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woodsfae · 1 month

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B5 s03e21 Shadow Dancing previous episode - table of contents

I see the next episode is called z'ha'dum (dang I have been mis-spelling that a dozen different ways) so the "z-minus" must be referring to that. This coming at the end of season 3 also affirms for me that Sheridan must survive z'ha'dum despite the prophecy of death. Some heart-stopped-but-he-survived pedantry. I still think Dr Franklin is going to be pivotal. But that's next episode!

Delenn is speaking before the League of Aligned Worlds or whatever their acronym is. She and Lennier are wearing somber brown and green-grey, as opposed to their usual jewel-tones. Are they trying to dress down to fit in with the lower species? LOL.

Delenn is asking for more ships than the individual worlds feel they can risk, and is promising that the Minbari are commiting considerable forces as well.

The Shadows have been driving refugees into sector 83 for months, and Sheridan thinks an attack on the corralled population is imminent.

It's funny, I used to think Marcus looked annoying but now I'm always so happy to see him. He seems to have recovered from Neroon beating his face in.

THE PLAN: Ivanova and Marcus are going to sector 83, going completely dark, and are waiting for the Shadows to turn up. Then they're getting out ASAP without engaging them, at any cost. Presumably to summon the rest of the waiting forces that Delenn has just negotiated to be waiting.

The League is acquiescing to Delenn's request and lending the alliance all their spare ships and then some. Ivanova is in command of the White Star with Marcus as her leal interpreter and they're off! I'm not sure if I think this is going to work, or if it's going to be a miscalculation and they're going to be in a really bad position coming into the season finale.

"Sometimes people walk away because they want to be alone. Sometimes people walk away because they want to see if you'll folllow them into hell."

Uncharacteristically insightful for Garibaldi, but also, don't play those games. You can't walk yourself into hell on the slim chance that the person you're chasing is hoping to be caught.

Guest Star Barbara is not making a good impression on me, but we are also shown that Stephen Franklin is looking a little less rough than in his last appearance.

Z MINUS SIX DAYS

I'm absolutely positive that's counting down to Z'ha'dum now.

Minbari beds are...not ideal. And it would be pretty strange to wake up to another person at a 45 degree angle staring you (or not) straight in the face.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever met," says Marcus, then claims it's just a greeting.

"It meants...my words are inadequate to the burden of my heart."

"That's an unusual greeting."

"They're an unusual people."

Fingers crossed that Susan will remember the pronounciation and repeat it to some unsuspecting Minbari man.

Fingers also crossed that Susan never ever dates Marcus.

LOL the Minbari beds' feet tip up enough to be almost flat. And then some. asdfkljahf. So you can angle towards either bulkhead based on preference? hah.

Minbari continue to be hilariouly bizarre. Delenn shares a Minbari custom that, when a couple has been flirting as long as they have been, they spend three nights together while the man sleeps and the woman observes his sleeping face. If she likes it, cool. If not, they're finished.

Stephen Franklin just tried to intervene in a mugging and got a gut-stab for his trouble. Perhaps this will be how he finally meets himself.

Rough stuff. He's dragging himself along in bloody handprints to try to find help.

I guess I'd say I've met myself through injuries, but the end result has been me fixing myself up the vast majority of the time, and I'm not even a doctor. Though granted, the injuries have never been a gut stab.

Susan has finally got comfortable, by stealing all the pillows from the beds to make a pallet, and immediately gets an urgent page to the bridge. That tracks!!

The White Star has picked up a signature that's probably-definitely a Shadow ship, and they've come out of the moon-shadow they've been hidden in at the same time. badadadadada tension!

In the splotchlights Delenn brought Sheridan to keep track of the battles, it looks like Sheridan's going extremely grey. Stress grey.

Dr Franklin is chillin in a pool of his own blood, chatting with a hallucination of himself. Finally! Space AA can come to a conclusion and Stephen's final form can appear.

I like how the Shadows' ships move in space. It's quite unlike anything else I've seen.

Ivanova is returning fire on the Shadows ship, despite the direct orders to escape and not engage for any reason.

And a whole fleet of Shadows ships are coming into view! Dozens, perhaps even a hundred or more.

"Well, who wants to live forever?" Ivanova says, and they send the signal to the rest of the fleet. I continue to like her more and more.

Hmmm. Hallucination!Stephen is a lot harder on Stepehn than I think is fair. This is a really harsh internal dialogue. And uncomfortably relatable? But this kind of negative self-talk can be really improved by finding a good therapist.

Ahh, so the Grey Council's dramatic spot-lighting has a practical effect! It's also a holographic war-room. Sheridan directs the Minbari telepaths to jam the Shadows' capital ships, and deploys the waiting fleet. They got the message! The White Star's backup is on the way.

