GREETINGS FROM EARTH

Written by Glen A. Larson

Transcribed by Clay Arden for ByYourCommand.net

 

 

(Adama’s quarters)

 

ADAMA

(recording log)

By the good graces of the Lords of Kobol, the Galactica continues to lead her flock of survivors towards the coordinates given us by those great white lights that vanished as mysteriously as they first appeared.  There are those who speculate that those lights, advanced ships really, might have come from Earth, giving us great hope that they have a highly developed technology.  Even now, our long-range scouts patrol the quadrants, watching for signs that indicate that we are drawing close.

 

(Vipers in space, an alarm sounding in Starbuck’s cockpit)

 

STARBUCK

(waking up)

Apollo.

 

APOLLO

(also waking up)

Yeah.  I’m awake.

 

STARBUCK

How long have I been in sleep period?

 

APOLLO

About, uh, six centars.  What’s up?  I can hear your klaxon over the comline.  You’re about fifty sectars ahead of me. 

 

STARBUCK

Wait.  Something just coming onto the edge of my scanner right now.

 

APOLLO

What’s it look like?

 

STARBUCK

Sublight vehicle containing six life forms.  Apollo, you don’t think—

 

APOLLO

That it could be our first contact with Earth?  Don’t get your hopes too high.  Hang on, I’m kicking in my turbos to catch up with you.

 

STARBUCK

Apollo!

 

APOLLO

I see her.  Uh, back off a little.

 

STARBUCK

Back off?  We’ve come millions of metrics for this moment and you want to back off?

 

APOLLO

Starbuck, we don’t want to scare these people out of their wits. 

 

STARBUCK

I hadn’t thought about that. 

 

APOLLO

Starbuck, look at the life signs. 

 

STARBUCK

Ah, it’s incredible!  Indicate humans, but – but at minimum life support level.

 

(As Adama arrives on the Galactica bridge, all personnel are away from their stations, staring expectantly or chatting excitedly.)

 

ADAMA

Colonel, what is this?

 

OMEGA

(clears throat)

 

TIGH

I’m sorry, Commander, but everyone’s so excited.  News has spread that there are life forms, and that Captain Apollo has successfully attached the towlines without interference from whoever’s on board. 

 

ADAMA

(clicks tongue)

I see.  Put me on Unicom, please.

 

OMEGA

Yes, sir. 

 

ADAMA

(sighs)

 

OMEGA

On the line, Commander.

 

ADAMA

People of the fleet, this is Commander Adama.  Rumors are spreading faster than fact about the discovery of a manned vehicle soon to be brought aboard the Galactica.  I must ask you all to be patient, and cautious in your optimism.  The incoming vessel will have to be placed in strict quarantine, carefully, before we can allow anyone near it, for fear of jeopardizing not only our own lives, but the lives of whoever’s aboard that spaceship.  Hopefully this is our first contact with an Earth vehicle.

 

(Adama, Apollo, and Starbuck descend the lift into the landing bay.)

 

STARBUCK

Commander, so far no responses whatsoever from within the ship. 

 

APOLLO

I’m beginning to doubt that we’ll get any response. 

 

STARBUCK

Why?  All life signs indicate live body functions. 

 

APOLLO

Alive but minimal.  They could be sick.  Or it could be a trap, maybe even a bomb planted inside capable of blowing us all apart.

 

WILKER

There is no bomb!  The defusing team has signaled that the ship is clean. 

 

ADAMA

Has anyone tried to tell those inside that we are here now? 

 

WILKER

Yes, but there was no response.

 

CASSIOPEIA

But they’re alive. 

 

SALIK

Yes, yes, but barely.

 

WILKER

Gentlemen, there is no need for all this conjecture.  Let’s go in! 

 

ADAMA

Dr. Wilker, one centon, please.  Could we be upsetting a – a critical balance by entering this ship, violating the seals? 

 

SALIK

We’ve penetrated the hull with a probe, and we took samplings of the, uh, gases in the atmosphere. 

 

ADAMA

And?

 

SALIK

Almost zero atmosphere.

 

ADAMA

Zero!

 

SALIK

Eh—  There were traces of oxygen, traces of carbon dioxide, but nothing that could sustain life as we know it.

 

CASSIOPEIA

Yet six life forms on this ship live, even if barely. 

 

ADAMA

What happens if we enter the decontamination chamber attached to the ship?  Wouldn’t we be killing those inside if they – if they’re used to zero atmosphere? 

 

SALIK

Commander, nothing human could survive in that ship. 

 

ADAMA

Well, then, this is it. 

(motions to Salik to proceed)

 

(inside the spaceship)

 

ADAMA

It’s incredible! 

 

SALIK

By the grace of God. 

 

STARBUCK

Oh, my Lord. 

 

SALIK

Bless their hearts, look at them. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Some of them are babies, just children! 

 

ADAMA

Doctor, are they alive? 

 

SALIK

They are alive. 

 

STARBUCK

You sure?  They don’t look like they’re breathing. 

 

SALIK

Their metabolism has been lowered to a minimum level for sustaining life. 

 

APOLLO

They’re conserving fuel. 

 

SALIK

Precisely. 

 

ADAMA

How long could they have been like this? 

 

SALIK

Perhaps a long, long time. 

 

STARBUCK

Yeah, well, we’ve got to do something to try and bring them out of it. 

 

SALIK

Starbuck, (laughs nervously) done improperly, that could terminate their lives. 

 

STARBUCK

Why?

 

SALIK

Because we haven’t the slightest idea of how this equipment functions.  To tamper with a delicate life-support system which has kept them in this state for a yahren, or a hundred yahren, could mean termination.

 

STARBUCK

You mean we finally find humans who are possibly from Earth, and we’ve got to leave them in these – these – tubes? 

 

WILKER

Lieutenant, Dr. Salik is a physician.  I am a scientist.  We will have no trouble comprehending how their technology works.  I’ll pick one chamber and run tests on it. 

 

ADAMA

Oh, you mean use them as human testing drones? 

 

APOLLO

And if you’ve – mistakenly short out its life support system, too bad, huh?  You just move on to the next child? 

 

WILKER

Adama, if you’ll forgive me, I believe you people have served your purpose.  The rest is in our hands.  It's not a military matter anymore. 

 

SALIK

Commander, we do need some room to work. 

 

ADAMA

Very well.  But understand one thing, Doctors.  Who these people are, and where they were going when we intercepted them, may be crucial to our survival.  I want no chances taken with their lives. 

 

WILKER

Commander, bringing them here at all may have been fatal. 

 

(Galactica classroom)

 

ATHENA

By now, I’m sure that most of you are aware that something special has happened. 

 

BOXEY

We found people from Earth.

 

ATHENA

Please use your question indicator when desiring to address the class, Boxey. 

 

BOXEY

I’m sorry, Athena. 

 

ATHENA

You’re excused.  Now, I’m sure that all of you realize that what happens throughout this day is liable to affect each of us for the rest of our lives.  We’re all a trifle nervous.  Yes, Loma?

 

LOMA

If there are people inside that ship, why aren’t they coming out? 

 

ATHENA

We can’t allow it right now, because their craft has to be decontaminated.  Now, who knows what that means?  Yes, Boxey?

 

BOXEY

It means we have to kill any sick bugs that may be on their ship. 

 

ATHENA

Very good.  Now, we aren’t talking about things that are large enough for us to see, are we?  If you’ll all remember, when we found ourselves thrown together on this fleet for the first time, well, some of us had troubles, didn’t we? 

 

LOMA

My parents got sick from the liquids and food. 

 

ATHENA

Yes.  Now, we aren’t saying that there is anything wrong with these liquids, but that they contained bacterial strains, which some of our people from the outer Colonies had to get used to.  Their bodies had to do what?  Class?

 

CHILDREN

Adjust.

 

ATHENA

Very good.  You remembered.  Now, if you’ll all look at your monitors, you can read today’s key phrase for today’s lesson. 

 

CHILDREN

(reading)

“The human life form can adapt to many varied environments and foods.”  

 

ATHENA

The key thing in remembering adapting is time.  It takes time for our bodies to adjust. 

 

BOXEY

My dad said that it could be possible for those people to kill us before we knew what hit us, if they carry the wrong bugs. 

 

ATHENA

Well, your father said that to you? 

 

BOXEY

Not exactly.  He was arguing with Starbuck. 

 

ATHENA

Children, if you’ll just continue to read the text on your monitors, I’ll be right back.  Boxey, come with me, please.  Let’s go try and find your father, Boxey. 

 

(Athena catches up to Apollo walking along a corridor.)

 

APOLLO

(sighs, to himself)

Fair.

 

ATHENA

Apollo.

 

APOLLO

Hey, Boxey, how ya doin’? 

 

ATHENA

Are you trying to frighten the children of the Galactica out of their wits? 

 

APOLLO

What?

 

ATHENA

Now, I’m trying to reassure the children that what’s happened is good.  Boxey overheard you telling Starbuck that this event could kill us all. 

 

APOLLO

(sighs, tsks at Boxey)

What I said was that we and the people in that ship share the same risk.  Either could be dangerous to the other. 

 

ATHENA

But we’ve decontaminated that ship. 

 

APOLLO

On the outside, yes.  And even if we do kill off any viral strains or bacteria form that could hurt us, what about all the other things in our own air that we take for granted and breathe safely every centon?  Any one of them could be as lethal as poison to the people inside that ship. 

 

BOXEY

I told you. 

 

APOLLO

Boxey.

 

ATHENA

Then what am I supposed to tell these children, who have been promised hope of a normal existence once we find Earth?   

 

APOLLO

Tell them the truth, that hopefully we’ve taken a giant step forward. 

 

ATHENA

And that could send us plunging down a cliff.

 

APOLLO

(sighs)

Look, if – if you’d like, I’ll talk to your class later on, when we know something more. 

 

ATHENA

All right. 

 

APOLLO

Yeah, I’ll see ya.

(to Boxey)

You’re gonna get it. 

 

ATHENA

Come on, Boxey.  Let’s go back to class. 

 

(inside the spaceship)

 

SALIK

Dr. Wilker, do you realize that nothing we have on the Galactica seems to correlate with their symbols or systems?

 

WILKER

They’re human.

 

SALIK

Yeah.

 

WILKER

The ship flies; it draws energy.  It has to make sense.  We’re just going to have to start taking some chances.

 

(Apollo enters the officers’ club and joins Boomer, Sheba, and Athena.  Security Officer Reese is sitting at the next table.)

 

BACKGROUND VOICE

Thank you.

 

SHEBA

Apollo.  You look like you just lost your first love. 

 

APOLLO

They’re not getting anywhere.

 

ATHENA

Apollo, give them some time. 

 

APOLLO

They may not have any time, Athena. 

 

BOOMER

Whoa, whoa, uh, you sound as though there’s some choice to be made here.

 

APOLLO

There is. 

 

SHEBA

What are you talking about?  You found a ship drifting in space with living beings inside.  Now, we’re doing everything we can for them, aren’t we?

 

APOLLO

We aren’t leaving them alone.

 

BOOMER

Leaving them alone?  Is that what we’re supposed to do to the first humans we encounter who are clearly from another civilization?

 

ATHENA

We’ve encountered other humans.

 

(Starbuck enters the club.)

