Jeffrey Sinclair quotes from Babylon 5

Talia Winters

It seems like every time I get into the tube, Mr. Garibaldi's there! It's like he knows!

Jeffrey Sinclair

Talia, Mr. Garibaldi is many things, but he's not omniscient.

Talia

I think I'll take the stairs.

Sinclair

I think I'll join you.

Ivanova

Commander?

Sinclair

Yeah?

Ivanova

I think I've got to go to the bathroom.

Sinclair

Tell me about it!

Ivanova

Commander, we don't have a lot of time. We're cut off from the way we came in, we don't know if we can find another way back to the ship before we run out of air...

Sinclair

We can't leave him like this!

Ivanova

I know, I know. It's a Russian thing. When we're about to do something stupid, we like to catalog the full extent of our stupidity for future reference.

Susan Ivanova

God, I hate mornings.

Jeffrey Sinclair

We noticed. Personally, I find it the best part of the day.

Michael Garibaldi

Ah, me too.

Ivanova

[sighs] We all have our cross to bear.

Sinclair

The time I really learned to appreciate mornings was during the three years I spent being taught by Jesuits. [His voice drops to a near-whisper, and Ivanova starts to nod off.] We used to get up at five o'clock every morning for sunrise mass. Then an hour of meditation before class. We would sit, quiet, at peace. [Her eyelids are getting heavier.] Breathing in, breathing out. Breathing in, breathing out. [She's out cold.] Breathing in, breathing out. [Sinclair winks at Garibaldi, and the chief swaps their just-started breakfasts with dirty, empty dishes, but leaves Ivanova's untouched.]

Garibaldi

Well!

Ivanova

[snapping awake] What?

Garibaldi

Oh, that was great! Boy, just hit the spot! [to Sinclair] I see you cleaned your plate too! Guess I'd better get going.

Sinclair

Me too, it's nearly seven-thirty.

Ivanova

Sev--seven-thirty? I...I didn't even...I slept through breakfast? This isn't fair! It's n...

Sinclair

Something, Lieutenant Commander?

Ivanova

No! Nothing, I'm fine! I'm fine, you'll have to excuse me. [into her link] C&C, this is Ivanova! I realize I'm late, but I'm on my way! [She runs out, and Garibaldi swaps the dishes back.]

Sinclair

I'll notify your next of kin. [picks up his tray and leaves]

Garibaldi

Four...three...two...one...

Ivanova

[out in the corridor, shouting] AUGH! GARIBALDI, YOU'RE A DEAD MAN!

Garibaldi

This is the part I hate most: the waiting.

Sinclair

Hmm. (There's a moment of silence.)

Garibaldi

Mind if I ask you a question?

Sinclair

Sure.

Garibaldi

Okay, it's morning, you're getting ready for work, you pull on your pants --do you fasten and zip, or zip and then fasten?

Sinclair

What kind of question is that?

Garibaldi

Well, look, we've got two hours to kill --

Sinclair

Forget it.

Garibaldi

Just a question.

Sinclair

Why do you want to know?

Garibaldi

Why do I want to know? Because I think about these things sometimes. I was getting dressed this morning, I couldn't remember how I did it, and I started thinking about it. Does everyone do it the same way? Is it a left-handed/right-handed thing --?

Sinclair

(incredulous) You think about this stuff a lot?

Garibaldi

Yeah. Look, okay, I'm sorry I asked. You're always so serious all the time. Not every conversation has to be the end of the world as we know it.

Sinclair

I didn't mean to --

Garibaldi

Never mind. It's okay. I'll just -- watch my console. Don't worry about it. (After a long pause, Sinclair sighs.)

Sinclair

Fasten, then zip. You?

Garibaldi

Fasten zip. (Sinclair chuckles.)

Sinclair

How much longer?

Garibaldi

One hour, fifty seven minutes. (pause) Want to talk socks?

Sinclair

No.

Garibaldi

Just a question.

Sinclair

I'm not having this conversation.

