“The Very Long Night of Londo Mollari” is episode two of season five of Babylon 5.
Delenn and Sheridan are in bed when they are woken by a message. It’s for Delenn, and is another Minbari, Ruell, who apologises for waking her but, when he received her message. had to contact her. They could never let someone of Delenn’s stature go without assistance for very long. Potential replacements are going to be sent. Perhaps even one from each caste; Delenn has no clue what Ruell is talking about. It seems a request was sent in her name for a replacement for Lennier, who is returning home. Permanently.
Londo is arguing with an amused-looking Zack as Vir waits with him. Over bottles of a drink, brivari, that has been shipped to the station for Londo. A very old, very expensive drink with a fragile flavour. It needs to be kept at a constant temperature and if Zack impounds it and sticks it in a hot little room it will lose its flavour. There’s been a problem with infestations and all food and drink has to be impounded for three days. Vir suggests that he handle it and is speaking to Zack whilst, in the background, Londo takes a drink from a bottle. Then collapses.
Zack calls Medlab and, when Londo is taken there, Vir tells Dr Franklin he believes Londo was poisoned. Which is a tradition of the Centauri Republic after all. The bottles were marked for Londo’s use, no-one else, and security has taken the bottle for chemical analysis.
Lennier arrives in Delenn’s quarters and is going on with his normal duties when Delenn asks when he was planning to tell her. Tonight; he didn’t expect them to move so fast. Lennier doesn’t think Delenn needs him anymore, as she has Sheridan now. He is Delenn’s other half. Lennier feels in the way and no longer comfortable. He says he can’t explain any more. Delenn seems to know why. Lennier admitted in the past he loved Delenn, but not in that way. Perhaps he was not being as truthful to himself as he could have been. Lennier has applied to join the Rangers and been accepted. Since Marcus died, he has felt a loss of part of himself. He leaves tomorrow.
Garibaldi goes to see Vir. Londo is in critical condition – and it’s not poison but a heart attack. Which heart? The left one. Dr Franklin is explaining to Sheridan that the Centauri have two hearts. The right one is easy to fix. The left is a mass of tiny veins; trying to get to the inner ones means cutting the outer ones. The stress, anxiety and pressure have got to Londo. There is nothing else Franklin can do. Centauri Prime is sending an artificial heart system. It will take three days to get there and at most they can keep Londo alive for 24 hours.
Delenn is sitting with Londo when Sheridan arrives. Sheridan thinks it’s strange to see Londo like this. He’s always so alive and full of energy. Even when he’s been annoying. Sheridan doesn’t think he’s seen Londo for 2 minutes not talking or yelling at someone. Delenn has felt many things for Londo, even liking on occasion, but never sorry. Sheridan has also heard about Lennier. No, there is nothing he can do and yes, it is partly because of Sheridan. With Londo, if he makes it through the night, he has a chance. It’s up to Londo now. Delenn wishes Londo good luck as she leaves.
Londo hears this in his mind and looks for Delenn. He finds her, dressed like a fortune teller, with a number of cards on the table in front of her. His past, not his future. She asks Londo if he wants to live. He asks what difference it would make. He has dreamed of his death for 20 years now; perhaps it’s better if he dies now to spite fate. Besides, who cares back home if he lives or dies. Probably no-one. Delenn agrees. Delenn asks him three times if he wants to live. She can ask no more. Londo decides he does, but Delenn tells him it needs more than that. It needs a word.
Most of the episode is spent inside Londo’s head. He speaks to others on the station, but is trying to avoid speaking to one of them. G’Kar. Londo finally has to speak to G’Kar, and is made to face some of the decisions he made. The word, given who Londo tried to avoid, can be guessed.