Trama

Roslin is on board a raptor en route to the Rebel Cylon Base Star, but Gaeta has ordered to engage and destroy it. The marines have used a stun grenade on Adama and Tigh. Roslin manages to get a wireless transmission out for everyone to hear and learn what Gaeta has done. She and the others barely make it to the Base Star, where she convinces Tory and the other Cylons to use the Fleet as a cover in order to prevent Gaeta from attacking it. She also believes that Adama will be able to save the rest of the Final Four. Temporarily safe, the Rebel Cylons start voting on whether they should just jump away and count their losses. Adama is brought before Gaeta and Tigh is thrown to the brig with Caprica Six, Anders, Athena, Helo and their child Hera. Zarek comes aboard Galactica on Colonial One with the Quorum. At Gaeta's insisting, Zarek agrees to put Adama on trial for treason, with Romo Lampkin assigned as his defence lawyer. There's just one problem: The Quorum refuses to recognize Zarek's authority. However, Zarek is hell-bent on following his "The truth is told by those left standing" maxim. Only Tyrol, who's alone, and Lee, whose with Starbuck, are Galactica's last hope.—Toni Tapola, Finland

Now safely aboard the rebel Cylon Basestar, President Roslin reasserts her authority and finds a way to broadcast a message to the fleet. The Cylons also agree to move their ship in among the other ships making it impossible for the Galactica to fire on them. Zarek wants to have Adama face a court martial and forces Romo Lampkin to act as defense attorney. When the Quorum of Twelve disagrees with him, he has a solution to that as well. There is some resistance aboard the Galactica including Apollo, Anders, and Starbuck. They manage to free Adama and as their numbers begin to grow, he leads them to retake the CIC. Chief Tyrol meanwhile works his way to the engine to disabled the FTL drive. He finds something else however.—garykmcd

"Battlestar Galactica" - "Blood on the Scales" - Feb. 6, 2009

We pick up right where we left off at 1041 HRS, the president's raptor is on its way, the command has been given to destroy it, which they hear.

Adama and Tigh are captured.

Gaeta is rubbing his leg in the CIC as Hot Dog and Narcho go after the raptor. Hot Dog asks the raptor for ID and Narcho tells him he has his order and to fire or get out of the way. Roslin tries to alert them that she's on board and Gaeta cuts the COMM. Hot Dog doesn't want to shoot, Athena tells Roslin to hold on.

Gaeta orders Tigh down to where the Cylons are being held and Adama up to the CIC. Gaeta tells Hot Dog to follows his orders. Narcho flies past Hot Dog and squares up to shoot. Athena scoots away and Narcho's missile hits the Cylon base ship. Oops. The raptor made it to the base ship as well.

1050 HRS - Rebel Baseship. As Athena (or is this Boomer? Or just an anonymous Eight? Oh wait Athena's in the brig right? This is where having multiple copies gets confusing...)and Roslin enter the base ship CIC- where a Six, Leoben, Tory, and Baltar are in an uproar wondering what the frak is going on. Roslin explains they were firing at her. Athena says the government has lost control. Roslin disagrees. Baltar wonders why since "Adama is a fugitive, Gaeta has an army, and Zarek has control of Colonial One." They argue about the nature of Gaeta and Zarek's support. Roslin points out that Hot Dog wouldn't shoot. Athena points out that Narcho would. A Six wants to jump. Leoben wonders what about the other Cylons, Tyrol, Tigh, and Anders. Roslin says if they jump they'll never see them again, and if they wait they'll give Adama time to save them. She says to put the base ship in the middle of the fleet for cover. Roslin yells that Gaeta won't jeopardize the fleet, he doesn't have the guts, and to just do it, Nike-style.

Adama arrives at the Galactica CIC. Gaeta welcomes him back saying he knew he wouldn't be on the raptor. Adama says he cares too much about the ship to let it be overrun by rats. Gaeta wishes he cared that much about the people on it. Adama says he has no frakkin' idea. Oh yeah, says Gaeta, then he should get on the horn and tell Roslin to return and surrender. Adama declines. He says he'll ask the admiral one more time. Adama pulls off his admiral wings and throws them down saying Gaeta's the admiral now. Gaeta sets condition one and calls for battlestations until someone points out that the base ship has moved into the fleet for cover. Gaeta stands down battlestations and tells everyone to spool up their FTL drives and to quarantine the base ship. And then he tells Kelly - who captured Adama- to prepare for Zarek's arrival. Adama asks if Gaeta is going to shoot him now.

Survivor Count: 39, 603

1116 HRS - Flight Deck Colonial One lands and Zarek walks into the ship telling a joke to a Marine. Apollo and Starbuck watch from a hiding spot.

