“Mind War” · Season 1
In this episode: G'Kar (4), Alfred Bester (3), Catherine Sakai (3), Talia Winters (2), Susan Ivanova (1), Michael Garibaldi (1), Jeffrey Sinclair (1)
[In a transport tube, Talia explains the finer points of telepathy to a client while Garibaldi looks her over.]
Casual thoughts are very easy to block, but strong emotions have a way of slipping through sometimes, whether you want them to or not.
[she suddenly becomes aware of Garibaldi's thoughts and elbows him in the stomach]
[as she and her client exit the tube] Ooh! I think I'm in love.
No, now's a fine time...
[he looks up and spots the two Psi Cops, Bester and Kelsey–instantly realizing that they've been communicating telepathically with him]
Get out...of my head! You want to talk to me, talk to me!
Apologies, Commander. It saves considerable time.
[G'Kar tries to dissuade a skeptical Catherine from her flight to Sigma 957.]
Let me pass on to you the one thing I've learned about this place. No one here is exactly what he appears. Not Mollari, not Delenn, not Sinclair, and not me.
[Garibaldi harbors a very rude thought towards Bester]
Anatomically impossible, Mr. Garibaldi. But you're welcome to try.
Just one question: why?
Why not?
That's not an answer.
Oh, yes it is. It's simply not an answer you like, or the answer you expected. There's a difference. Narns, Humans, Centauri, we all do what we do for the same reason: because it seemed like a good idea at the time.
Do you know what it's like when telepaths make love, Commander? You drop every defense, and it's all mirrors: reflecting each other's feelings deeper and deeper...until, somewhere along the line, your souls mix. And it's a feeling so profound it makes you hurt. It's the only moment in a telepath's life when you no longer hear the voices.
[Bester has explained the details of the Psi Corps program that made Jason Ironheart what he is]
It was a calculated risk!
Good old Psi Corps. You guys never cease to amaze me. All the moral fiber of Jack the Ripper! What do you do in your spare time, juggle babies over a fire pit? Oops, there goes another calculated risk!
You're not helping the situation.
Lady, you are the situation!
While I was out there, I saw something. What was it?
[pointing to a nearby flower] What is this? [upon closer inspection, an insect is visible]
An ant.
"Ant"!
So much gets shipped up from Earth on commercial transports, it's hard to keep them out.
[As Catherine is talking, G'Kar carefully picks up the ant.]
I have just picked it up on the tip of my glove. If I put it down again [replacing the ant on the flower] and it asks another ant, "What was that?" ...how would it explain? There are things in the universe billions of years older than either of our races. They are vast, timeless. And if they are aware of us at all, it is as little more than ants...and we have as much chance of communicating with them as an ant has with us. We know. We've tried. And we've learned we can either stay out from underfoot, or be stepped on.
That's it? That's all you know?
Yes. They are a mystery. And I am both terrified and reassured to know that there are still wonders in the universe...that we have not yet explained everything. Whatever they are, Ms. Sakai, they walk near Sigma 957. They must walk there alone.
[G'Kar tries to dissuade a skeptical Catherine Sakai from her flight to Sigma 957.]
Let me pass on to you the one thing I've learned about this place. No one here is exactly what he appears. Not Mollari, not Delenn, not Sinclair…and not me.
. . .
[After returning from Sigma 957, Sakai seeks out G'Kar.]
Ah, Ms. Sakai. I'm pleased to see that you have returned safely from your expedition.
Yes, thanks to you. Just one question. Why?
Why not?
It's not an answer.
Oh yes it is. It's simply not an answer you like or the answer you expected. There's a difference. Narns, humans, Centauri, we all do what we do for the same reason: because it seemed like a good idea at the time. There was no profit, no advantage in letting you fall to an untimely and most uncomfortable death. It would distress the Commander to no good effect. So once again we return to, "Why not?" I told you before you left: no one here is entirely what they appear. If I surprised you, all the better. Good day, Ms. Sakai.
These quotes come from Wikiquote's Babylon 5 pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.
