“Severed Dreams” is episode ten of season three of Babylon 5.
In the previous episode, “Point of No Return”, after listening between the lines to what General Smits had told him about following the chain of command and obeying lawful orders, Sheridan realised that Smits was telling him something. So, the Nightwatch and those loyal were lured into a trap and told to surrender as they were being arrested for mutiny. The order giving the Nightwatch control over the station was unlawful and outside the chain of command. So the threat of the Nightwatch was dealt with, peacefully, and G’Kar’s Narns were added to security to make up for those guards who had gone to the Nightwatch.
This episode opens with Londo complaining about spending two hours standing in line. Too many people are trying to get home and even the diplomatic channels are clogged. Londo says that the real problem is that, ever since the Narns were added to the security force, things have gone to hell. Narns are not very efficient and you need to keep an eye on them at all times. It’s then Londo’s turn and the Narn asks for his identicard.
The Narn tells Londo that he is not getting confirmation and Londo tells the Narn that he knows who he is. The Narn agrees that yes, he knows who the ambassador is, but the computer does not and verification is needed for entry. Or perhaps, the Narn continues, he entered the information incorrectly. After all, they are very inefficient and need and eye keeping on them at all times. Londo starts objecting but is interrupted by the Narn, who tells him others are coming through and Londo needs to stand aside. It shouldn’t take more than 2-3 standard hours. Londo complains that it’s madness, and never would have happened if the humans hadn’t started fighting another. Or perhaps if Londo hadn’t insulted all Narns in earshot of the person who was going to be dealing with him.
An Earthforce cruiser, the Alexander, is being fired at by another cruiser, the Clarkstown. The Alexander‘s commander, Major Ryan, is being told by an officer, Bill Trainor, that they can’t outrun the Clarkstown in normal space. Ryan replies that if they jump, they will lose all their fighters. Trainor says if they reel in their fighters they will lose their screen. Ryan won’t jump so Trainor asks for permission to open fire with the aft batteries. Ryan doesn’t want to kill any more of their own, but agrees. The Alexander opens fire and the Clarkstown is destroyed.
The Alexander recalls its fighters and will jump to hyperspace as soon as they are aboard. Ryan asks Trainor if he knew the captain of the Clarkstown. Trainor doesn’t. Ryan says that the captain and the general went to the academy together, and Hague introduced the captain to Ryan last year. Ryan knows a lot about the now-dead captain and he tells Trainor that’s the problem, that makes this war different. This time, they know everyone they kill. Trainor wants to know what course to go on when they jump. Ryan replies that they need to make repairs and catch their breath. There’s only one safe place. Babylon 5.
On the station, Sheridan tells Ivanova, Garibaldi and Franklin that they are five hours away from a crisis. He’s received a message from the Alexander, General Hague’s ship. It’s taken heavy damage and is heading to Babylon 5. Every Earthforce ship is hunting it down on charges of treason, and if the Alexander arrives, someone will let Earth know. So Sheridan wants to cut off all communications to Earth, bar channels for them and the ISN feed, once the Alexander arrives.
Lennier is escorting Franklin to see a patient. Franklin asks why they haven’t taken him to Medlab. The patient, an injured Minbari, has bounty hunters after him. Delenn tells Franklin that the Minbari spent six months among the League of Non-Aligned Worlds gathering intelligence. He was on his way to Babylon 5 when he was attacked. Delenn says they cannot let him die and Dr Franklin tells her that’s exactly what will happen unless he gets to Medlab. Delenn replies that security is tight and the Narns are in the customs areas. She does not know which she can trust. G’Kar, who in the last episode asked to be brought in, appears and says that he knows which can be trusted, and will get the injured Minbari to Medlab.
