Airdate: January 28, 1998
Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by Janet Greek
Episode #: 90
Production #: 503

Guest stars:

Ambassador Mollari suffers a serious heart attack.

Delenn receives a call from Minbar. A messenger informs Delenn that Lennier has asked for a replacement. Lennier has asked to return home permanently.

In the docking bay, Londo complains to Zack Allen about customs regulations. Londo wants a shipment of beverages to come through, but Zack won't let him have them without the required 3 day impound for health reasons. Londo is enraged, but Vir calms him down and talks to Zack. While Vir and Zack are talking, Londo opens the bottle and takes a drink. Suddenly, he drops the bottle and collapes.

Zack: "Zack to medlab. We've got a medical emergency in impound 31. We need a med team down here stat."

Londo is wheeled into an isolab. Vir believes that Londo was poisoned, and Dr. Franklin prepares to administer treatment. Dr. Franklin wants to know what kind of poison it was, but Vir says he doesn't know. The security office is analyzing the bottle in order to find out what kind of poison may have been used on Londo.

Lennier enters Delenn's quarters and informs her of the day's schedule. Delenn wants to know when Lennier was going to tell her that he was leaving for Minbar.

Lennier: "I wasn't aware they would move so fast. I was going to tell you tonight."

Delenn: "Why?"

Lennier: "Because bad news improves on a good meal. Because you don't. . .I feel that you don't need me here anymore, Delenn."

Delenn: "That's not true."

Lennier: "Yes, it is. You have Sheridan now. He is now your other half. And, I'm in the way. I'm not comfortable here anymore, Delenn. It's not your fault. And it's not his fault.I cannot explain it anymore than that."

Delenn is quite upset, says that Lennier swore himself to her side. Lennier promises to always be there for her, but he has decided to join the Rangers. Lennier wishes to replace Marcus to help things get back to normal. Lennier says he has made his decision, and he will not change his mind. It is the calling of his heart. Delenn seems to accept that.

Zocalo

Vir finds Mr. Garibaldi and asks about Londo's condition. Garibaldi tells him that Londo is in pretty bad shape, may not survive. Vir asks him about the poision.

Garibaldi: "He wasn't poisoned. What he drank had absolutely nothing to do with it. He's had a heart attack. A bad one."

Vir: "Which heart?"

Garibaldi: "The left one."

Medlab

Dr. Franklin explains Londo's condition to Sheridan. He explains that the right heart provides the pumping action for the blood, while the smaller, left heart cleans the blood, much like the human kidney. The left heart has thousands of delicate capillaries, and if Franklin can't repair the damage, Londo will die.

Franklin says that Londo's stress and anxiety has caused the heart attack, and his entire circulatory system has completely shut down. Centauri Prime has sent an artificial replacement heart, but it won't arrive for at least three days. At most, Londo can survive only 24 hours on life support, so he will be dead by the time the heart arrives on station. All of the treatments Dr. Franklin has tried thus far have failed.

Franklin: "Unless I can repair the damage, he'll be dead in 24 hours."

Medlab

Sheridan and Delenn look at Londo in the Medlab. They discuss Londo's history on the station, and say they will be saddened if he dies.

Sheridan: "By the way, I got your message about Lennier. Is there anything I can do to help."

Delenn: "Almost certainly not."

Sheridan: "Is it because of me?"

Delenn: "In part. I think so."

Sheridan: "Yeah, I was afraid of that. As we say back on Earth, three's a crowd."

Delenn: "On Minbar, three is sacred."

Sheridan: "I don't think im ready to handle that one. Delenn, is there any chance you can talk him out of that?"

Delenn: "No, he is following the calling of his heart."

Sheridan says it is getting late, and they both have a long day ahead of them tomorrow. Delenn wonders about Londo, but Sheridan says that if Londo can make it through the night, he will have a good chance to survive. Otherwise, he will probably die.

Delenn: "Good luck, Mollari. Good luck."

