####Overview

Babylon 5 is embroiled in a deadly conflict between the Narn and Centauri; an ISN reporter covers the story and tours the station.
####Guest Stars

Kim Zimmer as Cynthia Torqueman. Christopher Curry as Senator Quantrell.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/037.html
####Backplot

The Narn homeworld was invaded by the Centauri around 2110. The occupation lasted for approximately 100 years.

G’Kar joined the resistance after his father was executed by the Centauri.

41% of Earth Alliance citizens feel that Babylon 5 isn’t worth the time and expense.

The Centauri have been using the space around the station as a transfer point for weapons for the war effort.

Over 250,000 humans died during the Earth-Minbari War.

Back on Earth, the Clark government has formed the Office of Public Information and the Ministry for Public Morale — both very Orwellian names. (see jms speaks)

Senator Hidoshi, Sinclair’s main Senate contact in season one, is no longer in office.

Sheridan received the EarthForce Silver Star for valor during the Earth-Minbari war.
####Unanswered Questions

How long have the Centauri been using Babylon 5’s space to move weapons?

Will the news report affect the public’s perception of Babylon 5, and if so, will the station become more popular or less?
####Analysis

Delenn’s emotions seem to come to the surface much more readily now than they did before her change. (see jms speaks)

The Earth-Minbari War wasn’t very devestating at all in terms of loss of life. 250,000 dead is tiny compared to, for example, the tens of millions killed in World War II. Since most of the war was probably fought in space, in ships with relatively small crews, that’s understandable — in fact, that many dead probably means that Earth’s combat fleets were nearly eliminated in their entirety — but the war seems to have had an impact on Earth far greater than warranted by human losses. Human pride may ultimately have been the bigger casualty.

The fact that the Narn cruiser destroyed a similarly-sized Centauri ship in a one-on-one battle suggests that the two are fairly evenly matched technologically. If the Centauri are indeed crushing the Narn military, as denied by G’Kar, they must have far superior numbers, or frequent help from the Shadows.

One reason for keeping Babylon 5 around was conspicuously absent from Senator Quantrell’s list: the planet below the station is one of the most strategically valuable places in the known galaxy, considering what lies beneath its surface (cf. “A Voice in the Wilderness”.) Given that the planet’s contents were entrusted to the Babylon 5 Advisory Council, it’s in everyone’s best interest to keep the station up and running.

Earth would probably prefer to keep the planet a secret to keep people from trying to take it (and Babylon 5), so it makes some sense that Quantrell didn’t mention it; but given the battle that took place over control of the planet, it must be a poorly-kept secret at best.