 

BOOMER

Not since we left the range of our home planets, Athena.  Everyone we’ve encountered up till now, every colony or outpost, are, uh, drifters or pioneers who set out from our home planets.  Terms, dress, technology, all familiar to us.

 

SHEBA

So what are you saying, Boomer?

 

BOOMER

That if even a few of the humans we’ve run across were descendants from the lost thirteenth tribe, they were stragglers, left behind.  Now, here on this ship, for the first time, we’ve actually found human life forms from a technologically advanced civilization.  That’s what the whole point of the voyage has been. 

 

STARBUCK

Boomer’s right.  That’s why we’ve risked our lives staying on this tin can instead of stopping on one of the planets we’ve passed that, eh, could have supported life. 

 

APOLLO

It is not why we haven’t stopped.  We’ve never stopped because we’ve never been strong enough to stop anyplace else!  We’ve been a hunted people! 

 

STARBUCK

Nnnnnno, not for some time, eh—  Hey, look, let’s lighten it up a little, huh?

 

APOLLO

Starbuck, you may be the best warrior in the fleet, but you see everything in absolutes.  We win, we don’t.  We find Earth, we don’t.  A g— a – a girl says – uh, yes, she says no.  Good buddy, the — the quality of a civilization is determined by the values placed between these extremes! 

 

SHEBA

Apollo, I think you’re being a little too hard on Starbuck. 

 

REESE

Well, if anybody’s interested in my vote, I’m with Starbuck.  Ah, I say we go in there, open those boxes, and start interrogating those people.  Now, the lives of every one of us depend on what they know.

 

STARBUCK

Reese, stay out of this or I’ll stick that mug down your throat.  Ah, look, I’m – I’m not suggesting that we do something that could hurt those kids.

 

REESE

Look, I was just tryin’ to—

 

STARBUCK

Reese!  I can handle my own philosophical battles.

 

REESE

All right, suit yourself, but I’m not the only one that feels like this. Now, sooner or later the fleet’s gonna stop lettin’ those old boys tinker around in there and demand that we open the cases!  Now, if they’re human, they breathe fresh air!  Which is what I think I’m gonna get.  It’s always a little stuffy around you two. 

 

APOLLO

Hey, Reese!

(stands up)

 

STARBUCK

Hey.

 

BOOMER

Hey, hey, hey.  We came in here to let off a little tension, not to fight. 

 

STARBUCK

Besides, aren’t you getting a little confused?  I’m the, uh, hot-headed, impulsive one. 

 

APOLLO

I may be confused, but I still find it hard to offer even one life in sacrifice, even to save thousands. 

 

(Several civilians, led by Sire Geller, enter the landing bay and approach the ropes blocking access to the spaceship.)

 

JOLLY

I’m sorry, but I can’t let any of you pass.  The bay’s off limits. 

 

GELLER

Young man, half of these people are on the Council of the Twelve.  We want to make an on-site inspection.  It is our right.

 

JOLLY

Ah, you’ll have to get a written authorization from Commander Adama. 

 

GELLER

You haven’t heard the end of this, Lieutenant!

 

(The crowd walks away, murmuring.)

 

APOLLO

How long has this been going on?

 

JOLLY

Ah, it’s getting out of hand, Apollo.  We’re gonna have to put on more security. 

 

APOLLO

Yeah.  Regular Security reports to the Council.  We need to keep this to warriors who are responsible to my father. 

 

JOLLY

(laughs sardonically)

Well, then you’d better put out a general alert.  I’ve heard representatives are already landing on the Galactica from every ship in the fleet. 

 

APOLLO

What?

 

JOLLY

They want to see the Earthlings. 

 

APOLLO

Hey, we don’t know that they’re from Earth yet. 

 

JOLLY

(nods)

 

(Inside the spaceship, Wilker causes a shower of sparks to issue from some equipment.)

 

SALIK

Hey!  What happened?

 

WILKER

Must have shorted out a line.  What are the instruments doing?

 

SALIK

Well, there was a large drop in all the indicators.  I’d say you hit the central nerve of their life support system. 

 

WILKER

Well, at least we’re getting closer.

 

SALIK

Closer?  You could have shorted out the entire ship.  Wilker, we can’t keep going on like this.  We do not know what we are doing!  We could terminate them all. 

 

(Apollo enters the ship.)

 

APOLLO

What happened?

 

WILKER

Captain, we have little enough room.  Please don’t interfere.

 

APOLLO

What’s going on here?

 

WILKER

Well, we found out that the gas used in the system is – is, uh, stored in liquid form, uh, and is regenerated and recycled in some way that has to do with these circuits. 

 

APOLLO

Dr. Salik, you don’t look quite so optimistic.

 

SALIK

The system’s slowly losing power.

 

APOLLO

Losing power?  Why?

 

SALIK

Well, for one thing, when we probe the circuits we occasionally short out lines, draining off energy.

 

APOLLO

What!

 

WILKER

Nothing critical, Captain.  I can solve the technology of this system in time. 

 

APOLLO

And just how much time do we have, Doctor?  

 

SALIK

How far is it to Earth?  Or how far have they come?  Or how much farther was this system intended to support their frail lives? 

 

APOLLO

I want you to discontinue your work at once.

 

WILKER

Captain, I’m afraid you don’t have the authority to—

 

APOLLO

I’m not asking you, I’m ordering you out of this ship. 

(to Salik)

Now, I want you to stay here and monitor the instruments. 

 

SALIK

But I don’t know how they work.

 

APOLLO

Just apprise me of any change.  I’ll be with my father.  Wilker, you come with me.

 

WILKER

Oh, don’t you worry.  I wouldn’t miss this for anything.  You are in a lot of trouble. 

 

SALIK

(sighs)

 

(Adama’s quarters)

 

ADAMA

Apollo, you took a lot on yourself. 

 

APOLLO

I didn’t think there was time for a vote.

 

WILKER

All I needed was a little more time.  You see, the operational manual is an integral part of the bridge instrumentation.  So far, I’ve determined that the atmosphere of the planet these people came from is approximately one-fifth the atmosphere of Caprica.  Also, there are references to another planet, called Terra—

 

ADAMA

Wait a centon.

 

WILKER

Yes, sir. 

 

ADAMA

Terra.  “Terra” in Gemonese means “Earth.” 

 

APOLLO

That doesn’t mean that this Terra is the planet Earth we’re looking for, and even if it were, what difference does it make?  We’ve illegally seized an alien ship on a course between two unknown points.

 

ADAMA

“Illegally seized”?

 

APOLLO

Well, what else do you call it when you take a ship out of its flight and tamper with its functions until its resources begin to dwindle?

 

ADAMA

Are they dwindling?

 

WILKER

Well, there has been a slight power loss.  That’s to be expected.  We don’t know—

 

APOLLO

What we’re doing!

 

ADAMA

Apollo, please be civil.  Dr. Wilker’s trying to help. 

 

APOLLO

Look.  Look, I know that.  But we still can’t put the lives of those six people in his hands, nor anybody else’s in this fleet! 

 

ADAMA

(sighs)

What do you suggest?

 

APOLLO

We let them go.

 

ADAMA

Let them go?

 

APOLLO

Put them back on their original course. 

 

ADAMA

And lose any chance of communicating with them?

(door chime sounds)

Enter. 

 

(Sire Geller enters.)

 

GELLER

Adama, I—

 

ADAMA

Please, please. 

 

APOLLO

According to Dr. Salik, those people, two adults and four children, may expire before this time cycle is over. 

 

GELLER

Which is all the more reason to break the seals on those chambers and try to revive them!

 

ADAMA

Please, Geller, one more opinion is the last thing we need at this time.

 

GELLER

Mine isn’t the only opinion.  Representatives are coming aboard the Galactica from every ship.  They’re furious with your inaction!

 

ADAMA

Furious at my inaction.  What right have I to pass sentence on those children? 

 

GELLER

Quite right, Adama.  No, no, no, no, I – I agree.  Our people judge you far too harshly. 

 

ADAMA

(under his breath)

Nay.

 

GELLER

Why don’t we take a vote of the Council and lift this burden from you? 

 

ADAMA

You mean they haven’t already decided? 

(Geller smiles)

Apollo, you will be responsible for the security of that ship.  And, Geller, why don’t you call the Council into session immediately? 

 

GELLER

Whatever you wish, Adama.

(exits)

 

ADAMA

“Whatever you wish, Adama.”

(sighs along with Apollo)

 

(Inside the spaceship, Salik watches the power levels continue to drop.)

 

(Boxey runs into the classroom.)

 

BOXEY

There’s kids on the spaceship!  Kids just like us!  Only from another world! 

 

ATHENA

Boxey, you will return to your seat, as well as the other students, or stay for an additional learning period.  And you, young man, will stay anyway for returning late from meal period. 

 

BOXEY

I wanted to see the kids.

 

LOMA

Are they really just like us?

 

BOXEY

They look like us, but they don’t move.

 

ATHENA

Children, what Boxey is trying to explain is that these space voyagers are in a state which we call a state of suspension. 

 

LOMA

What does that mean?

 

ATHENA

It means that in order to travel great distances between planets, they couldn’t carry enough life-supporting gases to make the trip.  Who knows what is the most important gas, which we need to breathe to live?  Boxey.

 

BOXEY

Oxygen. 

 

ATHENA

Very good. 

 

BOXEY

Do I still have to stay for a extra learning period?

 

ATHENA

Yes.

 

BOXEY

Oh, frak. 

 

(Dr. Salik emerges from the spaceship to find an unruly crowd in the landing bay.)

 

CROWD

… in now!

We want to go in there…

 

JOLLY

Please, everybody stay back.  Please, don’t crowd in here.  Stay back, now, please, please.  Stay where you – don’t crowd in here.  Stay back.  Give us some room— 

 

MAN IN CROWD

You have no right to let us – you have no right to keep us out!

 

SALIK

What’s this?  What’s the matter with all of you people? 

 

BOOMER

The makings of a mob, Doctor.

 

STARBUCK

Anything new from inside?

 

SALIK

Nothing encouraging.  I’m on my way to see Adama now, but, Starbuck, you are to allow no one, and I mean no one, aboard that ship.

 

REESE

(entering the bay with other Council Security officers)

We’ll contain the crowd until the orders arrive, Doctor.

 

JOLLY

What orders?

 

REESE

The Council’s voting right now to terminate the life support systems and let those poor people out of their cages. 

 

SALIK

You can’t let them do that.  We have no idea what levels of resuscitation their bodies may require.

 

STARBUCK

Don’t worry, Doctor, no one’s getting by us, but you tell Adama what’s happening.  And hurry. 

(sighs)

Now, in the meantime, until we hear from the Commander, we’re in charge here.

 

REESE

And until we receive orders from the Council to the contrary, we are in charge.

 

STARBUCK

(sighs, tsks)

 

BOOMER

Now, look, you golmonging snitrad.  This is a military bay.  You and your men have jurisdiction over civilian personnel only.

 

REESE

Aren’t the people aboard that ship civilians? 

 

STARBUCK

Well, now, we, uh, don’t really know that, do we?  Maybe they’re mercenaries, come here to mow us all down.

 

REESE

(laughs)

Two adults and four mercenary children.  That is an imposing threat. 

(to the security officers)

Take your positions.

 

(Immediately the warriors draw their weapons on the security officers.)

