Original subtitles

(Londo) 'This is absurd.'

'Two hours I have been standing in line.'

'"Our staff are overwhelmed", they tell me.'

"Too many people trying to get home or escape here."

Ah!

Rumors of rebellion and war.

Even the diplomatic lanes are clogged.

Fah!

If you ask me, I know the real problem.

Ever since the Earthers put Narns on their security force

Everything here has gone to hell.

They're not very efficient, you know.

You have to keep an eye on them at all times.

Next.

Identicard, please.

How strange.

I'm not getting a confirmation on your identicard.

Oh, please! You know who I am.

Oh, yes, I know who you are, ambassador.

But the computer, you see, does not.

And verification is required prior to entry.

Perhaps I have entered the data incorrectly.

We are, after all, very inefficient.

Yes, one must keep an eye on us at all times.

Alright, now, you listen to me--

In a moment.

Meanwhile, we have many others coming through.

Please step aside, ambassador.

This shouldn't take more than, oh, two or three standard hours.

Madness. Total and complete madness.

This never would have happened

if the humans hadn't started fighting with one another.

[gunfire]

[whirring]

[explosion]

Thirty percent hit to rear decks.

One more of those, and we're going to lose rotation

and go z-gravity.

We can't outrun them in normal space.

Major, we have to jump.

And leave our fighters stranded out there?

No, we can't jump without them.

If we reel them in, we're gonna lose our screen.

Clarkstown will burn us from stem to stern!

Damn it! Haven't we lost enough..

[rumbling]

If you won't jump, then you've got to let me

open fire with the aft batteries.

I don't wanna kill any more of our own ships!

We have no choice!

Forward interceptors on the Clarkstown are down!

We can punch through the hull.

Major, please.

Let me get the gloves off the firing team.

Tell the aft batteries to open fire.

Command to squadron. Fire in the hole.

Repeat, fire in the hole.

Aft batteries...fire!

[intense music]

[explosion]

Clarkstown destroyed, major.

Reloading fighters as fast as we can.

As soon as they're aboard, make the jump to hyperspace.

Bill...did you ever meet the captain of the Clarkstown?

No, sir.

He and the general were at the Academy together.

Hague introduced me to him last summer.

He has a wife back home.

'Three small children.'

An Abyssinian cat...named Max.

That's what makes this war different

from anything we've ever gone through before.

This time...we know everyone we kill.

I'll try to find something to say to both of their wives.

'God knows what.'

Sir?

Once we jump..

...what's our course?

[sighs] We need time to make repairs, catch our breath.

There's only one place safe for us.

Set course for Babylon 5.

(Ivanova) The Babylon Project was our last best hope for peace.

It failed.

[intense music]

In the year of the Shadow War, it became something greater..

...our last best hope for victory.

The year is 2260.

The place...Babylon 5.

[theme music]

[music continues]

Bad news, people.

We are five hours away from a crisis situation.

I just received a narrow-band transmission from the Alexander.

That's General Hague's ship.

Hmm. He's suffered heavy damage

And they need a place to make repairs.

And they're coming here.

Well, we're screwed.

Every ship in Earthforce is hunting them down

on charges of treason.

As soon as they come through the gate

somebody's gonna send word back home.

- Once that happens-- - 'I know.'

So I need you to put a cut-off switch in the comm system.

The second they get here, shut everything down.

Just leave us a private channel in case we need it

and the ISN feed.

It's our only lifeline to home.

'We need to know what's happening.'

We all knew we'd end up in the middle of this sooner or later.

How far this goes, we'll just have to see.

All I know right now is that Hague is arriving

here in a few hours

and hell is riding in with him.

Why didn't you just bring him to Medlab?

We can't allow anyone else to see him.

We believe several bounty hunters

are already here, looking for him.

We must slip him into the station quietly.

What happened?

He has spent the last six months

among the league worlds, gathering information.

He was on his way here when he was attacked.

Doctor, we cannot let him die.

That's exactly what's gonna happen

if we don't get him to Medlab right away.

Security is very tight.

