Further to "Babylon 5:The Sinclair Years" I think it fair to propose a scenario that follows more closely the televised events of Babylon 5-but if Jeffrey Sinclair were to be the stations commander throughout the five years Babylon 5 was broadcast.
Note: the following is a "finished draft idea" to be expanded upon later.
Beginning in 2261 the Vorlons retaliate against the Shadows after a Shadow Death Cloud obliterates Narn. This is both as a result of the Shadows being "outed" on ISN and Narn forces achieving a sudden victory in their assault on Gorash prime. The Narn-Centauri war had reached a stalemate and had failed to draw in the other major powers, contrary to Shadow interests.
As a result of this, Shadows assassinate Kosh. Kosh's replacement heralds a change in Vorlon-and Shadow-policy, with both sides attacking colonies belonging to those neutral powers whose territory hadn't been captured by the Centauri in order to force them to choose sides. Note: query whether Kosh needs a replacement or simply that his death initiates a sudden change in Vorlon policy, seemingly aiding the Shadows instead of destroying them. Query event: Vorlons actually cease their attacks?
The scene in which League members (specifically the Gaim and Brakiri) ask Earth for help in the changed scenario becomes the catalyst for Babylon 5 seceding from Earth control and EA President Clark disbanding the senate. Victims of the Shadows' onslaught request that Sinclair ask the Earth Alliance to send military and humanitarian aid. Sinclair then contacts the Senate and explains briefly about the Shadow (and Vorlon at this point?) raids against the League of Non-Aligned Worlds and the need for Earth to take a stand against them. However, as this is the first time anyone in the senate have heard of the Shadows, Clark (wishing to both remain a Shadow ally and to hide their existence from the general public) declares martial law on Earth and disbands the senate. In protest, Babylon 5, Mars and Proxima Centauri colonies declare independence. Clark then orders a travel ban and embargo on Babylon 5 and sends troops to reinforce his forces in the outer colonies.
Sinclair and Delenn take the White Star* (or perhaps the Narn cruiser Ch'tok, in return for providing G'kar with information on the Shadows and Rangers?) back in time to find a replacement station. They bring Babylon 4 into the present time after thwarting a sabotage effort by Shadow allies and successfully evacuating the station's crew. On returning to the present Sinclair begins to have memories of being the Minbari spiritual figure Valen. This begins to affect his relationship with his wife, Catherine Sakai, and he becomes romantically closer to Delenn. Catherine Sakai, in turn, begins a relationship with Delenn's aide, Lenier. This influx of human DNA halts the decline in Minbari population, saving them from eventual and inevitable extinction. The Narn homeworld is restored to a semblance of normality when the Death Cloud joins the Shadows' war effort-at first against Vorlon-allied systems and then against neutral League worlds, seemingly in league with the Vorlons, on the assassination of Kosh.
In my alternative scenario, we the viewer is introduced to the Rangers from G'kar's perspective. Specifically, the scene where he asks Delenn about Rangers, implying they are human and also Minbari. Before this, the viewer would occasionally see humans and Minbari dressed in black and be party to Michael Garibaldi uncovering both Kosh and Delenn training Lurkers. Garibaldi being Garibaldi he first assumes the Lurkers are getting organised so they can take over the station but is assured by Delenn that this is not the case.
It transpired that a thousand years previously the Vorlons nominated a Human to unite the disparate Minbari forces in order to have have more time to rebuild their own forces. Introducing a leader with an objective view to the warring clans and caste system allowed the Vorlons to produce a united Minbari society. The introduction of human DNA also prevented the decline in population among the Minbari. Sinclair was then taken to Vorlon, preserved and re-introduced into human society (with temporary amnesia) in the 23rd century. Sinclair was specifically chosen because he is among a small percentage of humans who are genetically compatible with a small percentage of Minbari and was surgically altered to fulfil this role. Delenn, meanwhile, was specifically transformed into a half human half Minbari to bridge the species gap and represent the ideal of the Anlashok/Rangers.
*I note that there are several scenarios whereby Sheridan or Ivanova take the White Star out on missions, in "Matters of Honour", "Voices of Authority", "Messages From Earth" and "Ship of Tears". I would propose that in this alternative 'Sinclair' scenario a variety of ships are used before the White Star fleet is finally introduced.
I think it would be more believable to introduce the new fleet later in order to give time for it to be constructed and for her Ranger crew to be trained. Sinclair and Delenn could use the resources of Babylon 4 in the construction of (some of) the White Stars while also having access to a captured Centauri cruiser, the Narn warship Ch'tok and, perhaps, a prototype Warlock-class destroyer provided by General William Hague.
Sequence of events:
1260-Valen leads Minbari-led coalition against the Shadows.
1261-He marries and has a child.
1262-Valen forms the Anlashok to guard against the Shadows' return.
1264-Before disappearing, he forms the Grey Council to create balance between the three castes.
2259-New Centauri Emperor launches "pre-emptive" war against Narn Regime.
2261-Death Cloud surrounds Narn homeworld, effectively ending Narn-Centauri conflict.
Vorlon fleet assaults planets that have not taken sides in the conflict, those that have sided with the Shadows and those hosting Shadow bases.
Shadows use Death Cloud to retaliate, Vorlons respond by using Planet Killer to destroy planets with Shadow bases.
Vorlon and Shadow attacks suddenly cease when Kosh is assassinated.
General Hague supplies Sinclair with a prototype Warlock-class destroyer, knowing that Clark will use the weapon against rebels on Mars. The same vessel is then used by Sinclair, Delenn and Zathras, to "hijack" Babylon 4.
2262-Shadows resume attacks, targeting neutral worlds. They also establish a base on Centauri Prime.
White Star prototype arrives carrying Marcus Cole and Lyta Alexander
Gaim and Brakiri representatives ask Sinclair for Earth Alliance aid, result is Clark disbands the Senate and declares martial law. Officially, the Minbari are responsible for the attacks.
Telepath colony established on the station much to Garibaldi's disapproval. He resigns and begins work in the private sector.
Earth-Minbari War restarts after renegade Minbari and an Earth Force task force launch a simultaneous assault on Babylon 5, resulting in the station's evacuation and destruction.
In order to gain an edge, Clark orders Psi Corps to place telepaths aboard Earth destroyers to track Minbari vessels in hyperspace. Instead, they end up tracking Shadow vessels. With telepaths aboard both Earth destroyers and Babylon 5, the Shadows are effectively defeated. Clark disbands the Psi Corps then commits suicide.
Overview of Second Minbari War: The conflict begins when the Windswords emerge from hyperspace at the same time as pro-Clark forces launch an attack on Babylon 5. Overwhelmed, Ivanova and Sinclair overload the local jumpgate, destroying much of the Earth taskforce and preventing reinforcements from arriving. The surviving destroyers and cruisers leave Epsilon space, bemused at being on the same side as Minbari.
Earth attempts to restart hostilities, but the Grey Council deny the warrior caste the opportunity to kill their "soul brothers". Instead, many Warriors join the Rangers or help in B5's defence while others occupy the Markeb homeworld in exile.
No comments:
Post a Comment