Howdy all! I've been having a rough last few days week month year life time lately, and yesterday when I burst into tears after Partner asked me if I had a certain tax form, I knew it was time to sit my ass in a hot springs and stare at trumpeter swans. So I did! And it was great. I'm so very lucky to live in a place where I have a dozen hot springs within two hours' drive, and exceedingly lucky that one of my favorites overlooks a pond full of beautiful waterfowl. So now I am refreshed, still cigarette-free, and ready to watch more Babylon 5!
Babylon 5 S01e13: By Any Means Necessary First Previous
Table of Contents
Very Ominous Title.
Remind me never to work in cargo receiving. That looks awful. They’re really busting their cojones trying to process everything down there.
Collision?? Eeeeeeeee yikes no this is bad looking.
Industrial accidents are generally very bad. I physically recoiled from the screen. Probably I’ve read one too many graphic descriptions of trainyard squishings.
G’Kar finds out the G’Quan Eth was destroyed when the Narn ship’s cargo bay was destroyed - it’s interesting that the Narn language also follows Q with a U.
The cargo staff is working triple hours?! Fuck no, get a union and some more staff. And lowballed construction installed low quality chips. Looks like this is going to be a Working Conditions and Unionization episode. I’m a Union Person through and through. Bring it on.
The G’Quan Eth must be related to the Holy Days of G’Quan that Londo is tormenting him about. And it’s a flower! And Londo Mollari has one, duh. Love their hatred for each other. It’s always entertaining.
Earth won’t fund a higher budget for Babylon 5 safety (how like a government). So the cargo crew are striking! Well done. The words “illegal strike” should enrage everyone, automatically. And motivate them to strike, too.
They’re lucky if they get a four hour turnaround after working a double shift. ye gods. I was already on their side, but now I’m trying to figure out ways to go agitate with them.
Maybe don’t ask Eduardo to be the coolest head. His brother just died. Garibaldi is acting very coplike again, he’s rapidly losing his Limp Dishrag (affectionate) status.
“Look, you’ve made your point and Earth Central will be made aware of your grievances. There’s nothing else you can gain by continuing to strike.”
Baby, those are the magic words that let the workers know that their strike will Hit Em Where It Hurts and Guarantee Change. Don’t back down now.
“You get us decent pay and equipment and hire enough workers to do the job safely, then we return to work. Not a minute before.”
fuck yeah.
🎶I don’t need a rational to sing the International 🎶
Mollari is having a blast tormenting G’Kar, and I’m having a blast watching it!
Honestly I wanna try this G’Quan Eth hallucinogenic. Mollari’s a fuckhead but I think he’d be fun to trip with.
Senator, you know what looks even worse and sets an even worse precedent than striking Dockers Guilds? Your Shining Star of Diplomacy falling down around your ears and killing off your Dockers, of whom you already don’t have enough.
Orin Zento, their best “labour negotiator,” sounds like a union-buster. Fuuuuuuck noooooooo.
🎶 there is power in a union 🎶
I hate Orin Zento already. Such a smarmy shitface.
“I’ll kill [Mollari] with my bare hands! By my [????] there’s nothing to stop me! Sinclair can only kick me off the station! He might even thank me.”
pfffft bahahaha. So good. And Na’Toth’s entire mien for the whole ragefit. So good.
G’Kar: “We all believe in something greater than ourselves, even if it’s just the blind forces of chance.”
Na’Toth: “Chance favors the warrior.”
God I love her.
Gonna figure out how to get onto Babylon 5 and kick Zento’s face in. Blaming the accident on the Dockers, if only by implication? Going to squish his face like a grape.
Well done scruffing up Sinclair. He looks exhausted.
“Beg your pardon Commander, but if someone pushed you, wouldn’t you push back?”
That’s damn right. The state and corporations commit violence against the workers every day, but we’re always blamed and told that violence isn’t the answer once we can’t take the constant violence on ourselves any longer.
Hoping Sinclair refuses to order the soldiers under his command to obey Zento’s orders to attack the civilians. It is bonkers to me that the state is like “yeah let’s side with nonpersons and attack the civilians with the military; that’ll definitely make them loyal and dedicated workers!”
I’d watch a whole tv show about Ms Neeoma Connelly.
The lungs on Ivanova!
Lotta “unfortunately”s being thrown around by people who won’t be in any danger during the conflict.
The Senate has sent replacement workers. Keep em as additional ones, boom, half the problem solved.
Sinclair coming through and being highly pendantic about what “by any means necessary” covers.
“You should never hand someone a gun unless you’re sure where they’ll point. Your mistake.”
This episode should have been called 48 Awake: Sinclair Never Did Get That Nap
alternatively, Sinclair Interprets Regulations and Religion Creatively
The most utopian thing in this show so far: the Senate disagrees with Sinclair’s decision but are letting it stand since public opinion is on the Dockers’ side.
It’s Zento’s choice to feel embarrassed. What does he care if Dockers are paid more? He can claim he was supportive of the move and boost his negotiating reputation further.
hell yeah sci fi unions.
on to the next!
