Setting the scene:
G'Kar and Londo are in the Imperial Palace on Centauri Prime. G'Kar is eating something that looks like slightly runny yoghurt.
G'KAR: "Would you like some spoo - it's fresh."
Centauri despise fresh spoo - it is insulting. Londo doesn't even know where G'Kar got it.
G'KAR: "I saw it on a tray heading into the south end of the palace. I assumed no-one would mind if I took it."
Londo observes that "Only Narns can stomach it."
G'Kar is still happily eating and playing with his food. "Well if that's true and I'm the only Narn in the palace, where was it going?..." G'Kar realises something. "Mollari - where was it going?"
Londo suggests that since he is not the chef he would not know. G'Kar insists on knowing what is at the south end of the palace. "... and the underground cells," says Londo, as he in turn realises something.
G'KAR: "Take me there!"
LONDO: (protests) "It's late!"
G'KAR: (ferociously) "Take me there, NOW!"
scene break
It is dark in the cell. The door suddenly swings open and G'Kar and Londo step into the cell.
Londo: "Hello?"
We hear the chinking of chains.
LONDO: "Is there someone here?"
A dirty, emaciated Narn is standing, shielding eyes unused to the light. The Narn stumbles forward a bit, possibly having recognised G'Kar, but certainly seeing another Narn.
G'Kar steps forward, away from Mollari and the light. "Na'Toth!!!" G'Kar grabs her and embraces her. Na'Toth simply makes vocalisations of assent, joy and upset and lowers her head to G'Kar shoulder.
scene break.
G'Kar and Na'Toth are sitting on Na'Toth's bunk. Not surprisingly, Na'Toth is subdued and afraid and upset.
NA'TOTH: (quietly - Mollari is close by) "What are you doing here? Did they get you as well?" She reaches out to touch G'Kar's cheek.
G'Kar takes her hand and squeezes it and rubs it as they talk. "Get? No, no, the war is over, Na'Toth."
NA'TOTH: (hesitantly) "Did we win?"
G'KAR: "Narn is free, Na'Toth. We stand now as one among equals."
Na'Toth is bemused but indicates that she understands, sort of.
G'KAR: "When did you get here? We thought you were dead. We thought you had died in the first wave of attacks upon Narn."
NA'TOTH: "Almost.... We had no warning, we saw nothing, heard nothing until the second star appeared in the morning sky and then the sky explode. Five million Narn killed in the first few minutes of the attack. There are no words, G'Kar."
She draws a shaking breath and continues, "It was as if the universe had turned against us and said 'Die, die, die....' I awoke in the ruins of the capital. A Centauri boot was upon my throat. I tried to bite him, " and she smiles sadly and shakes her head a little as she looks up at G'Kar. "It's the last thing I remember before I awoke on the ship coming here. They wanted us as trophies of their victory, as slave labour and ..." (very quietly) "as entertainment.... They put me here because I was not sufficiently entertaining." She smiles that unhappy smile again.
G'KAR: "But that was - over two years ago!" He looks past Na'Toth. "She was my aide, Mollari...and my friend." He takes Na'Toth's left wrist and shakes it a little. G'Kar's voice reveals his distress. "You knew her, you spoke to her! What is she still doing here?"
LONDO: "I have no idea. She was probably just forgotten." He shrugs.
G'Kar is not only upset now but angry. He rises and goes Londo. "FORGOTTEN! YOU put HER in this CELL, you CHAIN her to the WALL and then simply FORGOT she was here!?!"
LONDO: "I didn't do anything, G'Kar. I didn't know she was here. I would have been back on Babylon 5 when she was brought here."
G'Kar is not even slightly mollified. He is almost incoherent. "Then wha- is she still here. The war's over! Why is she still here?"
LONDO: "Probably because the Emperor gave the order. After that I doubt he gave it very much thought and thus forgot to countermand the order.... These things happen. They just - happen. It was a mistake."