"Don't you go passing out on me - that's just another kind of running away."

I BARKED with laughter at that line. Internal!Stephen is a dick.

Hmm in the war room lighting, Delenn also looks like she's going grey, so I'm not sure if it's a stress-grey thing or a lighting thing.

The battle continues. The CGI has noticably improved from s01 and s02.

The Minbari beds make more sense when they're full of telepaths at work than full of humans failing to fall asleep.

It appears that the League fleet has driven off the Shadows, but the music and Delenn and Sheridan's mien is somber. Injured personel from the fleet are coming in at the same time as Franklin is getting medical attention.

"We did ok. Not great, but ok," Sheridan says. Frame it as a victory!! As Ivanova points out, it's the first time they pulled together the League. And they drove them off!!

Z MINUS 4 DAYS

Garibaldi watches Franklin sleep. I ought to write the fic I have floating around in my head where they get together and only inflict their emotional idiocy on each other.

Garibaldi: "Don't ever do this to me again."

Well that isn't a deterrent. to me.

Delenn is out of the brown-and-green and back into her jewel tones.

Ivanova thinks the Shadows have been deliberately leaving Babylon 5 alone and hearing this, Sheridan has a flashback to his vision of Ivanova, with a raven on her shoulder, asking "Do you know who I am?"

Working out the vision - Susan is a latent telepath and said (irl) she doesn't know who she is sometimes. Sheridan also saw himself in a PsiCorps uniform, and Ivanova again in all-black with a veil saying "yuou are the hand." I remember this, but it's handy that they're recapping this because I didn't remember the exact specifics. But they haven't figured out what they think it means. But they better hurry up because a Shadow vessel is in hyperspace going places to do things!

Franklin is the CMO again. Apparently. Unofficial up to the point that Sheridan walked in and offered it to him again.

Stephen's personal revelations are good - it's important to know yourself. And I like that he's realized he's always defined himsef by what he isn't, and how that didn't serve him well. Psychologically speaking.

hmmm cute. Sheridan's sleeping, and Delenn's watching him with a little smile. And danger is afoot on b5, going by the ominous music and shots of various humans and aliens. Zack Allen wakes up Ivanova to tell her someone's coming on board.

SHERIDAN'S WIFE. fuck yeah

But now I have a new question, considering the multiple shots of a shadow shuttle flying around: is she herself, or is she a puppet of the Shadows?

Z MINUS 2 DAYS

*definitely not making high pitched noises right now*

Who in the fuck gave Anna the codes to Sheridan's quarters? Like. She's been declared dead and everything. I blame Zack.

z'ha'dum alert

#two in one day - I'm surprised too #babylon 5 #woodsfae b5 #delenn: “my relationship is in danger!”#anna: *shadows programming beep boop*

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tossacointoyourhotmess · 1 year

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Commander Susan Ivanova

A firestone, forged in flames Wildest card, run the game, run the game Can't stay the same in this world of change Don't fear the pain, just break the chain

Edit: So obsessed with this song that I made an Ivanova video with it as well

#Babylon 5 #b5 #susan ivanova #Sorry not sorry #I love her

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greenjacketwhitehatdocmui · 11 months

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Star Wars/Babylon 5 Thought: General Ivanova

One of the very, very random things that popped into my mind was what if, in The Last Jedi, Amilyn Holdo wasn’t the one in charge? What if someone else was?

What if Susan Ivanova was in charge? I’m not shoving Holdo out the airlock. I’m just wondering if General Ivanova was the ranking officer after most of the command staff got blown off the bridge?

(This is off the top of my head, folks. Don’t look for deep, deep meaning here.)

First things first--she would tell the crew that they have a plan, but that she is open to any options and suggestions. Oh, and I’m pretty sure that any speech she gives would include “the Resistance isn’t dying today. Not on my watch and not on yours.”

What would she do with Poe? Well, in a private room, she would let him know in no uncertain terms that she is this/close to dumping him out an airlock for disobeying a direct order. And no, the excuse that his comm was shot out isn’t going to cut it--because she was once a fighter pilot herself and she knows all the tricks to circumvent superior officers and uncomfortable questions. And yes, blowing up the dreadnought was the right call--in retrospect. But from the POV of the surviving higher-ups...it was the act of an unstable pilot who probably shouldn’t have been put back in the cockpit so soon.

Ivanova: “Dameron, I need a plan other than running until we’re out of fuel. We don’t have the firepower to take on that fleet and the hyperdrive has maybe one more good jump with the fuel we have. The thing is, we jump and the First Order will just follow us. Then they’ll wipe us out. I think you can come up with another option. What do you say?”