The Narns are at all of the customs areas.

How do we know which of them we can trust?

(G'Kar) 'You don't..'

...but I do.

I'll get him past the other Narn.

Good. Give me a hand here?

Unnecessary.

Ambassador.

Can you carry him very far?

As far as you like.

With the latest news on the continuing crisis.

Xavier Montoya, Head of the Mars Provisional Government

announced today that he will not implement

the martial law order given five days ago by President Clark.

So far, Earthdome has had no official response

to this act of open defiance by Mars

except to say that they are considering all options.

Is Garibaldi standing by?

The cut-off switch is in place and ready to go.

Jump gate activated.

We've got a ship coming through.

Sheridan to Garibaldi. Kill it.

(Garibaldi) 'Confirmed.'

May I have your attention?

'Your instruments are correct.'

That's the Alexander.

She's been in combat for some time

and we will render full assistance.

But, captain--

The commander and I are aware of standing orders

concerning the Alexander and her crew.

We take full and personal responsibility.

Now, if anyone has a problem with this..

...they're free to leave the command deck.

We have just been thrust into the middle

of extraordinary events.

So we must approach this calmly and rationally.

'Those are not the enemy out there.'

We wear the same uniforms

and we've both sworn to uphold the constitution.

They're as loyal to Earth as you are

and we will render humanitarian aid to them.

Because..

...as much as our humanity..

...got us into this..

...our humanity's the only thing

that's going to get us out again.

Delenn..

Take it easy, now. You're safe.

No, none of us is safe anymore.

The shadows are moving.

They have made alliances with many

in the nonaligned worlds and urged them to go to war

with their neighbors.

(Delenn) 'No.'

Why would they go along with this?

They listened to the shadows out of fear

Afraid that if they did not ally themselves

with a greater force, they would be conquered..

'...by the Centauri.'

But..

...an alliance of defense has now grown

into the dream of conquest.

They believe that as long as

they are protected by the shadows

they cannot be defeated.

And so they go to war with one another.

Has the Grey Council been informed?

The Grey Council has said..

"...The problems of others are not our concern."

[intense music]

- Captain. - Major Ryan.

Where's General Hague?

General Hague was killed in our last firefight.

'We were coming back from a meeting with some officials'

'on Orion 7, when we were ambushed.'

'He was on his way to the command deck'

when we were hit amid ships by the Clarkstown.

In his absence, I've tried to carry on as best I can.

Between this and what's been going on back home

the crew is...just stunned.

What's the latest on the coup?

A few senators had managed to escape Earthdome.

Shock troops are out in force everywhere.

Paris, London, New York, Moscow, New Delhi..

How are the folks back home dealing with all this?

That's the irony. Most of them have welcomed martial law.

It's cut crime down to nothing.

'On the surface, it's peaceful.'

Yeah, the peace of the gun.

Why haven't we seen any of this on ISN?

ISN is walking a fine line.

They know if they push too far, they'll be shut down.

'We have one chance.'

Mars has rejected Martial Law.

If they can stand up to Clark

they might be able to rally support

from some of the other colony worlds and push him outta power.

Unless he pushes back.

No, he's overextended already.

His power base is back on Earth

where he has Nightwatch and the bulk of our forces.

I just can't believe so many people in Earthforce

would go along with all this.

He spent the last year putting his people in key places.

Anyone who raises a voice

is immediately arrested and charged with treason.

Under conditions like that, it's..

It's easier to keep quiet.

[beeping]

Yes?

(Bill) 'We just intercepted a coded message'

'from Earthforce Command.'

'They've started bombing Mars.'

'I repeat, they're bombing Mars.'

(male #1) 'Standing by. Weapons hot.'

(man over radio) 'Don't do it!'

'We've got women and children down here, don't do it!'

(male #2) 'Omega One, you're clear for drop.'

[whooshing]

Lennier, I'm leaving you in charge in my absence.

I will support any action you take.

Thank you.

Delenn, please be careful.

The Grey Council is not what it was.

They may not receive you well

if they will see you at all.

They will see me whether they like it or not.