G'KAR: "And now we're going to correct this mistake." He gestures behind him at Na'Toth. "Order her release at once."
LONDO: "No - I can't do that!"
G'KAR: "Don't you tell me you can't do that! You're Prime Minister!"
But to countermand the Emperor's orders is treason and the Regent is unlikely to be of any help. Londo can only suggest " - Later, when I become Emperor."
G'KAR: "Too long! She could be dead by then!" He turns back to Na'Toth. She gazes at him. Things seem to be incomprehensible to her.
LONDO: "Then there is nothing I can do!"
G'Kar turns on Londo (again). "There's something you can do. You will find it and you will do it! One way or another, we will leave here with Na'Toth or by G'Quan, I will see this palace in flames-" he steps back to Mollari "- and I will see you burn with it!"
scene break.
G'Kar and Londo plot to get Na'Toth off Centauri Prime without killing a guard or anyone knowing of it. It seems G'Kar still has an eye for the ladies, no matter what their species.
scene break
The Palace Guard opens the cell door. Londo issues him with new orders, to seal the place up and never return. Na'Toth startles on her bed of rags. The guard is concerned for Na'Toth's welfare and upset by the orders, but obeys and leaves the cell. Mollari approaches Na'Toth.
NA'TOTH: "Have you come to kill me Mollari?"
LONDO: "No." He kneels on the bed and takes a key from somewhere.
NA'TOTH: "For I will kill you at the very first opportunity."
This amuses Londo. "I suspect that you have to get in line for that honour." He releases Na'Toth from the manacles. She starts to flex her fingers and rub her wrists.
G'Kar scuttles in.
LONDO: "Ah, good, G'Kar - were you seen?"
G'KAR: "I don't think so." Na'Toth reaches up to him and he takes her hand and places another hand under her upper arm to help her to her feet.
scene break.
Londo is impatiently pacing around his quarters. "We must hurry..... The ship leaves within the hour!"
G'Kar leads Na'Toth out of another room. She is dressed as a Centauri
courtesan. G'Kar is a little worried as he shows off Na'Toth. "Well?"
LONDO: "It, err, it will have to do. Can she make it? The landing bay is some distance away."
G'KAR: "She is
strong of will if nothing else. She can walk to the other side of the
planet if need be." Na'Toth casts wide eyes at G'Kar as he says this.
LONDO: "Just
the landing bay will be fine." He drops the black lace veil over Na'Toth's
face and takes her arm. "Come." G'Kar stands on her other side.
NA'TOTH: "How do we avoid being noticed?" (G'Kar fusses about the veil like an old woman. :-)
LONDO: "We don't! We do everything we can to be noticed!"
Na'Toth makes a sigh of distress. "I don't understand!"
LONDO: "The Royal Court has been trained not to notice behaviour that is inappropriate." He flicks some Brivari over Na'Toth and G'Kar makes an awful face. Londo continues, "I don't believe I am doing this."
G'KAR: "Neither can I."
LONDO: "All right. Come."
G'Kar leaves Na'Toth to Londo's care and opens the doors.
Londo staggers through the court, Na'Toth veiled and stumbling in his arm. He waves his Brivari around and declaring his attraction to the woman in his arm. The court does as it is trained and does not see Londo with his new conquest. G'Kar follows closely behind, ready to catch Na'Toth should she fall.
scene break.
The Centauri shuttle drifts across to the Narn transport. G'Kar and Londo are standing at the port of the Centauri cruiser, just as Londo did at the bombing of Narn.
LONDO: "Do you think she will be all right?"
G'KAR: "I think so, but it will take her spirit longer to heal than her body. I have endured your cells. It will be a long and difficult climb back into the light."
LONDO: 'Perhaps." The danger of smuggling Na'Toth out has made him hungry. G'Kar, for once, is not hungry. Londo leaves G'Kar to his window vigil.
G'Kar watches the Narn ship jump. His expression and his voice are sere as he says "Goodbye, Na'Toth."
Babylon 5 is copyright Warner Bros.