1118 HRS Roslin is trying to communicate out from the base ship on her raptor but the COMM channels aren't working.

Back in the Galactica brig Helo is still unconscious as Athena cradles his head and Hera looks on. Anders wonders aloud to Tigh and the pregnant Six what Gaeta will do. Tigh says in Anders' case, "cut off one of your frakkin' legs."

Gaeta tells Zarek that he has a net over the baseship so he didn't have to bring the whole Quorum. Zarek says he did if Gaeta is insisting on a trial. He is. Zarek says he knows Gaeta wants to do the right thing but it's time to move on. Gaeta says they can't until people answer for what they've done, and that begins with Adama.

1131 HRS - Deck D- Corridor 2 Tyrol is sneaking around. For some reason Romo Lampkin is being marched at gunpont by Marines. He is pretty sure no one's going to be feeding his dog.

1148 HRS - Admiral's Quarters As Gaeta holds Adama's pins, we hear Zarek saying the admiral is being charged with treason, desertion, giving aid and comfort to the enemy and gross dereliction of duty. The punishment for these crimes is death by firing squad. Adama sits stoically. Lampkin says he's not a very good shot. Zarek tells Lampkin that Adama has a right to a trial and he needs a lawyer. Adama says they need a pimp. Gaeta will represent the people. Lampkin wants to know why they're doing this. Gaeta says justice. So, says Lampkin, if he tries to pass on this field trip for justice he'll get shot right? Zarek says to just get on with it. Fine, Lampkin says, bring on the judges then. Zarek says he'll be serving as judge. Lampkin surmises they've run out of ship's captains then. Gaeta says the captains are too busy defending their ships. Adama tells Gaeta to shove it up his ass and that he doesn't need a frakkin' lawyer. As Gaeta reiterates the charges, Adama asks "by who?" Lampkin asks for a few minutes with his client to impress on him the seriousness of the charges. Gaeta allows it.

Roslin is still trying to get through on the COMM as the Cylons behind her start to fret that they don't even have the protection of the fleet and that the viper patrol is checking it's weapons- firing into space- like an invitation to engage. Tory says they should all talk.

Tyrol pries open a wall panel and scurries through.

1222 HRS - Colonial One Zarek is addressing the Quorum selling them on Gaeta as a commander. They look skeptical. He says he brought them to Galactica because he wanted Gaeta to meet people who refuse to give up, have the courage to voice dissent, but at the end of the day still stand by their president. The Quorum starts to buzz amongst itself. One member stands and tells Zarek to leave. They all second that motion. They start to buzz louder as he leaves. He leans on a wall and sighs and then goes out to tell two Marines to go in and shoot them. He tells Kelly to get Gaeta. We see the Marines disappear and then hear gunfire and screaming. Kelly stops for a moment and his eyes close briefly at the sound.

1245 We scan the carnage of the Quorum shooting. Gaeta looks around aghast saying to Zarek that he never agreed to this, that this is murder. Zarek says he did and that this is a coup, which Gaeta engineered to destroy their enemies before they destroyed the fleet. Gaeta, palefaced, asks Zarek what he's done. This, is what happens says Zarek. No, this is all based on lies, says Gaeta. He says they had the truth on their side and now...and he runs out of words. Zarek says the truth is told by whoever's left standing and that Adama has to go and there's no turning back. Gaeta is very much looking like he regrets throwing his lot in with Zarek.

Tyrol climbs through a narrow passageway. (Reminding me of Lance Henriksen in "Aliens.")

1248 HRS - Rebel Baseship Tory is telling Roslin that the Cylons have made their decision, and that it was a difficult choice. They're jumping away since they have a chance to survive. Roslin, still clearly mad that Tory is a Cylon at all, says she's surprised at her decision assuming that as one of the final five she would have broader vision. The Six says that Gaeta will simply begin airlocking the rest of the gang: Tigh, Tyrol, Anders, Kara, Helo, Adama... Tory says Adama's fate has been decided and to get over it. Roslin refuses, saying no one expected them to survive the Cylon nuclear holocaust, the hell on New Caprica, or the 50,000 other crises they've lived through. They have a habit of defying the odds, especially Adama. She says he's alive and he will take command again and when that day comes he'll know who stuck with him and who ran. She asks what they want to be.

