BASTILLE DAY



THE CYLONS WERE CREATED BY MAN. THEY REBELLED. THEY EVOLVED.
THEY LOOK AND FEEL HUMAN. SOME OF THEM ARE PROGRAMMED TO THINK THEY ARE
HUMAN. THERE ARE MANY COPIES

The episode opens with a re-cap that includes the fact that the Astral
Queen is carrying 500 prisoners, the Galactica has lost her water, and
Helo is on Caprica with Valerii.

The teaser opens with a shot of the fleet standing-off a planetoid. We
hear Galactica's tannoy klaxon.  In Tigh's quarters, the Colonel rises and
helps himself to two bottle-caps of his booze. We then see him turn up in
the briefing room bright and cheery, "So what do we have?"

Tyrol informs him they have scouted the entire ice moon and found it
contains a subsurface ocean. But: temperatures of 180 and below have been
registered, together with the venting of methane and CO2, "It's going to
be a bitch to work down there, sir."

Tigh tells Tyrol to lighten up: they're lucky to have found the water, and
they have water riots breaking out all over the fleet. "Civilians! Whiny,
civvie crybabies..." He points out that Galactica herself is "down to less
than 10,000 JPs of water." He goes on to examine the results of water
samples gathered by drilling the ice. The samples are 13% sodium chloride
- salt water. Tigh is disgusted: the people can't drink salt water!

Tyrol agrees and states that's why he had Cally test the ice - which is
pure water. Tigh is pleased by this: "A couple of lemons and we could make
lemonade!" - A comment that raises a snigger from Cally. Tyrol points out
that they'll have to melt the ice before bringing it up to the ship. A
crewman adds it will take "high-capacity heaters, expansion tanks, D-25
plasma torches, pyrex hoses, centrifical pumps...."

"Sounds like a lot of manpower?" Tigh observes. Tyrol admits it will take
1,000 men. Tigh wants to know where they are going to come from....

....And we cut to Adama's quarters, as Roslin states, "Slave labour."
Adama points out "they" are prisoners who have been sentenced to hard
labour. "And this is very hard labour. Not to mention physically
dangerous." Lee points out that "their ship" wasn't designed for long-term
incarceration, and that "these men" have been stuck in cramped cells for
weeks - they might even prefer to get out and do something, even if it is
dangerous. Roslin agrees - providing they volunteer. The prisoners are not
slaves, and she won't have them treated as such. Lee suggests they offer
incentives to the prisoners: by doing the work, they can earn points
towards their freedom and rehabilitation into the general populace. Adama
is not happy: "You want to start releasing hardened criminals into the
fleet?"

Lee responds that the prisoners were on their way to Caprica for parole
hearings, which means that some of them may be ready for release. Adama
tries to object, but Roslin cuts him off, "Make it happen, Captain." She
then instructs Billy to address Commander Adama's concerns by going along
and setting up a screening procedure to "weed out" the hardened criminals.
Adama insists on having a representative from the Galactica participate in
the screening, who will report directly to him on security issues - a
statement which surprises Lee. Billy suggests "Dee", meaning Duella. Adama
agrees, but also wants someone from the ground crew to attend as Roslin
hides a smirk at Billy's use of the familiar when referring to Duella.
Adama justifies the ground crew selection in that the selected men must be
able to handle the equipment. Roslin agrees.

As she turns to leave, Billy reminds her about a "doctor." Roslin then
asks Adama about his medical officer. Adama replies he has a Major
Connell, and asks if anything is wrong. "Nothing urgent," Roslin replies,
"allergies." Adama informs her that Connell is out among the fleet,
checking medical conditions, be he'll tell him she wants to see him.

Out in the corridor, Roslin teases Billy about his selection of Duella.
When Billy states he's taking her strictly for the technical details,
Roslin smiles with an, "Uh-huh." At the same time, in another corridor,
Lee catches up with Adama. "Something on your mind, Captain?" Adama asks.
"I just thought you might have something you wanted to say?" Lee replies.
Adama replies flatly: "I have nothing to say to the personal
representative of the President."

Lee points out he is still the Galactica's lead pilot. Adama responds that
he has nothing to say to him, either. "Every man has to decide for
themselves which side they're on," he adds. Angered, Lee replies that he
didn't know they were picking sides, and walks off without a salute.
Ignoring his son's action, Adama mutters, "That's why you haven't picked
one yet."