Jeffrey Sinclair

I'm still waiting for an explanation, gentlemen.

Londo Mollari

Yes. And I'm prepared to give you one, Commander, as soon as the room stops spinning.

Sinclair

This station creates gravity by rotation. It never stops spinning.

Londo

Well, you begin to see my problem.

John Sheridan

You know, back at the station, I was pretty surprised to see you walk into the War Room. When an ambassador comes to visit, we usually have some advance warning.

Jeffrey Sinclair

There wasn't time. And believe me, my being here is as much of a surprise to me as it is to you.

Sheridan

Is it? [pause] Delenn either knew you were here or knew you were coming. Your timing seems like more than just a coincidence.

Sinclair

There are no coincidences, Captain.

Sheridan

That's not much of an answer.

Marcus Cole

Captain, if I were you, I'd quit while I was ahead. Back on Minbar, there was a saying among the other Rangers: "The only way to get a straight answer out of Ranger One was to look at every reply in a mirror while hanging upside down from the ceiling."

Sheridan

[laughs] Did it work?

Marcus

Oddly enough, yes. Or after a while you passed out and had a vision. Either way, the result was pretty much the same.

Sheridan

So you believe this?

Sinclair

I believe it.

Marcus

If Entil'Zha believes it, I believe it.

Susan Ivanova

I'll be in the car.

Sinclair

Zathras, this is very important. When you meet me again, it will be me, but it won't be me now. So you're not to say anything to me that might change the past. Do you understand?

Zathras

Zathras understand. [pauses] No. Zathras not understand. But Zathras do! Zathras good at doings, not understandings.

Sheridan

W-what else is on this list of things you're not supposed to mention?

Zathras

Zathras... does not remember. But if Zathras remember later, Zathras tells you.

Sinclair

I need Lennier to stay on the ship. Can you get the equipment up here by yourself?

Zathras

Yes, yes! Zathras is used to being beast of burden to other people's needs. Very sad life! Probably have very sad death, but at least there is symmetry!

Sinclair

Ready?

Delenn

Why do your people always ask if someone is ready right before you're going to do something massively unwise?

Sinclair

[smiling] Tradition.

Jeffrey Sinclair

[to a man with a very attractive looking alien woman] I wouldn't. You know the rules about crossing species. Stick with the list.

What are you, a bigot or something?

Sinclair

No. But obviously you've never met an Arnassian before. After they finish, they eat their mate.

Delenn

Do you not have files on the Vorlons?

Sinclair

Absolutely. Very large files. There's nothing in them, of course. How much do you have?

Delenn

More than you, it would seem. Naturally, it's all classified.

Sinclair

Naturally.

Delenn

[producing a data card] Here is a copy of everything I have. It may be of use. If anyone asks...say it fell from the sky. I imagine I will be quite astonished by this breach of security.

Sinclair

I was squad team leader when the call came in. We all knew it was a suicide mission. The Minbari had broken through and were closing in. Every ship we had left was ordered to circle Earth. We had to stop them, no matter what it cost. They came at us out of nowhere. We never had a chance. The sky was full of stars, and every star an exploding ship--one of ours. My team was blown out of the sky in less than a minute.

I'm sorry.

Sinclair

I managed to take out a fighter before they hit my stabilizers. I was losing power, I'd lost my team. And I figured if I was going to die, I'd take some of them with me. So I targeted one of their heavy cruisers. Hit my afterburners. I was going to ram them head-on. The last thing I remember is hurtling toward that cruiser. Filling my screen, big...my God, so big! Then...something...passed in front of my eyes. I guess I blacked out from the acceleration. When I came to twenty-four hours later, the cruiser was gone. I checked in. They told me the war was over. The Minbari had surrendered.

Because of the Line!

Sinclair

No, that's what I'm trying to tell you. We were beaten. We didn't stop them, they stopped themselves! And I wish to hell I knew why.

Delenn

You're all right? Do you need anything?

Sinclair

Coffee. Two sugars. Cream. And aspirin. Lots and lots of aspirin!