As the Senate continues to investigate President Clark, an archaeologist brings news of a development back home that forces Sheridan to act against the Earth government. The Nightwatch tightens its grip on the civilian population.
####Overview

####Guest Stars

Nancy Stafford as Dr. Kirkish.
####Lurk

http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/synops/052.html
####Backplot

Seven years ago, an archaeological team working for Interplanetary Expeditions (see [[Infection]]) discovered a disabled Shadow ship buried 300 feet under the Martian surface, underground for at least a thousand years. Another Shadow ship, apparently with the cooperation of Earth, finished excavating the first, and both flew away. Garibaldi was witness, and recovered a Psi Corps badge from the site. See comic issue 8, “Silent Enemies.” Most of the archaeologists have died or disappeared since.

More recently, a second Shadow ship was discovered under the ice on Jupiter’s moon Ganymede.

A Shadow ship requires a living being at its core; the two merge, becoming one entity. If the pilot isn’t properly prepared, the result is a confused, insane ship.

Translating the Book of G’Quan is considered sacrilege by the Narn. “It must be read in the mother tongue, or not at all,” says G’Kar.

Shadow forces have continued to build up on the edge of Centauri space.
####Unanswered Questions

What were Shadow ships doing on Mars and Ganymede a millenium ago? Was Earth involved in the last war?

How does Delenn know that Shadow ships have sentient beings at their core? What else does she know about them that she hasn’t told Sheridan?

What kind of preparation is needed to properly merge with a Shadow ship?
####Analysis

Sheridan’s unwillingness to fire on the Agamemnon may be a sign of trouble to come; he’s not ready to think of Earth’s military as an enemy. How long that loyalty will last is unclear, but at some point, if conditions on Earth continue to escalate and Sheridan continues to act covertly against the government, he’ll be forced to choose between firing on his own people and death or capture.

The White Star is a Minbari vessel, yet Sheridan believed the Agamemnon would be able to track it. (See [[Points of Departure]].) Perhaps that was simply because the White Star was in Jupiter’s atmosphere; it was thus unable to outrun the Agamemnon, and could be tracked via atmospheric disturbances.

The White Star is a formidable vessel, in any case; it has as much firepower as several Narn heavy cruisers, judging by its attack on the Shadow vessel (see [[The Long, Twilight Struggle]],) although this Shadow ship might have been smaller than those faced by the Narn. The Agamemnon was able to damage the White Star, but only after it had been grazed by a Shadow weapon and subjected to atmospheric conditions far outside its safety limits.

G’Kar’s book should make for interesting reading now that he knows what’s going on from Londo’s point of view as well as his own ([[Dust to Dust]].) Given his visitation by what he believes to be G’Lan in that episode, will he consider his writings to be on the same level as the Book of G’Quan? More importantly, will other Narn feel the same way, and become followers of the Book of G’Kar?

Dr. Kirkish says of Earth, regarding the Shadows, “They want us to become more like them.” What does she mean by that? How can humans become more like Shadows, and what would that entail?

Someone on Earth wanted to go behind the Shadows’ backs; if the Shadows discover that (assuming they don’t already know,) the consequences for Earth could be disastrous. Assuming, of course, that the Shadows didn’t tell Earth about the second ship for their own reasons.

The events on Mars make it clear that the Shadows were awake to some degree before the Icarus visited Z’ha’dum (“In the Shadow of Z’ha’dum”.) The Icarus visited Z’ha’dum in 2256, but Kirkish saw a functioning Shadow vessel seven years ago, in 2253. The Psi-Corps connection also implies that the Shadows were aware of humanity at the time.

Given Marcus’ apparent disregard for secrecy ([[Exogenesis]]) Ivanova would be well-advised to make sure his chart is destroyed or hidden lest a Nightwatch sympathizer stumble across it.

Perhaps the Shadows bury their ships underground intentionally. Since the ships are at least partially alive, it’s even concievable that the Shadows bury an egg or something similar, then dig up the fully grown ship later on. In that case, where else are such ships buried? Do the Shadows know, or did they lose track of their ships in the last war?

The Shadows attacked the mining colony where Marcus and his brother lived ([[Matters of Honor]].) Could they have been trying to prevent the miners from discovering another buried ship?

Now that the Agamemnon has observed the White Star at close proximity, Earth Force will presumably treat it as hostile on sight in the future. That will probably severely limit Sheridan’s ability to finesse his way out of another fight.

The Shadows are far from alone in requiring living beings to merge with their machinery. In fact, it seems to be a staple of advanced technologies in the B5 universe:

• The Ikarran weapon in [[Infection]].
• The anti-agathic drug in [[Deathwalker]], which required an extract from another living being.
• The Great Machine in Epsilon 3, which goes berserk without a core (“A Voice in the Wilderness”.)
• Shadow ships, as shown here.

Are Vorlon ships similarly powered? They show up as living beings in scans, though that isn’t conclusive one way or the other.

Delenn’s promise to Sheridan, “I will watch and catch you if you should fall,” is strikingly similar to the Soul Hunter’s comment to her when she was being held captive: “You will feel as if you are falling; do not be afraid, I will be there to catch you.” ([[Soul Hunter]].)
####Notes

Narn is written from right to left.

“Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom” is a variation on a quote from Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States (1801-1809.) The original meaning was that people should closely watch their governments to avoid excessive encroachment on personal liberty; its use by a Nightwatch member is especially ironic.

The events on Mars were first revealed in the comic series, issues “Survival the Hard Way” and “Silent Enemies,” six months before this episode’s first airing.

Garibaldi also made a reference to the story contained therein in the first-season episode [[Infection]].

In the middle of the White Star’s jump to hyperspace, there’s a single frame of note. The frame takes place as the White Star emerges into hyperspace, as it heads toward the camera. The hyperspace background changes to what looks like an alien cityscape. Apparently it’s a shot from Hypernauts, a children’s sci-fi show whose special effects are being done by B5’s effects company. (See jms speaks.)