When they cut to a picture of a ship performing a beauty pass across the
camera. The words ASTRAL QUEEN PRISON TRANSPORT VESSEL appear on-screen as
she passes. Aboard her, Lee, together with Billy, Duella and Cally are
walking with the Captain and a guard. The Captain informs them that he has
1500 prisoners on board. He doesn't have their names or their files -
they're just numbers. They arrive at a PA console, which the Captain
activates and hands the microphone to Lee. "All right, they're all yours."

Lee addresses the prisoners, introducing himself as "Captain Lee Adama,
personal representative of the president." He then outlines the situation
- "thousands of us are on the verge of dying," and asks for the prisoner's
help to get the water, and that any man volunteering to help will be
granted "freedom points" that can be used towards an early release. He
asks anyone interested to step out of their cell, as the cage doors are
opened.

The doors to the cages open, but nothing happens. Then one man steps out
of his cell: "Thank you for your offer. We...respectfully...decline."

Billy reacts as he recognises the speaker: "Oh my God...that's...that's
Tom Zarek..."

"The terrorist?" Duella questions, stepping forward, as chants break out
in the cages below. Cups are banged on bars, building to a crescendo of
noise as Zarek stand calmly in the aisle, looking up at Lee on the gantry,
and we fade to the opening titles.

After the titles, we rejoin the crew on the Astral Queen, her Captain
asking, "So who the hell is Tom Zarek?" His voice edged with admiration,
Billy replies that he is a freedom fighter, a prisoner of conscience.
Duella challenges him flatly: "He's a butcher." Billy replies that Zarek's
colony was exploited by the other 11 for centuries, his people
marginalised and brutalised. Duella again cuts him off, reminding him that
she is a Sagittarian, "and that man does not speak for all of us. He blew
up a government building and there's no excuse for that."

As an argument threatens to engulf them, Cally reports to Lee that she's
been watching the clock and that if they are going to get anyway, they
need to move on. Lee agrees, stating Zarek has the prisoners united, so
they must go through him.

Meanwhile, on "Cylon-occupied Caprica", Helo and Valerii have reached a
city (Caprica City?) and for a place ostensibly nuked, it's looking in
remarkably good shape - windows haven't even been blown-in by any shock
waves. Helo is bellowing at the top of his voice for anyone who can help -
an odd thing to be doing in "occupied territory".

As the camera pans the city, we're drawn down on the two of them, with the
titles "KARL C. AGATHON, CALLSIGN "HELO". DAY 12 ON CAPRICA" appearing as
Valerii pleads, "No more shouting, you're making me nervous." They move
between two buildings, Valerii wondering where everyone is. "Dead," Helo
replies. "In their beds, at their desks. Those that aren't probably ran
for the hills..." Valerii accuses him of being morbid. He points out he's
"been here longer than you."

They are distracted by the sound of metal falling over and animal screams.
Crossing to one of the building, they find a body on the sidewalk being
eaten(?) by rats. Valerii reacts by apparently almost vomiting. Helo puts
a shot into the corpse to burn it. As smoke rises from off-camera, he
realises Valerii is about to lose it and leads her away, chiding her
gently. "Let's find a hospital and find some anti-radiation packs. We've
got three days' worth left." He steadies her as she look set to throw-up.
"Sharon, we made it this far, we're going to make it all the way...we're
doing good, real good - someone must be watching over us!"

As they walk off together, we see them from the perspective of the roof of
the building, and a voice states, "She's good," and we see Doral and Six
watching Helo and Valerii. "So far." Six concedes. "Jealous?" Doral
enquires. We look out over the city as Six and Doral walk. "This all makes
me so sad," she states.  Doral points out that humanity would have
destroyed itself anyway, so the Colonials deserved what they got. "We are
the children of humanity," Six points out. "That makes them our parents in
a sense."

"True," Doral replies. "But parents have to die. It's the only way
children come into their own."

Back on the Astral Queen, Lee enters Zarek's cage, escorted by a guard.
After "formalities" are sorted - prisoners are forbidden to talk unless
asked a direct question - Lee is shut in Zarek's cell to talk, while the
guard retreats down the corridor. As he does so, the prisoners start
tapping on the bars of their cages as he passes....

In Zarek's cell, Lee gets to the point: the Colonials need Zarek's men to
help them. Zarek replies that the prisoners are not his men, pointing out
that as prisoners, Lee "owns" them: "You're the master, we're the slaves."

