheridan is seeing Number One, who reports Earth still treats Mars as a colony, making everything go through Earth. Also, dissention among the Resistance is coming to the surface. As Sheridan poins out, independence wars are often followed by civil wars. Number One agrees, and thinks Earth is increasing the pressure on the Provisional Government to cause a civil war; then they can come back and rescue everyone, and take over for the "general good." As far as she can tell, her best options are to expand her contacts. Sheridan offers to set up a diplomatic office on Minbar and an account outside of Earth jurisdiction. Number One is very happy to hear it and is very thankful. In exchange, Sheridan wants her to stick around a bit. He would rather not say why, but he has just had an idea he wants to kick around for a while. Number One, intrigued, agrees.

The preparations for G'Kar's going-away are under way in the Zocalo. G'Kar observes from a distance, and sighs sadly. Suddenly, behind him stands the Narn who was trying to talk to him earlier. He has heard G'Kar is leaving. He claims G'Kar has an obligation to either stay and teach, or go to Narn and lead. G'Kar tries to explain that his only obligation is to his own principles, but the Narn isn't listening. He spent all his money to come to Babylon 5. "We put you in this position, G'Kar," the Narn says. "Our reverence is our gift to you. And you are responsible to us. You owe us. Without us... you are nothing." "Then I am nothing," says G'Kar, and tries to leave. The Narn doesn't let him go, and shows him the statuette which he has made and is selling, his way to honor G'Kar. G'Kar takes the stattuette he is holding, and snaps it in half. "Go home," he tells him, and leaves.

"Don't; don't tell me to go home," the Narn pleads to no effect. "Don't turn your back on me, G'Kar!"

Zack arrives in MedLab to take the guard's personal effects home. He discovers that the link has some sort of adhesive on the back. This is very unusual; links are matched to their owners, and adhere using a special molecular binding material, tailor made to them. He now has a lead: the guard was killed for his link, which means it was the professional assassin after Garibaldi.

In his quarters, the assassin prepares to leave for G'Kar's going away bash, now under way. The Zocalo is full of Narn, and a few others, cheering G'Kar. The assassin blends in as G'Kar, Lise, Garibaldi, and Sheridan make their way to the podium.

Sheridan announces that Garibaldi is leaving, as is G'Kar. He praises both for their work on Babylon 5, and expresses his admiration for G'Kar. G'Kar stands up to speak. Zack orders a piercing noise to be sent to the assassin's link. The assassin lurches in pain, betraying himself, and is quickly taken down by security. The threat to Lise and Garibaldi is over.

But not the threat to G'Kar. The disgruntled stattuette maker steps forward, a PPG in his hand. "You are not worthy of us!" he yells and prepares to fire. Zack notices, and pushes G'Kar out of the way... and the shot hits Lise in the shoulder instead. She falls unconscious.

In MedLab, Franklin works on her wound, as Garibaldi looks on. G'Kar arrives to inquire on Lise's condition, but Garibaldi says they won't know anything for a while. Franklin comes out and says they've done everything they can for Lise; the rest is up to her.

Garibaldi leaves and runs into Zack, who wants to talk to him about pressing charges on the Narn. But Garibaldi wants five minutes with the assassin. Zack tells him he can't do that, but Garibaldi insists. Either Zack lets him in, or he will have to shoot Garibaldi to stop him. Garibaldi takes the assassin to Lyta, so she can find out who hired him. Lyta doesn't want to help, but Garibaldi makes it a deal-breaker: either she does, or his whole deal with her ("Wheel of Fire") is off.

Lyta begins scanning. The assassin is well trained, and blocks her for a while, but is no match for her enhanced powers. She slips in and knocks him out so he won't remember anything. She also gets the information. He was hired by the Board of Directors of Edgars Industries. Not one of the directors, but the entire board. They promised to back each other up if things went badly. And there is no proof, so Garibaldi can't do anything about it. At least not legally.

In his quarters, G'Kar is packing when Sheridan arrives. Sheridan was hoping G'Kar would stay until Delenn returned from Minbar, but the events of the last hours have convinced G'Kar that he must leave as soon as possible, or put everyone at risk. G'Kar has purchased a long range survey ship, and is ready to leave.

"I've always had the greatest respect for you," says Sheridan. "I'll miss you."

"Unnecessary," answers G'Kar. "You see, I believe that when we leave a place, part of it goes with us and part of us remains. Go anywhere in the station, when it is quiet, and just listen. After a while, you will hear the echoes of all our conversations. Every thought and word we've exchanged. Long after we're gone, our voices will linger in these walls for as long as this place remains. But I will admit that the part of me that is going will very much miss the part of you that is staying."

After Sheridan leaves, G'Kar dictates a message for later delivery.

In MedLab, Garibaldi has fallen asleep by Lise's side by the time she wakes up. Garibaldi is relieved: according to Franklin, if she woke up she would be all right. And Garibaldi has a surprise: a minister waiting outside. He wants to get married as soon as possible, before the Universe throws anything else at them. Lise happily agrees.

In the embarkation bay, G'Kar is looking over his ship when Lyta arrives, escorted and handcuffed. He asks that the handcuffs be removed, but Lyta easily takes them off herself; she only kept them on because it made everyone feel safe. The guards leave them alone. On the way to the ship, she looks around, but nobody is there to see her off. As they approach the ship, Zack steps from behind some crates and watches her leave.

On Mars, the Board of Edgars Industries has convened, and receives a call from Garibaldi. The Board claims their investigation has established that the head of security hired the assassin, and later committed suicide, leaving a note taking all responsibility. Nothing else can be proven.

Garibaldi, however, has information about the members of the board: adultery, children out of wedlock, even some questionable "accidents" that caused deaths. And he is fully ready to use this information. How did he get it? Although not the Head of Intelligence anymore, he knows who the new person on the job is, and introduces her: Number One.

According to her information, the Board is actually responsible for many of the problems Mars has been facing since independence. If she makes half of that information public, they will be skinned alive by the mobs.

Garibaldi asks her to leave the room, and continues to talk to the board. He wants all of them to resign. And he will deposit a substantial sum of money in the bank. If anything should happen to him or Lise, anything at all, it will be paid out to certain individuals who will take out every former member of the board. Enough money, in fact, to have every bounty hunter in the system after them. The former members of the Board have little choice.

Franklin and Number One are having a drink. She figures her new position will let her help Mars even more than when she was there. She certainly didn't expect the new job when she got to Babylon 5, but is happy with it. Since Franklin is leaving for Earth, their relationship ("Lines of Communication") wouldn't work out anyway. They can, however, "celebrate" one more time before he goes back on duty.

Delenn arrives back from Minbar, and is greeted by Sheridan. The Alliance Headquarters are almost ready, a week more at the most, and they can move in any time. They run into Garibaldi and Lise, who are about to leave for Mars. They say goodbye, and Garibaldi, the last of the original command crew, leaves.

"Of all the recent partings, I think this will be the hardest," Delenn tells Sheridan; "You think he'll be all right?" "Yeah, oh yeah," answers Sheridan. "But you're right. The place won't be the same without him."

"We're next, you know," says Delenn. "It occurs to me I have never walked the length of this place end to end." "It's five miles long," says Sheridan. "I know," she replies. "Coming?"

He smiles, takes her hand, and they start walking.

Last update: June 10, 2018