 

STARBUCK

One more step, blackshirt, and you’ll be flatter on your back than those Earthlings in there. 

 

(Inside the spaceship, Michael awakens and emerges from his tube, breathing with difficulty.  He opens Sarah’s tube.)

 

MICHAEL

Sarah?  Sarah! 

(sighs with relief as she awakens)

 

SARAH

Are we there yet? 

(Michael sighs again)

Michael, what’s wrong?  Not the children?!

 

MICHAEL

No.  They’re fine.  It’s just that we’re not where we’re supposed to be.  Sarah, I want you to watch the children.  For some reason, our systems are growing low.  I’ll be right back.

 

SARAH

I’m going with you. 

 

MICHAEL

No.  Sarah, you must stay.  If their system should fail, I want you to open the children’s cocoon and give ’em oxygen.

 

SARAH

How long will that last?

 

MICHAEL

Sarah, please!  Don’t ask me any more questions.  I’ll be right back.  Okay? 

 

(Council chamber)

 

GELLER

It has been decided, as the support systems are failing anyway, to remove the humans from their ship as quickly as possible.

 

ADAMA

But we cannot do that.  You’ve all heard what Dr. Salik said.  It could kill them. 

 

GELLER

Mm, we shall be as prudent as possible.  Begin with the oldest member amongst the space voyagers.  Mm, he will undoubtedly make the best psychological adjustment. 

 

SALIK

Council members, I cannot be responsible, will not be—

 

GELLER

You’re not responsible.  We are. 

 

SALIK

Are you?  Have you the right to order a doctor to carry out a Council order when it conflicts with every medical ethic and moral instinct of his conscience?

 

GELLER

You have your orders, Doctor. 

 

SALIK

And you, sir, have a problem with finding another doctor. 

(leaves the chamber)

 

GELLER

Uh, Adama, talk to him.

 

ADAMA

Oh, I plan to. 

 

GELLER

Excellent.

 

ADAMA

I plan on telling him that he has given me one of the proudest moments of my life.  Something marvelous has happened here.  Please do not let it pass unnoticed. 

 

GELLER

Would you mind telling me what all that means? 

 

ADAMA

Dr. Salik has just reaffirmed that we are a race worth saving. 

 

(landing bay)

 

WILKER

The Council has voted.  We’re bringing them out.

 

STARBUCK

I don’t believe it. 

 

APOLLO

It’s true, it’s official.

 

STARBUCK

Dr. Salik wouldn’t sell out.

 

APOLLO

It isn’t gonna be Salik.  They’re rounding up a couple of med techs from the Rising Star.

 

REESE

Now that it’s official, Starbuck, Apollo, step aside. 

(to the crowd)

Stand aside for the doctors, please!  They have work to do. 

 

(As Reese approaches the ship with Wilker and the med techs, Michael emerges from the decontamination chamber.)

 

MICHAEL

Don’t move any closer.  I said, don’t come any closer. 

 

REESE

Welcome to the Galactica.  If you’ll just stand aside—

 

APOLLO

Stay back, Reese. 

 

REESE

Stay out of this, Apollo.  I’m in charge here.  We mean you no harm!  We just want to come aboard and help.

 

(As Reese steps forward, Michael stuns him with a small handheld weapon.  The crowd panics and stampedes.)

 

BOOMER

Hold him! 

 

APOLLO

Get those people under control. 

 

STARBUCK

Is he—?

 

MED TECH

(checking Reese)

He’s alive. 

 

STARBUCK

(sighs)

 

MICHAEL

Who are you?  Why have you brought us here?

 

APOLLO

We’re brothers. 

 

MICHAEL

No!  Your markings are not ours. 

(panting for breath)

Where are we?  Is this one of our abandoned lunar posts?

 

APOLLO

You’re on board a ship. 

 

MICHAEL

What ship?  A ship this large? 

(starts to collapse)

What do you take me for – a backwards fool?

(Adama arrives with Cassiopeia and Salik)

Tell them to stay back!  You’re contaminating me.  You’re killing me.  And you’re killing the children. 

 

ADAMA

What’s happening? 

 

(Michael collapses.  Apollo and Starbuck run to his assistance.)

 

SALIK

Hey, don’t touch him!  Don’t touch him!  You see, we’ve decontaminated the ship but not the people inside the support chambers.  Our bacteria—

 

CASSIOPEIA

(scanning)

It’s not contamination.  He can’t breathe.  It’s the atmosphere density. 

 

SALIK

All right, quickly, Starbuck and Apollo, get him to a decompression chamber, and then the three of you, you go to decontamination immediately. 

 

APOLLO

Let’s go.

 

SALIK

Cassie, lower his pressure to approximately one-fifth of our atmospheric pressure. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Where are you going?

 

SALIK

To check the others.  Commander. 

 

(Salik and Adama enter the spaceship and seize the arms of Sarah, who has just stood up but is having difficulty in the atmosphere.)

 

SALIK

Breath.

 

SARAH

Please!  Please don’t hurt them.  They’re only babies.

 

(In the life station, Michael and Sarah have been placed in life-support chambers.)

 

SALIK

It was our atmospheric pressure.  It’s substantially greater than wherever they come from, and it was literally crushing them alive. 

 

APOLLO

But they appear human. 

 

SALIK

Hmm.  We are adaptable.  They may have come from a planet where the air grew thinner over millenniums. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Or ours grew heavier. 

 

APOLLO

Either way, they’re not compatible with our environment. 

 

SALIK

Remove them from these decompression chambers and they will die. 

 

STARBUCK

(sighs)

 

(Adama’s quarters)

 

ADAMA

What a pity.  What a great, great pity.  To come so close, perhaps even to the very humans whose tribe we’ve been seeking.

 

TIGH

Perhaps there is some way we can sustain them until they regain enough strength to communicate with us. 

 

APOLLO

No!

 

TIGH

No?  With the lives of every man, woman, and child in this fleet so dependent on their answers?  Can Earth support us?  Is it sufficiently technologically advanced to help us ward off our enemies?  Can it protect itself from a Cylon invasion?  We can’t let them go.

 

APOLLO

I’m sorry, but the lives of those six people do not belong to us!  They must be allowed to continue on their journey!

 

ADAMA

Apollo, there’s no telling how long they’ve been in flight, and there’s no telling whether they will ever reach their destination. 

 

APOLLO

According to Dr. Salik, the power to their life-support systems at the time we intercepted them was almost depleted, which could mean they were very close to their destination.

 

SHEBA

Apollo, that’s possible, but what if they’re not?

 

APOLLO

It’s a chance we have to take.  Father, I believe this family is being directed to some planet, unknown to us, where I believe we might find the answers we desperately need. 

(sighs)

Father, that’s why I think Starbuck and I should escort them. 

 

ADAMA

If you were to reach this planet to which this ship is destined, as you say, what then?  Their physiology is so incompatible with ours.

 

APOLLO

Yes.  They cannot withstand the weight of our pressurization.  True.  But we’ve all experienced short terms in environments with far less pressure than our own.  Where they’re going, I believe we could survive, at least for the short term. 

 

ADAMA

(activates scanner)

Dr. Salik?

(Salik appears on screen)

Dr. Salik, I will not reiterate the conversation I’ve been having with my son.  Obviously, you have been conspiring, to put it kindly. 

 

SALIK

I merely expressed the facts to Apollo. 

 

ADAMA

Then let me understand you clearly.  These children cannot survive unless they are allowed to go to wherever their ship has been directed. 

 

SALIK

Unless you want to permanently imprison them in depressurized canisters, yeah.

 

ADAMA

Thank you, Doctor. 

(deactivates scanner)

 

SHEBA

(sighs)

You know, the Council will never approve your letting them go. 

 

APOLLO

We don’t have time for political debate. 

 

ADAMA

Wait.  Now, listen, all of you.  Suppose this were not a political situation.  Suppose it were a military situation. 

 

TIGH

Commander.

 

STARBUCK

Uh, uh, that’s right.  Ah, if you think about it, eh, these little beggars are the worst things we’ve seen since the Cylons.

 

APOLLO

That’s right.

 

TIGH

What?

 

STARBUCK

They gunned down one of our security guards right in front of my very eyes. 

 

TIGH

He’s perfectly all right; it was a stunning device.  Starbuck, they are children. 

 

STARBUCK

Uh, (clears throat) forgive me, Colonel, but I don’t think you’re getting into the spirit of the conversation, see.  If it’s dangerous, it’s military.   

 

ADAMA

And naturally, being military and dangerous, it would have to be reported to the Council. 

 

TIGH

Naturally.

 

APOLLO

And in the meantime, Starbuck and I will remove the fleet from any immediate danger by placing the hostile spaceship back on its original course. 

 

TIGH

Lord help us. 

 

SHEBA

Apollo, you can’t fool any reasonable person with this plan. 

 

STARBUCK

Um, we aren’t dealing with reasonable people. 

(scanner activates)

We’re dealing with bureauticians.

 

(Sire Geller appears on the screen.)

 

GELLER

Adama, the fleet is in a complete panic.  Apparently these so-called children fired on our security guards.  The Council wants to know what you plan to do about it. 

 

ADAMA

Extraordinary measures are being taken even now as we speak, Sire Geller. 

 

GELLER

I should think so.  I would like you to know we are not at all pleased with the way you’ve handled the situation.  Now, we want answers, and we want them fast.

 

(Screen deactivates.)

 

APOLLO

(sighs)

You heard him.  Your plan won’t work unless we move quickly. 

 

STARBUCK

Before their spaceship exhausts the fuel that she has left. 

 

ADAMA

Yes, it must be quickly.  Go.  Go with my blessings and the blessings of the Lords of Kobol.  Safe journey. 

 

(Apollo enters the life station.)

 

APOLLO

Any change?

 

SALIK

No change.  We’ve managed to stabilize the pressure, but we can only— (sighs) we can only hope that there’s no permanent damage. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Did you hear what the Council voted yet? 

 

APOLLO

Yes.  It literally condemns them to spending the rest of their lives in these chambers. 

 

(Starbuck enters.)

 

SALIK

If they live at all.

 

STARBUCK

Apollo, all clear? 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Is what all clear?

 

APOLLO

Ah, Starbuck, I—

 

STARBUCK

Listen, old buddy, this is no time to be subtle.

 

CASSIOPEIA

Subtle about what?

 

STARBUCK

We’re taking your patients. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Well, you’re not serious.  Starbuck, do you know what they can do to you? 

 

STARBUCK

They’ll have to catch us first. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Dr. Salik, you’ve got to stop them. 

 

SALIK

Don’t look at me, Cassiopeia.  I’m with them.  In fact, I’m going along to help monitor the equipment.

 

APOLLO

Uh, no, that we can’t allow, Doctor; you’re too essential here. 

 

SALIK

(looks at Cassiopeia)

Someone needs to monitor that equipment. 

 

APOLLO

We could use some help on board that ship.

 

CASSIOPEIA

But you’re asking me to mutiny right along with you.

 

STARBUCK

“Mutiny,” that’s a very harsh word. 

 

SALIK

Think of it as an act of mercy, Cassie.  I believe that what Starbuck and Apollo are about to do is the only chance these people have of surviving. 

 

(Having covered the chambers with blankets, Cassiopeia peers through a window into the landing bay, where Jolly and Reese are conversing.)

