Original Airdate: May 11, 1994 Written by Kathryn Drennan Directed by Jim Johnston Episode #: 12 Production #: 114
Guest stars: John Snyder as Orin Zento. Katy Boyer as Neeoma Connoly. Aki Aleong as Senator Hidoshi.
The dock workers aboard Babylon 5 go on strike after the death of a worker. Londo steals a Narn religous icon, and G'kar demands its return.
A tragic accident occurs in one of the overcrowded loading docks on Babylon 5, the huge intergalactic space station. A computer control error causes a Narn transport ship to crash against the dock, damaging the structure and killing a worker. The dead man's brother, dock chief Eduardo Delvientos (JOSE REY), blames the death on obsolete equipment and the terrible working conditions imposed by the Earth Alliance Senate. Neooma Connally (KATY BOYER), the union worker's representative, confronts station commander Jeffrey Sinclair (MICHAEL O'HARE). She demands better wages, equipment and work schedules.
Among the cargo destroyed in the accident is a G'Quan Eth, a rare flower being shipped to G'Kar (ANDREAS KATSULAS), the Narn ambassador stationed aboard Babylon 5. G'Kar is desperate to find another G'Quan Eth before the hour when sunlight strikes a sacred mountain on his homeworld and all devout Narns must perform a religious ritual with the flower. Unfortunately, the only other G'Quan Eth on Babylon 5 belongs to G'Kar's spiteful rival, Centauri ambassador Londo Mollari (PETER JURASIK), who stole it from Narn to enjoy its powers as a drug.
Londo refuses to sell the flower, so G'Kar vengefully orders his attaché, Na'Toth (CAITLIN BROWN), to steal a sacred stature from the Centauri cultural center. This spiteful battle continues until the moment for G'Kar's ritual passes. Finally Commander Sinclair convinces Londo to sell the flower. He also convinces G'Kar that because of the vast distance between Narn and Babylon 5, the sunlight that struck the sacred mountain won't arrive at the space station for several hours. Impressed by Sinclair's logic, G'Kar happily prepares for his ritual with the G'Quan Eth.
Reluctantly obeying the wishes of the Senate, Sinclair refuses to address the union's problems. Connally orders her workers to desert their shifts. Dozens of cargo ships wait to be unloaded at the empty docks. The Senate immediately send Orin Zento (JOHN SNYDER), a callous labor negotiator, to Babylon 5 to resolve the conflict.
When talks between Zento and Connally fail to satisfy the workers, Zento produces a special military order to force them back to work. The worked riot, clashing with Babylon 5's security force, led by security chief Michael Garibaldi (JERRY DOYLE). Many people are injured before Sinclair, opposing Zento's tactics, takes commands, Under the authority of the military order, Sinclair directs over a million credits from the station's military budget for immediate wage increases and equipment repair. He also pardons the rebellious union workers.
Outraged by Sinclair's political betrayal, Zento returns to the Senate. He condemns Sinclair's actions and questions his loyalty to the Earth Alliance. Though peace returns to Babylon 5, Sinclair realizes that he's possible jeopardized his career by defying the powerful politicians on Earth.
