Ivanova: "Recommend we dispatch a Fighter Wing to meet the Azimov then escort her back here. The potential combat situation requires the presence of at least one command officer."
Sinclair: "Is Garibaldi available?"
Ivanova [somewhat annoyed]: "I suppose."
Sinclair: "What?"
Ivanova [still annoyed]: "Nothing. I certainly have plenty of things to occupy myself here. Yes sir. I think I'll jut walk to and fro for a while, maybe over to my console. After that maybe I'll try pacing fro and to for the kick of it. Oh, and there's the view, of course. But that is not quite the same as if you're outside... to someone who's got over 100 hours of flying experience."
Sinclair: "If you'd rather..."
Ivanova: "NO, no, no. That's OK. It's fine. Don't worry about me. I'm just gonna sit here and knit something... maybe a nice sweater... some socks [big sigh]. Does the term Stir Crazy ring a bell, Commander?"
Sinclair: "I have an idea, Lieutenant Commander. Why don't you take out the Fighter Wing and escort the Azimov back to base?"
Ivanova [slight grin]: "Well, if you insist, sir."
M'ola: "If it were your child, or even you yourself, how would you feel if the doctor of Babylon 5 wanted to perform an unwelcome prodedure on you?"
Kosh: "The avalanche has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote."
Delenn: "We, Minbari, have our own relationship with the larger domains of the universe. Matters of the soul are very private, very personal to us. We have suffered the interference of others in this area, and are thus ourselves forbidden to interfere in matters such as this."
M'ola: "You are refusing because of your beliefs?"
Tharg: "We thought the Minbari were the most intelligent of all races."
M'ola: "We are only trying to save our child."
Delenn: "That is also what Dr. Franklin believes he's doing. Who's belief is correct? And how do we prove it? [pause] No. On this issue the Minbari cannot take sides."
Franklin: "Commander, those parents are willing to see their son die because of their religion. Now you can't expect me to sit here and do nothing. May god save us from false religion."
Sinclair: "What makes a religion false? If any religion is right then maybe they all have to be right. Maybe God doesn't care how you say your prayers just as long as you say them."
Franklin: "What if there's no God at all?"
Sinclair: "Is that what you believe?"
Franklin: "I believe in saving lives. Without life the question is meaningless."
Sinclair: "But life has to be more than just a pulse beat. What we hold sacred gives our life meaning. What are we taking away from this child?"
Franklin: "That's a question we can worry about after the operation."
Sinclair: "Are you absolutely certain this is the only way to save the boy?"
Franklin: "Yes."
Sinclair: "It only makes the decision harder. [long pause] I have to refuse to sign the order. I can't allow you to perform the operation."
Franklin [dismayed]: "What?"
[walking in Blue sector]Sinclair: "If it were just me I would have signed the order in the first place. But if the Commander of Babylon 5 starts overruling individual beliefs just because they violate his beliefs, we'll be setting a dangerous precedent. It establishes that the concerns of other races will be set aside whenever it's convenient for Earth."
Franklin: "That's not what you said when Ambassador Kosh was on the table."
Sinclair: "Operating on Kosh was the camel's nose in the tent. Operating on Shon will be the rest of the camel. I have to draw the line somewhere. I have to honor the beliefs of the parents, otherwise Babylon 5's charter will be compromised. And the station's ability to function as an independent meeting place for all the different races in the galaxy will be destroyed."
Franklin: "You're just gonna let him die."
Sinclair: "For God's sake, doctor! Do you think I wanna do this? I have no more choice here than anyone else. I have to be the advocate for the parents because no one else will."
Babylon 5 characters, names, and all related indicia are trademarks of Time Warner Entertainment Co., LP. ©1997 Time Warner Entertainment Co., LP. All Rights Reserved.