304: Voices of Authority

Sheridan decides that powerful allies will be needed for the coming war, and despite Marcus' misgivings about the dangers of their vast power, agrees to Draal's offer of using the Great Machine to find the First Ones.  However, the arrival of a new Political Officer, Julie Masante, prevents him from keeping his appointment so he sends Ivanova to Epsilon 3 in his place.  Projecting her mind through the Great Machine, she locates a presence on Sigma 957 - but the Shadows have also intercepted her.  She evades them, but intercepts a transmission from President Clark to an unseen other party plotting Santiago's death.  It is finally the evidence they need to bring down Clark - but with Masante on board the station, giving Nightwatch the power to arrest any suspects of treason or sedition, they pass the information on to General Hague, who releases it publicly.

Masante orders Zack to spy on Sheridan, and even attempts to get into bed with the Captain herself.  Ivanova and Marcus pilot the White Star to Sigma 957 where they successfully manage to contact one of the races of First Ones and enlist their help for the Shadow War.  Masante is forced to leave the station following the shake-up in government.  G'Kar begins to realize that something is going on aboard the station, but nobody is willing to share the information with him.  He offers his help to Garibaldi, who is uncertain, so in the interim G'Kar lends him his Book of G'Quan to read (Garibaldi: "I don't read Narn." G'Kar: "Learn!").

Notes: The First Ones of Sigma 957 were first seen in Mind War (and again in Into the Fire).  The Great Machine was first seen in A Voice in the Wilderness and The Long, Twilight Struggle, and again in War Without End and Conflicts of Interest.  Ivanova sees the faint image of a Shadow face when she encounters them near Sigma 957 - similar to their experiences with them in The Hour of the Wolf.  President Santiago's assassination in Chrysalis is recalled here, with conclusive proof that Clark is implicated (as revealed in Hunter, Prey), collaborating with the Shadows (the voice heard in the transmission is that of Morden).  Garibaldi finds a use for the Book of G'Quan in Ship of Tears.

Guest Cast: John Schuck returns as Draal; Shari Shattuck plays Julie Masante; and Ardwight Chamberlain provides the voice of the First Ones.  Gary McGurk makes an appearance as President Clark.