In Londo's unconscious state, Londo has a dream. He is in Downbelow. He heard Delenn wish him good luck, and he is trying to find her. He finally sees her, dressed in black, sitting at a table in a small, dark corner.

Delenn: "Please sit."

Londo sits at the table, and sees several cards with pictures of him on them."

Londo: "My future?"

Delenn: "Your past."

Delenn picks up the cards and places them on a small pedestal on the table. Blood begins to ooze out of them.

Delenn: "You're dying, Londo."

Londo: "I know."

Delenn: "Do you want to live?"

Londo: "What difference does it make? Perhaps it is better that way. I have dreamed my own death for twenty years now, you know. Perhaps it is better to die this way, to spite fate."

Delenn: "Do you want to live?"

Londo: "What difference does it make? Is there anyone back home who truly cares whether I live or die?"

Delenn: "Almost certainly not. Do you want to live? I'm not allowed to ask again."

Londo: "Yes, yes I want to live."

Delenn: "That is not enough."

Delenn pick up another card and presents it to Londo. She asks if he can see it.

Londo: "No, it is covered in blood."

Londo wants to know what he is required to do in order to live.

Delenn: "A word."

Delenn will not explain what word he must say in order to live. She points behind Londo. Londo sees a grating in the floor. He opens it, and sees his heart, beating irregularly.

Londo: "I don't understand."

Delenn: "Yes, you do."

Zocalo

Vir sits at a bar, drowning his sorrows in a bottle. Lennier approaches him and sits at the bar. They discuss each other's situations, and the past 5 years on the station. Vir knows that Lennier is leaving to join the Rangers in the morning, and he wants to say goodbye to him. Before Lennier leaves, Vir says he'll catch up with Lennier on his next visit. Vir embraces Lennier, and then they both walk off in separate directions. As Vir enters a transport tube, the entie Zocalo suddenly becomes quiet.

Londo comes out of another corridor and walks to the bar. When he gets to the bar, he finds many bottles, all of which are empty.

Londo: "So, tell me, Sheridan. Did you ever get used to it?"

Sheridan: (dressed in Earthforce uniform) "Used to what?"

Londo: "Being dead."

Sheidan: "I was only dead for a little while, but long enough to know I didn't like it."

Londo laments his previous "deaths:" ignorance of his first wife, family, title and position. He then becomes annoyed that all of the bottles are empty.

Sheridan: "I hear you had a dream once about your own death."

Londo: "Yes, and it is strange that I always had this sense that you were going to be there. That part never made sense, though. It is strange, isn't it? We both know we are dying. Yes, Lorien gave you back your life, but you have less than 20 years."

Sheridan: (dressed in the black uniform) "We're all dying. 20 years, 50 years, 100 years, it doesn't matter. What matters is what we do while we're waiting for that."

Londo: "Well, I haven't done very well in that, have I?"

Sheridan: "No, you haven't."

Londo is annoyed that no one is being charitable today. He doesn't like Sheridan's frank attitude.

Sheridan: (dressed as Ranger One) "There's a time for charity and there's a time for truth. You're almost out of both."

Londo: "Sheridan, I don't want to die."

Sheridan: "Then turn around."

Londo: "No."

Sheridan: "Turn around!"

Londo: "I can't. Don't you understand? I can't."

Sheridan: "Then you will die. Goodbye, Londo. I'll see you soon."

As Sheridan disappears, we see that G'kar is standing behind Londo in the Zocalo. Londo is at the foot of a staircase, and G'kar is at the top.

Medlab

Londo's condition suddenly deteriorates. His lifesigns begin going wild, and Dr. Franklin orders an injection of drugs. The dosage may kill Londo, but there isn't any other choice. A nurse injects Londo directly in the left heart.

In his dream, the room suddenly goes dark and Londo screams in pain. He is writhing in pain from the injection to his heart.

