Al Bester has just arrived in the office of Mr. Drake, Psi Corps’ Assistant Director and head of Level 12 Investigations, where he is presented with a pair of young interns, Lauren Ashley and Chen Hikaru. They are to be attached to him for a while to see how P-12 psi Cops operate before they are deployed themselves. Bester is happy to show them the ropes, and how best to protect their family.
In a dark room, a man is rambling incoherently about how his mind is his own on the verge of tears when he picks up a pamphlet about Babylon 5. He leaves the room, a dead body left on the floor behind him as we go to opening credits.
Holy crap, the Corps's hijacked the title card! HOW POWERFUL ARE THEY?
Once we're back inside the fourth wall, Bester leads his charges into a room where a pair of Psi Cops are staring at each other. He explains that its a training exercise, one scans and the other blocks. The one blocking has to keep the one probing out for at least five minutes. Eventually it will be longer, until they can do it for an hour. Any longer than that and serious physical damage would become possible. They ask if they can watch, and Bester gives permission. They watch the others, psychically seeing one projecting a kind of shield while the other attacks it with tentacle like appendages. Lauren is disturbed but Bester just says you get used to it, then leads them out.
He explains that it's necessary to become a fully fledged Psi Cop. They will be tracking down rogues who will do anything, kill, fry your brain, or any number of other things, to keep from being caught. Exercises like that minimize the damage they can do. But, he explains, they have to remember that rogues they may be, but they are still family. You have to care about them. Chen scoffs a bit at that since they don't seem to care, but Bester says he's wrong about that.
He brings them to a small screening room where they are shown a sugary propaganda piece from a "reformed blip" who extols the virtues of tracking down rogues and returning them to the loving embrace of the Corps rather than leaving them to the mercies of apathetic mundanes. They don't get very far before someone comes with news. Bester leads the interns out, saying they'll pick it up later.
In the crime scene room, Bester looks at the body and is briefed on what they know. The victim was found by the woman he apparently had a date with tonight, killed by blunt force trauma, murder weapon unknown as of now. It's fairly certain he was killed by his roommate. Friends say the suspect has been acting strangely for some time now, but everyone just thought it was an effect of the training. Bester is assigned to the case since the suspect is a P10, so they need a high-level Psi Cop to do it, and the victim was a student of Bester's. He promised to catch the guy, then goes to offer some consolation to the weeping girlfriend, promising to make it alright.
That evening, Bester is surprised when Lauren comes for a visit. She found seeing the body disturbing and asks if it ever gets easier. Bester says it doesn't...when it's a telepath. Dead mundanes, well they treat each other terribly regardless, why should telepaths care about them when they don't even care about themselves?
She asks a little about himself, and he tells her about his childhood, his parents were killed in an accident when he was a month old, he was put into foster care then discovered in DNA checks at which point the Corps took him in and taught him who he was and what it means to be a telepath. Telepaths are special and rare, and need to watch out for each other even more than if they were mundanes.
Lauren then asks about his wife who usually stays at their home on Syria Planum. She says, in a rather not-so-subtle manner, it must be nice to have someone to wait for you, to love you. Bester quips that if his wife ever found out about her...He says it's getting late and she should go get some sleep. She offers to stay a little longer, but Bester says his heart is taken. If that ever changes he'll be sure to let her know but for now, good night.
He shoos her out but barely gets a chance to turn around when there's another knock on the door. Drake comes in with new information; the suspect was tagged at Earthport One around an hour after the murder. He booked passage to Bester's favorite place in the universe, Babylon 5. Bester just sighs in resignation.
The next morning, a briefing is held on the suspect, Jonathan Harris. Bester is directed to go to B5 and investigate directly. If he did in fact go there, hopefully he'll be there for a while before he can get passage somewhere else. Chen asks why not contact the transport he's on and have their security pick him up? Mundanes? Against a P10 rogue? They wouldn't stand a chance. No this is something that must be dealt with in the family. The Mundanes must believe nothing ever goes wrong within the Corps, including tracking down rogues, otherwise they may start poking their noses in where they don't belong. For now travel arrangements have already been made and they are all dismissed to get to work.
