Babylon 5: In the Beginning Page #6

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from a larger fleet.

Could be a decoy drawing us

into an ambush.

SHERIDAN Should we pursue?

STERNS:
Negative.

I won't risk the fleet.

She'll be leaving visual range any moment,

and the scanners can't lock on.

- Launch bay, this is the Captain.

- Launch bay, aye.

Launch solo fighter.

I want that transport followed.

LAUNCH BAY:
She's got a big head start

on you, Eagle 7.

Roger that. Maximum thrust.

Eagle 7 to Lexington...

...she's flamed out.

STERNS:
Stand by, Eagle 7.

Move us in.

Any further radio chatter?

Negative. She's running silent.

Keep moving us in.

Sir, I don't like it.

Just before the transport flamed out,

it fired its forward thrusters...

...cutting acceleration down

to almost nothing.

Now, if I were running from the enemy,

engines failing...

...I'd try to keep my inertia going

on the off-chance I'd get away.

Not just lying there waiting to get caught.

Or maybe he wants to be captured alive...

...rather than risking getting killed

in that asteroid field.

Or maybe they want us in a precise,

predetermined location.

Captain, their jump engines

are more precise than ours.

They can target an area

of less than 100 yards.

SHERIDAN:
If they jump into the middle...

STERNS:
Holy...

This is fleet command. All ships, break off.

No!

Primary systems hit.

Weapons and jump engines are down.

Only navigational thrusters functioning.

Orders?

[Alarm beeping]

Captain? Order...

[Background commotion]

DELENN:
The situation is getting

out of control, Lenonn.

So far, we have hit only the outer colonies.

They're sparsely populated

with minimal defenses.

Soon we will hit colonies and stations

closer to the homeworld of the Humans.

Every day that passes sees more death...

...and every death will make it

that much harder to intervene.

Then...

...what do you suggest?

We have to find a way

to open negotiations...

...give us time to find a solution.

That's why I need you, Lenonn.

I cannot contact the Humans directly...

...or ask any other member

of the Grey Council to do so.

We cannot act alone.

But someone else...

...might be able

to contact them unofficially.

Someone the others would respect...

...with a history of service

and unchallenged loyalty.

Someone like you, Lenonn.

I appreciate the compliment, Delenn, but...

...how do I do this?

If I attempt to contact them directly...

...the Grey Council will hear of it

and interfere.

And the Humans

will almost certainly consider it a trap.

Our intelligence reports indicate the

Humans have made a deal with the Narns...

...to buy weapons.

Through the Narns, we can arrange

a meeting in neutral territory.

But the danger is great.

To live is to risk.

I'll instruct my Rangers to make contact...

...with the Narn government

and set things in motion.

With luck, the meeting could take place

in three weeks.

Perhaps four.

It will have to do.

I've been gathering information

on their language and culture.

I'll make a copy for you this afternoon.

It may prove helpful.

Thank you, Lenonn.

LENONN:
No.

Thank you.

At my age...

...I feared that I would never again

have the chance to serve my people...

...as one of my order should.

Thank you...

...for giving me the opportunity.

I will meet...

...whatever comes with joy.

[Asteroids thud against ship]

Bridge to engine room.

Do we have any power yet?

ENGINE ROOM:
Negative, sir.

- Communications...

- Sir.

Can we contact Earth,

send a distress signal?

It's possible.

But, sir...

...that Minbari cruiser only left

because it figured we were dead.

If we send a distress signal...

...it'll come back and finish us off.

If we sit here and do nothing,

we're just as dead.

Roger that, sir.

Firing control...

...do we have any tactical nukes left?

FIRING CONTROL:
Affirmative.

Three two-megaton warheads

with proximity fuses.

All right.

I'm authorizing use of tactical nukes.

Firing control, remove their warheads...

...get them down

to Launching Bay 9, ASAP.

Communications, stand by to broadcast

distress signal, but not till I give the order.

Aye, sir.

Now...

...I would be...

...less than honest if I said I was sure

this was going to work. It might.

And it might not.

We could very well blow up

right alongside the enemy.

At least we'll have a fighting chance

of taking them out with us.

Unless anyone else has a better idea.

Nuts.

All right, then we'll stick with my plan.

Hell, I didn't want to live forever anyway.

EVA TEAM:
Okay.

We got the nukes in place.

EVA TEAM:
Heading back to the barn.

SHERIDAN:
Roger that.

[Asteroid thuds against ship]

All right, send the distress signal.

Hope we don't have to wait too long.

I don't know how much more we can take.

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER:

Commander...

...I think your wish may be coming true.

We have an echo on vector approach,

might be them.

Coming into range...

...now.

Bridge to navigation.

The enemy has a clear shot.

Fire docking thrusters.

Get us behind one of those asteroids,

let them think we're trying to evade.

If they want to finish the job,

let them come to us.

Here we go.

CREW MEMBER:
She's locking on, sir.

A little more.

CREW MEMBER:
Confirmed weapons lock.

Energy spike! She's ready to fire!

Now!

CREW MEMBER:
She's out of range

of nuke two. Only one left.

See you in hell.

[Cheering and clapping]

We plan on broadcasting this...

...to every major planetary network

for the next three days.

The Black Star was their flagship.

We've shown that we can outthink it

and outfight it.

And if any member

of the press corps asks...

...about the morality of sending out

a distress signal and hitting the enemy...

...remind them the Minbari

do not take survivors.

They were on a mission to murder

the surviving crew of the Lexington.

They paid the price.

Dismissed.

That was quick thinking, Commander.

- You're to be commended.

- Thank you, sir.

You were right to stay where you were.

Thanks for arguing with me.

Now, I have another job for you.

- But my ship...

- It will take a while for it to be repaired.

I need you for this immediately.

LEFCOURT:
Commander Sheridan,

this is G'Kar...

...of the Narn Regime which has agreed

to sell us weapons to equalize the battle.

He's also here to make arrangements

for a covert mission.

- Commander.

- Sir.

A Narn cruiser will transport you

to an abandoned listening post...

...in Sector 919...

...where, in theory...

...you will rendezvous

with a representative of the Minbari.

Note:

I said, "in theory."

We've heard that elements

of their government want a meeting...

...to discuss a way of ending the war

without the annihilation of Earth.

Most progressive of them.

It could also be a trick.

We want you to make contact...

...since you've shown you can handle

yourself against them if things get hot.

Your record on first contact protocol

is outstanding.

And I'm expendable.

Once we know it's safe and they're serious,

we'll send in the negotiators.

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