1305 HRS - Munitions Locker Tyrol is climbing out of the vent when Kelly corners him with a gun. (If I recall correctly from their banter, he was big in the New Caprica resistance.) Tyrol says to just shoot him 'cuz he's too tired to move. Kelly says he's a machine and to get a move on. Tyrol agrees he's a machine so he wonders what that makes Kelly, a dumbass? Kelly laughs. Tyrol laughs. Kelly looks around and says, this was a hell of a ship once. Tyrol agrees. Kelly says he heard Tyrol's kid isn't a Cylon and he could've warned him that Cally would be trouble. Tyrol laughs and says it wouldn't have mattered. Kelly cocks and points the gun at Tyrol. Tyrol braces for a shot. Kelly starts yelling at him, "go on skin job, go!" and lets him get away.

Adama tells Lampkin that Gaeta and Zarek are going to fail and that he won't betray his beliefs. Lampkin tries to whisper to him that people are mobilizing on his behalf when the Marines re-enter.

A man peeing at a urinal is attacked by Kara for his gun, which she gives to Lee.

On the baseship a Six, with slightly darker hair and bad make-up, asks Baltar if he's injured. He says he believes the word is damaged. The two share a look.

1337 HRS - Holding Cell Corridor Kara says there's no frakking way their plan will work. Lee thinks they can do it. He rolls a grenade by some guards and they take them out. Lee was right. He never pulled the pin on the grenade. She doesn't think this is funny. They enter the cell and Lee wants to know where Adama is. Tigh says he doesn't know. The crew takes off. Anders and Kara stop to take weapons from the felled Marines. Lee tells them to forget it. New Marines come around the corner. Kara shoots one but not before he gets a shot off into Anders' neck. Kara goes to him.

She tries to help him, Lee is trying to convince her to keep moving. Tigh says to take him to Baltar's people since no one wants to go near those nutjobs. Kara tells Lee to go, she'll take care of Sam.

1342 HRS Gaeta is trying to get Adama to admit he frakked up. Adama says he saved everyone's ass. Lampkin tries to object to the badgering of his witness. Gaeta reiterates the aid and comfort charge and that Adama was about to give them access. He says he already did in fact and it was actually the enemy that gave aid and comfort to him. Zarek fields the bad news that Tigh and the "skin jobs" have escaped but the Marines inform him they're on it. Zarek announces that Tigh was killed trying to escape. Adama looks sad. Gaeta gives what seems like a sincere apology but then says he did give aid and comfort to the enemy since Tigh was a Cylon and Adama let him remain XO. Adama says he's not answering anymore questions. Zarek breathes vehemently, "The president is guilty as charged." Lampkin says to Gaeta, "This isn't a trial, this is an asylum." Zarek grabs Lampkin and pulls him up and says, "We're done here.'' Gaeta stands purposefully and then Roslin's voice comes over the COMM informing the fleet that Gaeta has seized control by force and that the Cylons will not harm them. Zarek picks up a phone and tells someone to jam the signal. Roslin yells to shut down the FTL drives. Gaeta looks at Adama with something that looks like admiration for his cunning. We cut to Roslin telling Leoben it worked, and Leoben holding a box with red blinking lights saying he thought it would work.

Kara is dragging Sam through the halls, with difficulty. She collapses to the floor just as a Marine escorting Lampkin walks by. Kara tries to shoot but she's fresh out of bullets. Lampkin seizes the moment and knocks out and kills the Marine with a pen. Kara says Lampkin has to help her get Anders to Cottle. He politely declines, pointing out that on the way he and his escort were shot at twice, once by his own men. Kara protests that Anders will die. Lampkin apologizes and then his better nature takes over to his own discontent.

1435 HRS - CIC A crew member, Gage, tells Gaeta that 10 ships shut down their FTL drives after the president's address. Gaeta sniffs that 10 out of 35 ain't so special. He says it's also clear now who's with them and who's against now, thanks to Roslin. Gaeta says to give the jump coordinates only to the ships that kept their FTL drives online and to tell them to jump immediately. He asks Narcho to assemble an execution squad and take Adama down to the hangar deck airlock launch two. He asks if he can count on Narcho. "All down the line sir," he replies. Zarek creeps up and Gaeta wonders if he's spying on him. Zarek just wants to get everything over and done with.

1447 HRS Adama is being escorted through the halls by a full complement of Marines and Kelly. Kelly appears to be having a change of heart. He breaks off from the group and heads down another hall and seems like he's going to eat his gun but then he throws it down and cries.

In another hall, Lee cuts the power to something as he and his crew head down a hall.

Tyrol is still crawling through the walls.

Lee finds Kelly and bullies him into telling him where Adama is. Kelly tells them. Lee looks like he wants to kill him but Tigh grabs him and tells him to get a move on. Kelly grabs his gun and says he's coming with.

