####Overview

Sinclair is kidnapped and interrogated by members of a pro-Earth group, determined to find out what transpired when the commander was briefly missing in action during the final battle of the Earth/Minbari war — something Sinclair has never been able to remember.
####Guest Stars

Judson Scott as Knight One. Christopher Neame as Knight Two. Jim Youngs as Frank Benson. Justin Williams as Mitchell.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/008.html
####Backplot

In the days before the Earth/Minbari war, Dr. Franklin used to hitchhike starships, trading his services as ship’s doctor in exchange for free passage to places he’d never been before.

Franklin: “Towards the end, when things got bad for our side, those of us involved in xenobiology were told to hand over our notes to be used in genetic and biological warfare. […] I took an oath that all life was sacred. I destroyed my notes, rather than have them used for killing.”

After his squad was shot down at the Line, Sinclair’s ship was disabled and taken aboard a Minbari cruiser. He was tortured and examined, and at one point stood unfettered within the circle of the grey council itself. When they didn’t respond to his questions, Sinclair suddenly walked up to one of them and pulled back the hood, revealing the face of Delenn. He was then knocked out again, and some time later returned to his ship with no memory of the experience.

(A synopsis of the events at the Line as Sinclair re-experiences them is available. There is also a separate Guide page devoted to those events.)

Knight Two: “Your ship was off the screens for 24 hours. You didn’t just black out, your ship disappeared!”

Sinclair: “The screens malfunctioned, the hearing proved that.”

This would explain why Sinclair “fell off the merry-go-round” promotion-wise. Officers who’ve inexplicably disappeared in the presence of the enemy tend to hit a glass ceiling even if their loyalty is officially accepted.

The Knights may be part of a covert operation within Earth Force that’s trying to find collusion between Earth officials and the Minbari.
####Unanswered Questions

Franklin asks Delenn, “How were you involved in the war?” She declines to answer, even though he had just answered the same question from her. Toward the end of the episode it’s revealed that Delenn did indeed play a significant role in the war, but little is yet known about what that was. (cf: [[Babylon Squared]])

Sinclair’s absence was first realized when Delenn reported that he didn’t show up for a meeting with her in the Council room. What was that meeting to have been about?

Delenn said she checked with Ivanova before asked Garibaldi about Sinclair’s absence. Ivanova is willing to page Sinclair about everyday problems – why wouldn’t she call his link when he’s mysteriously long overdue for a diplomatic appointment?

Later, Delenn asks Ivanova if there’s anything she can do to help, and Ivanova replies that the crew is doing everything possible. Yet why is she strolling down a corridor with Delenn, rather than following leads and scouring for new ways to find Sinclair?

How was Sinclair flawlessly abducted from his quarters?

How did Knight One get Benson’s body off the station? (see jms Speaks)

Who were the Knights working for?

Why wasn’t telepathy used for the interrogation? It would have been no less legal than what the Knights did, and a telepath would probably have had better skills at dredging up old memories. The whole power source problem (which ultimately sunk the Knights’ plan) could have been avoided – only the stimulation technology need have been brought on board.

Is Sinclair really a Minbari plant?

Why was Delenn’s superior on the station?

What is it that the Minbari don’t want Sinclair to remember about his experience on the Line???
####Analysis

Sinclair: “Everyone lies, Michael. The innocent lie because they don’t want to be blamed for something they didn’t do, and the guilty lie because they don’t have any other choice.”

This is extra reason to think twice before taking anything said in this episode at face value. Nor should one assume that a lie covers up wrongdoing.

Earth Force was researching the use of genetic and biological warfare against the Minbari. These are offensive, not defensive methods, effective only on planets. They must have been planning a desperation ground strike of some kind. (cf: [[Soul Hunter]])

After he punches Knight Two in VR, Sinclair looks at his hand, making a fist and releasing it. Scenes of him in the cybernet chair after that show him clenching his fist in real life as well, in unison with continued fist-clenching in VR. Sinclair is rediscovering, slowly, how to get his brain to control his body. The pain of the remembered zap in the council chambers is later enough to propel him all the way back, if groggily.

While looking for Sinclair’s body outside, station forces discover the body of Benson floating outside Red Sector. Garibaldi visually identifies him (other Security folks had not been able to), and says, “Whoever killed him couldn’t have carried the body very far without being noticed.” He may be wrong in this conclusion – Knight One could have dumped it into a nondescript cart and gone a long way, for example.

Garibaldi: “If they dumped the body out of an airlock, the station’s gravity wouldn’t let it get far.” This is true only if the body was dumped out of a no- or low-velocity airlock. Perhaps Garibaldi’s assertion is correct because there aren’t any high-velocity airlocks on the station other than the Cobra Bays.

Knight Two: “Look at Earth: Alien civilization. Alien migration. Aliens buying up real estate by the square mile. What they couldn’t take by force, they corrupted! Inch by inch!”

This sounds very much like Homeguard propaganda – perhaps there is a connection. (cf: “War Prayer”)

Delenn exhibits ignorance of the powers of Earth telepaths – Ivanova had to explain to her that Talia, a P5, was not capable of a search-and-recover mission.

Ivanova’s only contribution to the search effort was to track all ships that left Babylon 5 in the previous 8 hours, which turned out to be wasted effort. This and several Unanswered Questions suggest she may have been working with the Knights.

Delenn: “It’s me, commander.”

Sinclair: “I know – I know you. I know who you are.”

Delenn: “I’m your friend, commander. Ambassador Delenn. Your friend.”

Sinclair: “NO! I know you. I know you.” [Knight One prepares to fire, Sinclair shoots him down]

Delenn: “Welcome home.”

[Sinclair collapses]

By his emphatic denial above, it should be clear to Delenn that Sinclair is remembering something about his discovery of her at the Line. He later denies remembering anything, but she must wonder if he’s lying. (If the Analysis in the Line Guide page is correct, however, she should be certain he is lying.)

Knight Two apparently remembered nothing about himself after Sinclair’s destructive escape fried his memory. However, the word “Commander” brings him up short, and he remembers Sinclair’s name, saying “There’s something in my head. It says: ‘Maybe you’re still inside. Maybe we’re both still inside.'” His phrasing there indicates that this is not his own current thought, but a thought that survived his brain damage. So, what did Knight Two, in full possession of his faculties, mean by that suspicion? The most obvious answer is “inside the simulation,” but this is a very weak explanation, and goes nowhere.

Knight Two’s last experience would have been watching Sinclair’s recollection of his Grey Council experience, including his discovery of Delenn (whom Knight Two may not have recognized).

See also the Guide page devoted to Sinclair’s recollection of the events on the Line.