Before he leaves, Drake calls Bester over. There's more on this blip, he's what's known as a mind shredder, specially trained in attack probes. He warns Bester that if Harris gets too close, he could be a deadly threat even to a P12.
Later, Bester is staring at a photo of Harris as he mentally prepares for the task. He goes to the mirror and conjures up an image of Harris, asking him why he did it. Harris responds that he did it because he could and Bester will never know why. There's a knock at the door, Chen coming to remind him it's time to leave.
On Babylon 5 Harris enters a downbelow casino and sits down at a card table. He admits he's never played before and the other gamblers chuckle and agree to teach him the game.
In hyperspace, the Psi Corps mothership is about to drop Bester and his party off at a transfer point so they can continue on their way to B5. Chen asks about it, and Bester explains that it rarely leaves hyperspace except for repairs and only when they can do it without being seen. they don't want the others to know the full extent of their resources. The rest of the time it acts at a ferry for Corps missions and waits...until it's needed. The shuttle is released, and emerges through the Epsilon jumpgate.
Meanwhile, Harris is busy cleaning out the card game, offhandedly mentioning it must not have been as hard as he'd heard. One patron seems to take notice of him as he leaves, however.
As the Psi Cops make their way through customs, they are met by an irritated Zack Allen. Bester asks to check in with the captain, but since she's busy, Zack says they can check in with him. He asks what their business is and Chen pipes up that they're tracking someone who killed another Psi Cop. Oh, that's a bad thing? Bester just looks at Lauren who starts giggling. Zack demands to know what he said, but they just dismiss it.
As they walk off Chen asks what the joke was, and Lauren just says it was a dirty joke. Chen thinks that Zack'll probably be wondering what they know about him all night, which of course, is the point. And the reason, explains Bester, that the struggle between mundanes and telepaths will be no struggle at all.
Harris is walking through downbelow when one of the gamblers comes up demanding his money back. He throws Harris down, who starts saying that was a mistake and that someone will get upset. The gambler is about ready to pound him but Harris suddenly gets stone cold and stares at him, causing him to start screaming and bleeding from the eyes. Harris turns as he falls to the ground and calmly walks off.
Bester is speaking with a small-time criminal for information. A man matching Harris' description came through here, sold some things and got enough money for a couple days' rent. He even got the suite, the real one, from his thoughts. He tells Chen and Lauren to watch the place while he goes to phone it in with security. Follow him if he comes out, but do not engage him. He then leads down the hall. Lauren watches him leave with a silly half-smile, but Chen goes to the suite, with a way to override the lock. He thinks if they can catch him unawares, they can just grab him and go. He gets the door open and goes in peering around the dark room, then trips and falls...and starts screaming like a baby when he finds himself face-to-face with a corpse.
Later, security is going over the scene. Zack, admitting he was dead before Bester even got there, still decides to blame him for it.
- Zack: I never let the facts get in the way of a good grudge.
He identifies the victim as a small-time gambler who got thrown out of the casino for cheating. The thing is his ID's been used several times since his death. Looks like their suspect offed him, took whatever money he had and has been using his card ever since, at the casino where's he's apparently done very well. Zack gets called away and Bester and Lauren discuss the suspect. His behavior confuses her, sure they can read minds, but since telepaths aren't allowed to gamble, when they do they're terrible at it. The only way that could happen is if Harris suddenly acquired the skills to actually win the game. This victim was a cheater, which is why Harris went after him, so he could rip that out of his mind before killing him. He's trying to make enough money to get away, fast. Zack comes back announcing that there's another body in Medlab they might want to check out, just a hunch.
In Medlab, Franklin is describing how he died; his brain cells seemingly turned inside out. Hemorrhaging, aneurysms, blood clots, but no external markings or wounds. Franklin bets this was Harris' work alright. Bester disagrees. Harris is a P10, only a P12 could do this kind of damage. Franklin starts backpedaling, but also suggesting they made a mistake. Bester dismisses that out of hand.
