Babylon 5: The Gathering Page #5

Laurel, this is difficult for us all,

but I ask that you set aside your feelings...

...and consider

the best interest of the station.

All right.

I'll do my best.

Jeff, once the Council gets into this,

there's nothing we can do...

...without compromising

the neutrality of Babylon 5.

We can't let that happen.

I understand, Senator.

Thank you for telling me yourself.

Babylon 5, out.

That's it?

- You're going to let them do this?

- I have my reasons.

You can't expect us to stand here

and do nothing while they railroad you.

I expect you to do this by the numbers.

The safety of Babylon 5 is more important

than any one member of her crew.

Am I clear?

Varner. Del Varner.

It's me, Eric. Remember?

Dr. Kyle, you were present with the party

when the Ambassador arrived...

...and you can confirm that

Commander Sinclair wasn't present, right?

That's right.

He was delayed in the transport tube.

According to your own chief of security,

the tube records do not reflect this.

Why is that?

I don't know.

Doctor, if I may.

We have heard that there was a witness.

Is this true?

Yes and no.

The information is secondhand

and may or may not be admissible.

The witness thinks

it may have been the Commander, but-

Why are you withholding

the name of the witness, Dr. Kyle?

The witness requested anonymity...

...for the time being.

If this should go to trial,

that would, of course, change.

I see.

Given the information about the location

of the poison proved accurate...

...it seems strange that you'd question

the rest of the story.

Ambassador Mollari,

do you have any questions?

No, not at this time. Thank you.

One last thing, Doctor.

You said you were finally able

to analyze the poison.

What kind was it?

Fluorozyne.

It's pretty rare.

It only comes from one system

that I'm aware of. The Damocles sector.

Were you aware that the Commander's

woman recently returned...

...from a trading expedition

to the Damocles sector?

- Just a minute!

- Commander-

And that her ship, the Ulysses,

docked at this station 20 minutes...

...before the attempted assassination?

Damn it, leave Carolyn out of this!

No further questions.

Okay, you're saying you don't believe

what Lyta Alexander...

...saw in the Ambassador's mind.

- Based on what?

- I don't trust telepaths.

Never have, never will.

Who knows what she really saw?

I've seen her with Del Varner.

He kept Londo...

...from attending the reception.

- So?

- I checked with Earth Central.

It turns out Varner's got a criminal record

going back five years.

He's been indicted three times

in the last year for tech-running.

Take a look.

All these indictments

are from the Earth Alliance court.

Smuggling forbidden technology

from the Vega system...

- ... same again from the Proxima system.

- Exactly.

The minute he's on Babylon 5, he's

in Earth jurisdiction and subject to arrest.

Why would he take that kind of risk?

There would have to be

something major at stake.

And something else.

Varner promised to back Londo's bets

at the casino, then backed out.

But Varner does a lot of business

with the Centauri Republic.

Why risk alienating his clientele

by burning Londo?

For that matter,

why promise to back Londo at all?

Tech-runners aren't noted for generosity.

No, and apparently

Varner's been heavily in debt.

He couldn't have paid Londo's debts

if he'd wanted to.

It just doesn't add up.

I don't know how he fits in,

but I'll bet you 100 credits he's involved.

Then I think it's about time

you had a little talk with Mr. Varner.

Ambassador Mollari.

I'd like to discuss your vote with you.

The Babylon 5 Advisory Council

is hereby reconvened.

Recorders are activated?

Ambassador G'Kar,

you wish to make a motion?

Commander Sinclair is

a respected member of the Earth Alliance...

...and of this Council.

The idea that he may have been involved

with the attempted murder...

...of Ambassador Kosh,

is repellent to everyone here.

Granted, there is a history of animosity

between some of our member races.

Granted, Commander Sinclair personally

took part in the recent Earth-Minbari war.

- Granted-

- Ambassador.

Yes, of course.

I believe it's inappropriate for this Council

to act as judge and jury in this matter.

We are not a court

and we do not have all the facts before us.

May I humbly suggest

that we decline jurisdiction in this matter.

This is more properly a matter

for a true court of law.

A court of law such as that

on the Vorlon homeworld.

After all, the crime committed

was against their ambassador.

I therefore move that Commander Sinclair

be remanded for transport...

...to the Vorlon homeworld,

along with the witnesses and evidence...

...that have been accumulated.

There to stand trial

on the charge of attempted murder.

Ambassador!

Unless the Earth Alliance

is trying to cover up the facts.

If that is the case,

then Babylon 5 is a fraud!

A motion stands before this Council.

It must be voted upon.

As the duly appointed representative

of the Narn regime, I vote yes.

What do the rest of you have to say?

The Earth Alliance votes no.

Ambassador Delenn?

The Minbari Federation...

...abstains.

Ambassador?

The Centauri Republic...

...votes yes.

Deadlock, Ambassador.

Two in favor, two opposed or abstaining.

But there is a fifth vote to be heard from.

Two hours ago, I told of my intentions

to the leaders of the Vorlon Empire.

They reached a decision on the matter

and asked me to cast their vote for them.

They vote yes, to convey

Commander Sinclair to their world for trial.

Which makes the vote three to two.

The motion is passed.

Deportation is to take place

within 12 hours.

Good day.

Del Varner?

This is Security Chief Michael Garibaldi.

I'd like to talk to you.

Access system is non-functional.

Come on in. Check around.

I'll take the back, you take the bedroom.

Over here.

DNA pattern checks out, Jeff.

It's Del Varner, all right.

Any idea when it happened?

I'll have an exact time of death for you

in about an hour.

Someone's trying to cover their tracks

and dead-end the investigation.

- Varner was the key to the whole thing.

- What about his personal effects?

I've got my people

going over the place now.

I'm not holding out any hope, though.

What about Ambassador Kosh?

Once I knew which poison

we were dealing with, I checked around...

...and there is a counter-agent

to the poison.

- We have some?

- No, but we got something close.

I'm altering the molecular structure

of the compound...

- ... so it'll serve the same function.

- How long?

Six, maybe seven hours.

I thought you said Kosh

only had another 10 hours left.

I did.

Don't make any mistakes, Ben.

Damn it. Maybe they were right.

Maybe you got the wrong man for this job,

after all.

With Varner gone,

I don't even know where to start.

Maybe you should turn this over

to someone else.

You're talking to the wrong man.

I'm scheduled for the Vorlon homeworld.

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