“Phoenix Rising” is episode eleven of season five of Babylon 5.
More Psi Cops are arriving on Babylon 5 and Bester, who Lochley called for help in the previous episode, “A Tragedy of Telepaths”, is briefing the newcomers. He says that, under the terms of the Interstellar Alliance, the rights of member worlds are respected and the jurisdiction for the rogue telepaths falls under Earth law. The telepaths are divided into two groups. One is sealed up in Brown Sector and is threatening to go on hunger strike. Bester has no problems with this group. They are already locked up and, if they do go on hunger strike, that will only make them weaker when the Psi Cops move in.
The second group is scattered around the station with Bloodhound units in pursuit. One of which is seen pursuing a telepath during this part of Bester’s speech. Bester states that this group has an unknown number of PPG handguns and rifles. He expects little tactical coordination – as the Bloodhound is led into a trap. Bester wants to minimise casualties amongst the rogues; they are their children who just need to be brought around to correct thinking.
Lochley arrives at the end of the briefing and tells Bester he enjoys this; the drama, the chase. Bester corrects her; he enjoys being good at what he does. He’s doing his job. Every race that has telepaths has had to come up with some way to control them; law, religion, drugs. Extermination. Their way is better than the alternatives. And she called him. Bester is going to handle it their way, as their way always works. The other telepaths are on the same side as the Psi Corps; they just need help understanding it. And the transit shaft door opens, revealing the nailed-up Bloodhound from earlier under a banner saying ‘Free Byron!’
Lochley informs Sheridan that Byron wants to talk to him. Sheridan isn’t happy. He trusted Byron and now four people have been killed. Byron admits that the situation, and his people, are out of control. He can help, but the Psi Corps must be removed. Sheridan says he can’t do that. Bester comes in at this point and states that Byron cannot be believed as he never keeps his promises. Byron’s telepaths will be either dug out or arrested. Byron cuts the channel and Lyta asks him what Bester meant bout Byron not keeping his promises.
Sheridan is unhappy about Bester’s interference. Bester came to deliver a progress report; it will be over by morning. Afterwards, Lochley says it’s as if Bester wants a confrontation. As if it’s something personal. Sheridan is concerned about where Garibaldi is, because he hasn’t been heard from. The only thing more dangerous than Garibaldi when he’s loud is when he’s dead silent.
Garibaldi is in Bester’s quarters, with a PPG. He wants a full confession from Bester about what Bester did to Sheridan and Garibaldi. Bester willingly states what he did – but not on record. He believes Garibaldi won’t shoot him. He is sure that Garibaldi means that he wants to kill Bester. So, he is going to have to shoot. When Garibaldi fails, Bester explains that he hit him with an Asimov. He wouldn’t leave Garibaldi running around free to kill Bester, so Garibaldi cannot harm Bester directly, nor through inaction allow him to come to harm, after Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics (which happen to have a massive hole in them). Bester put a block in the part of Garibaldi’s brain that controls his neural system. But left his rage intact. Garibaldi now has much more rage.
Byron explains to Lyta that he grew up int he Psi Corps, and was rated a strong P12. Such automatically become Psi Cops. And Byron did. He was Bester’s protégé, and was just like Bester. They stopped a transport that was smuggling telepaths. Once the telepaths were off, Bester wanted to send a message. As in ‘blow the transport up.’ Byron tried refusing, but he was given an option; them – only mundanes according to Bester – or him. So, he fired. Afterwards, Byron tried telling people what happened, but nobody card. So, he left.
The other telepaths decide to get some mundanes as hostages, as the captain won’t let anything happen to them. Garibaldi has headed to Medlab and is talking to Dr Franklin about neural blocks when the telepaths come in and take everyone hostage. The telepaths state that they will start executing hostages in two hours, starting with Garibaldi, unless they get everything they want. The release of Byron, safe passage through neutral territory and a homeworld for telepaths. And they will kill them. Because, to them, they are only mundanes. Just as Bester thinks.
Bester still has jurisdiction and neither Lochley nor Sheridan want to open the door to negotiating with terrorists. This can be recognised as being previously seen in “The Deconstruction of Falling Stars”, where the impression was given that Garibaldi had been killed. This had happened off camera; a PPG was pointed at him, then the camera left Garibaldi for the shot, so it was never actually clear what happened.
Things get very messy by the end of it, mostly because Bester simply doesn’t understand how the other telepaths think, and hate the Psi Corps.