Poe: “Why are you asking me? Didn’t you just say I was on thin ice?”

Ivanova: “Yes, you are. And right now, we need every idea that might work.” *pauses* “Did you think I was going to lock you out of the loop out of sheer spite?”

Poe: “Well...maybe...”

Ivanova: “That would be really stupid and petty. We don’t have time for that...Commander.”

Poe: “Wait, didn’t General Organa--”

Ivanova: “--demote you? Yes, but right now, we can’t afford the gap in the ranks. Just remember this little mantra.”

Poe: “?”

Ivanova: “`I will listen to Ivanova. I will not ignore Ivanova’s recommendations. Ivanova...is God. And...if this ever happens again, Ivanova will personally rip your lungs out.’ Do I make myself clear?”

Poe: “...yes, General.”

Ivanova (brightly): “Good! Now, let’s go outside, brainstorm some ideas and save the Resistance. Oh, and bring your buddy Finn if he’s up. I’m sure that Amilyn will pout about it, but he knows First Order tech.”

Poe: “Amilyn?”

Ivanova: “Admiral Holdo. It was her bomber fleet that you got wiped out. She didn’t like that.”

Whoof. Okay, that went a little long. Maybe I should write this up.

--Doc

#susan ivanova #babylon 5 #star wars #the last jedi #amilyn holdo #poe dameron

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nicejewishcharactershowdown · 1 year

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Nice Jewish Character Showdown 2023 -- Round One Eliminations

Well folks, the first round of the 2023 event has concluded, and 16 hopefuls have been taken out of the running for this year's crown. While we wait for the polls to go live for round two, let's take a second to debrief with those contenders, and break down what makes them such Nice Jewish Characters.

Match One Elimination: James Wilson, House MD Apologies to the House MD fans who kept trying to push the vote in your guy's favor, I honestly did not expect 9 to have such a high turnout (I'll elaborate on his inclusion another time). I'm going to make my way around to watching this show eventually I promise, in the meantime all I can reference to validate his Judaism is the textual reference to his Judaism in dialogue, the enthusiasm from my Jewish mutuals, and his entry on Jew or Not Jew (which, although considerably dated, was a popular site for me and my Hebrew School peers to browse between classes).

Match Two Elimination: Susan Ivanova, Babylon 5 While I haven't watched Babylon 5, I was pleasantly surprised to discover just how Jewish this Trek-adjacent show is, at least, in terms of canonicity. The second in command of the titular ship, Ivanova is textually Ashkenazi, Russian specifically. I can't speak on specifics since I, again, haven't watched the show, but it sounds like her relationship with her ancestry is tied significantly into her personal plot arc, as she reconnects with it over the seasons.

Match Three Elimination: Avigdor, Yentl Oh, Mandy Patinkin, the communal zeyde of the Jewish internet. While Avigdor may not be the Nicest of Jewish Characters, we gotta remember dramatic context! And yes, the absolute Gender of Yentl is no small factor in his popularity. I don't regret the picture I used, but I'm sure he would have had a bit of a swing vote if I used the picture of him wet and shirtless. Ah, well. Not like this is the first time Yentl's been snubbed for awards season.

Match Four Elimination: Samwise Gamgee, Lord of the Rings Yes, the books have the unfortunate way they've reflected on antisemitic stereotypes with the portrayal of the dwarves. But when you look at the hobbits, don't they feel like citizens of a shtetl? Aren't you filled with the warmth of shabbos when you think about a hobbit hole? And when thinking about Samwise's unending hope for good, even in the darkest parts of the journey, are you not reminded of something?

Match Five Elimination: George Costanza, Seinfeld Yeah I knew this one was going to infuriate some people. George Costanza, you textually Jewish in every way but literal prince, you are the perfect example of the transitive property of Jewish media (Jason Alexander has been quoted as saying that Costanza is Jewish because he's being played by a Jewish actor). Doing readings on invisible Jewish representation through the lens of Seinfeld (and the associated eras of television) is FASCINATING, btw.

Match Six Elimination: Schmidt, New Girl A very Jewish cast and crew brought this 2010's icon to our screens, and while the humor might not have always been the kindest to his Jewish identity, it's no surprise that he has such a continuing popularity within the former viewing audience. Someone get him a cookie, please?

Match Seven Elimination: Cher Horowitz, Clueless Written by a Jew, directed by a Jew, played by a Jew, Cher Horowitz is a great example of the transitive property of Jewish media. Plus, with a last name like Horowitz and a lawyer father, there are plenty of reasons to interpret the 90's darling as such. This Kveller article is full of fun facts about the Jewish background of the production!

