With Earth Force clowns to the left of him and hostile alien jokers to the right, here's Sinclair, stuck in the middle with Draal. Meanwhile, Garibaldi wonders, "How can you mend a broken heart?"

Written by J. Michael Straczynski
Directed by Janet Greek

Masters of Understatement

SINCLAIR: This isn't a backwater outpost or bronze-tech world where you can come in, bare your teeth and expect everyone to fall in line. This is a diplomatic station, and your kind of heavy-handedness is just going to make our job harder.

LONDO: Ah, of course. An Earth war cruiser parked alongside the station, mysterious trips to the planet beneath us, rumors that you have found someonedown there and brought him back here. This to you is status quo, yes? You must lead a very interesting life.

IVANOVA: Ambassador, do you really want to know what's going on down there right now?    Related Links SPACE.com's television coverage Babylon 5 The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5 LONDO: Yes, absolutely. IVANOVA: Boom. Boom boom boom. Boom boom. BOOM! Have a nice day.

Louis Turenne - Draal
Ron Canada - Captain Ellis Pierce
Curt Lowens - Varn
Denise Gentile - Lise Hampton
Aki Aleong - Senator Hidoshi

* The statement that Earth has been searching for powerful, abandoned alien technology since the Earth-Minbari War. The secret Psi Corps base on Mars exists to exploit one such discovery.

* Draal's comment that the Epsilon 3 machine belongs "to the future." This is not the last time fantastic technology will be filed away until the people of the galaxy grow out of their collective short pants -- and until the series arc requires it.

The Epsilon 3 machine is the SF equivalent of the Ark of the Covenant: an artifact of power and dominion. Once it is discovered, finders are rarely keepers, and so the drama shifts to the question of who will control the prize.

The arrival of the EAS Hyperion underscores the growing darkness on Earth. In light of the isolationism and xenophobia that has taken root throughout season one, the thought of EarthGov laying claim to the Epsilon 3 technology trove is manifestly terrifying.

More to the point, Earth's desire to secure that technology against -- and by inference use it on -- the other races in the galaxy flies in the face of everything Babylon 5 is supposed to stand for.

Of course, idealism aside, the station is a military outpost. While Babylon 5 is a "dream given form," Captain Pierce represents the harsh reality of the military mind in all its hard-line, "if you want peace, then prepare for war" stubbornness.

Pierce's determination to sacrifice everyone aboard the station if it will help him carry out his mission is a taste of things to come. And as a result, Sinclair walks out onto the brink of an abyss, ready and willing to fire on an Earth ship if necessary.

While the aliens' arrival takes the decision out of Sinclair's hands, the reprieve is only temporary. Soon Earth Force will come knocking on Sheridan's watch and the outcome will prove costly for all involved.

Despite all his high-minded talk about the Third Rule of Sentient Life and an individual's capacity for self-sacrifice, Draal's decision to bond with the Epsilon 3 machine is hardly a selfless act.

When we first meet him, Draal feels he has nothing left to contribute to his friends, loved ones or society. The great machine offers him an opportunity to embark on an unprecedented adventure of both self-discovery and revelation on a galactic scale.

Thus, while Draal will never again see his friends and loved ones in the flesh, he gains access to the universe in all its manifold glories in return.

In this respect, he is little different from Sinclair and Ivanova last episode. Having encountered a mystery, Draal drops everything he cares about for a chance to fully -- and in this case, literally -- immerse himself in the unknown.

If anyone makes a sacrifice here, it's Delenn, who willingly allows Draal to accept the caretaker's burden. By doing so, she loses her old friend and mentor, even though she knows it is necessary to keep Sinclair from sacrificing himself to preserve the station.

Sinclair's reservations for a date with destiny were booked a thousand years in the past.

Pants - fasten or zip?

The time-lost station returns

Zathras seeks The One.

"Babylon Squared".