Outside the guard continues to walk, the tapping on cell bars and walls
following him.

Lee tries to appeal to Zarek as a man of principle - citing the book he
wrote; the book that Zarek points out was written in a labour camp and had
to be smuggled out as prisoners are not allowed freedom of expression. Lee
admits to having read the book in college and that, while radical, it had
caused him to challenge some of the things he had previously accepted.
Zarek has a hard time believing that he book would be read on campus. Lee
admits it was actually banned, but he read it anyway. He uses this to try
and convince Zarek that he understands him, but that Zarek needs to
understand that people in the fleet are going to start dying.

Outside of the cell area, the guard has reached the upper catwalk where
the controls to the cells reside. Calling out to a colleague, he pulls a
telescoping nightstick, "It's time for your break," he announces, felling
the other guard with a blow from the stick. He then crosses to the cage
controls....

...On the bridge, Duella and Billy are still arguing about Zarek, when the
Captain notices the security monitors failing...

...In Zarek's cell, Lee opens up to Zarek: "All I want. All the president
wants is a chance for you to earn your freedom." Zarek nods. "Now you've
said the truth. Freedom is earned."

...On the gantry, the renegade guard releases the door locks, and in the
cell blocks, doors swing open. Hearing the doors open, Lee turns, only to
be told by Zarek: "Say where you are, Captain. It'll all be over soon."

In the control centre, the door bursts open, the guard, now armed, leading
armed prisoners who quickly take control of the Captain, Billy, Duella and
Cally.

As more prisoners spill into the corridor in the cell block, Lee dashes
from Zarek's cell and lays into four of the prisoners before being knocked
to the floor. Zarek reclines on his cell bunk as we hear the sounds of
fists striking flesh and more prisoners heap on Lee....

...And we cut to another pass of the Astral Queen, with the renegade guard
informing Zarek that the crew and the hostages have been put in separate
cells. We cut to Lee Adama, bloodied and bruised lying on the floor of the
control room, a shotgun aimed at him as Zarek thanks the guard. "I knew I
could count on you."

In the cells, Duella tries to reassure Billy everything is going to be all
right. Billy isn't so sure, all his comments about freedom fighters now
evaporated. Cally points out they won't be hurt because that won't get
“them” what they want. "Which is what?" Billy replies.

On Galactica, Baltar has been summoned to Adama's quarters, but is
slightly lost. Turning to retrace his steps, he sees Thrace, swaggering
down the corridor with Boxey. "Lieutenant Thrace, how nice to see you!"
Thrace smiles and strokes his jacket as she passes. "How nice to see you
to!" she responds. "Really?" Baltar asks. "No," she laughs, sharing a
high-five with Boxey.

Watching them go, Baltar mutters, "I wonder if she's a real blonde?" From
beside him, and not a little cattily, Six replies, "I doubt it."

In the pilots' ready room, Thrace - now smoking a cigar and wearing
sunglasses - is apparently filling-in for Lee Adama while he is on the
Astral Queen. She proceeds to rib one of the pilots about his heavy
landings. She asks Boxey who this might be, and is informed it is Flattop.
As the ribbing continues, Tigh enters and stands at the back of the room.
As Thrace dismisses the pilots, he steps forward. "There's no smoking in
the ready room." Thrace replies, "My room, my rules. Sir." Looking at
Boxey, Tigh asks, "Where's your mommy?" Which earns him a surly,
near-sneering reply of, "Dead. Where's yours?" Ignoring him, Tigh asks,
"I'm looking for Boomer." Boxey again replies, equally surly, "It's 14:00.
Boomer's in the tool room," before leaving. After he's gone, Tigh turns on
Thrace, laying into her about treating heavy landings as a joke. Her
response is to state that shouting at people doesn't always get the best
results - and she learned that at officer candidate school - a comment
that earns her another, "You are right on the edge" warning from Tigh.
"Careful you don't fall off," he warns. Sniffing at his breath, Thrace
retorts, "Talking of falling off. Good to see you've found a way to quench
your thirst." And walks out.

On the Astral Queen, Zarek enters the (locked) control room and starts
examining the consoles. Watching him, Lee Adama informs him that there
will be no negotiations while he is holding hostages. Zarek replies that
he doesn't want to negotiate. He wants his crew to be treated like men,
not animals. He then informs Lee they are going to talk. "What about?" Lee
asks. "Your father," Zarek replies with a smile.

