Gideon is most annoyed when a member of the Earth Senate commandeers the Excalibur for a high-security mission (about which its crew is told nothing). He’s even more mystified when Senator Redway’s enigmatic mission takes the Excalibur back to Earth, and instead of an aide, the Senator has his plumber in tow. Stopping just long enough to rescue a heavily damaged Starfury piloted by Captain Lochley, Excalibur arrives safely at Earth, where a shuttle on autopilot is launched from the Earth, releases a sterile life pod, and is destroyed. The pod is opened under heavy quarantine, and its occupant is none other than Dr. Stephen Franklin, head of xenobiological research for the Earth Alliance, the lead researcher tackling the problem of the plague – and a carrier of the deadly virus. For Franklin to study the Drakh virus closely, he must take readings as it infects a new victim. Senator Redway’s plumber, whose fiancee is trapped on Earth, has volunteered to be infected so he may return home for his wedding. Eager to break the news to his intended, Mr. Williams breaks radio silence and contacts her on Earth…but when the Drakh intercept the transmission, they realize that it must be part of the search for a cure, and they set out to destroy the Excalibur once and for all.
written by J. Michael Straczynski
directed by Stephen Furst
music by Evan H. ChenCast: Gary Cole (Captain Matthew Gideon), Tracy Scoggins (Captain Elizabeth Lochley), Daniel Dae Kim (Lt. Matheson), Carrie Dobro (Dureena Nafeel), David Allen Brooks (Max Eilerson), Marjean Holden (Dr. Sarah Chambers), Peter Woodward (Galen), Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin), Lance Le Gault (Senator Redway), Timothy Williams (David Williams), Liz Lavoie (Carole Miles), Carl Reggiardo (Drakh)
LogBook entry by Dave Thomer