Episode 130

full
Published on:

26th Jun 2024

B5 Book Club 3 - Lots of Punching for Old Men

Join Laura and Xhafer, two internet strangers as they get to know each other while making jokes about one of their favorite TV shows from their childhood, Babylon 5.

Before diving into Crusade, Laura and Xhafer check in one last time on everyone's favorite Psi Cop turned Parisian literary critic. Does Garibaldi finally get his revenge? Will women 50 years younger stop throwing themselves at Bester? Does Lise finally have her moment to shine? Find out as we read The Psi Corps Trilogy Book 3: Final Reckoning - The Fate of Bester.

Transcript
Xhafer:

Hello and welcome to Who Are You?

2

:

This is the Babylon 5 Watchcast hosted

by two former strangers but now friends

3

:

who've gotten to know each other while

re watching and reading Who Are You?

4

:

Books related to a show, from

their childhood, Babylon 5.

5

:

I'm Jafar,

6

:

Laura: And I'm Laura.

7

:

Xhafer: and we've got book club today.

8

:

Laura: It's book club, the

final Psycore book club.

9

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

10

:

Laura: Not the final book

club book club, theoretically.

11

:

Xhafer: No, we have the Centauri

Trilogy Legions of Fire planned.

12

:

Laura: Yeah, exciting.

13

:

Xhafer: for months from now,

which I should start reading

14

:

that because it's a trilogy and

we're doing it in one book club.

15

:

Laura: Oh my gosh.

16

:

That's, it's a lot.

17

:

Xhafer: It's like that.

18

:

It's it's so ambitious.

19

:

You might compare it to the time we

thought we were gonna recap Stargate

20

:

SG one in one episode on last time on.

21

:

Laura: Right.

22

:

hubris of man.

23

:

The classic hubris.

24

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

25

:

The hubris of me, mostly,

doing the scheduling.

26

:

Laura: Yeah.

27

:

Xhafer: But,

28

:

Laura: If those books are anything

like these books, they are a fast read.

29

:

Xhafer: yes.

30

:

We had very different

experiences reading these books.

31

:

Laura: Yeah, well, I was on

vacation, so I like had time.

32

:

I was taking time.

33

:

Aaron did most of, actually, Aaron

did all of the driving to Indiana.

34

:

And uh, I was sitting, you know,

shotgun and like reading two

35

:

chapters, writing notes on those two

chapters, reading two more chapters,

36

:

writing notes on those chapters.

37

:

Xhafer: Yeah, and this is our

first, I mean, listener, you've

38

:

had us back for a week already.

39

:

We're recording these out of order

because of how I read this book.

40

:

Which was, Laura gets back from vacation,

couple of texties, Hey, what's going on?

41

:

We should record.

42

:

We've got legend of

the Rangers, et cetera.

43

:

And you're like, Oh, I'm

also ready for book club.

44

:

And I'm all like, I haven't picked up

this book and that was Thursday night.

45

:

It is Sunday afternoon

and I have read the book.

46

:

Laura: Yeah, it's a fast one though.

47

:

These are easy reads.

48

:

Yeah.

49

:

Yeah.

50

:

Xhafer: I thought, it's actually ended

up being very appropriate because the

51

:

middle chapters of the book, which just,

take time in luxuriating in blooming

52

:

out a word count for our authors, what

it feels like, because nothing happens.

53

:

Except we try to make Bester

sympathetic a couple of times, but

54

:

don't do a particularly good job of it

55

:

Laura: Yeah.

56

:

Xhafer: We'll get to that.

57

:

But I read those in a

hammock in my backyard.

58

:

So like appropriate

for the Paris chapters.

59

:

Laura: I think that the other two books,

if I remember correctly, and it has been

60

:

a minute since we did our other two book

clubs I feel like they were divided into

61

:

three parts and this one was only two.

62

:

Xhafer: Hmm.

63

:

We had that little epilogue at the

end, which I guess is a I would argue

64

:

that the last two chapters, maybe

the last three, are a part three.

65

:

But they don't justify, I don't

know if the word count or the

66

:

page count justify a part three,

67

:

Laura: To be a part three.

68

:

Xhafer: I don't know.

69

:

I don't think there's

any rules on that stuff.

70

:

I wonder what Bester the literary

critic would say about these books.

71

:

Because that was a turn I

wasn't expecting, but we should

72

:

probably get there in due time.

73

:

Laura: Sure.

74

:

So, this book opens, we have people

who seem like Psycops are chasing

75

:

someone who seems like a rogue you

know, from our previous experience.

76

:

He's hiding in an asteroid, right?

77

:

And we're, in the POV

of someone named Joseph

78

:

Xhafer: best Psy Hunter of them all.

79

:

Laura: Yeah.

80

:

Yeah, Joseph has a lot of hubris.

81

:

There's a lot of hubris in this book.

82

:

Xhafer: Yes.

83

:

Laura: He's sure he can catch this

blip, if you will, who is also a P 12.

84

:

His colleagues want him to be careful,

but he traps the target, kills him, brings

85

:

the body aboard the ship, and surprise!

86

:

It's actually one of his colleagues.

87

:

Oops.

88

:

So the colleague that came on

board with him was actually Bester.

89

:

And Bester kills everyone

and takes the ship.

90

:

Xhafer: Mm hmm.

91

:

Laura: yeah.

92

:

Nice, nice dramatic cold

open for our book, if you

93

:

Xhafer: Yeah, we got a cold open

with murder as we have come to

94

:

anticipate out of Babylon 5.

95

:

Um, I immediately was all like, well

obviously this is Bester because

96

:

this is the Bester book, right?

97

:

Laura: Mm

98

:

Xhafer: But, but also, he's doing the

same trick from when they were kids.

99

:

from the previous book,

and he even calls that out.

100

:

In fact, there's a lot of times where

they call out stuff that happened in

101

:

the other books in all but saying,

in the other book, this happened.

102

:

and it's all the same author.

103

:

yes, it kind of felt self

aggrandizing a couple of times.

104

:

Like, oh man, remember when

this great thing happened and

105

:

how well told that story was?

106

:

Laura: have some thoughts about

the author after this book, but

107

:

we'll just keep going for now.

108

:

Xhafer: Okay, save it for the end.

109

:

Laura: part one of this

book is homecoming.

110

:

So that is all based on Bester

wants to come home to Earth, right?

111

:

Xhafer: He's tired of them colonies

and their fake sea smells and

112

:

their, and their non native shrimps.

113

:

Yeah,

114

:

Laura: the shrimps, not gonna lie.

115

:

Xhafer: they taste a little different.

116

:

As they should.

117

:

Laura: Yeah.

118

:

Right.

119

:

So he's a fugitive since

the downfall of Psycor.

120

:

So they put us in time that

the Drok plague has subsided.

121

:

Xhafer: Yes, there's lots of

Excalibur Crusade references, which

122

:

is the next thing that we're doing.

123

:

So maybe we should have

held off, but whatever.

124

:

Laura: It's fine.

125

:

It's fine.

126

:

It's fine.

127

:

Like.

128

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

129

:

Laura: It's all very, like, tangential

and I would not have recognized

130

:

the Excalibur references the first

time I read this book because I

131

:

didn't really see any of Crusade.

132

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

133

:

Lots of like, oh, all the

best selling books are.

134

:

The memoirs and autobiographies

of the Excalibur crew and all

135

:

these other famous explorers and

we're in the age of heroes and

136

:

Laura: Mm hmm.

137

:

Yeah.

138

:

And uh, really, really,

really interesting.

139

:

Selling a bill of goods

for Crusade, isn't it?

140

:

Xhafer: sure is one we

know it will not meet Yeah,

141

:

Laura: now siding with Mundanes.

142

:

He's on a colony world and meets one of

his allies to arrange passage to Earth.

143

:

It's not a great idea.

144

:

He's apparently one of the, like,

top 10 most wanted war criminals.

145

:

Xhafer: I mean, yeah.

146

:

I was just gonna say, he

himself, like, puts himself on

147

:

a list with Hitler and Stalin.

148

:

Laura: Yeah.

149

:

Xhafer: I think two or

three times in this book.

150

:

Laura: Yeah, he doesn't seem to agree

with that, but he knows that he's there, I

151

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

152

:

Laura: Cool.

153

:

Xhafer: Not to, not to sell his

accomplishments short here, but

154

:

whenever they talk about the Psywar

and all this stuff, it sounds like

155

:

a handful thousand people died.

156

:

Laura: Yeah, I was wondering about the

scale of this, really, because we've

157

:

heard that telepaths are a pretty small

fraction of the whole human race, right?

158

:

And it's not just telepaths

dying, I guess that's the

159

:

Xhafer: Yeah, but, but they're like,

oh, you know, the, the thousands

160

:

that died in the Telmuth War.

161

:

And I don't mean to, like, belittle

the death of thousands of people.

162

:

Um, but that's just like, it's more

classic bester self aggrandizing.

163

:

Like, Oh, well, if I'm going to go down in

a mass as a mass murderer and genocider,

164

:

surely I'll be in the top three.

165

:

Laura: Mm

166

:

Xhafer: And it's all like

pole pots on the line.

167

:

Just all like, dude, like there are a

ton of way worse people than Bester.

168

:

If all he managed to do is kill tens

of thousands of people, but he places

169

:

himself right up at the top of the list

as always, and it's just, it's such Like,

170

:

I know I'm not a bad person, but if I was

a bad person, I'd be the best bad person.

171

:

It's such a fucking asshole take,

172

:

and just, and it's not even correct.

173

:

Ugh, it's just, I don't know.

174

:

This whole, I hated this book.

175

:

Laura: It does seem like they are

also considering War crimes, like

176

:

the actions of Psycorps just in

general before the war, right?

177

:

Like the re education camps and stuff,

and anything involved with that.

178

:

Because we know that was going on, like,

before the actual breakaway and stuff.

179

:

So, yeah.

180

:

I, I'm wondering what, where the

definition of these war crimes actually

181

:

begins, because I don't think it's

completely defined by the book.

182

:

Xhafer: I mean, that's Bester's defense.

183

:

At the trial at the end of the book

is that it's just all like, well, my

184

:

actions were legal when I made them.

185

:

Laura: Yeah.

186

:

Xhafer: And I'm like, okay, well,

cool, I guess uh, fuck off now, please.

187

:

Laura: we find out that Earthforce

is now accepting telepaths

188

:

Xhafer: Yes.

189

:

Laura: because he meets an Earthforce

telepath and he's offended by it.

190

:

He, like, befriends this dude and

then plants a false memory in him that

191

:

shows where he's going somewhere else.

192

:

So his intention is for this

guy eventually to remember.

193

:

That he did meet Bester and he

was going somewhere so that they

194

:

will take him on the wrong, you

know, go on the wrong trail.

195

:

Xhafer: Yeah, go check out this

distant ass colony right by the rim

196

:

while I fuck off to Earth, please.

197

:

Laura: Fuck off to Paris, specifically.

198

:

So, he winds up in Paris.

199

:

And was this where he did his

first, like, telepath hunt?

200

:

Was he went to Paris when he

wasn't supposed to and blah blah

201

:

Xhafer: Yeah, he was like, on that hiking

trip where he got assaulted, or this is on

202

:

his way to that hiking trip or something.

203

:

And he notices a rogue telepath

who's like in the top ten most wanted

204

:

because he follows all that stuff.

205

:

Because of course he does.

206

:

Oh god, it's just like

207

:

Bester, it's just a giant

cop circle jerk, these books.

208

:

I really hate it.

209

:

Laura: So, yeah, there's a nice little

symmetry the author's going for there,

210

:

where like, he went and followed one

of the most wanted to Paris, and now

211

:

he's one of the most wanted in Paris.

212

:

Yeah.

213

:

Uh,

214

:

Xhafer: Techniques abused to the

point of losing all meaning by J.

215

:

Gregory Keys.

216

:

Laura: so he, as you do, finds a,

like, kind of shoddy hotel and decides

217

:

to camp out there after he watches

the mundane hotel owner fending

218

:

herself off of a local Paris gang.

219

:

And then we also find out that Garibaldi

is still on his shit He's one of

220

:

the major players that's looking for

Bester, using, of course, his corporate

221

:

resources, which is, I'm sure, something

the shareholders totally approve of.

222

:

Xhafer: Heh heh heh.

223

:

Laura: apparently it was his team

that was looking for Bester in the

224

:

asteroid, and that all got killed.

225

:

So, whoopsie.

226

:

Xhafer: Yep.

227

:

Like, you've got Bester in an asteroid.

228

:

You suspect Bester is in an asteroid.

229

:

Why do you send people in?

230

:

You can bomb the shit out of it.

231

:

You know nobody else is there.

232

:

It's a fucking asteroid

in the middle of nowhere.

233

:

Just fucking bomb the shit out of it.

234

:

Book ends.

235

:

Chapter 1.

236

:

Done.

237

:

They find a body.

238

:

They ID it.

239

:

It was Bester.

240

:

Cool.

241

:

You know uh, it's not like the

military has a uh, great track record.

242

:

Maybe it's improved.

243

:

Maybe that's why.

244

:

Maybe I'm just desensitized to this

because we have such a terrible

245

:

track record of this person's there.

246

:

Let's blow it up.

247

:

but it seems like that would

be the first card you play.

248

:

Laura: the problem is

it's Garibaldi, right?

249

:

And Garibaldi really wants to, at

some point, waggle his fingers in

250

:

front of Bester, like Veer, you know?

251

:

Xhafer: Mm hmm.

252

:

Laura: He's gotta have it.

253

:

He's gotta have that, or

it won't mean anything,

254

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

255

:

Laura: With that Earth Force telepath

who is given a name now, Thompson.

256

:

And he's rude to him, as is

his custom, with all telepaths.

257

:

He's just on his bullshit this whole book.

258

:

Like, it's full of Garibaldi sex bullshit.

259

:

Xhafer: Yep.