As the conversation starts, we cut to Adama's quarters. Baltar has found
his way there and is admiring a painting on the cabin wall as Adama pours
them both a drink of water. Sensing something is wrong, Baltar starts
babbling about the artist, attempting to flatter Adama. He fails. "Where's
my Cylon detector?" Adama asks flatly.

Baltar starts making excuses as Adama sits, refusing to look at him,
adding to Baltar's unease. Six appears to Baltar, "It's not working this
time, Gaius," she mocks. "He can see right through you." This sets Baltar
into another babble of excuses. "Cut the BS," Adama states quietly. "You
said you had a way of detecting human from Cylon. Do you or don't you?"

For a moment Baltar freezes, then states quietly, "I don't," which draws a
dangerous, "What?" from Six as she apparently stands across the room from
him. Glancing at her, Baltar continues that he doesn't believe that he is
the right person for "this kind of work", causing Six to approach him, her
look stern. "You have to do this," she tells him flatly. Baltar continues
to babble: he's putting the job off because his subconscious telling
him...telling him....that he's not the right man for the job...He ends up
almost begging, but is stopped by Six, who warns him, her voice rising in
an unexpected anger, "If you don't tell him what he wants to hear, he's
going to find you out. And when he does, they're going to rip your head
off..." and we close on her face as it twists into a mask of rage, "AND
THROW YOUR BODY OUT OF AN AIRLOCK!"

The outburst shocks Baltar to the extent he drops his glass of water,
smashing it. He apologies immediately, blaming his actions on a lack of
sleep. Despite his pleadings, Adama inform him that, unfortunately for the
two of them, Baltar is the last man they have to build the detector, "So
what's the game plan - Doc?"

Caught between the devil and the deep blue, Baltar steals a "peek" at Six.
"This is what you say," she tells him, her voice menacing. Baltar then
repeats her instructions, shocking himself as much as Adama when she has
him ask for a nuclear warhead.

On the Astral Queen, Zarek is pumping Lee for information, asking him if
his father's position is the reason Lee got to be the president's
representative. When Lee replies this is hardly the case, Zarek surmises
that Adama and Roslin don't get along. "they have their differences," Lee
allows, "But not when it comes to dealing with terrorists." This provokes
an ironic smile from Zarek. "I thought you said you respected me. Read my
book?" Lee nods, "That was before you resorted to violence and taking
hostages." Zarek's smile fades. "It's always easier when the oppressed
don't fight back, isn't it?"

On Galactica, Adama looks up at Baltar, "A warhead."

Baltar continues to follow Six's prompting, explaining that "technically"
he needs the plutonium inside - and at that point she snarls, "Figure out
the rest for yourself." Baltar does, falteringly at first and then,
perhaps realising he actually has something, he continues more firmly and
sure of himself. As he finishes his explanation, Adama states that the
Galactica has only five nuclear warheads left aboard, "We may need them."
Baltar agrees, stating he understands, and that if Adama considers the
project low priority...Adama makes to pour his unfinished water back in
the jug. "You'll get your warhead," he states quietly, and Six turns to
Baltar, all smiles. "Good boy."

"Thank you," he replies to her, then realising he's spoken aloud, he looks
at Adama, "Commander."

In the hanger deck equipment locker, Tyrol is trying to reassure Boomer.
The Master-at-Arms has been through the small arms locker and hasn't found
anything connecting the missing explosives with her. Boomer is still
worried. As they hug, the door opens, and Tigh enters with a growl,
causing them to part in embarrassment. Tigh states he needs to speak to
Boomer on her own, and Tyrol exits. Tigh then chastises Boomer for the
relationship, pointing out everyone from Adama on down knows about it.
"We're just friends," she protests. Tigh isn't deflected. "Back when the
ship was being decommissioned, we let you get away with it. Hell we let
everyone get away with murder. But that was then and this is now. We're at
war, this is a combat unit and you're his superior officer. Put a stop to
it. That's an order." He then leaves as he is summoned to CIC.

He arrives in time to hear Zarek state the crew of the Astral Queen are
his prisoners, but that they will not be harmed. Zarek goes on to make his
demands in order to secure the release of his prisoners: 1. the immediate
resignation of Laura Roslin as president; 2. open and free elections to
choose a new leader. He concludes the broadcast - which has gone out to
the entire fleet - with the words, "I make these demands not for me....but
for you,  the people. The survivors of the holocaust and the children of
humanity's future. I am Tom Zarek, and this is the first day of a new
era."