Match Eight Elimination: Barbara Millicent Roberts, Barbie Watch Tiny Shoulders if you don't think Barbie belonged in this showdown. Barbara Millicent Roberts, you've been so popularized and Americanized that we've forgotten your roots, my darling! Ruth Handler, Barbie's creator, comes from a distinctly Jewish background, and her family's Ellis Island history is a good way of looking at the way Barbie's been assimilated. Sure she's got her Christmas-y ties, but most Christmas media comes from us anyways, so I think she can get a pass.

Match Nine Elimination: The Baudelaires, A Series of Unfortunate Events Okay, I'll admit it, I never read ASOUE. It freaked me out too much as a kid, and I've never circled back to it. But it's been on the back of my mind for a while, and now that I'm aware of just how Jewish the source material is, I'm this close to looking up the audiobooks on Libby. This is a step above the transitive property of Jewish media, this is textual. I guess it's characteristic for the Baudelaires to lose, but they can be comforted in how close the vote was.

Match Ten Elimination: Tommy Pickles, Rugrats So I grew up with public access television, and when I finally got cable it felt a bit like I'd missed the boat on Rugrats, age-group wise. But seeing the VHS cases on the library shelves of my synagogue, I always knew that show was a good case of Jewish representation. The Rugrats was revolutionary in their central Judaism in children's media: not just giving it to a side character for special episodes, but giving it to the main character and spending ample time discussing it. Consider putting the Passover or Hannukah specials into your holiday circulation.

Match Eleven Elimination: The Strilondes, Homestuck Somewhat surprising to me, but not really since they lost round one last time, the Strilondes have been taken out of the running. What makes Dave Strider and Rose Lalonde Jewish? Siblings through manipulation of genetic cloning, we witness a Very Jewish Wedding in the Snapchat Credits Sequence to Homestuck, where Rose and her wife, Kanaya, are in the center of a horah dance, lifted above the crowd in chairs (here's the timestamp). Besides that, Homestuck can be interpreted through a very Jewish lens (at least to me, someone who has a John Egbert statuette on their bookshelf). Plus, Homestuck has an answer to the Great Frog Debate (their answer is the biggest frog possible).

Match Twelve Elimination: Frankenstein('s Monster), Frankenstein Sorry Adam, I know losing twice in a row is hard, but to be fair you DID go up against werewolves last time. Why is Adam Frankenstein('s Monster) Jewish? He has a complicated relationship with the concept of a higher power (and in his case, a complicated familial relationship with his own creator). Plus, when I look at him, I see the most famous golem in pop culture. Jewish Frankenstein supremacy <3 (Oh, and while I'm thinking about it, a general plug for the book version of Monster High, published in 2010, which has a VERY Jew-coded interpretation of the titular monsters, imo.)

Match Thirteen Elimination: The Baker, Into The Woods Musical theater is inherently Jewish, so is it any surprise that a Sondheim character made it to the showdown? Into the Woods is a masterpiece, and when you look at it through a Jewish lens it gets even more so -- especially in the second act. The Baker is one of several characters in the show that really become aware of the constraints of their fairy tale lives, and choose to circumvent them. I'm going to restrain myself from discussing it more since the entire original cast recording is available to watch here, and it's one of my favorite musicals ever so I'd just get incoherent in further analysis if you haven't seen the source material.

Match Fourteen Elimination: Will Byers, Stranger Things I knew this was going to happen on the #CecilSweep website, but it still hurts a little bit to see Will Byers lose with such a sweep. Maybe it's the fact the Byers house has readily available Christmas lights. Why was he a contestant? Well, observing the transitive property of Jewish media (as discussed earlier), Noah Schnapp AND Winona Ryder's Judaism is more than enough to validate a Jewish reading of the Byers family -- in my mind, they're a mixed household, and kept celebrating Xmas after Lonnie left because the kids grew up with it (plus, they're in Indiana in the 80's, so...)

Match Fifteen Elimination: The Lorax, The Lorax Did you go to Hebrew School in the United States if you didn't watch or read The Lorax for Tu B'ishvat? I mentioned the VHS library at my synagogue earlier, and this tape was a standard on the wheelie box tv set-up, often used to distract the younger kids who would get bored at the High Holy Days services. He's just a lil' man who loves the trees, that's a mensch to me.

Match Sixteen Elimination: Worf, Star Trek: The Next Generation I feel like I have to apologize for putting the two Trek characters against each other up front. It's another place where my textual knowledge slips a bit, so when I found out just how Jewish Worf is I was pleasantly surprised. Trek has a very odd relationship with just how Jewish it has been since conception (thank you, Nimoy!) , so for Worf's parents to be all but declared to be Jewish is like. You could have just made them Jewish. Why didn't you make them Jewish (we know why).

