The plan is for Sheridan to go, but suddenly he is saddled with Julie Musante, a representative of the Night Watch, she will become his Political officer from now on. Because Sheridan cannot explain him going to the planet, Ivanova goes in his place. Meanwhile, G’Kar deliberately bumps into Delenn and asks her about the meetings, that something is happening in secret. Later on he also asks Garibaldi about it. G’Kar knows something is going on, he wants to be a part of it.

Draal doesn’t like surprises when he sees Ivanova instead of Sheridan, but after Ivanova tells him she loves surprises in a quirky and nervously way, he laughs and tells her that he likes her. Ivanova goes into the machine to see if she can find some of the first ones. she must stay on the path at all times, but at some point she is drawn to stray away from the path, the Shadows, she manages to come back. She sees a first one orbiting the planet Sigma 957, the planet where Catherine Sakai, Jeffrey Sinclair’s girlfriend, also ran into the first ones. What Susan also saw was that the death of president Santiago was a murder and former vice-president Clark was involved.

Allan, also from the Night Watch is sort of attached to Musante when she is there, Garibaldi reads something else into that. They get into an altercation because Garibaldi thinks Zack is working with her. Zack is angry because Garibaldi doesn't trust him, giving him the runaround when he asked about code 7R. Musante gives a speech to the Night Watch personal about what can be said and what can’t. The government at home cannot be embarrassed in any way. It is headed to a controlled civilization. Scary stuff, to be honest, it is happening in real life also. Words that are almost forbidden to speak, if you do, you are branded being right wing. I don’t like were our society is heading, watching Babylon 5, I see similar things happening in todays world.

Ivanova and Marcus head to Sigma 957 with the White Star and find a first one, with humor, toughness and perhaps a bit of stupidity, she manages to  get a first one on board.

The video which proves that president Santiago was killed could not be released by the B5 Command staff themselves, Sheridan knows a way, via General Hague, he can arrange that, without anyone knowing where it came from. Because this happens, Julie Mustante is recalled back to earth, but she is certain that she will be back soon. To show Garibaldi that G’Kar can be helpful to him, he wakes him up in the middle of the night and brings him the book of G’quan, when Garibaldi says he doesn’t read Narn, G’Kar responses: Learn!

Final Word:

As I said, wasn’t planning on writing one for “Voices of Authority”, but especially the “earth” storyline grabbed me, because, what I said earlier, I recognize this happening in the real world also. This episode gives another push, bringing the story-arc further with trying to bring these First Ones on board and how earth is gradually becoming a darker place to be. There is also enough humor in the episode, especially Ivanova on the planet with Draal, on the station with the Captain when he has his hands full with Julie Musante, and on the White Star with Marcus. Marcus (Jason Alexander) has his own special kind of humor and I love it!