It's time someone made them face reality.

Your ship's ready to go, ambassador.

We got you priority clearance.

Seems like everyone's trying to get outta here

now that fighting's broken out back home.

- Thank you. - Good luck.

G'kar, thank you for your help.

I think you are no longer quite the same person

I met when I came here four years ago.

[intense music]

(Ivanova) 'Captain, you better come take a look at this.'

We've got another Earthforce Destroyer.

Identification code says it's the Churchill.

Good. Major Ryan's been waiting for her.

She's hailing us.

Repeat, this is the Churchill to Babylon Control.

- Do you copy? - Right here, Churchill.

Captain Sandra Hiroshi here. Is Major Ryan with you?

He's coordinating repairs with our people.

Do you want us to get him on the link?

Negative.

I won't put this on an open channel.

Tell your people to stand by. I'm coming in.

And we've been unable to determine at this time

how many have been killed in the recent attacks on Mars

by Earthgov Forces.

President Clark has announced that the attacks will continue

'until the Mars Provisional Government'

'accedes to Martial Law.'

So far, there's been no reaction

From any of the outer colonies concerning--

(male #3) 'I'm sorry.'

Jane, I'm sorry to jump in like this

but we have to..

The colonies at Orion 7 and Proxima 3

have just broken away from the Earth Alliance

in protest over the bombing of Mars.

They're setting themselves up as independent states

until such time as President Clark is impeached.

Rick, don't do this.

Clark doesn't want this information released

but we have to go with this now

because I don't know how much longer we can stay on the air.

Armed troops have begun moving in

on the ISN Broadcast Centre here in Geneva.

We just saw them coming around the corner.

'We're trying to get a camera down there'

'to document what's going on.'

I-I can hear gunfire now up here on the 14th floor.

Listen to me, there's information you don't have.

What's been going on for the last year

we haven't been allowed to tell you.

[explosion]

My God! Everybody get down!

[indistinct chatter]

Major Ryan? Captain?

We just jumped in from Orion 7.

They've declared independence.

We've heard. What's the reaction?

Clark's afraid of losing the other colonies

'so he's sending his elite forces'

'to seize direct control of any colony or outpost'

'that might move against him.'

If he finds out we're here--

It's too late, he already knows.

We intercepted attack orders

relayed to the Agrippa and the Roanoke.

They're hooking up with some

heavy reinforcements on the way in.

We'd better pull out before we jeopardize Babylon 5 further.

Major, the ships receiving the attack order

were already on their way here.

He doesn't want to risk Babylon 5 breaking away.

So those ships are under orders to seize command of Babylon 5

arrest and detain its captain

and the rest of the command staff

'and to put this station under the direct authority'

'of President Clark and the Nightwatch.'

(Ivanova) 'The other governments won't stand for it.'

(Ryan) 'They won't intervene.'

'All the major powers are divided, distracted'

'busy with their own wars.. We're on our own.'

(Hiroshi) 'Sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, Captain.'

But I thought you should know.

How long until they get here?

(Hiroshi) 'Six hours, tops. Maybe less.'

I better get back to my ship.

I should be there when the others arrive.

If you think it would be any help

we could try to jump, maybe draw some fire away from Babylon 5

give you a chance to negotiate.

No. Thank you, major.

If this is where we'll make our stand

then this is where we'll do it.

I know we are all hoping to avoid

a head-on confrontation with Earth..

...that somehow we could..

...stop this train before it went off-track.

But this train is heading right for us

and there is not a lot of time.

So we have only two options.

We fight..

...or we surrender.

Now, if it was just us..

Hey, he pays your money, he takes your chances

but it's not just us.

There's a quarter million people here

and billions more out there counting on us.

Now, I promised Delenn

that we would draw a line against the darkness

no matter the cost.

Well, now we know the cost.

There's too much at stake to walk away now.

If we surrender, they'll court martial us.

If we fight and lose, they'll probably kill us.

They probably will, at that.

So the choice is yours.

I say fight.

Fight.

Fight.

Fight.

