Executive Producer J. Michael Straczynski later played down the part of Draal in the series. Straczynski explained that a person with access to high-tech science heightened the danger of 'deus ex machina', God out of the machine; the idea that all problems can be solved with advanced technology. If that were to happen, the 'human' element in the show would be lost. Babylon 5 was about people.
This takes place in June 2258.