410: Racing Mars

Arriving on Mars, Franklin and Marcus meet Captain Jack, the underground agent assigned to meet them.  Ivanova relieves Sheridan of command so he can take some much-needed time off while she opens trade negotiations with smugglers to provide Babylon 5 with supplies during the embargo.  Sheridan confronts Garibaldi about his recent behaviour and less-than-favourable comments made on the ISN report.

They end up fighting as Garibaldi believes Sheridan is letting his "new messiah" image get the better of him: since his return from death on Z'ha'dum, people perceive him to be a powerful spiritual figure.  Ivanova eventually strikes a deal with the black market traders: in return for providing Babylon 5 with food, medical and technical supplies, they will be given escorts and maintenance support.  Meeting with the rebel leader, Number One, Marcus and Franklin realize that Captain Jack has been implanted with a parasite that is controlling his mind, covertly instructing him to kill Number One.

Jack runs away with a bomb and commits suicide in the transport tube.  Sheridan reluctantly commits himself to following the remaining fifty Minbari rituals to be joined with Delenn - and the next one, shan'fal, appears to be the most fun, even if slightly embarrassing for Sheridan.  Garibaldi is met by a man named Wade, who recruits Garibaldi into an operation that believes Sheridan must be stopped for his own good.

Notes: The Shadow implant on Captain Jack is the same as the one seen on Londo Mollari (War Without End, Part II) and the Centauri Regent (Epiphanies).  Garibaldi refers to the Pope as a "her" (see Crusade: The Memory of War).

Deneb IV is mentioned - it was the name of the planet featured in Star Trek: The Next Generation's pilot episode, Encounter at Farpoint.

Guest Cast: Marjorie Monaghan makes her first appearance as Number One (who name is later revealed to be Teresa Halloran).  Mark Schneider makes his first appearance as Wade (Conflicts of Interest, Exercise of Vital Powers, The Face of the Enemy).   Donovan Scott appears as Captain Jack (John Demeter).  Carrie Dobro appears as a Brakiri female; she plays Dureena Nafeel in Crusade.