“Objects in Motion” is episode twenty of season five of Babylon 5.
Number One from the Mars Resistance is at customs having problems with her passport when Zack approaches. She says her name is Tessa Holloran and agrees that her passport isn’t an Earth Alliance sanctioned passport. She is a duly elected member of the Mars provisional government and, by treaty, Mars can produce their own passports, identicards and currency. Dr Franklin is watching this and approaches; he tells Zack he can vouch for Holloran, giving the reasons why and what she’s helped with.
Franklin tells Holloran that he would have watched out for her name on incoming transports – only she never told him what it was. Holloran is looking for Garibaldi and wants to know if he’s okay. Yes; he’s had problems but he’s getting better.
Garibaldi is currently throwing up and asks Lise when it will stop. When he has finished detoxing; Garibaldi knows the routine, he’s been through it enough times. At this point Franklin and Holloran arrive. Garibaldi recognises Holloran and comments she’s a long way from home. She wanted to give them the news herself. In the next couple of days someone will try to kill both of them. An interesting opening line.
The longer explanation is that since Mars became independent, every major corporation with ties to Earth is running for cover. They’ve been exploiting and strip-mining Mars for years and now they are running scared, trying to cover their tracks. The new government has gone after the records and offered immunity to those who help. They have sources inside the corporations on Mars, including Edgars Industries. Lise now owns one of the ten biggest medical research companies on Mars. Edgars did black projects for Clark; they know about the telepath virus but there are others.
Lise was kept out of this by her husband, but now she’s in charge, the company is afraid that she will find out what went on. Lise mentioned to Garibaldi in “Darkness Ascending” that she was concerned about things she was finding in the company records. Those after Lise knew that Garibaldi had the skill set to help, so want him gone as well. Holloran’s contact doesn’t know who the assassin is but knew roughly when; it is planned to be done before the two of them leave for Mars.
G’Kar is being escorted to Lyta’s cell. In the previous episode, “The Wheel of Fire”, G’Kar stated he intended to leave Babylon 5 because of the problems being caused by his followers, and offered to take Lyta as well. Lyta apologises for the accommodations; it’s a cell, G’Kar has gotten used to them. He’s done some of his best writing in places like this. Lyta knows about the offer and agrees it makes sense. G’Kar has no idea where they are going and considers it exciting. Not the word Lyta would have used. Lyta appreciates the offer but says it isn’t as if G’Kar is doing it entirely for her benefit. He’s after the telepath DNA Lyta promised him. G’Kar asks if Lyta truly thinks he is acting only out of his own personal interests. She does. He believes his offer to take her with him was more correct than he imagined.
Sheridan tells Garibaldi that the plan is to limit Lise and Garibaldi’s exposure to the assassin. Zack is going to speak to G’Kar; when G’Kar leaves they are going to throw him a going away ceremony which Garibaldi and Lise will also attend, making the assassin take his shot on their terms. Garibaldi is impressed with Zack coming up with this; Sheridan tells Garibaldi he told Zack well. Garibaldi is also leaving; he and Lise are getting married. After 15 years of an and off relationship, he doesn’t think he’s rushing things. Besides, they both know after what happened that Garibaldi isn’t going to get his old job back.
Elsewhere, a guard enters a transport tube and a man follows. The man stabs the guard in the back, apologising for it, and takes his link, leaving a fake in his place. Zack, talking to Franklin after the body is found, doesn’t understand it. He also doesn’t think it’s a random attack. He’s sure there’s a reason for it. If you wanted to knock off someone for fun, you wouldn’t take on an armed peace officer, especially as whoever did it was a pro. The killer is working on the stolen link, trying to access the security channels, but it’s linked to the original owner’s DNA.
Holloran meets with Sheridan and says that Mars is still being treated as a colony by Earth. Earth couldn’t defeat Mars with bullets so is now trying red tape. She preferred the bullets; then she could shoot back. Plus, there are now internal disagreements. Sheridan tells her that historically, wars for independence are almost always followed by civil wars. This, Holloran thinks, is what Earth wants, so they can come in and take over under the guise of cleaning up the mess. The Alliance recognises the independence of Mars and Sheridan offers Holloran a diplomatic office on Minbar and an account outside of Earth jurisdiction. He’d like something in return and asks if she can wait a few days. He has an idea. Meanwhile, the assassin has cracked the link.
G’Kar is approached by a Narn who believes G’Kar is obligated to stay on the station and teach or return home and lead. G’Kar thinks his obligation is to do what he believes is right. The Narn tells him that he is nothing without them. Then G’Kar is nothing. This is the Narn who has been making the statues that G’Kar hates. He also seems dangerously obsessed with G’Kar, which could cause problems.
When Zack is going through the dead guard’s effects with Franklin, he discovers there is adhesive on the link. Links don’t use adhesive; they are molecularly bonded with their owner. Zack realises that the person who killed the guard is the assassin he’s looking for. The assassin is going to strike at the ceremony, and the Narn also causes trouble.
So, G’Kar and Lyta are leaving and Garibaldi and Lise are following. Londo has already gone and Sheridan, Delenn and Franklin will be leaving soon as well.