RETROSPECULATIVE TV: Babylon 5: “All Alone in the Night” (Season 2, Episode 11)

It’s now June 2259, and Sheridan has been on the station six months. He’s expecting General Hague to make a low-profile visit to the station, but even so he’s getting antsy. When Invonova reports some odd appearances and disappearances on the fringes of the shipping lanes, he jumps at the chance to get in a little flight time, and heads out with some of Zeta squadron.

Meanwhile, Delenn prepares to leave the station, possibly for the last time. She mentions that “Now that a new leader has been selected,“ they’ve decided to review her performance. Her unauthorized transformation has left her in disfavor with the Grey council, and she is feeling scared, alone, and unloved. Lennier decides to go with her, just to keep her spirits up, even though there’s no particular reason nor protocol to do so. “I am committed to you. Where you walk, I will walk.”
“Lannier, have I ever told you how much I appreciate you?”
“No. But it will give us much to discuss on our trip.”

We’re briefly introduced to a new, random pilot-of-the-week (NOT Keffer!) in a funny heated argument between said pilot (Ramirez), Dr. Franklin, and Garibaldi, about the 2259 World’s Series. Ramirez is from Mars, and points out that they lead the leagues in home runs. Franklin points out that it’s only a technicality that allows this, and got them into the series anyway: Mars gravity is much lower than Earth Standard, so the ball goes faster and further. “When they get to playing in earth gravity, Helen Keller would be able to bat better.” Ramirez gets a call to fly, and heads out.

Garibaldi: “Helen Keller?”
Franklin: “I got excited.”
Garibaldi: “Ouch.”

Delenn and Lennier get to the Grey Council ship. Meanwhile, Sheridan’s squadron is attacked by a creepy asymmetrical alien vehicle that looks kind of like a digestive tract. It makes short work of the fighters, and captures Sheridan. The only other fighter that survives is - naturally - Ramirez, but he’s badly damaged and quickly realizes he’s already taken a fatal dose of radiation. He heads back to the station to warn them what happened.

On the Grey Council Ship (Which I believe is called “The Grey Star” but I’m never sure of that), Delenn is informed by Hedronn (Last seen in “Points of Departure,” the season premier) and informs her that the council have judged her in absentia and booted her from the council. This is strictly speaking against the rules, but given that she’s no longer strictly-speaking Minbari, they don’t see as how it matters. She asks if she can keep her job as Ambasador on B5 - originally this was simply a cover for her to keep the eyes of the council close to Sinclair, but it’s proven to be an important job in its own right. Hedronn agrees to convene the council to decide this, and allow her to make her case.

Sheridan wakes up strapped to an icky-looking organic table, and is tortured by various nasty pointy slicey probey things that descend from the ceiling. After he blacks out, his restraints are released, and a metal pipe drops to the floor. A Drazzi appears with a techno-organic looking dingus on his head, and attacks Sheridan with the pipe. They fight, with Sheridan attempting to talk his way out of it, but he inadvertently kills the alien. The Drazi’s body disappears. Before he can relax, a Narn appears - Ta’Lon - who attacks Sheridan with a sword. Sheridan only has the pipe. Ta’Lon has a techno-dingus on his head as well, and is screaming “Kill me” in English.

Sheridan eventually manages to disable Ta’Lon, but both are injured in the fight.

The Grey Council convenes. Normally it’s three groups of three representatives from each of the social castes: Worker, Warrior, and Religious. Delenn was one of the religious satides, or leaders. Her now-vacant post has been given to Neroon (Last seen in “Legacies” back in Season 1). Thus the Warrior Caste has 4 seats, worker has 3 and Religious has 2. This is the first time the council has been unbalanced since Valen founded it 1000 years ago. Delenn expresses outrage at this, but Neroon just scoffs. “Why not? We’re the ones sent to fight and die in your wars. When I joined this council and I found out why we had been told to surrender to the humans, I didn’t know whether to laugh or weep. But had we known the reason then, we would not have surrendered.” He tells Delenn that she’s