Outside Medlab, he turns to the others, saying this is very bad. He orders Lauren to call Corps HQ and send everything they found in Harris' room. Everything. He's not sure what he's looking for just yet, but he'll know it when he sees it. She runs off and Bester turns to Chen. Harris won't go back to the casino, but there are still other gambling areas. He orders Chen to check them out and see if anyone's had contact, but to avoid confrontation this time. Seriously. Don't do it. Harris may be more dangerous than they thought.
As for himself, Bester intends to make sure he hasn't already jumped ship.
In a dark downbelow den, Chen goes to ask the bartender if he's seen anything. The bartender gives a less-than-useful answer, but Chen leaves before he can get to the naked pak'ma'ra. He notices something then goes to make a call to Bester, but someone stabs him before he has a chance.
In the security office, Zack is briefing Bester and Lauren on what they know, which isn't much. There were no witnesses, and security footage only caught the perp's hand. Fortunately, he has a tattoo there, so if they can find it, they'll have their man. Bester says that wasn't Harris, so who is it?
In a small flat, the man, Bryce, is talking to Harris. They've apparently been working together for a while, and he's taking his cut of their winnings. He's been helping Harris with his underworld contacts to seemingly hustle gamblers. Before long they'll have enough to get away. Harris getting fidgety and Bryce asks what exactly he's running from. Harris says he doesn't know. Bryce tries to push but Harris insists he doesn't know. He doesn't even remember coming to Babylon 5.
- Harris: I'm not supposed to remember. All I know is I can't go back.
They still need more money, and Bryce knows where they can go.
In his quarters, Bester and Lauren are going over what they got from Earth. Bester is puzzled by the writing in different handwriting using different names. Lauren finds a record of Harris and his roommate doing some off-time exercises. Unfortunately the recording can't show telepathic exchanges, but Harris suddenly jumps up and though hit with something. The roommate tries to apologize, repeatedly, but Harris keeps telling him to let it go. Just let it go.
- Harris: He said, "Let it go!"
Bester find that interesting and begins putting the pieces together. "He said," different names, different handwriting. All in the same person. That's why he was mis-rated. One personality is a P10, the other is a P12. The roommate inadvertently saw one of the alternate personalities and was killed so he couldn't tell anyone. Otherwise, Harris would be put away somewhere. Bester sends Lauren to check customs to see if any of Harris' other names are listed.
In Downbelow, Harris and Bryce are walking when Security ambushes them. Harris immediately grabs a gun and starts firing. Bester come in from the side and tries to talk to him, saying they can help him, but Bryce fires, hitting Bester in the shoulder, and Security rushes him, pinning the two of them down.
- Harris: The Dark Man and the Laughing Man and me and Harris, we're all in this together.
Security carts Harris off, and Bester urges them not to hurt him.
Later, Bester is being treated by Dr. Franklin who admonishes him to stay longer until his shoulder is healed. Bester doesn't think it's a good idea.
- Bester: You don't want me here any more than I want to be here.
Franklin: Personally, no. But as a doctor, I have to treat all my patients equally. Even the annoying, self-righteous, arrogant ones with self-important delusions of godhood.
Bester: Ah, thank you. I feel far more at home now.
Bester gets off the bed, nearly stumbling to the ground, but Franklin catches him. Bester thinks that was just instinct, that Franklin's just as soon let him fall. Franklin insists that's not the case, daring Bester to scan him, authorized, to prove it. Or would he rather go on believing telepaths and mundanes can only hate each other?
Lauren comes up saying they're ready to go. The prisoners have been turned over to them, which Zack is happy enough to do if it gets them off station faster. He doesn't like them much.
- Franklin: Well, now...how do you know that?
Lauren: He said so.
Bester: Game...set...match. Be seeing you, Doctor.
The Psi Corps shuttle heads through the jumpgate, Harris and Bryce sedated in the back, and Lauren talks to Bester about Chen. He thought Bester was a hero. She wasn't so sure until she saw the way Bester fought to protect one of their own. He doesn't let go, and Bester says she's right, admitting at times he's not sure it's a good thing, but she says it is.
They'll rendezvous with the mothership in a little over six hours. In the meantime, the mundane. Lauren asks to be allowed to deal with him. Bester seems reluctant, but with a little nudging, he allows it. A short time later, the shuttle continues on its flight, leaving Bryce behind in hyperspace.
- Bester: Your first?