Following the broadcast, Adama then jams the transmissions from the Astral
Queen and contacts Roslin. She thinks the jamming is too late. Adama
doesn't believe people will listen. Roslin states he has a lot to learn
about public opinion and that there are those who would be willing to
listen to Zarek - a prisoner of conscience ("a terrorist" Adama responds).
She points out that rebellion is a contagious thing, and people are
already rebelling as a result of the water crisis, and as such, they can't
afford to destabilise her government. Adama agrees, and Roslin wants to
know what he is "going in." Adama suggests she and Zarek talk first.
Roslin responds they the government doesn't negotiate with terrorists.
Adama replies, he didn't mean negotiate, he meant talk. She still refuses,
even when Adama states he needs time to prepare. Roslin stands firm: her
talking with Zarek gives his position legitimacy and recognition.

As Adama comes of the call, promising to let Roslin know what happens, he
joins Tigh and Thrace at the plot table, where Thrace is running through
an assault scenario using three Raptors and armed personnel. As she
explains the plan, Tigh pulls her up: "What's this 'we' crap?" Thrace
looks at Adama as she answers, "I'm going with them." Tigh objects, and
Adama upholds the objection. "We have a few marines left aboard the
Galactica, Starbuck. Let them handle it." Thrace points out the marines
don't have a sniper - and that she's the best shot in or out of the
cockpit. Tigh agrees with her, drawing a barely-hidden sideways look of
surprise from Thrace as she tries to suppress a smile. "Wonders never
cease," Adama states, then confirms Thrace is on the mission. He then
orders her that if she gets a clear shot at Zarek, she takes it. "I want
to control that ship immediately."

On the Astral Queen, Duella wonders how she drew this particular detail,
and Billy owns up. A few cells away, a prisoner strolls up to Cally's
cell. Words are exchanged, the prisoner believing Cally is mocking him. He
warns her that he and "Tom" go back a long way, and that she should be
nice to him. Cally rolls over in her cot, ignoring him. On Galactica, the
Raptors are prepared. Marines and Thrace board and engines wind up.

On the Astral Queen, Zarek challenges Lee: who voted for Laura Roslin? Lee
replies that she was sworn in under the law. They argue the point, Zarek
stating that they need to be "free", otherwise they are no different than
Cylons. As Lee walks away, Zarek tries a different approach. "They call
you Apollo...Apollo was one of the gods - a Lord of Kobol. You must be a
very special man to be called a god....the son of Zeus. Good with the bow.
God of the hunt – and also god of healing. Now a god can reconcile those
two opposing forces. But a mortal must take one side....or the other. Have
you picked a side, Apollo?"

At that point a call comes in from Galactica: Adama wishes to speak to
Zarek. "Zeus is calling," Zarek says, crossing to the comms console.
Taking the call, Zarek allows Lee to briefly speak to his father. Lee
tries to state where the others are, but Zarek stops him. "How long until
you storm the ship?" he asks Adama. For his part, Adama responds that he
hopes it won't be necessary, that the two of them can talk things out.
Zarek isn't fooled. "Your men are on their way, even as we speak." He
demands Adama gets Roslin to step down. Adama replies that won't happen.
"Then I look forward to meeting your men," Zarek ends the contact.

Outside the Astral Queen, three Raptors come up under the ship and invert
themselves relative to her and clamp onto her hull.

On the prison block, Cally is taken by the prisoner who spoke to her
earlier and led down the corridor, Billy and Duella first trying to
reassure her, and then calling for Apollo.

In the control centre, Zarek and Apollo continue their conversation, Lee
pointing out that it sounds as if his father is willing to talk. When
Zarek doesn't respond, her realises the truth: Zarek wants Adama to send
troops in. Outside, docking collars are extended to the hull of the Queen
from the Raptors, a seal is formed and the collars pressurised. Plasmas
torches start burning through the hull.

In the control room, Zarek finally admits that yes, he wants the troops to
storm the Queen - he wants a "massacre"  - but not for the reasons Lee
puts to him: to "go out in a blaze of glory"; rather because he knows that
if there is a bloody confrontation on the Astral Queen in which prisoners
and hostages are killed, then the people will reject Roslin as their
leader.

Thrace and her teams make it into the Queen. In he cell, Duella tries to
reassure Billy that Cally will be all right. The silence is shattered by a
terrified scream - Cally. It shocks Duella and Billy. It shocks prisoners
in the corridor and it freezes Thrace and her team.

