Original Airdate: March 9, 1994 Written by D. C. Fontana Directed by Richard Compton Episode #: 7 Production #: 107
Guest stars: Nancy Lee Grahn as Shaal Mayan. Danica McKellar as Aria Tensus. Rodney Eastman as Kiron Maray. Tristan Rogers as Malcolm Biggs. Michael Paul Chan as Roberts.
A Minbari poet and a young Centauri couple are attacked by a group of fanatic humans called the Home Guard. The Home Guard, an isolationist cult, wants to purge Earth and its associated colonies of all alien influence.
A group of racial fanatics known as the Home Guard is attacking prominent aliens aboard Babylon 5, the gigantic peacekeeping space station. When the resident alien ambassadors demand that the fanatics be arrested, Station Commander Jeffrey Sinclair and Security Chief Michael Garibaldi assure them that the crimes are being investigated.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Commander Susan Ivanova meets arriving passenger Malcolm Biggs (TRISTAN ROGERS), a special lover whom she hasn't seen in eight years. Malcolm claims he wants to renew their romance. He rents office space aboard Babylon 5 to begin a new business and be near Ivanova. While she appreciates his attentions, Ivanova warns him that she's dedicated to her duties as an officer.
Two other passengers, Kiron Maray (RODNEY EASTMAN) and Aria Tensus (DANICA McKELLAR), a young Centauri couple, are forcibly escorted by security guards to the office of their alien ambassador, Londo Mollari. Refusing to obey the ancient tradition of their race and submit to the prearranged marriages to wealthy nobles selected by their parents, the young lovers stole Centauri credit cards and fled from their planet, hoping to marry each other and start a new life on Babylon 5.
Londo explains that love has no purpose in marriage, but Vir Cotto, his inept assistant and Kiron's cousin, boldly condemns the old tradition, citing Londo's own unhappiness with his three ugly prearranged wives. Reluctantly agreeing with Vir, Londo arranges for Kiron and Aria to live with an influential foster family who will thoroughly teach them Centauri traditions, then marry them "for love" if they still wish it.
As the racial attacks continue, Sinclair and Garibaldi learn that Malcolm is the secret Home Guard organizer. They persuade a shocked Ivanova to help them entrap Malcolm and his unknown compatriots. Pretending to secretly hate all aliens, Sinclair and Ivanova convince Malcolm of their bigotry. As Malcolm tests their loyalty by ordering Sinclair to kill a captive alien, Garibaldi traces their rendezvous with his security monitors and the Home Guard terrorists are arrested.
Ivanova, seeing Malcolm led away in shackles, says good-bye for the last time. She tells Malcolm that the aliens he hates and fears are often much more admirable than people like himself.
