“The War Prayer” is episode seven of season one of Babylon 5.
Ambassador Delenn is in her quarters talking to another Minbari, Mila Shar, an old friend of hers who has been performing a poem. Delenn says that life was simpler when they were young, and she sometimes regrets choices that led her to her current position – but only sometimes. Her friend would not be anywhere else. Mila Shar has another performance in the morning and is then going to Earth; she declines Delenn’s offer to walk her to her quarters.
In a dark corridor, Mila Shar hears something and she is then attacked, stabbed in the stomach, and then branded on her forehead. Her attacker says ‘Stay away from Earth, freak!’
Delenn is really not happy about this attack, saying that the Minbari consider Mila Shar to be a national treasure. Garibaldi says that he had offered her an escort, but she refused. Sinclair also promises to catch whoever responsible, but Delenn is not really mollified by this.
This is the sixth attack on an alien in the last two weeks, and there have been similar attacks on Earth and Mars. The symbol branded on Mila Shar’s forehead – combined male and female symbols – is the symbol of the Home Guard, a pro-Earth movement that Garibaldi says has a lot of sympathy for its actions and others who simply don’t care. Sinclair is also not happy, and wants them to be made to care.
G’Kar promises bloody retribution if there is a similar attack on a Narn, which Sinclair also does not appreciate, especially as G’Kar says that the reason the offenders haven’t been caught is because they are human. Mila Shar did not see her attacker, only a shadow, and refuses Dr. Franklin’s offer to remove the brand.
An incoming ship has a pair of detainees on it, who are not dangerous but who they want to hand over to someone of command rank. Invanova tries to get Garibaldi to receive them, but he manages to get out of it by threatening to destroy her – not legally grown – coffee crop. So she goes herself. Also at the docking bay is Malcolm, an old friend – close friend – from Ivanova’s past, one she hasn’t seen in 8 years.
The two detainees are a couple of young Centauri. They want to see Ambassador Cotto – Vir. It seems that Vir might have exaggerated his rank slightly. The boy is Vir’s cousin. The couple had fled Centauri because they both had marriages arranged, but love each other. Londo says that the Centauri do not marry for love, but for wealth and power. A rather cynical approach.
Sinclair goes to see Ambassador Kosh to see if the latter will help with his fellow ambassadors. He will not. After it, Sinclair discusses the events of “Babylon 5: The Gathering” with Ivanova – she was not on the station at the time. Sinclair thinks it’s an odd coincidence that Dr. Benjamin Kyle , the only person to examine a Vorlon, and Lyta Alexander, the only Psi Corps telepath to be in contact with a Vorlon, were both transferred off the station shortly afterwards.
Multiple threads, but they start to intersect, and things are starting to get ugly on the station. G’Kar is not exactly helping matters either.