[dramatic music]

While they try to breach the hulls

we'll need every warm body we've got working security.

Full weapons loaded.

And what about the Narns?

Them, too. G'kar's guaranteed their loyalty

and so far, he has kept every promise he made.

I want two fighter squadrons on rotation

starting 30 seconds ago.

And put all backup squadrons on full alert.

If it can fly, I want it loaded

and ready to drop ten seconds after primary launches.

Done.

Doc, if you have got any patients

that can be moved from Medlab, do so.

- We're gonna need the space. - You'll have it in an hour.

I need to make a call.

Tell the Command Staff to stand by.

And see if you can access Draal's

Holographic system on Epsilon 3.

I have an announcement to make.

I told you, Delenn, they will not speak to you.

Then they will listen to me.

I served the council for 16 cycles.

I was the chosen of Dukhat, to replace him.

I held him when he died.

His blood is on my hands

his spirit in my eyes, his word on my lips.

You will step aside in his name and mine, or..

...in Valen's name, I will tear this ship apart

with my bare hands until I find them.

Move aside.

Three years.

For three years, I warned you this day was coming.

But you would not listen.

Pride, you said. Presumption.

And now the shadows are on the move.

The Centauri and the younger worlds are at war.

The Narns have fallen.

Even the humans are fighting one another.

The pride was yours. The presumption was yours.

For a thousand years

We have been awaiting the fulfillment of prophecy.

And when it finally happens, you scorn it, you reject it

because you no longer believe it yourselves.

"We stand between the candle and the star

between the darkness and the light."

You say the words, but your hearts are empty.

Your ears close to the truth.

You stand for nothing but your own petty interests.

"The problems of others are not our concern."

I do not blame you for standing silent in your shame.

You, who knew what was coming

but refused to take up the burden of this war.

If the warrior caste will not fight

then the rest of us will.

The council has lost its way.

If it will not lead.

If we have abandoned our covenant with Valen..

...then the council should be broken..

...as was prophesied.

We must stand with the others, now, before it's too late.

Between the worker caste and the religious caste

we control two thirds of our forces.

To you, I say, listen to the voice of your conscience

break the council, and come with me.

Our time of isolation is over.

We move now, together, or not at all.

[intense music]

[automated voice] 'Transmission sequence complete. Stand by to receive.'

- Hi, dad. - John.

Well, this is a surprise.

I thought I'd look in on you and see how you were doin'.

Fine, fine.

Having a few problems with the corn.

Been so damn hot lately

the water doesn't get a chance to sink in.

Your mother still thinks I make a better diplomat than a farmer.

Where is mom?

Oh, she had to go into town. Errands to run.

Some days, I don't know what she does with her time.

But if she's happy, I'm happy.

'Listen, dad..'

...um..

...I wanted to call because..

...well, there's a lot going on right now

and I don't know when I'll be able to call again.

It may be a while.

I can't really explain on an open channel, but--

Son, I follow the news.

Well, I did, until ISN went black.

I see what's going on.

Your mother doesn't like to think about it.

You know how she is.

John, I can't imagine the kind of decisions

that are going through your mind right now.

I'm sure they're not easy.

The important ones never are.

But when push comes to shove

you've always done the right thing.

What was the first lesson I ever taught you?

Never start a fight, but always finish it.

You do what you have to do, son.

Don't worry about us.

The neighbors around here like us, Lord knows why.

So anybody comes for us

they're going to have quite a fight on their hands.

Now I know you probably got a million things to do

so I'm going to let you go and do them.

And I guess, uh..

...I'll talk to you when I talk to you.

Goodbye, dad.

Love to you both.

[indistinct chatter]

(man over radio) 'Delta squadron fueled up.'

'Ready to go. Scramble, scramble!'

[engines whirring]

Alright, everyone, listen up.

The commander and I have prepared a response

to the unconstitutional actions taken against us

and the Mars colony by President Clark.

Is Draal's holographic system online?

Just finished. Stand by for scan.

You're online. Go ahead.

May I have your attention, please?

In the last few hours, we have learned that warships

are coming this way from Earth.

