Original subtitles

[instrumental music]

[indistinct chatter over PA)

Identicard, please.

[indistinct chatter over PA]

[instrumental music]

[beeping]

Thanks.

Commander.

Benson, Dex wants his money.

It's coming.

I'll have the credits for him

first thing tomorrow.

- You said that yesterday. - It's not my fault.

Neither is this.

[groans]

Twenty-four hours, Benson. Then we find you again.

Then we cut your head off!

[grunts]

[panting]

[door beeping]

Come.

- Were you followed? - No.

I've identified the target.

[instrumental music]

When do we take him out?

Soon.

(male narrator) It was the dawn of the Third Age of mankind

10 years after the Earth-Minbari War.

The Babylon Project was a dream given form.

Its goal, to prevent another war by creating a place

where humans and aliens

could work out their differences peacefully.

It's a port of call, home away from home

for diplomats, hustlers, entrepreneurs and wanderers.

Humans and aliens, wrapped in 2,500,000 tons

of spinning metal, all alone in the night.

It can be a dangerous place.

But it's our last, best hope for peace.

This is the story of the last of the Babylon stations.

The year is 2258.

The name of the place is Babylon 5.

[instrumental music]

[instrumental music]

Benson, security level two.

You wanted to see me, commander? Chief.

Mr. Benson, you haven't been with us very long, have you?

Six months, sir.

When you signed on, were you informed of the regulations

about use of the casino by station personnel?

If I may ask--

Security personnel are prohibited

from gambling while on active duty.

Off duty gambling is limited to 50 credits per week.

We hear you've been exceeding those limits, Mr. Benson.

That's not true, sir.

You can check the casino records.

We have.

But we both know a lot of unregistered

side-betting goes on, don't we?

Our information is that, you've been losing heavily.

- Piling up debts. - Your information's wrong!

Look, okay, sir

I-I do ride the limits pretty close

but I've never gone over.

You understand our concern.

If you were to get into debt with the wrong people

you'd be a security risk.

'You could be compromised, blackmailed.'

Yes, sir.

If you are in debt to these people, Mr. Benson

we will find out.

Now I'm giving you one last chance.

If you have anything to tell us, I suggest you do so.

Very well then.

I'm taking you off active duty

'pending the outcome of the investigation.'

'Dismissed.'

He's lying. I can tell.

Everyone lies, Michael.

The innocent lie because they don't wanna be blamed

for something they didn't do.

And the guilty lie because they don't have any other choice.

'Find out why he's lying.'

The rest will take care of itself.

What about the power source?

I couldn't bring it with me into the station.

An energy pod would've never gotten past the scanners.

So I improvised. It'll be here.

[beeping]

And breathe out, please.

[exhales]

One more time.

Excellent. That'll do fine.

I appreciate this, ambassador.

I never get to see a Minbari up close

unless there's something wrong.

Chance to examining one of your people in prime condition

gives me a baseline to operate from.

I was talking to Dr. Hernandez while I was waiting.

- Mm-hmm. - Is it true that you used to..

Uh, what is the term?

Hitchhike on starships?

Yes, yes. Well, I wanted to see it all.

I traded my services as ship's doctor

in exchange for free passage.

It didn't matter where they were going as long as

I get to see something I haven't seen before.

Naturally, all that ended when the war started.

Were you involved in the war, doctor?

Towards the end when, uh

things got bad for our side

those of us in xenobiology were told

to hand over our notes on your people

to be used in genetic and biological warfare.

And did you?

I took an oath that all life is sacred.

I destroyed my notes rather than have them used for killing.

Thank you.

(Stephen) 'What about you, ambassador?'

What did you do during the war?

A topic for another time.

Good day, doctor.

Good day.

- You have it? - Yeah, I got it.

Biggest energy pod I could find.

Look, I don't know what this is about

and I don't wanna know, I just want my money.

The credits will be deposited to your account

within the hour, that'll be all.

- What about my transfer? - That will be all.

[door opens]

[instrumental music]

I think we're ready to proceed.

(male #1) Alpha 7 to Alpha Leader, I'm hit!

(Sinclair) 'Pull out! Pull out! Alpha 7!'

[explosion]

(Mitchell) 'He's gone. Picking up enemy transmissions.'

(Sinclair) 'Stay in formation!'

