Experiment in Terra telemovie

[Specter]

Just because it may occasionally be worth referring to, I've done an informal transcript of the introductory segment from the "Experiment in Terra" telemovie. The film consists of three segments, of which this introduction is the first. The second segment is a heavily re-edited version of "The Return of Starbuck" and the third is the expanded version of "Experiment in Terra" itself. So here this is. For ease of reference, I've highlighted the narrative portions.

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NARRATOR
There are those who believe that life here on Earth began out there, far across the universe, with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans; that they may have been the architects of the Great Pyramids, or the lost civilizations of Lemuria or Atlantis. Again and again we launched our spacecrafts into the solar system to probe and search for a planet having the same composition as our Earth; a planet with the air and water so essential to life, as well as the necessary geological processes; a planet from which extraterrestrial visitors to Earth might live, or might once have lived. But although it became more apparent with each space exploration that such a planet could exist, it always eluded us. It was on one such routine expedition that the astronaut Yian Tonitap accidentally saw an object floating in space. Disregarding the space hazards, he retrieved the object, which upon examination proved to be a log book from the battlestar Galactica. It was the first documented proof that life as we know it, as well as other forms, exist or existed in the galaxy. But in the galaxy, as on Earth, wherever mankind is present, love and warfare prevail, as well as mankind’s dream of everlasting peace.

ADAMA
(narrating log book)
In case we do not survive, this is a true record of the war between the Cylon Centurions and the human race in the Star System. Commander Adama, Battlestar Galactica.
Somewhere at some time in our galaxy, there evolved an intelligent race of serpents known as Cylons. First they created machines of superintelligence, the Cylon Centurions. Then they created the ultimate in machinery and technology, a ruler known as the Imperious Leader. But due to a slight error in their programming, the Imperious Leader turned against his creators and ordered his subjects to exterminate all human life forms. Thus began a war with the Cylon Centurions that embraced all of the human race in the Star System. One of our greatest defeats was the Battle of Molecay. The Fifth Fleet, including its flagship the Pegasus, under our great military genius Commander Cain, was destroyed.

CENTURION
Arm weapons. Stand by to attack.

(The Pegasus is shown being destroyed.)

ADAMA
(narrating log book)
Now there remains only one fleet of warships consisting of five flying battlestars, with the flagship battlestar Galactica under my command, to protect our tired and weary twelve Colonies.

(Aboard a base star, a disheveled Baltar is taken before the Imperious Leader.)

IMPERIOUS LEADER
You are Baltar?

BALTAR
(laughs)
As if you don’t remember, hmm?

IMPERIOUS LEADER
I have examined your epistle suggesting you would be able to locate the humans.

BALTAR
Oh, I can! Oh, yes. I – I think a-a-as they do. I–I–I–I–I, I, I know where they will go, what they must do, uh—

IMPERIOUS LEADER
I find your reasoning logical.

BALTAR
Then, I am to be—?

IMPERIOUS LEADER
Spared.

BALTAR
To serve the Empire!

IMPERIOUS LEADER
No. To serve your people. To help us extend the hand of truce.

BALTAR
Truce?

IMPERIOUS LEADER
My predecessor was programmed at a time when our Empire was less capable of tolerance. Now that we are omnipotent, we can afford to be more charitable. You will explain my policy of goodwill. I have spared you, I will spare them.

BALTAR
They are not likely to be receptive.

IMPERIOUS LEADER
I will send with you a base star, entirely under your command.

ADAMA
(narrating log book)
Unexpectedly the Cylon Centurions sued for peace, asking for an armistice conference. They chose the ruthless and treacherous Baltar as their liaison, and unknown to our intelligence force was Baltar’s bargain with the Cylons, whereby he would rule over our Colonies after we were conquered. Nor were we or Baltar aware of the Cylons’ real plans.

(Atlantia council chamber)

ADAR
Baltar, my friend, this armistice conference would not have been possible without your tireless work.

BALTAR
(whispers)
Oh.

ADAR
You have secured for yourself a place in the history books.

BALTAR
That the Cylons chose me as their liaison to the Quorum of the Twelve was an act of providence, not skill.

(Adar sighs gratefully and shakes Baltar’s hand; Baltar chuckles.)

(On the Atlantia bridge, Adar stands with Baltar as he communicates with Adama.)

ADAMA
Mr. President, our patrol is under attack. We don’t know by whom. As a precautionary measure, I would like to launch intercept fighters.

BALTAR
Oh, I should think that’s highly inadvisable, in view of the delicacy of our situation.

ADAR
Uh, quite right, Baltar.

(In space, Cylon Raiders approach the fleet.)

CENTURION
Stand by to attack.

ADAMA
(narrating log book)
And so we were taken by surprise as a thousand Cylon Centurions attacked and engaged our fleet in battle.

(Galactica bridge)

ADAMA
Positive shield, now! Launch fighters. All batteries commence fire.

BACKGROUND VOICE
All fire control stations manned and operational.

ADAMA
Lord help us.

(Raiders in space)

CENTURION
Atlantia death squadron, attack.

(Cylons stage a suicide attack on the Atlantia’s landing bay.)

(Atlantia bridge)

BACKGROUND VOICE
Fires on decks twenty and eleven.

(Galactica bridge)

ADAMA
Negative shield, now.

BACKGROUND VOICE
Control center, emergency laser power to guns eight through twelve.

(The Atlantia explodes, causing exclamations from the Galactica bridge crew.)

BACKGROUND VOICES
My God, the ship—
Get back to your posts now.

ADAMA
Oh, my God.

RIGEL
Launch all remaining Vipers.

ADAMA
(narrating log book)
In order to protect our Colonies, I left the fighter craft to defend the fleet and turned the battlestar Galactica toward our planet home base, Caprica. Unfortunately, while our fleet was under attack, a greater force of Cylon Centurions attacked our home planets and completely destroyed all twelve Colonies.

(On the devastated surface of Caprica, Adama addresses a crowd of survivors.)

ADAMA
Let the word go forth to every man, woman, and child who survived this holocaust. Tell them to set sail at once in every assorted vehicle that will carry them.
(narrating log book)
The problems at this time seem almost insurmountable. We’re short of fuel, water, and food, but worst of all, we no longer have a home planet. After much deliberation, I’ve decided to set course in search of the only remaining outpost and colony of humanity in the universe. Now, so that mankind in our galaxy can survive, I shall someway, somehow, seek out and find that thirteenth colony which lies far beyond our Star System. A planet called Earth.
My immediate problem is to obtain food for the survivors and fuel for the ships, without endangering my people or my fleet. Carillon is the only logical answer. It’s an old mining outpost abandoned by the Cylons. But that too presents hazards. It is well known that the Cylons mined the only passageway to Carillon. I have no choice but to clear a channel.

(There follows a condensed version of the Nova of Madagon sequence.)

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Curiously, in the written log book, an unspoken sentence appears above the sentence beginning “Now, so that mankind….” The sentence reads: “But then as time passed, none returned and they were forgotten.” This likely refers to the early explorers and settlers from Kobol who had originally found and colonized Earth, and it indicates that there was further exposition about those explorers and settlers which was omitted.

Also of note, In the sentence describing Carillon, the written log book says “It is” where the spoken narrative uses the contraction “It’s.” These are the only significant differences between the spoken and written logs.

In addition to recording the extension to the opening narration, Patrick Macnee re-recorded the first line of the introduction, from "There are those who believe" through "began out there," in order to insert the phrase "on Earth."

[GoldCylon]

Thank you for taking the time to research and posting this. Great details.

[Cylon-Knight]

Great work!
Thank you for sharing it.