A Distant Star
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| “A Distant Star” | |||||||
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| Babylon 5 episode | |||||||
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| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 4 |
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| Written by | D.C. Fontana | ||||||
| Directed by | Jim Johnston | ||||||
| Guest stars | Russ Tamblyn (Captain Jack Maynard) Daniel Beer (Patrick) Art Kimbro (Ray Galus) Miguel A. Núñez Jr. (Orwell) Patty Toy (Ogilvie) |
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| Production no. | 204 | ||||||
| Original airdate | 23 November 1994 | ||||||
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| List of Babylon 5 episodes | |||||||
"A Distant Star" is an episode from the second season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5.
[edit] Synopsis
On the opening scenes of the episode, we see as an enormous Earthforce Explorer-class ship, the EAS Cortez, is finishing a "gate-laying" activity. Its captain, Captain Jack Maynard, an old friend of Sheridan of Babylon 5, decides to pay a visit to his friend whilst resupplying the ship before it sets out for the rim anew and continue constructing more jumpgates for interstellar shipping lanes.
The Babylon 5 crew are amazed by the massive Explorer-class ship that has arrived to visit. Captain Maynard observes how the work of a bureaucrat doesn't suit a "die-hard spacer" like his friend John, something which upsets the captain right away.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Delenn is being questioned by her own people on whether or not she is still "one of them" (because of the transformation she underwent from season 1's "Chrysalis"). Despite her attempts to kill the issue, the Minbari still insist on talking with the Grey Council, something which Delenn reluctantly agrees to.
Susan Ivanova is still suffering from the broken foot she incurred on "Geometry of Shadows" and is still recuperating. Michael Garibaldi is also still recovering from his PPG shot to the back. Dr. Stephen Franklin takes this opportunity to subject the two, and Capt. Sheridan, to a "food plan", something which not one of them is happy about.
The Cortez finishes resupplying and heads out to hyperspace. Suddenly, an explosion on board causes the ship's tracking system to lose the signal from the jumpgate systems, resulting in the ship becoming lost in hyperspace.
Babylon 5 launches a dangerous rescue operation using Starfuries to relay the jumpgate lockon signal to the Cortez. Commander Galus and Keffer locate the Cortez and are about to implement rescue when a Shadow vessel materializes right on top of Galus's fury, destroying it, and disabling Keffer's engines. The Shadow ship is gone before Keffer can sound a warning.
Still using the lockon signal from the jumpgate for his bearing, Keffer repeatedly fires towards the direction of the jumpgate, allowing the Cortez to realize his plan and head out. Keffer is able to escape hyperspace using the trajectory of the Shadow ship he had encountered earlier. This begins his quest for the mysterious race which will have severe repercussions towards the end of this season and for the next one.
[edit] Arc significance
- Some details of the structure and navigation of Hyperspace are revealed.
- Lieutenant Keffer sees a Shadow ship in Hyperspace, leading him to an obsessive, season-long effort to learn what they are.