 

JOLLY

You’re sure you’re all right?

 

REESE

I’m all right, I’m all right.

 

CASSIOPEIA

There’re guards all over the place!

 

STARBUCK

Courage, Cassie, these are the times that test our mettle. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Yeah, but you’ve made a career out of risking yours.

 

APOLLO

Doctor, if you’re gonna help with this charade, I suggest you lead the way.  We’re all strictly med techs.  Let’s go. 

 

(They start bringing the chambers into the bay.)

 

APOLLO

Keep movin’.

 

REESE

Hold it!

 

APOLLO

I’ll take care of him.

 

STARBUCK

What are you gonna tell him?

 

APOLLO

I’ll let you know after I think of it. 

(to Reese)

Wouldn’t want to interfere with the, uh, orders from the Council of the Twelve, would ya? 

 

REESE

Where’re you goin’ with that decompression chamber? 

 

APOLLO

The ruling just came down.  The children are to be taken off the ship at once. 

 

REESE

Then you’ve lost, Apollo.

 

APOLLO

I don’t lose as long as those people remain alive.  Now, you keep those people from getting in the way.  Time is critical.  We’ve gotta transfer those children out of their life-support systems, into the portable chambers we’ve brought, just as quickly as possible. 

 

BOOMER

I, uh, don’t suppose you’d need any help making the transfer? 

 

APOLLO

Thanks, Boomer, but you’re much more valuable to us right here with Reese.  Make sure he’s able to control the crowd away from the ship. 

 

REESE

My men won’t have any trouble with crowd control. 

 

APOLLO

Good.  Then I’ll get back and help Dr. Salik. 

(goes to the spaceship)

 

REESE

He sure changed sides in a hurry. 

 

BOOMER

Yes.  I’m disappointed in him.  I thought he had more guts. 

 

REESE

Orders are orders.  Some people understand that. 

 

(inside the spaceship)

 

SALIK

If we can’t get their own suspension units to work, we’re going to have to leave them in ours. 

 

APOLLO

Doctor, all I can tell you is you’d better find a way to make their units work, ’cause if we don’t get back off this ship with those two decon chambers, those security guards will never let us out of this bay. 

 

STARBUCK

Apollo, I think we found some help.

 

MICHAEL

(exhales, sits up)

Who are you?  What do you want with us? 

 

STARBUCK

Look, we’re – we’re here to help you. 

 

MICHAEL

Help me?  My God, don’t you know what you’ve done to us?

 

APOLLO

We know.  We want to put you back on course. 

 

MICHAEL

(breathes with difficulty)

Sarah. 

 

SALIK

We just placed her back in her chamber.  Do you know how to make the unit work? 

 

(Michael adjusts controls.)

 

MICHAEL

Who are you?  Are you with the Eastern Alliance? 

 

APOLLO

What is this Alliance?

 

MICHAEL

How can you not know about the Alliance?  Who are you?  What is all this?

 

APOLLO

You’re from a planet called Terra.  Is that right?

 

MICHAEL

My people are.  I, Sarah, and the children were born on Lunar Seven.  That’s where we were escaping from.  But you know that, or else you wouldn’t have stopped us. 

 

STARBUCK

No, we stopped you because we didn’t know any better.  We hoped you could help us.  I’m Starbuck, that’s Apollo, Dr. Salik, and Cassiopeia.  We’re on your side. 

 

MICHAEL

I would like to believe that.  But this is just the sort of cruel game the Alliance would play.

 

APOLLO

It’s not a game.  We’re going to help you. 

 

MICHAEL

How?

 

APOLLO

Where were you bound for when we intercepted you? 

 

MICHAEL

I won’t tell you.

 

CASSIOPEIA

What’s your name?  What are you called on Lunar Seven?

 

MICHAEL

Michael. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Michael.  All we want to do is put you back on course.

 

MICHAEL

My ship knows its course!  All you have to do is put it in space!  It’s pre-programmed!

 

APOLLO

We’ll do that if you’ll help us.

 

MICHAEL

Who are you? 

 

STARBUCK

People from another world.

 

MICHAEL

What?

 

APOLLO

A shattered world.  We’re refugees.  We’re searching for a way to protect our people. 

 

MICHAEL

(laughs)

How much of this do you think I can believe?

 

CASSIOPEIA

Michael, it’s all true.

 

APOLLO

One more thing.  Do you know the course back to Lunar Seven? 

 

MICHAEL

No.  We are never going back there.

 

APOLLO

But you must know.  Somebody must know.  Maybe on the planet you were heading for.

 

MICHAEL

Look, whoever you are, you don’t want to go to Lunar Seven.  The destroyers will annihilate you before you get halfway there.

 

STARBUCK

Apollo, we have to get outta here fast. 

 

APOLLO

I know.  All right, Michael, I’m responsible for pulling you into our ship and off your course.  I want to correct that.  But if we don’t get you outta here and back into space within the next few centons, it’s gonna be all over.  You and your party will never get off this ship. 

 

MICHAEL

Centons?

 

STARBUCK

Either you trust us or we’re gonna have to keep you here.

 

APOLLO

Are you well enough to fly this bird?

 

SALIK

He could go back into compression at any time. 

 

APOLLO

It’s the only way we can guarantee our escape.

 

MICHAEL

Wait a minute!  This is all happening too fast!  Why do you want to help me escape?  I-i-if you’re not from the Eastern Alliance, then who—?

 

CASSIOPEIA

Doctor, we’re running out of time.  I’d like to keep him in the chamber till the last possible centon. 

 

SALIK

Right. 

(clears throat) 

It could be the only possible way.

 

APOLLO

We’ll offload one chamber and say we’re sending for more for the other children. 

 

STARBUCK

Good idea.

 

SALIK

Right.

 

CASSIOPEIA

You guys act like you’re enjoying all this intrigue.  I’m scared to death!

 

SALIK

Oh, Cassie!  Michael, please, we must get you back in your decompression chamber. 

 

MICHAEL

I don’t know who you are, but it sounds to me like we have a lot in common. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

We’re all human. 

 

(Starbuck and Apollo move a covered empty chamber out of the ship and into the landing bay.)

 

APOLLO

Boomer!  Jolly!  If they can spare you, we need help getting two more chambers. 

 

REESE

(to Boomer)

We don’t need your help. 

 

BOOMER

Thanks.

 

(in the corridor)

 

BOOMER

All right, I give up.  What’s goin’ on?

 

APOLLO

We’re takin’ that ship outta here, with all her passengers.

 

JOLLY

Holy—!

 

STARBUCK

That’s right.  And when that ship fires up, you two are gonna see that Security doesn’t try to stop her.

 

BOOMER

Who’s gonna be in it?

 

APOLLO

Michael and Cassie.

 

BOOMER

Who?

 

APOLLO

Boomer, we don’t have time to explain.  Jolly, go get another chamber and drop it off next to the bacteria trap where you’ll find this one parked.  And then wait for all Hades to break loose when you hear those engines fire. 

 

JOLLY

Got it. 

 

BOOMER

What about you two?

 

APOLLO

We’re heading for our ships.  We’re flying escort. 

 

BOOMER

I hope you know what you’re doin’.

 

APOLLO

We’re gonna learn everything we came to learn.  We’re one step closer to Earth, Boomer.  We’re gonna protect it. 

 

(inside the spaceship)

 

BOOMER

Here comes Jolly.

 

APOLLO (over headset)

Blue Leader One.  We’re ready.

 

CASSIOPEIA

All right, stand by.  Okay, this is it, Michael, you’ve gotta fly us out of here. 

 

MICHAEL

All right, I feel fine. 

(to Boomer)

Now, aren’t you going with us?

 

CASSIOPEIA

No, he’s gonna cover your escape.

 

MICHAEL

Huh?

 

BOOMER

I’m Lieutenant Boomer, Michael.  You better get your ship fired up and get outta here fast.  We don’t know how long we’ll be able to keep ’em back. 

 

MICHAEL

All right, thanks. 

 

SALIK

Good luck, Michael.  Good luck, Cassiopeia. 

 

(The ship fires up its engine as Salik, Boomer, and Jolly remove the other empty chamber into the landing bay.)

 

REESE

What’s goin’ on aboard that ship?

 

SALIK

Officer, get out of the way.  I have to get these children to the life station as quickly as possible.

 

REESE

Who fired the engine?

 

BOOMER

Orders from the bridge.  We’re to jettison her to avoid further contamination, right, Doctor? 

 

SALIK

That’s right.

 

REESE

(draws his weapon)

All right, you two!  I don’t know what you’re up to, but I’ve had just about all I’m gonna take from you.  Now, step aside! 

 

BOOMER

(sighs)

 

JOLLY

Uh, Reese, now, you’re endangering the lives of these children!  I – Now, surely not even you’re that cruel.

 

(Reese uncovers the chambers and finds they are empty.)

 

BOOMER

Jolly, you forgot the kids!

 

JOLLY

(sighs)

 

(The ship starts to launch.)

 

REESE

Halt!  In the name of the Council, I order you to stop!

 

BOOMER

Don’t fire into that ship!  You’ll take out the whole landing bay!  You are in trouble, Officer! 

 

(Sire Geller arrives in the landing bay, accompanied by Adama.)

 

GELLER

Who’s in charge here? 

 

REESE

I am, sir. 

 

GELLER

Well, what’s all this about?  Where has that ship gone? 

 

REESE

Well, sir, it was decided that to avoid any further chance of contamination, that it be jettisoned.

 

GELLER

And who decided that?  Do you realize the wealth of technological opportunities for learning that were on that ship? 

 

ADAMA

Absolutely correct, Sire Geller.  It’s an appalling situation. 

 

GELLER

Very well, then get it back!  Get it back!

 

ADAMA

Boomer, have Starbuck and Apollo take after that ship and bring it back, immediately, if they can.

 

BOOMER

(nods)

 

GELLER

Starbuck and Apollo?  Well, do we have to have that pair?

 

ADAMA

Uh – well, they’re already in the bay, ready to launch on a routine patrol.  It’s our only chance.

 

GELLER

Oh, very well.  Very well, give the orders.  Well, Dr. Salik!

 

SALIK

Yes!

 

GELLER

What are you doing here?

 

SALIK

Me? 

 

GELLER

Well, I thought you’d be at the life station monitoring the humans. 

 

SALIK

You overruled me on the case.  I’m no longer in charge.  Don’t you remember?

 

ADAMA

Ah, I think I’d better see that they’re launched myself. 

 

SALIK

Yeh.  You’ll excuse us.

 

(Adama and Salik leave.)

 

GELLER

If he’s no longer on the case, what’s he doing here?  What are those chambers doing in the bay?  What is going on here? 

 

REESE

(clears throat)

 

(Starbuck and Apollo launch.)

 

APOLLO

We’ll begin taking sleep periods to conserve our strength.  There’s no telling how far off that ship’s destination may be.  Set your breathers for minimum to conserve. 

 

STARBUCK

All right, but I’m too excited to be sleepy. 

 

APOLLO

Starbuck, this trip could be endless. 

 

STARBUCK

Meaning none of us may make it?  Eh, remind me to invite you to my next party.  You’re a lot of fun.  Going into sleep mode.

 

(Adama’s quarters)

 

ADAMA

(recording log)

The ships have been gone for almost a secton now, and still no word.  The Council has asked me to appear before them for an inquiry. 