#post round analysis #nice jewish character showdown round one #nice jewish character showdown 2023 #nice jewish character showdown

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fyeahcompetentwomen · 1 year

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Jill Valentine vs. Susan Ivanova

Remember: don't vote on "who would win in a fight", but on "who, when given a task that fits her skillset and talents, would do that task better: more comprehensively, faster, with more pizzazz, with less collateral, etc."

Endorsements! "What is she good at?"

Jill Valentine, Resident Evil: The Master of Unlocking. Jill survives Spencer Mansion and the first incident with zombies, then escapes Racoon City while being hunted by the Nemesis tyrant. A complete badass who has never met a door she cannot unlock.

Susan Ivanova, Babylon 5: Commander of a space station. No one should mess with her.

"On your trip back, I'd like you to take the time to learn the Babylon 5 mantra: 'Ivanova…is always right. I will listen to Ivanova. I will not ignore Ivanova's recommendations. Ivanova…is God. And, if this ever happens again, Ivanova will personally rip your lungs out!' Babylon Control out."

#fuck yeah competent women #fyeahcompetentwomen #bracket #round 1 #group 2 #jill valentine #resident evil #susan ivanova #babylon 5

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pluralsword · 8 months

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We think these two would make a very good team and get a long well.

Despite that we wrote a fic where they butt heads and fight each other because of opposed outlooks due to differing access to information- but c'mon it's Samus and Arcee they'll figure it out. Do you like the Metroid universe? Do you like trans takes on transformers worldbuilding? What about combining the two as if they were seamless parts of each other, and reading these two badasses square off until they come to terms (do you think them fighting would be hot)? Well, then we have the Samus vs. Arcee fic for you, three chapters of it so far, as part of our Duel of Journeys series of crossover vs. that handles things differently than Death Battles and similar things do, in the following respects:

-presenting an ostensible reason for the two sides to be fighting, because outside of sparring, motivation helps drive and define combat

-in situations where the power levels are skewed (e.g. Arcee is a fantastic fighter and certainly a more experienced commander than Samus but barring her time-traveling Alternity iteration Arcee does not have the armor / defenses to survive Super Bombs, Super/Ice Missiles, Hyper Beams, the Metroid Suit, etc etc. Her swords with her reflexes are missile defense systems but um well blast radius is still a thing so there's a big difference between Samus's missiles and Bombshell's) show what other advantages both can bring to the table, not fighting in a vacuum/void from the rest of the world

-as such, it is not necessarily a battle to the death. It is about victory by defeating or persuading, and ones allies and loved ones can get involved. (to make a non Star Wars example, if you threw Admiral Susan Ivanova of Babylon 5 and Grand Admiral Thrawn of Star Wars against each other while yes their close quarters fight would be interesting we think their abilities as space naval commanders would be much more interesting to see against each other)

-with that in mind, finishing whatever plot comes after if possible

It's really more of a character analysis / comparison thing. So there you have it, good hunting! If people want to suggest matchups please do so in asks or comments or reblogs of this post, bear in mind that we will want at least one character involved from any of the following (yes we will favor robots), and may not write what we are unfamiliar/uncomfortable with, and we will also consider team-up fics instead of vs.:

-Transformers (e.g. Chromia), GI JOE (e.g. Scarlett), Steamworlds (e.g. Piper Faraday), Battletech (e.g. Kamea Arano), Sunless Skies (e.g. Reckless Driver), Babylon 5 (e.g. Delenn), Supreme Commander (e.g. Rhiza). We will add to this list when we have time. <3

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therighthandofvengeance · 11 months

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Sheridan: who hurt you?

[Ivanova stares him down]

Sheridan: I’m kidding. I know it’s the Psi Corps.

#who are queue? what do queue want?#incorrect babylon 5 quote #john sheridan #inspo: modern family #phil dunphy #again: older brother and younger sister #they just have the vibe #for example:#if you told me Commander Susan Ivanova carries a cardboard tube around with the sole purpose of hitting her CO over the head as necessary…#I would believe you 100%

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authortobenamedlater · 9 months

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I’ve been playing with my B5/Halo crossover AU lately and finally wrote the intro.

The thing that’s kept me from writing more here is I can’t decide if I want Chyler in this timeline or not. I’ve been leaning toward no because FSATAS predates MWAS, but Chyler being around feels natural now and I kind of default to it. But I feel like I should do something different. But I’ve tried to make up OCs to fill the first officer role and none of them click. Sheridan gets Delenn, shouldn’t Lasky get some action too? Don’t we need a scene with our two captains grousing about their women?