Sheridan is watching ISN and the anchorwoman is saying that the head of the Mars Provisional Government has refused to implement the martial law instituted by President Clark. Then the Alexander arrives and Sheridan has communications channels cut. He announces to the C&C staff that the Alexander has been in combat for some time, and they are going to render it full assistance. Sheridan tells the staff that he and Commander Ivanova are aware of the standing orders and are taking full responsibility. Anyone who has a problem is free to leave. Sheridan continues, saying that those on the Alexander are not the enemy. They wear the same uniforms, they are loyal to the same constitution and are just as loyal to Earth.
The injured Minbari is now in Medlab. He tells Delenn that no-one is safe anymore. The Shadows are moving and have made alliances with many in the Non-Aligned Worlds. They are being urged to go to war with their neighbours. Many listened out of fear, fear that if they did not ally with a greater force they would be conquered by the Centauri. That an alliance of defence has changed into a dream of conquest, that if they are protected by the Shadows they cannot be defeated. When asked if the Grey Council knows, the Minbari says the Grey Council stated that the problems of others are not their concern.
Major Ryan arrives onboard the station and tells Sheridan that General Hague was killed in the last fire fight. They were returning from Orion 7 when they were ambushed by the Clarkstown and Hague was killed on his way to the command deck. On Earth, a few senators escaped Earthdome but shock troops are out in force everywhere. Most have welcomed martial law, as crime has been cut to nearly zero. ISN hasn’t been reporting this as they are running a fine line; if they push too much, they will be shut down.
The one chance is if Mars stands up to Clark they could rally support from other colony worlds and push him out of power. Sheridan says that Clark is overextended already; his powerbase is back on Earth with the Nightwatch and the bulk of Earthforce. Ryan tells him that Clark has spent a year putting his own people in key places. Then he gets a message on his link; Earthforce Command has started bombing Mars.
Delenn is heading home and is leaving Lennier in charge. He warns her that the Grey Council is not what it was, and they may not see her. Delenn replies that they will see her whether they want to or not. As she leaves through the jump gate, another opens and a destroyer, the Churchill comes through. This is a ship that Major Ryan has been waiting for. Its captain, Hiroshi, has something to tell them, but she isn’t going to put it on an open channel.
On ISN, the anchorwoman is reporting about the Mars bombings when someone breaks in. The man apologises, and tells the viewers that the Orion 7 and Proxima 3 have broken away from the Earth Alliance in protest against the bombing of civilian targets on Mars. The colonies are setting themselves up as independent states until Clark is impeached. The new reporter says that Clark does not want this information released, but he has to say it as he doesn’t know how much longer ISN will remain on the air. Even now, armed troops are moving to surround ISN in Geneva. There is information people don’t have that ISN has not been allowed to tell them for the past year. ISN goes off the air before the man can share whatever it is.
Captain Hiroshi informs Sheridan that Clark is sending his elite forces to move against any colony or outpost that would stand against him. The Agrippa and the Roanoke are heading to Babylon 5, and heavy reinforcements are joining them. The ships were already on their way when they received the order to attack, to seize command of Babylon 5 and arrest and detain the captain and command staff, putting the station under the direct control of Clark and the Nightwatch. The ships will arrive in six hours.
Sheridan tells the others that they tried to avoid confrontation, to stop it from happening, but now it’s here. There is not a lot of time and they have two options; fight or surrender. It’s not just them, either; there are a quarter of a million people on the station and billions more depending on them. Sheridan says he promised Delenn he would draw a line against the darkness, no matter what the cost. Now he knows the cost. If they surrender they will be court-martialled. If they fight and lose, they will probably be killed. The others agree to fight, but there is one heck of a fleet incoming.
The station is put on full alert, security, including the Narns, are all armed and everything that can fly is made ready to fly. Since the upgrade General Franklin did to Babylon 5’s defence grid back in “GROPOS” the station is capable of standing up to a warship. Plus they have the Alexander and the Churchill. However, there are multiple warships incoming and the Alexander is still damaged. The fight is going to be messy. Delenn also shows she can be quite impressively threatening in a very calm way and there’s perhaps the biggest space battle to date.