The only ones not to hear it are Zarek and Lee, who doesn't believe
Zarek's statement; "You've been saying everything you're doing is for
freedom. But the truth is, it's all about Tom Zarek and his personal death
wish." They are interrupted by the arrival of the renegade guard with the
news that, "Something's up."

As they rush from the control centre, we cut to Thrace and there is a
single gunshot, leading Thrace to believe the hostages are being killed,
and she moves her team out at the double as another team moves in and
starts taking out prisoners. The sound of a man screaming fills the air...

...In the prison block, a crowd is gathering at one cell. Locked inside is
the prisoner who took Cally, bleeding profusely from his right ear, and
Cally herself, on the floor with a gunshot wound. Zarek arrives and
demands to know what is going on. The prisoner in the cell cries out that
Cally bit his ear off. With bloodied mouth and clutching her wound, Cally
screams, "Frak you!" before spitting out the rest of his ear.

Lee demands the door to the cell be opened. He turns to Zarek. "You said
they weren't animals. What do you call this? He's going to kill her. DO
something!"

Zarek rounds on him, blaming Lee. "You did this! You put him in a cage!
You made him a monster!"

Above them, a prisoner on the gantry is taken out: the third team from
Galactica has arrived. In the cell the prisoner threatens to shoot Cally
again, as Thrace takes up position on the gantry. Lee turns to Zarek.
"He's going to kill her!" Zarek snarls back, "You reap what you sow!" As
all eyes focus on the prisoner and Cally, Lee moves: striking the armed
renegade guard, he grabs his firearm and in short order shots the prisoner
and puts the gun to Zarek's head. Above him, Thrace also takes aim, but
her shot is partially obscured by Lee. She mutters for him to shoot Zarek.
"How about it, Tom?" Lee asks, unaware of the Galactica's presence. "You
still have a death wish? You ready to leave this world, right here. Right
now?" Looking him in the eye, Zarek nods. "Yes."

"Too bad," Lee replies. He then tells Zarek he's going to tell his men to
help secure the needed water, that they are going to earn their points and
their freedom - and then Zarek will get his elections. He goes on to state
that Zarek is right about democracy and the consent of the people, and the
people of the fleet will have them: and Zarek can have them to, or a
bullet.

Zarek wants to know how he can be sure Adama and Roslin will go along with
what Lee is saying. Lee admits he doesn't but if he lets the hostages go,
they'll leave the ship in his hands, and if the worst comes to the worst,
he can still have his last stand here. "It's your choice," Lee concludes.
"You reap what you sow." Zarek agrees and orders the prisoners to lower
their weapons. Lee shoots his way into the cell and checks Cally, assuring
her she's going to be OK. Zarek follows him to check on the prisoner. In
doing so, he exposes himself to Thrace, who flicks on the laser targeting
unit on her gun. Seeing the dot on Zarek's temple, Lee pulls him out of
the line of fire under the cot and Thrace fires, missing Zarek, but
causing a panic. Lee orders a cease fire, a cry that is taken up by the
marines, and for the first time the prisoners realise they are surrounded.
Weapons are lowered and Lee calls to the marines for a medic.

Later, on Colonial One, Lee faces Roslin, "I don't believe it," and Adama,
"It's unacceptable." Lee looks at them both. "The prisoners have full
control of the Astral Queen. We evaced all the guards and support
personnel. It's their ship." Adama responds that they are a threat to the
entire fleet. Lee disagrees: they've been disarmed, their ship has no
weapons. "The ship itself is a weapon!" Adama snaps in reply. Lee
continues, stating the Astral Queen is totally dependent on the rest of
the fleet for food and fuel and the prisoners have agreed to help with
obtaining the water. Roslin confronts him on the subject of the elections
he has committed her to holding. Lee points out that she is in effect
serving out the remainder of President Adar's term, and as such, elections
would have been due in 7 months anyway, he therefore only committed her to
obeying the law.

Roslin and Adama are still indignant, both of them launching into
counter-arguments. Lee cuts them both off. "I swore an oath to defend the
articles. The articles say there is an election in seven months. Now if
you're telling me we're throwing out the law, then I'm not a Captain,"
looking at Adama: "You're not a commander;" looking at Roslin, "And you
are not the president and I don't owe either of you a damned explanation
for anything."

