“GROPOS” is episode ten of season two of Babylon 5.
Ivanova is in charge of C&C saying that there is no traffic, no complaints and no noise. Which is why she loves this time of night. Although it’s pointed out to her that it’s not actually night. Then she gets informed that the jump gate is activating and six ships are coming through. They are all Earthforce, and submit a docking request.
Sheridan arrives to greet the commander of the incoming forces, General Richard Franklin of the 356th Infantry Division. Sheridan apologises for being late, but he didn’t know that the general was coming. General Franklin replies that his mission is classified, and that he needs billets for 25,000 troops. Sheridan tells the general that they don’t have nearly enough billets for that many, but he’s told to find them. The general will be here for a few days and he doesn’t want his troops spending that time on the transports. Sheridan inquires if the general is related to Dr. Franklin, and indeed he is – the general is the doctor’s father. Sheridan says that he’ll inform the doctor that his father has arrived, but General Franklin says that he will attend to it. The impression is given that the relationship between father and son is not all it could be.
Garibaldi meets Ivanova as she’s trying to cope with the huge influx of troops. The commander wants the chief to seal the area off. Afterwards, Sheridan is informed that they are still 400 billets short and that their docking schedule has gone to pieces. Garibaldi is concerned about the amount of problems that that many ground pounders will cause and Sheridan tells him to make certain parts of the recreational areas off limits and to post extra security. Which the chief has already done, although he doesn’t think it will do much good. Garibaldi thinks that someone in Earth Dome has gone completely mental. Which General Franklin overhears. He apparently knew the chief’s father, who he thought was a good soldier, but he’s less impressed with the son.
According to General Franklin, the troops are going to be used to intervene in the civil war on Akdor. Sheridan says that Akdor asked him for aid, but he was told to turn them down. Until the senate gives approval for the general’s mission, that’s the way it is going to be. Once approval is given, the general’s troops will launch Operation Sudden Death, a surgical strike at the rebel stronghold of Matok. Babylon 5 is the closest jump gate to the sector.
Sheridan had spent time at Matok, and tells General Franklin that it’s not a fortress – it’s a death trap. This is another reason why Babylon 5 was chosen, so that Sheridan’s knowledge could be used to help plan the attack. The mission is classified, and even the general’s own troops believe they are relief troops for Io (so where did they come from? Heading from Earth to Babylon 5 to get to Io is not what you could call a direct route. Presumably the troops came from elsewhere).
General Franklin also bears gifts; new weapons for the station’s defence grid. Once upgraded, Babylon 5 will be able to take on a warship. Sheridan isn’t happy about this, because the station is supposed to be dedicated to peace, but the general tells him that, with the Narns and Centauri having gone to war in the previous episode, “The Coming of Shadows”, the universe has become a more dangerous place.
After the meeting, Ivanova does not feel that the situation is good and Garibaldi wants to know what Earth Central is up to. Sheridan replies that it’s something he hoped they wouldn’t hear again – the rattling of sabres.
Dr. Franklin’s relationship with his father is turbulent, and the two argue. Ivanova tells the doctor that it’s reminiscent of her relationship with her own father. The doctor and the general have to try and work some of their issues out, because they do care for each other. The gropos do cause a fair amount of trouble on the station and one of them, ‘Dodger’ Durman, takes a bit of a shine to Garibaldi.