Hold the line. No one gets through. No matter what.

(Mitchell) Understood.

Alpha Leader, you have a Minbari on your tail.

[zapping]

I'm on him. Targeting fighter!

No, Mitchell, stay in formation! It might be a..

Oh, my God. It's a trap! Mitchell!

[gasps]

[panting]

Computer.

Sinclair to Maintenance.

[beeps]

Sinclair to Maintenance.

Observation.

Security.

[instrumental music]

[music continues]

This is Commander Sinclair. All sectors, report in.

All sectors, report.

Earth Central, this is Babylon 5.

Earth Central, please respond.

This is Earth Station Babylon 5 to all ships in Grid Epsilon

please respond.

[sighs] Computer.

Computer!

(computer) 'Online.'

Was an evacuation ordered in the last eight hours?

(computer) 'Negative. Condition, green.'

Scan for any other life forms.

(computer) 'Confirmed. One other life form detected.'

Location?

(computer) 'Central corridor, Blue Sector.'

[instrumental music]

Computer. Computer!

What the hell is going on around here?

(Knight Two) 'Maybe you're asleep.'

'Maybe you're insane.'

'Maybe you're dead.'

'Maybe you're in hell!'

'Not that it matters much, Commander Sinclair'

'because wherever you are, wherever you go..'

...you're mine.

[instrumental music]

[indistinct chatter]

Mr. Garibaldi.

- Ambassador. - 'I apologize for intruding.'

But I was supposed to meet Commander Sinclair

at the council room an hour ago.

He never came. I thought you might have seen him.

No, sorry. Have you tried the observation dome?

Yes.

Lieutenant Commander Ivanova

hasn't seen him since last night.

Commander.

Commander, this is Garibaldi.

If you'll excuse me, I'll get back to you later.

Who are you? What have you done to my station?

Nothing. You, however, are a different story.

'I'd like to say I have your undivided attention'

but it would not be true.

Your mind is in here with me

but your body is somewhere else.

Wrapped in cybernetic implants and pulse generators

all tied up in a cerebral matrix.

A virtual reality cybernet.

Then you're saying all of this is a simulation, not real.

What is real, commander? This?

Commander, there you are.

I've been looking all over the place for you.

- Garibaldi? - Oh!

No!

No need for alarm.

As you said, a simulation only. See?

(Garibaldi) 'Commander!'

Commander!

Commander!

How's it going, commander?

(Knight Two) 'We can kill him as many times as we like.'

We're locked together, here in your mind.

It's a shadow play, without form or substance.

But I'm real, commander. And you're real.

And the pain, the pain for you is also real.

[instrumental music]

[electricity crackling]

Commander.

[beeping]

Commander.

[knocking on door] Jeff.

[music continues]

- Garibaldi to C&C. - Online.

We have a problem.

Cut cerebral discharge.

Cutting power 50 percent.

Curious, we have the memories

of your entire life to play around with.

But your thoughts are rooted, here in this station.

It means a lot to you, doesn't it?

You said we?

My associate is watching over your body

while I'm in here with you.

He's making sure nothing unfortunate happens to it

until we get what we came for.

To do that, we'll walk together

across the bridge of synapses and neurons

into the very heart of your memories.

- Why are you doing this? - To find the truth.

Ten years ago, you were at the Battle of the Line.

The final and decisive battle of the Earth-Minbari War.

For 24 hours, you were out of touch with Earthforce Defense.

My ship was damaged. I blacked out.

So you testified.

Just one problem. I don't believe you.

And I'm not the only one.

It's been a long time, commander

but we're finally gonna get to the truth

even if it kills you.

- Anything yet? Not yet. - No. You?

I've pulled all essential personnel

and assigned them search party.

But a place this big, it could take days.

We may not have days

if the commander's hurt or can't reply.

I know, I've notified our base in the Tigris Sector

and asked them to track every ship that's left

in the last eight hours.

(Garibaldi) 'You might also wanna send'

a couple maintenance bots outside the station

on close proximity scan.

Go over every inch of the hull.

- What should they look for? - A body.

If someone shoved it outside

the station's gravity won't let it get far.

Just in case.

Mr. Garibaldi, there are days I'm very glad

I don't have to think the way you do.

(Knight Two) 'Your name is Jeffrey David Sinclair.'

