“The Long, Twilight Struggle” is episode twenty of season two of Babylon 5.
The episode opens on Centauri Prime and Lord Refa is in the palace throne room when Londo enters. Londo asks Refa where the Emperor is and the latter replies that he’s out basking in the, almost, sincere adulation of his people, leaving matters in the hands of his court. Which can function just as well without him – perhaps even better. Londo wants to know why he is here, as he has already lost one friend (thanks to the events of “Knives”) and he has come a long way and is tired. Refa tells Londo that he has good news – the war with the Narn is about to end, and far sooner than they had hoped. And that Londo is the architect of that victory.
On Babylon 5, Delenn is meditating when she is bathed in a light. She smiles and says ‘Hello, old friend’ and is answered by a chuckle. In C&C, they detect an energy surge from the planet below, and contact Commander Ivanova. Sheridan is in his quarters having a shower when Ivanova contacts him in turn, but their talk is interrupted and a Minbari appears and says he thinks they should talk. The Minbari says that he has been watching Sheridan for some time and thought he should introduce himself.
Sheridan has realised who it is – Draal, the Minbari who, in the captain’s words, took custody of the planet below (in “A Voice in the Wilderness: Part 2”). Draal tells Sheridan that you don’t take custody of the planet, it takes custody of you. He invites Sheridan down for a visit, whenever is most convenient – and according to Draal, the most convenient time is as soon as possible. Sheridan can bring one other with him; he will know who.
G’Kar is talking to another Narn, G’Sten, in his chambers. G’Sten tells G’Kar that the war is not going well, and Narn has lost multiple colonies. G’Kar had heard none of this during his weekly briefings, and believed they were holding their own. They are not. G’Kar says that there is no hope; G’Sten says that there is always hope.
The Narn have one chance, according to G’Sten; to attack the supply world for the main Centauri force. The world will be well guarded, but if the Narn commit all their forces, they can cut the Centauri supply lines. The Centauri campaign has been cautious, and such an attack would probably cause them to pull back, thinking the Narn were launching an attack. This would allow the Narn to bolster their lines of defence and prolong the war, wearing the Centauri down.
G’Kar is concerned because this will mean the Narn homeworld will not be well defended. G’Sten tells him that they will always have enough surviving ships to defend the homeworld, and that the window of vulnerability will be very small. Given what Lord Refa was telling Londo, this sounds like it may be more optimistic than it deserves.
Indeed it is. Back on Centauri Prime, Lord Refa tells Londo that they intercepted a transmission about the attack on the supply world. Londo assumes that the Centauri Republic will reinforce the planet, but Refa says no – he wants Londo’s forces to defend it. Instead, the Centauri will attack Narn itself. Londo is concerned about the idea of attacking Narn, as an invasion will result in a lot of Centauri deaths. Refa, however, doesn’t want to invade Narn – he simply wants to flatten it. Using mass drivers – kinetic energy weapons. Londo says that these have been outlawed by every civilised planet. Refa responds that they are living in uncivilised times. Londo points out that they have treaties; just ink on paper according to Refa. Londo is also concerned about his ‘allies’ – the Shadows – because they are too strong. Lord Refa thinks that strength is good. Londo, despite the typical arrogance he displays in some situations, has clearly had second thoughts about the conflict he essentially started and the deal he made.
Back on the station, Garibaldi is concerned that Draal’s message might be bogus. For one thing, Draal looks nothing like he did before – Draal said the machine had restored his youth. Ivanova confirms that the message came from the planet, so Sheridan and Delenn head down to see Draal in person.
G’Kar gets a message from Dr Franklin; the doctor is concerned because one of the Narns he was treating told him things that made Franklin believe that the Centauri were going to strike straight for the Narn homeworld. G’Kar is concerned as well, but G’Sten goes ahead with the attack anyway – little knowing how badly outmatched his ships will be by those of the Shadows.
The Narn/Centauri war may be heading for a brutal end, but the real fight is only just starting.