You aren’t here for this. I’m probably never going to actually write this crossover so I don’t know why I’m agonizing so much. Here’s what you ARE here for.

—

If Commander Susan Ivanova had learned one thing in her two years as Babylon 5’s first officer, she had learned that situations could change rapidly.

Therefore, it shouldn’t have surprised her when a ship she didn’t recognize appeared seemingly out of nowhere right outside Command and Control.

She was surprised anyway.

It’s huge, was Ivanova’s first thought. Bigger than anything the Earth Alliance had and bigger than any alien craft she could think of. Long, dark gray with a blue glow at what Ivanova assumed was the stern and several thin structures protruding around the hull. Sensors? Weapons?

“What’s that?” Someone asked.

“Excellent question,” Ivanova replied dryly as she took in the scene. This huge, unfamiliar ship looked adrift.

“Lieutenant, did we detect a jump point?” Ivanova asked, turning away from the sight outside of the station.

“No, ma’am,” Lieutenant David Corwin answered from his station near the back, looking as befuddled as Ivanova felt. “Should I try to open a channel?”

“Do it,” Ivanova ordered. She hit her communicator. “Ivanova to Sheridan. Captain, we need you in C&C.”

****

The UNSC Infinity dropped out of slipspace like a rock.

Pain exploded in Captain Thomas Lasky’s ribs, then his knees, as he crashed into the holotable at the center of the bridge and then the floor.

“What the hell was that?” The captain demanded of no one and everyone. He grabbed the edge of the table and hauled himself to stand.

“I don’t know, sir,” Infinity’s AI said, his golden avatar flickering in and out.

The bridge lights dimmed, then surged, then went out completely, then surged again.

Lasky heard a shriek from behind him. His comms officer was hunched over, blood gushing out of her nose, onto her panel, and all over the deck.

Oh, God. “O’Hara! Hang on.” Lasky fumbled under the table for the first aid kit and sighed in frustration as he cracked it open. The roll of gauze wouldn’t do much against O’Hara’s nosebleed, but it was all he had.

“Hey. Hey.” Lasky hurriedly balled up the gauze and pressed it to the lieutenant’s face. “Lean forward.” He crouched beside O’Hars guided her free hand to the bridge of her nose. “Pinch.”

O’Hara nodded through a whimper. Lasky absently noticed the blood dripping down his sleeve.

The ship lurched and Lasky grabbed O’Hara’s chair to keep from falling over. The lights dimmed and finally returned to normal brightness.

Lasky looked around to see his crew pulling themselves off the floor, calling for and offering help, asking what was happening. At first glance, no one seemed seriously injured.

No one here, at least. Maybe the rest of the ship had similarly lucked out.

“Roland, what happened?” Lasky stood up.

Eight inches of yellowish-orange, 1940s-style pilot assembled on the table. “Infinity dropped out of slipspace unexpectedly.”

Lasky squelched a comment about stating the obvious. “Do we know why?”

“No, Captain.”

“Where are we?” Lasky took a breath and winced as his ribs protested. “Casualty reports?”

“None yet, sir, but it’s possible I’m not receiving—“

“Captain?” O’Hara interrupted. “I think we’re being hailed.”

****

“What’s going on?”

Ivanova looked over her shoulder at Babylon 5’s commanding officer. “See for yourself.”

Captain John Sheridan squinted out the viewport. “What is that thing?”

“That’s the question of the hour.”

“Definitely not one of ours,” Sheridan mused. “Doesn’t look like any alien ships I’ve seen.” He pointed. “No rotating sections.”

Ivanova frowned. Sheridan was right.

“You said it just appeared?” Sheridan asked. “No jump point or jump gate activation?”

“That’s right,” Ivanova confirmed.

“Can we talk to them?”

“Corwin’s working on it.”

“Commander, I’m having a hard time with that channel,” Corwin spoke up. “This vessel doesn’t seem to operate on any of our frequencies.”

“Their engine signatures don’t match anything we have on file, ma’am.” Another lieutenant added.

“Ivanova.”

Ivanova followed Sheridan’s gaze to the mystery ship.

“UNSC Infinity?” Sheridan read. “We don’t have a ship named Infinity.”

“If we do, it’s news to me,” Ivanova mused. “And I don’t know what ‘UNSC’ is supposed to mean.”

“I might have something!” Corwin called. “They might be able to hear us, Captain.”

Sheridan pushed the button. “This is Captain John Sheridan of Earth Alliance Station Babylon 5 to…” his brow furrowed slightly, like he couldn’t quite believe what he was saying. “UNSC Infinity. Do you need assistance?”

