The Babylon Project
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As Babylon 5 comes under attack by an alien race, ordinary maintenance workers Mack and Bo work to keep the station running.

Cast[]

Regular[]

Guest Starring[]

Uncredited[]

Cast Notes[]

Summary[]

Introduction[]

A probe floats through hyperspace, but is soon destroyed by passing alien ships. On Babylon 5, Captain Lochley is awakened via her link by David Corwin, who informs her about the destroyed probe. They were hoping to get information about something.

She joins him on the Command Deck and learns that the ships are on their way. She informs the crew that, due to a tip from the Gaim, the ships may be scouts from an advanced race looking for vulnerable worlds. They have to convince them that B5 is not vulnerable. She tells Corwin to set aside a lifepod for John Sheridan and Delenn, saying that she will knock them out and shove them in there personally if it is necessary.

Several of the Starfury wings launch for standby alert. Meanwhile, two maintenance technicians are going about their jobs and, when the commotion is noticed, they lament that it is always they who clean up the messes and go about their business.

Act I[]

The maintenance men are working elsewhere when Lochley and Sheridan come by, arguing about Sheridan's and Delenn's staying on the station. Lochley convinces him to ready himself to prepare to enter the lifepod. The men (Bo and Mack) talk about how they admire Sheridan for "being in the trenches" like a real person, and agree that he's a good man. Then they decide to grab some lunch. There, they discuss their lunches. Bo has procured salami, while Mack eats a spoo sandwich, tired of the "same old" food. They trade a half of each. Bo finds the spoo revolting. A warning comes over the speakers and their lunch is interrupted.

In Medlab, Doctor Stephen Franklin tells the staff to clear space for patients. Bo enters and Franklin directs him to a console in Medlab, which leads to a discussion about why Franklin would want to save one of their potential enemies. He tells the story of why he became a doctor instead of a career soldier like his family expected of him: his father was saved by a doctor and he knew that he wanted to be like that doctor, a man who saves lives.

Mack is sent a command to repair a faulty secondary targeting console. Just as Lochley arrives, the attacking ships arrive from the jumpgate and the Starfuries have trouble locking on.

Act II[]

The battle continues, but Mack is unfazed and works on the console. Corwin and Lochley scramble the station codes to prevent hacking. Mack repairs the secondary weapons in time to destroy the last of the invaders, and it's revealed that the problem was an alien bug. Lochley tells Corwin that the rest of the attackers will be on their way. Meanwhile she decides to have a talk with Garibaldi.

Mack meets up with Bo and they talk about Lochley. Mack talks about how tough she is, but Bo doesn't trust her because she was on the Clark side of the Earth Civil War; Mack defends her. They remark about Ivanova's departure. They head to Brown 9. On the way, Lochley and Garibaldi enter the elevator and they argue about the attackers. Bo and Mack watch them as Lochley confronts him about the lack of information they had. Garibaldi defends himself by noting he could not think of every possible question he could have asked of the Gaim who informed him. The two leave and Mack and Bo continue on.

In hyperspace, the attack fleet moves towards the station.

Bo and Mack fix the water reprocessing system while Mack thinks about shutting down the jumpgate during attacks. Bo mentions it is impossible to heat up the jumpgate or to shut it down during attacks because it's suicidally dangerous to make the change too quicky. They are then called to the Sanctuary as Lochley issues a message warning that the attack has begun on the station.

Act III[]

Bo and Mack finish work on the Sanctuary as the fight rages outside. They rest and watch as the ships fight, and talk about the pilots fighting out there, now dying for them, sometimes forgotten by those in the lower levels like them. Thankfully, a White Star arrives to help the fighting. They then notice a breaching pod moving towards the station. An alarm goes out, warning of an impending boarding party.

The men end up trapped in a tube, which, on manual override, opens onto the fight between security and the attackers. They hide and watch, but soon they are forced to throw a punch. They start to help in the fight when Zack Allan orders them to get out of there. They oblige, getting cover fire from the security chief.

They end up with Byron Gordon and his telepaths. He tells Bo and Mack that they are safe. Byron then discusses the energy released when a person dies as the telepaths pass the helmet of one of the attackers around, feeling his hopes, fears and expectations. Bo realizes they are the telepath group and, after an awkward moment, one of the attackers arrives. He is however subdued by the telepaths, using their powers to make him think that he should leave. Bo and Mack also think they should leave, disturbed by the display, but then an explosion rocks the station. Mack worries about a breach, but Bo is confident in the pilots. Bo mentions that he wishes he could be out there with one of the pilots when Byron takes interest, asking him to confirm what he said. When Bo affirms, Byron uses his powers to let him experience a pilot's-eye view of the action. Mack leads Bo away, stunned.

The two find themselves in a shelter, where they witness Londo Mollari and G'Kar take their usual jabs at each other. Mollari notes the lack of White Stars and the Universe's hatred of him. G'Kar notes that the shelter (with the sound of explosions) is the closest thing he has to a home due to childhood memories of the Centauri occupation of his world. Londo admits he never had a childhood, trapped in duty and form and protocol, and G'Kar laments that Londo perpetually carries his shelter with him. Londo leaves and G'Kar joins him. Mack muses how the two sound like a married couple.

The second wave of ships comes through the gate.

Act IV[]

The station takes heavy damage and Bo and Mack are called in to help deal with a fire in Red Sector, Red 1. They walk past Sheridan and Delenn. Sheridan tells them to escort Delenn to the first available lifepod, then leaves to help deal with the situation. Bo calls to Delenn, leading her away.

As they walk, Delenn asks Mack his name. Mack is surprised and they discuss their history working on the station. She admires them, calling them Worker Caste and they agree. Delenn persuades them (claiming that she would sabotage the lifepod should Babylon 5 fall) to allow her to leave on her own way. She leaves and they hear a sound.

The White Star fleet arrives to aid the station, driving back the attackers. Bo and Mack celebrate. Bo says that Babylon 5 is bigger than him, or anyone, and Mack agrees. They discuss God, mothers and the purpose of Babylon 5 and what it takes to survive there. It sounds like the fighting has stopped, so Bo and Mack get up and go back on their rounds.

At a shelter, they complain about all of the work they have coming up in the wake of the fighting but walk past Franklin in a room of dead people. He's checking each body one last time, making sure they really are dead. Sobered, Bo remarks that they don't have to clean up all the mess. Meanwhile, the camera zooms in on one dead pilot, who is discovered to be the one Byron chose for Bo's view.

Act V[]

Corwin reports to Lochley that progress on repairs is steady and that the attackers won't be back as none of them survived. Mack makes a point to talk to Lochley, telling her that "[she's] okay in his book." Lochley seems to take this to heart.

They walk past Sheridan and Delenn. Delenn remembers their names, smiling to them as she and Sheridan walk off. Mack says he thinks he's in love and they walk off together, remarking about the rise in cost of spoo.

Memorable Quotes[]

"What, are you afraid I won't come back, G'Kar?"
"No. Afraid you will."
"So, how long you figure they been married?"

Londo, G'Kar and the observing Mack


DVD Release[]

This episode, along with the other 21 from Season 5 have been released on DVD with extensive Special Features.

External Link[]

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