260

:

It's remarkable that Bester is

the worst character in this book

261

:

still, because Garibaldi goes out

of his way to be a terrible fucking

262

:

person for most of this book.

263

:

Laura: Yeah.

264

:

Xhafer: There's one bit in

particular where he's like,

265

:

small talking someone in Paris.

266

:

Or like, the cop.

267

:

And he makes some like, reference

to like, oh I banged some

268

:

hot blonde back in the day.

269

:

And it's all like, what?

270

:

What the fuck are you doing?

271

:

Why does this fucking matter?

272

:

This isn't even pertinent to the

conversation you're having in any regard.

273

:

You bring it up because you're Garibaldi.

274

:

Laura: Yeah.

275

:

Definitely felt this way.

276

:

Garibaldi's onto this shit.

277

:

He's, you know, the, the false trail

has surfaced and he thinks Thompson

278

:

is either a time bomb, you know, he's

one of those completely defragged

279

:

personalities and he's going to explode

at some point or it's a false lead.

280

:

So those are his two options.

281

:

He decides that he's going to keep

Thompson close because if he's either of

282

:

those things, he needs him close, right?

283

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

284

:

Laura: he gives him a job

at Revenge Industries.

285

:

Bester is having hallucinations of Byron.

286

:

Did we know this?

287

:

Did we know that apparently in the

tragedy of telepaths, was that the

288

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

289

:

Yeah.

290

:

Laura: apparently Bester reached out

to Byron telepathically in the moment

291

:

before he explodes to death and got

stuck with a little piece of Byron.

292

:

I don't think that's

hinted in the show, right?

293

:

Xhafer: I don't think so, either.

294

:

Um, it's the first I remember hearing of

it, and I thought that was a really cool

295

:

plot point, until Bester just turns it

off a third of the way through the book

296

:

for no reason other than he's bored of it.

297

:

Laura: Uh Huh.

298

:

Yeah, it seems like it should be something

that's harder to get rid of, right?

299

:

Like, when you just turn it

300

:

Xhafer: Why, like, even like, At the

end of the book, when like, Bester

301

:

is defeated, he's all like, Oh,

Byron, you're not gonna come mock me?

302

:

Because I just turned you off so good

20 years ago in my mind or something?

303

:

And it's just like, why the fuck didn't

you do this forever ago, if it's so easy?

304

:

And it's just, it's so fucking pointless.

305

:

Like everything else, and I

really did not like this book.

306

:

Heh heh heh.

307

:

Heh heh

308

:

Laura: I just feel like he should have

to get that scraped out or something.

309

:

I guess the implication was like, okay,

like, he's hanging on to him because he

310

:

can't let go and then he lets go at some

point, but it's like, eh, I don't know.

311

:

It seems like it should be harder than

312

:

Xhafer: a whole thing.

313

:

It should be difficult to remove.

314

:

You know, it should be

a tumor on his mind.

315

:

Laura: So as he and Byron are like,

arguing with each other in their mind

316

:

we find out that the telepaths imploded

thanks to Leta and Garibaldi's money.

317

:

Xhafer: Yep.

318

:

Laura: Bester believes that the

telepath planet would have just

319

:

made them an easier target.

320

:

Like they would have put themselves all

in one place and then somebody would

321

:

have come along with a big nuke and

322

:

Xhafer: like an asteroid

one could hide out on.

323

:

Laura: yeah, yeah.

324

:

Xhafer: a bad place to hide because

you're an obvious, easily bombable target.

325

:

Laura: Yeah.

326

:

And there was some kind of altercation

where 200 of Bester's finest,

327

:

like, psych ops were all killed.

328

:

He got some kind of advanced

warning and was escaped, but

329

:

he didn't save anybody else.

330

:

Xhafer: This feels like something

that happened in a different book.

331

:

But as far as I can tell,

that is not the case.

332

:

Laura: A lot of things that were talked

about in the past seemed like they

333

:

were plot points that JMS really wanted

to do a movie or a show or something.

334

:

Mm hmm.

335

:

So we were like trying to set up allusions

to that, but not tell too much about it,

336

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

337

:

Laura: I, I, and I get that.

338

:

I don't remember when this

was written compared to, like,

339

:

what was happening with show.

340

:

So,

341

:

Xhafer: I

342

:

have, this was published

th,:

343

:

Laura: Yeah, okay.

344

:

Xhafer: So the show would have been done.

345

:

I think Crusade would not have aired.

346

:

When did Crusade drop?

347

:

Oh, that summer was the first season.

348

:

It was June 1999.

349

:

Laura: Hmm.

350

:

Okay.

351

:

Okay.

352

:

It makes sense.

353

:

It makes sense.

354

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

355

:

Mm

356

:

Laura: from his Byron nonsense and has

a sort of a meet cute with the hotel

357

:

owner where he thinks that she's trying

to kill him and then oops, she's not.

358

:

Ha ha ha.

359

:

But he can tell she feels bad for this

sad, weird old man in her hotel and she

360

:

invites him to run errands with her.

361

:

Uh, But uh, he can tell she feels bad for

this sad, weird old man in her hotel and

362

:

she invites him to run errands with her.

363

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

364

:

Laura: They walk around Paris.

365

:

He picks up a memoir of a supposed

telepathic mystic, which, I really

366

:

wanted to know more about this

book and who this telepathic mystic

367

:

was, but it is not mentioned.

368

:

Ever.

369

:

Uh, You know, he thinks about

how he used to read, and we saw

370

:

that back in the other book.

371

:

And he hasn't read in a long time.

372

:

After he hates on the book loudly

in the coffee shop, he gets

373

:

invited to be a literary critic.

374

:

Xhafer: Just gets a job as a literary

critic, literally placed in front of him.

375

:

Laura: Yeah.

376

:

Xhafer: And if you had asked, if you

had given me like a thousand guesses on

377

:

things that would happen in this novel.

378

:

Never in my mind would it have occurred

to me to make Bester a literary critic.

379

:

But how perfect is it?

380

:

Laura: I mean, he's always, you

know, putting those beautiful

381

:

turns of phrase together.

382

:

So, okay, sure.

383

:

Xhafer: He speaks poetically

and he hates everything.

384

:

He is the perfect literary

385

:

Laura: Yeah, yeah.

386

:

And uh, because Garibaldi is famously

barely literate he will never find

387

:

him in the Literary Criticism column.

388

:

Heh heh heh heh heh heh.

389

:

Xhafer: He's never going to review

any Daffy Duck cartoons, so Garibaldi

390

:

will remain blissfully ignorant.

391

:

Laura: Yeah.

392

:

Yeah.

393

:

Uh, The local gang gets back

at Louise, and Bester decides

394

:

to retaliate right back.

395

:

So, he confronts the gang leader,

completely kills his personality,

396

:

so he's still doing that.

397

:

He's still replacing people.

398

:

Rebuilds a new person in the place.

399

:

He goes back to the hotel and convinces

Louise that she should keep fighting

400

:

this fight and she should rebuild.

401

:

It was a firebomb, I think.

402

:

Xhafer: Yeah, something.

403

:

Laura: Yeah.

404

:

And she reluctantly agrees after enlisting

his help in exchange for free rent.

405

:

He feels weird about feeling sympathetic

to a mundane, which yeah, that is

406

:

a bit out of the norm for Bester.

407

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

408

:

Laura: It is mentioned here that

she is less than half his age.

409

:

At some point earlier, it was

mentioned that he was in his 80s.

410

:

Xhafer: He is in his 80s.

411

:

He is 82.

412

:

She, on a stroll, casually mentions

that if the relationship had

413

:

happened 20 years previous, he

would be tried for pedophilia.

414

:

Now, I did not look this up.

415

:

I assume the age of consent

in Paris is 16, in France.

416

:

Laura: Sure, why not.

417

:

Yeah.

418

:

Xhafer: seems very France to me to,

to be 16 and not 18 uh, which would

419

:

imply that she is at the oldest 36.

420

:

Now what's the, there's

like cougar, right?

421

:

Like, for an older woman

dating a younger man.

422

:

When it's an older man dating

a younger woman, do we still

423

:

just call that predator?

424

:

Or is there another

term I should be using?

425

:

Laura: Yeah, I'm not aware.

426

:

Yeah,

427

:

Xhafer: ground about this.

428

:

Like, if you're over 25, your

brain is, like, fully developed.

429

:

I might not understand your relationship,

but I'm not gonna outwardly disapprove

430

:

of it based on the basis of age.

431

:

You're cognizant of what you're

doing at that point in your life,

432

:

especially if you're in your mid 30s.

433

:

Like, she is aware of what she's doing.

434

:

I fucking hope.

435

:

Uh, It's hard to give Bester any

credit because he famously fucks

436

:

with people's minds, including

hers, as he admits to in this book.

437

:

Laura: Yeah.

438

:

Xhafer: Manipulating

her to be uh, pleasured.

439

:

Uh, So that he does, you know,

I was great, you loved it.

440

:

Um, but man.

441

:

Bester fucking.

442

:

Laura: The

443

:

Xhafer: I didn't need that.

444

:

Laura: that he mentions is, you know,

I've had young women who needed a

445

:

father figure throw themselves at me.

446

:

And he admits to that,

but he's, I don't know.

447

:

I don't

448

:

know.

449

:

And

450

:

Xhafer: This is different

because they don't report to

451

:

me in the chain of command.

452

:

Laura: yeah,

453

:

Xhafer: his, is his excuse for

feeling okay about this one.

454

:

Laura: Yeah.

455

:

And she had like a traumatic

divorce that's not explored

456

:

at all, like the husband, Ran

457

:

Xhafer: it's, it's almost like she

solely exists to be enamored with Bester.

458

:

Laura: Mm hmm.

459

:

Yeah.

460

:

She's a prop.

461

:

Yeah.

462

:

Xhafer: She's a prop.

463

:

She is not a character.

464

:

In fact, all of the characters

in this book are props, except

465

:

for Bester and Garibaldi.

466

:

And they are both

caricatures of themselves.

467

:

Laura: Yeah.

468

:

I

469

:

Xhafer: Although the author does do a

good job of nailing the Garibaldi voice.

470

:

Laura: Oh yes.

471

:

Both of their voices, I think

Bester and Garibaldi are very

472

:

true to their characters.

473

:

I would argue there's one character

maybe who's not as much of a prop,

474

:

but I'll tell you about that when

we get to him, because it's a while.

475

:

Ha ha ha.

476

:

Ha ha ha.

477

:

so, he thinks about Carolyn a bit.

478

:

I think Carolyn was a bit

younger than him too, if,

479

:

Xhafer: sure she was.

480

:

Laura: You know, apparently she was killed

in an attack on the Psi Core base on Mars.

481

:

Like, he was still holding on to her,

hoping that they could figure out how to

482

:

get the shadow stuff out of her brain.

483

:

But the telepaths, the rogues,

attacked at some point, destroyed

484

:

the base and destroyed her, so.

485

:

And he knows that, that Garibaldi

and Leta were behind that

486

:

attack, so, pretty presentable.

487

:

Garibaldi's still working on his hunt.

488

:

He found the home of one of

Bester's deceased contacts.

489

:

A former Psycorps intern and I was

like, man, I should look up and see if

490

:

this name is the same as that one in

that episode where we had the interns.

491

:

But

492

:

Xhafer: I didn't even think about that.

493

:

Laura: I thought about

it that I didn't do it.

494

:

Xhafer: Did you write

down the character's name?

495

:

Laura: I got the book right here.

496

:

Let's see real quick.

497

:

Xhafer: Lauren

498

:

Laura: Yeah.

499

:

Okay.

500

:

Not her.

501

:

Xhafer: Is that character.

502

:

Laura: Unless they changed names

and it wasn't really mentioned.

503

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

504

:

Laura: Let's see.

505

:

She had a secret identity.

506

:

Oh, okay.

507

:

Well, maybe it was her.

508

:

They fished her out of a body of water.

509

:

Garibaldi and Thompson find

a mysterious medication

510

:

that they have examined by Edgar's

Industries, and the medication is to

511

:

combat a telepathic specific disease.

512

:

Uh, seems to have sprung from the

attempts to advance telepathic abilities.

513

:

It's unclear how he got it,

514

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

515

:

He curses the Corps at

one point about this.

516

:

Mm hmm.

517

:

Laura: yeah, I don't remember if it's

that, because they, they theorize

518

:

that it could have been like, well,

maybe people volunteered to take

519

:

it, or maybe it was put into a

virus and then it got out of hand.

520

:

They don't really flesh that out.

521

:

Maybe that's another thing that was

supposed to be fleshed out in a series.

522

:

I don't know.

523

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

524

:

Laura: Anyway, it, it is noted that

this is similar to the Drak Plague.

525

:

So that makes me think

shadow technology, right?

526

:

Xhafer: Yes, that would be, that

would be the line I would draw.

527

:

Laura: Yeah.

528

:

So.

529

:

They've got this disease, the

medication has to be taken monthly

530

:

or else the affected telepathic

individual will, like, lose control

531

:

of themselves and their abilities.

532

:

And, uh, They believe Bester

must be one of the infected.

533

:

Xhafer: Yep, so Garibaldi is just

like, Okay, well I'll just buy

534

:

the companies that make this,

so that we're the only ones.

535

:

I'm just gonna go ahead

and make a monopoly, guys.

536

:

Like is totally normal in pharmaceuticals.

537

:

Laura: Totally normal.

538

:

And

539

:

Xhafer: Yeah, Yeah,

totally normal and fine.

540

:

Believable, unfortunately.

541

:

Laura: Yeah.

542

:

Bester and Louise go clothes shopping.

543

:

She wants to pick out a new outfit for

him because, surprise, his style sucks.

544

:

He keeps missing his gloves, and that's

one of the ways, you know, his style

545

:

Xhafer: He keeps talking about

how he needs his gloves on.

546

:

They're his teddy bear.

547

:

They're

548

:

Laura: So he's like, well,

you can pick out an outfit for

549

:

me if I can buy one for you.

