The White Star fleet assembles outside Babylon Five, now back on a war footing. The Voice of the Resistance is back to being the War Room, and Starfuries are launched by Lieutenant David Corwin (Joshua Cox). Captain Sheridan (Bruce Boxleitner) and Commander Ivanova (Claudia Christian) call a meeting of the Babylon Five Advisory Council and the League of Non-Aligned Worlds. In exchange for continued protection of their borders by Babylon Five, each race must contribute a destroyer to the defence of the station.
Marcus Cole (Jason Carter) arrives by shuttle to announce that Proxima III Colony needs help soon. There is a blockade by six Omega-class destroyers, including the Heracles and the Pollux, the two ships whose annihilation of civilians provoked this conflict. Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) awakens Vir (Stephen Furst) asking for Londo (Peter Jurasik). Sheridan reports to the War Room. He sends two White Stars to Earth and Mars to distract President Clark while the rest wait to jump to Proxima III. Resistance has info on which Earthforce ships are holding back from attack. Londo visits G’Kar to thank him for helping save Centauri Prime. He proposes a joint statement of support for Babylon Five and the Earth Resistance. Mollari leaves disappointed. Sheridan briefs the Starfury pilots. Ivanova takes control of the station. Sheridan leads the fleet in a White Star with the Babylon Five logo on it. Marcus joins him near Proxima. The battle begins. Many ships of Earthforce do not fight, withdraw without engaging, or refuse to fire. There are even mutinies. The Commander of the Heracles assumes command and relieves the Captain. Proxima III is free, but at heavy cost.
Sheridan meets with the Captains. They can withdraw, defend Proxima III, or join Sheridan’s fleet. Sheridan reminds them that they took an oath to defend the people of Earth, not the President. They wish to confer. Back on Babylon Five, G’Kar joins Londo in a bar. He will sign, but not on the same page. The Captains decide: The Heracles will withdraw, keeping the former trigger-happy Captain under arrest. Another will defend Proxima from Earthforce retaliation. Two others will join Sheridan. Ivanova, on the Voice of the Resistance, announces the liberation of Proxima III and asks any Earthforce ships to defect. She announces the joint statement by the Narn Regime and Centauri Empire. Garibaldi leaves Babylon Five.
The name of the episode—No Surrender, No Retreat—was given to the fourth season as a whole. Every now and then, there is an episode that is all space-battle. This is one, and personal drama takes a back seat. Still, Londo and G’Kar are lovely, and Sheridan gets to do a rousing speech. The ships that side with the Resistance are Vesta, Protector Goddess of the Home, and Nemesis and Furies, aspects of Divine Justice.