Lauren: My first.
Bester: Well, you made it past the first stage. You just might be Psi Corps material after all. Now let's go home.
This episode contains examples of:
- A Day in the Limelight: The episode is completely about Bester and his Psi Cop trainees. Of the main cast, only Zack and Franklin are seen. Even the opening credits are slightly altered to make it look like the show is about Bester the heroic cop. He also gets the last word in his argument with Zack, unlike the way things normally go.
- A God Am I: Bester’s joke about the man in a psych hospital who thought he was Napoleon because God told him. The man in the next bed pipes up, “I did not!”
- Answer Cut: When Bester notes the man who killed Chen wasn't Harris, he wonders who it could be. Cut to Bryce counting his and Harris' winnings.
- Audience Surrogate: The trainees are able to ask questions to allow Bester to explain the internal workings of the Corps.
- Continuity Nod: Bester makes passing reference to Caroline.
- Evil All Along: Lauren follows and idolizes Bester throughout the episode, appearing to be naive and innocent but fundamentally good, but in danger of being exploited, corrupted and indoctrinated by Bester. Then she ejects a mundane out an airlock to dispose of him without a second thought, proving she's already past the
Moral Event Horizon. - Fantastic Racism: All over the place. The Corps of course just ooze it, Zack really isn't much better when it come to Psi Cops, and Bester even catches Franklin in a moment.
- Fixing the Game: Harris uses his abilities to take the skills of a known cheater and use them to get the money he needs from gambling tables.
- Genre Shift: Usually Babylon 5 is a Space Opera with bits of other genres mixed in from time to time. Here it's basically a Police Procedural with elements of Space Opera.
- He Knows Too Much: The roommate was killed because he saw one of the alternate personalities.
- Hero-Worshipper: Both Lauren and Chen are nearly awestruck by Bester, with Lauren taking it a little further.
- Heroic Wannabe: Chen goes against Bester's orders and enters Harris' quarters to try and arrest him. He only succeeds in scaring himself silly after tripping over a corpse. Later he gets himself killed while tailing Harris.
- Hot for Teacher: Lauren for Bester. Bester refuses her.
- Irony: Chen disobeys Bester and humiliates himself in the process. Later he follows procedure, and gets killed for it.
- Lead Police Detective: Bester takes this role here.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Despite what the audience may think, Bester's life does not revolve around the station that gives the show its name.
- Mind Rape: What Harris is able to do, he can tear information right out of people's heads.
- Mood Whiplash: Lauren offers Bester some moral support...then throws a guy into hyperspace.
- Mr. Exposition: Bester as mentor to his two charges.
- Never One Murder: By the end, Harris has killed two additional people before he's apprehended.
- Propaganda Piece: The interns are shown one telling them that blips really do want to be found, and they have to track them down at all costs.
- Rewind, Replay, Repeat: Bester does this when he hears Harris say "He said" rather than "I said".
- Seduction-Proof Marriage: Zig-zagged in that Bester has no qualms about cheating on his Corps-assigned wife, but he will not betray the woman he actually loves, even when an attractive young intern is practically throwing herself at him.
- Special Edition Title: Instead the of the Babylon 5 sword and shield we get the Psi Corps badge and TRUST THE CORPS.
- Split Personality: The telepath Bester is pursuing turns out to be this.
- Superpowered Evil Side: Harris is rated as a P10. His most malevolent personality is a P12.
- Tattooed Crook: Bryce has a distinctive tattoo on his right hand.
- Telepathy: It's Psi Corps, what do you expect?
- This Is Gonna Suck: Bester is not looking forward to going back to Babylon 5 again.
- Troll: Bester gets Zack's hackles up by sending Lauren a telepathic message that gets her to crack up in front of him.
- Thrown Out the Airlock: How the Psi Cops deal with the mundane prisoner they wind up with.
- Villain Protagonist: Bester is a villain, but he’s also the protagonist of this story.
- Wide-Eyed Idealist: Bester to Franklin: You're an optimist. Thank you, I'd almost forgotten what one of your kind looked like.
- You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry!: Provoking, irritating, or attacking Harris has the chance of bringing out his Dark Man personality.