 

(Inside the spaceship, Cassiopeia is awakened by a communication.)

 

CONTROL VOICE

Paradeen Control Center to Lunar Shuttle Avion.  We have you on visual.  Do you read? 

 

RECORDED VOICE

This is Lunar Avion responding.  We have you on visual.  All systems are operative and in standby mode. 

 

CONTROL VOICE

Excellent, Lunar Avion.  You are twenty hours behind our ETA.  What is your support status? 

 

(Vipers in space)

 

RECORDED VOICE

We are within tolerances to rendezvous.  Thank you. 

 

STARBUCK

Apollo, am I hearing voices, or am – am I still in sleep period?

 

APOLLO

No, I’m hearing them.  My scanner says that at least one of them is coming from the shuttle we’re escorting. 

 

STARBUCK

We’re approaching that land mass dead ahead at a very dangerous clip.  Cassiopeia.  Cassiopeia, do you read me? 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Yes.  Yes, Starbuck, I do, uh—   The portable receiver you placed on board is working just fine. 

 

APOLLO

But who on board your ship is talking?

 

CASSIOPEIA

I haven’t the slightest idea.  There’s just me and all these instruments. 

 

APOLLO

Have they altered since departure? 

 

CASSIOPEIA

No, but they’re—

(Michael gets out of his tube)

What are you doing up?  You shouldn’t be up, should you? 

 

MICHAEL

Yes, it’s all right.  The ship has begun to adjust to the pressure on Paradeen.  Captain Apollo.

 

APOLLO

Michael?

 

MICHAEL

Yes.  I’m fine now.  This ship is proceeding in on automatic.  The voices you’re hearing are computers from the former base we had here.  If you’ll just follow us down, you’ll be safe. 

 

APOLLO

What former base?

 

MICHAEL

There’s nothing left on Paradeen.  Nothing but Sarah’s father and a place for the children.

 

APOLLO

Why are you telling me this now?  We’ll have plenty of time to talk down on the surface. 

 

MICHAEL

I wanted to be honest with you.  We’ve arranged to destroy the homing transmitter as soon as we’re down.  We have to.  It’s to protect us.

 

APOLLO

Michael, are you saying you’re going to destroy the coordinates back to Lunar Seven? 

 

MICHAEL

I have no choice, Captain Apollo.  They could be following us right now. 

 

APOLLO

Cassiopeia, stop him!  Don’t let him touch anything!

 

MICHAEL

There’s nothing you can do, Cassiopeia.  It’s all being done down on Paradeen.  I’ll be saving your lives as well as ours.

 

CASSIOPEIA

From whom?

 

MICHAEL

The Eastern Alliance.

 

(Eastern Alliance destroyer)

 

KREBBS

Commandant?

 

LEITER

Yes, Krebbs.

 

KREBBS

The small craft which escaped from Lunar Seven a month ago.

 

LEITER

Oh, yes, Destroyer Two reported the incident.  Nothing more than some children, a farmer, a young girl.  Has the ship entered our zone?

 

KREBBS

I’m not certain, Commandant.  My readout clearly matches the ship from Lunar Seven. 

 

LEITER

How far away? 

 

KREBBS

Twenty thousand kilometers, heading for the planet Paradeen. 

 

LEITER

Too far away to go to any bother over children.  We’ll stop off when we complete our patrol circuit and deal with them then. 

 

KREBBS

Sir, there’s more than one ship. 

 

LEITER

More than one?  But the report—

 

KREBBS

I think you’d better see this screen, sir. 

 

LEITER

Can you identify them?

 

KREBBS

No, sir.  I have never seen flying craft remotely similar.  The analyzer cannot compute their power function. 

 

LEITER

What are you talking about?

 

KREBBS

They aren’t using a source of power familiar to the computer.

 

LEITER

But this is imposs—  Whatever you do, Krebbs, do not lose contact with those ships.

 

KREBBS

Sir.

 

LEITER

Lanceman, replot a course for the planet Paradeen. 

 

LANCEMAN

Commandant, we are due on Lunar Nine in three days.  If we don’t—

 

LEITER

I said to set a course for Paradeen.  Star speed.

 

LANCEMAN

Star speed?

 

LEITER

Star speed and battle-ready. 

 

LANCEMAN

Yes, sir.

 

(The shuttle and Vipers land on Paradeen and are met by Hector and Vector in hovercraft ground transports.)

 

VECTOR

I’m Vector, and this is my son.

 

HECTOR

Hector. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

(laughs)

 

HECTOR

Father, I thought we were expecting small children. 

 

VECTOR

Now do you see, you half-witted fugitive from the plastic factory?  You have misprogrammed their slumber chambers.  Oh!  They’ve all grown up. 

(indicating Apollo and Starbuck in turn) 

This one must be little Walker, and this one, with the big long hair, must be Charity.  Oh! what a great big beautiful girl. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

(laughs again)

 

APOLLO

(laughs)

 

HECTOR

Father, I know you had to build me with scraps you had on hand, but even I can tell this is not a female of the species.

 

STARBUCK

Uh, thanks.

 

MICHAEL

(laughs)

 

VECTOR

By Jove, you’re right! 

(draws gun)

 

STARBUCK

Oh.

 

VECTOR

Who are these people? 

 

MICHAEL

Vector, since when do androids carry weapons? 

 

VECTOR

Oh, don’t be alarmed, Master Michael.  Sarah’s father armed us when the hostilities broke out. 

 

SARAH

Hostilities?

 

VECTOR

Oh, they’re over now.  However, I think we ought to get back to the ranch as soon as possible. 

 

HECTOR

Yes, father is correct.  The temperature drops quite low at night, and we know how fragile you humans are. 

 

SARAH

Is the ranch where we’ll find my father? 

 

VECTOR

Yes, Miss Sarah. 

 

SARAH

I’ll get the children. 

 

APOLLO

This place Paradeen, whose colony is it exactly?  

 

HECTOR

Why, Terra’s, of course, but just who are you not to know that?

 

VECTOR

Be civil, Hector, or I’ll break you back down into spare parts! 

 

HECTOR

Father, we must be careful.  Our programming did not cover guests, if that’s what they are. 

 

VECTOR

For once you are correct, Hector.  But we’ll sort this all out back at the ranch. 

 

(The group arrives at the ranch house in the transports.)

 

SARAH

This is your new home. 

 

CHARITY

Do I get my own room?

 

MELANIE

Me too?

 

TODD

And me?

 

MICHAEL

All right, kids, now, be patient.  Find out what Sarah’s father has prepared for us. 

 

(The children run into the house along with Sarah.)

 

VECTOR

Oh, Miss Sarah! 

 

APOLLO

It’s a nice dwelling.  Did Sarah’s father build it? 

 

HECTOR

Well, he started it, but my father and I finished it. 

 

SARAH

(runs back out of house)

Michael!

 

MICHAEL

Yes.

 

SARAH

I can’t find my father.  Now, surely he knew we were coming. 

 

MICHAEL

Hector?  Why didn’t Sarah’s father meet us here?

 

HECTOR

Father.

 

VECTOR

He – he – he couldn’t be here. 

 

MICHAEL

Why not?

 

SARAH

Michael.

 

VECTOR

Well—

 

MICHAEL

Go ahead, Vector.  Explain yourself.

 

VECTOR

Well, maybe it would be easier if I show you. 

 

(The androids show Sarah the grave marker of John Russell Fowler.)

 

SARAH

Nooo!  Daddy!

(sobs uncontrollably, then to Michael)

It’s your fault!  You, my father, all of you!  You’re so drunk with your sciences!  What do we get for it – death?  More death? 

(runs away sobbing)

Daddy! 

 

VECTOR

An unfortunate circumstance.  But actually, Master Michael, I’m sure that we can provide for Sarah and her children a very good life. 

 

HECTOR

A little lonely, maybe.

 

VECTOR

Hush up, Hector. 

(to Michael)

He’s sore because I didn’t build him any brothers and sisters. 

 

HECTOR

A girl is what I really want. 

 

VECTOR

If I had parts for a woman, I’d build one for myself.  Hm!  Well, let’s get into the house, before the humans freeze. 

 

(Inside, Sarah sits in a room brooding as the children run around the house whooping, yelling, and playing.)

 

MICHAEL

Hey, hey, kids, kids.

 

MELANIE

Hey, Starbuck, help me.

 

MICHAEL

Melanie, come here. 

 

STARBUCK

Hey! 

 

MICHAEL

Come here.  Come on.  Where is Sarah?  Grab Sarah, please.   

(Starbuck and Cassiopeia herd the children into another room amid shouts, laughter, and general chaos)

Okay. 

(to Apollo)

I must apologize.  They’ve been under for so long, I’m afraid they’re gonna stay awake all night.

 

APOLLO

They won’t bother us.  They need the exercise. 

(Michael laughs)

But I think it’s time we got down to some serious business.

 

HECTOR

Wait. 

(laughs)

Nothing serious until we’ve given you our coming-home present. 

 

VECTOR

(produces an object resembling a laserdisc)

It belonged to Sarah’s father.  It was his pride and joy, rescued from the glory days of Terra.  Ohh, it was a – contains the most beautiful artists in all of Terra, and when you see them—

 

SARAH

(comes into room)

No!  I’m sorry, but we’ve purposely kept the children from seeing the sights of Terra. 

 

HECTOR

Oh, but they’re wonderful.  Father promised me one day I might go there. 

 

MICHAEL

Mm, Hector, Vector, thank you.  I know you meant well, but you have to understand the children can never go there. 

 

APOLLO

Pressurization?

 

SARAH

Another of science’s great mistakes. 

 

MICHAEL

Sarah, I think it’s time that you stop blaming technology for all of man’s sins.  I think it’s obvious that it’s not the tools.  It’s what we did with them. 

 

SARAH

(clicks tongue)

Except for sending families to faraway planets to grow food for Terra, not realizing that children born there can never come home. 

 

APOLLO

Your systems were born to an atmospheric pressure which was one-fifth that of your home planet?

 

MICHAEL

Exactly.  Even Sarah and I were born on Lunar Seven and we can’t go home, although I haven’t sheltered my child from all knowledge of Terra, as she has with her children.

 

APOLLO

Her – children?  I – I – I thought you and, uh, Sarah were, uh—

 

MICHAEL

No.  You see, the oldest girl is my daughter.  The rest are hers. 

 

(Starbuck and Cassiopeia come back in with Todd, Charity, and Melanie.)

 

SARAH

My husband was a farmer before he was killed.  I wouldn’t marry a technocrat if he were the last man in the world. 

 

TODD
Can we see some pictures of Terra? 

 

SARAH

I said no.

 

VECTOR

Ohh.

 

MELANIE

Please?  It’s so beautiful. 

 

VECTOR

Sarah, every night when Hector and your father and myself finished building this house, your father would take us inside and show us a song and a dance that they used to do at the Royal Theatre on Terra.  Now, if we were to perform that for you, with the music only and no picture, would that be all right? 

 

SARAH

(with a slight laugh)

I suppose so. 

 

VECTOR

Ah!  Ladies and gentlemen, Hector and I will now perform the selfsame dance that was performed at the Royal Theatre on Terra!  Or a reasonable facsimile. 

 

MICHAEL

Come on, sit down.  Ahh.