Dr. Franklin monitors Londo's condition. The drugs stabilized his heartbeat, but Londo's condition is so fragile that the drugs may not help for long. The nurse recommends rest, but Dr. Franklin says he couldn't sleep at all anyway at this point. Vir enters and asks about Londo. Dr. Franklin cannot give him an answer.

In his dream, Londo begs the Great Maker to let him live.

Vir: "You're afraid to die."

Londo: "Yes. I don't want to die."

Vir: "Then don't die, Londo."

Londo doesn't know how to live; he doesn't believe he has any choice in the matter. He wants to know what the problem is.

Vir: "What's wrong with you is you. Your heart can no longer bear the weight of your conscience."

Londo: "There's nothing wrong with my conscience."

Vir: "No? Then turn around."

Londo: "Why should I? I saw my death in a dream. I was an old man. How do I know I won't survive this? Perhaps this will pass. This dream is prophecy."

Vir: "Prophecy is a guess that comes true. When it doesn't, it's a metaphor."

Vir explains that Londo's dream may be nothing more than a guess.

Vir: "You're almost out of time, Londo. Turn around."

Londo: "I don't know what he wants from me."

Vir: "Yes, you do. It's what has been eating away at your heart until it could not endure the pain a moment longer. You must let go of this, or you will die alone, here, now."

Londo thinks it may be best if he were to die, but Vir tries to persuade him otherwise. Vir says that Londo is being stubborn. Londo, however, refuses to turn around.

In Medlab, Londo goes into shock. His heart rate accelerates, and Dr. Franklin calls for a trauma team. He is afraid that Londo may die from this.

G'kar: (in Londo's dream) "Now, Mollari, now we end this."

Medlab

Londo convulses as G'kar and Vir sadly observe.

Londo's dream takes him to the throne room on Centauri Prime.

G'kar: "You know this place, don't you?"

Londo: "Yes."

G'kar taunts Londo by sitting in the throne. G'kar knows about Londo's dream of his own death as emperor. G'kar knows Londo doesn't deserve to be emperor. G'kar reminds Londo of the Centauri attack on Narn. The Centauri bombed the Narn world with mass drivers and fusion bombs.

Londo: "I didn't know it was Refa. I said. . . "

G'kar: "You said nothing. You said nothing at all."

Londo remembers the pain of watching the Narns fall. He stumbles to the throne room doors and almost falls. G'kar tells him to look at him. Londo refuses to look. The throne room suddenly turn into Emperor Cartagia's private chambers where G'kar was whipped and beaten the previous year.

G'kar: "You remember this place? I was tortured in this place. I was whipped. Emperor Cartagia wanted me to scream."

Londo: "Yes, and if you did not scream, the 40th stroke would deliver death. Yes, I remember."

Londo remembers watching G'kar suffer. He sees G'kar being whipped by Cartagia's guard. Londo never stopped Cartagia. He allowed G'kar to be whipped and tortured. At the 39th stroke, G'kar screamed and fell unconscious.

G'kar: "One word! One word Mollari!"

Londo never made Cartagia stop beating G'kar. Londo never stopped Refa from nearly destroying the Narn homeworld. Londo was a witness to the horrors, and G'kar knows he never tried to stop them from happening.

Londo: "There must be something I can do."

G'kar: "Only a word was required the first time you stood here. Only a word is requred now."

Londo: "No! No!"

Londo is tied to the same post that G'kar was bound to.

G'kar: "Only one word. I want to here it."

In Medlab, Londo goes into cardiac arrest. Franklin clears the area and prepares to administer emergency procedures on Londo.

In his dream, the Centauri guard begins to whip Londo. Londo is in great pain, but refuses to scream.

The medical instruments in Medlab flatline as Londo's heart stops beating.

G'kar counts 39 strokes with the whip before Londo screams and falls unconscious. G'kar is appeased by his scream.

In Medlab, Londo's condition stabilizes and his heart resumes a slow beat.

Franklin: "Come on Londo! Don't you die on me!"

Londo: "I don't want to die. I don't want to die!"

