Babylon 5: The Gathering

I was there at the dawn of the third age of mankind.

It began in the Earth year 2257...

...with the founding of the last of the Babylon stations...

...located deep in neutral space.

It was a port of call for refugees...

...smugglers, businessmen...

...diplomats and travelers from a hundred worlds.

It could be a dangerous place...

...but we accepted the risk because Babylon 5...

...was our last, best hope for peace.

Babylon 5 was a dream given form.

A dream of a galaxy without war...

...where species from different worlds could live side by side in mutual respect.

Babylon 5 was the last of the Babylon stations.

This is its story.

Confirmed, Delta-Gamma Nine, you are clear for docking.

Please surrender control of your vessel to central computer, on my mark.

Mark.

Bring her in. Approach vector 557.

Vector 557.

Final approach to Docking Bay 12B.

- Garibaldi, what's up? - I'm looking for the Commander.

We've got someone in Bay 12 needs his personal clearance to board.

I tracked him down. Last I heard, he was checking out a tourist problem.

And no, I don't know what he meant, so don't ask.

I just hope it works out better than the last one.

I wouldn't.

You know the rules about crossing species.

Stick with the list.

- What are you? A bigot or something? - No. But...

...obviously you've never met an Arnasian before.

After they finish, they eat their mate.

United Spaceways Transport, Delta-Gamma Nine...

...now docking in Bay 7.

Earth Alliance passenger Varner, cleared for entry.

That's him.

Commander Sinclair. Lyta Alexander.

A pleasure.

Welcome to Babylon 5.

It's about time Earth Central sent us a telepath.

Can I see your...

...identicard?

Everything seems to be in order.

Thanks.

It's dust all right.

Okay, we do this quiet and by the numbers.

The rules are simple: No unauthorized mind-scans...

...and log all business dealings you're hired to monitor.

You're cleared for access to the casino, but gambling is strictly off-limits.

Excuse me. Can I speak to you for a moment?

Besides, gambling's never interested me-

Shut up. Stay back.

Stay back, or I'll kill her. Do you hear me?

Wait here.

- What have we got? - Dust dealer.

Trying to smuggle the stuff in here.

- Do you think we can take him out? - No, someone will get hurt in the crossfire.

I'll talk to him, but get a backup team outside, stat.

I'm coming out.

I'm unarmed.

Put the gun down.

This isn't going to work.

There's only one way in or out of Babylon 5, back the way you came.

You get past me, where do you go then?

You made a mistake.

But no one's been hurt yet.

Let her go and I'll guarantee you safe passage off this station.

- Why should I trust you? - Because I gave you my word.

And because, right now, five marksmen are taking position outside.

Take her out of here and they'll burn you to the ground.

It's your choice.

See that he gets to his ship, Garibaldi.

And two things. One: No weapons or dust...

...allowed on Babylon 5. Two: We've logged your ship's ID.

If you come within 50 clicks of this station again...

...we'll blow you out of the sky.

Come on, I'll show you to your quarters.

Lieutenant Commander Takashima...

...the supply ship sent by my government is not being allowed to dock.

That's correct. They won't submit to a weapons search.

- This is outrageous! - You know the regs, Ambassador G'Kar.

Scanning is the only way to make sure no weapons get on board.

Except those belonging to the Earth Alliance, of course.

The Narn regime is dedicated to peace.

In that case, being the peace-loving Narns we've all come to know and love...

...except for a few planets out on the fringe who say you've invaded them...

...they shouldn't mind being scanned, should they?

This will, of course, be reported to the highest authority.

Fair enough.

As far as I'm concerned, they can sit out there for the next solar year.

If it makes you feel any better, I could send them a fruit basket.

Your quarters are in Red 5. We can cut through the Alien sector here.

Are you set?

Follow me.

Since Babylon 5 functions mainly as a free port...

...our living quarters are set up to handle every possible form of life.

We can customize the atmosphere...

...even adjust the rotation of some sectors to vary the gravity.

Very impressive.

I've heard that all four alien governments have ambassadors here.

Almost. The fourth arrives in two days.

They work as an advisory council, like the UN on Earth...

...before it was dissolved.

Your quarters are that way. Turn to the right.

Good luck.

One last thing, Commander.

Why is it called Babylon 5?

Babylons 1, 2 and 3 were sabotaged and destroyed.

Number 4 vanished without a trace 24 hours after becoming operational.

To this day, no one knows what happened to it.

Swell.

We've been out of contact with Ambassador Kosh since his ship left...

...Vorlon space eight days ago.

Based on his last-known position...

...he should be here in 48 hours.

You spoke to him?

Video or audio?

Audio only. He said he was having problems with the vid.

Mysterious as ever.

Security analysis?

Inconclusive.

Earth Central sent me everything they have on the Vorlons, and it's not much.

To date, no human has ever seen a Vorlon.

- What about medical? - The same.

Their diplomatic office sent me just enough data...

...for the environmental control and no more.

Bio-maintenance here is still adjusting the atmosphere for his living quarters.

Pretty thick stuff.

High levels of methane, sulfur...

...CO2.

What about their psychology? Customs? Social order?

How far do they go on the first date?

We'll play it by ear.

When Ambassador Kosh arrives, we'll have representatives...

...from all four of the major alien governments on board.

This is what we've been working toward from day one.

Let's not mess it up now.

Yes.

Message, Commander. Ambassador Delenn needs to see you.

She says she's in the garden.

On my way.

Now entering Green Level. Please standby.

Ambassador Delenn.

I've seen you here before.

Almost every other day.

If you don't mind my asking, what-

Notice the waves, each moving in its own order.

Predictable.

Unchanging.

But drop in a single stone and see how the pattern changes.

Everything around it is altered.

This is from your world?

It's a Japanese stone garden.

Since we need so much land for hydroponic crops...

...and oxygen reclamation, setting this aside was tough.

One of the designers called it "a pool for Zen skinny-dipping."

All you can do is think about doing it.

I am glad it is here.

On my world there are books...

...thousands of pages, about the power of one mind...

...to change the universe.

But none say it as clearly as this.

In two days, Ambassador Kosh arrives.

I look forward to meeting a Vorlon.

I've heard much about them that is strange.

Such as?

Do you not have files on the Vorlons?

Absolutely.

Very large files.

There's nothing in them, of course.

How much do you have?

More than you, it would seem.

Naturally, it's all classified.

Naturally.

Here is a copy of everything I have.

It may be of use.

If anyone asks, say it fell from the sky.

I imagine I will be quite astonished by this breech of security.

Why?

The war between us has been over for almost 10 years...

...but there are still people on either side who'd hang both of us...

...for this kind of- - Commander...

...you know everything about your stone garden...

...but clearly...

...you have not spent nearly enough time looking at it.

Good day.

- What is it? - We've got an energy surge at jump point.

There aren't any more ships due until...

Put it on screen.

Vortex active. Confirm incoming ship.

Damn. That's a Vorlon ship, all right.

Ambassador Kosh. Two days early. I knew he'd pull something like this.

Security isn't ready, we're not in place...

...all because he wants to play mysterious and catch us off guard.

Get me the Commander. Fast. And let's hope nothing else goes wrong.

- About time. - Sorry. I was delayed.

Patch incoming signal. Full audio and video decode.

- Hi. - Hi.

I thought you weren't due back for another week?

Yeah. Haggling with the Centauri is always a slow process.