****

“It’s not a familiar frequency, sir,” O’Hara said shakily. The red-haired officer punched a few buttons with the hand not holding her now-useless wad of gauze. “I’m trying to isolate it.” She swiped at her watering eyes.

Lasky worriedly eyed the blood still pouring out of O’Hara’s nose and unthinkingly rubbed her back. “How you feeling, lieutenant?”

“If you want the truth, sir, I have felt better.”

Lasky chuckled and bit back another wince.

“I’ve got it! I’ve got it!” O’Hara announced. She shuddered and pinched her nose again. “Ow.”

Lasky clapped her shoulder. “Good work. Let’s hear it.”

“—ance? Peat—five—need—“”

“Can you clean it up?” Lasky asked.

O’Hara touched a few more buttons. “Trying, sir.” Her voice sounded a little stronger.

“—Babylon 5, do you need assistance?”

“What’s Babylon 5?” Lasky heard someone ask. He waved a hand for silence.

“Repeat, this is Captain John Sheridan of Earth Alliance Station Babylon 5 to UNSC Infinity, do you need assistance? Repeat, this is Earth Alliance Station Babylon 5–“

Lasky tapped his ear. O’Hara nodded and routed the transmission to his earpiece.

“—Captain John Sheridan of Earth Alliance Station Babylon 5 to UNSC Infinity, do you need assistance?”

Now might not be the time to ask questions, but if it were, Lasky would have asked what the hell the Earth Alliance was. “This is Captain Thomas Lasky of the UNSC Infinity, we read you, Babylon 5,” Lasky answered. But we have no idea who or what you are.

“Do you need assistance, Infinity?” The male voice on the other end asked.

“Ah,” Lasky looked around his bridge. Sparks flew, thumps and scuffles came from all corners, crew members verbalized their pain and confusion. “only all we can get.”

“Do you need medical assistance?” A woman’s voice said.

Lasky looked at O’Hara. “That’s affirmative.”

“Captain, I have reports now of injuries on all decks,” Roland said from the holotable. “Some major.”

Lasky closed his eyes briefly. “We could sure use a place to dock and sort out our situation.” He realized belatedly that this Babylon 5 might not even have that capacity and not for the first time cursed the lack of windows on the bridge. He understood the security angle, especially after the UNSC had lost so many ships to the Covenant, but he really needed to see what he was dealing with right now.

“We’ve got you covered, Infinity,” Sheridan didn’t sound flustered, so Lasky assumed the request must be feasible. “Do you have engine power?”

Lasky turned to the holotable. “Yes,” he said after reading through the preliminary damage report. “But I don’t know how much. We took quite a hit.”

“Copy, Infinity, we’re sending a Starfury escort your way,” Sheridan said. “Hold your position.”

What’s a Starfury? “Holding position. ETA?”

A short pause. “Twenty minutes.”

“Copy, Babylon 5. Infinity out.”

“Babylon 5 out.”

“Captain, I have external cameras online,” Roland said.

Lasky nodded. “Let’s meet our new friends.”

A few seconds later the main display lit up.

Babylon 5 didn’t look like anything Lasky had ever seen, human or otherwise. Ships swarmed around the five spherical rotating sections and what looked like solar panels. It was hard to tell on a screen (another reason Lasky wished for a simple window), but the station looked bigger than Infinity’s three and a half miles by a decent margin.

We stopped using rotational gravity a century ago. Lasky felt a strange unease wash over him.

“What is that?” Someone near the front breathed.

“Is it Sangheili?” Another officer wondered.

“It’s not ours, that’s for sure,” a third voice added.

“Sensor power is still minimal,” Roland said. “But neither Babylon 5 nor any craft I can detect matches the UNSC or Covenant.”

Lasky’s unease grew. The UNSC didn’t have stations. Neither did any Covenant races.

Where are we?

And how did we get here?

****

“Captain.”

Sheridan looked at his first officer.

“Are you sure about this?” Ivanova said quietly enough for no one else to hear. She flicked her eyes to Infinity. “We don’t know anything about these people. Where they’re from, how they got here.”

“No, Commander, we don’t,” Sheridan agreed. “But we’re obligated to assist any vessel in distress, and it looks to me like Infinity qualifies.” He offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “Guess we’ll have to get to know them. A stranger’s just a friend you haven’t met yet, right?”

Ivanova gave him a skeptical look. “If you say so, sir.” She straightened her uniform jacket. “I’ll go see to the preparations. We’re about to have a lot of company.”

Sheridan nodded his assent and looked through the transparent steel separating him from the vacuum of space.