'Rank, commander. Age, 39.'

'Born on Mars Colony, May 3rd, 2218'

'9:15 a.m. Earth Standard Time.'

'Enlisted in Earthforce Defense, 2237.'

Promoted to fighter pilot, 2240.

Promoted again to squad leader less than a year later.

'A career officer, like your father'

and his father and his father.

Smart money said you'd make admiral one day.

So, what happened, commander?

Where did you fall off the merry-go-round?

Go to hell.

I don't have to tell you a thing.

And I'm betting, you don't have a lot of time.

Security's probably turning this place

'upside down looking for me.'

Assuming you're still on Babylon 5.

Assuming we haven't taken you somewhere else.

But you're right, you don't have to tell me anything.

What about someone else?

(Mitchell) 'Hello, commander.'

(Sinclair) 'Mitchell?'

Alpha Leader, you have a Minbari on your tail.

I'm on him. Targeting fighter!

No, Mitchell, stay in formation! It might be a..

Oh, my God. It's a trap! Mitchell!

(Mitchell) 'I've got a clear shot. I could take him, I could take him!'

- 'Break off!' - 'I'm hit! Ejecting!'

[screams]

Why did you do it, commander?

Why did you betray us?

Mitchell's dead.

- This isn't real. - We fought for you.

We fought beside you on the Line.

We swore we would all go down together.

But you're alive.

And we're dead because of you.

It's not true.

I tried to warn you, but you wouldn't listen.

'You never listened.'

- I tried. - What?

- I tried! - Tried to do what, commander?

Afterburners on my mark! Mark!

[intense music]

You tried to ram the Minbari cruiser, is that it?

Yes. It was in my report.

And then what?

I don't remember.

I blacked out.

I've never been able to remember.

You don't want to remember.

You don't want to remember the 24 hours

in which you betrayed your race.

The day you became a traitor! The day you so..

That's enough!

Well, well, looks like the pain is real for both of us.

[instrumental music]

I just heard the news, lieutenant commander.

Is there anything I can do? If the commander is missing--

We're doing everything we can, ambassador.

Have you tried to telepath? Talia Winters.

She's a level P-5, requires close proximity

'or physical contact.'

'She's not trained for search and recover.'

'All we can do is hope for a break.'

- Are you sure you're alright? - Yes!

It's just the way you snapped out of the cybernet.

I'm alright!

He caught me by surprise, that's all.

He's tough.

Breaking him isn't gonna be easy.

What's happening out there?

All I know is what I see on the monitors.

'They're aware the commander is missing'

'and they've launched a full search.'

How long until they hit this sector?

Three, maybe four hours.

He was right, not much time.

- You should rest. - No!

No, we're close. I can feel it.

The more I walk through his mind

the more I'm convinced he's hiding something!

But we have to accelerate the program.

Break his grip on reality. Blur the lines.

I can increase the dosage of metazine another ten percent.

But he might start hallucinating.

Do it.

Then bring up the cyberfield 30 percent

and put me back inside.

(Knight One) 'It's dangerous.'

It could shatter his mind or kill him.

Then he dies.

(man on radio) 'Moving through Blue Sector, continuing search.'

Chief, we've finished Sectors Blue One

through Blue Three, so far nothing.

Work your teams up into smaller units, two men a piece.

We need to cover more ground. Put on everyone you can.

We already have. I even put in Miller and Benson.

Benson? He's a security risk.

We pulled him off active duty pending the investigation.

I know. We checked his files. He's clean.

No debts. He's even got a surplus in his station account.

That's impossible.

I checked the other day, and he was tapped out.

(male #2) 'Ah, see for yourself, he's got 5000 credits in his account.'

Now, yeah, but this wasn't here 24 hours ago.

But check this list of payments.

'There's five grand left in his account'

'after he paid off lots of debts.'

Original deposit was...15,000?

Where does a grunt like Benson get 15 grand?

I don't know.

The deposit clears account at 0300 hours.

And four hours later at 0700, the commander went missing.

Find Benson, bring him here. I wanna ask him some questions.

Right.

[instrumental music]

(Knight Two) 'Increase cyberfield 30 percent.'

'Let's see it, commander. What are you hiding?'

'What happened on the Line? Push, commander.'

'Remember.'

[sighs]

[dramatic music]

What are you doing here?

