Crusade
(Crusade)
The Story
Crusade is the spinoff series to the Hugo-Award winning science fiction series: Babylon 5. Created by J. Michael Straczynski, Crusade takes place three years after the 5th and final season of Babylon 5. The Drakh, former servants of the Shadows, are alone in the galaxy. Enraged by the loss of their masters, the Drakh target Earth. Although Earthforce is able to ward off the attack, the Drakh release a deadly biological plague as they retreat. The plague infects every living being on Earth. Only five years remain until the plague adapts itself to human physiology. At the end of the five years, unless a cure is found, all life on Earth will be completely wiped out.
The only hope for Earth is the EAS Excalibur. The Excalibur is a prototype Earthforce destroyer combining human, Minbari and Vorlon technologies. The most advanced starship available to Earthforce, the Excalibur sets out in search of a cure to the devastating Drakh plague.
The majority of the series will take place aboard an Earthforce ship: the Excalibur. Although the Excalibur will be commanded by Earthforce personnel, it is not an average Earth Alliance Starship. Rather, the Excalibur is a hybrid of Earth-Minbari technology, much as the White Stars are a hybrid of Minbari-Vorlon technology. The Excalibur has artificial gravity, an impressive weapons system, and the very latest technology that both races have to offer.
The main characters of the series are Captain Matthew Gideon, commanding officer of the EAS Excalibur. Admiring John Sheridan as one of his heroes, Gideon is fiercely devoted to his duty and will stop at nothing to find a cure to the plague. Captain Elizabeth Lochley is the commanding officer and military governor of Babylon 5. Lochley assumed command of Babylon 5 in 2262 after Captain Sheridan resigned his Earthforce commission in favor of becoming the President of the Interstellar Alliance. Lt. John Matheson is the first officer aboard the EAS Excalibur. He is tremendously loyal to Captain Gideon. Matheson is a telepath, a former member of the Psi-Corps.
Max Eilerson is an IPX specialist, An outstanding linguist and archaeologist, Eilerson is an important member of the Excalibur's crew. Dr. Sarah Chambers is the chief medical officer aboard the Excalibur. She also acts as a liason between Captain Gideon and the scientific research team stationed aboard the Excalibur. Chamber's sister was on Earth at the time of the attack. Although Earth has been quarantined, Chambers wants to join her sister on Earth to help comfort those whose hope rests in the hands of the crew of the Excalibur. She was persuaded by Earth that she would be a greater asset aboard Excalibur.
Dureena Nafeel is one of only a few surviving members of her race. During the Shadow War, her world was destroyed by a Shadow planetkiller. Dureena is a skilled thief and pickpocket, and is a member of the Thieve's Guild. Galen is a technomage, an order of individuals who use technology to achieve the effect of magic. Most of the technomages fled the galaxy before the beginning of the Shadow War, but Galen remained. As a result of helping other species, Galen has been expelled from the Technomages' hiding place for fear that he will expose them.
Due to a conflict between the creator J. Michael Straczynski and TNT, the channel produced only 13 episodes. "Crusade" was first aired on June 9, 1999 to finish on September 9, 1999.