“Where did you come from, UNSC Infinity?” Babylon 5’s captain murmured. “And how did you get here?”

#halo #Babylon 5 #for such a time as this au #Thomas lasky #john sheridan #susan ivanova #fanfiction #halo fanfic by atbnl #Babylon 5 fanfic by atbnl #fanfic by atbnl

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ao3feed-babylon5 · 5 months

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Sigh… I lost a fantastic fanfic and I can’t find it to save my life. I’m now calling in the B5 Ivanova/ Talia army to help me out. Reward for finding the fic is my undying love and loyalty.

Synopsis : Ivanova has a daughter & is going back to earth with Talia on a ship. Talia and Ivanova are not dating at the beginning of the fic but that changes. Susan is a commander of an outpost on warth, and invited Talia to spent the week with them both at her house. There is a scene with Talia playing with Susan’s daughter in the rain after Talia borrows some of Susan’s clothes so she can.

They celebrate Rosh Hashanah together and there is a scene where they are in a creek and a water/splash “fight” happens. It’s fun and then Talia over thinks it until Susan says it’s the perfect way to bring in a new year and they finally kiss. Eventually Susan’s daughter calls Talia mom one night as she’s going to bed and Susan is in the doorway and hears it. That solidifies everything for her and they finally hook up.

There is slight angst but not a ton. I believe it has nine chapters. At the end, Susan buys a ring and asks Talia to marry her.

Please Help 😂

No idea, but maybe someone else can help!

#asks #azariahj

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woodsfae · 1 month

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Babylon 5 S03E17 War Without End: Part Two previous episode - table of contents

Emperor Londo of the Great Victim Complex.

And so the fall of Babylon 5 begins, with two idiots deciding to take on Ivanova!

DUDE sick fight moves by Susan Ivanova. And Marcus must be internally fist-pumping that he pulle off a drop-out-of-the-ceiling attack. Style points: 1 Marcus, 100 Susan.

Zathras sees all. Zathras knows all. Poor Zathras.

Oooooooo. Future John and Delenn have a baby! How exciting. Delenn calls Sheridan's time "so many years ago" and references the "terrible, terrible price," That's something for me to chew on. I wonder if it will be revealed this episode or is foretelling for the season 3 finale or even later. I am really not sure how the pacing on B5 goes or if they'll still be fighting the Shadows into season 5.

The Shadows are only visible when they sleep? That's cool and unsettling information, but I'm not sure how that tracks with Londo's next reveal, which is that he is also possessed? So perhaps Londo tries to turn on the Shadows at some point and is leashed instead.

G'Kar!! Down an eye and plus a sick leather patch. Must be time for Londo's death vision! I hope G'Kar gets to live to enjoy it. Londo caused a lot of death for the universe and the Narnuan people. Aww and then he didn't. I am a bit bummed that G'Kar's end appears to be with Londo, dying together as the Shadow possessing Londo kills G'Kar back. It is pretty punk rock of G'Kar, though. Who else has choked a shadow-possessed Centauri emperor before?? No one except G'Kar of Narn.

Right before Sheridan is pulled away, she tells him not to go to Zha'dum, but all these prophecies seem to be self-fulfilling and an inescapable part of the paradox.

Uh-oh, why's that spacesuit doin' stuff. Ah. Never mind, it's a "yeah, Sheridan's back!" Someone slap a time stabilizer on him before he gets yote into the timestream again.

And there goes the theft of Babylon 4!! Time heist!

There goes Sheridan. Shoulda put a time anchor on him!

Revised Sinclair prediction: his aging as they move towards their own time aging him is the/a reason why he gets the ole Minbari physical transformation since Minbari live so much longer, to extend his lifespan.

Oop, Sheridan's back again. Or the space suit he was wearing is, at least.

Yeah Susan Ivanova. she can do anything. Ivanova has B4's command station.

Delenn in the blue spacesuit?? Plot twist!!

Hmmm, so some of what I thought Sheridan was going to do (fight 1000 years in the past) is actually Sinclair's plot. That makes more sense, actually.

Zathras makes it all very clear: "You (Sinclair) are the one who was. You (Delenn) are the one who is. You (Sheridan) are the one who will be."

Babylon 4, A Thousand Years Ago

Valen?? Sinclair has always been the prophet Valen!! I did not see that coming. What an entrance! Appearing to Minbar flanked by two Vorlons, arriving in a vast space station in a flash of tachyons...Sinclair is Valen. fuck, that's cool.

Next!

#jeffrey sinclair #war without end #minbari #delenn #john sheridan #susan ivanova #marcus cole #londo mollari #g'kar #woodsfae b5 #babylon 5

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