Their orders are to seize command of Babylon 5 by force.

As Commanding Officer and Military Governor of Babylon 5

I cannot allow this to happen.

President Clark has violated the

Earth Alliance Constitution by dissolving the Senate

declaring martial law, and personally ordering the bombing

of civilian targets on the Mars colony.

'He is personally responsible for the deaths'

'of hundreds of innocent people.'

'Following these attacks, Orion 7 and Proxima 3'

'have broken away from the Earth Alliance'

'and declared independence.'

Babylon 5 now joins with them.

As of this moment

Babylon 5 is seceding from the Earth Alliance.

We will remain an independent state

until President Clark is removed from office.

'At the end of this current crisis'

'anyone who wishes to leave for Earth'

'is free to do so.'

Meanwhile, for your own safety

I urge everyone to stay in your quarters

until this is over.

That is all.

Well, we're in it now.

Should we ask Draal to help with the defense?

No, no, he's our ace in the hole.

I want to keep him a secret as long as we can.

This is our fight, not his.

Alright, anyone who wants to leave, do so now

before you violate any regs.

- You okay? - I think so.

It was kind of a surprise but, yeah, I'm okay.

Good.

Captain, request permission to join Starfury Squadron.

Request denied.

Captain, you're asking those pilots

to go against everything they've been trained for

and open fire on our own ships.

And one of us should be out there with them.

One of us has to be!

You know I'm right.

Go.

Major Ryan, Captain Hiroshi.

(Ryan) 'Right here, captain.'

(Hiroshi) 'On line.'

Stand by.

[beeping]

Jump-gate activated.

Here they come.

(Smith) 'This is Captain Dexter Smith'

'of the Earth Alliance Destroyer Agrippa'

'to Babylon 5 and renegade ships.'

'You're ordered to surrender your commands and'

'prepare to be boarded.'

Launch fighters.

(Smith) 'This is your only warning.'

'If you do not surrender'

'we will be forced to initiate deadly force.'

This is Captain John Sheridan, Babylon 5.

You are executing an illegal order

in violation of the Earth Alliance Constitution.

These orders have forced us to declare independence

in order to ensure the safety of this station.

We don't want a fight.

But if you attempt to carry out these orders

we will defend ourselves.

Come on, captain, you must see these orders are wrong.

Leave while you still can.

They've broken contact.

Enemy's Starfuries moving on attack Vector.

Orders.

Babylon Control to all Starfury Squadrons.

Stand by to attack.

But do not, repeat, do not initiate combat.

Let them fire first.

We won't start this fight, but, by God, we'll finish it.

[intense music]

[indistinct radio chatter]

Forces closing.

Entering firing range.

Close blast doors, and activate defense grid.

Stand by.

Don't be a fool, Smith.

You've got to see these are illegal orders.

Don't make us do this.

Enemy fighters have locked on.

Firing.

[gunfire]

Alpha Squadron, form up on my wing.

Delta Squadron, punch us a hole through there.

(male #4) 'Confirmed.'

Enemy fighters coming from the side, trying to outflank us.

Reset forward interceptors for long range dispersion fire.

Ready.

Fire!

[gunfire]

Maintain approach!

Direct hit to Decks 14 and 15.

Hull integrity down 20 percent.

Bring us in closer to the enemy.

How close?

Right down their throats.

[intense music]

We've got a breaching pod coming in.

Where's it going?

Hull area, Brown 95.

Garibaldi.

Yeah, I heard. We're in the area. On our way.

Come on, move, move, move!

We got to cut them off, before they hit open ground.

Let's go!

Alright, take up position.

We'll cut 'em off right here.

Aw, nuts!

Let's go!

[explosion]

Come on, come on, come on!

[gunfire]

[dramatic music]

Three enemy Furies locking on.

Hang on.

[beeping]

Give me a targeting solution on the Roanoke

and stand by to redirect all defensive fire.

[gunfire]

Hang tight. Coming around for another run.

(Sheridan) 'Commander, the Churchill.'

Hiroshi, get outta there. Get to the life pods.

