Shadow Dance

[Int. shot, Mordred Bridge.]
Rick Well, how are we doing?
Max We'll miss the station, if that's what you're worried about. We'll even make it into orbit, but we won't be able to break out of it until we get the main engines repaired.
Rick What about the Invid?
Max Good question. Linerva?
Linerva They are also achieving orbit, about a quarter radii behind us. Looks like they're also having trouble with their engines - they're all outside pushing their ship.
Max Why didn't we think of that?
Rick The Qistra-Hesp blown up, the Dephinar right on our tail, and here we are with our ship almost powerless.
Max Still, it could be worse.
Rick Oh yes? How?
[Ext. shot, Jump gate. Freight ship appears, pursued by fighters. The fighters are firing at the freighter.]
[Opening sequence music.]
Ivanova (VO) The Babylon Project was our last, best hope for peace. It failed. But, in the Year of the Shadow War, it became something greater: our last, best hope for... victory. The year is 2260. The place: Babylon 5.
[Opening sequence.]
[Int. shot, Babylon 5 C&C.]
Title Shadow Dance.
Sheridan What the hell...?
Ivanova We have pirates on our hands!
Sheridan Launch Zeta Wing! Move all other traffic out of the area!
[Magiso's face appears on a vid-screen.]
Magiso Is this how you honour your word?
Sheridan Kalidar Magiso, I promise you we had nothing to do with this. Move out of the area and we will take care of matters.
Magiso We are Zentraedi. We do not run from a fight.
[Ext. shot, Babylon-5 station. A wing of StarFuries is coming out and heading towards the battered freighter. A squad of Quedlunn-rau overtake them and engage the pirate ships, neatly destroying them in a few seconds with concentrated burst of firepower.]
[Int. shot, Babylon-5 C&C.]
Magiso As you can see, commander, we are quite capable of taking care of ourselves. Magiso out.
Ivanova Now there's someone I'd hate to meet in an asteroid belt during an eclipse.
Sheridan The feeling's shared. How's the freighter?
NBE Badly damaged, but still capable of maneouvering. We're bringing it straight into the repair bays for docking. Commander? The ship's captain requests to see you. He says he's got a package for you.
Sheridan Does he now? Inform the captain that I will be with him as soon as I can. Ivanova, what's the status on the other two ships?
Ivanova The blue ship - the Mordred according to its markings - is achieving final orbit around the planet. The red clamship is also in orbit, but on the other side from the Mordred. I'd say our newcomers don't trust one another.
Sheridan The way things have been going on this station lately, I guess they'll fit right in then. I want you to send out a ship to collect what's left of those pirates. This is the first time in a long while we've had pirate trouble, and I want to know who they are. If anybody wants me, I'll be picking up that package from the freighter's captain.
[Int. shot, Mordred Bridge.]
Max Status?
Bernard All sections report nominal. Repairs are under way. However, we have virtually no reaction mass left for the thrusters.
Max Weapons?
Bernard 65% operative.
Srepde Most Veritechs will need repairs of one sort or another, but we have 76% of our forces operational at this time.
Rick How about a way of getting us back home?
Bron Well, the ship's fold-computer should still have the parameters of this jump. We can only guess at what happened just before we folded, though. It might take some time before we find a way of even knowing where home is.
Max Then get on it right now. O'Celc, open a line to the Invid commander. I want to know where we stand here.
O'Celc Invid commander on line.
[Phsaq appears on a holobeam.]
Phsaq You wished to converse, captain?
Max Commander Phsaq, I trust your ship has not suffered too much from the unexpected fold?
Phsaq Captain, surely you do not expect me to answer such a question from an enemy?
Max Then let me lay the cards on the table. You're stuck here just as much as we are. And as are the Zentraedi. What good can come out of our fighting one another?
Phsaq You speak the truth. It is useless for us to fight in our current predicament. You are suggesting a truce?
Max Until such a time as we get back to our own universe, yes. After that, it's up to you.
Phsaq And the Zentraedi Meltran?
Max I will offer them the same deal as soon as we can contact them.
Phsaq Then I agree, captain. A truce now exist between our ships. Phsaq out.
Rick Well, he sure was in a hurry to go.
[Int. shot, Dephinar bridge.]
Phsaq Brain...
Brain Yes, commander.
Phsaq Access exo-sociological data banks - terran customs. Explain to me what cards and tables have to do with our present situation.
[int. shot, Ambassador Mollari's quarters. There is a knock on the door.]
Londo Enter!
[Door opens, revealing Morden.]
Morden You wished to speak to me?
Londo Yes. There are three ships outside this station-
Morden Two, ambassador. One of them self-destructed.
Londo Did it indeed? How unfortunate. The other two ships will have achieved orbit by now.
Morden Almost certainly.
Londo Those ships appeared without a jump-point. Did you know that?
Morden I was not aware of this, no. And your interest in this?
Londo Think about it - a new way of travelling long distance. The heights the Centauri Republic would rise to if it were capable of getting its hands on this technology. We'd be able to mount surprise attacks on any outpost - maybe even worlds. But to do this, we'd need their ships to... disappear.
Morden And the crew?
Londo I'm sure the Centauri Republic would gladly extent to them the help they extended to the Narn in their time of need.
Morden An interesting proposition, ambassador. I will let you know our answer before tomorrow.
[Morden exits. Londo pours himself a drink.]
Londo To the inevitable, and unstoppable, rise of the new Centauri Empire.
[ TO BE CONTINUED ]

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