We cut to Adama, blindfolded and cuffed in the airlock with a white spot marked on his chest as a target. Gaeta says ,"Ready...aim...fire" and the bullets rip into him. Then Baltar awakes with a start, it was a dream. The Six in bed with him starts to kiss and nuzzle him to make him feel better. He says it's amazing that he's gotten out in the nick of time again. For a change he's sick about it, not pleased, saying this is all wrong. She says fear makes people behave differently. He says he didn't run out of fear this time and laments that his "fan club" back on Galactica believes in him and although he humors them publicly, he scorns them privately. He gets up saying he has to go back since they're his responsibility. He apologizes.

1502 HRS - Hangar Deck Adama is on his knees surrounded by the firing squad. No blindfold. He spits on the ground in front of him.

1524 HRS - Rebel Baseship Roslin is broadcasting again, telling those on Galactica to release the prisoners being held against their will and return command to Adama. She gives them a five minute warning. Gaeta walks around Adama's office, still holding the admiral pins. He drops them on the desk and grabs a phone and tells Narcho to carry out the execution. We cut to Narcho's end and he says, "Yes, sir." Except Tigh is pointing a gun at his head and Lee is untying and hugging his dad. (Sorry Felix).

Athena and Kelly have a gun on the 8 Marines. Adama is glad to see Tigh alive. Adama approaches the Marines, now on their knees. He tells them he's going to take back his ship and turns to Narcho for help. Narcho sincerely apologizes and says, while he's always respected Adama, he hates the Cylons and can't follow a leader who won't fight them. So Tigh raises a gun to shoot him- not exactly good PR for the Cylons- and Adama tells him to stand down. He tells someone to tie him up.

Gaeta rubs his bloody, chafed, uncomfortable stump.

Tyrol moves through the vents.

Zarek, who IDs himself as the president, is in the CIC and asks to be put on speaker. He doesn't seem to notice Gaeta limping in as he announces over the COMM that Tigh was killed attempting to escape and that Adama was found guilty and executed by a firing squad. We see Roslin and the Cylons' horrified reaction to this. He tells Roslin it's done and it's time to think about the people of this fleet and surrender. She says, "No, not now, not ever." She says she will use every canon, bomb, bullet, and weapon, down to her own eyeteeth to "end" him. She says she swears it, "I'm coming for all of you."

1528 HRS In the CIC Gaeta approaches Zarek and rhetorically asks "so now we have a military leader and a president all in one." Zarek asks how he would've answered her if he had been here. Gage says the baseship is arming itself. Gaeta prepares to jump saying there's been enough bloodshed, and that they're leaving them behind, unless Zarek objects.

Tyrol shimmies down into some kind of engine room.

The newly fortified Adama crew walks the halls and is joined by friendly forces.

The room Tyrol is in has some kind of control power over the FTL drives. He plugs in a security code.

Roslin comes over the COMM again and tells Galactica to surrender...Tyrol is denied his override... Gaeta starts the jump countdown... The Adama crew strides the halls... Roslin and the Cylons wait... Tyrol pulls something from the walls bloodying his hands in the process. It worked!

In CIC, Gage reports FTL is offline. Zarek starts to panic yelling at the crew to send someone down to the engine room. No one moves. He turns to Gaeta and implores him to "launch your birds," that they must defend themselves. But Gaeta realizes it's over and begins to repeat Adama's words: "One day soon there's going to be a reckoning." Zarek tells him to wake up. Gaeta calls for a weapons hold. Zarek is disapponted. Adama and crew overtake the CIC. Adama contacts Roslin and tells her Galactica is secure and to stand down. Relief on the baseship. Zarek is marched away. Adama and Gaeta share a stare and then Gaeta is marched off.

1532 HRS

Tyrol is breathless holding the FTL piece and looking at the machinery. He turns and sees a scarring in the wall.

Roslin descends a ladder, sees Adama, and is overcome, and starts to cry. He goes to her. They hug.

Gaeta smokes a cigar and talks about wanting to be an architect as a child and scribbling floor plans on things, like restaurants shaped like food. He's chatting with Baltar, who is also smoking a cigar. Gaeta is tearful and mildly manic. They are also drinking. He then explains when he was older he wanted to be a million things: doctor, photographer. And then he discovered science and thought he was good at it until he met Baltar. Baltar tries to be tender with him, but Gaeta cuts him off adding, "and please no religion." He says he's fine with how things have worked out. He then scratches his uncomfortable leg. He says he just hopes that people realize, eventually, who he is. Baltar, tearfully, says he knows who he is.

We cut to Gaeta and Zarek, tied to chairs facing the firing squad. They turn to each other and smile. Lee, Baltar, and Tigh watch as Adama calls "ready, aim...." Gaeta looks down at his leg and realizes that the pain and discomfort have stopped... "fire."