550

:

So,

551

:

she picks out a little writerly

outfit, I guess, and he, she also picks

552

:

herself out a blue dress, but Bester

feels her, like, really liking this

553

:

evening gown, but it's very expensive.

554

:

Xhafer: The finest

Centauri silks or whatever.

555

:

Laura: Yeah, it, like, reacts to each

individual body heat or chemistry or

556

:

something and becomes a different color.

557

:

I like that idea.

558

:

It sounds cool.

559

:

And it's a chance for us to throw in

there that the Centauri Republic is

560

:

on hard times, and so they're selling

their fancy fabrics to other races.

561

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

562

:

Laura: Yeah, so they return

to the hotel for dinner.

563

:

Xhafer: uh,

564

:

he just, he needlessly

critiques her cooking.

565

:

Laura: yeah.

566

:

He hates her étouffée.

567

:

Is étouffée a French thing?

568

:

I know it isn't like a

Cajun thing, but yeah.

569

:

I didn't know it actually

happened in France.

570

:

In France, I thought it was

just like a thing that developed

571

:

over here in the French areas,

572

:

Xhafer: have, I mean, it's not

like cuisine is incapable of

573

:

traveling borders like that.

574

:

Laura: yeah, yeah.

575

:

Xhafer: Um,

576

:

Laura: don't know, someday maybe

I'll go to France and find out.

577

:

Xhafer: Just start asking around.

578

:

I need a toufee.

579

:

Laura: Yeah, where is it?

580

:

So he gives her that gown that she really

wanted so she can wear it to the opera.

581

:

Eight chapters in, Lise shows up.

582

:

And Lise is here.

583

:

Xhafer: four lines,

584

:

we love lease.

585

:

Why wasn't there more lease in this book?

586

:

Yes,

587

:

Laura: you know, her lot in life.

588

:

Xhafer: yes, as a woman, all she can do

is give Garibaldi shit for irresponsibly

589

:

purchasing a company to track down

a dude that he's got a beef with.

590

:

That's your, that's your purpose, Lise.

591

:

Laura: this company with her.

592

:

And then she's coming in and scolding him

saying, this drug doesn't make any money.

593

:

It's a loss.

594

:

We do this as like, you know, it is

produced as like a public service.

595

:

Why did you buy this company?

596

:

And it's like, girlfriend,

you didn't need him.

597

:

Xhafer: Right?

598

:

Kick his ass out!

599

:

Laura: Good grief.

600

:

Xhafer: He spends his days playing

tennis with their daughter.

601

:

Like, it's very apparent that like, the

Garibaldi of Season 5, well, of like

602

:

the end of Season 5 where he's all like

assumed control of the board and is

603

:

going to be running the company for Lise.

604

:

is like, a fad, and Lise clearly just

uses that to buy time to get her shit

605

:

together, run this fucking company, and

then he spends all day playing tennis

606

:

with their daughter, hanging out with

Franklin, and going on random missions.

607

:

Laura: Uh Huh.

608

:

Xhafer: Can you imagine the CEO of

any other company just vanishing for

609

:

weeks at a well, I'm sure it happens,

but just like, No notice, no vacation.

610

:

They're just gone for weeks.

611

:

And it's just, the company's just fine.

612

:

Cause, cause we don't need them

because they make things worse.

613

:

Most of the time

614

:

record profits is Michael

Garibaldi goes on missing.

615

:

He's on vacation somewhere.

616

:

Probably might get shot.

617

:

We can only hope.

618

:

Laura: Didn't waste a ton of resources

on unrelated telepath conflicts.

619

:

Yeah, yeah.

620

:

So he's making decisions

without consulting her.

621

:

He's obsessed with Bester.

622

:

She warns him that he shouldn't

be keeping secrets from her.

623

:

And Garibaldi agrees and

all is forgiven, I guess.

624

:

It's fine.

625

:

Xhafer: It's fine.

626

:

Laura: Bester practices fencing,

almost runs into a telepath

627

:

that could have known him.

628

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

629

:

A real scumbag, we find out.

630

:

A real, a real fuckin Nazi.

631

:

Laura: Yeah.

632

:

Xhafer: Like, there's no question

in the parallels being drawn.

633

:

This dude is a Nazi in

Brazil after the war.

634

:

Laura: They're pretty, yeah, like,

like, explicit about that, yeah, mm

635

:

Xhafer: of the stuff this dude is so

bad that they literally can't have

636

:

a conversation while reviewing it.

637

:

Laura: He dodges this guy, this time, and

agrees to sit for a portrait by Louise.

638

:

Xhafer: Not a naked one, though.

639

:

Laura: no, I hope not, it's

not explicitly stated, I

640

:

Xhafer: he specifies that

he would not be posing

641

:

Laura: that's right.

642

:

That's right.

643

:

That's right.

644

:

Yeah.

645

:

So,

646

:

Xhafer: imagining, like, current

day Walter Koenig through all of

647

:

Laura: Oh, no, please.

648

:

Xhafer: Cause the age is about the same.

649

:

How old is Walter Koenig right now?

650

:

Actually,

651

:

that's worth

652

:

a Google.

653

:

Laura: Right?

654

:

Xhafer: He is a fragile old man.

655

:

Laura: Mm hmm.

656

:

Xhafer: He is.

657

:

He is.

658

:

I like having witnessed him around.

659

:

He is eighty seven.

660

:

Laura: Oh, no.

661

:

Oh, boy.

662

:

No, clearly, like, Bester is in

better shape and we've had some of

663

:

that lip service played to like,

lifespans are longer and whatever.

664

:

So,

665

:

Xhafer: He talks about having like

30, 40 years left in him and stuff.

666

:

And I mean, even in the show, like,

Bester was like in his 70s when we

667

:

saw him, despite Walter being, you

know, in his late 50s, early 60s

668

:

Laura: Mm hmm.

669

:

Xhafer: at that time.

670

:

But Bester, like, does some shit,

like, he runs, he does flips,

671

:

he fist fights people, and the

672

:

entire

673

:

time, it is just current age Walter

Koenig in my mind doing these things.

674

:

Current age Walter Koenig

seducing a 35 year old woman.

675

:

Laura: No.

676

:

Xhafer: man, this is,

this is, this is rough.

677

:

That's me though, that, that, that's,

that's me reading the book, admittedly.

678

:

Laura: Yeah.

679

:

So we find out that his current

dose of medication is running out.

680

:

He calls his contacts to find out

why the next dose has not arrived.

681

:

And, oh no!

682

:

On the other end of the

line, it's Karabaldi.

683

:

Whoops.

684

:

Yeah.

685

:

Xhafer: like, Hey Bester, coming for you.

686

:

The fact that this is like, he

doesn't leave immediately after this.

687

:

Laura: Bizarre, right?

688

:

Xhafer: Right?

689

:

Yeah.

690

:

Laura: help him rip off a pharmacy

in order to get some of this.

691

:

Then he'll leave after that.

692

:

But, I mean, it's, I think they're

putting a clock on it at this point and

693

:

he's missed like two days of his dose

or something or it's up in two days.

694

:

Like,

695

:

Xhafer: It's starting

to already affect him.

696

:

Yeah.

697

:

He needs to get this medicine quick.

698

:

Laura: Right.

699

:

So they find out the pharmacy is going

to be super difficult to knock over.

700

:

There's AI and physical security.

701

:

He's got a little shadow device

that helps him get around the AI.

702

:

But he neglects to consider that

the security guard is a telepath

703

:

because apparently that's a job

you can have now as a telepath.

704

:

So Oh no!

705

:

He gets blocked and it has

an actual, like, fight.

706

:

It's a P 10 guard that he's up against.

707

:

Xhafer: Yeah, like, he's,

like, giving himself shit the

708

:

entire time with, like, a P 10.

709

:

Got the jump on me?

710

:

A P 10?

711

:

Come on.

712

:

Laura: He's in bad shape, though.

713

:

Like, he's starting to lose it by this

point, because it takes him a few days

714

:

to, like, knock over this pharmacy.

715

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

716

:

Laura: The gang leader gets killed.

717

:

I think that was always the plan.

718

:

Um, he had explosives in this

backpack that Bester sets off.

719

:

And then as the police are trying

to arrest Bester, they would get

720

:

incinerated by the explosion.

721

:

But Bester gets away with four vials.

722

:

So he's got four months

worth to figure his shit out.

723

:

Xhafer: Mm hmm.

724

:

Mm

725

:

Laura: He feels much better

after taking his dose.

726

:

Louise confronts him.

727

:

Hmm.

728

:

about their flirtatious behavior, I guess.

729

:

I don't like to think about this.

730

:

Uh, They have fallen in love, I guess.

731

:

They have sex.

732

:

Why?

733

:

But the actual fuck is

what I wrote in my notes.

734

:

Xhafer: totally didn't need.

735

:

I mean, the sex scene is in the book.

736

:

It is very short.

737

:

Laura: Yeah, yeah.

738

:

Blessedly.

739

:

Xhafer: like, I don't want to read this.

740

:

I skip ahead a paragraph

and it's already done.

741

:

And I'm all like, okay, I guess

I can stomach a paragraph of

742

:

this just to not have to read it.

743

:

I don't know, just, just to know,

I guess, morbid curiosity, perhaps

744

:

it was not particularly detailed.

745

:

Laura: No, but he

746

:

does use his telepathic abilities to like,

enhance his performance, which is gross.

747

:

So gross.

748

:

Xhafer: her perception of his performance.

749

:

Laura: Ugh.

750

:

Xhafer: a distinction.

751

:

Uh,

752

:

Laura: Ugh.

753

:

Ugh.

754

:

Ugh.

755

:

Ugh.

756

:

Ugh.

757

:

Xhafer: making sure that, you

know, he presses the button

758

:

at the right time and stuff.

759

:

That's all he's concerned about.

760

:

Uh, uh,

761

:

Yes.

762

:

Laura: just decides to let Byron go and

763

:

Xhafer: Yep, by, despite him mentioning

Byron being around a number of times

764

:

in the rest of this book Byron is gone.

765

:

Anytime he breaks up, he's

like, Oh, Byron, are you going

766

:

to come mock me for this one?

767

:

And he doesn't.

768

:

And it's just like, is it so persistent?

769

:

Has this been like a fixture in

Bester's life for like 20 years?

770

:

Is Byron literally over his

shoulder, mocking him at every turn?

771

:

Because it feels like reflex.

772

:

He goes to give Byron shit back,

but he's not there to mock him.

773

:

So it has to be like

something that happens.

774

:

Often.

775

:

Laura: yeah.

776

:

And do they say that he's

been on the run for 10 years?

777

:

I think that they say

something like that, yeah.

778

:

So it has been, like, 20 years

since Byron died, perhaps.

779

:

I don't, I don't know exactly.

780

:

So Garibaldi can't sleep.

781

:

He hasn't been able to find Bester.

782

:

He gets up and goes over more evidence.

783

:

He sees the robbery in Paris, but

finally says, like, look, pharmacies get

784

:

knocked over every day, all the time.

785

:

I gotta let this go.

786

:

And I don't need another

obsessive addiction.

787

:

And he decides to turn things

off and get some sleep.

788

:

And that's the end of part one.

789

:

Xhafer: This is absurd to me.

790

:

Because, one, Garibaldi is obsessed.

791

:

But, two, okay, so there's four people

in Paris that have this disease, right?

792

:

Laura: Yeah.

793

:

Xhafer: So, like, extrapolate that out.

794

:

Like, Telepaths are already a very

small number of people, and a very small

795

:

number of telepaths have this disease.

796

:

There's, even Bester at one

point says there's like, maybe

797

:

150 people who have this.

798

:

Right?

799

:

One of the pharmacies that

stocks this, this isn't at every

800

:

CVS on your fucking corner,

801

:

Laura: right?

802

:

Right.

803

:

They mentioned that.

804

:

There's like one pharmacy

in Paris that's got it.

805

:

Right.

806

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

807

:

That's noteworthy.

808

:

Laura: Yeah.

809

:

Xhafer: It's, it's the only, probably

the only pharmacy that carries it that

810

:

got knocked, you know, that got robbed.

811

:

Laura: Uh Huh.

812

:

Xhafer: In the time frame where

Bester would be looking for it.

813

:

It's just like, this is

clearly a great lead.

814

:

And Garibaldi's homeschool is

just all like, Nah, I think now

815

:

it's time to put down the pencil.

816

:

What a fuck.

817

:

Laura: Yeah, yeah.

818

:

So we start part two, reckoning.

819

:

So we know it's time.

820

:

It's time for that final reckoning.

821

:

Xhafer: There will be a reckoning and

what proceeds is like five chapters

822

:

of Bester just being a dick in Paris.

823

:

Laura: just especially being

a dick and dicking around.

824

:

Xhafer: Yeah, like, I feel

like, nothing happens.

825

:

Like, he has some incidental

contacts with a couple of people.

826

:

He mind wipes that one dude, goes

back to check on him to make sure the

827

:

mind wipe worked, and then kills him.

828

:

Uh,

829

:

Laura: an odd choice

after, like, the mind wipe.

830

:

I don't know.

831

:

Yeah.

832

:

And he, like, encourages Louise to, like,

reconnect with her family a little bit.

833

:

So she leaves for a while so he can

fuck around and do other things.

834

:

They do go to the Eiffel Tower

and pretend to be tourists.

835

:

And that's where he gets

made, by the other telepath.

836

:

So, Ackerman is his name.

837

:

And, oh yeah, he was found

to have executed prisoners of

838

:

war during the telepath war.

839

:

So.

840

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

841

:

They're describing stuff that

sounds like it's Auschwitz.

842

:

Laura: Yes, definitely, especially the re

education camp, like when the policeman

843

:

and his deputy get to the pictures.

844

:

The way the pictures are described

is like, yes, this is like Auschwitz,

845

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

846

:

Laura: And this guy got two years

in prison because he like sold off

847

:

his superiors, like he named names.

848

:

So he got two years in prison

and he's out on parole, I guess.