(Hiroshi) 'Too late to get out. Our primary systems are hit.'

'We've got fire on all decks now.'

'There's nothing we can do except..'

Hiroshi? Hiroshi!

[automated voice] 'Collision alert. Collision alert.'

(Sheridan) 'Ivanova, eject.'

I can handle it.

'Eject, damn it! Eject!'

- We're in range. - Fire!

[explosion]

[grunting]

Fire!

[dramatic music]

Babylon control to Roanoke.

Your ship is out of control.

Surrender, and let us take on prisoners.

We promise safe passage to..

[explosion]

Damage report.

Damage to all sectors.

They're still fighting in brown sector.

Get some more troops down there.

- Hull integrity? - Not good.

EVA Team's en route.

It's a good thing this stopped when it did

we couldn't take much more.

[beeping]

Oh, no.

(Drake) 'This is Captain Drake to Babylon 5.'

'You are ordered to surrender, prepare to be boarded'

'by order of President Clark.'

Captain.

Jump points forming right on top of us.

- How many? - Four.

(Delenn) 'This is Ambassador Delenn of the Minbari.'

Babylon 5 is under our protection.

Withdraw...or be destroyed.

(Drake) 'Negative. We have authority here.'

'Do not force us to engage your ship.'

Why not?

Only one human captain

has ever survived battle with a Minbari fleet.

He is behind me.

You are in front of me.

If you value your lives, be somewhere else.

All ships..

...return to base.

Alright, now, take it easy, chief.

Just take it easy. There..

There. Put your weight on me.

Give me this. Give me this.

Alright, alright. Slow it down.

Just take it easy, chief. You're alright.

How many fighters did you lose?

Too many.

At least 30 percent of our Starfuries

are destroyed or disabled.

It's not likely we'll be getting

any more from Earth for a long time.

Why?

'When the Churchill was destroyed'

we took on as many of her pilots as we could.

The launch bases are damaged, we can't hold many more.

You could give them a home here

and bring your fighter squadrons up to full strength.

I think Captain Hiroshi would've wanted that.

I didn't know her very well

But I'd be honored to take care of her crew.

[beeping]

Yeah.

(female #1) 'Captain, you wanted to be notified'

'when Ambassador Delenn came aboard.'

Thank you. I'll be right there.

When do you have to jump?

'Soon as I get back to the ship.'

We're both targets now.

If we split up, it'll give them less incentive

to concentrate their fire here.

And there are still some ships out there

who've signed on with us.

We have to find them.

Your people performed superbly, captain. You should be proud.

I am.

Proud of what we did

but not the reason we had to do it.

Good luck to you, major.

'I don't know how long we can hold the fort here'

but as long as we can, you're welcome here.

Thank you.

I think you're forgetting something.

No. No, I'm not.

After what happened today

I don't think I can wear that for a while.

Not with a clear conscience.

No, when this is all over I'll put it on again

but not before.

I didn't expect to see you here.

How's the leg?

Doc says it'll heal. Eventually.

He's still checking out Ivanova, but she'll be out soon.

Figured I better be here to let you know

we started shipping people out..

...the ones that want to go

and the ones we're getting rid of.

Nightwatch, mainly.

We got all the ones we know about, but..

...that leaves all the ones we don't.

We're gonna have a problem with sabotage for a while.

Almost certainly.

- Hello, John. - Delenn.

Uh..

Listen, I've been trying to think of some way

to tell you how much what you did

means to me, and, uh, well..

"...thank you" seems poor and inadequate.

I don't know how much this cost you personally

and I suspect I never will

but I want you to know that..

...seeing your face at that moment..

...was probably the single finest moment in my life.

It seems that this is the only home we have left.

How could I abandon, as you say, my partner?

(Ivanova) 'Ahem!'

Oh, there you are.

So how is she, doc?

Well, we have a stubborn patient with multiple bruises

and a fractured rib, and a bump on the back of the head--

I'm fine.

I just thought there's something you should see.

[clapping]

[whistling]

[cheering]

[theme music]

[music continues]