Roslin and Adama exchange looks. "He's your son," she admits. "He's your
advisor," Adama counters. Roslin agrees to the election and Adama steps up
to his son. "I guess you've finally picked your side." He then leaves.

On Galactica, Thrace enters Tigh's cabin and produces a hip flask. Taking
two cups, she hands one to Tigh and fills them both. Without a word, she
salutes him with her cup and they both drink, Tigh somewhat suspiciously.
"What the hell is this? Water?"

"You bet your ass. And there's plenty more where that came from," she
smiles, refilling his cup. She then admits, "I have my flaws too." Tigh's
face hardens, "The difference is, my flaws are personal. Yours are
professional," a comment that causes Thrace to almost choke on her second
cup of water. Sipping at his, Tigh nods. "Thank you, Lieutenant. That will
be all." Dismissed, Thrace turns and leaves, and Tigh finishes his cup.

In sickbay, Tyrol and two of his crew visit a recovering Cally. "Is it
true you bit off his ear?" One of them asks. "He's lucky that's all I bit
off," she states.

Back on Colonial One, Roslin is resting when Lee Adama knocks on her cabin
bulkhead. He apologises for disturbing her, but wanted to say goodbye
before heading back to Galactica, and to explain he wasn't being disloyal
in what he arranged with Zarek - and that in the election's she'll have
his vote. This admission prompts Roslin to reveal her cancer to him;
making Lee only the second person in the fleet to know about her
condition.


COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS

Another good episode, if a little unwound in places, and a little
contrived towards the end.

Certainly, this is Lee Adama's episode through and through, and the kid is
finding his feet: he stands by those principles he sign-up to, he faces
off against his face and risks earning Roslin's scorn, and he handles
himself with Zarek admirably well.

For those anticipating any John McClane-like dealing with the prisoners on
the Astral Queen: you're in for a disappointment. This is purely an Adama
/ Zarek affair. The dialogue between the two only very slightly veers
towards  heavy-handedness (Lee trying to convince Zarek he understands
him, prior to the goal break) - but for the majority of the episode is
spot on the line and excellently handled by both Bamber and Hatch.

Indeed, alongside Jamie Bamber, this is very much Richard Hatch's episode.
He turns in a fine performance as Zarek and one can instantly understand
why he has been invited back. It would be interesting to put Hatch's Zarek
face-to-face against Olmos' Adama; both hold a tremendous amount of power
when on-screen.

But it is Bamber from the core cast who must take the honours here. Apollo
not only grows dimensionally as a character as the episode progresses, he
also matures as a man finally and truly stepping out of his father's long
shadow.

Indeed, it is interesting how the imagery abounds in this episode: how the
old cliché that "one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist" is
subtlety reviewed against the more traditional lines of argument, as the
byplay between Zarek and Lee Adama is played out behind the deliberate
verbalising of the cliché through Duella and Billy; how the need for
children to "escape" the confines of there parents is voiced by the
Cylons, but given form in Lee Adama's ability to stand aside from his
father, as an officer and a man of moral standing in his own right.

Dynamics are strong elsewhere in the episode as well - most obviously
between Baltar and, respectively, Six and Adama.

The former dynamic again takes a new twist (and Tricia Helfer finally gets
a change of clothes as the "Six" in Baltar's head: which is in itself
interesting, as this is the first time we see her "angry" with Baltar and
able to manipulate his conscious thinking). Again, nothing in the episode
either confirms or denies her as being a product of his imagination or
something  - some echo of her - implanted in his mind. Indeed, her
"actions" are deeply ambiguous.  One the one hand, "she" may well want him
to "develop" the Cylon detector in the knowledge it will be flawed, and
thus any Cylon agents will remain undetected: something "she" could not
guarantee if the device was developed by someone else on the Galactica.
But this presupposes "she" is an individual entity of some form in his
head; it is equally fair to say that as a project of his own psychosis,
"she" wants Baltar to "develop" the detector for the same reason - it will
be flawed, and thus reduce the risk of him giving himself away out of fear
he may have an implant or something in him a genuine detector might find.

Again, her prodding him to request a nuke could suggest a nefarious plan
is being hatched on her part; but on the other, his final reaction and
chain of thought, when "she" leaves him to figure out the rest for himself
could equally be explained as his own tortured mind finding the means to
build a genuine Cylon detector. Not that I, were I a member of the
Galactica's crew, would particularly welcome being stood in front of a
lump of plutonium!