849

:

Xhafer: So this was two

years ago, but 10 years ago.

850

:

Like, did they just catch him?

851

:

Like, did they not catch him

until way after the war Maybe

852

:

he was on the run for a while?

853

:

Laura: Like, maybe he was held for trial

for a long time because I imagine these

854

:

trials were a while to churn through.

855

:

I don't know.

856

:

It could be.

857

:

I don't think he got time served.

858

:

Xhafer: Right?

859

:

Or maybe he did, maybe that's

why it was only two years.

860

:

Um, it's just

861

:

Laura: Okay.

862

:

Xhafer: I mean I gave up very

early on, I'd say probably halfway

863

:

through the second book, on

thinking these were well written.

864

:

Laura: There's a lot of like,

don't look too closely at this.

865

:

Don't think

866

:

Xhafer: I, uh, I did a little bit

of research on the author because

867

:

I've been talking so much shit.

868

:

Um, I mean this with as

much disrespect as possible.

869

:

This looks like a dude that I've beat

the shit out of in a sword fight.

870

:

Like in, like in historical fencing.

871

:

He, he looks like one of those.

872

:

He looks like a guy who was, he

was involved, but no good, but

873

:

thought he was really good at stuff.

874

:

And I think, I don't know.

875

:

I don't know.

876

:

I know nothing about this person

personally, but I do know that he has a a

877

:

trilogy, a tetralogy of books called the

Age of Unreason, which is all steam punky.

878

:

And it features Benjamin Franklin

and Isaac Newton, apparently.

879

:

A bunch of other other famous people.

880

:

Those people did live a hundred

years apart, so I'm hoping that

881

:

there's some time stuff going on.

882

:

Laura: Oh, Shirley, it's gotta be all

883

:

Xhafer: it's, it's, it's,

steampunk, so who gives a fuck

884

:

what people lived, I guess.

885

:

Um, and like, I look at,

like, his list of books.

886

:

And there's a whole lot of stuff that's

just like, he did the movie novelization

887

:

of the war for the planet of the apes.

888

:

He did the movie novelization of inner

or the novelization of interstellar.

889

:

He did the novelization of

the independence day sequel.

890

:

He did the novelization of

like the last three Godzilla

891

:

movies, but not the good ones.

892

:

Yeah.

893

:

Laura: when he wrote this relationship

as Bester, 80 year old Bester, and 30

894

:

year old Louise, you know, just rounding.

895

:

Because you could have added a decade

or two, and it wouldn't have changed

896

:

anything to the Louise character.

897

:

But you didn't.

898

:

And it just, I don't know, colored

for me how this man feels about women.

899

:

So,

900

:

I don't know.

901

:

don't love it.

902

:

He could be a perfectly

lovely dude, I have no idea.

903

:

But this kind of made a

very sour taste in my mouth.

904

:

Xhafer: Yep.

905

:

Laura: Bester's been writing columns.

906

:

He gets picked up by a larger paper.

907

:

I think it's cute that papers still exist.

908

:

Xhafer: I Mean they do in Babylon 5

909

:

generally speaking.

910

:

Laura: That's very universe coherent.

911

:

Xhafer: Mm hmm.

912

:

Laura: he's worried a little bit

about being in a larger paper, because

913

:

that's more exposure, but he's also

decided that, But, you know, he's safe.

914

:

He's safe.

915

:

Even though he's talked

to Garibaldi on the phone.

916

:

Xhafer: Yeah.

917

:

Laura: He goes back after mind

wiping Ackerman in a previous

918

:

scene and he's pleased with himself

that Ackerman doesn't remember.

919

:

He asks Ackerman if there's

like any place he can hide.

920

:

The gentleman is like, no, I mean, you're

the most wanted dude on the planet.

921

:

Like,

922

:

Xhafer: like I why would I I

don't know a good place for you.

923

:

Sorry, dude.

924

:

You should not be here.

925

:

This is the stupid idea.

926

:

He's just like, oh blam.

927

:

Laura: It's, it doesn't make sense to me.

928

:

Like, why would you do that mind wipe

and then go back and talk to him and then

929

:

decide, Welp, now I gotta just kill him.

930

:

Xhafer: Cause, I get, he's a

hypothetical loose end that could

931

:

threaten his life with Louise.

932

:

He's all like, oh, I'm a changed man now.

933

:

You'll be the last person

Alfred Bester ever kills.

934

:

Because I am no longer Alfred Bester.

935

:

I've killed Al.

936

:

He's dead.

937

:

It's, I'm a totally

different person now, guys.

938

:

I'm a really, really great guy now.

939

:

Oh.

940

:

No more killing.

941

:

Laura: Yeah, I don't know.

942

:

I was just like, alright, okay.

943

:

Didn't seem necessary

anyway, but here we are.

944

:

Especially if your mind wipe was

that damn good the first time, like,

945

:

can't you just do it again, like?

946

:

Xhafer: Right, well and he doesn't need

to he seeks this dude out he like he

947

:

doesn't get made He's all like he has

another incidental contact and it's

948

:

just like well, this is gonna keep

happening So I guess I gotta give this

949

:

dude the axe Why not like do the super

good mind wipe and then make him leave?

950

:

Laura: Mm hmm.

951

:

Xhafer: just

952

:

make him

953

:

Laura: suggestion,

954

:

Xhafer: Yeah, I'm going to go to London.

955

:

They're close.

956

:

It's reasonable.

957

:

Laura: to visit when she comes

back from seeing her mom.

958

:

Xhafer: Clark supporter.

959

:

Laura: Yeah, which, yeah,

a bit dangerous, right?

960

:

Because Bester may have encountered her

before, but she does not recognize him.

961

:

And she She really just is super

accepting of her sister's relationship

962

:

with a man 50 years her senior and

just gets over it pretty quick.

963

:

Xhafer: Super quick, way quicker

than my sister would for sure for

964

:

a couple of reasons, but that's

965

:

Laura: Sure.

966

:

Xhafer: there.

967

:

Laura: Yeah, yeah.

968

:

Uh,

969

:

Then we meet police inspector Gerard.

970

:

Xhafer: Yes.

971

:

Laura: Am I saying that right?

972

:

Xhafer: Gerard?

973

:

I know that Garibaldi says it wrong, and

974

:

Laura: Yeah.

975

:

I was like, did I Garibaldi it?

976

:

I hope I didn't.

977

:

I'm, I don't know.

978

:

He calls him Gerard, I think,

and I'm saying Gerard, so I don't

979

:

Xhafer: Gerard.

980

:

Yeah.

981

:

Uh, he was involved very

briefly in an earlier chapter.

982

:

When Garibaldi first meets Louise,

he is the beat cop inspector.

983

:

it?

984

:

Laura: yeah, Lucien is the

one that's when he first

985

:

Xhafer: Oh, Oh, man.

986

:

Okay.

987

:

Laura: Yeah, there's two cops.

988

:

We got, we got Inspector Gerard,

989

:

Xhafer: so different that.

990

:

Laura: and then we have Beat Cop Lucien.

991

:

So

992

:

Beat Cop Lucien is the one that

was there before, I believe.

993

:

I don't think Gerard had showed up yet.

994

:

I would argue that Gerard is not a

total prop, because he does, like,

995

:

make fun of Garibaldi a bit, and

I like that in a, in a guy, so.

996

:

Xhafer: Yes.

997

:

Yeah.

998

:

No, no.

999

:

He's, if anyone is a developed

character in any type of any

:

00:48:43,665 --> 00:48:46,915

amount besides our two cover boys.

:

00:48:47,460 --> 00:48:51,140

Laura: like, He's like the

author poking fun at this whole

:

00:48:51,150 --> 00:48:52,520

thing a little bit, I think.

:

00:48:52,570 --> 00:48:53,040

I don't know.

:

00:48:53,540 --> 00:48:58,610

Gerard has a thing where he has this

problem that he knocked up his mistress.

:

00:48:58,730 --> 00:48:59,260

Oops.

:

00:48:59,970 --> 00:49:03,700

And is, like, looking for something

to distract him from that.

:

00:49:03,950 --> 00:49:08,840

So, they find Ackerman fish him

out of a body of water, I think.

:

00:49:09,110 --> 00:49:09,740

And

:

00:49:09,805 --> 00:49:10,035

Xhafer: hmm.

:

00:49:10,680 --> 00:49:15,450

Laura: He decides to delay telling the

Metasensory Division of Earth Force

:

00:49:15,490 --> 00:49:20,260

about this telepath's death so he

can, like, ruminate on it for a bit.

:

00:49:20,930 --> 00:49:25,260

He and his lieutenant look at motives

for the murder and that's when they pull

:

00:49:25,260 --> 00:49:30,590

up, like, Ackerman's secret file where

it's like, Oh, he was, you know, a Nazi.

:

00:49:31,095 --> 00:49:31,255

Xhafer: Mm

:

00:49:31,310 --> 00:49:32,030

Laura: And,

:

00:49:32,210 --> 00:49:37,265

The lieutenant is like, well

Obviously, one of the victims or

:

00:49:37,265 --> 00:49:39,405

their families did this, right?

:

00:49:39,965 --> 00:49:45,895

They went and got revenge, and Gerard is

like, No, you need to turn those pictures

:

00:49:45,895 --> 00:49:48,205

off and think about some alternatives.

:

00:49:49,025 --> 00:49:54,295

And they settle that he could have run

into somebody that he shouldn't have,

:

00:49:54,585 --> 00:49:57,809

and he's got to be taken off the board.

:

00:49:57,989 --> 00:50:02,249

So they, they start looking and they

realize that one of his superiors,

:

00:50:02,279 --> 00:50:04,009

Bester, is still on the run.

:

00:50:04,509 --> 00:50:08,679

But as they're looking at Bester's

file, it shuts off very quickly

:

00:50:08,689 --> 00:50:09,939

and they get a call from Mr.

:

00:50:09,939 --> 00:50:10,609

Garibaldi.

:

00:50:10,988 --> 00:50:14,048

Xhafer: Like, hey, I wasn't doing

anything and I noticed you were

:

00:50:14,048 --> 00:50:15,508

looking up Bester's file there.

:

00:50:16,238 --> 00:50:18,278

Uh, Just wanted to say hi.

:

00:50:18,628 --> 00:50:21,328

I'm also a fan of people hunting Bester.

:

00:50:21,628 --> 00:50:23,378

Just wanted to talk that over.

:

00:50:23,378 --> 00:50:23,438

Mm hmm.

:

00:50:25,078 --> 00:50:25,418

Laura: Yeah.

:

00:50:25,508 --> 00:50:25,818

Yeah.

:

00:50:26,208 --> 00:50:31,598

Nevermind that these seem to be government

files and I'm a corporate dude just

:

00:50:31,658 --> 00:50:33,588

Xhafer: How the fuck is he doing this?

:

00:50:33,688 --> 00:50:34,278

Laura: Right?

:

00:50:35,078 --> 00:50:39,018

Xhafer: Like, we've got him kind of

established as like a, like, Kind

:

00:50:39,018 --> 00:50:43,708

of like a mildly proficient hacker

a couple of times in the show.

:

00:50:44,398 --> 00:50:47,348

But like, I feel like this is the

kind of thing that if he was running

:

00:50:47,358 --> 00:50:50,238

around doing, he would be so arrested.

:

00:50:50,528 --> 00:50:50,938

Laura: Mm hmm.

:

00:50:51,553 --> 00:50:54,853

Yeah, it, there's a lot of things

that it's just like, well, he's

:

00:50:54,853 --> 00:50:57,173

Sheridan's friend, so he can do it.

:

00:50:57,743 --> 00:51:01,593

And I'm like, this is not how

government should work, everyone.

:

00:51:01,613 --> 00:51:04,773

And we should feel horrified by

this, not like, oh, well, he's

:

00:51:04,773 --> 00:51:06,273

our good guy, so it's fine.

:

00:51:06,323 --> 00:51:06,773

Like,

:

00:51:06,963 --> 00:51:08,643

Xhafer: Yeah, Sheridan vouches for him.

:

00:51:08,653 --> 00:51:12,333

So even though he's the not even

the president of our government.

:

00:51:12,923 --> 00:51:13,203

Laura: Right.

:

00:51:14,273 --> 00:51:15,153

This is just

:

00:51:15,483 --> 00:51:18,493

Xhafer: Actively was

killing people in our skies.

:

00:51:18,823 --> 00:51:21,943

Um, yeah, it's it's insane.

:

00:51:21,993 --> 00:51:26,778

Laura: Oh, and he, you know, he's

going to, Keep metasensory out of it.

:

00:51:26,808 --> 00:51:30,948

Garibaldi promises Gerard, like, I

will, I'm going to send in my own feds.

:

00:51:30,978 --> 00:51:33,838

Like, how do you have your own feds, sir?

:

00:51:34,623 --> 00:51:34,943

Xhafer: right.

:

00:51:38,224 --> 00:51:39,284

it's terrible.

:

00:51:39,769 --> 00:51:40,939

Laura: Super capitalism.

:

00:51:40,964 --> 00:51:47,014

Xhafer: This is, this is, this is late,

late, late stage super capitalism at its

:

00:51:47,189 --> 00:51:48,279

Laura: Yeah.

:

00:51:48,459 --> 00:51:52,079

He's going to be there in four

days himself to help lead the hunt.

:

00:51:52,209 --> 00:51:56,669

And then after their conversation,

Garibaldi privately frets about whether

:

00:51:56,669 --> 00:51:58,849

he's going to tell Lys where he's going.

:

00:51:59,055 --> 00:52:00,165

Xhafer: What a great husband.

:

00:52:01,400 --> 00:52:02,100

Laura: Super great.

:

00:52:02,140 --> 00:52:03,480

Their relationship is fine.

:

00:52:04,105 --> 00:52:05,575

Xhafer: Yep, no problems there.

:

00:52:06,912 --> 00:52:10,112

Laura: Bester is wondering what to

do for his latest column because

:

00:52:10,112 --> 00:52:14,072

he's had the unfortunate experience

of enjoying the book that he read.