What do you want?

[echoes] What do you want?

[groans]

You've got to help me.

The whole station's looking for me.

They think I had something to do with the commander--

I don't have time for this.

- I don't care! All I want is-- - 'Ah!'

What the hell was that?

What have you got going on in here anyway?

[machine whirring]

Oh, my God!

Terminate!

[gunshot]

[groaning]

You saw something, didn't you? Just before you blacked out.

I almost saw it with you.

Grey, grey figures.

What does this mean?

When did this happen?

What are you hiding?

I'm not hiding anything.

We all hide things, commander.

That's why we bounced back here again, isn't it?

This is where you hide?

Behind duty and responsibility and obligations.

- Things you'd never understand. - Wrong. You're wrong.

We're both patriots in our own way.

If I fail, more will come after me until the job is finished.

But now it's time, commander.

We're going to find out what else you're hiding.

And we're going to find out now.

[instrumental music]

Where'd you find the body?

Floating outside the Red Sector.

We linked in as soon as we found it.

There's not much left.

It depressurized fast

when it was shoved out into space.

It's Benson alright.

Whoever killed him couldn't have carried the body far

without being noticed.

Tell the search teams to concentrate at Red Sector.

Right.

Commander. Commander Sinclair.

'For the last time'

what happened at the Battle of the Line?

I was trying to ram the Minbari cruiser.

Then something passed in front of my eyes.

I blacked out.

The next thing I know, it's 24 hours later and the war--

The war was over!

The Minbari had surrendered on the eve of their victory.

They gave up. Just like that!

And you expect us to believe

that you slept through the whole thing?

Your ship was off the screens for 24 hours.

You didn't just black out. Your ship disappeared!

The screens malfunctioned. The hearing proved that.

Why are you doing all this?

The Minbari didn't win at the Line, they surrendered.

Precisely my point! They surrendered! Why?

I think they took one look at our defense

and realized what it'd cost them to invade Earth.

Why risk lives in a frontal attack

when they could attack us from within?

But they needed a fifth column. People like you.

Look at Earth, commander.

Alien civilization. Alien migration.

Aliens buying up real estate by the square mile.

Alien funding of Babylon 5.

What they couldn't take by force

they're corrupting inch by inch!

What does that have to do with me?

Nobody wants to die, especially not out there

in the cold space, so you surrendered.

They took you aboard their ship

fixed you some milk and cookies and asked you to work for them

be their eyes, their ears, their voice.

You agreed.

You and God knows how many other people!

And then they let you go.

You're insane. I never betrayed Earth.

How can you be sure? You just said you don't remember!

- Mitchell. What about Mitchell? - That's enough!

You talk about the war

you talk Mitchell and the rest, but you didn't know them.

They were my friends.

I watched them die one by one.

For years afterwards, whenever I saw a Minbari

I had to fight the urge to strangle them

with my bare hands.

All I could see was Mitchell and the rest...dying.

- Dying. - Why?

'Because we were outnumbered and outgunned.'

We never had a chance.

You say we could have won, but you weren't there.

You didn't see them.

When I looked at those ships, I, I didn't just see my death

I saw the death of the whole damn human race.

Then why did they surrender?

I don't know! Maybe the universe blinked.

Maybe God changed his mind.

All I know is that we got a second chance!

And in 10 years, nothing's ever made you doubt your story

that you blacked out, is that it?

No! Nothing.

- Except.. - Except what?

There's a hole in your mind.

What was that, commander?

Come on, you're close.

You're almost there.

What happened that day?

What happened at the Battle of the Line?

Don't you want to know just for yourself?

Don't you want to know?

Yes.

- Yes, I do. - Then go. Look, see.

Now! Now. Now.

(man on radio) 'Alpha 7 to Alpha Leader, I'm hit!'

(Sinclair) 'Pull out! Pull out! Alpha 7!'

He's gone. Picking up enemy transmissions!

Stay in formation. Hold the line!

No one gets through, no matter what.

Understood.

Alpha Leader, you have a Minbari on your tail.

I'm on him. Targeting fighter.

No, Mitchell, stay in formation! It might be a..

Oh, my God. It's a trap! Mitchell!

(Mitchell) 'I've got a clear shot. I could take him. I could take him.'

