“Geometry of Shadows” is episode three of season two of Babylon 5.
Garibaldi is in med lab being examined by Dr. Franklin. The doctor is probing Garibaldi’s scar, asking if it hurts. He says he doesn’t feel a thing. So Franklin does something painful to the scar. The doctor says he cannot fill out an honest evaluation without Garibaldi’s cooperation, and he’s being cranky and difficult.
Dr. Franklin says that Garibaldi can go back to work in the next day or so. The chief says he want to check with Sheridan first, to see if the new captain wants him. Plus, everyone wanted Sinclair out and now there’s been a change in command. Garibaldi could trust Sinclair; he doesn’t know if he can trust Sheridan yet.
Franklin noticed that Garibaldi didn’t seem that enthusiastic about going back to work. Garibaldi says that he was shot in the back by his own second in command, and what use is a security chief who can’t see something like that? Garibaldi doesn’t know if he’s any use, and asks himself what qualifies him to do the job. Currently, he has no answer.
Londo is meeting with another Centauri, Lord Refa, in his quarters. Refa says that the Centauri had been watching the Narn build-up in Quadrant 37 and, when Londo said he would take care of the problem, it was believed absurd. Then the Narn base was destroyed. Refa says he would be interested to know how this was accomplished. Londo agrees that he would.
Lord Refa is pleased that the Centauri Republic has been saved from another embarrassing surrender by their idiot emperor. Refa is also impressed that Londo was able to assemble a strike force without anyone knowing. He says that they need more people like Ambassador Mollari. For the emperor is old, sick and frightened, and with the death of his son, there is a vacancy in the line of succession. When the time comes, Refa and his associates plan to fill the void. Londo says that such talk could be considered treason; Refa says it could be considered the first step in restoring their peoples’ rightful place in the galaxy. It will depend on who writes the histories, and Refa says it will be them.
Elsewhere, the Drazi are wandering around wearing two different colours of scarves, green and purple. The greens and the purples start a brawl.
Londo is seeing Lord Refa off, when he sees what he calls a techno-mage, and one that looks like a human. Londo tells Vir that techno-mages used to be common on the Centuari homeworld, and they use technology to achieve the effect of magic. Techno-mages don’t travel much and don’t like to leave their places of power. To see one is rare; to see more is a bad omen. There are three techno-mages arriving on the station.
Sheridan asks Ivanova about what is happening with the Drazi. It seems that once every five years, the Drazi split into two camps, who then fight it out to determine who will be dominant for the next five years. Then they go quiet again. Sheridan says that it is time for Ivanova to start learning the fine art of diplomacy (not something that immediately springs to mind when considering her) as this is a part of any promotion. For Sheridan has got Ivanova promoted to commander. Her first task is to seek a peaceful solution to the Drazi problem.
Londo asks Vir whether he believes in fate. After a rather confusing and long-winded explanation, Londo asks for a simple yes or no answer. The answer is yes. Londo tells Vir that, before the first emperor of the Centauri Republic took the throne, he consulted three techno-mages. So Londo wants Vir to arrange a meeting with the techno-mages.
Sheridan speaks to Garibaldi and tells him that he would like Garibaldi to stay on as security chief, if he wants the job. Ivanova arranges a meeting with the Drazi factions. She wants to know what the difference is. The difference is that one is green and one is purple. This is not helpful. The factions are also selected randomly, as are the leaders. Whilst attempting to grasp this, admittedly nonsensical-sounding behaviour, Ivanova manages to start a riot in which she gets injured.
Vir gets to see a techno-mage, but there are many more than three on the station. The one that Vir speaks to, Elric, has no interest in speaking to Londo, and says that they are all leaving. He also tells Vir that there is an old saying, ‘Do not try the patience of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to answer.’ If that’s sounds familiar, it’s because it’s a paraphrase of a line from J.R.R. Tolkien‘s The Fellowship of the Ring.
The Drazi situation is getting worse and Ivanova’s preferred diplomatic solution would be to fire them all into the sun. Not exactly the best solution. A better one needs to be found. Londo still wants to see the techno-mages, and drags an unwitting Sheridan in. Which ends up backfiring on Mollari and results in a discussion on magic between Elric and Sheridan. Elric warns the captain that there is a storm coming.
Garibaldi does find that he still has a use and Londo eventually gets to speak to a techno-mage in person. What he hears is perhaps not what he would have liked to hear.