:

00:52:14,787 --> 00:52:17,077

Xhafer: Something no one

who's read this book knows.

:

00:52:19,067 --> 00:52:21,447

God, do you think that like Greg?

:

00:52:21,927 --> 00:52:25,858

Greg Keyes here, my buddy Greg uh,

Do you think he got like a series

:

00:52:25,858 --> 00:52:27,958

of like super negative reviews?

:

00:52:28,728 --> 00:52:30,678

And this is just his way of like

:

00:52:31,227 --> 00:52:36,577

Dealing with that Like men would

literally rather write a trilogy of

:

00:52:36,597 --> 00:52:42,719

novels about future psychic space

hitler than go to therapy Is that

:

00:52:42,719 --> 00:52:43,766

where

:

00:52:43,867 --> 00:52:44,357

Laura: Yeah.

:

00:52:44,812 --> 00:52:45,858

Xhafer: at.

:

00:52:45,858 --> 00:52:46,904

Okay,

:

00:52:47,057 --> 00:52:50,837

Laura: the beat cop, Lucien,

who is sweet on Louise.

:

00:52:50,837 --> 00:52:54,607

We got that kind of, like,

idea in their first meet.

:

00:52:55,197 --> 00:52:58,487

Goes to talk to Bester about

the death of that gang leader.

:

00:52:58,497 --> 00:53:00,417

He's got some suspicions.

:

00:53:00,957 --> 00:53:05,197

And he warns that If Louise

is, like, brought in on any

:

00:53:05,197 --> 00:53:08,476

of this, he's gonna be upset.

:

00:53:08,536 --> 00:53:11,456

Like, he doesn't really care

what Bester's whole deal is.

:

00:53:12,056 --> 00:53:13,476

Don't fuck with Louise.

:

00:53:14,086 --> 00:53:14,366

Xhafer: Yeah.

:

00:53:14,366 --> 00:53:15,266

super important.

:

00:53:15,816 --> 00:53:18,036

Laura: Bester gives him this

whole thing, because he's kind

:

00:53:18,036 --> 00:53:21,996

of read his mind a little about

what his fears and worries are.

:

00:53:22,576 --> 00:53:25,896

And convinces him he's just

an innocent man who wasted his

:

00:53:25,896 --> 00:53:27,826

life doing meaningless things.

:

00:53:27,866 --> 00:53:33,156

And now he's fallen in love with

this beautiful, young hotel owner.

:

00:53:33,576 --> 00:53:38,142

And he's just like, trying

to live the last of his life.

:

00:53:38,292 --> 00:53:38,702

Like.

:

00:53:39,117 --> 00:53:40,967

In love, in Paris, you know.

:

00:53:42,014 --> 00:53:42,594

Xhafer: Awww!

:

00:53:44,554 --> 00:53:47,024

I don't know what I'm

supposed to feel here.

:

00:53:47,224 --> 00:53:52,104

Um, besides, grateful that there's

not another sex scene in this book.

:

00:53:52,324 --> 00:53:52,754

Laura: Yeah.

:

00:53:53,414 --> 00:53:58,874

And like, he's sort of buying into his own

bullshit, because he can't leave Louise.

:

00:53:59,114 --> 00:53:59,624

Yeah.

:

00:54:00,274 --> 00:54:04,264

He convinces himself it's all okay,

even though like, that should be

:

00:54:04,264 --> 00:54:06,034

pretty fucking concerning, right?

:

00:54:06,909 --> 00:54:07,359

Xhafer: yeah,

:

00:54:07,484 --> 00:54:07,844

Laura: That whole

:

00:54:07,844 --> 00:54:08,694

conversation?

:

00:54:09,309 --> 00:54:10,079

Xhafer: it should be.

:

00:54:10,129 --> 00:54:17,259

Bester is, out of any person I can think

of living, dead, fictional, probably the

:

00:54:17,259 --> 00:54:21,259

second most bought into his own bullshit

out of any name I could possibly come

:

00:54:21,284 --> 00:54:21,784

Laura: Mhm.

:

00:54:22,154 --> 00:54:23,284

Yeah, definitely.

:

00:54:23,756 --> 00:54:28,506

Garibaldi arrives in Paris, tells Thompson

about how much he hates rain, which

:

00:54:28,506 --> 00:54:31,756

I was like, okay, this is some world

building that I hadn't thought about,

:

00:54:31,796 --> 00:54:34,096

like, I guess Garibaldi was born on Mars.

:

00:54:34,391 --> 00:54:35,351

Xhafer: Yeah, they don't get rain.

:

00:54:35,486 --> 00:54:35,834

Laura: Yeah.

:

00:54:35,834 --> 00:54:38,954

And so like water falling from

the sky makes him like freak out.

:

00:54:38,964 --> 00:54:40,534

Doesn't like large bodies of water.

:

00:54:40,534 --> 00:54:41,244

I'm like, oh yeah.

:

00:54:41,434 --> 00:54:41,984

Okay.

:

00:54:42,824 --> 00:54:43,124

That makes

:

00:54:43,234 --> 00:54:44,394

Xhafer: Yeah, I get, I get that.

:

00:54:44,544 --> 00:54:44,914

Yeah.

:

00:54:45,504 --> 00:54:46,874

That's not terrible.

:

00:54:46,914 --> 00:54:48,044

That's, that's interesting.

:

00:54:48,598 --> 00:54:49,237

Laura: Uh Huh.

:

00:54:49,318 --> 00:54:49,588

Yeah.

:

00:54:49,803 --> 00:54:50,243

Xhafer: something.

:

00:54:51,438 --> 00:54:51,878

Laura: Right.

:

00:54:51,958 --> 00:54:52,338

Right.

:

00:54:52,959 --> 00:54:53,459

Xhafer: Read this

:

00:54:53,479 --> 00:54:57,959

book to understand why Garibaldi

hates rain and nothing else of value.

:

00:54:58,139 --> 00:54:58,519

Laura: Right.

:

00:54:59,281 --> 00:55:03,971

They discuss why Bester could be in

Paris, why he's broken his pattern,

:

00:55:04,001 --> 00:55:06,281

he's not moving, he's not on the run.

:

00:55:06,801 --> 00:55:11,521

Garibaldi shows his whole ass discussing

telepath and mundane marriage.

:

00:55:12,441 --> 00:55:12,861

Xhafer: Yep.

:

00:55:13,741 --> 00:55:14,911

Just pull some down.

:

00:55:14,921 --> 00:55:17,041

And it's all like, you want to see a moon?

:

00:55:17,041 --> 00:55:23,711

Yeah.

:

00:55:23,781 --> 00:55:24,691

Laura: to help her.

:

00:55:25,326 --> 00:55:30,106

Telepath resistance that Garibaldi

might have grown in some ways.

:

00:55:30,156 --> 00:55:34,186

This is quick to, like, disabuse

you of that, no, that idea.

:

00:55:34,776 --> 00:55:40,186

So he, he's not against telepath

and mundane marriage, or I guess

:

00:55:40,186 --> 00:55:43,836

I'll call it mixed marriage for

lack of a better, like, word.

:

00:55:43,836 --> 00:55:47,106

But he would never do it, and he

can't see why anyone would do it.

:

00:55:47,641 --> 00:55:48,191

Xhafer: Yeah.

:

00:55:48,411 --> 00:55:49,591

You can never trust someone.

:

00:55:50,316 --> 00:55:50,716

Laura: right.

:

00:55:50,996 --> 00:55:51,316

right.

:

00:55:51,391 --> 00:55:53,061

Xhafer: trust them if they're telepaths.

:

00:55:53,151 --> 00:55:55,341

So why would you marry

someone you can't trust?

:

00:55:55,571 --> 00:55:59,751

I need someone who trusts me blindly

without ever questioning my ideas.

:

00:56:00,266 --> 00:56:03,716

Laura: And because I'm going to run off

in the middle of the night and not tell

:

00:56:03,716 --> 00:56:07,906

them where I'm going and lie about it, so

I don't want them to know that I did that.

:

00:56:08,971 --> 00:56:10,011

Xhafer: Right.

:

00:56:10,716 --> 00:56:11,216

Laura: Yeah.

:

00:56:11,606 --> 00:56:11,906

Yeah.

:

00:56:12,836 --> 00:56:14,046

Garibaldi's the worst.

:

00:56:14,751 --> 00:56:15,171

Xhafer: Yep.

:

00:56:15,720 --> 00:56:18,760

Laura: Gerard tells them more

about the pharmacy break in.

:

00:56:19,115 --> 00:56:23,585

And that they've kind of got this theory

that Bester is somewhere in that Paris

:

00:56:23,775 --> 00:56:25,535

Xhafer: Yeah, they start

to put it together.

:

00:56:25,765 --> 00:56:31,695

His various mistakes and mishaps

and murders all start to point

:

00:56:32,385 --> 00:56:34,335

The lens at a single direction.

:

00:56:35,285 --> 00:56:37,455

Bester is in Paris.

:

00:56:37,795 --> 00:56:43,075

Laura: Gerard offhandedly quotes something

from the literary critic Kaufman.

:

00:56:43,525 --> 00:56:45,495

Claude Kaufman has been his alias.

:

00:56:46,105 --> 00:56:49,355

And it triggers something

in Garibaldi, but he doesn't

:

00:56:50,115 --> 00:56:50,325

it.

:

00:56:51,405 --> 00:56:53,455

That's, that's a nice detail.

:

00:56:53,475 --> 00:56:53,735

That's

:

00:56:53,825 --> 00:56:55,995

Xhafer: I did enjoy that.

:

00:56:56,555 --> 00:56:56,985

Yeah.

:

00:56:57,715 --> 00:57:03,444

It'd be like, I imagine if this were

like, A show, somehow, animated or live

:

00:57:03,444 --> 00:57:04,674

action, whatever, it doesn't matter.

:

00:57:05,154 --> 00:57:09,124

Um, he would have like, had the like,

little flash of like, interference

:

00:57:09,124 --> 00:57:11,194

from before Bester would fuck with him.

:

00:57:11,639 --> 00:57:12,039

Laura: hmm.

:

00:57:12,294 --> 00:57:14,154

Xhafer: But not know what that was.

:

00:57:14,629 --> 00:57:14,959

Laura: Yeah.

:

00:57:16,154 --> 00:57:18,564

He gets a little, like,

migraine all of a sudden.

:

00:57:18,634 --> 00:57:18,874

Xhafer: yeah.

:

00:57:20,524 --> 00:57:24,127

Laura: Uh, Bester and Louise

take her sister to the airport.

:

00:57:24,137 --> 00:57:27,947

He tries to get her to leave

spontaneously with him.

:

00:57:27,947 --> 00:57:29,947

She's like, I have a hotel to run.

:

00:57:29,977 --> 00:57:31,347

I can't just leave.

:

00:57:31,507 --> 00:57:32,917

Xhafer: bitch, I'm a business owner.

:

00:57:33,137 --> 00:57:33,957

Laura: Yeah, yeah.

:

00:57:34,317 --> 00:57:37,300

And he gives up and goes back with her.

:

00:57:37,683 --> 00:57:41,053

they try to close the net

on their neighborhood.

:

00:57:41,663 --> 00:57:47,308

But The visual and chemical observation

identifies the wrong guy as bester.

:

00:57:48,763 --> 00:57:49,483

Xhafer: Yeah!

:

00:57:50,058 --> 00:57:52,978

Okay, I'm guessing this is the

Shadow thing fucking with stuff,

:

00:57:53,178 --> 00:57:55,748

and that the author forgot that

he had just written the thing.

:

00:57:56,378 --> 00:57:59,218

Because there's another couple of

allusions to like, well, there's this

:

00:57:59,218 --> 00:58:01,658

mystery device that fucks with things.

:

00:58:02,288 --> 00:58:05,058

And even though Bester told

us earlier in the book exactly

:

00:58:05,058 --> 00:58:06,328

what it was and how it worked.

:

00:58:07,018 --> 00:58:08,358

Uh, so.

:

00:58:09,063 --> 00:58:09,433

I'll just

:

00:58:09,884 --> 00:58:11,768

give Greg the grace of that.

:

00:58:11,957 --> 00:58:16,237

Laura: Garibaldi shows his whole ass

again by pulling a PPG on the wrong

:

00:58:16,247 --> 00:58:18,727

dude in front of her reporter this time.

:

00:58:18,777 --> 00:58:22,217

And she's got the little

camera bot floating around.

:

00:58:22,722 --> 00:58:23,352

Xhafer: Mm

:

00:58:23,357 --> 00:58:24,587

Laura: she was doing it live.

:

00:58:25,222 --> 00:58:25,302

Xhafer: It's

:

00:58:25,302 --> 00:58:27,722

like, oh hey, you're Michael Carabaldi!

:

00:58:29,612 --> 00:58:31,902

You're the Lex Luthor

:

00:58:31,902 --> 00:58:33,932

lookin stooge.

:

00:58:34,012 --> 00:58:35,852

With your giant penis rocket.

:

00:58:36,532 --> 00:58:36,932

Laura: Right.

:

00:58:39,122 --> 00:58:42,922

Uh, If she requests an

interview, he refuses.

:

00:58:42,942 --> 00:58:47,372

But he, he's heard one of

Kauffman's reviews and realized

:

00:58:47,402 --> 00:58:49,012

that Kauffman must be Bester.

:

00:58:49,542 --> 00:58:55,072

And he decides to interview

with this lady just to flesh

:

00:58:55,112 --> 00:58:57,212

Bester out, I guess is the idea.

:

00:58:57,762 --> 00:59:02,808

The, the interview reaches Bester in

the cafe and he learns that they've

:

00:59:02,808 --> 00:59:07,048

linked him to his alias he, the jig

is up, he's gotta go his contacts are

:

00:59:07,048 --> 00:59:10,748

sending him new papers, they're gonna

try and take over the investigation.

