Scenes with John Sheridan 109
John SheridanThe Universe speaks in many languages but only one voice. A language which is not Narn or Human or Centauri or Gaim or Minbari. It speaks in the language of hope.
It speaks in the language of trust. It speaks in the language of strength and the language of compassion. It is the language of the heart and of the language of the soul; but always it is the same voice; it is the voice of our ancestors speaking through us, and the voice of our inheritors waiting to be born; it is the small still voice that says: "We are one." No matter the blood, no matter the skin, no matter the world, no matter the star. We are one. No matter the pain, no matter the darkness, no matter the loss, no matter the fear. We are one. Here, gathered together in common cause we agree to recognize this singular truth and this singular rule: that we must be kind to one another.
Sheridan
Because each voice enriches us and ennobles us, and each voice lost diminishes us. We are the voice of the universe, the soul of creation, the fire that will light the way to a better future. We are one.
[After getting the members of the Alliance to sign the Declaration of Principles, Sheridan and Delenn sit in the conference room, admiring the table full of signed scrolls. G'Kar bursts in.]
Ah, Mr. President. [sees the documents] Oh, good, good, good. I was looking for these. [begins gathering them up and shoving them in his bag]
Sheridan
What are you doing?
Well, we need to get everyone to sign them again!
Sheridan
What? [stands, flabbergasted] We… Do you understand what we went through to get them signed even once?
I revised it again. It's better.
Sheridan
G'Kar!
[He offers another scroll to Sheridan, who snatches it angrily out of his hands. He and Delenn start to read. His anger fades, replaced by awe.]
Sheridan
[surprised] It's better.
[Having gathered the old, signed copies, G'Kar retakes the new version from Sheridan, snatching it from his grasp. He dashes out of the council chamber, leaving a stunned Sheridan and Delenn in his wake.]
Sheridan
Some days, it's like living in a madhouse.
What if the station falls?
Sheridan
Then, as you said to me once, "I'll see you again in the place where no shadows fall."
John Sheridan
I'm caught in a web of my own good intentions.
Well, the road to hell is paved with them, sir.
Sheridan
I know. But why does it have to go through this office?
[The Brakiri Day of the Dead has begun, and part of the station is...off-limits.]
There seems to be a slight problem, sir. It's kind of hard to explain. We seem to be missing a piece of the station. We can't reach it. We can't communicate with it.
John Sheridan
That piece is almost a square mile across. You can't just lose something that big.
I agree, but it's still missing.
[Sheridan and Delenn greet Rebo and Zooty in their quarters, where they have all gathered for dinner. As Delenn and Zooty walk off, Sheridan leans in to talk to Rebo.]
Sheridan
You know, I was really hoping to talk to Zooty. You know, without the machine.
RRebo
Yeah. He never breaks character, not even around me. In ten years, I've only heard him say one word without the machine.
Sheridan
Oh. Oh. What's the word?
Sheridan
Oh, just curious.
RRebo
No, no. That was the word. "Why". In ten years, I haven't figured it out myself.
...
[Later, in the Zocalo, Zooty gestures for Sheridan to lean close. He takes off his hat, puts it over the machine hanging from his pocket, and whispers conspiratorially to Sheridan. Sheridan's eyes go wide, and Zooty nods in confirmation. He dons his hat and walks off. G'Kar runs up to him.]
Sheridan
[astonished] "Because it tells me to…"
Sheridan
Can you stall [the Alliance council] a bit?
Not a problem. I'll tell them we're declaring war on Earth. That'll give them something positive to think about.
Sheridan
[distracted] Good. Good. Give me the paperwork and I'll sign it.
[Delenn meditates in front of a candle, praying in light of the soon-to-be war. Sheridan comes out of their bedroom and sits with her.]
John Sheridan
What does the candle represent?
Sheridan
Whose life?
All life. Every life. We are all born as molecules in the hearts of a billion stars. Molecules that do not understand politics or policies or differences. Over a billion years, we foolish molecules forget who we are and where we came from. In desperate acts of ego, we give ourselves names, fight over lines on maps, and pretend that our light is better than everyone else's. The flame reminds us of the piece of those stars that live inside us. A spark that tells us: you should know better. The flame also reminds us that life is precious, as each flame is unique. When it goes out, it's gone forever, and there will never be another quite like it. So many candles will go out tonight. I wonder some days if we can see anything at all.
John Sheridan
I tell ya, the next person who acts irrationally, I swear I'm gonna shoot myself in the head.
[Delenn bursts into the room in a rage]
Sheridan
She did.
Sheridan
What could make her [Lyta] turn like this?
Well, let's see. She was..."adjusted" by the Vorlons, dumped by the Vorlons, used as a weapon. Quit the Corps. Lost the only man she ever loved and dedicated herself to finishing his work. Pick one or all of the above. Let's face it, she's pissed.
Sheridan
Massively.
[Lochley and Zack go to the Zocalo to arrest Lyta on suspicion of terrorism. She displays how she has the entire Zocalo under her mental control.]
I'm tired of being pushed around, Captain. I do not choose to be arrested. I've done a lot for this place…and just once I think a little gratitude would be in order, don't you?
[He doesn't move. He, the deputies, and the rest of the crowd appear to be catatonic.]
You cannot harm me. You cannot stop someone who's been touched by Vorlons.
[A PPG appears and lines up with the side of Lyta's head. Sheridan steps out of the crowd.]
John Sheridan
You're not the only one that's been touched by the Vorlons. [gestures to the crowd] Let them go.
[Lyta stands resolute. Sheridan presses the gun into the side of her head.]
Sheridan
Let 'em go or I'll blow the back of your skull off!
[Lyta relaxes her mental control, and the crowd begins moving again.]
It occurs to me I have never walked the length of this place, end to end.
John Sheridan
Well, Delenn, it's 5 miles long.
Sheridan
Now?
John Sheridan
It's good to know that at least one of the old gang will be sticking around for a while.
Who, me? Absolutely. Hell, I'll probably still be here when they turn off the lights.[N]
One time, we were walking through the Alien sector, and we heard this beautiful singing coming from the Pak'Ma'Ra's quarters.
John Sheridan
They sing?
There's nothing in the literature about that.
Apparently they only ever do it once a year, during their religious period. And we were listening to this singing and I saw a tear run down Londo's face, and I said, "We should go, this is upsetting you." But he said no, and we stayed. After the singing was over he turned to me and said, "There are 49 Gods in our Pantheon, Vir. To tell you the truth I've never really believed in any of them. But if just one of them exists...then God sings with that voice."
Sheridan
A toast. To...absent friends. In memory still bright.
Babylon 5 · 626 quotes
