Chief Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) runs into Vir Cotto (Stephen Furst) in Customs. The latter is there to pick up Londo Mollari’s (Peter Jurasik) three wives. Timov (Jane Carr) arrives first and demands to be taken to Londo first, despite his order that they are to be delivered at the same time. Garibaldi observes an argument between a human trader and a merchant, in which the merchant suddenly backs off and apologizes, which Garibaldi finds unusual. The trader is Matthew Stoner (Keith Szarabajka) and Garibaldi mentions to Captain Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) that there is something not quite right about him. Telepath Talia Winters (Andrea Thompson) recognizes the name because she used to be married to him.

While Londo is at a bar, his wife Timov waits impatiently in his quarters. His next wife Daggair (Lois Nettleton) arrives and there is obviously no love lost among all of them. Commander Ivanova (Claudia Christian) is called to Delenn’s (Mira Furlan) quarters to find her unable to make her new human hair behave and is pressed into helping her. Sheridan finds Winters in a museum. At first, she is reluctant to talk about her unhappy former marriage, which was ordered by Psi Corps. Stone left soon afterwards and Psi Corps had it annulled.

Ambassador G’Kar (Andreas Katsulas) asks Sheridan how he is getting along with his new assignment. An unusually happy Londo runs into them and is even pleasant to G’Kar. They wonder what’s wrong with him. Londo arrives in his quarters. Timov is angry, Daggair fawns on him. Though his other wife Mariel (Blair Valk) has not yet arrived, he explains that the next day is the anniversary of his Day of Ascension, and he had a personal meeting with the Emperor, who promised him one wish. He wished for a divorce, but the Emperor insisted he keep one wife for important events. By the end of the following day, he will decide which one. Mariel arrives at that point.

Lennier arrives at Delenn’s hairdressing to remind her of her invitation to Londo’s Ascension Day party. In Security, Garibaldi questions Stoner, who is not intimidated by the Security Chief. Mariel runs into Captain Sheridan. Londo sees and warns Sheridan that his third wife is attracted to power.

Actually, she is sleeping with G’Kar. Stoner approaches Talia Winters and insists on talking to her. He mentions that it is possible to leave Psi Corps; he did it. He can arrange for her to lose her telepathic powers. When Garibaldi tells Winters that he warned Stoner to steer clear of her, she tells him to mind his own business.

That night, both Mariel and Daggair fawn over Londo, but Timov shows no affection, even slaps him. The next day, Winters apologizes to Garibaldi. She says she will leave with Stoner, as he can get her out of Psi Corps. Mariel purchases a Centauri artifact sold by Stoner to the merchant. Ivanova tells Sheridan that all guests must be barefoot at Londo’s party. G’Kar shows up in boots, but Londo takes no offense. One of Londo’s gifts is the statue Mariel brought. Darts fly out of it into his forehead and he collapses. In Medlab, Doctor Franklin (Richard Biggs) says Londo needs a transfusion, but they can’t synthesize Centauri blood at Babylon Five. Daggair mentions to Timov that if he dies, their future is secure.

Garibaldi questions Stoner about the artifact. It came from a Centauri colony abandoned because of Narn aggression. Garibaldi thinks the Narns might have booby-trapped it. Stoner is keeping cool; Sheridan and Garibaldi think he has an ace up his sleeve. Timov goes to Franklin and offers a transfusion to Londo if the doctor will keep mum about it. When Londo awakes to find his three wives looking at him, he wonders if he is in Hell. When they leave, he badmouths them all to Franklin—even Timov. Bound by his oath, Franklin tells him off and leaves him puzzled.

Garibaldi wonders why everyone seems to kowtow to Stoner despite his unlikable personality. Winters visits Stoner and says she will not be leaving with him, then immediately changes her mind. He then tells the guard to let him go, which he does. Garibaldi surprises Stoner in the corridor and knocks him cold. The others shake off his spell. Sheridan, Garibaldi, and Winters confront Stoner. Sheridan says Psi Corps wants him to hand over Stoner, who now has empathic powers. Psi Corps sent him to bring back Winters to breed empaths. She’s not going. Londo chooses Timov and will give alimony to the others. She wonders why. He says that, with her, he will always know where he stands. Delenn finds Ivanova and thanks her for the help during her hair crisis, then asks her why she is having cramps.

Timov is vomit spelled backwards, Daggeir is an anagram of I Dagger, and Mariel is an anagram of Me Liar. But those names are not as good as Londo’s pet names for his wives: Pestilence, Famine, and Death. It’s been suggested that Londo took the post at Babylon Five just to get away from them. Jane Carr is from the Royal Shakespeare Company and worked with Patrick Stewart. She was amused to be another bald SF icon. Louise Nettleton was from the Actors’ Studio and won an Emmy for playing Susan B. Anthony. She was married to Jean Shepherd. Blair Valik appeared on Deep Space Nine. The A-story and B-story are linked by marriages arranged by the Centauri Empire and Psi Corps. Garibaldi’s budding romance with Talia Winter is interesting to watch, considering that the actors were married to each other. The tension between Garibaldi and Stoner crackled. Stoner was a real sonofabitch and Garibaldi cleaning his clock was very satisfying. The whole episode was played for laughs except for Psi Corps, which is never funny. Apparently, telepathy did not evolve in human beings, but was a “gift” from the Vorlons.

No comments

Leave your comment

In reply to Some User