G'kar keeps persisting that Londo must speak only one word, and he can live. Londo stands ashamed. G'kar says he represents Londo's conscience. The only way he could get Londo's attention was to strike him down in the last place where he is still vulnerable.

Londo: "Why?"

G'kar: "You say you've changed. But you're not sorry for what you did! You're sorry that you almost got caught! That you almost destroyed your homeworld! That's all you're sorry for!"

Londo: "That's not true."

G'kar: "Then prove it. It only requires one word."

Londo: "I've never apologized for anything in my life."

G'kar refuses to accept Londo's stubbornness. G'kar keeps persisting that Londo has only to apologize, and he will be allowed to live. Londo finally gives in.

Londo: "I'm sorry!! I'm sorry!!"

The medical instruments finally indicate that Londo's condition is stable, and his hearts are functioning properly. Londo wakes up and sees G'kar standing at his side.

Londo: "I'm sorry, G'kar. I'm sorry."

G'kar, seeming to know what Londo is referring to, seems to accept what Londo says to him. Contented with Londo's apology, G'kar leaves Medlab.

Medlab

Vir visits Londo, who has been moved to an observation room.

Londo: "They call this food? Even a Pak'ma'rah wouldn't eat this."

Vir: "You're going to have to change your diet, Londo. And you're going to have to cut back on the stress."

Londo:"Yes, well that doesn't seem very likely while I am still here. And if I go home, there is even more stress."

Vir takes this, and decides to allow Londo to get some rest.

Londo asks Vir about an old story. He says that in ancient texts, if a Centauri spirit is born into a body unworthy of it, the spirit and body fight. The spirit must try to break free of the body. There are two possible outcomes: the body either dies, or the person who is possessed by the spirit is changed forever. Vir tells him the rest of the story, and then leaves.

Docking Bay

Lennier waits alone in the bay for the Rangers. They quietly arrive and stand in formation. Delenn enters and asks Lennier why he didn't say goodbye. Lennier says that he will never leave Delenn, so there is no reason to say goodbye. He leaves with the Rangers as Sheridan enters. He and Delenn walk off together.

Plot Points

• Londo's apology to G'kar is the first time he's ever apologized for anything in his life
• Lennier, believing that "three's a crowd" has left Sheridan and Delenn to go join the Rangers
• Londo's heart attack was a result of his stress and anxiety, as well as an unhealthy diet. Vir, however, in Londo's dream, sees the attack as Londo's conscience trying to manifest itself
• Londo claims to believe that Sheridan will be present at his death. This is consisent with what is stated in In the Beginning.

Unanswered Questions

• When Londo apologized to G'kar, G'kar seemed to know exactly what Londo meant. Did he have some sort of presence in Londo's dream for real, perhaps an aftereffect of his experience with dust? (the drug)
• Was Lennier truly following the calling of his heart? Will he perhaps try to put himself in a position in which he may be killed?
• Could Delenn have stopped the Rangers from accepting Lennier?

Analysis

• Sheridan at one point wears a robe that indicates he is Ranger One. This is consistent with Zathras' prediction that Sheridan in "The One Who Will Be" in War Without End.
• The questions asked Londo: "Do you want to live?" parallels Lorien's question to Sheridan: "Do you have anything worth living for?"
• Lennier has joined the Rangers because he says that he is in the way. He may also be attempting to replace Marcus by placing himself as the Ranger permanently assigned to Babylon 5.

Notes

• The only time Londo has ever apologized for anything before was when he got caught doing something, though he was not necessarily sorry for doing so. An example of this is the episode The Geometry of Shadows, in which he apologizes to the Technomage Elric for trying to covertly record a conversation. He was not sorry for doing so, only sorry for being caught in the act.
• It is interesting that Londo has never previously heard the story Vir told him. (in which a spirit can kill or permantently change a body that is unworthy of its presence) If the story is true of Londo's situation, perhaps the "evil" person can never be told until after they are changed by their spirit.