 

STARBUCK

(wrangling Charity onto his lap)

Okay, here we are.  All right.

(sighs while all get situated)

 

(The androids perform the song and dance while the humans laugh occasionally.)

 

HECTOR and VECTOR

(singing)

We’re farmland inspectors,

We’re homestead protectors,

We see that things run here much bettera.

 

HECTOR

Bettera!

 

VECTOR

If you think he looks punk,

It’s because he is junk

I made up from spare parts and et cetera!

 

HECTOR

He’s old and he’s crusty,

His brain is so rusty,

He’s often been caught in the rain.

 

VECTOR

Though my voice is quite squeaky,

And he calls my joints creaky,

I love the dear lad just the same!

 

(The humans applaud and cheer.)

 

VECTOR

Thank you.  Thank you.

 

MICHAEL

Okay, kids, come on.  Time to go to bed.

 

CASSIOPEIA

Okay, time for bed.

 

CHILDREN

Awwww.

 

(general chatter)

 

CASSIOPEIA

Time for bed.

 

MELANIE

Ohh, do we have to?

 

STARBUCK

Listen, if you promise to go to bed, I’ll t— if I tell you a story first?

 

TODD, MELANIE, CHARITY

Yeah!

 

STARBUCK

All right.  Let me tell you about the time I was surrounded by Cylons, you see—

 

TODD

What’s a Cylon?

 

STARBUCK

There were Cylons in front of me, Cylons behind me. 

 

(Eastern Alliance destroyer)

 

KREBBS

No question, all three ships have landed on the surface of Paradeen. 

 

DONNER

Commandant!  The homing signal from Paradeen has stopped. 

 

LEITER

Donner, how long will it take a communiqué to reach Terra from our present location?

 

DONNER

At least two months, sir. 

 

LEITER

And if we use the lightwave relay station from Lunar Seven?

 

DONNER

I’m afraid it was knocked out by sabotage, Commander. 

 

LEITER

What’s the matter with those incompetents on Destroyer Two?  Can’t they maintain order on a defunct planet?  It’s not going to happen on Paradeen. 

 

(in the ranch house)

 

MICHAEL

Hector, Vector, thank you.  Not just for the song and the dance, but for preparing this home for us, and most importantly, destroying that homing device so we can live here safely.

 

HECTOR

Oh, my goodness, Master Michael.  In all the excitement, we let you down.

 

MICHAEL

What? 

 

VECTOR

W—we— we didn’t get a chance to destroy the homing advice, as you ordered. 

 

MICHAEL

Oh, Vector, that could very well be the end of us all.  If there’re destroyers in our area, they could home right in on us!

 

HECTOR

I waited at the control center for you for hours and hours, but you never came. 

 

MICHAEL

Oh, Vector.

(sighs)

Our ship was delayed by these people.  Hector, I want you to go straight to the control center and I want you to destroy that homing device this very minute!

 

APOLLO

Hold it.  You can’t do that.  We saw you safely to your destination; now you owe it to us to help us find Lunar Seven. 

 

VECTOR

Lunar Seven?  Is he out of his mind? 

 

HECTOR

He must be.  Who would want to go there? 

 

VECTOR

(draws gun and points it at Apollo)

Hector!  Carry out Master Michael’s order.  Destroy the homing device! 

 

APOLLO

(sighs)

Well, thanks for nothing.  You just traded six lives for six thousand.

 

MICHAEL

Apollo, I think it’s time that we explain the facts of life to one another.  Whatever harm you think I’ve done your people, you’re wrong.  It would be dangerous on Terra or Lunar Seven, and as soon as you can go warn your people about the Eastern Alliance, the better. 

 

APOLLO

Would you please explain this Eastern Alliance to me?

 

MICHAEL

I think it’s time we told each other everything, and see where we go from there.  Terra was a planet of many nations, and finally it came down to two sides, East and West.  A struggle for food and – and resources and a military might to take whatever they wanted from the other. 

 

APOLLO

And the West lost.

 

MICHAEL

No.  The war continues, but the East has been systematically destroying our satellite planets, the very planets that we’ve established to feed our people.

 

(Sarah, who has been listening from the bedroom, sneaks out a window.  Melanie and Charity see this and follow her.)

 

(Eastern Alliance destroyer)

 

LEITER

Estimated time of arrival on Paradeen?

 

LANCEMAN

In six hours, Commandant, but at this rate we are burning fuel so rapidly that—

 

LEITER

Thank you.  Continue at this rate until further notice.

 

(At dawn on Paradeen, Michael comes out of the house to see Walker and Charity sitting on the steps.)

 

MICHAEL

(to Charity)

How are you, sweetheart?

(approaches Todd and Melanie, who are on horseback and supervised by Apollo)

Good morning! 

 

APOLLO

Morning. 

 

MICHAEL

You’re up early. 

 

APOLLO

The children were anxious to get outside and play.  I thought maybe I could keep them quiet so you and Sarah could get some rest. 

(takes a deep breath and exhales)

 

MICHAEL

Well, I believe it’s gonna take more than rest.  You see, her father was all Sarah had.  He was quite a man, as you can see from what he’s built.

 

APOLLO

(sighs)

It’s beautiful here. 

 

MICHAEL

Yes, but what kind of life is it gonna be for the children?  Sarah and I here alone on a strange planet – how are we gonna survive alone?

 

APOLLO

Don’t forget Hector and Vector.  Seems they did most of this themselves.  It’s incredible.  There’s a lot worth living for here. 

 

MICHAEL

Well, let’s hope so. 

(looks around)

Where’s your friends?

 

APOLLO

Oh, they’re out exploring the surrounding area. 

(tsks)

There’s a lot we need to know about this place, and about the culture on Terra that built it.

 

MICHAEL

Apollo, forget about Terra.  I told you, it’s no place to take your people.

 

APOLLO

Michael, in our language “Terra” is a word sometimes used by an ancient race to refer to Earth.  Have you ever heard Terra called “Earth”?

 

MICHAEL

Yes, but it’s also a term used to refer to the soil, other planets in our galaxy with similar environments—  You have to understand, it’s a common belief with us that we all stem from the same tree. 

(Sarah comes outside)

Good morning.

 

SARAH

May I speak with you alone, Captain Apollo? 

 

APOLLO

(to Michael)

Excuse me. 

 

MICHAEL

Certainly.

 

(Sarah takes Apollo aside.)

 

SARAH

I want you to stay on with us.

 

APOLLO

(laughs)

I’d like to, but my people are searching for Earth.  Could mean the difference between life and death for us, and the people on Earth. 

 

SARAH

Apollo, you can’t leave me alone here. 

 

APOLLO

Sarah, you have Michael and the children here. 

 

SARAH

It’s Michael I don’t want to be left alone with.  I don’t love him.  We were forced together out of necessity.  My father needed some help in hiding us on Lunar Seven while I made preparations here, and in return he was gonna make room for Michael and his little daughter. 

 

APOLLO

Well, it sounds as if Michael has lived up to his end of the bargain. 

 

SARAH

The bargain wasn’t my idea.  I don’t know what my father had in mind, but as you can see, there’s only one house.

 

APOLLO

Well, there, you see?  You don’t even have a place for me. 

(laughs)

 

SARAH

I might be willing to make certain allowances. 

 

APOLLO

Sarah, you don’t even know me.  I mean, for all you know I could be the worst scavenger in the entire universe, or a spy, or a saboteur.  Who knows? 

(laughs)

 

SARAH

I know you well enough to know I like you. 

 

APOLLO

And I like you. 

(sighs)

But, Sarah, I – even if it weren’t for the mission, I don’t—

(sighs)

I don’t love you.  At least not yet. 

(laughs helplessly)

 

SARAH

But in time you could.  I’ve seen the way you’ve looked at me.  If you just give me half a chance—

 

APOLLO

(sighs)

What are we talkin’ about here?  This is impossible.

(laughs)

I gotta leave here, and soon.

(sighs)

 

SARAH

And if you weren’t able to? 

 

APOLLO

What’s that supposed to mean?

 

SARAH

You don’t know about the Alliance.  You don’t know what you’re heading into, and how well off you could be here, with me.

 

(Starbuck and Hector arrive in one of the transports.)

 

STARBUCK

(standing up in moving vehicle)

Apollo!  You won’t believe it!  We’re in business! 

 

APOLLO

Starbuck. 

 

STARBUCK

Oh, I – I feel dizzy.

 

APOLLO

Sit down, sit down.  Take it easy.  Take it easy, nice and slow.  You’re forgetting how thin the air is here.  Cassie, some air here on the double!

 

STARBUCK

I saw this whole city, Apollo, I mean big, modern.  It’s beautiful. 

 

APOLLO

Did everybody who landed on Lunar Seven also have delusions?

 

MICHAEL

Not like this.

 

STARBUCK

Wait, w-wait.  Delusions?  What delusions?  I mean – uh – Cassie, would you get that felgercarb out of my face?

 

VECTOR

No.  He’s not having any delusions.  About the city, I mean.

 

APOLLO

A huge city here?  I thought you said this was just a remote farming community.

 

MICHAEL

Uh, I don’t know.  Look, you have to understand, we’ve been living under a very oppressive government.  Information from one outpost to the other is always discouraged.  The less people knew, the less they were discontent with their conditions. 

 

HECTOR

It’s really very simple.  The people were destroyed.  The buildings weren’t.  They’re as good as new. 

 

STARBUCK

Neutron or bacterial weaponry? 

 

APOLLO

Nice.  Destroy the people who produce the food and the products and leave all the hardware for after they win the war. 

 

MICHAEL

Then they are planning to come back. 

 

STARBUCK

Who says they’re gonna win the war?  You’ve never seen a battlestar before.

 

MICHAEL

Starbuck, you’d have to be pretty powerful to beat the Alliance.

 

STARBUCK

Ah, we’re not so bad.  And so far I haven’t seen anything you’ve got that’s as advanced as our stuff.

 

APOLLO

But we can’t help them unless we get some tangible information back to the fleet.  Now, this city, if it was left intact, must have records, things we could use to plot this area of the universe. 

 

(Sarah walks away.)

 

MICHAEL

Sarah!  Where’re you going?  This is good news! 

(Sarah picks up Walker and carries him into the house; Michael sighs)

I don’t understand women.  Apollo, what did she say to you? 

 

APOLLO

I, uh, I think she’s just having a hard time making the adjustment, that’s all.

 

VECTOR

See how much trouble I spared you, not making a woman for you?

 

HECTOR

I thought you said you didn’t have the parts.

 

VECTOR

We’ll talk about that later.  I believe Apollo would like to explore the city. 

 

APOLLO

(sighs)

Starbuck, you’ve already been there.  I want you to go back with Hector here and see if you can find a library or a scientific center, something we can use to find Lunar Seven. 

 

STARBUCK

Well, what are you gonna do?

 

APOLLO

I want to go back to the ships and get our signal back to the Galactica, warn them about this Alliance.  If there’s destroyers cruising this system, they’d better know about it.

 

STARBUCK

Right.  Come on, Hector.  Cassie, you wanna come too?

 

CASSIOPEIA

I’m dying to!

 

APOLLO

No. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Why?

 

APOLLO

I need you.  I’ll explain later.  Shove off, Starbuck.

 

VECTOR

Now, just one minute!