Whatever the truth behind "Six" as we see her with Baltar, it is clear the
writers have more than one way in which they can move before they opt to
reveal the "truth" to us. Certainly, full marks go to Helfer and Callas
for continuing what has been in many ways the most fascinating set of
interactions in the series to date.

Full marks too, to Callas for the way he can evoke both frustration and
pity in equal measure at more-or-less the same time. In his confrontation
with Adama, Baltar manages to come across as simultaneously weak,
intelligent, child-like and borne of wisdom beyond his years. Genius
personified? Perhaps - but that is precisely what Baltar is supposed to
be; albeit flawed, and Callas combines all of it so powerfully on screen.

As with previous episode, "Bastille Day" continues to touch on pieces from
the mini and earlier episodes. Despite all that is packed into this one,
we still find three minutes in which the Boomer / detonator plot is moved
forward, and we get the confirmation that the Boomer / Tyrol relationship
is well-known throughout the ship. At the same time, Tigh's alcoholism is
touched upon; although as he only has 5 fingers of booze left, he's not
going to be going on any great bender - but it'll be interesting to see
what happens when his morning crutch is permanently removed. And the
Thrace / Tigh conflict renews itself - this time with more subtlety than
in the mini series.

We also gain insight into the Cylons - and of Six - through the scenes on
Caprica, and it would appear that Six incarnate shares much of the same
feelings towards humanity as the "Six" in Baltar's head. Is this a tacit
confirmation that Baltar's "Six" is more than just his own mind playing
tricks? Possibly, but I'm not putting money on it at this point.

Gripes? Sure.

The resolution to the hostage situation on the Astral Queen, using Cally
and a prisoner came across as contrived, and something that has been done
often enough one way or another in the past to be considered trite
(although don't ask me to name shows or films, it's 01:50 as I type
this!). One feels the writers took an easy exit route with this one.

And a potential gripe: Guys, what the hell were you thinking of in showing
Helo and Valerii in a city like that? We've been lead to believe that the
12 colonies have had the blue pants blown out of them, and yet here we see
a completely pristine city.  Not a scratch. Not a single broken window. No
debris. The whole place could have been built yesterday, it looked so new.
Not a single sign of fires, of any explosions (or impact of shockwaves
thereof) or anything save half-a-dozen rats (which looked like white mice,
as the image was somewhat over-exposed)...

... And then there is Helo, walking in CYLON-OCCUPIED CAPRICA (as the
caption immediately before informs us) and bellowing for help at the top
of his voice!!

It's almost like he's yelling, "Yo! ANYONE THERE?! NO, DON'T MEAN YOU, MR.
CYLON, OR YOU, OR YOU, OR YOU. I MEAN ANYONE HUMAN?" Get the picture?

Now please note I said "potential gripe". This entire scene: Helo
bellowing despite the risk of Cylons, the undamaged, pristine city, the
over-exposed nature of the film, even the angle from which Doral and Six
observe Helo and Valerii - all of it seems to be set-up deliberately; that
nothing is actually what it seems. So, either we have a boo-boo of epic
proportions - or there is something very subtle going on here.

My personal thoughts at this time is that, while we are indeed on
Cylon-occupied Caprica when seeing Karl C. Agathon - we're also INSIDE HIS
HEAD; that he has in fact been captured by the Cylons, and everything
we're witnessing with him is an illusion as the Cylons probe his mind -
and Six and Doral are overseeing the "interrogation", which has a Cylon
Valerii hooked-up with Helo to help guide him.

To what purpose? I haven't the foggiest. I'm not even convinced I'm right;
but I'm going to stick with this theory until something better turns up.
Or doesn't.

What do we learn out of this episode?

- The Astral Queen is actually a prison ship
- She is in fact carrying 1500 prisoners, and not 500 as her Captain
reported in the mini (with math like that, is he related to Billy?)
- "Bastille Day" follows-on from "Water" but occurs some 4 days later
- Starbuck is a crack shot with a rifle
- The Colonials are going to be facing a fuel shortage at some point
- Raptors are designed for marine assault and include an extendable
docking skirt in their underside that can be pressurised (and possibly
used in rescue operations?)
- Galactica has a small contingent of marines onboard - perhaps around the
15 mark
- Galactica has five "remaining" nuclear warheads. Would be interesting to
know their delivery mechanism
- The “Lords or Kobol” are the gods of Greek mythology.

Rating: 4 out of 5. (If this keeps up, I many have to raise the bar on the
scores!)