:

00:59:11,248 --> 00:59:16,152

And to send everybody on a goose

chase, the contacts show up and

:

00:59:16,152 --> 00:59:18,042

they arrest Garibaldi, which is fun.

:

00:59:18,712 --> 00:59:21,032

I'm here for it whenever

Garibaldi gets arrested.

:

00:59:21,572 --> 00:59:24,762

Which seems like not wrong, right?

:

00:59:24,782 --> 00:59:29,572

Because he's like this civilian

CEO, like, interfering with the law.

:

00:59:29,852 --> 00:59:30,202

Like,

:

00:59:30,967 --> 00:59:31,137

Xhafer: Mm

:

00:59:31,272 --> 00:59:32,192

Laura: It's not wrong.

:

00:59:32,762 --> 00:59:37,254

Bester goes back to the hotel

after the, the other cops leave.

:

00:59:37,714 --> 00:59:40,444

Louise has apparently

intercepted the papers.

:

00:59:40,584 --> 00:59:44,074

She wants to know, like,

did you even really love me?

:

00:59:44,074 --> 00:59:46,504

And you were gonna leave without me?

:

00:59:46,504 --> 00:59:47,714

And all this stuff.

:

00:59:48,304 --> 00:59:51,524

Xhafer: Yeah, not, Hey,

you're a famous evil telepath.

:

00:59:51,524 --> 00:59:53,214

Did you fuck with my mind?

:

00:59:55,109 --> 00:59:58,929

Laura: Wow, you're a horrific war

criminal, what did you do to me?

:

00:59:58,929 --> 00:59:59,439

None of that.

:

00:59:59,789 --> 01:00:00,149

Like,

:

01:00:00,514 --> 01:00:02,354

Xhafer: No, I would have gone with you.

:

01:00:02,774 --> 01:00:08,484

Just further drilling home that

she's either a potted plant or so

:

01:00:08,534 --> 01:00:12,134

thoroughly fucked with mentally

that she is a potted plant.

:

01:00:12,589 --> 01:00:12,949

Laura: yeah.

:

01:00:14,759 --> 01:00:16,869

But I think the author

just wrote a potted plant.

:

01:00:16,899 --> 01:00:20,569

I don't think Bester actually fucked

with her that much, that's the thing.

:

01:00:20,589 --> 01:00:22,871

Like, he does seem to, like, treat

:

01:00:23,017 --> 01:00:26,457

Xhafer: It's, it's hard to say.

:

01:00:26,801 --> 01:00:27,211

Laura: Yeah.

:

01:00:27,667 --> 01:00:32,177

Xhafer: And that's I mean, I

could see it going either way.

:

01:00:32,217 --> 01:00:36,197

You know, Bester is all like, you

know, oh, the dress, the subtle

:

01:00:36,207 --> 01:00:38,177

things, he tries to do nice things.

:

01:00:38,407 --> 01:00:40,787

But he could also, you know,

he also refers to himself as

:

01:00:41,027 --> 01:00:43,627

the monster a number of times.

:

01:00:43,627 --> 01:00:47,206

Like,

:

01:00:47,471 --> 01:00:50,881

Laura: calculations to manipulate

her, even if he's not doing

:

01:00:50,881 --> 01:00:52,421

it, like, with his brain meat?

:

01:00:53,217 --> 01:00:53,647

Xhafer: yeah,

:

01:00:53,816 --> 01:00:54,146

Laura: Yeah.

:

01:00:55,276 --> 01:00:55,636

Ugh.

:

01:00:56,126 --> 01:00:56,836

I don't know.

:

01:00:57,106 --> 01:01:00,646

But she says she would have come with him.

:

01:01:00,656 --> 01:01:01,716

He's like, nah.

:

01:01:01,716 --> 01:01:06,316

He takes all of his

memory out of her brain.

:

01:01:06,816 --> 01:01:08,026

Just takes her apart.

:

01:01:08,666 --> 01:01:12,926

And goes upstairs to burn the portrait.

:

01:01:12,946 --> 01:01:15,716

And just seeing the

portrait is like, oh wow.

:

01:01:16,266 --> 01:01:17,716

She really did love me.

:

01:01:18,467 --> 01:01:22,557

Xhafer: She captured my, yeah, she

captured my tortured nuance so well,

:

01:01:23,157 --> 01:01:24,497

Oh well, time to set it on fire.

:

01:01:24,497 --> 01:01:25,527

I just mindfucked her.

:

01:01:26,007 --> 01:01:26,417

Whoops.

:

01:01:27,296 --> 01:01:28,276

Laura: It's all over.

:

01:01:28,911 --> 01:01:34,255

Garibaldi formulates a plan,

Thompson can sense that the lead

:

01:01:34,265 --> 01:01:42,005

investigator is Bester's person, but

the others are just following her, so,

:

01:01:42,410 --> 01:01:44,830

Xhafer: there's a bit there

at the police station.

:

01:01:45,410 --> 01:01:48,630

Garibaldi gets the jump on a Psycop.

:

01:01:49,395 --> 01:01:49,755

Laura: yeah.

:

01:01:51,355 --> 01:01:53,595

There, yeah, there, there

:

01:01:53,830 --> 01:01:57,940

Xhafer: Psycop, 30 years, his,

his minor, that is better trained

:

01:01:57,950 --> 01:01:59,960

than he ever was at everything.

:

01:02:00,245 --> 01:02:05,445

Laura: they can also know what he's

gonna do, like, This fight, there's a

:

01:02:05,445 --> 01:02:09,955

fight where, you know, he convinces the

younger ones that they need to question

:

01:02:09,965 --> 01:02:16,185

their superior, and then they have a

little, you know, brawl, and somehow

:

01:02:16,275 --> 01:02:19,455

they, like, he subdues the Psycho?

:

01:02:19,495 --> 01:02:19,975

I don't know.

:

01:02:20,235 --> 01:02:23,585

Xhafer: Well, he, he tries, he,

he like, gets a gun to her head.

:

01:02:23,625 --> 01:02:25,175

Everyone starts freaking out.

:

01:02:25,525 --> 01:02:28,955

And then, he's all like, trying

to get them to out themselves.

:

01:02:29,535 --> 01:02:32,445

And eventually they're just

all like, Fuck it, I am evil!

:

01:02:32,465 --> 01:02:33,895

And starts blasting.

:

01:02:34,765 --> 01:02:35,705

For no reason.

:

01:02:37,475 --> 01:02:39,715

Just like, get this fucker off me now.

:

01:02:39,875 --> 01:02:40,455

Help hide.

:

01:02:40,465 --> 01:02:45,055

I mean, whoops it's so

fucking frustrating.

:

01:02:46,055 --> 01:02:50,385

Laura: They swarm the hotel after they've

gotten these younger ones on their side.

:

01:02:51,035 --> 01:02:56,045

Lucien is trying to revive Louise

because he was nearer, I guess.

:

01:02:56,815 --> 01:02:59,395

And they search the hotel.

:

01:02:59,965 --> 01:03:03,945

Garibaldi finds the burned portrait,

realizes Bester is really gone.

:

01:03:04,495 --> 01:03:06,415

Bester breaks into a department store.

:

01:03:06,435 --> 01:03:07,815

Nice to know those are still around.

:

01:03:08,375 --> 01:03:09,495

Gets himself a weapon

:

01:03:10,715 --> 01:03:11,155

Xhafer: Mm hmm.

:

01:03:11,695 --> 01:03:15,265

Laura: takes out two teeps that

are hunting him and carjacks a man,

:

01:03:15,275 --> 01:03:17,115

forcing him to take him to his home.

:

01:03:17,452 --> 01:03:22,262

Xhafer: We get the best scene of

the whole book here real quick.

:

01:03:22,862 --> 01:03:25,542

So they get, they go to the home.

:

01:03:25,892 --> 01:03:26,982

The dude goes out.

:

01:03:27,357 --> 01:03:30,687

They track the plates on the car he stole.

:

01:03:30,817 --> 01:03:31,747

They find the dude.

:

01:03:31,757 --> 01:03:33,267

He's all like, my family's up there.

:

01:03:33,817 --> 01:03:35,177

Gerard's like, that's fine.

:

01:03:35,177 --> 01:03:36,817

I'm going in to save the family.

:

01:03:36,817 --> 01:03:38,547

I'll go in unarmed, all this stuff.

:

01:03:38,547 --> 01:03:38,887

Right.

:

01:03:39,647 --> 01:03:46,364

And, uh, so they end up like searching

the house, like Bester hides or something.

:

01:03:46,364 --> 01:03:46,724

Right.

:

01:03:47,174 --> 01:03:53,524

And Garibaldi is in the and convinced

that he went down like the laundry chute.

:

01:03:53,864 --> 01:03:54,074

Right.

:

01:03:54,854 --> 01:04:00,714

So Garibaldi throws himself down the

laundry chute, like, works his way down

:

01:04:00,714 --> 01:04:05,144

to the bottom until he realizes that there

is no bottom and Bester's not in there.

:

01:04:05,584 --> 01:04:09,724

And then Bester mocks him from

the top of the chute repeatedly.

:

01:04:09,814 --> 01:04:10,154

Laura: hmm.

:

01:04:11,244 --> 01:04:12,624

Xhafer: A plus chef's kiss.

:

01:04:12,759 --> 01:04:14,139

Laura: That was very good.

:

01:04:14,209 --> 01:04:16,159

Like, a very good twist.

:

01:04:16,524 --> 01:04:16,984

Xhafer: Yeah,

:

01:04:17,679 --> 01:04:17,989

Laura: Like,

:

01:04:18,094 --> 01:04:18,924

Xhafer: to see this

:

01:04:18,929 --> 01:04:19,679

Laura: have known.

:

01:04:19,839 --> 01:04:22,719

Yeah, this, this should be a show, right?

:

01:04:22,799 --> 01:04:25,519

Like, we've had our murder cold

open, we're having our, like,

:

01:04:25,619 --> 01:04:28,659

bester tease twist toward the end.

:

01:04:29,169 --> 01:04:30,889

Like, yeah, this is good.

:

01:04:31,049 --> 01:04:33,099

And everyone should have known.

:

01:04:33,149 --> 01:04:34,739

Like, I appreciate Gerard.

:

01:04:34,999 --> 01:04:36,299

Going in there unarmed

:

01:04:36,619 --> 01:04:36,959

because

:

01:04:37,044 --> 01:04:37,334

Xhafer: Yeah.

:

01:04:37,559 --> 01:04:42,549

Laura: like address directly

like Garibaldi You're insane.

:

01:04:42,559 --> 01:04:46,359

You will get these poor people

killed and you don't care that you're

:

01:04:46,359 --> 01:04:47,679

gonna get these poor people killed.

:

01:04:47,679 --> 01:04:50,436

So I'm gonna do this Yeah

:

01:04:50,629 --> 01:04:54,759

Xhafer: we know that this was written by

my buddy Greg, but it was by an outline

:

01:04:54,929 --> 01:04:57,019

from JMS that Joe wrote, you know?

:

01:04:57,679 --> 01:05:01,819

And I have to imagine this outline

was all like, the couple of beats at

:

01:05:01,819 --> 01:05:03,479

the beginning, the cold open, right?

:

01:05:03,489 --> 01:05:04,819

That's, that's classic JMS.

:

01:05:05,059 --> 01:05:06,259

A couple beats at the beginning.

:

01:05:07,059 --> 01:05:10,759

And like, there's just like a bunch

of white space, middle line, best

:

01:05:10,759 --> 01:05:14,749

of fucks around in Paris, bunch of

white space, and then every detail

:

01:05:14,779 --> 01:05:17,019

of this scene in this chapter.

:

01:05:18,779 --> 01:05:22,739

This is all he cared to write of it, and

he handed the rest off to someone else.

:

01:05:23,099 --> 01:05:25,249

Laura: JMS stank on it, right?

:

01:05:25,249 --> 01:05:25,549

Yeah

:

01:05:25,819 --> 01:05:26,619

Xhafer: For sure.

:

01:05:26,839 --> 01:05:27,249

Yeah.

:

01:05:27,819 --> 01:05:31,288

Yeah, this is like that purple stank

that your friend brought over and was

:

01:05:31,288 --> 01:05:34,069

just all like, this is that good good,

and you're like, I don't know, man,

:

01:05:34,069 --> 01:05:37,229

I'm kind of a novice, but you try it

anyways, and it changes your life for

:

01:05:37,229 --> 01:05:39,269

about 20 minutes until you come down.

:

01:05:39,729 --> 01:05:40,899

That is this scene.

:

01:05:43,969 --> 01:05:47,179

Laura: GARIBALDI winds up, like,

busting through someone else's

:

01:05:47,179 --> 01:05:50,429

ceiling, because that's what's

beneath the laundry chute now,

:

01:05:50,629 --> 01:05:50,989

Xhafer: Yeah.

:

01:05:52,009 --> 01:05:52,779

Laura: to get out.

:

01:05:53,989 --> 01:05:57,689

This is where my notes kind of,

like, die, because I've just sort

:

01:05:57,689 --> 01:06:02,249

of read my way through the last

few chapters and then didn't, like,

:

01:06:02,519 --> 01:06:04,139

go back and write those notes.

:

01:06:04,429 --> 01:06:05,059

Because you know, it

:

01:06:05,139 --> 01:06:05,519

Xhafer: news.

:

01:06:06,334 --> 01:06:10,224

I finished reading them about, we've been

recording for an hour and 12 minutes.

:

01:06:10,384 --> 01:06:13,144

I finished reading them about

an hour and 15 minutes ago.

:

01:06:13,264 --> 01:06:14,782

So uh,

:

01:06:15,037 --> 01:06:16,167

Laura: me through it, Jaffer.

:

01:06:16,842 --> 01:06:20,432

Xhafer: so uh, they catch Bester, right?

:

01:06:20,462 --> 01:06:22,092

There's a bit of a showdown.

:

01:06:22,522 --> 01:06:24,162

Um, I think it's on a bridge.