 

(Apollo draws his laser and Vector yells in fright.)

 

APOLLO

Vector, I want to show you something, okay?  You see that barrel down there? 

(fires his laser at a barrel, which explodes)

 

VECTOR

Oooooh-ho!  Good heavens!

 

APOLLO

Now, there’ll be no more stopping us from getting all the information we need here to save our people, okay?

 

VECTOR

Um, Master Michael?

 

MICHAEL

It’s all right, Vector. 

(to Apollo)

After what you told me last night, you don’t have to worry about me interfering with you or your people any more.  I don’t have the right.

 

APOLLO

Thank you.  All right, Starbuck, take off. 

 

STARBUCK

Hit it, Hector.

(Hector punches the dashboard)

No, no, no, drive. 

(Vector raps Hector on the head)

Once around the planet.

 

HECTOR

Okay. 

(drives off)

 

MICHAEL

Vector, I want you to take Apollo to his flying machine. 

 

VECTOR

Master Michael, whatever you say.

 

(The children run outside.)

 

MELANIE

Can I go with you too, Mr. Apollo?

 

CHARITY

And me?

 

TODD
And me and Walker?

 

MELANIE

Oh, please?

 

MICHAEL

All right, kids, kids, don’t—

 

APOLLO

(laughs)

No, it’s all right, Michael, it’s their new home.  It was too dark to see anything last night.  Go jump in the hovercraft! 

(laughs again)

 

TODD

Yahoo!

 

CASSIOPEIA

Now, if you don’t mind, I feel about as useful as a meteor storm.  What’s going on?

 

APOLLO

I want you to stay close to Michael. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

You don’t trust him?

 

APOLLO

I’ll explain it later.  Just spend a lot of time with him.  I mean really get close. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Okay, if you think it’s important.

 

APOLLO

Believe me, it’s important.

 

MICHAEL

(to children)

All right.  Now, hold on tight. 

 

APOLLO

Okay, ready!

 

MICHAEL

All right, kids, kids, settle down.  Have fun, kids.

 

APOLLO

Hang on!

 

(They drive off.)

 

MICHAEL

Apollo’s quite a guy.

 

CASSIOPEIA

Uh-huh. 

 

MICHAEL

Are you two, uh—

 

CASSIOPEIA

Oh, no, no.  Oh, I’m completely available.  Come to think of it, I’ve got, uh, an excuse to spend a little bit of time with you. 

 

MICHAEL

Oh?  What’s that?

 

CASSIOPEIA

Uh, I’m a medical technician, and I want to hear everything you know about the state of Terra’s medical technology.

 

MICHAEL

Oh.  I’ll be happy to tell you all I can.  Huh.  But let’s not do it up at the house.  Sarah goes crazy when she hears scientific talk. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Oh, yeah.

 

MICHAEL

Tell you what – why don’t we talk in the barn while I’m feedin’ the animals?

 

CASSIOPEIA

Okay.

(takes his arm and giggles, while Sarah watches from a window)

 

(Starbuck and Hector explore the city.)

 

HECTOR

It was beautiful, once upon a time. 

 

STARBUCK

Still is.

 

HECTOR

Uh, I mean with all the children laughing and playing, the music, the science.  It was as fine as any city on Terra.  So I’m told. 

 

STARBUCK

I don’t believe this. 

 

HECTOR

The waste of it all.  Why can’t man get along with man? 

 

STARBUCK

And that, Hector, is the question.

 

HECTOR

I know.  I have asked it many times.  M-my father has tried to explain it to me, but, uh, (laughs) I guess I am a little slow. 

 

STARBUCK

You two make quite a pair, you and your father.  For androids patterned in man’s image, I’m not so sure you didn’t get the best end of the deal. 

 

HECTOR

I consider that a great compliment. 

 

STARBUCK

I’ve never understood it. 

 

HECTOR

What, Starbuck?

 

STARBUCK

Well, we can provide just about everything we need to give our brothers a good life.

 

HECTOR

Yes, you humans are very resourceful.  I believe you can do anything you set out to do in all the stars.

 

STARBUCK

Then why don’t we? 

 

HECTOR

(laughs)

You asked me, hmm?  Why, on Terra I doubt if I’d be given a license to operate.  I am just a collage of spare parts. 

 

STARBUCK

(laughs)

Well, I could use a few just like you. 

 

HECTOR

What would you do with us?

 

STARBUCK

Oh, uh, I don’t know, it, uh—  Probably put you on the Council of the Twelve. 

 

HECTOR
Ah! 

 

STARBUCK

Start a world that reacts to logic, instead of, eh, passion, greed, jealousy.

 

HECTOR

Ah, that makes sense.

 

STARBUCK

Yeah.  Well, you can disregard it.  Whatever’s logical and, eh, and in the interests of all mankind, we’ll do exactly the opposite, hm.  Listen, Vector— 

 

HECTOR

Hector.

 

STARBUCK

Oh.

(laughs)

Sorry.  Listen, is – is there any place else that we haven’t looked yet?

 

HECTOR

Not that you could get to. 

 

STARBUCK

What do you mean by that?

 

HECTOR

Well, there were archives, vaults, where special data was stored.

 

STARBUCK

Hector, th-that’s what we want!  Let’s go! 

 

HECTOR

S— No, Starbuck, it’s deep beneath the city.  The air there – I believe that all the death and decay has rendered it practically unbreathable. 

 

STARBUCK

We came to find records.  Now, let’s go. 

 

HECTOR

Wait, Starbuck!  Starbuck, you must take it slow! 

 

STARBUCK

Hector! 

 

(Eastern Alliance destroyer)

 

LANCEMAN

Commandant, we have the planet Paradeen on visual.

 

LEITER

Oh, very good.  Land away from the three ships that preceded us here. 

 

LANCEMAN

Yes, sir.

 

(Apollo’s hovercraft arrives near the landing field.)

 

APOLLO

There’s somebody down at our ships. 

 

VECTOR

Oh, that’s just the Morelands.  They live over the hill from us.

 

APOLLO

I thought this planet was deserted.

 

VECTOR

Oh, no.  There are still a few farmers left who lived beyond the city when the Eastern Alliance destroyed Paradeen.  They don’t live well, but they’re alive. 

 

APOLLO

Well, they shouldn’t be fooling around with our ships.  Let’s go down there.

 

DOYLE

Mr. Moreland!  Look here! 

(Josh and Aggie Moreland approach one of the Vipers)

Have you ever seen the likes? 

 

JOSH

Well, there’s no question about it.  The Alliance are back.  And what do we do now?

 

DOYLE

It may be too late to do anything. 

(indicating the approaching hovercraft)

 

APOLLO

Vector, where’d you learn to drive?  Kids, get down out of sight in case there’s trouble. 

(gets out of vehicle)

You the Morelands?

 

JOSH

Well, who wants to know?

 

APOLLO

I mean you no harm, but I’d like you to climb down off that ship.

 

JOSH

You don’t look like the Alliance.

 

APOLLO

I’m not. 

 

DOYLE

Well, those duds don’t look look Westlike.  What’s left?

 

VECTOR

They’re from Galac—

(Apollo stops him)

 

APOLLO

We’re from Lunar Seven.  We escaped to, uh, bring a family here to Paradeen. 

 

JOSH

Oh?  Well, how’d you get by the federal garrison there?

 

VECTOR

The garrison has been eliminated.  The Eastern Alliance now patrols this entire area with their destroyers.

 

JOSH

I know all about those destroyers.  They can spot the flight of a gnat across a million star miles. 

 

DOYLE

Or the arrival of unwelcome settlers on a forbidden outpost. 

 

AGGIE

Why don’t we just tell them to go, Josh, for their own good?

 

JOSH

My wife is tellin’ you the truth.  Now, you better go, before you bring them here.

 

APOLLO

Unfortunately, these people have no place else to go.  Their father came here to prepare a place for his children.

 

AGGIE

Children?

(the children emerge from hiding)

Not here!  My God!  No.

(starts to swoon)

 

JOSH

Doyle, take her to the wagon.  Now, I don’t know who you are or where you came from, but if you’re not gone by nightfall, you’ll be sorry you ever stepped foot on this soil. 

(follows after Doyle and Aggie)

 

APOLLO

Are all your neighbors like that?

 

(The children begin climbing on the Viper.)

 

VECTOR

Well, you can’t blame them for being terrified.  They’re afraid the Alliance will return.  Uh, children!  Children!  Don’t do that, now!  Children, don’t!  Be careful!  Todd!  Don’t you touch anything!

 

TODD
Already been touched!

 

APOLLO

What do you mean?

 

TODD

It’s broken into a million bits!

 

APOLLO

What? 

(inspects cockpit)

We’re finished!

 

(The hovercraft returns to the ranch.)

 

CASSIOPEIA

Apollo, are you all right?

 

APOLLO

Our ships have been destroyed.

 

CASSIOPEIA

How?  Oh, has the Alliance landed?

 

APOLLO

Nah, just a crude job of shattering all our instruments.

 

CASSIOPEIA

Ahh.

 

APOLLO

Your neighbor the Morelands, I’m afraid.

 

SARAH

Neighbors?  I didn’t know we had neighbors.

 

APOLLO

We spotted them just as we pulled up.  Had a few heated words.  Starbuck and I are gonna have to go deal with them for bashing our ships around. 

 

MELANIE

How do you know they did it?

 

VECTOR

They were on their ships when we got there.  Who else could have done it? 

 

CASSIOPEIA

Apollo, getting even isn’t gonna do any good.  If the ships are unfliable, we’re just plain stuck. 

 

APOLLO

I know that, but if they’d do something like that, who knows what they might do to Sarah and Michael and the children?  I think we have to confront them and let them know what’ll happen if they try to harm these people. 

 

SARAH

“These people” include all of you now, Apollo, if your ships are damaged beyond repair.

 

APOLLO

I don’t know for sure about that.  Maybe we can salvage parts from one ship to another, at least get a communicator working.  Where’s Starbuck, anyway?

(Hector arrives in the other hovercraft)

Hector, where’s Starbuck?

 

HECTOR

There’s been a dreadful mistake.

 

APOLLO

What are you talking about?

 

HECTOR

The archives. 

 

VECTOR

Hector, you didn’t take Starbuck down there?!  These people out here have barely enough oxygen to survive, and in those subterranean tunnels he wouldn’t last for fifteen minutes!

 

HECTOR

He didn’t. 

 

VECTOR

You left him in there?  Why didn’t you carry him out?

 

APOLLO

Never mind that.  Just take us to him.

 

HECTOR

That’s just it.  Starbuck wouldn’t leave.  He sent me out to our vehicle for the portable oxygen, only I couldn’t find my way back to him.  There’s a maze down there.  I grew more and more confused.  Finally I found an exit.  I decided to go for help.

 

APOLLO

You did right, Hector. 

 

VECTOR

For an imbecile.

 

HECTOR

You made me.

 

(Michael exits the house.)

 

VECTOR

Don’t remind me.

 

APOLLO

Would you two stop bickering, and let’s go.  Cassie, get the other oxygen.

 

MICHAEL

What’s the matter?

 

APOLLO

Starbuck got lost in the city and needs oxygen. 

 

MICHAEL

I’m gonna go with you. 