- 'Break off!' - I'm hit! Ejecting!

[screaming]

[instrumental music]

[zapping]

[explosions]

(computer) '...stabilizers hit. Weapon systems at zero.'

'Defensive grid at zero. Power plant near critical mass..'

Not like this. Not like this.

If I'm going out, I'm taking you bastards with me!

[instrumental music]

Target main cruiser. Set for full velocity ram.

Afterburners on my mark! Mark!

[dramatic music]

[grunts]

[zapping]

[instrumental music]

Why are you doing this?

[indistinct whisper]

[instrumental music]

What do you want?

Why are you doing this? Who are you?

I know you.

I know who you are.

I know you.

[zapping]

[instrumental music]

[groaning]

[machine beeping rapidly]

[screaming]

[grunts]

Minbari broken through. I have to report.

Get back to my ship.

[instrumental music]

Got it? Now, listen to me next time.

No more, huh?

I'm sorry, alright? I didn't mean it.

- Well, just get it done. - Alright.

[music continues]

Commander.

Commander!

[gunshot]

Security to C&C. I found the commander!

I'm following him..

Ah!

(Ivanova) 'Security, this is C&C. Please repeat.'

Security? Where did it come from?

Red Six, level two.

I'm on it.

Commander! Commander Sinclair, please report in.

Commander? Commander Sinclair, please report in.

[indistinct chatter]

[gunfire]

- Look out! - Get down!

What the..

[grunts]

Commander, I..

What the hell? Commander?

- 'Mr. Garibaldi.' - Yeah, go.

We found someone in Red Three.

I think this is where they kept the commander.

Looks like he's been treated with psychotropic drugs.

He may be delusional, confused.

In his present state, he may be considered dangerous.

[gunshot]

Yeah. Yeah, thanks. I kind of got that impression.

Keep me informed. Garibaldi out.

Look.

Ambassador! Stay back!

It's me, commander.

'You're safe.'

No one will harm you.

Stop.

I know.

I know you.

I know who you are.

(Delenn) 'I'm your friend, commander.'

Ambassador Delenn.

Your friend.

No!

I know you.

I know you.

[groans]

Welcome home.

[instrumental music]

- How long have I been out? - About a day.

I managed to flush the rest of those drugs out.

But your system has been through a shock.

- Where's the prisoner? - On his way to Bay 12.

He's being transferred to a shuttle headed for home.

Earth Central exercised jurisdiction.

'They want him back on Earth for trial.'

Why there instead of here?

They say he's part of an organization back home

who's trying to prove collusion between Earth officials

and the Minbari.

There's a rumor it's a covert operation

run from somewhere inside the government.

Well, I don't know what they're gonna get out of him.

When you broke out of the cybernet

you set up a neural feedback charge

that fried most of his memory.

I wanna see him.

- I don't think that's a-- - Now!

Just a sec.

We need the prisoner for a moment.

Alone.

He's all yours.

(Sinclair) 'You never told me your name.'

I don't..

...remember.

You couldn't pull off something this big without help.

Who sent you? Who are you working for?

I can't...help you.

I...don't..

...r-remember a-anything.

It's no use, commander. We've tried.

He's gone. Move him out.

- Commander. - 'Command..'

Commander Sinclair.

There's..

There's something in my head.

It says..

...maybe you're still inside.

Maybe we-we're both still inside.

[instrumental music]

(woman on radio) 'Babylon Control to Prison vessel'

'you're clear for jump.'

Come.

- Commander, you are better? - Yes.

I wanted to thank you for your help.

I was pretty messed up. Delusional.

Strange that seeing you is the only thing snapped me out of it.

I'm glad that I could help.

Now, I suggest rest.

'It will help you heal.'

Commander.

Out of curiosity

do you remember anything from your experience?

No.

Sorry, not a thing.

[instrumental music]

He must never know what happened.

If he should find out he must be killed.

Do you understand, Delenn?

Yes.

Computer.

Personal log entry.

2300 hours.

I remember.

I was..

...taken inside a Minbari cruiser.

Interrogated.

Tortured.

Was that..

...the Grey Council?

Maybe.

Maybe.

Before they surrendered

they must have blanked my memory..

...and let me go.

And Delenn, what was she doing there?

What is it they don't want me to remember?

I have to find out.

I have to.

[instrumental music]