:

01:06:24,532 --> 01:06:26,212

Um, there's a handful of things.

:

01:06:26,232 --> 01:06:28,772

Lots of punching for old men, for sure.

:

01:06:29,162 --> 01:06:31,052

Man, that's the worst movie title ever.

:

01:06:31,072 --> 01:06:32,552

Lots of punching for old men.

:

01:06:32,992 --> 01:06:37,622

Um, and so Yeah, they don't use any

of the weapons that they've got.

:

01:06:37,622 --> 01:06:38,932

There's lots of punches and stuff.

:

01:06:38,971 --> 01:06:42,142

Um, but they end up capturing Bester.

:

01:06:42,542 --> 01:06:46,502

We fast forward to Bester's trial

where he's all like, Kangaroo court!

:

01:06:46,632 --> 01:06:48,232

None of you wanna hear what I have to say!

:

01:06:48,372 --> 01:06:51,471

And they're all like, yes,

you're a famous asshole.

:

01:06:51,471 --> 01:06:53,602

We really don't care what you have to say.

:

01:06:54,559 --> 01:06:57,209

But I guess we're gonna

let you do it anyways?

:

01:06:57,239 --> 01:07:00,739

Because this is a trial that's

in Paris for some reason?

:

01:07:01,392 --> 01:07:04,852

And so he goes and he starts talking

about how he was just following

:

01:07:05,162 --> 01:07:07,512

the law as written back then.

:

01:07:08,022 --> 01:07:12,492

He, he denies any wrongdoing, but

doesn't deny doing the wrong things.

:

01:07:12,887 --> 01:07:15,757

Laura: And the war has

been going on forever.

:

01:07:15,867 --> 01:07:16,457

Like, forever.

:

01:07:16,857 --> 01:07:19,877

It wasn't just, you

know, this latest thing.

:

01:07:19,887 --> 01:07:22,807

Like, you guys have been killing

us since you found out about us.

:

01:07:22,827 --> 01:07:23,346

Like,

:

01:07:23,662 --> 01:07:24,072

Xhafer: Yeah.

:

01:07:24,346 --> 01:07:28,177

Laura: This, this has been

my war since 21 whatever.

:

01:07:28,297 --> 01:07:28,667

:

:

01:07:28,902 --> 01:07:29,252

Xhafer: Yeah.

:

01:07:29,962 --> 01:07:30,382

Something.

:

01:07:30,402 --> 01:07:31,102

Yeah, 21 7.

:

01:07:31,102 --> 01:07:31,471

Something.

:

01:07:31,902 --> 01:07:32,202

Yeah.

:

01:07:32,402 --> 01:07:37,732

Which is a valid point, and one

he totally could have made By

:

01:07:37,772 --> 01:07:39,442

not doing all of the evil shit

:

01:07:40,092 --> 01:07:41,822

his entire fucking life

:

01:07:43,322 --> 01:07:43,742

Which is

:

01:07:43,977 --> 01:07:46,257

Laura: shit takes a little bit away.

:

01:07:46,432 --> 01:07:49,662

Xhafer: Which is what I really wanted

the senator who's like prosecuting

:

01:07:49,662 --> 01:07:54,092

him for some reason to say just be

all like that's a very Valid point and

:

01:07:54,192 --> 01:07:58,072

you know, we were on the wrong side

of history But you could have said

:

01:07:58,082 --> 01:08:05,437

that out loud 70 years ago instead of

killing Tens of thousands of people.

:

01:08:05,797 --> 01:08:06,477

Like you did.

:

01:08:06,727 --> 01:08:09,367

Because you decided to go about it by

killing tens of thousands of people.

:

01:08:10,557 --> 01:08:10,927

So.

:

01:08:11,147 --> 01:08:12,237

So maybe get fucked?

:

01:08:12,687 --> 01:08:14,277

Yeah, let's go with get fucked.

:

01:08:16,667 --> 01:08:18,787

Laura: Yeah, yeah, so,

:

01:08:19,596 --> 01:08:20,897

Xhafer: We go to jail now.

:

01:08:21,617 --> 01:08:22,657

Laura: go to jail now.

:

01:08:22,707 --> 01:08:26,716

He gets put in the maximum

security facility, which,

:

01:08:26,787 --> 01:08:31,176

coincidentally, Old T

town, old Psycorps stuff,

:

01:08:31,207 --> 01:08:35,377

like, mm hmm, he helped design

the facility, I think he

:

01:08:35,426 --> 01:08:35,897

Xhafer: Yeah.

:

01:08:36,607 --> 01:08:37,017

Yeah.

:

01:08:37,756 --> 01:08:41,017

And so, he's stuck in this

jail when Sheridan dies.

:

01:08:41,657 --> 01:08:43,397

Laura: mm hmm, yeah, we hear about that.

:

01:08:43,807 --> 01:08:45,477

He's being given the sleepers.

:

01:08:46,077 --> 01:08:46,547

Xhafer: Yep.

:

01:08:46,636 --> 01:08:48,336

Laura: Oh, that's ultimately

how they caught him.

:

01:08:48,497 --> 01:08:51,127

They like shot him with a

dart that had sleepers in it.

:

01:08:51,807 --> 01:08:51,997

And

:

01:08:52,047 --> 01:08:52,567

Xhafer: was it?

:

01:08:52,787 --> 01:08:53,377

Yeah.

:

01:08:53,877 --> 01:08:54,317

Yeah.

:

01:08:54,317 --> 01:08:55,457

that's why they fist fight.

:

01:08:55,627 --> 01:08:58,267

I mean, instead of using

guns, which they all had.

:

01:08:58,836 --> 01:08:59,357

Um.

:

01:09:01,136 --> 01:09:01,947

But that's fine.

:

01:09:02,751 --> 01:09:07,581

Why doesn't the like, 25 year old dude

from Psycore just come in, knock him out

:

01:09:07,581 --> 01:09:09,761

with his mind, or punch him in the face?

:

01:09:09,761 --> 01:09:10,443

Heh.

:

01:09:10,443 --> 01:09:11,126

Heh.

:

01:09:12,431 --> 01:09:13,031

Laura: I don't know.

:

01:09:13,636 --> 01:09:17,006

Xhafer: Oh, well, I know that the

like the one really big Scott Sycore

:

01:09:17,006 --> 01:09:19,886

dude got Thor got killed, but yeah

:

01:09:20,531 --> 01:09:21,011

Laura: Oh, right.

:

01:09:21,011 --> 01:09:21,411

Right.

:

01:09:21,600 --> 01:09:22,871

Bjornsson or whatever.

:

01:09:22,886 --> 01:09:27,395

Xhafer: yeah, but anyways, it's just

like there's no one in Paris that's

:

01:09:27,395 --> 01:09:28,836

a young man that can punch this dude

:

01:09:29,381 --> 01:09:29,621

Laura: Yeah.

:

01:09:30,261 --> 01:09:31,390

It's gotta be Garibaldi.

:

01:09:31,511 --> 01:09:31,961

It's got

:

01:09:31,961 --> 01:09:32,191

to

:

01:09:33,151 --> 01:09:34,581

Poetic something.

:

01:09:35,725 --> 01:09:37,636

Xhafer: and so Sheridan's death.

:

01:09:37,645 --> 01:09:42,546

He's all like I outlive Sheridan The guy

I actually spoke highly of throughout

:

01:09:42,546 --> 01:09:46,836

this entire book, but didn't come to

my rescue at the last possible minute.

:

01:09:47,076 --> 01:09:49,935

Like, I was expecting

him to, for some reason.

:

01:09:50,741 --> 01:09:51,551

Laura: So weird.

:

01:09:51,551 --> 01:09:53,551

Yeah.

:

01:09:53,566 --> 01:09:56,536

Xhafer: Um, just like, missed

the fucking memo entirely on

:

01:09:56,536 --> 01:09:58,256

Sheridan and Bester's relationship.

:

01:09:58,876 --> 01:10:04,036

Um, like, he didn't have that

whole encounter with him in the uh,

:

01:10:04,352 --> 01:10:06,482

season four penultimate episode.

:

01:10:06,967 --> 01:10:08,897

At the counter there, where

he's all like, If I ever see you

:

01:10:08,897 --> 01:10:10,287

again, I'm gonna fucking kill you.

:

01:10:10,617 --> 01:10:11,177

That one.

:

01:10:12,077 --> 01:10:13,327

Like, that never happened.

:

01:10:13,327 --> 01:10:21,476

Uh, So he's in jail, He's got his sleepers

they reveal a statue they took down

:

01:10:21,476 --> 01:10:25,626

the statue of the first Psycore guy who

was the secret telepath, and instead

:

01:10:25,626 --> 01:10:31,806

put in one of the rebel telepaths,

and their their baby boy, Steven.

:

01:10:31,816 --> 01:10:34,696

Which is of course, actually Bester.

:

01:10:34,936 --> 01:10:40,236

Laura: Right, right, the rebel telepaths

that we haven't really heard anything

:

01:10:40,246 --> 01:10:42,606

about ever except in these books.

:

01:10:42,976 --> 01:10:46,486

Xhafer: It was, yeah, yeah,

they were in book one, which

:

01:10:46,486 --> 01:10:48,266

I didn't read, and that's it.

:

01:10:48,796 --> 01:10:49,176

Laura: right.

:

01:10:49,816 --> 01:10:53,566

And they were certainly

never mentioned in the show,

:

01:10:53,596 --> 01:10:55,616

Xhafer: The most famous telepaths,

:

01:10:56,166 --> 01:10:56,406

we've

:

01:10:56,406 --> 01:10:57,466

all heard of them.

:

01:10:57,851 --> 01:11:00,601

Laura: Yeah, he thinks it's gonna

be, this statue is gonna be Byron.

:

01:11:00,631 --> 01:11:02,831

And then when he sees it's

like, big enough for two, he's

:

01:11:02,831 --> 01:11:04,311

like, Oh, it's Byron and Leta.

:

01:11:04,581 --> 01:11:08,641

And then it's like, no, surprise,

it's Matthew and Fiona Dexter and

:

01:11:08,641 --> 01:11:10,681

their little baby that they lost.

:

01:11:11,251 --> 01:11:15,031

And it's like, and he remembers that

whole thing that he had in the second

:

01:11:15,031 --> 01:11:19,661

book of like, the, the blip that

revealed it to him that like, oh my

:

01:11:19,661 --> 01:11:21,801

god, you're Steven, you're baby Steven.

:

01:11:23,956 --> 01:11:24,206

Xhafer: Yep.

:

01:11:24,926 --> 01:11:25,466

Laura: he dies.

:

01:11:26,466 --> 01:11:26,796

Xhafer: Yep.

:

01:11:26,796 --> 01:11:26,956

Mm hmm.

:

01:11:27,946 --> 01:11:31,536

I mean, not like, right after

the statue's unveiled, I think.

:

01:11:32,226 --> 01:11:33,226

But sometime, he

:

01:11:33,356 --> 01:11:34,516

Laura: No, in the night, yeah.

:

01:11:34,526 --> 01:11:36,956

He just like, doesn't wake up the next

:

01:11:36,956 --> 01:11:37,436

morning.

:

01:11:37,996 --> 01:11:39,036

Xhafer: Yeah, he's just done.

:

01:11:39,636 --> 01:11:41,326

He got a statue in the

middle of Teap Town.

:

01:11:41,386 --> 01:11:42,516

What else is there to live for?

:

01:11:43,036 --> 01:11:45,457

Uh, So he just, he goes in the night.

:

01:11:45,547 --> 01:11:47,517

They bury him in Paris.

:

01:11:48,277 --> 01:11:50,827

And our buddy cop shows up.

:

01:11:51,007 --> 01:11:52,007

Gerard shows up.

:

01:11:52,717 --> 01:11:56,727

It's just like, yep, it just seemed

appropriate to, to be here, I guess.

:

01:11:57,047 --> 01:12:01,747

But everyone here is a politician here

to make sure that he's dead, the news,

:

01:12:02,017 --> 01:12:07,267

and then Garibaldi who puts a fucking

wooden stake into his grave just in case.

:

01:12:09,019 --> 01:12:17,487

Laura: Okay, well, I asked my husband,

because I couldn't remember, I

:

01:12:17,487 --> 01:12:18,937

was like, did we rate these books?

:

01:12:18,937 --> 01:12:21,987

And he was like, yeah, I think you've

been rating them on the Babylon scale.

:

01:12:22,557 --> 01:12:25,267

And I'm so curious now, Ja'far.

:

01:12:25,897 --> 01:12:27,517

What do you rate this book?

:

01:12:29,022 --> 01:12:32,652

Xhafer: God, I don't

know, it was not good.

:

01:12:34,592 --> 01:12:40,282

Greg, my buddy, our listener to

the podcast, Greg Keys, um, I was

:

01:12:40,282 --> 01:12:43,002

reading over some more stuff on your

Wikipedia page before I talk more

:

01:12:43,002 --> 01:12:46,582

shit about this book, and I just want

to say, it is absolutely astounding

:

01:12:46,582 --> 01:12:48,922

that you wrote 17 novels in a decade.

:

01:12:49,517 --> 01:12:50,727

Laura: Yeah, that's a lot of work.

:

01:12:50,742 --> 01:12:52,982

Xhafer: That's, that

is fucking astounding.

:

01:12:52,992 --> 01:12:55,032

That was a really good

use of your thirties.

:

01:12:55,362 --> 01:12:59,292

That is not something that I will

be able to say about my thirties.

:

01:12:59,597 --> 01:13:02,307

Unless I really start hustling here.

:

01:13:05,737 --> 01:13:06,027

Laura: sure.

:

01:13:06,177 --> 01:13:08,897

Xhafer: to start playing with the

definition of what a novel is.

:

01:13:09,357 --> 01:13:12,637

Um, so that's, that is an

oppressive achievement.

:

01:13:13,007 --> 01:13:19,717

But I feel like these books are the

golden corral of restaurant experiences.