 

APOLLO

No.  No, I need you right here to stand watch over Sarah and the children.  No tellin’ when those Morelands may come over here.  They made some pretty bad threats. 

 

MICHAEL

(sighs)

 

SARAH

You don’t have to worry about the Morelands.  They didn’t damage your ships.

 

MICHAEL

What?

 

SARAH

I did it.

 

MICHAEL

Sarah!  What in the name of God for?

 

SARAH

I wanted Apollo to stay.  I thought he could survive here.  Michael, I’ve been terrified of committing myself to you and to many other people.  Everybody I’ve ever loved has been killed, one by one, my father, my mother, my husband.  I’m sorry.

 

MICHAEL

Sarah, you had absolutely no right to try to force somebody to stay here.  Especially Apollo!  If it weren’t for this man, we’d all be dead! 

(to Apollo)

I have five times the breathing capacity you do on this planet.  I’m going. 

 

MELANIE

(to Charity and Todd)

At least she told the truth.

 

(Eastern Alliance destroyer)

 

LEITER

All stations, scan for life forms. 

 

KREBBS

In the city, sir?

 

LEITER

In the hinterlands.  Everyone in the city was destroyed.  The survivors fear that the invisible death that annihilated all the inhabitants lingers on.  They hide like animals and eke out their miserable existence on farms, utilizing the practically worthless soil.

 

DONNER

Two life form clusters reporting, sir.

 

LEITER

Yes, very good.  Where are they?

 

DONNER

Not far apart.

(indicating on screen)

Three forms here, five in this area.

 

LEITER

Three ships, five people.  That’s where we begin the search. 

 

(Apollo and his search party descend into the archives.  Deep within, Starbuck is gasping for breath and clanging with a piece of metal as a signal.)

 

APOLLO

There’s the first set of chambers.  Anything look familiar, Hector?

 

HECTOR

They all look familiar.

 

CASSIOPEIA

Oh, swell. 

 

APOLLO

We’ll have to split up.  Cassie, you, Michael, and Hector go in that direction.  You have your breathing tanks and communicator? 

(Cassiopeia nods)

We’ll check in with each other every few centons.

 

MICHAEL

Apollo, what is a centon?

 

(in the ranch house)

 

CHARITY

Mama, it took guts to tell ’em what you did. 

 

SARAH

Thank you, baby.  Where are you going? 

 

MELANIE

Well, we’re just gonna go down and put the blankets on the horses, if that’s all right with you. 

 

TODD

Mama – and can baby Walker come down to help with us too?

 

SARAH

I don’t think so.  Walker’s gotta go to bed.  Tell you what – when you come back, we’ll put on that song, the one my father loved. 

 

CHILDREN

Yeah! 

 

SARAH

And we’ll see how the Royal Dancers really did it on Terra!

(laughs)

 

CHILDREN

Yeah!

 

MELANIE

That’s great!

 

TODD

Thanks.  Thanks, Mom!

 

MELANIE

Yeah, come on, let’s go.

 

(In the barn, the destroyer is heard flying over.)

 

TODD

What’s that noise?

 

(Eastern Alliance destroyer)

 

KREBBS (OS)

All ship’s personnel, stand by to land.

 

(The children peek out the barn door and see the Eastern Alliance enforcers approaching the house.)

 

TODD

Look, there are strange men with guns!

 

CHARITY

Mama!

 

MELANIE

Shh.  We can’t help ’em.  We’re not big enough.

 

CHARITY

It’s too far to the city.

 

MELANIE

We’ll go to the neighbors’ house.  Vector said it was just over the hill. 

 

TODD

Let’s sneak out the back way. 

 

MELANIE

Okay, come on.

 

(inside the house)

 

LEITER

You are from Lunar Seven.  Your presence here presents no great threat to our Alliance.

 

SARAH

Then what do you want? 

 

LEITER

To find out about the other two ships that accompanied you.

 

SARAH

I don’t know anything about them.

 

LEITER

Please.  You have children to protect.  Let us not waste time on deception.  I’m sure you wish no harm to come to them. 

 

SARAH

(hurls an object through a window and screams outside)

Children, run for your lives! 

 

LEITER

(grabs Sarah and covers her mouth)

Check outside for the children.

 

(The two search parties proceed through the archives.)

 

MICHAEL

Starbuck?  Starbuck? 

 

VECTOR

Where could Starbuck be?  It’s a maze.  One tunnel—

 

APOLLO

(to his communicator)

Cassie, anything?

 

CASSIOPEIA

Nothing so far, Apollo. 

 

APOLLO

These chambers are endless. 

 

VECTOR

Yes, indeed they are.  There’s only one person alive who knows his way around here. 

 

APOLLO

Why didn’t you say so?  Who is he?  Where is he?

 

VECTOR

He used to be custodian down here.  You met him today.  His name is Doyle.  He’s hired out to the Morelands.

 

APOLLO

Great.

 

VECTOR

You’re right.  I don’t think he’d be too sympathetic to our cause.

 

MICHAEL

Starbuck!  Starbu—

(hears the clanging of the metal)

 

CASSIOPEIA

Apollo?

 

APOLLO

Yeah, Cassie.

 

CASSIOPEIA

We’re hearing a tapping.  It seems to be coming from all directions.  The echo is terrible in here.

 

APOLLO

Cassie, stay right where you are.  We’ll backtrack towards you.

 

CASSIOPEIA

The tapping’s growing fainter, but there seem to be two directions to go. 

 

APOLLO

If you keep going, we’ll all get lost.  Let us backtrack till we find you.  Then we can divide again.

 

CASSIOPEIA

Okay, we’ll wait for you. 

 

APOLLO

(to Vector)

Well, at least it’s some—thing.

(sits down grunting with sudden weakness)

Oh. 

 

VECTOR

You all right?

 

APOLLO

(exhales)

I’m just tryin’ to conserve air.  You don’t know how lucky you are.

 

VECTOR

Yeah, well, I may not suffocate, but I could rust myself to death.  Or we may all get lost down here.  These chambers go on for ever and ever and ever! 

 

APOLLO

You’re a lotta laughs, Vector.

 

STARBUCK

(still gasping and banging the piece of metal, coughs)

Hector!  Hector!

 

(The children knock at the Morelands’ door and Aggie answers.)

 

MELANIE

Oh, please, Mrs. Moreland, don’t shut us out!  The Eastern people are gonna kill our parents!

 

JOSH

What’s goin’ on here?  Now, you kids better leave.  If I ever see you back here again—

 

AGGIE

Please, please, please don’t send them away.

 

JOSH

Aggie, Aggie, what are you saying?  Now, you know that you can’t take it.  Please, please, go back in the house, huh?

 

AGGIE

This house has been without children for too long.  We can’t bring our own back, and we can’t turn these poor little things out into the night! 

(to the children)

Come on.

 

(In the archive, Starbuck drops the metal and passes out just before the search party arrives.)

 

APOLLO

Starbuck!  Oxygen. 

 

CASSIOPEIA

We’re in time.  All his vitals are responding.  If it takes us as long to get out of here as it did to get in—

 

VECTOR

Well, it took us one hour to get in.  It should take us one hour to get out.  Or more.

 

APOLLO

If we don’t get outta here quick—

 

(Approaching footsteps are heard.)

 

CASSIOPEIA

Apollo! 

 

(Doyle arrives with Josh Moreland.)

 

APOLLO

Stand back or I’ll fire.

 

JOSH

Now, we’re here to help. 

 

APOLLO

How’d you know we were here?

 

JOSH

The children.  They also told us that the enforcers from the Eastern Alliance are on Paradeen.  Now, they have your missus. 

 

MICHAEL

What!

 

APOLLO

Do you know a fast way outta here?

 

DOYLE

It’ll take about ten minutes. 

 

VECTOR

Well, come on!  They need help!  Now, hurry up!  Let’s go!

 

(In the ranch house, Leiter stands at the fireplace.)

 

LEITER
The flame is intoxicating, isn’t it?  We have our sides, yours, mine.  I mean your children no harm, but you would serve them better if you would tell me where everyone has gone.  They will, after all, have to return sooner or later.

 

SARAH

How many children did you kill when you bombed this planet?

 

LEITER

I did not bomb this planet.

 

SARAH

I understand every child was in the city in school when the end came.  Not a single child left alive.

 

LEITER

Yes.  Well, it is war, isn’t it?

 

SARAH

Yes, it is.  And you will lose. 

 

(Outside, Michael, Starbuck, and Apollo jump the enforcers standing guard and overpower them, seizing their weapons.)

 

LEITER

See what that noise is about.

 

(As the enforcer opens the door, Starbuck knocks him over and the three rush in, getting the drop on the other Alliance members.  As Krebbs starts to go for his gun, Michael points one at him.)

 

MICHAEL

Uh-uh-uh.

 

SARAH

Our children, are they all right?

 

MICHAEL

Yes, they’re fine.  They’re with Mrs. Moreland. 

 

SARAH

Oh, thank God.

 

MICHAEL

You said, “Our children”?

 

SARAH

Did I?

(laughs)

 

(A bit later, Starbuck is tying Leiter’s hands behind him.)

 

MICHAEL

I want to thank you for all you’ve done.  If you’re ever in the neighborhood—

 

APOLLO

Well, maybe someday. 

 

STARBUCK

Eh, at the very least, we’ll make sure these guys don’t bother you anymore. 

 

LEITER

One small victory does not win a war.

 

APOLLO

Oh, but have we got a surprise for you when we get you back to our home.

 

STARBUCK

Yeah.  You might even want to switch sides. 

 

LEITER

We are the most advanced military force in the galaxy.

 

STARBUCK

Oh, I believe it.  That’s what’s so encouraging.

 

MICHAEL

Come here, kids. 

 

APOLLO

Good-bye.  Thank you.

 

AGGIE

You’re welcome.

 

(The Colonials depart in the two hovercraft transports with the Alliance enforcers in custody.)

 

MICHAEL

Well, we make a life of our own in this valley now.

 

JOSH

And by golly, we and a couple of neighbors you haven’t even met yet are really gonna help!

 

MICHAEL

Thank you.

 

HECTOR

Don’t forget us! 

 

VECTOR

Yes!  As we used to say in Terra, the beginning of a new day is the beginning of a new life. 

 

(Michael and Sarah laugh as the androids bump heads.)

 

(Inside the destroyer, the warriors direct Donner to the Galactica landing bay.)

 

STARBUCK

About two degrees right here.  Wouldn’t you say, Apollo?

 

APOLLO

Sounds about right to me.

 

DONNER

Commandant, we’re heading toward something bigger than anything I’ve ever seen. 

 

LEITER

My God.  What is it?

 

STARBUCK

It’s called a, uh, battlestar. 

 

APOLLO

Now then, uh, you were telling us about this invincible Alliance of yours?

 

 

-END TRANSCRIPT-

 

 

NOTES

 

The punctuation generated by Adama’s log recorder differs slightly from that used here, having no comma after “Kobol” but inserting one after “coordinates.”

 

Athena’s sentence “The key thing in remembering adapting is time” makes little sense and was perhaps intended to be “The key thing to remember in adapting is time.”

 

It is unclear whether Flight Sergeant Jolly has been promoted to Lieutenant by this time or whether Sire Geller’s addressing him as “Lieutenant” is an error.

 

Vector’s phrase “homing advice” is an obvious error for “homing device.”