:

01:13:21,597 --> 01:13:25,377

And while my grandfather would

say that there is a quality

:

01:13:25,377 --> 01:13:27,737

to quantity, all its own.

:

01:13:28,847 --> 01:13:34,077

I, not so humbly, say, no

I'd rather have quality.

:

01:13:34,667 --> 01:13:38,287

I did not like this book at all.

:

01:13:38,517 --> 01:13:41,807

I, it was, I liked the other

book a little bit better.

:

01:13:42,337 --> 01:13:45,057

But it still wasn't great.

:

01:13:45,367 --> 01:13:52,921

Like, if this was an episode, I mean,

I'd, I would say, okay, it's a one,

:

01:13:53,071 --> 01:13:58,121

but the scene with Garibaldi in the

shoot is worth a whole Babylon to me.

:

01:14:00,111 --> 01:14:02,121

So we're gonna go with a two.

:

01:14:02,760 --> 01:14:03,880

Laura: Yeah, yeah.

:

01:14:04,010 --> 01:14:06,160

I think I'm gonna give

it a fuck this book.

:

01:14:06,559 --> 01:14:07,050

I didn't know

:

01:14:07,050 --> 01:14:08,290

what I was gonna rate it.

:

01:14:08,710 --> 01:14:10,520

I didn't know because

:

01:14:11,151 --> 01:14:12,041

Xhafer: It's terrible.

:

01:14:12,940 --> 01:14:17,309

Laura: man, that this whole

relationship with Louise does a

:

01:14:17,309 --> 01:14:19,220

lot to kill this whole book for me.

:

01:14:19,851 --> 01:14:20,241

Xhafer: Yeah.

:

01:14:20,565 --> 01:14:24,155

Laura: It's another instance of

like, woman is just here for prop.

:

01:14:24,184 --> 01:14:26,955

And of course we get our

other prop woman, L Lise.

:

01:14:27,825 --> 01:14:30,645

Lise and Louise, do you think

he was doing something there?

:

01:14:30,915 --> 01:14:31,565

I don't know.

:

01:14:32,515 --> 01:14:34,273

Uh, Like this is,

:

01:14:34,663 --> 01:14:34,943

this

:

01:14:35,018 --> 01:14:36,348

Xhafer: think he wanted to do something

:

01:14:36,348 --> 01:14:37,748

there and then just forgot,

:

01:14:38,388 --> 01:14:42,643

Laura: Garibaldi's prop is named

this, so let's just name Bester's

:

01:14:42,663 --> 01:14:44,173

prop just a little bit different.

:

01:14:44,223 --> 01:14:45,351

Like, Like,

:

01:14:45,361 --> 01:14:52,751

Xhafer: mean, I think that I read this so

dismissively and so quickly that it was

:

01:14:52,751 --> 01:14:58,311

impossible for me to form any attachment

to anything in it, to feel strongly enough

:

01:14:58,311 --> 01:15:00,171

about it to give it a fuck this book.

:

01:15:01,081 --> 01:15:04,441

But I appreciate and agree

with the fuck this book.

:

01:15:04,706 --> 01:15:05,106

Laura: Yeah.

:

01:15:05,236 --> 01:15:11,122

I just, I, I'm a little tired of like,

the woman is a means to an end in a story.

:

01:15:11,122 --> 01:15:17,602

Like I've had it all of my life, you

know, almost 38 years now, I guess.

:

01:15:17,632 --> 01:15:19,262

And I'm just so tired of it.

:

01:15:19,312 --> 01:15:23,762

And just going back to that, like, this

is how we wrote things in the nineties.

:

01:15:24,278 --> 01:15:24,618

Xhafer: Yeah.

:

01:15:24,862 --> 01:15:25,322

Laura: I don't know.

:

01:15:25,902 --> 01:15:26,092

I'm

:

01:15:26,118 --> 01:15:30,688

Xhafer: Man, I was just talking

to Ben about a book like this.

:

01:15:31,269 --> 01:15:36,749

my co host on Last Time On, Ben, and

friend of the pod, casual co host of the

:

01:15:36,749 --> 01:15:42,649

show, um, has, yeah, has kind of

fallen into being a Robin Hood scholar

:

01:15:43,539 --> 01:15:44,379

in the last couple of

:

01:15:44,379 --> 01:15:44,799

years.

:

01:15:44,799 --> 01:15:49,839

And he was talking about a Robin Hood book

that he had just finished reading that

:

01:15:49,839 --> 01:15:54,759

was supposed to be a, like, very female

empowered version of the Robin Hood myth.

:

01:15:55,104 --> 01:15:55,474

Laura: hmm.

:

01:15:55,774 --> 01:15:59,554

Xhafer: Because Maid Marian is

usually a fucking prop, and if they

:

01:15:59,564 --> 01:16:02,754

bother to include any of the other

female characters who are involved

:

01:16:02,754 --> 01:16:07,764

in that story, typically, which most

don't, they are extra fucking props.

:

01:16:08,204 --> 01:16:12,644

And he's like, they empowered Maid

Marian, which is cool, but these

:

01:16:12,654 --> 01:16:16,659

other four female characters were

all just fucking potted plants.

:

01:16:16,659 --> 01:16:20,704

And he was like, it's just

like, they do cool stuff.

:

01:16:21,134 --> 01:16:24,124

Like, this is all based

in pseudo history, like.

:

01:16:24,554 --> 01:16:27,764

You know, there are real people

attached to some of these things.

:

01:16:27,764 --> 01:16:30,504

They didn't all live together at the

same time or in the same place, but

:

01:16:30,804 --> 01:16:32,374

they're all, like, actual people.

:

01:16:33,304 --> 01:16:37,254

And they did actual things, and some

of those things were really fucking

:

01:16:37,254 --> 01:16:39,324

cool, and they just get glossed over.

:

01:16:39,834 --> 01:16:41,504

Laura: When was that book

written, do you know?

:

01:16:41,784 --> 01:16:43,554

Xhafer: No, I don't even

remember the name of the book.

:

01:16:43,943 --> 01:16:48,604

And we didn't record it, it was

during, it was during pre pod vamp.

:

01:16:49,164 --> 01:16:52,554

Him and Victor mostly had this

conversation, so I don't even

:

01:16:52,554 --> 01:16:53,084

know the name of the book.

:

01:16:53,114 --> 01:16:57,134

But he's gonna listen to this and

put it in the Discord, probably.

:

01:16:57,943 --> 01:16:58,494

Laura: That's Ben

:

01:16:58,504 --> 01:16:59,934

Xhafer: So, that's Ben.

:

01:17:00,204 --> 01:17:00,784

Thanks, Ben.

:

01:17:01,144 --> 01:17:04,814

When you say, oh, that name of this

book is this, and I act confused.

:

01:17:05,734 --> 01:17:06,314

Sorry.

:

01:17:07,244 --> 01:17:08,634

I forgot about this already.

:

01:17:08,909 --> 01:17:11,289

Laura: Please put some

context with it, Ben.

:

01:17:11,398 --> 01:17:12,169

We love that.

:

01:17:12,249 --> 01:17:13,309

We love context.

:

01:17:13,519 --> 01:17:14,759

Context is for kings.

:

01:17:15,284 --> 01:17:15,704

Xhafer: It's true.

:

01:17:16,504 --> 01:17:20,344

Laura: So yeah, fuck this book,

and what are we gonna do next?

:

01:17:21,119 --> 01:17:24,648

Xhafer: Next, we're going

to watch A Call to Arms,

:

01:17:24,924 --> 01:17:25,504

Laura: Ooh.

:

01:17:25,710 --> 01:17:28,600

And that is the crusade

like introduction, right?

:

01:17:28,610 --> 01:17:29,230

Introductory

:

01:17:29,295 --> 01:17:29,955

Xhafer: Correct.

:

01:17:30,135 --> 01:17:34,405

Yes, this is the made for TV

movie that launched Crusade.

:

01:17:35,180 --> 01:17:37,850

Oh god, are you ready for

this killer description?

:

01:17:37,870 --> 01:17:41,070

I'm going to find another one after

this, but on the source where I will be

:

01:17:41,070 --> 01:17:42,950

watching Crusade, this is what it says.

:

01:17:43,095 --> 01:17:45,505

Laura: I mean, based on the look

on your face, I cannot wait.

:

01:17:45,505 --> 01:17:48,915

Oh,

:

01:17:49,190 --> 01:17:49,780

Xhafer: humanity.

:

01:17:50,130 --> 01:17:53,520

This movie sets up the series

Crusade, the sequel to Babylon 5.

:

01:17:55,295 --> 01:17:57,805

Laura: thank you for, for

highlighting that for me.

:

01:17:59,922 --> 01:18:02,922

Xhafer: let me see if I can

find a better one real quick.

:

01:18:03,853 --> 01:18:06,923

The Drak allies of the shadows

seek revenge against humanity

:

01:18:06,923 --> 01:18:08,503

after the second shadow war.

:

01:18:10,073 --> 01:18:11,913

It's not even the second shadow war!

:

01:18:12,273 --> 01:18:12,493

Okay,

:

01:18:12,513 --> 01:18:15,452

Laura: referring to the one that

was like a thousand years ago as the

:

01:18:15,653 --> 01:18:15,963

Xhafer: Yeah.

:

01:18:16,923 --> 01:18:20,103

Yeah, which is, it was the first

one the Mimbaris were in, but

:

01:18:20,103 --> 01:18:21,543

it's not the first Shadow War.

:

01:18:22,353 --> 01:18:26,123

Anyways five years after the events of

the Babylon 5 series, a techno mage named

:

01:18:26,123 --> 01:18:30,063

Galen predicts an imminent attack by

the Drak, the old allies of the Shadows.

:

01:18:30,523 --> 01:18:33,313

Through dreams, a thief, a

captain, and a president are

:

01:18:33,313 --> 01:18:34,973

brought together to head them off.

:

01:18:35,183 --> 01:18:37,163

The president is John Sheridan.

:

01:18:37,353 --> 01:18:39,793

Because of his irrational

behavior, Sheridan's friends

:

01:18:39,793 --> 01:18:41,583

begin to wonder about his sanity.

:

01:18:41,893 --> 01:18:44,782

It's up to all of them, and two

prototype Battlecruisers, the

:

01:18:44,782 --> 01:18:48,923

Excalibur and the Victory, to stop

the fleet and their planet killer.

:

01:18:49,163 --> 01:18:51,263

But is there more to the Drax plan?

:

01:18:52,443 --> 01:18:54,393

Fuckin planet killer, baby!

:

01:18:54,843 --> 01:18:55,202

Laura: yay.

:

01:18:55,202 --> 01:18:56,433

We love O'Planet Killer.

:

01:18:56,903 --> 01:18:57,773

Xhafer: We do.

:

01:18:57,963 --> 01:18:59,613

We love planet killers on this show.

:

01:18:59,613 --> 01:19:04,013

Um, planet killers and Lys.

:

01:19:04,543 --> 01:19:05,123

That's it.

:

01:19:05,353 --> 01:19:06,793

Everything else can get fucked.

:

01:19:07,353 --> 01:19:09,863

Um, well, almost everything else.

:

01:19:10,383 --> 01:19:13,343

Of course, we have to send

our love to Jeremy Siegel

:

01:19:13,353 --> 01:19:15,243

for writing our lovely theme music.

:

01:19:15,543 --> 01:19:16,173

Thank you, Jeremy.

:

01:19:16,443 --> 01:19:17,393

Appreciate the hell out of it.

:

01:19:17,473 --> 01:19:19,683

You can find more of Jeremy's

work at jeremysiegel42.

:

01:19:19,723 --> 01:19:20,363

bandcamp.

:

01:19:20,393 --> 01:19:23,193

com or on streaming

services as Nuclear Jaguar.

:

01:19:23,808 --> 01:19:26,228

Laura: And thank you to Angry

Duck Time Machine on Instagram

:

01:19:26,238 --> 01:19:27,428

for our podcast artwork.

:

01:19:27,793 --> 01:19:30,403

Xhafer: Aaron, thanks so

much for editing the podcast.

:

01:19:30,403 --> 01:19:32,813

I am really curious what the

runtime on this one's gonna be.

:

01:19:35,118 --> 01:19:38,848

Laura: And thank you to you, the

listener, for being here for book club.

:

01:19:38,858 --> 01:19:41,188

I hope you enjoyed the fuck this book.

:

01:19:43,448 --> 01:19:47,468

If you have thoughts about any of the

Psycore trilogy, just bring them on over.

:

01:19:47,468 --> 01:19:51,108

You can send it to our

email, whoareyoub5 at gmail.

:

01:19:51,108 --> 01:19:54,368

com or You can share them on our Discord.

:

01:19:54,858 --> 01:19:55,068

We'd

:

01:19:55,153 --> 01:19:55,523

Xhafer: Yeah.

:

01:19:55,538 --> 01:19:56,308

Laura: your thoughts there.

:

01:19:56,853 --> 01:20:01,028

Xhafer: Unless your thoughts Are

those of Greg Keys, and you've

:

01:20:01,028 --> 01:20:04,718

got some shit to pick with me,

in which case, not interested.

:

01:20:05,988 --> 01:20:07,827

Laura: Ja'far's already apologized, Greg.

:

01:20:07,858 --> 01:20:08,788

What else can he do?

:

01:20:08,788 --> 01:20:11,165

Ha ha ha ha ha

:

01:20:11,198 --> 01:20:12,488

Xhafer: could sword fight about it, I feel

:

01:20:12,488 --> 01:20:13,398

confident there.

:

01:20:13,543 --> 01:20:14,018

Laura: ha.

:

01:20:15,118 --> 01:20:16,368

Xhafer: We'll see you next week, Internet.

:

01:20:16,778 --> 01:20:17,758

Laura: Alright, bye.

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for Who Are You?

About the Podcast

Who Are You?
A Babylon 5 Watchcast
Join Laura and Xhafer, two internet strangers as they get to know each other while making jokes about one of their favorite TV shows from their childhood, Babylon 5.